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sooghostwriter · 3 years

Text

Only on the weekends

Member/Pairing: Do Kyung Soo x OC (Nameless) Genre/Type: Mature, Romance, AU. Warnings: None yet. Word count: 9, 668

Notes: This story takes please wherever you want. You will see why it would be weird to centered it in Korea.

Also, kindly reminder that this is not Instagram.

Summary: She is saved by a caring man from a little mishappening in the middle of the forest. A small act of kindness turns into seasons of laughs, food, fun, care, love and sex.

Chapter 1

- Summer -

Someone recommended her to go hiking. They said it would fun, that she would get in touch with nature and that when you reach the top, you get this immense feeling of accomplishment. Sounded really good. And she enjoyed going to the gym and running, and this was like that but in a mountain. A friend told her once that it was as good as sex. Clearly, she was wrong, because there was no comparison. One was clearly better than the other.

But a gym is a gym, and nature is nature. All those spinning classes were nothing compared with a steep mountain. There was a coordination she didn't possess, and it was something necessary for this environment. The path was unpredictable, and she wasn't quick enough to adapt to it. She was now last in line and the guide wasn't the best dude out there, hardly checking in with any of the hikers. The clean air made her nostrils cold, breathing was hurting her nose a little bit. The path was a bit scary too. It was very narrow and although the slope wasn’t very high, it was still a little bit terrifying. She was sure she was far away from dying, but it would still hurt. All the negativity of focusing on how bad the situation was, ended up screwing her one on one experience with mother nature. She could barely see the back of the hiker in front of her, and the path was quite slippery due to the last rain. After a short break, she took one step with her right leg, stepping in a small piece of wood. A cylindric piece of wood that suddenly decided to act like a roller skate. She tried to hold herself with the trekking pole, but she didn’t have the skill to do so. The pole reached for thin air as her right leg slid down the slope. Her left leg followed suit, and as if she was in a water park, her body slid down the slope. There was no three to stop her fall, only grass and tiny rocks that hurt her elbows and hands. She shouted for help, hoping that her group could hear her, and kept trying to hold onto something, but it was useless. The fall was short, but hurtful, to her body and her ego. She checked her body, especially her arms and legs, and although there was some pain, her bones were intact. The fabric of her pants had survived also, so the skin of her legs was fine. Her arms were another story. Since it was summer, she went for a t-shirt, so her elbows got the worst part. She stood very carefully and not without some difficulty. Her body still wobbly from the fall. Going back to the path was impossible, it was a pretty decent slope and pretty slippery from the rain. The only option was to walk down the slope, just a few steps, she tried to convince herself. She could see another pathway there. Not the one they used, but a track, nonetheless. She was in pain, but bearable. She held to the pole and stuck it in the loose soil, hoping that it would help her. And it did for the first 10 steps. She was very close to reach the path when, this time, her left foot slid to the front, taking her to the floor. This was the second time the land turned into a slide, and she was the five-year-old screaming on her way down. This time the landing wasn’t very bad. She didn’t fight the fall this time, keeping her arms up and just letting it happen. Her elbows didn’t need more exfoliating for the day. She was now seated in the damp floor, muddy legs and scratched elbows. Two deep breaths helped her keep the frustrated crying inside. She could cry later, now she needed to find her way back to the group. She checked her phone. No signal and almost no battery. So now she had a very expensive brick in her hands. It was hard to keep it cool when you were pretty much lost in the mountains. Doing 100 squats a day did not help her find which way was north and south, or how to find water “Is everything alright?” The sound of a male voice in the middle of the forest just added to this terrible experience “You need help?” She turned around slowly, jolting at the sight of a horse, far away, but still a horse. The person riding the horse jumped down swiftly and walked to her, slowly. He was a bit taller than her. She could see some pecks through his white shirt, he was buffed, but not like a gorilla. Strong tan arms peeked out from short sleeves, the muscles flexing as he reached up to take his hat off. She felt herself relax once she was able to see him better. He looked worried, not as shocked as she was, but still, a little bit taken aback by her sudden apparition “Are you hurt?” He insisted “I’m ok, I just scratched my hands and elbows” She pouted, showing him her arms. He tried to hide his smile, but she saw it anyway “How did you end up here?” “I was with a group, hiking, but apparently my body was not ready for the wilderness, and I was left behind, the guide is clearly a scam” “Is it the guy from the tourist office next to the city hall?” She nodded “Yeah, that guy is a joke…let me help you” Is not like she could choose either. She could walk, but as soon as she presented that option, the guy shook his head, still worried “Is a long way until you can find cell phone signal, and also, it’s monsoon season, the forest is thick and cold, someone who’s not familiar can't walk around here” “And you are familiar with it?” “I live on the border of this forest, is pretty much my backyard” She knew there was a risk in trusting a stranger, but it was also a risk to go alone. He was her only option. And the more she spoke with him, the more she trusted him. Call it instinct. “What's your name?” She asked, sealing the deal “Do Kyung Soo” She repeated his name for herself, and notice how it fit him. The name started hard and ended softly just like him, just like his features. He asked for her name, and once the formal introductions were made, he faced his horse “It could take you 40 minutes to reach the main road by feet, I offer you a ride” “Can we ride it together?” He patted the horse’s neck thoughtfully “Is not recommended, but for a short period of time it’s ok, we need to share the saddle otherwise it could hurt him” He told her about his horse personality traits “What do you mean he is not very social?” She asked. Apparently, his horse was a kicker, and only his previous owner was able to ride him, besides him “Try to approach him slowly, and wait until he touches your hand with his nose” She looked at him with distrust. He didn’t look quite confident either “What’s his name?” “Chanyeol” That was a special name for a horse. Now that she knew his name, she felt more confident approaching him. She did as Kyung Soo instructed, smiling when Chanyeol didn’t move his snout away. She scratched his long nose and he moved his ears in contentment. Kyung Soo gasped in surprise “It’s that good?” “Yes! Come here, you can get on now” She stood between Kyung Soo and Chanyeol “First you have to put your left foot here,” He said pointing at the stapes “Hold on to the saddle, take one bounce and pass your right leg over the horse and sit down gently” She tried it once since it sounded pretty easy. But the angle of her leg didn’t allow her to jump correctly. The first attempt was a complete fail “I’m going to help you, I’m going to push you from your thigh, just above the knee, is that ok?” “Sure, thanks for asking” She arranged her position, focusing on using her core strength to help her up. This time the leap was probably worst than before, it was really Kyung Soo’s push that did all the work. His hand felt strong and rough against her leg. A very nice feeling, not invasive, but very present. Chanyeol barely reacted to her, he kept chewing the grass “I’m going to go up now, I’m going to sit behind you, sorry but it’s going to be a bit close” He said, looking at the floor “How close?” “Like in a motorcycle, right behind you” That wasn’t very bad. She’s ridden like that before. She sat very close to the front of the saddle to give Kyung Soo a little more space. It didn’t surprise her how smoothly he got on. He wasn’t kidding when he said that they would be sitting very close. She could feel his hard, warm chest against her back. She could feel everything against her back “Why I’m at the front? I don’t know how to drive this…him…it?” He chuckled behind her as he reached for the rains, pressing his chest against her back even harder “It’s him, and don’t worry, I will drive it, I’m just sitting behind you because it’s safer, if you sit in the back and lose your balance and fall, you could bring me down with you” “It’s ok, you don’t have to give me so many explanations” She commented looking over her shoulder at him with a small smile. He didn’t answer, only grinned and shook the rains. Chanyeol took a couple of steps and after Kyung Soo made some kisses noises, the horse began to gallop. Kyung Soo was right when he said that the forest wasn’t for everybody. The threes got taller and the bushes covered the road in some parts. She was now used to the movement of the horse, it wasn’t very scary, probably because Kyung Soo gave her a strong sense of safety “Are you ok?” He asked for the third time in 15 minutes “Yes I’m ok” “How are your scratches? You need to clean them as soon as we arrive at my place” She was so focused on not falling down the horse and in Kyung Soo’s presence that she had forgotten about her wounded hands and dirty clothes “Check your phone, you may have signal now” She did, so she made a quick call to the tourist office to let them know she was alright. They could later inform the incompetent guide at some point. They must have some kind of radio communication. She made sure to show her opinion about the so-called guide. Polite but hard. She couldn’t keep herself under control, so when she hung up she cursed at the phone. Kyung Soo chuckled behind her “What a gutter mouth” He whispered, too close to her ear “Yes, I am very bad” She answered, out of reflex, not trying to sound like anything. Her phone chimed in her hands, telling her that there was only 5% battery life left “Can I charge my phone at your place?” “Sure, what are your plans by the way? Did you come here by car?” Her car was parked at the town’s main square. A van drove her group there and was waiting on the other side of the mountain.“I would drive you to the town, but my car is at the mechanic, I can ask a friend that has a tow to bring your car” “I’m so sorry to bother you, but that would be very helpful” “Don’t worry, we will be there in about 10 minutes” A sudden chuckle escaped his lips. She asked him what was entertaining him “I’m sorry…I just remembered when I saw you fall down the slope” He said, holding his laughter “You saw me?!” She turned around, her face almost colliding with his “I did, I heard some grunts and yells in the distance, and then I saw you, I was shocked at first, a bit scared, you know, this forest is a big one, and we were very deep into it” Again his laugh ringed harmoniously in her ear. She didn’t quite understand what he meant so she asked him for more details “There are a lot of stories about creatures that live here, for a moment, a very short moment, I thought you were a Hulder” “Who’s that?” He moved slightly uncomfortable, clearing his throat a couple of times “I will leave the research to you I don't feel comfortable answering you” “What? Is something bad?” “I wouldn’t say bad, but…you will see” She smirked, amused by the mystery and his deep voice on her ear “You are making me curious, I like that…but have you ever seen something in the forest? Something weird?” He arranged his arms tighter around her, humming before answering “Of course not, those are just legends to keep people away from the danger of the forest, sure you are not going to find a werewolf, but a wild boar can cause the same damage, also, slopes” “Slippery slopes” She corrected him “But how do you know that I’m not a Hulder? Maybe I am one, and I’m going to do whatever a Hulder does” “They have long tails hidden under their long skirts, I don’t think you have one” She had absolutely no bad intentions when she moved her hips unconsciously, rubbing herself against him. Kyung Soo grunted softly but made no comments. At least, he was now sure that she had no tail “What were you doing in the dangerous forest then?” “Picking some wood for something I want to do" Chanyeol’s steps were slower now, the sway of his walk softer. The forest ahead was less dense. The trees were shorter, most of them with fruits on them, and the path they were walking on was covered in small rocks “We are here, that over there is my house” He pointed at a wood house in the distance, past a field of grass were a couple of cows, cheeps and a bunch of chickens were idling around. The silence of the field made her notice the clean sounds of their surroundings. Instead of cars, planes and chatter, there was wind, a distant chicken announcing her job done and the murmur of the river “Is there a river close by?” She asked, looking around them in excitement, she loved water. He pointed at his house again “On the other side of my house, during the summer is calmer, some parts are deeper than others, but if you know how to swim, there shouldn’t be any trouble” Chanyeol stopped walking next to a couple of cows that were eating hay under the shadow of a tall tree “He is not allowed around the house, he’s already made a mess of my garden a few times” “Chanyeol, bad boy” She said patting the horse’s neck, getting a happy neigh in return “I can’t believe how welcoming he is with you, one time he almost bites my friend’s hand, and he sees him very often” “I'm not gonna lie, It feels great being liked by animals,” With a chuckle Kyung Soo jumped down from the horse, looking insanely manly in her eyes. She knew she had to do the same but had absolutely no idea how. Kyung Soo noticed her expression and quickly explained to her how she should go down the horse, and it sounded fairly simple, but suddenly, she felt as if she was too high up “Don’t worry, I will help you” He offered, probably sensing her fear “Ok, but careful... I'm heavy” He rolled his eyes and reached for her waist. She held to his shoulders and with a decisive jump she went down, trusting in Kyung Soo, again “You are kind of heavy, but I'm strong” He said, his face too close to hers. His voice had gotten a little lower and almost sultry. She couldn’t speak even if she tried to say something back to him. He let go over her waist, taking her own hands from his shoulders was harder than she thought. His shoulders were wide, slightly damp, and hot thanks to the sun that fell on his back. The same sun that tanned his skin so beautifully. He looked at her entertained, his left eyebrow slightly raised. She let go of him as if burned “What now?” She asked, looking around distracting herself, still feeling his hands on her waist “Let’s go inside so I can call my friend with the tow and maybe eat something” “Yes please, I am starving” Kyung Soo’s house was small but very cozy. Minimal furniture, a couple of pictures hanging on the walls, very warm and clean. There was a delicious smell lingering in the air. Apparently, Kyung Soo was a cooker “I’m going to warm some food for us, and you should go clean those scratches” He showed her where the bathroom was and gave her the first aid kit. The scratches weren’t that bad. They stung like hell when she cleaned them, but that was the alcohol fighting the forest bacteria. When she came back to the kitchen, Kyung Soo was serving two plates of food, humming along with some melody “I have good news and bad news” He told her as she sat at the table “Good news, my friend can bring your car, bad news, he isn’t going to be able to get here till 6” “Well that’s not really bad news. I mean not unless I’m bothering you, then I guess there’s a road I can follow back? Maybe find a ride?” “No more talk about walking, we are quite high in the mountain, you are going to have to walk at least an hour to reach the main road, I would recommend for you to enjoy your food, and wait here for the tow” There was no way she would say no to that. Not only because she didn’t feel like walking an hour, but also, because she felt like staying with him for a little while. Again, intuition. But she needed more than intuition no know him. So she began asking questions. Kyung Soo was the estate manager of a property in the vicinity. He managed over hundreds of acres, dozens of employees working a variety of jobs for it. He was one of those strange people that loved his job, and spoke about it with sparks in his eyes. Lucky guy. When she complimented his house, he looked very pleased. She quickly added how much she enjoyed the food, earning her a shy shake of his head looking down at his hands. Adorable. They were done with their lunch by two. Kyung Soo’s roasted chicken was incredible “I have to go and untie my dog, want to come?” He asked her after cleaning the table. She said yes, not that she had anything else to do “Is your dog like your horse? You know, picky with people” “No, but even if he was, you would have a good chance of him liking you, right?” He commented, raising an eyebrow. They went to the front of the house where his dog, Baekhyun, was waiting for him, wagging his tail. Baekhyun was a big German Sheperd with large pointy ears, fluffy hair, and big paws “Why do you keep him tied up?” “When I go to the forest I can’t take him with me, he goes nuts, if he smells a rabbit he runs behind the trail not thinking about anything, then Chanyeol gets nervous and it’s a mess, sorry buddy but that’s just how it is” He told him sweetly as he released him from the chain. Baekhyun jumped on his owner, giving him some licks, and then looked in her direction locking eyes with her. Kyung Soo tried to stop him, but Baekhyun was already jumping on her.

Kyung Soo walked her around his small farm, showing her with proudness his small orchard and the coop he had just built for his chickens. He looked at her smiling widely when she made a big deal about how cool he was for being able to build a tiny house for his chickens “Well, I built a big one too” He said, pointing at his house “I didn’t do it all by myself, but I built my home” She was stunned with how incredibly sexy that was. Men didn’t build houses anymore “You are like a Bowerbird” She commented as a chicken begging pecking her shoelaces “Bowerbird? The ones that build houses to attract their mate?” “Yeah, that one” He looked up pensive as she tried to reach for the chicken that was playing with her shoe “Who am I trying to mate with?” It was too soon for her to know if he was joking or asking seriously. But she knew she wanted to keep joking because a good laugh is a good flirt “Maybe that Hulder you were talking about earlier” The chicken was gone, so she was able to focus her eyes on him now. He already had his eyes on her, and a playful grin on his lips. He didn’t say anything, only smiles. But when he winked at her, she knew he was hers.

After walking her around his farm, showing her his adorable animals, the tow arrived with her car. He invited his friend over but he excused himself saying he had to go back to work. She had to bit her tongue when his friend introduced himself as Chanyeol. And only when he was gone, she asked Kyung Soo the obvious “You named your horse after your friend?” “Yes, he hated it, so mission accomplished” “What about Baekhyun?” “Same, although this friend liked the fact that I called my dog after him, because Baekhyun was a gift from him” She commented on how sweet that was “I was trying to annoy him too, but it backfired, and he made it worst saying that now he feels like he is here to take care of me” “Kyung Soo, that’s adorable” He grunted and walked back inside his house with Baekhyun following his steps.

After eating a small snack, she prepared her things and got ready to leave. Kyung Soo followed her to her car like the gentleman she was sure he was “Thank you so much for your help Kung Soo, and thank you for entertaining me, I had a great time” He held the door car opened for her so she could get in “Well, you already know where I live and how to get here” “Are you inviting me back?” “The door is always open and help is always welcomed” He commented looking around his land “Then I will come next weekend, I'm not joking” “Me neither” She got inside her car, smiling at him, a bit disappointed that she had to leave “I’m really coming next week, I’m going to be here by lunch” She said looking up to see Kyung Soo with an amused grin looking down at her “Go ahead, should I prepare the guest room?” “Sure, if you don't want to share your bed” She groaned internally. That was a bit too much, she knew it. But Kyung Soo was laughing “What can I bring you?” She asked him over the sound of her car “Bring wine, I'm going to cook” She felt a little jump in her tummy “Sounds great! Goodbye Kyung Soo, have a good week” “Goodbye Hulder” She was really digging that name, although she still needed to know what a Hulder was. On her way home, she had to stop at the gas station for gasoline and a bottle of water. As she waited in line to pay, she remembered her homework. Searching for what in the world was a Hulder. She clicked the first link she saw:

- A Hulder is a seductive forest creature. Appearing frequently as a beautiful alluring female, with long, golden hair, Hulder lives in the mountain or the forest. A number of stories recount the experience of encounters with these beings, leaving deep traces in the human mind. Many legends talk about a lonely guy at the shieling, in the forest shanty or at coal mine, encountering the alluring and bewitching hulder. She may very well appear as the man's wife's or fiancé, if he has any, and often her visit leads to sexual encounters” She read that twice, just to be sure. “The Hulder lures men into the forest to have sex with her, rewarding those who satisfy her and often killing those who don't. If one decided to kidnap a human, they'd be used for sex. Those who had sex with the Hulder would often become mentally insane or die”

She had to read that sentence twice too. She was glad Kyung Soo told her to search what a Hulder was, because it would have been mortifying to hear everything she had just read, from him. She appreciated the carefulness and was intrigued by the comparison. She was sure he wasn’t implying anything. The connection was almost too basic, the Hulder was a woman that lived in the forest, and she was a woman that got lost in the forest. And that was about it. But she was digging the idea of being called after a forest creature that fucked man to madness.

She spent the entire week wondering if she should go. Did Kyung Soo remember his invitation? Was he really inviting her or he was just being polite? Did she have any reason to go? The image of him winking at her flickered in her head, and she had her answer. She had a reason to go. She needed to see if that pull that she felt from him, that comfort, that intuition, was something, or just her hormones. Or could be both. But she needed to see. Also, his house was gorgeous, and she wanted to see his animals again, and that river that she only got to hear. She wanted that feeling again. Expectation, comfort, and easy fun. She was having a bit of trouble remembering Kyung Soo’s face to the detail, but she could remember his voice and how things felt around him. So that Saturday morning she got up early, went to the supermarket, and then took the highway and drove the hour and a half that separated her city from Kyung Soo’s town. But when living one’s life, there has to be a balance between craziness and protection. She could be her wild self, but she needed to protect her existence on some level. So before driving up the mountain to Kyung Soo’s house, she stopped at the town’s supermarket. She bought some candies for the snack bag in her car and a bottle of water. The girl behind the register great her happily, and after the formalities, she asked her “Can you help me? To get to the mountain, I have to go back and take the other road right?” “Yes, follow that road, and at the first entrance turn to your right, then is just one way up? You are going to one of the camping sites?” “No, I’m visiting my friend Kyung Soo” She answered, looking at the girl, so she could remember her face. But she was shocked when she saw some clear signs of discomfort on the cashier's face “Oh, yes I know him, you are going to the estate?” “No, to his house” She nodded, pulling a smile on her lips, back to her professional self “Have a good day then” She grabbed her bag and waved the girl goodbye. The exchange had been strange, but now someone knew where she was. So if Kyung Soo ended up being a psycho and she disappeared, they would be able to follow her trail. The safe thing to do was probably not go to the mountains, to the house of a man she barely knew. But where was the fun there?

The engine of her car took the drive up the mountain better than she expected. Of course, she was extremely careful so it wouldn’t overheat. Although the day was very hot, she kept the AC off and stopped a couple of times to let the engine cool off. She would probably need to change her car for a car that can take mountains. She shook her head, surprised with her line of thoughts. Why would she need a new car to drive to Kyung Soo’s house? Why would she keep visiting him? She hasn’t even spoken to him since that day. Because in a very dumb move from her side, she didn’t ask for his number. But he invited her, she told him when she was going to be there. There was nothing else to discuss.

The gates of his house were open, so she just drove inside, announcing her arrival by honking her horn. The first one to appear was Baekhyun, who dashed to her car barking but shaking his tale. Immediately after him, appeared Kyung Soo and she could swear she felt her crutch jump in excitement when she saw his new hairstyle. His head was completely shaved. If she didn’t control herself she was going to take him right there, on the hood of her car. But she was a responsible, mature adult who could control her primal needs. Kyung Soo reached her car, smiling widely and holding Baekhyun to his side. She took a couple of deep breaths and went out of her car “I was waiting for you” He said, taking a step closer “I’m a woman of my word” “I can see that” He held her stare for a little too long, steering things inside her, again “You look different” She commented, throwing herself a lifesaver. Kyung Soo lowered his eyes, as she expected, and rubbed his bald head looking shy “There was a heatwave this past week and my hair was annoying me, so I shaved it” He kept rubbing his head, as if he was bragging about the fact that he could do it, but not her “It looks damn great Kyung Soo” He chuckled, still looking embarrassed “Well, is not going to last a lot, my hair grows really fast” “Really? How so? My hair grows really, really slow” Kyung Soo didn’t answer her question. He only gave her a naughty grin, keeping his secret to himself.

Kyung Soo praised her for her wine choice. Since she didn’t know what they were eating, she played it safe and brought a bottle of white and red wine. The red `wine went great with the amazing Zucchini and tomato penne he prepared. All with vegetables from his orchard, he announced proudly. It was a light meal, but so full of flavor, that it was hard to keep down the amount of pleasure the first bite gave her. Lunch went on comfortably. Kyung Soo took a special interest in how she dealt with the guy from the tourist agency. When she told him how harsh were the words she used with him, Kyung Soo threw his head back, laughing loudly. She looked at him with a wide smile. She liked to make cute boys laugh, so of course, she enjoyed making him smile.

Only after lunch, things went out of control for her. Inside her. Upstairs and downstairs. Maybe it was the wine and the food and how her stomach was processing it, but she began feeling dizzy around him. Because since she arrived, she only paid attention to him. That tiny bit of sauce on the corner of his mouth, and the way he closed his lips around the fork. But those were innocent stares. Kyung Soo had the bright idea of finishing some work that he had to do in front of her. He needed to chop some wood for a small food project he had. He shared with her, very excitedly, about how rich, flavor-wise, was smoking a pig with certain woods. Her only knowledge about pigs was that if you want to eat one, you go to the supermarket. But Kyung Soo liked doing it the hard way. So now, he was chopping wood for this cooking project. It was a damn torture for her to watch him doing it, and not being able to touch him. The muscles of his arms and back showed proudly under his t-shirt. Not being able to clean the sweat from his forehead as he worked on his wood was incredibly frustrating. They were covered from the sun, but his skin still shined like gold. With a shaved head, his nape looked more appetizing. She laid back on her seat and crossed her legs, getting comfortable to enjoy his little show. She suspected he wasn't doing it on purpose, although she loved the idea of being courted by a young man as he chopped wood with a white t-shirt sticking to his skin. Or maybe he was doing it on porpoise, after all, she didn't know him well. She didn’t know if he was conscious of how attractive he was. But if he knew, there was no doubt he was an amazing seducer. She was appreciating how well his dark jeans framed his sturdy thighs when he called her name " Hulder, let's go pick up some things for you" "Things? What things?" He walked to her, cleaning his forehead with the hem of his t-shirt. The gesture allowed her to see a set of humble, yet very present abs. She groaned, feeling too hot to do whatever he was proposing. It was summer after all "I have lettuces, cucumbers, and eggplants ready to eat" "Are you giving them to me or do I have to pay?" He chuckled, standing in front of her, still drying his face with his hands. She looked down at his feet, looking for a scape "You have to pay, but not with money" Everything in a conversation was about context and the messenger. Because that same sentence, in any other lips, would have made her skin crawl. But hearing it from his lips made her hopeful "I need to pick up some squash for my cows and sheep, help me with that and in exchange I’m going to give you some products from my orchard” She stood up and followed him, she couldn't refuse. She didn’t particularly like the idea of working under the sun, but the other option was to say no and look like a bitch. And that wasn’t on her road to success. She didn’t work too much. Only pulled the wagon around as Kyung Soo put the enormous squashes and the deep purple eggplants in it. Kyung Soo looked thrilled as he picked the vegetables from the floor. She had several questions about the whole process of growing vegetables, and he answered all of them. As she pulled the wagon with her on their way to the piece of land where his animals were, she shared a thought that came to her head as Kyung Soo gave her a cherry tomato for her to taste “I don’t know about you, but I’m not a particularly religious person, but I don’t know… in this environment, and watching all this gorgeous product from the soil, I can only call them miracles, it feels like a miracle when you see something like this grow from a seed, developing a color, smell, a texture, and a taste, and then giving back a seed so you can repeat the process…I know it's not a miracle, there are work and science behind, but still, it’s just too precious, it feels miraculous” He didn’t answer immediately, so she looked at him, sure that she had made a foolish comment and he was trying not to laugh. But he wasn’t. He was looking at her, a small grin on his lips. It reminded her of the smile he gave her the day they met and she had that overly possessive thought. That day though his expression was one of amusement. Now he looked thoughtful. She had to look away laughing nervously “I have that same thought every single day,” He said. She didn’t look at him, but nodded, glad that they shared the same thought. The nervousness and the soft smiles dissipated with how cute and funny was to watch the cows and sheep eat the squashes. The crunchy noises they made, made her giggle uncontrollably. One of his cows surprised her with how fat she was “She is about to give birth, probably during this week, so make sure to come next weekend to meet her calf, they are so adorable” She promised him that she will.

The light of the sun had changed, ready to set. It was time for her to go. Kyung Soo helped her load her car with all his gifts and followed her as she got inside her car. “ By the way, I searched what a Hulder was?” He moved slightly uncomfortable, resting his left hand on the roof of the car “Should I apologize?” He asked, not looking at her “No, of course not, don’t worry, I liked it actually, never heard about a creature like that, but why did they come out with it?” “To keep people, especially men, away from the forest, no men with good intentions lurkes around the forest by himself” She lifted one playful eyebrow at him “You were walking in the forest by yourself” “Yes, and I ran into you, so lesson learned, also, I wasn’t alone, I was with Chanyeol” “And I’m not hiding a tail under my clothes” He laughed, the sweetest laugh she had ever seen “We will see, it’s getting dark Hulder, have a peaceful drive home” “Thank you for the lovely afternoon Kyung Soo” He lowered his head to her window, more relaxed now “Thank you for the company, are you coming next weekend?” “Of course” He smiled again and took a step away from the car. The roaring of the car made her jolt, breaking the pseudo spelling he always managed to put in her.

Her third Saturday at Kyung Soo’s house was a short visit. She had to leave early due to family matters, so she only stayed until lunch. She felt so frustrated when she got in the car and the sun was still up, burning. The afternoon was long, and she wanted to enjoy it. But there was nothing she could do “Is it too nuts if I come again next week?” “Hulder, I didn't know you could read minds” By her fourth Saturday there, she stopped asking if she could visit again. On her fifth visit, an event made her get greedy and want more. That Saturday was an especially hot one. She arrived at his place at 9 am, and it was already too hot for her. She would’ve rather stayed in the car with the AC on. Kyung Soo was in shorts and a sleeveless t-shirt, his head freshly shaved. But the weather was too hot to lust over his look. He invited her in for a glass of water and then took her to a sitting area under a set of trees “It’s too hot to do anything, so let’s just laze around here” He proposed, getting comfortable “What do you do in heatwave days?” “Just lay down in the shade, reading, drinking, eating…and after lunch, I go to the river” She almost jumped on him “We have to go to the river! Please take me there” “Did you bring a swimsuit?” She shook her head “It’s ok, you can swim in your t-shirt and shorts, let’s go after lunch, right now the sun is just on top of the river, you could get a sunburn” She liked how motherly he sounded. He behaved like that all the time. Always asking how she was doing, if she ate well during the week, how was work and the drive to his place. He was someone who worried about everyone and took care of everyone and everything. And she wasn’t bothered by it at all. She liked it when people took care of her. They spent the whole morning laying on the lounge chairs talking, only interrupted by Baekhyun’s barking. He grilled some chicken and prepared a colorful salad for lunch. Quick and light for the hot day. She was entertaining him with a story from work, getting all his smiles just for her “I can tell you take your untamed personality everywhere” He commented between laughs “Untamed? You think I’m untamed?” “Sounds better than wild” She chuckled, moving her empty plate to the side “Sounds way better than wild, you are right…I guess I do…I try to act like that at least” Kyung Soo did the same with his plate and rested his arms on top of the small table leaning closer to her “You try to act? You are not always like this?” She moved closer too, playing with his feet under the table “I’m not always like this, although I’m not quite sure what you mean by it…but no, I’m always half out of and half in. Sometimes I'm very…untamed and sometimes I’m extremely shy, depends on the day and the company I guess” Kyung Soo shook his head, a small smile on his lips “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you act shy with me” “Of course not, because I don’t feel shy with you, I’m very comfortable” He smiled the way she liked the most. Heart-shaped lips, wrinkly nose, and shyly looking down.

After resting for an hour, Kyung Soo finally took her to the river. Coming out of their shadowy nook was hard, the 4 PM sun was ruthless, but Kyung Soo promised a good reward. And he wasn’t lying. The river appeared in front of her flowing with unrestrained wildness. So fast that it created a fresh breeze. She could see big rocks covering the bottom, bathed by the deep green water. Kyung Soo walked her along the riverside, to a place where the river was deeper and wider, so it moved flowed calmer “Careful, is a bit cold” He shouted at her as she got into the now calm water. And he wasn’t lying. It almost hurt her feet “This water is the melting snow from the mountains, of course, is cold” He told her when she made a snarky comment to him “But you get used to it quickly, look” Kyung Soo got rid of his sandals and pulled off his t-shirt, making her jolt in surprise. She completely forgot men did that. He walked past her, giving her a wink, and got into the water. She didn’t have enough time to appreciate his half-naked body, but for what she could see, all the work at the farm paid off. He came out screaming, the water covering half of his chest “ It’s so fucking cold!” She erupted in laughter, taking a couple of steps into the deepest part, closer to him “ What a gutter mouth ” “Come here, it’s cold, but it’s delicious” He went under the water again and came out floating on his back. She really wanted to go closer, more for him than the water. She just wanted a closer look. The water was already covering her shorts, and Kyung Soo was right, it got better. He floated to her side, and stood in front of her, offering her his hands “Come on, let me help you” She accepted his help, holding to his hands as he walked backward pulling her with him “I can’t believe this is the first time you are bringing me here” “You are right, I guess we never have enough time” He stopped walking when the water was already covering just under her chest “No, we don’t, a day is too short” “Yeah, and when you are entertained it goes away faster” Kyung Soo didn’t let go of her hands, so she just played with his fingers under the water “You have a good time with me Kyung Soo?” “Yeah, a very good time” He answered with confidence “I’m glad” By now her body had familiarized itself with the cold water and it only felt refreshing. At least the parts of her body that were underwater. She wanted to swim like Kyung Soo and sink her head under the water. The rocks shine in the bottom of the river, calling her, and she looked around, amazed by the sound that surrounded her and the comfort that held her hands. She looked back at Kyung Soo, who was looking back at her with an amused smile “You can swim?” He asked her “I can” “Go ahead then” He let go of her hands slowly and took a couple of steps back. She took a deep breath and went down, no hesitation.

After some laps across the peaceful river, she rested floating on her back, watching the trees above her and hearing the sound of the water. She heard Kyung Soo calling her name over the sound of the water. She ignored it first, just to hear him call her again, but answered after the third call “I think I was wrong, you are not a Hulder, you are a mermaid” “A river mermaid? Is that a thing? … How long I’ve been swimming?” “About an hour maybe, I like watching you have fun, but aren’t you cold?” She wasn’t cold, but she was pretty tired. But it was still hot up there, and the river was fresh. Kyung Soo offered her another option. They walked down the riverbank, holding their shoes in their hands, and their clothing stuck to their bodies. At least hers, because Kyung Soo was still shirtless, sharing with her those nice shapes that hard labor gave him. Kyung Soo took her to a shallower part of the river, the water only covered up her ankle. The stones were a bit slippery, so she held to his arm as they walked across the river “There’s a natural pool there, it appeared this past winter, we can rest there” Between a bunch of big rocks, there was indeed a round pool as big as a jacuzzi, and a bit deeper than a kids pool. Tiny rocks covered the bottom, making the water clear. Kyung Soo sat down and the water covered his legs and waist. She followed him and sat next to him. A big rock behind them was good enough to rest their backs. They laid down as if the cold water was an actual hot bath. Kyung Soo was lying back comfortably, his hands resting on his stomach and his eyes closed, as the sunlight played on his face. She took that opportunity to stare at him shamelessly. Not that she didn’t steal looks of his naked chest and back as they were swimming. But now he was closer, so now she could have a full look of his whole being. Which didn’t happen very often. She focused on his nose and lips, two mounds that rose from the soft line of his profile. The straight line of his nose bent cutely on the tip of his nose. She wanted to bop it. His lips distracted her from her childish fantasy when he licked them, sighing softly. He didn’t open his eyes, so she kept looking. A set of beauty marks caught her attention. Three light beauty marks in his upper lip, so subtle that she could only see them clearly now that she was sitting close, so close. She was holding her breath. A loud squawk came from the trees above them, waking Kyung Soo from his slumber. She was caught red-handed staring at him. She wasn’t embarrassed, but it felt a bit scary. If Kyung Soo showed discomfort for being stared at like that, she didn’t know how to redeem herself. How not to look like a creep. But he only blinked and turned his face closer to hers “You have a mole on your lips” She said, trying to ease the tension, but failing. He hummed, a low noise that made her shiver, and nodded as his eyes went to her lips “It's very pretty” She tried again, failing “Thanks” Kyung Soo, magnetic as always, was pulling her even closer just by looking at her. She was about to kiss those moles, and the thought made her feel the familiar vibration of excitement. She was moving her hand up, to hold his face, when they heard loud splashing and grunts. They both snapped their heads in the direction of the sound and saw Baekhyun running along the river in their direction. He had free himself from the chain and was now a very non-welcomed dog. Kyung Soo grunted under his breath and stood up, holding him before he could lunge his German Shepard body onto her. The moment was dead and buried under cement. She stood up too and followed them out of the river. It was getting cold anyway. Kyung Soo was standing a couple of steps away from her as she tried to squeeze some water out of her t-shirt. Kyung Soo called her name with a calm voice, she almost missed it over the sound of the river “I bet you have broken a bunch of hearts” He said, smiling, but she knew he wasn’t trying to be funny. And she was going to be honest “Never on porpoise” Because she had a story, she wasn’t going to lie, but she held every break up with honesty and care. She knew what she wanted and when someone wasn’t going to give it to her, she let them go. He chuckled, clearly pleased with her answer.

Afraid of the awkwardness that the whole situation could bring, she joked as she looked down at her knees “Jesus, I’m dripping, people are going to think that I pee myself” Kyung Soo laughed loudly and turned around, looking at her “Gross” She laughed and walked next to him. Baekhyun gave her an innocent look, wagging his tail. But she couldn’t find him cute. He was more like an enemy now. As soon as they arrived at his house, she changed her clothes and then hanged her wet clothes to dry under the sun. From her t-shirt to her underwear. Just outside Kyung Soo’s kitchen. The water made them both hungry, so they ate chicken and bread as the sun began setting. It was time for her to go, and she felt the weight of the frustration in her chest. It was all Baekhyun’s fault. As always, he gifted her a basket with an assortment of different vegetables and fruits and walked her to the car. She knew how frustrated she looked. She was never good at hiding her feelings, so she didn’t even bothered. Her shoulders were low and her voice too. But Kyung Soo was the same as always, a smile on his lips all the time. She knew, or at least was very sure, that this attraction was shared. But clearly, he was dealing better with it. She could just go and kiss him, she was frontal like that, but again, she didn’t want to make him uncomfortable “I’m leaving then, thanks for everything, and thank you for that visit to the river, I loved it” “No need to thank me, I had a great time” Since she didn’t want to leave, she kept making small talk. Stupid questions and silly comments. Kyung Soo answered and listened patiently. She knew it could be annoying, but he didn’t seem to care. He was glancing at her lips the whole time while she was talking, which was making her extremely nervous and impatient. She was running out of sentences to form, so she said goodbye for the second time and turned around, to her car. She could only take one short step when Kyung Soo stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. She heard him call her name softly, and before she could turn around, shortening the distance between them, he passed an arm around her shoulder and made her face him. His body was fully pressed against her, his face so very close to hers. Her ears were buzzing, and the air was stuck in her throat. Kyung Soo grabbed her face and didn’t even bother with asking for permission. He didn’t need to. She was sure he knew that much since her hands were already holding to his waist. She welcomed his touch with eager lips when Kyung Soo captured her lower lip between his own. He sucked on it, pulling her closer. She could feel his chest through their clothing and his hand guiding her face with a bit of dominance. It was cozy and incredibly hot at the same time. She tilted her head, asking, begging for more. More lips, more tongue, more touch. Kyung Soo began biting at her lips playfully, his fingers tangled between her tousled hair, kipping her close to him. She did the same, making him chuckle, but not breaking the kiss. She moved her hands from his waist, sliding them over his chest, up to his neck, and grabbed his nape, capturing him. Kyung Soo came up for air just as she was starting to get way too handsy. He gave her a last peck and took a short step back. He looked at her grinning, waiting for her response. If he was expecting a blush and a giggle he was going to get that, but also an attitude "You waited until now to kiss me" She chided. His big eyes grew rounder for a second, but then softened when he noticed she was just being feisty and not really mad at him “I couldn't find the right moment before” He explained, caressing her cheeks as he moved his eyes over her face “When you sat behind me on your horse was a great moment” Kyung Soo looked shocked for a couple of seconds, followed by a shy laugh “Why did you do that just when I was leaving?!, We could have made out the whole day" Her voice was filled with disappointment, which made him bring her closer in a hug "It's funnier like this" "It's not" She mumbled against his chest "Go, you are going to meet traffic if you don't " "Kiss me again" She made it sound like a plea, but it was a command. She needed another kiss "No" He was unable to control his playful smile "I'm going to do it then" She circled his neck with her arms, bringing his face to hers. Kyung Soo didn’t resist. She caught his lower lip between her lips, sucking on it lightly, finally doing something she imagined way too many times before in her head. Kyung Soo answered back tangling his fingers in her hair. With each little trick of her lips, Kyung Soo growled softly, fueling her. She wasn’t only enjoying his kiss, but also how her pounding heart reverberated through her chest and how her limbs tingled with his touch. Kyung Soo was the first to move away, showing way more control than her, but he didn’t let her go and hugged her closer to him "Dear God Hulder, you better be here on Saturday morning" He whispered against her temple “I can make it Friday afternoon” He kissed her cheek and released her from his embrace “Drive carefully then, I will be waiting for you” “Should I bring an overnight bag?” “You should, and a swimsuit” She held his hand, and walked to her car bringing him with her. She wanted a goodbye kiss. Kyung Soo held the door open for her and closed it when she was seated inside. She opened the window, and he came closer, leaning in through the car window “Drive carefully” “I will, give me your number so I can tell you when I’m home” Kyung Soo’s eyes went comically wide “That’s right, we haven’t exchanged numbers yet” She couldn’t stop laughing as she searched for her phone. Hopefully, it was still charged, forgotten inside her car. She handed it to Kyung Soo, who smiled when he saw a close-up of Chanyeol as her screen saver. He saved his number as -Do Kyung Soo- in her phone. It felt very formal “I had an amazing day Hulder” “Me too Kyung Soo, started great, and it ended amazingly, by the way, when did you want to kiss me?” “Ah right, you said when I helped you at the forest…well for me it was when you said that my vegetables were miracles” He gave her a shy smile and leaned in for a goodbye kiss. She held his cute face and gave him a long peck on the lips and one on each cheek. He giggled happily and took a couple of steps back so she could leave. Driving home was a mixture of frustration for having to leave him, but happiness overall since finally her feeling for her were able to fly free. Her music was playing loud in her car, windows down and one arm resting in the window playing with the wind. Pure bliss. As soon as she arrived home, she texted him and he answered back immediately. The texting didn’t end until very late that night. And before falling asleep she imagined all the things she wanted to do, starting from Friday, at Kyung Soo’s home. But mostly, all the things she wanted to do to him.

#exosnet #exowritersnet #Kyungsoo #d.o scenarios #do kyungsoo #exo fanfiction #Kyungsoo Scenario

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vanmccannonlyfans · 3 years

Text

Cocoon

part i.

But in hell, there was relief in the utter helplessness. Here, your actions had both consequences for yourself, and others. You weren’t sure which was worse.

“How do you have so many of these?!”

Alicia had 10s of boxes of tests in her suitcase, as if they were hotel shampoo bottles or restaurant breath mints. The pink floral branding stuck out against the sea of black leather and denim that comprised her wardrobe.

“Get em in bulk on amazon, cheaper that way and saves me a trip to the store.” As if bulk buying pregnancy tests was as casual as ordering toothpaste or tampons.

You moved to the bathroom to take the test, stepping over used towels strewn across the floor. You were glad you were doing this in a place so impersonal, however uncomfortable. Whatever the outcome, good or bad, you would be able to leave without any memories tainting the space, never to return and have to relive the feeling. If this was your bathroom at home, you’d be reminded every time you had to go.

Alicia camped in front of the mirror, smacking her lips together after every layer of strawberry gloss, the wand alternating between tracing her plump lips and pumping the tube for more product. Leaning against the fake granite hotel counter, she fussed with her raven black bangs and adjusted her top.

“Is it ready yet?” She asked, without averting her eyes from their own contact, her lips now more reflective than the mirror.

“I can’t look..” The room was twisting more than your stomach as you picked up the test, double vision making it impossible to count the number of lines.

Was there just one? Two? How dark does the second one have to be?

“Does this look positive to you?”

Alicia cocked her head at the test, brow furrowed.

“The second line is faint...but it’s there.”

“Fuck,” You exhaled as you fell against the wall, exasperated.

“Didn’t you always want to be parents?”

“Well yes, but...not so soon. We don’t even have a place to live...”

Life on the road was hollow and lonely, even with your best friends. Playing shows every night to strangers who saw you as enigmas, then returning to cold hotel rooms to sleep until the having to get back on the bus or plane for the next event, repeat ad infinitum until you had crossed off a laundry list of places you had stepped foot in but not actually experienced. It all seemed so fun and exciting until you realized that you didn’t know anyone anywhere and were too tired to do things even on days off, and ended up just sleeping the day away and ordering in pizza. It wasn’t a viable situation for raising a child, and hardly sustainable for an otherwise healthy adult.

You laid on the scratchy quilted comforter, each tick of the clock intensifying your anxiety, like a bomb about to detonate. Every second brought you closer to confronting a situation that felt neither fully real nor fantasy. Like your whole world depended on what he would think.

The beep of the key card brought you back down to earth from the peaks of your existential dread. You couldn’t wait to be held, comforted, told it was going to be alright, even if neither of you had any idea what to do. His touch was a balm to your aching soul, one that no antidepressant could rival.

Van entered without a word.

“Baby?” You called to him, as if he couldn’t see you.

He remained silent, dropping his guitar case on the ground. After what felt like eons, he looked up toward the window behind you, as if you were invisible.

“I think you should go.” His eyes were sallow, skin dehydrated from all the smokes and shitty fast food and beers every night.

“What?” The single word came out like a croak, your voice evading you. First you couldn’t be seen, now you could hardly be heard, as if you were dissolving from material reality. As if only his acknowledgement made you real. “Van--”

“No,” He cut you off, wiping his nose with the back of his hand, the other on his hip, swiveling him towards the wall. His adams apple rose and fell without a word, bobbing like a buoy on a choppy sea.

“I don’t want to fight about this. I just want you to leave.” He looked down, running a hand through his hair before tucking it under his armpit as if he were chilled.

You were in disbelief. The same man who had invited you to accompany him across the world was discarding you as easily as you had tossed the test that said you were carrying his child into the bin.

“But Van--”

“JUST GO!” He belted, shaking the room with his volume. You had never heard him yell like that, hardly had ever seen him genuinely angry.

You struggled to catch your breath, hot tears erupting from your eyes.

“--I’m pregnant.”

There was a loud crack as Van’s phone hit the wall, leaving a mark.

“STOP LYING!” He thundered, grabbing your shoulders.

He was finally looking into your eyes. His were red and glassy and you could smell the last cigarette on his skin, so much so that you found yourself on the floor throwing up, then running to your suitcase like a wounded animal, then in the brass elevator, then out the lobby and into the street. You weren’t sure where you were going or how you would get there, just that you wanted to be gone.

When your legs finally collapsed from exhaustion, you found yourself out of breath in front of a bodega, simultaneously sweating and shivering from the physical and emotional trauma. You went in to buy a bottle of water and drank it in greedy gulps while scrolling on your phone to take your mind off of your predicament. At the top of your inbox was a flight confirmation, forwarded from the band’s manager. It was a plane ticket back home.

The sterile, unfriendly design of airports had always thrilled you. They were an exciting gateway to a new place in the wide world you hadn’t explored much of. You had never even been on a plane before Van had toured outside of the UK. The complete lack of rules and disregard for conventional social norms enchanted you; how strange a place to have bars open at 6am next to designer shops and restaurants more expensive than you had ever eaten in. Van would order bailey’s in your coffee while he had a morning beer, before sneaking tipsy kisses in cheap seats at 42,000 feet.

Now the airport felt like a portal to hell, sucking you back to the place you had escaped from.

You hadn’t told anyone you were coming home, or that you had broken up, or...anything. You hadn’t spoken a word to anyone besides the cab driver who asked which terminal to drop you off at. You weren’t sure who you would tell first, what you would say. If you opened your mouth, nothing would come out. Except maybe some incoherent stuttering and word salad, which fit how you felt inside--both numb and acerbic, cold to the touch but teeming with a pain so primal and acrid it could kill a horse. The water in your stomach felt like it was curdling, and you hoped you could make it through the flight without throwing up.

The cab dropped you off on the corner of your parent’s property where the guest house loomed, hardly visible through the gloaming. You fumbled with the key, hoping it hadn’t been changed since the last time. The door rattled open to dusty furniture and soupy air; musty and untouched as if it had been abandoned. You and Van used to sneak in here in for quickies and hold clandestine parties, lighting candles instead of turning on lights to not tip off your parents that you were present. The stain from when someone dropped a bottle of whiskey still marred the floorboards, and you wondered if anyone had been in here since you left.

You had hardly surveilled the place before the door snapped open behind you.

“Fuck, you scared me!” It was your brother, shaking the dew from his trainers. “Why are you back? I thought you would be gone until next year, at least.” You sucked in the thick air, scanning the room for alibis. Stretching the last few moments before you had the acknowledge that you now walked the earth all by yourself.

“Oh, you know. Just felt homesick.”

Your brother respected your lie, letting it dissipate in the stale air like the smoke from a snuffed wick.

“I never liked him, anyway”

Your parents were happy, albeit a bit startled, to see you. They had converted your room to an office and all of your old things from high school, like notes from Van and old chemistry notebooks, were collecting dust in the attic. It was good to have the guest house to yourself, to be miserable in peace without the lingering tension of having to acknowledge the reason for your return, or to have anyone ask why you were throwing up so much and sleeping for 14 hours at a time.

Your dreams were so deep and lifelike that you had trouble discerning reality from fiction in your own memory; your nightmares even worse. Once you dreamt that Van had come into the guest house bedroom with a cup of tea asking how you’d slept, how his baby was doing. When your eyes had burst open, you were cold and alone. Anguish gripped your stomach, forcing it’s contents up your throat then down onto the floor.

Other times the dreams were of him fucking you. Most nights it was just replays of your breakup, repeating every time you fell back asleep after being jerked awake from the sheer horror of that moment, worse than any organic monster ridden nightmare you had ever had. Each iteration more fresh than the last, as if someone was rewinding it over and over again on a cassette tape, starting at a high pitched blur then ending only when you could feel his hot breath ghost across your face.

Some days you woke up so paralyzed by your grief you wondered if you were in hell. Each moment was unbearably painful and eternal, the mere act of breathing felt sisyphean. But in hell, there was relief in the utter helplessness. Here, your actions had both consequences for yourself, and others. You weren’t sure which was worse.

The clinic was on the outskirts of town, far enough away you weren’t likely to run into anyone unless they were there for the same reason. The ultrasound tech didn’t make eye contact a single time, snapping her gum as she dispensed the chilly ultrasound gel in a single deft shake.

Your chest tightened when you heard the heartbeat for the first time, eyes prickling with tears. The rhythmic thump, thump, thump ticking through the monitor flooded your heart with a profound sense of relief.

Finally, something that was yours.

Tour stretched on, every night sold out. Press junkets, radio shows, interviews, and photoshoots were plastered all over social media, news papers, television, even the bus station adverts and shop bathroom posters. You quickly learned not to check your phone outside of calls and avoided the media. It was easy when you hardly had the energy to lift your head in the first place. Isolation was easier than breathing, and a lot less painful.

You had learned the hard way when you had tried reading the paper each day. You could leaf through mindlessly, until page 6 which always featured a half page spread of Van and a nameless girl, all uniquely the same. They always took similar form, as if made in a factory by formula: tight jeans and low cut blouses, cakefaced and bottle blonde; each one skinner, prettier, and younger than the last. Some looked like they had school the next day. You stopped reading the paper.

When you told your family you were pregnant, your mother cried--whether out of shock or happiness, you weren’t sure. Your brother punched a hole in the wall, then went outside to smoke. Your father just sighed--a long, deep sigh that validated his disappointment in your circumstances and choices. His reaction was the most heartbreaking.

Unlike your mother’s reaction, you knew unequivocally that his was one of disappointment. You were supposed to go to uni, maybe Oxbridge or a fancy American school or even elsewhere in Europe where you could learn a new language and lounge on picnic blankets in the sun with a bottle of wine and fancy cheese while mulling over your Literature seminar readings. You were supposed to be interesting and clever and successful and far away from here. Instead you were back where you had started, some wash up’s discards, nothing to show for it except a new dependent on your taxes.

Your brother followed you back to the guest house, determined to argue as ever. He was a man of few words until he was upset, and then every word cut like broken glass.

“Are you sure you want to keep it? It isn’t too late for you to finish up and go to uni.”

You had almost forgotten that you basically dropped out to follow Van on tour.

You had told your family that it would just be a couple stops, then you never came home. Until now.

One day your mother phoned in a rage after receiving a letter from the school that you had been expelled on the grounds of truancy. You remembered you told her you were turning in your work remotely—an obvious, bold faced lie.

Your relationship with Van had changed you from a studious rule follower to a fool, lucky in love, dropping out of high school to accompany someone else building their dream. Loving Van was like climbing a tree, higher and higher with no thought of how you would get down. But now you were flat on your ass, with another between your legs.

Your personality change had sparked concern in your friends in family, allegeding that you were “not that type of girl” to abandon everything for a man.

“I’m not really sure what type of girl I am,” was your only response.

After all,how could you know who you were meant to be when you were so young? Being with Van, being Van’s, was fun and exciting in a way you had never experienced. You’d never really dated, and didn’t have a lot of friends outside your brother’s friends, which was how you met Van. He was always nearby, goofing around and causing trouble.

Your earliest memories of Van were of riding bikes through town, collapsing in the cool grass when your legs turned to jelly and you could hardly peddle anymore. Van would blow dandelion seeds in your face while you giggled and rolled away from him. All of the hours spent under the gushing lemony sunshine ended in grass stained knees and freckled cheeks that lingered long after the popsicle drippings had been washed from your fingers.

That was the beginning--the familiarity; the quintessential bedrock of love that matures as you do, which each outgrown shoe and lost tooth. The type of childlike innocence entwined with companionship that warms your stomach just to think of, having had such a pure memory to call your own; an endless syrupy summer’s day that no one can take away from you.

As you grew and changed from girls and boys to women and men, your love morphed right along with it. There were many long stretches of time you hadn’t seen him at all, either from busyness with school or a row with your brother. But whenever you saw him again, that warmth returned right back to you, starting in your stomach and burning up to your sternum, bright and effervescent.

Your relationship mutated from platonic to romantic one night at a house party. Alcohol was still a novelty to you and two bottles of beer was your limit. You and Van were sitting together on a couch, the dim room filled with your other friends, illuminated only by fairy lights and the occasional flicker of a lighter. Van was telling ridiculous stories all while gesticulating wildly, each one making you laugh harder than the last. The combination of the alcohol and throwing your head back with laughter so many times had made you feel like you were on a rollercoaster, vertiginous and bubbly.

As if you hadn’t had enough, you got up to get another drink and fell back down onto the couch--except you missed your original spot by several inches and landed squarely on Van’s lap. You laughed out loud at your clumsiness. If you were sober you would have been so embarrassed! But your lowered inhibitions helped you see the humor in the situation. The room was aglow and the world was still big; the energy of youth electrifying the room.

Van instinctively placed a hand on the small of your back to steady you, and quickly jerked it up towards your shoulders as to not make you feel uncomfortable. A twinge of excitement seared in your stomach. You had never really touched before, and this felt nice in the most unexpected of ways--as if you had found something you didn’t know you were looking for.

You studied Van’s face, having never been so close to it. The perfect slope of his nose, the confetti of reddish freckles across high cheekbones, the pink pillowy lips that outfitted his wide mouth.

He must have been staring at your lips, too, because they clashed together as if drawn by magnet. There was no saying who kissed who as your heads met, puckering together needily. You wrapped your hand arms around him, leaning into his warm body so that your heads were resting on the couch, lips married together. His mouth tasted sweet like fairy floss, the room spinning like a carousel. You weren’t sure how long you made out for, but it felt like you were alone in the room full of people, coiled in the sweetest embrace that made time stand still. When you finally came up for air Van was grinning like he knew something you didn’t, gingerly tucking your hair behind your ear.

“I hope your brother didn’t see that,” he joked, making you blush.

You didn’t remember much of how the rest of the night went or how you ended up in your own bed the next morning, but the mere thought of having kissed Van so publicly both thrilled and mortified you. Surely people would talk--or were they all too drunk to notice? Did this mean he fancied you, or was it alcohol fueled happenstance?

At school the next week you heard his voice echoing in the halls, and turned to see him hanging on another girl while fraternizing with a group students the same year as Van and your brother. He tickled and teased her before hugging her from behind, then kissing her cheek with fervor. White hot shame flared inside you, ruddying your cheeks. You hurried home in a daze, scolding yourself for being so naive. He was a flirt and you were a fucking idiot for allowing yourself to be involved with someone like that--your brother’s friend, no less.

But the next weekend the same booze soaked gathering reoccurred, this time with more warm bodies packed into a smaller room. You sipped from a can while exchanging small talk with a girl from your chemistry class, wondering if you should leave or have another drink. Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed Van had arrived with the same girl from earlier, making a scene as he greeted his friends.

You decided to have another drink.

Cracking open a fresh can, you turned away hoping Van wouldn’t notice you. You smiled and nodded while your classmate blathered on, not registering a single word she said, unable to concentrate on anything other the imaginary tension in your head. The slick condensation beading on the aluminum can was your only anchor to reality as your body flushed from the discomfiture as much as the humidity. Though you hated to admit it, you wanted to be the girl next to him. Instead you slurped more beer, hoping to reach a level of inebriation where someone else started looking better.

Eventually the heat of the room became too suffocating to bear, and you excused yourself for a smoke. The noise of the party was barely a low thrum from the cement patio, despite being eight feet away. You sat on the very edge of the pavement, stretching your legs out into the dewy grass. The damp chill grounded you, your heart rate descending as you exhaled into the ether. The stars scrambled against the inky sky, floating in and out of focus as your nerves melted away with each crisp breeze. You were more drunk than you thought, but it felt nice out here where you weren’t being choked by calefaction and confronted with Van with the other girl.

The first drag of your cigarette was interrupted by a body shuffling next to yours, thumping down beside you on the cement.

“What’s a pretty girl like you doing out here by yourself?” It was Van.

You scanned over the back of your shoulder to see if the girl was around you. She was not.

“I’m alright,” you sighed, tapping the ash from your cigarette onto the curb.

Van wrapped his arms around his crossed legs, shaking his hair out. From under his fringe, his eyes searching your face for clues to decode your expression.

You exhaled the smoke so at least there would be something between you to shield you from his intent gaze. The chirp of crickets in the distance filled the silence. Snuffing the butt out on the cement, you got up to leave without a word. Van grabbed your hand, stopping you in your tracks.

His expression nearly broke you, wide eyes begging for an explanation, confused as it was hurt. Letting out a deep sigh, you weighed your options: stay with him and exchange meaningless platitudes or leave. Leaving seemed like the better choice.

“I’m going home.”

Van sprang up. “You shouldn’t go alone this time of night after drinking. I’ll walk you home.”

Secretly, you loved the initiative he was taking. He wasn’t asking, he was announcing. This type of attention and caretaking were foreign to you, even as the kid sister and tagalong. No one ever fussed over you. Even though Van was known for being sweet to everyone, you were pleased as punch he was fussing over you.

Dark was the night as you trudged home, guided only by the flaxen incandescence of streetlamps and drunken intuition. For a long time neither of you spoke, reveling in the quietude of the sleepy town in the dead of night.

Van broke the silence. “So how’ve you been?”

“Same as it ever was,” you sighed, still uncomfortable with the hidden motive of his small talk. “Is your girlfriend gonna be upset that you’re walking me home?” Van laughed to himself, even though it wasn’t a joke. “She’s not my girlfriend.”

Only partially did those words alleviate the tension that had been badgering you all night. The alcohol poisoning your bloodstream was making you bold.

“So you just kiss all your friends like that,” You kicked a bottle down the road. Van’s head jerked up, turning towards you.

“Let me kiss you not as a friend then.” You stopped dead in your tracks. Of course he could be bolder than you. For the second time that night, you looked into his eyes and saw he was serious. You could feel yourself freezing in place like a deer in the headlights, but your bodies were being pulled together as if magnetized. Van grabbed your face as your lips married; exchanging greedy, hungry kisses. His arm migrated around your lower back, pulling you into him, subsuming your bodies as one. You kissed as if you couldn’t breath without the other’s air, desperate and smacking.

Even when your lips finally parted, your figures remained cocooned together. Your noses brushed at the tip, studying each other’s faces. Never had you seen Van so still and ruminative before. He brushed his thumb across your cheek before imparting a final kiss.

“How’s that for not friends?”

Soon Van was coming to your house to see you more than your brother and their friends. He would meet you in the hallway to exchange forbidden kisses, risking demerits and suspensions. Now instead of lurking on the outskirts at parties you were right next to him, the center of attention, with his arm wrapped around you.

You could tell your brother wasn’t comfortable with your arrangement, but he never said anything discouraging. You had never smiled so much in your life, and people sometimes didn’t recognize you next to him. You drank more and wore less. School began to feel like a prison, entrapping you 8 hours a day when you’d rather spend time with your sweetheart. Even in subjects you loved, you couldn’t focus. You tried to study while the band practiced, but you’d always get distracted by how cute Van was and his never ending questions about their creative direction. You started helping manage their shows, calling venues and arranging transport and making sure every piece was in its place.

Soon you were helping out so much that you were hardly home and rarely saw your other friends. As the band became more successful, you would occasionally skip school to accompany them to far off gigs and events, reveling both in the rebelliousness of playing hooky and the sheer delight of watching your favorite person achieve their dreams.

One of your favorite teachers had warned you against following Van, confronting you during office hours when you had dropped in to ask about an assignment. There was genuine concern in his expression, as if you were his own child that was making a stupid mistake.

“I shouldn’t be saying any of this, but you really should rethink your decision to leave. You could go to a great school and study whatever you wanted. You’re brilliant and clever and could charm the most stoic of souls. There are plenty of people in the world like Ryan, who will want to harness your energy to use for themselves. Don’t let them.”

You had thought he was just jealous, or perhaps had a tiny crush on you. You smiled at your past naivety. He was right. Your brother agreed.

“He picked you because you were hardworking and clever and too sweet to realize he was taking advantage of you! You were the best girl at that school and he fucking knew it. None of the girls like Alice or Nia would have lasted longer than a second with him! They would have crumbled from not being the center of attention, nor do they have a brain cell to show for it. He wanted someone to support him and do all of the hard work while he took credit for all of the glory. I mean, he didn’t even arrange you as a manager or assistant like Larry so you could get paid by the touring company!”

You hated when your brother was right, because it was a gut punch every time. He was a man of few words, but those choice words stung. You had organized much of the band’s earlier endeavors, like communication with agents and venues and examining contracts for faulty clauses and loopholes. The band was hardworking and talented, but still too hungry for success to make good judgements on their offerings. Without you, they surely would have fallen prey to a lecherous label under a contract that would have destroyed them.

“I know it wasn’t malicious, because he can’t pull his head out of his ass to think about anyone else. He surely knows you could achieve more without him, the thought just never occurred to him because it’s his world and the rest of us just live in it. And now you’re having his child in the town he abandoned while he’s living out his rockstar fantasies. Did he ever even call you to make sure you made it home, and the plane didn’t fucking explode with his unborn child on it? Does he even fucking know your pregnant? Does he even care?”

You turned away so that your brother wouldn’t see the hot tears in springing from your eyes.

“You can go now,” you mewed, hoping he would take the hint.

“If he sets foot in this town again, I’m going to fucking kill him.”

It was a promise.

#this is a wip but i wanted to post it bc it is both cringe AND fail #catfish and the bottlemen #catb #catb fic #catfish and the bottlemen fic #vanfic #van mccann #van mccann fic #van mccann fanfiction

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needtherapy · 3 years

Text

soaring, carried aloft on the wind...continued 21

An arranged-marriage story for Xichen and Mingjue, in another time and another place.

The Beifeng, the mighty empire of the north, invaded more than a year ago, moving inexorably south and east.

In order to buy peace, the chief of the Lan clan has given the Beifeng warlord a gift, his second oldest son in marriage. However, when Xichen finds out he makes a plan.

He, too, can give a gift to the Beifeng warlord, and he will not regret it.

Part 1: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 Part 2: 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 21 … HOME

It’s complete on AO3 here.

Notes: Check the tags if you’re concerned about the pairings ;) This chapter is rated E for Explicit

For translations of the entirely fictitious Beifeng language, you’ll have to scroll to notes. I’m only going to translate something that’s not clear in the text. Sadly, there’s just not any other good way to do it on Tumblr!

Chapter 21 Earlier

It didn’t take long for Xichen to find Huaisang leaning on a hitching post, watching a herd of horses gallop through the valley on the north side of the encampment. If Xichen hadn’t fully appreciated it when he had first arrived, by now, he understood how seriously the Ikarahu took their horses.

There were four herds, divided for safety and for grazing, and during this winter armistice, the hostlers moved them in a circle between the camp and across the plains to find new pastures in the mornings and afternoons. Between the fields, they ran the horses to preserve their strength, to discourage infighting, and, Xichen heartily believed, because it was so spectacularly beautiful to watch.

He stood silently with Huaisang for a while, the horses a patchwork of color in the distance.

“I never really wanted to come on this campaign,” Huaisang said as the herd thundered in a circle toward them.

If Xichen had not seen them do this before, he would have been terrified to be standing in their path. As they always did, though, the riders driving this river of horseflesh turned the group with shouts and flashing whips. The horses banked, slowing as they swept past Huaisang and Xichen so closely, Xichen could almost have reached out and grazed his hand along their silky flanks. It was only the appearance of danger, and the riders were always in control, guiding the horses whether they realized it or not. The herd slowed as they approached the corrals on the western edge of the camp. Xichen knew they would be walked now, and each would be groomed and brushed and cared for as diligently as though they were people.

“Why did you?” Xichen asked, pressing Huaisang about his mood more than he usually would.

Huaisang sidestepped, dodging what Xichen was truly asking. “I couldn’t say no. I will finish what we started but...I’m ready for something else.”

He sounded unusually discouraged, and Xichen patted his hand. He couldn’t think of calming words for Huaisang when his own thoughts were filled with clanging anxiety, spinning eddies of ice and snow. He was afraid he didn’t have the option of something else, or, if there was something else, Xichen was afraid he wouldn’t like it. Two months ago, he had thought he knew where his life was headed, but now...now he wasn’t entirely sure what Mingjue’s plan was for him. And after seeing such clear evidence that Guangyao’s interests were not merely political, Xichen was worried that some other arrangement might be determined for him. He wished he had someone to talk to. He wished he could talk to Wangji.

“If I wrote to my brother, would you find someone to deliver the letters?” he asked, swallowing the shame of asking a question he should have voiced months ago.

Huaisang tipped his head like his hawk, eyebrows snapping together. “Of course, Xichen. You...we would never keep you from your family.”

Xichen nodded, already planning the words to write. He had taken too long, and he couldn’t even remember what he was waiting for. No, he did know. He hadn’t wanted to face the consequences of leaving and then, later, the difficulty of explaining why he didn’t want to return. He would send letters tomorrow. He didn’t know if his brother would forgive him for leaving or forgive him for his silence, but it was time to find out. He couldn’t spend his life running only in a circle.

A smile flitted across Huaisang’s face, but it couldn’t quite disguise the sadness in his voice. “I miss my family too, Xichen. I miss my home. I know you lived on a mountain, but you have not seen datik like ours. They will take your breath away. Do you know what the sunrise looks like from the top of a mountain?”

For once, Xichen didn’t allow the change of subject to distract him. He pushed back, one act of bravery spurring another. “Why did you leave the tent?”

This time Huaisang’s quirked smile seemed authentic. “I could ask you the same.” He shrugged. “I thought Guangyao would be an opportunity, but I might have been wrong. He is unpredictable and chaotic.”

Unpredictable and chaotic were not words Xichen would have used. He had always thought of Guangyao as cautious and purposeful, if not always fully honest, and he wondered what Huaisang had seen that he hadn’t.

“Qingyang says he has reasons of his own for being here,” Xichen offered, and Huaisang snorted.

“Of course he does. But his actions don’t make any sense.” Huaisang paused and chewed thoughtfully on his lip. “Not as far as I can tell. If he is a spy…well, if I was a spy, I would do things differently. And if I was a prisoner, I would also do things differently.”

“Was your mission with the bridge a success?” Xichen asked, wondering if that was what Huaisang was referring to. He also found it strange that Guangyao would help the Ikarahu.

“Yes, it was,” Huaisang answered with a frown. “I am certain it was.”

He pulled his kitingi fan from his belt and snapped it open, spinning it in circles, flipping it between his hands, obviously pondering something. Xichen watched and waited, but with a sigh and a frown, Huaisang eventually put the fan away. His most glib smile settled on his lips, a smile meant to hide his true thoughts, and Xichen knew the conversation was over.

“Shall we make anakau suffer a little longer? We don’t get many sunny days, and I feel like a ride.”

Xichen’s lips twitched. He would not have worded it quite that way, and yet...

“What a remarkable idea, anati. I haven’t ridden in days,” he agreed and together, they trailed along behind the horses all the way back to camp. Xichen audaciously borrowed Mingjue’s black mare and followed Huaisang in a pounding gallop across the hard-packed plains.

By now, he was a skilled rider; not as confident as any of the Ikarahu, but enough that he could let muscle memory keep him on the horse’s back while the pace and the cold cleared his mind and settled his doubts. He thought about his future. He thought about what he needed and what he was willing to give up. And he thought about whether he was a coward who would walk away or a man who would fight for what he wanted.

By the time Xichen returned to his tent, he was tired and sated in a way he had not felt in some time, and he was able to shove aside the flood of anxiety that tried to whirl back when he saw Mingjue waiting for him. He was barefoot, braids loose around his shoulders, wearing only pants. Xichen was absolutely certain he intended to look as irresistible as possible. He did not miscalculate. Xichen wanted him immediately, wanted to claim every part of him.

Well, why should he not?

Throwing his belt and coat on the floor, he reached Mingjue in three long strides and pushed him back onto the bed, straddling his hips and kissing him with teeth and fangs. He gripped the flesh of Mingjue’s shoulder with one hand, fingers agile from playing the guqin. The other hand, strong from wielding a sword, wrapped around Mingjue’s thigh and Xichen ground down on him, hard enough that Mingjue hissed, cupping his hands around Xichen’s buttocks and arching under him.

Xichen’s heart sang as Mingjue matched his force and ardor without question. He only tried to roll Xichen over once, his voice already halfway to pleading, but Xichen didn’t relent. If he belonged to Mingjue, then Mingjue would also belong to him.

When Mingjue was desperate, bucking wildly underneath him, Xichen kicked off his pants without bothering to fully undress and crawled forward.

“Open your mouth, ahoraho,” he said, relishing how eagerly Mingjue obeyed.

Xichen caressed his face, the straight slope of his nose, the lines around his eyes, the creases in his cheeks that hid the dimples he loved so much as he fucked Mingjue’s willing mouth. Mingjue’s hands on Xichen’s hips urged Xichen to thrust harder, and Xichen did, wanting to mark every piece of Mingjue as his, his, his.

Before the gnawing ache of climax could overtake him, Xichen grabbed a handful of Mingjue’s braids and yanked, angling his head back and wresting a moan from Mingjue that vibrated around his cock and through his gut. Mingjue’s fingers dug into Xichen’s back as he sucked him further into his mouth, forcing his cock against the back of his throat, sending sparks shooting through Xichen’s entire body. With a satisfied groan, Mingjue swallowed, once, twice, the tension nearly keeling Xichen over. The third time Mingjue swallowed, the tightly bruising band around his heart released its grip, and Xichen saw stars dancing in his eyes as the world dissolved in white cloud of pleasure.

He was dimly aware of falling to the side, closing his eyes to bathe in the fading warmth that still pulsed through him. Mingjue curled tightly around Xichen whispering endearments, stroking his hair, nuzzling his neck. He used the other hand to unfasten Xichen’s robes and rubbed his stomach when he finally got them undone. Xichen almost laughed at how much of him Mingjue was trying to touch at once.

“Ah, Xichen, I am sorry. I know I should not tease,” Mingjue murmured, soft breath tickling Xichen’s ear. “But I love when you are fierce.”

“You meant for me to be jealous so I would…ravish you?” Xichen asked. He couldn’t decide if he was annoyed or not. Maybe a little annoyed.

Mingjue snuggled closer to Xichen, and despite his pique, Xichen turned toward the scent of earth and cedar.

“I did not mean it, but I did not dislike it. You shine like the sun when you are defending what is yours, my bright heart.” Mingjue’s hand reached the arch of Xichen’s hip bone and traced the line lower.

“Do you want him as a lover?” Xichen asked, trying to sound as though it didn’t matter, but it did matter. In that moment, it was the only thing that mattered.

Mingjue leaned up on one elbow to regard him, his perceptive expression reminding Xichen that for all his gentle ways, he was not a fool.

“No. If he had come to me before you, I might have...considered it,” he answered cautiously. “But he did not, and so it is no matter. There is only you now.”

Mingjue’s expression shifted, as if he wanted to say more. Xichen wondered if he would ask the same question.

“If you wish him, or wish us both, I will not argue, aitapaho,” he said finally, his fingers skimming circles on Xichen’s chest.

Xichen intended to deny it immediately, but something about Mingjue’s expression gave him pause. It was unusually guarded and neutral, and Xichen felt he owed him honest consideration.

It was true that Guangyao was attractive, intelligent, cultured—all the things Xichen would have looked for in a partner or second spouse when he was heir to the Cloud Recesses, difficulties with inheritance and politics aside. Perhaps if he was a better man, Xichen thought, he would be generous enough to share Mingjue with someone he liked well enough. But he was certain he didn’t have that kind of unselfishness in him.

Xichen knew the unpredictability of war, even if he preferred not to think of it. He knew the Ikarahu would return to the mountains someday. He knew eventually, things would change between him and Mingjue. Whatever time they had together, Xichen wanted to keep it for himself.

And then, of course, there was Huaisang. Xichen still wasn’t certain what the extent or truth of Huaisang’s interest was, but he did not wish to cause any impediment if it was real.

“I do not. He is not you, ahoraho,” Xichen said, taking Mingjue’s hand and kissing the knuckles, touching the tiny nicks and scars from years of carrying a sword and pulling a bow. “No one is you.”

Mingjue threw his leg over Xichen and rubbed against him, hard still or hard again, his fingers trembling in Xichen’s hair. “I want to see you ride me tonight, Huan. Every night. You, and no one else.” He should be past blushing at Mingjue’s shameless words, but Xichen knew his cheeks had reddened, and he was chagrined to realize that he was as insatiable as Mingjue. He retrieved the bottle of oil and climbed on top of Mingjue’s solid form, to let him be a bulwark against all of Xichen’s uncertainty. He wanted to trust this love, at least.

Leisurely, meticulously, he pulled his robes off, basking in the light of Mingjue’s heated gaze. With a slow smile of his own, he poured oil onto his hand, slicking his fingers.

“I will,” he agreed. “But first, I want to taste you, ahoraho.” He kissed Mingjue’s throat, raking teeth across his collarbone, licking the salt from his skin and trailing his lips in a path down his broad chest.

“And touch you.” Xichen slid back to straddle the hard muscle of Mingjue’s thighs, rubbing his thumb across Mingjue’s lips, pushing between them when they parted. Mingjue closed his eyes with a muted whimper, biting down, the hard tip of his tongue asking Xichen for more.

“And hear you,” Xichen said, before he agreed to more, closing his hand around the hot velvet of Mingjue’s cock with a rough, decisive stroke. He did, indeed, love the sounds Mingjue made, the faltering exhale of Xichen’s name, a rumbling moan, the quickening of his breath.

This is what I never knew I always wanted, Xichen thought, lips and hands stoking the smoldering fire in Mingjue’s eyes. To be yours and no one else’s, he thought, settling back and joining their bodies slowly, agonizingly, sublimely slowly. As you are mine, and no one else’s, he thought, smiling with love, exulting in the satisfaction of their union.

#soaring au #the untamed #cql #mdzs #mo dao zu shi #nie mingjue #lan xichen #nielan #nie huaisang #jin guangyao #sangyao #mdzs au #cql au #Kristina writes tiny stories #complete on ao3

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demonprosecutor · 3 years

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OVER THE RIVER AND THROUGH THE WOODS... YOU KNOW THE SONG.

innocence, like all things, succumbs to the touch of death and time - both in conjunction and never not coexisting with each other. it was a difficult pill to swallow at times, but the naivety of childhood could never weather the storm that the real world presented. a sad notion, but a necessary one. your thighs had ached and chafed with the hours of riding upon amydros - you had never ridden this far nor this long without rest. “alright, let’s rest.” you say aloud, pulling on the reins until the horse trots to a stop, towards a bend in the path where you slid down its back, and tied the leather strips around a sturdy branch.

even if winter had always made you nervous on principle (you’ve heard stories of bodies contorted in the throes of winter as lord thanatos had claimed their souls, or of crops failing and leaving a town starving for the next spring), you find relief of the cold on your aching muscles, a brief respite really. By then, your anger had cooled and subdued into a faint irritation. You were never someone who could hold their anger for a sustained amount of time without being weary.

with the edge of the cloak, you brush off gently-fallen snow off of the surface of the flattest rock you could find there, and carefully made sure that the cloak was at your bottom before sitting down. you had always taken your oaths seriously, always taken the truth seriously, but now? amid the snowy emptiness, placing yourself at the forefront of your secret fears of having to traverse the outside world without a safety tether was frightening.

maybe zagreus thought that your inherent fears would force you to remain in the town? that hypothesis makes you flush with indignation, crumpling the cloak between your hands. how dare he?! you weren’t... some... some civilian in distress that needed saving, you were an independent person capable of holding their own in any scenario.

“maybe lord hermes could glean more answers?” despite the distance between the two towns, you found that they held a camaraderie with each other that resulted in frequent trade during the warmer months and therefore, you had managed to catch the information that there was a rather robust temple dedicated to lord hermes. it makes sense, traveller towns tended to venerate that god above all else, well, the aspect of travelling at least. amydros nickers quietly, ears flicking.

“at least you listen.” you stand up before the chill could seep through clothing and onto skin, walking over to stroke the strong flank of your horse. “zagreus never bothered to listen. always talking, always stumbling through conversation like a newborn fawn...” your hands curl into fists, pressed against the warm fur. “--- but he was always so kind.” zagreus’ warm smile came to the forefront of your mind, mismatched eyes twinkling like stars. “always made me feel like i was... like i was an equal.”

by then, a flush rises to your cheeks. “and he is, erm, handsome... and sweet and endearing. like a puppy!” a look up and you see amydros leveling a rather judgemental look. as if to say: really? you were angry at him and now... you’re gushing about him

you slap your cheeks hard enough for it to sting, shaking your head. That was... a moment of weakness! you were still incredibly angry with him and you were going to give him a piece of your mind. Once you saw him. Then you’d hug him tightly because you were worried. zagreus did not know how terrible mortals could be, and you’d feel a lot better with him around.

you are alone....

amydros, to the horse’s credit, does not rear back in alarm at the voice that echoed around the clearing. too much like anura, you hold your steed’s reins close, heart thundering to the beat of amydros’ panicked breathing. even then, the most prominent thought that manages to sluice through the anxiety was: again?!

a nearby tree creaks, a mighty oak standing tall and bereft of its leaves, yet it shifts - the whorls on its trunk shifting into the closest approximation of a face. a dryad, an ancient, prideful one, if you had to guess. but most of all, something within your chest eases gently, unfurling like the drying wings of a butterfly. as though you were a child that had roused from a nightmare and found solace in their parent’s arms. they were good. above all, this dryad was a kind one, you could tell.

the stiffness of your shoulders lowers slightly, the smile upon your lips warm and assured. “gentle dryad, it is... wonderful to see you in spite of this bitter winter.” you never forget your manners and rifle through your bag, extracting a slice of bread that was given by menelaia before you left, and held it out - an offering to a near-god.

the dryad shifted its eyes to peer at the bread before the trunk cracks open with a thunderous sound, a gnarled wooden arm unfolding from the depths of the tree like an insect leg that carefully plucks the offering from your hand and returns. the air warms briefly, a signifier of its delight, its ineffable gratitude at recognition. nowadays, people forgot to thank the everyday spirits that resided in this world, ones that aided the gods and kept the earth and oceans as verdant and thriving as it was. “thank you, sapling.” it speaks in an ancient tongue, one that you should not understand, but with the magic of the divine, you were able to. a language so ancient, and so lost, it made your bones shudder at its strangeness. “you seek someone.”

you nod, eyes downcast. “yes.”

“a precious someone.” they say gently, a rumble of thunder in the distance, and you cannot help the aching smile on your face. “someone you care and adore.” they unfurl your heartstrings and read between the lines like the ancient rings of its home. wise because of its years and kinder because of it.

“yes. how did you know?” sometimes things weren’t meant to be asked, but you couldn’t help questioning this matter of mind-reading. “is it that obvious?”

a branch creaks downwards, a lone green leaf brushing over your hair, “love is the easiest to see, always so bright and vibrant. yet...” it brushes away a tear at the corner of your eye. “you are filled with such a terrible sadness, sapling.”

and you chuckle at that, tilting your head, “since when is that a new thing? are not all living things with terrible sadnesses?” you grab your arms, crossing them and rubbing them as a way to comfort. “he left me behind. to protect me from whatever evil this journey will birth. but i was ready to be there next to him! i was ready to protect him in my own way.” you weren’t exactly sure what that looked like, but you were prepared to sacrifice - after all, it’s not like you had much at stake.

the dryad stares at you, eyeless sockets like the void, but infinitely more comforting. before it sighs, “i will help you--”

“why?” you interrupt, cautious as ever.

“i do not have long on this realm and you were the first being that had shown me kindness, is it not fitting for one birthed from love to return love?” the ground breaks, a root curling upwards, breaking through the winterfrost that made it forest floor unmoveable. upon closer, you see a circle of gold hanging from the curve of the root. “forged from deep within the earths, when i used to boast more beauty than now. it is meant to guide you to your heart’s desire.”

you look at the ring, the metal warm and lovely - as though you held your hands against a flickering hearth. “how does it work?”

it laughs softly, a whisper of a breeze, bringing the smell of spring before demeter’s winter dominates once more. “bring it close to your chest and allow your heart to guide you, the ring will show you the way.” you pull back and offer your gratitude with a smile, a nod, watching as the dryad heaves one more mighty sigh before the trunk seals shut and the face fades into obscurity, once more like the trunk it was before.

you stand there, the ring clutched to your chest, just above your heart. it was strange to speak to a dryad that wasn’t speio, shaking your head to dismiss the cobwebs of memory that persisted. there was no point in sinking into nostalgia, it was better to do so when everything calmed down.

as the dryad had instructed, you closed your eyes and allowed thoughts to fall away from your mind - leaving you with the blissful emptiness that allowed your heart to speak freely, without obstruction. the ring warms, hot enough that you grow alarmed, eyes snapping open and peering down at the metal. it shone like a miniature sun, whispering sweetly before a beam of light shoots forward, between the trees and to the great beyond. “what the---” your brows furrow, as you wave a hand through the beam of light, disturbing it like ripples of water, yet remains steadfast in the direction it pointed.

was this what the dryad meant by the ring showing you the path to your heart’s desire?

suddenly buoyed by the thought of your journey made easier, you grin and untangle amydros’ reins from the branch and leapt onto his back, kicking your heels into his flanks. “follow the light!” amydros tosses his head, kicking up dirt and snow underneath his hooves.

the woods thicken, branches so numerous that it blocked the sn, the darkness illuminated by the magical glow of the ring, casting away the shadows that lingered at the edges of your vision. it was wise to allow the both of you to rest, but wolves prowled about in these woods - that and untold dangers. and you weren’t willing to boast your admittedly-pathetic fighting skills.

you had been following the path of the light, unwavering, wind stirring your hair and breath frosting in the air - but then it veers sharply to the right, into a darker path. “shit!---” you yank on amydros’ reins to halt his run, backing him up until you were in full-view of the deviation of the path. “why here?” the ring is brought to your face, pulsating with warm life, pointing into the darker woods, the branches curling about like an archway. unnatural, yet not.

was this your heart’s desire?

with the reins clutched tightly in your hands, you turn your steed towards the dark void of the path, branches and rotted wood curling about. amydros flicks his ear uneasily, and you stroke his neck carefully. “easy. there must be something there.” with a deep breath and no small amount of courage, you both turn onto the path.

the trail was craggy. interrupted by fallen branches, stones and grooves. this told you that it was a path not regularly traveled by horse or by man, a thought that does not comfort you. after all, danger does not only lie with the mortal realm.

the thought to turn around arose the deeper you went down the path, but considering how tight the squeeze was, it wasn’t an option. trees shuddered, darkness encroaching and stifling enough that you couldn’t breathe. visions of red and crimson flashed before your gaze, screams shrilling in your ears, body shaking and fists curled tightly enough that it bit into your palms.

red and gold, red and gold. only the union of gods and mortal so bold ---- can end this all.

blood flooded your mouth, spilling down your chin, and when you think you cannot handle anymore... you stumble into an open meadow. the air was still, the grass and flowers frosted, yet alive - suspended between life and death. purple butterflies floated about, lingering at your side before floated off. the ring warms, the light pointed towards the figure standing in the middle, draped in reaper’s cloth and scythe held like a harbinger above the hood of lord thanatos.

he looked surprised by your appearance, just as you were by his. “what are you doing here? and... where is zagreus?” lord thanatos looks past you, expecting to see the prince stumble after you, but after realizing that he wasn’t there, golden eyes snap to you.

you slide down with shaky legs, wiping the blood away with the edge of the cloak, approaching lord thanatos and dropping to a knee. the cold immediately sunk into your knee, head bowed. “lord thanatos, i did not expect to see you here.” nor did you expect to have the ring show thanatos to be your heart’s desire, but you kept that fact wisely to yourself, face reddening. “---the prince isn’t here. he left me behind at a town, intent on pursuing his---” you pause, lifting your head before pushing yourself to your feet. was it wise to reveal why zagreus left? or were you going to set things in motion that should not occur.

“well?” he asks impatiently, his features deadpan, yet betraying enough that you knew it was better to speak. besides, zagreus had always spoke about the steadfastness of thanatos, about how he was to be trusted. you quickly pray that he was right.

“prince zagreus went to pursue his missing mother. in a place heavily shielded by magic. lord hermes had given him a map and i intended to follow, but he left me behind. i was given this,” you show the glowing ring, the beam of light disappearing into the darkness of his garb, “and it led me to you. it was meant to show my... heart’s desire.” it was said fast, yet your face warms. “the times are growing stranger, my lord...”

lord thanatos takes everything in, eyes falling shut in thought. “mmm. interesting, this is quite troubling news.” he hovers above the flowers, brows furrowed in a tight knot. death incarnate does not speak for some time, long enough that you shift in place uneasily. "things are changing. things are not dying and ancient evils are speaking within the wells of tartarus. zagreus' mother disappearing is the first step. the olympians will not intervene unless they need to," lord thanatos says this with a curl to his lip, derision evident. "instead they will use zagreus and whatever foolish individual that follows as tools."

(you suspect that he's speaking about you...)

"nonetheless, we cannot leave the fool to die. or meet a fate unknown." his scythe swishes in the air, purple eye blinking at you magnanimously. "i will aid you in your quest, groundskeep." lord thanatos was an imposing figure and to have him as an ally was.... well, it was comforting. there was no figure, no deity feared more, than this god before you. even the olympians feared what he could do; for through his touch, they could find their deaths as well.

"wait--- you're helping me?" your mouth drops open in shock, and this! coming from someone who had threatened you weeks ago....

lord thanatos arched a brow, "was i unclear in my declaration? i'm going to help you find zagreus and subsequently, his mother. it is a pain to have things... not die." there's something in his eyes that told you that there was something more to this, but you don't pry. the machinations of gods were not your concern. "i will speak with lord hermes and see if he could replicate the map he gave zagreus, let your magic ring guide you to him. meanwhile, here." lord thanatos reaches into his chiton, producing a small, little tattered mouse. patchworked with fabric and soft to the touch. it nestled comfortably in the circle of your arms.

"... what is this?" you look up at death incarnate, cocking your head. why... was he giving you a child's toy?

much to your surprise, his cheeks took on a gentle, gold hue. as though he was embarrassed by your question. “his name is mort, use him if you are in trouble, and i shall come to your aid. but! only when you need it, i cannot always come. find zagreus, do not fail me. and, groundskeep? this is between us.” lord thanatos says this threateningly before disappearing in a flash of green light, temporarily causing spots to appear in your vision.

you are left alone, the earth heaving a sigh at the departure of death. the air stirred once more, the darkness lifting slightly and the strange, purple butterflies that danced in the meadows were gone. you looked at the little mouse, large enough to carry comfortably, and soft too! a quick look around told you that you were alone, save for amydros grazing nearby and took a slight sniff of the toy.

it smelled of... lavender. of ash. the two smells of your dead town that dominated your nose. but instead of filling you with grief, you were filled with a strange sense of peace. you place mort at the bottom of your bag, where it wouldn’t fall out by accident and leapt once more onto amydros’ back.

the path that you had entered was brighter now, less stifling. the ring flickered to life and pointed northward - towards the town that menelaia had spoken about. you kick your heels and amydros thundered towards where he needed to be.

yet even with the ache of your thighs, the burn of your lungs, your thoughts went back to the god. what did he mean by things not dying anymore? what evil speaks in tartarus? perhaps these questions would be better answered with an oracle or a seer - if the town had any. “let’s hope we find zagreus by then,” you say aloud, amydros’ ear flicked back at you in acknowledgement.

but you weren’t that worried, zagreus had a way of avoiding trouble.

#hades the game #hades supergiant #thanatos hades #my writing #aku writing

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artificialqueens · 3 years

Text

Pretty in Pearls, Chapter 6 (Jankie) - Plastiquedoll

read on ao3 💄| previous chapters

A/N: hi! it took me a while but here's a new update I hope you enjoy it! thank you for reading it! <3

-6-

“I can’t do this anymore,” Jan complained.

Jackie lifted her gaze from the book she was reading.

“This is the third time you say that… algebra can’t possibly be that bad.”

“For your consideration, there aren’t even numbers on these exercises, it’s Math… there should be numbers… where are the numbers?” She whined.

“Don’t look at me, why do you think I chose Art History? After high school, I promised myself my relationship with calculus was over.”

Jan sighed but focused on the assignment once again.

“Okay… I’m done… that was the last exercise of the sheet. I refuse to keep using my brain for what’s left of the day.”

Jackie chuckled.

They were alone in the copy room. It had been one of those quiet days; it was raining outside so Jan’s practice had been canceled but luckily her friend enjoyed her company while she did homework as well. In the past two hours, only a lost student walked in begging for a copy of a study guide for a mid-term for the following day. Jackie had the radio on and she had let the younger chose the station, Jan had picked a bubblegum pop radio that kept playing songs from the ’00s and the 10’s –to which she had found Jackie mumbling the lyrics a couple of times.

As much as she hated to miss her practice, she had to admit it was the first time in two weeks she had a moment to breathe. With her responsibilities and new hobby involved, she barely had time to take a break.

Jackie had her eyes on the book and one hand on the computer’s keyboard. She had been writing notes non-stop since her meeting with the dean. As she had explained it to Jan, her complaint had been discussed, and even when she presented a well-written note and had some witnesses to back it up, the only thing the university was doing was reprimand him and, –since it was the first time someone had said something about the professor’s behavior- let him continue his classes with a warning.

In terms of Jackie’s situation, they had dictated that she’d be able to present a final assignment that would include several –if not all- units of the program, and it would be evaluated by a panel of professors from similar backgrounds, to make it fair. The thing was that her former professor was the one that had formulated the questions and, aside from being a lot, they were pretty gimmicky and for all those reasons, she had started the assignment way earlier than the semester was over, just to be sure.

“Okay, I’m done for the day too.” She closed her notebook. “I feel like there’s smoke coming from my ears or something.”

“Oh, was it you? I thought it was one of the machines.”

Jackie scrunched her nose. “Anyway, it seems like it’s a slow day and I have ten more minutes here so… Do you want to go watch a movie at the cinema?”

“At the cinema? Whoa… I haven’t thought about it but it’s been ages since I went to watch a movie…”

“Is that a yes…?” Jackie did her best to hide her nervousness behind the question.

“Sure. But I have to warn you, I’m not good with horror movies.” Jan shrugged.

“I saw that coming… But there’s this old cinema called Bellamy, we could ride the subway and would be there in no time. They play random movies every day so we could just get there and grab a couple of tickets for the next feature. What do you say?”

“Sounds good to me. Oh! I’ll put it on the group chat in case anyone else wants to tag along.”

Jackie’s lips turned into a thin line. “Okay… you do that and I’ll finish here.”

Jan hadn’t even noticed the shift in the girl’s mood, she was way too excited typing the message on her phone.

“I hope you’re not upset but it seems it’s going to be just me and you,” Jan mentioned while Jackie closed the door of the copy room. “Everyone’s plans or they are studying or… I don’t know.”

“Oh… no… it’s fine by me if it’s fine for you.”

“Of course! It’ll be fun!” She smiled.

It was still raining outside so they shared Jackie’s red umbrella that matched with her rain boots.

“What’s with this downpour?” Jackie wiped some drops from her clothes once they got underground. “Okay, here we go.”

Jan seemed amused. “I have never ridden the subway… well, back when I was like four I’m sure my mom took us me and my brother but I have no memories of it whatsoever.”

“You’ll get used to it quickly. Honestly, it’s one of the easiest ways to travel when it’s not packed.”

Without objecting, Jan followed Jackie’s lead up close. They almost coordinated steps to avoid puddles while running; the comical situation got them laughing at loud all their way to the subway station.

“I’m out of breath.” Jackie leaned against one column before closing the umbrella.

They shook some drops out of their clothes and waited for the subway to arrive. When it arrived not even five minutes later, they rushed to climb onto the wagon before they got pushed by others passengers. At least with the rain, there was place to move and even some seats available.

Jan had decided she liked riding the subway, it was a great place to observe the diversity of the fauna of the city. There were all kinds of people around probably heading to their works or their homes or to meet friends or just somewhere different. It was exciting, to consider the unlimited possibilities.

She looked at Jackie and displayed a giant grin that had the other girl blushing lightly and looking away.

“So how did you find this place?” Jan asked after a couple of minutes.

It caught Jackie out of guard. “Huh? What do you mean?” She frowned lightly.

“I was wondering how did you find this place since it’s not near the campus.”

“Oh that… I actually discovered it a couple of years ago. Things at home with my mom after the divorce weren’t precisely on the best terms so after school I never got straight back there. Instead, I started wandering around and taking the subway or the bus to go anywhere really.” Her voice threatened with breaking but she quickly cleared her throat. “One of those times I ended up in this old building, a theatre with so much history and they played these movies I had never seen before so… I stayed there ever since.”

“Whoa… that’s…” Jan wanted to reach for her hand but the older girl hurried to jump off the seat.

“This is our stop.” She pointed out.

“Alright. We’re here.”

“We are.” Jackie showed her a smile and grabbed the umbrella, ready to face the rain. “Let’s go.”

They had arrived just in time for Carrie but since Jan had stated she didn’t enjoy horror films, they waited ten minutes for the next movie to start. Coincidentally, it was My Fair Lady with Audrey Hepburn so it would also work for research purposes –or that was what Jan said- aside from the fact she had never watched it.

Jackie couldn’t say she was a newbie to Hepburn’s movies, she had watched all of them at least once but having company was new to her. Since getting into college she had stopped needing the cinema as an escape, a way to avoid reality at least for a couple hours; it was after meeting her friends and starting her classes that she eventually had less time to go there or simply, didn’t need it anymore.

Now, it was a whole different scenario. She had Jan next to her and it was a bit magical to see her in the dark with the light of the screen reflecting on her face, something that made her heart race. She would’ve died to hold her hand at that instant but it was true that she’d also die if she touched her as if Jan held the power of burning her with a mere contact.

Then, the screen went black and the credits started rolling, the movie was over.

They waited until most people had left the room and then they walked out.

“So, did you like the movie?”

Jan tilted her head. “Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy a period piece from time to time and the costumes were iconic but… Professor Higgins is awful!” She gestured with her hands to emphasize her displeasure. “He spent all this time torturing Eliza… changing her to the point where she couldn’t go back to her life. That’s a psychopath.”

“Oh thank God, we agree.” Jackie sighed with relief.

“No wonder Rosé and her classmates changed part of the plot because…”

“Yeah. I’m dying to see that. How are the rehearsals going by the way?”

“They are great, I have a small part… the equivalent of one of those ladies on the horse races and I appear in two numbers but the rehearsals are so much fun with everyone. It's a nice group of people that are passionate about musicals.”

They got out of the room and saw the people already gathering for the next feature. The smell of popcorn was strong in the air just like the humidity of the rain on the carpet.

Jackie spotted a familiar face and her eyes lighted up. “Oh my God, Sophie!” She waved toward a short old woman with white hair and giant round glasses. “Jan, you have to meet Sophie”

“Jackie, darling.” She shuffled toward them. She pulled Jackie for a tight hug. The woman barely reached her waist.

“Sophie, this is my friend, Jan.” She introduced them.

“Hi-” Before Jan could say something else, Sophie also hugged her.

“Sophie is the owner of the theatre,” Jackie explained once the old lady let the younger breathe.

“Oh! That’s awesome. It’s really nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too. I have waited for ages for Jackie to finally bring a special someone…”

“No!” Jackie shook her head. “It’s- It’s not like that at all… We’re friends.”

“Pardon me, it’s only that when you introduced me to this lovely young lady I just thought… maybe someone had finally melted your cold façade.”

“Oh, Sophie… what are you saying?” She laughed nervously, her face was completely red. “Don’t listen to her… she’s old.”

Jan giggled. “It’s alright. I adore Jackie, she’s one of my best friends.”

“I haven’t seen this one in a while, you’d think she vanished or something.” The woman pointed.

“I’m sorry, Sophie. I should’ve called you at least.”

“For sure.” Sophie nagged.

“It won’t happen again… I’ll come back more often after the midterms, I promise it.”

“Oh darling, you haven’t heard, have you?”

Jackie looked puzzled. “What?”

“The Bellamy is going to be demolished.”

“What?!” The girl’s jaw dropped to the floor.

“How?” Jan asked, in disbelief as well.

“Well, a group of rich people has decided this is the perfect location to build one of those department stores.”

“No, no, no… this can’t be. This place is sacred, part of the cultural heritage of the city, it can’t be destroyed to build a mall.”

The old lady shrugged. “There’s not much I can do about it, it’s already written.” She patted Jackie’s shoulder. “Listen, honey, the important thing is that this place served its purpose for a long, long time and we got to enjoy it.”

Jackie was on the verge of tears. “How can you say that? How can you give up just like that? Without even putting a fight? The Bellamy is not just another cinema.”

The girl stormed out of the theatre before anyone else could say something.

“Wait! Jackie!” Jan shouted but she lost the girl in the crowd. “I’m sorry, I’m sure she didn’t mean any of that.” She softly explained to Sophie.

“You don’t need to tell me, I know. Now go after her, she needs a friend right now.”

“Yeah… I will…” Jan turned around.

“Oh, and Jan, one more thing,” Sophie called. “keep an eye on her, she seems inscrutable sometimes but she’s sensitive underneath.”

Jan displayed a tiny smile. “I know.”

“Jackie! Jackie wait!”

As if it didn’t matter at all, it had stopped raining.

She found the elder laying against the wall, next to a Casablanca poster that had been there since… well… probably since Casablanca first premiered.

Jackie’s cheeks were wet and her eyes reddened but she had wiped all the tears before Jan got closer.

“Hey… I’m so sorry.” Jan looked at her with soft eyes.

Jackie closed her eyes and sighed loudly. “I can’t believe it… this theatre is a home to me.”

“There must be a way to save it, we’ll figure something out.”

“I don’t know… it seems impossible… even Sophie has renounced.”

“Then we’ll convince her as well.” Jan grabbed her wrists. “We’ll find a way, there’s always a way.”

“Okay, Disney Channel Original Movie motivational speech.”

Jan chuckled. “What do you say if –for now- we go home and pick something to eat? I’m starving and... is it me or popcorn buckets are getting smaller?”

She got a smile from Jackie, that was a win.

“Plus, if I want to become a subway expert I’m supposed to ride it again, right?”

“I suppose that’s correct.”

“I’m telling you, I know this vegetarian place that has the best eggplant tacos and veggie sushi…” Jackie was commenting when they returned to the dorms.

“Sounds amazing, just let me pick some money from my room and we’ll be ready to go. You can come with me if you want.”

“Alright.”

They climbed the stairs until Jan stopped in her tracks making Jackie almost bump into her.

“Hey, careful there…”

But the brunette was petrified, watching the scene that happened on the very same floor of her dormitory. It took Jackie a moment to locate the event that had caused such commotion but as soon as she saw it, she just wished her friend hadn’t.

There he was, Nathan, the object of her affections, walking out the room of a girl that lived in the building. A different girl, it wasn’t the girl from the first day or another girl she had seen him with before. This was a gorgeous girl –like the others- but there was something different about him -him with her- the way he put the missing lock behind her ear and got closer to press a chaste kiss on her lips, the way they smiled after their lips touched.

Jan felt sick to her stomach, her face got pale and she barely could hold the tears.

The couple returned to the room and right when the door closed, she ran directly to her room. She desperately searched for the keys.

“Jan? Are you…?” Jackie touched her shoulder.

Jan sobbed. “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine… I just… I need to find the keys… it’s like I can’t find them anywhere.” She kept rummaging her backpack without result.

It was too late, she broke into tears, her knees gave in and she ended on the floor.

“I’m sorry, this must look so stupid in comparison to the theatre but… It hurts so badly.” Her voice broke into pieces. “I keep telling myself it’s just another girl but there’s always another girl… It's exhausting.”

“Oh, Jan… no…” Jackie kneeled next to her and embraced her in a hug. “It’s not you.”

“I know that… it will never be me.”

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

She finally found her keys and got up.

“I’m sorry, Jackie. I’ve lost my appetite.” Her voice sounded weak, distant.

“No, wait… you don’t have to be alone right now.” Jackie hurried to stand up.

“I really… really… want to be alone.” She sobbed harder. “I don’t want you to see me like this.” She closed the door on Jackie’s face as soon as she got in.

“Jan!” Jackie knocked on the door. “Jan… please don’t do this. Jan, please… open the door.”

She tried for another five minutes but finally gave up. Jan wasn’t opening the door and the best Jackie could do was texting Rosé hoping the girl would come home earlier to take care of her.

It broke Jackie’s heart to see her like that, especially for a guy like Nathan, one that wasn’t worth the tears.

The following day, it surprised Jackie to find a text message from Jan early in the morning –earlier than any of her classes.

From Jan 🐻: Meet me at Lucky’s before class. It’s important.

Jackie jumped out of bed and rushed to get ready as soon as she read it, after a night of poor sleep she was waiting for that text message.

She walked straight to the diner and found her friend sitting on a table with her computer open and her pink-haired roommate sitting in front of her.

“Hey...” She approached the table.

“Jackie, you’re here!” Jan greeted with the same energetic tone she had –even that early in the morning. Although she looked hyped, the bags under her eyes told a different story.

“Uh… Are you okay?” Jackie asked before taking a seat next to her. She also eyed Rosé who just shrugged.

“Peachy.” She smiled. “Would you like a cup of coffee maybe? Waffles? Pancakes? French toast?”

“The waffles are really good.” Rosé pointed.

“Thanks… I’ll have some eggs maybe but… what’s going on? Yesterday…”

“Yesterday was yesterday and today is today.” Jan gestured with her hands. “I texted you because I have something super important to show you.” She pointed at her computer's screen.

That was it? They were going to pretend the Nathan incident hadn’t happened at all? Well, at least for Jan, that was the case.

“Alright… tell me.”

“So, I did some research and I believe it is possible to save the theatre if we gather enough evidence to prove it has historic importance for the city.” The page of the culture ministry was opened along with at least fifty different tabs on the subject.

“And how exactly are you going to do that?” Jackie raised an eyebrow.

“I was hoping you’d come with an idea since you know the place better than me. Maybe Sophie could tell us some story or we could do our own research.”

Jackie sighed. “I guess it could work but we’d need to invest hours on this and… are you sure you want to do it? I feel like you have a lot on your plate already.”

“Oh no, she devoured the pancakes the second the plate touched the table, trust me.” Rosé assured.

“I was hungry and I didn’t eat them right away, they drew a face with the blueberries so I took a picture and posted it on Instagram first.” She shook her head. “As I was saying, this is important for you, Jackie and I want to help.” She stared at her, hoping she would convince her with those arguments.

“Jan, I’m worried about you.”

“Don’t even try it.” Rosé mumbled. “I already did and she chose to ignore me categorically so I followed her here to make sure she didn’t jump from a bridge or something.”

“She’s also here to hit on my coworker so it’s really a win-win situation.”

They high-fived.

“That’s lovely… but we should talk about what happened last night…”

“There’s nothing to talk about,” Jan stated. “I’m fine.”

“Yeah, I don’t think…”

But Jackie was interrupted by Denali.

“Hi, how’s it going over here? Do you guys want something else?” She had her eyes fixed on her notebook.

“Can I get a cup of Americano and scrambled eggs?” Jackie asked. She needed some coffee to go through it.

“Right away. Do you girls would like something else? More coffee?”

“We’re good.” Jan smiled.

“Oh, Jan, I have your check over there if you want to collect it right now.”

“Thank you, Nali. I’ll be there in a second.”

Rosé cleared her throat. “I’ve been meaning to ask you…”

But it was like the cat had caught the pink-haired girl’s tongue.

“…if you can pour more coffee for me?”

“Sure.” She smiled politely but it was clear that Rosé was melting inside.

Once the waitress left, all the eyes were on Rosé.

“What? I got paralyzed. I can’t do it. I can’t. It is physically impossible for me to ask her out, my body reacts like that.”

“I believe, as science people and Twitter users have once referred to it, that's a case of gay panic. Have you tried in a different way?” Jackie asked before sipping some of Jan’s coffee. “What is this?” She winced.

“Decaffeinated.”

“Ugh…”

“Bitch, I have tried… I even left my number written on a $20 bill when I went to the bathroom earlier, hoping she’d see it but it’s like I’m invisible.”

“That’s not right. Denali loves to flirt and she’s single so I don’t see why she wouldn’t say yes. Oh, I know, you could invite her to the play's opening night.”

Jackie looked at the younger, Jan had dodged the conversation about her but there was no way her friend wasn’t going to dig into it later.

“Maybe I can pave the way for you… find out if she’s having a rough morning or something that affects her response.”

“Would you do that for me?” Rosé didn’t sound so sure about it.

“Of course, I have to pick up my check… my first check here.”

“Congratulations.” Jackie smiled at her.

“Thank you.” She then touched her roommate’s arm. “Leave it to me. I’ll be subtle.”

“Jan…” Before Rosé could say something, she was already heading toward the counter.

“Was it bad?” Jackie asked once the brunette left.

“Girl… You have no idea.” Rosé sighed.

“Thank you, Nali.” Jan held the check proudly in her hands.

“Is your name correct?”

“Yes, it’s perfect.”

“Remember you work tomorrow so have a moderate amount of fun with it and stay away from ice skates and acrylic nails hot sales… Huh… I guess that only applies to me.” Denali turned around.

“Denali… I was wondering…”

The raven-haired girl dropped a pile of napkins.

“Shit. Don’t tell anyone but I forgot to put my contacts on this morning and basically, I can’t see shit without these giant glasses.” She murmured before quickly putting a pair of dark frame glasses on. She grabbed the napkins and after typing something on the computer, took them off immediately.

“Oh… that explains a lot actually…”

“What do you mean?”

Subtle Jan, subtle.

“So my roommate likes you.”

Denali almost tripped. “Wait, what?”

“She’s been trying to ask you out for the past weeks but she feels like you’re ignoring her.”

Denali dragged Jan behind the counter with her and kneeled before putting the glasses back on.

“Which one is your roommate?” She whispered.

“The one with the pink hair that comes here often… is a regular. You can't ignore her she's like one of those anime main characters with the funky hair.”

“Oh my God, Fine Wine is your roommate?”

“What?”

“She’s always singing that Kylie Minogue song and I thought it was a joke since you guys call her Rosé but…”

“That’s her name.”

“Well, she is fine wine.” Denali pushed the glasses up the bridge of her nose. “Are you sure about this?”

“Yeah? She even left a $20 bill with her number as a tip for you?”

“That was her?! I thought it was one of the creepy guys from table six. Oh my God…” She grabbed the jar of tips and started searching for the bill.

“Bitch if I’m missing a single dollar from that jar I swear to God…” Kandy yelled from the other side of the diner.

“Shut up, I’m in the middle of something here…” Finally, she pulled out the bill with pink glitter ink.

“It says XOXO Rosé.”

“What part of «I’m not wearing glasses» you didn't catch?”

"Is that a yes, though?

Denali nodded. She removed the glasses and waved toward their table. “Hey Rosé, if you’re not busy tonight, I’ll call you!”

Rosé blushed instantly but she nodded with a smile on her face.

Jackie, behind her, just shook her head, acknowledging that the shenanigans of her friend had worked out once again.

#rpdr fanfiction #jan sport #jackie cox #jankie #rosnali #college au #lesbian au #slow burn #pretty in pearls #plastiquedoll #concrit welcome

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thecandywrites · 3 years

Text

Blood For Gold Part 10

Woop woop lets see how much we can burn now that the fire is lit. And may I introduce you to Audra’s brothers. From bottom left to right. Axalarize, aka Axal, Azaxie aka Zax, and last but not least Ocearian, aka Ren. Now lets get this party started. Also many thanks to @kriskukko for sharing that orc regency art and to @punkhorse96 for all your amazing feedback.

Blood For Gold

Part 10

The next day, it was decided that you all should take a flight. Now because the Raymond’s were royalty and could afford it, they had griffins and pegasus’ but because all the Voyambi’s had ever ridden were horses, that left the pegasus’ to the Voyambis and Jane and the griffins for the mouras. The Voyambi women were especially excited because while on horses on the ground, society dictated that they had to ride sidesaddle. But anything with wings, meant you had to ride astride and be strapped into the saddle, or fall off and die and luckily Bennie and Calla had extra riding suits and so did you so that all the Voyambi women, and Jane could ride the pegasus and thankfully their brothers also had extra riding outfits for the Voyambi gentlemen.

“Now remember, the higher up you go, the thinner the air is, when it gets hard to breathe, you pull the pegasus down so you can breathe easier and then once you catch your breath, you can pull up again, even if you’re by yourself, if you can’t breathe, pull down, I don’t want you passing out. We’re just flying around the palace. And remember these guys know where home is, even if you feel lost. They can fly home, I made sure to ask Mama Yalin to arrange for you to fly the safest pegasus she has.” You encouraged Jane as you helped her get into the saddle and tie her to it, making sure she felt safe and secure despite her nerves while her older, very tame pegasus was nearly half asleep simply standing there, even their wings were drooping.

Meanwhile Demsey could not take his eyes off of your rear in tight leather pants because flying suits were full body leather suits, lined with fur because of the cold temperatures of higher altitudes with special heels for the stirrups and your leather suit, despite being lined with the most luxurious fur, was still hugging your body like a second skin and showed off every physical asset you had in the most flattering, if not alluring light possible.

“If you stare at her arse any harder you’ll burn a hole through that leather.” Sierge warned Demsey from his spot on his own pegasus next to his brother since they had been strapped in as well, even though Sierge was guilty of the same thing with Bennie as he was tempted to just bite her plump and bountiful arse himself and had to actively keep swallowing his drool.

“Wouldn’t that be nice.” Demsey sighed dreamily which made Sierge snicker a laugh before Demsey seemed to remember himself and clear his throat awkwardly before he watched you finish up with Jane and check in with Callie and Amara as Bennie was helping Kiera herself before you went over to the griffin that Ramsey had gotten for you.

“This is Charlico, he’s a five year old stallion, one of the best in the barn besides Ma’ma’s Hecatarus.” Ramsey proudly announced as Charlico was decked out in a royal saddle with all kinds of accessories.

“Well hello there Charlico, aren’t you gorgeous.” You cooed to the massive griffin who was speckled and spackled with a calico’s colors, who lowered his head to get a good look at you before you reached out and let him sniff you before slowly petting up his beak then gently petting him over his head, bonding with him a little before the flight as he let you pet him.

“Do we have any itchy spots? Show me the itchies.” You invited to him, your voice almost sounding babyish but Charlico seemed to revel in your attentions as you dipped your fingers past his outer feathers to his skin and instinctively seemed to find the right spots as Demsey and Ramsey both seemed to watch on adoringly as Charlico practically became a big puppy before you, letting you scratch and rub wherever you wanted, especially under his chin and around it’s skull as he moved his head around like a swivvel so you could scratch the really itchy spots as Charlico’s eyes fluttered shut in bliss before you went around the saddle to make sure Charlico was comfortable wearing it and making sure none of his feathers or fur was ruffled before you took off the extra safety straps from the saddle.

“Why are you taking those off?” Ramsey asked nervously. Because his own Griffen was decked out in a matching saddle and straps and now he feared you wouldn't match, not unless your own flying skill exceeded his own.

“Because Charlico is uncomfortable with them. I ride with a illeaze saddle back home, so I don’t need these and I want Charlico’s first flight with me to be comfortable for him, well as comfortable as it can be for him anyway.” You answered as you went under Charlico only for him to peek down under himself to see what you were doing under him as you double checked the straps under him before giving him a good tummy rub while you were down there which Charlico really enjoyed before you went around his rear and started scratching around his tail which got him to start kicking his hind leg like a dog as you scratched even harder for a few moments before that particular itch had been sated before you pet down his tail and then back up his body as you kept cooing “good boy” to Charlico as you finished with him as Demsey noticed that Bennie and Calla were doing the same things to their griffins and mused it must have been a moura thing while Ramsey had never been more jealous of a griffin in his life because what he would give to be pet and scratched and cooed to and praised like that. He even paid his whores extra just for that but they didn’t do so genuinely so it wasn't satisfying.

“So what’s an illeaze saddle?” Demsey asked as he walked his pegasus, Alaphonse closer.

“It’s basically a bareback pad but for griffins, only very advanced riders should ever attempt at riding in one, it takes a ton of body strength and endurance to hang on. Because with you, you’re strapped in seven ways from Sunday, with illeaze, there’s only about three to five straps, usually just one clip, most illeaze riders have a gliding suit so they can slip off the griffin mid flight and soar and glide on their own before reuniting with their griffin again in the air.” Ramsey answered proudly before you reached your arms behind you and pulled out your own hidden, folding gliding wings that were disguised as furls on your suit.

“See?” You said as you twirled in place to show them off before you unhooked them and tucked them back behind you as Ramsey helped you get on Charlico and got a little too handsy when he was strapping you in which you barely tolerated as Demsey could clearly see you were not pleased that Ramsey was touching you and to him was more proof that you were not going to be willing in that match.

In fact it burned him up inside, he wanted to strip out of this suit and get off this pegasus and stomp over there and rip Ramsey’s arms off for touching you without your consent but he knew such a thing would be improper, not to mention uncivilized but that’s what his instincts were demanding of him anyway, and they were incredibly strong and almost overpowering his reason as his own pegasus seemed to snort and paw the ground, sensing Demsey’s quiet rage and only when Ramsey left to get on his own griffin did you finally unzip your coat to reveal your silk lined wool layer under the leather which was seductively low cut and the way it was cut and fit to you and with the moura bra and underwear undergarments you were wearing, gave you ample cleavage so as to give your sweating chest some air because you were burning up in this fur lined leather bodysuit in the late morning sun as the temperature slowly rose and Demsey almost fell off his pegasus watching you unzip your jacket and expose your glistening chest and it filled his mind with the most lurid thoughts of stripping you out of it and licking up that sweat with his tongue before his cock grew hard and snaked down his leg along the soft fur and hard leather of his flying suit and hard leather chapps and the leather brace to keep his pelvis practically glued to the saddle and thanks to the beginner saddle he was wearing, no one would know it but it still caused his cheeks to get almost impossibly dark green.

“Are we all ready?” Yalin asked from atop Hecatarus, herself decked out in the royal riding attire in bright red and gold as everyone else confirmed that they were ready.

“Then let’s go, pegasus’ riders, follow Gregori, griffin riders, follow me to the launch pad.” She invited before she turned and all of you followed her single file before she broke out into a run, causing all the mouras to giggle gleefully and the others closely following her so as not to be left behind before she ran down a short runway to a large spring board and her griffin pounced onto the spring board and leapt into the air as Demsey and his siblings watched in awed wonder as all of you followed suit, laughing as you all took to their air and started to climb as the pegasus’ began to trot, canter and then run, flapping their mighty wings to gain lift from a tall ramp, jumping off the end and gliding into the air. Jane and Demsey’s sisters giving a little yelp as they instinctively were ready for a diving, falling feeling but instead felt the pegasus’ gain lift and opened their eyes before laughing in delight that they were flying, their nerves and anxiousness leaving them with every beat of their pegasus’ mighty wings as they watched as the griffin riders began to do acrobatics, loops, and corkscrews and dives as you happily let go of Charlico’s reins and let him do as he pleased as he began showing off his special tricks that he had been taught for you as you let your arms stretch out like wings too and simply laughed and praised Charlico for his skills and tricks and Demsey had never seen any woman look as beautiful, and free and absolutely perfect as you- riding on the back of a griffin, only holding onto him via your legs but otherwise you were as free as any bird as he resolved that you should forever know and have such freedom and pleasure as he soon took a liking to this and got the hang of it before he could see shadows of other great flying creatures flying in, one was clearly a dragon while the others were griffins.

You looked up and nearly stopped breathing when you could have sworn you recognized Axal’s dragon Grevu. Grevu was a striking red and black dragon.

“Charlico, come on, we need to fly closer to them.” You urged your griffen before he obeyed and flew you closer as the whole party started flying faster towards you and from this distance you could hear faint yelling, almost sounding like your name as you also flew faster towards them and the closer you got the more you could swear that these riders were your brothers but you didn’t want to hope to dare to believe it, it was too good to be true but within shouting distance, you heard it, your name, being shouted by your brothers whose voices you could recognize anywhere and sure enough, that was clearly Axal’s dragon Grevu and your brother Axal riding him and Azaxie, riding his griffin Moonclaw, and your brother Ocearian, riding Mistwing and your own griffin, Heavencrest carrying a pack load but clearly enough room for you to ride her on her saddle and your squeal of delight at recognizing them was clearly heard as the others had followed you.

“Heavencrest, come here baby!” You called to her before your brother Axal let her lead go so she could fly to you as Charlico immediately seemed to like her as he started trying to show off to her, flying close to her and spinning in front of her, showing off his dexterity as you hung on and laughed. Every male griffin acted that way to Heavencrest because she was magnificent in color and build.

“Charlico, clasp paws with Heavencrest, I’m dismounting you and mounting her.” You told Charlico as you called Heavencrest to you and told her the same thing as the two then joined claws like eagles and began to dive, turning their wings into a light corkscrew as you eagerly untied and unhooked yourself from Charlico and climbed down his body and legs before climbing up Heavencrest’s legs to climb into her saddle while Demsey, who was honestly scared for you but still impressed by this daring do, dove beside you while Ramsey and Axal did the same.

“Show off!” Axal teased you before you flipped him off which got Axal to laugh as you climbed into the saddle and pulled in her reins and lead and told them both to let go as they did, mere minutes away from the surface before both took flight again. Charlico continuing to fly with Heavencrest as Demsey, Ramsey, Axal, Azaxie and Ocearian flew around you, all your brothers taking turns flying upside down over you to greet you.

“What are you doing here?!” You asked Axal as he was the first to do so.

“We were invited to come by your hosts, we couldn’t stay away.” Axal informed you before he finished the loop and flew next to you.

“Ah, I see,” you nodded. Under Ramsey’s order no doubt. He really was pulling out every stop for you, but you weren’t going to refuse such a precious gift, no matter who was giving it to you.

However it was in the air that Axal and Ramsey first got to lay eyes on each other and both seemed to stare in wonder at each other.

Axal was himself, rather ridiculously handsome and being pansexual, was attracted to most individuals, but Ramsey’s heart leapt for joy while his stomach lurched as they continued to stare at each other. Here he had avoided getting married because he had always wanted the happiness of his parents, but he could never find the perfect fit. Finally seeing you two years ago, he had felt an initial pull towards you and because of all the pressure his parents had put onto him to marry, he had excused himself from it saying that his perfect bride had already married another. When Edward had died not even a year later, his father had burst into his room and happily announced that in a year- you would be free to wed him and his perfect bride would be available yet again and the pressure was back on.

But at the same time, he had never felt such panic, immediately trying to ease the sensation by throwing himself into his vices and when he saw you at the Savoy, he knew it was now or never, and everything was coming to a head because if he did not secure you, he was done for, you were it, you were the last hope he had of saving himself. But seeing Axal, Ramsey immediately knew that marrying you was going to be a mistake, because as perfect as you seemed to be, he was forcing a connection with you and he could feel your hesitance and reluctance and while he could understand and sympathize with you, he didn’t feel he had much of a choice, it was either marry you or lose everything. But just one look at Axal and it was like lightning struck but in the most blissful way, there, surrounded by the heavenly clouds and crisp clean air, there was the perfect being, his match, riding the most kick ass dragon he had ever seen in his life and he couldn't help himself, he swooned. He already knew just in that instance that his family would not look kindly to it, would not accept this twist of fate.

Meanwhile Axal stared in awed wonder at Ramsey, feeling his heart and soul alight with joy. There on an amazing griffen, sat a handsome man, mature, striking, distinguished and best of all, royal. He could tell by his clothes and saddle, the classic red and gold while he was in the same exact shade of red and black himself, complimentary if he said so himself.

“Hi, what’s your name?” Axal asked as he flew next to Ramsey, upside down over him actually, a feat, especially while riding a dragon and a stunt for anyone.

“I’m Dauphin Ramsey Raymond, and you?” Ramsey asked back.

“Hi, what’s your name?” Ocearan asked Jane as he rode above her, also upside down, showing off his own skill as she gawked at him as she had never seen a man so handsome before.

“Axalarize Saharrazat, Divan of Kilan, Audravienne’s twin brother, but you can call me Axal, thank you so much for inviting us.” Axal answered. “Those are my brothers, Azaxie and Ocearan, Zax and Ren for short, the rest of my family is coming by train, we decided to come early by flight, obviously.” Axal pointed to his brothers who had somehow zeroed right in on Charlotte and Jane after saying hi to you then introducing themselves to Yalin and Gregori and saying hi to the others.

“Hi, what’s your name?” Ocearan asked Jane as he rode above her, also upside down, showing off his own skill as she gawked at him as she had never seen a man so handsome before.

“Countess Jane Morrigan, and you?” She called back.

“Ocearan Saharazat, Divan of Kilan, friends call me Ren, which you're welcome to too, it’s a pleasure to meet you- your grace.” He greeted before turning his griffen to ride side by side with her.

He did not have the same gold eyes you did, but his eyes were the very color of the ocean, she mused it must have inspired his name.

“How often do you fly?” He asked.

“Never, this is my first time,” Jane confessed.

“No! You’re a natural! You look like you were born to do it.” Ocearan insisted.

“Thank you but I’m quite scared actually, I feel at any moment I might fall off.” Jane admitted even though her legs were squeezing her pegasus so tightly, she worried she might break it’s ribs.

“Even if you did, I would catch you, you can count on that.” Ocearan insisted and Jane couldn’t help it, she giggled then laughed as her cheeks stained rose as she finally felt herself relax a little.

You were so overjoyed to be reunited with Heavencrest though, you weren’t paying a lick of attention to anyone else as you had her flying in a loop, unhooking yourself at the apex of the top, flipping in the air and then landing in the saddle again at the bottom of the loop, giving your body the work out of its life but laughing your ass off doing so while Demsey noticed that Axal and Ramsey were in conversation and distracted and chose to stay as close to you as he could, just watching as you did feat after feat with your griffin, while Charlico was doing feats as well in unison with Heavencrest as you seemed to flip from one griffin to the other in the air. It was like watching a fearless acrobat and you never looked so happy or so at home, it was like watching a night blooming flower finally open up, it was incredible.

But you looked over at Demsey and noticed he was gasping for breath before you latched onto Heavencrest.

“Demsey! We need to dive!” You hollered at him as all the happiness and joy that had overwhelmed you one moment vanished and was replaced with worry when you noticed how hard Demsey was gasping for air.

“What? Why?” Demsey asked, his voice failing as his eyes became a little bloodshot from the strain of his body for oxygen.

“Because you’re not breathing right and you’re about to pass out, we gotta dive, come on, fly with me,” you invited him as made a trill call to Charlico who soon flew to Demsey’s other side as Heavencrest and Charlico helped lead Alphonse down lower as steep as you dared with Demsey and just as Demsey heard and barely got a chance to register what you said- everything faded to black and he passed out and went limp on the saddle, but thanks to the saddle he was in, only his arms laid limp at his sides as his head lolled back and forth as you just shook your head, reached over and took the reins and had Charlico guide you back to the barn and it wasn’t until you landed and you were leading the pegasus back to the barn when he awoke and jolted awake and yelled.

“What the?!” He asked as he startled awake.

“Hey, welcome back to the land of the living.” You greeted over your shoulder as you led Alaphonse, your jacket open and hanging off the back of you, revealing only your silk lined wool under garment, with the sleeves rolled up, revealing your forearms as you led the pegasus, while Charlico and Heavencrest practically frollicked together in the landing strip, playing like cubs despite their saddles and loads.

“What...what happened?” Demsey asked.

“You stayed too high for too long, there’s less oxygen the higher in the air you go and you didn’t dive fast enough to the richer air and passed out. So I had Alaphonse fly you back while Heavencrest and Charlico flew on either side to make sure you would be ok. Thank the gods you were wearing a full saddle and fully strapped in.” You answered as you patted his strapped- in and chapp covered leg.

“I’m, I’m sorry.” He apologized running his hands down his face because as soon as you were done showing off your own skill, he was going to try to show off too but no, he passed out like a weakling, and cut the flight short for both of you. The opposite of his plans and intentions.

“For what? It happens all the time, I’m actually impressed you lasted that long in the first place, most only last a few minutes, you lasted almost an hour, that’s a very impressive feat, probably due to your orcish heritage, used to adapting to any and all climates.” You reassured him.

“Yeah but you’re grounded with me, you were happy and free up there and the last thing I wanted to do was pull you away, you could still go back up, really, I'm fine and recovered and can take Alaphonse back.” Demsey confessed and if there weren’t servants quickly walking over to you, you would be jumping up into that saddle with him and kiss the sweet man.

“Aww, thank you, I greatly appreciate the sentiment but do you have any idea how much energy and strength it takes to fly the way I do? A ton. And honestly, I’ve had my fill for today and I haven’t flown in about two years, it was the perfect reintroduction into it. And you gave me the perfect excuse to get away from Ramsey, thankfully he’s still distracted with Axal and actually I haven’t been able to spot them since Ramsey got off his own griffin and got on Grevu with Axal, they flew off to who knows where, Gregori and Yalin are at least flying with your parents, they’re over the trees on the other side of the palace.” You informed him before you looked over to see Heavencrest get mounted by Charlico.

“Ugh, really?” You asked rhetorically as Charlico was very vigorous in his mounting, crooning loudly.

“What are they…oh.” Demsey began to ask before he seemed to realize what was going on.

“They’re making cubs, but the problem is I probably can’t afford that stud fee.” You muttered as you just shook your head and kept on walking.

“You know you don’t have to keep walking me, I’m sure there’s more room on here, I could at least walk you over to Heavencrest so you can ride her back to the stables or just walk you back if you wish.” Demsey offered before you paused and gave him an appreciative glance over your shoulder.

“Sure.” You readily agreed as you put the reins back into his hands and then took his outstretched hand and nearly squealed in delight when he easily pulled you up to ride behind him in the saddle before you sat behind him, pressing your front up to his back after untying all the straps in back that tied him to the back of of the saddle so that your front and his back could be flush together before he quickly turned the pegasus and clicked his teeth to get it into a canter and was so happy to feel you hold onto him as you easily moved with him in the saddle as he went across the field to where Heavencrest was now splayed out in the grass with Charlico in a state of bliss next to her, covering her with his wing so their bodies were next to each other.

“Aww, I don’t have the heart to break that up. Heavy Baby,” you whistled before she lifted her head and looked over at you.

“Shield.” You instructed in maranai just as the other servants were once again coming closer before she and Charlico got up and put their wings up to shield you and Demsey from view.

“Go, run for the woods. Go, go, go!” You urged with a giggle before Demsey gladly kicked the pegasus into a run as it ran the two of you into the thick woods besides the landing strip and once you were well out of sight, Heavencrest and Charlico put their wings down and quickly ran away from the servants and took to the air before the servants could get a hold of them before the servants just gave up and returned to the stables as Alaphonse seemed to find and follow a little trail in the woods as your run soon slowed to a canter then a trot then a nice walk.

“Thank you,” you thanked Demsey appreciatively from behind his shoulder.

“For what?” Demsey asked turning his head to the side so he could try to see you over his shoulder.

“For doing this. I wasn’t sure you’d go for it honestly.” You answered.

“Why wouldn’t I?” Demsey found himself asking because he couldn’t fathom a reason why he wouldn’t want to do this with you. Honestly he was liable to agree to anything you suggested, also something about you just smelled heavenly, like soap, some kind of deodorant or perfume but your own personal scent was tantalizing in his nose and he was trying to turn his head off his shoulders trying to get a goof whiff of it. It was turning him on like nothing else had. It somehow smelled familiar and comforting yet thrilling and he couldn’t understand why.

“Because you’re a proper gentleman, and isn’t part of the English culture that a gentleman never be alone with a lady?” You asked.

“Well…yeah.” Demsey sighed tiredly as he seemed to remember that as he winced.

“Then thankfully we are under Dorierra’s rules where such a thing is perfectly allowed and accepted. Besides, I have the strongest conviction that my honor is perfectly safe in your presence, even when alone.” You reassured him.

“Good, because it is.” Demsey smiled proudly as he seemed to sit a little straighter and prouder and to feel you rest your head on his shoulder was just plain heavenly before they heard a bough breaking from a tree which made Alaphonse spook and bolt in one direction as the bough came crashing down right where you had been as you hung on to Demsey even tighter to stay on before Heavencrest and Charlico guiltily slinked down the trees, both of them making the ‘sorry’ noise that sounded like like husky whine.

“Really? Both of you on one branch?” You asked them as you noticed the two sets of claw marks in the wood as you slipped off Alaphonse and went digging in the cargo strapped to Heavencrest because if you had to spend another minute in this suit, you were going to melt into a puddle of sweat.

“What are you looking for?” Demsey asked as he began to get out of the riding jacket off at least, because even he was getting overheated.

“A different outfit. because even though we’re in the forest, it is a very warm spring day, we are going into summer and the heat even here is getting oppressive while wearing fur lined leather suits.” You answered before you found what you were looking for.

“Shield.” You commanded again before Charlico and Heavencrest laid down but put their wings up to shield you again so you could change in privacy.

“Oh my gods that feels so much better.” You crooned as you peeled off your leather suit and your wool underlayer and put on your brother’s pants and shirt before you slipped your boots back on.

“Shield down.” You told Heavencrest before she and Charlico both put their wings down just as you were stuffing your suit into where you had gotten your brother’s clothes after you got some other clothes from the same pack.

“Want to change too or melt in that?” You offered as you held out the change of clothes towards him.

“Will they fit?” He asked.

“You’re not that much bigger than my brothers, it’ll be fine.” You reassured him before he tried untying himself from the saddle before you put the clothes down and helped him untie himself as you got to all the ties he couldn’t reach on his legs and feet and even behind him, untying the thick waistband around his waist before he finally freed himself from the saddle and got off and took the chaps off his legs.

“What does that word “dire” mean?” He asked as walked over to where Heavencrest was laying on the ground before they put up their wings around him which made you laugh.

“It means “shield” in marinai, I was asking them to shield us with their wings, obviously.” You answered from behind the wall of feathers before you sat on the other side of Heavencrest and continued to look through her packs curiously before you found a metal canteen, thinking it was water and helped yourself before you coughed and sputtered when you realized it definitely wasn’t water before you whooped happily.

“What?” Demsey stuck his face through the feathers to look around to see you on your knees with a canteen.

“I thought this was full of water, it’s not, it’s liquor.” You answered as you held up the canteen.

“Want to try it? It’s good.” You offered it to him before he reached out a bare arm to take it from you and you could smell his body odor from his armpit and it both turned you on yet was a very comforting, if not familiar smell and you could not, in your head, understand why that was, but the gods be damned you were ready to pounce on him through Heavy’s wing as he took it and took a sip.

“Whoo! Yeah, that’s pretty strong, but yeah, it’s good, it’s sweet.” He answered before he handed it back and retreated to finish getting dressed.

“It’s spiced rum, flavored with liquors made with other tropical fruits.” You answered. “We call it rum punch, it’s very popular in Dorierra, it’s best when mixed with fresh juices from said tropical fruits,” you informed him.

“So what do I say when I want the shield to go down?” Demsey asked as he finished getting the clothes on, grateful that there seemed to be little ties to things so he could custom fit it how he wanted and needed it to.

“Dire lisafil.” You informed him.

“Dire lisafil.” He tried to repeat before Heavencrest and Charlico obeyed and let their wings down and folded them up before he stepped out of the way so Charlico could lay beside Heavencrest again before you and Demsey decided to sit at the trunk of a tree while Alaphonse continued to munch on the nearby foliage.

“So can I ask you a somewhat personal question if it means I have your confidence to keep your answer in my discretion?” You asked as you set the canteen down between you.

“Sure, anything.” Demsey invited.

“Why don’t you like Lady Whitesale?” You asked him.

“Oh that’s a loaded question.” Demsey chuckled before he grabbed the canteen and took another swig because it was the tastiest alcohol he had ever drank.

“Uh, well, for one, she’s disingenuous, she did her best to push a friendship my sisters but at the ball at Havenfield when we took up company with Calla and Bennie, she showed her true colors and snubbed us and alienated us from the other orc families in the court when we chose their company over hers. So she’s vindictive and spiteful whenever she’s not being two faced.” Demsey confessed as you nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, good job dodging a bullet with that one.” You offered which got Demsey to laugh.

“Thanks, I also agree with that sentiment and even if Bennie and Calla had not come I still would have never pursued her and she was only after me for my title anyway, she had nothing to her character that recommended her if I’m being honest and candid. Now can I ask you something kind of personal? But also know that I will keep your answer in confidence?” Demsey returned hopefully yet easily because talking to you was like talking with a dear friend and conversation came so naturally and flowed effortlessly.

“Go for it.” You invited, delighted he used your wording.

“Why don’t you like Ramsey?” He asked and you couldn’t help but laugh in turn.

“Also a loaded question, but for starters, he is very desperate to have me as a wife as soon as possible and I don’t know why and the harder he pushes the deeper I dig my heels in because I can’t fathom why a Dauphin, which is basically a prince, his age, with his status wasn’t married at least a decade ago and have kids already. Yalin told me a while ago, that he’s been a rake for most if not all of his youth and adulthood and he has had his own… I think the English term is benchmark or standard- is too high, he wants perfection in a mate who is both perfectly English and perfectly moura which I am neither because the two couldn’t be more different, which you’ll see over the next two weeks or so and he can’t find this perfect mate because she doesn’t exist, at least to my knowledge and she warned me to steer clear of him once she learned what I wanted and even warned me not to go to the places he frequents on the days he does just so that he wouldn’t try to snatch me up on sight because he has not one, two or even three mistresses, but five, one at the all the high end whorehouses and spends quite a bit of money paying for his illegitimate heirs, all eight of them, some the oldest ones are actually Jane’s age because he started using the whorehouses young with his father which, ew.” You shuddered and pretended to gag at the idea of going to a whorehouse with one of your parents.

“But somehow between her telling me that which was only a few weeks ago, because you remember that note you returned to me? I went to the Gold Finch and she was there and she was the most senior moura there and instantly she was like a mother hen and I flocked to her and we had a wonderful heart to heart and I told her about my situation and what I wanted, I wanted a marriage of the first order, a love match and she agreed and she even agreed to make me a list of suitors who would fit what I’m looking for because breed or station or title doesn’t matter to me, personality does, but she never did give me that list and now between then and the ball at Havenfield, something happened and she changed her tune and her attitude completely and now I don’t trust that what I’ve confided in her is no longer safe or strictly in her confidence. I don’t know if Ramsey somehow convinced her to change her mind or what but I can’t get her alone to talk about it with her. But now I trust her even less than I did. And now that my brothers are here, and Axal especially is here, tells me that either Bennie, or Calla but I’m betting Bennie because she was the second most valuable moura bride in the stables while I was there, because moura brides are given a particular number value, and then once I left, she’s been queen of the roost because now she’s the top bride so I’m guessing that it was her that told them to invite my family and for me, it’s not that hard to understand why they’re here.” You sighed tiredly as you took the canteen back and took another pull from it, welcoming the sweet burn that followed.

“Ok, you’re gonna have to explain the why to me because I don’t follow.” Demsey petitioned.

“Ok so, in Dorierra, every potential bride is given either the same or better education than any scholar or professor in the world. We are taught everything under the sun. And everything we are taught is put down into a document called a master resume, or simply master for short and the paper is a document that’s about this big.” You gestured with your hands to show how big the document would be and it would have been like a poster sized document.

“On one side it’s everything I’ve ever learned, who taught it to me, what I excelled in, what I was proficient in, on the other side it’s my lineage, my family tree tracing back at least a millenia and can usually be traced back to the beginning of the stables. Well Ramsey got a copy of that document. He referenced it at the ball no less than a dozen times. It’s a very expensive document to even get a copy of, most suitors don’t even get to see the master because the matchmakers- will cherry pick, like pick and choose which talents and items to create a report, to show that potential suitor based on the suitor’s culture and customs of what will best appeal to them. But the master does not show what that particular moura bride actually likes and enjoys, it gives us a personality type but that’s it. I was taught and raised to be a queen, an empress, a sultana, but do I want to be any of those things? No. I have no desire for it, no ambition or hunger for a political life because I have had more than enough intrigue in my life at Broadcove to last me at least five lifetimes. But Ramsey took one look at my master and thinks that it still applies, like it’s the gospel truth about me and it’s not, he has not made an effort at all to actually get to know me for me and he projects onto me and he won’t give me a chance to tell him otherwise.” You explained.

“He actually wants me to advise him on court life and how to gain more power and more standing in the house of lords and with the common man which I am very removed from both and the very mention of that left me running towards the bathroom to just escape him because my very soul revolted against such an idea and I can not begin to tell you how much I don’t want to do that for the rest of my life. Because as a queen and an empress, that’s a given, but as a sultana, no, if the sultan empires were still standing, I would be taken into a harem- which means a palace only for the women of the household, because once I would marry a sultan, I would then enter his harem full of women, his mother, his sisters, his brother’s mothers because sultans have a harem of wives and concubines and they have sex with all of them and have at least 50 to a hundred children if not more by at least two to six dozen wives and concubines. And once you enter that harem, the only way you leave it is by death. Now while harems are safe in that no other man except the Sultan and his family and eunuchs are allowed in the harem. It’s a fight for survival among the other women to gain the Sultan’s favor and keep it when you’re competing with all the other women and it’s all about alliances and once you have a son, getting your son on that throne and keep him alive long enough for that to happen because regicide and murder among brothers is very much a standard practice. And I can’t begin to tell you how much I would dislike even that life.” You explained as Demsey simply sat and listened attentively.

“And the thing is, I’m a very jealous, possessive person- at least in a romantic sense, which is actually rather odd considering my moura heritage but I digress. If I’m going to marry someone, I want all of them the way they can expect to have all of me, all of my loyalty and fidelity and love and devotion. One of the biggest reasons I agreed to marry Edward was because he had never had any mistresses and he only married me after his wife died, who he had been faithfully married to for most of his life had and he just wanted a kind, pretty pet to keep him company in his last years which I was happy to do. But it was under the agreement and understanding that when I survived him, I would be free, I wouldn’t have to return to the stables to do it all over again, be sold as a pet for some other old, rich guy, over and over and over again, there are some brides who have been through the stables eight times, each time they go through them their price goes up because they’ve had more and more “experience” in different courts and allies in every single one, they’re the ones who have brought in millions of pounds for the country because the bride price, that’s how the family makes their money and income and it’s the bride price that keeps the country going and it’s ridiculous because we are both oh so precious and rare- but still, just...cattle to the stable masters, and that’s why the moura contract is so protective because we’re meant to be resold and repackaged over and over again. Isn’t that pathetic?” You asked rather rhetorically.

“I finally have the freedom to marry who I want, who I find agreeable and attractive who might actually love me for me so I can do the same for them and I realize that I am not the same person I was when I left Dorierra two years ago. And I fear that now that Axal especially is here, that my brothers and family have been brought here to remind me of who I used to be and what I am, but at the same time- all of that isn’t enough for me anymore. “ You insisted.

“There’s no real, lasting happiness in that life because what are gowns and jewels compared to loyalty and fidelity, trust, equality, respect and confidence? And while the Dauphin is the most eligible bachelor in England and I could live in a palace, it would only be until Ramsey’s eyes wandered to someone else, someone younger and prettier and more accomplished who actually lives up to their master, with his heart following closely behind and then I would be stuck in a cage, a large, gilded one with a measure of security and comfort but one without warmth or love or trust or respect, and he’s wealthy enough to file for a divorce, and if he divorced me I would be ruined and penniless and shattered, I can’t live like that, he’s already too old and set in his ways and I can already tell I’m not the one to change any of that. I can’t stand a power imbalance or hypocrisy, because while Ramsey probably never would give up his lovers, the heavens forbid me from enjoying the same. And men like Ramsey who are obsessive are dangerous anyway.” You snarled.

“It starts as out innocently enough as not wanting me to dance with anyone but him, like at the ball, it was not lost on anyone because he didn’t even let me dance with you that night- that he wanted me and all of me all to himself and he even sent his sister to go with me to the bathroom, so that even there I couldn’t be free and I can almost guarantee you that if I were to marry him, I would almost immediately give up every male friend, I would have limited contact with my brothers and no contact with any male staff for fear that I would ever be led astray by another man. That’s how obsession turns into danger, because then that leads to me being secluded and alienated from anyone and everyone but him, making him my whole world which is again- very dangerous, especially emotionally. It’s the worst kind of trap.” You predicted as you tried not to cry as Demsey blinked in surprise as he suddenly realized that too.

“Yeah, I mean, don’t get me wrong, they’re my family and I love them almost immeasurably, and I have missed them dearly and I’m looking forward to seeing them again, but I’m not going to allow myself to be pushed around. Not anymore.” You insisted as you shook your head no adamantly.

“Men have freedom of movement in this society and you can wake up one day and decide to change your life and you can just do it, nothing but perhaps your own wealth would stop you. Women on the other hand, they’re treated like property, like chess pieces, it’s the same here as it is in Dorierra and while at least in Dorierra I would have a bit more control and a little more freedom, I would still be subject to a system, a cycle, that I can not change, the cycle’s goal is to groom young women into professional pawns for powerful men who care not if that pawn stands or falls with every move on the board and I know I deserve better than that but until I can find a match who agrees with that point point of view- I just get to suck it up and choose as carefully as I can and use all the wisdom and discernment at my disposal because I don’t...I don’t want Ramsey, I don’t like him, I’m not attracted to him, I gave him an inch by agreeing to be his friend and he’s taking a mile which I resent. If he would be honest with me as to why he’s so hell bent on taking me for a wife and treated me like an equal and an ally instead of a new broodmare he wants to buy to complete his stables, it might be different. And if he tries to use my own family against me to either guilt me or push me into marrying him I’m just gonna leave, sell everything I own or hell, pack it up and just go to the nearest moura mountain colony and live there, I now have Heavencrest, my beautiful means of escape if I want it and I have skill enough to keep a roof over my head if I need it. I know what it means to be alone and on my own, and I’m not afraid of it if it means my own freedom. But feeling so alone in a room full of people is one of the worst tortures. Everyone else be damned.” You insisted, so happy and relieved to get that off your chest.

“Oh,” Demsey murmured in realization as he couldn’t help but agree with every single point you made as he was half tempted to just get on Charlico and just fly you to the closest colony with you. He needed to rescue from Ramsey if it was the last thing he could do. He didn’t care if you didn’t chose him now, you just couldn’t be with Ramsey, that was like offering up a lamb to a wolf and you had been the sacrificial lamb to the Morrigans, never again.

“Then count me as a friend who will not let that happen to you either.” Demsey insisted as he knew immediately that he would no longer ever see or use Miss Audra Draft and he was at peace with that. He would wait for your friendship to grow into something more only if you wanted it but he was content to wait however long he had to for you. You deserved all of himself.

“I will if you will do me the same honor, I will also try to protect you from any other Lady Whitesales, no matter what other shapes or forms or names they may have.” You smiled as you shared a happy contented smile of understand and as much as you wanted to offer yourself up to him and crawl into that inviting lap but that was probably inappropriate as you simply found his hand with yours and held his hand comfortably and it was the most divine feeling, just sitting in the woods with someone who understood you and sympathized with you and who actually saw you for you and you felt seen and heard for the first time in your life, just then you heard Grevu give a sounding call before Heavencrest lifted her head off the ground and looked to you expectantly as you sighed in defeat, you had been found.

“Yeah, go ahead, answer it.” You begrudgingly said to her before you reluctantly let go of Demsey and got up and dusted your butt off and walked over to the saddle to put the canteen away before you got into the saddle as Demsey seemed to pick up on your cue and got back onto Alaphonse before the dragon came in through the hole in the canopy that Charlico and Heavencrest had created and landed rather gently onto the ground where Ramsey quickly got off and came over to you.

“So this is where you’ve taken my dear Audra, I almost had to call in the calvary to find you.” Ramsey insisted as he looked you over and immediately noticed you had changed clothes and you could see the worry in his eyes and on his features before he turned an accusing eye towards Demsey before you grabbed his face and had him return his attention to you.

“Actually I took him here to get us out of the sun and out of those fur lined leather suits, I was sweltering in the heat so I got into the packs that were on my griffin Heavencrest, and Heavy knows the shield command so the griffins made sure to shield both of us with their wings to give us privacy to change, so there was no breach in proprietary, I assure you. Besides, I would never dream to encroach or call into question the good duke’s honor, nor he mine.” You quickly and firmly insisted to Ramsey who seemed to accept that without any further compliment as relief washed over his features which made you smile in relief as well.

“And you would be right to do so, he’s one my most honest, trusted and honorable members of court.” Ramsey praised, since that obviously would please you.

“Which is quite the achievement in itself.” You praised with a pleased grin, prouder and brighter because of Ramsey’s praise on Demsey’s behalf as Axal looked from you to Demsey and caught on that something had definitely transpired and could already instantly tell that Ramsey was fighting a losing battle because Demsey was- clearly- your type.

“By the way I think I owe your family quite a bit of money. You see Charlico has already covered Heavencrest so I’ll need to pay his stud fee, however much that might be.” You informed Ramsey.

“Oh no need for that at all my dear Audra, I mean look at them, they’re a pair, obviously, it’s natures way.” He insisted.

“Are you sure?” You asked wearily and fearfully because if it wasn’t going to be a monetary fee, another fee would be expected and you were not willing to pay whatever that fee might be considering that fee might be your marraige hand.

“Absolutely. I’ll even arrange for Heavencrest was it? For her to stay in a double stall with him. I mean look at the pair of them, they’ll make the most beautiful offspring.” Ramsey insisted, happy that at least he had an in with Charlico. Griffins mated for life, this was a sign that Audra was for him that her griffin would want to mate with his and that their riders should follow suit, no matter how much he had already, instantly clicked and befriended Axal even though his soul was wanting so much more than friendship in that respect.

“Oh, um, ok.” You reluctantly agreed as you nodded but let your shoulders drop and simply went back to Heavy and got in her saddle again.

“Audra, get off Heavy and get on Grevu with me, it’s been too long since you’ve ridden him.” Axal immediately piped up and took off his belt that was clipped in with Grevu’s saddle and scooted back into the long saddle to make room for you as you smiled in appreciation and climbed up Grevu.

“Hi Grevu, I’ve missed you, you been a good boy? Huh?” You cooed as you pet his face as he moved his head closer to you before he put his nose behind your butt and nudged you up into the saddle as you giggled before Axal wrapped the belt around your waist before you clipped it in and turned Grevu around before he climbed up the trees and leapt up into the air.

“Why are you upset that Ramsey now has Heavencrest in a stall with Charilco?” Axal asked.

“Because now he has the power over my escape if I wish it. This was why I didn’t take Heavy with me to Broadcove because I knew Richard would do who knows what to her to keep me in line and keep me grounded. Now I fear Ramsey is going to do the same.” You answered back over your shoulder.

“Does Ramsey really remind you that much of Richard?” Axal asked in alarm.

“He’s been obsessive over me since he saw me in a restaurant only a few weeks ago. He refused to let me dance with any other man but him for the whole ball we attended just the other day and he even got a hold of my master and went behind my back to my dress shop and ordered dresses for me without my knowledge. He’s obsessive and controlling and dangerous.” You insisted to Axal as you flew Grevu around the palace as you watched Demsey and Ramsey fly out of the foliage and quickly fly over to the barn.

“So you don’t like him or want him.” Axal realized.

“Nope, but I can’t be rude, his parent’s are my hosts for me, Calla and Bennie for the next six weeks.” You answered.

“I see, so if I was attracted to him, you’d be cool with me going after him.” Axal began.

“If he’s your type, go for it, by all means, he’s all yours, please take him off my back and my hands, but if you could also find out why he’s so obsessed with me, that would be much appreciated.” You invited before you had Grevu land on the runway and trot over to the barn.

“Considerate done, I’ll even try to get you Charlico.” Axal offered.

“You can try all you want, I don’t think the Dauphin is the giving type.” You warned him evenly.

“But what about that gorgeous green fellow you were with on the other hand?” Axal asked.

“He’s a close friend and he’s a good man, if you try to tempt him away from me, I’ll slit your throat myself.” You warned which got Axal to laugh.

“Still territorial I see.” Axal teased.

“Yup, that will never change about me.” You confirmed proudly.

“Good, I’m glad to hear it, stick to your guns.” He praised before he helped you off Grevu.

“Make sure this one eats especially well.” You urged the servants who warily came and got the dragon and began to taking him over to a cart so that the things packed on him would be unloaded and brought into the palace as the dragon simply stood still and let them

“So you and Ramsey hit it off that quickly huh?” You asked Axal as you walked over to Heavy to reconnect with her while another double stall was made ready for her since her pack had already been undone and brought to the same cart of things as you checked her over, making sure she was still in pristine shape as you scratched all her favorite spots between her colorful plumage as she ruffled her feathers so you could get to everything.

“What’s going on in here?” Yalin asked as she walked her own griffin back into the stables.

“This is Heavencrest, she’s Audra’s griffin and Charlico matched with her and even covered her already, isn’t that wonderful mother?” Ramsey reported and even you could hear his nervousness.

“If that isn’t acceptable, I can always try to pay for Charlico’s stud fee, or offer you a cub if she ends up taking it.” You offered.

“No, no, not at all, it’s natures way! They were clearly meant for each other, that’s wonderful. Of course they should always be together from now on. Really if you wish to keep Heavencrest stabled here you’re more than welcome to or we can always loan Charlico out if you wish to keep her at the little stable that Mirador has until other arrangements can be made.” Yalin insisted with a proud and meaningful look to her son as you simply just shook your head and hugged Heavencrest who practically laid down and enveloped you and made a purring sound.

“Why is it making that sound?” Demsey whispered to Axal as they both resigned themselves to lean against the wall and watch the scene unfold.

“The same reason cat’s purr, to comfort.” Axal murmured back.

“I’m Axalarize by the way, Audra’s twin brother.” Axal introduced himself.

“Demsey Voyambi.” Demsey said as the two shook hands.

“Stay with her will you,” Axal urged Demsey as he pushed off the wall and decided to “turn on” his charm to Yalin and Ramsey.

“So again, a thousand thanks for extending the invitation to us your excellency.” Axal greeted with a flourishing bow.

“Oh stop that, you can call me Mama Yalin, I understand you go by Axal? Like a cart axel?” She asked.

“Axal is short for my full name Axalarize Dilathia Saharrazat Divan of Kilan of Dorierra. Which is a mouthful I understand, so simply Axal, those are again my brothers, Ocearian Amythius Saharrazat, and my other brother Azaxie Adosius Saharrazat. The rest of the family is coming by train and will be here the day after tomorrow. We decided to leave immediately after your conversation with us via messengerari yesterday morning, as soon as we could get packed actually.” Axal explained as you sat inside Heavy’s embrace and were ready to start a fight with Bennie for going behind your back because other than Calla, no one else would have your own parents exact messengerari number because their brothers were too absorbed with flirting with the Voyambi sisters and Calla you didn’t think would do such a thing as going behind your back without at least running it by you first.

“So bring it in Mama Yalin.” He invited as he gave Yalin a great big hug, so show me all the wonderful things about your Palace of Windsor, because when you said a palace, you meant a palace!” He insisted as he put Ramsey under one arm and Yalin under the other and walked them out of the barn towards the house before Demsey dared to sit down on the floor next to Heavy and gently pet her and get as close to you as he could.

“What’s wrong?” He murmured quietly.

“You know how I was telling you about how obsession can lead to danger?” You said as you lifted your face out of Heavy’s colorful feathers and smoothed them and let your head rest over them you wiped away your tears.

“If Heavy’s here with Charlico and if they’re going to be a mated pair and if they won’t let me pay for Charlico’s stud fee or agree to the other term which is offering one of the cubs. But since they won’t accept that, they’re going to probably use Heavy as leverage to really get what they want. I didn’t bring Heavy with me to Broadcove because I knew Richard would hurt her or abuse her the way he tried to with me when I wouldn’t cooperate with him and I would rather he be a thousand miles away but safe. And I don’t want to be rude but this whole situation just gives me anxiety. And leaving it open ended like “other arrangements” fries my nerves and what I don’t want anyone to think is just because Heavy and Charlie over there have immediately bonded that their chosen riders should too, I’ll load Heavy up right now and leave under the cover of night tonight if that is what they’re thinking.” You vowed.

“Can I have your permission to help or try to intervene in any way?” Demsey asked hopefully.

“Like if push comes to shove, I will happily help you load up everything and create a diversion if I have to, I would prefer you stay but if you feel that strongly, you should listen to your instincts.” Demsey advised before you reached down and grabbed his hand and brought it to your lips and kissed the back of his hand sweetly.

“Thanks.” You thanked him.

“I’m sure it’s just...I’m sure I’m just overreacting to the abuse I suffered at Broadcove, the Raymonds may be perfectly innocent and I may just be imputing bad motives. But I would rather not wait until it was too late to find out either way.” You admitted before Demsey got an idea.

“How about this, when you get a chance to go back to your room tonight, pack up like you would be leaving for the closest colony tonight. Only put everything into like a trunk if you can. Then come and get me and I’ll get it and put it in my room and you just say the word, and I’ll help you escape and they will think nothing of me dragging a trunk down to the stables and getting Heavy ready for you and then just leave me a list of instructions or even leave a note that you want Amara or Callie or whichever of my sisters you prefer to get everything you have that way it can all be brought to Whydahh and I’ll ship it to wherever you end up. I’ll even personally bring it all to you if you’d let me.” Demsey offered sincerely.

“I think you’re the first real friend I’ve made outside of Dorierra.” You confessed.

“Deal.” You readily agreed before you finally couldn’t wait anymore and crawled into his lap and just hugged him tightly..

“Thank you Demsey.” You thanked him as he held you tightly, wishing he had the courage to just admit his feelings for you already and admit to everything. But you obviously needed time and a more gradual approach to romance.

“The first of hopefully many many more to come.” Demsey reassured you.

“It’ll be ok, someway, somehow, it’ll be ok.” Demsey assured you as he gently rubbed your back the way he would his little sisters while comforting them and even though he tried to make this as platonic as possible, his heart, mind and soul were begging and pleading for more while his own hope soard that he had a much bigger, fighting chance for your heart than ever before. This wasn’t a hopeless fight that he had no hope of winning. This was basically every knight in shining armor fighting the evil king for the princess locked in a high tower fantasy he had ever read as a child coming to fruition. He was going to prove to you through his actions that his feelings for you were genuine and even if you didn’t choose him, you would be free. And your freedom is all that mattered.

#Blood For Gold #Blood For Gold Part 10 #wooo gay panic ftw #Did anyone else catch on?#I tried to be subtle.#But yes #gay #it's about to get so gay #up in here #regency era orc period drama #regency orcs #orcs #orc love story #moura

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flirting-with-psychology · 3 years

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1. I own a ferret. 2. My best friend is my boyfriend 3. My best friend is a girl 4. I use the word super way too much 5. I am a boy 6. I like My Chemical Romance 7. I own more than 100 CDs 8. I like discussing politics 9. I collect state quarters 10. The Legend of Zelda is my favorite video game. 11. I have Cingular 12. I love MAC makeup 13. I smoke too much 14. I own more than 5 bandanas 15. My favorite movie is Kill Bill 16. I watched Lamb Chop when I was young 17. I have my ears gauged 18. I can do HTML without guidance 19. I watch Spongebob Squarepants regularly. 20. I go to the movies at least once a week 21. I play guitar or bass 22. I love Elvis 23. I’ve had a mo/bi/trihawk before 24. I have met my favorite band 25. I like to hardcore dance 26. Something’s outside my window 27. I believe in ghosts 28. I do drugs regularly 29. I am straightedge 30. My favorite feature about myself is my lips 31. I have never consumed alcohol 32. I want a tattoo. 33. My favorite actor is Will Ferrell. 34. I have seen Conan O'Brien live. 35. I hate MTV 36. I used to watch Cheaters every week 37. I have my own vaccuum 38. Frank Sinatra is awesome 39. I sleep with a stuffed animal 40. I am scared of werewolves 41. I watch hockey regularly 42. I am originally from New York 43. I own an iPod 44. Some people aren’t funny. 45. I hate school. 46. My favorite vegetable is lettuce. 47. Tickle fights are fun. 48. I am currently unemployed. 49. I have my license 50. I hate spelling mistakes 51. I love Spanish class 52. I live in a big city 53. I have been to the Grand Canyon 54. I listen to music to fall asleep 55. I watch TV to fall asleep 56. I only get a few hours of sleep each night 57. I’m relatively innocent. 58. I am a size 3 or smaller 59. I’m bored. 60. Purple is my favorite color. 61. I hate flossing 62. I have a car. 63. I believe in God 64. I’m in love. 65. I used to love Unwritten Law. 66. Reno 911 is my favorite show. 67. There is a mini stapler on my computer desk. 68. Cuddling’s my favorite. 69. For sure. 70. I have a flip phone 71. I love my handwriting 72. I own a Louis Vuitton handbag 73. I want to be an astronaut. 74. I love the song Dragostea Din Tei 75. 50 Cent is not talented 76. I like scanners better than digital cameras. 77. I own at least one Punk-O-Rama CD 78. My room is sound proof. 79. I’m 5'5 or less 80. Lying pisses me off 81. I backstab people. 82. I have been in a fist fight. 83. I have PaintShop Pro. 84. It’s almost midnight 85. My nightlight is cracked 86. I only listen to Dashboard Confessional when I’m sad 87. And I feel like a pansy when I do so 88. I hate metal 89. I’m in a band. 90. Napoleon Dynamite is annoying now. 91. I love hickeys 92. I want to lose weight 93. My favorite channel is the Food Network. 94. I don’t have a CD burner. 95. Pixar is stupid except for the Incredibles 96. I own an apartment/house 97. I am engaged. 98. My computer’s a Gateway. 99. I hate driving. 100. I like watching boys sleep. =========================== 01. I miss someone right now 02. I don’t watch much TV these days 03. I love olives 04. I love sleeping 05. I own lots of books 06. I wear glasses or contact lenses 07. I love to play video games 08. I’ve tried marijuana 09. I’ve watched porn movies 10. I have been in a threesome 11. I have been the psycho-ex in a past relationship 12. I believe honesty is usually the best policy 13. I have acne free skin usually 14. I like and respect Al Sharpton 15. I curse frequently 16. I have changed a lot mentally over the last year 17. I have a hobby 18. I’ve been told I can suck the chromes off a trailer hitch. 19. I carry my knife/razor everywhere with me 20. I’m smart 21. I’ve never broken someone’s bones 22. I have a secret that I am ashamed to reveal 23. I hate the rain 24. I’m paranoid at times 25. I would get plastic surgery if it were 100% safe, free of cost, and scars. 26. I need money right now! 27. I love Sushi 28. I talk really, really fast sometimes 29. I have fresh breath in the morning 30. I have semi-long hair 31. I have lost money in Las Vegas 32. I have at least one brother and/or one sister 33. I was born in a country outside of the U.S. 34. I shave my legs 35. I have a twin 36. I have worn fake hair/fingernails/eyelashes in the past 37. I couldn’t survive without Caller I.D. 38. I like the way that I look sometimes 39. I have lied to a good friend in the last 6 months 40. I know how to do cornrows 41. I am usually pessimistic 42. I have a lot of mood swings 43. I think prostitution should be legalized 44. I think Britney Spears is hot 45. I have cheated on a significant other in the past 46. I have a hidden talent 47. I’m always hyper no matter how much sugar I have. 48. I think that I’m popular 49. I am currently single 50. I have kissed someone of the same sex 51. I enjoy talking on the phone 52. I practically live in sweatpants or PJ pants 53. I love to shop. 54. I would rather shop than eat 55. I would classify myself as ghetto. 56. I’m bourgie and have worn a sweater tied around my shoulders 57. I’m obsessed with my Livejournal 58. I don’t hate anyone. 59. I’m a pretty good dancer 60. I don’t think Mike Tyson raped Desiree Washington 61. I’m completely embarrassed to be seen with my mother 62. I have a cell phone 63. I believe in God/ a higher being. 64. I watch MTV/Vh1 on a daily basis 65. I have passed out drunk in the past 6 months 66. I love drama. 67. I have never been in a real romantic relationship before 68. I’ve rejected someone before 69. I currently have a crush on someone 70. I have no idea what I want to do for the rest of my life 71. I want to have children in the future 72. I have changed a diaper before 73. I’ve called the cops on a friend before 74. I bite my nails 75. I am a member of the Tom Green fan club 76. I’m not allergic to anything 77. I have a lot to learn 78. I have dated someone at least 10 years older or younger 79. I plan on seeing Ice Cube’s newest “Friday” movie 80. I am sometimes shy around the opposite sex 81. I’m online 24/7, even as an away message 82. I have at least 5 away messages saved 83. I have tried alcohol or drugs before 84. I have made a move on a friend’s significant other in the past 85. I own the “South Park” movie 86. I have avoided assignments at work/school to be on Xanga or Livejournal 87. When I was a kid I played “the birds and the bees” with a neighbor or chum 88. I enjoy some country music 90. I think that Pizza Hut has the best pizza 91. I watch soap operas whenever I can 92. I’m obsessive, anal retentive, and often a perfectionist 93. I have used my sexuality to advance my career 94. I love Michael Jackson, scandals and all 95. I know all the words to Slick Rick’s “Children’s Story” 96. Halloween is awesome because you get free candy 97. I watch Spongebob Squarepants and I like it 98. I have dated a close friend’s ex 99. I’m happy as of this moment 100. I was born in the 80s but I am truly a child of the 90s 101. I have slapped john dasaro and chris burke in the face..on the same night 102. I haven’t showered in two days… and I like it. 103. i own every f***er here 104. I procrastinate all the time 105. I’m a nerd 106. I LOVE the movie The Wedding Singer. 107. i hate corn. 108. i’ve attended the rocky horror picture show 109. i’ve never seen Bambi the movie 110. Thinking about the future terrifies me 111. Without music there would be no point in living. 112. If I could change one thing about myself I would 113. If someone of the same sex liked me, I would date them. 114. I went to the mall today for 5 hours ================================ Would do Have Done

001. Bought everyone in the pub a drink 002. Swam with wild dolphins 003. Climbed a mountain *004. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive 005. Been inside the Great Pyramid 006. Held a tarantula. *007. Taken a candlelit bath with someone 008. Said ‘I love you’ and meant it. 009. Hugged a tree *010. Done a striptease 011. Bungee jumped *012. Visited Paris 013. Watched a lightning storm at sea *014. Stayed up all night long, and watch the sun rise several times *015. Seen the Northern Lights 016. Gone to a huge sports game 017. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa *018. Grown and eaten your own vegetables *019. Touched an iceberg *020. Slept under the stars 021. Changed a baby’s diaper 022. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon *023. Watched a meteor shower *024. Gotten drunk on champagne *025. Given more than you can afford to charity 026. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope 027. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment 028. Had a food fight 029. Bet on a winning horse 030. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill 031. Asked out a stranger 032. Had a snowball fight 033. Photocopied your bottom on the office photocopier 034. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can 035. Held a lamb 036. Organized and planned a surprise party for a loved one *037. Taken a midnight skinny dip 038. Taken an ice cold bath 039. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar 040. Seen a total eclipse 041. Ridden a roller coaster 042. Hit a home run 043. Fit three weeks miraculously into three days 044. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking *045. Adopted an accent for an entire day 046. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors 047. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment *048. Had two hard drives for your computer *049. Visited all 50 states 050. Loved your job for all accounts *051. Taken care of someone who was really sick *052. Had enough money to be truly satisfied 053. Had amazing friends 054. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country *055. Watched wild whales 056. Stolen a sign 057. Backpacked in Europe *058. Taken a road-trip 059. Rock climbing 060. Lied to foreign government’s official in that country to avoid notice *061. Midnight walk on the beach 062. Sky diving *063. Visited Ireland 064. Been heartbroken longer then you were actually in love 065. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them *066. Visited Japan 067. Bench pressed your own weight 068. Milked a cow 069. Alphabetized your records 070. Pretended to be a superhero 071. Sung karaoke 072. Lounged around in bed all day 073. Protested something you feel strongly against 074. Scuba diving *075. Got it on to “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye 076. Kissed in the rain 077. Played in the mud 078. Played in the rain *079. Gone to a drive-in theater 080. Done something you should regret, but don’t regret *081. Visited the Great Wall of China 082. Discovered that someone who’s not supposed to have known about your blog has discovered your blog 083. Dropped Windows in favor of something better 084. Started a business 085. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken 086. Toured ancient sites 087. Taken a martial arts class 088. Swordfought for the honor of a woman 089. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight *090. Gotten married 091. Been in a movie 092. Crashed a party 093. Loved someone you shouldn’t have *094. Kissed someone so passionately it made them dizzy 095. Gotten divorced 096. Started an office war 097. Gone without food for 5 days 098. Made cookies from scratch 099. Won first prize in a costume contest 100. Ridden a gondola in Venice 101. Gotten a tattoo 102. Found that the texture of some materials can turn you on 103. Rafted the Snake River 104. Been on television news programs as an “expert" 105. Got flowers for no reason 106. Made out in a public place 107. Got so drunk you don’t remember anything 108. Been addicted to some form of illegal drug 109. Performed on stage 110. Been to Las Vegas 111. Recorded music 112. Eaten shark *113. Drank an entire 6 pack by yourself *114. Gone to Thailand 115. Seen Siouxsie *116. Bought a house 117. Been in a combat zone 118. Buried one/both of your parents 119. Shaved all of your hair off *120. Been on a cruise ship 121. Spoken more than one language fluently 122. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone 123. Bounced a check 124. Performed in theatre 125. Read - and understood - your credit report *126. Raised children 127. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy *128. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour *129. Created and named your own constellation of stars 130. Taken a bicycle tour in a foreign country 131. Found out something significant that your ancestors did 132. Called or written your Congress person 133. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over 135. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge 136. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking 137. Had an abortion 138. Had plastic surgery 139. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived 140. Wrote articles for a large publication 141. Lost over 100 pounds 142. Held someone while they were having a flashback 143. Piloted an airplane 144. Petted a stingray 145. Broken someone’s heart 146. Helped an animal give birth 147. Been fired or laid off from a job 148. Won money on a TV game show 149. Broken a bone 150. Killed a human being *151. Gone on an African photo safari 152. Ridden a motorcycle 153. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100mph 154. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced 155. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol 156. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild 157. Ridden a horse 158. Had major surgery 159. Ridden on a passenger train 160. Had a snake as a pet 161. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon 162. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing 163. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours 164. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states *165. Visited all 7 continents 166. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days 167. Eaten kangaroo meat 168. Fallen in love at an ancient Mayan burial ground 169. Been a sperm or egg donor 170. Eaten sushi 171. Had your picture in the newspaper 172. Had 2 (or more) healthy romantic relationships for over a year in your lifetime *173. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about 174. Gotten someone fired for their actions 175. Gone back to school 176. Parasailed 177. Changed your name 178. Petted a cockroach 179. Eaten fried green tomatoes 180. Read The Iliad 181. Selected one "important” author who you missed in school, and read 182. Dined in a restaurant and stolen silverware, plates, cups because your apartment needed them 183. …and gotten 86'ed from the restaurant because you did it so many times, they figured out it was you 184. Taught yourself an art from scratch 185. Killed and prepared an animal for eating 186. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt *187. Skipped all your school reunions 188. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language 189. Been elected to public office 190. Written your own computer language 191. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream 192. Had to put someone you love into hospice care 193. Built your own PC from parts 194. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you 195. Had a booth at a street fair 196: Dyed your hair blue 197: Been a DJ 198: Found out someone was going to dump you via LiveJournal 199: Written your own role playing game 200: Been arrested ====================== 1. I have self-mutilated before. 2. I still love the song Dragostea Din Tei 3. I used to like New Kids on the Block 4. The 80s was funny. 5. I have realtones enabled on my cellular phone. 6. Public bathrooms scare me 7. I have keys on my belt 8. I’m not wearing a belt 9. I hate writing 10. I hate reading 1. I love compilation CDs 12. My favorite teachers have all been guys 13. I think Bad Religion’s only been around for ten or so years 14. I don’t know who Bad Religion is. 15. I don’t wear my hood unless it’s raining 16. I enjoy smaller clubs rather than big ones 17. I’ve put a song on repeat for more than 8 hours 18. I have sound on my computer 19. Someone wants my hiney. 20. My mom loves Elvis 21. I have my own computer 22. I live on the east coast 23. My favorite animal is a kangaroo 24. I’m on vacation 25. I don’t own a pair of ripped jeans 26. I am very insecure somewhat 27. I love to dance 28. I curse way too much. 29. I choose the pansy way and star out my curse words (f*ck) 30. I feel dumb because I was just called a pansy 31. I have a flatscreen computer 32. I collect something. 33. I’m married 34. I won’t date someone who’s smaller than me smaller, as in also shorter? 35. Brass knuckles are the shit. 36. I own a hand puppet 37. I write with blue pens 38. I wear eye makeup almost every day 39. I wish I lived somewhere other than here 40. I don’t own a band shirt. Not yet anyway.. 41. I love techno. 42. I have my nipples pierced 43. I’m shitty at wrapping presents 44. I know someone in the KKK 45. I’m racist/anti-semitist. 46. I don’t know what those mean. 47. I love life most of the time 48. I have posters all over my room 49. I’ve never been a camera whore with someone.. And I want to. 50. I’m halfway done 51. I wish I lived in the 80s 52. I know what the term borgie means 53. I’m interested in social hierarchy. 54. I love music videos. 55. I have a DVD player 56. I’m drunk right now 57. I’m listening to music 58. I have a big screen TV 59. I have an STD 60. I know the singer of the Clash’s name 61. The only IM program I have is AIM 62. I skateboard regularly 63. I live on the north side of town 64. I have been to Alaska 65. I’ve worn a cowboy hat 66. I watch late night infomercials for retarded, unnecessary things 67. I LOVE DOING THE DEATH GROWL TO MY FAVORITE METAL SONGS. 68. That last question was dumb. 69. I know what the word “peligroso” means in English 70. I speak another language fluently 71. I’ve been in a limo 72. I own a bong 73. My lungs hurt 74. I know someone who’s committed suicide 75. I’ve got a six pack and I don’t need you! 76. I know what band sung the above line 77. I like strong boys. 78. I’m sick right now 79. I know someone who’s currently enlisted in the army 80. I do not own a color phone 81. My birthday is in September 82. I hate mall cops 83. I hate most cops in general 84. I’m wearing blush 85. I live in an apartment 86. I’m still in high school. 87. I own something from Victoria’s Secret 88. I don’t know a boy that wears girls pants 89. I’ve had the same best friend since I was 8. 90. Brownies are my favorite 91. So is cake 92. I’ve heard the song “Looks Good in Leather” 93. I own some sort of propaganda, fake or real 94. I deny the Holocaust happened 95. Kisses are my favorite sign of affection 96. I need to charge my phone 97. My purse could pass for a suitcase 98. I take birth control 99. I only buy what’s fashionable

1. I love bolding 2. I know someone named Mimi 3. I hate my old best friend 4. My favorite alcoholic drink is Jack n Coke 5. I have a digital camera 6. I’m talking to at least one person online 7. I like watching college basketball 8. I have never moved. 9. I have at least one cat 10. I have at least one dog 11. I’m going to see a movie tonight maybe 12. I make my own AIM icons 13. I’m in pain 14. I watch more than five shows a day 15. I love the Cure 16. My parents like some of the same music I do 17. I have never been to the dentist 18. I listen to the radio 19. I do my own laundry 20. I’ve made at least one article of clothing 21. I have/want something on my face pierced 22. I go to at least one concert a week 23. I’ve written a story 24. I’ve dyed my hair every color of the rainbow 25. I own a Grand Theft Auto game 26. My favorite pattern is camoflauge 27. I know someone who does/did cocaine 28. I have too many game systems 29. I love scary movies 30. I hate scary movies 31. I’ve had sex more than 5 times 32. My favorite chips are Lays Original 33. I think butter is unhealthy 34. I hate the Osbournes 35. I used to have dreadlocks 36. I need to take medicine for something 37. I suffer from insomnia 38. I speak ebonics 39. I’ve gambled 40. And won 41. I have at least one gay friend 42. I like going to pet stores 43. I own a dog toy 44. And I don’t have a dog 45. I own more than ten candles 46. I’ve smoked a cigarette in the shower before 47. I’ve flunked a class 48. I listen to music every day 49. I have more than one nickname 50. I wear pajamas when I feel like it 51. I’m wearing more than one jewelry item 52. I haven’t washed my hair in a week 53. I watch the Grammy’s every year 54. Along with the Macy’s Parade 55. My favorite season is winter 56. I have seen the All American Rejects live 57. And I’ve enjoyed it. 58. Boobs are nothing special 59. I go swimming at least once a week in summer. 60. I have a pool. 61. I’ve gone skinnydipping 62. I’ve played strip poker 63. And lost 64. I want a nautical star tattoo 65. My cell phone turns off when it’s charging 66. And it pisses me off 67. I used to buy my entire wardrobe from Hot Topic 68. I’ve been to albinoblacksheep.com 69. My favorite subject is History 70. And/or math 71. I am a republican 72. I am a democrat 73. I listen to the Used occasionally 74. I have been to the Warped Tour 75. I am part Mexican 76. I am part German 77. All of my grandparents are still alive. 79. I love bowling 80. I know that there is a South Park, Colorado 81. I love Dairy Queen 82. Sometimes I think I’m crazy 83. I own a Moffatts CD 84. I own a Backstreet Boys CD 85. I want plastic surgery 86. Operation, operation, snip and tie, snip and tie 87. I know what song that line is from 88. I have killed something [bugs!] 89. I’ve never had a Nokia cell phone 90. I’m never sarcastic 91. Light eyes turn me on 92. I have never been to a foreign country 93. I don’t eat enough 94. I own illegal weaponry 95. I know someone who has overdosed on something 96. And lived to tell about it 97. I don’t own a pair of mittens 98. I love the heat 99. I’ve never had a steady boyfriend/gf 100. I want to makeout.

#survey

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plush-anon · 4 years

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after many hours spent pausing the show bc good lord why did they do that, i have now finished Love Never Dies

annnnnd yikes 😬😬😬

I’ll start with the few positives I did enjoy from the recorded Australian production on Youtube:

1.) the camera work. This is the kind of thing I dream of for professionally recorded shows - it really allows for some lovely close-up shots of how the emotions play over their faces, it’s lush

2.) the costumes are well-crafted, and I desperately Want the Phantom’s long-ass swooshy trenchcoat cape thing he wore for the first half-hour

3.) the sets used throughout this are honestly very impressively used and put together for some really fantastic shots

4.) the opening, with ‘Til’ I Hear You Sing Once More’. This song is honestly very lovely, and really articulates the Phantom’s loss and heartache for Christine. It’s sung very earnestly, and had the rest of the show been more like this I might have liked it more.

5.) the Fucking Song, ‘Beneath a Moonless Sky’, is a guilty pleasure. It’s so over the top, and it is only about recounting that One Time they totally banged yo, and I love it. I think it’s the orchestration, but it’s also enjoyably silly even while it takes itself 100% serious.

6.) As much as I hate to say this? ‘Devil Take the Hindmost’. While I hate the gist of the song - that being Raoul and Erik betting on who Christine will choose, and pretty much deciding for her who will get to be her one true love forever, completely negating the entire point of the OF musical where her choice was the most important factor for all of them - the pacing and the lyrics as they dance around each other are absolutely fantastic. It’s kind of sad to say, but Raoul and the Phantom, in this scene alone, display more chemistry in their singing than they do with anyone else. Let the hatefcuking commence~

7.) Some parts of ‘The Beauty Underneath’ I enjoy, particularly the ending scene where the Phantom is trying to talk Meg down. It’s very slow, melodic, and shows his more manipulative side, as well as how he can crawl into someone’s head, I love it.

8.) This very interesting visual with a mirror in Christine’s dressing room. There are two separate scenes where someone is in the mirror singing. The first is the Phantom, between Raoul and Christine. The second is Raoul between the Phantom and Christine. It’s honestly a nice touch.

9.) The main three are excellent singers.

Unfortunately, that’s all on the list of what I liked. Everything else is a Giant Fcuking Mess.

1.) The Phantom is no longer a complex, messed-up, but still somewhat sympathetic character, no; this is just a giant asshole who takes everyone for granted and barely realizes that anyone else exists except Christine, and even then only really as his personal instrument.

He never actually apologizes to Christine for the shit he’s put her through and continues to put her through, but still demands obedience and forgiveness and understanding. It completely negates the entire point of POTO’s ending, where he actually realizes he’s done wrong by her and his actions pertaining her, and lets her go from his world entirely, and RESPECTING HER CHOICES AND LEAVING HER ALONE.

Not to mention This Bitch also threatens to kidnap/possible “lose” her child if she doesn’t sing for him, keeps pushing her around and telling her what to do, and manipulating her life to change her decisions for her.

AND HE’S FRAMED AS THE BETTER OPTION HERE

2.) Which reminds of me of the next big asshat: Raoul de Chagny, who has now become an alcoholic gambler who pushes his wife to do things she’s not comfortable doing to repay his debts, neglects his son entirely, and also is abrasive and controlling of Christine, to the point he yanks her back and forth on doing shit. Play this role! We should leave bc he was an asshole! No now we should leave bc Phantom is back! No take the role he’s paying triple! I’ll make a bet on whether she loves me to pay my debts! No wait you should quit ten minutes before you go on-stage bc I don’t want to lose you! MAKE UP YOUR GODDAMN MIND YOU MISERABLE PISSANT SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP

Like I can understand being overprotective to a certain degree, which could eventually morph into being controlling. But neglecting your son, your wife, drinking and gambling your fortune away? ALL of that?!? Really???

Shouldn’t he be desperate to keep his wife and son close to him at all times after the events of POTO? Never leave, never go anywhere, only do what’s safe? You COULD have set this up as a continuation of Safety versus Freedom with Raoul and the Phantom, show the good and bad of both and have her choose from there. Show the dichotomies and hypocrisies of both men’s standards.

But nope! We’re just totes gonna make the husband like this for no goddamn reason, especially since Raoul doesn’t start suspecting that Gustave (his son) isn’t really his until Devil Take the Hindmost. He’s just that much of an idiot!

3.) The presence of Madame Giry and Meg Giry. Oh gods, where to even begin? They’re pretty much only here so that Sir Andy doesn’t have to make new characters with different backstories and motivations and introduce them accordingly. Nope! Now both women are blaming Christine for leaving the Phantom Man-Baby, and talking about everything they sacrificed to help him make his stupid-ass circus, and talking about how they love him and GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH Madame Giry in the POTO musical YOU LED RAOUL DIRECTLY TO THE PHANTOM’S LAIR SO HE COULD RESCUE CHRISTINE WHY ARE YOU COMPLAINING ABOUT HOW SHE BETRAYED HIM

And, oh, Meg... she reaaaaaaaaaaaaally got the short end of the stick here. I just... poor dear, she was horribly treated in this.

Neither of them deserved to be like this, honestly.

4.) Christine, to a lesser extent. Experienced Literal Character Assassination, forced to choose between two horrible options, stripped of her agency entirely, used as a bet in a game between said two horrible options, lied to and dragged around constantly, should have taken Gustave and run off with Meg to run a music store together. Fcuk you Sir Andy, for using POTO characters to act out your bitterness and frustration at your ex.

5.) The entirety of the whole Boardwalk Circus schtick, spawning an additional Fuck You to Frederick Forsythe, who thought this was a tenable option for the story to progress.

6.) The Phantom’s deformity was literally just four lines drawn onto his face with crayon and some smeared lipstick:

what even the fcuk, you couldn’t make the make-up crayon drawing more detailed??? take more than ten minutes to draw it on???

I never thought I would say this, but even the 2004 film’s depiction was better than this! At least that one partially drew from a real medical condition, Sturge-Weber Syndrome. What the fcuk is your excuse LND?!?

7.) The Lyrics. Oh gods, the lyrics. Some songs were decent, mostly the ones I listed up top. But the rest? Did someone forget to give the writer a more advanced/creative guide to rhyming lyrics? I wrote better shit in middle school than Glenn Slater did for the majority of these lyrics.

Glenn my dude, what the fcuk is this nonsense? You’ve written good shit like the Tangled songs and stuff for Galavant! Why are you writing worse than an angst-ridden middle schooler? It is immensely frustrating, to say the least.

8.) The really WEIRD direction in acting. No one here acts like they know how to move their arms or hands naturally; there’s a lot of really odd and unnecessary gesturing that makes it look like everyone has just had their limbs replaced with faulty robotic arms. There’s also a lot of leaning the characters do, with their arms perfectly straight by their side and it just looks wrong.

9.) The Phantom’s pseudonym is Mr. Y. No, they never explain why it is he chose that particular moniker.

10.) Bathing Beauty. Just... all of it, here, tied to POTO, present and here.

11.) It’s been exactly 10 years since Christine saw/banged the Phantom, and her son is precisely 10 years old.

That’s... not how pregnancy works. At all.

12.) This weird scene with the American press, where they are absolutely obsessed with Christine, despite the facts they present, such as:

- She hasn’t performed in 10 years anywhere.

- She was a French performer, and

- She only starred in three operas at the Populaire (Hannibal, Il Muto, and Don Juan Triumphant, which wasn’t even finished. So technically 2.2 operas that we know of).

Why, precisely, would American reporters be so obsessed with her upon hearing she’s coming? I could see some interest given the whole shebang with the Phantom, but after 10 years of radio silence, would she really garner an entire crowd of reporters and photographers... in America, no less?

France I could definitely see. America? Not so much.

13.) Gustave is a flat, generic kid character, who apparently is totes the Phantom’s son because... he can play the piano well. And also has the same ideas of music as the Phantom, despite never being taught about them, or discussed such things with his mother.

Is musical talent only inherited through the father’s side of the family in this universe? I mean, we never learn about Christine’s mother, just her famous violinist father. Otherwise, why is it Gustave’s musical talent isn’t attributed to - oh, I don’t know - HIS FAMOUS OPERA SINGER MOTHER?!?

14.) Apparently the Phantom is also now the one who invented cars OH I MEAN “horseless carriages” 🙄 A carriage with no engine and a “ghost horse” appears, and everyone is just fcuking stunned by this, like they’ve never seen a vehicle move without a horse before. In 1907. 22 years after the first functional automobile was invented. Ugh.

15.) seriously tho who thought basing a sequel on the Frederick Forsythe novel was a good idea why did nobody think to stop him apart from Sir Andy’s pet cat Otto. why.

16) The Phantom’s interactions with Gustave are distinctly creepy and unsettling. I keep getting pedo vibes from him and I Do Not Like It.

17.) The death scene at the end is so goddamn over-the-top and out of nowhere I just want to throw something, ugh

18.) And finally, my last gripe with this mess: This takes place in 1907, and declares that it’s ten years after the original musical. Despite the fact that the OG took place in 1885. Yippy skippy. 😑

I can honestly say I am Not a Fan of this musical as a whole, mostly based on the plot and the character assassinations (one quite literal) and the poor lyrics. I can admire the camera work, the basic singing ability, the scenery and costumes, and maybe two or three songs. But I just do not enjoy it. It took me two days to finish watching it because I kept cringing from what shit kept happening, and had to walk around and listen to other shit to get it out of my head.

HOWEVER: People do enjoy this one on the sake of it being so bad and over-the-top, and I can honestly see the whys. It helps that most of the cast can sing, and the orchestration is done well. There’s a TON of stupid to mock, and a lot of over-the-top awkwardness to laugh at. This is a good one to watch and mock with friends, IMO.

For those of you who do enjoy it, I’m afraid I have to disagree on most of it. Still, it is nice being able to watch this one for free, even if it is a giant hot mess.

And that’s all for me on this one! Have a good week guys!

#plush reviews: final thoughts #lnd #love never dies #poto #musicals #this was an ordeal and a half i tells ya

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yeet-or-be-hawed · 5 years

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Conversations Between Travelers #10

Arthur smiled brightly and couldn’t hold back his excited whoops and hollers as he watched you maneuver your horse. Every day for weeks now Arthur has been bringing you to the same field and teaching you to ride. He swore you were a natural, he felt quite proud as he watched you zoom across the field and shout commands loudly and confidently. He had been taking extra jobs outside of camp and saving up since the first lesson and after watching your effortless handling he decided today was the day. He let out a short high pitched whistle and you slacked the reins. His horse trotted over quickly, eager for a treat.

“How am I doin’?” You asked as you slid off the horse effortlessly. Your time with the gang was slowly affecting your speech pattern. Arthur noticed, it made him feel warm.

“Yer doin’ great,” He said as he fed the mare an apple. “I think it’s time you stopped bummin’ my horse and got your own.”

Your eyes lit up, “You think so?”

Arthur was not prepared for that beaming smile, he tipped his hat to cover his cheeks. “Yeah, I believe so. Let’s get Delilah back to camp, I think she’s ridden all she can today. We’ll take Sampson into Valentine.”

You crossed your arms. “You named your horses Samson and Delilah?”

He scuffed as he mounted. “Yeah, what about it?”

“I dunno,” Arthur offered you a hand and you pushed it away as You effortlessly pulled yourself up. “You don’t seem like the romantic type.”

Arthur flicked the reins as you looped your arms tightly around his waist. He didn’t know how to respond, but it also still made him the slightest bit brain dead when you touched him. Touching seemed so carefree to you, it was so puzzling to him. When you rested against his back he inhaled sharply. It wasn’t the first time you had done this, you actually do it every time the two of you ride together but it still always shocks him. He tries not to feel special, you’re touchy with everyone. He found it so strange, something he felt was very intimate was something you felt was natural and platonic. He’ll never forget the night you leaned your head against Dutch’s shoulder while him and Arthur played chess. Dutch turned bright red and froze, you noticed nothing of it as you watched the game, you were lucky Molly was MIA.

It didn’t take long to return to Horseshoe Overlook, you dismounted before Arthur had the chance to offer his assistance. “I’m grabbin’ my money I’ll be right back!” You called.

Arthur smirked and rolled his eyes, did you really think he was gonna let you pay for your horse? Then again, he didn’t pay for any of the other girls’ horses. He shook his head and pushed that thought from his mind.

It didn’t take long for him to get Samson saddled up and ready to go. He was brushing the big Shire’s coat when he heard you call from behind him, “All set, let’s head out!”

He smiled, you sounded excited to go with him and that thought alone made butterflies swell inside him. When he turned, his smile turned into a frown. Walking fairly close beside you carrying his saddle was Javier. “I told Javier we were going into town and he said he needed to pick up a few things from the store so he’s coming with.” You said as the two of you approached the hitching posts. “Great.” Arthur tried to hide the sarcasm in his voice.

You eyed the big horse, “I hate to admit it, but I might need your help on this one Arthur.”

He couldn’t help but feel smug as he took your hand and gingerly helped you up. He started to mount and you put a hand on his. “Arthur?”

He was halfway up his horse and he froze. You gaze him a shy smile. “Can I ride up front this time?”

He blinked. “Sure.”

You beamed and moved up on the saddle and Arthur pulled himself up behind you. He loosely looped his arms around your waist to grab the reins and you leaned back against him. Your head rested perfectly under his chin. “Is this okay?” You asked.

Arthur was thankful you couldn’t see his face, he hadn’t been this flustered in years. “Sure.” He said shakily.

Javier cleared his throat and Arthur turned to see him saddled up and ready to go beside him. He turned away quickly hoping Javier didn’t see the pink tint on his cheeks. “Let’s go!” He shouted and dug in his spurs.

The ride was quiet, Arthur was too busy trying to keep his focus on the road. It’s usually not something he has to focus on, but he also usually rode alone.

Javier made a clicking sound and his horse responded by pulling up to ride beside the big Shire. “Y\N?”

“Yes Javier?”

“This ride is awful quiet, can you sing me a love song, mi amor?” He tilted his head towards you and gave you a charismatic grin. Arthur’s grip on the reins tightened and he had to control his lip from curling up.

You rolled your eyes. “I don’t sing love songs, my dear.” Arthur’s eyebrows almost went up to his hairline. This flirting was starting to wear him thin and knowing Javier, this was just the beginning.

“And why is that?” Javier asked.

You shrugged. “Maybe I do sing love songs, but do they really have meaning when you aren’t in love?”

“To sing, of course.” He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

You rolled your eyes, “There are plenty of songs to sing that aren’t about love, or at least there were where I was from.”

Javier huffed, “I’m starting to question where exactly it is that you’re from.”

You gave him a sly smile, “I guess you’ll have to keep questioning then.”

Javier began to speak, but Arthur cut him off. His patience with Javier was ice thin and even though he wouldn’t admit it, he hated how easily Javier was holding conversation with you. “We’re just about there. Javier, you ride ahead and grab the supplies.”

When he started to argue, Arthur’s tone turned harsh, “I said go!”

Javier gave Arthur a slanted look you couldn’t read before whipping the reins and darting ahead. You could see the small buildings on the horizon, it was the same town Arthur took you to the night he found you. As the two of you passed the livestock, Arthur took the path to the left, opposite of Javier. The town stunk like manure just like you remembered, but it was much livelier this afternoon. Arthur tipped his hat to passing travelers as he rode up to the stable and hitched Sampson. He wasn’t sure if it was Javier’s flirting or just a sudden rush of confidence, but this time when helping you off the big horse, he gently took you by the waist and pulled you down.

Arthur’s hands felt huge on your waist and for those few seconds he held you in his arms had you seeing stars. The muscles under his skin were hard and tight, the image of Arthur lugging hay bales across camp like they were nothing passed through your mind. The next image in mind was his hands around your bare waist. You couldn’t help the tinge of disappointment as your feet hit the ground and his arms disappeared.

He cleared his throat and extended an elbow to you, which you looped your arm through happily. “You ready?”

You gave him a big smile and nodded enthusiastically. It made his heart swell, and as they entered the stable arm in arm, Arthur’s ego swelled as well-Javier had met his eye from the store as they entered.

“Welcome, welcome! How can I help you folks today?” The stable hand greeted.

“I think it’s time the lady get a horse of her own.” Arthur announced.

The stable hand chuckled, “well Miss, you’ve come to the right place. Come on over and I’ll introduce ya.”

The burly man headed towards the back of the stable, as you took one step, your arm remained looped with Arthur’s and you looked up at him. He read the look perfectly, you wanted him to come with, you wanted to stay looped with him. As the big man took you past each stall, talking in depth about each breed, how they ride, and what he suggested, you nodded along eager to learn. Arthur was busy trying to figure out why you were still clung so tightly to him. You were competent enough to know what the man was telling you, you certainly didn’t need him for that. Maybe you were uncomfortable with the big stable hand? That didn’t seem likely, you had warmed up to him immediately talking and laughing. Something small reined in Arthur’s thoughts- your thumb was lightly tracing patterns on his arm. It was nothing really, just a small motion of affection but it left hot trails across his arm. Arthur tried to focus intently on what the man was saying.

You frowned at the last horse in the stables, Sure they were all fine horses but none of them really seemed to really grab you.

“We got one more, just got him in yesterday. He’s out back if you want to give him a look over.”

You nodded politely, “yes please!”

He opened the back barn doors and led the two of you out to a small fenced in area near the back of the stable. When you saw the handsome steed, you knew right away.

The stable hand pulled out an apple and fed it to the horse. “This here is your standard thoroughbred with a Brintle coat. A good strong, fast horse. It’s the damnedest thing really, we don’t have a clue where he came from, just wandered into town.”

When Arthur felt your grip on his arm loosen, he looked down at you. Your gaze was stuck on the beautiful stallion in front of you. When you put a cautious hand on his nose, Arthur saw the sparkle in your eye and knew right away you had found your horse.

“Can she give him a test ride?” Arthur asked.

“Of course! I’ll go grab a saddle, I’ll be right back.”

Arthur nodded to the man and when he turned to you, your face had dropped. “What’s wrong?” He asked.

“Nothing,” You said as you stroked the horse’s neck. “I just, I don’t think I can afford this kind of horse. Even the Kentucky Saddler back there was out of my price range, there’s no way I can afford this guy.”

Arthur put a hand on your shoulder, “don’t you worry about that. We’ll let you ride him and see how you feel, then we can make a decision.”

His eyes were soft and he had a soft smile on his lips, but you didn’t feel much better. The uneasy feeling didn’t go away as you watched the stable hand prepare the horse and help you mount. You held the reins in your hands uneasily and turned to Arthur. He gave you a smile and a nod and you sighed. Just one ride. And you shot off through the field.

Arthur watched you proudly as you took the horse through the fields behind the stable. The burly man beside him cleared his throat. “Now that horse is a fine horse, finer than what you would usually find in a run down town like this. That horse is my priciest one.”

Arthur didn’t even look at the man, his eyes were stuck on you. He gave him a dismissive wave, “money ain’t an issue. Go ahead and get a nice saddle out for her, I’ll be right behind ya to pay.”

The man nodded and headed back inside. He didn’t want to ask how this dirty looking man had the money for all this, but the bandolier across his chest and firearms strapped to his back, shoulder, and hips told the man he shouldn’t ask.

This horse was perfect and it left you feeling very bittersweet. How like you to fall in love with a horse you couldn’t afford. Arthur’s high pitched whistle pulled you from your thoughts. When you looked up, he was waving you down. You sighed, you never wanted to leave this horse but you couldn’t get too attached. As you rode up to Arthur, he didn’t even give you a chance to pull the horse to a complete stop before jumping on behind you.

“Lead ‘em on back in the stable, we’ll get him a new saddle and he’ll be ready to go.” Arthur’s big arms were around your waist again and it made you feel lightheaded.

You began to protest, “but Arthur it's too-“

“Aww hush, don’t you worry bout that, the horse is already taken care of. All you gotta do is pay for the saddle.”

“Arthur I-I don’t know what to say.”

After the two of you dismounted his hand found the small of your back and his eyes darted to yours, you answered his question by leaning into his hand. It would be a slow process getting used to this whole casual touching thing, but Arthur thought he could grow to enjoy it. “You don’t gotta say nothin’. Let’s get inside and get you a horse.”

#conversations between travelers #arthur morgan x reader #arthur morgan #red dead redemption 2 #rdr2 #van der linde gang #rdr2 fanfic #multipart fic

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pastelbatfandoms · 4 years

Text

The things you have already done in bold, the things you would like to do in italics

What do you want to do/did already?

01. Bought everyone in the pub a drink

02. Swam with wild dolphins

03. Climbed a mountain

04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive

05. Been inside the Great Pyramid

06. Held a tarantula

07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone

08. Said ‘I love you’ and meant it

09. Hugged a tree

10. Done a striptease

11. Bungee jumped

12. Visited Paris

13. Watched a lightning storm at sea

14. Stayed up all night long, and watch the sun rise

15. Seen the Northern Lights

16. Gone to a huge sports game

17. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa

18. Grown and eaten your own vegetables

19. Touched an iceberg

20. Slept under the stars

21. Changed a baby’s diaper

22. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon

23. Watched a meteor shower

24. Gotten drunk on champagne

25. Given more than you can afford to charity

26. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope

27. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment

28. Had a food fight

29. Bet on a winning horse

30. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill

31. Asked out a stranger

32. Had a snowball fight

33. Photocopied your bottom on the office photocopier

34. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can

35. Held a lamb

36. Enacted a favorite fantasy

37. Taken a midnight skinny dip

38. Taken an ice cold bath

39. Had a meaningful conversation with a beggar

40. Seen a total eclipse

41. Ridden a roller coaster

42. Hit a home run

43. Fit three weeks miraculously into three days

44. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking

45. Adopted an accent for an entire day

46. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors

47. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment

48. Had two hard drives for your computer

49. Visited all 50 states

50. Loved your job for all accounts

51. Taken care of someone who was shit faced

52. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

53. Had amazing friends

54. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country

55. Watched wild whales

56. Stolen a sign

57. Backpacked in Europe

58. Taken a road-trip

59. Rock climbing

60. Lied to foreign government’s official in that country to avoid notice

61. Midnight walk on the beach

62. Sky diving

63. Visited Ireland

64. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love

65. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them

66. Visited Japan

67. Benchpressed your own weight

68. Milked a cow

69. Alphabetized your records

70. Pretended to be a superhero

71. Sung karaoke

72. Lounged around in bed all day

73. Posed nude in front of strangers

74. Scuba diving

75. Got it on to “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye

76. Kissed in the rain

77. Played in the mud

78. Played in the rain

79. Gone to a drive-in theater

80. Done something you should regret, but don’t regret it

81. Visited the Great Wall of China

82. Discovered that someone who’s not supposed to have known about your blog has discovered your blog

83. Dropped Windows in favor of something better

84. Started a business

85. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken

86. Toured ancient sites

87. Taken a martial arts class

88. Swordfought for the honor of a woman

89. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight

90. Gotten married

91. Been in a movie

92. Crashed a party

93. Loved someone you shouldn’t have

94. Kissed someone so passionately it made them dizzy

95. Gotten divorced

96. Had sex at the office

97. Gone without food for 5 days

98. Made cookies from scratch

99. Won first prize in a costume contest

100. Ridden a gondola in Venice

101. Gotten a tattoo

102. Found that the texture of some materials can turn you on

103. Rafted the Snake River

104. Been on television news programs as an “expert”

105. Got flowers for no reason

106. Masturbated in a public place

107. Got so drunk you don’t remember anything

108. Been addicted to some form of illegal drug

109. Performed on stage

110. Been to Las Vegas

111. Recorded music

112. Eaten shark

113. Had a one-night stand

114. Gone to Thailand

115. Seen Siouxsie live

116. Bought a house

117. Been in a combat zone

118. Buried one/both of your parents

119. Shaved or waxed your pubic hair off

120. Been on a cruise ship

121. Spoken more than one language fluently

122. Gotten into a fight while attempting to defend someone (verbal, not physical)

123. Bounced a check

124. Performed in Rocky Horror

125. Read – and understood – your credit report

126. Raised children

127. Recently bought and played with a favorite childhood toy

128. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour

129. Created and named your own constellation of stars

130. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country

131. Found out something significant that your ancestors did

132. Called or written your Congress person

133. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over

134. …more than once?

135. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge

136. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking

137. Had an abortion or your female partner did

138. Had plastic surgery

139. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived.

140. Wrote articles for a large publication

141. Lost over 100 pounds

142. Held someone while they were having a flashback

143. Piloted an airplane

144. Petted a stingray

145. Broken someone’s heart

146. Helped an animal give birth

147. Been fired or laid off from a job

148. Won money on a T.V. game show

149. Broken a bone

150. Killed a human being

151. Gone on an African photo safari

152. Ridden a motorcycle

153. Driven any land vehicle at a speed of greater than 100mph

154. Had a body part of yours below the neck pierced

155. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol

156. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild

157. Ridden a horse

158. Had major surgery

159. Had sex on a moving train

160. Had a snake as a pet

161. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon

162. Slept through an entire flight: takeoff, flight, and landing

163. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours

164. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states

165. Visited all 7 continents

166. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days

167. Eaten kangaroo meat

168. Fallen in love at an ancient Mayan burial ground (what?)

169. Been a sperm or egg donor

170. Eaten sushi

171. Had your picture in the newspaper

172. Had 2 (or more) healthy romantic relationships for over a year in your lifetime (would prefer just one, but yeah would like one to last)

173. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about

174. Gotten someone fired for their actions

175. Gone back to school (to finish college, only made one semester)

176. Parasailed

177. Changed your name

178. Petted a cockroach

179. Eaten fried green tomatoes

180. Read The Iliad

181. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read

182. Dined in a restaurant and stolen silverware, plates, cups because your apartment needed them

183. …and gotten 86′ed from the restaurant because you did it so many times, they figured out it was you

184. Taught yourself an art from scratch

185. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

186. Apologized to someone years after inflicting the hurt

187. Skipped all your school reunions (honestly don’t plan on going)

188. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language

189. Been elected to public office

190. Written your own computer language

191. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream

192. Had to put someone you love into hospice care

193. Built your own PC from parts

194. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you

195. Had a booth at a street fair

196: Dyed your hair

197: Been a DJ

198: Found out someone was going to dump you via LiveJournal

199: Written your own role playing game

200: Been arrested

#bolding survey #Dos and wants #do and donts

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sooghostwriter · 4 years

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Only on the Weekends - Preview

Exclusive preview of my next story that’s going increeeedibly sloooooow. So have patience.

But here, a small preview.

Thank you @thedeviousdo for the help!!! You are the sun.

- Summer -

A friend told her once that it was as good as sex. Clearly, she was wrong, because there was no comparison. One was clearly better than the other.

All the negativity of focusing on how bad the situation was, ended up screwing her one on one experience with mother nature. She could barely see the back of the hiker in front of her, and the path was quite slippery due to the last rain. After a short break, she took one step with her right leg, stepping in a small piece of wood. A cylindric piece of wood that suddenly decided to act like a roller skate. She tried to hold herself with the trekking pole, but she didn’t have the skill to do so. The pole reached for thin air as her right leg slid down the slope. Her left leg followed suit, and as if she was in a water park, her body slid down the slope. There was no three to stop her fall, only grass and tiny rocks that hurt her elbows and hands. She shouted for help, hoping that her group could hear her, and kept trying to hold onto something, but it was useless.

The fall was short, but hurtful, to her body and her ego.

She checked her body, especially her arms and legs, and although there was some pain, her bones were intact. The fabric of her pants had survived also, so the skin of her legs was fine. Her arms were another story. Since it was summer, she went for a t-shirt, so her elbows got the worst part. She stood very carefully and not without some difficulty. Her body still wobbly from the fall.

Going back to the path was impossible, it was a pretty decent slope and pretty slippery from the rain.

The only option was to walk down the slope, just a few steps, she tried to convince herself. She could see another pathway there. Not the one they used, but a track, nonetheless. She was in pain, but bearable. She held to the pole and stuck it in the loose soil, hoping that it would help her. And it did for the first 10 steps. She was very close to reach the path when, this time, her left foot slid to the front, taking her to the floor. This was the second time the land turned into a slide, and she was the five-year-old screaming on her way down.

This time the landing wasn’t very bad. She didn’t fight the fall this time, keeping her arms up and just letting it happen. Her elbows didn’t need more exfoliating for the day.

She was now seated in the damp floor, muddy legs and scratched elbows. Two deep breaths helped her keep the frustrated crying inside. She could cry later, now she needed to find her way back to the group. She checked her phone. No signal and almost no battery. So now she had a very expensive brick in her hands.

It was hard to keep it cool when you were pretty much lost in the mountains. Doing 100 squats a day did not help her find which way was north and south, or how to find water “Is everything alright?” The sound of a male voice in the middle of the forest just added to this terrible experience “You need help?” She turned around slowly, jolting at the sight of a horse, far away, but still a horse. The person riding the horse jumped down swiftly and walked to her, slowly. He was a bit taller than her. She could see some pecks through his white shirt, he was buffed, but not like a gorilla.

Strong tan arms peeked out from short sleeves, the muscles flexing as he reached up to take his hat off. She felt herself relax once she was able to see him better. He looked worried, not as shocked as she was, but still, a little bit taken aback by her sudden apparition “Are you hurt?” He insisted “I’m ok, I just scratched my hands and elbows” She pouted, showing him her arms. He tried to hide his smile, but she saw it anyway “How did you end up here?”

“I was with a group, hiking, but apparently my body was not ready for the wilderness, and I was left behind, the guide is clearly a scam”

“Is it the guy from the tourist office next to the city hall?” She nodded “Yeah, that guy is a joke…let me help you” Is not like she could choose either. She could walk, but as soon as she presented that option, the guy shook his head, still worried “Is a long way until you can find cell phone signal, and also, it’s monsoon season, the forest is thick and cold, someone who’s not familiar can't walk around here”

“And you are familiar with it?”

“I live on the border of this forest, is pretty much my backyard” She knew there was a risk in trusting a stranger, but it was also a risk to go alone. He was her only option. And the more she spoke with him, the more she trusted him.

Call it instinct.

“What's your name?” She asked, sealing the deal “Do Kyung Soo” She repeated his name for herself, and notice how it fit him. The name started hard and ended softly just like him, just like his features. He asked for her name, and once the formal introductions were made, he faced his horse “It could take you 40 minutes to reach the main road by feet, I offer you a ride”

“Can we ride it together?” He patted the horse’s neck thoughtfully “Is not recommended, but for a short period of time it’s ok, we need to share the saddle otherwise it could hurt him” He told her about his horse personality traits “What do you mean he is not very social?” She asked. Apparently, his horse was a kicker, and only his previous owner was able to ride him, besides him “Try to approach him slowly, and wait until he touches your hand with his nose” She looked at him with distrust. He didn’t look quite confident either “What’s his name?”

“Chanyeol” That was a special name for a horse. Now that she knew his name, she felt more confident approaching him. She did as Kyung Soo instructed, smiling when Chanyeol didn’t move his snout away. She scratched his long nose and he moved his ears in contentment. Kyung Soo gasped in surprise “It’s that good?”

“Yes! Come here, you can get on now” She stood between Kyung Soo and Chanyeol “First you have to put your left foot here,” He said pointing at the stapes “Hold on to the saddle, take one bounce and pass your right leg over the horse and sit down gently” She tried it once since it sounded pretty easy. But the angle of her leg didn’t allow her to jump correctly. The first attempt was a complete fail “I’m going to help you, I’m going to push you from your thigh, just above the knee, is that ok?”

“Sure, thanks for asking” She arranged her position, focusing on using her core strength to help her up. This time the leap was probably worst than before, it was really Kyung Soo’s push that did all the work. His hand felt strong and rough against her leg. A very nice feeling, not invasive, but very present. Chanyeol barely reacted to her, he kept chewing the grass “I’m going to go up now, I’m going to sit behind you, sorry but it’s going to be a bit close” He said, looking at the floor “How close?”

“Like in a motorcycle, right behind you” That wasn’t very bad. She’s ridden like that before. She sat very close to the front of the saddle to give Kyung Soo a little more space. It didn’t surprise her how smoothly he got on. He wasn’t kidding when he said that they would be sitting very close. She could feel his hard, warm chest against her back. She could feel everything against her back “Why I’m at the front? I don’t know how to drive this…him…it?” He chuckled behind her as he reached for the rains, pressing his chest against her back even harder “It’s him, and don’t worry, I will drive it, I’m just sitting behind you because it’s safer, if you sit in the back and lose your balance and fall, you could bring me down with you”

“It’s ok, you don’t have to give me so many explanations” She commented looking over her shoulder at him with a small smile. He didn’t answer, only grinned and shook the rains. Chanyeol took a couple of steps and after Kyung Soo made some kisses noises, the horse began to gallop.

Kyung Soo was right when he said that the forest wasn’t for everybody. The threes got taller and the bushes covered the road in some parts. She was now used to the movement of the horse, it wasn’t very scary, probably because Kyung Soo gave her a strong sense of safety “Are you ok?” He asked for the third time in 15 minutes “Yes I’m ok”

“How are your scratches? You need to clean them as soon as we arrive at my place” She was so focused on not falling down the horse and in Kyung Soo’s presence that she had forgotten about her wounded hands and dirty clothes “Check your phone, you may have signal now” She did, so she made a quick call to the tourist office to let them know she was alright. They could later inform the incompetent guide at some point. They must have some kind of radio communication.

She made sure to show her opinion about the so-called guide. Polite but hard. She couldn’t keep herself under control, so when she hung up she cursed at the phone. Kyung Soo chuckled behind her “What a gutter mouth” He whispered, too close to her ear “Yes, I am very bad” She answered, out of reflex, not trying to sound like anything. Her phone chimed in her hands, telling her that there was only 5% battery life left “Can I charge my phone at your place?”

“Sure, what are your plans by the way? Did you come here by car?” Her car was parked at the town’s main square. A van drove her group there and was waiting on the other side of the mountain.“I would drive you to the town, but my car is at the mechanic, I can ask a friend that has a tow to bring your car”

“I’m so sorry to bother you, but that would be very helpful”

“Don’t worry, we will be there in about 10 minutes” A sudden chuckle escaped his lips. She asked him what was entertaining him “I’m sorry…I just remembered when I saw you fall down the slope” He said, holding his laughter “You saw me?!” She turned around, her face almost colliding with his “I did, I heard some grunts and yells in the distance, and then I saw you, I was shocked at first, a bit scared, you know, this forest is a big one, and we were very deep into it” Again his laugh ringed harmoniously in her ear. She didn’t quite understand what he meant so she asked him for more details “There are a lot of stories about creatures that live here, for a moment, a very short moment, I thought you were a Hulder”

“Who’s that?” He moved slightly uncomfortable, clearing his throat a couple of times “I will leave the research to you I don't feel comfortable answering you”

“What? Is something bad?”

“I wouldn’t say bad, but…you will see” She smirked, amused by the mystery and his deep voice on her ear “You are making me curious, I like that…but have you ever seen something in the forest? Something weird?” He arranged his arms tighter around her, humming before answering “Of course not, those are just legends to keep people away from the danger of the forest, sure you are not going to find a werewolf, but a wild boar can cause the same damage, also, slopes”

“Slippery slopes” She corrected him “But how do you know that I’m not a Hulder? Maybe I am one, and I’m going to do whatever a Hulder does”

“They have long tails hidden under their long skirts, I don’t think you have one” She had absolutely no bad intentions when she moved her hips unconsciously, rubbing herself against him. Kyung Soo grunted softly but made no comments. At least, he was now sure that she had no tail “What were you doing in the dangerous forest then?”

“Picking some wood for something I want to do" Chanyeol’s steps were slower now, the sway of his walk softer. The forest ahead was less dense. The trees were shorter, most of them with fruits on them, and the path they were walking on was covered in small rocks “We are here, that over there is my house” He pointed at a wood house in the distance, past a field of grass were a couple of cows, cheeps and a bunch of chickens were idling around. The silence of the field made her notice the clean sounds of their surroundings. Instead of cars, planes and chatter, there was wind, a distant chicken announcing her job done and the murmur of the river “Is there a river close by?” She asked, looking around them in excitement, she loved water. He pointed at his house again “On the other side of my house, during the summer is calmer, some parts are deeper than others, but if you know how to swim, there shouldn’t be any trouble” Chanyeol stopped walking next to a couple of cows that were eating hay under the shadow of a tall tree “He is not allowed around the house, he’s already made a mess of my garden a few times”

“Chanyeol, bad boy” She said patting the horse’s neck, getting a happy neigh in return “I can’t believe how welcoming he is with you, one time he almost bites my friend’s hand, and he sees him very often”

“I'm not gonna lie, It feels great being liked by animals, ” With a chuckle Kyung Soo jumped down from the horse, looking insanely manly in her eyes. She knew she had to do the same but had absolutely no idea how. Kyung Soo noticed her expression and quickly explained to her how she should go down the horse, and it sounded fairly simple, but suddenly, she felt as if she was too high up “Don’t worry, I will help you” He offered, probably sensing her fear “Ok, but careful... I'm heavy” He rolled his eyes and reached for her waist. She held to his shoulders and with a decisive jump she went down, trusting in Kyung Soo, again “You are kind of heavy, but I'm strong” He said, his face too close to hers. His voice had gotten a little lower and almost sultry.

She couldn’t speak even if she tried to say something back to him. He let go over her waist, taking her own hands from his shoulders was harder than she thought. His shoulders were wide, slightly damp, and hot thanks to the sun that fell on his back. The same sun that tanned his skin so beautifully.

He looked at her entertained, his left eyebrow slightly raised. She let go of him as if burned “What now?” She asked, looking around distracting herself, still feeling his hands on her waist “Let’s go inside so I can call my friend with the tow and maybe eat something”

“Yes please, I am starving”

Kyung Soo’s house was small but very cozy. Minimal furniture, a couple of pictures hanging on the walls, very warm and clean. There was a delicious smell lingering in the air. Apparently, Kyung Soo was a cooker “I’m going to warm some food for us, and you should go clean those scratches” He showed her where the bathroom was and gave her the first aid kit.

The scratches weren’t that bad. They stung like hell when she cleaned them, but that was the alcohol fighting the forest bacteria.

When she came back to the kitchen, Kyung Soo was serving two plates of food, humming along with some melody “I have good news and bad news” He told her as she sat at the table “Good news, my friend can bring your car, bad news, he isn’t going to be able to get here till 6”

“Well that’s not really bad news. I mean not unless I’m bothering you, then I guess there’s a road I can follow back? Maybe find a ride?”

“No more talk about walking, we are quite high in the mountain, you are going to have to walk at least an hour to reach the main road, I would recommend for you to enjoy your food, and wait here for the tow” There was no way she would say no to that. Not only because she didn’t feel like walking an hour, but also, because she felt like staying with him for a little while.

Again, intuition.

But she needed more than intuition no know him. So she began asking questions. Kyung Soo was the estate manager of a property in the vicinity. He managed over hundreds of acres, dozens of employees working a variety of jobs for it. He was one of those strange people that loved his job, and spoke about it with sparks in his eyes.

Lucky guy.

When she complimented his house, he looked very pleased. She quickly added how much she enjoyed the food, earning her a shy shake of his head looking down at his hands. Adorable.

They were done with their lunch by two. Kyung Soo’s roasted chicken was incredible “I have to go and untie my dog, want to come?” He asked her after cleaning the table. She said yes, not that she had anything else to do “Is your dog like your horse? You know, picky with people”

“No, but even if he was, you would have a good chance of him liking you, right?” He commented, raising an eyebrow. They went to the front of the house where his dog, Baekhyun, was waiting for him, wagging his tail. Baekhyun was a big German Sheperd with large pointy ears, fluffy hair, and big paws “Why do you keep him tied up?”

“When I go to the forest I can’t take him with me, he goes nuts, if he smells a rabbit he runs behind the trail not thinking about anything, then Chanyeol gets nervous and it’s a mess, sorry buddy but that’s just how it is” He told him sweetly as he released him from the chain. Baekhyun jumped on his owner, giving him some licks, and then looked in her direction locking eyes with her. Kyung Soo tried to stop him, but Baekhyun was already jumping on her.

“Yeah, that one” He looked up pensive as she tried to reach for the chicken that was playing with her shoe “Who am I trying to mate with?” It was too soon for her to know if he was joking or asking seriously. But she knew she wanted to keep joking because a good laugh is a good flirt “Maybe that Hulder you were talking about earlier” The chicken was gone, so she was able to focus her eyes on him now. He already had his eyes on her, and a playful grin on his lips. He didn’t say anything, only smiles.

But when he winked at her, she knew he was hers.

“Yes, he hated it, so mission accomplished”

“What about Baekhyun?”

“Same, although this friend liked the fact that I called my dog after him, because Baekhyun was a gift from him” She commented on how sweet that was “I was trying to annoy him too, but it backfired, and he made it worst saying that now he feels like he is here to take care of me”

“Kyung Soo, that’s adorable” He grunted and walked back inside his house with Baekhyun following his steps.

“Are you inviting me back?”

“The door is always open and help is always welcomed” He commented looking around his land “Then I will come next weekend, I'm not joking”

“Me neither” She got inside her car, smiling at him, a bit disappointed that she had to leave “I’m really coming next week, I’m going to be here by lunch” She said looking up to see Kyung Soo with an amused grin looking down at her “Go ahead, should I prepare the guest room?”

“Sure, if you don't want to share your bed” She groaned internally. That was a bit too much, she knew it. But Kyung Soo was laughing “What can I bring you?” She asked him over the sound of her car “Bring wine, I'm going to cook” She felt a little jump in her tummy “Sounds great! Good Bye Kyung Soo, have a good week”

“Goodbye Hulder” She was really digging that name, although she still needed to know what a Hulder was.

TBC

#Kyungsoo #d.o #do kyung soo #kyungsoo fanfic #exo fanfiction

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bhavnasblog-blog · 5 years

Text

Kedarnath Trek

My first proper introduction to Kedarnath was post the tragedy that struck it in 2013.

I was roped in by Wizcraft and Entertainment Production House to do a live charity show for Star Plus to collect funds to help for relief and rescue.

From learning about Kedarnath to having the privilege of inviting the first man who flew the helicopter to give an overview of the extent of damage caused to being in constant touch with NIMS until they built the new trek route – Kedarnath became a part of me!

It was finally in 2017 that I finally decided to embark on the journey myself.

Mumbai to Dehradun by flight and then a hired car to take us to Sonprayag – the base of the trek, was a simple plan.

The drive from the airport with the usual traffic jam at Rishikesh was pleasant until the sun set.

Before that the driver had taken the route into Badrinath and only after an hour of driving on the road did we realize that we were on the wrong route.

Treading back to the point where we had to take a right, we saw quite a few landslides and rescue operations at work simultaneously.

The night drive into Sonprayag was anything but pleasant.

The roads were bad because in the month of July, the monsoon had set in and the nightfall wasn’t helping much.

The saving grace was the hotel which happened to be one of the best in the small town.

Except of course for flies!

The deluxe room had a lovely balcony but one couldn’t open the door, because that would be an invitation to hundreds of flies, which would then not leave the room.

The next morning we took the hotel car and went to the market wherein there is the government office which makes your biometric pass, mandatory if you are traveling to Kedarnath.

The small little office had no electricity for a half hour. But once the power came on, it didn’t take even 30 seconds to get the biometric pass made.

Not really knowing how the 18 kilometers would be, the next morning, we tried our best of calling all the helicopter carriers asking them if they had seats available. We were out of luck.

Trekking was the only option and a little reluctant at first, we decided to go for it.

The hotel car dropped us at the same spot like the day before where we were pounced upon by guides.

The first one sounded reasonable and decent enough and we agreed to go with him. Little did we know that he was only an agent and would hand us over to others.

From Sonprayag the walk of about a kilometer and a half with a running stream on the right are the first steps towards heaven.

With excess shooting luggage on our backs, it would be a difficult trek but we were by now raring to go.

A shared car from there takes you the next 5 kilometers to Gaurikund.

For a mere 20 rupees per passenger, we were at the Gaurikund parking lot in less than ten minutes.

Before we could alight from the car, rain was greeting us.

Thankfully having read a lot about the place, we were ready with our ponchos. No, not raincoats! Ponchos. Which are more ideal for mountain trekking and when you have luggage on your back.

The flight of stairs from Gaurikund were heavy and the rain stalled us for almost an hour.

Sitting at a local chai stall, I started chatting up the locals asking them their personal experiences of the 2013 tragedy.

They all had stories to tell of loss, of faith, and most importantly of things returning to normalcy.

Within no time, our guide who had earlier been racing up and down because he couldn’t manage to find boys, and had gotten into an ugly squabble, finally appeared with two teenagers who were supposed to accompany us the rest of the way.

The guide’s job was done and he put us on our mules and wished us luck.

I remember literally crying as it had been years that I had ridden a horse. A luxury which I had experienced growing up because back in the day, Juhu beach was allowed to have horses and camels.

This terrain was difficult and the mule wasn’t a huge, sturdy one. Unlike a horse!

There was no turning back now. The only way was the way forward.

Chanting Om Namah Shivay, I went from screaming everytime the mule climbed a step to enjoying the scenery around in no time.

The first stop was Bhimbali where we alighted the mule after almost an hour.

The mule had sips of water and we had some light snacks before setting on the journey once again.

I remember looking at the road signs and thinking to myself, we are never going to make it to the top.

You never really get used to the motion of the mule because the trek route is not a steady one. At times there is a climb, or a downhill or steps, it is like being on a roller coaster for hours on end.

The most important tip of the day was to pack light and carry only bare minimum essentials, but we were stuck with carrying all our shoot equipment and that loaded on our backs was making each step difficult.

It would even maybe easier to walk all the way if you are not carrying too much luggage.

I have to admit that looking at much older men and women who were walking it up slowly and steadily, it did put me to shame more than once during the entire journey.

NIM has done a wonderful job of building sheds to protect people from the random mountain rains and pit stops for mules to feed and drink and also places to sit.

On the way the guide pointed to Rambara which used to be an entire village enroute to Kedarnath which was washed away in the 2013 flashfloods and the site was scary.

No remnants of the place now were visible.

A little after Lancholi, the second pit stop, where some people halt the night before trekking the next day to Kedarnath, comes a point where the path is covered with snow and it is very likely for even the mule to slip and fall.

We decided to get off the mule just before that point and walk it from there on for a bit.

The wet ponchos and the cold breeze were making it difficult to walk on the upwards slope and we found ourselves stopping after every 15 to 20 steps.

After about an hour of walking, we found our mules and our guides lazing and decided to hop back on.

There are several places on the trek route, where there are no railings and one is constantly under the fear of the mule going astray and jumping into the valley.

I must’ve given my mule a scare a couple of times with all the screaming.

Having started at 10 am on the mule from Gaurikund about 3:30 in the afternoon was when we finally reached the point till where the mules are allowed.

It was a 2 kilometer walk even past this point.

We were lucky to have been approached by Ganesh whose job was to hunt for guests to rent out rooms to.

He offered to carry our luggage as we slowly made our way to the top.

This is the toughest part of the trek because after 5 to 6 hours on a muleback, every part of your body is literally aching and with not adequate oxygen at that high above the sea level, it is a task to walk for 2 kms.

But the first moment you lay your eyes on the Kedarnath temple with its magnificient backdrop, every pain, every ache, every difficulty is forgotten in an instant.

Trekking to Kedarnath once in your lifetime is highly recommended.

More about tips in the next blog.

To watch the trek video, click here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUwTsyAH6RA

#kedarnath #uttararakhandtourism #ChaarDhaam

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finishingflight · 5 years

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Sounds like you just about have my dram job! 🤩 Could you tell me about it and how you ended up there??

My job is pretty great. As all jobs do it has its ups and downs though. This is a lot longer than I thought...sorry!

So I work on a 10,500 acre guest ranch that has a herd of around 120 horses. Pretty much I guide trail rides, give lessons and take care of the horses on the ranch. The cool thing is that we do offer walk, trot and lope rides depending on experience. We have several different options for guests that we help out with, regular 2 hour rides, breakfast rides, evening rides, half day lunch rides, barrel racing lessons, team penning lessons, cattle drives and other rotating classes we have through out the year.

The wranglers are assigned project horses, so you help work with new or problem horses to help work them in line so they can be ridden by guests eventually. Sometimes you have a horse under you for two months, sometimes years. Depends on the horse. I love my project horses, its amazing watching them improve and grow as they work with you.

Since the ranch is so large, on the normal trail rides the wrangler’s get to decide what trails they want to take. So its cool getting decide where you want to go every day. Though you do have to be smart about the horses abilities, the riders abilities, the weather, and where the other rides are. All the wranglers have their own favorite trails. My favorite thing is when a guest who has been coming for 10+ years says they have never been on the trail I took them on.

The land is beautiful, I take way too many photos almost daily because I can’t get over the sunrises. My favorite thing is getting assigned to come in for the morning wrangle. I go out and help bring the herd in from the pasture. Its just me, the horse I’m riding and the sunrise. Some of the guests are just wonderful and you just can’t stop talking with these amazing people, you get to know some of them very well, as they come several times a year.

Yet not all of it is magic. During the summer it got over 110*, the horses still have to get fed, unsaddled and the manure shoveled. So no matter the heat and humidity, you are throwing saddles, hay bales and poop. Some mornings are well below freezing and your fingers hurt from the cold as you have to get the herd. Some of the horses bite, some kick, and some will happily run you over when you try and catch them. Some horses came from rough pasts and you have to deal with them very carefully, and you have to do it the same way every day.

Guests will scream at you, mistreat the horses (meaning you have to tell them off, protect the horses!), cry, fall off, try to hold the horses back and run up on the back of your ride, and so much more. I’ve had crying kids, adults having panic attacks, people screaming at each other and so much more. I’ve had my arms ripped out of my sockets because my 4 year old project horse doesn’t want to slow down while I’m ponying the slow 26 year old kid horse with a little kid on top who refuses to actually control their horse.

Its a very physical and mentally taxing job. Yet, it is very rewarding. You HAVE to like working with people and especially kids. You have to be incredibly patient as the people who have never touched a horse in their life ask you to ‘gallop like John Wayne’ for the 100th time. You have to be okay repeating the same phrases over and over again. “Don’t let them eat.” “Pull their head up and kick!” “You need to walk down hill, always.” “PULL BACK!!!”

I got into this job because I have a lot of experience working with horses and people. I have taught lessons before (dog training, and at another ranch), I’ve been riding for 20+ years, I’ve worked extensively in customer service and I have a degree in Animal Science. Which most people I work with do not have a degree, so definitely not needed, but it did help me get the job. Another thing to emphasize, don’t come in expecting to be able to wow anyone. When applying for these types of positions the people I’ve seen fired/turned away are people that think they know best.

Ask them how they want horses saddled, where horses get tied, how they want tack put away, how they want the rides led and so on. If you think you know a better way...bring it up later after you know the routine. Just because you never saw a horse pull back doesn’t mean it should be hard tied. These are never going to be nice show horses, they don’t want them to be. So if you go in thinking you’re going to get to train a bunch on these horses, you won’t fit in well. The horses are meant to be calm, go in line and maybe open gates.

There are always tons of seasonal opportunities out there on ranches to just try it once! If you think you would like it I definitely encourage you to try! Permanent positions are harder to come by. Most operations are either summer only (mountains, high country where it snows) or winter only (desert). I know that a bunch of places are looking for people for summer! I saw a handful of ads on indeed for those.

I wish you the best of luck and I’d happily answer any other questions you have! I figured I had already wrote too much.

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that-buckley-gal · 5 years

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Welcome to Asgard [Stronger #1]

Stefan and I ended up in a strange place. Not long after we landed, a herd of medieval-looking guards apprehended us. When they first tried to separate us, I went crazy. My adrenaline rushed and I was hyper aware of what was happening.

This ability, so to speak, was one that I had before my powers started coming in before my twentieth birthday and something that I was still trying to master. It was used to incapacitate the guards and take Stefan back.

I was slightly disoriented when time seemed to resume it’s normal pace but only for a brief moment. I used one of the ropes from one of the other horses to keep Stefan secured to me at all times. I grab my shield and tied that to my back as well before climbing onto a random horse and taking off.

I’ve never actually ridden a horse before, so I was pleasantly surprised that I managed to pick up on it so easily. The horse continued to trot along, to where I knew not. I didn’t even know where we were and therefore wasn’t in tune to our surroundings.

Which is exactly why we were caught.

More guards surrounded us and I said as long as nobody touched me, or tried to take Stefan from me, I would come willingly. One man took the horse’s reins and led us through the forest for a few minutes.

When we emerged from the forest, I was dumbstruck upon seeing an oddly shaped structure set in the middle of a glorious city. The shock only grew as I took in the beautiful sky.

Bucky would probably love this, being the science-geek he was.

Okay, so that big yellow circle is the sun, I believe. Then, that’s the moon on the other side? Wherever we were, I was now certain that we weren’t on Earth anymore.

Only when I look at my baby, did I take in his silence. I could see he was sound asleep and let out a relieved breathe. As long as he was safe, I would be fine.

The guards continued on their trek, leading us to the odd palace.

It was there, on trial, I realized we were doomed.

The King of Asgard, which is I assume where we were, Odin, was informed of my sudden appearance and brought me here because he assumed I was a threat.

What kind of threat? He thought I was there to kill his first-born son Thor Odinson, and if not him, then Odin himself.

I didn’t watch my tone as I alerted to everyone in the courtroom – even though there was only a handful of people – that I had no intentions of murdering anyone. Without being asked, I told the story of how I was sent here in the first place and that if I could be sent back to Earth soon then I’d be thankful.

The Allfather thought nothing of my story, and thought it a ruse. He sentenced me to life in prison and said that Stefan would be returned to Midgard, Earth, because he was innocent to my crimes.

Objections from three people in the room – who I later learned to be Odin’s wife Frigga and their sons Thor and Loki – spared me from my fate by declaring I was innocent until proven guilty. After a short while, a man named Heimdall appeared in court and proved my story to be true.

Odin didn’t seem too pleased by this, but nonetheless released me before calling the court to close. Everyone, with the exception of Frigga, left me where I was. She welcomed me to Asgard and smiled at my baby before escorting me to the room I would be staying in for an indefinite amount of time.

Not too long after that, I properly met Thor and Loki – my other saviors – and we soon became friends, though I found myself getting closer to Loki. He was to me as Howard was; only he was a little more involved as he took a great liking to Stefan whereas Thor thought Stefan was still too young to be of interest for a great period of time.

The things that shocked me the most about being in Asgard were the Golden Apples of Idunn; Thor and Loki told me that they were what allowed them to live as long as they do. I was allowed to eat them but the sons of Odin were eager to watch Stefan grow and therefore he wasn’t allowed to eat them until he was about 15, though he opted to refrain from eating them until he was 20 years old in Midgard years.

Stefan, as he grew, began to show a temperament similar to both Bucky’s and mine combined. This, along with the fact that he was growing up in the palace, meant he was taught to be a warrior. He became an official guard of Asgard after spending an additional 10 Midgard years training with Thor, Loki, and the Warriors Three.

Loki also spent more time with us after he found out that my abilities, and Stefan’s after turning 20, came from Oerlin – though it was Thor who gave us an interesting history lesson on the planet and how a Titan destroyed it not long ago. The new information caused additional powers to manifest in both Stefan and me as we realized we were part, no matter how small, of an endangered species.

Our friends all wanted to know the extent of our powers but since Stefan and I were still trying to learn them we couldn’t give them a straight answer yet. They all helped turn us into strong warriors for Asgard. Our lives seemed perfect.

But of course, nothing lasts forever.

The time came for one of the sons of Odin to ascend to the throne of Asgard, and as Loki figured, Thor was chosen. I should’ve known then that he was up to something by the way he slowly started pushing Stefan and I away. Figuring he was going through something similar to a midlife crisis, I let him have his space while advising Stefan to do the same.

On the day of the ceremony, Stefan and I attended the party dressed to the nines. Ladies presented themselves to my son whilst Loki and I supervised. When the time for the actual ceremony came, Loki excused himself and I chased away the girls surrounding my son and we went to stand by Frigga.

Just before the Allfather could declare Thor as King, he stopped. Sensing danger, Stefan told me to stay with Frigga before leaving with Loki to see where Odin set off to so quickly.

Later in the day, Stefan came to my chambers and alerted me that Frost Giants managed to break in, hoping to retrieve the Casket of the Ancient Winters. Thor, upset with the Allfather’s wishes to remain neutral, convinced Loki, Sif, and the Warriors Three to accompany him to confront Laufey at the Jotunheim about what happened today. Stefan was going because he wanted to make sure everyone returned safely, and to ask me if I wanted to accompany them.

“As if there’d be any other answer,” I responded before grabbing my vibranium shield and a sword gifted to me by the sons of Odin. Stefan and I then rushed to meet the others.

The land of the Frost Giants was dark and very cold, and I kept scanning our surrounding area whilst Thor spoke to Laufey about the events that occurred earlier in the day. Their conversation ended with Laufey advising us to leave “while he still allowed it”.

We would’ve left, had Laufey not insulted Thor. The God of Thunder started the fight by using his hammer to knock Laufey back and away. This caused the Frost Giants to attack, and our group, small but powerful, returned the fight. I mainly shielded myself and tried to make sure that the people in our group didn’t get hurt too badly.

“Don’t let them touch you!”

There was so much happening at once and Fandral was wounded.

“Oh, my… Fandral!” I yell and run over to him. I jump over, slide under, and slice any giant in my way. Loki used his magic to discard of the remaining giant near Fandral before I finally arrived and used my healing power to, at the very least, stop him from bleeding out.

“We don’t have a lot of time,” Sif yelled.

“I’ll be quick!” I promised. I pressed my hand against Fandral’s chest, and imagined his skin closing, watching as his skin came together.

“Run!”

I looked up in surprise to see a giant creature running towards us.

“Take him,” I said to Hogun and Volstagg. “He’s not healed but he’s not gonna bleed out! Stefan, go!”

The seven of us, without Thor, all started running away with the creature quickly closing the distance. Somehow we managed to make it to where we arrived, with Volstagg calling for Heimdall to open the Bifröst Bridge though nothing happened.

A moment passed and suddenly the creature appeared in front of us. I turned around to see if there was anywhere else we could go only to see Frost Giants approaching us.

My grip on my sword and shield got tighter when I saw Thor flying overhead, and I watched him go through the creature’s mouth and killing it.

“Well that solves one problem,” I spoke out loud and the group turned around as well to see the approaching giants. We were about to be overpowered, and most likely killed, when Odin swooped in and saved us.

After returning to Asgard Odin ordered everyone but his sons out of sight. Sif, Hogun and Volstagg left to take Fandral to a healer while Stefan advised me to return to my room stating that he was going to wait for his uncles.

Supposedly, after a while, Loki told Stefan that Odin stripped Thor of his power and exiled him to Earth, to live as a mortal. He also sent Thor’s hammer Mjolnir to Earth, and only the worthy would be allowed to wield it.

Shortly afterwards, Odin fell into a deep Odinsleep, and Frigga feared he wouldn’t wake up again. Loki then assumed the role of King of Asgard and asked Stefan and I to be his personal guards – something we accepted. As such, we were there to witness Loki kill Laufey, who was trying to kill Odin. I wasn’t completely sure how the Frost Giant got there in the first place but Stefan and I both supported Loki when he said that Jotunheim needed to be destroyed.

The return of Thor with Mjolnir was a definite surprise. In order to stop the desolation of Jotunheim, Thor started destroying the Bifröst Bridge, which caused Loki to attack him. Stefan and I didn’t know what to do as we loved Thor and Loki equally and so we watched the brothers’ fight, hoping that nobody got seriously hurt. He stood on one side and I stood on the other. The fight ended once Thor rested his hammer on Loki, keeping him in place.

Stefan kneeled by Loki, but didn’t dare try to remove Thor’s hammer, and began speaking to him whilst I remained where I stood, trying to convince Thor that destroying the Bifröst Bridge was going to do more harm than good, something he denied.

“This is genocide,” he yelled and raised a hand, summoning his hammer. I watched as he hit the bridge several times.

Loki scrambled to get up, and yelling various things at Thor to try to stop him from destroying the bridge but I realized that Thor was right to do so and so I used my magic to keep Loki and Stefan where they were while Thor continued to break the bridge.

“What are you doing? Stop him!” Loki yelled.

“It needs to be done,” I yelled back and saw that Thor was almost finished. With one more hit, the bridge shattered and half of the bridge – the half I was standing on – suddenly flew away from Asgard and into a wormhole.

When I was pulled away with the rubble, my hold on Loki and Stefan let up and both immediately jumped over the bridge. Thor jumped after them and caught Stefan’s foot and Stefan caught Loki’s. I was scared that we’d all get lost in space, until I saw Odin take hold of Thor, keeping them all anchored to the remainder of the bridge.

“I’m sorry!” I yelled, unsure if they could hear me. “Please, take care of my son!”

The last thing I saw before my vision started fading was Loki drifting in my direction, and I closed my eyes praying that I would get lucky a second time and see my friends again.

#stronger #thor #loki #the avengers #asgard

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allykat4416 · 5 years

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oh boy some opinions

Because I literally ditched this site for months on end and didn’t post trip reports past May, here’s some Thots. Legend has it if you post this on Instagram, all the 13-year-old Cedar Point fanboys will crawl out of your phone screen and cry at you for going against the groupthink

Kingda Ka, Six Flags Great Adventure: I like going Fast. I like really really good launches. And boy howdy, did I love Kingda Ka. It was my first strata, the first coaster me and Casie rode together, my first Six Flags credit, and I love it so much for it. There’s not much to the ride; you go very high and very quick, and then it’s over. But it’s an adrenaline rush from hell and I can’t get enough of it. (Also, sue me, but the airtime hill actually makes me prefer this over TTD.)

El Toro, Six Flags Great Adventure: *unintelligible garbled words* good bull. good boy. deserving of all the praises. kicks so much ass and looks good doing it. we love you, toro. shine on, you funky little matador.

Bizarro, Six Flags Great Adventure: Oh look, it’s my favorite floorless. I really do like this ride. I think Dominator actually has a bit better of a layout, but the props and how the ride interacts with them are what pushes Biz to the top spot for me. (Plus, this blog is a Fuch Barrel and Clipped Horse appreciation zone.) This was the first coaster @pupu-platter, @popsican, and I rode together, so it definitely has that going for it too.

Nitro, Six Flags Great Adventure: Fun fun fun fun fun. That’s all I can think of when I think about this ride. Honestly, it’s my favorite B&M hyper that I’ve ridden so far. It’s something I’ll always have to hit when I go to the park, with both hands all the way up and my feet kicked straight out.

The Dark Knight, Six Flags Great Adventure: Alex summed it up best by saying “it’s a WILD MOUSE.” Like another indoor coaster at the park, I’d do with a group of my friends, but not alone. I do like the little black-light section you go through, though. It’s aesthetic.

Batman, Six Flags Great Adventure: I like any B&M invert by nature, so it’s not a bad ride. But I’m actually feeling like this is my least favorite inverted. Which again, doesn’t make it a bad ride because I like all of the inverts I’ve been on. It just didn’t leave a really lasting impression on me. It’s better in the back, which is really weird because all the other ones are much better up front.

Skull Mountain, Six Flags Great Adventure: What a janky, stupid ride. I love it. I wouldn’t go out of my way to ride it, but if the lines are low, I definitely want to give it a lap, provided I’m with friends. I think it’d probably be a lot less fun by yourself.

Joker, Six Flags Great Adventure: Ehhhh… I don’t really like this ride. It’s a fun novelty experience, and I’d rather see that than a Vekoma boomerang getting cloned everywhere, but I rode it, didn’t like it, and won’t do another one more than likely. Pretty setting, though!

Runaway Mine Train, Six Flags Great Adventure: It’s a mine train, so it’s inoffensive fun. But it’s a Six Flags mine train so it’s janky as all hell and that somehow makes it so much better. I can’t help but laugh when I think about this ride, and I have no idea why.

Superman- Ultimate Flight, Six Flags Great Adventure: It’s okay, I guess. I like it more than either of the Vekoma flying coasters I’ve ridden, but I’m just not really a fan of the flying type. I really hope I’ll enjoy Tatsu and Manta more because this just doesn’t impress me much.

Green Lantern, Six Flags Great Adventure: Yuck. By virtue of just being a sheer horrible ride, this was my least favorite of 2018. I’m not calling for it to be torn down, but no tears will be shed for when this thing bites the dust.

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Twister, Knoebel’s: Fun ride, can’t complain about it. Greatly outclassed by its neighbor, but at any other park, it would shine like the diamond it is. I like ya, Twister. You’re a cool fella, and someone I’d definitely have to see every time I visit the park lest it feel incomplete.

Black Diamond, Knoebel’s: What a dopey little ride. It’s fun with friends, and I feel like I say that a whole lot through this. The spinning tunnel that gives you the illusion of an inversion is a really cool touch, and it’s very pretty. (It looked kind of pink, even though it’s supposed to be a furnace. Or maybe Hell. I’m not really sure.)

Impulse, Knoebel’s: Little Fahrenheit Lite. (Fahrenlite… I’ll see myself out.) I’ve only gotten to ride it once due to time constraints, and I definitely plan on riding again whenever I’m back at Knoebel’s. It’s very short, but sometimes a ride doesn’t need to go on forever to be good. While I prefer the wooden coasters in the park, I really do like this one!

Phoenix, Knoebel’s: I phucking love my Texan mom. I will throw hands for this phucking ride. Yeah, I do like Toro and Voyage a bit more, but dammit if I wasn’t over the phuckening moon when this thing won the Golden Ticket this year. This shit has more intense airtime than certain other coasters that I’ll be putting on blast later. Phoenix is raw fun, and if you don’t get standing airtime on some of those drops, man, you aren’t living. We stan quite a few ginger lesbian coaster legends in this household, and I’m happy as hell to put Phoenix on that list. God, I love this ride so much.

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Talon, Dorney Park: You’re cool. I didn’t expect you to be that cool. I think I slightly prefer this over Afterburn (slightly, of course.) Maybe I just got some really great rides on it that day, but I enjoyed Talon a whole lot more than I anticipated...and I went in expecting it to be in the top of the heap of Dorney for me because I’m a sucker for B&M inverts. Still not better than Geist though, imo.

Steel Force, Dorney Park: Hello, competent Maggie. (okay, I really like Magnum, all jokes aside. Great rides this year.) I do prefer the trains on this though. I’m a sucker for speed. Magnum 1-3 > this, but only in 1-3. (Or 6-1. Magnum’s pretty awesome there too.) I’m happy we doubled-up on rides on this before the rain made us leave.

Possessed, Dorney Park: It’s a short, fun ride. While I do prefer Wicked Twister, this is still a lot of fun for me. I love the little, punchy launches these things have. (If there’s one thing I learned about my tastes this year, it’s that I’m a sucker for a good launch.)

Hydra- The Revenge, Dorney Park: You’re cool. You’re not “I’m waiting more than 20 minutes for you” cool. It’s a gorgeous ride, really, but it’s probably my least favorite in the park that I did in May. It’s not a bad ride, of course, but it pales in comparison to Dominator and Biz. I’d be willing to ride it again whenever I go back though, so again, it’s not awful by any means! I like everything at Dorney, frankly.

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Anaconda, Kings Dominion: Oh, it ain’t that good. Oh, the other aquatic serpent themed Arrow looper around an hour down the road stomps it. But Anaconda wasn’t as terrible as I was led to believe it was going to be. Maybe I braced for it accordingly. Maybe people are a bunch of pansies. I probably won’t go on it again, but it’s really not that awful.

Dominator, Kings Dominion: What a fun ride. That’s all I can say. It’s a fun ride that never fails to make me smile, and it’s a ride I consider a must-do whenever I’m at KD. I love that giant loop so much.

Flight of Fear, Kings Dominion: Jesus Christ, I like this ride more than I think I expected to. It’s a whippy, fun ride that I never leave without a huge grin on my face. I hate that the lines can get as crummy as they can, but it’s worth waiting for, I think.

Rebel Yell/Racer75, Kings Dominion: It’s alright. It was actually a lot smoother than Racer at KI (which is weird, because Racer North looks to be in much better condition than its eastern counterpart) and I think I do prefer it over the Ohio set of twins. It’s worth at least one lap on per visit.

Intimidator 305, Kings Dominion: step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on me step on m-OKAY YEAH. This is my favorite new credit this year. Shattered my expectations. What a fucking amazing ride. While I didn’t gray out the first time I rode it in May, when I went back in October I nearly blacked out. It’s so intense that I couldn’t keep my arms up without them feeling hurt. It was so worth the 3 and a half hour drive, and you can guarantee when the park reopens in March, I’ll gladly make the haul to marathon it. 91/10, would raise hell and praise Dale again.

Twisted Timbers, Kings Dominion: Dammit, I hated your name from day one but you are a funky-ass little ride that I will STAN. I’m torn whether this or Wicked is my second-fav RMC (falling behind, of course, my girl LRod.) I’m in love with the barrel roll drop...and the “airtime alley”...and the dorky ass tractor in the queue...and the lack of pacing issues...and the inversions only being in there when its necessary...and generally just being a fun ride with lots of nice ejector. Fuck. I love Twisted Timbers. I love my yee-yee ass husband.

Grizzly, Kings Dominion: I don’t get the hate towards this ride. It’s like a boneless Beast. Yeah, it’s a tad on the rougher side, but it’s a wooden coaster built in the 80s. What were you expecting? I like Grizz a lot, and I see why my buddy Nathan would sing its praises whenever we talked about Dominion. Grizzly is just pure fun, and in a beautiful setting. I love the station.

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Carolina Goldrusher, Carowinds: It’s a mine train, so it kind of just is what it is. But Carowinds’ lineup is admittedly kind of bad after AB and Fury (and 232 if they haven’t trimmed it to the point it feels like another ride that I like a helluva lot less than Tiny Tim), so this ends up being one of the more tolerable rides there. God, I can’t wait for Copperhead.

Goats on the Roof’s Mountain Coaster: It’s on RCDB, so I guess it’s a credit. Fun enough, but I still prefer the bobsled buddy just up the road. I had more fun listening to my mom and sister’s reactions to it though. I bet it would be really pretty to ride at night.

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Raven, Holiday World: My birth-year coaster! And what a great one to share it with. The setting is gorgeous on this ride, and because it plays with the terrain, its “hidden drop” is one of my favorite coaster moments. I see how this thing used to rack up the Tickets back in the late 90s.

Legend, Holiday World: This ride combines everything I love about Beast and MyTi, and for that, I adore it. The laterals are mental on this thing! The name is nothing short of fitting. Maybe the true Son of Beast was the really good coaster Holiday World built all along.

Thunderbird, Holiday World: Oh look, it’s my favorite wing! It does everything I like about Wild Eagle but better, playing hard with the terrain and being surprisingly forceful. The launch is nothing short of delicious. A class-act coaster for a class-act park. Well done, B&M. Well done, Koch family. And well done, Thunderbird, for being such a damn good boy.

Howler, Holiday World: I rode it for the credit to ensure my 100th would be awesome, and that’s all my dignity will let me say about that.

Voyage, Holiday World: Utterly fucking fantastic, and my new favorite night ride. The laterals left me some very pretty bruises. (I also rode this with Koaster Kids lmao.) What a phenomenal ride. BEYOND well-done, Gravity Group. But what else can we expect from the people who made our new savior, Oscar’s Wacky Taxi?

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Thunderbolt, Six Flags New England: Similar to CG at Carowinds, it’s an old-ass wooden coaster that ends up being one of the better rides in the park by virtue of SFNE’s lineup dying in the water after WC and Supes. It was definitely my least favorite of the day, and I really only rode it to make my 90th credit special when we went back to Ohio.

Wicked Cyclone, Six Flags New England: This ride cracked my phone protector and I think that tells you everything you need to know about Wicked Cyclone. While I had heard he wasn’t doing too hot this year overall, this ride was violent when we were there. I can’t wait to go back and see if that holds up, because if it does, I know I’m going to be thrown from my seat in the best ways possible yet again.

Superman- The Ride, Six Flags New England: I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you. FUCK. I love this ride. While I do think 305 beats it out as my favorite new credit of 2018, it was close. This almost became my overall #1 for a hot moment, and if it gets some new trains, well...anything’s possible. I didn’t want to overhype the ride for myself, but I’d also been salivating over this ride for 5 years so. However, unlike other rides on this list that I will rightfully eviscerate, Superman lived up to every ounce of hype and then some. We stan 1 boy with clinical depression, and that boy is SFNE Supes.

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Adventure Express, Kings Island: *breath in* It’s a mine train, so it is what it is. There’s a reason why what happens to this ride in the Project Shooting Star universe happens, and I hope he enjoys the rest of his afterlife circa 2003-ish knowing he died as a hero (kinda? at least ya tried), but I’m indifferent at best on this ride. Now that I have the credit, you won’t see me on it again.

Invertigo, Kings Island: Why was this not nearly as horrible as I thought it was going to be? It didn’t hurt at all. I may actually ride it again, honestly. (Okay, probably not, but.)

Firehawk, Kings Island: Eh, yeah, I was kind of sad to see it go, namely because I knew how much my friend Gabby liked it. I’m not a fan of the flying type coasters, but I will say this completely kicks the crap outta Nighthawk. Here’s to hoping whatever replaces it is awesome! (And I will laugh my ass off if it’s a giga dive.)

Backlot Stunt Coaster, Kings Island: You’re cool. You’re not “wait to see you more than 15 minutes” cool. I wanted to gray out on that helix so bad, but here we are.

Diamondback, Kings Island: What a good snake. This is what 232 should have been. It’s probably my second favorite B&M hypercoaster. I heavily dig the splashdown, and it’s always fun to try and touch it when you nyoom on through. I really enjoy this ride. Much love to my girl.

The Beast, Kings Island: WOW I SURE DO LOVE MY ALOCHOLIC MOM. What an icon. And the night rides, ugh!! So good. A classic, my favorite in the park, and I don’t think there’s ever gonna be anything quite like it ever again. Worth the drive to get there, and worth the waits when we had to stick it out. Phucking legendary.

Mystic Timbers, Kings Island: Okay yes I still like Thunderhead the best BUT. God, I really love Mystic Timbers. It grew on me, even though that fuckin’ ugly-ass name never did. (God, they did this ride so dirty.) It’s a really great ride, and probably my second favorite in the park. I’m proud to say it’s my new lanyard. It’s fun, lots of good floater air, and while the shed can be disappointing to some, I think it’s a nice way to kill time on the brake run. Catch me screaming Bonnie Tyler in the shed. I love my big tiddy lumber business wife.

Vortex, Kings Island: Eh, it’s aiight. It’s hard as frick to find the entrance for this if you don’t know where to go to. TN Tornado and Nessie spoiled me, but it certainly wasn’t as awful as Carolina Cyclone. I don’t really have that much to say about this ride, honestly.

Flight of Fear, Kings Island: Can’t say much else that I didn’t say for KD. I think I prefer this one just a bit, but ugh, I love them both. What good dudes. Also, getting to see the spaghetti bowl was neat-o-rama.

Racer, Kings Island: From a purely ride standpoint, it’s aiight. A little on the rougher side, but that doesn’t terribly bother me. I know it’s a ride that means a lot to a lot of people. But there’s something about this ride to me that feels extremely weird and I have no earthly idea what the hell it is.

Bat, Kings Island: The ride itself is kind of just “meh.” Slightly less meh than Iron Dragon, but still pretty meh. But there’s something about this ride, and I don’t know if it’s that it feels like the Oregon Trail to get there and it’s eerily quiet down that way, or if it’s because you get too close for comfort with the cursed-ass SoB station, or what. But this ride feels very, very…. off.

Also, daily reminder that Five is Dead.

Banshee, Kings Island: This ride is cute and you all can take several seats. No, it isn’t my favorite Inverted coaster. It honestly falls around #4 for me, middle of the pack. But dammit, this ride is still really good and I will fight whoever says it isn’t. It gets undeserved hate. I really like it, both to look at and to ride. (Seriously, this ride is nothing short of beautiful.)

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Iron Dragon, Cedar Point: If you look up “Meh” in the dictionary, there’s a probably a picture of this ride. It’s got a very pretty setting, all things considered, and it’s not a bad ride. It’s just not one of my favorites. It makes me miss Big Bad Wolf like burning.

Cedar Creek Mine Ride, Cedar Point: Again, it’s a mine ride so it is what it is. It’s kind of just there. It wouldn’t hurt my feelings if they got rid of it for an Infinity (a la Smiler) or GCI like rumors I’ve heard.

Blue Streak, Cedar Point: I’m not that crazy about this one, honestly. It’s fun for what it’s worth, but I’d rather be kickin’ it with her green neighbor. Like ID, it isn’t a bad ride, and I’d be more likely to ride this one again even though I have the credit already. I’m just not a huge fan.

Corkscrew, Cedar Point: I rode it once for the credit, and I probably won’t ride it again. But hey, at least it looks pretty.

Top Thrill Dragster, Cedar Point: Raw speed. Raw fun. If it’s open when you go, you gotta do it. Or try to. If she feels like being sociable. She usually doesn’t. Take everything I said about Ka and put it here. What a rush. (It’s also very fun to scream “I love you, bitch” at Millennium from the top.)

Gemini, Cedar Point: Real talk, this thing is fun as all hell. When I think of the phrase “ good, clean fun”, this is the coaster that pops into my head. I had a blast on this thing, and while there’s other stuff there I’d prefer to ride first that usually cuts my time to see Gem, I think it’s a solid ride.

Steel Vengeance, Cedar Point: I wanted to go easy on it and try to find the good when I went on it in May, lick the wounds of disappointment as it were. But after seeing the cult mentality this ride gets and getting an utterly garbage spin on it in August, fuck this ride and the horse it rode in on. Waste of space and the worst RMC I’ve done by far. Tell me why this thing felt like 232. Tell me why people unironically say “the ~*almighty*~ Steel Vengeance!” Tell me why people want you dead if this isn’t your #1. Such a piece of shit. I’m disappointed in you, Rocky Mountain Construction. I know you can do better than whatever the fuck this pathetic excuse of a coaster was.

Valravn, Cedar Point: Eh... sorry, guys, Griffon spoiled me. Without the vests, I think I would enjoy this a bit more. But as it stands, no thanks, I’m good.

Rougarou, Cedar Point: Eh....sorry, guys. The first half is tons of fun! But the second half is too headbang-y even for my tastes. Swap restraints with Val, and I would like both of them a lot more.

#allykat's personal crap #I love 305 and superman so much #and phoenix!!!!!!!!! god ya girl phucking loves phoenix #but yeah steve can go fucking choke

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