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he-calls-me-kitten · 10 months

Note

Ah, thank god <33

Since I don't have the balls to write this myself -- what about the bros with a very flirtatious reader-? One that just teases them non-stop throughout the whole day, and the bros punish them for it-?

(Ik this is a rlly boring idea but AKSKDKSNS)

First of all, it's not boring AT ALL! Do you know how much I love it when MC takes charge??? And this right here???!!! THIS IS GOLDEN HEHEHE! We need more confident flirty representation okay!!

No Rest for the Loving

Seriously you could be the biggest tease in all three realms. They thought they had seen everything with Asmo, but lo and behold, came along you. It was quite literally, getting harder to live with you in the same house. But there's only so much they can hold back until their patience runs out.

Lucifer face palms as you take a seat on his lap, offering to 'help with paperwork'. You've not even shifted yet, but he's already stimulated - knowing your cheeky tricks. And the fact that you've been constantly doing it the entire day. First in the meeting room and now in his room.

"You look extra tired. Look at all the lines on your forehead." You hold his face tenderly, pretending to kiss it better. "Ahaha, you look so much better when you're flushed red."

"Hmph, is that so?" Lucifer glanced up towards his door to see if it was locked. "In that case, you might look better like this." Papers flew and pens and quills scattered and fell off the desk as he placed you on it and laid you down.

You brace yourself as he grinds against you mercilessly. You throw your head back when you're almost at your climax and then he pulls back. You groan into your hands because you know he won't be relieving you for a while.

Mammon grumbled under his breath as he hung from the ceiling, waiting for you to stop laughing. "Are ya done laughing your head off yet? Can you get me down already?"

"Oh come on, you're asking me to go against Lucifer's orders to keep you like this, atleast let me have my fun won't you?" You cooed, running a finger down his chiselled abs exposed from hanging upside down.

"Oi! I told you to stop that! This is the fourth time! What's with you and my stomach anyway?!" He blushed furiously, his skin on fire from your fingers.

"I just like how it feels." You answered cheekily, as you untied him from the ropes. "Now there, all done. Now we're even."

"No..." You were about to leave when you felt his arm wrap around your waist, the other hand cupping your bottom. Squeezing and groping it as he pleased, it sent electricity up your spine. "We'll be even after I'm done with my turn."

"Ack! There's no way! I can't possibly win against you!" Leviathan said as he lost another round of the staring contest with you. "Also is it really okay for you to sit there and have an ice cream during this?!"

"What's wrong with the ice cream, I got you the Ruri one in your favourite flavour too didn't I?" You said, deliberately making a big show of eating the stick of ice cream in a erotic way. "My, my what are you imagining in that head of yours, Levi?"

Levi turned even redder at the accusation. Oh shit. Had you caught him staring at your tongue the whole time? "I'm not imagining anything! And besides you..." He racked his brain for a good one liner, inspireed by his many romance novels."Besides you couldn't handle me anyway!"

"Oh, do you want a tongue-off to put it to the test?" You regretted suggesting that seconds later. Now your endless moans were muffled by his long forked tongue invading your mouth. You tried to surrender the fight, grabbing his shirt in fistfuls, but he only shoved his tongue deeper inside in crazed frenzy, holding you firmly in place. This wasn't a fight you could ever win as his tail entered the picture too

Satan was trying so hard to hide how flustered he was. "MC, this is just getting silly now." He said trying very hard not to start gazing down at you just sitting on the floor, between his legs, head resting on his thigh. The cat ears on your head didn't help either.

"But I'm not even doing anything." You said with mock innocence, as if you hadn't made a show of crawling to him on all fours and plopped your head dangerously close to his growing arousal. "Oh, am I to blame for this?"

You turned around and grazed your hand on his crotch. He grabbed your wrist but didn't push your hand away. "Oh my, you could totally mess up my insides with this. If you know how to use it of course."

"Sure, I'll show you what I can do if you can put that pretty little mouth to use." You tried very hard to be confident but it all went down the drain now that you whimpered with his length hitting the back of your throat. He was determined not to let you walk for the next few days.

Outdoing Asmo in terms of teasing was no easy feat, but you managed it anyway. You combined his love for fashion and you very efficiently by wearing the most enticing thing you could find in his wardrobe.

All he had to do was walk in and see you sprawled on his bed, fidgeting with your phone. He gasped, dropping his many shopping bags - an impatient frenzy in his eyes.

"It seems you really like what you see." You chuckled at the obvious reaction his pants were too tight to hide. Within seconds he was on top of you, leaving lipstick stains over your exposed skin and somehow skillfully fucking you with the outfit still on. It was after the first 8 rounds you realised what a mistake you'd made.

"Oh no MC, don't drift off just yet! There's a few more outfits I'd like to fuck you in." He said, pulling you onto his lap. Your head lulled to the side, resting on his shoulder. What the hell were you thinking tempting the Avatar of Lust?

The one thing you learnt about the twins is that you cannot tempt them while they are in the same room. Whether they take turns or tag team to pleasure you, you are always unable to function properly for the next few days.

Belphie takes his revenge by lazily thrusting inside you, constantly dangling you over the edge of your release.

You beg and plead but he doesn't increase his speed until the very end, where even his hands add to the party. "See how easy it is to turn the tables on you? You thought I'd let you go easy after how grinded against me in the crowded bus?"

Beel goes quiet, even apologetic right before he goes feral. As if he knows exactly how badly he's going to ruin you.

The thing about the way he overstimulates you with tongue is that you can't tell if he's being deliberate or if his hunger is just that intense. And you never ever know when he's going to be full. "I'm sorry MC, one last time I promise...it's hard to resist your taste... especially since you offered..."

#obey me #obey me smut #obey me Lucifer #obey me mammon #obey me leviathan #obey me satan #obey me asmo #obey me beel #obey me Belphie #obey me ask

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luveline · 2 years

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for baby blurbs :))

( feel free to ignore this if you don’t like the idea )

ok so this could be for Steve ( or eddie I don’t really care) but he surprises you when you’re at college and like the r and Steve were long distance before

p.s I love you and your writing sm you’ll never understand how much love I have for your writing hope you had a great night/day <33

long distance boyfriend Steve putting cough guy and all other lackluster boyfriends to shame!! tysm for ur request ily ♡ fem!reader

It's been a really long time since you saw your boyfriend. You and Steve had been long distance before. Now that you're at college it's double what it had been, and it feels impassable sometimes.

Of course you've met him, and you know him, you've spent stolen weeks together that always feel like they exist outside of time, and at the end of each one it's harder to say goodbye.

Still, he's only ever a phone call away. Miles and miles and miles, but you're very connected. Which might be why you're in such a tizzy today. He hasn't answered the phone once. You'd tried this morning before he went to work and he hadn't answered. You'd tried his place of work and his bubble best friend Robin had answered, saying he was a little busy and to call back later. You had, and nobody answered at all. Finally, at 7PM, you'd called his house phone and met the same blank wall. You want to cry.

You get scared all the time that he's going to find someone else. How could you? He's handsome in that awful, chest-aching way. Each time you see him in person is agony, to realise and remember how softly gorgeous he is with his huge brown eyes and his silky hair. He's kind, and he's funny, and he's effortlessly charming. You can't imagine the amount of interest he garners.

You sniffle to yourself, stressed beyond words. College sucks and work sucks, and the corner store hadn't had anything nice to drink so now you're thirsty and missing your boyfriend who might not be your boyfriend much longer.

You live in a small house with some other girls, and as soon as you open the door one of them calls out to you. "Hey, Y/N! Did they have it?"

"No," you say morosely, slipping out of your shoes. At least your roommates are nice. "It's okay though. I'm just... uh, I'm gonna call Steve again and then cry myself to sleep."

There's a wave of girly giggling at your joke.

"Laugh it up," you mumble ruefully.

"Would you come in here, first?" Mellissa asks. She's the tall one who always makes you desserts when she has extra. "I need help."

"Sure."

You hang your coat up on the rack and rub your sore eyes. You hadn't cried so much as teared up on the way home, and it's hard to be upset around other people. You shake your hair out and turn the corner into the kitchen, eyes on your skirt as you walk in.

"Guys, do you think this skirt makes me look like a weirdo? I liked the pattern when I got it, but now I'm thinking it makes me look like a carpet."

"It's nice."

You look up so fast your neck clicks audibly.

"I don't think you look like a carpet," Steve says, hands braced either side of the counter behind him. He snorts like he's thinking about what you've just said in more detail. "How do you come up with this stuff?"

Any nonchalance he's enacting slips away as you rush forward. He meets you half way, and he slides his arms under yours to steady you as you collide with his chest.

"Oh my god," you moan, sounding remarkably close to tears in seconds. You force your face as deeply as you can into his neck and cling to him like he might slip away. "Are you real?"

Your roommates all laugh, and Melissa shushes them. You listen to them file out of the room, cooing and awing, but your attention is quickly stolen (rightfully) by Steve's hands. He has big hands and they feel huge as they spread out over your shoulders, glueing you tight to his front.

"You're here," you say, and then you really start to cry.

"I'm here." Steve sighs at your shaking. He starts to sway you slowly from one side to the other, hand patting a gentle rhythm. "Sorry I didn't call. I thought it would be a good surprise... 'Til your roommate told me you've been worrying about me."

He pulls your head out of his neck and meets your eyes. You look back and blink tears out of your lashes so you can see him clearly, starving for his details. He looks exactly as he had the last time you'd left him, bar a small, almost minute cut under his chin. You bring your hand up to touch it carefully. He's always been sloppy with a razor.

"You don't have to worry about me. I'm not going anywhere," he says, imploring. "You know? You should know by now the only reason I'm missing your call is because I'm on my way to you or dying in a ditch somewhere."

You laugh wetly, wiping your sticky face with the back of your hand. "Don't say that."

"It's true."

Your movements turn urgent because you really want to kiss him now but you're all gross and wet. Steve gets the memo and shakes his sleeve over his hand, holding the fabric over the bottom of his palm to wipe your eyes, your nose.

"Sorry," you mumble.

He shushes you and closes the gap, forehead sliding against your own, nose tips touching as he forces your head back. "Don't be sorry," he says, words hot against your lips. You ache for him to kiss you.

"I really missed you," you say.

Steve kisses you before you can burst into renewed tears. It's urgent but he's never not a gentleman. Any attempt to deepen the kiss that you make is met with a breathless laugh and his pulling back. He nips and kisses and dedicates himself to your lips, hands and arms lifting you upwards until you're impossibly close.

"I missed you," he says, breaking the kiss. It's like he can't help himself, because he wades back in immediately. "Too." Another stolen kiss. "So much. So much."

Eventually, his lips move to your cheek and yours to his. You stand there breathing in each others skin and clinging, though your arms loosen over time as reality sinks in. He's here. He's real.

"How long are you here?" you ask, knowing the answer's gonna break your heart.

"I got ten days for you, if you'll have me. Already checked with your roommates. They said if I buy you all dinner one night for my share of the rent then it's okay."

You grow dizzy with joy. Ten days.

"You don't have to do that, really," you say, hands moving frenetically up and down his back.

"I want to. Thank them for keeping my secret."

You gasp and take a half step back. Steve follows you, like a twin star chasing it's counterpart. "They knew?" you ask.

"I needed your address."

"How'd you even talk to them?"

He takes your shoulder into his grip and shakes you mildly. "I have my ways." You gawp. "I waited until you were in class n' called your phone until one of them answered. I'm surprised they let me in."

You giggle, the sound laden with a contagious joy that has your boyfriend smiling and trying to kiss you again. You laugh into his mouth, and he laughs back. The sound tastes sweet.

#steve harrington x y/n #steve harrington imagine #steve harrington x reader #steve harrington #steve harrington x you #steve harrington fanfiction #steve harrington fanfic #steve harrington fluff #stranger things x reader #stranger things fic #stranger things #steve harrington x fem!reader #steve harrington fic #fem!reader #stranger things fanfic

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perplexingluciddreams · 3 months

Text

An average day in my life

I want to make a post about an average day in my life, with higher support needs nonverbal autism (with continued late regression), severe ME/CFS, low mobility, hypotonia, and other health things. I need a lot of help with most things, and due to my conditions my everyday life probably looks quite different than many people's.

I tried to write this several times. I started with AAC, but I couldn’t see what I just wrote, so I got lost and jumped about too much. This time I made myself some questions to answer, so I can still use AAC to help with the words, but not get so mixed up. Some of this is written with AAC, some is typed.

Where do I spend most of my time? How do I spend most of my time?

I spend the large majority of my time in my bedroom, and the most of that time is spent in bed.

In bed, the things I do is: watch DVDs or other things on laptop, edit AAC, practice/write with AAC, play games on phone, listen to music.

When I am not in bed, I am listening to loud music in my swing! Best way of regulation for me, keeps me calm.

What does my bedroom look like, how do I have things set up?

I sit up in bed with a big wedge pillow and two normal pillows behind me. I usually have my laptop, iPad, AAC device, DVDs and DVD player, and fidget toys (dummy, chewy, tangle) on the bed with me. I also have an overbed table which always has my glasses and case and juice bottle on it. I change around what is on the table depending on what I am doing at that time.

My LED lights in bedroom is usually on orange or yellow colour, with lights fairly dim. The curtains and blackout blind is always closed.

I have a fan and book light always next to my bed. I have a weighted blanket as my duvet, with five other varying types of blankets on top of it.

What are the other activities I do?

I have some other activities I occasionally do with help and prompts. Sometimes I go downstairs (with stairlift) to watch TV and/or do walking (physiotherapy, walking back and forth with or without AFO braces). I also do walking upstairs, because getting downstairs is a real challenge.

I rarely remember that I have options other than the things I see in front of me, so my parents have to give me choices.

Occasionally Mum ask me if I want to play cards, or do something else not normally do. It depends on how I feel and how loud my brain is, but sometimes I say yes.

What are the few things I can do independently on a daily basis?

I can put shoes and socks on, and take off, by myself! Only with same pair of stretchy shoes, just pull on. I do this several times a day because I wear shoes in swing, but not in bed. So it is a strong motor path.

I can change my hoodie/take it on and off by myself.

I can go between my bed and swing by myself, no prompt. I can walk to go to the toilet and change nappy (diaper) by myself.

I can brush my teeth as long as my toothbrush and toothpaste is brought to me. Sometimes I also need a reminder, or I forget. I am more likely to forget in the evening. I remember better in the morning because I don’t like the taste of my own mouth.

I can drink from my juice bottle and feed myself.

I can put DVDs in and out of DVD player and plug it into laptop. I can choose what I want to watch on a few streaming services. I can navigate a few social media apps, and can even post/message on a couple.

I can use the two different remotes to control my LED lights and sensory light projector.

What is my main struggles and difficulties in an average day?

I can't do much without prompts so these two things (bed and swing) is basically all I can do on my own (I can also go to the toilet without a prompt most of the time, but sometimes I get stuck). I struggle to initiate tasks and transition between tasks. I also can only make my body go on strong motor paths (movement sequences that I do over and over that is strong in my muscle memory), and there is only space in my brain capacity for a small amount of these motor paths at a time. Learning a new motor path and making it strong can make me lose a previous motor path (usually whichever is weakest at that time). This is very limiting.

Even with the pillows I have, it is not enough support. My body is too weak and floppy. My posture is bad and I slide/slump down so I am closer to a lying down position than sitting. I am always in a lot of pain, so I shift around a lot trying to get comfy, but it is never quite right. This is even more for when I sit in swing (or anywhere else), there is next-to-none support there.

If I could, I would be in my swing all the time! But unfortunately I have very low energy due to ME/CFS so a lot of rest is necessary. I find this hard because I need to stim and regulate constantly.

It is necessary that I spend much time alone in my room. If I didn’t, the smallest things would send me into immediate shutdown or meltdown. I can’t be around people much at all, even voices noises is too much. Usually I am only around people for the time when they help me with something, or bring me something.

When I do be around people, even with AAC it is very very difficult for me to communicate - I can do a handful of simple signs but anything more complex is so hard to get out that it usually has to happen when I am on my own in my room (like when I write a post like this). I am sad that I can’t have important or deep conversations with a person in the same room. Most of the important things I communicate to Mum is through Tumblr or WhatsApp.

I am oversensitive to so many things because of sensory issues. I am always dysregulated and I spend so much time trying to keep myself calm with swinging, with out making my health worse.

Often I am much too tired and sore to go downstairs so I am stuck in my bedroom most of the time.

I don't feel many body signals, like my bladder. When I don’t feel the signals at all (or not until too late), combined with getting stuck and not able to initiate go to toilet fast enough, I have accidents. This used to be something I could just about keep on top of, but with regression I no longer can manage it, so I have to wear nappies (diapers). This also adds another task (change nappy) that I have to use my limited brain capacity to learn and hold onto.

I am so fatigued and in pain from doing small things, and my body response to fatigue is often a big trigger for many sensory issues. This often becomes a downward spiral of fatigue response -> sensory bad -> big stim to calm down -> stim makes fatigue worse -> more body fatigue response, etc.

What is my morning routine like?

The first thing that happens in the morning (approximately 9am) is Mum or Dad comes to my bedroom with breakfast and medication. They help prop me up in bed with a big wedge pillow, and two normal pillow behind me. They give me my headphones (I wear almost all day, every day) and help put all my things around me on the bed. They also give me my toothbrush and toothpaste. In the mornings I can’t communicate much at all (only occasionally a few signs), can’t look at another person or do anything that would overwhelm me even a wee bit. It would cause immediate shutdown or meltdown. Shutdown is more likely for the morning time.

What is my mealtime routine like?

Mum or Dad (or very occasionally sister) brings me my food, and if it is a messy food then I put a tea towel over my chest so I don’t get covered in food. I eat while watching something usually, because I need the distraction to not get so stuck. Every time I get new meal or snack brought upstairs to me, I get a fresh bottle of juice also. The bottle is approximately 450ml, and I have 3 meals plus 2 snacks each day. I also get a bottle of water (not juice) brought up with evening meds, so I don’t get sugar on my teeth after I brush them.

I eat the same snacks at the same times every day. I have the same exact breakfast every day, and it has barely changed since I was quite young. I have two lunches, it is the same except for sandwich filling - I eat one for weekdays, one for weekends. Dinner varies, but there is still a predictable amount of choices, and often I eat the same dinner for the same day of the week. Mum sometimes tells me what is for dinner, if it will be different than the usual dinner for that day of the week, or if I ask. But I usually forget by dinner time anyway! 🤷🏻‍♂️

What is my bath time routine like?

With bath, Mum always helps. I need a lot of prompts. I get confused and lost with all the steps. But I have gotten better with practice, and each step have a stronger motor path now. I need Mum to tell me what part comes next.

I use a bath lift to get in and out of the bath.

I can do the physical washing part mostly on my own, sometimes I ask for help with my back. Mum gives verbal prompts and puts the right soap/shampoo in my hand or on washcloth.

Sometimes even with prompts, my brain confuses the steps or the motor paths, and my body does the wrong thing. This happens more recently, because when there is a complex sequence of separate (at least it is stored separately in my brain) motor paths, I can go into “loops” of do same thing over and over. Or my wires get crossed and I simply do the wrong movements.

I can also mostly dry myself (I sit on toilet seat to do it), but Mum always does my back. I can’t dress myself, so once I put on nappy by myself, Mum puts my top on. Then I walk to bedroom and Mum puts my trousers on while I sit on the edge of my bed (it is a better height that sitting on the toilet seat). Then Mum opens deodorant and clicks it up, I put it on myself.

What is my evening/bedtime routine like?

I have poor sleep, usually, and a really weird sleep schedule! My parents go to bed at approximately 10pm (sometimes Mum a bit earlier), and Dad always comes in to tell me goodnight. But I am awake much much after that (usually between 1-3am is when I finally go to bed for sleep). Sometimes I still swing when my parents is in bed, but I try not to swing too late because it can click and make noises.

I stay up and watch things, or play games on phone and listen to music. I often get stuck and cannot transition to go to bed, so I force myself awake for long after I could probably already go to bed.

When I finally manage to force myself to do the bedtime routine (or when my body is so tired it force me), I have to move all the things off the bed (some go on overbed table, some go to charge on the other side of the room). I also then change hoodie from day hoodie to sleep hoodie. I also move big wedge cushion and extra pillow down onto the floor. And put special cushion under my sleep pillow so it is at the perfect angle. Then, finally, I can lie down.

Sometimes I still go on my phone after that, usually to read fanfiction, if I can’t relax enough yet. I also rock back and forth on my side to soothe myself, I have done it since I was very young. I have to put my fan on to sleep, the noise and the feeling on my face is necessary to fall asleep, and it helps keep my temperature okay.

Then, the cycle of morning starts all over again!

#ezra talk aac #from the chaos of my mind #autism #autistic #long post #very long post #mecfs #me/cfs #cfsme #cfs/me #myalgic encephalomyelitis #chronic fatigue syndrome #I hope to write more specifically about hypotonia and how it affects me each day AND in general throughout my life #high support needs #nonverbal #nonspeaking #aac

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wonderland-smile-stories · 5 months

Text

~ Chapter 1. 01 ~

I apologize in advance for any spelling or grammar mistakes and how poorly written this fanfic is. English is not my first language and together with my dyslexia ass things can go wrong I'm sorry.

With a loud sigh, I open the door slowly hoping nobody would notice me. There were some voices in the living room and upstairs, but they seemed too busy to hear me entering.

Slipping off my shoes I held my stomach trying to ease the pain when I bent forwards. The beating from the previous night was still hurting as bad as when I received them. It also didn't help that I was pushed into the lockers about ten times today.

With slow steps, I began to make my way to the stairs. If I am lucky I can avoid everyone today and get a good night's sleep. My foot had just stepped on the first step of the stairs when I someone clear they were through. I close my eyes taking a deep breath.

"Mi-na. Where do you think you're going?" The sharp raspy voice spoke from behind me.

I turn around gripping tightly on the strap of my backpack that was hanging on my right shoulder.

"I was going to bed," I answered hoping she would be tired and just let it go.

While Taking a drag of her cigarette, her eyes scan me up and down before she blows out the smoke to speak. "Where have you been? It's eight a clock at night."

I opened my mouth to say something, but before I had a chance to speak she was already talking.

"Are you doing something behind my back again? I hope I won't get child services again at my door. I don't need to remind you what happened when they were gone." I swallow thickly grabbing my left arm while rubbing on the scars that were left to remind me.

"N....n..no. I....I was just."

"Just what huh? Speak up or you are spending your night in the shed."

The shed is a cold dark and nasty place. It's where you get sent if you so-called misbehave. You never know when you're allowed to get out or if even a day when by. It's just you in the darkness.

"I had to go to the pharmacy," I mumble looking down at my feet.

A scoff could be heard throughout the room before her shrill voice spoke again.

"Pharmacy? For what huh? Last time I checked you weren't sick."

I look up trying to steady my breath.

"M..my wou-"

"Stop mumbling! You know I hate when someone mumbles!" She yelled stepping closer to me.

"My wounds. They were getting infected. If I didn't threaten them it would get worse and had to go to the hospital. I thought it would be better to threaten them now before people would see it." I explain hoping she would just let me off by yelling at me.

For a few seconds, she looked at me before a stinging hit my cheek making my head turn to the side.

"Don't explain yourself as if you did something good! You wouldn't have those wounds in the first place if you hadn't disobeyed me!"

With heavy breaths, I look at her while holding my burning cheek.

"What money did you use to buy that shit." She asked calmly, too calmly.

"The money I got from my job," I mutter out.

Before I could brace myself she grabbed my hair pulling me closer to her.

"You stole from me?! You know that that money belongs to me!" Her face was so closed that I was getting dizzy from the smell of cigarettes coming from her mouth.

"I'm s..so....ry!" I cry out holding my hair where she was pulling on.

"Sorry? Sorry?! What the fuck does your 'sorry' do me?! Huh?" With every word her grip tightened on my hair, making tears appear in my eyes.

"I give you a place to live and this is how you repay me! Stealing and lying!"

With big force, she pulled me to the ground landing hard on my already bruised knees.

"It's like you're asking to get punished!"

Without any warning, she slammed her foot on my left hand. A loud cry escaped my mouth, but I quickly shut it hoping nobody else would hear it. I don't want the others to come down and help her.

"I....I'm sorry I'll pay it ba.." My voice was interrupted when she twisted her shoe on my hand while putting more pressure on it.

"Without a doubt! I don't care how you do it, I just want my fucking money!" With one last twist, she steps off my hand.

I cradle it against my chest feeling how it was throbbing from the pain. I swear I could feel something broken in it when I ran my finger over it.

"Get out of my eyes before I put you in the shed!" I nodded my head quickly standing up.

I watch as she walks back to the living room making sure she is completely gone before going upstairs. With the back of my other hand, I wipe the tears that had escaped my eyes.

Every day is the same.

Even if I do everything she wants she still finds a way to punish me.

With a deep sigh, I enter my room closing the door behind me. At least I didn't see the other kids. They love to watch or even help with her. Even in school, I can't escape. They just continue what they started at home there.

Walking to my bed I turn on the bedside lamp making it less dark in my room. It wasn't big and there wasn't much in it, but at least I was alone. I put my bag to the side before taking off my hoodie and shirt underneath it. I had just pulled my jeans down when I heard a crack in the floor behind me.

Quickly I turned around and came face to face with Drew. There was a cocky smirk on his face while looking me up and down. Quickly I grabbed my hoodie and threw it over my head hoping it would cover most of my body.

"Don't stop because of me. There is nothing I haven't seen before." I bite the inside of my cheek shaking my head at him.

"What are doing in my room, Drew? It has already been a long day and I really want to go to bed."

A part of me knew why he was here. While the other part hoped he was just here to annoy me. But seeing that it was late at night only one thing came to my mind. I have told myself that I won't let him do this to me anymore. That I would fight harder until he was annoyed and just left me alone.

A chuckle left his lips before taking a step toward me. As I said it was a small room, and it didn't take him much to reach me.

"Just wanted to say hey. Besides I heard that you were in trouble again with Ms. Ward. You just can't help yourself, don't you, love?" He reaches out moving a strain of hair out of my face.

The moment his fingertips grazed my cheek I could feel a chill run up my spine.

"Don't touch me," I mutter out moving my face from his hands.

"Just get out of my room. Haven't you done enough today?" I breathe out tiredly.

With both his hands he grabbed my face pulling me completely against his body.

"What the?! I said le.." Before I could finish he had crashed his lips on mine.

I had to process for a second what was happening before I began to struggle to get away from him. I felt him bite my lip, but I firmly held my two lips together denying entrance. With one strong shove, I push him away from me taking a deep breath immediately afterward.

"What's wrong with you!?" I cough out wiping my lips.

"Can't you go to one of your side chicks? Why do you want me?!" I whispered trying not to let the others know what was happening here.

A laugh came out of his mouth before he moved back in front of me. I took a few steps back but was quickly met with the bed behind me. Almost falling backward on it.

"Nobody is like you, love. You're just so different than the others."

I shook my head.

"Just go," I whisper hoping he would listen to me.

The same annoying chuckle left his mouth before he gave me a shove. Quickly I fell backward on my bed hitting my head hard on the wall.

For a second I think had passed out, but was quickly back to the present, well half the present.

My sight was hazy and blurry like they had put a filter over my eyes. When I tried to move my head the room seemed to spin around me, making me close my eyes tightly trying not to get dizzy. Without noticing I fell back in the dark, but not before I felt a presence beside me.

I felt someone grabbing my legs and putting them on the bed slowly I opened my eyes and saw someone sitting on the bed beside me slowly rubbing my bare leg. Goosebumps ran through my body making me want to pull away, but it was like my body wasn't listening. There was a voice, but it was muffled like I was in the water.

I think I passed out again because the next time I woke up I could feel coldness over my whole body. Slowly I looked down and saw that my hoodie was gone. I wanted to panic and run away, but everything was still blurry around me. A dark figure hovered above me before a hand touched my cheek and some words came out of its mouth that I couldn't understand.

When I woke up again I could feel something sitting between my legs. Still, with blurry vision, I looked down and saw what I thought was Drew. I watched as he moved his hands from my leg to my stomach stopping just underneath my bra. I shook my head and I could hear myself say a weak 'no', but that didn't stop him one bit.

I felt him put his two hands beside my face before leaning down and whispering.

"Don't worry love, I'll let you enjoy it too." before kissing my earlobe up until my cheek before crashing his lips on me. I tried to move away, squirming away from his touch and trying to push him away, but he didn't budge with my weak attempt.

Suddenly I felt myself sinking deeper into my mattress, before being fully in it and the touch of Drew faded away. The material of the mattress disappeared underneath my back and before I knew it I began to fall. My body felt like I was a doll that was tossed to the side of the room when a child was done playing with it.

Nothing worked not even my own voice.

I was ready to hit the ground and welcome the darkness of death, but when my back finally met the ground I only felt pain shoot through my body.

For a few seconds, I just lay there thinking I would probably pass out, but then I began to notice something.

It was so silent.

All the noise from the people in the house, Drew, or even the noises from outside my room was completely gone. I felt my fingers twitch from beside me slowly feeling the ground around me. I only felt cold concrete. Finally, I could open my eyes and was met with a dark room.

Is this the afterlife?

Am I in hell for all the shitty things I had done in life? The cold on my body was completely gone which made me look down. Somehow my clothes were back on. Maybe I am really dead.

"Don't worry you're still alive. For now." A voice spoke from somewhere in the dark and followed with a dark snickering.

I quickly sat up noticing that my wounds and pain were gone.

"You know you can still accept me. It's never too late to be the thing always wanted to be." The voice was so familiar to me, but I could place a face with it.

I began to turn around trying to see where the person was, but there was nothing. When a laugh came from behind I turned around ready to run towards it when the ground underneath my feet crumbled away. With a yelp, I managed to grab onto the side of the hole.

I pulled my head above the edge leaning on my arms underneath my chin. Being hopeful that I could pull myself up a cry left my lips when something grabbed my leg pulling me down. Soon others follow making me almost lose my grip.

While struggling to get free of the hands I heard a laugh in front of me. Looking up I could see a person coming from out of the shadows. My eyes widened when I saw that they looked exactly like me. The only things that were different and stood out were the black eyes and the sinister smile.

"You know, I can help you if you want to."

My nails were digging into the ground trying to get a grip on something to hold me up, but I kept slipping away. Everything inside of me was screaming not to trust her. She squad down in front of me looking down at me with those abysses of eyes and a smile.

"Don't you want to be strong?" She mockingly said with a chuckle at the end.

By now I was holding on to the edge with just my fingers.

"Come take my hand. I'll help you." A part of me wanted to let go so that I would be away from her, but the other part wanted to reach out.

It was the part that was tired of fighting to survive.

I have been fighting my whole life, maybe this is a gift for everything that has happened.

With a shaky hand, I began to reach out toward the other me, but before I could brush my fingertips against hers a hand reached my shoulders yanking forcefully so that I let go of the edge.

For the second time, I was falling, but now everything was dark around me. I yelled loudly while the hands were still holding me, their grip getting harder and harder. One reached my throat and I could feel it begin to squeeze cutting off the air that was going into my body.

A loud banging began to sound around me getting louder and louder while the light from the hole got smaller and smaller.

Next chapter

————————-

The first chapter is out! I haven’t figured out what the update schedule will be. It won’t be every day that’s something I’m sure about. I hope you like it. See you in the next chapter!

#sweet home #sweet home x reader #sweet home fanfic #fanfic #sweet home netflix #cha hyunsu #sweet home x you #cha hyun su #cha hyun su x oc #cha hyun su x reader #cha hyunsoo #lee eunhyuk #lee eun yoo #yoon jisu

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jangofettjamz · 5 months

Text

The Birthday Boy

Jenna Ortega x Autistic!Male!Reader

Summary: You finally get to celebrate your birthday for the first time, and with the one you love.

Words: 1552

Y/N POV

Today is my birthday. I've never really celebrated it; family never really bothered. Now that I'm older it just seemed more insignificant. No one to celebrate it with, and let's be honest and no one wants to celebrate it on their own.

Jenna was out working, I never told her when my birthday was because I didn't want to interrupt her filming schedule, she's already got enough on her plate she doesn't need to worry about getting me gifts for my birthday she has a career to grow.

I've turned 20 today; Jenna turning 21soon. 20 years feel a bit surreal not gonna lie, crazy to think it's been that long since I was born. I try not dwell on that to much, it'll just send me spiralling.

I do wish I had a good birthday though, the feeling of being celebrating. I know this may sound narcissistic, but I always wanted to be celebrated, have a day just about me. I wanted to feel like everyone could come together and show support for me even if it was just for one day, I never had that kind of love growing up so I'd like to know what that's like, though I doubt it'll happen.

My father never paid any attention to me growing up, saying I was too much of a hassle to put up with. You know you have a bad parent when they have to "put up" with you instead of loving you unconditionally, but hey beggars can't be choosers, right?

Me thinking about how life could've been was making me depressed so I decided to go out for breakfast, I got dressed and got the keys to my car and went out get food.

On the way there I get an incoming call from Jenna, thought she would've been busy this morning so this was a pleasant surprise. I answered but kept my eyes on the road.

"Hello darling, how'd you sleep" she asked, she knows I don't sleep well when she's gone.

"Um... I slept okay, probably could've got more sleep though. I'm just going to that Italian place we went to a month ago for some breakfast. How's shooting going" I asked, she's currently filming for her new movie 'death of a unincorn' with Paul Rudd.

"Filming's going great, Paul's really cool and I can't wait for you to meet him, he's knows you're a marvel fan too." She giggles mischievously, that little minx.

"Jenna why'd you say that." I whine feeling embarrassed.

"Aw babe, don't be shy he thinks you're really cool." She says reassuringly.

"Yeah sure he does" I say sarcastically, making her laugh. "Do you know when you'll be home?" I miss her dearly, I need to see her soon.

She let's out a sigh, I brace myself for bad news. "Sorry, sweet boy. I won't be back for another week." I let out sad sigh and a whine, I missed her alot.

"Hey, hey, don't be upset baby boy, I'll be home before you know it and we'll have so much fun together. The week will go by quick I promise." She cooed, she always knew what to say to put me at ease.

"Alright sweetie I have to go, drive safe for me and I'll see you very soon." She blew a kiss through the phone "I love you, sweetheart"

"I love you too, Jenna." We end the call and I continue my journey.

I arrive at the restaurant, this is gonna drain my social battery for today so I hope I don't have to to anyone that much, I just wanna get my food, eat then leave.

I ate my food peacefully, the staff were wonderful, definitely going there again for breakfast. I leave the restaurant and do some birthday shopping for myself, figured I may aswell treat myself to something nice for my "big day"; I sound miserable.

I'm pulled out of my thoughts when I feel my phone vibrate, a few text messages from some of my friends and cast mates from scream 5 and 6. I read them and I was shocked, how did they know...

Jasmin

Hey Y/N/N, hope you're having a lovely birthday. Can't wait you see you soon.

Devyn

Howdy stranger, happy birthday my love, you're 20! Hope you're doing well and I'll see you soon... very soon. 😈

Mikey

Looks like someone has a birthday today... AND YOU DIDNT TELL ME! HOW DARE YOU! Besides that betrayal I miss you so much Y/N, happy birthday my sweet.

Mason

Hey man, looks who's 20 years old! Happy birthday bud, hope you have a good one.👍

Melissa

Hey hey, it's the birthday boy! Happy birthday honey, you deserve the best birthday in the world. All the best from me and my husband.

Jack Quaid

Hey buddy, happy 20th birthday! I miss you alot pal, Karl and Antony send their birthday wishes too. Hope to see you soon, buddy.

I was shocked; flabbergasted even. How did they know, they couldn't have possibly...unless. I looked the last message, it was from Jenna, the mastermind behind this.

❤️Jenna❤

Hi baby boy, guess who found out when your birthday is! You never told me when it was but I asked around and viola! Happy birthday sweet boy, I promise we'll see each other very very soon. I love you so much, sweetheart.❤

That little minx... this is why I love her so much, I can't begin to express how much I love her and this just solidifies that. I sent her a message back saying I love her and continue to the mall.

But as I walk to the shopping mall I see three woman who look very familiar, they're wearing party hats too. No... no way... it can't be...

Jenna POV

The look on Y/N's face is priceless, he looked shocked, excited, and emotional at the same time. I think me, Jasmin and Devyn did good on surprising him.

"JENNA?!" He says with glassy eyes.

"C'mere sweetheart" I say and open my arms, he runs towards me and I wrap him in a tight hug.

"I missed you so much" he said while crying, he's such a cutie oh my god.

"Aww sweetie, I missed you too, so much honey. I've been tracking you on Life360 and we intercepted you here. Happy birthday my love, I know you don't like big crowds so I brought Devyn and Jasmin with me" they spoke up.

"Happy birthday, Y/N/N. It's so good to see you, I've missed you alot." Devyn says making him smile widely.

"It's been too long since we've seen you Y/N, how have you been?" Jasmin asks. He lifts his head from my neck and speaks.

"Better now that you guys are here, I haven't really been feeling the best since I've been on my own, I'm so glad you're here Jenna." I hold him and rub his back in comfort.

I want him to really enjoy his birthday today, I already have stuff waiting for him at home. I think he's gonna love it. "Let's go do some shopping and then we'll go home, I have a surprise for you." His eyes lit up and I kiss his cheeks.

- 2 hours later

Y/N drove behind me as we made our way back home. Jasmin and Devyn went home soon after we shopping. We park up to the driveway and he joins me at the front door.

"Close your eyes, birthday boy" I ask and he looks at me with caution.

"What are you planning now, Ortega?" He asks me; suspicion in his voice.

"Just close them silly" he obliged and I take his hand to guide him to his surprise. We reach the living room. "Okay, open your eyes sweetheart."

He opened them and is met with countless presents ranging from: action figures and Lego sets from their favourite franchise, new clothes, PC parts and much much more. I wanted to spoil him and make up for the 20 years of birthdays he missed out on. He looked like he was on the verge of tears.

"Jenna... is this all mine?" He asked, still not believing that he finally had a proper birthday.

"All yours, sweetness" I hug him as tight as I can, he cries into my shoulder out of, what I can only assume, happiness. "Don't cry honey, it's okay. That's all for you because I love you so so much, you deserve this my love, you deserve the world." I cooed softly.

"Thank you so much" he said through his cries.

"You're so welcome, my beautiful birthday boy." I say then kiss his forehead, cheeks and lips.

"Wait here, baby boy" I head into the kitchen and grab his cake. I light the candles and head back into the living room.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Y/N, happy birthday to you." I sing and he blows out his candles.

I cheer and set the cake on the table. He smiled so brightly, he finally got to have a real birthday to celebrate.

Happy birthday Y/N.

A/N

Not my birthday, but I thought it'd make a good story. I hope you enjoyed.

#jenna ortega x y/n #jenna ortega x reader #jenna ortega #male reader #jenna ortega x you #jenna marie ortega #wednesday x you #wednesday #wednesday x reader

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apt502-if · 1 year

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i must ask, if either in the plot or for a scenario, if there will be any Running Through An Airport. like. this is just one year of the MC's life?

like thats not immediately making me wonder if apt 502 wont be a hime for the gang anymore by the end of the year, because either the mc is moving or everyone is leaving or what. like. Cal is dating someone they intend to marry thats a trust-fund baby (and probably wont want to live with so many roommates) and the MC did pack up their whole life to be with Rainn but then got broken up with and, yeah, that's potentially two out (unless your MC dates Cal, then maybe not, but idk) i duNNO, MAN, I LOVE FOUND FAMILY BUT I HATE WHEN EVERYONE SPLITS UP AT THE END, AND IM SUSPICIOUS AND I NEED TO EITHER BRACE MYSELF OR BE REASSURED PLS 🥺🥺🥺

you can, of course, give a non-answer to all that if such is Spoilers, but then it makes me want to ask: what Big Grand Gesture Trope would the ROs be?? whod be, if not running through the airport (or saying "I never got on the plane" a'la Rachel Green), the wedding crasher? who is confessing in the rain? who has the Love Actually cue-cards and a mix-tape of fake carolers? the 10 Things I Hate About You bleachers seranade? the Notebook ferris wheel stupidity, or the "I wrote you every day for a year" thing or the bit with the house and shutters if you prefer sanity? or any of the romantic parts of The Titanic, i guess?? or, back to cliches over specifics, who fills a bedroom full of roses?? tries to get the MC their dream house or maybe their own library?? who holds a boombox over their head? im sure there's more possibilities i could prompt you with, but i digress lmao just have fun with it and feel free to pick ones i didnt list, this was just to get the ball rolling. you can even pick something simple if all these are Too Grand for a specific character. like a love letter for the ages is still sweet, albeit it privater and simpler than any of these lovebomb-y Grand Romantic Gesture displays lmao rip

ha...

Grand gesture trope:

A would be singing on an airplane/public place Wedding Singer Style or the 'boombox outside window, if they did a grand gesture but they're more lowkey and would write a nice letter or do something big but in private, like a montage reel in their house or something

G would be confessing in the rain (and then write about it), Cal would DEFINITELY be the one to build a house like in The Notebook...just something so big like that would be right up Cal's alley since they'd rationalize it as " a house is practical"

Rainn would definitely fill MC's room wiith roses or run after MC in the airport.

L would do the 10 things bleacher performance, or some declaration of love on the internet

M is like A that they're more lowkey, I think M wouldn't do anything except use their words....like a big, fumbling speech that they're sort of embarrassed by lmao

#mail #about: the ros

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askagamedev · 4 months

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What did you see in other junior devs (or yourself) experience as the most shocking when they broke in? I am bracing myself for the workload. What could I get blindsided by?

Honestly, there are two main things I've seen junior devs get shocked by and I've written about both of them before. I'll give a quick summary here and link to the previous posts.

The first big issue to watch out for is [self-crunching when you start]. I know how much a new hire will want to prove herself, especially when it's your first job and you're a super passionate, driven youth without a lot of other responsibilities and something to prove. However, self-crunching ends up setting unrealistic productivity expectations in the eyes of your boss. If you ever ease off the self-crunch, it will look like your productivity is falling for no reason. If you ever need to crunch with the team later (and you probably will), it's an express ticket to burnout city.

The second thing to watch out for is the realization that [you won't get to work on your own ideas] for a long, long time. Your job is to make other peoples' ideas real - the director, the lead, the senior dev are the ones coming up with the ideas. You won't be creating the new systems, you'll be the one to make them work. You'll spend a lot of time learning. A lot of the things you thought you knew as a gamer will be proven wrong by the realities of the industry because it is a business.

The game industry really isn't for everyone, but it can be really fulfilling if you enjoy solving interesting problems and seeing other people enjoy your work. It really isn't a place that gravitate around a handful of stars, but a collaborative team environment where everybody works together to build something really cool.

[Join us on Discord] and/or [Support us on Patreon]

Got a burning question you want answered?

Short questions: Ask a Game Dev on Twitter

Long questions: Ask a Game Dev on Tumblr

Frequent Questions: The FAQ

#working in the game industry #getting a job in the game industry

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a-scary-lack-of-common-sense · 8 months

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Hiya! Just yeeting a hc at you: I've always Headcanoned that Scout usually went with the Bat/frying pan due to shaky hands or smth. Could be caused by anything. But probably from the amount of energy that guy has is the most possible-

Hey bestie!! I wanted to answer this with a little doodle, but I can't really draw anything atm since it's nearly midnight for me. HOWEVER, I will share with you some of the research I did on hand tremors!

Disclaimer ⚠️: I myself am not a mobility aid user, nor do I personally experience hand tremors. I do not claim to know everything on the topic, and may be incorrect or wrong in some cases! If you'd like to know more, I highly encourage you do your own research!! Ofc, if you happen to know more than I do, feel free to correct me where I'm wrong :) and have fun reading!

I really like ur idea on the bat/frying pan for Scout! It does make sense for him to perfer those particular melees with hand tremors, since the small triggers on guns might be a bit fiddly to deal with. Maybe for the frying pan he'd have to wrap the handle so it's a bit thicker, and easier to hold! Like those big rubber grippers for utensils you can order online

Your ask made me think about what other things Scout might use/do in order to live with his tremors as comfortably as he can. I imagine he'll have to attend occasional physiotherapy sessions with Medic, to practice resistance training and working his muscles to help get steadier hands!

Of course, this also all depends on what kind of tremors Scout is experiencing, but since you said shaky hands, I'm going to guess Essential tremor, maybe? Essential tremor is one of the most common movement disorder, and it causes tremors mainly around the arms or hands, although it can also affect the head, voice, or other areas of the body. Essential tremor can be mild, or severe, depending on the person. I'm sure you weren't actually thinking about a specific type of tremor when sending in this ask, so I'm probably over-thinking this, but it's still interesting to learn!

I also think Scout would have to probably get a lil checkup after battles, especially since hand tremors usually worsen after intakes of caffeine (and Scout’s gotta be chugging that BONK all battle), and obviously after a bloody battle there's gonna be leftover adrenaline too. All of that combined means a lot of shaky hands, so off to the Doc he goes to de-stress!

There are also some mobility aids that help with tremors that Scout could use! Such as these braces/gloves (??) That dempens tremors. Now, I'm not sure how exactly these work, and I've never personally used them before, so their actual effectiveness is beyond me; but according to what I've read, they're apparently pretty helpful at stabilizing the hand (if only somewhat)

From what I understand, some of them are simply weighted gloves that you strap onto your hand, such as the ones shown in the second and third picture, but some have tiny little sensors in them that counteract against the tremors to "cancel out" the shaking?? (I probably didn't word that right)

Anyways, I had a lot of fun exploring more tf2 merc disability headcanons with y'all, and I hope you had fun too!! Sorry to anon for dumping this massive answer on you, you probably just wanted a simple doodle :')

If you happen to know more on the subject, or have personal experience, please do share and correct me if I got anything wrong!

Love you all! <33

#tf2 #team fortress two #long post #disability #mobility aid #tf2 scout #disabilitymercs #silly chatters

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rainbowsky · 10 months

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Hi RBS, I hope you are well 🙏💛

First I want to thank you. Your blog and your answers have been a grounding source of perspective in times of both happiness as well as the harder, confusing ones, I can’t tell you how grateful I am to you… 🙏

My ask is related to some mutterings I’ve seen on Weibo, and it got me thinking. Some are wondering if what happened this week is gonna lead to the closing of the SP, if 🐢 are seeing as being still too “present” or like a risk.

If that day will come, what do you think will happen? Will 🐢 still be allowed to show support for them as a couple? Or will that be a sign that the fandom can’t exist in the open anymore?

There’s no question in my mind that I will continue to support them, both individually as well as a couple. But I’m wondering if we’ll still be able to do so “openly” (or as openly as 🐢can, mindful of protecting them) or if that will mean that bjyxszd talks won’t be “allowed” anymore.

Sorry for the bleak ask, but while staying positive I can’t help but try to brace myself and wondering so as to be more prepared, in a way.

Thank you again for your kindness and all your precious insights 🙏💛

Hi Anon, I'm doing OK. I hope you're well too! 😊

Thanks for your kind words, I'm glad you're finding my blog helpful in any way.

Standard disclaimer: Everything I say is a reflection of my own understanding of things, my own values and ideas and opinions. There are precious few verified facts available here, so we can never know for sure what the real truth is. Therefore, don’t take what I say as fact. It’s just my opinion, some musings, and a bit of CPN. Totally fake, of course.

It's true that there are a lot of turtles on Weibo and in the international fandom wondering what's next, and wondering if the changes over the past few days are only the beginning of the end. My inbox has been flooded with such questions over the past few days.

Obviously I don't know. No one knows for sure what's going to happen. We are in uncharted waters right now. Are these changes just DD's team trying to appease solos without breaking the CP, or are they the thin end of the wedge? I'd be lying if I said I had the answer to that question.

I suspect some of that will depend on whether these changes are sufficient to calm things down. If the solos refuse to be appeased and if BXG take the place of the solos in attacking DD's team and making demands, then it's possible his team will have to take more and bigger steps to bring things into line. And since solos represent DD's traffic in the eyes of most people, those steps would be unlikely to benefit turtles.

Turtles will also need to be careful. The more extreme and the more public these conflicts become, the more difficult they'll be to ignore, and the more pressure GG and DD will both be under to 'do something' about turtles. If they're forced to choose between their careers and turtles, the choice is obvious. If they're forced to choose between their careers and the supertopic remaining open, the choice is obvious.

But I think it's highly unlikely to come to that. BJYX has existed for 5 years, and there have been conflicts and struggles in the past, including - lest we forget - 2/27. If they didn't close the supertopic then, I think it's highly unlikely that they'd do it now.

Let's remember that the supertopic is just a fan forum. It's like a big Facebook group. It's a place where fans get together and talk about GG and DD. And it's probably the most disciplined and well-managed GGDD fan group in the C-fandom. There are strict rules and the forum is monitored and moderated by volunteer admins. They do a pretty decent job of maintaining order in the fandom.

There are celebrity CP supertopics that have lasted for years, from even before BJYX came along. In most cases there is no reason to shut down a CP supertopic. They're harmless.

Like I said, it's going to come down to how C-turtles handle themselves. If they behave poorly they might force GG and DD's hand. Only time will tell.

As for what we should do if things go sideways, there's no use in trying to cross a bridge that doesn't even exist yet. It's a pointless exercise. Everything would depend on the circumstances. There's no point in speculating that far ahead about something that will likely not come to pass.

Future us will know what to do, because we'll have the information about what's going on at that time to help guide our choices.

And I fervently, passionately urge everyone to STAY CALM, and not go all doom and gloom about things. As I'm fond of saying when people close to me are catastrophizing:

We don't know what's going to happen in the future. We choose what to believe will happen. In doing so, why would we choose something that upsets us and makes our present experience painful? We should choose to believe things that give us strength and hope.

So I encourage everyone to ponder this, and to be conscientious about what you choose to tell yourself about what the future might hold. The future hasn't happened yet. All daydreaming about the future is just speculation, and we can choose to control what those speculations are.

More than anything, I think it's SO IMPORTANT to remember why we're here. We are here to love and support GG and DD. Let's try to focus on them and their projects, rather than get mired in a bunch of handwringing over things we can't control.

Can we please try to remember them, focus on them and support them? They're so precious!!

Most of all, let's not take our anger and pain out on DD and YBO. We are supporters, not antis. As I said in my previous post, it's possible that DD and YBO are working together to try to keep turtles and solos both happy. DD by giving candy, YBO by giving DD cover for the solos. Let's not assume they're the enemy. They're DD's team. We need to give them the benefit of the doubt.

One of the supertopic admins put it really well:

When the sailors on the boat encountered a storm, some chose to go forward bravely to break through the storm, while some chose to stop and wait for the storm to end. Before the storm subsides, no one can be 100% sure whose method is right. However, it is definitely not advisable to break the hull to let the seawater flood in, and turn the bow of the ship away from the set target. Xiaotuan hopes that everyone can pick up their senses no matter what the situation is, and pay attention to the scale of speaking in public. Any remarks that insult and coerce Boxiao himself are not advisable. Don't slander people you care about for various reasons. The future is long, and I wish you all a happy star chasing.

My previous posts relating to these issues:

Main background post

Are turtles misreading what LRLG meant by their post?

Did DD choose these changes?

YBO and the photoshopped images

The removal of CQL from DD's bio

I hope we can all return to focusing on GG and DD. I'm not likely to post about these controversies again until/unless something new comes up or anything changes.

#ggdd controversies #bxg ggdd #supertopics #fandom reflections #thanks so much #ask

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mariacallous · 1 year

Text

How bracing to wake up yesterday and read that Amazon founder Jeff Bezos had donated $100m to Dolly Parton’s charitable endeavours, at his own “Courage and Civility” event. (Sarcastic airquotes: my own.) The many, many news reports about this act suggested it was a truly incredible sum from the second richest man in the world, who – according to recent estimates – gets richer by about $205m a day.

Anyway, once I’d peeled myself off the ceiling, I got busy on the government’s tax calculator. If you’re on the median average UK salary – and you pay your taxes – your take-home pay is £72 a day. Looked at one way, then, Jeff’s benevolence would be the equivalent of donating £34.56 to charity. Have YOU ever donated thirty-four quid to charity? Do you pay your taxes? If so, you’re actually being more generous than Jeff Bezos, who, famously, avoids almost all of his. And yet, where’s YOUR splashy news write-up in all the fine news outlets of the world? Where’s YOUR fawning TV interview? Why does no one refer to YOU as a “philanthropist”?

We’ll come to the obvious answers to those questions shortly, but for now, let’s look at the stage-managed hoopla around these so-called Courage and Civility awards. And yes, that title does make it sound like Jeff just demanded a warehouse operative bring him two inoffensive abstract nouns that were out of copyright. In fact, Bezos announced the initiative last year, shortly after disembarking his little space rocket, possibly sensing a planetary disdain being levelled at the kind of guy who could put himself in zero gravity for four minutes but couldn’t figure out how to treat his workers properly.

Anyway, the Courage and Civility awards are now an actual thing. And alongside Sunday’s self-effacing ceremony and his attempt to piggyback on the lifelong altruism and extraordinary charitable service of HRH Dolly Parton, Bezos granted an exclusive sit-down with CNN. First impressions? Jeff interviews like a chat tool, and resembles your local area’s most uncompromising and least booked 58-year-old Vin Diesel lookalike. Having long refused to sign the Giving Pledge – a promise by many of the world’s richest individuals to donate most of their wealth to charitable causes – Bezos announced that he intends giving “the majority” of his money away in his lifetime, according to CNN. And yet, does he intend to do this? His answer – “Yeah, I do” – feels somewhat vague and short on specifics.

But taking Jeff at his word, I mean it from the bottom of the heart when I say: BIG FRICKING DEAL. Most people give a significant amount of their money away during their lifetime, via a little something we call the taxation system. I know! Where’s our red-carpet gala? I tell you what, next time our paychecks arrive, why don’t we all get our hair done and put on black tie or a big old dress and graciously twat our way down a red carpet going “You’re MOST welcome!” for the cameras.

According to what Bezos told CNN, philanthropy “is really hard”. It certainly seems to be for him. Do recall he was only dragged kicking and screaming to the giving-a-shit game, having spent years accruing billions before it was finally pointed out to him that not having some kind of philanthropic arm looked fairly abysmal. In 2017 Bezos asked Twitter users for ideas on how to help the world “in the here and now”, before embarking on a truly committed programme of ignoring every single one of them who suggested paying his workers properly and contributing fair tax.

A year later, he actually uttered the words: “The only way that I can see to deploy this much financial resource is by converting my Amazon winnings into space travel.” That was the same year Amazon helped kill a Seattle tax on big firms to alleviate the homelessness crisis, by threatening to pull a huge building project. The business and tech commentator Scott Galloway calls Bezos “the mother of all welfare queens” for the vast benefits he’s drawn from public money and the tax breaks he remorselessly chases and demands.

But of course, Jeff is the kind of widely acclaimed visionary who simply lacks the vision to realise that the first way to help is by paying people a fair wage and forking out your taxes like an ordinary person – and not by turning up to dole out “charity” after the event like some bastard god of the purse strings. Unfortunately, he’s part of that specific billionaire class that believes they should be allowed to hypothecate almost 100% of their own vast riches in whichever direction they wish, because the exchequers of the world are just junior personnel, and they know better than all of them how to spend it.

So yes, for Bezos philanthropy “is really hard”. What he does – fauxlanthropy – is much, much easier. Moving billions to non-profits you control, effectively awarding yourself tax breaks, buying media fawning with one of the lamest possible sleights-of-hand: these things, self-evidently, are a whole lot easier. What’s hard to understand is why on earth we’re still buying into this obvious bullshit from some of the most selfish people in the world. The poor give a far greater proportion of their money to charity than the rich. I don’t mean to be uncivil, but what is courageous about letting Jeff Bezos pretend otherwise?

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bigskyandthecoldgun · 7 months

Text

killer frequency

1 2 3

ao3

words: 3.3k

“911 is calling me to report a body?” Steve asks, and this has to be a joke. Albeit one he doesn’t really get the appeal of yet, but maybe it’s got something to do with the Guess That Scream segment. Maybe Owens had arranged it, had hired some actress to do an elaborate bit for the show. “Interesting set-up. Alright, I’ll bite. What’s the punchline, then?”

“Steve, I recognize her voice—and her name. I’m pretty sure that actually is our 911 operator. I think this is real,” Eddie says uncertainly, his voice going a little tinny over the headphones, and Steve frowns.

If it is real—and that’s a big if—Steve will apologize later. “Eddie, I’m not gonna be happy if this is a prank,” he warns. “I don’t do prank segments on my shows. It’s in my contract.”

It’s pretty ironclad. He’d been pranked one too many times by one of his asshole coworkers back in Chicago for the guy’s failing prank radio show to agree to them anymore. “Steve, I really don’t think this is a prank,” Eddie says, a little more firmly this time. “If it is, Owens didn’t warn me about it. But that’s Joyce for sure, and she’s not big on pranks either.”

Steve sighs. “Joyce, if you’re telling the truth, you should report this to the Chief, not a radio show. What was his name? Chief…Hopper? Am I remembering that right?”

“I’m at the police station right now,” Joyce says.

“Wait, what?” Steve asks, because it makes even less sense for her to be calling now.

“Deputy Powell is dead,” Joyce tells them, her voice a little shaky.

“What?!” Eddie shrieks, and Steve winces. “Deputy Powell is dead?!”

Joyce sighs—or at least, he’s assuming it’s her, it’s hard to distinguish whether wordless noises are coming from callers or Eddie. “I couldn’t get any response from the department. That’s never happened before, so I came to the station, and…I found him,” she explains, and she sounds like she might be sick.

Jesus. Steve doesn’t know what the hell he’s supposed to say to that. “Oh, shit, poor Powell. Do you know what happened to him?” Eddie asks, half-uncertain, like he doesn’t know whether or not he should be asking that question. Steve is staunchly on the side of the two of them not asking that question.

“Someone got him. Someone got up very close and—I really don’t want to say what they did to him,” she says, and Steve shudders.

“Did he…fight back?” he asks.

“I don’t know! I think he tried. He’s surrounded by bullet casings—I think he tried to shoot at whoever it was, but…” Joyce trails off.

Holy hell, this is insane. “Well, is—is anyone else at the station? Anyone who can help you or…who might be responsible?” Steve asks, fearing the answer to the latter.

Joyce sighs. “No, I-I checked everywhere. Chief Hopper is here, but he’s knocked out. tied up, and locked in a holding cell,” she says. “I called you right after I found him.”

Steve scrubs a hand over his face and leans over the desk, brows furrowed. “God…wait, please don’t tell me that this hick town only has two cops,” he says, bracing himself for a yes.

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Joyce scoffs, “we have three. But Officer Callahan is on leave in the Everglades.”

“Joyce, do you have any idea who could have done this?” Eddie asks. “Is there anything around, any cars you might’ve passed?”

“Not a clue,” Joyce says. “I didn’t see anything on my way over. No cars, no people, nothing.”

Well, that’s a non-starter. “Joyce, you should call over to Seymour or Madison. They could send someone over from their department,” Eddie suggests.

“I tried, but I can’t call anything but local numbers! Something’s wrong,” she says. “I’ll have to go there myself, let them know what’s going on, and bring help back with me.”

The 911 operator is going to skip town after a police deputy got killed? “But if you leave while there’s a murderer on the loose, who’s going to man the emergency line?” Eddie asks nervously, and Steve’s glad that they’re at least on the same page here.

Joyce sighs. “That’s…why I called. Steve, I’ve routed all 911 calls to come in to you,” she says, shaky but somehow determined.

Steve feels panic start to set in. “I’m a radio talk show host, Joyce,” he says, running a hand through his hair. “I talk to idiot people about their idiot ideas, I’m not a 911 operator! I’m not trained to handle a crisis! Why me?!”

“You might not be trained to handle a crisis, but you’re the only person with experience manning a phone line around here,” Joyce tells him. This town sucks. It’s empty. “You’re the only person even somewhat equipped for the job. Besides, there are lots of…transferable skills between the two! It’s, um—it’s like an interview, right? You ask questions to get information you can use, keep people talking, y’know? Guide the conversation, know when to jump in…”

It’s definitely optimistic of her, he’ll grant her that. “You do know that I’m so good at interviews they sent me from Chicago to Hawkins, right?” he asks her, sarcasm jumping out as a result of his ever-building panic.

Joyce sighs again. “So I’ve heard. But that doesn’t matter. And besides! There are two of you boys! You can talk to each other, discuss ideas, work together,” she tries. Steve supposes she has a point, but still. Unaware of the mental battle happening in Steve’s head at the moment, Joyce barrels on. “Hell, let’s have some on-the-job training right now. I have an emergency! I need to get an unconscious Chief Hopper out of that holding cell! It looks like whoever attacked him threw the keys into the cell after they locked the door.”

Steve massages his temples. “Uh, is there any way you can reach the keys?” he asks, and he realizes that it’s stupid to ask, because Joyce probably would have tried that by now.

“No. There aren’t any bars to the cell, and the door itself only has a food tray slot,” she says, and there’s a brief pause with a little sound of struggle intercutting it. “And that’s too narrow for me to reach through!”

“There’s gotta be another way in,” Eddie says.

Surely there isn’t just one set of keys, right? Yeah, granted, there’s only three—now two—police officers in Hawkins, and one of them is out of town, but… “There’s another set somewhere, right? I…you could check to see if Deputy Powell might’ve, uh, had a set,” Steve says, wincing, because he’s essentially just told this lady to search a dead body, but he’s not really sure she has another option.

“I didn’t see any at a glance, but…I didn’t really look up close. Hang on a second,” Joyce says, and there’s some shuffling. “Oh, God, I think I might be sick…sorry, Calvin. Just gonna turn you over, and—augh—please don’t stare at me, I…wait! That might be them! I think—I got the cell keys! Oh, thank God!”

Steve breathes out a sigh of relief. “Looks like Deputy Powell might’ve saved his Chief. Do the keys work, Joyce?” he asks.

There’s some footsteps, followed by metallic clanging, and then a delighted, slightly delirious laugh. “They do! They work! Give me a minute to figure this out. Hopper’s a big guy, I’m gonna see if I can’t get him on a chair to roll him out of here,” Joyce says. “I think I’m gonna need both hands for this, so I’ll be right back.”

Joyce goes silent. “So far so good, I guess. How are you, uh…handling this, Steve?” Eddie asks, all performativity long since dropped from his voice.

To be perfectly honest, Steve has no idea. He doesn’t know how he’s supposed to handle this, he doesn’t know how he’s supposed to react, and, above all, he doesn’t know how he’s supposed to be feeling about all this. But, hey, apparently he’d done something right, given that Joyce had been able to open up the cell, and there probably won’t be too many calls this late at night with most people at home and in bed, so maybe it’ll be alright.

Steve takes a deep breath. “Well, y’know, that…seemed to go okay. Maybe Joyce was right, maybe we can handle the 911 calls tonight,” he says, cautiously optimistic.

“Yeah,” Eddie says, sounding encouraged, “yeah, maybe we can. I think you’re right. Though, I gotta say, I—well, I really hope this is the only call like this we get tonight.”

There’s not enough coffee in the world for this. “Same,” Steve says. “I can—”

“C’mon, Hop,” Joyce’s voice cuts in, and Steve’s immediately on high alert again, “work with me here, almost on your office chair—! There! Whew…we’ll head to my car in a minute. Uh, boys?”

“Hey, Joyce,” Steve greets.

“I’m back. Hopper’s still out cold. I’m gonna try and take him in the car with me to get help in Seymour. If the killer came back now, Hop would be a sitting duck,” Joyce says, a little on the shaky side.

As much as Steve hates the fact that there will be zero cops around, she has a point. For all they know, the only reason Powell’s killer had left Hopper alive had been to come back for him later on. “That’s a good idea,” Steve says. “We shouldn’t take any risks right now.”

“Thanks, Steve,” Joyce says. “You and Eddie just work together like you did earlier, alright? I believe in you, boys. Now, I’ll be back as soon as—”

She’s cut off by what sounds like a goddamn explosion, thankfully far-off. “Joyce, are you okay?!” Steve asks, because an explosion’s an explosion.

“My car’s on fire! Oh, shit!”

“What do you mean it’s on fire?!” Steve near-shouts, because holy hell.

“How the hell—did it just go up in smoke?! What happened?!” Eddie asks.

There’s a whistling noise, loud enough to be heard through the phone, and both Eddie and Joyce go silent. Steve blinks. It sounds like a person whistling, sure, but Joyce had said there’d been nobody else at the station, hadn’t she? And what’s that melody? It’s so familiar.

Steve hears a shaky breath, unsure of who it belongs to. “Wait…what? No—no way, this can’t…Steve, we have big trouble,” Joyce tells him.

“What’s happening? What’s that noise? It sounds like whistling,” Steve says.

“Whistling,” Eddie repeats, aghast. “It can’t be…”

As much as he understands the situation is dire, Steve really wishes someone would elaborate here. “Oh my God…I can see him, but…he’s dead, right? Right?!” Joyce demands, almost pleading. “But that mask—! How the hell is he…?”

“Who, Joyce? Who?!” Steve asks, feeling like a goddamn owl.

“The Whistling Man,” Joyce says.

What the hell? “The Whistling Man? Who’s that?” Steve asks, utterly lost. Eddie looks like he’s got his head in his hands in the silhouette in the window.

“He was a serial killer back in the fifties—wore that mask. But he’s dead!” Joyce explains.

“Oh, God,” Eddie mutters, “d’you think—do you think he attacked Powell and Hopper?”

An undead serial killer and a nonexistent police force do not sound like a combination that Steve wants any part of. “He’s coming this way,” Joyce whispers.

“Joyce, stay inside and lock the doors,” Steve tells her, and he can barely make out the jingling of keys and the sound of footsteps.

“Shit, we need a new plan! My car’s torched, we need to think!” Joyce pants.

Steve should just go with his gut, shouldn’t he? His gut’s not often wrong; he’s actually been told he’s better at acting before he thinks, rather than the other way around. “There should be police cruisers at the station, right? Take one of those!”

“Yes—yeah, that could work! Let me see if Hop has—lemme just reach into his pocket—yes! Got ’em! Keys for squad car three! I saw it parked out front when I got here!”

“Nice one, Steve,” Eddie says, sounding nervous but relieved. “Good thinking!”

This is the most stressful thing Steve’s ever done in his entire life.

“But—wait. How am I supposed to get us to the car? The Whistling Man’s right there!” Joyce says, and—shit, that’s true. It’s also not good.

Steve’s certain that one of the cops has to have a gun. But Joyce had said there were casings all around Powell. “Uh, Chief Hopper probably carries a gun, right? Could you use that?” he asks, because if Powell’s out of ammo, Hopper’s gun is their best bet.

“Hop’s gun is missing,” Joyce tells him, which Steve honestly should’ve seen coming. What kind of psycho masked murderer wouldn’t take away someone’s most lethal weapon before tossing them in a cell? There’s still some pounding in the background; the creep hasn’t let up on the knocking. “The Whistling Man must’ve done something with it. The gun next to Powell’s empty, too, I-I don’t…what do I do?”

Steve runs a hand through his hair. “Is—do you see any other weapons?”

“I didn’t see anything earlier, but let me check…oh! I’ll check Hop’s belt!” Joyce says, and there’s some rustling coming from the other end of the line. “Okay, it looks like he’s still got his baton, his pepper spray, and his taser. I can only hold one if I’m gonna drag him outside with me on that stupid wheelie chair. Which one should I take?”

The answer’s obvious, right? Baton’s not gonna incapacitate this guy if he’d knocked the chief of police unconscious, and he’s wearing a mask, so pepper spray isn’t gonna do shit, either. “Take the taser, Joyce,” Steve says, and his hands are shaking, because if this is the wrong thing to tell her, she might actually die, and it would be his fault. Shit.

“Okay, I’ve got it! Just gonna grab Hop and..wait. Do you hear that?” Joyce asks.

There’s nothing on the other end of the line except for Joyce’s breathing. “No…? I can’t hear anything,” Steve tells her.

“Exactly. It’s gone quiet. No more knocking.”

Steve leans away from the mic to swear under his breath, though it’s kind of a fruitless endeavor now. “Be careful. I don’t like that it’s gone so quiet,” he says. It reminds him of that stupid horror movie cliché, the whole it’s quiet, too quiet thing.

Joyce sighs. “Me neither. But it’s an opening, and I gotta take it,” she says. “Okay, Hop, c’mon, time to—whew—get moving—yep, okay, you gotta lay off the Eggos.”

“Are you sure about this, Joyce?” Eddie asks.

“No time like the present,” Joyce tells them, and she’s braver than Steve thinks he ever would be in her place. “Here we go. Again, you’re—Jesus, Hop, it’s like pushing a pile of bricks—you’re hooked into dispatch now, so I should be able to radio you when I get to the car. If I reach it…ugh. Speak to you soon!”

Steve swallows. “Good luck, Joyce.”

The dial tone is piercing.

“That is one brave woman,” Eddie says with a shaky laugh. Steve nods. For once in his life, in his career in radio, he kind of finds himself speechless. “God, I hope she makes it through this.”

“Me, too. Y’know, I’ve gotta say…this really wasn’t what I expected when I came into work today,” Steve says.

Eddie must sense the tension in his voice, because he opts for a joke. “Well, you know what they say, Stevie. Gotta be ready for anything and everything in live radio,” he says.

Steve quirks a smile. “Oh, yeah? Who’s ‘they?’” he teases.

“Um, you know…just…the people that say that,” Eddie says, faux-fumbling it, and it makes Steve laugh a little. The mood sours, though, because the blinking light above line one has returned. “Oh, I think we’ve got Joyce back on the line, I’m putting the call through!”

That was fast.

“Hello?! Steve? Eddie? This is Joyce, are you there?! Over!”

Uh…right. “We’re here, Joyce. So, I-I guess you made it to the car, then?” Steve asks. Then, he blinks. “Oh, um, over…?”

Joyce actually lets out a little laugh at that. “Sorry about the walkie-talkie chat—old habit, but—um, yeah, we made it to the car! Hop’s in the passenger seat, still out cold. I don’t see the Whistling Man anywhere, and I don’t plan to wait for him, so I’m gonna get us moving,” she says. Then, there’s a bang, and a gasp. “Jesus! Goddammit! Get back—get away from him!”

“Joyce! What’s happening?!” Steve asks, though he’s got a sneaking suspicion it’s the most obvious answer. Occam’s Razor and all that shit.

“It’s the—no! Get off him, you son of a bitch!” Joyce shouts, and the telltale sound of electricity crackles through Steve’s headphone speakers, followed by a heavy thud. “Yeah! Take that!”

Holy shit. “Joyce, drive!” Steve says, voice raised with panic and secondhand adrenaline.

“Don’t worry, Hop, we’re getting out of here,” Joyce says quietly.

The squeal of tires pierces Steve’s ears, and he winces. “Are you guys okay?” he asks, feeling more genuine concern for a lady he’s literally never met before than he has for anyone else in a long time.

Joyce laughs, breathy and disbelieving. “Steve, that taser…definitely the right call. Oh my God, I can’t believe we escaped,” she says, and she laughs again.

“Well done, Joyce,” Eddie says, more earnest than Steve’s ever heard him. “You saved Hop’s life. But, uh, I guess that’s just another day for you, right?”

“I guess so,” Joyce says softly, pretty humble for someone who just kicked a presumably undead serial killer’s ass, “but lemme tell you, I really prefer doing it from your side of the phone.”

Well, Steve can’t help but agree with her there. “Joyce, how long do you think it’s going to take to get help?” he asks, because if this happens again, he might just lose his damn mind. This is too much pressure for him. He’s an interview guy.

“Hawkins isn’t Nowheresville, but it’s pretty damn close. It’s gonna take a while—maybe two, three hours each way…?” Joyce guesses, and Steve rubs at his temples. “Slightly less if I really put the pedal to the metal.”

The promise of four to six hours of this sounds like it’s going to make tonight easily the worst night of Steve’s entire life. “We’ll…do our best to keep everyone safe until then,” he tells her.

“Thank you, Steve. Just…keep doing what you did just now, and Hawkins is gonna be okay,” she says, and it’s surprisingly comforting. “Anyway, once I’m in—oh! I think Hop’s starting to stir! Steve, Eddie, I gotta go. I’ll be out of range soon, but I’ll radio back as soon as I can.”

“Good luck out there,” Steve tells her. “Come back to us in one piece.”

“Good luck, Joyce! Feel better soon, Chief,” Eddie says, and the dial tone sounds once more.

That had been…insane. Easily the craziest thing to happen to Steve since he’d gotten to meet Madonna herself in the studio for a radio interview. “Well, you, uh—you heard it here first, folks,” Steve says, and there’s no point in keeping up his radio voice, really, but it’s just a habit now. “There’s a killer on the streets of Hawkins tonight. Please make sure to stay safe. And, Joyce, we’re counting on you.”

“No more dead air,” Eddie whispers, probably having muted his mic, and Steve nods.

“We’re gonna get back to the show in the meanwhile. If you have anything on your mind, or if you’ve got any information on this ‘Whistling Man’ guy, then give us a call at 555-239-KFAM, and we’ll talk here, on 189.16–The Scream.”

“For now,” Eddie says, performative voice right back on, “our lovely host will spin another hit record for you all to enjoy. Take it away, Steve.”

Steve swaps out SOS for a different record. “This is Gloria Gaynor’s I Will Survive,” he announces as he sets it to play.

“Pretty fitting, if I do say so myself,” Eddie says.

The ‘on air’ sign switches off as the music plays, and Steve breathes a sigh of relief.

#wuh oh #things are getting Intense at the KFAM building #steddie #steve x eddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #stranger things #my fic #cross posted on ao3

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3-heartstyle · 1 month

Text

So because I was stupid in leaving behind my sketchbook during a family trip, I'm going to practice my writing.

Here's some romantic dialogue between Layla and Cora during a quiet night.

Some context, it's during the time they are traveling together. Layla knows Corazon is a spy/marine and have lied to Law so he won't be overly upset with him.

Enjoy!

Layla: "So... I have something on my mind I'd hope you'd answer truthfully."

Cora: "Ah, I'll try. You know I can't share much details."

Layla: "Yes, I'm aware and don't worry. It has nothing to do with..."

She looks over at a sleeping Law.

"...your position."

Cora: "Ask away."

Layla: "How long have you loved me?"

It was a sudden crash onto the ground as Corazon falls near the fire pit. Layla quickly pulls him away.

Layla: "Are you alright?"

Cora: "I-I'm okay. Was caught off guard. At the-the, ahem, question."

Layla: "Well I guess I should have had you sit down and to brace yourself first before asking such a thing."

Cora: "No! No, it's fine. It's just uh..."

His face flushes pink at her teasing smirk.

Cora: "It's quite hard to pinpoint exactly when I fell for you to keep track how long I loved you..."

Layla raises an eyebrow at his nervous demeanor.

Cora: "but... I guess when I realized I've fallen for you was a bit after Law has shown up."

Layla: "That was nearly 3 years ago! Why didn't you say something?"

Cora: "Well, it's not like I could have said anything during that time anyway. Heh."

A small smack on his arm at the poor joke.

Layla: "I'm being serious here."

Cora: "And I'm being serious too. How could I say anything about it? It could have put you in more danger with other pirates if word got out. Even worse if my brother found out."

Layla: "I- Well- I don't know how you could have felt that way so long and kept it to yourself. I would've gone crazy."

Cora: "Ah well, if I had your way of thinking I would have been a madman then."

Layla: "What you mean?"

Cora: "The more I think about it, I believe my subconscious had fallen for you before my mind has realized.

Ah! Yes, I remember now.

The moment we've locked eyes, that must've struck something in me. The golden color shining greater than any treasure we've came across. It sparked an even greater desire than every pirate's want for the One Piece."

Layla: "Oh, you exaggerating."

Cora: "I'm not. There were other moments with your voice that should have made me realize."

Layla: "My voice?"

Cora: "Yes, your voice.

The songs the radio has played as you worked will often have the word "corazón" in them. It made my heart skip a beat every time you sung along. I only could have dreamed of you saying my real name just as sweet.

Then there were your cries...

My heart ached as you've cried and for so long too. From the start you've dealt with so much loss and being forced to stay with us only worsen your grief.

But your laugh...

Oh, the first time I've somehow managed to make you laugh out loud, my heart soared. It's like I've heard heaven's angelic choir."

Layla: *laughs* "oh Rosinante stop it, you big sap."

She was hiding her face out of embarrassment. He takes her hands away from her face and holds them to his chest.

Cora: "Haha! There it is! How beautiful it sounds."

He brings her gloved hands to cradle the sides of his face.

Cora: "and there's your gentle touch.

How rare it was for you to initiate back then, but when you did, it was to show me kindness. How careful you'd check for injuries after a mission and how soft you'd be when you stitched me back up.

The warmth of your hands left me burning hotter than any fire I've caused to myself."

He kisses the scarred skin of her wrist.

Cora: "So with my mindset, the time I've yearned for you only made me an even clumsier fool."

Layla gives Corazon a deep kiss.

Layla: "But it resulted into being a happy fool, I assume?"

Cora: "The happiest."

#*dreamy sigh*#now that I have a voice claim for Layla #I can only hear them talk as if they're in a old timey radio #idk i think it makes it a bit more romantic #long post #my writing #one piece #one piece oc #corazon x oc #oc: layla montez #donquixote corazon #donquixote rosinante

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julesthoughts · 1 year

Text

Trap of Lies

Chapter 26

This is a dark AU collaboration started by @x3kristax3. You can find the other chapters here.

TW: Torture, violence, detailed scenes of violence, light sexual acts

Phil POV

Completely drained, I stood in my bathroom and reviewed the evening. I looked at my hands, still dirty with dirt and blood from the nasty son of a bitch and his horse. I went to my bathroom and washed my hands and face. I took off the dirty clothes and put on fresh clothes.

I saw the remaining blood residue in my sink that was not washed away by the water. I cleaned up the remaining blood and burned my clothes in my oven as there was no point in trying to clean them.

A thousand thoughts ran through my mind, but they all ended in relief. We were able to save MC in time and the devil of the whole drama is finally dead. Jessy promised to take care of MC because she saw that I still had something to do.

I braced myself with both hands on the sink and lifted my head. I saw myself reflected in my mirror. It still wasn't over. We had to find the devil's father.

"Agnus Barnett," I whispered. "Where are you?"

It was maddening! I asked each of the Whispers if anyone had heard that name before. Nobody knew him, but there had to be someone.

He's got people he bossed around. He did not run this business alone, he had employees. This man knew how to hide himself. He was the master at hiding and running such a big business.

I couldn't do this alone, I needed help from someone I trusted 100%. Dan. I immediately made my way to Dan, although it was the middle of the night, he was always willing to help me. I walked to his house because I didn't want to draw attention to myself.

When I arrived, I knocked firmly on his door and he opened the door a little annoyed. "Can't you even wait until morning?" he asked me grumpily.

"No time," I hissed and immediately I saw regret on Dan's face. Not wanting to contradict me, he let me in.

He tiredly ran his fingers through his hair and got his clothes to change. I looked at him confused and he just raised an eyebrow knowingly. "I know that look, you didn't come here for a tea party."

It's been a while, but with this sentence, Dan actually managed to make me smirk. Dan got dressed and then approached me, putting a hand on my shoulder. "You look like you just committed murder."

When he didn't get an answer, his eyes widened. "Shit, who did you kill?"

"Alan, finally. But that's another story. We have to find the devil's father."

I took the blame on myself first, I didn't want to implicate MC even though she ended up being the one who killed him.

Dan suddenly looked at me seriously, "Do you know anything? Did you find out anything?"

"No!" I almost yelled, desperate. "But someone has to know something. I want to keep Jake out of it so he can focus on his new business.

"Amy," Dan suggested. "She might know something, after all she adores Alan and would do anything for him."

"How do you know that?" I asked.

"Jake told me she said she saved MC. I don't really believe it, but one thing's for sure, she'd die for him. She doesn't have to know Alan's dead, but we can pressure her to do that her answers could save his life."

"I knew you would be of great help to me. Now we just have to find out where she is."

I was glad I turned to Dan, he was always reliable, even if he could be a bit grumpy at times. Now all we had to do was find out where Amy was. I could see that Dan was already brooding.

"Any idea where Amy might be? The prostitutes are all over town, it would take us forever to find her," I paused. "Wait! I have an idea. I'm sure Charlotte can figure something out."

Dan nodded and we made our way to my bar. Once there I found Charlotte at a table with a man. I gave her a knowing look and she said goodbye to the man and walked towards me.

"What do you need to know?" she asked, since she already knew that look from me.

"Find out where Amy is at the moment, nothing else matters for now."

She nodded and got to work. Dan and I went to my office and tried to think if we really didn't know Agnus.

It wasn't long before there was a gentle knock on my door. I opened the door and Charlotte's eyes looked at me proudly. She whispered, "There's some kind of brothel across town, that's where she works."

I thanked Charlotte and nodded for Dan to follow me. I put a staff member in charge of running the bar. As we walked out of the bar, we made plans for how best to get to Amy.

"We register like normal guests and say that we would like to see Amy. Simple and uncomplicated," said Dan.

I hesitated, "It's a good idea per se, but I don't want to be recognized. I don't need rumors."

"Then we'll dress up a bit. A hat and a fake beard will do," Dan said, and we made our way over to his house. After we dressed up, I had to smile a little. A beard didn't suit me at all, but I had to go through with it now.

We took a carriage and made our way to the other side of town. We parked the carriage and got out. We entered the strange building and arrived at some kind of reception. A black-haired woman was sitting at the reception and there were men everywhere, smartly dressed. It must be the pimps.

Dan addressed the lady, "We'd both like to see Amy."

I was expecting everything, but not her next words, "No need to be so formal here. Room 9, she'll do whatever you want."

I grinned internally. Will she also answer our questions?

We both looked for room 9 and found it. We knocked and a gentle voice called us in. As she turned around, she gulped hard. She recognized us.

"You're not here to consider my service and I was about to leave anyway."

Dan chuckled darkly, "The receptionist told us that you do everything for us. I'm sure you'll also answer a few questions for us."

"What do you want? I have a date with Alan!"

I roared laughing, "Oh, I guess this isn't going to work out."

"What does this mean?" she asked in panic.

Dan took a step towards her, "If you want to see your beloved prince, then answer our questions."

She sat on the bed, sighed, and gestured for us to ask."

"Where is Alan's father?" I fell right in with the door, I didn't want to waste any more time.

She looked at us in shock, "How do you know I work for him?" She immediately put her hand to her mouth.

"That's easier than I thought," Dan chuckled. She shook her head in disbelief at her own stupidity.

"So, you know more than we thought. Well, I'm waiting for an answer."

"I don't know. For heaven's sake, I'm just a prostitute. He won't tell anyone where he is, at least that's what Alan always tells me."

"But you know who works for him, give us a name and location of this person."

She hung her head and said nothing more. I was right, she knew who worked for him. Dan sat down in a chair and spread his legs. "Either you answer this question now or you have to satisfy me."

I saw disgust on her face, Dan didn't seem to be her thing at all, and he seemed to have noticed and taken advantage of it. He knew that she would never willingly touch him if he gave her the choice.

She walked up to Dan, putting each hand on his knees and looking deep into his eyes. "I've had to touch more obnoxious guys than you. Come on, take off your pants. I'll satisfy you."

Dan smiled. What was going on in his head? "That's your job, if you're supposed to please me then you're supposed to do all the work."

With that, she winced and made a gagging sound. "Fine! You won. The name is Poke, he sells his wares in a park, behind a shabby shack. I don't know what time he is there though."

"There you go," Dan said as he rose from his chair.

"Are you releasing Alan? I gave you answers!"

This time I chuckled darkly, "Oh he's been free for a long time."

She looked at us confused and so we left her. She was lucky that she was a woman and not a man. No matter how much I detested a woman, I don't hurt a woman's hair.

Dan and I left the building and took the carriage to said park. I felt we had a better chance of finding this poke at night. We pulled our fake beards off our faces and parked the carriage a little further from the park.

We sneaked through the park to the shabby shack. We heard a branch snap behind the shack and immediately I ran behind the shack and there was a stranger to me.

"Poke?" I asked.

"Jesus Christ, who told you my name? What do you want to buy?"

"Answers."

As he tried to run away, Dan grabbed his collar and pushed him against the back door of the shack and to our surprise the door swung open. Dan didn't hesitate and shoved him into the cabin where he slammed into the opposite wall. I followed Dan into the shack and locked the door from the inside.

When I turned around, I saw Dan standing behind the man, holding a knife to his neck. He was helpless at our mercy.

"So, Poke, I'll ask you questions and you'll answer them well."

He just nodded and flinched as the blade of the knife digged a bit into his neck from his nod.

"Where's Agnus?"

"I don't know," he said pleadingly.

"Lie!" I roared and looked around the shack. This seemed to be the gardener's hut, since only gardening tools were lying around here. Everyone knows garden tools are the best torture tools.

I took a smaller saw and took Poke's hand and sawed off his pinky. He cried out, but I slapped him, and he just whimpered while blood dripped onto the floor.

"Answer me or all your fingers will be off."

He didn't say anything, and I held the saw to his ring finger. A grinding noise arose as I took an extra long time on his bone. I looked deep into his eyes, but still got no answer, so I cut off his next finger.

The game went on until all his fingers were off and there was a puddle of blood beneath us. Tears streamed down his face, and I saw that he was about to finally answer me.

I put his fingerless hand in front of his eyes and put the saw on his wrist. "Last chance," I threatened him.

I began to rock the saw back and forth slowly, letting him watch as I sawed his wrist. I kept sawing but stopped when I sawed through his bone and left his hand hanging on a piece of skin. He saw his wrist swinging on a thread of skin in front of him.

I took his fingerless hand and yanked with all my might, skinning part of his forearm in the process. His wrist fell to the ground with a loud splash, and he cried out at the top of his lungs.

And he answered.

"Ah shit! He lives in a rather large mansion, he spends all day there and rarely leaves it. The villa is only guarded from the inside. It's very isolated. In the middle of the forest, there is no street and no house number."

"How many guards?"

"Five or six. Two stand right in front of his office. Two stand at the entrance of the house and there are usually two walking around the mansion."

He was getting weak, and I could see Dan using all his muscles to keep holding him up.

"End him," I said to Dan.

Dan dropped him on the ground, leaned over him and slit his throat. Blood spurted out of him and for a brief moment I saw gratitude in his eyes. I didn't really want to go that far, but the thought of Alan getting his drugs from his own father's business infuriated me. And those drugs he used on MC.

MC had never done anything to anyone but Alan, but he deserved it.

We left the cabin, we took the carriage to Dan's house and we planned to find Agnus before dawn. The thought of what Richy and Alan had done to MC brought out the inner beast in me.

We didn't bother to clean up, just thinking how to find this mansion in the vast forests. We decided to stop by Alan's house and see if we could find anything. Once there, we broke down his front door and searched everything. Dan winced when he saw the huge bloodstain on the floor.

I roughly explained to him what had happened, and that MC is now safe.

"Good thing that son of a bitch is finally dead," said Dan.

I just nodded when I found an envelope. Inside the envelope was a painting of a mansion, and Dan gasped. "I know this mansion, how could I forget that! I rode past the mansion."

We each took a horse and rode off, Dan leading the way. It was a long and difficult ride. So many hurdles, detours and strong currents. No wonder no one has found him on such a path. I saw the villa and we brought our horses to a stop and put them in a meadow where no one could see them. We gave them an apple to eat as a reward.

We made our way to the mansion, and as Poke said, it's not patrolled from the outside. Dan pressed something cold metallic into my hand. A pistol and a knife. I hid the gun in my holster and the knife in my belt pouch.

I don't care that we had to kill everyone in there to get to Agnus. We had to shut down the source to end this drug business. And the source was Agnus.

We entered the premises and crept to the large front door. As big as the door is, it was easy to break open.

In the foyer, two muscular men immediately ran toward us, but Dan and I each drew our knives and slit their throats in one motion. We didn't hesitate and went further into the villa, where we met another man. Dan stabbed the blade of his knife into his neck and life drained from him too.

A man attacked me from behind and choked me off, Dan didn't know how to act. No matter how he tried to attack the man behind me now, he would hurt me. I turned the knife over in my hand and just swung it back. I hit the man behind me as his grip on my neck loosened.

My knife was stuck in his stomach, I pulled it out with all my might and immediately slit his throat before he could start screaming. He gurgled and blood spurted out of his mouth.

I coughed and gasped, he had a strong grip on it.

"Son of a bitch," I cursed under my breath.

After my breathing settled, Dan helped me up and we walked up the stairs. At the top we arrived in front of a huge wooden door, it was powerful. Two men stood to the right and left of the door and unfortunately, they noticed us immediately.

"How did you guys get in here?" asked the man on the right.

"With a little help," Dan said, brandishing his bloodied knife in his hand.

He threw the knife and it hit the wall next to the man on the left. He sneered but stopped laughing when Dan aimed his gun at him and shot him in the head. Now we could make some noise, we were busted anyway, and Agnus knew we were here.

I walked a little towards the man on the right when suddenly another shot rang out and I felt a warm liquid splash on my face. The man in front of me sagged and Dan blew smoke from his gun.

I tried to open the door, but it was locked. "Wimp," I whispered to Dan, shooting the lock with my pistol.

The door opened and I saw an older man, but that black hair looked all too familiar. There sat the likeness of Alan.

He looked at us with wide eyes, for a brief moment I saw a flash of fear in them. But immediately I saw pure hatred in his eyes.

I wiped the blood from my mouth with my right hand and gave him a friendly smile like a businessman.

I had to look like a psycho.

"Hello Agnus."

#duskwood #duskwood fanfiction #fanfic #trap of lies #duskwood au #mc x jake #jake x mc #duskwood everbyte #duskwood jake x mc #duskwood mc #alternate universe #duskwood phil #duskwood dan #phil #juleesiswriting

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justreadertings · 2 years

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Till Death Do Us Part Chapter 9

Author’s Note: Ok, never (ever!) expect this quick of a turn around, because honestly I’ve shocked myself, but you all were so eager and supportive of last chapter that I sat myself down in all four of my classes, didn’t listen to a damn word, and wrote this instead. The (?) for the swearing is because I literally cannot remember if there’s swearing in this one or not, and I REFUSE to worry any more about this chapter. Next one is going to be a BIG tone shift, so I hope you’re all ready. The big 1-0 means coronation time BB! But for now... them. I’ll stop rambling now. Enjoy!- Much love, your favorite never-stops-talking-bitch, Magee

masterlist

TW: swearing (?), mentions of violence, angsty rowaelin, mentions of Lyria

2930 Words

Till Death Do Us Part: Chapter 9

The door slowly opened, and the four of them slid into fighting position before Lord Darrow, flagged with three- she rolled her eyes- royal guards, appeared on the other side. A rough exhale passed through the room.

Good Gods, she sent to Rowan’s eyes. He only shook his head in relief.

The tallest one, arguably just as tall and built as Rowan, with dark features and an angry face barked, “I’ve been here four hours, Whitethorn, and this is what I’m greeted with?”

She watched Rowan’s crisp focus dissolve, and instead, a strange mix of both annoyance and fondness filled his face.

“And why’s Moonbeam your guard?” The other one, slimmer and with long, dark hair and hazel eyes gestured. Fenrys flipped him off. Aelin watched with great perplexity.

“Get here first, Vaughn,” the blond told him.

Rowan nodded to the still open door, his body still tense. “Either this break-in is over, or you’re the worst fucking soldiers I could hire as guards.”

“Which answer suits you, Whitethorn?” Aelin’s eyes widened when she recognized the yin to Fenrys’ yang. A twin, perhaps?

“It better be the first one, Lorcan,” Rowan warned.

“It’s your lucky day,” the dark version of Fenrys answered.

Aelin remembered in childhood that Rowan had said he was lonely, that he wouldn’t mind a brother. Her heart warmed to think that perhaps he’d found them in these men. Though, based on Fenrys’ earlier statement, and her own context clues, it was likely these were the men who’d fought beside Rowan when he’d shipped himself off into the war she declared. In her name, to add to her guilt. Her stomach turned.

“Where’s your wife?” Lorcan inquired with that gruff voice.

“Fuck off.” Rowan’s voice was gravel.

Lorcan’s eyes widened. He was studying Rowan when Fenrys cut in, “we’ve got quite the day to catch you boys up on.”

Aelin swallowed. Surely they were talking about Lyria. She refused to squirm. Lord Darrow- who she’d honestly forgotten was even in the room, spared her a glance.

“Glad to see you well, Highness.”

Her eyes cut into slants. “As opposed to?”

The man seemed older when he responded, “It is not so often that you have made it out of a raid unscathered, princess.”

Rowan stepped backwards again, as if to protect her from the reminder. His large hand was still bracing her torso. She lightly grabbed his arm, and he realized it, too. Rowan still didn’t move from his perch by her side, but he removed his hand.

“What happened to your face?” The darker Fenrys asked.

Lorcan smirked, and Aelin could feel a passing resentment between the men. “Get beat up by Adarlan skum?”

Aelin’s eyes widened. “Adarlan men broke in here?” She and Rowan shared a look.

“Two,” Vaughn corrected, fingers pressed together. “Very small break in.” Aelin still very much felt violated.

“Your face, brother?” He asked again.

“Brawl with another guard,” Rowan cut in, easily, before Fenrys spoke. Aelin squeezed his arm, and though he didn’t respond, she knew he understood the sentiment. Fenrys caught their eyes, and it seemed he understood just as well.

Aelin watched Lorcan, though, and his sharp eyes were making quick work of their looks. She clasped her band behind her back, hiding her aching, bloody hand.

“And you are?” The brute asked her own guard.

Chaol had been watching them like a tennis match. He took notice of her hidden hands before clearing his throat. “Chaol Westfall, the Princess’ personal guard.”

Fenrys put his arm around her guard’s stiff frame. “He’s bushels of fun. You’ll love him, Lor.”

Lord Darrow huffed. “May we all have this glorious reunion elsewhere? I was meant to fetch you both for an emergency meeting.”

She and Rowan shared a look. “Now?” Aelin raised a brow.

The lord exhaled. “Now.”

“Can I change first?”

Rowan lifted his own brow, seeming to remember that she really was just in her nightgown in this room full of men. Of course, she was their superior, but still, he moved to cover her even more. Fussy buzzard, she thought, unbidden. Her brain was reverting back too many times tonight.

“I suppose.”

She took a final glance at the array of men in the room, all eyes on her, before slipping out from behind Rowan to stalk up the stairs with a nonchalaunt wave. “Great. See you then.” Chaol fell in position behind her, but she felt all of their gazes branded to her back.

They all seemed to suck in a breath at her horrible scars, but she only drifted up with her chin held high, never turning around once. Let them have a reminder of what could happen should they fail at their jobs.

Aelin felt a little bad, honestly, to bother her seamstress at this hour. It was hardly dawn, and here she was, knocking on the pretty double doors, covered by lace curtains. But she needed clothes. She couldn’t exactly wear her twelve year old outfits.

Surprisingly, Yrene came to the door, a chipper smile on her face. “Your Highness,” she waved her in, and Chaol stood post on the opposite wall, glancing down the corridor for approachers. She thought that perhaps he was scared of the room, knowing that she changed in there. A man with morals, she supposed. But that wasn’t much fun. He didn’t even look at the room. Gods.

“What brings you here at this hour-” She cut herself off by grabbing Aelin’s hand. “Silba, what did you do?” Aelin laughed, a bit surprised at the sudden inspection. “This is going to get infected if you don’t clean this properly.”

Aelin felt herself give a genuine smile. She liked Yrene. There was a sense of familiarity about her. She didn’t treat Aelin with kid gloves.

“I’m sorry for my-” Yrene started, realizing her unprofessionalism.

“No,” it was Aelin’s turn to cut her off. “I quite enjoy it.”

Yrene smiled. “Good.” She pulled Aelin to sit on the soft, golden couch, and kneeled to inspect her hand further. As if they’d been friends for a great long while, Yrene gave her a conspiratorial look. “Do I even want to know how you achieved this?”

Aelin winked. “It would only shock you.”

The seamstress fell quiet for a moment, grabbing a metal box under her work desk, littered with tools. “That’s ok,” her tone was a bit serious. “You don’t have to tell me.”Aelin appreciated the sentiment. Not many people gave her that grace. Men were nosy. Yrene seemed to know that fact just as well as she did.

Aelin stayed quiet as Yrene dutifully worked on her hand. She ran a warm cloth over her fist, her touch motherly. She cleaned the wound, examined the cuts, and wrapped a clean bandage around her knuckles, a bit of padding under it. When she was done, she squeezed her hand and said properly to herself, “All better.”

Aelin watched with a fondness. “You’re exceptional at this, you know,” she said, her tone casual, even if she was extremely touched by the gesture.

Yrene started, her golden eyes swimming with thought. “Oh. You think?” She stood, busying herself cleaning up.

“I think,” Aelin told her.

A silence took up the room before Yrene waved her off. “Well, needle and thread work for fabric and people. It’s not too difficult.”

Aelin stood, and grabbed her hand. They stared at each other a moment. “Yrene.” The other woman looked at her, searching. “You don’t want to be a seamstress. Do you?”

Yrene’s face grew both soft and pained with emotion. She glanced down at Aelin’s newly bandaged hand. “No,” she replied simply, a thumb padding over her handy work. “I don’t.”

Aelin squeezed her hand, hoping that she could convey her understanding with just that gesture. And because Yrene did not demand answers out of Aelin, she would return the favor. No explanation was necessary.

They stayed that way for a moment before Yrene started again, something Aelin was growing used to from the woman. “I actually haven’t properly asked you why you’re here.” She changed the subject, her tone casual.

“Yes,” Aelin sighed, remembering herself. “I need a dress.”

“For?” Yrene inquired, already searching through her boxes of dresses. Aelin ignored the gorgeous white gown still up on the platform.

“A meeting. Actually, for the day.”

Yrene’s eyes peeked up from behind a ginormous bundle of fabric across the room. “Your closet isn’t full?”

Aelin paused. She liked Yrene, she did. But she had plenty of secrets that kept tight to her. So she relied on this system of “no-questions-asked” she and the seamstress had created. “I wouldn’t know. I do not venture into that room.”

Yrene hummed, hands on her hips. She glanced up with her pretty eyes, made more golden by the rising sun peeking through the windows. “I can have them moved in here, if you would like?”

Aelin’s heart clenched. For as much of a disaster as this morning was, she was finding herself with many positives here in this room. She tried to keep the emotion out of her voice when she replied, “I would very much like that.”

“I’ll have it done today then, Majesty.”

The second time someone had called her that this morning. Aelin told her, “You know, I’m not entirely queen yet.”

Yrene hummed again, padding around the room. “By name, perhaps.” Her gaze caught Aelin’s. “But you are queen. You participate in this court as such. You should be awarded that title.”

Aelin smiled at her. “I’m glad you think so.”

“Not just me, Aelin,” Yrene told her, whole-heartedly, handing her a long, cerulean dress to match her eyes. “Many people want you on that throne.”

“We should push the coronation back.”

“Absolutely not,” Aelin objected.

Rowan said, “If we must have a public appearance, we might as well get it over and done with now. It would lower the risk of an invasion between now and then.”

Lord Ren countered, “This is the first invasion we’ve had in four years. Once they confirmed that she wasn’t here,” his eyes cut to Aelin, “They stopped coming. Flat out showing where we’re hiding her doesn’t exactly keep us safe.”

Aelin massaged her temples. This was getting exhausting.

Rowan had formally introduced her to the newest members of the Royal Guard, now some of their highest ranking men, as his Cadre.

“It’s what we were called over there,” Connall- Fenrys’ twin brother, she’d learned- had informed her. “Band of brothers who fought really well.” The thought made her queasy.

Now, Lorcan clasped his hands over the map of the realm lining the table. “Is hiding her the best option then?”

Rowan’s eyes narrowed, his features hardening. “What are you implying?”

Once again, Aelin noticed Lorcan taking inventory of how quick to anger Rowan was. Brood, she said to him with her eyes.

Brat, he shot back at her.

She watched Lorcan look at them, too. Their new Captain of the Guard said, “Not implying anything, Whitethorn. Just that perhaps we should think about the consequences of presenting her like a prize to win.”

Before actual steam poured out of Rowan’s ears, Aelin told the group, “So let them in.”

Rowan’s green eyes met hers. “What?”

She shrugged, not thinking of the actual implications of what she was saying. “Let’s hold one enormous wedding-slash-coronation, have me there as if I’d never left, like everything’s normal. Let them think I’ll be in public often. Let them all get a real, nice, good look at me.” Her council thought about it with wide eyes. Her voice dropped into something sweet and deep. “You can’t exactly steal something when it’s out in the open.”

Silence overcame the room, and she could only hear her own heartbeat as they thought about it. Her mother had told her, a long while ago, that she was to remain smart, always. She took it to heart, and delivered her lines well.

“That’s actually quite brilliant,” Chaol surprised her, from his spot behind her chair. She turned with a raised brow. He cleared his throat as the Unified Lands of Terrasen’s most important members all turned to stare at him. “It’s just- she has a point. My father was a war strategist up in Anielle, and I spent my childhood learning to plan such things. If we treat your- our-” he corrected, “people like a war to be won… we could learn to outsmart them. Make them believe they have the upper hand, when really, we’ll be watching them as they think they’ve gotten an in. They’ll think us the stupid ones.”

Aelin was taken aback- both by his admission of anything personal- and because of his support. She hadn’t been called brilliant in a long time.

Darrow lifted an impressed brow at both Aelin and Chaol. “My King?” he asked.

Aelin saw the gears turn in Rowan’s head, knew that with his Cadre watching him like that, it was the look of a calculated, smart warrior who was thinking this through. Finally, after a sigh, “As much as I want to decline in favor of my future queen’s safety… it is a wise move. And a clever display of war strategy from our princess.” His eyes cut her glance. “We should all keep her talents in mind next time we meet. Until then, we have a celebration to plan. Adjourned.”

With a nod and bow from their members, the court began to stand, all meandering and talking amongst themselves. Ren did not look happy, but Aelin didn’t know the last time that happened.

Before Rowan walked out, she caught him in the hallway. He turned, and before she spoke she shot a look to Chaol. He backed up a few steps into the hall, leaving them at least partially alone in the alcove.

“Hey,” she said, the sun warm on her back.

Rowan nodded at Fenrys to also take a hike, and he went to talk to the other members of the Cadre. “What’s wrong?”

Aelin’s brow furrowed. “Why does something have to be wrong?”

Rowan huffed a laugh. “The last few times we talked, that’s been the common theme.”

It was Aelin’s turn to snort. “Yeah, well, it hasn’t exactly been an easy transition home.” Rowan nodded, searching her face. Regret lined his harsh features.

“So what is it then?’

Aelin closed her eyes for a moment, pushing past the awkwardness of what she was about to ask. “Are you a Lyria sharing rooms?”

Rowan’s green eyes turned wide, almost scared. “What?”

“I mean- well, I- I know you’re sharing… beds,” she cringed. “But I need to know if she’s moved into your rooms.”

“Why?” Tension lay tight on his neck.

“Because if someone asks me about the situation, I don’t know what I’m going to tell them,” she told him, honestly.

Rowan seemed to be at war with his thoughts, bringing a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. In another lifetime, she would have made fun of him, telling him he seemed like an old man.

“Tell them that I was engaged to Lyria before I knew about Article 240.”

“And what do I tell them about now?” She pried.

“Tell them…” he struggled. “Gods, tell them it’s complicated.”

Her heart squeezed. “Complicated.”

Rowan lowered his hand, his body tense under his white shirt. His very distracting white shirt. Where she could see the outlines of his muscles. He’d been strong when they were young but… not like this. She snapped to focus at his serious tone. “Aelin, you are going to be my queen. You are my partner. I will defend you, protect you. I do not take that lightly. That does not mean nothing. But Lyria…”

Aelin swallowed. “I get it.” She waved him off, ready to go back to her rooms and take a long, nice bath, to try and forget this conversation. But Rowan grabbed her arm, holding it in a soft grip, but close to him. She could feel his breath on her face as she turned to look up at him.

“I-” His gaze dropped to her face, then to her body. She knew the dress Yrene had given her hugged her curves more than the other dresses she had tried on, even as it was long sleeved. She tried not to shiver under his stare. “I don’t think you do.”

Aelin wanted to spend hours dissecting his tone, his gaze, the way he was looking at her and speaking to her and defending her. Wanted to spend days with him looking at her like that, days trying to figure out all the different things they meant to each other.

Aelin tilted her head up to him. They were sharing a breath, heat dancing between them. Her chest heaved a bit. “Rowan I-”

“Majesty?” A man called down the hall. They broke apart, instantly, the moment ruined. Aelin put her hand around her collarbones, trying to calm her beating heart. Rowan’s face was flushed, but he turned to the man, professional.

Aelin swallowed, pushing her hair out of her face. “Later, then, my king?”

He nodded to her, then began to talk what sounded suspiciously like a Healer’s conversation about early pregnancies. Her stomach turned queasy, as if she were the one dealing with morning sickness. She watched Rowan tug on the very ends of his hair, something he only did when he was frustrated.

Later, she thought, warmth still filling her despite the cold reality check of Rowan’s impending fatherhood. Later.

Ok so I’m a taddd obsessed with these characters and setting them up for long, slow-bun type development. Sue me. But yeah, I can’t lie, this is a TOTAL self-indulgence fic based on a book I’m going to write in the future with name changes and a few tropes I don’t think I can get away with in the actual book lol. anyway, the point is that I want to talk about them and geek about this fic even though it’s mine, even if that sounds totally unhumble lol. Yrene in this fic just has my heart, I don’t know, raise ur hand if u agree. Ok, work in the morning, and a gentle reminder this is not a Magee- Update blog, this is a Rowaelin blog. Enough writer-rambling. Goodnight lovelies, and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Much in store for this fic, so stay tuned!

-Much love, Magee

Taglist:

@leiawritesstories

@tomtenadia

@fireheart-violet

@backtobl4ck

@morganofthewildfire

@rowaelinismyotp

@aelinchocolatelover

@thegreyj

@foughtconquered

@swankii-art-teacher

@booklover242

@stardelia

@numbers-colors-fashion

@bookcide

#TDDUP #Rowaelin #rowaelin fanfiction #rowaelin fantasy au #sjm #sjm fanfiction #tog #throne of glass #throne of glass fanfiction #rowan whitethorn #aelin galathynius

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cpunkwitch · 8 months

Text

answering my questions p3

[pt: answering my questions p3]

part 1 (link), part 2 (link)

ask game 3 (link)

biggest inaccessible thing that angers you right now?

doors with round handles. fuck those door knobs im glad my bedroom door doesnt actually close so i dont have to use it.

2. something no one talks about that you wish had more discussion about how it could be more accessible?

windows. i dont ever see anyone talk about how windows (that are meant to be opened for air circulation etc) could be more accessible. the window i have i have to wrestle with in order to get it open in the summer, because of that i avoided it this summer and ended up not having ac

i get there are some windows that have the screen on the other side and the inside slides up, i prefer those, my sister has that in her room, but the locks and the act of opening the window itself is not easy or something everyone can do.

3. what are some good resources that help you out? any blogs or sites that really helped you out with a disability or gave you support?

a user on here actually suggested speech assistant to me, i dont remember who but i was able to find an aac for my phone thanks to a tumblr user. i dont really have anything else to respond with, my resources are actually kinda limited ^^;

i got my cane off amazon, thats really the only other thing i have.

4. if you have an aid, mobility or not, how did you get it and do you know any good places to get them at good prices?

unfortunately all i know is amazon because i dont have a way of using other sites. most other sites dont use stripe and paypal is a bitch to me. i know there was a post going around earlier to be put on a wait list for a free wheelchair i think? if anyone knows where that post is id like to reblog it again

best way to get things at a lower price though is if theyre used/2nd hand. theyre considered worth less than new ones as they've been used and probably worn in already, therein they arent in mint condition like newer ones, but theyre still good. i actually got my first two binders that way. (tbh i get most things that way)

i know you can find 2nd hand stuff on facebook groups/marketplace, Kijiji, ebay and similar sites but i dont fully trust most of them myself.

when it comes to aid's that are programs though, such as aac or screen readers, there are tonnes that are completely free or come with small monthly subs or in-app purchases that arent too pricey and a lot of sites and social apps have those built in now a days with stickers, emojis, gifs, text-to-speech options on devices and so on.

5. any programs you know of that are either easily accessible or make things more accessible?

aside from my answer in 4, i have asl bloom which is like duolingo for american sign language. if you wanna quickly learn some asl for free, asl bloom is great!

i mentioned i have speech assistant for an aac, i've excitedly posted a bit yesterday about using it for the first time in a classroom setting.

6. whats an aid that no one mentions being an aid? could be big or small

anything is an aid if it assists you. glasses, braces, screen readers, etc

i see plenty of people acknowledging that pictures, emojis etc are aids as well esp for the nonverbal, more so than i would see sometime in the past.

a lot of things that might not be considered socially acceptable can be aids too, plastic straws for example, esp bendy ones, but thats been talked about quite a lot since the pandemic and i hope to see that discussion continue until theyre finally brought back as the default.

things that i never-to-rarely see anyone mention as an aid of some sort though? aside from medication, creams and things for pain management, theres not much to come to mind.

7. any recent news that really pissed you off, like an accessibility being taken away?

there was something at the time of making that ask game but i no longer remember what. nothing recent that have to bring up, at least not right now.

8. any good news to share with the disabled community?

i am sorry to say i bring no news at all, good or bad, but i may have some at a later date. perhaps whenever i get that french aac update we can consider that good news

9. what are some helpful things in your town/city for cripples?

nothing special i can think of

10. what can your town/city improve on to help?

the fucking side walks

11. is there an accommodation you wish you had/could get/want more of?

if i had the money and was in a different situation, id get a shower chair, braces or compression gloves, a wheelchair etc.

typing programs like typist arent made with disabled people in mind and i wish they were, i make mistakes because im dyslexic and cant always control my stims and they score you on how many mistakes you make with no backspace option and you cant continue until you improve with the least amount to no mistakes. they should at least let you use the backspace.

i use typist for class and it pisses me off that i cant go back and fix my mistakes. not just typing either but writing classes in general that grade you on how many mistakes you make should consider and accommodate people with issues writing/typing. just giving them more time to work on an assignment is not much of an accomodation. tics, stims etc are all things that can effect a persons writing and its pretty unfair and ablest to think that everyone can just stop making mistakes with writing if they practice enough.

12. whats some discourse going around right now that you wish would stop?

non physically disabled / able bodied people claiming cripplepunk includes them. should never have been discourse to begin with the name itself should be fucking self explanatory and if you know anything about cripplepunk its that its FOR THE PHYSICALLY DISABLED

also transid/transx bullshit...

13. advice for people who are only just discovering theyre crippled?

its okay to be disabled, learning your physical limitations and general limitations with your body is actually a good thing.

youre not lazy, youre not unsightly, youre not gross, youre not creepy, youre a living being and you deserve the accessibility, accomodations and help you need or want. if youre thinking of getting assistance get it.

youre not taking anything away or hurting anything by calling yourself disabled and using aids if you think it helps you.

whatever you have hindering your physical functions does not define you nore is it the only trait about you but it is a part of you that comes with you. dont let anyone disrespect you over it, get/use what you need, its your body.

14. any questions for people who've been in the community a while?

what were things like when cripplepunk first started? how did it gain traction and popularity? how did you come across it and what was it like when you were new?

do you have any advice for people just joining cripplepunk and things to say about content creation for cpunk? is there content you wish to see more of or reoccur? what was content online like when you first joined disabled/crippled spaces?

15. ramble about your condition?

man i really need to book time with the chiropractor. my arthritis aches are in more than just my hands and wrists, i get really bad foot cramps, leg and ankle pain and i have seriously bad tension and stiffness in my neck, shoulders and back.

if i remember tomorrow i'll call them when i get home for lunch between classes. and see if i can book thursday afternoons

a lot of my condition comes from my moms side of the family, which is cool in theory, i like talking about that kinda thing, hereditary and genes n stuff interests me but because its my mom and i grew up in her shadow being referred to as her "mini me" and shit, it makes me pretty uncomfortable to know just how much like her i am and i cant get away from it. (and thats not even mentioning how uncomfortable i am being associated with one of my ab/sers(u) to such a degree)

16. rant about your environment?

i feel like thats a thing for an entire post on its own. i could rant about my home environment or my city.

17. if you have any aids, have you decorated and/or named them?

ive painted my cane and and trying to paint it again when i remember, have the time and spoons, but i havnt named it or added any attachments and i want to. suggestions are welcome!

18. tips for maintaining mobility aids of any?

as a cane user:

wash and sanitize the handle/grip and foot of your cane as frequently as you use it. especially if someone else has touched it and you've been outside with it and have allergies!

use paint sealer if you customize your cane and use masking tape on the parts of it that you arent customizing (handle, foot, joints if its foldable)

place it by the door but not next to the entrance or shoes so it doesnt get knocked over/kicked etc and so you remember to take it with you if youre an "out of sight out of mind" type of forgetful person like me.

crippled-pvp mentioned this before; place your cane under the seats/on the floor if youre in a car. its deadly otherwise.

19. anything that motivates you to leave your house even just for fresh air and a stretch?

coffee/snack runs. the garden on campus nearby. if it werent for close by things like that i'd see no point in leaving the house outside work/school. and maybe a few other things like painting in the back yard ig?

20. free space!

feel free to ask me questions, to clarify or elaborate/expand on something, my inbox is always open for a chat and anon is on for privacy of those who use side blogs or are too anxious to be off anon. anon is not on for hate/discourse.

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#cass rambles #physically disabled #cripplepunk #physical disability #actually disabled #cpunk #disability blogging #cripple punk #cpunk blog #disabled #mobility aid user #cane user #answers

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