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votederpycausemufins · 3 years

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alright, i took a break of about 20 hours (less if you don’t count me sleeping) but hey, it was a break at least!

@petrichormeraki

The trip back to the portal left Mumbo shaken up. Dream didn’t follow them which seemed like the last thing he would do. Mumbo was somehow able to get parrot Grian to turn everyone back to normal which was fine. That was just his Watcher powers. Nothing to do with any Vault God powers he may or may not have. And he didn’t have any.

Eventually the portal was back up and running and Mumbo chose to believe that was just because Dream was lying, or again it was just Grian’s Watcher powers. Or maybe even that he was a hermit and the portal had hermit origins.

The smp members tried to question Mumbo, asking what they would do now. Dream was still on the loose and had more power than they realized. Not everyone was willing to go to Hermitcraft and leave everything behind. Right now, Mumbo was really the only person who might have answers, but he just felt bombarded by their words until he finally snapped.

“Look, I have no clue what to do. I didn’t even really want to be here in the first place. Right now Grian, the person I am closest to is stuck like this even though all of you are fine and I just want to help him before I deal with all of this!”

Mumbo winced when he saw the look on Tommy’s face. “So what, just going to abandon us all then? He’s my brother, bitch!”

“I know that and I am sick of having that thrown in my face! It was bad enough when we didn’t know the two of you were related. I wouldn’t have minded if you never showed up so we wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place!”

Tommy froze, only moving to take a step back in shock. Mumbo looked equally horrified at his own words, and not knowing what else to do, he ran through the portal and went back home.

Mumbo hoped that he could just get some peace by going home, but instead, moments after he returned his communicator started buzzing wildly with messages. With shaking hands he tried to turn it off, but instead managed to drop it and didn’t care enough to pick it back up. He grabbed the rockets from his inventory and equipped his elytra to fly back to his base.

He just got into the sky when another hermit flew past him, likely to greet him. He tried not to curse as they changed their direction to fly after him, and even though he knew it would hardly do anything, Mumbo started spamming rocket after rocket to get away as fast as he could.

He collapsed onto his bed, finally letting go of Grian who started hopping around. He watched the parrot for a while before pressing the palms of his hands against his eyes in an attempt to keep from crying in frustration. Why did they even have a useless spoon of a hermit in this world?

Grian had completely lost track of how long he had been in this infinite white expanse, but other than the lack of everyone he knew and the occasional having to relive horrific nightmares of memories, it wasn’t all that bad. He had started feeling a little more tired, but he assumed that was more from boredom than anything serious. It was okay since one perk of this place was getting to rewatch the dreams he had just had.

Not having anyone around was making him feel lonely, so Grian had started to watch the same memories over and over. He memorized his own lines so that way he could talk to his friends and they responded back.

“I still don’t understand why you put Mumbo faces everywhere.” Mumbo seemed to be holding in a laugh.

“It’s a house for you, I had to make it right! Mustaches everywhere!”

“Well I certainly noticed them. Now how about you open the door?” Mumbo gestured to a lever. Grian ignored the tingling feeling that came with intersecting his memory copy as he pulled the lever.

“Oh, well that’s pretty cool.” He echoed as he and his coppy watched the piston door open and he walked in. “But you’ve tainted it with redstone everywhere, look at this! You didn’t even bother covering it up!”

“Wasn’t sure how to go about it and make it look good. Besides, I’m a fan of exposed redstone.”

“Well, we can work on your building skills. What’s this over here?” Grian walked over to the closet and waited for his copy to open it. “AHH! Oh! Oooh. Hah… haha…”

Mumbo started laughing, nearly falling over as his legs became weak from laughing so hard. It no longer scared Grian after watching it so many times, so he just laughed along with Mumbo. “H-How about you go to the study n-next. I-It’s awesome!”

“Oh yeah, I’m sure it is.” Grian tried to stop laughing as he spoke. They reached a sign which he read aloud. “Super Hollywood film set. Oh you’ve redone the whole area, what is this?” Grian watched as he and Mumbo walked around the room. “Super editing suite, activate moving set part two. Part two?”

“There’s more than one, I just labeled them with numbers.”

Grian flicked the lever and watched as cobblestone in front of a bike started to move to imitate a moving foreground. “Oh that’s so cool. That’s so cool!” He flipped the lever for the background. “Oh! It’s for the motor bike!” The copy hopped on the bike and Grian himself found an empty area on the back of the bike to sit. He started making motor noises as the two of them rode the bike, Mumbo flipping another lever nearby.

Lights came on and Mumbo moved the camera to point at him. “Oh, using your filming knowledge properly I see. Three point lighting system?”

Mumbo nodded, then turned everything off for them to continue. “Let’s continue shall we?”

“Oh, what’s all this?” Grian asked as they came to an area filled with dispensers.

“Well, if you’re going to be filming, you’ll need some costumes.” Mumbo helped Grian into one of the spots and suddenly the builder was covered in gold armor.

“Oh that’s nice. I like that.” As Mumbo tried to go on, Grian doubled back and hit all the buttons, putting all the armor in his inventory. “I’ll just keep that for later. What’s next?”

“Over here. Secret room under the stairs.” Mumbo pulled a lever. The stairs pulled down and Grian was briefly reminded of the shenanigans of the secret base bros. He let himself get distracted by thoughts about that, turning his attention away from the scene. He tried not to listen to his panicked shouts as Mumbo tricked him by closing the entrance behind him.

“Grian, I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize that would scare you! Mumbo let the copy of Grian out and the real Grian could see how he almost moved for a comforting hug, something he never noticed when this had all first happened.

“I-it’s fine. Just bad memories. C-Can we continue with the house?”

Grian forced himself to stop thinking of the memory, making the white void return. Being with Mumbo that first time was a good memory. Sure there was that one bad part, but for Grian, that was good too. It showed how Mumbo cared for him all the way back then and how they’d learned more about each other over time.

After calming himself down, he started it up again. “C-Can we continue with the house?”

“Right, let’s go in here next.”

“Wha- MY KITCHEN! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO MY KITCHEN?!” Mumbo started laughing again.

‘Anyone could do this. Anyone! Xisuma or Scar or Iskall or anyone else.’ Mumbo thought to himself as he was looking over Grian. ‘I’m just better at this because Grian and I are linked or whatever. That’s all. Nothing to do with this being done by a Vault God and me also being one. Because I’m not.’

Multiple hermits had tried to visit Mumbo, but he had shooed them all off. Stress was the one to stay longest, having arrived with the bots who were complaining about not seeing their dads for a while. Mumbo tried to ask them to leave a few times before he snapped at them. He tried to push the hurt expression that was on Jrumbot’s face out of his mind.

He just had a rough few days. He wasn’t sleeping much and was barely keeping himself from starving. But right now Grian was important. More important than him. He might have had this done sooner, but he was being extremely careful, used to dealing with non-organic things most of the time.

He’s just wondering if he should look up puzzle boxes, wondering if those would be easy enough to rest his mind with, but also not get too off topic when he thinks he’s done it. “G… Grian?”

“Guh Grian?”

“Do you know who I am?”

“Do know who am. Know who I am.”

Mumbo started crying in joy. “Oh thank goodness! I was so scared you were stuck like this forever!”

“Tommy...” Grian mimicked his copy, though he was more happy while the copy was more stunned. “How do you know that?”

“What? Blood for the Blood God? My brother says it all the time.” Tommy thought he read Grian’s face well enough. “I’m sorry, I can stop saying it. I know my brother is a bit vio-”

“Techno or Wilbur?”

Tommy paused, he didn’t think he had told Grian their names. “Uh, Techno obviously. I would think if you knew their names you would know he said it. Um, something wrong Big G?”

Grian smiled, his copy continuing to cry. “Tommy… Tommy Tommy… th-they’re my brothers. Oh gods I’m the blood god… that’s what I always called myself. They hated it because I always started causing trouble.”

Tommy looked confused. “What are you talking about? I would think I’d know I had a brother named Grian.”

Grian started to open his mouth, ready to mimic his memory, telling Tommy a name he hadn’t used in ages. But instead he suddenly felt like he was falling. Grian let out a yelp in surprise. When he landed the white expanse was gone, but he realized that was from his eyes being closed. Nervously, Grian opened them and saw Mumbo staring at him, seeming quite large.

“G…” He seemed stunned. “Grian?”

Grian let out a little chirp, realizing that apparently his parrot voice box was the one working right now. “Guh Grian?”

“Do you know who I am?” Of course Grian knew Mumbo. Had he not before? Was that why Mumbo looked so worried.

“Do know who am. Know who I am.” Grian used Mumbo’s words to let the redstoner know that he could remember. He then had to hop back as Mumbo started to cry.

“Oh thank goodness! I was so scared you were stuck like this forever!” Stuck like wha- Grian started to wonder before it hit him. Oh, he couldn’t talk right and Mumbo looked so large because he was currently a parrot. Had something gone wrong when Philza was trying to teach him? Honestly, Grian couldn’t remember what the last thing to happen to him was before he ended up in the white infinity room. He had been in there so long and re-experiencing other memories that the one for when this started was sort of… gone.

Mumbo had apparently spoken a little with Philza because he was able to help Grian back to his humanoid self. The builder held Mumbo’s hands to steady himself as though he didn’t remember it, his muscle memory seemed to have gotten used to being a parrot.

“Well, while I’m sure being a bird has wonderful perks.” Grian paused, giving a yawn, still feeling tired. “I don’t think I really want to do that again for an extremely long time if I can get stuck like that.”

“Grian, how much do you remember?” Mumbo asked and Grian shrugged.

“Only thing I’m sure of is that I recently went to see the other Watchers. Something was going on, but that was a while ago and since then I’ve been stuck in an infinity room.” He looked at the worried expression on Mumbo’s face. “Mumbo, what happened?”

“So, the admin from Tommy’s world was a Vault God.” Grian’s wings puffed up at Mumbo’s words. “He ended up messing with your Watcher powers and got everyone back to their world and sort of wiped everyone’s memories. I’ve been here trying to fix whatever he did to you so I haven’t really been paying attention to everything that’s been going on since I got us back. Last I checked they all had their memories back… but Dream might have done something more.”

Grian jumped up. “I have to tell the other Watchers about this. A bad admin is one thing, but a Vault God admin that messes with Watchers is worse!”

“He may also be a sort of exiled Vault God based on what he said.” Mumbo added on and Grian seemed to get even angrier.

“Yep, definitely talking to the other Watchers now. I can’t believe he was right under Gxrgeous’ nose!” A portal opened up behind Grian and Mumbo tried not to look at Grian’s multiple purple eyes. “I’ll be right back. And Mumbo?” Mumbo looked up. “Take a shower. While I like that you spent all your time looking for me, I don’t think I even need enhanced senses to tell you need a shower.

Mumbo laughed sheepishly and then got up to do that. Grian chuckled in return then walked through. “Hellooo? Pixlriffs? Zloy? Gxrgeous? Any of you around?”

“Oh my god, Grian you’re alive!” Grian was suddenly tackled from behind.

“Noah! Ugh, get off my literal back!” Grian flapped his wings pushing the Evo Watcher off. “I’m looking for the hermit Watchers and Gxrgeous. You seen them?”

“Yeah, they’re busy freaking out about Gxrgeous’ world. You and Mumbo went through and then they lost connection to it completely. What happened?”

Grian shrugged. “I thought they would know better than me.” He lightly knocked the side of his head. “No memory of what was going on. Mumbo says the admin from there was a Vault God the whole time. I can’t believe I didn’t see it from the start.”

“You mean Dream? He’s a Vault Go- ohhhhhh. Dream… Dreamon. Why didn’t we realize that at the start?”

“Yeah well, something that should really be talked about with Watchers other than you since at this point I really want to connect the worlds so he can’t do anything more to my family.”

“Right, Pretty sure they’re this way.”

The talk had gone well and Grian was surprised to see the Vault Gods so willing to work with them on this. Grian supposed it was because of Dream’s status, but it was still odd to experience.

Zloy had given him a new communicator because his old one had ended up broken somewhere in the mix of things. The moment he was back out of the portal, he started to send a message.

<Grian> Based on what Mumbo said, they’re not here sooooo <Grian> Where are my children! <GoodtimewithScar> GRIAN!!! <Stressmonster> They’re with me. Are you doing okay? <Zedaph> Since he’s not here, I’ll do it for him <Zedaph> *fortnight dances* <ZombieCleo> He would NOT! <Grian> Speaking of, where is Tommy? <TangoTek> No clue, he didn’t come back with you and Mumbo. <Impulse> Don’t text and fly Tango <TangoTek> He knows what he did <Zedaph> welp, bye! *default dances away* <TangoTek> ZED!

Grian chuckled at the messages before sighing and flying to where the infinity portal was. He was glad to see it still sitting there and what looked like someone’s pet cat nearby. The avian was surprised when he landed and heard said cat speak.

“Hey! Can you get my friends? Dey went in there and haven’t come back and Sprinklez said I can’t go through.”

“Sure, I’m going in to get some people myself. Who are you after?”

“Tommy and Tubbox. Dey wanted ta be my friends and we had fun until a big bird thing attacked us!”

Grian winced, realizing that most likely was him. “Yeah, sure I was after Tommy anyway.”

Crumb nodded, but then thought of something. “Wait, Sprinklez said I couldn’t go alone, but but but, he didn’t say I couldn’t go with someone else!”

Grian smiled a mischievous smile and then pulled out his communicator. He asked Crumb’s name and then sent a message.

<Grian> Hey, I’m going with Crumb to pick up some people. Be back soon! <CaptainSparklez> What? Where? <Crumbl> Tommmu ans Tubboc

Before Grian could look at whatever was sent back, he gave out a mischievous cackle and picked up Crumb, taking them through the portal.

#hermit!tommy #hermit!tommy au #tommyinnit #mumbo jumbo #vault god!mumbo #grian #avian!grian #grian xelqua #watcher!grian #crumbl #cuptoast #captain sparklez #stressmonster101 #team zit

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translations-by-aiimee · 3 years

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Dig a Grave to Dig Out a Ghost - Chapter 24

Original Title: 挖坟挖出鬼

Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural, Yaoi

This translation is based on multiple MTLs and my own limited knowledge of Chinese characters. If I have made any egregious mistakes, please let me know.

Chapter Index

Chapter 24 - Inside Story

"Sorry." Lin Yan mumbled to the boy's back. He wasn't sure why. No one could see Xiao Yu, which always made him a little anxious. Lin Yan hesitated and for the first time took the initiative to reach out and touch Xiao Yu's statue-like fingers and whispered, "It's lonely, isn't it? Of all the people in the world, I'm the only one who can see you and I treat you badly."

Lin Yan stared at the endless highway outside the window and sighed: "Sometimes I think that, if a person walks down the street but seems invisible, desperately waving and no one responds, desperately shouting and no one hears, this feeling will definitely drive a person crazy. When I sit alone in the study room, I often feel that everyone’s excitement has nothing to do with me. I can’t wait to rush into the crowd and shout that I’m dying alone. If there is a person, no matter who he is, just that he's willing to listen to me patiently, I would have held on to him with a death grip; a sad, loving and even desperate grip."

"But I can't tell anyone. No one wants to admit that they're lonely. They always put on a show to satisfy their pride. They show off their awesome life to others while crying behind closed doors. People are such strange creatures."

Xiao Yu lowered his eyes and grabbed Lin Yan's hand. He put it to his lips and kissed lightly, as if comforting.

Lin Yan turned his head silently. The children at the snack bar were making noise, and the street shop windows were covered with small heart-shaped papers of various colours. Lin Yan looked through a few of them, and some of them were written in highlighter about who they love and who they're waiting for. Some wrote blessings to pass the exam. They were notes of immaturity and youthfulness, the purest and most beautiful wishes.

Everyone had their own wish, whether it was simple or complicated. Their dissatisfaction with their lives making them write out their wishes on paper, hoping that one day the gods can see them. Lin Yan thought silently, people who don't know each other always shine brightly, but only when they are familiar with them do they know their weaknesses. Just look at him, his family was well-off and well educated, but he had never dared to admit that he didn't like girls; look at Yin Zhou, he's from a perfect family but only willing to be a prince in the virtual world; then there's A-Yan, who can't even be a normal person in the eyes of others. Lin Yan gave a wry smile, who would listen to their prayers?

Probably because of the high school student's whistleblower, a group of children at the next table were pointing at him. Someone said something about being a psychopath. Lin Yan smiled indifferently. He took a note from his pocket and wrote a line: "I hope I can successfully help Zhou Jintian find his father." He put the note under a piece of fluorescent paper with a heart drawn on it.

He heard about a child's wish today.

He, Yin Zhou, and A-Yan had snuck into the morgue to search for answers after finding the boy’s record. The old man at the door was basically deaf. Lin Yan yelled the three syllables of the kid's name so loudly and the old man didn’t hear him. A nurse doing some cleaning suddenly intervened and asked him if the child hadn't left yet. He put down the broom and said pitifully.

"I know that kid, his grandma and I are neighbours. His mother died a few years ago. His father was too busy with work to care for him. The child lived with his grandma. One time Jintian had a severe fever and his father came back to see him. Jintian never forgot about it. One day while his grandmother was not there, he fell off of a balcony on the third floor, thinking that his father would be able to accompany him to see a doctor if he fell. As a result, the child lived a short life. His internal organs ruptured and caused heavy bleeding, and he passed away after a few days after being sent to the hospital."

"The ashes are buried in the most expensive cemetery in our city. I went there on the day of the funeral. It's a pity that his father was on a business trip abroad. He didn't rush back to collect the body until two days after his son's death. He didn't see him in the end." The nurse sighed. "I heard that the child kept asking about why his father wasn't coming in his confusion. The doctor lied to him that he was already on his way. As a result, the child lay on the bed and looked out the window every day, and even kept his eyes open when he died."

This story made Lin Yan feel a little heartbroken, but A-Yan said that this kind of soul was easy to deal with. There was no resentment and didn't want to harm anyone. As long as he found the person he was obsessed with and burned paper in front of the grave and talked with him often, he should be gone. But the child’s ghost was the most simple and persistent. If that person didn't come, the child would turn into a grieving spirit after waiting for a long time, which was extremely difficult to deal with.

"G-Ghosts have more of a heart." A-Yan was rather lost when she said this.

Ding. Lin Yan's cell phone went off. Yin Zhou sent Zhou Mo's detailed address and contact information. He turned out to be a local, living in the most remote area of the city, about a three-hour drive away. Lin Yan swallowed the last bite of his spicy and sour noodles and threw the nuts in the soup into his mouth. He curled his lips and said to Xiao Yu: "Let's go. This time, the task is to help the kid find his father. It is much easier than dealing with you."

As he spoke, he grabbed his wrist and walked out, and couldn't help but blow a whistle and laugh as he drove, thinking that if only all the troubles were like today. No matter how bad his luck was lately, his family was always warmly affectionate.

Zhou Mo's family was at the fine line between the urban and rural areas. When he arrived at the destination indicated on his GPS, Lin Yan thought he had gone to the wrong place. In front of him was a rather imposing villa with a sign on the door of a European-style courtyard: private residence, outdoor surveillance. Lin Yan couldn't help being secretly stunned. For a man who owns such a house in this rich city, even if his child is hospitalized in the United States, he was rich enough to go back and forth every day. How could he not even get back to see his child for the last time?

He parked the car outside the courtyard. Lin Yan woke up Xiao Yu, who was dazed in the passenger seat, coaxed him and said: "I know you're upset when I drive you away, but this is something I need to do well, so don’t make trouble later, alright?" He leaned on the cushions and said casually: "I really understand the little boy's mood. When I was a child, my parents were also busy. I only go home once a week. I would cook my own food and sleep on my own. I was afraid of the dark and I always wanted my parents to suddenly come back."

"But I know my parents also missed me. Although they were busy, they didn't forget to buy a bunch of delicious foods every time they went home." Lin Yan changed his position and lay on his side, catching a strand of Xiao Yu's hair. He circled it around his fingers and said excitedly: "Although people and ghosts are different, a father-son reunion is always something to look forward to, right?"

Xiao Yu nodded. He pecked his lips on Lin Yan's face, and slowly said, "Let's go."

"Young Master Xiao, you're finally willing to talk to me. It's so hard to please you." Lin Yan muttered and opened the car door.

The owner’s yard was very delicately maintained, with various seasonal flowers in full bloom. He could smell the warm fragrance floating in the summer night while he waited outside the door. Not far away, there were many koi squeezed close to each other in a shallow pool, the sound of water splashing when they shook their heads and tails making people feel unspeakably calm and relaxed.

Lin Yan waited for a few minutes. A woman dressed as a nanny ran out of the villa and looked at him vigilantly through the hollow courtyard gate. Lin Yan explained that he had come because of Zhou Jintian, and the nanny ran back again. This time it took a full 20 minutes for the door to open. Lin Yan adjusted his shirt and walked across a path paved with pebbles. He rang the doorbell of the small building.

With a squeak, the Victorian-style heavy wooden door opened a gap, and a middle-aged man poked his head out of the door and hesitated: "You are?"

Lin Yan smiled politely: "My name is Lin Yan, a student at X University. You're Mr. Zhou, I came for your son Zhou Jintian." He said respectfully and handed over his student card. The owner checked in confusion, and after confirming that there was no problem, he opened the door a bit wider, but still had no intention of letting him in.

"My son just passed away some time ago. What do you want?"

Although it was backlit, Lin Yan still saw the typical businessman expression on the middle-aged man’s face; snobbishness, arrogance, and calculating. He only wore a purple bathrobe with a belt tied loosely around his waist. His chest was exposed and his body was slightly fat, but he could see that he had a good foundation when he was young. Now there was a bit of fat under his ears, so he didn't like to exercise, or his only exercise was golf.

A rich man covered in his armour.

"I'm sorry about your son. It's like this. I have a relative who's hospitalized in L Hospital. . ." The crystal ceiling lamp in the main hall of the villa was shining and blinding. Lin Yan tried to organize the thoughts in his mind, but the middle-aged man suddenly interrupted him. "You work somewhere, right? I paid all the money that should be paid to the school, the hospital and the cemetery bills have also been settled, and I don't owe anything to the commissary, so what are you doing here?"

Lin Yan hurriedly explained: "No, no, you misunderstand. It's not about money. I know this sounds ridiculous and you might not believe it, but your son's ghost is still in the hospital and he's waiting for you to visit him."

The middle-aged man's expression grew strange, and he held the doorknob as if he was about to close the door: "You're sick. What about my son's ghost? Jintian was buried long ago."

Lin Yan frowned. How could such a father exist? Hearing something about his son, even if it wasn't reliable, there was no way he could just immediately disregard it.

"This is the case; do you know why Jintian had an accident? He always felt sorry that you didn't get to see him before he died. Up to now, his soul has been unwilling to move on. He's attached to my relative's daughter waiting for you to come back. You may not understand, but a little girl being possessed by a ghost is in a dangerous situation." Lin Yan gesticulated anxiously: "Just like in the movies."

"If you don't go, Jintian's ghost will never be able to reincarnate. After a long period of time, not only will he suffer, but he may also harm others. When that time comes, for the safety of my relatives and her daughter, I'll have to disperse your son's soul." Lin Yan was in a cold sweat while talking. If he had said this kind of stuff a month ago, he would've thought he had brain damage. He thought he was cheating him out of some money, but what else could he say? Your son’s strong brainwaves caused a disorder in the hospital’s electromagnetic field, causing an innocent thirteen-year-old girl to develop hallucinations and die?

The middle-aged man frowned. He pulled his right hand back from the door frame and tightened the belt of the bathrobe: "Tell you what, I know about this. I’ve been busy lately. You can contact my secretary. Tell him how much money you want to send Jintian away, and I'll ask him to write a check."

"I said this has nothing to do with money. If you don't meet him, no money in the world could fix this!" Lin Yan really got angry this time. Was there something wrong with this guy's brain? How could he only think of money when it comes to his son?!

"Dad, what are you doing? Mom is calling you!" A five or six-year-old boy suddenly ran out from behind the middle-aged man, hugged his waist and acted like a baby. He saw Lin Yan standing at the door and started sucking his thumb, looking at Lin Yan with a pair of black grape-like eyes wide open. The middle-aged man lovingly picked up the child and placed him on his shoulders. When he looked at Lin Yan again, he put on an impatient expression.

"Who the hell do you think you are? Some mage? You're at my doorstep at night, talking nonsense, and I'm calling the police if you don't leave!"

"Who's been at the door for so long? Another bill collector? I've got no money, tell him to go the same way he came." The door was suddenly yanked open and a young woman in the purple bathrobe stood in front of Lin Yan with an imposing attitude. Her figure was slim, snowy breasts hidden behind a lace corset, and her sharp eyes were like a blade scraping Lin Yan.

Lin Yan's argument had been completely disrupted by the battle in front of him and he stammered: "Uh, I, I'm here about your son, Zhou Jintian. . ."

Before he could finish, the woman instantly changed her face and said in a high voice: "There's no end to this. How much money has been spent on the seed left behind by that yellow-faced woman? From the best hospitals to the most expensive graves; his son cut his own life short and didn't fight to survive, yet he's still shoving his way into our lives?" After speaking, the little boy was shoved in front of Lin Yan: "Okay, this is my son, he's the only one!"

After speaking, she didn't care about her husband's ugly face and slammed the door with a bang.

Lin Yan clenched his fists and stood in the dark doorway, chills in his heart.

He didn't know how he got back into the car, but when he looked out the window, he felt that the whole villa suddenly became ugly, and even the blooming roses in the yard looked like abscesses. He never believed that there were parents like this that existed. He thought that familial love was the warmest, strongest and most unshakable emotion in the world, but this time he really saw the indifference and coldness of the human heart.

Don’t test humanity, don’t, because it was simply unbearable. Lin Yan sat in the car seat and tried to slow his breathing, but his anger still grew, and all Xiao Yang's grieving and crying face appeared in front of him. How much did a child need to miss his father to have the courage to jump off of a third-story building? If his spirit in heaven knew what had unfolded here today, would he feel like his death was all for nothing?

Lin Yan slammed his fist heavily against the steering wheel.

A cold hand lightly touched his face. Lin Yan twisted his head and said hoarsely, "Xiao Yu, don't mess with me. I don't want to coax you now, I just want to beat someone up." He kicked the clutch hard and said: "Fuck this guy!"

Xiao Yu patiently tugged Lin Yan's wrist and wrenching his shoulder to make him face him. His eyes were vicious: "What do you want to do?"

"What can I do? Go back and let A-Yan find a way to make the little brat forget that he has a father!" Lin Yan gasped.

Xiao Yu shook his head, glanced at the outline of the villa in the night, and slowly said, "I'll do it."

"You mean. . ." Lin Yan looked at Xiao Yu blankly, and suddenly understood what he meant. After a long silence, he bit his lower lip and said, "Before this, I always thought I was kind, that there was nothing I couldn't bear, but. . ." Lin Yan stared at Xiao Yu: "I just want to be a fucking asshole! He deserves it!"

"Xiao Yu, I don't care what tactics you use. Before noon tomorrow, I want to see him come to the hospital to apologize to his son!" Lin Yan said viciously in the dark cab.

Xiao Yu squeezed his hand and whispered, "Don't worry."

#dig a grave to dig out a ghost translation #dig a grave to dig out a ghost #danmei novel #danmei #yaoi novel #yaoi #bl novel #chinese bl #chinese novel #english translation

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lilrexsoka · 4 years

Text

I freaked out for no reason! I could have just posted them in the correct order after all... don’t blame me, my brain has been frazzled by school. :(

Rexsoka Week 2020 Day 3: Prompt- Secret.

Tagging: @officialrexsoka

https://archiveofourown.org/works/26698138/chapters/65261311

Read it on AO3 or read it below:

Rating: G

Tag Warnings: None

After a battle, there always was a terrible clamour. Despite the utter relief that the fight was finally over, and this latest mission had been a victory for the Republic, there continued to be a dull aura of defeat. Ahsoka had learned that every fight won was a bitter win; there always was some sort of loss. Even in a skirmish against the lifeless battle droids, there was still the chance that the clones by her side would give their lives for the greater good. That possibly hurt the most.

This fight had been against the citizens of Umbara; actual, breathing people who had sided with the enemy. Ahsoka had been placed in the middle of the dog fight, and admittedly it was a bit easier to imagine droids behind the cockpits, instead of people with their own values, interests and lives.

Her men had finally returned from the surface; she had yet to speak to any of them, but it seemed everyone had something to do. It was as if some unspoken rule had directed every clone to busy themselves with any available task. She didn’t blame them; according to Master Kenobi, though he had not supplied the young Padawan with any details, they had been put through a devastating event.

She didn’t just want to approach any soldier, however. She tried to remain close to her allies, but she thought they would appreciate the space, if what she had been told was true. They shouldn’t have to relive that experience twice in a day. Her feet took her tirelessly around the ship, moving past troopers with their heads ducked in dismay. It hurt Ahsoka as much as it seemed it was hurting them. Still, she continued on, until she finally found the man she was looking for along a distant corridor; it was easy to find his Force Signature among the turmoil, brimming with great anger and grief.

His helmet had been discarded; it lay abandoned on the floor, it’s owner standing a short distance away, slumped against the wall with his head in his hands. He clearly had not planned on being found; he jumped when the Togruta leaned down to pick up his helmet and sighed desolately.

“It’s just me, Rex,” Ahsoka soothed. She hesitated for a moment as he brushed his fingers over the fuzz on his scalp, still avoiding her eye. Slowly, to gauge his reaction, she crouched by his side and set his bucket beside him. “I noticed you were missing, and I thought I should check up on you.” She waited for several moments, but he did not answer. The Togruta knew all she could do now was to leave him to his thoughts; hopefully, it was enough for the Captain to know that she had been thinking of him.

However, before she could leave, the clone raised his voice and stopped her in place. “Don’t leave, Ahsoka.” He immediately corrected himself as she turned around with risen spirits. “I mean… Thank you, Commander. I was just… wondering if maybe you would like to keep me company. I… can’t go back. Not yet.” They didn’t measure the amount of time that they spent simply sitting in silence. Ahsoka guessed he was taking comfort in her presence, and she was more than happy to offer anything he needed. He was a good, strong man, but even the best could break.

Before long, Rex sighed again, quietly. “You don’t have to do this, Commander. I’m sure you have better things to do.”

Not in her opinion. But, if he really wanted her to leave, then she would. “There is nowhere else that I should be right now,” Ahsoka argued and reached out to touch the plates of his arm without really realizing it. Rex neither pulled away nor protested, so she let it linger. “I want to help. I can’t do that anywhere else… unless you have changed your mind again.” Secretly, she found herself wishing he would not take that suggestion. His presence was also comforting her.

“If you say so, Commander.” He pressed his head back against the wall and closed his eyes. His brows were furrowed as if he were thinking hard. Ahsoka waited for him to speak, but the words never came.

She bit her lip as she dove into her own thoughts, but quickly conjured up something to say. In her opinion, she wasn’t too good with things like this, but it was the least she could do to try. “Can I tell you a secret?”

Rex turned his head to eye her. He licked his lips and answered, “Why?”

“Because you are my friend.” Ahsoka answered bluntly and hoped he felt the same as she rolled onto her knees and leaned forward. She felt tempted to press her shoulder against his leg for support, though she was not sure why. “And I think this is a secret that you need to hear.” She chewed the inside of her mouth, awaiting his final answer.

“Alright,” Rex sighed. He shrugged nonchalantly and gazed back at her expectantly.

The Togruta ran a hand down her lekku as she began to speak, slowly and hesitantly at first, but more confident as she went on, her voice strengthening. “I...I would love to not be affected by the war. I wish I could do my duty without any of the emotions that come with it- grief, anger and fear, and I wish that it didn’t take more of me every day.” She paused and swallowed harshly, pushing away the tightness that had begun to constrict her voice. “It takes from everyone. You would be a fool to deny that. But you’re doing something that I couldn’t imagine ever doing. You’re pretending it doesn’t. Either you’re incredibly brave… or really, really full of yourself.” Ahsoka couldn’t help from smiling at her own joke. “But that’s not my point. I don’t know why you do it, either to protect yourself or others, and it may not be a healthy choice… but I’m not here to tell you that. Instead, I’ll tell you that… you’re my rock, Rex.”

The clone was listening to her carefully; a rainbow of emotions passed his face, even too blurred to be read through the Force.

“Whenever I’m uncertain, whenever I’m afraid or worried… I think of you,” she barrelled on. “You’re the strongest person I know… and I guess that’s my secret.” Another warm smile, this one even better than the last. “You’re so important to me. I look up to you more than any Jedi. You’re… awesome.” She shook her head and sighed again. “That’s two secrets, actually. You wouldn’t think a Jedi would get scared.” No wonder he keeps to himself. Opening up is hard, but I know it would have been much more difficult with anybody else.

Rex was speechless for a long moment, which only fuelled her uncertainty. Maybe this hadn’t been a good idea- maybe he wasn’t the type of person to be reassured by openness. Maybe it was only upsetting him. She really hoped her plan wouldn’t backfire- more for his sake than hers. He finally answered, sounding far more confident then the Padawan had been. “That’s impossible. You’ve always been the solid, unmovable figure in my life.” You could always tell when Rex was being genuine; he was a terrible liar otherwise, as well the tone in his voice; it was hard to describe, but it was something Ahsoka had learned to know and love. “And don’t you think everyone fears something? I’m not going to berate you for something everyone experiences.”

“You really think that?” the Togruta murmured, her eyes widening in disbelief. She could feel the back of her neck heating up, though she wasn’t sure why. Possibly it was because as a Jedi, such admissions of admiration were rare.

With a shy smile, the Captain dipped his head. “Yeah. I do.” He looked away again, though his grin did not disappear.

Ahsoka couldn’t help but smile back. “Now you’re comforting me when I should be comforting you.” She sighed loudly and smirked as Rex chuckled.

“You’ve already done that,” he told her, meeting her eyes once again. All in one movement, he swept his bucket up with one hand and pushed himself up with the other. Once on his feet, he reached out invitingly to the Padawan. “You only had to be near me to cheer me up. You really went above and beyond.”

She allowed him to help her to her feet, taking his gloved hand and enjoying the strength behind his gentle tug. He’s strong mentally and physically, her thoughts purred, but she quickly shook them away. “That’s what Jedi do,” Ahsoka answered cheekily and beamed. “Glad to help.”

“Let’s get back to the boys then, Commander,” Rex suggested, playfully slinging an arm over her narrow shoulders and shaking her as she laughed joyfully. “Maybe you can cheer them all up.” He chuckled again as she growled teasingly and shrugged him off.

Ahsoka shook her head. “I dunno… I can’t really tell them all my secrets. Then it wouldn’t really be a secret, would it?” She barely noticed how low her voice became, or even the strange expression that crossed the clone’s face.

“Yeah, I agree.” His smile had vanished and had been replaced with a small smirk. “Besides, I share the same secret.”

Ahsoka couldn’t help but grin. She didn’t know how he did it; maybe it was unintentional, but he truly was the greatest at improving her spirit, and of course, making her smile. “You really need to stop being like… this. So… wholesome. My cheeks are going to start hurting!” Her protest didn’t hold any real despair; she wouldn’t mind if he made her happy for the rest of time.

The clone broke into a low, hearty chuckle once again. “Doesn’t sound like a bad thing,” he said when he had recovered.

No, it’s not, Ahsoka thought as the clone interrupted another bout of silence by suggesting they finally return to their troops. She agreed; they both had duties, and she wasn’t sure what kind of questions would be raised if someone found the two officers standing close together, nearly touching, with debatable expressions. “Alright,” she agreed. “But let’s keep this… and our secrets… to ourselves.” Again, bored minds would find delight in pondering the real reason behind their time alone. It had happened before with poor Jesse and a medic during a supply drop at a Republic medical center.

“Will do, Commander,” Rex answered, saluting her with an eyebrow raised and a slanted smirk. They began to walk down the corridor, side by side as always. Ahsoka didn’t think she could ever imagine a different clone to share her command, to fight as a pair, or even to break down together. After all, sharing secrets had to be a bonding experience, and she hadn’t told a single soul but him.

#rexsoka #rexsokaweek #rexsokaweek2020 #rexsoka week #rexsoka week 2020

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aworldoffandoms · 4 years

Note

Prompt no.10 Stop staring at him😂 For Ethan×MC

Authors Note: Hello! This Open Heart small ficlet is from this list of prompts.

So…this is my last drabble/ficlet or whatever you wanna call it and I’m actually kinda sad now. I had loads of fun writing them and I’m glad a lot of you enjoyed reading them all! If you want to see more feel free to send some random prompts to my inbox and I’ll see what I can do!

Thanks to @sanchita012 for this prompt! Hope you enjoy reading this! Lucky last! 😊

I also just want to thank each and every one of you who liked, reblogged and/or commented on all these prompt asks! It means a lot that you liked them. 💗

Prompt is: stop staring at him

Prompt is in bold.

P.S. I am no doctor or nurse or medical professional so any medical stuff that is mentioned in this fic is used lightly— I researched a bit but it is in no way accurate so please be aware of that.

***

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC [Nicolette Valentine]

Word Count: 1,686

Rating: G

Warnings: None. No angst. Some tension. And some tea being spilt.

Summary: Esme Ortega is Nicolette’s intern, yes, but that doesn’t stop her from giving Nicolette some advice that will make her feel a lot better. The tea has never been so hot!

I’m tagging my OH tag list but please let me know if you’d like to stay on it or would like to be removed.

Open Heart Tag: @senseofduties @polishchoicesfan @princess-geek @i-bloody-love-drake-walker @binny1985 @fanficnewbie @x-kyne-x@thefluffyphotographer @lilyofchoices @thecordoniandiaries @rainbowsinthestorm @cxld-play @jens-diamondchoices @malakbesharah @hopelessly-shipper @my-heart-beats-for-ya @landofenchantedwonder @sabrinahoffersonsworld @flyawayboo @stanathanxoox @oofchoices @thequeenofcronuts @heauxplesslydevoted @bi-cookie @kingliamsbish @trappedinfandoms @supercoolperson0808 @perriewinklenerdie @riverrune

***

SAGE ADVICE

“Doctor Valentine…?”

Nicolette stares at the chart in front of her, calculations and possible outcomes run through her head as she stares at her patient’s chart.

“Doctor Valentine!”

Nicolette’s head snaps up at her name, her eyes narrowing against the terse yell. “What?”

Her tone is short and harsh but she softens her expression when she finds her intern staring at her, a scowl on her face.

Doctor Esme Ortega puts her hands on her hips and raises her eyebrows at her boss’ clear lack of outside awareness. She’s noticed that over the past few months she’s worked as her intern. Nicolette’s smart but when she got involved with something it was almost impossible to pull her out of her thoughts.

Nicolette flips her patient’s file closed and heaves a sigh. “What’s up, Doctor Ortega?”

Esme glances down at her own patient file, the nerves in her stomach erupting but her face remains passive. Although she was tough, she still wants the approval of her superior.

“I wanted to get your opinion on my patient’s results before we go any further.”

Nicolette smiles and offers her hand for Esme to place the file into and she scans the notes and lab results as she goes.

“Hmm…you were right to bring this to me.”

Nicolette glances at the results a few moments longer before she glances up at her intern, a smile curving the side of her mouth, her eyes curious. “What I want to know is what should happen next in your own professional opinion. What is your next plan of action?”

Esme stares at her boss, her mind turning. She runs a hand through her hair as she speaks. “Uh. I think looking at the test results I want to put him on 5mgs of coumadin to reduce his blood clotting as he has a history with that, however, before I do that I want to order an echocardiogram and an MRI scan for him because he has been experiencing headaches as he said he’s been having them regularly and he didn’t notably react to my pink prick when I did a sensory test so I want to rule out a brain tumour.”

A burst of pride goes through Nicolette as she listens to her intern recount everything she plans to do to help her patient. She couldn’t be prouder of her.

Once Esme is done, Nicolette nods, signing off on the paper before handing it back to her. “Great work, Doctor Ortega. See that you do all that and then come page me when he’s going in for each and when the results are back we can set a plan for our next cause of action.”

Esme’s eyes light up in the excitement and she nods enthusiastically before heading off down the corridor. “Awesome! Thanks, Doctor Valentine. I’ll page you when he’s ready.”

Nicolette grins as Esme turns the corner and she shifts the stethoscope around her neck to sit more comfortably.

“Well, well. If I didn’t know any better I’d think that you and your intern are actually friends.”

Nicolette’s attention snaps over to the other side of the nurses’ station and a grin lifts her mouth as she rolls her eyes at her friend.

“Yes, unlike you, Jackie, I made an effort to build a rapport with my intern and actually teach her some things so she’d at least be half as good as me.”

Jackie rolls her eyes and laughs. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t rub it in. It’s not my fault I have an intern who can’t seem to stop smiling at everyone. It’s exhausting.”

Nicolette shrugs. “Your loss, Jackie. You never know what you might learn from them. Be open to the possibility.”

Jackie waves her off and Nicolette chuckles, making her way to the elevator to head up to the diagnostics office.

***

The day came at a snail’s pace and Nicolette sighs as she runs her hands through her hair before lifting it up and fastening the long auburn tendrils into a high bun atop her head.

Her intern had come and gone with the results of the echo and MRI scan which were clear and both had come up with a treatment plan that would see Doctor Ortega’s patient discharged within the week.

Nicolette stands at the nurses’ station, jotting down a few notes in some of her patient files. She checks the time on her wristwatch and sighs forlornly. Four more hours of this shift and then she can go home to her own warm bed and sleep for ten years.

It’s then that her eyes catch on a tall broad figure, his blue eyes focus on the small doctor five feet smaller than him. Nicolette would laugh at the comical sight but she’s too busy staring at the back of Ethan’s imposing figure and she can’t help the excited pounding of her heart.

“Great job, Doctor Trinh. I want to see the results from this patient so page me when you come up with a solution.”

Sienna bounces on her feet and nods at Ethan.

“Of course, Doctor Ramsey! Come on, Mitch! Let’s go see your patient for another check-up!”

Ethan nods, turning on his heel to head back to his office, his steps slow however when he spots Nicolette’s eyes on him where he stops entirely. The air around him suddenly gets thicker and his skin tingles. He curls his hands into fists at the sensation, his hands working their way into his coat pockets.

She drives me goddamn crazy.

If there’s one thing Ethan can’t ignore it’s the hold Nicolette Valentine’s has over him. She has him in the palm of her hands and she can do whatever she wants with him and he’d gladly let her do it.

Ethan stands at the nurses’ station and nonchalantly checks his pager for any messages and finds nothing. He’s stalling, he knows it but he doesn’t want to leave just yet so he stands at the nurses’ station, idly chatting with Danny before his eyes flick up and find the emerald colour of Nicolette’s expressive eyes and his stomach flips.

The eye-contact is short but charged, a thrilling, electric moment of eyes meeting and it happens only in a few seconds before Ethan gives a tiny smirk and heads off in the other direction, leaving Nicolette behind, her cheeks on fire.

Unbeknownst to both Ethan and Nicolette, Doctor Esme Ortega had seen the charged exchange between the two even if it was only a few seconds. It was obvious they had chemistry and a rather large amount of it if the heated looks she witnessed a few times between them counted for anything.

Esme sidles up next to her boss and whispers underneath her breath, low enough for only Nicolette to hear. There is a touch of exasperation in her tone as she addresses her.

“Stop staring at him.”

“Huh? What are you talking about?”

Nicolette starts, her gaze ripping from Ethan’s retreating form and meeting Esme’s chocolate brown eyes. Esme gives her a flat look yet her stare is deliberate and pointed, yet her eyes confused. Not because of what’s happening but at the fact as to why these two weren’t doing anything about it.

Nicolette pulls her intern away from the gossiping nurses and down the corridor to an alcove which they’d be able to converse in semi-privacy if they kept their voices low enough.

Nicolette resists the urge to swallow nervously as she begins speaking. “I ask again…what are you saying?”

Esme sighs, crossing her arms along her chest. “Are you seriously pulling that card, right now? I don’t know why you want to lie to me but it’s getting monotonous seeing you both skirt around each other and exchange these longing glances when you think no one is looking. Plus, don’t even get me started on the small little touches. They’re just as meaningful as the looks you give each other.”

Dread fills her and she stares at Esme like a deer caught in headlights. “W-what? Don’t be ridiculous. There’s nothing going on between me a-and Doctor Ramsey.”

Esme sighs and shakes her head. “If you are worried about me saying anything, I won’t. I respect you. I respect your decisions. If you want to keep resisting whatever it is that’s between you….by all means, do it. I’m telling you now this won’t last for long. But, who am I to stop you? I’m a lowly intern.”

Nicolette opens her mouth to protest to speak but Esme continues, knowing what she was going to say.

“It’s not that hard to guess what’s going on between you two. The tension is palpable and I can feel it whenever you are in the room together, no matter how big or small. It’s like this bomb is about to explode or at least like the air is heavy and I can’t breathe. You both really need to sleep together before you both explode. It’s only going to get worse before it gets better. Just get it over with.”

Nicolette stares at Esme, her mouth hanging open. Nicolette is at a loss for words, so much so that they come out in a jumbled mess. “How? W-what? I don’t—”

There is a genuine smile on Esme’s face as she turns away from Niclotte, shrugging her shoulders as she steps out of the alcove. “I’m just observant like that, Doctor Valentine.”

To make Nicolette feel even worse Esme winks at her and mutters “Good luck!” as she saunters away, the diagnostic junior fellow staring after her, panic rising in her chest.

Oh shit…

Esme knows.

What is she going to do now?

#open heart #open heart 2 #open heart fanfiction #ethan x mc #ethan ramsey x mc #choices fanfiction #writing prompt #ask prompt #choices #playchoices

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kpoprav3n · 4 years

Text

Little Things

Or: How G-Dragon would be in those private little moments... Tooth-rotting fluff because I miss him and I love him and honestly the world needs more of this kind of content.

GIFTS, ok, so, he isn’t really super materialistic, like, he enjoys quality things but he’s not snobby or greedy about things, but for his baby? Oh, for his baby, he’d buy anything and everything. You said “ooh! This rock is so pretty!” about some pebble someone was displaying in a shop? He quietly goes back and negotiates a deal to buy it and gives it to you as soon as he gets home with the biggest grin on his face, it would get a little out of hand if you’re like me and really just have a thing for shiny rocks and shit but he’d also help you display them and make them look nice and he’d also give you little things that remind him of you, he’d rarely buy big-ticket items aside from gift-giving occasions but he loves giving you little things that make you smile, he thinks that’s even better than the huge freak-out at things like a new car or awesome computer or whatever, and maybe some of his gifts would be more intimate but usually they’d be sweet, like, by the second year you’ll have a whole bed full of stuffed animals from a giant bear to beanie babies if you like them.

100% makes art and music for and about his baby, always shows them to you first, nervous every time but you love them every time, his heart shows through even if it’s in ways others might not understand.

CUDDLES, oh my god, he’s a cuddly baby, especially when he’s tired, you go to pick him up from a late night at the studio and he hugs you so tight and doesn’t let go until you gently tell him he can have all the cuddles he wants when you get home. And once you get home, he’ll practically tackle you onto the nearest comfortable object- couch, bed, rug, whatever- for more cuddles, 50/50 if he wants to be cuddling you or to be cuddled by you but you get a feel for how to tell which pretty quickly, and if you play with his hair? You may have to carry him to bed if you’re not already there, poor tired baby.

Random kisses. Jiyong is romantic, deep down, he’s shown that sometimes and just in general what a sweetheart he is, and kisses are probably one of the best simple ways to show affection. You’ll be doing something, working or playing or writing or lounging or cooking, and he’ll come up and kiss your cheek, head, lips, neck, wherever, not looking for anything in return just... Well, he was looking at you and got overwhelmed with how much he loves you and he had to do SOMETHING.

Last but not least, I think he wouldn’t say “I love you” too often, I think he’d say other little things that add up to it- “you look amazing today” *you say that every day* “because it’s true every day”, “thank you” *for what?* “everything”, stuff like that, not directly saying his deepest feelings in the same way over and over again but rather expressing his love in a way he finds more interesting, more open, and easier, it’s not those 3 big words but it means even more to him to say all these little things to you and see you smile and blush a little and maybe you even hug him and he wraps his arms around you and breathes in your scent and for a moment, for him, everything is right with the world.

#g-dragon #kwon jiyong #bigbang jiyong #fluff #g-dragon fluff #might do a smutty part 2 at some point #or I could do the same concept with other idols I write...#or both #and yes the title is the title of a 1D song don't judge me #that song is amazing and so soft

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ghostofvixx · 5 years

Text

Bittersweet

Words: 3k

A/n: fluff to angst sorry:(. Ive been working on this for a long time pls give it love.

It only takes 8.2 seconds to fall for someone.

Jeonghan is way much more than a simple classmate, you know it. It began when he used to save your ass over and over again back in high school, since he was your seatmate. Not only he let you borrow his homework when you hadn't done them, but also became your counsellor when you were going through a rough time with your friends or couple. Somehow, he became something more than a classmate, but less than a friend since you never saw each other outside high school. You always told him how much you owed him because of his constant support, but he always said it was nothing, that he would reclaim his reward in a future, even though both of you knew that he was way too good to do that.

Once high school was over, you knew that in spite of living in Seoul, it would be hard to see each other, so you said goodbye after giving him your phone number.

“Remember, I owe you a lot Jeonghan, call me if you need a favour."Those were the last words you told him.

After a year of not knowing anything about him, the first thing that crosses your mind when you see his name through the screen is that the moment you thought that would never come is here, and that he may be going through something serious.

"Jeonghan?” You begin, your voice low since you’re still shocked by the sudden call.

“Hi Y/N, how's it going?” His voice remains as soothing as the first day.

“I’m good! What about you?”

“Well… I’m still alive and it’s all that matters.” You both laugh. “Y/N, I know it’s not nice to ask after not contacting you for a year, seriously, but I need a huge favour and you're the only one I could think of.”

“That’s fine! After all, I told you that. What can I help you with?”

“Well, a friend of mine needs to stay somewhere until he finds a place to live permanently. Because of my situation, I’m afraid I can't help him, but I thought you could? Just for three days, I promise.”

You know it would be crazy to tell him that you will, but it’s Jeonghan, he could ask you the weirdest thing ever and yet you will still believe in him.

“Sure, I owe it to you after all.”

“Thank you so much y/n, you’re still an angel.“ He says.

You both talk a little to catch up and then you text him your direction.

Jeonghan from school❤️ (3)

I know this may seem weird, but I promise you he’s a good person.

Have fun!

And please, don’t let him out.

“Let him out?” You read for yourself. “What kind of freak has Jeonghan sent to my house?”

When somebody knocks on your door three times, the first thing you do is to grab a bat which belonged to your older sister. Then, you open the door.

You feel your heart skipping a beat. A tall, handsome boy stands by the door. His black hair is a little long and pushed back, he is wearing a black shirt and jeans. The moment he sees you, he smiles awkwardly making you stare at him for a few seconds.

8.2 seconds both of you count in your head.

“Who are you and why I can’t let you out?“ You finally ask, all of the sudden.

“I’m Johnny, nice to meet you. And I’m afraid I can’t tell you, we should get inside first.“ He says, pushing you lightly and closing the door behind him.

You look at him terrified, thinking that you don’t trust Jeonghan anymore, and definitely not the boy in front of you.

“I know this is weird, so I’ll explain.” He takes a seat on your couch, patting the spot beside him. You just decide to sit on the other couch, as far as possible from him. “Fine, I’m a trainee, under… Well, It’s not very known, you don’t need to know the name.”

“Then what the hell does Jeonghan has to do with this? And why are you here?”

“Jeonghan is a trainee under that company too.” He comments, surprised that you don’t know about that. “And I’m here to begin a strike against my managers and my CEO.”

“So I’m keeping a criminal in my house, great, that’s great, that’s awesome. Now answer me, whose head I hit with this bat, yours or mine?”

“You’ll be fine y/n, nobody knows I’m here. Besides, Jeonghan has my back. He’ll pretend to be me at practise since our hair looks alike. Great plan, isn’t it? Sehun though about it so it will flop for sure, but it will keep my managers busy for a few hours.”

“Okay, fine, you just help yourself, I’ll be in my room, hitting myself against the wall till I fall asleep and then pretend all of this is just a dream.” You say, definitely not joking.

However, when he begins to laugh, you think he actually took it as one.

[7:30 a.m] Wednesday, day 1

The next day, when your alarm sound, you don’t immediately wake up, you just sit on your bed staring at the wall, wondering if that Johnny thing was real.

You snap back to reality when you hear something coming from your kitchen.

Yes, it was very real.

“Good morning y/n.” He says, as he put some waffles on a plate. “This is for you! You have to go to the grocery store though.”

You are taken aback, out of all the things you had expected to find, this wasn’t one of them.

“G-good morning, Johnny… Um… Yes, I guess I’ll do it.” You try to sound convinced, but you are still surprised so your affirmation sound more like a question.

“You have to go to college, right?” He asks, eating what is inside is plate.

“How do you know about that?” You ask, frowning.

“Jeonghan told me.”

“And how does Jeonghan know about that?”

“It’s called common sense, y/n.”

“Okay, you have a point.”

[17:00] Wednesday, day 1

You don’t know a lot of things about Johnny, you are actually too afraid to ask. However, this type of awkward silences makes you almost ask him something.

Almost.

You are on your right, isn’t it? But you aren’t sure of how you should begin the conversation. Luckily for you, he seems to notice you anxiousness.

“If you want to ask, just do it, I can’t blame you for it, can I?” You aren’t sure of what’s his facial expression like since you don’t want to look at him, but his voice sounds soft, almost cautious.

“Y-you said that you were running a strike, right?” He nods, so you continue. “But if you’re a trainee and do these type of things you can get fired.”

“I’m well aware of that, yes.”

“Then… Why?”

“I had to take the risk. I’m sure that to them I’m being careless and just looking for attention, but someone had to do it. They can’t treat us like shit and expect us to keep working hard.”

“And you think this will work?”

“I’m a hundred percent sure it won’t, I’ll probably be kicked out, but I like to think they can’t lose their most prepared trainee and future leader of their new boy group.”

The way he talks, the way his expression seems more serious and mature than when you first saw him, the way he seems worried about something when you simply assumed that he was careless.

Those are the things that make your cheeks feel warm when you realise about them.

“What about dating though?” You ask, innocently to change the subject.

“Oh y/n, I didn’t think you cared about that.” He teases as he winks at you.

“It’s- I mean I- I heard that- It’s not what I mean, let me ask something else.”

“I’m just joking Y/N.” He smiles, trying to calm you down. “We’re not allowed to have anything that involves a relationship or similar to that, if you know what I mean.”

You nod and stay quiet.

“So y/n, tell me, did you finally go grocery shopping?”

“Johnny what the hell.”

[23:30] Wednesday, day 1

Jeonghan from school ❤️(2)

Hi Y/N~

How’s everything going?

You smile when you see Jeonghan’s message, knowing who he was asking about.

You

You have a lot of explaining to do, young boy.

He’s sleeping in the couch.

Well, “sleeping”.

You are sure that Johnny isn’t sleeping at all. The conversation with Jeonghan goes by as both of you catch up with eachother. But then, there’s a moment when another message pops up.

That Johnny boy (3)

I hear you laughing from here lol.

What are you doing awake so late? You’re a baby.

Babies should be asleep.

You roll your eyes.

You

I’m catching up with someone, sorry lol.

That Johnny boy (3)

OOH!

With who? Someone special?

Your boyfriend maybe?🤭

You

It’s just Jeonghan lol.

Boyfriend? What are those?

And also did you just call me baby?

That Johnny boy (1)

You are one lol.

You talk to Johnny more than you would have expected.

[7:30 a.m] Thursday, day 2

In spite of knowing Johnny for such a short time, you actually feel comfortable with him. Some people would call it attraction, but you are sure that it would only be one sided and that he just has a natural flirty personality.

“Do you really have to go to college today?” Johnny asks you as he pouts.

“Why are you so sad?” You smile and take a sip of your coffee cup.

“I get bored when I’m here on my own, I can’t talk to anyone and I’m afraid of touching something because I may break it.”

“That’s ridiculous Johnny.”

“I know, but you’re the only one I can spend some time with.”

You don’t want to say that you spend the whole day with him watching TV shows and movies. If anyone asks, you’d say you just felt sick.

[22:00 p.m] Thursday, day 2.

“Uno.” He says, ignoring your puppy face.

“No! Why would you do this to me?” You complain.

“Okay, let’s play another one, I promise this time I’ll let you win.”

“Now I’m tired of playing, let’s do something else.”

“Oh, is the baby mad?” He asks, pinching your cheeks. You turn your face so he won’t notice the blush on your cheeks, but it’s no use, he does it anyways.

“You’re blushing? Aw that’s cute.” If only you had turned your head back and wouldn’t have stood up to leave, you would have seen his flustered face.

“What do we do now?” You ask from the kitchen.

“We should have dinner though”

“So late? No way.” He sighs and looks at the television, thinking. “And there’s no way I’m watching TV again, I’ve had enough for today and I have some homework to do today since I didn’t do any.”

“Come on! Let’s enjoy for today! Tomorrow’s my last day here.”

“Fine, but I’m not watching more television.”

[0:00 p.m] Friday, day 3

“The things I do for you.” You sigh as you cover your body with a blanket.

Johnny just giggles and changes the channel.

“Let’s look for a good film, again.”

“Don’t you get tired of watching television?”

“Shut up I’m enjoying.”

That somehow makes you feel sad, how much does he has to handle at the same time? And how brave can you be to risk it all, only to have a break and begin a strike?

Your heart begins to beat faster once again, just like all the times you get close to him and you sigh.

“You good there?” He asks.

You don’t know when you began to feel so close to him to even joke about things, after all you’ve known him for like a day and yet there you are.

“What will happen to you once you go back?” You ask out of the blue.

“I don’t know, I really don’t know.” He says, his typical smile still in his face.

“Aren’t you afraid?”

“Afraid? God, I’m terrified.” He turns his head so he isn’t looking at you.

Your eyes make him feel like an opened book.

“Do you regret the strike, then?”

“Not a single second of it.”

And it happens so fast. You don’t know who got close to who, who crashed their lips against who or which one of you is thinking about the consequences.

Neither of you apparently.

But your lips meet. Sweet, innocently, nothing rushed or forced. Just as if it just had to happen.

[7:30 a.m] Friday, day 3.

Saying that you are shocked about what happened last night wouldn’t describe what you are actually feel.

“How the hell did that happen.” You think to yourself.

It’s not as if it was something awful, it was actually totally the opposite, and that’s what worries you. After all, he’s not a person you are used to see or you know completely, what the hell is happening?

But that’s not the thing you’re embarrassed about. It’s actually the fact that he was the one to stop the innocent kiss as he apologized. It’s the fact that once you realised what had happened, you had to run to your room since you weren’t able to even look at him.

It’s a mistake after all.

It’s more that confirmed when you wake up and Johnny isn’t there to cook breakfast.

[22:45] Friday, day 3.

You’ve been ignoring him all day. In fact, after coming back from college, you ate in your house at the same time as him, and the mood was so awkward, that you left to the library. You couldn’t stand it.

You’re back home right at 22:45.

When you come in, he’s sitting in the couch, playing with his phone.

“You’re back?”

“Yeah, finally.” You joke to make it less awkward.

“That’s good.”

You put your bag on the floor next to the couch, where you always leave it, and when you are about to make the way to your room to finally sleep, you hear some footsteps behind you. You’re about to ask when he pins you to the wall, not being harsh.

“I’m sorry, about last night. I didn’t wanted to end that like this.” He whispers, his face only a few centimetres away from yours.

“I get it, it was stupid, I’ll forget about that.”

“No, what I mean is that I really wanted to keep it going.” His face gets a little closer.

“Is that so?” You raise your eyebrows.

“I wanted to leave this afternoon, but I couldn’t, not without saying goodbye.” His words break your heart a little. “You know I shouldn’t be doing this, right?” He asks, his breath now mixing with yours.

“Then what are you going to do?”

“Not to overthink, like I did last night.”

He kisses you.

And then you kiss him.

Again.

And again.

[10:30] Saturday, last day.

You shouldn’t have done that, both of you know it. But in that moment, nothing mattered. All it mattered was the feeling, the way you felt so comfortable with him.

“I should probably get up.” He whispers from his side of bed.

“You probably should, yeah.” You try to laugh even though you knew what he really meant. “Does Jeonghan knows that you’re still here?”

“Yes, I talked to him last night after watching the film.”

“And…? Is it safe to come back?”

He shakes his head and chuckles.

“Absolutely not.”

“Then what are you going to do?” You ask, worried.

“I don’t want to take them for granted, so two things can happen. In the best of the cases I could lose my position as the leader, or probably won’t debut sometime close. In the worst of the cases, I could be directly kicked out.”

“Good luck, I guess. But mostly take care okay?”

“I will.” He chuckles.

After having breakfast, he picks up his bag, which was filled with all of his things -that weren’t a lot- and sighs while he looks around himself.

“It’s been good.” He mutters.

“Yes, it has.” You answer back.

You know you have to tell him something else, something witty so this isn’t that bitter, but you can’t.

Johnny heads to the door and you follow him. You open the door and he crosses it, but doesn’t leave immediately. He just looks at you.

“Thank you, you shouldn’t have done this for me, but I’m glad you did.” He says, sincerely.

“Actually, Jeonghan tricked me into this, but I’m glad he did, I could help after all, right?” You pause for a second. “Good luck Johnny, you deserve it. I hope I can see you on the TV as soon as possible.”

“Thank you.” He takes a bow. “Goodbye, Y/n.”

“Goodbye, Johnny.”

And then he turns around and begins to walk away, so you close the door, finishing what happened these last few days.

After all yes, you can fall for a person when you least expect it, and it only takes 8.2 seconds.

#nct 127 #nct 2018 #nct au #nct scenarios #nct Johnny #johnny seo #johnny au #seo youngho

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batbobsession · 6 years

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Incredibles 2 Review - CAUTION: HEAVY SPOILERS

Whoa. Who left that theatre screaming in joy? I know I did. Fourteen years and it was totally worth the wait. Every minute of it, even if there was nothing going on, left me breathless. These guys really upped their game with not just the new story and characters, but the animation just blew my mind every time! I mean, there are a few points that I’d like to address about the marketing squad, but other than that, most of these points are just going to be things that I enjoyed and would like to analyze further.

Animation

OH MY GOODNESS! THE ANIMATION! IT WAS LIKE THE ORIGINAL, BUT BETTER! I seriously feel like I wouldn’t have enjoyed the movie if it wasn’t for those simple touches that made it better. The eyes were more expressive, the animation was more fluid, and everything was brighter. Things like the lights in the swimming pool, Dash’s hair darkening when he got it wet, the water spraying from Violet’s nose, the subtle-but-obviously frosty prison Evelyn put Elastigirl in, and every effect with Jack-Jack’s powers was amazing. I was at a loss for words a few times.

AND VIOLET’S FORCE FIELDS! There was barely any color before, just a small purple ripple of energy, and now her fields are brightly colored (GALAXY AESTHETIC FTW) and can be shot, pushed, partially formed, and a lot of other things. Violet is stronger than she gives herself credit for, and it shows.

The effects for the other supers were great too! Especially Voyd’s powers. Huge fan of the swirls around the portals!

And the ice, electricity and lava all looked really awesome too!

I don’t know...it was like the whole movie had a sort of glow to it, you know? It was all of the things we knew and remembered...but brighter. More intense. More beautiful. Thank goodness this movie came out new and improved.

Dash

So...who could tell that that wasn’t Spencer Fox playing Dash? It wasn’t until after the movie that I saw Huck Milner’s name up there instead of Spencer Fox’s. Milner had Fox’s Dash voice down to a T! I didn’t notice any difference at all! Well done, casting people!

Violet

In the first movie, Violet was so insecure about her feelings towards Tony that she wanted to be a normal person, without powers. But now, she’s embraced her identity as a super and gained confidence because of it. But this movie only goes to show how much she’s matured. Sure, she overreacted a bit when she found out that Rick had erased Violet from his mind, but I think that’s to be expected since she got her heart broken. Plus, the “I renounce my renunciation!” bit at the end was great. I’m glad that Violet’s learning to be confident and comfortable with where she is in her life.

Still Rooted in Family

The Incredibles franchise is supposed to value family above all else. And thank heaven this movie delivered on that. There were specific times when I feared that Elastigirl’s new job would drive a crack between her and her husband. There were several times when Evelyn and Winston brought up how much better Elastigirl was at being a hero than Mr. Incredible to her face, and while she took the praise, she didn’t let it turn into something it shouldn’t be. She still loved her husband and was proud of him for holding the family together.

And Mr. Incredible had to suck it up and be proud of his wife, too. I mean, Incredibles 1 happened because Mr. Incredible had an urge to relive the glory days, even driving his family to move again and again. There was definitely going to be tension when Mr. Incredible got turned down. But the fact that he pulled it together and tried his best to support the family while she was away and encourage her to succeed. Plus, it was hilarious to watch him try to control Violet, Dash and Jack-Jack without Elastigirl’s help.

Brawn vs Brains...and Space?

From the beginning of the hype for this movie, we could see that, like in Incredibles 1, the heroes had more physical-oriented powers while the villain prefered to stick with their smarts to get ahead. Also, they both kind of defeated the purpose of “brawn” in the first place: Syndrome had gloves that stopped people dead in their tracks, and with the Screenslaver, once you control the mind, you control the strength as well, as displayed with Mr. Incredible and Brick.

This movie did it in a different way, however. Instead of using technology to invent superpowers for herself, like Syndrome did, Evelyn used technology to create a character for herself to take all the blame, while she stayed in the shadows, smiling and unsuspected.

But then, there was another kind of superpower that came into play: the ability to bend and alter space. This excited me very much, because that meant that there is now a third category of superpower that exists in the Incredibles canon. Allow me to explain.

The first category is the Physical category, where the superpower has something to do with the way the superhero’s body works, no mental concentration required. Supers that fit into this group are Mr. Incredible, Elastigirl, Dash, Violet (her invisibility), Screech (his ability to fly), and Brick.

The second category is the Expulsion category, where the superpower is something that seemingly comes from the superhero’s body, like shooting things. Supers that fit into this group are Frozone, Screech (his scream, though from another POV both of his powers could be considered physical), He-lectrix, and Reflux. Though Syndrome isn’t a super, his lasers would fit into this category as well.

The third category--the one that was introduced here--is the Space category: the ability to alter space and bend it to your will. This one can come in many forms: Krushauer uses his powers to crush things without touching them and Voyd has her portals. What’s still irks me is that Violet’s force fields could fit into both the second and third categories. She generates them herself, as seen in the fight with the Underminer, but she is also hardening the space around her to protect herself. What do you think?

Jack-Jack

This is why Jack-Jack’s powers are so unique, though. Edna said he is a polymorph, which means that his powers can adapt to any of these three categories: his shapeshifting and levitation fit easily into the Physical category, his multiplying, bursting into flames, and laser eyes work in the Expulsion category, and his abilities to teleport, walk through walls, and enter other dimensions are easily Space category material.

Also, this basically confirms Jack-Jack’s name is a play on words of “jack of all trades” like everyone theorized. That scene with the raccoon was one of the best moments ever. I cried, I was laughing so hard.

Other suit designers?

You mean, Edna isn’t the only one? I mean, sure, there were bound to be people like Gregorovitch out there, but everyone knows that Ollivander’s the best, right? I thought this was the same way. Edna’s amazing when it comes to super suits that not only conceal the super’s identity, but also aid them in many ways.

So who is this G guy? Galbachi? Galbacci? And how does Winston know about him? Did he have connections with the late Mr. Deavor? I mean, he’s obviously inferior to Edna in nearly every way, as he made Elastigirl’s suit dark and angsty when that doesn’t match her image at all, and the costume ripped when Elastigirl was attacked. Super suits aren’t supposed to do that. This guy is obviously inferior to Edna’s brilliance.

Winston vs Evelyn

Here’s a fun fact you probably don’t know about me: I love the way twins are portrayed on big screen movies like this. Whether they’re total opposites, two sides of the same coin, or working towards a common goal, if they’re done right I’m 100% on board with it. What I liked about Evelyn and Winston was that they were all three of the things I mentioned above. EVelyn and Winston are total opposites--Evelyn has her tech and is more of an introvert (and more mature), whereas Winston is extroverted and can sell practically anything (and has a hint of that childish wonder that some of us manage to hold on to). They are two sides of the same coin, no explanation needed. And their goals are exactly the same. You heard me right. They both wanted people to be safe. They just went about it differently. They saw their parents’ deaths differently as well. Winston saw the super ban as the reason why his parents were killed and resolved to fix that. Evelyn noted that there was a safe room that would have completely saved the two of them if their father hadn’t been insistent on waiting for the supers to arrive.

The Screenslaver’s Message

“You don’t talk, you watch talk shows. You don’t play games, you watch game shows.”

Whoa.

Who thought this part of the movie was a little deeper than you expected?

Who else thought, even a little bit, that maybe Evelyn was right?

I mean, she was still okay with killing every person in that boat for the sake of teaching humankind a lesson, which was horrible, but for the people in the audience...I think a nerve was struck.

Honestly, she’s on the right track. In the past few decades, humans have started to rely more on other people--or other technology--to accomplish their problems for them. Humans will do anything for ease--at least, the ones that live comfortable lives. Even we, the audience, were glued to the screen as Evelyn broadcasted her message to the world.

And look at where “ease” got everyone. The Screenslaver character was just a distraction to get everyone on that boat so Evelyn could crash it into the city. With everyone so hyped about the Screenslaver’s “defeat”, they had no idea about the impending danger that was yet to come.

Evelyn vs Voyd (and the other wannabe supers)

This was the only complaint I really had. As I mentioned in my theory, Voyd got more marketing than Evelyn did. But Evelyn had more lines than Voyd, and her message to the audience resonated more than the fact that Elastigirl inspired Voyd to overcome her fears and become a super. I mean, both of them had something to say, and I like that Voyd’s there, but I feel like Evelyn should have gotten more marketing somehow. Up until about a week from the movie’s release, I wasn’t even aware that Winston had a sister, let alone a twin. I guess it just irked me that Evelyn was a shadow compared to Voyd. It was one of the reasons why I was tipped off about Evelyn’s alter ego. But it isn’t that big of a deal.

#incredibles 2 #movie review #animation #screenslaver #so much character developement #evelyn deavor #winston deavor #violet #jack jack #dash #voyd #edna

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awfully-sadistic · 5 years

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Prompt #11: January 11, 2019

America loves me

Implemented with the theme, Familiar Friday.

The theme is to write anything I feel comfortable with, but it’s tough when I don’t feel like writing at all. It’s been hard this week trying to get motivated to write, not going to lie. But I’m going to push through this in order to update today’s prompt and theme. I already missed #9 (through a much needed break, though) and I was pretty disappointed by yesterday’s prompt. Today, I can probably redeem this by writing in a format and way I’m comfortable with. So I’m going to try to do something more dialogue centered.

“There isn’t anything more patriotic than this!”

Dot laughed at Ripley’s comment, watching as her Mommy put up a decorative banner with all the colors of a rainbow. It read HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMERICA! done by Gianna’s own hand. The Rockettes were currently decorating Gia’s garage mainly because it was where America Chavez spent most of her time at the Haus. That’s if she wasn’t hanging around her own Mommy, Dot.

Ripley continued, “America’s birthday and America’s birthday both being on the fourth of July. That’s more patriotic than Steve. Someone should tell him. I wonder if he’ll get upset about it.”

Dot shook her head with a faint laugh, wondering why Ripley’s goal for the year seemed to be getting Steve upset. Then she heard Mack laughing into a balloon and turned her head, watching as her muscled Mommy tied it off easily, then sent it flying into the air to give it a firm swat so it could go sailing across the room to gently float down with all the other balloons she had blown up in the same manner.

Gia paused from stenciling another banner, giving Mack a strange look.

“Aren’t you supposed to fill those up with helium?”

Mack paused mid-blow, pinching the balloon so the air wouldn’t get released. She held it out at arm’s length and then stared at the other balloons (there must have been at least fifty) she had done. “...Maybe.”

“How else are they going to float?” Gia pointed out, no-nonsense.

“You don’t know what I plan on doing with them!” Mack argued. She wiggled the balloon she held in her hand; it was smaller than the rest because she hadn’t finished blowing it up. “I’m going to tie string around them and hang them from places. They don’t need to be floating if they’re going to be hanging.”

Gia pursed her lips knowing damn well Mack came up with that plan a second ago. But her shoulders relaxed as she relented. “Fine. Just do the rest with helium so America won’t have sad, soggy Dwight balloons hanging on the walls.”

Dot laughed. She got that reference! Hearing Dot’s laughter, Gia sent a wink over her way and ducked her head, going back to work on the second banner. Then she paused again.

“Why do we need two banners?”

That was when Kamala and Doreen entered the room, bringing in paper plates and plastic cups and utensils stacked in their arms.

“Because one banner is good but two banners are great!” Doreen said, enthusiastically. She was beaming ear to ear. Kamala’s expression matched as she placed the party equipment down on the long table they were going to be using to place food and the birthday cake on.

“There’s a Bruce joke in there,” Dot said, pointing her wand at the two girls. “I feel it.” She had been in the middle of decorating the birthday wand--something America would be holding while they celebrated her special day.

Doreen laughed again before bounding over to her Mommy, coming to stand near her seated form. Dot sat on a stool, having a good vantage point of her three Mommies but also the rest of the garage so she could see it coming along great. Decorations were mainly in place--they were pretty much waiting on the balloons and Gia’s second sign, but other than that, the garage looked festive enough for someone’s birthday; Ms. America’s birthday landing on the 4th of July was awesome because a lot of the decorations were America-themed. It went great with the theme of America’s birthday. Dot knew it also wasn’t going to be a huge celebration because the main celebration for both the 4th and (mainly) America’s birthday was going to be in the main part of the Haus where main celebrations are held anyway. But both Doreen and Kamala had wanted to do something a little more personal for America.

“How’s the wand coming along?” Doreen asked, looking downward and tilting her head.

“It’s coming along great, love.” Dot reassured, showing off her progress. It was a star-shaped wand with glitter and colorful string tassels she had attached with a hot glue gun. Right in the middle of the star, she had glittered America’s name as well as she could. Doreen cooed openly, gushing about how well she had did.

“This is so adorable! I hope we can all get wands like these for our birthdays, too!” she further gushed with Kamala soon joining in on the thought. Both girls were so excited about this secret celebration. They knew America had no clue what they were planning and the look on her face was going to be great!

“Of course, I’ll make your wands special for your big days, too.” Dot smiled, giving each of them a light boop on the nose with American’s starry wand.

Kamala laughed about to say something before her phone chirped and interrupted her train of thought. She fished it out of her pocket and squealed as soon as she saw the screen. “America is on her way!”

“Already?!” Ripley nearly fell off the ladder from her spot where she had been waiting on standby for Gia’s second banner. Gia also looked up, a little surprised.

“I don’t think we’re even ready.”

“I told her to meet me at the garage around this time,” Kamala sheepishly admitted. “I thought we’d be done by now.”

Doreen looked at the balloons Mack was tacking onto the walls. “Hey, how come they’re so droopy?”

“I don’t have helium lungs.” Mack grinned. “And apparently, I’m running out of time to hang these anywhere so I’m doing the best I can before America walks into the room.”

“At least the wand is finished!” Dot waved said finished product in her hand. “What about the cake and food?”

Doreen slapped her forehead, “Crap, we were supposed to get that as soon as we dropped the plates and cups off. But we got sidetracked.” she finished, bashfully.

Dot shooed the girls with a gesture, “You can probably make it to the kitchen and back if you hurry!” She supposed there wasn’t going to be a huge food and cake spread since they still had to eat with everyone else later.

Doreen and Kamala nodded dutifully with determined looks on their faces. Then, they were gone. Ripley climbed down the ladder, coming to stand near Dot and started to shake her heads.

“Man, if I were that motivated to do half the things in my life, I’d be running the Family business. But nooo thank you, their energy levels are something else.”

Dot smiled fondly, having watched the girls retreat before turning her gaze up to her Mommy. “Yeah, but aren’t they adorable?”

Ripley laughed, “Yeah. Cute li’l kids. But not as cute as you.” She said, leaning down to smack her lips right over Dot’s. She straightened up when Gia held up the banner.

“Okay, R. You’re up again.” A pause before Gia gave a faint smirk. “Get it?”

Ripley was not as amused, “BECAUSE I HAVE TO GO ON THE LADDER? THAT’S LAME, G.” But she did it all the while complaining about how Gia’s joke was going to make her fall off the ladder.

Now it was a semi-rush to help Mack hang up her limp balloons in a way that didn’t look as sorry as the episode Gia was referencing on The Office. Tying the blown up balloons together in threes and then stapling the balloons to the walls gave it the illusion that they were upright as long as the strings fell towards the ground. Add in some paper crafts Dot had cut that resembled stars (and mainly hearts because hearts were easier to make), they had successfully decorated the walls.

The four women stepped back towards the door to appreciate their handiwork. Even the plates and cups that had been dropped on the table by Doreen and Kamala had been set up and organized. The garage was looking like a festive birthday room sprinkled with a confetti of red, white, and blue colors with stars and stripes to accompany the whole look.

“Is this... too America?” Dot asked, tilting her head one way and then another. “It’s supposed to be America’s birthday but not... America’s birthday, you know?”

“I think she’ll love it,” Mack said from behind Dot. Dot lifted her head giving Mack a grateful smile before clapping her hands together.

“Okay! Kamala and Doreen should have been back by now. And I thought America was on her way...”

“Maybe something happened,” Gia stated. “did you want us to go look for them? Maybe they got more food than they can carry...”

“And they’re trying to carry it all in one go, oh my god, please help them.” Dot finished the thought because that was exactly what the girls would be trying to do. Ripley, Mack, and Gia nodded before exiting the garage with reassurances that everything will be fine and they’ll be back lickity-split.

Dot looked relieved as they left and allowed herself to relax. As long as her Mommies were there to lend a hand, things will work out fine. She swept her gaze along the room one more time, proud of all the work they did to put this together in three hours.

“Whoa, you guys really did put something together.”

Dot jumped as soon as she heard America’s voice behind her. That wasn’t a normal reaction, she realized. It felt more along the lines of getting caught when she wasn’t supposed to be doing something. In this case, America caught Dot unawares for her own surprise birthday celebration.

Dot spun around, arms held out and said, “Surprise!” With the hope that the girls would return really quickly, like, right now, and say the same thing to save all of this.

But no. It was only Dot who still had her arms held out.

She soon dropped them as America laughed. “I knew it,” she said, shaking her head. She looked amused as she took in the sight before her. “did you guys do all of this today? This wasn’t here yesterday.”

“Wait, you knew the girls planned a surprise party for you?” Dot asked, frowning slightly. America finally turned her sights on her Mother, noting the frown. She sought to correct that right away.

“I knew... only because the girls can’t seem to keep a poker face. It doesn’t mean I’m not happy about it.” America explained. “Every time I asked if they had anything planned for my birthday, they would give each other this look--” America cut herself off and proceeded to mimic the expression. Dot burst out laughing. It was the goddamn ‘peterparkerface’ as it has been pegged around the Haus.

America continued, “I didn’t know what they were planning but it was something.” She finally broke off in a smile, perhaps a little too shy for her taste, while shoving her hands into her pockets.”I just didn’t know you were involved in it.”

Dot’s expression warmed as did her insides as she held her arms out, “Happy birthday, baby.” she cooed. “I love you.”

America immediately moved into them, engulfing her Mother with her much taller stature in a tight hug. The kind where she buried her face in her neck and took in her Mother’s scent.

“I love you, too, Mama.”

“Aww man! Did we miss it!?” Doreen whined from the doorway. Dot and America pulled away, but America didn’t let Dot out of her arms.

“No, it’s just getting started.” she grinned before her eyes widened, “Whoa, how much food did you guys bring?”

#{{ original drabbles: dot's january prompts

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kenzieam · 6 years

Text

The Reaper and the Vixen - Chapter Four (Eric X Fox)

Rating: M

Genre: Drama, Angst, Language

Thanks everyone for the re-blogs and support!!! IT IS SO AWESOME!!!

@emmysrandomthoughts @beautifulramblingbrains @iammarylastar @tigpooh67 @bookwarm85 @badassbaker @captstefanbrandt @treeleaf @beltz2016 @girlwith100names @gaia25 @readsalot73 @slayer0507 @stone-met @lostinthebeans @lauraaan182 @girlslovestorys @lacy-love @fuckthatfeeling @vitaevandal @micolegg @jaihardy @bookgirlthings @queenara4 @bluelassbird @mom2reesie @letmagichappen @shaunarcanine @equalstrashflavoredtrash @son-of-anubis @elaacreditava @lilu46 @tonyt1995 @jojogoo65 @littlesouthernrebel @kirstenisntkirsty @frecklefaceb @kimskew @potterheadoncer @beltzboys2015-blog @sterek-foreverandever @pansexualpancakeslife @onceinamillionlifetimes @clublulu333 @kgurew @slytherin-princess-25273 @blackbird69

******** IF YOU WANT TO BE ADDED OR DELETED FROM THIS LIST, MESSAGE ME********

****************************************************************************************************

A huge thank you to my right hand and Jai-sister @iammarylastar ! Quelle equipe!

*********************************************

TRIGGER WARNINGS - SAME AS CHAPTER 2, PLEASE DO NOT READ IF YOU ARE SENSITIVE TO THESE THEMES.

*********************************************

Eric paced almost manically. It was close to seven and Fox was due any minute. He’d barely been able to hold himself together after Fox had agreed to meet him tonight, squirming in his chair and grinning like a goddamn idiot. Fox had been kind enough to ignore this, or was too wrapped up in her own thoughts to notice, and had cleaned and covered his new tattoo with a clear bandage, giving him instructions to leave the covering on for three days and watch for any unusual redness almost as if nothing had happened, almost. The faint tinge of her cheeks had given her away.

Eric had all but floated out of the shop, looking over his shoulder to see Fox watching him as well, a mix of nervousness and anticipation on her delectable face; before drifting into the local grocery store, flitting around like some tattooed, leather-clad faery sprinkling magical dust on toadstools or some shit as he filled a basket with supplies. If anyone noticed his light heartedness he didn’t notice them and he’d soared home on an unbelievable high. Fox was giving him a chance, she was letting down her mysterious guard enough to give him a peek inside and his body hummed with anticipation. He wanted her, more than he’d ever wanted a woman before, his groin tightening uncomfortably every time he let himself think of touching her, but it was so much more than that.

Fox calmed him, in a way he could honestly say no one else could, or ever did. It was exactly like the clichéd ‘coming home’ analogy. Eric had never felt totally at peace, totally comfortable in his skin or surroundings, always just the tiniest bit on edge, like something essential was absent, a cog missing in a machine that unbalanced it just enough. The club helped, his brothers helped, enormously; but there had always been a latent absence in Eric’s heart, one he’d been so used to, so inured to he’d not even fully recognized it was there until Fox had appeared, like sunlight at the mouth of a cave and illuminated it. Now he was painfully aware of this fissure in his soul, and that he’d been unconsciously trying to fill it, or at least soothe it’s ache, with meaningless flings, temporarily numbing the soul-deep hurt with physical release. No more, his body, his heart, his soul only wanted one now, would never settle for anything else.

If Eric’s mother had still been alive she would have spouted some new-age theories about ‘soul mates’ and finding ‘your eternal, infinite mate’ the one you’d been destined for, the one you were reborn into each new life to eventually find and Eric would have scoffed at her teasingly, disregarding her nonsense on the surface while internally squealing like a teenage fan girl about it. She would have loved Fox, Eric mused, and he was genuinely and deeply saddened that his mom never got to meet Fox, that Fox never got to meet her; that his mother had died before she could have witnessed her only child truly happy, gone to her grave knowing without a doubt that Eric was going to be alright, that he’d found his rock and safe place, the only thing she’d ever truly desired for him.

‘All I want is to see you truly happy, Eric. You have the club and your brothers and an active life, but I know you’re not complete, not yet. When you finally find that person, the one that makes you feel so alive you worry you’ll just explode, hang onto them, never let them go. You deserve that love and you deserve that happiness. I’m sorry, your dad died before he should have, and you were forced to grow into a man too soon, to take care of a mother who failed you, who let her sorrow override her responsibility to care for her child, but you never punished me for it, you waited for me and I can never find enough words to tell you how proud I am of the man you’ve become. You remind me of your father, so much it hurts sometimes. You deserve love Eric, and I know you’ll find it. Just don’t be afraid of it when it comes.’

Eric shuddered as his mom’s final words echoed through his mind. She’d been sick for awhile, finally caved and gone to the doctor only to learn that it was too late to do anything but prolong the inevitable and she’d eschewed any last ditch medical treatments in favour of wringing as much as she could out of each day. In the end she’d been lucky, and an infection had taken her before the final agonies of cancer could, and Eric had sat with her at the end, held her hand as she’d whispered this last wisdom to him, until she’d finally sank back into the blankets and left him. She’d known, Eric realized with a shock, Mom knew that Fox was out there, that we would meet eventually and she’d tried to direct me as best she could because she had been right; his love for Fox was so intense he did feel like he could explode and it did make him afraid, the depth of passion and connection he felt with her.

Shaking his head Eric forced these thoughts away, the last thing he needed to do was answer the door looking like he’d just been bawling. Ducking into the bathroom he splashed cold water on his face and scrubbed, taking a few deep breaths to slow his heart. Shit, if Fox could hear his thoughts just now she’d run screaming in the other direction, straight to the police station for a restraining order. He’d never been this nervous around another person before, never and, at the same time, so absolutely at peace. He’d also never been this introspective or deep in the past and a smile curved his lips just as the doorbell rang.

Taking a few more deep breaths Eric opened the front door and couldn’t stop a huge smile. Fox smiled cautiously back, her expression much more uncertain, and cleared her throat. She’s swapped out her work clothes for black skinny jeans and a sleeveless black silk blouse with that big, baggy neckline Eric had heard Tris call ‘cowl’. Her hair was drawn up into a large clip and a pair of silver coloured flats now hid her hardcore pedicure; she shifted her feet nervously, startling Eric out of his distraction.

“You look beautiful.” Eric blurted and Fox’s adorable flush was back.

“Thank you,” Fox murmured, “you clean up nicely yourself.”

Although not vain about his appearance, Eric found himself flattered all the same. Not wanting to dress up too over the top he’d eschewed his only black suit (worn to funerals and weddings, and that was it) and instead had on his nicest jeans and a black button-down shirt, the sleeves rolled up. His feet were bare because he hated wearing shoes unless he absolutely needed to, and yes, he’d ridden his bike barefoot before, and his face still tingled from the quick shave he’d given it while the spaghetti sauce was simmering.

He realized he’d all but froze at the door like some malfunctioning robot and cleared his throat. “Come in.”

Fox stepped past him, chewing her bottom lip then turned and held out a six-pack. “Here, you said not to bring anything but Tris was absolutely scandalized to hear that and demanded I at least bring something to drink.”

Eric grinned, imagining Tris’ hissy fit and accepted the pack. “Never had this before.” It was some dark ale, from a brewery he’d never heard of, Dark Horse Distillery.

“Yeah, I didn’t know any of the stores around here carried it. Some friends of mine opened a microbrewery a couple years ago and this is one of their products, my favourite of theirs, actually.”

“Thanks Fox, I can’t wait to try it, I love dark beer.”

Fox smiled in return, her anxiety lessening slightly. Eric stepped back, gesturing her to continue further into the house and he smiled when he saw Fox’s expression. His house wasn’t huge but it was his and he loved it. The ground floor was mostly open, the kitchen, living room and dining room all combined, with a separate bathroom, bedroom and utility room, and an absolutely massive loft above. The loft was what had drawn Eric here in the first place, it was enormous, with it’s own ensuite and balcony, the exposed beams rustic and homey. Eric couldn’t count the number of times he’d fantasized in the last few weeks about making love to Fox up here, pressing her against the balcony railing as he drove into her from behind, their mingled cries reverberating through the surrounding woods, laying beneath her on his king-size bed as she rode him hard and fast, making use of the giant shower and it’s multiple jets and ledges.

Fox turned back towards him, and something squeezed in Eric’s chest at the expression on her face.

Her cheeks went beet red this time. “I’ve always loved this style of house,” she murmured quietly. “The loft, the open ground floor. Never really got a chance to design them in Seattle.”

Eric hoped the sudden flare of emotion in his heart didn’t show on his face, but goddammit, the woman he loved cherished the same style of house he did, maybe he was going to explode.

Clearing his throat Eric forced his attention back to supper. “Spaghetti’s ready, do you want to sit out on the veranda?”

Fox ducked her head. “That would be nice.”

***************************************************************************************************************************************************** Fox couldn’t quite stifle a moan as she tasted the spaghetti and Eric was insanely grateful the patio table hid how suddenly, insanely turned on he was by the sound. His entire body tensed and he had to flex his fist against his thigh, digging his nails into the denim to ground himself. Christ, if he was lucky enough to take Fox to his bed he would goddamn well combust if she made that noise again.

She flushed again. “This is good.”

“You sound surprised.” Eric teased, grinning lazily.

Fox took the bait, grinning back. “Well, I knew you were a motorcycle god, but I didn’t know you were cordon bleu as well.”

“You’d be amazed at what I could do for you.” The words were out before Eric even realized he’d said them and his breath caught in his chest at his audacity. His chest loosened again as she only smiled wider.

“Maybe you’ll show me one day.”

“Anytime you want, baby.”

Fox ducked her head, hiding her smile and Eric exhaled hard, fighting to subdue the fierce sensations racing through his body. Christ, if he didn’t get a handle on himself soon he was going to screw this up royally.

Fox looked back up again and Eric held his breath, waiting. “You mentioned a movie, maybe?”

***************************************************************************************************************************************************** Eric was hardly watching the movie, he was watching Fox. She’d squealed when she’d seen the DVD, plucking it from the shelf like a kid at Christmas. Eric would have happily watched paint dry as long as he could sit with Fox while he did, and he couldn’t stop a chuckle at her enthusiasm.

“I love this movie,” she bit her lip in that adorable, pants-tightening way. “Is this one okay?”

“Whatever you want,” Eric smiled.

Now, maybe halfway through, Eric would be hard pressed to remember what movie was playing. He’d had eyes only for Fox the entire time. Perched on the opposite end of the couch Fox sat, her feet tucked up underneath her, eyes glued to the screen. She’d tensed slightly when Eric had moved to sit on the couch as well, but he’d purposefully sat at the opposite end, leaning back with a sigh and spreading his legs in that basely masculine way. The beer she’d brought was good, damn good in fact, and Eric had already decided to bring it into the club, the gorillas there could use some culture.

He watched her drain her bottle and stood, reaching for it. “Here, I’m empty too, I’ll grab another.”

Her answering smile set his heart aflame and once he was behind her, in the kitchen, Eric had to rest his hands on the counter and take a few deep breaths to slow it’s racing. Fuck, what was this woman doing to him?

Flipping the cap off one, Eric returned to the couch and held it out to Fox. Panic flashed in her eyes and he was momentarily stunned.

“What?”

She fumbled to speak, obviously distressed, her cheeks reddening again. “I’m sorry, can I have an unopened one?”

Eric frowned for a half-second in confusion then, like a puzzle, everything fell into place with an audible thump. Managing a smile he handed her his bottle, still unopened and sat at the other end again. His heart pounded in his chest and he found it hard to breathe. Goddammit, if he was right..... Reaching for the remote, he paused the movie.

“How old were you?”

“What?” Fox asked, but the waver in her voice told Eric she’d heard and understood him perfectly.

“How old were you when someone put something in your drink?” Eric repeated gently, not trusting himself to look over at her.

Fox was silent for so long Eric began to fear that she was just going to leave, leap to her feet and run away, but then, she drew in a shaky breath and whispered. “Nineteen.”

Eric’s breath left him in a painful rush and a deep ache settled in his chest. He couldn’t look at her, or else he’d leap at Fox and drag her into his arms, terrify her with the intensity of his desire to comfort her.

“My first year of university. The boy I loved, thought I’d marry, have babies with. He’d been wanting to have sex, but I was still a virgin and kept saying no, I was afraid of the pain..... he invited me to a friend’s party and I woke up just as he was...... finishing. I could almost have told myself it was all a bad dream if I hadn’t found out I was pregnant a month later.”

Eric found it hard to breathe, his knuckles white as he fought not to simultaneously draw Fox into his arms and pound the living shit out of something. A killing rage coiled through his limbs, tempered only by his desire to soothe Fox.

“God, baby. I’m sorry.” He managed to whisper, his voice rough, seconds from breaking. It all made sense, everything, Fox’s fears, her aloofness, everything and Eric had never felt so desolate and helpless.... and enraged. “What.... what happened to-” he couldn’t finish.

“The baby? Abortion... I couldn’t deal with it, with anything.... I made myself finish school, made myself forget.” Her voice finally cracked and she broke down, curling in on herself with a heartbroken whimper and Eric couldn’t and wouldn’t stop himself anymore.

He scooted beside her and gently, carefully, like Fox was a wild animal he was trying to save from a trap, wrapped his arms around her. Fox tensed for a heartbeat, gasping through the tears, then gave in with a moan, leaning into Eric and curling her fingers into his shirt. Her body shook violently and Eric was alarmed at the intensity of her crying, he wondered if this was the first time she’d ever truly given herself permission to let go and just grieve, cry for the girl who’d been hurt so unforgivably that night. Even as his heart ached, his breath locking down with sorrow, his muscles burned with rage, to tear and rip, bathe in the blood of the worthless fuck who’d done this to his woman. That’s right, it was useless to pretend otherwise, Fox was his, now and forever.

“Who was it?” Eric gritted.

“His name was Anthony..... Anthony Fraiy. Last I heard he-” Fox hiccuped against his chest, then broke down anew, her tears hot against Eric’s skin, no doubt she could hear, feel, the pounding of his heart, feel the conflicting emotions running through him. “-he was in LA, designing celebrity mansions.” Eric doubted she realized fully what she’d just told him, comprehended yet what Eric planned to do with it.

Oh yes, Anthony Fraiy would beg for death at the end.

#eric coulter #jai courtney #divergent #eric coulter fanfiction #eric divergent fanfiction #fanfiction #eric and fox

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ethereal-pluto-blog · 6 years

Text

I feel like shit today

I'm lethargic, slow, crying, and insecure. So yep ~depression~ has come to rear its ugly head once again.

But since I'm not into the whole anti-recovery thing, I'll give you some useful tips on how to maybe help YOUR depression that doesn't seem like a generic twitter self help thread. (Though I'll mention some things I found helpful and give explainations as to why.)

Talk to your therapist/counselor/mental health expert if available. Not everyone has the luxury of seeking professional help, but if you have the opportunity, PLEASE go to a professional. However be noted that it's often an experience to go through many different experts to find the one that matches your specific needs/ you like the most. Also keep in mind there are also online therapists ready to help if you're not big on one-on-one contact like myself, though often insurance is tricky. I put this one first because it might be the most beneficial for some, though not readily available for others.

If you have the strength, shower. Showering/cleaning yourself is a blessing in itself as it gives you a sense of detox. Though if you don’t have the strength or motivation, try some of this instead-

Utilize facewash and lotion. Particularly facewash that makes your face feel all chill and tingly, it makes you feel more refreshed. Lotions and cream will help you keep skin smooth.

Simply get wet with water, a quick 5 minute rinse in hot water is less of a chore than a full shower.

Dry shampoo will help with hair oiliness. Though if you don't have access just brush your hair and pull it/part it so it's out of your face.

Baby wipes. Baby wipes will cure yo soul. But seriously use baby wipes and rub them on your face, underarms, and genitals. A good rub down will help prevent you from feeling gross.

Splashing your face with cold water, it makes your pores tighten up and as a bonus it'll wake you up.

Utilize deodorant and vaseline. I haven't tried it out for myself, though if you put down deodorant and then vaseline on top it should trap the nice fragrant smell. And while you're at it you can put on cologne / perfume if you think you're getting a lil ripe, but if you want to smell like a fresh shower use ones that are labeled "shower fresh" or "baby powder."

If your lips are chapped, put on some balm shisters. (I don't trust the brand chapstick, I'm a conspiracy theorist okay I'm soRRy)

Change into some cleaner clothes. They don't have to be normal everyday clothes but at least change into new clothes, especially underwear.

Clean your fingernails/toenails. Clean under them, since random junk can get stuck up in there. Also clip them if they're too long for your liking.

Brush your teeth. But if you can't, use mints, gum, mouthwash, mouthspray, etc, or a combination of those. Anything minty will make your mouth tingle and feel fresh and clean.

Clean yo ears! Since probably nobody uses an ear vacuum (like you're supposedly supposed to idk I'm too broke for that shit anyways) just be careful using Q-tips.

If you don’t have any deodorant, try hand sanitizer! I'm not kidding. Put a dollop under each underarm, and let dry. Smells are caused by bacteria, so if you get hand sanitizer, it should greatly reduce smell.

Try to get some sun. Using the natural sunlight will help you absorb vitamin D. So open up the blinds and photosynthesize binches. Though it also helps to open up the window if you can, a breeze/fresh air blowing in with the smell of outside might even raise your mood. Though if it's currently shitty weather outside, try turning on your lights to match your circadian rhythm, so keep lights on during the day and dim it at night so it'll help with letting you be on a decent sleep schedule.

Feeling like there's no hope or that your future is going to be shit? Highkey me too, but here's what I do to combat that feeling.

It's corny, but I write a whole idealized future for myself. I write about my dream job, I write about my dream s/o, I even imagine the type of house I want to live in, the kids I'll have, what kind of pets I want to own. Etc. Although the economy is shit and no future is guaranteed, it's nice to put some positivity into light and show what I really want in life. I don't want to be some millionaire, I just want to be comfortably well off with a family and people that love me. And in all honesty a future like that isn't hard to obtain.

Even if you can't imagine a good future for yourself, imagine being a part of your friends or loved one's futures. For example, you know your friend who's dating this really cute person that you totally ship them with? Imagine being a part of the bridesmaids/groomsmen for their wedding when they tie the knot! Imagine your really smart friend finally graduating from college and you're at their graduation party giving them a speech! For me this really helps since I aspire to be drinking buddies with my best friend's future husband. (I'm rlly goofy ik lmao)

Feeling stressed about not doing anything? We've all been there. Try:

Doing work if you're due for assignments, though don't do it alone, if you can, arrange a group text/tutoring session/Skype call. If everyone is focused on getting something done then you'll be motivated to do it with them.

Though if you don’t absolutely have to do anything but want to do ~s o m e t h i n g~ I also got your back on this too.

Organize your inbox for your email. (Ik I'm lame)

Tidy/clean your room/any room if that gives you something to do.

Make your bed.

Cuddle someone/something.

Rearranging your stuff in your room, makes it feel like a whole remodel tbh.

Burn candles/incense. Don't ask just...trust me on this it can change the aura.

If you're religious, practice!

Take aesthetic photos of things in your room. Download VSCO and experiment with it. I also recommend Huji Cam and Afterlight. All are available for IOS and Android.

If you appreciate music- use YouTube and find some Playlists, or if you can, spotify premium will save yo mortal soul.

Like video games? Play some! Or if you're a brokeass like me, let's plays and walk throughs work well too.

If you got pets, pet them. Do it. Snuggle. Or if you love animals in general go and watch some vids on YouTube.

Build a fort.

If you're an artist or appreciate art- draw! Or you can watch animatics, animation memes, art channels, or follow artists on here or on Instagram and Twitter if you want to be inspired, or just observe.

Have a certain series you keep putting off? Watch! It! Netflix/Hulu that shit. Or cable TV works too.

Go on Wikipedia and just go on an adventure. Click from link to link and see where it takes you. Learn some weird new facts!

Read a new book.

Read the news/watch the news.

Write about a certain topic that you're absolutely fascinated about.

Watch movies!

Join a club/interest group. You can do this online too and it'll help meet people with similar interests as you. You can make new friends this way.

Give your friends a call/text. Having conversations will keep you occupied.

Self love aka masturbate. Or have (safe) sex with someone you trust!

Workout

Do some makeup/skincare routine. Even if you think you look bad just commit to practicing.

Sometimes it's just funny to go through and read some Reddit threads so be safe when surfing on there.

Stretch and move around! Dance if you wanna!

Do your hair/experiment in some new styles, maybe even dye it if you feel daring.

Have an icon you stan? Stan HARDER.

Watch iconic vine/rare vine compilations until you can memorize them.

Clean out your phone contacts of people that are irrelevant/toxic!! Out of sight out of mind! Don't hang on to them if they did you wrong. All the text conversations will just make you feel worse!

Actually cook your favorite food, cooking it will make you more dedicated to eating it and give you more of an appreciation for it.

Organize your closet.

Organize anything in your room/closet. Throw away things that you don't need or are too old to use.

Start collecting things, stuffed animals, pins, snowglobes, you name it.

Pinterest is addictive lowkey so try that if you're into that kind of stuff.

Write! Write a new story, write poetry, write about your feelings, write a letter, write fanfiction, express yourself.

Use Duolingo to try and study a new language to learn. (The owl will harass tf outta your email though but as long as you do like 5 minutes a day he won't bother.)

That's about all I can think of but feel free to add more for activities to dedicate your time to.

If you need to, because of your self image, don't go and stand in front of mirrors. If I stand in front of a mirror too long I'll end up scrutinizing myself and find a flaw after flaw. If you are specifically insecure about something with your body, look up models who have the same thing! Like if you're insecure about having vitiligo, look up Winnie Harlow! She's gorgeous! If you're insecure about being chubby, look up plus sized models! If you have a tooth gap, there's plenty of people like you! You don't have to feel ugly because of that when you have these awesome models rocking what they got.

Vent. You can vent to your friends, family, or even online. There are apps that allow you to vent anonymously to others without the fear of judgement. But if you can't do that, take a pen/pencil and write something down in your notebook. Though don't reread it to keep drowning in the negativity, once you write it, shut it. You can do the same on Google Docs online, once you write down everything, delete it. Don't keep trying to fuel your negative thoughts and bitterness, get your rant over with and be done. It's like a fresh start. (Plus on my Instagram spam account I always feel really silly looking at my old rant posts, so I usually delete stuff afterwards when I'm not feeling so in my feelings).

Don't expect recovery to be in a straight line. You'll have amazing days and also have extremely shitty days. Recovery isn't hoping to never experience shitty days, recovery is being able to feel the strength on those shitty days and know that they'll pass, and with each storm you'll be stronger than before. Don't push yourself to be flawless, because shit happens. But you'll make it through. And that's what matters.

And last but not least, seek emergency help if you feel like you're dangerously close to ending your life due to pain. Call the suicide hotline for support, because the pain can ease soon if you ask for the help that you need and deserve.

Not everyone that reads this is going to be like "wow this really helped me cope with my depression/mental illness!" But my goal was to at least try. It may not work for everyone unfortunately, but I hope that anyone dealing with a mental illness is on the road to recovering. Because I know how it feels. It feels sucky as fuck. But if this helps even just one person, then that's enough. I hope everyone has at least a decent day, and I hope that everyone's pain eases soon.

#depression #mental health #mental disorder #positive mental attitude #mentally ill #trigger warning #tw #anxitey #strategies & tips #tips #self love #self care #personal growth and development #road to recovery #recovery #remission #illness #i love you

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sinewho · 7 years

Text

No.6 major fic rec list

Hello people:D

It seems 2 (two) human beings might be interested in a recommendation fic list. SO HERE IT IS Things to have in mind: .It was supposed to be short but I ended up mentioning 97 fics, sorry .I used 10 categories (highschool, college, modern setting, Kingdom / Fantasy Au / Magic, Miscellaneous Aus, Post-series, canon, reunion, Life Swap and Gender Bend) . Links in bold are fics that are definitely a must. You MUST read them because of how good they are, I tried to highlight 2 or 3 in each category and rating, so you can go to those first .The rating of the fic is next to the name for easy choosing. Plus some small commentary I added on my favs. .Have in mind that some of this are not finished and a pretty large amount might be abandoned, but read them anyway because they are still great .There’s a little list at the end with my favorite authors, I would recommend everyone to read ALL of their work, but some of those works might be in other categories. . Feel free to reblog with your own contributions!! I definitely need more awesome fics to read :3

Keep reading for the long-ass list

High School:

Reminiscing on the Past, Looking Forward to the Future (Not Rated)

Shion was digging through a box when he found a small teddy bear and note that Nezumi had given him, many years ago. He reminisces on the past, and decides to finally let Nezumi know how he felt.

My Gypsy Boyfriend (Not rated) This is MY FAVORITE hs au, go for it, no regrets guaranteed

Shion is drawn to the new kid. Nezumi is both beautiful and intriguing. He's also a gypsy, and a loner that most people avoid...But Shion isn't most people. He’s a persistent airhead who won’t take no for an answer.

locker notes (Not Rated)

Shion and Nezumi are in their last year of high school with unspoken crushes that only come to light when Nezumi slips a note in Shion's locker.

shall i compare thee to a high school play? (Not Rated)

Shion is Romeo, and Nezumi is Juliet, and maybe it's just a high school play, but Shion means every single one of his lines to his best friend and only hopes he can keep his true feelings disguised as an act.

that one where nezumi's an idiot and shion has a cute laugh (G)

“Literally all I wanted was some fucking Doritos.”

Love All, Trust A Few, Do Wrong To None (T)

Shion is the perfect student. He is currently attending a prestigious academy and leads a comfortable, quiet, ordinary life with his mother and best friend in Lost Town. However, a mysterious and dangerous transfer student lurks on the horizon, and little does Shion know his life is about to be turned upside down.

Re: 2 a.m (T)

To: Nezumi

Sub: Sorry in advance

Sent at 1:44 A.M.

Are you awake?

Eyes only for you (T)

This is a world where people are born with two different colored eyes, one is their natural eye color and the other is their soul mate’s natural eye color. When a person makes eye contact with their soul mate, each person's eyes lose their soul mate’s color and become a pair of their own natural color.

Melodic Minor (M)

Rock Band AU set in 1997

School Bells (M)

In an AU Nezumi is a third year who goes to a rich boys school where he aimlessly waits for when he can leave. When he meets a mysterious boy with red eyes named Shion he thinks, maybe, he has something to look forward to everyday.

Meet Me At The Stage Door (M)

Theatre geek Nezumi doesn't think he'll enjoy watching ballet. Boy, is he wrong.

The Rat and Red Eyed Boy (M)

Shion didn't expect for this year to be any different from his others. He had always been the 'weird' kid and got teased for the red mark that traveled along his body. Little did he know his life would change after meeting a certain boy. Nezushi high school AU where Shion's scars are also sensitive to touch.

College / Roomates

drunk and smitten (Not Rated)

Really just a drabble - Shion breaks into Nezumi's apartment in the middle of the night, completely drunk and thinking it's his own home that he's let himself into.

no more nor less (G)

Nezumi has decided to confess his feelings to Shion after Safu suggests he should. He meets Shion in the library to study Shakespeare, and...?

In Which Shion Is Found To Be Gay (G) soooo cute omg

Exactly what it says on the tin.

I Might Just Love You! (T)

Nezumi was the first to bear witness to his roommate's dilemma. He knew this was going to be an issue-Not everyone was capable of knowing a beautiful sight once they've seen one, and Shion surely was a beautiful sight, but nonetheless. No one ever said dealing with an infectious disease as a college freshman was going to be easy. Luckily, Nezumi's there every step of the way.

Roommates Before Lovers (T)

Shion needs a place to stay while attending university, and who better to room with than Nezumi, the kid he remembers from that bus ride all those years ago? But things in their apartment don't go as smoothly as expected, because both are hiding secrets about their past from each other, causing things in the present to get...complicated.

The best laid plans (T) ok listen, this fic is great ITS SO GREAT

In which Shion doesn’t know how to meet people, and Nezumi is a Shakespeare snob. Also road trips.

A college Journey (T)

Nezumi and Shion are randomly assigned to be roommates in their first year of college. Their first meeting goes pretty roughly, but romance soon develops between them. But will it be able to last through the tough times ahead of them?

College Clusterfuck (M)

Shion's a stoner. Nezumi's a drunk. Inukashi understandably kind hates them both. (High)jinks ensue. College AU.

More than Enough (M)

The lives of Nezumi, Shion, and their friends in college. Or, just another NezuShi College AU with too much fluff.

Corruption (M)

"You're going to be fun...to corrupt." Nezushi AU. Street musician Nezumi, college student Shion.

Who said college life wasn't fun? This is a ongoing series of at lest 14 works -as of today- rating from G to E and my favorite college au, for real, its great. Please read it. PLEASE READ IT ITS AMAZING 10/10

Just one week had passed since the first lectures and already he had two assignments due for the next week so that meant that there was only one place for Shion to go, the library.

Modern Au / or more things that are not precisely high school or college

You are My World (Not Rated)

Have you ever loved someone with a fierceness you didn't know about until something happened that made you realise just how much it would affect you should that person be taken away from you? Shion was just about to find out what that felt like.

Smile (G) (13 y/o cute dorks)

Shion won't smile properly with his braces and Nezumi notices. Middle School AU.

Paperback Lover (G)

Nezumi doesn't visit the local bookstore for the cute white-haired boy that works there. He's only here for the books. No, really.

Dance with me (G)

All it takes is a club and a lot of alcohol, and Shion becomes a regular Casanova.

MotherTruckers (T) nezumi is a mean trucker, how great is that?

Living in Alaska is difficult for recent college graduate Shion, especially considering his degree's emphasis in... plants. But when he stumbles into a job as an ice road trucker and finds himself partnered with a grey-eyed man named Nezumi, Shion decides maybe Alaska isn't too bad after all. Nezushi, Trucker AU

Im in love with my Bodyguard (T)

The year is 1947. Nezumi had just gotten fired and is given a job as a bodyguard.But who does he need to protect? and who is this Shion?

Our Day In Summer (T) Super lovely, full of fluff

Shion is stuck in a monotonous job as a simple company employee, and has no real aims in life. One day, he meets Nezumi, a street musician and aspiring artist, and things in his life begin to change.

Codex (T) (trans!nezumi)

Shion finds a rat in a bookstore.

Any Helpful (T) (trans shion and trans nezumi)

Safu is asked for assistance by Shion. She ends up helping Nezumi too.

The Visitor (M)

Shion was just about to leave him. Not for good, but at least to teach him a thing or two. The only problem is, he's sure they can reconnect after the accident damages his lover.

Empty Fantasies (M)

Eve is the best drag queen in Tokyo. When Shion is dragged to his show for Safu's birthday, he finds himself drawn to the man. When they keep running into each other, they can't shake the feeling that they've met a long time ago.

A time for everything (M)

Shion will never fall in love again.

All the Pretty Little Animals (E)

"Shion is dragged by his friends to a strip club. There, he meets Nezumi (bonus for drag!)"

Kingdom / Fantasy Au / Magic

the lost prince (Not Rated)

The royal family was massacred 15 years ago, but the kingdom has always held out hope that the lost prince would return. Meanwhile, Nezumi has been acting strange, and Shion isn't sure why his best friend of 14 years keeps giving him these looks that escalate one night to more than just an expression Shion cannot explain.

three wishes (Not Rated)

Shion finds a genie's lamp, and when he rubs it, he's more preoccupied with falling for the cranky genie that comes out than making his allotted three wishes.

Evening Song (G)

A continuation of the centaur AU for all you perverts out there who wonder how Nezumi and Shion are gonna get together even though Nezumi is a centaur and Shion is an elf. Written in the style of a classic fairy-tale by Andrew Lang.

A Centaur Named Mouse (G)

Nezumi is a centaur. Shion is a wood elf. They are dorks. Kissing happens. It's cute. The end.

Yes, your majesty (T)

There once was a king. There once was a prince. There once was a curse. Now there once was a mouse. Fairytale

darkness as it turns into light (T) (harry potter crossover)

Safu always says Nezumi appositely asked the Sorting Hat to put him into Slytherin, to better uphold his bad boy looks and his look-at-me-in-the-wrong-way-and-I-will-take-your-eyes-out attitude. Most of the time, Shion can’t but agree.

The Prince and the Rat (T)

Shion is a prince in a castle, waiting to be rescued, Nezumi is the handsome knight in shining armor, Safu is a sassy tag along friend (like donkey), and Elyurias is an overprotective wasp mother. (The Shrek AU nobody asked for)

cognitive dissonance (M)

A strange night in the rain at twelve years old was the beginning to a future Shion never could have imagined. A future which involved foreign promiscuity, betrayal, dogs, love, loss, and a whole lot of bravery.

Ghost (M) (OMG SO BEAUTIFUL AND SAD)

Shion can't remember how he died and Nezumi doesn't want him to. Everything seems fine until a plague is mentioned and Shion becomes determined to find out. Will it bring them closer together or part them even more? ... Song fic, but actually it's more of a poem but yeah, hmm character death?

i begin to understand why god died (M) the angel thing is really cool

I was human when my heart was stolen by him, and I was human when I longed to be by his side. This fact won't change, no matter what name I decide to give to these feelings. --It was sometime around 1,200 A.D. when he met Shion.

Be Cruel to be King (E) The best kingdom au, 71k words full of fluff and some fights and great things haha

In the kingdom of Seis, King Rikiga rules cruelly. When he takes a former baker as his wife and makes her queen, her son Shion is named as heir to the throne, with one ultimatum; become a good leader before he turns 18 or be banished to"West District" to live forever in poverty and exile. Sadly Shion has no idea how to be cold hearted like Rikiga, but he meets someone who can help.

Miscellaneous AUs

books and mind reading (Not Rated) From all 27 Danielle’s work in my opinion this is the best, full of angst and fluff. Top 5 best fics ever for sure

Shion can read minds, an ability more overwhelming than he was prepared for when he moved from his small hometown to the city for university. In the city, he meets Nezumi, whose mind is much different than anyone's Shion has read before. Shion breaks his own rule by telling Nezumi he can mind read, intending on never seeing the man again - an intention that, of course, does not quite pan out.

The Dead Horse Shanty (Not Rated)

"Oh, poor old man, your horse will die, we'll drop him down to the depths of the sea. We'll send him down with a long, long roll, where the sharks will have his body and the devil have his soul." Nezumi, pirate ship cabin boy, is unprepared for the addition of a hostage onto his to-do list. He is even less prepared for the raging storm that will maroon them on an island together.

their wicked minds (T)

Shion is a Senator in the Intergalactic Imperial Senate, and Nezumi is a bioengineered super soldier assigned to be his bodyguard.

The Forest of Tranquility (M)

Shion, a young ecologist, is allowed to leave No.6’s protective wall for the very first time in his life. During his research the young man rescues a silver-eyed beauty, unaware that this fateful encounter will hold him captive in the core of the Northern forest. “You shall not leave again!”

Courtship Rituals (M)

Nezumi is a courtesan in the West Block, Shion is a student from Lost Town who conveniently loses his way and gets caught up in Eve's graces. She offers him possibly the most memorable moment of his life, and he's so close to giving in, but Eve is too much for an innocent Shion to handle. But can a relationship blossom between two that are so different?

Post-series

On the Clock (Not Rated)

Post-series bakery shenanigans. Warning for general offensiveness on Nezumi's part.

We Shall Dance Again (G)

A journey forward; a journey back. This was how Nezumi had changed.

Quietly (G)

In which Shion has a surprise for Nezumi and Nezumi plans for the near future.

Communication Breakdown (T)

[Post-series, post-hypothetical future reunion.] Shion has issues maintaining a work/life balance. Nezumi takes issue with these issues.

First Snow's Kiss (T)

After a fight with Shion, Nezumi sets out to make it the Christmas Shion always wanted.

Statistical Outlier (T)

[Post-series] Shion, sex, and statistics. And Nezumi.

Together (T)

Shion isn’t really sure how to act now that Nezumi’s returned. There’s time between them that won’t ever return, but he’s so glad to have him back. Domestic as hell.

Junior is curious (M) Funny and cute and sexy, this one has everything

"Ah, so you've seen them making a baby too?"

Shion's Birthday (M)

Nezumi has planned the perfect evening for Shion's birthday. It will be romantic, thoughtful, sweet, and most importantly, it will end in mind-blowing sex! Of course, even the best laid plans rarely go accordingly.

Good morning, Love (M)

All pretence of sleep was gone from his voice hearing the excuse Shion made to get up this early on a Sunday sounded ridiculous enough to get most of his attention. There was no way that Nezumi and their warm bed was going to be abandoned because of some damn sewer pipes. He was going to make sure of that!

nothing gold (M)

if Nezumi stayed.

Captivate (E)

"He pulled his brows into a frown and twisted in his seat to regard Shion with one slate-colored eye, noting the soothing, benign curve of his pink lips and how it was utterly belied by the stark heat in his eyes." In which Shion Insists and Nezumi is doomed to fail.

Étude (E)

"I'll show you," Nezumi grins. He disentangles his arms so he can cup Shion's head with both hands. "Again."

Still (E)

Nezumi decides to give up a little control.

To The Simple Two (E)

Shion has a proposal. Nezumi has a counter-proposal. Fluff and porn ensue.

Here's Everything I've Always Meant to Say (E)

There's a first time for everything.

In Knots (E)

Shion had never seen Nezumi wear a tie before.

Akame (E)

Stage Fright (E)

Sion lacks appreciation for the finer points of playing dress-up.

About Shion's topping and embarrassed Nezumi (E)

Little humor story from Nezushi daily life. It can be treated like a standalone story or part of my "Not Perfect" universe. It's about idea of Shion getting banned from being on the top by Nezumi.

Reunion

Chances and Choices (T)

After the fall of No. 6, Nezumi left Shion with the promise of coming back. After ten years, fate decided to let their paths cross once again.

Revolution (T)

Six years have passed after Nezumi's departure. Even though the progress of the Restructural Committee is like an untamed wave of changes and improvements, some people are unsatisfied and more than tired Shion thinks he has failed. Will he ever be able to look in these beautiful grey eyes again? Or will his guilt consume him?

Revolution EX: In a starlit night (M) (tecnically postseries but oh well)

It’s a starlit summer night. A busy one at that, since Nezumi and Shion move into the attic of an old ivy-clad red clinker house, which is completely surrounded by nature. What a perfect place to care for their deep, invisible scars the past had carved into their souls… A sequel to Revolution.

When Constellations Collide (M) (this is actually in evey categroy)

Everything felt easier in the dark, Shion thought. Now he was starting to understand why Nezumi preferred it. 5 + 1 times Nezumi and Shion share a bed.

Summer Days (M)

Four years have passed since Nezumi left Shion behind. Both of them are living a solitary live… Will they find their warmth again? - This is a story about hot summer days in the Western District. Reunion. Home, Sweet Home. And of course lemony boy's love!

The Sun in Jericho (M)

Ten years have passed since Nezumi left No. 6 at his back. He's seen much of the world and even found a place to call home, but his thoughts keep returning to a promise he made when he was too young to be making such heavy promises. So he decides, somewhat on a whim, to keep it. It's only to appease his conscience, of course; this decision has nothing to do with his curious inability to get a certain person out of his mind. Nothing at all.

No Man is an Island (M)

It's been 4 years, 22 days, 5 hours, and 21 minutes since the last time he kissed Nezumi.

Redeemed (M)

Their Five Stages (M)

Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Where the five stages of grief become the five stages of reunion for Shion and Nezumi. Rated M for the last chapter.

Not Perfect (M) I actually had to edit the post to add this one bc I FORGOT wtf is wrong with me I love this fic im officially the worst, however i dont think there's anyone in the fandom that haven't read it. SORRY DEAR AUTHOR

The four years passed after Wall fell. Shion is losing fight with his health and loneliness. Will Nezumi's return help him? It’s been said that life is full of ups and downs.

In Memory Lock'd (E)

I Loved Ophelia (E) I love this one, my favorite reunion so far

Some things are found where you least expect them. Shion and Nezumi are challenged to deal with their feelings for each other and live with the scars from their pasts.

And so we meet again… (T)

Incandescence (M)

Shion is drawn to sharp things.

Canon

affectionate (G)

Shion can’t be entirely certain on whether or not Nezumi is, or has ever been, affectionate, but he can say with confidence that he has a way to check.

Beside You (T)

Shion gets worried when Nezumi catches a cold, much to the other boy's annoyance.

but let's not talk of love or chains (M) This one is so incredible good, im not even kidding

Nezumi promised Shion they would reunite. He never said when, or how long he would stay. Five years later, he’s still figuring that out himself. Nezumi returns before he’s ready and finds that Shion has grown up without him – but for some reason, Shion still welcomes him back. In which Nezumi is forced to reconcile his conflicting fear and love, the pain in his past and the uncertainty of his future, and decide if freedom is worth the price of belonging nowhere at all.

Surrender (M)

Shion & Nezumi have a fight that leads to a very memorable night. Their emotional connection is so beautiful, I thought their physical one should be too. <3

The Most Beautiful Thing That Ever Was (E)

After everything has happened, we are left wondering what Nezumi and Shion's relationship has become. Nezumi has always teased Shion about being naively moronic, but what if Shion ends up teaching Nezumi a thing or two about the matters of the heart? And what about the way in which he presents his lesson?

Life Swap

In the Shadow of No. 6 (T)

No. 6 is no utopia. After twelve years suffocating under the city's constant surveillance, Nezumi is determined to escape. But just when he manages to crawl out from under No. 6's watchful eye, he finds himself the captive of a West Block terrorist group.

Beyond the Shadow of No. 6 (T)

Continuation of In the Shadow of No. 6; a glimpse in the days of those left behind, 4 years later.

Fateswap (T)

Nezumi grows up in his village... sort of... while Shion is captured and taken to the Correctional Facility at a young age. How will events play out with the roles reversed? And what will happen to the third option?

Fateswap Beyond (T)

The post-script to the Fateswap universe you've all been waiting for. Contains light smut.

Gender Bend

Inner Beauty (G)

It starts with a question that's innocent enough: "Can I braid your hair?"

Small Mercies (T)

Rikiga dotes on Shion. Nezumi does not approve.

Behind Closed Doors (T)

Shion has no fashion sense. Nezumi decides it's time to go shopping.

Domesticity (M)

Shion makes hamburgers and fries, she's pretty tired of soup afterall.

Authors (with a lot of amazing works that Im to lazy to list)

Nezumiprefersdanielleovershakespeare

Enflashings

Triste

Ahiku

Secretagentfan

Elanra

Vox

There are some authors that I’ve read and loved but I cant for the life of me remember their name, I will edit this post if I remember

I hope my long-ass list is helpful :D

#no.6 #nezushi #nezumi #shion #rec fic list #no.6 fanfiction #i've tried to keep it simple but some of this are just too good

264 notes · View notes

emospritelet · 7 years

Text

Empty Corridors - Chapter 19

Last time, Gold found out something about Zelena, and Lacey started working for him. Things were a little tense between them on the first day, because she’s completely in love with him and they’re both blind idiots. Here’s what happened next. Sorry about the yelling, but it had to happen at some point :(

AO3 link

Lacey found her next day easier, largely because she was very busy and Gold kept out of her way for most of the morning. He seemed a little distracted, frowning to himself and tapping his fingers against the bench or the shop counter, but he didn’t seem annoyed at her, so she felt able to relax around him. By the time six o’clock came she had fallen back into the usual banter they enjoyed, teasing him about some of the notes he had made in his ledgers and his refusal to keep records on computer.

“You’ll see how useful digital stuff is when I’m done,” she assured him, as she packed away her laptop. “I promise it’ll take a fraction of the time to find what you’re looking for.”

“People always assume faster is better,” he sighed, and she shrugged.

“Time is money, right?”

“Not always,” he said, and his eyes glinted in the warm lights of the lamps. “I find that taking your time brings its own rewards. In some things.”

As they were clearly back to flirting, and it didn’t make her feel like running away, she grinned at him. He winked, his expression turning wicked, and so she stomped over and kissed him, hands sliding beneath his jacket as she pushed him back against the bench. Gold reached up to cradle her head in one hand, his fingers sinking into her hair. He tasted of the tea they had been drinking, and she pressed herself against him, enjoying the firm warmth of his body and the way he made her shiver deliciously as his tongue teased hers. She pulled back, her lips brushing over his.

“Taking your time, huh?” she murmured, and he grinned.

“I’d like to,” he whispered. “I’d like to take my sweet time with you, Lacey. Lay you down and kiss every inch of you.”

“Mmm.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, grinning. “I like the sound of that.”

“So come over.” He bent to kiss her neck, making her moan at the touch of his lips. “Saturday night. What do you say?”

“Are you cooking?”

She felt him smile against her skin, and he was still grinning as he straightened up to look at her.

“If you like. Maybe you can help.”

“Yeah, I could set out plates and pour wine, or something that’s not gonna kill us both.”

“Oh, I think you can do better than that.”

“You say that now. Wait until I manage to burn the salad.”

Gold’s grin widened.

“After work, then,” he said. “Come over at seven.”

“It’s a”- not a date, it’s not a date -“agreed.”

“Good.”

He kissed her forehead, and she settled back on her heels with a sigh.

“I should go,” she said. “Hungry cats and study await.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

“Yeah.”

She pulled back from him to tug on her coat and pick up her bag, feeling his eyes on her. He watched her leave, and as she glanced over her shoulder he was still smiling, a crinkle-eyed grin that made her stomach clench. Man, was she in trouble.

Gold was finding that having Lacey around the place made the shop a little brighter, his soul a little lighter. Despite the initial awkwardness, she had settled in well, and had been engrossed in her work, fingers flying over the keyboard of her laptop as she copied the information from his ledgers. She explained that she had assigned each item a reference number, which she would use to cross-check with the photographs she planned on taking. They sat for the most part in comfortable silence, broken only by lunch and at mid-morning and mid-afternoon for tea and cookies.

Friday was rent collection day for most, but Gold spent the morning checking over the warehouse that he was considering renovating. He had decided that he liked Lacey’s idea, but wanted to research it further before he put any money into it. He picked up lunch on his way back from the warehouse, burgers and fries from Granny’s, with two iced teas. Lacey’s eyes widened at the sight of food, which made him grin.

“God, I’m starving!” she said, reaching for one of the burgers. “I didn’t realise what the time was, I should go and feed the cats.”

“Eat your own lunch first.”

He set down the plastic cups of iced tea, unwrapping his burger as he sat down at the bench, and she slipped onto the stool adjacent to his, her foot nudging his leg.

“I had some ideas for your website,” she said, taking half a dozen fries from their paper cone and popping them into her mouth.

Gold frowned.

“What website?” he asked suspiciously.

“The one I’m gonna set up for the shop.”

“But I thought you were just going to be listing things on that Ebay place.”

“A website would make you look like the professional outfit you are,” she said, swiping a fry through the ketchup on her burger. “I have a bunch of ideas. Do you have time to talk through them after lunch?”

“It’s rent day,” he said. “I’ll be out collecting.”

“Yeah, that’s one of the things I want to talk to you about,” she said. “Why don’t you set up a payments system on the website?”

“The website I didn’t know I was having until twenty seconds ago?”

“Yeah. I could do that for you, no problem. People could pay their rent direct to your Paypal account.”

“Something else I didn’t know I was having.”

“You need one for the online sales,” she said patiently, as though he was being stupid. “So how about it? Direct payment, less pounding the streets and knocking on doors…”

“And miss out on the looks of abject terror when I turn up to ruin someone’s day?” he said dryly. “I’m not sure I like that idea.”

“Gold…”

He chuckled.

“I’m teasing,” he said.

“Not about the last bit, you weren’t.”

“Not about that, no.”

She stuck out her tongue, and he grinned at her.

“We can talk about it this evening, if you like,” he said. “Drink after work?”

Lacey was tempted - God, she was tempted! But she was also reasonably self-aware, and she was positive that one drink would lead to more, and she would spend the entire evening drinking with Gold and probably screwing his brains out. None of which would help her SAT score.

“I can’t,” she said reluctantly. “I have to study.”

“Ah.” He nodded. “Well, I won’t argue with that. Tomorrow over breakfast, then.”

“Sure thing.” She gave him a shrewd look. “Your treat, right?”

He lifted a hand, spreading his fingers with a twisted little smile on his face.

“But of course.”

“Well, okay then.” She grinned at him. “Granny’s at seven. We can make some tongues wag.”

His eyes glinted.

“I’m not averse to that.”

Gold left soon after lunch, just after Lacey had returned from seeing to the kittens, and she was left alone in the shop. She didn’t mind that; there was plenty for her to be getting on with, and it wasn’t as though people came looking for him on rent day. They knew all too well he’d come to them. It was therefore a surprise when she heard the bell ring out in the shop, and a female voice calling out. Pushing back her chair, she got up and went through, rolling her eyes as she saw Miss Green standing at the counter. The woman’s eyes narrowed, her lip curling a little, and Lacey prepared herself for the inevitable catty comments.

“What are you doing here?” sneered Miss Green. “Where’s Mr Gold?”

“Out collecting rent,” said Lacey. “He won’t be back until six, I reckon.”

“And he left you looking after the shop?” She looked disbelieving. “Don’t you have tables to wait?”

“Oh, yeah, I work here now,” said Lacey, shrugging.

Miss Green smiled thinly, tossing back her red-blonde curls.

“Well,” she said. “Quite a change in occupation. I had no idea you were an expert on antiques.”

“I know fuck all about antiques,” said Lacey bluntly. “I’m running his website and online sales business.”

“Hmm.”

Miss Green looked her up and down as though Lacey was something she had trodden in and wanted to scrape off her shoe.

“I suppose shagging the boss is an express term of your employment contract?” she said nastily, and Lacey grinned.

“Nope,” she said. “Shagging the boss is just one of those really awesome perks. It was that or dental, so I had to choose. No contest, really.”

Miss Green’s mouth twisted as though she’d eaten something sour.

“Oh, if you ever see the sign set to Closed, don’t come in,” added Lacey helpfully. “We can get pretty into each other, and we don’t always hear the bell. I guess you remember that from last time, huh? You know, before he threw you out.”

Her mouth twisted further, and she turned away a little, pretending an interest in the contents of a glass display case.

“How long do you plan on working here?” she asked, and Lacey shrugged.

“As long as I’m needed, I guess.”

“So, a few months, then?”

Lacey leaned on the counter.

“Wow, you should get together with my dad,” she said. “Sounds like you two have similar thought-processes and can’t keep your noses out of other people’s shit.” She grinned as Miss Green frowned at her. “Come to think of it, you’re probably about his age.”

Miss Green’s eyes bulged in outrage.

“I’m thirty-eight!” she snapped.

“Hard life, huh?” Lacey’s voice dripped with fake sympathy. “Yeah, that’s his excuse, too. Doesn’t stop him from being a jerk. Doesn’t stop me from telling him to fuck off. Not gonna stop me telling you to do the same.”

“Customer service really isn’t your forté, is it?” said Miss Green dryly, and Lacey snorted.

“Come on, lady, I think we know full well you’re not a customer,” she said. “I don’t know what the hell it is you want, but it doesn’t seem like Gold’s interested in anything you have to offer.”

“We’ll see about that,” said Miss Green airily. “I can certainly offer him more of what he truly wants. Unlike you.”

“Weird that he’s sleeping with me, then.”

Miss Green smiled.

“Rich and powerful men often lose their heads over pretty young women,” she said. “Doesn’t mean anything in the long run. You must know that.”

Of course I bloody know that!

Aloud she said: “So what? Why the hell do you care?”

“Because you seem like a sweet girl…”

“I pretty much told you to go fuck yourself.”

“…and I think you’d be much happier with someone more - well, you.”

“You don’t know anything about me,” said Lacey. “And you don’t know Gold, either. He’s not what people think he is.”

Zelena leant on the counter, eyes flashing.

“Oh, I think I do know him,” she said quietly. “I’ve known dozens of men like him over the years. All rich, all powerful, all exceptionally clever. They tend to seek out people who share those attributes. People who can give them what they truly want, which is more power, money and influence. Not glorified shop girls who dress like tramps and can’t open their mouths without swearing.”

Lacey itched to slap her, but kept her hands at her sides.

“Well, I guess I’ll enjoy being a fucking slutty upstart for as long as I can,” she said. “Maybe I was too subtle before. Go fuck yourself.”

Miss Green smiled, showing white teeth.

“Looks like I touched a nerve.”

“Yeah, my last one,” said Lacey. “Go on, piss off. I’ll tell Gold his stalker stopped by. I’m sure there’s a nice restraining order he could dust off before your next visit.”

Miss Green pulled back, still grinning, and turned for the door.

“He’ll get bored, dear,” she threw over her shoulder. “They all get bored, in the end.”

The bell jingled as she left, and Lacey stood seething, glaring after her.

The visit had put her in a bad mood, insecurity swelling within and making it hard to concentrate. The fact that Miss Green was the second person that week to tell her that whatever she and Gold had was doomed wasn’t lost on her. Okay, so there were ulterior motives in the mix, but thinking about it rationally she was aware that she had never seen Gold in a relationship before, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that they kept clinging to one another because they were both lonely. Lonely and a little broken by life. No basis for anything that would last.

She sat back down at her laptop, staring at the screen and seeing nothing. He had wanted her to go for dinner on Saturday, another chance to feed her and fuck her and lift the tedium of life in a small town for a night. She wasn’t sure she could stand it. She wasn’t sure that she could go over there, knowing she was completely in love with him, make small talk and drink his wine and sleep with him, only to return to her tiny little life and wait for the day when he would announce he was no longer interested.

Gold’s rounds were mostly uneventful. The majority of people in Storybrooke knew better than to try to avoid him if they couldn’t pay, so they would come into the shop to explain whatever financial distress they found themselves in, and he would decide how to handle it. Most tenants knew he preferred this approach. A select few hadn’t made the connection between surprising him with a failure to pay and a harsh response. Keith Nott was one of them. He opened his front door looking as though he’d just crawled out of bed, his eyes squinting and bloodshot and his white vest sporting some interesting stains. Gold was well aware that the man was considered very attractive, but for the life of him he couldn’t think why.

“Man, it’s early!” he complained.

“It’s five-thirty in the evening,” said Gold.

“Exactly. I had another hour of sleep planned before I hit the club.”

“Your scheduled indolence is of no interest to me.” Gold’s gloved hands shifted on the cane handle. “Your rent is due. Plus the late penalty you owe me.”

“I don’t have it.”

Gold gave him a thin, humourless smile.

“I didn’t hear you.”

“I told you, I don’t have it.”

“And I told you that if you didn’t pay me what you owed me, there would be consequences.”

“Look, I - I don’t have all of it,” Nott said hastily. “I didn’t get my paycheck yet.”

“Presumably because you were sitting on your arse planning on wasting my precious time.”

“I can get it to you tomorrow.”

“It’s due today.”

“Come on, man!” Nott looked aggrieved, and Gold eyed him steadily until he sighed. “Look, how about if I pay you some now?”

“Let’s see it, and we’ll talk.”

Grumbling under his breath, Nott wandered off, and Gold waited. The man returned with a sour look on his face and a bundle of notes in his hand. He thrust it into Gold’s outstretched hand, and Gold began to count it, his cane resting in the crook of his arm. Nott waited, running a hand through slick, dark hair.

“So, I hear you hired Lacey,” he said. “How’s that working out for you? Didn’t think she’d be your type.”

“Miss French is a very competent and enthusiastic employee,” said Gold, still counting the money, and Nott let out an ugly chuckle.

“She’s a firecracker, alright,” he said. “I mean the girl knows how to party, know what I’m saying?”

“I’m fairly certain I don’t want to,” said Gold coldly, and Nott shrugged.

“Small town, Gold. People are gonna talk, and you know what they say about her. No shame being last in line, I guess. Just don’t believe anything she says. Girl’s a fucking tease.”

Gold felt like grinding his teeth.

“You’re short by three hundred,” he snapped. “As this is the second time in the space of a month, this is your final warning.”

“I told you, I’ll get it to you tomorrow!”

“You’d better, or you’re out on your arse!”

Gold stuffed the money into his inside pocket, grounding the cane and striding away.

“Hey, don’t take it out on me if she’s playing hard to get!” Nott shouted after him.

Gold walked swiftly away before he could do something he regretted, his breath misting in the cold air and blowing from his nostrils like smoke. He tried not to listen to the more salacious rumours about his new assistant, as he was almost sure they were exaggerated. Almost.

The encounter had put him in a foul mood, and he was glad the day was over and he could return to the shop, say a brief goodnight to Lacey, and go home to pour himself a large whisky or three and wonder what the fuck he was doing with his life.

The evening air was freezing, a low fog forming in the streets. His anger with Nott had made him walk too fast, and by the time he reached the shop his leg was killing him. It didn’t improve his mood. He pushed open the door, noting that Lacey was not in the main shop, and made his way through to the backroom. She looked around as he entered, checked her watch, and began shutting down her laptop.

“Hey,” she said, somewhat listlessly.

“Sorry I’m late,” he said.

“Only ten minutes.” She closed the laptop lid and stretched. “I’ll get out of your hair.”

There was a strange atmosphere in the room, an invisible wall between them that he could feel in the air, as though his fingers could slide along the mortar and scatter the dust of her coldness. Lacey pulled on her coat, not looking at him.

“What’s upset you?” he asked quietly, and she scowled.

“Nothing, I’m fine.”

“Well, something has upset you.”

“Forget it, Gold.”

“Alright.”

He was silent, and she buttoned her coat, putting the laptop away in her bag.

“We’re still on for tomorrow night, aren’t we?” he asked then, and she chewed her lip.

“I - I’m not sure.”

“I see.” Needles of bitterness pierced his soul, sharp and painful. “Would you mind telling me why?”

“I changed my mind.”

“I gathered as much. Why?”

Lacey didn’t respond, and he sighed, raising his eyes to the ceiling.

“Well, that’s just perfect isn’t it?” he said quietly.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means that I never know whether you’re going to kiss me or run for the fucking hills, that’s what.”

“I’m not running,” she said defensively. “I’m just - postponing.”

“I see,” he said again, and there was silence. Gold sighed again, more heavily.

“So, what was it this time?” he asked, his tone snappish. “The wind changed direction? A black fucking cat crossed your path? Or did you simply get a better offer?”

She glared at him.

“A better offer?” she repeated. “What, you think I’m banging someone else, is that it?”

“I have absolutely no idea.”

Lacey’s jaw worked, her eyes glistening with hurt, and he wanted to take it back. She turned away before he could, shouldering her laptop bag.

“I’m definitely not coming over tomorrow,” she muttered, pushing past him. “Not like it means anything anyway.”

“Why would you say that?”

He followed her out into the shop, anger and insecurity making him reckless, and Lacey swivelled on her toes to face him, blue eyes flashing. Good God, she was beautiful! Beautiful and ethereal, a force of nature. Dazzling as lightning and as impossible to predict. She would burn him if he tried to hold onto her.

“You want to know why I run all the time?” she asked. “Because I’m waiting for the other fucking shoe to drop, okay?”

“What the hell are you talking about?” he snapped.

Lacey hesitated, unsure whether she should reveal her own fears. Her own weaknesses. She couldn’t tell him she loved him, certainly.

“I’m waiting for you to get bored of me,” she said. “You will, right? Everyone says so.”

“Who the hell is ‘everyone’?” he asked roughly. “Your father? Mrs bloody Lucas? What the fuck gives them such insight into my feelings and motives, pray tell?”

“It’s just - it’s obvious, isn’t it?” she said. “The pawnbroker and the waitress? The richest guy in town and the screw-up who dresses like a tramp and can’t open her mouth without cursing a blue streak?”

“You think I care about any of that bollocks?” he snapped. “I thought we were closer than that.”

“You thought we were close?” she said disbelievingly.

His jaw tightened, his eyes flashing darkly. It made her want to kiss him, a surge of desire that was almost too strong to bear.

“Forgive me,” he said coldly. “I’m not used to sharing my most private pains and deepest regrets with just anyone. Perhaps the ease with which you fall into bed with people has made you blind to that.”

Okay, so maybe she didn’t want to kiss him. Maybe she just wanted to fucking slap him. She put her hands on her hips, sticking out her jaw.

“Oh, so you’re playing that card, are you?” she sneered. “Well, I might have known it’d happen at some point. Sing me a song I haven’t heard before, why don’t you?”

“If you recall, you were the one who told me of your reputation.”

“Yeah, I just never thought I’d have to hear about it from you.”

“And here I was thinking you didn’t care what people thought of you.” he said, his voice deceptively mild.

“I don’t give a shit what people think of me!”

“Yes you do.” His voice was a low hiss, his eyes glinting at her. “You care so much you could cry, but you push everyone away who even tries to understand you! You’re too bloody stubborn to bend and let someone in, to let them help you.”

“I don’t want your help!” she shouted. “I never asked for it! And you - you’re a hypocrite! How long have you been pushing people away, huh?”

“I wasn’t pushing you away that night, I was letting you in, and you…” He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “You seem to think it’s nothing!”

“What, you share one thing with me and suddenly we’re soulmates?”

“Of course not!”

“So what the hell did it mean, then?”

“It meant that I trusted you!” he snapped. “It meant that I thought I could spend the bloody night without you bolting like a fucking deer the moment you woke up!”

“Well, maybe I thought that’s what you wanted, have you considered that?”

“I don’t understand why would you ever think that!”

“Because!” She threw up her arms. “Because why the hell would you want to stay? It’s not like we’re a bloody item, is it?”

“You actually think that?” He was angry, his free hand gesturing and chopping the air as he spoke. “I’ve spent more time with you in the past month than I’ve spent with anyone else in years and you think I don’t care?”

“I don’t even know your first fucking name!” she shouted.

There was a moment of tense, ominous silence. Lacey’s chest was heaving, her eyes stinging with tears of anger and frustration, and Gold looked stricken, his eyes wide, his face anguished.

“Lacey…” he whispered, and she whirled away from him, one hand snatching at the air and waving him back as she lunged for the door, unseeing.

#golden lace #golden lace fic #fic: enpty corridors #rumbelle fic #rumbelle #my fic

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fenton-bus · 5 years

Text

'Unsuccessful' is not the adjective Iris would use to modify the shiny, abrupt, hellscape of an evening whose debris she currently stands amidst. 'Terrible' is too kind. 'Unfortunate' suggests that there some course of action she could have taken to prevent this. The phrase 'Dumpster fire' is a good start, 'study is the subtle art of wtf' is better.

"Disaster having unprotected sex with catastrophe and popping out the apocalypse" is disqualified, mostly because Cisco is saying it aloud at about the same time Kara starts applying her laser vision (and yes, that is a thing that currently exists uncomfortably close to Iris's entire life) to what was once a wall in her apartment and now mostly resembles a canvas on which some experimental artist does her least inspired work.

It should not be this difficult to come up with something. Words are her weapons, they can topple empires, and comfort the downtrodden, and on rare occasions ignite the soul and ugh, no. If she has more than three Long Island Ice Teas there's always a point in the evening where she comes very close to crying over Christian Amnpor. Damn it. Anyway, words do her bidding on a daily basis, so it's a little disappointing to find herself mentally flipping through her tragedy specific Thesaurus unable to come up with a single descriptor.

It's a testament to Cisco's dedication to their friendship that despite being properly drunk and a little blown away, he's sitting up on the couch and earnestly attempting to make words. Iris would help him out but she's still a little...

(Kara, with whom Iris shares a fifteen by twenty foot cubicle for a year, bashfully apologizes for essentially setting Iris' kitchen on fire then walks out on the balcony and proceeds to fly the fuck a way.)

The food she spends a large percentage of the evening preparing-all of which is completely edible and not at all burnt-is decorating the dinning-room floor. Well, that's not entirely accurate. Some of the more ambitious chunks of macaroni and cheese have rolled into the living room to huddle in a weird semi-circle around the couch legs. Her dining-room table is in two relatively even pieces. It's not an IKEA refund but there is something to be said about the precision of lasers. Fun fact: Five minutes after Iris opens the wine (is it weird that opening wine makes her feel like an actual adult?) and ten minutes before she no longer has a table, the twitchy dude Kara insists is a friend from trivia night pulls out his guitar from seemingly nowhere and decides their previous conversation about women's rights should be punctuated by a Jason Miraz cover. Said dude is now glaring into the middle distance while absentmindedly strumming his g-chord. Barry is standing in her dining room making what looks like a sincere and heartfelt speech that Iris can't hear a word of.

Maybe it's the overhead fan.

Maybe it's the repetition of that horrible g-chord.

Maybe it's the steady roar of Kara taking off into the Manhattan sky like a 747.

And Barry is a genius, so it wouldn't be too difficult for him to draw a causal relationship between the specific way her casual Friday get together went down in lasers and her sudden allergy to the spoken word. It should be noted that his attempt to be a calming influence is somewhat undermined by the fact that he's wearing what look like scarlet pajamas.

Oh, with lightning bolts.

Iris would totally believe that he was attending a Greek God-themed slumber party as Hermes if she hadn't just recently seen him appear in her doorway as a blur and materialize from actual beams of light. So again, if any part of what he's saying involves the words "calm" or "stay" in relation to her Iris just might have to scream. Post-traumatic T.G.I.F.-event Cisco, who pre-games in his apartment and arrives a bit tipsy, glances between Iris and Barry wearing the heartbroken expression that clearly communicates he thinks his parents are divorcing. Jumpy Goatee Guy allegedly adept at bar trivia (what is his name? what is her life?) is still glaring like that middle distance did something terrible to his ancestors. Barry is making all kinds of conciliatory hand gestures, which is still a little irritating and a lot baffling because his hands are kind of vibrating? Yeah.

She thinks she might need to sit down. Maybe.

It's feasible, the couch is only a couple of feet behind her. She's already lifted her right arm to take two solid swallows from her wine glass so she's no longer paralyzed with fear/shock/disgust/wonder cocktail. So that's...something.

The thing is Kara doesn't just fly away like a bird or a Boeing 747 or Newton's Laws of physics, she flies away in pursuit of someone else. Who was also flying. Meaning that there were two (2) individuals with the capacity for flight in her apartment at the same time. Iris West currently has the monopoly on flying persons, her neighbors, nay the entire Upper West Side should probably start rationing their laser-inclined flying humans because wow, market cornered. In less awesome news, some unknown person with a soft spot for flight was in her house (where she does some of her best sleeping) for an unspecified amount of time that could have began any time between her pulling her comforter over her head in silent protest against the very idea of consciousness and when she kicks her door open at 7:30 wither hers full of grocery bags and a bottle of '74 Mount Blanc sporting a leak that wouldn't make itself apparent until Iris went back out to collect the neglected morning Times and finds Mr. Welman's Shitzu on her way to properly smashed.

In the hours before running downstairs to greet her guests, Iris had taken her shoes off, checked her messages, complained to herself aloud about Aspiring Office Asshole Todd Garret, disliked eight Facebook posts made by mutuals who only remained so out of her desire for family gatherings to remain peaceful affairs, taken a nap, considered buying a plant that's genetically bred to die more slowly, listened to music, avoided calling her mom, got a few chapters farther into Going Clear, pre-heated the oven, threw her Bird of the Valley into the trash shoot, started dinner, danced to the entirety of Lemonade in her kitchen, finished dinner and enjoyed a pre-dinner snack of olives and cheese. All of this to say she could've died while listening to Sia. At the close of Iris' harrowing tale (sans airborne reporters and dudes turning into energy) Linda Park will grab Iris' hands consolingly, then spend the next hour detailing horrifying hypothetical's about her home invader going through her closets and smelling her bath salt. (She'll preface it with "I'm so glad you're alive!" but only because Linda's biggest fear is some stranger going through her stuff. Not even taking anything just...handling it.)

So to summarize: Iris' Friday is ruined, she has all manner of flying, laser-y, pajama-d, oh-hey-I'm-actually-made-of-light individuals coming in and out of her place like it's Grand Central Station for X-Men and hey look at that, her wine is gone. Barry is still talking, gesturing first to the broken table, then to Cisco with those diplomatic communication hands and Iris doesn't actually have time to wonder in what way Cisco is like a broken table because Twitchy Goatee Jason Miraz decides this is the perfect moment to take a running leap off of her balcony.

∞

Her hands are shaking so badly she has to push the elevator button four times before it lights up. A week later, she'll remember all the particulars of this elevator ride. Leaning against the wooden panels, trying to catch her breath, the guard rail digging into her back, titled upward toward the number panel but seeing nothing, nothing, the incessant buzzing of her phone in the right hand pocked of the coat she'd grabbed for blindly, feeling her fingers close around the two small, sinewy objects and a thin filmy scrap, registering dimly that she saw The Avengers in this coat and her breathing grows so loud in her ears that she can't hear anything else.

∞

Iris thinks she might have to retire her fingers.

The fight with the lock is ugly and she's earned the scratches on her knuckles by the time the door finally relents.

Future Iris will return to this moment and remember the way Linda Park and Patty Spivot jump apart like the most 90s teen cliché' there ever was, with a fond eye-roll. The amount of noise she's just made gives them plenty of time to adjust themselves but robs Linda of the opportunity to try really hard to look casual while also having a heart attack.

Present Iris is a little busy kicking the door down to fully appreciate the pure sitcom gold inherent in the situation. Linda must have taken her distressed expression as some kind of personal indictment because she manages to yell "I thought you gave me your key!" and "We're dating?" in a way that feels like one statement.

#iris best #barry 'bereft of chill' allen #oh hell no #kara the el-der #fuck yes #and we're spivoting #superlative salad #borderline unwatchable super hero shows on a network that repeatedly attempts to present Tyra Banks as an asset #inter-dimensional found fam #outlines and outliers

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charlotte-bane-blog · 7 years

Text

Charlottes POV: Lillian's Birthday

This is Char’s pov from @princepercyschreave fic with a bit of rp with @berklee-boyer and @evadne-leventhorpe Thank you guys so much, I love y'all 💖 Sorry for the length and typos :/ Enjoy! This is for the Charcy shippers 😉 ————————————————————

Waking up in the palace was positively surreal. Maids in your room, shaking you awake was slightly normal for me, if it was my mother.

I got out of bed, albeit reluctantly, and allowed my maids to help me into a soft green dress. The fabric was thankfully quite comfortable. Since I’d been feeling uncomfortable pretty much all the time, it was a welcome feeling.

I made my way down to breakfast, accompanied by the other Selected. The royals were also in the dining room, seated at a separate table of course. It was the day after interviews and I was doing my best to catch Dom’s eye, but it seemed my attempts were proved fruitless. Instead, I caught someone else’s eye. Percy.

I would be lying if I claimed to be unshaken as his blue green eyes held mine. He grinned wickedly as he saw he caught my stare. I tried to tear my gaze away, but strangely experienced a great deal of trouble. Thankfully, Berk forced my attention.

“Hey Char, do you want to hang out with Vad and me today,” she asked whilst spooning strawberries into her mouth.

“Sure,” I smiled. “We could go to my room. My maids are going to be away all day anyway making some new dresses.”

“Awesome! We’ll be there,” she grinned.

With breakfast finishing up, the Selected were dismissed for the day. I started to make my way out of the room but turned back to see if Vad and Berk were with me. Instead I saw Percy speaking to Aricia. He spoke for a mere second but whatever he had said had left her exploding with joy. A sick feeling rose in the pit of my stomach. I hated it.

<<>><<>>

“So how’d your interviews go,” I asked the girls as we hung out in my room.

Vad seemed to think about it for a moment. “Surprised me, a bit, since he was was politer than I expected.” I shook my head and chuckled at her response.

“Eh, okay. I could have done better,” Berk jumped in. She mentioned that at breakfast too, that she felt her interview had been awkward. With a personality and face like hers, I was sure she’d redeem herself.

“You could only talk about so much in a couple of minutes,” Vad offered.

“He actually called the first question I asked boring,” I laughed. I had simply told him I looked forward to the Selection and asked if he had too. I couldn’t think of anything else without coming off like some freak.

Berklee looked at me sympathetically. “Oh Char.”

I rolled my eyes and waved my hand. “It was fine, he was more eager to answer the second question I suppose. I asked if he’d been kissed.”

“I guess he obviously has been,” Vad snorted.

Berklee laughed. “Oh my God.”

“He said he had.”

“He’s a prince, people would jump at the chance to kiss him,” Vad said as she pretended to sigh dreamily. That girl could make anything amusing.

“People or you, Vad,” I smirked.

“Both.”

Berklee laughed yet again. “Oh my God.”

“Berk, use your words!” I threw a pillow from my bed at her. Knowing her, she was probably trying to annoy me on purpose.

Sadly, she dodged the attack. “Okay, but really who wouldn’t?”

Vad shrugged. “I’ve kissed heirs to billions, I wonder what an heir to an entire country would be like.”

“I haven’t kissed anyone actually,” I piped. If you’d met my mother, you’d understand why. She would say she was simply protective of me, but I think she really just wanted me to focus on work. Romance wasn’t exactly a focus where I was from. Vad and Berk stared at me with shocked expressions. “That can’t be hard to believe.”

Vad looked at me as if I was insane. “No, because that other Prince last night was all over you. I would have thought he’d at least attempt it.”

“Other prince,” I raised my brows. “What, Percy?” Please don’t bring him up. Please, gosh, no.

Vad and Berk both nodded. I inwardly groaned. I had spoken to Percy once or twice but he had g left my mind. I didn’t want to say or admit anything I’d regret, so I prayed they wouldn’t ask.

“Dom actually brought him up during our interview. He said he’d talked about me,” I trailed off as I played with the tips of my hair. I tried to avoid eye contact at all costs.

“Oh my God you do!” Berklee exclaimed.

I looked up quickly. “Are you insane! Of course not! We’re here for Dom remember?” Oh God, I was beginning to sound like my mother.

“You so do,” Vad joined. “Next thing we know he’s knocking at your door.” As she said that, a soft knock came upon the door.

My heart sank to my feet. “What the hell was that?”

“Hopefully food,” Berklee muttered as Vad said “A knock.”

“Thanks Sherlock,” I replied sarcastically. “Now hide, I’ll answer the door. One sec,” I called out as I ushered the girls into my bathroom.

I patted my dress down, plastered a smile on my face and pulled the door open. Please don’t be Percy, I thought. “Oh.” Yep, it was Percy.

My heartbeat quickened at the sight of him and I pleaded for it to stop.

“What? You’re not happy to see me?” he asked, putting a hand to his chest sarcastically. “I’m so hurt.”

You have no idea.

“Just surprised is all,”I replied. I leaned my head out the door and looked around, checking for any watchers. I didn’t want anyone getting the wrong idea… or the right one? I don’t know. “Why are you here, exactly?”

Percy seemed to hesitate. “I just… wanted to see you, is that a problem?”

“Um, n-no it’s not,” I stuttered. “You wanted to see me?” I asked. For some reason, my mind could hardly comprehend he’d be here randomly. Sure, he’s flirted with me before, but I thought of it as more of his way of passing time. I never thought he’d actually seek me out.

He smiled at me and I felt myself watch him. His smile was breathtaking. It wasn’t his typical smirk, it actually seemed genuine. I wanted to see it more. “Yeah, I did. I just… haven’t had the best day and needed to see a pretty face.” He glanced into my room, probably checking for anyone. Crap, I nearly forgot about Berk and Vad. “Can I come in?”

I thought about it for a moment before deciding the look on his face was more important that Vad and Berk having to wait for a bit. He seemed so… sad. “Sure.” I motioned for Percy to come inside. I closed the door as he sat down in one of the chairs. “What happened?”

He let out a heavy sigh. “Evan’s just been stressing me out all day," he began. He spoke to me about all his problems with Evan and his family. He spoke to me about his worries and look on his situation. He spoke to me about how Evan acted like he was so much better than him. I could see in Percy’s eyes that a part of him believed it. If he could see through mine, it would be the opposite.

I did my best to listen intently to him and offer advice. I wanted him to know I cared. I needed him to.

“Whatever. Let’s not talk about this sad stuff anymore. Let’s talk about something fun,” he finally said, ending the topic and effectively changing the subject.

“Are you sure?” I question. I scanned his features trying to see if he was truly okay.

He offered me the same smile from earlier. It lit up the room. “Absolutely.”

I smiled back, fully aware it would never shine as brightly as his. “Alright, what counts as fun?”

“How about the awesome date I’m working on for you?” He smirked.

Date. Oh my God. Did he just say that? He had to be joking. Please don’t be joking. “Awesome date? Yeah, okay, Percy.” I laughed.

“Oh, it’ll blow any other date you ever go on way out of the water. Which reminds me, do you want the spectacular date before or after your boring date with Dom?” Percy seemed to ask all this rather casually. It was hard to tell if he was being serious.

But… as much as I wanted his offer to be genuine, I knew I wouldn’t be able to accept. It’d be treason and I really didn’t want to lose my head. “Oh gosh, the options. How will I ever choose? How about never; I’d like to not be killed, thanks.”

Percy seemed unfazed by my response. “Well, the date will be to ‘die for’.” I saw him contain a laugh at his own joke and I held back from rolling my eyes.

“Do I get any hints?” I asked.

“Well,” he starts. “We won’t be leaving the palace grounds like Evan and his stupid secret date.”

I can feel his annoyance from earlier rising back up again and I try to help him get past it. I rolled my eyes. Hopefully if he sees my disapproval, he’ll stop… not that my opinion means anything but whatever. “You’re unbelievable.”

“What?”

I met out a breath. “Whilst failing to give me a helpful hint, you also managed to insult your brother in the process.”

Percy let out a laugh and I relished the sound of it. He had a really nice laugh. “I’m great at multitasking,” he winks. I mentally high five myself at my success of diverting the topic. I hope he’s okay. He better be okay.

I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled out of me. “Clearly. What else are you good at?”

“I think the better question is what aren’t I good at?” Cocky, aren’t we?

“Being humble, to answer your question,” I retorted smoothy.

Percy smirks. He better be admiring my cleverness and wit, it was hard earned. “Touché.”

“It is what I do best,” I shrugged. It was fun speaking with Percy. Actually pretty relaxing, aside from the fact that my heart could beat anything in a race.

“What? Being gorgeous and amazing at the same time? Seems we’re both good multitaskers.” Percy winked again. Part of me wanted to throw a pillow at him, the other didn’t want to dare cause any harm. Oh, conflict.

I promised myself I would never blush at anything he said. I hated blushing. “You, my dear, are a senseless flirt. Is this what you say to all the ladies here,” I asked, barely containing a laugh.

He paused as he thought about it. “Mmm, not all of them. You’re pretty special, angel.”

At his words, my face sobered up a bit. “You know close to nothing about me, Perseus.” No one really did. I had friends, but no one that close. I still haven’t fully opened up to anyone yet. I didn’t want to force my problems upon anyone.

Percy leaned in closer, seemingly trying to show he was actually serious. “I know enough, and I’d like to know more if you’ll give me a chance.”

I looked away, thinking of a way to lighten the mood. “Here’s your chance. Ask me anything. And I’ll ask you something in return.”

"Why don’t you seem to want to give me a real chance?”

I snapped my eyes back to his. I searched them for any sense of malice or falsity but saw none. “Um… I don’t know.” I tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear. “Why do you want one?”

Percy took a deep breath, and ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t know. You just… intrigue me. I mean… ok, well you may have heard me say that I plan to travel the globe in a year or two and just… see everything. Enjoy myself. You seem like the type of person who would enjoy that as much as me and I’d… like someone like that to come with me. And maybe as… more than just a friend.”

It wasn’t the answer I expected. I expected him to say something like ‘I’m bored’ or ‘You’re right, I don’t care’. But he didn’t, and that was what mattered.

I hesitated as I searched my mind for a proper response. “You’ve mentioned before that Dom gave consent to this– talking to the Selected. Does that still stand?” When we had first met, it was something he had mentioned, but I wondered if he was serious.

“As far as I know,” he nods. Every bone in my body screamed for it to be true.

“Okay,” I paused. “Then… where? Where in the world?”

I’d always wanted to explore the world and go on adventures, it amazed me that Percy would ever dare to invite me. I wanted to accept. He seemed to possess every idea or dream I’d ever longed for, every wish I had made.

He smiled. “Everywhere, I guess. There have been a few places, especially around Europe, that I’ve been before and I’d like to go back, but I’ve never been to New Asia, so I’d like to go there. And Africa, too. And I don’t know where else, I just want to see it all and have fun doing it.”

“I like that idea,” I smiled softly. “I haven’t done a lot, really anything at all in life.”

“You seem like you need a bit of an adventure.”

I stared at him for a moment. “I’d agree to that. What kind of adventure, though?”

“Whatever kind you want, angel.” I just still couldn’t believe he’d want to take me.

Suddenly, I hear muffled sounds coming from my bathroom. I laughed to cover it up. I needed to keep a reminder to kill Berk and Vad.

“Oh, the possibilities,” I exclaimed jokingly. “You really like adventure, don’t you?”

“Absolutely,” he said breathlessly. I glanced at him strangely. “So… about that date…”

“Yes… that date.”

“Is it… I mean… are you okay with it,” he asked shyly.

I was practically screaming internally at that point. I wanted to grab him and hug him but he’d probably call a guard to restrain me. I tried to remain stone faced as I responded but it was harder than it seemed. I pursed my lips to hide my smile. “Why not?”

Percy looked at me as if he couldn’t believe I had agreed. “So… before or after your ‘date’ with Dom?”

Oh right, technically I was still here for Dom “Umm… before? That sounds reasonable.” Truthfully, I had no clue which to choose. I chose the option soonest.

“Alright, I’ll start finishing up the arrangements then. I guess I’d better go… unless you’ll allow me to stay?” He gave a hopeful smile.

I knew he probably didn’t mean that to sound the way it did but I simply couldn’t help but mess with him. “Stay in what way, dear lord,” I dropped my jaw as if acting appalled.

“Just that it’s getting late, and it’s SUCH a far walk back to my room…,” he grinned. If he wanted to play so badly, I’d gladly join along.

“Exercise is healthy, dear.”

“So you are kicking me out?” He looked at me as if I’d shot his dog.

“Do you need an escort,” I teased.

“Hmm, you know I think I might.”

“Should I call a guard?”

Percy let out a sigh. “No. I’ll… see you later, Charlotte?”

“Sure… later,” I trailed. “Unless you would like me to walk with you?”

He looked at me hopefully. “Only if you want to. I’m not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to do.” He would probably never understand what those words meant to me.

“Sweet sentiment, but I’d love to escort you. I wouldn’t want you getting hurt.”

He grinned jokingly. “It’s good to know you care.”

I hoped he knew I actually did. “I’m sure. Shall we,” I asked as I extended my hand towards him. Percy smiled softly at the gesture before he lifted my hand up to his lips and placed a chaste kiss before lowering it by our sides. My hand tingled as he kept it in his. A blush formed across my cheeks and I cursed myself for breaking my promise.

“Let’s go,” he said as he smiled down at me.

“Alright then, let’s.”

Hand in hand, I walked with Percy back to his room. Mercifully, there was no one on the way. I didn’t want to end up in some tabloid or magazine. I wanted to have this moment. I wanted to keep it to myself.

When we arrived at our destination, he kissed my hand again. “I’m sure you’ll be fine making the journey back?”

“I can take care of myself, thanks.”

He grinned at me one more time before opening his door and going back into his room. I smiled to myself as I headed back to my quarters.

“Oh, you’re still here…,” I trailed off as I saw Berk and Vad placed in the middle of the room looking not so pleased.

“You’ve got a lot of explaining to do,” Vad said as she crossed her arms.

Berk gave me a look. “What happened?”

“Oh, nothing…,” I responded. “I just spoke to Percy for a bit. Like pals.” Why the hell did I have to add the pals part? It’s not like they were accusing me!

“Yeah ‘pals’.”

“Lying. We heard you. Where did you go”

Shoot. “No where,” I defended quickly.

“We thought that you didn’t like him, but there you were, flirting with him,” Vad comments.

They didn’t seem bitter. It seemed more like they were obsessed with knowing the details. Details I would never share.

“I… I don’t l-like him.” Dear Lord, I probably sounded like a hurt puppy.

Vad and Berklee shared a look. “We heard everything.”

“You heard nothing.”

“So where are you planning on traveling,” Berklee asked smugly. “A spectacularly planned date with Percy too,” Vad pointed out. I really wanted to kill them.

“Y-you heard that?” Why me?

Berk scoffed. “We were in the bathroom, not Whites.”

I needed to end this conversation quickly. “Non of that matters, it’s not like I like him…” Wow, I deserve an Oscar for that awful performance.

“Sure you don’t.”

I groaned. “I don’t!”

It was quiet for a moment as I tried to imagine myself anywhere else.

“Oh you so like him,” Berk piped.

Kill me.

“Please don’t tell.”

#Percy tag #charcy #fic

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penguinsnoot · 5 years

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Self-Care Tips from Someone Who Sucks at Self-Care (Part 2)

Part 1

In my last post, I listed some basic self-care tips and then proceeded to talk about them way too much. Guess what? I’m about to do that again. The difference between this post and the previous one is that the first one focused more on stuff that would mostly impact and improve physical health and this post is going to focus more on things to help you relax when you’re feeling anxious, stressed, overwhelmed, etc. (but still have positive physical outcomes). Of course, these things may not work for everyone since everyone is different, but the main point of this is to at least give you ideas that can lead to you being more relaxed. Without further ado, here’s Self-Care Tips Part 2: Relaxing Edition.

Read | If you’re looking for a way do escape reality and avoid the problems of our messed up world for a while, read a good book! Or two, or three, or four. . .or more. . . Reading stimulates your brain, reduces stress, improves memory, provides entertainment, and can even lower your heart rate and muscle tension (help you relax). This may not be a cure-for-all solution, but reading truly is good for your brain and emotional state, so if you ever feel wound up and like everything is going wrong, stop, take a deep breath, and sit down on a comfortable chair and read. Getting away from the world for a while is sometimes better than facing your problems head-on immediately. You will still have to deal with them eventually, but you’re not likely to get anything done properly when you’re too stressed to function. Read a good book and let your worries melt away, at least temporarily.

Listen to Soothing Music | If reading isn’t your thing (don’t knock it ‘til you try it), maybe music is. Listening to music, especially soothing music such as jazz, classical, acoustic, etc., can improve your mood, help you sleep better, and lower stress levels. There’s really nothing better than laying in bed with natural light coming in through the window and reading a good book with soft piano music playing in the background. Sometimes tuning out the world with earbuds in is more beneficial than parents encouraging us to go and hang out with other people realize (though being social is important, but more on that in another post).

Nap | I talked about sleep in my last post and I’m going to do it again, because it’s important. If you find that you have trouble sleeping at night or you’re losing energy quickly because life is just really damn draining sometimes, silence the notifications on your phone, turn off the TV and lights, and take a nap. Experts have found that napping helps reduce stress (are you seeing a pattern in the things I’m suggesting yet?), improve mood, perception, creativity, and memory, and boost alertness. When we’re tired, our bodies don’t function as well as they should, so if you can find the time, definitely lay down and catch up on some Zs. You’ll be amazed at how easily adding almost daily naps to your routine will improve your physical and mental/emotional health.

Write | When I say write, I don’t mean break out the textbooks and peer reviewed articles to write a six-paged essay for your Psychology class. No, no, no. . . I mean write for pleasure. Whether you write a poem, short story, journal entry, or an entire novel, your creative juices will be flowing and your vocabulary skills will strengthen greatly. Writing can be a fantastic outlet for letting out all your frustrations and worries in life. If you write even just a little every day, you will continuously be working on an essential skill used in school and most (if not all) places of work, so not only will you be doing something that can increase happiness levels and reduce stress levels but you’ll also be upgrading your value in the workplace. How’s that for throwing stones at a bird? That’s how that expression goes, right? Hmm. . .

Watch Cute Animal Videos | This will heal literally any problem you have (not really). What better way to spend an evening after a stressful day of school/work/family interaction/running errands than to wrap up in a warm, fuzzy blanket and watch cute bunnies hop around and eat leafy greens? Obviously this is something that’s more of a personal appeal suggestion than something everyone would enjoy, but if you’re sad or angry or just done with the world, why not give it a shot? Sometimes all we need in life to feel whole again is to watch cute videos of puppies and kittens cuddling. Honestly, what could be better?

Soak in a Hot Bath | Hot water relaxes the body and helps you fall asleep faster, relieves muscle tension and sinus problems, lowers anxiety, and more. Taking a hot bath right before bed will make curling up under the covers feel like absolute heaven, especially if you sleep naked (which has its own health benefits). After a straining and draining day, running a hot bath can be the perfect remedy. Fill up your tub, throw in a bath bomb or some bath salts, turn on some smooth jazz, and soak in the water for a little while. Just make sure to clean your tub first.

Masturbate | Maybe don’t do this if there are other people in the house and you don’t have a lock on your door, because there’s a good chance of you getting caught (I’ve had a few close calls in the past), but if you can find somewhere private and appropriate (please don’t do this in a public space) to rub one off, do it. Masturbating reduces sexual tension and stress, helps you sleep, and relieves cramps and headaches. Not everyone may be comfortable doing this, but I’m going to tell you right now that there is no better way to build confidence in yourself than to explore your own body and figure out what brings you pleasure. Waiting around for someone else to do it for you can lead to some lackluster sex in the future (according to my mom; I have no personal experience with sex, but masturbation is great, I highly recommend it).

Cry | Watching bunny videos and listening to Kenny G won’t always be what you need. Sometimes the best way to relax is to cry all your frustration, sadness and stress out. Crying releases toxins and reduces emotional stress by getting rid of stress hormones and other chemicals that negatively affect the body. Crying every day, for no apparent reason, however, can be a sign of severe distress, depression, or some other mental illness that should be treated. It’s okay to cry when you feel overwhelmed or like your emotions are clogging up, so don’t be afraid to curl up on your side and sob like your life is ending. You may end up feeling better than ever once you’re done, because not only will you have let everything out, but you’ll also be able to think more clearly once all of those negative emotions have been flushed out of you.

Play with Makeup | This one probably seems silly, but I mean it: play with makeup. Whether that means swatching all your eye shadows and highlighters for the 10th time or doing a full face with products you don’t usually use, messing around with makeup can give you some time to enjoy yourself and not worry about the things in life that feel significant but are in fact trivial. Not everyone uses makeup, and I understand that, so obviously this wouldn’t apply to you, but it could. Go out to your local Walmart or Walgreens and get some cheap drugstore makeup to play around with (unless you have sensitive skin, then you probably shouldn’t do that). You don’t have to get or do anything extravagant; sometimes it’s fun simply to put on a sparkly lip gloss and clumpy mascara and walk around your house in your pajamas acting like a supermodel going down the runway.

Go for a Walk | Staying indoors all day every day can give your mind a chance to think up negative thoughts and let them fester, especially when you’re sitting in one place doing nothing for hours. Getting out of the house and doing something as simple as going for a walk can switch your mind over to a more positive space, or at least reduce the amount of bad vibes in the air. Walking regularly also reduces risk of heart attack and stroke, builds stronger bones and balance, lowers blood sugar, boosts energy and mood, and decreases stress levels by releasing endorphins (happy hormones). Even if all you do is go on a leisurely walk for 20 minutes every other day, that’s still better than nothing, and both your mind and body will thank you for taking the time to care for yourself.

Watch Something Heartwarming | What this means for you is totally up to your interpretation. You can watch YouTube videos, TV shows, music videos, movies, documentaries, birds, and so on. When you want to relax and get away from stress but are feeling especially lazy, watching something that makes you happy can be just as good as exercising or going out with friends (not that you shouldn’t do these things; try not to be a complete potato [like me]). Personally, I like to watch My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic when I finish classes and homework for the day because the lighthearted, friendship-focused aspect of the show makes me feel happy and helps me free myself from the mess of stress and anxiety I constantly find myself tangled up in. Don’t spend hours binge watching something, because then you get so caught up in a story that you don’t make time for anything else, but you could try to watch an episode or two of something a day if it makes you feel good. I highly suggest checking out My Little Pony and Phineas and Ferb. They may be for younger audiences, but that doesn’t mean they’re not awesome.

Color | Or finger paint, or sketch, or do photography- whatever rocks your roll (is that one right?). You don’t have to be inherently artistic to do art. Creating art reduces stress and anxiety, and increases creativity and positive emotions. Coloring while piano music plays in the background (gotta love that Yiruma) is so incredibly relaxing that I wish I took the time to do it more. The brain has been found to enter a sort of meditative state while coloring, which can help to lower stress and anxiety levels. Give coloring a try and see if it helps you relax, and don’t get upset if you go outside the lines- it’s completely fine.

Sit Outside | Run your hands over the grass, listen to birds sing and squirrels scurry up and down trees, watch the clouds/stars, and breathe in the fresh air (unless you live next to a paper mill or gas station or something, then don’t do that). Going outside is said to help with seasonal depression and improve mental health. If you sit outside during the day, you’ll also soak up some vitamin D, which helps with calcium and phosphorus regulation (maintain healthy bones). If you do decide to go outside during the day, make sure to wear sunscreen regardless of weather conditions (UV rays can still cut through clouds, my dudes).

Now get out of bed and go outside. It’s vitamin D time.

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