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#in bigger news I HAVE A SIGNIFICANT OTHER
Closed Position: Deconstructing Dieter Bravo
Closed Position Masterlist ||| Main Masterlist I did a Deconstructing Dieter Bravo series for Destiny & Deliverance, so I thought it might be fun to continue that tradition with Closed Position since this Dieter does have some interesting things going on that we can delve deeper into.
I had several people comment/dm me about two things after the first chapter that I think would be fun to discuss further. Those were of course, Dieter’s plant hobby and the fluffy menace hanging around his house.
To most, these two things may seem very random and unrelated. However, they really aren’t. They do serve a bigger purpose to the story…because of course they do. When do I ever not have deeper meaning behind something, right? 😏
Plant Dad Dieter
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First, I have included some more Dieter aesthetic pictures above that I had saved. It's a whole ✨vibe✨. Second, I must thank @readingiskeepingmegoing for coming up with the new #PlantDadDieter hashtag… because it’s so on point. I’m totally going with it! 💜
On to the good stuff...what have we learned about Dieter after the first installment? I think we can safely identify three things: he spends a lot of time alone, he feels misunderstood, and he doesn’t appear to have any deep or meaningful relationships. This will be a theme that comes up a lot with him, especially starting in Week 2 when we open with him having a chat with his therapist.
How does this relate to plants, you ask? Let’s start with Dieter’s history…the man has never had a real relationship. He’s never connected with anyone, whether that be friend or significant other. He was a party boy that indulged in the physical pleasures of life while avoiding any real intimacy. Most of his relationships were based on sex and favors. We will worry about why he is this way later, but for now, just know that’s where he's at emotionally.
Dieter has never really had a bond with anyone or anything. Now that he is sober and realizing how alone he is, he’s seeking that connection any way he can and doesn’t even really realize it (yet).
Sure, being a plantsman does have perks as it is relaxing and can have a positive impact on one’s mental health. However, it’s causing Dieter to learn how to care about something - how to be selfless and nurturing with his time. He has to put in a lot of effort to keep everything alive and healthy and he quickly realizes that putting in that time and energy makes him happy. Also, the plants don't judge him or his past.
Now, for some fun stuff because some of you asked…
Does Dieter talk to his plants? He 100% talks to the plants. He doesn’t know if it actually does anything, but he figures it can’t hurt to try. It also helps him feel less alone as he does see them as living things. They do breathe, eat, and drink after all.
Does Dieter name his plants? I’m inclined to say that he names his favorites. All the others just have random nicknames that change based on their appearance. Like...the "thirsty dramatic bitch" that gets weepy and needs to be watered and turned in the sunlight daily.
Dieter’s Furry Squatter
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And let the collective aww's be heard! 🤭
So, I pulled a few pics from Pinterest of what I envision Dieter's furry little visitor looks like. I see it as an adorably fluffy young Maine Coon kitty.
👉 Fun Fact: "The name 'Maine Coon' was adopted after the state of the breed's origin, Maine, and after the early belief that the cat was in fact the result of crossing between domestic breeds and raccoons." (from VioVet)
Funny story, I did not know that fact before choosing this breed. It looks like it was mean-to-be for our loveable trash panda. 😂
Now, I am sure you're asking; how does the cat relate to the plants? The cat serves the same purpose when we think about Dieter's relationships...or lack thereof.
Again, Dieter is craving companionship. He is still reluctant, but this little nugget will eventually become a loving companion for him. It's another avenue for him to create an emotional connection with something. He will learn how to care for the kitty and build a bond. Though the little menace can be a bit sassy, like the plants, it also doesn't judge Dieter by his past. What do you think Dieter should name it? I'm taking suggestions in the comments. 😉
In an odd way, the plants and cat do help Dieter grow as a person. It's baby steps in his personal growth journey. Honestly, as Katrina gets to know Dieter on a more personal level, these are two things that she absolutely loves about him, mostly because it's two things that are unexpected and show what a sweetheart he really is. She sees the good in him even if he can't see it himself.
That's it for your little extra bit of insight...until next time.
💜Mysty
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Series Summary: Dieter Bravo, now sober, was looking to change his bad boy image after hitting rock bottom. His team hoped that having him join the nationally televised family friendly dance competition would be a good first step, if they can keep him out of trouble.
Katarina Stamos expected her last season as a professional dancer on Dancing with the Stars to go the same as it had for the past thirteen seasons. That all changed when she was partnered with the infamous Dieter Bravo.
Dieter and Katarina are reluctantly thrown into their partnership and must learn to work together to succeed in the competition. In the process they form a deeper connection beyond the dance floor that neither anticipated.
👉 Warnings: Themes dealing with intimate partner violence, alcohol abuse, and drug abuse. There will be fluff, tears, spicy language, and smut. This will be a slow burn. Read at your own risk. Dieter Bravo comes with his own warnings.
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Closed Position Taglist: @secretelephanttattoo @titlee78 @maggiemayhemnj @legendary-pink-dot @morallyinept @survivingandenduring  @wannab-urs @harriedandharassed @hisandsnakes @misstokyo7love @readingiskeepingmegoing @runningmom94 @sin-djarin @cakipy-blog @missladym1981 @guelyury @weho2kcmo @alokaerza @girlofchaos @trulybetty @rhoorl @bitchwitch1981 @madnessofadaydreamer @darkheartgatita @jazzloveslatte @timpletance @musings-of-a-rose @samiamproductions @myloveistoolittle @for-a-longlongtime  @copperhalfcent @auteurdelabre @drewharrisonwriter @burntheedges @stevie75 @bunniboo0015 @quicax3 @jackie923 @sherala007 @pastelnap
*If your blog name is marked out, it would not let me tag you. You will need to change your visibility settings for that to work going forward.
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solarmorrigan · 3 months
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Hands Where I Can See Them, Part 4
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3
The only thing Eddie is dreading as much as Steve’s return for his things is Wayne’s inevitable question about where Steve is at all.
After all, Steve has practically been living with them for weeks – something that Eddie may not have allowed himself to consider the significance of, but which Wayne cannot have failed to notice. Though Steve had (apparently) felt the need to do things around the trailer to stay in Wayne’s good graces, he really didn’t have to worry about it; Wayne likes him, and he’ll be asking sooner or later just where Steve has gone.
‘Sooner’ comes two nights after Eddie royally fucks things over. It’s Wayne’s night off, and there’s really no avoiding him; their new trailer is bigger than the last, but it’s still close quarters, and Eddie gets caught when he passes through the living room to get a drink from the kitchen.
“Noticed Steve isn’t here tonight,” Wayne says, blunt as hell, because he doesn’t see the point in doing things any other way.
“Nope,” Eddie says shortly, grabbing a glass from the cabinet and filling it from the tap.
“Wasn’t here last night, either,” Wayne goes on.
“He was not,” Eddie confirms.
“Wasn’t here when I got in yesterday morning,” Wayne says.
“You are a veritable font of observation tonight,” Eddie says, only a little snarky.
Wayne shrugs. “Hard not to notice when he’s here nine days out of ten, then suddenly up and disappears,” he says. He pauses a moment before adding, “Stuff’s gone from the bathroom, too.”
Eddie occupies himself with slowly swallowing down half his glass of water before he answers. “Yeah.”
“Don’t suppose he’s going on a trip,” Wayne doesn’t quite ask, and Eddie lets out a bitter sort of laugh.
“Loving the optimism from you, but no, not… not so much.”
There are a few beats of silence, and then Wayne lets out a slow sigh. Eddie knows him well enough to understand the sound of it – he’s just decided to get involved.
“You two have a fight?”
“Something like that,” Eddie mutters.
“Well that’s vague as hell, son. You have a fight, or didn’t you?” Wayne prods.
Slowly, Eddie shakes his head. “No, I– I don’t think so. I think it was all me,” he says, finally looking up from his glass and meeting Wayne’s questioning gaze. “I fucked up, Wayne.”
There’s no immediate judgement coming from Wayne, no suspicion or scorn, not even a shake of the head and some variation of “Of course you did.” There’s only a measured sort of curiosity in his stare, the same way it’s been since Eddie was a kid and Wayne was trying to figure him out; it’s sort of comforting in its familiarity, in its neutrality.
“You wanna tell me about it?” Wayne asks.
Eddie knows that if he says no, Wayne will let it go. He might keep sending curious and worried looks Eddie’s way, he might ask a few more prodding questions over the next few days, but he won’t make Eddie say anything he doesn’t want to. And Eddie doesn’t really want to – but he thinks that maybe he needs to.
“If… you had to define mine and Steve’s relationship, what would you say?” Eddie asks after a moment.
Wayne cocks an eyebrow at him. “I’d say that feels like a trick question.”
Eddie lets out a little huff of a laugh. “It’s not, I swear. I’m seriously curious,” he says. “There are no wrong answers – go.”
“Well,” Wayne says, still eyeing Eddie consideringly, “I don’t know if you kids put labels on things these days or what, but from the outside, I’d say you’re dating. I’d say that boy is fully in love with you and that you’re at least halfway to loving him back.”
“Right.” Eddie gives a jerky nod. “Seems like that’s what pretty much everyone thinks.”
“But that’s not what’s going on,” Wayne takes a guess.
“Well, that depends on your perspective,” Eddie says, a little high and tight.
“Well, the only perspectives worth a damn here’re yours’n Steve’s,” Wayne shoots back. “So what would those be?”
Eddie drains the last of his water, turning away to put the glass in the sink. “Steve… shares your perspective. Or, uh– he did. But I… I didn’t realize he was so serious. I thought we were just kind of messing around.”
The silence from behind Eddie is so thick that he can’t help but finally turn around and meet Wayne’s gaze again.
“That’s a hell of a blind spot, Ed,” Wayne says simply, and Eddie folds in on himself a bit, crossing his arms over his chest. His main defense has always been to become larger than life – to make big gestures and even bigger speeches, but everything about this situation makes him feel like nothing so much as small.
“Yeah,” he says quietly.
“So, what, you figured out how serious he was and thought you didn’t want that?” Wayne asks, and Eddie hunches a little further in on himself.
“Nope. No, that– would’ve been better, actually. If that’s what happened. But that’s not what happened, because did I mention I fucked up? Because I seriously fucked up.” Eddie’s rambling is stemmed by an expectant look from Wayne. “It’s just – the other night, when the guys were over, we got to talking about it. The whole… me and Steve thing. As in, they thought me and Steve were a thing. And they asked me about it. While Steve was out of the room. And then he, uh. Hm.” Eddie rubs a hand nervously over his chin. “He walked back in when I was in the middle of telling them that he's just a friend and that we’re just having fun. And that’s… when I found out how serious he was.”
“Eddie…”
“I know. I know!” Eddie doesn’t even have to look at Wayne to catch the disappointment coming off of him, so he doesn’t. He scrubs hands over his face and then just leaves him there, telling the rest of the story to his palms. “He was so fucking upset, Wayne, I think– I think I actually made him cry? And the only reason he hasn’t been here to get the rest of his stuff out of the trailer yet is because he was down with a migraine the next day. Like, I hurt him so badly I made him physically ill. So I didn’t just fuck up, but I’m actually a horrible human being and should probably spend the rest of my days living in isolation so I don’t ruin anyone else’s life.”
Wayne is silent for so long that Eddie is eventually forced to peek out from behind his fingers.
“You’re not gonna tell me how bad I fucked up?” Eddie asks, still a bit muffled.
“Seems like you have that covered already,” Wayne says, then he holds up one arm in offer, nodding towards the empty spot beside him on the couch. “C’mere.”
He doesn’t need to ask Eddie twice. No matter how old he gets, Eddie doesn’t think a genuine hug from his uncle will ever stop being comforting, and regardless of whether or not he thinks he actually deserves it right now, he’s going to take it. He crashes down onto the couch and leans heavily into Wayne’s side, sighing as Wayne wraps his arm around his shoulders.
“You’re not a bad person, Ed. You made a mistake, s’all,” Wayne says, and Eddie scoffs.
“Pretty big fucking mistake,” he mutters.
“Yep, that was a doozy. You hurt someone you care about, and you might not be able to fix it all the way. But that doesn’t make you terrible. Makes you human.” Wayne gives Eddie a comforting squeeze. “And Steve ain’t a bad person, either. He’ll know you mean it when you tell him you’re sorry.”
“Yeah,” Eddie says quietly.
“You think about what you’re gonna do when he does show to get the rest of his stuff?” Wayne asks.
“Besides grovel?” Eddie shoots back.
“I mean, what’re you gonna grovel for?”
Eddie lets out a long breath. “I… I know I might not be able to fix it, but I just – I want the chance to try. I’m hoping he’ll just give me that chance.” Eddie pauses for a moment, choked by the dread of the thought that Steve might not give him that chance. “Things don’t have to go back to the way they were, but I at least want him to know that even if I’m shit at showing it, I do care.”
“Sounds like a decent place to start,” Wayne says.
“Think so?” Eddie asks.
“Mm.”
“Well… I hope Steve thinks so, too.”
Wayne gives his shoulders another squeeze and says nothing more, but he doesn’t really have to. He’s already settled Eddie’s nerves more than he’d thought possible; just this is more than enough.
Now Eddie just has to try to hold onto the feeling long enough to talk to Steve.
-
It turns out, Eddie doesn’t have to hold onto the feeling for very long at all; the very next morning—two days after Robin had read Eddie the riot act and left him to begin tentatively planning—another knock comes at the door.
It’s ten in the morning – not as early as Eddie had expected, but early enough that he’s not long out of bed when he opens the door to find Steve on the other side.
In contrast to Eddie’s sweatpants and t-shirt, Steve looks like he’s trying very hard to look like he’s alright. His polo is clean and tucked in, the collar is straight, his hair is as perfectly styled as ever – but there’s still something off. There are dark circles under his eyes, stark against a paler than normal complexion, and none of the ease or contentment that Eddie has grown used to shines from his face. He feels a little like he wants to mourn its absence.
“Hey,” Steve says, nodding in greeting.
“Hey,” Eddie says back, because for all his thoughts and planning, he hadn’t really considered how to start this encounter.
“I came to get my shit out of your way,” Steve says, and Eddie frowns.
It’s not in my way, he wants to say. You’re not in my way. Leave your stuff. Stay.
“Uh. Yeah, sure,” Eddie says instead, stepping aside to let Steve in.
Steve is carrying a cardboard box, but doesn’t seem to have anything or anyone else in tow. For as spread throughout Eddie’s life as Steve has become, he wonders if all of him will fit into that one box.
“Kinda surprised you didn’t bring Buckley to help pack,” Eddie says, glancing back out the screen door, as if Robin might appear out of nowhere.
“Just dropped her off at work,” Steve says. “I figured she probably already had… words for you when she picked up my meds, and I didn’t think any of us needed an encore.”
“I don’t know,” Eddie says quietly. “The stuff she said got me thinking.”
In the process of grabbing a jacket he’d left behind off one of the hooks by the door, Steve only glances back at Eddie. “I’m sure she had a lot to say,” he says, carefully neutral.
“Yeah. She, uh – definitely did. Can we talk?” Eddie asks.
Steve sighs. “Eddie…”
“Just hear me out, please. Then I’ll get out of your way and let you pack in peace, I promise,” Eddie says.
“We don’t– have to talk about it,” Steve says, turning back to face Eddie. “Look, I’m sorry for putting my weird expectations on you. I was reading into stuff that wasn’t there, and I made assumptions instead of just talking to you, and that’s on me. So I’m gonna just – get out of your hair, and you won’t have to deal with my stupid, delusional bullshit anymore.”
“No, that’s not– Steve–” Eddie reaches out for Steve as he tries to brush past on his way to the bedroom, where most of his belongings are. He gets a hand around Steve’s bicep and, though Steve doesn’t jerk away this time, he goes stiff and still beneath Eddie’s touch, prompting Eddie to let go.
It hurts; even though Eddie’s done it to himself, the reaction still hurts. He’s always reached for Steve in the past, always had his hands on him, and Steve had always welcomed him, even before they’d started sleeping together. Now, Eddie takes a step back, forcing himself to give Steve some space.
“That’s not what I want to say at all,” he says. “I mean – I would’ve liked if we’d talked about it, because then I would’ve known, and I could’ve appreciated what it was – what we were doing.”
Steve turns back to face Eddie, his gaze snapping straight to him with equal suspicion and confusion. “What?”
“Steve, you weren’t reading into things that weren’t there, you’re not– you’re not stupid or delusional, I was just – I was sending you mixed signals,” Eddie says. “I was so wrapped up in thinking that I knew what was going on, that I didn’t look at what I really had, and I’m sorry. But if I knew, if I’d just gotten my head out of my ass, you have to believe that in a heartbeat, I would have–”
“Don’t,” Steve cuts in sharply.
“Steve–”
“I don’t need whatever this is, Eddie,” Steve snaps. “You don’t need to have pity on your pathetic ex-whatever I am to you, okay? It’s okay, just– just let it go.”
“This isn’t pity,” Eddie insists with an incredulous little laugh. “It’s fucking not, I swear! This is me saying that I fucked up and I hurt you and I want to make it up to you. I haven’t done anything to deserve it, but I want the chance to show you how sorry I am and how much you mean to me– in whatever capacity you’ll let me.”
“Whatever capacity?” Steve stares at him, brows furrowed.
“Whatever you’ll be comfortable with. As a friend, or… as more, if that bridge hasn’t burned,” Eddie says.
“What, so now I’m relationship material?” Steve asks, pointed.
Eddie winces. “I shouldn’t have said that. I shouldn’t have said any of that, and if I could go back in time and slap myself upside the head before I let any of that shit out and hurt you with it, I would. I know that… I know I didn’t pay enough attention to you, but I also wasn’t paying very much attention to how I was feeling,” he says. “Because honestly? I’m kind of a moron, Steve. I’ve never had sex with someone I really liked, with someone who was anything like a friend, and when I started wanting to be around you all the time, and always wanting you within reach, and when every little thing started to remind me of you, I just thought… yeah, this is what friends-with-benefits feels like. Y’know, like a fucking idiot.”
Steve doesn’t laugh. “I don’t know if I can trust you on that,” he says softly, and that’s fair.
It hurts, but it’s fair.
“Then let me earn your trust back. Please, Steve, just… give me the chance,” Eddie implores, doesn’t even care that he’s basically begging – Eddie doesn’t beg, but for Steve, he’ll make an exception. For Steve, he thinks he’ll do just about anything.
Pursing his lips, Steve looks at the floor beside Eddie’s feet for a long moment, and Eddie gives him the time to sort his thoughts out.
“I want to say yes. Part of me just wants to accept your apology and pretend that none of this happened. Just keep going the way we were,” he says. “But I can’t keep doing that – ignoring shit. I just… can’t.”
“I’m not asking you to,” Eddie says. “I don’t want things to be like they were before, I want – I want to be better. I want to do better.”
“How?” Steve asks, both challenging and curious.
“I want to do it right. I want to show you how much I appreciate you, and how much you mean to me. I want to treat you like you deserve to be treated,” Eddie insists. “And if that’s just by being the best friend I can be, then that’s what I’ll do, but I would love—love—if you’d let me romance you.”
That briefly breaks through Steve’s stony façade, and he lets out a huff of a laugh. “Romance me?”
“Shit, yeah. Flowers and chocolates and candle-lit dates – the whole nine yards,” Eddie says with a slow grin. “All the things you’ve given other people but that no one has ever given you.”
“I…” Steve starts, his own humor fading quickly. “I don’t know.”
It’s better than an outright ‘no.’
“That’s okay,” Eddie promises. “You don’t have to know right now. I can wait. I’m a patient kinda guy.”
(That’s an absolute lie, and they both know it, but Eddie will find all the patience in the world if Steve needs time to think.)
Slowly, Steve nods. “I think… Just, give it a couple of weeks, okay? Really think about it, and if this – if I’m something you still want by then, come talk to me again,” he says. “Alright?”
“Yeah.” Eddie nods rapidly. “As much time as you want. I’m not going to up and change my mind. Two weeks, I’ll ask again.”
Steve shrugs, taking a step back towards the bedroom.
“I will,” Eddie promises – not defensive, but certain. He can wait two weeks. He can wait as long as Steve needs him to. Maybe he can take the time to get his shit together.
He does care about Steve. He does pay attention – and he’s going to prove it.
But in the meantime, the only thing Steve has asked for is space, so Eddie gives it to him. He retreats to the kitchen to let Steve pack up in peace, trying hard not to feel bereft at the thought of the gaps Steve will be leaving behind.
If he’s lucky—if he’s very, very lucky—it won’t be forever.
Part 5
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Tag List (drop me a line if you want on or off the ride): @bushbees @y0urnewstepp4r3nt @gleek4twd @hellfireone @westifer-dead @anne-bennett-cosplayer @starman-jpg @mugloversonly @swimmingbirdrunningrock @alycatavatar @y4r3luv @rhapsodyinalto @vinteraltus @lilpomelito @tillystealeaves @noctxrn-e
I did my best to catch everyone, but there were a few people Tumblr wouldn't let me tag. Sorry if I missed you!
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tarotwithavi · 1 month
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What are you manifesting right now?
( short Intuitive reading)
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How to choose a pile?
Close your eyes and take a deep breath and ask the angels to show you the right pile for you and open your eyes. The first pile that catches your attention is the right pile for you.
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Pile 1
You're manifesting a group of people who'll support you no matter what. I see that you seek genuine friendships. You'll be surrounded by people who'll want to see you win and succeed in life. I also see that you're manifesting friends from different cultures also. Like friends who'll teach you something new everyday. You're manifesting victories. In the upcoming weeks, everything you want will start coming into your life. Some of these things may be something you wanted a long time ago. Like an old wish may come true and you may not even realise that your wish came true until you see something that reminds you of your wish. I see a green card, so this may be your sign to do that thing you've been thinking of. Take that leap of faith.
Pile 2
I see that you're manifesting power and authority. Key words are dominance and respect. Some of you could be trying to have some kind of power over others, I'm also picking up on the message that some of you may be reading books on how to deal with people. "48 laws of power" just came into my mind so you may be reading it or it is your sign to read it. I also see that some of you may lose weight or gain weight depending on what you want. Or you may go through some physical change in your body. I also see that some of you may get a glow up. You'll be totally unrecognisable by the end of this year. Be careful of what you think of because I am getting that you're manifesting your thoughts right now.
Pile 3
Your manifestations may be something small or they'll start from small things like getting the hair brush that you wanted or having the moment that you dreamt of with your loved ones. I see that your manifestations will start from small things and they'll gradually get to bigger things like getting your dream job or getting into your dream relationship. But nonetheless you're manifesting your wildest dreams, like your wildest desires. I'm also seeing a red bow and red light? So this may be significant. Some of you may have done some candle spell and it's working. You'll Start seeing the results within a week or so. And if you haven't then I'll suggest doing one, remember, always use spells for the greatest good.
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pillow-anime-talk · 8 months
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his pregnant girl.
synopsis: A little slice of life scenes where his significant other is pregnant.
# tags: headcanons; current marriage relationships; slice of life; soft romance; mostly fluff; maybe a bit of comedy; pregnancy; mention of faint and vomit; sfw
includes: female reader ft. qin shi huang, adam, jack the ripper & nikola tesla {ror}
author’s note: i just woke up, thought about it and wrote it. enjoy :)
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— QIN SHI
↘ When Ying Zheng saw you for the first time, he thought you were the most beautiful woman he had ever seen; you had a lovely and gentle smile, your eyes sparkled in the sun like the most pretty gemstones, your skin looked healthy and tidy, and you were wearing a flowery dress that was perfect for the current weather in the city. That day, the Emperor went for a walk to the capital to see how his people were doing. However, the moment he saw you – when you were buying fresh fruit from one of the sellers – his thoughts were only focused on you and your blushes. On the same day you were brought to the palace as the first concubine, although you quickly felt something more for the King of China and he also felt the same in a very short time.
↘ Qin Shi Huang never had any more concubines; you completely occupied his mind and heart by being by his side until the very end. In the meantime, however, you began to spend private time with each other: talking, eating together and walking around the gardens in the huge palace. Those were really beautiful and memorable years for you.
↘ A few long months after your first meeting, after you moved into the palace, and after becoming the country’s first empress, a huge, loving smile lit up your face. The trusted doctor that day gave you very important information and as it turned out – you were pregnant. You almost cried at the news, thanking the doctor for his help. At first, you suspected food poisoning because of the morning sickness, but the information of having a small child under your heart, the fruit of your and the Emperor’s love, was the best thing that could have happened to you.
↘ As soon as your beloved returned to the mansion, you asked him for a private conversation. He instantly sent all the gathered guards away and took your hand. For a moment he was afraid that you were sick, that you didn’t love him, that you wanted to leave, but the truth turned out to be completely different.
↘ “...I’m pregnant.” You whispered a simple sentence, touching your slightly swollen tummy, and the man frowned. “The baby is doing well at the moment, but I was recommended daily visits because this will be our first kid.” You added quietly. After a short while, you felt a warm touch of fingers on your cheeks, and then a light kiss in the middle of your lips.
↘ “I am very happy, my Queen. I hope he or she will be born healthy.” He whispered and you nodded shyly. “Now you have to take care of yourself more than before. I’ll ask the maids to fill the tubs with warm water. If you want, I can join you. I want to see you.” He added directly to your ear and you blushed instantly on the cheeks. Even if Zheng was the Emperor, he was your husband in the first place... a bit of a playful and provocative husband.
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— ADAM
↘ You realized something was wrong when your tummy was bigger than it should have been – of course you could have blamed it on eating too much fruit or drinking too much water, but that wasn’t it. You felt different; a little insecure, a little weird. For the next few days you were looking for answers to your ailments, stomach pains, swollen fingers and ankles, slightly aching spine.
↘ “... Are you okay, Y/N?” A calm voice reached your ears and you looked up at the fair-haired, handsome man who was lying on his back in the grass and looking up at the night sky. You hesitantly touched your stomach, shaking your head. You already knew the answer to your question yesterday, but you were still getting ready to confess the truth to your partner. “Tell me what is going on.” He said, this time looking straight at your face. His eyes were calm, slightly tired, but still full of warmth.
↘ “I have... a child in me, Adam.” You spoke softly, almost inaudibly, but the man understood your words perfectly. He lifted his head a bit and then the whole body. A second later he walked over to you sitting on a flat rock. He touched your face hesitantly, looking for a bit of a joke in you, but when he couldn’t find one, he just smiled. “You are mad at me?”
↘ “Where did this idea come from?” He asked surprised as he sat down next to your person. His arm wrapped around your waist and his hand touched your swollen belly. “It’s mine, so I love it. I love you too.” He said confidently and you sighed in relief. “When will I be able to see her? Or him?”
↘ “Oh, I don’t know.” You admitted slightly amused, then touched your tummy as well. “Sometimes I feel it moving. I think it’s healthy.” You said, nodding your head and your lover hugged your body tighter to his. You looked definitely different than a few weeks ago, but still the most beautiful in Adam’s eyes. Your eyes were feisty, your hair got a beautiful golden flash, your complexion definitely improved.
↘ The state of blessedness was a time full of worries, but also assurances that you two will be fine.
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— JACK
↘ You and Jack have been trying for a baby for many months. Your relationship was strong and connected by marriage, so the child was the next stage of your love and confirmation of your feelings. However, it was difficult for you to predict whether the expected pregnancy was already developing in your womb or not yet; so far you have not felt any pain or nausea, on the contrary, you felt very well. Nevertheless, one day, you found a trusted doctor who had successfully provided prenatal care to many local pregnant women. After a short conversation with a middle-aged man, you were examined.
↘ “... I’ve been working for many years and if my experience doesn’t deceive me... I can say at this moment that you are expecting a baby.” He said in a calm tone. “All of my patients had the same symptoms as you, including amenorrhea and increased appetite. I can’t tell how many weeks the baby is currently, but I assume it’s the second or third month of pregnancy.” He added, and then on a slightly yellowed piece of paper he wrote you some recommendations for taking care of your health in the coming weeks. You almost passed out after leaving the cabinet, but the excitement was overwhelming in your mind. You quickly returned to your apartment in a small tenement house, where your partner was waiting for you.
↘ He was about to drop a cup of beautifully scented tea as soon as he looked into your eyes and noticed the bright orange aura surrounding you. Your aura was strong and visible like never before.
↘ “M-My darling, are you okay?” He asked anxiously as your hand embraced his much larger, slightly colder, hand. “Everything’s all right?” He asked again and you nodded your head, hugging his body as quickly as possible.
↘ “Honey, I think I’m pregnant. I went to the doctor and he said it’s the second or third month.” You whispered, a bit ashamed. Your partner looked at your belly and then at your pretty face. He instantly hugged you tighter, smiling. He was so happy and fulfilled.
↘ “My lady. Even that, we can make sure of the doctor’s words and talk about it in the bedroom, what do you think about it?” He said in a low voice, making your nose blush. You only nodded your head in response and a moment later the man lifted your body up.
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— NIKOLA
↘ You’ve known Nikola since... always. You were best friends who grew up together and over time started to feel something more about each other. Nikola was a man with a big heart, both for science and for people who were especially important to him – his beloved brother, the rest of his immediate family and, most of all, you.
↘ You were a harmonious couple who supported each other always and regardless of the situation. You were proud of your husband’s zeal and achievements, of his inventions, of his failures, of all his attempts, of his small and big mistakes, of his great desires, of his smile and much more. You supported him as much as you could, always offering him a hot meal, a sweet or a cup of fresh coffee. Sometimes you would come to his studio to spend some time with him and talk. Sometimes you helped him with his ideas and not infrequently your reasoning helped him get things going.
↘ Not one invention has been named after you or the first letter of your name.
↘ As an engineer’s wife, you knew many things; you could construct a simple mechanism, describe it, you could calculate difficult mathematical formulas and you read books with interest. So when your body started changing you knew you might be pregnant; all the girls close to you had similar or even the same symptoms as you. You’ve been thinking for a long time about telling the truth to a man who is currently dealing with his greatest work in life. But if you hadn’t done it then, you probably wouldn’t have had the courage to do it later.
↘ “... Honey, do you have a moment?” Upon entering his studio, you asked uncertainly, shaking a brown basket filled with food. Your lover nodded quickly and tightened the last screw, then came over to you, kissing your forehead. “Your favourite.” You added and he just chuckled and thanked you.
↘ You sat in carefree silence for a while. Your fingers brushed the hem of your dress and your eyes wandered from one corner of the room to the other. Finally, the man asked if you were feeling unwell. You sighed, playing with the sleeve of the clothes.
↘ “I’m pregnant, Nikola.” You giggled in your soul, looking at his face.
↘ A fork with a piece of meat fell on the table next to important papers and your husband looked at you in indescribable shock. It took him a moment to recalculate what you just said to him, and then he felt that the world around is getting darker... and darker.
↘ “Nikola?!” You screamed, catching his body falling to the side. Although the reaction at first scared you, the moment your partner woke up, you experienced the greatest love attack of your life. The man gave you soft kisses all over your face, shouting every now and then that he would be a father and that he would name his next invention after your son or daughter.
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purplewither · 2 months
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The thing is, I think the Morning Crew dynamic WAS going to change regardless of Fit and Pac confirming their romantic relationship or not.
Of course, confirming it just made it more clear and also to come faster. What I mean by the fact that it was going to happen anyway, it's two very simple factors that are two people: Mike and Bagi.
Tubbo was absent during most of Mike's reincorporation to the server, plus he was not present when Fit, Pac and Mike were THE trio that would be considered found family and be very close friends. The INSTANT I saw Tazercraft reunited and then met up with Fit, that trio found family dynamic came back FULL FORCE on my end, it was like nothing changed. The only thing that changed was that Fit and Pac were each others' romantic interests (they have just confessed when this happened) and Mike was very supportive of that. Other than that, it was like seeing those three together again months back before many tragedies happened.
So you have Mike, someone Tubbo barely knew, but both Fit and Pac are VERY close to. I saw him struggling a little bit to accept him, but I think he wasn't too bothered to consider him part of the dynamic because he was both too absent due to vacations and he did not think his presence could potentially mean changes at all, so why hurry trying to both spend time and meet more with this person? He only knew that Pac and Mike were REALLY close and that was it. Not knowing the history of Hideseektrio did not prepare him for the Morning Crew shift that was about to happen.
Bagi is a more different case. Of course, Tubbo already knew her, had a dynamic with her and they trust each other, but there was a significant change: She is now part of the morning shift.
Fit and Pac have already embraced her as part of the Morning Crew found family dynamic. This was proven STRONGLY the day Empanada lost a life, when they promised to avenge her daughter with her without hesitation and that they are on this together.
All of this considered, let's be honest: Fit and Pac have been basically going to dates and spending time together just the two of them for months. They confirmed their relationship recently, and of course, they do want to spend more time together and have more dates, but what they have offered to do to spend time together has not really changed compared to months prior.
Helping Pac with his builds was something that Fit was already doing. Pac helping Fit in any way he could was something he was already doing. The only significant difference is their confidence to flirt with each other AND in front of other people (and being new parents for each others' sons). Fit said it, they were already a family, they are just making it official for others.
The Morning Crew dynamic shifted in the sense that: More people got added into it.
If you look back to this week, Fit and Pac weren't even just with each other. One day, Fit has not met up with Tubbo, because he was with Bagi, making sure she and Empanada were okay and then going on a mission together. Other day, Pac has not met up with Tubbo, because he was with Mike modifying the Favela.
Even Mike and Bagi themselves. Bagi got distracted to meet up with Tubbo, because she was showing Mike around her base, since she trusts him now as part of the family, with even secrets that only few on the server know about.
And Fit and Pac do want Tubbo to be part of these dynamics. To join in the fun of a family that got bigger thanks to their relationship, because he is family too. They do not even recent him for trying to sabotage the date, they just want their friend to share their happiness with them, since they love him so much, they care about him so much.
But Tubbo has too many abandoment and self-worth issues to be able to enjoy this, to accept it. Fit and Pac dating was like the most obvious proof that the Morning Crew dynamic was going through shifts and it made him panic really badly. His response after his plans failed, was to give up, isolate and go away.
Fit and Pac do not want Tubbo to go away, but he's not seeing that. He is so convinced in his own head that it's over, that he's pushing the, now bigger, found family away instead.
It's like watching how a train gets more cars added, but as a result, one of the cars that were already there is letting go of it's grip with the others and is about to horribly crash soon.
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betty-bourgeoisie · 10 months
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The thing I find most concerning about the sudden and rapid declines of platforms like Twitter, Reddit, and to a lesser extent Discord and Facebook, is the loss of digital third places that will result from it.
[Definition: a Third Place is a space outside of work or the home that you spend a significant amount of time in. Usually a social gathering place like a church, library, park, or gym]
It's a known issue that physical third places are disappearing. Cities, malls, and shopping centers have cracked down hard on loitering, resulting in a lack of public space for people to just hang out in. Parks exist, but their use is usually dependent on weather conditions. Church attendance has been in decline for decades for a lot of reasons I won't get into here. Libraries exist but they're not a good place to talk with friends. And pretty much every other third place I can think of (bars, game stores, bookstores, coffee shops, etc) requires you to spend money if you want to be there. None of these are new observations, smarter people than myself have written whole books on the loss of in-person third places.
Social media has been filling in the gap left by these third places for the last couple of decades. As physical space has become less accessible we've migrated online to find community - and especially during COVID, social media was really the only place you could socialize with others. None of this is new information either.
But the current issue, that I've seen very few people talking about, is that companies are starting to price and bully people out of those digital third places the same way they did with physical third places. The difference is that it's happening much faster, and usually at the whim of just one or two people. These are not broader sociological trends slowly shutting down social spaces like what we saw with the decline of shopping malls. There will be no slow adjustment to another social medium. We are seeing individual billionaires making a choice in real time to monetize people out of some of the only public social spaces we have left.
I've seen people bemoaning the loss of information that comes with these sites collapsing, but personally, I am far more concerned with the loss of social space. Don't get me wrong, social media of all kinds is an absolute nightmare, but for many people (and especially for teenagers who have more restrictions on where they can go and what money they can spend) online space is one of the only places they can reliably go to socialize.
In a country like the U.S. where the federal government is calling loneliness an epidemic this is actually a much bigger concern than I think a lot of people realize. How many people have more online friends than in-person ones? What happens to rates of loneliness as social media platforms become inaccessible and people lose those connections?
Obviously, the preferred answer is that people will go make more friends in person, but remember that in-person social spaces have already been severely limited. This is not the easy option that you might hope it is.
My actual call to action on this is to fucking fight to get your in-person third places back. Talk to your local representatives about repealing loitering laws - organize protests or ballot initiatives about it if you have to. Work with rotary clubs and parks departments to fund new public restrooms and park shelters. If there are places in your community that provide free workshop spaces/ game nights/ art walks/ etc go to them and support them financially when and if you're able. Go to your local library and check out a book so they get more funding! I know this shit can be boring, but things are only going to get worse if people don't have places where they can connect with each other. We can't keep letting capitalists take community spaces from us.
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nayatarot777 · 1 month
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What Do You Need To Know Right Now?
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• Pile One •
You’ve been in a state of sadness due to some difficult change that you’ve been experiencing. You might be listening to sad music or indulging in any other form of sorrowful art forms. There’s a new belief about love that’ll bless you due to encountering someone who you seem vastly different to. Someone who you never thought you would’ve meshed so well with - but luck will be on your side with this person. I am seeing that you’ll probably keep yourself in this low emotional state around them - and if not, then you’ll take on a stoic and inexpressive approach towards them (which is understandable). They’ll still stick around and show you expressions of love and care 😂. There is a message to put your faith into this situation though. You’ve been in this sadness for a while. It’s time for some happiness that can be shared with another.
Significant numbers/signs: 5, 27, Sagittarius
• Pile Two •
You’ve done A LOT of healing. You’re experiencing a major awakening thanks to this and the signs of a new start within your life is with you already. This new start will include uncharted territory and the unknown - however, it’ll involve a lot of transmutation of energy that you’ve accumulated from all of this healing that you’ve done. You’ve recognised it, so now it’s time to use it to benefit you. Your angels and guides have constantly been around you throughout this period of shedding and ego deaths, and they’ve already left you many signs of what’s to come soon. This healing energy that you’ve gathered for yourself can be used for the next phase of your healing journey. Your healing holds the answers to questions that your conscious mind would like to know (or would benefit from knowing).
Significant numbers/signs: 21, 4, Something significant could start for you around the next new moon.
• Pile Three •
Someone who could be a soulmate/who you have a soul connection with is bothering you. This could definitely be the energy of someone from your past, and their energy refuses to leave you alone. They’re trying to come back and invade your personal space. Let them know exactly how you feel. Be your true self - the self that shows your anger towards their invasion of your energy. You need to look at the bigger picture. You might be getting caught up on the fact that this person is connected to you on a soul level - but they’re still another person in this world who should be giving you your space and who should be respecting your boundaries. It’s about time that you bring a close to your beliefs about putting soulmates up on a pedestal above yourself and your own wishes. Be authentic and show this person how you truly feel about their antics.
Significant numbers/signs: 14, 8, Aries, Sagittarius, Something pertaining to this could happen around the next full moon.
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hotyanderedaddies · 4 months
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How to Tell if Your Boyfriend is a Werewolf
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[I have no idea what a “NERP” is 😅]
·゜·:.。..。.:·☆·゜·:.。..。.:·☆
So you think that your boyfriend might be a werewolf. Luckily for you, there are a set of questions that you can ask yourself to know for sure:
Is your boyfriend bigger than the average male?
Not just down there, but is your boyfriend really big? Is he kinda built? Werewolves tend to possess genes that cause them to easily outsize the average human. Take note of whenever you and your man enter into a room; if he’s the tallest one and the most muscular there, then odds are that he’s a werewolf. This goes especially for alphas!
2.  Does your boyfriend growl at other people who approach you?
Werewolves are notoriously territorial creatures. And if you’re dating one, then they’ll definitely be territorial over you. Depending on the werewolf, he might growl at other guys (or even girls) who approach you in public to chat you up, or sometimes he might even bare his teeth at a barista who’s simply asking for your order. Next time the two of you are out in public, take note. If your man jealously growls whenever someone else steals your attention away from him, he might be werewolf!
3.  Do all of your belongings somehow smell like your boyfriend?
Like most canines, werewolves like to put their scent on what they view as theirs. And Reader, if you’re dating a werewolf, then in their eyes, you belong to them. Hence, if you aren’t congested and you take a whiff of your clothes, bed, car— anything that you use on a daily basis, try to tell if it smells suspiciously like your boyfriend. If your man is a werwolf, then he one-hundred percent scented your belongings so that his scent clings to you. It’s a way he can show other werewolves that you’re off limits since you’re his.
4.  Does your boyfriend avoid silver?
Silver isn’t just a gorgeous metal, but it’s also deadly to werewolves. It can burn their skin and silver dust in the air at some jewelry shops can prove to be toxic. Therefore, if your boyfriend asks you not to wear your beautiful silver bracelet whenever you’re out on a date, then he might be a werewolf. Or maybe you just can’t pull off silver? 
5.  Does your boyfriend disappear once a month?
If your boyfriend mysteriously vanishes one night out of the month, then take the time to check the nighttime sky. If there’s a full moon outside, then he might be a werewolf. If he belongs to a pack, then most alphas prohibit pack members from revealing their werewolf status to humans— at least until marriage (talk about a shocking honeymoon). If he’s rogue, meaning he doesn’t belong to a pack, then he might just be afraid of how you’ll react to the fact that he’s a werewolf. Most werewolves have difficulty controlling their animalistic instincts on nights of the full moon, hence he might steer clear from you to protect you… or prevent himself from mounting you nonstop.
6.  Is your boyfriend very touchy?
Wolves are pack animals, and they tend to be pretty handsy with their fellow pack members to show their affection. Werewolves are the same, especially with their significant others. Does your boyfriend smother you in cuddles and kisses whenever you enter the room? When you’re out in public, does your boyfriend NEED to hold your hand or have his arm secured around your shoulders? If your special guy refuses to let any inch of space in between the two of you, you might be dating a werewolf.
7.  Does your boyfriend enjoy belly rubs?
Werewolves often roll over onto their backs during cuddle time, giving their darling a puppy-eyed look as they ask for a good belly rub. If your boyfriend loves your hands all over his chest, the act turning him into mush, then he might be a werewolf. Good news is that it’s a surefire technique to turn a big scary werewolf into a giddy puppy.
8.  When having sex, does your boyfriend howl when he climaxes?
Yes, that happens sometimes.
9.  Does your boyfriend claim to have trouble sleeping without you?
Werewolves usually have a pack mentality, meaning that they stick together in groups. This carries over to sleep, in which a werewolf finds it near impossible to fall asleep without their darling in their arms. If your boyfriend constantly tangles himself up with you in bed, and you wake up using him as your pillow, then it’s quite possible that he’s a werewolf.
10. And most importantly: Is your boyfriend really, REALLY possessive of you?
Again, as stated earlier, werewolves are extremely territorial creatures. And if you’re dating one, this fierce possessiveness extends to you. Pay close attention to your boyfriend. Does he growl at people who approach you? Does he seem to always know your whereabouts, almost as if he just “conveniently” keeps showing up? Has he ever said the specific phrase, “You’re Mine”? Have you ever tried to leave and he blocks the door, or tries to lock you away? If your boyfriend insists on keeping you all to himself at all times, then he’s definitely a werewolf!
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kalki-tarot · 5 months
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Channeled messages you need right now✨️ 🪷
Pick a picture by intuition ♡
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This may not resonate with everyone, take what resonates and leave the rest ♡ always remember that you are the creator of your own destiny.
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Move on from what's not meant for you, leave things behind for your own mental health. Remember you have a lot of other options too.
Wow! You are being blessed with Emotional fulfillment and wealth by the divine. Take that decision fast!
The decision may feel impulsive or rushed to you but this may turn out to be the best decision of your life.
A wish of yours is gonna get fulfilled, or you're gonna achieve fame in the near future.
I see a vision of you in a party or a wedding. And you may have a fight or competition there.
If you're thinking of starting a new venture or changing places, or even international travel, do it! It'll give you a sense of justification and satisfaction.
You or someone in your friend group may buy a new vehicle.
If you're growing tight on money, don't worry, this phase will go away on it's own.
Someone in your friend circle will show you their real face, they can be a masculine energy with earth signs. They may leave you heartbroken or betrayed but you need to be thankful that such people are getting out of your life and be neutral about this situation, don't let it affect you in any way.
Black and white color, white cats and clocks can be significant or a sign from universe for you if you asked for one. So pay attention to things around you.
I see mountains and a river with lots of greenery, maybe your mental health is finally recovering and you're getting in alignment or on track finally.
Let me - Zayn malik can be significant.
You may get emotional clarity by the next crescent moon. Your blocked emotions will release and you'll gain stability and clarity. You'll get a direction or a path to follow.
The emotional release can be about some childhood trauma or even heartbreak, deep emotional pain.
Zindagi do pal ki - KK can be significant, especially the last verse.
You may frequently ask god that why you were given so much pain and harships in life. But remember that each circumstance has a deeper meaning behind it. Everything serves a purpose in life, so take the bad times as a lesson. You're meant for something bigger.
I can see the presence of a male figure in your life, who's very wise and thoughtful. They'll teach you some things about life, which will help you.
Your angels/guides/universe, whatever you believe in, has their eye on you. They are protecting you behind the scenes. Their presence is always there to help you.
Your heart or throat chakra can be imbalanced. Please do some meditation or even try therapy for it. You need to work on these two chakras very much for your own good.
Lord Shiva is protecting you or they can be your guide.
Lord Ganesha is watching over you and protecting you too.
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Don't fight or resist change. Be calm and let things happen on their own.
Divine wants to do some intervention but your attitude towards life is not helping it at all. A cycle is being closed.
If you are a feminine, a masculine energy will woo you in some social gathering or a party. I see people around you, so it can be a public place. Trust your intuition with this person. It's love at first sight.
Your fears are coming in between your success and divine union. Don't let your fears run your life. Trust the universe.
This state of indecisive is coming to an end. Don't let memories or past heartbreaks come in between.
You are undergoing a transformation. The new "you" will be very clear minded and creative.
Do some self introspection. Reanalyse your toxic cycles.
Your shadow self needs some more time to heal.
Pay attention to red butterflies, it's a sign.
June / July months of any year can be significant.
Bol do na zara - Arman Malik
444 or 44 is significant for you.
Any financial unstablity is coming to an end.
Don't be too materialistic, don't make your lust an obsession.
Leave behind past memories, don't dwell into nostalgia so much.
By doing so, you are blocking a new beginning in your life.
Don't be too afraid to speak up for yourself.
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reasonsforhope · 6 months
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Seven thousand more UAW members just walked off the job, expanding the strike to two more plants. Twenty-five thousand autoworkers are now on strike, and the walkout could continue to escalate if the Big Three don’t budge in negotiations.
[UAW president Shawn] Fain announced that Stellantis would be spared this time. The union had been expected to strike all three companies, but, said Region 1 director LaShawn English, three minutes before Fain was scheduled to go on Facebook Live, the UAW received frantic emails from company representatives.
[Note: Love that for the UAW. Also laughing so hard. Three minutes before the next round of strikes were annouced!!]
According to Fain, Stellantis made “significant progress” on cost-of-living allowances, the right not to cross a picket line, and the right to strike over product commitments and plant closures. “We are excited about this momentum at Stellantis and hope it continues,” Fain said...
“See You Next Week — Maybe?”
“These guys wanted to go out a long time ago,” said Cody Zaremba, a Local 602 member at the Lansing GM plant after the news broke that his plant would be joining the strike. “We’re ready. Everybody, truly, I believe, in the entire membership. They’re one with what’s going on.”
Five thousand workers at thirty-eight parts distribution centers across twenty-one states have been on strike since last Friday [September 22, 2023], along with thirteen thousand at three assembly plants in Michigan, Ohio, and Missouri who walked out on September 15. (See a map of all struck facilities here.) ...
The UAW is now calling on community supporters to organize small teams to canvass dealerships that sell and repair Big Three cars and trucks. On Tuesday, the union issued a canvassing tool kit with instructions, flyers, press releases, and talking points.
In negotiations with Ford and GM, autoworkers have clinched some important gains. Among them is an agreement by both companies to end at least one of the many tiers in current contracts, putting workers at certain parts plants back on the same wage scale as assembly workers. The top rate for Big Three assembly workers is currently around $32...
Ford was spared in last week’s escalation, because bargainers there had made further progress on gains for workers.
But today, the UAW once again called out workers at Ford and GM, putting some muscle behind its bold demands — a big wage boost, a shorter workweek, elimination of tiers, cost-of-living adjustments tied to inflation, protection from plant closures, conversion of temps to permanent employees, and the restoration of retiree health care and benefit-defined pensions to all workers.
-via Jacobin, September 29, 2023. Article continues below.
Keep Them Guessing
This year, for the first time in recent history, the union has played the three auto companies against each other with its strike strategy, departing from the union’s tradition of choosing one target company and patterning an agreement at the other two.
The stand-up strike strategy draws inspiration from an approach known as CHAOS (Create Havoc Around Our System), first deployed in 1993 by Alaska Airlines flight attendants, who announced they would be striking random flights. Although they struck only seven flights in a two-month period, Alaska had to send scabs on every plane, just in case. The unpredictability drew enormous media attention and drove management up the wall. Meanwhile the union was able to conserve its strength and minimize risk.
The companies miscalculated where the UAW was going to strike first, stockpiling engines and shipping them cross-country to the wrong facilities. Autoworkers relished the self-inflicted supply chain chaos on UAW Facebook groups and other social media platforms.
Nonstrikers’ morale on the factory floor has gotten a boost from rank and filers organizing to refuse voluntary overtime. With support both from Fain and the reform caucus Unite All Workers for Democracy (UAWD), workers have been encouraging each other to “Eight and Skate,” meaning to turn down extra work and decline to do management any favors.
Majority Public Support
A majority of Americans support the UAW strikers, and the Big Three have taken a PR hit since the strike began, according to a new survey conducted by the business intelligence firm Caliber.
“Eighty-seven percent of respondents told us they were aware of the strike,” Caliber CEO Shahar Silbershatz told the Intercept. “It’s clear the strike is not just causing commercial repercussions, but reputational repercussions as well.”
These reputational repercussions will only worsen...
"We Can Unmake It"
Fain didn't pull any punches in his speech... “That’s what’s different about working-class people. Whether we’re building cars or trucks or running parts distribution centers; whether we’re writing movies or performing TV shows... we do the heavy lifting. We do the real work. Not the CEOs, not the executives.
"And though we don’t know it, that’s what power is. We have the power. The world is of our making. The economy is of our making. This industry is of our making.
“And as we’ve shown, when we withhold our labor, we can unmake it.”
-via Jacobin, September 29, 2023
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Think Better Of Me - Charles Leclerc
As per request from @savior-of-the-martians-ohh (First request, thank you so much!) - Could you possibly right one where Charles bumps into the reader and thinks she’s absolutely clueless about cars and was only a fan cause of netflix? But she keeps on popping up at more races and other events, and it’s because she works as a car designer specifically for Ferrari or Fiat. Just like a total subtle tony stark vibe lol
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There’s been plenty of fans who have showed up in the paddock having bought paddock passes or won them, sometimes the team members will bring guests. There’s all sort if people who end up in the paddock. So when Charles spots a young woman stood with Carlos talking, he assumes from her attire and his lack of recognition that she must be a fan. 
A very gorgeous fan. Though he won’t be saying so much without a proper introduction.
“Carlos, introduce me.” Charles smiles walking up only for Carlos to be called to get inside the unit. They must need him for something specifically since Charles would be called for too otherwise. 
“I’m sure you can introduce yourself.” Carlos chuckles then taking off when there’s more sternness behind the voice calling his name.
Charles watches him leave while the young woman has already flushed enough to nearly match the Ferrari red of her top.
“I’m y/n, it’s nice to finally meet you.” Y/n states once he turns back to face her. “Don’t worry, you require no introduction.”
“Ah, and how long have you been a fan of the sport?” Charles asks and while he doesn’t make it too obvious, there’s a hint of condescension in his tone that she is not amiss to.
“Well I mean quite a while but-” “Have you watch the show too? On Netflix? It’s got a whole new wave of fans like you interested in the sport.” Charles states making her jaw almost drop. But she manages to withhold her instinctual reaction and hide her initial offence over such an assumption. “You must be a big fan of Ferrari.”
She takes a moment nearly wanting to laugh at this man and his clearly assumptions based purely off of fact that she’s a woman in the paddock wearing Ferrari uniform. Obviously she’s no stranger to the sexist tendencies of Formula 1 as a sport. Dominated by men and while women are growing more significant in positions across the board, ultimately (like most sports) it’s for men and men tend to assume that women are there because they find athletes attractive.
Perhaps she shouldn’t have assumed that Charles would be any better than any of the engineers, mechanics or most of the Ferrari team she’s become familiar with. 
She’s worked hard to get where she is, especially at such a young age. To be minimised down to nothing more than a female fan who would chop off an arm and a leg to have a conversation with never mind be at the forefront of his attention and be receiving a smirk with a glint in his eye that she does feel making her stomach flip for reasons she’s not proud of.
“I’m a huge fan of Ferrari, but I actually should be off. I’m a much bigger fan of Red Bull and I think I just saw Max.” Y/n smiles politely before she takes off moving around him while he frowns feeling quite rudely treated by the young woman who seemed taken by him until she went quiet for a few moments.
-----
Charles had a few moments that he thought about the young woman dressed in Ferrari. 
“Y/n? You are here again.” Charles frowns then having noticed that she just came from the Ferrari garage.
“I am here again.” She states shortly, uncaring of the cold tone toward him but he seems more interested than last time and almost amused by her attitude. 
“I understand Ferrari needs to improve but surely you are not one to blame the driver alone.” Charles jokes, assuming her cold nature is due to Ferrari very obviously underperforming this season.
“Carlos has been driving well given the circumstances.” She comments dryly looking bored and uninterested in Charles’ company and conversation. “I have somewhere to be, is there something you needed?”
“No. Please, go ahead.” Charles murmurs with a small frown, quite offended by her lack of interest in him. Especially when seeing her again, he could’ve sworn he’s seen her fairly present throughout the weekend and now he’s getting more curious with her being so stand-off-ish.
Realistically she knows that his assumptions aren’t entirely out of the norm, but she sort of expected more of Charles. Especially when she’s in the team who design Ferrari’s car. Sure, she is working on Carlos’ car and the teams rarely cross over in terms of interacting with the drivers in the garages.
“You should just tell him.” Carlos states after having sat through her ranted about Charles attitude toward her. “He will be sorry for what he has said so far.”
Carlos has formed a friendship with the young woman, and he found amusement in hearing about how his teammate has approached the young woman who is very intelligent and a crucial player in the team. She has made some suggestions for the upgrades which in testing have shown very hopeful progress.
“I just can’t believe him.”
“You didn’t react like this when I introduced you to Lando and he was similar in the way he spoke to you.” Carlos laughs before he grins at her. “Do you have some other thoughts about Charles that you might want to share?”
“I am not here to flirt with drivers.” Y/n grumbles bitterly then rolling her eyes as he looks at her with a testing look. “I have work to do.”
-----
There was a few more run-ins between Charles and y/n that held no more of a kinder attitude from y/n towards Charles. 
“Y/n, I see you again.” Charles smiles which makes her attempted escape since she saw him and hoped to avoid yet another run in. “You must be someone’s family or friend to be here so often.”
“Must I?” She frowns crossing her arms, her temper on the edge. 
“Well you are here every race. It’s that or you are very rich and chasing one of the drivers. In which case...I’m beginning to think it’s not me.” Charles states which doesn’t improve her expression. “Why do I feel like I’m saying something wrong?”
“Your gut instinct might be wise to follow on this occasion.” Y/n hums almost looking...hopeful (?) in that he might be progressing towards redemption without her aid. Though she’s certain Carlos is beginning to lose patience with his teammate and her.
“What have I said?”
Y/n hates to be one of them women who says “you should know” or “if you don’t know, then I’m not telling you”. But the temptation to do exactly that is more than appealing. However, she is better than that.
“I work for Ferrari. I am not a fan-well I am but not in the way you have been assuming. But my point is that I work as part of the team who design the car. It’s quite insulting for you to assume that I am only here purely because of an attraction to a driver or that I have not worked incredibly hard to get here and be trusted with this sort of work.” Y/n states leaving Charles sort of speechless. “So excuse me if I don’t find it overly appealing to be friends when you have been less than complimentary of how you see me here and have made no attempt to even ask.”
It’s not surprise that she walks away and while she feels almost triumphant in her words and actions. Charles is feeling guilty and regretful. 
“That was amazing to witness.” Carlos states making Charles jump since he had no idea that Carlos was even in the vicinity. “I did ask her to just let me tell you but she said no.” 
“Thanks that is helpful information now.” Charles grumbles sarcastically while Carlos sighs at him. 
“Do not worry, I have observed your growing obsession with her. The entire paddock has. Even Yuki was asking me about it.” Carlos admits earning another unimpressed expression. “I will help you fix this. Let’s go, the sooner the better. I don’t want her ruining my car because you have upset her.”
-----
Charles knows it might be a bigger mistake to trap y/n in a room of the Ferrari unit as he way of gaining some redemption, but Carlos assured him this would work.
So when she walks in the room looking down at her phone in mid-conversation with Carlos by her side she hardly recognises that he’s suddenly stepped back out the room giving Charles a thumbs up before he closes the door and locks it making her head whip up as she turns to look at the door.
“Hey! Carlos, what are you doing?!” Y/n exclaims banging on the door.
“Turn around, you are not allowed out till-” Before he even finishes the sentence she has turned, spotted Charles and turned back to the door.
“This is abduction! Or false imprisonment for the record!” Y/n yells through the door before her shoulders slump and she turns to face Charles. “I assume this was for your benefit?”
“I owe you an apology.” Charles states while she remains silent waiting for him to continue with what he has to say. “I spoke to you without any respect and...I am sorry for that. You are clearly a very intelligent young woman and very beautiful but that does not excuse my behaviour.”
“Charles this really isn’t necessary.” She mumbles suddenly a little more shy, her initial anger seeming to have fizzled away a little as her frown softens while she looks at him. 
“Spaghetti carbonara is your favourite, yes?” Charles asks almost nervously, moving to reveal the meal. “I will not pretend I did this on my own. But I do hope it will leave a better taste in your mouth when you see me.” 
Y/n wants to insist that he at least didn’t need to lock her in a room with the aid of his teammate to make this happen, but in truth, perhaps he did. She’d been fairly hurt by his assumptions and the attitude he’d had with her. But honestly she is not one to hold so much of a grudge that she’d never get over it. Especially once the truth was out. 
“Shall we eat?” Charles asks still looking nervous and hopeful that this is going to work in his favour.
She manages as a smile and sits down with him tucking the chair in for her before moving around to sit across from her. 
Despite any initial awkwardness, y/n makes the effort to hold conversation and actually the tension melts away into more than comfortable conversation and progress is made.
“I am obviously very grateful for your input with the car and I admire you greatly for the joy that you do.” Charles states then sucking in a breath. “I would love if we could go on another date...if we are counting this one?”
“This is a very good date, although questionable. It is a good date.” Y/n smiles with a light nod as she picks up one of the mini cheesecakes. “For the record, if this is what I have the opportunity to get if you mess up again then I’m not going to complain again.”
-----
After the initial break through, Charles and y/n have been inseparable. Carlos is almost a little annoyed that she’s not as close with him anymore.
“Hello, belle.” Charles grins creeping into Carlos’ side of the garage which earns a groan.
“She is working.” Carlos states while y/n looks at him with a small smile.
“She works for both cars, just uses yours the most.” Charles argues as he pulls her back against him. “How is everything going? Have we got a race winning car yet?”
Y/n grimaces a little and keeps quiet while another engineer takes the questions despite it being a question directed at y/n. It really sucks not being able to improve the car enough that they think it’ll be so much better when they get to the end of the year. 
It feels like the saving grace will come in the form of next year’s car. But she doesn’t want to say that when they’ve got more than half the year left. 
“Can you take your lunch?” Charles asks making her look at him with a weak smile but the concern in his eyes proves that he knows something is weighing on her. It’s the same the rest of the time, but his concern lies solely on her. As much as he cares for the team, overall he really has concern for her. “Please?”
“Yeah, I could use a break to be honest.”
“We’ll be in the unit for a meeting soon so just come straight there once you’re done.” One of the engineers states making her nod and smile at him before she allows Charles to guide her out of there. 
Once they’re sitting in Charles driver room, since Charles apparently just wants some space from others. He sighs looking at her with a soft smile.
“It is not your fault, you are new to the team...you didn’t even play a part in the design of this car-and you are helping to design next year’s car while trying to fix things things for this year. You should not feel responsible.”
“That’s easy for you to say. It’s not your job to improve the car.” Y/n murmurs then wincing. “Sorry. Sorry, you’re trying to help and I’m so busy ripping into myself. You’re the one who is suffering from this most.”
Charles understands just how much it sucks to feel the burden of Ferrari not doing well, but he also knows that it’s not down to just one person who is to blame. Even if it was, it certainly wouldn’t be y/n who is that person. 
“We will get through this together. You are the brains and I am the...the opposite to what that is.” Charles states making the young woman look at him with a grateful eyes. “Plus now we have each other, this year has just gotten significantly better.”
Y/n doesn’t take much joy in saying that Charles might be right, mainly because he has an inflated ego as it is. She definitely doesn’t need to make him cockier than he already is.
“So, are we going to eat, or not?”
“Yes. If only because food always seems to improve you mood.” Charles laughs then taking her hand again and kissing the back of it. “Mon amour.”
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intuitively-her · 4 months
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What career fits you best?
Pile 1-(6 of wands, The Star, The Moon, The Magician, 6 of swords rx, 6 of cups rx, 8 of cups, 2 of wands, The Devil rx, 5 of wands rx, Knight of wands, King of pentacles, 10 of cups)
You need to be in the spotlight!📸 Someone here wants to be an actor/actress. Or maybe you like to perform in theatre? Burlesque dancer? For someone specific, this is something you wanted to do since you were a kid. Your confidence is out of this world! It needs to be showcased on a stage somewhere.🤩 More people should know your name. Get into some acting classes if you can. For someone specific, you should get into a dance class. Someone here needs to take an etiquette class. Or something related to speech and communication. For some of you, this will require you to move somewhere new. Atlanta, Texas, or California could be significant.🌍 Something about this career could be unconventional. Performing naked/half dressed? Idk I keep getting a sexual theme here. This career will bring in endless abundance for you.📈 You possess many skills. It's like one day you're playing an extra in some movie, and then the next you're doing a big show on Broadway. You shouldn't limit yourself with your creativity in your line of work. There's nothing you can't do pile 1!🌠
🎶channeled songs: R.I.P by playboi carti & Cameras by drake
Pile 2-(4 of swords, The Hermit, Knight of swords, Page of cups, The Moon rx, Death, The World, Wheel of fortune, 9 of pentacles)
This is my artistic pile.🎨 Someone here could be into graphic design? Or clothing design. Your style of art is unpredictable. You set the trends. Realism art? Someone here could be into mural art. Your art could have a morbid nature to it. If so, people love this. You might primarily work from home. In your own little sanctuary.🏡 You could like to create art that "speaks" to people. Or you like to create art that evokes emotion from the audience. Someone here likes to draw cartoons? Reflect on your childhood for better inspiration. Maybe something you used to draw as a kid? A childhood t.v. show? You wanna contribute to the public and give back to people through "art". You're a very down to earth person in general and can get along with just about anyone. Use that skill to network with others in your field. It would be very beneficial for you.
Pile 3-(The Empress, The Hierophant, 4 of wands, 10 of cups, 5 of pentacles, Knight of swords, 3 of pentacles rx, Ace of cups, Wheel of fortune)
You would make an amazing teacher!🏫 For someone specific, you should look into spiritual teaching. Or maybe working in the church? You could be in the middle of a career change right now. Someone here wants to run a daycare? Or teach small children. You make others feel comfortable. People love how you're easily vulnerable with them.🫶🏽 You're an open book to most. Someone here would make a great therapist. People might've seen you cry before. Or you're often a shoulder to cry on for others. You're very good at consoling others. It pretty much comes natural to you. You're the type of mother that others wish they had growing up. Someone here could be newly pregnant or nursing.🤱🏽 For someone specific, your cooking is the best! There's no one that compares to you in the kitchen.🤣 Someone here could be in a feminist organization? Or you should try one. Many would describe you as a "godsend". You make others feel at home, always. You always know what to say at the right time. Your advice makes people see the bigger picture. It makes everyone around you want to be a better person.💫
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saturnbellfromhell · 11 months
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WHAT I THINK OF YOUR VENUS SIGN part I.
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So after taking a month long break unexpectedly, I'm back with something fresh and fun to get myself back on track. I've already had a post like this, but it got flagged for inappropriate language. So this time, I'm toning it down a little. This is my SUBJECTIVE view on the Venus signs, so don't take it personally. For the record I'm an earth Venus, so if you experience some similarities, comment down below so we can discuss! With that being said, shall we get started?
🟫ARIES VENUS
For some odd reason, Aries Venuses always pop up in my life. As a boyfriend or as a lover, the main thing I love about them is how forward they are with their emotions. They can be love bombers, so watch out. But in my experience, they just want to skip to the good part. No caution what so ever. In love they are so playful, gitty, humorous and down to earth. They are always very fiery and exciting in the bedroom. If you want to have a summer fling, get yourself an Aries Venus, you will never forget it. Not saying they are only for that, when being in a relationship with them, you really have to keep things fresh and new, otherwise they will get bored and move on fast.
🟫TAURUS VENUS
O my, now of course since I am an earth Venus, this one really gets me. They just smother the hell outta me every time I meet them. Very grounded and patient in love. You won't really see a Taurus Venus jump from relationship to relationship. They are so passionate, loving and caring it can sometimes be too good to be true. Until...the jealousy appears. Tauruses in my perspective are very calm, cuddly and cute, until they feel insecure. Than they can become absolute hell. Make sure to reasure your Taurus Venus partner and shower them with affection and romance. Their love language is a mix of cuddling, acts of service and words of affermation. I really can't pin just one. They also love giving and receiving gifts. Such divas, I know.
🟫GEMINI VENUS
This Venus placement is not for the weak. First of all you have to be a very talkative and amusing individual to even grab their attention. Secondly, if your going to try to change their views on romance, love, marriage...think again. Gemini Venus is the sign that lives for an adventurous partner. They love their freedom more than anything. They're also the one's to not be very stuck on their ex, in my experience. They just go on with their life. Not the lovey dovey, die for you placement, but a very different experience if you ask me! This can vary if their is a lot of water in the chart, of course.
🟫CANCER VENUS
Want to stay in bed and kiss/cuddle all day? Well than Cancer Venus people are for you! They are the queens and kings of doing things for other people. So yes, their love language is acts of service and also psychical touch! They love to be hugged and kissed and all the time. They can be quite clingy sometimes and not want to leave the house, since they feel the safest that way. They are very emotional, intuitive and can get easily hurt. When being hurt they back away and look at the bigger picture. They are also a sign that in my perspective only goes good with another Cancer Venus or Pisces/Scorpio Venus.
🟫LEO VENUS
I've written about Leo Venuses in the past in one of my observation posts, but I'll say it again. They are not my cup of tea, but I absolutely adore them. They are the one's who want their significant other to shine all the way. They put their partners on pedestals and shower them in gifts and affection. They are not the one's to shy away from PDA or any semi sexual talk/act with their loved one. They are always risky in the bedroom, but like it their way. Their love language is for sure words of affermation and physical touch!
🟫VIRGO VENUS
I've grown up with two Virgo Venuses my whole life. My mom and dad are both Virgo Venuses and what I've learned from them and others is that this sign takes the crown for acts of service when it comes to love language department. They aren't the one's to be super romantic and clingy, but they show their love in other ways. They can be a little critical of their partner, but it isn't in a mean way. What they want is their partner being/becoming more successful. They love to do something and show to their partner, it puts a smile on their face when they validated threw their actions.
× Keep in mind while the sign in which Venus is is very important, where they act is in the houses. So of course an Aries Venus in the 1st house is nothing like an Aries Venus in the 9th house! Yes they have some similarities, but are nothing alike.
Like for part 2 if you enjoyed this!
xoxo n.k
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mydearesthrry · 8 months
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forever - h.s.
a/n: small blurbs are a majority of what im gonna be pushing out for the next few days as i try to write out the first few chapters of my new short series, the first chapter already has 4k+ and i havent even gotten to the meat of it. i hope you enjoy this!
🎀 warnings/cw: fluff :(, husband!harry which in my eyes is a warning of its own
🐇 pairing: newlywed!reader x newlywed!harry styles
💐 wc: 530
summary: harry and his wife’s first dance a married couple. (listen to forever by the beach boys while reading for full experience!!!)
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“And now for the part of the night that our newest bride and groom have been waiting for, the first dance as husband and wife!” Gemma says into the microphone, gesturing for Y/N and Harry to stand in the middle of the dance floor. 
They walk to the middle hand in hand, Harry turning to walk backwards, hands in both of hers now as he leads her to the middle. He has the biggest, most lovesick smile on his face, bright enough to put the moon herself to shame. Y/N has an identical smile on her face, and Harry swears he could have a heart attack just by how beautiful she looks tonight. When they end up in the middle, they pull each other in for a soft embrace, Y/N resting her head on his shoulder as the music starts. 
If every word I said could make you laugh,
I’d talk forever (together my love)
I asked the sky just what we had, 
And it shone forever
They swayed side to side, tears filling both of their eyes. They slow danced to this song at their first formal as boyfriend and girlfriend, and since then it’s held the utmost significance to them. “Can y’believe that we’re married now?” Harry whispered into his wife’s ear. 
She smiled against his neck. “No, my love. I really can’t. It hasn’t kicked in yet, if I’m being honest. However, I can’t wait to get to the hotel and cuddle with you, my feet hurt so much.” 
Harry chuckled. “Well, as a part of my husbandly duties, I say we sit on the sofa and watch a romcom, if y’want me to I can rub y’feet.” 
“What? Oh my god, if I’d known that it would just take us being married for you to rub my feet I would’ve married you years ago.” She gasped, knowing the weird fear Harry had of feet. 
He snorted and rolled his eyes, knowing she would know what he did, and she was right. Smacking the back of his neck softly, she giggled, “Don’t roll your eyes at me, drama queen. We both know I wanted to marry you since you asked me to be your girlfriend.” 
“Yes I do, my love.”
Let the love I have for you
Live in your heart
And be forever
Forever, forever
I’ve been so happy loving you
“D’you remember at our formal, when we danced to this for the first time? M’hands we’re so sweaty, and I had Gems teach me how to slow dance with a girl. She stopped because she got annoyed that I kept stepping on her feet, but I tried!” He giggled into her ear, making her heart grow 5x bigger. 
“I didn’t, sweet boy. Thought that you just had the natural dancer gene.” She said honestly, but if she wasn’t embarrassed enough to say it, she would tell you that she could nearly cry because of how sweet that was. 
“Yep, bruised toes and all, but hey, it worked out, didn’t it?” Harry smiled. 
“Tremendously. I love you, Mr Styles.” 
“I love you forever, Mrs. Styles.” 
I’m gonna love you in your way
Forever
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lila-lou · 1 month
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✨ His only exception - Pt. 8/? ✨
Summary: 12 months ago, Butcher went above and beyond to have you join his team. You had a simple office job at Supe Affairs. The same thing every day, working from 9 to 5 and watching Butcher and his team defeat one renegade after another. One evening, however, something changed.
Pairing: Soldier Boy x Reader
Warnings: 18+ only! - bit of smut, Soldier Boy being a dick, drunk Reader, Language, jealousy
Word Count: 4344
A/N: This is part 8 of “His only exeption”.
English isn’t my first language, so please be lenient. 💙✨
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The next few weeks passed without any significant incidents. While you kept arresting a few renegade supes, there was still no sign of Homelander. Sure he still appeared in public regularly, but it seemed like he was always one step ahead of you. Before you arrived he was already gone. As if he had vanished into thin air.
When Vought announced two weeks ago that Homelander would be busy reorganizing the Seven for the next few weeks, Butcher and his team waited a few days to see if there's actually no news around him. When nothing happened, Butcher had decided to give you all a well-deserved, albeit short, break.
Butcher stayed at home with MM. The two of them just wanted to have a few days of peace and, like old times, brighten up their evenings with a lot of alcohol before MM's daughter came to visit.
Frenchie surprised Kimiko with a trip to Paris and they haven't been heard from since they left. The two probably never got out of the hotel bed.
Annie traveled with Hughie to the mountains of Austria, where they rented a small wooden cabin. They wanted to hike, ski, get pampered at the spa, and just pretend to be a normal couple for a few days.
For your part, you had actually planned to visit your family, but since they were in the middle of moving, you decided against it at short notice. However, you didn't want to stay in the apartment either. You didn't want to crash Butcher and MM's men's group, nor did you want to constantly watch football games and trip over beer cans.
You didn't know what had come over you, but after everyone else had left and you had no idea what to do with your newfound free time, you argued with Ben for over 30 minutes, begging him to take you to Brazil. It had seemed like an eternity since you had sand beneath your feet, and after what you had done to Homelander, traveling to a foreign land alone wouldn't have been all that wise.
"Fine! But you'll leave me the fuck alone", Ben hissed before slamming the door to his room in your face.
Unfortunately, it became clear early, that going on vacation with Ben wasn't a good idea.
You've barely spoken to each other since the kiss. Your communication was limited to the essentials and, above all, to what was important for your job. Ben would never have admitted it, but you actually hurt him in some way with your actions. And although he couldn't explain it to himself, he felt even worse than after the Countess's betrayal.
You had been trying to apologize to him for days, but he just wouldn't listen to you. Even his favorite whiskey and a ridiculously expensive cigar couldn't calm him down.
At some point you just gave up.
The only problem, whatever the cause, was that you had now developed a crush on Ben. A damn major one.
It was harder now, to be ignored by him for weeks and watch him crawl deeper into his shell and become an even bigger asshole. But the worst part was, it was your fault.
“Fucking hurry up! I have to pee”, Ben banged on the bathroom door way too hard. It was your second Day in Brazil and way too early for that loud noise.
The two of you had a small beach house in a holiday resort right by the sea. It was beautiful and relatively quiet, but unfortunately only had one bathroom and one bedroom, so you slept on the couch and Ben chased you out of the bathroom for the second time in a row.
“Give me 5 please”, you whined, getting out of the shower.
But Ben had absolutely no nerv to negotiate with you. With a strong tug he pushed the door open. You had just enough time to wrap your towel around yourself before he came running towards you, finger raised. Despite the fact that the vacation was supposed to be relaxing for both of you, Ben's temper hadn't nearly disappeared by the second day.
“If I say I have to pee, then I have to fucking pee. Fucking now, not in five minutes!”, he hissed, his finger in front of your face as he looked down at you. His gaze briefly flickered to your breasts, but found your gaze again as you pulled your towel tighter, your cheeks red. “I know you’re fucking old, but I didn’t thought you had problems with your bladder yet”, you answered him cheekily.
“Fucking old, huh?”, he raised an eyebrow and lowered his finger. “Maybe I should teach you some manners, fucking brat”, he cups your jaw in one hand and gently but firmly pushes your face upwards.
“Such a dirty mouth on such a pretty face”, he muttered almost absently as he examined your face.
A few weeks ago your thoughts would have been completely different, but now you wanted nothing more than for him to just kiss you again.
For almost two weeks, the anger you felt towards yourself and the whole situation with Ben was so present that whenever the two of you ever exchanged a word, your responses were always bitchy and sassy. Five days ago you even managed to get him to blow up because of you, like literally.
“Get your dirty hand off me”, you hissed as you collected yourself.
“Sure Sweetheart”, he innocently raised both hands in the air, winked at you and turned to the toilet. Shameless as always, he pulled down his sweatpants and boxers a little and peed right in front of you.
You couldn't take your eyes off him for a while as you looked at his best piece. Reluctantly, your mouth went dry as you saw his size.
Of course Ben felt your gaze, but said nothing, instead enjoying your attention to the fullest, as well as your speechlessness. Ben knew he had a lot to offer and your reaction was pretty much identical to the one he usually got from women. The difference was that right now, his dick wasn't even hard.
It wasn't until he flushed the toilet that you were snapped out of your, more than dirty, thoughts. “Can I please get ready now? I’m hungry and want to eat breakfast”, you grumbled, tightening your grip on your towel.
Ben just rolled his eyes and washed his hands, leaving you alone in the bathroom.
The rest of the morning passed without further fights and ended in a relaxing afternoon by the pool.
With his legs crossed and his phone in his hand, Ben looked sideways at you as you lay on the lounger next to him, unzipping your bikini, to get your upper body tanned without streaks. You lay on your stomach, which is why everything important was covered anyway. Still, Ben obviously had a problem with it.
However, as you turned on your side, your bikini top hanging over the armrest of your lounger, Ben raised his glasses and looked incredulously at your back, which you turned to him.
“You fucking serious?”, he hissed at you.
“What?”, you turned onto your back so he had a perfect view of your bare chest as you looked up at him with innocent eyes. In fact, you had absolutely no ulterior motives at that moment, you just wanted to tan pretty much everything you could.
You could hear him take a sharp breath to calm himself before he spoke. “The pool is full of fucking wanker and you take off your fucking clothes? You're fucking flaunting yourself like a fucking little slut". As soon as he finished his sentence, he had already thrown his towel over your upper body.
You raised an eyebrow when you saw the more than annoyed expression on his face.
“And why do you have a damn problem with that?”. While you waited to see how Ben would react, you folded your arms over the towel.
Ben opened his mouth to tell you why you shouldn't be half-naked here by the pool, but it wasn't just the blood loss in his head caused by the tantalizing sight of your perfect breasts that thwarted his plans; simply the lack of a proper reason.
Why did it actually bother him? After all, you weren't his girlfriend. He also didn't give a shit about his image right now, so he didn't have to worry about being seen like that with you. So why did your actions trigger him so much?
"Just…just get fucking dressed", he grumbled, jaw clenched, pushing his sunglasses back into place as he tried to ignore his almost painful erection in his trunks.
With an annoyed groan, you decided to follow his instructions, as you had absolutely no nerve for another unnecessary and nerve-wracking argument with him. “Yeah, whatever”, you grumbled to yourself before turning back to your cocktail.
The next time Ben looked at you from his phone, he noticed that you had fallen asleep. He rolled his eyes, stood up, pulled an parasol over your lounger and looked around. Slowly but surely he was getting bored and no one wanted Soldier Boy to be bored.
It didn't take long before he had the prospect of a nice pastime. Less than five feet away from him sat two absolutely hot, young blondes whose eyes were staring at him lustfully. Ben knew that they would be absolutely easy. Confident and full of himself, he walked towards the two girls, while you fell further and further behind in his thoughts.
About two hours later, you slowly woke up from your restful nap. You had to blink a few times before you could look away from the now setting sun. “Ughhh”, you grumbled and stretched. Your eyes wandered to the parasol, which was no longer of any use, but still made you smile briefly. Ben must have set it up for you.
You ran your hand through your hair and looked around. The pool and bar were starting to get emptier and if you looked at your phone you knew why. Most people probably just ate dinner.
You stayed on the lounger for a while, wondering where Ben had gone and whether he would show up again soon. As he still wasn't back after about 20 minutes, you figured he was definitely drinking somewhere and decided to take a shower before starting dinner. After packing your things, you walked towards your little beach house, weak in the knees and feeling like you were walking on clouds. It was by far one of the most relaxing afternoons ever and you almost felt full of energy.
When you entered the house and heard some intense noises, you didn't want to go any further. You should have just left the house again.
Nevertheless, your feet carried you to the bedroom door.
The scene in front of you unfolded with an intensity that bordered on primal. Ben's movements were relentless as he pounded into a blonde, young girl, his hips driving forward with a fervor fueled by raw desire. The sound of flesh meeting flesh echoed in the air, punctuated by the moans of pleasure that spilled from the lips of all three. Meanwhile, the woman beneath Ben's skilled touch was lost in ecstasy, her body arching with each thrust, her red nails digging into the sheets as waves of pleasure washed over her. But even as she surrendered to the pleasure coursing through her veins, her lips found purchase elsewhere, trailing kisses along the curves of the other girl’s body, laying with spread legs in front of her. The other woman, lost in the throes of passion, arched her back as the sensation of warm lips and skilled tongue danced across her skin. Pleasure rippled through her body, building with each flick of the tongue, each gentle nip of teeth. Her hands tangled in the sheets as she surrendered to the intoxicating sensation, her moans mingling with those of her companions in a symphony of lust.
As you stood in the doorway, frozen in shock, a whirlwind of emotions tore through you with dizzying force. The sight of Ben entwined with two women ignited a fierce storm of jealousy, its flames licking at the edges of your composure. Your heart hammered painfully against your ribs, each beat echoing the ache of longing and desire you had buried deep within.
As your eyes met Ben's, a surge of heat flooded your cheeks, betraying the tumult of emotions raging within you. His smirk, equal parts charming and mischievous, sent a shiver down your spine, but it was his bold invitation that jolted you back to reality. "You wanna join?". His words hung in the air, as he watched you with an intensity that made your heart race even faster.
With a forced smile that barely masked the ache in your chest, your voice barely a whisper as you replied, "I think I'll pass".
Without waiting for his response, you turned on your heel, fleeing the room.
As you emerged into the sunlight, the salty breeze washed over you, offering a fleeting moment of respite from the storm raging within, you made your way back to the bar, the taste of bitterness lingered on your tongue, a reminder of the jealousy that gnawed at your insides. Each step felt heavier than the last, weighed down by the burden of your own conflicting emotions.
As you reached the bar, you sank onto a stool. With a weary sigh, you signaled the bartender, your voice barely above a whisper as you ordered a drink, anything to numb the ache in your heart. After the bartender set the drink before you, you wrapped your fingers around the glass, the cool condensation soothing against your trembling hands. With each sip, you felt the tension slowly ebb away, replaced by a numbness.
After a few too many drinks, you were feeling pleasantly buzzed, the world around you a blur of laughter and neon lights. With a carefree grin plastered on your face, you stumbled out of the bar, the cool night air a welcome relief against your flushed cheeks.
While you made your way back to the beach house, your steps were anything but steady, weaving a drunken dance along the sandy path. The stars above winked down at you, their twinkling lights adding to the whimsy of the night.
As you stumbled into the beach house, a wave of dizziness washing over you, you were greeted by the sight of Ben lounging on the couch, a mischievous glint in his eyes. He took a casual drag of the joint between his fingers, the smoke curling lazily around him. With a smirk playing on his lips, Ben reached for the small mirror on the coffee table, deftly arranging a few lines of coke with practiced precision.
As he leaned back against the cushions, his gaze fixed on you, a playful grin tugging at the corners of his lips. "Hey there, sunshine", he drawled, his voice thick with amusement. "You look like you've had one too many. You smell like it, too".
You couldn't help but chuckle at his observation, the alcohol dulling the edge of embarrassment that threatened to creep in. "Guilty as charged", you replied with a playful wink, sinking into the nearest chair with a contented sigh.
As the night wore on and the alcohol continued to flow, the atmosphere between you and Ben grew increasingly charged.
With a mischievous glint in your eye, fueled by liquid courage, you couldn’t resist the urge to tease Ben about what you had seen earlier. “So, Soldier Boy”, you began, your words slurring slightly as you leaned in closer, “those two… girls in the bedroom earlier… quite the party, huh?”.
Ben’s demeanor shifted instantly, his playful expression darkening slightly. “Mind your own fucking business, sweetheart”, he growled.
But fueled by alcohol and a stubborn streak a mile wide, you pressed on, emboldened by the rush of adrenaline coursing through your veins. “Come on, Ben” you persisted, your words tumbling out in a drunken torrent. “I thought you were all about having a good time. Or is it only fun when it’s on your terms?”
With a grin, you leaned in closer, the scent of alcohol lingering on your breath as you teased him further. "Oh, come on, Ben", you taunted, your words dripping with sarcasm. "Don't be such a prude. I'm sure you've got some juicy details to share".
Ben's jaw clenched visibly, his fists tightening at his sides as he struggled to rein in his temper. But despite the anger burning bright in his eyes, there was a hint of curiosity lurking beneath the surface, a desire to play along with your dangerous game.
"Fine", he bit out, his voice tight with barely-contained frustration. "You want to know how it went down? I'll tell you". His words were sharp.
But instead of backing down, you leaned in closer, your gaze locked with his as you egged him on, your own jealousy bubbling just beneath the surface. "Go on, then", you challenged, your voice dripping with false bravado. "I'm all ears". And as Ben launched into the sordid details of his escapades with the two women, you couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy gnawing at your insides. But fueled by a potent mix of desire and defiance, you pushed aside your own insecurities, determined to play the game until the bitter end.
"Hmm, sounds like you had a blast", you remarked casually, your tone deceptively light as you leaned back in your chair, feigning indifference. "I guess those girls were lucky to have you for the night".
Ben's gaze flickered with surprise at your response. But before he could respond, you rose from your seat with a playful sway, the alcohol lending a buoyancy to your movements.
As you made your way to the bathroom, you couldn't resist one final jab, your words echoing through the room with a hint of mischief. "Oh, and Ben", you called out over your shoulder, your voice teasing and light-hearted, "next time, try not to settle for such cheap thrills. You could do so much better than those two bimbos". With that, you entered the bathroom to undress.
As you fumbled with the zipper of your dress, struggling to free yourself from its confines, you were startled by the sound of Ben's voice behind you. Leaning against the doorframe with a predatory glint in his eyes, he watched you with a mixture of amusement and desire.
"Having a bit of trouble there, sweetheart?", he teased, his voice thick with innuendo as he sauntered closer, his gaze never leaving your form. "Need a hand?".
Despite the alcohol coursing through your veins, a shiver of awareness shot through you at his proximity, your skin prickling with anticipation. With a playful roll of your eyes, you shot back, "I can handle it, thanks".
But Ben wasn't deterred by your feigned indifference, his smirk widening as he closed the distance between you. "You know", he murmured, his breath hot against your ear, "I'd much rather be fucking that tight little pussy of yours right now. But since you won't let me, I guess I'll have to settle for something else, even if it's cheap".
His words sent a thrill of desire coursing through you, your cheeks flushing with heat at the raw intensity of his confession. Despite your better judgment, you couldn't deny the pull of attraction that simmered between you, a potent mixture of longing and forbidden desire.
With a playful swat to his chest, you shot him a coy grin over your shoulder. "Dream on, Soldier Boy", you teased. "You'll have to try a lot harder than that to win me over".
As Ben closed the gap between you, his fingers brushed against the zipper of your dress, a bold gesture that sent a jolt of electricity coursing through your veins. With a swift motion, he pulled the zipper down, the fabric of your dress falling to the ground, revealing your perfectly young body clad only in lace panties, your breasts bare beneath the sheer fabric.
A smirk played on Ben's lips as he took in the sight before him, his gaze roaming hungrily over your exposed skin. "Well, well, well", he murmured, his voice low and husky with desire. "Look what we have here. Seems like you were hiding quite the little treat under that dress of yours."
His words were laced with a hint of arrogance, a reminder of the power he wielded over you in this moment of vulnerability.
With a playful roll of your eyes, you shot him a grin, your own desire mirrored in the depths of your gaze. "Like what you see, Ben?", you teased, your voice dripping with sarcasm. "Or is it too much for your fragile ego to handle?".
Ben's smirk widened at your challenge, his fingers tracing a path along the curve of your hip with tantalizing slowness. "Oh, I can handle it just fine, sweetheart", he replied, his voice thick with promise. "In fact, I think it's about time you found out just how much I can handle".
And with that, he pulled you into his arms, his lips crashing against yours in a heated kiss that left you breathless and wanting more. You found yourself too drunk and too overwhelmed to push him away. His kiss was demanding, lacking the tenderness you had hoped for, but the alcohol had already clouded your judgment.
Feeling his strength, Ben effortlessly lifted you, his supe abilities making you feel like a feather in his arms as he pressed you against the sink. The cold porcelain sent a shiver down your spine, but it was nothing compared to the heat of Ben's touch. You moaned softly as his lips moved against yours with a sense of entitlement, his hands exploring your body with possessiveness. Despite your hazy state, a part of you couldn't help but feel uncomfortable with the way he was handling you, but you were too lost in the moment to protest.
"Finally getting a taste of what you've been missing, huh?", Ben murmured between kisses. "You should have given in sooner, sweetheart".
His words stung, a reminder of the power dynamic at play between you.
As Ben's lips trailed down your neck, leaving a trail of hot kisses and lingering marks, you squirmed in his grasp, a mixture of pleasure and discomfort coursing through you. His actions were rough and possessive.
"Ben", you slurred, your voice barely a whisper as you struggled to form coherent thoughts. "What are you doing?".
But Ben paid no heed to your question, his lips finding their way to your collarbone as he continued to trail kisses along your skin. With a grunt, he lifted you effortlessly, his strength making you feel like a ragdoll in his arms. As he carried you towards the bedroom, you could feel his arousal pressing against you, a reminder of the desires that drove him. Despite your intoxicated state, a sense of unease gnawed at the pit of your stomach, a voice in the back of your mind warning you of the dangers ahead.
"Relax, sweetheart", Ben murmured, his voice low and husky with desire. "I'm just showing you a good time".
His words sent a chill down your spine. But as Ben's lips crashed against yours once more, you couldn't help but lose yourself in the heat of the moment, the alcohol dulling your senses and clouding your judgment.
As Ben threw you onto the bed with a force that bordered on roughness, you let out a startled gasp, the impact sending shockwaves of sensation coursing through your body..
His eyes blazing with hunger as he rid himself of his shirt, revealing the sculpted contours of his chest. He hovered over you, his gaze intense and hungry, as he trailed kisses down your chest, his lips leaving a fiery trail in their wake. Your breath hitched in your throat as pleasure surged through you, a quiet moan escaping your lips at his touch.
"Mmm, that's it", Ben murmured. "Let me hear you".
With a satisfied smirk, Ben continued his exploration, his hands roaming freely over your body. His lips trailing lower, igniting sparks of pleasure with every kiss.
Just as Ben's lips reached the hem of your panties, you abruptly grabbed his wrist, pulling him up to meet your gaze with a frustrated growl.#
"What?", Ben asked, his tone tinged with annoyance as he met your gaze.
"Be gentle", you slurred. "Please, Ben", you begged, your voice trembling with vulnerability. "Just this once".
Ben's suspicion grew as he registered your unusual request. "What's the big deal?", he demanded, his voice tinged with frustration. "You've never been shy about what you want before".
You hesitated, feeling exposed and vulnerable beneath his scrutinizing gaze. "I've never… done this before", you admitted, your cheeks burning with embarrassment.
Ben's eyes widened in realization, a smirk playing on his lips as he pieced together the puzzle. "Ah, I see", he remarked, his tone laced with amusement. "Virgin territory, huh? Well, aren't I lucky".
With your inhibitions dulled by alcohol, you found yourself unable to protest, resigned to whatever fate awaited you.
As Ben began to pull down your panties, a smirk played on his lips as he watched your slick folds glisten in the dim light of the room. "Looks like you're more than ready for me, princess", he murmured.
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A/N: Please let me know what you think.🥰 I loved this Chapter ._.
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Part 9
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Taglist: @deangirl96, @thatgirljayy, @suckitands33, @deans-spinster-witch @mimaria420 @kaz11283 @uncle-eggy
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Text
Daily Ficlet 7
I’m challenging myself to write a little ficlet every day, using the prompts from this list. Today’s prompt is recipe book.
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Steve finds Wayne in the hallway, pulling what items he can from the closet there.
"Need some help?" Steve asks as Wayne struggles with a bigger box that seems wedged in pretty good.
"Sure. Just get yer hands up here and ready to catch," Wayne answers, shimmying the box to and fro while Steve moves to follow his instructions. The box isn't by any means light when it falls into his hands, but it's not the heaviest thing Steve's had to catch -don't think about it, don't think about Eddie's limp body awkwardly shoved through a gate. Don't-
"Thanks, son," Wayne climbs back down the stepladder he was on and takes the box from Steve' hands, walking down the hall to place it on the counter. The front half of the trailer is missing, the gate took it, but a decent amount of of the trailer remains (Eddie's room remains) and the government has finally allowed Wayne to return to pack up what he can.
It's better than starting over completely.
"What's in the box?" Steve asks, because it's the only item Wayne hasn't just demanded he load into the moving truck outside.
"It was supposed to be Eddie's graduation gift," Wayne says softly. "'Suppose it'll have to be a 'glad you woke up from yer coma' gift instead."
"Yeah," Steve says, even if he doesn't believe it. Eddie's been asleep months now. They saved the world, killed Vecna, closed the gates, Max woke up, and the kids have started Sophomore year; Eddie remains comatose. "Can I get a sneak peak at the present?"
"It's not much, and ain't nothin' new," Wayne says, opening the box and beginning the process of pulling things out. It looks a bit like the contents of a hope chest. Things to start living on your own with. Robin's mom has one for her that Steve's seen, and even contributed to. There's an envelope of $500 tucked along the side of Robin's chest.
"This was his grandpa's. My dad's," Wayne says, pulling out a belt buckle. "And my ma made this, not for anyone in particular, mind you, but just because she liked to keep herself busy." It's a blanket, thick and a little scratchy when Steve touches it. "And this. This is the most important." Wayne pulls out a binder from the bottom of the box, handing it over to Steve for inspection.
He takes it carefully even though it looks sturdy. Holding it in one hand, he flips it open. He was thinking maybe it would be a photo album or something but it's not. It looks like a recipe book. All the recipes are hand written on looseleaf paper, with post it notes sticking out randomly. "What makes this special?"
"That's his mom's handwriting," Wayne smiles but he sounds sad. "Eddie lost her when he was five. She got real sick, y'know, and never got better. But she wrote out all them recipes. I'm amazed Al kept the thing, but I guess I shouldn't be. No real value in a binder of recipes 'cept to the people close to the author."
Steve looks back down at the binder. He still has both his parents, however distant they might be, so he doesn't know if he'll ever fully understand the significance of getting this piece of someone back. "Does he not have anything else with her writing on it?"
"No, not writing. We got plenty of things they used to own. Eddie's caseworker let us go through the whole house, after Al'd been shipped off to the penitentiary, to gather anything Eddie might want or need. Was supposed to just be his stuff, mind you, legally speakin', but I think that lady knew if we didn't take other stuff, Eddie'd never see it again.
"So, Eddie's got things that were hers. But nothing that's uniquely hers. There's jewelry, and a coupla blankets, but all that stuff is replaceable and not... Well, I dunno what I'm tryin' to say, but that's just stuff that was hers. But this. This was her. Y'understand?"
And Steve does. There's a difference between having something that belonged to someone once, and something that really feels like them when you hold it. Steve doesn't have anything like that, personally, but he knows there will come a time when the difference matters. When everyone grows up and scatters into the future. He imagines a hand written letter from Dustin will mean much more for him to find after a long time of no contact than it would to find his old Roast Beef t-shirt in the back of a drawer or something, moth bitten and musty.
"I can't wait to find out if Eddie's an angry emotional, or a sad one."
Wayne laughs. "He can be both."
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