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#glad I caught it before donating but I feel so bad for folks who did
rendiggitydog · 3 years
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So GenerikB huh?
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nimmy22 · 3 years
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A Mistake: Chapter 4
Cara missed her first two classes, having been knocked out into the late morning hours, courtesy of her dad. No parents were rushing to wake her up, no breakfast waiting for her, no offer for a ride to school. She woke up with a gash on her head, an abdomen that was an artwork of black and blue. The cause of it all was a dealer who had no stock to sell. His suppliers suddenly cut all contact leaving her parents without their fix.
Last night her dad came home seconds from exploding. He almost broke down the door as he struggled to open it in his drunken stupor, nose flaring and teeth grinding into dust even before his eyes locked on her. While these beatings were nothing new to Cara, she will admit that his hand was extra heavy yesterday, evidenced by the deeper shades on her skin. Her mother didn't even have to add anything into the mix, satisfied by her husband's handiwork.
Cara just couldn't wait to leave, but money was a dilemma. She tried her best to get the odd job here and there, whatever she could find, really. Things were even more difficult since her parent recently took to stealing her hard-earned money, ransacking her bedroom for anything worth selling. Not even the mattress stuffing or the soles of her shoes were a safe place.
Adding to her troubles was the potential loss of a job. She could no longer babysit Sherry and hasn't been contacted by the Birkins. Still, perhaps it wasn't such a bad thing. After all, these people were beyond dangerous, and she would do just about anything to never meet that man again. It still broke her heart to be cut away from such a sweet little girl, the separation was sudden, and god knows how hard that must've hit Sherry, losing one of the few people she trusted.
As expected, both her parents were gone. They were likely fishing for another dealer, and if they did not find what they were looking for, she knew what will be waiting for her tonight. It was better to stay away from home for now, and it didn't matter where.
While the other bruises were easier to hide, the limp in her walk was too obvious. She had just finished formulating a story by the time she made it to her third class, auto-mechanics. Usually, people ate up her stories without a problem, curbing their questions as their concern lacked genuinely. The real issue was Claire. She'll spit the story right out without even tasting it.
Claire was already waiting in their usual spot. Despite the pain, Cara tried her best to be as subtle as possible but attempting the once flawless movement of her legs took a considerable amount of control.
"Hey, you," Claire cracked a smile as soon as she spotted her friend. "Missed you at lunch. Actually, missed you for like half the day. Where've you been off to? Could've invited me too."
" Stayed up too long watching reruns and then ended up sleeping in. I scared my mom this morning when I came out of my room. She thought I was a burglar." Cara giggled over her lies, struggling to fight the grimace as she took a seat. Thankfully, Claire didn't seem to notice, leaning back in her chair to put up her red hair into a high ponytail. Care relaxed inwardly, feeling safe from the questions.... for now.
Half an hour later, Claire slid beneath the car donated to the school while Cara sat next to her on the floor leaning against the door. Cara was glad. This way, she could finally slouch over and breathe, gladly keeping the weight off her bad leg. The radio played a series of pointless advertisements adding nothing valuable to the background noise. Mr. Crawford liked the radio host, but Cara thought he simply lived to promote Michael Warren or was paid handsomely to do so. Sure, the mayor had done much for the city. Still, she found all this prosperity odd, especially under such a short period of time. Something smelled fishy.
"This shit can't be fixed," Claire grumbled, sliding out from below the hunk of metal, tossing the greasy gloves next to her on the floor. The car was so weathered the paint came off in large chips as she peeled whatever was left of it on the door.
"Something Claire Redfield can't fix? Well, that's a surprise." Cara giggled, raising an eyebrow.
"I can't fix what's not there. Half the parts are missing. The idiot who donated the car must've stolen it, took whatever was worth shit, and donated the rest to get rid of the evidence."
"Looks like you've been hanging around the station too long. What, are you going to start an investigation now?"
"If I wanted that bike upgrade, then I obviously need money, and you know I don't like asking my brother for money. But what I don't mind asking for is a job around the station. Pretty much everyone knows me by now. It's like a foot in the door. I'll just annoy them until it's official."
"Once they hire you as a janitor, don't forget about me. Then we can break into the records room where they keep all those juicy storybooks."
"Okay, that's a fun idea. But here's another idea! How about we not get my brother fired along with us. Plus, you forget where we live. Nothing major happens around here."
"That's where you're wrong," Cara whispered before mentally slapping herself. She tensed, begging higher entities that Claire heard nothing.
"What do you mean?" Claire perked up, reminding her of a puppy who heard the sound of the treat bag opening.
"Oh, nothing," Cara tried to play it off, not want her friend to dig deeper. If there was one thing she learned last Friday, it was to keep her mouth effectively shut. She was already screwing herself over and placing a friend in danger. Her pulse began racing with the prospect that she already said too much.
"Cara," Claire crawled towards her friend, a threat in he voice. "You heard something or...saw something? You can tell me, I'm your friend. Chris and I will always be there for you."
"I know. You remind me of that every day. It's not a big deal. I'm just worried about the level of stupidity in this town. I've heard about the three seniors who got caught breaking into Kendo's gun shop last night. He had them lined up on their knees with their hands behind their head by the time the cops came. The whole street watched them."
"Ugh, I've never seen someone do something as stupid in my life. Had to hear all about it from Chris. In fact, that's all he talked about last night and this morning. Don't get in the wrong crowds, bluh bluh. Guns are bad bluh bluh." As claire grumbled through her rant, Cara knew she had successfully steered the boat to safety.
"Well, it's nice to have a brother. I wouldn't mind a lecture or two."
"Oh honey, I can help with that," Claire cocked her head to the side with a gleam in her eyes.
"No, yours are excluded."
"Oh, ha ha, you'll be begging for it one day. Now be a good girl and be on the watch out. I'm taking a nap." Claire said, sliding back below the car before getting into a comfortable position. "Oh, and give me a foot massage while you're at it,"
"It'll cost you."
"Wait till I hear back about a job, and then we'll talk,"
They stayed like that, Claire breathing softly while Cara listened absentmindedly at the radio. Her thoughts were yet again plagued by the events of last Friday. It was suffocating having to mentally recover from something so scarring and no one around her knowing a thing. She had no one to talk to. The words of the host were starting to become much more appealing than her thoughts.
"Michael Warren did so much for Raccoon decades before he was mayor, but with him in power, we're doing so much better, growing faster than ever before. We all gotta thank him for that, you know? Everyone was skeptical about big pharma moving in, but he made a good partnership with them, and the jobs came raining down. Have you seen the homeless folk on the streets? No, cause they all got help, been offered good jobs, their lives are turned for the better. Y'all look at the jails. They are pretty much empty. Nobody needs to turn to stealing for a living when good-paying work is right in front of them." The host trailed on, with Cara barely listening to the shameless paid promotion. The supposed decrease in crime seems a bit far-fetched to Cara. Maybe the robbers, murders, fraudsters, and rapists just moved their activity to the next town over for whatever reason, much like her dad and his dealings? But if there were so many work opportunities, why couldn't someone come 'help' her parents? Uproot them out of the dark pit they dug?
"Hey, you coming?"
"What?" Cara snapped back to reality, realizing Claire was already on her feet, stretching her back.
"The assembly?"
"Oh...?" Cara frowned, forcing a straight face as she pulled her aching body up.
"I guess I can't blame you. You did miss half the day. Come on, I want to get a seat in the very back, makes for a speedy getaway." Claire was already out the door, staring back at her friend with her hands on her hips, impatiently tapping her foot.
"You go ahead and reserve me a seat. I just need to go to the washroom." Cara said, hoping to walk to the gym at a slower, less painful pace.
"Fine, but don't be too long," Claire said before jogging away.
Taking her sweet time, Cara turned a 5-minute walk to the gym into 10 minutes, but even then, that was still an exhausting mission. Soon she was seated next to Claire with the rest of the students as they waited for the presenter.
The gym was in a state of chaos. Everyone talked over the other. But this was not a surprising thing considering it was the last period of the day and the events of last night.
When Cara looked over the stage, she was surprised, seeing a banner with the Racoon police department STARS name on it. Great, it was another talk with the cops, most likely about drugs and whatnot.
"Hey, maybe your brother is here,"
"Chris? He would've told me,"
A throat clearing next to the speaker's podium failed to get the attention of the kids. It was followed by a very authoritative "Attention,"
Cara never experienced so much power put into a single word, but it was loaded, and it succeeded in forcing everyone to smack their lips shut.
For a few seconds, she was staring but unable to focus, her muscles tensed, ready to make a break for it. She held her breath, slid down her seat, covered her face with a curtain of hair, and for added measure, she put her head down. She hoped to stay hidden in the crowds of students.
It was Albert Wesker at the podium, hands resting on the edges. His eyes didn't have to scan the crowds for long, finding her easily. Her attempt to hid was adorable but in vain. He could track down men in another country given extraordinarily little info, and the foolish little thing thought she could hide in a measly crowd of 1200 hormone-riddled teens.
"I am Captain Albert Wesker of STARS, and five days ago, there had been an unfortunate, unfortunate accident. Maxwell Robford was barely five years older than many of you. Driving while drunk, he ended up wrapped around a tree and was incinerated along with his car. That road wasn't popular, and it would take days for someone to stumble across the wreck and give us a call. We could only recover a pile of ashes and bones to return to his family. Our hearts go to them. I'm here on behalf of STARS to urge you to stop drinking and driving because the next incident may not only result in us digging out your corpses but those of others. The morgue is no place for people so...young. That's all from me, and now my partner will add a few more words." Wesker stepped away from the podium, nodding as the other uniformed officer took over. The next speaker struggled to calm the students, who all at once started talking about the accident.
"That’s so terrible. I feel so bad for his family," Claire said, leaning her head back.
"Yeah..." Cara answered absentmindedly, unable to take away her eyes from the crooked officer. She was angry that he could come to her school and pretend to be an officer of the law concerned for the futures of the kids in the room. If anything, she could bet all the money she had that the kid died because of a foul. Maybe, Wesker himself arranged the scene before it was supposedly...discovered. Perhaps that poor kid saw something he shouldn't have and paid the price. And maybe she'll also end up in an unfortunate accident sooner or later. The thought of that sent the bile straight up. She rocked herself, mind reeling with the possibility.
"I'm going to the washroom," Cara said quietly, her voice unusually thick as she could not push the lump down. Raising from her seat, she rushed out of the gym, feeling the world closing in on her. She was barely aware of Claire calling out to her and the man on the stage who followed her with his eyes.
Completely bypassing the washroom, Cara burst through the school's back doors before throwing her back against the garbage bins, sliding to the floor. The stench didn't register as her brain tricked her into thinking she could smell burning flesh. Thinking about what the kid must have felt while burning up, she shut her eyes tightly, unable to handle such imagery. She didn't try to control her sobs, letting them overpower her without caring about who was watching.
Someone was watching, and they were amused.
"You know, it's rude to walk out while a speaker is presenting. We take the time out of our boorish days to speak to a bunch of idiots who won't hang onto a single word we say. A complete and utter waste of time." Wesker spoke, walking around the garbage can to look down at Cara. The silence came sharply as she noticed his presence. It was hard to believe the girl cowering in the corner was the same person who risked her life to protect his little Sherry.
"Did you kill him?" Cara whispered, her puffy eyes finding his.
"Who?" standing in front of her, Wesker squatted down to her level.
"You know who I am talking about."
"Still in the mood for asking questions? Do you think he will be more alive having that knowledge?" Wesker reached over with a gloved hand to push the hair away from her face, enjoying the complete mess she was. The girl was like this because of him, and he loved having that power. He didn't have to do a thing to get to her. Merely show up.
" I didn't say anything to anyone, I swear. Please just leave me alone." Her voice was octaves higher, uncaring when it fragmented at the end. Even if someone heard her, she doubted they would help. The decorated officer can make up a story more likely believable than a word out of her mouth. She was alone and wholly regretted leaving the gym. Cornering herself, she practically led him to her.
"Our encounters will only end once I say so. Now, answer this. Why were you limping?" Wesker watched as she flinched when his hand came to rest on her injured leg. He found this development displeasing. Someone trespassed on his right to be the only one to hurt her, to use her, to kill her. And correction was in order.
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syms-things-5 · 4 years
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Clear The Area - Chapter Six
Previous chapter HERE
Warning: Mild language
Summary: Sarah’s parents make a visit, and not everyone is happy with Sarah’s choices.
Note: Sorry this took a while to get out.
CHAPTER SIX
There’s a couple of things you should probably know about Jocelyn and Noah Bernette.
The first is that they are salt-of-the-Earth people. They are friendly to anyone, heavily involved in their community, and they make regular donations to a charity that provides home improvements to families so they can live comfortably with a disability. They once spent a summer volunteering with Habitat For Humanity and have fostered approximately 18 cats and dogs over the past seven and a half years. Jocelyn regularly bakes cakes for their neighbours and Noah is obsessed with his garden and tending to the Norwegian Purple Heather he paid a fortune to have shipped over from Bergen. Politically, they are liberal in practically every sense of the word and up to speed with the latest democratic events. Seriously, you would have to work extra hard to trip them up if you wanted to hold any kind of debate with them.
Sadly, the Bernettes could not have children biologically for one reason or another. Jocelyn in particular struggled with that knowledge. She figured at the age of 34, with most of her friends now mothers and fathers themselves, a child was the obvious piece missing from their puzzle. Professionally, they were both pretty much at the top of their respective trees and they had no mortgage to speak of so naturally the only thing left to accomplish was raising a child. So, thereafter, followed several years of testing, waiting, waiting some more, then more testing, but the doctors couldn’t fathom why it just didn’t want to happen for them. There didn’t appear to be anything medically wrong with either of them. It was nature, they said, as though that was supposed to be some kind of comfort. Eventually, when Jocelyn reached her 40th birthday, she and Noah decided it wasn’t meant to be and opted to try a different route, though it wasn’t much easier being told implicitly that they were now too old to adopt a baby.
Which leads to the other thing you should probably know about them: they don’t like to be reminded that Sarah is adopted. It suits them just fine to block out the first 12 years or so before they met. It’s not to say they completely disregard her past of that they want to forget they couldn’t have children, it was more that on some psychological level Sarah had long since given up trying to understand, they felt more like a real family if they could continue to believe that they had always been this way, that it was fate they would find each other and live happily ever after.
Jocelyn wanted to experience sleepless nights from a crying baby wanting to be fed but instead she learned to deal with sleepless nights waiting to see if their runaway child was going to come home before four in the morning. They would argue about boyfriends they didn’t trust or buying a car they didn’t think she would look after. Jocelyn would later attempt to make the move from mother to best friend as soon as Sarah moved away to college, always planning meet-ups or sending her cut-outs in the post about make-up thinking she would be interested in them and they could perhaps bond over shared hobbies. She could finally empathise with her friends and neighbours about whether their children were surviving their studies. All stereotypical parental concerns and she embraced each and every one of them.
Noah on the other hand, a few years older than Jocelyn, was definitely calmer about the whole thing. He was glad they chose this option for them both because he reasoned he might be too long in the tooth to start changing nappies or teach another human being how to ride a bike given that he didn’t know how to do so himself. Instead, they could take what they had, what they both worked so hard to achieve, and help someone who hadn’t had the best start in life. Isn’t that they best way of helping your community?
Lisa once joked that she learned more about Sarah from one dinner with her folks than she had learned from Sarah herself over the course of knowing her for six months. But she couldn’t understand why Sarah had a particular desire to create a distance between herself and them, and from her seemingly healthy teenage years in a quaint town in Maine, a far cry from Michigan in more ways than one. Shanna didn’t understand either but Sarah wasn’t always forthcoming about her rationale even after knowing for as long as she did.
Sarah learned early on that it was best not to talk about her birth family. She was thankful to have Noah and Jocelyn steering her at a time when it would have been all too easy for her to go off the rails. Of course, she was thankful; who wouldn’t be, living that kind of comfortable life. She didn’t want to see ungrateful. It just never really settled within her. She always felt a little out of place and struggled to adjust to the wealth of positive emotions, love, and a somewhat material wellbeing she hadn’t experienced before. She provided the Bernettes with their missing piece and they wanted to reward her for that but she in turn felt like something was missing from her own identity and that feeling only grew as she got older. Increasingly, she felt like who was as a Bernette was not entirely in line with who she felt she was in the baseline of her DNA. At times she felt like she was merely living to someone else’s expectations so moving to Boston was something akin to therapy.
“And he just gave you this?!”
Jocelyn was stood by the wardrobe in Sarah’s bedroom. She usually did this under the pretence of casually catching up on life and everything else but realistically, Sarah knew she just wanted to snoop around in the hope of discovering hints of a boyfriend she’d been keeping to herself. Shanna was currently sat on Sarah’s bed, one leg tucked underneath and enjoying their relationship from a distance. She was wondering when she’d bring up Prince Greg as she’d dubbed him on account of his floppy hair. She felt like she knew more of Sarah when she was around her own family. It was kind of fascinating to see.
Jocelyn held the dress up in front of her, taking it in, gobsmacked. Sarah had never seen Jocelyn this excited before. To the untrained eye, it was just a simple black mini-dress; unclingy with loose full-length sleeves and a frilly detail around the hem. There was a silver thread woven into the stitching that caught the light if you were stood the right way. Chris was right; it was cute. Shanna suggested wearing it with black tights and those heeled boots that were her go-to date footwear. Her only go-to date footwear, Audrey would remind her whenever she managed to drag her into town for some shopping. Being overtly dressed-up wasn’t something Sarah was easily comfortable with and Chris knew this, so simple was definitely the way to go.
“Not exactly. It’s a loan. I’ll have to give it back afterwards.” Sarah pressed.
She was ready to get to the exhibition centre before it closed but Jocelyn didn’t seem in any particular rush. Her knowing Chris Evans was perhaps the thing Jocelyn was most proud of in Sarah’s life and she always managed to work in a conversation or two whenever she visited. Rather than be irritated by it, Sarah actually found it rather amusing. Chris seemed to have a sixth sense for guessing when Jocelyn was trying her patience, though, and played up to her a little bit so as to give Sarah a break. She once lost her asking him questions about the Academy Awards for nearly an hour. The amount of beer she had to buy him afterwards as a ‘thank you’ nearly bankrupted her.
“Well, you’ll have to make sure your hair and make-up matches. You can’t wear a dress like this with a ponytail.” She was speaking in what she assumed was a helpful tone. It was a good job she couldn’t see the face Sarah was pulling right now.
“Oh, between us all I’m sure we’ll be able to figure it out. I’ll have to do the same thing, too.” Shan was trying her best to act nonchalant in an effort to support her best friend. “I mean, it’s not often any of us get the chance to get dressed these days, really.”
“How lovely. You can borrow my emerald earrings if you like? They’ll bring out your eyes.” Jocelyn was more than a little eager now, no doubt buzzing at the thought of having her personal jewellery plastered all over Instagram. She zipped up the dress bad and placed it carefully inside the wardrobe while Sarah and Shan just smiled at each other knowingly.
As Jocelyn moved to the bathroom to wash her hands, they left the bedroom opting for the relative safety of the living room where Noah had set up camp alongside Chris and ESPN. He was a keen follower of most sports with golf a particular favourite. He was saving up for tickets to the PGA tour next year as a retirement gift to himself. Sarah knew Jocelyn wasn’t going with him but couldn’t be entirely sure he hadn’t invited Chris along in her place.
“What’s she mithering you about this time?” Noah asked, eyes glued to the TV screen. He didn’t get much time to sit and be still watching television at home so visiting his daughter was even more of a treat. If Sarah could survive being the sole focus of Jocelyn’s attention for hours on end, he would have happily left them to it for the afternoon and set up camp with Chris and a glass of Talisker.
“Nothing much, it’s OK. Are you ready to go yet? It’ll take about 20mins to walk there,” Sarah was hinting as heavily as she could now, short of jingling her keys in front of their faces likes they were cats.
“Sure, go grab your mom and we’ll head out. Have you had thoughts about dinner yet? Chris, would you like to join us?”
“Well, I was quite keen on seeing the exhibition myself actually but I’d hate cause you guys any problems with my being there.” He tried to casually shrug it off in a look she’d seen all too often lately.
“I’m sure we can manage,” Noah managed to tear himself away from the TV screen for his beloved Chris. “Is it a ball cap situation or more of a through-the-backdoor type of thing? I’ve never had to sneak around before. Could be fun?”
Sarah appreciated Noah’s casualness and evidently, judging by the grin spread across his face in that moment, so did Chris. He turned to look over the back of the couch at Sarah, silently asking her permission.
“Well, I did get a 4th ticket in case you or Scott fancied coming...” she offered. “I mean, I’m fine if you are?”
Chris gave her a grateful smile. “Give me two minutes and I’ll be right with you.”
*
For this time of day, the gallery was surprisingly busy but mainly full of people Sarah figured were die-hard fanatics of his art and who probably wouldn’t recognise Chris if he appeared in front of them dressed in his full Captain America get-up waving the American flag. As they passed by the smiling security guard. Noah wondered quietly to Sarah what the Venn diagram of McCurry aficionados crossed with Marvel fans would realistically look like. Given his nerdiness for all things mathematical, no doubt he’d have an answer figured out for them by the time they reached the Vietnam display two halls away.
“...and this was the photograph that started the Live Aid charity.” Jocelyn stopped in front of a small photograph, no larger than one you’d have in a frame at home yet unmistakeable on the wall alongside dozens of other images, Sharbat’s eyes piercing your soul. Walking slightly ahead of them, she’d somehow managed to link arms with Chris and was now acting as their defacto tour guide, explaining each piece to him in turn as though he’d never seen them before. Anyone who knew Chris properly would know he greatly enjoyed photography and was well read on the latest pieces. Nevertheless, he was still polite and nodded along as she enthusiastically spoke of the lens McCurry used to achieve the effects of his art.
As they moved through to the third and final hall space, things had gotten noticeable quieter as more people were filtering out. Noah and Jocelyn were deep in conversation with a local art student who had stopped to sketch a couple of pieces, and Chris seemed far more relaxed and happy walking around without his NASA cap on. No on had paid him any attention all afternoon, it must have been a nice change of pace for him.
Sarah lost track of how long she had been staring at a larger canvas piece of a bridge with a giant concrete hand underneath holding the structure up. The place was unknown and the image was photographed from high up, possible from a plane or helicopter. It was oddly serene even if the bridge had become overgrown with reeds and dirt.
“I think it’s meant to represent Mother Nature’s battle against Man,” Chris spoke quietly as he approached her from behind, standing to one side as she continued to stare at the image.
“That’s an interesting theory. Where did  you read that?”
“i happen to have an ongoing subscription with National Geographic.” Chris said, comically smoothing his beard in contemplation. Sarah almost believed him until she registered what he had said. Chris clocked her side-eying him. “Joss told me to tell you when she saw you looking at it.”
She smiled at him before turning back to the wall. “I think I want to visit this place one day. It’s like the complete opposite of Boston.” she mused.
“You’d never leave Boston. It’s in your DNA now. You’re officially one of us.”
“That’s....that sounds vaguely threatening.”
“You have leprechaun pyjamas and you’ve been drunk at Fenway. You pretty much tick all of the boxes.” Chris smirked and turned to walk away.
“How do you know I have those pyjamas?” Sarah followed behind him.
“I didn’t. You just told me.” Sarah punched him in the arm and Chris pretended to wince.
Noah had somehow managed to loop back around the bookshop from the start to purchase a couple of prints and a biography before joining them as they headed towards the exit. The rain had started getting a little heavier during the time they had been inside and Sarah chastised herself for ignoring Jocelyn’s advice to bring an umbrella with her. If there was one thing you could guarantee in even the nicest of Summers, it’s that Jocelyn Bernette always, ALWAYS, carried an umbrella in her handbag. Also, one of those waterproof macs that rolled up to the size of a dollar bill but she couldn’t convince anybody that they were a good idea.
As they gathered outside, Sarah gently pulled Chris back by his elbow. “Hey, there’s no pressure on staying for dinner if you’d rather head out or whatever. I think they were keen on you stopping out with us but I’m happy to make an excuse if you’d rather not.”
“What? No, it’s totally fine. I really like your folks. They’re fun and interesting.” Chris noticed Sarah’s look of skepticism. “Seriously, you need to chill. I’m having a good time. It’s nice doing normal things for a change.”
“In that case, I’ll let them know you’re up for a bike ride tomorrow. Dad wants to rent a tandem.”
“Are you....Are you being serious?” Sarah nodded. “Wow, they really go all out, huh? What are you gonna do while they do that?”
“No idea. Probably hold their bags.”
Chris laughed. “Man, those two are cute. I’d kill to be that dorky when I’m their age. You’re so lucky.”
Sarah considered his point for a moment, looking at Jocelyn waving her flip phone up in the air trying to get a signal. She’d lost track of the number of times she’d tried to convince her to upgrade, telling her they could stay in touch more easily with Whatsapp rather than pages-long emails once or twice a week. Sadly, this would turn out to be the last positive memory they would have of  their peaceful afternoon.
“Can I ask you something, but you have to promise not to get mad.” Chris posed an interesting question. How was she supposed to respond to that?
“I don’t get why you’re meeting Charlotte.” He could see Sarah about to protest and continued regardless. “I don’t see what good can come from this. You’ve tried it once before, it failed, and you didn’t leave you bed for two weeks. I was there, Sarah. It was horrible. I don’t understand why you would put yourself through that again.”
His tone was a little louder than he realised and placed a hand over his mouth, wiping at his beard as if that would somehow erase his words from having been spoken. Sarah didn’t know what to say. She was tired with a continuous feeling of frustration at having to explain away her decisions at every turn. She hadn’t mentioned meeting her birth mother for a while now but could sense the apprehension people had at the thought. If it wasn’t Chris, it was Shanna, and if it wasn’t Shanna, Audrey had kindly informed her she was taking an unnecessary risk although she didn’t put it quite so mildly.
“You don’t have to agree with me. I get that no one supports me here,”
“Oh, that’s unfair. Jesus.” He turned to face away from where Jocelyn was stood, only a few feet ahead of them but seemingly oblivious to their contention. “It’s not just you that this affects, you know. You seem to forget that.”
There was no mistaking his argument this time as he drew Sarah’s attention back in her mother’s direction.
“Have you guys been talking about this behind my back?” Sarah finally asked after what felt like minutes of silence. Noah was now indicating at something ahead of them.
Chris took a breath and Sarah could tell he was refraining from saying something he might regret. “No, we haven’t we’re just concerned is all. You don’t know her -”
“- hence why I am going to meet her.”
“- and you don’t know what she is after.”
She stood still as Chris continued walking but only getting a few steps ahead of her before noticing she’d stopped altogether. Jocelyn and Noah continued on ahead of them, enjoying the drizzly walk and the lights of the town and gradually getting further and further away.
“Do you not think it’s just what she wants to know who I am? What is it that you think she is after?”
“Sarah, don’t do this, OK? I’m not going to get into an argument with you about this now because I’m not going to say what you want to hear. I’m sorry.” He looked at her carefully for a second. “I just...I see you guys together hanging out and it fits, y’know? You’re so like them, Sarah. You think the same things, you like the same things. If I didn’t know you at all, I’d think you were the double of Joss. They’d be heartbroken if they knew what you were doing.”
Sarah couldn’t look him in the eye. The older Sarah would have possibly turned to run at this point, trying to avoid conflict at all costs, but they’d had spats before and Chris was nothing if not annoyingly unflappable. She knew he would tell her straight and as much as she might not want to hear it right in this moment, it was probably for the best.
He saw a flash of what looked like hurt cross her face. Now or never, he doubled down. “You wanted to know what I thought so I’m telling you.” He shoved his hands in his pockets and turned to make tracks but not before one last bash. “I think this is a bad idea.”
“Well, then it’s a bad idea I’ll deal with myself.”
*
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tastesoftamriel · 6 years
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On a Riften autumn (a long tale by Talviel)
[Warning: this chapter contains a graphic sex scene. Please skip over that paragraph if that sort of thing makes you uncomfortable!]
Over the next couple of days, I was busy hauling around my donations to the orphanage and the Bee and Barb. Everyone was astounded and Keerava burst into tears, thanking me for my generosity. “No, thank you Keerava. I wouldn’t be the chef I am today if it weren’t for you.” I smiled, hugging her.
Finally I set out to do what I’d been putting off. Trembling, I ascended the steps to the Temple of Mara. I dropped a hefty donation into the collection bowl, and received an amulet of Mara in return. Temporarily pocketing my amulet of Talos, I set out, feeling dazed and meandering around town. I decided that some hunting in the forest would do me good, so I collected my bow and arrows from my parents, and set out the main gate.
A few hours later, coming back with a bunch of rabbits and a few large slabs of venison, I bumped into Brynjolf on my way past the forge. “Nice catch.” He grinned. “Come over tonight, I’m making hunter’s pie.” “Aye lass, I’ll take you up on that.” Suddenly, our eyes trailed to each other’s necks. “Is that…an amulet of Mara?” We asked in unison. “Interested in me, are you?” I teased, using the traditional Skyrim words of proposing. “I am. I’d be glad to stand by your side until the Divines take us, i..if you’ll have me.” Brynjolf grinned back, sticking to the script. “Oh Talos and the Nine Divines, Bryn. Are we…engaged?” I laughed nervously. “I guess we are, lass. Come here, I’m a happy man right now.” He pulled me close and kissed me hard, and I kissed him back. “Get a room!” Balimund yelled from the forge, and laughing, we made our way back to my parents.
My mother was the first to notice as soon as I’d tossed my catch on the kitchen counter. “Oh my. Am I seeing what I think I’m seeing?” she asked, agog. She screamed for my father, who burst out of the cellar as if expecting a burglar. Instead he saw me and Brynjolf awkwardly standing there. “What? What’s the problem?” He asked, looking confused. “They’re…they’re both wearing amulets of Mara.” My mother said, still in shock. My father’s jaw hit the ground. “You. Are. Marrying. Him?” He finally choked out. I nodded, unsure how to gauge his reaction. “For Talos’ sake, child, it’s been obvious since you joined the Guild that you were madly in love with Brynjolf, but I’m not sure what to say about this.” He said. “He’s a bloody thief!” My mother shrieked, and Brynjolf and I cringed.
“A thief I may be, Ma'am, but with all due respect, everyone’s got to make a living. Through whatever means they can.” Brynjolf countered bravely. I squeezed his hand. “He has a point, my dear wife. I was a sellsword when we met.” My father said gently, clearly coming around to the idea. “Oh Talos have mercy, who am I to be a hypocrite.” My mother muttered after a while. “But it’s one thing to be a sellsword, another thing to be the head of Tamriel’s biggest criminal empire.” “You honour me Ma'am, but I just do my job as best I can.” Brynjolf said modestly, trying to diffuse the situation once and for all.
“Well,” my father cleared his throat after an awkward pause. “Welcome to the family…son. When’s the wedding?” Brynjolf and I looked at each other uncertainly. “We haven’t talked about it yet, but tomorrow as is traditional is far too soon. Perhaps the week after next, so we can get everything in order?” I said. “Good thinking, lass. Still need to tell everyone at the Guild. And it would probably be wise to plan out our future.” “You mean you’re going back to the Guild?” My mother yelled. “You were doing so well as a chef, why stop now?” “For Talos’ sake, calm down, mother. No, I don’t think I’ll be joining the Guild again. Full time, anyway.” “Well, at least you’re not marrying someone from the Dark Brotherhood.” My father joked, provoking a laugh from all of us.
Brynjolf sat by the fireplace with my parents as I prepared my famous hunter’s pie for dinner. I caught smatterings of their conversation here and there, punctuated now and then by reassuring laughter. “And your folks, Brynjolf, will they be attending the ceremony?” “They’re long gone, I’m afraid.” Brynjolf smiled sadly. “The Guild has been my family most of my life, and now you are too, I suppose.” I smiled as I skinned a rabbit. After the initial fracas, I was glad things were warming up between them.
The pie was ready by six, and we all sat down at the dining table to eat, with my father breaking out a bottle of Black-Briar reserve in celebration. “Now Talviel, and Brynjolf too, you are absolutely not getting married in Thieves Guild armour.” My mother started to fret in between mouthfuls of pie, and Brynjolf and I groaned. It was our second skin, the first thing that bonded us together, and we were hoping our garments would be ignored. “The other week someone was passing out catalogues from Radiant Raiment in Solitude, I’m sure we can find something in there and have a rush order placed if we pay them a few more septims.” She continued rambling, while my father rolled his eyes. “And you, daughter. Look at the state of your hair! I know you had it changed by that face shaper or whatever their name is down in the Ratways, but when is the last time you had it cut? You look like bloody Mannimarco for crying out loud, all long and grey. You’re going to let me braid it at least, no questions asked. Oh, and I’ll have to arrange things with the florist…”
Brynjolf and I stumbled out of the house in a daze after dinner, having been subjected to my mother’s seemingly endless rambling about the wedding. “Riftweald?” He asked. “Sounds good to me. Oh Nocturnal, my head.” We made our way to the manor, stoked the fireplace, and grabbed some cushions to sit down on. “Well, the good news is that your mother seems to have taken care of all the wedding arrangements. So all that’s left to do, really, is choose a day and make an announcement to the Guild.” “Bryn, there are 35 members. The Temple is tiny, there’s no way we’ll fit everyone in. At best we can invite senior members only.” He sat in thought for a moment. “You’re right, lass. I feel bad for excluding the whole family, but we can have our own celebrations in the cistern after, I suppose.”
“Good thinking. Now, I’m thinking Middas or Turdas, since those are our quiet days usually.” “Ever practical, lass.” Brynjolf said, leaning on a cushion and playing with my hair. “You know, your mother’s right. Your hair does sort of look like Mannimarco’s.” He interjected suddenly. “How would you know? Have you ever met Mannimarco? And are you asking for another pillow fight?” I stabbed back. “Don’t you dare, Mannimarco.” Brynjolf laughed. Needless to say, the cushions were ruined and we had to find a broom to clear up the mess of feathers before rolling into bed.
Bryn was hard as he pushed against me, and I felt myself getting wetter by the second. Our lips met, our tongues intertwined, and he pinned me down to the bed. Reaching under it, he pulled out a coil of rope, a wad of cloth, and a riding crop he’d lifted from the stables. Submitting to him, I kneeled down, taking him in my mouth, breathing in his scent of cinnamon and cloves. I sucked while he grabbed at my hair, and after a couple of minutes he pushed me back to stop. He shoved the cloth in my mouth and tied it around my head before lifting me up and carrying me to the bed. Lying me down on my stomach, he tied my arms tightly behind me, arranged my body so my ass was in the air, then bound my legs together. I felt myself dripping in anticipation, and he stuck two fingers inside me. I moaned into the gag, and he leaned down to face level with me, showing me as he licked my juices off his fingers. The riding crop came down hard on my ass and thighs, and I wiggled feebly against the rope. This only made him laugh, and the whipping continued until I clicked my fingers for him to stop. Brynjolf put his head next to mine and kissed me on the forehead. “You alright, little Vi?” I nodded, unable to do anything else, and he got behind me and pushed his way in, moaning softly as he did. He pounded away at me in fervour as I moaned into the gag, feeling myself climax, my scream of pleasure muffled. He pulled out and finished across my back, while I lay still, relishing the warmth of his seed. He untied me slowly, fingers fumbling, clearly as dazed as I was. He removed the cloth from my mouth and used it to wipe off the excess juices between my legs and his seed off my back. We lay together, bodies entwined and panting hard. “You, lass, are the best lay I’ve ever had in my entire life.” I smiled, kissing him. “See? I’m a natural at other things besides thieving and cooking.”
The next day, Brynjolf and I made our way down to the cistern, trembling with excitement and ready to make our announcement. “Alright, gather round, every one of you. Grab whoever’s in the Flagon too, including Vekel.” He called out, clapping his hands for attention. In a matter of minutes, we were surrounded by almost all of our curious-looking thieves, who rarely were called to meetings. “As you all know, it’s a prosperous time for the Guild. We are, without doubt, the most powerful group of any sort in all of Tamriel, in Skyrim especially.” Cheers rang out from among the throng. “But that’s not why I’ve called you here today. Vi and I have a very important announcement to make. ”
All of a sudden, we heard the trapdoor open, and someone jumped nimbly into the cistern, breathing hard. We all turned around, reaching for our weapons, and Karliah raised her hands in a show of peace. We all relaxed, but were visibly shocked to see her. At most, Karliah would drop by the headquarters once every six months, and having not heard a peep from her personally despite us being Nightingales and risking our lives in Oblivion, Brynjolf and I were slightly peeved to see her suddenly show up. “I came as soon as I heard.” She panted, as if she’d just run a mile. “Heard what, Karliah?” Vex asked suspiciously. Karliah looked at Brynjolf and I, raised her eyebrows, and smiled suggestively. “Oh, I have eyes and ears everywhere, but I see the announcement hasn’t been made yet. Carry on.” She said, standing aside.
“Well, greetings Karliah, so nice of you to grace us with your presence.” Brynjolf said sarcastically. “Right…where was I. Vi, I think I’ll leave you to do the honours.” I gulped, having had a fear of public speaking all my life. “Well,” I squeaked, slowly pulling out the amulet of Mara I’d tucked beneath my armour. “Bryn and I are engaged, and the wedding is next Turdas. Unfortunately the Temple is only big enough to fit the senior Guild members, but we’ll be having a party down here for everyone once the ceremony is over.” There was an awkward silence as the thieves processed what I said, before the air was filled with whoops and congratulations. “I knew it!” Delvin yelled. “I called it just the other day and you denied it. You’re terrible at hiding your intentions for thieves, shame on you!” The Guild laughed, and one by one came up to us to extend their congratulations.
Karliah was last, standing to the side with a wry smile on her lips. “Well, about time, lovebirds. Congratulations.” She hugged us both. “Long time no see, Karliah, how goes it?” I asked. “Don’t get me started. I’ve been up to my neck in Nightingale business, and I would have contacted you sooner but didn’t dare for fear that spies would intercept my messages. I heard all about Oblivion, and I’ll never forgive myself for not being there with you. I’m sorry, I hope you’ll forgive me.” She said emotionally. “What’s done is done, Karliah. Where have you been? And why the sudden appearance?” Brynjolf asked quizzically. “Oh Nocturnal,“ she moaned, looking grief-stricken. “I was stuck in Black Marsh clearing out a group of bandits who thought they could rival the Guild when one of my little birds told me about your ridiculous mission, Brynjolf. I was unable to do anything as I too was cornered in a dangerous situation so all I could do was send a message to Talviel hoping that she would make it on time to Solstheim. I am so glad that you did, sister. All in all, my story pales in comparison to yours, and is simply messy business I’ll explain to you over a drink later. And as I said earlier, I have eyes and ears everywhere. I got wind that you both were safe and sound back in Riften and were getting married, so I rushed back as fast as I could to make sure I didn’t miss a thing. I owe you both that much.”
“Well then, looks like I owe you one for getting word to Talviel. Honestly don’t know what I was thinking, lass, going to Solstheim alone. Admittedly, you’re not the most reliable boss, Karliah, but thank you for coming all this way. The wedding wouldn’t be complete without you, lass.” Brynjolf smiled, with sincerity this time. “I hope you’re getting married in Nightingale armour, or I’m going to be very disappointed.” “Well, prepare to be disappointed then, Karliah, because my mother is picking out some infernal fancy outfits for us, and braiding my hair to boot.” I sighed, and Karliah sniggered. “Can’t wait to see it. Is there anything I can do while I’m here?” Brynjolf and I looked at each other. “Well lass, let’s meet at the Bee and Barb in an hour or so. I’ll get us a private room. This is serious stuff and I don’t want want the rest of the Guild to hear for now.” Karliah nodded in agreement. “I’ll see you there.”
Keerava shouted with joy when I told her about the wedding, and tried to ply Brynjolf and I with her best wine in celebration. “Save it for the reception, Keerava, we’ll probably need it more then.” Brynjolf asked her for a private meeting room, and she gave us the key usually reserved for Maven Black-Briar and her specially soundproofed room. We brought up a flagon of mead, and waited for Karliah. When she finally arrived, Brynjolf was looking simultaneously grim and sad. “Sit down, lass. There are some big changes coming to the Guild and I need your input on it.” He whispered. “I’m listening.” Said Karliah, leaning back in her chair.
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princessdevy03 · 6 years
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Tumblr Exclusive!!!!
Author’s Note: Happy KevEdd Anniversary to me! It’s been two years since I started writing for the KevEdd Fandom and we’re all better for it!
That said, anniversaries mean presents! And I give you the gift of love, smut, and a touch of shenanigans because that’s how I roll!
Here’s a sweet, silly look at our boys from the first big thing I ever did.
Capturing a moment has never been so noice!
Love you!
Here’s a bit more show…
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Promises To Keep, Promises Kept: Taking AdvantagEdd Of Love
Short Stuff: Come. Get. Your. Man
Short Stuff: He needs some goddamn dick in his life. SAVE US AND COME GET HIM!
Kevin kicked his head back on a groan that came out as a laugh so loud that a girl in the hall yelped and it just made him laugh harder.
He quickly texted Eddy back and found that Edd was in a bit of a tizzy as of late.
The stress of being a senior didn’t miss him by a long shot.
His grades were stellar as always, but the ravenette was always scared that he’d mess up something and lose his scholarship and thus his chance at life. Participating in all his usual extracurricular activities was fun but tabulating it all to round out his college application was making it all more like work. And it all cut into his downtime with his friends and the distance between them didn’t help.
Not that sex would, but he was sure a visit would make him happy and Mother Nature was gonna make it happen.
As he grabbed his bag he always kept packed for these quick trips home and contemplated getting him flowers now vs when he got back into Peach Creek and risk being seen by someone who’d tell Edd and thus, ruin the surprise, he texted Eddy back.
Shovelchin: I’ll see what my dick can do for you XP
Short Stack: EW
Short Stack: Make it make him nice again!
Shovelchin: We’ll see ;)
Short Stack: WE BETTER. >.<
Making his way to his bike, he saw a phoenix fanning his flames as he leaned on it and he was kinda glad he didn’t have the flowers he wanted to get Edd in his hand right now, but at the same time, he’d love use them to wave his love for his dork back home in Max’s face.
“Where we headed, Hot Stuff?” the flaming swimmer cooed and Kevin rolled his eyes.
“I’m going home to see my man,” he said as he shoved his short banner waver away from his Harley.
“Lucky bitch,” Max muttered as he walked away and Kevin grabbed him by the back of his collar to stop him.
“Excuse me,” he growled as he pulled the now wilting bird to his side.
“S-Sorry,” Max said quietly. “You guys are very fortunate to have each other.”
“We are!” Kevin grinned as he shoved Max away again and grabbed his helmet.
Max trudged away thinking up ways to make Kevin his fortunate one when he came back and Kevin made hotel reservations with a request for a bouquet of apricot tulips, marigolds, and roses to be in the room when they arrived.
“I told them you could sign for it since I’m not there,” Lynn sighed as she fumbled with something in the background and Edd nodded even though he knew she couldn’t see him.
“When are you expecting it, though?” He asked as he poured three different bags of Dorito’s in a bowl for his friends.
“Today? I hope. I think,” the woman said sheepishly as she collapsed in her desk chair and Edd’s heart went out to her.
She bought an anniversary gift for his father three weeks ago and it was supposed to have gotten to Peach Creek last week when she was home to not only sign for it but hide it, too, but it never arrived.
Since she could no longer sign for it as she wouldn’t be home for another two weeks herself, Edd could maybe do it if he was home and not out of town with the baseball team or Kevin, but then she got an email saying it would be delivered over the weekend sometime, so she was now on the phone with her son begging him to keep an eye out for it as Kevin was supposed to be in South Carolina at a baseball tournament and Peach Creek’s team was on a much needed off weekend, thus keeping her boy genius at home.
“Well, it’s the thought that counts,” he said and she groaned because their anniversary was two days ago and while she did get her husband something, it just wasn’t the same.
*Ding Dong*
“Are you throwing a party, Eddward?” She teased.
“DOOR, DEE!” He heard Ed bellow from his living room, but no pausing in his video game playing.
“No,” Edd retorted to his snickering mother as Eddy skipped past him to dig out more snacks and Ed, who was on the couch muttering to himself as he crouched behind enemy lines in COD.
“AH!” Edd gasped as he looked through the peephole in the door and then frantically started to unlock it.
“Is it my package?!” Lynn asked excitedly.
“NO!” He screamed as he yanked the door open and tossed the phone behind him to leap into strong arms.
“Hey, Babe,” Kevin chuckled as he caught him and Edd whimpered into his shoulder.
Eddy came out of the kitchen to see his best friend’s door wide open, his mother nearly screaming from the house phone in the floor, and Edd in Kevin’s arms.
“FINALLY!”  The short Ed sighed and Double Dee squeezed Kevin tighter and pouted.
Ed finally paused the game to see what was going on and then groaning because he knew what was going to happen next.
“You’ll see him Monday,” Eddy snickered he passed the chips to Ed who rolled his eyes.
“I’m taking my chips and going home,” the tall Ed whined as Eddy stuffed a bag of Twizzlers and a soda in the oaf’s Army jacket pocket.
“I want my bowl washed and dried when I get back!” Edd called after him as Kevin carried him back into the house and his friends trudge out.
“Yeah, yeah!” Ed called over his shoulder before cracking a grin at Eddy who wouldn’t stop giggling.
“’Bout time he got back,” Eddy sighed as he texted Lee back.
“Amen,” Ed said, mouth full of chips, heart happy that Edd was finally smiling again.
When Kevin sat him on the couch, he remembered that he was talking to his mother just mere seconds before Kevin dropped back into his world again.
“Mother!” he cried before scrambling over the back of the couch and grabbing the phone. “I’m fine,” he said sheepishly while Kevin laughed.
“Thank God,” Lynn sighed. “What the hell happened?!”
“Umm…Kevin’s back?” He said, still sheepish at his sudden show of emotion.
“Ooooh, I see,” She said softly, knowing all too well how he felt.
It had been nearly a month since they had seen each other because they both had spring training to deal with on top of their regular classes, homework, and study sessions.
Kevin being over two hours away made any little down time they had occupied by other things because it just wasn’t logical for either to visit as he would have to turn around and go back home just as soon as he got to town.
So for the redhead to show up meant that they had at least forty eight hours to take together and he was going to make sure they took it.
“So, yeah,” he said quietly as he stared at the floor and tried to think of a way out of the conversation.
“Well, you two enjoy your weekend,” Lynn said as she hopped on her computer and sent an email to the Etsy store she was dealing saying that the gift now needed to be sent to her office. Which was right next to her husband’s. “I’ll have them send it to the office now. But thank you for trying.”
“You’re welcome,” he whispered, feeling green eyes bore into the top of his downed head.
“Goodbye, Eddward. Tell Kevin we say hello, ok?”
“Ok,” he barely whispered and she laughed because she knew the look on his red face all too well, having worn it herself a few times. “Goodbye, Mother.”
When her tittering voice got further away he hit the Off button on the keypad with a groan.
“Everything ok, Babe?”
Bright, needy blue eyes flashed into his own and he had to laugh again.
“C’mere, Dork.”
Too embarrassed to chastise his name calling and needing to be his dork, he hopped back over the couch and was pulled into a tight cuddle.
A moan that would have embarrassed him any other time left him as he breathed Kevin in.
The slight musk of the great outdoors from the ride on his bike, his Old Spice body spray, Tide Sport detergent, and motor oil.
God, he smelled like Heaven.
But then he quickly came back to his senses as Kevin wasn’t supposed to be on his couch on this bright spring Friday.
“What a minute!” He cried as he pushed Kevin away a bit. “Why are you here?”
“Can’t come see my baby?” Kevin cooed as he feigned a pout.
A look.
“I know your schedule better than you do and I’m not even there!” Edd said as he sat back and crossed his arms, half scared that Kevin was skipping out on a baseball tournament to get laid.
“Then you should know that they cancelled the tournament in South Carolina because of that hurricane,” Kevin said as he leveled a look of his own.
Guilt flew into his eyes and he grew sheepish again as Kevin drew him closer.
“Oh.”
The hurricane in question was due to hit the school on coast that Kevin should have been at right now and it was going to be bad. Every event in town was cancelled as people that could evacuate did so, the rest bunking down in shelters that should have been holding spring dances and concerts, not housing people trying to ride out Mother Nature’s fury.
Which meant a weekend in the city for two lovers who just never got many chances to show each other that love enough the past few weeks.
Edd kind of felt bad that a hurricane was giving him an extra weekend with his boyfriend, but he wasn’t going to look Mother Nature’s gift in the mouth.
He would donate some money and a few hygiene kits to a couple of charities, though.
“Yep, and I’ve got us some reservations, so let’s get going!” he chirped as he picked Edd up and carried him to the stairs. “Go get ready and I’m gonna say hi to my folks real quick, okay?”
Edd nodded and ran up the stairs as Kevin hurried out the still open front door, closing it behind him.
It only took Edd ten minutes to pack, another fifteen to make sure the house was together, which gave Kevin time to say hi to his parents and Nazz before taking Edd away from the stress of it all.
The ride to the city was quick but Edd was a bundle of nerves.
Waiting on their hotel room had him all kinds of twitchy because all he wanted was to be alone with his boyfriend.
He had resigned himself to their two visits a month promise but it made him ache inside.
Where Rave and Ang had boyfriends half away across the damn country, Kevin was only mere hours away, but still so far because of life.
To have him with him now, especially as a surprise, wasn’t going to be taken for granted.
Just like he needed Kevin to take him.
Except just as soon as he had the chance, he has to wait to get to where Kevin wants them to hide away and reconnect. And then wait some more because things weren’t ready when they got there.
He wanted to be mad but couldn’t because this all happened so quickly that it wasn’t really anyone’s fault that things weren’t as he was used to them being.
He half pushed, half drug Kevin to the crowded elevator where they could only hold hands and then pulled him to the room, pushed him through the door, only stopping to smell the beautiful bouquet of flowers on the table by the window.
“They’re so pretty,” he fawned as he took in the mix of spicy rose, light apricot, and heady marigold.
“Wow, they came out nicer than I thought!” Kevin exclaimed as he looked the flowers over.
“You just thought of this?”
The awed surprise in his lover’s eyes made Kevin want to fill the room with the flowers, but he just said, “Yeah, just thought it’d be nice because they remind me of you.”
For a split second he thought Edd was going to eat him alive because of the hungry look in his eyes, but the ravenette pushed him on the bed instead and took his breath away with a searing kiss.
“I missed you,” Edd whined as a hand roamed his back while the other tossed his beanie away.
“I can tell,” came a soft reply that accompanied the soft kisses down his neck and Edd’s about to go insane.
He grabbed the back of a hoodie with one hand and looped two fingers of the other in the back center loop of Kevin’s jeans and held on as Kevin kissed him slowly and sensually.
But he needed more.
He ripped Kevin’s hoodie away as the redhead slowly eased his hands under his shirt.
One hand held Kevin’s mouth to his collarbone by fisting itself into crimson satin locks while the other took control of the jock’s zipper. When his hand grazed the one thing Eddy had been teasing him to get for the last month, he nearly lost it.
He groaned to himself as he shoved Kevin away from gently kissing his shoulder and ordered him on his feet.
Kevin cocked a brow but crawled off the bed only to be pulled in front of smoldering Edd.
Getting on his knees was reserved for special occasions like halftime during Monday Night Football and Christmas, so he had to improvise.
Kevin barely said his name before Edd had his pants around his ankles and his cock in his mouth, lusting blue eyes staring him down, daring him to do anything but stand still.
Kevin shoved his tank top in his mouth to muffle his moans because by God, no one needed to hear the sounds dorky ass Eddward Marion Vincent was tugging out of him with hallowed cheeks and no gag reflex.
So Edd dug his nails in his ass and moaned until Kevin couldn’t hold back, grabbed his head and rolled his hips into his gorgeous face, blue eyes holding his gaze and making his gut tight.
One tremble was all it took to pull Edd off of him and Kevin shoved him back onto the bed.
“Fuck, Babe,” he whimpered as shaking hands started tugged Edd’s clothes away.
“Yeah, I’m gonna need you to do that, Sir,” Edd groaned as he kicked off his jeans and Kevin pulled his shirt over his head.
“But I wanted to make love to you,” Kevin whined as he sat back on his knees, a craving in his eyes Edd knew only he could fill.
The ball of emotions in his chest twisted in the opposite direction and Edd’s about die.
“But you can fuck me anytime you want, Edd.”
An animalistic growl shot out of the smaller teen and Kevin’s on his back as Edd grabs the box of condom and lube off the nightstand table. He threw the condoms at Kevin and coated his hand in the thick, sticky substance, muttering a soft, “I’m sorry,” as he grabbed Kevin’s shoulder with his clean hand and eased finger in himself.
Kevin squeezed his eyes close at the grip Edd had on him for a moment before locking eyes with the tense, shaking young man sitting on his waist.
“Just breathe, Edd. Ok?”
Edd nodded as a fantasy came true.
Because of the lack of a headboard to hold on to while he stretched himself thin, holding on to his boyfriend was their only option.
And because he hadn’t gotten to touch him in far too long, he let his free hand play.
To cup his freckled cheek as the first knuckle slipped inside.
To grip a strong bicep as the first finger bottomed out.
To roam his chest as the second finger found its way in and touched that part of himself that shook him to his core.
To graze washboard abs before reaching around and stroking him for a few seconds before snatching the condom away and sliding it on.
And Kevin could do nothing more than watch and feel it all.
He held his gaze as Kevin slid a handful of lube on himself, then guided Edd to where even Eddy thought he needed to be.
He whimpered as he eased himself down Kevin’s cock and then a cracked sob shook from him as he was hilted.
It wasn’t the pain.
It was the need.
That desperate need to be connected with the one who swore he loved him but had to leave him alone because of where they were in their lives at the moment.
He screamed his lover’s name with the first roll of his hips and perfect teeth left their mark on his beautiful neck as he did so.
Every cry of his name earned him a bite.
Every moan a kiss.
Hands finally got to grip skin they would reach out to touch every night and every morning like they did for three lovely years.
Fingers got lost in hair that reminded him of passion and angels.
“Do you know what you do to me?”
“Show me.”
Slow hip rolls brought him to the edge but pulled him back before he could go over.
Every thrust he gave was taken and thrown back hard.
His body was taken into strong hands and loved on.
He took that love and let it fuel a need to keep working to get back to him so he could do this whenever he wanted, not just when the schedule gods said so.
But he took the passion and threw his anxiety at it and the passion swallowed him whole.
In strong arms, he let himself go, thinking of nothing more than how this all felt so good, sobbing in relief as the afterglow settled in.
When he could finally think again, he said, “I needed that.”
“So I heard,” Kevin snorted and Edd groaned.
“Who…Whaaaa…What did they say?!” Edd pouted behind his hands as Kevin drug himself to the bathroom for a washcloth.
“Check my phone!” Kevin laughed as Edd started fussing about people needing to stay out of their business.
The texts from Eddy were at the top of his text log and it was all he could do not to throw the phone at the wall.
“I CAN’T BELIEVE HE SAID THAT!”
“Edd.”
Edd looked to the bathroom doorway to see Kevin giving him a look.
“You agree with him?!”
“Well, at the rate you’re going now, I’d say you did need some time away. I’m just happy to tag along.”
“You’re full of it, Barr,” Edd retorted, but let Kevin take care of him.
“Can I be?”
Needy green gazed into lust hazed blue and Edd slowly went pink.
“Give me an hour.”
“An hour?!” Kevin pouted and Edd’s stomach answered for him.
Kevin texted Eddy two hours later and Lee caught his tossed away phone with her catcher’s mitt before reading the text that set him off.
Shovelchin: He thinks my dick is fine. I think his is too! XD
When Kevin got back to campus, he dumped a gallon of water on Max’s fire for him with a hickey the size of Texas on his collarbone. But it was seeing Michael’s anniversary present that had him in tizzy.
He got his needlepoint of a field that had no fucks two weeks later when Edd took off for Senior Skip Day to get laid.
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Another Last Chance to See
by Sonia Mitchell
Monday, 30 November 2009Sonia finds out whether learning about conservation can work as light entertainment.
Oooh! This is in the Axis of Awesome!~
In the nineteen-eighties Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine went on a trip to Madagascar to search for the aye-aye. This one-off trip led to Last Chance to See, a radio series that sent them all over the world looking for rare, amazing and often bizarre creatures. Adams then wrote a book of the same name about the experience, which brought the project to a slightly different audience to most conservation books, given that his Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy series had made him a best-selling humorous science fiction author.
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Apparently Adams and Carwardine had discussed doing a reunion tour before Adams's unexpected death appeared to put a stop to such thoughts. However, last year Carwardine began to retrace his steps, accompanied by another Footlights veteran - Stephen Fry. The series aired in the UK in late Autumn on Sunday evenings, and I was able to catch quite a lot of it.
One of the striking things separating the series from standard nature documentaries is the excellent graphic design work. There's a good feel for it on
the website
, but it excels in the programmes themselves. In particular the animation at the beginning of each episode is extremely good, with a 3-dimensional earth made of metal opening a door in the appropriate spot, and a metal animal coming out of the earth, cuckoo-clock style. It manages to evoke an appropriate clockwork 'running out of time' image, but at the same time use genuinely attractive design. There's a rustic steampunk (or clockpunk, if you must) atmosphere that diffuses what could have been a very heavy-handed metaphor. The fusion of the old metal and antique map imagery really sets the series apart from the usual fashion in natural history programming of favouring only photography.
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The series doesn't fall entirely into the natural history category, though, being presented as more of a travelogue. The book functioned in a similar way, being more about the experience of going to see animals that the scientific facts about them. The book was more entertaining about it, being narrated entirely by Adams in contrast to the TV series which, being a different medium, tells the story mostly visually. Also Fry moans a bit, and while Adams may have complained a fair amount, his complaints were wrapped in wit ('I didn't notice I was being set upon by a pickpocket, which I am glad of, because I like to work only with professionals') while Fry gets less funny the more irritated he is. His narration is generally enjoyable, but on screen - though mostly likeable - he's sometimes a little eye-rolling.
Fry is also less convincing than Adams in his enthusiasm for nature. Both men occupy a role of being the ignorant one to Mark Carwardine's expert, the one who asks the questions about the animals and sees them for the first time. However the experience moved Adams and gave him a real interest in conservation that shines through in his non-fiction post-Last Chance, and even saw him climb Mount Kilimanjaro in aid of the rhinoceros. Expecting a conversion so remarkable a second time is pushing it a bit, and it isn't all that surprising that Fry, although interested in the species they find, is obviously not about the dive into that world. But it makes him fade in comparison with Adams.
Fortunately we have Mark Carwardine to save us, who is obsessed enough to carry the programme. And in the interests of declaring a bias, I'll mention that I have a huge crush on him and then move swiftly on. Although he came across as knowledgeable and interesting (if grumpy) in the book, he was depicted very much as the straight man. In the TV series he demonstrates consistent good humour and a very likeable warmth towards his subjects. He's also able to gently mock Fry's ridiculous moments, and do a lot of the explaining about nature in a very accessible way.
I guess I should probably mention the animals at some point, too. In comparison with a traditional nature documentary one could argue that the animal footage is disappointing, but that would be missing the point somewhat. The focus of the series is on how difficult the animals are to find, and therefore how difficult it is to obtain any shots at all. When the footage comes, it's all the more meaningful because there's a real chance each time that they won't get it. Showing the difficulties brings home how endangered these animals really are.
A memorable moment from the kakapo episode was when one of the project leaders mentioned that they still get occasional donations from people who've read Adam's book and put a little money in an envelope for them. I found that oddly moving, because it's not at all surprising. The kakapo chapter is one of the best and most heartbreaking, and like a lot of other people I fell in love with the odd little birds when I read it. I have to admit that I wasn't expecting to see a kakapo doing it's best to shag Mark Carwardine when I watched the episode, but apparently donations to the foundation have since rocketed so it's probably worth it (and I don't blame the kakapo one bit).
I think the best episode was the Madagascar one, which combined lots of awesome lemurs with a really good explanation of why Madagascar is in trouble and what people are doing to fight it. The guy heading up the tree planting project was inspiring, with his long term plan to once again reconnect areas of forest with vital passages of trees. It was also really good coverage of the disaster that sisal is, and the damage that a Green Agenda can do if wielded by people who don't care enough to find out exactly what they're demanding. At the same time, it didn't feel preachy - it was interesting. And lemurs are fun little creatures with an astonishing variety of sub-species that make for varied footage, especially the sifaka that went leaping across the ground. Not to mention that any explorer-type series should have a jungle episode.
To have a bit of a Scrooge McDuck moment, I was less keen on the final episode. They were unable to return to China to search for the Yangtze River Dolphin because it's sadly probably extinct. This is an entirely reasonable excuse for not going. However in lieu of the dolphin they instead went searching for the Blue Whale, which I was less happy about. Partly this is personal preference, but partly I think making the blue whale the finale somewhat contradicts the original point of the series. To my mind, it was about the realities of conservation. The first trip wasn't about searching only for the iconic creatures - many of them were ones people wouldn't have heard of, and they certainly weren't all pretty or even emotionally appealing. It wasn't a Big Five of Africa or anything so gauche.
The Yangtze Rive Dolphin is a good example, actually. As dolphins go, it was pretty ugly and hardly in the book at all. The chapter was well-told, but full of frustration as Adams and Carwardine tried to make sense of what was going on in the dolphins' world. The blue whale, on the other hand, is world famous, and seeing a whale's tale poking up from the sea is no doubt magnificent if you're there, and you like whales, but on TV it was nothing new. It wasn't a
bad
episode, but they were clearly trying to end with a magnificent icon and ended up delivering something rather mundane (and, I felt, self-indulgent). I preferred it when they focused on something more obscure and told a story I wouldn't get from anyone else.
However, to go back to praising the series, I still thought it was a lot more enjoyable than most conservation-slanted programmes. I definitely think there's a need for serious documentaries which keep the narrator in the background, but something lighter which shows them struggling with the terrain, or their wetsuits, also gives a valuable insight into how the world of pristine footage connects to the world of the viewer. It didn't move and inspire me in the way Adams's book did, but it was interesting, entertaining and educational. There's a good chance I'll be buying it on DVD when it comes out, and I'd happily recommend it to anyone with even a vague interest in animals.
Themes:
TV & Movies
,
Non-Fiction
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Arthur B
at 14:34 on 2009-11-30
I have to admit that I wasn't expecting to see a kakapo doing it's best to shag Mark Carwardine when I watched the episode, but apparently donations to the foundation have since rocketed so it's probably worth it (and I don't blame the kakapo one bit).
It's pretty much the only part of the show I caught thanks to the BBC
plugging it shamelessly on their site
. I'm sorry to say I avoided watching the programme itself, probably because I'm undergoing an adverse reaction to Stephen Fry's omnipresence. Don't get me wrong, he's a charming and intelligent man with a uniquely soothing voice, but the man's
everywhere
these days... I may have to catch this on the repeats (or if it's still on iPlayer) though, it does sound fantastic.
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Sonia Mitchell
at 19:46 on 2009-12-01Yes, do take a look if you get the chance. BBC plugging aside, the show itself balanced the serious and the silly very well. Definitely not in the make-a-lot-of-noise-and-try-to-grab-the-animal category of wildlife film-making.
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http://opheliastorn.livejournal.com/
at 09:43 on 2009-12-03Ooh, yes, Mark Cawardine is a darling. My friend's house is now plus one plush kakapo thanks to his adventures (it's a puppet. It does horrible things).
I enjoyed the series, though I had the same reservations about the Blue Whale as you did, and each episode left me a bit D: for the animals and the Douglaslessness. And thanks for the reminder to send some money to the kakapo folks next payday!
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Sonia Mitchell
at 13:45 on 2012-05-03As an addendum to this article, I've since been to a couple of Carwardine's lectures, and I thoroughly recommend them. He's a very likeable speaker and his talks are completely accessible to non-experts. Plus his photography really is world class (he just stepped down but previously he chaired the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Panel).
Also he's not usually particularly expensive to see.
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