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youreacowgirllikeme · 3 years

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Friday: Sparks

note: wrapping it up today with part five of ‘A week with Chris’. This was so much fun, thanks to everyone who followed along :) enjoy the fluff

(you can find the other parts here)

words: 1.6 k (this is definitely not drabble-sized anymore but I couldn’t help myself)

warnings: swearing

(Thursday, 7:11 pm)

Hey there, here are the pictures I took today, I figured you’d want them. CC

(attached: 23 images)

(Thursday, 7:13)

I almost forgot, meet me at 47-01 111th Street (that’s in Queens) tomorrow at 11 am. CC

(Thursday, 7:38)

By the way, I had a wonderful time today. Have a good night, Y/N. Chris

+++

(Friday)

On the subway ride to Queens, you re-read the messages Chris had sent you last night. The fact that he wrote you another one just to tell you that he enjoyed spending time with you made you immensely happy, and you could see the reflection of your silly grin in the subway window.

You were nervous about today, even more so than the times before. You felt like something had shifted between the two of you in the park yesterday, and you weren’t sure in which direction you were moving with Chris. There was an undeniable spark between the two of you, but he was still very much your boss.

The speaker announced the arrival at your destination, and with a sight, you got up from your seat. You would just roll with it, you thought, and deal with things as they developed.

+++

Like the days before, Chris was already there and waiting for you.

“Morning.” You greeted him. “No coffee today?”

“It’s already 11, I assumed by now you’d be awake enough to tackle today without caffeine.” He replied with a smirk.

“That totally depends on your plans. Spill, what are we doing today?”

“This is my favorite place in the whole city.” Chris said. “The New York City Science Hall, it’s something like an interactive museum, they have exhibitions rooms and a cinema, it’s great.”

“Sounds fun, I’m in.”

+++

“Chris, why are there so many children in here?”

You looked around the entrance hall of the museum with a puzzled look on your face, surrounded by what looked like an entire elementary school, all babbling and laughing. They were creating such an immense amount of background noise that you had to raise your voice to talk to Chris.

“Oh, a lot of the stuff here is intended for children, to teach them about science.” He replied with a grin “But it’s fun for everyone. Lighten up a bit, Y/N.”

“But why exactly is this your favorite spot in town?” you asked, eying the noisy kids around you warily.

Chris face got serious.

“My father used to take me here when I was a child. I grew up in the neighborhood down the street, and some of my best memories are from here, especially with him.”

You felt a pang of guilt in your chest at hearing how quiet Chris voice had become.

Of course you were aware about his father and how much he meant to him, and now you felt like a fool for talking about the place with that kind of disregard. Pulling yourself together, you gave Chris your most convincing smile and linked his arm with yours.

“Let’s make some new memories then. Come on, old man, I want to learn something.”

+++

“Ouch, god damnit.” you cursed, holding your hand in pain. You were trying to light a fire the stone-age way in one of the interactive exhibit rooms, and a spark had burnt your finger.

“Excuse me, ma’am, could you watch your language, there are children present.” one of the guards called your way, and you got beet red when a lot of small heads turned to you.

Chris snickered beside you. “Yes, Y/N, watch your mouth around the kids.” He whispered.

“Shut up, Cuomo. There shouldn’t even be kids here, this is super dangerous. Also I wouldn’t joke if I were you. You look ridiculous.” He really did, his massive frame was crouched in front of small the fireplace, looking even larger between all the children, and there were smashes of ash all over his shirt.

“You’re only jealous that my fire is already burning.” He grinned. You only flipped him the bird in return.

+++

Despite your earlier skepticism, you were having a great time. After several futile attempts of lighting a fire, you dragged Chris to see movie about space in the museums 3D cinema. You sat close enough for your knees to touch occasionally, and at some point, you were deliberately brushing your leg against his, smiling to yourself when he didn’t move away.

At first, you had been embarrassed about revealing your childish, overly excited side to Chris, but he showed zero judgement, acting silly and goofing around with you in a way you never thought was possible for such a serious person. The hours flew by while you were doing every activity the museum had to offer, and it was already late afternoon by the time you made your way towards the exit.

“Look, Chris, they have a photo booth.”

“Dear God, not again.” Chris groaned beside you, but you had already grabbed his sleeve and dragged him towards the box, basically pushing him inside.

“This won’t work.” You complained. “Its way to narrow in here, and you are too big.”

“Easy.” Chris grinned, sitting down on the small bench and pulled you to sit on his knee. Your mind was going into overdrive at being so close to him, and when he said “Smile!” and the flash announced the first picture being taken, you were still looking slightly bewildered.

“Quick, pose!” Chris whispered, and you just stuck out your tongue at the camera.

Suddenly, a huge arm got wrapped around you, pulling you close to the body beside you. You and Chris were basically cheek to cheek now, and you could feel your face burning up.

A sudden surge of boldness went through you, and you turned your head, pressing your lips to Chris cheek just as the last picture was taken.

Instantly, you became embarrassed, why had you done this? You bolted out of the booth, muttering “I need to use the toilet, be right back.”

In the restroom, you splashed cold water on your face until the flush disappeared, then braced yourself to face Chris again. He was standing next to the booth, holding the pictures you had just taken.

“We look cute.” He grinned, and you felt incredibly relieved about the lack of awkwardness. Appaerently, he didn’t mind the peck on the cheek.

“We really do.” You replied, and your heart sped up as he gave you a brilliant smile.

“So, to round up your perfect Cuomo week, I have another surprise planed. My car is just around the corner, let’s go.”

+++

Chris drove you back to Manhattan and parked his car in the garage of a huge apartment building on the Upper West Side. Your mind was reeling, was he taking you to his place?

You were too nervous to ask, riding the elevator with Chris in silence. You went all the way up, almost to the top floor.

“This one’s mine.” Chris announced as you stopped in front of a door at the end of the hallway.

You entered the apartment, and your jaw almost hit the floor.

“This is where you live?”

It was gorgeous, a huge, open space, illuminated by the golden light of the setting sun. The floorlenght windows offered an amazing view of the Manhattan skyline.

“Wow, I’m definitely jealous.” You joked, still a bit overwhelmed by the place.

“Uhm, if you’d like to, the terrace is a pretty good place to watch the sunset.” Chris said, rubbing his neck almost as if he was nervous.

“I love sunsets.” You said, following Chris to the glass door that led to the outdoor space. He was right, the view was amazing, beams of orange light reflected by the countless glass facades around you.

Chris cleared his throat next to you, and you teared your eyes away from the sky to look at him.

“This week has been great, Y/N, I’m really glad you agreed to doing all this stuff with me, and I really hope you enjoyed it as much as I did .” His voice was oddly emotional, his eyes never leaving yours.

“I had the best time, Chris, and I can’t thank you enough for all the effort and time you put into everything. I loved every moment.” you replied, returning his look with a soft smile.

Slowly, his hand reached out, brushing against your arm before cupping your cheek. You held your breath, unable to move a muscle, your heart beating incredibly fast.

Like in slow motion, he lowered his head, his face coming closer and closer until his lips finally settled onto yours. It was a feather light touch, almost shy in a way you hadn’t expected from your usually brusque boss.

You returned the kiss, softly moving your lips against his, you hand reaching out to intertwine your fingers with his.

“This was so fucking cheesy.” You whispered after breaking the kiss, trying to calm your racing pulse a bit.

“Yeah, but it worked, didn’t it?” Chris replied with a small chuckle.

“I wanted to do this since Tuesday.” He continued, voice more serious now.

“That’s funny, me too.” you responded, still sounding slightly breathy. Your heart was almost jumping out of your chest, was this really happening?

“We should do it again then.” Chris murmured, leaning down to capture your lips once more.

The sun had disappeared behind the horizon, the chilly air making you shiver.

“You’re cold.” Chris noted, wrapping his arm around you. “Let’s get you inside. I’m making dinner.”

You snuggled up to him, thinking that maybe you should write a thank-you note to the CNN bosses for giving you the week off.

The end (I think)

#Chris Cuomo #chris cuomo imagine #chris cuomo fanfiction #chris cuomo fic #chris cuomo x reader #Cnn #cnn anchors #fanfiction

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countingtillmrboofacereveals · 3 years

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Counting Till Mr Boo Face Reveals: Day 61

Current Sub Count: 2,560,000

How many ccs taking breaks from twitter is it gonna take those users to realize that maybe, JUST MAYBE, they’re doing something wrong

On a bit more positive note I’m glad ranboos taking a break from that hellsite

On a very positive note I’m seeing the ranboard today so that’ll be day 62 :D

#6-20 #dream smp #ranboo #counting till the reveal

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420pogpills · 3 years

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Hello, hello! I thought I would reach out for some advice if you don't mind??

I'm very new to the fandom and it's become a hyperfixation of mine, and was glad I found mcytblr because it feels safer than twitter and other social media!! However, I noticed a lot of people considering leaving the last few days because more and more toxicity and negativity is leeching onto here that is akin to twitter. One of my favorite blogs actually went on a possible permanent hiatus over it and it was disheartening to see it affect them that much....

I guess I'm just really panicking and afraid?? I feel like I've joined the fandom during a really volatile time and I'm worried that the toxic side of the fandom, moving on to new fandoms, etc. will drive away my mutuals and such and the vibes won't be the same anymore and get worse and worse. I know realistically, new blogs will likely take their place as new people join, but that doesn't change my anxiety surrounding everything happening on here. It hurts because mcyt has started to mean a lot to me and the community is hurting and there is no sign of it slowing down any time soon...I just...idk if I have the proper words but watching the positive side of mcytblr wanting to leave is affecting more than seeing the negativity on here. I'm worried it'll be a ghost town on tumblr in time despite the ccs + mcyttwt's growing popularity :(

Also, this is techinally a sort of response to your ask post about telling you your vibes! You honestly give off older sister energy and you always seem to have wonderful advice and resonate a comforting energy when you respond to your asks. Hence, why I trust you enough to open up about these concerns. You just have a welcoming presence!! <3

hello there!

first of all thank you so so soooo much for your super sweet and kind words 💖🥺 i really appreciate that, thank you! makes me so happy that you feel comfortable writing to me!!! i'm very happy to hear that :D

second of all, i know often it may seem like it, especially if you frequent twitter more than tumblr, but i fully believe the positivity outweighs the negativity! there are so many lovely, kind, creative, incredible people in this community, that makes me very happy that i ever joined 😊 it's so exciting to be part of such a fun community where you have so many people to talk to, we've all got so much in common it's just really fun!

this got super long so i'll put it under here ❤️

so in my personal opinion, your experience depends entirely on you! i promise you that if you follow the right people, 9 times out of 10 you will not see any negativity unless you look for it! i myself almost had a breaking point and was considering leaving the fandom, because while i was enjoying myself on tumblr - i also had an account on twitter and boyyyyy i was just following all the wrong accounts.

i realised that twitter offers me absolutely nothing, so i've unfollowed everyone and only follow my favourite content creators, a few artists and give or take a fan here or there - people whom i know will not engage in negativity!

on tumblr is even better, because you can tag and blacklist things so you won't see them. makes it even easier to avoid toxicity and negativity. and one of the most important things i learned is that for your own sake, for your own mood and mental health - don't engage. sometimes you really want to, sometimes you see someone say something very ignorant or disrespectful, and you just want to say something, but i promise you it's so much better and easier to just unfollow and go about your day! if anyone is deliberately being nasty to you, just block them, i promise it's not worth engaging!

honestly more often than not, you'll be fighting your curiosity more than negativity. for example i won't see anything bad about dream, but i'll see people say 'did you see what they're saying about him on twitter??' - and i will only see that stuff if i actively go and search for it. so you gotta try your very best to stop yourself from searching for things :P

in a lot of cases i think people make themselves sad unintentionally. because they worry too much or care too much, too often, about things that we don't really need to worry so much about. whether it's about some old controversy, or if dream and george had an off day and suddenly people are stressing out that their friendship is falling apart, or some streamer is accusing them of something - the less attention you give it the better, the less you worry about it the better.

of course it isn't your fault if you hyperfixate, but you have to try your very best to remember that your mental health is most important! so above all, you have to take care of yourself the most! so i think those people that are choosing to leave, are doing just that :) maybe they'll just take a break, maybe they'll come back, maybe they'll stay altogether - but the best thing to do, is doing what you know is best for you!

i don't know if that helped at all, i feel like i just said a lot of words and not a whole lot of sense haha! but my point is that you need to trust yourself the most :) trust that you'll be able to handle if it's too negative at times, trust yourself that you won't let negativity affect you to the extent that it will impact your mental health, and trust that if god forbid it ever gets to that point, that you'll be able to take yourself out of it! ❤️

i'm always here if you wanna chat! :D

#ask #anon #<33333

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chaoticriderlessb · 3 years

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Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous

Review time! I actually meant to write this up, yesterday...but then, I forgot, and by the time I remembered, again, I had already closed down the laptop for the night ^^;. So now, here I am xD.

Anyway, so yesterday, I finally sat down and watched “Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous”, for the first time. I never bothered to watch it, before, because it just looked so incredibly cheesy, kiddie, and cringey (honestly, I think a lot of people thought this, at first). But, after the pilot episode, I was surprised at how good it was! In my opinion, it was well-written, the voice-acting was really good (then again, maybe it’s just me, but I don’t recall disliking any voice-acting in all my years of watching anime and cartoons and playing video-games), and I even liked the animation. The animation for the dinosaurs looked really well done! I loved that Steven Spielburg is involved as one of the producers, and that the same sound fx’s for the dinosaurs in the movies was also used in this show!

Yeah, I had very low expectations with this show before actually sitting down and watching it ^^;.

As I watched more of the season, I found myself getting totally hooked! The suspense was real, and I liked that the show went into a more realistic route like the movies did. I mean, it’s “Jurassic Park/World”, what do you expect xD? I read, somewhere, that I guess Steven Spielburg was trying to persuade the creators to go down the intense and horror road with this show. I think it kinda worked! I mean, I grew up with the “Jurassic Park” movies, and enjoyed the “Jurassic World” movies, so some things were a little predictable to me (there are just some rules you gotta follow when it comes to dinosaurs, ok? xD). But even with these little predictions, the show always managed to catch me by surprise.

SPOILER ALERT!!! I really loved that the show took place during the first Jurassic World movie. It was funny because when I first saw the I-Rex, I was like “I thought that thing was dead, man!” lol! So I was surprised to see him, again (or her, I don’t remember which), and to realize that the show does take place during the first “Jurassic World” movie. Even the Raptor Squad showed up! Once.... But they still showed up xD!

In case you haven’t noticed, already, I’m a giant nerd.

I also loved how many times the show seemed to throw back to the previous movies. I mean, SPOILER ALERT!!! I never expected to see that velociraptor resonating chamber, at all! I mean, it only showed up, once, but it was still very cool to see! The show had some elements of other movies done by Spielburg, as well. I only recognized a few of them...I never saw a lot of Spielburg’s stuff partly because of disinterest. Some of them were just a definite “no” in my book.

Anyway.... I’m usually one to enjoy music (OSTs) from movies, tv shows, and video-games. I’m gonna be honest, though. For “Camp Cretaceous”, I did not really pay attention to the music. I was focused more on the dialogue and what was happening with the characters. Even when I watched the show a 2nd time (yes, I went back and rewatched it because it was that enjoyable), I still didn’t pay attention to the music. Probably because it’s the kind of music that just doesn’t snatch my attention like a lot of other OSTs do. Oh well.

I liked that the main antagonist was the Carnotaurus! I was expecting Rexy, or yes, even a Spinosaurus, or even a Baryonyx to show up, but neither of them ever did. And the Carno being the main antagonist reminded me of Disney’s “Dinosaur”...I liked that movie, growing up! So the Carno was a nice change. Gives the raptors and the t-rex a break xD. I guess the I-Rex was a main antagonist, as well, but I feel the Carno showed up more often than he did.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this first season, and I cannot wait for season 2...which is happening a lot sooner than I expected, which makes me slightly skeptical because a date for a second season, that soon, makes me feel like the show is being rushed. And when a show or movie is rushed, things tend to not run so smoothly and brings more disappointment to viewers than enjoyment. But, we’ll see! Hopefully, the 2nd season will be just as good as the 1st! I...would not really say this is entirely a kids show...I’m only saying that because, considering it’s “Jurassic Park/World”, things happen that I personally don’t feel like a child should be seeing. At least, not alone. Then again, I feel like “family-friendly” isn’t exactly the right word to describe “Camp Cretaceous”...and honestly, I’m too dumb to think of a right word for it. I don’t know, I suck at describing anything. For all I know, maybe it is family-friendly, and I just don’t feel like it is. Whatevs.

As to who my favorite characters are...I mean, I like all of them! I feel like I relate just a little bit more to Yasmina, though. Like her, I have trust issues, and quite enjoy being in my shell...but I also enjoy hanging out with my friends, so I’ve got that going for me xD. And like her, I draw stuff. Maybe not as often, and I’m nowhere near as talented, but every once in a while, I will pick up a pencil and start drawing.

I relate a little bit to Darius because like him, I am a bit of a nerd when it comes to dinosaurs. I’m not as nerdy as he is...I mean, there’s only a certain amount of dinosaurs that I can remember the names of and what they look like. Maybe if I had dedicated my whole childhood to dinosaurs, I might be exactly as dino-nerdy as Darius is, lol! I think my love for dinosaurs started with the first movie (I can thank my dad for this one!), and the t-rex immediately became my favorite. Mainly because it just looks and sounds cool, and is terrifying. The velociraptor became my 2nd favorite (although, over the past few years, the two have switched ranks in my book).

So, basically, both Yasmina and Darius are my favorite characters.

Also, I just want to say before I end this review: I don’t really ship anybody with anybody in this show. I never saw it (and don’t want to), but the whole romance thing is like the anime, “Attack on Titan”. There is just no time for romance when you are just trying to survive on an island full of dinosaurs...a lot of them being carnivores. And, these are just kids that we are talking about, here. Well, they’re really teenagers, but still slightly young enough to be considered as kids. Another problem I have with shipping these characters is that...if they do get rescued and get off the island alive and in one piece...what are the chances that they’ll ever see each other, again? That’s one of the things they even pointed out in the show.

That’s another thing I like about “Camp Cretaceous”. The kids bring up a ton of good points that I feel like a lot of characters in shows or movies don’t think about when it comes to survival and things like that.

I mean, if you guys want to ship the characters with each other, that’s fine. It’s just me, personally, that I feel like the CC characters shouldn’t be shipped with each other. I also will just never understand why literally everything fictional has to have romance in it in some way. I’m gonna be completely honest with you, I feel like romance has become just a little bit overdone. But only because I see it in every show or movie that I watch. Maybe that’s just also me not being into the whole romance genre.

Anyway, if I were to give “Camp Cretaceous” a rating, I’d give it a fair 9/10. I’m really glad I decided to just sit down and watch this show. It really just blew my mind! I’m curious to see what season 2 will bring.

And that is my review on “Camp Cretaceous”! I hope you all have a nice day, and have a Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays or whatever you celebrate!

Later!

#Mika squawks #Life of Mika #review #tv show review #dinosaurs #jurassic park #jurassic world #camp cretaceous #im bad at explaining things #sorry!#i tried

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occasionalfics · 4 years

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touch every star (2)

main masterlist | thor masterlist | ao3 | previous | next

Pairing: Thor X Cinderella!Reader AU

A/N: To those who are reading, thank you! I’m so glad y’all are liking this 💖 Feel free to comment and message me with thoughts if you’d like!

Warnings: Lots of angst, a really, really shitty boss, but overall this is probably the most pure fic I’ve ever written?

Words: 2,643

You’re cordially invited to Stark Industries’ Annual Christmas Extravaganza/Charity Gala. Donations optional, but appreciated.

She stared at the email, blinking mindlessly at it for at least three minutes. She’d never been invited to one of these galas before - she figured it was because she was just a secretary and couldn’t afford to make a donation for a charity gala.

But this year, she was on the list. She checked the addresses and CCs and, yup, this email had been personally sent to her. Personally - but most likely from an automated system. Still, hers was the only email listed to be sent to. Someone had put her email in there on purpose (or maybe an accident, but still...she was invited).

She wondered what she’d wear. She didn’t have anything black tie, didn’t have time or money to go shopping. Maybe Nat would have something. Or Wanda, but more than likely, Nat.

She couldn’t go, though. Could she? A secretary from the Accounting offices? Did she mean anything? Enough to be invited to the holiday gala?

Apparently, yes. She knew Nat and Wanda would insist on her going. Her two best friends were kind of like her fairy godmothers. They watched out for her whenever she needed them, encouraged her whenever she felt unsure or insecure, and promised to help her wherever they could. She’d done the same for them, but she was far less well off than they were.

After all, Nat was literally a model and Wanda was making a name for herself as a successful up and coming photographer. Y/N was just a secretary.

As if to remind her of that fact, Jasper Sitwell was suddenly standing in front of her desk. He cleared his throat and glared down at her, one eyebrow raised over the thick rim of his glasses.

“Are you going to sit there motionless all day or are you going to get to work?” he asked.

Man, she hated him. But he’d drilled into her head that he could ruin her with a simple few words. He’d told her nothing if not that he was in charge of her while she was on the clock, and if she didn’t do everything he asked, she’d be out on the street before she could make it to the lobby.

She moved immediately, picking up the papers from the night before to sort through them. “Sorry, Mr. Sitwell,” she muttered, starting piles across her desk for different people throughout the office.

“I saw you stayed late last night,” he said, a little less abrasive but just as cool. “Got everything done?”

She nodded. “Yes, Mr. Sitwell.”

“Good.” She looked up at him in time to see him pull out two sheets of paper, which he placed in her inbound box on the corner of her desk. “I want all of this finished on time today.” With that, he walked into his office without so much as a second glance.

She sighed. The list from yesterday had been one page, single spaced, and it had still taken her almost twelve hours to complete. She’d skipped taking a lunch break and ate while she’d worked, too.

She could only imagine how long this list would take. But first, she still had to sort through the papers from last night and deliver them correctly.

---

Thor had taken bits of pieces of his conversation with Frigga to heart. Just the parts that weren’t directly set up to make him feel guilty for having a high-energy, fast-paced job.

He knew he had to take care of himself. Better care, anyway. He knew he couldn’t sustain twelve and thirteen-hour workdays forever. And, as annoying as Frigga’s nagging about him starting a family was, he did want to start a family.

He wanted a partner he could come home to, in all senses of the word. Someone kind and generous, that he could care for as much as they cared for him. A true partner. As much as he respected his parents’ relationship, he didn’t want what they had. He wanted something better.

And as he thought on that, his mind drifted to the girl from last night. It was silly of him to imagine her in that spot, given he literally didn’t even know her name, but he couldn’t help himself. Thor’d always been something of a Romantic - even in his college Frat years, he’d imagined a future with a real human, whereas most of his Brothers just wanted easy lays and Trophy Wives.

Loki had always poked his side for stuff like that. But Loki was Loki, and it was hard to know exactly what his idea of a perfect home might be one day.

Thor was thinking of that girl when Tony Stark himself made an appearance in his office. Normally, Tony called people to him, not the other way around, but they both knew Thor was a special circumstance. They were part of a little group of directors and executives - friends, really - so it wasn’t so much of a surprise to Thor that Tony was interrupting his daydream with a pristine white envelope.

“Most people got invites through their email, so appreciate my efforts to come down here. But this year, thanks to Steve, everyone is invited.”

Thor smiled and took the envelope, and despite knowing what was inside, opened it. The annual holiday gala was always a charity event, so usually it was their little group and the board of directors mingling with some celebrities and the like. People with lots of money. Not because Tony didn’t appreciate every one of his employees, really, though Thor didn’t know why this was the first year everyone in the company was included.

“I think that’s a good thing,” Thor said. “Steve’s got some good ideas, you know.”

Tony completely ignored that. He perched himself on one of the chairs facing Thor’s desk and, in his cool and unaffected tone, asked, “So you gonna bring someone? It’s a masquerade this year, you know. Gotta bring a hot date and lose her in the crowd or...some such nonsense.”

He laughed at that, but shook his head. “You know I’m not seeing anyone this year.”

“Oh good because, with so many new people there, you’ll be just single enough to pick someone up.”

“You’re as bad as my mother,” Thor said. “Did you know that?”

Tony gave him one of those half-smiles, like he’d expected Thor to say as much. “You’re not the first to say so, believe it or not. That I sound like your mother.”

They laughed together, and it took Thor a moment to realize how long it’d been since he’d seen his friends. Too long. They were all busy people but they all worked at the same company, for the same man who was in their group and sitting directly across from him at that very moment.

A gala would be nice. And maybe Tony was right.

After all, if everyone was invited, maybe Elevator Girl would show up. The only problem was that he didn’t know anything about her except that she worked on his floor and that he could recall what she looked like. A mask - kind of required for a masquerade - would make it that much harder for him to find her.

Tony sighed. “Anyway. I’m sure you’re busy - what’d you call it? - ‘protecting our asses’ and all, so I’ll leave you to it. Maybe one day this week we’ll do lunch.” His eyebrows rose expectantly, and Thor hesitantly nodded.

“Maybe.”

“I’ll have my people call your people.”

And with that, he was gone.

---

She managed to finish before six, but well after five. The list was complete - thankfully, most of the tasks Sitwell had left were short or easy to do - and the office was empty, so she sighed and slipped her heels off. The blisters were worse today, but she’d thought ahead and brought a pair of plain flats to change into for the walk/ride home.

As she came up to the elevator, she couldn’t help but look from one end of the hall to the other. There were more people around than the night before, but not the man she was looking for.

The man from last night.

Y/N knew she shouldn’t be thinking about him. She didn’t know anything about him, other than he took the elevator from her floor. Once.

But he’d been nice last night, and he hadn’t done anything at all to warrant her running. If anything, she wanted to be able to apologize for scampering away like a deer in headlights because it hadn’t been polite. Even if she didn’t owe him an explanation, she wanted the chance to give one anyway.

He didn’t show, though. She figured he’d already gone home or something, because the elevator doors opened and no one stepped out onto her floor or anything. The four people already on the elevator looked at her expectantly, so she got on and turned to face the doors without a word.

No one attempted conversation. Hardly anyone moved. Two more people squeezed in before they hit the lobby, then everyone rushed out and onto the street.

Her ride home was just as lonely. No one on MTA ever stopped to talk, except the buskers and musicians that, at least tonight, avoided her car.

She shouldn’t have taken it personally. No one ever talked to her on the subway because it was New York - everyone kept to themselves and that was how the city worked. She’d never thought twice about it, but something about missing that man - the dashingly handsome man she’d spent all of ten minutes with tops - made her feel heavy as she stepped up onto the street again.

She bit her tongue as she turned a corner to head up her block. She wasn’t going to cry. She couldn’t. It was stupid to cry over nothing like this. If she were upset about Sitwell or something, she’d let herself do it, but right now she was sad about...nothing at all. A missed opportunity.

She knew what would make her feel better. Her mind drifted to the email from this morning. Maybe it was silly, but the reminder of that invitation did make her feel better. Had her walking taller, shoulders back, teeth biting into her bottom lip to keep from smiling.

Oh, she wanted to go to the gala. Donation or no, she was determined. Maybe she’d meet the man from the elevator again, or maybe she’d met the Tony Stark. She’d read the email back six times over the day, so she knew full well that it was a masquerade, but she was still excited.

So excited that Nat could tell something was up the second she stepped through the door. And Nat, being relentless and stubborn, managed to convince Y/N to sit on the couch and spill all the details she had in absolutely no time.

“Holy shit,” Nat said when she’d finished. “You never get invited to Stark parties!”

“I mean, I’m not on the board or an heiress or anything so I get it,” she responded, shrugging. “Some of my coworkers think it’s basically an open invitation this year.”

“And it’s a masquerade!” Nat practically squealed, which made Y/N even more excited than she already had been.

Y/N nodded, the tiniest bit of embarrassment seeping into her joy. She cleared her throat before she said, “I, uh. Kinda need help finding something to wear.”

Nat stood up so quickly she nearly toppled over. But she was lithe and graceful - a former dancer - so she caught herself quickly and turned toward her bedroom.

“Where’re you going?” Y/N asked, trying to follow with her eyes.

“Getting my bag and shoes - we’re going shopping!”

Wanda appeared at that. She asked what all the noise was about, and before Y/N could even attempt to resist or refuse, Nat was back and informed her of everything. Between the two of them, Y/N knew there was no way she’d get out of this.

Nat texted someone as she headed for the door. She sent the message, then looked up at Y/N with a smirk and nodded for Wanda to join them.

“Where’re you going?” Y/N asked.

“We,” Nat answered. “And it’s not even eight. Most stores are still open, but I’ve got an in at one in particular.”

---

“I don’t know,” she murmured, moving the skirt around. “It seems like a lot.”

“Babe, you’re going to a black tie charity gala,” Wanda said. “It’s all gonna be a lot.”

She looked at her reflection and sighed for the millionth time. The dress was gorgeous, she couldn’t deny it. Deep cut and embellished, the soft material flowed around her in light floral patterns and it all made her feel…

Well, she knew what she should feel. She should see her reflection and think Princess, but that had never described her. Nat and Wanda were the only ones in her life that looked at her and saw more than she did, so it didn’t surprise her that they liked the dress.

And she liked it, too. Loved it, actually. The dress itself was amazing, but on her… She couldn’t help but think she was dragging it down. Or, as a consultant on Say Yes to the Dress might say, the dress was wearing her, not the other way around.

“You look hot,” Nat said, standing to walk around the stool Y/N was perched on. “This color is perfect for your skin tone and I have a headband that would go so well.”

“I need a mask,” she responded. She said it like...like it was an excuse not to buy this dress. As if a mask couldn’t be found or made to match it.

Her friends, however, were not going to let her leave empty handed. And they both loved this dress. The last two had gotten nods of approval, but not like this. Not warranting both Nat and Wanda standing at her sides, watching the mirror with her, both moving the skirt around with smiles.

“I’ll take care of the mask,” Wanda said. “You should get this dress.”

“I’m only gonna wear it once-”

“Or we can find you another event to wear it to. Or one of us will wear it next.”

“Exactly,” Nat said. “So, really, what’re you scared of?”

“The price-”

“We’ll help.” Wanda smiled softly, and before Y/N could attempt to deny the offer, she held a hand up. “We want to help. Besides, if we put in some money that gives us more incentive to want to wear the dress so we can all get a use out of it, right?”

“It’s too nice for me.”

“That’s just a blatant lie,” Nat said. “Y/N, you look fucking amazing. We should all get this dress. You’ll just be the first one to wear it.”

She did have to admit to herself that that sounded...fair. Maybe not conventional, but fair. Fair enough that she could hold herself a little higher, stretch her neck a little longer and really see what her friends were seeing. Once she stopped questioning whether she was worthy of such a dress and just enjoyed being in it, she could see herself walking into the gala in it, the hem flowing around her heels as all eyes turned on her. No one would know who she was unless they worked with her, and even then, she’d be wearing a mask.

She’d look mysterious. Pretty. Sexy, even.

Like Nat, who’d have to have the dress taken in a little after Y/N and Wanda wore it, but she probably knew people for that, too.

“So?” Wanda asked.

Y/N couldn’t help but smile. “Okay. Let’s do it.”

#thor fanfic #touch every star fic #touch every star #cinderella au #thor x reader #thor odinson x reader

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blackcoffeeandblankpagess · 4 years

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NOLA marathon recap!

-now that it’s over I know it all worked out but in retrospect new orleans was a horrible place to pick to run a marathon lol the race itself was great but it’s definitely a party city and especially because jared’s parents are here with us (and not running) it kinda felt like we were missing out on the full experience (for instance last night we were at a jazz club but had to leave early and didn’t get drinks, etc. but we still have 24 hours of fun!)

-I was STRESSIN about what to eat yesterday/this morning because I really did not practice that while training because I just wanted to live my life and not worry about eating a certain way for a long run every weekend (plus on a normal run its no biggie to stop to use the bathroom) so I was feeling very ahhhhh!!!! yesterday, again, also because jared’s parents were here and don’t understand my running related insanity like jared does lol

-so yesterday I ate: bagel w/ cc and strawberries, pineapple

-oyster/shrimp po boy (I mean we are in new orleans) with fries

-a glass of white wine, shared fancy brussel sprouts with the table, cacio e pepe pasta (which was basically like less creamy mac and cheese and I was worried might be a bad decision but oh well) and a couple bites of a dessert we all shared (only recording this for future marathon reference)

-generally I don’t eat before morning runs but when I have all the time in the world (aka over winter break) I like to eat breakfast, poop, and then run and that was always when I had my best runs, I felt conflicted over whether or not to get up early to eat before the race because even though technically I have eaten breakfast before runs I have never intentionally woken up early with the explicit goal of eating before a long run PLUS when I ate (5am) here it was 3am my (CA) time and I was v worried about not being able to poop and then having to run feeling bloated and bleh

-but I decided to eat oatmeal and I DID poop (aren’t you all glad to know?) and that was well and good

-I had been wavering between my race plan because half of me was like “find the 4 hour pacer and just run a little bit faster at the end and you will break four” since my nyc time was 4:12 and my main goal was to break 4 but THEN my ego jumped in (that’s always good!) and was like nah nah nah nah nah but I want to go FASTER. Honestly I had NO idea what pace I could maintain for 26.2. I have been running most of my runs VERY slowly (for me) at like 10-12min pace but then I also have runs where I’ve run 6-7-8 pace (although short distance) and felt good so I was like uh uh uh because I didn’t want to finish feeling like I had more in me but I DEFINITELY didn’t want to burn out SO I decided I would find the 3:50 pacer and run the first half with them and then reassess (also, I generally run a race pace about 30 seconds faster than my usual pace comfortably because adrenaline so even though I thought the 3:50 aka 8:46 pace might be a little bit pushing it I was like welp I can always pull back if it feels like too much in the beginning)

-anyway! got to the start, found the 3:50 pacer, decided I would glue myself to her hip forever.

-THE HIGHLIGHT OF MY DAY: I don’t know how many of you have heard but last week in oklahoma a driver hit a group of runners from a highschool xc team while they were on a run and killed 2 of them and injured 4 others, I read that headline the other day and was like holy shit. THEN! In the starting corral I was next to this guy and he asked me if I had heard about that and I was like actually yes and HE IS A RUNNER ON THAT XC TEAM AND HE SAID HE WAS THERE TODAY TO RUN IN MEMORY OF HIS TEAMMATES WHO WERE KILLED and I was like holy shit you are incredible and that’s amazing and also I’m so sorry that that reason for being here exists in the first place but like WHAT! small world

-anyway! the pacer’s name was kim and she was from new orleans and we talked a bunch and kinda formed a little 3:50 squad and all got to know eachother and it was GREAT I 100% plan to run with a pacer in the future it was a game changer and I honestly believe I owe my race to it. It forced me to hold back in the beginning and hang on at the end and took all of the thinking and calculations out of it because I knew if I just hung onto her I would get there in time

-the first half of the race was nice and in the downtown area but the second half was ROUGH. It was along the lake and it was WINDY AS SHIT! And there were a bunch of bridges and even though the rest of the course was flat they were...tough. Around 18 I was like ok starting to enter the pain cave and then at 20 I was like ahhhhhh

-But I had mentally prepared myself for the mental battle of the race *see alexi pappas quote on hand* and I told myself to just stop thinking and keep moving forward, before the race even started I knew my biggest challenge in this race would be my brain, not my fitness level

-But then at 21 I started to think about dropping off the pace group because another 5 miles at that pace just seemed so. hard. But I hung on

-And then at 22 I was like ok no I need to walk for a sec my stomach did NOT feel good, so I stopped to walk on a WINDY FKING BRIDGE and then I started dry heaving into the wind but had basically nothing in my stomach I guess and I was like well this is bad but I feel validated in my need to walk for a sec!

-Miles 22-24 were just fucking hard. I had a super bad cramp and was in the pain cave and honestly walked a fair bit and the whole time I was like bitch we are not having an nyc repeat!

-I knew that I had run the first 22 miles fast enough that if I just kept. moving. I would finish under 4. Even though my sub 3:50 ship had sailed I was like YOU HAVE COME TOO FAR TO LET THIS GET AWAY FROM YOU.

-I SHUFFLED mile 25 but I was like if you can just run, even your slowest possible pace, you will make it.

-And then there was a HUGE BRIDGE HILL that I had forgotten about just past 25 and I was like holy shitTtTtTt

-But then I had .7 to go and I KNEW I was going to make it

-And the whole time I was just like “Danielle just keep fucking moving. Just get there under 4 hours. You can take 500 years off of running after this. You can get a fancy drink with dinner tonight. Just keep fucking moving.”

-And I did just that

-As I approached the finish I looked at the seconds on my watch because I honestly felt like I had NOTHING left to give so I was like ok how close am I to the next minute and I was at like 3.52:20 or something and I was like oh we HAVE this

And then it was over! And I am so happy with the result! And I found jared and his parents and it was the best I could have asked for and honestly, I respect the marathon so much more. I feel like after nyc because my pacing screwed me over I was like pft I can run a WAY faster marathon if I’m just smart! I just didn’t run that one intelligently! (which like yes true BUT) but today I was like fuck no marathons are just HARD. That’s the tea!

So! 3:52. 20 minute PR. Honestly not the best training cycle. Can’t wait to see what I’m capable of when I really give it my all.

#personalposts #runs #nola marathon #myfood #nola #la

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hpswl-cumbercookie · 5 years

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Secret Boyfriends/Husbands Rec List

So my dears, I am finally going to fulfill my dream of starting doing rec lists. I would like to help fill the unfathomable void that has been left behind by @alexxphoenix42. Let me tell you, I have no idea how she did this job for so long, it’s harder than you’d think, but so much fun. Anyways, this is the first rec list of hopefully many, feel free to send me asks for fics/lists and I will put them together as quickly as my little hands possibly can. I dedicate this first list to @srebrnafh for her unending kindness, support, and overall general awesomeness, you are the greatest! And, by the way, I found the fic you were looking for!!! It’s the very first one on this list, I’m really glad I was able to find it.

You can see my search results here in case none of these are to your liking. If you would like to be tagged in future lists just let me know and if you want to find my lists search for the tag #cc rec list.

Missing in Action by Alphinss

Words: 7k Rating: Teen

Lestrade is worried about Sherlock. He hasn't seen the man in a week. What else is a man to do but break into the man's house under the pretence of a drugs bust. But who is the man that almost shoots one of his officers and why is he in Sherlock's flat?

A Long Time Coming by thestanceyg

Words: 5k Rating: Teen

Sherlock's been acting strangely, and Lestrade isn't sure why. One day he finds a shirtless soldier in Sherlock's flat and things start to make a lot more sense.

Capt John H Watson, MBBS by anthonyedwardstark

Words: 2k Rating: Gen

Sherlock has not been seen or heard from for more than a week. Lestrade decides to begin his search for the man at 221B Baker Street. When Scotland Yard's finest arrive at the flat, what (or rather who) they find is certain to surprise them.

Sherlock’s Who? By freakypet

Words: 4k Rating: Gen

John has been away for Sherlock's entire career and suddenly returns to London unexpectedly from Afghanistan. Injured and tired and in pain, all he wants is to surprise Sherlock and kiss his husband. His search to find and surprise his wayward partner takes him across London and meets him up with those in Sherlock's world he has only heard about until now.

A quickly written story that was meant to be my version of "Everyone Meet Sherlock's Secret Husband - Ha Ha In Your face" - but I got this instead.

The Bee Charmer by dreadpiratewatson

Words: 3k Rating: Mature

Greg goes to 221B to check up on Sherlock after a strange phone call pulls him away from an important case, and is stunned to find himself in front of a gun brandishing soldier with a sleeping Sherlock on his chest.

John Watson is a doctor, a war hero, a husband, and the only one in the world who can soften Sherlock's heart.

This Isn’t Happening by Emma_Locke

Words: 5k Rating: Teen

Greg never believed the rumors that Sherlock and John were shagging, not really. Sure, it was fun to tease and taunt his friends, but he knew their relationship was solely platonic. He had never seen any action to suggest more than that, so he continued to hold by that belief until proven otherwise. The last thing he expects is to inconveniently interrupt various impromptu make-out sessions between the pair, but is that really what’s happening? Neither Sherlock nor John ever say anything about it, and they seem thoroughly confused when he brings the topic up.

Is Greg Lestrade going crazy?

Are those two idiots setting him up?

Or does he just ship Johnlock harder than anyone thought?

Outed by a Drugs Bust by Inactive Account (sassybleu)

Words: 1.5k Rating: Mature

Their relationship status didn't leave the confinement of their flat, so when they got lazy days like this; Sherlock without a case, and John without work, they took full advantage of it.

Sherlock and John are together-but no one else knows that. The damage is done when Lestrade and his crew break in on a drugs bust.

I’ll Greet You With a Smile by sevvyboy1fangirl

Words: 2k Rating: Teen

When John comes home from the war, Sherlock is there to greet his husband at the airport. How will others react to the news of Sherlock having a husband? And how will John react to meeting those that are in his husbands life? And how will Sherlock and John's life continue now that John is home?

*NOTE- This story is incomplete but it ends in a mostly satisfying manner*

Illusory Correlation and Confirmation Bias by VanillaBroompolish

Words: 10k Rating: Gen

Looking back, there were a few things that should’ve tipped Greg off long before that night at the pub. A few things Sherlock left fairly obvious, that on reflection, made Greg question how he’d gotten his job in the first place.

The Blind and the Clueless by InTheShadows

Words: 3k Rating: Teen

When Greg first meets John Watson, he mentally wishes Sherlock the best. Lord knows that man needs someone who can keep up with him. When John keeps coming back, Greg is impressed. When they seem perfect for each other for each other, but neither of the blind idiots see it, well. Then Greg is less so.

aka 5 times Greg saw John was perfect for Sherlock but didn't say anything and one time he did.

How Single-Malt Made Them a Double (AKA Loose Lips Confirm Ships) by IrelandSpades and MyFirstistheFourth

Words: 4.5k Rating: Mature (Could make a case for explicit, read with care those who are sex-repulsed)

A holiday party, too much whiskey, and something is revealed when a soldier goes too far.

Behind Closed Doors by Mssmithlove

Words: 10k Rating: Explicit

An hour earlier, everything had been different. Sherlock Holmes' heart had not been in pieces on the tiled hallway floor of his secondary school, grey eyes blinking back the tears threatening to fall down his cheeks, knees shaking with the effort not to buckle and knock him to the ground on the first day of his last year here before university.

An hour earlier, Sherlock Holmes had been happy.

In Which Sherlock Is Hiding Something by Huffordle

Words: 2k Rating: Gen

Sherlock is hiding something from Greg although the DI doesn't notice.

A Surprise in 221B by lancesface

Words: 2k Rating: Gen

Lestrade entered the flat prepared to find a consulting detective sulking on the couch due to the lack of cases but instead found a short blond man, wearing an oatmeal jumper, who was limping down the hallway towards the door.

Alibis by JohnlockRelapse

Words: 7k Rating: Mature

Sherlock is away for the weekend, John indisposed. And Greg would never admit to himself how desperate he was for Sherlock’s help. A series of phone calls to concerned parties, and a frustrated Detective Inspector later, alibis would prove to never be enough.

The Most Noble of Bullies by emptycel

Words: 10k Rating: Mature

John Watson is abused at home and the biggest jerk at his school. He has no qualms about being as cruel to his classmates as his father is to him. No one is safe from his torment.

Except for Sherlock Holmes.

But you can't expect John to bully his secret boyfriend.

#rec list #fic rec list #cc rec list #secret boyfriends #secret husbands #sherlock #bbc sherlock #johnlock #sherlock holmes #john watson #fanfic #fanfiction #sherlock fanfiction #sherlock fic rec #sherlock fic #sherlock fanfic

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lilover131 · 4 years

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New CCS Oneshot

I’ve been on and off writing this oneshot for several months now, and I’m so glad to finally have completed it, just in time for Syaoran’s birthday, so I can share it with you all!!

TITLE: Closer

SUMMARY: While Syaoran is away in Hong Kong taking care of the things he needs to do, Sakura struggles to deal with the pain of their separation, and only his letters are able to quell the anguish. Will the letters be enough to help her hold on? Or will they find themselves drifting even farther apart? Takes place after the original series and before the Clear Card arc.

LINKS: AO3 and FANFICTON.NET

You can also read the story under the cut if you do not feel comfortable with links!

Closer

There was always this feeling of anticipation when the school day was over. Every day, Sakura would come home and eagerly open the mailbox just outside the house, and she would hope and pray that she would find what she so longed for.

Ever since Syaoran went back to Hong Kong, they had had relatively little communication. Sakura imagined it was because he was busy doing whatever it was that he needed to do that had brought him back in the first place, but amongst his busy schedule, he still found time to write to her, and it was through those letters that she would feel revitalized. She wasn’t exactly sure why this was, but there was just something about it that made him feel closer to her. Maybe it was his handwriting. Maybe it was the way he described his day or how he seemed to ask so many questions about her as if they were having a conversation in person. Or perhaps it was even just the fact that the letters smelled faintly of him.

Sakura would wonder silently while reading ‘I wonder what the weather was like when he wrote this?’ and ‘What sort of expression did he have? I wish I could have seen it…’. She hoped that Syaoran had the same thoughts about her when reading her letters, and her heart fluttered just at the idea of it.

Much to her delight, a letter addressed to her with a stamp from Hong Kong was waiting for her. She rushed upstairs to her room and immediately opened it.

Dear Sakura,

I hope you are well.

The summer is quite hot here in Hong Kong, and I hope you are staying cool in Tomoeda.

The house is lively as always, especially with Meiling and my sisters spending more time together. They ask about you all the time and send their regards.

The bear you gave me has gotten a lot of attention here, and everyone who has seen it has remarked at how well made it is. You’re really amazing at so many things, and it is almost hard to believe it was handmade! ‘Sakura’ sits on my desk so I can see her whenever I write to you.

I’m working hard every day to finish the things I need to do so I can return to Tomoeda, though it has kept me very busy and I apologize for not writing more.

How are things at school? Are you and Daidouji still in the same class?

I hope everything remains peaceful for you, but please let me know right away if strange things start to happen again.

Sincerely,

Li Syaoran

As Sakura finished reading the letter, her fingers stroked over the surface of the paper, just above his name. Seeing his name at the bottom made her heart flutter, as it felt that he had somehow imbued a part of himself within the characters. Kero had told her once that this was not unusual, as there was magic even in a person’s name, and that by knowing a person’s name, you had access to their soul. This was one of the reasons why she had to write her name on the cards after she captured them.

The girl safely tucked away the letter in the drawer of her desk, the same place that she often kept the cards. Sometimes the cards would glow in response, as if to tell her that they were happy to see her in such good spirits.

Sakura wasted no time pulling out her favorite stationery, a pale pink paper with star designs littered along the borders, and started to write her response. She could not hide the blush on her cheeks as she wrote, and it wasn’t as if she were writing anything embarrassing. Just the thought of Syaoran brought warmth to her cheeks, and she was asked frequently if she had a fever by those who saw it out of context. Kero saw her like this more than he’d like to admit, but ultimately he only wanted her happiness, and until the ‘kid’ was back in Tomoeda, this was the best way to keep Sakura happy.

Dear Syaoran-kun,

The summer has been very hot here in Tomoeda as well, but we’ve done everything we can to keep comfortable. Yesterday, Otou-san and I made shaved ice and had lots of different flavors to try! It was so delicious! I wish you could have tasted it. Maybe when you’ve come back to Japan, I’ll make some for you! You like lemon flavored things, right?

I’m glad that your sisters and Meiling are doing well. I’d really like to see them again, and every time I receive a letter from Meiling, it makes me really happy! She’s been teaching me a bit of Cantonese in her letters, and it’s made me realize how difficult it must have been for you to read Japanese at school. There are a lot of characters that look similar but have completely different meanings! Meiling told me I should write this for you the next time I sent you a letter.

一百個心都裝唔晒我對你嘅愛。

I’m not sure what the direct translation is, but Meiling said it would make you happy if I wrote it and that it means something like “I care for you a great deal”.

The ‘Sakura’ bear is not really that well made, but I’m glad you like it! I only had an evening to make it, and I’m happy that it didn’t turn out looking like Kero-chan this time! ‘Syaoran’ I feel is much better made and sits on a drawer in my room, right beneath my bulletin board with the post cards of Hong Kong you’ve sent me. I love the pictures on them, and they remind me of the time I visited and got to see your home. Your family was so kind, and your house felt very warm and inviting. I hope I can return someday and see more of it!

I’m sure you must be working very hard in Hong Kong, but please don’t overwork yourself. I will wait for you, so please take as long as you need to finish the things you need to do.

Summer break will be starting soon at Tomoeda Elementary, but there’s no shortage of summer homework for sure. It seems like there is more than usual, but Onii-chan says it’s probably so they can prepare us for the middle school entrance exams. I’m really nervous, but at least we have several months before the exams! I’ve never been great at math, so I’m worried that I’ll struggle with those parts of the test. But Tomoyo-chan does really well in all classes and said she will help me study, so I am sure everything will be all right! We’re still in the same class right now, and I hope that stays the same for Middle School too. Even still, I feel like school isn’t quite the same without you sitting behind me…

I’ll be looking forward to your next letter!

Sincerely,

Kinomoto Sakura

Sakura finished with her signature and gently blew on the wet ink to dry it before carefully folding the paper and placing it within the envelope. She’d send it out first thing tomorrow and couldn’t wait for her next letter to arrive.

A few weeks passed, and summer had ended. Autumn was on the horizon and the heat was starting to die down, much to her relief, and thankfully along with the end of summer also left the rainy season. It seemed that every day during that time, Sakura could look out the window and the sky would be covered in gray clouds. However, even the gloomiest of seasons, she felt she had Syaoran’s letters to look forward to, and continuing the same pattern every day, she checked the mailbox after school. The rainy season unfortunately passed without a single letter, but just as the sun returned, the letters did eventually as well.

Sakura immediately rushed upstairs to read it, and not even Kero dared to bother her. This letter had come a bit later than usual, and it seemed Syaoran’s communication was becoming more and more spaced out. It was concerning to Sakura, and even Kero didn’t like the silence, but he disliked seeing her sad face even more.

Dear Sakura,

I hope you stayed dry in the rainy season! It appears that the sunshine is back again, so I hope it’s the same for you in Japan! I recall the weather being similar in some ways to Hong Kong at this time of year, though not quite as hot and humid!

I wish I could have had some of the shaved ice you made with your father in the summer time, and I’m sure it was delicious. I tried to imagine it whenever the heat was starting to get to me, and I think it helped a little bit.

My sisters would certainly love to see you again, and Meiling talks about going back to visit Japan frequently. I had no idea she was teaching you Cantonese, and admittedly I was a little surprised at what she had you write.

一百個心都裝唔晒我對你嘅愛。actually translates as “A hundred hearts would be too few to carry all my love for you”

Sakura stopped reading briefly and cupped her face, which was beat red at the realization of the Cantonese words Meiling had advised her to write. She couldn’t believe she had her put down such a thing! The girl also couldn’t help but notice that Syaoran’s handwriting appeared to look a bit irregular and shaky in that particular part of the letter, and she wondered what had caused his hand to become so unsteady. After regaining her composure, she continued to read.

I’m sorry she asked you to say such an extravagant thing without explaining the meaning, but I spoke to her about it to make sure it doesn’t happen again. She says it was all in good fun. But…regardless, I know what you intended to say and the feelings behind them, and it did make me very happy. You’re my most important person, and I’m doing everything I can to come back to Japan like I promised. I will try not to keep you waiting too long, and knowing that you’re waiting for me makes everything worth it. Thank you for that.

I’m glad that ‘Syaoran’ bear has been so well taken care of, and I hope he’s been watching over you in my stead. ‘Sakura’, who I still insist is very well made, is always with me, and I feel like I have you by my side and am encouraged and made stronger by it.

I’m sure someday you will come back to visit Hong Kong, and I’ll show you as much as I can when you do. There are lots of beautiful places that aren’t printed on post cards.

Don’t be worried about the entrance exams. You’re plenty smart, and as long as you keep working at it, you’ll do just fine. Study a little bit each night, and it will come naturally to you when the time comes.

School in Hong Kong also does not feel the same without you sitting in front of me, but I’m glad to hear that Daidouji is still in your class. She is a very good friend and I’m sure she will encourage you all the way through.

Keep working hard!

Sincerely,

Li Syaoran

The rest of the letter made her heart flutter, and her fingers brushed over his name once again. She would have to write him back right away! Without wasting another moment, she got out her favorite stationery and pen and started to write what was in her heart.

Dear Syaoran,

Like you said, it was raining here a lot, but I didn’t mind it. The rain can be very calming at times, however it definitely limited the amount of things we can do outside. The sunny days are back now, so I’m excited to be outside more!

Fall is starting here, and Onii-chan said that now that the chestnuts are in season, he’ll bring home some dorayaki from the bakery he works part time at. I’m sure it’s delicious, but there are a lot of other really yummy desserts there too! When I think about it, Onii-chan really does have a lot of part time jobs. He says he’s working so much because he wants to pay for college on his own, but I think there’s more to it than that. He may be a jerk sometimes, but he is really hard working and is always looking after me. I have the feeling your sisters care a lot about you too and are always looking out for you. It must be nice having such a big family!

I had no idea that the words Meiling suggested I write meant that, and I’m sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. It’s so embarrassing! But I am glad that it made you happy, because you are very important to me as well. I hope you’re taking care of yourself.

‘Syaoran’ bear has also encouraged me, and anytime I feel like I am struggling, I can look at it and imagine you’re here with me, cheering me on! School has been getting a little bit easier, and I’m not as nervous about the entrance exams anymore. Tomoyo-chan and I have been taking a little bit of time each week to study, and I think I’m finally starting to understand Math a bit better.

I’m sure everything will be all right, and I’m looking forward to becoming a Middle School student! I know that everything will be all right for you as well in the important things you need to do, and I’m cheering you on from Japan!

Sincerely,

Kinomoto Sakura

Sakura smiled as she signed the letter and sealed it in an envelope for mailing. She hoped that she would receive another message from Syaoran as soon as possible, but she also hoped that he knew she was encouraging him even from a distance, just as he had done for her.

Several months passed, and there was no letter. Sakura became worried that something had gone wrong, but every once in a while, she would get a small text message from Syaoran. The conversations they had via text were often short and more frequent than the letters, but they just didn’t seem as satisfying as those letters written by hand. They were special…

The lack of hand written letters gave her this agonizing sense of distance between them that appeared to be growing. Of course there were already many miles between them, so it’s not as if the feelings were completely out of the ordinary, but the letters had made her feel as if they were just the tiniest bit closer, if only in their hearts.

It was finally when the autumn had come and gone and winter began to emerge that the next letter arrived, and Sakura let out a sigh of relief at the comfort that they were not over. There was a warmth that grew in her and made her forget about the bone chilling cold temperatures outside, and she made her way to the kitchen table with a fresh cup of tea and the letter in hand.

Dear Sakura,

I am sorry that it took so long for me to send this letter.

I hope that the autumn was peaceful for you! I remember the season being very beautiful in Japan, but here in Hong Kong it is difficult to see the changes in the seasons from the middle of a large city. Even so, there are still some spots I can retreat to that remind me that nature is never far.

The winter in Hong Kong is thankfully warmer than in Japan. I always struggled with the cold, but the scarf you made me feel much more comfortable, almost like it’s made with some sort of warming magic. I believe this is simply because you made it.

However, of all the seasons, spring is my favorite. Nothing really rivals the beauty of the blooming cherry blossom trees in Japan, and I hope to see them again soon…

I’ve never been quite sure how to act around your brother. I feel like he dislikes me still for how I treated you when we first met, and I don’t really blame him for that. He clearly cares about you a great deal and I believe that he is a very good brother to you. I hope I can apologize someday properly for my behavior back then.

As for my own family, it is just as you said. It is nice to have a large family, and I can’t really imagine what my life would be like without them. My sisters, although very lively and sometimes loud, are very smart, strong, and kind women. I know they care about me too, but I wish they could show it without being so...suffocating. By ‘suffocating’, I mean that they hug me so tight I can’t breathe!

As Sakura read the letter, she briefly glanced down and saw the bright smile that reflected in the tea within her cup. She blushed a bit upon seeing herself, and it was almost strange to see herself react like that to something written. Was this what love looked like from the outside?

She continued to read the next part of the letter, and her face quickly changed to a different expression; one that was far different than one glowing from feelings of love.

I have thought about you the entire time and kept your letter close until I had the opportunity to respond, but I am afraid this will be the last letter I will be able to send.

Please keep the ‘Syaoran’ bear close to you and remember that I am still always supporting you. Don’t forget your invincible spell.

Sincerely,

Li Syaoran

Sakura stopped before the tea cup in her hand was rested back down onto the plate on the table. Her face had gone pale, and her emerald eyes were burning with tears threatening to fall. She read the line again, feeling a pain in her heart as she did.

I am afraid this will be the last letter I will be able to send.

Sakura read it over and over, trying desperately to understand its meaning. Did Syaoran mean to say that he was too busy to write any more letters? Was he telling her that he no longer wanted to write them? If he wasn’t able to come back, he’d tell her, wouldn’t he? Her mind was swirling with the possibilities, but even if it were something innocent, the thought of losing those precious letters was almost too much to bear. The letters and the teddy bear...they were all she had to remember him by…

The girl made her way upstairs and opened the drawer of her desk containing the letters and sadly rested it atop of the others. From the privacy of her room, she allowed a few tears to fall and was thankful to see Kero was in the middle of a nap so he could not see her in such a state. The Sakura cards began to glow a soft pink, floating up from their stationary position and surrounding her, as if to try and comfort her in her apparent distress. She continued to cry until she gazed to the ‘Syaoran’ bear that rested on the small table across the room.

Slowly, she made her way to it and held it tightly in her arms, remembering the last words in the letter.

Please keep the ‘Syaoran’ bear close to you and remember that I am still always supporting you. Don’t forget your invincible spell.

Sakura slowly nodded, her tears beginning to fade and her heart starting to understand the meaning. He was telling her to hold on...to keep waiting for him.

“Everything...will surely be all right…”

She whispered softly, still clinging to the bear and making a desperate wish that soon, they would be together again…

Sakura rushed back to her desk, eagerly writing her next letter. She had to let him know...she must let him know…!

Dear Syaoran,

I promised to wait for you, and I will continue to do that, even if it means I won’t receive any more letters from here on out.

I will keep waiting, because you are my number one person.

Everything will surely be all right!

Sincerely,

Sakura Kinomoto

The girl held the short letter close to her chest, muttering a wish and hoping to engrave her feelings in the small piece of paper. Surely, her feelings would reach him...and the distance between them would lessen.

Several months passed since the heartfelt letter was sent, and just as Syaoran had said, no more letters were received. Although Sakura was generally very cheerful, the slight sadness had not gone unnoticed by those close to her. Even the text messages they shared had become farther apart in frequency, and Sakura couldn’t help but wonder if those too would soon disappear.

Even still, she had decided to wait, and she continued to believe that everything would be all right. She focused on the other aspects of her life to distract herself, and the middle school entrance exams soon came and went. Thanks to her hard work and encouragement from Syaoran, Tomoyo, and those she cared about, she passed with flying colors. Starting in April, she was going to be a student at Tomoeda Middle School, and this change made her realize just how much time had truly passed.

It would be so strange to be in a completely different school with new faces and Syaoran not beside her through it all. The time they shared in Elementary school was almost starting to feel like simply an old memory that would fade with time, and she prayed that no more time would pass before they were able to make new memories.

Even still, life went on. She received her middle school uniform, and she attended the middle school entrance ceremony. Sakura said goodbye to her Elementary school life and prepared for the next step in her life. Why didn’t anyone ever tell her that growing up could be so...scary?

Her birthday arrived, and she grew another year older; another reminder that as she waited for Syaoran, time would continue to flow forward without their consent.

And then the first day of her middle school life finally came…

Even if it was scary, she was still excited by the new opportunities and friendships she would find as a middle school student. It was a new adventure, and she’d tell Syaoran all about it when they saw each other again...if they saw each other again.She shook her head at the thought. No, Syaoran promised, and he never broke a promise...

The cherry blossom trees were in full bloom and brilliantly lined the streets she walked, and they always managed to put her in a good mood. She remembered how Syaoran had spoken fondly of the springtime in Japan as well, particularly because of the trees. Sakura spoke to herself cheerfully about the springtime plans she had, excited for the good times to come.

“I should go flower viewing with everyone! I should ask Tomoyo-chan and…”

Her footsteps halted as she thought of what she had wanted to say next.

‘I wanted to see them with Syaoran-kun too….this year’s cherry blossoms’

The feelings of loneliness washed over her again as she thought of possibly going through another year without him. His favorite season was here, and he wasn’t even here to enjoy it.

Then, her eyes fell upon a figure standing at the end of the street, almost not visible behind the flurry of falling petals that rained like snow. The silhouette seemed so familiar, and she could almost swear that it looked like Syaoran...was she seeing things now? Perhaps she had wished for him so strongly that she was now beginning to see him in places he was not.

However, as the blossoms settled and her sight became clearer, so did the image of the figure before her, and it now looked too real to be an illusion or dream. She saw Syaoran, wearing the Tomoeda middle school uniform and holding in his arm the ‘Sakura’ bear she had so painstakingly made for him. Her vision had now pulled her in so deep that she could not help but speak to it.

“Syaoran-kun…?”

It was when her vision spoke back that she suddenly began to realize that this was no fantasy, and the tears instantly welled up in her eyes.

“We finally wrapped up the business in Hong Kong. From now on, I’m a permanent resident here in Tomoeda”

The words had shaken her so violently that she almost could not comprehend it.

“Really…?”

“Yeah”

Almost needing more reassurance that this was not some sort of cruel dream, she asked more questions to verify the reality before her.

“You mean I don’t need to settle...for letters or phone calls anymore?”

Syaoran smiled at her, and it was then that she could no longer deny it. Even a dream could not replicate the effect her beloved’s smile had on her. This was the real thing...

“Yeah”

In a sudden rush of emotion, she flung her briefcase down to the ground and charged towards him, quickly embracing him in a tear filled hug. He felt so warm, and the solidness of his body and strong arms wrapping around her in return further grounded her to reality, which still at moments seemed so surreal. The happiness she felt was overwhelming, and having him close to her again was something she almost didn’t believe possible.

“Now we can be together forever!”

The painful waiting was finally over, and the part she felt she had been missing for the past year was now back, making her feel whole again. Sakura now understood what his words had meant...the reason he had told her that he would not be able to send her any more letters was because he knew that they would be together again soon. He must have worked so hard in those last few months, especially since he said it would take a long time to come back. She hoped that he would tell her all about it.

Sakura felt so connected to him now, but what she found most incredible of all, was that even with the physical distance and seasons that passed, it was through the letters that they somehow found a way to become even closer, and it took them reconnecting now for her to recognize it. The distance was never really there, was it? Now that they were together again, there was nothing in their way and so many memories to make and seasons to experience. They would do this all...together.

‘Everything will surely be all right…’

THE END

#cardcaptor sakura #fanfiction #oneshot #chrissy writes sometimes #syaoran #sakura #letters #love letters #romance #angst #humor

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creepingsharia · 4 years

Text

Islamic call to sharia prayer broadcast from mosques in cities across southern California

The Islamization of America is well under way. And it will only get worse with open borders. Future generations - particularly girls and women - will ask why you sat idly by and allowed this to happen. VIDEO HERE.

PS: The mosque highlighted in this LA Times puff piece is linked to the 9/11 attacks. Read: Saudi at Culver City mosque linked to 9/11 attack

The call to prayer rang out at 7:49 on a Saturday evening as the sky glowed pink from the setting sun.

Mahmood Nadvi, standing on the rooftop, delivers the adhan, the Islamic call to prayer, at King Fahad Mosque in Culver City. Amid the pandemic lockdown, many mosques in Southern California got permission from local authorities to broadcast the adhan during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Women in hijabs and masks gazed up at the mosque as the Arabic hymn floated down:

Allah is the greatest.

I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah.

Mahmood Nadvi stood on King Fahad Mosque’s roof, 60 feet above the street, nearly level with the palm trees, singing into a handheld microphone.

For over 1,000 years, Muslims have relied on the human voice to call the faithful to prayer. It’s become tradition that wherever a mosque is built, there is a place for the muezzin, or prayer caller, said Aslam Abdullah, a Muslim scholar based in San Bernardino.

While the adhan echoes five times a day in Islamic countries, like a Roman Catholic church bell signaling Mass, it is unusual to hear the adhan publicly broadcast in the U.S., where it is more likely to be heard in Hollywood movies.

People stop in their tracks to watch Mahmood Nadvi deliver the Islamic call to prayer from the roof of King Fahad Mosque in Culver City. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Which is what made the scene in a Culver City neighborhood, near a gun shop and a church with a sign reading “Jesus Saves,” unusual. Even historic. Like the life-altering pandemic that inspired it from here to Minnesota to New Jersey during Ramadan, the holiest month in the Islamic calendar.

In extraordinary times, when Muslims are unable to break the fast and pray together because COVID-19 has forced mosques to close — as it has some churches and other places of worship — the adhan has brought comfort. Cities across Southern California, including Redlands, Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga and Claremont, have allowed mosques to broadcast the call to prayer publicly.

Outside the Culver City mosque, some pedestrians stopped in their tracks when they first heard the adhan, seemingly surprised. This was something new, and it was not altogether clear how it would be received — as with many things Muslim in the U.S.

Mahmood Nadvi uses a handheld microphone to share the adhan, the Islamic call to prayer, at King Fahad Mosque in Culver City.(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

“It is indeed historical,” said Abdullah, who in the last week has heard the call to prayer broadcast in Redlands and Fontana. “It’s more than tolerance, it is our acceptance, I think. That’s a remarkable thing that this country has shown once again.”

But in Culver City, the call to prayer did not go unchallenged for long.

After four days, on May 18, the city’s police department revoked the amplified noise permit, citing people congregating at the mosque in violation of the county health order, as well as “numerous loud noise complaints from area residents.”

“We have had and will continue to have a great relationship with mosque leadership,” said Capt. Jason Sims with the Culver City Police Department. “We are certainly happy to help with facilitating any type of service that is not in violation of county health orders.”

Three days later, the city changed course again, reinstating the permit on the condition that the mosque lower the volume.

Meanwhile, on the Nextdoor social networking app, debates raged between neighbors.

“I’m glad I don’t live near there,” someone commented, spawning a string of responses.

“There are a lot of bitter racists in CC,” someone replied.

“What has a Muslim ever done to you?” one user said.

“Make me unhappy,” another responded.

Another commenter added: “You should ask people from Europe what they think about the muslims? I don’t think you get many people cheering them on.”

Two women in hijabs and masks gaze up as the adhan, or Islamic call to prayer, floats down from the roof of King Fahad Mosque in Culver City.(Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

Across the U.S., the closure of churches has prompted pushback, with some filing lawsuits and a few defying stay-at-home orders.

The U.S. Justice Department warned in a letter Tuesday that the measures Gov. Gavin Newsom enacted to slow the spread of the coronavirus and his plans to unwind them might discriminate against religious groups and violate their constitutional rights.

More than 1,200 pastors have vowed to hold in-person services on May 31, Pentecost Sunday. On Friday, Trump declared houses of worship “essential” and called on governors to allow their reopening.

In the U.S., the question of whether to broadcast the adhan publicly has been controversial over the years. When the City Council in Hamtramck, Mich., approved the local mosque’s request to amplify the call to prayer in 2004, it sparked anger in the town.

“With so much going on in the world with terrorism, people are afraid maybe they’ll be saying things [in Arabic] that we don’t understand,” a bakery manager said at the time.

Despite the initial controversy, the adhan continues being broadcast there today.

Many mosques across Southern California got permission from local authorities to broadcast the adhan, or call to prayer, which is unusual to hear publicly broadcast in the U.S. Above, a small group gathers outside King Fahad Mosque in Culver City. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times)

In 2015, Duke University called off its plan to sound the prayer call from the chapel’s 210-foot bell tower for the first time, in the face of anti-Islamic tirades on social media and concerns about security.

So this year, when mosques received permits to share the adhan through Ramadan, starting in Minnesota, some worried about what could happen.

“I’m very excited but ... deep inside I also have some concerns. Not because it’s not the right thing to do,” said Hussam Ayloush, executive director of the Los Angeles chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations. “But because we also still have people in our country who harbor prejudice towards Muslims or people who are not part of the majority.”

Last week, in Fontana, Ar-Rahman Islamic Center began broadcasting the adhan four times a day — omitting the earliest one around 4:30 a.m.

The only issue the center had, director Juma Darwish said, is that the prayer caller was too loud and actually broke the speaker outside — which the center is working to fix. The mosque has no end date on the broadcast.

“We’re just going to keep doing it until we feel any neighbor has discomfort with it,” Darwish said. “We’re not going to do it if a neighbor complains about it.”

Rauf Patel, director of King Fahad Mosque, and his wife, Anisa, were excited when they heard that the adhan was being publicly broadcast in Minnesota. Anisa convinced her husband to request a permit to do the same in Culver City.

In his letter to the city, Patel said broadcasting the adhan “would be a beacon of light in this trying time.” The mosque has been closed since March.

“During these difficult and unusual times of COVID-19, staying away from the mosque during our holy month has been challenging,” Patel wrote. “Being able to call to prayer out loud ... would not only lift all of our spirits, but also bring back [a] sense of our unity in our community and get us through our last few days of Ramadan.”

Soon after, the Police Department issued the permit. It would last until May 22, the day before the start of Eid al-Fitr, a celebration known as feast of the fast-breaking.

On the first day, May 14, Ahson Syed, the mosque’s religious director, stepped on overturned milk crates and up three steps that allowed him to peer over the roof at the people gathered below.

In Saudi Arabia, Syed was accustomed to hearing the call to prayer five times a day. In the U.S., he typically heard it only inside of mosques or community centers —- certainly not from the rooftops, broadcast across neighborhoods.

That evening, he was the first one to recite the adhan publicly, his voice ringing with emotion over the black loudspeaker. Half of the attendees that night were crying.

On the third night, Suzan Alrayes stood below with her 3- and 5-year-old sons, her husband and her parents. It had been a hard Ramadan, one in which she struggled to explain to her children the lurking, viral danger that prevented them from coming to the mosque.

That Saturday evening, there were plastic containers of dates and water bottles for attendees to take for the breaking of the fast.

The first time Alrayes heard the adhan from the roof of the mosque, she said, “it just gave me goose bumps.”

“I can’t even describe the feeling,” she said. “We’re not used to having the adhan in public in the United States.”

She just hoped, she said, that it wouldn’t disturb the non-Muslim community in any way.

“That would be my only concern,” Alrayes said.

Neighbors living around the mosque were surprised to hear the permit had been revoked, albeit briefly. Many of them said they couldn’t hear it, even though they live nearby.

The mosque, one resident, Liliana Cruz said, is “very much a part of the neighborhood.” She wondered about who would call to complain about the noise, calling them “jerks.”

“I don’t know who those people are,” Cruz said. “I don’t even want to know them.”

Another neighbor, who only gave his name as Eddie, said he wished neighbors had been given a heads-up about the call to prayer. He has stereo equipment, but said he could still hear the adhan from his home, which stands in view of the blue and white minaret.

“If you don’t have anything to avoid it, it can be a form of distress,” he said.

Debra Sugarman, who has lived in the city for 10 years, said she’s spent a lot of time in the Middle East and enjoys hearing the call to prayer. Sugarman, who lives a few blocks from the mosque, said she strained to hear the adhan the first few nights. She wished, she said, that it had been louder.

“It’s Ramadan,” Sugarman said. “They should be allowed to practice their religion.”

#Islam #Sharia #Muslim #Jihad #Mosque #Immigration #Invasion #News #Politics #Video #Religion #Travel #Media

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ranger-of-estel · 4 years

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Ooohhh...94, Captain Canary? Pretty please?

94. you overhear my ex mocking me for being single at a holiday party and introduce yourself as my SO with a kiss on the cheek, but we’ve never spoken beforeCaptain Canary

The last thing I needed was another CC AU...but here we go!Pre-relationshipAttorney!Len & martial artist/abuse sanctuary!Sara

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sara really doesn’t care fore these functions. Office “holiday parties” that are nothing more than an excuse for trying rub elbows with those higher on the food chain. Unfortunately, that’s the very reason she needs to be here. She’s chatted with some of the clerks, briefly held conversation with one of the judges that recognizes her now…truthfully she wants to go back to her dojo right now.

“Still single I see,” she hears a male voice sneer, instantly drawing her attention. It’s a group of men not far from her. The speaker is in a dress shirt and pants, hanging off the arm of a slightly larger man who’s similarly dressed. The third figure is facing away from her; deep navy suit saying established attorney, salt & pepper hair shaved close to his head. But it’s the familiar tension in the man’s broad shoulders, the slender hand clenched at his side that she notices, tells she’s far to accustomed to seeing.

Ah, what the hell She changes directions, boots hitting the floor with a touch of extra force as she moves.

“I told you now one would be willing to put up with your –”

The other figure trails off as Sara gives a soft touch to the attorney’s shoulder to alert him of her presence. He swings around and she gives him her best disarming smile. “There you are, love.”

The mans eyes, which are a stunning ice blue, widen slightly. But then he recovers, smirking and offering a short nod. She leans up to press a swift kiss to his cheek before tucking herself under his arm, his hand coming to rest softly at her hip as she shifts her attention to the other pair. ‘I don’t think I’ve met your friends.” She offers a hand, “I’m Sara.”

The smaller man, who has been staring with mouth agape finally recovers and takes her hand. “Jeff, and my partner Thomas.”

“Pleasure,” Sara offers a near bone breaking handshake, accompanied with her sweetest smile.

“Same,” the man quickly draws his hand back, clearing his throat before looking back at her companion. “You didn’t say you were seeing someone.”

“Didn’t see why it was your business,” he drawls, and it’s all Sara can do not to look up at the sound of his voice. “I’m glad you’ve finally found someone to appreciate your personality.” He adds, Sara biting back a smile as the other man sputters in response.

“Come, Thomas. I want you to meet the Judge.” Jeff turns, all but running into a small crowd, but taking time to toss a glance back to them.

Sara chuckles, waving innocently. Her companion’s accompanying chuckle reverberates through his chest, his breath fanning across her throat as he leans in to whisper. “Thank you, Sara.”

This time she can’t help the shiver that runs down her spine as his voice wraps around her name. She turns to face him, noses nearly brushing. “You are welcome…” she raises a brow.

“Leonard,” the smirk is back on his lips as he straightens. “Can I tempt you with a drink?”

“a drink sounds lovely,” she smiles.

“Good,” his hand settles at the small of her back, leading her to the bar as he uses the other to order them each a drink. They settle into bar stools, shifting to face one another. “So,” one brow raises curiously as the pick up their drinks. “do you make a habit of scaring off obnoxious exes?”

She shrugs, “no one should be treated like that, least of all by someone who claimed to love them.” She frowns, “and I hope I wasn’t overstepping, if your not, I mean if you don’t-”

“regardless of my orientation I appreciate the backup.” He chuckles, “but I’m not overly picky about the physical shape of a partner.”

Sara considers a moment, “Pan then?”

He nods, watching her “and you? My instincts say you aren’t particularly straight yourself.”

She grins, lifting her drink to her lips once more. “Good gaydar. I’m Bi.”

For a moment they drink in silence, his brow furrowing slightly. “Sara….Lance?”

She nods, “yeah, that’s me. Why?”

“You’re the woman who takes in the abuse victims; comes to court hearings, help them get back on their feet and such, right?”

“You got a problem with it?” She crosses her arms, frowning.

“Quite the opposite.” he holds up a hand placatingly. She settles a little, and he tilts his head. “I thought you worked in STAR?”

She nods, “I did. But unfortunately I’ve made more than my share of enemies. I lost my dojo, among other things.”

“There was an assault charge, right?” He asks, no accusation in his tone.

She nods, “there are a lot of important people, with a lot of influence and poor alliances.” She huffs, “they cornered me, and when I acted in self defense it became a smear campaign until my presence did more harm than good.”

“Tell you what Miss Lance,” he leans forward slightly, “I have an old office space that could be of use to you.”

Sara leans back, setting her drink onto the counter once more. “What’s the catch?”

“You let me back you.” He settles into his own stool once more.

“That’s not a price.” Her gaze narrows, “why should I believe you?”

“Because someone gave me a second chance once,” she notes the way his hand absently rubs on his arm. “and like you said, not one deserves to hurt at the hands of someone who claims to love them.”

For a moment she sees the same shadow in those blue eyes as every face that ever came to her door. And as she listens she can’t help but wonder, how many hands have left marks on this man in the name of love? “Well then, Leonard.” She slips from her stool, offering her hand. “It looks like you have a partner.”

He smiles, something small but genuine as he rises to his feet and accepts her hand in a firm shake. “Discuss the details over dinner, say tomorrow?”

“I think I can clear my schedule.” She smiles, her heart swelling with a hope she thought had died in that alley.

#CaptainCanary #Sara Lance #Leonard Snart #my fic #prompt fill

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memesiders · 4 years

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Part 5

Death x OC Office AU

I hit send and sighed, leaning back in my seat. Three cancelations, two rescheduled meetings, and a bunch of chain letter spam all before one. Not to mention the hour I spent on the phone trying to get a definitive time for one of the rescheduled appointments.

“It gets easier,” Nora reminded me for the fourth time today. There were dark circles under her eyes and she seemed less cheerful than she had earlier.

“Will it? Cause right now, all I want to do is reach through the phone and choke out the next person who won’t give me an answer,” I replied, rubbing my temples.

“It will, trust me. Just give it a year or two.” I snorted at her comment and she smiled, patting my back. “Seriously, it’ll get easier. You have to really practice patience.” I cursed under my breath and she laughed, picking up another call as the phone rang. I turned in my chair, moving from side to side.

My eyes landed on the elevator that Death and his brothers had gone in earlier. None of them had come down since then. What were they talking about, I wondered? Were they fighting? Discussing vacation plans? I chuckled quietly as the image of Death in a large sunhat, a Hawaiian shirt, and khakis popped into my head. I’d pay to see that. Though I’d bet money that Death never took any time away from work; he didn’t seem the type.

Maybe if his siblings dragged him out, even if only for a night on the town? Did he ever go bar hopping or clubbing? I could see him sitting at a bar in low lighting, a glass of whiskey in his hand. He’d be wearing a leather jacket and nice fitting jeans with some boots, and all the women would be afraid to make the first move, but some confident lady would chat him up and all the other girls would be seething with jealousy, wondering if she was the one he was going to take home tonight.

When had I started fantasizing about my boss and his life?

“Az,” Nora said, pinching me. I winced and swirled back to her, scowling. She pointed towards the doors and I looked over, sitting up straight as Neema walked in. Her short pecan curls stuck out from under her beanie, her oversized band shirt hanging off of one shoulder. She had on a pair of ratty old boots that Safiya had given her years ago and her pants had paint smudges all over them. She smiled brightly at me, waving wildly. I waved back, smiling myself, and stood as she ran over, throwing herself into my arms.

“What are you doing here?” I asked, hugging her tightly.

“I was bored so I thought I’d drop by and see your new job,” she answered, clinging to me tightly. I frowned slightly. Something was wrong, I could tell, but I wasn’t going to push the subject here. I kissed the top of her head and pulled back, gesturing to Nora.

“This is Nora.” The two waved at each other. My phone rang and I held up a finger, picking it up. “Hello, thank you for calling the CC Corporation, how may I help you?”

“Nora?” an unfamiliar voice asked.

“This is not her, I’m sorry. My name is Aziza; do you need to speak to Nora?”

“No, my apologies. I didn’t know there was someone new. Please, forgive me.”

“It’s quite alright. May I ask why you’re calling?”

“Ah, yes, I need to speak with Death, please.”

“And who is this?”

“Azrael.” I put my hand over the voice box and looked at Nora.

“An Azrael is calling,” I said, lowering my voice.

“Put him through to whoever he wants,” she immediately replied. I nodded and uncovered the speaker, replying.

“Alright, I’ll patch you through.”

“Thank you very much,” Azrael said.

“No problem!” I hit the forward call button and hung up, turning back to Neema. She was smiling proudly at me. I returned it.

“My big sister is growing up so fast,” she said, faking a sniffle. I rolled my eyes playfully and checked the time. It was time for my break.

“You wanna go for a walk? I have a half hour to burn,” I suggested. She nodded and I let Nora know I’d be back before leaving the building. We started walking, no destination in mind. I glanced over as we wandered, noticing a frown curving her lips. Whatever was wrong was really bothering her. I wanted to ask but I was unsure of how to approach the subject. Was she upset with me? No, she wouldn’t have come if she was mad at me. Was it Safiya? Had something happened at home?

“Why are you staring at me?” I jumped as she looked at me, brow arched curiously.

“Sorry…” I scratched the back of my neck, chewing on the inside of my cheek. “I just… You seem upset, but I don’t want to push anything.” Neema gave me a small smile and wrapped her arms around one of mine, resting her head against my shoulder. It suddenly felt like she was a small child again, afraid to leave my side whenever we ventured out.

“There is something wrong,” she said, voice small. “It’s stupid.”

“Hey, nothing is stupid,” I said, kissing the top of her head. “If it’s bothering you then it’s definitely not stupid.” She giggled a little and then sighed.

“It’s Lyriel…”

“Ahh…”

“She’s going on a date… I was gonna tell her how I felt about her, but before I could she told me one of our classmates asked her out. She said yes…” I frowned and slipped my arm out of hers, wrapping it around her shoulders and giving her a squeeze.

“You should still tell her.”

“How can I? She’s going on a date!”

“Doesn’t mean it’s going to be a good date.” She looked up at me with glassy eyes and I felt my heart tighten; she was more smitten than I realized. “Look, you’re going to have many crushes and many loves of your life. You shouldn’t let the unknown hold you back. Lyriel is never going to know how you feel until you tell her, and you’re never gonna know how she feels either. What if she’s thinking about you right now? What if she likes you too but is also afraid to say anything?”

She looked away from me, letting my words sink in. Damn, you should charge people for this advice. I held back a laugh at my own thoughts and stopped walking, turning her to me. “You only live once.” She barked out a laugh, wiping at her teary eyes.

“Did you really just say that? God, you’re cringey,” she sniffled. I smiled.

“Yes, yes I did,” I replied. “But it’s true and you know it.”

“Yeah, yeah…” She hugged me tightly and I wrapped my arms around her, hugging back just as tightly. My smile grew. I wiped the tears from her eyes when we pulled apart and we headed back to the office, Neema now bouncing around happily. “So, Safiya told me about what your boss did for you.” I groaned, rolling my eyes. Great, now it’s her turn to try and lecture me.

“He only did it so I didn’t miss work.”

“Sure he did…” I glared at her playfully and she laughed, nudging me with her elbow. “I think perhaps your boss-”

“Don’t! I already heard it from Saf, I don’t need to hear it from you. There’s no way, no possibility that my boss wants to sleep with me!” A few older women walking by gave us a weird look and I blushed, ignoring them.

“He bought you a whole ass meal, ZiZi!”

“He was just being nice!” She rolled her eyes at me.

“He’s also taking you to a party.”

“Only because I want to pay him back.”

“He couldn’t have asked you to work overtime? Maybe take away one of your weekends?” I felt my face grow red and I rubbed my temples. God, this would never end, would it? “Look, all I’m saying is, I think there’s something more there than you think.”

“We barely know each other, Neem. I only ever interact with him when he’s coming or going. I don’t think I’m even his type.”

She rolled her eyes again. Her eyes must’ve been tired from all that rolling. “What do you think his type is, exactly?” I thought about it for a moment.

“Smart,” I started. “Confident, elegant, probably likes fitness and reading.”

“You like reading!”

“I haven’t picked up a book in a month.”

“You’re smart!”

“I almost failed math, Neem.”

“Would you stop putting yourself down?” It was her turn to stop me. She placed her hands on her hips and looked at me sternly. “You are a smart, confident, sassy beautiful woman. You light up any room you’re in and any guy would be lucky to have you on his arm!” I smiled a little. “You are more beautiful than any angel or supermodel.”

“I think that’s taking it a little too far, Neem.” She waved away my comment.

“You’re more amazing than you give yourself credit for.” I pulled her into a tight hug and she yelped. “Ugh, let me go!”

“Never,” I laughed. She sighed and hugged me back.

We got back to the office a few minutes later. Nora was coming back from her lunch break as well when we walked in. Neema had given me the small confidence boost I needed to make it through the rest of my shift and I couldn’t thank her enough for it. I still didn’t think Death was attracted to me, but it felt nice to hear such nice things from my little sister. We were just saying our goodbyes when Death and his brothers walked out of the elevator. Strife looked happy while Death and War wore looked tired and glad to be done with whatever had gone on up there. Death noticed me and broke away from the others, walking over.

“Miss Banks,” he said, reaching us. “Who is this?” He looked at my sister, who was now staring at him wide eyed, her jaw nearly hitting the floor. Her head was craned back as far as she could bend it.

“Holy shit,” she whispered. “This is your boss? You weren’t lying when you said he was smokin’ hot.” I slapped my hand over my face, warmth radiating from my neck to my ears. Death chuckled quietly and I peeked through my fingers, noticing an amused glint in his eye.

“I take it this is the same one who placed that photograph in your resume file?”

“Guilty! Hi, I’m Neema, Azi’s little sister. We sort of met at the apartment.” She extended her hand for a handshake and he stared at it for a moment, brow arched and head tilted slightly. His eyes flicked back to hers and, hesitantly, he took her hand.

“I don’t remember, sorry. That day was quite busy for me.” She shrugged off his reply and nodded her head towards me.

“So, I hear you’re taking my sister on a date, huh?”

“What, why didn’t I hear about this,” Strife asked, appearing next to Death. The older brother rolled his eyes.

“It’s not a date. I’m bringing her to the party tonight. Fury wanted me to bring someone.”

“Since when have you cared about what our sister wants?” War asked, joining the others. Death ran a hand over his face, and I could’ve sworn I saw his cheeks turn a light shade of pink for a moment.

“I’ve decided to placate her for one evening,” Death grumbled. “Besides, Miss Banks offered.” That wasn’t exactly true, but I wasn’t going to deny it. He looked like he needed all the help he could get to get out of the predicament he was in. War grunted, seeming satisfied with his answer. Strife, however, was not.

“Why didn’t you bring Amber? Or some other employee? Hell, even Nora could’ve come!”

“I have a baby, you know,” she cut in quickly before answering the phone.

“Still, you’re bringing the newbie?” Strife wiggled his brows in a suggestive manner and it looked like Death was hanging onto his sanity by a thread. “Why big brother, how uncharacteristic of you.”

“Shut up.” Death narrowed his eyes at his brother, his fists clenched. I stepped forward and grabbed the sleeve of his suit, tugging lightly. He looked at me, confused, and I smiled.

“Probably not a good idea to beat your brother up in the lobby,” I said quietly. His eyes lowered to where my hand was on his sleeve and I quickly removed it, apologizing.

“Thank you,” he said. “You’re quite right.” Strife made kissing noises and this time it was Death’s turn to hold me back from clocking his brother. “It was nice to meet you, Neema.”

“The pleasure is all mine,” she giggled, enjoying the show playing out in front of her. “When you take ZiZi out, make sure to bring her home by one, alright?” I smacked her shoulder and she laughed.

“You should head home,” I said firmly, giving her a warning look. She laughed and hugged me tightly.

“Love you too, sis; don’t forget to bring us back some snacks, I have a feeling dinner’s gonna be Top Ramen again!” She said goodbyes to the others before she left. I was a little sad to see her leave, but I did have a job to do. Death held up a file I hadn’t noticed he was holding and handed it to me.

“Amber picked out a selection of dresses for this evening,” he explained, ignoring the teasing that Strife had started up. “Go through and pick what you’d like, then email her your choice. There’s also a selection of shoes and jewelry. Hair and makeup will be here as soon as your shift ends.” My brows lifted and I looked at the folder, noticing how thick it was.

“Do I really need to do all of this? Can’t you just pick something out?” I asked, already feeling stressed.

“I don’t want you to be dressed in something you’re not comfortable in. It’s better you decide.” I nodded. It was nice of him to let me pick what I wanted to wear; though I almost preferred him picking for me.

“Oh, well, thank you. I’ll look through immediately.” He nodded and left with his brothers, Strife still teasing him about bringing me as his date. I shook my head, smiling, and sat back down.

“I didn’t know the boss was taking you out,” Nora said playfully. I groaned.

“Don’t you start too.”

#darksiders #darksiders 2 #death #death x oc #office au #war #strife

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