#it’s amazing what a 20-degree drop in temperature can do

[aubzikins]

Chapter 8: Confession

I spent the rest of the early morning talking with Hyunjin. It was cathartic for us to just talk everything over. Hyunjin went to go take a nap around 6 am, after I promised I would still be there when he woke up. Even though, there was a slight chance, I might cause some panic, I decided to make breakfast for the guys. I settled on a simple breakfast of Rolled Omelets, Rice and some Sausage. I got the ingredients ready, I set them on the counter, put my headphones in and started cooking.

Once I started cooking, Domino the English Version started playing and I started dancing aaround the kitchen. I was so wrapped up in the music that I didn’t notice Felix was watching me while I cooked. Rather than interrupt me, he woke up the others. I'm sure it was to prevent a repeat of last time, not that I blame him or anything. As I finished up with the last omelet, I took my headphones off and turned to go start gently waking them up, only to find them all sitting at the dining room table smiling. 

“AHHHH!” I exclaimed. “Holy heck! Guys!” I say with my hand on my chest. “I think I nearly just died.”

“I yelled Seungmin in the kitchen, but you didn’t hear me with your headphones on!” Seungmin says, laughing.

“It's nice to see that you are still here, Nia.” Smiled Lee Know.

“I will always regret that decision… I promised y’all that I wouldn’t leave you guys without saying goodbye again. I plan on keeping that promise.” I looked down because I could feel tears starting to pool in my eyes.

Seeing my distress, Changbin gets up, hugs me and says, “It's okay, we are just poking fun.”

Felix walks up, hugs me, and kisses me on the cheek. “We are just happy that we can spend time with you.”

I sigh and bask in their warmth. “I wonder when Hyunjin is going to make his entrance?” I thought. As if he heard me, I hear his voice.

“What smells so good?” asks Hyunjin coming down the stairs.

The guys all look at each other in shock, not realizing that Hyunjin arrived during the night. I start giggling and Han looks at me, “You knew he was here!?”

“Mmhmm, we spent most of the early morning together out back talking.” I smiled.

“You could have said something,” Lee Know says looking at me. “You might need to join him in the air fryer.”

I cross my arms, raise an eyebrow, and say, “One you didn’t give me a chance to say anything and two, it'll have to be longer than 20 minutes at 180 degrees for both of us,” I say giggling. “Jinnie, I made Rolled Omelets, Rice, and Sausage for breakfast. Hungry?”

Hyunjin smiles and nods while the rest of the guys greet him then come to grab their breakfast. During breakfast, we started discussing plans for what to do while in Tokyo.

After we eat, Innie and Seungmin cleaned up the kitchen. We had decided on a semi-lazy day consisting of swimming and spending time together. 

The temperature was in the lower 80s and was perfect for swimming. Seungmin, I.N., Han, and Lee Know were playing volleyball in the shallow end with Changbin as the referee. Hyunjin set up a small easel near the deep end so he could dip his feet in the water and paint still. Felix was enjoying swimming laps along the length of the pool. 

Having never been in a bathing suit around the guys before, I was nervous. Covering up in a towel I walked out, and they all just looked at me. My face immediately turned red.

“Nia! Come do laps with me!” shouted Felix.

“Okay, give me a second!” I shouted back. I put my hair up into a ponytail and then took my towel off, revealing my figure-hugging black V-line one-piece swimsuit. I looked up looking at the guys and Changbin whistled. “Curls, you look amazing!”

“Wow, Noona!” I.N. said with a huge grin on his face.

“Looking good Nia!” said Han as he nudged Lee Know and raised his eyebrows.

“Whoa…” says Seungmin.

“Thanks, guys…” I almost whispered. I look over to Felix and Hyunjin. Felix has his jaw dropped in surprise and Hyunjin has his phone out taking pictures. 

“Hyunjin! No pictures!” I say as I cover my face.

“Just capturing memories Nia,” he said smirking.

I rolled my eyes and then decided to just dive into the pool, swimming up next to Felix. I pop out of the water and give him a small peck on the cheek, smile, and then swim off to the other end. While it takes him a few seconds to register what happened, he catches up to me in no time. He pulls ahead and touches the edge of the pool first.

“Got to be faster than that Nia!” he says laughing.

“Aww, I thought my sneak attack would help!” I say laughing as well. “it was worth a shot!”

“Again?” Felix asks.

“Absolutely!” I said.

While we were in the pool, I noticed that a few of the guys kept taking pics. It took me off guard a bit because I didn’t expect them to want to keep pictures of this time spent together just in case. 

After a couple of hours of racing each other, playing chicken, some volleyball, and horse playing, everyone starts to get hungry. Changbin decided to bless everyone with his signature line “IM SO HUNGRY….” To which both Felix and I yelled back “YOU’RE ALWAYS HUNGRY!”

While our resident grill master was missing, Lee Know was more than capable of grilling the meat for dinner. Han and Felix made the sides while the rest of us set the table and played video games while dinner was being cooked. After dinner, we all sat outside with some drinks.

“So tomorrow, what are we wanting to do?” Seungmin asked. 

“We've been here before,” Lee Know says as he looks at me, “Anything you’ve been wanting to see Nia?”

“Actually yes! I have four places I want to visit while here, the Square Enix store, Senso-ji, Shibuya Crossing, and the Toshogu Shrine.” I said before I drank some more of my Soju. 

Han looks up at me, “Toshogu Shrine? Isn’t that the mausoleum for Tokugawa Ieyasu? You know about him?” he asked looking impressed.

“Mmhmm, I used to play Samurai Warriors, and learned about him through that game. When I was in college, I read more about him. I even read the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which the game, Dynasty Warriors was based on.” I said smiling. 

Han was stunned and silent which made me giggle. “I have my nerdy moments,” I say while still giggling.

“How about we go to Senso-ji around lunch and then head to the Tokyo Sky Tower tomorrow? We will have more time over the next couple of weeks to hit up everything else. Is that okay with you Nia?” Hyunjin asked.

“I’m good with that. That'll give us time to sleep in and not be rushed.” I say as I smile and then take another drink of soju. 

“I'll get the tickets and transportation set up,” Hyunjin says as he pulls out his phone. 

“Curls, I have a question for you. We never asked before, and Felix and Lee Know said they couldn’t tell from their time at your house…” Changbin says smiling.

“Let me guess, who is my Bias?” I start giggling.

“Yeah, who is it!?” asks Han.

“It’s me, isn’t it?” Seungmin says.

“Well… Seungmin, remember that you are my friend…” I smile at Seungmin, “It's… Seongwha.” As I giggle more. 

Seungmin looks at me shocked. “WOW… Cheating on us?” he says as he acts offended.

Everyone started laughing. “You guys haven’t been able to guess?” I ask.

“I know who it is, I am just not saying anything.” Says Hyunjin.

I look at him and tilt my head, “Oh really?” I ask.

He just nods and smiles.

Everyone turns to look at me, and my face starts to redden. “Honestly… Lee Know is my bias wrecker…” I look at Lee Know and he smiles. “But my bias, well my bias is Chan…” I say as my voice trails off.

“That’s what I thought,” smiles Innie.

As the rest of us are talking, I notice Hyunjin is leaning back in his chair, and I swear his phone is pointed at me. It's been a running theme today; I know they usually play games on their phones a lot but it seems like they have been taking photos and texting more today. I watch all of them for a couple of seconds and then get up and grab another soju. I'm probably just over thinking it.

Seungmin and I.N. both get up and excuse themselves, heading to bed. Han and Lee Know head off to watch an anime. Changbin falls asleep on the couch so I cover him with a blanket and sit with Felix and Hyunjin. 

“Hyunjin, can I ask you something?” I ask with the liquid courage I have now.

“Yeah Nia, what's up?” He looks up at me.

“Is he ever going to forgive me?” I ask.

Felix looks at me, “He forgave you a while ago, he just is stubborn.”

“He will come around eventually, Nia,” Hyunjin says with a small smile.

“I guess…” I say as I look off to the side and finish my bottle.

Hyunjin gets up, walks over to me, leans down, and kisses the top of my head. “Nia don’t worry.

He will come around and you guys will be able to talk more. I promise.” He says as he puts his hand on my shoulder. 

I just nod, afraid to look at him because I don’t want to cry again. He squeezes softly and walks off, “See you in the morning…”

“Good night Hyunjin!” Felix calls after him.

As I am trying to stop the tears from falling, Felix gets up, sits next to me, and hugs me. “It's okay Nia, we wouldn’t tell you it was if it wasn’t.”

“I know Lixie, I know. I just… it just hurts. Sometimes I feel like you guys would have been better off if you had never met me.” I say as I hug him back.

“Nia, none of us regret meeting you. We never will,” he cups my chin in his hand and pulls my head up to look at him. “None of us. Including Channie. Including Me. I have told you multiple times that you are important to us. We all know you never intended to hurt anyone.” He continued.

I look at him and try to smile, “I know Lixie, I'm sorry.” 

“Stop saying you are sorry, Nia. I like you and always have. I am glad you kept in contact, I'm glad you stayed in our lives… in my life.” Felix says as he is looking at me. “I know you may not realize it, but you mean a lot to me.” He smiles sweetly.

“You mean a lot to me as well Lixie…” I say as I look at him.

“I'm going to say this now while I have the courage, Nia. I've gotten to know you, your humor, your kindness, and your strength. I want to spend as much time as I possibly can with you, whether it's cooking, playing games, exploring the city, or just talking. You make me happy; you make us all happy. Please remember that.”

I stopped crying and looked at him. We have gotten close over the past few months, but I never thought I would mean a lot to him. He means so much to me and I loved all of them. I never expected to have it reciprocated. He leans in and at first, it seems like he was going to kiss me, but he kisses my cheek instead. “We have had a bit to drink, I think we should talk about this again when we are both completely sober.” He says and hugs me again. “Let’s head to bed.”

Felix walks me to my room, hugs me again, and leaves for his room. I lay down in my bed with my hand on my cheek smiling from the kiss, but then I think of Chan and how much I wish he was here as well. With that thought I roll over and go to sleep.

*** Chan ***

My phone has been going off all day. Starting at 3 am with Hyunjin letting me know he made it to the house in Tokyo safely. I gave him the thumbs up and told him to get some rest. I was waiting for him to let me know he was safe before I went to sleep. Now that I know, I can try to get some sleep.

It doesn’t last long as I wake up to my phone message notification sound going off at 6 am. Normally I would have do-not-disturb on but with the kids in another country, I turned it off just in case. I picked up my phone and looked at it to see a message from Hyunjin.

Jinnie: Hey Channie, I am just now heading to bed. I spent the past couple of hours talking to Nia. She’s okay, just not in a good head space. She's more worried about you and the guys than herself. Are you sure you are not going to come?

Me: Jinnie, I shouldn't come. Just take care of her, please.

Jinnie: You are beyond stubborn. You do realize this is just going to hurt both of you more than it helps, right?

Me: Jinnie go get some sleep. Bye.

I set my phone and looked up at the ceiling. Why did he need to tell me that? He knows that I made the decision not to go to Tokyo because it was better that way for her. After spending the day working on a new song, going to the gym, and spending some time in the studio, I check my phone.

*Group Chat*

Seungmin: Nia is cooking food and no bags are packed.

Innie: [picture] Rolled Omelets!

Innie: They are delicious!

Binnie: Looks like a lazy day. Swimming! Good Food!

Felix: I am so happy we came to Tokyo! Wish you were here Channie!

Hyunjin: [picture] [picture] [picture] The house is gorgeous. Thanks for picking it Channie.

Han: Thanks for getting one with a pool!

LK: Thanks.

Hyunjin: [picture] Nia looks amazing in her swimsuit.

Hyunjin: Oops, I think she noticed I took a picture.

LK: Because you are terrible at being sneaky.

Seungmin: [10 pictures] Pool day is fun!

Han: [picture] LK being the temp grill master.

Seungmin: [picture] Group photo, just missing our fearless leader. 

Changbin: OOOOOO We know who Nia’s bias is now!

Innie: Of course, it's none other than our fearless leader.

Felix: We planned our day for tomorrow, Hyunjin got everything set up. 

Changbin: Hey Channie, we miss you! Everyone is heading to bed. 

** Jinnie **

Jinnie: Hey I know you are probably ignoring us right now, but we are going to do some exploring tomorrow and then have dinner at the Sky Café. 

** Felix **

Felix: Channie, she’s hurting. I know you are too. Miss you. I want her to be our girl. I told her my feelings too… I just left her in her room so she can sleep off the soju. 

I sigh, rub my temples, the beginnings of a headache coming on. I sit at my desk and run my hand through my hair. I avoided reading my texts all day. I look back at the photos they’ve sent. They look like they are having fun. Nia is as gorgeous as ever but looking at her face, I can see the sadness peeking through. Maybe I am being stubborn. I care about her and have since the moment she gave me her hat. But when she left, she broke my trust and my heart. I thought she was different, but that day made me question my ability to read people. 

After Innie asked for her number, Felix texted her and asked her reasoning. He showed me their conversation, and while it gave me some insight, I just got angrier at myself for not being the one to reach out to her. Feeling myself getting more and more frustrated, I toss my phone onto my bed, take some Tylenol, turn on my laptop, put on my headphones, and bury myself in my work.

#stray kids #fanfic newbie #fanfic

[duabitraveldmc]

5 Things You Need To Know Before Visiting Dubai Miracle Garden

Dubai is a city of wonders, where you can find everything from skyscrapers to deserts, from shopping malls to beaches, and from cultural attractions to adventure activities. But one of the most amazing and unique places to visit in Dubai is the Dubai Miracle Garden, the world’s largest natural flower garden that features over 50 million flowers and 250 million plants of different varieties and shapes. In this blog we will also tell you how you can book your Dubai tour package with Dubai Travel DMC the leading DMC of Dubai.

If you are planning to visit this floral paradise, here are five things you need to know before you go:

1. The best time to visit

The Dubai Miracle Garden is open from October to April every year, as the weather is cooler and more suitable for flower viewing. It is closed from May to September due to the high temperatures that can reach up to 40 °C (104 °F).

The garden is open daily from 9 am to 9 pm on weekdays and from 9 am to 11 pm on weekends. The entrance fee is AED 55 (US$ 15) for adults and AED 40 (US$ 11) for children below 12 years old. Children below 3 years old and people of determination can enter for free.

2. The attractions and activities

The Dubai Miracle Garden is not just a place to admire the flowers, but also a place to enjoy various attractions and activities that will make your visit more fun and memorable. Some of the highlights include:

The Floral Castle: A magnificent structure that houses a garden dining area, a souvenir shop, and a 360-degree rooftop garden.

The Butterfly Garden: The world’s largest and the region’s first indoor butterfly garden and sanctuary that hosts over 15,000 butterflies from 26 species.

The Aromatic Garden: A fragrant garden that showcases different types of herbs and plants that are used for medicinal and culinary purposes.

The Lost Paradise: An underground floral cascade that resembles a lost world with exotic plants and waterfalls.

The Disney Avenue: A collaboration with Disney that features floral sculptures of Mickey Mouse and his friends, as well as other iconic characters from Disney movies.

Besides these, there are also other attractions such as the Floral Clock, the Emirates A380, the Umbrella Passage, the Hearts Passage, the Lake Park, and more. You can also enjoy live shows, entertainment, and events that are held regularly at the garden.

Also Read: Camping In Hatta Complete Guide - What to Do and Where to Stay

3. The transportation and location

The Dubai Miracle Garden is located in the district of Dubailand, which is about 30 km (19 miles) from the city center. The easiest way to get there is by car or taxi, as there is no direct public transportation to the garden. However, you can also take the metro to the Mall of the Emirates station and then take a bus (number 105) that will drop you off near the garden. The bus fare is AED 5 (US$ 1.4) and the journey takes about 20 minutes.

The garden also has a large parking area that can accommodate up to 2,000 vehicles. The parking is free of charge for visitors.

4. The facilities and services

The Dubai Miracle Garden has various facilities and services that will make your visit more comfortable and convenient. Some of them are:

Restaurants and cafes: There are several options for dining and refreshments at the garden, such as the Garden Cafe, the Flower Cafe, the Castle Cafe, and the Butterfly Cafe. You can also find food kiosks and carts that offer snacks and beverages.

Restrooms and prayer rooms: There are restrooms and prayer rooms available throughout the garden for the visitors’ convenience.

Wheelchairs and strollers: The garden is wheelchair and stroller friendly, and you can rent them at the entrance for a nominal fee.

First aid and security: The garden has a first aid center and a security team that are ready to assist the visitors in case of any emergency or issue.

Souvenir shops: You can buy souvenirs and gifts from the shops that are located inside the Floral Castle and the Butterfly Garden. You can find items such as magnets, mugs, keychains, t-shirts, hats, and more.

5. The rules and regulations

The Dubai Miracle Garden is a place of beauty and harmony, and it expects the visitors to respect and follow its rules and regulations. Some of them are:

Do not touch, pluck, or damage the flowers and plants.

Do not litter or throw any waste in the garden. Use the bins that are provided.

Do not smoke or use any fire inside the garden. Smoking is only allowed in designated areas.

Do not bring any pets, food, or drinks inside the garden. Only water bottles are allowed.

Do not use drones, professional cameras, or tripods without prior permission.

Dress modestly and appropriately, and respect the local culture and customs.

You may also like: Top 10 Must Experience Festivals In Dubai (Updated 2023)

Conclusion

To conclude, the Dubai Miracle Garden is a place that will leave you speechless and amazed by its beauty and creativity. It is a place that will make you feel happy and relaxed, as you immerse yourself in the colorful and fragrant world of flowers. It is a place that will inspire you and make you appreciate the wonders of nature and the power of human imagination. It is a place that you should not miss when you visit Dubai, the city of dreams. If you want to make your Dubai trip more memorable and enjoyable, you should book your Dubai tour package with Dubai Travel DMC, the best destination management company in Dubai. They will provide you with the best services, the best prices, and the best experiences. They have a wide variety of packages to fulfill all your needs, book your package at dubaitraveldmc.com and get the best deals and discounts. 

#dubai tourism #miracle garden #dubailife

[porhomme21]

How can I build a unique and smart personality?

The Best Classic Sports Cars Under $20K

Sometimes, new isn’t always better. And if timing and luck are on your side, you could really hit a home run by picking up one of these  best classic cars under 20k at bargain prices. They’re iconic, they’re timeless, and they’ll still turn heads of car enthusiasts no matter where you go. If we had $20,000 to play with and were in the market for a car, these are the ones we’d go after.

And when looking to buy a used car, remember to double check everything before making a purchase best sports cars for 20k . Observe the car for any obvious or hidden damage, and ask for full ownership and service histories. And don’t forget to run the CarFax. For an idea on what to look out for, check out Harry Metcalfe’s advice.

Check out our favorite classics under $20,000 below

Supreme Arabic Hoodie

One of the standout pieces from Subhan Supreme‘s Spring 2012 collection is this red pullover with Arabic writing on the front in white. Not sure what it says but what I do know is that I’m buying it when it drops later this week. The entire Supreme Hoodie Arabic collection’s set to drop in the New York, Los Angeles and London shops beginning February 23, and the Japan locations on February 25. Online availability will be offered starting March 1.

Edit: hat-tip from Maria Al-Sabah on Twitter — “Pronounced ‘Sobhan’, it usually is said as “Sobhan Allah”, meaning hallelujah. Sobhan alone really doesn’t mean anything.”

Eddie Bauer Kara Koram Parka

It’s cold out there, folks. Snow’s beginning to fall here on the East Coast though other parts of the country (and world) have already gotten hit.eddie bauer kara koram  outer line may be the perfect companion as most of the gear is aimed at 20 degrees temperatures or below. The Kara Koram parka has actually been tested at -30º F though I’m glad we won’t have to be duplicating such an accomplishment. This down mountaineering jacket is an amazing remake of the original which launched back in the 1950s and even features the sewn-through quilt construction. It’s made with 700 fill power premium northern European goose down and is fitted with an integrated, down-insulated hood. Unbeatable.

Ever Seen a Leather Tool Box? Check Out Kaufmann Mercantile’s

Toolboxes are normally built for durability, but most look clunky and ugly. Not this one! Made of handsome brown leather, this leather tool box handle  adds a good deal of sophistication to any red-blooded man’s workbench. The leather on this work of art is vegetable-tanned, dyed, finished, and waxed by hand. It also sports solid brass rivets that reinforce the corners, and a leather handle that pivots to facilitate carrying and storing.

The leather tool box itself is roomy enough to store a hammer, a wrench, a pair of pliers, and a complete set of screwdrivers. You can get yours for $264 USD: Just head onto the Kaufmann Mercantile store.

Visit: https://porhomme.com/2015/08/the-best-classic-sports-cars-under-20k/

#sports cars #entertainment #fashion

[promiseiwillwrite]

Cooking with Cans

This post is for @anendoandfriendo

Because I was going to comment and things, or maybe DM or something, But I didn't want to be Annoying.

So, Based on what you told me about your can situation, you have several options.

Canned Vegetables can usually be used as both a side and as an ingredient, depending on how you cook the contents.

For instance, the Green Beans can be used on their own:

Into your smallest saucepan, pour the entire contents of one can of greenbeans, liquid and all. Add pepper, if you have it.

Simmer Uncovered approximately 25 minutes or until all liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. At the end, when there is Very little liquid left, you will have to stir gently and constantly to avoid burning. If you have them, tossing in some finely chopped onions or mushrooms can be very tasty.

Or, you can use the Green Beans, drained of all liquid, as an additional ingredient in your Tuna Helper. You just wait until your Tuna Helper is Ready, and stir in the Green Beans. The heat from the Tuna Helper will warm the beans. They are already fully cooked.

Canned Sweet Potatoes are dessert foods to me.

You can pour these out of the can into a bowl, chop them roughly in half, (they will be very soft) lay them in a baking tray, heat your oven to 350 degrees, put a little brown sugar or butter on the top flat surface of the potatoes, and bake for 15-20 minutes. It is that easy.

Chicken and Tuna can both be made into your Tuna Helper. You don't HAVE to use what it says on the box.

They can also both be made into tuna or chicken salad if you have mayonnaise and relish, which are pretty common condiments to have in the fridge. If you want to get Really Fancy with your Tuna Salad, you boil an egg, chop it up and drop it in with some hot sauce.

Delicious.

That Canned Corn you have can be mixed with your peppers/sauce as a side, or with a little salt and butter by itself. If you want something Very Complicated, I know it can be used in cornbread, but I've never made that.

Corn pairs well with lots of other things, and you may not have these things now, but if you decide you want to try something in particular, you can plan to grab stuff the next time you are at the store. Especially if you can toss in some canned/fresh tomatoes, and with chopped onions / black beans, you can make a really nice corn and bean side with good color and a lot of nutrition.

If you want to do Slow Cooker recipes, Frozen Veggies hold up better than canned, But Canned veggies still do pretty well as a Soup made from a Slow Cooked Piece of Meat, I like a beef or pork roast, 1 to 2 pounds, but that can be a little expensive, so I always look in the discount bin before I buy.

In my experience, I usually sear my roast, and season it on the outside (this is just frying the outside in butter to make it have a brown crust, and maybe putting some salt and pepper. Rosemary if I have it and I am feeling Fancy.) and add my liquid of choice, (half broth/half beer) and a bunch of Onions, and cook it until it falls apart. (at least 3 hours in slow cooker) In the last hour of cooking, if you add some mushrooms, they will be amazing.

Then I take the meat and chop it up, and make a meal with that as the entree, and make a separate side with it, and use the liquid in the SAME Slow Cooker to make soup for later. (or save liquid for later if I don't want to make soup that day)

I usually have some of the roast left over, and I use it for the Soup, and add a can of Corn, A can of Green beans, and my meat to the liquid, and raise the level to cover everything by adding broth or water. I like a Lot of ingredients in my soup, but that might not be your play. I don't know how long you want to be cooking. But it may be good to add things like canned tomatoes, or maybe dump in a bag of frozen soup veggies (maybe look for a bag with carrots/potatoes/celery/onion) you grabbed at the store. You bring it up to temperature, and it is Done.

This is Mad Science. You taste as you go.

But there is nothing in your cabinet that can't be used.

If you want to learn to cook, the internet is full of wonderful shows.

Almost everything can be substituted, or done more simply.

Not everything has to be fancy.

Accept that you will fuck up sometimes, no matter how good you get.

And be Bold. Be creative. Do Science.

And let me know if you want other ideas. This is just what I thought of off the top of my head. I am sure I can find more.

#canned food #learning to cook #encouragement #mad science

[projectlandscapeltd]

Why You Should Move To Calgary, Alberta Canada

Calgary, Alberta is a booming city that has been known as one of the best places to live in Canada. It is easy to find a job in Calgary, especially if you have a university degree or some sort of trade education. The city has beautiful scenery and enjoyable weather all year long. There are many parks and outdoor activities for people who love the outdoors. There are many safe and friendly neighborhoods throughout Calgary in which to live. Affordable housing is available throughout the city.

Calgary, Alberta is a booming city that has been known as one of the best places to live in Canada.

Calgary is a booming city that has been known as one of the best places to live in Canada. The population of Calgary is growing rapidly, and it's no wonder why: there are many reasons why this city is so great!

Calgary has beautiful scenery, amazing weather and lots of outdoor activities to do all year round. Plus, it's safe--the crime rate here is lower than other major cities in Canada like Toronto or Vancouver (which makes sense since those cities have larger populations). In addition to being a great place for families or young professionals looking for jobs at big companies like Suncor Energy Inc., Enbridge Inc., TransCanada Corp., etc.; Calgary also offers plenty of parks where you can enjoy your free time with friends & family members without having any worries about what might happen next."

The cost of living in Calgary is reasonable.

When compared to other major cities in Canada, Calgary has a lower cost of living. The average cost of rent in Toronto is $1,900 per month and Vancouver's average rent is $2,360 per month. In comparison, the average rental rate for a two-bedroom apartment in Calgary is $1,020 per month according to Numbeo.

The reason why it's so much cheaper to live here is because you can find great opportunities without having to pay exorbitant amounts of money on rent or mortgage payments. You'll also save money by shopping at local grocery stores instead of paying higher prices at big chain stores like Loblaws or Walmart!

It is easy to find a job in Calgary.

As a result of its strong economy, Calgary is home to many large corporations. The oil and gas industry is a major part of that economy and has been for decades. In fact, Calgary has been called "the Paris of Canada" in reference to its thriving cultural life and diversity.

Calgary's population grew by more than 50% between 2001 and 2016, making it one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada during this period. The city has also become increasingly multicultural over time: approximately half (49%) of Calgarians were born outside Canada; however this number drops significantly with each generation so that only 20% are foreign born third generation Canadians live there now!

The city has beautiful scenery and enjoyable weather all year long.

Whether you're a fan of the outdoors, or you just want to stay inside and enjoy the weather, Calgary has it all. The city's climate is ideal for anyone who wants to experience four distinct seasons--but not too many of them. Summertime lasts from June through August and is characterized by warm days (averaging around 20 degrees Celsius) and cool evenings (averaging around 10 degrees Celsius). Wintertime lasts from October through May and brings subzero temperatures with plenty of snowfall during this time period as well. Spring arrives in late March or early April; while there are still chilly days here and there throughout this season, spring is generally much more mild than winter thanks to its longer days (around 15 hours). Fall comes right after spring--and though it starts off slow at first with cooler temperatures than those we saw in summertime or springtime, fall rapidly picks up speed until we reach winter again!

There are many parks and outdoor activities for people who love the outdoors.

If you love the outdoors, Calgary has a lot to offer. There are many parks in the city and surrounding area, including Nose Hill Park (the largest), Fish Creek Provincial Park and Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. While there are tons of outdoor activities to choose from--hiking, biking, fishing and swimming--these three locations are some of our favorites.

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[mostlyexcited]

Getting an inkling of my old speed back ✨

#it’s amazing what a 20-degree drop in temperature can do #runblr #runfam #fitfam #fitblr #workout

[quazartranslates]

Welcome to the Nightmare Game II - CH45

**This is an edited machine translation. For more information, please [click here]**

[<<< Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter >>>]

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Chapter 45: Star Death Reality Show (XXVIII)

His right hand slammed against the emergency close button, and his body rushed out with the instant acceleration from pushing off it. As if Qi Leren had thought about the plan in his mind for a long time, he opened a hand and threw a grenade behind him without looking, sprinted out like an arrow leaving the string, and repeated this old trick when he rounded the corner, throwing down another hand grenade!

Two consecutive explosions shook the corridor like a tottering boat. Qi Leren threw himself to the ground, feeling the turbulent heat flow from the corner and blow his hair into a mess.

He coughed twice on the ground, got up, and ran away again.

Leviathan didn't catch up, and Qi Leren who had already run to the floor where the arsenal was located finally breathed a sigh of relief.

The research institute was huge, and it would take "extraordinary luck" to run into that monster again. However, he didn’t know whether Leviathan had a sensitive sense of smell... Qi Leren looked back, and the world was immersed in a bright silence. This kind of terror hidden under the light was frightening.

He Yi had been parasitized by Leviathan, who was obviously Su He’s doing. He himself had said that he’d released the dangerous creature in the underground glacier. The octopus was similar to the alien queen in Aliens, much more difficult to deal with than the ordinary octopuses. What's more, it also had human intelligence... Hey, why did you listen attentively to He Yi just now and forget to smash his head?

Qi Leren walked on, and when he came to the corridor where the arsenal was located, he saw at a glance that Dr. Lu was poking around.

"Ah! Qi Leren! You’re still alive!" Dr. Lu excitedly ran out, "How is it on your side? Have you seen Su He?"

"Have you met Du Yue?" Qi Leren asked.

Du Yue also ran out of the arsenal and took Qi Leren's arm: "Qianbei! I thought you were going to die! Thank god! You can't die!"

Hey, what did this kid say? Qi Leren lamented Du Yue, who was too agitated and incoherent, and patted him on the shoulder in comfort.

"Why is that guy so stalker-ish?" Dr. Lu muttered with a bitter expression.

Qi Leren said with a straight face: "He can hear you."

Dr. Lu's face went white with fear, staring at him, looking overwhelmed.

"I’m just scaring you, he should be gone." Qi Leren pondered that Su He seemed to have too much free time. He was acting as both a prison guard and a Devil, and he also had a lot of beautiful subordinates. No matter how much he divided his time, he couldn’t do everything. He shouldn’t be idle enough to come here to peep at how a group of wannabes did in their task.

Dr. Lu was relieved and complained, "Don't scare me all the time."

Only Du Yue, who had never seen Su He, wondered: "Who is Su He?"

Dr. Lu quickly waved his hand: "A super terrible Devil, who is cruel, cunning, and ruthless, the worst in the universe! Your qianbei was killed by him before, and his death was miserable. You could say he’s a freak!"

Du Yue was taken aback: "So bad…"

Qi Leren, who had died miserably: "........"

"Yes, your qianbei's boyfriend is grief-stricken, and he’s still wandering the world, unaware that he’s still alive."

Du Yue was dumbfounded again: "Ah, my qianbei has a boyfriend? Isn't it a beautiful woman? Qianbei said that she was particularly beautiful!"

Dr. Lu looked at Qi Leren silently. Qi Leren, who had once talked with this youth about first loves while they were watching Annie, coughed twice: "Don't talk about this now, I have something very important to say: in the glancer beneath the institute..."

Forcibly changing the subject was successful. Qi Leren locked the door of the arsenal, briefly explained the previous events, and skipped a lot of things. He only told the two people about Su He's saying that he had released Leviathan from the underground glacier, and told them about his previous fight with the monster.

"We need a temperature below minus forty degrees? Awesome, our temperature regulating clothes only guarantee that we won't lose heat in environments above minus 30 degrees. Once the temperature drops below minus 30, we won't last long, and even worse when it reaches minus 40. If you cool down that much, you may as well sign your will. To tell the truth, it's quite amazing that you can still insist on not wearing gloves..." Dr. Lu looked at Qi Leren's bare hands and then at his own hands in thick gloves and couldn't help showing envious eyes.

Qi Leren moved his fingers. Although he was cold, he wasn’t frozen. He had good resistance to cold now, otherwise he probably wouldn’t have escaped just now.

"I can't think of a way to deal with it now." Qi Leren walked around the arsenal to find the weapons he needed. "Shall we set a trap and blow it up here?"

"You can try, but if there’s an explosion in the arsenal...……S/L Data can't save you from the fire after the explosion," Dr. Lu worried.

There were indeed difficulties. There were too many explosives in the arsenal. If the explosion lasted for several seconds, even if he saved here, the resurrected Qi Leren would still be blown to pieces.

"What should we do then?" Du Yue looked sad.

Qi Leren was also depressed, and he had to worry about another question: "How much private time do you have left?"

"This is reset at 8:00 every morning...I only have half an hour left." Dr. Lu was even more sad.

"Me too." Du Yue was also worried.

Qi Leren looked at his privacy time that was less than half an hour, which was also a headache.

After the privacy time ran out, the invisible camera that followed him would ignore his instructions and shoot him from 360 degrees without any privacy. In this way, he could neither use unscientific skill cards indiscriminately nor discuss things with Dr. Lu.

If only this thing had been blown up when Mark blasted it with a rocket launcher... Unfortunately, he had used the "Prophet's Heart" at that time and he was unscathed. Sadly, even the camera was preserved.

"Where are the others?" Qi Leren asked Du Yue.

"They ran away, and then I only met Dr. Lu," Du Yue said sullenly.

"Don't worry about them, you can't stop them from dying." Dr. Lu squatted on the ground heartlessly. "Think about how to get home alive first. By now, this task is definitely not C-level. We might say there is also an A. This Leviathan looks much more difficult than the crazy lady of B-level. "

Of course, Qi Leren thought. This Leviathan was released by Su He in order to force him to level up. However, now he didn't even know what the principle of a half-field was, because his teacher Chen Baiqi hadn't expected him, a loser student, to break his shell. In her prediction, this wouldn't happen for a long time.

The plan couldn’t keep up with the changes

"Let’s think about it again... This amphioctopus is intelligent, strong defensively, fast, and aggressive... I’m afraid it’s also very strong, and ordinary weapons can't handle it. I’ll try the rocket launcher next time." Qi Leren was also very worried about this weapon that he had never used before. There was no instruction manual for weapons here, and Chen Baiqi had never taught him how to use it.

Dr. Lu and Du Yue looked at him with eyes full of doubts.

Qi Leren coughed: "Let’s think of another plan, I don't think this is foolproof."

Qi Leren’s biggest reliance was the Prophet's Heart given to him by the Prophet, but the cooldown time of this item was as long as 24 hours. To try to wait for this to finish its cooldown, Qi Leren didn't think they could spend 20 hours safely.

Then what else can I do...

Glacier.

Underground glacier.

This word jumped into Qi Leren's mind without warning, and he suddenly remembered what He Yi had said before he died: "...Even if it’s frozen in the extremely cold environment of minus 40 degrees, it will not die, but will only go to sleep. It’s like the amphioctopuses’ soldier ant, and its fighting capacity far exceeds that of the workers. Leviathan is different from the ordinary octopuses. As long as it senses the approach of living creatures, it will be forcibly thawed..."

He Yi wanted to express the danger of Leviathan, but if you thought about it carefully, wasn't this its weakness?

40 degrees below zero wouldn’t kill it, but it would go to sleep. If he could lead it back to the underground glacier and then escape quickly, so that Leviathan, that couldn't sense the biological atmosphere around it, went to sleep, then he could wait for the Prophet's Heart to cool down before going back and killing it.

The more he thought about it, the more he felt that this may be the only way.

"I have an idea," Qi Leren said into the silence. "The danger of confronting it is too great. My idea is that I’ll lure it into the underground glacier and let it return to its dormant state again."

Then Qi Leren explained his reasons, and discussed specific measures with Dr. Lu and Du Yue. The biggest problem was that Leviathan has intelligence, and it was difficult to set traps for it.

"We haven't been to the underground glacier. I don't know what the terrain is like. If it’s an underground crevasse or a huge underground lake, even you will be in danger. Why don't we try the laser corridor, surely it isn’t stronger than steel plates?" Dr. Lu also had an idea.

Du Yue nodded at the side: "Yes qianbei, it’s too dangerous for you to lure it to the underground glacier."

"He Yi knew about the laser corridor, and that I can pass through it. It would be difficult to lead it into that trap... But it reminds me that we need to find the others. After making sure that they haven’t been infected by the octopuses, I want to send them out of the research institute first, and then re-seal the basement of Annie's house. If they’re running around here, they could easily be killed by Leviathan," Qi Leren said.

The corner of Dr. Lu’s mouth twitched: "I think they aren’t already done for."

It was hard for Qi Leren to refute.

"But if you want to lure it to the underground glacier, will it be fooled?" Du Yue asked.

Qi Leren tried to maintain a strong smile: "Yes."

Only on this point, Qi Leren had full confidence. He would be able to taunt the monster’s ire towards him. As long as the laser corridor trap wasn’t in front of it, this monster would be like the most loyal boyfriend, only watching him in a crowd, abandoning all temptations and running towards him.

The two EX lucks, Dr. Lu and Du Yue, were just like wild flowers and weeds on the roadside, which were ignored by this single-minded monster.

This kind of thing had happened so many times that Qi Leren was used to it.

Time passed by, and there was only ten minutes left in Qi Leren's privacy time. The three people discussed how to explain it to the audience later, and unanimously recommended that Dr. Lu pretend to be the anchor, so that he could think of his lines quickly.

Dr. Lu wore a tearful expression as he auditioned:

Ladies and gentlemen of the audience, I have bad news. Just now, XXX went crazy, together with XXXX. Then they were all killed by Qi Leren and God. This god-like Qi Leren is neither a special soldier of the military nor an interstellar mercenary. Please believe that he is just an actor... Oh no, a lead singer of a tone-deaf band. Next, the lead singer of the strongest band in history is going to fight the boss. Please look forward to it.

"You really seem like a default actor. Come on, is this filming?" Anchor Lu said with disgust.

The heavy-hearted Qi Leren was not in the mood to make jokes and rolled his eyes.

He didn't want to waste any more time, so he could quickly took care of Leviathan and then set off for Ning Zhou in Purgatory.

Qi Leren pondered it. He could only use Save/Load now. Secretly Observing and Rain Day Laundry were cooling down alongside Prophet’s Heart. There were still Pleasing Rations left, but according to his experience, this monster was not in the range of creatures that could be bought off.

Then there were these weapons. Qi Leren picked up a rocket launcher and weighed it on his shoulder. Dr. Lu opened his mouth and said, "Wow, have you used that?"

"No, but I was shot at with one and hit straight on," Qi Leren said.

Dr. Lu looked at him with an expression of "I know you’re acting, but for the sake of friendship, I will barely cooperate with you." Only Du Yue, who was stupid, sincerely praised: "Qianbei is so powerful!"

Qi Leren glanced at the time. It was the early morning of the fifth day. Let's make it quick.

Dr. Lu considered his physical condition and suggested that Qi Leren rest for a few hours to refresh himself. Anyway, the door to the weapons room had been locked by him, so there was no need to worry about Leviathan breaking in.

In the past, Qi Leren might have thought about it, but now he was full of thoughts about Ning Zhou and refused this proposal.

Dr. Lu sighed: "Well, suit yourself. In fact, I’ve thought about waiting in this arsenal until the army arrives and rescues me. Either way, it can't get in."

Qi Leren was not so optimistic. The monster would come up with a way to break into the room sooner or later. Here, he could only wait to die, and...

Suddenly there was a slight noise above his head, as if something was crawling in a pipe. The three men looked up and looked at the metal ceiling above their heads, and fell into a strange silence.

Qi Leren suddenly thought of a problem.

The air of this large underground research institute was unexpectedly clean, and there was no staleness of air being trapped. Its exhaust facilities were obviously operational.

Qi Leren's eyes turned to the vents in the corner of the ceiling. There was a metal shutter one meter square. It seemed that the sound of something crawling had come from there!

-----

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[jesussavedevenme]

To Be A Knight

This is the beginning of a collection of one shots following Seth's adventures as a Knight of the Dawn

Description: Like most young boys Seth had always dreamed of being a spy. He had spent most of his childhood sneaking around the house with a walky-talky while humming the Mission Impossible theme song. And while he technically still wasn't a spy,he was pretty darn close.

May 20

St.Matthew's Island, Alaska

6:25 pm

"Sorenson, I've got a job for you." came a gruff voice from down the hall. Seth turned and saw his handler, a man by the name of Flynn Hotching, leaning out of the door to his office. Flynn was a tall and strong man with a broad frame. At fifty five he was in excellent shape and the only indications to his age were the flecks of white that were sprinkled throughout his dark hair and neatly trimmed beard. Flynn was a serious man and often gave off an intimidating vibe, but Seth knew that he wasn't that bad once you got to know him.

Seth stood, ignoring the way his back popped and cracked in protest because of how long he had spent sitting in the rather uncomfortable wooden chair. He had once started a petition to replace them with those really comfortable bean bag chairs. He actually had quite a few supporters. But Flynn, being the man he was, just rolled his eyes and walked away. Seth could feel the stares of his fellow knights burning into the back of his head as he made his way over but opted to ignore it. Seth got missions quite frequently, a fact that many knights were slightly jealous of since it would occasionally get him out of some the more mundane tasks a Knight had to complete. For example, paper work. Which is what he had been doing when he had been called. He quickly made his way over, eager to get away from the evil sea of inevitable paper cuts. He couldn't help but chuckle as he mentally heard Eve calling him a drama queen. Though she wasn't much better.

Flynn barely waited for the door of his to close behind him before he began pouring out the details of whatever job he had lined up.

" There's a dealer that's been causing us some problems. They are preying on creatures such as unicorns and there has been some rumors that they are working with some less than savory characters. I need you to track them down. " Flynn stated firmly. Seth narrowed his eyes, there was no way it was that easy. If it was that simple then they would have brought in a rookie.

"Ok, what's the catch." He replied crossing his arms over his chest.The man heaved a sigh before sliding a file towards him.

" The catch is we don't have any idea who the dealer is. We don't even have a description. However, all of our dealers crimes have a certain flare to them and we have reason to believe that he is human. We have intercepted news of a deal taking place in three days in Belize. "

Seth read the file and whistled at the lack of information. The file was extremely limited which meant that whoever was doing this knew what they were doing. The Knights of the Dawn had excellent connections and kept tabs on every possible threat so for them to be this uninformed- well lets just say it wasn't good. It also meant he was walking into this mission completely blind. He couldn't plan for anything meaning he had to plan for everything. He had no idea what was going to happen once he got there but, if you ask Seth, that was part of the fun.

"Alright I'll do it." Seth replied after a moment of thought. He had to admit he only pretended to think about it, mostly just for the suspense. He had always loved a good mystery and this mission honestly excited him.

"Good, your plane leaves tomorrow at eight am sharp. You will be issued a bag that will be stocked with supplies but I advise you to bring anything you think would be useful" He said gesturing to the satchel over his shoulder, that served as his emergency kit. " I have wired five thousand dollars into your account but if you need more than that you know who to call." Seth nodded, placing the folder in his satchel and walked out of the office, heading to his apartment to prepare for the mission ahead. He pulled his coat tighter around his body as he walked outside and realized that it was later than he had originally thought. The sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon and though Seth loved the pinks and oranges that painted the sky, he could practically feel the temperature dropping. Last time he had checked it was 25 degrees, which is no where near as cold as it could get but it was still very cold. Despite how long he had been in Alaska, he had yet to get used to the bitter cold. And he honestly didn't think he ever would. Seth guessed he should count himself lucky, this was the Knights biggest base and it had been cleverly hidden by distractor spells as well as the natural terrain of the island. Seth shivered as a strong gust of wind blew through the base reminding him of the other reason it stayed hidden from most people. Luckily he lived on the grounds of the base so it was only about a minutes walk.

The Knights of the Dawn had no shortage of money. Seth wasn't sure how they got there hands on so much money and honestly he didn't want to know. It was all warranted though considering how many supplies they had to buy along with the amount of damage control. It was amazing sometimes how much chaos a secret organization could cause. Seth knew he definitely wasn't the favourite over in the legal department because of some of the 'incidents' that had been a result of his missions. Seth was proud to be able to state that these incidents were few and far between but when they did happen he knew they had to be a nightmare to clean up.

Needless to say, with all that money, his apartment was very nice. It had a decent size living room and kitchen which connected go a small dining area. Upstairs there was two bedrooms and a bathroom. Seth's furniture was pretty sparse if he was being honest. He had a couch that had been there when he moved in, his bed, a desk, a small dining table that has also come with the apartment, as well as few chairs scattered here and there. It didn't bother him in the slightest. He honestly wasn't here that often. He slept there when he wasn't out on missions which, once again, was pretty rare. Besides the real fun began downstairs. He walked down the stairs into what appeared to be a musty, unfinished basement. A punching bag hung from one of the exposed beams and a small pile of weights sat not far from it. Seth rarely used those, they were reserved for restless nights when the big communal gym and training area was closed for the night.

Seth strode confidently towards the back wall and slid away a lose board revealing a keypad. It was truly a horrible hiding spot for something that important but there wasn't really anything he could do about it. The neat thing about the keypad though was that it had been enchanted so that he was the only one who could touch it. Meaning that not only did you need the correct code, but he had to be the one to punch it in. He wasn't exactly sure what would happen if someone else touched it but he knew it would do more than just set off an alarm. Stuff like always made Seth feel like a true spy and totally made up for the unsecured hiding space.

Seth punched in the code and heard the distinct sound of stone scraping on stone, briefly reminding him of his few days spent in the Sphinx's prison. When the sound stopped, a small opening was revealed that lead to a room containing his weapons and supplies. From the outside the room appeared to be tiny and cramped but it had also been enchanted to be much bigger on the inside. It wasn't quite as big as the knapsack they had all those years ago but it was nothing to sneeze at. Still, no matter how big it was on the outside, Seth had to crouch down to fit through the opening. The door frame was ridiculously short and the amount of time he had smacked his head against the top was honestly embarrassing. The supplies inside the room was a knights dream. There was everything you could dream of, swords, daggers, armor, bows, you name it. The special thing about this room though, was that most of the items were his. They were things he had gathered prior to becoming a knight. Seth also had several magical talismans and tools that had gotten him out of more than a few sketchy situations. His favorite talisman was a ring that sat on his right forefinger. The ring had been a gift from The Fairy King when Seth had been accepted into the Knights Academy. It was pitch black and didn't look like much at first glance however, when you looked closer you could see three unicorns that were engraved on its surface, each of which served more functional purposes. The first unicorn, when pressed, sent out a distress signal strong enough to reach Bracken even if he was in the fairy realm. The distress signal also went out to anyone who had a connected talisman. At this point the only ones being himself and Kendra who had gotten hers when she officially began dating Bracken in the form of a bracelet. The second unicorn held a few precious drops of unicorn blood. The substance could heal almost anything but it could only be used once. The final unicorn was arguably Seth's favorite. When it was pressed it would release a pearly white dagger which had been extremely helpful in the past. The downside to this tool was that, since it was made of light, he tended to have a harder time controlling it.

Seth looked through his stash, trying to decide which weapons were right for this particular mission. He knew at this point stealth was key but if you leave for a job without a weapon, you're just going to get yourself killed.

When going on stealth missions the best route to take is small weapons that can be easily concealed, such as daggers or blow darts. However, the problem with that was those were easily detected when going through airport security. Ever since becoming a knight Seth had decided that he hated flying. It was loud, chaotic, and absolutely impossible to tell who was a danger to you.

Plus carrying weapons onto the plane was pretty much impossible but, a knight needed to be prepared in every situation. The weapon had to be easily accessible, ready at a moments notice, and the best way to do that is to build a weapon that doesn't look like a weapon. Seth walked over to a small red tool box tucked away in the corner, and pulled out a large nut and and tied a piece of cord to it. He secured the cord and then started to spin it, making sure nothing was going to fall off. And just like that he had a weapon that made a killer whip and could easily crack a mans skull if it came down to that. The best part was that it wouldn't trip any alarms. Sure it might seem a little odd that someone carries a piece of cord tied to a nut but, he wouldn't get arrested for it. Seth tied the lose cord around his neck, creating a necklace that he could hide underneath his shirt until it was needed. When that was finished he turned his attention to his emergency kit and sifted through the various items, taking out anything that would tip off a scanner. Seth gathered the items that he had taken out and moved towards the suitcase that he would be taking with him. He felt around one of the sides and unzipped a pocket so small that you most likely wouldn't see unless you knew it was there. In the pocket he placed the remaining items of his emergency kit. This time he wasn't worried about the items being seen as the pocket had been enchanted to hide the items from sight. Seth then repeated the process with the bottom of the suitcase, peeling back the inside to reveal a similar compartment that had also been enchanted to be bigger. In this pocket he placed two daggers, A blow gun and darts, and his favorite sword. He pulled the sword out of it's sheath and inspected it for any chips or dull edges. The sword was jet black and held the name Shadow Slayer, which was kind of ironic given its nature. The sword held just enough darkness to work well with him but not so much that there was a risk it would corrupt him. He had found the sword while on a mission for the fairy realm not long before joining the Knights. He was pretty sure he wasn't going to use it because lets face it, milk or no milk a sword was still a sword. However, Seth had learned that it payed to be prepared. So with that thought in mind, he placed the sheathed sword in the compartment, closed it up, and began to carry it upstairs to his bedroom. He filled the rest of the suit case with clothes and other essentials and once he was satisfied that he had everything, he closed it up.

He slumped down in his desk chair and pulled out the file he had stashed in his emergency kit, pouring over what little detail it had and attempting to prepare for what was to come.

†††††

May 21

St.Matthews Island, Alaska

5:00am

The next morning Seth was up well before five am preparing for the mission ahead. Thankfully he had always been a morning person so the early hour didn't bother him in the slightest. He grabbed his bags and exited the apartment, heading to the missions office to pick up the final things he would need for this job.

The lady at the desk, He pretty sure her name is Jennifer, smiled at him as he approached the counter. She was a women in her mid thirties and she was one of the nicer people that worked the desk. There were quite a few of the people working here that obviously didn't want to and others who even seemed to resent it. Seth really couldn't blame them though, he had worked here for a few months while he was going through training and it definitely hadn't been the most fun or exciting job out there.

" ID and case number?" She asked as more of a formality than anything else. Seth was such a regular visitor that he was pretty sure they knew who he was. However, since it was required, he slid showed them his badge and rattled the number off anyway. Seth supposed that he coukd see the logic behind the badge. It was a way of identifing someone beyond ther looks. All of them had been enchanted fo return to their owners, generally via their pocket, should they be lost. Seems simple and secure enough. However, in their line of work things were rarely that black and white. Seth is not entirely sure what would happen to the badge if their was a stingbuld or if the enchantment could be removed. Luckily they didn't do much. They were just means of identification and they didn't let you into anything at all. Any area qhich required a certain level of access had several different enchantments placed on it. Ones that were designed to recognize the person requesting access and weed out potential imposters. After the battle of Zzyzx and the whole mess with the Evening Star, the knights had undergone huge security upgrades. Bracken as well as one of his sisters, Iredessa, had set mist of the enchantments. Kendra had also played a major part on strengthening these enchantments a few years ago.

The case numbers were pretty harmless. Not the most secure but all they did was let the people at the desk know what bag of supplies to get. It didn't give access to any crucial or confidential information. The most a fake could get was an issued duffle bag and possibly some.plane tickets.

Jennifer smiled as she stood and disappeared through a secured metal door. When she returned a few minutes later she was carrying a black duffle bag which she passed to him over the counter along with a two way plane ticket.

"Thanks a lot," Seth told her, flashing a bright smile her way. She hummed in response before responding,

"Stay safe out there,"

"I'll try my best," Seth replied with a grin as he headed towards the door and began the short treck to the parking lot where a car would take him to the airport. He knew he must have looked a little funny carrying around a huge duffle bag, suit case and a leather satchel that sat across his shoulder but he wasn't worried. Every Knight here had been in similar situations before. Seth looked around the parking lot, squinting in the bright morning sun, before making his way to the small grey jeep that sat close to the front. Leaning against the side was a tall guy with wind blown red hair and a lean build. Seth smiled when he spotted him. The man's name was Parker and he was one of Seth's closest friends here on the base. They had gone through training together though, Parker was about three years older than him. He was twenty-four while Seth was only twenty-one. Seth, unfortunately, hadn't had a lot of friends at that time. Because of his shadow charmer status, people tended to be wary of him but Parker had never been deterred by his abnormal abilities.

In between his own missions Parker volunteered to drive Knights back and forth to the airport. Due to Seth's frequent missions, the two usually ended up paired together.

"Another one Sorenson? Didn't you just finish that one in Sweeping Pine preserve like a week ago?"

" Yeah, Jealous?" Seth teased, raising his eyebrows. Parker laughed and shot a playful glare at the taller boy. Despite Parker's tall height, he was still at least and inch shorter than Seth. Though to be fair, not many people were taller than Seth. A fact that many people found unsettling.

" Just a little bit dude. What, you trying to show the rest of us up or something?" Parker laughed back, poking Seth in the side as he got into the car. Seth rolled his eyes as he loaded his bags into the car before following Parker's lead. They road in silence for several minutes as Parker navigated his way out of the crowded base and set up the directions to the international airport. It wasn't everyday that a Knight flew internationally for a mission. Generally if they were going to somewhere outside the country they were going to a preserve and would have to be flown there by helicopter or other means. So while it did happen, it didn't happen often.

Seth used the temporary quiet to unzip the bulky duffle bag and look at its contents.

Looking into his bag for a mission and seeing the certain supplies or gadgets still made him a bit giddy. Like most young boys, Seth had always wanted to be a spy. He had spent most of his childhood sneaking around the house with a cheap walky-talky while humming the mission impossible theme song. And while he technically wasn't a spy, he was pretty darn close. One of the common misconceptions about the Knights of the Dawn was that they didn't use any human or modern technology such as computers and other gadgets to do their job. However that was far from true. Sure they tended to avoid it when dealing directly with magical creatures, but they often used these gadgets for things such reconnaissance.

Inside the bag was some of the things you would expect such a binoculars and many more that you wouldn't expect. Seth's favorite part of these bags were the small box near the bottom that generally came with each one. The box contained different potions that you might need for the mission. Seth had always found potions to be fascinating. There had even been a time that he had considered going into the field himself. For this particular mission he had been given a night vision potion which was pretty self explanatory, An eavesdropping potion that enhanced his hearing and allowed him to listen in on a conversation without getting too close, and a form of truth serum that would loosen the lips of of someone you wish to get information from. There was at least three bottles of each along with the normal defense and first aid potions that were added. Such as, the gaseous potion, a potion for pain, a salve for injuries and many more. On top of that Tanu insisted on making sure that Seth was always stocked with his own personal set of potions. Tanu usually supplied him with more gaseous potions, a gummy potion, a giant potion, a new potion that enhanced his focus and his reflexes, as well as plenty of first aid related ones. He seemed to be convinced that Seth would end up seriously injured on every mission. Though sadly, Seth could admit, that the worry wasn't completely unfounded. Other than the potions, the bag contained an enchanted communicator, a few listening devices, a laptop, and a few other useful knick knacks.

" Got anything good in there?" Parker questioned.

" You bet," Seth replied holding up the box of potions that was in his bag even knowing that with his friends eyes on the road and so Parker probably couldn't see them. Parker laughed anyway not needing his eyes to know what Seth was referring to.

" Seth, I swear I have never seen anyone get so excited over potions before."

" What can I say, I'm a simple guy," He replied earning a scoff from Parker.

" Uh huh, says the literal Shadow Charmer who has a mission every other week," The pair laughed once again and fell into an easy back and forth banter. Continuing there shenanigans until they pulled into the airport. It was then, as much as he, loathed to do it he bid Parker farewell , thanked him for the ride, and walked into the crowded airport.

Arriving at the airport was just as hectic as he expected it to be. Of course it was crazy for everyone but, it was even more so when you are constantly looking over your shoulder or waiting to get stopped by airport security. Thankfully he was able to board the plane okay even if his makeshift weapon did raise a few eyebrows.

Something Seth had learned was that a knight should always fly economy. It may not be the most comfortable but few people would start a fight with that many witnesses around. Plus it was easier to blend in. A tee shirt and some jeans and you were all set. Ready to settle in for a long flight.

Seth popped one ear bud in his ear but left the other out in order to let him hear incoming threats. Seth found it impossible to sleep on a plane, no matter how long the journey was, because of the unknown circumstances. It would be difficult to keep an eye on people and to know who was a threat. Unlike Kendra, Seth hated reading. Only a few books had every managed to hold his attention for any.period of time. He was too restless. He would much rather be doing something outside. Moving and exploring. He didn't mind doing art, sketching being his favorite. However, that was difficult to do in a crowded, bunny plane. So Seth resigned himself to a long ride half listening to music and ignoring the guy beside him who vaguely smelled like onions.

††††

May 22

Corazol, Belize

4:45 pm

Seth stretched his stiff legs as he walked from baggage claim to the exit of the airport. He breathed deeply and relished the feeling of the sun on his skin, even though he knew he would quickly become hot. But, after a long eight and a half hour flight, they were welcome changes. He glanced at the clock hung on the wall and noted the time. He knew that Corazol Belize was about two hours ahead of Alaska. Not that it mattered. Seth was pretty much immune to jet lag at this point. Not necessarily because of the constant travel, though that certainly helped, but because of the erratic and uncertain sleep schedule he had become used to while on any mission. His body had become well trained in sleeping whenever it was told. The only thing that interrupted this was nightmares but he rarely got those while on missions because his mind was too focused on other things. Seth would never admit it but that's one of the reasons he takes on as many missions as they will give him.

Seth's hotel was not far from the airport so he opted to walk there. He had done some research the night before and found a hotel that he rented under the name of Roger Alpine. The Knights would usually rent one for you but Seth preferred to do it himself. To say the hotel he chose was run down would be putting it nicely. The paint was peeling horribly from the siding and it was definitely not on the nicest side of town. The rooms were separated from the outside by a door with A flimsy looking lock, something Seth would secure once he had settled in. The room held a musty scent mixed with the smell of cigarette smoke. There was a bed in the center of the room, covered in some unsettling stains, a side table and lamp beside it, and a desk under the window. The window itself had a pair of thin ratty curtains and crooked blinds. There wasn't much Seth could do about the window, except string up a blanket, which he did. Opening his suitcase and removing his clothes, he opened the hidden compartment. From inside he took out the pieces of his emergency kit that he had stashed. He also opened up the duffle bag he had and pulled out a few other various knick knacks that he thought he might find useful. He then empty the remaining items into the compartment at the bottom of his suitcase. Leaving the duffle bag empty. This was.common practice for Seth in a place like this. He didn't want to leave his unused supplies in a relatively unprotected duffle bag while he was away. Unfortunately this was something Seth had learned the hard way.

In the end Seth was left with: the box of potions, a rope, a small bottle which held a thin dust that immediately soaked into the skin upon contact allowing the victim to be tracked, dark sunglasses (which did indeed have a camera and microphone installed) , a slingshot, some marbles( which as Seth had found were great for distractions), binoculars, and a pair of ear buds. All of these things were packed neatly into his emergency kit, ready for use. He still had his makeshift weapon secured around his neck and two knife secured in a holster and strapped to each of his legs. He had glanced mournfully at his sword but knew that it would only draw in wanted attention. Besides today wasn't about getting into a fight. Today was about exploring Corazol and getting a lay of the land. Still it played to be prepared, hence the knives. Finally, satisfied that he was ready, Seth left the dingy hotel room and began to wander along the streets. Searching for anything that might lead him in the right direction.

Corazol was a quaint little sea side town. You could smell the salt in the air, carried by the cool breeze. Corazol was small in population but it also had its fair amount of tourists. Especially right now with summer just around the corner. The busy streets were lined with street vendors all vying for his attention but Seth was more interest in searching his surroundings. The smells coming from said street vendors were heavenly and caused his stomach to crumble loudly reminding him that not only had he not eaten breakfast this morning, but that he had been walking for over an hour. Technically he could have rented a car, he definitely had the funds for it, and most Knights probably would. However Seth, was not most Knights. He didn't like rental cars for many reasons, one because it was easier to see a car and a license plate then just someone walking in a crowd. Two, every rental car was required to have trackers and such in them to prevent theft which was fine in most cases but problematic for him. That wasn't necessarily a huge risk but it was still one Seth wasn't willing to take. Maybe he had grown paranoid, but he was still alive so there's that. Finally he didn't like rental cars because, in his line of work, it was likely to get beaten up or destroyed. Plus having a car would cause him to miss out on the unique sights, sounds, and smells. That is yet another thing Seth loved about his job. It allowed him to travel the world and to see as well as, experience things he would never get to otherwise.

He had to admit this was a good place to go if you were going to hunt for artifacts and magical creatures and then illegally sell them . The Cerror Ruins were only a few miles away and Seth knew that it was a prime spot for missing person's cases, especially when people wandered off alone. He hoped beyond hope that he wouldn't have to venture there during this trip but, that's definitely where he would go if he was an illegal dealer trying to avoid the Knights as well as any other prying eyes and ears. Plus it wasn't exactly a place you would expect anything big to happen. And besides the Cerror Ruins, their wasn't really anything magical about the place. It honestly seemed kind of ordinary. It was perfect because it tended to be overlooked.

After another thirty minutes had past, the rumbling in Seth's stomach became too overwhelming to ignore and he resolved find a place to eat. He stumbled upon a small hole in the wall restaurant that seemed to be pretty popular amongst the locals. Meaning it was the perfect place for Seth to gather some information.

Even though he worked directly with magical creatures, you'd be surprised how many times he had to interact with regular people. The knowledge gathered from these people was often shaky at best and should definitely be taken with a grain of salt. However, this information often helped him form some semblance of an idea. In his experience Seth had learned that regular people noticed a lot more than even they realize. In addition most people never pass up a chance for a good gossip. And since they didn't know how valuable their information was, they were a lot less stingy with it. The only problem you run into is when they begin to ask questions and wonder why you're asking and who you are. When that happens you become the subject of gossip and word will eventually get back to you enemy. That's why Seth hated small towns. The information might be easier to come by, but it was also easier to get caught. And getting caught meant revealing your mission too soon.

In his line of work , timing was everything. Move in too soon and you risk blowing you cover as well as the entire mission. However, if you don't move in quick enough you'll miss your chance to get your guy. That perfect timing came only when you knew you enemy better than they knew themselves. It came from careful observation and lots of Intel.

Gathering Intel was arguably one of the most boring and tedious parts of Seth's job. It involved a lot of waiting, listening, learning, more waiting, and every once and awhile, a well calculated risk. Luckily, for Seth, his shade walking gave him an edge in this particular area. The ability allowed him to get closer to his enemies so he could overhear plans and put together one of his own. However no ability came without its share of risks. He had gotten a lot better at learning to shroud himself in the shadow to help cover his movements when shade walking but it wasn't an exact science. Not adding enough shadow would reveal his position should he happen to move too quickly however, adding too much shadow could be just as revealing.

Seth's favorite way of gathering Intel was doing exactly what he was doing now. Finding a place to eat while he sat back and listened. Small places like the diner he had just entered were prime spots for gossip. Additionally, they gave him an opening to talk with the locals in a relatively unsuspicious way. People tended to loosen up and talk more freely when both parties were eating. Plus it gave Seth a reason to try all the local dishes. Most of which were pretty good. The smell of home cooked food hit his nose the minute he walked through the door making his mouth water so much it was a wonder he didn't start drooling. He was met at the entrance by a plump, kind looking lady, who appeared to be somewhere in her mid fifties judging by the gray streaking through her black hair. The hair was pulled tightly into a bun at the back of her head, accentuating her full rosy cheeks. He apron stated that he name was Rosa which somehow seemed to fit her perfectly, even thought Seth didn't know her. She gave off a very motherly vibe that instantly made Seth feel at home. With a smile she led Seth to a table and asked him for his drink order. To which he replied with a simple black coffee. Coffee was something Seth had quickly become addicted when he became a Knight. It often helped him through the multiple all nighters he pulled while on a mission. Some minutes later she returned with his coffee, this time ready for his order of food.

" What would you recommend. I'm from out of town so I'm counting on you to hook me up with the good stuff," He said with a wink. Rosa laughed heartily and replied with a thick accent,

" Well only for you I will tell you my personal favorite," She rattled off the name of a dish which sounded completely foreign to Seth but he wasn't going to admit that.

" Ok then, you've talked me into it,.I'll get that," He replied and as Rosa turned to leave he continued, " And could you do me a favor and just wave your little magic wand and take all the fat and calories out for me," Once again Rosa replied with a full bellied laugh.

"You are a funny man. But for you I will have to add extra. Maybe then some of it will stick. You look like you need it," She teased in return before turning a leaving Seth alone once more. He leaned back in his chair, and pulled out his phone. Absent mindedly scrolling through something or another and trying to hide the fact that he was listening to the conversations around him. The diner was loud, making it difficult to discern the voice of only one person. Seth was tempted to use the potion he had that would hone his eyesight and hearing but didn't want to waste it seeing as he only had one. It would be unfortunate to use all of it now at the beginning of the mission when he could need it more later on.

His thoughts were interrupted by Rose who had come with his food. Seth was shocked at how quick the service was seeing as it was rush hour and the small diner was packed to the gills. With the meal she also brought his check. Seth glanced at the check, surprised at the low prices considering the quality of the food.

" Well would you look at that! you must have given me the senior citizen discount!" He paused for the laugh that he had come to expect and then followed up with, "So what are some cool things to do and see while I'm here, anything particularly interesting?"

" Oh well the Cerror Ruins are always a prime spot for tourism but you must be careful to stay on the trails. Too many people wander off and go missing. One of my favorite things is to see the sights at night. The water takes on this stunning color and you can see the star as clear as day. But if you choose that route you best stay away from Devils Tavern. Its on the North end of Corazol, close to the beaches. That place is nothing but trouble, and full of shady characters, especially recently," Rosa said. Rosa was obviously the type of person who talked openly once you got them going. The last part of her sentence caught Seth's attention.

" Really, shady people in this town? Surely not everyone seems so nice,"

" You are young. You haven't seen the darkness of man. People are not always as they seem child," She replied with a sad smile. Seth internally rolled his eyes. If only she knew. " But yes, a week or so ago , this man arrived and came into the diner to eat. He seemed normal enough even if he was a bit rude. However, later that night I saw him outside the Devils Tavern, its on my route home you see, and he was talking in hushed tones with another man. They were standing in the shadows real creepy like. I wasn't really able to hear what they were saying but they didn't sound to happy and they looked like they were planning something, " Rosa finished with a grim look on her face. A look that didn't last long as it was replaced with her usual bright smile.

Seth stored the information away for later, and smiled brightly in return. Acting as if the information had no effect on him at all. Something that had always made Seth a good agent was his poker face. He had a good control over which emotions showed on his face. This was a vast contrast to Kendra who tended to be easily read, like an open book. One with pictures and big letters. A fact that Seth ,and surprisingly Bracken, had teased her relentlessly for.

" Well I won't keep you, thanks for chatting with me . And I will be sure to check out those suggestions," He said, putting an end to the conversation. Seth then dug into his food, nearly moaning at the taste. It was incredibly good. Probably one of the best meals he's had while on a mission. While he ate, he began to sift through the information that he had been given. As always he had to wonder how much of it was true, seeing as people had a tendency to exaggerate. He also couldn't bring himself to believe that Rosa stumbled upon the Devil's Tavern, a place she claimed to despise, on her way home. From what he had seen of Corazol most of the housing was away from that part of the beaches. He wasn't going to completely discredit it but as Rosa had said, people aren't always who they seemed. However, no how much truth there was in the statement, one thing remained true. Tonight he was heading to the Devil's Tavern.

†††††

May 22

Corazol, Belize

10:00pm

Seth walked through the darkened streets. Careful to remain close enough to the street lights so as not to unintentionally shade walk. He had gotten a lot better at controlling it but it still happened from time to time. And he couldn't afford giving himself away like that. Just in case there were eyes watching him that he could not see. He had done a pretty good job of keeping on the down low. After lunch he had wandered around the streets a bit more and then headed to the beaches. Particularly the part of the beach close to the Devil's Tavern. The Devil's Tavern had been relatively quiet during the day. The sign had stated that they were opened but it had seemed oddly empty. That was a stark contrast to what he was seeing now.

The tavern now seemed to be packed to the gills with people. And even more of them were standing outside. Even from where he was standing a few feet away he could hear the loud music that played he could see the bright, colorful lights shiny through the windows. As Seth drew closer he saw a problem. Standing at the door was a big burly man wearing dark sunglasses and a tight short sleeved T-shirt that accented his bulging muscles. He was shorter than Seth, most people were, but he made up for it in width. Seth was considered to have pretty wide shoulders and his years of training had hardened his muscles into steel cords. However, none of this reassured him as he stared at a man that looked like he could snap him in half like a twig. He wasn't scared of the man per say. But, he was definitely cautious.

As Seth approached the man he seemed to be doing his own analysis and his stance showed that he didn't feel even the slightest bit intimidated. Which was fair and actually worked to Seth's advantage He had done his best to tone down the darkness of his aura that seemed to put people on edge. Plus the leather jacket he had opted to wear hit the bulk of his muscles, which weren't overly pronounced to begin with, as well as a few... other tools. Aside from the daggers strapped to his legs and the makeshift weapon around his neck, he had three throwing knives cleverly hidden in the folds of his jacket. Unfortunately, much to Seth's displeasure, he had once again leave his sword behind. As weird as it may sound he felt like the sword gave him a better sense of security than the multiple knives strapped to his body. He was dangerous with both weapons and that was disregarding the fact that he was a shadow charmer. So even without the sword, he was hardly helpless. Still, he always felt oddly bare without it. A look settled on the bouncers face. A look that Seth had often seen on bullies when he was a kid. In the end that was all this guy was. A bully. And obviously he saw Seth as his next victim. However, despite all the scenarios Seth was mentally planning for, all the man did was sneer. Seth did his best to pretend he was scared as he entered the building

The air smelled heavily of alcohol and the music, which had been loud before, now seemed to shake the floor. He immediately began to weave his way through the sweaty bodies packing the room searching for signs of anything that was amiss. You would think that a place with this much chaos would make it harder to find anything let alone one person but for Seth it made it easier. If there was one thing that the file full of its limited information had taught Seth was that this guy was far from careless. He wouldn't risk anything that might loosen his tongue. The rest of the people in this place shared no such caution. So find the guy who can walk a straight line and that was probably who Seth was looking for.

He hadn't been searching for more than five minutes when something caught his eyes. His eyes darted to what had caught his attention and and, confirming his previous suspicions to be true, he found Rosa.

†††††

So there is part one!!!! Most of this collection will be one shots but seeing as this z alone is over seven thousand words I figured I needed to split them up. I will hopefully be able to post the next part very soon. It needs a few touch ups and changes but.other than that its.practically done. This took SOOO much research its not even funny. I'm pretty sure trip advisor things I'm moving to Belize. Anyway I really hope you all like it, it is probably one of my favorite fics to date so let me know what you think. I apologize for any mistakes you may find. Let me know what adventures you want Seth to have in this book or any other requests you have!!!!!

#fablehaven #dragonwatch #fhdw #seth sorenson #Knights of the dawn #i loved writing this one

[litttlesilkworm]

Is it true that Gorbachev never supported Valery Legasov? Did he have a "court" as they say, or did he realize that Legasov was an expert one should listen to?

Thank you for a great ask, Comrade! 💜💛💚 And please forgive me for such a belated answer! And the same goes to all the authors of all the other anon asks I received but have yet to answer - I deeply value each and every one of them and promise to respond to them very soon! 

I do think that David Dencik’s Gorbachev, though not without charm, comes across as this kind of annoyed and needy monarch in the show. The real Gorbachev, with all his shortcomings, was a lot warmer - in a folksy kind of way - and much more personable. Look at this photo for example, of a room from which the Politburo meeting room was modeled in the show, and how Gorbachev sits together with the rest of the members, and not at the head table like a king:

And as to your question more directly - I actually have just the kind of a fascinating text here that I think, will speak for itself as far as the extent to which Gorbachev listened to and trusted Valery Legasov. The text is a transcript of the Politburo meeting that took place in the morning of May 5th in 1986 - merely a week after the accident. It actually is kind of a riveting read - a glimpse into how all those decisions had to be made in real time, with only meager - and constantly changing - information available. 

I wanted everyone to enjoy it, so I translated the discussion section from Russian (please see below).

Legasov really shines in this meeting and one can easily see just how much respect he instills in people around him. There is a rather amazing passage where Legasov voices his disagreement with Velikhov’s plan on how to drain the water from under the reactor. Gorbachev immediately takes Legasov’s side and approves his plan. He then sends Shcherbina out of the room during the meeting to make an immediate phone call to Chernobyl to instruct them to ditch Velikhov’s plan and start implementing Legasov’s. That was my favorite part.

Legasov also consistently sounds like the calmest person in the room. Just calmly and intelligently doing his job, solving what is essentially a scientific problem. Even from the transcript it is easy to extrapolate how much respect he commands around the table. 

I took the liberty to include some of my own notes/comments in the translation as well. And I am happy to answer any questions I can!

@elenatria, @alyeen1, @shark-from-the-park, @drunkardonjunkyard, @green-ann, @valerafan2, @johnlockismyreligion, @attachedtofictionalpeople, @the-jewish-marxist, @potter012

SHCHERBINA: We found ourselves in front of a situation that has not been considered before, which is why there hasn’t been any protocols in place for this type of an occurrence. The very project itself is built upon never allowing such a situation. There was an uncontrollable speeding up of the reactor. Immediately after the accident, there has been a lack of preparedness on-site to evaluate the situation. The Civil Defense did not warn people. Until the evening there were weddings being held in the city. The fire had to be smothered as soon as possible, and the radioactive fallout had to be reduced. 4 thousand tonnes of materials have been dumped at the reactor. We were able to knock the surface temperature down from 500 to 200 degrees. What shall we do beneath the reactor? People have approached the pool. It is possible that there is an opportunity now to release the water.

LIGACHEV: Don’t get ahead of yourself.

RYZHKOV: We’ll need to see about that. The most important thing is to avoid the explosion.

SHCHERBINA: The most difficult thing is deactivation.

(Note: Deactivation refers to the clean-up and burial of contaminated soil and water, etc - LSW)

GORBACHEV: The most important is to deal with the danger that is below.

SHCHERBINA: People are working selflessly.

(Note: It seems like they might all be talking over each other in an agitated manner. Wish we could hear a recording of this - LSW)

LEGASOV: The work is organized the following way: Comrade Shcherbina is in charge of organizing, Comrade Meshkov studies the reasons of the accident and I work on recommendations regarding prevention of the further spread of the fallout. There are also groups in Moscow conducting the analysis.

(Note: Legasov truly shines here, stepping in calmly and intelligently to get the discussion back on track. - LSW)

The considerations regarding prevention of the consequences of the accident that are being voiced in the West should be taken into account. These aren’t just guesswork, but a result of studies, conducted with other past NPP accidents taken into account. We had to do all the calculations on site, because we didn’t have any established protocols in place.

GORBACHEV: Plus in this case, there is water under the reactor.

LEGASOV: This was done to save money, otherwise one would have to build two separate buildings. Minsredmash did not agree with that. If we had 4-5 pipes that would be stretched away from the reactor and into some distance, this would not have been a problem. This is a miscalculation of everyone working in the energy industry.

GORBACHEV: What about the containment structures?

LEGASOV: Considering the force of the explosion that took place, a containment structure would not have saved anything.

GORBACHEV: We need to focus on what comes next.

LEGASOV: 10 hours later, we were able to stop the reactor. But it continues to emit radioactivity, because after a year of being in operation, it has accumulated a lot of isotopes. The heat output of those debris has been 14 megawatt in the first 24 hours, while today it is 8.5 megawatt. This is like burning 60 tons of coal every 24 hours. Besides that, graphite is burning, too. There is 2.5 thousand tons of graphite there in total. One ton burns up every hour. This equals 24 tons per day. The graphite will burn up completely in one-third of a year.

The number one task is to create a way of filtering out the radioactive isotopes. Right now the amount of them that gets emitted into air is 100-fold less than there would be without taking measures to drop sand and other materials on the reactor from the air. The area located in the vicinity of the reactor has been sacrificed, because dumping the materials from the height of 200 meters raised dust, which increased radioactivity near the power plant.

Currently, the mass that has been melted in the reactor is moving downward. This is difficult to control, because there hasn’t been monitoring devices installed that would allow doing that. This is my fault, too. But, not a single NPP in the world has something like that.

(Note: Remarkably, Legasov accepts blame for something he hasn’t even designed. Only that he hasn’t voiced his concern about this highly improbable scenario. Or maybe he did but doesn’t think he did it strongly enough? - LSW)

On the first day after the accident, the temperature of the melted mass was 1100 degrees, while yesterday at 18:00 it was 20 degrees. It goes up by 135 degrees every day.

(Note: “20 degrees” is clearly a typo and should say ~2000 degrees, as a quick calculation can confirm: 1100 + 135 x 7 days = 2045 degrees. - LSW) 

Last night, an experiment was conducted: the melted mass fell into water, and there hasn’t been an explosion. However, if the melted mass from the reactor reaches the water below, there will be powerful formation of steam.

The situation continues to be troubling. The reactor needs to be cooled from below. An underground tunnel needs to be created, and liquid nitrogen needs to be delivered via it. In 2-3 days, we need to allow the circulation of air. Yesterday, there were no air drops to enable the draft.

Regarding the potentially dangerous zone. It cannot be larger than 250 kilometers. Within which the active zone would be 30-50 kilometers. Our institute has previously considered a “Backstop” scenario, concerning this problem. So we have exact calculations on that account.

GORBACHEV: What would happen if the fuel reaches the ground water?

LEGASOV: This is where Velikhov and I could not find common ground. The pool needs to be emptied of water by pumping, not by shooting at it to pour it out.

GORBACHEV (to SHCHERBINA): We should let the site know, so they don’t shoot at it.

(Comrade SHCHERBINA steps out)

LEGASOV: And as for adding the concrete layer, that’s the final operation.

GORBACHEV: What about the remaining three blocks?

LEGASOV: The first two are in working condition. Barring another explosion, they will be fine. As for the third block, it might catch fire if there is another emergency.

GORBACHEV: Should we invite the foreigners? We shouldn’t do it in vain. But if we have to, then don’t be deterred by it.

LEGASOV: We were shown the cipher telegrams regarding this. Only two things were unknown to us: the French foam and the remote controlled robots from West Germany. So there is no need to send a general SOS message, whereas all the ideas originating overseas should be sent to the group for consideration.

RYZHKOV: If the strategy with pumping the water out via a pipe works, can the same pipe be used to pump the liquid nitrogen in?

LEGASOV: Yes. But it doesn’t cancel out the idea of a tunnel.

RYZHKOV: We should do both.

SHCHERBINA: I was just informed that the water pumping has begun.

(Note: looks like Shcherbina returned to the room after calling the site with this information. So, within this brief time span, Velikhov’s plan of shooting at the bubbler pool (with some sort of a projectile?) was rejected and Legasov’s idea was not only approved by Gorbachev, but actually started being implemented in real time. Amazing. - LSW)

(Note: another interesting takeaway is that they were arranging to bring Joker from West Germany way earlier than it was portrayed in the series. - LSW)

ALEXANDROV: Legasov reported everything correctly. Regarding the foreign assistance: it would be good to bring doctors who specialize in bone marrow transplants.

ALIEV: This type of a specialist is already working. 

(Note: this must be Robert Gale. - LSW).

LIGACHEV: Is there a possibility of a chain reaction?

ALEXANDROV: There is. But not an explosion, i.e. a momentary process. But there would be major steam generation.

SLAVSKY: Our Ministry is participating in limiting the consequences of the accident. My first deputy is there on site. One of the reasons for what has happened is that the Atomnadzor (Note: a nuclear watchdog/inspection agency - LSW) has done zero work. What is being done right now is correct. No further suggestions.

BREZHNEV (minister of transport infrastructure): Together with Comrades Shchadov and Usanov we went on site yesterday to survey the situation with approaching the water through drilling. The start of pumping is eased by its location. After the pumping, one must start pumping the clay-concrete mix. The drilling is complicated by the fact that the reactor cannot be approached to a distance closer than 250 meters. We have arranged with the military for them to deactivate the area so we could approach to a closer distance, 50 meters.

GORBACHEV: We should be picking up the pace. We should be working not only as if this was a wartime situation, but a nuclear one - around the clock.

RYZHKOV: Comrade Brezhnev should return on site and organize this work.

GORBACHEV: Yes.

GROMYKO: What’s the percentage of the fallout that enters the atmosphere?

LEGASOV: The SO is exceeded 22-fold. There will be zirconium. First, there was iodine coming out, and now it’s the rare earth minerals. The zone in the radius of 30 kilometers is dangerous. Iodine decays halfway in 8 days, and after 80 days there will be nothing left.

SEDUNOV (Deputy Chairman of Goskomgidromet): We are watching the situation with radiation from airplanes and the land sites. The spread of radioactivity depends on wind direction. First, the cloud went north, then west and south. There was a spread of radioactive air into Poland, Scandinavia, then into Romania and Bulgaria, yesterday - into Turkey. In Kiev, its level increased 80-fold above background, this morning it is 45-fold. A norm for the public is considered 10-fold above background over a year. In Minsk and Lithuania it’s 3-fold. In the North Caucasus, 2-fold. We suppose that in Kiev, it will start receding. But if the wind changes, the cloud can head toward Moscow. 

(Note: Goskomgidromet is the weather forecasting agency. - LSW).

SHCHERBITSKY: Someone confused roentgens and milliroentgens.

(Note: not sure what he is referring to? - LSW).

SEDUNOV: It is important to watch the isotope content of the precipitation. Iodine goes into milk. Today that’s where most of the danger is coming from.

GORBACHEV: What to do with the cattle?

SEDUNOV: No need to destroy it. The Kiev water reservoir may become polluted.

LYASHKO: The water probes are being taken every hour. Radioactivity was only found in upper parts of the Pripyat’ river. We banned the public from drinking water from open sources there.

SEDUNOV: In Moscow everything is normal so far.

SHCHADOV (minister of coal industries): It is dangerous to break through the wall. Water should be pumped out and then the mix should be pumped in. If necessary, we’ll dig under the building. 

(Note: Shchadov circles back to talking about the water problem and backs Legasov’s strategy. - LSW)

AKHROMEEV (deputy defense minister): Task number one is controlling the radiological situation. We started the deactivation of roads and other sites. Three thousand people are working on it. Today we will finish preparing the deactivation plan and report to the working group.

SOLOMENCEV: How effective is the cleanup?

AKHROMEEV: It reduces radioactivity by a factor of 3 to 4. We have to create burial sites for topsoil and water. We also have set up medical facilities at 7 thousand person capacity.

LIGACHEV: What does Akhromeev think about approaching the water under the reactor?

AKHROMEEV: My opinion is to break it with a cumulative projectile. 

(Note: I think this means an anti-tank missile. A true military man’s response, and one vote for Velikhov’s plan. - LSW)

RYZHKOV: There are enough people.

AKHROMEEV: If needed, we will bring more.

LYASHKO: The Dnieper system provides water for 32 million people. The water samples are taken every hour. Yesterday there was no alarm until the evening. But today, there is. On smaller rivers, radiation levels have increased and are now 10^-4, with 10^-8 being the norm. (Note: Units? - LSW). These areas were instructed to switch to water from closed sources.

Luckily, there are artesian wells here. If need be, we will bring water tanks. What would be more difficult is if we would have to dump the water out of Kiev Reservoir. There is already a water shortage in the South. We need Gosomgidromet’s recommendations on how long we should hold the water in Kiev Reservoir.

GORBACHEV: How are the evacuated people?

LYASHKO: Evacuation was carried out in 3 hours in place of planned 6. One bad thing was that we had no protocol in place for this kind of scenario, no training has ever been conducted. The food for the evacuated has been organized. There turned out to be a disconnect between the services of the 3-rd Minzdrav group and the regional medical services. (Note: Minzdrav is the Ministry of Health Services - LSW). They were kept too secret. I spoke to Comrade Burenkov about it. The situation is getting better now.

The census of the evacuated has been complicated by the fact that there were many who have left on personal transport for the holidays to other towns, to visit family, etc.

Construction workers were sent to other objects. 3.5 thousand people were assigned to the “Mayak” factory. Many went to work at agriculture jobs. They will receive medium wages. Because of property loss, people will have to be paid a compensation out of Gosstrakh (Note: a state insurance agency - LSW). The people from the countryside should be given a one-time amount of 100 rubles for the head of the household, and 50 rubles for each family member. The public insists on being provided more information and guidance: what to do in the situation they are in.

SHCHERBITSKY: It is very important right now.

GORBACHEV: I thought we have already decided to provide such information locally.

LYASHKO: We need the minister of health and the scientists to speak and broadcast these regionally. Water from under the reactor should not be let out into soil, even if it goes into a pit. A pool should be built. We can build this type of vessel. We also need vessels for the deactivated soil. But places like that should be guarded.

VLASOV: We will do that.

LYASHKO: The school year continues. The primary school needs to be let out in a week, the tenth graders should finish as usual. All the children, evacuated ones, should be taken into summer camps. I am requesting openings for them. The milk gets doubly checked. If there is contamination, it is being sent for butter and cheese production.

GORBACHEV: We have got the project of the resolution. What should we add? We should take into consideration that the situation is very difficult in all aspects: radiation, an enormous territory. There will be no definitive answers from scientists as far as the future goes. That’s why we need to work by the worst-case scenario. The top priority should be the reactor with all the options considered. The working group must consolidate all the necessary resources and mechanisms.

At the same time, the work with the public needs to be underscored: living conditions, jobs, healthcare, etc. Water is a special question. What should we do? We should carry out all the calculations, all the forecasts. Especially planning all that needs to be done in the danger zone.

Separately, we must decide how to be with the outside world. Information must be provided in a calm and balanced manner, without overconfidence but firmly. Panic is the luxury of the subordinates, and not of the Politburo or the government.

The local channels in Ukraine should broadcast more expanded information. Across the Soviet Union, primarily the facts should be broadcast. Maybe the informational frame can be expanded to the outer world, as well. Our adversaries are asking us questions that would on one hand, allow them to judge us as a whole, and on the other hand - smear us with mud. If we add more information now, it will be natural, because the time passes, and with that the amount of facts. But we should not create a picture of overconfidence. We are facing the fact that this situation is a signal to everyone. The public’s opinion should be turned toward the steps we are taking towards nuclear disarmament. This accident, on a nuclear object, tells us that a nuclear war should never be allowed to happen. We should talk about this at a press conference. So, the information needs to be added to, but responsibly.

As for bringing the foreign specialists? As I understood from Legasov, there is no need for it. If there will be a need, then we’ll decide. 

DOLGIKH: This is written in the next to last section.

GROMYKO: I agree with what Mikhail Sergeevich had said. It is correct that the situation remains serious. In the second section of the project it says: to consider.

GORBACHEV: It should say: approve the proposed measures and intensify the work.

GROMYKO: Section 10. We raised this question at the United Nations. We should use what we’ve already talked about previously.

SHCHERBITSKY: Section 9 needs to be expanded, to mention informing the populace regarding the situation.

GORBACHEV: Add this.

MEDVEDEV: Perhaps we should make a mention of periodically informing our friends.

GORBACHEV: It is already in the project. I suggest incorporating these suggestions and approving it.

POLITBURO MEMBERS: Agreed.

GORBACHEV: Boris Evdokimovich, you said that the analysis of the causes of the accident has been completed.

SHCHERBINA: Yes. On 25th of April, the power plant started conducting an experiment to test the reliability of its functioning, which has been approved by the Chief Engineer. It has been a crudest mistake to conduct such a test without taking the reactor functioning into account.

GORBACHEV: What kind of experimenting was it? This is a nuclear power plant.

SHCHERBINA: These kinds of experiments are conducted at power plants. But the nuclear watchdog agency should have been informed of that. The first scientific deputy hasn’t been there.

GORBACHEV: What about the version with hydrogen?

SHCHERBINA: No. There were two explosions inside the reactor.

GORBACHEV: What about the automated systems?

SHCHERBINA: None of the three systems worked.

GORBACHEV: There has already been resolutions regarding the improper operating procedures at Chernobyl NPP.

SHCHERBINA: The personnel have not been properly chosen.

CHEBRIKOV: We have two reactor systems - two-line (the more reliable ones) and the single-line ones. This is a single-line reactor. It doesn’t tolerate fluctuations in the operating procedure. Unplanned things lead to adverse circumstances. There are three systems in place to stop the reactor everywhere, but this one only had two. Capturing the extra heat output - that’s what the experiment was for. Its planning was done without involving the reactor designers.

SHCHERBINA: The hydrogen version was discarded right away. The problem was with the reactor vibrating and speeding up.

DOLGIKH: We should wait for the results of the final analysis.

GROMYKO: We should start discussing this in Central Planning. A big misfortune had struck us. Someone made an oversight, committed a crime and must be punished. What sort of thing they decided to experiment with. The decision should be such that many generations would not forget about this fact.

GORBACHEV: I suggest approving the resolutions regarding the liquidation of the consequences of the accident at Chernobyl and inviting Hans Blix to the USSR.

POLITBURO MEMBERS: Agreed.

The resolutions are approved.

#chernobyl #valery legasov #boris shcherbina #mikhail gorbachev

[starr-fall-knight-rise]

Humans are Space Orcs “Climbing

Just a little something quick and funny for everyone this Tuesday morning. 

The desert planet was warm, as most desert planets are, but despite the dry heat, it was hardly comparable to an earth desert which could quickly take your life in under a day if you weren't careful. Honestly, he would have compared the weather to that of the Rockies in early August. Maybe 81 degrees tops.

The ground below their feet was covered by a strange purple sand, and the sky above was a dusky orange to match the orange rocks that lifted themselves high into the sky. There was no wind, which would have been a good thing, he imagined that the sandstorms here could be quite devastating. Despite the heat, or rather, lack of it in his opinion, the others weren’t doing so great. 

When he said others he meant their non-human counterparts, the humans were fine. This temperature was at the higher end of Krill’s comfort scale despite him being a creature that photosynthesized light. Sunny looked downright uncomfortable, which made sense her planet was comfortably tropical when it came to climate, and sky ash kept the sun from hitting the ground on most days out of the year.

The three of them and a group of marines were led across a thin dessert and up towards a small outcropping of orange cliffs. Commander Vir kept his eyes wide scanning the surroundings. One might have assumed he was looking for threats, and to the watching aliens, that’s exactly what it looked like. However, he was honestly just wishing he had thought to bring a camera. In that case he was going to have to attempt and draw this landscape later, not that he was all that great as an artist, but he was at least possible enough to make his ideas known.

Internally he was kicking himself.

By the time they reached the foot of the hills, Krill was lagging behind, and one of the marines had dropped back with an umbrella helpfully casting a shadow over the small figure. Sunny stood at his back like she always did. He doubted there was anything that could make her leave his side even if it meant hurting herself to do it, so he slowed his pace.

“Commander Vir, thank Sanctum’s rings you’re here.”

He stopped atop a bare patch of orange rock and bowed, “Councilor.”

The rundi woman adjusted her black robes and turned to look back towards the outcropping of rocks. Commander Vir could hear it now, a small voice shrill and defiant throwing curses at the gathered assembly members and their accompanying guard.

“What’s going on.” He wondered. Upon hearing his question, the assemblywoman motioned over one of the other delegates, the Gibb representative, who was looking both embarrassed and exasperated. Commander Vir could understand why, the Gibb must have had a hard few months with his countryman (the scientist) going off his rocker and capturing an entire prison only to experiment brutally on it’s inmates. Tensions were a bight tight between his species, and those from Earth and Mars. Commander Vir knew enough not to totally blame them. Their species were known for the commonality of mental instability, delusions, and psychotic breaks.

Statistically it wasn’t that common, but it was more common than it was even with humans, who were known to be highly mentally unstable.

“I am afraid,  the second Gibb representative, other than I, has experienced the reduction.” The Gibb’s five spidery eyes stared on glassily at the commander as he continued, “Usually we would just let him go quietly to return home in peace, but those circumstances remain difficult when his delusions have convinced him that he is a mighty warlord and we are his enemy. Even that would not be so much of an issue, but he has found himself  an impenetrable fortress.

Commander Vir was almost 100% sure that was exaggerated, but decided to keep his mouth shut first asking to SEE what the situation was before proceeding.

They walked up on the scene to the equivalent of maniacal laughter. He craned his neck upwards at the rock face.

“Look at you, you WORMS! You cannot DEFEAT ME!” 

He could finally see what the issue was now. The Gibb’s little fortress didn’t appear to have any doors that he could see. The only opening was at least fifty feet up the rock and about two feet by three feet. A hover craft wouldn’t be able to come near the hole as it wouldn’t be able to squeeze into the space between the rocks. Going in from above was also not an option since the cliff face rose to at least 100 feet in the air above that and was too rounded at the top to land a craft.

“See my impenetrable walls!” The gibb yelled, “Even against you humans I-”

“Are you kidding me!”

The gibb looked down in annoyance to being cut off. The entire delegation turned to look at the human standing with his arms crossed one eyebrow raised clearly unimpressed.

“You think you can challenge me human!” 

Behind him a few of the marines stood smiling clearly on the same wavelength as their captain, “I… well it’s not a challenge, but I’m seriously asking…. Are you serious?”

The gibb looked quite confused now, “I AM the end!”

“Well ok, sure you are.” The human said voice slightly exasperated as if he was talking to a small child, “In that case does The End or the lord of the rock face have any idea what a primate is?”

Seeing the confusion, the captain continued taking a seat on a rock as he began to unlace his boot, “Humans are primates, and so are monkeys. We share a common ancestor that lived in trees.” He flexed his fingers at the Gibb, “See these, hands used for gripping onto branches…. For climbing specifically.” He set his boot to the side, and the other marines began  following his lead rolling up their pant legs and lining up their combat boots in a neat row on the ground.

The commander lifted his foot, “See these, they are the exact same thing as hands, accept evolved for running. We used to use them to swing through trees.” He flexed his foot and wiggled his toes causing a murmur to rise up from the crowd, “I can pick up things with my feet.” He rolled up his pant leg, “So Here is what I am going to do. I am going to use my magic powers of hands and feet and drag your idiot ass back down here faster than you can say, oh yeah I probably should have known that humans were originally evolved to live in trees.”

Without prompting, the other humans came to join him at the base of the wall. Above them, the Gibb was spluttering angrily while the rest of the delegation looked on in mild interest. 

“But you CAN:T humans can already swim and run, you cant ALSO climb.”

The human didn’t bother to look up, instead reaching down to rub some of the purple dirt into his palms, “Don’t suppose you've heard the song. I can do what you can do but I can do it better? No, well same premise, I can run, I can swim, I can jump, with a little help I can fly, but since I forgot my jetpack at home, I may as well as show off some natural selection.”

The alien delegation watched in interest as the human gripped onto his first rok, and by an excellent show of strength, hauled himself up the wall. His other hand followed, as did his other two feet. The toes of his right foot probed the rock face gripping onto minute ledges in the stone just as his fingers did. The prosthetic, Drev-designed, foot struggled, but he made good time up the first few yards. 

A team of the marines went with him. A few of them scuttling up the wall like spiders.

At about 20 feet the assent grew more difficult, and it seemed as if there was no way to go, but the humans didn’t seem bothered. Gripping onto ledges and protrusions, despite taking longer to think their path through. Commander Vir had fallen behind struggling with his non-human leg.

Eventually he simply gave a curse, and a small blade snapped from the toe of the prosthetic.

He drew his leg back and slammed it into the stone soon overtaking the other maines as he was able to place a foothold wherever he pleased.

“That's hardly fair.” Ramirez muttered.

“Oh yes Ramirez, I am so sorry you have all of your legs. Let me cry for you.” The Commander muttered sarcastically as he clambered up the wall.

“That’s cheating.” Another human called

“No, I’m just evening the playing field for a cripple.” 

The council members below looked on in wonder and amazement as the humans, somehow, clambered their way up a vertical face speaking normally with each other as they did. As always, the leader of the humans seemed to have no concept that he was crippled.

Above the Gibb had gone quiet sinking further back into his hole.

The humans all made it to the top safely, and rather smugly, and with their superior strength, what little fight the Gibb could put up was lacing and rather pathetic. Two of the humans rigged up a rope to a steel hook driven into the stone, and the commander himself picked up the gibb under one arm like a troublesome child. From there, each of the humans clambered easily down the rope as if they were simply walking. Some of them chose to slide straight down, while others simply walked backwards down the face of the wall using the rope to support themselves at a horizontal.

Commander Vir only required the use of a single arm as he made his descent. And dumped the Gibb on the ground at the feet of the council rubbing purple dirt from his hands. He nodded to the council, and then just simply walked away nonchalantly to recover his shoes. 

The council thought it might be a good idea not to tell the humans how long they had been there trying to come up with an idea. 

It would probably be prudent to keep this little fiasco unknown to the public. If people knew that it had taken a one legged human, and his strange hand feet thirty minutes to do what the council had failed to do in days, than there might be some questions raised about their own effectiveness. 

#humans are insane #humans are space orcs #humans are space australians #humans are space oddities #humans are weird #earth is a deathworld #Earth is space Ausralia

[spaceexp]

Universe’s coolest lab creates bizarre quantum matter in space

ISS - Cold Atom Lab (CAL) patch. 12 June 2020 Physicists have made a Bose–Einstein condensate on the International Space Station — allowing them to probe the mysteries of quantum physics in detail. 

Image above: The International Space Station is home to the Cold Atom Lab — one of the coldest places in the known Universe. Image Credit: NASA. For 25 years, physicists have used an exotic state of matter made from ultracold atoms to probe quantum behaviour at the macroscopic scale. Now, they can do it in space. The feat comes from physicists behind NASA’s US$100-million Cold Atom Lab, which began operating on the International Space Station in June 2018. The results are a proof-of-principle showing that the laboratory can successfully exploit the microgravity of space in ways that should allow scientists to create phenomena that would be impossible on Earth. The facility is on track to become the coldest place in the known Universe.

A Recipe for Cooling Atoms to Almost Absolute Zero

“I think it’s just an amazing achievement,” says Courtney Lannert, a theoretical physicist at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. The findings were published1 in Nature on 11 June. Exotic behaviour First created in 1995, Bose–Einstein condensates form when clouds of atoms are chilled to just above absolute zero. At this temperature, the particles’ wave-like quantum nature dominates, and they coalesce into a single macroscopic quantum object, which physicists can use to investigate exotic behaviour. On Earth, gravity limits studies on these clouds because they quickly disperse unless gravity’s effects are counteracted with strong magnetic fields. But in microgravity, the condensates last longer, allowing for more precise studies. And because weak magnetic ‘traps’ for the atoms can be used in space, physicists can chill them to even lower temperatures, in part by harnessing a technique that cools condensates by allowing them to expand. “Most quantum physicists would say cold-atom experiments are cool, but to make them cooler you have to take them to space,” says Kamal Oudrhiri, CAL mission manager at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California.

Image above: Cold Atom Lab Physics Package. Shown here, the "physics package" inside NASA's Cold Atom Lab, where ultracold clouds of atoms called Bose-Einstein condensates are produced. Image Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech. The researchers used CAL’s precise lasers and high vacuum to produce condensates that lived for longer than a second at 200 trillionths of a degree above absolute zero, on par with some of the most successful experiments on Earth. In future experiments, the team plans to go down to a record 20 trillionths of a degree and create condensates that last for 5 seconds, says Oudrhiri. That would make it the coldest place in the known Universe. Dishwasher-sized lab The condensate isn’t the first produced in space. Experiments on rockets that temporarily cross the barrier into space — as well as those using drop towers on Earth — have provided indications of how this phase of matter behaves in microgravity. But CAL is the first lab of its kind to exist in this environment permanently, says Maren Mossman, a physicist at Washington State University in Pullman, and could be just the first of a series of space-based cold-atom labs. Its success was not a given, she says; CAL puts kit that typically fills an entire lab into a space the size of a dishwasher. And these are just the first results to come from the lab. Mossman is part of a team that is using CAL to create Efimov states, groups of particles that bind in threes but not twos and have long fascinated physicists.

What’s So Cool About NASA’s Cold Atom Lab?

Other teams have also started experiments to create phenomena possible only in the ISS environment. Lannert’s team, for example, has begun producing 30-micrometre-wide bubbles of condensate. Under Earth’s gravity, these would collect to form a bowl or pancake shape. The features of bubbles — being thin and edgeless — mean that they should create whirlpools, known as vortices, with novel behaviours, she says. “The shape is not possible unless you remove the force of gravity. So far, it’s looking really good in terms of the trap doing what we expect it to do.” ‘Heart surgery’ in space Already the most complex experiment ever on the ISS, the facility got a mind-bending upgrade in January. Over eight days, NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir installed an atom interferometer, a process Oudrhiri likens to performing heart surgery in space. The interferometer splits a cloud into two quantum states — with each atom effectively existing in two places at once — before reuniting them to produce an interference pattern. This pattern acts as a sensitive gauge of forces around the condensate, which physicists can use to test fundamental laws of nature or to search for dark energy. Tests in May — when the coronavirus lockdown meant that the remotely operated CAL was the United States’ only operational cold-atom lab — show that the atom interferometer is working as planned, says Oudrhiri.

Animation above: This artist's illustration shows six finely tuned lasers being used to slow down atoms inside NASA's Cold Atom Lab, which chills atoms to almost absolute zero. Animation Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech. The compact nature of CAL meant that compromises had to be made in its abilities, and it is not ideal for every experiment because it suits the needs of multiple projects, says Lannert. “But the trade-off is more than worth it,” she adds. It also allows physicists without their own extensive labs to perform these experiments. “We’re at a small liberal-arts college, and being able to take data on this machine is just super exciting.” NATURE: doi: 10.1038/d41586-020-01773-z Related links: Bose–Einstein condensates: https://www.nature.com/news/2010/101124/full/news.2010.630.html Cold Atom Lab (CAL): https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/cold-atom-laboratory-cal/ Space Station Research and Technology: https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/overview.html International Space Station (ISS): https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/index.html Text, Image, Videos, Animation (mentioned), Credits: NATURE/Elizabeth Gibney/NASA/JPL-Caltech. Greetings, Orbiter.ch Full article

#space #science

[cozy-neko]

雪の華 || yuki no hana ❆

prompt: there’s a reason why akaashi hates the cold winter nights in tokyo.

now playing: yuki no hana cover by jisoo blackpink

warning(s)/setting: angst, smoking, time skip and flashbacks

rating: light | medium | heavy

word count: 986

Gunmetal eyes flicker left to right, line by line. Typo here... this line doesn’t translate well... what the fuck does that even mean? Another typo here....

“Akaashi-san, you’re sitting way too close to the computer screen again,” a coworker lazily drawls out without having to even spare a glance at his seatmate.  

“Ah...” Akaashi sighs and sits back. “I didn’t even realize,” he muttered. The 22-year-old sighed and squeezed his weary eyes shut. 

“Your eyes are going to stay crossed-eyed if you keep doing that, senpai,” his other coworker sitting across from him teased. 

Akaashi hummed a half-hearted response and slowly blinked his eyes open. He glanced at the digital clock sitting at the corner of his table. 9:53 pm. Way past overtime, but he had a huge deadline due strictly at 7 o’clock in the morning the next day and about 20 more pages to quality check before he could even call it a night. 

“Did you need anything else from us? If not, we’re going to head off for the night.” Akaashi blinked and finally shook his head after a minute. 

“I think we’re good,” he murmured while running a hand through his messy locks. “I’ll walk out with you guys. I need a smoke break.” 

Standing up, Akaashi hastily tossed on his coat, wrapped his thick scarf haphazardly around his neck twice, and grabbed his cigarettes and lighter before stepping out with the rest of his team. As soon as he stepped foot through the front door of the office, he sneezed. 

"Don't get sick, senpai. See you tomorrow!" Akaashi stuffed a cigarette into his mouth and silently waved goodbye to their retreating backs. He lit up his bad habits and puffed out a smoke. 

It was a quiet Wednesday night in Tokyo. The temperature was a freezing 10 degrees Celsius, and the longer Akaashi stood outside, the more he wished the small flame on his cigarette did more to keep him warm on the inside and outside. 

As he lit up his second bad habit of the night, he exhaled and looked up towards the dark sky just in time for a small snow flower to land on his forehead. 

"Look, Keiji! It's snowing! Amazing!"  

He still remembered your giggles that echoed through his ears and brought chills down his spine. Akaashi took another drag of his cigarette as a flurry of snowflakes began to fall. 

"I hate the snow," a 17-year-old Akaashi deadpanned. His shoes crunched across the white field as he made his way through the school gates. 

"Why? It's so beautiful!" 

"First of all, it's cold as hell and when it melts, it gets everything wet. Did I also mention that it's cold as hell?" 

"Don't be such a grouch, Keiji." Akaashi hummed in response and continued his trek towards the direction of your house. 

"OI!" He yelped as soon as he felt something wet hit his back. He whirled around, irritation furrowing his brows. You grinned back at him with an innocent smile. 

"That's it. Come here!" Akaashi gave chase, and you squealed with laughter.  

"Catch me if you can, Keiji!" Laughter echoed through the empty streets as he caught you in his arms and absolutely refused to let you go even as you squirmed. 

The snow was falling faster now, and the weather dropped two degrees. The tips of Akaashi's ears and nose were beginning to look like cherries as the harsh wind nipped at him. He puffed out another exhale and rummaged through his coat pocket for another smoke. 

"Keiji... I love you," you murmured as you snuggled against your boyfriend. Akaashi simply pressed a kiss to your forehead and wrapped the blanket around the both of you tighter. You rested your head against his chest and stared out at the snow flowers that littered your front lawn. 

Akaashi was beginning to find it harder to breathe and loosened the scarf around his neck. His fingers were beginning to feel numb from the cold, but he managed to light another cigarette; he was burning through his new pack a little faster than he had intended to. Akaashi wondered what you would have said about the bad habit he had picked up. 

"Keiji..." He stared at you with wide eyes. You refused to meet his gaze. "I'm sorry..." He reached out his arm to grab yours, but you jerked away.  

"Stop..." he whispered, but it was barely audible. You grabbed his hand and squeezed it once. "No..." You finally had the courage to meet his pained eyes. They glistened and threatened to overflow. You knew yours mirrored his. 

"Bye, Keiji," you choked out. You gave him one last watery smile, wet with tears. Squeezing your eyes shut, you emblazoned Akaashi into the back of your eyelids and your heart one last time before running off and leaving him by himself in the middle of an empty park. 

"Don't go!" Akaashi yelled after your retreating figure. He gave chase, but his legs gave out as his sight blurred from hot tears. "Please! Don't leave me!" His knees hit the cold ground, the fresh snow cushioning his fall. 

His breathing was ragged as he opened his palm to stare at the promise ring he had gifted you two years into your relationship. It was 5 degrees Celsius that night, but Akaashi didn’t feel anything but numb. 

Akaashi pulled out another cigarette and numbly placed it between his lips. He raised his lighter and sparked a flame. As he lit his fourth bad habit of the night, he looked up. You stood a few feet away, grinning as you waved to an approaching male and intertwined hands with him before the two of you walked away. 

"Ah.... fuck. I hate the snow," he muttered with a bitter smile. The newly lit cigarette fell from his lips and onto the floor as he turned away and headed back inside the office.

#haikyuu x reader #haikyuu imagines #haikyuu scenarios #akaashi keiji #haikyuu!! #hq x reader #hq akaashi #akaashi angst #hq!! #haikyuu headcanons #writings

[boymeetsweevil]

Heat Index

Grouping: Reader x Taehyung

Word Count: 2700 exactly!

Warnings/Themes: use of toys, mutual masturbation?, tae has a sweat kink probably

Summary: The town being in a heat wave puts Tae’s in a bit of a love drought. But even still, he makes do and (kind of) does you.

Another drop of sweat rolls down Taehyung’s face. It makes his nose itch with the gentle grazing sensation and falls on the cardboard flap in his hands. The sweat darkens the area it lands on and he stops for a minute to take in the perfectly circular shape haloed from the way the drop burst on impact. Normally he wouldn’t be so interested in his own sweat, but he feels as though his thoughts are slowed and dulled by cotton. It’s the heat.

“I’m really sorry, Tae,” you apologize as soon as you return from your kitchen, a single plastic-wrapped treat in hand. “They’re not putting in the AC until tomorrow.”

“It’s fine,” he says pleasantly while taking the popsicle from you. But it’s not really fine.

The heatwave terrorizing your town has been going on for almost 9 days at this point. He’d volunteered to help you move in, only for the weather to put a halt in your plans. But after the 4th day, you couldn’t put it off any longer and had to go meet the movers at your new place. Taehyung being the chivalrous boyfriend that he was—or that he wanted to be—kept his word despite the warnings from various weather people on his TV telling him not to leave his own air-conditioned apartment.

Though it might seem as though his priorities aren’t in place, Taehyung would honestly admit that the worst part about the heat wave was the lack of sex that came rolling in with it. With your new place being on the other side of the city and with the both of you relying primarily on public transport to see each other, your sex life seemed to be dwindling—no—frying in the sun. So, when you brought up the move yesterday he figured he’d just be helpful with unpacking until the AC installation finished and then suddenly become very helpful with packing you full of him. But that doesn’t seem to be in the cards.

He bites at the popsicle forlornly with his back teeth. You have your own popsicle that’s a subtle pale green. It’s lime. Your favorite. Even if he didn’t know you well enough to know that you loved all things citrus, he’d still know you were enjoying the lime pop. The way you happily slurp around the cylinder while leaning on one of the larger boxes makes for quite the mirage in Taehyung’s sex desert. Your back is arched elegantly so you can peer out the window on the opposite wall and admire the much better view you have in your new space. And your skin looks iridescent with the sheen of sweat the weather has lovingly draped upon you. Then you catch a stray juice trail about to run onto your hand with the flat of your tongue and chase the flavor all the way to the top of the popsicle and Taehyung suddenly needs a plan B fast.

You jump with a shriek when your neck meets something shockingly cold and wet. Turning your head, you see that it’s just your boyfriend running the edge of his snack along the place where sweat was collecting like a pretty dew on your skin. His tongue follows the sticky path he just made, causing your eyes to flutter shut on their own before you fight them back open.

“What are you doing, that’s so...gross,” your breath hitches when he bites down at the intersection of neck and shoulder.

“Nothing.” The popsicle descends again to follow the same trail he made but, this time, you only flinch a little. “Just enjoying my snack.”

“Am I the snack?” You give him an unamused look.

“You’re always a snack, baby.”

“Sorry,” you’re not sorry but still remove his hand from your shorts with some care, “but I draw the line after 80 degrees.”

His hand only retreats a little and ends up sitting on your stomach, laying like a hot coal there. You can feel the arousal twisting your insides and raising your temperature like it does. The only problem is that this time you really can’t afford to get any warmer. You’re sure that you’ve already sweat out all the important things in your body and if you so much as look at Taehyung the wrong way, you’ll become a puddle that’s 20% you and 80% limesicle.

“But it’s been so long.”

The tip of his nose reacquaints itself with the shell of your ear. The heat of his front does the same with your back.

“You won’t die. Back off and help me with these other boxes. There might be a fan in here somewhere.”

The promise of a fan measures up fairly well against the promise of (sweaty) sex and he immediately hunts for the scissors he was using to open more of the boxes. With the blades in hand, he cuts through the tape holding yet another wardrobe box closed with hope as his only means of staying cool. The flaps reveal no spinning blade treasure—only kitchenware that you promptly scoop up and rush out the room with. Taehyung stares dumbly at your fleeing back, slick and bare besides a black sports bra, before cupping himself lightly. It’s just to take the edge off, his thinks to himself.

After the kitchenware layer, the box is rather oddly packed. There’s a bunch of hangers, which he promptly puts into your closet, and some knick knacks he knows you plan on putting on your bookshelves once they have books on them. There’s even some winter clothes that he’s fairly sure should have gone in a different box while you were packing them. Before he can dwell too much on your lack of packing skills, he reaches the bottom of the box, which contains yet another box. It’s a simple shoe box. Which wouldn’t be out of the ordinary if you were a shoe fan like some people he knew. However, you aren’t a shoe fan. In fact, all of your other shoes were jammed into the bottom of another box that had been opened earlier. So why do you have this shoebox here?

Going solely off intuition and knowledge about you after nearly a year together, he’s guessing there’s just some random sentimental things inside that you didn’t know where to put. If that’s what’s inside, he knows he shouldn’t peek, but he’s curious to see if anything to do with him is in the box. He pulls the lid up daintily, like the secrets won’t escape if he’s gentle, only to slam it back down as soon as he eyes the contents.

Well, he supposes sex toys could have sentimental value. But they don’t have much to do with him.

He lifts the lid again now that he’s certain nothing in the box can tell on him. With the sounds of you organizing your kitchen as his personal soundtrack, his begins rifling through the box. There’s a few bullets, what he thinks is a dildo but it’s covered in scales and has a few unnatural bends in it, some beads of varying sizes, and a classic hitachi among other things. Some of them he’d seen before, and some he hadn’t. Perhaps some of them kept you company before he started to. After a few thoughtful moments, he grabs one of the toys before replacing the lid and stashing the shoe box.

You’re almost finished sorting through all the different families of silverware you’ve collected over the years, when two hands land on your unclothed waist. The feeling of his palms on your sweaty skin has you squirming a bit.

“On a scale of one to ten, how wet are you,” Taehyung whispers in your ear.

“Your romance never ceases to amaze me.”

“Sorry, but...is it really just me?”

His forehead bumps against the back of your head as he takes in the way you look in shorts and a sports bra. It’s an understated look, to say the least, but he’s always loved the way you look with sweat on your skin.

“No,” you groan when he presses an open mouthed kiss to the nape of your neck. “But it’s just too hot to be doing cardio for no reason.”

His tongue darts out and flicks at your lobe, sending a quick blitz from your core out to your extremities. A small gush of arousal rushes down and you squeeze your thighs together in a stubborn effort to keep calm.

“What if I told you it’s not too hot?”

“You found the fan?” You turn around in his arms with shining eyes and he feels like an ass for not being able to say yes.

“No,” he grimaces. He attempts to wrap his arms around your waist placatingly, but you brush him off partly in anger and partly because you’re overheated. “But, if there’s no cardio needed, is it really too hot?”

“No cardio?”

You eye him suspiciously but let him drag you by the wrist back into the living room. Clearly he’s emptied out and flattened several other boxes since you took all your mismatched forks to the dining room for sorting. Only a few boxes remain unopened. The question of what he’s planning is still lingering when he pulls you over to a little setup that looks like he wrapped something in a pillowcase

“I don’t get it.”

“You will,” he grins boxy reassurance at you before sitting before the bundle on the ground. You follow suit while he unwraps it to reveal a vibrator you hadn’t used in a long while.

“What’s the joke, again?”

“It’s not a joke,” he whines, “This is how we can be lazy and get off.”

“I never really liked that one. I got it for free in a raffle in college and it was weirdly shaped so I couldn’t really get it to work.”

“Please? I swear I can make this work.”

You’re really tempted to say no. There are several drops of sweat actually rolling down your back as you ponder having an orgasm in your now-90-degree apartment. It seems ill-advised and like more work than Taehyung is marketing, but he also makes a convincing case. The convincing case being him and the fact that he still manages to look nearly edible in the middle of a heat wave.

His hair is flat and darkened against his forehead, heavy and saturated with sweat after brushing it back with his hands. The summer sun has darkened him slightly, making his skin appear more radiant in combination with the layer of his light sweat. The fact that he’s been shirtless and handsy all day only works in his favor. You sigh in defeat.

“Fine.”

His expression brightens considerably and he scrabbles up to rest his weight on his knees and heels to tug off his shorts to reveal the simple black briefs he had on underneath. He returns to a reclined position before snatching up the vibrator. You don’t get much warning and only barely get your own shorts hanging off one leg before he’s switching the toy on and nudging it between your thighs.

“So how did you—Oh!”

He has it angled differently than you did the times that you used it, and you wonder through the vibrations traveling over you if it's actually supposed to be for someone else to use on you. The thought dissipates quickly with the sudden wave of acute pleasure that creeps over you. It’s the type of feeling that has you almost smirking to yourself as you bite your lip, eyelids drooping closed as you hum to yourself. Taehyung lets out a sympathetic moan when you start rocking your hips against the device ever so slightly.

When your underwear is wet enough that he can feel it dampening the tips of his fingers near the toy, he removes it from your center. Your breath catches in your throat in a needy scoff that he ignores in favor of placing the still pulsating toy over his own crotch. There’s a small wet spot darkening the material of his briefs where his swollen head lays tucked up. He’s never really ever used a vibrator, but he figures it can’t be too different an experience. But when he touches it gingerly to the base of his clothed erection, the vibrations knock his breath out his lungs.

“Fuck, oh my...god,” he chokes out. Greedily, his finger twitches to kick the speed up a half unit. The increase has him nearly drooling within seconds and creates a steady dribble of pre-cum. “Shit, that feels good.”

“Share,” you snap at him after about 90 seconds of neglect to you dripping center.

“Make me,” he mumbles before massaging the toy up and down his length, ripping a gasp from his own lips.

You don’t take kindly to Taehyung hogging the vibrator. So you kick off your panties the rest of the way and decide to sit on the toy to get some action where you can. Before that, though, you do him the service of tugging his briefs down until they bunch around his knees. Once you’re settled, you’ve effectively trapped him where you want him. On the floor with the toy nestled between your folds and his shaft.

With your added weight and the return of your subtle hip rocking, the vibrations feel more intense for the both of you. You hiccup above him, hands coming out to brace your weight on his chest. It’s the only point of contact between you besides where your pelvises are slotted together. Naturally sweat begins to pool in the small spaces where you’re both joined, but it���s minimal and you don’t care. Especially not after Taehyung’s clumsy fingers knock the pulses into one of the different pattern modes. The steady buzz between your folds becomes a sudden tangle of tiny bursts. The pleasure hits you in matching percussive beats and you curl over Taehyung helplessly as the first wave of your first orgasm hits.

His eyes are squeezed shut because he’s not accustomed to the intense vibrations, but the sound of your moans let him know that you just came. He’s quick to follow with a few shallow thrusts that have you instinctively tightening your thighs around his hips to maintain your balance. The low, drawn out sound of his groans is accompanied by his large hands coming in to lock at your hips, grinding you down against him, soaking him further with your arousal. His holding you down has you squealing and squirming with oversensitivity at first. But when he doesn’t let go even after he spurts onto his own chest, you feel the familiar curls of pleasure behind the acidic overstimulation. Your nails scratch a fiery trail down his chest, somehow further raising his internal temperature as you both struggle in the silent endurance competition.

Who can last against the toy longer?

With gritted teeth and a river of sweat dripping down from his forehead, Taehyung taps out first. He switches the toy back down to its lowest setting before letting out a bark and squeeze at the flesh of your hip in a silent surrender. Your breathing is harsh and you’re so exhausted that you don’t even bother to use the muscles in your thighs to get off him. Instead, you nudge the toy out from in between you and let it clatter to the floor between Taehyung’s thighs while you recover still in his lap.

“That was fun,” you pant after a few minutes of silence. The sweat cooling in the space between you and Taehyung makes you finally scoot off him and onto the floor.

“I told you it would work. We didn’t even have to move that much.”

“That’s also true.” You watch him use the spare pillow case to wipe off the tacky cum on his stomach. “I never doubted you for a second.”

“You definitely did!”

“I whined about how hot it is. I didn’t say I thought your plan would fail.”

“I guess.” He lays star-fished out in the middle of your sparsely decorated living room before popping his head off the ground. “We really do need to find that fan, though.”

#btssmutclub #bangtan bookclub #networkbangtan #bttnetwork #95line.net #btswriters #kimtaehyung.net #bts smut #taehyung smut #bangtan imagines #bts imagines #taehyung imagine #bangtan scenarios #bts scenarios #taehyung scenarios #bangtan fanfic #bts fanfic #taehyung fanfic

[dreamingsnowflake2013]

The Autumn Watchlist

1. Melting Me Softly (starts September 28) | teaser

My feelings about this drama kept constantly changing in the past months. At first, I had been excited about the collab between Ji Chang Wook (HEALER FOREVER!), the SWDBS writer and the Secret Garden PD. Then, they announced Won Jin Ah to be the female lead and my excitement dropped by a notch because I belonged to those who weren’t impressed by her performance in Just Between Lovers and even the first teasers left me with mixed feelings. However, a few days ago the long trailer dropped and I’m fully on board and halfway in love with the show. It has the trademark writing of Baek Mi Young, JCW is epic as ever and WJA seems to hold her own against him and furthermore, they both share amazing chemistry and have a huge potential as the two people who get together stuck/frozen together in time while the whole world passes them by, only to wake up and realize that 20 years have gone by. They have not only to face the same challenges of dealing with the consequences but also their own physical condition as they must maintain a core body temperature of 31.5 degrees Celsius which in the era of global warming might not be the easiest thing to do, plus I can think of several physical activities when...

2. The Tale of Nokdu (starts September 30) | teaser 01, teaser 02, teaser 03

There is nothing new about a crossdressing kdrama, not even a sageuk one, but a man, and one of the best swordmen in Joseon to boot, doing the undercover crossdressing is something completely special. Moreover, he even poses as a widow and has all the men swooning over him and wooing him. With Joseon Marriage Agency being such a huge letdown for me, I have high hopes for this one. One of the writers is responsible for Love in the Moonlight and I think The Tale of Nokdu might maintain the magic which LitM lost the moment it got lost in the political mess. I like KSH very much and Jang Dong Yoon looks like he is having the time of his life playing the crossdressing nobleman.

3. Extraordinary You (starts October 2) | teaser

A high-school student from a wealthy family who suffers from a lifelong heart condition that inevitably means she will not live past her teenage years suddenly realizes that  she is a character in a Korean webtoon and all of her actions are predetermined by the artist who draws her. If her luck weren’t bad enough she also discovers she is only a supporting character so she decides to change her own plotline. This might end up being either slapstick awesome with all the possibility for kdrama references and making fun of all the clichés or utter mess. I hope for the first.

4. My Country (starts October 4) | teaser

What can I say? It looks like my dream sageuk - gritty, complex, dark and absolutely visually stunning plus it boasts some stellar cast. Also I don’t know how but for some reasons the drama is giving me Slave Hunter vibes - maybe because of the slave element, overall grittiness and JH being all intense and the main lead’s look reminding me a little bit of JH’s character in Slave Hunters.

5. TharnType The Series (starts October 7) | teaser 01, teaser 02

I can’t even describe how much I’m excited for this one. Type, the dark, tall and handsome freshman is homophobic because he was molested by a man as a child. His life turns up side down when the new year of college brings along a very interesting person in his life, a gay roommate, Tharn. Tharn, is a very handsome music major with fair skin and mixed features who is openly gay. Type is a minor character who had a minor role in another favourite Thai BL drama of mine, Love by Chance. At first, I was disappointed they didn’t cast the original actor; however, I have to say I have never been more happy to be proven wrong because the actors playing Type and Tharn have without a doubt the most awesome chemistry between all the couples in the upcoming BL Thai shows, only comparable with Pete and Kao.

6. Dark Blue Kiss (starts October 12) | teaser

PETE AND KAO!!! I’ve been waiting for this drama for a year now! To be honest, I don’t really care for the secondary couple I just want to watch Pete and Kao being utterly perfect for each other.

7. Ore no Hanashi wa Nagai (starts October 12) | teaser

It’s been ages since I enjoyed a jdrama and I hope Ikuta Toma changes it as the failed 31 year-old NEET living with his mother.

8. HIStory3: Make Our Days Count (starts October 16) | teaser

Another installment of the successful HIStory franchise. Crossing Boundary is with Together With Me my favourite BL drama of all time and I can’t wait for the movie. On the other hand, Trapped was a mild disappointment for me because somewhere in the middle the writer gave up any pretense that there was actually any plot and the only reason I kept watching until the end was the OTP. Make Our Days Count is a BL high school love story between two polar opposites - the bookish Yu Xi Gu who prefers to keep a low profile and focus on his schoolwork and the outgoing, hot-headed extravert and some-time bully Xiang Hao Ting. I’m not even ashamed to admit I love these kind of stories.

9. Motokare Mania (starts October 17)

If it’s been ages since I enjoyed a jdrama, it’s been an eternity since I liked a jdrama rom-com - not since Suki na Hito ga Iru Koto and From Nine to Five. I don’t really expect Motokare Mania to change that but a girl can still hope.

10. Emergency Lands of Love (starts November 23 December 7 14)

Hyun Bin + Son Ye Jin + a romance between a stranded SK heiress and NK military officer + the YWCFAS writer = I’m on board.

11. Until We Meet Again The Series (starts November 9) | teaser

A reincarnation BL love story between two lovers with tragic past who end up being reborn and get the chance to be together.

#dark blue kiss #melting me softly #my country #ji chang wook #the tale of nokdu #tharntype #tharntype the series #ore no hanashi wa nagai #history3: make our days count #motokare mania #emergency lands of love #until we meet again #until we meet again the series #preview

[excelsi-or]

21/02/20 - nightmares (woozi)

w.c. 1k (fluff)

Black Lives Rec: Check out The Terrell Show on YouTube. Terrell does song association on his channel with various artists from gospel to pop to soul. He’s had well known guests like Tori Kelly and Jojo on (I initially found his channel three months ago through Jojo’s episode). But I love the show because of the lesser known artists he brings on like Candice Boyd and Inayah Lamis (her album S.O.L.A.R is fantastic). He also had DeAndre (from American Idol; his album Black Denim is amazing) and Kevin McHale (from Glee). It’s a feel good show and I have a whole playlist dedicated to all the songs and artists that I’ve collected by watching it.

January 10, 2020

February 21, 2020

Running through every door, she weaves through tables and around people. Every window is shut and jammed. She circles around and notes a small hallway that has a door. There’s stomping going on through the entire ship. The two people she’d run onto the ship with have scattered. It’s literally every man for himself.

Cold water... a window... the dock...

Cops... death... screaming...

Dead... dripping wet... eyes gouged out.

With a deep inhale, her eyes snap open. She looks around the dark bedroom. Behind her, she can hear Jihoon snoring softly. She pushes one of the extra blankets they’d been using last night off her to cool down and then tries to sleep again. But her mind keeps conjuring up those dead people with red eye sockets, some mouths open, all of them soaked in ocean water. The image is too vivid to let her sleep again.

So she rolls over to grab her phone. On her side, so that the light doesn’t affect Jihoon, she scrolls through social media.

Fifteen minutes turn to thirty, thirty to forty. And then Jihoon’s arm reaches for her and tugs her closer. This is the first time she’s been awake when he’s done this. She leans her back into his chest, curling into herself to keep the blue light of her phone away from his eyes.

“Are you awake?” he mumbles.

She looks back at him. His eyes are still closed. “Yeah,” she whispers, turning back around. “Had a nightmare. You sleep.”

The arm draped around her slips underneath her shirt and his hand rubs circles against her skin. “Nightmares?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. Just need to keep my mind off it.”

His voice doesn’t rise louder than a whisper. “Talk to me.”

“You have to go in early.” She pats his hand through her shirt. “It’s okay. Sleep, Ji.”

“I’m not tired anymore. See?” Jihoon opens his eyes wide and she can’t help but roll her eyes in response. She shuts off her phone and tosses it to the edge of the bed. Then she turns under his arm. His fingertips graze her spine, but not even that can calm her right now.

Jihoon notices how tense she is and looks down at her. The room is dark, but he can make out shapes. And he can see her eyes. She’s watching him, gaze on his face. “What?”

“Looking at you makes it easier to not think about the dream.”

“Ah.” His eyes close and he goes back to rubbing her back. “If that makes you feel better.”

They’re quiet for a while. While sleep tries to drag him under, he can’t feel her relaxing in his arms. “What’s keeping you awake?”

“The dead people.”

“Were you listening to your murder podcast again?”

“I stopped listening before bed after last time.”

She’s taken to tracing shapes on his chest and it’s making him drowsier. “I told you studying late would exhaust your brain too much.”

“Midterms and lab reports.”

“Well, it’s Saturday tomorrow. You have all day to study for it.”

“Easy for you to say.”

Jihoon knows. Music always came easy to him. While he had to pull late nights during school, he knew that even if his knowledge didn’t transfer well to paper that the music he was producing would make up for most bad grades. It doesn’t work quite so well in a science degree.

“Study until I get home and then we have that party at Seungcheol hyung’s house. You can relax then.”

She sighs. Whatever she’d been doing had clearly not put her to sleep. It was putting Jihoon to sleep instead. Her arm wraps around him and she squeezes him tighter, her cheek against his chest. He can imagine her forcing her eyes closed, trying to get whatever images in her head out of there.

“You have a fast heartbeat,” she comments.

“Do I?”

“Weird since you sound like you’re going to pass out.”

“Mm.”

Sighing, she starts to wiggle away from him. “I can’t sleep. I’m gonna—”

“If you get up, you’ll never get to sleep.”

“I don’t want to keep you up though,” she whines.

“I don’t mind. Come back here. Tell me about the dream.”

“No, you hate when I talk about stuff like it.”

“Jagi, you need to sleep too if you’re going to study all day tomorrow.”

Reluctantly, she shares the dream, starting with a car chase scene. When she’s through, Jihoon’s pretty awake.

She gauges his expression and rests her forehead against his chest. “Told you, you wouldn’t like it.”

“Well… it makes sense why you can’t sleep.”

She moves higher on the pillow so they’re face-to-face. Her breath is warm over his skin. Gently, he covers her shoulder with the blanket. He has moved the second layer onto his side. While he prefers being toasty, he’s learning that she gets restless in her sleep if she’s too warm.

Now he understands that it’s likely nightmares.

“How often do you get nightmares?”

“Happens more in the winter.” She stretches her right arm over her head and then drops it between them. “And your apartment isn’t as temperature controlled as ours.”

“You mean Gyu likes it warm.”

“Seungkwanie lets me leave it cold at night.”

“Should we sleep at your place until spring?” Jihoon runs his hands up and down her skin, this time her side. The talking seems to be soothing her, because he can feel her relaxing under his touch.

She shakes her head. “You like your bed too. Spring’s almost here anyway.”

“But—”

“This is my first nightmare in a while.” 

He doesn’t tell her that he pulls the blanket off her when she gets restless at night.

“I’ll be fine.”

Jihoon decides to leave her be. He lifts his arm to invite her closer, hearing her words slurring. She scoots towards him, an arm slipping over his side. He breathes deeply, another trick he’s learned works with her. Eventually, her breathing evens out.

All Jihoon remembers before falling asleep is pressing a kiss to her head and the face of Will Smith with his eyes gouged out.

Next: February 28, 2020

#woozi imagines #woozi scenarios #woozi #lee jihoon scenarios #seventeen scenarios #seventeen imagines #seventeen #svt #tabilrn

[mor-beck-more-problems]

Stay In Your Lane || Morgan, Deirdre, Anita, Marley (pt1)

TIMING: tonight

LOCATION: Mortal Pins

PARTIES: @professoranieves @detectivedreameater @deathduty @mor-beck-more-problems

SUMMARY: It’s not a double date if you say it isn’t. Everything is fine.

Morgan didn’t mind turning up early for meeting Anita and her mystery girl. She hadn’t been to the bowling alley since that muggy winter outing with Deirdre and all but danced down to reserve a lane for the party with Deirdre. There were no birthday parties commandeering the playlist or half the bowling lanes, only whatever top 20 pop hits Morgan was too unglued from the world to recognize and groups of adults and kids trying to have their own group fun. The beer smell in the carpet that seemed to come packaged wrapped with every bowling alley had gotten worse, made only more confusing by the perfum-y scent of herbs coming from the ball and shoe racks. But it wouldn’t be White Crest if the place was totally normal.

“Does it feel good to be back where we had our first date?” She asked, knowing full well the bowling had been far from the best part of the night. “It’s almost a shame we’ll be on the same team. I can’t make a prize of myself if you win.” She rose on the tips of her toes and pulled Deirdre down into a kiss. “Although I guess we should probably keep the making out to a minimum since we’ll have company I actually want to invite us out again.” She lowered herself and dragged them into the rental line hand in hand. “I think you’ll like Anita. We have fun at work when we take our lunches together, and you and I have fun all the time, and this new girl has her so worked up and out of her comfort zone it gives me flashbacks sometimes. But, she’s gotta be fun too, if she’s keeping up with Anita. According to my calculations, that adds up to an evening well spent. And you don’t even have to order a hot dog this time.”

It was in lacking the allure of a human that intrigued, confused and frustrated her, set against a backdrop that was new, that Deirdre finally realized that the bowling alley was disgusting. It was disgusting the first time, but she could almost forgive it for its newness, and the idea of living up to some dream of a 10 year old's birthday party. Her eyes trailed across the establishment; they'd kissed there, stood in line over there, left holding each other down that way. She remembered, even when she’d thought she wanted to forget it. "Fates, was that a date? I think I liked the dinner we had after much more than the bowling part anyway—our first kiss aside." She also remembered being annoyed and baffled by Morgan, though those days were a memory now. "Why did I agree to this? I hated bowling and I hate people." And then Morgan kissed her. Ah, yes, that was why. She hummed against her, trying to pull her close. "You're always a prize." Deirdre was reminded again how much she hated bowling alleys as a kid—no younger than 13—rushed past them, an 'ew, gross' spewing out of his slushie-stained mouth. Deirdre groaned and reluctantly retreated into a respectable position with Morgan. "No promises. I'm thinking of how much I'd rather just go on a date with you, alone. And how illegal it is to throw a kid down the lane. That's perfectly fine, right?" She grumbled again, shifting nervously. If Morgan was getting flashbacks...then which one in Anita's equation was supposed to be her counterpart? She wouldn't wish that turmoil on to anyone, regretting every moment she spent denying feelings. And, honestly, she was nervous. She wanted Anita to like her, she wanted this to be good for Morgan. She knew a lot about how to charm people, and she could only hope it could work now. "I'd be having fun anyway, Morgan. I always am with you." The kid rushed past again, another 'ew, gross' squeaking out as he went. Deirdre groaned. "Anita better get here before this place becomes a crime scene."

As Anita and Marley pulled into the parking lot of the bowling alley, she suddenly had an aching feeling that this was a bad idea. Possibly one of her worst. Thinking back on it all, she wished she never even made mention of anyone to Morgan. Then Morgan wouldn’t’ve suggested they all spend time together. Then she never would have awkwardly asked Marley to go bowling with a friend from work, and they both wouldn’t be sitting in the car about to walk into a … double date? No. No, it wasn’t that because they weren’t dating. Once she got out of the car she made her way over to Marley, instinctively reaching down and slipping her hand into hers. “Thanks again for agreeing to come. I don’t know if I’d be able to handle being a third wheel while bowling.” As they made their way inside, Anita quickly scanned the area for Morgan, who had already texted her that they were there. Thankfully it wasn’t too crowded so she was able to spot the petit english professor fairly quickly. Once they got over towards them, she lightly dropped Marley’s hand so that she could greet the other two women. “Morgan! Hey, so good to see you,” she said with a wide smile.

Marley didn’t know why she’d agreed to this. She never should have agreed to this. When she’d first said yes, she hadn’t thought much of it. But then the more she’d thought about it, the more she realized this was a little outside of the bounds they’d previously set up. And they had been doing so good, too. No weird conversations or arguments or awkward moments in person. Things had been good and maybe that’s why she had said yes. She wanted to spend more time with Anita, even if it meant going on a double-not-date date with her and one of her professor friends. That’s what people did, right? They took an interest in other peoples’ lives? And Marley was very interested in Anita’s life. Not for any particular reason, but there’d always been that pull with her, hadn’t there? It didn’t mean anything. It couldn’t. Still, hanging out at a bowling alley with another couple seemed...like a big step to Marley. But she wasn’t about to back out now, if only to prove to herself that they weren’t like whoever these other two were-- they were just friends who slept together a lot and sometimes didn’t. When they pulled up, Marley looked over at Anita, giving her a brief smile before sliding her sunglasses on. “Being a third wheel is pretty bad, anyways, I can’t even imagine being one while bowling,” she teased, taking her hand as they headed in. She found it only slightly odd that Anita dropped her hand once they went in, but when she looked up and saw the two people they were heading towards, Marley almost stopped in her place. “Uhh, Anita,” she said, reaching out to try and tug back on her, before deciding the hell with it. She puffed herself up, put on a smile, and strutted up. “Long time no see, Detective,” she said to Morgan with a grin.

In the moments before Anita and her date showed up, Morgan continued to float in her little bubble of excitement and affection. “Mmmm, we met here on purpose, I put on something cute for you, we had fun, we flirted, we kissed, we had dinner somewhere with candles, that sounds like a date to me.” She slid Deirdre’s arms back around her and swayed them as they waited in line, shuffling forward only a few places as a gaggle of five teenagers argued over how many lanes to get. “But, we can do something fun after, though I don’t think throwing children is gonna make the cut. I uh--wow.” The slushie faced child was waggling a dead toe into another child’s eye. “I can appreciate the impulse, but we’re trying to make a positive first impression. But we could mess with the parking meters in town, or take off the labels of canned food and move them around? Or just go home, crawl into bed…” She turned her head back, smiling coyly from upside down.

Then she heard Anita and straightened up, pulling away from her enough to pull Anita into a hug. “Hey! Thanks for coming! You look amazing, as always. Especially this hair?” She fussed with Anita’s waves, nodding with approval. “Gotta look extra nice for your hot date, huh?” She murmured, teasing. “And who is--” Morgan never finished. She recognized Marley on the spot and felt her body temperature drop another few degrees. “Oh. Uh...yeah. It’s funny, right, because of the part where an amateur had to do something your workforce couldn’t handle. That was fun.” She laughed, shrill and nervous as she put her hand out to shake. It was all she could do not to ask Anita right then what on earth she was doing with Marley and did she know she made women cry in her free time? “Didn’t expect to see you here! With Anita. Small town, huh?”

An argument as to why they should just leave and make their own fun sat between Deirdre's lips, caught there as Morgan moved away. The soft beginnings of a whine whistled between her teeth before she remembered she was supposed to make nice, and that this was Morgan's friend. "Deirdre," she introduced herself to Anita with a friendly smile, offering her hand when the hugging was over. "Morgan's girlfriend. It's nice to finally meet you, although Morgan's descriptions obviously put—" Deirdre froze. She knew that voice. It haunted her still sometimes, and the red eyes that sat under her stupid sunglasses. The only thing she could do to keep those memories at bay was to imagine Marley's suffering laid over them—to make her pay, somehow, for even thinking about it. Her body tensed and she took a casually protective stance around Morgan and Anita, who she assumed was some victim too. "Stryder." And there was Marley, in all her dumb, sunglass wearing glory. She glanced between Marley and Anita, smiling with a sinister delight to quell the nauseating fear that threatened to bubble. She might not have known how to kill Marley exactly, but Anita was sure to die like anyone else. And she wasn't above hurting someone's lover to get to them. Deirdre's eyes drifted off to Morgan. Okay, so she was above murdering Morgan's friends. She snapped her gaze back to Marley and her smile quirked into a smirk. She sauntered up to Marley and fling her arm around her shoulders, urging her close and closer to the group. Like an old friend, or maybe someone who was trying to figure out how much Marley weighed and how much effort it would take to throw her down a lane. "You know, the detective here told me that commitment was the least exciting thing in the world once. Something about how she thought it was boring to be in a relationship," she spoke freely to Anita and Marley, playing her part as the happy participant. "I never thought I'd see the day she'd have a date and eat her words." She reached up and pinched Marley's cheek. "So proud of you, Marley-Warley." Now, how did she go about stabbing someone around an audience?

Anita returned Morgan’s hug and grinned softly when she started playing with her hair. “Yes, I do look extra hot tonight. But I’m not here on a date.” The second sentence was said softly, with the intention for only Morgan to hear it, though admittedly she didn’t know if mara had any advanced hearing capability. Not that Marley would object to her insisting it wasn’t a date, but she just didn’t really want to open up that can of worms right now. Though, honestly a can of worms sounded really delicious right about now. As she turned to greet Morgan’s girlfriend, she noticed that both of the women seemed to already know Marley. And judging by their tones and words… it didn’t seem like they all knew each other in the best of ways. “Yeah, really nice to meet you finally, Deirdre.” She shot a quick look over at Marley, trying to assess how bad of a situation this was about to be. Quickly she turned her attention back to Deirdre though, realizing that this whole date topic was becoming central to the general conversation. “Oh, no - sorry if you thought.” She offered a slightly awful laugh, trying to diffuse the situation the best that she could, “We’re not here on a date. We’re just… here to bowl. Because, well, Morgan invited me. And ya know, outings are so much better with an even number of people. But, it’s not a date. And I generally echo her sentiment about relationships.” She didn’t mean to think about it, but she couldn’t help but wonder if Marley and Deidre had a history and that was why she was bringing up dating. She tried to shake the thought but it remained. “But, uh, I take it you all already know each other then. And here I was worried tonight would be awkward.” Another awkward laugh followed, and Anita was fully unsure of if she was making the situation better or worse.

Frowning, Marley disintegrated and slipped through Deirdre’s grip before she could reach up to pinch her cheek. Though she stayed visible, she kept herself intangible for a moment longer, just in case anyone else thought it was a good idea to try and grab her. Anita was the only person allowed to do that, and she glanced over at Deirdre, eyes narrowing behind her glasses. She half wished she’d just worn her regular glasses, so that the two women now glaring at her could see her glaring back at them. Why did Anita’s friend have to be Morgan of all people? Not that Marley cared. These people had no say over her. She brushed her sleeve off as if Deirdre touching her had tainted it and shrugged. “The department is a little busy with real crimes, sorry,” she said nonchalantly, “and it’s not a date.” And yet, Anita’s words made Marley’s skin prickle a little. She knew that that was how Anita was, of course, and it wasn’t that it bothered her-- but hearing her say it outloud to other people made it seem much more...real. Clearing her throat, she took Anita’s arm and pointed towards the concession. “What do we say to drinks? You two finish getting the lane, we’ll go grab refreshments,” she grinned, “because I know I’m not making it through this without at least a little bit of alcohol.” Let the words hang a moment before tacking on, “You know, the bowling part.” High pitched laughter half interrupted her. “And the kids part.”

Morgan watched all of this unfold as if she’d been flipped inside out of her mind. This was just some weird sitcom on Netflix. She definitely hadn’t trapped all of them here with Marley Stryder. Deirdre wasn’t glaring daggers and trying to pinch the detective’s cheek, Anita wasn’t looking at all of them like a deer in the headlights and Marley wasn’t leveraging supernatural secrecy and a little murder to make her look like an idiot in front of her friend. Nope! That would just be way too ridiculous! But Morgan’s eyes met Anita’s in the chaos and she knew this was all too real. She gave her friend what she hoped was a reassuring smile. One that said, everything’s going to be fine! Especially now that Anita didn’t want this to be a date enough to say so out loud. Maybe she could be dissuaded from more repeat engagements when this was all over.

Looking up at the others, Morgan hated to realize that Marley was offering them a chance to regroup after ruining their expectations of something easy and pleasant. She reached for Deirdre’s arm, tugging her back in a way she hoped wasn’t too obviously protective. “That...Sounds great!” She said shilly. “So nice of you, Marley.” It hurt her mouth to say it, but stars did she need an out. “No booze for me, but everyone who drinks, uh, knock yourselves out. It’s a night to party, right? Oh, look! We’re almost next!” She edged  her way back and looked at the shoe rack with exaggerated interest. “Stay and help me with the checkout, babe?” She asked Deirdre, squeezing harder, just in case it wasn’t obvious she wanted her to stay.

When the others were gone she let out a long, frustrated sigh. “Okay, obviously, this is a pretty big twist in our wholesome plot. However, the plan is still to be nice and make sure Anita’s still my friend by the end of this. Unless Marley tries to hurt you again, in which case, I’m pitching a salt shaker at her. Or some fries. If I order fries, will you eat them? Unless-unless, you want to go home and I can be the third wheel. Which, yes, would be very painful, but I could deal.” She looked up at Deirdre, trying to keep the plea out of her face and failing.

Perhaps it was the humiliation, the disrespect or the content of the vision themselves. Maybe it was being rendered helpless that way, or Marley’s lack of empathy after--the disregard of an apology. But to say Deirdre hated Marley was a severe understatement. Her hand phased through Marley’s skin and she noted that, just as she did Marley’s reaction to her prodding. She watched her just the way she would any future victim; any vulnerability to unearth, any information she could wrap her hands around. She wanted Marley dead, that was the only way to justify her trauma that she knew. It didn’t matter to her then if Marley actually liked Anita; she was evil, and her mind would not stray from that opinion. She smiled back at Marley and Anita as Morgan tugged her along, she said nothing and her eyes remained glued to Marley even as they moved away. How could she ruin this? How could she make Marley suffer? Morgan’s voice cut the fog of her rage and she snapped her attention to her girlfriend, her mouth stuck in a saccharine smile and her eyes blank as she refused to stir from thoughts of murder--thoughts she made poor buisness of hiding, her hand locked in a too-tight grip to Morgan’s. “That’s right, mara don’t like salt. I remember Evelyn saying something about that. I could gouge some salt into her---”

And then Deirdre remembered why she was here, and blinked her fury away. She slumped, gripping Morgan tighter. “Sorry. No--No. I can see this through. I can---Anita is your friend. I want to make this good for her I just---” Deirdre sighed, shutting her eyes with the foolish hope she could flush away memories of the night she met Marley. She shivered. “Do you think Anita is in danger? Do you think that Marley is---” She couldn’t finish the thought. Nothing she knew about the mara told her that she would care to be good to someone like Anita. Nothing in her body agreed with it. “Get me whatever is strongest there!” She called out to the not-couple, trying to hide her body’s reflexive terror at the sight of Marley the best she could from them. “I really, really don’t like Marley, but I can handle this. I’ll stay.” She assured Morgan again, leaning down to press a firm kiss to the corner of her mouth and then turning back to the task at hand. “Just...don’t be mad at me if I throw a bowling ball at Marley.”

Anita briefly caught Morgan’s eye while Marley and Deirdre were… interacting. This wasn’t good. Of all her fears as to why going on this bowling outing was a really awful idea she never thought that ‘Marley has some strange beef with Morgan’s girlfriend’ was even an option. She was racking her brain for something to say to attempt to diffuse the situation when Marley started directing her towards the concessions area. This was good, taking a few steps back to hopefully figure out what the hell was going on. And to get some booze, that would help too. “Hey, so uh…what the fuck is going on?” She asked, wrapping her arm into Marley’s as they made their way across the awful abstract carpeting. “Do we need to bail? Is this gonna turn into like … a big mess?” Sure, slipping out and not returning would be incredibly rude. But Morgan would understand, wouldn’t she? As much as she hated to admit it, Anita wasn’t the type of person to have many platonic friendships. And even though they were quite flirtatious, that’s what they were - friends. Good friends even. Anita didn’t want to do anything to jeopardize that, but she also could practically feel the disdain radiating off of Marley and Deirdre. “If I had known you had history with her girlfriend I wouldn’t have invited you, I swear.”

The banshees eyes burrowed into Marley like bullet holes, and she had to look away to keep the feeling from splintering all over. She wasn’t sure why that odd feeling was needling at the back of her neck again-- that same feeling that made her confess to Anita after they’d argued, or after she’d accidentally fed from Lydia-- but she wasn’t about to point it out or acknowledge it. The distance between the two couples-- er, pairs-- helped ease her muscles a little, the tension fading even more so when Anita’s cool hand slid around her arm and fingers intertwined. She looked at Anita as they made their way across the gaudi carpet, lined with what she assumed were patterns a mother from the 50s would appreciate, and up to the popcorn and concessions counter. It smelled more like the charred remains of the kernels and the butter used to pretend the lifeless snack had any flavor, but they weren’t here for that. As it turned out, the entire party was human-food adjacent. As far as she was aware. Whatever it was that Morgan was, she didn’t seem to need sustenance either. Just the alcohol, then. Her eyes settled on Anita. “No,” she said slowly, even though the rest of her begged her to say yes. She wanted to run, she wanted to go back outside where it smelled like ocean salt and dead leaves, instead of staying stuck in this pit of stale socks and warm beer-- but Anita had seemed excited to hang out with her friends, and Marley wasn’t about to deny her that. Anita deserved a good night out, after all, and if that meant gritting her teeth and bearing a grin through the banshee she’d tormented and the girlfriend who wanted to rip her head off, she would do it.

“No,” she repeated again, this time more firm. “I can play nice, promise. And if it seems like they don’t want to, I can just dip. It’s fine,” she gave a little lopsided grin, trying to be reassuring. “I don’t wanna ruin this for you.” Even though she ruined everything. This, for some reason, seemed important to not ruin. When the greasy teenager came up to take their order, his outfit more striped than any mimes’s, but boasting far too many colors, Marley ordered two pitchers, before turning back to look at Anita. “And uh-- it’s complicated. I’ll--” her eyes fell on the two across the lane, standing in the line together. Their arms were wrapped around each other, their bodies sitting together almost perfectly, like they simply fit that way and life made sure to let them fall into each other. As if they were simply made for each other. Another strange pang tugged on her sternum, on the space beneath it, and she looked away quickly. Whatever they had, she never would. Marley wasn’t capable of feeling that. Her arm instinctively wrapped tighter around Anita. “I’ll tell you later, as long as you promise not to hate me for it.” Just then, two pitchers and a stack of shameful, plastic cups were set on the counter before them and Marley found herself glad she hadn’t gone for the wine. She wasn’t picky, but plastic ruined the flavor.

Picking up the two pitchers, and leaving the cups for Anita to grab, she turned back towards the alley, nodding in the direction of the other two, who were now heading towards what she assumed was their lane for the night. Just grin and bear it, she told herself. For Anita.

Morgan side eyed the pair at the drinks counter, barely holding in her grimace. “Anita can handle herself. I don’t know what she is, but she’s a part of our crowd, so to speak. And I think if Mara had any pheromone stuff, Evelyn would’ve mentioned it. And, you know, she’s not even the type who gets attached easily. She doesn’t ‘do’ relationships. And she knew that rule one is no repeat engagements, and I know this because we talk about exploits--tastefully--over lunch. Whatever this is, it’s real, or as real is it can be with Marley lying about what a dickbag she is to everyone else. I mean, that’s gotta be it, right?” She paid the cashier for their lane and ordered an extra large plate of fries, with a pair of paper sauce cups filled with salt on the side.

As they waited off to the side for their order to be filled, Morgan gave Deirdre’s arm a squeeze, resting her head against it. “We’ll play one game, I’ll bond with Anita, and we’ll call it an early night, by which I mean, you get to decide what’s for real dinner and if you want to change the numbers on the parking zones, or just go home and let me do whatever you ask in bed. Also, you know, if you change your mind later and need to tap out, that’s fine too.” Their plate arrived, along with the size bowling balls and shoes they’d asked for. Morgan hefted hers with her new strength, taking a little joy in the astonishment on the attendant’s face as she spun it between her hands. “And uh, while I don’t think bowling ball to the mara should count as a first tactic, I think I can safely promise that whatever it is I’ll feel, it’s definitely not gonna be mad.”

She came down to their spot, all the way at the end of the lanes. The place was so busy this weekend, there wasn’t any other space except next to the teenager party, and the evening didn’t need to get worse by playing there. Morgan put on her best friendly face and waved at Anita and (regrettably) Marley as they came to join them. “Hey! Thanks for getting the drinks. At least the beer looks good and cold.”  She plopped down on the seat and started putting names in, keeping her attention mostly on Anita. Ever since Rebecca went off on another stupid lead, she’d been lonely with just the surviving TA bros for friends. This had to work. She needed this to work. “We already got your shoes, just need to go find the sizes you want. And there’s snacks for the table to munch on! Sometimes it’s nice to have something to occupy yourself with between rounds. I’m thinking two teams in pairs? Prof versus prof, with each of our...gal pals as our teammates? That should make things even and fair. And like all super reasonable adults, we just play for bragging rights. I’ve played uh, three or four whole bowling games in my life? So I’m feeling pretty snazzy. How about y’all?” She did her best to keep her tone light, to focus on the good and not make this too strange, but she couldn’t help but slide her gaze over to Marley to make sure she wasn’t doing anything underhanded.

“I don’t mean physically, Morgan…” Deirdre grimaced, she didn’t want to imply anything about Marley but….she was doing exactly that. It was easy to fake interest, easy to string people along---even those who thought they would never want a relationship. She’d done it before; what was stopping Marley from doing the same? “I remember what she was like when she---” Deirdre swallowed. “I don’t think it really matters much how capable or smart Anita is, if someone like Marley---” She cut herself off again, daring a glance back at the couple-not-couple. “I’m just worried about your friend, that’s all.” Or maybe she just struggled to believe someone like Marley was capable of a healthy more-than-friendly relationship with someone. Then again, she never thought she was either.

But Morgan was here, pressed against her and soothing. She wondered for just a second---before she regretted it---if Marley and Anita felt this way too. “No,” she shifted, anchoring their bodies together the way they knew best. “I mean--I can do this. Anita is your friend, and we don’t need to do any of that on my account.” Deirdre leaned down to steal a kiss, lingering as she continued. “But I’ll take you up on having some fun to ourselves later.” She watched with a smirk as Morgan spun her bowling ball, pride swelling in her as astonishment settled into the attendant. That’s my girl, she felt like bragging, but had enough sense not to. That poor employee had at least a couple more hours of their shift to slog through, they could probably do without Deirdre boasting about her amazing girlfriend. Instead she snaked her free arm around Morgan’s waise, overcome with a sense of ease. “You’re right. Salt to the mara should be the first tactic, or is it knife to the mara? Salt knife to the mara. You’re a genius, my love.” Everything would be okay, because Morgan was here. Marley couldn’t hurt her, Marley wouldn’t.

And then she did something she knew she’d regret. “I’m sorry,” she held her hand out to Marley as she approached with Anita. “For being weird. Whatever happened between us, it’s all in the past, isn’t it?” She smiled politely, offering Anita a look of apology as well. Of course, she knew it wasn’t her fault, and of course, she was still fantasizing about the pleasures of stabbing Marley but this she did for Morgan, and for the sake of not ruining a friendship she must have cherished. “Right?” She gestured to her hand, insistent that Marley take it and accept her unnecessary apology. Except her eyes painted a different story as they met Marley’s: I want to dismember your body and bowl each part down the lane. Then her eyes fell to the salt and the fries: I don’t even know where I’ll stick those but I’ll stick them somewhere. “That sounds perfect, my love,” she smiled at Morgan, done with her silent threats. “But we could make it more interesting. Bragging rights are one thing.” And a fae with the power to bind people to their competitions was another. And she would win, of course. She could scream and knock those pins down and none would be the wiser. Of course, all of her ideas of a bet involved stabbing Marley. “You know, I’d like to be able to ask one question, and get complete honesty. That’s it. A worthy enough bet, right?” She looked between Anita and Marley. “Unless, of course, you’d both rather be boring.”

Anita smiled softly when she felt Marley’s arm tighten around her. It made the awkwardness of five minutes ago seem to slip away and she let out a soft content sigh. “Of course I won’t hate you.” She pressed a quick kiss to Marley’s cheek right before the concession employee placed the beer and cups down in front of them. She grabbed the cups off the counter, thanking the worker who seemed very disinterested in being there, then following Marley back to the others. “I didn’t know bowling could be played in teams, honestly. But yeah! That sounds good to me.” Maybe making it teams would be better, hopefully Marley and Deirdre wouldn’t have to interact much and the rest of the evening could be wholly uneventful. “Three or four times? Well, shit, you’re practically an expert compared to me.”

She began to pour out four cups of the beer, looking up cautiously as Deirdre approached Marley. Whatever happened between them, it was clearly a long and complicated story. Something Marley was worried she would hate her for. Which was pretty ludacris considering all they’ve been through already. But she seemed like she wanted to move on, put it behind them. Anita smiled over at them then reached over to hand Morgan a nice full cup of the beer. She gave her a little hopeful smile, maybe naively thinking this night would go better than the first introductions might have implied. Deirdre’s suggestion made her a little nervous, honesty was a valuable commodity, and not one she liked to share. But Anita wasn’t about to be called boring. “Alright,” she said with a shrug then looked over towards Marley. “And when we win, we get to ask a question. What’s the fun in a bet if it's not reciprocal?” Very quickly she realized she probably should have consulted with Marley before accepting, but she knew she wasn’t one to turn down a challenge.

Salt. She hated salt. It sat on the table in front of her in those stupid little pinfolded cups mocking her. Marley scrunched her nose, sitting as far away from the plate of fries as possible. As she sat, she noticed that almost everybody’s eyes were on her, and Deirdre had extended a hand-- and an apology. She blinked, staring at it. There was no way it was genuine, and the look on Deirdre’s face told her as much. Still, she stood and took her hand. She didn’t like all of this attention. Normally she didn’t mind it when people’s eyes were on her if she knew they were someone she could get something out of, but she liked being able to disappear into a crowd better. Literally being able to turn invisible helped with that. But she was used to slinking around in the background, to not being noticed. To dictate from the shadows. All these eyes on her made her skin crawl. You couldn’t disappear if people were watching. Marley finally met Deirdre’s eyes, surprised to find the banshee holding her gaze-- most people flinched the second time around. She tried to smile. “Right,” was all she said, before turning away and sitting down. Fine, if they wanted to look at her, she’d give them something to look at. Anita had already agreed them to the bet, and she wasn’t about to back down, despite never having bowled in her life before. She stood, her cheek burning where Anita had kissed her, and tugged her “gal pal” closer. “I’ll go get our shoes,” she said, before leaning in to press a quick kiss to her lips. Partly because she found herself burning to feel her, and party because she knew it would make the other two squirm. She gave them a wink before walking over to the counter to get their shoes.

Morgan was glad to every power in the universe that she didn’t have the blood circulation to blanche or blush. That didn’t stop her eyes from bulging when she saw Marley kiss Anita with the same casual affection she gave her girlfriend. She had definitely done things like that with Deirdre without them technically being a couple, but she had also definitely been helplessly in over her head with love and affection. And, yes, that had been her guess before Anita revealed her mystery lady’s identity, but now that it was Marley and not some nice random preferably-supernatural stranger, she had started to hope that all the ‘not a couple’ talk had been true! No romance or abiding affection here! Just good old fashioned meaningless sex and hang time! Grown up BFFs, at most. She stared in spite of herself, her eyes following Marley as she left. Then, catching herself, her eyes landed on Deirdre, a ‘did you see that?’ look on her face, before finally finding Anita. This was fine. She could do this. She could be grown-up enough to make grown up work friends.

“Really? Not even a kid’s birthday party game? Well in that case, I at least gotta give you a few freebie pointers during my round, c’mon.” She crooked her finger at Anita, smiling coyly. Maybe the key to this was threading the needle between completing her real objective (making better friends with Anita) and playing some light interference in the interim, however much was really needed anyway. And if Anita was monopolized, there wouldn’t be as much time to watch...whatever what she’d just seen was.

The pins were set up as the game started and Morgan hefted her ball into the right grip. “Okay, so the trick is to follow the arrows on the lane with your eyes and finish with your wrist. Uh, this ball is maybe a little heavy for you to try with, but you can just use yours on my next round. Now, hypothetically, with the right start, you just have to run up, arm high, and…” Morgan flicked her wrist and released the ball, sending it flying into half the pins on the right. “What do ya think? Ready for your freebie?”

Deirdre did have the blood circulation to blanche, which she did promptly, barely keeping herself from gawking. And then she blushed with rage, shaken away only as her eyes met Morgan. She didn’t like what she saw, and what she saw was Marley having a good time. She must have done that on purpose, she must’ve. But as she reached to Morgan for comfort, her hands met the air, and her confusion was turned towards her girlfriend, who was understandably interested in the friend she wanted to be closer to. She suppressed a remark of surprise, and whatever she could of a hint of betrayal, and sat down to watch. Yet, unsure of why she felt weirdly uncomfortable, she turned to watch Marley…who also made her uncomfortable to look at. And so she crossed her arms, kicking her long legs one up over the other, and looked away from Anita and Morgan to try and fantasize more about flaying Marley. But a perverse sense of curiosity kept her looking back.

For a split second, Anita was too shocked that Marley had actually just kissed her in front of other people to kiss her back. But it didn’t take long for her to quickly regroup and return the kiss before Marley pulled away to go grab shoes for them. Thankful she was unable to blush, she turned back towards Morgan, hoping the slight awkwardness of that moment wasn’t too apparent. “Well, I wasn’t really invited to many birthday parties as a kid. Which sounds far more depressing than it actually was, I promise.” Anita replied, smiling and trying to remember that she came here to have fun, not to be confused by Marley. After all, she did that just about every other day of the week. “Pointers would be amazing.” She watched Morgan intently, for a moment forgetting that her girlfriend was sitting only a few feet away from them. “Wow, you have really good form for someone who’s only played three or four times. But I don’t know if I’m ready to try just yet, I might need to watch you do it again first.” She was mostly joking, after all she did have exceptional hand-eye coordination. So she picked up a bowling ball that felt like a decent weight, then lined up in front of the lane ready to mimic Morgan’s movements. After lining herself up, she ran up to the lane, then swung her arm high and released the ball. It traveled down the lane knocking a modest number of the pins down. “Huh, not as bad as I thought it was gonna be.”

Marley turned around and instantly hated what she saw. There was Anita, right up on the lane with Morgan. The tiny woman was giving her “pointers”, moving closer to her, showing her how to throw the ball. She bristled for a moment, entirely sure that if she were a cat, she’d be sporting a puffed tail. Behind her sunglasses, though, she could pretend she was smiling instead of glaring. She loudly dropped the shoes on the table then sat back, abstaining from removing her own until this little show ended. Folded her arms over her chest and watched, slumped in the chair. After a moment, she stole a short glance over at Deirdre, wondering why it felt like eyes were scanning her and found her peeking her direction as well. Was she as ruffled by this as well? Marley turned to look away, furrowing her brow. She didn’t quite like the idea that she could agree with Deirdre on anything, but here she was. That stupid feeling needled her stomach again and she leaned forward, elbows on the table, looking at the fries and the cups of salt. “You’re a natural,” she said loudly, before pushing the tray further away from herself-- the far half hanging almost all the way off the table now-- and grinned over at Anita. “Looks like we might have a shot at winning this.”

Morgan watched Anita’s ball topple the majority of the pins, eyeing her, impressed with the turn of events in spite of herself. “Okay,” she laughed. “For someone who’s never done this before, that’s pretty impressive. I’m starting to wonder if you left that one standing just so I wouldn’t get too much of a prize out of your score. But, I am glad this is going to be a good game, professor.” She said the word with an exaggerated affectation, waving her arm into a bow as frilly-sleeved friendly duelists might have done. “You know, Detective, y’all just might,” she said, too delighted to put much of an edge to it. “But, then again, my girl has game too, so it’ll be a close one at least.” She plopped down into the seat next to Deirdre and kissed her cheek. “Isn’t that right, babe?” She said. “Your turn, show ‘em who’s boss.”

Okay, Deirdre decided, she really didn’t like this. But she didn’t know why, she turned to Marley and tried to ask her what it was before she remembered that she hated Marley, and she’d sooner go back to watching the strange torture of Morgan and Anita. And then Marley pushed the tray away, and Deirdre snapped to her side, leaning forward just the same---collecting herself just enough not to seem anything but casual. She swung her arm out, pressing her fingers to the cheap plastic and dragging it closer to her. “I’m not sure you’d call it natural talent when she’s getting coached,” she mused, slowly slipping a fry into her mouth. Fates, these things were salty. “Want one?” She dangled it out in front of Marley, seemingly wanting to feed her. But she leaned in instead, unsure what kind of supernatural Anita was, and if that version of supernatural was also gifted with super-hearing. “Does it…look weird to you too or is that just me?” She was genuine, and sincerely confused. It felt like jealousy, almost, but that was an absurd thing to feel. But she nearly could feel the burn of Anita’s gaze as if it were her own, and she knew the notes of affection in Morgan’s voice. She popped the fry she was offering into her mouth, and casually turned back to her girlfriend. The affection might have been directed to her now, but it rang with a strange hollowness to her. “Mhm, but you’re pretty good yourself, my love,” she shook her head and planted a return kiss on Morgan’s lips. Must’ve been her imagination; after all, Morgan wasn’t acting any different. Deirdre picked up her ball---she didn’t bother to check the weight in her confusion---and bowled a strike. Except it didn’t feel much like one. Even being the best possible outcome, she slumped and sulked back to her seat. She had another terribly salty fry to collect herself before she leaned into Morgan and put the rest out of her mind. “Your turn, I would think,” she smirked, “remember our promi--deal, you two.” A deal she had seized with her fae magic the moment she could.

As Anita turned back around to go sit down at their little table area, she froze up, only for a split second, as she saw Deirdre seemingly offering to feed Marley a french fry. In her eyes, that only increased the likelihood that the awkwardness between those two was somehow sexual. Jilted lover? Hookup turned sour? In this town, given Marley’s reputation which was nearly identical to her own, either were strong possibilities in her opinion. Without acknowledging any of what she had seen directly, Anita very intentionally sat down in between Marley and Deirdre. “Don’t worry, I never back down from a good challenge.” There was a soft bitterness to her tone, which she instantly regretted. This was just a fun game of bowling, with two friends and their… other friends. She turned to Marley, trying to stop her mind from racing. “So, you think you can keep up with me and my natural bowling ability?” As they were talking she watched Deirdre go up to bowl, a bit surprised that she bowled a strike almost immediately. Clearly Morgan and her girlfriend were more into sporting dates then they were. Not that this was a date. “Well shit, these two might actually give us a run for our money.” She said offhandedly to Marley as she picked up her plastic cup of beer and downed a large gulp of it. “She’s gonna make this awful on us if we lose, isn’t she?” Anita asked the question in spanish, hoping that neither of the other two women would understand what she was saying.

Deirdre was closer to her than Marley wanted and the sudden closeness made her skin crawl. She didn’t like this dynamic-- Deirdre had more power than her in this situation and she hated it. Was this how she’d felt at the Cryptid Corner? Probably worse. Marley understood like no one else what fear felt like. What it tasted like. She shifted uncomfortably, leaning away from the offered fry. “Yeah,” she muttered without even looking at her, “weird is one word.” But Anita seemed to be having fun, and even if her flirting with Morgan made Marley’s insides squirm like fish on hooks, it didn’t matter. What mattered was that she was happy, and that was enough for Marley to grin and bear through the strange feelings and the awkward glances exchanged between her and the banshee. Deirdre bowled a strike and then it was Marley’s turn and she understood that no matter what she did at this point, that pair of eyes was going to watch her like hawks looking for predators. Sighing, she looked back at Anita. “She sure will,” she said back in Spanish, before standing, “and I suck at bowling.” She made her way up the lane, the awkwardly sized shoes sliding on her feet and clicking loudly on the treated wood floor. She picked up a ball, tried to remember how the others had done it, and launched one down the lane. Though mara didn’t have superstrength, Marley had admittedly thrown it harder than she’d needed. It barreled down the lane, bounced off the side, and knocked down three pins on the left. She winced a little and watched the machine whirr and reset. She glanced back at Anita while she waited for her ball to return, a hint of desperation in her eyes, though she knew no one could see them. A kid ran by in the background, squealing in his high pitched tune, and Marley was reminded why she had to keep her glasses on. She turned back and only half-hearted threw the next ball down the lane. This would’ve been so much more fun if Morgan and Deirdre weren’t here. Of all the people Anita wanted to be friends with, it had to be them, didn’t it? She slunk back to her seat with a paltry score of six pins and sat down, as far from Deirdre as possible. “Must be that left hand spin everyone’s always talking about,” she said off-handedly, nodding to Anita, “careful of it.”

Morgan sensed Deirdre’s discomfort when she left for her turn so breezily and returned without even a hint of smug superiority. “Hey--” she whispered, kissing her temple. “You were amazing, babe,” she whispered. “We got this in the bag, and whatever those two are maybe-flirting about, at least Anita seems like she’s having a nice time.” She shifted her arm so it could lay over Deirdre’s shoulders and play with her hair until it was her turn again. She watched Marly intently, puzzled when she seemed to practically throw her turn instead of flexing for her ‘friend.’ From what she’d seen of the detective, she didn’t take her for the thin skin type, or even the type to back down from intimidation. “They do say lefties have a harder time in the world,” she said, nodding along with the detective. “I definitely found the whole craft scissors part of kindergarten pretty awful. And the desks. But, Anita--” She paused, grinning and wagging her brows her way, “I hope you’re watching what I do with my left hand spin. You too, Marley.” She let her wry smile linger on the other woman as long as her insides could bear before taking her ball and sauntering up to the lane. She took more time than she needed lining up her shot, checking over her shoulder to make sure Deirdre was watching too. She tossed her hair to the side, released the ball and-- knocked over a single pin on the left. Wow. With her last move, Morgan tried to save face, taking down seven more with her next move, but all the attention she’d tried to drum up had already seriously backfired. “Like I said,” she admitted sheepishly, “It’s hard out there for a leftie. But this better not mean you start holding out on me, Anita. On the sanctity of our lunch breaks and everyone we talk shit about, I bet you can get a strike, even if my girlfriend and I do clean up shop in the end. Also, when you do, we have to get good video, so the rest of the science department knows what a badass you are.” She plopped back down in her seat, taking a runt of a fry and chewing it thoughtfully. “Tell me what’s bugging you after your turn, yeah?” she whispered to her girlfriend.

Oh, Deirdre realized, she was making Marley uncomfortable. There was some irony in that. Or a lot of irony. That was the person that attacked her, more or less. And now she was uncomfortable with some whispering and leaning in? The banshee watched with amusement as she sat as far as possible from her, trying her best not to laugh the more she looked at the scene. She’d wanted to explain that the only reason she cozied up to Marley was because she looked like she was going to knock the fries over, but she suspected that it didn’t matter in the end. She didn’t know any Spanish but she imagined that their conversation went like this: ‘wow, Deirdre is really cool’ and ‘yeah, I know. Also I’m evil.’. Of course, that probably wasn’t the case, but as with most things, Deirdre had more fun imagining. “It’s nothing,” she kissed Morgan before she stood for her turn, figuring she might as well just explain it now, “the fries are just as salty as advertised, I suppose.” And then she bowled her turn, which went poorly, and then played it off as giving them a fighting edge. The truth was, none of them were good at bowling it seemed. She watched frame after frame go by with abysmal plays and neck-to-neck scoring. Deirdre was only good when she was distracted, and not trying to bowl the way she threw a knife, which happened just often enough for them to inch into a lead---and then a very big lead. She had far more fun cuddling up to Morgan between rounds, deciding to keep their affection more subdued for Anita’s sake but being unable to wholly stay away from her. On occasion, she would spew the odd smart comment, feeling more comfortable with her wit the more Marley seemed uncomfortable. Marley, for the most part, she left alone. “You know,” she said, picking up on Marley and Anita’s competitive edge enough to know how much light-hearted trash talk she could get away with, “you two are going to lose unless you bowl some consecutive strikes. But I heard losing is in vogue now anyway right?”

As the evening wore on, Anita began to enjoy herself slightly more. Mostly thanks to Morgan, who either knew the history between Marley and Deirdre, or had a killer poker face. However, despite the fact that she was mostly enjoying bowling, she was also astutely aware of how little fun Marley seemed to be having. She felt bad but she also couldn’t help but wonder why she decided to stick around even after Anita offered her an out to leave earlier. Was that what people who were sleeping together, but being together wasn’t always about sex did? Endured something they didn’t enjoy because the other person did? She didn’t have much time to dwell on that thought though. “That’s only something that people who lose say to make themselves feel better.” She retorted at Deirdre with a slight smirk. “And for all your talk, this really comes down to this last round. Anyone’s game still.” She stood up and made her way over to the machine that spit the bowling balls back out after each roll and picked up the ball she had been using. It was the last round, and even though it was just a silly little competition between mostly-friends, Anita really wanted to win. Unfortunately for her, she had been getting progressively worse in the last few frames. She wasn’t sure if it was because she was over thinking it or if it was because her arms weren’t nearly as toned as she had let herself believe they were. As she approached the lane she tried to remember what Morgan had shown her when they first arrived, but despite her best efforts the ball only knocked down a measly three pins. Her next roll wasn’t much better - only snagging one more pin down. Feeling slightly defeated, she turned back to the group with her face scrunched up and shrugged slightly and jokingly said, “Is it in bad taste to wish that you two bomb these last rolls so that my end to the evening doesn't look quite so lame?”

Defeat was inevitable and Marley could feel the bind of their deal wearing in on her already. She hated it. She hated this stupid sport and she hated being bad at it and she hated that she hadn’t taken Anita’s out when she’d offered it. As the night had worn on, Morgan had continued her flirty quips with Anita and each one grated harder on Marley’s insides until they felt raw and she had no earthly idea why it bothered her so much. The salt had remained on the table, but the fries had grown cold. The beers had been drunk, the pitchers and cups now empty. But there was one round left, and if the other two bombed it enough, they had a chance to win. And Marley wasn’t a quitter. She could easily trick one into flubbing a roll, or scare them enough to distract them, but-- her glance fell onto Anita’s scrunched nose and her furrowed brow as she turned back from her turn and Marley couldn’t bring herself to want to potentially ruin it for her. So she stayed seated as she looked over at the other two and waited. “Don’t count us out yet,” she balked instead, hoping her false bravado would throw them at least a little bit, “There’s always a chance you’ll fuck up. That’s the essence of chaos, isn’t it?” She cast a sideways glance at Deirdre, tipping her glasses up just slightly so that the red glow of her eyes was noticeable if you looked hard enough. “And I’m sure you both know a lot about chaos.”

Morgan was almost enjoying herself throughout the evening. There was a video of Anita almost-but-not-quite getting a spare, Deirdre seemed to have settled a little, enough to spar with her wit, and they were almost certainly about to win. “Why, detective!” Morgan said, brightly coy as she made a show of flicking salt from her fingers. “You’re right. I think chaos might just be my middle name.” She sauntered over to get her ball and made her move. Nine pins down. Morgan curtseyed smugly and took her second roll. Not a spare, but she had done as well as she needed to. “I do think the less-than-winning side should get some kind of consolation prize,” she mused. “I’ve been trying out all kinds of weird recipes if you want to be my taste tester, Anita. And I can safely promise that the local mayo is never an ingredient if that makes you any more confident.” She stole a glance over at Deirdre, giving her an encouraging wink, before going back to talk about work and cooking, her attention still turning to Marley curiously. She hadn’t done...anything this whole night, really, except flaunt her not-status with Anita. What was her deal?

The essence of chaos was strong in a fae, and this time, Deirdre met Marley’s red glow with confidence and a sinister grin. She could do absolutely nothing to her here, and she knew that. And if mushroom season had done Deirdre one service, it was amplifying her already chaotic tendencies. And there was no way a mara could know exactly what she was provoking. Deirdre stood to take her turn and with a purposeful stride, she bowled exactly as well as she needed to--no better and certainly no worse. Just to rub it in. With the last of the pins down, the game was over; they had won. Deirdre turned to them slowly, her face twisted with inhuman delight. “Detective, you should know…” Her eyes reflected blankly back at them. Their promise had been set, there was no stopping her now. “...that I deal in chaos. You might think it’s unpredictable but--oh no--it’s practiced.” Like life, like death, like promises that bind. She strode up to Marley in slow, deliberate steps. “It’s nature.” She jabbed her finger at her, looking down at the mara. “And you’ve made the mistake of thinking you know it. So, Styder, you owe me an answer.” This she delighted in dragging out, she let the clueless children around them scream and shout; the sounds of pins being knocked down to permeate the air. When she finally spoke, it was with a drawn out pleasure. “How do you really feel about Anita?”

#stay in your lane 1 #wr marley #wr anita #wr deirdre #wr marley chatzy #wr anita chatzy #wr deirdre chatzy #wr chatzy #wr group chatzy #wickedswriting