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greatworldwar2 · 4 years

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• Consolidated B-32 Dominator

The Consolidated B-32 Dominator was an American heavy strategic bomber built for United States Army Air Forces during World War II, which had the distinction of being the last Allied aircraft to be engaged in combat during World War II.

The engineering development of the B-29 had been underway since mid-1938 when, in June 1940, the United States Army Air Corps requested a similar design from the Consolidated Aircraft Company in case of development difficulties with the B-29. The Model 33 on which Consolidated based its proposal was similar to the B-24 Liberator. Like the B-24 it was originally designed with a twin tail and a large Davis wing, but with a longer, rounder fuselage and a rounded nose. The powerplants were to be the same quartet of eighteen-cylinder, 2,200 horsepower (1,600 kW) Wright Duplex-Cyclones, as specified for B-29s. The aircraft was designed to be pressurized, and have remote-controlled retractable gun turrets with fourteen .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns. It was to have an estimated gross weight of 101,000 lb (46,000 kg). The first XB-32-CO, AAF s/n 41-141, was constructed next to the Army Air Forces (AAF) Base Tarrant Field Airdrome at the AAF Aircraft Plant No. 4 just west of Fort Worth, Texas along the south side of Lake Worth. The Consolidated Vultee Bomber Plant assembly line was six months behind schedule, the aircraft making its first flight on 7 September 1942. Due to problems with the pressurization system, the gun turrets and landing gear doors, these items were omitted on the first prototype. The aircraft had R-3350-13 engines inboard and R-3350-21s outboard, with all four powerplants driving three-bladed propellers. The XB-32 had persistent problems with engine oil leaks and poor cooling, but the B-29 also had similar engine problems. The first XB-32 was armed with eight .50 in (12.7 mm) machine guns in dorsal and ventral turrets, and an odd combination of two .50 caliber and one 20 mm (0.787 in) cannon in each outboard engine nacelle firing rearwards, plus two .50 caliber machine guns in the wings outboard of the propellers. The turrets were remotely controlled from periscopic sights in aiming stations inside the aircraft. The sights were coordinated by a sophisticated analog computer system developed by Sperry Gyroscope Company.

On March 17th, 1943, the initial contract was signed for 300 B-32-CFs but development problems continued. On May 10th, 1943, the first XB-32 crashed on takeoff after making a total of 30 flights before the second XB-32, s/n 41-142, finally flew on July 2nd, 1943. This aircraft had a traditional stepped cockpit canopy. Upon examination and testing, the USAAF recommended a large number of changes that included more conventional gun stations. The pressurization system had problems which were never solved and so the role of the aircraft was changed to operating at low to medium altitude. This decision meant that the pressurization system was easily eliminated from production aircraft. Problems with the remote-controlled gun turrets were never solved and the armament on production aircraft was changed to 10 .50 caliber machine guns in manually operated turrets: Sperry A-17 turrets in the nose and tail, two Martin A-3F-A dorsal turrets, and one Sperry A-13-A ball turret. The bomb load was increased by 4,000 pounds (1,800 kg) to 20,000 pounds (9,100 kg). The second XB-32 continued to have stability problems. In an attempt to resolve this a B-29 style tail was fitted to the aircraft after its 25th flight but this did not resolve the problem and a Consolidated-designed 19.5 ft (5.9 m) vertical tail was added and first flown on the third XB-32, s/n 41-18336 on November 3rd, 1943. The first production aircraft was fitted with a B-29 vertical tail until a new tail was substituted. By 1944 testing of the three prototypes permitted the AAF to place orders for over 1,500 B-32s. The first production aircraft was delivered on September 19th, 1944, by which time the B-29 was in combat in China. The first B-32 crashed on the same day it was delivered when the nose wheel collapsed on landing. Beginning on January 17th, 1945, 40 B-32A-5, -10 and -15 aircraft were delivered as unarmed TB-32-CF crew trainers.

Originally, the Army Air Forces intended the B-32 as a "fallback" design to be used only if the B-29 program fell significantly behind in its development schedule. As development of the B-32 became seriously delayed this plan became unnecessary due to the success of the B-29. Initial plans to use the B-32 to supplement the B-29 in re-equipping B-17 and B-24 groups before redeployment of the Eighth and Fifteenth Air Forces to the Pacific were stymied when only five production models had been delivered by the end of 1944, by which time B-29 operations were underway in the Twentieth Air Force. The first assignment of the B-32 began when General George Kenney, the commander of Allied air forces in the South West Pacific Area and commander of the U.S. Fifth Air Force, traveled to Washington D.C. to request B-29s. Since priority had been given to strategic bombing by the B-29, Kenney's request was denied, after which he then requested the B-32. Following a demonstration, the Army General Staff agreed that Kenney could conduct a combat evaluation, and a test schedule of 11 missions was set up, followed by a plan to re-equip two of the 312th Bomb Group's four Douglas A-20 Havoc squadrons with the B-32. Project crews took three B-32s to Clark Field, Luzon, Philippine Islands, in mid-May 1945 for a series of test flights completed on June 17th. The three test B-32s were assigned to the 312th BG's 386th Bombardment Squadron. On May 29th, 1945, the first of four combat missions by the B-32 was flown against a supply depot at Antatet in the Philippines, followed by two B-32s dropping 16 2,000 lb (910 kg) bombs on a sugar mill at Taito, Formosa, on June 15th. On June 22nd, a B-32 bombed an alcohol plant at Heito, Formosa, with 500 lb (230 kg) bombs, but a second B-32 missed flak positions with its 260 lb (120 kg) fragmentation bombs. The last mission was flown on June 25th, against bridges near Kiirun on Formosa.

The test crews were impressed with its unique reversible-pitch inboard propellers and the Davis wing which gave it excellent landing performance. However, they found a number of faults: the cockpit was noisy and had a poor instrument layout, the bombardier's vision was limited, the aircraft was overweight, and the nacelle design resulted in frequent engine fires (a deficiency shared with the B-29 Superfortress). However, the testing missions were mostly successful. In July 1945, the 386th Bomb Squadron completed its transition to the B-32, flying six more combat missions before the war ended. On August 13th, the 386th BS moved from Luzon to Yontan Airfield on Okinawa and flew mostly photographic reconnaissance missions. The missions were intended to monitor Japan's compliance with the ceasefire and to gather information such as possible routes occupation forces could take into Tokyo. On August 17th, the B-32s were intercepted by Japanese fighters. During the two-hour engagement, the Dominators suffered only minor damage and none of their crew were injured. "Though the B-32 gunners later claimed to have damaged one fighter and 'probably destroyed' two others, surviving Japanese records list no losses for that day or next." On August 18th, 1945, four Dominators were given the task of photographing many of the targets covered on the previous day; however, mechanical problems caused two to be pulled from the flight. Over Japan, a formation of 14 A6M Zeros and three N1K2-J Shiden-Kai (George) fighters attacked the remaining two U.S. aircraft. Saburō Sakai, a Japanese ace, said later that there was concern that the Dominators were attacking. The last B-32 combat photo reconnaissance mission was completed on August 28th, during which two B-32s were destroyed in separate accidents, with 15 of the 26 crewmen killed. On August 30th, the 386th Bomb Squadron stood down from operations.

Production contracts of the B-32 were cancelled on September 8th, 1945, with production ceased by October 12th. Many B-32s ended up being salvaged at Walnut Ridge, Arkansas with a total of 38 flown to Kingman Army Airfield for disposal. No examples of a B-32 remain today. The XB-32 (AAF Ser. No. 41-18336) was used as a ground instructional airframe for fire fighting training. Others were written off after suffering major damage in operational accidents. Excess inventories were flown either to Walnut Ridge Army Airfield, Arkansas, to be scrapped by the Texas Railway Equipment Company, or to Kingman Army Airfield, Arizona to be scrapped by the Wunderlich Construction Company. One of the few portions of a B-32 surviving is a wing panel removed from a static test model and erected at the Montgomery Memorial near San Diego, California as a monument to aviation pioneer John J. Montgomery.

#second world war #world war 2 #world war ii #military history #wwii #history #american history #aviation #us army air force #us aircraft #aircraft #bombers

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adrenaline-roulette · 4 years

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Jet Lag

So, in honour of my 22nd Birthday which was on April 30th. I decided to gift myself some cute Ben Hardy x Reader fluff. This was originally going to be Roger Taylor x Reader, but I was craving some Ben (I mean, who isn’t?)

@not-the-cleavers (Because girl, we all need a little bit of Ben in our lives right now)

Story is based off of the song, Jet Lag by Simple Plan.

Pairing: Ben Hardy x Reader (Female) with friend Joe Mazzello Warnings: Pretty much just pure fluff and cuteness, there is a bit of angst though but nothing major! Word count: 5953

Jet Lag

You collapse on your bed, sinking into the plush blankets, and massive pile of decorative pillows, it had been a long, and lonely week. It felt as if the standard five-day work week you had just endured, had been going on for at least a month. Though according to the red crosses on your calendar, it really was Friday the 1st, and not in fact Friday the 29th like it felt. The lonely part stemmed from the lack of company in your apartment over this past week, your boyfriend/ partner in crime, Ben Hardy was currently on a press tour with his castmates from 6 Underground, somewhere in Australia. While he had been away, your old school friend had come to stay while you had the house to yourself, but she had left for a business trip on Monday leaving you once again alone. You settle yourself more comfortably against your pillows, tilting your head back and to the side, keeping your eyes on your phone on your bedside table, just waiting for it to ring. Any minute now, you knew it would ring, and the anticipation of who would be calling had your heart racing.

The cool metal of Ben’s watch lay in your palm, and you clasped your fingers around the gold, circular face, rubbing your thumb gently against the glass. He hadn’t intentionally left his watch behind, but by the time either of you had realised that it was still in London, Ben was somewhere in Japan. Just as you go to glance down at the time, your phone buzzes to life, before vibrating along to your ringtone. It was a stupid song choice for a ringtone, though Ben had changed it for you just before he left, and you didn’t have the heart to change it. The song in question was that ridiculous, Doug Dimmadome – owner of the Dimmsdale Dimmadome remix that had been going around lately. Every time your phone rang, it nearly gave you a heart attack, as after each conversation on it, you attempted to erase the memory of your ringtone.

You dart your arm out quickly, grabbing your phone and swiping your finger along the screen to answer, a wide grin spreading over your lips, showing off all your teeth. “Hello…” You ask softly with a bated breath.

“Y/N? Hi luv.” Ben’s smooth voice sends chills down your spine, goose bumps appearing over your arms.

“What time is it where you are?”

“I’m in Sydney currently, and it is 9:15am. How about you?”

“6:15pm here, I just got home from work.”

“God, trying to figure out these time zones is making me crazy.”

“Hey, at least we’re doing better than at the beginning of the week. You were saying good morning, when it was midnight!”

“I just hate the thought of you alone. Five more days then I’ll be home.”

As if on cue, a floppy eared beagle pup leaps onto the bed with as much grace as if she were a hippo. Sniffing around your toes, before galloping up the mattress, and butting her nose against your knuckles, then phone. “I wouldn’t exactly say I’m alone. Frankie just joined me, I think she misses you too.”

You can hear Ben’s smile through the phone, and you grin softly yourself, scratching the fingers of your free hand against her head. “So tell me about Sydney, what’s it like there?”

Ben sighs deeply, likely a combination of still waking up, the desire for a smoke and coffee, and the desire to hold you. “It’s alright. It’s really warm here, and the people are all nice. But it’s the same thing every day, we’re all a bit tired of it.” He pauses, and you can hear his bedsheets rustling as he gets into a more comfortable position. “Fuck, I don’t even wanna be in this town.” He grumbles.

“Sydney is a City…”

You know for a fact that he’s rolling his eyes on the other side of the world, you had known each other long enough to guess the other’s reactions without ever seeing them. “Oh yeah, thanks, go on and correct the guy running off five hours sleep!” He’s trying to sound stern, but there’s laughter peeking through his tired voice.

“Hey now, if I don’t correct you, then no one will!”

“I’m sure there’s at least one other person in the world who is game enough to pull me up on my mistakes.”

You raise an eyebrow, a smirk covering your lips as you watch Frankie toddle to Ben’s side of the bed. Circling three times, before curling into a ball. “Ben, you don’t exactly take constructive criticism well…”

Ben groans, and you’re half expecting him to argue, but it never comes. “Yeah, you’re right. Knowing my luck, I’d probably call Sydney a town in the interview, and never be invited back.”

“Nah, I’m sure they’d invite you back. It’d just be to make fun of you is all.” You shrug, grinning to yourself.

“Oi, be nice! You’re supposed to be supportive and caring.”

“Yeah yeah, you’re right. You know I love you.”

“Debatable.” Ben shuffles around again, and you can hear him stifle a yawn against his palm. “So what’s been going on in the world of you then?”

“Work, sleep, work. Nothing exciting really…. Actually, the most exciting thing to happen was on Monday last week.”

“Oh? What happened?”

“I was making dinner for me and Sophie while she was still here. I had just drained the spaghetti I had cooked, it was in the colander on the counter, and I turned around to finish the sauce. The next thing I know, there’s a massive thunk echoing through the apartment, I turned around, and Frankie has knocked down all the pasta, and is running off with spaghetti hanging out of her mouth!” You can barely contain your laughter, the memory of Frankie looking both guilty, yet extraordinarily proud of what she had just done seared into your brain. “She looked like one of those Ood’s from Doctor Who!”

Ben is howling on the other end of the line, the deep baritone of his laughter only causing you to laugh harder. “Yes! Good girl! Good Frankie! Dada loves you!” Frankie lifts her head, having heard her name being called from somewhere. You reach over and scratch her head again, making kissy faces at the cheeky beagle.

“You’re not supposed to encourage this sort of behaviour! You’re the reason why she still does this kind of thing. She thinks she can get away with it!”

“Of course she can get away with it! She deserves people food just as much as you do.”

“Ben! We had no more pasta! She took it all, and there was no more in the pantry to cook.” You whine, though you both know it’s all in jest. You could never truly be mad at Frankie. Despite the occasional theft of food, or shoes, she genuinely was a well-behaved pup.

“Aw come on, you know you’re not really mad at her.” You know for a fact that if Ben were here with you now, he would be pinning you with his best set of puppy dog eyes.

Your shoulders slump in defeat, there was no use in pretending to be mad, Ben would see through your lies instantly. “Okay fine, I’m not mad. But we did end up having to buy takeout for dinner, and that was not the plan!”

“Oh boohoo, you had to get tasty food delivered, what a tragedy.”

“Hold up! How come I have to be caring towards you, yet I don’t receive the same treatment?!”

“You raise a valid point. One which I do not care to argue.”

“Whimp.”

“That’s me! - Hold on a sec, I’m just putting you on speaker. I’ve gotta start getting ready sorry.”

You push yourself up into a sitting position, pressing your back into your pillows. “How long before you have to leave?”

Ben pauses for a few moments, likely to check his schedule for the day. “Um, first interview starts at half eight, last one is around seven-ish.”

“Shit, sounds like a long day, eh?”

Ben sighs, the soft sound causing your heart to ache. All you want is to wrap your arms around him, to make him feel comfortable, and at ease, but you can’t, not from the opposite side of the world. “Yeah, but it’s been like this the whole time. So I suppose I’m kind of used to it by now.”

“Should I let you go now? To go and get ready and all that? I don’t want to make you late.”

“I don’t want to say goodbye just yet.”

“I know, neither do I. But- but you’ll be home soon! And you’ll be home for at least a couple of months, so we won’t have to say goodbye at all for that whole time!” You’re trying to reassure Ben just as much yourself. The beginnings of these phone calls were always amazing; however the endings were almost impossible.

“Next time I go on a press tour, you should just come with me. That way we get to experience the world together, and never have to say goodbye.”

This time, it’s your turn to sigh. A deep, prolonged sound which conveys just how tired of this particular conversation you are. “Ben, you know I can’t do that. I have a job, I can’t just up and leave. They need me.”

“You don’t need a job! I’ll always look after you! You know that right?”

You rub your hand against your forehead, smoothing the lines which had formed there as you frown. “Ben, I know you’d do everything you can to look after me. But remember, you haven’t always been in my life. I grew up needing to work to look after myself. And, I don’t actually have an issue with that way of life. Don’t get me wrong, I mean, you make more in one month than I do in six. But you have to look at this from my perspective, what if one day, we aren’t together anymore? What if that happens, and I’ve quit my job so I could travel with you for tours and for work. I’d be fucked….”

“A-are you saying you don’t think we’re going to last?”

You blink in surprise, eyes growing wide as you take in Ben’s words. “How is that what you’ve taken away from what I just said?”

“Well that’s what it sounded like to me!”

You can’t help but groan, this certainly wasn’t going the way you had planned. You were both too tired to be having this conversation, that much was obvious. “Look, let’s talk about this when you get home, okay? I’m not suggesting we end our relationship, far from it. I promise. Besides, having two incomes is probably a good thing for the time being.”

Ben’s silence is deafening, and for a moment or two, you almost think he may have hung up on you. “Okay, I’m happy to talk later. Do you, um, have any plans for the rest of the night?” He’s trying to sound normal, though you know his mind has jumped to the worst-case scenarios imaginable.

“Yeah actually, Joe said he was going to drop round for a bit. He’s been in town the last couple of days catching up with friends, then he’s heading off to see Gwil for a little while. But he said he’d swing by tonight. He claims it’s because he wants to make sure I’m doing alright without you, but I’m positive he is actually just looking for an excuse to see Frankie again!”

This earns you a laugh from Ben, a genuine laugh. You knew it would, but just hearing it allowed you to relax somewhat. Maybe he would forget about what you had said, and you would be able to start this conversation fresh, when both of you were more awake. “Maybe we should get him a carboard Frankie to go with Ben-Cardy?”

“No! That is probably the worst idea you have ever had!”

“What? No way! I think it’s brilliant!”

“Benjamin, Joe has only just stopped posting videos of Ben-Cardy. Do you really want all of that to start up again?”

“Hey, it was funny! Especially that one where I got to be in it too!”

“No, that was the weirdest one!”

“You’re only saying that because you walked in on us filming it.”

“Well obviously! Put yourself in my shoes. You’ve just finished a long day at work, you come home to hear giggling in your bedroom, and your first thought is, fuck my boyfriend is cheating on me! But oh no, instead when you storm into the bedroom, you see said boyfriend in bed with his best friend, and a cardboard cut-out of himself!”

Yet another pause follows your outburst, before Ben begins chuckling. “Okay, yeah, I see what you mean. That probably would’ve been a little odd.”

A rattling of keys in the apartment door grabs your attention, and you peer down the corridor, keeping an eye out for who was coming in. You knew who it should be, but you could never be too sure. The door creaks open, and Joe pops his head in, grinning at you broadly. You had told him where the spare key was kept, so he could let himself in when he arrived, though you had assumed he may still knock to announce his arrival. “Hey babe, I should probably get going. Joe’ll be here soon, and you need to get ready. Like properly get ready, and actually eat something for breakfast. I know you’re back on the smokes…”

“How’d you know that?”

Joe walks further into the apartment, leaning against the bedroom door frame, a fond smile on his lips. “Ben, I know everything. I see all.”

There’s a smirk in his voice now, as if he’s challenging you. “Alright then Miss all seeing. What colour are the boxers I’m wearing right now?”

You bite your bottom lip gently, completely forgetting Joe’s presence for the time being. “You’re not wearing any.” Your voice is low and sultry, and you can hear Ben hiss out a sharp breath. “Have a good day babe, I’ll talk to you later.”

You swipe your thumb against the screen, ending the call before Ben has the chance to respond. “You’re early.” You smile, turning your attention to Joe now, who was intensely pretending to have not heard the ending to your conversation.

“Did you tell him?”

“And hello to you too Joseph.”

“Y/N, did you tell him?”

You sigh, pulling your legs up so you could sit cross-legged on the bed, facing your entire body towards your friend now. “I tried to, but it didn’t exactly go according to plan.”

“So did you or did you not tell him?”

“I didn’t tell him.” Your shoulders slump, and your chin drops as you scowl at the floor.

Joe steps further into the room, coming over to your side where he rests his palm over your shoulder. “You have to tell him, he needs to know.”

“I know that Joe. Don’t you think I know that?” You grumble, flopping your head back so you could look up at him. “It’s just, every time I try to allude to it in one of our chats, it always gets twisted, and it becomes this big misunderstanding. I think telling him face to face would be best.”

“What do you mean, when you allude to it? Are you actually coming out with the words, or are you trying to skirt around the truth?”

“I mean, I’ll get there eventually. One way or another he’ll find out, I’m just having trouble saying it is all.”

“Y/N. If you don’t tell him, then I will.”

<<<--->>>

Just as Ben had promised, five days later you were waiting at the airport for him to arrive home. The plan had always been for you to be there when he arrived home, however Joe had also decided he wanted to wait for Ben too, as he still had another day before meeting up with Gwil. The two of you stood in the arrivals terminal, you with an A4 sheet of paper with ‘Hardy’ written in pink sharpie, and Joe beside you, with an A3 piece of paper which read ‘Ben Hard-On’.

“Could you stand over there somewhere? Like, as far away from me as possible please? I don’t want people to know that I associate with you.” You grumble, though you’re having an exceedingly difficult time not laughing at his stupidity.

“Hey, it was your idea to make signs!”

“Sign! One sign, as in singular!” You sigh, casting a glare at the grinning American.

Joe simply shrugs, knocking his elbow against your arm playfully. “Well think of it this way, he won’t be able to miss us. Not with a sign like this.” He grins, gesturing down to his crude sign with his chin.

“If anything, he may intentionally miss us after seeing that.”

Before Joe has the chance to reply, you let out a loud squeal, before darting off and leaving him far behind. You sprint forwards, pushing past the couple of people who had decided to stand directly in front of you, blocking your sign off from Ben’s view. “Ben!” You call, throwing yourself at him with as much force as possible.

Ben drops the black rucksack he had been clutching in his hand, allowing it to clunk to the ground. His arms wrap around you tightly, his fingers digging gently into your sides as he pulls you ever closer to him. “Fuck I’ve missed you.” He whispers against your ear, before nestling his nose against the crook of your neck, pressing tiny kisses to the exposed flesh there.

There are tears stinging the backs of your eyes, and you feel as if you’re about to sneeze as you hold the tears back. “I missed you too. So, so much.” You whimper, clutching your arms tighter around his torso. People moved around the two of you, pretending not to see the blatant display of affection, or just too tired to truly care. The flight Ben had just departed had flown from Singapore into London, and everyone who exited looked like zombies, your boyfriend included.

“Well shit, I hope you’ve got enough to go round.” Joe pipes up, standing just behind you and to the left, this way, when Ben looked up to see him, he was greeted with the charming sign he had made.

“I thought airports had rules as to who was allowed inside?” Ben smirked, slowly lowering his arms around you, so one arm now rested around your waist.

Joe simply shrugged, grinning like an idiot. “British airports are a lot more lenient with letting in riffraff like me.”

Shaking his head, Ben stepped forward just as Joe did, both wrapping each other in a one armed hug. “It’s good to see you mate.”

“You too Benny Boo.” Joe chuckled, earning an eye roll from the blonde, and a deep sigh from you.

Ben heads back to you, bending down to scoop up his bag, before swinging it over his broad shoulder. “Here, I have a beanie and sunnies for you.” You offer with a grin, holding the items out to him. The beanie was black, and hand knitted by the old woman who used to live in the apartment next to yours. While the sunglasses were the spare pair he always kept in your car. “Just in case you’re trying to keep a low profile.” You shrug lightly, shoving your hands into the front pockets of your jeans.

“Hey, actually Y/N raises an excellent point. You’re a big movie star now. Where are all the photographers?” Joe demands, his eyes scanning across the crowds of people in the arrivals terminal. Lo and behold, there was a serious lack of paparazzi. In fact, the closest thing which came to paparazzi, was the small huddle of teenaged girls who were gossiping amongst themselves, whilst attempting to take sneaky photos of Ben. One even went as far as holding her phone directly in front of her face, pretending to be taking a selfie, and it would’ve worked too, if it weren’t for her flash going off.

Ben smirks, lifting his brows at the girls as the three of you walk past them and towards the baggage carousel. “Well there’s two reasons actually.”

“Oh, and what would those be?” You enquire, keeping an eye out for the bags you know Ben had taken with him. Although you were positive there would likely be one or two extra, filled to the brim with gifts and souvenirs from each country.

“Well reason one, is that aside from you guys, no one else knew the actual date I would be arriving home. In the last interview I did in Sydney, I said I would be flying out in a week. So there’s probably a heap of photographers around the lobby of my hotel asking where I am right this very moment.”

Joe turns and looks at Ben over his shoulder, brows creasing into a gentle frown. “You’re a cruel man Hardy.”

“I know, I try my best.”

You roll your eyes, nudging your arm against Ben’s lightly. “Alright, so what’s reason two then?”

At this, Ben’s face breaks out into a wide grin, as he looks between you and Joe. “I use a different name when travelling. One that’s less likely to have people catch on to it being me.”

Your eyebrows rise at this, this was the first time you’d heard of Ben going under a different alias when travelling. You had always assumed he used his own name… “What name do you use?”

“Probably something stupid, like Dinkleburg Flapjack.” Joe butts in, grinning childishly at his made-up name.

The carousel you were waiting at whirls to life, slowly chugging around as bags begin to appear along its tracks. One of Ben’s bags is one of the first to be spat out, and he walks backwards towards it, so he could answer your question. “I like to go by a name literally no one will ever now. Joe Mazzello is one of my favourites to use. Shockingly, no one’s ever heard of him?” And with that, Ben turns on his heel and darts over to grab his bag, as Joe stands stock still, his mouth opening and closing as if he were a fish out of water. As for you? Well, you’re struggling to contain your laughter, and doing a terrible job at it!

<<<--->>>

The three of you sat in comfortable silence as you drove out of the airport, you had requested everyone -namely Joe- be quiet while you attempted to find the exit to get you back on the freeway. You always hated driving around the airport, all of the exits looked the same to you, but you found it slightly easier when you had no other distractions at least. Both Ben and Joe had offered to drive, which although kind, you had declined. One, because Ben was dead tired, and you worried that he would fall asleep behind the wheel; and two, Joe had a habit of forgetting he wasn’t in the USA, and kept trying to drive on the wrong side of the road. All in all, you were the safest option when it came to driving, at least in this scenario.

Ben had his head resting against the passenger seat window, his eyes drifting closed periodically before he would snap them wide open again, as if trying to convince himself he wasn’t in fact about to fall asleep. “Are we dropping you off somewhere Joe, or did you want to come back to our place?” You glance up at the review mirror, catching Joe’s eye in the reflection.

You watch his reaction for a moment, before returning your attention to the road ahead. You knew what his answer would be, even before you had asked the question. He want’s you to talk to Ben, and he has no intention of actually being there when you do so. He just wants it to happen. “If you wouldn’t mind making a pit stop at that little café you showed me the other day, that would be great.”

You nod gently, flicking the indicator on as you make a left turn towards town. “Yeah sure. That’s no worries.”

“Shoot us through a message later on, and we’ll meet you up somewhere to grab dinner, yeah?” Ben grins, turning around and looking at Joe in the backseat.

“Of course, that sounds great!” Joe smiles, shooting Ben a cheesy thumbs up in order to prove his agreement with the idea.

<<<--->>>

After dropping Joe off, you make the short drive back to your apartment, still with Ben dozing off occasionally beside you. “Hey, what’s that?” He pipes up, squinting his eyes at the dashboard, his view obstructed by your hands on the steering wheel.

You cast your gaze down, searching for what had piqued Ben’s curiosity. “Oh, this?” You laugh softly, reaching one hand forward, and grabbing out the folded picture which had been jammed between the plastic dash covering. “I keep your picture in my car. I figure, if I can’t wake up next to you, then this is the next best thing.” You shrug lightly, embarrassment tinting your words.

Ben reaches forwards, taking the folded photo from you, rubbing his thumb over it gently before peeling it open so he could see both sides. From what you had visible; it was just an image of a bordering on tipsy Ben, his blonde curls tousled and unruly, and his ocean eyes shining brightly behind thick lashes. What had been hidden from view, was how on the other half of the photo, he had his arm wrapped around your waist, while your head was resting against his shoulder, an equal look of joy etched permanently upon your face. “Why’s it only me?”

You tilt your head slightly, looking down at the now flattened photo. “Because it’s a great picture of you, but not of me. Besides, I wake up to myself every day. It’s you who I’ve been missing.” You shrug, pressing the button on the garage key, waiting of the automatic roller door to curl up, before driving into the underground carpark attached to your apartment complex.

“Well I for one, think that this is a beautiful photo. Of both of us.” Ben sighs, rubbing his index finger and thumb along the crease which had formed down the centre.

You pull the key from the ignition then unfasted your seatbelt, swivelling on your seat so you could face Ben properly now. He’s looking at you expectantly, eyes unblinking, and focused solely on you now. “Something’s up, isn’t it?” He sighs, a brief flicker of hurt flashing through his eyes.

You want to lie, to tell him that everything is fine, and that nothing had changed while he was away. Tell him that your lives weren’t about to head down a path neither of you had ever discussed. “Yes, but not in a bad way perse. Let’s get upstairs? You need to catch up on some sleep, and while you do that I’ll start getting you unpacked. We’ll talk when you’re feeling a bit more human, yeah?” You smile, though it doesn’t quite reach your eyes like usual.

You push open the car door, sliding out and stepping into the cool garage, the perpetually damp air clinging to your skin like a second layer. “Why are you avoiding having this conversation?” Ben groans, following you around to the back of the car, where you both begin to pull his bags out.

“And what conversation is that exactly Ben?”

You swing his rucksack over your shoulder, pulling a large rolling suitcase behind you. “I don’t know. Whatever conversation it is that we apparently need to have!” He’s exasperated, and honestly, so are you. The fact that he’s tired, and likely has no idea what time it actually right now either, doesn’t exactly help the situation.

“Look, yes there’s a couple of things I need to tell you, but it doesn’t have to be right this instant! It’s not some big dramatic thing, okay?”

Ben frowns, folding his arms across his chest, watching you with a stern gaze. “Well for something that isn’t dramatic, you’ve certainly been putting it off. We could’ve had this, chat, last week. But you decided you didn’t want to!”

“Ben, I am not going to fight with you. Not here, not now, not ever. I am happy to talk with you when you’ve calmed down a bit. But as for right now, I’m going to our apartment, and I’m going to make a pot of tea. I can make it for one or two people, the decision is yours.” You don’t await a reply, grabbing the handle of the suitcase, and wheeling it behind you towards the stairs that lead out of the garage.

For a few moments, you almost think Ben is going to stay and fume by the car, but soon enough you hear his heavy footsteps following you up the stairs, lugging his two other suitcases behind him. “Green or black?” His voice flows from behind you, he sounds nervous, almost as if he thinks he won’t be welcome into his own apartment.

“Black, if that’s alright? I just got a new tin of Russian caravan.” You smile over your shoulder, catching his eye and sending a wink his way.

A blush creeps up his cheeks, one which you watch melt over his pale skin for the few moments it takes before you arrive at your apartment. You rustle around in your handbag for a few moments, before triumphantly retrieving your keys, shoving one into the main lock, and pushing the heavy wooden door open. Immediately, Frankie is bounding towards the door, barking happily at the sight of Ben. “Hey girl. Hey!” He grins, kneeling in the doorway, where Frankie stands on her hind legs, resting her front paws on Ben’s chest. “Oh I missed you so much! Did you look after Mama Y/N? Did you?” He’s speaking in his baby voice to the excitable beagle, and it’s honestly the gosh darned sweetest thing you have ever heard.

“Of course she did, she was an angel like always.” You call from the kitchen, smiling to yourself. It was the truth, aside from the odd hiccup or two -namely the spaghetti incident- Frankie had been on her best behaviour the entire time Ben was away.

“That’s my girl….” Ben’s voice is lower now, and you’re almost positive he’s bestowing belly rubs upon the spoiled pup.

Humming quietly, you busy yourself with brewing a pot of tea, taking far longer than strictly necessary to select which teapot to use. Reaching up to the top shelf in your pantry, you pull down the spherical BB-8 pot, blowing off the small amount of dust which had accumulated on its lid. As you pour the hot water over the loose tea, Ben heads into the kitchen, wrapping his arms around your waist, and resting his chin over your shoulder. “Hey – I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to pick a fight with you before. I know it seems like it though.”

You replace the lid on the teapot, allowing the tea to steep for the necessary 3-5 minutes. “I didn’t mean to bite back. I think we’re both a bit on edge right now. It’s always like this when you’ve just come home, maybe next time we just need to try and remember that?” You half laugh, bringing one hand up, to stroke your fingers against Ben’s jaw. “If you’re ready now, we can talk?”

Ben lifts his head slightly, pressing a soft kiss against your shoulder before standing up straight, using his hand on your waist to turn you to face him. “I’m ready when you are.” He whispers, crystalline eyes boring into yours.

A deep sigh slips from your lips, a frown creasing between your brows as you attempt to form your next words. “Remember on the phone the other night, and I said that me leaving my job wasn’t such a great idea?”

You know that he remembers, how could he not? But this time you genuinely were stalling. “There’s a reason for that. No, not just because the pessimist inside of me is warning that one day I may not have your income to rely on. But because, having two incomes could be a really good thing right now. In fact, it might be for the best.”

Ben has one hand still resting against your hip, while the other is dragging his fingers through his overgrown locks. “What do you mean? I- I don’t get it?”

“What if, it wasn’t just the two of us here Ben?”

“There’s three of us. You, me, and Frankie!”

You can’t help but roll your eyes, a soft smirk on your lips now. “Right, of course. Well what about four then? What if there were four of us?”

“Do you mean Joe? Is that why he came to the airport today? Is he living with us now? Because if he is, he can bloody well help with the rent!”

“Whoa! No, not that! Not at all!” Your lower lip presses between your teeth, as you shuffle your feet along the tiled floor. “Ben, I mean a baby. I- I’m pregnant. And I figure, babies can be hella expensive, so maybe the two of us working will make things a little bit easier?” You’re rambling now, you know that. And poor Ben seems to still be trying to compute the news you’ve just dumped on him.

“Y/N, can we just rewind for a second?”

Your mouth slams shut, eyes wide as you nod at Ben. “I’m sorry. I was going to tell you another way. Ben, I’m pregnant. I found out I think maybe, three days after you left.”

“Holy fuck. I mean, holy shit! No, I can’t swear in front of the baby. Oh my god? Is that okay? Or am I not allowed to blaspheme around the baby either?”

At this, you can’t help but laugh, stepping forwards and throwing your arms around Ben’s neck. “I’m only six weeks along. I don’t think you have to worry about thing’s like swearing yet.”

Ben freezes, locking eyes with you as he holds both hands around your waist, pulling you closer against him. “So you’re telling me. You’re pregnant, and the number one take away you have from that, is whether you should keep working or not?” There’s humour in his voice, and his eyes are sparkling with joy.

“Yep. I guess so.” You shrug, allowing your laughter to flow freely now, uncaring if anyone else heard you.

Ben shakes his head, grinning like a mad man. “Fuck, I love you.” He whispers, leaning in towards you. Your lips lock together, melding into one like the perfect match they are. Teeth knock against teeth for a few moments as you work to find a comfortable pace and position, though your lips never part once. His hands cling to your waist, fingers pressing into your soft flesh, as if he were your anchor to reality, while your hands tangle in his hair, fingers curling and tugging at his blonde curls. Slowly, Ben pulls away, his eyes opening just barely so he could look down at you. “I’ll need to stop smoking. I promise I will.” He whispers.

You smile softly, tilting your head up so your nose bumps against his. “Now that, we can agree on.”

If you enjoy my writing, feel free to check out my MASTERLIST. I write for a somewhat varied number of fandoms. My askbox is ALWAYS open, and I love taking requests! It just may take me some time to write up your request, but I will always get to it!

#ben hardy x reader #ben hardy x you #ben hardy fanfic #ben hardy fic #ben hardy #ben hardy one shot #joe mazzello #friend joe mazzello #frankie #frankie hardy #frankie the beagle #frankie the dog #fluff #one shot #fluffy #cute

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topherofspace · 4 years

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Chakra Reflections

This quarantine has me going crazy just like everybody else. Quite uncharacteristically, instead of wallowing and feeling sorry for myself about the collective life disruption we’re all experiencing, I’ve turned my eye inward to use this time to reflect on my life, values, and behaviors.

Listen, when I tell you that the ritual I wrote and performed for the April 22nd new moon was crazy, you still have no idea. It was spring cleaning for my mind and spirit like I have never ever experienced. Cobweb covered detritus that reek of must and dank were tossed into the light with abandon.

Without getting into the nitty gritty of the trauma I dug up and started sorting through using the MariKon method, I discerned a pattern to the things I’ve been carrying that don’t serve me: there is a breakdown in the alignment between my mind, my body, and my spirit.

I’ve been dabbling in and exploring yoga and meditation for the past several months, including many other related elements of Eastern wellness/spirituality. I set an intention for the moon cycle to open/focus my energy and attention toward my root chakra.

With a new moon less than forty-eight hours, I am feeling both blessed and overwhelmed by the enormity of this undertaking. Focusing my attention on my root chakra for an entire lunar cycle has opened so much of my heart and cleared out more emotional baggage than I was even aware that I was carrying around with me. Below, I’ll explain the three interventions I took to focus my energy on the root chakra for a whole month:

YOGA - So I’ve been dabbling with yoga for probably seven or so years now, but a busy life is a graveyard for healthy habits. My favorite online yoga instructor, Adriene Mishler, provides a curated monthly calendar on her website, so I determined to complete the calendar in its entirety for the entire lunar cycle and beyond. Adriene even has a yoga class specifically for opening the root chakra, and I think I cried for a whole hour after I finished.

Yoga encourages a mind-body connection that someone with body dysmorphia and a history of eating disorders like me struggle to cultivate. It encourages an appreciation and gratitude for even those parts of the body that we find distasteful. My relationship with those parts of my body have softened like my shoulders in an exhale in sukhasana. I will strive to maintain this practice through this pandemic and beyond.

MEDITATION - It just so happened that Adriene’s monthly focus for May 2020 is Meditation, which encouraged me to expand my already existing meditation practice. I’ve been practicing daily meditation for about a year now for about five minutes each day. In this lunar cycle, I have expanded that practice to between 30 and 45 minutes each day. I alternate between using popular meditation apps HeadSpace and Balance recently to train that muscle. I have found meditation to reveal the connection between emotion and the body in an active way. It’s difficult to notice in the thick of life the slight physical ramifications of emotion, but meditation really allows one to find that space. This has been a literal life-saver, as my fiance and I navigate our life in a one-room apartment.

JOURNALING/THERAPY - I’m a huge proponent of therapy. I have brought my many reflections and epiphanies to my therapist for more thorough and safe investigation. I supplement this with journaling, both free-form, and focused journaling about root chakra concerns such as safety, boundaries, and realism.

I feel like I have entered a cocoon on the path to radical self-development with this undertaking, and I can’t wait to focus my energy on each of my chakras in turn through the next few months. I hope we will have returned to life long before I finish, but either way I’m excited to see the person that emerges out the other side of this endeavor.

#self improvement #chakras #yoga #journaling #therapy #meditation

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kryptcnborntbd · 4 years

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LUTHOR-DANVERS CHILDREN: 002 What lies in the future.(Part 2)

The following children respectfully belong to LUTHCRBORN & KRYPTCNBORN. They are strictly from our heads for OUR canon only. DO NOT STEAL ! ! ! THESE HEADCANONS WERE THOROUGHLY THOUGHT OUT AND TOOK A LOT OF TIME.

KYAH ELLE LUTHOR-DANVERS (KYAH-EL); With the early preparations for little Kyah, it had been planned for her to be born in the comfort of the couple’s home. Completely natural with no drugs and little doctors present. Wanting it to simple be just Lena, Kara and a midwife so that after the two could settle and be with their little girl. The couple had set out a whole birth plan in attempt to prepare for Kyah’s birth in May. Unfortunately in late march when the couple woke up, something wasn’t quite right. Kara, who by now was use to hearing both Lena’s and their daughter’s heart beat every morning only heard one. Both Lena and Kara in denial schedule a check up which had been when the denial turned into reality, they had lost their little star. Being so far in the pregnancy, it was clearly that labor would have to be induced so the couple set up a date. A week later on March 20th, instead of the original birth plan Lena had to be induced at the DEO where they had prepared for the procedure to be done in a private med-bay. Besides the fact that Kyah is half Kryptonian, the DEO was the only place that seemed appropriate to deliver. It was much homier then the hospital and it was a place where Lena could be monitored and watched over constantly by Kara and her sister in law Alex. With her body not prepared to deliver just yet, the induction took two days for the methods to take effect. Those days where brutal and painful for Lena, full of tears and aches of both emotional and physical pain. Finally on MARCH 22ND had labor began, after thirteen long hours had Lena finally delivered Kyah Elle, who weighed 4lb 7oz

Kara and Lena spent hours holding on to their girl, despite her already being gone they admired her features. Telling her how much they love her despite not getting to meet her. Stroking her cheek and brushing the light strands of hair on the top of her head. Both spending individual time with her and for the last hour together Kyah, had she been laid to rest on Lena’s chest.

LOGAN ASTRA LUTHOR-DANVERS (LOGAN-EL);The preparation for Logan’s birth was something that had not been made until the very end of Lena’s third trimester. Taking it into consideration Lena had already done a natural birth that however involved drugs and how everything strayed away from the original birth plan. The couple was determined to finally allow themselves to feel excited about their daughter which finally allowed them to reach the decision of having an at home water birth, once again they planned for no drugs and to simple go the natural route. Slowly this time they prepared for the little girl with only a few months to get what they needed. With the events of the past still haunting them, during the last month of the pregnancy Lena was put on bed rest by her ever so demanding wife. Where she spent majority of her days talking to her fur son, Arakan El, who was just as protective of her little baby bump as Kara. On November 7th at around 10 pm, as soon as Lena finally had been able to shut her eyes after a long restless day had she woke up with excruciating pain which had been caused by contractions. It caused fear to run through her being, never before feeling what was ‘normal’ for a natural delivery. The labor took 11 hours and a slight change in the birth plan. Instead of Kara being the one to aid Logan in entering the world she had to settle a panicked Lena. Jumping into the inflated pool and holding her wife from behind. Calming, assuring and comforting the woman as they both reached the last leg of their long awaited journey. Logan was born on NOVEMBER 8TH at 9:30 a.m, weighing at 7lb, 6oz.

Finally, Kara and Lena had their family, the child they desperately waited for. The first day with her was completely blissful. She slept most of it, laying on either of her mother’s chest as they took in her scent, watched as she took every little breath and smiled in her sleep. Unknown to them the following days would be filled with exhaustion and chaos dealing what seemed like a colicky baby. However, later discovering Logan’s kryptonian DNA had been burning off calories faster then she was getting them through breast milk alone. The infant having a heavy diet to gain healthy baby weight as she got older, with both breast milk and formula. Other then that, Logan proved to be a normal baby but clearly just simple a cry baby, always wanting to be carried or simple even wrapped in Kara’s sweater or cape.

LYONEL JACK & KALYN LILY LUTHOR-DANVERS (LY-EL & KALY-EL); The twins preparation had been slightly different than their older sister’s. For one before they even began preparing for their babies, during the implant procedure Lena and Kara where expecting one baby, a boy. Who they planned to be the second addition to their family. One particular morning, Kara’s super hearing picked up two heart beats over her own but she did not think very much of it at first. Perhaps it had been unknown side affects of a procedure not done before on an alien causing her abilities to go out of wack. When the sounds of the almost in sync beats of two hearts thumped out of rhythm of her own refused to stop and still denial stuck on the stubborn hero she disclosed the information to her wife. Informing her how she hadn’t felt right all day, how the powers she had seemed to be reacting to being pregnant. Concerned for Kara, Lena set up a scan. Though her mind kept moving processing the information. While Kara might not have believed it was twins, Lena had a suspicion on that fact. Finding out about the twins was a game changer for the couple, shifting gears from preparing for a little boy to preparing for two kids. Considering through out the pregnancy the twins had depleted Kara of her abilities, rending her powerless multiple times and had her completely exhausted that it endangered both her safety and her children’s it seemed only right that Supergirl went dark and when the twins where to be born they would be have a water birth, with no drugs at the DEO. On AUGUST 20TH after about three hours of labor at the department of Extra normal just as planned Lyonel was born at 6lbs 3oz at 5:00pm perfectly healthy, Kara making it look effortless. However it wasn’t over, for a few minutes they enjoyed the peace with Lyonel but tragedy struck quickly. Kalyn was in distress, loosing oxygen as her umbilical cord had become wrapped around her. Losing time, the only option was to switch to a c-section the only trouble is, Kara’s impenetrable skin. With Kara placed under sunlamps, they had to wait until her skin was penetrable putting the little girl at more risk. Frustrated and scared for the infant more then herself, Kara demanded they not wait any longer by using Kryptonite to make her weaker much faster then the sunlamps. Unsure what the affect could do on the infant it was a long but quick debate about wither the idea was a good idea. The affects of kryptonite on a new born unknown to anyone, they had to take a risk. Despite Lena’s objections in fear of losing Kara from the affects of the kryptonite, she agreed with it. Hoping they could move quick enough to save her daughter and get rid of the kryptonite so Kara could heal. Doing all that they can, Alex helped to deliver her niece bringing her safely into the world at approximately 5:30pm, Kalyn was born at 5lbs 9oz, healthy despite being born completely deaf.

Yellow radiation lamps had been placed over her as she rested, helping her to heal remarkable fast once the kryptonite had been stored away. Lyonel doing well as expected and Kalyn put under oxygen just in case but over all stable, a smiling happy little baby.

KIERAN ADAM LUTHOR-DANVERS (KIE-EL); Having had already three children, it was easy to prepare for this little boy however it being eight years since they had a baby in the home it took some time to adjust the older kids to the idea. Once the couple ensured nothing between their family would change other then a new addition, it had been decided Kieran would be born at home, seeing as Logan’s birth went successful they opted to use the same methods. However Kieran had other plans.Despite being a very settled baby during the pregnancy, he came early then expected. Just before he was born the family of five had planned for a last outing without a baby, a small vacation just a week before spring vacation that was set to drag on until the very last week of spring break. While cutting it close to the due date the family planned to be back just in time for Kieran to be born in the comfort of their home.Vacationing over seas in Ireland after an exciting day out and about the family settled into their private villa for the night. While sitting among another enjoying each other’s company with a fun game had Lena’s water broke. Unprepared in their villa, Lena and Kara rushed to the hospital. It was a rather quick and easy labor compared to the others.With eight hours of labor and it already being fairly late Kieran was born at 6:15 am on April 15th weighing at 6lbs 7oz.Even though the little Irish boy was born early, he was born perfectly healthy. Both Lena and Kieran spent only a day in the hospital and another day resting in the villa while Kara made arrangements to register their son as a US citizen. Granting him duo citizen and allowing the family to go home in a timely manor when their vacation came to an end. Making sure the kids vacation didn’t come to a halt, the couple made sure to continue on the adventures they had planed for their time in Ireland. While on vacation and even when they arrived home, the little boy proved to be quiet a calm and easy going. Quite abnormal for a family who has delete with complications or colicky babies. However it was welcomed, Kieran proved to be the last piece the family needed to be whole.

#( kyah ) / ❝ 🇱🇮🇹🇹🇱🇪 🇸🇹🇦🇷 🇾🇴🇺🇷 🇱🇮🇬🇭🇹 🇼🇦🇸 🇹🇴🇴 🇧🇷🇮🇬🇭🇹 🇫🇴🇷 🇹🇭🇮🇸 🇼🇴🇷🇱🇩.#( logan ) / ❝ 🇳🇪🇻🇪🇷 🇹🇭🇴🇺🇬🇭🇹 🇹🇭🇷🇴🇺🇬🇭 🇱🇴🇻🇪 🇼🇪·🇩 🇲🇦🇰🇪 🇴🇳🇪 🇦🇸 🇱🇴🇻🇪🇱🇾 🇦🇸 🇸🇭🇪.#( lyonel ) / ❝ 🇱🇮🇸🇹🇪🇳 🇹🇴 🇲🇾 🇻🇴🇮🇨🇪 🇦🇳🇩 🇨🇴🇺🇳🇹 🇹🇴 🇹🇭🇷🇪🇪 ━ 🇮 🇬🇴🇹 🇾🇴🇺.#( kalyn ) / ❝ 🇾🇴🇺 🇩🇴🇳·🇹 🇳🇪🇪🇩 🇵🇴🇼🇪🇷🇸 🇹🇴 🇧🇪 🇸🇺🇵🇪🇷.#( kieran ) / ❝ 🇱🇮🇹🇹🇱🇪 🇮🇷🇮🇸🇭 🇧🇴🇾━ 🇾🇴🇺 🇦🇷🇪 🇹🇭🇪 🇧🇪🇸🇹 🇴🇫 🇺🇸.#( headcanon ) / ❝ 🇳🇴🇹 🇦 🇹🇦🇧🇱🇴🇮🇩 🇼🇪 🇫🇪🇦🇹🇺🇷🇪 🇫🇦🇨🇹🇸 .

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luthcrbornarchive · 4 years

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LUTHOR-DANVERS CHILDREN: 002 What lies in the future.(Part 2)

The following children respectfully belong to luthcrborn & kryptcnborn. They are strictly from our heads for our canon only.

Kyah Elle Luthor-Danvers (Kyah-El); With the early preparations for little Kyah, it had been planned for her to be born in the comfort of the couple’s home. Completely natural with no drugs and little doctors present. Wanting it to simple be just Lena, Kara and a midwife so that after the two could settle and be with their little girl. The couple had set out a whole birth plan in attempt to prepare for Kyah’s birth in May. Unfortunately in late march when the couple woke up, something wasn’t quite right. Kara, who by now was use to hearing both Lena’s and their daughter’s heart beat every morning only heard one. Both Lena and Kara in denial schedule a check up which had been when the denial turned into reality, they had lost their little star. Being so far in the pregnancy, it was clearly that labor would have to be induced so the couple set up a date. A week later on March 20th, instead of the original birth plan Lena had to be induced at the DEO where they had prepared for the procedure to be done in a private med-bay. Besides the fact that Kyah is half Kryptonian, the DEO was the only place that seemed appropriate to deliver. It was much homier then the hospital and it was a place where Lena could be monitored and watched over constantly by Kara and her sister in law Alex. With her body not prepared to deliver just yet, the induction took two days for the methods to take effect. Those days where brutal and painful for Lena, full of tears and aches of both emotional and physical pain. Finally on March 22nd had labor began, after thirteen long hours had Lena finally delivered Kyah Elle, who weighed 4lb 7oz

Logan Astra Luthor-Danvers (Logan-El);The preparation for Logan’s birth was something that had not been made until the very end of Lena’s third trimester. Taking it into consideration Lena had already done a natural birth that however involved drugs and how everything strayed away from the original birth plan. The couple was determined to finally allow themselves to feel excited about their daughter which finally allowed them to reach the decision of having an at home water birth, once again they planned for no drugs and to simple go the natural route. Slowly this time they prepared for the little girl with only a few months to get what they needed. With the events of the past still haunting them, during the last month of the pregnancy Lena was put on bed rest by her ever so demanding wife. Where she spent majority of her days talking to her fur son, Arakan El, who was just as protective of her little baby bump as Kara. On November 7th at around 10 pm, as soon as Lena finally had been able to shut her eyes after a long restless day had she woke up with excruciating pain which had been caused by contractions. It caused fear to run through her being, never before feeling what was ‘normal’ for a natural delivery. The labor took 11 hours and a slight change in the birth plan. Instead of Kara being the one to aid Logan in entering the world she had to settle a panicked Lena. Jumping into the inflated pool and holding her wife from behind. Calming, assuring and comforting the woman as they both reached the last leg of their long awaited journey. Logan was born on November 8th at 9:30 a.m, weighing at 7lb, 6oz.

Lyonel Jack & Kalyn Lily Luthor-Danvers (Ly-El & Kaly-El); The twins preparation had been slightly different than their older sister’s. For one before they even began preparing for their babies, during the implant procedure Lena and Kara where expecting one baby, a boy. Who they planned to be the second addition to their family. One particular morning, Kara’s super hearing picked up two heart beats over her own but she did not think very much of it at first. Perhaps it had been unknown side affects of a procedure not done before on an alien causing her abilities to go out of wack. When the sounds of the almost in sync beats of two hearts thumped out of rhythm of her own refused to stop and still denial stuck on the stubborn hero she disclosed the information to her wife. Informing her how she hadn’t felt right all day, how the powers she had seemed to be reacting to being pregnant. Concerned for Kara, Lena set up a scan. Though her mind kept moving processing the information. While Kara might not have believed it was twins, Lena had a suspicion on that fact. Finding out about the twins was a game changer for the couple, shifting gears from preparing for a little boy to preparing for two kids. Considering through out the pregnancy the twins had depleted Kara of her abilities, rending her powerless multiple times and had her completely exhausted that it endangered both her safety and her children’s it seemed only right that Supergirl went dark and when the twins where to be born they would be have a water birth, with no drugs at the DEO. On August 20th after about three hours of labor at the department of Extra normal just as planned Lyonel was born at 6lbs 3oz at 5:00pm perfectly healthy, Kara making it look effortless. However it wasn’t over, for a few minutes they enjoyed the peace with Lyonel but tragedy struck quickly. Kalyn was in distress, loosing oxygen as her umbilical cord had become wrapped around her. Losing time, the only option was to switch to a c-section the only trouble is, Kara’s impenetrable skin. With Kara placed under sunlamps, they had to wait until her skin was penetrable putting the little girl at more risk. Frustrated and scared for the infant more then herself, Kara demanded they not wait any longer by using Kryptonite to make her weaker much faster then the sunlamps. Unsure what the affect could do on the infant it was a long but quick debate about wither the idea was a good idea. The affects of kryptonite on a new born unknown to anyone, they had to take a risk. Despite Lena’s objections in fear of losing Kara from the affects of the kryptonite, she agreed with it. Hoping they could move quick enough to save her daughter and get rid of the kryptonite so Kara could heal. Doing all that they can, Alex helped to deliver her niece bringing her safely into the world at approximately 5:30pm, Kalyn was born at 5lbs 9oz, healthy despite being born completely deaf.

Kieran Adam Luthor-Danvers (Kie-El); Having had already three children, it was easy to prepare for this little boy however it being eight years since they had a baby in the home it took some time to adjust the older kids to the idea. Once the couple ensured nothing between their family would change other then a new addition, it had been decided Kieran would be born at home, seeing as Logan’s birth went successful they opted to use the same methods. However Kieran had other plans.Despite being a very settled baby during the pregnancy, he came early then expected. Just before he was born the family of five had planned for a last outing without a baby, a small vacation just a week before spring vacation that was set to drag on until the very last week of spring break. While cutting it close to the due date the family planned to be back just in time for Kieran to be born in the comfort of their home.Vacationing over seas in Ireland after an exciting day out and about the family settled into their private villa for the night. While sitting among another enjoying each other’s company with a fun game had Lena’s water broke. Unprepared in their villa, Lena and Kara rushed to the hospital. It was a rather quick and easy labor compared to the others.With eight hours of labor and it already being fairly late Kieran was born at 6:15 am on April 15th weighing at 6lbs 7oz.Even though the little Irish boy was born early, he was born perfectly healthy. Both Lena and Kieran spent only a day in the hospital and another day resting in the villa while Kara made arrangements to register their son as a US citizen. Granting him duo citizen and allowing the family to go home in a timely manor when their vacation came to an end. Making sure the kids vacation didn’t come to a halt, the couple made sure to continue on the adventures they had planed for their time in Ireland. While on vacation and even when they arrived home, the little boy proved to be quiet a calm and easy going. Quite abnormal for a family who has delete with complications or colicky babies. However it was welcomed, Kieran proved to be the last piece the family needed to be whole.

#stillborn; tw #stillborn; trigger warning #death; trigger warning #death; tw #child loss; trigger warning #child loss; tw #head canon #⊰*•°✘Bᴇʜɪɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪᴘꜱᴛɪᴄᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱᴘʀᴇᴀᴅꜱʜᴇᴇᴛꜱ » Hᴇᴀᴅ Cᴀɴᴏɴ°•*⊱#long post

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bee-kathony · 5 years

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The Oath | Ch. 13 “Breaking Point”

a/n: wow! the last chapter got A LOT of response, it was very interesting to read everyone’s take on the “spanking vs. non-spanking” debacle. sorry it was a rough one, the next three chapters will make up for it (i hope)

Ch. 1 | Ch. 2 | Ch. 3 | Ch. 4 | Ch. 5 | Ch. 6 | Ch. 7 | Ch. 8 | Ch. 9 | Ch. 10 | Ch. 11 | Ch. 12

September 22nd, 2019

It had been nearly a month and a half since Jamie had dropped off Claire after their fateful weekend at Lallybroch. They had exchanged a few brief messages and had met once for dinner nearly a week later, but things were on thin ice.

Claire didn’t want to fight — she didn’t want to feel this way about Jamie. She had just been allowing herself to feel something for him and then their conversation about how to raise their daughter wrecked it all.

It didn’t matter to her that Jamie had been beaten as a child by his own father — that was not going to happen to her daughter. The thought of anyone laying a hand on her child made her furious and it only hurt her thinking that Jamie was perfectly fine with it.

She knew it was ridiculous to keep fighting about this for so long, especially since Jamie had already missed out on the first five months of the pregnancy. Also, Claire missed Jamie dearly. She missed texting him when she felt the baby kick, or calling him after work to hear about his day. It was during this time of separation, that Claire realized how much she needed him after all.

After she had come back from Lallybroch, Geillis had asked her all about her weekend getaway.

“How did it go with his family? Were they nice?”

“They were lovely,” Claire smiled. “I met his sister and brother-in-law, their kids and then Murtagh, Jamie’s godfather.”

“Aye, what else?” Geillis leaned forward on the couch, sipping her cup of chamomile tea.

“It started out well…” Claire looked down, her fingers worrying a stain on her jeans.

“Did it no end well then?”

“No,” Claire sniffed. “We had a fight. Jamie and I.”

“Oh, Claire,” Geillis reached out her hand, laying it over Claire’s. “I’m sure ye’ll be just fine. Ye two havena fought yet, it was bound to happen.”

“Yes, but this isn’t something either of us is likely to get over.”

“Och, ye canna just leave it there, spill it lass!”

Claire ran her hand over her forehead, pushing her curls back from her face. Perhaps if she just said it all out loud, it would sound ridiculous and then Claire could move on and call Jamie.

“I had a really lovely conversation with his sister, Jenny about Jamie’s feelings toward me and mine towards him. That was fine — gave me plenty to think about. But then later that evening, Jamie and I got to talking about our daughter and how we would raise her.” Geillis nodded, a sign for her to continue. “He said that she would be the prettiest girl and that she would be a great nurse or teacher — all jobs that women normally do.”

“Aye, and men.”

“Yes and men!” Claire laughed. “Well, I told him how men do those jobs as well and if he would let our daughter do a job a man normally does. He said he would, but he wouldn’t prefer it. That wasn’t the issue… the issue,” Claire took a breath, “Is that he sees no problem with spanking our child if she misbehaves. I’ll have no part in that!”

“Jamie would hit the lass?”

“If she was acting up or crying, he said he would give her a tap on the bum,” Claire rolled her eyes. “He went on and on about how as a lad he was hit by his own father. And I know he wasn’t saying he would beat our child black and blue, but it’s just the thought…”

“Well, tis a bit different wi’ the lassies. I’m sure his father didna spank his sister as hard as he spanked Jamie.”

“You think Jamie’s father would have hit Jenny as well?” Claire gasped a bit at that.

“Aye, I do. I wasna hit by my own parents, they were too much of hippies to be doin’ that,” Geillis smiled. “But I wouldna doubt it.”

“Hmmm,” Claire sighed. “I’m sure I’m blowing this way out of proportion…”

“Maybe ye should call Jamie’s sister and find out what she thinks. Maybe tis just Jamie’s way of thinkin’, but maybe tis a Fraser was of thinkin’…”

“Perhaps,” Claire said and took a long sip of her tea, mulling over the weekends conversations yet again.

It was Jenny’s number that Claire was dialing now. She should have called earlier, but as usual, life got in the way and Claire seemed to be a professional procrastinator. Jenny answered after the third ring.

“Hello?” Came the soft Scottish lilt.

“Hi, Jenny. This is Claire… Beauchamp.”

“Claire! ’Tis good to hear from ye, I was just thinkin’ of ye the other day in fact.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t call sooner or that I haven’t been back to see you and the children,” Claire said sadly.

“Aye, tis alright lass,” Jenny said. “Jamie told me that ye two got into a fight, but he didna say what about. I take it that is what yer calling about now?”

“Yes it is. It’s a bit of an awkward subject though.”

“Shoot. I’m an open book,” Jenny said.

Claire checked her watch, she still had an hour before she needed to be at work, one of her last shifts before she went on maternity leave. She wasn’t really doing a lot of work these days, mostly just checking patients files and doing busy work — anything to keep her mind occupied.

“Jamie and I got into a disagreement about how to raise our daughter. About… whether or not we should punish our child physically.”

“Ah, so he told ye how Da used to spank him?”

“Yes, and I can’t agree with it at all. I was hoping for your insight on the matter.”

“Jamie was a troublesome lad, him and Ian both got into fights with the neighbor lads. Those two were thick as thieves, still are,” Jenny chuckled on the other end. “When they got into too much trouble, then my Da would take the strap to both of them, ten whacks each on the bum.”

“Did he ever hit you?”

“Only when I was verra young, Claire. And never like he did wi’ Jamie — my Da was a sensitive man and I kent it pained him to have to even hit Jamie.”

“But then why did he do it?” Claire asked, trying to understand.

Jenny was silent a moment on the other end and then spoke, “I think he felt it was the only way Jamie would learn. I also ken that my Da said that it should hurt him too, to have to punish Jamie in such a way. Our Da didna beat us black and blue if that’s what yer askin’, Claire. He was a just man, but a kind one too.”

Claire sighed, knowing that Jamie had never said he would beat their daughter, but only a smack on the bum every now and then. It still didn’t sit well with her, however.

“May I ask what all Jamie said to ye exactly?”

“He said that if she was misbehaving or crying, then he wouldn’t hesitate to give her a wee pat on the bum,” Claire smiled, recalling the sound of his voice — she missed him, even if he had been a bit of a dick to her.

“It sounds to me that Jamie willna take a strap to the lass, only use his hand when he sees fit. No one uses a strap anymore anyways and Claire…” Jenny said. “Sometimes tis all ye want to do when they’re screamin’ at the top o’ their lungs. When tis just ye and them, a face off and ye want so badly to just smack ‘em. Ye love them of course, no doubt. But can ye maybe see where Jamie is coming from? Tis just how he was raised.”

Claire nodded and then remembered that Jenny couldn’t see her, “Yes. I think I do. At least I’m beginning to.” She hadn’t changed her mind, she didn’t want her daughter to be hit — ever, but perhaps her and Jamie could now have a more civilized conversation about this. Too much time had passed and she didn’t want to waste another moment. “Thank you, Jenny. There was, however one other thing Jamie said…”

“Aye, what now?” Claire could hear the smirk in her voice.

“Well I think he’s upset that — that I slept with someone else, he called me a loose woman and said how I shouldn’t be making decisions since I wasn’t wise about that,” Claire rushed out. “I mean, I did also say the baby was mine, Christ, Jenny…”

“Sounds like two stubborn people that said a bunch of things that they didna mean,” Jenny sighed. “Ian and I have said a fair share of things in the heat of the moment that were none so kind, even if we did maybe feel they were true.”

“Right!” Claire ran her hand back through her curls, starting to feel a bit better about things. “I know Jamie didn’t mean it, at least I hope he didn’t, because I didn’t mean what I said… we’re still just getting to know each other and I wish more than anything I could just be open, as open as he’s been with me.”

“Claire, ye two are in a tricky situation. I ken my brother and I ken that he’s as stubborn as a bull and we get into fights of our own from time to time. And I also know that he’s probably beating himself up about what he said to ye,” Jenny said.

“I know I am,” Claire took a deep breath. “Well, thank you, Jenny. You’ve given me a lot to think about, I appreciate you taking the time to talk with me about this.”

“Anytime, Claire. I mean it, yer part of the family now whether ye like it or not.”

“I’ll let you go then,” Claire smiled. “I think I need to call Jamie and sort some things out.”

“Aye, sounds like ye do. Goodbye, Claire. Hopefully we’ll see ye and the wee bairn soon!”

Claire hung up the phone and let out a deep sigh. Just past the eight month mark, Claire was growing tired of being pregnant. She was impatient to meet her daughter and also so physically uncomfortable — it was nearly impossible to find any position that didn’t hurt her back.

Too tired to move, and with too many thoughts racing in her head, Claire shut her eyes and dozed off, only waking hours later to the sound of Geillis coming home.

“I see yer playin’ hooky now,” Geillis said softly as she stood over Claire whose eyes were opening slowly.

“Oh Christ!” Claire tried to sit up, but her belly was making that rather hard to do. “I overslept! What time is it?”

“It’s just past five pm, lass. When ye didna show up after twenty minutes, we all assumed ye’d fallen asleep,” Geillis laughed. “No one’s mad at ye, dinna fast about it.”

“Thank God,” Claire relaxed once again back into the chair, then the baby started pushing on her bladder. “Can you help me up, Geillis? I need a wee.”

“Aye,” Geillis came over to her, holding out both hands.

As Claire stood up from the couch, a wetness came from between her legs. “What the bloody hell? Have I wet myself or…”

“Did yer water just break?!” Geillis looked down between them at the puddle on the floor.

“Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ! It did!”

++++++

Jamie had been going mad thinking about Claire and his daughter. Were they alright? Did they need anything? He had been keeping in touch with Geillis for updates over the past month or so since he knew Claire wouldn’t want to speak with him.

He knew what he had said to Claire in the car was wrong, he’d just been so angry and had held in so many feelings about the pregnancy. Before he even knew what he was saying, the words just came flying out and he regretted them immediately.

Work had been slow and he had managed to accomplish next to nothing with worry over Claire and the baby. It was nearly 5pm, time to head home for the day.

His phone started buzzing in his pocket and he hoped it was Claire, he desperately wanted to see her. When he saw the caller I.D. his heart panicked a little — Geillis.

“Hello?”

“Jamie? It’s me Geillis.”

“I ken tis ye, Geillis,” Jamie chuckled. “Why are ye callin’? Is everything alright?”

“It’s Claire,” the woman said and Jamie nearly dropped the phone. “She’s gone into labor and well, ye ken the babe wasna due for another few weeks. I’ve just driven her to the hospital, this is the first chance I’ve found to call ye.”

“She’s already at the hospital?” Jamie said and rose from his chair, looking around for his keys.

“Aye, the same we work at, ye’ll ken where it is then?”

“Yes, I do. Geillis, tell Claire I’m on my way! I’ll be there as soon as I can,” Jamie said quickly into the phone and then flew out the door, shouting about Claire having the baby as he passed an odd faced Murtagh.

It was too early. Several weeks early.

Just wait, Sassenach. I’m coming.

Chapter 14: Together

#the oath #pls forgive me for ch 12 #outlander fanfic #outlander fanfiction #jamie x claire #jamie fraser #claire fraser #chapter 13 #breaking point #buh dum tss

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tsukishima44 · 4 years

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Ai Rabu Yuu

Yamada Hizashi, Japan's Number 1 DJ, has a crush. Unfortunately, his crush is as dense as a brick. How does he confess his undying love of 15 years? Easy-peasy. Cats.

P.S : a bonus story is added in my ko-fi account

Yamada Hizashi was making a compilation of playlist for his next radio show. As Halloween approaching, the blonde DJ thought about scary creepy songs which could make his fans, dubbed as listeners, experienced halloween for the whole month. The playlist he had played yesterday was a blast. Regional fans and international fans were going crazy with a Japanese man celebrating such a western tradition. His radio team was very happy even when their website had gone haywire from plentiful comments. The amount of early month gifts Hizashi received from fans had doubled its number. For three days he opened each present carefully, day and night, accompanied by one bodyguard namely Aizawa Shouta.

Aizawa Shouta or Shocchan for short was one of his best friends from high school. Both of them attend U.A with different major. They met on U.A's annual sport tournament in which Hizashi, business major, had faced up with Aizawa Shouta, a general student, in the final. U.A's teachers, students, and the media were shocked upon learning the truth. There was no history of non-hero class student never make it to the final. Hizashi and Shouta completely turned the book around. In the aftermath, both Hizashi and Shouta received special invitation to change their major. Hizashi didn't bother. He always knew what his future would be splayed as. It wasn't as a pro-hero. On the other hand, Shouta took the invitation like it was his only chance to change his destiny. After being told of his previous rival acceptance, Hizashi grew curiosity. He could still remember black strands flowing when Shouta's quirk activated. He completely looked like a medusa, a beautiful medusa, with raven tendrils instead of poisonous snakes. That was his last thought before the beautiful medusa completely swept him off his feet. Two days after their fateful match, Hizashi sought after Aizawa Shouta, gaining information easily through his friend connection. Hizashi persistently tailed after Shouta for a week until on the eight day Shouta had enough and stride up to an electric pole, Hizashi's current hiding place. Both of them started their friendship ever since the accident.

15 years later both of them have stable job. Hizashi as a famous DJ who host his own radio program and won award each year. Shouta had become an underground pro-hero under an agency near Hizashi's radio station. Hizashi had adjusted his radio schedule to match Shouta's patrol time to they could go together and end the day together. Ever since Hizashi had his first stalker, Shouta always accompanied him coming back home even in the middle of the night. Likewise when Shouta had to gather intel Hizashi always helped either through his radio program or friends connection since he got plenty. They worked in a symbiosis mechanism and it would never change. Or Hizashi hoped so.

On Hizashi's 22nd birthday, he got a bit of enlightenment.

Shouta had stood there, on his new apartment that he rent cheaply, with a half burnt birthday cake wishing him a 'happy birthday' and not to give up on his dream of being a dj when others mocked him. The sunset light that was painted on Shouta's medium length hair was amazing. Shouta's fond smile, however, was the highlight.

The next day, Hizashi realized that he want nobody but Aizawa Shouta in his life.

Present Mic was cheerful, boisterous, and easy-going. It could throw a cheesy romantic line easily from a storage of thousands. It could make any fans, woman or man, melted with its charming words. It has court and be courted each day. It make hundreds-million money from being smiling to anyone it met. Too bad, its only purpose was as a marionette playing in front line to hide its maker, Yamada Hizashi. Hizashi was a subdued version of Present Mic. He could still rant about his daily lives into a 10 page paper. But in his home, his sanctuary, he spoke less and much calmer than when putting on Present Mic mask. Present Mic's name was on billboards, but Yamada Hizashi never care because it was not his name. Each fan letter he gained always begin with 'dear Present Mic', but Yamada Hizashi was content on not receiving any. In his whole life, Yamada Hizashi never jealous of anything Present Mic has.

Until his days were full of courting a dense Aizawa Shouta.

He had tried using hook-up lines, baking cat cookies, chatting with more emojis, asking him out on a 'date' and nothing was born any fruit. He even used a very very obvious method through one of his radio program to signal Shouta on his feeling. The pro-hero always tune in to his channel each time he was on air and Hizashi knew it although he denied. What he gained was not a new lover but a mess of media trying to interview him on this special S-san he talked so fond of the other night. Hizashi almost gone mad from love and his being from not able to put words into his mouth. On his 28th birthday, the day of his first winning an award, Hizashi finally gathered his nerve to confess. It went well into the night where after the award show Aizawa was about to pick him up and be his courier. If it wasn't for shaking the hand of a four-year-old child with mute quirk, he would probably have an armful of Shouta or a tearful nights await him. Shouta had arrived to erase the child's quirk, but Hizashi's courage had vanished.

This time, Hizashi had a plan. A very simple plan that had occurred to his mind when his emerald orbs saw a cardboard with a grey kitten inside. Hizashi was about to place his umbrella and shield it from the rain. But his idea prevent him from doing so. Then with a wide smile, he took the gray kitten and slipped it into the space between his jacket and shirt. The small head poking from it looked hopeful to him and Hizashi too give his hopeful smile.

True to his idea, Shouta appeared the next day on his door.

"I've heard you adopt a kitten" Shouta said as a greet.

"Yup! Ai is sleeping on my sofa" Hizashi replied but his crush had barged inside and knelt beside his leather couch.

Shouta's light footstep had probably awakened the kitten because Hizashi heard a mewl form his living room. Hizashi watched as his new pet immediately warmed up to Shouta. In a mere minute Shouta had Ai in his hands, cupped gently, while the kitten licked Shouta's thumb.

"Ai?" he asked.

Hizashi had finished placing both his and Shouta's cup of coffee in the glass table.

"Yeah"

Shouta didn’t say anything until he was about to head to his agency.

“You know that Ai is a male kitten right?”

Shouta’s glabella had frown on it.

Hizashi had smiled from the sight.

“I know!!”

14th October, approximately a week after, Hizashi welcomed Shouta into his residence once again. This time, Hizashi was not the only one to greet Shouta. On his right ankle was Ai-chan, the first kitten he adopted. Beside Ai was a black kitten with white fur on its paws. Hizashi watched as Shouta’s eyes went wide at the new member of Hizashi’s family.

Shouta cupped the new kitten into his caloused hand. The new kitten, like Ai, licked his thumb happily. Shouta wiggled his thumb when the kitten didn’t bother with his thumb anymore.

“What’s this one name?”

Hizashi had reappeared from the kitchen with a tray of their casual coffee and a small packet of cat’s food. He placed each things carefully on the table then scooped Ai into his lap.

“Her name is Rabu”

“Rabu?”

“Yeah, rabu!”

Shouta didn’t bother to ask the meaning of the weird name Hizashi gave it.

Hizashi watched Shouta still playing happily with Rabu.

Two weeks later, Hizashi opened his door with a grin. Shouta stood with blown wide eyes. His black hero suit still was full of sweat and what might be speck of blood. Hizashi cringed.

“Did yo-“

“Yes” Hizashi cut sharply “But you are not going anywhere near Yuu with those clothes on”

Shouta was ushered into Hizashi’s toilet without a single word. Hizashi slipped in his softest hoodie and sweat pants to the ajar space of his toilet door.

The kittens swarm to his feet immediately when Shouta came out of the toilet.

His eyes trailed to Ai who was clawing Hizashi’s expensive sofa. Rabu was coming to him happily since Shouta always come to Hizashi’s house everyday, much more often than before. Beside Rabu, a cat probably 5 months old walked leisurely to Shouta. A cat with lush milky white fur.

“A persian type cat. His name is Yuu”

Hizashi giggled when he heard Shouta muttered ‘finally a proper name’. Yet despite the weird name Hizashi gave, Shouta still called each name with the one Hizashi gave.

When Shouta came to Hizashi’s apartment at 31st October he expected the whole apartment to be full of costume guest dancing to loud music and drunk as hell. He didn’t expect an anxious Hizashi and no cat. Hizashi wore a full Count Dracula costume. He was gorgeous with red ribbon tying a bit of Hizashi’s blonde hair on the end. He really glad he wore a mummy costume. Hizashi’s living room at least was screamed Halloween into his eyes. A handful of bat dolls hanging around from the orange-black accentuated ceiling. Hizashi’s huge window also covered by black clothe which was still transparent enough to let moonshine shone the living room. There were several spider webs in each corner and sofa. In the middle of the room were carved pumpkins looking like All Might, and several other pro-heroes. He tried to quench his blush when he saw Eraserhead on one of the pumpkin. What surprised him the most was the appearance of a table in the center beside the pumpkins. The wooden table had an orange tableclothe. Candles in a variety of size acted as a border between one end of the table. Clean white plate were placed on each end and clearly it was for two people by the number.

“Hiza—“

“Shouta, do you remember my cats?”

Shouta looked down to the hands grabbing his. His eyes turned back to the host.

“Yeah...”

Hizashi gave him a small uncertain smile.

“Can you tell me each of their name?”

“Well... Ai, Rabu, and Yuu”

“That’s how I felt about you”

Shouta’s lips thinned while trying to understand Hizashi’s hidden message. It took a century by Hizashi’s dictionary, before Shouta finally understand.

“Did you just...make me say..”

“I am sorry, Sho..” Hizashi let go of his hands “I know you probably don’t feel the same as I do. I just...it’s been too long since I feel this way and I finally get the courage to confess. I know I’m a jerk for adopting those kittens just for my selfish way, but-“

“Zashi” Shouta took Hizashi’s hands in his “Are you going to throw those cats now?”

Hizashi spluttered

“W-Of course not! I still love them even if you don’t l-“

Shouta took Hizashi’s lips into his own. He gave a light nip, gained a moan, before roaming once again. As they parted, both lips were glistening with saliva and Shouta took the chance to peck Hizashi once more.

"S-Shouta?"

"I love you too, Zashi"

Is he dreaming?

"R-really? You sure?"

"I'm dead serious, Hizashi"

When Hizashi's face was in a grimace Shouta couldn't help but laugh at his lover. He slipped his arms into Hizashi's waist and brought the leaner man into him. Hizashi taller figure made his shoulder the right place to put his head on. His ears could feel Hizashi's heart thudding excitedly inside.

"I really do love you Zashi..."

His ears heard a sniffle from above him.

"I really really love you Shouta"

#boku no hero academia #erasermic #eraserhead #present mic #civilian present mic #aizawa shouta #yamada hizashi #aizawa x hizashi #happy halloween #fluff #confess #fanfiction #ao3

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writingquestionsanswered · 5 years

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To what extent can I write a character to be mature beyond their years and make it believable. Like a 19y/o behaving like a older adult and holding a position of significant power; in cases power over people older than her. I’m thinking a throw away line from a superior, obvious actions that prove the characters maturity and capabilities, occasional remarks or critiques from people saying she’s too young and a rare break in the armour and the character acting more carefree (ex: snowball fight).

Characters Who Are Mature Beyond Their Years

Maturity actually has less to do with age than it does experience. It’s why when a young person has been through something particularly trying, we say things like, “they had to grow up fast.” Certain experiences can mature a young person almost overnight, especially when they’re forced to face things a child wouldn’t traditionally face, or are forced to step into adult roles.

For those of you who watched Game of Thrones, Arya Stark is a great example of a young person “being forced” to grow up quickly. In the TV show, Arya is only eleven when her entire life turns upside down on the steps of the Sept of Baelor, and roughly eighteen when she sets off on a new adventure at the end of the show. All of those tragic, harrowing, frightening things that happened to her–the training, the fighting, the battles, the names crossed off her list–all of that happens before she’d be old enough to vote in the United States. And it’s not the slightest bit unbelievable, because through eight seasons we watched her go through all of these things and earn all of her skills, scars, and knowledge.

Queen Victoria was only 18 and one month when she became the Queen of England. By the end of her fourth year as queen, just after her 22nd birthday, she’d already experienced a change in Prime Minister, weathered a scandal at court that was largely her fault, endured a political scandal that caused a dip in her popularity, married Prince Albert, gave birth to her first child, and survived an assassination attempt. You can bet Queen Victoria at age 22 was infinitely more mature than the average 22-year old today.

So, my point is that age and time have less to do with maturity than experience and the weight of that experience, and when it comes to convincing your reader that a young character is mature beyond their years, it’s important for you to “show the math,” so-to-speak, so that your reader can understand how the character earned their unusual maturity.

Something else to consider is how your character came to be in this position of significant power. Was this position bequeathed upon them by tradition, such as being the heir to a kingdom or business empire? Was the position granted to them by someone with even more power, despite being unearned, like a CEO naming his daughter as a top executive? Or was the position earned through a noteworthy accomplishment or years of hard work, such as saving the queen’s life in battle or rising through the ranks of the military? This does matter, because if your character is meant to have earned their position through years of hard work and effort, you need to consider whether the amount of time they would have had to do that makes sense. Like, if your character is a three-star general at the age of 19, they better have joined the military when they were still in diapers. Otherwise it’s extremely unbelievable.

So, make sure your timeline makes sense, make sure your build in experiences that explain how your character got to where they are, gained the skills they have, etc. And make sure to give them “scars” (either physical, emotional, or both) that were earned along the way. If your reader can see what your character has been through to have become this mature–whether it was one harrowing night on a battlefield or years rising through the ranks of the queen’s army–they won’t have reason to question why they’re so mature at such a young age. :)

#writing #writing tips #writing help #writing advice #wqaadvice

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wild3flow3r · 5 years

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Chapter Fourteen

May 12th

Lorelai allowed Harry to sleep over one night a few days ago, and now she can’t get rid of him. Not that she’s complaining. She enjoys waking up with Harry to the right of her, his hair in disarray and his voice filled with sleep. He’d press kisses against her shoulder as a way to help her wake up. More times than not, he had to bribe her with a little bit more than that to get her to agree to get out of bed.

The first night when Harry stripped out of his suit, Lorelai felt more than a little shy. She’d be lying if she didn’t appreciate the fact that Harry had the willpower to wake up early enough most morning to fit in a workout before his jam-packed day. His muscles are toned and Lorelai would come to figure out that she loves running her hands to feel the sturdiness underneath her. By the second night, Lorelai was dying for the time it would come and Harry would once more strip.

It was found out on the first night that Harry preferred to be the one held while they slept. Sometimes their arms would be wrapped up around each other, but most nights it was Lorelai pulling Harry to her chest. She would cling onto him from behind, wrapping both her arms and legs over his chest. Her face would either be nuzzled into her shoulder, or she would press the tip of her nose to the back of his neck. He was like putty in her hands during these situations.

“No,” Lorelai murmurs, her lips brushing over Harry’s neck at the movement of them. “It’s Sunday. Sleep on Sunday’s.”

It was the third time Harry’s alarm had gone off in the morning, early in the morning. Each time, Lorelai wouldn’t let him move to get up after he turned it off, no matter how gently he tried to push her off him. On weekdays she would have let him go no problem, and then she wouldn’t give so much of a complaint when he’d wake her up a few minutes after, but she would have none of that on the weekends.

Harry turns his head to look at her over his shoulder. His eyes were tired, but he looked determined to get out of her grip. “I’ve got meetings today.”

“On a Sunday?”

“Some people don’t care what day it is.”

“I care.”

Harry attempts to move away from Lorelai, but she only tightens her grip around him in retaliation. She whines when Harry moves into a sitting position and Lorelai is forced into it as well. He presses soft kisses again her forearm while trying to pry her legs off of him.

“You can still sleep. I’ve got to get back to my place to get ready. My meetings are at ten.”

“S’only seven.”

“My first alarm went off at seven. It’s eight now.”

Lorelai only moans in response, earning an amused chuckle from Harry. Finally, Lorelai loosens her grip and Harry carefully lays her back down. He leans over her so that some of his hair droops down and covers both of their faces. Lorelai shuts her eyes as Harry kisses her twice on the side of her mouth before getting back up. He then reaches to run his fingers through her hair.

“I’ll be back tonight. The meetings could take all day.”

“Knock ‘em dead,” Lorelai’s words are slightly muffled by the pillow.

Lorelai peaks an eye open to see Harry grinning down at her. “I’ll bring something home dinner tonight.” The words pass easily past his lips. He doesn’t even realize the pressure of his words as he finally gets up from the bed, hastily pulling his clothes on, and leaves Lorelai’s small flat for the day.

Home. A flutter of butterflies attacks Lorelai’s insides. It is so early in their relationship, only a short amount of time had passed since she started enjoying his company instead of dreading it, it had only been four days ago since he started sleeping over, and yet he still thought of her place like home. Or maybe he considered someone home instead of the physical place he was in, Lorelai ponders. These thoughts keep her from falling back into peaceful oblivion.

Lorelai tosses the covers off of her body and sits up. Her heart feeling very full for Harry, she figures going to him tonight after his meetings at his office would be a nice surprise. And it would have been too.

***

Harry texted her earlier in the day saying that he’d be out of his office by six. So at half past five Lorelai is dressed in an outfit Harry’s remarked several times as his favorite, leaning against his car outside of his new office. Only ten minutes later does Harry walk out, but he doesn’t walk out alone.

Lorelai's heart drops at the sight of the person next to Harry. She’d never met them personally, but she’d heard enough stories and seen a few pictures to know that face anywhere. Harry’s step falters at the sight of Lorelai, the person he’s walking with moving at the last second to avoid ramming into Harry.

“What is it?” Zachary Styles snaps at his son. He looks around but doesn’t even seem to notice Lorelai even though she’s standing next to his son's car.

Harry stands there, momentarily speechless, before shaking his head and regaining his composure. “Nothing I-I’ve just forgotten something in my office.”

Zachary rolls his eyes, obviously not entirely believing Harry. “What did you forget then?”

“Just some paperwork.”

Zachary scoffed, now buying Harry’s lie. He probably thought Harry irresponsible and accepted any time Harry mentioned a mistake he made, even though most times those mistakes might have been lies.

Zachary turns so that he’s standing face to face with Harry now. He points his finger right in Harry’s face as a sneer comes across his lips. “I’ve given you this shot because your mother wouldn’t shut the fuck up about it and I’m tired of hearing her nagging all the goddamn time, but if ruin my relationships with my investors because you screwed up your own law firm then I will ruin you. Do you hear me? Don’t fuck up Harry.”

With that, Zachary leaves Harry standing alone on the sidewalk. In just a few short steps he stops in front of his own overly expensive car, gets in, and drives off at a pace way past the speed limit. As soon as he’s gone Harry’s taking quick steps towards Lorelai.

Lorelai knows Zachary is a terrible person. Even though Harry didn’t like to speak about him often, or at all really, she knew he was a terrible father to Harry. And watching it right now with her own two eyes made her heart break even more. To compare him to her own father, it wasn’t fair to Harry that he got such a crappy one. She doesn’t even realize it when a few tears gather in her eyes and start to fall down her cheeks.

Lorelai closes her eyes when Harry finally stops in front of her. She doesn’t know how he’ll react. Will he be angry? Will he yell at her? He tries to keep this part of his life hidden from her, rightfully so if he isn’t ready to share everything with her yet, so why wouldn’t he.

What Lorelai doesn’t expect is the gentle way Harry places one of his hands on her shoulders while the other caresses her cheek, carefully wiping the few tears away. Lorelai lurches forwards and tightly knots her arms behind Harry’s back. He holds her close and brushes through her hair.

“What’re you doing here, Skipper? Hm?” His voice is quiet, and the underlying sound of hurt mixing in with his words. Lorelai isn’t sure if it’s from seeing her so upset or because of his father's cruel words.

“I just wanted to surprise you. I’m sorry-”

Harry kisses her temple. “There’s no need to apologize. No need to be upset either. I’m fine Skipper.”

“How can he just talk to you like that?”

Harry’s silent, his only response being a small shrug to his shoulders. Finally, he speaks after a few moments of silence. “It’s all I’ve ever known, Lorelai. He’s never been kind to me, so I’m just used to it by now. Nothing he says can upset me, so I don’t want it upsetting you either, alright?”

Harry backs away from her only enough so that he can push her face upwards to face is. He pushes the hair out of her face before kissing her nose. Then he takes the time to wipe all of her tears away, thankfully they had stopped falling by now.

“It’s not worth your tears, okay? I’m happy. You make me happy. Take a deep breath.”

Lorelai follows his instructions and does so. Then she takes a few more until she feels calm enough again.

“Let’s go, yeah? We’ll pick up your favorite take away and then cuddle in bed for the rest of the night, alright?”

Lorelai nods slowly as Harry opens his car door. He kisses her three more times against her cheek before letting her climb in.

May 22nd

Lorelai stands close to Harry, so close that she’s practically on top of him. One wrong move and her heel will pierce his loafer. He didn’t seem worried. In fact, he wouldn’t let her move away from him. Instead, he kept his arm wrapped around her front to pull her closer to him whenever she moved even the slightest bit.

“Harry,” Lorelai murmurs quietly. “There’s enough room for the two of us to stand comfortably apart.” They were stood outside a restaurant that Lorelai has never heard of, standing close to the building on the pavement.

Harry narrows his eyes down at her. “You’ve made me come here Lorelai. The least you can do is let me hold you.”

He’s right of course. Lorelai did trick him into coming here tonight. She felt so bad for Xavier when Harry blew him off at the beginning of the month. And she knew that Harry had continued to avoid his calls since then. At the spur of the moment this morning, Lorelai invited Xavier to have dinner with herself and Harry. He accepted immediately, thanking Lorelai profusely for inviting him.

When Lorelai called Harry during her break, he was less than enthused as she had expected. He begged her to change her mind, tried to persuade her to do something else with him tonight, but Lorelai stayed firm. She told Harry that he didn’t have to come if he didn’t want to, that she would make up some excuse for him, but that she would still be attending this dinner with Xavier. Harry, albeit very frustrated with her, accepted the invitation. It didn’t keep him from complaining though since he’d picked her up from work.

“Oi, there you two are. I hope I haven’t kept you waiting for long.” Xavier says as he nears them, Lorelai spotting the valet drive away with her bosses car at the last second.

Harry opens his mouth to speak, probably to tell him the truth that they’d been waiting for the last twenty minutes, but Lorelai beats him to it. “No, not long at all.”

“Shall we then?” Xavier seems to be riddled with glee to be here with the two of them. He opens the door for them, Lorelai thanking him for the two of them.

It takes another ten minutes for them to be seated and for their orders to be placed. As soon as the waitress walks away, an unfortunate awkward silence falls over the table.

“So, how’s the new business going Harry?”

“Good,” Harry replies quickly before taking a sip of his water.

“I heard you’ve already gotten a few clients. That’s great! Did the Laureano family ever visit you? I recommended you when they mentioned they needed a new lawyer to help with their estate planning after their last one passed away.”

“Mhmm, yeah they called me.”

Lorelai nudges Harry’s foot underneath the table, but he acts like he doesn’t take notice to it. Instead, he fiddles with the napkin he’d previously placed over his lap.

“Your mother was telling me the other day that-”

“Thought your wife didn’t want you talking to my mum anymore?” Harry finally looks up at Xavier, an eyebrow raised carefully at the top of his head.

Lorelai stares at Harry, mouth wide open. This was not the time nor place for whatever Harry wanted to start. “Harry,” she hisses in a warning.

The grin on Xavier’s face falters momentarily, but after a few seconds, it’s back on his face, maybe even a little wider than it had been before. “No, it’s okay. We’re in the same social circles, me and your mum, so we often run into each other. And you know how Penny is, so rash that one. She and your mum get into one little fight about potato salad and all of a sudden there’s a war.”

“Hmm,” Harry replies, thinking over Xavier’s words although he didn’t really seem to believe it. “Doesn’t really explain why she cut you off from contacting me when I was a teenager.”

It was unbelievable to Lorelai sometimes. Harry, at times so cut off and reserved from talking about his personal life, about his childhood, when it was just the two of them, and then put him in a room with someone from his past and he’d spill all of his secrets with a snap of his fingers. Maybe he held some things in for too long, things that shouldn’t have been held in in the first place, that only the sight of a few people could trigger something inside of himself and let his feelings fall past his lips.

“I…” Xavier frowns now, his hands gripping the sides of the table in front of him. “I’ve apologized for that, and for listening to her. There are just some things you don’t understand-”

“I understand plenty,” Harry cuts him off, his voice harsh, but Lorelai can catch the slightest hint of pain underneath that tone. “Gemma was away at school and mum left because her work took her to the States for a few months, I understood that. Those were obligations. But one day you promised you’d help me out with dad, and then next you were telling me that you couldn’t spend time with me anymore. I was fifteen, you were the only friend I had besides mum and Gem, and you left with some shitty explanation that didn’t make any sense.”

“Harry-”

“And then Penny told me what really happened a few days later. That she made you do it or else she’d expose your rehab stints from your twenties to the press. Just like everyone else in this goddamn family, you were too worried about your image, about how other people think of you, instead of worrying about the way I thought of you. I loved you. And you left me alone all winter with my father, and it was the worst four fucking months of my life. And then you come back in my life a few years later acting like nothing changed. Everything changed.”

“I’m sorry. I’ve been trying to make up for it-”

“It’s too fucking late, Xavier. It was too fucking late as soon as those words first left your mouth when I was fifteen.” Harry stands up now, different parts of his body twitching every few seconds like he felt the need to run away from this place. He probably did. Lorelai stands up with him, regret filling every bone in her body.

“You know, when I was younger I used to wish to every goddamn star in the sky that you could have been my father instead of Zachary. But now, now I’ve come to realize that you’re just as terrible as him sometimes.” Harry turns around just as the waitress nears their table with their food. He grabs onto Lorelai’s hand before leading them out of there.

Harry had parked his car a few streets away instead of using the valet. Lorelai now realizes he did this because he’d predicted something like this had a strong chance of happening. That it’d be easier for them to walk a bit to the car instead of waiting for some driver to bring him his car back. She knows Harry could be walking much faster than he currently is, but he did slow down so that Lorelai could keep up and that he wasn’t actually dragging her.

When they get in the car and Harry drives off, Lorelai isn’t sure what to say. She doesn’t want to anger him anymore, but she doesn’t feel like she should just stay silent either. When a laugh falls past Harry’s lips, a manic one that she’d never heard from him before, she begins to grow worried.

“Are you… are you alright Harry?”

Harry finally stops laughing, and he looks over at her momentarily. “Never better.” His voice wasn’t sarcastic, but instead sincere.

“What?”

“God, I’ve wanted to go off on him for over half of my life. Mum would never let me at family parties, but I’ve never wanted to meet up with him outside of those.”

“You aren’t angry?” Lorelai was terrified that he would have been, and then he would then take it out on her for forcing him to go to the dinner with her.

Harry shakes his head quickly. “No, I’m not. Relieved actually. God, I’m so relieved. Next thing you know and I’ll be cussing out my dad.”

Lorelai sits there in shock. Harry grabs for one of her hands and squeezes it. “I’m sorry about Xavier. If I had known-”

“How would you have? I never mentioned it. But god does it feel good to have it off my chest. It’s not your fault, Skipper.”

“You’re really okay?”

Harry kisses a few of her knuckles of the hand he’s holding. “I am. And I… I want to tell you more things. Not right now, I’ve said enough for the night, but one day soon I’d like to tell you some more things.”

A grin fights its way onto Lorelai’s face, her heart swelling with pride. “Of course. Whenever you’re ready.”

#1dff #cmiyc #cmiyc14 #harry styles fanfic #one direction fanfiction #hellooo!!!#sorry this is late lmaooo but here it is!!#let me know what you think!!#also i already know i won't be updating this sunday bc i've got a party on saturday night and will be traveling on sunday #but updates will resume normally to sunday i promise i'll have lots more free time to write now once i get back home from my friends #so yeah lmao hope everyone has a great day <3

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niall-is-my-dream · 5 years

Text

You & Me - Part Nineteen

Thanks to @for-fucks-sake-h for being an amazing beta and to @niall-talk for her advice.

catch up on previous parts below

https://niall-is-my-dream.tumblr.com/post/182679258488/you-me-masterlist

2550 words

Callie's POV

Coming to the end of tour had been sad. Once the Jingle Bell balls were over to, you'd all headed back to the UK to spend the holidays with your families. You had got two months off before rehearsals for the world tour began towards the end of February.

You dumped your stuff at your flat, before packing up a new bag and going straight over to Niall's. That is where you had stayed tucked up in his bed with him for the last twelve hours, trying to shift the jet lag.

His warm naked body was cosy and you were determined not move for at least two days. Niall had wrapped himself around you, feet tangled together beneath the quilt. You were thoroughly enjoying the gentle half asleep kisses he was placing on your neck, the warmth of his breath giving you goosebumps on your body. A low hum of contentment coming from you both.

That daydream was broken by Bex bursting into his room.

"Holy fucking shit kids! Our prayers have been answered!" She screamed out.

"Fuck!" You said sitting up, the cover pooling at your waist.

"Nice tits!" She laughed.

"Crap!" You said covering yourself up.

Niall had sat up to, but had refrained from unnecessarily exposing himself to Bex.

"What the fuck are you doing Bex?! Don't you understand jet lag?!" He said, running his hand over his face but smiling.

"Told her to tell you guys later." Willie said, appearing behind Bex.

"Tell us what? That she's a crazy person who wakes up jet lagged naked people?!" Niall said.

"Told her you'd most likely be naked!" He laughed.

"I came to show you this." She said handing Niall her phone.

********

Victoria Secret Model Saskia Jones, moves on from singer Niall Horan with TV presenter Jasper Littlewood.

Victoria Secret Model Saskia Jones 22, and well know TV presenter Jasper Littlewood 25, were seen all over each other at a bar in West Hollywood last night, settling the rumours of her breakup with singer Niall Horan, 24.

"They were all over each other, kissing and whispering all night. They didn't seem to care who saw."

The news comes after it was confirmed that Saskia and Niall Horan had parted ways a few months ago after eight months of dating. The pair were first pictured leaving an L.A. restaurant in January but haven't been spotted together since his first solo tour date in Dublin in August.

Niall has since been pictured with his guitar technician Callie Brown, the pair seeming to confirm their romance via Instagram recently. Callie has appeared numerous times on the social media of the former One Direction star.

Jasper Littlewood, who is part of the presenting team on E news, apparently slid into Saskia's dm's when he found out she was single again. According to a source close to Saskia, she had become tired of Niall's failure to commit to her and ended things with him a few months ago.

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

You didn't bother to read anymore.

"Wow, she fails to tell the story of stalking and harassing you!" You said.

"Not sure who the 'source' could be but it's bound to be someone close to her. Something done discreetly so we can't take any legal action against them. The legal documents said she wasn't allowed to discuss anything about us in the press, but that doesn't mean one of her friends didn't say something." He replied.

"Doesn't matter what the article says mate." Willie added. "No one will believe that crap any way."

"And it does mean that hopefully now she has another hobby she won't be a worry for either of you anymore." Bex said.

"Fingers crossed." You said.

It really felt like a massive weight had lifted from your shoulders, you weren't convinced it was all over just yet though. But with the news that she had been spotted with Jasper Littlewood gave you some hope that she wouldn't hassle you anymore.

"I should probably give Kim a call. You go back to sleep Petal."

"No, I'm awake now. And anyway Bex is making me coffee and breakfast aren't you love?!" You replied, staring straight at Bex.

"I suppose I should, since I woke you both up."

"Better leave quick, I'm getting out of bed now and I'm naked!" Niall said laughing.

Bex screamed and jumped up from her seat at the end of the bed, covering her eyes as she walked to the door. Willie was laughing as he closed the bedroom door behind them and you turned to get out of bed. But before you could swing your legs over the side of the bed, Niall had tackled you and pulled you back down. Your head hit the soft pillow as he moved to settle himself above you and between your legs.

"Thought you were going to make a call?!" You giggled pathetically.

"I am, but I need a kiss first." He replied.

The next couple of weeks was spent with Niall whenever possible. He had gone out with the lads dressed in his Christmas jumper to Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park, while you and Bex had ordered take out and binge watched Netflix.

You'd spent the day Christmas shopping with your Mum in central London, choosing gifts for Niall and your family. Over lunch with your Mum, you discussed what the plans were for Christmas. Tom would be with Claire at her grandparents house for the day, so it would be you, your parents and your auntie, uncle and cousins at your childhood home.

"Maura and I were chatting about maybe getting together for New Years." Your Mum said.

"Oh, were you!" You replied smiling. "And when did you discuss this?!"

"Oh, we chat every week." She said casually.

"You do?!"

"Yes, we swapped phone numbers the night we met. Do you remember?"

"I do, I just didn't know you'd been talking regularly."

"She's such a nice lady, we have so much in common. Not just our youngest children being in love."

"Mum......."

"What?! She said she's never seen him so happy. She absolutely adores you!"

"She does?"

"Yes, very much so. I know I'm biased but you are a wonderful person Callie. Your Dad and I are very proud of you."

You were a bit taken back by your Mums words. She had always been one to praise you all of your life, and your parents had always been the type to tell you they loved you all the time. But hearing her say how proud she was of you brought a lump to your throat. Sensing the impact of her words, your Mum carried on rambling away about her chats with Niall's Mum while you ate.

It later transpired that Maura had invited your parents to Mullingar for New Year's. They would spend three days with her and her husband Chris. She had even invited Niall's Dad and his partner Aoife to join them for a meal so that your parents could meet them to.

When you went to Niall's that night, you found out that he had been chatting with his Mum about the same thing.

"So apparently our Mums are now best friends!" He said laughing.

"I know, is that weird?!"

"Why would it be weird?!" He replied smiling a you. "Isn't it a good thing that they're getting on?!"

"Yeah, it is. I'm pleased they like each other." You answered. It was important to you that they approved of your relationship with Niall.

"So, I was planning on coming home on the 27th December, but since Mum has invited everyone to hers it looks like I'll be staying till the 2nd January. I said to my Mum I'll sort out flights for your parents, Tom and Claire. Do you want to fly with them on the 30th or so you want to come over earlier?"

"Well, when do you want me to come?"

"I always want you to come babe!" He replied, with a shit eating grin on his face.

"Niall!" You said punching his arm.

"Ouch! What was that for?!"

"Stop being dirty and answer the question."

"If I'm being honest, I don't think I'll cope being away from you for a whole week. The four days is going to be bad enough." He replied, wrapping you up in his arms and placing a kiss on your temple.

"I'll miss you to. I'll get a flight for early on the 27th then."

"No, I'll get you a flight."

"No, I will sort out the flight. I don't expect you to pay for me."

"I know you don't expect me to. But I want to pay for you."

"Ni..."

"No arguing Cal." He replied, placing a finger under your chin and placed a gentle kiss on your lips.

It was the evening of the 22nd of December and Niall had decided to hold a pre Christmas get together at his and Willie's flat. He had invited Tara, his cousin Deo, Mully who had flown over for the holidays. Your brother Tom, his wife Claire, his photographer friend Conor who had been on tour and obviously Bex would be there to.

His plan had included going to Tesco and buying loads of beer and wine, he had also ordered Chinese. Everyone started arriving not long after Niall had placed the order. Since you were going to be apart from Niall for Christmas and also your brother, you had decided to exchange gifts with everyone tonight. When everyone started to arrive, the pile of presents under the tree got bigger.

You had tried to have a sneaky look under the tree but couldn't find anything that said it was from Niall. He had caught you looking on numerous occasions.

When the Chinese arrived, everyone gathered around the massive dining table and started opening all the boxes of food. Tara helped you fill up everyone's wine glasses and grab beers from the fridge. When everyone was seated, Niall started tapping his beer bottle to get everyone's attention.

"Right everyone, some quiet please!" He called out. "Welcome to our fake Christmas dinner."

Everyone smiled and cheered.

"I've had a really fucking amazing year, bit bumpy in parts." He said, and everyone knew was talking about Saskia. "But overall it couldn't have gone any better both professionally and personally."

He looked over to you and smiled, a look passed between you both. A look of contentment, happiness and love.

"Ok, break that eye contact now you two!" Tom joked from down the end of table.

"Tom." Claire said swatting his arm.

"Sorry Tom!" Niall replied. "Anyway as I was saying, it's been a great year and I couldn't have done it without any of you. So if you could raise your glasses for a toast to old friends, new friends, family and to finding the love of my life."

You paused and watched him as he clinked glasses with Willie who was sitting next to him before he turned to you. As he leant in to clink your glass, he kissed you whispering I love yous against your lips.

"Right enough of that soppy crap! Let's tuck in!" Deo announced.

The group started to dish up the Chinese food, passing down dishes to each other until the plates were full. Niall's hand had found its way to your knee, and he ate one handed so he didn't have to break contact. You did the same, entwining your fingers together, your thumb caressing his.

Conversation over dinner was light hearted, stories from tour were shared from Niall, Conor and yourself. Everyone had made your brother Tom and his wife Claire feel welcome, including them in the conversations. They had got married in June so discussed the day with Conor and Tara at the end of the table.

When everyone was well and truly stuffed you all went and sat down on Niall's massive sofa to relax. Drinks were refilled again and the topic of opening Christmas presents came up. Deo, who had popped to the loo appeared dressed as Santa and declared himself in charge of giving out the presents, no one bothered to argue with him.

Bex was first to open her present, a large box gifted from you. Every year you would fill a box full of make up, bath bombs, face masks and little cans of cocktails. It had become sort of a tradition, and Bex would gift you something similar to. You were busy showing Claire what Bex had given you in your box as Deo was opening his gift from Niall, a beer pump and a keg.

Tom was surprised when Niall handed him an envelope. Inside was a gift certificate for a spa day for Claire and a round of golf with a professional golfer at Wentworth golf course for him. He stood up and hugged Niall thanking him for the amazing gift.

Tara laughed at the luxury bathrobe you got her, everyone was staring wondering what the joke was. So she told everyone the story about being in Japan back in September when you had to stop her from stealing the hotel spa one.

Niall appeared in the doorway half way through opening the presents with a large rectangular box with a bow attached to it. Placing it in front you, you sat there open mouthed.

"Is this for me?!" You managed to blurt out.

"Yep, Merry Christmas Callie."

Everyone's eyes were on you, all desperate to know what was in the box. You began to open it, carefully peeling back the packaging and that's when you saw what it was.

A guitar case. Niall had brought you a guitar for Christmas.

Moving the cardboard box out of the way, and placing the guitar box to your lap, you stared at it for a few moments.

"Open it before we all die of suspense!" Bex yelled out.

Carefully and slowly opening the box you took one look at the guitar inside, quickly closing it and looking at Niall.

"Niall.....are.....are you fucking kidding me?!" You mumbled. "Is this what I think it is?!"

You heart was beating fast, the realisation at what was in the box becoming clear.

It wasn't just any old guitar, it was your dream guitar.

"A Gibson Johnny Smith 1978 acoustic. Is it the one you wanted?" He asked you, and you could see he was nervous. "You said you loved it when we were at Gruhns in Nashville."

"It is, and I do but........it was really expensive." You whispered, although you were sure everyone could hear, all eyes were on you.

"Babe, it doesn't matter, I wanted to get it for you. The look on your face when you saw it last month. I knew straight away I needed to get for you." He whispered back.

"Thank you so much. I love it, it's the best present I've ever got."

You both smiled at each other, you couldn't believe how lucky you were to have him in your life.

Taking the guitar out of the case, there were lots of oooohhhhhs and aaaaahhhhsss followed by laughter.

Deo carried on giving out the gifts as you and Niall sat and looked over the guitar.

"I love you." You said giving him a kiss.

"I love you to." He replied.

Part Twenty - final part

https://niall-is-my-dream.tumblr.com/post/183955405793/you-me-part-twenty-last-part

Tag list

@niallersdirtylaundry

@youvegotyourvictory

@fireawayniall

@sugarwithlilspice

@juicyfruitlove

@ihearthemcallingforyou

@klairelavarias

@lizziespidiepridie

@irishfireandice

@someoneunimportantxx

@awomanindeniall

@loulouloueh

@sing-me-a-song-harry

@niallergirl1d

@niallspeachybooty

@roseytattoo

#Niall #Niall Horan #Niall fan fic #Niall fan fiction #niall.horan fan fiction #Niall Horan fan fiction #Niall Horan fan fic #solo Niall #one direction #flicker sessions #Niall fluff #Niall smut

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jamesv-t · 4 years

Text

Gig Survey 2019

Top 5 shows of the year?

Zara Larsson, Electric Brixton, 22nd May

Carly Rae Jepsen, XOYO London, 29th May

Rammstein, Franchise FC stadium Milton Keynes, 6th July

Kylie/Clean Bandit, Brighton Pride, 6th August

Aly & AJ, Scala London, 11th July

Lucy Rose, Barbican Theatre London, 4th December

Anavae, Concorde 2 Brighton, 6th November

Marina, Brighton Centre, 5th November

Jenny Lewis, Concorde 2 Brighton, 24th July

Ariana Grande, O2 London, 19th August

Total number of shows?

Seventeen, up six from last year.

First show of the year?

Lucy Rose at Resident Records, Brighton, on the 22nd March.

Last show of the year?

Lucy Rose at the Barbican Theatre in London, 4th December.

Most surprising show?

Zara Larsson. I was gently bullied into going - Dana suggested it, and then prodded me towards going in the hope that I’d be disappointed and ramp down my listening of her. Instead I was surprised at how good she was, and how much I enjoyed the set!

Most disappointing?

Lucy Rose in Brussels, through no fault of the artist herself - I overheated and fainted for the first time in my life three songs in, and so missed a large chunk of the set due to recovering in the foyer.

Farthest travelled?

Ancienne Belgique in Brussels - 255 miles or 409 km away from home.

States attended shows in?

Cheerful, grateful, euphoric, terrified, bored, knackered - and new for 2019, unconscious!

Venue most visited?

Concorde 2 in Brighton, twice.

Worst injury?

Nothing! I did bang my head when I fainted at Lucy Rose, but I totally calculator pineapple.

Most expensive ticket?

£60 plus fees for Rammstein. Worth every single penny.

Band seen the most?

Lucy Rose 2.2 times, just ahead of Anavae with two complete sets.

Best new discovery?

I was vaguely aware of Clean Bandit before due to them featuring artists that I care about (and Demi Lovato) on their album, but I didn’t click with them until their Pride set. Other than that, I’ve stayed fairly within my lane.

Bands seen this year that also broke up this year?

None!

Friends made at shows?

Every gig I went to was either with Dana or my family, save the Zara Larsson gig and I was feeling too anti-social to interact with the posers or the stans who filled the first few rows around me.

Band members met?

Becca and Jamie from Anavae, and Lucy Rose - but I feel like it doesn’t count when they either took your wedding photos or have been shown them after a gig! Apart from that the obligatory Carly Rae Jepsen photo in a Rammstein t-shirt post gig, a brief exchange with Jenny Lewis before her set, and some grateful smiles from both Zara Larsson and her younger sister (supporting) at me actually enjoying myself during their sets.

Best souvenir from a show?

I didn’t get that much from shows this year. Zara’s shirts were not to my tastes, we’d got all the Anavae merch they were selling, and while I liked the dual pastel pink/faded orange Ariana Grande shirt, I didn’t like it enough to drop £35 on it. I had no such problems buying another Carly Rae Jepsen t-shirt, and a medium hoodie that was far too small for me in May but fits me now; I also got a Rammstein tour tee which features a very me design. Away from shows but still music related I received a Romance shirt from the Camila Cabello listening party that exposes my belly in a way that flatters nobody. I also went a bit crazy on new years day when, after watching the Taylor Swift reputation tour movie on Netflix for the fourth time, I got an email advertising discounts on her store. I picked up two more rep era t-shirts and some additional items when I realised I could spend £40 on shipping or the same amount on the softest, most comfortable hoodie I’ve ever worn!

Longest time in line?

About three hours before Carly, but it was completely worth it. We were on the barriers at Pride about eight hours before Kylie hit the stage, but we had other acts that we were interested in playing beforehand so that doesn’t count.

Shows seen from the barricade [front row]?

Oh, that’s a nice segue. Kylie from the pleb barrier, Lucy from the front row at the Barbican, and Jenny Lewis. We’ve also been very near the front at Anavae, Zara, Carly, and Aly & AJ.

Most shows in one month?

May had 3 and a half.

Most shows in one week?

Two, Marina and Anavae in successive days in November.

Biggest crowd?

Rammstein had 32,000 in Milton Keynes. No crowd size given for Kylie at Brighton Pride, though.

Any drunk encounters?

I’m fairly certain that the beer and chocolate tour around Brussels before Lucy Rose didn’t help my situation. I demonstrated that my lesson had been learned by having several beers before her gig at the Barbican in December - however these were free, courtesy of Camila Cabello’s record label.

Top 5 best 2019 concert moments:

1. In keeping with my habit of wearing Rammstein shirts to pop gigs, I decided that it was only fair to wear a pop shirt to the Rammstein gig in July. After several Twitter polls I settled on my new Carly Rae Jepsen t-shirt. As you’d expect, this got me a few odd glances, as well as some positive comments (several people declared it the most metal thing they’d seen) but one in particular stood out. Passing the merch queue while looking for our seats I was suddenly yanked into a handshake and a hug by a very tall bearded gentleman, who explained that among their group of friends they were having a competition for band t-shirts, awarding each other points for each nominated artist spotted. They’d also picked a surprising artist each, on the proviso that they’d get 250 points (a near unassailable lead) if it was spotted - and this gentleman had picked Carly Rae Jepsen as his choice!

2. Zara Larsson. I know I shouldn’t be surprised that a Swede does pop well, but I was going in expecting Dua Lipa levels of charisma, and was surprised at her energy levels, enthusiasm, and general commitment!

3. Speaking of enthusiastic performances with high energy, Carly brought her traditional levels to London for a set that showed just how good she really is, and how much the general public are missing out by sleeping on her.

4. Marina (formerly of & The Diamonds) impressed me. Aided by a very enthusiastic crowd (it was the first time she’d performed in Brighton in seven years, and many of those attending didn’t look old enough to have gone to that last gig) it became a positive feedback loop - everything would galvanise the crowd, which she’d feed off of and up her game, which just excited the crowd further!

5. I got to see my childhood crush perform 15 minutes walk from my flat, and she included the campest, Euro-poppiest album track in the encore as a nod to the audience.

Top 3 worst 2018 concert moments:

1. Fainting was weird. I don’t much care for it.

2. I didn’t get home from Rammstein until half past 3 in the morning. I’m not young enough to cope with nights that late any more!

3. Genuinely can’t think of anything else negative to put here. Let’s see off the year on a high then!

#gig survey

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queenmarytudor · 6 years

Text

Elizabeth in Mary’s reign

There’s a wide assumption that the two Tudor sisters hated each other. It’s well known Elizabeth was imprisoned in the Tower during Mary’s reign... and that’s about it for their whereabouts and relationship until the former becomes Queen in 1558. I was curious to see how much time the two sisters actually spent together during Mary’s 5 year rule; here’s what I discovered.

1553

On the 3rd of August, a triumphant Mary rode into London. By this time her sister Elizabeth and her household had joined her, though how many days the pair had been reunited is unknown.

Elizabeth had sent a letter to Mary c.22nd of July to “congratulate her on her accession, and to beg her to let her know in what dress she desires to see her when she goes to salute her: whether her garb shall be mourning or not.”

It is clear she had arrived at least a day before the 3rd, as the Spanish ambassador Simon Renard notes “Her estate has been increased since the Queen's accession.”

On the 19th October Renard writes “Elizabeth is soon leaving Court, as she told me herself last Tuesday.”.

On the 28th, it is confirmed “The Lady Elizabeth has left Court.”, but despite officially leaving the court, Elizabeth still appears to be frequently around Mary.

She is recorded on the 4th of November as being in “the house in town that the Queen gave her (Somerset Place); [and] not gone into the country as I [Renard] had been told”.

It seems that while Elizabeth wasn’t living at court at the time, she spent most of her time there; almost a month later on the 3rd of December, Renard writes that “The Queen told me that Elizabeth had asked leave to depart for her house next Wednesday.”

In the same dispatch he mentions of an incidence on the 30th of November involving Elizabeth on the way to Mass, indicating Elizabeth was virtually a courtier but living in her own, separate household nearby at Somerset Place. As mentioned earlier her household/estate was increased upon Mary becoming Queen (likely to emphasise her new position as heir) so this makes logical sense to avoid overcrowding.

By the 8th of December, Elizabeth had left for Ashridge, “a place thirty miles away on the road to Scotland. She very courteously took leave of the Queen, who also dissembled well and gave her sister a rich coif of sable.”

1554

In the beginning of 1554 Wyatt’s rebellion broke out with serious consequences for Elizabeth. Suspected to be working with the rebels, the relationship between the two sisters soured and Mary immediately summoned Elizabeth back to court.

The first mention of Elizabeth returning is on the 23rd of February. She is recorded as being “dressed all in white and followed by a great company of the Queen's people and her own."

Despite ordering Elizabeth to come, “the Queen would not see her and had her lodged in a part of her house out of which neither she nor any of her suite can pass without crossing the guard.”

The situation quickly became worse for Elizabeth. In March it was decided she would be moved to the Tower of London, and 2 months later, on the 20th of May, “the Lady Elizabeth was taken out of the Tower and conducted to Richmond. Thence she has been conveyed to Woodstock, there to be kept.”

Elizabeth would be kept on virtual house arrest for the remainder of the year.

1555

While Elizabeth remained at Woodstock, Mary married Philip II of Spain and believed herself to be pregnant. As the suspected due date for the new heir to England approached, around the 25th of April “it was decided to bring Elizabeth here to Court in a few days, before the Queen's confinement takes place”.

By the 6th of May Elizabeth was at court. She had arrived “very privately, accompanied by three or four of her women, and as many more [male] servants, but was neither met nor received by any one, and was placed in the apartment of the Duke of Alva, where she lives in retirement, not having been seen by any one save once or twice by their Majesties, by private stairs.”

On the 25th, James Basset wrote to Edward Courtenay that “My Lady Elizabeth is at her full liberty, yet she remaineth still at the court. She hath seen the Queen's highness twice.”

At the beginning of August, Mary retired to Oatlands Palace, and “leave was given to “Miladi” Elizabeth to withdraw with all her attendants to a house distant three miles from her Majesty's; and on the Queen's expected return to Hampton Court in eight or ten days, it is supposed that said “Miladi” will not come back again, but either remain where she is, or go to another of her palaces, as she is completely free.”

On the 27th, Mary and Philip went to Greenwich “where the Queen will remain during the whole time of the King's stay beyond sea.”

Mary and Elizabeth’s relationship, severely damaged from the last year and a half, seems to improve over this summer. Perhaps Mary wanted comfort after her false pregnancy and Philip’s departure, and genuinely missed her little sister. Perhaps she was once again showing England that for now Elizabeth remained her heir. Whatever the reason, the two sisters were now enjoying a close, if not entirely comfortable, relationship again.

Though not stated at the time, we know Elizabeth stayed with Mary for the next 2 months.

On the 21st of October, Mary opened Parliament after “coming from St. James', whither she retired on her return from Greenwich. The Lady Elizabeth, who resided permanently with the Queen at Greenwich, has had permission to proceed to a house of her own 17 miles hence.”

1556

The first half of 1556 was dominated by the Dudley conspiracy, where suspicion was once again cast on Elizabeth. Though not meeting physically, the sisters sent letters to each other. In June:

“the Queen was induced to send to her [Elizabeth] in the country [at Hatfield] yesterday, Sir Edward Hastings, Master of the Horse, and Sir H. Englefield, one of the Lords of the Royal Council, to console and comfort her on behalf of her Majesty, knowing, as may well be supposed, that this circumstance had distressed and dejected her; and to present her, as a token of loving salutation, and of a message of good will, according to the custom here, with a ring worth 400 ducats [...] using in short loving and gracious expressions, to show her that she is neither neglected nor hated, but loved and esteemed by her Majesty.”

The sisters reunited in person later in the year; on the 23rd of November it is reported that “The Lady Elizabeth is expected here in four days from the country, nor is it yet known whether she will lodge in the palace with the most Serene Queen, or in her own house [Somerset Place], with her attendants”.

On the 1st of December, the Venetian ambassador Giovanni Michiel writes that

“Three days ago Miladi Elizabeth arrived from the country, 15 miles off, with a handsome retinue, having with her, including lords and gentlemen, upwards of 200 horsemen clad in her own livery, and dismounted at her own house [Somerset Place], where she has remained ever since, to the infinite pleasure of this entire population, though she was not met by any of the lords or gentlemen of the court, but many visited her subsequently. Three days afterwards she went to the Queen, and according to report was received very graciously and familiarly. [...] It cannot yet be ascertained whether she came for any other purpose than that of visiting the Queen, she having with great earnestness solicited to come, and not having been called.”

A week later on the 7th, he is disappointed that “The Lady Elizabeth departed so suddenly that I had not time to pay her my visit, which will be reserved for another occasion.”

It is unknown whether Elizabeth had planned to have such a short visit, or left after an argument with Mary, though it is worth noting that the French King heard:

“that the Queen sent for the Lady Elizabeth to the Court, and proposed to her to marry her to the Duke of Savoy, to which she replied that the afflictions suffered by her were such that they had not only ridded her of any wish for a husband, but that they had induced her to desire nothing but death, and then by a flood of tears she brought them also to the eyes of the Queen, who seeing that she still persisted in this opinion of not choosing to marry, dismissed her from the Court, and purposed assembling Parliament to have her declared illegitimate and consequently incapable of succeeding to the Crown.”

Though this report contradicts Michiel’s account of Elizabeth being the one to initiate a visit, it is well known Philip urged Mary to marry Elizabeth to the Duke.

Whatever the reason, the sisters were in each others company for around a week before separating once more.

1557

At the time of writing this post I’ve found no evidence that Elizabeth visited Mary throughout 1557. On the 13th of May the Venetian ambassador Michiel wrote his infamous report about the two sisters, stating:

“It cannot be denied that she [Queen Mary] displays in many ways the scorn and ill will she bears her [Elizabeth]; the Queen, whenever she sees her, fancying herself in the presence of the affronts and ignominious treatment to which she was subjected on account of her mother, from whom in great part the divorce from Queen Katherine originated.

[...]

Having no suitable cause to proceed against her she dissembles her hatred and anger as much as she can, and endeavours when they are together in public to receive her with every sort of graciousness and honour, nor does she ever converse with her about any but agreeable subjects.”

1558

Henry Machyn writes in his diary that “The xxv [25th] of February came riding to London my lady Elizabeth the queens sister with a great company of lords and noble men and women, to her place called Somerset Place.”

Elizabeth stayed for around a week, with Machyn later writing “the 3rd day of March a’for-non my lady Elizabeth’s grace took her horses and rode to her place at [?] With many lords, knights and ladies, and gentlewoman, with a goodly company of horses.”

This is the last recorded meeting of Mary and Elizabeth seeing each other in person. Though I have yet to find a source detailing a visit to court during this time, it is easy to assume that like previous occasions Elizabeth visited Mary whilst staying at Somerset Place.

The sisters continued to correspond through letters throughout the year until Mary’s death, and in the last days of Mary’s life the two sisters seemed to have finally made peace with each other.

“She [Mary] was moved to send two gentlemen to that lady [Elizabeth], to let her know that, as it had pleased the Lord God to end her days, she was content that she as her sister should become Queen, and prayed her to maintain the kingdom and the Catholic religion, in words replete with much affection; to which she [Elizabeth] sent a most gracious reply by two of her attendants, who visited the Queen in her name, condoling with her on her malady.”

#i was surprised elizabeth stayed 2 months in 1555 #it's longer then i thought #anyway the ebb and flow of their relationship is so interesting #i'm just glad by the end mary had accepted it and their relationship was semi-healed #i may do another of these of elizabeth in edward's reign #and mary in his too #elizabeth i #mary i

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ovmatt-blog · 5 years

Quote

Chapter 5. The meeting with Eirene Clarine

6 a.m. – the face of my wristwatch was glowing eerily in the early-morning darkness. I was sitting on the steps of Wight Tower in the thick autumn darkness, still not believing that I had managed to return from Ireland in time. The Tower lobby behind my back was a luminous oasis, shining queerly behind the glass doors, promising warmth and shelter from the cold darkness…

At 8 a.m. sharp I was sitting in front of MAGI HR manager, staring at her. I had never seen such radiant hair, such glowing nails, and such stresses, sparkling upon her inch-long eyelids.

She smiled at me, and to my astonishment, I observed two even rows of white glistening pearls in her mouth. Deeply shocked, I could not speak a word, while she jabbered, “Cassandra is on vacation, you see, so I will deal with you instead… Well, this is your Contract and Confidentiality Agreement… Please, read it and if you have no questions, please sign here and here.” She handed a big rolled piece of parchment to me.

I flickered diagonally over the lines, wandering to the bottom of the parchment, but it unrolled and unrolled…

Witnesseth that the said Robert Lex Orion doth put himself an Intern (hereinafter Intern) to the said MAGI (hereinafter Company) to work in Management Consultancy the term of twelve months for the sum of … pounds lawful money during a probationary three months period and for the sum of …, assigns in all manner of lawful employment … beginning the 22 day of September… during which time the said Intern the said Company faithfully shall serve, the Company secrets keep, the Lawfull Commands of the Senior employees Obey, health&safety policy Adhere to. He Shall not Absent himself unlawfully from his Company Service Day or Night, with magic Artefacts, i.e. magic rods, swords… cursed artefacts, i.e. Nibelungen Gold…, Magic Creatures, i.e. Werewolves, Dragons…, bewitched Elements, i.e. Lightning, Floods … without preliminary safety training, but in all things as a Faithfull Intern he shall behave himself towards the said Company during the said Term...

… AND the said Company Best means it shall Teach and Instruct the said Intern the Art and Mystery of Magic AND doth hereby Promise and Oblige itself to provide for the said Intern the working conditions that Health and Safety Requirements Satisfy and against industrial injuries and occupational disease Guard. During the probationary period thes Employment may be terminated by either the said Company or the said Intern. …at the expiration of his term of servitude the said Company obligeth itself to pay unto the said Intern what the law allows in such cases & agreements . . . London, Isle of Dogs, 22nd Day of September…

I raised my eyes to the HR, “The wording is a bit odd … And September 22nd was yesterday…”

“Oh, never mind, the HR assistant is accustomed to the old-fashioned formulae! No wonder, as she has been working here for centuries! And the contract was prepared yesterday, the day of the autumnal equinox! Such an enigmatic day!” her pearls flashed at me in a wide smile.

I shuddered, recollecting the previous “enigmatic” night, and affixed my signature to the bottom of the parchment, which then rolled up by itself and faded into the air. While I was observing the phenomenon, she asked, “Whom should I put as a designated beneficiary in your life insurance policy?”

“Pardon?” I returned to reality.

“Why, the life insurance policy is issued for every MAGI employee as one of your employment benefits. So I need to put in the name of the person who would benefit from the insurance policy in case…”

“Okay, write in my grandaunt,” I snapped nervously, just wanting to be done with it, and spelled my auntie’s name out for her.

“Well, then we have finished… You will be informed about the start of your classes later on.”

“Finished? But… Well, I remember Cassandra mentioning I would be paid a relocation allowance the day I sign the Contract…”

“Cassandra said this?” She looked puzzled, “Well, according to our rules, the relocation allowance is paid with the employee’s first salary… Anyway you should wait until your bank card is issued…”

What could I say? It was a terrible blow! I hoped to get this money from MAGI as I couldn’t take anything from home, as there was nothing to take from there��

… I stood in the street under the autumn sun, recollecting the formulae of the contract… During the probationary period thes employment may be terminated by either said Company or said Intern… The wind was swirling the fallen leaves under my feet. Should I leave right now? Terminate the contract? Suddenly the tightly furled scroll appeared in the air and was suspended directly in front of my nose. And then the parchment, yellowish in hue and looking so ancient, as if it was going to turn to ashes, unfurled before my eyes and a sweet female voice sang the words, appearing line by line on the paper:

Magic Fundamentals classes

will be held at 2 p.m.

in Conference Room 5005,

50th floor, MAGI

Best wishes,

Training Department

I stopped, staring at the parchment in amazement and rereading the lines. The parchment hang in the air for a few more seconds and then rolled back and faded.

It was lunch time but as I was sparing each penny I decided to skip it and have a walk instead. At the appropriate time I set off for the first class, slightly dizzy with hunger…

At 1.45 p.m. I knocked on the white glass doors on the 50th floor. The receptionist smiled to me and the doors clicked open. There stood a guideboard with an arrow indicating the direction to conference room 5005. I went along the corridor until I reached the open-doored room. I entered and … who did I see? None other than rosy-cheeked Tin-Tin, swallowing the piles of double-decker sandwiches at the counter in the rear of the room! And with his mouth packed to final point, he still managed to chat with a bunch of guys!

He noticed me, waved his hand and lisped: “‘Obin, ‘ome ‘ere, ‘ere izz fee food!” “He means ‘free food,’ a blond guy with Ancient Greek statue features and perfect muscles burst out laughing. Then he stretched out his hand, “My name is Laska Valentine.”

“Laska?” my eyebrows lifted upwards.

“Yeah, shortened from Lasquar.”

“And I am Max Vitta,” a slim guy of medium height with curly chestnut-coloured hair and attentive dark eyes turned to me, holding a sandwich in his hand. His grammar was perfect and his very appearance indicated strictness. “Ernst Herbst,” introduced himself. He was the tallest of the guys with a very intelligent austere-featured face. Having noticed a bewildered expression on my face, he added, “Relax, friends call me Ernie...”

“Robin Orion,” I shook the hands of all of them and sprinted to the plate of sandwiches, cursing myself for not coming earlier. “What is the tastiest stuff here?” I nudged Tin-Tin and he started describing the ingredients with an expert air, evidently experiencing gastronomic pleasure, “Hawaiian avocado-and-mango roast beef sandwiches, Corsican rucola-and-peach chicken sandwiches, Mediterranean olive-and-lettuce salmon feta sandwiches…”

“Instead of all these sandwiches should have made Caprese,” snarled Max.

“Caprese, what’s that?” all the guys turned to him.

“It’s as simple as sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and olive oil.”

“Oh…”

“As it features the colours of the Italian flag: green, white, and red, it’s one of the most popular dishes in Italy!”

“Oh, you are from Italy?” everybody became interested.

“Well, my Mum is Italian, and Dad – Norwegian,” the answer followed.

“Cool! I’ve heard about Neapolitan pizza Margherita with the same colours!” Tin-Tin got excited.

“And Farfalle with tomato, spinach and plain flavours, sold together in a mix?”

Stuffing my mouth with all of this food and flooding it with sparkling sweet beer, I looked round the room. It was a hall of generous proportions, and its white walls and ceiling were gleaming slightly. Two lines of white wooden chairs, eight in each row, their bottoms and backs upholstered with dark blue velvet, were standing in the centre of the room.

“Tin-Tin, where do you live? I need to find a place to stay until I get my first wages…”

“They haven’t paid you the relocation allowance? The same story with me and Max. Only Ernie was lucky and caught Cassandra before she left for vacation and she ordered the accounting department to pay him his money in full…”

“Yeah, it was pure luck. And in several days I managed to find and rent an apartment,” said Ernie bit a piece of chicken happily, while everyone was watching him enviously.

“Why, we live in a hostel. Do you want us to show it to you tonight?” Max smiled gently.

“Wha —? Yeah, of course!” I jumped up excitedly.

“Well then, we’ll go after the classes. Don’t worry.”

“Cheers, Max! Blimey, that’s a load off!”

“Ha-ha-ha!” unpleasant laughter startled us and made us turn around. “You guys live in a hostel? And what hole have you come to the City from?” a tall fragile girl with long pure-white hair and eyes of blue ice asked mockingly, holding her sides with laughter.

Tin-Tin’s face immediately turned red and he blurted out, “It’s not your business, herring.” The smile faded off the girl’s face and her eyes narrowed. “No one has ever dared to talk to me like this before,” she said through gritted teeth.

“There's always a first time.” Several guys standing nearby laughed at Tin-Tin’s remark.

“Do you even know who I am? If you did, you wouldn’t be so brave, dunce,” the girl’s eyes nearly iced over. The temperature dropped.

“Whoa, we're so scared,” I jumped into the conversation.

“Yeah, desperately afraid,” Ernie echoed me.

“Oh, guys, you are maybe the bodyguards of this hop-o'-my-thumb?” Iceeye jeered.

Tin-Tin blushed so deeply that he was the same colour as the tomato from the famous caprese salad, but before he could open his mouth to respond to the insult himself, Laska, who was contemplating the squabble, leaning against the wall and chewing gum, intervened, “Hey, hey! Certainly, we all want to know who the Fair Lady is. You really managed to advance our mediocre level of intelligence. The whole room just lit up the moment you spoke. So tell us your name, the girl of my dreams?”

“Jess, you did find common topics to twaddle about with these tramps?” a pale lad came on to the scene. He looked a bit dishevelled – his raised white-blond hair was standing up like wheat sprouts in a field. “Great outfit,” his eyes flit over my ripped jeans “have you bought it for handouts?”

I rushed towards him, but ran into Laska, who moved so close to the Iceeye that his face was some inches from hers, “Jess? And what is your full name?”

“I won’t tell you, a blatant dolt!” she snarled, hiding a smile, and strode away, having pushed him with her shoulder. Having followed her with my eyes I continued observing the lads and ladies entering the room, and then I almost choked, as among them was… last night’s Greeneye from the Firefly Valley! Her brow lacked a flashing jewel and her dress was a simple white tunic, but her jolly dimples, brilliant green eyes, sunny smile…

I was coughing so loudly that she cast a glance at me and then turned away without interest. Having at last cleared my throat, I asked Laska, standing next to me, “Do you know her?”

“Who?”

“That blonde in the white tunic…”

“Why… No, I see her for the first time. By the way, she is cool… but this get-together has other beauties that deserve attention!” And he winked at me as he marched off.

Meanwhile, all present were taking their seats – I had never seen so many beautiful and strange people at once. While I was pondering this, a young woman in a dark blue swishing dress of silk with a long skirt, sweeping the floor, entered the room. Her long hair, shining as gold, was arranged into a huge bulk of tight locks, curling in all directions and composing a feet high and two feet long flowing lion's mane. A deep look from her sparkling sapphire eyes met the eyes of each of the sixteen students in turn, then she smiled and said in a warbling voice, “My name is Eirene Clarine, I am a Partner at MAGI and your tutor. Let’s get acquainted… I will tell you ten facts about me and you will guess which of them are true and which are false.” The sound of her voice made the impression of little bells ringing. Meanwhile, she went on, “So, let’s start. The first fact – I panned gold in the goldfields of Greenland. Is it true?”

Tin-Tin and I exchanged smiles. What could this refined lady do in the goldfields? Apparently the rest of the students held the same viewpoint, as “no” and “it’s false” resounded all around. “Still it’s true!” laughed Eirene, “Consulting projects at gold-mining companies are quite common at MAGI. The next one – I tamed lions in the Argentinian selva.”

I glanced around. The students were exchanging panicked looks. Projects in the Argentinian selva also are quite common? Muttering and whispers swept along the rows, but nobody was hurrying to say anything aloud.

“Don’t think so long! Any guesses?” Eirene gave us a sort of inquiring look. “Yes”, “no”, “no”, “yes” – opinions were divided. “It’s false! I have never been there!” confessed Eirene and went on, “I have lived in the polar circle…” The atmosphere grew relaxed and cries “no”, “no”, “no” could be heard.

“You are wrong and it’s true!” Eirene was grinning at us, “Once I went to Salekhard on a business trip. It’s the only town within the polar circle. And as the project lasted longer than had been expected, I spent there several months... Okay, the next one, I wield a sword equally well in both hands.”

The muttering came to an abrupt end. Students looked taken aback. What is going on? What is this lady talking about? Could fencing be her hobby? I couldn’t decide what to say and said nothing.

In the reigning silence, Eirene looked at us with laughing eyes, “Okay, I’ll answer this myself – it’s true and soon you would also be able to do this!”

Hues and clamour arose and nobody in fact cared her, while she asked the next riddle, “I am the descendant of one of the MAGI founders.” Students were discussing aloud the necessity of martial arts training, while Iceeye exchanged a significant glance with her neighbour, who had tilted her head to the side, coiling a ripe-wheat lock round her finger.

Probably Eirene was in a hurry, as having not awaited for the answer, she went on, “I can speak chirptongue…”

Every head turned to her, the silence only being broken by somebody’s noisy breathing. “No, you are joking, this can’t be the truth!” exclaimed a curly-headed chap, grinning from ear to ear. Eirene smiled in reply, “You are right, I am joking. But it doesn’t mean that this doesn’t happen!”

“What does she mean?” murmur swept along the rows again. The students put their heads together, whispering their concerns in each other’s ears.

Then she asked the next riddle, “I hear what a stream babbles about…” And suddenly, something happened with me, in my imagination I travelled to the dense deciduous wood, overwhelmed with bright sunlight… The birds’ singing, entwined with the sweet melody of the little bells, filled the forest. A crystal clear stream was flowing gaily across the glade. In its purl the whispering voices were speaking about distant journeys…

“Yeah, it’s true,” my own voice said those words. Eirene looked into my eyes with her dark blue wells. I was hypnotized, fascinated… then it was gone… I glanced around. Eirene was looking to the side, “I have witnessed the fall of Rome.”

Dead silence followed this statement. A cold and slithery snake crept into my soul and the grin slid off my face. Tin-Tin stole a frightened look at me. Everyone looked scared. “Oh, guys, do you believe the tales? I am not so old,” Eirene burst out laughing, “Okay, but enough about me. Now I would like to ask all of you to state your name and tell a few words about yourself. Would you mind if we started with you?” she said to the guy sitting on the left side of the first row, who appeared to be wheat-sprouted Jess’s defender. Hastily, I found a scrap of paper and a ballpoint pen and got prepared to copy the names down as I was very bad with names.

The wheat-sprouted guy, exhaling arrogance in every syllable, started, “My name is Vlad Valdash. My family owns an ancient Castle in Rumania…” But I was staring at his neighbour. Laska was right – beautiful lasses were not in short supply here. She had a perfect oval face with an ideal straight nose, almond-shaped eyes with long eyelashes that cast a shadow on her high cheekbones, seeming to be hewn of stone, and full lips, resembling bean pods, shining-creamy in hue. I had never seen such lips and much later I learnt that she never used make-up. This was a principle of hers, and her name was – “Camilla Eel” – which she spoke in a rich voice, “my Mum is the owner of a luxury Fashion House and I …” But before she had finished the sentence, Iceeye (Laska had far-sightedly taken his place near her) introduced herself in a cold arrogant voice, “Jessamine Gevellin.”

“Gui Shantolier,” a guy spoke through his nose, looking like a French aristocrat, but of quite repellent appearance. “My father is French and my dream is to enter the Sorbonne…” Peroxide blonde with mild features, giggling at something with a stupid expression, he was whispering non-stop in her ear, squeaked her name, “Letisia Cay!” and giggled foolishly again, showing her wonderfully even teeth to a fellow to her right. This was a short pumped-up bloke with blond hair, matching his light skin, splashed with freckles, an impudent glance of innocent blue eyes and sensual full lips, that voiced, “I’m Leslie Bello and I go in for body-building…” And with his shameless eyes he had almost devoured Greeneye, who appeared to be called, “Leda Winegrain!”

But I had to divert my attention from them, as my jolly black-haired and crystal-blue-eyed neighbour said, “Diana Dankwert…” And then I focused on a plump jet-eyed and jet-haired Oriental beauty, who was flapping her arched jet black mascara’d lashes like wings. I copied down, “Guiselle Liaison,” and looked at a fellow sitting to her left. That was the curly-headed chap, who hadn’t believed Eirene. A trifle simple, he seemed to be a laid-back guy, relaxed and easy-going, a goofy grin wandering across his thin lips. He introduced himself in a slightly hoarse voice, “Sebastian Gram,” and suddenly burst into contagious laughter. Everybody stared at him, also beginning to smile… Next to him sat a tall, thin fellow, his hair so red that it seemed to be set in flames. “Melwin Medwin,” he creaked and it was Tin-Tin’s turn.

When I copied down successfully all the names, Eirene said, “Now we will glance back at history for a while… There are four departments in MAGI – Murmaiden, Axamit, Gevellin and Ironsky, named after their Founders – great Wizards and Fays – Aquilline Murmaiden, Lato Axamit, Ruby Gevellin and Irik Ironsky.” The names of the departments developed in the air, written in golden letters, and hung there, slightly quivering. Eirene went on, “Maybe some of you know that the first letters of the department names form the acronym MAGI, which is the name of our company”. The first letters of the surnames flew to front and composed the word MAGI. “There is a legend about the founders of the company, according to which they united their talents and efforts, establishing a consultancy, dealing with magic matters, which became famous due to the outstanding skills of its founders,” and she half-recited, half-sang the verses:

Bird with iron wings

Soars through the sky in rings.

Doors he never knocks,

His whizz opens locks.

Weaver’s golden thread

Streams the river’s bed.

Looking through the ground,

He may treasures count.

Maid with gleaming scales

Wanders under waves,

Murmurs soft to sole,

Reading mortal souls.

Jeweller’s fine craft –

Giving stones his mind,

Searching artefacts,

Gets to mountains hearts.

Wonder skills alliance,

Magic knowledge science.

Fair code and ethics

Made the MAGI basics.

“As is told in the legend, Aquilline Murmaiden was a mermaid with the ability to “look into a human soul”, Lato Axamit was a golden weaver, able to find any hidden treasure, Ruby Gevellin was a famous jeweller, capable of adding magic components to gorgeous jewellery, thus endowing it with magical powers, and Irik Ironsky could turn himself into an iron bird and walk through walls... Throughout the centuries MAGI has been helping its clients to solve ticklish issues, i.e. finding lost treasures and creating magical artefacts…”

The students were sitting as quietly as mice, and all ears, while Eirene went on, “What is MAGI nowadays? Each department specializes in a specific area: Gevellin deals with magic artefacts, the Ironsky department copes with magic creatures, Axamit seeks out charmed gold and treasures, Murmaiden masters the Elements… The projects vary from taming miracle creatures to the stock-taking of magic treasures… Today you will start the five-week long Magic fundamentals course and you will pass the exam at the end of the course, which will show whether your skills suit MAGI. Then all of you will work on the projects till the New Year… You will participate in one or maybe two projects and your Seniors will estimate your performance and thus your internship will end with you being promoted to business analysts or leaving the company after the New Year…”

The statement hit like a bombshell. A sigh swept along the rows. Ignoring any reaction to her words, Eirene continued with her speech, “Now I’ll tell you about the career path at MAGI with the example of an ice-cream cake. As intern, you will mostly study on site and will be responsible for specific components of a project, such as conducting interviews and developing the knowledge of the clients' critical business issues. With your findings you will help the team identify the cause-and-effect relationships in the Client’s business.” With these words, she erected four ice-cream mountains on an invisible plate floating in the air, “pistachio flavour for Murmaiden, mango flavour for Axamit, strawberry flavour for Gevellin and bog whortleberry flavour for Ironsky.” Then she went on, “As an analyst, you will be given greater autonomy and responsibility in the projects. You will analyse clients' business issues and their performance, identifying their vulnerabilities and fragilities, as well as strengths and opportunities, and suggest solutions to problems.”

She poured pistachios, mango pieces, strawberries and bog whortleberry and vanilla syrup on each mountain. And when the sun suddenly popped up from behind the cloud and smiled through the windows, the mountains glistened in its bright rays.

Meanwhile Eirene went on, “After three years of project work, having acquired successful experience on the projects, you will be promoted to consultant. You will be challenged to take charge of complex aspects of team work – from performing profound analysis of the insights to conceptualizing solutions to cases and proposing ways to implement them.”

She topped the mountains with mint, melon, wild strawberry and black currant flavoured ice-cream and added marzipan paste to the green mountain, caramel to the yellow mountain, whipped cream to the pink mountain and liquid chocolate to the blue mountain.

“In the next three years you will be promoted to Manager, leading project. And your new challenge will be to coach and motivate project team members and guide the work of the whole team. You will sleep less and less, keeping one eye on the big picture and the other on the details. You will ensure that the project is delivered on time and within budget, while creative solutions to complex problems are developed.” She spri cashew nuts on the marzipan, waffle balls on the caramel, coconut shavings on the whipped cream, and crackers on the liquid chocolate.

“And one day you will be asked to become a Partner… What will you do then?” She paused, “You will be developing the company strategy, defining its culture and identity, with a focus on building client relationships…” She added marshmallow to cashew nuts, tangerine jam to waffle balls, fruit-paste sweets to coconut shavings and raisins to crackers. Now it was difficult to understand, whether these were icy mountains or a palace with towers and turrets in miniature.

“But that'll be a long, long ways off… So let’s return to more short-term matters. Being promoted to analyst, you will need to choose the department where you will work after the New Year. Now take your chance and, while I’m here, ask me any questions to learn more about each department. And by the way, enjoy the cake, and maybe its flavour will help you to decide what your department will be – pistachio and mint flavour with marzipan paste, cashew nuts and marshmallow for Murmaiden, mango and melon flavour with caramel, waffle balls and tangerine jam for Axamit, strawberry and wild strawberry with whipped cream, coconut shavings and fruit-paste sweets for Gevellin and bog whortleberry and black currant flavour with liquid chocolate, crackers and raisins for Ironsky…”

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issysindieblog · 6 years

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INTERVIEW - SPINN

SPINN are quickly winning over a fan-base across the UK from locals in their hometowns in Liverpool where they grew up to now adoring teen girls and this comes as no surprise to anybody. They have the cheek yet optimism of a new band despite completing their final lineup only last year and will no doubt continue to roar through the UK music scene and gain an army of avid supporters in years to come. This month, the boys are embarking on a tour of the UK, playing a series of gigs up and down the country from Glasgow to Bristol. They finish the tour off on the 28th September back in their home-city of Liverpool (O2 Academy 2 Liverpool). They've impressively already managed to sell out three of their six dates and have recently announced that they have been signed to American label, anti fragile music. The thing that the band are chuffed about though? The fact that one of their songs, It's Not Getting Better, was played on Made in Chelsea earlier on this week.

SPINN have released eight songs so far, including a self-titled EP which was released in April of this year. Singles of their's include catchy 'It's Not Getting Better' which is a song that stays in your head for days after first hearing it's memorable lyrics ( "you know it's killing me being here, killing me, being here.”) and groovy guitar lines which resemble that of early work from Blossoms.

Pictured below, SPINN.

So, (currently) 180,000 monthly Spotify listeners, a UK tour this month with half of the dates sold out and a growing army of supporters, I had questions for Johnny from SPINN and these were his answers... Maybe I'm slightly biased, but I think that these are the best answers to an interview that I've ever read.

1. Was there a particular moment that you realised that SPINN were becoming popular?

I was once getting a meal deal in Tesco and I saw somebody walk in the shop wearing a SPINN teeshirt. I was absolutely buzzing that somebody was wearing some of our merch and later on they messaged our Instagram page and said they'd seen me but had been too scared to come up and say hello. The same thing happened to me when I saw Ex-Everton Winger Steven Pienaar in a different Tesco. That made me realise we were doing something right, I still think we've got a while to go before we can say we're properly popular though. Just got to keep working innit x

2. Away from making music and gigging, what are your favourite things to do together?

Honestly just knocking about with each other like we always have, is what we like to do. Usually it can be anything from just walking around the shops together to going on nights out and staying up till 8AM. Last week Louis had to stay at my flat and we spent the time going to Tesco and prank calling Sean.

This has been a very Tesco centric interview I'll try and steer away from that for the rest of it. Right that's besides the point, as long as we're still knocking about together and taking the piss out of each other, we'll enjoy it x

3. You're going on tour soon, do you each have an essential item you will take with you?

I try to bring a book of some sort for the drive currently, it's Nine Stories by J.D Salinger

Andy ALWAYS brings a hairdryer and various hair products, rocking a bowl when you're on the road ain't no easy fete!

Sean usually just brings himself, that leather jacket he's always got on. A spare bass guitar wouldn't go a miss either, though. Once he left his on the side of the motorway when we were on the way back from Derby, good times.

Louis brings his Aston Villa blanket and 20 Litres of Vape liquid, the little fiend.

4. What/who are your major influences?

Collectively: The Drums, The Smiths, The La's, The Cure, Orange Juice, Ride, My Bloody Valentine.

Individually: Too many to list xoxo

5. Let’s fast forward five years from now, what do you see SPINN doing?

Ideally I'd like to get to the level of Wolf Alice or The 1975 are at now, that would be the dream. If we keep on working then I can see no reason why we can't get there, if we don't then that's fair enough, but we have to at least try! Anyway that's the dream, as long as we can make a living off the band and keep writing music that develops and matures with us then I'll be happy.

6. Do you have any pre-gig rituals?

I always have to go on stage last, I don't know why. At particularly big gigs we listen to 'I Am A God' by Kanye West before we go on, because it's such a good tune for getting hyped to. Other than that, apart from the odd bout of stage fright it's usually just a beer with the boiz before going on.

7. How has your music evolved since you first began playing music together?

I think our songwriting has definitely improved. When we listen to our new stuff compared to our older songs, it's just in a different league, that only comes with experience though. I think that us touring has definitely helped us realise what is what in terms of song structures and live performances. So to answer the question properly, yeah we've got a lot better (even though we thought we were boss before when we weren't lol).

8. Can you describe each member of the band in under ten words?

Andy - A man who loves his haircut more than life itself.

Sean - Donned in a tight leather jacket he's often quite hungover.

Louis - A small man, usually asleep in his Aston Villa blanket.

Me (Johnny) - Taller than the other four, basically the god of dancing xoxo

9. How long have you been playing together?

Louis joined about a year ago, but we've been a band for about 2 and a bit years. Saying that, I don't think we would be SPINN without Louis so therefore I'm gonna say a year.

10. What has been your favourite and least favourite venue to play so far?

My favourite was The Magnet in Liverpool. There's so many boss memories there but now it's been turned into one of those chain comedy clubs which is something that chips away at my soul every time I walk past.

My least favourite was The Sitwell Tavern in Derby. Everybody who came to see us was lovely and so were the other bands and the promoters Dominic (just wanted to make sure if they read this they know I had a boss time at the gig and in the chippy afterwards ;) ).

But, and it's a big but, the pub had fuck off massive "The S*n" flags up all over the gaff which frankly isn't something we like to see anywhere, as we think that that rag is scum, sorry not sorry.

SPINN set out on their debut headline tour this month at the following locations:

21st September - Surf Cafe, Tynemouth

22nd September - Broadcast, Glasgow

25th September - Record Junkee, Sheffield

26th September - Hy Brasil Music Club, Bristol

27th September - Thousand Island (formerly Upstairs at The Grage), London

28th September - O2 Academy 2 Liverpool

Tickets are available to buy now at https://www.musicglue.com/spinn-band/ and all of SPINN's music is available to stream on Apple Music and Spotify.

#interview #review #music review #music blog #spinn

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driftwork · 3 years

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a port story [1]

[ I am reasonably certain I will never go to Lisbon again, the only aspect of Portugal that will come into my life now are humans who have migrated here for social-political-economic reasons, which is the only reason anyone moves anywhere] I had never been to the city before and was intending to spend a few days there before traveling north. The hotel was a nice business hotel, the room anonymous and comfortable. I wandered around the city and was going to a restaurant in one of the nice squares, neither of the names, the restaurant or the square matter, forgotten as they are, obscured by passing time. The restaurant I remember had comfortable chairs, mirrors on the walls, wooden tables, round, square and a few triangular tables, the cuisine was mix of international and local Portuguese. Some of the international dishes were served with a delicate local reinterpretation, a few clams added, a red wine sauce reimagined with local fortified wine. Either way I have fond memories of the place. I think I took a bus from the square the hotel was in, or perhaps I walked, I am unsure. Let's say it was a bus with aluminum poles wrapped in yellow reinforced plastic tape that took me to the district, the square. Which was full of people, adults and children. It was early evening, before seven. I was early as the table was booked for eight. We had agreed to meet in the restaurant at eight, she would be on time, she was always on time, arriving in the district early and meandering slowly so that she would arrive ontime. I had an hour to use so I went to an old cafe on the east side of the square, the sunlight poured like liquid gold onto the front of the cafe, crawling under the old sun-bleached awnings. The cafe served a vast array of different drinks, it had various types of billiard tables and a pinball machine with images celebrating yuri gagarian’s test flights and a trip around the moon. i ordered a glass of Marsala and an espresso, and started watching a game of bar billiards being played between two old grey haired men, one of the old men was using a walking stick to support his weaker left leg, clear blue eyes, his hair cut short and he was evenly matched with his friend, he was hitting the pins and sinking balls with the sharp eyes of a professional billiards predator. Do you want a game ? He asked. No I replied, I cannot play bar billiards, though if you like and can tell me the rules as we play, honestly, we could play for who pays for the glass of port? He smiled at me, where are you from? Overseas? A bit, I admitted carefully. Where from, Catus Minor, I said. I don’t know where that is, he said. The south end of the Haydes. That’s strange, still never heard of it, but there are so many new countries these days. He said scratching his head and then polishing his cure. So what’s your name? Petr, I said in english with the purely english home counties accent. Petr is the short version that friends and people call me. So youré baptised, a christian he said. Oh no, we are all atheists in my family and culture. There are lots of deities here, but on Catus Minor there are none, nobody knows why. It's said that gods only exist here in the entire galaxy… Really? he waved the waiter over and ordered drinks. I know what you need, a beautiful african, good price, about 19 or 20 from Mozambique, just arrived. No thanks my partner would be upset, and besides I have to meet some people at the restaurant over the square, I said paused, so I have no time for girls or boys either. So what are you doing here then? I am meeting a woman and perhaps her husband in the restaurant. I thought about lighting a cigarette, <cigarettes in those days were harmless again> but decided not to, i am looking for a man and they may be able to help me. I am just here killing time. Just a second, why are you looking for the man? What for? he asked intensely. Maybe nothing, I simply lost track of him and need to connect with him again. I have come all this way from Catus Minor just to look for him, i would like to speak to him again, its pretty urgent. So i have this appointment in the restaurant, its full of mirrors and memories. I have never been, it has triangular tables, i hope we will sit at such a table. I have never been before. Sounds quite exciting, he said, are you paying? no we’ll be splitting the bill, they have money i believe. Is it a place for fascists? He asked. Probably as its expensive, though they aren’t. I left him with the port and walked around the edges of the square to the restaurant…[We met when we were young whilst working in a decorating chain store that sold paint and wallpaper and the usual tools, paint brushes, poisons chemicals and so on. I think we were both about 20 or 21, he had recently got married to his deeply neurotic girlfriend, how could he be married at such a young age you might think, people simply did that in that place at that time. Later though, not that much later he became a near-legendary troublemaker primarily in the micro-political realm. At that time to be political, to be a socialist meant that you were focused on the micro-political as the enemy had almost filled the macro-political realm with lessor variants of themselves. Before that he’d originated from the mid-west, in a German high school there, to be in that private school meant you would probably be taught by anti-capitalist teachers and going to the German High school meant you knew of the world, that you’d go on trips across the Atlantic to Berlin, New York and Paris. Whereas people like me going to a Secondary Modern school on the outskirts of London were going to a terrible anti-intellectual school staffed by imbeciles who hated us and themselves —— in this place we were taught about the history of the local monarchs, the great men of history discourses that the imbeciles liked. Now that I think of it in those days there were still teachers who left to travel to the colonies and ex-colonies to preach and convert. Others who were ex-colonials explaining how good the empire was for everyone. A few years later, i remember it well, in a cafe in north London, their children were still explaining that American, French and Belgium colonialism was worse, they were children and couldn't count. Not long after that these same people decided to start murdering people again. Eventually I took the line of flight as far away as I could travel, whilst he continued to drift around europe. When we finally separated we still spent a few summer vacations in various cities and seaside towns, Italy, south western France, the Balkans. He dreamed of painting, his output consisting mostly of windows with shutters, still lives, iron bars, plastic frames and occasionally lace curtains that hinted at humans hiding, mostly from themselves behind the lace. When he stopped painting or drawing we would go for a walk. It was on the last of these walks, the last time we were together that he said, someday if I kill myself, I'll do it slowly, as if I have a terminal illness over a six month or year long period, saying delirious goodbyes from the hospital bed. Did he do that, is my search in vain?]

When I arrived at the restaurant they were already sitting at a triangular table with a small crystal pitcher full with vodka martini, slices of lemon floating, there were three martini glasses on the table, theirs not quite full, mine empty. She poured some of the perfect liquid into my glass. Hello, I said, how ae you? They looked neutrally at my face, you look younger than we expected she said. Its the relativity effect. Time passes more slowly during space travel, even now. A friend is always a friend, he said philosophically. We exchanged small talk, briefly touching on the stories of our lives. The events, music, images and stories, the politics, communities and cultures we had passed through in the recent past. I told them about the media at home, they told me about how their local right-wing discourse had become dominant by allowing itself to be subculturized, falsified and socialized. They were, (I remember sitting there sipping the drink,) database animals... their social values and standards were always dysfunctional, which is why they felt a pressing need to construct alternative values and standards. Eventually this faded away and it had become clearer who we were. Only then, when it may have become impossible, we began to talk about the reason why I wanted to meet them... Eventually after they explained about the suicide, the leap from the 22nd floor onto the plaza in the middle of the night. Wait, I said, where was he buried? where are his remains I asked. But most of all I wanted to know what were his motives ? why ? We don't know his personal motives, he never told us about his personal motives for anything. You must have known something, was he depressed, mad, pregnant, you had eyes to see the state of things? He stroked his beard and eyebrows, a strangely neutral and yet erotic gesture directed I thought at her. He poured some more martini into his glass, ordered some more liquor. But they couldn't say anymore. They couldn't say where he was buried, nor even how his body was dealt with, did someone inherit his kidney, heart, eyes, liver? Cremated, buried, frozen... I ate pan fried fish, fried sweet potato chips, some forgotten vegetables, an unmemorable desert. They disappeared into Brasil. Days later as I prepared to leave Lisbon the doubts crept in, I thought, that perhaps, I should confirm he was dead by speaking to some other people, perhaps their were some family members still living in the house in S.Ware, I couldn't remember the number, the street must look the same though. Perhaps he is still alive. That's all there is.... I had six months after all before the ship was leaving for home and needed to fill my time with something... [for Armando]

#port #fiction

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