#midyear check in | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

all-the-things-2020 · 6 months

Text

Summary: When you land on a backwater planet for a routine job, your feelings for your bounty hunter boss are revealed, thanks to a local holiday tradition.

Rating: PG-13 (implied sexual activity but everything happens off screen)

Notes: This was written in 2020, before we knew Grogu’s name. I wrote it for the Pedros12DaysofChristmas gift exchange on tumblr as a gift for @djarinslover.

Word count: 3600+

Tags: @morallyinept Jett, please add to your Festive Fic Rec List 🎄❄️🎁

The wind whipped across the plain that lay outside the little town. You huddled into your coat, which was not thick enough for this weather. Din’s cape plastered itself to his back and the Child he carried whined at the cold. “It’s not far,” Din said. “I’ll keep you warm, kid.” The green child snuggled closer and made an inquiring noise. “And we’ll get something to eat. I promise.” The Child cooed and snuggled closer, his tiny clawed hand clutching at the smooth beskar of Din’s breastplate. You marveled at how well the two communicated, considering the Child couldn’t talk yet. Of course, you and Din were often able to communicate without words, even though his face was always hidden by his helmet.

The ramp rumbled closed behind you as the three of you made your way to the gate of the town. It was another nondescript settlement on a nondescript planet; somewhere that should have been a safe hiding place for a being on the run, but Din was a relentless hunter and very rarely failed to find his quarry. You were surprised that he hadn’t simply left you and the Child on board while he checked out this new lead, but you had learned not to question him when it came to bounty hunting. That was his area of expertise, not yours.

There was a gateway of sorts over the road into town, and it was bedecked with boughs of some evergreen plant that smelled spicy and stringent. Bunches of red and white berries were tied here and there with bright yellow ribbons.

You stepped a bit closer to Din as you entered the town. The houses looked empty, although some had colorful lights hanging in the windows, and most of them had boughs hanging over the door frame. “Where is everyone?” you asked, disconcerted by the lack of people and the empty echoes of your feet against the walls.

Din shifted the Child in his arms and grunted. “Must be in the center of town for the festival,” he said briefly.

“Festival?”

He nodded, but kept walking. “It’s the Midyear Festival. Winter solstice or something like that. I thought the kid might enjoy seeing it.” He dug in his pocket and pulled out a small pouch of credits, which he handed to you. “There’s sure to be some food for sale. Maybe you can find him a toy or something, keep him from stealing the knob off my gearshift all the time.”

You hid your smile, knowing that Din would just get brusque and dismissive if he saw it. You took the pouch and slipped it into the inside pocket of your coat. “And it gives you a good excuse to be here, too,” you said. “Bringing the kid to see the festival. Who’d be suspicious of that?”

Din turned his helmeted head slightly and you just knew he was rolling his eyes at you; the man could convey a full range of emotions with just a tilt of the head or shift in body weight. You’d learned to read him well during your time aboard the Razor Crest. You just wondered what it would take to get him to express the emotions you were almost certain were lurking just underneath the surface of what he’d allow himself to feel.

The town square was packed with beings of all kinds, eating and drinking and shopping at the booths that had sprung up around the perimeter. They were all decked out with the same evergreen boughs and berries. Din handed the Child to you. “Here, find him something to eat and look around at the wares,” he said. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. It shouldn’t take me long to get the information I need and then we can move on.”

You held the Child close as the two of you watched Din walk away, his cape swaying behind him as he strode across the square. He didn’t have to weave his way through the crowd; they parted in front of him. You felt a swell of … not exactly pride, since it was mixed with a healthy dose of lust ...Din looked good as always, and you had to remind yourself that so far he’d treated you as no more than a crewmate.

“Come on, kiddo,” you said once Din had been swallowed up by the crowd. “Let’s get you something yummy to eat.”

The Child made it clear that he wanted one of the large, sugar dusted cookies that several children were carrying around, and you quickly found the booth that was selling them. You purchased two and found a place to sit down. You and the Child nibbled at your treats, watching everyone in their festival finery. “They sure are dressed up, aren’t they?” you said. The Child continued to munch on his cookie, but he pricked his ears up, so you knew he was listening. “Think we’ll ever have money to waste on fancy clothes like that? Yeah, probably not. Your dad’s pretty tight with the purse strings. And fuel and ship repairs are expensive.” You sighed. Life was better now that you were traveling with the Mandalorian and his strange little foundling, but it was never easy in this part of the galaxy.

Once the cookies were gone (and part of yours might have mysteriously found its way into the kid’s hands), you picked the Child up and wandered around the square, looking at the sights. At one booth, you found an assortment of wooden toys which you found charming but which barely got a glance from the Child. What he did like were the shiny ornaments that hung from a large bough in the next booth over.

“Those look awfully fragile, kiddo,” you said doubtfully.

“But you would be wrong,” said the young woman behind the counter at the booth. “They are made of durasteel, hand painted and beautiful, but guaranteed to withstand the wildest gaggle of children and/or beasts.” She took down the one that had caught the Child’s eye, a silvery globe just big enough for both of his little hands to grasp, painted all over with geometric shapes in a brilliant azure blue. As the Child reached desperately for it, you knew you’d never hear the end of it if you didn’t get it for him.

“How much?” you asked, sure it was going to be outrageously priced and Din would be mad at you for spending so much on a useless bauble.

“Five credits,” the woman said. She tilted her head, taking in your patched trousers and the raggedy hem on the Child’s robe. “Let’s say four. Can’t let a kid go without a Midyear present, can we?”

You would have gladly paid five, but bit your tongue. A credit saved was a credit earned, after all. You handed over the money and the Child cooed as he examined the beautiful ball in his hands.

“And what about for you?” the young woman asked. “Do you have your sprig of laramin yet?”

“My sprig of what?” you asked.

She nodded. “Figured you for an offworlder,” she said, reaching up to pull a bundle of blue and white leaves down from a rack at the back of the stall. “Laramin,” she said, holding it out to you. “Almost sold out, so you’re just in time.” She held it up above her head. “It’s a tradition. At midnight on Midyear Day, you try to get your sweetheart under the laramin. Legend has it, if you kiss them under the laramin leaves at midnight, they’ll love you forever.” She gave you an appraising look. “I saw you come into the square with that tall fellow in the shiny armor. I’ll bet you’d like to get him under the laramin.”

You laughed and rolled your eyes, but still asked the price of the bundle of leaves. One credit, and she threw in some silver ribbon to hang it from. “Little guy might want to play with it, after. Since it matches his ornament and all,” she said. You thanked her and tucked the sprig of laramin in your pocket next to the credit pouch.

You took another turn around the square, but the Child only had eyes for his ball, and soon you settled back down on a bench to wait for Din. You’d bought a couple more of those cookies, but hidden them away from the Child. You wanted to save at least one for Din, although who knew when he’d have a chance to eat it. He always snatched a bite here or there when you and the kid were asleep or busy.

Finally, you saw his shiny helmet weaving its way through the crowd, swiveling back and forth as he scanned the crowd for you. You suppressed the urge to stand up and wave; Din was a skilled hunter and he’d find you and the Child easily enough. Besides, you didn’t want to seem desperate or anything. You thought guiltily of the sprig of leaves in your pocket and your face got hot. It was ridiculous and a waste of money, but at least you’d saved the credit you spent on it when the vendor cut the price on the Child’s bauble.

Din reached you. “Come on,” he said, motioning for you to stand. He picked up the Child, who held out his new treasure for inspection. “Hmm … very nice, buddy. You do like shiny things, don’t you?” The Child chirped his agreement and returned to admiring the blue and silver ornament. Din turned to you. “Did you get yourself anything?”

You were flustered. “Um, I bought the kid and me each a cookie earlier, and I got a few more to take with us. So you can have one later. They’re pretty good.” You were rambling, but you didn’t want to admit you’d bought the laramin sprig. You’d toss it in the trash compactor when you got back to the ship.

Din simply nodded and began to walk. “We can stay overnight and head after the quarry in the morning,” he said as you followed him through the crowd. “I don’t think he’ll be on the move for a while, according to the intel I got.”

The ship was quiet and cold when you arrived, but that was normal. It just seemed darker than usual because you’d come from the brightly lit festival. Din closed up the ramp and busied himself with a check of his arsenal. “Keep an eye on the kid,” he said. “He’ll probably be busy with his new toy, but still, I don’t want him getting near the weapons.”

You nodded and took the Child into the tiny bunk where he and Din slept. The Child had a hammock strung from the ceiling; the sleeping area took up the entire bottom of the bunk, which you secretly thought looked more like a storage closet than a bedroom, but it wasn’t your ship. Your own sleeping area was a pile of blankets on top of a foam pad tucked behind some crates between the main hold and the carbonite freezer. It wasn’t fancy, but at least you had more room than Din and the kid had.

You sat with your back to the bunk entrance, with the Child in front of you, so he was blocked from getting out. The little womp rat was stealthy and you’d learned that unless you could see him at all times, he was capable of slipping past you and getting into trouble. Right now, though, he was enthralled with his new shiny toy and happy to sit and burble at it. You slid the packet of cookies out of your pocket, worried they would get crushed. The Child perked up at the sight of them, but you said, “Not right now. Wait until your dad’s done, then we’ll all have one, okay?” His ears drooped a bit, but he returned to the toy with only a tiny sigh.

You also pulled out the credit pouch. You would return it to Din when you gave him his cookie. The sprig of laramin came with it, the silver ribbon tangled around the pouch.

“What’s that?”

Din was almost as sneaky as his little green kid. “Oh, just a decoration,” you said, hiding your face by looking down at the Child. “The girl who sold us the ornament insisted I take one. No charge.” You dropped the laramin on the bed and held out the pouch. “Here’s what’s left of your credits.”

Din held out his gloved hand and took the pouch gently. He didn’t open it, or even test its weight, even though you knew he was always careful with his money. “Don’t lie to me,” he said firmly.

“What?”

“I told you when you came aboard, I don’t tolerate lying,” he said, tucking the credit pouch back into a pocket. “I know what that is.” He pointed at the bedraggled bunch of laramin leaves. “It’s some sort of love charm or something, isn’t it?”

You took a deep breath before you spoke. “It’s a decoration,” you repeated. “You hang it up and if you can kiss your sweetheart under it at midnight on Midyear Day, then the legend says they’ll love you forever. It’s silly. I just took it because the girl insisted. We can throw it away.”

You reached for the leaves, ready to crumble them into a wad, but Din was faster. He picked up the bundle and dangled it over your head by the silver ribbon. “No, let’s hang it up,” he said. “We could use some decoration in this old bucket.” You turned around in the bunk, wondering what he was going to do.

He reached up and tied the ribbon over an exposed girder. “There,” he said. “Festive, don’t you think?” Then he turned abruptly and headed up the ladder to the cockpit.

“What was that all about?” you asked the Child, who had crept up beside you. He stared at you for a moment, then shrugged and went back to admiring his ball.

You could hear Din moving around up in the cockpit but he wasn’t planning to move the ship until morning. Had he gotten embarrassed by the laramin? Was he trying to pretend nothing had happened to spare your feelings? You’d tried your best to hide your attraction to him, but the man was a hunter; he noticed details. He was probably well aware of the way you watched him, the way your eyes lingered over certain parts of his anatomy as he moved. And you were sure he knew how you tensed up when he moved close to you, how hard you resisted leaning into his touch when he laid a hand on your shoulder. You looked up at the wilted sprig of laramin, just hanging there mocking you.

It was getting late, so you arranged your bed, which usually got messed up during the day, either from the movements of the ship as it flew, or the feet of the Child, who pattered around the hold when he got restless. The kid slowly followed you, his eyes starting to droop. When he yawned, you scooped him up and tucked him into his hammock. “Your dad will be down pretty soon,” you told him, even though you didn’t know what the hell Din was doing up there.

With the kid in bed, and Din busy, you pulled off your boots and got ready to crawl into your nest of blankets. You had just untied the string that held your hair back out of your face when you heard Din’s boots on the ladder. You looked up. He glanced briefly at you and then ducked into the bunk. Oh, well.

“Here,” Din said, suddenly looming over you. He was holding out a scrap of old blanket.

“What?” You took the piece of fabric, wondering what was going on.

“Put it on,” he said curtly, making a circling motion around his head. “Cover your eyes.”

“Um, okay,” you said, twisting the fabric and wrapping it around your face. You tied it behind your head. It was an effective blindfold; you couldn’t see a thing through it’s tight weave.

“Good,” Din said. He reached out and took your hand. “Stand up.” When you did, he moved his hand to your shoulder. “Over here.”

You shuffled after him in your stocking feet. The floor of the hold was cold and hard through your socks. Din carefully adjusted your position and then stood quietly. “What’s going on?” you asked, but he shushed you.

“Almost time,” he said. When the alarm on his chronometer beeped, you heard him take a deep breath, followed by the click and slight hiss of his helmet being detached. You held your breath. Was he … was he really …

A gloved hand stroked your cheek and slid behind your head, holding it steady. “I’m not sure how to do this,” Din said quietly. His voice wasn’t distorted by the vo-coder in the helmet and you heard a nervous quaver in it. “I’ve … I’ve never done this before,” he whispered.

Your heart was pounding. It was happening. “That’s okay,” you said softly. “Just do what feels right.” You lifted your hand to touch his face, the face you’d imagined so many times. You gently traced the curve of his cheek, the sharp ridge of his nose, the soft pillows of his lips. You felt his breath hitch as you slid your fingers back and forth against his lips. Then he brushed your hand out of the way and pressed those lips against yours.

It was everything you had imagined, and more. His lips were soft and clumsy as he kissed you, his fingers tightening in your hair as he held your head in place. You lifted your other hand to the back of his neck and ran your fingers through his hair, giving a gentle tug as he pulled back from the kiss. “How was that?” he asked breathlessly.

“Not bad,” you said. “But you definitely need practice.” You pulled him closer and kissed him harder, sliding your tongue along the seam between his lips, until he parted them and you were able to deepen the kiss. When your tongue darted into his mouth, he gasped and his free arm wrapped around your waist. You responded by pressing your body against his armored chest, wishing he’d shed more than his helmet.

After a few minutes, you came up for air. “Happy Midyear,” Din said, his voice raspy.

You laughed and pressed your head against his shoulder pauldron. “Was that my present?” you teased.

“The first of many, I hope,” Din said hesitantly. “I … I’ve been wanting to do this for a long time. I wasn’t sure if you felt the same way about me, but when I saw the laramin sprig, I thought, what the hell.” His arms tightened around you and pulled you closer to him, squishing you against his armored body.

“Is the kid asleep?” you asked.

“I think so,” he replied. “I closed the door to the bunk.”

You chuckled. “Good idea. He doesn’t need to see this.” You pulled Din’s head down for another kiss, and started backing toward where you thought your bed was. Din steered you by the shoulders until you felt the edge of your foam pad under your feet.

“Are you sure about this?” he asked.

“Yes,” you said. “I’ve been dying to find out what’s under all that beskar.” He laughed and kissed you again.

**************************************

When you woke the next morning, you were alone. Your blindfold was gone. Your clothes were folded neatly on a crate next to your bed. You could hear Din talking softly to the Child in the cockpit.

You got up carefully, stiff and sore in places that hadn’t seen much activity recently. You got dressed and made your way to the ‘fresher. After you’d splashed a little water on your face, you climbed the ladder to the cockpit.

“Good morning,” Din said quietly. He was in the pilot’s seat, the Child perched on his lap, watching as he entered coordinates and ran through the pre-launch sequence. The new durasteel ball was clutched in the Child’s hand and the knob had been returned to the lever where it belonged.

“Good morning,” you replied. Din waved you closer and as you came alongside the chair, he slid his hand to the small of your back. You leaned down to greet the Child, who babbled to you about something.

Din sat back in the pilot’s seat. He gently placed the Child on the floor. “Get in your chair and buckle in,” he told the small creature. As the kid toddled toward his seat, Din tilted his helmet up to look at you. His hand returned to your waist. “Last night …,” he began.

You cut him off. “It’s okay if it was just the holiday,” you said. “It’s okay if it never happens again.”

He shook his head. “No, it … it wasn’t just the holiday. I’d like it to happen again. It’s just … I can’t let you see my face. It will have to be like that.” His hand slid gently up and down against your back.

You leaned over him and pressed a kiss against the cold beskar of his helmet. “It’s fine,” you said. “I know how important The Way is to you. I would never ask you to abandon it.”

Din was silent for a long moment, then nodded his head. He pulled away from you. “Okay, then. You’d better get buckled in. We’re taking off in two minutes.”

You took your seat next to the Child. Din finished the last few checks and pressed a button to ignite the engines. As the ship began to lift off the surface, you noticed something dangling above the control panel, jiggling with the vibrations of the ship. A bedraggled sprig of blue and white leaves, tied tightly with a silver ribbon.

#the mandalorian #star wars #grogu #baby yoda #fanfic #din djarin #holiday themed #friends to lovers #din djarin x reader #din Djarin fluff #tooth rotting fluff #festive fic rec list

69 notes · View notes

popchyk-oui · 10 months

Text

[07.24.23] Currently doing a midyear check in of my reading goals. I've been on a slump since last year and have only read 4 books this 2023. My goal is to finish 15 books (including rereads) this year and so I'm planning which books I want to read for the next 5 months and some other specific game plan for each book. ☁️

#own #journaling #books and literature #book annotations #commonplace journal #journalph #journal #bullet journal #reading journal #book journal #reading goals #tbr #physical tbr #books to read #bookblr #currently reading #bookish #book recommendations #reading 2023

107 notes · View notes

onmyliteraturebullshitagain · 10 months

Text

Midyear queer book rec 2023: even more gay, even more slaps!

Another wide selection of achillian, sapphic, and bisexual (is there a term for that?) relationships, basically all adult fiction and lots of romance, historical, and fantasy with happy endings because of who I am as a person. But these are all books I gave at least 3/5 stars that offer a fun range of relationships and writing styles!

If you want even more queer book recs, check out my many previous posts! Now go enjoy some queer reading and support authors writing queer fiction!

#queer book recs #gay book recs #it's gay and it slaps #wicked beauty #something fabulous #the charm offensive #a restless truth #a gentleman never keeps score #two wrongs make a right #the library of the unwritten #achillian books #sapphic books #bisexual books #queer relationships #book recs

75 notes · View notes

albatrossisland · 8 months

Text

Fic exchange recommendations

It's that time again, the midyear JB fic exchange is almost over, the author reveal is just around the corner, and with that in mind, here are some recs for you.

It was a good crop of stories, and chef AUs were plentiful, and here are the stories that really spoke to me. (Definitely check out the whole collection, there are tons of stories that could use some love).

And as always a big thank you to our organizers, @firesign23 and @jaime-brienne-fic-exchange for letting us do this once again.

Depth of Fiance - My wonderful, wonderful gift fic! My mystery author took my prompts (While You Were Sleeping AU, Artist AU), and made something that hits just right. Not too soft, not too angsty, just perfect.

Afraid of Diving In - Brienne first meets Jaime when she's crying on a beach, and he's terrible, but they grow up and he's slightly better. A fun, moving, sexy ride to the end.

Seasons of My ... - a Modern AU where the keep meeting and discovering new things about each other. Brienne is a photographer who is quite adept at capturing her subjects' true selves. Gorgeous.

where the spirit meets the bone - Wow, was my first reaction to this fic. I overlooked the tags, and I'm glad I did, because I might have looked away, but ah, never read a LSH fic like that one, and it hasn't left my thoughts since.

if i should fall behind (wait for me) - Regency AU, where JB are childhood friends who reconnect as Brienne is looking for a husband. I'm a total sucker for the regency AUs, and yep, this one worked on me too. It's great.

All the Lights Still Burning - a Long Night AU, beautiful and sad but with a happy ending they deserve.

Somewhere to Begin - JB meet at a rehab facility. Short but very moving.

Who Is Left - a modern arranged marriage AU. JB get married to end a war, and they have to get to know each other while coping with the aftermath of the fighting. Brienne POV.

petrichor - a short but breathtaking missing scene from the Riverlands where they bond during a rainstorm. Great stuff.

Dance Break - the KPop fic. I know nothing about KPop, but getting to learn, and getting to read this, what a treat.

by such means - Persuasion AU. So, so good, the longing, the tenderness of the Austen story is all there, and it's great.

WIPs

These stories aren't finished yet, but I really liked the setups.

The Iron Throne Challenge - Redemption Island - I have a lot of fondness for Reality TV AUs, and this one is no exception. Love the setup, and hope the author keeps it going, it's a lot of fun so far.

close to the bone - one of the chef AUs, great setup, very curious to see where it leads.

before an immense sky - A Season 8 canon divergence, I'm not sure where it's going, but the writing is superb, and I'm enjoying the journey.

Goodbye/Hello - Modern AU, intriguing beginning, waiting for more

#jb fic exchange #jaime lannister #brienne of tarth #jaime x brienne #fanfic

30 notes · View notes

ettawritesnstudies · 11 months

Text

I AM OFFICIALLY OFF HIATUS! And I've got a lot of cool stuff planned for the latter half of the year too! If you're interested in reading all the details and seeing pictures of my new cat, check out the post linked above!

TL:DR: (if you don't want to see the cat pictures)

I plan to finish the next draft of Runaways and start recruiting another round of beta readers by the end of August

Weekly website posts are back - I'm especially on the hunt for author interviews and so if you'd like to be featured please reach out I'd love to have you

Some of the post format is going to change including introducing a new series of posts called "Behind the Book Biographies" talking about the lives and times of famous authors

I'm expanding into Youtube so the weekly posts will be less long-form posts to read and sometimes more "Here's a transcript and link to the video."

The last week of each month, I’m going to be doing live write-ins on the YouTube! You can join and share your word count in chat as we do sprints. This will help me reach my goal of finishing Runaways and help me build a community of writers that support each other. The first of these write-ins will be on Monday, July 24th from 7:00pm-10:pm EST. That following Friday, the recording will be posted in lieu of a normal blog post, along with a recap of what we did during the write-in for anyone who missed it.

Finally, I’m going to a conference! If you happen to live in the Ohio area, come find me at the Columbus Book Festival on July 15th. I won’t have a table or anything since I don’t have any books published to sell yet, but I’ll be walking around and going to the talks. If you spot me, please don’t be afraid to say hi! I even got fancy new business cards for the occasion, and I’ll be giving out stickers too. Hope to see you there!

#etta rambles #midyear update #writing goals #writeblr #writeblr community #if anyone is willing to boost I'd appreciate it

23 notes · View notes

libertyreads · 2 years

Text

Mid-Year Check In--

My reading so far this year:

I’ve read a total of 87 distinct works. 26 of those are comics. 2 are graphic novels. 18 are novellas or short stories. 41 are full length novels.

I’ve read mostly books that are fewer than 300 pages while the second highest amount is books between 300 and 499 pages. The books I’ve read the fewest of are over 500 pages.

I have read exclusively fiction. Hi, have we met? Of course I have.

My most read genres are comics, YA (which I would argue is an age range and not a genre, Storygraph), romance, fantasy, and science fiction.

I read mostly print books and a much smaller portion digitally.

My most read authors this year are James S.A. Corey and the authors of the Lumberjanes comic series.

I’ve given out more 4 stars than any other rating. But next up is 3 stars. Sadly, I’ve read zero 5 stars. But I’m not surprised since that is reserved for new favorite books of all time.

So, how am I doing with my reading goals for 2022?

Goal #1 was to read between 52 and 104 books in 2022. If we don’t count comic books then I’m doing pretty well. I’ve read 26 comic books so far this year out of 87 total works read. So, subtracting those I’ve read 61 books so far this year...Yeah, okay I might be screwed if I don’t slow down my reading a bit. I want to try to tackle harder reads or bigger books in the back half of the year so I can enjoy what I’m reading without stressing about goals or whatever is making me act like a mad person.

Goal #2 was to use Storygraph and I’m doing really well on that front. The only trouble I’ve found so far is that it sometimes doesn’t have books that I’m reading if they aren’t well known. I’m talking short stories that only have 7 or 8 ratings on GoodReads. So, I don’t exactly blame Storygraph, but it does make it a little annoying sometimes.

Goal #3 was about reviewing books and book buying. The goal was to review new to me books only and to post them here as well as GoodReads and Storygraph which I’m doing so far. But the second part of this is just a solid fail on my part. I kind of forgot it was a thing. I wanted to only buy new to me books if they were a continuation of a series I’m reading or if they were part of projects I’m working on. I can aim to do better with that in the rest of the year. You know, once my birthday passes.

Goal #4 was to make reading fun again. I made this goal because I was constantly stressed about reading and wanting to read as much as possible so I could have “Content” (BLAH) for my blog or my IG. And I feel like I have been doing that, but I’m still reading at a pace that would match last year. I’m just reading shorter things and more fun things. So, if I could dial that back while still reading things I think I’ll enjoy then I could say I’ve achieved this goal.

#midyear check in #midyear #goal check in #bookish #booklr #bookstagram #books read in 2022 #books #bookblr #new year resolutions #kinda #reading goals

1 note · View note

meowcats734 · 10 months

Text

[Soulmage] You're the laughing stock of the Underworld, but on Earth your reputation attracts followers willing to betray everything. You're the only demon to uphold their side of the bargain, no strings attached.

"They have gone by many names, over the course of their existence. Scholars name them The Dealmaker. Demons call them a fool. But those who they reach out to know them by one name only: Odin." —A Compilation of Essays on the Demonic Form, Laiwen Shannel et al. 103 AR.

The Silent Academy for Witches held knowledge on every conceivable topic, even one as taboo as demonology. Granted, most of it was restricted, and it was all heavily biased against anything from outside the Silent Peaks, but if there was something I could honestly say I'd benefitted from during my stay in the Academy, it was the massive reservoir of knowledge that was the Library.

"When soulspace entities first crossed through the rifts, humanity encountered The Dealmaker. Legends say that as a Demon of Empathy, they consider harming one whom they've bonded with to be harming themself, and as a result, will never renege on a deal if they have the option." —Musings on Primitive Mythology, Kanne, 2 AR.

The classes that I'd taken on how to properly research something—say, the name of a demon—had come in handy, too. With Lucet as my research partner checking out books for me, I made index cards and mind mazes and all the lovely organizational techniques Witch Aimes had drilled into me. Bit by bit, like pulling the spines of a star-cactus from bleeding palms, I extracted the drops of restricted knowledge that I was able to access on the entity known as Odin. A demon. A dealmaker. A person of their word, no matter how terrible that word was.

"Despite a century of accumulated empathic experience, Odin is not truly human. Their approximation of the humanoid mind is flawed, at best, and what they truly desire is often difficult to discern." Are Demons Truly Alive?, Daiol Utennt, 80 AR.

The texts I had access to were frustratingly vague, and sometimes I went days without finding anything useful. But I had to know. I had to know what The Dealmaker wanted with me when he'd showed up in my dreams.

I had to know what would happen now that I'd refused.

"The Dealmaker has gathered a cult following among mortals in the years since the rifts began. Their pattern is familiar and simple: they target those shunned by society and offer them something they cannot get anywhere else." The Case for Minority Re-Education, Falo Chentrenne, 120 AR.

I snapped the book shut and stood, stretching. It had been weeks since my research project had begun, slogging through texts that were half-academic, half-propaganda. My back still ached and I had to visit the nurse twice daily, but school at the Silent Academy for Witches was on midyear break. I had no pressing obligations at the moment.

So it was time to pay a visit to an old friend.

Lucet was trying not to make Iola any angrier than he already was, so she was staying in the dorms—and even if I didn't agree with her, I sure as hell wasn't going to force her to change her mind. I didn't exactly have any other friends in the Academy, so after a quick dunk in the showers, I wrapped myself up to protect against the snow and left the Academy grounds alone.

Jiaola's house wasn't far. The old witch had built it right smack in the center of the Silent City. It was as if he and his husband were giving a massive "fuck you, we exist and we are here" to the Silent Parliament every day they continued outliving the government that had wanted them "re-educated."

There was a reason I liked Jiaola.

Small animals turned their heads as I passed, but I ignored them. I was on break; the Academy had no hold over me. They could stalk me all they wanted through the eyes of crows and blink-kittens. They might disapprove of me, but they already did.

I knocked on Jiaola's firm, old door—real wood, imported from the Redlands—and waited as Jiaola called "Coming!" A moment later, the old witch's wrinkled but unbroken smile greeted me as he opened the door.

"Cienne!" Jiaola's eyes twinkled merrily. "Come in, come in! Here to beat me at Kingmaker again?"

As much as I wanted to continue our board-game tournament, I had more pressing matters to work out. I shook my head. "Not this time, old man. We should take this inside."

Jiaola's gaze sharpened, and he reflexively swept the street with both eyes and soul. "Understood. Do you want to use the safe room, or...?"

I shook my head. "No use burning all those enchants. We can just talk in the living room."

Jiaola nodded and shuffled aside, letting me in before shutting the door. "What can an old bat like me help you with?"

I bit my lip, then leaned in and whispered, "Have you ever been contacted by a demon called Odin?"

Jiaola froze.

Then he let out a weary sigh. "So they've reached out to you as well?"

I nodded. "They wanted to use me as... some kind of champion? They promised to take me away from the Academy, at the very least." Which I wouldn't mind in and of itself, to be honest—I stayed at the Academy because I had nowhere else to go if I wanted to get food and shelter. "And from what I've heard, they're good for their word."

"They are," Jiaola said, eyes focusing on something I couldn't see. "I haven't thought about Odin in years, but... yes. The Dealmaker gave me what I wished for."

I didn't ask what Jiaola had been given. The old man would tell me if it was relevant.

"So if the Dealmaker's taking you out of the Academy..." Jiaola raised an eyebrow. "Is this the last time we'll see each other?"

I shook my head. "I turned their offer down."

Jiaola did a double-take. "You what?"

I did not like that reaction. "Yeah, actually, that's what I came here to ask you. I couldn't find anything in the library on what happens when Odin gets refused—"

"Cienne—argh!" For the first time since I'd met the witch, he seemed genuinely afraid. "You don't get it. The Dealmaker upholds their end of the offers they make, always, no exceptions. Even when the person in question doesn't accept the deal."

Oh.

Oh, fuck.

Jiaola grabbed my arm, steel in his eyes. "Get yourself into the safe room. I'll notify the city guard. If Odin said they were taking you out of the Academy, then Odin's coming to take you out of the Academy."

He paused as he reached the door, then turned around, his gaze intense as it met mine.

"The Dealmaker is coming for you, Cienne. Stay strong."

And with that, the old witch turned to the street and sounded the alarm.

A.N.

Soulmage is a serial written in response to writing prompts. Stick around for more episodes, or join my Discord to chat about it!

First

Table of Contents

#writing #writing prompt #writers on tumblr #writblr #serial fiction #fiction #series #web serial #oc #soulmage

13 notes · View notes

bollywoodisforlovers · 1 year

Text

Episode 142 - 2022 Year End Review

Well we are a month into the new year, but before we see if SRK can save Bollywood, we are looking back at the last six months of 2022.

Show notes:

2022 Midyear Review

Jugjugg Jeeyo

Ek Villain Returns

Good Luck Jerry (Episode 136)

Darlings (Episode 136)

Laal Singh Chaddha

Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva

(INTERVAL (“Piya Tu Ab To Aja” from Monica, O My Darling)

Chup: Revenge of the Artist

Doctor G

Phone Bhoot

Uunchai

Monica, O My Darling

Drishyam 2

Cirkus

Next time: Netflix and Dil Cinema Marte Dum Tak

Bollywood is For Lovers is a member of the Alberta Podcast Network

Listen to It’s a Conspiracy!

Check out STORYHIVE!

Find us on Apple Podcasts! and Stitcher! and audioBoom! and iHeartRadio! and Spotify! and Google Podcasts!

Thank you to Becca Dalke for the artwork!

#Bollywood #Bollywood 2022 #Jugjugg Jeeyo #Ek Villain Returns #Good Luck Jerry #Darlings #Laal Singh Chaddha #Brahmastra #Brahmastra Part One Shiva #Chup #Chup Revenge of the Artist #Doctor G #Uunchai #Monica O My Darling #Drishyam 2 #Cirkus

11 notes · View notes

freeworldallahexecutivembaclass · 8 months

Text

The wage increase and yet it still more work for us to do as a city it's not much but it is a start I know most of aspire to be millionaires and billionaires so the minimum wage is nothing to them but it say a lot about a city when they can pay the correct salary to employees and people like myself that deserve the better salary the tax cuts the better job environment and happier people to work around and yes I need the more money on my paycheck for a better quality of life , for myself and in the neighborhoods I got to live in and it is only going to get better with more restrictive things in our life getting put away and passing away to a much better and brighter days in full prosperity for all of us with our elected officials in the driver's seat of our leadership .

Tax cuts to help the everyday person keep more of their check in their pockets cut the tax rates in New York City by 4 percent I see it as New York State taxes % 8.82 to % 4 percent and business tax cuts to create more jobs the wages did increase which is very good but with the taxes on my check and how much they take out of my earnings it is like I'm still making that $ 11 dollars or in some case it is like we still making $ 6 . 25 dollars an hour in an expensive city like New York City so technically it is like we are as employees are still making $ 10 dollars an hour instead of that $ 6 dollar increase that was implemented by me I proposed it and it went through the wage increase

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-new-york-minimumwage/new-yorks-cuomo-signs-two-tier-minimum-wage-law-in-push-for-state-wide-15-hour-idUSKCN0X11Y1In

New York, the minimum wage rises to $15 per hour from its current $9 by the end of 2018 for most businesses in New York City. Commuter counties of Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester will reach $15 by the end of 2021, while the rest of the state will reach $12.50 by the end of 2020.

Apr 4, 2016What is the Raise the Wage Act 2023?

The Raise the Wage Act of 2023 would gradually raise the minimum wage to $17 by 2028 and give roughly 28 million Americans a long-overdue raise.Jul 25, 2023What was the minimum wage in New York City in 2017?General Minimum Wage Rate Schedule

Location 12/31/16 12/31/17NYC - Big Employers (of 11 or more)

$11.00 $13.00NYC - Small Employers (10 or less) $10.50 $12.00Long Island & Westchester $10.00 $11.00

Remainder of New York State Workers $9.70 $10.40January 1, 2024

What did minimum wage go up to in New York State?New York Enacts Increases to State Minimum Wage

Effective Date New York City, Long Island, and Westchester County Remainder of New York State

Current Minimum Wage $15/hour $14.20/hour

January 1, 2024 $16/hour $15/hour

January 1, 2025 $16.50/hour $15.50/hour

January 1, 2026 $17/hour $16/hour

May 16, 2023What city had the highest minimum wage?West Hollywood

West Hollywood now has nation's highest minimum wage

The city now requires businesses to pay workers at least $19.08. Previously, the minimum wage was $17 for employers with 50 employees or fewer and $17.50 for employers with at least 50 employees.

The rate was $18.35 for hotel employers.Jul 3, 2023Which states minimum wage is going up in 2023?State and locality midyear minimum wage rates are increasing in California, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, Nevada, and Oregon. The wage increases in all but Connecticut and Florida will take effect on July 1, 2023.Jun 9, 2023

What city in the US has the highest minimum wage in 2023?

SeattleMinimum wage workers in Seattle earn the most.No city in our study has a higher statutory minimum wage than Seattle, where minimum wage workers earn $18.69 an hour. But Seattle is also among the highest cost-of-living cities in our study.Jan 18, 2023

Proposing A

Wage increase of $ 22 - $ 23 dollars an hour for jobs not excluding any workers for any companies but Including :

Fire safety directors

Security guards

Librarians Library pages

Hotel concierges

Delivery service

Construction workers

Fed Ex workers

UPS workers

Ready Willing and able with free vocational grants from access vr programs they should hire vocational rehabilitation counselors and job developers finding permanent housing and permanent job placement after the clients training Stock Clerks and cashier's at major stores like Gristedes , C Town , met foods , Burlington coat factory wage increase for all warehousing and factory workers jack pallet and forklift training for people with no experience and a starting salary at $ 17 - 19 $ dollars an hour and it increase with more time on the job how about the first year at that base salary of $ 17 - 19 $ dollars and on the even of that year the employee gets an raise of $ 2 dollars more on their check and other financial incentives as cash allocation from their check for newly place employee mutual fund packages besides with other benefits that said company is offering this helps to place that company on the stock market because of the huge huge employee buy in it is like employers investing in their employees their stores and company .Educational requirements for jobs posted is less than a high school diploma but the job candidate has to be in a vocational program or GED preparation course half or full time hours .Civil service jobs and exams posted weekly . Sales professional salary plus commission on sales and stock options for mutual funds packages as bonuses with an wage increase to $ 19 dollars to $ 21 dollars an hour .Newly added benefits to a job description benefits an employer on jobs posted give to their employees an employer get to hold back cash or take money out of an employees check to put towards a mutual funds stock fund option to help that client make more money as a second job the mutual funds stock option is packaged to help the employees money make more money for them talk about overtime whew and at the same time that local market and store owner can put his company on the stock market and give out public shares thus in the end making it a good investment a regular place of shopping in a family like environment it is like getting to know your deli clerk , butcher , bakery attendant again only this time you are making money with the people you are spending money with Think about it that in turns build better communities better stores customer relationships safer neighborhoods and the beautifying of economically depressed environments more money for your kids college tuition school supplies newer roads being built leading to and from better neighborhoods and businesses and this is a future that we all as fellow New Yorkers can build together

Let's Make New York great again

Added benefits

Jobs and job growth

Wage increase

Stock options

Infrastructure

What is the living wage in NYC 2023? As of April 1, 2023, the following living wage rate and health benefit supplement apply: Living Wage Rate: $15.00. PLEASE NOTE: As of December 31, 2018, the New York State Minimum Wage exceeds the Living Wage Rate. Accordingly, the applicable Minimum Wage is set as the Living Wage Rate.

Is minimum wage going up in NY 2023? As part of the state's 2023-2024 budget deal, Gov. Kathy Hochul signed into law an increase to New York's minimum wage. In fact, the minimum wage will increase to $17.00 per hour for most New York State employers by Jan.May 18, 2023

2 notes · View notes