#and the introduction of the mirror police in book 1

[yardsards]

unironically want to write some long analysis about how infinity train says acab

#eliot posts #intr #infinity train #mostly book 2 bc cops are the main villains there #and the introduction of the mirror police in book 1 #but also the minor antagonist in book 4 and possibly the idea of punitive vs restorative justice related to that??? #book 3 there's Less there to work with directly #except MAYBE that flashback of grace at the police station as a kid #though there are of course heavy themes of oppression in book 3 that tangentially tie to policing? and some relations to book 4's justice #it goes beyond just making an evil cop is what i'm saying

[rhetoricandlogic]

A Glittering Caper: The Mask of Mirrors by M.A. Carrick

A Glittering Caper: The Mask of Mirrors by M.A. Carrick

Liz Bourke Tue Jan 19, 2021 1:00pm 2 Favorites [+]

M.A. Carrick is an open pseudonym for writing team Marie Brennan and Alyc Helms. Brennan’s track record needs scant introduction, with twelve books to her name—including, mostly recently, the acclaimed Memoirs of Lady Trent series and its spin-off sequel Turning Darkness into Light. Helms is perhaps less well known, though they have previously published two solo novels, 2015’s The Dragons of Heaven and 2016’s The Conclave of Shadows.

The Mask of Mirrors is the first novel to come jointly from their pens, and it reminds me strikingly of the Astreiant novels of Melissa Scott and the late Lisa A. Barnett’s Astreiant novels, albeit more in worldbuilding and tone than in characters and concerns.

Nadežra is a divided city. Once the sacred capital of the Vraszenian people, it’s now ruled by the descendents of Liganti conquerors in the form of the great houses and the delta gentry: a mercantile nobility that operates by contract and charter, and that charges the Vraszenians for access to the site of their sacred mystery. Ethnic and cultural Vraszenians form an underclass in the city, one with very restricted social mobility.

Ren is a con artist. She grew up in Nadežra, a street thief raised by a brutally manipulative con artist, and escaped with her sworn-sister Tess after believing her gang boss had killed their sworn-brother. Calling herself Renata Viraudax, she and Tess have returned to the city after years of absence, because Ren has a scheme to get herself enrolled as Nadežran nobility, with access to all the wealth and safety that class presumably has to offer: pass herself off as the daughter of House Traemontis’s long-lost and deeply unlikeable sister, seeking a reconciliation. Ren is an expert at getting people to like and believe her, and she has details of that long-lost sister at her fingertips, so she believes she has a good shot. Buy it Now

But what Ren doesn’t know is that House Traemontis’s fortunes are on the wane. There are only three members of the family left alive: matriarch Donaia, who’s holding things together by sheer force of will and effort, golden boy Leato, with a good heart and a remarkable friendship with a Vraszenian who’s reached the rank of captain in the Vigil (the city police), and Giuna, Leato’s socially-isolated younger sister. Traemontis has no allies, and powerful enemies, including Mettore Indestor—wealthy, militarily powerful, in charge of the Vigil, and holding one of the seats on the five-person council that governs the city. Ren’s attempts to con her way to safety, with Tess as her loyal maid, catapult her into the middle of intrigue, especially when she comes to feel real affection and sympathy for the Traemontis family.

As Ren is framing herself as another player on the city’s social stage, she finds herself of in the orbits of both wealthy crime-boss-turning-legitimate-businessman Derossi Vargo, who has a hidden agenda of his own—and speaks with a being that might only exist in his head, unless it’s actually a spirit in the form of his pet spider—and of Grey Serrado, the only Vraszenian captain in the Vigil, and a man who’s desperate to discover why children are dying, unable to sleep, in the poorest sections of the city. Intrigue, manoeuvring, lies, drugs, riots, and magical disasters combine in an explosive mix that may change the balance of power in Nadežra for good—and destroy Ren and Tess without a second thought.

The Mask of Mirrors gives us a rich world—a compellingly-drawn city—with a depth of history and layers of competing agendas. It has multiple different kinds of magic, from the more upper-class science of numinat and the more artisanal imbuing, to the influence of astrology and of patterning—card-reading that can reveal a person’s future, or fate. And it gives us layered, compelling characters, who’re sympathetic and understandable, and a plot that mounts with carefully-measured tension and nested capers and revelations to an explosive climax.

Spoilers ahead.

It also has a number of unanswered questions, a handful of unexplained coincidences, and some secrets and mysteries that aren’t resolved—or are not resolved satisfactorily within its pages. What’s Vargo’s real agenda? Why is he talking in his head to an invisible spirit, and how? What’s behind the Rook? Did Mettore Indestor really have a complicated, expensive, magic-based plot to carry out a form of genocide? How is it that Ren’s old gang boss is at the heart of things? How does the curse on House Traemontis also come to involve Ren herself? Though the main plot of The Mask of Mirrors reaches a resolution—this is a self-contained volume, ending with a point of equilibrium and stability, rather than with a cliffhanger—these questions linger. There’s more than enough meat for a sequel in these alone. And I hope to see one.

The Mask of Mirrors is engaging and entertaining. It’s the first novel in what feels like months (and might be mere weeks, or even days: what is time, in this age of our pandemic?) that I’ve read with an increasingly sense of delight and looked forward to being able to talk about. It’s great. I loved it. You should give it a try.

#M.A. Carrick #The Mask of Mirrors #mahreviews #long post

[oliviajames1122]

What is a MOT?

An MOT is an annual inspection mandated by law to make sure your vehicle is secure and complies with the minimum standards for road and environmental safety. MOT stands for Ministry of Transportation because it was this department of government that oversaw the test's introduction in 1960.

What does a MOT include?

The MOT test covers inspections of your vehicle's various systems, including the braking and fuel systems, as well as seat belts, mirrors, wipers, lights, and the exhaust. The engine, clutch, and gearbox conditions are not covered by the MOT. Many vehicles also have their exhaust emissions assessed, as part of their MOT. They won't be given a MOT certificate if it is determined that their emissions are too high. You can always find a MOT history checker online and check MOT history.

Do I need to have a MOT?

Some people believe that they do not need to perform MOT tests on their vehicles on a regular basis, but if you are caught driving a car without a valid MOT, you risk receiving a £1000 fine. If your car is deemed dangerous during a MOT test and you continue to drive the vehicle, you risk receiving a £2500 fine, a driving ban, and three penalty points on your license. Police cars have automatic number plate recognition technology, which flags vehicles without proper MOT certification. Check your MOT history online and signing up for reminders a few weeks before your MOT is due will help you stay clear from such situations.

What signs do you see in an overheating idling or running car when the air conditioner is on?

Similar signs are present when a car overheats without the engine running. The indications of a car overheating when the AC is on, or it is idle include:

1. Temperature gauge 

Every car has a coolant temperature gauge, which should not be set higher than 110 c. In addition, some vehicles come with warning temperature LEDs rather than the conventional gauge. If the temperature of the engine coolant rises abnormally, they are intended to activate and alert you. These gauges only malfunction when there is a coolant leak. This is a sign to look for car repairs near me garages online and book your car in at your earliest convenience. Your vehicle may have overheated, and the gaskets and plastics are beginning to melt if you notice that it is physically hotter than before, and you can smell burned rubber or plastic.

2. Ticking noises emanating from the engine compartment

If engine oil is used for longer than the manufacturer recommends, it loses its viscosity and becomes ineffective. Parts will then start to rub against one another due to this. To avoid a hefty repair fee down the road or a potential engine failure, conduct an online search for car services near me garages and make sure to stick to the recommended service schedules.

#mot history #check mot #check mot history #mot history check #check mot status #mot status #check my mot history #mot history checker #mot testing service

[bookblogbog]

Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre

(Cooper, 2021)

Genre: historical nonfiction

Age Group: 8-14 years old

Summary: The story recounts one of the worst injustices and tragedies in U.S. history. A flourishing Black neighborhood in Oklahoma experiencing rising cultural, social, and financial prosperity is suddenly razed and incinerated by racists mobs in conjunction with the purposeful inaction by city officials and police. Many lives were lost, and so many more were displaced, yet it took so long for it finally to be recognized as what is was: a massacre. Now and in the future, the tragedy and those affected are remembered.

Why I chose this book?

I primarily chose this book because it is a winner of the Coretta Scott King Book Awards. Secondly, while I am not a usual fan of the illustrative style, the piercing gaze of the little boy on the front cover commands the reader's gaze to closer study. He is the only one looking at the reader while the others are experiencing the disaster around them. He breaks the fourth wall to be in the same moment as the reader, creating a connection between them that is unyielding and follows the reader throughout the story. Lastly, I chose this book because it is historical nonfiction, a genre that does not get enough love.

Evaluation:

Aspect #1: Writing Style

The writing does not deal in euphemisms. In this way, it does not condescend the reader. There is no oversimplified definition of or introduction to racism or segregation. The author uses these terms as precise vocabulary that leaves no question to their existence. The truth of the past is on the page, and this includes the successes the community had experienced, and their losses. The author's tone is informational, created by the stream of numerical facts the author presents: "two movie theaters", "six privately owned airplanes", "two Black men and ten white men dead", "three hundred Black people... killed", "Seventy-five years passed".

Aspect #2: Character

One incredibly important thing to note is the lack of a protagonist. The story is not told through the perspective of one central character; the story unfolds through the 3rd person omniscient view. Whereas first person reveals a lot about personal beliefs, intention, philosophies, and can be subjective, the objectivity accomplished in the 3rd person omniscient view gives leverage to the undeniable facts of an event that had so long been shrouded in lies.

Aspect #3: Illustrations

The illustrations mirror the writings factual tones in its realism. The clothing, the buildings, and the expressions on faces are realistic. The illustrator embeds the somber tone of the story in the lighting. The story begins with the sunrise as the light on the page highlights the successes of the community. However, the sun sets as the listing of accomplishments end, and the description of the inflection point is void of light. The next episode happens under the stars at night, but is then interrupted by the horrifically familiar backdrop of reds, oranges, and yellows, marking the moment the fire destroys all the community had gained. However, the last pages are set once again in the light of dawn as the Tulsa community commemorates the event, highlighting the message of hope the monument holds for them.

References:

Cooper, F. (2021). [Cover of Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre]. Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/916VcyRR5eL.jpg

Weatherford, C.B. (2021). Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre (F. Cooper, Illus.). Carolrhoda Books. 

[novelmachine]

Omens

You’ve seen my actual legitimate theory about Finn, now you get my very unhinged totally theoretical theory about how I think Seth is Mothman. Let me explain.

Roger Scarberry and a group of friends were some of the first to witness the cryptid back in the mid-1960s near Point Pleasant, West Virginia. After spotting the creature at a spooky hangout in the woods, the group got into their car and tried to drive away. “He pushed the car up to 100 mph but whatever it was was keeping up with them, just flying. Rodger said that whenever he looked into the rearview mirror, all he could see was a shadow of a thing, and of course the glowing red eyes.” While not a pair of glowing red eyes, it is easy to imagine a lone motorcycle speeding down a desolate highway with a singular headlight and compare it to Mothman in this context. Some of the sightings of Mothman were rationalized by nature specialists as sandhill cranes. One of the most iconic photographs of this cryptid is often debunked as an owl with a snake or fish in its talons. In the same vein, we as the audience have a first impression and, later, a reasonable understanding of Seth. He has two sides to him: the overconfident bad boy archetype and the insecure man still searching for acceptance. This is demonstrated in the first chapter of Bittersweet (see And He Shall Appear and The Long Walk Home pt 2). Seth attempts to intimidate the Listener, but opens up to them and allows them to see his side of the story soon after

Roughly a year after the Scarberry sighting, the Silver Bridge leading from Point Pleasant, West Virginia to Kanauga, Ohio tragically collapsed into the Ohio River. “That very same evening there were numerous phone calls made to the local police saying that there was a large figure with red eyes—with red glowing eyes—that was seen hanging around the bridge.” It was contested that Mothman was responsible for the deadly incident. Others took it as Mothman warning citizens of the disaster to come. From his first introduction in the Bittersweet storyline, Seth was a warning sign. He signaled a trial both the listener and Alphonse would have to face together. In Cleaning Up Our Mess, Alphonse comments “I know how scary it must have been. Someone from my past who I was so close with coming back and potentially threatening us, you and me.” The second time around leads the crew to confront the men’s shady criminal past. Be that as it may, Seth’s appearances in Alphonse and the Listener’s lives have brought a few good moments. Testing their trust in one another made their relationship stronger, and the addition of Seth to their family (as of now) has made things both complicated and comforting.

There are a few other smaller hints. Seth is often focused on the future. "In the 1975 book The Mothman Prophecies, author John Keel claimed that the Point Pleasant residents who witnessed Mothman also experience visions happening. Visions into the future~” The phrase “like a moth to a flame” can be applied to two scenarios when it comes to Seth, the first of which being The Long Walk Home pt 2. Seth, thinking he hears Alphonse, says the phrase pointblank. He’s shocked to realize it’s the Listener who has come to visit him at his campsite instead. The other time is Welcome Home pt 1. The episode opens with Seth being drawn to the warm glow if Alphonse’s apartment. Like a moth to a flame, he emerges from the shadows and into the light. Seth is searching for Mothman. Where is he? How can I love him? This search, if he is indeed the local cryptid, parallels the search for self that is a prominent theme in Seth’s story. He is constantly looking for who he truly is. There is an admiration for the self that has yet to be fully unearthed. 

Sadly, Seth may never achieve his dream of proving Mothman’s existence. He himself is the manifestation of the dark creature; an omen that is neither good nor bad. It was never about finding Mothman, but about the Mothman we made along the way. At first something to be feared, Seth, like his favorite crypitd, has become something to be celebrated and loved by his small community. For better or for worse, you know something is bound to happen when this man comes around.

Character and scripts written by Yuurivoice Artwork created by Jackie Elenore Creature That Terrorized West Virginia

#yuurivoice #yv seth #yv alphonse #seth #alphonse #bittersweet #yv bittersweet #next episode of bittersweet isn't for a while #so here's a very in depth look at my brain #been thinking about this since august and wanted to share #this is my sans is ness moment #please don't take this seriously #correlation does not equal causation #it's just a fun concept #also i like cryptids #yeah #it's my birthday and i'll write unhinged fan theories if i want to #i'm tired goodnight #hannah talks nerdy

[krabstick32]

It’s The Little Things We Remember (collab)

We’ll Do It All Over Again - A Modern/Reincarnation AU with @trueblueoceaneyes​

Welcome to the second part, or the “head” of the We’ll Do It All Over Again (Modern!AU) Collab! This Modern!AU collaboration is divided into two parts, @trueblueoceaneyes​’ “It Took A While, But We’re Home Now” and mine “It’s The Little Things We Remember”. It’s about you and Giyuu meeting in a new life where the Corps and the Demons still exist, armed with the memories and experiences of a past life. Although both of them are set in modern times, and technically within the same timeframe, they are not direct sequels or immediate continuations, so it can be read alone. (Although, we would appreciate it if you read the other’s part UwU)

NAVIGATION:

PART 1: It Took A While, But We’re Home Now by @trueblueoceaneyes​​

Novelist Giyuu Tomioka passes off his past life as a fantasy series but shit goes down when the main heroine of his book shows up in front of him.

PART 2: It’s The Little Things We Remember by @krabstick32 (You are here!)

You’re tasked to go on a mission with the Water Pillar. He was a bit of a jerk, but despite meeting him for the first time, you already knew that - among a couple of other things.

header was made by trueblueoceaneyes and image used was by @/sinba_ on twitter

Pairing: Hashira!Giyuu x Hashira!Reader (mentioned Mitsuri x Obanai)

Synopsis: You’re tasked to go on a mission with the Water Pillar. He was a bit of a jerk, but despite meeting him for the first time, you already knew that - among a couple of other things.

Tags/warnings: There is some light angst, swearing, a semi-graphic depiction of a fight scene, and a bit of blood. If you’re not comfortable with that please do read something else uwu

Word count: 14.1k~

A/N: I honestly can’t believe I was able to work with the one and only @trueblueoceaneyes​. Like literally, all of this was possible by their wonderful and amazing self, and would not exist without them (i still can’t believe how we literally wrote a grand estimate of 23k words) UwU working with her was so fun, and her writing is beautiful and i am willing to sing her praises day and night, so go check them out!! <33 BECAUSE BOTTOMLINE IS: SHE’S GREAT.

To be completely honest, both of us were freaking out with how long this is, and were crying over how we would cut it, until we said fuck it, let it be 14k words long. We thought that theirs was long, but we thought wrong lmao. Anyway, we hope you like our labor of love, and enjoy it as much as we did writing it. Please Enjoy~

NAVIGATION:

PART 1: It Took A While, But We’re Home Now by @trueblueoceaneyes​​

PART 2: It’s The Little Things We Remember by @krabstick32 (You are here!)

Thursday 9:37 PM

From: Headquarters        

            9:37 PM

Head to Ubuyashiki Tower—Oyakata-sama’s office at 10:00 PM. Meeting Assignment.

Taking note of the short message, you shut your phone and tucked it into a shirt pocket before heaving a sigh and standing up from where you were perched at the edge of a building. 

Ensuring that both your Nichirin blade and Nichirin gun was tucked well onto your person, you turned around and leaned your body back, letting yourself fall as you grabbed a stray railing to hoist yourself back up.

Despite the late hour, the city was loud as you jumped from building to building. From the height you were on, it was relatively easy to hear the sound of cars and sirens, and the faint thumping of music from the bars that dotted the streets. You made sure to keep yourself hidden in the shadows and on top of the rooftops to avoid detection as you were rushing to get to the Ubuyashiki Tower in the few minutes you were notified to arrive. Thankfully, the building wasn’t far from your previous assignment, so you were able to arrive in record time, landing at the top with little difficulty as you walked towards the lone structure settled in the middle for those like you, and entered the elevator inside to go down a few floors.

Exiting the metal contraption, you were greeted by a welcoming lobby with an adjacent garden open to the crisp night air, filled with wisterias and designed with a respectably sized koi pond. Nodding to the young girl at the receptionist table, you continued walking to a brightly lit hallway cushioned with lush carpets, and wall-mounted lamps. 

As you walked, you composed yourself for a moment and brushed off your skirt, using your fingers to lightly comb over your wind tousled hair. When you finally reached the large door at the end of the hallway, you took a deep breath before knocking three times and entering.

Upon your entrance, you quickly noted Oyakata-sama sitting on his desk chair and Giyuu Tomioka, a fellow Pillar, standing tall in front of the master. As per protocol and to show respect to the leader of all demon slayers, you quietly bowed and greeted the master as soon as you were in front of his desk.

“Good Evening Oyakata-sama. I apologize for being late, I got caught in a mission.”

“Raise your head.” You obeyed, and saw him smiling calmly at you, easing your nerves. “It’s alright my child, you aren’t late. In fact, you arrived at just the right time. Giyuu himself just got here.” 

“Thank you Oyakata-sama.”

The master gave a small nod and gestured to the chairs the two of you were in front of. “Well, now that (F/N) is here, I have something to discuss with the both of you. Please, take a seat.”

You tossed a quick glance at the man beside you and mirrored his actions as the two of you took a seat. Upon your and his movement, Oyakata-sama clicked a button, and the room instantly dimmed as a projector dropped down behind him.

“As the both of you know, we’ve been getting reports about disappearances focused around Natagumo Prefecture.” The screen showed a sizable map with a specific area highlighted in red. “Specifically the town at the base of the mountain. It seems to be acting as the base of operations of the demon.”

He clicked at a small remote and the screen showed fifteen humans aged around ten to sixteen years old. “It’s been a month and over fifteen missing cases have been reported to the police.” The slide changed and showed seven people wearing demon slayer uniforms. “Seven of our own haven’t returned after that mission.”

Immediately your stomach twisted into painful knots upon hearing the deaths of so many innocent lives - you felt sick unto your very core. No matter how long you’ve been a demon slayer, it never gets any easier hearing a death count.

“Could it be an upper moon?” The Water Pillar asked after a moment of silence.

“I’m afraid it’s possible. I hate sending any of you into the battlefield, but I need the two of you to handle this as quickly as possible, to avoid more lives from being taken.” Oyakata-sama replied somberly. “Take the necessary supplies. You can leave at dawn.”

The two of you stood and bowed in respect to Oyakata-sama.

“We’ll update you on any major news.” Giyuu spoke, and you added “Yes, We’ll take our leave now.”

The two of you left and walked back out into the hallway, and through the reception area. The girl from before was nowhere to be seen, so once the elevator doors opened, the two of you rode in silence down to the swordsmiths' floor. A mission such as this would require the two of you to have your weapons checked and to grab any necessary items.

On the way down, you decided to engage in a conversation with Giyuu. Despite being a Pillar for a few months now, this would be the first time you were paired with the raven-haired man, or spoke to him for that matter. You wanted this mission to go as smoothly as possible. 

Taking a deep breath, you started, “So, Tomioka-san, this would be the first time we're on a mission together, yeah?” You broke the silence and gave him a smile, only for the silence to stretch on uncomfortably after your words left your mouth. Thinking that maybe he didn’t hear you, you were going to repeat it until the doors opened and he spared you a quick glance. 

“Uh, Tomioka-san?”

“Stay focused. This is an important mission.” He spoke, in a strong yet quiet voice, and exited with a brisk pace until he disappeared behind a corner, leaving you standing alone in the elevator to gape at his response.

You were dumbfounded. “He did not just…” you asked yourself, because how rude was it to ignore your coworker and leave them hanging? Those were the first words you spoke to him - apart from the compulsory introduction of you being the new Thunder Pillar - and yet you were promptly snubbed. Even Obanai replied to you when you spoke to him.

In your stunned silence, the doors started to close until you reached out a hand, and exited as well. Briefly, you heard a small shhk that signaled it closing, but didn’t care as you were absorbed in your thoughts, carefully picking apart the situation.

There was nothing wrong with what you said. You were only trying to engage in a conversation - trying to get along for the benefit of your mission, because nothing was worse than a tense atmosphere between a team. But then he goes and slaps your metaphorical face by insinuating that this was all a big game to you, that you’re not taking any of this seriously? You were a Pillar; as if talking to a handsome man would distract you from doing your job and exacting vengeance for those poor souls killed in cold blood.

Letting out a dignified huff, you continued walking, and resisted the urge to stomp your foot down at the Water Pillar’s unfriendliness.

In the back of your mind however, you were barely surprised. He was always like this—always putting up a front in the presence of others, always acting cold as ice, always pretending like he didn’t care even though he did care, he cared so much, all because he felt that he didn’t deserve to be happy after—

“Don’t come closer.”

You were losing breath as you tried to catch up with the raven haired male after a Pillar meeting. How was he even walking so quickly? Not to mention it didn’t look to be as taxing to him as it was for you. He was practically strolling when you were full on sprinting. He was a Pillar, sure, but so were you! 

“Hey! Don’t ignore me,” you gasped as you stumbled over the uneven path, but you quickly regained composure. Giyuu doesn’t even pause for a second. “I just wanted to-”

“No thank you. Please leave me alone,” he gruffly replied. How come he didn’t seem the least bit tired? You heard he trained at a mountain, fine, but how the hell was he this fast in such a thick forest? You still couldn’t go around that quick without tripping over some root or getting hit in the face by a random branch! 

Making up your mind, you go as fast as you can and tackle him. It doesn’t look like he ever expected you to do that, because he loses balance and you both go crashing into the forest floor. 

Whatever you were on top of shifts and you’re forced to move. You groan as you get up, only for the breath to hitch in your throat as you find yourself staring into blue eyes. 

Gods above, he looked absolutely divine. 

“Why?” he grumbled as he softly pushed you off of him and sat up. “What were you trying to accomplish by doing that?”

“It’s not my fault you were walking so quickly! Who does that when you’re talking to someone?” you huffed, your cheeks feeling incredibly warm at how close you both were. He probably caught how you had gawked at him. 

“Fine. What do you want?” he groaned, frowning at you. He doesn’t miss how red your face had gotten and how you couldn’t seem to look him in the eye. “Why do you keep following me?”

“We’re going to be friends.”

“...What…?” Giyuu stares as you smile brightly at him. You were practically sparkling. “You’re joking, right?”

“Of course not, you idiot. Do I look like I’m joking?” you huffed again, before getting up and dusting your kimono and uniform free of dried leaves. “We’re going to be friends even if it’s the last thing I do.”

Giyuu is completely dumbfounded, until you reach down and pull at his hands to get him up on his feet. He takes a mental note of how your hands looked so fragile and soft compared to his own, but you had pulled him to his feet with strength that did not match your smaller body frame. 

“Why… are you doing this?” he whispered. He couldn’t understand. 

“Well, I don’t like seeing people alone. Especially when they don’t look like they want to be,” you grin at him as you both find your way back to the village. Giyuu is quiet, both by your words and because you haven’t let go of his hand. “First off, let’s have lunch! My treat, of course.” 

When you blink, you feel like you just took a sudden breath of air and the room comes back to view. What just happened? What the hell was your subconscious on about? Where did those thoughts even come from?

You barely knew the man. You didn’t know where he came from or what his circumstances were. You tell yourself to get your facts straight and effectively push back whatever that was, only leaving the memory of the conversation you just had - or the lack of a proper one, to be exact.That small thought quickly dampened the fire of your irritation, because admittedly, you believed that first impressions aren't everything - to always take them with a grain of salt. Despite how plain rude he was, you had no right nor the sufficient amount of experiences to be able to understand his character and pass judgement. 

Slowly, you took a deep breath, and exhaled. 

Maybe he just had a rough day, or maybe he was just shy and socially inept, a farfetched and random thought may it be. Perhaps that was just how he really was. Regardless of his personality though, you can’t deny the fact that he must be an exceptional demon slayer to be granted the rank of a Pillar, and because of that, you’d try your best to at least be respectful to him, even if he didn’t return the same courtesy.

Shaking your head, you resumed walking, and turned the same corner he did to reach the weapons room.

You wouldn’t say it out loud, but you were willing to admit to yourself that he was amazing.

The way he moved and handled the sword was absolutely unparalleled, you noted as you watched from the side. His actions were like water - the way he dodged was perfectly calculated, his slashes fluid, and precise. It was like no movement was wasted because everything was precise and deliberate. It almost seemed like he read the battle in the blink of an eye before executing an attack.

You couldn’t help but feel awed as you watched his fight. He truly was something else.

“Hey, am I really that pathetic to you? How annoying are you to turn your back on an opponent to ogle your comrade?”

From your periphery, you felt the air vibrate, and without batting an eye, you unsheathed your blade and cut off the approaching appendage with little effort. “I was enjoying the show y’know. It’s not everyday I get to see him fight,” you sighed as you turned, and slashed at air to get rid of the blood on your sword. “But you’ve ruined my fun. Might as well get this over with. So, what’s your name?”

“Are you stupid? You don’t even know me, the great upper moon six?”

“Frankly, no. Not really.” This wasn’t upper moon 6. It was strong yes, but no matter how many humans a demon ate, this was nowhere near the strength of an upper moon. Although with it’s impressive blood demon art of replicating multiple limbs, you wouldn’t be surprised if it was a lower moon.

It seemed to pause, before screeching out a loud “How annoying!” as a dozen arms lunged for you.

You quickly jumped out of harm’s way and up a decently sized branch. “That’s a pretty cool blood demon art you got there. Imagin—!” You leaped off the tree before a large snap cut you off as the demon broke the branch you were previously on. “Hey! I was talking!”

“Annoying! You’re so annoying! Shut up, shut up, shut up!”

“Ugh, is that all you really have to say?”

Crouching on the branch, you pushed your feet, and catapulted yourself into the sky. You shut out the world as you breathed deeply, focusing and positioning your body into one of your breath forms.

“Thunder breathing, First form: Thunderclap and flash.” And in a flurry of movement, you landed deftly on your feet before hearing a loud thump sound from behind you.

“Well.” Dusting off your skirt, you stood and faced the demon. “That should do it.”

“How annoying!”

Immediately, you turned around and was surprised to find the demon floating 15 feet off the ground.

“Not so pathetic now, am I? A Pillar like you can’t even kill me!” It taunted, before raising his hands and the ground beneath you crumbled.

It all felt so real. You felt the ground shake and how the earth seemed brittle - only instinct made you twist out of the way as the forest floor seemed to cave under you. A tiny mistake on your part caused you to land quarter of a meter short from what was supposed to be the edge, but once you felt a completely intact forest floor, you immediately knew that multiplying elastic body parts was not its Blood Demon Art.

You need to talk to Tomioka. This could get ugly fast without knowing which was real and which was an illusion. Your eyes immediately found him fighting, but widened in horror as you watched the demon he was fighting pushed at his shoulders and slammed his head against the ground. You felt your heart freeze as you screamed his name, not even noticing that you used his first.

“Giyuu!” 

In your haste to reach Tomioka, Giyuu’s vision suddenly slowed as he watched one of the demon’s limb aim for you.

You were distracted from seeing him hit his head, and in a moment of weakness you didn’t notice the demon preparing for the kill.

It was too familiar; it felt like he’s seen this before, like he lived through this. His vision overlapped with a visage, of you wrapped in a painstakingly familiar haori, your skin pale and painted with red, his hands wet and drenched in your blood… 

“Giyuu, stop, please,” you begged, your voice barely above a whisper. It hurt having to be moved around so much. You felt really tired, despite being carried.

Red. Red. So much red.

“No, no. Just shut up, please,” Giyuu could feel his lungs constricting. He was so panicked he had forgotten how to use his breathing technique. He felt like his whole chest was on fire, legs only moving due to adrenaline. “Please. We’re close to Shinobu, just-”

“Giyuu…? You’re still there, right?” your voice was so small, so unlike how he usually heard it laughing or calling for him. “Why…? Can’t I see you…?”

It was like something in him snapped.

No, I'm not letting you die again!

“WATCH OUT!” Giyuu screamed as he moved so fast that only your fellow pillars would be able to see how he grabbed his gun from its holster and aimed at the hand reaching for you. 

Upon hearing his warning, you immediately flipped back, using the forest floor as a springboard to push yourself out of the way. When you landed, a solid arm got a hold of your waist and you felt yourself being pulled to a strong body, as the air brushed past the two of you.

Quickly, he pulled the two of you behind the cover of a massive tree, Giyuu only letting go of you when he took a quick glance at where the demon was cradling its hand and screaming its head off. You were breathing heavily, immediately aware of how close you were to death’s door.

“Are you okay? Did you get hit?” He turned to you as he asked, gently holding your shoulders and inspecting your uniform for any blood. Whatever he saw just now felt so real, he had to check for himself if you were alive.

You shook your head, dazed as you saw the worry cloud his eyes. “No.”

He breathed out a heavy sigh, feeling relief flood into his system before scolding you lightly. “You need to be more careful! You almost got yourself killed!”

“Sorry, sorry. But that’s besides the point. How are we going to kill it? It’s blood demon art shows some pretty damn convincing illusions.”

Tomioka thought for a moment. “We need to distract it, keep one of us at the front while the other takes the kill from the back.”

You nod in affirmation. His idea made sense. “I’ll be the distraction.”

“What? No, i’ll do i—“ Giyuu stopped talking once he noticed the sound of a clashing sword and found that you weren’t there in front of him anymore. “Sure,” he sighed before gripping his sword and jumping on the trees’ branches for cover.

He didn’t notice you fighting earlier, but as he jumped from branch to branch all around the opening, he saw that you were incredibly fast. Even with his enhanced senses, you appeared to be a blur as you weaved in and out of the demon’s clutches, laughing all the while taunting it.

“Ahh, this is fun! You should’ve put on a fight like this with me back then!” Squealing, you darted out a hand and slashed at its neck. Unfortunately for the both of you, the demon was nearly as fast as you were, and you only managed to land a scratch on its skin.

“Annoying! The way you’re jumping around is annoying!”

Giyuu wanted you to stop talking so badly, because you weren’t supposed to rile the demon up like this! Distract it sure, but not bait it to want to kill you more!

“Oh, are you getting mad already? You seem a little red there.”

“ANNOYING! STOP! MOVING!”

“Ah, would you prefer me to stand still? I wouldn’t mind! You should have said so earlier.”

And when Giyuu saw your eyes dart to his for one quick second, he immediately knew what you wanted him to do.

In an instant, he launched himself off the branch he was on as you pulled back your sword and jabbed it at the demon’s forehead.

“Water breathing First Form: Water surface slash!” Quickly, he extended his sword and slashed at its neck before it could move a muscle as he twisted his body to avoid hitting you. The leaves crunched under his shoes as he landed on his feet a couple of feet away.

“Annoying, annoying, annoying! Put me back on my body so I could prove to you that I’m not pathetic!” The demon wailed as it started to disintegrate on your sword. “He would’ve let me move from Lower Moon 1 and let me join the Upper Moons if the two of you didn’t meddle! You two will pay for this!” It threatened, as the last of its body turned into ash, and its clothes fluttered down to the ground.

The clearing was quiet save for the wind whistling past and the tree leaves rustling by.

“That was the real one right?” You whispered, slightly anxious that another one would pop up in the silence.

“It is.”

Heaving a sigh, you looked back at Giyuu and saw him walking towards you.

“Are you okay? You hit your head right?” You asked him, surprise coloring your face when he tore a portion of his suit. “What are you doing?”

Gently, he took your arm and inspected a decently sized laceration settled neatly in between your shoulder and elbow. It was deep, but it was a clean cut and it wasn’t too bad, considering that you’ve had much worse such as broken bones and dislocated joints.

“Worry about yourself first, will you?” He turned your arm carefully, making sure that his actions were slow and steady before wrapping the piece of cloth carefully and with practiced ease.

You frown. “You didn’t answer my question.”

“I feel fine. Now focus on yourself. This is pretty deep. It might need stitches.”

Though it was unlikely, you hoped that it was too dark for him to see your face clearly—it felt too warm for your liking. “I… didn’t notice.”

He tied the bandages off neatly, before answering, “You will soon. The adrenaline will probably wear off in a few minutes.”

“I’m not the best at first aid, but this will do for now. Try not to move so much until we get to Shinobu?”

It felt oddly nostalgic, seeing him worry like this a little, almost like a distant dream or a distant memory. “Thanks.”

Giyuu nodded before pulling out his phone from his coat pocket. “I’ll be updating HQ. Kakushi should arrive in a bit. Do you want to wait for them, or head back?”

You weighed the pros and cons before responding, “I wouldn’t mind waiting for them. The fight was fairly easy, but I feel drained. We could get checked too.”

“That’s a good idea,” he said as he typed another message while you sat down slowly beside a nearby tree trunk. Once he shut his phone, he followed your lead and leaned down on a tree a few feet from yours.

After a few minutes of a slightly tense silence, Tomioka decided to break it, and be the one to start the conversation.

“That… was the first time I saw you fight. You’re pretty fast (L/N)-san. It was amazing.”

“Oh?” You tried to mask the surprise in your voice. Hearing him initiate unnecessary conversation was something you weren’t used to, especially after your first conversation (if it could even be considered one) back at the Ubuyashiki tower. Was he offering an olive branch?

Regardless, you couldn’t deny the warm feeling in your chest as you looked up and automatically smiled up at him. “Well, you were doing really good yourself. I’ve never seen someone move that gracefully in a fight like that.”

At your compliment, he looked down at the ground as he tried to hide his nervous habit of fiddling with the hilt of his sword. “I’m not.”

“Oh don’t be modest now Tomioka-san! You looked amazing!”

“I was complimenting you; don’t turn it around on me.”

Laughing lightly, you let out a breathy “Okay, okay.” After deciding to not push your luck and that you’ve bothered him enough, you raised your hands in defeat before bringing them back down to your lap.

The silence that followed was definitely nicer compared to before, until he broke it again with a near inaudible whisper.

“Giyuu.”

“Hm?”

“Just… Giyuu. Giyuu is fine” he added, rubbing a hand on the nape of his neck.

Smiling widely, you turned to him, “If that’s the case, just (F/N) is fine too, Giyuu.”

“(F/N) it is then.” he spoke, feeling a sense of warm familiarity as he tested the way your name felt on his tongue.

Truthfully, he noticed when you called out his first name even in the heat of battle. It wasn’t much of a big deal back then, because the two of you were focused on staying alive and doing your job, but as he processed the fight in his head, he found that he didn’t mind, and that he actually liked how his name sounded in your voice.

As if on cue, the cracking of dried leaves and branches alerted you and Giyuu, instinct driving the two of you to grab onto the hilt of your nichirin blades. The tight grip on your swords only eased up when the familiar uniform of the kakushi moved into the clearing. There were around ten of them, seven surveying the area and taking down any evidence of the demon’s existence while there were three holding medical kits who walked over to the both of you.

They stopped once they reached a reasonable distance before bowing slightly. “Tomioka-sama, (L/N)-sama, please excuse us. We’ll be checking on your injuries.”

You muttered a grateful thanks as the kakushi attending to you started cleaning the wound Giyuu wrapped earlier. It was wrapped pretty well, so they only applied an ointment before replacing the cloth with gauze. “I apologize (F/N)-sama, I can’t suture your wound here because I’m not trained. We’ll immediately take you in the medical wing of the tower once you and Tomioka-sama head back.”

“Thanks,” you smiled as the kakushi bowed in front of you. “Hey, no need to bow, I really appreciate your help…?”

“...Tanaka Ayaka.”

“Really, thank you so much Tanaka-san.”

“O-Of course (L/N)-sama!” Tanaka said, bowing deeply in gratitude for your kind words.

As you and Tanaka argued on why she should or why shouldn’t bow, Giyuu watched discreetly, feeling the warmth pool in his stomach from the kindness you displayed. He was brought out of his thoughts when he felt the pain on his head multiply as the kakushi tending to him started wrapping gauze on his bleeding wound.

“Please bear with it for a bit longer Tomioka-sama, you have a concussion-”

Immediately, your gaze darted to the side. You weren’t eavesdropping on his conversation - truthfully, you only overheard - but when your eyes landed on a stream of blood coating patch of his hair and a portion of his pale skin you didn’t notice before, you absolutely flipped because how dare he tell you to worry about yourself first, when he was the one with a head injury!

“You idiot! You told me you were fine!”

The kakushi watched on in wide-eyed surprise (and slight fear as well) as the mighty Water Pillar looked everywhere else except at you, the fuming Thunder Pillar, who were scolding him (fairly lightly) for not telling you about his injuries.

Ayaka didn’t even argue with you afterwards.

Arriving at your estate after a mission used to be a nice moment for you, because you could rest and train at the comfort of your own home, but hearing the silent clunk of your keys resonate through the walls… you couldn’t help but feel a little cold and lonely.

It’s been a week since that mission with Giyuu back in Natagumo Mountain happened, and only a couple of hours since you left Ubuyashiki Tower. After your initial report to Oyakata-sama, he suggested that the two of you stay and take a few days off to heal your injuries at the medical floor. The two of you didn’t even resist as you were both led to adjacent rooms, showering immediately before dropping dead at the futon laid in your respective rooms. Now, you were as healthy as you could be, the laceration, bruises and scratches all healed thanks to the week of rest. Before you left, you made sure to inform the master of your recovery and thank Tanaka-san who took care of you and kept you company.

Taking off your blazer and loosening your blouse, you passed by your living room and walked into the kitchen to try and make something to appease the grumbling of your stomach. You did occasionally have your home cleaned on a schedule when you weren’t around, but moments like these were when you were a bit regretful of not hiring any at-home help. 

The fridge was a welcome sight as you grabbed the handle to open the door; the contents however - or the lack thereof - weren’t as appealing because it was empty save for a wrinkled lemon, a few bottles of water, and a quarter-filled jug of milk.

“This is pathetic,” You grumbled as you recalled the moment you ate the last bit of leftovers without restocking your kitchen. Whyy.

“I hate myself,” you moaned to your empty kitchen. 

Deciding to put yourself out of your misery, you walked up to your room to store your weapons and to change into a pair of jeans, and a hoodie. Once you were in something comfier, you grabbed your phone, your keys, your wallet, and a small nichirin dagger - for safety, at the off chance of getting ambushed by a demon or a human - and put on some white sneakers before locking your door and leaving your estate.

Taking a deep breath, you felt the cold night air nip at your lungs and the exposed skin of your face. The difference in temperature shook you a little, as you broke out into a jog. Pulling up your hood, you tug the strings tighter and into a cute little ribbon to prevent it from falling.

The walk to the convenience store would normally take fifteen minutes, but with you jumping on roofs and taking shortcuts you knew by heart, you were there in record time, and feeling hungrier than you did before.

The convenience store was a sight for sore eyes as the familiar ding sounded upon your entrance. Smiling at the clerk, you grabbed the largest basket and moved around the store, grabbing everything that looked appealing and piling them on as best as you can.

Once you were satisfied, you proudly walked back to the cashier and presented your precious loot to the boy in front of the register.

“Stocking up huh?” He smiled as he rang up your items.

“Yup. The lone lemon in my fridge was feeling a little lonely.” You joked as you grabbed your wallet.

The two of you chuckled as he bagged your food, pointing to the little screen of the cash register once it was done. “That would be 6,854 yen.” You gave a light nod and handed him a ten thousand yen bill. “Here, you can keep the change.”

His eyes bugged out of his sockets at the large tip “Yo, thanks, dude!”

Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed familiar black hair, and a quick glance behind you took you by surprise.

“Tomioka-san! Why are you here?” You asked in surprise.

He eyed your overflowing bag and your silly attire. “Same reason why you are.” He answered. At his surprisingly sarcastic response, you quickly pulled back your hoodie, and looked him over to note that he was in a similar attire to you, though he was wearing a sweater and a cap, instead. “Although i’m just getting dinner, not the entire store.”

The remark caused you to flush red in embarrassment. You didn’t want him—or anyone really!!—to see you pig out. “Oh, um. Well, I’m just… restocking.” He seemed skeptical, but there was a ghost of a smile settling on his face.

“Okay,” He said casually as he moved past you further into the store.

Nodding at the cashier and grabbing your bags with both hands, you walked after giyuu, instinct ruling over rational thought.

“Hey,” you called after him. He turned back to look at you, causing you to stutter in your words a little. Why did you call for him? What could you say to make him stay for a little bit without making yourself look like a total fool? “I—… um, i mean, uh would you like to share my loot? I think i just bought most of their stock, and I… still haven’t thanked you for saving my life back at Natagumo.”

He raised a brow at you. “Loot?”

“The food I got,” you mumbled as you dropped your gaze to the ground and felt your face burn at your choice of words, because who in the world calls their groceries ‘loot’, except you? Ah, how embarrassing!

While you were wallowing in your misery, you missed the way Giyuu turned his face away from you and the way his shoulders shook from containing his laughter. You just looked too cute, all flushed and flustered like that, but he did his best to hold it in because he didn’t think you’d appreciate him laughing in your face.

After a moment, he composed himself, and went back to his cool and normal facade before replying a short, “Okay.”

“Great!” You beamed at him, trying to squash the butterflies in your stomach. “Want to head outside for the tables?”

“Sure. Lead the way.”

Unconsciously, you grabbed his hand after moving your other bag. You didn’t notice his face warm at your casual touch, but the cashier did, and he gave a thumbs up to a flustered Giyuu as the two of you passed by.

“Ah shit. I forgot to get drinks!” You exclaimed as you rummaged through your bags.

Giyuu watched you with a small smile. “With the amount of food you bought, I’m surprised you didn’t raid their drinks too.” He was joking, but he really was surprised. It’s like you bought everything in the store - The two of you already ate two bento boxes each, five bread buns each, three rice balls each, and had a cup noodle… each. 

There was even another bag of chips open at the table, and your bags were still full!

“Is that a joke I hear?” You smiled, leaning back in your chair as you popped a chip into your mouth. “Well I didn’t expect to meet you here. I was originally going to eat at home.”

He nodded before standing and stretching a little.“Don’t worry I got it.” 

“Wai-“ you were going to hand him spare change, but he was already at the vending machine two houses down the street. 

You sighed and used your hands to prop your head upright. How unfair.

As he inserted a few bills in the slot, you couldn’t help but admire his profile. You always noticed him back at work. He was extremely professional, nearly passive as he was assigned missions and at the rare times you catch him training at headquarters. But as the two of you were here together in a convenience store, all of it felt so… so normal. In this short moment, you could just pretend that demons weren’t real, that you still had a family waiting for you back home, that you were just a normal twenty-one year old woman hanging out with a friend from work who you wished was a little more than just a friend.

“Cheater.” You pouted as he walked back within hearing range.

He ignored you, passing you a bottle. “Here.”

“Thanks.” You said, taking the bottle and looking at the cover. “Oh! Yuzu Juice! I didn’t know I told you about my obsession with these.” 

“You didn’t.” He answered taking a seat, as you rummaged through your pockets for a bit of change.

“Really? Huh.” You didn’t seem to notice how he scrunched his eyebrows and looked at the drink carefully.

Normally, buying a drink for someone wouldn’t be a big deal, but he didn’t just randomly guess. It was almost second nature for him to pick that drink. He could almost hear a voice in his head that sounded so much like you.

You couldn’t come with Giyuu to Natagumo Mountain because you were hurt pretty badly from the last mission you went to. He had come to visit you at the Butterly Estate.

“Why are you so excited about a fruit?” Giyuu asked incredulously, as your eyes shimmered at the basket of yuzu fruits he brought.  “It’s just a fruit right?”

You gasped as you hugged the basket away from him. You looked so offended that Giyuu was taken aback for a second, halfway considering an apology.

“Just a fruit? JUST a fruit?” you gasped again, more dramatically than the last, but you don’t think Giyuu understands you’re pulling his leg because he looks even more worried. “Am I actually hearing this from my own lover?”

“Why? What’s so great about it?” he asked, but you don’t miss the hidden panic underneath his voice. “Am I missing something?”

“It’s a yuzu fruit, Giyuu,” you lean in and whisper, like the greatest of secrets were being shared between the two of you. “And do you know what that means?”

Giyuu shakes his head slowly, entranced. He leans in as you motion for him to come closer.

“It means,” you whisper, before pecking his cheek and grinning as he blushes. “We can make my favorite drink.”

You laugh as Giyuu groans, burying his face in his hands as he fell for another one of your stupid jokes.

“Don’t forget, Giyuu,” You toss him a yuzu fruit from the basket before leading him to the kitchen of the Butterfly Estate. Hopefully Aoi and the other girls wouldn’t mind if you borrowed it for a bit. “I can never turn down some good yuzu juice.”

Giyuu blinks, and suddenly he can’t remember what he was thinking about just a second before. He felt like he was forgetting something very, very important.

“I… just took a wild guess.” he muttered. There was no use pondering about it now, no matter how hard he tried to grasp at the straws of his memory.

“Well, you made a pretty good guess.” Placing a hand over the cap, you opened the bottle and took a hearty sip “Ah, I love this so much! Here’s my share.” You said, offering a hand with the money.

“Oh please, as if I can’t afford to get you juice. Think of it as thanks for sharing your food with me.”

“Okay then,” because If he wanted to treat you, who were you to argue?

“Meeting adjourned. Stay alert, the issues we’ve talked about will be sent later as a mission to some of you.” The room was once again bathed in light as Oyakata-sama pressed a button which shut down the projector and automatically drew the meeting room curtains back open. You and your fellow pillars stood as Amane-sama grabbed the handles of the master’s wheelchair. “I’ll be seeing all of you at the next meeting. Take care, my children.”

All of you bowed deeply as Amane-sama closed the door shut, before the nine of you stood from the chairs situated around the large table, moving to talk to the others.

“(F/N),” you immediately felt your heartbeat faster. You would’ve kicked yourself for reacting in such a way when he called for you, but damn it if it didn’t make you feel nice.

I think my heart is broken, what the hell.

“Ah, Giyuu, are we still on for training later?” you smiled politely at your co-worker, and Giyuu faltered for a second too fast for you to have noticed before he had already recomposed himself.

“Yes, but don’t expect me to pull my punches just because it’s training,” Giyuu felt the corners of his mouth turn up ever so slightly as he watched your face flush.

“I’ll have you know that I hardly break a sweat from fighting off demons alone, so I should be the one to tell you that,” your cheeks were puffed from indignation. The words pour out of you without thinking and you don’t even realize what you’re saying anymore. “Besides, when have you ever pulled your punches? You said you’d always spar with me using everything you had so I wouldn’t die out in-”

“What…?” Giyuu’s voice knocked you out of your rant. He had a funny look on his face, like you had said something odd. You immediately backtrack to your little spiel in search of something wrong - something embarrassing - you might’ve said. “When did I…?”

When has he ever pulled his punches? I mean, it’s true, I’m sure of that, but…?

You stop. How would you have known that? This was your first training session together. What were you going on about? By the thoughtful yet confused look on Giyuu’s face, you could tell the words had not gone unnoticed.

“N-nevermind that,” you tried to salvage your pride, despite your ever glowing face. “I, uh, I don’t know what I’m saying. Sorry, I just…”

“No, it’s fine,” Giyuu shook his head and waved away your apology. There was a pause before he seemed to make up his mind. “Actually I was—“

“Tomioka-san!” You and Giyuu jump as Shinobu suddenly pops up between the both of you. You’re confused whether to be thankful for her cutting in or not - on one hand, she had saved you from more embarrassment, but on the other, you wanted to know what Giyuu was going to say. “Sorry to cut your conversation short, but we need to borrow (F/N)-chan for a little bit. This won’t take long!”

Without even waiting for Giyuu to respond, Shinobu’s already dragging you away from the black haired male. You turn to look back at him apologetically.

“Sorry, I’ll meet you in the training hall,” you see him wave at you in goodbye before Shinobu makes you turn a corner and you both enter an empty meeting room. Well, it was mostly empty, save for a couple of people.

“So, Shinobu, Mitsuri… Uzui and Kyoujuro? What’s up...?” you ask hesitantly. You don’t like the knowing looks and the mischievous grins they have on their faces.

“You tell us.” You don’t like the glint in Shinobu’s eyes as she stares you down. “I don’t think we’ve ever seen Tomioka initiate a conversation on his own.”

“Or smile for that matter.” Mitsuri added, barely suppressing her grin. Shit, didn’t she live for this kind of thing? You were definitely fucked. You need to get out or you’re dead.

Uzui hummed before getting all up in your face, making you take an involuntary step back, but Kyoujuro blocks you from taking another step. You were surrounded on all sides.  “Yeah, it was weird. Did you do anything flamboyant to him?”

“Excuse me?” Did they think you pulled some sort of magic trick over him? A sort of spell? “I did nothing!”

“Nothing, she said!” Mitsuri squealed, before turning back to you with eyes glittering. “Did you see the way he looked at you? He looked like he was on cloud nine!”

He… he did?

Brushing it off, you wave off their words, because the very thought of him being genuinely happy while talking to you made you ridiculously happy. And you didn’t want these idiots to see it. You were not going to give them the pleasure of seeing you turn into a bumbling, blushing mess.

“Oh, please, if anything It’s m-” You cut yourself off once you realized that finishing that sentence would lead to an entirely different ballpark you were not willing to enter. “You know what? Nevermind. Giyuu’s waiting for me so I have to go.”

“Oh, so it’s ‘Giyuu’ now huh?” You catch their words before you make up your mind to book it. You thought you were free because you only had to take one more step to get out of this cursed room, but a strong, yet slender hand darted out to grab your wrist, effectively preventing you from walking out of this room and out of this conversation.

“Nu-uh, not until you answer us,” Misturi grinned, locking you into a hug to make sure you didn’t try to run away again.

“Guys, I swear, we need to train.” you grumbled, feeling the sweat gathering over your forehead.

Uzui tsk-ed, and placed a hand over your shoulder. Great, just what you needed: another restraint. “Look, we’re just curious. Tomioka’s flamboyant, but he’s a pretty quiet guy so we’re worried for him.”

“Aw... well, tough shit, I’m going now.” You say, finally prying yourself free from Mitsuri’s soft albeit annoyingly strong grip.

“(F/N)-chan, you don’t have to deny it.” Placing a hand over your shoulder, Misuri smiled softly at you, and you didn’t like how you could practically see the hearts flying around her back.

“Deny what?” Maybe, if you acted like you had no idea what they were talking about, they would drop it, and you can leave, and you can train with Giyuu.

But such things in life would never happen, and you were doomed the very moment Shinobu snuck up on your conversation. You didn’t like the thought of him waiting for you while your coworkers hounded you.

The four of you turned when you heard a light sniffle come from Gyomei. “Ah, to be young and in love.”

“Wh-? No, it’s not like that at all!” you tried to defend yourself, but by the look on their faces you knew you were fighting a one-sided war. They were convinced there was something going on. To be honest, the more time you spent stuck in the room with them the more you were slowly coming to terms with your own feelings. And that was not good. “Besides, we only went on one job together, so why-”

“Oh, don’t tell me you’ve never heard of love at first sight~” Mitsuri giggled, and by the look on her face you had a guess she was already planning the wedding.

“Love at first sight, my ass,” you groaned, recalling your first assignment together. “He basically told me to shut up the first time I tried talking to him. What’s supposed to be cute about that?”

“The first time,” Shinobu emphasized, and you buried your face in your hands at her knowing smile. “But from what we just saw, not only did you talk again, but he even initiated the conversation himself.”

“Not to mention you’re going to be training together,” Kyoujuro nodded vehemently. “And as far as I can remember from my time as a Pillar, Tomioka has never trained with anyone because he preferred to train on his own.”

“And I guess now I’m never going to find out what training with him is like because you guys insist on keeping me here,” you were honestly proud of yourself that you haven’t punched someone yet - but you were oh so painfully close. If not one of them, then you might just punch yourself just to escape the shame. This felt oddly claustrophobic and it was making you slowly lose your mind. “Also, when have you guys turned into detectives?”

“(F/N)-san, we would’ve let you go already if you’d just admit what was going on between you and Tomioka,” you stared dumbfounded as they all nodded, waiting patiently for your answer.

If you guys think I’m going to crack first, you’re dead wrong.

“It’s nothing, okay?” you sighed, exhaustion over this whole ordeal finally setting in. Would you even be able to train with Giyuu like this? “He invited me to train with him after I almost messed up during our mission. That’s all there is. You guys have just been looking too much into it.”

The room goes quiet, the other Pillars taking turns to look at one another, unsure of where to go from there. You shake your head as you pass by them and make your exit.

“NO! I refuse to believe that!”

Oh my god, no, please.

You look incredulously at Mitsuri as she blocks the door in front of you. You feel your eyes twitch sporadically, your hand that was already holding on to the doorknob tightening and your knuckles going white.

“Mitsuri, come on,” you groan. You weren’t too keen on saying anything (too) bad at the pink haired girl since she was honestly really nice, just ever so slightly airheaded, and getting into bad terms with her husband Obanai didn’t sound too appealing. “What more do you want from me?”

“How about the flamboyant truth, (F/N)?” your head whipped back at lightning speed at Uzui, who merely laughed at the dead-eyed smile you gave him.

“What ‘truth’? I already told you guys, I-”

“(F/N)-san, one last thing,” your head turns to Kyoujuro, who shares a look with Shinobu. You watch as something passes between them, before the Insect Pillar nods back at him with a sweet smile. Kyoujuro grins as he turns back to you. “Just do this one thing for us and I promise we’ll let you out.”

Shit. I don’t like that.

But you stand your ground. “And that would be…?”

“Can you look into my eyes and tell me that there’s nothing going on between you?” he raised an eyebrow, challenging you with his wide eyes that seemed to stare deep into your soul.

You lower your head, mentally preparing yourself. You pray to whatever higher being that could hear you to give you the strength to get through this unscathed.

Please, for the love of my sanity-

You look back to Kyoujuro, head held high. He holds your stare - his eyes were intimidating as hell -  but to your relief, he backs off first after a good few seconds. He sighs, as does Shinobu.

“Fine, fine. You win, (F/N)-san,” Shinobu grumbles.

“For now,” Uzui throws you a mischievous grin as you pass by. You scowl at him.

“Whaaaaat? We’re letting her go?” Mitsuri wailed as Kyoujuro practically pried her off of the door.

“A deal’s a deal, Mitsuri-san,” Kyoujuro said.

You’ve barely taken a step out the door when a hand is placed over your shoulder. You don’t bother to turn around, scared you really might punch someone this time.

“(F/N), one last thing,” Sighing, you turn back heavily, because it feels like they’ll never let you leave, but when you see Gyomei smiling kindly at you, you can’t help but return it too. “Remember, there is no shame in admitting your feelings. Face them head on and find strength within it. You can only run from your problems for so long until you loop back to where you started, because you can never stop things that were set in stone by fate.”

Despite how drained you were feeling, you manage a genuine smile. “Understood, guys.”

Letting out a sigh, you were finally able to breathe after your nosy coworkers got all up in your business. You were glad that you were alone in the elevator, because at least now you could take a moment to compose yourself and get rid of the blazing blush before you faced Giyuu.

“Can you look into my eyes and tell me that there’s nothing going on between you?”

Kyojuro’s words echo in your head. You were unbelievably lucky for being able to keep your poker face before he cracked, because if that stare-down lasted a second longer, you would’ve burst, and confessed your feelings to them instead of Giyuu.

Snapping out of your thoughts, the doors opened to a bright wide room that smelled of wood and steel. The training hall was one of the many floors in the building and the Corps spared no expense in getting it look as it did with high ceilings, and large areas divided into varying sizes. Some areas were even designed after different types of terrain.

You spot Giyuu with his back to you, warming up in the center on the biggest mat of the entire hall. He was doing practice swings with a wooden sword.

“Hey, sorry I'm late,” You say, causing him to pause mid-swing as he turns to see you grabbing a wooden sword on the far wall and depositing your own blade beside his. He watched, slightly mesmerized as you gathered your hair into a high ponytail on top of your head. “Want to get started?”

He shook off his daze before he raised a brow at you, setting his sword tip down against the ground and leaning a bit of his weight over it. “You’re not going to warm up?”

Smirking, you say “Oh please, this is my warm-up.” You don’t give him a chance to reply as you move straight for him, sword held high.

In one effortless swoop, Giyuu had his sword in front of him blocking your swing with ease. “That’s cheating, in case you weren’t aware.”

“I know.” You smiled, before retracting and swinging again. “But I prefer to call it strategy.”

“Haaaa,” You breathed out before dropping on the floor. “I’m glad we’re on the same team. Fighting you is crazy exhausting.”

Walking towards you, he offered you a water bottle and once you took it, he sat down beside you. He was so close, you could feel the warmth radiate off him. “Likewise. You’re ridiculously fast.”

“And you’re ridiculously strong.” You smiled, taking a sip from the bottle he gave you.

The two of you were quiet, keeping each other company as the other regained their breath. In the silence, you couldn’t help but let your mind wander back to the conversation back in the meeting room.

“I don’t think we’ve ever seen Tomioka initiate a conversation on his own.”

“Did you see the way he looked at you? He looked like he was on cloud nine!”

“Oh, don’t tell me you’ve never heard of love at first sight~”

“But from what we just saw, not only did you talk again, but he even initiated the conversation himself.”

“As far as I can remember from my time as a Pillar, Tomioka has never trained with anyone because he preferred to train on his own.”

“Remember, there is no shame in admitting your feelings. Face them head on and find strength within it. You can only run from your problems for so long until you loop back to where you started, because you can never stop things that were set in stone by fate.”

All of their words passed by your head like a snapshot. It was slightly disorienting hearing the others comment on your relationship with the Water Pillar. You liked him, but you already planted it in your head that you had no chance. Because who were you kidding? One look at him, and you knew that you were out of his league. He was good-looking (though that was more of a bonus than anything), dedicated, strong, and had a dry sense of humor that could rival your own. A guy like that was bound to have someone waiting for him at home. He was too much of a catch for you to believe otherwise.

“(F/N)?”

“Yeah?” you hum distractedly, still completely submerged into your own head.

“Do you-” He started, and abruptly, your bubble of fantasies popped.

He was looking at you weirdly, an expression you’ve never seen him make, and somehow your mind managed to mix that up with him being able to read your thoughts. You just panicked, your mouth spouting off nonsense before you could process anything, trying in vain to protect yourself from rejection. “No! I don’t like you!”

“Oh.” He looked back at his folded hands before adding a short “I’m sorry.”, before you realized what you just said. Regret immediately washed over you. 

“No, I mean, I don’t not like you, I-I’m not making any sense-”

He interrupted you gently before standing up and dusting off his clothes. “No, it’s okay, you don’t have to explain yourself. I understand. Sorry if you felt forced to train with me.”  

Oh my god, you’ve never wanted to slap yourself harder in your life than you did in this moment. 

You fucked up. You fucked up so bad.

You reach for him, trying to explain, “Wait, don’t misunderstand please, I was jus-”

“Really, it’s fine. I know I'm not the easiest person to like. Especially with how I treated you back on our first mission.”

“Giyu-”

“I’ll be leaving now (L/N)-san. I’m sorry again.”

And that was the last straw. Hearing him call out your name in such a cold voice hit you so deeply that you tell the consequences to fuck off as you stand up, and pull him back to you.

“(L/N)-san, I swear, it’s fine-” Neither of you get to hear how he ends his sentence, because you grab his shirt, and pull him closer, until your lips were pressed against his.

You felt your resolve crumble as your lips moved against his own, and as his hands reached over, cradling your face closer to his. It was so soft, so warm, and your heart ached as you felt your eyes start to sting. After a moment, the two of you pull away, bringing your foreheads close, before you spiral into a wild spiel.

“You idiot! If you would just listen!”  You whisper lightly, afraid of what his reaction would be. “I like you. I really, really like you. I didn’t mean what I said. I only said that because you caught me off guard and I didn’t think you’d like me back! I’m scared of being rejected by you because you're smart, you're funny, you're nice… ”

“I didn't want to tell you but I got caught up in my thoughts, and I just… I know what I said, and I’m sorry, I'm really sorry. It might sound like an excuse to you, but you really did catch me off guard. If I could take it back I would.”

“I’m really sorry, Gi...Tomioka-san. I hope you could forgive me.” You say, before you untangle your arms wrapped around his neck, and walk yourself to the elevator, not even waiting for the inevitable rejection you’d get from him.

Pushing the doors open, you didn’t notice how the other pillars - namely Mitsuri, Shinobu, Kyojuro, and Uzui - were still situated around the room, because your only goal now was to get the bag you left earlier, leave straight for your home, and sleep.

When they saw your puffy eyes however, all of them looked amongst each other, before pushing Mitsuri closer towards you.

“(F/N)-chan, are you okay?” At Mitsuri’s soft voice, you jumped out of your skin, cradling your bag to your chest as a shield.

“W… What are you guys still doing here?” You ask, before furiously wiping at your eyes.

“You’re avoiding our question. Why are you crying?” Normally, you would’ve brushed them off, and replied in a snarky comment, but you were tired, and you just wanted your bed.

“I... Tomioka and I got into a little fight, is all.” You replied, not even looking up from fixing up your bag.

Mitsuri immediately looked back at the others upon hearing you say ‘Tomioka’, before rubbing your back consolingly. “Do you want to tell us what happened?”

You sniffed. “No, not really. I’m just tired and I want to go home.”

A quick look passed between Mtsuri and Kyojuro before the Flame Hashira walked over to you.

“And home you shall go! C’mon, (F/N), I’ll drive you back.” Kyojuro said, grabbing a hold of your bag while Misturi took your hand, leading the two of you after Kyojuro. “Yeah! I’ll make you some pancakes, and lots of other food!”

Once the three of you left, Shinobu looked up at Uzui, and nodded.

Shinobu and Uzui found Giyuu splayed back at the center training mat.

For a good second the pair thought that the Water Pillar had fainted, or something of the same degree. But upon getting closer, they noticed him looking up, dazed, with a hand over his lips. Making their way over, they sat at either side of him, waiting for him to acknowledge their presence.

“What are you two even doing here.” Giyuu blinked as he realized he wasn’t alone in the room anymore. They were looking down at him with a mix of surprise and amusement. “Did you just come to stare at me?”

“We should be the one asking you that,” two seconds into talking to Giyuu and he was already testing Shinobu’s patience. “(F/N) went back to the meeting room.”

“Yeah. She was crying flamboyantly, by the way.” Uzui nodded briskly, arms crossed and eyes closed in thought.

Giyuu couldn’t deny how his chest had tightened at the memory of you walking out earlier, “I know.”

When he didn’t speak for another few seconds, clearly having no plans to elaborate until prodded, Shinobu sighed. “Care to tell us what happened?”

Do I have to…? Giyuu scowled softly. But he might as well, since he was lost ever since you left, with no clue what to do next.

“... She told me she didn’t like me, so I apologized and moved to leave,” Giyuu’s voice was no louder than a whisper, as if he was scared someone would overhear. But the other Pillars heard him nonetheless. “But then she kissed me and told me she liked me before leaving me here.”

Shinobu would be lying if she didn’t admit she felt victorious. So you were lying. HA! But that’s a conversation for another time. Right now, you left the other half of the party lying down on the training room floor and it seemed they needed to drag him back to his feet if they wanted a straight answer from you.

“And? How do you feel about that?” Shinobu poked the side of Giyuu’s cheek, but it’s like the male was still lost somewhere they couldn’t reach as he failed to give the slightest reaction besides words.

“Confused.” Giyuu muttered mostly to himself. “Really confused.”

“I feel like there’s a flamboyant ‘But’ in there...?” Uzui honestly felt like he was getting his child to admit what he did wrong - except he had no child, he was talking to the Water Pillar, a grown man who should’ve been easy getting answers from.

Giyuu’s eyes softened at the idea of you, and the kiss from earlier, and the look didn’t exactly escape the surrounding Pillars. “I like her too. A lot.”

Shinobu suddenly stood up, surprising both males. “Well, then, you’ve got your answer. So what are you lying around here for?”

“She left, I doubt she wants to speak with me now,” Giyuu muttered, disheartened - which was the exact opposite of what Shinobu wanted to achieve.

She remembered something odd she noticed when you had left earlier, so she looked around the room and felt like she struck gold.

“Oh, she did leave, it’s definitely too late for that,” Shinobu says, brushing aside Giyuu’s sarcastic “gee, thanks”. “But I have a hunch that she’ll be returning soon.You’ll just have to wait.”

Shinobu pointed to the far end of the training room, forcing Giyuu to muster the energy to sit up to see where she was pointing to. There on the wall was your Nichirin blades among the rack of extra training swords. 

“I can’t believe how stupid I am today.” You grumbled before exiting the elevator.

You were on your way home with Mitsuri and Kyojuro, when you noticed that the sword strapped to your waist wasn’t your nichirin blade, but the wooden one from the training hall. Kyojuro was nice enough to turn the car around back to the building, and pressed the hazard button on the car as he pulled up in front of Ubuyashiki tower.

“Take your time (F/N)-san, Mitsuri-san and I will wait here.” Lightly, you smile at him before grabbing the wooden sword and going into the building.

And this is where you find yourself. You were back in the training hall, warm orange light filtering through the large windows as the sun began to set. You were glad you noticed your missing sword when you did because not being prepared for a mission could cost someone’s life. Running your fingers through the wall, you open the lights and feel a slight disappointment at how empty the hall was of people - or rather one raven-haired male.

You messed up once already, (F/N). Why add to that by wishing he was here?

Letting out a sigh, you move to the wall, to where your sword was supposed to be, and jump out of your skin when you notice the Water Pillar leaning over and facing away from you towards the window.

Of course. Of-fucking-course. Because why not?

Quietly, and in hopes to avoid him seeing you, you creeped carefully along the wall, clutching your nichirin blade to your chest, as you exchanged it with the wooden sword. You turn around, thankful that he didn’t seem to notice your presence before walking to the ele-

“Why did you leave earlier?” He asks, not moving an inch from his position.

Of course he noticed you.

“I didn’t think any of us had anything else to say.” you fiddle with the blade in your hands, refusing to turn and face him. Your hands haven’t shook this much in years, the last time being when you had first fought a demon.

“Well, I had something to say,” You cringe as he turned to you, his face as beautifully stoic as you had always known.

Okay, wow. You knew he had a bit of a mean streak going on, one that died down when it came to talking to you but you didn’t really think he was mean enough to roast you for having a stupid crush. Sure, you did accidentally say you didn’t like him, but that was a lie - obviously, since you kissed him like the suicidal dumbass that you were.

“Well, I’m here now, so we might as well rip the bandaid,” you say that, but as his eyes bore into your own, you realize that you’re not ready for what he has to say and you cut in as he opens his mouth. “Before you say anything though, I just wanted to say that I completely understand if you want to stay away from me and-”

As you rambled on, you didn’t notice him walk closer. Giyuu had a determined look on his face as he grabbed onto your hands that were nervously playing with your sword, and held them in his own, softly running a thumb over your knuckles. You immediately drag your gaze from the floor and into his eyes, seeing warmth and gentleness in his blue irises.

Giyuu’s eyes never leave yours, even as he asks, “I do have something to say… If you would listen?”

You swallowed, your mouth feeling dry, as you give him a slight nod.

He breathes deeply before he speaks. “I’ll admit. I don’t really care what others think of me, as long as I’m doing my job and they’re doing theirs. I’m used to people saying I’m cold, and unlikable, but for the past few weeks, I found your company comforting, and I thought that we’ve been genuinely getting along with each other. So when you said you didn’t like me when I was going to ask if you wanted to have another match, I was really confused and hurt.”

“I’m sorry-” You interrupt, before he shakes his head and asks you to let him finish.

“So, I was really surprised when you pulled me back and kissed me. Then you go off telling me that you like me, not even 5 minutes after you told me you didn’t, and then you leave, not even letting me process anything, or telling you what I had to say.”

Giyuu stops for a moment, opening his eyes and looking deep into yours. He seemed to debate something for a moment before he decided, and took a short breath.

“If you would have waited, I would have told you that I like you too.” Your knees felt absolutely weak as he placed his forehead over yours. You could feel the rough calluses on his hands as he squeezed yours softly.

“You would have?” You ask. He nods. “Do you really?”

Your heart melts when you see his face change into a soft smile, a smile he only put on for you. “I do. I really like you (F/N).”

It felt so surreal hearing him say that he liked you too. You felt like you could fly.

“I like you too.” A small watery laugh bubbles up from your throat, and a warm giddy feeling swirls around your stomach, easily replacing the heavy feeling of regret.

You could feel the tears fall from your eyes and the blood rush to your face. You pull your hands off from his as you use it to cover the raging blush on your cheeks. “Ugh, stop making me cry. This has to be the most I've ever cried in my life.”

“And it’s the most I’ve ever been confused in mine too… but I hope it’s happy tears now?” He takes both of your hands into his left, using his other to wipe at the tears and cradle your face, like you were a priceless jewel.

“Yeah,” You hum, moving closer and letting his left hand release your hands as his arm wraps around your waist. He pulls you closer and you revel in his warmth. “Can you say it again?”

“I like you.” His smile grows fonder as you lean into his touch, and wrap your arms around his shoulders. Giyuu has never felt so content in his life.

“Again?”

“I really, really like you.” He says softly, and your mouth stretches into a smile that mirrors his.

“Prove it?” You ask, faintly hinting at what you wanted him to do as your faces move closer and closer until you were an inch apart and could feel his breath fan over your face.

“Okay,” He whispers, before he finally leaned in and kissed you again.

BONUS:

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” Obanai groaned as he rolled over in the large training room floormat. You might have used wooden sticks, but it still hurt like hell.

“I didn’t know the training room floor was so cozy,” Muichiro mused, staring up at the ceiling as he was splayed on the ground. “I don’t think I’ve ever been knocked down before. (F/N)-san, help me sit up. My spine feels tingly ever since you hit me.”

You laughed sheepishly, crouching beside the Mist Pillar before helping him sit up. Giyuu, on the other hand, was standing over Obanai, looking down at the Serpent Pillar with a bored gaze.

“You told me not to hold back,” Giyuu deadpanned, bi-colored irises glaring at him from below.

Word had travelled fast that you and Giyuu were going out. And of course, since you had always been dragged into the Pillars’ shenanigans, you had decided it was time that Giyuu be a part of the group. So to warm up a bit to the idea of having him around, you had offered the idea to have a training session with everyone, doing pair up battles to save time and promote teamwork. They agreed, since they have never seen Giyuu train with you, much less have trained with him themselves.

But the idea backfired hard.

“Tomioka and (L/N) win,” Gyomei announces, a small smile on his face. He looked amused more than anything. “That’s 3 wins.”

You decided the pairs by letting four people write their names on scraps of paper and letting the other four pick from the pile. Gyomei had decided to sit this one out and be the moderator, so the numbers balanced out. And since Giyuu was the so-called “guest of honor”, the others had allowed him to pick first.

“You guys rigged it. I know you fucking did,” Sanemi grumbled.

Giyuu had miraculously pulled out your name from the pile. Sure, there were only four names, but it was still a one-out-of-four odds.

“You can check if you want, Sanemi,” you sighed in exasperation. “I didn’t do shit to that paper.”

“Bullshit,” he roughly grabs the scrap from Giyuu and inspects it, the other Pillars laughing as he nitpicks your paper.

You stand next to Giyuu, who was leaning on a wall away from the Pillars, and ask in a soft voice so no one else could hear. “Alright. How’d you do it?”

You see him smile for a fraction of a second from the corner of your eye. “You press down on your pen too much when you write, so I just felt around for the paper that had the most indentations.”

“How the fuck…?” Sanemi exclaimed, and you laughed again.

“You’re so amazing!” Mitsuri squealed, bounding up to the training room floor and glomping you. “You guys worked together flawlessly! ”

“That’s putting it too lightly,” Uzui laughed. “They flamboyantly wiped us out.”

“Yes! Truly amazing!” Kyoujuro nodded. “I’m aware of both of your prowess, but this was truly overwhelming.”

“You fuckers cheated!” Sanemi growled, walking over to the training room floor and pointing his wooden sword at the two of you. “How did you-”

“Your attacks are mostly mid level swings, aimed at the stomach,” Giyuu answers passively as he sits down beside you and Muichiro on the floor.

“Wh…?” For the first time, Sanemi is caught off guard, and so are the other Pillars, but you nod at Giyuu’s words. You don’t notice how they stared at the both of you weirdly.

“Yeah, you do,” you laugh softly, before making a slow sweeping motion with your wooden sword, Giyuu parrying it once it’s within his distance. “You swing, and then when your opponent curls up, either from pain or to try and dodge, you go for a thrust.”

When you stop talking, you and Giyuu turn to the other Pillars, who were mostly looking at you with gaped mouths. Shinobu and Kyoujuro had frozen smiles on their faces and Obanai and Sanemi were looking at you like you had force fed them rotten food.

Was it something you said…?

“Hey, (F/N)-chan,” Shinobu suddenly cut in through the silence, smiling as pleasant as ever. “How did you beat me? Tomioka-san uses hard force to deflect but-”

“You usually do thrusts. I guess because of your sword style, right?” you answer, almost impulsively. “It ends up leaving too many openings, especially if someone hits you from the side.”

“You only do slashes when you’re close enough,” Giyuu adds. “But you thrust when you’re too far away because it helps with your speed and momentum.”

You blink again, the room coming into view again, and find the others staring at you, more confused than anything.

“Tomioka-san? (F/N)-chan?” Shinobu asked, the smile gone. Shit, did you say something you shouldn’t have? “What are you talking about…? I only use a revolver because it carries my poisons better. My sword is usually reserved as a last resort, but I haven’t used it in a long time. I was a bit off today since I’m not used to it anymore, but...”

“Not to mention,” Sanemi grumbles to the side, looking at the both of you suspiciously. “I haven’t gone on any fucking mission with you guys. How the hell do you know how I fight? You stalkers, or something?”

You turn to Giyuu, and he turns to you with a confused look that probably mirrored your own. The other Pillars stared, waiting for your answer. But you blanched.

How the fuck do I answer that?

Finally, Giyuu breaks the stare and turns to the other Pillars, “Mission and Training videos.”

You blinked. And so did the others. Every single one of you had the same confused looks on your faces.

Mission and training… videos?

“Don’t tell me you’ve never heard of them?” Giyuu raised an eyebrow at the Pillars, who looked at one another, expecting someone to know. He sighs as he points up at a surveillance camera at the corner of the training room. “They’re a collection of videos in the Corps archives, mostly of the Pillars during joint training sessions or battles with the Twelve Demon Moons. They’re captured using the crow-drones or the cameras scattered inside and around the building. Demon Slayers can ask to view them for educational purposes, like learning a new breathing technique.”

You gape at Giyuu and Pillars in turn, a frown slowly etching over your face. Something told you that wasn’t the whole truth. Maybe the videos were real, but on how you knew about the other’s battle styles, well…

“There’s such a thing…?” Shinobu mutters thoughtfully, looking at you and Giyuu.

Uh-oh, looks like she doesn’t buy it.

“EEK!” Mitsuri suddenly exclaims, and Shinobu and the others jump from the shrill sound. “What if my videos are super embarrassing? I have to check!”

And she’s out the door, followed closely by Obanai who was trying to reassure her that it was okay. You’re rather surprised Obanai got up so quickly when he was just on the floor earlier.

“Shit like that exists? And I’m only finding out about this now?” Sanemi grumbled, his aura carefully getting angrier and angrier. “What if the fucking demons get a hold of those videos?”

Sanemi was out the door in the next second, yelling about giving away the corps’ battle strategies. Kyoujuro and Uzui followed, interested about seeing the videos. Gyomei took Muichiro to the clinic with Shinobu. The Insect Pillar cast you a questioning look before trailing behind the Stone and Mist Pillars.

And then it was just you and Giyuu again.

“Giyuu?” you called out softly in the silence. When you hear him hum, signalling that he was listening, you push on. “I’ve never seen those videos before. I didn’t even know they existed.”

You turn to him when he lets out a soft laugh, “I haven’t either. I read about them in a report a long time ago, but I never felt the need to see them.”

Wordlessly, Giyuu lies back down on the training mat, arms crossed behind his head. He stares up at the ceiling, looking deep in thought. There’s a question at the tip of your tongue, something you’ve always wanted to ask, but could never muster the strength to actually say outloud.

“It’s odd. Shinazugawa was right. I’ve never been assigned to go on a mission with him,” Giyuu started, still staring up at the ceiling, seemingly muttering to himself. “But I knew how he was going to move. It was almost like-”

“Like you’ve fought with him before?” you finished, and you turned to Giyuu to find his eyes already staring deep into your’s.

“That’s the thing, though,” Giyuu scowled, your image blurring at the edges. Was that a kimono you were wearing? “I’ve never trained with any of them before today. But it felt like I knew what to do. Like I’ve seen it before. Not in a video, though.”

“More like muscle memory,” you mumble, lost in Giyuu’s eyes. Has his hair always been that long? “Like my body already knew how to move on its own.”

The silence stretched on, but it was almost like time had stopped for the both of you.

“I’m not ready,” you sighed shakily, your hands wringing around as you paced in the room before the Ubayishiki garden. You could hear the yells and grunts of your fellow Pillars, mixed in with the clash of swords. “Sanemi always looks at me like I’m a demon and I think this is his chance of actually cutting my head off.”

“Relax, (F/N),” Giyuu sighed, taking your hands into his and rubbing them, trying to get the blood circulating again. “On the bright side, at the very least, he still sees you. I think he sees me as an annoying fly.”

You manage a shaky laugh, and Giyuu takes it as a small victory before making you look him in the eye.

“You’ll be fine, but if you need help,” he smiles softly and you don’t miss the mischief in his eyes. “These are just some things I’ve noticed when he tries to attack me…”

You blink, and you're back in the training room. Where were you just now? There wasn’t a room like that in the whole building. It was old, like the traditional Japanese houses you’d see on T.V. and books. But Giyuu was there, and so were you and the other Pillars, apparently. Your eyes find Giyuu’s face again, and he looks just as confused. Did he see that, too…?

“You know, (F/N), there have been moments where I feel like I’ve seen them happen before, especially when I’m with you,” Giyuu starts hesitantly. You wouldn’t think it weird, would you? “I know for a fact they haven’t, Shinazugawa and Kocho was proof of that, but they just feel so real. And I couldn’t explain them.”

You think of his words for a second - they were exactly what you felt - and nod for him to continue. “But now I wonder - I always push them away because I don’t remember them happening, but now that I think about it, just because they haven’t happened from what I remember, doesn’t mean they never happened, at all.”

“Don’t remember...but doesn’t mean they never happened…?” you whisper, the question you’ve wanted to ask threatening to break out. But looking at Giyuu’s eyes, the wall you’ve been building around to keep your thoughts in place are broken down. “...Like in another life...?”

The question hangs in the air for another second before Giyuu’s face breaks into a small smile and he lets out a small laugh. He turns away from you, and you’re left confused all over again.

“You should see the look on your face right now,” he says, and you turn red at the realization he’s laughing at you. “It’s priceless. Sorry, but you’re really cute.”

“You…!” you tackle him, straddling him and lifting him by the collar of his shirt. “Were you just making fun of me?”

Giyuu stares at you fondly, basically confirming your question. Your blush gets darker as you stand up wordlessly and pack up your belongings. You couldn’t believe he was just pulling your leg! And you fucking fell for it!

Your cheeks are puffed up in anger as you walk out of the training room. You hear Giyuu’s footsteps and his voice calling out for you, but you don’t make the effort to let him know you noticed him.

When you step out of the building, Giyuu finally catches up to you, holding on to your hand.

“Okay, I’m sorry,” he said. You frown at him hard and he responds by raising his free hand in surrender. “I really am. Sorry for laughing.”

You pout, before returning his grip. You suppress laughing at the relieved look on his face. “You’re paying for dinner, I’ll have you know.”

The two of you walk in tranquil silence on your way to your favorite restaurant. You don’t notice Giyuu’s loving stare as you walk hand in hand. For a second, you’re both walking back from a mission. Your kimono and uniform were battered pretty bad, and you had a bruise at the corner of your mouth, but you look up at him and smile.

You turn to Giyuu in surprise when he suddenly squeezes your hand. “Giyuu…?”

“If it really was another life,” he whispers, and you had half a mind to tell him off for trying to pull your leg again. But at the misty look in his eyes - the same one you stared at earlier in the training room - you shut your mouth. “I’m glad I found you again.”

You smile softly, squeezing his hand back. “Yeah, me, too.”

#kimetsu no yaiba #demon slayer #kny #giyuu #giyuu tomioka #giyu tomioka #tomioka giyuu #tomioka giyu #kimetsu giyuu #kimetsu no yaiba giyuu #kimetsu tomioka #kimetsu no yaiba tomioka #fluff #angst #light angst #kny x reader #kimetsu no yaiba x reader #demon slayer x reader #giyuu tomioka x reader #tomioka giyuu x reader #oyakata #kagaya ubuyashiki #amane ubuyashiki #shinobu #shinobu kochō #uzui #uzui tengen #kyojuro #kyojuro rengoku #mitsuri

[ghostsofmemories]

Insect Poison Update #1

Before you check out this post, please remember that the fight against police brutality is still happening, and education is critical. All proceeds from this shop are still being donated to the BLM organization and will continue to be. More designs have been added since the original post was made, so be sure to click the link to find something you like.

If you don’t know what I’m talking about, feel free to jump over to my WIP introduction! I should mention that Aaron Bennett’s has been changed to Jack Bennett because I had a cool title idea for chapter 2 and needed to change his name for it to work.

So, I managed to spit out the first chapter in a couple days! It’s been difficult, but also way more fun than I was used to writing being (probably because I’m writing something I actually enjoy—who knew I was capable??). I wrote every day for five days in a row, counting today, which is wild and something I haven’t done since my NaNoWriMo days (AKA the first time I wrote this book).

Chapter 1 of the book is basically an intro to Robert and Ramona’s dynamics as (twin) siblings and a short look into how their mother interacts with them. I know the prose for this chapter could use some more work, but I think there’s a lot of character here that I liked exploring.

The chapter has three scenes: a scene where the twins are at the lake together, a scene where they’re eating dinner with their mom, Emily, and their older sister Lori, and one where they’ve stayed up late to eat cookies their mom baked for Church on Sunday.

(oop this update turned out a lot longer than I thought it would be) (CW for like, one teeny mention of drugs)

Scene 1: overhand throws are superior

In this scene, Robert and Ramona leave the house to go to the lake at the end of the street, which they’re not supposed to go to by themselves. They get into a bit of an argument that ends with a pair of shoes in the water.

The lake wasn’t big or clean or pretty, but they didn’t care much about those things. They didn’t mind the algae that tugged at their ankles or the rocks that are so sharp they gave off the impression of wanting to cut you open. It was all they’d ever known.

Since they weren’t supposed to be at the lake, they also weren’t wearing their swimsuits. They swam in their T-shirts and shorts, with Ramona’s sweater lying where the sand and the grass met. Their shoes were tucked underneath it, as if anyone would want to steal their too-small shoes with cracks in the rubber and holes in the fabric. As if their appearance wasn’t protection enough.

The water was cold enough to bite. It made their jean shorts cling to their legs, and they swam stiff and tight so they didn’t have to feel the friction. They did that for two hours; they were rebel children, breaking all the rules.

^ this part was overall just pretty fun to write, and the last sentence is definitely my favorite because of what happens next:

“Mom’s going to be so mad when we get home,” Robert said, treading water and staring his sister down. He didn’t see himself in her face the way everyone else did. Maybe it was because he spent more time with Ramona than he did with mirrors. Maybe it was because she wore her hair in two, rust colored braids and his was short and brown and untameable. Maybe it was because he almost never liked Ramona, but usually, he liked himself.

“Mom’s going to be mad,” he said again. She wasn’t going to be, but Ramona played along anyway. She kicked her legs a little faster, trying to keep her chin above the water like her brother could.

“Too bad,” she said, “we’re already in the water. She can’t do anything.”

The twins knew their mother wouldn’t be mad. She wouldn’t be mad if they were there for four hours. She wouldn’t be mad if they waltzed into the house dripping wet from their hair and clothes, right onto the freshly mopped kitchen floor. She’d mop it again without a second thought. She’d ask them how their afternoons went.

I love this part because I got to explore how Robert and Ramona almost want to get in trouble if it means someone will pay attention to them. They want to get caught and be told no about something, but their mom is so absent minded (and high) that they can get away with whatever they want. In this chapter and probably further ones, we get to see them test exactly how far they can go.

Here’s the part where the fight gets introduced: Ramona’s ready to leave and Robert isn’t, but he also doesn’t want to stay by himself (even though he’d never admit that). He tells Ramona to give her the sweater she’s holding, presumably to dry himself off a little. Instead, he tosses it into the lake.

Sweatshirts weren’t exactly known for being aerodynamic and eleven year old boys weren’t exactly known for their underhand throws, so it didn’t go far. It landed pathetically into the shallow part of the water where their older sister used to take them to catch tadpoles in the spring (they would bring them home in buckets and tupperware and try to have their very own front yard aquarium. Their mother always spotted them and made them march back to the lake and dump dozens of them back into the water).

“Robert!” Ramona yelled, stepping into his space. He put his hands behind his back and stepped even closer. “Go get it!”

“It’s your sweater,” he said. He smiled and bent down to pick up a rock, mostly because it looked like the sort Ramona would bring home and put in a box with three dozen others. He forced his hand into his wet pocket and let it sit there, wrist deep in clinging fabric with a rock clenched in his fist. Later, on the way home, he’d toss it into the grass and never think about it again.

We can see here that Robert is a little unhinged and manipulative, and really wants to get a rise out of his sister and see what she’ll do. Her response is to be even more unhinged and manipulative:

Robert watched as she sat down to put on her shoes. He saw her stand up and toss his sneakers right into the water, one after the other, socks still tucked inside.

Eleven year old girls weren’t known for their underhands, either, but their overhands could be surprising if they put some energy into it. The shoes sunk into the bottom of the lake, and the twins stared at one another as if to agree, just this once, to end the fight before things got worse.

Ramona didn’t smile. She took no pleasure in being wicked. Still, she’d be the first to admit that she took more than a little pleasure in her brother’s silence.

Scene 2: pork and potatoes and corn.

Time for dinner! This scene was fun and mildly uncomfortable to write.

Emily Bennett was nothing if not a creature of habit. She thought this was her greatest secret, something to hold close to her chest, but the things she tried to hide were always smeared down to her sleeves.

“Just in time!” She said, her smile wide enough to call a canyon. She still had silverware in her left hand and a stack of cups in her right, and stared at the next seat in line instead of looking at the twins. Her mind was only at rest when her body was in motion, and even then she struggled to drown out the noise. “We’re having pork and potatoes and corn. Go get your hands washed so you can eat, and let your sister know it’s dinner time.”

And a little later:

You kids are so quiet these days,” she said, setting her glass on the table. Condensation was already forming on the outside of the glass. The twins took turns shifting in their chairs, trying to escape from a heat that didn’t seem to bother their mother or Lori. “What have you been up to?”

The three of them looked at each other, trying to decide who would take one for the team. When eyes settled on Ramona, she spoke up. “I re-organized my rock collection this morning,” she said, and took a bite of mashed potatoes to avoid saying anything further.

“Oh, that’s nice honey. You’ll have to show me later.”

Ramona had no intention of showing her mother the newly cleaned and sorted rocks, and Emily had no intention of looking. They were simply humoring each other.

“Mhm. I think I might have found some amethyst.” Ramona was thought amethyst was her mother’s birthstone (it was, but after no comment from her mother about it, Ramona was sure she’d gotten it wrong).

“How’s the corn?” Emily asked, taking a bite of it and following it immediately with large gulps of water. The glass was half empty.

Lori spoke up. “Good. Same as always.” She wished, for a moment, that she could rewrite the sentence in her mother’s mind. It’s good, mom. Did we get it from the store or the farmer’s market? Could you show me how to cook it the way you do? She didn’t bother with these types of questions because Emily never taught her things when she asked. Lori couldn’t recall the last thing her mother had taught her.

I can’t really describe it, but the family dynamics are exactly how they need to be. I want there to be a certain feeling of tension and uneasiness when everyone is in the same place, but a tension they’ve all gotten used to. 

The last scene is when the twins are stealing cookies and getting ready for bed, which I’m not sure is totally necessary but I think it further shows their dynamics so it can stay for now.

“I’m tired,” Ramona said, trying to dip her cookie into a glass of milk she’d almost finished. “I think I’m going to go to bed.”

“I’m not tired,” Robert said, popping open a tupperware dish and reaching into it carefully, like the cookies might disappear if he moved too fast. “Want another one?”

“We have to leave some, otherwise mom’ll notice.”

“She won’t do anything about it,” he said, pushing the bowl across the table to her, “you can have some more.”

“I don’t want anymore. I want to go to bed.” Ramona stood to rinse out her cup at the kitchen sink, the tile cool and grounding under her feet. Robert left his glass on the table and the cookie bowl with the lid half on. 

“Fine, I’ll just go to bed, too.”

Not to continue telling every bit of psychology surrounding the characters’ actions, but this part is interesting because again, both of them are aiming to get caught and get into trouble, but they refuse to do it without the other. Robert starts everything and Ramona finishes it before it gets too far.

The chapter ends with them getting ready for bed and Ramona hearing her dad’s truck pull into the driveway, meaning he’s home for a weekend before his next set of deliveries and destinations and whatnot. I think I want this to be the inciting incident, but I have to work on it more and figure out what I actually want to happen here.

Overall, the chapter clocked in at 2802 words, and I think after I go back and add some more description and imagery (which is definitely where I’ve fallen short so far), it should end up around 3000-3200. I really enjoyed writing this chapter (I think this book is by far the most exciting project for me, and is going to help me figure out what I want to write from now on), and I want to talk more about how my process is going, but I think that’ll be a separate post where I talk more about process and music and all those little things that go into a writing session for me.

If you have any questions about the story or characters, want to get added to the taglist, or just have anything to say about it in general, make sure you do that in an ask so I can be sure to see it! My notifications are sketchy but I’ve never had an issue with ask notifications. 

Taglist: @coffeeandcalligraphy​ @alicewestwater​ @fliiik-art​

#insect poison #insect poison updates #writing upate #my writing #my wip

[brideofedoras]

Soulbound: Almost Human

Disclaimer: the usual.  I only own my OCs...

Word Count: 2400+

Rating: 18+

Warnings: Thoughts of self harm, taking medication, angst, Kennex is a jerk.

Chapter Three (with links to Chapters 1 and 2)

Emily buried herself in work once she returned to the lab.  Anything to get her mind off the itch that had grown steadily more pronounced with each mile she put between herself and the precinct.  But even her personal project she hoped to pitch to the police department could not keep the itch at bay.

She pushed her sketchbook away and spun around on her stool.  “Focus, Emily,” she murmured to herself, pushing herself into another spin.

“Emily, are you all right?”  Rudy asked from his desk, not looking up from the robotic butterfly he was working on.  A blue morpho, she smiled when she recognized the shape and color of the wings.  

“I’m…  I saw him this morning,” she finally told her boss.  “I’ve been feeling out of sorts since.”

Rudy nodded slowly.  “I wondered if he would finally come in.”

“He did,” she sighed.  “Part of me wants to meet him… but at the same time…”

He lifted his magnifying glasses to look at her.  “I know,” he nodded.  “I understand, Emily.”  He nodded toward her computer.  “How far have you gotten on your project?”

She couldn’t help but smile.  Rudy wasn’t the best at offering comfort or advice, but he knew how to divert attention into safer territory.  “I can’t focus on it right now, my mind is going ninety to nothing.  I can’t decide if I want to start small or just go big.”

“Ah,” he nodded.  “Explain your concept to me again, maybe I can help steer your mind in the direction you need.”

She dipped her head in agreement before picking up her sketchbook.  “I already told you that I started brainstorming this idea when I was in grad school, before Dad…”  She trailed off, her mind tripping back to the night she’d first dreamed up the concept.  Sam had been working late on a case, and she’d sat up half the night waiting for him to come home so she could run the idea by him.  Her dad had fully supported the idea.  “Shortly before the raid,” she flipped to the front of the pad.  “I got the idea after five K-9s were killed by that bomb they couldn’t detect during the big drug bust.”

“I remember that one,” Rudy frowned.  “Two of the handlers had been hospitalized.”

“I remember when Daddy came home, he was devastated by the loss of the dogs.  He always loved dogs and was planning on adopting one when he retired,” she continued softly.  “He’d told me it was a senseless loss for the department, five incredible K-9 officers, all highly decorated.  He said ‘we’ve got android cops to lead us into gunfights, why can’t the dogs have something similar?’  One day after class I went home and fell asleep, and dreamed about building an android K-9.  When I woke up I started writing ideas down and sketching dogs.  I nearly pounced on Dad when he got home, I was so excited to tell him.”  She shook her head as she reached up to wipe away an unexpected tear.  “The back story for the idea isn’t really that important.”

“Yes, it is,” Rudy disagreed with her.  “The idea had to come from somewhere, and the back story is the most important part of the conception.”

She half-laughed at that.  “It’s cheesy and sappy is what it is,” she argued.  “Daddy loved the idea and encouraged me to go for it.  I… I had actually planned to design and build one for my big project, but after Daddy… after he passed I couldn’t do it.”  She shrugged again.  “Daddy would have retired this year, that was his plan.  Retire from active duty at sixty-five, teach some courses for the academy for a few years, and fully retire at seventy.  I think I laid awake half the night, my mind racing in circles before it popped into my head that I needed to start working on the K-9 android.”  She took off her glasses to rub at the bridge of her nose.  “The androids would be for the dogs the same way the MXes are for the police.  Designed to sniff out or detect drugs, bombs, people.  Send them into potentially volatile areas or situations.  They would be equipped with built-in audio and visual recording, sensory detection and scanning, and transmitting information as it records to a datapad or an MX.  The dogs we currently use have to be equipped and outfitted with microchips for identification and tracking, flak vests, protective booties, headgear with built-in audio and visual recording and transmitting devices, which weigh and slow the dogs down.  The android K-9s would not need flak vests or helmets.  Their eyes would be the cameras.  Their ears the microphones,” she held the sketchbook over to Rudy.  “I’m just undecided on big or little.”

“What was your father’s favorite breed of dog?”  Her supervisor asked as he looked at her notes and sketches.

“He didn’t have a favorite breed,” she smiled.  “‘Mutts are the best kind of dog you could ever ask for, Cupcake,’ he told me several times.  Especially the old, the half-blind, or the three-legged ones.  You show them love, they will love you forever.”  She shook her head fondly.  “He always spoke about this one dog he’d grown up with.  He wasn’t sure what all Bobo was, part lab.  Beautiful dog and faithful.”  

Rudy handed back the sketchbook.  “If you need any assistance with this, I would be more than glad to help,” he told her.  

“Thank you, Rudy,” she hugged the book to her chest.  “Mind if I take my lunch break and run out for something?  I’ll pick something up for you, if you’d like.”

“That would be wonderful,” he nodded.  

 The break away from the lab and out in the crisp fall air invigorated her and calmed that itch, that urge that had been crawling along her skin since the precinct.  She almost hated to return to the lab.  Almost.  But she’d promised Rudy lunch and she’d taken the opportunity to run by her apartment to grab a photo from one of her dad’s old albums, a photo of his dog.

She pulled up in front of the old church and frowned slightly when she noticed a flat black police issue sedan with a Saint Christopher’s Medal hanging from a chain on the rearview mirror.  She felt her chest tighten.  

She heard the voices as she descended the metal stairs to the lab.  She glanced around before finding Rudy and a tall man with his back to her, standing around the metal table away from their workbenches.  She dropped off his lunch at his desk before shrugging out of her jacket and making her way over to join them.

“All right, plug it in already,” a low, deep, very masculine voice nearly growled out with a touch of impatience.  “I got to get back on the street.”

Emily’s eyes widened when she saw the android on the table.  A DRN.  Why was he reanimating a DRN?  Her eyes snapped up to Rudy as he held out the wand to the man across from him.  

“Okay.  Please have the honor of waking him up yourself,” he addressed the man.  “Touch it against his left ear.”

The man shifted as he took the wand and followed the instructions.

The DRN gasped, his black eyes immediately changing to a brilliant baby blue.  “How long was I out?”  he asked as he sat up and took in everything around him.

“Uh, four years and three months,” Rudy answered the DRN’s question.  

The DRN focused his attention on the other man.  The side of his face lit up as he scanned and processed information.  “Detective John Kennex.  I’m Dorian.  How are you?  Your record is outstanding.”

Emily’s lungs constricted when she realized the man who still had his back to her was John.  But why was he activating a DRN?  Where was 785?

“Used to be,” Kennex sounded a little put off.

“Excuse me?”  Dorian asked, curiosity filling his expression.

“Update your files,” John started to turn.  “Let’s go.”

Emily felt her lungs rattle when John Kennex turned to face her.  This time half the distance of the bullpen at the precinct wasn’t separating them.  He was five feet from her now.  Close enough to see the scar on his chin she’d become so familiar with.  Close enough to breathe in a hint of the cologne he wore.  Close enough to see the tension in his eyes.

“Rudy, when did you get an assistant?”  His eyes were locked with hers while he addressed Lom.

“Emily has been working with me for a year now,” Rudy answered.  “John Kennex, Emily Williams,” he quickly made the introductions.

“So, what’s a girl like you doing working in a dungeon like this?” Kennex asked, his eyes studying her.

He’s talking to me.  Ohmygod he’s actually talking to me.  He…  Her eyes widened when his words sank in.  

The soul mark on her inner right thigh tingled.  “You…  You said my words,” her voice rasped out as her lungs grew tight.  “This can’t…  this can’t be real…”  She fished into her pocket for her inhaler when a harsh wheeze gripped her.

The warmth in his hazel eyes cooled considerably as his jaw ticked.  “You must be mistaken, Sweetheart, ‘cause you sure as hell never said mine,” his tone was hard, his words clipped.  “Synthetic, let’s go.”

 You must be mistaken, Sweetheart, ‘cause you sure as hell never said mine.

John Kennex’ cold, cruel words ran through her head on a rapidly increasing, distorting loop in Tilt-A-Whirl fashion.  Over and over.  Emily tried to shut her mind off, tried to put her focus on her project.  She failed.

That itch was back.  She hadn’t realized it had faded earlier, but it was back with a vengeance.  It took everything in her willpower to keep from grabbing an X-acto blade from her desk drawer and cutting into her forearm.

Rudy had given up trying to ask if she was okay, she’d shut down on him when he had enquired if John really was her soulmate.

She didn’t understand.  His first words to her were the very words branded onto her inner thigh when she was born.  So, what’s a girl like you doing working in a dungeon like this?  

Words that had caused her a world of hurt when she was barely a few minutes old, when her birth parents had taken one look at her tiny little leg… and rejected her.  Words that had caused many potential foster and adoptive parents to turn their backs on her.  Nobody wanted a baby, a child, branded with words insinuating a life of sexual debauchery.  What else could those words mean?  Especially with the location of those words on her body, indicating the soul bond would occur during a very intimate moment.

Words that had shaped a young mind and made a little abandoned and nameless child decide she never wanted to ever meet the man she was fated to be with.  Words that had left Baby Jane Doe fearful of what her life might be, fearful of never finding someone who truly loved her, fearful of always being rejected or thrown aside.

The urge, the need to carve those words from her thigh was too strong.  No matter how hard she tried she could not push those thoughts away.  Not when they were gripping her.  Suffocating her.

She shoved away from her desk and ran toward the bathroom.  She barely dropped to her knees before her stomach upended itself.

Rejected.

Abandoned.

Forgotten.

She retched until there was nothing left in her stomach.  You must be mistaken, Sweetheart, ‘cause you sure as hell never said mine.

 Emily crawled under her work bench and grabbed her messenger bag.  She ignored Rudy’s concerned glance (one of hundreds he’d given her all afternoon) and rooted her hand through her bag’s contents until she found the cold metal pill canister containing her anti-anxiety medication.  She pressed her thumb to the top of the container before popping a tiny pill into her mouth and swallowing it dry.  

She hated taking the pills.  Hated how lethargic and stoned they made her feel at times.  She hadn’t done herself any favors, going fifteen months without taking them regularly, just on the bad days.  But ever since John Kennex had woken from his coma and her visits were forcibly stopped (for her safety and well-being and for his own recovery and rehabilitation) she had been taking them daily, sometimes more.  She wasn’t supposed to.  Those daily visits had done more for her than those damned pills ever had, and without the comfort of that routine, without the soothing presence of the comatose man she had fallen in love with over time, she found herself relying more and more on a synthesized balm to soothe the anxiety.  But it didn’t always work.

She raked her fingers through her dark hair before folding her arms around her legs and burying her face between her bent knees.  She had refused Rudy’s gentle suggestion of going home earlier, knowing full well what would happen the moment she was alone.  She’d wind up finding something sharp.  She’d wind up carving up her arm.  She’d wind up carving the damned soulmark from her right thigh.

She wanted to focus on something other than that damned itch.  She wanted to be able to give one hundred percent of her attention to her job.  She wanted to be able to crawl out from underneath her desk and not worry about giving into the consuming need to inflict pain to forget.

To forget that the man she had fallen in love with had said her words.

To forget that he had coldly rejected her.

To forget that he had walked out and abandoned her just like every other person who was supposed to love her left.

She stayed under the desk until the meds kicked in and that itch faded to a dull annoyance, burying herself in work when Rudy received a message alert from Dorian regarding a chemical analysis they needed.

She worked late through the night with her boss, gathering the necessary equipment needed to reactivate the MXes that had gone down with the EMP used at the precinct.  It took four hours, going floor by floor, to get the androids on their feet and fully functioning.  Another two hours to repair some moderate damage to other synthetics.

 It wasn’t until she was tucked away alone in her little apartment that her brave face came crashing down.  

#almost human #john kennex #john kennex/ofc #anxiety #self harm #soulmates

[i-just-like-commenting]

“Venom” and Romance Story Structure

Given the structural mess of 2018′s Venom as a superhero movie (look in your hearts, you know it to be true) I thought it was worth taking seriously the idea that this works better as a romance. To this end I checked out romance author and editor Gwen Hayes’ Romancing the Beat: Story Structure for Romance Novels, part of her “How to Write Kissing Books” series. Her four-part structure is a modification of the traditional three act screenplay structure, with the lengthy second act divided into two halves, the development then the collapse of the relationship.

How well does Venom match her structure? The answer is that in some ways it actually matches quite well, since it is a story with two protagonists (Eddie and Venom) learning to overcome their aversion to each other and develop a partnership. However, Venom misses some key beats in her outline, and I think looking at these beats can give us an indication of how this movie might have been improved. (And as a side note, I think more writers subdividing their second acts into “it all seems to be going well” and “then it all falls apart” would help the weak second acts of many stories, regardless of genre).

Part 1: Set Up

Hayes subdivides this section into five beats. The first two are introducing your two main characters and their central flaws that they will overcome through their relationship together. To a certain degree, Venom actually does this in its first act. We establish Eddie, the successful and driven reporter who we see violate his fiancee’s privacy to get his story. Eddie can’t compromise on his ambition and goals, even if it hurts the person he cares about the most. Meanwhile, he is irritating and pushy with his coworkers and boss -- he needs to learn to work better with others.

Our introduction to Venom is unfortunately weaker, as we meet them as one of the symbiotes, and their weakness is the same general one as the rest of them: killing their hosts in order to survive. They need to learn empathy. But we don’t get to know Venom as a distinct personality until much later, and in general their development is weaker than Eddie’s.

What is missing entirely are the “meet cute” and “no way” beats where our heroes become aware of each other but reject the idea of a relationship. Instead Venom and Eddie never meet until the fifth beat, “adhesion,” where your couple becomes stuck together.

Imagine if, instead of Eddie’s career dying over a tangentially related  malfeasance, he instead actually encountered the symbiotes. He wouldn’t have to know what they were, just catch a glimpse of them, and be filled with a mixture of revulsion and fascination. Imagine if Eddie was discredited as the crackpot talking about aliens in the Life Foundation’s Labs, the symbiotes becoming his obsession even as he hates them, and then he gets infected by one once Dr. Skirth breaks him in.

Or, alternatively, eliminate most of the movie before the time skip, introduce Eddie already disgraced along with why, and turn the “meet cute” and “no way” being Eddie viewing footage of the symbiotes brought to him by Dr. Skirth. This would be my preference, as I felt the first act of Venom was overlong. Either way, however, it would help make the first act more cohesive than it is now.

Part 2: Falling Love

After the point of adhesion, however, Venom meets almost all of Hayes’ beats and structure point by point. We have “No Way 2,” as Eddie slowly realizes he’s been infected and looks for a way to get the symbiote out of him. This beat is more of a slow development than a one-point moment, but Hayes admits the structure can be shifted around and take several scenes.

We get our first “inkling this could work” from Venom helping Eddie escape the lab, and then shutting down his noisy next-door neighbor; we don’t have “deepening desire” because at this point Eddie isn’t aware that the symbiote is sentient and a part of this relationship. This, again, is where the lack of development for Venom continues to be a problem. It needs a few more moments of Venom talking to Eddie, to give us insights into how Venom’s conception of this relationship is changing, how their empathy for Eddie is increasing.

It definitely hits “maybe this will work” during the big action sequence where Venom and Eddie first start collaborating to escape Drake’s goons. Venom reveals themself to Eddie, explaining what their deal is and even declaring that “you are mine.” If anything, “deepening desire” gets shifted to this point, as they negotiate infiltrating the newspaper offices. Ideally this beat would have been more spread out over part 2 to ease up the suddenness of their relationship shift.

Because then we reach Hayes’ “midpoint of LOVE plot thrust.” This is when romance characters have their first moment of true intimacy (opening up about their feelings for the first time, having sex for the first time, having meaningful sex for the first time, etc.), where this becomes a real or serious relationship.

And so, “Mask on.” “Roger that.” Eddie voluntarily lets Venom take over, Venom refrains from eating the police officers when Eddie asks, and they work in sync, and start to say “we.” This is their midpoint, the false high that’s going to collapse.

Part 3: Retreating From Love

Our “inkling of doubt” and “deepening doubt” are also rather quickly back to back on each other. In spite of their established partnership, Venom sometimes switches back to “I,” which Eddie calls them out on. Is this partnership real or is Venom just parasitic? Eddie doesn’t trust Venom enough for them to get in the car together with Annie, and has to be reassured that, no, Venom won’t eat the woman he cares for. We as an audience are reassured that this relationship is good, however, by Venom convincing Eddie to apologize to Annie. Eddie has made Venom more empathetic, and Venom encourages Eddie to be more considerate and admit his past mistakes.

“Retreat” and “shields up” come into play when it’s revealed that Venom has slowly been consuming Eddie’s internal organs and killing him. Even though Venom intends to repair the damage now that they care about Eddie, Eddie isn’t willing to trust him and his defenses go up, demanding that they be separated, even using the knowledge of Venom’s weakness to sound against them. We have our “break up” when Venom and Eddie are separated.

This part goes relatively fast, but given the very real damage that Venom does to Eddie, I feel like this is justified. This isn’t just Eddie’s own failings leading him to think that Venom is betraying him, Venom did in fact betray him by not revealing that Eddie’s sickness was caused by them. That leads to a very precipitous collapse in their newfound relationship.

Part 4: Fighting for Love

The “dark night of the soul” beat corresponds to the low point at the start of the third act in a traditional screenplay structure. Venom is forced into the body of a puppy to survive, Eddie is captured by Drake. The “wake-up/catharsis” comes, I think, to Venom, though again their lack of voice makes the exact moment when they realize they need Eddie - not just as a body but as a partner - hard to determine. But given Venom’s immediate body hopping into Annie and then body-hopping through a kiss back to Eddie, then opening up about how seeing the world through Eddie’s eyes has changed him, it must have happened while at the hospital.

That kiss is the first of Venom’s two “grand gestures.” But since Venom is more at fault here than Eddie was. they make a second, final grand gesture through almost sacrificing themself to save not just Eddie but Earth in general. Venom really has changed, and has proven it to Eddie.

This is where there’s another big problem in the movie: we don’t get to see our couple reunite. The “grand gesture” beat is only complete, in Hayes; model, if you see it accepted. We got a resolve to grand gesture #1 through Eddie’s willingness to work with Venom again, even reuniting with him after their separation in the final fight, but we don’t get one for grand gesture #2. Eddie’s panic over Venom’s seeming death indicates that all is forgiven, but it’s missing the catharsis of seeing them get back together.

The ending of the film does, however, manage to absolutely nail her final beat: “this is what whole-hearted looks like.” Here you show the couple together and mirror scenes from earlier in the story, showing how much more whole and happy they are together than they were apart. We have an interaction between Eddie and Annie that mirrors their scene from the (post time jump) first act, now friendly rather than hostile. Eddie goes back to the same bodega as from the opening, and now with Venom’s help is able to stop the thug terrorizing the owner, whereas before all he could do was look on. Good echoing, good bookends, along with the well-written banter and camaraderie between them this is why the ending is the best part of the entire film.

Conclusion

Venom isn’t precisely structured like a romance, but it gets close, and its strongest moments are when it does. Of course, this structure can work for any kind of story where the central conflict is whether a duo can get along; buddy cop films often follow a similar structure, just centered on friendship. However you want to consider Eddie and Venom’s relationship, I do think viewing this as a relationship-centered story is to its benefit, and had the studio embraced that earlier on, it would have been a better structured film.

#venom #symbrock #story structure #meta #gwen hayes #this is over 1600 words long what am i doing with my life

[cathygeha]

REVIEW

Burning Hope by Wendy Roberts

A Red Hooper Mystery #1

  Paranormal cozy mystery with a side of romance ~ Great introduction to the series

  What I liked:

* Scarlet “Red” Hooper: fire scryer, descendent of female paranormal psychic seers, vagabond, lives and travels in a camper van decorated with bubbles, new girl in town when she stumbles across a body

* Noah Adams: widow, hardware store owner, small town entrepreneur, potential love interest for Red

* The small-town vibe

* The paranormal aspects

* Brandy: Red’s sister, mirror scryer, business owner, ex-addict

* Not knowing for sure who the killer was till near the end

* The potential growth as the series progresses

* Wondering what will happen next

 What I didn’t like:

* The small-town gossips and hate mongers

Comment:

I wasn’t able to get a handle on Red. Determine her motivations, and understand what drew her and Noah to one another. I hope that in the future books of the series we will learn more about Red’s past and will be able to watch her character develop.

 Did I enjoy this book? Yes

Would I read more by this author? Yes

 Thank you to NetGalley and Carina Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

 3-4 Stars

      BLURB

 From Wendy Roberts, author of Grounds to Kill and the Bodies of Evidence series, comes a new paranormal mystery featuring an amateur sleuth kindling a deep secret… Red Hooper’s never been what you’d call lucky, but searching for coffee and finding a dead body instead takes things to a whole other level. Even worse, she and her camper van, Bubbles, just rolled into town, and being the new girl makes her suspect number one. Red never lingers in one place for long—she’s got secrets better left undiscovered—and this time she’s definitely overstayed her welcome. Caught in the crosshairs of a police investigation and creeping to the top of the real murderer’s to-do list, Red will have to plant some roots if she’s going to survive. Easier said than done. It seems like everyone in town has made up their mind about Red…except the mysterious Noah Adams. The gruff townie might be the key to proving her innocence—if he doesn’t bring even more trouble her way. Together they unravel the mystery surrounding the murder, but Red will be forced to embrace her psychic gifts if she’s going to clear her name before the real murderer snuffs her out. A Red Hooper Mystery Book 1: Burning Hope

#Wendy Roberts #A Red Hooper Mystery 1 #NetGalley #Carina Press #Mystery #Cozy Mystery #Paranormal Murder Mystery #Scrying #Fiction

[filmstruck]

BONNIE AND CLYDE ('67), BADLANDS ('73) and NATURAL BORN KILLERS ('94) by Pablo Kjolseth

Guns. The U.S.A. owns almost half the guns in the world and we also lead in the manufacture and export of guns, making it no surprise that they're always in the news alongside all too familiar and tragic headlines. On the domestic end, it's usually a story about men and the relationships they cultivate with their guns. But it's not always that way. Sometimes a woman also gets involved, and it turns into a threesome of sorts. Such was the case when Charles Raymond Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate went on a murder spree in 1958 that killed 11 people. It was an event that was tackled in Terrence Malick's BADLANDS ('73) and then more loosely in Oliver Stone's NATURAL BORN KILLERS ('94). Before that, Bonnie Elizabeth Parker and Clyde Chestnut Barrow were two infamous lovers to make waves as robbers during the Great Depression. They killed at least nine police officers along with several civilians. Their story would be mythologized and transmuted into cinema by Arthur Penn's BONNIE AND CLYDE ('67).

Let's put these three movies up against the wall for a quick police lineup. Who was behind the camera? What made them stand out? How were they shot? First up:

BONNIE AND CLYDE

1) Arthur Penn directed. He followed BONNIE AND CLYDE with ALICE'S RESTAURANT ('69) and LITTLE BIG MAN ('70). BONNIE AND CLYDE was nominated for a slew of Oscars, including Best Director for Penn and winning two for Best Actress in a Supporting Role and Best Cinematography. The man behind the camera snagging that last award was Burnett Guffey, a seasoned veteran who got his start in 1923 and who also worked on FROM HERE TO ETERNITY ('53) and BIRDMAN OF ALCATRAZ ('62).

2) Before BONNIE AND CLYDE Arthur Penn had a flop with MICKEY ONE ('65), but that film starred Warren Beatty and Beatty liked Penn. Beatty was instrumental in hiring Penn and Robert Towne for the script. To quote from Alex Cox's book Introduction to Film: A Director's Perspective, there was something else: "As a producer and as an actor, Beatty's work in this instance was quite brilliant: in particular, his ability to surrender focus to his co-star, Fay Dunaway, whose performance dominates the film. Who was the auteur of Bonnie's tale - Arthur Penn, or Warren Beatty?"

3) As to how it was shot, what really set BONNIE AND CLYDE apart from the competition was the slow-motion carnage at the end. This connected with a wide audience for many reasons, including that the film emphasized the protagonists as individuals fighting authority and banks. At the time of the movie's release, the carnage in Vietnam served as a backdrop that further undermine the powers that be. As to influence, it's hard to imagine the slow-motion bullet ballad of Sam Peckinpah's THE WILD BUNCH ('69), which came out two years later, without BONNIE AND CLYDE.

BADLANDS

1) Terrence Malick's directorial debut was a doozy. It was not the first film to be based on Starkweather and Fugate, for that we could look to James Landis' THE SADIST ('63). It was, however, the first film to be distributed by a mainstream studio to do so and was followed by several others. BADLANDS was picked up by Warner Bros. after it screened at the New York Film Festival, alongside Martin Scorsese's MEAN STREETS ('73).

2) Some of the things that make BADLANDS stand out are his iconic use of American landscapes, the use of Sissy Spacek's voice to provide narration, and (like BONNIE AND CLYDE) the male substitution of violence for sex.

3) In his article on TCM, Jeff Stafford had this to say about how BADLANDS: "Although he had previously worked as a screenwriter (POCKET MONEY), he decided to direct his own scripts after Paramount made a complete mess of his DEADHEAD MILES screenplay, transforming it into a film so bad it couldn't even be released. With his brother Chris, Malick managed to raise $300,000 for BADLANDS's pre-production costs. The additional money was raised by independent producer Edward R. Pressman from personal friends like former Xerox chief Max Palevsky".

NATURAL BORN KILLERS

1) In what would be another Warner Bros. property, director Oliver Stone would take a story by Quentin Tarantino that he then took over to co-write (alongside David Veloz and Richard Rutowski) into a nightmarish vision of mass murder flying in tandem with mass media.

2) NATURAL BORN KILLERS would employ 18 different film formats. Whereas BONNIE AND CLYDE was shot in a slightly traditional way until an untraditional end, and BADLANDS was shot lyrically, with N.B.K. we have a Cuisinart-style mode that batters viewers with a frenzy of hyper-stimulation the likes of which might induce seizures in those with weaker immune systems.

3) NATURAL BORN KILLERS was shot in 56 days. Nine Inch Nails front man Trent Reznor produced the soundtrack. Like Kubrick's A CLOCKWORK ORANGE ('71), it's a film so agitated and manic that some have accused it of playing a pivotal role in pushing impressionable people into committing acts of violence themselves, as happened when 18-year-olds Sarah Edmondson and Benjamin Darras dropped acid, watched N.B.K. and later that night shot two people (one fatally, one left paralyzed).

There are many debates over what begets violence. The three pictures mentioned above all touch, in different ways, on our country’s obsession with guns and violence but when the camera is shooting a story, even when it’s based on a true story, it’s turning things around. It’s turning that story into a conversation among the viewers. It’s a dialogue. This is a conversation we own. We are both the owners and participants in this hall of mirrors. A hall of mirrors that too often comes crashing down in gunfire.

If I can add but one thought to this conversation let it be this: if you feel compelled to drop acid and watch a movie, please consider Disney's FANTASIA ('40). That’s what I did as a teenager. It still turned into a bad trip but – other than an unknown amount of lost brain cells for the user in question – nothing was harmed.

#FilmStruck #Bonnie and Clyde #Natural Born Killers #Badlands #StreamLine Blog #Pablo Kjolseth

[loadingoh1]

The Hate You Give Pdf

The Hate U Give - Higher Education.pdf. Name of eBook: The Hate U Give Author: Angie Thomas eBook genre: Fiction & Literature › Culture › Drama › Romance Books Available Download Formats: ePub, PDF, Mobi. The book «The Hate U Give» by Angie Thomas Review and Quotes: Angie Thomas created an absolutely amazing, stunning, riveting and resonating story that is a must-have for all those conscious readers who want to make this.

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The Hate U Give

DOWNLOAD READ ONLINE File Size : 47,8 Mb Total Download : 237 Author : Angie Thomas language : en Publisher: HarperCollins Release Date : 2017-02-28

The Hate U Give written by Angie Thomas and has been published by HarperCollins this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2017-02-28 with Young Adult Fiction categories.

8 starred reviews ∙ Goodreads Choice Awards Best of the Best ∙ William C. Morris Award Winner ∙ National Book Award Longlist ∙ Printz Honor Book ∙ Coretta Scott King Honor Book ∙ #1 New York Times Bestseller! 'Absolutely riveting!' —Jason Reynolds 'Stunning.' —John Green 'This story is necessary. This story is important.' —Kirkus (starred review) 'Heartbreakingly topical.' —Publishers Weekly (starred review) 'A marvel of verisimilitude.' —Booklist (starred review) 'A powerful, in-your-face novel.' —Horn Book (starred review) Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed. Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil’s name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr. But what Starr does—or does not—say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life. And don't miss On the Come Up, Angie Thomas's powerful follow-up to The Hate U Give.

The Hate U Give

DOWNLOAD READ ONLINE File Size : 45,6 Mb Total Download : 846 Author : Angie Thomas language : en Publisher: Release Date : 2018-11

The Hate U Give written by Angie Thomas and has been published by this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2018-11 with American fiction categories.

A hardback collector's edition, of the No. 1 New York Times bestseller! Now a major motion picture, starring Amandla Stenberg Winner of the Waterstones Children's Book Prize 2018 No. 1 New York Times bestseller A Teen Vogue Best YA Book of the Year This stylish hardback collector's edition of the acclaimed, award-winning novel contains an essay by the author, the meanings behind the names in the book and an excerpt from On the Come Up. Sixteen-year-old Starr lives in two worlds: the poor neighbourhood where she was born and raised and her posh high school in the suburbs. The uneasy balance between them is shattered when Starr is the only witness to the fatal shooting of her unarmed best friend, Khalil, by a police officer. Now what Starr says could destroy her community. It could also get her killed. Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, this is a powerful and gripping YA novel about one girl's struggle for justice. A gorgeous jacketed hardback, with soft-touch cover and spot UV on the title. Includes exclusive bonus content: an essay by the author, the meaning behind the names in the book and an excerpt from On the Come Up

The Hate U Give

DOWNLOAD READ ONLINE File Size : 55,8 Mb Total Download : 934 Author : Angie Thomas language : en Publisher: Balzer & Bray Release Date : 2021-05-04

The Hate U Give written by Angie Thomas and has been published by Balzer & Bray this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2021-05-04 with categories.

Amelia Westlake

DOWNLOAD READ ONLINE File Size : 42,6 Mb Total Download : 988 Author : Gough, Erin language : en Publisher: Hardie Grant Publishing Release Date : 2018-04-01

Amelia Westlake written by Gough, Erin and has been published by Hardie Grant Publishing this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2018-04-01 with Juvenile Fiction categories.

More Happy Than Not Deluxe Edition

DOWNLOAD READ ONLINE File Size : 50,6 Mb Total Download : 789 Author : Adam Silvera language : en Publisher: Soho Teen Release Date : 2020-09-08

More Happy Than Not Deluxe Edition written by Adam Silvera and has been published by Soho Teen this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2020-09-08 with JUVENILE FICTION categories.

In his twisty, gritty, profoundly moving New York Times bestselling-debut--also called 'mandatory reading' and selected as an Editors' Choice by the New York Times--Adam Silvera brings to life a charged, dangerous near-future summer in the Bronx. This special 5th Anniversary Edition features an introduction by Angie Thomas, New York Times bestselling author of The Hate You Give; a brand-new epilogue by Adam, and more. In the months after his father's suicide, it's been tough for sixteen-year-old Aaron Soto to find happiness again--but he's still gunning for it. With the support of his girlfriend Genevieve and his overworked mom, he's slowly remembering what that might feel like. But grief and the smile-shaped scar on his wrist prevent him from forgetting completely. When Genevieve leaves for a couple of weeks, Aaron spends all his time hanging out with this new guy, Thomas. Aaron's crew notices, and they're not exactly thrilled. But Aaron can't deny the happiness Thomas brings or how Thomas makes him feel safe from himself, despite the tensions their friendship is stirring with his girlfriend and friends. Since Aaron can't stay away from Thomas or turn off his newfound feelings for him, he considers turning to the Leteo Institute's revolutionary memory-alteration procedure to straighten himself out, even if it means forgetting who he truly is. Why does happiness have to be so hard?

On The Come Up

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The Hate You Give Pdf Chapter 4

Total Download : 214 Author : Angie Thomas language : en Publisher: HarperCollins Release Date : 2019-02-05

On The Come Up written by Angie Thomas and has been published by HarperCollins this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2019-02-05 with Young Adult Fiction categories.

#1 New York Times bestseller · Seven starred reviews · Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor Book “For all the struggle in this book, Thomas rarely misses a step as a writer. Thomas continues to hold up that mirror with grace and confidence. We are lucky to have her, and lucky to know a girl like Bri.”—The New York Times Book Review This digital edition contains a letter from the author, deleted scenes, a picture of the author as a teen rapper, an annotated playlist, Angie’s top 5 MCs, an annotated rap, illustrated quotes from the book, and an excerpt from Angie’s next novel, Concrete Rose. Sixteen-year-old Bri wants to be one of the greatest rappers of all time. Or at least win her first battle. As the daughter of an underground hip hop legend who died right before he hit big, Bri’s got massive shoes to fill. But it’s hard to get your come up when you’re labeled a hoodlum at school, and your fridge at home is empty after your mom loses her job. So Bri pours her anger and frustration into her first song, which goes viral . . . for all the wrong reasons. Bri soon finds herself at the center of a controversy, portrayed by the media as more menace than MC. But with an eviction notice staring her family down, Bri doesn’t just want to make it—she has to. Even if it means becoming the very thing the public has made her out to be. Insightful, unflinching, and full of heart, On the Come Up is an ode to hip hop from one of the most influential literary voices of a generation. It is the story of fighting for your dreams, even as the odds are stacked against you; and about how, especially for young black people, freedom of speech isn’t always free.

The Tempest Tales

DOWNLOAD READ ONLINE File Size : 45,6 Mb Total Download : 268 Author : Walter Mosley language : en Publisher: Simon and Schuster Release Date : 2009-06-09

The Tempest Tales written by Walter Mosley and has been published by Simon and Schuster this book supported file pdf, txt, epub, kindle and other format this book has been release on 2009-06-09 with Fiction categories.

Refusing to go to hell in spite of his technical disqualification from heaven, murdered African-American everyman Tempest Landry is sent back to Harlem, where a guiding angel tries to convince him to accept judgment.

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Novel Title: The Hate U Give

Author: Angie Thomas

Genre: Teen & Young Adult African American Fiction, Young Adult Fiction about Violence, Young Adult Fiction about Prejudice

Publish Date: 28 February 2017

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[unearthlytravesty]

13th

Image credit: (Ava Duvernay & Jason Moran. (2016) 13TH . USA.)

The documentary, 13th is a film that discuses how the abolishment of slavery has devolved into the current prison industrial complex. Slavery was formally abolished with the introduction of the 13th Amendment in 1865 after the United States Civil War. Although the amendment abolishes slavery, it has a loophole embedded within it that allows those that are convicted of crimes to be treated as slaves, “Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction” (https://www.archives.gov/historical-docs/13th-amendment). This loophole was exploited to a disturbing degree in the southern states as they charged and arrested many African Americans with the most negligible of “crimes” and then utilizing this new found form of slavery to rebuild the south after the devastation of the Civil War. Along with this loophole, the South began to introduce Jim Crow laws that segregated people, under the premise of “different, but equal.” Of course, the “equal” was not actually equal as many facilities that were reserved for people of color were far worse than the facilities that were reserved for whites. These Jim Crow laws were finally removed with the passing of civil rights legislation during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. The laws were removed, but they didn’t disappear, as they evolved into a different form of repression and exploitation with the introduction of the War of Crime and the War on Drugs. This collective war on crime and drugs disproportionately (and still does) and discriminately affected people of color. This culminated in President Bill Clinton signing the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act which greatly increased the funding and impunity of the police. We can see the direct effects of this act today with the militarization of almost every police department across the United States. This act, along with the introduction of private prisons (which the state is expected to keep filled, even if there aren’t people that should be in it), has led: to the prison industrial complex that we see today that affects people of color far more than it affects white people; and to the misrepresentation of people of color in media. Some appalling statistics that were revealed in the film include: black men have a 1 in 3 chance of being in jail in their lives, whereas white men have a 1 in 17 chance; and black men make up roughly 6% of the population, but roughly 40% of the prison population.

Image credit: (Ava Duvernay & Jason Moran. (2016) 13TH . USA.)

This documentary ties into our Art150 class in many ways. In the first week of class we read Nicholas Mirzoeff’s The Shadow and the Substance in which he highlights how African Americans were not only arrested, or lynched for petty crimes, but often for crimes that they did not commit (Mirzoeff, 121). In the second week, we read Picturing Us by Deborah Willis which highlights the misrepresentation of African Americans in photographs and media which is a point that is heavily emphasized in the documentary. The film also highlights the violence and terror that black people have endured and still do. Some of this violence includes bombings, which was highlighted in Ronald Takaki’s book A Different Mirror, “In 1917, bombs destroyed the homes of several black families...Altogether scores of bombings resulted in two deaths and many injuries as well as the destruction of property worth thousands of dollars” (Takaki, 322). The documentary 13th, along with our Art150 class, has made abundantly clear the discrimination, exploitation, terror, and inequality that people of color have faced and still face today in the United States. 

References:

Ava Duvernay & Jason Moran. (2016) 13TH . USA. 

Mirzoeff, Nicholas. “The Shadow and the Substance.” Only Skin Deep: Changing Visions of the American Self, by Coco Fusco and Brian Wallis, International Center of Photography in Association with Harry N. Abrams, Inc., Publishers, 2003, pp. 111–127.

Willis, Deborah, editor. Picturing Us: African American Identity in Photography. The New Press, 1994.

Takaki, Ronald. A Different Mirror. Little, Brown and Company, 1993.

13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: Abolition of Slavery. (n.d.). Retrieved July 19, 2020, from https://www.archives.gov/historical-docs/13th-amendment

[lordsicheng]

Don’t Let Me Be Yours (pt. 1)

Im Youngmin x OC [NiceGuy!Youngmin x Bad Girl!OC]      Genre: Angst, Mature  W!: contains a bit of violence, profanity

A/N: this was requested, by the way! And I decided to make it into 2 parts. Part 2 will be up shortly or by tomorrow. ^^

-

Walking with eyes fixed on feet, you were on your way to your first day of the second semester at university. You were neatly dressed, wearing a relaxed boyfriend shirt, a leather jacket and some skinny jeans with white sneakers. You hum to a random tune as you walk your way into the campus with your sling bag on your shoulder, minding your own business. On your way, someone accidentally bumped into you and dropped a couple of his books in the process

“Oh, I’m sorry.” you apologized as you slowly tried to pick up his books, but he already managed to pick them all up by himself because of his fast reflexes

“It’s fine.” he smiled as he hurriedly walked away, disappearing into a crowd of students around the halls of the building. You just shrugged and went back to where you were headed, still humming

-

“Okay, class. Today is the first day for this semester, and welcome to Historical Geography, section B.” your professor smiled as he greeted the class in the auditorium

“Good morning, Professor.” everyone greeted him as they took their seats. As the professor proceeded on showing his presentation for the class introduction, a young man hurriedly arrives and sits just a row behind you, and you glanced over to his side to see it was the same guy who you bumped into earlier. Once he finally sat down, you turned to face to the direction of the professor, who was clearly into the topic he was explaining. You yawned a couple of times during class, and glanced over to your watch too often, obviously bored and uninterested.

You took a glance to the row behind you to check if the guy you bumped into was still there, and he just stared at the stage to where the professor was, and blinked a couple of times before he could look around until he saw you. Once he did, you immediately darted your eyes to the professor, making it a little too obvious that you were staring. You mentally slapped yourself for being so obvious about your gestures that you just sighed and tried your best to listen to the professor.

Once the class was over after two long and boring hours, you rushed out of the auditorium and didn’t even care to look at where the guy you embarrassed yourself to was. While running, the guy saw you and noticed you dropped a small envelope, and he grabbed it immediately to hide it and give it back to you in case he runs into you again.

-

You ran all the way to the nearby burger joint, where there was an alley behind it where you, your friends, and your boyfriend, Jonghyun, often met. You went inside the restaurant to see your friends sit at a table near the counter, and one of your friends, Yujin, waved and gestured for you to come over.

“Hey guys.” you smiled as you took a seat next to Yujin, facing the window

“Hey, y/n. So, plans for tomorrow night?” another one of your friends, Sooyoung, asked

“Same old, same old.” you chuckled as you rested your elbows on the table

“Has he arrived yet?” you asked as you didn’t hesitate on sipping on Yujin’s milkshake

“There he is.” Yujin pointed to the window by the door, seeing Jonghyun walk pass the restaurant and off to the alley behind it

“Be right back.” you winked as you stood up to go out and meet Jonghyun at the back of the restaurant building

Slowly walking to your way, you saw Jonghyun by the dumpster taking a smoke. You saw his friends Dongho and Sanggyun next to him, just looking around and making sure no one else saw all of you. You slowly walked your way to them, and grabbed an envelope from your leather jacket once you were in front of Jonghyun.

“Got the money?” he raised a brow as he leaned his back on the wall, arms crossed

You just smirked and grabbed the envelope and gave it to Jonghyun, opening it once it was in his hands. You were looking at Dongho and Sanggyun, both looking at the envelope and waiting for Jonghyun’s response.

Jonghyun just sighed, then looked at you

“See? I told you I could give it on time.” you smirked

Jonghyun just chuckled and sighed again, but his faced became serious after a while and didn’t hesitate to slap you hard across your face. You were shocked by this sudden gesture, and just looked at Jonghyun with your hand on your cheek

“What was that for?! That’s all the money I got since the past week!” you yelled as you took a step back

“You fucking idiot. This is a letter from your landlord telling you to leave your place immediately in a month for not paying your rent for three months.” he sighed as he threw back the envelope with the letter to you

“What?” you hurriedly opened the envelope again to see it really was the letter, making your eyes widen in shock

“Fuck.” you muttered as you took a deep breath and looked at Jonghyun

“I’m giving you another three days. If I don’t get the money by then, you know what happens next.” he smirked, walking away after with Dongho and Sanggyun following behind him

“Tss.” Sanggyun poked fun at you as he passed by in front of you walking away

You became really angry because you already did everything Jonghyun asked you to do for the past month since you both were dating. You didn’t even feel like you were really in a relationship, but more of a business relationship. You marched your way back to Jonghyun and harshly grabbed his shoulder to make him turn to you, him looking annoyed.

“Do you ever think about why you’re going this to me you asshole?” you spoke fast, sounding really angry

Jonghyun just smirked and shook his head until his left hand harshly grabbed your neck, making you whimper in fear while looking at him become even angrier

“Don’t ever lay a hand on me without my consent, again. Understand?” he said as he ruthlessly dug two of his nails on your neck, making you whimper from the pain. You just nodded fast before he could pull his hand away; scraping a bit of your neck from his nails and making sure his nails left a mark. He again chuckled as he continued to walk away with Dongho and Sanggyun, you coughing from his sudden motion to even lay a hand on you. You continued to stand there until Jonghyun and the others were already nowhere to be found, and you went back inside to see your friends still at the table. You then went inside to see Yujin a little worried, and you just sighed and sat next to her again.

“How did it go?” Hyerin, one of your friends, asked

“Not good. I might have to work harder tonight.” you sighed as you gestured the waiter to get you a milkshake

-

You looked in front of your full body mirror, examining the mark Jonghyun left with his nails. It was still painful, and it looked quite bad. You sighed as you tried to find a small band aid to hide the scar, but you ran out. You then looked in front of the mirror again, and you noticed a small bruise on your cheek from Jonghyun’s slap, but it was not that noticeable. You tried to cover it a bit with concealer, but you still noticed the damned bruise. You just rolled your eyes and decided to let your long hair down today, making sure it covered your bruises. Besides, you only had one class that day and you didn’t want to look at anyone either.

You walked fast on your way to the main building at the campus again, and the guy you bumped into the day before saw you, his face lightening up as he grabbed the envelope from his bag and tried to walk his way to you. But he saw you were a bit tense and just looked down while walking fast, so his smile died down a bit and just put the envelope back in his bag in hopes he could give it to you by lunch time.

Your class was over by 12 noon, and you just hurriedly walked out of the classroom to get home since you barely slept the night before. The guy you bumped into also came out from his class just a room next to you, and he tried to look for you but he couldn’t. So he just sighed as he went on to get his lunch and off to his next class.

-

“Wow that bruise looks fucking horrible.” Hyerin gasped as you showed the scar Jonghyun gave you on your neck to the girls

“It’s not that big of a deal. We get bruises often too, you know.” Sooyoung scoffed as she blew out a smoke from her cigarette while leaning on her car

“Why are you being a bitch to me tonight? I hope you choke on your cig.” you retorted towards Sooyoung

“Guess that makes two of us bitches then?” she replied, sounding annoyed as she threw her cigarette butt in front of her and stepping on it to put out the fire

“I GOT THE MONEY! GET IN THE CAR!” Yujin yelled as she ran out of the bar with a wallet full of cash, probably from one of her clients she manipulated

All of you got into the car, with Sooyoung starting the engine in a swift and drove fast before the police and the owner of the wallet could come

“Drive to a bank nearby, we need to cash out the money on his cards quick.” Yujin told Sooyoung, and she just complied and drove off to a bank next to a gas station

“Y/n, stay here.” Hyerin told you as she got out of the car with Yujin and Sooyoung to use all the three ATM machines to withdraw all of the cash inside the cards Yujin stole

“Don’t forget to cover the CCTVs.” you said as they got out, and Yujin nodded as they ran off

Your phone suddenly vibrated, and you saw a text from your mom

“I’m at the city at the moment; my flight got moved a few times so I have a day for layover. I’m on my way to your apartment. See you in 30.”

You shrieked as you read the message and you yelled at the other girls

“HEY! HURRY UP! MY MOM IS COMING TO TOWN!”

“Fucking leave, then! We’ll do these ourselves!” Sooyoung yelled back

“Fine!” you screamed as you got out of the car and hurriedly looked for a cab nearby, but the road you were all in was pretty empty. So you ran your way to the other block to find proper transportation to get home before your mother could even get there first.

-

You arrived pretty quickly in your apartment, and you checked your phone to see if your mom called. You gave a sigh of relief as you just got there in 15 minutes, and hurriedly changed out of your clothes for a more appropriate home outfit. A few minutes later, you heard a knock at your door and opened in immediately.

“Mom!” you smiled as you hugged your mother

“Y/n! My baby. What were you doing?” she asked as she got inside your place and put her bags to the side

“Just watching TV and a bit of studying. Are you going back to Dubai?” you smiled as you sat on your sofa

“Yes, my dear. And I wanted to pass by before I leave.” she smiled back as she sat next to you with her hand on your lap

“I wanted to see you too.” you rested your head on her shoulder, and your mom played with your hair a bit to make you more relaxed

“How’s dad and the others?” you asked

“Dad’s very busy now, and his health isn’t in a pretty good shape. The others are still working hard on their studies so they could move here with you in the future.” she said as she started rocking you both a bit

“I’m so happy to have children who do well in their studies and follow the good deeds me and my husband made.” she said, chuckling

“I’m going to the bathroom, okay? It’s pretty late now so you need to sleep too. I need to catch up on my flight at noon.” she smiled as she stood up to get to the bathroom

“Oh and by the way, mom,” you called, and she looked at you

“You can take the bed. I’ll take the couch for tonight.” you smiled, and she nodded before getting into the bathroom

You sighed deeply as you realized that you were being dishonest about your current situation. Your mother thinks you’re doing well in university, you hang out with good friends, and you practice proper conduct and more. But you were actually quite the opposite right now; you were with a group who stole money from old men who would want to have a fresh and young girl to take home at night, even though you didn’t sleep with any of them. You were in an abusive relationship with a man who probably already started his own gang. You weren’t doing a lot well at university either; you even skipped class pretty often in the first semester. You just lied down on your couch as you looked at the ceiling, distraught while thinking about why you started acting like this out of the sudden.

-

You finished your class at the auditorium, and you were about to head out when a young man stood by you and tapped your shoulder

“Hi.” he said with a bright smile

“Hello.” you smiled back, remembering his face after you turned to look at him

“My name’s Youngmin, by the way.” he grinned, and damn he had perfect looking teeth

“Y/n. And I’m really sorry again for bumping into you last time.” you scratched your head as you apologized

“It’s nothing, really. Stuff like that happens all the time. Sometimes, the people who bump into each other even become friends.” he said cheekily, and you just chuckled in response

“Wanna go get lunch?” he asked, and you looked at your phone to check if anyone texted you

“Sure.” you smiled back as you both walked out of the auditorium together side by side

#mxm #im youngmin #youngmin #mxm scenarios #mxm im youngmin #mxm imagines #mxm drabbles #mxm reactions #mxm youngmin scenarios #wanna one scenarios #wanna one imagines #produce 101 #produce 101 scenarios #produce 101 imagines #req

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News Texas law protecting armed churchgoers debated after congregant kills gunman at Sunday service - The Washington Post

News

Prime Texas officials on Monday cited the actions of quite a lot of armed churchgoers who subdued a gunman of their sanctuary this weekend as a mannequin of how American citizens have to defend themselves from most likely mass shooters.

The attack, after which two church individuals and the gunman had been ineffective, got here two years after the Texas legislature handed a rules that licensed anyone with a hid-elevate license to bring their weapon into properties of fancy. That rules used to be a response to the 2017 attack on a church in Sutherland Springs that left 26 people ineffective sooner than a local resident shot the gunman outdoors the constructing and compelled him to flit.

The shooter who attacked West Parkway Church of Christ in White Settlement, a suburb of Fort Worth, on Sunday used to be killed by a single shot from church member Jack Wilson, a frail reserve sheriff’s deputy and Military identical outdated. Wilson, who owns a shooting fluctuate in nearby Granbury, acknowledged he started training fellow individuals to be a section of the church’s volunteer security team when it launched after the Texas rules handed.

“If there would possibly be any church on this reveal, in The United States, that used to be ready for this, it used to be this church,” Texas Lawyer Total Ken Paxton (R) acknowledged at a data conference Monday. “They'd executed their training. And I deem that it's most likely you'll possibly perhaps be also check it in the effects.”

He credited the contemporary rules with making the armed congregants’ swiftly responses that it's most likely you'll possibly be in a situation to deem, calling it a “mannequin of what other church buildings and other locations of business must focal point on.”

President Trump weighed in Monday evening, tweeting that the attack “used to be over in 6 seconds ensuing from the mettlesome parishioners who acted to defend 242 fellow worshippers. Lives had been saved by these heroes, and Texas felony guidelines permitting them to exhaust arms!”

But other reveal leaders took order with Trump and Paxton’s interpretation of the incident. Susceptible Texas congressman and onetime presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke acknowledged the shooting used to be a mirrored image of the reveal’s lax gun-control measures.

“Our representatives in Texas own left us commence to every person in all these attacks,” he tweeted. “Time to change our representatives.”

Gun-control activists known as out the payment of firearm-connected homicides and suicides in the Texas, which ranks in the heart of the pack nationally for gun deaths, essentially based on federal recordsdata.

“If more guns and fewer gun felony guidelines made Texas safer, it would possibly possibly most likely possibly be the safest reveal in the US,” tweeted Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Quiz Circulate. “Instead, it has excessive rates of gun suicide and homicide, and is dwelling to 4 of the 10 deadliest mass shootings.”

The shooter, whom authorities identified as 43-300 and sixty five days-identical outdated Keith Thomas Kinnunen, fatally shot two individuals of the church’s volunteer security team, each and each males of their 60s, someday of the Sunday carrier sooner than Wilson fired abet at him, officials acknowledged.

Throughout a vigil Monday evening, senior minister Britt Farmer acknowledged he had encountered Kinnunen at the church sooner than.

“I had considered him. I had visited with him. I had given him meals. I had offered him meals at other times he had been to our constructing,” he acknowledged.

A video of the attack, captured by the church’s are residing-circulation camera, exhibits the gunman sitting in a pew someday of the carrier sooner than the shooting. He stands up and paces hasty sooner than he speaks to 1 other churchgoer and pulls a gigantic gun from his coat at about 10: 50 a.m. He then fires in direction of the particular person he spoke to, hanging him and one other man standing nearby, as other congregants bawl and dive below the pews.

The video then exhibits a fourth man, apparently Wilson, shoot the gunman. No longer lower than four congregants with weapons raised droop in direction of the attacker, who had fallen to the ground.

The two victims had been taken to a health center but rapidly died of their injuries. The Texas Division of Public Security identified the males as Anton Wallace, 64, of Fort Worth and Richard White, 67, of River Oaks.

“We own now lost some gigantic males. But so many other lives would possibly possibly own been lost,” Farmer acknowledged at the vigil Monday. “I cherish this community, I cherish this church, I cherish this reveal and I cherish our country and I cherish our freedoms. And I’m now no longer going to let hazardous retract that away.”

Pictures of the shooting has been eliminated from church YouTube page, even supposing it continues to coast by social media platforms.

The FBI is working with local and reveal authorities to examine the shooting. Paxton acknowledged investigators are unsure of the gunman’s motive and are buying for folks that knew the shooter.

Kinnunen, who had old arrests for alleged assault, theft and possession of an illegal weapon, perceived to be “more of a loner.”

It is far “possibly going to be very worrying to resolve what his motivations had been, instead of perchance mental illness,” Paxton acknowledged.

Authorities acknowledged Kinnunen would possibly possibly own been transient and would possibly possibly need visited the church quite a lot of times.

“Sadly, this country has considered so a quantity of these that we’ve in reality gotten liable to it at this point,” Jeoff Williams, the regional director of the Texas Division of Public Security, told journalists Monday. “It’s tragic, and it’s a monstrous order, in particular someday of the vacation season.”

A spokesperson for the West Parkway Church of Christ and Farmer’s family declined Monday to address the church’s security practices. It is far unclear whether or now no longer the church monitors people that elevate guns into the constructing.

Farmer recently self-printed a piece of fiction, region in Texas Hill Nation, about an attack on the US by Muslim terrorists — an tournament, he writes in the e-book’s introduction, that he hopes “never involves droop, but, there would possibly be consistently that possibility.”

Because the memoir begins, a community of Texas ranchers inconvenience forebodingly about the presence of terrorists in the US. Later, as an Islamic Train flag is hoisted atop the Empire Train Constructing, they're happy to own stockpiled guns and ammunition.

“ ‘Weapons wished now,” the most major personality thinks because the crisis will get underway.

Forward of the contemporary rules, gun owners in Texas would possibly possibly now no longer elevate weapons into a dwelling of fancy without particular authorization from church leadership. The Sutherland Springs attack spurred Texas lawmakers in a Republican-controlled legislature to loosen the reveal’s gun felony guidelines so that they would possibly possibly pause so more without order.

While there would possibly be no longer any such thing as a particular rules that enables armed volunteers in locations of fancy, individuals of a congregation can converse their hid-elevate license to defend their non secular community, acknowledged South Texas College of Legislation Houston professor Josh Blackman.

Properties of fancy and other agencies in Texas are restful legally licensed to ban firearms on their premises. But in September, one other rules went into elevate out requiring a dwelling of fancy to post a impress declaring it's far opting out sooner than it would possibly prohibit licensed individuals from carrying weapons inner.

Conservative politicians and gun rights advocates credited the looser gun felony guidelines with saving lives.

“The mettlesome officers from the White Settlement Police Division had been on the scene in lower than two minutes, but these males who had volunteered for the church security team had already secured their church,” Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) acknowledged in a observation.

The National Rifle Association renewed its “honest man with a gun” protection of looser firearms restrictions in a Sunday tweet praising the armed churchgoer’s actions — a protection that gun-control community Newtown Circulate Alliance known as a “account,” noting that Wilson used to be “extremely educated.”

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) additionally praised the armed response.

Paxton added Monday: “We are able to’t forestall every incident, we are able to’t forestall mental illness from taking place, and we are able to’t forestall every loopy particular person from pulling a gun. But that you just would possibly perhaps even be ready cherish this church used to be.”

Paul reported from Unusual York, and Bellware reported from Chicago. Alex Horton and Alice Crites in Washington contributed to this myth.