#edited: 8/12/2021

[exactlycleverpirate]

Timeline from Xavier's Perspective Part 2

EDIT: Updated with some new information and some adjustments.

(Includes spoilers for basically everything, including all myths.)

This is an update of my earlier post. See Part 1 here.

Timeline from Xavier's perspective (Part 2/Earth):

Timejump.

?1248 (“It’s been 800 years!”)? Sometime in a past life, Rafayel and MC were lovers. (Is this when MC was trapped on the Island of Songs in a hut by herself, doomed to someday drown and Rafayel comes, gives her his heart and saves her?) Then she is cursed and turned into a Sea Witch in the Abyssal Rift. She has no memory of Rafayel or being human. Rafayel exchanges his scale, eternal blood, and a shell with his voice in order to turn MC human and restore her memories. Then he turns to sea foam. (Fragrant Dream.) (This could all be an actual dream or allusion that never happen or hasn't happened yet. However, this could be when Rafayel gifted MC one of his scales and formed the bond between them.)

2018 Xavier checks out a book in the library that MC will check out 30 years later. (An 

1834 AD Xavier, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Noah (Likely actually Jeremiah, due to translation error), and others stranded on Earth. (This timing comes from a promotional video where Xavier says he has been on Earth for 214 years.) (Part of a team called the Backtrackers. Were on a Backtrack mission when something went wrong in the Deepspace tunnel.)

Appointment)

2021 Zayne born Sept 5th.

2024 (...probably) Rafayel born March 6th

2025 The year Xavier claims he was born, on Oct 16th.

2026-2027 MC born. (This age comes from chapter 5.1. The letter she gets from Grandma says she was 7-8 when they started experimenting on her, and she was adopted by Grandma after the Chronorift Catastrophe in 2034.)

Child Rafayel likes escaping to explore the ocean. On one or more of these excursions, he sees a lantern festival and puts out their lanterns. (Ocean At Night)

2032 Xavier joins Arthur's police team. (Anecdote 2)

2033 That winter, Noah (Likely actually Jeremiah, due to translation error) contacts Xavier for information to make a new identity. Noah mentions wanting to be an ordinary person in this timeline and that he fell in love. Xavier fakes his death as a police officer and encounters a lost little girl with a bunny plushie. Fights Isaiah in Linkon city in a fight that makes the whole city go dark. He disguises this by making it look like there is a meteor shower. (Anecdote 2)

2034 Deepspace tunnel appears and Chronorift Catastrophe (timespace anomaly in Linkon city). MC is 7-8, taken in by Grandma. Caleb is also adopted by Grandma. 12 year old Zayne loses control of his Evol at the end of summer and has a nightmare about the Grim Reaper for the first time. Rafayel would be 10 at this time. Xavier appears as Lumiere for the first time, kills the first Wanderer in the Chronorift Catastrophe and saves MC. On December 31st, Lemurian ruins are discovered, after a tsunami southeast of Linkon city, when a rift opens up and reveals it. Her grandma participates in experiments to fuse a human heart and a protocore. At some point, MC's heart is fused with an Aether core. Onichynus and Dr. Noah are both somehow linked to these experiments. Her first heart doctor is Dr. Noah.

At some point in MC and Rafayel's childhood, Rafayel visits the surface world but gets trapped on the beach on his return trip (on Ebb Day?) (Perhaps during her field trip to Hat Island?) She saves him and they make a pinkie promise. Rafayel says if she doesn't return, he will chase her to the ends of the earth. (Nightly Stroll)

Child Rafayel is given a Whale Call as a means of protection, in case something happens on one of his escapes from Lemuria. However, he never uses it, because he never escapes again after this, and sometime later he buries it in the Lemurian city. (Whalefall Lament)

Child Rafayel is tricked and his people slaughtered. Some survivors go into hiding living on land among humans, including his Aunt Talia and K. (Anecdote 3)

Sometime before 2038, MC goes on a field trip to Hat Island (possibly when she meets Rafayel?).

2035 Zayne (age 14) begins medical school at Skywalk University, spends 6 years in med school program. (It normally takes 8.) (From his biography on the hospital wall.)

2043 Zayne (age 22) graduates from medical school. Goes on a mission to the Arctic where he is forced to mercy kill his mission leader who is being consumed by some sort of ice (Anecdote 2). Begins work at Linkon Central Hospital. (From his biography on the hospital wall.)

Rafayel's Anecdote 3 immediately precedes Anecdote 2 (See 2044-2047). Rafayel is singing in the opera and seeking revenge overseas in Verona under the name Mo. He is being investigated by a private detective named Louis. He is not painting at this time. His Aunt Talia is also in Verona. He attends a Seamoon Ceremony for a fellow Lemurian survivor, K. Lemurians are hiding amongst humanity, but being hunted, tortured, harvested for their scales and blood and killed. Rafayel then moves to Linkon city and resumes painting again. He has a photo of MC in his pocket. (Anecdote 3).

Sometime between 2043-2045 MC (17-18) begins attending University of Linkon. (School year usually begins in September.)

2043-2047 Rafayel's Anecdote 2 takes place sometime in this timeframe while MC is at University of Lincoln. That summer, his painting Illusion projects him into the spotlight as a popular artist. In late summer, he becomes a lecturer at University of Linkon. He receives information on her from someone at the Nest. He believes there are “predators'' surrounding her, some of whom may be trying to use her to trap him, so he is wary about approaching her. He burns the photos and information the man who investigated her collects about her. He describes his feelings toward her as painful and addictive, thinking he is ready to spend the rest of his days with her, but also wants to settle the score between them. (Anecdote 2). Thomas becomes Rafayel’s agent. (Anecdote 1).

2045 Xavier meets Arthur at his tombstone. (Anecdote 2)

2046 Zayne makes a groundbreaking discovery about the effects of the Evol gene on heart development. (From the AKSO hospital article about him). He receives the Starcatcher and Linde Awards. (From his biography on the hospital wall.)

2047-2048 MC graduates. (School year usually ends June-July)

2048 Pregame: Zayne becomes chief surgeon. Zayne becomes MC's doctor 6 months before the story begins (in July of 2048, making 6 months prior the month of January) (Dr. Dean/Noah was her doctor before him). Also 6 months before the story begins, Raymond begins exhibiting symptoms of mental confusion and other abnormal behavior. At the start of the year, (per Main Story chpt 2.6) Rafayel returns to the country from overseas. He is known for spending six months painting in his studio, then traveling the world for inspiration/materials for the other 6 months. The month before the main story, Rafayel's art broke the record for the highest selling art at Lizio Auctions. Raymond buys a painting from Rafayel's gallery.

2048 Story begins Wednesday, July 1st (most likely), with MC being initiated as a Hunter in the Hunter's Association. MC is about 21-22, and her Evol has to do with Resonance, Anhaunsen Class. Rafayel is 24, Fire Evol. Zayne is 27, Ice Evol. Xavier claims to be 23, Light Evol. Traceback II is approaching the event horizon and entering the black hole.

See Love and Deepspace: the Story So Far Part 1.

Sometime in the future, after the destruction of Linkon but before the destruction of Earth, Grim Reaper Zayne lives, killing humans turned Wanderer and dreaming of a life as a doctor with the woman he loves. (Anecdote 3)

Part 1 and 2 in this timeline continue in a loop perpetually?

#love and deepspace #rafayel love and deepspace #xavier love and deepspace #zayne love and deepspace #love and deepspace xavier #love and deepspace zayne #love and deepspace rafayel #xavier #zayne #rafayel

[waterlilyvioletfog]

10 CDramas I Enjoyed Enough To Recommend!

1. Nirvana in Fire (2015) — 5/5 ⭐️ 54 Episodes. This is genuinely as good as its reputation. It is a political palace drama and it is insanely compelling. My mom agrees that this is good. You can watch it on YouTube, but I recommend watching on Viki (which you can sign up with for free) bc cdramas on YT can have weird issues with audio + I’m pretty sure the versions available on YT are heavily edited to cut out Zhang Zhehan.

2. The Untamed (2019) — 4/5 ⭐️ 50 Episodes 🏳️‍🌈 Owns me. Censored BL low-xianxia setting. None of my family believe me about how good it is because they keep seeing out of context episodes and scenes. The Untamed is something you have to just sit through. It is a boiling frog situation. Beats out #3 despite being of lower quality (look. Those special effects…) because this is my best friend my silly rabbit my blorbo my love. My stinky cheese, even. Netflix, YouTube, and Viki.

3. A Journey to Love (2023) — 4.5/5 ⭐️ 40 Episodes. A mixture of court drama, wuxia adventure, and romance. So so so many dramas WANT to be this show, to balance court politics and wuxia shenanigans and epic romance but, frankly, only AJTL manages to perfectly balance all of its genres, plots, and characters. I cried watching the end. I watched this on YouTube, but it’s also on iQIYI.

4. Love Between Fairy And Devil (2022) — 4/5 ⭐️ 36 Episodes. Xianxia romance. Despite outward appearances of trite banality and overdone tropes, this show is gorgeous, insanely compelling, and will sit with you. My mom calls this “the fairy show :D”. Suffers in pacing towards the end, but sticks the landing. Netflix, Viki, iQIYI.

5. Word of Honor (2021) — 4/5 ⭐️ 36 Episodes 🏳️‍🌈 Wuxia adventure censored BL. Lead actor Zhang Zhehan is… a bit of a touchy subject, but I still consider this one of the best cdramas I’ve watched and I do still recommend it. Like LBFAD, pacing suffers in last quarter, but sticks the landing. Netflix, YouTube, Viki.

6. Lost You Forever S1 (2023) — 4/5 ⭐️ 39 Episodes. Xianxia reverse harem romance. Now that description may not sound compelling. But. Idk how to tell you this but I’m insane about this drama. Is it ~good~? I honestly can’t say. I’m insane about it. S2 is probably gonna be a flop and kill my love for it but for now? We’re riding high, baby!! YouTube, Viki, probably iQIYI.

7. The Rise of Phoenixes (2018) — 4/5 ⭐️ 70 Episodes. Court drama/romance. Actually you know what I DON’T recommend this. But like I DO need people to watch it so I have people to talk to about it with 🥺 Watching this is an exercise in masochism. It is gorgeous. It is insanely compelling. Watch like. The first 50 episodes because pretty much the rest of it is just [muffled screams]. Apparently it’s coming soon to Viki which is good bc it’s not on Netflix anymore 🙃

8. Couple of Mirrors (2021) — 3.5/5 ⭐️ 12 Episodes 🏳️‍🌈 1930s Shanghai censored GL romance. Hardly the highest quality, but it’s really fun, and you know what. Does a thing have to be good, historically coherent, and have two full seasons? Is it not enough for a show to be about lesbians??? Who are wanted for murders they may or may not have committed??? YouTube and Viki.

9. New Life Begins (2022) — 3.5/5 ⭐️ 40 Episodes. Fluffy court romance. Is this actually good idek I haven’t re-watched at all. What it is is a solid, serviceable, fluffy little het court romance with Feminism 101 undergirding it all. I liked it perfectly fine. There are many kinds of women and they should all be happy and free to pursue their passions!! Women who are friends!! And you know what? So true, cute little cdrama. So true. YouTube, Viki, iQIYI.

10. The Starry Love (2023) — 3/5 ⭐️ 40 Episodes. Xianxia romance. For the most part, a lighthearted comedic romance drama. It’s cute. It’s fun. It is sometimes comically low-quality, but it’s mostly charming and I like the visuals in general. The main pairing, while fun, doesn’t interest me as much as the secondary pairing or the friendship/sisterhood aspects of it. YMMV with this one. Viki and YouTube.

Honorable mention— The Blood of Youth (2022) Probably better overall than at least a few of these entries, but I’m just still so sad abt my favorite character dying :( Could be gayer.

#cdrama #nirvana in fire #the untamed #a journey to love #love between fairy and devil #word of honor #lost you forever #the rise of phoenixes #couple of mirrors #new life begins #the starry love #I will eventually watch a bunch of iQIYI things I started on yt. eventually!!!

[poisonousquinzel]

The Gotham City Sirens | By Jenny Frison

[Insta]

• Slightly Edited By: @poisonousquinzel

Catwoman (2018 - ) #35

Cover B; Card Stock Variant

Poison Ivy (2022 - ) #2

Cover B; Card Stock Variant

Harley Quinn (2021 - ) #25

Cover D Incentive 1:25; Card Stock Variant

Catwoman (2018 - ) #40

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Poison Ivy (2022 - ) #10

Cover B; Card Stock Variant

Harley Quinn (2021 - ) #27

Cover C; Card Stock Variant

Poison Ivy (2022 - ) #8

Cover E Inc 1:50; Foil Card Stock Variant

Harley Quinn (2021 - ) #30

Cover B; Card Stock Variant

Catwoman (2018 - ) #26

Card Stock Variant Cover

Poison Ivy (2022 - ) #12

Cover B; Card Stock Variant

Catwoman (2018 - ) #36

Cover B; Card Stock Variant

Catwoman (2018 - ) #44

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#harley quinn #harleen quinzel #poison ivy #pamela isley #selina kyle #catwoman #dc comics #jenny frison

[yanderes-galore]

Masterlists

(New place where all the masterlists will go)

Alien vs Predator (Edited: 11/29/23)

Arknights (Edited: 4/11/23)

Arcane (Edited: 11/8/23)

A Song of Ice and Fire/House of The Dragon/Game of Thrones (Edited: 4/22/24)

Assassination Classroom (Edited: 5/20/23)

Beastars (Edited: 4/25/24)

Bendy and The Ink Machine (Edited: 4/21/23)

Bioshock (Edited: 11/4/23)

Black Butler (Edited: 4/11/23)

Blue Exorcist (Edited: 4/21/23)

Borderlands (Edited: 2/26/24)

The Boys (Edited: 3/20/24)

Call of Duty (Edited: 10/24/23)

Cookie Run (Edited: 5/11/23)

Cult of the Lamb (Edited: 4/13/24)

Cuphead (Edited: 6/21/23)

Danganronpa (Edited 4/11/23)

Dark Souls and other Soulslike games (Edited: 1/28/24)

DC Comics (Edited: 10/30/23)

Dead by Daylight (Edited: 5/8/24)

Death Note (Edited: 5/9/24)

Demon Slayer (Edited: 3/28/24)

Detroit: Become Human (Edited: 9/3/23)

The Disastrous Life of Saiki K. (Edited: 4/21/23)

Disney (Edited: 2/22/24)

Don't Starve (Edited: 4/11/23)

DOOM (Edited: 4/21/23)

Dragon Age (Edited: 3/11/24)

Elder Scrolls (Edited: 3/22/24)

Far Cry (Edited: 2/16/24)

Fear and Hunger (Edited: 5/5/24)

Five Nights at Freddy's (1) (Edited: 7/28/23) (2) (Edited: 10/23/23) (3) (Edited: 4/26/24)

Gears/Gears of War (Edited: 5/22/24)

Genshin Impact (Edited: 4/17/24)

God of War (Edited: 11/13/23)

Halo (Edited: 5/21/24)

Halo RvB (Edited: 5/12/24)

Happy Tree Friends (Edited: 4/27/24)

Homestuck/Hiveswap (1) (Edited 1/21/24) (2) (Edited 3/24/24)

How To Train Your Dragon (Edited: 4/30/24)

Identity V (1) (Edited: 4/11/23) (2) (Edited: 4/11/23)

Invader Zim (Edited: 4/11/23)

JoJo's Bizarre Adventure (Edited: 5/20/24)

Jujutsu Kaisen (Edited: 5/22/24)

The Last of Us (Edited: 5/5/23)

Left 4 Dead (Edited: 4/11/23)

Madness Combat (Edited: 5/2/24)

Marvel (Edited: 11/17/23)

Metro Game Series (Edited: 3/12/24)

Mortal Kombat (Edited: 3/3/24)

My Hero Academia (Edited: 4/29/24)

My Little Pony (Edited: 4/24/24)

Mystic Messenger (Edited: 4/11/23)

Naruto (Edited: 5/23/24)

Ninjago (Edited: 9/15/23)

Nintendo (Edited: 5/3/24)

Obey Me! (Edited: 4/11/23)

Outlast (Edited: 7/21/23)

The Outerworlds (Edited: 4/11/24)

Overwatch (Edited: 5/4/24)

Payday (Edited: 1/24/24)

Pirates of The Caribbean (Edited: 4/11/23)

Pokemon (Edited: 4/29/24)

Poppy Playtime (Edited: 5/3/24)

Portal (Edited: 4/11/23)

Puss In Boots (Edited: 3/23/24)

Random Hybrid HCs (to be merged) (Edited: 4/11/23)

Red Dead Redemption (Edited: 3/4/24)

Resident Evil (Edited: 10/24/23)

Rick and Morty (Edited: 8/17/23)

SCP (Edited: 4/11/23)

Silent Hill (Edited: 11/8/23)

Slashers (Edited: 5/10/24)

Small HCs/Concepts (Edited: 4/11/23)

Sonic The Hedgehog (Edited: 5/3/24)

South Park (Aged Up) (Edited: 6/28/23)

Spooky Month (Edited: 4/21/23)

Star Wars (11/15/23)

Steven Universe (Edited: 4/27/24)

Team Fortress 2 (Edited: 5/7/24)

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Edited: 5/12/24)

Toilet-Bound Hanako-Kun (Edited: 4/11/23)

Transformers (Edited: 11/17/23)

Twisted Wonderland (Edited: 4/8/24)

Uncategorized Fics (Edited: 3/3/24)

Undertale/Deltarune (Edited: 5/2/24)

Voltron: Legendary Defender (Edited: 5/27/23)

We Happy Few (Edited: 1/23/24)

Yandere OC Concepts (Edited: 10/3/23)

Main OCs (Edited: 4/11/23)

Xenophobic (Story) (Edited: 4/11/23)

Worse Than Zombies (Story) (Edited: 4/11/23)

Yandere Halloween Event 2021 (Edited: 4/11/23)

Yandere Halloween Event 2022 (Edited 4/11/23)

#yandere masterlist #yandere x darling

[tokyokookmin]

𓆩♡𓆪𝘑𝘐𝘒𝘖𝘖𝘒-M𝘖𝘔𝘌𝘕𝘛𝘚 𝘔𝘈𝘚𝘛𝘌𝘙𝘓𝘐𝘚𝘛★☆

MY FAVORITE / TOP SERIES & A COLLECTION OF OTHERS -

link 1; #JIKOOK best vocals

link 2; #JIKOOK favourite stages (concerts, music banks etc)

link 3; #JIKOOK top 2021 moments

link 4; #JIKOOK top reasons why jikook is something else

link 5; #JIKOOK - The definition of "there for you".

link 6; #JIKOOK - The way Jungkook lifts Jimin (bridal style)

link 7; #JIKOOK - Black Swan.. we don't discuss this much.

link 8; #JIKOOK in 2019 (timeline, but discontinued)

link 9; #JIKOOK Holding hands

link 10; #JIKOOK Staring at each other (most likes)

link 11; #JIKOOK - Jungkook finding Jimin cute

link 12; #JIKOOK - I think a lot about how Jungkook adores Jimin

link 13; #JIKOOK - Jikookery in Hong Kong

A compilation of JIKOOK moments -

link 1; #JIKOOK being in love on camera/ in public (pt1).

link 2; #JIKOOK being in love on camera/ in public (pt2)

link 3; #JIKOOK moments I feel is the most authentic version of them

link4; #JIKOOK 2019 AWARDS & EVENTS PT.1

link5; #JIKOOK TOP 9 best moments during concerts.

link 6; #JIKOOK -Their gazes, their stares (one of my most liked)

link 7; #JIKOOK - It's a genuine connection. They are each other's support systems (PART 1)

link 8; #JIKOOK Favourite flustered Jimin andJungkook moments

link 9; #JIKOOK - "Acts of Service", massages.

link 10; #JIKOOK Top 5 underrated gestures/Significance

link 11; #JIKOOK - The way Jimin looks at Jungkook

link 12; #JIKOOK Things I love about Jikook's relationship (holding hands)

link 13; #JIKOOK - Jungkook carrying Jimin

link 14; #JIKOOK - It's a genuine connection. They are each other's support systems. (PART 2)

CONT/

𝘼 𝘾𝙊𝙇𝙇𝙀𝘾𝙏𝙄𝙊𝙉 𝙊𝙁 𝙅𝙄𝙆𝙊𝙊𝙆'𝙎 𝙈𝙊𝙈𝙀𝙉𝙏𝙎 (EDITED BY TOKYOKOOKMIN) - link 1; can I just stay here? / link 2; I love you for infinity/link 3; I was only falling in love / link 4; you're mine. Video edits <3

𝙅𝙆/𝙅𝙈 𝙑𝙇𝙄𝙑𝙀𝙎 & 𝙅𝙈 𝘽𝘿𝘼𝙔 𝙑𝙇𝙄𝙑𝙀 -

𝙅𝙄𝙆𝙊𝙊𝙆 𝘾𝙇𝙄𝙋𝙎 𝙁𝙍𝙊𝙈 𝙈𝙀𝙈𝙊𝙍𝙄𝙀𝙎 2020 -;

2023 GUIDELINES (UPDATED) - PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE ENGAGING IN ANY OF MY CONTENT

✎ ARCHIVE - https://tokyokookmin.tumblr.com/archive

✎ SEND ME AN ASK! - https://tokyokookmin.tumblr.com/ask

✎ MY TWITTER - https://twitter.com/kookminivoir

✎ MY BLOG WEBSITE - https://tokyokookmin.tumblr.com/

#bts #jikook #kookmin #jimin #jungkook #jimin x jungkook #bts army #jk #park jimin #jm #minkookers #minkook #mingguk #tokyokookmin

[cheesybadgers]

Narcos Fic: Old Habits Die Hard (Chap. 21)

Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12, Chapter 13, Chapter 14, Chapter 15, Chapter 16, Chapter 17, Chapter 18, Chapter 19, Chapter 20, Chapter 22, Chapter 23, Chapter 24

Read on AO3

Masterlist

Pairing: Javier Peña x Horacio Carrillo

Words: 7,356

Summary: After arriving in Manizales, Horacio introduces Javier to his family, leading to a long overdue heart-to-heart and a drinking game with a twist.

Warnings: 18+ ONLY. Discussions of coming out, grief, parental loss, canon-typical violence, allusions to period-typical prejudices, drinking game, smoking, swearing.

Notes: Firstly, I will soften the blow of leaving it so long since my last update with the news that chapter 22 will be posted within the next week or so! I decided to split it in half to give more space to the conversations between the characters. So, hopefully that will make up for my elongated silence lol.

Secondly, I finished drafting the rest of the fic at the end of last year 👀 So, I just need to complete editing on chapter 23 and the epilogue. Then, and I can't believe I'm actually saying this, it will be time to leave these two messy idiots to it.

I think it will take me some time to get my head around it coming to an end, not least of all because it's been almost 3 years since I started working on this behemoth. And I can't believe how much has happened/changed since then, yet my love for this ship and this story has stayed strong and close to my heart. So, a bit of a premature thank you to anyone who has supported it at any point since March 2021, it's been quite the emotional rollercoaster ❤️ As always, I love hearing from my readers, so feel free to drop me a comment/message!

I’ve also added to my OHDH trivia post to cover this chapter if anyone is interested.

Chapter 21: For Old Times' Sake

A haze of mist hung low on the horizon, clinging to the rolling waves of verdant peaks that bled seamlessly together with worn asphalt until it was impossible to tell where the sky began and the earth ended.

Luckily, the tyres of the hire car were built for rougher terrain, and it wasn’t the first time Horacio had driven this route. Admittedly, it would have been easier to fly. But this had the added benefit of giving Javier a taste of undiscovered territory.

If truth be told, it gifted them more time to mentally prepare for what was getting closer with every hour that passed, each stop off to admire the view and refresh a stubborn way to prolong the status quo.

Progress had been slow for the last hour as the congested traffic crawled along the sharp angles of the road with its treacherous drops only a few inches away. They had come to a standstill behind a bus that allowed passengers off to take photos, and with little room to manoeuvre around the vehicle, a trail of cars had no choice but to wait.

Javier lounged back in the passenger seat, one foot resting on the opposite knee, his elbow leaning on the door, and the window half open.

He watched Horacio’s hands on the steering wheel alternate between clenching and tapping, a particular kind of rigidity returning to his jaw for the first time in months – if not years.

Javier made an executive decision by reaching into the glove box. He pulled out an emergency pack of cigarettes and a lighter they had stashed away before setting off from Medellín.

He lifted one out of the pack and sparked up. “So, did you say it’s a farm we’re heading to?” There was no point asking the obvious, so distraction it was.

“A coffee farm on the outskirts of the city, yeah. It belongs to Fabián’s family. He and his brother, Santiago, do the bulk of the work now their father’s winding down.”

“Sounds nice. And kinda familiar.”

Horacio’s eyes finally left the windshield and met Javier’s with a shadow of a smile. “Yeah, it does. A lot hillier than Texas, though.”

“Well, that wouldn’t be hard.” Javier held out his smoke across the car, their first one that wasn’t post-coital in a long time. But needs must.

Horacio apparently agreed as he accepted it with a huff of resignation. “Fine, one for the road.”

“I think it’s allowed on roads like this one.”

“I did warn you.”

“Hey, no, I like it. Keeps you on your toes.”

“It reminds me of when Papá drove us to visit Tia Salomé and Tio Jairo in Bogotá. He and Mamá let us have sweets for the long journey but warned us the Mareco would take them away if we didn’t behave.”

“The Mareco?”

“La Leyenda del Mareco. It was a story we were told as kids. The Mareco’s a red devil that looks like a lizard on two legs. He steals children’s candy and conjures up a whirlwind to blow them away if they don’t obey their parents.”

Javier nodded in recognition as Horacio passed their cigarette back. “La Llorona was the story used to scare me and my cousins.”

“Oh yeah, we got that one as well.”

“I gotta say, the Mareco explains a lot.”

“About what?”

“About how you developed a problem with authority.”

“What’s your excuse then?”

“What can I say? I was led astray.”

It was a blatant lie, but Javier didn’t care when it caused laughter lines to materialise in the corner of Horacio’s eyes.

“We both know you were drawn to it as much as you resented it.”

“Only where you were concerned. Anyway, you were just as bad even though you'd never admit it.”

“Maybe you were my exception too.”

A moment of silence fell as memory after memory collided, snapshots of how the push and pull between them had evolved with their relationship.

"Listen, I was thinking,” Javier started before taking a drag, “would it make things easier if you wore this? Just while we’re here, I mean.”

Horacio’s gaze drifted to Javier’s exposed skin, the taillights of the car in front catching on the crucifix at his chest. “No,” he said matter-of-factly. “It’s yours now.”

By the time their cigarette was finished, the traffic edged forward, and the road ahead and Javier’s hand on Horacio’s leg soon replaced conversation.

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Two and a half hours and several bursts of heavy rain later, the muddied hire car pulled up by a complex of buildings nestled amongst a sea of lush green and vibrant flowers. The buildings sat atop steep slopes of vegetation that led to the coffee plantations below, the foggy skyline above etched with rugged ridges and the ominous outline of Nevado del Ruiz in the distance.

Any sounds from life on a working coffee farm were drowned out by birdsong and their feet crunching beneath them as Horacio and Javier walked up the gravel path towards the main finca. It was typical in its style with a rustic tiled roof, whitewashed bricks and wooden pillars around its perimeter painted in the same shade of terracotta red as the doors and window frames. At the back of the property was a large garden with a patio area, pool and a spectacular view for miles on a clear day.

As they lugged their suitcases onto the porch, Alejandra waited to greet them at the front door. Her dark hair was styled in a bob with waves bordering on curls, the kind Javier imagined Horacio could grow if he wasn’t so insistent on keeping his hair short. At least since leaving the CNP, he had been less strict about cutting it.

The family resemblance between the two siblings was evident in their facial features, particularly in the shape of their noses, charcoal eyes and Cupid’s bows. But Alejandra was a few inches shorter, and her frame was slimmer on account of not carrying the same muscle as Horacio.

“The wanderer finally returns,” Alejandra announced as she pulled Horacio in for a long hug, neither of them keen to be the first to let go. “At least you remembered how to use the phone before turning up on my doorstep.”

“Of course. It's good to see you. But I am sorry I left it so long. There’s, erm…a lot to catch up on.”

“I’ll say.” She peered curiously behind Horacio. “But first, let me say hello to this handsome new face.”

She all but pushed Horacio to one side, forgoing any formal introductions he might have had planned. All Horacio could do was stand and watch two parts of his life converge that, for a long time, he believed would never – and could never – meet.

Javier had hung back by several feet, his hands self-consciously stuffed into the pockets of his jeans as he kept his eyes on the ground until he was spoken to.

“Hi there, I’m Alejandra. You must be Javier?”

“Oh, er, yeah, hi.” For reasons unbeknownst to Javier, he raised his hand in a stiff wave rather than the relaxed handshake he had planned and felt the heat instantly rise in his cheeks. “Pleasure to finally meet you. Beautiful place you’ve got up here.”

“Likewise. And thanks.” Much to Javier's relief, she took the lead and held out a hand for him to shake with a reassuring smile. “Although you’ve got Fabián to thank for that. He’s down there giving a tour to one of our new buyers.” Alejandra turned back to face Horacio. “Mamá’s shopping for school supplies and tonight’s dessert with Juan José, Sofía and Mateo. Ana María’s out with friends. But they should all be back in the next few hours.”

Horacio nodded but remained taciturn, keeping to himself his strong suspicions that Alejandra had made sure she was the only one to greet them upon arrival.

“Come on, you can show Javier around whilst I make us something to eat and drink.”

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It had been a long time since Horacio’s last visit, but he could just about remember the layout of the place. He took Javier through the downstairs rooms, moving from the hall to the living areas and then the kitchen, which appeared tidier now than in his dreams.

The décor was all tiled or wooden floors and earthy tones, contrasting against large airy windows that made the landscape outside seem like a part of the finca. Evidence of three generations and two cats was scattered everywhere in the form of toys, games, videos, tapes, books, various coffee products and photographs from over the years. In one corner stood a home altar containing a large crucifix, prayer cards, rosary beads, candles, and a statue of Virgen de Chiquinquirá. In the opposite corner was a shelf full of old vinyl with Lucho Bermúdez taking pride of place, naturally.

Upstairs housed six bedrooms and three bathrooms, on account of the brood of four children, three adults and a spare room. The spare room was their last stop, where they dumped their luggage, sharing an amused glance at the double bed with a smaller fold-out one laid out in the corner with a pile of fresh sheets.

“As your guest, I take it I get the bigger one?” Javier asked with a spark of mischief in his eye.

“Well, technically, I’m also a guest here. And I did do all the driving.”

“Maybe I’ll, er, flip you for it later.”

Horacio merely raised a brow at the suggestion in Javier’s tone before they headed back downstairs.

They sat under cover of the terrace in the wildly growing garden, just in case the rain returned, which was always a distinct possibility in Manizales. An impressive platter of fruits was laid out on the table alongside freshly made coffee.

“So, how was the wedding?” Alejandra asked as she poured from a pot into three cups, the dark, rich aroma diffusing into the same crisp air the beans were grown and harvested.

Horacio accepted a cup with a thanks and passed the other to Javier. “It was nice. Good to see everyone again.”

“How’s Trujillo doing? It’s been strange seeing his face all over the news.”

Rather than his, Horacio thought with a strange lurch to the gut he wasn’t expecting. “He’s doing well; he’s a Major now. He deserves some happiness after everything.”

“He’s not the only one.”

Alejandra gave Horacio a pointed look, one he wasn’t ready to entirely meet, so he reached for a slice of guayaba instead.

“And Javier...I take it this is your first visit to Manizales?” she continued, offering him the fruit tray.

“Thanks. And yeah, it is. Never got the time to explore much beyond Bogotá and Medellín.” That wasn't exactly true, but Javier didn’t think talk of Cartagena or Tolú would be welcome right now.

“Well, I hope it won’t be your last.”

Horacio could feel another look directed his way but pretended not to notice it and sipped on his coffee.

Once they had eaten their weight in fruit, Alejandra had some business calls to make, leaving Javier and Horacio to unpack and freshen up before reconvening to make a start on dinner.

Of course, it had to be sudado de pollo. Horacio and Alejandra worked as a team, issuing sporadic instructions to Javier when necessary. But he was happy listening to them catch up and reminisce.

“That smells amazing already,” Javier said as he finely chopped onions across a wooden board, gesturing to the dishful of chicken thighs that Alejandra had just finished marinating.

“Mamá’s secret blend,” she replied as she set the dish aside to move on to dicing several tomatoes.

“Oh yeah? What would I have to do to get the recipe for that?” Javier reflexively caught Horacio’s eye across the kitchen.

“If we told you, we’d have to kill you.” Horacio shot Javier a warning look that indicated he was only half joking before focusing intently on cutting up a large batch of yuca and potatoes.

“Yeah, not even Fabián knows.”

“Papá never knew either. But he was happy for us or Mamá to make it for him.”

“My Mamá was the same with her Abuela’s morisqueta. Although, not long before she passed, she left me and my Pops the recipe.”

Alejandra paused her knife to look up at Javier, the surprise on her face soon transforming into recognition and sympathy. “I bet it’s delicious. You should make it for us some time.”

Now it was Horacio’s turn to stop, his eyes travelling from Alejandra to Javier and back again as the implication of his sister’s words hung as heavy in the kitchen as the aromatic spices of her marinade.

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Once the chicken and vegetables were all prepped and placed in a pot on the stove, the front door opened and closed, a loud chatter of voices soon filling the hallway.

Before Javier knew what was happening, he was being introduced to the children, shaking hands with Fabián, then kissing Elena’s cheek.

“Welcome, Javier. It’s good to put a face to a name at last,” Elena said, thoroughly taking in his appearance, apparently satisfied with what she saw.

At last. Javier wasn’t sure whether those words put him at ease or made him more nervous, but he managed to push such thoughts behind a smile. “Nice to meet you, and likewise.”

Javier had briefly seen pictures of Horacio’s family in the past. But he, too, spent time studying Elena now that he was close enough to smell the floral notes of her perfume. Neat oval glasses and a mix of dark and light grey hair cut short and choppy framed her sharp features, the shape of her nose and Cupid’s Bow matching those of her children.

“No thanks to this one here, mind you.” Despite her chastisement, Elena embraced her son tightly, reluctant to let go. “I think he’s been hiding from us.”

“You know it wasn’t like that, Mamá.” Although, over his Mamá’s head, Horacio gave Javier a sheepish look that said otherwise. “It is good to see you. And I’m sorry I left it so long.”

Upon greeting his nieces and nephews, Horacio was struck by how much they had all grown up since his last visit. Ana María was the spitting image of her mother. Juan José was several inches taller than Horacio and resembled his father more than ever. And Mateo and Sofía had presumably become resentful of all the matching outfits in their younger years of being twins, going out of their way to dress as differently from each other as possible. Once they had said their obligatory hellos, they scattered around the house and no doubt wouldn’t re-appear until dinner was ready.

Right on cue, when Alejandra brought out steaming and brimming plates full of sudado de pollo, everyone rapidly took their places around the table.

Silence fell as they tucked in, the warmth and comfort of childhood cocooning Horacio from what he knew was inevitable. A welcomed interruption from his thoughts came with a soft brush against his leg, his instincts telling him it was one of the cats issuing their own greeting. But he should have known better.

As they ate and endured the usual family small talk, Javier's foot became Horacio's anchor, subtle and soothing rubs against his ankle unseen under the table. Steady, grounding, home. 

------------------------------------------------------

Horacio carried the last few empty plates to the kitchen, where piles of dishes were already stacked high. He had left Javier with Juan José and Mateo, who were showing off the latest video games they had got for Christmas – and were comfortably beating Javier at them, too.

“I’ll wash; you dry. For old times’ sake,” Alejandra said without looking up from the sink where she was filling the basin with water and suds.

“Okay. On the condition we both tidy everything away afterwards.”

“Deal. You’ll just put it in the wrong place unsupervised anyway.”

Horacio swatted the tea towel he’d picked up in her direction, only for her to retaliate by flicking bubbles in his hair.

“We did okay with dinner, didn’t we? I haven’t made that in a long time,” Horacio said.

“You had a good teacher.”

“So did you.”

“Oh, I know. I think that’s why Papá always loved it. We were all in there somewhere.”

“Like our Christmas tamales.”

“Oh, yeah, he couldn’t get enough of those. Remember we always had to make an extra batch for him to take to work?”

“He said they were to share with his unit, but I’m not sure many made it that far.”

Now they were laughing as they worked in tandem, Alejandra changing the water as Horacio cleared the draining board, ready for the next load.

“Did you ever feel like you let him down?” Horacio asked after a long silence, both siblings seemingly waiting for the other to fill it.

“Of course. You know Papá didn’t approve of Fabián at first, right?”

“What?”

“You must’ve heard the arguments?”

“To be fair, there were plenty of arguments between you and Papá.”

“Yeah, and they were mostly about me daring to marry someone other than a cop.”

“That’s what it was about?”

“Mostly. It wasn’t that he didn’t like Fabián; I just think he had suitors picked out for me. People he knew he could trust.”

“But they got along in the end, didn’t they?”

“Once Papá had got over himself, yeah.” Alejandra let out a nostalgic laugh, which Horacio quickly joined in with. “He could be tough when he wanted to be, but…he meant well,” she settled on. “Once he saw how happy I was and how Fabián had taken after his father with the farm, he came around. It was never personal with Papá. It’s just the way he was.”

“So, you don’t think he’d be disappointed in me…” Horacio paused to swallow, his throat drier than a Texan summer. “For quitting?” he got out eventually.

Alejandra gave Horacio a look he’d seen countless times over the years. One only a big sister could give her little brother when she had to feign ignorance of something she had already discovered for herself. The perks of being the eldest.

“How did you know?”

“Horacio, are you really asking that of someone who has been surrounded by cops all her life?”

Horacio rolled his eyes but let Alejandra have that one unchallenged.

“I thought you might have been discharged on medical grounds, to be honest. I hoped you’d seen sense. Or maybe met someone.”

“I wasn’t discharged, but I negotiated a payout after my injury.”

Alejandra released a self-satisfied hum, a whisp of a smile threatening to break free from the corners of her mouth. “Two out of three’s not bad, I suppose.”

Horacio gulped hard enough for Alejandra to hear; he had no doubt about that. But no words followed, not even when he caught her eye.

“You love him, don’t you?” It wasn’t an accusation or an interrogation. In fact, it was barely even a question.

“Yes.” It caught Horacio off guard how fast he answered. How direct and concise he’d been.

“And he loves you.” There was no pretence of a question mark now, but rather a clarification of a well-established fact. A rite of passage both parties needed to hear.

“He does.”

“Enough to walk away from it all, too.”

Horacio nodded, scared the lump in his throat would give way to something else as his glassy gaze met Alejandra’s.

“His father – Chucho – owns a ranch in Laredo, Texas. That’s where I went after…” he trailed off, not wishing to dwell on the finer details of the ambush. “I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you. I hated lying after everything we’ve been through. But I figured the less you and Mamá knew, the safer it was.”

“I had a feeling you’d left Colombia. But Texas?” Alejandra blew out a low whistle. “That’s the part we’ll need to prepare Mamá for.”

“They’re Mexican-American. And the ranch is right on the border by the river.”

“I’d lead with that part if I were you. Not sure you can avoid a lecture about fraternising with Spanish colonisers, though. Twice.”

“I got that the first time I moved over there. But she went quiet when I reminded her Madrid was good enough for Simón Bolívar.”

Alejandra’s shoulders shook in unison with Horacio’s until a comfortable silence fell between them.

“So, you were there a whole year?”

“Just over. I couldn’t do much to help for the first few months – whilst this healed.” Horacio flexed his right arm to prove to Alejandra that everything was back in working order. “But it was good to have a routine eventually.”

“Wait a minute…you worked on the ranch?”

“No need to sound so surprised when you live here. I was actually pretty good at it. And I liked it.” Although Horacio understood and returned his sister’s bemusement because even he had shocked himself.

“No, I’m not. It’s just…oh, Horacio...” Alejandra broke off to bring her hand to his cheek, her brow creased, but her eyes caught between being on the brink of a smile and tears. “Look at you.”

Horacio made a show of wiping away the suds from his cheekbone, hoping he wouldn’t still have an audience afterwards. But no such luck. “It’s not what I expected to happen – any of it. But it just....felt right. I know that probably doesn’t make sense.”

“Actually, it makes perfect sense.”

“Does it?”

“Well, for starters, I can see the appeal. Obviously. Can’t blame you for going for a younger man, either. And taller.”

Horacio rolled his eyes and hoped his face didn’t look as hot as it felt. “Not by that much. On either count.”

“Hey, no judgment from me. But seriously, of course, it makes sense. I know we all used to joke about you being married to your job, but…after Juliana, I did wonder if there was more to it than that.”

“I think burying myself in work killed two birds with one stone.”

“It was killing you.”

“I know.”

“And Papá would have told you the same.”

A hollow laugh escaped Horacio’s throat, Martínez’s words from the wedding still ringing intrusively in his ears. “I’d have been kicked out of the force. He’d have made sure of that. And I wouldn’t have blamed him.”

“Right, because you were the first officer on Colombian soil to commit violence or be used as a political weapon.”

“He was against it, Alejandra. La Violencia was enough for anyone to see in a lifetime.”

But that was just another in a long line of civil wars. Even if his father's life hadn’t been cut short, he would have seen yet another bloody outbreak in which the state did more to perpetuate the death toll than bring peace to the country. And Horacio had plenty of blood on his hands. At least his Papá was spared witnessing that.

“And you don’t think he was ever put in a compromising position back then? You don’t think La Violencia was why he didn’t want the same for you? You won’t remember much, and Mamá and Papá never spoke about it around us, but I got pretty good at listening through doors.”

“He never did talk about it. Even when I was older.”

Not that he really needed to, Horacio conceded. Even though they were kept relatively safe and away from the violence in Medellín compared to other regions of Antioquia – particularly the rural parts – he had heard enough over the years to fill in the blanks.

He remembered his Mamá’s stories of helping the displaced, those who sought refuge in the city. Thousands who had been forced to flee the violence and start over again, often in makeshift housing on the outskirts, the irony never lost on Horacio that one of those neighbourhoods became Comuna 13. But for all his Mamá’s tales and the work she continued to do until she left for Manizales, his Papá never spoke about those years.

“He was protecting you. Like Mamá was with us after he died. Sometimes silence is easier.”

“I know. I get it. Before he died, the cocaine trade hadn’t got going in Colombia yet. It was mostly marijuana. But with FARC around and the gringos spreading their anti-communist propaganda, he knew it was a question of when, not if, another war was coming. I think he hoped things would be different this time.”

“You did what you had to do, Horacio. Just like he did. Just like every generation of our family did to survive. What’s done is done.”

“I’m not sure you’d say that if you knew everything.”

“You think I never heard any of the rumours out here? Or picked up a newspaper once in a while?”

“You never said anything.”

Alejandra shot Horacio a cutting glare, the kind he was an expert at delivering, but only a select few could get away with throwing back at him. “I knew you wouldn’t talk about it even if I asked.”

Horacio scoffed. Touché. “Not all of it was true.”

It was Alejandra’s turn to laugh. “Well, I kinda figured you weren’t dead after you called.”

“I don’t just mean the ambush.”

“I know,” she said briskly.

But Horacio couldn’t ignore the relief in her body language. Even though he understood it, a wave of shame hit him for even planting a seed of doubt in her – his older sister, the mother of his nieces and nephews – mind in the first place.

“But that’s all in the past now,” he concluded, shutting down his own train of destructive thought. “And you’re right; Papá’s not here. But Javier is.”

“So your future’s in Laredo, then.”

“Are you mad?”

“Am I mad that my little brother is finally getting his shit together and is head over heels in love? Oh, yeah, I’m livid.”

An inferno had spread across Horacio’s cheeks, and he struggled to think of a response. But luckily for him, Alejandra wasn’t done yet.

“It’s…safe, though, right? For you both to live together?”

“As safe as anywhere else. Every country has its problems. I’m sure there’ll always be people with something to say. But we’ve been careful.”

“Just promise me you’ll keep being careful.”

“We will, I promise.”

“I can’t guarantee I’ll convince Mamá to visit in the summer, though.”

“That’s fair. But you do think she’ll want to visit?”

“She might be strong, but we know what she lost – what we all lost. So, if there’s a chance for you to share your life with someone as she did with Papá, to be safe – to be happy after everything – yeah, I think she'll want to visit.”

“Do you think Papá would if he could?” Horacio knew it was a loaded grenade of a question and unfair to ask. But he couldn’t help himself.

Alejandra hesitated, seemingly aware she was between a rock and a hard place. “Maybe in his old age. Or if he knew Javier saved your life.”

“How did –?”

She expelled a comedically dramatic sigh. “Keep up, manito. When you called, you told me the DEA came after you that night. I don’t need to hold a badge to guess who that was.”

Horacio was banged to rights once more as he tried to recall the exact information he had relayed to Alejandra in the hours after the ambush; evidently, it was more than he thought.

“He – and his partner, Steve – went against orders and got suspended for helping me and my men.”

“So, they took a leaf out of your book then?”

“Something like that.”

Before Horacio could overthink it, he took a deep breath and told Alejandra everything. From the blackmail to his and Javier’s resignations to their year in Madrid, it all came tumbling out whilst she kept washing and he kept drying. Just like old times. Just like their Papá was in the next room along with their Mamá. And in so many ways, he always would be, not as a ghost of their past, but forever a part of their present and future.

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Arriving during the week had its advantages, as it wasn’t necessary for Horacio to make excuses to get an early night. Work and school beckoned in the morning for most of the household, so the evening had ended in a low-key fashion.

That was more than fine by Horacio after a long drive and an overdue heart-to-heart. He lay on his side, his back nestled into Javier’s chest in the centre of the spare room’s double bed. They made up the fold-out bed for pretences, but it was purely extra space to store their luggage.

A bedside lamp and hints of moonlight peaking around the edges of the curtains cast the room in soft shadows, the low murmur of a telenovela in one of the nearby bedrooms the only sound to be heard at this hour.

“How old were you there?” Javier asked, his voice muffled against Horacio’s shoulder where he’d temporarily paused his trail of kisses after picking out one of several framed photos on the wall.

“The one from Alejandra’s wedding? I’d have been 24.”

“Cute curls.” Javier’s nose nuzzled against the back of Horacio’s head, which was sadly lacking the same unruliness as in the photo.

“Fuck you.”

Javier sniggered. “Hey, I was being serious! They suit you. Plus…more to grab hold of.” He slid a hand into Horacio’s hair as his mouth resumed its work along bare skin.

Horacio’s back arched with a sigh as he leaned into Javier’s touch. “You know we can’t get carried away. Not here.”

“I know.” Of course, Javier understood. It was one thing for him to have sneaked in and out of the guesthouse back in Laredo; it was quite another to be under the same roof as Horacio’s whole family. But that didn’t stop the almost petulant tone in Javier’s voice. He was still human, after all.

“I promise we’ll make up for it once we leave.”

“I’ll hold you to that.”

Despite their flirtation, exhaustion was thick in their throats and pressed heavily on their limbs, pushing them closer towards sleep as the butterflies in their stomachs finally settled.

“The wedding wasn’t that long after Papá died. Alejandra asked me to give her away instead. At first, I didn’t think I deserved to take Papá’s place. But I think she needed me there with her, so, I said yes.”

“Of course you did, and I bet she never forgot that.”

“No, and I’ll never forget tonight."

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It was still dark in the spare room when Javier stirred and untangled himself from Horacio as slowly as possible. He had woken up thirsty and threw on a precautionary pair of jeans before tiptoeing down the wooden staircase towards the kitchen.

The clock on the oven read 01:30am, so he wasn't expecting to find the spotlights above it switched on. He searched through the cupboards until he found a tumbler and filled it with water from the tap, taking large gulps until the glass was drained.

“So, you’re a night owl too, then?”

“Shit!” Javier hissed, spinning around with a sharp intake of breath, almost dropping the glass on the tiled floor.

“Sorry,” Alejandra whispered. “I was just reading before heading off to bed.”

“Oh, no, it’s fine. I just needed some water. Didn’t think anyone else would be up.” Javier was suddenly very aware of the fact he was standing half naked in the middle of the kitchen, Horacio’s necklace like a flashing beacon at his chest. “Obviously,” he added with an awkward huff, looking down at his state of semi-undress.

“Right,” Alejandra replied with a stifled laugh. “How about you avoid catching a chill whilst I find something a bit more…authentic than tap water?”

Once Javier came back downstairs with his chest now covered, Alejandra was sat at the kitchen table with two shot glasses and a bottle of aguardiente.

“Not sure my stomach can handle any more of that after the wedding.”

“Lightweight. And just think of it as an initiation.”

Javier sighed in defeat, accepting the challenge as he took a seat opposite Alejandra.

She unscrewed the bottle and tipped measures into each glass. “Wanna make this more interesting?”

“What do you have in mind?”

“Three shots, three questions each. But you can only ask a question after you’ve emptied your glass.”

Javier laughed for a second, unsure what he imagined Alejandra to be like, yet somehow, she surprised him anyway. “Okay. Already sounds better than every other icebreaker inflicted on me. Who goes first?”

“Guest’s choice.”

He stared down at his glass as though it was the barrel of a gun, remembering why he had eventually insisted whiskey was his and Horacio’s go-to drink. When he first arrived in Colombia, Horacio would offer him a shot, pouring liberally from the stash of aguardiente in his office drawer, and Javier accepted on multiple occasions. But it was over and done with like a spoonful of caustic medicine. At least whiskey could be drunk slower and delayed saying goodnight.

That wasn't the order of things now, though. So, Javier grabbed the bull by the horns and threw back his glass, wincing at the aniseed burn as it slid down his throat.

“New rule: you’ve got 30 seconds to come up with a question. Otherwise, you take another shot.”

“Alright, alright, I’m thinking.”

Alejandra’s gaze fell on the oven clock, ramping up the pressure. “10 seconds left…”

“Okay. I’ve got one. What was it like growing up with a younger brother?”

“Annoying, obviously. Especially after he got the highest grade in his English class. I don’t know where he picked them up, but he knew all the swear words. Of course. He drove me crazy testing them out.”

“He did that to my old partner, Steve – his Spanish isn’t great, and Horacio sure liked to remind him whenever he got the chance.”

“Sounds about right. No wonder he liked you – best of both worlds.”

“Maybe.” Javier knew what Alejandra meant, but it didn’t stop heat from spreading through his cheeks regardless.

“He was generally pretty quiet at school,” Alejandra continued, "but not afraid to take the lead…or break a few rules.”

“Again, I’m not surprised.”

“Nope.” They both laughed at that. “He always liked to be moving, though. Doing something with his hands. Or playing sports – he was a good runner. We used to race each other around Jardín Botánico, and he would always beat me. I think he already knew he was in training for the Academy. So, obviously, he was accepted. No doubt some thought he got a free pass, but he was determined to prove himself. Then he had to grow up.”

The joviality faded abruptly from Alejandra’s face, transforming into a wistful smile.

“We both did. But at least I’d had more time with Papá. Good job I did have those few years to myself ‘cos Horacio followed him around like a shadow. Until he couldn’t. Then he thought he had to be the man of the house. Even when there were two much more qualified women for the job.”

“He thought it was his duty."

“Yeah. He did.” There was something akin to awe in how Alejandra looked at Javier, as though she was simultaneously taken aback and impressed that someone summed up and understood her brother so accurately and succinctly.

“Isn’t it your turn, now?” Javier asked after a moment of silence.

Without further hesitation, Alejandra downed her shot. “Why Colombia?”

“Why not Colombia?” He tried a feeble laugh but knew that wouldn't cut it. “I studied Gabriel García Márquez in high school. Although, can’t say I really got him at the time. Took me another try when I was older.”

Now he thought about it, Javier wasn’t convinced he exactly got him the second time around either, considering García Márquez’s views on extradition aligned fiercely with Horacio’s. But that was the luxury of hindsight.

“By then, my Mamá had long since passed, my fiancée had just become my ex, and I had no fucking clue what I was doing with my life. Guess I needed to get lost in someone else’s problems for a while.”

“Tell me about it.” Alejandra held a book up in the air that had been abandoned on the table since Javier joined her.

“Smart move. My teacher loved telling us how García Márquez moved to Mexico and wrote One Hundred Years of Solitude over there. And with how things went down in Laredo, I could see the appeal of starting over in another country. Mexico was…too close to home. The drug war was getting out of hand. More and more agents were being transferred. And what’s the line?” Javier broke off, eyes cast towards the ceiling as he licked his lips in concentration. “‘We came’, they said, ‘because everyone is coming’.”

Alejandra let a pause of bewilderment pass between them as she studied Javier with intrigue. “You’re not at all like the other gringos he’s worked with in the past.”

“Did he bring any of them home to his family?”

“No. You’re the first. As I’m sure you're aware.”

“Maybe.”

“Drink up.”

Javier did as he was told, repressing a cough as the potent liquid worked its magic. “Why did you choose farm life over being a cop?”

Alejandra laughed a little too loudly, considering the time. “There are other career choices, you know.”

Javier gasped. “There are?”

“Hard to believe, isn’t it? But that’s not quite how it went for me. The farm came with Fabián. They’re sort of a package deal. I’m sure you can understand that.” She threw Javier a knowing smile. “But I ruled out being a cop years before I moved here or met Fabián. I knew from Papá that women in the force were few and far between back then. They’re still pretty scarce now. I wasn’t up for putting myself in the firing line being a General’s daughter. They never would have respected me or believed I got there on my own merit. I didn’t want to spend my life trying to gain anyone's approval.”

“Makes sense. It’s not easy in the force if you’re…different from the rest."

“Exactly. I’m not sure it’s what Papá even wanted for me anyway. Because he knew what it’d be like. Then there was Mamá with her social work. She was in her element. Always fighting someone’s corner, especially during the suffrage movement. I think I was the odd one out in the family, ‘cos everyone else seemed to have…a calling except for me. So, I studied, got a business degree, became a buyer for various companies and ended up in the coffee industry. And the rest is history.”

“Good for you. And I guess that explains Horacio’s, er, distaste for a badly made cup of coffee.”

“Yep. He’s got no excuse. And neither do you anymore.”

“I’ll bear that in mind. Your turn.” Javier took the bottle this time and filled Alejandra’s glass.

She downed it in one go. “¿Por qué no un llanero ahora que has descartado ser policía?” (Why not a llanero now you’ve ruled out being a police officer?)

“¿Por qué no un vaquero?” (Why not a vaquero?) Javier corrected with a glint in his eye that Alejandra returned with an eye roll. “Like you said…there are other jobs. That one was just never for me. I need more variety day-to-day. Like I’m making a bigger difference somehow. But preferably without the pretty fucking significant risk of death or blackmail.”

“A fair demand.”

“Right? It’s not like I’m asking for a raise.”

“When I moved here, I didn’t know where life was taking me, especially when the kids came along. I couldn’t keep my old job because of all the travelling…and being a mother was the priority until they started school. It took me a while to find my place on the buying and selling side of the business. So, all I’m saying is, things might get clearer once you’re settled back in Laredo.”

“I’ll drink to that.” Javier raised his glass and nodded his thanks to Alejandra, touched by her unprompted advice.

His third and final question had arrived, and the pressure to make it a good one pressed uncomfortably on his increasingly fuzzy head. “If your father was here now, what would you say to him?”

For a brief second, Javier feared he had overstepped some forbidden and invisible line and been overfamiliar with someone he only really knew by proxy at this stage.

But whilst Alejandra’s smile was permanently stained with traces of grief, warmth flickered then grew in her charcoal eyes. “I’d tell him we’re fine. That we miss him and wish he’d come back for good but that he needn’t worry. Because even though Mamá didn’t always get things right, she steered us through it as best she could. And we didn’t turn our backs on the world. That we found love in the dark.”

Alejandra sniffed and wiped the back of her hand across her nose. “Sorry. I think it’s the alcohol.”

“No, don’t be sorry.” Javier paused to clear his throat, blinking his vision back into focus. “It was beautifully said.” His hand reached for hers across the table, hoping again that he hadn’t gone too far.

But she let his hand rest there until she shook her head like a wet dog and poured her final shot. “Same question to you about your mother, obviously,” she said before downing the aguardiente in one.

Javier scoffed. “Well, I guess I deserved that.” He took his time, collecting his thoughts as though he was preparing an important speech. As though he’d been trying to find the right words for most of his life – and how rarely he’d succeeded.

“I’d tell her I miss her morisqueta. I’d tell her Pops visits her every week. But then I think she already knows that. Same way I think she made sure he never re-married.”

Javier couldn’t help but laugh, seeing with perfect clarity where his own loyal streak came from when his Pops was still as devoted to Mariana as the day they married. Siempre tuyo was no exaggeration.

“I’d make sure she knew he wasn’t alone, though. That he was known as Don Chucho to most in Laredo. That she’d be proud of him for growing the community she helped start. I’d brag about all the tamales we’ve made and quote her favourite poems. I’d introduce her to Horacio.”

He envisaged showing her Horacio’s poetry book, knowing that all it would take was for her to read Javier’s message in the opening pages to understand everything about who they were to each other. He’d even dreamed of it, waking with a ridiculous hope that she had somehow intercepted it.

“She sounds as incredible as your father. I hope one day I can thank him for taking my little brother under his wing when he needed it the most.”

“I’m sure that could be arranged.”

“I can’t – and don’t want to – imagine where he would have ended up without either of you, to be honest. He told me about the ambush…and everything else. And even though it doesn’t feel nearly enough, I just want to say...thank you.”

At first, Javier could only nod and swallow the lump bobbing at the base of his throat. “He did the same for me. It wasn’t easy walking away from my job, don’t get me wrong, but it was different for him. He felt like he’d betrayed Colombia and his Papá. Yet he did it anyway.”

“When it’s the right person, the sacrifices are worth it. And I can’t think of anyone more worthy of wearing that.” Alejandra’s sightline had fallen to Javier’s neck. His chest may have now been covered, but the silver chain still poked out from beneath the seam of his shirt.

She poured them a bonus shot each and raised her glass. “Welcome to the family.”

#Narcos fic #Narcos #Javier Peña #Horacio Carrillo #Carrillo #Javier Peña x Horacio Carrillo #Pedro Pascal #Maurice Compte #Narcos fanfic #Narcos fanfiction #Narcos fan fic #My Fan Fic #My Narcos Fic

[bananaofswifts]

Taylor Swift’s third re-recorded album, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), has earned over 575,000 equivalent album units in the U.S. in its first four days of release (July 7-10), according to initial reports to Luminate — marking the biggest week for any album in 2023. Of that sum, album sales comprise over 400,000 copies – the largest sales week for an album this year, too.

Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) is a re-recorded version of Swift’s 2010 No. 1 Billboard 200 studio album Speak Now. The 22-track re-recorded edition includes new recordings of the original album’s 14 standard tracks, along with bonus cuts and previously unreleased “From the Vault” recordings. Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) follows Swift’s re-recorded Red and Fearless albums, released in 2021. Both debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart.

If Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) debuts at No. 1 on the July 22-dated Billboard 200 chart (which reflects the tracking week ending July 13), Swift’s count of No. 1 albums will rise to 12, surpassing Barbra Streisand (with 11 leaders) for the most No. 1 albums among female artists. Swift would also tie Drake for the third-most No. 1s among all acts, with only The Beatles (19) and Jay-Z (14) ahead of them. (The Billboard 200 began publishing on a regular, weekly basis in March 1956.) The top 10 of the July 22-dated Billboard 200 chart is scheduled to be announced on Sunday, July 16.

The Billboard 200 chart ranks the most popular albums of the week in the U.S. based on multi-metric consumption as measured in equivalent album units. Units comprise album sales, track equivalent albums (TEA) and streaming equivalent albums (SEA). Each unit equals one album sale, or 10 individual tracks sold from an album, or 3,750 ad-supported or 1,250 paid/subscription on-demand official audio and video streams generated by songs from an album.

2023’s previous largest week, by equivalent album units earned, was tallied by Morgan Wallen’s One Thing at a Time, which launched with 501,000 units in the week ending March 9, as reflected on the Billboard 200 chart dated March 18. The year’s largest sales week was held by the debut frame of Stray Kids’ 5-STAR with 235,000 copies sold in the week ending June 8, as reflected on the June 17-dated charts.

Sales: With over 400,000 sold in only four days, Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) already has the largest sales week for any album since Swift’s own last studio album, Midnights, debuted with 1.14 million copies sold last year (week ending Oct. 27, 2022; as reflected on the Nov. 5-dated Billboard charts).

Vinyl sales comprise over half of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version)’s sales – as the three-LP set has sold over 225,000 copies on wax. The latter marks the second-largest sales week for a vinyl album in the modern era (since Luminate began electronically tracking sales in 1991). It is second only to the first week of Midnights’ vinyl LP, with 575,000 sold in its opening frame. Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) is available in three color variants on vinyl – orchid marbled, violet marbled and a Target-exclusive lilac marbled color.

The remainder of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) sales is comprised of CDs, digital album download purchases and cassette tape sales.

Streaming: The collected 22 songs on Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) generated more than 200 million on-demand official streams in the U.S. July 7-10, according to Luminate. The most-streamed tune on the album, by audio on-demand official streams, is the “from the vault” cut “I Can See You (Taylor’s Version),” with over 13 million on-demand official audio streams in those four tracking days.

#taylor swift #charts #speak now tv

[angryorbit]

A list of abuse that FIFTY FIFTY, the Kpop girl group behind "Cupid", was subjected too by their company ATTRAKT and CEO Jeon Hongjun:

FIFTY FIFTY were under constant surveilance by CCTV

FIFTY FIFTY had daily BMI checks

FIFTY FIFTY were not given proper meals

When the parents of the members brought them food, the food was thrown out and the members were insulted

One of the members ran away from the company due to stress, had multiple panic attacks, fainted, and woke up with a ventilator

FIFTY FIFTY members had panic attacks often

Whilst making around $4.5 million in US markets, the company forced FIFTY FIFTY to pay THEM $2.2 million.

CEO Jeon Hongjun lied about selling his car and house to support the group

CEO Jeon Hongjun lied about getting FIFTY FIFTY a dorm in an expensive part of Seoul

FIFTY FIFTY have filed criminal charges against CEO Jeon Hongjun for fraud

The staff of ATTRAKT have said that the 8 billion won invested in the group was not used for the group. Their debut album cost 1 billion won, and Cupid 1.25 billion won. The other 5.5 billion won has not been seen.

ATTRAKT has disclosed Aran's surgery without consent

EDIT: ADDED INFO BELOW

For 12 out of 33 months, the company gave FIFTY FIFTY zero money to pay for food. For the months that ATTRAKT did provide FIFTY FIFTY with meals, they spent $41 a month.

It was often the managers that brought FIFTY FIFTY food and not ATTRAKT, so ATTRAKT bared no expense.

It took NUTRITIONISTS AND HEALTH EXPERTS to complain before ATTRAKT allowed FIFTY FIFTY to eat at a nearby salad shop, but were only allowed to spend around $8.21 a day.

The CCTV surrounded almost all corners of their dorms and were personally viewable in CEO Jeon Hongjuns office.

The diet prepared by the agency only consisted of chicken and butter coffee.

Translated quote from a health trainer in 2021: "Lack of protein and vegetables. Please provide breakfast. Insufficient supply of nutrients, essential nutrients must be consumed. Konjac jelly should be used as a snack, not as a meal replacement."

It was not until July of 2022 that a nutritionist was consulted ONCE.

ATTRAKT claims they spent around 750 dollars a month on meals, but this includes the meals of multiple trainees, photographers and a fifth member that was supposed to debut in the group.

Translated quote from FIFTY FIFTY's legal representative: "The agency only provided each member with a menu, but most of the members took care of purchasing ingredients, cooking and eating, and reported to the company using photos."

There is revenue from FIFTY FIFTY's first album, but it was put directly into another company instead of ATTRAKT so they can avoid taxes.

ATTRAKT is releasing a remix of Cupid featuring Sabrina Carpenter mid lawsuit: it can be assumed this was done for the same reason Blockberry Creative announced a LOONA album after kicking out Chuu.

- Please do not send hate to Sabrina Carpenter and direct any negativity to the company

WE STAND WITH FIFTY FIFTY.

#not loona #fifty fifty #kpop #aran #sio #saena #keena #hunnies #k pop #fifty fifty saena #fifty fifty aran #fifty fifty sio #fifty fifty keena #we stand with fifty fifty #kpop industry #workers rights #entertainment industry #nugu #kpop nugu #fifty fifty cupid #attrakt #orbits with fifty fifty #sabrina carpenter #edited post

[tmvcreations]

Hey guys sorry for so many pictures, but i must give you all the full effect! Any wayyy lets get into it!! High School Daze features 18 different group poses. I had the idea for some at school poses as well as those fun nights we all had as teens, whether it was drinking, joy riding or enjoying some mary janee.

I started this pack originally when High School Years was released with the hopes of releasing it back then, but this pack has been a looong work in progress{along with other packs}. I also tossed the idea back and forth for awhile now releasing a baby themed pack but with infants release so close id rather wait so i can bring you my special poses but better! So ive finally put this all together for you guys and truly hope you enjoy what ive created.

These poses can be used in any type of setting, {it doesnt have to be high school} Teen thru Adult it dont matter.

Here are some quick descriptions, the accessories required and then download your little heart out!!!

Poses 1,2&3 Are group poses at the lockers*

Poses 4&5 are group poses of 3 friends, 2 walking, 1 on bmx fliriting

Pose 6 Is regular 3 friends non flirting version

Pose 7&8 Is of 2 friends sitting on the stairs smoking mary jane

Pose 9 is similar to 7&8 except another friend joins.

Pose 10&11 Is a 6 person group pose, 2 sims drinking whiskey from a glass, 1 sim smoking mary jane and 1 sim drinking JD from the bottle. These poses came to me as an inspiration when i saw this cute little hang out spot on a certian lot {Credit to Teamjezza for creating "Noo Yawk Block" on the Gallery}

Pose 12&13 Is a 5 sim group pose drag racing in a sense, 2 sims smoking mary jane.

Pose 14&15 Is a 7 sim group pose playing video games on the couch

Pose 16,17&18 is a 3 sim group pose joy riding in a jeep MANY THANKS TO THE CREATORS OF THE ACCESSORIES I USED.

REQUIRED

POSE PLAYER - https://sims4studio.com/thread/2617/andrews-studio

TELEPORT ANY SIM- https://scumbumbomods.com/teleport-any-sim

BMX - https://mxims.tumblr.com/post/172352368092/bmx-bike-7-swatches-6442-polygons-helmet

JAGUAR 2014 F-TYPE - https://www.lorysims.com/jaguar.html

MASERATI 2018 GRANCABRIO S- https://www.lorysims.com/maserati.html

BACKPACK - https://www.patreon.com/posts/road-to-nowhere-35571015

PURSE - https://www.patreon.com/posts/miyuki-coat-bag-74580167

BLUNT - https://www.patreon.com/posts/all-frxsk0-69821609?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator

WHISKEY - https://melbennetts4.blogspot.com/2021/01/sims-4-whisky-collection.html

JEEP - https://www.tumblr.com/kyekyeke/172150466567/sg5150-1988-jeep-wrangler-top-down-fresh-prince

CONTROLLER - https://simcophogi.tumblr.com/post/176177884444/cool-kids-poses-for-the-lil-gamers-theres-an

STAIRS - https://mxims.tumblr.com/post/144154577767/industrial-u-stairs-deco-11-swatches-metal#post-notes

@ts4-poses @pixelfinds @wookyccfind @coffee-cc-finds @abigailbloom2022 @room215-reblog

!!!!!!!!!TELEPORTER PLACEMENT PICTURE BELOW!!!!!!!!!

Hope you enjoy! :) Any questions or problems please contact me.

DO NOT CLAIM AS YOUR OWN.

DO NOT RE-EDIT MY POSES.

DOWNLOAD LINK(sfs, ADFREE): http://www.simfileshare.net/download/3698293/

PLEASE PLACE TELEPORTERS EXACTLY AS YOU SEE THEM!

#posepack #pose pack #group poses #pose #poses #pack #ts4 custom content #ts4 cc #ts4cc #ts4 #thesims #thesimscc #thesims4 #the sims 4 #sims4cc #my cc #sims 4 cc #cc #s4 custom content #custom #content #jaguar #maserati #high school #high #maryjane #joyride #whiskey #jd #lockers

[facts-i-just-made-up]

How many Final Fantasy games are there? I lost track?

It's easy to lose track but don't worry- It's simple once you know the history:

In the beginning, there was Final Fantasy 1. Released in 1987, the first Final Fantasy was then also released in 1989, 1990, 1994, 200, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, and 2021. Final Fantasy 2 was released about as many times, beginning in 1988, but only in Japan. As such, it is known in America as Final Fantasy: The Lost Levequests. The same thing happened to Final Fantasy 3, which was released in America as “2 Final 2 Fantasy: Lindblum Drift.”

The second Final Fantasy released in America was Final Fantasy 2, which was Final Fantasy 4, the Japanese Final Fantasy 4 being a re-skin of an America only game called Chocoboki Panic. Final Fantasy 2, the first SNES game in the franchise, was acclaimed for being incredibly fucking depressing. Like you start the game by killing some kid’s mom and then there’s something about a cursed town maybe? I don’t know, it lost me early on and I never got to see Golbez or Zeromus or whatever. Also, I’m fine with even Dark Souls type menus now but I mean, in 1991 I wasn’t gonna spend 45 minutes trying to figure out how to equip a fucking shoe.

Final Fantasy 3: Lords of Shadow: Mirror of Fate: Alucard’s Revenge 2 came out in both Japan and America in 1994. Introducing cutscenes to the series, Final Fantasy 3 (Abbreviated Final 3 or sometimes Fantasy 5: Hobbs & Sephiroth) was best known for its main villain, Kafka. Kafka was a difficult and frustrating boss who trapped the protagonists in endless bureaucracy and paperwork until they died of old age, never knowing why. It was later released again in Japan as Final Fantasy 6: The Fate of the Fantasy.

After this, the series switched from Nintendo consoles to the Xbox.

The first X-Box, simply called the Xbox, hosted Final Fantasy 7; The next Xbox, the Xbox 360, hosted Final Fantasy 8; The Xbox 1 hosted Final Fantasy 9, and the Xbox 10 hosted Final Fantasy X. Thus if X=7, 360>8, 1=9 and X<10, then Final Fantasy itself equals 11, which is ideal because Final Fantasy 11, the 14th game in the franchise, was indeed a remake of 9, which was the sequel not to 8 but 7, remade later as 13. This can be remembered with the mnemonic “SPUGNUT” but I don’t know how or why.

With fans confused and the Xbox being discontinued by Sega, Final Fantasy sought a new start with Sony and their NeoGeo: Turbografx master system. The first game for that console was Final Fantasy 11 2, not to be confused with 12. 11 2 and 11 3 were released before 12, but well after 14, known first as Final Fantasy Genesis, but re-titled after Final Fantasy 18 into Final Fantasy Genesis 19:18, or in Japan, Shin Megami Tensei.

Final Fantasy remakes continued with Final Fantasy 13, which was Final Fantasy 8, Final Fantasy 17, which was Final Fantasy 16, and Final Fantasy 21, which was Kingdom Hearts 5, and the upcoming Final Fantasy 22, which will be both Animal Crossing 6 and Land Before Time 15: The Longnecks Take Manhattan, featuring Pinhead from Hellraiser and Beyoncé.

The next Final Fantasy game is planned to be Final Fantasy 28, which will come in two editions, Final Fantasy Dark Cloud and Light Ning. Truly, the greatest franchise ever to spin off from Battletoads.

#final fantasy #square enix #nintendo #gaming #unreality

[thgfanfictionlibrary]

E Rated Fics Masterlist (28)

Part 1 / Part 2 / Part 3 / Part 4 / Part 5 / Part 6 / Part 7 / Part 8 / Part 9 / Part 10 / Part 11 / Part 12 / Part 13 / Part 14 / Part 15 / Part 16 / Part 17 / Part 18 / Part 19 / Part 20 / Part 21/ Part 22 / Part 23 / Part 24 / Part 25 / Part 26 / Part 27 /

Created: November 17th, 2023

Last Checked:-----

Change of Plans-thegirlonpeetamellark (ao3) Summary: Katniss and Peeta can't agree on what to do for New Year's Eve. Written for the Tumblr 'Prompts in Panem' Holiday Challenge. Modern Day AU.

Frosted Glass-hutchabelle (ao3) Summary: Peeta wakes up to an empty bed, but Katniss is in the shower.

How Katniss Everdeen Got Her Groove Back-hutchabelle (ao3) Summary: Written for the Everlark Fic Exchange Springtime 2021 Edition Prompt 34: Modern AU where a forty year old Katniss has shut herself off from the world from fear of getting hurt. After her sister dies she realizes how isolated she is and now wants to open herself up to love, but hasn’t a clue where to begin. Everlark HEA - the details of how they meet and what Peeta’s been up to are entirely up to you. :) [submitted by anonymous]

If we met at midnight-Lbug84, MockingJayFlyingFree (ao3) Summary: Unable to sleep, Katniss is hiding, deep in 13, where she doesn’t think anyone can find her. But someone does. The person who hates her the most.

Love Don't Cost a Thing-titania522 (ao3) Summary: Peeta convinces Katniss that the best Christmas gifts are free. Written for the FYeah-Everlark Secret Santa Fic Exchange.

Mirage-MockingJayFlyingFree (ao3) Summary: In the Training Center, shortly before the Quarter Quell, Katniss and Peeta know they only have a few days left to live. To escape the nightmares, they seek comfort in each other’s arms every night. But sleeping next to the girl you love can be difficult when you’re a 17-year-old boy. Catching Fire – slight canon divergence. Peeta POV. Written for Prompts in Panem, round 7, day 5 - "Tongues".

Shoot First-misshoneywell (ao3) Summary: Retiring from a hard life as a gunfighter in the Wild West, Peeta Mellark finds one last wild thing he might never learn to tame.

That's the incentive-Lbug84, MockingJayFlyingFree (ao3) Summary: "This is how a lot of scary movies start." "Actually," he corrects. "This is how a lot of pornos start." Katniss delivers pizza to Peeta. OOC since there's no pizzeria in The Hunger Games, Modern AU… Oh, and we agree with Peeta.

The Ride Home-AnotherSongAnotherMile (ao3) Summary: Needing a ride home from a late night party, Katniss swallows her pride and calls on her former best friend, Peeta Mellark.

Welcome Back Mr. Mellark-Diana_Flynn (ao3) Summary: Peeta Mellark has an appointment with Katniss Everdeen and she is ready to please him in anyway she can. The Kitty Ranch excerpt for PiP challenge Day 5.

#e #masterlist #everlark #everlark fanfiction #thg #thg fanfiction #e masterlist

[mementoboni]

[part 4/4] DIR EN GREY WOWOW Interview & Document (2020)

"I hope not to go (overseas) as much as I can. In this day and age, I can sing even at home, like when my younger sister asks, 'Can you sing for me?' I will sing seriously at home, really." — Kyo

Notes before reading:

The whole interview is divided into 8 topics, and the translation is divided into 4 parts. This is the last part, including the 6th to 8th topics. The details of all topics and time markers are 👉 here.

I have added Chinese subtitles for this video in 2021. The whole interview was very meaningful, and I hope that with the English translation, more people can understand what they’re talking about.

The five members were interviewed separately and then edited into a video, so the words spoken by each of them are not necessarily coherent.

Repost and share are welcome.🙌 I translated it all by my ears, so please feel free to correct me if you spot any mistake or any confusing parts.☺️

--- --- ---

06. Overseas

►Opportunity to Go Overseas

Die: I think the biggest reason is that the Internet has become so popular that people overseas can learn about Japanese culture. Kaoru: Someone in Germany told us that there are many people waiting for DIR EN GREY to come. Toshiya: To be honest, I was skeptical about it. Of course, I appreciate what they say, but I still think to myself, "Eh, do you really know us?” Kaoru: I refused several times. That person came to tell us that they were ready for a venue of about 3,000 people.  No, wait a minute. "We can't go to that kind of place," "Wouldn't it be too exaggerated?" "You value us too much," even though I said so. Die: I heard that all the tickets were sold out in a few minutes and there were so many people gathered in places we had never been. I wonder what the hell was going on? Toshiya: We went to Germany in such a half-believing state and were greeted by a very, very large number of people. Kaoru: Not only from Europe, there are people from  all over the world as well. It was the first time we held LIVE overseas, in Asia, and the audience came from different places, so I felt a bit numb. Shinya: Isn't it easy to go abroad now?  This was not possible at that time.  Maybe that's what people overseas think. If you miss this time, you don't know when you'll see it next. (*Yes Shinya, you’re right! 🥺) Kyo: It's just like "If there are people who support us like this, let’s go there."

►About Overseas Fans

Toshiya: Whenever I saw the audience singing in Japanese, I felt that they are really conveying frankly. Kyo: I don't know how to convey what I'm singing, and I can't sing in the local language, I can only sing in Japanese.  But when I think of the people who try as hard as one can, studying and looking up information to find out what I'm singing, I think it would be nice if they could pass some time. I guess that's how it is. Kaoru: Although we don't intentionally aim for overseas, people who will like us will like us.

►Life on the Overseas Tour

Die: In the case of the U.S., the tour bus can accommodate up to 12 people including members and staff. We had to go all over the U.S. with one bus, but of course the Japanese managers and staff were hardly there. Shinya: Basically, it's "Bus→Venue→LIVE", and then "Bus→Venue→LIVE" keeps going on. It's much better than in Japan that I'm already in the venue after getting up. Kaoru: We don't talk much in Japan. It has been like that for more than 20 years.  But when we were on the overseas tour, I could talk to the members quite often because I stayed with them all the time. After all, there were only members.  It's nice to be able to talk to the members, so I think it's good to have overseas tours regularly. 🤣🤣 Kyo: I don’t get out of the tour bus. I was in my own bed, about a tatami space, the height is probably only this way (Kyo gestures with his hand), like a box, but separated by a curtain. I stay in it almost all the time, even when I’m resting. Kyo: I'm still interested in some history, and although it's nice to see all kinds of scenery and live a healed life, I don't really care... If I'm in the mood for a short trip to enjoy myself, it's not DIR EN GREY. (*Screen caption: Unlike European double-decker tour buses, American tour buses are single-decker.)

►Future Approach to Overseas

Shinya: Even if we tour overseas now, we can't reach the scale that we have in Japan. That's why I want to try a Hall Tour like the one in Japan, but it's really hard to do that. Die: Now we're mostly touring on our own. I'd like to do a tour like Fes, a tour with several bands, and so on. Personally, I'd like to do that again.  It's not impossible, right? Kaoru: But compared to the old days when we went overseas, when we performed in larger venues and had a large audience on stage, there is almost nothing like that now. Of course, it's the same in Japan. It's very rare. Basically, as long as there are fans, we'll go there. (*I think Kaoru is trying to say that they rarely go to big music festivals these days.) Kyo: I hope not to go (overseas) as much as I can. In this day and age, I can sing even at home, like when my younger sister asks, "Can you sing for me?" I will sing seriously at home, really. Kyo: It doesn't mean I hate fans, Daisuki desu. ❤ 🤣🤣 Toshiya: There was an interview during our underground period, and I still remember very clearly what I said then. "Anyway, I want to keep stumbling forward". No matter what happens, I/we will not stay there forever.  Even if I/we really can't move forward, at least I/we will fall forward and feel like I/we can move forward again. Toshiya: I won't do it if I don't have to. Hahahaha, I'll quit.  But there are people still waiting (for us), so I will continue to do it.

...

07. Transition

►The way to convey music in the future

Shinya: There was no change in the way the music was produced. However, even if Corona has subsided afterwards, I think there are a lot of issues that need to be considered when it comes to the way that LIVE is organized. Toshiya: In any case, the rules will probably become stricter and stricter in the future, both for music and film. That way, there is a clear distinction between what we can and cannot do.  On the contrary, what we really want to show and what we own will be shown on the internet.  Negotiating with each other, and then continuing to create. We can only move forward in that direction. Kaoru: If you say that the production itself has changed, I think it has not changed.  But what's the point of making a song if you can't do LIVE? There are a lot of voices like that, but basically I still think that in the end. Kaoru: In this case, what we create is definitely different from what we did before. Isn't the value of "wanting to convey something" a bit tiring?  I sometimes think so.  Well, but we have to adjust step by step and move in this direction, and that's all we can say now.  We have to create a place where we can express ourselves. Kyo: After the Corona is over, you probably won't be able to go back to your old world, whether it's in terms of feelings or anything else. So you have to be flexible to deal with all kinds of things.  If you think about it positively, it might be a good time, a good opportunity. After all, we never know when something is going to happen, and there is no such thing as an absolute, everlasting thing.  Because of this, I often think that I must do everything 100%. Die: We've done this before, with members picking their own lists and then playing on video sites*. Of course, the members are listening at the same time, with fans and members, this is also a form of LIVE, very LIVE-feeling. "I want to see LIVE" and "members also want to do LIVE". I listened to the songs chosen by members with the same feeling as the fans. However, I really want to be on stage because I can only feel the atmosphere like that when I am there. (*Die is talking about the "Audio Live Stream 5 Days" broadcasted on YouTube from 2020.05.02 to 05.06.)

...

08. What does DIR EN GREY mean to you?

Kaoru: Maybe it's the property or the value that I've been holding on to. Among everyone who listens to our music, I think this is the time to confirm our existence.  In the case of Corona this time, we did make some rules using the internet. But the response I got at that time made me realize that DIR EN GREY is a part of our lives, and I felt that there are many people who consider DIR EN GREY as an important presence. At that time, I also understood our value and existence. Kaoru: I can't quite tell you what DIR EN GREY is when I’m asked. But seeing that everyone is watching us, I think it's great that I can keep going. Toshiya: I really started out alone, but I have since met many people.   So, to me, DIR EN GREY is, in a word, a medium that connects me to the world in a big way. Shinya: More than half of my life is spent in DIR EN GREY, it is my life. Die: It's like the meaning of living.  It is...  It's what I've bet everything I have. Kyo: It's already part of my life, and now it is. (*Edit: Although both Shinya and Kyo said that DIR EN GREY is his "life", Shinya actually used the word "人生" (jinsei), which means the process from birth to death, more like "lifetime"; while Kyo used the word "生活" (seikatsu), which is closer to the meaning of "daily life".)

(END)

--- --- ---

part 1. & part 2. & part 3.

topics & time marks

中文翻譯 (My Blogger) part 1. & part 2. & part 3.

#dir en grey #kaoru #薰 #kyo #京 #die #toshiya #shinya #interview #interview 2020 #translations #video translation #diru translation #translation by yinfu #diru wowow 2020 #WOWOW interview #long post #overseas

[garbagegirlblog]

my top 30 albums (not ranked in order)

.this is a long one.

Ultraviolence- Lana Del Rey • 2014 (January 1st)

2. feed me with your kiss- My Bloody Valentine •1988 (October 31st)

3. Unknown Pleasures- Joy Division • 1979 (June 1st)

4. Are You Experienced- Jimi Hendrix • 1967 (May 12th)

5. Shed- Title Fight • 2011 (May 3rd)

6. In Utero- Nirvana • 1993 (September 21st)

7. Loveless- My Bloody Valentine • 1991 (November 4th)

8. Vulgar Display Of Power- Pantera • 1992 (February 21st)

9. Souvlaki- Slowdive • 1994 (November 5th)

10. Rumors- Fleetwood Mac • 1977 (Febuary 4th)

11. Agents Of Fortune- Blue Öyster Cult • 1976 (?)

12. Born to Die (the paradise edition)- Lana Del Rey • 2012 (November 12th)

13. Crybaby- Lil Peep • 2016 (?)

14. Sing me a Lullaby, my sweet temptation- $uicide boy$ • 2022 (July 29th)

15. Led Zeppelin IV (Deluxe Edition) - Led Zeppelin • 1971 (November 8th)

16. Wish you were here- Pink Floyd • 1975 (September 12th)

17. 40o.z to freedom- Sublime • 1992 (June 1st)

18. Norman Fucking Rockwell • 2019 (August 30th)

19. Nevermind- Nirvana • 1991 (September 26th♡)

20. The Misfits Box Set • 1996 (February 27th)

21. So tonight that I might see- Mazzy Star ☆ • 1993 (October 5th)

23. Enema of the state - Blink-182 • 1999 (June 1st)

24. All hope is gone- Slipknot • 2008 (August 20th)

25. Dr. Feelgood (Deluxe Version)- Mötley Crüe • 1989 (September 1st)

26. The darkside of the moon 🌙-Pink Floyd • 1973 (March 1st)

27. Blue Banisters- Lana Del Rey • 2021 (October 22nd)

28. Among My Swan- Mazzy Star ☆ • 1996 (October 29th)

29. Flower Boy- Tyler The Creator • 2017 (July 21st)

30. Incesticide- Nirvana • 1992 (December 14th)

And that's all folks....for now >:)

#nirvana #lana del rey #tyler the creator #mazzy star #pink floyd #motley crue #slipknot #Misfits #Blink 182 #Sublime #my bloody valentine #led zeppelin #title fight #Fleetwood Mac #lil peep #$uicideboy$ #Pantera #blue oyster cult #slowdive #joy division #jimi hendrix

[someoctober]

Home Video is the third studio album by American singer-songwriter Lucy Dacus.[4][5][6] It was released on June 25, 2021, via Matador.[7] It was promoted by the singles "Thumbs", "Hot & Heavy", "VBS", "Brando", and "Going Going Gone". The album received critical acclaim and placed on many critics' year-end lists.

Background[edit]

In late February 2021, certain fans of Dacus received a VHS tape of a new song in the mail. On March 9, 2021, the song was released using the title "Thumbs". It had long been a staple of Dacus' live performances prior to its release. Dacus explained the way the song came about in a press release.

Like most songs I write, I wasn't expecting it and it made me feel weird, almost sick.

Home video footage is used in the album's music videos, as Dacus "wanted to visualize the moment when you first reflect on your childhood, which I think can also be the moment that childhood is over."[9]

Promotion

Prior to the album's announcement, "Thumbs" was released as the lead single on March 9, 2021. On April 13, 2021, Dacus released the lead single for the album, "Hot & Heavy".[10] The release of "Hot & Heavy" was accompanied by the album's official announcement.[4] Dacus performed the song on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.[11] On May 19, 2021, Dacus released the album's third single, "VBS".[10] "Brando" was released as the fourth single on June 8, 2021. The song was sent to adult alternative radio on June 14, 2021.[12] Dacus promoted the album with a 28-city tour across North America in 2021.[6] A shortened version of "Going Going Gone" was released as a single on August 7, 2021.[13]

Critical reception

Home Video was met with widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received an average score of 85, based on 18 reviews.[14]

Reviewing for AllMusic, Marcy Donelson wrote that, "With Dacus' warm vocals and melodies leading the way throughout, Home Video is an engrossing set steeped in life lessons and nostalgia."[15] In Clash, Rebecca Sibley declared it "a powerful album" and "another exquisite offering from Lucy Dacus",[16] while Pitchfork's Peyton Thomas appraised it as "a bold statement, a powerful post-adolescent text in its own right".[2] Exclaim! reviewer Dylan Barnabe claimed that, "Dacus has long been heralded for her ability as a raconteur, and Home Video further cements this reputation. It is a deeply personal album filled with raw vignettes of young adulthood that claw at our collective consciousness."[17] Writing for NME, Rhian Daly believed that, "for the most part, Dacus proves that looking back at your past might make you cringe, but there is beauty and value in those faltering, gawky days."[18] Rolling Stone magazine's Angie Martoccio hailed the album as "her greatest work yet — a cohesive and poignant collection of tales from her teenage years in Richmond, Virginia", with stories "woven like a quilt, with several dark patches reminiscent of her hero Bruce Springsteen's The River".[19] Jeremy Winograd shared similar praise in his review for Slant Magazine, saying that, "Ultimately, it's less the nuances of Dacus's writing than her willingness to expose herself and her past so freely—even the most difficult parts—that make the strongest impression on Home Video."[20]

In June 2021, Home Video was listed as the 15th best album of the year so far by Stereogum and was included on a similar list by Slant.[22][23]

you are SO real for this

#lucy dacus #asks #amelie tag

[officialyourdailyinspiration]

Exhortation to Patience and Trust

1 Do not fret because of the wicked; do not be envious of wrongdoers, 2 for they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.

3 Trust in the Lord and do good; live in the land and enjoy security. 4 Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. 6 He will make your vindication shine like the light and the justice of your cause like the noonday.

7 Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him; do not fret over those who prosper in their way, over those who carry out evil devices.

8 Refrain from anger and forsake wrath. Do not fret—it leads only to evil. 9 For the wicked shall be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord shall inherit the land.

10 Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look diligently for their place, they will not be there. 11 But the meek shall inherit the land and delight themselves in abundant prosperity.

12 The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them, 13 but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he sees that their day is coming.

14 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows to bring down the poor and needy, to kill those who walk uprightly; 15 their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.

16 Better is a little that the righteous person has than the abundance of many wicked. 17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken, but the Lord upholds the righteous.

18 The Lord knows the days of the blameless, and their heritage will abide forever; 19 they are not put to shame in evil times; in the days of famine they have abundance.

20 But the wicked perish, and the enemies of the Lord are like the glory of the pastures; they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.

21 The wicked borrow and do not pay back, but the righteous are generous and keep giving; 22 surely those blessed by the Lord shall inherit the land, but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

23 Our steps are made firm by the Lord when he delights in our way; 24 though we stumble, we shall not fall headlong, for the Lord holds us by the hand.

25 I have been young and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or their children begging bread. 26 They are ever giving liberally and lending, and their children become a blessing.

27 Depart from evil, and do good; so you shall abide forever. 28 For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his faithful ones.

The righteous shall be kept safe forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. 29 The righteous shall inherit the land and live in it forever.

30 The mouths of the righteous utter wisdom, and their tongues speak justice. 31 The law of their God is in their hearts; their steps do not slip.

32 The wicked watch for the righteous and seek to kill them. 33 The Lord will not abandon them to their power or let them be condemned when they are brought to trial.

34 Wait for the Lord and keep to his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on the destruction of the wicked.

35 I have seen the wicked oppressing and towering like a cedar of Lebanon. 36 Again I passed by, and they were no more; though I sought them, they could not be found.

37 Mark the blameless and behold the upright, for there is posterity for the peaceable. 38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed; the posterity of the wicked shall be cut off.

39 The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; he is their refuge in the time of trouble. 40 The Lord helps them and rescues them; he rescues them from the wicked and saves them because they take refuge in him. — Psalm 37 | New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE) New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition. Copyright © 2021 National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved worldwide. Cross References: Genesis 6:9; Genesis 37:18; Numbers 6:26; Deuteronomy 6:6; Deuteronomy 15:8; Deuteronomy 30:20; 1 Samuel 2:4; 1 Samuel 2:9; 1 Samuel 26:10; Job 5:3; Job 5:20; Job 7:10; Job 11:17; Job 38:5; Psalm 1:4; Psalm 1:6; Psalm 18:21; Psalm 18:37; Psalm 26:10; Psalm 33:5; Psalm 35:10; Psalm 73:3; Psalm 112:5; Psalm 112:10; Proverbs 10:13; Proverbs 10:30-31; Proverbs 15:16; Isaiah 31:5; Jeremiah 12:2; Ezekiel 27:36; Matthew 5:5; Matthew 7:7-8; Matthew 8:12; 2 Corinthians 4:9; Ephesians 4:31; 1 Timothy 4:8; Hebrews 13:5; James 1:11; 1 Peter 5:7; 2 Peter 2:9; 3 John 1:11

#envy #transgressors #wicked men #destroyed #patience #Lord #Psalm 37 #Book of Psalms #Old Testament #NRSVUE #New Revised Standard Version Bible Updated Edition #National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America

[sharpjay217]

A List of Every SMP I'm aware of Scott Smajor Being In...

A continuation of my previous thought: this man has been in far too many SMPs and I'm here to prove it. I came back to this fandom two years later and found him still here???? I'm impressed and astounded, and I feel the need to inform people. He is the final boss of MCYT. The crux of the crossover. He knows all. (FYI, I don't know everything about everything he's been in. I think that's impossible. I've researched a lot of this as I write it, but there's some stuff I might not know from just...not remembering it from back in the day when I watched it, and not having time to watch all of it over again.)

Full SMPs: 1. Crazy Craft (2015-2016) 2. Harmony Hollow (2015-2020) 3. Sims Craft (2016-2017) 4. Troll Craft (2016-2017) 5. One Life (2016-2019) 6. Chamber of Iris (2017) 7. The Deep End (2018) 8. Funcraft (2018) 9. Cutecraft (2018-2019) 10. KingdomCraft (2019-2022) 11. SMP Earth (2019-2020) 12. Legacy SMP (2020) 13. X Life (2020) 14. Traffic SMP (2021-2023/Ongoing?) 15. Origins SMP (2021-2022) 16. Empires SMP (2021-2023/Ongoing?) 17. Afterlife SMP (2022) 18. Area Unknown SMP (2022-2023) 19. Rats SMP (2022-2023) 20. Witchcraft SMP (2023) 21. New Life SMP (2023/Ongoing)

Various Minecraft Series (with other people): - Diversity w/ BBPaws (2015) - Build Battle (2015-2016) - Fairytale Fallout w/ BBPaws (2015-2017) - Halloween Ville (2016) - Cube UHC (2016-2019) - Bed Wars (2017) - Death Swap (2017-2019) - Minecraft Championship (2019-2023/Ongoing) - Nether VS (2020) - Escape Rooms (2020-2023/Ongoing?) - Caves & Cliffs VS (2022)

EDIT (10/16/22): Listening to the tags/replies, I have added SMP Earth and Caves & Cliffs VS! If anyone else remembers anything else that's more than cameos, feel free to point it out! EDIT (8/2/23): Updated the list acknowledging which SMPs had ended and which had begun since I first created this list! I also decided to count his Escape Room series in the various section, as he has it under a playlist!

#scott smajor #dangthatsalongname #og mcyt #mcyt #origins smp #empires smp #harmony hollow #traffic smp #ratsmp #DangThatsTooManySMPs #the worst thing is...I'm probably missing some #final boss Scott