#a companion of sorts to the last ticket

[natalievoncatte]

Kara Zor El Danvers lived in a world of limitless sensation.

Thanks to her cousin, the world knew of her x-ray vision, but her eyesight went far beyond that. She could focus her attention and observe the mechanisms of the cell, or look skyward and see things so vast that they were invisible to the human eye. (She learned in her youth not to tell people that the entire solar system was, from time to time, engulfed in the digestive tract of a space whale so huge that its body was too big for humans to perceive) She could see colors lost to human vision and watch particles scatter off the atmosphere.

He sense of smell was beyond acute; had she the impulse, she could have tracked her family by scent. Her hearing was both gift and curse, as was her sense of taste, which she indulged with abandon thanks to her vastly more efficient digestive system and metabolism.

What most people never thought about was her touch. Kara could shake someone’s hand and read their fingerprint like braille. She was sensitive to the most minute changes in temperature or texture, and at times it could be just as overwhelming and overstimulating as her other senses. Kara learned to embrace it- she was a tactile girl from a race that disdained physical contact, even among lovers.

They had no idea what they were missing.

The first time Kara laid her hands on Lena Luthor was just after she’d arrested the fall of a multi-ton helicopter and dragged it from gravity’s grasp to bring it to rest on the roof of LuthorCorp. She’d checked the pilot first and…

Kara had eidetic memory. Perfect recall. It was another cursed gift, one born of the interaction of perfect healing with her alien brain. She would never forget seeing Lena for the first time. It was hers and hers alone.

Other humans could see Lena’s dark hair and soft pale skin, see the variation between her eyes, one a little more blue than green. They didn’t see what Kara saw; a thousand colors sparkling in those eyes like impossible gems, the heat bloom on her skin following the flush in her cheeks. The thundering of her heart in her chest beat a tempo in Kara’s ears, and then Kara touched her.

It was a simple gesture. No skin to skin, just a hand on Lena’s shoulder to steady her and ask her if she was okay, but beneath it Kara could sense her pulse and her body heat and was dimly aware of the electrical conduction of her nervous system.

It was heady, intoxicating. Even her scent- not the perfume covering it but the scent of *her*, her real scent, shot through with acidic fear, was intoxicating. Kara breathed it in and it exploded in her chest, making her feel a million miles tall.

The meeting was brief. Kara had to deal with annoying robots. There were always robots.

Later, Lena was there again and this time Kara was meeting her. Kara forgot that as she walked in with Kal… Clark. For those first few steps she wasn’t Supergirl or Cat Grant’s Assistant, she was herself, the person she only was around her closest friends who knew her secret. The one who walked tall, shoulders back, with nothing to hide.

Again, Lena was overwhelming. Kara was all but stunned by her, stammering and blushing. She didn’t know if there was love at first sight but first touch, just maybe. Lena’s hand was soft and warm, her grip firm, and Kara didn’t know why, then, that it sent such a jolt through her.

It was not the last time they touched.

Some thugs heaved Lena off her balcony, sending her screaming towards her death. Kara was there -she wouldn’t have had to hear it all over the phone- and caught her. It was a flawless rescue, scooping her from the air. Lena, terrified, clung to her for dear life.

Something happened on the way up. There was a brief, searing moment when Lena’s fear faded and she pressed in tight to her savior. Kara was acutely aware of the bare skin on the inside of Lena’s knee, the feeling of her soft calf against the back of her hand and the pull of Lena’s arms around her neck.

That night, Kara began to have feelings. Imaginings. Feeling silken smooth legs sliding under her palms, delicate hands clutched in hers, fingers laced. Wet skin slick on wet skin and clenching muscles, gossamer curls winding across her flesh in a symphony of pure feeling, hot breath on her skin. Teeth on her neck.

It felt weird, it felt wrong, it felt… predatory. Kara was scared of what she wanted, and how she wanted it- feral, with the wild abandon of an apex predator. Kryptonians were above such things. They were a race of stoic scientists who mastered and abandoned animal lusts and replaced them with cold technology Would she betray her heritage this way, too? She’d failed to keep Kal Kryptonian. What if she lost herself, too?

There were other touches. Soft hands on shoulders and lingering palms resting on arms. Lena hugged Kara and sheltered in her arms, drawing Kara around her like armor, and Kara let herself revel in it. She needed to protect Lena like she needed to breathe air.

Then came another. The Daxamite. The enemy, the lover, the jerk. He gave her touches too. Touches she was supposed to enjoy, supposed to want. Everyone told her so, even Alex who despised and suspected him at first.

She enjoyed it for what it was, and hated it for what it wasn’t.

Then he was gone and she was left again to longing. She tried to abandon the Danvers and Become Kryptonian, but she’d failed. Lena Luthor had gloriously corrupted her and she knew in the deepest hidden parts of her heart that whoever she was, she wasn’t the model Kryptonian youth, promised to the science council. She was Alex Danvers’s sister and Eliza Danvers’s daughter and Clark Kent’s cousin, losing herself in friendship and potstickers and guilt.

In the dark, Kara wept because she knew if she could change it all, if she could go back, save her world and her people, something of great value would be lost.

There was something between them, something terrible, something festering between every touch and it gnawed at Kara more and more with every lingering moment. Joy was shot through with terror when Lena would crowd in close to her, the pair of them giggling wine-drunk like the children they’d never been allowed to be. Children of tragedy, daughters of tarnished fathers, inheritors of legacies too heavy to carry alone.

More and more Lena and Kara let each other press close, each under the other’s shoulder, bearing the weight the weight as one. As one in every way except the one that mattered, until Kara’s heart hurt so much that she remembered those first days on Earth when she’d wished the green fireball had taken her pod too.

Then came the worst thing: the truth.

Kara wanted nothing more than to touch her, to feel skin on skin. She knew if she could hold Lena she could make it better, if she could come just shy of kissing the crown of her head and tell her how impossibly sorry she was that Lena would see, that she would feel and understand.

Instead there was only a wall of ice crusted with poison that shot red hot rancid agony through her veins, like a hot knife flensing her skin as her lungs crushed themselves. It felt like she was dying and she wanted it.

It felt like that the entire time. Every argument, every fight. Kara just wanted to scream. Scream at Lena at Mount Norquay with the ultimate weapon aimed at her heart, scream at her on balconies and rooftops and in fraught rescues where Lena shoved her away. Please just let me hold you one more time.

And then, one day, Lena came back. Kara was doing something meaningless -even with the world at stake she still had to write puff pieces for her asshole new boss- and was pacing around her apartment looking for the will to be human when it felt so pointless, and then she heard the staccato of Lena’s racing heart and pulled open her door.

It was explosive. Kara froze, stunned as if struck. It was like seeing Lena for the first time again, as she stood there with tear-wet cheeks in a winter coat with her arms and shoulders folded in fear, and Kara hated that she was afraid. She watched the invisible spectrum dance across Lena’s skin and was lost in her sea-sapphire eyes all over again and dared not even think the prayer on her tongue, a plea that came to her in Kryptonian first.

“I’m sorry,” Lena began, “I was wrong.”

Kara only heard the pain and knew she had to make it stop. Instinct drove her, the instinct she wasn’t supposed to answer. She embraced Lena with the utmost care, needing only to make it better, to make her precious Lena’s hurting stop.

Despite her photographic memory she would never recall who crossed the Rubicon. Maybe it was both of them at once. Lena touched Kara as she never had before, answering the intensity of Kara’s consuming attention in a way she’d always shied from before. Every flash of boldness from Lena drove Kara more feral and she sucked in a sharp breath as she left a hand print pressed in her door, thinking oh oh Rao I don’t want to hurt her, but if Lena was afraid she didn’t show it.

It all just sort of happened on instinct, like they both just knew what to do. Kara heaved her Lena into the air with a shocking display of strength, quivering with joy. Catching her wasn’t enough, she wanted to scoop Lena up and carry her off like a conquering hero, and she was, this was really happening.

They spoke only once, Kara asking the question. “Is this okay?”

“Yes.”

Kara exerted every ounce of control she had, schooling every movement, commanding every brush of her fingers and movement of her hands. She let herself drink the sensations, etching a record of every facet of these moments that would endure until the end of her days. She’d never felt as alive as when she felt Lena’s body arch under her hands and the buzz in her throat as she cried Kara’s name.

The humans called it becoming one flesh. Kara thought that was silly. Now, she understood.

Lena answered her tenfold, answering Kara’s burning questions with her hands and lips and teeth, almost shocking Kara with her intensity.

To her surprise it was the after she loved most, feeling Lena’s soft, delicate, vulnerable body cradled in her arms, and when Lena sobbed into her shoulder, Kara wept with her and murmured all the promises again and again and again.

Later, after struggles and losses and a strange sense that it was all finally over, the great battles won, the great miracles all performed, Kara formed the metal and crushed the gems into being with her own hands, and would never forget the trembling in Lena’s hands as she circled the bracelet around her wrist.

#supercorp #supergirl fanfiction #supergirl #supercorp fanfic #lena luthor #kara danvers #kara x lena #karlena #supergirl fanfic #ficlet #a companion of sorts to the last ticket #Kara is secretly a feral dom #Kara Danvers is a service top #Natalie writing more pretentious fanfic #Lena knows she can’t hurt Kara and takes full advantage

[chiscribbs]

As promised, to show my thanks for getting Grown Apart AU through to the next @tmntaucompetition round - here's a little bonus treat:

A visual chart detailing all the major character relationships in the AU's first act! Enjoy!

(Click "keep reading" for some additional information on a few of the dynamics shown above.)

Splinter & Mikey - When the boys were still very small, Splinter used to take them with him on his excursions out of the sewers (either to get supplies or to search for the two missing turtles). During one of these trips, Mikey got separated from his dad and brother - they eventually found him, mostly unharmed, but the traumatic experience left a lasting mark on Splinter and he has worried about his youngest son ever since.

Leo & Raph - Leo and Raph are the first of the estranged brothers to meet, face-to-face. Raph finds Leo snooping around Draxum's lab and attacks him. Leo manages to escape, with his newly acquired portal sword, but the lab is destroyed in the clash. The two proceed to fight each other on multiple occasions after this, forming a sort of battlefield rivalry.

Donnie & Mikey - By complete and total coincidence, Donnie ends up saving Mikey's life after Draxum drops him off the roof of a building. Mikey takes this as evidence that Donnie is a good person and decides to trust him (despite Leo's protests). Realizing this, Donnie uses Mikey's "misplaced" trust in him as a ticket into the Hamato residence so that he can hide out there until he's apprehended the oozesquitos.

Raph & BM's Assistant - Although Big Mama and Draxum don't work together often, their business does tend to intersect on occasion. Because of this, Raph has had the odd encounter with Big Mama's masked companion. They've never spoken, though (not that BMA would speak even if they had gotten the chance).

Donnie & Raph - They're aware of each other's existence, thanks to their parents' occasional dealings, but haven't actually seen or spoken with each other. Big Mama largely limits Donnie's interaction with anyone outside of herself and hotel staff, and she's especially reluctant to let him meet other mutants (once she learns of their existence) or Draxum. This hasn't stopped him from listening in on some of her business chats via his surveillance tech and finding things out that way, though. Raph only knows Donnie as Big Mama's mechanic and the one responsible for her criminal empire's recent upgrade in technological advancements.

Splinter & Leo - Because of the incident that occurred when they were younger, Splinter has always had a soft spot for Mikey. Leo doesn't exactly resent this fact, but he does often feel like he gets short-changed on all accounts - when Splinter isn't around, Leo is responsible for keeping them both safe and out of trouble. When Splinter IS around, a majority of his limited attention generally gets directed towards Mikey. Thanks to this, Leo is left feeling both a little attention-starved and desperate for some independence. He's too proud to admit to his dad that he feels unseen, though, so he instead opts for causing a little mischief to get the desired attention.

Raph & Mikey - After learning that Raph is not only a mutant, like himself and Leo, but that they were created by the same person - Mikey becomes determined to befriend him and change his mind about humanity. He considers Raph part of the family - even before finding out that Lou Jitsu is their real father, thus making him their real brother. Raph doesn't quite share the sentiment, though - as far as he's concerned, Mikey's the one who's on the wrong side of the fight and no amount of niceness is going to convince him otherwise. (It does, however, make it a lot harder to hate him...)

Donnie & BM's Assistant - These two have a history that goes back several years and has soured with time...on Donnie's end, at least. He used to be close to BMA, considered them a friend for a little while, then something happened to change his opinion of them and caused him to see them as a rival. But what about BMA? What effect, if any, did the loss of Donnie's trust and friendship have on them? As with all things surrounding this character, it's a mystery...

#grown apart au (rottmnt) #rottmnt au #rottmnt #chiscribbs #rottmnt splinter #rottmnt leo #rottmnt mikey #rottmnt donnie #rottmnt raph #baron draxum #rottmnt big mama #rottmnt april #big mama's assistant #huginn and muninn #rottmnt huginn #rottmnt muninn #fanart #relationship chart

[sshadowritestoriess]

Hi! Assuming you're not like, dead since you've been inactive for 5 months, would you do headconnons on what Ramattra, Zenyatta, and Genji would do for Reader's birthday? I ask because mine is getting close.

Crawls out of my grave… it’s definitely been a rough few months, hello ^^ I’ll do my best.

Ramattra on Your Birthday

Ramattra is the type of omnic that wouldn’t say a word of your birthday as the date fast approaches. You might think he’s forgotten, if the clever ravager was capable of such a thing. But he’s had the date saved ever since you had mentioned it in a long-forgotten conversation

He’s the materialistic sort. Numbers and data mean everything to him - yours in particular, as one of his closest (and last) companions. Ramattra knows exactly the things you like, crave, and want. Some things he’s exceptionally, and unfortunately, quite good at poking fun about; be it because it’s a unique interest or not very well known

But he knows you enjoy that sort of thing, so he’d find a way to acquire it in some fashion : clothing, cosmetics, merchandise, a book or pad, a signed t-shirt, food, tools, tickets… or maybe just a well thought-out playlist he put together just for you. Whatever kind of item he could possibly find that hits as close as possible to that thing that means quite a lot to you, he will have it ready for your birthday

It might just be one thing, possibly two if he couldn’t decide between which you might like the most. He’d have this gift ready just a couple months in advance, just in case you lose interest.

What he does not do is wrap it. Maybe a gift bag if you’d expressed disappointment in that sort of thing - but there’s never a tag or card or anything that would let you know who it’s from. It might just appear at your doorstep like a regular package, or he’d have another bot deliver it straight to you.

Ramattra does not wish anyone a “happy birthday”, unless appropriately prompted to. He might not even have a clear enough schedule to see you that day if you had any plans - a human custom he doesn’t have much interest in partaking in (perhaps because all omnics have the same “birth” day, all thanks to Aurora), but the gift-giving is a meaningful enough aspect he would take advantage of.

He expects no thanks, nor to be treated the same. But if you came to him happy about your gift, that would be entirely enough.

Zenyatta on Your Birthday

This monk is most definitely more of the ‘experience’ type. When it comes to any celebrations or occasions, he tends to lean toward going out to be part of the world.

He’s absolutely asked you just shy of a dozen times what you might like for your birthday, if you’d like to celebrate it early or on the weekend, if you’re hosting a party or just having a day to yourself. All the important things so he won’t accidentally intrude on your special day

Zenyatta likely provides much smaller gifts as compared to his brother - things that might compliment your appearance or home, or represents something about you that he really likes. You’re more likely to learn something about yourself with the kinds of gifts he has to offer

If permitted, he would be joyous to treat you to lunch or dinner. Something made by him, anything you have to request? Or he’d be elated to surprise you with a meal you haven’t tried before, but goes along with the things you normally like. He’s normally spot on, and you just might discover a new comfort food

But if you especially had nothing planned, or just wanted to spend the day with your dear Zenyatta, he would absolutely have something in mind that he would have reserved or set up for weeks in advance. A night at a gala? A local street festival with games and music? A convention full of things you might enjoy - or a wonderful hike through nature. Maybe just a day with a couple of activities he knows you really like; skating, an arcade, shopping, movies, racing - just enough that isn’t too overwhelming, but lets you know he pays well attention to the things that bring you joy.

Whatever the plan is, Zenyatta would have it and be there for it, and be happy just to spend the day with you. His patience is unfathomed - he would make sure that everything you partake in is an experience he knows you wouldn’t turn down. Your smile at the end of the day is all that matters to him.

Genji on Your Birthday

This man is pretty big on surprises. With Genji, you get to start off your morning with a rose and a note on your bedside table.

Perhaps the sneaky cyborg had a treasure hunt set up for you throughout your home, the Overwatch base, or wherever you reside. Or maybe the note tells you where to meet him when you wake? Certainly one of the two, and he’d have quite the elaborate map set up for you

He’d have an array of gifts hidden in places, some that don’t make sense and some that you definitely favor more than the others (a cheap electric kettle versus a brand new hoodie in your favorite color? What was his thought process on these?) but regardless of their individual quality, it’s obvious he’s been very excited to get these to you. And somehow, his best gifts were probably bought just yesterday.

And it doesn’t stop there. Next thing you know, he’s got a blindfold in hand and he’s cautiously leading you to where there is, no doubt, a surprise party he’d set up with friends. (Apologies to those who aren’t big on celebrations with multiple people - Genji would be sure to grovel for your forgiveness later)

If you’re particularly introverted and have greatly expressed a dislike for those kinds of occasions before, then similarly to Zenyatta, Genji might have a few quieter activities reserved just for the two of you. It could even be as simple as a day in playing video games - if you don’t mind getting your ass kicked in the more competitive franchises.

The birthday dessert was definitely something he had made himself, and you could tell. The way it was poorly plated, decorated, and just a tad malformed; inexperienced hands that lack a creative means of decoration certainly took liberties on even writing your name only half in cursive. He would present this as his final gift with a false sense of pride - easy to see in his eyes the shame he felt for being ambitious with frosting.

Genji aims to hear you laugh, and if he could manage being the source of that at any point in your day - then your birthday was a success in his eyes.

#overwatch #overwatch2 #headcanons #ramattra #genji #zenyatta #reader #reader insert #y/n #x reader #fluff #platonic #romantic

[winterrrnight]

Arabella — one

PAIRING: soft!rafe cameron x fem!oc

WARNINGS: wounds, blood, abuse

EDITH SPEAKS: I haven't written full fics in SO LONG, because I always end up disbanding them sooner or later 🥲 I really hope this doesn't happen with this fic because I really like it's idea :(

anyways, I hope you all like this! This may not be the most interesting chapter but is essential to kick start the story! Likes and reblogs are highly appreciated, and I would love any sorts of feedback you may have! 🌟

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I run, run as if my life depends on it.

My light duffle bag bounces on my shoulders and my dress flails along with me as I run. I feel the pain in my head throbbing with each passing second, but I ignore it.

My breathing is heavy, I start to feel light headed, and my throat starts to close up from the dehydration.

Just there, only a few more minutes.

My knees start to ache and the pain spreads all the way down to my calves, but I know if I stop now, I will never have the energy to keep on going.

Once I spot the familiar lights of the train station, I'm filled with a ray of hope. I pick up speed despite the pain spreading throughout my legs and finally reach at one of the ticket counters. With the money I snagged from my mom without her knowing, I get myself a ticket; my way of getting out of this hellhole.

Dear mom, you'll never seen me again.

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The sunlight is almost blinding as I step outside of the train station. The salt air hits me like a bullet in the face, and I already find myself feeling hot. I remove the shirt I was wearing over my dress and tie it around my waist.

I remember the way to my dad's house like the back of my hand. The train station is right next to the seaside, so to get on the other side of the island I need to get on a boat. Taking the next ferry, I'm on my way to my dad's place.

He lives on the rich side of the island, which is Figure 8. When my mom and dad separated, I wanted to go with him. He's always taken such good care for me, always been there for me whenever I wanted to talk to someone. But my mom won my custody, so things were going totally opposite to what I wanted.

I only get to visit my dad once a year, and it's at Christmas. Each time I always wish to stay here forever and leave my mom. I absolutely love Kildare Island. I love it's beaches and it's oceans, but mostly, I love my dad.

This time, my mom overstepped her boundaries. I knew I couldn't stay there. So I ran away without thinking twice about it.

The ferry starts to come to it's stop and I look to see we are nearing the dock. As I get off the ferry, the people around stare at me, and for a second I'm confused, but then I remember the wound on my head. I reach my fingers up to the side of my head to feel the dried up blood. It will be taken care of at my dad's place now. 

I have to walk the last leg of my journey to my dad's place. His place is barely five minutes away from the dock, so it's a quick walk. I find myself in streets which I recognise very well, having played and ran on them as a child throughout my life.

Each time I came here for Christmas, I was always determined to have fun in a way I never have. And my dad was my best companion. He would take me wherever I wanted to go, always holding my hand by my side. My favourite time was always when we went to the beach. He would let me swim in the water for as long as I wanted, and he would be ready with all sorts of snacks before I came out of the water.

I catch myself smiling at his memories, totally zoned out while I'm walking. When I snap back from my haze, I see I have reached my dad's place.

It suddenly hits me, I have come here without any notice. What if he's busy? What if he's not here? What if. . . he doesn't want me here? I take in a deep breathe and remind myself that all is fine, before walking up to the door and ringing the bell.

I can almost hear my heartbeat thumping as I anxiously wait for my dad to open the door. The door suddenly swings opens and there is my dad standing, a look of shock on his face.

"Arabella?" He asks, his eyes wide.

"Hey dad," I mumble, starting to feel tears form in my eyes upon seeing him. Without any doubt, I rush to him and wrap my arms around him, my head resting on his chest as tears freely fall down my face. He hugs me back and rubs my back with his hand soothingly, my sobs starting to get violent.

"Sunshine, what happened?" He whispers. Sunshine. That's what he's always called me. When he was forced to leave us, I missed being called sunshine the most.

When I only give my tears as my reply, he hushes me, and closes the door behind me. With his one arm wrapped around my shoulders, he leads me to the kitchen.

But when I look around, I notice there are two people sitting in the living room. I suddenly stop crying, as I realise I'm probably embarassing my dad by suddenly appearing at his door and crying in his arms.

"I didn't know you had company, I'm sorry," I say, my voice slightly croaky.

"It's okay baby, you're more important than them," he says, whispering the last part. I softly giggle at that, and hug him again. "Please tell me what happened, and why were you bleeding?"

"We had an argument," I mumble. His eyes reflect understanding as he figures out who I'm talking about. "It got bad. She uh... she crashed one of her alcohol bottles on my head, and it cut me." I barely croak the last part out, and he brings his hand to his mouth.

"She did what?" He says, completely shocked. Me and my mom argue all the time, but it never got this far as it did yesterday.

"Yeah," i whisper, nodding my head as I feel my eyes getting teary again.

"Kai? Is everything okay?" Me and dad look at our side to see his guests in the kitchen looking at us. I notice it's an older man, around my dad's age, and a younger boy with him, who looks around my age. I make a brief eye contact with him, and his eyes trail to my wound. I drop my gaze to the floor.

"Uh... yes Ward," dad smiles. "This is my daughter, Arabella," he says, motioning to me.

"Nice to meet you Arabella," the older man - Ward, says. I nod with a little smile. "Are you okay? Do you need any help with that? Rafe here is pretty good at mending little wounds like that, his little sister Wheezie is very clumsy and falls down a lot," Ward chuckles at the end.

"Are you okay with him helping you? Or should I do it?" My dad asks me. Suddenly his phone starts to ring. He pulls it out of his pocket and sees who's calling him, but doesn't pick it up. He turns to look at me expectantly, waiting for an answer.

"You attend the call, I'm okay with him helping me," I give him a soft smile. He kisses my forehead, carefully avoiding my wound, and leaves the kitchen with Ward by his side to attend his phone call.

"The first aid kit is in his bathroom," I tell Rafe. He nods at me and we both make our way upstairs to dad's bedroom. Upon entering his bathroom, I seat myself on top of the sink, and Rafe gets the first aid kit from one of the cabinets.

So far I haven't heard him say anything. And it seems to continue this way as he silently starts to treat my wound, very carefully applying the antiseptic so that it doesn't hurt a lot, and layering the bandaid on it gently.

I notice his blue eyes slightly widened as he focuses to treat my wound. His eyes remind me of the deep, deep ocean, and the mysteries that float in it.

"Is it done?" I ask, when he moves back from me and looks at my head, as if he's inspecting his work. He nods as a reply and starts to keep everything back in the first aid box.

"Thank you," I say, as I get off the counter.

"Where did you get it from?" He suddenly says. His voice is deep, and almost melodious. I don't think I've ever heard a voice as pretty as his.

"It's uh, it's nothing," I say quietly. I wonder if he's going to put the same question again, urging me to give him an answer. But he doesn't say anything, and continues to keep everything back in first aid box. I take the box from him and keep it in its allotted place.

No other words are exchanged between the two of us as we make our way back to the living room, seeing our dads sitting next to each other on the couch and discussing something. Upon hearing our footsteps, they both look up at us and get up from the couch.

"Thank you for such a wonderful lunch Kai," Ward says, shaking Dad's hand. "Me and Rafe had a great time."

Dad smiles at his words and tells them they are welcome at our house anytime they want to. Now Ward looks at me, his gaze on my now bandaged wound.

"I hope we'll see you around Arabella," He says to me, with a smile. I smile back, but don't say anything, mostly because I'm not very sure on what to reply with. Rafe silently follows Ward and dad outside the house.

As dad bids them goodbye, he comes back inside and takes my hand in his. His other hand makes its way to my wound, and he gently touches it. "Did he bandage it okay?" He asks.

"Yes," I tell him.

"Come on, you must be pretty tired and hungry. I'll make you something to eat."

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TAGLIST: @runningfrom2am @ragingsammie @maybankslover @totalswag @madelynie @chenslucy @ietss @elle-mp3 @viawritesstuff @wallsdreams @tahliac11 @sadfury

#rafe cameron #rafe cameron x female oc #rafe cameron series #soft!rafe #soft!rafe x oc #soft!rafe cameron #rafe cameron oneshot #rafe cameron fanfic #rafe cameron fanfiction #rafe cameron fic #rafe cameron fluff #rafe cameron imagine #soft rafe cameron #rafe obx #rafe outer banks #outerbanks rafe #arabella #arabella by arctic monkeys #written by edith! 🪄

[iamprchung]

'Grateful'

Fluff Alert.

Scully, with a mischievous pregnancy craving, calls a grumpy-but-secretly-soft Skinner in the middle of the night. Tacos and lottery tickets later, their late-night ritual unfolds, filled with playful jabs and unspoken worry. As Scully gets closer to her due date, the question of where she'll stay hangs heavy in the air. Will their late-night talks and midnight deliveries lead them to a solution that keeps everyone safe and happy?

"Grateful"

by PR Chung

It was... what time?

The phone was... ringing.

Who's calling? Skinner thought, groggily reaching out from his sleep for the

receiver.

"Yes?" His voice was rough with sleep. "Is everything okay" he asked after a

moment, and sat up in the darkness of his bedroom.

He listened for another moment, rubbing his face. "All right," he answered and turned on the light. "Sure. No, it's all right. I'll... be there in a while," he promised slowly as he looked at the time; 12:34. "I'll see you in a whi-- And a what?” He listened, and repeated, “A Power Ball ticket? Sure. No problem."

He hung the phone up, shook his head to clear the sleep. He sat for a second, an amused grin growing across his expression. “A Power Ball ticket,” he said, and chuckled.

Skinner stood, ready to dress and his cross-town journey.

-----------------------X---------------------

"Who is it?" Scully's voice sound through the door.

"The Taco Man," Skinner called back, dryly.

The apartment door came open and Skinner's eyes immediately went to Scully's round belly-- It was an unavoidable reaction each time he saw her now.

Self-conscious, he lowered his gaze and lifted the bag from Murphy's 24/7 Taco Haven. "As you requested."

"You're a saint," Scully said and grinned, reaching for the bag.

"That's arguable in some circles," he replied, following her inside and shutting the door behind himself.

"Oh, did you--?"

Before she could finish Skinner produced a Power Ball lottery ticket with a magician-like flick of his fingers, holding it up for her to see.

Scully smiled and went back to exploring the bag of food she'd set on the kitchen table. After a moment, she stopped and frowned at the contents. "I didn't need this much food," she said, glancing at Skinner.

"You're assuming an awful lot," he said with a smirk as he came into the kitchen, "some of those tacos are mine."

-----------------------X---------------------

They ate at the kitchen table; Scully wolfing down her special delivery midnight snack, while Skinner ate at more leisurely pace. Once she finished, Scully slowly looked up across the table, a self-conscious spark of realization in her blue eyes.

"Did you taste your food?" Skinner teased.

"As a matter of fact, yes," Scully said, trying to rise as gracefully from her chair as her pregnancy would allow. "And it was delicious."

Skinner finished his food, watching her move around the kitchen with careful slow steps, cleaning, and straightening. Nesting was the word that came to his mind after a moment of watching her. He would have offered to help, if he hadn't before and been shot down by her vehement refusals. She was determined not to grow weak just because she was pregnant, but she was going to have to

relent at some point, and Skinner only hoped it was sooner than later.

At least she'd called on him to make the cravings run instead of going out late on her own; this fact, although a little frustrating at times, made him feel more secure about her and the baby's safety.

Scully went to the living room and settled into a corner of the sofa and turned on the television. Skinner followed, settling next to her to watch whatever she decided on, in companionable silence. This had become a sort of ritual with them in the last few weeks; the late-night food deliveries and then television for a while before one of them fell asleep. Scully needed the company, and so did Skinner, plus being with her helped ease his mounting concerns about her being alone as she neared her due date.

Skinner glanced at her, and her tummy; very round and cast in the soft blue glow of the television. It wouldn't be much longer, he thought.

Scully flipped channels, settling on the weather channel until the area forecast was over then moved onto Headlines news. Skinner waited until after the sports segment before he moved or spoke. Bringing his arm up to rest on the sofa behind Scully, letting her nuzzle into his side.

"When will you come stay with me?" he asked her, making no effort to mask his displeasure or concern.

"This is my home," she answered.

"I'm not asking you to abandon it."

"I know," Scully said glumly, and sighed.

"I could come here," he suggested, rubbing her arm softly.

"You wouldn't be comfortable here, and it wouldn't be fair to make you stay."

Skinner placed his hand on her hair and began to caress her head. "There's plenty of room at my place."

"I know," her voice grew softer, lower.

"I'd feel better," he matched her tone, nearing a whisper, "I think you would, too."

"I'm fine here," Scully hesitated, looking up at him. "You just don't want to be driving around getting food at all hours."

Skinner chuckled softly. "I'd still be driving around at all hours getting your food no matter where we were. The only difference would be how soon after the trips I'd be able to crawl back in bed."

"My sofa's not as comfortable as you thought it would be, huh?"

"No," he smiled, looking down into her eyes. "You know you're running out of time," he said seriously, "you need to decide what's in both yours and the baby's best interests now."

Scully lowered her gaze slowly and snuggled deeper at his side, saying nothing.

Skinner allowed her the time to mull it over.

"There's a lot of things I need," she said after a moment.

"Excuses."

"Well, what about you? Don't you need things when you're here-- a shaver and your clothes?" Scully lifted her head and looked at him closely. "It was like the end of the world when you woke up late that one morning--"

"I remember, you don't have to remind me again."

Scully put her head back down on his chest. "I won't," she said quietly.

Skinner glanced down after a while, seeing her eyes fluttering shut then forced wide open only to fall shut once again.

"Thank you for getting the food," she said, sounding very drowsy.

"You're welcome," Skinner whispered, resting his mouth against the top of her head.

"You're going to stay again," Scully asked, "aren't you?"

"Of course," he whispered, and placed a kiss into her hair.

Scully was quiet a very long time before Skinner checked to see if she was asleep, but when he moved she lifted her head and looked around the room until her gaze found him. She looked at him a second, as if she wasn't certain who he was, then smiled kindly at him. "Thank you," she said, putting her head to his chest again. "I'm so grateful for you."

Her breath grew deep and slow, and Skinner carefully took the remote from her hand to turn off the TV. The room went dark, and silence dowsed the two of them.

Skinner listened to Scully's steady breath, resting his cheek against her head once more. He exhaled softly, quietly and with so much weighing on his every thought. "Me, too."

------------------------------ xXx -----------------------------------

'Grateful'

A one shot fic.

#xfiles #the xfiles #walter skinner #scully #skinner #pregnant scully #fluff #schmoop #tacos!

[bnbc]

Alrighty. 4,5 and 11 for the RT lore ;)

WOOOOOO thank you so much for the ask LET'S GO

4. How did your RT feel about Theodora? How did they feel when she died?

Oh, boiiiii! Theodora's ghost haunted the von Valancius' flagship for months, and Idira had nothing to do with it.

Isabella didn't have time to develop any feelings for Aunty Theo when she was still alive but after her death? She became sort of obsessed with her predecessor, tried to know as much as possible about her… and used it to look more like her.

No, Iza didn't model herself and her decision after Theodora, but she worked hard on keeping a certain resemblance between the two of them for people to have less doubts that Isabella has rights to her high position.

Even the signature Isabella's feature, her wig collection, is coming from this place: she wanted to resemble Theodora even visually, so ✨ big hair ✨, high boots, dress jackets and some of Aunty's mannerisms were with Isabella for a long time before the 3rd chapter finally happened.

But this all Theodora lore hunting made Isabella deeply respect her predecessor and regret she didn't have more time with the aunty, even tho Iza suspected that Theodora would find her too soft xD

5. What was their relationship with Edelthrad? Would your RT have been happy with an advisory role, or had they always wanted something more?

Look, I replayed the prologue about 10 times recently and Edel was nothing but a piece of shit to my girlie, who did nothing wrong (yet).

In the beginning, she would be drawn to Edel because he, like her, is a psyker, and as close as Isabella's previous crew became to her, there was always one thing standing between them: they were not psykers. They were her people, but they didn't truly understand if you know what I mean.

And she longed so much for the company of other psykers! After all, she grew up surrounded by psykers and AAT people, so she was even excited to finally have one close, again. But Edel was straight-up hostile towards her.

I think she would be deeply unhappy as one of his advisors, and would long for her old crew she could not come back to. Eventually, Edel would try to get rid of her, and rather sooner than later. I'm not sure she would win this stand.

11. Any non-companion NPC's that your RT has an interesting dynamic with?

Let me indulge myself and tell you how much Isabella von Valancius values her High Factotum. I say 'indulge' because question stands for interesting dynamic but these two are just work besties, nothing truly special — BUT THEY ARE SPECIAL TO ME

So, Isabella spent the last decade serving in the supplies division (I still don't know how you name this service correctly), so when she got to her shiny new position she took it with the motto FUCK IT WE TRADE LOGISTIC MATTER.

First, she gave Janris Danrok the hell, personally diving into details of ship logistics and trade contracts, but she found his work more than satisfying and he found his new Lord Captain understanding the trade and supplies. And they just 👀🤝👀

But okay, to add some spice. I believe I mentioned that at some point Isabella sent Jae from her ship to work from some other spot, saying she's got enough of her lies but still wanted to use her connection and talents. The final straw that bought Jae a one-way ticket from vv flagship was an absolutely minor innocent lie, not worth any drama.

The truth is, Isabella got pissed off because of Jae harassing Danrok, calling her High Factotum all sorts of derogatory quartermaster-connected names, and ON THIS SHIP WE DO NOT TOLERATE HARRASING OUR LOGISTIC TEAM OKAY also Jae never became a friend close enough to find out Isabella served in logistics too, otherwise she would watch her words and wouldn't fuck up so much.

Anyway yes Lord Captain was being fucking petty but who could stop her

TYSM FOR ASKING AGAIN

#Rogue Trader #oc: Isabella von Valancius #ask game #tysm for the ask

[nightwingvixen23]

Dick : *at the dinner table listening to the other batkids take turns gushing about their significant others*

Stephanie : --and call me "old fashion" but he's just as much of a gentleman as he is intelligent, which sealed the whole deal for me right away

Damian : hearing that you're really dating a surgeon is still something I never would have anticipated for you, not gonna lie

Stephanie : *scoffs* ok says the one engaged to the local tattoo artist

Damian : just what the hell is that supposed to mean

Tim : probably that settling down with a tattoo artist is the sort of lifestyle we would of expected from Jason before we expected it from you

Damian : dont you dare undermine my fiancés occupation ! I'll have you know, he is far from being some ex convict scribbling meaningless doodles on the backs of shitheaded dumbasses down in some scurvy ridden basement

Jason : excuuuse me, but are you implying that description as being the only type of possible partners within my dating league ???

Damian : I'm not implying, Todd. I'm stating

Jason : just so we're clear, my boyfriend is a graphic novelist

Damian : I rest my case

Jason : they're not even in the same occupational avenue !

Damian : *condescendingly sips on wine*

Jason : and how the hell can you even go dissing the hell out of tattoo artists after deciding to get married to one; make some type'a sense outta that shit for me

Damian : getting married to a modern day Michelangelo happens to be what I'm doing actually

Tim : *pouting* how come no one had anything to comment about MY relationship. . . .

Stephanie : yeah yeah he's a lawyer, has won thousands of cases, the youngest to do so in his league, yadda yadda-*waves a hand dismissively*-we get it Tim we get it

Tim : wow. someone sounds a bit jealous

Stephanie : jealous ?? of what ?? the stick he's probably got permanently shoved up his ego-riding-ass ??

Tim : yeah. an ego created by every accidental death trial he's won against every shit-talking surgen

Stephanie : bitch . . . was that a threat . . . 👀

Tim : shit . . . it might be . . . 👀

Jason : talk about Dinner Theater am I right

Bruce : *intervenes before things turn ugly* just knowing how you're all happy and settled is something I always love hearing. I'm glad you've each found suitable companions for yourselves

Bruce : *glances curiously over at Dick*

Bruce : you haven't said a thing all night long

Dick : *swirling his tequila glass*

Jason : that's cause he's single and failing to mingle

Dick : ACTUALLY. for your information. I'm NOT single

Bruce : is that so ??

Dick : yes it is so. I just haven't ever really mentioned him before because . . . . he's an actor.

Jason : HA !

Damian : I call bullshit

Stephanie : really Dick ?? an " actor " ??

Dick : yes

Jason : stop lyin'

Dick : I'm not lying

Tim : oh yeah ? then tell us something this so called "actor boyfriend" has been in ?

Dick : me

*dinner table silence*

Jason : funny story actually, i lost my tickets to see that one last week in a forest fire. any way you and your "boo-thang" can hook a bro and his man up with a privite front row viewing party ??

Tim : you're a freak in-a-half Jason, istg

#random ass batfam AU #idk what to call this #its a mess #jason todd #dick grayson #damian wayne #bruce wayne #tim drake #stephanie brown #red hood #nightwing #red robin #robin #batman #spoiler

[mishkakagehishka]

sell me on ur time princess game. if you can sell me i will use whatever that code thing is if you give it to me

Alright boss hear me out.

Dress Up Time Princess is a game. But! It's a game with a story with choices, otome elements and, most importantly, the ability to dress your main bitch up in BOMB clothes. Your main girl as you play as is a so-called traveler I honestly forgot the lore because I originally installed this last year, but the short of it is that you have this magic lantern which can transport you into various worlds as some sort of main character, and there you🫵 have to make your choices.

We have a world where you are put in Marie Antoinette's shoes and have to AVOID THE ENTIRE FRENCH REVOLUTION FROM HAPPENING. And you can romance The King Louis XVI, fucking Lafayette or some Swedish c(o)unt tbh I didn't care much for Fersen. He's okay.

What else do we have. I'm still finishing Marie so I can't give in-depth for other stories. We have the Magic Lamp, which is an Aladdin off-shoot. I think. We have Swan Lake where you are the princess being pressured to find a husband, and the Swan Princess is a Prince

I like the villain better tho love and peace.

We have Saga of Viera which slav-baited me bc I thought Viera was a slavic name (as Vjera... ) but it's some sick fantasy look at these fits oml

Madam has a TAIL. Also wait fits for Marie and Swan (2×) and Lamp

Shadows of London!! I know not what it's about but it has Priscilla and a vampire ig idk and the fits are actually v historically accurate?? (Unlike Marie. No panniers on that girl)

She has crinolines and bustles.!!!!! There's Tang Dynasty Hunters which is Chinese fantasy!! There's more than one but I can only show you fits from the stories I own

Look at this. Mwah. Chef's kiss. And I also have House of Horrors which I just bought so idk what it's about, but it has ouji and lolita and some vibey shit

Anyway. Enough of the fashion show. Let me tell you about the GAME.

There are flowcharts here. I actually play with a guide to get the ending i want :3 but you don't have to start over to get all endings at least. I can't even tell you what genres you have bc you have a Lot

There's wild west, wuxia, pirates, victorian, modern, horror, mystery, romance, there's So Much. These tickets are easy to get so you can collect em and shit don't worry. A lotta them have trigger warnings too so you can know what you're getting into!! But basically, you get a story, you get your companions (important side charas, Louis XVI, Lafayette, the Swan Prince and Owl Magician, all that fancy shit. Tang Dynasty has some dude with fish ears btw) (you can have romances with some of them🤙), you make choices through the stories, and multiple endings. I know Swan Lake has a few? With the main endings being the Prince, the Villain and "no husband for me, get fucked, men". You can get beheaded in Marie😃 (off-screen). You need the good clothes to pass stages, though, it's like Love Nikki. Craft and collect, use your drip to its max.

There's also gacha because of COURSE there is, but it's like? Surprisingly nice? You can get tickets easily with logins and events, and you can choose a fave book (even if you don't own it) to only get clothes from it (or you can leave it fave-less to get any clothes). It's neat🤙 there's a lotta shit but that's the main of it.

Anyway. If you do install it.

Use my invitation code (f6aa6vk37) in the royal invite section. Mwah.

#i put the cut after the villain bc i know my crowd amen #time princess #mobile games #<- i still need my invitation code used so mwah mwah #asks

[volkshore]

an exhaustive and gratuitous list of personal grimsley headcanons

- he’s all confidence and bravado but at least 90% of it is fake and will tumble like a house of cards the moment someone calls him on his bullshit, except for when it comes to gambling — he puts all of his acting effort into that, rendering any other venture in self-assurance extremely fragile. the belief he has in himself is an absolute zero in most subjects, hence why he goes so hard for the one thing he knows he’s good at.

- he held high status in unova as an up-and-coming young influential and an amazing battler with charm to boot, but he is literally insufferable to most people he comes across; grimsley is very much an acquired taste. most everyone who faces him wants his head on a stake by the ten minute mark and honestly, he revels in it more often than not. at the beginning of his elite four days, the other three attempted to keep a running tally on how many challengers would make some sort of snide remark about grimsley to one of them and they gave up counting a week in.

- well versed in the art of escape owed entirely to his addiction-spurred shenanigans. “every gambler knows the secret to survival” is right, and grimsley is no fool. he knows he lacks in the physical department and makes up for it with his unbelievable penchant for being able to slip away when he’s ruffled enough feathers.

- much more morally grey than people understand him to be — just because he’s caring towards his select few companions and generally good-natured does not negate his overwhelming apathy. grimsley has a very stringent code when it comes to how he designates his emotions, knowing all too well that people have the capacity to bleed him dry until he has nothing left to feel. dedicating said emotions to matters that don’t involve him has never done anything for him but waste his time and energy, thus he’s developed extremely passive views regarding moral dilemmas.

- upon reaching bankruptcy, he used the last of his coin to purchase his ticket to alola. deportation is increasingly uncommon in alola and it was grimsley’s best bet to evade the repercussions of all his actions. going broke was the final nail in the coffin; he could deal with revenge-seeking creditors and tiptoeing in the shadows to survive, though he was well aware that continuing to do so was no longer an option once he was officially plotted on the government’s radar.

- grimsley enjoys the ‘everybody wants me *is referring to every bank and government official in unova*’ gag way too much. he has this way of remaining terribly self-righteous and egotistical even though all of his misery and rejections should, realistically, nullify that. the amount of times he makes a joke along that line once he moves to alola is obscene and everyone tells him that it’s going to end up getting him in jail but he literally cannot resist making it part of his personality.

- choosing to specialise in dark types was a decision spurred entirely by his obsession with being mysterious and desirable and i genuinely cannot be made to think otherwise. 10-year-old grimsley saw dark types and went absolutely wild. perhaps the root of this also lies in some deep-seated hope that he could finally be loved and valued if he wielded a type that people found fascinating, but you would never hear that from him.

- he’s very familiar with the phrase “do you want to try that again? with the truth, this time?” from the people who know him best. he developed into a pathological liar out of necessity and is extremely good at it, and he has no idea how his circle keeps seeing through his lies. the fact that there are people who know his tells is rather unnerving, but perhaps feeling like that is just old habits.

- when he left unova for alola, he left everything behind. he refused to tell anybody his plans or keep in contact with those dearest to him — grimsley became the charming young elite four who disappeared off the face of the earth. his trust issues span thousands of miles, enough to wrap around the world twice over and still have extra. he couldn’t afford to keep anyone in his life after he moved. it just wasn’t an option to him.

- it’s a rough first few months in alola, splitting his time between casino-hopping and midnight stumbling to get home, and it’s mantine surfing that gets him back on the rails. grimsley’s addictive personality is malleable. he had been interested in the sport from the very beginning but needed a few insistent shoves and a forced sign-up to finally pursue it, and once he starts, it becomes his saving grace. it’s not a perfect solution and he does fall back into old habits time and time again, but at least he’s trying and he’s doing better.

- despite adjusting to his new home and becoming comfortable after some while, grimsley still exclusively keeps burner phones on him. he can never be too safe. the thought of finally being caught up to clings to him like a particularly pesky cologne and no amount of reassurance or safe days can completely convince him that he’s free from his past. the phone thing annoys the living hell out of the people who converse with him frequently, but he shows no signs of changing so they’ve learned to adapt.

#i’ve never played sumo/usum so idk if these have continuity errors with those games lol #grimsley is just very fun to thing about. i would love to write a character study on him one day #lots of introspection and delving into the different chapters of his life. i’d have so much fun with it #elite four grimsley #grimsley pokemon #pokemon headcanons #unova #alola

[stefankarlfanblog]

The two best actors

Review written by Mikael Torfason for Frettatiminn on the 21st of September 2012: https://timarit.is/page/5858249#page/n71/mode/2up

➔ Theatre review Stones in his Pockets

Stefán Karl Stefánsson and Hilmir Snær Guðnason keep the work up with a wonderful performance.

Last weekend the National theater showed Stones in his Pockets again, it was first shown in 2000 and 40 thousand people saw the show. Hilmir Snær Guðnason and Stefán Karl Stefánsson keep the work up with a wonderful performance.

Twelve years ago, the National Theater premiered the play Stones in his Pockets by Marie Jones and it was shown to great popularity - 180 performances and 40 thousand tickets sold. The work is about two supporting actors (Stefán Karl Stefánsson and Hilmir Snær Guðnason) in a Hollywood film that puts everything to one end in a small Irish town. In advance, you would have thought that the topic would be very relevant today when Ben Stiller and Russel Crowe and Emma Watson are so popular now.

Excellent actors

Both the work and the show do not age well, and I say the show because it is not a new update of the work, but a re-show. In the last twelve years, the mission has been lost and it was difficult to connect with anything other than the excellent performance of Stefán Karl Stefánsson and Hilmir Snær Guðnason who gave their all to the show so that it turned out to be a pleasant evening, great fun in parts.

It is simply not within the power of many actors to put on a show like this, but Hilmir Snær and Stefán Karl play a number of characters and do them all artistically well, both men and women, children and old people. Often this is exaggerated and comical, but they never throw up their hands or try to stray away from the work cheaply.

All the timings of those companions are accurate and there is never a dead moment in the play, as their cooperation and communication are exemplary.

Settlement with Hollywood Movies

Of course, it would have been more fun to see these fine actors try something new, but it can honestly be said that they have matured well as actors in twelve years - they were good but are much better today - and although the work is clever and in many ways well up although the story is no longer relevant to us. Stones in his Pockets is a sort of settlement of the Irish with all those Hollywood films that were shot in Ireland in the eighties. There is a certain whiny tone, very Irish, in the work from the aggression of the film people and a sense of inferiority that I think we Icelanders no longer associate with.

At the end of the piece, the extras seek the favor of the director of the Hollywood film and want to sell him the plot of the play that we, the audience at the National Theatre, had been watching. The director says, as we do, that this story won't work.

Conclusion: A pleasant evening and great fun in parts. Hilmir Snær Guðnason and Stefán Karl Stefánsson play both men and women, children and old people, and hardly make a mistake in the show.

Stones in his Pockets Author: Marie Jones. Director: Ian McElhinney. Design and costumes: Elín Edda Árnadóttir. Assistant director: Selma Björnsdóttir. Translation: Guðni Kolbeinsson. Actors: Hilmir Snær Guðnason, Stefán Karl Stefánsson.

#stefan karl #stefán karl #stefan karl stefansson #stefán karl stefánsson #robbie rotten #stones in his pockets #2012

[archaictold]

' zhilaaan, ' break singsongs, after a suspicious amount of time spent in silence, from where he's resting on zhilan's bed. not exactly resting, perhaps. his legs folded in his lap, and every pillow available gathered around him, break's been knitting for a few hours, as zhilan was sitting at his desk, working on ... something. he's not sure. maybe it's boredom that finally leads him to ask the question. or maybe he's just tired of thinking about it. he does somewhat hope zhilan thinks it'll be the former, as he puts his knitting needles aside, tilts forward. ' i have these tickets, ' break starts, trying very hard to sound nonchalant. he's fairly sure he's managing, what with years of practice at faking his mood, ' that i got recently ... they're for one of the theatres. ' ' one of the shitty ones, ' emily sounds from where she's sitting on the mattress. break waves a dismissive hand in her direction. ' one of the ones in archimedes, she means! i'm not sure which, but if you want, you could join. free of charge, of course. ' the last sentence accompanied by a cheeky grin, break's fingers dance a small rhythm across his knee. ' it's on the twelfth. unless have better things to do that day. '

THERE'S rhythm in mundanity. The scratch of Zhilan's pen against parchment lays a beat for the clinking of Break's knitting needles, a thoughtful hum here or a sigh of contemplation there providing pieces of melody to silence. Spending evenings together in passive company has become a ritual for the two of them, where neither does anything of great importance aside from merely enjoying the other's presence without the conventional need to host or entertain. And Zhilan finds that he enjoys these evenings. That he looks forward to Break's inevitable suggestions to raid the pantry to snack under the guise that the scholar has stared at his papers long enough. Break must enjoy them, too, he thinks—did he not, Zhilan doubts he would seek residence in his room quite so often. When his name sounds from behind him in the form of a tune, he assumes the reason is one of those aforementioned snack raids. Thus his pen is set aside, his papers are neatly gathered and stacked, and his shoulders roll out their stiffness before he turns a glance to his companion. But this isn't about the cream-filled cakes in the pantry that Break had insisted he try the moment he arrived. It's about a pair of tickets, and Zhilan can't help the wave of curiosity that rouses at their mention. ❝ Tickets? ❞ He inquires, turning in his seat until his arms drape over the back of his chair, legs on either side. Without ceremony, he drops his chin to his knuckles, eyes of umber briefly flicking Emily's way with a gentle puff of laughter. ❝ Oh, the theatres in Archimedes. I've heard quite a lot about the performances there... The idea of attending has been on my mind, though I haven't found an opportunity for it. ❞ Though from what Break says, it certainly sounds like the chance is being presented to him. Hope has him shifting upright, mirroring the grin his companion wears with one bright and bashful. ❝ You want me to go with you? ❞ The mirth behind the question raises it at the tail, bubbling fond and bright. ❝ On the twelfth...? ❞ Oh... Isn't that—? Contemplatively, he sinks the faintest bit into his seat. ❝ That's my birthday, but... I don't have any plans. ❞ More accurately, he'd forgotten to make any. Zhilan was preoccupied with other matters, like sorting out his application to the museum. Even so... The thought of not spending the day alone, and with Break for that matter, is nice. So nice, in fact, that his cheeks and chest run warm.

❝ But, ❞ a tilt of the head as he smiles, creasing his eyes into joyful, long-lashed arcs. ❝ I'd like it if we made those plans, Xerxes. ❞

#RAAAAAAAAAA #THE WAY I RAN TO ANSWER THIS (AND WENT HAM AT THAT) #oh my god......... a date....... (they'll insist it's not but it IS) #schleckermaul #answer tbt. #⧼ 🌱 ⧽ ┊ ❛ SAVED / reference notes.

[tomorrowusa]

The Tories fear a progressive alliance, and Labour and the Liberal Democrats seem to fear saying openly that they want one.

Neal Lawson at The Guardian.

The inability of pro-democracy, anti-reactionary forces to cooperate with each other has led to disaster in several Western democracies.

In the UK the Conservatives have ranged between 36.1% and 43.6% of the popular vote in national elections for the past 13 years. Despite the low numbers they have led every government since 2010.

First Nick Clegg of the Lib Dems foolishly got duped into forming a coalition with the Conservatives and then got the blame by the voters for David Cameron’s excesses. Then Labour chose a neo-Trotskyite as its leader and lost a winnable election in 2017.

The Lib Dems and Labour need to choose at least somewhat compatible leaders to be able to work together. They needn’t be on the same page but should at least be reading the same book.

But most of the problem of electability comes from simple math. When Labour and the Lib Dems split votes in constituencies where the Conservatives don’t win by large margins then they let those Conservatives slip through. Without some sort of electoral pact, this will continue to happen and Boris Johnson will keep partying at Number 10.

The US has a different system but also has problems with progressive disunity. Several times this century Americans elected Republicans who got fewer popular votes than the Democratic presidential candidate.

In 2000 car safety activist and gadfly Ralph Nader ran on the Green Party ticket for president. While he verbally denied it, his actions were designed to prevent Democrat Al Gore from winning. He went around the country trying to convince new voters that Al Gore and George W. Bush had the same beliefs (really Ralphie?). His followers sometimes used the slogan, “it has to get worse so it can get better!”. That is an allusion to the amoral Leninist tactic of worsening the conditions of people so that they come over to your side in desperation. For the Naderites this meant electing a rightwing Republican.

Even though Nader got just 2.74% of the vote nationally, he made enough of a difference in Florida, the deciding state, to tip the election to Republican George W. Bush. Bush took Florida by just 537 votes. If just 538 of the 97,488 Floridians who wasted their votes on Nader had voted for Gore instead, history would have taken a different course.

In 2016 the Green Party candidate Jill Stein, a failed folk singer and onetime dinner companion of Vladimir Putin, took enough votes in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and Michigan to let Donald Trump carry those states and get elected president.

So thanks to ideological hissy fits and purity tests around presidential elections, the US has had its worst and 5th worst presidents in just the past 22 years.

George W. Bush and Donald Trump appointed a total of 5 of the 9 current members of the US Supreme Court. The composition of the court would have not today be 6–3 Republican if Al Gore had won in 2000 and Hillary Clinton in 2016. So now we’re faced with this new judicial calamity...

Report: A leaked draft opinion suggests the Supreme Court will overturn Roe v. Wade

Any mindset which fails to understand the consequences of an election is a defective one.

EDIT: A big tip of the hat to Canada. A few weeks ago the minority government of Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reached agreement with the left of center New Democratic Party to work together. Minority governments in Canada tend to have a life expectancy of roughly two years. This agreement between the Liberals and NDP means that Canada will have a stable progressive-leaning government well into 2025.

Liberals, NDP leadership reach tentative deal to support Trudeau government to 2025

Also a nod to the three-party coalition in Germany elected last year.

Germany’s election result could soon be inspiring Europe’s centre left

Unity, cooperation, and common sense are the keys to keeping power out of the hands of reactionaries and authoritarians.

#uk #parliament #elections #labour #lib dems #conservatives #progressives #usa #democrats #common ground #unity #cooperation #canada #germany #neal lawson

[flyingfarez]

Can I change flight passenger name on Aer Lingus?

Have you made a booking and realized there's a typo or a need for a legal name change? No worries, you're in the right place. This page is your go-to resource for understanding the process, fees, and deadlines for modifying passenger names on Aer Lingus reservations. Whether it's a simple correction or a more complex adjustment, we at flyingfarez have got you covered with clear, user-friendly information to ensure a smooth experience. Let's dive in and get your travel plans sorted!

Is it possible to change name on Aer Lingus?

Certainly! If you find yourself in need of adjusting the name on your Aer Lingus booking, you're in luck! Aer Lingus allows name changes for a nominal fee, granting you the flexibility to ensure your travel arrangements match your needs. Whether it's a simple correction or a full-fledged alteration, you can make adjustments up to 2 hours before your journey kicks off. This policy applies specifically to flights operated by Aer Lingus and Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Emerald Airlines.

However, if you've booked through a third party, you'll need to reach out to them directly for assistance. Remember, ensuring your name matches your official ID is crucial, though middle name discrepancies won't pose an issue. Should you find yourself in need of a correction or a tweak, don't hesitate to get in touch with Aer Lingus' helpful staff. They'll guide you through the process with ease, ensuring your travel experience is as stress-free as possible.

What is the Aer Lingus name change policy?

Here is a breakdown of Aer Lingus name modification policy:

Your ticket should have your first and last name correctly.

If your middle name is missing or spelled wrong, it's okay.

Changes can include fixing typos or updating due to marriage, divorce, etc.

You'll need to show proof, like a valid ID, for any changes.

Make changes at least 2 hours before your trip, but sooner is better.

If you're fixing your name at the airport, arrive early, at least 2 hours before your flight.

If you booked through a travel agent or third party, they handle the name changes, not Aer Lingus directly.

You can only change names for flights operated by Aer Lingus, Aer Lingus Regional, and CityJet for Aer Lingus.

You can make changes over the phone, at an Aer Lingus office, airport counter, or through the third party, but not online.

These points should help make the name change process with Aer Lingus clearer and easier to understand.

How much does it cost to change name on Aer Lingus?

To update a name on an Aer Lingus booking, there's a fee of USD 157 per passenger, which translates to around GBP 80 or EUR 100. This fee applies whether you're fixing a typo or making a legal name change due to marriage, divorce, or other reasons. It's important to note that this fee is per passenger, so if you're traveling with companions and need to update multiple names, the cost will multiply accordingly.

Additionally, it's crucial to initiate the name change at least 120 minutes before your scheduled departure time. This allows Aer Lingus sufficient time to process the update and ensure everything is in order for your journey. By understanding the fee structure and timeline for name changes, passengers can plan accordingly and ensure their travel documents accurately reflect their identities. Aer Lingus provides a simple process for changing passenger names on flight bookings, ensuring flexibility and convenience for travelers. By adhering to the guidelines outlined in this guide by flyingfarez, passengers can navigate the name change process with ease, whether it's correcting a typo or updating due to a legal name change. Remember to initiate any necessary changes well in advance of your departure time and be prepared to provide supporting documentation when required.

#AerLingus Passenger Name Change #Aer Lingus name change policy #Aer Lingus flight name change #airline name change policy #Aer Lingus name change fee #airline name change fee

[flyopedia]

Your Digital Companion — 10 Free and Cool Travel Apps for India!

In this era of technology, going on a journey is a thrilling adventure. Travel apps can significantly enhance your experience. From exploring busy streets to tasting diverse dishes, these 10 free and cool travel apps are tailored to make your exploration of India seamless and enjoyable. Plus, we have included a platform Flyopedia, specifically for booking your last minute flight tickets to India.

Here are 10 Free and Cool Travel apps for your adventure in Incredible India!

1. Incredible India

Incredible India App is an innovative project of the Ministry of Tourism to assist international and domestic tourists in showcasing India, revolving around major experiences such as spirituality, heritage, adventure, culture, yoga, wellness, and more. The mobile application has been created with the preferences of modern travelers in mind. The app is equipped with features to assist travelers throughout their journey to India, following international standards and technologies.

2. Google Maps

Google Maps is a super handy app in India! It helps you find your way through busy streets, shows live traffic updates, and even works offline in remote areas. It is like having a local guide in your pocket, making it easy to discover places and navigate the hustle and bustle of India.

3. IRCTC

IRCTC Rail Connect is your go-to app for train travel in India. It lets you book train tickets, check your ticket status, and get real-time updates on train information. It is like having a virtual ticket window at your fingertips, making train journeys across India more convenient and hassle-free. As IRCTC for trains, there is also a platform called Flyopedia for frequent flyers, which provides the best deals on direct flights to Bangalore from USA.

4. Ola and Uber

Ola and Uber are fantastic cab apps in India, offering easy and affordable transportation. With just a few taps, you can book a cab, auto-rickshaw, or even a bike, making city travel a breeze. These apps provide upfront pricing, real-time tracking, and cashless payments, ensuring a comfortable and convenient ride experience throughout India.

5. Safetipin

Safetipin is a relatively new app in India. It is worth adding to our list of best travel apps while traveling to India. The app is built on the idea to help users find the safest routes to travel in the country. It is user-generated and verified by the app owners, so other travelers like you have rated and pinned safe and unsafe places in various parts of the country. You can also contribute to the Safetipin app if you have any good or bad experiences with safety in India!

6. RedBus

Imagine RedBus like your virtual bus station window — you can pick your route, choose a comfy seat, and get your tickets sorted in a blink. It is a hassle-free way to plan and book your bus journeys, making travel around India smoother and more convenient.

7. Swiggy

Swiggy is a popular app in India that offers food, grocery, and parcel delivery services. You can find restaurants, bakeries, and grocery stores on the app throughout India. You can also use the app for all other types of deliveries — envelopes, books, clothes, etc. Best part? You can connect your card or pay by cash while using the apps.

8. TripAdvisor

You can find genuine reviews and suggestions for accommodation, restaurants, and destinations using TripAdvisor. This software is a great tool for organizing your schedule and making smart travel choices.

9. Weather & Radar

India’s diverse climate requires you to stay informed about the weather. The Weather & Radar app provides accurate forecasts, helping you pack appropriately and plan outdoor activities accordingly.

10. XE Currency Converter

The first app on the best currency conversion application is Xe currency converter. Over 130 countries’ conversion rates are available in this currency converter app. This is one of the best apps for currency exchange that enables you to send and receive money from abroad quickly and displays the mid-market live rate.

Final Words

As you wrap up your incredible journey from the USA, consider using Flyopedia to book last minute flight tickets to India. These 10 travel apps will prove to be invaluable companions, enhancing your overall travel experience. From navigating unknown cities to discovering hidden gems, these apps are your key to a seamless and memorable adventure. Download them now and get ready to explore the wonders of India with convenience at your fingertips.

If you enjoyed this article, then you may also be interested in reading : Experts Reveal: Best Travel Apps for Your Next Trip

#last minute flight tickets to india - www.tripbeam.com

[sleepymarmot]

Guess why I haven't been posting much for the last few days? I've been spending my free time on ESO again.

So in the middle of the Undaunted event I realized that it pretty much gave double drops from the final boss, and started frantically grinding dungeons. I normally don't do them, because they're either boring or frustrating and take too much time, and you need to spend an enormous amount of time on clearing the inventory before and sorting the loot after. So this was my best chance to gather at least some of the sets I wanted for the foreseeable future. The grind was not something I'd call fun, but it sure had me spending time and energy on the game for the first time in a couple of months. And combined with the excitement of the new update (and the rush to figure out what's going to happen to jewelry prices and to sell off my hoard while it's still worth something), that suddenly gave me the motivation to take care of my huge in-game to-do list.

And one of the most important entries on that to-do list was, uh. To progress in the storyline. Where I've been stuck between Murkmire and Season of the Dragon for years. You see, ZOS really fucked me over when they decided to make group dungeons part of the storyline. I can't stand the thought of begging random strangers to take pity and wait for me to do the quest instead of doing a speedrun like 99.9% of them want, and I wouldn't be able to enjoy the quest with them breathing down my neck anyway. So I'd prefer to do these dungeons for the first time by myself — but I'm also a very casual player, not the kind of person who soloes DLC dungeons. When the companions were released, I hoped they could replace human teammates, but they turned out to be not that strong. When the armory system was released, my stamsorc main could finally become a healer, which solved the problem of long queue times and the shame of low dps — but didn't solve the problem of questing vs speedrunning. When I discovered Oakensoul after barely touching the game for a year, I hoped it would be my ticket — but it didn't turn me into a superhero either. Nevertheless, I dutifully grinded the gear (fuck Wayrest Sewers) and tried to imitate the online builds. Today, right after the end of the event, I still had leftover adrenaline and willingness to go to dungeons left, and that pushed me to tweak my gear again and hit my personal high on a trial dummy (which was still much lower than the Oakensorc parses other people post). So I decided to ride that wave, ran through the Volenfell quest on an alt to remember who Tarayya and Quintus were, and headed to Depths of Malatar (on Normal, obviously).

At first, I was really enjoying the leisurely stroll, taking screenshots of the lovely scenery. The first boss either glitched or hid too well, because I couldn't find him and had to reset the fight, after which it went well. Everything melted so fast I asked myself why I had been even worried — are the DLC not as scary as they seem?

Then I got to the fucking Dark Orb. And died. And died. And died. I spent fifty minutes there. I changed my champion points; changed them again; unlocked some skills because by some stroke of luck I had free skill points and had not purchased the alternate morphs on this profile. Every time the fight was very easy at the beginning, then around the final 5-10% there would be an absolutely overwhelming amount of aurorans spawning faster than I could kill them, and they would stunlock and kill me. Finally, I tried to copy a solo video where the player "cheesed the boss", and miraculously, after two or three attempts it worked. Maybe that didn't give it time to spawn enough aurorans to be deadly? On my last attempt, Bastian died pretty early, and that always meant that I'd follow him soon, so I was surprised to survive.

Even the trash mobs of aurorans after that boss were hard enough to make me drop ultimates on them. By comparison, Narilmor and Symphony of Blades were easy. Or, at least, Symphony was relatively easy after I read what I was supposed to do. During that final fight, I discovered that Bastian had apparently been traumatized by his many deaths, because he refused to fight and only walked around. Luckily, Mirri didn't have that problem when I called on her to replace him. If I remember correctly, the final fight took three attempts. On the first, I didn't know what to do with the wall. On the second, I got to the last phase in the Colored Rooms (spectacular transition btw!) and when the boss was in single digits I walked backwards from one wall and right into another.

As I type this, I'm still coming down from the adrenaline — an hour later. According to the screenshots, this single run of a normal dungeon took me almost exactly two hours. I guess I'll have to find a group for all of the following ones after all... Even this one was completed only by the skin of my teeth, and it would be awful to spend hours in a dungeon and have to give up and start over anyway. I do certainly feel a Sense of Pride and Accomplishment, though! Even one solo DLC has been a big achievement for me. But I'm still mad that ZOS balances things like this for multiple players and refuses to make a solo version. This would have been a fun adventure in a pretty location, available to any solo player without the need for grinding or a specific build. But instead, the difficulty level makes it feel like an arena — a place where you come to test yourself in combat and nothing else.

#eso #blah blah blah #me 15 minutes after posting this (a fool): hm what if i queued for vet on my healer tomorrow... it should be fine with a decent group right #girl the only time you went to vet this event was a base game dungeon and a 18k hp dd threw a hissy fit at a beginner tank and left #i actually literally don't remember if i've ever done vet dlc let alone vet dlc pugs #this is the devil talking

[lindsaystravelblogs3]

Days 19/20 – Tuesday/Wednesday, 13-14 June

Tuesday

After breakfast, we spent all day in our room until about 6pm. We did some washing, some reorganising, sorting and editing photos, and writing for our blogs during the day. We had a light lunch in the room but went out for a walk late in the day, down as close as we could get to the harbour (you really can’t get very close) and sat at a quiet outdoor cafe, nursing a couple of drinks for an hour or so.

We had a very interesting conversation, mainly about our travels - the great experiences we have enjoyed, the exotic places we have explored, what our future commitments, aspirations and expectations were, and a bit of a review of our recent bus trip.

We concluded that neither of us had any wish to join another group tour (although we were still reasonably enthusiastic about the next six trips already organised or planned) – but certainly no more bus trips after the upcoming one.  We simply much prefer the freedom of doing it on our own, with no obligation to fit in with the wishes and schedules of those with whom we have to travel. We probably enjoy some company sometimes, but prefer to choose our own companions, with similar hopes and passions as ours, rather than an unknown cohort with whom we often have very little in common.

We also decided that international travel is quite stressful and entails a lot of hard work. Language is often a challenge, as are currency exchange complications. Local practices and customs (including the iniquitous, almost mandatory, practice of tipping) are often difficult to understand and comply with, and being on the move so frequently and encountering these differences day to day, is pretty confronting. It is so much easier when travelling domestically (or in places like NZ or perhaps even Southeast Asia) - or perhaps surprisingly, in places like the Arctic/Antarctic or South America where foreigners like us are seen as oddly different and to be accommodated, instead of us having to accommodate the disparate plethora of people who demand that we comply with their random and exotic expectations. I know this sounds a bit odd, but Europe seems much more challenging than any of our other meanderings.

I am itching to get away in our caravan, perhaps doing a long, notably slower excursion, with Tassie being one of our preferred places to visit. A campervan in NZ is also high on my hit-list, but fitting this in between our existing commitments is a bit daunting.

After our drinks and travel analysis, we strolled a bit further up the street and settled on one of many al fresco restaurants for dinner. We restrained ourselves in the face of a huge and tempting menu and arrived back at our hotel ready for bed at about 11pm.

Wednesday

We are gradually catching up with our laundry and did a little more before a latish breakfast. We had purchased tickets for the HOHO (hop on hop off) bus last night so set off just a minute too late to catch the 10am bus a couple of blocks away. Our tickets allowed us to hoho the Red-, Green- and Blue-lines for 24 hours so we started with the Red-line. The circuit took about an hour, but rain was threatening so we spent most of the time in the bus, rather in the open upstairs. The windows were pretty dirty and are largely covered with advertising so it is almost impossible to take useful photos when downstairs. I can’t imagine how stupid the designer must have been, plastering advertising on all the windows of a tourist bus with seats positioned higgledy-piggledy, half facing backwards, with only a single seat anywhere having a reasonably clear view.  And then someone has plastered dozens of small stickers on the inside of the windows telling people not to stand up, to keep their seat-belts fastened and other instructions in Italian.

When we arrived back at the starting point, the weather was looking a little more promising, so we boarded the Green-line bus for a shorter circuit into the centre of the city. It was very interesting, so we decided to stay on the bus and complete the Green circuit again. Unfortunately, we didn’t get far. The street we had driven along less than half an hour earlier was now closed with police cars, police people, and what might have been a SWAT team, preventing further progress. We never found out exactly what the problem was, but I gather it was some sort of emergency incident at the bank just in front of us. A bank robbery???

We still wanted to go on the Blue-line, but it wasn’t leaving for a while so we had lunch at a little cafe beside the bus stop - a slice of pizza, very fresh and tasty.

The Blue-line bus driver seemed to find every pothole in Palermo within the first couple of hundred metres and we were rocked and rolled mercilessly, with a bit of rain making matters worse and the limitations of the downstairs section making it pretty pointless so we got off after about five stops and retreated to a restaurant for a drink - and as an excuse to use their toilet. After twenty minutes or so, and after hailing waiters at least half a dozen times, they finally took our order. Half an hour later, we stood up to leave, just as our drinks were finally delivered. They were fairly busy, but we were certainly being ignored because we just wanted drinks rather than an expensive meal. We did not leave a tip!

We walked across the road to take some photos of the impressive Teatro Massimo while waiting for the next bus and became surrounded by a wedding party. It seems that the wedding had just been completed and the couple and all their guests were milling around for photos. We finally escaped when a Red-line bus arrived to take us back to the starting point.

Once there, we still wanted to do the Blue-line, preferably with a better driver, and were ushered on to what we were told was the Blue-line bus. Oh well, I am colour-blind too. It was another Red-line bus, but we enjoyed the ride - on the top deck this time.

At the end of the circuit, there definitely was a Blue-line bus waiting and we decided to chance it again, albeit with the same driver. We completed the circuit this time, but more than half of it was downstairs because the rain was more persistent by now - also, the ride was a little less bruising in the lower section of the bus.

So our HOHO ticket gave us about two-and-a-half Red-line circuits and one-and-a-half circuits on each of the Blue- and Green-lines. We saw a lot of Palermo. Unfortunately, although we saw a lot and there were stories to go with many of the things we saw, none of them were sufficiently engrossing (or memorable) for me to relate here.