#also it should be noted that mary rose is extremely small for a 12 year old

[novemberistired]

Just A Trip

Chapter 2, Him.

Chapters: Part 1 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

(Unedited and Unbeta-d) Warnings: Underage Drinking, Forced Drinking, Harassment (both verbal and sexual), nonconsensual advances, blacking out, and self doubt. If any of this makes you uncomfortable, please do not read for your own health.  Thank you,  Nov.

“Thanks mama! I’ll be down in a moment!”

After Marinette told her mama she would be down soon, she gave the woman a huge grin. The grin was sweet and seemed to convince her mother nothing was wrong, so the older lady went back downstairs without much of a fight. When the small door closed behind her mother, Marinette’s grin faded away, turning into a frown. She hadn’t actually thought the smile would work, but since young she had been giving people fake smiles. She gave out a big sigh before turning to her closet and rummaging through her clothes. While she mindless picked out an outfit, she thought about the trip she would be going on. They would be leaving Paris and would be traveling all the way to America. Everyone in her class had thought it was a good idea, but Marinette didn’t actually want to go there. To be more specific, they would be traveling to Orlando, Florida, somewhere Marinette was extremely reluctant to go. She had been there a few times before, but her last trip and made her dread going back. When she was there, out with a few of her American friends, they had ran into a group of guys. One of them, who we’ll call Lucas, had dark brown hair with matching eyes. He was on the taller side, much taller than Marinette, but he seemed to have developed a thing for small bluenette. During almost the whole trip, he was always stuck at her side, always reaching for her hand. Mari was uncomfortable with this and told him to stop, but that had only made the harassment worse. Now he would try to go for cheek kisses, and would constantly ask for dates. Marinette told her friends about this, but most of them were trying to persuade her to give him a chance. Telling her that she should give the poor boy a chance, that he’s obviously desperate for her. Some said that they would kill for a guy like that, but that just filled Marinette up with dread. Should she give him a chance? Would that even be right? Was she in the wrong for constantly rejecting him? But Marinette just let the others ramble on, keeping her thoughts to herself.

Eventually, much to her own dismay, she and the guy, Lucas, were left alone at a restaurant. Her friends had ditched her, saying they were sick or had an emergency. He said that his friends told him the same thing, that it must’ve been fate for them to meet like this. He asked her out on a date, which he pulled out a rose while doing so. Marinette said No, not wanting to be alone with this guy for too long. But he didn’t leave it at that, he begged and begged her, making a huge scene in the restaurant. Marinette could feel the eyes on her and could hear the whispers around her. Some talked about how sad it was that the girl was rejecting him without giving him a chance, while others gossiped about her, calling her disgusting names. Marinette gave in, giving him a sad, hopeless yes. Her expression was of a crushed teen, one with no joy left. The guy scrambled off of his knees and gave her a big hug. He told her things like, “Finally! You won’t regret this!” and “You should’ve said yes sooner, since I know you were just playing hard to get!”. Lucas dragged Marinette out of the restaurant, setting off red flags in her brain. They were just going to eat, yes? Then why is he taking me away from the restaurant? Marinette wasn’t sure what was happening but she could just feel a pool a dread settle instead in her gut. He took her to the parking lot and pushed her into his car. He just kept yammering about how good of a date this was going to be, and how it was going to be the best surprise ever. Marinette stiffened as he entered the car and grabbed her thigh, her breath quickening. He stayed that way the whole time, getting upset when she would try to move his hand. They traveled for a miles, eventually stopping at a run down bar. The bar’s sign seemed like it was about to fall off, and most of it’s windows were smashed and boarded up. When he tried to drag her inside, she told him she couldn’t go in, that she was underage. He just ignored her and dragged her in anyways, greeting the few people inside. Marinette knew she didn’t belong at this kind of scene, where hookers and drug addicts were drinking their lungs out. She was wearing a white skirt and pink top, factor in her pig tails and she looked young. Not young as in late teens young, but she looked like a 12 year old. She did not fit in at all.  Lucas went up to the bartender and told him to give him his usual, but double the amount. The man just nodded and snorted as he looked at Marinette. He turned his back to them as he started making the shots, full of unknown liquids. Lucas forced Marinette to sit down next to him, where they sat on the musty barstools. The cushion of the stool looked red, but had rips and dark splatters all over it. He kept having his one sided conversation with the uncomfortable girl, until the drinks were ready. The bartender slid them over, one toppling over and spilling over Marinette. It stained her white skirt, giving it a brown-green stain. She felt sick. Lucas started drinking and tried to get her to do so as well. Eventually he got tired of her refusals and forcefully opened her jaw. He made her down the shots, giving her no time to spit it out or realize what was happening. She started to try to struggle, but dots started to form in her vision. The dots multiplied until all she could see was black.

It all went black.

Taglist: @maskedpainter, @jumpingjoy82, @sunflowers-and-mooncakes, @solangelo252 @crazylittlemunchkin I apologize if I forgot anyone, I haven’t been on for a while. The taglist is open, if anyone is wondering.

Notes: This chapter is more of giving you context, and the next will probably also be. I will be updating my other fics soon (the ones on the account May shares with me.) but I am really motivated for this fic and have most of the storyline figured out. But anyways, enough about that, how is everyone today? Are we doing well? Not so well? I hope we’re all doing great, and I wish you all an amazing day (or rest of the day/night.)

Thank you,

November.

#maribat #batman x mlb #mlb x batman #mlb x dc #Daminette #marinette x damian #dc x mlb #damian x marinette

[the-christian-walk]

FINDING THE KING

Can I pray for you in any way?

Send any prayer requests to [email protected] In Christ, Mark

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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

 After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.

 On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented Him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route.

 Matthew 2:9-12

 This ends today’s reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

 It had been a journey for the astrologers from the east, the Magi.

 We’re not sure where they were from exactly but the word “Magi” is associated with the region of Persia, modern day Iran. If that is the case, the distance would have been nearly 6,500 miles to Jerusalem. That’s a long way, even if someone rode a camel or a horse.

 The trip to Bethlehem was mild by those standards, a mere six miles to the south of the divine Judean capital city. The Magi had set out for the small town after receiving guidance from the Jewish “chief priests and teachers of the law” through the Roman ruler of the day, King Herod. You’ll recall that Herod commanded the Magi to go to Bethlehem and find Jesus, then report back to him the whereabouts so he could go and worship the newborn king. Of course, we know this was just a ruse because Herod’s real intent was to kill the baby, the Messiah referred to by the Magi as the “king of the Jews”. Herod would have no king cause issues for the Roman Empire and so all the best to eliminate the potential threat now.

 And so the Magi traveled south, still following the star until said star “stopped over the place” where Jesus was. Of note, Joseph, Mary, and Jesus were no longer in that stable but in a house. We don’t know anything about the home or its owners but it’s obvious that someone had provided the young family with shelter.

 Upon finding Jesus, the Messiah King, with “His mother Mary”, the Magi were overcome with thanks and praise, bowing down and worshiping the babe. It’s important that we remember the order of things here. The Magi paid tribute with their heart, mind, and soul before providing Jesus the physical gifts. Acts of the heart proceeded acts of the hand. When the gifts were provided, they weren’t cheap offerings but only the best: gold, frankincense and myrrh.

 We all get what gold is. It’s just a valued today as it was in the New Testament days.

 Frankincense and myrrh were both resins, nothing more than hardened sap from the Boswellia and Commiphora trees respectively. They were extremely valuable and only typically given as gifts to royalty. Frankincense could be used as incense or perfume while myrrh would be liquefied and used as an anointing oil.  

 The number of gifts, three, is what has led to the belief that there were three men who came to Jesus (the three wise men) but the truth is that there could have been more. Perhaps the number isn’t as important as the fact that the Magi went to great lengths to find Jesus and then paid Him the proper honors once they did. Through them, we see how we are to respond to Jesus when we find Him.

 First, we should bow down and worship Him with our heart, mind, and soul. There is no way we can do the work of Jesus unless we are fully submitted and committed to Him, acknowledging His divine, appointed place of authority over us (Matthew 28:18).

 Second, we should offer Him our best. Paul gives us a glimpse of one way to do that in His letter to the Roman Christians:

 “…offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Romans 12:1

 Once we commit our heart, mind, and soul, then we should offer up ourselves to Jesus, following His will. After all, He did tell all His followers that He is the way and the truth and the life (John 14:6). Indeed as a Christian, there is no other way than to live as Jesus did and in order to do that, we need to become living sacrifices, placing aside our desires to meet the desires of our Savior.

 As we approach the new year, how will you donate yourself to the work of Christ?

 We should also give Jesus our best physical gifts as a tribute to Him. We can do this in all sorts of ways whether donating to Christian causes that help those who are less fortunate, those Jesus referred to as the least of these. We can also make sure we give and do so generously to our church and the work it does to advance the Gospel of Jesus in the local community and abroad.

 As 2019 nears, are you giving your first fruits to the One who blesses you with them, enabling His work through your place of worship?

 As we ponder these questions, we can use the Magi as a great example of what devotion to Jesus looks like. For when they found Jesus the Messiah King, there complete focus was upon Him, both with their worship and their giving.

 In 2019, let’s all strive to do likewise.

 Amen.

 In Christ,

Mark

PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to [email protected]