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#The Signs of the Times (Mark 13:9-20)
lqfiles · 7 months
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SCORE THAT GOAL! — smau
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after your college had announced that all the students were required to join a club and attend it twice a week, you were planning on either a) dropping out, or b) join the art club and pretend to be sick most of the times. that was before you discovered that park jisung is a long time member of the football team. change in plans: you LOVE football.
or in which you mindlessly join the football club in hopes of catching your crush’s attention (and to maybe secretly check him out too) who cares if you can’t even kick a ball up in the air?
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football-player!jisung x fem!reader
genre ; rlly just humour, football / sports au, fluff, some angst, pining and eventually mutual pining, probably slow-burn, college au, strangers to lovers.
extras ; teasing and profanity | sexual and death jokes | reader is down bad | jisung kinda dislikes reader and closed off at the start | my knowledge on football isn’t the BEST but i know above basics and enough for this fic | idrc if some of these subject clubs don’t exist this is for entertainment 😸
notes ; 😭 mostly posting this for myself cos i’ve wanted to try a smau for a while now but i hope anyone else enjoys too.
PLAYLIST ; Rising , TripleS — Hype Boy , newjeans — Awkward , SZA — Gasoline , ROSY (FT. LILMONEY) — Attracted To You , Pinkpantheress — Cognac Queen , Megan Thee Stallion — Goodie Bag , Still Woozy — Eyedress , Something About You .
STATUS ; completed! (24.02.24)
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profiles (1) | profiles (2)
1 ) donghyuck’s fault
2 ) 20% more insane
3 ) it’s the voices again
4 ) yes captain!
5 ) invest in a priv account
6 ) peach lipton ice tea
7 ) no suicide EVER
8 ) always believe women
9 ) grape & lemon drink
10 ) favourite teammate
11 ) wingman
12 ) jeno’s food provider
13 ) no lunch
14 ) awkward tension
15 ) a simple conversation
16 ) an even more normal conversation
17 ) under my umbrella
18 ) a canon event (ft. Renjun's Black Friday offer)
19 ) feeling submissive and fragile
20 ) woman hobbies & failed courseworks
21 ) man up and break it
22 ) make-up brush vs subway sandwich
23 ) OFFICIAL FRIENDSHIP!!!
24 ) a nice gesture
25 ) NOT my boyfriend
26 ) business exchange
27 ) what about mark?
28 ) winter wonders with you
29 ) JISUNG vs MARK
30 ) my princess (very lame)
31 ) riddle me this
32 ) do you like her? (probably)
33 ) wtf does QUORA know?
34 ) JISUNGxY/N: plan A
35 ) evil out the way, GOOD RIDDANCE
36 ) basketball incidents.
37 ) JISUNGxY/N: plan B (the jisung quiz)
38 ) E-DATING 🔛🔝🔥
39 ) wise words from renjun
40 ) that one sign
41 ) guess it’s a date
42 ) (unofficial) couple goals
43 ) the y/nle argument
44 ) professional over-thinker
45 ) executing major girlboss energy
46 ) the confession prep
47 ) knock some sense into them
48 ) war is over
49 ) knock some sense into JISUNG
50 ) an overdue confession
51 ) be your boyfriend?
52 ) scored that goal!
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BONUS:
jisung the blonde
JISUNG vs MARK pt.2
jaemin’s hit tweets
the jeno quiz
one huge polyamory relationship
TBA . . .
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thank you for reading!
2K notes · View notes
chaoticace2005 · 1 month
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The list of regrets I totally have and am not just writing because Charlie is making me, Vagina Vaggie is glaring at me, and I want the free rent:
By Angel Dust, 3 time X-X-X award winner.
(Warning, there is some victim blaming in this. The abuse Angel faces from Val is not his fault, but given that I’m writing this from his perspective I figured it would be something he’d add.)
1. Writing this list
2. Verbally complaining about writing this list cause now Vagina wants to stab me.
3. Only taking half my usual hit before starting today.
4. Complaining about not being high enough.
5. Not hiding my drugs better
6. Not having more stashes of drugs
7. Calling TV superior to radio.
8. Not killing that snake before he had a chance to go to the hotel.
9. Not “trying hard enough” at this shitty hotel.
10. Being too close to roof so the CRAZY BITCH COULD THROW ME OFF OF IT.
11. Walking up the stairs with Pentious only to have to go IMMEDIATELY BACK DOWN.
12. Signing my deal with fucking Valentino. Seriously I’m a fucking idiot.
13. Even suggesting the idea that Charlie should come to the studio. She’s just going to get hurt.
14. Mouthing off to Val.
15. Not getting Charlie out of the hotel sooner
16. Being such a pathetic, dick sucking ho who isn’t good at anything beyond sex.
17. Not being able to take all of this.
18. Not acting well enough cause some this bitchass cat is seeing through me.
19. Ever offering that bitchass cat my services.
20. Pushing Husk’s boundaries
21. Not being my true self.
22. Acting for so long I don’t even really know who my true self is
23. Being a dick to Charlie
24. Being a dick to Husk
25. Being a dick to everyone
26. Putting my dick in a vacuum cleaner.
27. Calling Smiles a creepy dommy daddy.
28. Letting Niffty know about some of my more kinky films. She’s getting ideas…
29. Trying to play poker with Husk (and not even strip poker!)
30. Testing if my venom works on myself (it doesn’t and now I have pink bite marks)
31. Leaving what I used to clean my bites out because somehow Alastor found them and is now TEMPORARILY PARALYZED AND I DONT WANT HIM TO KILL ME WHEN HE CAN MOVE AGAIN.
32. Not answering Val’s texts.
33. Wearing boots. Seriously these things hurt sometimes.
34. Having ugly feet so I can’t NOT wear boots.
35. Tracking mud into the hotel
36. Mentioning sex around the Egg Bois because now I have to explain what it is.
37. Describing sex as something their boss “has never had,” it got back to Pentious and I’m scared.
38. Mentioning “Vox” anywhere in Alastor’s vicinity.
39. Agreeing to play Monopoly with Niffty. In general Monopoly sucks but Niffty likes to get knives involved?!?!
40. Getting addicted to drugs.
41. Getting caught in that alleyway by my BITCHASS brother.
42. Not trying harder for Molly.
43. Not saying goodbye.
44. Fucking overdosing.
45. Doing literally fucking nothing with my life and nothing with my death.
46. Taking the easy was out and doing whatever pops told me to
47. Yelling “FUCK” loudly in church that one time
48. Not teaching these people at the hotel how to FUCKING MAKE SPAGHETTI RIGHT?!
49. Getting high with Cherri.
50. Telling Val to “fuck off”
51. Flirting with that one cannibal guy because now they all seem to want to EAT ME (and not in the sexy way)
52. Leaving those pot brownies out. High cannibals, Egg Boiz, and Nifftys are terrifying.
53. Letting myself be named “Angel” because this makes shit too damn confusing plus I think Niffty wants to KILL ME?!
54. Not spending more time with these losers
55. Not opening myself up to Husk sooner.
56. Being too much of a coward to tell him how I feel.
57. Mentioning Pent has two dicks to Cherri cause she won’t stop asking about it.
58. Not doing enough to save Pentious.
59. Not telling him how much he means to me.
60. Trying to lift way more than I should have. Apparently six arms doesn’t mean I’m super strong.
61. Calling Niss a short motherfucker who nobody likes. I’m sorry, I’ll be better (and call him something even worse next time.)
62. Still being too much of a coward to tell Husk how I feel.
63. Flirting with Husk in Italian when he UNDERSTOOD ME THIS WHOLE DAMN TIME?!
64. Getting a room on the same side of the building as Alastor’s because he keeps laughing at 3 in the morning???
65. Kissing Husk in public. Val is mad.
66. Trying to even have a boyfriend with Val around. It’s stupid.
67. Calling yourself stupid for wanting to have a boyfriend.
68. Giving my boyfriend access to this list.
69. No regrets. Only 69. :D (Jesus Christ you’re a child.)
213 notes · View notes
tightjeansjavi · 7 months
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Slow Hands | Chapter 3 “trust me to trust you”
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A/N: I sat on this story for awhile as I’m already figuring out how I want to develop the plot. I can tell this is going to turn into another passion project for me as I love the idea of post!outbreak domestic Joel and finding love in his late age. This chapter you get a little glimpse into what outbreak day was like for Beanie. Please remember that the nature of this fic will have dark themes. I will mark the warnings appropriately, but please read with caution. 🖤
~word count: 5.2k~
Pairing | Joel Miller x f! Reader
Summary: early winter mornings, fear of the past, a felt fawn, and Maria’s egg casserole.
Warnings: Canon-typical violence from outbreak day, mentions of loss, carnage, brink of death, depictions of a knife wound, PTSD, panic attacks, trigger responses, mentions of a firearm, I am no expert on the subject but I have done some research as I know it’s a delicate topic, angst, Joel is struggling to adjust to living a domestic life, anxiety, feeling like an outcast, grumpy old man! Joel, shy! Joel, kinda mean! Joel, sunshine reader, flirting, fluff, awkward situations, reminiscing on the past, reader has no physical descriptions and is from Texas, reader has a nickname (beanie bc y’know coffee beans) no age gap, vulgar language, slow burn, this is a fic that takes place post-outbreak so please keep in mind that there will be dark/triggering themes, but to also remember that it is not the main plot line for the story. Please read with caution. (+18) minors dni!
main masterlist series masterlist playlist
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It had been over 20 years since outbreak day, when your world and life as you once knew it, turned to flames and ash before the frightened whites of your eyes. Your coffee shop, Cuppa Smiles, was your little slice of heaven. You had put so much love, dedication, and passion into your establishment. Your coworkers were friends from college that were just looking for a change of pace from their 9-5’s just like the next person.
They all tried to kill you, whatever they were now. It had happened all so fast, and even now on the quietest of nights, you could still hear their snarls and animalistic growls. You could still remember the frightened screams, the chaos and destruction as a Boeing 747 collided into the earth and burst into flames, debris falling from the explosion, hitting those who were fleeing, and those who were no longer living. You remember tumbling along the concrete, rolling like a sack of potatoes as you struggled to breathe. To your direct left was a truck flipped over on its side.
Through the harsh ringing in your ears, you could make out two male voices on the other side of the truck. The one man was holding a young girl to his chest who couldn’t be more than 12-13 years old.
“I’m sorry, baby, I know, I know.” The man’s tone was urgent, rushed and laced with fear as he held his daughter close.
“We gotta get off the street!” The other man shouted desperately.
“Tommy!”
“Head to the river! I’ll find a way. Get her outta here, Joel! Go!”
Joel.
Joel.
Joel..Miller?
The last time you saw Joel Miller, all you could remember was the fear in his eyes, before everything around you went black.
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When Tommy and Maria Miller discovered you on the outskirts of Jackson, looking like you were all skin and bones as you slipped off your horse's saddle and into the cool dirt. Your body was exhausted, your resources were spent and now you just hoped that you would die peacefully. That was until a strong pair of arms were gently lifting you from the dirt as your body laid like a limp fish.
“D’ya think she’s still breathin?’” Tommy asked his wife as she was quickly checking your pulse.
“Barely. She must have been riding for days out in this heat.”
“She showin’ any signs of bein’ infected?” Tommy knew the protocol of bringing in stragglers from outside Jackson, and if you were found to be infected..
Maria made quick work to check your body for any signs of a bite mark. She took sudden interest in a large bloodstain through the tattered fabric of your shirt. She gently lifted the fabric from the hem to discover a gruesome sight. What appeared to be done by the work of a sharp blade was a long semi deep, gnarly gash carving from your abdomen, up your torso, curving under your left breast and wrapped around your ribcage to your left shoulder blade.
“Fuckin’ hell. Someone tried to carve her up?” Tommy asked in disbelief as his wife gently pulled the hem of your shirt back down.
“Raiders, no doubt. She’s not infected. I can’t find any bite marks, but one thing’s for certain though, this woman has been through some hell.”
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It was well over an hour till sunrise when Joel Miller lumbered out of his home, shovel in hand and bundled up fiercely in multiple thick layers to protect his skin from the harsh biting cold. His plan was simple, head over to your house down the street, shovel your walkway, and ask you to accompany him to breakfast. It really was quite simple, but despite that he was running a script over in his mind on exactly what he wanted to say to you.
Hey Beanie, was wonderin’ if you’d like to accompany me to breakfast?
Wait..what if she declines? Then what are you gonna say?
Uhh..
Oh, well that’s alright! Maybe another time? No pressure or nothin.’
What if..she thinks it’s strange that you’re shoveling her walkway at the crack ass of dawn?
Jus’ doin’ my neighborly duty. Besides, it’s jus’ a friendly favor, y’know cause we’re friends?
I sound like an idiot.
Maybe I should just..start off with saying good morning?
I’m hopeless.
Joel grumbled to himself as he trudged through the snow. The whipping wind bit at his exposed skin but he welcomed the chill without a complaint. The harsh elements were just another reminder that he was still alive and breathing.
The outside of your home was just as he expected it to be, quaint, yet quirky. He imagined that in the summer months your front porch would be scattered with flowers and plants. The mailbox just outside your gate was crooked and could definitely use a fresh coat of paint, and the wooden gate was a little creaky, but nothing he couldn’t easily fix. He was already making a little mental note of everything he wanted to fix on, and around your home.
The snow was a few inches deep, it stopped just below the top of his boots. His back already screamed a dull pain up his spine as he bent down with the shovel and got to work. The pain he felt in his muscles was just another reminder that he was still alive.
He gritted his teeth together, jaw clenched as he worked through the first section of your covered walkway.
You never considered yourself to be a heavy sleeper even before the apocalypse. A door slamming, or pots clinking in the kitchen sink at your long since abandoned apartment was all it took to stir you from your slumber. Now, even in the safety of Jackson, your brain was always ticking. What could be lurking behind that dark shadow across the street? Realistically, nothing. It’s just your brain playing a dirty trick on you. A branch outside your window snaps, it’s just the wind. It’s just the wind because it’s storming out, and a strong wind can break even the sturdiest of branches. That noise you heard in the dead of the night? It was just an animal. Maybe a raccoon or a screech from a barn owl. It wasn’t a clicker. You were safe, so why couldn’t your brain just..turn off? Why was it still stuck in this survival mode when nothing inside Jackson’s strong walls could hurt you.
This sound in particular was different. It was unfamiliar, and unfamiliar meant danger. Scraping, grunts, more scraping; man. The hairs on the back of your neck were standing up as you shot out of bed like a bat out of hell. You kept your shotgun next to your bed because well..you could never be too careful. You never had a reason to use it, but it brought you some form of comfort that you didn’t realize you so desperately needed until Tommy experienced your triggers firsthand when he had accidentally snuck up on you while your back was turned to him behind the counter of your shop. The last time he had seen fear struck that deep inside one person, was the night Sarah died in Joel’s arms. So, Tommy lended you a shotgun as an apology.
He’s out there. He’s trying to get me. I have to run. I have to hide. He’s found me and he—he’s going to take me away.
Your brain was screaming at you as you crept down the steps. Every step you took you feared would be your last. It had been sometime since you experienced an episode as severe as this one. Other times you were able to talk yourself back down to logic. Sometimes you’d resort to unbridled violence, usually on a sack of sugar. This time, you felt as if you had no control over your body's current state. It was as if you were reliving—
Joel had his bad ear facing towards your front door. Between the pain in his back, and the scraping of the metal shovel along the concrete, he wasn’t able to detect the front door creaking open.
His back was facing you as you shakily pointed the barrel of your gun at what you thought was an intruder. Due to the low light from the sun barely peeking over the mountains, all you saw was a darkened figure bent over in the middle of your walkway. Had it been brighter out, perhaps you would have recognized the lone figure to be Joel.
Your ears were ringing loudly as the inner voice inside of your brain was demanding you to shoot. Shoot him and then run, and never look back. Your breath grew shallow as the figure slowly turned around to start on the next snow patch..and then immediately froze.
Joel dropped the shovel with a heavy clank as he slowly raised his hands above his head to show you that he was no immediate threat to your safety. “Beanie? Hey, it’s alright darlin’ it’s just me.”
He’s lying
Your entire body was trembling at the top of the steps as Joel hesitantly took a few steps forward. “Darlin?’” I’m gonna need you to lower the gun now, okay? You’re safe. It’s just me. Nothin’ out here is goin’ to hurt you.” He spoke softly, yet firmly. He kept his hands where you could see them in direct view. He was close enough now that even in the low light, he could see the frightened whites of your eyes as you stood there, unblinking.
“I’m goin’ to take another step towards you, okay? Please don’t shoot me.”
Don’t trust him. He’s one of them. He’s here to hurt you. He’s playing a trick on you.
“Joel?” You stuttered shakily as you finally found your voice.
His heart sunk deep into the pit of his stomach when he picked up on just how terrified you were. He knew it wasn’t directly because of him. Something had happened to you, he knew the look on your face all too well, and it was a good thing he knew how to act calm in a dire situation such as this one.
“Yes, it’s Joel. It’s just me darlin.’” He responded as he took another step towards the foot of the steps leading up to your front porch.
“D—don’t come any closer, please.” You uttered just barely above a whisper as you kept the barrel of your gun trained on him.
“Okay. I won’t come any closer, but I need you to trust me to trust you. Do you understand what I’m saying to you Beanie?” He was careful with his choice of words. Anything too sudden might end up with him potentially getting a bullet to the arm or thigh. Not the chest, please. He silently thought to himself.
“What does that mean?”
“It means that I trust you to not shoot me, so I need you to trust me to approach you. Okay? We can do this in baby steps. I just really need you to lower the gun, okay?” His eyes locked on yours as he gave you a reassuring nod.
You blinked a few times as your hands shakily lowered the barrel of the shotgun to the floorboards. Something in you suddenly clicked as the realization of what you had just done, more-so almost done, hit you like a freight train and suddenly you were crumbling right before his eyes.
He let out a visible sigh of relief when your gun was no longer aimed at him, but as soon as your body crumbled to the ground, he jumped into action. His gloved hands were gently wrapped around your shoulders as he spoke softly, yet urgently to you. “Beanie? Hey, you’re alright. You’re alright. I’m right here. You’re safe. You’re safe.” He felt like in those crucial moments it was necessary that he repeat himself just in case you didn’t hear him the first time.
Your eyes were frantically searching his own, pupils dilating under the low light that the early winter morning sky had to offer. He was holding your shoulders so delicately, as if you were fine bone china that would shatter just upon glancing at it. He could feel your muscles trembling under his loose grip. He could feel a hint of anger bubbling in the deep pit of his stomach. The same anger he experienced when he found Ellie— “d’ya..wanna take some deep breaths with me maybe? Or we could count? Sometimes I try’n pick a spot on the wall or somethin’ or count the steps it takes me to get from point A to point B. S’not the best method, but it helps bring me back down to earth.” His tone was so soft, sincere and genuine. If you weren’t such an emotional fucked up wreck, your heart would be melting into a puddle by now.
“Joel..I’m so sorry I-I—didn’t know it was you. I thought you—I thought..” You struggled to articulate a cohesive sentence as his espresso brown eyes bore into yours. He gave you a reassuring nod, and a gentle squeeze along your shoulders.
“Hey, it’s alright. I know you weren’t g’nna shoot me. You were just frightened. Your mind was probably playin’ some trick on you.” He murmured as his thumb was gently stroking back and forth across the fabric of your pajamas on your shoulders. “Y’sure you don’t wanna count?”
“Does..it actually help?” You whispered timidly.
“Sometimes..all depends on what it is that’s triggerin’ me.” He softly responded
“Can you start..please?”
“Course I can darlin.’ We’ll start at Ten.”
“Nine.”
“Eight.”
“Seven..”
“Six.”
“Five..”
“Four.”
“Three..”
“Two.”
“One.” You murmured in unison.
“Y’feel alright with me helpin’ you up? We can stay down here. S’alright with me.” His arms were fully enclosed around you now. He smelled better than you expected. Of course it helped that Jackson had an abundance of hygiene products available; soap being at the top of the list. He smelled earthy, rugged with a hint of minty freshness..toothpaste maybe.
“I really wasn’t going to shoot you..something just came over me and..I couldn’t stop myself.” You admitted softly.
“Would have been real hard for you to shoot me with the safety on darlin.’” He stifled a chuckle as he could see from the angle he was crouched down at, the safety on your rifle was in fact on. “Who gave you that rifle anyway? Someone outta teach ya to use it..never can be too careful.”
“Tommy gave it to me a few years back.”
“Ah. That does sound like somethin’ my brother would do.” He slowly stood to his feet as he offered you his gloved hand to help you up. “These floorboards are pretty damn wobbly. I can take a look at them when it ain’t so cold out? They probably started warpin’ from the changes in the weather. Might have a few boards that are rotted out.”
“Anything else you wanna fix on my house?” You teasingly asked as you grasped his hand, allowing him to help you up from the current sitting position you were in.
“Honey, I’ve got a whole mental list goin’ on in my head right now. The flood boards could end up bein’ a safety hazard if I don’t check ‘em sooner, rather than later. Your mailbox could use some sprucin’ up. Nothing a bit of paint can’t fix, and your gate is a little crooked. I’d uh—I’d be happy to do it though.” He was rubbing the back of his neck nervously with a sheepish look on his face.
“A whole list, huh? Is that why you were over here at the crack ass of dawn?” There was a ghost of a smile on your lips as you wrapped your arms around your chest to block out the bitter chill.
“Well, I gotta put my carpenter skills to good use somehow, right? Actually..I just woke up this mornin’ and wanted to do somethin’ nice for ya. Y’know after you came over and returned the mug..plus, I couldn’t really sleep all that much. I rarely do these days. Anyway, I’m ramblin’ yet again. The main reason I shoveled your walkway is cus’ I was goin’ to ask you if you’d like to accompany me to breakfast?” His face was flushed, and his cheeks were rosy, but he was certain it wasn’t because of the biting chill.
“You came all this way to shovel my walkway, and find an excuse to ask me out to breakfast?” You couldn’t help the smile that was slowly forming over your lips. It was crazy to think that just five minutes ago you were a complete cluster fuck of an emotional wreck, and now you were smiling like a fool because Joel Miller was proving to you that even in an apocalypse, chivalry was alive and well.
He ignored your question, at first. It wasn’t on purpose, he just was more tuned into your active shivering, and the way you tightened your arms across your chest in a weak attempt to block out the early morning chill.
“Are ya cold?” He asked with a soft rasp. He didn’t allow you the chance to answer as he was already slipping his warm suede jacket off and placing it over your shoulders.
“Thank you..” you whispered in a soft response.
“Of course. I’d feel pretty fuckin’ shitty if I caused ya to catch a cold out here.”
“And I’ll feel the same exact way if you catch one as well. Do you..want to come inside? I can put a fresh pot on?” You were already gesturing to your front door with a soft tilt of your chin in that direction.
“Let me just finish up with your walkway, and then I’d love to join you for a cup of coffee.” He was already heading down the steps to grab his discarded shovel.
“Wait! Joel, your jacket? Don’t you want it back?”
He glanced over his shoulder at you with a tiny grin playing on his lips. “Nah, s’alright darlin.’ The cold ain’t real botherin’ me anyway. Now please, go inside before you actually catch a cold.”
You weren’t one to argue at this early in the morning, and especially when you had yet to indulge in your cup of coffee. You slowly bent down and picked up your rifle and slung the strap over your shoulder before heading back inside. As soon as Joel heard the click of your front door closing, he continued on with shoveling the rest of your walkway.
The coffee grounds were just beginning to steep when he had quietly entered your home. He politely left his boots along the doormat next to yours. He didn’t want to be a rude houseguest and track in any snow. The first thing he noticed about your interior style was that you were anything but a minimalist. You had all sorts of picture frames hanging on the wall. Some were photographs but the others were paintings. Realism, portraits, landscapes, anything your heart desires, you painted it.
He especially took interest in all your knick knacks that were scattered in a clay bowl on the table in the entryway. Old keys, coins, lighters and paper matchboxes. Figurines, tiny porcelain coffee cups. The pads of his fingers brushed over a tiny felt fawn that was sitting atop of all the ‘clutter.’
“Ah. I see you found my bowl of treasures? Well, some people would probably call them junk, but I’ve always been a collector of oddities. Although, I wouldn’t really call them oddities. I think the proper term would be keepsakes?” You had two mugs of steaming coffee in your hands as you approached him. His jacket was still loosely hanging off of your shoulders as he looked over at you.
“Where did you find all of these treasures? Have you been collectin’ them through the years? Ellie’s obsessed with this kinda stuff.” He set the little felt fawn down gently as he reached for the coffee mug. Your fingers gently brushed against one another as he gingerly removed the mug from your hand. “Thank you, by the way. For uh, the coffee.”
“For the most part I have found all of these pieces on my own. Tommy actually found that felt fawn a few months ago. He knew it would bring a smile to my face. Do you want to take it home? I’m sure Ellie would love it. That’s kinda the whole concept of the bowl y’know? When I have guests over, I want them to pick something from it that really speaks to them. As you can see the bowl is quite full, considering I don’t get much company around here.” You brought the rim of your mug to your lips, softly blowing on the rising steam before you took a cautious slow sip.
“Oh, I couldn’t do that Beanie. I don’t wanna take somethin’ from ya that makes ya smile. That was awfully nice of my brother. Y’guys pretty close then?” He was gently leaning his weight back against the edge of the table, ankles crossed as he took a small sip from his own mug. For a split second you couldn’t help but feel the soothing domesticity from the moment you were sharing. Joel’s thick woolen socks, his flushed cheeks from the cold paired with his coat resting along your shoulders. There was something so tender to it all.
“Joel, I insist. Please, take the fawn and give it to your kid. I even have a little box for it so it looks like it’s a present. I’m sure she’ll love it. Anyway, Tommy and I are close. I suppose you could lay it out that way? I owe my life to him and Maria..they were the ones who took me in. I haven’t been outside Jackson since.”
“‘Course you got a little box for it and everythin.’ Alright, I’ll give it to El. You haven’t been outside Jackson in that long?..” He asked with genuine curiosity. He didn’t want to come across like he was prying either. He wanted you to open up to him not because he forced you to, but because you felt comfortable enough around him to show your vulnerabilities.
“I’ve only been outside the town one another time and that was when we found the coffee bean plants in the Colorado nursery. Tommy and Maria were with me of course and—” You paused, remembering how freaked out they were when you started to panic out of the blue. Neither of them could calm you down, and you passed out in Tommy’s arms.
“Hey, it’s okay. You don’t have to tell me anythin’ you don’t wanna tell me, alright?” He reached his freehand out and gently placed it along the side of your wrist, giving it a gentle squeeze.
“Let me..go get that box for Ellie’s fawn. Did you still want to do breakfast?” You set your mug along the table, you had barely touched it.
“If you’d like to. I’d thoroughly enjoy your company, and you ain’t lived till you’ve tried Maria’s egg casserole, darlin.’” He was grinning boyishly over the rim of his mug.
Man, was he handsome.
“Sounds like her egg casserole is to die for then. I’ll just grab that box, and then get dressed. You alright with hanging out here by yourself for a few minutes?”
“I think I can find a way to keep myself entertained till then.” He assured you.
“Perfect.”
Joel waited until you had disappeared upstairs before he let out a deep sigh as he looked down at the little felt fawn. His brow furrowed as he was deep in thought over what had possibly happened to you when you went outside Jackson with Tommy and Maria. He could connect the dots and piece the puzzle together, and the blaring answer was something bad had happened. What exactly? Now, that was going to take a little bit of time.
You came back downstairs a few minutes later. Dressed in some worn out jeans and a sweater made of pure sheep’s wool. Joel’s jacket was resting along the crook of your arm as you handed him a little felt box that went along with the fawn.
“Keep my jacket. I’ve got plenty at home.” Was the first thing that he uttered as he took the felt box from you and gently placed the fawn figurine inside before tucking it safely away in his pocket.
“Joel, I can’t do that. I’ve got plenty of jackets here as well.”
He wanted to tell you to keep it because he liked the way it looked on you. He kept those thoughts to himself for the time being.
“Alright, I won’t fight ya on it.” He shrugged.
“Good, cause you’ll lose every single time you try.” There was a playful edge to your tone as you placed the jacket back around his shoulders.
“Is that a challenge?” He mused, with his eyebrow quirked upwards.
“Nope. It’s facts.” You grinned.
Yeah, we’ll see about that.
More of Jackson’s residents began to emerge from their homesteads at the shrill sound of the breakfast bell chiming from the mess hall. Joel had respectfully offered you his arm as you descended down the porch steps, and past your crooked gate. You obliged to his offer, wrapping your gloved hand around the crook of his elbow.
You had never felt so many pairs of eyes on you since living in Jackson. Curious, envious, surprised, disgusted? Those were the types of looks you encountered from a handful of Jackson’s residents. The looks you received were mostly from women, and even though the world had ended, jealousy was still brewing.
It wasn’t everyday that Joel Miller came strolling into the mess hall with a pretty thing on his arm. You stood out like two sore thumbs, but it seemed like neither of you were paying much mind to it. Joel was used to the stares. People around here didn’t know much about him, other than the fact that he was Tommy’s older brother and Ellie was..like a daughter to him. They’d see the scars on his hands and arms and split like a sundae. He’d hear the whisperings of who he was, where he came from, and he’d shrug it all off. He much preferred keeping his family close, and everyone else at an arm's reach. He secretly relished in remaining a mystery to most.
“Well, I’ll be damned.” Tommy spoke in a surprised tone as you and Joel approached the table that he and Maria were currently seated at. “Ya finally get Beanie outta her coffee shell?”
“It appears that I did. Told her about Maria’s egg casserole and she was sold instantly.” Joel reached over and gave his brother a gentle pat on the shoulder. “Ellie stroll through here yet?”
“She came in a few minutes ago with Dina. There sittin’ with their friends ov’there.” Tommy gestured with the end of his fork.
“Thanks. Got somethin’ I wanna give t’her.” He turned towards you then and gave you a reassuring smile. “Why don’t ya go and grab yourself a plate. I’ll come sit with ya in a minute.”
“Do you want me to grab you a plate as well?..”
“You’re a real doll. Thank you, that would be great.” He gave his brother a slight nod before he was sauntering away to where Ellie was sitting. Her and Dina were sitting side by side, shoulders touching.
“Hey, kiddo.” Joel murmured softly.
“Hey, Joel.” Ellie responded, not looking up from her plate. Things between them were..rocky to put it nicely. She loved her dad of course, and after what happened yesterday she thought she’d be okay, but the truth was she wasn’t.
“I uh—don’t mean to bother you and Dina or nothin.’ Jus’ wanted to give this to you.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out the little velvet box and placed it down in front of her. “Beanies got this collection of treasures and I saw this..little fawn, and immediately thought of you kiddo.”
Why can’t I just be good with my words for once in my fuckin’ life?
Ellie could feel tears pricking the corner of her eyes as she gently lifted the lid off the box to reveal the little felt deer encased inside. This small gesture meant more than Joel would ever realize..but Ellie kept her poker face strong.
“Thanks, Joel.”
His heart dipped and sunk like dry sand becoming wet and weighed down from tumultuous waves crashing upon the shore. It was a small step in what he hoped was the direction of forgiveness.
“You’re welcome, kiddo.” He cleared his throat before he ambled away back to the table where the rest of his family were sitting. He had only known you for less than twenty four hours, and he already thought of you as family. He didn’t count all the times before outbreak day only because that part of himself had died along with Sarah. Or, so he thought.
“El..he’s trying at least.” Dina was resting her chin along Ellie’s shoulder as they were both gazing down at the little felt fawn.
“He is.” Ellie murmured softly.
Joel took a seat across from you as you were sitting next to Maria, gushing over her egg casserole, and how Joel was absolutely right about you not living until you tried it.
He thought you looked so pretty with a soft smile on your face as you looked at Maria with genuine adoration.
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At nightfall, Joel, Tommy and a few other men were out patrolling. With the winter being so harsh, there were more chances of man wandering through these parts. Stragglers were one thing, raiders? That was a whole other story. Joel and Tommy took to the east on horseback. The longer winter night was dead silent. There was no howling wind to whip against the bone dry branches. No low hoot from an owl. It was quiet, too quiet. Even the horse’s hooves were nearly undetectable from how soft and careful they were stepping into the snow.
The only light source they had was the brightly lit moon shining in the jet-black sky. The stars scattered about weren’t nearly as brilliant as the moon.
Joel broke through the silence as he adjusted the strap of his rifle over his shoulder. “Tommy?..” he started, “do you know what happened to Beanie?..”
Tommy let out a huff of air as the bitter cold burned his lungs. He averted making eye contact with his brother before he was met with no other choice but to finally make eye contact with him. “It ain’t my place to tell you that, brother. I’m sorry.” He sounded defeated with his words because he didn’t want to keep anything hidden from Joel. Not after all those years they had spent apart from one another.
“You better give me a real fuckin’ reason why you can’t tell me. Tommy, she nearly fuckin’ shot me this mornin’ because she thought I was a threat. That I was a danger to her life. You can’t tell me anythin?’” Joel whispered back, harsher than he had wanted but he didn’t like being left out of the loop.
“Joel,” Tommy hissed under his breath, “Even if I knew the exact details of what that woman went through, I wouldn’t be able to disclose them to you.”
“Why the hell not?” Joel quipped back.
“Because, because..she ain’t got’a fuckin’ clue about what happened to herself either, Joel.”
What?
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Chapter 4:
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eddiemunsons80sbaby · 2 months
Text
Everybody Hurts
Chapter 22
Pairing: EddieMunsonxReader
Summary: You needed to escape, escape from your life, your messy divorce, and all the pitying looks. Looks you couldn't ignore when everyone in town had known you and Cam, had known your shame and failure. So, you took the first job you could get, teaching third grade in a town called Hawkins. Little did you know, you were walking right into another messy situation, a messy situation with big brown eyes and long dark waves. But he's resistant, at times unbearable and you start getting curious about the town's past, his past, especially when things don't start adding up.
18+ Only for eventual smut
Next chapter: 01/24
Word Count: 7.2K
Masterlist
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21
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Knock! Knock!
You paused in pouring a cup of coffee from the third pot you'd made, fueling you as you sat up at the table with a notebook and pencil all night, frantically trying to figure out a way to get Eddie out of this. Or if nothing else, a way to get him to fight back, to tell the judge the truth, that he’d acted in self-defense or in defense of you. Anything but to stand there and plead guilty for smashing in the face of a man who more than had it coming. 
Opening the door, you found Robin and Steve standing on your porch, looking as frazzled as you felt. Disheveled hair and clothing, purple half moons darkening under their eyes, showing signs that they had just as much trouble sleeping as you had. Your heart gave a hopeful tug. Maybe they’d come up with something. Maybe they’d had some grand epiphany that you hadn’t. 
“Have you heard anything?” you asked anxiously.
Steve shook his head, “No, not yet. But Hop’s a man of his word. He’ll call as soon as he’s talked to Eddie. No, we’re actually here for something else.”
“Okay…”
You were confused and honestly a little irritated. What could possibly have brought them here that was more important than Eddie potentially going to prison? Shouldn’t that be the main focus right now?
“Steve and I were talking last night and we have decided that it’s time to tell you,” Robin said.
“Tell me what?”
“Everything,” she answered, giving you a pointed look, a look that had your insides jumping with both trepidation and relief. 
“I called Nancy this morning and let her know everything that’s going on and everyone is on their way here,” Steve continued. “We’re going to tell you the truth, all of it. We have agreed that it’s time you know. You’ve more than proven your devotion to Eddie and to all of us. It’s not fair to keep you in the dark, especially not if you’re going to be with him. And especially not with everything that’s going on. You need to know what has brought us here, why all of this happened.”
You backed into the house, the two of them following you inside. Mixed emotions coursed through you. On one hand, you were eager to finally learn the truth, to have the veil lifted, to know exactly what had happened here. On the other hand, you didn’t mind admitting that you were more than a little nervous that what you were about to find out was going to be more awful than you could even begin to imagine. 
Slow footsteps into the kitchen, your hands grabbing onto the coffee pot, filling your mug to the brim. Trembling fingers lifted it to your lips, sipping the hot liquid, burning your tongue but barely registering it. A hand with ragged fingernails, chewed down from anxious energy, took the mug from your hand, setting it down on the counter. 
“Sweetie, you might want to cool it on the caffeine,” Robin told you softly. “You might want something a bit…inebriating for what we’re about to tell you, actually.”
Steve’s eyes roamed around the kitchen, lighting up when he spotted the bottle of amber colored liquid, the color of Eddie’s eyes. Grabbing onto the neck of it, he held it up with a smile, eyebrows lifting. 
“Maker’s Mark.” He let out a low whistle. “The good shit. This is definitely what we need right now.”
Glancing at the clock next to the window, you saw it was only ten in the morning. But hell, it was five o’clock somewhere, right? And you'd been up for over twenty-four hours so what did it matter if you partook in an adult beverage? 
Stepping around Robin, you opened the cabinet above the stove, pulling down three glasses. You made your way to the freezer, grabbing the ice cube tray. Twisting it, you freed a few ice cubes, dropping two into each glass before sliding them across the table to Steve who gave each of you a generous pour. 
You three friends, united in your mission, lifted your glasses, clinking them together before downing the spicy liquid with just a tang of sweetness, notes of caramel and vanilla present. You hissed as the liquor sent a pleasant burn along your throat. Alright, bring it on. Whatever they had to say couldn’t be worse than walking in on your husband and best friend. Right?
_________________________________________________________
You balanced a tray of drinks as you made your way through the tangle of legs in your living room. The space suddenly seemed infinitely smaller, claustrophobic even, with all of the people suddenly crammed into it. Robin and Steve had not been exaggerating when they said everybody had decided to come and fill you in. They were all there. Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve sat on your couch. Robin was in the chair. Max, Lucas, Dustin, El, Mike, Will, and Argyle were sprawled on the floor throughout the room. 
You handed out the drinks and then dropped down next to Max, crossing your legs. The young girl offered you what you were sure was meant to be a reassuring smile but you could not find anything reassuring right now. 
Eddie’s face, the hopelessness, the despair, the surrender in it haunted you, refusing to let you go. It was noon and still nothing from Hopper. You were certain you were going to lose your shit any minute if you didn’t get some word soon. You were ready to charge into that police station yourself and demand to talk to Eddie. Would the Chief, the man they all seemed so certain could fix anything, actually be able to make all of this okay? Would he be able to get through to Eddie? 
“Okay, so who’s gonna start?” you asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence, all of them apparently agreed to tell you but no one seemed to be willing to start. 
“I guess I will since, technically, this all began with me,” Will piped up, surprising you. The boy was usually so quiet. He was the last one you'd expected to speak first. “So, you know I disappeared when I was eleven and they all thought I was dead, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, I didn’t just get lost in the woods like they said. I got lost in another place. A place not like here, another dimension. We call it The Upside Down.”
“I’m sorry?” you asked, thinking you could not have heard him correctly. Another dimension? Were you in some kind of sci-fi movie? Were they all just messing with you?
“The Upside Down. It’s like another world that’s a mirror of ours but a darker version that exists on a different plane from us,” Dustin explained. “El, her name is actually Eleven. She was taken from her mom by a guy named Dr. Brenner when she was baby because he wanted her for her gifts. She has…powers. She accidentally opened up a rift that allowed this world to bleed into ours.”
“But she did it to stop this guy, Henry, who had powers too,” Mike defended. “He was a psycho as a kid but Dr. Brenner used him. He wanted their kind of power. He wanted to control it but Henry was out of control. He killed a bunch of kids in the lab and he was going to use his powers to basically kill everyone on the planet. He hated regular humans because he thought we were a waste of oxygen or something.”
“I…what are you talking about…powers…what do you mean powers?” you stammered, leaning forward just as Max placed her hand on your knee. 
“Just watch,” Max advised. 
“Watch…”
But your words were lost as the empty can of Coke sitting on the table suddenly floated up into the air. Your eyes widened as it hovered for a moment and then collapsed in on itself, crushed, before dropping down on the floor. The only sound in the silence of the room was the tin of the can hitting the wood. You had no words, your eyes turning to El, the girl wiping blood from beneath her nose with the back of her hand. 
“El has telekinetic powers. She can move things with her mind,” said Max. “She also has telepathic abilities. She can go into other people’s minds and see things.”
El smiled nervously at you who couldn’t wrap your brain about what you'd just witnessed. In all the scenarios you'd come up with in your head, a real life superhero with powers and an alternate dimension was definitely not one of them. Holy shit. When you'd been trying to come up with theories, you'd been nowhere in the ballpark of anything as crazy as all of this.
“You doing okay?” asked Robin.
You nodded slowly. Were you doing okay? You didn’t know. This was a lot to take in but you also didn’t want them to stop. They were finally trusting you, being open with you. Robin had told Steve that you were strong enough to handle all of this and you didn't want to give them a reason to think you weren't even if you felt like you were losing your mind just a bit. Alternate dimensions, superpowers, and crazy villains who stole babies were enough to make anyone think they’d lost it.
“This shit is crazy, man,” Argyle told you. “I had to smoke a nice, big, fat one to get through all this. Shit, man. I smoked quite a few. You’re doing great, my dude. Oh, my apologies, dudette. And if you need one, I got some Silver Haze in my pizza van. That stuff will chill you out. We’ll have you feeling good in no time. Just say the word.”
A joint did not sound half bad right now, something to take the edge off. You were already anxious as hell about Eddie and now you were finding out his nightmares were just that, the stuff of nightmares. Monsters and villains and hellscapes come to life. 
“Anyway, I got taken to that place, the Upside Down,” Will continued. “I got stuck there. The gate that El opened was at the lab. She managed to escape after she opened it and Mike, Dustin, and Lucas found her. They had no idea what was going on for a while. No one had any idea the mess we’d just gotten ourselves into. The lab knew exactly what had happened to me. They knew where I was but they wanted to keep it quiet. They planted a fake body in the quarry but Hopper found out it was fake. Then El managed to contact me with her powers and let them know I was alive and where I was. Him and my mom actually went to the lab, went through the gate, and found me.”
“Then El battled the demogorgon,” Dustin told you and when you looked at him confused he added, “right, sorry. So, demogorgons are these nasty monsters from The Upside Down. They are massive, gray skin, with these faces that open like flowers with rows of teeth but no eyes. Creepy bastards. Then you have demodogs, which are younger versions that are a bit smaller and walk on four legs. Then there was Dart who I thought was a pollywog but turned out to be a baby Demogorgon.”
“Jesus,” Steve snorted. “I had to help him find the damn thing because he was trying to keep it as a pet.”
“Yeah and he lied to all of us about it,” Lucas huffed.
“Because you were going to kill him! Dart didn’t hurt us, remember? When we went into the tunnels he let us pass by.”
“Only because you gave him a candy bar!” Steve yelled.
“He loved nougat,” Dustin shrugged. “It worked, didn’t it?”
Monsters…actual monsters with nasty teeth and claws. Okay, yeah. Obviously. You weren't going to lose it. You could do this. And Dustin had kept a baby one as a pet. Sure. Why not? And El had battled one. Well, of course she did. Having superpowers and all, she would be the obvious choice. You could handle this. You had complete control. 
“Jesus, you guys are confusing her,” Nancy sighed. “Okay, so Will came back. Eleven killed the demogorgon and we thought that was the end of it. We thought El was gone because she vanished with the Demogorgon, almost like she had used up all of her power. But we were wrong. The gate was still open and only getting larger. The Upside Down had a bigger monster called The Mind Flayer. He possessed Will. We burned it out of him and El closed the gate but the piece that was in Will remained on our side. It was dormant until some Russians opened the gate again and it came alive. Then it possessed a bunch of people. The people it possessed broke down into bones and skin and melded together into a massive monster of people parts. The mall fire wasn’t actually a mall fire. It was us blowing up the monster.”
“Russians?” you asked, as if that was the most illogical piece of it all. “How in the hell did Russians get involved?”
“They wanted to harness the power for evil,” Steve stated. “I actually got my ass beat. They were ready to torture me and Robin but Dustin and Erica showed up just in time and we wound up beating them.”
“Excuse me? You two were high as a kite,” Dustin snorted. “You were like toddlers that we had to keep corralled in one place.”
“Anyway, one of the people the Mind Flayer possessed was my step-brother, Billy,” Max added. “He began bringing people to it for it to possess. The Mind Flayer intended on infecting everyone. What we didn’t know is it was really working on another monster named Vecna’s orders. Vecna was trying to find a way out of The Upside Down and figured out he could use El’s powers to do it so he wanted them.”
“Turns out that Vecna was actually Henry, the guy from the lab with powers,” El added. “When I sent him to The Upside Down he turned into this monster. He was the one who murdered those people.”
“Chrissy, Fred, Patrick…and he almost got Max,” Steve said. “Luckily El stopped him before he could. He could do what El can do, go into people’s minds. But he fed on their insecurities, their worst fears, the things they hated about themselves. He killed them in their minds. Eddie saw Chrissy die and it was awful.”
“Oh my god…” you breathed, remembering the descriptions of the bodies, the horror he must have witnessed. No wonder he had nightmares. 
“Not just that. He saw Patrick die too,” Dustin added. “He said they went still, couldn’t move, and they floated up into the air and then their bones snapped. And their eyes…he said it was like something was pulling inside of their heads. They just burst. Anyway, after Chrissy died, he got scared and rightfully so based on how the town reacted. He ran and hid at this guy, Reefer Rick’s place.”
“When we found him he was hiding out in the boathouse,” Robin said.
Steve chuckled roughly, one hand coming to his throat. “Yeah, I can still feel the jagged edge of that beer bottle against my neck.” Your mouth dropped open. “Oh. He, well, he didn’t know any of us that well at that time besides Dustin. He was in shock, you know, running off pure adrenaline. He freaked out, thinking we were coming after him. Anyway, we helped him stay hidden but then Jason and his goons found him and he had to run. He was trying to get away in Rick’s boat and they were swimming after him when Patrick got killed. He got pulled right out of the water.”
“We found Eddie in the woods by Skull Rock and we started putting things together. We figured out a gate to the Upside Down was opening at each murder site,” said Dustin. “So those idiots…” He waved his hand at Nancy, Steve, and Robin. “They dove into the lake and went through a gate. We had to help them escape and Steve here had been munched on by these demon bats that we call demobats.”
“Bats? Is that where Eddie’s scars came from too?”
Robin nodded. “Yeah. Vecna went into Nancy’s mind and showed her his plan. We’re talking end of the world, complete annihilation for humankind. We knew we had to do something so, like the fools that we are, we naturally decided to head back in and attack Henry/Vecna/One.”
“One?”
El held out her arm, displaying a tattoo that said 011, “It was how they identified us at the lab. Henry was the first. He killed his mother and sister the same way he killed the others. His dad thought he died. He got blamed for the murders and spent the rest of his life at Pennhurst, the insane asylum. Dr. Brenner took Henry, saw his power and wanted it so he used him to create the rest of us.”
“Holy shit,” you muttered, dropping your face into your hands. “Jesus. This is nuts.”
“You’re telling us,” Steve snorted. “We lived it. So, Max, Lucas, and his little sister Erica went to Vecna’s house. It had been abandoned for years but it was where Vecna was on the other side, connecting to people in the attic. Max was bait. The plan was for him to go into his comatose-like state to find her in her mind and then he’d be vulnerable for us to take him out.”
“We went in loaded with molotov cocktails and a shotgun,” Robin stated, smirking over at Nancy. “Badass over here sawed it off and let me tell you, she fucked that monster up. No fear from our little Nance.”
“You were all pretty badass too,” Nancy said with a small smile.
“Dustin, Robin, Eddie, Nance, and I went through the gate that had been left in Eddie’s trailer after Chrissy died. The plan was for Eddie to play guitar, a loud distraction for the bats who guarded Vecna. They would go after Eddie and Dustin so we had a clear shot at Vecna,” Steve explained. 
“You willingly let yourselves be served up as sacrifices?” you asked.
Dustin laughed harshly, “No. That was not the plan. At least it wasn’t supposed to be. We fortified the trailer first…or at least, we thought we did. We forgot about the vents. The demobats started coming in and Eddie and I ran for the make-shift rope I’d made out of sheets to get them out the first time.”
“They weren’t supposed to stick around if things got bad,” Steve interjected. “I told them not to be heroes but Eddie…”
  “I climbed up and through,” Dustin continued. “Eddie started to follow but then he stopped. I yelled at him but he…damn it, he cut those damn sheets. Said he was buying the others time and he raced outside, the bats chasing him.”
Your heart pounded so loudly it pulsed in your ears, feeling as if your entire body thrummed with it. All those scars…his arms, legs, neck, abdomen. The pain he must have felt to have those bats gnawing at him, attempting to eat him alive. He put himself in danger, risked his life, to try to protect everyone in this room, the people in this town. How could he ever look at himself and see anything but a hero?
Dustin leaned forward, his voice cracking as he relived the horror of that moment, “I jumped through, hurt the hell out of my leg, but I knew I had to get to him, stop him. But I was too late…or I thought I was. The bats were everywhere. I couldn’t even see Eddie. Then they all just dropped from the sky…”
“That was El. When she defeated Vecna, the bats all died,” interjected Mike. “It was all a hive mind. Everything in The Upside Down was connected to Vecna. He always knew what was going on because he could see everything those monsters saw, feel everything that they felt. So, when El killed him, all the monsters died.”
“I found Eddie and he was…” Dustin closed his eyes, swallowing hard. “He was bleeding out. He was coughing up blood, choking on it as he tried to talk. I thought he was a goner, man. He kept saying how he didn’t run that time. But then the others showed up and we got him out of there. I still don’t know how the hell we did it. We got him to the hospital and somehow he survived. He needed a blood transfusion, multiple surgeries, and he had a long ass recovery but he made it.”
“Hopper was back in town and…”
“And where was he?” you interrupted. “I am assuming the memory loss story was bullshit too?”
“Uh, yeah,” Lucas answered. “He was kidnapped by Russians who found him after the gate was closed. Joyce and Murray flew to Russia to rescue him.”
“Obviously, only makes sense,” you mumbled, fingers coming to your temples, willing away the headache that was insistently pounding behind your eyes. “So, Hopper cleared Eddie of the murder charges?”
“Yeah,” Steve nodded. “He figured out an alibi for him, cleared everything up and Eddie was able to leave the hospital a free man. But the town wouldn’t let it go for a long time. Hopper told a lot of people off for it and eventually everything settled down but…Eddie’s never been able to let it go.”
“He cut that sheet because he thought he was a coward,” Dustin said. “He ran after Chrissy died. No matter what we told him, he couldn’t let it go. There was nothing he could have done. He couldn’t have helped her but he was completely stuck on the idea that he was just a coward who runs away when things get scary.”
“He told me he was no hero,” Steve added, “but he sure as hell acted like one when it mattered. If it weren’t for Eddie, I don’t know if we’d all be sitting here right now. But after he almost lost his life for this town, they still hated him. Of course, nobody knew the truth but us, but it’s gotten into his head. Years of being told he’s nothing, that he’s going to end up like his old man, that he’s a freak, a monster…he believes it. He’s acting the way he is now because deep down, he’s always expected his life to lead him right there, into a jail cell just like his old man.”
“He doesn’t belong there!” Dustin yelled heatedly. “Andy belongs there. He would have killed Erica if she wouldn’t have kicked him in the balls. The man has tormented people his entire life, still torments his wife and kid and he fucking gets off on it.”
“Nobody’s arguing with you,” Nancy agreed calmly. “But it doesn’t change the fact that it’s Eddie sitting in a jail cell and we have to figure out how to get him out of there.”
“Hopper’s working on it,” Steve told her. “Just trust him. Hop has never let us down.”
“Steve, you saw him,” Robin reminded sadly. “He’s been broken completely by all of this. Eddie has every intention of pleading guilty to assault and taking whatever punishment the judge hands out. I’m not sure even Hopper can convince him otherwise right now. He’s convinced that this is the fate he’s always tried to run from finally catching up to him. We have to figure out a way to get through to him. To stop him before he ruins his life.”
“We will. If anyone can get through to him, it’s…” Steve paused, rising up from the couch. He walked over, crouching down in front of you, those caramel brown eyes searching yours in concern. “Hey, honey? You okay over there?”
“Hey,” Max called from your side, her hand landing on your back, rubbing gently back and forth. “I know this is a lot. If you need a little time to process before we…”
“No,” you replied, shaking your head, taking a deep breath. It was a lot to process but they didn’t have time for you to fall apart. You had questions, lots of questions, but they didn’t have time for that right now either. You could wrestle with the improbability and horror of everything they were telling you after you all helped Eddie. “I’m okay.”
“Okay, good,” Steve nodded, “because I really think that if anyone is going to get through to him, it’s going to be you.”
“Me? Why me? You’ve all known him so much longer. He’d trust any of you before he’d trust me.”
“But you are the thing,” said Steve, “the thing that he’s never thought he’d be allowed to have. You represent everything Eddie wanted but never thought he deserved. You’ve seen him at his worst and yet, here you sit, ready to go to war for him if you have to. I’m telling you, he’s sitting in there thinking that he’s not good enough, that he doesn’t deserve you, that he showed you the monster he’s tried so hard to keep contained.”
“No, that’s not…that wasn’t a monster. That was a hurt, battered, traumatized little boy coming out in a fit of rage.”
“You know that and I know that.” Steve turned, gesturing to the entire room. “We all know that but he doesn’t know that. And you might be the only one who can convince him of that.”
“I don’t know. I think Dustin would be…”
Dustin laughed, “Are you kidding me? Eddie doesn’t listen to me for shit. None of these guys do. I am always right on the money and they dismiss me all the time.”
“Dude, it’s your tone, man! Maybe if you learned a little humility the rest of us might…”
Everybody went silent at the sound of a knock on the door. You stood, making your way over, relief flooding your body when you opened it to the sight of Hopper on the other side. Maybe you could finally get some good news. Maybe he’d managed to figure something out. He pulled his hat from his head, holding it in front of him with a nod. 
“Can I come in?” he asked.
“Of course.”
Hopper stepped inside, shock crossing his face when he took in the mob that was currently stationed in your living room. Then with a hoarse laugh, he ran his hand over his receding hair, shaking his head. 
“Should have known you’d all be here. Not a single one of you can ever mind your own damn business.”
“Eddie is our business,” Dustin told him, jumping up from the floor eagerly. “Tell me you have some good news. Tell me Andy decided not to press charges or Eddie is fighting back or Andy had an unfortunate encounter with a scalpel at the hospital. Come on, Hop.”
“Alright, Curly, just calm down a minute,” Hopper grumbled, stepping into the living room where he was met with dozens of anxious eyes, pinning all their hopes on him, the magic man who could fix anything for them. 
You were too nervous to sit back down, tense energy dancing through your toes, so you leaned against the wall. Hopper ran his thumb and forefinger along his mustache and the way he seemed to be hesitating to tell them anything was only making your apprehension worse. Surely he’d just come out and say it if it was good news. 
“So, here’s the thing. I managed to convince Andy to drop the charges.”
“What!?” Robin squealed. “That’s amazing!”
“How in the hell did you manage that?” questioned Steve. “That asshole was practically foaming at the mouth to have a shot at putting Eddie behind bars.”
“Let’s just say I spent a long night digging through records, looking for something that could persuade our friend, Mr. Johnson, that pressing charges against Eddie wasn’t in his best interests. And I found it.”
“What was it?” Lucas asked. 
At Hopper’s narrowed look, Steve added, “Come on. You know we won’t tell anyone. I mean, who’s better at keeping massive secrets for years and years than us?”
“Yeah, if we can keep quiet about the Upside Down, the Russians, the Mind Flayer, and Vecna, then I am pretty sure we can keep quiet about whatever misdemeanor Andy’s trying to sweep under the rug,” Dustin snorted with a roll of his eyes. 
Hopper’s eyes darted over to you and then back to the group, clearly thinking that they’d just told that very large secret that they’d just claimed they were so good at keeping. He didn’t know that they’d all already chosen to share. 
“We told her,” Will piped up from his spot on the floor.
“You told her? You mean, that big secret that we all agreed stayed quiet for everyone’s safety? You just told this girl who you’ve known for what? A little over a month?”
“Hop, she’s with Eddie,” Steve explained.
“And? Harrington, you’ve dated plenty since all this shit went down and, last I checked, you hadn’t run off at the mouth about it. Or am I wrong? Are there a dozen girls running around, telling everyone about the insane guy they dated who thought he went and fought monsters in another dimension?”
“No, of course not,” defended Steve. “I would never do that.”
“Obviously, you would!” roared Hopper. “Do you know what it’s taken to keep all of this quiet? Do you have any idea the lengths I have had to go to protect all of you? Did you even think about El? She’s managed to live a nice, quiet life for a decade but that doesn’t mean those damn lab guys aren’t still out there looking for her. What happens if this girl starts running her mouth and the wrong people hear it?”
“I would never say anything,” you tried to tell him but the man was on a roll. You weren't even sure that he heard you. 
“The shit we’ve all been through, the shit we’re just trying to put behind us. We didn’t agree to keep this quiet for shits and giggles. We agreed because we knew no one would believe us and because it’s dangerous to bring anyone else in. Too many people have died and yeah, it’s been quiet. Yeah, I want to believe it’s finally over but we just don’t know that! El closed the gate for good, we hope. We think the Upside Down is destroyed for good with Vecna gone, but we don’t know. There could be another gate in the fucking Sahara desert for all we know, just waiting to let more of those damn monsters out! And now you’ve not only endangered all of us, but you’ve endangered this girl who would have no idea what she’s getting herself into.”
“Hopper, it’s been ten years,” Nancy told him calmly. “Don’t you think if something was still out there, it would have shown itself already?”
“Yeah, my dude,” Argyle added. “Things have been chill on the paranormal front. I think we’re all in the clear.”
Steve stood from the couch, stepping toward Hopper, “Look, no, I have not told the women that I have dated about any of this because they were just that, casual dates. Her and Eddie, it’s not casual, man. You haven’t seen the two of them together. I’ve never seen Eddie look the way he does when she’s around. They’re the real deal. And you saw her after the…incident, you saw her in the police station. She’s not going anywhere, Hopper, and if she’s going to be with him, then she deserves to know. She deserves to know why he is the way he is, she deserves to know what we’ve all gone through. Come on, man. You know as well as I do that secrets are no way to have a successful relationship. Do you hide things from Joyce?”
“No, but she was there, Harrington,” Hopper argued. “She witnessed it. Hell, she was one of the first involved considering it was her kid that went missing. I don’t have to hide anything.”
“Okay. But then what? The rest of us have to have relationships built on lies because we can’t ever tell anyone? If you’re planning to spend the rest of your life with someone, shouldn’t they know everything? Shouldn’t you be able to trust them?”
“I, well, yeah…but this is…the rest of their lives?” Hopper spun, eyes narrowing in on you. “Did I miss something? You and Munson engaged or something?”
“What? No,” you stammered with a nervous giggle. “No. We’ve only been dating for a few weeks. I just got divorced. I’m not exactly in a rush to walk down the aisle again and I think it’s a bit soon. I don’t…I mean, nobody said the rest of our lives.”
“But you love him,” Robin reminded you, causing the younger members of the group to gasp. 
“Aww,” El crooned.
“You love Eddie?” asked Dustin, that entire adorable face just lighting up. “I didn’t know that.”
“Eddie doesn’t even know that! I barely just realized it!” you snapped. “I just…shit. Can we not tell him that until I get a chance to, please?” You turned back to Hopper. “Look, I can understand all of your fear and concern over them telling me all of this. I have barely had a chance to wrap my brain around the fact that things of fiction, monsters and hell dimensions, actually exist. But I would never do anything to put any of you in danger. I just wanted to know because I want to help him. He has nightmares. Did any of you know that?”
“No, but we all have bad dreams about what happened sometimes,” Mike shrugged. 
“I am not talking about bad dreams. I am talking full on night terrors. He screams and pulls at invisible attackers, which I am now assuming are those bat things. He thrashes around in his sleep, sweat covering him from head to toe. And he cries out for you, Dustin.”
Dustin swallowed, closing his eyes with a subtle shake of his head, “Because I was there. I was with him when the bats…well, after, but we were together right before. Jesus, was he screaming for me when they were attacking him? I just, I tried, but if I’d been faster…”
“Dustin, there was nothing you could have done,” Steve told him. “Those bats…they were vicious. It took Nancy, Robin, and Eddie to help me. You did what you could, man.”
“Alright, Hopper, whether you like it or not, she knows everything now,” Jonathan said, speaking up for the first time since the man had walked in the door. “There’s no putting that particular Genie back in the bottle, right? So, it’s done. Now, what exactly did you have on Andy?”
Hopper looked at each of them in turn, face still bright red, appearing that he had much more to say on the subject. He clearly was still not happy with the current situation but released a loud, long sigh of resignation because there was nothing he could do about it now. The decision to tell you had been made by all of the people in this room and unless El’s powers included making people forget, that information was not leaving your brain anytime soon. 
“Our guy Andy has a nasty little habit of driving into the city to visit ladies of the night, if you catch my meaning. I found a police report from Indianapolis a few months back and another in Fort Wayne just a few weeks ago. The cops gave him a warning and let him go. But I pointed out that information like that getting out wouldn’t do Mr. Johnson any favors with the in-laws. His wife’s dad might stick his head in the sand about how he treats his daughter but he would cut him off completely if it got out that his son-in-law was stepping out on her with prostitutes. Not that anyone here thinks much of him as it is. But let me tell you, I’ve never seen a guy backpedal so hard. He immediately signed the paperwork to drop all charges against Eddie.”
“That’s amazing,” you breathed in relief. 
“Told you Hopper could fix it,” Steve stated smugly with a tilt of his head. “This man can fix anything.”
“Yeah, well, it would be greatly appreciated if I didn’t have to keep fixing shit. You know, maybe, just maybe, you all could just manage to stay out of trouble. That’s an idea.”
Dustin laughed, “Hopper, you’re funny.”
“Man, we don’t look for trouble,” Lucas argued. “Trouble always just seems to find us.”
“You kids are definitely a damn magnet for it.”
“Okay, so where is Eddie now?” you asked, anxious to see him, to wrap your arms around him, to assure yourself that he was okay, to assure him that you weren't going anywhere. No matter what he thought, you weren't scared of him and he wasn’t going to chase you away. 
“Well, see, now that’s the thing,” Hopper mumbled. “Eddie didn’t seem quite as happy as all of you when I told him he was free to go. I asked if he wanted me to call his girl so you could come pick him up but he told me to call his uncle instead. He didn’t even want me to tell you that he was out but I told you I would and I am a man of word.”
“He didn’t want me to know?” you asked meekly, not entirely surprised that he was closing himself off but it still hurt like a bitch to hear it out loud. 
“I think he’s just doing what he thinks is right. He seems to think you’d be better off without him. I think what he just did, it scared the shit out of him to be honest. He’s spent all this time being told he’s a monster and now he thinks he is. He thinks that’s what he let out, let loose, when he went after Andy. I don’t know. Maybe he’s scared that he can’t control it and he’d hurt you or something.”
You stiffened at his words. “Eddie would never hurt me. Never.”
“I’m not saying he would. I’m just telling you what I was getting off of him during our little chat this morning. I tried. I tried to tell him, as a man who sometimes battles with anger issues, that it doesn’t mean you would ever hurt someone you care about. But he’s completely shut down right now. I don’t know what the answer is. I don’t know if it would be better for you to go over there or to give him a little space for a bit.”
What would be better? If you showed up on his doorstep now would he just push back harder? Would he end things? Tell you that he didn’t want to see you anymore? But what if you gave him time to think and he thought too hard about all the reasons why you shouldn’t be together? What if he thought that you weren't coming around because after what you saw you didn’t want to be with him? If you were a couple, shouldn’t you be there for him when he was in a moment of crisis?
But you'd only been together a few weeks. Were you the one he would want to comfort him or would he be more comfortable with anyone else in this room? These people that he’d known for a decade would surely bring more solace to him, right? Maybe Steve or Robin or Jonathan or Dustin or anyone who wasn’t you should be the first one to go over and check on him. 
“Hey?” came Robin’s voice from right next to you. “What do you want to do?”
“I don’t know,” you admitted. “I don’t know what’s best right now and I don’t want to get it wrong. What if I get it wrong and then it’s over? How am I supposed to know what he needs right now?”
“He needs you,” Steve said simply. 
“Any of you would be a better option,” you insisted, arms wrapping around yourself, holding all of the broken parts together. “We’ve only been dating for a few weeks. We’ve only known each other a little over a month. I mean, what could I possibly offer him that you can’t? You all lived through this hell with him. Steve, you have the same scars he has. You know exactly what he went through. It should be you. Or Dustin, you were right at his side. You were a team when you did the…alternate dimension concert distraction or whatever. Seriously. He didn’t even want me to know he was out of jail. I am probably the last person he wants to see right now.”
“Maybe that’s true,” Nancy reasoned, standing up. “But it doesn’t matter how long you’ve known each other. You’re something special to him. In over ten years of knowing Eddie, none of us have ever seen him light up the way he does when you’re around. None of us have ever seen him truly happy, not until you. We came into his life at the absolute worst moment he was living. And ever since all of that, he’s been Eddie, but he’s been going through the motions.”
“Yeah. I knew him before all that shit went down,” added Dustin. “He was this larger than life, loud, funny, over the top guy. He was fun. He was animated. But after everything, that guy disappeared…until you came along. You’ve given me my best friend back, the way he used to be before he knew monsters existed, before this town decided he was a murderer. Maybe you’ve only known him a short time but you’ve had a bigger impact than any of us ever had and trust me, we’ve tried. We’ve tried just about everything.”
“You said you wouldn’t let him chase you away,” Steve reminded you. “You stood in that police station and said if he tried to push you away that you would push back even harder. Did you mean that?”
“Yes. Of course I did.”
“Then push,” Robin insisted. “He’s stubborn as hell and he’s probably convinced he’s doing what’s best for you. He’s going to hide from all of us and go all broody, sitting in the dark, listening to his heavy metal. Don’t let him.”
You looked at all the expectant faces staring back at you. Now, you were the one they were expecting to work magic, to fix things, to fix Eddie. It was a monumental task, one that could potentially shatter you, but that beautiful metalhead was worth it. You'd break every bone in your body if it meant you got to keep him, if it meant you could break through and make him see his own worth. 
“Okay. I’ll try,” you told them, teeth worrying at your lower lip. “I’ll try.”
“He’s hiding at his uncle’s trailer,” Hop told her, “but you didn’t hear that from me.”
Chapter 23
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elminx · 3 months
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Energy Update: January 2024
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January is a "9" month [1 (January) + 8 (2+0+2+4=8) = 9] in an "8" year. Though we are on the edge of something new - both represented by some of the astrological transits of the month and the beginning of a new year - we still have some stuff to wrap up before we can truly move onwards. A lot has changed since the beginning of 2020 - everything really, if you want to look at it that way. As our lives slowly bend and adapt to the changes that have been wrought in the world, we still have to live in it.
Numerologically, 9 is our last number as each multi-digit number gets added back together again. In this way we know that February is a 10/1 month: 2 (February) + 8 (2023) = 10 = 1+0 = 1. February is not the beginning, but February is a beginning. Now we just need to get there.
The Details
We begin January with the Sun and Pluto in Capricorn, retrograde Mercury and Mars in Sagittarius, Venus in Scorpio, Jupiter and retrograde Uranus in Taurus, and Saturn and Neptune in Pisces. This is an unusual alignment of planets and worth noting here. We know that the Sun, Mercury, and Venus travel together but right now they are being joined by both Mars and Pluto as they cross over Sagittarius and Capricorn this season. Additionally, our other planets are congregated together as well in Taurus and Pisces. It's also worth noting that all of this (/crazyhandwaving) began four years ago when all of our planets except for Uranus and Neptune were in the sign of Capricorn.
This month the last of our planets from this 2020 transit, Pluto, finally leaves Capricorn for good. This is one of the big gong crashes that denotes time. Pluto will remain in Aquarius until 2043.
Additionally, our Sun enters the sign of Aquarius, and Mercury, Venus, and Mars will enter the sign of Capricorn. January also marks the end of retrograde season for the next four months as Mercury and Uranus station direct.
The Nitty Gritty
January begins with a bang as Jupiter stations direct on 12/31/23 and Mercury stations direct on 1/1/24. This is a great omen for both January and 2024 as a whole as the first day of the month/year will set the stage for the energy of the time ahead. All signs point to "go" as we only have one single planet left in retrograde (Uranus). Uranus also stations direct this month (on 1/27); we will not experience another planetary retrograde until April.
That said, many of us are still carrying some of the weight of our pasts and it may be hindering our progress. As mentioned above, January is a "9" month of endings that will lead to February being a "10/1" month of beginnings. In this way, January can be seen as a series of releases that can help to unburden us of the things that we do not need to bring with us into the future we see ahead. This process may be triggering for some, especially those who are lost in the past or unduly holding onto something that has passed its expiration date.
The big release dates to watch out for include: 1/1 when Mercury stations direction, 1/4 when Mars enters Capricorn, 1/11 our new moon in Capricorn, 1/13 when Mercury enters Capricorn, 1/20 when BOTH the Sun and Uranus enter Aquarius, 1/23 when Venus enters Capricorn, and 1/27 when Uranus stations direct.
Any of the above dates can be used magically to speed this change along if you are so inclined. Each of these days may be a relief or triggering depending on your life circumstances and general personality. Stay prepared and aware.
There are also a few days of the month where life may seem to "help" you along on this release process, whether you wish it to or not. As our personal planets move through the sign of Capricorn, each will make a cardinal t-square with our lunar nodes of fate (in Aries and Capricorn). Each of these transits will carry with it some of the energy of eclipse season. Some doors may open during this time and some will inevitably close. When the lunar nodes are involved we sometimes find that it is too late to make certain choices, but also that new and interesting choices have become available to us. Our Sun will form a t-square with the nodes on 1/10, Mercury will on 1/28, and Mars will on 1/30. In February, Venus will form one final t-square to complete this process.
For transits like these there is one simple piece of advice: don't hold on too tightly. With our North Node in Aries, we are being asked to stand up for ourselves and that often means letting go of prior conditioning from our childhood or society that keeps us small and forces us into conformity. This can trigger a lot of deep-seated defenses and unhealthy coping mechanisms from our past. The big flex is to name it and bring it into the light rather than letting these things control or destroy us. If you have Aries or Libra in the 12th house this may be especially difficult for you, but this makes this work especially important.
Chiron, also sitting in Aries, shows us that being our unique selves can be quite a painful process. Each of our personal planets will also square off with the Wounded Healer during this time and each of these dates (Sun square Chiron on 1/6, Mars square Chiron on 1/25, and Mercury square Chiron on 1/28 plus Venus in February) is another chance to reexamine our core wounding surrounding standing out versus fitting in. This shit leads deep back into our childhoods and often is the center of our deepest fears. If you are into shadow work, these topics will likely prove especially fruitful during these times. A word to the wise about Chiron: the way out of the pain is always through examining it and learning to understand and create adaptive strategies for management and mitigation. Many people who have Chiron highlighted in their natal birth chart find that healing "out loud" helps them to deal with and make sense of more ouchy moments like these.
In this way, the month may feel very cyclical. You see a way forward and grab for it. It's painful beyond what was expected as it sparks deep wounds. From there the work is to transcend and release the wounds. Rinse and repeat.
It's certainly not work for the faint of heart. But that's not a surprise, we're in Capricorn season - a sign known for almost being compelled to work. This isn't the summer work of planting seeds, tending, and bringing them to harvest. This is the winter work of reexamination and reclamation. Saturn, the ruler of Capricorn, is sitting in a supportive sextile in Pisces to help us along in this process but it WILL be work. The big flex all month is to keep moving, to keep putting one foot in front of the other, and to keep on keepin' on. With some many chances, you CAN get it right.
Our two lunar events for the month are a new moon at 20° Capricorn on 1/11 and a full moon at 05° Leo on 1/25.
The new moon will be more supercharged as 1/11 is 111 reflecting an influx of 1/new beginnings energy which will also be in close square to our lunar nodes. If you do not set intentions for the year on 1/1, 1/11 will be another strong time to do so. The new moon's numerology is 2/2 [2 (10 Capricorn Sun + 10 Capricorn Moon = 2), and 2 (2 Capricorn new moon + 9 January = 11 = 2] which shows that it is a powerful day for creation and togetherness.
Our full moon in Leo carries the energy of 7/7 [7 (11 Aquarius Sun + 5 Leo Moon = 16 = 7) and 7 (7 Aquarius full moon + 9 January = 16 = 7]. 7 is the number of spirituality and is generally associated with intuition and inner understandings of all kinds. This is a great day to divine on your journey through January and will aid in any magic designed to align you with where your path is leading you.
If you're looking for a day to do money magic or other prosperity work in January, Friday 1/12 is your day when Mars in Capricorn is in exact trine with Jupiter in Taurus. Work that earth money magic - Capricorn is seeing to their future and Taurus loves the finer things in life. This is a big luxury day - this is a day to treat yo' self even if you're not doing any magic. But do that money magic if you've got it - earthy trines like this don't come around every day.
I see two days to watch out for during the month.
On Saturday, 1/20, the Sun meets up in its yearly conjunction with our planet of death and transformation, Pluto and they both enter the sign of Aquarius in lockstep with one another. This is a big change of the guard and it's likely to be reflected both in the outer world at large and in our personal lives. Pluto has been in the sign of Capricorn for more than a decade and its force has been slowly eroding our outdated systems of government and bureaucracy. Now, it shifts its gaze to Aquarius where it will remain until 2043.
Pluto moves on a glacial scale so we shouldn't expect to see the effects of its ingress initially but what we should expect to see is the fallout of what has been left behind. Given the planet and its namesake, I use the term fallout very intentionally here. Capricorn rules the governing systems of our lives; in truth, it rules all things that are contractual like government bodies, businesses, and even marriage. Anything that requires signing a contract is in some way controlled by Saturn and Capricorn as Saturn's emissary in this world. Pluto has been shaking up these systems for quite some time and not all of them will survive the release that comes as our dwarf planet finally exits the scene.
Sometimes you don't know how bad the disaster is until it's over and the dust has settled. I would expect to see governmental shutdowns, businesses failing or entering bankruptcy, and the dissolution of marriages as the energy slowly begins to shift away from Capricorn and into Aquarius. In this sense, any structures that are held on by a thread will be most at risk through the beginning of the year. If this is you and it impacts your life specifically, I will guide you back to the words above: Don't Hold on too tight.
Sometimes things need to fall apart. Sometimes you can't pick up the pieces.
The second day of interest is 1/29 when Mars in Capricorn meets up in trine with Uranus in Taurus. I have found that it is best to keep an eye on when these two planets meet, regardless of the aspect that they make with one another. Mars is our planet of action and war and Uranus rules the unexpected disaster. This is Tower weather; it is best to do less and avoid any overt dangers if you can. It's a day to stay away from explosives of all kinds. Uranus in Taurus is especially eruption-prone, make of that what you will. We are nearing the end of Uranus's transit of Taurus (something that we should be very grateful for) but it's not over until it's over.
January is the cosmic right time to put in the work to better your life. January is the cosmic right time to take accountability for where you are the problem. January is the cosmic right time to let that shit go so that when February rolls around, you are ready.
The Details
1/1 - Mercury stations direct 22° Sagittarius, Venus in Sagittarius square Saturn in Pisces (repeats on 10/28) 1/4 - Mars enters Capricorn 1/6 - Sun in Capricorn square Chiron in Aries 1/8 - Mercury in Sagittarius square Neptune in Pisces* 1/9 - Sun in Capricorn trine retrograde Uranus in Taurus, Mars in Capricorn sextile Saturn in Pisces 1/10 - Sun in Capricorn square North Node in Aries and South Node in Libra, cardinal t-square 1/11 - New moon 20° Capricorn 2/2, Venus in Sagittarius trine Chiron in Aries (repeats on 11/3) 1/12 - Mars in Capricorn trine Jupiter in Taurus 1/13 - Mercury enters Capricorn 1/15 - Sun in Capricorn sextile Neptune in Pisces, Venus in Sagittarius trine North Node in Aries/sextile South Node in Libra 1/18 - Mercury in Capricorn sextile Saturn in Pisces 1/19 - Mercury in Capricorn trine Jupiter in Taurus, Venus in Sagittarius square Neptune in Pisces 1/20 - Sun enters Aquarius, Pluto enters Aquarius, Sun conjunct Pluto, Mercury exits their post-retrograde shadow 08° Capricorn 1/23 - Venus enters Capricorn 1/25 - Full moon 05° Leo 7/7, Mars in Capricorn square Chiron in Aries 1/26 - Mercury in Capricorn square Chiron in Aries 1/27 - Uranus stations direct 19° Taurus, Sun in Aquarius square Jupiter in Taurus, Mercury conjunct Mars 17° Capricorn 1/28 - Mercury in Capricorn trine Uranus in Taurus, Mercury in Capricorn square North Node in Aries and South Node in Libra (cardinal t-square), Venus in Capricorn trine Jupiter in Taurus, Venus in Capricorn sextile Saturn in Pisces 1/29 - Mars in Capricorn trine Uranus in Taurus 1/30 - Mars in Capricorn square North Node in Aries and South Node in Libra (cardinal t-square)
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loveinhawkins · 1 year
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Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20 Part 21 Part 22 ao3
It’s quiet for the whole day. Eddie wakes up mid-afternoon, sees that a doughnut has been left for him in a paper bag on the coffee table. It takes a few minutes more for him to realise that it’s still just the two of them in the house—that Steve must’ve told everyone not to call, not to come over.
Eddie’s chest almost hurts at the thoughtfulness behind it—but he’s not surprised by it, not now. Not since he saw Steve in the RV keep the volume of the radio down low, even as the clock in his head grew ever closer, just so his friends could sleep a little longer.
And the quiet means Eddie, too, can just… stay. Rest.
He’s glad of it, even though a part of him thinks it’s stupid—that save for that terrible night, this might be the most exhausted he’s ever felt. He’s not even done anything, but his body still aches, like he’s only just finished running from the trailer park.
There’s the ghost of pain at his knee, as if his brain has finally remembered a past hurt. He thinks of Nancy telling him that he fell. “I was so scared you wouldn’t get up again.”
Steve seems to understand implicitly. He does most of the fetching of food and drink, and when Eddie tries to protest, he doesn’t make it a big deal, just says that he wants more practice on the crutches; he phrases it in such a way that it sounds like Eddie is doing him a favour rather than the other way around.
“Hey, check it out,” Steve says, halfway from the couch to the kitchen. “I can really move on these things now.” And he very briefly swivels in place on the crutches, as if he’s leaning on dancing canes instead.
Eddie snorts, feels a rush of fondness. “All right, cool it, Fred Astaire.”
For dinner, they eat defrosted spaghetti bolognese from Joyce. Eddie teases Steve when he notices that he can twirl the pasta perfectly around his fork.
“Sorry, what the hell is that, Harrington? We in a goddamn commercial right now?”
Steve elbows him. “Shut up or I’m stealing your portion.”
It’s kind of unnecessary, for them both to be sharing the one couch. Neither of them bring that up.
-
When clearing away some of the VHS tapes, Steve finds a notepad that doesn’t belong to him. He scans it with interest, then chuckles.
“Oh my god, look at this.”
He beckons Eddie to look at one of the pages.
Eddie leans in. The page is covered in writing, to the point that the white of the paper is almost invisible. The handwriting keeps changing, too, never the same on each line…
And Eddie realises that this has been written by the kids—all of them.
It acts as a log, of sorts: them recording their impressions of each musical watched while staying here. El has drawn a wonky cluster of five stars for The Sound of Music—has signed it with her name and a smiley face.
In the margins, Eddie can see them voting on whatever they want to watch next, laughs as he comes across Dustin and Erica bickering:
Erica picked last time! You’re not allowed an opinion, Dusty-Bun
But there’s more than just talk about the movies. Part of the page has been separated by solid lines in pen, forming a box. What’s written inside is much neater: updates on Steve’s progress in the hospital. At the bottom of the square, Eddie recognises Dustin’s handwriting instantly—cramped and hurried, like when he’s excitedly jotting down details during a campaign.
He can come home!!!
When Eddie glances over at Steve, he’s still looking down at the paper, smiling like it’s some art project he wants to stick on his fridge.
“They’re so stupid,” he says, and so clearly means something else. He carefully sets the notepad aside. “I kinda want to frame it.”
They lie on the couch in comfortable silence for a while. The sight of the kids’ writing reminds Eddie of the pencil marks he saw in Steve’s poetry book, evidence of him underlining particular lines.
“Hey, did you—uh, did you always like poetry?”
Steve gives him a sideways look, smirks slightly. “What’s up, you doubting my credentials? Did your ‘Munson Doctrine’ say I can’t read, either?”
Eddie rolls his eyes. “No, I was just…” He leans on his elbow, turns further towards Steve. His voice quietens in sincerity. “Just curious.”
Steve scratches the back of his neck. “Um…”
And huh, there’s that thing you do, Eddie thinks.
It’s like Steve has to prepare himself for honesty, work up to it. He thinks of that walk through the woods, being startled at the sound of Steve running up to him. “Eddie. Eddie. Hey, man. Uh… Listen, I just, uh… I just want to say thanks.”
Eddie remembers not knowing what to do in the face of an awkwardness that he didn’t expect, not from the likes of Steve Harrington. But more importantly, he was struck by the fact that Steve was so genuine. That once he got past the stops and starts, he meant every word, felt it deeply.
“It was in class, actually. It was… uh, we were looking at a Sylvia Plath poem?” Steve’s voice rises uncertainly at the end even though he’s not asking a question, and Eddie somehow knows then and there that he’s never told anyone this before. “Can’t remember the title, but um. Honestly? It stuck with me, ‘cause… kinda reminded me of my parents. Like, their marriage.”
Eddie opens his mouth. Shuts it. Then says, delicately, “Not the best omen.”
Steve snorts. “Yeah, no kidding. Uh, that aside, there was like, a rhythm to it. I like when stuff… repeats, y’know? Hold on, think I can remember the last…” His hand reaches up to bat the top of the couch in time with his words as he recites, a touch reserved, “My boy, it's your last resort. Will you marry it, marry it, marry it.” A tense little shrug. “Guess I’ve got a thing for last lines.”
Eddie thinks of I was much too far out all my life/And not waving but drowning. 
In the ensuing silence, Steve looks like he’s very subtly holding his breath—as if waiting for Eddie to show one hint of discomfort. Like he’s ready to instantly regret speaking.
So Eddie keeps his tone light, says, “That’s… kind of fucked up, man. Very niche though, I approve.” And he feels Steve relax—his good leg touching Eddie’s, thigh to knee. He senses that it’s safe enough to joke a little more, adds, “You should start a support group or something.”
“What?”
Eddie mimes holding a microphone, affects a news reporter’s grave tone. “If you have been affected by poetry, we advise you to call—”
“God, you’re so dumb,” Steve says, grinning. “You know when you did those, like, bits at lunch, y’know, all the voices, I used to think, Who does this asshole think he is?”
Steve’s voice is warm, so Eddie just tries to quip back, “Pretty sure you and half the damn school thought that.” He’s joking, he really is, but he can feel a little wisp of bitterness slip through despite himself.
And Steve must catch it, because he suddenly looks a bit contrite, replies quietly, “Not like that.”
Steve’s eyes flicker down to the left in thought—and there he goes again, Eddie thinks. Working up to something.
“I knew part of your deal with D&D was, like, storytelling, right? And you… I dunno if you remember, but the school used one of your short stories as… an exemplar? It was anonymised, in one of those study packets they’d—”
“Oh, those,” Eddie says. “Never read ‘em.”
Steve chuckles. “Well I could tell it was you. ‘Cause it was freaking nuts, man, all these like, myths and heroes, and it just… God, I kept thinking it came so naturally to you.” He shrugs again, more bashful. “Guess I was jealous.”
Eddie raises an eyebrow. “You were?”
Steve smiles as if to say Well, what can you do? “I applied to college, like, for writing and stuff.” His smile turns self-deprecating as he says, “Didn’t get in, obviously.”
“Huh,” Eddie says thoughtfully. “What did you wanna write about?”
Steve laughs. “Uh, don’t think it was your scene, man. No dragons or… Just kinda. Ordinary stuff? Like, basketball games or—”
“Basketball games,” Eddie echoes with an impish little smile, and Steve elbows him in the ribs.
“Not just basketball, you dick.” But he’s still smiling as he says it. “Or, I s’pose, yeah, basketball but, like, it’s also about something else…? Normal things, but… more, I guess. I don’t know, man, you’re better with words, I just—”
“You know, I don’t think that’s true,” Eddie says quietly, privately recalling, “Whenever I looked at you… all that shit… never touched you. You just stayed… you were so… lovely.”
“When all of The Upside Down stuff started,” Steve continues, as if he’s not even heard Eddie speak, “for a while, it was… it was all I could think about. Y’know, it was like one of your stories, just… like, fantasy. Unreal. And obviously, I couldn’t just… like, can you imagine if I filled my college application with all this shit? Just asking for someone to…”
Steve makes a slashing motion across his neck, and Eddie winces slightly at how his fingers graze the scar there.
There’s a lull, and then Steve gives a little sigh, speaks again.
“I don’t even think I finished my application properly, it was kind of a blur. Just sent it off ‘cause, well, I had to at that point.” He crooks an arm behind his head, blinks pensively. “Guess all of… uh, everything, sorta… stole my words.” He huffs with another one of those self-effacing smiles. “God, that sounds dumb.”
Eddie tilts his head from where he’s resting on the arm of the couch. Looks at Steve, his side-profile, the thoughtful curve of one eyebrow. Thinks that he gets it; that sometimes there are no words for something like this.
“No,” he says honestly. “It doesn’t sound dumb, Steve.”
Steve breathes in and out, relaxed and easy. His chest only stutters a little, a remnant of… before. His knee presses further against Eddie’s, as if in silent gratitude.
“Do you remember…” Steve starts, and there’s already laughter in his voice; he’s still looking up at the ceiling as if whatever memory he’s thinking about is being projected on there, like a private cinema. “Remember when… y’know, that English class, last period. When we had to read, um, a play. Williams something?”
Eddie thinks. “Oh. A Streetcar Named Desire?”
Steve clicks his fingers. “That’s the one. We were made to read it out loud; it took forever. And you—” He laughs up at the ceiling again, joyful creases around his eyes. “You kept talking over the girl that got Blanche’s part, do you—?”
“Didn’t know I made such an impression,” Eddie teases. He vaguely recalls completely overselling a breathy Southern Belle accent—definitely remembers getting sent out of class for being ‘a disruptive influence.’
Steve turns his head to the side, glances at him. Grins. “Hey, I thought you were a riot, man. Least you made it come to life with how you, like, delivered everything. Everyone else made it sound so boring.”
“Well.” Eddie manages an imperious flick of the wrist, feels a sudden heat to his cheeks. “Guess no-one else appreciated my talents, huh?”
And even though Eddie’s being flippant, Steve replies, with all sincerity, “No. They really didn’t.”
-
Eddie doesn’t know what time it is, when it happens. Just knows that it’s growing late, that Steve’s quietly flicking through a magazine next to him—that nothing is happening, but his mind has apparently decided to freak out anyway.
He reluctantly gets it, though; has kind of suspected that perhaps he’s just been staving off the panic from last night, that maybe that’s why he’s felt drained all day.
He grits his teeth against the feeling, tries to keep quiet.
But maybe Steve notices precisely because of his attempt at silence. Suddenly the magazine has been dropped, and Eddie feels a hand around his wrist.
“Hey, are you—? Shit, your heart’s going like crazy.”
Eddie screws his eyes shut. “Yeah, m’fine. It’ll pass. Th-think it’s just—” He shudders out a breath as Steve’s fingers stroke over his pulse point. “Just. Last night, it was—the first time I’d driven… there. Since. Y’know.”
“Oh. I’m—”
“If you apologise one more time, I’m gonna push you off the goddamn couch, Harrington, and then where will we be?”
“Uh. Well, I’d be on the floor?”
Eddie laughs shakily—from the way Steve squeezes his hand, knows that that had been his aim.
-
It does pass, eventually. Eddie manages a deep, proper breath in and out—feels, embarrassingly, a bit like he’s run a marathon.
Steve finally lets go of his hand to pick up a thicker blanket from the floor, drapes it over them both. The warmth gradually makes Eddie sleepy. He loses track of time. Doesn’t know when his eyelids become too heavy to open.
He hazily feels a hand in his hair, Steve’s fingers working in little absent-minded circles, like he’s not even aware that he’s doing it.
“Gonna f’ll ‘sleep,” Eddie mumbles, “if y’keep tha’ up.”
Steve’s hand stills for just a moment. He hears Steve sigh out a soft, “Oh, you’re so tired,” like he’s fretting a bit. He resumes playing with Eddie’s hair, and this time, while it’s still gentle, there’s more of an intentionality to it.
Eddie thinks he turns his head into the touch, but he’s honestly not sure. Feels somehow both weightless and heavy. Wants to lie on this couch forever, so long as Steve’s here. 
“Tell me something,” Eddie says, does his best to enunciate. He wants to linger in this cosy in-between for just a little…
“Hmm? Like what?”
“Um… wha’ kinda…” Eddie yawns. “Wha’s your favourite thing to read?”
Steve is silent for a little while, long enough for Eddie to jolt out of an unintended half-sleep when he does say something.
“What were your stories about?” Steve asks.
Eddie yawns again. There’s so much he could say, but long, rambling sentences feel far out of his reach. So he settles for, “S’bout… coming home, in the end.”
“Oh,” Steve says, then, “I like that.”
“Steeeve,” Eddie sings through another yawn. “Wha’ ‘bout you?”
“Oh, um… I s’pose… I like stories where people are… lost, I guess. And then they’re… not anymore. Or maybe, they’ve been… like, searching for something without realising it.”
Have you found it? Eddie thinks, his thoughts slipping away on a wave of sleepiness. Have you found what you’ve been looking for? 
He drifts off before he can ask.
276 notes · View notes
promptful · 1 year
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what about colleagues who instantly connect?
Office-Place Relationship Things:
Cute. no warnings.
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1) Constantly grabbing lunch, either in or out of the office. 
2) Gossiping whenever you get breaks.
3) Texting about co-workers underneath the table. 
4) Harmless pranks, such as duct taping a chair, or wrapping things in plastic. 
5) Reminders about meetings when they don’t remember. 
6) Mutual complaints about [coworkers]. 
7) Shared calendars—marked from top to bottom. 
8) Timed eyerolls when that one co-workers speaks. 
9) Sticky notes pressed onto laptops. 
10) Making coffee for them. 
11) Homemade treats every week. 
12) Treating their office as a second home. 
13) Little doodles on their paperwork, which only escalates between each trade. 
14) Similar to a school atmosphere, trying not to giggle at each other in a professional setting. 
15) Hands brushing. That’s all. 
16) Tracing the lines of their handwriting. 
17) Hearts in the form of foam hearts on your coffee. 
18) Lovingly removing all of the caffeinated coffee and refusing to give them any, stating that they need their sleep. 
19) The usual, “When’s the meeting??” text in the middle of the night. 
 20) Always fixing their collars and ties. 
21) Them always smoothing down your hair. 
22) When you’re out because of [sickness], continuous texts to make sure you’re up to date on the recent office gossip. 
23) Becoming the office gossip. 
24) Them putting bunny ears over your head while talking to your boss. 
25) To-Do lists that slowly turn into yelling at each other, playfully, in the form of writing. 
26) Signing every email towards them with “Faithfully yours” which they can’t handle. 
27) Friendly competition in the workplace. 
28) Walking home together. 
29) Falling asleep on one another when on the train.
30) Pictures of each other, small or big, slowly taking up both desks.
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182 notes · View notes
howtomuslim · 2 months
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The Fascinating Impact of Islamic Trade Expansion
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In the rich legacy of Islam, trade emerges as a vibrant thread, stitching together diverse cultures and societies. The profound impact of Islamic trade on the spread of Islam, and its transformative influence in regions such as East Africa and Indonesia. Through engaging insights, we uncover the beauty of Islam as a unifying force that transcends borders and fosters connections among people.
Trade Routes as Pathways of Faith
Islamic trade flourished along the ancient Silk Road, acting as a conduit not only for goods but also for the exchange of ideas and beliefs. The Quran emphasises the importance of knowledge and learning, encouraging the pursuit of wisdom through interactions with different cultures.
O humanity! Indeed, We created you from a male and a female, and made you into peoples and tribes so that you may ˹get to˺ know one another. Surely the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous among you. Allah is truly All-Knowing, All-Aware. Quran 49:13
Prophet Muhammad’s teachings promote fair and ethical trade practices, emphasising honesty and transparency in all transactions. These principles laid the foundation for a positive image of Muslims in the trading world.
‘Deal not unjustly, and you shall not be dealt with unjustly.’ (2:279)
‘God loves those who are fair and just.’ (49:9)
‘A truthful and trustworthy merchant will be in the company of the Prophets, the upright and the martyrs.’ (reported by Tirmidhi)
East Africa: Islamic Trade and Cultural Fusion
Islamic trade played a pivotal role in the cultural and religious fusion along the Swahili Coast creating a melting pot of cultural influences. The exchange of goods was accompanied by the exchange of ideas, leading to the flourishing of Islam in East Africa.
Muslim traders in East Africa became integral members of local communities, contributing to the socio-economic development of the region and making it one of the wealthiest regions in the world at the time. This interaction exemplified Islam’s emphasis on community and mutual support.
The maritime routes of the Indonesian archipelago served as conduits for Islamic traders, bringing not only spices but also the teachings of Islam. The Quran encourages exploration and appreciation of the diverse creations of Allah.
We will show them Our signs in the universe and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that this ˹Quran˺ is the truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is a Witness over all things? Quran 41:53
Islam took root in Indonesia, fostering unity amidst the diverse cultures of the archipelago. The Quran celebrates diversity of cultures and people, recognising it as a divine manifestation resulting in the spread of Islam to a plethora of different cultures worldwide, making a religion that started among the Arabs become a religion where only 20% of the Muslim population are Arab. 
The beauty of Islam unfolds through its impact on trade, acting as a catalyst for cultural exchange, knowledge dissemination, and exchange among diverse communities. As we reflect on the historical journeys of Islamic traders, let’s appreciate the way Islam’s principles of fairness, honesty, and community building have left an indelible mark on the regions they touched.
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References:
Quran 49:13
Quran 96:1–5
“Islam in East Africa.” BBC Religions, www.bbc.co.uk.
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puppyexpressions · 3 months
Text
30 Fun Dog Facts
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1. The Labrador Retriever has been on the AKC’s top 10 most popular breeds list for longer than any other breed.
2. A dog’s nose print is unique, much like a person’s fingerprint.
3. Forty-five percent of U.S. dogs sleep in their owner’s beds.
4. Speaking of sleeping … all dogs dream, but puppies and senior dogs dream more frequently than adult dogs.
5. Seventy percent of people sign their dog’s name on their holiday cards.
6. A dog’s sense of smell is legendary, but did you know that their nose has as many as 300 million receptors? In comparison, a human nose has about 5 million.
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7. Rin Tin Tin, the famous German Shepherd Dog, was nominated for an Academy Award.
8. Dogs’ noses can sense heat and thermal radiation, which explains why blind or deaf dogs can still hunt.
9. The French Bulldog was first named the most popular breed in 2022.
10. The name Collie means “black.” (Collies once tended black-faced sheep.)
11. Yawning is contagious — even for dogs. Research shows that the sound of a human yawn can trigger one from your dog. And it’s four times as likely to happen when it’s the yawn of a person your pet knows.
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12. The Dandie Dinmont Terrier is the only breed named for a fictional person, a character in the novel “Guy Mannering” by Sir Walter Scott.
13. Dogs curl up in a ball when sleeping to protect their organs — a holdover from their days in the wild, when they were vulnerable to predator attacks.
14. The Basenji is not technically “barkless,” as many people think. They can yodel.
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15. The Australian Shepherd is not actually from Australia. In fact, they are an American breed.
16. … And the Labrador Retriever is originally from Newfoundland.
17. Human blood pressure goes down when petting a dog. And so does the dog’s.
18. There are over 75 million pet dogs in the U.S. — more than in any other country.
19. A person who hunts with a Beagle is known as a “Beagler.”
20. Dogs are not color-blind. They can see blue and yellow.
21. All puppies are born deaf.
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22. Dalmatians are born completely white. They develop their spots as they get older.
23. Dogs have about 1,700 taste buds. We humans have between 2,000 and 10,000.
24. When dogs kick backward after they go to the bathroom, it’s not to cover it up, but to mark their territory, using the scent glands in their feet.
25. A study shows that dogs are among a small group of animals who show voluntary unselfish kindness towards others without any reward.
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26. The Norwegian Lundehund is the only dog breed created for the job of puffin hunting.
27. Greyhounds can beat cheetahs in a race. While cheetahs can run twice as fast as Greyhounds, they can only maintain that 70 mph speed for about thirty seconds. A Greyhound can maintain a 35 mph speed for about seven miles. The cheetah may start out first, but the Greyhound would soon overtake them.
28. The Bloodhound’s sense of smell is so accurate that the results of its tracking can be used as evidence in a court of law.
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29. According to Guinness World Records, a Great Dane named Zeus is the world’s tallest male dog. Zeus is 3 feet, 5.18 inches tall.
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30. What about the shortest dog? According to Guinness World Records, the shortest dog ever recorded was Pearl the Chihuahua. She measures 3.59 inches tall.
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joanthangroff · 4 months
Text
20 Questions For Fic Writers
I was tagged by my dearest @lalalenii 🩷
1. How many works do you have on AO3?
99 but I WILL reach 100 before the year ends!!! Mark my words!!!
2. What’s your total A03 word count?
1,218,112 🫡
3. What fandoms do you write for?
Arrowverse, Glee and Teen Wolf mostly
4. What are your top five fics by kudos?
I can reach any star (1,185 kudos)
what if we were demigods (1,038 kudos)
I just wanna have fun and (get rowdy) (1,012 kudos)
sign of the times (688 kudos)
trying to solve a crossword (and realizing there's no right answer) (630 kudos)
5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?
I do, but sometimes it takes a while. I read them as soon as they’re in my inbox but unless it’s urgent I promise to answer them later and then it can take months 🫠
6. What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?
Oh, definitely leave behind your heartache, cast away!! What’s angstier than death?
7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?
no return and no deposit :)
8. Do you get hate on your fic?
Not often, but it happens.
9. Do you write smut?
I’ve tried a couple times but it’s never good 💀
10. Do you write crossovers?
I’m working on the obligatory Barry-Allen-and-Sebastian-Smythe-are-the-same-person-fic but otherwise not real ones. As in, I don’t usually let characters from different fandoms meet. I do regularly write stuff influenced by other fandoms or put characters in the world of another. I do have some ideas for full crossovers, though.
11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?
Not that I’m aware of.
12. Have you ever had a fic translated?
Yes! Somewhere out there, someone translated my Thiam fics to Russian.
13. Have you ever co-written a fic?
Yup, back in High School during class 😂
14. What‘s your all-time favourite ship?
[sweats in St Smythe]
15. What’s the WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?
My Chicles Tschick AU :(
16. What’s your writing strengths?
Dialogue!
17. What’s your writing weaknesses?
Action. I am very bad at describing movements.
18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?
I used to write fic in German, then made the jump to English. I think it works better when you’ve consumed the og story in the same language. (For example, I was very scared how I got the voices in my Leverage fic because I only watch it in German but wrote in English. Thankfully other fics and gifs helped 😂)
Or is this specifically about when someone speaks another language? I think in that case it depends on whose PoV you’re writing – nothing irks me more than someone not knowing a language and yet it says “X heard Y say, “[proper sentences in that language]”. I don’t think that’s authentic. I always try to make it clear when the person doesn’t know what the other is saying.
19. First fandom you wrote for?
Harry Potter.
20. Favourite fic you’ve ever written?
all the ones that you adore.
I am tagging @simpledontmeanpeachy, @sophiainspace and @pikechris :)
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bratshaws · 1 year
Text
through the hourglass 32. brb x oc
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a/n: a bit short cause i got kinda sick today BUT ITS HERE HEH
pairing: plus size!oc x rooster
warnings: fluff, mentions of pregnancy, rooster just loves bea sm it HURTS
goodness gracious (pls read this one to know more what this fic is about!!)
chapter
1/2/3/4/5/6/7/8/9/10/11/12/13/14/15/16/17/18/19/20/21/22/23/24/25/26/27/28/29/30/31
(pls let me know if you want to be added to the taglist!! )
taglist: @mirandastuckinthe80s @roosterschanelslut @wiipes @lcahwriter @shrimping-for-all @gretagerwigsmuse @frenchtoastix
@lizzie-rdj @fanboyluvr @atarmychick007 @comebacktoearthpls
@peachiicherries @mak-32 @lizziespidiepridie @roosterswifey @ollyoxenfrees @piceous21 @sqrlgrl22 @hofficoffi @lexhalstead3 @lorilane33 @legendarydreamersharkparty @luckyladycreator2
@emilybradshaw @j-6o @louisahale @leobabbyyy @kulicny @winter-run @ktjmac @graciereads @bigpoppajes @taytaylala12
@caitsymichelle13 @becks-things @caatheeriinee07 @dhwanishah09 @jesfreedark @katiemcrae
-
Things that happened the very next day at the Hard Deck:
Everyone greeted her and immediately congratulated her.
The Dagger Squad asked for the baby’s gender and Beatrice was sweet enough to let them know -followed by the long groans from the losers and the hooting from the winners.
And they told Mav the name chosen for the baby.
Of course they did that during her break, far from others so they could have a smidge of privacy. Mavericks first reaction was a smile, then realization hit him that Nicole’s name was a mix of Goose’s and Carole’s name. His eyes glossed over with tears, the same way Rooster’s and Bea’s did after they let him know and he hugged them both, tightly, whispering how thankful and happy he was because of that.
It was more than just a simple name, both him and Rooster knew it. And when Beatrice got back to work and they stayed seated together, Maverick could just see how happy it made Bradley, “...Mav, I swear, she’s not from this world.” his uncle chuckles, sipping his beer and letting him continue, “Every time she surprises me, every time, she thinks about me so much. When she suggested I had to hold myself back so I wouldn’t cry.”
“She’s a good kid.”
Rooster offered Bea a smile when she turned in his direction and his wife gave him a small wave before her attention went to another customer, “...she is a great person.” he says with his hands interlaced between his legs, “She deserves the world Mav. She does…I don’t even know how I can repay for half of the things she does to me.”
“Maybe she doesn’t want to be repaid.” Mav shrugs, gesturing towards Bea with his beer bottle, “Maybe she just wants you to have a good time, to enjoy life at it’s fullest and she wants to keep your parents close by…you did mention this wasn’t the first time she did something like that.”
The signed record she got him for Christmas was one of the best gifts he ever got, the fact she went all the way to put his parents’ names on it meant so much to him. Sometimes he’d catch himself staring at it in the hallway, following the lines of Jerry Lee Lewis’ writing with his eyes before he goes to bed, “Yeah,I know…I told her yesterday that we’ve been together for almost three years now, I should prepare something special for our anniversary.”
“Well, that’s a good idea. You guys started dating in July right?”
“Yeah.”
“How long until the baby is born?”
Bradley licks his lips, then looks down at his fingers, “She’s four months along so, one, two…” he mutters the numbers under his breath, then pauses once he reaches the nine months mark, “...She’ll be born in June.”
“June?Isn’t that eight months?”
“No.” he didn’t elaborate, his breathing leaving his mouth in a shocked gasp, “Mav, my daughter will be born in my birth month.”
Even that, even that. He knew Beatrice had no control over those things, he knew it but the fact that their daughter was actually going to share his birth month was more than he ever hoped for. His eyes turned to Beatrice yet again, seeing that now she had her back to him and was talking to a group of women who immediately sounded so happy once they found out she was pregnant it was hard to contain their voices.
He taps the bottle against his lips, his smile widening and chest about to burst with love for her. When she turns around to face him one more time, she gestures to his bottle and mouthed if he wants another one but he just shook his head briefly to signal he was okay. Beatrice’s smile shone under the lights of the bar and Bradley was just wondering how did he get so lucky, “How long until she’s on maternity leave?”
Mav’s question snaps his admiring stare from Beatrice to his uncle, and his lips part as he thinks about it, “I think…from what I’ve heard it’s up to eleven weeks before the birth, but I think Penny might let her go sooner than that.” he explains, scratching his jaw with a finger, “She’s already very vocal about Beatrice working being only four months pregnant, so.”
“It is a very active job.” Pete adds, leaning back on his seat, “There’ll come a time it’s going to hurt if she stands up for too long.”
“Yeah,I know, but she doesn’t want to…be ‘inactive’, she wants to work as much as she is able to and I know she’ll probably feel guilty if she leaves Penny and Shells alone here.” Rooster smiles softly towards the brunette who was now talking to Penny across the bar, “She worried about everyone,Mav. She doesn’t want to let anyone down.” 
“I know that, but she’s pregnant, she needs her rest.”
And his nephew nods silently, turning the empty beer bottle in his hands, “I know.” he says with a deep breath entering his lungs, “I’ll talk to her. I promise.'' After that their conversation still focused on the baby, on Nicole, but they’d either talk about how he was going to deal with the furniture in their daughter's room and if he needed help.
Well,Maverick offered his help even without asking and he knew the others from the Dagger Squad would say yes as well…but honestly, he wanted to have that for himself, he wanted to put the furniture together - maybe with Bea’s help too - because it was something more than adding another room into the house. It was the baby’s room.
And he felt, strongly so, that he needed this mental break from what happened in December. That explosion was too close, way too close and all he wanted was to remember that he was there, safe, alive, with no other scars but the ones he already had. 
It brought some fears into surface, he was already scared by leaving Beatrice every time he was deployed but now with Nicole on the way…he almost feared…something else. Something he didn’t want to think about, something he refused to think about but it still banged in his skull every now and again.
But he didn’t want to keep that in mind, thankful whenever Mav or the others came close to talk, to ask him about the baby girl on the way and thankful when Bea was closing the bar that night and he stayed with her.
“You know I can still carry stuff, Brad.” she says with a small smile as he grabs a few boxes before she could, “It’s not dangerous, those are very light.”
“Still, gorgeous, I don’t wanna risk it. Where do I put these?”
“In the storage room.” she points to the door at the end of the bar, following him closely until he reaches the said area, opening it one handed and turning the light on with his elbow. Beatrice just watched her husband set the box down, shoving it under a shelf with his foot before turning towards her.
Beatrice was just watching him with her smile turning amused, crossing her arms over her chest, giving him a playful eye squint, “Are you going to be like this the whole time until Nicole is born?”
He claps his hands to get rid of the dust while laughing, walking out of the storage room, “Honestly, yeah. You think I wouldn’t?” he asks after turning the light off and closing the door, meeting his wife’s still amused gaze. 
“Well, since I know you, I don’t think it’s too far ahead.” she laughs softly, unfolding her arms to fix the collar of his Hawaiian shirt, then swiping off some pieces of dust that clung to the fabric, “But you know I’ll be able to do a lot still,right?”
“I know, gorgeous.” he coos, placing his hands on the flare of her hips, thumbs brushing on the fabric of her soft shirt, “I know you are capable and strong and absolutely out of this world. But I just want to be there for you, whenever I’m able.”
Beatrice gives him a strange look, “You are always there for me,Roos.” she explains, wrapping her arms around his neck, brushing the shorter hair at the nape, “You don’t have to worry about that.”
He lets out a soft laugh, dropping his gaze from her face to the floor, with his brows furrowing just a tiny bit, “You just do a lot for me Bea-”
“I do it because I care about you.”
“I know, gorgeous, I know. But still…” he licks his lips, clenching his jaw for a second, “Did you know Nicole will be born in June?” from the surprised look that formed on her face, she didn’t know that at all, “Yeah…we’ll share the same birth month. It’s…ah,I don’t know it’s…I know that’s not within your control,gorgeous. I know that, but it still…I just want to thank you, you are the one carrying our baby and you are the one who will give birth to her…honestly that’s probably the best birthday gift I could ever ask for.”
Beatrice is still looking at him, hearing how he almost sounds choked up when he thanks her. Her gaze softens immediately and her hand touches his cheek, cupping the freshly shaven skin and rubbing underneath his cheekbone “You are welcome Brad, really. Carrying our baby is probably the best birthday gift I could ever ask for too.”
That’s true, her birthday was at the end of that week “What do you want to do for your birthday then?” He asks once he’s calmed down enough, following her to the outside of the bar where he watches her lock the doors. Beatrice just offers him a shrug, one that makes him arch one eyebrow at her “Nothing? Not even a little thing?”
“I’m just happy to be pregnant , I can’t  really think about anything else I suppose.” She reaches for his hand after the Hard Deck is closed, interlacing their fingers together towards the bronco “Plus I don’t want something big, I really just want to spend some time with you.”
Oh his heart couldn’t handle much more of this.
He smirks, tugging her to his side so he could drop a kiss to her forehead “You are too precious. But there has to be something that you want, maybe deep inside? We don’t have to have a huge party but, you know, a mini celebration.”
Beatrice sighs once she’s inside the car, pursing her lips in thought as she looks at the ceiling, her husband waiting for her answer expectantly “…well, how about we get some pizzas, some ice cream and some soda for the weekend then?”
“Hm…that’s all you want?” She nods “Well…sounds good enough to me.”
-
He notices how she was looking at him, soon after they got home and the puppies and their mother greeted the two, her eyes never leaving him when he moved about “I don’t mind being ogled at,but,” he supports his arm on the kitchen counter with his free one propping on his hip “I’d like to know why the sudden intensity.”
Beatrice’s face turns red but she smiles “I got you a Christmas gift.”
“Yeah I know baby, the tests-“
“No,no it’s….well it wasn’t planned.” she begins, biting her lower lip, “Wait here!” and she scurries away before he could stop her, letting out a soft chuckle at her antics but he does keep himself put, crossing his arms and leaning his lower half against the counter. He could hear thunks and her footsteps as she messed around with something, her soft cursing and then her footsteps returning.
The puppies alert him of her return before he sees her, the soft yapping from Eleanor and Jack’s whining meant that Beatrice was close by. And she was, since her head popped on the corner of the threshold, giving him a little smile, “Okay, so,” he just stares at her with his arms still crossed, “Remember how you said you played guitar when you were in college?”
“...yeah?”
When she steps from behind the door, she’s holding a guitar case, black with a silver zipper and Bradley could only stare with wide eyes, “I found it online, remember how I said we could get it for you? Well, it happened a few days after I sent your first gift.”
“Bea…” he looks from his wife to the guitar, “Bea, are you serious?”
He stretches his arms to grab the guitar case carefully, removing it from her hands and carrying it to the kitchen table where he set it down carefully. He looks back at Beatrice one more time and she’s approaching him, nodding towards the still closed case, “Go on.” he hesitates for a few seconds, closing his eyes and breathing out a sigh as his fingers clutch on the zipper.
Once he reached the end of the case, he slowly flips the top part open, “...no way.” he whispers once the guitar inside is revealed, “Bea, this is…” the sleek black shone under the kitchen light, the hummingbird on the pickguard looking even more vibrant in person, “Bea this is a Gibson Hummingbird.”
“Yeah…um…” she licks her lips, “I…well, do you like it?”
“Bea,how did you even–” he grabs the guitar by the neck, then slides his hand underneath the body, lips parted in pure amazement when he sees it up close, his own reflection on the black lacquer surprised him “How did you even get this?”
“Well, a friend of Michael um…was selling it and I was interested. So I talked to Mikey,” she smiled watching her husband adjust the guitar in his hands, moving his fingers over the chords with his lips still parted in surprise, “And we managed to get it.”
Rooster plucked the guitar a bit, testing each string then all at once with a sweep of his fingers, “...holy shit, Bea. I don’t even…know what to say.” 
When he thought about a guitar he was okay by having a second hand one, those generic ones that don’t even have a label to be completely honest. The fact that Beatrice bought him an Ebony Gibson Hummingbird made him speechless, in fact he was still looking at it as if it wasn’t real, “I know you have the piano.” she says, gesturing to the said instrument in their living room, “But I just thought you’d like it.”
“I love it.” he whispers, shaking his head with a mix of disbelief and amazement, rubbing the lower half of his face in surprise “Bea, this is amazing, this really is amazing. Thank you, I…I need to get you something back for Christmas too.”
“You don’t have to.”
“But I want to.” he presses down, placing the guitar back inside it’s case, “You do so much for me, for everyone you care about.” her eyes drop from his own to her hands, playing with her fingers as he neared her “You never ask for anything back.”
“I don’t…I don’t know,I just like giving.”
Fuck, his heart.
He smiles, cupping her chin to tilt her head up, “You know, I think I can come up with something nice for you.” she blinks up at him in surprise, “I already have an idea.”
“Oh?”
“But I’m not telling you.” 
Beatrice purses her lips but doesn’t complain, instead she just looks at his eyes and he knows, he just knows she’ll be excited, “Okay…now um…if you want to play with it a bit, I don’t mind.” she nods to the guitar, “Tune it a bit too, if you want.”
He shifts his gaze from his wife to the guitar, the beautiful black looking like a precious stone under the light, “I can’t believe you did that for me.” he muttered, not taking his eyes from the guitar, shaking his head ever so slightly, “That you remembered.”
“I remember a lot about you,Brad.” she whispers, gently running her fingers down the buttons on his shirt, “It’s just…you know, you are special to me.”
His heart was gone now.
He wraps his arms around her waist, pulling her flush against him, pressing kisses from her jaw to her neck only to bury his face on the crook of her shoulder, inhaling the sweet lavender of her skin. He almost lost this, he almost lost all this. It was hard to keep that information inside, but he promised himself to do it once Beatrice’s pregnancy was no longer in the risk zone, it was the fourth month, the beginning of the second trimester, there was still a little bit more to go.
“You okay?” he nods against her skin, feeling her fingers gently combing through the sandy brown tresses. His taller frame seems much smaller right now, nestled to her neck like he was, with his arms locked around her waist, “Roos.”
“I’m fine,gorgeous.” he says, “Just let me hold you a little bit, okay?”
Beatrice furrows her brows but keeps her fingers on his hair, twirling each strand of wavy brown on her fingers, then gently scratching his scalp enough for him to shudder at the contact. “Okay.” 
He keeps his arms around her for a little bit, lifting his head after he felt it was safe enough and looking into her eyes with an intense gaze, “I love you,Bea.”
“I love you too,Roos.” she sounds a bit confused by the admission but she assumes it was just Rooster being Rooster.  He leans down to kiss her forehead,then presses their foreheads together “...are you sure you are okay?”
He was, slowly, “I’m fine.” she shouldn’t worry about that now, “Anyway, what do you think about we go look at some furniture for the baby on Saturday? So we can enjoy your birthday Sunday without issues.”
“Oh, sure, I’m fine with that. I’ve read that it’s important to prepare the room during the second trimester.”
“Which is where we are right now.” she nods and he grins, kissing her lips sweetly, “Then it’s settled, we’ll go shopping this Saturday.” he’ll clearly appreciate the distraction, he knew it’d get better over time, he was just a bit shocked by the whole thing. “Now, let me put this away.” he closes the case, kissing Beatrice one last time, “And then we go to bed, how’s that sounds?”
‘It sounds great.” she grabs the hand that isn’t holding the guitar, grateful that he liked the gift so much but…she couldn’t help but feel like he was holding something back. Did something happen during the mission? That would be the reason why he was acting strangely…or maybe he was just tired. She didn’t want to overthink too much, that type of stress isn’t good for the baby or herself. 
Whatever it was, she was sure he’d share when he felt like it.
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quickspinner · 10 months
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Indelible Ch 21 - Tracking
Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6 | Chapter 7 | Chapter 8 | Chapter 9 | Chapter 10 | Chapter 11 | Chapter 12 | Chapter 13 | Chapter 14 | Chapter 15 | Chapter 16 | Chapter 17 | Chapter 18 | Chapter 19 | Chapter 20 | Chapter 21 | Chapter 22| ?? | AO3
Another long day on the road, and another set of rehearsals and shows ahead of them. Today, though, as they pulled up to their hotel, everyone in the van sat up a little straighter in surprise. There was a crowd of people standing in the hotel parking lot, waving signs and cheering at the sight of the van and trailer, though neither were marked. 
“Are those…groupies?” Jenna asked, awe in her voice as she leaned over to look between the front seat. 
“Looks that way,” Yann replied quietly, brow creasing. He looked at Luka. 
Luka looked back at him, feeling a bit at a loss. He had no idea what to do.
“I can go in and get hotel security to escort us in,” Yann suggested. 
Luka looked back at the knots of people bunching up around the hotel doors, and swallowed. “Nah, I think we can handle a few fans,” he said, looking over his shoulder for confirmation. The rest of the band had eager lights in their eyes, clearly tickled by the situation. Luka smiled, and tried to relax as he faced forward again. “Yeah, just go ahead and park us. We can say hi, sign some…autographs or whatever.” It wasn’t like he’d never signed an autograph before, he didn’t know why he felt so awkward about it. Maybe it was because these people were definitely here to see him, and not Jagged. 
Luka shifted nervously as Yann parked the van. “Let me just get some precautions set up so things don’t get out of hand,” Yann said as he opened his door, calling for the crowd to stand back, please. The band waited, waving back at the crowd, while Yann went inside to consult with the hotel managers. Luka wondered if anyone could even see them through the van’s tinted windows, but he didn’t want to spoil anyone’s fun, so he joined in.. Luka didn’t know how he did it but by the time Yann signaled the band to come out, there was a rope line organized and the small but clamoring crowd stayed respectfully on their side of it, cheering and handing over books and albums and various things to be signed. The band members accepted whatever was closest to them, signed, and handed the pieces back and forth. Luka tried hard to hear what the fans said to him, did his best to spell names right and make sure things got back to the correct people. He mentally thanked Penny again and again as Yann single-handedly directed things and kept people organized to an extent Luka wouldn’t have believed was possible. 
Finally it seemed like everyone was satisfied, and the band waved and blew kisses as they were ushered through the hotel doors. The fans were still belting Luka’s latest single as the hotel doors slid shut. Luka put his face in his hands as his bandmates giggled and bounced and gushed over the experience. Even Crusher was grinning, a full on smile instead of his usual cynical smirk. 
Watching them between his fingers, Luka smiled. He felt a hand on his shoulder. 
“You okay?” Yann asked, and Luka nodded. 
“Just processing,” he mumbled. Yann nodded and handed him his room key. 
“Couffaine, you coming?” Crusher asked, the others already heading towards the hotel bar.
“Nah, mate,” Dingo said, slinging his arm over Crusher’s shoulder. “He’s gonna go think deep thoughts or some shit. Let the money man go write some new songs while we party.” 
Luka rolled his eyes but smiled, thankful for the excuse. Yann trailed after the others with an expression of longsuffering. Luka felt a little bad, but was just as glad he didn’t have to stand Drunk Dingo Duty. Dingo was right, he needed to think.
Luka’s hands were still shaking as he let himself into his room. He dumped his luggage and Dingo’s in the corner, and then went to the bathroom and turned on the shower. He leaned on the counter as he waited for the water to heat up, and then straightened and took off his shirt.
As always, his eyes found Marinette’s name on his body in the mirror. He touched it with two fingers and looked down to see it directly. It was more muted than he liked. Luka was still worried about that call the day of his migraine. He’d tried calling Marinette back a few days later, but it seemed like she had already moved past the issue, and they hadn’t talked for very long because…
“Hold on a second, Luka,” Marinette sighed, and there was a slight rustle before he heard her call a slightly muffled “Come in!” She gasped a little. “Oh, Felix! I thought we weren’t meeting until—it doesn’t matter though, just let me finish up and I’ll be right—oh, no, you don’t have to do that. Oh, the one in the lobby is fine, please don’t go to any trouble—I mean, you don’t have to get me coffee at all, I'll really only be a moment, it’s just a personal call…well, that’s really sweet of you. I’ll be done by the time you come back up, I promise. Thank you so much Felix!”
There was another rustle and the sound came clear again. “Sorry, Luka, looks like I’ll have to keep this short. He’s so busy, and I always feel bad when he makes extra time for me.” 
“Sure,” Luka said, and had to clear his throat. “I just wanted to make sure everything was okay, since we couldn’t talk before.” 
“Oh, it’s fine, I really was making a big deal about nothing,” Marinette said in a flustered rush. “I feel really stupid about it actually, Felix was just trying to do his job and I took it personally. You’d think after working with Gabriel I could handle criticism but I don’t know, I just blew the whole thing way out of proportion. You know how I get when I spiral.”
Luka did, but he also agreed that after years of working under Gabriel, Marinette had developed a thicker skin and was capable of handling criticism or correction. “Are you sure you don’t want to tell me about it?”
“No, I’ll just get worked up again and it’s silly to do that to myself,” Marinette said, and Luka’s frown deepened. “Besides, you have so much on your plate already, I don’t want to take advantage of you and wear you out with my troubles.”
Luka was caught so off guard by such an absurd statement that he couldn’t answer immediately, and before he collected his thoughts, Marinette was saying, “Oh, there he is, I’ve got to go. I’ll talk to you later, Luka! Good luck on your show!”
It had been short text messages and very infrequent, abbreviated conversations since then. His schedule was packed and hers was insane, and finding a private moment was incredibly difficult. Still, they’d always managed before, and that last thing she said…it bothered him. 
Luka shook his head hard to break out of the thought cycle. He finished undressing and got in the shower, turning his thoughts to the tangle of feelings stemming from having people coming to greet him as he arrived in a town. Did it mean anything, or was it just a fluke? 
He wondered if the show was sold out. He’d known they were doing good numbers but they’d never had a sold out crowd in the time that they’d been on their own. That would be a great milestone. Something to really celebrate. 
Connecting with the fans face to face like that, spontaneously, had given him a warm, fluttery feeling in his stomach. He hadn’t realized he had missed that. Luka had always had a special love for small, intimate venues where you could create an atmosphere between performer and listener. It was hard to recreate, playing big stadium crowds. It was nice to find that feeling of connection again. 
By the time he got out of the shower, he went straight for his notebook, still dripping.
***
The show was sold out, and so was the next night, and before the end of the second show, the third had sold out as well. It was exhilarating and frightening all at once. Their next tour stop was the same, and some of the conditional clauses in their contract were now coming into play, adding tour stops and extra shows. 
Luka supposed he should have seen it coming, as their popularity and numbers had been increasing steadily, but somehow he never believed he would get there. The band was ecstatic, and Luka was too, but there was an edge of fear that gnawed at him, that it would all stop just as quickly as it had started. 
“Quickly, my ass,” Dingo complained when Luka finally voiced his concern. “We’ve worked bloody damn hard for years to get here. Yeah, sometimes artists flame out, and maybe we will too, but we’ve still done more than a lot of people ever get to. We’ve already had two number one hits so you can’t call us a one-hit wonder. What happened to all that ‘live in the moment’ bullshit you’ve been spewing at Mari for years?”
Luka winced at the reminder, both of his own hypocrisy and of Marinette. If it had been hard to talk before it was damn near impossible now, with publicity events and extra shows being suddenly added to his schedule. They hadn’t spoken except over text for weeks.
Dingo clapped a hand on his shoulder and shook slightly, knocking him out of the spiral again. “Just enjoy it Lu. You wanted to show the old man you can do it on your own, and now we’re fucking here, and you’re freaking out.”
“Right,” Luka said, smiling weakly. “You’re right.” 
***
It was harder and harder to find time to himself these days but Luka had made sure he would have some today. It might all be for nothing, but he wouldn’t be able to forgive himself if he didn’t at least try. 
Luka sat on his bed and dialed Marinette’s number, almost hopeless of getting an answer. 
He did, but the face that popped up on his screen wasn’t the one he expected. 
“Marinette’s phone,” said the blond man on the screen coolly. 
“Ah—” Luka blinked. “I was just calling to tell Marinette happy birthday.” 
The blond man smiled, and the picture tilted slightly to show Marinette on a stool, trying to hold up a large bundle of white fabric that kept trying to spill out of her hands. 
“She’s a bit occupied a the moment, as you can see—” 
“Luka! Felix, don’t let him hang up!” Marinette called, and then disappeared in a billow of white as another fold of fabric slipped from her hold. 
“Well, orders are orders,” Felix said mildly, coming back into view, though Luka could still see peeks of where Marinette was working over Felix’s shoulder. “I’ll do my best to be entertaining.” 
Felix looked Luka over as he spoke, and Luka found himself doing the same. Felix was quite a bit like his cousin in looks, though he had a stiff formality that was at odds with Adrien’s carefully cultivated air of approachability. Felix’s eyes were sharper, fixed on Luka, without Adrien’s tendency to let his gaze drift. Calculating , whispered Luka’s mind, and he suppressed the shiver that wanted to run through him.
“I understand you’re gathering quite the following on your tour,” Felix said conversationally. “Not that I pay attention to music much myself, outside of film scores, but Marinette watches the entertainment news almost every night and speaks quite highly of you.”
“We’ve been friends for a long time,” Luka replied, as neutrally as he could. “She’s always been very supportive.” 
Felix’s eyes narrowed slightly before he chuckled. “Yes, I can see how she would be. She certainly brings a very positive energy to the set. She’s quite popular with all our talent here, as you can see, even though she’s only been working with the cast for a few weeks now.”
“She’s like that everywhere she goes,” Luka couldn’t help a wry grin despite his discomfort. “Always has been. There aren’t many people who can hold out against her for long.”  
“She is very determined,” Felix agreed dryly. “And charming,” he added unexpectedly, looking back over his shoulder, and Luka was sure Felix softened a little bit. So even a cold fish like Felix wasn’t immune to Marinette. Hardly surprising, but oddly, it made Luka feel a little better. At least Felix saw Marinette as a person, and not just an asset. Luka hadn’t known he was worried about that until this moment of sudden relief. “We’re lucky to have secured such a talented designer,” Felix continued, facing Luka again, and Luka felt the inexplicable urge to freeze. “And you? May I ask what your plans are once your tour is completed?” Felix asked. 
“That’ll depend on the label,” Luka said, shrugging. He felt the impulse to look away, but resisted, certain that Felix was watching his reactions as closely as Luka was watching Felix. “Things are looking positive at the moment, though. We’re not quite halfway through this tour, so it’s a bit early to be making predictions.”
“But if your tour is successful, you’ll be doing another one next—year? Season? I’m not sure what the correct term is.” 
“Nothing’s confirmed yet. I think it will depend a lot on what the numbers look like at the end of this tour, but…that’s the hope, yes.” 
“It must be difficult, spending so much time on the road, away from your family and friends.” 
Luka cocked his head slightly, feeling oddly uneasy. “I’m sure you must know how it is. Marinette says you work very hard.”
“Oh, I do.” Felix gave a small smirk. “But largely here in the city. It’s rare that we need to film on location, these days, and I don’t often need to be there when we do. I can usually fly out for only a few days at a time. I find it much more rewarding to be here at the studio where I can be hands on with the parts that are more important to me.” He turned aside slightly and gave a much broader smile. “Ah, and here’s Marinette. It was nice to meet you, Luka.” The picture swung wildly for a second as Felix handed the phone over, and Luka heard him say, “Marinette, my dear, I do hate to limit you, but Miss St. Eves is to be here in twenty minutes and you know how she is.” 
“Of course, Felix,” Marinette said breathlessly, and then she was beaming at him, bright-eyed and flushed. “Luka, it’s so good to hear from you.”
Luka smiled. “Happy birthday, Marinette.” 
Marinette’s mind was clearly still on the piece she was working on, and Luka was happy to listen to her ramble about it, content to witness her excitement. She had come a long way, he reflected, since she had been weeping on his bed in New York, broken-hearted and confused about the future. It was definitely satisfying to see her speak about her own work with such confidence. 
They were interrupted by Dingo, who had somehow managed to come into the hotel room without Luka noticing. He threw himself on Luka’s back and howled a greeting to Marinette in Luka’s ear. It made Marinette laugh, so Luka just put a hand on his face and shoved him off instead of chewing him out. She asked then about the tour, and Dingo and Luka took turns giving her a not-very-coherent account of the last few weeks. 
Felix’s voice, though a whisper, interrupted them at last. “I’m truly sorry, pet, but I just can’t keep her calm any longer, if you would be so kind…”
“Oh! Yes!” The camera gave a stomach-churning jolt as Marinette leapt to her feet. “Of course, I’ll be right there—I’m sorry guys, I have to go!” She gave a heart-stopping smile. “Thanks for calling. I hope we’ll get to talk again soon.”
Luka and Dingo chorused their farewells, and Luka hung up, shoving Dingo out of his personal space with his free hand. 
“So you met the wonderful Felix?” Dingo asked, plopping down on his bed. 
“How long were you standing there?” Luka demanded, and Dingo grinned innocently at him. “Yes, I did talk to him for a few minutes.”
“So what breed of pretentious rich asshole is he?” 
“The careful kind,” Luka responded without thinking, and then frowned, turning his phone over in his hands. “He was more…polite than I expected,” Luka mused, trying to sort through the jumble of impressions he had taken away from the short interaction. “I don’t know, I got the feeling he was sort of a superior-type person, but he didn’t talk down to me or give me one of those looks.” Dingo nodded and they exchanged a commiserating look.
“Do you like him?” 
Luka made a face. “No. I didn’t like him at all, to be honest. I can’t really say why, he didn’t do anything to make me dislike him. He was perfectly…fine.” Luka wrinkled his nose. 
“But you can’t stand him,” Dingo cackled. 
“I really can’t,” Luka laughed uneasily along with him. “I don’t think he cares much about other people.” Luka shook his head. “But neither does Juleka, and that doesn’t mean she’s cold or that she can’t care about other people. She just only opens up to her little circle. Maybe Felix is like that.” He sighed, leaning back on his bed and folding his hands over his eyes. “I hope Marinette knows what she’s doing,” he muttered. 
“What’s that mean?” Dingo asked sharply.
Luka shook his head without moving his hands. “Nothing. Felix just seems like somebody you have to watch your back around, that’s all.” That calculating look lingered in Luka’s mind and made him shudder. “I’m probably just being paranoid,” he mumbled. 
Dingo snorted and there was a shuffling sound. “Luka, you know people. If you think the guy’s bad news, I doubt it’s paranoia. You liked golden boy well enough even though Mari was hot for him. I don’t know how you do it but you just get people.” 
I thought I did, Luka mused, still not moving. I thought I knew Marinette better than anyone and I still read everything wrong with her. Maybe I’m not as smart as I thought I was. Maybe I’ve just been lucky up until now. Or maybe I’m just getting out of touch with other people, with the tour and everything. Hm. 
There wasn’t anything he could do about it, anyway. If Marinette wanted his opinion about Felix, she would ask. 
Luka frowned. It was kind of odd that she hadn’t asked, actually. She often asked him for his take on people, though he’d never thought much about it before. He was also rather surprised to hear that she was following his career on the news. She had always called him directly before to find out what was going on. Sure, they hadn’t been able to connect much lately, but if she wanted to talk he always—
Suddenly he bounced up off the bed and fell back with an oof as something heavy hit the mattress next to him. “Cheer up, mate,” Dingo said, propping himself up on one elbow as Luka turned to face him. “The tour’s going great, the label’s talking about another album. Wesley’s actually setting up autograph sessions for us.” Dingo giggled. 
“Don’t call Yann that, Wesley was terrible,” Luka groaned. “At least call him Giles if you have to be a prick.” 
Dingo grinned. “I’m just saying if Lucy—” 
“She hates when you call her that.” 
“—gave your pet nerd the go ahead for stuff like that then we must be doing all right.”
Luka thought back to his last check-in with Lucille and smiled. “Yeah,” he admitted, trying not to let his smile grow too big. “We’re doing all right. We might actually make some money off this circus.” 
Dingo whooped, shoving himself up off the bed. “Well fuck all this mopey shit, then, we’ve got the night off, let’s get the gang and go celebrate.” 
Luka groaned, but Dingo grabbed his arm and dragged him off the bed, without bothering to lift him, so that Luka only narrowly saved himself from flopping face-first onto the floor. “All right, you ass,” Luka laughed, getting from his knees to his feet. “Just go easy, I’m not looking to end the night with a fight over who gets the toilet and who gets the sink.” 
“We need more scandal,” Dingo complained, shoving his boots on his feet. “If at least one of us doesn’t get arrested before this tour is over we’re not going to have any street cred at all.” 
“At least we have money for bail now,” Luka commented absently, taking one more look at his phone before slipping it into his pocket. “Where were you thinking?” 
Even laughing and drinking with his friends, Luka couldn’t shake the uncomfortable feeling he’d gotten during the call with Marinette and Felix.
When they stumbled back to the hotel room, Luka let himself sink into a chair while Dingo loudly claimed the bathroom, and stared into the darkness. The buzz of the drink was wearing off—he’d learned long ago to pace himself so he wouldn’t be useless the next day. 
Brooding in the dark, Luka made a difficult decision. He pulled out his phone, scrolled through the contacts, and then paused to check the time in Paris.
With a sigh through his nose, Luka pressed the call button and put the phone to his ear, rubbing his eyes as he listened to it ring.
Predictably, it went to voicemail. Adrien was hard to get a hold of even when you were his friend, and after New Years, Luka wouldn’t really blame him if he was ignoring Luka’s call.
“Hey, Adrien, it’s Luka,” he said, trying not to think too hard about his words. “Listen, I get it if you don’t want to talk to me, but if you’re willing, give me a call when you get a chance. I’m just—well, I’m a little worried about Marinette and I wanted to ask a couple questions about your cousin. Like I said, no pressure, but if you feel like giving me a call back I’d really appreciate it.”
He shut his mouth tight to keep from spewing anything else and hung up. It wasn’t the first time he’d swallowed his pride by any means, but it still tasted bitter. He just hoped Adrien would actually call him back.
Fiction Master Post
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ms-m-astrologer · 10 months
Text
Transiting Mars enters Leo
Saturday, May 20 - Monday, July 10, 2023
Sometimes I feel like astrologers may owe Dolt 45 some gratitude for being such a perfect example of the worst of his various natal placements. His natal Mars is in Leo, and conjunct his Ascendant from the 12th House. There’s all the screaming narcissistic in-your-face faux machismo! “Notice me or else!”
Remember, that’s a misused Mars/Leo - the cautionary tale, if you will. In The Book of Fire, Steven Forrest refers to awry transits through Leo with, “When Ego and Insecurity Steal the Show.” That’s what we have to be careful about over the next several months - Mars is in Leo now; Venus joins him on June 5 and remains in the sign until October 8.
Looking at Mars’ various areas:
Physical strength - actor Arnold Schwarzenegger has a Leo Sun. We can get excessively competitive, vain, or performative about our physiques - it’s more for show, rather than any boring practical necessity. If we’re strong, we like to show off.
Energy levels - this position often doesn’t know when to quit, or at least rest for a bit. We tend to just go whole hog, whole-heartedly, all the time. It’s really important to (learn how to) pace ourselves - before we hurt ourselves.
Sexuality - romantic! Really into the drama and romance of it all. Can go overboard with wooing the object of our affections. We’re passionate, loving, and fun in bed. This is another area where “not knowing when to quit” can get us into trouble. Other people are not required to requite our affections.
How we go after what we want - Mars wants to go in a straight line towards its goals. The shortest distance between two points is a line, and Mars wants to do like that! In Leo, though, we may complicate our plans just for the fun/drama of it. We’re quite gallant and chivalrous - real Knight of Wands energy, emphasis on the knight part of it.
There are some real trouble spots ahead, as well some assistance:
Saturday, May 20 - Mars/Leo opposite Pluto Rx/Aquarius, 0°16’
Monday, May 22 - Mars/Leo sextile Sun/Gemini, 0°54’
Tuesday, May 23 - Mars/Leo square Jupiter/Taurus, 1°28’
Wednesday, May 24 - Mars/Leo square North Node/Taurus and South Node/Scorpio, 2°34’
Thursday, June 1 - Mars/Leo inconjunct Saturn/Pisces, 7°00’
Sunday, June 11 - Mars/Leo 12° sesquiquad Neptune/Pisces 27°, semi-square Ceres/Virgo 27°
Wednesday, June 21 - Mars/Leo sextile Mercury/Gemini, 18°39’
Thursday, June 22 - Mars/Leo trine Chiron/Aries, 19°34’
Monday, June 26 - Mars/Leo square Uranus/Taurus, 21°29’
Sunday, July 2 - Mars/Leo trine Eris/Aries, 25°13’
Thursday, July 6 - Mars/Leo inconjunct Neptune Rx/Pisces, 27°40’
Sunday, July 9 - Mars/Leo inconjunct Pluto Rx/Capricorn, 29°25’
Mars/Leo begins with one difficult alignment (a fixed t-square with Jupiter/Taurus and Pluto Rx/Aquarius) - and finishes with another (a yod involving inconjuncts to Neptune Rx/Pisces and Pluto Rx/Capricorn). Larger things happening in the wider world play a role in how this Mars transit goes - Steven wrote, “You have a right to take up some space. You have a right to have your needs met.” So does everyone else, though - don’t be a Dolt 45 type! Better examples to follow include Eckhart Tolle, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Jon Stewart, Mark Hamill, and about 8,000 musicians (Beyonce, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr…).
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the-drokainian · 4 months
Text
‭Genesis‬ ‭1:1‭-‬30‬ ‭NIV‬
[1] In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. [2] Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. [3] And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. [4] God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. [5] God called the light “day,” and the darkness he called “night.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the first day. [6] And God said, “Let there be a vault between the waters to separate water from water.” [7] So God made the vault and separated the water under the vault from the water above it. And it was so. [8] God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day. [9] And God said, “Let the water under the sky be gathered to one place, and let dry ground appear.” And it was so. [10] God called the dry ground “land,” and the gathered waters he called “seas.” And God saw that it was good. [11] Then God said, “Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.” And it was so. [12] The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. [13] And there was evening, and there was morning—the third day. [14] And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, [15] and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so. [16] God made two great lights—the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars. [17] God set them in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth, [18] to govern the day and the night, and to separate light from darkness. And God saw that it was good. [19] And there was evening, and there was morning—the fourth day. [20] And God said, “Let the water teem with living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the vault of the sky.” [21] So God created the great creatures of the sea and every living thing with which the water teems and that moves about in it, according to their kinds, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. [22] God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.” [23] And there was evening, and there was morning—the fifth day. [24] And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. [25] God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good. [26] Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” [27] So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. [28] God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” [29] Then God said, “I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. [30] And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds in the sky and all the creatures that move along the ground—everything that has the breath of life in it—I give every green plant for food.” And it was so.
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katareyoudrilling · 2 years
Text
Risky (Dave York ✂️ part 2)
Pairing: Dave York x AU wife!Reader Insert (not intended to be Carol)
Summary: The next-door neighbors are having a cookout and Dave has a promise to keep
Word count: 2.2k
Rating: Explicit (18+ only. NO MINORS)
Content Warnings: Vasectomy kink (aka the opposite of breeding kink), exhibitionist kink, PIV, Dave and his filthy mouth
A/N: This is intended to be a follow-up to Risk, but can be read as a standalone.  Thanks to @just-here-for-the-moment for the beta and assuring me I was crazy in a good way lol.  As a reminder, all my Vasectomy Kink fics are marked with “✂️” on my Masterlist.  If you would like to become an official member of the Vasectomy Kink Club, please sign up on my Taglist form and select either “All” or “Vasectomy Kink Only”. Enjoy!
Thank you so much for reading and encouraging my nonsense!  Reblogs and comments are very much appreciated!
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“Bullshit!  The internet says it takes 20 ejaculations to clear out the sperm.  They think I need 3 months to cum 20 times?” Dave scrolls through the article on his phone, coffee in the other hand, looking annoyed.
“Dave, language.”
“They can’t hear me. Girls, can you hear me?” he asks in the general direction of your daughters who are wearing headphones and are fully invested in whatever is on their iPad screens.  They don’t look up.  “See?” he says with a smirk.
You roll your eyes and turn back to the sink.  Suddenly he’s behind you, caging you in with his strong hands gripping the edge of the counter on either side of you.  He ducks his head down to speak into your ear.
“They can’t hear me so I can say whatever I want,” his voice rumbles low in your ear, “like I want to fuck you baby.  It’s been too long.”
It has been 1 week since his vasectomy and Dave is healed up and ready to go.  He’s right, it has been too long and you’re ready too.  You grip the edges of the counter as a wave of arousal washes over you.
“Tonight will be number 1.  Maybe 2.”
“What do you mean?” you ask breathlessly, distracted as he traces the shell of your ear with his nose.
“This article says I have to cum 20 times.  I figure I can do that in 2 weeks not 3 months.  Fuck that.”
“Well, not everyone is you, honey.”  
“Damn right they’re not,” he growls.  Dave has a voracious sexual appetite.  Luckily, you do too.  He crowds you further against the counter and grinds his half hard cock into your ass just a little.  “The Johnson’s cookout is 3 weeks from tomorrow.”
“What’s that have to do with anything?” your lust-addled brain is struggling to keep up while you’re surrounded by his warm body.
“I figure 3 weeks is enough time to cum 20 times, give a sample, and get results.  Don’t you remember what I said I was going to do to you?”
You gasp as the memory comes flooding back.
“Once I get the all-clear I can fuck you bare whenever and wherever I want… I’ll even fuck you on the patio when the Johnsons are having a cookout next door.  They could just look over the fence and see us.  It’s so risky,” he increases the pressure on your clit and you careen towards the edge, “but there’s no risk of another baby.”
“That was a promise I intend to keep.”  He steps away and you sag against the counter.  “Be ready for me tonight.”
Dave places his coffee mug on the counter, kisses his daughters on the cheek, and winks at you on his way out the door to work.  You focus on calming your racing heart.  That man is a menace and he knows it.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Dave sets about getting his 20 orgasms with ruthless focus, you expected nothing less of him.
Numbers 3, 5, 8, 12, and 16 are in the shower.
Numbers 1, 7, and 14 are in a condom while you ride him.
Numbers 4 and 19 are on your tits.
Numbers 2, 10, and 15 are in a condom while he slams into you from behind.
Numbers 6, 9, and 18 are in his fist while he eats you out.
Numbers 11, 13, and 17 are in a condom with your knees by your ears as he folds you in half.
Number 20 is in your mouth.
He kept track.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
“Come back over after the girls are in bed!” Cindy Johnson calls after you as you and Dave herd your girls out the gate and towards your front door.
“I’ll try!” you lie with a smile.  There’s no way that’s happening.
You watched as Dave’s face broke into a wicked grin yesterday when he received his test results.  Zero sperm detected.  Right on time.
He wouldn’t touch you last night.  He said he has plans.  You shivered and squirmed every time he looked at you with his eyes nearly black from arousal.
“Bath time!” Dave exclaims throwing one child over each of his shoulder as he marches up the stairs.
“But Daddy!” they squeal, “we got clean in the sprinkler!”
He sets them down halfway up the stairs.
“Was there soap in the sprinkler?” he asks seriously, hands on his hips.
“No,” they admit.
“Then it’s bath time!” he scoops them both up again amidst shrieks and giggles.  You smile as you follow them up the stairs and get the bath running.
Once the girls are clean and in pajamas, with their hair combed and braided, you hand them off to Dave for a story.  The girls love bedtime stories with Dave.  Many nights you hear him stomping around their room, the girls squealing with laughter, as he dramatically reads their favorite books doing all the characters and acting out the plot.
Tonight, though, you expect he will deploy his deep, soothing voice to lull them to sleep quickly because, as he followed the girls into their room, he whispered in your ear…
“Wait for me on the patio.”
So here you sit.  Anticipation thrumming through your veins and wetness gathering between your legs.
Darkness has fallen since you left the party, but it’s still going strong on the other side of the privacy fence.  The sound of tipsy adult chatter drifts over along with the scents of citronella and barbeque.
You’ve been on edge thinking about this moment all day.  You couldn’t keep your eyes off Dave during the cookout.  Your neighbors probably thought you’d had much more to drink than you actually had with how you kept spacing out during conversations.
Dave returned your glances with winks and smirks while he made small talk with the other neighborhood dads.  His dark eyes danced with the secret knowledge of what you were going to do later.
It’s finally later and you feel like you’re going to burst.
You hear the sliding door open and close behind you.  Dave pads over in bare feet, his shirt halfway unbuttoned.  He holds out his hands to you and pulls you to your feet and into his arms.
You bury your nose in the hollow of his throat and inhale, allowing his scent to ground you.  He makes you feel so safe, even as you’re about to do something decidedly not.  But that’s the fun of it.
It’s risky what you’re doing tonight.  It’s the kind of risk that excites you and turns you on, making your skin tingle from your head to your toes.  Not the kind of risk that turns your stomach.  No, that kind has just been eliminated.  No more panic over a broken condom or a missed pill.  Not anymore.
Dave tips your chin up and meets your gaze in the dark.
“You ready?” he whispers.
You nod and that wicked smile spreads across his face once again before he crashes his mouth into yours.
His kiss is needy and demanding.  He invades your mouth and forces your jaw wide.  His tongue tangles with yours before he drags his lips messily down your neck.
He slips the straps of your sundress off your shoulders and tugs the fabric down leaving you topless.  The cool night air grazes across your exposed nipples turning them into hard peaks.  He undoes the last few buttons of his shirt and allows it to slide off his shoulders.  His shorts quickly follow.
You run your palms over his smooth, golden skin.  His velvety cock nudges at your stomach.  You take him in your hand, stroking him from base to tip as he hisses in your ear.  The temptation is strong to lower yourself in front of him and take him in your mouth, but you know he won’t allow it.  Not tonight.
“Turn around.”  Dave turns you to face the fence and pulls your back into his bare chest.  He nibbles at your ear as he drags his calloused palms across your pert nipples.  Laughter erupts from next door sending a spike of adrenaline down your spine.
“If only they knew what they’re missing,” he whispers.
He palms your breasts, kneading and tweaking, while he kisses down the side of your neck.  You moan and he hushes you in warning.
He slides his hands down your sides and hooks his thumbs in your underwear, dragging them down as he skates his warm palms down your legs.
The night air is chilly against your wet center.  You’re positively soaked.
“Come here, baby.”  Dave guides you backwards.  He sits at the end of a lounge chair and pulls you down to sit between his legs.  His thick cock digs into your back leaving a sticky mess of precum.  He is just as worked up as you are.
“Here’s what’s going to happen,” he starts, speaking low into your ear while he reaches around you to glide his fingers through your slick folds and tease your clit.
“I’m going to split you open on my bare cock.  I am going to stretch you open inch by inch.”  
You whimper.
“You’re going to look at the fence.  You’re going to listen to them talk about their 401k’s and shit while I fuck you.”
You shudder and clench around nothing.
“You’re so wet for me,” he marvels in your ear.  “Are you ready to sit on my cock?”
“Fuck yes,” you breathe.
He lifts your hips and brings his legs together under you.  Then he spreads your legs wide and lines you up, supporting you while you lower yourself onto him.
You whine as he enters you.  Your husband is well endowed and he didn’t prepare you with his fingers first.  The stretch is delicious.  You feel every ridge and vein drag against your walls as he plunges deeper into your pussy.
“Fuck baby, you feel so good,” he breathes into the side of your neck.  “I’m never using a condom again.  I’m going to fuck you bare all day long, every chance I get, for the rest of our lives.”
You arch and throw your head back on his shoulder as you are fully seated on his cock.  He rocks with you, dragging along your walls, finding a rhythm that makes your toes curl.  You wrap your arm around his neck, tangling your fingers in his hair.  
“Look at you,” he growls in your ear.  “Split open on my cock for anyone to see.”  You shudder with pleasure and try your best to stifle your moans, but the friction of his cock in your cunt and his filthy words in your ear make it nearly impossible.
He tweaks your nipples with one hand while he rubs circles around your clit with the other.
“Do you hear them?  They have no idea.”  You clench around his cock and his answering groan rumbles deep in his chest.
“You’re going to come on my cock and I’m going to fill up your pretty little cunt.  The only thing you need to worry about is not screaming too loud when I do.”
You flutter around him.  A heady mix of arousal and adrenaline swirls through your body.  Heaviness settles deep and low in your belly and you feel the first stirrings of your orgasm.
“I’m going to cum,” you pant, biting your thumb to remind yourself to keep quiet, your other hand still gripping his neck behind you.
Dave chuckles in your ear, “Allow me.”  He releases your breast and brings his hand up to your chin, sliding one thick finger in your mouth.  You swirl your tongue around his finger and bite down.
“That’s right, baby.”  Dave thrusts up into you deeper and circles your clit faster.
Your walls begin pulsing.  You clamp down on his finger and his cock as your orgasm rips through you.  You can’t scream to relieve the pressure in your chest.  Tears prick in the corners of your eyes with the effort as wave after wave of pleasure crests over you and your whole body shakes.
“Yes baby… fuck, you feel so good… I’m close,” Dave pants as he wraps his arm across your chest, holding you tight as he surges into you.  He presses his mouth into your shoulder to muffle his moan as his hips stutter and he spills into you.
Dave clings to you, panting.  His thick arms hold you still as aftershocks jolt through your body.
“Did you hear something?”  The words float over the fence and break through your post-orgasmic haze.  
Maybe you didn’t stay as quiet as you thought.
You slap your hand over your mouth to stifle your giggles.  Dave quickly gathers you in his arms and walks swiftly to the sliding door. Slipping inside in stealthy silence and closing the door.
He lowers you to the ground and you both burst out laughing.  He pulls you into his chest and kisses you on top of your head.
“Our clothes!” you exclaim looking up at him.
Dave smiles down at you and winks, “Leave them.”
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Masterlist
Vasectomy Kink Club:
@neddrollsdice @lovesbiggerthanpride @kirsteng42 @pedrohoe04 @greeneyedblondie44 @pagannightwitch @kaitieskidmore1 @alexxavicry @iamskyereads @mandoblowmybackout @mswarriorbabe80 @nothoughtsjustmeds @loonymagizoologist @artpoppstar @aynsleywalker @maievdenoir @ruhro7 @amneris21 @tionmeh @pix-writes  @theravenreads @bravopeach  @bport76 @littlemisspascal @whataperfectwasteoftime @just-here-for-the-moment @thirsty-flygirl @yespolkadotkitty @deadhumourist @wheresarizona
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ivys-x · 9 months
Text
U can ask if U are cirious 🫶🏼
1. What is your sweet spot?
2. What is your favorite part of the body?
3. Do you like hair-pulling? If yes, how did you find out?
4. How do you feel about PDA?
5. Who is your biggest celebrity crush?
6. Leather or lace or silk?
7. Have you ever spanked or been spanked in the bedroom?
8. Are you rough or romantic?
9. Do you like romance?
10. What is your most embarrassing sexual fantasy?
11. What is your favorite color?
12. What would you do if I kissed you?
13. Have you ever done it in a public place?
14. What is your favorite position in the bedroom?
15. Do you think food has a place in the bedroom? (Like strawberries or whipped cream)
16. What was the worst date you’ve ever been on?
17. How many people have you done it with?
18. What is your favorite pet name? (Baby, darling, bae…)
19. Do you prefer long hair or short hair?
20. Do you enjoy watching/being watched?
21. Can you roll your tongue?
22. What is your favorite drink?
23. Do you like being blindfolded?
24. Do you want kids?
25. What is your biggest turn-off?
26. What do you wear to bed?
27. Do you like to cuddle?
28. What are your thoughts on friends with benefits?
29. How do you let someone know you like them?
30. Would you ever go skinny dipping?
31. Have you ever had a sexual fantasy about one of your friends?
32. What is your type?
33. Are you a quickie or do you prefer to take your time?
34. What is your sign?
35. Do you like seeing the evidence? (Hickies, bite marks, bruises…)
36. What is the longest you’ve ever gone without it?
37. Do you normally make the first move, or do you wait for the other person?
38. How long can you go for?
39. Do you think friends can kiss without ruining their friendship?
40. What was the worst kiss you ever got and why?
41. Tongue or no tongue?
42. If you could vacation anywhere, where would you go?
43. Do you prefer to cook for your partner, or do you prefer to be cooked for?
44. What would you do if I send you a dirty picture?
45. Have you ever been to a strip club?
46. What are your thoughts on open relationships?
47. Would you ever participate in an adult film?
48. Are you flexible?
49. Do you work out?
50. Top or bottom?
51. Do you like comedies or horror movies more?
52. What is the sexiest movie you’ve ever watched?
53. How many times have you done it in a row?
54. Hair down there or clean-shaven?
55. Have you ever faked an orgasm?
56. Have you ever done it with more than one person at a time?
57. Are you a coffee or a tea person?
58. Have you ever done it in the shower?
59. Lights on or off?
60. Are you a good kisser?
61. What is the first thing you noticed about me?
62. Are you a giver or a receiver?
63. What is your biggest turn-on?
64. Do you believe in true love?
65. Who usually says the “L” word? You or the other person?
66. Are you good at dirty talk?
67. Do you like dirty talk?
68. Do you curse in the bedroom?
69. What would you do if I got you flowers?
70. What would you do if you walked in on me pleasuring myself?
71. Have you ever role-played?
72. Is it okay to kiss on the first date?
73. What is your biggest red flag?
74. What is the kinkiest thing you have ever done?
75. What is your favorite kind of foreplay?
76. Have you ever had a one-night stand?
77. Do you like massages? Giving or receiving?
78. What do you think about toys in the bedroom?
79. Are you a cat person or a dog person?
80. What is the quickest way to your heart?
81. Would you rather make out or cuddle?
82. Have you ever played any sexy games?
83. Are you the jealous type?
84. Have you ever lied to get out of a date with someone?
85. What is the weirdest thing someone has asked you to do?
86. Do you like teasing or being teased?
87. Would you ever do it in a place you might get caught?
88. Do you prefer makeup or all natural?
89. What would you do if you found out the world was ending tomorrow?
90. Have you ever done a strip tease?
91. Have you ever gotten a lap dance?
92. Piercings and tattoos or bare skin?
93. Have you ever had dirty thoughts about a friend’s sibling?
94. What is one thing you will never do in the bedroom?
95. Hair down there or clean-shaven?
96. Do you watch adult films?
97. Do looks matter?
98. What is your favorite flavor candy?
99. What would be your perfect date?
100. Would you rather go to a club or spend a night in?
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