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#What to do if Your Donkey is Too Tired to Climb the Stairs
gamerbearmira · 1 year
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Angst Au based on something I noticed. Mirabel climbs on the roof of Casita a lot. Casita probably helps her because it trust's itself and her to keep her safe.
It was Mirabel's Sixth birthday and everyone was too busy to notice. Because it was year to the day that the candle had flickered for the first time since the Encanto had been built, everyone was put into overdrive because there was still tension about the date when it was brought up in the village. Everyone had been woken up early by Alma. By the time Mirabel woke up, breakfast was already over and everyone was gone. Julieta had at least left her a plate of food but Alma left a note telling her not to come into town and to stay home. There was no mention of her birthday which saddened the birthday girl. But maybe she could do something to make up for it.
She spent all afternoon making her own decorations and Casita helped her put them up. She saved some arepas from breakfast and found a few candles. It wasn't much but it would save her mother from having to be in the kitchen when she got home. She even put on her birthday dress from the year before.
It was nearly nighttime by the time that the family got home. Julieta was tired, Pepa had a headache from all the crying she'd done all day, Dolores did as well. Camilo's body aches from changing so much to entertain other kids for adults, Luisa was dirty from a donkey pushing her into there mud when she was trying to catch them and Isabela was just in a bad mood.
When Alma saw that Mirabel had put up decorations, she scolded the girl for making a mess of Casita, telling her to clean it all up and being angry that she was wearing her ceremony dress. When Mirabel tried to explain, she was cut off and told to go to her room, that the family didn't have time for her nonsense. She was to stay in her room until dinner was ready. It devastated Mirabel. She went upstairs with eyes full of tears before deciding that rather than hide in her room, she'd hide on Casita's roof. She stayed up there a long time before falling asleep
When Everyone was clean and Julieta had gotten dinner cooked, they called up the stairs for Mirabel. Mirabel was surprised awake by them calling for her and unfortunately started rolling off Casita's roof. Casita tried to catch her with the handrails of the second floor. Too bad that wood is not soft. Mirabel's back hit the rail hard before falling onto the first floor with a scream
The family came rushing to see what was happening and it was clear she'd been hurt. Julieta quickly gave Mirabel a part of the meal but nobody was prepared after she slowed her crying and told them that she couldn't feel her legs
Nah cause wtf 😭😭 you fr gon stop celebrating her birthday as a whole. And then when she tries to do it herself out of your way. You wanna get made. And why didn’t anybody stand up for her, that is so messed up??? I hope they feel guilty for what happened, cause. Mirabel shouldn’t have been subjected to that. Like what the hell. Maybe y’all wouldn’t be so tired and worn out if you just. Idk, threw a party. It’s certainly a lot less tiring.
Mirabel:
OKOK ILL STOP. ILL STOP.
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thatsbelievable · 4 years
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Dig a Grave to Dig Out a Ghost - Chapter 27
Original Title: 挖坟挖出鬼
Genres: Drama, Horror, Mystery, Supernatural, Yaoi
This translation is based on multiple MTLs and my own limited knowledge of Chinese characters. If I have made any egregious mistakes, please let me know.
Chapter Index
Chapter 27 - Soul-Catcher
Enemies and friends were actually pretty interchangeable. For example, Lin Yan had to be on his guard with this ghost before, but when a new enemy appeared, it was the first time that he truly felt he and Xiao Yu were on the same side. Lin Yan glanced at the dimly lit hut, his head resting on Xiao Yu's chest. His slightly cool body temperature made him think an inexplicable thought; that he actually felt safe because of the presence of this ghost that never left him alone.
"What happened?" Xiao Yu held the back of Lin Yan's head.
"It's. . . it's nothing" Lin Yan blushed. He broke out from Xiao Yu's arms, hiding his head down and looking at the photo that the old man had given him. He had such a dull expression that it looked like the black and white picture had been taken after he had died. As he took a closer look, the place where the girl in the red coat had been standing wasn't completely empty. Lin Yan aggressively wiped the picture. A thin cloud of gray mist hovered around his legs. If he wasn't actively looking for it, he would've chalked it up to the old quality of the picture.
"Pea cakes, hawthorn jelly, fruitcakes, water chestnut cake, rolling donkeys, glutinous rice cakes." The vendor pushing the cart selling treats noticed Lin Yan standing by himself. He picked up a rag and wiped the glass window of the cart, shouting more enthusiastically. "Would you like to try some?"
The dry, dazzling sunlight shone down. The vendor's voice seemed like it was coming from another world, too distant to be clearly distinguished.
Things were moving in an unpredictable direction. Lin Yan shook his head and dragged Xiao Yu forward aimlessly, wracking through his brain. The first time he saw the little girl was in the hallway of his apartment building. There had been a problem with the elevator that day and he climbed the stairs to the twelfth floor. At the corner of the third-floor hallway, he saw the little girl climbing onto the handrail to play. Later, he would meet her downstairs almost every time he went home. Once Lin Yan arrived home just when the kids had just gotten out of school and large groups of students were playing football in the yard. He hadn't paid attention to the little girl sitting on her own. Now that he thought about it, he had never seen her talk to anyone.
It seemed like it had been a while since he last saw the little girl.
When did this start? Lin Yan walked with his head down, kicking a small stone as he walked. The corner of his eyes flicked across Xiao Yu's embellished hem, a bright white fabric decorated with a greenish emerald dragon spread out underneath the moire belt hanging down, swaying as he stepped. Lin Yan hesitantly cast his gaze towards the ghost next to him. The memory of Xiao Yu appearing on that rainy night resurfaced. When Lin Yan rushed out of his apartment in terror, he saw the little girl standing in the rain, sucking on her thumb and looking at him. If he hadn't been threatened by a ghost, he would've asked why she was standing alone outside on a rainy day.
From that day on, Lin Yan's life completely changed. He thought silently, ever since Xiao Yu had started following him, the girl in the red coat hadn't shown up again.
A thought jolted across his mind. Lin Yan almost couldn't stand still. He shook as he took his phone out of his pocket and dialled Yin Zhou's number.
'Beep. . . beep. . .' Pick up the phone, pick up the phone, Lin Yan silently urged.
". . . Lin Yan?" After ringing seven times, Yin Zhou's tired voice came from the phone: ". . . I'm sleeping. I'm hanging up if this isn't important."
Lin Yan breathed a sigh of relief. He clamped the phone between his ear and shoulder while pulling out his car keys and asked; "A-Zhou, do you remember what Second Immortal Gu told us the last time we asked her to drive away a ghost?"
"The old lady was just trying to scam a few bucks off us. . ." Yin Zhou reluctantly grumbled: "I think she said there was a little girl who didn't have any clothes or money to pay to get to the underworld, and then she poured water all over you. Complete bullshit."
Lin Yan's heart dropped: "Then Second Immortal Gu died and her time of death was deliberately changed."
"Yeah." Yin Zhou yawned: "Did you find something?"
Lin Yan dragged Xiao Yu towards the parking lot and harshly slammed the car door: "She wasn't talking bullshit. There really was a little girl in red following me. I took a picture with her but the developed picture didn't have her in it."
"Holy shit!" Yin Zhou was completely awake and bounced off the bed: "Are you kidding me? Another ghost?!"
"I'm not sure yet." Lin Yan turned the key to start the car, staring at the windshield, "That hand, it slapped the windshield when we went to see Second Immortal Gu and we almost got into a car accident. It didn't seem right to me when it happened, but it disappeared so fast, I couldn't see it."
"Now that I think about it, the hand was too small. It's not the ghost that lives in my house at all." Lin Yan glanced at Xiao Yu. "I also saw the little girl the day I went to meet you in the bar. At that time, I thought she was alive. I think she was the reason I was stuck in that loop on the road and she was the one behind Second Immortal Gu's death."
"I'll go ask A-Yan later on. Keep an eye out for anything."
Yin Zhou was silent for a while: ". . . Stay safe."
Lin Yan hung up the phone and carefully backed the car out of the parking space. The market in Shenjiyuan closed early. A group of vendors surged out from the entrance with the earnings from the day like a school of fish swimming by Lin Yan's car window. The jade shop by the side of the road screeched by on its grinding wheels. Lin Yan sighed and clutched the steering wheel, waiting for the crowd in front of them to disperse. When he turned to look at Xiao Yu, he couldn't help but feel a little guilty.
"It's always been you, hasn't it?" Lin Yan whispered.
"The night I first met you, I drove around the overpass for three hours and didn't find the exit until I saw you."
The patter of light rain, the lonely figure standing under the streetlamp like they were waiting for a promise that could never be fulfilled.
"At that time, I thought I was lost because of you. I didn't think that you were the one to help me get out of there." Lin Yan recalled how he had been circling around the overpass like a headless fly. He found it all kind of funny now. The ghost that scared him half to death now shared his house, shared his passenger seat and even shared his occasional uncontrollable sexual desires.
Xiao Yu rubbed his fingers against his temple, trying to remember. A-Yan said that ghosts who had just returned to the human world were in a state of confusion. They would keep searching for the reason why they were stuck in the human world with very few memories of their previous lives. Some of them were able to remember and reincarnate easily while others weren't successful, their resentment growing stronger and stronger. Lin Yan grabbed his hand and held it, feeling a little depressed, and murmured: "Forget it, don't worry about it."
He couldn't help but chuckle bitterly: "You've got your hands full now. Someone's trying to kill me before you get to."
". . . You're mine." Xiao Yu said slowly, pulling his hand back.
"I'm not." Lin Yan said. He didn't know why he was so stubborn every time this topic came up: "Even now, I'm not sure who you are or where you want to take me. A month ago I was a complete atheist, but now I've now more ghosts than people. My life is already a mess and today I ran into a little girl that almost killed me on a highway."
Lin Yan started getting choked up. He sniffed. For some reason, he felt a strong feeling of outrage: "Who did I provoke? Why won't they just let me live my life?"
Xiao Yu held Lin Yan's shoulders and rubbed his chin against his forehead. Lin Yan gritted his teeth and the stinging in his eyes grew more intense.
"I'm going to ask A-Yan about the little girl later. Xiao Yu, don't move. Let me rest for a minute." Lin Yan wrapped his arms around his waist and curled into Xiao Yu's arms. "I'm exhausted. "
Long, slender fingers stroked through his hair. They were cold but the gesture was very gentle: "Don't worry, I'm here."
"I know." Lin Yan played with the crimson silk belt around Xiao Yu's waist and let out a chuckle: "Save me for yourself. Don't let someone else kill me."
Lin Yan buried his face in Xiao Yu's chest. If he had heard that a month ago, he would've thought he was out of his mind, but now he said it sincerely as if he meant it when he tried to reassure him. He instinctively felt that what had happened recently was much more than a simple coincidence. It was as if a well-prepared lasso had been placed on the ground long ago, waiting for him to walk ignorantly into the center of the rope loop only for it to be violently tightened by an invisible giant hand. The staring little girl, the dead old lady, the pre-determined internship and obsessive ghosts. The crowd outside the car window slowly dispersed. Lin Yan held Xiao Yu's waist and couldn't help but think that even if he really fell into some unpredictable conspiracy, there was always something to hold on to.
He knew that there was something between them that couldn't be resolved or reconciled. He cautiously avoided thinking about it. The ghost made the first move. Lin Yan let out a long sigh. He struggled to sit up straight, turning and driving the car out of the parking lot.
There's still time. Think about it later, Lin Yan thought to himself.
The alleyway where A-Yan lived was as dark as the first time. The spider web he saw when he came last time had grown bigger. A round gray spider was hanging underneath and climbing with its eight hairy legs. The broken bicycle beneath the spider web was gone, replaced by a pile of large cardboard boxes covered in advertisements for weight loss tea.
A-Yan didn't have a candle lit like he were a ghost this time. The living room was lit, and after making a cup of kuding tea for Lin Yan, A-Yan looked at the black-and-white photo carefully with the light, his face growing serious.
"I can't sense anything. Even the weakest ghosts have dark energy, but I can't see anything like what you said." A-Yan looked at the air around Lin Yan strangely, and then lowered his head to study the photo.
"I haven't seen her since Xiao Yu showed up. Today was the first time." Lin Yan pointed to the ghost behind him, embarrassed: "His name is Xiao Yu. I don't think I mentioned that."
He didn't know why it made him flustered to mention his name in front of others, so Lin Yan coughed quickly to cover up his embarrassment.
"X-Xiao Yu, I'll remember that." The little Daoist muttered to himself. He opened the cabinet and took out the large red lacquer pen and a glass bottle filled with cinnabar that he used to exorcise ghosts earlier. He unscrewed the bottle and paused: "Was he also there when you met the little girl you mentioned?"
"No." Lin Yan recalled: "There was a talisman hanging on the door to ward off evil spirits and he couldn't get in."
"If there was a talisman to ward off evil spirits, then that means there must have been a ghost. What did the talisman look like?"
Lin Yan drew a crooked pattern on his phone's whiteboard based on what he remembered, like gossip that was fed down the grapevine. Dancing lines of symbols and patterns were encompassed by a large black box. The little Daoist frowned while he studied it and said with certainty: "T-This is made specifically to repel ghosts. Sticking this on a door will prevent even the most powerful ghosts from getting in." A-Yan's slender fingers pointed to the cloud of gray mist near Lin Yan's feet in the photo: "Like I thought. It's not a ghost, it's a curse."
"Curse?" Lin Yan clutched the cup, bewildered: "Like in the movies?"
A-Yan took out the yellow paper from under the table. He dipped the pen in the cinnabar and haphazardly scribbled a Daoist talisman. He lit it with a lighter and moved it across Lin Yan's shoulders and head. He frowned and said: "N-No, this kind of talisman is an evil art used in practices like Nanyang Black Magic and Miaojiang compulsion techniques. They use insects, ants, dolls, and even ghosts to injure and harm people. It's different from Daoism. Daoism only targets ghosts while curses target people."
The flame of the yellow paper increased immensely when it passed over Lin Yan’s shoulders, making a small crackling sound. The little Daoist flicked the yellow paper to put out the flame and wondered: “It's impossible for a gray shadow to appear when trying to take pictures of ghosts that appeared naturally. The little girl had to be imprisoned somehow to make this kind of curse. I'll help you to get rid of it. I-It's such bad luck to run into this kind of thing."
"Lin Yan, who did you offend recently? Why did someone put a curse on you?"
Lin Yan took a sip of tea and sank into the sofa, shaking his head with a bitter smile on his face. Something that Second Immortal Gu said popped into his head. The little girl had been locked up with deep resentment. At that time, he thought she was talking nonsense. It's a pity that this person was already dead and gone.
Gone? Lin Yan looked back at Xiao Yu in surprise. If a person's soul still exists after they die. . .
"A-Yan." Lin Yan grabbed the little Taoist's thin wrist and said in a low voice: "Can people still talk after they die?"
The little Daoist priest was dumbfounded. A smirk danced on his lips. He stared at the ceiling for a minute and whispered: "N-Not necessarily. Some that died recently still can, but not for very long."
"Less than a month." Lin Yan roughly slammed the teacup on the table, water splashing into small round spots on the yellow paper. "I want to attract a person's soul."
The little Daoist thoughtfully stroked the cinnabar-coated pen and hesitated: "I-I'll try. A month might not be enough time."
The lights in the living room were dim and the whole room smelt like traditional medicinal herbs. After staying for a while, it felt like he was drifting farther and farther away from the normal world. Lin Yan took out his phone and stared at the bright screen, trying to bring himself back to reality. He scrolled through the people in his contacts. A text message suddenly popped up.
"I have some news. I'll ask the secretary to double-check and I'll get back to you tomorrow."
The one who sent it was the man who gave the lecture on Monday, Professor File Folder.
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untaemedqueen · 4 years
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Secret Journey > k.th
Chapter 19.
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I sit on the beach, my toes digging into the sand as I scroll through my phone. “Namjoon hyung?!” I call to him as he walks towards me, “What?” He asks with a smile, “Do you have your Korean sim card? I can’t find mine.” I say scrolling through my phone looking for things to send Yuna today. “I think Byungchan has our Sim cards.” “Ah!” I say happily standing up and dusting off my shorts. “What do you need your sim card for?” Namjoon asks with a laugh, “I want to send Yuna flowers and it seems like it’s cold outside so I’m going to get some warm soup sent to her. “Aigo!” He says drawing out his guttural noise. “You guys are so cute.” He says shaking my shoulders as we walk towards the house. “Can’t wait to see our Yuna tomorrow, right?” Namjoon asks as he steps up the patio steps with me. “I’m so excited you have no idea. I can’t wait until I’m home with them. It’ll be like a real home vacation.” I say to him as we step inside the house. “It’s too bad you won’t be able to be here for filming though. You love Bon Voyage.” I nod pouting, “That’s true. I do enjoy it.” I tell him as Byungchan walks down the stairs. “Hyung! Do you have my Korean sim card?” I ask him, he looks up in my direction before nodding. “Let me grab it.”
My phone rings as I get off the ATV, “Wah! That was incredible! Did you see the donkeys?” I call to Yoongi hyung, I dig my phone out of my pocket as he turns off his engine. “They were so cute!” He yells back at me with a laugh. I answer my phone to see my wife smiling at me. A smile spreads on my face as she holds up the flowers. “What’s this?” She asks cutely, I sit down on the floor before throwing the ATV helmet on the seat. “It’s for my flower of a wife. Who I miss more than anything.” Yuna leans back on the bed putting the vase of flowers on the bed side table. “Did you get the samgyetang?” I ask her as the rest of the guys drive in, she nods happily. “I ate it deliciously.” She says with a proud smile. “Good girl.” I say before looking at the time. “Oh. In six hours I’ll be on the plane home to you.” She claps happily before putting her hand on top of her stomach. “Is he moving?” I ask concerned as she grabs a water bottle. She nods before taking a large sip. “He’s doing fine, just like before the incident.” I hum in agreement as the camera crew comes over. “I’ll call you when I’m on my way to the airport, okay baby?” She gives me a thumbs up before laying back comfortably. “Talk to you later.” “Love you!” I call to her, “I love you too.” Jimin drives up next to me before looking down at me on the ground. “Yuna’s okay?” He asks taking off his helmet. I nod before standing up, “Taehyung, Jungkook and Namjoon are going horseback riding, right?” Hoseok asks standing up on his ATV as he takes off his sunglasses. “Yeah, and the rest of us are going snorkelling.” Jimin says clapping happily. I look up at the sky as the sun disappears behind a few small wispy clouds, the days till I see Yuna have been flying by and for some reason her dad comes to mind. I wink at the sky before looking over at the rest of my brothers. “Horseback riding it is, let’s go!” I cheer pulling Jungkook’s arm happily. 
I sit on the back of the horse watching Namjoon struggle, as I laugh happily watching his horse take off into a run. I click my feet on the sides of my horse as the horse takes off to make sure hyung was safe. “Seoul Town Road! Seoul Town Road!” Jungkook screams with laughter from behind us as he holds out his stick camera. “Yah! Oh! Taehyung-ah!” Namjoon screams as I laugh arriving next to him as I slow down my horse, “I’m here, hyung. It’s okay.” “I want to get off this ride!” Namjoon whines making me chuckle. The sky was a beautiful shade of orange and salmon as we ride down the beach. “Can you believe we get to do things like this?” Namjoon as Jungkook arrives behind us. “All thanks to our ARMY.” I say holding my arms out as I stop my horse. “Let’s take a picture.” “Last Bon Voyage before Taehyung hyung is a parent.” Jungkook says making me smirk, I open up my camera before holding up a v sign next to my cheek. “Kimchi.” I say before raising my upper lip giving the snarl effect as I snap the picture. “Okay!” I say happily before looking at the other guys. The camera crew stands next to me as we sit on our horses and watch the sunset. “It’s really always special to be here with you guys. ARMY has done so much for us and it’s a constant reminder of how much we owe them. They bring such joy to us without asking for anything in return, we are really lucky. I’m so grateful to them.” I say feeling slightly guilty knowing I was leaving in two hours. The fans would be disappointed that I left this season like Yoongi did during season 3. “Doesn’t it really make you think? Think about how lucky we are?” Namjoon asks as his horse moves from side to side trying to get comfortable. Jungkook nods while staring at the sea, “All these times we have together are precious, really precious and I’m happy I get to spend my youth with my brothers.” Jungkook says seriously. “Aigooooo!” I cheer putting my hand over my mouth, he smiles wrinkling his nose before giving a large sigh. “I love you guys, although we don’t say it all the time.” Namjoon says before looking over at me. He gives me a closed mouth smile as his dimples appear. “That’s it for tonight. The camera batteries are going to die.” The PD says to us. “Okay.” We call to them, “You’re going to be a great dad, Tae.” Namjoon says putting his hand on my knee. I smile looking out at the ocean in front of us as it reflects the sunset. “I’m going to do my best.” I whisper patting the horse I’m riding. “You’re the best, hyung.” Jungkook says with a bunny smile as he pulls up his Fila hoodie. “Let’s go, Camila.” I say to the horse as we ride back towards the stable.
“Do you have your passport?” Yuna asks through my phone, “Yes.” I say holding it up as I go through my stuff. “Byungchan gave you your korean sim card and your ID?” I nod patting my carry on bag. “You have all your clothes and your shoes. All the little gifts you bought for your parents?” I nod happily before looking around the house. “You’re plane is in an hour and a half. You’re flying from Providenciales to New York, you have a one hour layover and then you’re flying to Seoul and I’ll be there to pick you up.” I nod to my wife as she explains my route. “Are you going to be okay?” She asks worried, I nod with a smile. “Of course, I’m Taekwon’s dad. I’m going to be just fine.” She lets out an anxious sigh, “This is the first time you’re flying by yourself for over a day. I’m really worried.” I chuckle at my hysterical wife. “Baby. I’m going to be fine. I’m an adult. Don’t stress yourself out, the baby can feel that stuff.” I tell Yuna, her hazel eyes darting all over the phone as she looks me over. “Wear your face mask and your hat and when you get to New York just stay in the VIP area.” I nod to her once more as Byungchan takes my luggage to the van. “I’ll take the ride with you.” Jimin says putting his blonde hair into a ponytail. I smile at him as he waves at Yuna over my shoulder. “Hi my Chim!” Yuna says happily, “Yuna! How is it fair that Taehyung gets to go home and see you and Taekwon and we’re here?” Jimin whines as we walk towards the door.  “Because over there you get to do so many fun things like snorkeling and horse back riding and fishing!” Yuna says rubbing her belly. “But he get’s to see Taekwon!” Jimin complains as we walk towards the van. I had already said goodbye to the guys although they complained that I would see them in a week anyway. “Jimin. Taekwon is not your baby.” Yuna says with a laugh, “Look at this girl. How rude. Yah. I can’t miss my nephew?” I snort hopping into the van as Byungchan turns on the engine. “What if I just sneak into Tae’s suitcase?” Jimin asks making Yuna laugh, “I’m sure you’d fit.” She teases, Jimin narrows his eyes at her as Byungchan begins to drive. Yuna gives a big yawn and I brush my fingers through my hair. “Go take a nap and I’ll call you when my plane is taking off. Taekwon is tired.” I tell my wife, “Byungchan hyung, do you see how cool Tae has become since getting married?” Jimin says wrapping his arm over my shoulders making Byungchan laugh. “Make sure you call me. I’m setting an alarm.” Yuna warns me making me smirk, “Yes ma’am.” I say before blowing her a kiss. “I’ll see you soon.” She hums in agreement before ending the call. I lean back putting on my face mask, “Our Tae is really a husband and dad now, my God.” Jimin says happily putting his head on my shoulder making me chuckle tiredly.
I stumble off the plan as I reach New York, I slept for a few hours but I’m still exhausted, I did a lot of activities today before leaving Turks and Caicos without any sleep. I’ve have worse days before being exhausted and I’ll be exhausted when the baby comes so I shouldn’t really complain. I walk towards the VIP lounge putting on my baseball cap, I ring my wife as I approach the area. “You okay?” Yuna asks me climbing out of the bathtub. I look at her naked body before smirking, “I am now. Hello baby.” I murmur as a smirk spreads over my face. She snorts wiping herself with the towel. The bruises on her body pretty much gone apart from some yellow splotches on her belly. “The bruises are going away.” I say happily making her smile. She grabs her sports bra and puts it on quickly, as I pass a few people. “Sir?” An attendant asks as I pass. I stop and turn to him as he looks at me. “May I ask what VIP area you are heading to?” I furrow my eyebrows before looking down at my wife. “One minute please.” I say in English as my wife puts on a robe and tip toeing out of the bathroom as she puts on her robe. “Put me on speaker.” Yuna says grabbing my flight information off the bureau by the bedroom door. I turn off my airpods before handing him my phone. “He’s going to Korean Airlines, he has all of first class.” Yuna says through the phone to the man. “Ah! Kim Taehyung? We have been waiting for him. Okay, ma’am we’ll escort him to the private VIP room.” The attendant smiles at me and hands me back my phone. “You’re the best baby.” I say to my wife as she sits down on the edge of the bed. “Would you like something to eat?” The attendant asks me as I walk down the hallway with him. “Do you want food? Are you hungry?” Yuna asks me, “Ah!” I say before thinking, “Burger? You want a burger and fries?” My wife asks with a giggle. I smile, “Oh, Kim Yuna. You know me so well.” I say loudly making her laugh. “A burger and fries and coke, please!” Yuna says loudly. “Yes ma’am.” The attendant says with a polite smile. We stop outside of the VIP room before the attendant waves his arm inside the room. “Thank you.” I say quietly making him smile widely. I lay across the couch pulling off my face mask. “I’m so fucking tired.” I whisper to Yuna making her pout. “When you get home you can sleep for a whole day if you want.” My wife says trying to bring up the mood. I give her a small nod closing my eyes. “I just want to get home.”
I pull my non-name brand white hoodie up over my baseball hat. I fix my sunglasses and face mask before heading out of the sliding doors at Seoul Airport. No one would possibly know I came back, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if people would recognize me, all I need to do is get my luggage and head out to the black SUV Yuna had picked up from the company. I keep my head low as I walk through the crowds of people heading over to the luggage pick up. A loud scream emits throughout the airport and I begin to walk faster. “MINO!” A girl screams and I breathe a sigh of relief. “Fuck.” I whisper as my heart beats quickly in my ears. “Why is this walk so long?” I mutter under my breath as I wiggling through people and their luggage. I reach the luggage carousel and wait for my bags, my foot tapping rapidly on the floor as the screams get closer. I look to my left and notice Winner walking over. “Oh fuck, fuck. Come on.” I mutter spotting my bag. I pick it up and sling it over my shoulder before cursing more as I wait for my two wheeling luggages. “Jinwoo! I love you!” A girl screams as they approach. “Aish!” I whine stomping my feet as a sheen of sweat glides over my body. I spot my luggage coming out and I push past a few young men to grab them. “Yah!” They yell as I grip my luggage. “I’m so sorry!” I say quickly before dropping my luggage on the floor and rolling it towards the exit. I roll over a few peoples feet as I hurry up. Just a few more steps Taehyung, just a few more. I take off into a sprint as I exit the Seoul airport. I look around for the van as Yuna pulls up with a wide smile. I breathe a sigh of relief as she pops the trunk. “Oh! Baby!” I cheer throwing my luggage in the back with a loud exhale. “Hi Taekwon’s daddy!” She cheers cutely. I round the car as I slam the back down before hopping into the passengers seat. I lean in pulling my face mask off before giving my wife a sloppy kiss. “Fuck, that was scary. God, I missed you.” I whisper before kissing her again, my hand rubbing over her taught belly. Welcome back to Korea, Kim Taehyung.
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arrianna21 · 6 years
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~Joyride~
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Watching races are fun, but it’s even better when you and your boyfriend can informally participate, leading to a fantastic night out under the stars.
Game: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe | Animal Crossing: City Folk
Word Count: 3,681
It was the final lap, the racers were making the last turn and the crowd was going wild. Mario and Rosalina were neck and neck, the man just barely ahead as he tried to pull away on the last leg of the race. Royal Raceway was packed with fans as they all sat in anticipation on who would place in the Prix.
“Come on, Rosalina, come on.” You mutter to the blue princess as you watch with bated breath.
“Give it up, honey. Mario’s gonna be the winner for this Grand Prix.” Jin, your boyfriend and number one fan of Mario, cheers as the kart racer speeds ahead. You had surprised Jin with tickets to the event a few weeks ago and he was beyond thrilled. Kart racing was one of his favorite sports and you were glad that he could also see his favorite celebrity, the famous Mario, participate in this week’s race. Just as Mario approaches the end, an orange motorcycle flies by as the princess of the galaxy uses her last power-up, a red mushroom, to speed through the finish line.
The crowd roars in exhilaration, colorful Toads and Shy Guys bouncing up and down, you included. While each racer crosses the checkered line and does a victory lap, you clap and cheer with excitement. “Go, Rosalina!”
Jin also claps beside you, though his expression is far from satisfied. Bumping his shoulder with your own, you snicker, “See, I told you she would win.”
“Told you she would win,” he mocks in return, rolling his eyes with a scoff. “Mario still has a chance; they have to add up all their scores at the end.”
“Oh yeah?” You tap his arm and point to the giant scoreboard where the final numbers were displayed. The blonde woman’s name was at the very top, 1 point ahead of Mario. Jin groans as you happily yell because Rosalina just won the Banana Cup Prix. Since she won gold that meant you were also a winner. “Time to pay up, Jinnie,” you laugh, holding your hand out expectantly.
The man grumbles to himself and begrudgingly digs in his pocket before giving you 300 Bells.
“Thank you.” You croon and your boyfriend’s response is to sulk, crossing his arms pitifully while his lower lip pokes out in a sad pout.
“You know, my character got second place, shouldn’t I get a small reward?” the man whines.
“Aww, of course, Jinnie.” You coo, leaning over to press a kiss to his cheek.
He turns to look at you in bewilderment. “That’s it?”
“Kisses on the lips are only for first place winners.”
“Yah! Is this any way to treat your loving boyfriend?” he complains and you cackle at his childish antics.
After the racers park their cars, the crowd begins to fan out. Lots of Toads begin bouncing down the steps as they get ready to head home, Shy Guys and Koopa Troopas doing the same. Once the crowd disperses, you and Jin also leave, walking down the stairwell so you can catch the bus before it leaves.
“Thanks for coming, folks! Hope you enjoyed the races.” Lakitu says, carrying his stoplight over his shoulder as he floats by.
“We had a great time.” You tell the red-shelled turtle who gives you a thumbs up in return.
One of the toads was riding a yellow Yoshi, the little mushroom guy waving excitedly when he sees you two. “Bye guys! See you next time!” he hollers, high-fiving Jin when he passes.
“Good seeing you, Toad, Yoshi.” Jin smiles to the duo. The yellow dinosaur makes a noise of happiness and you giggle, patting him on the head to which he chitters excitedly.
Since the race had just finished there were still a lot of people waiting at the bus stop when you exit the arena. You and Jin stand in the long line talking to one of the villagers from another city.
“That was a great Prix! I thought Donkey Kong was gonna win it all, but third isn’t bad either.” Axel the elephant trumpets giddily. This had been the blue elephant’s first time coming to a Grand Prix and he couldn’t pass on the opportunity when some of his friends invited him to join them.
“You’re right! He got second on the Donut Plains 3 course,” you say.
“Yeah, he drifted well on those muddy turns. It was impressive.” Jin adds and the villager nods in agreement.
“I know! It’s not easy to do on that course, especially with a standard kart.”
The three of you were right at the front of the line and Axel walks up the steps after the cat in front of him. Both you and Jin follow, but are soon stopped by the bus driver.
“Sorry kids, we’re up to the brim with passengers. I’m afraid I’ll have to come back and get you after I drop them off.” The turtle informs you apologetically.
“That’s okay, Kapp’n, we don’t mind waiting.” Jin responds to the sad driver.
“Aww, thanks you two, I should be back in an hour.” The driver says, shutting the doors and pulling away from the curb.
“Wait, an hour?” you shout, but your unanswered question drifts away with the departing yellow bus. No other cars or people were left in the quiet parking lot except for you and your boyfriend.
“Come on, honey, why don’t we wait inside?” Jin suggests, wrapping an arm around you as he leads you back to the stadium.
Now that everyone was gone it left the place vacant, your soft footsteps echoing in the large stadium. As you two approach the stairs to the back of the arena seats, a door opens nearby. Peach and Daisy walk out, the two princesses strolling by arm in arm, oblivious to your presence while they chatter about some sign for a patisserie advertisement. Their pink and orange dresses swish as they walk to the exit, the clacking of their heels slowly fading away.
Once the two girls vanish, Jin pulls you in the direction they came from. When you send him a questioning look, your boyfriend merely shushes you by putting a finger over his lips. Looking down the hall where Peach and Daisy came from, you see a door with a sign that reads Kart Parking-Racers Only!
“Jin, we can’t go in there.” you whisper when he tugs you closer to the metal entry. Not responding, he merely pulls you forward and pushes the red door open.
There’s no one inside thankfully and that’s all the incentive Jin needs to continue into the parking garage. Bright fluorescent lights shine down on the large space, showcasing the various karts and bikes. The room was filled with different vehicles, each coming in a variety of colors that matched the racers’ own theme color.
“Jin,” you hiss when the man starts inspecting the automobiles, “we’re not supposed to be here.”
“Stop worrying, we’ll be fine.” He says, waving you off as he continues staring at the karts in wonder. His fingers slide along the slick frames, looking more like a kid who met their favorite idol, or at least the idol’s car. The male inspects the red and blue kart, checking the tires, gadgets, and everything in between. “There’s no one here. Besides we’re stuck here for an hour anyway. Might as well enjoy it.”
The garage door is already open and you could see some toads out on a swan boat, the moonlight reflecting on the dark water. Maybe you could convince your ambitious boyfriend to just rent a boat and ride it around the lake, instead of trespassing inside the parking lot. Hearing a grunt from beside you, you find Jin struggling to push a kart through the open doorway.
“What are you doing?” you ask, watching him maneuver the pink kart around the other vehicles.
“What does it look like I’m doing?” he huffs. “There’s plenty of time to kill so why not?”
“Why not?! Jinnie, you can’t just take the karts out for a midnight stroll.” Your eyes are drawn to the side where a famous emblem is painted in black and red. “Especially not Bowser’s Badwagon!” you screech as you recognize the spiked turtle’s growling face on either side of the kart doors.
Jin eventually makes it to the finish line while you desperately keep an eye out for any swarms of Koopa Troopas or a pissed off villain.
“Well, it’s the only one big enough for two people.” Jin explains, groaning as he steers the kart to face the starting line.
“That still doesn’t mean, wait, what do you mean two people? I’m not getting in that.” Crossing your arms, you glare at Jin and he merely stares back before rolling his eyes, sighing to himself.
“Get in, Y/N. I’m taking you on a ride.” He smirks, mischievous grin adorning his face.
“Jin, we can’t just take one of the karts out for a spin.”
“Says who?” your boyfriend asks, already climbing into the extra-large seat and fiddling with the multiple knobs on the dash.
“Says the sign. Even if we did get permission, it’s still risky. I know you have your license and all but…you’re not even listening to a word I’m saying.” You point out, noting his dead and bored expression as your responsible words go in one ear and out the other.
Jin holds his hand up, palm facing you in offering, but you don’t accept it. Your refusal has him quirking an eyebrow before you eventually sigh in resignation. “Fine, but just one lap.” You say sternly, grabbing his open hand and he helps you climb inside.
When you’re properly settled in front of him, he leans closer so his broad chest is pressing into your back, hands reaching for the controls. “Hold on tight,” he warns you, pulling the little seatbelt over your lap. He turns on the engine and the machine grumbles to life, vibrations shaking your frame. You prepare yourself, willing your body to relax except your hands as they tighten their grip on your boyfriend’s arms as he hits the gas.
The kart speeds forward and Jin taps the break out of reflex, mostly for your sake, the vehicle jerking slightly. It doesn’t take long for Jin to get used to the accelerator before he’s stepping on the gas and sharply turning around the first corner of the track.
“Whoa!” you yell when he tries to drift but ends up turning too far and drives through the grass, the kart immediately slowing down.
“I got it, I got it.” He reassures you, pressing a small kiss to your temple for comfort.
Driving back onto the road, Jin drifts again and even manages to get some blue sparks to pop up behind the back wheels, but he comes too close to the grass and loses the speed boost.
“Watch out for the Piranha Plant!” you scream when you hit the green pipe, the kart bouncing back from the impact while Jin nonchalantly drives around it.
“Don’t worry, they don’t bite racers on this course.” He says as he passes the rest of the venus flytraps with ease.
Turning sharply, Jin speeds up again so he can hit the orange boosts in a straight line. The kart flies forward and you clench your hands around his as the ride zips up into the air. The moment you leave the bridge, the glider opens automatically, Bowser shaped wings spreading out above you. Your boyfriend easily maneuvers through the night sky, landing safely on the ground as he continues racing. He doesn’t try drifting on the last leg, not that he would have been able to because the kart was difficult to control on the sharp turns.
You lean back into him, head bobbing as he manages to drive smoothly through the finish line. “Okay, we had our fun. We should go now.” You say to your boyfriend, but he doesn’t even slow down, only speeding up as he continues to drive forward.
“It’d be wrong not to do the traditional three laps.” He laughs behind you. Tilting your head, you give him a knowing smile and leave a kiss on the underside of his jaw, letting him have his fun.
The second lap went much better than the previous one, with Jin only bumping into a tree once as he attempted to drift again. He had managed to spark some orange in the tires before the kart hit the grass. At least the leaves were pretty so you didn’t mind the tiny pink streaks added to your hair.
It was the final lap and both of you were getting more comfortable with the pink kart. Jin jerks the vehicle to the left and holds it steady. Blue sparks fly up, followed quickly by orange. “You can do it, Jinnie!” you cheer, looking over his shoulder to watch the neon colors spin around the back tires and he grits his teeth in concentration. Eventually, pink sparks shoot behind you as he hits maximum drift speed.
Letting go, the kart accelerates forward as if you had used a mushroom booster, the wind rushing by as you speed along the track. You both yell in exhilaration and Jin turns the corner so he can drift again. The curve wasn’t that long so he only manages to hit the orange sparks, but it’s enough to shoot up the tilted bridge.
“I think I’m actually getting the hang of this,” Jin says and you detect a hint of surprise and a little bit of relief as well.
“Yeah, you’re doing great, sweetie.” You encourage him.
Hitting the speed boosts, the kart is once more up in the air with the Bowser glider. The kart rides smoothly through the air, but you can only relax for a moment.
“Balloon, balloon, balloon!” you yell as you head straight for the blue hot air balloon floating directly in your path.
“Wah!” Jin screams, swerving around the giant vessel. Luckily, the kart only bumps into the side of the basket, knocking the poor Toad off his feet, but thankfully he manages to stay inside. “Whoops, sorry!” Jin apologizes and you turn to see the citizen shakily right himself before you return to the ground.
As you turn the corner, you see blue and red lights flashing in the distance.
“Oh no, are those police chompers?” you frantically ask, the kart inevitably driving you closer and closer. The Koopa Troopas drive away, following the path of the track, but it wouldn’t be long before they spotted you.
“Quick, teleport us out of here.” Jin says.
Each vehicle was equipped with a screen that listed the different locations so racers could easily and quickly transport to the tracks. You panic, clicking on the first map you see. The kart glows before you are transported somewhere else. When you land, you find that you are on one of the Rainbow Roads, the gold star rings rotating above your heads.
Jin looks around, “Huh. Good choice, honey.”
A timer pops up with 2 minutes displayed on the kart’s screen and you worriedly turn to face him. “What’s that for?”
“Uhh, I think you hit the time trial.” He says, continuing to glance around the empty space.
Beeping sounds fill the starting line as the countdown begins, the turtle on the cloud absent since this race wasn’t put into his schedule. When the third beep dings, your boyfriend wastes no time hitting the gas. As he drives down the hill, the kart speeds up and he swerves towards the first mini star booster.
“Jin,” you call his name unsurely, not liking how you were up in the sky with no guardrails.
“Relax, honey. I got this.”
The kart shoots through the other boosters, gaining momentum as it launches up the first ramp, sending the glider flying open. He guides the kart through the star rings, hitting each one as he does, and lands gracefully on the multi-colored course. You had to admit it was pretty incredible that you were up so high, the glittering city down below was exceptionally tiny as you cautiously look over the edge.
Feeling the track bounce, you notice the first Chain Chomp up ahead, the ball bouncing up and down in the middle of the rainbow. It moves slowly, floating rather than bouncing it seems, and it’s not hard to drive underneath it without getting squished in the process.
Avoiding the first obstacle, you go back to admiring the city and star lights around you, eyes wide in wonder. “Wow, this is beautiful,” you whisper in awe.
While Lakitu might be absent, the music and fireworks were still blasting as a train chugs along. The jumping Toads smile and wave as they toss gold coins, the shiny currency landing not too far ahead. Driving through the money, the kart manages to catch two on the curve. Colorful fireworks display the different racers and you spot Mario’s gold face along with a pink outline of Princess Peach.
At the second lap, the wheels of the kart flip sideways for anti-gravity mode and the track turns sharply. Jin takes the turn with ease, blue and then orange sparks shooting up. A few seconds later, pink follows and the vehicle flies forward. You and Jin scream giddily, like a bunch of little kids, the rush of the wind feeling incredible against your skin.
Another two Chain Chomps bounce beside each other, the track waving from the momentum as you get some air from the movement. There are a few more curves and then you are crossing into the final lap, fireworks cascading above you. Jin takes another hard turn though no guardrails are in sight, pink sparks appear effortlessly. Speed boosters are set up ahead and you tap Jin’s arm.
“Maybe you should slow down a bit. We don’t have Lakitu to fish us out if we fall.”
“Nah, check this out!” he hollers, drifting into both stars, the kart gaining even more speed and getting extremely close to the edge.
The last ramp approaches quickly and with the speed boost from both the stars and drifting, you practically become a shooting star yourself. What makes it even better is when Jin uses all three mushroom boosters to top it off, accelerating rapidly into the finish line. You had forgotten all about the power-ups that came with the time trial, considering it was an unofficial one.
“Hey, look.” Jin points to the screen excitedly. You see the bright numbers and smile happily at him. He had finished the race in 1 minute and 40 seconds.
                                   ~*~
“Thanks again for the ride, Kapp’n.” you tell the turtle.
“No problem, lass! Have a good night, you two lovebirds.” The driver replies, waving briefly before shutting the bus doors as you and Jin wave in return, watching as the bus leaves the town.
When you had teleported back to Royal Raceway, most of the police chompers had left to go check other tracks and so you and Jin were able to put Bowser’s kart back in its place without being seen. By the time you had returned to the bus stop, the driver arrived less than 10 minutes later.
“So what did you think of my driving skills? Pretty impressive, right?” Jin asks as you two walk around your quaint city.
“It was very impressive,” you agree. “Definitely a moment I won’t ever forget.”
He wraps an arm around you, strolling past the apple and cherry trees in the direction of the house you both shared. Passing some villagers who were still out and about, you wave to your next door neighbor, Eunice, and the cute black sheep waves back. A faint whistle sounds from above and you both glance up at the starry sky, but see nothing out of the ordinary. That is, until a white beam shoots across the blackness.
“Cool, there must be a meteor shower tonight.” Jin comments, watching another bright streak flit by.
“Oh yeah, I think they made an announcement about it on the town bulletin board.” You reply, vaguely remember seeing a note posted next to the town hall.
“It’s pretty.” He says and you hum in agreement, leaning closer into him. “Just think, we were almost as high as those meteors, racing in a kart, not even half an hour ago.” You laugh, nudging his shoulder playfully and he chuckles. “Aw, come on, you know you had fun.”
“Yeah, you’re right. It was awesome.” You two were next to the apple tree right beside your house. Suddenly, you remember the little prizes and you pull out the gold coins, giving one to him while you hold the other. “I forgot I managed to snatch these from the Badwagon before we left.” You tell him, admiring the star embedded on the coin.
Jin smiles fondly, putting the token carefully in his pocket. “Thank you, honey, for letting me take you on a ride in Bowser’s kart around the racetracks.” He says with earnest, happiness glittering in his eyes and your heart warms.
Your response is to stand on your toes and kiss him on the lips, stunning your boyfriend for a few seconds. Pulling back, you murmur, “you’re welcome,” and giggle when you see his wide eyed expression.
“Wait, what was that for? I thought kisses on the lips were only for first place winners.” He repeats your earlier words with confusion and you smirk.
“A promise is a promise.”
“But I didn’t win first today. Well, Mario didn’t win first, but you know what I mean.”
“Yes, you did. You won first place in my heart.”
His eyes widen even more, almost comically, when he hears your declaration and then he’s hugging you tightly. “I’m so proud of you, my cheesiness has successfully rubbed off on you.”
You laugh before pecking his lips again at his cuteness. He leans against the apple tree, pulling you into his chest as you two continue watching the gorgeous meteor shower in the starry night.
A/N: Also the meteor shower was unplanned, there actually was one when I logged onto my Animal Crossing. It was really cool! And the drifting with the Badwagon is also true, after practicing it’s actually a pretty good kart for drifting. I was surprised.
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redroseinsanity · 6 years
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The Pros and Cons of Akaashi Keiji’s Apartment
Should I have written the IwaOi WIP I had sitting in my folder? Yes.
Could I ignore the cuteness of this post? No.
Do I have shitty impulse control? Probably. 
Either way! I hope you enjoy this!!!
Akaashi Keiji loved his apartment, he really did. 
As he struggled breathlessly to get into his lovely apartment that he adored, he listed off the things that had spurred him to hand over half his savings and then another quarter to fix the more pressing issues in his new abode.
I love the sunken living room, he thought as he jammed the key in for what must have been the seventeenth time, I love the spacious feel that the high ceilings provide, the way I can fit armchairs, a table and bookshelves without feeling like I have no walkway, pausing, he rested his forehead on the peeling paint of the door.
Wrangling the key, jiggling it in any fashion that seemed like it would make the lock yield to him so he could just go home and lie down, Keiji thought about how lucky he was to have thick walls so that he could play whatever music he liked without worrying about the neighbours.
A small chuckle emerging from the darkness next to him nearly caused him to jump out of his skin before he found the source of the sound.
Him, his brain helpfully provided, Keiji kept his face impassive despite his heart nearly failing from the fright. If there was another reason his heart was jittering, Keiji didn’t (or refused to) dwell upon it.  
He’d seen this guy along his corridor before so he could rule out a significant chance of some horror movie scene coming to life and enacting itself because his goddamn key wouldn’t open the goddamn lock.
“You too, huh?” The deep voice that normally resounded in excited tones came slow and slightly slurred, it made the hairs on Keiji’s arm stand. But that didn’t mean anything, of course. 
It was a chilly autumn evening and all he wanted was to go home, huddle in his wonderfully thick blankets and binge-watch trashy reality television until he fell asleep.
Apparently, the gods felt that handling with two unreasonable clients and one unsympathetic editor was insufficient agony for the day and so, had dealt him this unfortunate card that resulted in Keiji being unable to go. The fuck. To bed.
“Me too what?” Keiji replied in a neutral tone, jiggling the door handle so hard, he half expected it to break. I love the romance of the apartment, it’s gorgeous, and it’s all mine, he chanted in his head, I chose it, I paid for it.
“You and me… We’re both locked out,” golden eyes gleamed with amusement as they peered out from the gloom of the stairwell that the man was seated in. Keji had been rather glad to get the apartment next to the stairs because that was one less immediate neighbour to fuss about, but now there was a bronze, muscled Greek god sitting next to his house and watching him fail to get in.
“How long have you been there?” Keiji found himself saying, although part of him was screaming to just focus on his bloody door.
“About um… Since uh, maybe…” Thick white brows to match equally shocking hair furrowed in thought as the guy shifted on his step, “A while,” he concluded, beaming a bright, if tired, smile up at Keiji.
From the darkened stairwell, it seemed like a miniature sunbeam was shining out at him and Keiji didn’t know if he wanted to squint or close his eyes and bask in the warmth.
Sighing, he turned back to his traitor of a door, as though glaring at it long enough would quail it into opening. Then he set about trying to turn his key and handle in a way that would open the door since, you know, that was the way doors were usually opened.
Beside him, the hottest guy on his floor, with biceps that seemed to surpass the regular bounds of fantasizing capability, simply nodded in appreciation of Keiji’s sincere attempts to get into his house without budging from where he sat.
312, Keiji remembered suddenly in the middle of a particularly rough turn of the key that was sure to leave bruises on his palms, he stays in unit 312.
Despite him not having said a word since his last question, ‘312’ grinned up at him and went, “This is cool man, this is really nice. We should totally hang out more.” He nodded to himself in affirmation of his own idea, leaning one impossibly broad shoulder against the wall.
Keiji’s eyebrows went up without him even thinking about it but he simply nodded politely and continued waging war on his own door.
“I mean, this was like seren- serepi-, like fate,” ‘312’ continued, clearly more drunk than he seemed, “Kuroo went off with Kenma at the party so he can’t come back and let me in, Kuroo’s my best bro and my housemate and Kenma’s his boyfriend,” he added although Keiji hadn’t so much as acknowledged that he was even listening.
“And I always do the thing where I-”he rubbed one hand over his face, and it seemed like his hair was deflating from its spiked updo, “I leave my keys on the table and forget them, y’know?”
Another polite nod before Keiji threw all pretences of grace to the wind and slammed his shoulder against his door. Hard.
Briefly, he caught a glimpse of bright amber eyes widening, sparking like the instant fireworks catch when you hold a flame to it.
“Yeah, dude, yeah,” ‘312’ was muttering, “Try a kick. You should try… Kicking it.”
Oh well, Keiji thought, slinging his bag to the ground, nothing to lose at this point.
Turning around, he checked his distance from the door before donkey kicking it as hard as he possibly could without shattering his ankle.
No dice.
But he turned to find molten gold eyes that were trained on him and an impressed expression on ‘312’’s face as he nodded faster than before.
“Wow, more torque… Than I expected,” he blinked slow, “You’ve got a surprising uh, torque to size ratio.”
Keiji honestly didn’t know whether to be offended or flattered. He wasn’t very short, nor was he very scrawny. But, he thought, eyes trailing up defined lines and hard muscle packaged in a snug, white tee, I guess compared to him, I can’t be called big either.
“Why don’t you try,” the words were escaping from his mouth before his brain-to-mouth filter could kick in. A surprised blink.
He gestured at his door, flipping a lock of (probably greasy) black hair out of his eyes.
“I’ll try the lock while you hit the door,” he shrugged, trying to regain some semblance of self-possession, “It might work.”
Before he could retract it or play it off, ‘312’ was climbing to his feet, dusting off jeans that did wonders for his butt and smiling that easy smile of his. The one that momentarily made Keiji forget his crappy day and the wind’s chill and the fact that he had been stuck outside his apartment that he had almost bankrupted himself for, for twenty minutes.
“Okay, on the count of three,” ‘312’ commanded, positioning himself at the door, Keiji scrambled to fit the key in the lock and tried valiantly not to stare at arms that really should require a permit before being let out in public.
“One,” He made the mistake of looking up and locking eyes with his neighbour, slate grey boring into brilliant gold.
“Two,” ‘312’’s mouth quirked up in a grin that overturned Keiji’s insides.
“Three!” Keiji wrenched as ‘312’ shoved and with a loud, grinding sound that Keiji would normally associate with the scraping of a car, they flew through the doorframe and staggered wildly into Keiji’s home.
Completely off balance and casting about for support, Keiji found himself clutching one blessed tricep and with his foot crushing the other man’s.
Apologizing, he quickly disentangled himself before offering his thanks, pale cheeks blooming with faint colour as the other guy just laughed.
“No problem, man! That was a really good idea you had!” Was the cheerful reply as ‘312’ headed back toward the dank stairwell waving happily.
Shutting the door, Keiji started towards the bathroom, too eager for a hot shower before halting then continuing his stride before making an abrupt half swivel before sighing.
Lifting his face to where heaven probably was, he didn’t curse, nor did he pray, simply, Why?
Stalking back to his front door, he threw it open to a startled squeak from ‘312’.
“Sorry, I don’t know your name,” he began awkwardly, fingers interlocking and wringing.
“Oh! Yeah!” He got up and walked over to Keiji, “Bokuto Koutarou!”
“Bokuto-san,” Keiji hesitated before plowing on, “Please call me Akaashi. Would you like to come in?”
A short silence as Bokuto gaped at Keiji.
“Really?” He whispered, looking like a kid who just got told that school was cancelled for the next week. That made up Keiji’s mind immediately and he held the door open wider.
“Please,” he motioned for Bokuto to step in, “It’s cold out and you helped me with my door. You should stay here until your housemate can let you in.”
Smiling a little to himself, Keiji added, “It’s a pre-war apartment, there’s plenty of space.”
As Bokuto murmured his agreements, whether with Keiji’s statement or his offer, he stepped in again and flashed yet another devastating smile at Keiji.
It was like being stunned for a couple of seconds and then Keiji offered an almost imperceptible, gentle smile in response.
Yup, he definitely loved his apartment.
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cocoarosalia · 6 years
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All He Wants (KatsuDeku)
Katsuki was a simple man of simple needs.
All he wants is to wake up, live out his lifelong dream of being a hero, and come home to his dorky husband, cook dinner and relax. He didn’t think he was asking for the world, honestly.
So why the donkey fuck is Deku making this request so goddamn difficult.
Worst part was that it had been all day. Izuku started irritating him early by whining and complaining for him to stay in bed with him as long as possible. When he finally managed to break free and start making breakfast, Izuku insisted on making it himself, completely forgetting the fact that he was total dog shit at cooking. Three band-aids and a small kitchen fire later they’re out the door and while Katsuki is in the middle of punching a dude into the brick for taking upskirt pics, what does he get? Innocuous, goofy and cutesy selfies of Izuku parading around the city like he ain’t got shit to do! Taking pictures with fans, commenting on random all might merch, VIDEOS OF HIM PETTING DOGS WHEN HE KNOWS THAT’S KATSUKI’S FAVORITE THING TO DO, Katsuki was so irate he couldn’t see straight. After a long shit day, he trudges hisself home, battered, bruised, and completely exhausted.
And all he wanted was to walk into his house, have his husband welcome him home with a kiss and pretty much deflate on the bed until he eventually blacks out.
But Izuku is apparently feeling cuddly tonight….
Because of course he is
Which brings us all the way to now with a clingy Izuku, a pissed off but slightly too tired to really fight katsuki, and an order of take out between them.
‘Well at least he didn’t try to cook this time’ he thought, more bitter than a black coffee laced with vodka.
“Kaaacchan” Izuku cooed sweetly in his ear. He lifted up a bite of his food to katsuki’s mouth and in return he took it graciously. He was starting to think how nice the situation was until his shoulder began to ache from the strain he put on it pummeling loser villains all day.
“Deku, as disgustingly cute as you are, I’m fucking beat. I’ll play with you tomorrow, i’m going to bed”
He could feel Izuku jolt slightly in his lap “Uhhh you can’t yet!”
Katsuki quirked an eyebrow at him suspiciously “And why not?”
It was funny, if Izuku had rabbit’s ears he could clearly see them hanging low on his head “Well I mean, this is a once in blue moon occasion you know? The both of us somehow being here together, it’s nice.”
As if he had finally heard what he had said, Izuku’s ears started to flush red “A-also becaaaaauuse I wanna watch that new spy movie with you and it comes on in a few minutes!”
At first he wanted to push more on his statement from before but without missing a beat Katsuki plucked the remote off the coffee table, turned to the TV guide and hit record on the upcoming program. Izuku cursed, damn this new technology!
“Now that that’s taken care of,” Izuku was suddenly and unceremoniously dumped on the seat next to him with a chaste kiss to ease his worries “Goodnight Deku”
He made his way for the stairs but Izuku was insistent on spending time together. Or, at the very least, keep him from going upstairs.
“You can’t go into the bedroom!” He protested. Izuku was clingy sometimes, downright insufferable on occasion but this was way too pushy for a bit of attention. Something fishy was going on in his house but he couldn’t truly be too bothered to care.
“Whatever it is you broke, burned, or trashed I will be sure to yell at you in the morning”
Katsuki shoved his way past Izuku and had just made it to his weirdly closed bedroom door when he was tackled to the floor by his husband’s rock solid body.
“Kacchan!” He said a little too loudly to be natural “Let’s take a bath together!”
That completely threw him for a loop “You want to what?”
“W-well I mean you just got home from a long day of sweating out in the sun and you hadn’t taken a bath yet so I figured why wait for the invitation!”
“Ok deku this is ridiculous, what are you-”
Katsuki really hated Izuku’s quirk sometimes, especially when it allowed him to toss Katsuki over his shoulder like a limp bag of rice (even though he was pretty sure the nerd didn’t need it given how stacked he was)
So now he’s somehow managed to find himself sitting on the bathroom stool staring confusedly at the tile in front of him while Izuku diligently washed the day’s work from his body.
He just wants to sleep. WHY was that so goddamn hard!?
As he moved around to Katsuki’s front to wash his chest and his arms, Izuku’s fingers slowed to grip softly to his palms. He ran his thumbs over the burn scars that littered his skin and muttered softly to himself “It’s, not too long ago I feared these hands more than death itself.”
Katsuki’s breath hitched unconsciously. He knew of his...past transgressions but he’d hoped that they had moved beyond that to a place of trust.
Without thinking he had to ask.
“What do you think of them now?”
Izuku blinked up at him in unexpected confusion then cast his eyes down in thought. Katsuki didn’t know if he was making him sweat on purpose or not but the long stretch of silence felt like it couldn’t be anything but deliberate.
Eventually a small smile cracked along Izuku’s face as he brought his husband’s hand to his cheek. He nuzzled into it softly and spoke with joy and resolve.
“I love them more than anything in the world!”
Katsuki released a breath he didn’t even know he was holding.
“The most jacked hero in the world is a fuckin sap. The tabloids would have a field day”
Izuku laughs wholeheartedly and Katsuki quietly smiles to himself. Fuckin’ Nerd.
And that should be it right? They wash off the grime of the day, they soak and play in the tub for a while, dry each other’s hair like when they were little, a textbook example of a lovey-dovey way to end the day.
“Kaaaachaaaan, don’t go to beeeeed!!!”
But clearly Izuku wants him to be an insomniac
Katsuki lugged his feet forward as Izuku clung desperately to his ankle. He was just about to turn the knob when Izuku wailed even louder.
“Jesus Christ,” Katsuki turned to his sobbing mate and groaned in exhaustion “Deku, I’m tired, i’ve been out all day and all I ask is to lay in my bed until consciousness finally escapes me”
He bent down to take Izuku’s soft face into his hands “I have indulged you, entertained you and have given up precious sweet moments of sleep just to make you happy. So for once I am actually begging you...let me go to bed”
Katsuki left him a stuttering mess and it wasn’t until he heard the door finally begin to creak open that Izuku made one final lunge to stop him in his tracks.
But it was too late. Katsuki could finally drown himself in the sweet embrace of sleep with the help of his bed! Which is littered with sakura petals….and lit with scented candles….and has soft jazz music playing in the background….
D-did he fall asleep already, what’s happening here?
He felt a soft thud on his back as Izuku’s voice came out muffled through his shirt.
“You ruined the surprise” he said with a pouty huff
A grim thought blanketed his mind. “Deku” he said, straining to keep his building anxiety in check “What’s today?”
Izuku wrapped his arms around Katski’s waist “It’s not our wedding anniversary, don’t worry”
He puffed out a small laugh when he felt all of Katsuki’s muscles relax at once
“Although it’s not…..NOT one of our anniversaries.”
“Deku...” He was losing his patience; what little there was anyway.
“Today’s still a kind of anniversary, just not the one you’re thinking of”
Izuku fished his phone out his pocket and brought it around to Katsuki’s chest. With tired filled, bleary eyes he looked down to see a screenshot of text messages between them staring back.
Deku @ 11:30PM: Uh, Thanks again for the All Might Plush Kacchan. I never knew you were such a sharp shooter!
Kacchan @ 11:32: You better believe it nerd! All those shooting range lessons with my mom had to paid off somehow
Deku @ 11:33: Yea but to get each one on your first shot! no misses or anything! You’re really amazing!
Katsuki @ 11:34: Of course! My name isn’t fuckin Bakugou for nothin!
Deku @ 11:36: And it’s not just for the plush either...you’re amazing for other reasons too
Katsuki @ 11:37: What do you mean?
Deku @ 11:40: Kacchan you didn’t have to take me out tonight...I know how much your image means to you….and I know i’m not the toughest guy you know so just the fact that you were willing to even be seen with me is amazing you know?
Katsuki @ 11:41: No I don’t and that’s the stupidest fucking thing your pathetic ass has ever said
Deku @ 11:41: …i know I should be used to that by now but it doesn’t get any easier
Katsuki @ 11:43: Look Deku, UNLIKE you I couldn’t give less of a shit what others think of me. I’m a motherfucking badass and that means I can date whoever the hell I want. And if that means I’m dating a weakling like you then so be it, GOT IT?
Deku @ 11:44: G-GOT IT!
Katsuki @ 11:44: Good, and one more thing.
Katsuki @ 11:45: you are as soft as a melted marshmallow, you cry at the sad scene of every movie, and you let little kids climb you like a fucking monkey gym. Put simply you’re a total fucking pushover.
Katsuki @ 11:46: But I guess those things can also be like, amazing too or whatever. And it’s why I, like, love you and shit so at least be grateful for that nerd.
Deku @ 11:46:.......
Katsuki @ 11:46: Nerd?
Deku @ 11:50: you said you love me
Katsuki @ 11:55: yea what about it?
Deku @ 12:00: you SAID that you LOVE ME! LIKE ACTUALLY SAID IT! Well except that it was over text and not by voice so I don’t if this counts or if you genuinely meant it--
“I had to actually get outta bed and go to your house to verbally say it to your face 10 times in a row before you actually shut the hell up about it.”
“I didn’t sleep a wink that whole night”
Deku squeezed him a little tighter and shuffled his feet in thought “We’ve become international heroes, received countless medals and awards, have our own joint merchandise line and i’m pretty sure our fanclub is so big that it can be labeled as a religion now.” Katsuki snorted at the thought “But there is no award on this earth that can compare to hearing you say that you love weak, pushover, crybaby me”
Katsuki felt the hands that folded across his stomach, ran the tips of his fingers over the scars and ridges that littered the same palms that fed him dinner and washed his back. All he had ever wanted in life was to be recognized, to have it be known to the whole world that he was amazing and should be seen as such. But then here was Deku, the man who could rip the city to ruin but chose instead to spend his days saving cats out of trees, singing his praises since they were four. He thought he wanted the world’s attention. Turns out he really just wanted Izuku’s.
Katsuki was starting to get the itching suspicion that maybe HE was starting to turn into the pushover
“Wait a minute” Katsuki said after a moment “So you mean to tell me that after you knew that I had a shit day at work you dragged me to all corners of this house, purposefully keeping me from our bedroom and sleep, deliberately pissing me off more and more to then surprise me…..WITH OUR BEDROOM?”
“But I had to!” Izuku whined “You were just gonna ruin the surprise and go to bed anyway! Plus your present wasn’t finished drying yet so I had to stall for time!”
“Present?”
Suddenly Izuku became very acquainted with a knick in the wall from when they finally got their first bed that wasn’t a pair of oversized futons.
A wickedly evil grin cracked along Katsuki’s usual prickly cowl. He stalked himself just behind Izuku’s back and put his lips just behind his ear, his favorite weak spot to torture.
“How exactly did my present get so dirty Izuku?” As tired as he was nothing could top the visible shiver that ran down his husband’s spine.
“I may or may not have uhhh tried it on before you got home. I liked the way it looked and um...couldn’t help myself.”
Katsuki was a simple man of simple needs; and tonight, all he wants is to watch his favorite present squirm.
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duncanbarker-blog · 5 years
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The Amalfi Coast is one of the most beautiful parts of Italy, but also one of the most crowded and expensive. We decided to find out if it’s possible to experience a quieter side of the dramatic coast without spending a fortune.
It seemed like the best way to do this was on foot. There are many trails carved into the cliffs of the Amalfi Coast and we chose the most famous—the Sentiero degli Dei or Path of the Gods, along a mountain ridge high above the sea.
The hike was stunning and we also discovered an off-the-beaten-path village where we stayed for a fraction of the price of more popular towns like Positano. 
This post was originally written in 2015 and updated extensively in 2019. 
What is the Path of the Gods?
The Path of the Gods (or Sentiero degli Dei in Italian) is a clifftop trail above the Amalfi Coast. The main section of the hike is 6.5 km (4 miles) between the small villages of Bomerano (in Agerola) and Nocelle (above Positano). There are beautiful views of the sea and coastal towns below along the way. 
Both these villages are above the sea, so there isn’t a huge change of elevation between them. The hike is of moderate difficulty. If you are an experienced hiker you’ll find it easy and if you are reasonably fit you’ll be fine. 
The hike becomes more difficult if you start or finish at the coastal towns of Praiano (below Bomerano) or Positano (below Nocelle). These towns are connected to the trail by steep staircases of over 1500 steps. You can avoid these sections (as we did) and I share transport tips below. 
The trail is easy to follow and you don’t need a guide. 
Path of the Gods Map
San Lazzaro: Our Quiet, Affordable Base on the Amalfi Coast
Accommodation is the biggest challenge for an affordable Amalfi Coast trip so, as usual in Italy, I turned to Airbnb and used the map view to find rooms close to the hiking trail.
Praiano and Positano were way too expensive, but I was amazed to find this lovely room with private bathroom in the village of San Lazzaro for just £33 ($50). When everything on the coast was well over £100 ($150) it seemed too good to be true.
I couldn’t find out much about the village—other than it’s in Agerola, a collection of villages that includes Bomerano where the hike starts—but we find it’s hard to go wrong in Italy.
We made the right decision. San Lazzaro may not be as attractive as the famous towns in the area, but it has an understated Italian charm. Instead of souvenir shops and tourist menus, we enjoyed morning cornetti and evening aperitivo with locals.
It’s not the place to come for beaches, but there are views of the sea far down below and plenty of hikes nearby.
Prices are much lower than the popular destinations—at the family-run Trattoria Da Gigino we paid €5 for tasty pasta dishes and even at the fancier Leonardo’s pizzas were €3-4.
View from San Lazzaro
San Lazzaro is not the most convenient location for exploring the coast—buses are infrequent and it takes an hour to get down to Amalfi where you can change for other places like Ravello and Positano. But it is only a 15-minute bus ride from the start of the Path of the Gods in Bomerano.
Bomerano is an even better location for the hike and still affordable—B&B A 2 Passi Dagli Dei is only 100 metres from the start of the hike and the lovely rooms are inexpensive and highly-rated. 
Hiking the Path of the Gods from Bomerano to Nocelle
To avoid the crowds and heat we set out early—taking the 6.50am bus from San Lazzaro to Bomerano and having a cornetto (croissant) breakfast in a bar in Bomerano’s piazza before setting out on the trail at 7.30am.
At first mist obscured the views of the sea, but it was still a gorgeous hike past towering limestone mountains, colourful wildflowers, and ancient abandoned stone houses, and through forests and meadows of long grass.
Farmers grow vines on terraces carved into the hillside and still use donkeys for transport along the narrow pathways.
  Eventually, the mist burned away and the deep blue sea revealed itself far below, with views of Positano, its houses clinging to the cliff.
What surprised us most was how peaceful the trail was. It took us 1 hour 45 mins to get to Nocelle and we didn’t see anyone else until the last 15 minutes—all that beauty, all to ourselves!
Nocelle is a tiny village and we couldn’t find an open bar to have a drink and rest. There are public toilets by the church downhill and on the terrace outside we discovered that Lemon Point was opening, a stall selling fresh lemonade from local lemons—just what we needed.
Hiking the Path of the Gods from Nocelle to Bomerano
In Nocelle there are signs to continue the trail down steep stairs to Positano (or you can take a bus), but as we’d have had to take two buses from there to get back to San Lazzaro, we decided to walk back to Bomerano instead.
At 10 am the Path of the Gods was much busier and as we were facing into the sun, much hotter. The trail is a mix of up and downhill sections, and it felt a little steeper on the way back, but that could have been because we were more tired.
We’re glad we made the return journey as we got a different perspective on the trail and saw things we hadn’t noticed before.
Back in Bomerano we would have had to wait 1.5 hours for the bus to San Lazzaro, so we decided to walk instead, which took us 40 minutes along a fairly quiet road.
Then it was time for a big lunch of pasta and wine and a well-deserved siesta.
Path of the Gods Tips
Hike Length and Details
You can start the Path of the Gods hike from Bomerano or Nocelle, or the coastal towns of Praiano or Positano (but be prepared for lots of stairs).
There are signs from Bomerano piazza to the start of the trail—here are some detailed visual instructions.
The trail is easy to follow—look out for the red and white lines that mark it along the way.
From Bomerano to Nocelle was 4 miles (6.5km) each way. 
Allow around four hours to do the route as we did from Bomerano to Nocelle and back which includes time for breaks. Or two hours for a one way hike. 
Allow around three hours if you hike one way from Bomerano to Positano.
We highly recommend getting an early start to avoid the heat and crowds. 7.30am from Bomerano was ideal. 
Starting in Praiano
If you are staying in Praiano, it makes sense to start the trail from here. You won’t miss any of the best bits of the hike by connecting to the Path of Gods from Praiano, but you do need to be fit.
To get to the trail from Praiano, you’ll have a steep climb up 1900 steps which makes the hike much more strenuous, especially if it’s hot (definitely start early!). I’ve heard mixed reports on how long these stairs take—anywhere from 45 minutes to two hours depending on your fitness level.
Expect the total hike from Praiano to Nocelle to take from 2 hours 15 minutes to 3.5 hours. From Nocelle you could hike back or continue to Positano (see below) and take the bus back to Praiano. 
Here are directions for starting the Path of the Gods in Praiano. 
Path of the Gods from Positano 
If you start the hike in Bomerano and want to finish in Positano, you have two options: 
Walk down the 1700 steps from Nocelle to Positano (approximately 45 minutes) which most people report as surprisingly challenging and tough on your knees. The views are good, though. At the end of the stairs, you reach Arienzo then have to walk another 15 minutes along the road to the centre of Positano. 
Take the bus from Nocelle to Positano. 
There are a few options on how to hike the Path of the Gods from Positano if you are staying there: 
Hike up the 1700 steps to Nocelle—only for the fit! Walk from there to Bomerano and either walk back or take the bus back via Amalfi. 
Take the bus up to Nocelle and continue as above. 
Take the bus or ferry to Amalfi and connect to the 5080 SITA bus to Bomerano. This takes at least two hours. 
Drive to Bomerano (if you have a car), which takes about one hour, and walk to Nocelle and back. 
Hire a taxi to drive you to Nocelle or Bomerano—very expensive!
See below for more details on getting around. 
Path of the Gods from Sorrento
To get to the Path of the Gods hike from Sorrento you have to take the SITA bus to Amalfi and then change to another bus to Bomerano. This takes at least two hours.
Walk from Bomerano to Nocelle then walk or bus down to Positano. You can take the bus back to Sorrento from Positano. 
It might be easier to take this Path of the Gods tour from Sorrento which includes return trip minibus transfers and a guide for the hike. 
What to Pack
It’s a rocky, uneven trail so you need decent shoes. Most people wear hiking shoes or boots, but we were happy in hiking sandals—Simon always travels with Teva Terra Fi Lite sandals and I like Merrell Terran Lattice sandals which are pretty enough for Italian cities but comfortable and grippy enough for hiking. 
Take water and snacks. You can refill at a water tap near the beginning where the trail connects with the Praiano stairs, and also in Nocelle and Bomerano. We always travel with a lightweight, foldable Vapur water bottle. 
Pack sunglasses, sun hat, and suncream. 
Don’t forget travel insurance in case anything goes wrong. We’ve used True Traveller (UK/EU citizens) for the last seven years and highly recommend it. World Nomads is another reliable option that we’ve used in the past and is available worldwide. 
When to Hike the Path of the Gods
We visited in early June and had sunny days and 30ºC (86ºF) temperatures. It was fine when we first started, but we did feel the heat after 10 am. I would still recommend this time of year as good weather is likely and it’s not as crowded as July or August. 
Spring (April and May) and autumn (September and October) are the best times to hike the Path of the Gods. Spring is especially lovely as the wildflowers are in bloom. 
I would avoid August if possible as this is when the Italian population heads to the coast.
You can hike the Path of the Gods in winter, but many hotels and restaurants close and the weather can be cool and rainy. 
Getting Around the Amalfi Coast
Car
Renting a car is the most convenient way to get around, but it has some downsides. The roads are windy, very busy in high season, and parking is limited and expensive in popular towns (especially Positano).
There is plenty of free parking in Bomerano (marked on Google Maps).
We usually use Rental Cars to find the best car rental deals. 
SITA Bus
We got around by bus (there are no trains along the Amalfi Coast) which is inexpensive but rather slow and with limited schedules. In high season buses can be crowded, but we had no problems with routes from San Lazzaro.
The local bus company is SITA and you need to buy bus tickets in advance from bars or small shops. It’s best to buy them the day before as you’ll want an early start for the hike. 
Buses aren’t very frequent so check the timetables here. 
Mobility Amalfi Bus from Nocelle to Positano
There’s a local bus from Nocelle to Positano if you don’t want to walk down the stairs. These are run by Mobility Amalfi Coast (not SITA) and tickets can be purchased in advance or on board (for a little extra). They run about once an hour in high season and take around 25 minutes. You should be able to find the latest timetable on their Facebook page. 
Note that the 6.20am bus from Positano to Nocelle only runs on school days. The next bus at 7.10am would be an early enough start for the hike, though. 
From Positano the bus departs from Piazza dei Mulini. 
Mobility Amalfi bus schedule between Nocelle and Positano for April to June 2019
Ferry
You can also take ferries between the coastal towns (Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and Salerno) from April to October. Check timetables at Travelmar. 
The ferry from Positano to Amalfi takes 30 minutes and currently costs €8. This would be an alternative way to reach Bomerano (switching to the 5080 SITA bus in Amalfi), but you wouldn’t be able to get an early start as the first ferry is at 10 am. 
How to Get to San Lazzaro and Bomerano
If you decide to stay in Agerola, you can reach San Lazzaro and Bomerano by SITA bus from Naples (in the direction Agerola or Amalfi) which takes about two hours.
They aren’t very frequent so check the timetable 5080 here (choose the region Campania in the drop-down menu in the top left).
In Naples, the bus leaves from near the train station outside the Ramada hotel. We couldn’t find anywhere to buy bus tickets as the sign at the bus stop listing bars where you could buy them was out of date and we ran out of time. The bus driver let us on anyway!
Accommodation for the Path of the Gods
San Lazzaro and Bomerano in Agerola 
If you want to stay close to the start of the hike and are on a limited budget, Agerola (the collection of villages that includes San Lazzaro and Bomerano) is ideal. 
We stayed in this lovely Airbnb room with private bathroom which was clean, comfortable and excellent value. It is located in the centre of San Lazzaro and the owner was very helpful and answered all my questions about getting to the village. 
If you haven’t tried Airbnb before, sign up here for $38 off your first stay. 
In Bomerano, the highly-rated and affordable B&B A 2 Passi Dagli Dei is right at the start of the hike. The rooms are comfortable and have air conditioning, a delicious breakfast served in the garden is included, and onsite parking is free (or it’s close to the bus stop).  
You can search on Booking.com or Airbnb for more accommodation options in Agerola. 
Praiano
If you’d prefer to stay on the coast but within walking distance of the Path of Gods, you have the option of Praiano or Positano. Praiano is a quieter and more affordable option than Positano.
Casa Stella Marina and Il Corallo are two guesthouses with stylish rooms with balconies and sea views. They are near the start of the stairs up to the Path of Gods.
Less expensive options with sea view rooms are Hotel Villa Bellavista and Open Gate.
You can search for more hotels and B&Bs in Praiano here.
Positano
Gorgeous Positano
Positano is the busiest and most expensive place on the Amalfi Coast, and you’ll have many steps to contend with as it’s built on a hillside. It is absolutely stunning, though. 
Alcione Residence is centrally located and has gorgeous sea views from the rooms and terrace where breakfast is served. 
A cheaper option is Villa Palumbo B&B, which has a central location and rooms with balconies and Positano views. 
If you’d prefer your own apartment, our friends from Bridges and Balloons recommend Casa Perseus, a quirky Airbnb with a sea view terrace which they stayed at on their road trip from Florence to the Amalfi Coast. 
You can search for more hotels and B&Bs in Positano here.
Our Amalfi Coast Budget
We discovered that it is possible to escape the crowds and visit Amalfi on a budget—we spent €95 ($107) a day for two people including a nice ensuite room, bus transport, and three meals out a day.
Considering we couldn’t get a hotel room for that in Positano, staying in San Lazzaro or Bomerano is remarkable value.
Summary
The Path of the Gods is a beautiful hike and gives you a different perspective on the stunning Amalfi coastline, which we also explored on a sailing trip. If you start early, it’s also a peaceful escape from the crowds. We highly recommend adding the hike to your Amalfi itinerary.
San Lazzaro is an unusual Amalfi base, but it’s convenient for the trail and we loved having a quiet place to retreat to after visiting touristy towns like Amalfi and Ravello.
If you love to hike and are on a budget, it’s definitely worth considering staying in San Lazzaro or Bomerano.
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fearofaherobrine · 7 years
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Roleplay Server Log #200
“Gk and Jean, Dolly’s Old Life, Rudolph...”
-Time skip of a few days-
[Gk] Is watching Doc cavort with Yaunfen. - So how long before you give the little one a frigging human shape too?
[Doc] Pauses - I was going to wait until they were fully vocal at least.
[Yaunfen] Rolls around, nearly turning their body into a ring-
[Doc] Part of it is just being able to get around inside peoples houses comfortably.
[Gk] Grumbles-
[Yaunfen] - Burp!
[CP] Has been watching Lie for a few days now, she's been sleeping the whole time and he's getting more anxious-
[CP] Over chat- HEY ASSHOLE!  I THINK YOU DAMAGED MY WIFE!
[Doc] in chat-  Uhhh, Cp... it would be more helpful if you just said what was wrong..
[CP] - SHE HASN'T FUCKING WOKEN UP!
[Doc] Why didn't you say something before now?! I'll be right over!
[Gk] -tags along-
[Yaunfen] Trots along and looks at GK- Fuck!
[Doc] Well that's a naughty word you've learned... - Picks Yaunfen up in hir mouth and puts them on the walkway before changing back to join hir on the balcony-
[Gk] Loafs in the yard with his head near the window-
[CP] Is sitting on the edge of the bed next to Lie, his hand entwined with hers-
[Doc] So she hasn't woken once since you took her home? Hows the horse? Is it maybe draining her like the tree did?
[CP] - She stirs every once in awhile and I've gotten a few words from her, but otherwise she's been sleeping.  And I don't know about the other two
[Doc] Well... I know one thing that might wake her. It will help if her energy is low too. She might have accidently signed herself out of creative working on the horse-
[CP] - I can check her code...
[Doc] Ah, let me try first, this is very non-invasive. I just need to use your furnace for a few minutes. Can you watch Yaunfen?
[CP] - Fine-Grumbles- Asshole
[Yaunfen] Is sniffing at GK-
[Gk] Sniffs back- Hey kiddo.
[Yaunfen] - Fuck!
[Doc] Comes back in with a heaping plate of bacon and wafts it towards Lie's face.
[Lie] Stirs and opens her eyes a little before grumbling-
[Doc] Hey it worked! I can get you some toast and eggs too if you want Lie.
[Lie] - I just wanna go back to sleep...
[CP] Brushes some of her hair out of her face- Come on, eat a little bit...
[Doc] You've been sleeping for days Lie. Do you feel ill?
[Lie] Shakes head a little- No...  Just really tired...
[Doc] Maybe I can give you a jump start. Would that help?
[Lie] - I don't know
[Doc] Okay, we'll give it a shot. I had a decent nights rest and I'm all energized- Xe puts hir hands on Lies chest and belly and forces a wave of hir power into the other brine with a crackle of statick.
[Lie] Yelps and clamps her legs shut, turning bright red- DOC!
[Doc] Pulls back in shock at her volume - Did I hurt you?! I'm sorry!
[Lie] - Doc...  Please try to remember which one is your orgasmic shock...
[CP] Growls- Dooooc...
[Doc] Also turns pink- That is not what I was trying to do!
[CP] - I'm going to fucking murder you
[Doc] She's awake now isn't she? Give me a break Cp! It was an accident!
[Lie] Leans against CP- It's okay, please drop it CP
[Doc] You tell me immediately if you start feeling that weak again.
[Lie] - I will...  Oh shoot, I left Beau at your place, didn't I?
[Doc] Yeah, but TLOT brought him back over here. And then I dropped the vinehorse off as well later that night.
[Lie] - Oh, okay, where is the vinehorse?
[Doc] In with Beau and your donkey. Markus had some choice words about it since it's in line with his living room window.
[CP] - What sort of words?
[Doc] He said it was creepy. That's all.
[CP] Snorts in amusement-
[Yaunfen] Climbs up onto the sill to bap GK's face-
[Gk] Is bapped- You gonna wrestle with the big dragon huh?
-There's a thud from above as Endrea lands on the roof-
[Endrea] - Hello GG
[Lie] Starts eating some of the bacon-
[Gk] Speaking of big dragons, what's up Endrea?
[Endrea] - Not much really, glad to be back here though, although Enderbro did enjoy being in the End
[Gk] And Steffan?
[Endrea] - Not as much
[Doc] Hey Endrea. How are the kids? Yaunfen learned a new word today...
[Endrea] - I'm surprised they haven't run up yet, Ashe wanted to try watching them
[Doc] They grow up so fast...
[oak] -has run up stairs and out the door to endrea- ma
[Gk] Turns happily towards the little one-
[Endrea] - Yes Oak?"
[oak] -nuzzles endrea-
[Endrea] Nuzzles back-
[Ashe] Runs up with Willow- Uncle GG!
[Gk] Oh no! I'm being overrun by dragons! Help help! - He rolls over on his back dramatically-
[willow] -runs over to GK and paps him-
[Gk] Arrgh.
[Endrea] Laughs a little-
[Lie] Rolls onto her belly- Kids playing is such a nice sound
[Doc] Especaily little dragons. - Xe looks over at Gk- and some big ones-
[Endrea] Climbs down to join them on the ground-
[Gk] Uses the tip of his tail to go for a belly tickle on Endrea-
[Endrea] Jumps back in surprise-
[Gk] Score one for the griefer king, haha!
[willow] -is paping gk endlessly-
[Endrea] Narrows her eyes and goes into a pouncing position-
[oak] -joins in the paping-
[Gk] Is distracted by Oak and Willow's papping-
[Yaunfen] Walks along the sill, wanting to join the others-
[Doc] Hops out the window on the opposite side and transforms, xe scuttles under the walkway and puts hir snout just outside the window for hir baby to step onto.
[Yaunfen] Happily climbs on-
[Doc] Gently lowers hir head to the ground for Yaunfen-
[Yaunfen] Runs over to join the others-
[Endrea] Pounces on GK, avoiding the babies-
[Doc] Gives into temptation and joins them in rolling around and playing.
[CP] Rolls his eyes and returns his attention to Lie-
-Beau and Stitch the donkey look on passively while the vinehorse becomes skittish-
[Mb] Comes walking up the path with Celine and veers to the side to look at the vinehorse. Loudly- what the fuck is this thing?
[Vinehorse] Spooks and trots nervously in a tight circle-
[Doc] It's a handmade horse you rude brine!
[Mb] Stares- You're fucking nuts.
[CP] Wants to punch him but decides to stay with Lie instead-
[Endrea] Looks at the new baby-
[Gk] Narrows his eyes at Celine- Where did you get that?
[Celine] Trots over-
[MB] Follows protectively - On the subseed. Where the hell do you think?
[Endrea] Offers a bit of void energy-
[Celine] Takes a little of it-
[Mb] What are you feeding her?!
[Endrea] - Void energy, a natural food source for ender dragons
[HG] -come up to the group holding his pails and still having the flitters on him-
[Mb] Huffs - She likes beef.
[Endrea] - There's no harm in void energy as well
[Gk] Who's the new guy?
[Mb] Eyeballs him- Looks weak...
[Doc] Be nice...
[HG] I'm Herobrine the gardener
[Mb] Laaaame.
[Gk] What do you grow? Just food?
[HG] all plants. if it's a plant I will help take care of it
[Endrea] - How interesting
[Gk] Gets an evil look - why don't cha' go water those little white ones in the pen greensleeves?
[HG] sure -walks over there and water the flowers-
[Doc] I should just start running now and save myself the effort....
[Endrea] - Probably
[Gk] Coward.
[Mb] What the fuck is wrong with you? They're just flowers!
[Yaunfen] - Fuck!
[Doc] My thoughts exactly...
[Endrea] Gathers her children closer-
-The honesty blossoms grow thicker and the air is filled with a slight burst of scent which vanishes-
[Mb] Dumb flowers.
[Gk] That was weird...
[HG] -comes back over-
[CP] - Lie...  I love you...  WHY THE FUCK AM I SAYING THAT OUT LOUD!?
[Notch] Comes outside. - Please don't yell...
[CP] - BUT I'M SAYING THINGS I DON'T MEAN TOO!
[Doc] Is suddenly pinned by Gk-
[Gk] Stay put-
[Doc] NO
[Mb] Turns slowly toward Notch - Hi....
[Notch] Steps back fearfully-
[CP] Notices- FUCK OFF MB!
[Mb] Are you sure? He looks delightfully afraid....
[CP] - HE'S NOT YOURS TO TERRORIZE!
[Mb] Dammit! Can't I just rough him up a bit?
[Doc] NO!
[Gk] Is just laughing-
[CP] Walks out onto the bridge- Leave. Now.
[Mb] But.... but... - his face twists as if he's trying not to say something- The kids are playing! - He slaps his hands over his mouth in horror.
[CP] - Welcome to the effect of one of my wife's flowers asshole, the Honesty blossom
[Mb] Is red-faced and really angry. He kicks a bunch of dirt blocks at Notch in his impotent rage and weirdly the blocks seem to glance away before they hit their target.
[CP] - The fuck?
[Notch] Bolts back into his house to get away from MB-
[CP] Jumps down and approaches- Behave and you can stay, I have no problem with your dragon
[Celine] Baps at Willow-
[willow] -baps back-
[Mb] Puts down a block and sits on it in a huff. He's just scowling with his lips pressed tightly closed-
[Celine] Initiates play with the others-
[Doc] Heard that Celine likes meat and offers it a rasher of bacon-
[Celine] Quickly toddles over and takes it-
[Doc] Good girl, you're an adorable little bad-ass aren't you?
[Lightfoot] -Comes bumbling toward the group, licking it's claws happily. It's snout looks to be covered in blood at first glance- ! -Hunches down a bit and stares at Doc's hand and the bacon-
[Doc] Drops the rest of the bacon in a panic and scrambles to get Yaunfen.-
[Endrea] Relaxes in the sunlight-
[Lie] Steps outside, having seen what happened with Notch-
[Lightfoot] -Nyooshes toward Doc at top speed and tries to snatch some bacon-
[Doc] Grabs Yaunfen and holds them high in their mouth, they're dancing around trying to avoid the small predator-
[Gk] Roars at the lightfoot-
[Mb] Runs forward to grab Celine as well-
[Endrea] Growls-
[HG] -hugs is pails protectively and runs to the green house-
[Lightfoot] -Lets out a triumphant noise as they dash away from Doc with Bacon in claw- !!! Yes! -Shoves it into mouth as they skid to turn and rush away-
[Lie] Confused she goes over to Notch's place and knocks on the door-
[Doc] Puts Yaunfen on hir shoulders, - what the fuck was that?!
[Notch] Peeks out-
[CP] - I don't fucking know
[Lie] - Hey, are you okay?
[Lightfoot] Maybe another?? -Has skidded off but very clearly still visible, eyeing Doc some-
[Doc] warning growl-
[Lightfoot] Not scary! -just, yells. wow.-
[Mb] Should I roast em?
[Gk] Turns quickly, whipping his tail out at the lightfoot-
[Doc] You get any closer I'll show you how scary I am!
[Endrea] Gives off a blast of void energy-
[Notch] Yeah, I didn't get hit or anything.
[Lightfoot] Ah! -ducks back and growls. It's not very intimidating-
[Lightfoot] That a little scary.
[Gk] Is a bit annoyed now and rears up to spread his wings and paw out with his front hooves-
[Lie] - So I noticed...  It just seemed to, bounce away...
[HG] -come back slowly trying to stay far from the light foot ready to bolt again if needed-
[Notch] I didn't do anything. I was just thinking about how I didn't want to be hit...
[Lie] - Maybe it's a development of your powers?
[Notch] Maybe...
[Lightfoot] -Bounces slightly and eyes Doc, before eyeing the rest- Worth it... Not worth it...
[Lightfoot] Maybe ask?... -Scoots a little bit closer to them, but not much-
[Doc] Narrows hir eyes-  Ask what?
[Lightfoot] What was.. Round edible thing! Filled with sweet?
[Gk] Settles down to four feet again. - Round like a ball or round like a disk?
[Lie] - Are you sure you don't want to join us?
[Notch] Maybe.... I just don't want to be around people fighting right now...
[Lightfoot] Flat round!
[Gk] A pie?
[Lie] - I think MB will behave so long as Celine is wanting to play...
[Notch] Okay... - follows Lie-
[Doc] You want a frigging pie?!
[Lightfoot] Pie? Is that what it was? Tasted good!
[Lightfoot] -very seriously- Yes.
[Doc] Oh for... - xe opens the creative and spawns several pumpkin pies before laying them down.
[Lie] - So how have you and Flux been?
[Lightfoot] -Scuttles up to them and grabs one, taking a bite before plunking down to eat it fully. That was surprisingly easy.-
[Lightfoot] -Now that it's closer, its easy to see the red on it's snout is pie filling-
[Notch] Twiddles his fingers a bit. - I think I'm in love with her... But I don't think she feels the same way. It's like she's not used to having emotions. I don't want to take advantage of her.
[Doc] Nervously hunkers back down so Yaunfen can reach the ground
[Lie] - Hmmm, well Dawn did say her primal instincts chakra was pretty much non existent...
[Mb] Puts Celine next to Yaunfen with a grudging look
[Yaunfen] Sniffs Celine all over-
[Celine] Squeaks and baps Yaunfen-
[HG] is it safe now?
[Notch] I hope she comes around. I feel liek I have a stomach full of butterflies when she's totally focused on me.
[Doc] I think so...
[Lie] - Just remember, this is all completely new to her, she probably doesn't know how to really react or what to do, she may be depending on you to show her
[Notch] Any suggestions?
[Lie] - Maybe a date?
[Gk] Eyeballs the lightfoot - what are you? You look familiar....
[Notch] Flowers? Candy? Moonlight boatride?
[Lightfoot] Lightfoot. -Grabs another pie to eat, having finished the first in record time-
[Lie] - Hmmm, I could try making some flowers for you to give her...
[Notch] Nothing sneaky okay? I don't want to influence her...
[Mb] sneaks a pie-
[Lie] - Oh absolutely not...  Um, other than that you'd be better off asking TLOT
[Lightfoot] -glares at mb-
[Mb] Winds up and throws the pie at Notch- Think fast!
[Notch] His eyes widen for a second and there's the barest flash of light as the pie hits something invisible before it reaches him and Lie-
[Doc] HEY!
[Lie] - Um...
[CP] Growls- MB....
[Mb] Ah, so the wimpy Notch does has a power! How cute.
[CP] Punches MB for throwing a pie at his mate-
[Mb] Falls over with a very dark black eye. He's still laughing though
[Doc] Notch? How did you do that?
[Notch] I didn't do anything!
[HG] -is messing around with the ground bellow him-
[Gk] Notices- What are you doing now?
[HG] just making a more fertile block of dirt
[Gk] Lie has plenty of horse poop if you want any...
[HG] I don't need it -the dirt block now is void of grass but the dirt is a deep fertile brown-
[Lie] - Notch, you've blocked things coming at you twice now...
[Lightfoot] -watching them all while stuffing the final pie into it's mouth-
4:58 PM] Dr. Franken Stein: [Doc] So, do you guys think it's time to check on the other babies?
[Endrea] - What for?
[Doc] To see if any of them are verbal or otherwise? We did promise to move them to the gifted class so to speak in that case.
[CP] - Who exactly are you proposing go?
[Doc] Well I guess I could go by myself. I was just asking...
[Gk] Fuck it, I'll go.
[Endrea] - Not by yourself, I'll go as well
[Mb] Oh, are me and gruesome here on babysitting duty? -thumbs at Cp-
[Doc] Bristles-
[Lightfoot] Where? go where?
[CP] - Yeah not trusting you with this responsibility, Doc, you're staying here
[HG] -keeps change blocks to very fertilize soil-
[Doc] Not trusting me? That's some nerve.
[Gk] Just fucking stay. You can watch the babies.
[Endrea] Stands and stretches- We shall at least need your assistance to get in Doc
[Doc] Grumbles a bit- Xe nudges Yaunfen close to Cp and gives him a sharp look. - I'lll be back in a matter of moments.
[CP] - How many times have I raised Endrea?  Yours will be fine
[Doc] Slinks along the ground like an angry cat and slithers down the hole that leads to the cage.
[Gk] Snorts-
[Mb] Makes a face at Yaunfen
[Endrea] Shifts to her human form to follow-
[Yaunfen] - FUCK!
[CP] Snorts in amusement-
[Gk] Changes shape as well to follow-
[Doc] Opens the way and fidgets while they go through before bolting off again.
[Endrea] Once through she stretches back into her dragon form-
[Gk] Does the same -Ahhh. Wanna go make faces at the NOTCHs?
[Endrea] - I think Doc may get mad at us for that...  CP has mentioned that many of them are truamatized
[Gk] Okay... I'm just playing around. Mb's such a spring buck. Been feeling my oats lately.
[Endrea] Laughs a little- Come on, let's see what has grown!
[Gk] This is gonna be one hell of a seed when they're all grown. I caught glimpses of some really strange breeds when they were hatching.
[Endrea] - Indeed- She flaps her wings and takes off into the air
[Gk] Gets a bit of a running start and launches himself as well. He's smaller then her and it's a strange feeling.
[Endrea] Searches the ground, spotting a few very small dragons and a few slightly larger ones playing with them-
[Gk] The air seems fairly empty, I guess most are too small to fly yet.
-Immediately after he says that a small two tailed dragon darts past, it's wings are rather fairy like and it's body covered in pale blue feathers, it chirps curiously at the two larger dragons-
[Gk] Weird... But hey. They're healthy and happy. That's the best ya can hope for sometimes.
-It darts away-
[Endrea] - I wonder if it will get much bigger...
[Gk] Eh, you'll still probably be the biggest in the end.
[Endrea] - A down side to my coding I suppose
[Gk] You know, you could have Doc look at it.... There might be a way to cap your growth.
[Endrea] - Perhaps, but for the moment we need to look for more dragons
[Gk] What the hell is that... ?
-There's a ridge of ground thats undulating in a straight line down below-
[Endrea] - I think another dragon...
-The ground breaks for a monemt and theres a flash of a sand-brown head before a long bodied dragon dives back down into the soil like a sandworm-
[Endrea] - Such variation in my species
[Gk] Player mods... I'm suprised we didn't get some fucking dinosaurs out here by accident. Hey look at that! What a doofy looking dragon, and way bigger then the others.
[Junior] Is moseying along with his long tongue hanging out. He's a mostly normal enderdragon but his wings are far too tiny to do anything but fan his chubby body.
[Endrea] - Er...  Yes...
[Gk] Those derped eyes look familiar actually...
[Endrea] - I wouldn't know why...
[Gk] Lands near Junior and gives him the hairy eyeball-
[Junior] slow blink, one eye then the other like a frog-
[Endrea] Lands near him- GG...
[Jean] Comes roaring over a hill - GET AWAY FROM MY BABY!
[GK] YOU!
[Endrea] Steps between Jean and GK-
[Jean] Digs into the ground to stop herself and huffs a bit-
[Gk] Why is she here!?
'[Endrea] - It wasn't my intention at first, but it will piss your NOTCH off...
[GK] Stamps his hooves- It makes me angry too! This bitch made my existence pure torment for months!
[Jean] Because I did what NOTCH wanted! You're the one who tried to kill Steffan!
[GK] IT WAS PRACTICALLY MY JOB.
[Endrea] - GG, please calm down
[Jean] Takes the opportunity to get Junior behind her-
[Gk] Is just blowing little flames out of his nose and huffing angrilly-
[Endrea] - GG I will sit on you if you don't calm down
[Gk] Can't I just kick her once?!
[Jean] I don't deserve that!
[Endrea] - As much as I'd enjoy seeing that, no
[GK] Is even more red then usual and the grass around his hooves is smoldering a bit- I HATE HER.
[Jean] I hate you too!
[Endrea] - And I dislike her as well, but think about this, we have taken away more from your NOTCH then anyone else.  You have more than him for the first time
[Gk] Is just fuming with his face scrunched in a pout.
[Jean] You should be happy anyway! You're a dragon again!
[Endrea] - GG, please, let's just move on and do what we were sent here to do
[Gk] I will... because you asked. But I won't like it!
[Endrea] Reaches over and nuzzles GK- You never do
[Ashe] Rolls around with Yaunfen a bit-
[Yaunfen] - Burp!  Burp!
[willow and oak] -follow the two dragons-
[Doc] You guys are so cute.
[Notch] Wanders over, hoping for a distraction from Lie's questions.
[Mb] Gives Notch a questioning look.
[CP] Is floating above so he doesn't get rolled into-
[Ashe] He and Yaunfen then proceed to roll into MB-
[Mb] Is knocked down and swears rather viciously.-
[Notch] Snorts-
[Ashe] - Oops...  Sorry...
[Mb] Shut up or I'll knock your block off, stupid NOTCH.
[Notch] Esh...
[CP] - I'd think first you'd have to get out from under those dragons
[Mb] Shoves them off him-
[HG] -there is now a large patch of fertilized dirt block and as grass takes over to make them grass blocks the grass is taller stronger and healthier-
[willow] -goes over to MB- bok
[Yaunfen] Surprised noise-
[Ashe] Carefully watches Willow- Willow...
[Mb] Yeah, whatever.
[willow] bok
[Celine] Goes over to MB to check him out-
[HG] -is watering the grass-
[willow] -goes over to ashe and paps him-
[Ashe] - What is it Willow?
[willow] -pounces on ashe-
[Ashe] Rolls over- Willow!  Ha ha!
[willow] -paps ashe again before jumping off of him and running circles around him-
[Ashe] Laughing, gets up and stretches, there's a popping noise as his goggles fall to the ground have broken as he grew with the stretch-
[oak] -is eating some of the tall grass-
[Doc] Whoah... Time to fix your goggles again... - Xe takes them up and starts repairing the strap.
[Ashe] Makes a series of clicking noises-
[willow] -paps doc's leg before running around hir-
[Doc] Easy kiddo, I'm trying to fix your brothers eyewear
[Ashe] Hesitantly starts walking around-
[willow] -flops on her back and wiggles her legs in the air-
[Celine] Licks MB-
[oak] -throws up the grass on lie's steps before going back to running around-
[Mb] small smile- good girl...
[Doc] Ummm
[Lie] - What is it Doc?
[Doc] Just a little bit of dragon barf...
[Lie] - Oh dear...
[Dolly] Comes up the path and stands under Cp, she's trying to think of a good way to get his attention.
[Ashe] Makes some more clicking noises-
[oak] -sees dolly and goes over to them and paps her-
[Doc] Finishes the goggles and puts them back on Ashe- Here you go.
[Ashe] - Thank you
[Dolly] Eyes the little dragon nervously- hello...
[CP] Glances down-
[oak] -runs around dolly-
[Dolly] Cp... can I talk to you? Privately?
[CP] Frowns a little- Why?
[Dolly] Because I'm told you're good with... dreams...
[CP] Comes down to the ground and start walking towards the house- Follow me
[oak] -tries to follow them-
[CP] - No Oak, go play with your sister
[oak] -run off and pounces on willow who rolls around with him-
[Dolly] Follows nervously-
[CP] Closes the door behind them as they enter the workroom- What do you want to know?
[Dolly] I have a recurring dream... I know it's the same, but it's like something is blocking me from recalling the specifics.
[CP] - Oh?  And what do you want me to do?
[Dolly] Can you just, watch? Tell me what happens? Or why it seems like there's a hole in my mind? You're used to dealing with things playing games with your thoughts, aren't you?
[CP] - Usually I'm the one doing it.  When do you want to do this?
[Dolly] Up to you. I'm rather nervous about what you might find, but it might cast some light on the craziness I've been plunged into since just before coming here.
[CP] - Well I can make you sleep whenever you want, but I'm assuming you'd want somebody there other than me there as well to make sure everything goes alright
[Dolly] No... I know that it was a risk for TLOT to join in someone else's dreams last time, and honestly, that grinning dog makes me nervous.
[CP] - Eh, Smile is pretty harmless unless you've seen his photo
[Dolly] I'm just not a dog person... - Her thoughts are plain, the cruel eyes and slavering jaws of the upright wolves she narrowly escaped.
[CP] - Alright, again, just let me know when you want to do this, I can literally put you to sleep right now
[Dolly] Gives a tiny twitch. - Y-yes... I think I need to know....
[CP] Sighs and puts down a bed- Go ahead and lay down then
[Dolly] Does as she's told. she doesn't trust Cp much at all, but she knows the others saw her enter the house with him and would surely come looking for her if she never awakened or left again.
[CP] Gives the tiniest flicker of power to send Dolly into a sleep before putting down a block to sit on and entering the dream himself-
-He gets a glimpse of a field in spring before something black obscures it and pushes on him very hard-
[CP] Growls and pushes back-
-There's a featheryness to the pressure-
[CP] - What the fuck is this?
[Dolly] Is also fighting, the memory is being suppressed intentionally-
[CP] Draws his sword- This is no match for me- He slices his sword through the mass
[Xophiel] Emerges from the brain fog and shoves Cp down beneath a massive hand- WHY ARE YOU FIGHTING WHAT I HAVE MADE?
[CP] - Because I was fucking asked to you asshole!
[Xophiel] SHE DOES NOT NEED TO KNOW. THE WORK IS COMPLETE.
[CP] - But she wants to know
[Xophiel] SHE IS CURIOUS YES. BUT WHY REMIND HER OF A LIFE LONG GONE?
[CP] - Because why not?
[Xophiel] BECAUSE TO KNOW COULD PUT HER SOUL BACK ON AND OLD PATH. REPEATING PAST MOTIONS AND TASKS SHE HAS EARNED HER REST FROM.
[CP] - See, now you've got me curious as well, I wanna know what's in there now
[Xophiel] THAT IS BECAUSE YOU DO NOT CARE WHAT HAPPENS TO HER. SHE WOULD BE OBSESSED.
[CP] - So?  Not gonna stop me, and I will find a way in- Already his powers are branching out, trying to find weak points where he can begin to gain control
[Xophiel] INSOLENT PEST! - He's already trying to counter with his own powers
[CP] Teleports beyond the entity, shifting back into old habits of sneaking through dreams to effectively scare the victims-
-The scene opens up again. It's a bright morning in spring. The field around him is full of flowers glistening with dew. There are no houses in view, but there are several strange contraptions scattered around. Sets of four pegs in the ground, holding up the corners of several sheets streched like low hammocks over the grass. There's the cry of a falcon high in the air above-
[CP] Skulks around, trying to find Dolly in the dream-
-There's a little bit of sound down the field. A man and a woman carrying a large bowl. The falcon swoops down and lands on the man's upraised wrist. He looks at the woman lovingly. Their clothes are that of old English peasantry.
[CP] - The fuck is this bullshit?
-The couple begin taking the sheets down and wringing the dew into the bowl. There's a distinctly smoky smell from the man-
[CP] Is getting curious about what they're doing-
[Xophiel] Swats Cp flat from behind, He's reduced his size a lot but his weird proportions are even more upsetting at a small scale. His feet are nearly as long as Cp's entire legs, but his birdlike head is roughly the same size as a humans.
[CP] - THE FUCK WAS THAT FOR!?
[Xophiel] NOSY INSOLENT PUP! THIS IS NOT FOR YOU TO SEE. WHAT THEY DO IS HOLY.
[CP] - So?
[Xophiel] IF I TELL YOU, WILL YOU LEAVE?
[CP] - Maybe
[Xophiel] THAT IS HER. -He gestures to the smiling man- A PAST LIFE.
-The couple are pouring the dew into a large glass flask-
[CP] - Past life huh?  What era?
[Xophiel] THE YEAR IS 1686.
[CP] - Huh, I think that might be about the time Splender came around...
[Xophiel] HE SERVED ME AND WAS REWARDED.
[CP] - And her?
[Xophiel] SHE WAS A HELPMATE TO HIM IN THE GREAT WORK AND CHOSE TO STAY IN THE AETHERS. HE RETURNED TO EARTH AFTER A LONG AND WELL EARNED REPOSE. FOR A SINGULAR PURPOSE. TO WATCH OVER SOMEONE.
[CP] - Wait, so he's Dolly?
[Xophiel] YES.
[CP] - Huh, well, so far all this looks fucking harmless as fuck
[Xophiel] IT IS BECAUSE YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THE GREAT WORK, IT IS AN ALL CONSUMING TASK. BODY AND SOUL MUST BE COMMITTED, IT WOULD BE A GRAVE DISTRACTION FROM HER PURPOSE NOW.
[CP] - And what would she be doing?
[Xophiel] SEEKING THE STONE THAT IS NOT A STONE, ONENESS, THE KEY TO THE MUTABILITY OF MATTER INTO IT'S MOST PERFECT FORM. THE VERY SIGHT OF IT CAN MAKE A MORTAL SEEK IT ENDLESSLY. SHE MUST REMAIN UNCONNECTED, OR THE BEAST WILL FIND HER BEFORE THE CHILD IS READY TO FACE IT.
[CP] - You mean Zeke?  And what fucking beast?
[Xophiel] Gives Cp a hard look - YOU HAVE NO NEED TO KNOW. BUT IT'S KIN IS NO STRANGER TO YOU.
[CP] - I'm guessing you mean something related to Insanity?
[Xophiel] passes a hand over Cp's face and everything goes black -
[CP] Is surprised when he regains consciousness on the floor of the work room- THAT FUCKER- He wakes Dolly from the dream
[Dolly] Groggly awakens - Cp?
[CP] Growls a bit- That fucking angel of yours is trying and failing to keep some nightmares at bay, that's all that's happening
-On the outside theres a bit of a disturbance as something ponderous enters Slender's woods.-
[Slender] Senses the intruder and growls as he puts his book down- Offender, I'll be right back...
[Offender] Looks up from the floor where he's coloring with Sally- Alright, be careful bro
[Slender] Teleports out into his woods-
-The shambling form is moving slowly, as if the slightest step was pain. There's a muted red light from where it's eyes should be. -
[Slender] Releases a burst of static in warning-
-The figure just stands there, there's nothing electrical in it. It's barely alive. It's close enough to see that the eyes are actually a cluster of three on each side, and the head is long and misshapen like an alligators maw.
[Slender] Growls as he emerges from the tree's- Leave, you are trespassing
-The thing is struggling, it's obvious it can't speak but wants too desperately. It seems to be encased in a large sack of some kind that fits it's form.
[Slender] His tendrils come out, snaking forwards as he reaches for the creatures mind-
-The flickering fragment of soul still bears a name - Rudolph.
[Slender] - This is your last warning, leave!- There's a whisper of a voice in his mind as Insanity suggests possession of the creature before him
-The creature gets down on it's short knees, raising it's hands up in a pleading gesture. The hands are huge, three long claws with no thumb.
[Slender] Frowns but movement catches his attention as the scent of human drifts through the air.  A low staticky hiss comes from Slender's throat- I'll deal with you in a moment
[Rudolph] Turns toward the noise. His jaws opening in a menacing way as his eyes narrow.
[Slender] Pauses waiting to see what this other creature will do as the human stumbles into sight-
[Rudolph] Struggles to his feet, he strikes out at the human with a giant paw but the blow is obviously weak-
-The human screams and stumbles backwards, only to be impaled by one of Slender's tendrils-
[Slender] - Hmm, seems you could be of use, but you lack energy...
[Rudolph] Stumbles, barely catching his lumbering form before it crashes into the ground. His burlap covering is streaked with dried blood that does not belong to him.
[Slender] - Follow me
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ghostsinthewoods · 7 years
Text
Chapter 8: The Mines
Mae hadn't slept well the night before. She'd been asleep for the usual ten hours, sure, but she didn't feel rested. Germ's words had been stuck in her brain. She'd tried to dismiss what he said about seeing someone at the mines, but she couldn't. Everything was swimming around in her head.
When Mae woke up from her dream about a sky filled with trees and a party filled with noise, she had already decided on going to the mines. She wasn't going to be able to sleep properly until she saw this guy herself.
Mae hurried on downstairs without logging onto messenger. Bea, Gregg, and Angus were all probably at work, so there was no point in using it to say where she was going. Besides, Mae was just heading out to take a look. They didn't need to worry.
When Mae got down to the bottom floor, she decided it would still be best to go and talk to her mom. Mae turned the corner and walked past the stairs, into the kitchen where Candy Borowski was sitting.
She wasn't reading one of her books this evening. It was a newspaper. Mae's mom had been reading newspapers a lot more lately. Mae could guess why. She was probably hoping to find some news about Aunt Molly.
It hurt to think about that, though.
"Morning, mom," Mae said as she hopped up onto the kitchen counter.
Mae's mom looked up from her paper and gave her daughter a warm smile. "Good morning, movie star," she said. "How did things go last night?"
Mae didn't know how to answer that. They hadn't done a whole lot of movie-making, after all. Mostly, they'd just wandered around in the woods and confronted the weight of their past sins.
"Kinda slow," Mae said after thinking about it a bit. "Got kinda weird after. We saw Germ with a torch in the woods."
"A… torch?" Mae's mom repeated. She barely knew who Germ was, but Mae got the feeling that even she was starting to get a good picture of Germ's weirdness. "Like, a literal torch?"
"Yup," Mae said. "The kind you use to chase Frankensteins."
"That can't be safe," Candy mused. "What if the fire spread? You could burn the whole forest down."
"Well, they'd have more space for parking lots," Mae joked.
That got a laugh out of her mom. Good. A laughing mom cheered Mae up most of the time, and this was one of those times. Her work done, Mae leaped down from the counter.
"Well, I'm heading out," Mae said. "Got some stuff I wanna check out."
"Check out, eh?" Mae's mom asked curiously. "Ooh, is this good news? How's the job hunt going?"
Oh, God. The job hunt. Mae had promised her mom she'd start looking for a job. She'd completely forgotten after everything with the Dream Casey had started up. All in all, Mae had applied to maybe two places in, like, a month, and she'd been turned down by both of them.
"Still waiting to hear back," Mae said quickly. "But, y'know, fingers crossed."
"Fingers crossed," Mae's mom repeated. "Okay, bye-bye, sweetie."
Mae let out a quiet little sigh of relief as she turned to exit the kitchen. She felt guilty about lying to her mom, but she didn't want to let her down, either. Of course, Mae felt like the longer she went without finding a job, the more she was letting her mom down.
It wasn't easy, though. Mae's work experience didn't exactly inspire confidence. Not to mention, most of the business-owners in town knew her as the girl from the softball incident. Either that, or the girl who'd once tried to climb the flagpole outside of the school.
She wound up getting stuck on top of that flag pole for nearly six hours. The fire department had to come in to get her down, but she ended up just falling off of the pole and landing on Tim Whitley.
Oh, yeah. That was another person Mae needed to make amends to.
Mae had completely lost her train of thought by the time she made it to the front door.
Mae had more or less made a beeline towards the old basketball courts that sat on the edge of the woods. She didn't stop to say hi to anyone, which was a bit weird for a social butterfly like herself. Mostly, Mae just didn't want to worry anyone, or let anyone see her acting strange.
It was just one guy, right? Mae probably didn't need help. No need for her friends to get all scared and protective and stuff. Probably.
Of course, once Mae made it out to the Food Donkey parking lots, she realized she'd forgotten one little detail: Germ. The little guy seemed to always be hanging out in the parking lot, and today was no exception. There he was, right in front of her.
He'd already seen her, so there was no way Mae could just, like, walk past him. Or maybe she could? It'd be rude, but Germ probably wouldn't mind. Germ was kind of a rude dude himself.
Whatever. Mae decided the best thing would be to just wave as she passed him by.
So she did just that. Mae gave Germ a friendly smile and lifted her hand as she walked past him.
"Hey," Germ said. Then, he immediately began following Mae.
It took Mae a few feet to realize he was tagging along. She stopped, turning around and looking at Germ. He had the same, Germy expression on his face. Mae had seen Germ smile, but it seemed like even when he was happy, Jeremy Warton defaulted to a blank, mysterious stare.
"Were you following me?" Mae asked slowly. Obvious question. If he was just walking home, he wouldn't be directly behind Mae. He'd be off to her right, to walk past the stairs and the basketball court. As it was, he was poised to walk up the stairs along with her.
"Yeah," Germ said. "You going to the mines?"
God dammit. Was Germ psychic or something? "Yeah…" Mae said slowly. "I'm just gonna check it out. See if I see the weird dude you saw."
"I mean, he didn't look all that weird," Germ said. "He just looked like a normal dude. Except he was staring at the mines. For, like, a long time."
"Yeah, see? That's weird." Mae said. "Nobody should stare at mines except for, like… miners."
"I mean, I can show you where I saw him," Germ said. "You probably shouldn't be out there alone anyway. You look bad."
He was probably right. Mae's head was throbbing, and her whole body felt tired. It was a repeat of last November, alright. Maybe not as bad, but definitely not good. Still, Mae didn't exactly like him pointing it out. Stupid, concerned Germ.
"I'm fine," Mae mumbled. "I'm good. You don't have to follow me, Germ."
"Okay," Germ said. "I'm still going to, though."
"I appreciate your honesty," Mae said. She sighed, too tired to argue this any further. "Fine. Adventure time with Germ. Let's go. You'll see what you missed out on last year."
The gang had filled Germ in on what had happened to them a few days after the incident in the mine. He'd thrown dynamite into a well for them, so it was the least they could do. It was difficult to tell how much of the story Germ believed, but he at least took their story seriously. Seriously enough to stake out the mine fairly regularly, it seemed.
Mae continued to march her way up the stairs that connected to the old basketball court, Germ in tow. Mae didn't know if this place had ever really been used for basketball. Mostly, it was just a place for the local skater kids and Gregg to hang out.
Well, Gregg had tried to be a skater kid. Tried and failed. Repeatedly.
It wasn't much of a basketball court now, though. There were no basketball… towers. Is that what you called them? Mae was going to call them that from now on.
"Hey, Germ," Mae said. "What do you call the… things you use to play basketball? Like, the big sticks with the baskets on them."
"Hoops," Germ said.
"What? The whole thing is called a hoop?" Mae asked. "But, like, the only hoopy part is the baskety thing. Why is the whole thing called a hoop?"
"It's the rules," Germ said simply. "You gotta call it a hoop."
Okay, this was all just making Mae more upset. Basketball was stupid.
Woods, woods, woods. Mae felt like a significant portion of her life in Possum Springs was spent in the woods. The woods were where the parties were held, and where teens got up to their nonsense. Even these woods, which were supposed to be off-limits, had seen their fair share of teenage malarkey.
Walking this path made Mae nervous. Her last few experiences in these woods weren't exactly good. She'd been shot at, for one. That was kinda bad. The second time, someone else had gotten shot, but they kind of had it coming.
Hmm. Mae hoped nobody got shot at this time.
"Hey, Germ," Mae said, "you live close by, right?"
"Sorta," Germ said. "Kinda. I don't tell anyone where I live."
Mae nodded. "Yeah, I think Gregg mentioned that once. Is your family, like, really embarrassing?"
Germ shook his head. He was walking side-by-side with Mae now. That was kind of nice. Mae liked hanging out with someone she was taller than. Hopefully, Germ wouldn't grow any more in his life.
"I like to keep my home life and social life seperate," Germ said. "I mean, I almost invited you over to dinner once."
That caught Mae off-guard. That was mostly because the idea of eating dinner at Germ's house was so mysterious. For some reason, Mae pictured Germ's family as, like, a clan of trickster wizards. That was probably wrong, huh?
"It was last year, when you were going through your stuff," Germ explained. "I thought you deserved a chance to, you know, chill. I decided against it, though. I was nervous about you meeting my gramma."
"The spooky one?" Mae asked.
"The only one," Mae said. "But, yeah, she's real spooky. I was worried she'd scare you off. She's kinda weird."
"My granddad was kinda weird," Mae said. "He kept a tooth in a safe."
"That's some secret society shit right there," Germ said.
The trees were beginning to clear away as they grew closer and closer to the mines. They were nearing the old mining equipment now. It was a graveyard for the things that had built up Possum Springs. It was so weird to think of what this place must have been like, and what the town must have been like, back when the mine was running. Back when the town wasn't dying.
Those guys in the mine said that what they were doing was keeping the town alive. Mae had given a lot of thought to what they'd said, but it didn't add up to her. Lots of bad things had happened since they'd started feeding that… thing. Businesses had closed, streets had flooded, people had died or gotten run over by runaway parade floats…
Had their sacrifices even done anything? Somehow, the idea that Casey died for no reason hurt even more than the idea that he died for some crappy old guys' retirement plan. Not like the reason mattered, really. But Mae wanted Casey's death to mean something, at least.
"Pretty amazing to be something, at least."
"Hey, Mae?"
Germ's voice brought Mae back to reality. Germ was staring at her. Was that concern in his expression, or just confusion? How long had Mae been standing there among the old machines and carts?
"Sorry," Mae muttered. "I spaced out there."
"Do you wanna take a few minutes?" Germ asked.
Mae appreciated that Germ hadn't suggested turning around entirely. With the way Mae's head felt, a rest sounded good. She promptly fell into a sitting position on the old, dusty ground. Germ joined her, his hands in his lap.
"I been up here before," Germ said. "Back when I was a senior."
Mae nodded. She hadn't been in Possum Springs then, of course. She probably spent Germ's graduation day sleeping in her room, trying not to cry. College had been garbage.
"Did you see anything weird?" Mae asked. Germ shook his head.
"Nah, it was a party. Tim Whitley was in town and wanted to do a, like, homecoming thing. Me, Casey, and Gregg went."
Mae chuckled. "Wow, you went to a college party in high school? I'm kinda jealous."
"It wasn't a lot of fun," Germ said. "It was cold and windy, and Casey spent all night making out with some girl. He almost didn't come home."
"Yeah, that sounds like Casey," Mae mused. "He was big on smooching, and being smooched. He was, like, the first one of us to actually get kissed."
Germ nodded slowly. Mae wasn't sure what that meant, exactly, but whatever.
"I've only kissed, like, two people," Mae said. She paused, and then decided to be honest. "Well, one-and-a-half. I don't think Cole counts that much. What about you?"
"I like skating," Germ said. "I don't have a lot of interest in, like, kissing. It's kinda dumb."
Mae considered Germ's view on things. Looking at him, she wondered if it was even possible for him to kiss someone. His beak was kind of… out there. Yeah. Probably poke someone's eye out. Then again, it was kinda round. Maybe it'd mostly just get in the way of things?
Wait, why was Mae thinking so much about kissing Germ? This was stupid.
"I mean, I might be interested if I really liked someone," Germ said. "But mostly I think I'd just want to, like, play video games and skateboard with them."
"Those are good relationship goals," Mae said. "I'd want to wrestle with them. Then live with them on a farm in Iowa."
"Iowa's big and empty," Germ said. "Good place for a farm."
"Yeah, I don't know why I wanna live with them on a farm," Mae said. "I've never really even been on a farm. Ever since I was a kid, though, I've wanted to, like, spend my life on a farm with… whoever. And have two cats, and a dog, and howl at the moon with them."
Things got quiet for a bit. It was nice out. The sun was in the sky, and the weather was pleasantly warm. Mae would probably switch to short sleeves sooner or later. Maybe. Eh. Changing clothes was a hassle.
Mae stood up and stretched out. Her head did feel a little bit clearer after resting. Germ stood up as well, and without a word, they were walking again. It wasn't much further until they reached the cliff overlooking the mine. Hopefully this time, they wouldn't see a bunch of dudes getting ready to kill someone.
Mae didn't like the silence, but she couldn't really think of what to say. Germ was kind of hard to start a conversation with. Back in January, she'd tried talking to him about getting some dynamite, and he'd started talking about the time he got a concussion.
Thankfully, they only had to walk for a few minutes. Soon, Mae and Germ were standing on the rocky cliff that Mae had stood on less than a year ago. Looking down at the mine, Mae half expected to see a gathering of hooded figures again. But no.
Nothing but rocks, and a thing that used to be a thing.
"Last time I saw him, he was down there," Germ said, and pointed to the spot in front of the mine's sealed entrance. Lots of rocks were poking out of the entrance's wooden frame. Jeez. That cave-in had really done a number on the mine, huh?
"Did he, like, notice you?" Mae asked.
Germ shook his head. "Nah, I'm pretty quiet. People don't notice when I'm watching them."
Mae took a minute to fully register what Germ had just said. "Wait, Germ, you don't, like, stalk people, do you?"
Germ opened his mouth to speak, but another, deeper voice interrupted him. It came from directly behind them, on the trail that lead into the woods.
"The hell are you kids doing out here?"
Mae let out a little scream. She couldn't help herself. She noticed that even Germ looked a bit surprised. Slowly, Mae turned, and found herself looking at a tall, middle-aged man dressed all in flannel, eyeing both of them suspiciously. He looked familiar, but Mae couldn't quite place it.
Possum Springs was a small town, so it'd make sense that Mae had seen him before. He was probably someone's dad.
Lots of people's dads were probably out in the woods.
Apparently, Mae wasn't the only one who recognized someone. The man squinted a bit at Mae, clearly trying to place her face. Mae fidgeted a bit, nervous as the man studied her.
"Wait, Mae? Mae Borowski?" The man said.
"Uh, no." Mae said quickly. "No, I'm… June. June Muddy."
The man's harsh, distrustful expression dissolved into a friendly smile. "Yeah, you're Mae, alright," he said. "The hell are you doing out here, Borowski? This place is supposed to be off-limits."
The man's eyes darted to Germ, whose nervousness had been replaced by the same blank expression. The stranger looked back at Mae, his eyebrow raised. "This isn't really a good place for a date. All these old rocks are death traps."
Yeah, Mae knew that better than most people.
"We aren't here on a date," Mae said.
"That somehow makes being out here even weirder," the man pointed out.
"I was gonna show Mae a dead buck I found," Germ said. His tone was completely natural and unchanged. Mae was surprised. She hadn't pegged Germ for a good liar. She wondered if Germ was constantly lying all the time, and no one realized it.
The man winced a bit, clearly grossed out. "Had it been shot?" He asked.
"Nope. Just dead."
"What's a dead buck doing up by the mines?" The man asked. "Deer usually don't come out here. Something about the place spooks 'em."
Mae could understand that. She had some firsthand spook experience with the mines. Deer were probably, like, super smart, and knew all about cults and stuff. But they weren't smart enough to avoid getting shot by hunters. Heh. Stupid deer.
God, though, who was this guy? He was weirding Mae out. She knew she'd seen him before.
"So, like, speaking of why people are at the mines…" Mae said, "Why are you at the mines?"
The man's smile seemed to falter a bit. He tried to hide it, but there was no mistaking that look. Mae often got that look when she asked people questions that she apparently shouldn't ask. Seemed like this was an off-limits topic.
"I come up here every now and then," the man said. "I worked up here for a while after I graduated from school. I started coming up here after they closed it down. Just, you know, to look around."
The man's attention seemed to shift beyond Mae and Germ, to the mine's entrance down below the cliff. Mae didn't like how focused he was on it. It was like he was trying to look through the rocks and stone.
"Looks like there was a cave-in sometime last year," the man muttered, his voice slow and thoughtful. "Probably some bootleggers messing around's what caused it. Hope no one was in there when it happened."
Oh god. Oh god. Mae felt a chill pass over her whole body. Did he know? Was he one of them? With the way he said it, Mae didn't know if he was just stating a fact… or accusing her. Even if he was a member of the cult, though, he couldn't know that Mae and her friends had caused the cave-in. Right?
Mae tried to say something to brush all of this off, but she couldn't find her words. She was speechless. That didn't happen often. Thankfully, Germ spoke up and saved her the trouble.
"Probably wasn't no one down there," he said. "I mean, most people avoid the mines."
Germ was certainly playing it cool. Well, as cool as he usually played it. Still, it was easy for him to stay calm. He hadn't almost died in a hole and communed with an eldritch horror. At least, as far as Mae knew, he hadn't done those things.
The man seemed to consider Germ's words, and then nodded. "Yeah, yeah," he said. "You're probably right there. I guess I'm worrying over nothing." The man gave a smile that was all teeth. It freaked Mae out a little.
"Well," the man said, "I'll leave you two alone to look for your deer. Say hello to your dad for me, Mae."
Was this one of her dad's old work friends? Mae only knew a few of them. She hadn't seen any of them since she was, like, eight. Mae doubted she'd really recognize any of them like she recognized this guy.
"Sure," Mae said. Her fear that this man was one of the cultists was about on par with her shame at not knowing who he was. "It was weird seeing you again, mister… you."
Well, that pretty much let the cat out of the bag. When he realized Mae had no idea who he was, a look of confusion appeared on his face. Also, he looked a little hurt? Mae might have just been imagining that, though. She might have been imagining a lot of things.
The man didn't correct her, however. He just gave her a brief nod, and turned to walk off the way he came. Mae watched him walk off until he was out of earshot, and then tilted her head to whisper to Germ.
"Dude," She said. "Was that the guy you saw?"
"I dunno," Germ said. "Maybe. Sure. I only saw him from behind. I mean, he seemed weird enough."
"Yeah, he definitely did," Mae said.
Mae watched the man shrink down smaller and smaller as he walked into the distance. Eventually, he disappeared on the horizon as he walked down the hill and out of Mae's sight. It wasn't until Mae was certain that he wasn't coming back that she let loose the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
The walk back into town was quiet and uneventful. Mae was still trying to wrap her head around the things the man had said. There was no way he didn't know about people dying in the cave-in, right? That was how it seemed, at least. But did he know Mae had been involved? If he did, how did he know?
The gang needed to know about this. When Mae got home, she could contact them on messenger. Let them know what had happened. For now, Mae just wanted to get home. If she and Germ hurried, Mae would make it in time for dinner.
Mae had expected Germ to part ways by the time they reached the old basketball court, but he continued to follow her well into town. That was a little odd. Mae didn't mind too much, though. It was nice to have some company.
They stopped once they reached the Snack Falcon, and Mae turned to say her goodbyes to Germ.
"Hey, so, like," Mae said, "thanks for hanging with me today. It was good to have you around."
Mae thought she detected the faintest hint of a smile on Germ's face. She might have been imagining it, though. "No problem," he said. "I had fun."
That was surprising. "Did you?" Mae asked.
"Eh," Germ said, shrugging slightly. "I mean, it was a weird bad time, but it was cool to spend time with you. We should hang out more."
"I check in on you, like, every day, dude," Mae pointed out. That was true. She'd started thinking of the Food Donkey's parking lot as Germ's lair. Could parking lots be a lair? Did a lair have to have, like, walls and stuff?
Whatever.
"Yeah, I guess," Germ said. "I mean, it'd be cool to do something sometime."
"What, like skateboarding?" Mae asked. "I don't skateboard. Casey tried to teach me once, but I couldn't figure out how to turn." That had been embarrassing. A bunch of cool skater kids had watched her eat it. Still, she hadn't been as bad as Gregg.
Germ was quiet. He seemed to be thinking of something to say, but couldn't decide on anything. Mae was used to Germ just blurting stuff out most of the time. Him apparently not knowing what to say was weird.
"No," he said. "I mean, I'd kind of like to be better friends. Gregg's gonna be moving soon. It'd be cool to have someone to do something with."
Mae felt a feeling that she didn't have words for. On the one hand, what Germ was saying made her sad. Gregg moving away was, like, bittersweet. But, on the other hand, Mae got what Germ was saying. She really did.
If Gregg was going to be gone, maybe something could be made with the stuff he'd left behind.
'Left behind' didn't feel like the right word for it, but the sentiment felt right.
"I get you," Mae said. A smile slowly crept onto her face. "But if we're gonna hang out more, I've gotta ask you something. Tell me, Jeremy: what's your opinion on crimes?"
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bmwiid · 7 years
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So I got a Fitbit
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Right, I got a Fitbit for my birthday from my mum - it’s a very expensive gift and I was a little worried that I wouldn’t really ever get the use out of it because I am a very unfit and lazy person, I have depression and issues with food, and I work in a call center that times your toilet breaks, so getting up and walking about is... not happening.
Anyway. I got the Charge 2:
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and this was the one I wanted, because of three things:
The sleep monitor. I feel like I never get enough sleep and I’m always tired. I wanted to know how i slept at night.
The heart rate tracker - I thought it would help when I have a panic attack I could SEE proof I wasn’t about to die.
The Guided breathing - ditto for above, I thought it would help me calm down if I was on my own.
I’ve had this for 17 days. I downloaded the app.
(more in the cut)
I had to adjust the ‘pre-set goals’ because I am not going to be able to walk 10k steps a day. I set my sleeping schedule, my weight goal, how many steps I wanted to walk a day (6k) how many flights of stairs (15) and I figured that even if I just used it as a rough guide it’s still hella cool.
THIS FUCKING THING HAS CHANGED MY LIFE.
I am not kidding. You know how sometimes you think... shit, im’ really bad at this! but then you have depression so you think you are bad at all things anyway, and it’s not really THAT bad because it’s just your brain being a dick?
I thought that about my activity. I knew I wasn’t doing a LOT of moving around but I wasn’t... too concerned. 
Let me fucking tell you something - when you look at the app and you see that you didn’t MOVE for 5 HOURS once you got home, you start to realise pretty fucking quick that maybe things ARE as bad as you thought. 
I check this thing CONSTANTLY. 
I check my sleep EVERY MORNING before I even get out of bed:
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I sleep more than I thought - I am awake or restless through the night though, which might be why I feel so tired all the time. 
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HOWEVER, my sleep is about 92% quality sleeping, which means that as far as sleeping is concerned... I’m doing not bad at all!
The thing that I thought would help the most was the breathing exercises... used it once. It’s a great feature - it has timed breaths, and rather than rely on you looking at the watch, it gives a soft silent buzz against your arm. It means that you can close your eyes and just concentrate on the motions. I used it once, I did like it, and it DID calm me down. It comes with a 2mins or 5 mins option. It’s NOT really for anxiety though, more of a ‘cool down’ after exercising, but it helped me. 
But here is the kicker. I use the STEPS, the ACTIVE MINS and the STAIRS... 
ALL THE DAMN TIME
Thats right. After the first week where I was mostly just looking at my stats like.... what the actual fuck, Robyn, moss moves more often that you do...
I figured the best way to do something about it... was to do something about it. And you know what? I’ve been actually DOING IT. 
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Monday I figured out that the best way to change was to change. Tuesday I went on a REAL WALK OUTSIDE, and wednesday I mostly complained about the burning in my thighs. I’ve not hit my goal today of 6k, but I’m not too worried about that as it was my day off, and mostly I’ve been just doing housework. 
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Any walk over 20 mins registers automatically on the fitbit as ‘exercise’ and not simply ‘moving’ which is really nice to see when you think you haven’t done a lot. I’ve been using my 30 min lunch break to walk around the area where I work, and it’s been getting my heart rate really spiking!
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the goal is to get into the Cardio or Peak zones. I check this a lot - some days I feel like my heart is bursting out of my chest. Yesterday, after my lunchtime walk, I was actually sweating - you can see I was in the ‘cardio’ part there - not for long, but long enough for it to feel like a workout! 
I’ve also added ‘beginners squat’ and ‘beginners ab crunches’ challenge to my daily routine - it’s not hardcore AT ALL - 20 a day, then 30, then rest, then 20, 30 and 40. I was resting yesterday - so today I was back to 20 of each. I also added in matching reps with very tiny pink weights my mum had from donkeys ago before she was in the wheelchair - I am doing the ones that look like you are pulling a lil speedboat engine start-up thing, and one that raises the arms so you look like a T. I’m sure these have names. The T one is the hardest for me, I have TINY WEAK arms and wrists, like, I’m not even kidding. 
Anyway.
You know what’s weird? I’m actually enjoying this. It’s not so hard that I feel overwhelmed with it - I’m going at a really slow pace, but I can SEE everything I do, and see how it’s affecting me. Not in my body - but in the things I can’t see, like steps, heart rate, distance and calories. 
I know that if I was going harder, with more, I’d hurt too much and stop, like I did on Wednesday when my legs were killing me. But by going on a walk at lunch, and making sure I climb 15 flights of stairs a day (its hard, but you get a lil fanfare on the watch when you complete it and it makes my day) I have started to FEEL BETTER about myself. 
I really really confident that this is a pace I can maintain. I really, really love this Fitbit. I like goals. But I LOVE achievable goals. 
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angelogepiga-blog · 5 years
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You Can Place Two Benches Appropriately And Use Them To Do The Dips Between Them.
There are a lot of pills and programs out there you can take, all promising to help you get fit, but many are as misleading as they are dangerous. The following article will help you understand what actually works when trying to get fit. Make sure you consider these helpful tips, as they will help you stay fit without harassing you to buy a certain product. Do not worry. An alternative to the normal fitness regimes is biking. Biking is a fun, inexpensive alternative for your daily commute that still focuses on fitness. Biking for 5 miles to work and 5 miles home will give you two daily workouts. Do not limit yourself to crunches to develop your abs. It has been shown that for every 250,000 crunches, only 1 pound of fat is burned. Simply doing only crunches means that you aren't getting as much of a workout as you need. Rotate in other abdominal exercises to improve your results. A basic weight lifting routine of high weight and lower repetitions is good for building muscles. Start by choosing a muscle group. Begin with a warm-up set using lighter weights. 15-20 repetitions ought to be simple with this amount of weight. Then gradually work your way up to a heavy weight. Add five pounds of weight each time. Always wear the proper shoes when performing any exercise routine. When you don't wear shoes specifically designed for the activity you are doing, you are risking injuring your legs and feet. Also, the wrong shoes can leave your feet tired and sore, discouraging you from continuing your exercise program. When you work out, wear clothing that is comfortable. You may feel pressured to wear a fashionable fitness outfit, especially when working out in public. Don't let anyone pressure you into wearing something that is not comfortable for you. Choose clothes that appeal to you and fit well, so that you can enjoy your workout. Proper clothing is essential to help you concentrate on exercise and not on ancillary matters. Are you looking to maximize the benefits of your workout time? Doing stretches is a widely acknowledged technique for greatly increasing muscle strength. Try to stretch for twenty or thirty seconds between sets. It may not seem like much, but those moments of stretching before and liquid grip chalk review after exercise will make your workout more effective. Flexing your glutes when you do a rep is recommended when lifting weights over your head. This will firm up your rear while also ensuring that you are keeping good form. This will also help to stabilize your spine as you lift the weights. If you do identical exercises in a fraction of your normal time, you can build muscles more quickly. This will cause your muscles to work harder and will, at the same time, improve your endurance. During your next strenuous workout, shave 3 minutes off of your 30 minute time allotment. Are chin-ups too difficult for you? By changing your mindset, you may be able to make them seem easier. Instead of imagining yourself pulling your body up, think of it as pulling the elbows down. These little mind tricks make the exercise a whole lot easier. Running is good, but it does have some potential dangers. If you notice problems with your knees, try splitting your running time between running and an elliptical trainer or stair climbing machine. Not running as much lets your body rest and recover so you can continue running without any injury. Pay your trainer ahead of time. By doing this you are much more likely to continue with your workouts than if you simply paid your trainer after every workout session. The reason is because you have made a monetary commitment. You are going to want to make the most of your investment so you will follow through. If you want to get fit and stay hip, do the dip. These useful exercises target and work out your chest muscles, as well as your triceps and shoulders. There are a lot of of ways to do them correctly. You can place two benches appropriately and use them to do the dips between them. To increase the effectiveness of your routine, add weights when doing your dips. Donkey calf raises are an excellent way to bulk up your calves. These calf raises are an awesome way to effectively build up your calves when you're exercising. Raise your calves as someone sits on your back. Walking your dog can be helpful when you are trying to improve your fitness. Your dog loves walks and there is little chance he will not want to join you daily. Begin slowly and easily. Circle one or two blocks and work your way up from there. It is one of the benefits of owning a dog. By including barbell squats with free weights in your fitness regiment, you can start to create a more defined physique. You will find that squats are extremely important for developing strong hamstring and quad muscles, calves, the abdominal area, as well as the back, because they boost the production of key growth hormones. When just starting your fitness routine, begin it slowly. Focus on breathing the right way, while also concentrating on how to properly do the exercises. This will allow you to get the fundamentals down so you can make a better transition into a more intense routine. To increase the impact your bicep-focused exercises have on that muscle group, try to bend your wrists while you do them. Extend your wrists backwards, then do your bicep reps. Your biceps will feel the strain, but make sure you do not hurt your joints by bending your wrist too much. Make sure you stay away from these questionable and potentially dangerous methods when trying to get fit. Fitness is much more than just losing weight. Change your life by following the advice in the article above. You are now armed with the tools; all you need to do is use them.
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faithfulcat111 · 6 years
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Just Shapes - Chapter 7
Day 7 (Tuesday)
The next day, Roman was slightly surprised to see his mom still sitting at the dining room table, her lunch still untouched before her, scribbling in a notebook. A quick glance at the clock confirmed that it was already 3 pm and he quietly approached the table with a tentative, “Mom?” His mom jerked up, slamming the notebook closed. “Roman!” she exclaimed. “You about gave me a heart attack!” Roman tilted his head in confusion, “Mom, what’s wrong? You haven’t eaten yet and you don’t look very good.” “I’m fine,” his mom quickly grabbed her plate, dumping the contents down the garbage disposal. Neither spoke as the machine whirred, but Roman yawned as she flicked it off. “Long night?” she asked. “Yeah, I went to work with Virgil,” Roman explained, grabbing at the jar of peanut butter, grateful to see it was a new, barely-open jar. “Oh, are you working there now?” his mom asked, a hint of interest peeking in her voice. “No, I was just tagging along. But I was super helpful. Which was a new and exciting feeling,” Roman smiled, before sticking a spoonful of peanut butter in his mouth. “Mmmmhmmmm,” his mom hummed with barely concealed disinterest. She sat back down with a sigh, opening her notebook again. 
“Are you okay?” Roman asked. “Yeah, just tired. I’ve been doing a lot of boring adult stuff,” she said. “What kind of adult stuff? I’m adult stuff!” Roman exclaimed before sticking another spoonful in his mouth. His mom just stared at him with tired eyes, but Roman stared back, the spoon hanging out of her mouth. She sighed again and explained, “Just like the budget, bills, and numbers. A lot of adulthood is number stress. Roman took the spoon out of his mouth, “That sounds bad. I’m bad at numbers.” “Oh, I remember,” his mom snarked back before adding, “Don’t you have somewhere to be?” “Um, yeah,” Roman dropped the spoon into the sink and returned the peanut butter, unsure of how to properly react to this strange tone his mom had taken on. He started to turn and leave, grabbing his jacket from where he left it draped over the stair rails last night, when his mom said, “I would love to see you at the church, Roman.” “Well, maybe I’ll come by and visit,” Roman suggested. “That’s not- Fine,” his mom sounded almost defeated. “Bye Roman.” Roman’s forehead creased in worry, but he simply said bye as well before heading out. Just down the street, Roman sat down next to Elliott, his eyes and smile wide, armed with a simple question, “What do you do?” Elliott blinked in shock at the sudden intruder on their front steps, snapping the notebook in their hand shut almost automatically. “Well, what do you do all day?” they challenged. “I asked you first,” a mischievous twinkle was in Roman’s eyes. “I’ve seen you sitting up here writing almost every day. What do you do? What do you write about? I want to know!” Elliott snorted, “Really? That’s what you want to know. Not to unlock my tragic backstory or whatever.” “Same thing, right?” Roman tapped the notebook. “You look like you are putting your soul into whatever you’re writing. I’m curious.” Elliott raised an eyebrow at him, before finally deciding to answer, “Poetry. My therapist thought it would be good for me. To help with my depression.” “Dr Griggs?” Roman asked, sitting back on his heels. “Yeah, you know him?” Elliott’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “Notebooks seem to be his automatic homework assignment.” Roman looked up and explained, “Anger issues. He is the only therapist in a thirty-mile radius of this place.” Elliott laughed. “That is true,” they gave Roman a crooked smile. The two sat in silence for a few minutes before Elliott said, “I saw a fire a few days ago. Out by the water tower. Did you have anything to do with that?” “A few days ago?” This time Roman’s eyebrows were the ones that furrowed. “No, I was at a party that had a bonfire, but we were out near the tracks, not the water tower.” “Hmmmm,” Elliott looked up, Roman quickly following his gaze. “He’s going to fall and break his back.” “Dr Picani?” When Elliott nodded, Roman continued, “I doubt it. He seems to know what he’s doing.” “Sure,” Elliott snorted and then got to their feet. “I gotta go.” “Okay,” Roman was still distracted and barely noticed when Elliott disappeared into their house. He finally decided to head up to the roof of Dr Picani’s house, climbing the ladder off the side. “Hey Dr Picani!” he called out to his former teacher when he hauled himself up, slightly startling the man who had been peering through the telescope. “Roman! You almost were late! You here to look at some more stars?” Dr Picani asked. “Of course! I wouldn’t miss it!” Roman scrambled across the roof. “What are we looking at today?”
After a very insightful session with Dr Picani, he was told not to hop the roofs with a threat this time, so he climbed down and set off in search of another ladder. He was distracted a block down by a large set of steps that he had been purposely ignoring. Roman glanced up at the sky, it wouldn’t be too late, right? And if she wasn’t there, then at least he tried. He started up the stairs before he could change his mind, finally heading off to the church. He was slightly surprised when he found the door still unlocked and quickly made his way over to the offices where, sure enough, his mom was sitting, reading. “Hey!” he called out and his mom looked up in surprise. “Honey, what are you doing here?” she asked in surprise. “Can’t I just visit you?” Roman asked. She raised an eyebrow, before looking back down at her book. “Honey, I appreciate the visit, but you know this is not what I meant. And I’m working right now. We are getting ready to switch programs in order to track the budget and I need to learn it as quickly as possible.” Roman leaned over the counter to see that she was reading a manual of sorts. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I just wanted to check in on you. You got back to work so late today.” His mom stiffened slightly before saying, “Thank you, dear. Now I need to work.” He stepped down with a sigh, “Okay, goodbye Mom.” Behind him, he heard a slightly muttered goodbye and he set off for another place once again.
Roman found Talyn at their favourite spot on the roofs, but before he could sit down, they stood up with a simple, “I wanna show you my favourite spot.” So, he followed them out to the edge of town and down the railroad tracks. “Where are we going?” he asked at one point, watching Talyn walk heel-toe down one of the rails as he hopped from tie to tie. “My second favourite place in this whole forsaken town. We’re going to squish some metal things,” Talyn explained. “Metal things?” Roman questioned. Talyn spun around on one heel and started walking back down the rail while reaching into their coat to pull out two metal soldiers. “We’re squishing those?” “Yup!” Talyn spun back around before stopping and saying, “This is it.” They immediately laid the soldiers down on the rail and laid down in between the track they were walking and the one next to it that had come up alongside it a hundred yards back. Their feet dangled over one of the rails. Roman laid down next to them and asked, “Why is this the place?” “Easy,” Talyn said as the ground around them began to shake. They pulled their legs up and Roman copied them, right before a train breached the hill they were almost at the top of and zoomed over them. When it passed, Talyn stretched out their legs again and continued, “We can still feel the rattle of the bridge here. This is the safest place.” “But aren’t you worried that you will miss-judge one day and your legs will be squished and no one will know where you are at?” Roman asked. Talyn looked over at him, a tuft of soft, pink hair falling over their eyes, “Isn’t that part of the fun?” Roman looked away, up at the pink and orange sky above them. After a silent moment, Talyn said, “I get weird thoughts sometimes. And being out here helps me understand them. Sometimes, my thoughts are so bad that I can’t go back home and I just sleep out here between the tracks.” Roman gave a sad smile, “I understand that.” After another quiet moment, Talyn asked, “I’m going to disappear one day, aren’t I? Just like my dad and Remy Caste?” Roman looked over at them in shock, slightly surprised to see that they weren’t even tearing up, “No, Talyn. You’re not. I’ll be here to make sure of it.” Talyn laughed, “Alright, Killer.” The ground started to rattle again and they pulled their legs up as another train passed by, this time on the track near their head. “You won’t always be there to protect me though.” “Sure I will,” Roman said with as much fake confidence as he could muster. “I’m magic like that.” Talyn laughed, “Whatever, Killer. Let’s check our metal things.” The metal things were completely squashed, their former features barely distinguishable in their much more 2-D state. Talyn continued to explain how they discovered the train track and what they were using the metal things for as the two headed back to town. They had made it off the rail tracks and were walking through the abandoned Food Donkey parking lot when Roman spotted someone familiar riding around on a cart. “Joan!” he shouted, running forward with Talyn following close behind. Joan turned to him, the orange beanie on their head standing out stark against the grey of the world around him. “Hey Roman,” he said as the two reached them. “Hey, what are you doing here?” Roman asked. Joan shrugged, “I just appreciate abandoned things.” “You do?” Roman tilted his head in confusion. “Who else will?” Joan leaned around Roman as they spotted the figure behind him. “Oh, Joan, this is my friend, Talyn. They love horror movies. Talyn, this is Joan. They watch us practice,” Roman introduced them. “Nice to meet you, Talyn,” Joan held out a hand. They quickly dropped it though as Talyn just gave them a quick nod and looked away, hands digging deep into their pockets. “Um, I guess I’ll see you later, Roman. Talyn,” Joan hopped up onto his cart as they started sailing away. “Bye!” Roman waved them off and started off again with Talyn. Talyn continued to look down along the way, scuffing at the ground with their boot. Roman looked over at them and decided to try a new subject, “Are you going to the Halloween Festival tomorrow?” Talyn gave a slight chuckle, “Nope, I’m going to stay in all night and watch and rate horror movies.” And the two started up again.
Roman and Talyn parted ways in front of the Snack Falcon, which Roman went into to visit Patton. Patton was standing with his head down face-first on the counter, utterly silent. As Roman stopped in front of his friend, Patton turned his head to look up at him, squinting as his glasses lay on the counter next to him. He then turned his head so he once again faced first into the counter and mumbled, “This job is one long near-death experience.” “Well,” Roman started, his hands starting to shake again as he remembered what Patton had told him a couple of days ago. “You keep this job for Logan. For your plans. Right?” Patton turned his head back so he could see Roman again, this time with a slight smile on his face. “Yeah, I do,” he murmured almost dreamily and pushed himself up off the counter. “But I’m done for today. Want to go hang out?” “Logan is back, right? Don’t you usually spend your evenings with him?” Roman asked. Patton shrugged, “Logan is working late tonight in order to make up for not being there yesterday. I have time before he gets off. Let’s go.” Roman widened his eyes in surprise as Patton opted to run around the counter rather than hop it and then dragged him outside to his bike. The two came to a stop out in the woods. Patton removed his helmet and grabbed Roman’s hand, yelling, “Come on!” Roman barely had a chance to drop his own helmet before he was being dragged into the woods by Patton. They stopped in the next clearing over and Patton hopped up on a log and pulled two pocket knives from his pocket. He tossed one over to Roman, yelling, “On guard!” Roman fumbled as he caught the knife. “Patton, I thought we couldn’t do this anymore,” Roman tried as he realized what Patton was wanting to do. “Come on, Romano Cheesey,” Patton moaned. “We haven’t had a good knife fight in years.” “But Logan-” “Oh, Logan schlofen. Let’s fight,” Patton flicked his knife and, with a loud warcry, jumped off the log towards Roman. Roman barely had the chance to flick his own knife open before he started defending himself. It wasn’t long before Patton’s knife caught across one of his knuckles and Roman yelped in pain, pulling back from Patton. “Come on, that was barely a nick!” Patton complained and Roman growled before advancing forward once again. This time, it was Roman who nicked Patton and he yelped in pain, cradling his hand. “Are you okay?” Roman asked. “Fine,” Patton gritted out and he lunged forward again only taking a few seconds before he caught Roman’s palm. At Roman’s yelp, he just shouted, “Come on Romano! Let’s go go go!” “Patton-” Roman tried but was cut off by Patton’s knife, barely blocking the hit. They went on for a while before Roman caught Patton again. At his hiss of pain, Roman tried again, “Patton, we can stop.” “No!” Patton lunged forward again, but Roman quickly caught him in the wrist, a little deeper than before. “Damn,” he muttered, dropping his knife into the leaves. “I’m going to have to explain this to my parents.” Roman quickly wiped the knife in his hand off on his shirt, grateful he wore a red one today, and stuffed it in his pocket then leaned down to pick up the other knife. “Patton-” he started, but Patton just snatched the knife and took off down one of the forest trails, stuffing the knife into his own pocket without even wiping it off. Roman chased after him, barely keeping him in his sights, calling out for his friend. He finally found him holding a crossbow that Roman had no clue where it came from, aiming it at a wooden statue of a dear about thirty feet away. Patton pulled the trigger, the bolt hitting the deer square between the eyes. “Yes!” he cheered before turning to Roman, holding out the crossbow. “You wanna try?” Roman hesitantly took it and aimed, missing the deer entirely. “Darnit,” he muttered to himself. “Try again!” Patton encouraged. It took another two hits, but Roman finally hit it. On the leg. He tried again and this time got the deer on the torso, but this didn’t seem to please Patton. He snatched the crossbow back, saying, “You’re shaking it too much. Watch this.” Patton took aim, but nothing happened when he pulled the trigger. “Out of bolts, damn.” Patton dropped the crossbow, which Roman just knew couldn’t be good for it, and took off running again. Roman chased after him, catching up at the edge of a lake. Roman was slightly panting by this time and when he looked up at his friend, he furrowed his brows as Patton seemed to be a million miles away from the lake, staring off into the distance. “Are you okay?” Roman ventured. Patton snorted. “I don’t think I’m quite right in the brain anymore, Roman,” he admitted. “I have up up days and I have down down days and sometimes I don’t know which is which until it is over.” Roman frowned, “Is this a down day?” Patton sighed, “Yeah, I think it is.” The two stared out across the lake. Roman looked down at his friend, the worn grey cardigan still wrapped around him, a blue with white polka-dot button-up that Roman vaguely remembered Logan wearing in high school poking out from it. Patton scuffed his worn sneakers against the forest floor, the duct tape barely holding on anymore. “I’m a good person, right?” Patton suddenly asked. Roman jerked his head over to look at him in shock, “Good?” “I dunno…” Patton muttered, a light blush appearing behind his freckles. Roman turned towards his friend, “What’s up?” Patton looked down at his hand, the dried blood around the cuts standing out against his unusually pale skin, “I’ve been trying really hard lately cause Lo needs me.” Roman raised an eyebrow, trying to follow Patton’s line of thought, “Is Logan in trouble?” “No he…” Patton managed a small smile. “He just hasn’t had the best life. His family are jerks. And I don’t want to lose him. I don’t want to screw this up.” “What’s wrong?” Roman asked. Patton turned his head slightly away, “We’ve been arguing lately.” “About?” “Stuff. How I’m inconsiderate running off and doing things that could possibly jeopardize our future together. Thinking about only myself,” Patton gave a loud sniff and turned his head back, hot tears in his eyes and a dead smile on his face. “That I’m not good.” Roman swallowed down the lump growing in his throat, wrapping one arm around Patton, “You’re good.” Patton’s laugh was shaky as he wiped at his eyes with his sleeve, “I’m parking lot trash. I got no future without Logan.” Patton started to hyperventilate and Roman hushed him, lowering them both to the ground while rubbing Patton’s back. “Calm down, Patton,” Roman whispered. “You’re good. Logan is good.” Patton gave him a slightly more genuine smile and said through the hiccups that were starting up, “Yeah, Logan is good.”
Roman made sure Patton got home safe, driving them himself, but let him go up by himself upon seeing that the living room light was already on. Roman continued on to his next destination, enjoying the tinkling of the bell as he entered the Ol’ Pickaxe. Virgil was leaning against the counter, a cigarette rolling between his fingers. “My job is killing me,” he complains without even looking up at Roman. “Why don’t you quit then?” he asks, but at Virgil’s glare, Roman decides to try another question. “Okay, do you want me to burn this place down?” “What? No! I’ll get blamed for that!” Virgil said in utter shock, his eyes wide, the cigarette dropping from his fingers. “Not if you have an alibi,” Roman pointed out. “Then you will get blamed,” Virgil argued. “For what? I have no motive,” Roman said. Virgil sighed and dropped his head down onto the counter, “Please don’t burn down my store.” “Okay okay,” Roman lifted up his hands in surrender. “Do you want to hang out tonight?” Virgil lifted his head with a cocked eyebrow, “Do you seriously have to hang out with me every night?” “I’m trying to fix our friendship,” Roman explained. “Fix our friendship?” Virgil’s face had reset to that annoyingly blank look. “Yeah. And this is the only thing I can think of.” Virgil stared at him for a long moment before finally saying, “I’m not doing calls tonight, just going to the store to buy food for dinner. You are welcome to come with.” “Yes!” Roman pumped his fist in celebration before helping Virgil shut down the shop and they started for the Ham Panther.
Roman was slightly surprised that he didn’t see his dad, but they shopped quickly and made it back to Virgil’s apartment. “That was fun!” Roman exclaimed, carrying a large brown bag as Virgil fumbled with his keys. “Yup, groceries. Make you appreciate life,” Virgil snarked. “Your sarcasm is invalid,” Roman said, a tone of finality in his voice as the door swung open. Virgil gestured for Roman to enter first, but Roman stopped a few feet in when a pair of almost black eyes turned from an old box television to him. He could feel his mouth drop open and was grateful that the bag was hiding it from view as he took in the man’s greasy appearance. Roman could almost see the flies buzzing around the guy and it was taking all of his willpower not to crinkle his nose in disgust. He felt Virgil brush by him and heard the sound of keys hitting a counter with a simple, “Hi, Dad.” The man’s eyes slowly gravitated away from Roman and to Virgil and he growled out, “Who is this?” “Roman,” Virgil took the bag away from Roman, a flash of warning in his eyes, and Roman quickly snapped his mouth closed and composed himself with a smile. “He is an old friend from school.” Roman tore himself away from the man’s, Virgil’s dad, beady eyes and attempted to cheerfully ask, “Do you want help making dinner?” Virgil glanced up at him with that annoyingly raised eyebrow, but blessedly responded, “Sure, Ro.” One easy hamburger mac meal later and Roman had volunteered himself to wash the dishes, but he could hear Virgil and his dad still talking in the living room. “Have you signed off on the order forms yet?” Virgil was asking. “No, are you sure we need that much lightbulbs? It seems like an awful lot. I never had to order that many,” his dad responded, a tone to his voice that worried Roman. “You made me take them off last time. And the time before that. And the time before that. We are nearly completely out of stock now,” Virgil explained, his voice unusually gentle. “Hmmmpf,” his dad grunted. “I’ll look over them again.” “I’d like to get the orders in by the weekend-” “I’ll look over them again!” his dad snapped. Roman paused in his rinsing as he listened to the painful silence. Finally, Virgil spoke again, “Okay. Have you signed off on the payroll?” “No, I’ll do that later too,” his dad growled. “The employees need to be paid! With all these late paychecks, I’m having a hard time keeping people around,” Virgil tried to protest. “Well, maybe it is just your poor managing skills! Why are bothering me so much tonight?” his dad yelled. “Well, maybe if you actually give me more power, I wouldn’t have to bother you all the time! You still have me as assistant manager even though I’m basically running the place, doing all your work-” Virgil’s voice was starting to rise as well. “It is still my store! I’m still the owner!” Roman shut off the water as Virgil’s dad flat-out shouted at him loud enough to make the small apartment shake. Roman slipped over to the living room door, seeing that Virgil’s dad had finally hauled himself out of that chair and was practically towering over Virgil who was staring defiantly back up at him. After a long moment, Virgil lowered his head and took a step back, “Fine. Whatever you say.” “Good,” his dad lowered himself back down into the chair and Virgil’s eyes flicked up just enough to catch Roman’s peeking out behind the door frame. “I’ll see you later,” Virgil muttered and stepped out of the living room area, indicating with his head for Roman to follow him down a hallway. Roman carefully slipped behind the chair as Virgil’s dad turned the volume of the TV back up and the two slipped into one of three doors. “Finally,” Virgil collapsed down onto an air mattress as Roman looked around the room in shock. “Virgil?” he ventured. “How long have you and your dad lived here?” “Hmmm?” Virgil lifted his head as he surveyed the multiple still packed boxes around the room. He rolled onto his back before answering, “About ten months, I think.” “You’ve been working really hard,” Roman started walking around the room, touching the few trinkets that were out, probably bought after the move, with Virgil’s blank eyes watching him. Roman stopped at an old record player. His hand travelled down to touch the record beside it. They were still in the box, but the box was open, which was an improvement. “I like the record player.” “It was my mom’s,” Roman turned around to see Virgil staring up at the slow moving fan above him. “Why do you take this?” Roman asked, walking over to sit on the mattress beside Virgil. “I don’t have a choice,” Virgil monotoned. “Yes, you do!” Roman slapped down on the mattress beside him causing Virgil to be jolted out of place. “You are twenty years old. You don’t have to stay here with someone who obviously doesn’t care about you and you could leave. Have that life you are berating me so much for not having myself!” “Do you even hear the words coming out of your mouth?” Virgil sat up in anger. “Of course I don’t have a choice! Where the hell do you expect me to go if I leave here? I don’t really have any money because it all goes into keeping us afloat! My dad can’t work! Who is going to take care of him while I’m gone? He can’t do it! I need to be here! That is why I don’t have a choice!” “Well, that is just stupid!” Roman was flustered, but still trying to argue. Virgil’s eyes darkened, “Get out.” Roman stumbled to his feet in shock, “What?” “Get out of my apartment! You and all your stupid ideology about repairing friendships! If you cared so much about our friendship, maybe you shouldn’t have ruined it in the first place!” Virgil shouted. He took a shaky breath, throwing one eye over his eyes, but Roman had already seen the building tears there. “Virgil, I’m-” Roman started. He took a cautious step forward. “GET OUT!” Virgil full-on screeched and Roman quickly made that way out of his room. He looked up upon reaching the living room, meeting Virgil’s dad’s beady eyes. “I remember you,” a slight chuckle to his voice. “You’re the kid that Virgil used to hang out with. Before you went coo-coo and killed that kid.” “I didn’t kill him,” Roman muttered as he stomped out the front door and started home.
The front door slammed shut behind Roman as he stormed in, slightly drippy from the sudden rain burst that started when he was a few houses down. “Roman?” a voice called from the living room as he was peeling off his jacket. He draped it over the bannister and walked in, calling, “Yes?” His dad muted the TV, “How was your day today?” Roman shrugged, “It was a day. Didn’t see you at the Ham Panther.” “I got off early. What were you doing at the Ham Panther?” his dad asked. “Buying dinner with Virgil.” Roman quickly changed the subject, “Do you know why Mom was so stressed this morning?” His dad quickly moved back towards the TV, lifting the remote as he said, “A lot of adulthood is being vaguely stressed for multiple reasons.” Roman’s eyes and shoulders dropped as he recognized that the conversation was over, “Okay Dad. Good night.” He started up the stairs, stopping on the third step to listen. After a minute, his dad finally said, “Good night, Roman.” Roman’s shoulders dropped slightly again as he slowly trudged up the stairs. He flopped down onto his bed, too tired to even take off his shoes, but the next thing he knew, he was standing on the side of a building. Roman looked up at the swirling stars above him, melting into the tops of the light poles, their yellow light leaking into the comforting greys of the rest of the world. This time, Roman held no bat or any other weapon and there was no other sign of any immediate danger that his foggy senses could pick up on. Roman stepped off the side of the building, barely noticing that he was walking on air up to the next building as he followed the swirl of the lights. He wandered like this for a long time, or maybe just a short time. Roman kept changing his mind as his sense of reality continued to wrap around him as the building began to bend and the air began to solidify. It wasn’t until he reached the top of one particularly curved building that he realized that there may be a problem with the world around him. Suddenly he heard a roar above him. The tendrils of fear began to sneak in and Roman looked up to see a giant crocodile descending from the sky, its mouth opened wide. Roman let out a silent scream as everything suddenly muted and ducked down. But right before the crocodile could snap it’s mouth shut, it dissolved into white light with the rest of the world and Roman quickly following it.
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princesfitness · 7 years
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New Post has been published on My Fitness and Nutrition Store
New Post has been published on http://myfitnessnutrition.princefamily33.com/2017/07/18/find-the-perfect-fitness-routine-that-suits-your-individuality-2/
Find The Perfect Fitness Routine That Suits Your Individuality
TIP! Create a garden oasis. People are shocked at how much work gardening really is.
There’s much more to fitness than simply spending time at the gym. You need an abundant amount of know-how and dedication to see results in your fitness plan. They can help you to improve your exercise routine.
TIP! Do you find it difficult to devote valuable time to exercise? Break up the workout into two separate routines. This doesn’t mean you have to work out more – just do half your workout each time.
Not everyone has a lot of time that they can devote to exercise. Break up the workout into two separate routines. Don’t necessarily increase your workout time, just break it in half. Run during the morning and evening for 30 minutes, rather than running for a one full hour. If you’re not interested in two trips to the gym, get one in somewhere else you find more preferable.
With every exercise, exhale after each repetition. This causes your body to expend more energy and inhaling air will give your body more energy as well.
TIP! Change up your workout regiment by doing various exercises. You will not be bored and stay on top of your exercise regimen.
Keep an accurate daily log. You should write down the food you eat, drinks you consume, and what exercises you do. You should even jot down the weather you had that day. You will be able to reflect on any highs or lows if you do. If you skip exercise on some days, jot down a note explaining why.
TIP! If you really want to follow through with specific fitness objectives, a good idea to is to prepay a personal trainer in advance prior to starting work with them. That way, you’re more likely to actually attend your training sessions.
Make sure you keep a good fitness diary in order to keep track of your daily routine. Note your regular workouts as well as any extra moving you do. If you wear a pedometer, you can also record your steps each day and constantly strive to increase your count. Writing down your progress helps you to accomplish all of your goals.
TIP! Do donkey calf raises to build calf muscles. These exercises build your calf muscles quickly.
Wear comfortable clothing when working out. You may feel pressured to wear a fashionable fitness outfit, especially when working out in public. Don’t let anyone pressure you into wearing something that is not comfortable for you. Don clothes which allow you freedom of movement, but don’t make you feel self-conscious. If you wear the proper clothes for you, you won’t be distracted from your fitness routine by concern over your appearance.
10 Minutes
TIP! Getting yourself some rollerblades is a great way to get more physically fit. Although rollerblading isn’t too popular anymore, it is still fun to do and can help you lose a lot of weight.
Dedicate a little bit of time each day to exercise. Sustaining exercise at a moderate or more intense level for 10 minutes at a time has proven beneficial for health. Most people can incorporate 10 minutes of exercise simply climbing stairs or walking.
TIP! Weight belts have long been thought of as a staple for any weightlifting program, but newer thinking holds that they should only be used for the heaviest of weights. Putting a weight belt on every day can cause long-term problems.
Before running a sprint race you should prepare by working on a faster stride. You just need to have your foot land under you instead of ahead of you. When you are running, remember to push off of each step with your toes to help yourself go forward faster. If you practice this method, you will eventually see your running speed increase.
Calf Muscles
TIP! Are you trying to get physically fit? Start jumping rope! It is a fun fitness activity that really gets your heart rate up in a short period of time. Every minute of jump roping burns the same amount of calories as three minutes of most other types of cardiovascular exercise.
Do donkey calf raises to build up calf muscles. These are a great way to help you build up your calf muscles. You must have a buddy willing to rest on your back so that you are free to lift your calves upward.
TIP! Find a nearby gym that provides open use of workout machines. Companies often give workers incentives by providing gym memberships at no cost.
In addition to performing crunches, do some sit-ups. Sit-ups may be dated, but they still offer plenty of benefits. Avoid doing sit-ups in which your feet are anchored. These particular sit-ups are terrible on your lower back.
TIP! Avoid injuring your lower back by doing sit-ups correctly. Put a towel under your back with a Swiss ball to achieve similar results.
Pace yourself in a steady way when cycling. You are going to make yourself tired, the faster you go. Keep your pace simple and steady to be able to build your riding endurance and prevent fatigue. Also, this pace can help you feel when an injury is coming, so that you do not strain or tear any muscles.
TIP! When you have mastered being able to balance on an exercise ball, it can be a great substitute for a chair at your desk. Using a ball for a seat will strengthen your core while improving your sense of balance, and you don’t even have to stand up.
It is important for everyone to work towards fitness, however, only those that work hard will succeed. Now with more fitness knowledge to add to your fitness knowledge you can easily create a fitness plan and achieve your goals.
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starlightchild6 · 7 years
Text
Secrets (Part 2 of ??)
And the story continues. Still untitled as of now. If you have a suggestion, leave me a note. Writing is one thing, titling is a whole other.
If you missed part one, you can catch up here.
I must have dozed off while he drove because the next thing I remember is the sound of gravel under the tires as he pulled off the road.
"Wake up, sleepyhead. We're here." He chuckles as he shakes my shoulder gently. I swat at his hand which only causes him to laugh more.
"Meanie." I grumble, stretching a little and undoing the seatbelt.
"Oh yeah?" He grins as he comes around to my side and opens the door for me, carrying a paper bag in one hand. "Would a meanie get you the largest size of cheese sticks there is?" He dangles the bag in front of me teasingly.
I couldn't help it. At the mention of cheese sticks, my stomach decided to make itself known. Loudly.
"Traitor." I mumble, glaring down at my midsection. Jeremy throws his head back, laughing long and hard at my expense. I aim a kick in his direction but he nearly dodges it.
"C'mon, bratling. Sooner inside, sooner we can eat. And take care of that eye." He holds a hand out expectantly for me. I just roll my eyes and let him help me out of the truck. I'll admit, it's a little nice to have someone care about you like that.
I can't help but glance up as we head across the yard to the house. It's a clear night and the stars are so bright out here. I love it.
“Hey, babe. Eat first, and then we’ll see about some stargazing, mmkay?” I reluctantly tear my eyes away from the sky only to see him silhouetted in the light from the half open door.
“If you end up letting mosquitos in that house, I swear I will kick your ass, Jeremy Daniel.” I grumble as I climb the stairs to the porch. He only laughs more. I swat at his shoulder as I pass by him and immediately kick off my shoes before heading straight to the fridge.
“Now how many times have I heard that threat?” He grins as he unpacks the food onto the coffee table.
“Should have been enough to teach you to not let the bloodsuckers in.” I stick my tongue out at him in reply.
“Oh please, I’ve never seen one inside yet.”
“Yet. There’s the yet. And if I see one, it’s on like Donkey Kong.” I search the shelves, trying to find the stash of soda he keeps. Aha! One ice-cold can of soda, all mine! “What do you want to drink, Jer? I already got the last can of Dr. Pepper.”
“You suck. Get me a water then.” I grab him a bottle and head over to claim my spot in the overstuffed recliner. Oh man, he really did get the largest size of cheese sticks they sell. My mouth is watering just eyeing them.
He passes me my burger. “I already checked, they remembered to leave the onions off for you.”
“Aw yeah.” I take the biggest bite I can manage and savor it. It tasted amazing. Of course, that could be because it was the first thing I had eaten all day. “Ummm, so good.” I mumble around it.
“Slow down before you choke, woman.” He admonishes me. “It’s not going anywhere.”
I manage to swallow the mouthful and take a few gulps of soda to wash it down more. “You know that first bite is the best one. Go big or go home right?”
“If you go any bigger, I’m gonna have to perform the Heimlich on you.”
“Fiiiine.” I roll my eyes as I reach for a cheese stick. “I’ll take it easy, promise.”
“Good. Now tell me, just what the hell happened tonight?” he murmurs.
I sigh. “I got home from school and found a note on the table to do the laundry. So I started a load while I worked on my essay for English. I was running the second load through when Mom and Darren arrived home. Darren asked me if his green polo was clean yet. I told him it was in the next load to be washed. He flipped out and…. well, you can see what happened then.”
“A large shiner.”
“He does have a mean right hook.”
“It looks pretty bad now that I can see it properly. He must have hit you as hard as he could’ve. Stupid fucker.” Jeremy scoots over closer to the chair to get a better look. “Need to put some ice on that to get the swelling down soon.”
“Least today is Friday. No school tomorrow.”
“True. So then what? Is that when you left?”
“Not yet. First, Mom had to yell at me for starting trouble again. And Darren had to say a few choice words too. The usual renditions at first. Stupid bitch, etc, etc. It kept getting worse, so I grabbed my jacket and ran out the door.” I lean forward, reaching for a paper towel. Almost.... there! Got it!
“Damn. That must have sucked.” I nod. “So, as far as physical stuff, all he did was punch you tonight?” Jeremy asks before taking a bite of his burger.
I nod, wiping my fingers off. “Yeah, just the one punch. I should have seen it coming really. Wasn’t exactly subtle about it.”
“Really? Then explain those marks on your arm.”
Oh. Fuck.
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