#fieldwork advice

[tiffanyachings]

a lot of ppl figured this out before me but life really does become less complicated once you stop worrying about labels and just get your grabby hands on any resources that help you. do i struggle with this thing because of my adhd or is it actually autism? fuck knows, but the advice for autistic ppl helped. is my funny relationship with femininity a gender or a sexuality thing? either way, cheers to the nonbinary teens for the chest flattening sports top recs. god knows how to distinguish between different types of attraction, but reading up on queerplatonic relationships took the fear out of the possibility of never experiencing romantic attraction again

#at this point i basically use labels like library categories. i know which corner of the internet i have to go to for advice #if it helps it helps! hope that helps #fieldwork

[scribblingapparition]

El Dios de la Brisa (K'uk'ulkan x reader) (1)

Summary: You are a passionate Marine Biologist who has lived in the Yucatan Peninsula for some time now. An accepted and welcomed member of the local village, you've been working through the heartache of losing your mentor and friend. You were not prepared for how your life would change and the discoveries you would make.

[Word count: 5,654]

. . .

There were many aspects of your profession that you adored. 

You loved the time you spent doing fieldwork, gathering information about the diverse wildlife that inhabited the oceans and letting hours pass you by while you swim among them. You loved aiding in the restoration of habitats and looking at problems from all the different perspectives brilliant minds brought to the table to find solutions. You adored rehabilitating injured animals and felt a great sense of accomplishment and pride each time you released an animal back into the water where it belonged.

All of that is your driving force behind wanting to make a difference and take responsibility for the planet we all share and have to take care of.

There were threats to that passion.

Phone calls.

“The funding that your mentor left you won’t last an eternity. Listen, I know you are grieving her loss. We all are. But you need to stop finding excuses to push aside the real work that needs to be done elsewhere. Your technique of lab grown coral has completely revived the coral reefs in Culebra. You really impressed everyone in Puerto Rico with that. We need you here.” Enrique sighed, you could hear him shuffling papers as he spoke. “You’ve taken all her things back to her family and gotten a look at what she was working on in Yucatán. It’s time to move on.”

“It’s really nice of you to call in every week to repeat the same thing. Really keeps the conversation interesting.”

“You always have to take things the wrong way.”

“I’m not taking anything any sort of way. I’ve already told you, there’s something interesting here that’s got my attention and I have no intention of leaving until I’ve understood as much as I can. Funding or not, I’ll figure it out. I always do. Like I did before her, alright? So, thank you for the call but I don’t need you worrying about me. You or anyone.” 

You didn’t enjoy being the sort of person that spoke to others like that but it’s what they brought out of you. You came from nothing and you had no one. Everything you had ever earned in your life you achieved through hard work and perseverance. You put yourself through school, through college, and with no help from anyone you managed to be taken under the wing of one of the world’s most brilliant marine biologists: Altagracia Alvarez-Delgado. 

Paralleled stories and a common goal had united the two of you and together a real change happened in the world of ocean conversation. Your mentor had a way of inspiring crowds with her mastery in storytelling and she could create empathy in the hearts of others that got them to care – to truly want to join the cause of being responsible, intelligent, beings that could change the planet for the better. For everyone. 

You had never admired anyone more. You never took a moment for granted, you never took her advice for granted, and you never took the many lessons you learned through her grace and humility for granted. You don’t experience loss when you don’t have anyone; her unexpected death sent you through a downward spiral you could not have predicted. It was in her honor that you traveled to her village to deliver the news of her passing and the last of her belongings. Her family had welcomed you, encouraged you to take up residence in her old cabin across the bay from the pyramid and gave you advice on how to find peace and comfort when you felt like you would never have it again.

It had never been in your plans to stay.

Now you couldn’t seem to leave.

You were naturally a curious person, always were. The draw to the sea called out to you like the hypnotizing melodies of a siren song. It didn’t matter if you never truly had a home because as long as you were by the ocean and allowed to get lost underneath its waves you would feel at home. There was something about the bay that called out to a part of you that was in tune enough to listen.

The first couple of months of living among the villagers you had taken to conduct undisturbed research of the area. Multiple times a day, Ines Delgado (your mentor’s mother), would spot your pack resting in the same place it always was in the shore line while you dove to the depths with your gear to spend time around the reefs and exploring the extensive cave systems. Each time you shared your discoveries with her over coffee. 

There is one thing you could not get over.

“Ines, sinceramente, he viajado por el mundo y he visto todo tipo de ecosistemas y hábitats. Con la forma que están los océanos ahora, muchos de ellos están en diferentes estados de sufrimiento, pero estos…los que veo aquí son casi perfectos.” You had told her both in a state of disbelief and admiration, knowing that whatever your mentor had started here was working incredibly well. “Lo que su hija ha comenzado aquí es brillante. Ella es brillante.”

(Ines, sincerely, I have traveled around the world and I have seen all types of ecosystems and habitats. With the way the oceans are now, a lot of the ones I have seen have been in different states of suffering, but these…the ones I have seen here are almost perfect. What your daughter started here is brilliant. She is brilliant.)

Shaking her head, her hands trembled slightly due to her age as she brought the cup to her lips to drink. “Es la protección de el que la ha guardado.”

(It is all due to his protection, that has kept it safe.)

“Quien es el?”

(Who is he?)

“K'uk'ulkan. La serpiente emplumada existe. Lo he visto. Inspiro miedo en mi, cuando lo vi. Estaba vestido en trueno y oro, plumas y perlas. Alas en sus pies y rabia en sus ojos. Espero que nunca lo tenga que ver otra vez. Mi niña, tienes que tener cuidado por dónde exploras cuando estás debajo de esas olas. Rara vez estás sola. Nada existe en el océano que la serpiente no permita.”

(K'uk'ulkan. The feathered serpent exists. I’ve seen him. He inspired fear in me, when I saw him. He was dressed in thunder and gold, feathers and pearls. With wings on his feet and rage in his eyes. I hope to never have to see him again. My girl, you must be careful where you explore when you are underneath the waves. Rarely are you alone. Nothing exists in the ocean that the serpent does not allow.)

You promised Ines you would be careful. In a world where aliens can snap their fingers and change the course of life in the universe it never hurts to be aware and respectful of the myths and the gods others believed in for you never know what you might encounter. You had smiled and taken her hand in yours when the words left your mouth and a promise to be extra careful was made.

☀

It did feel as if you were breaking that promise now as you left behind your phone, not wanting to answer any more annoying phone calls, grabbed your pack and gear and headed up the trail to the base of the pyramid.

There was no escaping the heat. 

It was simply impossible.

There was little solace to find in the shade provided by the thick foliage of the trees and the ocean breeze did manage to move leaves in gentle sways enough to reach you but your prayers to Kinich Ahau sadly went unanswered as the heat of the sun did not lessen. There were guided tours around the pyramid during the busy seasons where tourists invaded the peninsula in hopes of seeing, but never truly appreciating, the history that can be found in this land. One of the guides had befriended you and had mentioned a cave opening surrounded by an arch of hieroglyphics that housed the clearest water in the area.

It was believed to be a gateway to an ancient city forged in the depths of the ocean where the sunlight could not reach and many who still believed in the ancient gods left offerings for K'uk'ulkan.

Not only that but there were said to be schools of fish that pulsed light like eye catching signals that were rumored to be found deeper within the system. It had been mentioned a while ago and you had always had it in the back of your mind to see if you could spot and observe the fish. 

What better time to do it than after a call reminding you that you might have to leave this paradise behind soon because of funding, of all things?

It had taken some time to reach your destination as it was not a well traveled path. Making sure you were hydrated and ready to go, you began to suit up. Your diving ensemble was state of the art. The suit itself worked wonders for helping you camouflage to your surroundings allowing you for the best sights of the marine life that happily swam around you after they got used to your presence. You didn’t have to wear a heavy tank that limited your time in the water thanks to the mask your mentor’s genius friend had invented and the fins you swam with actually worked pretty well when you were in a hurry.

Making sure your pack was hidden away in case someone else decided to explore the area, you carefully stepped into the water. The mask you wore covered your face entirely allowing you the luxury of not having to let your eyes adjust to the water. You did close your eyes for a moment, however, to take in how amazing it felt to be completely submerged.

This was home.

You were beneath a pyramid that was built somewhere along the 3rd and 9th AD by a powerful and rich civilization, miles away from where others would consider your actual home, sinking into an unknown darkness without any fear of what might be waiting for you. So many others would not find this particular situation comforting at all but you did.

The water called to you.

Like the soothing song.

This was home.

- 

“Mi niña, tienes que tener cuidado por dónde exploras cuando estás debajo de esas olas. Rara vez estás sola. Nada existe en el océano que la serpiente no permita.”

(My girl, you must be careful where you explore when you are underneath the waves. Rarely are you alone. Nothing exists in the ocean that the serpent does not allow.)

-

Detaching the flashlight strapped to your thigh, you brought it up to shine at the cavern walls. You had been swimming for some time now, alone in the darkness, and though you had encountered some animals none of them were the glowing fish the tour guide had mentioned. What you had found, however, were intricate hieroglyphics that seemed almost untouched by time. Your eyes widened as you took in the absolute artistry in front of you.

How had they not been eroded by the currents after centuries?

You touched them and allowed your fingers to trace through the creases of the smoothly carved images. Had these been above water at some point? What did they mean? You could only make out a few images. Pushing back to get a wider view and moving your hair so nothing obstructed your vision, you listened to the sound of your own breathing as you moved the light further down; eyes eagerly searching for new wonders when suddenly your breath caught in your throat.

Eyes. You had seen eyes staring up at you and the moment your light hit them, whatever it was moved out of the way quickly. They weren’t the eyes of a fish, it looked human, it looked like a person.

You immediately moved your light all around you, twisting to see if you could catch a glimpse of what had run away from you. You had felt the water move and push against you as whatever it was swam away but it was back to nothing. It was just you in the darkness and the sound of your racing heart but you were no longer fooled. You were not alone.

Years of diving experience have made you become extremely well aware of your surroundings. You had to be when you spend as much time as you do in the ocean where the animals that lived there have evolved over millions of years to perfectly exist within the places you were not fully equipped to be in. That’s why you weren’t shrugging off what you saw as a figment of your imagination or a construct of your mind adjusting to the dark.

You saw a man. The eyes of a man.

And now you were seemingly alone but there was something there, something in the quiet shadows and you could all but feel his gaze. 

Movement came from underneath you and into the path of your flashlight calmly wandered a nurse shark. Large, brown, and gentle; most definitely a nurse shark. Your brain began to give you facts about how many different species of sharks are cave dwellers and how nurse sharks are most definitely one of many different kinds found in the peninsula. You tried to calm your breathing to the almost lazy movements of the animal before you who was not frightened at all. It was home, it felt safe.

Yet you could not just simply calm your mind enough not to worry.

There it was again. You could feel something beneath you. Remaining calm, you closed your eyes as tightly as you could, reminding yourself of so many different situations you had been in where the danger level had been much higher and never had you felt this much fear. Never once had you feared even the biggest ocean creature but a man, this man…

You pointed your flashlight beneath you.

Below, curling up ready to attack, was a giant serpent.

Its tongue extended past its wide open jaw and around the head sharp triangle-like spikes circled around it in layers like a lion’s mane. The light only reached so far but it was clear that it was posed in action and ready to devour you whole. 

K'uk'ulkan

Fear moved you before your mind could rationalize the giant feathered serpent to be nothing but a statue. You had never complained about the quality of the swimming fins you wore but quickly kicking your feet to get away from your perceived threat, you had moved too quickly right into a protruding hieroglyph that smashed into the shield protecting your face, your mask. You didn’t think that you hit it hard enough to crack but water began leaking into your mark by your eye, causing you to move both hands quickly to try and stop it. Your flashlight drops into the darkness. You cannot believe how unprofessionally you are acting and how stupid your decisions have been when you know better. She taught you to know better.

The water was now gathering beneath your chin. Your body was pressed against the cave wall, one hand trying to cover the crack in your mask while the other maneuvered around your bags around your waist to find something to fill the crack. Your hair bunched in front of you as you moved and during that movement something that went down to the cave floor and retrieved your flashlight.

You bet it wasn’t the nurse shark as the light turned off and the darkness did what the serpent wanted to do.

It swallowed you whole.

You centered yourself as much as you could and the water stopped as it reached your lips thanks to the plaster you had which you securely placed on top of the damaged part of your mask. It was not a permanent fix and you needed to get out of the caves. Now. Your heart was racing and you could feel your hand trembling as you gripped another flashlight from where they were strapped to your thigh but before you could turn it on strong hands grabbed your own and pulled you forward.

Instinctively, you thrashed against their hold hoping to escape but it felt like trying to pull your arms away from steel. You were pulled forward again and in the darkness your hands reached out and you felt…were those beads? A necklace? A chest? There wasn’t much time to determine what anything was before you were pulled further into the darkness. Whatever had you moved with the ease of an eel and the strength of a shark. It was disorienting being pushed around in total darkness with the water inside your mask splashing around, making you cough it out when your hazardous breathing accidentally made you swallow some of it. You could do nothing but let yourself be led.

You should’ve listened more carefully to Ines.

It felt like an eternity later but eventually you saw light. This cave you did not recognize but that mattered little as you were released and you began swimming towards the surface. You must be somewhere close to the surface as it seemed to be more than an air pocket where you were in. In the center was a platform, a perfect circle made out of stone that sat above the water and you gripped onto the edge with all your might ignoring the pain as you raised yourself onto it.

Your mask was the first thing to be removed as you moved to the center of the circle, coughing up water and breathing lungfuls of air. You were greedy after almost being sure breathing air was something that would never happen again. On your back, eyes facing the stalagmites reaching down towards you from the cave’s ceiling, feet still protected by the fins, and mask discarded next to you. You counted yourself lucky to be alive.

You had said it in your call to Enrique what seemed like forever ago even though it was just that very day. There was something about this place that refused to let you leave and your need to discover it, to understand it, had almost landed you a watery grave in the place you felt most at home.

Turning yourself onto your stomach, your wrists hurt where you had been grabbed and dragged through the water. Whatever it was, whatever that humanoid was, had the strength of a killer whale. You sat up and looked into the water. There was nothing there at first but then out of the water emerged a king.

You didn’t know who he was, what he was, but instinctively deep down you knew you were in the presence of something ancient, something above a human. It was like the water both clinged to him and helped him rise; a pure display of power just right there before your eyes. His hair was darker than the shadows of the caves, his neck adorned with gold and pearls, his eyes contained the rage of a summer storm, and on his feet…wings. 

Fluttering white wings. 

It can’t be…

He spoke in Yucatec Maya that much you were sure of. The pronunciation and formation of the words you were familiar with as the locals had tried to teach you one several occasions. It was too fast for your less than basic knowledge to pick out any words you knew but you did not need to be fluent in his language to understand that what he was saying certainly wasn’t good.

Then he surprised you.

“You have wandered around my home as if it belonged to you.” The anger in his voice was palpable yet he remained right where he rose from the water. “For many months, you pushed past the boundaries set in place and ignored the warnings to satisfy your own greed. My people have kept a close watch on you. You have trespassed for the last time, surface-dweller. What do you say for yourself?”

“I…” You struggled to find words, any words, in the presence of his might and fury. It may have been the incredible situation that you were in that made your mind override the need for survival with boundless curiosity and amazement. It was the only explanation you could think of for the way you sat up to look directly at him while your mind went wild processing and connecting what you now had knowledge on.

“It’s you. You’re…him. She was right. They were right! They truly had seen you. But the stories span hundreds of years, that must mean you’ve been alive for quite some time! A-and the reefs, the fish, they’re in abundance here. A thriving healthy community amidst so many disasters. If your people were watching me then-it was their work! I knew it! There was no way everything could be that pristine with the level of tourism, even with the help of the locals. It’s unfortunate to say that but it-it makes sense, you-”

He roared in Maya t’aan; though you may not have understood him exactly, you did understand context and his call for silence as his patience diminished. The cavern walls amplified his distaste as he stepped onto the stone circle before you. You bowed your head in fear of looking into his eyes again and kept your hands close to you in an attempt to stop them from trembling.

“My name is (Y/N) (L/N). I am a marine biologist and I never once intended to trespass into your territory. I have dedicated myself, my life, to the betterment of the oceans.” You explained through a shaky voice as he neared you, eyes firmly placed on the stone before you. “I may have wandered too close to places I should not have been at but I swear to you I meant no harm. Not to you, your people, or any creatures I may have encountered. Meent' uts, K'uk'ulkan.”

((Please, K'uk'ulkan.))

It felt to you as if an eternity had passed in the quiet that followed.

He wasn’t unaware of the state of the surface world. To be prepared for your enemy meant keeping yourself knowledgeable on their movements, their advances, their whispers. The reports he had gotten from his Talokanil is that you had an understanding of the oceans in ways they had not seen other surface dwellers have before. The ocean creatures calmed in your presence, almost welcoming it, seeking you out when you entered their home. You did not seem hostile or aware at all of their existence yet you chose to explore many of the routes created to lead to Talokan. You could never reach it. Not with your mask and suit that would do nothing to protect you from the pressure of the deep or the frigid temperature.

Your good deeds preceded you and just as your curiosity led you, unknowingly, to them it was his curiosity to meet the one his scouts spoke of that had led him to you.

“I have many names. My people call me K'uk'ulkan, but my enemies call me Namor.” He spoke with a deadly tone, causing your eyes to close as your mind jumped to the worst. “You have caught my attention as many surface dwellers have not. You are not welcomed in these waters and it will do you well to remember my words. Nothing roams my oceans, close to my people, without my permission and you do not have it.”

☀

There were many aspects of your profession that you adored.

Phone calls serving as reminders that your funding was running out was not one of them.

Being banished from the place you most loved by an ancient feathered serpent god was not one of them.

It had been a full moon cycle since that fateful encounter and you had taken a lot of that time to think about what the future held for you. It was difficult ignoring the call of the sea but that time had been spent being more involved with the village and carefully listening to all of the parts of their culture they chose to share with you. There were those that believed and those that did not heed the tales of the elders. You did your best to remain neutral but interested.

He had disappeared into the water after forbidding you from telling anyone of his existence and of what you had now come to know. Your mask had also mysteriously vanished. You had made it back to your cabin by the time the sun dived deep beneath the waves and for the rest of that night you could not sleep.

“Estos turistas! ¡No tienen respeto por nadie ni por nada!”

((These tourists! They don't have respect for anyone or anything!))

That’s how you had been woken up by a young boy named Mateo that you had befriended during your time in the village. He told you that there had been a big boat, painted in bright colors, that had been rented by some tourists a couple of times over; the boat was filled with men disturbing the wildlife and the boy had seen them wrestling a sea turtle out of the water. Mateo had shouted at them to stop from the shore but that did nothing as they did not listen.

The wind blew your hair behind you as you steered your boat in the direction of where the boy had seen the turtle go after it had been thrown back into the water. They’re fast swimmers and with only the light of the moon it would be a miracle if you spotted the injured animal but you had to try.

You were around the area of where the boat had last been seen by Mateo and looking back at the bay, you had moved farther away than they had been by a lot. But this is where your heart had guided you and you never doubted your instincts. You prepped the boat and lowered the anchor, quickly working on lifting the heavy ramp off the side of your little vessel preparing to have to lift a decent sized sea turtle. The bay was the home to many beautiful green sea turtles and though they were stunning, they were large heavy animals. Usually a rescue like this would be done by a team but it was just you.

You in the middle of the pitch black ocean you were told you weren’t welcomed in.

You were steady as the boat rocked and you held onto the railing of the steps leading down as you looked all around you and placed your hand in the water. This world had many living in it with special abilities forced to be kept secret for their safety. You did not believe you had any. You were sure there was nothing special about you until your early days on the field proved you wrong. You couldn’t communicate with sea animals but they did seem to come to you when they needed help. 

Too many things happened that had no real good explanation for you to brush them off as coincidences.

The ocean was a completely different world from the one you lived on, now more than ever you were aware of that fact. Regardless of what you believed was real or not, you knew you could not go searching for the injured one so you closed your eyes, gripping onto the side latter until your knuckles hurt, and called out to the animal.

You felt ridiculous.

You weren’t special. 

It wasn’t going to work.

Moments passed with no result and you had to fight the urge to just jump in the water, knowing the search would not be fruitful without your equipment. Your eyes watered and you scoffed at yourself becoming emotional. It had not been easy spending a month away from your research, away from laughing underneath the waves as fish darted around you and intelligent little octopi tried to steal your stuff. Just as it had not been easy to lose the one person who understood your need to be in the water.

A head with large eyes and hexagonal shaped markings popped out from the dark and soon the entire body came with it. The shell had been cracked, almost cut into. It wasn’t unheard of for tourists to try to remove the shells off the turtles to keep them as souvenirs and it angered you that it had even been attempted.

Your gasp of surprise quickly became gentle words of encouragement.

“Hi, beautiful, hello. It’s okay. It’s okay. You found me and I’m going to help you, okay? You’re a big girl aren’t you? I gotcha, beautiful. You’re so smart, all turtles are. I’m going to take care of you, let me just-” You had turned to face the deck and yelled.

K'uk'ulkan stood on the deck of your boat. Water rolled off his body and the moon silhouetted his imposing figure, allowing the pearls around his neck to glow on their own. The wings on his feet shook the moisture off of themselves and in his hand he held a scepter (or was it a spear, there wasn’t much light) crafted of gold and jade.

“You scared me! I didn’t even hear you-wait, your majesty, wait! I didn’t go back on my word. I need your help. Please.” You pleaded while frozen to your spot on the stern. “She’s hurt. She came to me for help. I can’t lift her onto the ramp and then onto the boat alone but if you could help me. Not for me. For her. Meent' uts, K'uk'ulkan.”

You had said it again. You had begged the god the same way you had done in that cave.

For the second time he was inexplicably moved to spare you.

The green sea turtle was young and healthy, you estimated around 200 to 250 lbs just by her sheer size. He showed absolutely no difficulty lifting up and placing the animal in the containment tub.

“I kept my word, you know.” You said as you quickly moved to grab a flashlight to inspect the shell. “I didn’t step into the water once. But this is my job, what I’m passionate about. I can’t just sit back and stay inside my cabin knowing there’s someone out here that needs me. If this gets me killed, so be it. Just let me make sure she gets treatment, an open shell like this is dangerous. I don’t want an infection to set in.”

You lost yourself in your work. Quickly diagnosing what you could without your equipment, writing it all down, and making preparations to get back to the cabin and contact the right people before you noticed that he was still there; watching your every move as you made it, concealing whatever he felt behind the strong confident body language of a god.

“You are different.” His head tilted to the side as he allowed himself to see you, to truly see you. “Her pain is soothed by your touch and you called out to her in the water. I saw you. How?”

“No, I didn’t do that. I was just, um, trying something. It’s a coincidence.”

“How did you know where to guide your boat in the darkness?”

You didn’t know what to say. 

“I’ve got good instincts. I have to take her back to land and call the closest rehab facility. Will you allow me that much?” You asked, not wanting to rush him and ask the deity that may or may not decide to end your life to leave so you could get the turtle to safety as quickly as possible.

He bowed his head in agreement and you did your best not to sigh in relief right in front of him. It was left unsaid but it was understood and this would not be your last encounter and that it would not be the last time the conversation was brought up. You didn’t think about that now, or you tried not to at least, as you started bringing in the ramp and calling up the anchor to start your return to shore. 

You had a job to do.

The god’s sentencing would have to wait.

☀

You had caught the attention of a god unlike any on the surface world had before.

There were no early signs of how much your life would change in the simple refusal of leaving the place you were slowly carving out a home after a lifetime of denying yourself one. The things you wished you could change were how you had gotten there; you would do anything to bring back your mentor. The past could not be changed but the future could be forged into whatever you desired.

There were so many stories to tell of how you got to where you are and you intended to share them. It’s been a long journey to get here.

To your boat sitting alone in the middle of dark waters, welcomed, with moonlight shining overhead.

With you sitting on the stern, hand in the water, calling out to the depths to the king that had stolen your heart as if it had always been meant for him.

It always took a moment and you could not see into the inky black waves but you could feel him approaching and your heart melted when a hand took yours within the water and laced your fingers together.

“You came.” You smiled, using your other hand to move his hair away from those eyes you loved so much.

“I always will when you are the one calling. Join me. I have much to show you.”

☀

((A/N: I'm excited to be actually inspired to write for the first in so many years! This is part one of many one shots that won't be tied to each other so they can be read in any order! If you got to this point and you want to talk about the movie, I'm just one message away! L'iik'ik Talokan!))

#namor #namor x reader #namor x you #black panther wakanda forever #mcu fanfiction #marvel cinematic universe #L'iik'ik Talokan #namor x y/n #tenoch huerta #El Dios de la Brisa

[dailyadventureprompts]

Faction: The University of Taloncliff

"Enter with open eyes and behold the truths of the world unending" -Inscription beneath the fountain of the pensive sage, in the gatehouse courtyard.

Founded by dedicates of Ioun who wished to study where the land met the sea and sky, the institution that eventually became the University was founded three centuries ago when the sages of Taloncliff found themselves inundated with eager pupils who had travelled far and wide seeking their wisdom.

Growing quickly along with the coastal village that supported it, the university is today one of the most famed and foremost centres of learning on the continent entertaining scholars of what seems like every discipline imaginable. If the party needs to know something, Taloncliff is the place to go.

Adventure Hooks

Gaining access to the halls of knowledge is not as easy the heroes may hope, as only those who have joined the university are allowed to peruse it's near endless archives and deep vaults of lore. That said there are other options: they might find a sympathetic ear at one of the tea-houses wherein students and faculty partake in the boisterous debate discouraged in the august lecture halls, or persuade a smuggler of forbidden literature to clue them in on the tunnels beneath the university's walls.

The easiest way to gain entry by far however, is to simply join as a student, bypassing the yearly enrolment process by earning an invitation as a renowned seeker of knowledge... or by having the party's noble patron purchase your way in.

Alternatively, you could start your campaign with students already enrolled as students of the University, engaging in a few apprentice level adventures before flashing forward to when they've graduated to doing fieldwork.

Also, I'd be remiss if I made a whole faction dedicated to learning and didn't mention my advice/system for how you should let your players research in campaigns, which you should check out before exploring the University's inner workings below the cut.

Though it appears stately and unified from outside, behind its alabaster walls Taloncliff is in fact a contradictory mess of overlapping "Curricula" like a dozen different organizations of varying sizes dressed up in a wizard's robe trying to look important. Each Curricula is named after one of the original Sages and follows generally in their footsteps, here are some of the most relevant:

Curricula Endaris: The prestigious institute of learning to which the noble families of nearby realms send their learning minded scions. Endaris gave council to kings, and her followers teach statecraft, diplomacy, history, as well as the good governance of the land itself. One of the largest factions and the one most likely to receive outside donations, Endaris maintains a strong influence over the rest of the university as holding onto its coin purse.

Curricula Jadek: Adherants of the knowing mistress who maintain the campus as part of their devotion and studies into more mystical forms of knowledge. They tend to be inward focused and act to balance out the other voices, giving them a respect that superscedes rivalry.

Curricula Gazerette: a wizarding school that functions like a music conservatory, looking to instill a basic level of competence in all students while hunting for talent that could be refined into something prodigious. Gazerette wanted only the best from his apprentices, and the cutthroat rivalries between Gazerette wizards are the stuff of legend, going back nearly as far as the university's founding.

Curricula Oddolgyn: Still headed by the ancient eleven astronomer of the same name, last of the original sages. This group operates out of the university's observatory studying the ephemeral patterns of the firmament and the multiverse beyond. Currently small and thought of mostly as dabblers It's been more than a century since they were superseded by Gazerette as the foremost of Taloncliff's mages.

Curricula Narthex: Adventurous and daring, the explorers of the Narthex always seem to be recounting their last great expedition or planning their next, even maintaining their own airship docks to make it easier to seek out new horizons.

Shortly after one of the party have really proven themselves to be a true asset ( or liability) to the school, they'll receive a note that says "seek to Know the secret of the waters, at the place where Torthane met her Mistress". This requires catching up on some very old University gossip, as well as tracking down some otherwise unnoticeable histories that are always misfiled in the library. Doing so reveals Torthane to be one of sage Jadek's first pupils, one who frequently clashed with her austere teacher about his insistence that dedication to Ioun and true knowledge meant abstaining from the physical world and the "earthly knowledge" that came with it. Torthane loved Ioun, but she also loved the ladies, and was said to meet with her lovers right under Jadek's nose in a particular garden that the campus grounds have since grown to encompass.

These clues further lead the party to the statue of the fountain of the pensive sage, which boasts a statue of Jadek poking his staff into a basin of ever rippling water. One who looked closely might notice a glow distorted by the ripples of the fountain, and that if the primary spout is plugged or diverted that the glow originates from where Jadek's staff disturbs the unearthly white sand that rests at the basin's bottom. (Leave a comment if you can figure out what the party will need to draw in the sand to progress)

With the passphrase entered, a secret stair opens in the cobbles surrounding the statue, inviting the party down into a dungeon crawl that takes them to the university's flooded foundations. After battling past arcane traps, more puzzles, and creatures of the tide, they stumble into a room wreathed in cascading water, in which the images of a dozen or more cloaked figures manifest and pass judgment upon them. The question that the figures are to argue: Are these trespassers cringe?

Some of the figures will argue that the party are indeed cringe, a never-before seen collection of narcs, fuckboys, killjoys, and karens. It will be up to the party to plead their case. If they manage to win over a majority of the crowd then the waters will part and they'll be invited into the secret headquarters/speakeasy of Curricula Torthane, the resident secret society of Taloncliff made up of all those who are willing to bend the rules and collaborate in the pursuit of knowledge and those little pleasures that are so often neglected in scholastic dourness. You haven't lived till you've had wizard moonshine, so cheers and bottoms up troublemakers.

Further adventures

I'll be adding more Taloncliff adventures in the future, so feel free to check out my blog.

While the party is sure to meet no end of red tape as they explore the campus, they'll make an easy ally in Oroteia, a rising star in the Gazerette and Narthex Curricula who seeks to overturn every expectation placed on her by her by others after discovering her lowborn country origins. Blazing a trail through the University's establishment, she'll see the party as useful allies against whatever campaign level threats the rest of the institution is too set in their ways to even contemplate dealing with.

#faction #wizard #seeking knowledge #ioun #heist #press start #seaside #seaside settlement #mystery #arcane dungeon #arcane #taloncliff

[yuurei20]

Rook Info Compilation part 8: Stalking and Lying

Rook will secretly observe people from afar and appear without warning, which we see him to do Deuce, Grim and Ace (twice), Kalim, Leona and Trey.

Rook explains that the trick to hunting is closely observing one’s target, which would explain the vignette where we learn he once stalked Jade for several days.

Jade notices him on his own and eventually confronts him at Azul’s behest. Rook says he took an interest in Jade as a sea creature on land: “Your eating habits, idiosyncrasies, sleep schedule, heart rate…I have recorded all of these glimmers and more…Now if I should find a sea creature in my crosshairs, I should be able to dispatch it with ease.”

Prior to Beanfest Rook offers advice to members of the opposing team, and when called out for it explains that he simply wants them to all enjoy the game together.

Suspicious, Ortho tests his sincerity by measuring fluctuations in his heart rate and other vital signs, ultimately declaring that Rook is not lying.

After explaining the information he gleaned from the group (“A true enemy will never loom over you, a menacing glower in his eye. It is he who hovers in your periphery with a smile that you must be wary of”) Trey comments that Rook must be a good liar, despite how Rook claims otherwise.

During Spectral Soiree Sebek, too, comments on Rook’s heart rate, which—combined with Rook’s flattery—convinces him to trust Rook, whom he had been accusing of plotting against them.

Trey comments, “Rook, you’re not about to tell me you can manipulate your own heart rate, are you?” And Rook responds, “Why, yes,” calling the results of both Ortho’s and Sebek’s tests into question.

Ortho explains that he wants to know more about Rook because once he caught Rook by surprise and "found his pulse was completely steady, no fluctuations at all. Was he surprised, but then regained his composure in an instant? Or was he unfazed the whole time? I've secretly been curious about it."

(Cater responds, "Somehow I think Rook would be a harder subject to study than the school...")

Rook will occasionally refer to “fieldwork,” which Vil explains means, “meddling in the affairs of people from other dorms.”

There is a running theme of characters like Epel and Trey commenting on how Rook scares them.

#twstrook #Rook Hunt #twisted wonderland #twstfacts #rookfacts

[chaotic-archaeologist]

reid im halfway through my first ever dig and ive literally just been crying the whole morning even while digging cos my trench is just so confusing and overwhelming and i can barely tell contexts apart and i feel so dumb but i really can barely see any differences at this point idk how im gonna make it through the latter half of the season i dont even know why im telling you this i just dont know who else to go to

Okay, first things first, take a deep breath. You are learning. It is okay for you to be confused! You are not expected to know everything your first or even second time around.

I'll let you in on a little secret: I felt this way on my first dig. I still sometimes feel this way. I've participated in four excavations, I'm still relatively inexperienced.

The best advice I can give you is to ask questions. Don't be hesitate about it. If your supervisor points out something you don't understand, ask "what do you see?" or "what are you looking for?"

The vast majority of archaeological knowledge is built up through experience and amassed comparative knowledge. Your supervisor has years of fieldwork under their belt that they're drawing on when they make conclusions. You don't have this knowledge bank, and that's okay—this is your chance to build it!

I'm going to call on @archaeologistproblems and @archaeologysucks, both veteran CRM archaeologists who might have helpful insights. Anyone else with experience is also welcome to chime in.

You are not dumb, you're just inexperienced. That is not anything to be ashamed of.

Keep your trowel sharp and your heart hopeful, -Reid

#he speaks #archaeology #archaeology advice #internet brother

[the-au-thor]

Little Witch | Prologue

A/N: I've been working on this for a while but i was too shy and scared to post it. Is not finished and it's supposed to be a love story. Anyway; enjoy it if you want. Remember english is not my first language and there might be mistakes, as always feedback would be very appreciated.

Summary: You and Spencer have to deal with the fact that you are tied to each other for the rest of your lifes because of certain adorable little witch— or how to co parenting without falling in love.

Pairing: Spencer Reid x female reader. [No use of y/n]

Words: 2.5 k

Trigger Warning: read it here!

⇝

Little Witch

Prologue

One thing Spencer didn't like was giving lectures at the university. Surprisingly, academic work had secretly attracted him for a long time, a desire he had set aside to join the BAU. Despite carrying a gun and working with the best minds at the bureau to catch dangerous criminals, they occasionally left fieldwork to visit prestigious universities to attract prodigies to the FBI. Initially accompanying Gideon to his talks, he occasionally attended his classes. It didn't excite him; he was awkward, sad, and socially inept. People laughed at everything about him except his jokes, which he found hilariously funny but stopped making after Derek pointed out that students weren't laughing with him but at him.

Against any logic the bureau made an unusual decision: to send him to give lectures completely alone or occasionally accompanied by a new recruit who would only be there to distribute pamphlets and make a demonstration. He decided he would hate academic work. At that moment, it seemed like an injustice to be denounced with his bad mood and certain unwillingness. However, he rediscovered teaching and the fact that, unlike years ago when he accompanied Gideon or Rossi to talks, he was now a proper professor. He was looked at with respect, and even, though it made him nervous, he caught interested glances from women and the occasional flirtatious comment that didn't go unnoticed.

"Dr. Reid?" A brunette with green eyes approached him with a smile. She had a specific type of smile. The woman took a step forward, too close to his personal space. He pressed some forensic science books against his chest, making his sweater tighten around the area. Not that he was staring. It was just too obvious. Anyway, he raised his hand and waved it in the air as a greeting. She didn't seem upset by the gesture; her smile widened even more.

"My name is Naomie, Naomie Larson, and I must say I loved your seminar. I attended last semester, and I wanted to attend the current one, but my schedule is too tight," she adjusted her hair behind her ear and blinked slowly, "I was wondering... could we share a coffee and a conversation about everything I missed?" Maybe she saw his hesitation because she twirled a strand of her hair around her index finger and tilted her head, looking at him with another one of her smiles, "coffee's on me," she added persuasively.

Spencer didn't think too much and almost instinctively shrugged.

"I'm sorry. I'm heading out. But registrations for the next seminar will be open soon, and my colleague, David Rossi, will be leading other interesting lectures. There's one about the predestination of criminal minds and behavior," he tried to cheer her up when he saw her disappointed look.

She pouted slightly, then shrugged with a half-smile, trying to recover.

"I'll follow your advice. I'm even thinking of joining the FBI. Maybe I'll visit the BAU for a tour," she let out a short laugh and shrugged, "Naomie, Naomie Larson," she repeated, picking up the coffee she from the counter and giving him one last glance under her lashes, "Don't forget, Dr. Reid."

She walked away from him with a careful movement of her legs, balancing with agility, in a way that made Spencer think she was previously prepared and designed to attract attention. He averted his gaze to the barista preparing his coffee with discomfort and waited patiently in silence, smoothing the strap of his briefcase. He wasn't foolish; he could easily recognize a pretty girl, especially if she followed normative beauty standards. But it was difficult for him to see someone and simply find them beautiful according to his own standards. There had to be something more, more than primitive need, and even if it was that, it had to be governed by a more personal and profound feeling, even if it was brief. That's why he usually didn't get stuck in relationships — besides the fact that he was terrible at the art of seduction — everything for him was more laborious, especially romance.

"Are you Spencer Reid?" another female voice interrupted his wait.

This time, however, her tone of voice was neither sweet nor deferential like Naomie, Naomie Larson's. He turned and saw a woman with her hair tied in a neat bun that kept her face clear, and he could see every detail of the pristine face adorned only with natural features; thick lashes, arched eyebrows, and pink lips with a cupid's bow pronounced that caught his attention. She had a small chin with and soft dimples that gave her a childlike air. He knew that face, but at the same time, it was totally different. The last time he had seen those eyes, even a bit lighter, they were sunken and surrounded by dark circles of insomnia and abuse. He could even say that some tired wrinkles had disappeared from her face. She looked fresh, repaired, and even more beautiful than the last time he had seen her.

He knew you wouldn't recognize him; you are the kind of person who would have forgotten many things since then.

You were beautiful. You always were, even in your worst moments, and he had met you just after hitting rock bottom. Both were a tragedy it in different ways. He had lost a battle against death, and you were losing it against life; you were broken, and at that moment, it seemed like a good idea to try to fight it together, combining the forces you had left.

He had left you on the bed, crying in a fetal position, between precarious and worn sheets that could well have been translucent. You had made muttered promises that he could barely understand because he needed to move on, and you simply didn't want to. He didn't want to leave you, not because he loved you, not because he needed you, but because you mattered; you had been important, and he didn't want you to suffer. But if he had learned anything in life that they didn't teach him a college, it's that no one can help someone who doesn't want to receive help. So he moved on with his life and made the conscious decision that you wouldn't belong to his future if you barely accepted your own past. A whole year and a little more had passed since then, and under that bridge, much water had flowed, but not enough to erase sins and mistakes.

Then he wondered if leaving you had been a mistake.

"Mela?" he asked, and then let out a short and surprised laugh, dodging the hair falling over his forehead and approached you, forgetting about the personal space tale. "It's fantastic to see you. You look... different."

You frowned, your eyebrows coming together, and he noticed the change in color. You had always kept your hair in fantasy colors, and he had never known your natural hair.

"Different?" you murmured, and even your voice was different.

"Different good," he clarified, clearing his throat without avoiding his smile. "What brings you here? Are you studying? You always said you would have loved to study art history here, right?" he asked, accepting the cup the barista had placed on the counter after serving it, again.

A wave of sadness passed through your eyes, almost clouding your irises as if it were a storm. It was almost as if that comment had sharply embedded in your flesh, and then he saw you shook, looking down and then at him.

"I'm not Mela," you whispered, and he saw you swallow hard just before speaking again, "I'm her twin sister," you introduced yourself, raising your hand, but you didn't bring it towards him, just under your nose, scratching the tip with your back as if you suffered from some allergy. You didn't say anything more, just looked at him deeply, as if you were studying him not to forget him, "You look different."

Spencer furrowed his brow in confusion.

"Wait, did we ever meet?" he asked almost with fear. He never forgot faces. He never forgot people.

You shook your head, your gaze lost. For a moment, while your body was in front of him, your mind seemed to be somewhere far away.

"No. Never," you answered, and then you rummaged in the pockets of your polo dress.

That was another thing different from Mela, and then Spencer knew why you looked so familiar but at the same time so different. It was the same face, a bit more youthful and clean. And your clothing was the complete opposite of Mela's, who loved wearing jeans and T-shirts with pop culture references. That and the old Converse were the only fashion Mela knew. You, on the other hand, had a graceful and pretty way of dressing, like the typical girl next door. You didn't stand out, but certainly, he couldn't say that you were indecent or neglected.

He had to bend down a bit to get a better look at the paper you were showing him; it was an old instant photograph almost worn out in which he and Mela were at the movies with popcorn everywhere and childish grimaces.

"Do you remember this?" you asked with a serious look, as if the question were much more meaningful, "Do you remember?"

"Yes. We went to see a silent film cycle. She hadn't seen any Charlie Chaplin movies. It was her first time," Spencer answered with a furrowed brow, feeling terribly confused.You laughed with disbelief.

"Mela didn't like movies. She hated anything she had to pay quiet attention to for a long time."

That phrase didn't escape Spencer's attention, and a sharp cold went through Spencer's back with a feeling of deadly expectation.

"Wait, she didn't like...?" he knew before even receiving a clear answer. He didn't need you to nod to know that something had happened to Mela. Something irreversible.

He didn't know how to react. He couldn't say he didn't feel sadness, but neither surprise. Someone like her was precisely a person who would be constantly in that danger unless something had changed in her life since they had taken separate paths.

"She died a few months ago," you seemed genuinely distressed saying it, and your voice lightened and broke at the end of the sentence, but with a clearing of your throat, you looked at him again, "She talked to me about you. A couple of times at least. It was hard to get any words out of her about how... how you met," you said with difficulty, "But two days ago, cleaning her things, I found this photo, and then..." you observed the moment captured in the photo and looked at him, "I tried to contact you at your job, but you're never there. They always told me to leave a message. But this isn't the kind of thing you should talk about so casually," you seemed to apologize and have a deep internal debate at the same time, "I searched for you. I had to see what..." you made another pause, looking elsewhere as if afraid to ask anything, "... Do you have time? I'd like to talk to you."

He could've said no, but he needed answers. He needed to know what happened and why you were looking for him when he had only been mentioned a couple of times and was just a face immortalized on a worn-out paper.

They sat at an isolated table, one by the window, and the daylight hit your hair and skin. Spencer saw your bare fingers and perfectly manicured nails with a pale pink tone. You were the complete opposite of Mela, always so gloomy, distant, and sad. You looked transparent, careful, and serious, but not sad, at least not the kind of sadness that constantly covered Mela's face.

"How...?" he didn't have to continue asking the question. You understood the doubt perfectly, and for a moment, you seemed to enter a trance before answering.

"At first, I thought it was an overdose: she mixed some other drugs with heroin, and that was it," you answered, unconsciously scratching the back of your hand with your nails, "But then, cleaning her things, I found a note. That's when I knew it was on purpose. Mela had been sober for more than year. It made as much sense as it didn't."

Spencer nodded in silence. What could he say that would be a comfort for the situation?

"Did anyone else know about her suicidal thoughts?"

You furrowed your brow.

"Nobody. She attended her NA meetings, and no one suspected anything. I mean, Mela was always a bit melancholic and negative, but never suicidal," you stopped abruptly, as if the sentence had hit you in the face, and blinked rapidly, trying to forcefully expel the idea from your mind. "Why did you stop seeing each other?" you asked hesitantly.

Spencer, caught off guard by that question, didn't refuse to answer. Losing your twin sister had thrown you into a whirlwind, and everything was happening too fast for his usually methodical thoughts.

"Our interests changed," he replied after a brief reflection.

You slightly furrowed your brow, dissatisfied with the answer. "Interests?"

Spencer began to feel his discomfort growing in his chest, squeezing it. He felt like a suspect being interrogated.

"Yes," he replied and started to stand up. "Listen, I really am sorry about Mela," he said sincerely, looking you in the eyes. You remained seated, watching him with sadness. "I know she wanted to recover from her addiction," he murmured gently. "And I also sorry we met under these circumstances."

You then finished furrowing your brow harshly and looked at him with controlled anger.

"So, you're leaving? You know, I hesitated a lot about coming here," you stood up just as he was turning to leave the café. "In fact, I still think it's crazy," you admitted, walking toward him with a stern look. "But I had to see you. I had to know you."

Spencer let out a dispirited laugh.

"I don't think I was that important to your sister. Honestly, I think she might have hated me. Not that she didn't have reasons."

You shook your head frantically. "She didn't hate you."

"She didn't hate me, but she didn't like me either. You said you could barely get any information about me from her."

"That's not the reason," your voice faded as you gave that response. Spencer saw your eyes fill with tears and your lips tremble softly. You took a deep breath before speaking again. "She never told me your name. I knew you existed, I mean, you had to. But I wasn't sure of anything until I saw the photo. Then I connected the dots."

Spencer saw the first tears fall through your cheeks as you looked again at that worn photo in your hands, a photo he suddenly wanted to destroy. It took him a while to string his words together, and no matter how much he thought about them, they still didn't make sense.

"What are you talking about?"

You looked up at him, shaking your head.

"She loved her. Maybe she feared you'd take her away. I mean, look at you; you could have if you wanted," you murmured, brushing your face free of the fine hairs that had come loose from your ponytail and revealed themselves on your forehead. You glanced around somewhat embarrassed, but no one in the café was paying attention. They were too focused on their own affairs.

"Hey, I'm sorry," Spencer apologized nervously. His head was starting to ache due to this strange situation. "Listen, you need to calm down. Our brains perceive loss as a physical threat. Your heart beats fast, you tremble, you sweat, and you can even lose track of time because your body is preparing to defend itself against something that's more emotional than physical."

You let out a humorless, choked laugh, looking around as if searching for the answer to something that wasn't there.

"What the hell am I doing here?" you whispered, lightly hitting your forehead with the palm of your hand. "I'm sorry for wasting your time, Spencer Reid."

Spencer saw you starting to walk away, and his internal alarms began to flare with fear. He didn't want it to end like this. He knew what it felt like to lose someone and the pain that came with it. He wouldn't know, however, the pain it would mean for a person to lose their brother, especially someone with whom they shared such a special connection like you and Mela.

"Wait!" He saw you walk out of the café, then turned towards him to hear what he had to say. "Why did you come and look for me?" he asked insistently, gently grabbing your arm.

He didn't do that; he didn't touch strangers unless it was a chase, and he loosened his grip when you looked at him sternly. You pulled away from him gently, even though he noticed you were controlling yourself not to do it abruptly. You took your phone out of your bag, and as you unlocked it, you let out an annoyed huff.

"I'll tell you why," he saw your cheeks redden, and you lifted your chin while showing him a photo of you with a small, smiling girl. She had almond-shaped eyes, dimples on her cheeks, long and curly eyelashes, and platinum hair. She was happy, a cute, happy little girl. "This is Matilda. In January she'll turn one. She's Mela's daughter, and I think she's yours."

#spencer reid #spencer reid fanfic #spencer reid x reader #criminal minds fanfic #dr spencer reid #criminal mind #spencer reid x fem!reader

[ochipi]

I really want to become an archeologist, do you have any advice as to how to become one?

Hi! I have advice and I hope it will be useful to you.

First, don’t worry about being good in something already (history, maths, languages,…) can only learn those along the way or as a specialty after your basic university studies.

As always, true archaeology can’t be learned in class. They can explain to you how different loam and clay feel to each other, but if you don’t feel it for yourself, you won’t know.

Depending on where you live, a uni can be specialized in something. I went to a uni which focused a lot more on Western European archaeology, while the university in my hometown focuses a lot on Mediterranean archaeology with some basic local archaeology. If you want to pursue a specific directions, be sure to check the offered courses to see the uni’s focus. If you want to do fieldwork, weigh in if you are interested in local archaeology (more chances to land a job) or archaeology out of your immediate reach (so many Belgians study Egyptology but can’t do it after collage because Egypt has fine archaeologists too for whom Egyptology is their back-garden-archaeology)

During and after your basic four years of education you may call yourself an archaeologist, you have the diploma after all, but the direction you follow may be very different to your peers’.

I am the only one who ended up as a field archaeologist from my class. I graduated and started working. Some continue education to become a physical anthropologist (human remains), an archaeozoologist (animal remains, no dinosaurs), botanical specialist, some go to the physics side of things and work in a lab doing analysis or even carbon dating. Some will end up as a conservation worker, museum curator/guide, teacher, restoration of artifacts, reconstruction specialists, doing a PhD,…

The possibilities are essentially endless because anything we do nowadays was somehow also a thing in the past.

All in all, no matter your previous education, go to open-door events at unies, compare classes and subjects and either apply knowing what you want to become, or finding out along the way like me :)

I hope this helps you out. If you have any more questions, don’t be in doubt and ask away! I’ll help as best as I can!

#archaeology #history #indiana jones #field archaeologist #question #tumblr asks

[ventique18]

Malleus Draconia: Masquerade (Chapter 1)

Chapter 1: From the top!

Diasomnia Dorm - Lounge

Malleus: Since I've been invited to the "First Gathering of Aspiring Mages"... I wish to convey my gratitude to the Noble Bell College inviter who asked for me.

Sebek: My lord, what benevolence..!

Lilia: A fine idea. No person would be offended by an expression of thanks.

Silver: Yes. I also think that an act of thoughtfulness is a nice way of striking a good first impression with people.

Lilia: Have you already decided on what to give?

Malleus: That's what I have been contemplating since earlier... I cannot think of anything.

Malleus: Do you three have any ideas on a gift suitable for that of an exchange program?

Silver: A gift, huh. If it were me... I would be happy with a cake.

Sebek: Cake? What kind of person brings perishable goods to a trip?!

Silver: Perishable... You're right. It's true that it's hardly appropriate to bring a regular cake to a two-nights-three-days trip.

Silver: Then, how about a non-dairy, long-storage-life type of cake?

Lilia: Hmm. I really don't recommend cake.

Lilia: Silver, when talking about gifts, why is it that cake is the first thing that comes to your mind? Do you like cake that much?

Silver: Not exactly, but...

Silver: It's just that I remember you rewarding me with a cake when I completed a special training task in the past.

Silver: It made me really happy back then. I thought it was a really good present.

Lilia: Kehehe... What a nostalgic story! I see, I see. So that really made you happy.

Lilia: Well then, would you like me to bake a non-perishable cake for this Noble Bell College benefactor?

Silver: No! That's... That's!

Sebek: Let's not go with cake!

Malleus: Ah... I'm not quite fond of whole cakes in the first place. I would prefer to give something I personally like.

Malleus: A pity, but let us not settle for cake.

Lilia: I see... That's too bad, Silver.

Silver: Yes. what a relief-- I mean, what a pity.

Sebek: ... In the first place, do you really need to give something tangible to express your appreciation, my lord?

Sebek: If they're words of gratitude from Lord Malleus...

Sebek: NO, EVEN A "YOU THERE" FROM MY LORD IS WORTHY TO BE PASSED DOWN AS A FAMILY TREASURE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME!

Lilia: I think only you would cry tears of joy over something like that.

Malleus: I shall express my gratitude in words as a matter of due courtesy... However this time, I would also like to give something else as commemoration for this event.

Lilia: Something that is easier to carry than a cake, and also something more valueable than mere lip service...

Lilia: There's only one answer, and you lads still haven't figured it out.

Malleus: Oh? What confidence you have, Lilia. How promising.

Lilia: Indeed. What you should be giving is...

Lilia: A mass game!

Sebek and Silver: A mass game?

Lilia: You don't know? It's group gymnastics. A long time ago, Briar Valley's royal guards take part in it and do exhibitions.

Lilia: By uniting the hearts of such a large crowd and performing exhibitions in perfect sync, they display a high level of leadership and teamwork.

Lilia: Then you can force the audience into submission!

Silver: Father... I don't think you'd want to intimidate anyone for this one...

Lilia: Oh. That's right.

Malleus: ... It seems we've hit a snag; we haven't made any progress at all. It seems we're not very knowledgeable in this particular topic, even with our heads put together.

Malleus: It would be better to seek advice from someone more experienced in this matter.

*Someone knocks*

Azul: Excuse me.

Malleus: If it isn't Ashengrotto. What brings you here?

Azul: The headmaster informed me that you've been added to list of participants for the exchange program.

Azul: Rather than arranging for the cooperation of a fieldwork member, I thought it would be simpler to just go ahead and tell you myself. And so I'm here.

Malleus: That's right, you'are a participant in the exchange program as well. My thanks for coming all the way here to deliver this message.

Lilia: These three here have no travelling experience. I'm leaving them in your care!

Azul: Very well. I will do everything in my power to help you.

Azul: ... I see you all huddled here with a serious expression on your faces. What seems to be troubling you?

Azul: If you're in need of help, I am here! You can tell me anything!!

Sebek: HMPH! Octavinelle! What do you want from us!

Lilia: There, there. It's alright to just talk.

Lilia: The truth is, we want to thank Noble Bell College for the invitation to the exchange program.

Lilia: We gathered here so we could discuss what to give.

Azul: To Noble Bell College? As thanks? Malleus?

Azul: ... Beautiful! Let me pitch in too, no consultation fee required...

Malleus: You wish to participate? Of course, I do not mind... But is that alright with you?

Azul: Of course. I, too, was originally planning to prepare a souvenir to gain favor.

Azul: Now the opportunity to prepare one alongside the famous Malleus makes it all the more worthwhile. How very reassuring.

Sebek: Heh... You understand the magnificence of Lord Malleus!

Silver: Getting help from the considerate Azul is very reassuring.

Silver: Do you have any good ideas on what to give Noble Bell College?

Azul: Yes. For this occasion, the most suitable is...

Azul: A song.

Malleus: A song?

>> To be continued...

Link to part 2

#POOR MALLEUS IS IN CONFUSION THE ENTIRE TIME #The entire Diasomnia crew has no common sense #i love them oh my god #twst spoilers #ventique translates #twisted wonderland #glorious masquerade vignette #malleus draconia #azul ashengrotto #lilia vanrouge #sebek zigvolt #twst silver

[ejzah]

For @anonkp, who wanted a continuation of my previous story, “Shattered Beyond Repair”. (I originally said the companion fic was a different title, but that is incorrect).

***

We’ll Make it New

The past three weeks has been miserable. While Deeks had officially ended their relationship, he hadn’t left NCIS or LAPD. At least not yet. Apparently he’d handed in his resignation, but told both Bates and Hetty he would stay on until they found his replacement.

It was a unique kind of torture. Seeing Deeks every day made her chest ache with longing, yet she coveted every moment they had together. To make it a little easier on her, Sam and Callen had taken to splitting she and Deeks up more days than not.

Thankfully they’d refrained from making any comments so far. Small favors, she supposed.

Today, started out with a debrief in OPS as usual on a suspicious double murder. Instead of standing next to Kensi as he once did, Deeks took position near the back of the room. As though he was physically distancing himself as much as he was emotionally.

“What do you think, Deeks?” Callen asked after Nell and Eric had gone over all the current details. Everyone turned to face Deeks, unusually quiet these days, and he considered the question for a few seconds.

This new version of him was quieter, more serious, more prone to deliberation. Like so many things recently, she regretted ever wishing that Deeks would less talkative, less the jokester…less him. She regretted not appreciating what they had.

“I think it’s suspicious that Lt. Anderson knew both victims and just rolled back into town two days ago,” Deeks said eventually. And that was it.

“Ok, then Sam and Kensi you can go talk to the Lieutenant. Deeks and I will interview his immediate superior,” Callen decided.

***

“How you holding up?” Sam asked as they drove to the Lieutenant’s home.

“Barring my father’s death and the times I’ve thought Deeks was dead, these have been the worst weeks of my life,” Kensi answered truthfully. “And I know what you’re going to say: I told you so,” she added with an exhausted sigh.

“Actually, I wasn’t. I don’t take any pleasure in your or Deeks’ pain,” Sam replied. “I do think you have some considerations to make.”

“Like what?”

“Well, you two are clearly both miserable. Deeks wants out, you don’t. I’d say you need to figure out if there’s a way that you can make both of those happen while existing as a couple?”

“Well, if it were that easy, I wouldn’t be single or searching for a new home.” She didn’t mean to snap, but she was on edge and feeling judged.

“I never said it was easy.” Sam chuckled dryly, shaking his head. “Believe me, Michelle and I had this “conversation” more than once.” He smiled softly. “When Michelle got pregnant, it was a big surprise. She was the one who decided to resign from fieldwork, but we argued a lot about whether I should stay in or not. In the end, we decided that me staying would work.

“I wouldn’t say that I regret that decision, but I missed out on quite a few bedtimes, school events, and all over the years. Those are times I can’t get back. And I can’t get back the missed date nights with Michelle. Or the days when she had to be the only parent to our kids.”

“I’m getting mixed messages here,” Kensi said with mild annoyance.

“Sorry. Basically, if being an NCIS Special Agent is what does make you happy, then that’s fine. If not…maybe it’s time to reconsider,” Sam said. “Work will always be there, people won’t.”

***

Kensi found herself rethinking Sam’s advice for the next several days. Somehow, once he’d laid it all out for her, it did seem amazingly simple. She wasn’t happy or content, even if she didn’t find some amount of pleasure in her work. It all seemed dull and worthless without Deeks by her side.

Which is why four days after talking with Sam, she found herself walking up the cracked sidewalk to the address she’d convinced Nell to give her. She knocked on the door before she chickened out and waited, heart pounding.

When Deeks opened the door a few moment later, he blinked in apparent surprise at finding her on his doorstep.

“Kensi, what are you—?”

“I quit,” she blurted out before Deeks could even voice his entire question. Which was not what she’d planned on saying at all.

“You quit?” Deeks repeated slowly, shaking his head slowly. “As in…?”

“NCIS. As of this morning, I’m not an NCIS Special Agent.”

Deeks’ face lit up for the briefest of seconds before he sobered, his expression shifting to one of disbelief. “Why?”

“Because I want you,” Kensi said reaching for his hand. She didn’t let his lack of response dissuade her.

“That didn’t make a difference before. At least not enough of one,” he reminded her. Kensi dipped her head, acknowledging his comment with a short nod.

“Yeah, well, I had a talk with Sam and he gave me reconsider some things.”

“He’s pretty good at that,” Deeks murmured softly, with a hint of his usual humor.

“He is.” She lifted her head, tears pricking the back of her eyes, as she took a step closer. “And I really missed you. More than any position, or mission could ever make up for.”

“But Kensi, you love field work. You love everything about helping people, the intrigue, and danger of it all. I can’t live up to that.” Her heart ached at the quiet hope tinged with resignation in Deeks’ voice.

“Yes, you can,” Kensi insisted fiercely, grasping his hand and pressing it to her chest. “Because I love you. More than anything. I can find ways to help people and fulfill my inner daredevil that won’t put me in danger the way that fieldwork does.”

“Are you sure?” Deeks whispered, his thumb gently rubbing over the back of her hand.

“Yes,” she said without hesitation. “Yes, I want to be with you.”

Deeks made a sound that was a cross between a gasp of relief and a sob, drawing her into his arms. Kensi cupped her hands around his jaw, almost desperate in her need to kiss him.

“I love you,” he whispered, burying his nose in her neck. She felt him shudder against her, and held him even tighter.

She’d come so close to losing this, him, forever. She’d never make that mistake again.

“I love you too,” she repeated. “So much.”

***

I hope that was alright.

Thanks for the prompt!

#ncis la fanfiction #marty deeks #kensi blye #densi #make up fic #angst #then romance #au post to live and die in Mexico #ejzah fanfiction

[elsewhereuniversity]

[you find this note slipped under the door of wherever these messages tend to end up. physically, it seems to be a collage of clippings from a cheaply-printed booklet, the original material possibly from the 1920s or 30s. said clippings are haphazardly glued down to sheets of ripped-out notebook paper, globs of purple gunk sitting wet and uncured around the edges. the message fills several pages and each has a small hole roughly gouged into the upper left-hand corner, the papers loosely tied together with what appears to be a young vine. beside the bundle lay a few scattered shards of some brittle, curved substance; the concave side a matte off-white, the convex a mottled and imperfect but nonetheless mesmerizing gold.]

Hello again, Archivist! I’ve got a finite number of words to deliver my request with, so I’ll try my best to make this brief (not something I’m very good at.) In short, I must return to you the name I received from this office last semester, preferably in exchange for a new one. ASAP.

Word’s gone around that there’s a considerable demand for second-hand safe names, so I hope somebody else will be able to put Lima Bean to good use.

(Yes, the name I was originally given came only with the first half of that, the latter just kind of… sprung up on its own, I guess? Which, now that I think about it, may have been where all this mess began. Dangit.)

But yeah, I really, really need to ditch this name. Oh, it’s not the name’s fault! Lima Bean is a perfectly serviceable name and would be found more than adequate by anybody who does not match a vague physical/affectual description of myself a person very much like me.

(Side note: for the sake of whoever receives it next, it’s probably best to avoid handing my old name over to anybody who’s nearsighted enough to need glasses, regularly wears a backwards baseball cap, and/or speaks with a Southern drawl. It’s nobody’s fault if those traits come about naturally once the student gets a bit more acquainted with Lima Bean - that’s just the nature of hand-me-downs. But by the time it would take for that to happen, this’ll all have blown over anyways I hope.)

(Side note to the side note: does student health insurance cover contact lenses?)

With what words I’ve still got, I might as well ask you to publish/pass on some advice to my fellow folklore majors (NOT those “practical application” lunatics that may call themselves “folklore,” the actual folklore majors who only apply their knowledge in a practical manner when absolutely necessary.)

Let’s say, hypothetically, that you’re down to the wire in regards to getting an ethnographic fieldwork assignment turned in before the deadline.

Let’s also say, still hypothetically, that you’re having a downright devil of a time finding anybody to interview for said fieldwork - flyers did nothing, cold-calling was both mortifying and ineffectual, your Google ad campaign garnered no clicks, and after the sixth entity you summoned with that scroll you dug out of the dumpster ‘round the back of the library left you stewing in easy-listening hold muzak for well over the time it takes any reasonable entity to use the bathroom, you ruled that route a dead end as well.

At this point, you’re getting pretty desperate; hypothetically, you may even be desperate enough to try blindly wandering around the forest.

Now, I ain’t saying that this is from experience, but my advice in this hypothetical situation is as follows: DON’T.

Turn yourself right back around and just talk it out with your professor, they’re far more understanding in reality than in the lies your anxiety concocts and they will almost certainly help you to figure something out. What you absolutely, certainly, 100%-ly DO NOT want to do is immediately wander off and eschew the safety of the hiking trails, getting yourself horribly, terribly, hopelessly lost.

DON’T keep walking until your feet pull you to a clearing of the trees.

DON’T approach the center of the clearing, where the gnarled green flesh of some monstrous verdure stretches from the earth to far beyond what sky your all-too-human (and all-too-nearsighted) eyes can perceive.

DON’T remember the stories your father used to tell you, stories of towering beanstalks and those who make their homes at the tops of them, of golden harps and golden geese, of fortunes sought and giants fought.

And DON’T, with your reckless naivety, get the bright idea that now is the perfect time to try out door-to-door cold knocking.

…

And if you DO, then for goodness’ sake try to abide by the bare minimum standards of courtesy-cognizant ethical decorum.

In this hypothetical situation, it’s safe to assume that the sweet old lady who answered the door of the oversized cottage was a Good Neighbor, (the house was magic and made of clouds and I you got there from the forest, I you have gone ahead and connected the dots,) but you really should be a respectful houseguest regardless of the interviewee’s speculated species.

For instance, it’s good practice to accept offers of breaking bread with humans as the sharing of a meal is both a great chance for participant observation and a delicious way to build rapport - circumstances are different when working with the Gentry, but you can still be cool about it and acknowledge that the offer is appreciated, refraining from inadvisable participation yet still accompanying them as they eat.

Another example of ethical conduct can be found at the very beginning of any interaction with a subject of documented research: consent forms and/or verbal agreements. This might look something like establishing boundaries around what information will be shared and whether or not recordings, if taken, will be publicly available - that is, if you’re conducting the interview of a more mundane subject.

If you’re conversing with, say, an elderly Fair Lady who’s three times your size and could easily crush your bones to make her bread with one arthritic hand tied behind her back, it may more closely resemble the locking-down of a Deal as you go about setting up your trusty microphone and laptop on her stratocumulus coffee table.

(That prime flat surface real estate had, moments before your arrival, been occupied by one of the Lady’s many, many pet geese, the bird’s softly shimmering feathers indistinguishable from the puffy wisps of cloud were it not for the fine gold doily separating the two.)

(Post-eviction, you could also tell them apart by the affronted honks and wing-flapping of indignation, both behaviors that are rather uncharacteristic of clouds.)

One last difference that’s very important to keep in mind for your fieldwork is the type of equipment you’ll be using.

Both pen & paper and digital tools each have their own unique merits when dealing with humans, but obviously you want to avoid electronic devices when interviewing the Fair Folk due to the almost always unstable and very often volatile consequences of their interactions with technology.

Yes, it would be no good at all if, hypothetically, in the process of checking your recording set-up, you absent-mindedly handed a sweet old Lady the equivalent of a live grenade in a small room occupied by herself, yourself, and a dozen or so of her beloved pet geese.

It would be slightly less bad if, hypothetically, that bomb of metal and magic and electricity happened to go off in an extremely humid environment, such as a cloud, where the water molecules in the air and coating the surface of every creature helped to disperse the dangerous discharge, saving everything and everyone from serious damage (apart from your microphone.)

But it would still be significantly worse than okay if, hypothetically, a dozen or so perfectly healthy geese were still reeling from the moderately nasty shock.

And if those geese, as geese often do, got pissed off.

And if those geese, as geese only do on occasion, made an fairly logical guess at the source of their adverse fortunes.

And if those geese, as geese always do, chose violence…

Well, it’d be pretty damn bad.

…

I well and truly running out of words now, so I’ll quit beating around the bush; as you have have guessed, my interview with the elderly Lady did not end very well.

I feel terrible for saying it, but I’m relieved it was her and not me who drew the collective ire of the flock - the fowl beasts were supersized just like her, and believe me when I say that being pursued by one teenager-sized toothed-tongue terror is enough mortal peril for anybody.

Remember that one goose I had kicked off the coffee table? (Not literally, I was gentle as could be when handling her and she still found my actions as deserving of the utmost contempt.) Well, she was still so vexed with me that when my microphone blew up, she refused to consider any explanation of her pain where the blame rested on any shoulders but my own and reacted accordingly.

I was still recovering from both the explosion and bearing witness to the biblically-accurate mass of flailing feathers and gnashing beaks that then towered before me, but if nothing else, a goose on your tail is an excellent source of motivation.

Somehow, my laptop found its way back to me (shockingly, pardon the pun, none the worse for wear,) and the goose and I tore our way through the cottage and out the doggy-door.

(goosy-door?)

(gander-gateway.)

The finer details of how I made it back down to terra firma are lost to me, but I’d wager the multitude of bruises across my entire body have something to do with it.

(Does the student health insurance cover that as well? How about goose bites?)

(…do we even have student health insurance?)

Regardless of the methodology, when I came to I found myself in the forest once more, a few paces off to the side of a major trail. Back in (relatively) familiar territory, albeit with a (relatively) unfamiliar goose venting out the last of her excess anger through the healthy outlet of creative expression - her fangs served as her brushes, my poor shin her canvas.

Really, once she chills out and knows the taste of your flesh, she’s sweet as anything. I’ve taken to calling her Audrey III; as of yet, no complaints have been made.

(Oh yeah, I may or may not have lowered a suspiciously metallic ovoid object down through the mail slot - I didn’t hear a crack so if it hasn’t rolled off, I’d love to know your judgement on whether or not the resultant omelet is mundane enough to eat.)

I suppose she’ll be staying with me for a while, seeing as I’ve got no way of reliably navigating back to the beanstalk, if it’s even still there.

I feel terrible about what happened up there, even worse about what might happen to me (or any other Lima Bean) if things aren’t set right - I’ll not commit any admission of debt to words, but please do let me know, Archivist, if there’s any chance the Edible Arrangements deliveryperson would be able to find her.

…

So, looping back to the start of this letter, I hope you’ve got a student who’ll find some use for Lima Bean and pray that you’ll be able to find me a replacement safe name soon.

Don’t worry, I’m not completely nameless - I’ve got a spare for emergencies like this, a well-worn hand-me-down from my dad. He wasn’t even the first to use it, I know it was Grandmomma’s at one point too.

That’s why I’m hesitant to wear it for too long: it’s only natural for hand-me-downs to press on you somewhat with the weight of their accumulated legacies, and I haven’t got a clue as to how many lifetimes this one has endured for. But it’s all I’ve got, I suppose, so I might as well use it.

I’ll leave you to your work, Archivist - may your day be pleasant and your night be peaceful.

Patiently (hopefully) awaiting your response,

- Jack, a Folklore Major

x

note from the Archivist - Well, on the off-chance it’s not too late entirely, take the name Balderdash, and perhaps also, going forward, your own advice.

#submission #stories #jack #anatidaedalus #long post #lima #this was so funny #the line about cold knocking caught me so off guard i laughed out loud

[clumsy-klutzy-faller]

Brightness Marcy,

It is very interesting to see another Faller who is also a scholar. I hope your fieldwork is fruitful, and will provide you with knowledge about this world.

However, I must give you a word of advice. Do not trust Lysandre. His stated motives and goals are not his true intentions. His goals are selfish. When he is done with you, when you are no longer useful, he will leave you for the Highstorm.

I am speaking with Shalash’s own honesty about that man. Unfortunately, I have to be vague. If I say everything I know, then I will be at the mercy of Divine Censorship. Please, heed my warning.

Life Before Death,

-Shallahi

(@shallahi-and-snowflake)

If you're a scholar too... alright, I'll keep it in consideration. But if all this multiverse stuff is real... maybe I'm in a world where Lysandre's a good guy. He hasn't said anything to give the slightest hint that he'd do something bad... but I'll remember what you said.

People seem... weirdly insistent about this whole thing, after all.

#asks :D

[superlinguo]

Superlinguo 2023 in review

I spent 2023 on leave to hang out with a new tiny human. I still found time for some linguistics, including regular Lingthusiasm episodes and even some intermittent blogging. I also got to reuse all my linguist pregnancy announcement jokes.

Lingthusiasm

Lingthusiasm turned 7 this year! We celebrated with a dozen main episodes as well as our monthly bonus episodes for patrons. We had some help to get through the year while I was on leave with interviews with linguists from around the world, including Lingthusiasm team members Martha Tsutsi-Billins and Sara Dopierela.

We released our new Etymology isn't Destiny merch, which is available alongside merch for all kinds of linguists and language fans.

Main episodes

Where language names come from and why they change (transcript)

How kids learn language in Singapore - Interview with Woon Fei Ting (transcript)

Bringing stories to life in Auslan - Interview with Gabrielle Hodge (transcript)

Tone and Intonation? Tone and Intonation! (transcript)

Word Magic (transcript)

The verbs had been being helped by auxiliaries (transcript)

Frogs, pears, and more staples from linguistics example sentences (transcript)

How kids learn Q’anjob’al and other Mayan languages - Interview with Pedro Mateo Pedro (transcript)

Look, it’s deixis, a word for linguistic pointing! (transcript)

Ergativity delights us (transcript)

Revival, reggaeton, and rejecting unicorns - Basque interview with Itxaso Rodríguez-Ordóñez (transcript)

If I were an irrealis episode (transcript)

Bonus episodes

Parrots, art and what even is a word - deleted scenes from Kat Gupta, Lucy Maddox and Randall Munroe interviews

Singapore, New Zealand, and a favourite linguistics paper - 2023 Year Ahead Chat

When books speculate on the future of English

Neopronouns, gender-neutral vocab, and why linguistic gender even exists - Liveshow Q&A with Kirby Conrod

2022 Survey Results - kiki/bouba, synesthesia fomo, and pluralizing emoji

Linguistic jobs beyond academia

LingthusiASMR - The Harvard Sentences

How we make Lingthusiasm transcripts - Interview with Sarah Dopierala

Field Notes on linguistic fieldwork - Interview with Martha Tsutsui Billins

Postcards from linguistics summer camp

Linguistic Advice - Challenging grammar snobs, finding linguistic community, accents in singing, and more

Frak, smeg, and more swearing in fiction - Ex Urbe Ad Astra interview with Jo Walton and Ada Palmer

LingComm: 2023 conference

The 2023 LingComm conference happened in February, and was once again in the LingComm conference space in Gather Town. I enjoyed being on the planning committee that put together an amazing event that built on the inaugural conference in 2021. Stay tuned for 2024 lingcomm updates!

Top Superlinguo posts in 2022

This year was a chance to reflect on the decade since I graduated, and to articulate the important role my main supervisor had in shaping my career.

After wrapping up the linguistics jobs interview series last year, this year was a chance to share some aggregated resources from 8 years and 80 interviews.

I also got to read a couple of great linguistics books for kids, keep up to date with linguistics podcasts, share some of my favourite linguistics books and check in on some things happening online.

General posts and reviews

10 years of a PhD

Barb Kelly

Gender Variations for Person in Suit Levitating Emoji - Emoji Proposal

Linguistics and Language Podcasts (2023 update)

Language Books for Kids: Highly Irregular, Arika Okrent & Sean O'Neill

Linguistics books for kids: Once Upon a Word - a Word-origin Dictionary, Jess Zafarris

Linguistics Jobs resources

Linguistics Jobs Interviews - directory of posts and resources

Linguistics Jobs resource set

Superlinguo Linguist Job Interviews full list

Linguistics education and its application in the workplace: An analysis of interviews with linguistics graduates (new publication in Language)

Information and advice

hapax legomenon and automated email replies

Lingthusiasm guide to pop linguistics books

Hello Grambank! A new typological database of 2,467 language varieties

What we can accomplish in 30 years of lingcomm: Opening keynote of #LingComm23

Australian Linguistic Society’s Accredited Linguist program

Academic articles in 2023

Although I was on leave, things that I was working on earlier made it through to publication. I like that there was one paper on lingcomm, one on gesture (including emoji!) and one on the linguistics job interviews, it feels like a nice mix of some of my current interests. Just a pity there wasn't a Tibeto-Burman paper in there!

Gawne, L. & A. Cabraal. 2023. Linguistics education and its application in the workplace: an analysis of interviews with linguistics graduates. Language, 99(1), e35-e57. [doi][Superlinguo post]

Freestone, P., J. Kruk & L. Gawne. forthcoming. From Star Trek to The Hunger Games: emblem gestures in science fiction and their uptake in popular culture. Linguistic Vanguard, 9(3), 257-266. [doi][Superlinguo post]

Gawne, L., & McCulloch, G. (2023). ‘Communicating about linguistics using lingcomm-driven evidence: Lingthusiasm podcast as a case study’, Language and Linguistics Compass, 17/5: e12499. DOI: 10.1111/lnc3.12499 [doi][Superlinguo post]

The year ahead

I'll be back to work full time. I've found the low-key level of blogging I managed this year to be sustainable, so expect it to be business-as-usual here. Lingthusiasm will also continue with monthly main and bonus episodes, thanks to the patrons who support the show and ensure we have a team that can keep everything rolling while begin to take on more administrative responsibilities in my job.

I'm looking forward to sharing some things that are in the final stages of peer-review and copy editing, and I'm excited to be spinning up some new projects.

Browsing old Superlinguo content?

I have a welcome page on the blog that points you to aggregate posts, and series of posts I've done over the years, as well as themed collections of posts that have appeared on the blog in the last twelve years.

Previous years

Superlinguo 2022 in review

Superlinguo 2021 in review

Superlinguo 2020 in review

Superlinguo 2020 (2019 in review)

Superlinguo 2019 (2018 in review)

Superlinguo 2018 (2017 in review)

Superlinguo 2017 (2016 in review)

Superlinguo 2015 highlights

#linguistics #language #superlinguo #2023 #review

[elenawritesxx]

Okey so I got a new idea for a mcu dr!

since i cant really part from my cr family, and never really script different background or origin, i thought this would be a better idea to get close with the avengers, since it is really hard for me to get USA visa and plus i kind of improvised a little here

plus this is going to take place from like May 2024 (so if i shift i would technically be able to listen to Tay’s new album heheh), i scripted that the avengers won in infinity war in this dr, as Thor went for Thanos’ head (iykyk) lol

HEAR ME OUT:

Objective:

The Avengers Global Recruitment and Training Program aims to identify and train talented individuals from diverse backgrounds to become potential agents for SHIELD. Participants will undergo intensive training and mentorship during their six-month residency at the Avengers Tower, preparing them for the rigors of a career in global security and intelligence. and i’m one of them, being recruited form my home country.

Program Structure:

1. Recruitment:

- The Avengers launch a global recruitment campaign to attract individuals aged 20-25 from various countries and backgrounds.

- Applications are open to anyone meeting the age criteria, with emphasis placed on diversity, skills, and potential.

2. Selection Process:

- A team of Avengers, including experienced agents like Natasha Romanoff and Clint Barton, reviews applications and conducts interviews to select the top candidates.

- Criteria for selection include physical fitness, intelligence, problem-solving abilities, teamwork skills, and a strong moral compass.

3. Residency at Avengers Tower:

- Ten selected candidates are invited to reside at the Avengers Tower for six months, where they will live and train alongside the Avengers.

- Participants are provided with room and board, access to state-of-the-art facilities, and mentorship from seasoned Avengers members.

4. Training Program:

- The training curriculum covers a wide range of skills essential for SHIELD agents, including combat training, intelligence gathering, surveillance techniques, language proficiency, and diplomatic skills.

- Training sessions are led by Avengers members, who share their expertise and provide hands-on instruction.

- Participants also engage in simulated missions and real-world scenarios to test their abilities and decision-making under pressure.

5. Mentorship and Guidance:

- Each participant is assigned a mentor from the Avengers team, who provides personalized guidance, feedback, and support throughout the program.

- Mentors help participants navigate the challenges of training, offering advice on career development, ethics, and leadership.

6. Evaluation and Graduation:

- Participants undergo periodic evaluations to assess their progress and readiness for fieldwork.

- At the end of the six-month residency, participants graduate from the program and are considered for recruitment by SHIELD based on their performance and potential.

Overall, the Avengers Global Recruitment and Training Program serves as a gateway for promising individuals to join the ranks of SHIELD, ensuring that the organization remains at the forefront of global security and defense.

#mcu shifting #shifting mutuals #shifting reality #shifting realities #mcu x reader #mcu #mcu fanfiction #reality shifting #shifting #marvel shifting

[foxbirdy]

What kinds of Interview questions do you get in your field? I totally bombed an interview and didn't get an internship I really wanted and I want to try and be more prepared next time.

Sorry to hear you blew an interview :( interviewing can for sure be tricky. I think interviewing strategies for field jobs definitely depend on what kind of job you're looking at, but I'll try to go over some interview questions I feel like I see often, and what I think people are looking for:

"Why are you interested in this position?"

- Be sure to give a multi-tier answer for this question, and bring up specifics about the job! Don't just say "it's in my field of study/chosen career" or "I want to get more experience." Say "I'm studying [field] because I'm interested in [something that's specific to that position], and I think this job would be a great way to channel that passion and develop those skills." If you have relevant experience, touch on that, too! Again, don't just say "I have experience in [field]," but do say "I know from past experience at [jobs] that this is work that I love and can excel at, and I'm looking for opportunities to continue that work." Make sure they understand that you are motivated and passionate! "I think this program is exciting, and I want to contribute."

"What experience do you have?"

- Including anything relevant! Hobbies, volunteer work, personal research, actual jobs - give them something to work with. Don't downplay your achievements! If they ask if you have a specific skillset that you don't have, don't lie (this can really bite you in a field job, where you can encounter dangerous situations), but say that it's a skillset you'd really love to learn. Especially if that skill is part of what drew you to the job! "No, I don't have that skill - this job drew my attention because I want to learn it." Have the audacity to believe you can learn anything if you try.

"Are you prepared for [xyz]?"

- Depending on the position, there can be a lot of challenges you face on the job! A lot of what hiring managers are screening for is a person who isn't going to quit (or become dangerous to themselves or others) if they have to sleep on the ground or eat weird food or deal with biting insects or encounter outdoor hazards. A person might be okay with those things for a few days or a week or a month - but what about three months? Six months? A year? If they care about their field workers, they're going to try and scare you in the interview with the worst that you could possibly expect, because that is their ethical obligation. It can be difficult or even impossible to take someone out of the field once they are there. My advice for giving your interviewer confidence about your ability to handle adversity is to a) share examples and stories of difficulty you've overcome at a job, and b) to talk about your strategies for managing your mental and physical health, including knowing when it's time to ask for assistance! Interviewers want to hear that the person they are hiring knows how to practice self-care that bolsters their resilience, and that they will talk to field support about problems they're having before it's a crisis.

"How do you manage interpersonal conflict?"

- Similar to the above, this question is an interviewer trying to ascertain that you won't turn into the Joker after you've been alone in a small group for a couple weeks. The bonds you form with your crew in remote fieldwork are intense, and so conflict can be equally intense! Make sure to talk about your strategies for managing healthy conflict, and emphasize open, honest, and vulnerable communication. Talk about how you keep cool in a crisis, and share stories and examples of overcoming difficulty and conflict in a team setting.

This obviously isn't everything you might get asked for an interview, but I hope it's a good look at what interviewers are looking for (at least in my experience). Good luck and happy trails!

#beckett.txt #dirtbag tag #asks #anonymous

[0nlythrowharrybeaux]

Wonderful World - Part 3

THINGS ARE HAPPENING! There's a little bit of angst, nothing heart wrenching, but it's moving along!

Series Masterlist

Warning: Mentions of infidelity and infidelity

WC: 12.1k

Diana was constantly checking on Celeste throughout the next few days, especially when she told Diana that she would be meeting with Principal Whittaker that morning. Wednesdays were a busy day for Y/N, so she was a bit distracted during teaching at times, just anxious to know what was coming next. She wouldn’t see her until she got back home since on her busy days, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, Grace helped with picking her up from school. She hadn’t seen Harry at the cafe on Tuesday and Diana felt increasingly great about them not running into each other at the cafe before their evening classes, she was embarrassed after dumping all the information about Wesley to Harry. She should’ve known that he was more professional than what she had given him credit for. But more than that, the way that he looked into her eyes that night…she hadn’t been able to shake the feeling it gave her. It stirred something deep inside of her that she hadn’t felt in a long time, a curiosity that she knew would only guide her down a road of yearning that she knew was not possible. He was Celeste’s therapist and he had a girlfriend, from what she knew. There were bigger things going on in her life and yet, she would constantly circle back to wanting to see just another glimpse of him. It was a mental war that she seemed to play with herself since meeting him and it felt like she was losing her mind as she swore she conjured him walking past the lecture hall she had just walked out of with her thoughts. Or at least it looked like him, the man was swiftly walking past the front of her building with a girl hurrying along by his side.

“-I just feel like my supervisor is not really giving me what I need.” Diana heard the girl saying as she descended down the stairs, ready to head off but then she heard his voice.

“Well, again I am just an adjunct. And like I mentioned to you after class last week and in the email you sent Friday, you should really get some advice from your faculty advisor about this. The paths of psychiatry and counseling are vastly different, Sam. I’m not really the person to ask advice from when it comes to your supervision. I didn’t even train here for the clinical aspect of therapy.” He explained as he came to a stop and the girl stepped a bit closer to him and he seemed tense. Diana’s car was that way, she would walk past them and she could see how tightly he was clinging to the strap of his bag. He was uncomfortable and she decided to just chance an interruption that would stop this girl from whatever she was trying to do.

“But Dr. Styles,-”

“Hey hon, sorry I’m late! My class ran a bit long, had a lot of questions from my students.” Diana spoke up as she came closer and his eyes widened for a moment as he saw her coming and then his lips turned into a smile as she approached.

“Hey, it’s alright.” He said as he turned his attention to Diana as she stopped before them. The young woman turned to her and quite literally looked her over head to toe, sure it was subtle, but she caught it before looking at him. His smile of relief was so cute and smug, “So, are you ready to go, baby?” He asked with a smirk and she smiled at him and nodded, not minding the way that she just melted inside.

“Yeah, let’s go.” She said and he cocked his head, asking her to come closer, “Excuse us.” Diana said as she stepped around the girl who had been following Harry.

“Yes, excuse us, Sam. See you in class next week and please, make sure you talk to Dr. Abioye about your fieldwork supervisor, OK?” Harry said as he extended his hand out towards Diana and she didn’t even hesitate before she took it. That same shock of electricity they had experienced before seemed to shoot through them both as their eyes met as his large and warm hand encased hers and he just offered her a smile before they started walking off. They didn’t say anything for a bit as they both tried to just process the fact that they were holding hands right now. Harry liked the feeling of her skin against his and he wondered how she actually liked to hold hands with a partner. Diana was wondering the exact same thing about him and more… about how his big hands would feel around her hips or waist, or rubbing over her back and thighs…

“Well that was fateful…” Harry said as they continued walking off, breaking the silence and her train of thought before it meandered down smuttier terrain. Diana smiled up at him as he spoke up again, “Is she still there?” He asked and she reached into her pocket with her free hand and opened up the front-facing camera to peek behind them.

“No, she’s walking the other way. We’re good.” Diana said and he looked over to her before releasing her hand with some hesitation.

“Thanks for stepping in, I got flustered when she started to follow me.”

“Yikes, persistent…is that the one you were concerned about?” Diana asked and Harry chuckled.

“Yeah, that’d be her…” he mumbled, “So your class just ended too?”

“A bit ago, but I got caught up chatting with a colleague who was also teaching tonight.” She explained.

“Oh OK, well lucky me.” Harry smiled and she chuckled, “How’s Celeste?” He asked turning to her.

“Good I hope. That’s kind of why I’m a little nervous to get back home and hear what she has to say, she talked to the principal today. I’m just anxious to know what happened and what comes next, you know?”

“I can imagine. I must admit that she’s been on my mind a lot the last few days as well.” He explained as they continued walking towards the parking structure. “Like I keep thinking that she’s just a kid and no kid should have to go through shit like that.” 

“Yeah, I agree. But we live in a complex world…and it's just unfair sometimes.” she sighed.

“You are completely right about that.” Harry agreed. It often bothered him that bad things could happen to good people and that nothing could be done about it, that’s one of the reasons he wanted to go into the mental health profession. Because he wanted to help people be happy again if possible, “But despite the crappy things in it, it can still be pretty wonderful.” He expressed optimistically and smiled at her and she smiled as well.

“I agree, it is pretty wonderful.” She chimed in her agreement, “Did you park in the structure?” She asked him.

“Yeah, I did.”

“OK, for sure.” She smiled as they kept walking, “Other than being followed by your student, how was class tonight?”

“It was really good. We had a good discussion about addressing distressing situations via telehealth. I’ve got a pretty good group of students. They’re all very insightful.” He smiled, “How was your class?” 

“It was alright, I haven’t really been too focused today, so I fear I was rather monotonous. This class was just another section of my Spanish language course.” She explained.

“Wow, you really are anxious about what happened with Celeste.” He said and she nodded.

“I have no idea what I can even say to her. Like I know it’s not my fault that she’s going through this, but I also can’t really help her, even if I want to. Like I’ve done what I can for now and I have to leave it up to someone else and it’s just worrisome.” She explained, “I wish I could do more or just protect her better, you know?”

“I can imagine, but you’re really doing the best thing and all that you can for her. She knows that you love her and support her, she knows now that she can trust you with this stuff too. Plus, she’s got good friends who look out for her as well, so I think that she’ll get through it. She doesn’t seem to be giving up in the slightest and that’s really important.” Harry assured her and that gave Diana some peace. She knew that Celeste was a fighter, both she and Wesley were fighters. They were both determined and focused and it only made sense that Celeste had inherited those things from them.

“Thank you, Harry. That means a lot.” She smiled up at him and he nodded in response. They continued walking in silence for a bit and then she cleared her throat before speaking again, “Hey, so I’ve been wondering…like this isn’t normal is it?” She asked and he looked to her with some confusion.

“What isn’t?”

“Like us talking and hanging out while you’re Celeste’s therapist? Like I wouldn’t go as far as saying that we’re friends yet, but I feel like it would be really easy to befriend you if this continues happening.” She explained and he hummed in understanding.

“I mean, yeah, we try not to overlap those things. And well, I agree that it’d be really easy to befriend you. Like it’s just really easy to be around you.” He explained and she nodded.

“Yeah, I feel the same.” She agreed, “And I mean, it’s not like we plan to keep running into each other outside of what we have scheduled…but it keeps happening and well, I know I can’t ask you about Celeste, so I ask you about other things-”

“Right…and it just makes me want to ask more questions about you.” He cut in and she giggled.

“Right!” She exclaimed as if he had just read her mind and he smiled at her.

“Yeah, it’s not ideal but what can we do if we run into each other randomly and we get on perfectly?” He questioned rhetorically as they walked into the parking structure.

“I mean, I can pretend like I didn’t see you or something.” She mumbled as they walked up to the elevator and she pressed the call button.

“Yeah, I don’t think I’d like that.” He said immediately, “At all.” He added for emphasis as he looked to her and before she could respond the elevator pinged to announce it’s arrival and the heavy steel doors slid open and she stepped in, thinking he would follow her in, but as she turned he was just holding the door open, still looking at her.

“What’s wrong?” She asked and he shook his head.

“Nothing, I shouldn’t have…said what I said.” He explained and she frowned.

“Oh, I mean, I didn’t read into it in any way. No one likes being ignored. It’s just not a nice feeling.” She reasoned.

“Yeah, but we’re not even friends. Like you said. So it shouldn’t bother me like that.” He said and her brows raised a bit in understanding.

“Oh.” She responded so quietly that he barely heard it. He felt the doors try to push themselves closed before running into his hand and they gave up on trying to shut him out and stayed open.

“Fuck, and it’s not like I’m into you.” He fibbed, but he felt like he had to say that and she wasn’t sure why that made her feel a bit sad, but it did. “I mean, I have a girlfriend. But I just like you, like I’m curious about you because I feel like we would get along really well. Or we do and-”

“Yeah, I get it.” She offered a tight-lipped smile and he sighed and nodded. He didn’t want to keep stumbling over himself like this, it was embarrassing that he couldn’t be composed around her.

“Thank you for saving me tonight, truly. But maybe we should just stick to a friendly wave next time we run into each other.” He said, not even looking into her eyes anymore. Hearing him say that was hurting her feelings more than she would like, but this only proved that he was absolutely right about what he was suggesting.

“OK.” She agreed quietly and he could just see that she was a bit hurt through the expression on her face and her unwillingness to meet his eyes when he finally looked back to her face. Hearing her agree to this put a lump in Harry’s throat, but it was the right thing to do because her own feelings of upset at this conversation just proved that there would potentially be a problem ahead if they continued making light of their attraction and curiosity towards each other, “Well, have a good night.” She said as she pressed the button to the floor she had parked on and then looked back into his eyes and he tensed up his jaw as a new tension grew between them as they just looked at each other, “Are you coming in?” Diana asked and he shook his head.

“Got lucky and found a spot down here.” He informed.

“OK, then let go of the door, please.” She requested and he blinked a few times before nodding.

“Right.” He said removing his arm, but he still didn’t leave, he felt like walking away would make her upset and more than that, it would make his heart hurt. Harry stayed put and watched the doors close on them before he cursed lowly and headed towards his car.

As soon as the elevator started moving up Diana took a long and deep breath to ward away the discomfort she felt in her chest. She shouldn’t have been feeling this way at all…she shouldn’t be missing the feeling of their hands clasped together. Nor the size or warmth of his hand around hers. It made her heart start to beat faster and faster. She knew now that she definitely had a crush on him. He had a girlfriend though. And he was Celeste’s therapist. She needed to snap out of it! If it were nothing at all, she wouldn’t be upset about this, but she was and that spoke volumes about how she felt about him. He was just being friendly with her and she had somehow twisted it into this crush…he was just so lovely that it had been hard not to like him and well now, she needed to just steer clear for the greater good.

*********

Rebecca rolled her shoulders back before pushing herself up from her bed. She was worn out and she wanted a cup of tea or something to help wind her down while Eddie finished getting dressed. She felt strange, because she thought she would be feeling more guilty for sleeping with someone else. She hadn’t planned for this to happen at all…it was Valentine’s Day when Eddie first kissed her in the parking lot outside of their office and he apologized about it but she had assured him it was alright, it just shouldn’t happen again since they worked together and things could get weird and Eddie agreed. She had not once brought Harry up now that she thought about it. Sure, she was attracted to Eddie and he was attracted to her, but she didn’t think too much of it at all until that kiss. And now today, they had been working late and Harry was teaching so she asked Eddie if he wanted to stay for dinner and one thing led to another and well…it was done now. And it had been pretty good.

“Hey, are you OK?” Eddie asked as he came up behind her and wrapped his arm around her waist and she sighed and nodded.

“Yeah, I was just thinking about how I didn’t even think about Harry once.” She confessed, “Like…that’s kind of fucked up, no?” She asked as she turned in his grip.

“It depends.” Eddie said and she rolled her lips together pensively, “Do you love him?” He asked and Rebecca sighed.

“Yeah, I do love him and I care about him but I don’t know if I love him the way I should for having been with him as long as I have.” She explained, “I’m such a mess…shit.” She sighed and Eddie frowned.

“You’re not. Look we obviously like each other…I’m not saying to end it with him, but just…think about what we could do together. He doesn’t give a fuck about anything that you’re trying to accomplish and-”

“You don’t even know him!” Rebecca jumped to Harry’s defense and Eddie sighed.

“You said that to me, Becs. I’m just telling it like you told me.” He said and she sighed before shaking her head.

“It’s almost 10:30 and we didn’t even eat…” she mumbled.

  “Should I go pick something up?” He asked softly, his hand caressed her cheek tenderly.

“Yeah, please. I just want some fries.” She said and he nodded.

“OK, I’ll be back in a few.” Eddie assured and was soon leaving Rebecca’s apartment. When she went back to her bedroom she checked her phone and saw that Harry had texted her just minutes prior to say he had just gotten home after class and had wished her a good night. She texted him back and then got to stripping the bedsheets to get them in the washer before setting new ones on. About 15 minutes later Eddie was letting himself back in before locking up the front door and when he made it into her room he climbed back on the bed with her and they got to eating.

Rebecca had been so nice and welcoming from the moment Eddie had arrived at the firm. She was beautiful and smart and he immediately liked her. They became friends swiftly, he had only gotten hired in December, but the hours they spent together were long and it just facilitated a friendship between them. He was 28 and she was 30, so there was a small age difference between them, but that really didn’t matter to him. They cared about the same things and they were both into each other, or at least he assumed she was into him too. She would flirt back with him all the time and in their time together she had only mentioned her boyfriend once, that’s how he found out about him. And all she had done was complain about him, Eddie didn’t need to meet Harry to know that he and Rebecca were completely incompatible. When he kissed her that first time she hadn’t been upset at him, she just suggested they don’t do it again and well, tonight things just got out of hand, but it just felt so right and she didn’t feel bad about it, she had said so herself. He didn’t feel bad about it either, in fact she had kissed him first tonight.

“Hey, on Friday night just…lay low, OK? Henry’s girlfriend is bringing a friend and maybe you can hang out with her a bit.” Rebecca said and despite the slight irritation he felt with that he knew she was right.

“Yeah, that’s cool.” He agreed as he ate his own food.

“And we shouldn’t have sex again until I can figure out what the hell I’m going to do, OK? It’s not fair to Harry.” She explained and Eddie grinned.

“Too good, huh? Can’t cloud your judgement?” He joked to lighten the mood and she rolled her eyes.

“He’s…really good too by the way.” She said with a grin and Eddie chuckled, “I just don’t know what’s wrong…” she trailed off with a small frown.

“It means a lot more than you think it does if your heart’s not in it anymore, Becs.” He said and she sighed.

“Let’s talk about something else, OK?” She mumbled before stuffing some fries in her mouth.

*********

Harry had every intention of dropping by Rebecca’s after class but his mind was completely clouded over with everything that had to do with Diana. That deliciously warm cherry scent that wafted off of her. Her smile. Her deep gaze. Her soothing and soft voice. She talked pretty and her lips were pretty and he’d be a liar if he denied ever wondering about how her kiss would feel. See, he couldn’t very well show up and spend time with his girlfriend while he had another person on his mind. He couldn’t stop imagining the feeling of his hand holding hers. He wanted to feel their fingers interlocked securely and he wanted to hug her into his body so badly. He felt that there were many layers to her that he was desirous to explore, but physically, he just wanted to be close to her. It almost felt like fate kept pushing them together and that thrilled him and kept him sharp.

Harry loved Rebecca, but he felt like sometimes she didn’t give him what he needed in terms of their relationship. She was so focused on her professional aspirations, she did try, but it seemed like she was always busy or doing something work related. They had agreed to let each other be, but sometimes he wished that they could be a bit more normal, he regretted whatever arrangement they had made with each other because he felt like life was passing him by. Maybe that’s why he was so attracted to Diana, because she seemed to have it all? Well, everything that he knew he wanted at some point. He had just turned 33, and he knew that with his career choice he was bound to start life a little later than others, but he at least hoped that he would have a fiancé by now. Which he supposes he could have, but when he saw how things were with Rebecca he couldn’t foresee himself asking her to marry him any time soon or her even accepting a proposal from him. Maybe Henry had been right all along and his and Rebecca’s relationship was just a convenient arrangement for them both? He couldn’t say there wasn’t love and care between them, but if he wasn’t in love with her she certainly wasn’t in love with him.

**********

“So it went well then?” Diana asked Celeste who nodded with a smile.

“Yeah, principal Whittaker was able to see the footage from the hallway cameras and of course, Geri witnessed it so she confirmed the narrative as well. I think it helped that in the video you could see that they were waiting for me by my locker.” Celeste said and Diana frowned.

“I’m sorry.”

“It’s OK, she got detention for three weeks and has a mandatory meeting with the school counselor.”

“That’s it?” Diana questioned with shock.

“Well it’s her first offense. Obviously they’re gonna talk to her parents about it, but hopefully this keeps her in check for a bit. I just wish I knew what I did to make her hate me so much.” Celeste frowned and Diana shook her head.

“Some people are just mean, mi amor.” She said as Celeste curled into her side, “I don’t know why, but there are just bad people. If you ever feel unsafe or like not enough has been done to help please let me know, OK?”

“I will, mom.” She assured, “Dr. Styles has helped a lot too, I feel like I’m not as scared as I was before. Now he’s helping me more with the anger I feel when they pick on me.” She explained and Diana nodded.

“That’s good. It’s important to learn how to express your anger in healthy ways. I’m just happy that he’s helping you out.” She smiled and Celeste nodded.

“Oh, Grace said that you better not bail on her on Friday.” Celeste spoke up and Diana sighed.

“I won’t…” Diana mumbled and Celeste giggled.

“You thought of it though, didn’t you?” She challenged her mom and Diana rolled her eyes.

“Whatever…but I also don’t want to leave her alone with a bunch of strangers so I won’t.”

“She showed me her boyfriend, he’s cute.” Celeste said, “Maybe she can find you a cute doctor friend of his.” She joked and Diana scoffed.

“Little girl…” she said as she pulled back from their hug to see Celeste giggling.

“What? I’ve never seen you have a boyfriend or girlfriend or anyone!”

“So?” Diana asked and Celeste shrugged, “I have gone on dates.” Diana shared and Celeste gasped.

“And you’ve never told me?!” She questioned scooting away from her mom’s embrace to be able to look her in the eyes as they talked about this.

“I would if I wanted to continue dating someone. There’s been plenty of first dates, but I don’t want to have you meeting tons of people for no reason.”

“Tons? OK, mom...” Celeste smirked and Diana rolled her eyes.

“You know what I mean.” She said before laughing a bit.

“You don’t get lonely?” Celeste asked more seriously.

“Not really…I have you and my friends and well my job is also very time-consuming so I don’t have tons of free time where I would prefer going out over a good nap.” She confessed and Celeste chuckled.

“Lazy.” She shook her head.

“You’ll understand when you’re older. Wait until your senior years comes around and you get hit with the senioritis.” Diana warned.

“Can’t wait.” Celeste mumbled, “So…when was the last time you got asked out?” Celeste went back to the topic at hand. 

“Why are you suddenly so curious about this?”

“Just because! We’ve never really talked about it in depth.” She explained and Diana nodded. That was true, it seemed that now was a good age to be more open about her love life with Celeste. She assumed she would soon start getting asked out and things like that.

“Yeah, that’s true…well you’re older now so if you have questions about anything-”

“Oh mom, no…” Celeste scoffed with a scowl.

“Well, that’s part of this topic too, so I’m just saying.” She reminded before continuing to answer Celeste’s initial question, “And to answer your question it was tonight, the last time I’ve been asked on a date.” Celeste’s face lit up and Diana chuckled.

“Who was it? What’s his name? What’d you say?” She asked eagerly.

“He’s a colleague, one of the History professors. His name is Gabriel Klein.” Diana shared, opting to not dwell on the encounter she had with Harry right after her chat with Gabriel.

“Is he cute?” Celeste pressed and Diana went all pink in the face as she nodded.

“Yeah, he’s…very cute.” She assured and Celeste grinned.

“So are you gonna go out with him?” She asked and Diana sighed.

“I don’t know, I told him I’d think about it.”

“Oh my god, why?”

“I got nervous!” Diana giggled, “We’ve talked a few times since I started lecturing int that building and he’s nice, but I just got really nervous and told him I’d let him know.”

“Maybe you don’t have as much game as I thought.” Celeste teased and Diana laughed.

“I really don’t.” She assured with a giggle, “Now, how are your fingers feeling? Do we need to continue taping them up?”

“They don’t hurt as much, still hurt sometimes. The nurse makes sure I have an icepack all the time, which is good.”

“Good. We’ll check again on Friday.” Diana assured with a smile. After a bit more chatting Diana left Celeste alone and headed off to get ready for bed. Once cozied up she was scrolling through her phone for a bit trying not to think about Harry. She couldn’t help it though.  She dropped her phone and raised both of her hands before her face, palm to palm and sighed as she interlocked her fingers together, she wasn’t going to lie. She missed that feeling, she hadn’t held hands with anyone in a really long time. She rolled her eyes and then reached over to switch the bedside lamp off. 

**********

It was Friday and Celeste would be spending the night at Geri’s place. Diana was feeling a bit nervous about this escape room thing, she had never done that before and to be honest she wasn’t sure what to expect. She wasn’t fond of the feeling of being trapped, so at least she knew she’d be eager to find ways to get out. She was getting changed into something a bit more causal after work. She kept on her knit sweater but took her trousers off and slipped into some jeans and sneakers instead. She then washed her face, took out her contacts and redid her make-up a little lighter and slipped her glasses on. She did not forget to spritz on her usual perfume and then hurried down to the kitchen to have a snack before they left. She had been rather busy and skipped lunch, the plan was to go to a bar after, so she wanted to ensure she ate something before she had anything to drink. She only waited about 10 minutes before Grace was calling her that she was out front with Henry. So she switched on the living room light and then hurried outside. Grace and Henry were chatting on the sidewalk.

“Hey!” Diana smiled as she came up to them.

“Hey, Di.” Grace greeted her with a hug and she squeezed a bit before letting go, “This is Henry. Henry, this is Diana, my best friend.” Grace introduced them and they both stepped forward and hugged each other briefly.

“It’s great to meet you, I’ve heard a lot about you.” Henry said with a bright smile as he pulled back.

“It’s wonderful to finally meet you too!” Diana assured. 

After exchanging a few pleasantries they got back into the car and were heading off towards the escape room. Grace explained that she nor Diana had ever done anything like this, so Henry was explaining what everything was like and what they had to do. This eased a lot of the anxiety that Diana had as it wasn’t as daunting as she had made up in her mind. He assured them that the theme was a bank heist one, so nothing scary or horror based, which had been Grace’s concern, but also Diana’s, they were wimps for scary things.

“I promise you guys will have fun. Maybe Diana can keep joining us if she really likes it? It’s always fun when we get to do the bigger rooms.” Henry explained with excitement. After about 15 minutes they were pulling into the parking lot and entering the building. As soon as they came in another guy who was hanging out in the waiting area sprang up from the bench there.

“Hi, are you Henry?” The young man asked and Henry nodded.

“OK, cool. I’m Eddie, Rebecca’s friend.” He said extending his hand out as they introduced each other, “I was reading I had to come 15 minutes before the time and I was worried you all changed plans.” He joked and Henry chuckled along explaining that as seasoned escapees they didn’t show up early anymore because they were familiar with the rules.

“Sorry, we should’ve told you.” He said and Eddie assure him it was alright, “This is Grace, my date tonight.” Henry introduced her, “And her friend, Diana.” He said and Diana extended her hand.

“Ah, nice to meet you. I guess we’re the spares.” He said with a grin and she giggled.

“I guess so.”  They started getting checked in and signing the waivers everyone had to do and she was sitting next to Eddie who was very extraverted and charismatic, he was funny and easy to talk to. They were talking about how they were both latin Americans and she was talking about her family’s business ventures in Mexico when the chime for the door rang and made them both look up. Diana felt her stomach drop when she saw Harry trailing in behind his girlfriend, hand in hand. 

“Sorry we’re cutting it so close!” He apologized as he went straight to Henry who was on the other side of the room chatting with the receptionist. His girlfriend immediately turned to look over at the bench and she smiled when she saw Eddie.

“Hi.” She said as he immediately stood and they hugged. Diana saw as he hugged a little low on her waist, but that wasn’t any of her concern as she stood.

“Hey, this is Diana. Henry’s girlfriend’s friend.” He said releasing Rebecca who then extended a hand to her with a friendly smile. 

“Hi, I’m Rebecca.” Rebecca introduced herself with a warm smile that Diana reciprocated. She felt weird shaking her hand all while knowing that she had a crush on her boyfriend. It made her stomach twist in a weird way. They could overhear Henry introducing Grace to Harry on the other side of the room, “We should join them.” Rebecca suggested to her and Eddie and they were soon coming up behind her and Harry did a double take when he saw her. He felt his mouth completely dry up and his heart start to pound hard in his chest.

“Harry, this is my  best friend, Diana.” Grace said with a big smile.

“Yeah-”

“Hi, it’s nice to meet you.” Diana interrupted whatever he was about to say and extended her hand to him while he just looked at her with a blank expression.

“Harry.” Rebecca said and he blinked a few times before he extended his hand out to hers and took it, shaking it a few times, dreading the moment when they’d let go.

“Sorry. Nice to meet you, Diana.” He said, his eyes not leaving hers until she nodded and looked away, “And this is Eddie, I presume.” Harry said as he glanced to the guy beside Diana and he smiled and nodded.

“Yeah, that’s me. It’s great to meet you.” Eddie smiled politely.

“Well, now that we’re all acquainted let’s get to it!” Henry said. Soon they were putting their belongings in a locker and were being guided into the room where the employee started giving them a few more instructions.

“So what’s your job again?” Eddie mumbled quietly to Diana and she smiled and turned to him.

“I’m a professor.” She said and he smirked.

“Nice. I’m a lawyer, so we’re both smart. I assume the couples will pair off and find clues so we can stick together and solve things too.” He said to her and she nodded.

“Yeah, sounds good.” She responded. This guy was very sweet and friendly, it was very easy to feel comfortable around him which was exactly what she needed now that it started sinking in that she was trapped in a room for an hour with Harry and his girlfriend. Soon the door shut and the time started and they all started to look around for clues.

“C’mon, let’s go look over here.” Eddie said and she followed him off to one end of the room as they started looking through a little shelf of ledgers when she noticed that the spines of a few of them were different colors than the rest, so she picked those up and brought them to the prop desk figuring that they were important and she started paging through them to see if there were any clues inside, “Nice find.” Eddie said as he came over.

“Yeah, help me look through them.” She said and he nodded. They started chitchatting as they looked for anything of significance in them.

Harry glanced back to see where Diana was and he couldn’t help the way his chest tightened with jealousy as she giggled and chatted lowly with this other guy, Eddie. First he was sending suspicious sounding texts to his girlfriend and now he was flirting with his…well, they weren’t anything. They couldn’t even be friends so he had no reason to be upset.

“Hey, H.” He heard and turned his gaze to Rebecca, “You’re still upset about the text you saw before, aren’t you?” She asked quietly as they searched around for clues.

“No.”

“Then why do you keep staring at Eddie?” She asked lowly as she felt around the picture frames along the wall for a clue.

“I’m not.” He mumbled lowly.

“You are, you’re making that jealous face. And literally for what? He’s got a girlfriend.” Rebecca said to try and appease Harry. 

“Yet he’s flirting with Grace’s friend.” He mumbled and Rebecca sighed as she checked a painting and felt it move a bit.

“This opens up, guys! Find something that might open this up!” Rebecca announced as Harry looked to the wall and inspected what looked like a teller’s stand for any buttons or switches and he felt something under the counter and glanced under it to see that it indeed was a button and he pressed it and they heard the latch open, which allowed Rebecca to open the painting like a little door and look inside and she pulled out a metal cashier box.

“There’s a lock, four digit combo!” Harry announced and Henry and Grace started looking around and soon Diana was rushing over to them, he knew it was her because that scent of cherries engulfed her in the best way.

“The ledgers over there had these numbers circled, ready?” She asked him and he glanced up to her and nodded, “2-2-6-5.” She said and Harry lined up the numbers and tugged on the lock.

“Good job.” He grinned up at her as it unlatched and she offered him a tight-lipped smile before she moved out of the way as Henry rushed over there and huddled in with Rebecca as they found another set of clues in the form of bank forms. And they continued on searching for the next 10 minutes until they were able to “disable” the fake security cameras and open the door to the second room, which was the bank vault.

Harry was not as into it as he usually was and that didn’t go unnoticed by Rebecca or Henry, as he called Harry out for being off his game today. But truly, he just couldn’t help it because he kept seeing how Eddie was charming the living daylights out of Diana and it was putting him in a bad mood and his brain was getting foggy. It looked like she was having fun though and she was actually finding a lot of useful clues to help them solve this game.

Diana was having a lot of fun with this, other than the moments where she could feel someone staring right at her (she was sure it was Harry), it was exhilarating and everyone was rushing about trying to get this resolved so that they could win the game. Eddie was keeping her distracted enough from feeling weird about being here with Harry and Rebecca. He looked so good in his causal clothes, so relaxed and domestic…she heard a snippet of conversation between Grace and Harry inquiring about how they could open the lockbox that contained some more clues and she glanced to Eddie.

“What’s the number of the lockbox?” Diana asked aloud.

“50!” Harry and Grace shouted back.

“I’ll be right back.” Diana said and hurried back to the first room they had been in. She went over to the shelved cabinet with the ledgers. There were two rows of them and she counted the first shelve and saw there were 25, so that meant there were only 50 of them. She reached for the very last one and when she opened it it had been hollowed out and she saw a little keychain labeled #50 and a small silver key attached to it, “I found it!” She shouted in excitement and Henry and Rebecca peaked into the first room as she rushed over to the vault room, “Here.” She said handing the key over to Grace.

“S’your first time, you do the honors.” Harry said to her and she smiled excitedly and opened the lockbox to reveal the final code for the door. They all cheered when Henry finished inputting it and the keypad turned green, indicating that they had done it.

“Good eye.” Eddie said to Diana who grinned.

“Thank you.” She hummed with delight and he chuckled. The game host came in to the room and congratulated them for finishing up.

“Actually, you guys have set the record for this room! You finished in 32 minutes and 40 seconds!” He said excitedly and they all cheered again, “You’re a smart bunch.” He said and they all laughed, well it was a room full of doctors and lawyer, and a university professor, and a corporate accountant, but he didn’t need to know that. They all had their picture taken and were soon collecting their belongings as they rendezvoused in the lobby area.

“Nice job, Diana! Please make yourself available on the last Friday of every month for the rest of your life, OK?” Henry said and she chuckled, “Right, H?” Henry said as he looked past her and when she turned she saw Harry behind her. Rebecca, Grace, and Eddie were in the bathroom, so it was just them three waiting in the lobby.

“Yeah, if you’re into it we’d love to have you. You’re a natural.” He smiled lightly at her. His smile didn’t go up to his eyes like it usually would, he was upset that she seemed to be flirting with Eddie as much as he had been flirting with her and she had hardly even spared him a glance the entire time they’d been at this place. He knew how crazy it was that this bothered him after he had told her that they shouldn’t engage with each other any more, but if anything solidified that his interest in her was far more than platonic this was it.

“Yeah, maybe.” She smiled.

“No offense, but Rebecca better not bring that Eddie guy around anymore, he was reaching and reading into some stuff way too much. Stressed me out.” Henry ranted lowly and Harry grinned.

“Yeah, not happening again.” Harry said and Diana just bit her lip awkwardly.

“I mean regardless, we set the record.” Y/N chimed in.

“We probably could’ve been faster if we hadn’t wasted all that time looking through that file cabinet.” Henry said.

“Told him it was just a prop.” Harry mumbled.

“We’re very competitive about these things, by the way.” Henry added with a smile.

“Really? I couldn’t tell.” Diana chuckled sarcastically.

“Look, all I’m saying is that us three carried the team tonight and I’d like to perfect our escape room team.” Henry said, “So next time, just us 5, OK? Tell your girl.” Henry said to Harry seriously. 

Soon enough they were all heading out once they agreed what bar to meet at. Grace wanted to talk to Henry about something so she asked Diana if she’d be kind enough to go with Eddie to give them a little time and she agreed and well Eddie didn’t mind at all. Eddie of course, was noticing how his little interactions with Diana were clearly making Rebecca jealous, but she had asked him to be cool and spend time with her. Diana was nice, but she looked like one of those really nice and relaxed girls, which truly weren’t his type, but he would milk this all night if possible because Rebecca needed to somehow realize that she needed to breakup with Harry.

*******

“You girls get a table and we’ll get the drinks.” Harry said.

“I can go with and grab my own.” She said to Eddie who started walking off.

“It’s OK, I’ve got you. What’s your drink?” He asked.

“Tequila, reposado though. Up.” She said over the chatter.

“Any specific brand?”

“Casamigos! I’ll get you next round, OK?” She assured and he nodded before heading off to the bar. She soon found Grace and Rebecca as they settled into a booth at the corner of the bar. There were two billiard tables near the back wall of the bar and then a stage there for karaoke or live music. There was also an upstairs section with more billiard tables and darts according to a banner above the stairs, beckoning patrons to ask for the the cues and darts at the bar.

“This place is pretty cool. Have you ever been here before?” Grace asked Rebecca as Diana scooted into the booth. 

“Yep, the last Friday of every month, like clockwork. Prepare yourself, babe.” She said unenthusiastically to Grace who chuckled, “Oh, I’m serious.” She said with a chuckle and Grace looked to Diana with widened eyes.

“So you guys literally do this once a month?” Diana asked and Rebecca nodded.

“Yeah, it’s more for Henry and Harry…they’re best friends but they’re both rather busy people so they don’t get to hang out so much anymore. Especially since Harry opened up his psychiatry practice, he’s there like all the time.” She explained, “It’s not that I don’t like to come, but we always end up here and this is not very my style, you know?” She said and Diana nodded in understanding, “Harry likes this place because he says it’s very “pubby”, guess it reminds him a bit of England.” Rebecca said and Diana smiled.

“Aww, that’s really sweet though! I’m sure he really appreciates that you guys are willing to come here if it just reminds him of home a bit. It must suck to be so far. So finding a little reminder of it must be really special for him.” She hummed happily and Rebecca just looked at her for a second before she nodded.

“Yeah, that’s…very true.” Rebecca said with a smile. She had never really thought of that. She kind of dreaded coming here and he knew that, she hadn’t shied away from telling him that the third time they had come here. But here was this girl, Diana, a perfect stranger, who saw the value and meaning that this place had for him and she hadn’t even considered that once in the time that they had been together. She just knew that it was rowdy and crowded and that was enough to have her hate it here and she wouldn’t pretend to enjoy it, even for his sake. She couldn’t keep lying to herself or continue to convince herself that this relationship was going to work - the only thing she and Harry seemed to have in common was that they were both workaholics.

“Here you are, my lovely.” Henry spoke up as he slid Grace’s margarita before her carefully and she smiled up at him and thanked him before grabbing his drink and letting him scoot in beside her. Rebecca was seated right in the “u” of the booth so Diana slid out when she saw Harry approaching.

“Go ahead.” She assured him and he nodded before sliding in and then placing down the glasses in his hands. Diana then realized that he’d be sandwiched between Rebecca and her and she felt odd about sitting beside him, but didn’t want to make much of a fuss about it so she slid in. Henry started talking about how Diana would be a fun addition to their escape room tradition as she seemed to have a real knack for problem solving. Obviously, Grace loved the idea of having her be more integrated into this new group. They were all chatting about how fun it had been when Eddie came up and slid into the seat beside her, prompting Diana to slide in a bit closer to Harry. She felt their thighs touch and turned to him quickly.

“I’m so sorry.” She said and pressed her own legs closer together to avoid touching his. He wanted to tell her it was OK, he hated that she seemed so on edge around him now. But all Diana needed to do was create distance between them because being around him made her not think as clearly and that wasn’t good for anyone.

“What’d you get?” Henry asked Diana after she took a sip of her drink. She was about to respond when Grace chimed in.

“A reposado, up.” Grace spoke with a grin directed at Diana.

  “Exactly what she said.” Diana confirmed with a smile.

“Oh, that’s your order too!” Henry said to Harry who then glanced to Diana and they looked at each other’s glasses and saw that they indeed had the same exact drink.

“Yep.” He smiled at her, “Well, cheers.” Harry said to Diana, bowing his glass towards her and she nodded.

“Cheers.” She responded clinking it with his before they both took another sip. Eddie seemed to be the odd man out, so Grace, being the nice girl she is, started asking him some questions.

“So are you dating anyone or anything like that?” She inquired, kind of curious because he and Diana seemed to be getting along really well and maybe they could hang out one-on-one.

“Oh no, I’ve been so busy at the firm that I haven’t really had free time that wasn’t used to catch up on sleep.” He chuckled and Harry glanced to Rebecca who quickly looked away as she was caught in her lie from earlier. Grace then started asking about when he moved here and where he used to live. He was scooting a bit closer to Diana now as he talked across the table to answer Grace’s questions. This prompted him to start pushing up against Diana, who was slowly, but surely inching closer and closer to Harry. Harry who was nodding along but couldn’t be more tuned out of the conversation as the overhead fans seems to be wafting Diana’s cherry perfume straight into his face. His hands were on his knees and he was gripping them tight as he tried to just relieve some of the tension he felt in his body. When suddenly Eddie made a move to lean a bit closer and it pushed Diana’s thigh into Harry’s once more and she looked up at him.

“I’m sorry.” She said softly as everyone else laughed at something Eddie had said and before she could try and make herself a bit smaller to avoid being pressed up against Harry his hand came over her mid thigh from under the table, silently asking her not to move it away.

“It’s alright, we’re crammed in here.” He said to her lowly as her heart started to pound hard in her chest and her stomach started to turnover with nerves and excitement at just how big his hand felt over her thigh. He then pulled it away and settled it back over his own leg where he was now squeezing for dear life because he wanted to touch her again. But at least Diana’s thigh was pressed up against his now and that would have to be enough for now. Diana’s drink didn’t even last her for 15 minutes after her and Harry had been pressed together. Maybe it was non-existent to anyone else at the table, but to her, the tension she felt with him was unbearable. After he grabbed her thigh she was now left wondering if he felt it too, but whatever it was, she needed to loosen up a bit to handle it.

“Are you up for another round?” Diana asked Eddie who looked up from his phone as his drink was nearly done.

“I’m actually good, might be heading home soon.” He said to her and she nodded, “Anyone else?” She asked, Henry and Grace shook their heads, and when Rebecca looked up from her phone she also shook her head as well and then she looked to Harry.

“Yeah, but I’ll go with you. I opened a tab.” He fibbed, no one knew that he hadn’t, but he just wanted a moment with her. Eddie moved to let Diana and Harry out, “If anyone changes their mind, text me.” Harry said and when he turned around he saw that Diana had already headed off towards the bar. She found an opening at the counter and slid in, she needed space from Harry to just think clearly for a second, but she soon felt someone come up close behind her and she knew it was him. “Didn’t even wait for me.” He mumbled to her and she glanced back at him.

“Sorry, I didn’t know you had lagged.” She said and then turned her attention back to the bar, waiting for one of the bartenders to free up for an order.

“Hey, why are you being all weird with me?” He asked and she swallowed the lump in her throat before speaking.

“You said we would only do friendly waves.” She said and he licked over his lips before asking his next question.

“Did that upset you? Are you mad at me?” He pressed and she slightly turned to him.

“No Harry, I’m just trying to respect what you asked of me.” She assured him.

“Well it might get a little more complicated now that our best friends are dating.” He said and she shook her head.

“It doesn’t have to be, Harry. Clearly our interactions before made you feel uncomfortable or uncertain to some degree so I’m literally just doing what you asked and it’s very doable for me.” She assured.

“Well Henry really liked you too, I’m sure he’s gonna be telling Grace to invite you out more often so…” He explained with a smile.

“Well, then I’ll just tell Grace that you’re Celeste’s therapist and that I also don’t love the idea of being the 5th wheel all the time. She’ll understand.” Diana assured and Harry just rolled his lips together and nodded. Diana needed to just be objective and maybe that came off as callous, but he was the one who asked for this and just because he had changed his mind because they had all had a good time together it didn’t mean that it was a good idea. She couldn’t let her resolve fade. She wouldn’t.

“Well, might as well enjoy this while it lasts.” He sighed and she glanced back at him again.

“What do you mean?”

“Exactly what I said! Ask me anything, go.” He said with a smile and she giggled softly.

“For what?”

“For fun. If we’re gonna be all dry and formal from here on out I at least want to have one really great conversation with you before.” He reasoned and she sighed.

“Well you can’t put me on the spot like that! If everything changes after today then I need to ask something really good.” She said and he chuckled, “I need time!” She exclaimed, all frazzled now, and he chuckled as a bar tender freed up and approached the counter and Harry stepped up closer behind her, his hands were on each side of her, boxing her in between his body and the counter.

“Hey man, two Casamigos reposados, up. Please.” Harry said loudly over the chatter at the bar.

“You got it! I’ve got just one more order before yours.” The man said and Harry nodded with a smile. Diana tried to turn to him to protest him getting her drink.

“Don’t even try to say anything about it, Diana.” Harry spoke first and she sighed. Suddenly someone pushed into him hard from behind and he instinctively gripped the counter with one hand while his other arm wrapped around her waist to steady himself and avoid the fall as his body bumped into hers harshly, “Jesus.” He mumbled in aggravation, glancing back to hear a mumbled apology over some laughter and he sighed before leaning down closer to her ear, “M’sorry. You alright?” He asked and she nodded.

“Good. And you?” Diana questioned as she shifted a bit and craned her neck to look up at him as best as she could and he nodded, his eyes not leaving hers. She watched as his gaze slowly started to travel down the bridge of her nose and before she could witness his eyes look over her lips she spoke up, “What about you? Do you have a question for me? Any question.” She asked with a smile and he grinned.

“Hmmm…” he hummed pensively, he still hadn’t let her go, but it was because more people were crowding in behind them and he didn’t want her to get all squished against the counter. Sure, he was liking holding her, but it wasn’t just for his enjoyment. He smirked as he thought of a question, “Do you find me attractive?” He asked near her ear since it was quite loud around them and she glanced up to him and rolled her eyes with a smirk and pink cheeks as he grinned, “What?” He asked through a laugh.

“Skip. Next question.” Diana said looking away from his eyes bashfully for a second before looking back, he made her so nervous. A kind of nervous that she hadn’t felt in ages and she was just re-learning how to cope with it.

“Fine.” He mumbled and she giggled. He rolled his eyes up to the ceiling and bit on his bottom lip as he pretended that his next question was really difficult to come up with. He really just wanted to know one thing, “Do you date?” He asked and she giggled.

“That’s none of your business.” Diana responded with a smirk and he scoffed.

“You said any question.” He chuckled.

“And I answered you! Whether you like the answer or not isn’t really my problem, is it?” She challenged him with a smirk.

“You said 2 resposados, up, right?” The bartender suddenly made an appearance.

“Yeah, mate. Thanks!” Harry called back with a smile and the man turned back to the liquor shelves and Harry returned his attention back to Diana with a small scowl on his face, “You don’t play fair.” He said and she shrugged, completely unbothered by this. “What if I wanted to like introduce you to someone? Like if I had a friend and I thought they’d be good for you.” He inquired and she giggled.

“Why? Do you have someone in mind?” she asked and he grinned.

“So you’re single.” He asked with amusement.

“I never said that.” She said and he shrugged.

“You didn’t have to.” He assured smugly and she looked back into his eyes.

“Is this friend you have in mind, Eddie?” She asked.

“Why, do you like him?” He asked back and she shook her head.

“He’s not really-”

“He’s quite annoying, isn’t he?” Harry interrupted with a scrunched up face and she giggled.

“He’s not that bad. He is far too extraverted for me though, it’s a bit intense.” She explained and he chuckled. 

“Yeah…” Harry agreed with a small laugh, “Have you thought of your question for me?” He asked closer to her ear and she shook her head.

“Not yet.” She said and he hummed.

“Well I give you ’til the end of the night.” He decided.

“OK, I’ll work on narrowing them down.” She assured with a giggle.

“Narrowing them down?” Harry asked and she nodded.

“I’m an inquisitive person.” She shrugged and he smiled.

“Alright, how about this, I technically asked you two questions, even if your answers were shit…” he added in the playful jab and she laughed, “So you can ask me two.”

“Alright.” She agreed and he smiled as he let go of her. She already missed his arm around her.

“Good.” Harry said as he reached into his back pocket for his wallet as he saw the bartender approaching.

“Here you are.” The bartender said as he placed their drinks before them, “Do you have a tab open?” He asked.

“No, here you are.” Harry said handing over his card and Diana turned to him with narrowed eyes.

“You little liar.” She said and he chuckled.

“Oh please, I’m sure you always drink for free.” He said with a smile and she scoffed.

“Oh, I wish!” She responded and he chuckled, “I feel like I have to pay because I don’t want to give anyone any ideas.” She said and Harry hummed.

“Yeah, that’s shitty.”

“Being a woman is shitty sometimes.” She shrugged.

“Yeah, no arguments there.” Harry stated and then he smiled at her.

“What?” She asked and he shrugged.

“Nothing, you’re more open than I expected.” He said and she hummed.

“I mean, I am quite shy and guarded, but only if I’m not comfortable.”

“Oh, ok.” He said and she nodded.

“Here you go, just sign please.” The bartender said and Harry’s arm came around Diana and Diana brought her left hand up to hold the paper down in place for him to sign.

“Thank you.” He hummed as he signed and then handed it back thanking the man before they carefully squeezed through the rest of the people crowded around the bar. When they got back to the booth Rebecca and Eddie were gone.

“Eddie left and Rebecca went to walk him out.” Grace said, “I thought he would at least ask for your number, Di. You guys were hitting it off, no.” She said with confusion.

“He was too much for her.” Harry said and Henry and Grace turned to him and he shrugged, “S’what she said. I already asked. Way ahead of you guys.” Harry informed before knocking back some of his drink and then Grace and Henry looked back to her.

“Yeah, he was a bit much for me.” She agreed.

“Well, it was nice to see you put yourself out there.” Grace said instead and Diana smiled before also taking a sip of her drink.

“Should we have a game of pool? 2 on 2, that one’s empty.” Harry said and Henry nodded.

“Oh my god, I suck.” Grace said and Henry chuckled and pulled her close as he kissed her temple.

“Don’t worry, baby. I’ll teach you.” He said and she smiled at him. The interaction just made Diana smile because she truly hadn’t seen Grace so sweet on someone in ages. Harry couldn’t help it as he watched Diana take in this loving exchange between Henry and Grace, she looked endeared and so happy for Grace. There wasn’t a trace of jealousy, nor longing in her eyes. She just seemed happy for her friend.

“OK. Well I’m gonna go to the bathroom first. Go get the table!” She called and hurried off as Henry stood and Harry and Diana followed, grabbing Grace’s drink as well.

“Can you hold this? I’ll go get the cues and for obvious reasons, Grace is on my team.” Henry said, handing Harry his drink, once again leaving Harry and Diana alone. She walked past him to the high table behind the billiard table that had freed up and then she hoisted herself up onto the chair as Harry hung out a few feet away, reserving the billiard table.

“What’re you doing up there? You don’t want to play?”

“You said 2 on 2, I’m sure Rebecca will be back in a minute.” She said.

“She doesn’t like to play, she’s not good at it and she gets too competitive and then gets upset.” He chuckled and Diana nodded.

“Well, if she won’t mind.” She said hopping off of the chair and Harry shook his head in assurance that she wouldn’t.

“Do you suck at it too?” He asked with a chuckle.

“No, I’m alright. My brother and dad played a lot.” She explained as she rounded the table and started rolling the balls towards Harry who was arranging them in the rack.

“OK, well I’m quite competitive too so you better not make me lose.” He teased and she giggled.

“I assure you with Grace on his team Henry will lose. She’s not lying when she says she sucks at this.” Diana informed him and Harry laughed, “I’ve thought of a question.” She said and he perked up.

“Alright, lets have it.” He said as he looked up to her across the table.

“When’s your birthday?” She asked and he smiled.

“February 1st, it just passed recently.” He said and she nodded.

“Aquarius…cool, a fellow air sign.” She said as she rolled another ball over to him and he chuckled.

“Do you believe in all that stuff?” He asked and she glanced up at him and shrugged.

“Kinda, I mean it’s fun. It’s also cool because it resonates with most people.”

“Yeah, that’s true…I decided to read my horoscope every day for one month and everything that it said would happen actually happened.” He said and her eyes widened.

“Oh, no way!”

“Yeah, I was so impressed that I very nearly started to create a group therapy theory based on astrological signs.” He said and she laughed.

“Really?!” She asked and he nodded, “That’s fucking cool.” She said and he chuckled.

“When I realized that if I went through with it science as a whole would mock me, I decided not to pursue it.” He explained, “I was stoned, by the way when I had that idea.” He tagged in and she laughed.

“Well I suppose it’s easy to reach for the sky when you feel like you’re closer to it.” She mused and he chuckled.

“That’s a good one.” He said and she shrugged with a smile, “Next question.”

“I haven’t decided on that one.” She said and he sighed and she rolled her eyes.

**********

Grace had unfortunately started her period as she suspected. The cramps she felt coming on were uncomfortable and she wanted to be OK for the rest of the evening, specially when Diana was getting along so well with everyone. After the bathroom she rushed out of the bar to go over to Henry’s car, he always had some Tylenol in there and she needed some now. As she rounded the corner of the bar to get to the parking lot in the back she stopped in her tracks when she saw Eddie and Rebecca leaned against his car kissing rabidly. Her stomach dropped and she just turned around quickly and rushed back inside feeling quite discombobulated and really, really sorry for Harry.

Cheaters were the reason why she refused to date or wanted to get married, after her father cheated on her mother after 17 years of marriage she just couldn’t believe that anyone was capable of being faithful. It wrecked her hope in love and she really took it to heart. As she looked around she saw Harry just chatting animatedly with Henry and Diana, oblivious to the wrong he was being done. She just had to tell Henry, it might be best for the news to come to Harry from him, his best friend. As she walked up to them Henry frowned.

“Are you OK? You look pale.” He said coming over and feeling her forehead and she looked into his eyes as he looked at hers in concern.

“Yeah, I started my period and I don’t feel too good.”

“Should we go?” He asked and she nodded.

“Guys, I’m sorry I just suddenly felt really sick.” Grace explained to Diana and Harry, but not even chancing a look at Harry because she might shout out to him what she’d just seen if she got a look into his eyes,

“Hey, it’s alright. Next time.” Harry said and then pulled his phone out to text Rebecca, with Diana around he had completely forgotten that she had been off somewhere. They had said that she had walked Eddie out and as that piece of information came to the forefront of his mind he immediately had the same gut feeling that he had when he saw him text her, he wasn’t hurt by it at all. It was more of an irritation at her lack of communication, if she didn’t want to be with him then she should say so. Harry hadn’t decided if he wanted to end things with her, sure he had a crush on Diana, but that was never going to happen and he wasn’t going to end his relationship over it. But if she no longer had an interest to be with him, then she should be honest about it.

Everyone started to collect their things before they got going. Henry and Grace went on ahead and Diana hung back a bit, waiting for Harry as he handed off the pool cues to another group who had been wanting to play. Soon enough he came towards her and she smiled at him as they started walking towards the entrance.

“Did you come up with your last question?” Harry asked, sparing Diana a glance.

“I think so…” she pondered, “D-do you really just want to stick with a polite wave from here on out?” She asked him and he shook his head.

“Course not, but it can’t be like this either.” He explained, “I feel like…” he paused and swallowed thickly, choosing his words carefully, “I feel like if we entertain a friendship now it might not…be enough at some point.” He said just as they made it outside and she looked up at him as her mouth suddenly went dry and her heart was beating a million times a minute. She was just about to ask him what he meant by that.

“Hey, are we leaving?” Rebecca suddenly appeared by the entrance, causing the four of them to look to her.

“Yeah, Grace isn’t feeling well.” Henry informed.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I got caught up because my mom called me, some legal questions she had for one of her church members.” She fibbed and Grace felt even more sick as she heard this. She needed to tell Henry sooner rather than later.

“Right, well there’ll be a next time I’m sure.” Henry smiled and with that they all started saying their goodbyes and heading off in their own directions, Diana was trailing after Henry and Grace, they had parked behind the bar, while Rebecca and Harry had parked across the street and just before she rounded the corner she glanced back and her heart flipped in her chest when she saw Harry was already looking at her. She smiled at him and he returned the gesture before she hurried around the corner to catch up with Grace and Henry.

The ride home was really quiet, Henry’s music was the only sound accompanying them now. Diana took the time to message Celeste and see how her night with Geri was going and she looked through some instagram posts before looking out the window until they were coming to a slow stop in front of her house.

“Thank you guys, I had a lot of fun and it was great to meet you Henry. Everyone was really cool.” Diana smiled warmly as he turned back a bit.

“Thank you for coming, and we were definitely serious about having you join us for the escape rooms. We could use you!” Henry chuckled.

“Alright, I’ll think about it.” Diana grinned and Henry smiled, “Bye Gracie, feel better.” Diana hummed sweetly before hugging her around the chair and Grace rubbed over her arms as she smiled.

“Thank you, Di. I’m glad you enjoyed yourself.”

“Thank you for inviting me. Alrighty you two, drive safe! Have a good night!” She called before getting out of the car. Henry stayed in park until he saw that Diana was safely inside and then he turned towards Grace who was still acting very strange.

“Did I do something, Grace?” Henry asked her with concern and she turned to him and shook her head.

“No, it’s not you I just…I have to tell you something.” She said and Henry started to feel his body tense up and his stomach twist up with anxiety.

“Ummm, OK. What is it?” He asked quietly and she sighed.

“I-I saw Rebecca and Eddie making out outside of the bar.”

“What?” Henry asked turning to her quickly and she nodded.

“I was going out to the car because I know you keep pain meds in here and when I came around I saw them leaning against his car fucking sucking face!” She exhaled and Henry turned back to face forward in his seat completely speechless, “I had no idea what to do so I went back inside and when I saw Harry living life all oblivious and shit I just felt so sick to my stomach.” She explained and Henry sighed feeling complete shock before speaking quietly with a frown.

“Holy shit…how am I gonna tell him.” 

-------

This is who I cast as Eddie Zamora, Rebecca's sneaky link

And this Professor Gabriel Klein, the guy who asked Diana on a date

Tell me what you guys think of this part or if you want to be added to my tag list!

@matildasatellite @sad-avocado @gurugirl @sunflovverharry @cherrysulewski @jessitpwk @sunshinemoonsposts @angelbabyyy99 @daphnesutton @here4thefanfics @justlemmeadoreyou @reveriehs

Thanks for reading 🫶

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[chaotic-archaeologist]

Hi! So this summer I'll be doing my first archaeological internship. I still have a lot of time, but it takes place in a desert and they haven't told me exactly what my role will be yet. I don't want to be too presumptuous about my tasks, but what basics should I be bringing? Thanks!!!!

Hi there, I would check out the fieldwork advice section in my advice master list. I also think that it's totally valid for you to reach out to the people running the internship to ask to be put into touch with interns they've had before and/or ask what they will be expecting you to do.

I haven't ever worked in the desert, so I'm going to tag my favorite desert archaeologist @midden-maiden to see if she has any advice.

-Reid

#he speaks #archaeology advice