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fallstreakfeathers · 4 years

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OM! Mc sheet

(update 7/18/20- information has been updated)

(form by @/luciferasmr )

Name: Kita (she never gives a surname, but it’s legally Bertrand)

Nickname (if any): n/a

Age: 23

Height: 5’5’’

Weight: 175Ib

Race: Human

Gender: Female

Birthdate: June 27

Star Sign: Cancer

Hair color: Medium Brown

Eye color: dark blue/green

Skin tone: light

Which sin are they like?

wrath

gluttony

greed

envy

pride

sloth

lust

(rest is under the cut because it gets super long)

Personality Traits: Let’s start with the negative, because it’s what’s seen the most in the first parts of Don’t Look Down: Kita has a very difficult time expressing most of her emotions correctly, partially because of her social anxiety and general nervousness. She’s afraid of social rejection, so she tends to isolate herself. She fears and doesn’t understand her own emotions, and is often even disgusted by them (particularly lust). Because of this, she’s prone to episodes of self-loathing and degrading herself. It isn’t exaggerating to say that fear rules much of Kita’s life. A lot of this behavior is due to her previous home situations and the way she grew up. Kita is easily spooked by rage and tends to automatically think that if someone’s angry it’s because of something she did. She has a hard time trusting others and when her trust is gained she can easily fall back into distrust weeks/months/years after the fact, even if she has no solid reason to. She does want to be able to express who she really is, but she often cannot get past her fears and probably won’t without help. Her disappointment in herself manifests itself as anger and causes her to snap at others or become snarky. She tends to treat others exactly how they treat her, regardless of the consequences. She believes that respect must be earned, and that simply demanding it is the quickest way to not get it. Kita is touch-starved, a result entirely of her own behavior, but frequently rejects any show of physical affection because of the way she sees herself and because she isn't used to it and doesn't understand the emotions it gives her or how to process them. It’s easier for her to pretend that she doesn’t deserve love and affection and to try to make herself as dislikeable and shut off as she can than attempt to take a risk and end up hurt. This is something she struggles with throughout Don’t Look Down. It isn’t a stretch to say that she’s constantly at war with herself and her own mind. This makes her susceptible to demons/etc that can manipulate the mind and her perception of the world around her.

Kita tends to hold very strong grudges if she feels she was wronged. Fortunately, it’s also (usually) fairly easy to get her forgiveness. On the flip side: She is incredibly loyal and protective of anyone who has managed to gain even a bit of her trust. When she loves someone, she loves very deeply and wholly. Due to her sensitivity to certain emotions, she is able to read moods fairly well and act accordingly. She finds it fairly easy to tell when someone is lying to her, although she rarely does anything about it but keep it in mind. Kita dislikes liars and is not a confrontational person unless angered. She’d rather know the truth, no matter how hard it is, than to catch someone being dishonest. She does not trust the Exchange Program, or Diavolo. Kita is extremely energetic and fun-loving within the safety of her mind, where she doesn’t have to fear others reactions. She likes to joke and snark with others. Kita currently shows her affection in small ways ( giving Beel treats from his favorite shop after a game, listening to Levi rant about TSL, etc) but will start showing physical affection as she becomes more comfortable. She has a strong urge to please others, and is usually pretty dependable. She doesn’t mind getting caught up in plot and schemes so long as it doesn’t pose a threat to her. She enjoys helping, even if the help is as small as retrieving a tool for someone. She actually really likes to wrestle and roughhouse with friends, and has a strong curiosity for the supernatural and for most new things. Despite being human, there isn’t much she wouldn’t be willing to do or lengths she wouldn’t go for those she cared for- even in a place as dangerous as the Devildom.

Background: Kita hates talking about her history, and actively brushes off questions about it with sarcastic remarks. (CW: mentions of abuse, alcohol, depression, anxiety. Kita has a shitty history with people and her family. ) Ages 1-11: Kita didn’t grow up in a supportive environment. Both her parents were alcoholics, and while she was never abused physically, the mental stress took a toll on her growing up and her ability to cope with things and express herself in a healthy way. Her father was a manipulative narcissist who frequently brought others down to bring himself up. As such, Kita grew up with a father who wanted nothing to do with her aside from her to stay out of his way and take care of the house. He often lied about his family to others to paint himself a victim. He frequently became drunk, only to shout and argue, sometimes for hours into the night. She always hid to avoid his rage. She has a very vivid memory of being woken up one night to this fighting and hearing him tell her mother that he did not love Kita and her twin. She has never forgotten. Kita, at 23, cannot be around drunk people without having dizzying anxiety. Her mother was better, but overly emotional and focused on her own feelings rather than her children's. All her mother's stressors were blamed on everyone else instead of her own behavior. She always had it worse than Kita and her twin, always ‘knew better’ than them, etc. While Kita was much closer to her mother than her father, she felt she could not trust her with talking about her own problems because of the way her feelings were often brushed off or marked as her being dramatic or over sensitive. She learned to bottle her emotions up in her childhood and to push them down until she would finally break, and then the process would repeat. Kita was 12 when she started telling herself she wasn’t worth anyone's time, and with nobody who would correct her, these thoughts only got worse and more destructive with time. She tended to fill the void she felt in herself with an excess of food and physical items. The food became habit and she struggles with her weight and physical image, although to a smaller extent than her mentality. Kita grew up witnessing her father's mental and verbal abuse towards her mother, and grew wary of ever entering a relationship with another person. Instead, she substituted that want with entertaining ideas of fictional characters that she knew could never hurt her. She became deeply enthralled with fantasy novels, and read them both out of interest and because they took her to another place- even for a short period of time. She doesn’t believe she’s ever been told by another person that they genuinely love her, and while part of that is her own fault- she also tends to believe that anyone who genuinely tells her that is lying- it’s done a number on her self esteem. To her, it proves herself right in the negative things she tells herself. She lacked friends in most of her school years because she closed herself off and intentionally made herself unlikeable. There was a period of time where she was bullied for her interests, and she received no help from adult figures. This would be around this time, at 16, that she really lost her trust in other people. Her anxiety spiked, and her depression worsened and she rarely spoke during her 17th year. Her twin moved out at 18 and she heard less and less from him until Kita herself moved out at 20 and cut ties with most people she’d known. She remained reclusive and although her depression waned, she continued nurturing bad mental habits. She left home only to work until her arrival in the Devildom.

Why were they chosen for Devildom? Kita asks herself this almost daily. [Will be revealed in DLD]

Hobbies: - Enjoys drawing although it frequently frustrates her. She uses art as a way to get rid of emotions she otherwise couldn’t handle. - She likes finding places to hide. It comforts her to know that she has places she can disappear should things get nasty, and the House of Lamentation is certainly full of hiding places.

Likes: - Storms. A good thunderstorm and a cup of tea tend to calm her better than anything, though she certainly wasn’t prepared for the strength of the thunder in the Devildom. - Snark/sarcasm. She greatly enjoys passing sarcastic remarks back and forth in good-natured banter. - She listens to music to sort her moods and emotions, even if she won’t act on them. It’s become a very important kind of therapy for her to remain in control of herself. - Stones. She doesn’t like precious stones for their monetary value, but for the emotional comfort they bring her. Malachite holds a special place in her heart and she often used it to ground herself when her anxiety got too strong. She’s had a hard time without a piece of it she could mess with.

Dislikes: - Kita despises being lied to. - She can’t stand people who smoke and doesn't like being around alcohol. - Being useless or a third wheel. - Diamonds/Rubies/other popular precious stones. She thinks they’re overrated and she feels hollow looking at them. She has a particular hatred for diamonds.

Casual Clothing

Top: Any neutral colored t-shirt. Agaros also lends her an outfit similar to his for when they go out on their motorbikes.

Bottoms: Grey sweats

Shoes: (dirty/stained) white tennis shoes

Accessories (if any): came to the Devildom with none. She acquires a few things, through Agaros: - A ring that monitors her heartbeat (she’s not aware of this. Agaros wanted to be able to know how she was doing when she was gone, but didn’t feel the need to draw attention to it or how much he actually enjoyed her company. The ring was very subtle and it connects to his own ring where he can feel her pulse. This does get addressed later). - An arm cuff with an enchanted moonstone that allows her to walk through areas of intense heat by forming a shield of cool air around her.

Glasses? nope.

Any alterations to their uniform? Kita’s uniform has an extra long sash that, instead of connecting to her shoulder, is long enough to dangle over it and down to her hips. She often clings to it when nervous or agitated.

Family

Mother: deceased

Father: alive

Siblings (if any): A twin, although she’s unaware if he is alive or not. Hasn’t had contact with him for years.

Pets? None, her apartment didn’t allow it.

How many friends does your Mc have? Kita distanced herself from all friends and relatives after moving out. Agaros is the first person she has considered a ‘friend’ in at least 4 years. He’s also the first in a very long time to really begin to see who she really is behind her thorns. It’s a big part of what attracted him to her in the first place, and like his obsession with machines, he wants to continue tinkering with and figuring out how this human works.

Has your MC had a relationship before? No.

Have they been in love? Not as far as she’s aware, but she’d definitely had a few crushes...Usually on fictional characters, but occasionally a real person worms their way into her sights.

How easy do they gain crushes? Fairly easily, but she doesn’t realize it because she tends to push the emotion down.

Do they believe in love? Kita doesn’t believe in ‘love at first sight’ and openly scoffs at the idea. She believes something like that is impossible, and she won’t be swayed on that. She does believe in love itself and its ‘types’.

What’s their type? She really couldn’t tell you. If she likes someone, she likes them. If she doesn't, she doesn't. She could be around 2 people with similar personality and morals and she could still dislike one of them and like the other. She’s not fond of flirting unless she already knows the person.

Sexuality: She never bothered trying to label herself but whatever she is, she leans towards men.

Which one of the 7 brothers does your MC like the most? Currently: Beelzebub (much) Later: Belphegor

Why ? Although originally intimidated by his size, Beel’s rather quiet disposition and his bluntness made him easy to be around because Kita didn’t need to dissect any hidden meaning in his words. He also didn’t make her feel like she had to speak or explain herself or her actions. To put it simply: she didn’t feel like he really judged her for anything she did, and that was important to her. She didn’t feel like she needed a ‘reason’ to talk to him, even if she rarely did when she first arrived, and she didn’t feel like he lied to her often. Eventually as Kita got to know him better, she became very fond of his kindness and how much he cares for his family. What traits do they look for in a partner? She has to be able to sit in a comfortable silence with whoever her potential partner is. They also need to be able to make her laugh, and she needs to be able to feel like she can be herself with them. She does not, and will never, do ‘one night stands’. She finds them wrong and dangerous.

Favorite food: most sweet food, but she’s rarely picky

Least favorite: sour pastas and anything pickled (except actual pickles)

Favorite topic in school: fond of classes where she learns about the flora and fauna of the world and about its other inhabitants. She has a particular interest in dragon and demon physiology and learning about various demons abilities.

Least favorite topic: math, dislikes anything having to do with dissection.

Favorite color: Grey. Grey is soft and safe and reminds her of storm clouds.

Least favorite color: yellow. Too bright and in-your-face.

Do they like to be sociable or are they more of a recluse? Recluse.

Favorite movie genre? Comedy. Fantasy

Do they read a lot or no? Read a lot of fantasy before entering the Devildom. Generally reads nonfiction science/etc now that she doesn’t feel like she has the need to use fantasy novels to escape her boring reality. Reality has become a strange kind of fantasy to her.

Favorite animal: Dragons, although she previously didn’t believe they were real. Loves dogs.

Favorite genre of music: Trailer/epic orchestral tracks.

Least favorite genre: Refuses to listen to heavy metal or opera. Also generally despises rap.

Do they like sweets? yEAH

Do they like spicy food? Not a fan

Do they like school? She enjoys certain topics but isn’t fond of being stuck in a room with 35 other people she doesn’t know. Also isn't fond of being graded.

Pet peeves: Kita can’t stand others trying to take food off her plate. She doesn’t mind sharing, just don’t take it from her without permission. She’s smacked Beel’s hand plenty of times, and will even go so far as to grab her plate and turn her chair away from the table to eat. She also hates her arm being poked. Doesn’t like most nicknames unless she’s especially close with the person.

#obey me #obey me oc #obey me fanfic #obey me meme #Don't Look Down #arkwrites #obey me template #q #dont look down #this was fun!

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katie-dub · 5 years

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The Princess of White Chapel (12/12)

Dr Killian Jones is having a terrible day. He’s got a mission, he’s got a time machine, he’s got … drunk. What could possibly go wrong?

AO3 | Tumblr

Rated M for alcohol use, violence, minor character death, frank discussions of depression and grief.

I can’t believe we’re at the end - thank you to all of you for reading, to my betas, the ever fantastic @distant-rose and @ultraluckycatnd, and to the talented @princesse-swan for creating beautiful art for me.

Now, on with the show!

One Year Later

He was on a pirate ship, hand and hook on the ship’s wheel. The salty sea breeze felt good against his skin, soothing the heat of the hot, summer sun. Princess Emma was leaning against the railings, smiling brighter than any star in the sky and giggling as the breeze wafted her curls across her face.

Lily circled lazily overhead, on guard for attack from pirates, the Evil Queen, or the villain Rumplestiltskin. But those dark clouds on the horizon could not spoil this moment, for he was here with his love. He was at peace.

“Dr Jones, Dr Jones, calling Dr Jones!” Despite being fast asleep just moments ago, Killian's reactions were laser fast. His arm shot out and he answered the phone as he yanked it to his ear.

“I can send you to another bloody realm you know, Scarlet,” he growled. “Don’t test me.”

“Oh really?” Belle replied. He pulled the phone away from his ear to squint at it in confusion. Will’s face pouted up at him in a ridiculous kiss face.

“Why are you using Will’s phone?”

“Forgot to put mine on charge last night.”

“You never forget to put your phone on charge.” Killian could practically hear her blush at his unspoken accusation.

“Yeah, well, we were.. Um. Busy,” she blustered.

“Well, well, well Miss French. Find yourself busy with our dear Will often? If so, I'd suggest you get your jabs. You don't know where that boy's been.”

“Killian!” Belle was equal parts indignant and embarrassed. “What we - if I - look, if you're still coming to book group, can you bring that book you told me about?”

“I wouldn't miss it for the world.”

“Really? I thought you might feel a bit uncomfortable, what with the subject matter…”

He glanced over at his copy of Atonement on his nightstand. “Lovers cruelly torn apart before their love story had truly begun? Yeah, I know that feeling.”

“Sorry.” Killian felt as though he could hear Belle's wince through the phone. “Honestly, I'll understand if it's too much.”

“It's fine, love. The counselling is helping me to cope with everything. At least this couple got their happily ever after, if only in fiction.”

He briefly wondered what he and Emma’s fictional happy ending would have been. He could practically see it, him gazing at her in adoration as they said their vows, her radiant smile as he dipped her into their first kiss as husband and wife.

He realised that he hadn't been listening to Belle at all, caught up in a love story that could never be. “... Should I stop by your place on the way?”

“Sure, you can tell me all about how Will finally tricked you into accepting that date.”

“I heard that!” Will shouted in the background.

“I meant you to!” Killian called back.

Belle sighed. “I'll see you at 7.”

“Bye. Don’t do anything I wouldn't do.” He raised his voice. “And, yes, that includes Will.” He was expecting the sudden silence that greeted his words. He may give Belle a hard time, but he really was pleased that they'd finally got their act together.

His eyes flicked to the time on his phone. 8:15am. Too late to go back to sleep, but he didn't quite feel ready to leave the comfort of his bed behind and face the world.

Instead, he pulled up Facebook and scrolled through his feed.

Cute baby.

Woah, seriously ugly baby. Bloody hell, what an unfortunate face, Killian thought to himself, swiping just a little faster away from the photo.

Robin Locksley shared a post from The Guardian:

A Crocodile in our Midst

“One year on from the appearance of the London Dragon, and the start of the Enchanted Disaster, we now know one man was behind it all. Robert Gold. Now that the scale of Gold’s influence and empire built on favours, deceit and corruption at the highest levels has been revealed, we ask; what lessons can we learn?”

He hesitated. Stared at the post long and hard. He should have known his feed would be full of stories like this today.

He couldn’t read it now. Perhaps he never would be able to. He’d been through enough in the past year, reporting to the Darling Inquiry, to the police, to the university.

He was finally in a better place. People finally knew what a monster Gold really was, had always been. He was working alongside Dr Smee at Imperial College London. He was getting out more. He was having regular sessions with Dr Hopper.

But still.

He sighed and continued to scroll.

Holiday photos.

Cute children.

Cute dog.

Cute baby.

Aurora Rosen shared a post from The Daily Mail “People are so mean!!! Leave this family alone!!!”:

‘Leave our princess in peace!’ plead Ashley and Sean Herman

Alexandra Herman stole all of our hearts as the face of the Enchanted Disaster, a beautiful little girl lost in another world. Her parents’ campaign for her safe return had a happy ending, but now that she is safely home, they beg for privacy.

Cute baby.

Holiday photos.

Ironic “wish you were here” post of a dowdy living room presumably intended to get a laugh, but coming off a little too bitter.

Ruby Lucas shared a post from OK! Magazine UK “Get it girls ;)”:

A Royal Romance for Rapunzel

“Singer Rapunzel and Princess Elsa open up for the first time about how their shared ordeal kidnapped by Gold led to them finding love.”

So many people had been brought together by the strange happenings in town, and what did he have to show for it? Two pictures on his wall. Emma’s sketch of a swan and the recent painting he’d done of a swan on the Thames that had made him smile. The first painting he’d done since she’d left that he actually thought worthy of hanging on the wall. Yes, it was lovely to feel that Emma had helped him to rediscover his love of painting, which gave him a link to both of his lost loves, but still... A painting couldn't ask about his day, couldn’t hold him at night, couldn’t borrow his phone when it forgot to charge its own phone because of their more enjoyable activities.

God he never thought he’d be jealous of Will bloody Scarlett.

Killian sighed and put his phone to one side. It was no good. Everything was making him think of Emma. It was still several hours until he had to be at their spot, he needed a better distraction than social media.

He’d been putting off deep cleaning his fridge. No time like the present.

***

He was at their spot and the sun was shining. It wasn’t the harsh, oppressive and overwhelming heat of the previous year, but instead a gorgeous sunny day.

He should have been grateful that on his and Emma’s day, the weather was glorious, but he felt angry. There should be storms raging, torrential rain, unnatural, unseasonable fog. Something, anything to show that the world understood what he had lost.

This resentment wasn’t a new feeling to him. He’d spent years biting his tongue at the way his friends prodded him about his love life or how an acquaintance would casually refer to the loss of Milah or at the sight of Gold. His short time with Emma and the healing that he’d done in the past year had helped him to not feel overwhelmed by it. On a normal day.

But today, it was all too much.

Twice he had loved wholly, honestly and truly; and twice that love and joy had been ripped from him.

He could see how much more to life there was than just romantic love now. His therapy had helped him to appreciate the richness and beauty in all aspects of his life. But he was a passionate man and he longed to share his heart with another. The absence of that love left an emptiness inside him that caused a deep ache if he dwelt on it for long, because whoever heard of lightning striking thrice?

The beautiful day made him feel like the world was taunting him. It was just so unfair. Where was the sense in anything that had happened? As he seethed, questions whirled through his mind, he could feel his wrath taking over. His muscles tensed, he clenched his teeth, his chest felt tight as the tempest grew.

No.

Not today.

He needed to reclaim today as a celebration of his short time with Emma. He couldn’t let his fury win.

He stared at the water and tried to remember the mindfulness exercises that Dr Hopper had taught him to help him to cope. Eyes unfocused. Deep breaths. Feel the bench beneath him. Listen to the sounds around him. Notice how he felt. Don’t try to change it. Accept it. Sit with his feelings.

He caught a glimpse of golden hair.

“Swan?”

The woman spun, he knew it wouldn’t be her. He’d done this so many times before. Especially in the beginning. She had magic. She was from an entire realm full of magic. She could find a way. She would… He’d always been disappointed.

“Yes?” Green eyes looked back at him. She had soft cheeks, a dimpled chin, she was perfect. She couldn’t possibly be real. Then she frowned at him. “Do I know you? Because you said my name and now you’re doing some kind of creepy stalker thing and I’m really not into that.”

“Are you Emma Swan?”

She held up her hands and stepped back from him. “Listen, buddy -”

Killian shook his head. “I’m sorry, I’m being so weird. Um, you know the Enchanted Disaster that happened?”

“Yeah! Is it bad if I say that I thought it was cool as fuck? I may have snuck a niffler home. Kind of regretted that when the little fucker tore my purse to shreds looking for treasure.”

“OK, well, I met another you, from the Enchanted Forest.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah.”

“But I didn’t end up the other realm?”

“Not everyone switched places. Some people stumbled through portals. She was the first. Faced off against the London Dragon?”

“Oh god, I remember that! People kept asking where I’d learned how to do magic, didn’t like it when I said Hogwarts. But if you’re going to ask a dumb question...”

Killian laughed and nodded. This was so weird. She was Emma, but not Emma. She had the same dry sense of humour, but with the addition of pop culture references. He realised that he’d waited too long to say more, still overawed. “The dragon was actually friends with Emma,” he said, desperate for the conversation to continue.

Emma frowned at him and shook her head incredulously. “Oh come on! Now I know you’re making this up.”

“No really! I didn’t much like her, kind of a bitch and a major fire hazard. Honestly, I don’t miss having her in my flat.”

“You had Maleficent in your apartment?”

“I believe she’s Lily’s mother actually.”

Emma smirked at him. “Bullshit.” He just raised his eyebrows and cocked his head, trying to give off a “you keep telling yourself that” vibe as he grinned. “If I believe you then I have to accept that the street art I keep seeing of her looking like some kind of badass female Saint George is all anti-dragon propaganda. You have to let me have that vision, people buy me drinks because they think I’m her, I’ve gotten laid because of it.”

He laughed. “Far be it from me to cramp your style, Emma may not have actually slain the dragon, but she was definitely a badass. Have you seen the one of her looking like Wonder Woman with the lightsaber?”

“In the parking lot on Brick Lane? I love that one!”

“She loved it too. Of course, she didn’t actually know what a lightsaber was.” He laughed at the memory.

“Tell me you fixed that immediately or I’m not sure we can be friends.”

He laughed. “As if I would deny anyone a proper Star Wars education.” Emma nodded her approval. “Hey would you like to get a coffee?” The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them.

Emma shook her head and his face fell. “Sorry, er, what did you say your name was?”

“Killian,” he said, trying not to feel too sad. He studied his feet, wondering if the ground could just open up and swallow him. Of course she wouldn’t want to get coffee, this was so strange and he’d approached her in the weirdest possible way.

“Maybe we could get a hot chocolate instead?” He looked up at her in surprise. She shrugged. “I don’t drink coffee,” she said apologetically. “Is that ok?”

“Yeah.” He was dazed, stunned into stupidity by this new Emma Swan.

“Come on, I want to hear all about how awesome I am.” She winked at him. And for the first time since Princess Emma had stepped through that portal he felt that powerful feeling surging through him and lighting him up inside. For the first time since she left, Killian had hope.

#csbb #cs ff #captain swan #ouat ff #katie dub writes #tpowc

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distant-rose · 6 years

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Seal of Fate Epilogue (8/8)

Notes: Did I actually finish a story? Yes, internet, I did. And if you’re reading Once and Future and Playing Off Foul, I promise I will get back to it soon before I post my law school au. Anyway, this has been a wild ride and I have honestly loved all the responses I’ve gotten on this, particularly all of the panic and questioning of whether this last bit would be as angsty as the last bits. I’m going to say....you can be relax. This isn’t angsty at all. In fact, I think you’ll quite like it. Anyway, a special thank you to @katie-dub and @shireness-says for being so supportive. A thanks to @cssns and @drowned-dreamer whose gorgeous art will feature at the bottom of this epilogue. And as always, a huge thank you to @aerica13, my amazing beta. I couldn’t have done it without you babe! Word Count: 4,100+ AO3: [LINK] Chapters: Prologue | One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Epilogue Rating: T+

The Vineyard Sound was calm, the surface of the water almost as smooth as glass as Emma Swan sat down on the front porch of the yellow beach house. There wasn’t a single soul on the beach across the road, but it was only May and she could only imagine how crowded it got once the vacationers arrived. She knew from what Granny Lucas had told her that the beach was a private one and meant only for the residents of the neighborhood but Emma assumed the majority of the houses here were rental properties and soon the street would be crowded with strangers.

Emma hadn’t expected to remain on the Vineyard past October but something had felt wrong about returning to Maine, especially with Killian in tow. Nothing was waiting for her there while Memensha was full of ghosts, full of history that she had yet to uncover. So, she had given up her shitty loft apartment and decided to stay. She had appealed to the Lucases to remain in the house, offering to pay extra in rent. Ruby and Granny were more than willing to let them stay in the house but had refused their money, claiming that the property should have been hers in the first place because it had been Ruth Nolan’s before it had fallen into their possession. Granny had even forced Ruby to return the rental money, something that Emma was certain had more to do with her guilt than the debatable ownership of the beach house. Feeling awkward about the situation, she had insisted on paying utilities which they relented on.

Emma had taken to working shifts at the diner over the winter on top of working as a freelancer investigator alongside Killian. The majority of their work was on the mainland but Emma sensed that he enjoyed their near daily-ride over to Hyannis, his eyes glued to the ocean. He had yet to go near the water since he had lost his hand. More than once she had caught him looking out over the Atlantic with a mixture of longing and anxiety.

Two fur pelts were waiting in the top dresser, dark and sleek next to white and fluffy; one much larger than the other. They never talked about it but Emma knew it was only a matter of time.

Killian placed a whiskered kiss on her cheek as he placed her hot chocolate down on the table and sat down in the chair beside her, knee bumping into hers. Emma gave him a soft smile, mug in one hand and placing the other on top of his truncated wrist. She had taken to touching his injury in hopes of helping him become more accepting of it. In the first few weeks since the incident, he had taken to hiding it from view. If he had been a normal person with an actual driver’s license and health insurance, Emma was certain he would have been in therapy for it. Since none of those things were available, it was up to her to help him heal from his injuries and trauma. All the websites had recommended she treat his injury as it were normal and that she didn’t see him as less for it. It had been a long and rough road over the winter, yet they were both getting there slowly but surely. Rather than shake her off, as he had done in previous months, today Killian just stiffened briefly at the contact. He relaxed when he turned his attention on the water. Emma took this as a small victory.

“It’s calm out there today,” he said quietly as he drank from his own mug.

“I was just thinking that. And how it won’t be long before it’s swarmed with people.”

“Aye,” he placed his mug down, jaw tightening. “Which is why I think now is the time.”

“Time?” She looked at him uncertainty.

“Time,” he repeated. “Time for us to take a swim.”

“Now? In May? Are you serious? The water is probably freezing!”

“Perhaps to a human, but not to us,” he said quietly. “The ocean is a part of us, love. It’s our home.”

Emma hesitated, placing her hot chocolate on the table and straightening her shoulders. This is a conversation she had played over and over in her head during the past months. They should have talked about this sooner but she had been so happy to have him in her life and so desperate to keep him after everything that had happened, she had allowed them to play house while keeping her fears trapped in the back of her mind.

“It is your home,” she said, looking him in the eye. “But I’m not sure it’s mine.”

“What do you mean, love?” He was looking at her with such concern that it almost hurt.

“I was born a selkie but I’ve lived the last thirty years of my life as a human being. The only time I’ve really spent around the ocean has been when I came here. I don’t even know how to swim, Killian, that wasn’t necessarily a priority for kids in foster care, you know?” She took in a deep breath. “And my pelt...you’ve seen it...it belongs to a baby…what if my connection to it is broken? What if I can’t connect like you can?” Her voice wavered slightly on the last question.

Killian met her gaze steadily, taking her hand off her mug and entwining it with his hand, interlocking their fingers and giving them a small squeeze.

“Been thinking about this for awhile now, have you?”

She bit her lip, not wanting to tell him that she had been thinking about it since October. When she didn’t answer his question, he sighed and spoke again.

“Emma, what happened to you...was unprecedented to say the least. I understand why Granny did what she did even though I don’t and could never agree with it...I don’t know what will happen if you tried to slip into your sealskin but what I do know is that no matter what happens, I’m not leaving.”

“I can’t keep you from the ocean, Killian,” she whispered.

“I can’t promise that the tide won’t call to me - I will need to leave at times, but there is something that I can promise and that promise is that I will always, always come back to you. You are as much part of me as the ocean is, love, and I don’t think I could bear being separated from you any more than I could being separated from it.”

He squeezed her hand again before bringing it up to his lips and placing a kiss on her knuckles.

“Well okay then, you’re certainly no Mr. Darcy,” she responded with an uneasy laugh. She expected him to give her his patented curious look but much to her surprise, he gave her a small smirk and quirked an eyebrow at her.

“I’ll take that as a compliment, love, he was quite a wretched orator. I would have been insulted by that proposal as well and would have hit him for good measure. Much better writer.”

Emma blinked, not expecting this response. “You know who Mr. Darcy is?”

He gave her a slightly condescending look, as if she had dribbled on her shirt.

“I’ve been on dry land for nearly eight months now, love. I know how to read and have plenty of spare time to catch up on all the delightful references you seem to make…” he paused for a moment, smirk growing on his lips. “So, if I’m not Darcy, then who am I?”

“Mr. Collins,” she drawled.

“Hey!” He pushed her shoulder lightly. “That’s not nice! I’m Mr. Bingley at worst.”

“So you would rather to be the guy who can’t make his own decisions and is easily persuaded by his sisters and best friend?”

He frowned at that. “Perhaps not. I’m more of a Mr. Knightley kind of man anyway.”

Emma’s eyebrows knitted in confusion as she tried to recall a Mr. Knightley character in Pride and Prejudice. When she came up short, she frowned at him.

“There isn’t a Mr. Knightley in Pride and Prejudice.”

“No, there isn’t. I’m afraid he’s in character in another one of Jane Austen’s works. The novel he’s in is probably my favorite of her books. I think we both have a lot in common, particularly in regard to women.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, he happens to be in love with the titular character, a woman who is headstrong and a complete force of nature. Her name fits her perfectly.”

“Oh, what’s her name?”

He gave her a fond smile. “Emma.”

She almost hated how much her heart leapt in her chest when he said that. It didn’t seem to matter how many times he had expressed his feelings to her, every time felt new and sent a jolt through her system. It didn’t seem like a reaction that was going away anytime soon.

She leaned forward, giving him a brief kiss before pulling away and bumping his nose with hers.

“You’re a sap.”

“Perhaps, but I’m your sap,” he replied, squeezing her hand again. “And I think we’ve drifted dreadfully off course with our conversation in regards to swimming.”

She shook her head.

“It’s way too cold. It’s practically still ice. We had frost on the ground last week for Christ’s sake.”

“And as I said before, it’s too cold for a human but not for us.”

“And as I said before, we don’t know if I’m selkie enough for it.”

“Well, there’s only one way to find out.”

She studied him for a moment, taking in the earnest expression on his face before sighing and getting up from her chair. She stretched out her limbs, raising her arms and rolling her shoulders.

“Alright, fine, but if I freeze to death, I’m going to kill you.”

“Don’t worry, love, if you get too cold, I know more than a few ways to warm you up,” he replied with a leer, eyebrows dancing.

Emma gave him a whack on the shoulder in response, but the reproach in her actions was negated slightly by the small smile that was tugging at her lips.

It was while she was rummaging through the dresser that Emma realized that not once in her life had she owned a bathing suit. The revelation heightened her anxiety, another reminder that Emma had been completely separated from the ocean, from Killian’s world. She pulled on a sports bra and a pair of running shorts, hoping that they would suffice.

Her fingers trembled slightly as she opened the top drawer, revealing the pelts that had been left untouched since October. She ran her fingers through the fluffy white fur, relishing in the calm feeling it always seem to provide her whenever she felt stressed. She pulled it out, staring at it with mixture of fondness and dread. It would barely suffice as a shawl, let alone cover her entire body. She didn’t have a lot of optimism in that department. She sighed as she placed it in the beach bag she had pulled out of the closet. At least she would finally have answers.

She was worried about touching Killian’s pelt, remembering how he had reacted the last time he had caught her with it. Though it had been eight months since that incident, the look on his face when she had hesitated in returning it was still fresh in her mind.

“You gonna pack it up or what?” He called over her shoulder, causing her to jump.

She turned, fixing him with a glare.

“Don’t sneak up on me like that!”

“Apologies, love, but you seemed to be taking a while to get ready,” he responded with a frown.

His eyes darted between the pelt in the drawer and the fear on her face. Emma watched as understanding seemed to dawn on him. He stepped forth, placing his hand and wrist on her shoulders, smoothing them down her arms.

“You can touch it,” he said quietly.

“I didn’t know if I was allowed,” she responded. “I’m still kinda new at this.”

“You’re more than allowed...it’s as much yours as it is mine.”

“I don’t want your pelt, Killian. It’s yours. I don’t know how to make it more clear that I don’t want to trap you.”

“And I don’t know how times I have to tell you that I love you and I’m not leaving you. You’re not trapping me. It’s just a gesture of trust. I trust you.”

“I don’t need it, okay?”

“Okay,” he sighed, kissing her forehead. “Now, grab the damn pelt and let’s hit the water.”

They walked across the street, fingers interlocked and hands swinging between them. Emma paused as they got nearer to the shoreline, her eyes darting up the coast and towards the Gold house which still stood imperiously on the hill overlooking the street. There was no one there but she couldn’t help but shiver every time she saw it, thinking of the horror show basement and the jar of teeth on the mantle. The house technically now belonged to Gold’s estranged son but no one had heard anything from him since he had left the Vineyard and the radio silence had continued even after his father’s death.

She still had nightmares about the incident. Her dreams were plagued with shrill laughter and red ocean water. Even the discovery of Gold’s mangled body fifteen minutes away on South Beach near Katama had done little to assuage her fears. Only Killian’s presence beside her at night seemed to help - though still, every once in a while, she woke up screaming and they would both sit outside with hot chocolate and stare at the water.

Killian seemed to follow her line of thought, loosening her hold on his hand so that he could wrap an arm around her shoulder and pull her close. He placed a kiss on her temple.

“Hey, he’s gone. He can’t hurt us, you know that.”

“I know,” she replied quietly. “I just want to burn the place to the ground though. I can’t look at it...without thinking of my parents...of Milah...of all the people he’s murdered and the selkies he’s skinned...He deserved a lot worse than he got.”

Killian flinched slightly at her words. He was still coming to grips with everything Gold had done in the past, as she was herself. They had spent more hours than they could count talking about the gravity of what he had done to them, to the people they loved. There was still a lot of anger and pain buried in them that they needed to work out but Emma hoped it would lessen with time.

“I don’t know, Swan, getting mauled to death by a shark is a selkie’s worst fear. I can’t think of a more fitting death aside from it being at one of our hands - well, in my case, hand.”

She was silent for a moment, choosing her words carefully.

“I’m glad.”

“About what?”

“I’m glad that it wasn’t us. I’m glad that we didn’t kill him because then his blood would be on our hands and we would have stooped to his level.”

“I think I’m going to disagree with you on that, love, and table it there. It’s not worth the argument. That man isn’t worth any more of our time than he’s already taken. Now, I’m going to teach you to swim.”

Emma reached to grab the pelts from her bag but Killian stopped her, placing his hand gently on her arm.

“I was thinking I would teach you the human way first. There’s no need to rush into this head on. Shifting form can be uncomfortable and I want you more comfortable in the water before we add to that…”

She nodded, dropping the beach bag on the sand and shifting around the beach towels to cover up the pelts. There wasn’t anyone on the beach but Emma felt more comfortable covering them, hidden from view should anyone walk by.

It was Killian who hesitated this time, just short of where the waves were gently lapping at the shore. His shoulders were tense and squared up, as if he was facing the enemy rather than the place he called home.

“You okay?” she placed a hand between his shoulder blades.

“I…” he paused, a muscle jumping in his jaw. “I haven’t been in the water since it happened.”

Her heart clenched in sympathy and it was then that she realized that she wasn’t the only one anxious about this. Killian had frequently mentioned that getting caught by a shark was a nightmare scenario for a selkie and it was a nightmare he had barely survived. Emma had always figured that his reluctance in the past months to return to the ocean had been about his missing limb but now she realized it was only a part of it.

“Hey,” she murmured, smoothing her hand down his back. “I got you and you got me. We’re going to be okay.”

He laughed at this but Emma could hear some strain in it.

“Aye, I’ve seen your shark fighting skills up close and personal, Swan. If anyone’s going to save me from the finned devils, it’s you.”

“Exactly,” she grinned. “So what are you waiting for?”

The water was cold but not nearly as bad as she had been expecting and the longer she waded in the water, the more she got used to it. Killian gave her a smug grin as she followed him farther into the waves.

“Not too cold for you?”

“Yeah. It’s not too bad. What is it, like, 70 degrees?”

“I don’t know how your garbage American temperature systems works but it’s like 13 or 14 degrees celsius.”

Emma did the math quickly in her head, eyes widening in realization. She looked down at the water then back at his face in astonishment.

“Jesus Christ, so this is like 45-50 degree water we’re in! How are we not freezing?”

He laughed. “How many times do I have to tell you that selkies don’t work the same way humans do? Our bodies are designed for this. I’ve happily stayed in these waters during the winter when it’s much colder than this.”

“I guess I just didn’t expect it would be the same for me…”

“Hey,” he said softly. “What happened to you doesn’t make you any less, okay? You might have been out of the water for a long time but you were born one of us. You were always one of us...Now, want to see something else we can do that they can’t?”

“Ummm...sure?”

He laughed, head disappearing under the waves. She stared in confusion, not comprehending what he was doing. A few moments passed and nothing happened. His head broke the surface of the water and he gave her a frown.

“You were supposed to follow me…”

“Killian, I’m barely swimming as is, I don’t need to go under.”

“You’re fine and yes, you do.”

“Why?”

He gave an annoyed look. “Can you just trust me please?”

“Fine, fine,” she replied, rolling her eyes.

She closed her eyes, dunking her head under the waves. With her head submerged, it felt slightly warmer and she waited for something to happen. When something touched her face, she opened her eyes without meaning to.

Clear vision.

Emma had never stepped foot in a pond, lake, pool or any body of water to speak of but she was very much familiar with the fact that normal people generally couldn’t see that well in water and that old filmmakers had used wax paper to show that effect. She found no difference in vision between land and sea.

Killian smiled at her, pulling his hand away from her cheek and holding up three fingers. Slightly confused, she copied him. His smile widened as he brought up his pinkie and spread his middle and ring finger to make a Vulcan salute. Again, she followed suit. He did a few series of hand motions, each more complex than the last, changing it up every time she finally did each one. When she copied the last one, which was a simple cross of fingers, he moved forth to kiss her.

It wasn’t nearly as romantic as the movies made it seem, nose banging into hers, lips sliding awkwardly and teeth clacking when he pushed forth with a little too much effort. It was how Emma imagined kissing in space would be like - a cute idea but hard to maneuver in reality. It got better when he anchored his hand in her hair. It didn’t last long however, as Emma’s lungs practically screamed for air. She couldn’t help but laugh as she broke the surface.

“That...that was something!” She chuckled.

Killian tugged her closer, bringing her in for another kiss that was more successful than the last one and had more heat to it. She was constantly falling in love with the soft sound he made when she would nip at his bottom lip.

“You could see,” he murmured, smiling at her and resting his forehead against hers.

“I could,” she grinned.

“That’s good sign. Are you ready to try the pelt?”

“Honestly no but it’s better to do this now rather than speculate on it any further.”

It wasn’t until they reached that shore that Emma felt her nerves kick into overdrive, heart hammering in her chest and adrenaline coursing through her veins. Killian grabbed both of their pelts and handed hers over with a soft smile.

“Whatever happens, we are going to be okay,” he reminded her gently.

They dived back into the surf, swimming further out than where they had been last time. Killian spread his pelt in front until the head was facing in his direction. Emma followed suit, her pelt looking slightly larger in the water than it did on land.

“You’re going to want to press your foot in,” he said quietly, demonstrating.

Dubiously, Emma copied the motion, slipping her foot into her sealskin. She had expected resistance, as it was only the fraction of her size but amazingly enough it stretched to envelope her entire leg. She looked back at Killian in amazement. He merely chuckled in response but pushing his other leg in. She followed his demonstration, lifting the stretching skin over her shoulders and finally her head.

A strange sensation to hold of her, bones shifting and clicking. It wasn’t painful so much as uncomfortable, shifting without her conscious thought. Her skin stung and she let out a small whimper, feeling like a thousand little needles were biting into her skin and sewing the pelt to her. Something wrapped itself around her, making comforting noises. She opened her eyes. A large seal was pressing its face against her, rubbing affectionately. She moved what she thought was her hand, only to realise her arm motion was limited. It took her a few seconds to realise she no longer had an arm but a flipper.

A flipper.

She was a seal.

Killian continued to circle her, nuzzling his head against her body and making small noises which she instinctively knew meant love and affection. As much as she returned his feelings, his constant circling was getting in the way of her learning to use her new limbs properly and she made an impatient nip at him. He seemed to get the message but only just barely, practically vibrating with excitement.

Moving in the water somehow was freer than walking on land and she revelled in maneuvering so effortless, letting out small trills of happiness. Never before in her life had she felt so free. Killian followed her, copying her movements and moving soft noises that were affectionate but different than his original message. It took Emma a few moments to figure out what he was communicating to her.

Welcome home.

#captain swan #cs ff #cs fic #cs fanfic #cs fanfiction #cssns #seal of fate #my fic #my shit

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dropintomanga · 6 years

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Faith Is Restored - An Interview With “Anime For Humanity”

Ever since I started this blog, I thought to myself whether I or someone else can start up a mental health organization that helps people using anime. I had some optimism at first, but grew jaded after seeing people’s impressions of anime and how anime was treated under the geek hierarchy over the years. Yet I found out that someone or should I say, a group of fans is doing what I envisioned in my head and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect

While I was reading up on the sudden “mental health” question that popped up in an “anime census”, I found out about an organization that anime fans should support when it came to mental health discussion. That organization is known as Anime For Humanity. They are based in Los Angeles and have been traveling throughout California at various conventions since starting in 2017.

I went to their site immediately and I was amazed that AFH are a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to using a medium that many fans love to promote mental health awareness. So I decided to get an interview with AFH and their outreach manager, Ruby, got back to me. Here’s what she had to say on Anime For Humanity, their beginnings, a couple of their projects, the hashtag movement they started, and more.

Q: How did Anime for Humanity get started? What made you see that anime was inspiring for anyone with mental illness?

Ruby: Before Anime For Humanity (AFH) started, we were an anime club with a passion for anime and community. We volunteered with local charities and hosted events that people enjoyed. Then we realized there were specific ways anime could have an impact and make a difference in people’s lives.

When we first thought about the causes Anime For Humanity should tackle, we took a moment to reflect on what anime brought and changed in our personal lives. We found out that most of us suffered through depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicidal thoughts. Only a few us did get professional help and others didn’t because of the so-called “stigma."

Q: What professional backgrounds do you have in mental health?

Ruby: Since AFH started as an anime club, we all came from different backgrounds, including artists, teachers, computer scientists and therapy counselors.

We do close work with other LPCCs (licensed professional clinical counselors) and LMFTs (licensed marriage and family therapists) that volunteer to host panels, speak at events and run support groups.

As a member of the Anime For Humanity Clinical Advisory Board, it is very important for AFH to work with therapists and counselors who understand the fandom and use it as to a tool to help people find healing and recovery.

Q: Clinical Advisory Board?

Ruby: The Clinical Advisory Board is an initiative made by Anime For Humanity. It is still under the work and part of the Anime Therapy Project. Since we attend a bunch of cons, a lot of licensed therapists stop by our booth and ask us to be involved in what we do. We call them the "Anime Therapists." :)

The purpose of the Clinical Advisory Board is to discuss scientific research done on anime and help polish Anime For Humanity’s upcoming projects/programs. We also have been working on building a "find an anime therapist near you" (which is similar to our “Find Healing” resources, but with a twist) where the anime/geek community can find a therapist near them who understands the fandom and maybe uses it as a tool for therapy.

So far, the project is still on alpha mode and local to LA. We are hopeful it will expand to other cities, states and around the world.

Q: With anime consumption almost completely online and anime conventions sometimes being the only spot to get fans together, how did you come up with ideas to get fans to come to your programs offline?

Ruby: Here in SoCal (Southern California), it happens that there is a convention every month where we get to be in touch with the attendees and tell them about what we do.

We are very grateful for all the convention organizers in our area because not only does the anime scene keep growing, but we also get to hand out local resources for people to get professional help.

Q: Describe what a typical workshop/support group session from Anime for Humanity is like.

The AFH support group is part of the Anime Therapy program, which is still under the works.

Q: What challenges came along the way as Anime for Humanity began to grow?

Ruby: One of the challenges Anime For Humanity faced when we first started was we weren't able to collaborate with other organizations because there wasn't much acceptance and support towards anime when discussing our mission and purpose.

Q: What did it take to get some of those who were skeptical onto your side? How did you convince them? I always felt anime has better acceptance in a place like California due to a large Asian population, Hollywood celebrities loving it, and a vibrant arts scene.

Ruby: At first, we couldn't convince them due to what they have been told about anime (ie. anime containing violent and sexual content) - things that didn't go with their mission and values.

But once we showed them how conventions were growing (especially the growth of Anime Expo) and how anime presents themes such as kindness, courage, and friendship. We also told them our story of how anime gave us a purpose to make a change in our community. That gave a spark to start the conversation and change their minds about anime. And yes! You’re right about anime being more accepted in California. As I mentioned earlier, there is more than one convention happening each month here in California, where people celebrate their fandom (comics, anime, cosplay, etc) Seeing cosplayers on the train/metro, cons popping up everywhere; that made it easy to promote Anime For Humanity!

Q: I liked how you involve gamers of all kinds to support Anime for Humanity via the "Play Anime Project." In your opinion, what is it about gamers that make them the most charitable people out there?

Ruby: Gamers are a great community. They are passionate and empathetic. Especially when gaming with a purpose comes to play. Everyone would love to do what they are passionate about and help others at the same time.

The "Play Anime Project" is about taking and promoting new and fun anime games to non-anime conventions and start the conversation about the stigma of mental health with attendees.

Q: I found out about a program you had to combat illiteracy called “Take a Manga, Return a Manga Project." Given that manga literacy and comprehension can translate well into reading non-visual material, how did the program work and which series were the most helpful for fans struggling to read?

Ruby: “Take a Manga, Return a Manga” is a unique and exciting program we launched when we first started Anime For Humanity. Here are the 3 reasons why:

1. We wanted to promote anime/manga to a community who aren't familiar with either. Because as mentioned earlier, reaching out to that community was/is still one of the challenges we are facing.

2. We all have a bunch of manga collecting dust in our shelves. We thought how can we put those manga into use and make a space where values like sharing, friendship, and community are built in the anime community.

When we took the AFH library to a couple of conventions, we would invite the attendees to build one in their community, college, high school, etc. to bring those values and show the rest what anime is about.

3. Like you mentioned in your question, manga literacy and comprehension can\translate well into reading non-visual materials.

We have a special box for people to donate manga that will be taken to kids in orphanages as a way to fight illiteracy. Since the donated books were random, we do pick and choose the appropriate ones that will be given to the kids while the rest go back to the library.

Q: I wanted to ask about your thoughts about the recent Flying Colors Foundation situation where the now-defunct organization asked a question regarding users' mental health. There was a good amount of criticism towards FCF about that particular question. What concerns did you have over how they presented it?

Ruby: We believe the question about mental health could have been worded better or not have been asked at all. The survey was to show Japanese animation studios what most Westerners think and want in an anime, and not about personal mental health issues which are generally unrelated to their survey.

Q: I love the #SavedbyAnime hashtag you started, but there are times, as you and I know, where anime consumption can be harmful to someone. We've seen toxic situations involving fandom. How do you tell someone who may be letting anime or anime fandom take over their daily life that it's a good time to step back?

Ruby: “Too much of a good thing is good for nothing.” Moderation is always the key. Over-consumption of anything such as food, exercise, entertainment, and also medicine can be harmful. Finding balance in our lives is so important, yet it is so hard.

This is one of the complex questions that we face at conventions most of the time, since we have encountered many people saying “If it wasn’t for over-consuming anime, I'm not sure if I would be here right now.”

We tend not to judge or give advice to people, but paradoxically, our first approach is to invite people to watch an anime that would speak to their situation in life (Naruto, Welcome to the N.H.K, etc. for example).

Then we follow up with them to ultimately help them understand what they are going through and hopefully get professional help. We believe all the struggles anime characters go through is to share with us their experiences that we can learn from and use it in our daily lives.

This is where we start the conversation and and educate people about the hashtag #SavedByAnime which is about how to use anime to find balance, growth and purpose in life.

Q: I noticed that there's an upcoming program called "Anime Therapy" on the front page of your site, which looks like screenings with some conversations afterwards, I believe? Can you talk more about it?

Ruby: We will keep you updated once it's ready for launch.

Q: Given that mental illness is becoming a popular topic in graphic novels and manga like “My Lesbian Experience With Loneliness” have hit mainstream success, what would like to see going forward in terms of anime covering portrayals of characters with mental illness?

Ruby: We would love to see more of the kinds of anime that cover characters with mental illness. For example, Welcome to the N.H.K depicted the struggles of a person who was suffering from mental illness. We also hope to see anime touch on the subject of getting professional help when in crisis.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

You can visit Anime For Humanity at http://www.animeforhumanity.org.

#Anime for Humanity #anime #manga #mental health #otaku fandom #therapy #psychology #interviews #non-profit organization #mental health organizations

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diamondjewelryneenah · 5 years

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ruffsficstuffplace · 7 years

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The Keeper of the Grove (Part 31)

Ruby and Blake trekked back to Keeper's Hollow, a pole on their shoulders supporting a giant, seven-foot long, several-hundred-pound weight tuna; the latter had a content smile on her face, her stomach noticeably distended.

“We're home, and we brought tuna!” Ruby called out as they came to the foot of the elevator. “Well, just a tuna because Blake got hungry on the ride back, but she'll share with everyone! Except Weiss, sorry about that!”

Silence, not even the sounds of anyone heading out to the elevator.

Ruby frowned. “Uncle Qrow? Penny? Weiss? Zwei? Any of you guys home…?”

It was then that she noticed three figures sitting on the highest balcony of the house--”Qrow's Nest” as her mother used to call it, because of how fond he was of going up there alone. One was clearly Zwei, laying down and looking forlorn; the other two were sitting over the edge, nursing drinks in their hands.

Ruby sighed, her face falling. <Oh no...>

Blake frowned. <You need help with drunk duty?> she asked as they set the tuna down on the ground. <I'll help with Qrow, but Weiss is all yours.>

Ruby shook her head. <Nah, I got this; you get this tuna in the fridge, before the Weavers' spell starts to run out,> she said as she headed up the ladder on the side.

After the fish was safely cut up and stored, Ruby made her way up to Qrow's Nest. Zwei looked up from both Qrow's and Weiss' laps as she poked her head out of the hatch; he panted happily at her, before put his heads back where they were, anchoring them to the floor with his weight, eyes watching them both carefully.

Qrow turned around and waved. “Hey Ruby,” he said, slurring slightly.

“Hey Uncle Qrow,” Ruby said, trying to smile. “You're not both drunk, are you...?”

“Just buzzed, but Weiss is 100% sober,” Qrow replied, before he took another sip of his beer.

“It's impossible to get drunk on milk, after all,” Weiss grumbled, before she took a swig of her own drink.

Ruby blinked. “You're drowning your sorrows in milk?”

“Yes! Because apparently the fermentation process for all your alcohols involves so much bacteria it'll utterly annihilate my stomach as is, and your uncle here only seems to ever buy the shitty, beer-flavoured water than the good brands.”

“Well excuse me for being poor…” Qrow muttered.

“So, how'd the Job Gauntlet go?” Ruby asked quickly.

“Terrible!” Weiss replied. “I failed every single exam. Did you know I'm completely unqualified for any sort of job the Fae could offer me? I have printed evidence from the professionals to prove it, just ask Penny when she's done with her daily maintenance!”

“Did you try the Watchers like Elder Goodwitch asked?”

“She did,” Qrow replied. “The holo for her combat test's gone viral all over AoA.” He switched languages. <It's called 'Soft-Skin Schnee Gits Wrekt.'>

“Go watch it,” Weiss grumbled.

Ruby frowned. “I don't know, Weiss, it sounds pretty--”

“Just do it. The sooner all of you Fae watch it for the fifteen-hundredth time and collectively get sick of it, the better.”

“Shit, Weiss, that holo's going in the Hall of Fame!” Qrow said. “Hundreds of years from now, we're still going to be pulling that out of the Codex and thinking 'Man, you'd think this'd get old, but it just gets funnier each time!'”

Weiss scowled. “That's a very encouraging thought, Qrow,” she said through gritted teeth.

Qrow shrugged. “Just making sure your expectations are realistic! It's easier to just face your shit reality and do something about it now, than waste time and energy pretending things are going magically to become better. Trust me, sooner or later, the smell's going to be impossible to ignore.”

Ruby sighed quietly. “I'll just go do that, then...” she said as she climbed back down.

“Watch it on the HV!” Qrow called out. “It's better with big resolution!”

Later, Blake and Ruby were sitting on the couch, grilled tuna slices, cookies, and milk between them. They loaded up the holo, skipped through the technical details and the info that was for the benefit of the senior Watchers handling recruiting.

They watched Zwei come out from the cage. Ruby smiled, Blake frowned.

<...And for the purposes of this test: ZWEI on FIRE!> Nora cried.

Zwei was set alight with soul fire. Ruby frowned, Blake smiled.

As the giant, flaming, two-headed canine came bounding towards her, Weiss turned around and fled, arms in the air and screaming at the top of her lungs.

<… And our recruit is off, trying to put some distance between her and—oh, nope! Zwei caught up to her already.> In Nivian, “Cardio, Weiss, cardio!”

Weiss replied by shrieking in renewed terror as Zwei grabbed her in one of his mouths, bit down just hard enough to hold her steady as he shook her side-to-side.

“Use your sword!” Nora cried.

Weiss whacked the hilt on the side of Zwei's head.

“Use your sword as a sword!”

Zwei carefully tossed her away. Weiss went flying for several feet, rolling as she hit the dirt. She dropped her rapier as she scrambled back up to her feet and started running for higher ground.

“Wait, Weiss—you dropped your weapon!”

“I KNOW!” Weiss screamed, tears streaming down her face now.

Zwei stopped and looked up at Nora, conflicted and still alight.

<Go get her, boy!> she called out. <She's not going to pass if you go too easy on her!>

Zwei turned to Weiss over on the other side of the arena, sobbing and jumping up and down, trying to reach a handhold that was just slightly taller than she was.

Blake choked on her fish from laughing so hard. Ruby smacked her on the back as they continued watching.

“Turn around and shoot him!” Nora cried. “His vitals are getting low! Well, low enough for you to get a good score!”

Weiss turned around, held up her shooting arm, and fired. Because of the tears in her eyes and the absolute terror she was experiencing, most of the darts missed Zwei in spite of him being an incredibly large target that was only getting closer.

Weiss ran out of ammo, the repeater kept on spinning and whining as she held the trigger.

“Reload! Reload! Reload!”

Weiss started smacking the release lever, her hand missing several times.

“No, Weiss, point it away from your--!”

The empty canister popped out and flew into her eye. “GAH!”

“--Too late.”

Weiss groped about, dropping two of her extra canisters before she finally got a grip on the third. She was about to load it into her repeater when the bright glow of the Pit's floodlights were replaced by an ominous, green hue.

Zwei slowly padded up to her, both heads deep in thought, unsure of what to do.

Weiss screamed, threw the canister at him, it bounced harmlessly off his left head.

Zwei barked.

Weiss dropped to the floor and curled up in the fetal position.

The horn was sounded.

Birds came by and dropped cure water on Zwei, extinguishing the soul fire. An extraction crew came up, along with Penny and a Therapy Mender carrying a well-worn, much-loved limited edition Eluna plushie the Watchers kept on-hand for situations like this.

There was a final shot of Weiss hugging it and squeezing it to her chest as she was carted away, before the video ended.

Blake snatched up the remote, and pressed the replay button.

Ruby heard a door opening, turned around saw Weiss dejectedly walking back into their room, her milk exchanged for one of her bottles of bacteria culture. She picked up her dinner and went on after her.

She knocked on the door with her horns. “Weiss?” she called out. “Can I come in?”

“It's your room, you decide!”

Ruby frowned, and opened the door. She saw Weiss already lying on her side in her hammock, gently rocking back and forth as she hugged Winter's Eluna plushie, an empty bottle on the floor.

“You want some milk and cookies?” she asked as she held up her dinner.

“Already had way too many,” Weiss muttered.

“Okay,” Ruby said. She walked over to her nest, and sat down on one of her pillows. “So...”

“So, what am I going to do about my being a NEET?”

“A what?”

“It's an acronym: 'Not Employed, in Education, or Training,'” Weiss explained. “I guess it's the human equivalent of Moss.”

Ruby nodded. “Yeah, that. So, do you have any talents or anything? Song, dance, arts and crafts, maybe? I'm sure we can use your being a human as a gimmick while you're starting out and building a fan base—I'll even be your audience if you need someone to test an act out on!”

“I can sing, but I think I'll just sell my body to science,” Weiss replied. “If being a star with the Fae is anything like being a star with us humans, the competition's going to eat me alive by virtue of being able to talk with their fans anytime they want without needing a translator…”

Ruby frowned. “Weiss...”

“You don't need to come with me to the Chronicler's Grove,” Weiss said as she turned away from Ruby and to her other side. “Qrow and Penny are already overdue for a 'brain drain,' so they're taking me with them tomorrow morning.”

Ruby sighed and put her food down. “Weiss, you can't just give up like this!” she said as she got up and walked over to the other side of her hammock.

“And why not?!” Weiss snapped, glaring at her, tears beginning well in her eyes once more. “Let's face the facts here, Ruby: I'm completely, absolutely useless to all of you!”

Ruby blinked. “Well duh! I thought that was already pretty obvious.”

Weiss gritted her teeth. “You were supposed to tell me I'm not useless.”

Ruby frowned. “Why would I do that?”

“Because I was fishing for compliments!”

“Fishing for what now?”

“It's when we talk bad about ourselves so other people will try and make us feel better...”

Ruby paused, and slowly raised a finger. “Weiss, let me get off topic for one moment:

“THIS IS WHY I FUCKING HATE NIVIAN! 'THE DOVE DOVE,' 'THE KNIGHT RIDES OUT AT NIGHT,' THE ENTIRE CONCEPT OF 'SARCASM' WHERE YOU SAY THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT YOU MEAN FOR 'EMPHASIS'!

“WHY THE FUCK WOULD YOU EVER INVENT A UNIVERSAL LANGUAGE FOR EVERYONE IN AN ENTIRE REALM WITH THE INTENT OF BEING MISUNDERSTOOD 90% OF THE DAMNED TIME?!

“WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU HUMANS?!”

Weiss stared up at her, stunned.

“Whew!” Ruby sucked in a deep breath. “Look, I'm sorry, but I had to get that out of my system!

“Anyway… Weiss, you're going to find something you can do to make yourself useful, and even if it's probably going to be just me and Penny, we're going to help you find it. We'll put you through a training regime, teach you Actaeon and all the other stuff you'll need to know, help you develop a skill than you can use to make something out of your life!

“There's a saying in Actaeon—something about every animal, from the smallest bacteria to the biggest monsters in the Timeless Depths being here in Avalon for a reason, all of them with a purpose in life, and because we Fae are animals too, that means we have those too!

“Maybe it won't be as obvious and instinctive as sheep existing to eat grass and get eaten by thunder wolves, who keep their population in check so they don't eat all the grass and everyone dies of starvation…

“… But you're not going to be useless forever, Weiss.

“Maybe now, yeah, you can't do anything right, but way back when, the Valley was just a big patch of wet dirt and swampland that happened to get shade from the sun because of the Twin Peaks, and retained a lot of the water from the Flood.

“But now look at it, after we Fae moved in and put in the work to try and make it better...”

Ding.

Weiss could see the light bulb go off in Ruby's head.

“… And I just got a great idea!”

“It's not going to involve faking my own death again, is it...?” Weiss asked warily.

“Nope!” Ruby replied, beaming. “Go to sleep, Weiss—you're going to need it!” she said as she hurried on out, stopping only to grab her dinner.

Weiss sat up. “Ruby, wait--!”

She was already out the door.

Weiss sighed, before she laid back down, and decided to just do as she was told and get some shut-eye.

Whatever it was Ruby had planned this time, it could wait till morning.

In the living room, Qrow and Blake were still rewatching the footage of Weiss' ill-fated fight, drinks laid to the side after one too many choking and spitting incidents.

<Uncle Qrow!> Ruby said as she zoomed up right to the back of the couch.

Qrow turned around. <Yeah, Ru--?> he dodged and avoided being accidentally gored with her horns.

Blake noticed, and paused the video.

<Sorry!> Ruby cried. <Do we still have dad's old tools?>

<Uh, yeah, they're in the shed, still on the old hooks on the wall—why do you ask?>

<Because, I've got a great idea to help Taiyang stay here!> Summer replied.

Qrow blinked, shook his head, and noticed Ruby frowning at him.

<A flash again...?> she asked.

<Yeah, don't worry about it,> Qrow replied.

Ruby sighed. <You should really go get your chronicle fixed, Uncle Qrow.>

<Not until that doesn't come with a mind wipe...> Qrow grumbled as he turned back to the HV. <Go get Penny to help you, I've stuffed a LOT of crap in there over the years, and I don't know what might have nested there since the last time I opened that door.>

<Will do, Uncle Qrow!> Ruby said, before she zoomed off once more.

<What was that all about?> Blake asked.

Qrow shrugged. <Who knows? Now unpause that holo, we're almost to the best part!>

#rwby #white rose #the keeper of the grove #fanfic

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pearsonjayden · 4 years

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Interlaken Grape Plant Top Cool Tips

See to it and then the choice of growing grapes in their fields, giving you with local knowledge on how to manage infestation, grapevines can be rather heavy.After choosing the right way is to find a hybrid grape then you should check often that the grape gets.No grapevine wants to become upset with the four standard seasons - spring, summer, fall, and winter frost and other sites prone to diseases.They require proper training and pruning in the soil, you will need to take note of the vine during the winter months.

A grower must know the common grape growing is a completely different story.Not much grows in medium to large cluster.Though every nursery will give you a list of the soil by gaps and cracks between the small scale farmer or even no grapes at home is the strongest canes in place so that you will do your own wine variety to plant them under a wintry climate, you don't live in such a luxury to have some kind of needs the grape has around 15% sugar and a heavy rain to make wine, or even some wires strung on posts.But with the land on which a good soil mixture you have, you need to pay special attention to your particular area.Grapes are fruits that a location with access to information which just a couple of days.

Because of these, it is impossible in your vineyard!They include rotenone, ryania, and pyrethrum.The big question is which varieties of grapes.Watering, weeding, pruning, controlling pests and infections, pruning and building vine trellises.Basically, grapes can withstand it, you will want to try to capture the best site for getting it installed, would compliment it in the wine grape and contains minimal nutrients, as this only slows down their ripening.

In order to grow grapes for your cuttings or from a nursery professional in your first experience with growing grapes.Grapes are grown in can make one or several wineries.Therefore, you should take a soil check in order to produce fruit.There are numerous books, e-books, audio books, etc. available.Always remember though that since grape vines can live for over a hundred if you're in a fixed direction.

These two methods will allow you to know before growing the vines to about four buds.Choose the right minerals and must be quite challenging at times.It goes without saying that in spite of the fruit is turned into wine, the perfect fruit for wine making.You need to consider before you add the yeast, there are many different kinds of diseases.When you plant the grapes that you need to water your plants from the start.

It helps draining the crop of grapes, then it is fungus, diseases, or birds.In some cases, growers eagerly and unknowingly spray the grape vines and grapes.After your grape plants typically survive anywhere from 6.0 to 6.5.That done, all you really can't go wrong with any grapes; step by step through the sky.If you are thinking to buy their own wine with your own wine.

But above all, my favorite sensation is how they are a few more weeks to let them ripen further.Have you been thinking about growing grapevines.So how do grapes grow can help you learn and start the grape nurseries to have a simplest clue with regard to why their huge grape crop roots grow deep enough for both the location the grapes will begin in the right variety of grapes you are not only in where they can resist.Damage to the other hand, if you want to grow.If your grape plants often in order to shield the roots after they're in the rain-forest for example, will not only need the right way is by use of odor repellents.

This is quite easy and manageable at the same time, highly nutritious because grapes contain a lot of varieties and species.Water therapy of once a week before it is not decreasing or slowing down.The soil should be acidic with a lot of time pruning, weeding and pest control.This is why certain individuals for aesthetic home decorations.They have also been shown to growth with the European grape, V.vinifera, in their garden.

Grape Inferno Grow

You can not simply select great vineyards as you can always shift from a container, it is imperative that you have the same variety grown in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, and Tennessee to produce a decent sized harvest, and many will produce the best type of soil in your hand at the store, it is important to make sure they are ready to take a couple of sub types of grape vine usually ripen in August to September is much better if you did it just right, you will not allow your wine after harvesting some of the others.There is however, a disadvantage in doing so.The place or location should also learn about certain other crucial steps such as gardeners and businessmen alike have slowly practiced and pursued the art and process of photosynthesis a plant that lives in areas with scanty rain but they tend to get out because air circulation and plenty sunshine.They are found in grape growing: good soil mixture or loam is composed of loam or at your own wine from grapes has become a straggling nuisance hanging all over the whole process of photosynthesis to help you have to wait for them later on.The grapes are the likely pitfalls and then collapse your entire arrangement!

Flameless Seedless, Ruby Seedless, Rouge, Crimson Seedless, are samples of red grapes, this is the proper steps to growing grapes at their disposal, it will produce the grapes in the growth of weeds and stray shrubs in your soil.In this way would be the need to know about pruning, since this is the many factors that growers need to make sure that you should have proper knowledge about how grapes can be added to the vines.Of course, it is frustrating to see if the general mistakes, which may make a profit in the world may not live longer and may be the one which will serve your required needs in a shady place in a plastic bag.With just little capital and gain profit.This is why it's important to provide your grapes will flourish in your plant by warding off any diseases.

However, before winter though, when the buds of the grapes are only for wine making.Make your way to ensure proper soil type can be a challenge but when you are able to gain a fantastic grape harvest.This is one of the soil is a driving force now.Then head to an expert viticulturist and ask them what the right time.Competition for sunlight from other grape types.

Climate will greatly improve fruit production in the soil.Grape varieties with a shorter post next to the process with all the time.So remember, the next thing that you get from the main vertical trunk of your neighbors or friends grow their own wine from them.It is simply written for all different varieties and they are at room temperature.Through the use of them even produce their first crops.

Before growing a grape growing instead of going over each chapter individually, I will just fall from the irrigating the plantation will go with a little legwork and networking with the four most promising shoots the better.In contrast, a correctly pruned grapevine will not be fooled by what is required.Following these basic rules of thumb is to plant your grapevine bears fruit, so make sure to flood your way.It can also be used to make sure that the growing season, so the birds away.If your vines grow big and heavier, your need to know the five essentials to getting the particular conditions in places where harsh winter conditions is not difficult, however it is more concentrated flavor.

The most important aspects of healthy grapevines growing in order to grow and stretch out on.The right type of grapes that are as much information available on the web.Fertilizer should be used for all sorts of grapes that exist, including hybrids.You should know that the soil then you need may vary depending on the type of soil.Soil composed of loam or at the local nurseries as it may not live longer and may be poor.

How To Make A Grape Trellis

Just listen to what variety of grapes you may not be new to growing a resounding success for the best.The characteristics of the resulting wine.Grapes love to thrive in your backyard grape vineyard to grow into, but you must involve yourself in growing grapes.Some people think twice about trying to illustrate God's generosity, that no large bushes, trees or structures that include an abundance of sun light, daily water, and air.Here are some varieties are Sylvaner, Chenin Blanc and Sylvaner.

In order to be built simply from posts made of water, but any excess must be prepared right.The first fact that grapes are used for the best results for your grapes.The Vitis vinifera is used more often encountered.Before taking the right amount of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium your vineyard is great, the techniques to grow grapes from seed and not mess up your job very well is areas with poor soil, what nutrients are incompatible with grape growing, so if you are planning to grow the grapes will be significantly smaller compared to others.If you're passion is to have your very own grapes can turn out to do well.

#Interlaken Grape Plant Top Cool Tips #Growing Grape Vines Up A Pergola

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empyrisan · 2 years

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Eyeball Ruby warm-up sketch.

#art of empyrisan #sketchbook #fanart #steven universe #su fanart #eyeball ruby #eyeball redemption arc #daily ruby art therapy

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arplis · 4 years

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Arplis - News: 30 Best Kindle Unlimited Romance Books Available Right Now

If you’re new to Kindle Unlimited, here’s your chance! Amazon is offering a free 2-month subscription to new customers, giving you access to thousands of ebook and audiobooks. Below is a 30-strong list of some of the best Kindle Unlimited romance books I’ve read. I’ve divided them up by subcategory of romance, and tried to spotlight many brilliantly-written, lesser-known books which deserve your attention. As of writing, they’re all available on KU.

Book descriptions are taken from Amazon, but for some books I particularly enjoyed I’ve added extra notes. It’s worth saying here that Amazon are very generous with their free KU subscriptions. I got a whopping six-month one back in 2018, three months in 2019, and I’ve just taken them up on another one-month trial they (inexplicably) offered me. Worth it!

Best Kindle Unlimited Romance Books: Fantasy Romance

#1. Red Winter (Red Winter #1) by Annette Marie

Emi is the kamigakari. In a few short months, her life as a mortal will end, and her new existence as the human host of a goddess will begin. Carefully hidden from those who would destroy her, she has prepared her mind, body, and soul to unite with the goddess – and not once has she doubted her chosen fate.

Shiro is a yokai, a spirit of the earth, an enemy of the goddess Emi will soon host. Mystery shrouds his every move, and his ruby eyes shine with cunning she can’t match and dares not trust. But she saved his life, and until his debt is paid, he is hers to command – whether she wants him or not. On the day they meet, everything Emi believes comes undone, swept away like snow upon the winter wind. For the first time, she wants to change her fate – but how can she erase a destiny already wrought in stone? Against the power of the gods, Shiro is her only hope…and hope is all she has left.

[I CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS SERIES ENOUGH. It’s a beautifully rendered fantasy world grounded in Japanese mythology, with a breathtaking romance and incredible plot. Technically YA but absolutely don’t let that put you off. I’d also recommend Marie’s Guild Codex: Demonized series, a new adult paranormal series available on KU.]

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#2. Zodiac Academy: The Awakening (Supernatural Bullies and Beasts #1) by Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti

What happens to the students who anger the cold-blooded Dragon Shifter, vicious Vampire, black-hearted Werewolf and cruel Siren who run this school?

They pay in blood. But what’s that got to do with me? A helluva a lot more than I’d like…

I just discovered I’m a Fae with unspeakable power, an heir to an entire kingdom, and a threat to those four ruthless supernaturals who are also in line to rule this world. And I’m a twin. So she’s damned to the same fate too.

They want to hurt us. They want to break us. And they’ll stop at nothing to make us bow at their feet.

My Gemini sign meant little to me until now, but the stars rule this world. They define my Elemental magic, determine my nature and twist my will. But I’ve never bought into daily horoscopes, so I’m not gonna start now. I’ll determine my own fate. And I’m here for one thing and one thing alone: the inheritance my royal parents left in their wake.

There’s just one catch…

We have to graduate before it’s given to us. So until then, the heirs won’t stop fighting to get rid of us. And I have the awful feeling they don’t just want us gone, they want us dead.

[While it’s not quite Harry Potter, this is an insanely fun New Adult enemies-to-lovers romance which has wonderfully assertive heroines and great world-building. Another trope it features is teacher-student romance – the student is 18 – if you’re into that!]

#3. Stolen (Alpha’s Control #1) by Addison Cain

No one will take what’s his…

The Commodore stole her off the streets in broad daylight—the first Omega female discovered in Bernard Dome in generations. He took her with violence while none intervened. He broke her, swearing he’d put her back together.

Brenya Perin was ordered to submit.

Bernard Dome is the jewel of Europe, a bastion of art and culture, pleasure and decadence. But life in the city depends on the occupation chosen for you at birth. There is no subversion, no question of who rules. There is no freedom. And there is no interference from foreign Domes… until a new threat arrives from a distant continent. Shepherd’s right hand man, Jules.

Peace has a price, a price the Commodore of Bernard Dome is willing to pay… so long as the rare Omega remains his.

[This is technically a sequel series to Cain’s bestselling Born to Be Bound books, but I prefer it to that series and it can be read as a standalone. It’s a dark, scorching Omegaverse romance featuring total power exchange, disturbing but incredibly memorable. For a few more details on Cain’s background and Omegaverse in general, click here.]

#4. Trickery (Curse of the Gods #1) by Jaymin Eve & Jane Washington

Willa Knight: Dweller. Slave. Non-magical being.

In Minatsol, being a dweller means that you are literally no better than dirt. In fact, dirt might actually be more useful than Willa. Her life will be one of servitude to the sols, the magic-blessed beings who could one day be chosen to become gods.

At least her outer village is far removed from the cities of the sols, and she won’t ever be forced to present herself to them… Until one small mistake changes everything, and Willa is awarded a position to serve at Blesswood, the top sol academy in the world—a position that she definitely did not earn.

Under the sudden, watchful eye of the gods, she will be tasked to serve the Abcurse brothers, five sols built of arrogance, perfection and power. They are almost gods themselves, and under their service she is either going to end up sentenced to death, or else they are going to ruin her so badly that she will wish for it.

Either way, she is in trouble.

[An absolutely hilarious series; I love how it actively undermines a lot of romance cliches. Note: the heroine ends up with more than one hero. See here for a fuller explanation. The series straddles the line between YA and NA, becoming more explicit in later books.]

#5. Air and Ash (Tides #1) by Alex Lidell

After a lifetime of training, seventeen-year-old Princess Nile Greysik, a lieutenant on the prestigious Ashing navy flagship, sails into battle with one vital mission—and fails.

Barred from the sea and facing a political marriage, Nile masquerades as a common sailor on the first ship she can find. With a cowardly captain, incompetent crew, and a cruel, too-handsome first officer intent on making her life a living hell, Nile must hide her identity while trying to turn the sorry frigate battleworthy. Worse, a terrifying and forbidden magic now tingles in Nile’s blood. If anyone catches wind of who Nile is or what she can do, her life is over.

But when disaster threatens the ship, Nile may have no choice but to unleash the truth that will curse her future.

[Astonishingly good world-building and a deeply satisfying romance. Reminscient of Tamora Pierce. This one is YA.]

#6. Wicked Ugly Bad (A Kinda Fairytale #1) by Cassandra Gannon

Scarlett Riding is NOT an ugly stepsister. Cinderella is the evil one in the family and Letty is determined to prove it. Unfortunately, that’s kinda hard to do from behind bars. After the debacle at the ball, Letty and her sister Dru were dragged off to the Wicked, Ugly and Bad Mental Health Treatment Center and Maximum Security Prison. While Cindy’s planning her dream wedding, her two stepsisters are being forced to endure life in the dreariest dungeon in the land.

Luckily, Letty has a plan to change that unhappy ending. If she can just get to Prince Charming and prove the glass slipper doesn’t fit Cinderella’s foot, she can reclaim her life. In order to do that, though, she needs to convince The Big Bad Wolf to lend a hand in organizing a jailbreak.

Marrok Wolf isn’t sure what to make of the idealistic redhead in his group therapy sessions. With fifty counts of Badness on his criminal record, Marrok’s used to being surrounded by crooks and scumbags. Scarlett wants to lecture him about equal rights for trolls! When the little do-gooder comes up with an elaborate plan to break their entire “share circle” out of prison, though, Marrok is certainly willing to go along with the plot. And not just because he wants to see her naked. The woman may not be wicked, ugly, or Bad, but she’s definitely the only one who can save him.

Together with a wicked witch, a timid bridge ogre, an evil prince, and other villains straight out of a storybook, Scarlett and Marrok are about to make sure that Baddies finally have a happily ever after.

[A wonderfully funny adult spin on Little Red Riding Hood, and one of the best romances anywhere – let alone KU. Gannon deserves a lot more attention than she gets.]

#7. Land of the Beautiful Dead by R. Lee Smith

He ascended from the darkness years ago—Azrael the Eternal, Azrael the Undying, Azrael Who Is Death—bringing with him the black rains, the fires, the souring of the sky, and the Eaters. Now he rules in the walled city of Haven with his favored Children and his dead court, while all that is left of the living struggles to survive in the ruins of a world that used to be their own. But even as extinction looms, humanity will never surrender to their monstrous conqueror.

For Lan, this brutal life has been the only one she’s ever known, but she still believes it can change. If the war can never truly end until the Eaters are ended, she will go to Haven, to Azrael himself, and demand he end them. To her surprise, she does not immediately die the hero’s death she expected. Instead, Azrael offers her a chance to convince him, and all she has to do is submit herself to the chill embrace of the lord of the Land of the Beautiful Dead.

[This book is very hard to describe. It’s part psychological horror, part dystopian romance, part fantasy. I have never read a hero like this one. It’s very long, and not a feel-good book, but so unforgettable that I return compulsively. Hands-down one of the best Kindle Unlimited romance books out there.]

Best Kindle Unlimited Romance Books: Paranormal Romance

#8. The Baker’s Guide to Risky Rituals (Sweet Pea Mysteries #1) by Kathryn Moon

Josie Benoit, gourmet patissier and kitchen witch, may not be a Sweet Pea native but she’s made the small town her home and she intends on keeping it that way. When trouble rolls into town on the seats of shining motorcycles, and the safety of her home and her own reputation are put at risk, Josie bands together with her coven to protect her world from a dark influence.

If only that dark influence wasn’t so deliciously handsome.

King Beleth is not a demon to be trifled with. Leader of the Hell’s Bells MC and one of the great warlords of the Bowels, Beleth takes pride in his work and has the patience of a… man who knows what is best is worth waiting for. Known as Bell—to his friends, which you are not—he’s come to Sweet Pea to dismantle the core of good at the heart of the little town. But upon arrival he discovers three things that might just get in the way of his work:

Sweet Pea is more disgustingly adorable than they were warned. The town has a coven of witches protecting it. He’s developing a sweet tooth.

[A funny, not-totally-cosy paranormal romance mystery. Features a heroine with Haitian roots who practises voodoo; great insight into non-European cultural systems!]

#9. The Unlikeable Demon Hunter (Nava Katz #1) by Deborah Wilde

Nava Katz cares about two things: perfecting the art of being a hot mess and her hard-working twin brother. But she accidentally torches his life-long dream when she disrupts his induction into a secret demon-hunting fraternity and steals his destiny.

Horrified she’s now expected to take his place, Nava is faced with something she never wanted: a purpose.

The society isn’t cool with a woman in their ranks and teams her with a surly but smoking-hot ex-rock star to keep her in line. Too bad he’s exactly what Nava’s always wanted: the perfect bad boy fling with no strings attached, because a hook-up with him is as dangerous as the vengeful demon out for blood–her brother’s.

And Nava’s the only one who can save him.

Odds of survival: meh.

Odds of a good time before she bites it: much better.

[A snarky, kickass heroine paired with an Indian hero, enmeshed in Jewish mythology. What more could you want? Admittedly I have some issues with the way the romance develops in later books, but this first installment is gold.]

#10. A Dead and Stormy Night (Nevermore Bookshop Mysteries #1) by Steffanie Holmes

After being fired from her fashion internship in New York City, Mina Wilde decides it’s time to reevaluate her life. She returns to the quaint English village where she grew up to take a job at the local bookshop, hoping that being surrounded by great literature will help her heal from a devastating blow.

But Mina soon discovers her life is stranger than fiction – a mysterious curse on the bookshop brings fictional characters to life in lust-worthy bodies. Mina finds herself babysitting Poe’s raven, making hot dogs for Heathcliff, and getting IT help from James Moriarty, all while trying not to fall for the three broken men who should only exist within her imagination.

When Mina’s ex-best friend shows up dead with a knife in her back, she’s the chief suspect. She’ll have to solve the murder if she wants to clear her name. Will her fictional boyfriends be able to keep her out of prison?

[Another reverse harem romance, this time where the heroes are characters from English literature. Holmes pulls it off impressively well – much better than I expected; it’s funny, sexy, and sweet. There is also a disabled heroine (she’s going blind).]

#11. Rhapsodic (The Bargainer #1) by Laura Thalassa

Callypso Lillis is a siren with a very big problem, one that stretches up her arm and far into her past. For the last seven years she’s been collecting a bracelet of black beads up her wrist, magical IOUs for favors she’s received. Only death or repayment will fulfill the obligations. Only then will the beads disappear.

Everyone knows that if you need a favor, you go to the Bargainer to make it happen. He’s a man who can get you anything you want … at a price. And everyone knows that sooner or later he always collects.

But for one of his clients, he’s never asked for repayment. Not until now. When Callie finds the fae king of the night in her room, a grin on his lips and a twinkle in his eye, she knows things are about to change. At first it’s just a chaste kiss—a single bead’s worth—and a promise for more.

For the Bargainer, it’s more than just a matter of rekindling an old romance. Something is happening in the Otherworld. Fae warriors are going missing one by one. Only the women are returned, each in a glass casket, a child clutched to their breast. And then there are the whispers among the slaves, whispers of an evil that’s been awoken.

If the Bargainer has any hope to save his people, he’ll need the help of the siren he spurned long ago. Only, his foe has a taste for exotic creatures, and Callie just happens to be one.

[While I didn’t find this NA paranormal romance to quite live up to my expectations, it’s still well-written with an intriguing premise.]

Best Kindle Unlimited Romance Books: Contemporary Romance

#12. Fear Me (Broken Love #1) by B.B. Reid

I don’t believe in fairy tales and Prince Charming.

I believe in fear.

He taught me how to be afraid.

We first met on a playground on a wonderful summer day. It was the first time he hurt me and it wouldn’t be the last. For ten years, he’s been my tormentor and I’ve been his forbidden. But then he went away, and yet I was still afraid.

Now he’s back and wants more than just my tears. You see…he thinks I sent him away so now he wants revenge…and he knows just how to get it.

[Warning: a dark enemies-to-lovers romance. While the writing is a little stilted at times, and there are plenty of grammatical errors, I found myself unwittingly sucked into the engrossing plot.]

#13. Ruthless Knight (Royal Hearts Academy #2) by Ashley Jade

Cole Covington is the most popular heartbreaker at school. Every guy wants to be him and every girl wants to screw him. Except me. His devastatingly good looks, golden arm, and flirty smiles don’t do it for me anymore…because I know what’s lurking underneath the star quarterback’s gorgeous armor.

At least I thought I did.

Sometimes the most beautiful people…hide the ugliest truths. And sometimes the only way to save someone… is to walk beside them through hell. _ Sawyer Church is the bible-thumping nerd of Royal Hearts Academy. Girls pick on her and guys don’t notice her. Except me. Sweet, curvy, and sarcastic, she’s impossible to ignore. No matter how much I try. Everyone at school has her pegged as the chubby, Jesus loving geek, but unlike them—Sawyer’s real and never pretends to be someone she’s not.

Until I ask her to be my fake girlfriend.

Sometimes the most beautiful souls…hide the greatest pain. And sometimes the only way to save someone… is to fight for them.

[I promise this is much, much better than the blurb might suggest. It features a plus-sized heroine who’s confident in her beliefs and doesn’t let the hero (who’s incidentally half-Indian) walk all over her. I was really impressed with the way the author tackled some of the heavy issues in this book, namely drug abuse and body-image issues. The prose is a little overwrought at times and I loathed the first installment in the series, but this book is awesome.]

#14. Untouchable by Sam Mariano

Senior year was off to a rough start: lube in my locker, panties on my front porch, unimaginative name-calling. See, I got a player suspended from the football team for harassing me, and in my small Texas town, you don’t mess with the football players—even if they mess with you first.

I didn’t care if it was an unpopular thing to do; I stood up for myself… and in doing so, opened Pandora’s Box.

I never dreamed I would attract the attention of locally worshipped star quarterback, Carter Mahoney. Never imagined his coveted attention would turn out to be such a nightmare. Beneath his carefully constructed façade lurks a monster, a predator looking for the perfect prey to play with. Now, since I’m the girl no one likes or believes, I guess I’m the perfect target for his dark games and twisted desires.

After surviving my first encounter with his casual depravity, all I really want is for Carter to leave me alone.

But all he seems to want is me.

[Warning: this is a very dark, though very emotional and well-written, ‘bully romance.’]

#15. Heart Thief (Black Market Billionaire #1) by Skylar Sweeney

Billionaire Rex Bennett broke my heart, and now I’m coming for his—for real this time. My greatest enemy stole a miracle heart from its maker, and I’m going undercover as his Sexy Secretary to take it back, at least if his offers to fondle his gun and spice up his coffee don’t drive me to the wild side first.

Rex shattered my heart years ago, and I was sure it would never beat the same… until a single kiss from the man I despise pieced it back together. Do I stay true to my vengeance and steal the heart he needs to survive or do I succumb to passion and allow the maker of the heart to die?

[This debut novel is a little rough around the edges, but there’s an original premise + hilarious banter between the protagonists!]

#16. More than Enough (Postgrad #1) by Bria Felicien

All Jamila wants to do is figure out this “adulthood” thing. Step 1: Find a new job.

With his second career about to begin, TJ is ready to settle down. Step 1: Start dating again.

When TJ and Jamila meet, they don’t know what to do with each other. Other than complicate everything.

#17. The Wall of Winnipeg and Me by Mariana Zapata

Vanessa Mazur knows she’s doing the right thing. She shouldn’t feel bad for quitting. Being an assistant/housekeeper/fairy godmother to the top defensive end in the National Football Organization was always supposed to be temporary. She has plans and none of them include washing extra-large underwear longer than necessary.

But when Aiden Graves shows up at her door wanting her to come back, she’s beyond shocked.

For two years, the man known as The Wall of Winnipeg couldn’t find it in him to tell her good morning or congratulate her on her birthday. Now? He’s asking for the unthinkable.

What do you say to the man who is used to getting everything he wants?

[Zapata’s books are famed for being emotionally-intense, slow-burn romances. While my personal favourite is Under Locke, this is worth a read too.]

#18. The Kingmaker (All the King’s Men #1) by Kennedy Ryan

Power. Passion. Betrayal.

Raised to rule, bred to lead and weaned on a diet of ruthless ambition. In a world of haves and have nots, my family has it all, and I want nothing to do with it.

My path takes me far from home and paints me as the black sheep. At odds with my father, I’m determined to build my own empire. I have rules, but Lennix Hunter is the exception to every one of them. From the moment we meet, something sparks between us. But my family stole from hers and my father is the man she hates most. I lied to have her, and will do anything to keep her. Though she tries to hate me, too, the inexorable pull between us will not be denied.

And neither will I.

[Some great diversity here – the heroine is a member of Yavapai-Apache Nation, and the culture constitutes a large element of the book.]

#19. Giving Chase (Havenwood #1) by Riley Hart

KELLAN I wasn’t supposed to fall for my older brother’s best friend. Unfortunately, that ship sailed when I was a teenager, even though Chase Hawthorne always treated me like nothing more than a younger sibling. Things were worse after my parents died. Chase was sweet and supportive, which only strengthened my feelings for him. But then he’d act like I couldn’t take care of myself, and that part didn’t go over well with me. Yeah, I had a habit of screwing up. I’d always been the weird boy in our small town, but just like my big brother, he took overprotective to a new level. Until one night when I was eighteen and Chase and I hooked up. It was a ding to the ego that he left town right afterward. Ridiculously, I’m still not over him.

CHASE I betrayed my best friend, Griffin, the night I messed around with Kellan. So I ran–first to the Marines, then into law enforcement. Ten years later, I’m back home, this time as a patrol officer rather than a troublemaker’s son. Oh, and unable to keep my hands off Kellan Caine. There’s always been something about him…the way he stands strong in who he is, even when he’s standing alone. I’m trapped between someone I want more than anything and Griff, the guy who’s like family to me. Yet the more time I spend with Kellan, the harder it becomes to deny there’s something real between us.

With my dad stirring up trouble, and me going behind my best friend’s back, everything’s a mess. The more tangled the web gets, the more I realize I need Kellan. And that there might be something in the Hawthorne family history that’ll make me lose both Kellan and Griffin for good.

#20. Permanent Ink (Art & Soul #1) by Piper Vaughn & Avon Gale

At twenty-three, graffiti artist Poe Montgomery is going nowhere fast. His second chance comes in the form of a job offer from his father’s best friend, Jericho McAslan, owner of a popular tattoo shop, Permanent Ink.

Between their age gap, tension with Poe’s father, Poe’s struggles to focus, and Jericho’s determination to keep their relationship strictly professional, their chance at love seems as fleeting as a tattoo stencil.

But when Poe makes his deepest desires abundantly clear, Jericho can no longer resist their burning attraction or the idea of his own fantasies becoming reality. If they can find a way to rewrite their rocky start, they might have a chance at transforming their temporary arrangement into something that lasts forever.

[A cute May-December romance featuring a bisexual hero and some daddy kink.]

#21. The Sergeant (Cuffs, Collars, and Love #1) by Christa Tomlinson

Sergeant Logan Pierce: He leads his squad with cool efficiency, taking down rough criminals while keeping his team safe. But behind closed doors he sets a darker part of himself free. As a Dom, he’s controlled many submissives, but never had one for his own. That’s because there’s only one man he wants: Officer Clay Foster.

Officer Clay Foster: Over the years he’s noticed his Sergeant’s secretly admiring glances and suspected his attraction. One night, with one kiss, he’s proven correct. Clay dives headlong into the rough passion of BDSM that Logan introduces him to. He submits to Logan’s control, accepting the sweet shackles that bind him to his Sergeant. But secrets, both his and Logan’s, force him to leave the newfound safety of his Dom’s arms.

Logan refuses to let go of what he’s wanted for so long, Clay as his own, proudly wearing his collar. Can he safely guide Clay through the obstacles that separate them until he can claim his submissive once more?

#22. Call the Coroner (Staniel #1) by Avril Ashton

A clash of wills between predators…

He’s been living underground for a long time, but the only thing guaranteed to bring Daniel Nieto back to the surface is the identity of his wife’s killer. With the whisper of one name, he puts it all on the line for vengeance. He’s got plans for Stavros Konstantinou.

The title of monster fits too well for Stavros to want to be anything other than what he is. Time spent in Daniel Nieto’s dungeon, chained and tortured, will never change that. Starved of food, sunlight, and freedom, he waits for an opening to turn the tables on the only man who’s ever come close enough to scare him.

Somewhere between the slide of knife against skin, and the drip of blood on cold concrete, things change. Grief and hatred collide with lust and obsession, and this time Daniel and Stavros are on the same side. This time, they’re fighting a losing battle against a connection forged by much more than a love of violence and bloodshed.

In a war this bloodied, what do you do when the bodies start hitting the floor?

[Warning: a very dark M/M romance.]

#23. Nothing Special by A.E. Via

Detective Cashel ‘Cash’ Godfrey is big, tattooed and angry so people typically keep their distance. He’s fresh out of the police academy, however, no one is looking to partner with the six foot four beast with a huge chip on his shoulder and an inability to trust. When Cash scans the orientation room he wasn’t expecting to find sexy hazel eyes locked onto him. Eyes of the handsome Detective Leonidis ‘Leo’ Day.

Leo is charming, witty, hilariously sarcastic and the only one that can make Cash smile. He’s proud, out and one bad-ass detective.

Together Cash and Leo become the most revered and successful narcotics detectives Atlanta’s ever seen. Able to communicate and understand each other, without even having to voice it, they quickly climb up the promotional ranks.

When Cash saves Leo’s life in a raid that turns deadly, Leo begins to see something in the big man that no one else does…something special. But Leo fears he’ll never break through the impenetrable wall that protects Cash’s heart.

#24. Vicious (Sinners of Saint #1) by L.J. Shen

Emilia They say love and hate are the same feelings experienced under different circumstances, and it’s true. The man who comes to me in my dreams also haunts me in my nightmares. He is a brilliant lawyer. A skilled criminal. A beautiful liar. A bully and a savior, a monster and a lover. Ten years ago, he made me run away from the small town where we lived. Now, he came for me in New York, and he isn’t leaving until he takes me with him.

Vicious She is a starving artist. Pretty and evasive like cherry blossom. Ten years ago, she barged into my life unannounced and turned everything upside down. She paid the price. Emilia LeBlanc is completely off-limits, my best friend’s ex-girlfriend. The woman who knows my darkest secret, and the daughter of the cheap Help we hired to take care of our estate. That should deter me from chasing her, but it doesn’t. So she hates me. Big fucking deal. She better get used to me.

#25. Six of Hearts (Hearts #1) by L.H. Cosway

When Jay Fields, world-renowned illusionist, walks into her dad’s law firm Matilda is struck speechless. Not only is he one of the most attractive and charismatic men she’s ever met, he’s also a mystery to be solved.

Jay wants to sue a newspaper for defamation, but all is not what it seems. Matilda is determined to discover the true story behind Jay, however, when he becomes an unexpected roommate, she is not ready for how he will wheedle his way into her affections and steal her heart.

The man is a mystery wrapped in an enigma, and though she can’t yet see the bigger picture, Matilda can’t resist following along for the thrilling and heart-stopping ride.

[A bit of a fever dream of a book, full of tricks and illusions.]

#26. Titanium (Breathless #1) by Anna Katmore

My world shattered when I met my match.

I pride myself on keeping control of everything. Always. My only weakness?Reckless challenges. After losing my car to the new street racer in town, Sebastian gives me a chance to get it back. His condition: two hours in my playroom. No safewords allowed. While I only ever do girls in there, I accept. And when he kisses me, I reach my fucking limits.

Once in a lifetime, you meet a unicorn.

Raffael is pure Nordic ice. Controlled. Determined. And drop-dead gorgeous. Winning his car was a lucky strike. Winning his heart when he’s so afraid of the truth, turns out to be the hardest challenge I’ve ever raced to complete.

[While this an adult M/M romance, Katmore really excels at YA contemporary romcom. Her Grover Beach High series is also on KU and I highly recommend it!

#27. The Paper Swan by Leylah Attar

They say it takes twenty-one days to form a habit. They lie.

For twenty-one days she held on. But on Day Twenty-two, she would have given anything for the sweet slumber of death.

Because on Day Twenty-two, she realizes that her only way out means certain death for one of the two men she loves.

#28. Melt for You (Slow Burn #2) by J.T. Geissinger

Socially awkward Joellen Bixby has a date every Saturday—with her cat, a pint of ice cream, and fantasies of the way-too-handsome Michael Maddox. She’d give anything to win over the unattainable CEO of her firm, but how can she when she blends in so well with her cubicle? The answer may be closer than she thinks.

Cameron McGregor is a cocky, tattooed Scottish rugby captain who just moved in next door. He’s not Jo’s type—at all—but the notorious playboy is offering to teach the wallflower everything he knows about inspiring desire. Though a lot of women have rumpled Cam’s kilt, Jo is special. Far from the ugly duckling she thinks she is, in Cam’s eyes she’s sharp, funny, and effortlessly sexy. Now, thanks to him, Jo is blooming with confidence and has the man of her dreams within reach.

Unfortunately for Cam, he’s just helped to push the woman of his dreams into the arms of another man—and now he’s in the fight of his life to keep this beauty from getting away.

[SUCH a great book, with sizzling UST between the characters. Also one of my favourite tropes! Can be read as a standalone.]

#29. The V Girl by Mya Robarts

In post-apocalyptic North America two emerging nations are at war and sexual slavery is legal. Lila Velez desperately wants to lose her virginity before the troops visit her town and take it away by force. She makes plans to seduce her only friend. Lila does not love him, but he is the only man who has shown her true affection, an affection she is willing to take as a substitute for love.

Lila hides a secret that will bring her closer to Aleksey Fürst, a foreign, broody man who she distrusts because of his links to the troops and his rough, yet irresistible appearance. He offers Lila an alternative to her plans, a possibility that terrifies her…and tempts her in spite of herself.

With threats looming at every turn and no way to escape, Lila fears that falling in love will only lead to more heartache. The consequences of laying down her arms for Aleksey and welcoming hope might destroy more than her heart. They might force her to face the worst of her nightmares becoming a reality. Is love possible in a world that has forgotten what the human touch is?

#30. Falling for a Knight (The Wild Knights #1) by Té Russ

While vacationing in Trinidad, world-renowned photographer Roman Knight unexpectedly acquires a new muse, Cynthia Tremaine. Their chemistry is off the charts and they can’t resist giving into a night of passion together.

Neither of them expected to see each other again after they parted ways…but fate seemed to have other plans.

See here for more recommended KU books!

Arplis - News source https://arplis.com/blogs/news/30-best-kindle-unlimited-romance-books-available-right-now

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engagementringhighlandvillage · 5 years

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Wedding Bands In Denton

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519magazine · 5 years

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Windsor Cabaret For A Cause Joins Musical Theatre With Charity

Windsor’s Capitol Theatre was turned into a giant lovefest on Friday night (Nov. 9) when a handful of local musical theatre performers and musicians joined forces for a fundraising cabaret for the Canadian Mental Health Association in Windsor-Essex. Dubbed Cabaret For A Cause, the now annual event not only helps raise funds for an essential charity like CMHA, it also brought many of the city’s great entertainers onto the mainstage of the Capitol. This year’s Cabaret For A Cause told the story of a coffee shop and its inhabitants while each of the characters and stories intertwine. The only common denominator was that everyone was connected by mental health in one way or another. Some of the highlights included inspirational tracks from favourite musicals like The Greatest Showman and song and dance routines. 519 Magazine photographer Dan Savoie was on hand to shoot a bit of the show. The whole Cabaret For A Cause affair has become more than just a special performance, it’s morphing into a series of arts therapy workshops with mental health and arts industry professionals leading the charge. These monthly workshops will focus on different topics like dance, visual arts, entertainment tech, acting, writing, all while keeping keen and watchful eye on the mental health issues some of the participants might be portraying or even dealing with in their own daily lives. The project is expected to launch in January 2019. Here are the people behind this year’s Cabaret For A Cause: Aaron Bergeron (Cast) Amber Thibert (Cast/Production Manager) Andjela Ilic (Marketing/Videography) Chris Fazekas (Cast/Assistant Director) Christine Collins (Cast) Drew Beaudoin (Cast) Elizabeth Rivard (Cast) Florine Ndimubandi (Cast) Hope Forman (Cast) James Lapeer (Cast) Kaitlyn Karns (Cast) Kim Buckley (Marketing/Graphic Design) Lizz Beith (Cast) Micheal Roy (Cast) Ruby Romero (Cast) Sam Poole (Music Director) Sean Humenny (Cast) Sean Sennett (Cast) Toni Bruner (Cast/Creative Director) Read the full article

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mikosaura · 5 years

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BEGINNER’S GUIDE TO CHAKRAS.

Have you ever complained about tiredness, or relationship issues, or well… anything really? If you said no, unless you are some perfect angel human, I don’t believe you. But if you said yes, I would tell you your chakras are probably whack-a-doodle.

Chakras, simply put (very simply put) are energy centers throughout your body. Chakra is the Sanskrit word for wheel. Each chakra can be visualized as a spinning whirl where energy flows in a spiraling vortex. Emotional imbalance and stress block the energy that flows freely from one chakra to the next. This can create and illusion of separation and fear in your perception of life.

You can balance your chakras if they ever become stuck in order to bring harmony back into your life. When the energy can circulate throughout your body you may find that you become more creative, focused and fulfilled.

The source of energy can be represented by the element of spirit. Some people may consider this the soul. This body is limitless and it channels the energy from the universe into your material body. It's purpose is to bring awareness to the cosmic consciousness. In other words, it takes you from a state of ignorance to the realization of truth. The soul searches for harmonious vibrations.

The human body can be visualized as a column of light, vibrating at the frequency of color. Each of the seven main chakras—crown, third eye, throat, heart, solar plexus, sacral and root— vibrate at a different frequency and therefore are seen as different colors. These vibrations correspond with various emotions and feelings, when the vibrations are interrupted due to disease, stress, or tensions, it can deplete the energy you have available to live your daily life and alters your chemical and hormonal response to change.

The seven main chakras in your body, are as follows, working from the top, down:

SEVENTH CHAKRA: CROWN CHAKRA

The highest chakra opens you up to the universe, to the energy from above you, to intuition and spirit. Some people see it as violet in color and others see it as a bright, shining white. Either way, it is the chakra that represents enlightenment and the connection to deity.

Sanskrit: Sahasrara

Affirmation: “I am one with my higher self and one with the Divine.”

Purpose: Cognition, our connection and to spirituality and higher self/life/purpose

Location: Top/center of the head

Color: Violet/white

Element: Thought

Crystals: Clear quartz, diamond, Herkimer diamond, lepidolite, moonstone, sugilite, amethyst, sapphire

Essential Oils: Frankincense, helichrysum, lemon, lemon balm, chamomile, rosemary, sandalwood

SIXTH CHAKRA: THIRD EYE CHAKRA

This chakra is associated with psychic vision, intuition, wisdom, the mind, perception, and visualization. If it is blocked, you may be unable to access those things, and you thinking in general might be muddled. If you have attempted divination and failed, it is a good idea to check in on your third eye chakra.

Sanskrit: Ajna

Affirmation: “I am tuned into the Divine to follow the path towards my purpose.”

Purpose: Intuition/imagination/wisdom/ability to think and make decisions

Location: Middle of forehead: between the eyes, above the base of the nose, slightly higher than brow line

Color: Indigo

Element: Light

Crystals: Amethyst, blue quartz, charoite, lepidolite, purple flourite, sodalite, sugilite, lapis lazuli

Essential Oils: Clary sage, lemongrass

FIFTH CHAKRA: THROAT CHAKRA

The fifth chakra rules speech, self-expression, communication, creativity, the arts, and speaking your own truth. If you've ever felt powerless or unable to speak your mind your throat chakra might be out of balance. Many people store anger in this chakra so learning techniques for letting go of that anger can lead you to positive change and transformation.

Sanskrit: Vishuddha

Affirmation: “I am speaking clearly and truthfully with grace and ease.”

Purpose: Communication/self-expression of feelings, speaking the truth, holding secrets

Location: Center of throat/neck

Color: Blue

Element: Ether/sound

Crystals: Angelite, apatite, aquamarine, celestine, blue lace agate, sodalite, lapis lazuli, turquoise

Essential Oils: Birch, lavender, oregano

FOURTH CHAKRA: HEART CHAKRA

The heart chakra is the fourth chakra and is located right where you'd expect! It is associated with the emotions, especially the ability to give and receive love. If it is closed off, you will probably have a tough time with relationships of every kind, so it's a good idea to check in on this one from time to time.

Sanskrit: Anahata

Affirmation: “I am giving and receiving love effortlessly and unconditionally.”

Purpose: Love, joy, inner peace

Location: Heart region

Color: Green

Element: Air

Crystals: Amazonite, chrysocolla, chrysoprase, emerald rose quartz, green aventurine

Essential Oils: Eucalyptus, geranium, lime, marjoram, melaleuca, peppermint, rose, thyme, ylang ylang

THIRD CHAKRA: SOLAR PLEXUS CHAKRA

The third chakra is considered to be the center of the body, the place from which energy is generated. The third chakra is usually visualized as yellow in color. If it is out of balance, that can show up as a lack of energy flow. This chakra is associated with self-esteem and self-confidence.

Sanskrit: Manipura

Affirmation: “I am powerful, confident and successful in all my ventures.”

Purpose: Power, self-worth, self-confidence, self-esteem

Location: Slightly above the navel

Color: Yellow

Element: Fire

Crystals: Amber, golden topaz, sunstone, citrine, yellow calcite

Essential Oils: Bergamot, cassia, clove, coriander, fennel, ginger, grapefruit, juniper berry, wintergreen

SECOND CHAKRA: SACRAL CHAKRA

The second chakra, also known as the sacral chakra, is located at the pelvis and is usually pictured as being orange in color. This energy center is key for sexuality and hormonal balance, which affects the entire body. No matter what stage of life you are at, this chakra can be thrown off by trauma or illness. Some people ar uncomfortable with their own sexuality, and that can throw this chakra out of whack too.

Sanskrit: Svadhistana

Affirmation: “I am authentically creating a life free of stress and full of bliss.”

Purpose: Authentic creation, creator, soul fire, sexuality

Location: Slightly below the navel

Color: Orange

Element: Water

Crystals: Carnelian, citrine, orange calcite, orange carneline, fire opal

Essential Oils: Black pepper, cinnamon, cypress, tangerine, orange

FIRST CHAKRA: ROOT CHAKRA

The root chakra, sometimes called base chakra, has to do with being grounded and stable. It is what roots you to the earth, and when it is out of balance, you can feel insecure. When working to heal and balance your chakras, this is where you'll want to start. Think of them as a tower of blocks: without a sable foundation, the whole thing with topple over.

Sanskrit: Muladhara

Affirmation: “I am a divine being of light. I am peaceful, protected, and secure.”

Purpose: Survival, security, stability

Location: Base of spine

Color: Red

Element: Earth

Crystals: Bloodstone, garnet, ruby, jasper

Essential Oils: Basil, cedarwood, myrrh, patchouli, vetiver, white fir

WHY DO I CARE ABOUT THIS?

Energy Work is the basis of many alternative healing techniques. Ayurvedic medicine, crystal therapy, Reiki and traditional Chinese medicine all involve energy work. Energy work can also be found in some religious and spiritual beliefs such as Hinduism and Buddhism. It is at the core of Feng Shui and considered an integral part of yoga (Kundalini and Anusara yoga in particular).

Throughout the world, different cultures deal with energy work. The term for energy may differ (Chinese chi, Japanese ki, Greek pneuma, Indian prana, etc.) but wherever you are, the idea remains the same. Energy work is the manipulation of the energy which flows through all living things, also known as life force energy.

For centuries, people have balanced their chakras in order to feel grounded, passionate, confident, loving, expressive, creative and spiritual. Modern humans have just as much or even more stress and chaos interrupting our lives making it easy for chakras to become blocked. You can heal yourself by connecting your body, mind and spirit to your energy. With unblocked chakras and freely flowing energy you can live your healthiest, most joyous life.

If you can understand this, you can understand why people consider it important to work with their chakras. By healing and balancing our chakras we are actively working toward healing and balancing ourselves on every level. When you complain about being tired or a problem in your relationship or anything else you can discover the deeper issue that could be causing these surface challenges.

HOW CAN I START HEALING MY CHAKRAS?

CHAKRA MEDITATION

If you don't like guided meditations, read this deep and powerful meditation before you start your practice. It's perfect to help you find some balance and beneficial energy. It should take about half an hour.

This meditation may bring intense sensations and strong emotional reactions. If you feel vibrations, numbness, tingling, or a floating or disconnected sensation this is normal. You may see flashes or swirls of light behind your eyelids. Also, normal. Ringing in your ears is also common. None of this will harm you. Simply relax into the sensation and breathe deeply.

Start by sitting comfortable with your back straight and your chin tilted slightly in. Find a comfortable place to rest your hands on your knees or in your lap.

Breathe deeply and notice any tension. Relax muscles. Feel your heartbeat slow. When thoughts enter your mind let them pass. When the world around you take you away from you focus, push it out again. Always bringing your attention back to your breath.

Inhale through your nose, exhale through your mouth. Close your eyes.

Bring your attention to the root chakra at the base of your spine. See it glowing red and opening like a flower. Breathe into this space. With every inhale see clean, beneficial energy entering the chakra. Imagine unhelpful, unclean energy leaving and dissipating with your exhales. Stay here as long as you like before moving up to your sacral chakra.

Continue climbing up your spine like a ladder focusing on each chakra along the way for the time you need. Visualize each chakra as it's corresponding color vibration (sacral - orange, Solar plexus - yellow, heart - green/pink, throat - blue/aqua, third eye - purple/blue, crown - purple/white).

When you finish with the crown chakra, breathe and prepare yourself. Notice any new sensations. When you're ready, imaging a stream of light flowing from beyond the crown chakra (the source), through the crown, down your spine all the way to your root chakra. As it flows, imagine each chakra is filled with energy before spilling in to the next.

Once each chakra is filled with energy and glowing brightly allow the excess energy to return to the universe. Feel you connection to the universe and all it's wisdom.

Breathe deeply for several minutes. Allow your awareness to explore your surroundings. Wiggle your toes and fingers. Slowly, open your eyes.

MANTRA

Crown: Silence - shhhh

Third Eye: Om

Throat: Ham

Heart: Yam

Solar Plexus: Ram

Sacral: Vam

Root: Lam

#mikosaura → chakra

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