#if he didn’t cost $42 he would be mine

[rafor]

Chapter 42 - Future - The Glitch

The queen’s words resonated with the people, affirming the glory of our kingdom. But among the crowd, Leo’s eyes were fixed on me. He had witnessed my miraculous healing, and he recognized me from that fateful day when I vanished. He knew I was more than a dragon, and he wanted to know my secrets.

He approached us and bowed respectfully. “Your Highness, I am in awe of your abilities. They are truly extraordinary. But may I ask, where do you hail from?” He addressed me directly, ignoring Freya’s presence. She opened her mouth to speak for me, but Leo gave her a look of disdain and deference. I silenced her with a gesture and said, “My origins are a private matter and not for public discussion. I beg your pardon.”

He did not relent. “This has always been a city of wind dragons, and shadow dragons have been our enemies since before the wars. How did you manage to gain the acceptance and trust of everyone here? How did you overcome their prejudice?” He was probing into matters that did not concern him, and I felt a surge of irritation. But I answered calmly, “Do not judge me by my appearance. I am more than a shadow dragon, just as you are more than a wyvern, and a noble one at that. You should be careful with your words, for they may offend me. I do not appreciate this conversation.”

He persisted, undaunted by my tone. “Forgive me, but I could not help noticing that you are the only one besides a human that I know who possesses healing abilities that I know of. How long have you had this gift?” I said, “I was born with this gift, and I learned to use it from an early age. This is none of your business, and now I ask you to think very carefully before you ask me anything else. You have one question left.” Leo paused for a moment, but he did not seem afraid or intimidated by my warning. He was curious and determined to find out more about me. He asked his final question: “Have you ever met the guardians themselves by any chance? Only they knew about his abilities, Your Highness.”

I had to act fast. I could tell him the truth or lie to him, but the longer I hesitated, the more he would suspect that he had hit a nerve. I said, “I hope to meet them someday. But until then, I have to answer your question in the negative.” He was not convinced, but he had run out of questions that I had allowed him to ask. He tried to plead for more: “Please, may I ask you one more thing?” I replied curtly, “Perhaps another day. I will not repeat myself, Leo.” He said, “Thank you. My apologies, Your Highness,” and he left.

Freya asked me, “Should we do something about him?” I said, “Not yet, but he is studying me. If he discovers who I am, then we must defend our union.” She said, “Good, I agree.” I said, “Thank you.” It was only a matter of time before he found out. He was clever and observant, and he could piece together the clues and his knowledge. I had to be careful or keep him away.

As the seven days passed without another sighting of the shadowy creature that attacked me, we resumed our nocturnal outings and allowed others to do the same. During this period, I wore armor to protect myself from any arrows and to conceal a new mark: the shape of the arrowhead that had pierced me. It was a scar rather than a mark, and it did not fade until the next duel that nearly cost me my life at Freya’s hands.

She was overjoyed when she learned that she would have a new son. Soon after, the egg arrived. It bore the same colors as mine: dark and light blue, with a touch of white from the queen. We guarded it carefully, waiting for it to hatch. It took longer than usual, but we didn’t mind. During that time, she taught me how to be a good father. I was grateful for her guidance since I had never had a family before. I wanted to be ready for our little newcomer. She was so happy, and we were so close, that the world seemed like a distant memory. And things only got better. We strengthened our domain even more. The rebel wind dragons who used to oppose us surrendered after I joined the conflict. They had a leader, whom I nearly destroyed without a scratch. His followers watched in fear as I battered him mercilessly. They were about to intervene, but I held them back and spoke to him. I asked him if he regretted his actions and if he wanted to live. He saw the error of his ways and begged for mercy. I spared him and healed his wounds. The others were astonished by my act of compassion and laid down their wings. We kept them as prisoners for a while, then we reintegrated them into our kingdom. They became our most loyal subjects, ready to fight for us if needed. But they preferred to avoid violence and took on different roles in our society. They lived as peaceful citizens unless we called for their help. We then built outposts across our land, extending our control over the continent to the sea. The alps were an ideal location for our outposts, and we assigned them to our most trusted wind dragons. One of the outposts grew into a sister kingdom in a short time, and another one near the sea encountered water dragons that we thought had disappeared long ago. I was glad to meet their representative, who acted as a liaison between us. I learned about the structure of the water dragons. Some of them lived under the domain of the Kingdom of Aura. Others wandered the oceans and never settled in one place. The group we met wanted to have a home of their own, something they could cherish and protect. We agreed to let them build their own kingdom on our shores, under our protection and alliance, in exchange for their service. This took years, but they were years well spent.

Our son was different from me. He looked more like a wind dragon. We named him Zephyrion, inspired by the name of the Kingdom of Zephyrion, the fallen wyvern's domain. He inherited his mother’s beauty and grace, and from me he received his strong will and healing power. I cherished every moment of fatherhood, watching him grow and learn with pride and joy. I was also glad to see Vesper become a responsible and caring older stepbrother. She was always by his side, protecting him and playing with him. But as he got older, I felt a distance growing between us. I knew he needed his own space and freedom, so I did not smother him with my love. I trusted him to be safe in our city, where no one would dare harm him. He was revered as the prince, the son of the queen and the king. But that also meant that he was isolated from his peers, who feared the consequences of hurting him accidentally. The young dragons were playful and curious, but also fragile and prone to injuries. They had cute scales and gentle claws, but they healed quickly from their wounds. Our son healed faster than anyone else. One day, he attempted to fly, but his wings were not ready yet. He fell from a high branch and broke his leg in front of our eyes. We rushed to help him, but before we could reach him, the wound healed itself. His leg snapped back into place, and he stood up on his own. When word spread of his miraculous ability, other parents became less wary of letting their children play with him. He was practically invincible, but he also aged slower than the others. He lagged behind in size and strength, even after six years, then ten, then twelve. But he made up for it with his intelligence and curiosity. He befriended Leo, the old wyvern who had once studied me. Leo had given up on trying to uncover my secrets, sensing that I was hiding something from him. He once told me that he pretended to know everything, while I pretended to be someone else. Leo had turned the library into a bookshop as well, bringing new books from the Kingdom of Aura and writing his own. He also acted as our messenger, traveling back and forth between the two cities as the situation improved there. But I noticed that he was aging faster than a normal dragon should. I felt a pang of sadness, knowing that I would outlive him someday. I wished there was a way to extend his life span, so I searched the library for clues. I found some books about the dark crystals that I had accidentally created in the past. They were dangerous and powerful, but they also had a potential benefit: their dust could prolong the life of a wyvern to match that of a dragon. The books warned that it was not a guaranteed effect and that there could be side effects, but they did not specify what they were. It just said they weren't mortal. I decided to take a risk and try it on Leo. I disguised myself as an expert in dark magic and convinced him that I could help him live longer. He was unsure, but I managed to convince him. We performed the ritual according to the instructions, using the dust from the dark crystals. It worked: Leo stopped aging and even regained some of his youth and vitality. He kept his beautiful wings and abilities as a noble-blooded wyvern, but he also gained some black marks on his body, similar to mine. We became close acquaintances, and he introduced me to Ferox and the other wyverns, which I already knew. They had different interests and personalities, but they shared a passion for exploration and adventure. They often left the city to discover new lands and cultures, mapping out our continent in detail. Leo also brought a copy of the world map from the Kingdom of Aura, showing us how vast and diverse our planet was. Our kingdom grew in power and influence, both politically and economically, attracting many visitors from far and wide. Until, one day, we received some unexpected ones.

#chapter #dragon #dragons #elements #fantasy #literature #mystery #story #poetry #adventure #the_glitch #the rise and fall of raphael

[drarrily-we-row-along]

Day 42: Sensitive

“I’m tired of hiding,” Draco whispered into Harry’s skin, the other man still smelled of sweat, and heat, and them.

Harry trailed his fingers along Draco's spine, "Let's not decide tonight," he said reasonably, they'd been through this before. Sometimes, especially after sex, Draco decided that he wanted to tell everyone about the two of them. Harry was always willing, and had told Hermione and Ron, in fact, because Draco had said he was telling his parents. But that was months ago and Draco's parents still didn't know.

And it was fine, truly. Harry didn't care about the rest of the world. He didn't mind pretending they were just friends as long as he got to come home to Draco each night.

"I'm sorry," Draco said, his face crumpling, "Merlin, Harry." He sat up out of Harry's embrace and rubbed his hands over his face. "I've made a mess."

"You haven't," Harry said, sitting up with him. "Sweetheart," he pressed a kiss to his temple, "Don't do this to yourself."

"I've done this too many times," he said, "You don't even believe that I want to come out anymore."

"I don't think that," Harry said, pulling the sheets up higher around his waist and wandlessly summoning his glasses. "There are a lot of reasons to keep this a secret. Your parents-"

"Are bigots," Draco finished.

Harry cupped his face in his palm, "They're still your parents."

"And I am their son," he replied. "I'm telling them tomorrow. At brunch."

Harry shook his head, "I'm not asking you to do that. This is fine," he said, gesturing to the two of them. "So much better than fine, it's good, Draco. I love you."

"I love you, too, Harry," he said, "And that's the point. You are amazing and I am proud to call you mine. I'm telling them," he said decisively.

"Okay," Harry breathed, pressing a kiss to his temple. "But I won't be upset if you change your mind."

"I won't."

(Read more below the cut)

Draco left for brunch at his parents' at 10:30 so Harry assumed he wouldn't be back for at least a couple of hours. He had a routine on the days Draco went to brunch; he made coffee; wrote notes to Molly, Minerva, Luna, and Hagrid; and then curled up in the chair by the fire to read a book.

He was entirely unprepared for the floo to sound in the middle of his letter to Molly, a mere twenty minutes after Draco had left. "Babe?" he called, standing and heading toward their living room, "What did you forge-" he started but broke off when he saw Draco standing in the middle of the living room, looking stunned and lost, with tears sliding down his cheeks.

"Hey," Harry murmured, hastening forward to pull Draco into his arms. "Are you alright?"

Draco's fingers clenched in Harry's shoulders. "They disowned me," he whispered.

"What?" Harry asked, his stomach dropping, this had been exactly what he was afraid of. He could never expect that Draco would choose him when the cost was so high. "It's okay," he murmured, his voice clenching tight around the words. "Fuck," he breathed, it felt like his chest was being torn in two. "I'll go, love," he said.

"What?"

"I'll go," he repeated, pressing a kiss to Draco's forehead, "You can tell them I was a lapse in judgement," he said, he couldn't ask this much of him.

"Harry, stop," Draco said, pulling back to look at him, "I told them they could go to hell."

"What?"

He nodded, "They told me I was being ridiculous, that I was turning twenty-five in a few months and they'd already found a wife for me."

"They found a wife for you?" Harry repeated incredulously.

"Yes. I told them I'd never marry her," he shook his head, "and my father told me that no son of his," he paused and let out a shaky exhale, before visibly steeling himself to continue, "No son of his would be a bloody poof."

Harry stared at him, aghast, what could he even say?

"He told me to stop being so sensitive and to grow up." Draco shook his head, "As though I haven't been grown up since the summer I turned sixteen."

"What did you say?"

"That if no son of his was a poof, then I was no son of his." Draco looked down and Harry watched a tear roll down his cheek, "He burned my picture on the tapestry."

He held the other man tighter, "I don't know what to say, Draco. I'm so sorry."

Draco shook his head and pulled back, wiping the tears from his face, "It's fine. It doesn't matter because we're free," he said, looking up at Harry with hopeful eyes, "We don't have to hide anymore."

"Come to family dinner at the Weasley's with me tonight," Harry entreated. "Let's tell them together, they'll be thrilled and they'll finally stop trying to set me up with Charlie."

"Are you sure?" Draco asked.

Harry nodded, "I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

The Weasleys were good at adopting people into their family, Draco was no exception. They'd opened champagne in their honor, had officially added a chair to the Sunday dinner seating chart, and by the time Draco and Harry were getting ready to floo back to their home Molly had a pale blue jumper ready for Draco to take with him.

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

Two months passed, they came out to everyone they knew and people were overwhelmingly supportive. The press had a field day, but that was mostly about who they were, "childhood rivals," "the savior and the death eater," etc, and not so much about the fact that they were both men.

Everything seemed to be turning out fine, better than fine even, but Harry knew that what had happened with his parents still weighed on the other man. There was nothing Harry could do and any time he'd catch Draco thinking about it, Draco would just give him that sad little smile and shake it off.

One afternoon, when Draco was at work, there was a sharp knock at the door. Harry frowned, he hadn't been expecting anyone. He opened the door to see Narcissa Malfoy standing on their front stoop, looking elegant and regal, her chin held high as she looked Harry up and down.

"Draco's at work," Harry blurted because he wasn't sure what to say.

"I'm aware," she replied coolly. "Do you think you might invite me in?"

He took a hasty step back, "Yes, of course. Tea?" he offered.

"Thank you."

"Right," he said, starting off, "The kitchen's this way." He made his way into the kitchen and put on the kettle before taking out a box of biscuits and offering one to Mrs. Malfoy.

"So he lives here with you?" she asked, looking around the room.

"Yeah," Harry replied as he fetched down two mugs. "Yeah, we bought the place about eighteen months ago at this point."

"It's charming," she replied.

Harry fetched the whistling kettle and made their tea. "Why are you here?"

"Is he happy?" she asked in lieu of answering Harry's question.

"As he can be when two of the most important people in his life abandoned him because he had the audacity to love someone," he replied.

Her face hardened, "You have no idea what it's like to live in the world we live in."

"I don't care," he spat. "I don't care about any of that. I know what it's like to live in the world that Draco lives in now. He keeps pictures of you and his father by the bed. He tells me stories about the two of you all the time. He just starts crying sometimes, because he misses you and he's fallen asleep crying more times that I've been able to keep track of. You've broken his heart.

"And," Harry continued, "If you are just here to hurt him again and to tell him that he's not enough as he is, that he was never enough, you can turn around and walk out the door."

"I came to see you, Mr. Potter," she said before taking a long sip of tea. "What could I give you to convince you not to see my son anymore?"

"Nothing," Harry said. "And if that's all you came for, you can see yourself out."

"Do you love him?"

"Immeasurably."

She stared at him for a long moment, "Will it be enough?"

"For?"

She raised the teacup to her lips before answering, "That's the question, isn't it?" Mrs. Malfoy set the cup down once more, "Did you know that Lucius and I were not intended for one another?" she asked. "Our parents made different matches for both of us but we fell in love and fortunately our blood lines were compatible."

Harry rolled his eyes.

"We've often questioned the decision we made," she said, like it wasn't difficult to admit something of this magnitude at all. "I think that Lucius doesn't want Draco to repeat our mistakes."

"This isn't a mistake," he protested. "I love him and I would do anything for him."

"Anything?" she asked. "Would you give him up? Give him a better life?"

"If I believed it was possible for someone to give him a better life than me I would in a heartbeat," he replied evenly. "But we are happy together, we've built a whole life together, one that he was too afraid to even tell you about because he cares so much about it."

The floo sounded and Draco tumbled through, "You'll never guess what flavor ice cream Fortiscues ha-" he broke off, freezing in place, "Mother," he managed and Harry could see the way be ached to touch her.

"Draco," she whispered and she rose and flew across the room, pulling him into her arms, "I've missed you my darling."

"I've missed you, too," Draco replied, voice thick with unshed tears. After a moment he pulled back, "But I haven't changed my mind," he said, reaching for Harry's hand and Harry moved around the table to stand next to him, slotting their fingers together.

"Yes," she said, a smile tugging the corner of her lips and making her look so like Draco. "He's made that much clear," she said, nodding to Harry.

"I don't understand."

She sighed, "I won't make the mistakes my parents made with Andromeda. If you love him, you have my blessing," she said. "I will continue to work on bringing your father round."

"Really?" Draco whispered and Harry squeezed his hand.

"Yes," she said, glancing over at Harry, "I can scarcely imagine someone who could love you more than he seems to." She brushed her thumb over his cheek, "You are my darling boy and I want you to have the world," she said. "And it seems that Mr. Potter will stop at nothing to give it to you."

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

Day 41: Embrace | Day 43: Truth or Dare

Sorry, friends, this one is messy. I'm just too tired to clean it up any more tonight. I'll take a look and fix it up tomorrow. <3

#drarry #drarry drabbles #drarry ficlets #coming out #100 drarry drabbles in 100 days #day 42 #sensitive

[everyhowlmarksthedead]

JUAN CARLOS ‘JUICE’ ORTIZ x READER ⨟ PROMPT

Anon asked: I want to request prompts 35 and 42 with Juice, if it's not taken. Where they are at the clubhouse and the Juice is talking abt a croweater, that the reader can't stand but see's regularly at parties and is always all over Juice. Then she makes the comment under her breath and he pulls her to his dorm and they have a heated argument and the reader tries to leave but he stops her and kisses her after figuring out she's jealous? ❤❤

Prompts:

35. “Fuck that bitch”.

42. “I can’t watch you with another man/woman”.

Word Count: 1k

Author comments: This work wasn't re-edited, so I'm sorry if you find grammar mistakes! I hope you all enjoy. Gif isn't mine, credits to the author.

Tag list: @starrynite7114 ​ @chibsytelford ​ @dazzledamazon ​ @mara-mpou ​ @sammskellington ​ @gemini0410 ​ @1-800-imagines ​ @briana-mishell24 ​@sassymox @whyisgmora @aquamento @sadeyesgf @viviansafizada @samcrobae @jade770 @witchy-wish @rebel-without-cause-x @xx--day-dreamer--xx @spiced-reads @tita127 @ifoundmyhappythought @enamouravecleslivresetlechocolat @angelxshiba @destynelseclipsa @sheeshgivemeabreak @abbiesthings @knowles-morgan @lady-pswrld @minnicelli @marquelapage @ottosuricato @agirllovespasta ✨ (if you wanna be tagged, send me a message!)

“Come to the party, the guys wanna see you. And I wanna see you too”.

You didn't want to. For just one reason. But those words changed your mind, thinking that for the first time in months you could enjoy it. So there you are, parking your car next to the Teller-Morrow huge door, stepping out of your car and putting your dress on well under the leather jacket. The front yard is full of Sons of Anarchy from different cities and states, making a lot of noise between laughs and loud rock and roll playing through the speakers. When Chibs sees you, he walks to your position with a big smile on your face and quickly steps.

“Lass!” He holds you into his arms, lifting you up some inches. “We mess' ya!”

“Ouch, sorry. I had a lot of work”.

“It's time ti' rest!”

You want to believe him, until you spot Juice among the multitude sitting on a chair with that croweater on his lap, caressing his head and his neck as if she was something for him, more than an amusement. Having a deep breath and letting Chibs leads you to the crew, you end up greeting everyone there. With a special emphasis with jax.

“What's up, trouble? Were you hiding?”

“Yeah, I know how much you like to play hide and seek”. You joke with him, having a seat close to Juice and his whore.

“Baby! You came!”

“I thought you won't notice my presence”.

“Why I—?”

“I'm kidding, genius”. You lie, narrowing your eyes, avoiding at all cost to look at the girl's face. Or you will punch her.

“Anything you wanna say to me, doctor?”

You completely ignore her, laughing at some shit Tig said and you didn't hear actually, grabbing the beer that Kozik is offering you.

“(Y/N)”. Juice tries to call your attention, twisting his neck.

“Juan Carlos”.

Rolling his eyes exaggeratedly, he palms the bitch on his lap to urge her to get up. Of course, that angers her, but you don't care. She's been the last four months trying to turn herself into Juice's girlfriend, because apparently she could leave the pornography and live from Juice's money. Another gold digger. But before you can complain, he's already pushing you inside the clubhouse by grabbing your left wrist, guiding you through the place to his room. The one you know better than yours.

The puerto rican closes the door loud, resting his back there and crossing both arms above his chest. If he's waiting for some words from you, he's pretty wrong. You just sit on the edge of the bed, putting a leg over the other, having one look around you as if you didn't know what you were doing there.

“What's wrong with you?”

“Hm?”

“Stop playing fool with me!”

“Eh, don' shout at me, Juan Carlos!”

You quickly get up, facing him and pointing his chest.

“Is it because Lorraine?”

“Fuck that bitch!”

You can't help but finally saying what you think, with your breathing shaking a little upset.

“Why do you sound like you're jealous?”

“Yeah, that's what you would like”. You lie again with a fake laughter, giving him your back.

“Yes, I would like it”.

Your blood freeze. Raising an eyebrow even if he can't see you. Then, you hear his heavy feet coming a little closer. You close your eyes unconsciously, hoping to feel his hands on you; on your shoulders, on your back, on your waist, somewhere. But nothing happens.

“I made a fool of myself with a lot of people, I don't wanna do it with you too. So… if you're not jealous, if you don't feel anything… leave this room”.

Licking your lips, you try to make a decision. You don't want to lose him, but you don't know how to recognize your feelings about him. The pressure is wrapping your body, making you feel so nervous that you don't know what you are doing, when you find yourself closing the door behind your back. Some tears fill your eyes, hitting your forehead with a fist and cursing yourself in silence. If you ever have had an option with Juice, is now. You can't simply keep silent.

“I can't watch you with another woman”.

You just say opening the door again, focusing on Juice sitting on the bed with his head down and both hands tangled on his nape. He raises up his gaze to yours, surprised because of your words.

“I can't… fucking watch you with that… bitch around you all the fucking time. Touching you as if you were her fucking man. Marking a territory that doesn't belong to her”.

That's it. Saying it makes you feel as if the weight you've been carrying since some months ago is finally gone. You come into the room, closing the door but keeping a security distance between both.

“That's what I am to you? A territory to be marked?”

“Fuck that, Juice. What a… fucking mistake open my fucking mouth”.

Seeing how he just got that sense of the words you were keeping to yourself for months, it hurts. It hurts a lot. You had a horrible week and that's why you didn't want to come to the party. You knew perfectly that you would end up arguing again. Turning around you're about to grab the doorknob when an arm, with a grim reaper tattoo on it, holds your waist. Your back finds the wooden door so fast that it dizzies you, but you can't even complain, when Juice crashes his lips on yours.

It takes you some seconds to react, with your arms curled among your chests, raising them to both sides of his neck. Your lips correspond to each of the movements that the others make, deepening the kiss when you welcomed his tongue into your mouth. His hands hitch up your ass, urging you to surround his hips with your legs. A soft and uncontrollably moan escapes from your throat when he thrusts you against the door with a dry noise.

“What if I take you home? What if we watch a movie or something?” He asks, biting your lips at his whim.

“What if you take me home and fuck me for a damn time?”

“Yeah, that's what I was saying, but trying to not sound too desperate for fucking my girl”.

“Well, I'm fucking desperate for my boy”. You chuckle, closing your legs around him a little more tight, enough to feel that he's hard. So hard.

“Let's go home, baby”.

#sons of anarchy x reader #sons of anarchy imagine #sons of anarchy #juice ortiz x reader #juice ortiz imagine #juice ortiz #juan carlos ortiz

[artificialqueens]

Galactica, Chapter 42 (Group Fic) - TheDane/Veronica

A/N: Hello darlings! The saga continues… Click here if you’re looking for previous chapters (or here if you’d rather read on AO3). 💫

Last Chapter: Pearl’s eye started to wander and Violet set out on a quest to truly prove herself.

This Chapter: Aiden struggles with envy, Adore learns something extremely disturbing about her girlfriend, and Violet makes a friend in the park.

***

“Oof!” Katya held the sweater she was knitting in front of her face, blocking the view of the TV. “Oh god, that scene gets me every time.”

“I can see why this is one of your favorites.” Violet smiled, her pencil paused on her sketchpad as she watched Nancy’s powertrip, The Craft a surprisingly good film.

They were sitting on the couch in Trixie, Katya and Pearl’s apartment, Katya sending Violet a text if she wanted to come down and watch a movie.

Violet had learned early on that Katya despised people who were on their phones while watching movies, but that crafts were allowed, which was probably also why Katya had asked her specifically since Max was out of town. Pearl, Kim and Shangela were all on the no movies list, while Trixie was apparently walking on ‘thin fucking ice’ as Katya herself had said.

“I was a witch once.” Katya smiled, going back to the pink sweater with purple clouds she was knitting, the size of it making it clear that it was for Trixie. “Who doesn’t like a side of blood magic?”

Violet smiled, shaking her head as she turned her attention halfway back to her sketch, her hand doodling flowers along the lapel of the jacket she was working on.

***

“Kiara?”

Aiden was having a perfectly good day until she came over.

It was a little after lunch, the cafeteria serving the chicken he liked. He’d been working on some sketches, fairly satisfied with his progress so far, the days going by so fast.

He was on track to have almost 10 different looks finished by the end of the day when they had to turn them in, and so he was certain that he’d be getting into the Spring collection.

He had been perfecting a sleeve, when his pleasant thoughts had been rudely interrupted by Violet’s voice, as she approached their station to talk to Kiara.

“Hi,” Violet was holding a black portfolio in her hands, her pink nails tapping on the black vinyl. She was wearing a pair of black high waisted pants, a belt cinching in her waist and a long sleeved silk top. “I was wondering if I could see what you were working on for the Spring prêt-à-porter collection?”

“Sure? Kiara looked surprised, but she still grabbed her own stack of sketches, Kiara one of the few designers that still preferred to do everything by hand. “Why?

“I heard that you’re doing a jacket,” Violet put her portfolio down, “and I’m thinking of doing a jacket, so I just want to make sure we’re not submitting the same thing.”

Of course Violet was thinking of submitting a jacket.

“Scared of the competition Chachki?” Aiden was about to reach for his own sketch, his centerpiece for his spring submissions a jacket as well.

“No?” Violet looked at Aiden, her big brown eyes unblinking. “Why would I be?”

Aiden was about to open his mouth to respond when he realized that there was no point, his hand falling down.

That girl was just so incredibly condescending, and he hated her for it.

“Here we go.” Kiara said, gesturing to her sketches, tapping on the 3 versions of the jacket that she was going to submit.

“Hmm.” Violet peered at them, nodding. “Good. We’re not doing the same at all.”

“I showed you mine. Are you gonna show me yours?” Kiara asked, and Violet giggled, pulling out her own sketches.

“Deal,” she said, flipping open the portfolio.

As curious as he was, Aiden decided not to look, burying his head in his own work, now more determined than ever to get that jacket spot.

***

“Babyyy, pay attention to meeee,” Adore whined, tugging on Pearl’s top, attempting to nuzzle into her neck as they were on the bed. Pearl had invited her over for dinner, but the second they’d finished Katya’s famous twice-baked potatoes and garlic chicken (and several bottles of wine), she’d pulled out her laptop and begun working on content for Galactica’s new website.

Adore had never seen Pearl work after hours before. She was slightly shocked to see her do any real work, to be honest, imagining her position at Galactica to be purely schmoozing with brand reps and taking high-profile selfies at fancy events.

“Sorry, I have to finish this shit tonight.” Pearl finished the last of her wine and pressed a quick kiss to Adore’s forehead before going back to her computer, her fingers flying over the keyboard, Pearl actually typing at a surprisingly impressive speed.

“But…” Adore knew she was being a brat, but really, what was Pearl’s rush to finish something this late anyway? Would anyone even be ready to receive it? “Please-”

“Dore,” Pearl sighed, actually looking down at her. “I need to turn it into the site designers before midnight tonight. I thought I’d have time at work, but there was an influencer emergency and you know how those bitches get.”

Adore didn’t, in fact, know how influencers got, the realization that she knew absolutely nothing about Pearl’s work slowly creeping over her.

“I tried asking for extra time, but Fame said no.” Pearl pressed space, her short nails clacking against the black keys of her Macbook. “And unfortunately, eating her pussy right now for a favor is out of the question.” Pearl huffed. “Believe me. I tried.”

“What?” Adore’s hand froze on Pearl’s waist. “You tried what?”

“Eating her pussy?”

Adore sat up, rocking the bed. “Pearl!”

“What? You know that me and Fame used to hook up. We’ve done it for years.” Pearl turned to her with a curious expression. “They didn’t tell you?” Pearl raised a brow. “Huh.” She bit her lip, going back to her laptop. “I thought for sure they would when they were all freaked out about us getting together.”

“They?” Adore asked, trying to keep her voice from getting shrill.  “Who is they?”

“Fame mostly” Pearl shrugged, “but I thought Bianca would have had something to say.”

“Wait, so...sorry.” Adore squeezed her eyes shut, trying to clear her mind before asking, “You and Fame used to hook up, and Bianca knew about it?”

“I assumed? I don’t know for sure, but why else would your sister hate me?” Pearl paused typing, a cheshire grin on her face. “I’m delightful.”

Adore could feel her heart pounding in her throat.

“And you… You were gonna...you were gonna cheat on me with her?”

“Cheat? Wha - No!” Pearl closed her laptop, putting it to the side before she turned to Adore, shaking her head. “I’m not cheating.”

“It sure as shit sounds like it.”

“We never talked about being exclusive? So I just figured…” Pearl shrugged, and Adore wanted to hit her. “You’re a really cool girl, and I thought you didn’t care about stuff like that.”

“Well…” Adore’s mind raced. She’d been so ready to get angry, throw an absolute fit, but Pearl calling her cool was having the effect of pouring aloe onto inflamed skin. “I mean...I guess that’s true, we never talked about it.”

“It’s 2014. Everyone who’s not an absolute square is open these days,” Pearl continued.

“Is that… I mean, so…” Adore swallowed hard. “So you want an open relationship?”

“I’m not running around town fucking everyone I meet, if that’s what you’re thinking. I just think like… We know how we feel about each other? So why worry about oppressive hetero-normative rules?” Pearl punctuated her question with a charming smile, and Adore could feel herself melting.

“Yeah, that...makes sense.”

“See, this is why you’re the fucking best.” Pearl closed her laptop and kissed Adore gently, cradling her head, and every last ounce of anger dissipated into thin air.

Well...anger at Pearl, anyway. She’d deal with Miss Goddamn Fame and her traitorous sister tomorrow.

“Don’t you need to work?” Adore asked, pressing into Pearl’s embrace.

“I’ll go in early tomorrow,” Pearl said, moving her lips to Adore’s neck.

Adore sighed happily, lavishing the attention, sure that being with Pearl was worth it.

***

Courtney had gotten to the office before 6 am to prepare for the Friday design meeting--organizing the nearly 400 sketches into categories, making scans and copies and mounting the originals on card stock, each one numbered for easy reference. In the end, she had a tabbed binder for each of the attendees with high-quality copies, just barely finishing by the time Miss Fame strolled in at 9:30.

They’d been at it for awhile now, and what had begun as an orderly review with everyone on the same page had devolved into chaos, tension high as people defended their opinions. She stood in the corner of the conference room, feet already aching in her 4-inch heels, trying to follow the rapid-fire conversation, Raja and Trixie bickering about pant length and Pearl tearing out the pages she didn’t like, tossing them to the floor.

“This skirt on 42 is nice, but it looks complicated. How much would it cost to manufacture it?” Pearl passed a sketch to Bendela, who was the head of the tailoring department.

Bendela examined it closely, before proclaiming, “At least $700.”

Pearl pulled it out of her hands, dropping it on the floor with the other rejects. “Bye!”

“Well, hey now…” Alyssa flipped to the same sketch in her own binder. “Maybe it wouldn’t work for the stores, but it’s still good. Could we save it for a potential runway look?”

Pearl rolled her eyes. “Sure, but that’s not what we’re doing today.”

“Why don’t we put it aside and give Jovan some notes for runway?” Trixie suggested.

“That’s literally what I just said,” Alyssa snapped.

“I know, I’m agreeing with you!” Trixie exclaimed, handing her a fresh Red Bull. “Here, have some more gogo juice.”

“I really like this top on 27, but it would have to be a bit shorter to work with the other separates,” Alaska drawled, and Raja nodded, jotting down a note on the corresponding page of her binder.

“Yes, it’s pretty. What do you think, Fame?” asked Raja.

“It would be pretty, if it wasn’t in this disgusting color,” Fame said.

“Non-disgusting color coming right up!” Trixie said cheerfully, scribbling a note on the page.

“Trixie, I do not appreciate your tone.”

“Sorry Miss. You want to see something great? Check out Maxwell’s suit options. Starting on 104. He really outdid himself this year.” Trixie let out a loud chef’s kiss.

“Awww, thanks coach!” Maxwell said.

Courtney shifted, stretching a little, and noticed that Miss Fame had finished her coffee. Relieved for an excuse to move, she slipped from the meeting, grabbing her coat on the way to the elevators. She got Fame’s usual order as quickly as possible, along with her preferred apple cinnamon muffin to have on stand-by in case her blood sugar was having its usual pre-lunch dip, and returned to the 25th floor, shocked at the face that greeted her in the lobby when the elevator doors opened.

“Adore?”

“Courtney! Thank god. This bitch wouldn’t let me into Fame’s office-” Adore gestured towards Roxy, irritated, who gave her an equally dirty look in return, “And I need to talk to her.”

“Well…” Courtney beeped her access card, shooting Roxy an apologetic smile and saying, “Thanks, I got it.”

Once inside, she tossed her coat over her chair and turned back to Adore, who was rattling the doorknob of Fame’s office like a crazy person, pounding on the door.

“Fame? Fame, open up!”

“Adore…” Courtney touched her lightly on the shoulder. “She’s not in there. She’s in a meeting, with like, the whole senior design and marketing teams right now, and-”

“Well, I need to talk to her, right away.” Adore was clearly agitated.

“Are you okay? Can I-”

“No! I’m obviously not okay! I need to talk to her, now-”

“Okay. You wanna wait here until they break for lunch?” Courtney asked. “I can’t really ask her to leave without-”

“No, I want to talk to her. If you don’t want to interrupt, I will. I don’t give a shit about her meeting.” Adore charged forward, and Courtney caught her by the shoulders.

“Wait! Okay, I’ll tell her you’re here and that it’s urgent. Please, just…”

Adore seemed to begrudgingly accept this plan, crossing her arms and sitting on the edge of Courtney’s desk. “Two minutes and then I’m coming in.”

Courtney took a deep breath and made her way towards the conference room, trying not to wring her hands on the way. She was worried for whatever was making Adore so upset, but she also couldn’t help but roll her eyes a little at her demanding attitude. It wasn’t something that reared its head terribly often, but when it did...hoo boy. Spoiled brat Adore was by far the worst version of Adore--petulant, entitled, unyielding. Courtney prayed that she would get through this tantrum without a scene.  

Courtney re-entered the conference room, handing Miss Fame her coffee and then turning to a fresh page in her notebook and scribbling out a note, trying to be as concise as possible.

Adore Delano here. Very upset. Needs to talk. Says it’s urgent.

She underlined “urgent” before showing it to her boss, hoping that she wouldn’t get scolded for her friend’s behavior.

Fame glanced at the note and then stood up, clearing her throat.

“I have to go attend to a family matter,” she announced, “but I’ll be back shortly.” She gestured vaguely to the empty chair beside her seat, indicating that Courtney should stay and take notes.

Courtney quickly sat down, pulling over Miss Fame’s binder.

***

When Miss Fame entered her office suite, Adore was there, pacing around. She looked physically fine, which was a relief, but Fame was still concerned, knowing that Adore wouldn’t come to her, not in the middle of the day like this, unless something terrible had happened.

“Hello darling, what on earth is going on-”

“Don’t fucking darling me!” Adore snapped, catching her off guard, and Fame took a deep breath, opening her door to her office and ushering Adore inside before firmly shutting it. For one thing, it would give them some privacy. And for another, it would make sure that no one passing by saw Adore’s messy hair and booty shorts.

“Is anybody hurt?”

“Fuck you!”

Fame sighed, locking the door. If she was going to screech like a maniac, they may as well have as much soundproofing as possible.

“Now, Adore-” Fame began, but Adore immediately interrupted.

“What the fuck do I have to do for y’all to stop treating me like a fucking child?!” Adore burst out, and Fame couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow.

“A child? Since I was at your 15th birthday, I don’t think that’s very fair-”

“Don’t change the subject!” Adore shouted, looking genuinely upset, her hand shaking.

“What is the subject, dearheart?” Fame took a step forward, but Adore stepped back. Fame could feel her panic rising, wondering if something was actually wrong with Bianca, if anyone had gotten hurt. “I think we missed a step here-”

“Pearl! Pearl, is the fucking subject!” Adore jabbed a finger against her chest, Fame looking down.

“Adore!” No one had done that to Fame since she was a child, the action incredibly upsetting and weird.

“Specifically,” Adore poked her, “you,” poke “fucking her.” Adore looked up, her eyes filled with anger. “Is that clear enough?”

“Oh.” Fame’s heart sank, the secret apparently out. The last thing she ever wanted was for Adore to get hurt, but here they were. “How did you…” Fame looked over her shoulder, making sure the door was locked, hoping that Courtney was still in the conference room.

“Look at me!”

“How did you find out about this-”

“Pearl told me!”

Fuck.

“She apparently thought that you’d told me already.”

“Good god.” Fame closed her eyes briefly, cursing herself for not being more explicit with Pearl back in September. “She really shouldn’t have done that.”

“She?!” Adore yelled. “Why didn’t you? Why do you all fucking tiptoe around, protect me like I’m a goddamn infant?!”

“Adore-”

“I’m 24 fucking years old! Half of your employees are younger than me, and I know for a fact that you don’t treat them like delicate little babies-”

“Please. Calm down, I don’t-” Fame held up her hands. “Please.”

“I’m not a child.”

“You want the truth? The grown-up truth?”

“Yes!”

“Me not telling you about my…” Fame made a vague gesture, “history with Pearl. That wasn’t to protect you. That was to protect myself.”

“What…” Adore looked momentarily thrown by this, her anger replaced with confusion, and Fame pulled her onto the sofa, taking the opportunity to grasp one of her hands.

“She’s my employee, Adore.” Fame rubbed her thumb over Adore’s hand, gently caressing it. “We may have had an understanding between us, but…” Fame sighed. “Nobody else would--could understand.”

“You mean like your husband?” Adore shot back, face twisting once more into anger. “I can’t believe you would cheat on him, that you would-”

“I would never ‘cheat’ on Patrick. He knows everything. You don’t need to worry about my marriage. But I mean that if my...Interests came out publicly, it would be very damaging to my professional reputation. That’s what I feared.”

“And you didn’t trust me?”

“I don’t trust anybody with things like this, Adore. So instead of telling you, I just...broke things off with her, and made sure she knew how much I love you. That I would be very angry if she mistreated you.”

Adore bit her lip, taking in what Fame had said, her blue eyes misty. “You went behind my back and told my girlfriend to be nice, or she’d be in trouble? Don’t you see how fucked up that is?”

“I’m sorry. It was a bad decision, but it wasn’t because I was trying to baby you. It was...it doesn’t matter. I can see now that I should have told you instead.”

“Yes. But…” Adore sighed. “I guess I understand why you didn’t.”

“I’m glad,” Fame said. “Thank you for that.”

She pulled Adore close, hugging her tightly, trying to show how sorry she was. When Bianca had taken custody of Adore nearly ten years earlier, Fame felt like she shared the responsibility to look out for her.

She knew, of course, that sometimes that meant that she was overprotective, and maybe even patronizing, but she couldn’t help it: Adore would always be a sweet baby to her, someone who had been through hell far too young, who deserved to be a bit spoiled and sheltered.

“There’s one more thing I need to know,” Adore said, still chewing on her lip.

“What is it?”

“Does my sister know?”

Fame took a deep breath, tucking a lock of Adore’s fading purple hair behind her ear. “She does. But she’s the only one. Besides Patrick. And now you. And she promised me, swore on her life, that she’d never tell.”

“Hmm.”

***

“We’ll get the results tomorrow, and it isn’t that I’m like, nervous nervous, I just hope I have done a good enough job-”

Sutan smiled as he listened to Violet chat, the fact that she was actually sharing her honest feelings about Galactica’s prêt-à-porter collection feeling like a big deal.

Sutan had asked Violet out for lunch since he was already in midtown for a meeting, the two of them now walking hand in hand around Central Park, Sutan drinking coffee while Violet was sipping on tea. The air was crisp, Autumn leaves covering the ground, the people of New York taking in the beautiful day.

“Sutan!” Sutan felt a pull on his hand, Violet stopping dead in her tracks. “Sutan, look!”

He turned his head, not even registering what was happening before Violet had shoved her tea and bag into his arms, letting go of him to make a beeline towards a couple that were walking a small dog.

“Excuse me-” Violet cleared her throat, catching the couple’s attention. “Can I pet your dog? Please?”

“Of course!”

The couple smiled, and Sutan watched as Violet crouched down on the ground, quickly taking off her gloves and handing them to Sutan so the pug could sniff her fingers.

“Hey there, hello gorgeous, hi,” Violet smiled, her hand soon running over the puppy’s head, scratching it behind the ears. “That’s it, that’s a good boy.”

Sutan tilted his head. He had never seen Violet interact with a pet before, and somehow, he had assumed that she would be either a pet hater or a cat person, but she looked genuinely happy, and completely in love with the dog.

“What’s his name?”

“Dough. It’s his first trip to Central Park, he’s been looking forward to it all week.”

“Really?” Violet looked up, her smile never wavering as she chatted with the couple about the dog. “Oh Sutan, look how cute he is.”

“He’s very-”

“Who’s a good boy?” Violet grinned, cutting off Sutan as she scratched the pug’s chin. “Who’s a good boy?”

Sutan took a sip of his coffee, hiding a grin as Violet’s bag dug into the crock of his elbow. He had never seen Violet so willingly talk to strangers, had never seen her be so overly excited about anything that wasn’t related to fashion. He took another sip, pocketing Violet’s gloves as he watched her play with the dog, a sense of calm washing over him as Violet made Dough chase his own tail.

#rpdr fanfiction #thedane #veronica #galactica #adore x pearl #vitan #katya zamolodchikova #violet chachki #aiden zhane #adore delano #pearl liaison #courtney act #miss fame #raja gemini #lesbian au #m/f au #fashion au

[jjbakaloskaiagathos]

May I have DIO for the 57 Qs 👁👄👁🥺👉🏻👈🏻 another great event/project btw😭👌🏼

Hello @soft-ris! Thank you for your request! ❤️✨ So, here is an interview with Dio for you! 💖 And thank you for your compliments, you always make us smile 👀💕

- Love, K&S ❤️

57 Questions with Dio Brando ⚰️ | Kalos Kai Agathos

S: So, we came to the mansion and we are going to interview the glamorous vampire, aren’t we?

K: Yep. Where is he?

/Car and Just Dance by Lady Gaga noises. Dio is sitting into the car and wearing the dark sunglasses/

D: It’s Britney, bitch. And I’m back.

К&S: Hello Dio! We are here to ask you 57 questions!

1. Wow, dude, it is dark, how do you navigate here?

D: It's pretty obvious: my sight is better than yours. Follow me and be attentive with the stairs.

2. Why did you choose Egypt? There is too much sun here and you're a vampire...

D: I heard many nice things about desserts here.

3. How do we achieve heaven?

D: Read my diary... if you'll find it.

4. Cool nails! How much does it cost to make them?

D: It costs as much as your fee.

5. Can we get the master’s contact info?

D: No, you can't, it's a secret /Vanilla Ice hides nail polishes/

6. What is your favourite part of your mansion?

D: A library.

7. What is your favourite book?

D: A textbook of Physics. Do you believe in gravity?

8. What is the most expensive thing in your mansion?

D: The piano. Hands off!

9. You need to sing a song right now.

D: 🎵 When I rule the world, then I'm gonna make you sweat

Dog collar round your neck

On your knees and scrub the deck

Oh, there's a spot over there, so I'll drag you by the hair

So, scrub it, rub it, whip it, dry it, til I tell you to stop 🎵

10. What kind of a fashion designer can be your best friend?

D: Donatella Versace.

11. What is your favourite cocktail?

D: Bloody Mary or Mary’s blood.

12. Whose blood is the tastiest?

D: Virgins. It’s true.

13. Whose blood would you never drink?

D: My father’s. It is a pity that his blood is flowing through my veins /spits/

14. We are sure that everyone asks you about your girl’s type. What’s your boy’s type?

D: Strong, full of ideas, handsome.

15. What star would you like to invite to a dinner?

D: Marilyn Monroe. She always chose the best men.

16. What is your favourite film?

D: “Pretty Woman”.

17. What is your favourite legend/myth?

D: Osiris myth.

18. Can you stop time right now? But please, don't punch in a stomach.

D: I do this in extreme cases.

19. What is it? Is it a small plush dinosaur on your sofa?

D: /stops time and removes the toy/ I don't understand what are you talking about.

20. Choose the most exotic animal for you.

D: Crocodiles. They could help me to get rid of corpses.

21. Finish the phrase: I have never...

D: Loved.

22. What are you thinking when you can't sleep?

D: Why do vampires need sleeping?

23. What is your favourite part of a woman’s body?

D: A neck.

24. What is your favourite part of a man’s body?

D: Arms.

25. How are you often called?

D: Mio Dio, Lord, daddy.

26. What thing would you never wear?

D: Britches.

27. What are your favourite berries?

D: Cherries.

28. Let's try to play “Kiss, Marry, Kill”. Brad Pitt, Sarah Jessica Parker and Julia Roberts.

D: To kiss Brad, to marry Julia and to kill Sarah.

29. What is your favourite memory which is connected with your childhood?

D: My father’s death and how my mother was happy to get the new dress.

30. Edvard is a truly vampire, isn't he?

D: No, he is a smug poser.

31. Britney Spears or Lady Gaga?

D: Aren’t they all the same person?

32. Jonathan or Jotaro?

D: Jonathan /touches the scar on the neck/

33. Finish the phrase: I’m Kakyoin Noriaki...

D: I smoke a roll unagi maki.

34. What are your thoughts about Pucci?

D: I believe him. I treat him as a friend of mine.

35. What are your thoughts about Giorno?

D: I’m proud of him.

36. What do you want saying to Giorno?

D: I knew that you have this, son.

37. What would you call your ship? Remember that it’s important!

D: I would never call it “Kakyoin” because I don't want to have a hole in it /smirks/

38. You feel that your age is...

D: 26.

39. What hobby would you like to try?

D: To work at a potter’s wheel.

40. Aren’t you afraid that clay can stuck under your nails?

D: No because my master can do another manicure /Vanilla Ice shows his collection of nail polishes/

41. D’Arby: Lord Dio, the computer crashed again. Can you buy a new one for me?

D: Okay.

42. D’Arby: Lord Dio, who is these? I can protect...

D: They are with me and to ask questions is their work, not yours.

43. You need to choose an alternative name.

D: Diego.

44. Do you have a hidden talent?

D: Yes, I grow roses and can distinguish different kinds of wine.

45. What is your favourite era?

D: Middle Ages. People were so stupid there and you could simply influence on them.

46. Do you wear make-up?

D: Yes and I use eyeliner by Marc Jacobs.

47. What is your favourite dance?

D: Belly dancing. Midler is so good at it.

48. Kiss: simple or French?

D: French.

49. What is the thing which makes a woman sexy?

D: Lipstick all over her mouth.

50. What is the thing which makes a man sexy?

D: Goosebumps because of touching.

51. Wine: red or white?

D: Red.

52. The mask: stone or cucumber?

D: Stone. It gives longer an age-reversing effect.

53. Are you scared of depth?

D: I’m Dio, I'm scared of nobody and nothing.

54. What is your favourite British tradition?

D: To eat porridge as a breakfast.

55. Do you drink Earl Grey?

D: Yes, I do.

56. Where is Jonathan’s head?

D: I thought about the thing to hang it like a bear or a deer’s head, you know.

57. Who has the biggest /smirks/: you or Jonathan?

/Suddenly, Karina and Sophie are outside the mansion/

S: He stopped time, didn't he?

K: I think we have problems with journalistic ethics.

#jojo bizarre adventure #jojo no kimyou na bouken #jojo no kimyō na bōken #jjba #jojo part 3 #stardust crusaders #dio brando #dio #brando #57 questions with a jojo character

[sserpente]

24 little kinks | Doors 20, 21 🎄

“You remember that chocolate advent calendar I got you for December?”

“I do,” he chuckled and pressed a tender kiss to your temple. “You made me display it in the kitchen so I would not eat it all at once.”

Your smile widened. “How about we get another one?”

Loki raised an eyebrow, only now paying proper attention to the sex toy ad. Then, he frowned. It was an odd mixture of disgust, genuine curiosity and even a hint of arousal flashing in his blue eyes.

A/N: Christmas is approaching! ♥

Loki and you had agreed to celebrate on Christmas Eve already—to enjoy some alone-time together, with mulled wine, hot cocoa, biscuits and a lovely Christmas dinner before you would both join the Avengers at the compound on Christmas morning.

Now you were merely hoping that you would get to celebrate the holiday at all. It had started with a call from the local police, alerting Tony Stark for ‘alien activity’ at 42nd street station. You really wished you had a code for that. Any public disruption containing the word ‘alien’ usually caused a mass panic.

Loki took the call before you could reach your phone, reading Thor on your display. You had just put on those naughty panties with the little vibrator inside which he had pulled from yesterday’s door when his face suddenly fell.

“We are on our way.” He hung up without a word of goodbye.

“What happened?”

“Chitauri. They are as of right now raiding New York.” Fuck.

When you arrived downtown, the areas the police had named were on fire. Debris, broken cars and injured pedestrians scattered on the hard and cracked asphalt. Loki took a deep breath. It was like a flashback, like a distant memory which came crushing back into him with full force, like a blow in the face by Mjölnir.

You could feel his discomfort. Like heat, it was radiating off of him as he clenched his daggers. Suppressing your sudden trembling, you gave him a quick and reassuring nod. You would get through this.

-

The woman you saved was in a wheelchair, her eyes filled with pure terror. You slit the Chitauri’s throat before her eyes. It was anger that kept you going. Anger at these creatures for their involvement with Loki’s past actions. Anger at what he had had to endure with Thanos and anger at the destruction they caused.

FRIDAY had translated their somewhat cryptic language. They were ready to tear the whole city apart, kill every man, woman and child until the artefact was returned to them. They had learned from their attack on the compound—so they took innocent lives instead.

You blinked away the tears forming in your eyes when you spotted the huge Christmas tree in the middle of a roundabout falling, ripping with it a power line which caused hot sparks to fly. It dropped on a car whose driver had been unable to duck fast enough.

It was almost Christmas, for Christ’s sake. You were going to kill them, each and every one of them.

“We’ll have a cup of mulled wine when this is over, right?” You heard Tony’s voice over the earpiece you were wearing, making you roll your eyes. You admired his optimism, for all you could see right now was death and violence.

Your gaze flicked over to Loki, to see if he was alright. His elegance during battle kept impressing and fascinating you over and over again. Yet at the same time, as you watched his new vibranium daggers slice through the alien’s bodies, you felt incredible fear washing over you. The man you loved, at war…

A blow in the stomach made you gasp for air desperately. You dropped one of your daggers in an attempt to strike at the Chitauri bashing at you from the left. You flew through the air, the impact of its force knocking all air from your body as you were thrown against a fire hydrant. It broke instantly, flooding the street with water and wetting your clothes to the bones. The sudden and brief electricity shock between your legs you ignored.

Your hair stuck to your skin when you stood with shaky legs, checking if you had any broken bones. With all the adrenaline cursing through your veins, you felt not a single sting of pain. Hopefully, this would not cost you a limb later.

You moaned when the Chitauri who had caught you off guard started at you once more, this time trying a frontal attack. You narrowed your eyes at him, ducking its strikes with but a few skilled movements. When you buried your dagger in its calf, it howled, dropping on its knees for you to slice its neck. You will pay for causing this much pain and fear so shortly before Christmas…

Turning around, you dragged your wet form back to Loki. It wasn’t all water. You were bleeding. But it was fine, you were fine. Your eyes met, Loki’s lips slightly parting. You raised your arm, meaning to help him when behind him, another Chitauri approached. They were circling him, one by one—it was clear they recognised him, remembered what he had and had not done all those years ago.

One of them you hit in the head when you threw one of your daggers, watching its dead body drop to the ground in a satisfied manner but you were not fast enough for the second one. Loki had just killed the alien before him and took a deep breath to cast illusions of himself to distract his opponents when the Chitauri behind him already bored its sharp weapon into his lower back from behind.

You screaming his name was the last thing he heard before he lost consciousness.

-

“(Y/N), can I speak with you for a second?”

Steve was holding his shield so tightly his knuckles turned white. With a worried expression on his face, he nodded at an empty corner on the helicarrier. Only reluctantly did you leave Loki’s side. Thor had helped carrying his unconscious body on board after the remaining Chitauri had been eliminated. Only a few escaped—a handful which would not be able to cause any more harm anytime soon.

The police was alerted, arrangements were made, people were brought to the hospital. All you cared about, however, was Loki. You held his hand with trembling fingers, looking for a sign of consciousness on his beautiful face. Thus far, nothing. There was so much blood on his armour…

“The others and I,” Steve began right away, “we think that maybe you should take a break from your duties as an Avenger.” He phrased it like you were a soldier in a military camp.

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean that… Loki has strong… feelings for you.”

“And for reasons we do not quite understand,” Tony interrupted, “You have strong feelings for him too.” You rolled your eyes.

“What we’re trying to say is that out there, on the battlefield, on a mission, whatever you want to call it, you’re a threat for one another.”

“What are you talking about? Loki would give his life for me and I would give mine for his! I know what you think about him, Tony, I know you all hate him but even if you don’t want to see it, Loki is a good man, he has a good heart! It would be a Christmas miracle if you guys finally saw that.”

“That’s not my point. You’re constantly worried for each other. Reindeer Games is… possessive over you, he’s like an alpha animal protecting its omega.”

Steve nodded. “His worry for you during a mission could sooner or later cost him his life—or yours.”

Your face fell. You had never seen it like that. It was true—during a fight, Loki and you always looked out for another. You had seen his concerned look before he got stabbed and dropped to the ground like a broken marionette.

FRIDAY had already run a quick test and examined his body as soon as you boarded. The wound was not fatal and hadn’t hit any vital organs but it was deep and severe enough for him to lose consciousness. He would heal again, sooner than later. But that also meant that he was to take it easy for the next few days. You’d make sure he would.

You insisted they dropped you both off at your flat. Thor helped you lay Loki into your bed, then disappeared after a quick goodbye hug. While you wetted a wash cloth and cleaned his face from any dirt and blood, Steve’s words came to your mind again. You’re a threat to one another on the battlefield… was it really true? Was it possibly you could cause harm to each other when you were only trying to protect what you loved?

You swallowed thickly; and it was then Loki opened his eyes and coughed. Reacting quickly, you brought a glass of water to his lips. He swallowed the cool liquid eagerly.

“Thank you,” he choked out.

“How are you feeling?”

“Like I have been stabbed, my sweet. How are you?”

“You’re asking me? I’ve been wearing vibrating panties during a mission.”

“I forgot you were still wearing those.” He stated bluntly, an exhausted and weak smirk tugging at his lips. You let out a relieved sigh. If he was able to be amused by this predicament of yours, his wound could not be that bad.

“The battery died after I got hurled against a fire hydrant.”

And you were still soaking wet. Loki gave you a reproachful look.

“I’m okay, just a few bruises. It’s you we need to take care of. Can you magic off your clothes for me? So I can clean you up.”

He nodded. It took him some effort to use his seidr in this condition but he managed. As soon as he was pretty much stark naked and for just a split second, you admired his godly body, you went to work and gently wiped his skin clean off all the blood.

“What happened? Did they kill the other Chitauri?”

You nodded. “A few are still on the loose. They won’t get very far, as far as I’m concerned, Tony is using FRIDAY right now to track them down. Do you need more water?”

“No. I need you. Lie with me.”

Smiling, you obliged, careful not to come in contact with his wound. Now that it was cleaned, it did not at all look so bad—he was already healing. As soon as you had removed your wet clothes and simply dropped them to your bedroom floor, you lied down next to him, resting your head on his shoulder.

“We forgot today.” He suddenly said.

“What?”

“We forgot to open our calendar.”

“Oh, no we didn’t. I checked this morning.”

“So what was in it?”

“A penis pump.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Don’t make me explain it to you, not now.” You giggled gently. “But I think you will like what it does to you.”

Loki smiled, his blue eyes already falling shut again as you tenderly stroked his raven hair.

“I am sure of that.”

-

A/N: Nothing really naughty happened today, I know. But it’ll make the last days before Christmas even sweeter, I promise. ;-)

Door 22 will be opened on Sunday, December 22nd.

Check out my blog to find more Imagines and take a glimpse at my first (to be) published novel! Also, if you enjoyed this story, I would appreciate so much if you supported me on Kofi! ko-fi.com/sserpente

#24 little kinks #advent calendar #christmas lights gif from hercules cliparts 2019 #loki #loki imagine #loki x you #loki x reader #loki smut #loki fluff #loki laufeyson #loki laufeyson imagine #loki laufeyson x you #loki laufeyson x reader #loki laufeyson smut #loki laufeyson fluff #loki odinson #loki odinson imagine #loki odinson x you #loki odinson x reader #thor #thor imagine #loki odinson fluff #loki odinson smut #the avengers #the avengers imagine #mcu #mcu imagine #marvel #marvel imagine #tom hiddleston

[stretchjournalemerson]

We Are, We Aren't

By Connor Gibson

02:51 PM

Dirty piles of slush litter the ground of the Public Garden. The ice on the pond is melting in the sun. Kids scoop up the last traces of snow, melted and hardened and melted into chunks of ice, to throw at each other. The Garden is full of people, tourists and natives alike taking advantage of the 42-degree weather— which, for a Boston February, is “warm”. I’m bundled in my wool coat and hat; others’ Patriots tees show under unzipped hoodies. The blindingly white neck of my Tatte shirt peeks out above my scarf. As always, I’m running early, but I speed-walk anyway.

Google tells me that Back Bay, the neighborhood home to the Tatte where I work, is one of the wealthiest places in the Boston area. It tells me that the bay on which the neighborhood sits was drained in the 1800s, uncovering foul-smelling fens and swamps. Developers poured cement on top of it and chopped it up into rectangles. There’s something there, some cute metaphor comparing designer stores atop a concrete-covered swamp to glossing over the issue of gentrification in favor of a new Sweetgreen.

I’ll write about that later, I think. I exit the Garden at Newbury and Arlington and cross the street. A high-cheekboned model, face blown up to the size of my entire body, peers down at me from the Burberry store window. Her eyelashes are lowered seductively under her huge sunglasses. Excuse me, I hear in my head. A posh British accent. Excuse me, why are you looking at me? I look away.

Letters barrage me as I turn onto Boylston. MK MK MK MK on clutches and purses. Chanel on a storefront. HOMELESS VETERAN PLEASE HELP GOD BLESS, scrawled on torn cardboard with a marker.

I walk into Tatte and take off my coat. VIBE CHECKER blares at me from the temperature gun, neon pink Sharpie on white.

Sarah, the mid manager, points the VIBE CHECKER at my forehead.

How’s my vibe? I ask.

She chuckles. Fine. Symptoms?

All of ‘em, at once.

Go grab an apron and we can talk about the new dinner menu. Her sweatshirt says BREAKFAST SANDWICH. I know that our BREAKFAST SANDWICH sweatshirts retail for $35. I wonder which Michael Kors clutch goes best with a BREAKFAST SANDWICH sweatshirt.

I step into Tatte Connor with his pristine white shirt and bandana and sickly sweet voice— a voice both Connor and not Connor, a voice that is mine and isn’t. Tatte Connor doesn’t create witty metaphors about systemic problems, he fires off meaningless platitudes: I like your outfit, cold out there, isn’t it? I know, I don’t know how I don’t eat them all. He grabs an apron, clocks in, and listens intently as Sarah explains chraimeh sauce.

03:14 PM

I’m at the register today, standing in one place for over five hours. It means hi, welcome in! to everyone who enters. It means my voice will stay in its customer service pitch for long after I leave, and when I walk around a person at Target while picking up yogurt that night, I will automatically announce BEHIND! and scare the shit out of them.

A woman walks in, several shopping bags swinging from her arms. Hi, welcome in! She nods acknowledgement. She wants a medium latte, almond milk and vanilla. We only have a small and a large. She asks to see the large. She’s fine with a large.

I take her phone number. All right! Will that be all for you? And would you like to leave a tip today?

She would not. She announces this so happily that I’m forced to match her tone. All right! I hope it sounds authentic. She takes her card.

I do NOT need a receipt, she proclaims, and walks out the door, bags bumping against the doorframe. The bags are massive, stiff, and glossy. They look expensive, down to the heavy serif font. My stained apron feels incredibly out of place. I wonder if it would be stupid to go get a new apron.

Caleb, the barista, waves his hand. He’s made my drink— it’s on the bar. I nod and ring up three more people before I get enough of a break to go grab it. He’s written my name on the cup and drawn little hearts for the O’s. My heart swells. I take half a sip, and then someone else walks in the door. Hi, welcome in!

03:32 PM

It’s a full-on late-lunch rush. The morning shift has just left, and the crowd hits us in the middle of a change. I’ve been moved off register and over to expo, where I’m doing three people’s jobs at once. Picking up? Todd? Would you mind waiting outside for a few minutes? Hi, Doordash? Do you need a menu? Take care! Thank you so much. Hi, welcome in!

A couple enters. They wear matching black puffy jackets with faux fur hoods and matching black sunglasses, similar in size and shape to the glasses on the Burberry model. They don’t remove their hoods or their sunglasses when they step inside. Picking up? Favio? I hand them their drinks. They are not happy.

You should be more thoughtful of your customers, I am told. It’s cold outside, and you shouldn’t keep people waiting. You need to be thinking about that.

I’m so sorry, sir.

I am reprimanded.

You need to move faster,

I’m sorry, sir. We’re doing our best.

I am told that maybe, that is not good enough, eh? And Favio and his girlfriend leave.

Have a good one! Take care! I imagine labels on their backs, as bold and shiny as the ones on their jackets and sunglasses: ASSHOLES.

03:42 PM

I am back on the register. The late-lunch rush has died down. In eighteen minutes, dinner will open up, and we’ll get slammed again— but for now I get to rest. I stack pistachio croissants in a delicate, buttery pyramid, coating my gloves with green dust and oil. Once I’m pretty sure they won’t fall, I head back to the register to count my tips.

Most people tip, but off-handedly, trying not to sound eager or generous. Sure, throw a dollar on there— “there” being a $12 sandwich. I wonder what kind of life they lead where dollars are something they throw. I notice that those thrown dollars never fall into the HOMELESS VETERAN’s plastic cup.

05:08 PM

An older woman enters and beelines for the Grab-and-Go case. She wears a brightly patterned scarf over her hair and carries an enormous H&M bag, full to bursting. She swings the bag onto one shoulder and holds up a small container of chicken salad. How much is it?, she asks. Maybe six or seven dollars, I reply.

She is surprised that I don’t know the exact price. She asks, don’t you work here? She asks, again, how much it is.

Give me one minute to check. It is seven dollars.

She complains that nobody here ever knows anything. She explains to me that it’s just one item, and you should know how much it costs. She tells me, I asked a girl a similar question, just the other day, and she didn’t know either.

I’m sorry about that. Will that be all?

She doesn’t want anything else, and pays with cash. She counts what I give back to her. She drops the chicken salad in her H&M bag, and then she leaves.

Have a great day! In my mind, I replace the H&M on her bag with BOOMER.

I remind myself that I am not an idiot, and that I deal with a lot, all day, and that I am good at my job. I remind myself that I am a human who makes mistakes. I remind myself to smile.

Another woman walks into the store. Hi, welcome in!

06:26 PM

I’m back from break, during which I inhaled a breakfast sandwich and submitted two

discussion posts on my phone. Apparently we have only made $96 so far from the dinner menu. The store is dark. Half of the patio is empty, and the people walking by, bundled up in winter coats, lean against the wind.

I’m sent over to the pass to bag food while my coworker Ayad takes his break. The dinner items come with a side salad and a little bag of pistachio cranberry cookies. Between orders, I stuff napkins into sandwich bags and draw hearts with a Sharpie on the cookie bags. I think of the people receiving them, in brownstones around Boston, living alone, living with girlfriends, living with husbands, living with tiny yappy dogs.

A woman comes in. I walk over to the register. Her hair is dark, curly, and pulled back in a tight ponytail. She carries a WHOLE FOODS canvas bag. She reminds me of my mother. She’s been thinking about getting a challah all day, but now she’s not so sure about the challah versus the pain de mie, and do I have a suggestion for her?

I bake challah at home, I say, but our challah is delicious.

She asks excitedly what recipe I use— I use Smitten Kitchen’s fig and sea salt challah, without the figs. I can’t find another good recipe for just one challah. She uses the New York Times recipe, makes two and freezes one. Smart, I say.

She decides on the pain de mie. She asks how long I’ve been making challah.

When I was at home, I made it every Friday since the start of the pandemic. I wanted to do that here, but I live alone and I can’t eat that much bread.

She’s sure my friends would be glad to eat it, and I agree. I ring up the pain de mie and an orange juice, and she tucks them into her WHOLE FOODS bag. Happy baking, she tells me, and leaves, pulling her hood up to block the wind.

08:32 PM

The close went quickly. Caleb, Ayad, and I walk out the door. Our manager stays behind, counting money, shutting everything down for the night. Lights flick off one by one. The wind bites my skin and whips my hair off my forehead. I button up my coat. Caleb and Ayad walk down the steps of the Arlington stop, waving goodbye, and I start the cold walk home.

Google tells me that the drought of the summer of 2016 brought many Back Bay buildings dangerously close to rotting and crumbling. Their foundations sit on man-made land, supported by wooden pilings. The drought brought the water table close to the pilings, putting them at risk for decay.

There’s something there, something about how the tiniest bit of stress can expose the problems lurking below a neighborhood so put-together and pristine on the surface. I’ll write about that later, I think.

It’s hard to put how I feel right now into words. I feel homesick. I feel happy. I feel tired. I want to collapse onto my sofa and pass out. I want to eat way too much cheesecake. I want to feel, just for a few minutes, like the people I welcome into Tatte.

I want to roll out dough on the dining room table, showing my mother how much it’s risen when she walks through the door with a WHOLE FOODS canvas bag full of groceries. I want to keep talking about bread. I want to work at a job where everyone who comes in asks me about recipes; where nobody plops their Chanel bags on the counter, knocking dinner menus left and right while digging in their MK MK MK clutch for their platinum VISA; where Favio and his girlfriend realize that the people bringing them their soy macchiatos are people; where older women understand that I have to remember three thousand things a day and sometimes none of those things are the price of chicken salad. I want to thank the New York Times Challah Lady for making my day a little less shit and reminding me why I even.

I could work at Starbucks, or Caffe Nero, or JAHO Coffee Roaster & Wine Bar. Sometimes, when people take their masks off inside to snap pictures of them biting into donuts for their Instagrams, I think about working at Target.

Then I bring home a whole cake, or I get handed a free iced latte with my name written on the top and little hearts drawn around it, or I talk about Boston winters with a customer excited to learn I’ve also moved from the Bay Area. I strike up a conversation with a man waiting for the restroom— he wants to know about the history of Tatte in Boston, and I tell him what I can.

I pet a very small dog. I hand the last almond croissant to a woman who tells me she is overjoyed that we have one left. She tells me that she stops by after work every day to try and buy an almond croissant. More often than not, we’re sold out.

I’m happy I could get you one today, I say, and I mean it.

I want to think that Back Bay is this woman— Almond Croissant Woman— or the New York Times Challah Lady. At times I think Back Bay is Favio and his girlfriend, MK MK MK clutches, $7 chicken salads, the Burberry model’s poster-sized glare. I want to think these things, but I know that Back Bay is none of them.

I know that Tatte Back Bay is just a coffee shop. I want to call it a microcosm of humanity, a shiny white petri dish for me to peer into. I want to claim that I know these people, that Favio and his girlfriend are selfish assholes, that the boomer really does value chicken salad over basic kindness and gratitude. I want to slap labels on them, thick-serif RICH KID, glossy embossed DADDY’S MONEY, CHALLAH LADY (GOOD PERSON?) in cursive scrawl. The truth is that I don’t know them, and I will never know them. Maybe Favio and his girlfriend were fighting that day. Maybe the boomer’s husband had just died. Maybe Challah Lady ran over a cat with her Subaru on the way home. Maybe maybe maybe.

Google tells me that Back Bay has a population of 16,427. The median age of those people is 35.3 years. Over nine thousand of them are white-collar workers. Their average household income is over $127k. Most of them are women. Most of them walk to work.

Google doesn’t tell me what challah recipe they use. It doesn’t tell me whether they feed the cookies that come with their cod in chraimeh sauce to their small, yappy dogs. It doesn’t tell me whether they notice the hearts I drew on their bags, or whether they smile before throwing those bags away.

We are what we say to customer service workers, and we aren’t. We are our jobs, our genders, our hobbies, our incomes, and we aren’t. We are the hi, welcome in and the thanks, take care and all the other facades we present to people, and we aren’t.

I walk up the steps of my apartment building, unlock and open the door, then close it behind me. Tatte Connor— the Connor I am and am not— stays out in the cold, perched on a wooden patio chair, shivering in his perfectly white work shirt: ready for me to step into him tomorrow.

Acknowledgements:

My inspiration for this essay came from working at Tatte and getting to know, through the lens of customer service, the people of Boston’s Back Bay neighborhood. As anybody who has ever worked in customer service will know, working with people is the best and worst part of the job. I’ve had some truly frustrating interactions, and I’ve also met some people that brightened up the rest of my day. When I’ve been on my feet for five hours, maintaining a customer service persona, and dealing with everything else that customer service entails, it’s easy to assign labels to people and make snap judgements about them based on a one-minute interaction.

My goal for this essay was to go deeper than that. The assignment that prompted this essay was to compose a profile, creating— in the words of my WR 121 E47 professor Stephen Shane— a “dominant impression that captures the complexity of your subject”. While I wanted to profile the people of Back Bay, I’m aware that I will never be able to understand their complexity through these tiny snapshots, and I tried to convey that struggle in this essay. I’d like to thank Prof. Shane for assigning this essay, and I’d like to thank the customers of Tatte Back Bay for their inspiration.

#stretch2021 #memoir

[arsonforcharlie]

Get to know me uncomfortably well: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100

jesus christ

put under a cut because i want to make absolutely sure nobody reads this massive amount of information and also did you ask for EVERY NUMBER EXCEPT 69

1. What is you middle name?

marie

2. How old are you?

28

3. When is your birthday?

november 9 and i bet you didn’t even get me a present, you absolute monster

4. What is your zodiac sign?

scorpio

5. What is your favorite color?

i like jewel tones in general, my fave right now is dark green

6. What’s your lucky number?

i don’t really have one, tbh

7. Do you have any pets?

i do not, unfortunately. i hope to at some point soonish but a lot of that is gonna depend on how my situation shakes out

8. Where are you from?

st. john’s, newfoundland

9. How tall are you?

5′4″

10. What shoe size are you?

9

11. How many pairs of shoes do you own?

i’m not getting up but like 7? i need to get a new pair for working in and i will be getting rid of the ones i don’t wear so that number is in flux

already answered 12

13. What talents do you have?

none, really. but i’m alright at knitting and generally, like, figuring out how physical objects work and go together. my friends also tens to enjoy the games i run so that’s nice.

14. Are you psychic in any way?

bitch read my mind and find out

15. Favorite song?

i cannot express how impossible it is for me to pick ONE FUCKING SONG that’s my favorite. here’s 5 i always go back to, though!

my tyrant- felix hagan and the family

northbound- grace petrie

staring at the sun- mika

too much- carly rae jepsen

vampire money- my chemical romance

already answered 16

17. Who would be your ideal partner?

well there’s the mushy option in which i name names, but i resolutely refuse to do that since i’ve been informed nobody cares about how queer i am. but generally, i tend towards people i can feel comfortable around. despite me being a huge slut for interacting with people, there’s very few that project the kind of atmosphere that lets me really just chill and start thinking about trusting them.

18. Do you want children?

jesus no don’t put me in charge of a child

19. Do you want a church wedding?

jesus no, even the wedding part of that sounds less than ideal

20. Are you religious?

lmao nah

21. Have you ever been to the hospital?

yeah, a few times

22. Have you ever got in trouble with the law?

well i have a background check going through right now that’ll answer that for me but i think i have not ever been caught for my many crimes

23. Have you ever met any celebrities?

a few- i met russell crowe on a set once, and there’s a good few smaller time canadians i’ve met just, like, around

24. Baths or showers?

i usually go for showers because i am living in a place with an insufficient bathtub setup, but i have been known to enjoy a nice bath now and again

25. What color socks are you wearing?

bold of you to assume i put on socks when i’m not going out

26. Have you ever been famous?

bitch i’m famous now everyone else just doesn’t know it yet

27. Would you like to be a big celebrity?

probably not, i like the act of grocery shopping and going to shitty bars and disappearing, and i couldn’t do that if i was a proper celebrity

28. What type of music do you like?

loud and i can imagine myself being in a cool music video when i walk places listening to it

29. Have you ever been skinny dipping?

well yeah obv

already answered 30

31. What position do you usually sleep in?

usually on my side curled up around something, either a person if i’m lucky or a pillow

32. How big is your house?

the apartment is not big enough atm

33. What do you typically have for breakfast?

i don’t usually eat breakfast at all tbh

34. Have you ever fired a gun?

no but i have held one once

35. Have you ever tried archery?

once in high school gym class. i did...... bad

36. Favorite clean word?

i like words that describe the way dragonfly wings look. diaphenous and iridescent and things.

37. Favorite swear word?

i’ve always been a fan of a good solid fuck, and you can quote me on that

38. What’s the longest you’ve ever gone without sleep?

two days, i think?

39. Do you have any scars?

yep

40. Have you ever had a secret admirer?

yeah but they were prolly goofing

41. Are you a good liar?

not under most circumstances

42. Are you a good judge of character?

no, but not in the usual way. i tend to assume people have a lot more hidden motives than they do. like, obviously you don’t want to be FRIENDS with me, you just are PRETENDING for SOME REASON

43. Can you do any other accents other than your own?

yeah, as a matter of fact, i can do them ALL AT ONCE

44. Do you have a strong accent?

most of the time no, but when i’m talking to people with a strong accent from back home mine slips back

already answered 45

46. What is your personality type?

while i rarely get consistent answers, i just took the myers-briggs again and got enfp so there’s something

47. What is your most expensive piece of clothing?

i don’t own much that’s super expensive tbh, i’m broke as shit. my boots cost like 60 bucks and i stressed about that for ages

48. Can you curl your tongue?

yeah, i can do a lot with it

49. Are you an innie or an outie?

innie

50. Left or right handed?

right

51. Are you scared of spiders?

nah

52. Favorite food?

there’s so much food i love! i do have dumplings i am excited to eat tho

53. Favorite foreign food?

again, there’s so much! i am really craving a good currry today i guess?

54. Are you a clean or messy person?

a bit messy, especially with stuff that isn’t, like, a hygenic risk. if things are just out of place i don’t tend to register that as the same level of unclean as, like, food messes

55. Most used phrased?56. Most used word?

these two are ones my friends could probably answer more reliably than me. i do say i’m not a doctor tho

57. How long does it take for you to get ready?

not long, unless i’ve decided it’s a makeup day and i want to do something dumb and fancy

58. Do you have much of an ego?

i talk a big game, but not really, i’m pretty down on myself a lot

59. Do you suck or bite lollipops?

succ

60. Do you talk to yourself?

mmhmm- specifically, rehearsing conversations that will never happen

61. Do you sing to yourself?

sometimes, when i’m in a good mood

62. Are you a good singer?

absolutely not

63. Biggest Fear?

there’s a few, but i’d say the biggest one i’ve had the longest is a loss of identity of some sort. like, just not recognizing the people around me, that sort of thing. it’s gotten a bit intense recently due to events but yeah

64. Are you a gossip?

not really- like, i will gladly listen to your drama but i only really talk about it to other people if it actually affects me

65. Best dramatic movie you’ve seen?

oof jesus, i tend to watch more shitty horror movies than anything else bc i’m hot trash

66. Do you like long or short hair?

both are fine on other people, but short hair is way better for me

67. Can you name all 50 states of America?

just did a quiz and only got 40. i didn’t even remember all the ones i had been to so that’s cool. you guys have too many states anyway

68. Favorite school subject?

i was your standard weird queer kid who imprinted on my english teachers

70. Have you ever been scuba diving?

nah

71. What makes you nervous?

so many things tbh

72. Are you scared of the dark?

nope

73. Do you correct people when they make mistakes?

depends on the person and the mistake, really.

74. Are you ticklish?

fuck off

75. Have you ever started a rumor?

i don’t think so?

76. Have you ever been in a position of authority?

i’m a dungeon master, does that counts

77. Have you ever drank underage?

yeop

78. Have you ever done drugs?

yeop

79. Who was your first real crush?

my best friend in elementary school. i wanted her and i to get married to brothers so that we could live next door to each other and have sleepovers every night because i really liked sleeping next to her and doing her hair

hoo boy baby bobbie (i even knew lesbians as a kid! i grew up in such an accepting family! i have no excuse for being so repressed)

80. How many piercings do you have?

just one ear

81. Can you roll your Rs?“

not competently

82. How fast can you type?

pretty fast- i did take a test recently that came back at 68 wpm so my goal is now to get one word faster

83. How fast can you run?

fuck running

84. What color is your hair?

black with green bits, i post a lot of selfies, you know that

85. What color is your eyes?

grayish blue

86. What are you allergic to?

nothing that i know of. undefeated

87. Do you keep a journal?

i post on tumblr a lot

88. What do your parents do?

my mom works in communications- she used to work in politics but now she works for a non-profit because the staff of the party she worked for was, in her words, a “sack of vipers”

my dad was a journalist and a photographer. he was the editor for the paper back home for a long time, and then after that he did a lot of advocacy work for MS. he ran for office a few times. you know, like you do.

89. Do you like your age?

it’s alright. like, i got troubles but i accept that none of that is because i’m 28 and mostly just because i got myself into a dumb situation

90. What makes you angry?

mostly when people don’t seem to care about how their actions affect others. like, i can almost accept malice easier than a profit motive

91. Do you like your own name?

it’s not bad, and i haven’t really hit on any that i like more than bobbie

92. Have you already thought of baby names, and if so what are they?

lmao nope

93. Do you want a boy a girl for a child?

i want the child to be born to someone who is not me

94. What are you strengths?

not very many tbh i kinda suck as a human person. i am pretty good at compartmentalizing and staying kinda functional when shit goes down

95. What are your weaknesses?

all of them. specifically, i’m hard to motivate and i got depression

96. How did you get your name?

i was named after my grandmother

97. Were your ancestors royalty?

i know at least one was a criminal. i do have a kickass family crest and tartan tho

98. Do you have any scars?

they haven’t faded since i answered question 39

99. Color of your bedspread?

there’s a gray one and i have a blue weighted blanket i use sometimes

100. Color of your room?

the whole apartment is beige

#Anonymous

[purplesurveys]

900

1. What’s the last thing you ate? Shawarma. It was a usual meal of mine at school so I’ve been missing it a lot during this quarantine, and I was happy when my dad got me a couple ones yesterday.

2. What’s your favourite cheese? I haven’t been super experimental when it comes to cheese mainly because the better ones are a little expensive and I’m more willing to spend my money on other foods...but the best one I’ve had is feta.

3. What’s your favourite fish? My favorite cooked or grilled fish is tilapia and eel; as for raw fish I love tuna.

4. What’s your favourite fruit? I don’t really like fruit but I’m open to eating avocado-flavored things like shakes and cheesecake; and I’m okay with strawberry-flavored candy hahaha.

5. When, if ever, did you start liking olives? I’ve never liked olives. I take them out of my pizza and such.

6. When, if ever, did you start liking beer? I never *liked* beer but sometimes I’ll have a bottle if and only if it’s to socialize at a party. I just keep the grimace to myself lol because I personally never found it good. I had my first beer at Marielle’s debut, four years ago.

7. When, if ever, did you start liking shellfish? High school. That was when my palate started to expand and I wanted to try being more adventurous with food. I got into shellfish pretty early on and my mom even used to buy a kilo of mussels just for me. 

8. What was the best thing your mum/dad/guardian used to make? I love my dad’s laksa, risotto, curries, and chicken wings. My mom doesn’t cook much but I do like her spaghetti.

9. What’s the native specialty of your hometown? My city doesn’t have native food of its own; and I’m not sure about my province’s specialtes either only because cuisines from other provinces are far more popular. I can say though that most visitors who come to the country often try adobo, sinigang, kare-kare, and bulalo.

10. What’s your comfort food? Cheeseburgers, samgyeopsal, pad thai, and chicken wings.

11. What’s your favourite type of chocolate? Milk chocolate. And it gets a lot of flak because it’s not actually chocolate, but I do enjoy the flavor of white chocolate too.

12. How do you like your steak? Rare.

13. How do you like your burger? I like mine with caramelized onions, a mayo-based sauce, and brioche buns; barbecue sauce or jalapeños are add-ons I have no problem being put in my burger. I don’t like tomatoes, pickles, and lettuce.

14. How do you like your eggs? Scrambled if on toast; omelette with cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms, and bell peppers if with rice; and obviously, poached if on top of an Eggs Benedict. I don’t have a preferred style for eggs.

15. How do you like your potatoes? As French fries or mojos.

16. How do you take your coffee? If someone is making the coffee for me, I request for lots of cream and sugar. I’d drink any kind of coffee but black. If I’m at a coffee shop I typically get caramel macchiato.

17. How do you take your tea? I enjoy lemonade iced tea. I don’t really like hot tea.

18. What’s your favourite mug? I suppose my favorite is the only mug I own, which is a white mug that changes colors depending on the temperature of the drink inside.

19. What’s your biscuit or cookie of choice? I can’t stand biscuits anymore because those are what my grandma/mom packed for my recess nearly everyday throughout grade school. I don’t like store-brought cookies either because they taste super processed, but my favorite as a kid were the Presto peanut butter cookies.

20. What’s your ideal breakfast? Garlic rice, a packed omelette, and hashbrowns if I’m somewhere fancy. Scrambled eggs and hotdogs when I’m at home.

21. What’s your ideal sandwich? Monte Cristo or banh mi.

22. What’s your ideal pizza: Quattro formaggi. If we’re talking more experimental pizzas, barbecue pizza is a guilty pleasure.

23. What’s your ideal pie (sweet or savoury)? I’m not a big pie person but I do love savory a lot more, like chicken pot pie. I think most of the sweet pies out there are fruit-based anyway.

24. What’s your ideal salad? Spicy tuna salad. I’ve been having such a craving for it :(

25. What food do you always like to have in the fridge? We always have white bread, eggs, my mom’s cranberry juice, and veggies.

26. What food do you always like to have in the freezer? In the freezer we never run out of various meats and frozen meal packs, like frozen bangus, hotdogs, chicken nuggets, French fries, etc. We also often have ice cream, but it’s not a must-have for us obviously.

27. What food do you always like to have in the cupboard? Pasta, canned food like luncheon meat and corned beef, cup noodles, various condiments like soy sauce and fish sauce, 3-in-1 coffee.

28. What spices can you not live without? I can’t cook but I do know I like salt, pepper, paprika, and cumin. I’m sure I’m missing other essential ones lol

29. What sauces can you not live without? Sriracha, bagoong, banana ketchup, gochujang, peanut sauce, gravy, barbecue sauce, aioli, mayonnaise.

30. Where do you buy most of your food? My parents don’t have a supermarket preference; they just go to wherever is most convenient for them at the moment. Once I start doing my own grocery shopping though I would rather go to a supermarket where they’d have a wider selection for foreign foods, like those that would have Pop-Tarts and sriracha sauce. Just the foodie in me that constantly has to have food from other cultures.

31. How often do you go food shopping? My parents do the groceries once every two or three weeks, I think.

33. What’s the most expensive piece of kitchen equipment you own? Aside from the obvious ref or cooking range, probably the coffee maker. Not sure how much it cost my parents but it’s supposed to be branded haha.

34. What’s the last piece of equipment you bought for your kitchen? Dad bought a couple of pans because he didn’t like how our old ones were starting to get too many scratches.

35. What piece of kitchen equipment could you not live without? Refrigerator. So many things would spoil without it...that’s why when we get blackouts the first thing we worry about is how long the ref would stay cold.

36. How many times a week/month do you cook from raw ingredients? I’ve only done it once.

37. What’s the last thing you cooked from raw ingredients?

38. What meats have you eaten besides cow, pig and poultry? Crocodile, carabao, lamb.

39. What’s the last time you ate something that had fallen on the floor? Don’t remember exactly when but it has to be sometime recently. I’m not too grossed out by this.

40. What’s the last time you ate something you’d picked in the wild? I have never done this.

41. Arrange the following in order of preference: Italian, Mexican, Chinese, Indian, Thai, Sushi – Indian, Thai, Italian, Japanese, Chinese, Mexican. This question is a teeny bit annoying and a little offensive. How would you like it if I referred to American food as ‘ribs’ lol

42. Arrange the following in order of preference: Vodka, Whiskey, Brandy, Rum – Vodka, rum, (some) whiskey. I don’t drink brandy because that’s what my grandpa, who had alcohol issues, used to drink.

43. Arrange the following in order of preference: Garlic, Basil, Lime, Mint, Ginger, Aniseed – Aniseed, garlic, basil, ginger, lime, mint.

44. Arrange the following in order of preference: Pineapple, Orange, Apple, Strawberry, Cherry, Watermelon, Banana. –

45. Bread and spread: I don’t really munch on this particular food. Toast and butter is enough for me.

46. What’s your fast food restaurant of choice, and what do you usually order? It’s either KFC or Jollibee. In KFC I get a Zinger and a brownie; in Jollibee, I usually order the chicken-spaghetti set, large fries, and a Yum Burger. If they have tuna pie on the menu I’d get that too. My appetite gets exceptionally large when it comes to Jollibee hahahaha.

47. Pick a city. What are the best dining experiences you’ve had in that city? I no longer remember what exactly I ate but I had a blaaaast eating in Bali. I also had a sushi platter in Fukuoka that I’ll never forget.

48. What’s your choice of tipple at the end of a long day? I don’t drink regularly but if I’m out with friends and we want to chill after a tiring day, we get a pitcher of a mixed drink.

49. What’s the next thing you’ll eat? Eggs and hotdogs for breakfast. Probably with bread.

50. Are you hungry now? A little bit, considering it’s nearly 10 and I still haven’t had breakfast.

51. Do you eat your breakfast everyday? I’ve been having it everyday now because I’ve been home for...most of the year...sigh. But I skipped it all the time when I was in school because getting to class on time and having a clean attendance record mattered to me more than filling up my stomach. 52. At what time do you have breakfast? On weekdays I have it between 9-10 AM. On weekends when my parents are home, we have brunch instead at around 10:30-11 AM because they wake up late.

53. At what time do you have lunch? I normally skip lunch now. In school I just had tiny eating breaks throughout the day, but I didn’t have lunch per se.

54. What do you have for lunch? My usual purchases were instant noodles/kwek-kwek, tapsilog from Rodic’s, or shawarma rice. Thrived on these three for my entire college life.

55. At what time do you have dinner? 7-8 PM, depending on whenever my dad is finished cooking.

56. What do you have for dinner? My dad likes changing up our dishes everyday :) It’s one of my favorite things about quarantine. Outside of the quarantine, I’ve never had a main dinner dish.

57. Do you light candles during dinner? No.

58. How many chairs are there in your dining room and who sits in the main chair? 6 chairs. We don’t have a ‘main’ chair that’s larger than the rest, but my dad is the one who sits on the chair on one end of the dining table, or what we call the kabisera in Filipino. My mom, siblings, and I sit on either side of him. 

59. Do you eat and drink using your right hand or the left one? I use my right hand for the spoon and my left hand for the fork. I drink with my right hand most of the time.

61. Mention the veggies that you like most: Broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, cabbage, spinach, asparagus, string beans. Idk what eggplants and bell peppers are but I like those too.

62. What fruit and vegetable do you like the least? Cucumber and ampalaya. 63. You like your fruit salad to have more: Air. Hahahaha I do not like fruit salads.

64. You prefer your vegetable salad to contain more: I love vegetables but don’t really eat vegetable salads? I don’t think I’ve even heard of those.

65. What’s your favourite sandwich spread? Whatever goes on banh mi.

66. What’s your favourite chocolate bar? Whittaker’s peanut butter chocolate.

67. What’s your favourite dessert? I really love macarons, cupcakes, and cheesecake.

68. What’s your favourite drink? Just water. Other drinks make me fuller more quickly.

69. What’s your favourite snack? Pringles, French fries, corndogs...anything deep-fried, really.

70. What’s your favourite bubble gum flavour? Strawberry, or just the original bubblegum flavor.

71. What’s your favourite ice cream flavour? Salted caramel, queso real, or cookies and cream.

72. What’s your favourite potato chip flavour? Original or sour cream and onion.

73. What’s your favourite soup? Miso. Have to have it whenever I have Japanese food.

74. What’s your favourite pizza? Already answered this, but I will always order quattro formaggi if I see it on a menu.

75. What’s your favourite type of dish? I have lots of favorites, but I think chicken curry takes the cake for me. 

76. What food do you hate? Fruits, any dessert with fruits.

77. What’s your favourite restaurant? Yabu. It’s a Japanese restaurant that doesn’t even serve sushi (because I’m still ticked off by that sushi question lol).

78. Do you eat homemade food, or food delivered from outside? These days I eat food cooked by either parent. But when I’m on my own, I buy my food.

80. Who cooks at home? My dad does most of the time. My mom will make breakfast on the weekends.

81. What kind of diet (e.g. low-fat, high-fiber, high-carbohydrate, balanced diet etc.) do you have? I’m not on any.

82. How do you keep yourself fit? I just moderate my food intake in general and make sure I stop eating once I feel full. I don’t work out or count calories and stuff.

#survey #surveys

[lovemesomerafael]

El Amor Todo Lo Puede          Chapter 44: By Dawn’s Early Light

Source: TV Guide

Chapters 1-40  Chapter 41  Chapter 42  Chapter 43

Laura hadn’t heard much from Peter since she and Rafael had brought him home from Forlini’s over a week before.  He’d responded briefly and uncommunicatively to her texts, but she kept trying, until finally he sent her a text unprodded, asking her to meet him for lunch.  She was surprised by such an unexpected invitation, and very curious about what it could mean.  She could only hope whatever he had to say was good news, because she wasn’t sure she could stand much more of what was happening to him.

The restaurant was one Laura hadn’t been to before, although it wasn’t far from the D.A.’s office.  As she walked in, she immediately noticed an overabundance of Halloween decorations that made her wonder why Peter would have chosen this place. Peter liked places with things like tablecloths and wine lists, and there was more of a diner atmosphere here, although it was clean and modern.  Laura had little trouble spotting Peter.  There was only one other man on the planet she was drawn to as she was to him.    

He sat in a small, semicircular banquette that would seat four, but only if they didn’t mind crowding together.  The first thing she noticed was that he looked good.  Of course, he would have to look better than the last time she’d seen him, but he actually looked better than he had in a while. His eyes were clear and bright, and he’d lost the pasty puffiness that had begun to encroach on his handsome features.

His hair was a little longer than he usually wore it.  She smiled to herself, seeing that.  He would say he needed a haircut but, in Laura’s opinion, it was only a good start.  She had always liked his hair long and shaggy, the way he’d worn it when they first met.  But it really didn’t matter how he wore his hair, she thought.  He would always be the most gut-wrenchingly beautiful man she’d ever known.

She smiled and greeted him, a little winded from the trip over here, taking off her raincoat as it streamed water from the cold deluge outside. Peter slid out of the banquette while she fumbled with it, trying to figure out what to do with it.  He took it from her and set it on top of his on one end of the banquette.  

Once he’d done that, he turned and reached for her, pulling her into a long, tight hug.  When she’d begun to loosen her embrace, he’d held on, prompting her to reposition her arms and return to holding him as tightly as he was holding her.  She didn’t let go until she felt him relax his embrace.  If Peter needed a hug, she would cheerfully give him one.

Peter gestured for Laura to slide in behind the table, then slid in beside her, their hips touching.

“You should trust me and have pastrami on rye,” he said.  “But since you hate rye, order it on sourdough. You’ll see why everyone from the office loves this place.”

“Done.  How are you?” She asked, trying to sound casual.

“I’m…  better.”

“You look better,” she said, the relief she felt creeping into her voice.

Peter stared at the cutlery pre-positioned on the table for a moment, letting his breath out in a long, slow exhale.  “Sunshine, I’ve made some decisions.  I want to tell you before you hear it from anyone else.”

“Tell me,” she said, putting a hand on his arm and leaving it there. So he had invited her to lunch to tell her something.   She braced for whatever it was.

“I don’t have to tell you I’ve been drowning for a while.”

Laura simply nodded.

“And I know you’ve been trying to throw me a life preserver, but I’ve been refusing to take it…  I know what that feels like, and I’m sorry.”

“You never have to apologize to me, Peter.  Not for that.  I mean, the irony in this situation can’t have escaped you.”

One side of his mouth turned up in a bit of a smile.  “I guess not.  But, the thing is, I’m ready now.”

Laura, almost dizzy with sudden relief, smiled brightly and took his hand in both of hers.  “Tell me what I can do.  I’m with you no matter what.”

“Well, for one thing, I’m going to get some help.  With Pam, with the drinking, with everything.”

Always demonstrative, and not wanting him to see her tears of relief, she threw her arms around him in the best attempt at a hug she could make sitting next to him in the little banquette.  Burying her face in his shoulder, she said, “I’m so glad.  You deserve it.  You’re worth it.”

“Thanks, Sunny.”  He patted her arm as she released him.  

“Do you know who you’re going to see?  Do you want me to help you find someone?”

“No, I’ve found someone.  I think I need someone who specializes in post-trauma counseling.”

“I agree.”

“And the best specialist I know is yours.”

“Mine… you mean Dr. Charles?”

“Yes.”  He was looking at the silverware again.

“But Dr. Charles is in Chicago.”

“Yeah.  Which is where I’ll be.”  Peter dragged his eyes from the tabletop to look into Laura’s stunned face.  

“You’re… leaving?”  

“I think a change of scenery, and… this isn’t home anymore. My family’s gone, and I miss Chicago.  That’s home now, and I want to go home.”

“But, Peter, I can’t go with you.”  Laura tried to begin to comprehend what he was telling her.  What it would mean for them.  She hated even the idea of him being so far away.

“I know.  I’m not asking you to.” 

“But I want you to ask me to!  You and me, we’re… part of a whole.  Those years we were apart, I was missing a big part of me.  I need you in my life!  You’re…. Peter.”  

He smiled sadly.  “I know, Sunshine.  You know it’s the same for me.  But we’ll be OK.  This won’t be like before.  We’ll be in touch – all the time, if I know you.  We’ll see eachother sometimes.” 

Frightened, distraught tears sprang to her eyes.  “I don’t want to see you sometimes!  I want you here!”

“I’ll be as close as your phone.”  

Peter slid the napkin from under Laura’s silverware, and used it to dry her tears before handing it to her.   For a few moments, she fought to calm herself.  She had to be what Peter needed now.  What she wanted didn’t matter.  All that mattered was Peter’s wellbeing, his long-awaited surrender to the idea of allowing someone to help him navigate his way out of the abyss. Cost her what it would, she would not make this any harder for him.

“OK, I’ve had my selfish tantrum now.  I know this is what you need to do.  I know that it’s right.  And I am completely behind you.  Just… know how much I’ll miss seeing you.”

“Me too.”

“And, sweetheart, you’re wrong about one thing.  Your family isn’t gone.  You have a family, and you’ll be going home to them.  They’re conveniently located very near Chicago.  You’re as much a Parker as I am, and you know that.”

Peter’s eyes became moist and he began to fumble with the napkin on the table before him.  At that moment, the waitress arrived and took their lunch order, giving Laura a moment to begin to absorb the idea of Peter leaving New York, and Peter a chance to recover his poise somewhat.

“That’s nice of you to say, Sunny.”  

“No, it isn’t.  It’s just fact.  My parents would fucking adopt you if you’d let them.  And you know the bonehead brothers think you’re the coolest dude since… Fin.”  

Laura noticed that Peter grinned weakly, so she went on. “You could be Peter Parker.  Which would be a pretty good career move, actually. Your opposing counsel might think they know you’re not really Spiderman, but they could never be absolutely sure…”

That got an actual smile.

“Do you think I’m an alcoholic?”  He asked out of nowhere, picking up the glass of water the waitress had brought.

Laura took a moment to absorb the abrupt twist in the conversation, then frowned thoughtfully.  “I think… you’ve been using alcohol and sex to try to escape something that’s too big for you.  So I think it’s the wrong time to ask that question.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that the time to ask whether you’re an alcoholic isn’t when you need to be drunk just to survive what you’re dealing with.  Get help.  Start dealing.  And then see where you are.”

Peter looked thoughtful, digesting what she’d said.

“When’s the last time you drank?”

“That night at Forlini’s.  The last time you brought me home.”

“Hmmm.  That was almost two weeks ago.  Anyway, here’s the deal.  I can’t tell you whether you’re an alcoholic.  But I can tell you a couple of things.  First, I’d be a little surprised if you are, just because you can do things I can’t, like leave half a drink, or stop because you’ve had enough.”

“Not lately.”

“Yeah, but lately you’ve had to drink just to stay sane. The other thing I can tell you is, if you are an alcoholic, I will love you just like I do now.  I might even love you just a teeny bit more.  Drunks are my people.  Either way, I’ll be right here for you.”

“Like always.”

Laura leaned into Peter.  

“Jack McCoy accepted my resignation last week.”

“Fuck.  This is real. Wait – last week?  Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I wasn’t ready.  For you, my resigning from the D.A.’s office makes it real.  For me, it’s telling you.  By the way, Mark officially re-hired me at the State’s Attorney’s Office yesterday.  Bastard gave me a promotion.”

Again Laura threw her arms around him.  This time she lifted up and kissed him on the cheek.  “Because you’re the best and you deserve it.”

“Don’t let your boyfriend hear you say that.”

Laura gave a derisive snort.  “Let’s stay on topic, shall we?  If you resigned two weeks ago, why didn’t I hear anything about it?  Even just through the grapevine?”

“I asked McCoy to keep it quiet, and he understood.  He agreed not to make any big announcement or anything, and not to make it public at all until the last minute.”

“How long do we have left before you leave?”

Peter hesitated.  

“Peter?”

“I’m leaving in the morning.”

“No!”

“You know I hate goodbyes.  And I hate the hell out of leaving the place where you are.  So I thought, if I have to say goodbye to you, I just want to get it over with.”

Laura was quiet, saying nothing as the waitress brought their sandwiches and they began to eat.  She wanted to argue, to cry, to complain about such a one-sided decision that had robbed her of the chance to spend time with him before that was no longer an option.  She reminded herself that her wants were irrelevant.  She was not going to make this any harder for Peter.

“OK.  For the record, I really want to say ‘not OK’.  But OK.”  Laura focused on her lunch to avoid trying to change Peter’s mind, or breaking into tears.

“I know.  I’m sorry. I just… need things to be as simple as possible right now.”

“OK.  Whatever you need.” She hoped she didn’t sound as whiny to Peter as she did to herself.

“I feel good,” Peter said resolutely.  “I think this is right.  Dr. Charles says it’s a good idea.”

“You’ve talked to him already?”

“He likes you, and I think Maggie might have put in a word. We’ve had our first two sessions already.  By Skype.”

“Good,” Laura smiled.  “Man, I miss Maggie.”

Peter sighed.  “Speaking of missing people…  That’s the only downside.  I already miss you and I haven’t even left yet.  And I hate leaving things the way they are.”

“What are you talking about?  Things are fine.  We’re good, aren’t we?”

He shook his head.  “I don’t know how you can even look at me after everything I’ve done.”

Laura laughed, linking her arm with his for a moment and squeezing. Peter was at a loss.  

“That’s funny?”

“Oh, come the fuck on, Peter.  After everything I put you through?  It’s hilarious.”

He only frowned.

“I told you, you’re part of me,” Laura said, more softly.  “I’m going to stand by you no matter what you do.  If you beat up the Pope, I’d hold your briefcase for you.  You might piss me off, and make me pull my hair out, maybe even make me cry from time to time, but that’s never gonna make me love you less.”

Peter skipped a beat.  When he spoke, his voice had an entirely different quality than it had. Slowly, quietly, as though beholding something fascinating, he said, “You’re finally beginning to understand.”

Laura blinked.  “Understand what?”

“All that time, when you were drinking, that’s how I felt.” 

Laura stopped chewing.  What he had just said struck a deep chord in her.  “Huh.”  

In all the time since Pam’s murder, with all Peter had done, and all that she’d felt about it, the thought of ceasing to love Peter had never even entered her mind.  One thing simply didn’t lead to the other.  Peter was hurt.  He was just trying to survive.  He wasn’t the one making the decisions.  Not really. Maybe Laura being sick – having the disease of alcoholism – was a little like that for Peter.  She’d have to give that some long, deep thought.    

Peter continued.  “And now maybe you can begin to understand why I hated myself for so long for leaving you.  I stopped holding your briefcase.  I let it go.”

“Wait.  No. That’s not right.  Now maybe you can understand why that’s not what you did.  At that point, the only way you could hold my briefcase for me was to stop protecting me and let me take the consequences of what I was doing.”  

Now Peter was the one saying, “Huh.”  He thought that he was going to need to mull that over, maybe for quite a while.  She’d said it before, but he had a new perspective now.

“Huh,” Laura echoed, not to mock him, but to acknowledge that they had each just learned something the other had been trying to tell them for a very long time.

They sat together, eating their sandwiches and turning these new perspectives over in their minds.  

“Too bad we’re just figuring this out now, when the next time I see you, you’ll be married to someone else,” Peter said sadly.

Laura huffed a small laugh.  “If you’re talking about Rafael, I’m afraid you’re going to be disappointed.”

He put down his sandwich to turn to her.  “He didn’t tell you, did he?”

Her eyes widened as she looked up at him.  “Tell me what?”

“What he did for you, the night I hit that guy.”

“What?  What guy did you hit?”

Peter nodded.  “I thought so.  He didn’t tell you.  The last night you picked me up at Forlini’s, they called you because I punched a guy.  Laid him out on the floor.”

“Peter, no!”

“And Barba not only got me out of there before I could destroy my career and cause a scandal for the office, he also somehow talked the guy out of pressing charges or suing anyone.  And we both know he didn’t do it for me.  He did it for you.”

“He did it for the D.A.’s office.  For himself.”

“He did it for you.”

“I don’t…  um… Maybe, I guess.”  Not eloquent, perhaps, but this was a confusing new piece of information, delivered immediately on top of the revelation about what it had been like for Peter when she was drinking.

“Sunshine, as a man who is in love with you, I recognize the symptoms.  Rafael Barba is in love with you.  And you’re in love with him.  You two will figure it out.  But if you want some advice, don’t waste any more time on whatever is standing in your way.”  

“Actually, you’re standing in our way.  Kind of.  Sort of.  I mean, not intentionally.  He just doesn’t understand our friendship.”

“Who the hell does?”  Peter laughed.  “Do you?  I don’t.  But in any event, I’m about to get eight hundred miles out of your way.  So fix things with him.  He’s not good enough for you, but then no one ever will be, in my opinion.”

They finished lunch, talking about lighter subjects.  They laughed and reminisced, talked about what Peter’s new start would bring, and tried to enjoy being together, knowing the next time they saw each other could be a long time away.  Laura insisted she wanted dessert, although what she really wanted was just a little more time with Peter.  Things felt different already, and she hated it.  Although this separation would be different from the four years they’d spent apart after their breakup, it was still going to be hard. They’d been close friends – with occasional backsliding into lovers – and in the same city for years now.  They’d come to New York together.  Somehow, they’d defied the odds and found a way to re-forge their connection in a new shape.  Neither wanted to lose it again.

Eventually, they could no longer delay the inevitable.  They hugged for a very long time on the sidewalk outside the restaurant.  

“I love you.  That’s never going to change.”  Laura said into Peter’s chest.

“I love you, Sunshine,” he responded.  “And that’s never going to change.”  

“Be well.  Be happy.  Try not to beat up the pope.  But if you have to…”

“You’ll hold my briefcase.”

“Always.”

Laura let herself cry all the way back to the station house.  

She was in love with Rafael.  She still had hope that maybe, in time, he would find his way back to her. And if he did, she would be waiting. But that had nothing to do with Peter. She found it amazing that, although what they had each been to her could be named using the same titles – boyfriend, significant other, lover – the similarities ended there.  They were very different men, and her relationship with each was entirely different.  For her, the hope that Rafael would find his way back to her was no comfort for the pain of Peter leaving.  Rafael wasn’t a replacement for Peter.  

She felt waves of déjà vu wash over her as she once again mourned the loss of Peter from her life.  It wasn’t the same as their breakup – he was right that she wouldn’t let them drift very far apart, even if he had wanted to.  But right now, the feeling of desolate abandonment was far too familiar.  She had loved Peter Stone since she was nineteen years old.  He was an inextricable fixture in her heart, a presence that made up part of her sense of who she was.  In the years since they’d found one another, that day so long ago in the lobby at District 21, they had rarely been more than a few miles apart.  They had even moved across the country together. Being so far apart now, even though they’d be in touch, still felt way too damn much like breaking up again.  

She had prayed hard for Peter to find a way out of the hell he was in. She hadn’t imagined that it would come at this price.

Laura stood outside the station and called Olivia.  She asked for permission not to return to work for the day unless there was an emergency.  Liv readily agreed and, to her great credit, asked no questions. Laura suspected Olivia had already learned that Peter was leaving town.

Then Laura called her A.A. sponsor, and asked her to join her at a meeting.  This hurt. And it was going to hurt for a long time.

******

Barba was shocked to look up and see Peter Stone, of all people, standing in front of his desk.  

“I hope you’re not here to thank me,” he said.  He really didn’t want to have to deal with Stone, now on his way back to Chicago, making some maudlin speech about how Barba had saved his ass.

“I’m not,” Stone said bluntly. 

“Good, then what is it?”

“I’m leaving New York.”

“I heard.  Congratulations on your new position.”

“You know why I’m here,” Peter said.

“Yes,” Rafael acknowledged.

“She loves you, and that makes you the luckiest son of a bitch alive.  If you let her get away, you’re also the stupidest.” 

Rafael didn’t know what to say to that. 

When Barba didn’t respond, Peter said the rest of what he’d come to say.  “Take care of her.  Don’t hurt her again.  Because I will be there to comfort her.”

Peter turned and walked out of Rafael’s office without another word.

Rafael took a long drink of coffee as he considered the conversation.  He realized, somewhat beside the point, that this was the first conversation he’d had with Stone when he was sober.  Being introduced and shaking hands didn’t constitute a conversation. 

Rafael was intrigued by the idea that the guy had made a point to approach him.  Stone had to be grossly ashamed of his behavior.  Yet he’d been willing to face Rafael anyway, just to tell him not to let Laura get away.  What the hell?  Stone had as much as said he was still in love with her.  He knew that he had a golden opportunity to try to get her back, due entirely to Rafael’s idiocy.  But he had come here to tell Rafael to fight for her.  What kind of a man does something like that?

The only answer Rafael could come up with was: a man who knows the woman he loves is in love with someone else.  A man who loves that woman enough to be willing to put her happiness above his own.  That gave Rafael a great deal to think about.

******

Peter sat in his now-empty office and thought for a long time, simply staring blankly at whatever was on his computer screen. He paid no attention to what it was. He wasn’t really looking at it.  He had told Laura most of his reasons for returning to Chicago.  But not all.  One of the main reasons was something that, in fairness, he couldn’t tell her. 

It had hurt enough watching her fall in love with another man.  At first, even though they had agreed they could no longer be together, Peter had at least been able to console himself with the knowledge that he’d been the love of Laura’s life, just as she was his.  But that wasn’t true anymore.  Laura - his Sunshine - was seriously, completely in love with someone else, and that man was just as in love with her.  He could handle that.  He would handle that, because the alternative was never to see her again.  But he couldn’t watch it.  Laura would always be the love of his life.  She was supposed to have been his wife, and he still wanted that.  Maybe being eight hundred miles away would help him come to grips with the fact that it wasn’t going to happen.

He didn’t have to say what he had, to push Laura and Rafael together.  They’d have found their way back to each other anyway.  But something in him just wanted to get that inevitable pain over with.  Maybe, once he’d gotten his shit together, he would meet a woman he could be happy with.  Maybe, if he had the rarest of luck, he would even meet a woman he could love the way he loved Laura.  But he doubted it.  

Peter sighed heavily as he blinked back tears.  It was a hideous irony that something had happened to give Peter and Laura a new perspective on the way their romance had ended, something which could have given them a path back to each other, only now that it was too late.  

#law & order svu #law & order: special victims unit #rafael barba #raul esparza #peter stone #philip winchester #chicago pd #chicago fire #chicago med #chicago justice

[hytregos]

Existence No. 1: Awakening

Pages: 18

 Word count:  8463

... 

       Many years after the Omni War, everything has been devastated. This is a world where all your characters meet, either from fanfiction or canon stories. Name the character or fanfic, it is in it but is must make canonical sense. All worlds have been brought down to their knees, only to beg for a piece of crumb. After the war, the United Rail Nations formed a new ideal and recovery method on how to recover after the war.

However, when it was thought they all could recover; there have been financial and policy setbacks that have kicked in just days, weeks, or even months before hand. This resulted in what many would name, the green death. Why was it named this way, it is named because everyone started losing money randomly without any intervention. Stocks start to deplete rapidly, a majority of cosmic bank and planetary banks went dark. Worldly civilizations and economies started to fall apart.

The newfound and enriched politics that have formed up and have been established started to slowly break apart to the point where politicians and leaders start having fist fights. After a while, the broken political system started to shatter more widely. This was an opportunity for terrorists and pirates that originate from any spectrum. Mass death and revolutions plagued everything. As if anything could get worse, there have been reports of civilization shutdowns, causing mass famine to spread. This allowed multiple unknowns to take place and rule the abandoned or dead worlds in their name.

Just as things can’t get worse, there are many secrets in the cosmos. Some are open; some are not meant to be discovered. And some… that are originally not meant to be.

-

Prologue No.1

 Everything has its beginnings. Everything has its pros and cons. Everything starts with humble or great beginnings. There are heroes and there are villains who created their stories, stories that have been passed down through time. Most particularly; The grey fox, the blue falcon, the hare, and the frog taking on the evil monkeys, fish, and bugs. The naive little boy martial artist to challenging the gods. The young star warrior who stood against a king, a knight, and nightmares. Two plumbers, a princess, and a demon king. A silent boy with a fairy, a princess, and a reincarnation of the lord of evil. A kaiju and a country. The battle of metal tops with spirits within. Knights who’s blades shine with the force would ease the darkness. One soldier, one alien, one ark, and seven rings. The slayer who went to hell and back. The man who does good. A trainer and its companion. The man of the universe. The cats of the universe. The dragon warrior. A cat who shows fun with a big hat, colored red with white stripes. The green what who stole Christmas. The robots in disguise. A brave kid against the Titans. A boy who claimed the stoned sword that once belonged to his father. A targeted man who survived the POW camps. The firstborn of a God. The founders of the land of the free. The father of country named India. The man who forged the art of war. The father of western studies. The president who freed the slaves. The lost underwater city. The man on the moon. The first woman to fight for women's rights. The American Evangelist. War that conflict with other worlds. The underwater creature of madness. The scientist who constructed E=Mc2. The entrepreneur who named a theme park after himself. The little blue people who wore white and red. The big blue people who are tree lovers. The Mexican tiger boy. A spoiled boy with a groove. A ghost hunting phantom. A leader of the primates.

A time card came with a thousand to a trillion introductions later, both in the realm of fiction and nonfiction.

“They told me to hold the time card because some yellow sponge was what came and it would be a waste of time and effort if the author included a lot more introductions”, an individual announced as it walks off with the time card.

And finally, the chaos warriors and the protectors of seven gems with its giant emerald. These characters and their stories inspired others to make their own fan made creations or even something new but inspired by them. Just like this one. And believe it or not, all of these characters actually met.

-

Before all of those, everyone was separated. But then, geniuses from their own realms came together to build machines or create special portals to other realms. That is how everyone met. For short, just think about anyone fictional, they likely met but also won't be doing what you could expect them to do. Just like a Sondash ship. It was a new golden age. Everyone started new alliances and created new… things (almost anything to be exact, kind of like the virtual reality thing in Ready Player One known as the Oasis).

However, everyone speculated that a new force of negativity will rise eventually. Some agreed, some neglected, others were silent by just the thought of it. After ten years, it came to be, the empire, a combination of forces united into one formidable foe. Those who knew, shoved it in disbelievers faces screaming, “HAHA, WE WERE RIGHT!” Sharply little of those who were silent, knew about something, that this was part of an upcoming disaster, upon immeasurable levels, upon mythological levels. The war had two names; The Omni War and The War to End All Wars. The one who established led this empire was Mhleliw II. It took eight years but the empire has been defeated. He promised that this empire will last forever, and that everyone will ascend to godhood. However, despite his defeat, Mhleliw II was never found nor was any trace of him. Some suspect he may have killed himself or have wandered off in his madness.

After years of peace and terror with violence that was unbearable for one moment everything went back to normal. Everything is a barren wasteland. And the war came with a cost. A new depression came where everyone is set on the break of poverty and worse. It didn't start immediately; it started after cosmic stock market trading system crashed. It started a year later after the war ended. After the trading system crashed, then came banking failures, digital piracy, name it, it happened.

However, after researching the technology and the nature of the mechanisms that belong to the empire, people began to go mad upon trying to understanding it. One of these unfortunate madmen, is a young child, before the age of 10, saw two sigils clashing with each other out of pure rage, fighting for dominance. Another was a mad teenager, aged 15, who saw what it looked like or what they looked like. Because of this, there has been a new research group with highly developed and trained minds to ensure that they don’t go mad upon research. This group is known as “Project Omni of Creation and Destruction”.

Now, we get to the story-

Some Skion scouts, who suddenly got lost, trapped in some realm. The Skion are four armed vampire like beings without the special powers, wearing antiflux oxygen suits that run on 48 hours of oxygen. It all went from random galaxies to now, breaching rifts with singularity micro-dimensions. Now, they’re stuck, in an unknown void, surrounded by some barrier. The 

-

location with the barrier has what felt like ten suns, with a surrounding of four other bright lights, each with their own attributes. One is comprised of an advanced technological machine like flicker, one comprised of corporate promotion spotlights, one of the desolations of matter and anti-matter, and one comprised of both cosmic time schemes. The one they fly above is comprised of what looks like a world purely composed of how nature sets up the way of how life naturally functions.

The scouts are Mikov, Trieechii, and Qu’tuk. Mikov is the youngest and stands 5.5. He is also the most amateurish and irresponsible. He’s bald with triplet pointy ears with yellow silicone iodine eyes with tiny pupils. The skin is as reluctant and dirty as frog depiction. His color scheme on his armor is yellowish plagued with stone red paint cells. It had extendable chain lingering and dangling on the spiked shoulder plates with molting krinkiton metal.

Qu'tuk, the middle aged of the three, the leader of this patrol squadron, he unfortunately stands 4.11 due to a lack of mutual calcium and protein deficiency since birth. He has no eyes but has astronomical sensory of his surroundings. Not only the shortest but also the heaviest of the group, as well as the strongest. He has no hair, no ears but has earholes. Extremely thinned eyebrows with some baize splashed onto some of the parts. His personal armor standbys are nothing but a deflection electromagnetic bubble which always malfunctions.

Trieechii, the oldest of the three, also the leader of this squad, standing 6.2. Like Mikov, has triplet pointy ears and silk flavored eyes with large pupils with a secondary pupil. His neck is oval shaped due to a mercury and prolonged corona exposure that came from one of a variation of a tyrannical singularity created space mutant's crystals. He has a hairstyle that is identical to that of Niagara falls with a multitude of broken hair fangs that looked like a 10 foot dragon slayer wearing dragon killing equipment... who is a dragon type as well. His armor pigments were pure purple mixed with granite and ruby.

Qu'tuk shoved Mikov with aggression, “It was your idea to bring us here!”

Mikov turned around and responded, “Mine!? You’re the one who thought about this AFTER you raided bunker c-42 on empire terrain! And after you decided to tinker with rift crossing dimension breaches!”

"Oh BLAH BLAH BLAH, always blaming the deadbeat smartass!"

"Oh BlAh BlAh BlAh, AlWaYs BlAmInG tHe DeAdBeAt SmArTaSs!"

"Oh, now we are going through this AGAIN?"

"Oh, NoW wE aRe GoInG tHrOuGh ThIs AgAiN?"

-

Those two argued for a long time. This strife of words went upon to even Mikov, as usual, starts mocking Qu'tuk. The situation is a dumbass vs a smartass. Mikov is a buffoon who only knows how to get into trouble while Qu'tuk is the one who many would consider "the one who knows too much".

Trieechii one had to fire a shot between them to cease the quarrel. But that barely did anything. They continued to quarrel after the shot was fired. How can he deal with this? Usually, the shot works but didn't work didn't work. Trieechii reaches for something in one of his four pockets and pulled out a flare. This flare began to gleam a bright light, overshadowing the argument between the two Skion scouts. They both used their arms to shield their eyes from the bright light. The flare that Trieechii is using is a Glani flare. This flare has been manufactured and produced by the Alien sentient modulator known as Cellva konk, who is known for inventing the alpufan dusk.

Both Qu’tuck and Mikov stopped fighting and turned to Trieechii. They both gave a dumbstruck face to him to resemble their idiocy. These to bundlers, they always get into repulsive arguments over a little crumb of bread. Some back at planet Sulop began to wonder why those two were stationed together in the first place. Trieechi gave them disappointed, but not surprised face. The two responded with the usual gestures, a spinning hand, giving off a ‘I won’t do it again’. Trieechii knows that another quarrel will happen again, just give it time. 

Trieechii then turned his attention to the strange barrier to see a shadow flying towards them. Both Qu’tuck and Mikov turn to look at the shadow. When the creature bumped into the light part of their barrier, the creature bounced back. But nothing less, it did it again and again and again until there was a crack. The scouts didn’t even notice the crack, but what they did hear was the sound of what felt like two church bells being scrapped by each other.Qu’tuck and Mikov hovered to the location to figure out what is happening there. Likely that this barrier was there to keep the shadowy figure and others like it in that so called world.  

“Wait, I don’t think moving closer to that barrier is a good idea.”, Trieechii exclaimed cautiously.

The other two smirked and looked at each other and back, “We’ll be fine, it’s just a shadow figure. Likely one of those shadow demons that the night hunters fight.”

“I am just saying… Look around you, does this place seem out of order to you?”

The two stopped and turned to Trieechii with flickfulness.

-

“Think about it, a giant creature that shows that it wants out and four others that could be like this place? Something doesn’t seem right here.”

Qu’tuck moved his voice in, “I think he’s right. I mean… now that I think about it, I don’t think we are supposed to be here. I think it is best to figure out a way out before we one, lose oxygen and lose our ability to properly breathe and second, maybe the one light with machine flickers would be able to help.”

Mikov doesn’t care and just laughs his ass off, thinking that this is a joke. Matter of fact, this scout thinks that all of this is a joke. Why does this person think all of this is a joke is a reasonable matter. Under Mikov, the creature flies towards the barrier, focusing its attention at the three scouts. Mikov flies closer to the barrier, not acknowledging the other two’s call outs for him to fall back. In response, he goes on a freefall to the barrier. Because he is falling at a rapid paste, the creature stops soaring and hovers in place, waiting for the moment to strike.

Mikov stops his freefall right where he is at the exosphere, the tip of the world’s atmosphere. The other two soared down to Mikov’s position. The creature’s eyes began to gleam with excitement. It stops hovering and aerialites to the Skion’s position. It aligns its wings together and creates a twin spear motion with the wings. It began to ascend into the air once more and lock on the three Skion scouts. Qu'tuk notices the creature charging at them.

The creature appears large, has five wings on both sides of its body. But because it is seen as a shadow figure, it is hard to truly make out for what it is. The most notable thing is the eyes, the two slit pupils that may have given its size away. From what the eyes can tell them, this thing is a massive flying behemoth. But would behemoth be the right term, it is rather skinny and slick than hulking and bulking. Rather, this would be some kind of flying serpent like creature with wings rather than gliding scales on the bottom of its body.

The other two then turn to the barrier to see the shadowy figure penetrate the barrier, allowing it to reach out. Their eyes stared shook, their blood ran cold like ice, every breath felt like charcoaled firecrackers. It looked small from the distance, but now, they see… this thing. They are not sure what this thing is. Qu’tuk however, slowly started to bleed out from his eyes and choke from the blood that ran down from his eyes to his mouth.

The other two opened fire at the creature. They used Krakulon Harpoons to potentially stun the creature and keep it away. It stuns enemies by emitting a 100- 1,000,000 volt stun, enough to render an Elder electric Dragonite to its bones. But the harpoons didn’t work, the sun is having no effect on this creature. But rather, the stun effects are reflected back at them, causing the three scouts to have a severe reaction to the electrical volts. However, the volts returned are stronger than  the volts brought from the harpoon.

-

The creature looked back at its world, never before did it attempt to do such. Many others do try but most all never made it. Perhaps the Celstiontiqunchs’ were but delusional liars made up of those who descended on mad corruption. Last time they were free was when they were frontiering strife from those machines. This barrier was made to keep them out forever, but this? Why, no, more like how, how did it free itself from the barrier? The creature looked at the three Skion scouts. It noticed that one of them still lived after that reflected volt. Trieechii weakly slithered his nearly shut eye towards the creature as he can only see it’s eye. He can’t truly understand what he is seeing. What is this thing? Why is it here? Where is this place? 

The creature simpered one of its right five eyes towards Trieechii, returning attention to Trieechii. It gave off a blank red eye, no pupil or cornea, that shines at Trieechii. Slowly in response, Trieechii began to shake uncontrollably as his mind starts to deteriorate. The creature turns back to its world. Upon returning to it’s world, it notices that the barrier is flickering. With each flicker, the barrier grows weaker and weaker, allowing it to pass through. Could that mean… he is returning? Or is…, it returning? Either way, these questions conflict with the creatures thought processing.

Next, in a faraway land known as Equestria, that has been renamed Pionola; the new leader, Dimeonka, is now leading the ponies. Because of the war, Pikonola is having a hard time and Dimeonka doesn't stray far from the struggle. Dimeonka is a stallion with a black pigment with white red stripes. He is a calm mined pony with a low temper esteem. He likes to point the way to a better world, through extremely dangerous situations that can leave an entire species extinct. He goes through PTSD and is currently on medication. His eyes are brown, mane and tail are blond and he has an arrow piercing a page as a cutie mark.

But what happened to Twilight and her friends? Twilight and the rest of the mane six died in the war. Celestia and Luna died in the depression due to lack of funding and the plague. Discord; after fluttershy’s death, went into depression, which lead him to suicide by making himself fade from existence. Spike is nowhere to be found. In other words, Equestria is in ruins. Lack of funding and something about some powerful demon who always smiles came in and turned the world into a ghost town. The biggest one is a war against a band of space pirates.

The current party runs Equestria is a Brankius party. It is a party where the direction of society is directed by a higher one’s thinking. In other worlds, there is this hidden individual who gives orders to officials and the officials’ synchronize it in their way so this hidden individual won’t be detected. In context, Dimeonka is not the true leader, but a figure to the real one, playing the act whole the hidden one dangles with the puppet strings. However, the figure must 

-

be a well known selective that must commit an action that will make him forgotten, so he or she or it can remain in power.

Although it works perfectly if done correctly, the political party is heavily flawed. Secretly, everyone fights for that secret leadership, only for everyone to end up killing themselves after obtaining such position. This has been going on for a long time, enough to render Dimeonka to his hoofs and possibly be on everyone’s mercy. But after a long setback, Dimeonka changed somethings to how Equestria’s Brankius party roles. Because of this change, the secret leader has been revealed and executed, and Dimeonka became the true ruler. 

He is a reddish solid color, with short mane and tail that indicates that he has fought an Ursa Major and lived. His eyes are violet with some bloodshot veins indicating bloodshot eyes. He bares a conch shell crest cutie mark, indicating that he likes to decorate things in a ‘counched’ matter. He wears a pair of goggles, the left glass however is slightly cracked but barely noticeable unless you look real hard on it. He stands at 5.7 ft tall and 6.10 ft at length. 

In the castle, a guard is taking a break in the guard headquarters. However, in other worlds there are guards, security, and other personnel or some type of police headquarters with a lone operative taking a break.  Each of them laid down or sat down and rested. However, they heard some type of voice or felt some type of presence. They look around to see nothing, but that insecurity remains. ?They each know something is here, there has to be something here, but what? 

Each of them looks up to see some strange shadowy figure that is staring down at him. Some  didn’t seem concerned that much, some were concerned, most were silenced. Those who didn’t seem concerned, waited for it to do something. Those who were concerned armed themselves or amped their abilities and prepared for a fight. Those who were silenced, couldn’t bare to witness what they are seeing. 

Despite different approaches, they all met the same fate. The ones who were not concerned were an easy picking, allowing the shadowy figure to pounce on them, metaphorically devouring them. Those who were concerned, tried to dispense of it, but all failed in the attempt. Those who were silenced, began to tear with terror. They are returning, they know the time is right. THEY are here, they are… The shadow figure opened its mouth at the silenced guards and…

Shortly after, the guard shows up struggles to stay up as it walks down through the empty halls of their locations. They shook ferociously as if they were frostbitten. Their eyes look bloodshot, their faces reddened with some but not noticeable cuts. Their armor/suit is ragged, cut, and damaged. Their posture is rugged and clearly, the individual(s) struggled to stand.

-

“Why are you shaking like that and where were you?”, curiously asked the leaders as the guard walks forward. 

The guard stops and tries to speak, but they each fell down in different ways, showcasing a fresh slashes, cuts, or scars, through their bodies, from their head to their feet. Thecuts began to bleed heavily. Some of the cuts even exposed their interior muscles or even their bones. Some of the flesh that are right by the damage started to fall off as the blood began to sprinkle, but for some, it didn’t or did sprinkle again. Their bodies begin to cloud as more blood began to leave their body. 

One section of leaders were not conspicuous of the situation and mildly laughed it off, claiming that the whole thing is an act. Some began to laugh with the leader, while the others try to help the individual. The second cast were curious about what is going on, so they called a medic to figure out what is going on. The third cast rushed to the individual's attention, demanding a medic to aid this individual. However, what they all have in common, is that they were attacked by the same thing. However, each attack on each individual has taken different forms, all depending on the area and species. What could be the cause of such calamity? Is it another terrorist attack or some type of remediation that is randomly unfolding itself to the world. There are enough problems right now, why start a new one?  

Each of the guards were shaking intensely as the cold started to flood their bodies. They all wish they have never seen what each of them have seen, they just want to forget it. But now, their lives are cut short because of this calamity. Was it fate or some sort of interruption? Each withering slowly as the light starts to fade for each of them. Each of the leaders or medics or anyone who was close to the guard asked questions such as, “What happened? Who did this to you? Is this some prank? Who would commit such brutality?” Each of the guards slowly looked up with clouding eyes. 

“He….”, they each weakly mumbled out loud. 

“Who?” 

“HEEEEEEE…..Ee.eee--”, each of the guards died out before they could utter a word. 

This info, not enough, but by how each said it, it is as if they have seen something they were not supposed to see. Each of the medics used brain transplants on the guard(s) to translate what they saw. they stick the electrical receivers in the neck part and the neuro receivers in the cranium parts. The medics added the impulses into the victims to get a read of their memories. This is happening through many methods; psychiatric memory manipulation, magic mind reader, anything to figure out what happened.

-

Back at the throne room, Dimeonka used a mind extract spell to analyze the corners of the guard’s recent memories. This spell only allows Dimeonka to go back to memories that are 72 hours old, or three days to be simplesti. He looked into the mind of the recently deceased guard and found what appears to be a shadowy figure or some type of [phantom that attacked him. It was fast but terminal. It took many forms but what remained was a figment of eye and a spine of teeth. IS that right? A figment of some sort or… something? Dimeonka can’t tell since the memory is starting to fade. But unlike most times, matter of fact, this is the first time anyone’s memory is fading a lot quicker than necessary. 

When Dimeonka stopped his mind trace, he noticed that the body is starting to fade from existence. No seriously, none of that thanos dust or fade like a ghost, fade as if this guard never existed in the first place. Dimeonka took notice as the guard starts to fade away. This method was said to be complete fiction with possibilities such cause being impossible. But seeing the impossible before him, stunned him to the bone. He is speechless on what he has witnessed. Never before had he witnessed such testified death impossibility happen before him. Everyone else who knew about the same theory were also stunned, speechless.

Dimeonka stumbles backwards conflicted, trying to understand what is going on. But has he goes deeper into realisation, he notices that he is slowly beginning to lose his mind. His head pounding, brain cells start to deteriorate and rupture, and his vision starts to blur. He can barely keep it together, this is something that should NOT happen. Begins to hum “whisper of the river” to calm himself down. It is a song that requires you to use leaves for instruments to play it correctly. This song has been used in mediation sessions that he has been taking lately. Though it is hard to play it correctly with the right leaf structure, the result is really soothing. 

The Everyone else is either losing their mind, remained frozen, or quickly assessed the situation and alerted everyone in their high councils about the situation. This isn't just happening to Dimeonka, this is happening to everyone! When each senate or council member got the information, they either doubted or embraced the information. Those who doubted the information either went mad or had some of their own underlings containted. Those who embraced it couldn’t believe what they are hearing and try to reject the information. They can’t bear to hear such information that invalidates the current knowledge that they have. 

Every time something new but unexpectedly large is announced, nearly everyone panics. No one can rest in this time of era with war, terorism, economic deterioration, etc. What else is there to do in these times without having some sort of life or death stress? Is everyone’s struggle in vain, does it have no end? Would there be a moment where everyone can finally rest? Some are indeed dying from overwhelming stress, anxiety, etc. But this uprise, this crosses too many lines. 

-

Dimeonka then calms himself down and orders three guards to investigate the area. The three guards swifty stampede through the halls to the location where this recently deceased guard was. The iron weight added with every thump on their hoof gave out loud clanging vibrations to the fortress. The stress from the fast pasting stallions causes the armor to start scratch up in some parts. However, this particular armor is constructed by a form of nanometal that regenerates any form of it'setal tissue, as long as the wearer is alive.

"What do you think caused that?", the second guard personifies to everypony. 

"Could be some large creature. Otherwise, something new, maybe not.", the third guard responds hastefully to the second guard. 

Like everyone, they pray for a REAL rest. Everyone is always on alert, no breaks, almost no sleep, and even no repercussions for their physical or mental health. These guards are no different from such unfortunate calamity. The guards have been trained to contain a mind that is solid metal. However, because of the underdeveloped and decaying economy, as well as political corruption that sprung behind places, the guards begath to throttle into corruption as well. Because of such actions being taken to course, the united rail nations stepped in for each local system and suggested robotic guards, but many, including Equestria, declined the offer. 

The guards arrive at the scene of the incident, only to find nothing but debris that originated from the guard and the room storage. The room is about the size of an average size shed. The room can store up to 25 stallions and is one of the new five guard stations that hosts a mini kitchen. This station also holds five beds and has an armor closet that holds different types of armor, all for different purposes. Such example of differentiation is bulk armor is for walls, slim is for scouting and patrols, and weighed is for intense wind resistance. 

They scavenged the room for any clue but no answer. However, there is one clue, on the chair, a giant clawmark that is causing the chair to spaze in and out of existence, trying to render itself and keep itself alive, somehow. One of the guards attempted to touch it, but was stopped by a voice in the guard’s head, telling him not to think about it. I mean, it’s just some anomaly, what can go wrong? These guards are nothing more than mere privates that just entered a militant force. 

During the scavenging, they manage to uncover the guard’s notes, written in a black notebook with stretch marks that have dried tear stains on it.  The pen has been used three days ago and is covered in dry sweat. The notebook has been written on the same day as when the pen has been used. The pen has a metallic but rubbery for it’s build. It is six inches and some damage indicates that this guard chews on his pen. The chew marks indicate healthy but brittle teeth bites. 

-

Two of the guards looked everywhere but barely any clues to what really happened, other than the claw marks on some places. They turned to the third guard, who has begun to stutter and sweat. His eyes are pinned on what he is reading, something about an unknown force awaiting and some schematics about unreilating and unknown locations. Some of this knowledge… is not even on record. Trojecting seven light years from waypoints outside their own multiverse and pinpointing several stars to constellations that don’t replicate natural shapes. This knowledge...., isn’t theirs or anyones that they know of. 

As much as the guard tries to understand it, he can feel his mind slowly melting as he attempts to see any real meaning in their world. But all of this…it makes no sense, everything is wrong here, it doesn't match up! The guard begins to pant uncontrollably as he thrives deeper and deeper into the pages. Be begins to hear voices, voices that he has never heard of before, or rather voices that maybe no one has ever heard from before. The guard looked around to see if anyone is there, but all he could see was his vision blurring and the two guards looking at him with confusion and scarcse. 

The guard looks up to see a figment of shadows looming above their heads, mumbling things to one another, as well as giving off a glitch like vibration to them every time they revolve around each other. They each can’t be described but they all have multiple appendages on nearly every part of their body, each with their own set of eyes and mouths. The main eyes are large with a set of 2x3. The best they can come up with is some twigs that are strapped down to a large pole and liquefied in some jello maker. The limbs are rather something that a jellyfish would have, something rubery but also slimy and satisfying to touch. 

The guards don’t know what to think about this, al they have in mind is what is happening to the third guard as he starts to swiftly turn the pages frantically and in a frightened motion. He continuously turns his head and eyes as he swarms through every page he looks at. All of it, it is not supposed to make any sense. Everything this guard is reading, it’s all wrong. It’s supposed to be WRONG! None of this is supposed to be true! 

The guard starts mumbling some strange words, in a voice that mirrors that of the shadowy figures that are floating close to the ceiling. The creatures crack down to the third guard, emanating a strangely distortive energy around them that causes all but the shadowy figure’s vision to start blacking out. Is this what that earlier guard experiences, was this the final moments of vision before he passed? Is this, what he saw? What the hell is going on, someone tell them something, tell them something NOW! 

One of the guards, the first guard, ran away from the scene before this blacking out could advance. He can only bare to look back and witness the two fading from existence like that. 

-

There is no true way to describe the situation that they are in, it is as if they are being erased from their memory. However, despite such feeling of relativity, it is not the exact same. This one guard, named Hipiro, has joined the guard just to get paid and finally make a living, not settle down on unknown anomaly that shatter reality by just being there. 

Hipiro is a low class guard, just like the other two, mostly just so he can make a living out of something. The other two did it for the power and position. Hipiro is 27 year old pegasus who was born with one wing deficiency; a disorder that only gives pegasus one wing instead of two. This deficiency is rare, but it has happened before. It is as rare as obtaining candymarus; a condition where somepony born with candy for body parts. However, one of the largest differences is that one does not almost instantly die days after birth. 

Hipiro runs off to the throne room but before he enters it, he is introduced to a foul odor, fresh but foul and somewhat spicy. When he arrives at the throne room, he only witness what can be described to be gore. What else can be said about witnessing multiple corpses rangolled around and hung from their intestines or any organ of bone of theirs. Their eyes are jotting out with their Sclera and corneas ripped to shreds. Parts of their iris’ are scattered with their pupils mixing with other pupils. The veins of the eyes are mixed with some of the blood puddles that has dried up. Actually, Hipiro is not even sure if the strains are veins or thin tissues of flexible muscle. 

The legs and hoofs are dismembered and dislocated. Their muscle tissue is slowly slithering off as is drips down from the body part is was originally assembled to. Some of the muscle tissue has some bone marrow leaking onto the remains, causing the order more rock and milk like. Some of the bone marrow has protein and fat in it, causing the odor to worsen. The stench when blood starts to rot and bodies began to decompose. But it has barely been an hour and this is happening? What the hell is going on, SOMEONE TELL HIPIRO SOMETHING! 

The flesh that surrounds the torsos have been tangled up in what can be described to be a big pile of cheap spaghetti. Intestines all chews or clawed up and tossed around one another. By some means, some of the dead poses are even individuals who are attempting to return their intestines back in their bodies. Some of the intestines still has depiction in them that are now leaking from the intestines. Some of the stuff wasn't even fully digested ye and it comes out as a brownish liquid that is jet to be become a wet solid based depoture known as poop. Some of the intestines has depiction on the exterior of them. Some have dried up with insects feeding off them and maggots devouring the remnants. 

The livers and kidneys are no different from such fate. They all are torn up and scattered among the throne room. Stomach acid starts to corrode the gallbladder and kidneys. Some of the corroded parts happen to be tongues Some parts of the arteries are penetrating the spleen, and 

-

thoracic. The stomach acids also increase the smell of the foul odor coming from the remains. Some of the kidneys and livers have become a breeding ground for many insects. This place, nothing but FOUL! 

The heads and tails of the ponies are all what can be described to overlayed flesh just being folded to the point of There is a pony with their stifle being crushed by a spinal cord that is slowly being devoured and covered in slime and mucus by bone worms. The skull is bashed up with parts of the brain dripping out or splattered across a terrain. Their tongues are al dripping out with saliva and blood with their spinal fluids leaking down from their necks. Their teeth brackled and some hung around like decorations. Even their noses were all smashed as if they were compressed by a hydraulic press. 

Hipiro slowly walks in to see everybody rendered down and disemboweled and possibly eaten, al in different ways. He starts to suspect that this has something to do with the shadows that has been circling that guard station. Now that he that he thinks about the shadows, Hipiro begins to wonder; is the other guard, Thundero ok? Is he dead, is he injured, what has happened of him? All of this is rapidly flowing through his mind, making him feel unstable. Too much, so little time, so many weird things going on. He doesn’t know what to do. 

He then hears a rather high pitched joyful but sinisterly unsettling and disturbing laugh, in a voice that he has never heard of before. He looks around to see some of the bodies disappearing, only the blood stains remain of the deceased ponies and stallions. Wait, what happened to Dimeonka; where is he? Has he met the same fate as these unfortunate souls? If anything, what if he evacuated just before whatever happened here? The possibility is medium, he mostly never backed down from a challenge, especially if it threatens his position of power. But if it doesn't me may try to strike a deal with it so there wouldn't be any conflict. 

He then hears a studderosh and petrified voice in the distance. Sounds familiar, rugged and weakened, through a pile of corpses. Out came a hoof, covered in blood but looks as if it were blending in with the fur. The fur color… and how the hoof is shaped, it’s familiar. Hipiro gallops towards the pile of bodies carefully, he doesn't want to trip over the bodies or slip caused by blood puddles. If he did, he would likely end up with serious injuries due to armor added impact which could lead to a concussion or some loss of bone structure or even interior bleeding. 

He arrives at the corpse pile and reached his hof out and led a hoof to this survivor, only to the survivor to be a familiar stallion. 

“Dimeonka?”, Hipiro sharply realizes after he has pulled this stallion out from the pile of corpses. 

-

Hipiro lifts him out, only to feel vibrations coming from his leg. These vibrations that is intensely being deominstraighted to Hipiro, it is as if something has scared Dimeonka. He has shakes like this at times, however for the shaking to be intense as if he were a vehicle in an extremely rocky road, something has caused him to result in this behavior. Hipiro pulls Dimeonka complete out of the piles and the first thing he witnesses is the sheer horror on his face. Whatever Dimeonka has seen, it must've been out of this word. 

“Hey, Lord Dimeonka!”, Hipiro calls out to his master. 

He then proceeded to tap him, causing his to snap in fright and terror. Hiprio jumped back in shock at what has happened to Dimeonka. Dimeonka looks at Hipiro with petrification as if he has seen something that scarred him for life. Hipiro waves his wing to Dimeonka, but in response, Dimeonka swiftly gallops out of the pile, circles around the room, and back into the pile. 

“WHAT ARE YOU D-D-DOING!?”, frantically squealed the petrified stallion with his body still heavily shaking uncontrollably. 

Hipro jumps in response to his random squealing. Whatever Dimeonka saw, it clearly gave him an impact. Never before has Dimeonka ever acted this way. 

“NEVERMIND WHAT I SAID!”, Dimeonka squeaked and dragged Hipiro into the corpse pile. 

“What are yo-”, Hipiro is interrupted by Dimeonka, shushing him. 

“This world, this isn’t our WORLD! This place, it doesn't… IT DOES NOT BELONG TO US! IT IS NOT SUPPOSED TO BE OURS!” , Dimeonka begins to lose it. 

“Lord Dimeonka! Listen to yourself! You don’t know what you are saying!” 

“NO, YOU LISTEN TO ME! LISTEN TO MY VOICE AS I COMMENCE THAT WE SHOULD ALL OPEN OUR EYES!” 

They both then hear some chuckling in the distance. It originates beyond the throne room entrance. The chuckling continuously gives off a vibe as if there are multiple voices there. One childish, one of an adult, one of a lunatic, one of a beast, one of a creature from an unknown world. The walls began to collapse as the bodies began floating in the air, exposing Hipiro and Dimeonka. The roof began to distort as it gave of this glitched or static like sound effect. It is as if reality of collapsing, but for the two, they know it’s more than just a reality split. 

-

“They are here…”, Dimeonka mumbles in submission. 

“Who?”, Hipiro responds swiftly and mildly frightened, and recognizing the submission in Dimeonka’s voice.  

“They… I don’t know. But they are here. They are here to take what we have become. They are here to reclaim what is theirs.” 

Hipiro glanced at Dimeonka cluelessly; who is… are they? What do they want? Hipiro starts to feel his brain pounding intensely. Each pounding causes him to startle and fall to the ground with immense pain. He recovers but slowly feels the aftermath of the head pounding still taking affect. He remembers something about Dimeonka, before his leadership, he had to be taken in for insanity treatments. Perhaps this was one of the main reasons. He may have been slowly losing his mind over time, likely due to a drastic change of point of view. 

Nothing less, the voices, they slowly creep up closer to the two, causing them to gain goosebumps. The voices echoed through the room and through the halls, but it also gives a feeling that these voices originate more than just one location. Hipiro looks for an exit and notices the open glass figurine window. He charges at the glass figurine, hoping to make an escape and breach into the outside world, escaping this situation. He could take Dimeonka, but given his current situation, his mind is set into submission as he slowly begins to grow unstable. 

He collides with the glass only to be reflected back, not dealing any damage to the glass. This blast sent him back a 1 ½ yards away from the glass. He felt this deflection as if something backhanded him back to his starting point. He looks around to see nothing but Dimeonka scrambling his voice around as he begins to roll around, once again, in submission. Hiprio begins to think, “Who is he really submitting to?” 

A voice called out Hipiro’s name in an unsettling and grooming way. It is as if the plagued sea of stars have begun to spiral in his tounge. The sky begins to twaddle around him as an attempt to slurp some sense into him. The revendius vocality is causing him to stutter and shaking randomly. It is small and barely noticeable; but for the emitter, it is noticeable. The voices begin to cackle out like some ravaging noises, so infamiable, so untamed, it can never be recognized or even puzzled together.  

A shadowy figure begins to loom over the halls, but some of the shadows originate from the windows. The shadows that are originating from the windows cause mass screaming among the new Ponvymania town. A gang related town with a low tolerance for anyone squishy or soft. Ponyvill fell into decay after the Omni war hit Equis. It when out quicker than a rendering siphon. It is peckering with the scent of… mixed frost and sea salt, or so what can be stated. 

-

  .Hipiro stumbled backwards as the shadows began to surround him, starting with some type of… claw like figure? He is not sure, but what he sees, is a claw of sales that indicate something of reptilian origin. Or… what impracticalities have penetrated his mind? Hipiro then begins to hear Dimeonka screeching some foul and dispensed language, he can’t even understand what Dimeonka is saying. Matter of fact, there has been no recordings of the language that Dimeonka is using. Words that… could not… should not… 

The shadow begins to form, around Hipiro as he preps a Gattatik Val C-3 Machine Gun from his armor. The weapon supports a cooler from the barrel and the ammunition are Slug double F centimeter roundz. One shot from this weapon can send a curl a blue whale to oblivion. The bullets however, are nothing more than a crum, enough for a mouse to feast on. He stands firmly, waiting the the ting to pop out. He feels a hoof dragging upwards on his hind left leg. He turns his neck 157 degrees counterclockwise to find out who is dragging his limb. 

Dimeonka looked at Hipiro with fanaticism in his eyes and sweat. His heavy breath gave a feeling as if he lost it. Hipiro slowly moved his head backwards, away from Dimeonka as he slowly creeped up to his upper torso. Dimeonka reacted to this by pinning Hipiro down on the ground. Dimeonka screamed in submission, demanding the shadow to take them away. 

Hiprio pointed the Gattatik as Dimeonka is he screamed, “I am sorry… I have no choice.” Hipiro fired the gun, instantly ripping Dimeonka in two, scattering his organs and kidneys everywhere. 

The foul scent of deprained blood being spilled fresh as the scaled claw swipes it an ingests it like a…- jellyfish, or a blob like substance. The body of Dimeonka is swiftly ripped apart and dissolved as it was injected by the random gloomy prepotouisms. The liquids from the body began to evaporate as his skin and fur begins to dissolve. The muscles are ripped up and saturated into this smoothie like substance. The bones have been ruptured into… seeds inside of a strawberry shake? The organs and the brain have been shifted in tenderized cuisines in a size of a pill. 

Hipiro thought Dimeonka would die in battle or some kind of disease or assasination attempt. But this, how can it be spelled out? Being eaten alive? Being dissected alive? Being burned or melted alive? Atoms ripped apart? What can it be? What is this thing doing? Is there anything to be said for what Hipiro must bestow? He walks backwards frightened, he rather be hypnotized into being a worthless slave he once was rather than witness this. He felt a pat on the back, it felt scaley, but interestingly smooth and mildly soft. He stops to turn to witness a giant appendage glooming over him… Hipiro slowly increased his voice to produce a scream that he 

-

could never reach. The thing opened what appears to be opening its… mouth and towered over Hipiro. 

Back at the unknown word, the barrier that surrounds the location begins to raddle. The creatures within the world begin to look up and notice the barrier flickering on and off, rattling intensively. That is when they knew, the barrier, it is dying. One of those creatures… expands its wings and skyrockets in the air. This thing begins to curl into a ball in preparation for potential breach. The creature makes contact with the barrier and it miraculously breaches. The pressure from the breach scatters into the infinite sea for where the starts and beyond lay. The creature uncurls itself and looks back. In response, the creature cries out to the other creatures, informing that the barrier is broken, and descend back into its world once more. 

The creatures responded drastically, screeching and whaling their snarls at every location there is. This was enough to inform the other starry locations and some locations in the…--- infinite sea of stars, where ‘everyone’ thrived. Those who heard such sounds… and paid attention to these foul and unfortunate sounds…, they were all RE-introduced to… what they considered a voice from the reaches beyond the void.  Those who didn’t pay attention, ignored it and moved on. No one could ever guess what has happened.

#Existence Novel #Hytregos

[noir-porker-parker-holland]

Shake Weight

mazzello sister! reader x ben hardy

wk:2.1k

a/n: sorry i haven’t posted much, i promise i will in the coming days :)

Crying sounds awoke you just as you were about to nod off once again. Jeez. Your son, Nicky y/l/n was a bit sick this week and has been in pain all week. Meaning, he has been crying more often  than not. He was a year and a half so you didn’t blame him. You shot up straight, and moved the covers off the bed starting to walk to the nursery.

You were a single mother due to Nicky’s dad walking out when you told him, “I don’t want anything to do you or the thing growing inside you,” He started to tell you. “Either that or you get rid of it.” You scoffed at his insinuation although the tears were flowing down your face. “Get the fuck out of my house! Get the fuck out! Now!” You shouted at him. He walked towards the door and looked back at your crying pathetic figure, “You tell anybody that the kid is mine and i swear you’ll regret it.” He slammed the door and you just let it out. You were a 20 year old woman still in college, pregnant, and were sure your family would kill you when you’d tell them you were expecting. But a year and a half later your entire family helped you out, especially your brother Joe. He helped out the most.

The day of Nicky’s birth, he was there helping you through it. But the weeks after he wasn’t exactly there, he was doing auditions for a biopic about Queen. So for the first time in a while you were alone. There was nobody there to help you. You didn’t want to bother your parents, your brother was in the Uk, friends were either working or were at school, so you had no choice but to bear it alone.

You peered at the baby sleeping in the cot next to your bed. "I love you Nicky," You whispered. "You don't need the love of your dad. He doesn't deserve you. I love you so much and if anything were to happen to you I don't know what I'd do." You sniffled. Nicky cooed and opened his eyes, the same eyes that his mother had. You picked him up and rested him close to your chest. His tiny hand caught your finger and wrapped around it. Your tears were trailing down from your eyes down to your neck. Your phone rang and Nicky grumbled, "hello?" You answered. "Hey y/n/n. How Nicky ?" Your brother asked you. You sighed in relief. "He's doing good Joe. God he's so beautiful." You told him. He chuckled at your description your his nephew. "I'm going back home in like a month or so, and I want to introduce you to someone when I get home, ok?" You nodded although he was across the globe. "In a month?! You're going to miss everything! Baby's umbilical cord thing falling off, when he holds his head up for the first time, when he-" you rambled. "Hey hey hey. I promise I'll be there for the big things. Hell I was there for his birth. I even cut his umbilical cord! Y/n you need to calm down, you're the strongest person I know! You'll do amazing! I have to go but I'll call you when I get a chance, love ya." With that he hung up.

You looked down at Nicky and he looked back at you and smiled. "Looks like Uncle Joe is bringing a new friend when you see him again." You told the baby.

Ben was Joe's new friend and his cardboard copy was his lover? You didn't know anymore.

It was strange. When he first introduced you to him, he was super understanding. You honestly thought he'd ask about the single mom thing but no he was a gentleman about everything.

Somebody at the door knocked as you were feeding Nicky. Joe had told you that he was swinging by with "his new friend" so you got kind of dressed up. Well, you weren't in sweats, that's for sure.

You were in some high waisted shorts, a red tank top, and your black vans. You carried Nicky over to the door as you put down the bottle on the closest surface to you. You opened the door and there stood Joe and a very handsome man. You let a small squeal and you launched yourself into a side hug to Joe, careful so you would hurt Nicky. "Come in, come in." You breathed out. Jeez. You grabbed Nicky's bottle again and sat down across from the boys. "Ben this is my sister y/n, y/n this is Ben, he plays Roger Taylor I'm BoRhap." Joe told you. "Pleasure to meet you Ben. This is my son Nicky." You told him as you shook his hand. "He's adorable. How old is he?" You smiled. "uh just over a month." He smiled at Nicky. "Well he's an adorable boy." You chuckled. "Alright enough of this, can I please see my nephew?" Joe whined. You chuckled as you passed Nicky to his uncle. Joe stood up and walked to the kitchen as he cooed at Nicky.

"So tell me Y/n, are you older or younger than Joe?" You chuckled, "younger. Lord knows how hard it was to have a boyfriend when I was still living with him at home." He laughed. "How did he react when you told him you were pregnant?" Were you shocked at his question? Just a smidge. "He was super supportive. Honestly thought I was a goner." He chuckled. "is it just you and Nicky?" There it was. "Yeah," you were going to continue but Ben cut you off. "Hey if you aren't comfortable sharing it's fine was just wondering since there wasn't a man in any of the pictures around the place, sorry if I overstepped-" you placed a hand on his as a way to tell him it was ok. "It's fine. His dad told me he didn't want to part of his life and told me if I said to anybody that he was the dad that I'd regret it." He nodded. "Again I'm so sorry for asking anything I wasn't supposed to or something that's hurt you." You waved him off. "Jeez, I've told the story so many times it's getting old. I swear Ben it's totally ok." He nodded

After that day Ben and you stayed in contact. Whenever he came over with the boys to New York, you met up. You met everyone, Gwil, Rami, Allen, and Lucy who was your bestie now. And you loved them. And in addition she loves Nicky. He’s his Auntie Lucy.

They all did. So today they were going to fly in and visit you both. So in a way, Nicky's crying was a good thing since he was your alarm clock. You ran into his room and picked him up immediately. "Hey baby," he cried against you and you felt so bad when you heard the sound of his cries. "It's ok baby. Shhh shhh shhh. You're ok." His cries were reduced to small sniffles as you bounced with him. "Wanna stay in my bed?" You felt him nod so you left to the warm embrace of your bed. You glanced at the clock (7: 42 am) and saw that you'd need to get him ready for when the company comes over. You tucked him in and cuddled him for a little bit, till he slept again. You slipped out and went to shower.

He was still asleep when you stepped out so you grabbed your clothes, you opted for a brownish plaid skirt, a red sweater than was tucked in some fishnet tights, and some school girl looking shoes. You didn't do much for you hair so you just left it to dry with your natural texture.

You crept over to where Nicky was and woke him gingerly. He groaned but didn't out up with much of a fight. You striped him from his pajamas and dipped him into the warm bath. He was giggling with his toys and it warms your heart to see your baby boy happy. You wrapped a towel around him and brought him to your bed once again while you picked out his clothes for the day.

You picked a grey onesie, black bottoms, and some socks. You changed him relatively quick so you went downstairs to give him his medicine and feed him.

After all that jazz, it was back to cuddling but it was on the couch instead. You heard somebody's voice outside of the door. You left Nicky's side and went to check who was, you peeped out. You audibly gasped and turned back to Nicky. "Baby, it's Uncle Joe!" He just chewed on his thumb.

You unlocked the door and saw Joe, Ben and the rest of the group standing there. "Joe!" You jumped into his arms, you pulled away from him and hugged the rest leaving Ben for last for a special reason. "Come on in." You pulled them all in and walked over to Nicky. You picked him up and brought him to the people, "Nicky look who it is, uncle Joe, Auntie Lucy, Uncle Gwil, and Benny. Where's Rami?" You asked Lucy as you passed Nicky to his uncle. "He's doing other things for other projects." She told you. Everybody was entranced by the baby, except you and Ben.

You looked around at the others and grabbed Ben's hand. You led him into the kitchen. You grabbed the sides of his face and kissed him softly. As you pulled away he mumbled, "I missed you baby." You smiled. You and Ben became a couple a bit after Nicky turned one. At his first birthday party, you two actually kissed. He told you how he felt, you told him how you felt, and the whole sha-bang happened.

"I missed you too baby girl." He told you as his kissed your neck. "Are you staying with Joey? These two weeks?" He nodded and you sighed. "Kinda wanted to have you all myself." He chuckled. "Been too long darling."

"Y/n! Ben! Where are you?" Joe shouted. You both popped out of the kitchen and saw Joe's shirt and Nicky's onesie covered in throw up. You laughed at him. You went around to take Nicky from Joe and laughed again, "what'd you do? Shake him like a shake weight?" He glared at you. You took them both upstairs so they could change. You placed Nicky on the changing table and changed his onesie before managing the mess Joe was. You put him in a regular white onesie and just left him like he was. And for Joe you gave him a t shirt that's too big for you. You turned to Joe and said, “you good there fam?” He looked at you. “Bitch that shirt cost $200 .” You burst out laughing and he punched you lightly. The three of you went downstairs and there Ben was shushing Lucy and Gwil who were laughing at him. You furrowed your brows and asked, “What's up?” Ben grabbed your hand and led you to the kitchen, “Gwil and Lucy know about,” He motioned between the two of you. “Us.” You groaned. “Fuck. we went six months without telling anybody.” he pointed to Nicky and you sighed, “Nicky doesn’t count, he can’t even speak.” he chuckled. “We need to tell them.” You groaned and gave him Nicky as you led him to the living room. “Joe we need to tell you something,” he nodded. “Me and ben have been dating for like six months.” You braced yourself but he just shrugged and said, “ Gwil and Lucy told me like 3 minutes ago.” you shook your head, “bruh.”

You looked at ben who was talking to Nicky, “Your aunts and uncles are dicks. Yes they are.” You laughed at him but soon heard a small voice say, “dick.” You looked at Nicky, “dick dick dick.” you smacked ben as the other three burst out laughing. “My son’s first word was dick!!”

taglist: @sleepybesson @shewantstobreakfree @ixchel-9275

#ben hardy #ben hardy x reader #mazzello sister! reader x ben hardy #ben hardy imagines #ben hardy x reader!single mom #single mom!reader x ben #ben hardy angst #ben hardy fluff #ben hardy smut #ben hardy one shots

[mike-will-protect-you]

1 8 11 21

1. What would prevent you from following someone?Probably if it’s clear that they post way too many memes or clearly like to stir the pot and cause drama. I deal with too many teenagers at my job, I don’t need to deal with them on tumblr.

8. Name any three things about the roleplaying community that bothers you.I often get annoyed at the type of RPers that utilize like five fonts in just one post and space their paragraphs and sentences all weird, like they’re modeling themselves off of Rupi Kaur or something. I find it hard to read, and usually this person only RPs with others who format their writing this way.I also dislike it when an RPer has like, ten pages of rules and then gets terribly upset if you broke Rule 42, Section A, Paragraph VII. Like, I’m not saying that you shouldn’t have boundaries and all that, but if you’re only going to RP with basically just one person, why not just stick to Discord or something? (Oh right, because you can’t use eight fonts lol).Finally, I dislike the passive-aggressiveness and downright snobbery that a lot of RP blogs have. Their muse might be a total loudmouth slacker, but the mun seems to take this character and RPing way too seriously. Back when I first started out RPing in general, about five years ago, I reached out to a Luna Lovegood blog. Instead of explaining that they didn’t really click with me, they instead made a post that reminded their “viewers” to please read “the rules” before you message them. Like...Luna Lovegood would definitely avoid this type of person at all costs, and I’m not sure if that mun will ever one day see the irony.

11. What do you know about RP that you wish you knew when you first started?I probably got discouraged at how little followers I had, thinking that either I must not be very good, or that nobody is interested in my character. RP blogs take time to grow and build. It also helps if you post a lot of headcanons and fan art, as most of my followers seem to find me from those types of posts.

21. Have you ever followed someone because you felt like you had to, and not because you wanted to?Sort of; I had an RP partner that I lost interest with awhile ago, but I still hung on because I felt like I had sunk too much of my time and effort into them. Basically, the mun was super clingy to my muse, and she said that if I didn’t constantly do smut and shower her muse with praise, then she felt worthless. It seems ludicrous as I’m explaining it now, but back when we first started, she was quite normal and wanted normal RP stuff.I constantly tried to tell her that her way of thinking was unhealthy, and I said that I was bored of always doing smut threads. Fluff threads, threads about the kids, threads about going to the store, threads even with a mutual friend of theirs...no matter what thread I wanted to do, she wanted to turn it into smut!Just so you get an idea of how bad it got, I had a muse who was an old Jewish grandpa. He was trying to make polite small talk with her muse, talking about how Britain had a hung parliament at the time (basically meaning no political party has a majority). Her muse was squirming and getting all hot and bothered, because she heard the word ‘hung’ and was reminded of her husband, my main muse, and felt an incredible urge to fuck his brains out. My grandpa muse sees this and thinks she must be about to have a stroke, and asks her if she’s okay. Her muse got haughty and curt with him, saying that she’s fine, and she just needs to find her husband. It was clear in her voice she wanted to do anything to get away from my other muse.(Side note: just to be petty, I promptly gave Grandpa a longer, thicker cock than my main muse had. Her muse was a complete, utter size queen and proud of it, lol.)In other words, her need for smut got ridiculous. It got to a point where she outright told me her muse needed to be “barefoot and pregnant” in order to be happy (and if you don’t know this, that’s an old phrase meaning a woman can only be happy if she’s a housewife with a ton of kids).Eventually I just gave up and told her she needed serious therapy, and she told me that she didn’t care what I thought, since apparently I was incredibly judgmental of her. She went on to replace me the next day with a mun who had the exact same muse as mine, and she even carried over the kids from our threads, the headcanons we made, the verses we had, and so on. When I first saw this, I was pretty sure it was just her, basically RPing with herself, but then I found out that apparently the mun is some guy she knows IRL. Keep in mind, she’s a married woman, so in my opinion, having smut threads with another man you personally know should definitely count as an emotional affair, if not just flat out sexting. How funny, considering how the mun asked me flat out not to RP with certain individuals because ‘her muse’ was jealous of them. Her muse was soooo worried about my muse having an affair, just because he was talking to other women, having a normal conversation.I was so jaded that I flat out lost all muse for that character, and the blog is just sitting there, collecting dust. I haven’t even logged into that blog in over a year.She was also the mun who forced me to do the single worst thread I ever had, but that’s a story I’ll tell another time.Now, smut is obviously fine, but if a future partner ever makes me feel as though I don’t like them, if I’m not in the mood for it, and especially if they try and guilt me into smut, I’m not going to tolerate it for very long.

#ooc #mun #munday #rules #rping #mckeitbeautiful

[b-random]

Survey

Taken from @fiaspice​

1: when you have cereal, do you have more milk than cereal or more cereal than milk? Cereal.

2: do you like the feeling of cold air on your cheeks on a wintery day? No. Not much of a fan of cold weather.

3: what random objects do you use to bookmark your books? Usually the receipt.

4: how do you take your coffee/tea? Cold, with ice, without the coffee.

5: are you self-conscious of your smile? Yes.  Getting self conscious about a lot actually.

6: do you keep plants? Just planted some tonight in fact.

7: do you name your plants? no, but I might.

8: what artistic medium do you use to express your feelings? Not much anymore.  But I really want to try acrylic paint pouring.

9: do you like singing/humming to yourself? Yes.  Or to my cats. Or steering wheel.

10: do you sleep on your back, side, or stomach? sides

11: what’s an inner joke you have with your friends? If I catch my employee at work not using her safety gloves, I ask her where her hand is and she responds by singing “IT ISN’T IN MY GLOOOOOOVE” (to the tune of Shawn Mendes’ “In My Blood”)  That’s the only one I can think of that doesn’t require ridiculous amounts of explanation.

12: what’s your favorite planet? Earth.  Couldn’t live without it. 

13: what’s something that made you smile today? Christy and Fraser on 101.5 Today Radio had a contest called “Chereoke” to win Cher tickets and some of the contestants’ attempts at singing Cher was hilarious.

14: if you were to live with your best friend in an old flat in a big city, what would it look like? Hopefully it would be a rustic/industrial combo style loft with at least one exposed brick wall, exposed duct work, metal and wood finishes.

15: go google a weird space fact and tell us what it is!: Halley’s comet won’t orbit past Earth again until 2061... I’ll probably be dead.

16: what’s your favorite pasta dish? Tortellini with a creamy rosé sauce.

17: what color do you really want to dye your hair? I’m bald so this question is just cruel.

18: tell us about something dumb/funny you did that has since gone down in history between you and your friends and is always brought up. After a friend of mine told me he had unprotected sex with his ex girlfriend on a booty call, I arranged for a bouquet of fruit to be delivered to his work on father’s day with a sonogram attached to it.  He’s a darker skinned guy but his face went white as snow.  It doesn’t sound like much, but his mom heard about the prank at her work several blocks away.

19: do you keep a journal? what do you write/draw/ in it? I don’t.  This blog is the closest thing I have to that.

20: what’s your favorite eye color? Blue.

21: talk about your favorite bag, the one that’s been to hell and back with you and that you love to pieces. I don’t have a favourite bag.

22: are you a morning person? I would say so.  I’m not so much of a night owl anymore.

23: what’s your favorite thing to do on lazy days where you have 0 obligations? I literally sit on my couch all day and do nothing but watch netflix and dick around on my phone.

24: is there someone out there you would trust with every single one of your secrets? Don’t think so. 

25: what’s the weirdest place you’ve ever broken into? Can’t say I’ve ever broken into anywhere.  At least, not anywhere memorable.

26: what are the shoes you’ve had for forever and wear with every single outfit? I don’t have an exciting answer for this, but I have a pair of Puma shoes that have been around for 4-5 years.

27: what’s your favorite bubblegum flavor? Watermelon

28: sunrise or sunset? Sunrise.

29: what’s something really cute that one of your friends does and is totally endearing? One of my friends makes it a point to build her other female friends up at any and all costs.

30: think of it: have you ever been truly scared? The only thing I can think of is when I was probably 5 years old I was at a water park and I was supposed to go down the water slide but I was so scared that I couldn’t do it.  My family went down before me so I was stuck at the top screaming and crying.

31: what is your opinion of socks? do you like wearing weird socks? do you sleep with socks? do you confine yourself to white sock hell? I mostly wear white socks because I wear pretty heavy duty shoes at work and so anything else gets ruined.  But if I’m going out or doing something, I usually like a bit of colour.

32: tell us a story of something that happened to you after 3AM when you were with friends? I'm told that one time at about 4:00 in the morning I went to my neighbours house and was knocking on their garage door for about half an hour singing songs, but I don’t remember that.

33: what’s your fave pastry? Creme puffs.

34: tell us about the stuffed animal you kept as a kid. what is it called? what does it look like? do you still keep it? I had a Popple. (Remember Popples?! The Popples still make me smile.) Well, I had several, but my favourite was PC - specifically Sports PC.  I don’t still have him anymore and I’m pretty sad about that.  But his tail did fall off at one point and oddly enough, I still have his tail!

35: do you like stationary and pretty pens and so on? do you use them often? I usually end up buying stationery items that I never use.

36: which band’s sound would fit your mood right now? My mood has been 100% Carly Rae Jepsen since Dedicated came out last Friday.

37: do you like keeping your room messy or clean? My room is often messy, but that doesn’t mean I like it that way.

38: tell us about your pet peeves!? People who use incorrect phrases like “Once and a while” or when people say “should of” instead of “should’ve”

39: what color do you wear the most? Probably black.

40: think of a piece of jewelry you own: what’s it’s story? does it have any meaning to you? I have no jewellery.

41: what’s the last book you remember really, really loving? Hunger Games.  I haven’t really enjoyed too many books since then.  I’ve been trying to read the Harry Potter series but I’m only moderately enjoying them.

42: do you have a favorite coffee shop? I do not.

43: who was the last person you gazed at the stars with? Frick it’s been so long since I’ve done that.  Probably a guy who I hooked up with several years ago.  I don’t even remember his name.

44: when was the last time you remember feeling completely serene and at peace with everything? The last time I went to the mountains.  It’s been close to a year.

45: do you trust your instincts a lot? Sometimes to a fault.

46: tell us the worst pun you can think of.?  Time flies like an arrow.  Fruit flies like a banana.

47: what food do you think should be banned from the universe? Seafood.

48: what was your biggest fear as a kid? is it the same today? Heights. I’m still afraid of them, but now I’d say I’m more scared of things like the ocean and space.

49: do you like buying CDs and records? what was the last one you bought? I really do.  Especially the ones I really like.  Most recent was Carly Rae Jepsen’s “Dedicated” album.

50: what’s an odd thing you collect?  I don’t collect much anymore.  I used to collect Coca-Cola memorabilia, though.

51: think of a person. what song do you associate with them? "Your Type” by Carly Rae Jepsen.  I swear I listen to other artists and bands besides CRJ, but she seems to be fitting a lot of the questions here.

52: what are your favorite memes of the year so far? Those comics on Instagram with the aliens explaining everyday human activities.

53: have you ever watched the rocky horror picture show? heathers? beetlejuice? pulp fiction? what do you think of them? Beetlejuice is the only one of those that I’ve seen in full.  Haven’t seen it in probably 20 years so it’s time I give it another go.

54: who’s the last person you saw with a true look of sadness on their face? My mom after my sister did some stupid things last week and was super cruel to her after.

55: what’s the most dramatic thing you’ve ever done to prove a point? I can’t remember

56: what are some things you find endearing in people? Selflessness, genuine dorkiness.

57: go listen to bohemian rhapsody. how did it make you feel? did you dramatically reenact the lyrics? I didn’t reenact the lyrics, but I did sing and reenact the scene from Wayne’s World.

58: who’s the wine mom and who’s the vodka aunt in your group of friends? why? Neither of them.

59: what’s your favorite myth? I still find the whole Bermuda Triangle thing to be interesting.

60: do you like poetry? what are some of your faves? I don’t know any poetry.

61: what’s the stupidest gift you’ve ever given? the stupidest one you’ve ever received? Oh god, I’m a terrible gift giver so I couldn’t possibly narrow it down to just one.  Stupidest gift I’ve ever received was a Starbucks gift set.  I don’t drink coffee.

62: do you drink juice in the morning? which kind? Well, I usually put fruit juice into my smoothies, so I guess yeah.  And whatever is available.

63: are you fussy about your books and music? do you keep them meticulously organized or kinda leave them be? I have to keep them alphabetical except for my collections which are sorted by size of the collection.

64: what color is the sky where you are right now? Grey. Like it has been for the past week.

65: is there anyone you haven’t seen in a long time who you’d love to hang out with? Yes.  I’ll call him K.

66: what would your ideal flower crown look like? Ideal flower crown is not a concept that is even remotely familiar to me.

67: how do gloomy days where the sky is dark and the world is misty make you feel? depressed.

68: what’s winter like where you live? Fucking long and unbearable. 

69: what are your favorite board games? Scategories, The Game of Life, etc.

70: have you ever used an ouija board? yeah

71: what’s your favorite kind of tea? Iced.

72: are you a person who needs to note everything down or else you’ll forget it? I could probably benefit from jotting more things down than I do.

73: what are some of your worst habits? Laziness.

74: describe a good friend of yours without using their name or gendered pronouns. Sassy and spunky, but equally kind and compassionate.

75: tell us about your pets! My babies are not babies anymore.  They’re feline brother and sister and I’ve had them for more than 15 years.  He’s black and my bestest little buddy.  She cost me an invitation to my sister’s wedding and I have NO REGRETS about it at all.

76: is there anything you should be doing right now but aren’t? The dishes from dinner.

77: pink or yellow lemonade? pink I guess?

78: are you in the minion hateclub or fanclub? I find them entertaining, but I wouldn’t put myself in either club.

79: what’s one of the cutest things someone has ever done for you? Can’t think of anything right now.

80: what color are your bedroom walls? did you choose that color? if so, why? C2 Coconut. Essentially they’re a soft white. I did not choose that colour.  It was the builder’s choice and I just haven’t gotten around to painting it yet. Soon one wall is going to be a metallic denim-like blue. 

81: describe one of your friend’s eyes using the most abstract imagery you can think of. Crystal ball reflecting tropical waters.

82: are/were you good in school? ish.

83: what’s some of your favorite album art? Michael Jackson’s Dangerous, Social Code’s Rock N Roll or Spice Girls Spice.

84: are you planning on getting tattoos? which ones? I have a concept in mind that combines Spice Girls, Power Rangers and LGBT pride.  It’s just a matter of designing and getting it done.

85: do you read comics? what are your faves?  Don’t read comics.

86: do you like concept albums? which ones? The only concept album I can think of is Green Day’s American Idiot.  That one wore thin on me quickly.

87: what are some movies you think everyone should watch at least once in their lives? Kingsman: Secret Service, Jurassic Park, Twister, and it’s not a movie but I’m going to say The Haunting of Hill House.

88: are there any artistic movements you particularly enjoy? Acrylic Paint Pouring

89: are you close to your parents? yeah

90: talk about your one of you favorite cities. Ehh... Haven’t really explored many places recently and I’m feeling less enthusiastic about Calgary these days.  I’ll pass on this one.

91: where do you plan on traveling this year? I’ll be in Massachusetts this time next week.  Boston and Provincetown.  I’m excited as I’ve never been there.

92: are you a person who drowns their pasta in cheese or a person who barely sprinkles a pinch? Out of those two options, drowns in cheese.

93: what’s the hairstyle you wear the most? Shaved.

94: who was the last person you know to have a birthday? My friend Ashley’s birthday was on Saturday.

95: what are your plans for this weekend? Packing and working.

96: do you install your computer updates really quickly or do you procrastinate on them a lot? Only once it is forced upon me.

97: myer briggs type, zodiac sign, and hogwarts house? INTP-T, Libra, Puffnstuff

98: when’s the last time you went hiking? did you enjoy it? Last May.  Need to change that very, very soon.

99: list some songs that resonate to your soul whenever you hear them. I couldn’t even begin to name those songs right now. 

100: if you were presented with two buttons, one that allows you to go 5 years into the past, the other 5 years into the future, which one would you press? why? I’d probably go back 5 years.  Whether I’m happy with my life or not, I don’t want to miss any of it.

[femnet]

A review of Period. End of Sentence and PEN15

You couldn’t pay me to go back to middle school. Even revisiting it in my mind gives me anxiety - the awkwardness, the insecurities, the vulnerability - the way a “Will you go out with me? Circle YES/NO” note had the power to rock or end my world. I think anyone can relate to the drama of those preteen years. But girls had to deal with an added bonus: the dreaded, the mortifying period.

Although most of us learned about it in sex ed, it still had a gross out factor that made girls blush and boys tune out. Not only that, for some of my friends whose mothers came from old-skool upbringings that didn’t talk about sexual health, getting their periods was traumatizing and shameful. Personally, I was ecstatic when I got mine - probably because I was the last of my friends to “get my friend” at fourteen years old. I was also a swimmer, so asking, “Got a tampon?” was normal and meant that you had finally joined that exclusive club for women. Even so, getting your period was still a taboo subject in the ‘90s and rarely represented in television or film.

Needless to say, I was tickled pink when I recently watched not one, but two accurate, yet completely different portrayals of the female experience on TV and film. One of them, Period. End of Sentence, a documentary about the de-stigmatization of menstruation in India, just won an Oscar for best short documentary film; the other, PEN15, is a popular coming-of-age comedy series on Hulu about two misfit best friends struggling to make it in middle school.

What first piqued my interest in PEN15 were the throwbacks to growing up in the early 2000s, e.g. baby hair barrettes, flare jeans, the Spice Girls routines, K-Ci & Jojo’s All My Life playing at the school dance. Younger generations will never know the agony of waiting for their parents to get off the phone so they can use the dial-up internet. However, I also have to give huge props to Maya Erksine and Ana Klonke, real-life besties who not only co-created and produced the show, but also star in it, playing earnest, sincere seventh grade versions of themselves as they relive their most embarrassing and tender middle school moments. Beyond the nostalgia, there are some timeless coming-of-age themes that everyone can relate to - fitting in, divorce, bullying, masturbation - but this time these issues are specifically from the perspectives of middle school girls.

Just take one of the most poignant scenes in the last episode, when little Maya gets her period for the first time in a middle school bathroom stall. Not knowing exactly what was happening to her or what to do, she hastily stuffs a wad of cheap, thin toilet paper in her underwear, only to be caught red-handed by a janitor when the toilet won’t flush. While we ladies have all been there, this is the first time I have ever witnessed it happening to a character on TV, and this time the boys can’t tune it out.

While PEN15 reflects my own experiences growing up as a girl in America, it was jarring to see the inequalities that women still face in underdeveloped countries as depicted in the documentary, Period. End of Sentence, directed by the 25-year-old Iranian-American filmmaker, Rehka Zehtabchi. The film, now available to stream on Netflix, documents the efforts of a group of Indian women in their small, rural village as they strive to de-stigmatize menstruation and manufacture and sell their own sanitary napkins. The project, appropriately named The Pad Project, was first started by a group of high school girls in Los Angeles who raised funds through a kickstarter campaign to install a machine that manufactures pads in a village outside of New Delhi.

In the beginning of the film,  several men, women, and teens are interviewed about what they know about periods. “Like a class period? The kind you’d ring a bell for?” one boy seemed to joke (or maybe he was serious). The girls would giggle and hide their faces and the boys would cock their heads to the side and say things such as “I heard it was a kind of illness that affects mostly women.” Worse yet, some of the village elders called it “dirty blood”, shunning women from the temples and claiming that the gods didn’t hear their prayers during their time of the month.

According to Arunachalam Muruganantham, the inventor of the low-cost pad-making machine, female menstruation is still the biggest taboo in his country. Less than 10% of women in India wear sanitary napkins; instead, they turn to whatever they can find from leaves to dirty cloths. In fact, some girls have to quit school once they start menstruating because they have nowhere to change their soiled clothing (or anything to protect their clothing, for that matter).

Luckily, things are starting to slowly change in some parts of India. Women are starting to empower themselves and educate each other. Once the Pad Project installed the machine in their village, the women went straight to work, producing thousands of pads and peddling them to other women in villages where they were too expensive or women were too embarrassed to buy them in front of men.

The tiny room where they worked day and night, (but mostly night when there was enough electricity) had a mystique about it; men and children would watch curiously through the open air windows, under the false impression that they were producing diapers for babies. Not only did their enterprise result in many women feeling more secure and sanitary, but it resulted in their own self-empowerment, some using their profits to provide for their families and pay for further schooling. For some of the older women, it was the first job they ever had and there was no mistaking the pride in their faces.

From the success of these two works, it would seem that women have come a long way in film and TV. However, statistics show that we still have a long way to go. While 40 of the top 100 grossing films this past year featured a female lead or co-lead (11 of those being minorities), which is up 20 percentage points from 2007, it’s a different story behind the scenes where women only accounted for 4% of directors and 16% of other positions, a statistic that hasn’t improved since 2007. Since the inception of the first Academy Awards, only one woman has ever won Best Director (Kathryn Bigelow for The Hurt Locker in 2010).  In TV, women fare slightly better, compromising 27% of behind the scenes positions, a 1% increase since 2007; however, the number of females cast in major roles has fallen slightly from 42% in 2012 to 40% in 2018 (Center for the Study of Women in Television and Film).  In any case, as history has proven time and time again, women have faced greater odds, and once educated, empowered and organized, have slowly, but surely overcome them.

For more information or to get involved in The Pad Project, please visit: thepadproject.org.

#pen15 #period. end of sentence #menstruation #menstruation tw #pop culture #by rebecca #march 2019 #tv and movies

[kitto-toberu-sa]

Sailor Moon The Super Live Report - August 31st (first performance, heart team)

Place: Aiia Theatre Placement: Row 10, Seat 42 (middle, far right)

First, I swore I wasn’t going to buy merch and am SO glad they had so little on offer ;; I bought the pamphlet (which is basically a double sided poster, one of the main image and the other side being info with pics of the different teams) and the light stick.

Second, the show isn’t sold out. Sure, it started a little early (7pm) but it was a Friday night and opening night of a mega popular franchise? Strange for it not to have been sold out, especially since the theatre isn’t that big. (For reference, I was in row 10, seat 42, and the seat next to me was empty, as were others around me). There have been a lot of events and new merch recently though, so I can understand.

They’re also still selling tickets at the door, and are giving out freebies. Little bookmark things of the Inner Senshi with manga art (one of each Senshi, randomly given). They’re quite nice! Another enticement is different events happening after each performance. On opening night they randomly selected about twenty people to have photos with the cast. There is also a high five event on other nights, and it looks like they give out goods on other nights.

The show is VERY dialogue light. As in, there is maybe five minutes worth of dialogue the entire show (not including the live performance part). And that’s incredibly generous. This is understandable – this show is only doing two showings in France, so the effort to translate would be a lot. It’s not cost effective. The audience also more than likely knows the story. The story is the first arc, hugely condensed. I think it worked quite well without a whole lot of dialogue. The cast had to work that much harder on facial expressions and their body language to make up for not speaking.

The show is 80 minutes long. There is no interval. After the play part, there is a song part.

Now, onto the show!

We start off with Queen Beryl and her minions. She’s controlling them and their dancing. Like, SeraMyu is great and I love it, but there is still part of it that’s stuck in years gone by. This is very modern. I don’t really know or care who Takahiro is, but he did a good job! The music and dance throughout the performance is really good! It’s very modern. Perhaps because it was opening night, sometimes the music felt too loud. Not in a good way, but in a it sometimes makes the cast hard to hear way.

Anyway, they’re dancing, kinda like cool zombies? The scenery changes on a screen behind them, showing the battle for earth. Kunzite appears and shows off his sword before taking command of the troops. Unfortunately, the sword was almost dropped… We see a screen of Usagi running – it’s kinda clumsy and ugly, but it reminds me of the live action show, which I’m very fond of, so I can’t be too harsh on it. Beryl then attacks this screen, and we come to earth, present time.

Usagi yells about being late and runs through the audience. Her entrance is GORGEOUS! Why? She’s got glitter in her school bag, so as she runs, glitter is flying everywhere. It’s super shojou and anime. Very simple and cheap, but literally everyone was smiling. I feel bad for the staff who had to clean it up though haha

She stumbles on stage and drops her brooch, and keeps going. Mamoru picks it up, teases her and as she grabs it, they start to remember their old lives. Of course, that’s weird and Usagi’s late, so she grabs her brooch and goes. They part, but then stop, turn to look at each other, and are about to go back to each other when the music starts and sends them on their way. An instrumental version of Moonlight Densetsu plays. As it plays, it shows the characters and gives their names – interestingly, the names are Romanised instead of being in katakana, and the images shown are manga panels. It makes sense not to use the live images, as there are three teams, but I wonder why they choose manga over anime. I honestly think it was a great choice though.

We get a brief scene of Sailor Moon fighting a monster. She’s dodging and crying, but she also fights back. She also cheers for herself when she gets a good hit in, which is super cute. Makes her a very human character. Tuxedo Mask does save her and gives her a chance to fight back, and she runs off after him.

It’s time for school! Miss Haruna makes her appearance~ Honestly her look is iconic (the pink suit) and I love that they brought her back. The students do a dance as they start their daily routine and test results are returned. It’s pretty cute, though too long for me to care about. Usagi rushes in, gets scolded, realises she doesn’t have her textbook, is scolded again, isn’t able to share with her friends, steals Haruna’s book, and joins in on the dance while doing all of this.

Of course, things are going fine until everyone is suddenly infected with Dark Energy (a la Kunzite lurking in the corner). Cue zombie dancing again. This, again, went on slightly too long. It wasn’t particularly good, and the costumes were a little tacky – essentially the stage was mostly dark and certain parts of the zombies/infected people lit up (glow in the dark socks and so on). Usgai basically runs around screaming for a while until Tuxedo Mask comes to save her. Understandable – she doesn’t want to hurt her friends or transform in front of everyone.

Unfortunately, Tuxedo Mask dropped their cane and stepped on it, almost falling. She caught herself really well, so props to the actress there. (I believe it was this scene – could have been the arcade scene)

She fawns over Tuxedo Mask again and after the day is saved, class is over. Everyone leaves as Usagi daydreams with these ridiculous heart eyes. A scene that reminded me of the theme park episode from the 90’s anime – they have a sort of carousel thing going on, and it’s very fairy tale like. It was very nostalgic to see it and remember the old anime.

Afterwards she meets up with everyone who scolds her for being late. They sing about how they met – a very cute and sweet song. Then suddenly we’re in Harajuku!

This part is sort of odd if you live in Japan. Since this production was made for showing Japanese culture abroad, for the Japanese audience, this didn’t have a lot of meaning for the home audience. It was also horribly outdated. The gothic Lolita outfits were ugly and super outdated, and I don’t really associate Harajuku with gothic Lolita. Nowadays it’s a variety of different looks and it would have been super nice to see a variety of styles shown, as well as styles that are from this decade ;; The outfits that the Senshi changed into were ugly clown like outfits and I hate them too.

However, it was a nice attempt in showing off a variety of Japanese things. For example, the girls do a bit of traditional dance (fitting for Bon Odori at this time of year) and also eat fairy floss (cotton candy) and crepes that Harajuku is famous for (at least on Instagram ;p). They also have the dancing with the light sticks, which… isn’t a Harajuku thing ;; More of an Akiba thing, but it’ll slide!

Usagi is separated from the group and ends up the arcade. Mamoru teases her for being so bad, and plays himself. He gets a high score and they high five, before they both remember they’re meant to hate each other. Kunzite is in a mascot outfit, shakes his bottom at Usagi who touches it and shows her a new game to play. I’m… not sure why this was necessary? I mean, it’s low key great, and bizarre, especially because Kunzite initiates it? I just… don’t understand it…

Mamoru is sucked into the Sailor V game, and keeps getting beaten up because Usagi sucks so much. He’s trying to get her attention but she’s too focussed on trying to win ;; She gets better in the second round and Tux is pleasantly surprised. He then promptly dies ;;; On her third attempt, Kunzite throws her into the game too.

The Senshi appear to fight. Their introduction song is honestly a fave of mine. I believe it (and all of the songs) are remixes of old songs (both anime and musical). If I find out which ones they are I’ll edit this post (I currently don’t have internet at home..). This scene is pretty good. Unlike some of the other dance scenes which drag, this scene, through song, tells about the characters and their powers.

Tuxedo Mask is taken away, and everyone is unsure of how to comfort Sailor Moon. I think it’s fitting that Venus is about to step in, but Mercury ends up talking to her first. And by talking, I mean singing Otome Policy. A lot of the performances are predictable in that they go by the order of which the Senshi appeared, so it would have been nice to have that shaken up a bit, but it’s not that big of a deal.

In Beryl’s world, Tuxedo Mask is possessed. Beryl is very pleased and they start to tango. The actress is wonderful – Tux is possessed, but isn’t fully under Beryl’s influence, so there’s point he tries to break free or doesn’t follow along. This was pretty believable! Beryl, on the other hand, is unconcerned – she’s in control and enjoying having the man she wants with her. Meanwhile, Kunzite lurks in the corner.

They teleport to Beryl’s world where they fight Kunzite and his creepy zombies. Honestly if someone aggressively danced their way at me I’d be terrified lol! Kunzite is super strong, and takes down all of the Senshi. Venus gets her sword and fights Kunzite, but they both remember their past. Beryl isn’t impressed and he ends up dead.

This scene was really touching. I felt a lot for her. They show Kunzite’s soul floating away, and her following it briefly, trying to catch it. She realises it’s no use. Everyone goes to comfort her, even though they don’t particularly know what’s going on.

They then have to fight monsters and Mask. Honestly, everyone except Moon and Venus should have been stronger than they were. Venus just got an unwelcomed flashback from her past life and lost her former boyfriend, so it’s understandable when she fails. Moon is fighting the love of her life. Everyone else felt a bit weak.

The Senshi end up dying, and Beryl kills Mask when he responds to Usagi.

Usagi is left with Beryl, and kind of… interpretative dances her feelings out? The start is a little long and messy, but as she starts to go from no confidence, I’ve lost everything, why try?, to I have to do this, I can do this… it’s amazing. She’s taking all of Beryl’s hits and throwing them off and is the strong Sailor Moon we all love.

Beryl tries to suck her up with her darkness, and Sailor Moon walks straight in. She comes back out with her new Moon Stick, glowing brightly. She beats Beryl and dies? But Tuxedo Mask brings her back with a kiss. The other Senshi return as well.

Unfortunately, Mask accidentally turned the Moon Stick back on ;;; I don’t think it really need to be turned off in the first place. (Especially because it looks very ugly and cheap turned off – it’s also silver, when I think pink would be better suited) But that marks the end of all the obvious mistakes. For a first try, it isn’t so bad! I think they could have been fixed easily, with perhaps a bit of design done differently.

From here, there are some quick bows before the song portion.

Song part When it comes to singing, everyone was really good. However, Sailor Venus (Sena) stood out. Perhaps I’m a little bit biased, as Sena is the reason I chose this team over the others, but still. The others faltered a bit at times, or their mics weren’t properly in position, or their voices weren’t loud enough. Sena wasn’t perfect, but out of everyone, her voice was the clearest and most confident.

The songs were all really good choices. There were a few repeats of what was already in the show, most notably Otome Policy in a more pop version rather than the piano version from earlier.

Of course, I’m incredibly biased, but the best song was La Solider~ It’s honestly one of my favourite songs and I’m so so so glad they played it!

They left the stage to come back briefly for a few more songs. In between some of the songs were the dancers getting a bit of stage time, which was nice. Those girls do some really cool stuff, so it’s nice for them to get their dues.

Of course, everything ended with Moonlight Densetsu. Most the characters got solo or duet lines. This is the part where they ran around the audience, giving high fives. I was so close, yet so far T.T Buuuuut Sailor Venus blew me a kiss, so nothing else really matters haha~

We all got a little gift (clear bookmark?) and I got Moon. Some people in the audience were allowed to take pictures with the members. About twenty people I think? How lucky! I waited around with other fans to try and see the actresses as they left, but gave up in the end. It was a good night, and I’m really glad I went!

Summary Enjoyable: 5/5 Worth the ticket price: 5/5 Re-watchable: 4/5 If this was sold on dvd, would I buy it: 3.5/5

#Sailor Moon #Sailor Moon The Super Live #Sailor Myu #The Hoopers