#look i just find Sad Usnavi very interesting

[thisstableground]

I kinda want to see how Usnavi deal with stress or when he's sad in general. Idk if you mind,,,, just in the mood for angsty stuff,,,,,

why would he deal with stress or sadness when he can just repress it heavily until he has an anxiety breakdown about it?!! 

 i pretty much see him as working in a cycle like that and never quite learning to just share his feelings BEFORE they get overwhelming. i think he was much less anxiety prone when he was a kid/teenager – he had his share of heartaches and stresses and things that upset him, especially when it came to schoolwork, but even when he was struggling he had this optimism at his core that everything would work out okay eventually. he’d talk to his parents or his friends or abuela and know that they’d help him out, he had this kind of confidence in his support system. 

 and then his parents died, and it pretty much changed his entire worldview. for one, it made him a lot more anxious on a daily basis, because now he can’t tell hiimself that everything turns out okay when he knows that sometimes it doesnt and how badly wrong things can go. this is also where i see a lot of his tendency to just kind of freeze up and not know how to act starts: he’s so worried about making the wrong choices and losing someone/something important to him again that he’ll just sit and talk himself in circles for hours without making any progress. and he still trusts his support system as people, but he has this new fear now that somehow he’ll lose them too, so there isn’t quite the same sense of security about it. 

 he was pretty fucked up after it happened and when he’s finally made some progress on recovering from that, that i think he’s very scared of ever ending up in that dark emotional place again. a lot of little habits that crop up whenever he’s feeling particularly bad are ones that started around that time: he’s a stress smoker, and even though he doesn’t smoke regularly theres always periods of a week or two a couple of times a year where he temporarily picks it back up again. he already isn’t the best sleeper but it gets significantly worse when he’s having a bad time so he takes a lot of depression naps to make up for only getting 3 hours of sleep at night. he has a tendency to just kind of disappear without telling people, not on purpose and like obviouslyy he’s still in the store but he’ll suddenly stop answering texts and he’ll cancel socialising plans for no reason. he’s usually way more on the hyperactive side of ADHD but when he’s in a bad place emotionally then he tends to lean way more to inattentive type, just spacing out mid-conversation. 

he always has this worry that if he’s kept hold of these bad habits from after his folks died then what if that means the rest of it could also come back? he hated feeling that way, so he worries that by acknowledging when he’s feeling bad then he’ll be opening a door to the whole thing coming back as hard as it did the first time. and he also knows how much everyone who loves him worried about him during that time and he feels this sense of duty to not put them through that again and to keep them all happy. he puts a lot of his sense of self in being the bubbly, cheerful, silly dude he is and it’s sort of a blow to his sense of identity whenever he’s having a prolonged bad time, so again, just tries to put the happy face on and hope it all blows over. 

he also, i think, feels a very increased need to look after people and to be the caretaker role, partly because he’s trying to make up for his own sense of guilt about his parents, and partly because it just makes him feel more in control of his life, so he isn't as good at letting people take care of him when he feels like he should be taking care of them. usnavi is someone who knows how to work his ass off and he works his ass off at being happy as much as he does with running the store. 

he’s still got a lot of optimism, its just that his life has put a lot of anxieties and mental roadblocks in the way of it: it’s not so much that he believes everything will work out fine the way he used to believe, but more that he so desperately wants everything to be fine and is trying his best to make it happen. i dont think this is always a bad thing: sometimes just telling himself that things will be okay and making himself go about his life as usual and refusing to let lifeget him down does help, because some problems fade away on their own if you don’t give them the time of day.

 but then for recurring/long-lasting problems like money, health, exhaustion, grief etc it’s the exact opposite of helpful, because the problem isn’t going away and so repressing it just means he’s shoving more and more things inside a mental cupboard until eventually the door just bursts open and it all spills out on the floor. that’s like, usnavi freaking out in Hundreds of Stories vibe, where once things start coming out it all comes out at once in a babbling frantic mess. this most often happens in front of abuela because she’s the one he finds most comfort in when he’s feeling like that. 

 its kind of got to the point where everyone just recognises that this is how usnavi works. when he’s going through a bad phase – i think he’s mostly happy now but sometimes life throws shit at him, and i also think that he has a mild case of seasonal affective disorder because winter just reminds him of a lot of bad stuff – then they know eventually it’ll all come out in one big explosion and then he’ll feel better after that, and they just kinda have to wait for it to happen. and usually once he's had a meltdown about it, then he's a lot more receptive to advice or being looked after or like having a decent night's sleep for once.

#in the heights #HOW DID THIS END UP SO LONG #look i just find Sad Usnavi very interesting #sweet sunshine boy carrying about seven people's worth of stress and worry in his skinny lil body #love that thing tumblr does where i answer an ask and it deletes all the paragraphing so i have to go back and add it again #character: usnavi #fandom: ith

[dutchforstrangers]

EXTRA! DIGIWEEK DAY 5 - CROSSOVER

Let's do some headcanons, shall we? Last week @imaginedigimon posted these headcanons of a mixed Asian/Hispanic Sora and it led me to this:

In the Heights... I LOVE this musical so much <3 All the latino and dancing and vibing and yes! Here's the trailer:

And like I said, those mixed Asian/Hispanic headcanons gave me the reason to think of In the Heights x Digimon Adventure crossover headcanons. And what better day to write such a post than on Crossover day 5 of @digiweek! So here goes.

The story

The story here is basically the same. There's a guy (Usnavi) with a store, inherited from his deceased parents, who has this dream to go back to the land he was born in, thinking that's his dream. However he was raised on this block in this city he's living in now, so eventually he's torn between leaving or staying. Simultaneously all the other characters have their own aspirations and dreams, but they shouldn't forget where they came from. That's the main theme and story, the characters will be quite the same from the movie/musical, but with some changes here and there suiting the Chosen Children and the relationships between them (for now I will only cover the 8 Digimon Adventure 01 crew members).

I want the set up to be a little different though. So it's not like a latino block on the Island Manhattan in NYC, but it's more like a city or village on it's own. Something like Big Hero 6's 'San Fransokyo'... Maybe 'Santo Dotokyo'? Could be. Anyway, it's a mix of Latino and Japan (that's actually a very weird combination. I like it!).

How about pairings you may ask?? You'll find out when you proceed reading ;D

The characters

Usnavi / Taichi Yagami: Of course my boy is the lead! He's smooth yet awkward, fierce yet cute, determined yet clueless. Sounds like our goggle headed fella right? So Taichi owns the store, like a true work-a-holic works very very hard. He's friendly, always supporting and beaming positivity. He knows the whole community and the whole community knows him, everyone well aware of his father's dream to patch up the bar on the exotic island they came from. Taichi though is still figuring out his dream and is torn between staying for the community (and his love interest...) or leaving for his (father's?) dream. Plus let's not forget he has some very serious salsa skills like a true latino! The dancing is on, gosh how much I love my Taichi swaying...

Nina / Hikari Yagami: Taichi's younger sister, kind and innocent, who followed their mother's dream to study abroad. The community believed in her and fully supported her like the little light she is, she being the first one to 'make it out'. However during her time abroad she starts to feel lonely and left out, gets homesick and travels back to her hometown and brother with the idea to never go back abroad. Though she just needs the courage to go through and that convincing might come from her community, her brother and her lover.......

Sonny / Koushiro Izumi: In this universe Koushiro, who works with Taichi in the shop, is a 'cousin' from Taichi and Hikari! He has been abandoned by his own mother -who probably was someone with a drug addict- but then he was taken in by Taichi's and Hikari's aunt and uncle..! Yes, this makes Kae a blood relative to Taichi and Hikari, being Yuuko's sister (I love that idea, although it makes both Taishiro and Koukari impossible...). Koushiro is a smart kid, quiet, but always there with his words right on time. He wants to go to college or university badly, the smart kid he is, but because he was never officially adopted and therefore isn't fully registered, his chances are low... Taichi and the community might be of help here.

Vanessa / Sora Takenouchi: WEPA VANESSA SORA! In the musical Vanessa aspires to become a fashion designer. Oh hey, that's such a Sora! Where Hikari wants to come home, Sora desperately wants to leave everything behind to start anew. She works in Mimi's beauty salon only to make money so she can move to a bigger city. It's kind of like a rebellion against her traditional mother who wants her to stay in the community and take over the flower shop. However she might be staying as fashion inspiration can also come from within the community and a certain someone she loves *cough*Taichi*cough*, but doesn't want to admit (this is a very self indulgent Taiora AU thank you very much).

Daniela / Mimi Tachikawa: The salon lady! Or boss is better. She is an entrepreneur pur sang and makes sure everyone looks good with beautiful nails and shiny hair! She's fierce, doesn't take no for an answer (no nonsense policy yup) and always has her eyes and ears open. And her mouth too, because the girl looooooves to gossip! Especially with her two salon companions (from which one HAS to be Miyako -and yes Mimi and Miyako are the lesbian couple-), ¡No me diga! Also: she absolutely loves to tease employee Sora by telling untrue rumors about Taichi just to see how Sora reacts. So sly Meems.

Benny / Takeru Takaishi: This might come as a surprise, because to be honest Taichi would fit Benny so well. But I went for Takeru as Benny, because Takeru can be just as smooth -and kinda sly-. Takeru is one of Taichi's best friends if not thé best friend (I love to explore that dynamic)! A best friend with a love interest in the best friend's sister a.k.a. Hikari. They are secret lovers who are not as secretly in love (Nina Kari and Benny Keru sitting in a tree... k i s s i n g) as they think they are. Takeru works across the street in a record store (yes, this is a big difference from the musical itself) where he takes over the community radio station in the morning. There he has a story telling podcast, telling fictional stories based on the stories of the community (Mimi always informs him with the latest gossip). Eventually he wants to go to college, just like Hikari studies abroad, to become a writer.

(Graffiti) Pete / Yamato Ishida: This is even more of a stretch, but bear with me! Graffiti Pete is a true artistic lone wolf! Spraying art on walls through the whole city and it's absolutely fabulous. He's Takeru's older brother, but was raised by his father after their parents splitted up, and also friends with the gang. Though he may have made some art on the window shutters from Taichi's shop... However, Yamato is not only a graffiti artist, he's also a musician, always 'borrowing' stealing records from the shop Takeru is working. Yamato is just a very mysterious guy, but also a very nice friend with artistic and deep emotional help from unexpected corners.

Piragüero / Jyou Kido: Haha okay, this is weird..! Actually this is great role for Daisuke, but because we're here giving the roles to the Adventure 01 cast, this one goes to Jyou. Simply because piragua (which is shaved ice) guy has a heart of gold and is super reliable, one of the oldest ones on the block, one who has seen it all. He's also a bit silly, doing this horrible work on the street, while he failed to become a doctor (so sad), but he brings joy to others! And also great advice, especially when it comes to following dreams no matter how big or small. Jyou is the one who doesn't let you forget where you came from!

And there are so many more headcanons I could come up with, so this might gets a continuation eventually. But for now, this is it (:

#digiweek2021 #digimon #headcanons #digiweek day 5 #crossover #digimon x in the heights #in the heights #let's start the dance party

[pika-ace]

In the Heights AU-Watership Down

This is more of describing the characters rather than the story as a whole,I’ll get to that later. If you think anything can be improved just say so!:-)

((Ironically I started watching the original movie when you sent this to me XD; with that said, I LOVE this, it’s perfect!))

Usnavi and Sonny take the place of Hazel and Fiver respectively. Instead of being brothers,they are cousins of course. Sonny was taken in by Usnavi’s parents after his own parents were killed by predators. Usnavi’s parents later died of sickness, so both of them were looked after by Abuela,since they were still relatively young. The warren they live in is fairly big, but there isn’t much care from the group as a whole,more like individuals caring for other individuals. But there is a chief and the Owsla,like in any warren. Usnavi is really an average rabbit in this warren,but is very caring and protective,especially of Sonny. Of course,as the story progresses, he actually becomes a leader of the group,as Hazel does in the original story. Average size, but he talks very fast and excitedly, one of the few to really believe Sonny in the beginning. He’s also nervous and unconfident about his ability to be a chief, and he struggles to overcome his doubts. Abuela is a fairly old rabbit,still able to run if she needs to,but is up in years. She’s been in this particular warren since she was a very small kit with her mother. She doesn’t have a mate or kits,but instead looks after everyone, especially Usnavi and Sonny. She doesn’t represent anyone in the original story,but I think Abuela should be here. She also has to take breaks sometimes when traveling to the new warren, but will push herself so as not to slow down the group so much,much to Usnavi’s concern. Has great advice for practically anyone. Is the group storyteller as well,telling ancient tales of the Prince of rabbits. Sonny is Usnavi’s cousin, he’s been having bad dreams for a while now,but isn’t extremely concerned about what they could mean until he has a vision while out grazing with Usnavi. He sees that something very bad is about to happen to the warren,and tells Usnavi that they need to warn others and get out NOW. Unfortunately, not everyone believes him. I don’t think Sonny would be as frail and nervous as Fiver is as much,I think his personality would stay relatively the same,but it would be very stressful sometimes to see the stuff he sees,and worse,not know what it meant,so he is still very much able to have a breakdown about them. Usnavi and really, everyone, do what they can to help him through it. Benny is a member of the Owsla of the warren, much like an average guard or officer. Used to be a bit of a troublemaker when he was younger. Is much nicer than Bigwig in the original story,friends with Usnavi and Sonny, but he also wants to impress the chief and his superior officer, Kevin. So while he sometimes goofs off,he tries to do his job like he should. He let’s Usnavi and Sonny talk to the chief when they’re trying to warn of the trouble coming, but nearly gets his head bitten off by the chief for doing so. Annoyed by how he’s been treated, he disobeys Kevin to escape with the others and help them escape from the pursuing Owsla. Kevin is the Captain of the Owsla in the original warren. He’s strict,but doesn’t abuse his power,unlike some other officers in the warren,and can be kind. Took Benny under his wing when he was a young juvenile rabbit,to get him to stop causing trouble and to train him to become part of the Owsla. Tries to stop the group from leaving,but thanks to interference from Benny, is unsuccessful. Mates with Camila,they had a single kit named Nina,who unfortunately was snatched by a bird when she was still young. Still mourns her. He can be stubborn, but his mate is often his voice of reason when he gets this way. Willing to do anything for those that he loves. Fortunately able to escape the destruction with Camila,though he is injured in the process, and later joins up with the group. Camila is Kevin’s mate,and again is often his voice of reason when he gets stubborn, unfortunately this can still be a hard task sometimes. If you pushed her too far though,you will definitely know it! She’ll stand up to anyone if they’re acting Isn’t like a jerk including her mate. She’s still very sad at the loss of her daughter,but very motherly to everyone. You can be sure that she’ll make sure the others are eating enough. She stays at the warren with Kevin initially, not wanting to leave him,though she’s nervous about what Sonny said would happen. Kevin reassures her,but the destruction comes as predicted. Fortunately able to escape with Kevin,though they are the only ones who survive and Kevin is injured. Are able to rejoin the group at their later home. Daniela is the “gossip queen” of the warren. Seems to know practically everything about everyone, though how she’s knows some things is a mystery. She never gossips to hurt anyone though,just for something interesting to do. Friends with our main group,but a little skeptical of the claim that something bad was coming. Eh,she was getting a little bored here anyway, this should be interesting. Becomes really close friends with Carla when she joins the group from another warren. Carla was from a warren that was fed by humans. The food was bountiful and good quality, but the humans would also lay out snares to harvest rabbits from time to time. When the traveling group came,she befriended them in the few days they stayed. She tried to warn them of the snares,but was always interrupted or stopped before she could. Benny was later caught in a snare,and she helped to rescue him by preventing the enemy rabbits from stopping the group. Asks to be allowed to join the traveling group to their new home,as she doesn’t want to stay in such a dangerous place and is accepted in. Becomes really good friends especially with Daniela. Good at digging tunnels, that’s something she helps with at the new warren. I’m thinking that Pete can be one of those loner male rabbits that wasn’t really part of the warren,but still was around the territory. He’s a little bit of a troublemaker, will sneak in to steal some food from inside the territory, or something just to annoy everyone. Willing to trade some things he finds for good food. Friends with Sonny,Usnavi doesn’t like him(thinks he’s a bad influence). Has a good heart and very protective of those he cares about. Sees the group leaving, and after hearing why,decides to join them,much to Usnavi’s annoyance. One of the few to really believe Sonny,besides Usnavi and Abuela,at least at first. Very fast, instrumental in leading attacking crows away. Nina is the kit of Kevin and Camila. Very smart and hardworking,and it was thought that she could even be chief of the warren one day,but was snatched up by a hawk,and thought to be killed. Fortunately the hawk dropped her,and she landed in a bush. Was able to hide,and later found by a kind human who nursed her back to health. The human kept her as a pet rabbit in a hutch on their farm,protected from the cat by her cage. Was friends with Usnavi and Benny when she was younger, also would watch over Sonny when he was really little. Her farm happens to be nearby the down that the group comes too,and while passing by,Benny stops and looks at her, though not realizing it was her due to the distance. Would like to be free,but isn’t able to escape herself. Since they are looking for more members for the warren, a couple is sent to ask if she wants to join, made up of Kevin and Benny,both who are overjoyed to see her alive. They help her escape,though they barely escape the humans, who end up grazing Benny’s leg with a bullet. When they make it back to the down everyone is very happy to see her. Eventually falls in love with Benny,her father isn’t as opposed more like a mix of, “I just got you back why are you growing up so soon” and “Of all the bucks,you pick Benny!?” Gets captured by Efrafa while looking for herbs to help Benny’s wound. Vanessa is part of Efrafa,but not willingly. Wants to escape with others but the escape attempts always fail. She doesn’t give up hope however, and keeps trying, despite the punishment she and others receive. Meets Usnavi,Kevin,and Pete when they first meet up and are captured by Efrafa, and bonds with Usnavi especially. She helps them escape from the Efrafans,but cannot escape herself,to which Usnavi promises to her that they will come back to free her,and to not give up yet. She later meets Nina, who accidentally got captured while looking for certain herbs, and Benny,who has been sent as a double agent of sorts to “join” Efrafa. When they are able to,they make escape plans. Piragua Guy is the bird that the other rabbits meet who is injured. He’s much more friendly than Kehaar is in the story,and is very grateful to the rabbits for helping him. He’s a seagull from the docks a ways away,and talks a lot about some sort of food called “piragua” Apparently he nests near a human that makes piragua,and over time has given him little bits of left over ice and syrup, so he talks a lot about the different flavors.(I’m aware this would probably be bad for a real bird,but let’s pretend it isn’t bad in this world). I’m thinking maybe he’s named Eliseo? He helps with finding the Efrafan warren when the others are looking for more rabbits, and also helps them to escape by attacking their enemies. I’m thinking the one who could represent Blackavar would be Ruben from Do No Harm? He was raised in Efrafa but always resented it because of how they treated him and his family. He tries to escape only to be recaptured and his ears torn up a bit,then paraded around to be seen as an example. He joins later in the escape with Benny,Nina,Vanessa and any others who join. He’s a great tracker and a good friend to everyone, but is still traumatized from his time in Efrafa,something that his new friends try to help him through. El-ahrairah is represented by Hamilton. He’s the Prince of the rabbits, and the one who’s stories have been passed down from generation to generation. He still has those “Icarus” qualities, though he does everything for his family and people. They became too numerous, and he refused to control his people,so this led to the creation of the thousand enemies to the rabbits. But they were given the abilities to run and dig to escape and survive as a species. 

#submission #anonymous #in the heights aus #watership down #usnavi de la vega #sonny de la vega #ruben marcado #PRECIOUS COUSINS #barrio bunnies! #the part with nina was brilliant btw #great connection

[carasueachterberg]

This last week has been a tough one. Just like my beautiful tulips that were bright and healthy a few days ago and now droop and struggle in the below freezing temperatures, the puppies’ story changed drastically this week.

Below are the entries from our week in rescue. If you’d like to read them in real-time, you can follow the daily diary on my Facebook page, Cara Sue Achterberg, writer.

Diary of a Rescue Day 15:

I’m a little worried about Usnavi. He hasn’t been himself and has stopped gaining weight. No other symptoms yet- no fever, no cough, he’s eating.

Yesterday I decided to start supplementing his meals with puppy formula. He’s tiny and there aren’t enough seats at the milk bar so could be he’s just not getting his share.

I’m pretty sure that Mia (and consequently these pups) are full of worms. It’s still too soon for the big gun dewormers, so worms may also be the issue with Usnavi.

Paws crossed this little guy starts feeling better soon.

#puppyprayers

Diary of a Rescue Day 16:

Solid food! Well, mushy solid food. Almost all of the puppies loved it. Some of them preferred to eat it off the faces of their siblings. Usnavi and Pippin, who are both not gaining weight had an early seating so they had a head start. Now that they are getting solid food I’m hopeful that they will begin to gain again.

The additional food plus a new stronger dewormer this week will hopefully get them all looking healthier. They just aren’t roly-poly like I pups usually are. They have defined backbones and pot bellies so I’m guessing worms are the culprit.

We’ll get them right. Worms are a battle with all puppies.

I’m hoping to do a live stream puppy hour tomorrow- so watch for it! I’m going to pick a time when they are active.

Happy Easter to those that celebrate- this is by far the strangest Easter ever. I am planning an egg hunt for my big kids and we’ll be cooking seafood since we couldn’t find a ham!

Diary of a Rescue Day 18 (am):

I apologize for not posting a diary entry yesterday, but things in the puppy pen began to plummet in the afternoon. Even with the introduction of solid food, most of the puppies are not gaining weight anymore. Seven of ten have either stayed the same or lost weight, and two had become dangerously fragile.

I tried repeatedly to supplement the weaker puppies all afternoon and evening with formula, but they had little interest. Early this morning, Elphaba died. I found her with her mother in Mia’s dog bed this morning. I don’t know if Mia knew she was dying and carried her there or was trying to feed her.

Pippin’ does not look good and Usnavi seems okay but is still losing weight. I dewormed all the puppies right after I found Elphaba deciding that the risks outweighed the benefit of waiting any longer. The puppies who are struggling all have pronounced back and hip bones and round, hard bellies, which to me, combined with Mia’s lack of weight gain despite copious amounts of food, means worms.

We are headed to the vet this afternoon at 2:30. Taking a litter this young to the vet frightens me, but losing another puppy frightens me more. This has begun to feel like a battle against an invisible enemy.

Fostering pregnant dogs and litters who have not had quality prenatal care, really the reverse of that, means that we do lose puppies, but this time stings worse than others because they were all doing so well. They will be four weeks old on Tuesday and I would have thought we’d be out of the woods by now instead of just going into it.

#rescueisreal #praying for these puppies

Diary of a Rescue Day 18 (pm):

After three hours at the vet, we have our diagnosis and a plan. The puppies (and Mia) are infested with hookworms. If you know anything about hookworms, you know they are lethal.

Even though I dewormed them this morning, as long as they are nursing and Mia is cleaning them, the cycle can’t be broken and they will be reinfested again and again. As the hookworms advanced thru their stages, the pups have become more and more anemic, which explains how on Sunday they became like wind up toys winding down.

All of them have dangerously low red blood cell counts. In a bigger dog, a blood transfusion would be needed, but they are just too small. Pippin and Usnavi are so low that the next day or two will tell whether they will survive.

To save them all, we had to take them from their mama. So now the burden is on me (and whatever family I can enlist) to get them fed round the clock.

Some had begun eating solid food, which helps but all of them will have to get on board with puppy mush, plus drinking their formula. They got a B12 shot today and will start on iron supplements (super yuck!). We will aggressively deworm them through the next few weeks.

And we will hope.

The vet said, “You’ve done everything you can do for them, now we will just see.”

Rescue is never predictable. These puppies would have definitely died in a shelter, Mia too, if the hookworms were left untreated. This is hard but this is the best we can do. We can give them this chance.

We could use your prayers and good energy going forward. I’m hopeful and ready to do what we need to do.

#togetherwerescue #anothergooddog

Diary of a Rescue Day 19:

We made it through the night. In fact, I almost posted at 3am when Pippin finally drank formula from a bowl. Up until that point, the only thing I was getting in her was what I syringed into her mouth (well the tiny amounts she didn’t let fall right out). I’ve decided to interpret her stubborn resistance to being made to eat as strong will, which will bode well in the days to come.

Most of them have taken to the mush well. The weaker pups (Usnavi, Pippin, Millie, & Cinderella) are not yet interested in mush but are lapping up the formula fairly well. Sometimes they need a jump start with the syringe.

Mia is sad and sore. It’s hard to stop nursing abruptly, but her milk supply wasn’t very plentiful, likely to the fact that she was also fighting off the hookworms, so as of now she is full but no signs of mastitis. We are taking frequent slow walks around the pasture.

I’m not used to such a subdued version of Mia. It is hardest for her when she hears the pups playing it crying. If the temperatures would warm up I would move her crate to the garage but for now we are dealing with her whines (as is everyone on Nick’s conference calls).

I’m tired but hopeful.

#rescueishard #puppies are resilient.

Diary of a Rescue Day 20:

We’ve had a great day. Everyone is finally eating independently! They eat their main meals in shifts of three and I leave kibble and water out all the time.

Just checked weights and everyone gained weight except Evan, but he held his own. Usnavi made it to two pounds and Mr M and Dolly topped three pounds! Most importantly, Pippin gained two ounces. Big sigh of relief here.

They are sleeping a lot but getting more and more active and interactive which you’ll see in the video. Pippin tires easily but that’s to be expected as her numbers were so low. She is eating well and even playing with the others and tonight for the first time, she played with a toy.

The iron supplements perk them up each afternoon. Tomorrow right after breakfast they will get another deworming and hopefully that will get anything that was left from Monday’s deworming and the new ones just starting. We will win this, I am confident. And then they have a lot of catching up to do.

Thanks for all the support and messages – it makes me feel much less alone, even if I am.

Please be safe and take care of each other!

#togetherwerescue

Diary of a Rescue Day 21:

After a day of nonstop crying, Mia left for another foster home tonight. I’m so grateful to Katie for volunteering to take her.

The last three days have been incredibly hard on Mia- physically and emotionally. As the pups have gained strength and ‘come back to life’ they are getting noisier which has been torment for Mia. I am sad that I won’t get to see her through but so glad that she can now start truly healing.

The pups are active and growing plump. Even Pippin continues to gain although she still tires easily and sleeps most of the day. They are enjoying toys now and whenever they catch sight or sound of me the begin a chorus of whining for attention. I really wish I had nine arms!

#gettingbettereveryday

Pippin

Mr. Misto

Usnavi

Calamity Jane

Millie

Pippin

Kate

Dolly

Dolly winking

Cindy

Evan

Mia

Thanks for reading!

Cara

If you’d like regular updates of all my foster dogs past and present, plus occasional dog care/training tips from OPH training, be sure to join the Facebook group, Another Good Dog.

For information on me, my writing, and books, visit CaraWrites.com. I have a new book, One Hundred Dogs and Counting: One  Woman, Ten Thousand Miles, and a Journey into the Heart of Shelters and Rescues, coming out in July. If it sounds like something you’d like to read, I’d be beyond grateful if you’d consider preordering it. Preorders contribute to the success of the book, not only giving me and my publisher some peace of mind but hopefully attracting media attention.

And if you’d like to know where all these dogs come from and how you can help solve the crisis of too many unwanted dogs in our shelters, visit WhoWillLetTheDogsOut.org.

Our family fosters through the all-breed rescue, Operation Paws for Homes, a network of foster homes in Virginia, Maryland, D.C., and south-central PA.

If you can’t get enough foster dog stories, check out my book: Another Good Dog: One Family and Fifty Foster Dogs . It’s available anywhere books are sold.

I love to hear from readers and dog-hearted people! Email me at [email protected].

Diary of a Rescue Week Three: A Tough Development #rescueisreal #hookworms #puppies This last week has been a tough one. Just like my beautiful tulips that were bright and healthy a few days ago and now droop and struggle in the below freezing temperatures, the puppies’ story changed drastically this week.

#animal rescue #dog rescue #dogs #fostering dogs #hookworms #puppies

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do you have any hcs for if usnavi's parents hadn't died? it would change him and his story a lot and I feel like it could be really interesting, how he's still him but with such different experiences. and you write him and get his character so well so you're definitely the person to ask about this kind of thing if you're up for it :) (also as a fellow brit the uk au is really really weird to me, I can't quite work out why)

(lmao ikr? i wouldn’t actually call it a uk au because i firmly do not believe it could work as a fully-fledged idea without changing way too much about a very culturally specific story in a way that has very uncomfortable implications, tho it is hilarious to briefly entertain the idea of ITH except it’s all set in fuckin milton keynes or something because Simply No Thank You)

THIS WILL BE LONG, BUCKLE UP

i think that a lot of canon usnavis traits are perhaps things he already had but that got magnified by a huge amount after losing his parents, because they could also be seen as ADHD traits; particularly the anxiety and the difficulty with making changes or starting new things. he’s still worried about messing up, about making a fool of himeslf, or just doesnt have the executive functioning to do things. but the difference is prior to losing his parents he had a lot more optimism and self-confidence to push himself past those anxieties or to find it easier to listen to his friends and family when they encourage him, because he has this certainty when he’s younger that things will turn out okay. an usnavi who never loses his parents carries that certainty into adulthood (i think even after abuela passes, because while it’s difficult and tragic for him, it isn’t deeply traumatising in the same way). so this version of usnavi still worries about failure, but the stakes are so much lower; he might embarrass himself but he has the safety net of his parents support, whereas the fear that fuels canon usnavi’s difficulty with changing things or moving forward is “what if i fuck up and lose someone else important to me again?”, where things which aren’t actually literal life-or-death tend to feel that way to him, and he’s a lot more cynical about whether things will have a positive outcome.

with his parents still alive doesn’t find it so terrifying to look into the future – “today’s all we got”, he says in the opening song, and i think he would still say that but in a way that means “live for today, live in the moment, enjoy life”. that might be the attitude he’s trying to get across in canon, but he also uses it as a way to hold himself back and keep himself stuck in place, to not let himself hope for anything in the future: in canon, he knows in a very painful way that he isn’t promised a future, and nobody he loves is promised a future, so why make plans or hypotheticals or even seriously believe that he’ll ever go back to DR? (i genuinely think there’s a subconscious part of him that’s firmly convinced he’s going to die young, but that’s a whole other tangent). he’s living in the moment because he’s scared of what he’ll see when he looks past it; usnavi with his parents still around lives in the moment because he likes the moment he’s in.

i wonder if him and vanessa would have ended up dating, or at least if they’d have been so successful and long-lasting as a couple. they’e always known each other and got on well, but i see their deeper feelings as growing out of  this shared understanding between them based on the difficulties they’ve been through – would they have still had the champagne bet, if usnavi didn’t have that grief and loss and extra responsibility that drives his vague non-plans to go live in DR? would he even want to leave new york, in this version, or would he still be content with the place he grew up because it doesn’t have those painful memories? 

the character arc of reconciling moving forward from a place that symbolises a painful past without having to completely sever from the good things about it is something that both of them share in canon. without those moments of both being given too many responsibilities and too much independence way too young because they don’t have parents who can ease the transition into adulthood, or this unspoken recognition that even with all their barrio family around both of them are very much on their own in some ways, would they make the deeper emotional connection that makes them work so well together in a more long-term way? or would they just have gone on a few casual dates that didn’t stand out from any other casual dates they might have with others?

and hell, maybe usnavi would’ve already been in a relationship with someone completely different – he’d be working at the store with two other people who were experienced in running it. he’d have so much more time to go out, have a social life, go to clubs and hang out with more people his own age. usnavi after losing his parents became quite disconnected from the larger group of people him and benny would hang out with at school; he doesn’t have the time, he doesn’t have the energy, and for a long time while he’s still so deep in grief i think they find it hard to know how to be friends with this quiet, broken, listless usnavi. they’re all still friendly but internally i think he loses his sense of place with his peers because he’s been rapidly catapulted into a stage of life that none of them are in. an usnavi who doesn’t lose his parents also doesn’t lose his sense of being around the same level and life stage as his peers, so who knows who he meets or develops feelings for?

his relationship with sonny is definitely different. his love and care for him isn’t so full of fear, because he doesn’t feel this need to protect him from every little thing or like it’s his personal responsibility to keep him alive, because it doesn’t really occur to him that he could lose him. canon usnavi i think has a lot more of a somewhat parental vibe, and often an overprotective parent at that. i think this usnavi, because he doesn’t have to grow up so quickly and he isn’t sonny’s boss, has much more of a fun big brother role. and i think sonny in return doesn’t feel so much responsibility for usnavi as he grows up - he doesnt feel like he has to force him to have fun or get some rest or put himself first every so often because usnavi doesnt push himself nearly so relentlessly and because his parents can look out for him when he does. 

maybe sonny doesn’t start working in the bodega until much later, either – a lot of why he spends so much time there is because usnavi watches him while his mom’s at work but can’t just close the store. if his parents are there to keep working then usnavi watches sonny at one of their homes, or they go out and do more stuff. the bodega is still important to both of them but it isn’t nearly as much a main setting for sonny’s adolescence as it is in canon.

on that note, since in my version the first thing that makes usnavi hold an instant vendetta against pete is catching pete tagging the store only a few weeks after losing his parents, where his feelings are still so intense and raw. the store hasn’t reopened and so the graffiti feels like someone else making a claim on the only thing he has left of his parents. in this version he’d be annoyed to catch someone tagging the store at most but much quicker to forgive and forget. so in a world where usnavi doesn’t lose his parents, usnavi also doesn’t hate graffiti pete.

 if we’re assuming that things did go roughly similar to the point of usnavi being in the club with vanessa on the night of the blackout, here’s the things that would change:

- sonny isn’t the one at the bodega, his parents are, and they’re together so usnavi doesn’t feel the same urgency to get back and check on things there when the power goes out. instead he finds vanessa and walks her home and by the time he’s back at the store, i think his mom would already be with abuela making sure she’s okay, and usnavi would focus on helping his dad make sure everything was safe and secure at the bodega

- he’s also probably still pretty drunk at this point, so there’s a chance that when everything at the store is secured he just goes straight to bed; it’s been a long night, and he’s tired, and he doesn’t have the trauma of past loss making him feel like he personally has to check every little thing himself. he trusts his parents to take care of abuela, it isn’t all on his shoulders. so they don’t have their moment together on the roof.

- whether the store gets looted in this version or not, i don’t think usnavi’s waking up at sunrise to deal with it, but even if he is then he gets up, helps his parents, is upset and annoyed but not in the same visceral, overwhelming way that he is in canon because he doesn’t have all those other long-term anxieties building up in him, he doesn’t have that pressure of his parents legacy tied up in the store when they’re still right there, he doesn’t have that conversation with vanessa where she’s hurt and betrayed that he left her in the blackout and didn’t check up on her.  (sidenote this may even mean that vanessa doesn’t move downtown, because if he isnt looking for a way to make things up to her before he leaves then he might not think to speak to dani about co-signing her apartment)

-  this means he probably doesn’t get overwhelmed and abandon cleanup to go visit abuela in the morning like he does in canon when we get Hundreds of Stories. he might not even be around, since he tells sonny in canon to get a generator and candles to the church and that’s probably an errand he’d do himself while his parents manned the store. this means he probably does not see abuela that one final time or have that one final meaningful conversation with her before she passes.

final sad note: in a version of events where usnavi never loses his parents, christmas is still his favourite time of year.

#in the heights #usnavi de la vega #fandom: in the heights #long post #good to know that no matter what universe i find a way to make myself so sad about usnavi #Anonymous

[thisstableground]

did you ever revisit the trio's first time but with Usnavi's pov? because id love to read that!

i mean i did write the whole bit leading up to it which i guess you might’ve read? but not the sex itself, because it’s really difficult to rewrite a sex scene in a way that still feels interesting. but i’m still glad you asked this because i have had manythoughts about it, so here’s a half-fic half-headcanon post instead! not actually all that NSFW but i’m putting it under a cut just bc it’s long.

**

The thing that is important to remember is that at this time yes, Usnaviis bigtime heart-eyes tripping over himself crushing on Ruben because look at him, who the hell wouldn’t? But Usnaviis also still and always will be bigtime heart-full soul-shatteringly in love with Vanessa (because look at her who the hell wouldn’t) anddoesn’t intend to take any step of this wild little trip they’re going onwithout knowing she’s 100% on board. Andhe knows Ruben, who doesn’t so much have emotional baggage re: touching as he does a whole emotional moving van full of boxes that are full of other boxes that are full of panic attacks.

 So he has no expectations with this, has no intention of putting any pressure on. Kissing is already great, anyway, there’s so many tongues involved and whatever cologne Ruben uses smells outrageously sexy right now and Vanessa keeps nudging Usnavi like hey hope you’re paying attention to how good I look with him, so it’s happy times all around even if all they get done tonight is making out in Usnavi’s living room.

But Vanessa – of course Vanessa, why is anyone surprisedthat Vanessa – says, “bedroom?” and Usnavi wants to be like oh my god you can’t just say that to the guy he’ll run for the hills, but then to his eternal surprise Ruben nods, so now Usnavi mostly just freaks out internally and a little bit externally too because he’s fantasizedabout this but he never quite fantasized it ever actually happening in actual real life.

Then they’re in the bedroom and  things kind of come to a screeching halt,because Ruben’s just taken his shirt off. Usnavi has no idea what he actually imaginedwhen Ruben said that he had scars, but he’s pretty sure he didn’t imagine that.he couldn’t have imagined that. Vanessa at his side says “Jesus Christ” and Usnavi elbows her to shuther up, but to be fair, Jesus Christ.

He gets used to the scars, later.He never loves that they’re there, because of what they mean had to havehappened. but he thinks Ruben is gorgeous, and that’s not because of them or inspite of them, they’re part of him and there’s other things to thinkabout. 

But for now, this first time, thefirst few times, the word he’d use to describe them is ugly. Ruben isn’t ugly, Ruben is a solid twenty out of ten, but like, there’s Ruben who comes into the bodega and jumpsup onto the counter like he knows that spot is his, and smiles at Vanessa andgiggles at Usnavi’s jokes. There’s the smaller, sadder Ruben who wandersinto the store like he’s lost his way and sits in the backroom with his head onhis knees for hours or who’ll be holding a cup of coffee and zone out soaggressively that he drops it on the floor.

And then there’s Ruben here, who is still shirtless but looking like he’s about to make a break for it, looking likehe knows exactly what word is in their heads. Usnavi never quite connected thathorrifying story Ruben told him all those months ago to reality, and here’sreality: taken to pieces and hurt, standing right in front of him. He can’tsay anything because the only word he can find for it is ugly and he knows how Ruben will take it if he says that, but that isn’t what Usnavi means by it. It’sugly that someone could be so cruel, it’s ugly that someone could take a personand do that to them, and especially to thisperson.

And then Vanessa (of course Vanessa, always his grouchy, sweet, unsubtle Vanessa) breaks the awkwardness by grabbing Ruben in a hug that looks like itis crushing every one of his ribs and she says, “it’s just that it’s not fair.”

Unfair is a better word for it than ugly. It isn’t fair at all, and it isn’t fair that Usnavi knows nothing he does is gonna change that it happened, or stop what’s still happening afterwards. Especially not in one night. Like, Usnavi ain’t too bad in the sheets after all the practice him and Vanessa have put in but he’s pretty sure he can’t just undo trauma with dick magic and determination, more’s the pity. But they can maybe work on rightingthe balance in Ruben’s life just a little, couldn’t they?

So he holds both of them andthen, well, okay, Usnavi has toadmit, he doesn’t actually remember most of the sex that takes place after. He’s so busy having toomany feelings in his heart and also too many feelings in Other Places that heforgets to turn on the part of his brain that records memories. When hethinks back on it he can’t really picture anything clearly, he can just hear the loud happy AAAAAAAAA noise his inner monologue was making the whole time, and vaguely recallsthe Holy Shit Vanessa Are You Seeing This Too face he inadvertently made everytime he caught her eye over the top of Ruben’s head while Ruben was, y’know,otherwise occupied. 

But he remembers Ruben being there, and Vanessa beingthere, and that there was nothing ugly about any of it. So he remembers the most important part.

***

“Vanessa,” Usnavi says, leaninground the door as she’s getting out of the shower late the next afternoon when Ruben’s finally gone home to process. “Vanessa, I had sex with a boy!”

“Yes, I was there,” she says, holding out her hand for a towel.

He passes it over and leansagainst the basin while she dries off. “I’m glad you were there too,” he says. Is that a strange thing to think, to be happy that your girlfriend got to watch your first time with a guy? But Vanessa’s giving him a soft look now and he can’t imagine doing something so new and awesome and not sharing it with her, he shares everything with her. Everything including shy, silly, nerdy, naked dudes, it seems.

“So how was it? Your first time?” Vanessa wants to know.

“Dick tastes weird,” Usnavi says. “I liked it, though. Did you?”

“It was hot,” Vanessa says, a neutral no feelings voice but Usnavi isn’t fooled: Ruben went in for a cheek kiss then tentatively turned it into a last-moment kiss onVanessa’s mouth before he left today, and Usnavi watched her smiling at the door for atleast four full seconds after it closed behind him. She likes him. Confirmed when she says, “hereally is somethin’ else, ain’t he? You wouldn’t think it to look at him.”

He knows she doesn’t just mean he’sa good fuck, her voice halfway between awed and sad,  but Usnavi doesn’t wanna ruin the high he’s stillriding by thinking about those parts of it. “He’sdefinitely something. Cute as heck, too!”

“Very cute,” she nods. “And… we’restill alright, yeah? Like, you didn’t change your mind on anything about us?

“Querida, I adore you and we are fantastic,” he says firmly, kissing her hard toprove it, because he doesn’t like it when Vanessa is unsure of herself and especially not when Vanessa is unsure that he’s anything less than head-over-heels for her. “Also, perfect sex team, much? We blew that boy’s goddamn mind last night.”

“I feel like we’re almost too good,” she agrees, grinning, confidence restored. “He’ll bewalkin’ wrong for days.”

“Like, frighteningly good.” 

“We should be illegal,” she says, and they do acelebratory high-to-low five for being so awesome at sex things.

#fandom: do no harm/in the heights #ship: usnavi/vanessa/ruben #i love THEM #Anonymous #i love all my eras of usnavi but i am especially fond of this Early Days Disaster Bi usnavi #he is so much fun

[pika-ace]

ITH Lemony Snicket AU Sneak Peek

Alright! The people have spoken! As promised here is your sneak peek! And in the spirit of Lemony Snicket, I must warn you that this is not a happy blurb you will be getting. (Apologies in advance to the smol Son-shine)

After Usnavi’s parents perish in a terrible fire, Usnavi, Sonny, and Chip find themselves in the care of their ‘closest living’ relative, Count Rodriguez. However, all he wants is the De la Vega fortune that Usnavi will inherit when he turns 28 (the will was very specific), but Rodriguez is willing to do anything to get his hands on it, as Usnavi is about to quickly discover when Sonny goes missing.

It was safe to say Rodriguez had been expecting Usnavi, as he turned right around the minute Usnavi stormed into the room, Chip right behind him. “Usnavi!” He greeted, a little too happily. “What can I do for you?”

“Where is he?!” Usnavi demanded.

 “Who?”

 “Sonny!”

“Sonny?”

“My cousin!”

“What about your cousin?”

“He’s missing!” Usnavi yelled, holding out Sonny’s hat. “I know you had something to do with this; where is he?!”

‘Answer the question, or I’ll go for your nose!’ Chip growled loudly.

“Oh dear!” Rodriguez exclaimed, putting a hand to his chest, “Little Sonny is missing? How dreadful!”

Chip’s growling grew louder, ‘Don’t mock us!’

“Oh, wait!” Rodriguez put a hand to his ear, “I think I heard something outside!” It wasn’t much, but Usnavi was willing to take it. He turned and hurried out the door, Chip following.

They ran out to the backyard, “Sonny?!” Usnavi called, glancing around the desolate yard, “Sonny!”

‘Curly! You out here?’ Chip barked loudly.

 “You won’t find him here.” Usnavi turned as their guardian walked towards them. Rodriguez handed him a pair of binoculars and pointed towards the tower, “You might want to look up there.”

Usnavi frowned in confusion and put the binoculars to his face, following his finger. He was looking at the tower, but something was hanging from the window. Usnavi zoomed in, realizing that the object was a decent sized cage, like a birdcage in shape but larger in size; but something was inside it.

Usnavi zoomed in closer and the color slowly drained from his face; it was Sonny.

The younger De la Vega was bound hand and foot, thick ropes wrapped tightly around his upper body, thighs, calves and ankles, nearly mummifying him. Duct tape was placed over his mouth, sealing his lips shut. The tape was wrapped around his head multiple times creating a thick silver belt that muted his cries almost completely.

The binoculars began to shake in Usnavi’s grasp as he watched Sonny move and squirm about in his bonds, looking desperately for a way to escape, fear in his eyes, but he was completely trapped.

Usnavi lowered the binoculars and faced Rodriguez sharply, “Let him go!” He yelled, his paternal instincts for his cousin shooting into overdrive while Chip barked madly.

“Gladly.” Rodriguez pulled out a small radio, “Let him go.” There was a loud clunk and the cage began to fall, Sonny’s muffled scream barely audible.

“No!” Usnavi yelled in horror.

 “Hold it.” Rodriguez said into the radio, and the cage came to an abrupt halt. Usnavi looked through the binoculars again; Sonny seemed pretty shaken, but not hurt as the cage was raised back up to the window.

Usnavi’s jaw clenched as he made towards Rodriguez, “If you hurt him-”

“Ah ah ah,” Rodriguez said, holding up the radio, “I wouldn’t do anything rash if I were you; that tower is over fifty feet tall.”

“He’s done nothing to you!” Usnavi protested. “How could you do this?! He’s a child!”

“You think I care about that?” Rodriguez asked. “I’m much more interested to see just how hard he’ll hit the ground when he falls.”

“No!” Usnavi cried, his voice close to cracking from fear. “Please, stop, don’t hurt him! I’ll-I’ll do anything, anything, just, please, don’t hurt him!” He hated that he had been reduced to begging, but he had no choice.

“Anything?” Rodriguez asked gleefully. “Anything, such as, signing over your life and fortune to me?”

Usnavi sucked in a sharp breath; that’s what this was all about?! This man, this…this maniac was willing to threaten his baby cousin just to get his hands on their fortune?!

 “Think carefully, Orphan.” Rodriguez said, waving the radio tauntingly in front of Usnavi, “Your precious little boy’s life quite literally hangs in the balance.”

Usnavi grit his teeth and looked back up the cage; he could see it moving slightly from Sonny struggling. Poor Sonny was probably scared out of his mind! Usnavi lowered his head in defeat; they were helpless. There was nothing Usnavi could do to save Sonny, except do as he was told. They really had no choice.

“Fine.” Usnavi finally said, clenching his fists tightly, “I’ll do it.”

“Very good.” Rodriguez smiled cruelly, “He’ll remain up there until my play is over. But, any funny business, I give the word, and your little Son-shine will be setting for the last time.”

Usnavi glared at him, his eyes beginning to sting, and Rodriguez entered the house. Usnavi watched him go and looked back up at the cage as water dripped down his cheeks.

You might think those were tears, but they were in fact raindrops, as it had just started to rain. Weather can have the uncanny ability to mirror one’s emotions, and right now, Usnavi was feeling despair with the rain.

However, with rain, there can be thunder, and Usnavi was not about to give up due to despair, as he put his hat firmly on his head. “Hold on, mijo…”

Usnavi hurried back to their room, Chip close behind. Chip tilted his head as Usnavi began examining the torn-up curtains in their room.

As much as he loved his two humans, Chip couldn’t help but sometimes be stunned by how strangely they could act sometimes. ‘What are you doing?’

 “I’m not sure yet.” Usnavi answered, basically meaning that the gears in his head were starting to turn.

‘What are we going to do?’

“I don’t know.” Usnavi answered again.

Chip leapt onto their bed and lay down with a whine, ‘I’m scared.’

Usnavi gave him a sad look, “Me too, buddy, me too.”

Night quickly fell and Usnavi managed to convince Chip to go to sleep, as the husky was adamant about sleeping when Sonny was trapped.

Once Chip was asleep, Usnavi took the torn curtains and exited their room, hurrying down to the backyard. He inwardly grinned as he spied just the thing he needed: an umbrella with the fabric torn off (it had caught his eye when he was chopping wood earlier).

Usnavi grabbed it and hurried to the tower, where Sonny’s cage was still safely hanging at the top. Usnavi knelt down and got to work, tearing up the curtains into long strips. Once they were torn, he tied them together, forming a long rope, exactly fifty feet long. Usnavi tied the rope to the end of the umbrella, making it just the right length; if you recall, Rodriguez said that the tower was over fifty feet tall.

Usnavi stood and held the umbrella in one hand, staring up at the tall tower. He took a dee breath and began spinning the umbrella in a circle, building momentum. After a few seconds, he released it, only to have the umbrella hit the wall and come crashing down.

Meanwhile, in the cage, Sonny, who had been slightly dozing off (a very difficult task when you’re tied up with tape over your mouth), was jerked awake by the sounds beneath him.

Usnavi tried throwing the umbrella many more times, until finally, the umbrella reached the windowsill, latching onto it. Usnavi gave the curtain rope a few tugs, finding it stable, and began to climb.

Physical strength had never been Usnavi’s strong suit; in fact, many would call him a wimp or something far worse. But even the weakest humans can tap into something when the situation demands it, and that is adrenaline.

With adrenaline, the human body’s equivalent to an enhancing drug, humans can pull off incredible feats. For example, a mother may lift a car to save her child trapped underneath, or a teenager may punch a bully into submission for threatening a friend or loved one.

And in Usnavi’s case, climbing the side of a tower with only a rope made of curtains, was made much easier than it should have been, seeing how his dear cousin’s life was in jeopardy.

The climb was slow and careful, but at no point did Usnavi feel tired or the need to let go. Soon, the window of the tower was less than ten feet away. He was almost there; the cage was just about within arm’s distance.

“Sonny!” Usnavi called softly. “Sonny!”

Sonny peeked out of the cage and his eyes widened in shock and relief. He began to let out a string of muffled cries, struggling with a new energy.

Usnavi quickly shushed him and put a hand on the base of the cage to keep it still; he only had one shot at this, he couldn’t risk alerting anybody. “I’m coming, mijo.” He said.

 He climbed the rest of the way up and hoisted himself into the window, his limbs rejoicing at the solid ground beneath him. He turned back to Sonny, whose eyes were full of hope, pleading to be released.

“Is the key to the cage somewhere in here?” Usnavi asked.

Sonny nodded quickly, urging for him to hurry.

“Alright, just hold on a little longer,” Usnavi promised. “I’ll get you out of there.”

So? What you think? Let me know, please!

#and there you have it! #i'm sorry sonny I love you dearly #and its because I love you that I put you through this #I know a few of you may be skeptical about usnavi being this smart #but adrenaline makes you do crazy shit #ESPECIALLY parental adrenaline #and besides this whole series is MEANT to be ridiculous #I tried to mimic the writing style as best I could #and if you know the series things only get WORSE from here on out #in the heights aus #in the heights #asoue #fanfiction #usnavi de la vega #sonny de la vega #chip the husky #snicket au #au blurbs