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primrosechronicles · 8 months

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Domestic Moments

Zhang Hao x Sung Hanbin

Summary: Zhang hao and Sung Hanbin were an interesting pair, the two prominent male idols in the band “Zerobaseone” were known for their incredible chemistry both on and off the stage. Their bond was deep and intense, but they had a secret they carefully guarded from their fellow K-pop group members. Despite their passionate romantic relationship, they had to maintain a facade of being close friends in public, all while sharing precious domestic moments in secret. Warnings: ooc maybe, little to no mention of the other members Word count: 1573

The soft rays of the early morning sun gently filtered through the curtains of their cozy apartment, signaling the start of a new day. Sung Hanbin, had always been an early riser. He cherished these quiet moments before the world awoke, and he especially cherished the opportunity to surprise his beloved Zhang Hao.

Hanbin had always been a master of the small gestures that made their love story so special. He quietly slipped out of bed, careful not to disturb Zhang Hao's peaceful slumber. His heart swelled with affection as he watched his partner sleep, his features softened by the warmth of dreams.

As the aroma of freshly brewed coffee began to waft through the kitchen, Sung Hanbin moved to their small, but well-equipped kitchen. He carefully measured out the coffee grounds and water, a routine he had perfected over time. Each cup he made was a labor of love, a testament to his devotion to Zhang Hao.

The soft, rhythmic hum of the coffee maker filled the air, and Sung Hanbin took a moment to lean against the countertop, lost in thought. He thought about the journey they had embarked upon together, the ups and downs of their hidden romance. Despite the challenges, their love had grown stronger, and these quiet mornings together were the sweetest reward.

Soon, the coffee maker completed its task, and Sung Hanbin poured the rich, aromatic coffee into a pair of mugs, each one decorated with a heartwarming message. He added just the right amount of cream and sugar to Zhang Hao's liking, a small detail that made all the difference.

With the coffee mugs in hand, Sung Hanbin returned to the bedroom, where Zhang Hao was beginning to stir. His eyes fluttered open, and a smile graced his lips as he saw Sung Hanbin standing there, holding out a mug of steaming coffee.

"Good morning," Sung Hanbin whispered, his voice soft and filled with affection.

Zhang Hao's eyes sparkled with gratitude as he accepted the cup, taking a sip of the perfectly crafted brew. "You always know how to make my mornings better," he replied, his voice laced with warmth.

They sat together in bed, savoring their morning ritual, each sip of coffee accompanied by stolen glances and secret smiles. These moments of intimacy were a testament to their love, a love that was hidden from the world but burned brightly in the confines of their private sanctuary.

Zhang Hao wanted to surprise Sung Hanbin with a sweet treat – his favorite chocolate bar. It was one of those little joys that could instantly brighten Sung Hanbin's day, and Zhang Hao was determined to make it happen. Little did he know that this mission would take him on a chocolatey adventure across three different grocery stores.

Armed with a shopping list that had only one item – Sung Hanbin's favorite chocolate bar – Zhang Hao set out on his quest. The sun was shining, and the anticipation of seeing Sung Hanbin's delighted expression fueled his determination. His first stop was the neighborhood convenience store, a quaint little shop just a few blocks away.

Entering the store, Zhang Hao headed straight for the candy aisle, but to his disappointment, he couldn't find the beloved chocolate bar anywhere. He asked the store clerk for assistance, but even after a thorough search, it was clear that they were out of stock.

Undeterred, Hao left the store with a smile, ready to try his luck at the next location. He hailed a cab and made his way to a larger supermarket, hoping they would have the elusive chocolate bar in stock. The supermarket was bustling with shoppers, and Hao's heart raced with excitement as he approached the candy aisle once again.

Unfortunately, the second store yielded the same result – no sign of Sung Hanbin's cherished chocolate bar. Zhang Hao felt a twinge of disappointment, but he wasn't ready to give up. Determined to make the surprise happen, he decided to go big. He knew of a specialty chocolate store across town, renowned for its vast selection of gourmet chocolates.

After a long bus ride and navigating through unfamiliar streets, Zhang Hao finally arrived at the elegant chocolate boutique. He stepped inside, greeted by the rich aroma of cocoa and the sight of beautifully wrapped confections. Zhang Hao approached the counter and inquired about the chocolate bar, describing it in detail. To his immense relief and joy, the storekeeper knew exactly what he was talking about.

With the coveted chocolate bar finally in hand, Zhang Hao couldn't help but smile. It had taken visits to three different grocery stores and a journey across town, but it was all worth it for the look on Sung Hanbin's face when he presented this sweet surprise.

Back at their apartment, Zhang Hao carefully tucked the chocolate bar into a gift bag and placed it on the kitchen counter. He couldn't wait to see Sung Hanbin's reaction, knowing that the effort and determination he had put into finding that special treat would make the surprise all the sweeter. As he waited for Sung Hanbin to return home, Zhang Hao reflected on the adventure of the day, reminding himself that love was often found in the little moments and the lengths we go to make our loved ones smile.

He looked up and saw Hanbin taking off his shoes at the doorway “Welcome back!” he smiled.

Hanbin gave him a tired smile “hey…” Hao perked up at this. “Are you okay..?” Hanbin sighed and scratched his neck “Are the others here..?” “No.” “Good.” Hanbin walked up to him and gave him a loving kiss on Hao’s lips. He blushed and Hanbin laughed at his partner's flustered expression then moved to walk into the kitchen to get some water.

Upon arrival, he gasped as he saw the gift bag; he walked up to it and looked at the tag and it read ‘For Sung Hanbin’ his face lit up. “Hao! Is this for me?” His partner only nodded in response. He ripped it open and saw his favorite chocolate bar.

Hanbin tackled Hao in a biiiiiig hug “thank you” kiss on the forehead “thank you” kiss on the temple “thank you” kiss on his cheek “thank you” kiss on the nose “THANK YOU!!!” then one final kiss on his partner's lips.

“I really needed this.. It's getting so stressful being a leader..” Hanbin panted

Zhang Hao nodded “I understand, I saw how hard you were working so I decided to buy this for you, it took me like.. 3 stores to find the one you liked!”

“Aw.. i'm sorry that you went through all that trouble for me.” he frowned. “For you? It's always worth it." Zhang Hao smiled then gave him a sweet kiss.

Underneath a canopy of twinkling stars, Zhang Hao and Sung Hanbin found themselves immersed in the serenity of the wilderness. They had embarked on a camping trip to escape the demands of their busy lives and bask in the beauty of nature, and it had turned into a magical night neither of them would forget.

Sitting side by side on a cozy blanket, they gazed up at the night sky, their hands interlocked. The crackling campfire provided a warm, flickering backdrop as they marveled at the celestial display above.

Zhang Hao couldn't help but break the tranquil silence. "Look at all those stars, Hanbin," he said, his voice filled with wonder. "It's like the universe is putting on a show just for us tonight."

Sung Hanbin turned to him, his eyes sparkling with affection. "And I wouldn't want to share this moment with anyone else but you," he replied, his thumb tracing small circles on Zhang Hao's hand.

Moments passed and the night grew colder, and they instinctively moved closer, their bodies touching as they shared warmth. Wrapped in each other's arms, they lay back on the blanket, their eyes still fixed on the stars. The universe seemed to fade into the background as their focus shifted to each other.

Hao turned to Hanbin, his voice soft and filled with longing. "Do you remember the first time we met, Hanbin?"

Hanbin nodded, his gaze never leaving Hao's eyes. "How could I forget? It was the moment my world changed forever."

Hao smiled, his fingers gently brushing Hanbin's cheek. "From that moment, I knew we were meant to be together. Our love is written in the stars, Hanbin."

Sung Hanbin's heart swelled with emotion, and he leaned in to capture Zhang Hao's lips in a tender kiss. Their love, like the stars above, burned brightly and eternally.

As they cuddled beneath the vast, starry sky, their love spoke through the silence, transcending words. In each other's arms, they found a love that was as infinite as the universe itself. The night may have been dark, but their love illuminated their hearts, casting away any doubts or fears. Together, they were a constellation of love, their souls forever entwined under the watchful gaze of the stars.

A/N: another kpop fic! YOUR MILES MORALES FIC WILL COME LATER! i'm not really familiar with this ship, but my friend planted the idea to write this so here i am. PLS DONT SEND THIS TO ANY MEMBER OF THE BAND PLS DONTTTTTTTTTTT

#zb1 scenarios #zb1 imagines #zerobaseone #zhang hao #sung hanbin #haobin #zb1 #kpop #kpop imagines #kpop boys #kpop senarios #kpop zb1

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the12thnightproject · 10 months

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Chapter 46: About Time - Has Katsu finally made it back to the correct future?

Shingen x OC; Kenshin x MC (Mai)

Previous Chapter: Here

Logline - Disguised as a boy, Katsuko finds herself working for Shingen, but her dangerous masquerade becomes difficult to sustain when she falls for the man with a fatal secret.

Before I began my trek down the path to the lower shrine, I paused at one the cedar trees. The bark was still damp from the wormhole’s storm and felt rough under my fingertips. These trees had always been my favorite part of the Togakushi Shrine area. Their massive trunks instilled a feeling of comfort in me. Permanence. Their roots had been in the soil for generations. But now, knowing that they hadn’t been here during the Sengoku era, I felt the weight of those five centuries pressing down on me. When I’d originally been swept into 1575, the shock had kept me from thinking of anything except survival. Now, as I looked up into those giant 400-year-old trees, I felt lost. The cedars had grown up in between the then and the now.

Maybe I had too.

By the time I got to the middle shrine, I was already on sensory overload. It was so loud. I had forgotten how much ambient noise the modern world produced. From the roar of the planes overhead, the low hum of electricity, the people walking by talking on cell phones, and a distant sound of traffic, my ears were ringing.

To be honest, what I wanted was to take a nap. I couldn’t of course. I needed to get to the entrance before the last bus left… and what time was it anyway? For that matter, what month was it? There had been a blizzard in 1582, and a mix of rain and sleet in that other timeline. But here, it was much more obviously Autumn. That didn’t mean that it couldn’t be the exact same date only hundreds of years apart – the blizzard Yuki and I rode through had been an early season storm, and global warming might have delayed winter here in modern Japan.

Below the middle shrine was a tourist information center with a small noodle stand. There was an American (or maybe Canadian?) group of tourists milling around the information desk, so I headed to the noodle stand, where the two clerks were gushing about some hot guy who’d been in there earlier. I waited patiently for them to notice me while they argued good naturedly about which of them he had smiled at more. “Oh, good afternoon. Would you like to order?”

Aware that I didn’t have any money on me and likely made a ridiculous sight in my kimono, I shook my head. “Um, my purse was stolen, and I lost my phone – can you tell me what time it is?”

Both girls were horror struck at the idea of being without a phone, and one of them pulled out an android in a case decorated by images of what looked like a K-Pop band. I didn’t recognize them. They were cute enough that I probably would have been into them if I had never time traveled. She unlocked the phone and showed me the time. Four-fifteen.

I knew I couldn’t get away with asking her what the day was, but luckily that was visible on her phone too: November sixth. It had been closer to the equivalent of November 21 when I went through the wormhole. That meant I hadn’t done a date-to-date travel. I wondered if it also meant Sasuke and Shingen were still in Kyoto, and not planning to arrive up here for a couple more weeks. “Oh, I’m sorry, I wasn’t listening.” I belatedly realized the girl had asked me a question.

“Did you want to get any food?” She buffed her phone on her arm, then put it back in her apron pocket.

“I wish, but stolen purse, no money.” I turned to go, but gratefully accepted the cup of tea that they gave me, likely out of pity.

Once back outside, I sat down on a nearby bench – looked like someone had already wiped the rain away – sipped the tea and contemplated my next move. The date had basically confirmed that Kyoto needed to be my next stop, although it was late enough in the day that I doubted I’d be able to find an open antique store in Nagano where I could exchange my dagger for cash. I was going to have to figure out a place to sleep – sleeping in a bus or train station didn’t hold any attraction for me. I’d rather slip off the trail and camp under a tree.

Tempting thought… but I was probably better off at least getting to Nagano and figuring things out from there. Maybe I could barter something at an internet café and find Sasuke online. Again, always assuming that I had managed to land in the correct timeline. I allowed myself a few more minutes to finish the tea before hauling myself to my feet. Alright, enough stalling. Get moving.

It took almost an hour to get to the parking lot, where a couple happy families were loading up their vans to head home after what probably had been a hiking outing. Several cars and a motorcycle were threading their way out the exit. Idly I wondered what had happened to Toshiie’s moped that that had been left abandoned in this parking lot seven years ago. Hopefully, someone who needed it got some use out of it.

The bus stop was empty – I checked the posted schedule, good – there would be another one coming in about twenty minutes. Could I con my way onto it with the same story about having my purse stolen? Might be simpler to give the driver a sob story about losing my IC card on the trail. It was, more or less true, although the trail I had lost it on was over four hundred years in the past. Guess I still needed to put those lying skills to work after –

“Need a ride?” The motorcyclist had circled the lot and pulled up to the curb next to me.

I turned with a ‘hell no, asshole’ waiting on my lips when he removed his helmet and gazed at me through those intelligent grey eyes. “It’s about time you got here, Devil.”

Shingen.

His name was a whisper on my lips, then I threw myself into his embrace. He caressed my face, touching my cheeks, my eyelids, my forehead, then he buried his hands in my hair, as the abandoned helmet fell to the ground and rolled across the grass. Then he crushed me against his chest and kissed me hungrily until I was dizzy and gasping for air.

“I missed the taste of you. Not even this century’s chocolate can compare to one moment on your lips.” He enveloped me in his arms, resting his chin on the top of the head. We simply stood there and breathed each other for a long moment. If someone had walked up that moment and offered a billion yen to let go of each other, I do not think either of us would have taken it.

“Are you ok now? Your illness? They could treat it here?” To my untrained eyes, he looked healthier - vital… but I was so happy to see him that it may have been wishful thinking.

“According to a large team of doctors, I am now cured. But it took a long time, and I was in the hospital several weeks.” He pushed my hair out of my face and looked down at me. “It was a benign lung tumor, but it was pressing against my throat, causing the chronic pneumonia. They removed it surgically.”

Then it had been worth it. The knowledge that he was alive and healthy released that dark worry that had dogged my days and nights. Being apart from him these past three months had been difficult, especially not knowing if modern medicine could cure him, but he would live. He was going to live.

I held tighter to him, reveling in the solidity of his body against mine, the soft leather of his bomber jacket under my fingertips. I wanted to tell him about Toshiie, and Nao, but what came out of my mouth was, “You learned how to drive a motorcycle in three months?”

He stilled, and when he spoke, his voice was rough with worry. “A year. It’s been over a year.”

A year?

Had my encounter with the fog lasted that long? The memory of that first claustrophobic trip that spit me out into the wrong timeline overwhelmed me, almost as if the dizzying grey was taking over again. For a moment, I thought I might throw up, though after a year what would even be in my stomach? The overwhelming background noises faded away. I felt myself slipping into—

My girlfriend fainted. She was very tired after a long hike. Do you have any water?

Katsuko. Come on, Devil, wake up. Katsu.

But this time, there was a voice calling me out of the grey. I opened my eyes. We were on the bench of the bus stop, and Shingen was cradling me in his arms. At the look of sheer panic on his face, I tried to wave away the worry. “It’s ok. The thought that I was stuck in that thing for over a year kind of… freaked me out. Oh… thank you!” One of the kids who had been in the parking lot brought me a bottle of water.

I downed half the bottle in two gulps, only just noticing how thirsty I felt, even after getting that cup of tea along the trail. “Maybe I was dehydrated too.” I finished off the water, while Shingen kept his grip firmly around me. I didn’t think I was likely to faint again, but I wasn’t going to argue with being held.

“What I think, is that you’re exhausted.” Shingen pushed my hair out of my eyes. There was just enough vanity in me to worry about what my hair looked like after a year of not being brushed.

‘Exhausted’ might be going a bit too far, but since the rest of the evening passed in a blur, from the short motorcycle ride back to the hotel suite in Nagano that he and Sasuke were sharing; to a shower that I sleepwalked through, he might have been right.

I wish I had been awake enough to enjoy both of those experiences. Once clean and dry, and wearing a comfy Henley top that I borrowed from Shingen (“stealing my clothes again, Devil?” “You have several identical ones, you’ll never miss it.”), I was curled up on the sofa, tucked comfortably under Shingen’s arm while we waited for Sasuke to return from the observatory in Nodeyama, where he’d been tracking all the wormhole activity.

It felt like I had been running from something and could finally stop. Running for years, maybe, since before I’d even gone through the wormhole. But maybe I had been running to something. To him.

“It will be a while before he gets here,” Shingen said. “Why don’t you go to bed?”

“The shower woke me up. I have a second wind.” Then I gritted my teeth to fight off a yawn. There was a part of me that was afraid if I went to sleep it would all disappear.

“Then, rest those pretty eyes for a little while until he gets here.” Shingen drew his fingers across my eyelids, closing my eyes with a butterfly touch.

I burrowed into his warmth. Mmm. Ok. Just for a min…

Warm bed… thick quilt… big pillow… I floated in a haze of modern comfort, then by slow degrees came to awareness that it was morning. When I opened my eyes, it was to see Shingen propped up against the headboard, phone in hand, intent on some sort of puzzle app. He turned, and looked down at me, his hair turned red by the sun shining through the window.

“Sleeping beauty awakens.” He set the phone aside on the nightstand, where I couldn’t help but be happy to see he also kept the puzzle box I had given him. “If I could paint, I would do one of you in this moment – relaxed, sleep flushed, burrowing in my shirt.”

Someone’s been catching up on fairy tales, I thought, before pointing out, “Sleeping Beauty was awakened with a kiss.”

Without another word, Shingen pulled me close and brought his lips to mine in the gentlest fairy tale kiss that within moments became less gentle and more arousing. Ok. Yes. More of this. He swept his tongue into my mouth, and rolled over, his hot weight on me and –

Ow?

I hissed at the sharp tight pain in my arm. Shingen stopped immediately. “Damn. I’m sorry, I forgot about your arm.”

What? I lifted my arm, pushed back the soft knit of the shirt to reveal a gauze bandage wrapped around it. I could see the faint hint of a butterfly strips underneath the gauze. I looked at Shingen, unspoken question on my lips.

“You had a gash on your arm. You were so tired you slept right through when we cleaned it up.” He gently ran his finger around the border of the bandage.

Oh. Oh shit! I remembered Iekane whirling out of my blind spot and slashing at me with his sword. “Iekane went through the wormhole. I need to warn Sasuke!”

I threw the blanket off, intending to leap out of bed, but Shingen pulled me back to him. “He knows. Last year, while I was still in rehabilitation, Sasuke went through at Togakushi to let you know how it was going. Yukimura told him what happened.”

So Yuki was ok then. I hadn’t thought he’d have any trouble with those bandits, especially once Iekane was gone, but it was good to have confirmation. Shit. He must have been frantic when I went into the wormhole. “Then you knew I was in the wormhole somewhere and hadn’t reappeared?”

“Sasuke has been monitoring the wormhole activity – there’s been a lot of it – and we’ve been travelling back and forth between here and Kyoto, hoping you’d come through at some point.” The words were matter of fact, but the concerned look on his face and the knowledge that I had been missing a year made me feel guilty for putting everyone through all that.

“I’m sorry it took me so long.” Not that I had been aware of the passage of that much time. If I had known, would I have figured my way out sooner? Or would the ‘messed up timelines’ have kept me trapped no matter what I did?

“I never doubted you’d get here eventually.” Shingen pressed a kiss over the bandage. “That said, I hope you’re comfortable here in my arms, because I’m not letting you go again.” He pulled me closer. “In fact, not only are you forbidden to leave my arms, I’m not letting you leave this bed.”

“I’m not sure I can leave this bed – I don’t have any pants!” I was not going to do the 1980s romantic comedy thing and walk around pretending a long man’s shirt was a dress. Only Madonna could successfully pull that one off, and I am not Madonna. Nor did I want to put back on the sweaty and probably bloodstained Sengoku period clothes I’d been wearing when I arrived.

“That’s one way to keep you out of trees, but not to worry. We did actually purchase clothing for you.” He linked his fingers with mine. “That’s how certain I was that you’d find your way through.”

I’m glad he had had so much faith in me. More even than Tosh, who had accepted without questioning the news that I had been killed (by a bear!... No, I wasn’t going to let go of that). “Thank you.”

“For getting you clothes? As much as I would enjoy the view,” he ran his hand along my bare thigh, “I realize you can’t walk around half-dressed.”

“I meant, thank you for believing I’d get here. Especially after -.” Even thinking about it made the feelings of guilt return. “We – I – betrayed you and I wouldn’t have been surprised if you never wanted to see me again.”

“I can’t say I wasn’t angry, especially at first – but your actions saved my life. According to the doctors who treated me, even though the tumor was benign, the secondary illnesses would have been fatal if I had waited much longer.” He rubbed his hand across his chest. “Sasuke had as much part in this as you, and I realized that once I forgave him, it would be hypocritical not to forgive all. Then you were missing, and all I wanted was to see you again… why are you crying?”

I was crying? I casually pressed my finger against my eye. Wet. Huh. I was crying. All I knew was that my emotions were exploding all over the place. “I don’t know. I don’t deserve your forgiveness because I’m not sorry. I mean, I’m sorry that we did things the way we did them, but I can’t be sorry because you’re better.”

He gathered me to him and let me snuffle all over him. “I could tell that last week that something was tearing you apart. I know you didn’t make that decision easily.”

This was true, I hadn’t, but… “I’d probably do it again.”

He stroked my hair. “You wouldn’t have to. I should have listened to you instead of putting you off every time you tried.” Yes, he had done that. “If I had known earlier what your mother had put you through – I might have realized what I was asking of you.”

Once again, he understood what was in my head before I did. If he had been of this century, or the previous one, I imagined he might have made a good therapist. Although the instances of transference would probably be epic.

“She couldn’t help it,” I said, almost automatically, then realized that implied he could have. “I meant-“

“I understood what you meant. I won’t leave you. You’re stuck with me, even when I’m a fat and bald old man.” He rubbed his hand over the back of his neck. “The old part of that equation is quickly approaching.”

I laughed at that image. I mean, sure it was possible given his eating habits, but, whatever – he’d still be him. “I’m good with that.”

“From now on, I won’t redirect you when you want to discuss the difficult things.” He put his hand under my chin, so that I was forced (not that it was a hardship) to look into his eyes. “And you too?”

“Yes, I promise.” I knew it wouldn’t be as easy to do as it was to say, but I was as willing to do the work as he was.

“I promise too, Katsuko.” He sealed those words with a kiss.

We would have sealed that promise with additional activity, had Sasuke not knocked on the door, apologetic, but impatient to hear what had happened to me in the wormhole. And, given what I had learned about the other timelines, I realized that a debriefing session was likely critical.

@bestbryn

#TBT12Lies #throwback thursday #twelve lies i told shingen takeda #ikemen sengoku #fanfic #ikesen shingen #shingen takeda

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scotianostra · 2 years

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Charles Macintosh patented the waterproof cloth he would use to make raincoats on June 17th 1823.

I think we all know about Charles Rennie Mackintosh and his contributions to Glasgow and Scotland as a whole, but the other Charles Macintosh, who gave his name to the coats he helped invent, deserves a bit of recognition too.

Macintosh started his career as a clerk, studying chemistry in his spare time, but in 1786 he left that profession to start manufacturing chemicals. He opened his own plant in the city that explored new methods of dying fabric - and when he hit upon the secret ingredient that would keep him and his fellow Glaswegians dry, it was entirely by accident.

Naphtha is a thick, oily by-product of tar. By using it to make liquid rubber, Macintosh found that if you sandwiched it between two layers of fabric, it would repel water and keep whatever was beneath it from getting wet. Crucially, the material was still flexible enough to wear - say, as a coat.

Initially, tailors were reluctant to use the new-fangled material - and so, seeing a gap in the market, Macintosh joined forces with Thomas Hancock, who had recently patented vulcanised rubber - and added the ‘k’ from Thomas’ surname to his.

Macintosh patented his design, and it was a huge success - even if the initial coats smelled a little strong and were stiffer than they are now. But once vulcanised rubber entered the equation, they were enormously popular. Everyone from the man on the street to police officers wore them, and the Macintosh factory was in business.

The very first coat they produced was a long riding coat with trouser straps to prevent the material from flapping in the breeze - while that looks suitable dramatic, it doesn’t really help keep you warm and dry.

The bonded cotton Macintosh invented is still used in the company’s designs today, although the fabric itself is made in Japan which then gets sent to the factory in Cumbernauld to be turned into the garments produced nowadays.

Not bad for someone who invented it all as an afterthought!

#Scotland #scottish #Glasgow #glaswegian #inventor #invention #history #raincoat #mac

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wiltedrosewritings · 7 months

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NEVERLAND IN AUGUST

I often tell myself I will no longer partake in writing tae fics bc they always turn out excessively angsty and melodramatic, and yet, I find myself here, time and time again.

short version: kth and poor decisions. salty air. beach shore. never meant to be. exchanges that slipped away into moments in time. a secret well kept, and then fallen into oblivion. seashells. skinny dipping. august, except it's not. you, except you are not mine. us, except there is no such thing. you were never mine to keep, or to lose.

tae's got a neverland complex. doesn't wanna grow up, bc it means leaving behind his freedom, but worst of all, you. or something like that.

proceed, if you are interested in the long version.

wc: 3.7 k

tracklist: 'August' by Taylor Swift

tense and POV: 2nd person and past

You are so easy to fall back into, as though we are molded to fit one another, a lock to its key, and it shouldn't be this easy to self-destruct.

Taehyung slipped away into the night when the crowd had settled and turned its eyes blind; when the topics of conversation had shuffled from his career and marital prospects to rather pettier, popular culture developments.

He averted curious gazes amidst the crowded streets as he meandered aimlessly. Like a compass with a damaged needle, he spun indefinitely, pressed tight between bodies. No sense of direction.

With a flighty gaze, he scoured the surrounding, illuminated buildings for an anchor, a sort of lighthouse, some sort of sign to pierce his attention, slap him hard across the cheek as the ground would if he would only stop falling. If the ground were to catch him and hold him, rather than cave beneath his feet.

Gloomy, dim eyes searched past the silhouettes of the skyscrapers, past the nomadic clouds, which veiled the moon's luminous halo, attempting to make out faint stars freckling the sky.

Not just any stars.

Polaris - a stable point, axis, around which the rest of the world's body falls and rises.

The star he'd chased with his siblings through the playgrounds long ago.

The clouds were too vast and dense, as were the crowds pressing in around him. Suddenly, he felt painfully sympathetic of Polaris's condition; the world seemed to start spinning around him, too; the ground at his feet warping with each unsteady step.

He didn't want to be central, polar. He wanted to be a fuzzy margin, ambiguous, never quite a start, never quite an end. The horizon.

He wanted to be too many things in life, and nothing at all, at once. It was dizzying, to say the least, to be tugged in every direction. To have so many quarreling voices beckoning your attention.

Sometimes he wished he could split himself into a million little versions. Split the burden between them.

He just wanted it to stop. The spinning. The encompassing chatter. The omnipresent stares. All of it.

He dipped into a gas station with a neon sign for a header and pulled the cheapest bottle of red wine from its rack. Rolled it over the counter towards the register clerk along with his upturned ID, only his thumbpad mostly covered his picture and name.

It was a quick swivel, quick enough for the clerk to nod in recognition he was of age; not long enough for them to register the reputation behind the name, the face;

not long enough for a light to flicker in their distant gaze and their mouths to fall slack in awe.

With a lazy grip on the bottle's neck, he swayed and weaved through the saturated streets, often slamming shoulders, until he sank into a dim alley, save for an overhead flickering neon sign, similar to that of the gas station, only just one flicker short of giving out.

He padded his way out to a quieter, sleeping street, and found himself a vacant bench to collapse onto.

It was finally dark, and quiet, and the margins of the world had seemed to settle about him.

There, he conjured up an affair with the shadows until he grew to question whether he'd become one. Whether the star-freckled clouds had encompassed and carried him away, to some distant Neverland. A place that could offer him an eternity to figure out the calls and wants of his heart.

His parents had omitted a truth from him. They'd omitted many through his development, opting for sugar-coating existence, but of all the ones, this one was unforgivable.

They had never mentioned how it is like the air in your lungs dissipates with each passing year. A blind habit forms: you start holding your breath just to get through a couple of gruesome hours, a shift, the day.

You wait for the afternoon to catch it again, but then the afternoons start growing burdensome in a way uniquely their own. It grows, the weight on your chest, drowns you and kills you slowly.

In his brief recollection tonight, he supposes they'd been unconvincing in their pretensions. They'd never blatantly admitted this truth but had often insinuated it.

He should have looked closer, not forsaken the fine details.

He would have noticed the drawn bags lining their eyes, the burst capillaries on the ivory margins.

He would have felt the exasperated sigh leaving their lips while bracing their weight against the counter, just trying to stand another day.

He could feel that helpless sigh, now. Infact, it had grown to become his.

A sigh which seeped into the quiet night.

Quiet, safe for the whir of cars on the highway, a couple of miles back; safe for the chirp of crickets nestled amidst bushes, shrubs.

Quiet, safe for the sudden exclaim of a nearby branch, snapped under unannounced weight.

Taehyung stiffened and used the bottle that had been resting on his thigh as leverage, in case he'd need to spring upward and dash -though, it would likely be less of a dash, more of a stumble and awkward trot away given his inebriation.

"Boo!"

He didn't startle, much too inhibited to have reacted within the acceptable timeframe.

Or simply, too unbothered.

Instead, he turned his head with a lazy, drunken gaze and there you were -- his Neverland on Earth, stardust lining your eyes, a shard of magic and dream and impossible possibilities amidst a limiting world.

The stars surely envied you.

You kicked the air, standing, waiting awkwardly, as if for an invitation from him to sit. You weren't sure if he'd appreciate you intruding on his hideout, even if it was a vacant restaurant patio, with rusted chairs and overgrown ivy.

"They are losing their minds looking for you, you know?"

"They are?" A smug smile tugged on the corner of his glistening lips. "Let them." He proceeded to lick the gloss away, tasting the bitterness of residual liquor with subtle tones of sweet vanilla and tart cherry. "Are you gonna tattle on me?"

He swung down the leg he'd had outstretched on the bench, opening a space for you. Welcomed your presence.

Your original reluctance dissipated, formerly pinched shoulders relaxing.

"I already did," you flaunted, lied, made your way across the patio, crunching over shattered stone.

As you lowered yourself onto the seat, he gestured the opaque bottle at you, whirling the contents around.

"If I'm going down..." he started, holding back a hiccup behind puckered lips. For an instant, his face twisted, as if bile had crept up the column of his throat.

He swallowed hard, and quarreled with the nausea wringing his stomach. "I might as well not remember any of it."

You'd feel nauseated, too, leading his life.

Sure, it was glimmery and luxurious, alluring and comfortable by every physical means, with everything imaginable so carefully crafted and tailored. The perfect life.

It was all pretend, shallow. A gilded cage is only ever still a cage, a prison, confinement.

It wasn't him - not the him that you knew. He was a free bird, meant to take flight.

The him that you knew would be up for spontaneous drives to the shore. He'd get lost out of an insistence to avoid using navigation systems. He'd blast every genre of music through the speakers, and somehow recall every lyric, even the ones that were in a foreign tongue.

The him you knew, would leave his shoes at every corner, flinging them off with irritability, complaining about how sore they made him, managing to turn it into a debacle on how suffocating it is to be trapped.

He'd walk on coarse gravel, all through the city. Come home with the filthiest soles, nothing short of charcoal. He'd defy every norm with the lightest of smiles, come spewing to you about the sights he saw on his adventures, the people he'd met, how he'd played soccer with a couple of kids from the neighborhood, how their mother had served him some jiggae and how it reminded him so much of home.

Then he'd guffaw, shake his head and tell you that it was weird how he could recognize the familiarity of home when he'd never really met it.

But you were, of course, biased in your belief that the only version of him that existed was the one he showed you. You didn't really - or simply didn't want to - accept that this version could be the manifestation of a persona, a theatrical mask meant to distract something deeper, more fragile, genuine, and lost.

Your accepting company allowed him to be a different version of himself, but it wasn't entirely the truest one.

"Get up." You slapped his thigh and turned the bottle he'd handed over, letting its maroon content pour onto the cement, stain it beyond repair. "I want you to remember tonight."

He groaned, collapsing his head onto his hands and ruffling his hair into a nest. "I had been enjoying that!"

"That..." You shifted your gaze to the ground and then back up at him, brows pinched in question. You couldn't possibly be referring to the same thing. "No one could possibly enjoy that. Abominable." You shuddered.

"It was cheap," he justified.

"You act as if you have no money."

"I don't! It's their money." He thrust both arms into the open air, gesturing to his puppet masters, to the strings sewn into his elbows and wrists.

At all times, he was being watched fall apart at the seams, and was scrutinized. The same life which had been breathed into his infantile lungs, never felt his. Instead, it reminded him of a plotted strategy on a chess board game drawn out for added torture. It wasn't a single, one-time commitment; it was a lifetime of sustaining choices that would remove him further from himself.

"Enough self-pity for one night. Come on." You rose, knees creaking a little. "Let's go."

"Where to?" He beckoned, still planted on the bench.

"Somewhere. Anywhere. Nowhere." The offer hung in the air, open to endless possibilities. Potential twinkled in your starry eyes; a million wishes and dreams birthed in a second.

You smiled, and stardust gathered on your tear line, rained down and dusted his sullen limbs until he was floating, made weightless, trailing after you.

"Neverland."

"What?"

"Let's go to Neverland."

You snickered and it was as if bells chimed, rang, jingled.

"What are you - Have you gone mad?" Taehyung hissed, dancing his weary gaze across his immediate surroundings. He'd rapidly grown weary, careful of an audience bearing witness to the spectacle you were putting on, in your lacy underwear. Locks of hair danced around your figure in response to a cool oceanic breeze gathering to greet you.

"I am pretty sure this is illegal. Illegal, T."

T, as in Tinker Bell, his personal version of a rose-tinged fairy, with a volatile temper, particularly when things don't follow your script.

Incredulously, Taehyung continued to mumble beneath his breath. The cyclical breath of the sea drowned his protests.

Your bra collapsed onto a mound of sand, forcing his lips mute. Like a fish hauled out of the water, his lips smacked open, shut, then open again, failing to close around the ghost of words he'd thought to say but suddenly drew blank on.

Cheeks burning flushed in that so fae way, you dipped your chin behind the curtain of your hair.

You shut your eyes for what you were about to do. Mustered the courage to follow through, to not feel vulnerable under his gaze.

Taehyung's unwavering gaze followed your hands down, before trailing up so fast he saw stars spinning around his field of vision. He felt he'd been thrown into Van Gogh's Starry Night.

Slowly, apprehensively, he let his eyes cascade over your silhouette, which grew smaller in the distance as you raced to the sea, desperate to hide in its embrace.

Growing envious of it, Taehyung ripped his top off his torso, and stumbled the length of the shore, quarreling with his trousers.

In his boxers, he stopped close enough for the edge of the tide to graze the tip of his toes. Retracted at the sudden bite of cold. "You are mad, woman." It's no longer a question.

"Look who's talking?" You twirled around, the water caressing your sides, sculpting you with as much love and delicate intent as a historic artist did his marble block. "Isn't this illegal?"

And something in you fizzled, like the air bubbles frothing against your lips on the crystalline surface. It filled you with confusing pleasure to leave a mark on him. To corrupt him.

You hoped your touch on him - your influence - was permanent enough to outlive all that would proceed. Permanent and deep like etchings on tree barks, or indentations on freshly cemented sidewalks.

The panic in his gaze had long dissipated. It blended into a palette of emotions. All unnamable, indistinguishable, but utterly mesmerizing, nonetheless, much like the colorful horizon behind you.

Delight. Amusement. Fascination. A twinge of flippant anger.

You drive me mad, woman.

Orange sherbet. Strawberry pink. Lavender lilacs.

Mad enough to rouge his own cheeks.

You'd like to stare long enough to acquaint yourself with each and every one of them. To name them all, and find where one starts, and the other ones trails off.

But the thought of staring, steadily into his gaze makes you restless, short of breath. As if there isn't enough air in the entire atmosphere to satiate your lungs.

You can't name the way he looks at you; it's foreign, but not frightening in its oddity. Still, you can recognize its danger, in that it's not a known way to look at friends.

You reclined your head onto the surface of the water, much as you would against your pillow after a long day. "Oh, it's heavenly, Tae." With your arms outstretched like the limbs of starfishes on the ocean floor, you floated. The salty medium carried the voice of the sea directly into your ears. The sound of your breathing and the beating of your heart amplified.

A bizarre reminder that you were indeed alive.

Splashing and thrashing echoed across the sea, and you instinctively curled in on yourself to find Taehyung visibly grimacing at the cold state of the water.

"Why did I ever think following you was a good idea?"

You beamed, droplets of the salty sea clinging to your lashes, where they refracted the setting sun, and it's like stardust in broad daylight all over again.

"You have to do it all at once. Don't think. Just do," you encouraged, watching as the delicate, thinly defined muscles of his torso flexed and twitched over the surface of the water.

His gaze was devoid, save for deeply creased brows caught in contemplation. A war with the limits of sensation. He held his arms linked over his chest to preserve heat, or perhaps hide his vulnerability.

Water pooled in the cup of your hand, which you splashed in his direction, aimed right at his handsome frown.

Victory ignited like an ember amidst your eyes.

He grew to shudder a few arms' length from you. Broad and strong shoulders quivered helplessly.

"You!" Then, those burnt-honey eyes pierced yours. Glaring. Fixed.

The cupid-bow lining his upper lip momentously twitched as he repeated himself "You-" His words stumbled over unstable, shallow breaths.

You withdrew into the water's embrace and watched attentively, as the waterline climbed up his finely detailed torso. Outstretched arms grew nearer. Burnt-honey eyes widened in a vengeful craze. Ivory teeth became bared underneath strawberry-red lips.

A frightened giggle of yours bubbled the water's surface rimming your chin.

Finally, with an inhale of courage, Taehyung lunged forward, took the blow of the cold front on, and wrapped you in his arms. His weight sunk you beneath the surface. You were a pair of tangled anchors.

Not having stored a breath in your lungs, you squirmed and kicked in his old. His groans were muted by the harrowing echoes of the abyss beneath the sea.

Strong arms tightened around you and hauled you out. You broke the surface with a desperate gasp, choking for breath between giggles.

Laughter echoed in his chest, and reverberated through you. It reminded you of the waves and siren songs you grew up believing resided within conch shells as a pig-tailed kid.

Since having shed your milk teeth and tolerated the gnaw of growing pains that accompanied such loss, you'd given up on childish fables of that kind.

On trips to the shore, there weren't hidden siren songs in the colorful conch shells you held up to your ear. There was only your younger sister cackling beside you, calling you a fool - but only after having tried it for herself first.

But much as you had convinced yourself siren songs didn't exist inside the shells, you'd also convinced yourself you'd never hear that laugh again. Somber. Baritone. A tad boyish, in the way it would crack unpredictably. So wholly yours. It was a tune you'd looped in your memory from the very first instance you'd heard it.

In that split-second, with his hands fanned over your hip bones, and half-moon eyes tenderly fixed on yours, the fables did not seem so farfetched. New possibilities were solidifying at the tip of your fingers. Your fingers grazed the apples of his cheek.

The possibilities were whispers in the crest of your ear.

You'd only needed to get far enough from the bustling commotion of the city to hear them, to realize they'd always been there.

An abstract somethingness would always exist between you two, just barely palpable.

The champagne had a mildly scorched aroma undermining its light fizz. You grimaced as it burned its way down your throat.

On any given night, you would much prefer a cup of tea to pair with the sacred act of slipping into bed; green, chamomile, on occasion, even aromatic Tulsi.

But tonight, you weren't trying to sleep, to ease a mild case of insomnia. Sleep would rob you of time both of you knew you didn't have.

After a couple of swigs from the dark bottle, your skin began to buzz. A denseness subtly amounted over you, as though honey were dripped over your body, every move lubricated, viscous.

Your legs were warm, draped over his in a languid, but intimate manner - almost grounding in nature, as if you were his anchor. You tethered him to the present pleasures, kept his mind off the anxious tomorrows.

His lips were sweet on yours and at times a hint bitter, like something you shouldn't have taken pleasure in tasting. A poison, that grows tolerable the more you ingest, but not any less deadly.

The tolerance being an illusion, an influence of the poison over you, foreshadowing its impending triumph, as you relinquish your willpower.

That's it. You were dwindling under its influence. Your mind grew heavy, like your limbs, with intoxication.

It was no longer bitter.

Rather, it became cloying, and you were innately and undeniably insatiable.

Taehyung hoisted your hips to reposition them over his, desiring your proximity. Possibly as equally intoxicated. The question hung over your heads in the shape of a watchful moon.

Who was the poison?

The hold on you was rough, but harmless. It was the gentlest rough-grip you have ever been subjected to. You allowed it.

"I shouldn't do this." Your shallow breath ghosted his swollen lips in torment.

He nuzzled the distance in desperation, and you obliged, tasting him apprehensively.

Just one peck.

Then, another.

And, what if, perhaps you held his lips in place with adoration and reverence. Held them in a warm hug, as if to shield them from the cool breeze blowing in from the sea.

Would that have been such a crime?

The set of trespassers that tore through your blouse certainly were (criminal). They robbed you of any and every modicum of self-restraint.

You were no longer holding his lips. You had long since graduated to a sculptor, molding them to your will with each measured graze. Simultaneously, you started to circle your hips over his, back and forth, round around.

"We should stop." Taehyung breathed raggedly into your neck. "Tell me to stop," and it came across as half-plea, half-demand.

You defied him, pulled him close, your breasts flushed against his sturdy chest.

You were definitely the poison.

You were a corrupt, filthy little thing. Loved it when he called you out on it.

Tonight, he held you like you were something, someone sacred, like you were ceramic at risk of shattering in his hands.

You wrestled his gentle touch, wanting him to defile as he'd done enough times before for it to not be mistaken with error, overwhelming tempation.

You were temptation embodied, but he never once feigned sanctity.

Equally so, if not more, you deeply desired to defile him, to permeate every inch of him until the crime became undeniable.

Fast, is how it unfolded.

But is there any better way to go?

Live fast, die young, right? Shine so bright you burn out. A phenomenal supernova. Watchers gathered to experience a historic event.

There certainly wasn't an absolute right or wrong way to go. But, if there had been, Taehyung was certain that way was fast. To burn like the dozens of stars in the sky, framing the quaint balcony. One moment there, the next gone.

He knew that his departure approached just as quickly as dawn brightened the horizon. He knew you weren't oblivious to this fact.

Something in him winced at the thought of putting you through it again.

"Tell me to stop."

"Don't stop."

"Tell me to go," he almost begged, groaning as you kissed down the column of his neck.

"Stay."

He wished he could.

A ringtone blared across the room, funneling out through the creak between the balcony door and the frame. It said what neither could bring themselves to utter.

Taehyung marched out of the room, half-dressed, delirious but with a direction in mind.

And just like that, the bitter taste returned to overpower your senses.

The whispers in your ears, grew deceiving.

Deceitful little lies. Impossible possibilities.

The possibilities that had grazed your fingertips crumbled into mounds of sand.

Sand, after all, is only ever withered shells.

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hividsmarttv · 1 year

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More Movies Inspired By Comic Books

You've heard of X-Men, but did you know these great movies are also based on comics?

Copyrighted image from Neil Gaiman's Stardust (1997)

Oldboy (2003) - Directed by Park Chan-wook, this South Korean thriller follows a man who is imprisoned for 15 years without explanation, only to be released and given five days to uncover the truth. The movie is based on a manga series by Garon Tsuchiya and Nobuaki Minegishi.

Men in Black (1997) - Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, this sci-fi comedy stars Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones as secret agents who monitor and regulate extraterrestrial activity on Earth. The movie is based on a comic book series by Lowell Cunningham.

American Splendor (2003) - Directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini, this biographical dramedy stars Paul Giamatti as comic book writer Harvey Pekar, chronicling his life and career. The movie is based on Pekar's autobiographical comic book series.

The Mask (1994) - Directed by Chuck Russell, this zany comedy stars Jim Carrey as a mild-mannered bank clerk who becomes a superhero with the help of a mysterious mask. The movie is based on a comic book series by Dark Horse Comics.

A Scanner Darkly (2006) - Directed by Richard Linklater, this sci-fi drama follows an undercover cop who becomes addicted to a drug that alters his perception of reality. The movie is based on a novel by Philip K. Dick, which was later adapted into a comic book series by Richard Sala.

From Hell (2001) - Directed by the Hughes brothers, this horror-thriller stars Johnny Depp as an investigator tasked with solving the Jack the Ripper murders in Victorian England. The movie is based on a graphic novel by Alan Moore and Eddie Campbell.

History of the World, Part I (1981) - Directed by Mel Brooks, this comedy is a tongue-in-cheek retelling of historical events, featuring sketches such as the Spanish Inquisition and the French Revolution. The movie is loosely based on the comic book series The Madhouse Glads by Jack Davis.

Timecop (1994) - Directed by Peter Hyams, this sci-fi action movie stars Jean-Claude Van Damme as a time-traveling cop tasked with preventing criminals from altering history. The movie is based on a comic book series by Dark Horse Comics.

Stardust (2007) - Directed by Matthew Vaughn, this fantasy adventure stars Charlie Cox as a young man who sets out to retrieve a fallen star for the woman he loves. The movie is based on a novel by Neil Gaiman, which was later adapted into a comic book series by Gaiman and Charles Vess.

RED (2010) - Directed by Robert Schwentke, this action-comedy stars Bruce Willis as a retired CIA agent who must come out of retirement to save himself and his former colleagues. The movie is based on a comic book series by Warren Ellis and Cully Hamner.

These 10 movies demonstrate that comic book adaptations come in many different forms and genres, from indie dramas to sci-fi comedies. Even if you're not a fan of comic books, these movies are worth checking out for their unique and imaginative storytelling.

#movie list #comic books #movies based on books #movies based on comic books

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beautifulxdreamers · 1 year

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{ K. DEVERY JACOBS | 28 | CISGENDER WOMAN ﹜ welcome to san francisco, GENEVIEVE ZACHARIE! just to make sure, you go by SHE/HER, right? okay, great. i just have a few questions for you before i can let you go.. how long have you been here for? TWO YEARS. where are you currently living? DOWNTOWN. what’s your current occupation? BOOKSTORE CLERK at/of THE HIDEAWAY but what’s your dream occupation? COMIC BOOK ILLUSTRATOR. wow! interesting. is there a secret that we can keep between you and i? GENEVIEVE HAS BEEN BUILDING A PORTFOLIO FOR YEARS BUT HAS YET TO SHARE IT WITH ANYONE AS SHE FEARS THAT REJECTION WILL MEAN THE END OF HER DREAMS . lastly, this is a bit of a random question but … what’s your favorite song? BOSS by THE CARTERS & that’s all they wrote, friend! we can’t wait to see you around the golden city!

details:

what can be said about gen’s childhood except that it was as happy as could be expected. as with any family, there were moments of tension, but the zacharie family was a closeknit one. the only child born to Elizabeth and Henry Zacharie, Genevieve was rather spoiled as a child.

her favorite memories revolve around bedtime stories. henry zacharie, a well known voice actor, breathed life into stories, his voices and characters having played a major role in gen’s early artistic journey.

she could always be found with a pencil and notebook on hand, doodling, capturing the characters that lived in her mind.

two years ago, gen moved to san francisco. the dream was to marry romeo jenkins and pursue a career as an illustrator. though she’s been curating her portfolio for as long as she can remember, she’s yet to actually act on her dream. the fear of failing and losing out on her dream too much of a barrier. so, in the mean while, she’s working at the hideaway, a local bookstore cafe, and feeling completely stuck and rudderless in life.

potential connections:

friends

roommate(s)

employer/fellow employees

exes (m/f/nb)

fwbs/flings (m/f/nb)

any and everything

#goldencity : intro.#genevieve.#genevieve (bio).

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kaleidoscopexheartss-a · 2 years

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I’VE BEEN WAITING FOR YOU

from within the hawkins lab: ellsie van hauten, the darling genius pianist/hawkins’ queen

the basics

full name: ellsie wren van hauten

alias(es), if any: ells, siesie, wren, van hauten, and number four

nationality: german american

age: 19

date of birth: 14 april 1966

hometown: hawkins, indiana

current location: hawkins, indiana

gender: cis female

pronouns: she/her

romantic orientation: panromantic

sexual orientation: demisexual

occupation(s): hawkins high school student/hawkins high school alumni, hawkins high student body president, musical prodigy, assistant store manager and clerk at hawkins music and record, hellfire club member, student at yale university, and leader of the hollow knights d&d club at yale

the physical appearance

faceclaim: skyler samuels

hair type: curly

hair color: blonde

eye color: blue

height: 5′6″

weight: she says it’s a secret

build: petite and slender

top ten on her personal playlist ( both canon and modern )

dream on by aerosmith

escape by metallica

kashmir by lez zeppelin

anesthesia ( pulling teeth ) by metallica

wish you were here by pink floyd

cirice by ghost

the other woman by lana del rey

goth by sidewalks and skeletons

mary on a cross by ghost

k. by cigarettes after sex

the story behind her

april 14, 1966 was both a blessing and curse to arthur and lisette van hauten, their daughter entered the world early into the morning. at an early age, ellsie was regarded as heavenly, being much like heaven and the angels hidden behind its’ gates. she grew up along side elder brother, lance, whom she throughout childhood often read lord of the rings and the hobbit with. very commonly she would watch her brother drawn or paint with their mother during their early years of childhood. her intellectual capacity made her an obvious target for what was soon to come. at a young age, she went missing, seemingly just disappeared overnight and not to be seen again. posters of her plastered the town of hawkins. the girl lived through the horrors of the hawkins lab, going through the hell that would change her life and eventually subject her to such brutality and violence never seen before. she was one of very few that was fortunate enough to escape the lab the night the massacre happened. narrowly escaping with her wits and her life. while her parents were overjoyed to have their little girl back, it was difficult for her to carry on a life that was some semblance of normal. the lab haunted her dreams and waking life, so her seeing a professional became the norm as her life carried on. anything to take her mind away from the trauma she had sustained, though it’s clear that she does not harbor any ill will towards doctor martin brenner.

one of her fondest memories is from when she was quite young. as her father’s political career started to take off, he began hosting public events where he would be able to meet members of the community. this event in question was a barbecue that happened during the summer months, when ellsie was about four or five. she recalled sitting at the playground and playing around in the sand when she was approached by a young boy. he had messy brown hair, bandages on his knees, and bruises on his legs and arms from playing outside. he introduced himself and said his name was steve. this would start a lengthy childhood friendship between she and steve harrington, whom she would often call ‘stevie’. luckily, he didn’t live too far from her, which made it easy for them to play together. steve would usually end up at her house when his parents would go out of town and they would spend their time playing out in the sun and in the creek behind her house. crafting dandelion rings for each other and causing minor mischief when they could, but usually they weren’t much to worry about. she was very happy and content with this friendship that they had, whether it was sitting inside reading a book together or her brother coming outside and hosing them down with water from the house, she was very happy to have such a close friend. the two were practically an inseparable little pair and were happy to just play and be left to their own devices, her parents trusted them not to get into any sort of trouble.

german is commonly spoken in the van hauten household, often between ellsie and her mother. lisette, her mom is from a german speaking family from switzerland. her mom was a foreign exchange student and met ellsie's father, arthur on her exchange in hawkins where arthur was born and raised. her parents were high school sweethearts and were shortly married after her mom returned to the states. ellsie grew up learning german and speaking it with her mom. her dad doesn't know the language, but he has an appreciation for it. she and her mom usually speak in german when her dad isn't around so they don't have to try and translate for him when he is around. it's hard to tell that ellsie holds any sort of traits since she doesn't have an accent like her mom. english and german are her two main languages, she someday hopes to conquer other languages like norwegian and others that hold similarities with german dialect. she also wants to visit where her mom grew up since members of her family still live in the homestead in switzerland. it would allow her to get to know her family more. her father and mother frequently take trips there, mostly to bring her aunt astrid home with them for extended periods of time.

this just goes into further detail about how and why she came to end up in the lab; at a young age, she was diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus, commonly known as sle or just lupus. it’s an autoimmune disease primarily characterized by inflammation, somewhat like arthritis, but it’s more severe and has many effects on the body. commonly it is diagnosed anywhere between fifteen and forty five years of age and tends to be more prominent in women. there is no cure for the disease, but there are medications around to help treat it to control the symptoms. her symptoms started to spring up when she was around six or seven years old. it started with the butterfly rash that would cover her face then the fatigue, constant fevers, inflammation, and occasional seizures followed. panic settled in on the family as they chased answers and looked for a doctor to help treat her, hopefully get her back to a life that was somewhat normal.

their search brought them to doctor martin brenner who claimed that he could treat her and possibly cure her, which was a lie given that there aren’t any known cures for the disease. however, her parents didn’t know that and were willing to hand her over in turn that he would just help their little girl. she was only six years old at this time and didn’t quite have a grasp on what was happening or know anything about her surroundings. this is how ellsie became a lab rat. fortunately for brenner, lupus can cause from brain diseases and damage, which enabled him to study it at the expense of ellsie’s freedom. she was labeled as 004 upon being properly introduced into the lab with the other subjects. now i realize that four was canonically one of the ones who bullied eleven, but for the sake of ellsie’s canon, this is not the case. none of the subjects were exactly her friends, but she often could seen with eight ( 008 ), ten ( 010 ), and eleven ( 011 ), the three that she felt the most comfortable being around. during her time at the lab, she always constantly seemed to be on edge. especially around peter/henry creel, who unbeknownst to her was 001. usually she was constantly displayed as wanting to go home, she missed her parents, her brother, and good childhood friend, steve harrington. frequently she would get in trouble for playing hide and seek and just hiding away in general. peter would typically find her, lightly reprimanding her and telling her that she would get in trouble with papa for doing it. when in reality it just provided her a small escape from this brand new life of hers.

it became increasingly clear that ellsie had became one of peter’s favorites, not that she ever got in trouble but it was clear that he favored her. he told her to hide that day, that day everything went wrong. as the massacre at the lab unfolded, she ran, initially having hidden under the bodies of those who had died. she remembered picking her way through all the death and carnage that surrounded her. when this happened she was twelve, not quite having an understanding of death and why this was happening so suddenly. while running to try find an exit and therefore means to a way out before she too perished alongside everyone else, she stumbled across one of the scientists who was in pretty rough shape and on the verge of death. due to her familiarity and trust she had forged with him, she stopped and tried her best to prevent him from dying. unlike some of the others, he was there purely to study the psychological portion of the experiments, someone who very disagreed with the ethics behind the projects happening within the sanction of the lab’s walls. he had actually been working on getting some of the kids out of the facility and back to their freedom. in passing, ellsie recalled him mentioning that he had a young son back at home and a wife that he loved dearly. this is one of the reasons why she had to try and save his life. she had been applying pressure to one of his many wounds to prevent further bleeding when he had grabbed her hand to stop her, handing her his security card. in his final moments, he requested to see a happy memory of his son and wife one last time and that she run. she fulfilled this last wish and walked him through a happy memory that showed him his wife and son. the scientist died in her arms and she immediately knew that it was a moment that she would never forget. blood on her hands to linger there for all time.

her lungs burned as she ran away from there that day, glad to be free of the hell that had kept her chained there. she reunited with her parents and spent a good while in the hospital so that she could be checked out thoroughly. this is when she started to reconnect with people that she had once been so close to. it was easy to keep the pain behind closed eyes and closed doors, leave people blind to it and unaware of what had happened and what was going on. knowing that she couldn’t just disappear and act like she wasn’t there at all. she just longed to be normal again, to be like everyone around her, but she knew that it had been far out of her reach than it ever had been before. it hurt, but she chose to just bury it and keep it where no one could see it. the lab left her with heavy trauma to recover from, often having nightmares about the events there. this stress led heavily to flare-ups related to her disease and she was shuffled around to see doctors almost constantly and she began to see a physiatrist. it would be a long road to recovery and even now she hasn’t fully recovered from everything. for a short while she was in contact with kali, but eventually she lost that contact that she had and just went on with her life as if nothing happened and she wasn’t concealing some big elaborate secret.

during elementary school, ellsie befriended nancy wheeler, barbara holland, and tabitha elwood. they were among the first of few that she came to trust as her life carried forward. later reconnecting with both of them during middle school, after she managed to escape the lab. for obvious reasons, she was insistent upon wearing long sleeved clothing to cover up the set of numbers inked on her wrist. a well kept secret. if not long sleeved clothing then her mother covered it up with concealer and foundation, anything to keep it from being readily visible by others. after an accident that paralyzed her mother from the waist down, ellsie became a dedicated caretaker of her and was usually seen aiding in pushing her mother’s wheelchair through the grocery store and various other places, often bickering with her brother about who got to do it. anything she could do to help, she did it, no need to be asked first, she just went straight ahead and did it without prior request. her love for music flourished when her parents gifted her a harp that had belonged to her late grandmother. she learned how to play the instrument and with ease. after learning to play the harp, she moved onto playing the piano which easily became her favorite instrument. beethoven along several others being her favorite composer, the first songs she learned to play were in fact written by him. all of her instrumental experience is in fact self taught, she learned how to play on her own and didn’t have any sort of teacher.

eventually she became engrossed in fantasy, reading books like the hobbit and the fellowship of the ring, it acted as a rich escapism for her along with music. her room is adorned with drawings that her brother made per her request and she’s extremely attached to them. reading books is what sparked her love for writing her own music for the instruments that she played. many of her songs are named after fictitious places or characters that were seen in the stories that she read. of course, this would later start a love for dungeons and dragons, which is something that she would keep fairly quiet, naturally holding a concern towards how she’d be perceived by other people. with her parents not really having any religious alignments, they didn’t mind at all when she picked up this brand new hobby of hers. it was even more so kept hidden when her father became the county commissioner which kind of put her in the spotlight and in the center of attention, especially when his career took off as a local politician. soon enough, ellsie was showcasing her natural talent for playing instruments to the public and community, becoming akin to a local sensation. branding her hawkins’ darling, this inevitably put a lot of pressure on her, but she played the part anyway. arthur did run for indiana state senator soon enough, which kept her dad and mom fairly absent later on and left ellsie to her own devices fairly frequently, meaning that she either ended up at the harringtons or the wheelers. so, she started to play music more intensely, playing instruments just came naturally to her and it made her happy. it was an outlet to put her emotions into regardless of the mood she was in. almost in a way it helped ground her to what was real so that she could focus on what was important.

high school took a turn for her. seeking professional help for her trauma no longer seemed to be working, this is when she started to use illegal substances such as marijuana to help her escape the pain. it was either bought by her with the use of her father’s money, that or her father bought it for her and easily covered his tracks. she joined band, partaking in both marching and pep band playing the flute, while acting as the piano accompanist for the school’s choir. ellsie sat back and watched her life slowly change around her, just trying her best to be at peace her intellect was shown through her grades and she became the girl that no one could touch, giving off dark and brooding energy. not only did she join band, but she partook in the hellfire club, playing dungeons and dragons. when everything started to happen following the disappearance of will and barbara, she found herself becoming involved and following the group to help solve everything that was happening. ellsie became notably emotionally distant as things around her began changing and barbara going missing and dying was the first of a lot that started to shove her and push her. it became increasingly clear that she had no means to cope with what was going on as the severity of her illness began to kick back up and continually interfering with her day to day life, trying hide to move with the tide when she inevitably just could not. her body was weak and she just wanted to get through high school so it could all be over. there were periods of time where she just wasn’t seen by anyone for days before she finally resurfaced. burnt out and trying to make peace with her broken pieces. a shadow of the girl that she once had been. just a girl trying her best to live with her illness and the tragedy born around her. often falling asleep in her closet on difficult nights with music playing. this however didn’t stop her from successfully running as hawkins high school student body president. the queens of hawkins, fulfilling that by being incredibly popular and just by who she was related to. she graduated the top of her class and was the valedictorian.

not sure what to expect when she got to yale, ellsie put together a dungeon and dragons campaign during the summer between her senior year of high school and her freshman year at yale university. long hours were poured into it and she buried herself in the materials to put something together that would absolutely blow everyone's socks off. it was to be a thorough and calculated endeavor on her end. upon arrival at the university's campus, she came in contact with some members, but it turned out the club didn't exactly have a leader and no one had come forward to pick up the pieces so the club was in shambles. with this campaign ready, ellsie felt it was her responsibility to help the club get off it's feet once more. the beginning was a bit rough, but soon enough the club was booming with activity and new members were joining and conveying their interest in the happenings. with the help of her players club earned it's official name 'hollow knight's club'. her first campaign lasted a semester and the second one acted as a sequel to the first. her summers are spent putting together new content and new campaigns filled with amazing surprises. so don't be surprised if she asks you to take it for a spin. she is always looking for ideas and is happy to hear input and pointers from others. especially considering that she receives letters from her fellow club members on any ideas they have on what they want to see next. she got a huge full sleeve tattoo to cover up the 004 on her wrist from her time in the lab. it was drawn out by her brother, it covers the back of her hand and goes up to her shoulder. the design consists of smaug coiling around her arm and the gaps are filled in with various scenes from the hobbit and the lord of the rings.

ellsie is a music major at yale where she participates in the school's orchestra among other things. during her study there she has been able to learn how to play some new instruments, much of her experience lays in string instruments. the instruments that she can play are the harp, piano, guitar, bass, violin, cello, flute, and clarinet, among others, but those are the most notable out all that she can play. she began collecting records and cassettes of her favorite bands and artists at a young age, she has an expansive collection that is kept in multiple places around her bedroom, both at her home in hawkins and her apartment in connecticut. more often than not, she can be seen laying in obscure positions on the floor while she writes music, commonly on her stomach or on her back in a corner of the room with her legs propped up against the walls. she likes to call it her creative genius doing it’s work, when it just helps her focus better and keeps her from pacing about the living spaces that she occupies. strawberry ice cream is a bonus during these sessions as it is her favorite, so she uses it as a reward for herself while she’s working on the task at hand. she has many books filled with hand written sheet music that she keeps and plays. this sheet music is not limited to the piano and in fact has written pieces for some of the other instruments that she is capable of playing. though a vast majority is written for the piano. ask her to write or play a song for you, she will absolutely do it with zero hesitation, she is secretly a people pleaser.

her return to hawkins during spring break was under unfortunate circumstances since her health started to decline and she knew she needed to be back home if it were to grow worse. there’s a corkboard with hospital bracelets pinned to it in her bedroom, one was added to it upon her arrival back home. it’s a sad sight, but it was kept in hopes that ellsie could overcome the worst of it and strive for the most normal of a life she could get. days are spent indoors pondering what it is she wants to complete before her life ends, especially with the severity of her illness, the likeliness of her living past thirty hangs above her head. she keeps to herself pretty heavily, not openly seeking her old friends out, content to just live in the background to see everyone live their lives. she worries a lot about people seeing how bad things are getting for her, so she tries her best to hide it. though, she is no stranger to when there is something going on. something is happening, she can feel it, as if it’s haunting her. the lab isn’t there anymore, it can’t hurt her, but wounds and memories are reopened to the past that keeps her prisoner. the memories she walks, they are not her own, who’s are they then? an open door that can’t be shut, not anymore at least. it’s open and moving back and forth in the wind. walk through the door and see what lays beyond it. “four, wake up.” there she is, sitting in her closet, blood dripping from her nose again. the lights are flickering and it’s hard to tell if the world is the waking one or if she’s trapped in a dream. the therapist’s office doesn’t feel the same anymore, it presents no familiarity. she looks out the window and suddenly she’s looking into the two way mirror in the rainbow room at the lab. “angel of death. you are a bad omen, guiding people to happiness before inevitability of death.” delusions and delirium. hopefully, one day the darkness will subside and it will be okay again.

the telekinesis is a given, something that’s kept as a secret and hidden away like it’s something that’s going to jump out and bite the next person that gets close. though she is most noted for her ability to walk through the memories of other, whether they are conscious of it or not. it functions a lot like eleven’s ability to find people, except ellsie doesn’t need to necessarily be blindfolded. all she needs is some of classical music playing and for the people around her to be quiet if any are present. when it does it’s work, she finds herself in a backroom type of setting that is just filled with hundreds and thousands of doors, usually she ends up in the general vicinity of what she wants to look at. the door is opened by her and she can go inside and walk through the memory and watch certain events happen and try to find what it is that she may be looking for. that being said, she can’t directly interfere with anything happening, she is just an observer getting to view. sometimes she does encounter a situation where a door is locked for any reasons or other, she still can find a way to open it without leaving the door permanently open so that it can’t shut. most close after she exits them and moves onto the next one. she primarily does this with her own memories, especially if she is feeling down or anything like that so she tends to visit memories that make her happy. though as of recently, she has been able to subconsciously do this while she’s sleeping. who’s memories she’s visiting? she can’t say she knows.

ellsie is very intuitive and excellent at reading people that she’s around. that being said, she definitely isn’t the kind to pry and purposely get herself into everyone else’s business. she’s quite easy to befriend and can be chatty if given the opportunity, especially if it happens to be something that she’s incredibly interested in. come be her friend and let her spoil you!

#❍❍❍❖❍❍❍ full time menace . ooc ❍❍❍❖❍❍❍#tw seizure #tw violence #tw implied kidnapping #tw implied death #tw illness #tw implied experimentation #tw blood #tw implied drug use #tw weed #❍❍❍❖❍❍❍ it's not the same as it was . ellsie van hauten ❍❍❍❖❍❍❍#❍❍❍❖❍❍❍ character introduction ❍❍❍❖❍❍❍#❍❍❍❖❍❍❍ background . biography ❍❍❍❖❍❍❍

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madellaine · 3 months

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Bet you rue the day you kissed a writer in the dark // Now she's gonna play and sing and lock you in her heart // Bet you rue the day you kissed a writer in the dark

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Madellaine "Maddy" Hsu

Nicknames: Maddy Birthday: February 15, 2001 Magic status: Half-mermaid (not really out, but not really keeping it a secret lol) Nationality: American Ethnicity: Half Chinese, half white Accent: Generic Disney Channel American Pronouns: she/her Sexuality: Bisexual Relationship status: Single Height: 5’5 Build: Lean, with soft curves Complexion: peachy Eye color: Green Hair color/length/style: light brown waves nearly down to her waist; hair is almost always down Tattoos/piercings/daily jewelry: double piercing on her ears, seashell on her ankle

⋆｡𖦹°⭒˚｡⋆

Occupation/Schooling: went to Lesser Keys Public School, a K-12 school I made up that services a lot of the smaller isles in the Florida Keys; went to Florida Atlantic University for college, majoring in English.

She currently works as a bartender at the Hunted Deer and clerk at Chapter Three, though she also tries to get her work published.

What would you find if you Googled them?: Her Instagram, some old short stories published in college. What natives would know about them: Not much! She just moved here! Social Media: maddyyywrites on IG and Twitter Other: N/A right now

character sheet || insta

#pinned post #about

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educationalinstitutesindia · 8 months

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The Ultimate Guide to Finding Your Perfect Bra Size

Finding your perfect bra size is not just about comfort; it's a journey toward enhanced confidence and support. We'll demystify the complex world of bra sizing, walking you through step-by-step measurements, fitting tips, and common mistakes to avoid. Say goodbye to discomfort, pinching, and sagging – our comprehensive guide will empower you to discover the fit that truly complements your unique shape. Unveil the secrets to exceptional comfort and style, and embark on a path to a wardrobe that lifts both your bust and your spirits. Here's how: Step 1: Find Your Band Size Bra Cup Size After finding your band size, the next step should be determining your cup size. To do so, use a soft measuring tape to wrap around the fullest part of your bust while aligning it with the center of your nipple and keeping it snug without being tight. Subtract this measurement from what was found when measuring your band and match it up to a bra size chart accordingly; for example, if your bust measurement is 38 inches and your band measurement 36 then that indicates an A cup bra size; so long as there isn't an excessively large difference between measurements that would mean an A cup bra size in that case! Be mindful that while this system is generally accurate, bra sizes tend to differ between brands, and don't be discouraged if it takes some trial and error to find something you like. To maximize your chance of finding an appropriate bra fit it would be beneficial to visit multiple specialty bra shops if possible. Once you know your size, be sure to explore all available cup options. Your breast shape (be it pear, apple or hourglass) could require different styles in order to provide optimal support. When in doubt, seeking professional advice from a salesperson may also be useful. They are knowledgeable experts who can guide you towards finding an item that not only fits well but looks fantastic as well. In addition, having your bra custom fitted can give you confidence to shop at home as well. Band Size Your band size - also called underbust size - serves as the cornerstone of your bra. This band should firmly encase your torso without pulling or pinching, feeling snug without being tight or loose. To determine your ideal band size, use a soft measuring tape to take measurements directly under where the band of your bra sits - either wearing it with or without padding will give a more accurate reading. Make sure the tape fits comfortably but snugly - rounding up to the nearest whole number as needed. Once you have your band measurement, subtract it from your bust size to determine your cup size. This difference in inches corresponds to letters; for instance, "B cup" refers to having a five inch difference between band and bust measurements (hence why taking both measurements is so essential). Taking your own bra measurements at home may seem intimidating at first, so if you prefer professional assistance it's perfectly acceptable to consult any lingerie or department store clerk for help. But if you prefer doing it on your own, all that's really required to make this task simpler and save time is a soft tape measurer and way of recording the numbers. Home measurements can be an effective way of keeping yourself healthy, but each woman's body can change over time due to changes in hormones caused by pregnancy and nursing as well as diet or exercise changes. Therefore, taking your measurements periodically, especially if your lingerie seems looser lately is wise. Rule of thumb states that for every inch you increase in band width, cup sizes should decrease. This practice, known as sister sizing, ensures your bra offers you all of the support that it should. So if your DD cup bra feels loose when worn alone, consider dialing down band size in order to tighten its fit. Underbust Size Many women mistakenly believe that bra size is a universal measurement; however, there are several key points to keep in mind when measuring their bra size. First of all, everyone's breasts vary in shape and volume. Second of all, standard retail sizing systems offered by most American retailers and lingerie brands only give an approximate estimation of your true bra size; typically this system works by measuring your underbust (or ribcage), adding four inches, subtracting that number from bust size, then subtracting band size; thus one inch difference equals an A cup, two equals B cup etc. Problem with this method: it fails to account for how your breasts sit on your rib cage. As a result, many women end up with bras that fit poorly across both band and cup size dimensions; now there's an innovative new solution! Luckily there's now a method that takes all this into consideration and finds their ideal bra size more accurately. Sister Bra Sizes is a new way of determining your true bra size using both bust and band measurements to get an accurate representation of what a given size bra should look like for any given individual. This method is far more helpful than simply giving one number as it allows you to see how different brands and styles of bras might fit you better than one single number would alone. To determine your bra size using the Sister Bra Sizes method, measure the circumference of your chest over the fullest part of your breasts while wearing an unpadded or lightly lined bra and standing up normally while breathing normally with measuring tape snug against ribcage and tighter around ribcage than normal - writing down results both inches and centimeters will make for accurate results. Once you have your results in hand, compare them against the sizing charts or calculators used by your favorite lingerie stores or online retailers. Your number typically represents your band size; while these tools will provide details about cup size. Straps If your bra is loose or the straps dig into your shoulders, chances are it's the wrong size. If readjusting straps is an ongoing problem or they seem too loose to begin with, then perhaps moving up one or two band sizes might help improve matters. At home, using a measuring tape can help determine your band size. Wear a non-padded bra while standing in front of a mirror with arms at your sides, then wrap the measuring tape loosely around your ribcage at where your cups meet - this should fit snug but comfortable - then note and enter this measurement into the Band Size Box below. Now measure your chest at nipple level. Subtract band measurements to arrive at cup sizes - this is an effective way to assess true bra sizes as they vary based on brand, style and shape. However, this may take trial-and-error as different brands, styles and shapes may have slightly varying measurements that differ. Once you know your bra sizes, try on one that comes closest to matching them. Lift your arms in the air and wiggle around a bit to see how your bra stays in place; if it shifts up your chest exposing space between bust and underbust areas then its band may be too loose, while if its straps fall off shoulders or leave indentations then its tight. Similar to what was mentioned above, breast tissue should remain within the cup without spillage over either top or sides. If that's happening to you, your cup size is too small; to correct this consider cross-sizing; for example if you wear 36B try 34C instead. Bra sizing may seem intimidating, but with just a few steps and confidence in finding your ideal size you will soon have no difficulty in securing the ideal bra size. No longer will you need to deal with unsupportive or poorly fitting bras that gape at your breast, ride up on your back, or dig into your shoulders; no longer will you wear out of date bras over and over (or keep holding onto them long after they no longer provide support) -- getting that perfect bra size is worth your while! Read the full article

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stuckonvenus · 2 years

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VIOLET MAYFIELD

i. The second youngest of a family of four immigrating from Canada, they all assumed that Violet would be the last Mayfield making their entrance into the world. If not because her mother was overwhelmed with her husband’s aloof nature and their twins’ unceasing energy output, because she was a little strange. Not as difficult as her siblings, but still somewhat of an enigma, which her mother’s family made quick note of and always commented on.

ii. Violet was never too concerned with social interaction. She’d much rather be absorbed in one of her astronomy books handed down to her by her father, who was once studying aerospace engineering before the birth of the twins, and often grew upset whenever she was forced out of the bubble she was more than comfortable remaining in forever. Upon being presented at family reunions or as the chubby-cheeked little one to the grocery store clerk, she assumed a glossy-eyed and uninterested demeanor, which most chalked up to a bad attitude.

iii. It wasn’t until she was in middle school and had a meltdown at lunch after a boy took a bite out of her peanut butter and honey sandwich that she was brought to a child psychologist, who diagnosed her with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Before she could even be prescribed medication to help alleviate some of the more daunting and stereotypical symptoms and help her focus better at school, her father left the house without even a note explaining why, although Violet always felt it was her that pushed him to the breaking point.

iv. Once put on medication and being placed in therapy, her social skills were slowly refined and she became more approachable than before, although she would always be mildly annoyed at the smallest of inconveniences and never took kindly to people trying to decipher her — or worse, patronize her because of what she had, or even worse, being mockingly nicknamed Spock by her peers. She made up for it by acing all her classes and graduating as valedictorian one year early.

v. Rather than remain in Montana where she was repeatedly scrutinized, she accepted a scholarship to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and moved across the country on her own at 17 years old. On her first night in Cambridge, she discovered an abandoned, emaciated ginger kitten and nursed it back to health with the help of her roommate, affectionately naming him Jonesy after the cat in Alien and keeping him a secret from the staff for over a year until she bought an apartment near campus.

vi. After attaining her Master’s in Astrophysics she was encouraged by her family to take a break and move back home in the hopes she could begin teaching in the local school system. Of course, this prospect only drove her further away, but instead of moving into an even bigger city she settled in Maine where she doubles as a barista and a lecturer at the observatory in town.

— BASIC INFORMATION.

BIRTH NAME: Violet Blake Mayfield. NICKNAMES: V, Lettie, Spock, Starling (by her father). PREFERRED NAMES: Violet. AGE: 25. BIRTH DATE: September 9, 1997. ZODIAC: Virgo. ETHNICITY: Caucasian NATIONALITY: Canadian-American. GENDER: Cis female. ORIENTATION: Bisexual biromantic. RELIGION: Raised Christian, now atheist-agnostic. SPOKEN LANGUAGE: English. BIRTHPLACE: Kalispell, Montana. HOMETOWN: Kalispell, Montana. OCCUPATION: Barista & Lecturer at the local observatory. EDUCATION: Master’s Degree in Astrophysics from M.I.T., working toward a PhD.

— RELATIONSHIPS.

PARENTS: Janelle Mayfield and Leonard Mayfield (absent, not known to be Departed). SIBLINGS: Three siblings; older twins Evan and Elsie, younger sister Joanne. SIGNIFICANT OTHER: None, one previous boyfriend. CHILDREN: None. PETS: Ginger cat named Jonesy.

— PERSONALITY.

ALIGNMENT: True Neutral. INTELLIGENCE: Superior intellect, very studious from K-12, offered a scholarship at M.I.T. which she ultimately accepted rather than choosing a university closer to home. STRENGTHS: Brilliant, focused, conscientious, modest, witty, enigmatic, reserved, cerebral. WEAKNESSES: Escapist, fickle, insecure, sarcastic, wishful, socially inept, clumsy, skeptical. AESTHETIC: Constellations drawn in notebooks, space buns, the northern lights, wishing on every first star you see, stargazing on a lawn, having your head in space, believing in aliens, never sleeping, listening to podcasts, crossword puzzles, losing yourself in work, the sound of chalk on a chalkboard, smell before the rain, handwritten letters, reading in the bathtub. THEME SONGS: Plastic Jesus by Tia Blake, Chinatown by Shakey Graves, In Dreams by Sierra Ferrell, Harvest Moon by Neil Young, That’s Life by Frank Sinatra. (guilty pleasure music is anything by Dodie or Tessa Violet.)

— PHYSICAL TRAITS

FACE CLAIM: Margaret Qualley. EYE COLOUR: Blue. HAIR COLOUR: Brown. HEIGHT: 5′8. WEIGHT: 127lbs. BODY BUILD: Lanky. TATTOOS + PIERCINGS: Big Dipper tattoo on the back of her neck, ‘Abandon Hope, All Ye Who Enter Here’ on right quadrant of ribcage underneath breast, and J.J.E.E. on the side of her left ring finger. Belly button piercing she got when she turned 16 as a dare, two lobe and one cartilage piercing on her ears. NOTABLE PHYSICAL TRAITS: Sun freckles that cover the bridge of her nose and across her cheeks, down to her shoulders.

— HEALTH.

ALLERGIES: None. SMOKES?: Yes, as a stress reliever. DRINKS?: Yes, occasionally. DRUGS?: Not since college. CHRONIC ILLNESS: None. OTHER: Avoids eye contact, has difficulty discerning others’ emotions, even more so her own, easily upset by small changes to routine. EATING HABITS: Orders takeout most nights, has always been too busy to learn how to cook. EXERCISE HABITS: Visits the gym every morning at 5 AM for a workout.

— PHOBIAS AND DISORDERS.

PHOBIAS: Loud noises, crowded spaces, any insects. ADDICTIONS: Astronomy, quantum physics, science fiction i.e.; Alien, Ex Machina, The Theory of Everything, WALL-E. Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (Blade Runner), 2001: A Space Odyssey, Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Cats, folky music, vinyl records, vintage clothing. MENTAL DISORDERS: Autism Spectrum Disorder. WHEN WAS THIS DIAGNOSED?: At age 13, treated with prescribed psychoactive drugs.

#violet — character study.

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anitabyars · 2 years

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Charmed by You, an all-new steamy standalone Stark Security novella from New York Times bestselling author J. Kenner and 1,001 Dark Nights is available now!

Former vigilante-for-hire Simon Barré has one steadfast rule: stay far away from celebrities. Too bad Simon’s first assignment at Stark Security is to protect A-list actress Francesca Muratti. He can’t even turn down the assignment, as that would be violating his second rule—never fail a woman. Now he finds himself up-close-and-personal with a high-maintenance diva whose flash and sass drives him crazy—but whose touch he undeniably craves.

The world might believe that Francesca Muratti leads a fairy tale life, but the truth is far darker. For years, she’s kept a horrible secret about her best friend’s death. Now someone is threatening to kill Francesca if she doesn’t reveal all. She needs protection, but there’s no way she’s going to tell the sexy Stark Security agent what she did or why she’s being threatened. Which means that in order to survive and protect her secrets, Francesca must pull off the biggest acting job of her career: she’s going to have to let Simon close, but not let him see her true heart.

**For fans of J. Kenner's Stark Security series, Charmed By You is book nine in that series.**

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

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About J. Kenner

J. Kenner (aka Julie Kenner) is the New York Times, USA Today, Publishers Weekly, Wall Street Journal and #1 International bestselling author of over one hundred novels, novellas and short stories in a variety of genres.

Though known primarily for her award-winning and international bestselling erotic romances (including the Stark and Most Wanted series) that have reached as high as #2 on the New York Times bestseller list, JK has been writing full time for over a decade in a variety of genres including paranormal and contemporary romance, “chicklit” suspense, urban fantasy, and paranormal mommy lit.

JK has been praised by Publishers Weekly as an author with a “flair for dialogue and eccentric characterizations” and by RT Bookclub for having “cornered the market on sinfully attractive, dominant antiheroes and the women who swoon for them.” A six time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious RITA award, JK took home the first RITA trophy awarded in the category of erotic romance in 2014 for her novel, Claim Me (book 2 of her Stark Trilogy) and in 2017 for Wicked Dirty in the same category. Her Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series (as Julie Kenner) is currently in development as a television show.

Her books have sold over three million copies and are published in over twenty languages.

In her previous career as an attorney, JK worked as a clerk on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and practiced primarily civil, entertainment and First Amendment litigation in Los Angeles and Irvine, California, as well as in Austin, Texas. She currently lives in Central Texas, with her husband, two daughters, and two rather spastic cats.

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My Review

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Charmed By You (Stark Security #7.5) by J Kenner published in the 1001 Dark Nights.

I was so excited to get another installment of Stark Security and as always this story was well written, entertaining with fantastic characters that pulled me in and kept me captivated from beginning to the end. It had the perfect combination of intrigue, suspense and romance.

Simon Barré first assignment with Stark Security is to provide security to A-list actress Francesca Muratti, after she receives a note threatening her life. And although it isn’t love at first sight, neither of them counted on their amazing chemistry.

But will Simon be able to keep Francesca safe without falling for the beautiful actress? You will need to read to get all the amazing details! You don’t want to miss this one!

Received a early copy and this is my honest review.

#socialbutterflypr #jkenner #newrelease #charmed by you #1001darknights #stark security #romantic suspense #hea

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