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rixxy8173571m3w1p3 · 4 years

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A Helping Hand

a/n: It’s been a while since I’ve posted a fic. Ive been working on my health considering how much stress I was under at my old job, but I’m doing much better now. Anyway, I hope you guys will enjoy this.

This fic is set before Zeta 7 and the reader were dating, and when they were still friends. Set during and before the beginning of The Fluffy Adventures With Your Boyfriend Doofus Rick series.

In this fic the reader only wants to help.

————-

It was almost time for you to eat again. At times it almost seemed to be more of a chore than a necessity to have a meal or to follow the routine of it, but hunger had led you here. And although there were many other things you might've preferred to do, this was what had to be done at the moment. Anticipatory feelings were lacking as you opened up the fridge; had it been conveniently full of delicious food which didn't need to be put together, and could simply be warmed up, that would have been great, but that was wishful thinking. Of course, you hadn't gone food shopping yet, so your old fridge was bare; eating out was an option, but you already did that for lunch and it didn't feel worth getting properly dressed for.

It had been while you were thinking of a creative way to use elbow pasta and ketchup when a song played through the tiny speakers of your phone; it was a phone call and you didn't have to hesitate to answer; it was from your favorite person; from Rick. You tried not to get too excited whenever he would call, but you couldn't help yourself; hearing his voice alone could make you happy. Pressing the green answer button on your touch screen, you smiled despite his inability to see it. “Hello Rick. How are you?”

“He-hello? I'm um - I'm fine. I hope this - is this a-a good time?”

His usual soft, cheerful voice seemed reluctant, almost shy tonight. You always thought he sounded sweeter over the phone, and it just made you want to tease him a little. Leaning against your kitchen counter, you could not help but laugh. “A good time? It is now. So, what’s up? Other than the ceiling. ”

He chuckled at that and you were relieved he couldn't see you at this moment, for the warmth in your cheeks would take a couple of minutes to recover from. “Gosh," he started, "I-I-I-I-I was just wondering if y-you would like to come over. It’s almost time for dinner and I um - I finished cooking, but…”

“You cooked too much again?”

“Y-yeah.”

"You're going to go through all your groceries that way."

"I-I couldn't help it." he confessed. "This recipe called f-for a certain amount of ingredients, but then a-again I guess it's f-for multiple servings."

You heard him sigh, and the thought of his frowning face came to mind. So, this was simply to invite you to dinner: it didn't matter what he might've called you for; the answer was almost always yes. As of late, Rick had been cooking more than one person could eat at a time; you always did think it was odd that he'd cook in abundance, especially since he lived alone, but he'd blame it on old habits. However, it made you wonder if he was looking for reasons not to eat alone; not that you minded. Interrupting the silence, you commented. “Well, I guess I'll have to help you make it disappear then."

"Huh?" he brightened, "Is that a-a yes?"

"What do you think it means? Yes, that's a yes. Goodness," you giggled. "I'll see you soon.”

You hung up and rushed back upstairs to change. What a silly man you thought. Such a silly…but adorable man, who had so much room for kindness and doubt.

——————

It was lovely to see him, and to listen to what he'd call gossip but was only the latest development of the pigeons which had made a nest in one of his fruit trees. "Y-you gotta see how they've made their nest. Boy, it's - it's fascinating how they used s-some old magazine clippings and hair ties."

Touching his hand lightly, you wondered. "Do you have any pics of them that you can show me?"

With raised brow, he started. “Sh-sh-show you?"

"Yeah," You leaned forward a little, and smiled. "I want to see what you've been telling me about."

Without hesitation, he searched his labcoat pockets and retrieved his phone; scrolling through his gallery until he came across said pictures. "I-I-I-I took these a couple of - of days ago."

Your fingers lightly brushed his palm as you grabbed his phone to glance through the pictures; he had a good eye for angles and lighting, and from the looks of it, the pigeons seemed to be relaxed so he might've fed them first; how nice. "They're so cute. I can’t get over how fluffy they look."

Replacing the phone into his palm, he visibly tensed; your fingers had brushed his palm again. Now, the urge to allow your hand to linger there was strong and the thought of lacing your fingers with his had been tempting, but you did neither. You quickly withdrew, with a new sense of embarrassment over such thoughts. He wouldn't understand how you felt, because he didn't see you that way.

“How do y-y-you like them?”

Hiding behind your water glass, you answered. “Way more than I thought I would.”

_________

Rick was still eating, but not with the same vigor from earlier. You wondered if you had insulted him or something; he had been avoiding direct eye contact for a while. You were no reader of minds, so there was no telling of the feelings inside; of those senses which couldn't be touched. "Rick, is something wrong? Have I….. have I overstayed my welcome and you don't know how to tell me? Is...is that why you won't look at me?"

"N-no, that's not it."

"Then, did I hurt your feelings? I hope not."

He sagged a little in his seat, and he didn't answer, but he shook his head no. You thought back to earlier, and how you had looked at the pictures he took and called them cute, but other than that, you didn't say anything problematic. Was it because you asked? Maybe it wasn't.

It was easy to hurt his feelings being as sensitive as he was, and although it might've been against your better judgment, you reached out and touched the back of his hand. "Please talk to me. I don't know what I did, but I'm so sorry. I don't want you to be upset at me."

With widened eyes, he's gazed at your hand, then back towards you. "No, that’s not th-the problem."

"Then why are you so quiet all of a sudden? It isn't like you."

"It's because I…I'm s-s-sorry I talk so much."

"What do you mean? Where is this coming from?"

"It appeared as though y-you were getting tired of all my talking.” He started in an almost accusatory manner but must've realized how it sounded and continued with more calmness. “Gee, I-I didn't want to sour the evening, s-s-so I thought I should just sh-shut up."

"But I don't want you to do that. I love all your talking."

"R-really?"

His surprise at this pained you. How could he think that you'd tire of it and him? Maybe when you were thinking, he mistook it as disinterest. How could you show him you cared? You did what only seemed natural and squeezed his hand but he stiffened.

You realized that when he didn't answer right away, that the napkin he had been using had been dropped and was now on the floor; a faint blush dusting his cheeks and the tops of his ears. You didn't think that it'd be such a big deal to randomly touch him, but you thought it was sweet that he'd get flustered like that; if he wasn't so shy at times, you'd think there was more to it; if only there was. "It's fun hearing you talk.” You confessed. “I feel as though I have so much I can learn from you. So feel free to talk to me."

The relief that washed over him was palpable and he smiled warmly at this. It made your heart swell, and you withdrew your hand although it appeared that he wouldn't have minded. Still, you didn't want to upset him again with misunderstandings. "Y-you're a really nice person. It's - I'm glad t-to know someone like you."

You were glad too.

____________

"Anyway, it's interesting how they can take one man's trash and turn it into a home, but what could they do if given better materials?"

Taking a drink of water, he managed to recover a little. "I-I bet they could make a-a work of art if given the right materials. Wh-why do you ask?"

"I just wanted to know what you were thinking in that brain of yours. Must be interesting, especially with all the things you can come up with."

Yes, you did find the topic of pigeons fascinating but not as much as you found that toothy grin of his inviting. Having finished eating, you listened happily to his delightful little tales and knowings; watching as he'd start eating but then forget his food when he was at the peak of his explanation. He always did seem more cheerful when you were over and had so much to tell you when you were here, but you attributed that to the fact that he didn't have many friends. Though, you didn't mind his need for conversation; rather you enjoyed how random and easy it was to talk with him; his sweetness enriched your soul whenever he was especially happy and attentive in conversation. Handing him a new napkin, you teased. "I'm surprised you haven't made a mini-mansion type birdhouse for them out of whatever spare wood you have in the garage. Unless you already have. I bet it'd be all tricked out with a little warm birdbath and a small mirror so they can check themselves out, fluff their feathers and such."

"Gosh," he sighed, waving his fork a little as he ruminated on his thoughts before the beginnings of a boyish smile appeared on his lips. "did I already tell y-you about that?"

"No," you giggled; happy that your assumptions weren't farfetched. "but I took a wild guess."

He was that kind of guy after all; soft-hearted and fond of the living things around him; it was one of the many qualities that endeared him to you. You wished you could've taken part in its construction. "If you had told me sooner," you mentioned. "I would have helped. I could've helped painting it or something."

"Gosh, I thought y-you had other things to do so I…it wasn't a-a big deal. It was simply an um - an old man's hobby."

"It's just….it sounded like fun. I know it might not mean much saying this, but I would've enjoyed spending that time with you. Working side by side and discussing little details about it. I would…. You see, I love spending time with you."

It was only after you had said all that, in which you realized how easy it would've been to misconstrued. Sitting there, you resisted the urge to bury your face in your hands; wondering what was with you these days. Since when was it okay to get bold and be frank like that? Every so often, when you did say such things, you saw, for fractions of moments, confusion and more….as though he ought to say something; there were no tears and there never was, but you thought he seemed hurt; glassy-eyed and lost. Studying you, he opened his mouth to speak but closed it again; preferring to examine his napkin and tableware then to continue that thought.

He did this often, especially when you surprised him; for better or worse. Perhaps he didn't want to appear foolish, but whatever he could've said was interrupted by your sudden movement. You reached over for his empty dish and went over to the sink to begin on the dishes. However, he jumped up and insisted that you needn't help to clean, snapping out of whatever mood which might've overcome him a moment ago. You thought it was the least you could do; if you had been a decent cook you would've offered a meal in return, but it wasn't likely that it was going to happen. "Rick, you cooked so I might as well help you clean."

"Gosh, y-you don't have to do that. I was the one that invited you over. As th-the host, it's my responsibility."

"That may be true," you reasoned, feeling responsible for him in some way. "but you're always doing stuff for me, so I thought I'd stay and help for a bit."

"Huh? Wh-what?"

"Yeah. I mean what good are friends if you can't put them to work every so often? Besides," you quieted a bit as you scrubbed away at the baking pan. "I want to help you."

It's not like you were using this as an excuse to stay a little longer now. Right? Well, just a little. It was still early and you didn't want to go home yet. Grabbing a kitchen towel, he chuckled lightly. "Well, I-I guess I'll help y-you dry."

Standing beside you, his warmth radiated off him, and from this close, you could smell spices, a hint of vanilla, and motor oil? Perhaps it was the scent of his house, but it was comforting. Good thing you had the excuse of concentrating on scrubbing because otherwise, it would've been obvious on how affected you were by him.

_______

After you finished wiping down the counters, you checked the time and thought you'd be better off heading on home. Grabbing your keys you were ready to say goodbye, but he followed you to the door. "Are y-y-you going?"

Without facing him, you nodded. "I am."

"Then I'll walk y-you home."

"Okay."

In the past, you had told him that it wasn't necessary since you lived so close, but you came to enjoy those small moments of kindness; of his sincere care for your well-being that made the world a slightly easier place to live. The walk didn't take long since you only lived a few doors down, but it was lovely nonetheless. "Thank you for the food. It was really good."

Scratching the back of his neck, he answered. "I-I hoped you would. I um - I enjoyed y-your company."

"Me too."

You played with your keys a little, wondering why you should be so nervous. It's not like you two were dating; it's not like he'd even consider the possibility, but it was moments like this that made you hope and contemplate if you should just tell him. It was always on tip of your tongue; the words which begged to be said, but you weren't feeling brave yet. You needed more time; just enough to be ready for a change. There was no rush, but logic and feelings didn't coincide. "Rick," you started, unsure of what you were doing. "can I um….can I ask you something?"

"Y-yes! Of c-course. What's on y-your mind?"

Think of something you thought. "You'd tell me if you needed help, wouldn't you? I'm not talking about what we did this evening, but stuff that….like if you need help with your chores or something. I know you get busy sometimes and I'd hate it if you weren't all caught up on the latest news about your pigeons or if there were dishes that needed washing."

"Gosh, I-I thought I was doing f-fine with all that," he confessed. "but it - I'll be sure t-to let you know."

"Good, that's...that's good because I'm always happy to help you."

Gathering whatever foolishness which laid at the pit of your stomach and daydreams, you rested a hand on his arm and smiled up at him. "Rick, I'd do almost about anything for you….that is…if that's….. that is what friends are for, right? At least that's what I think."

Though, was that what you thought? Wasn't this just a roundabout way of saying you wanted to be around him more? Oh, if only he could understand. You knew it wasn't right to mislead him, but he never reacted the way you thought he should.

Glancing down at where your hand still laid, a wistful, almost sad quality passed across his stormy eyes before continuing. "Boy, th-that's thoughtful," he began, though as easily as a summer sky could change so did his words. "but I-I wouldn't want t-to bother you or take up your time with anything like that."

"That's the thing, it wouldn't be a bother at all."

This is where you thought you'd messed up, but you couldn't seem to keep quiet when he was involved. It felt as though you were trying to monopolize your way into spending more time with him; as though you were desperate to get him to be around you. "I mean, as a writer, I can just do my job whenever. So, you don't have to hesitate."

That familiar flit of sadness passed over his eyes again and you thought that maybe he pitied you because all you had in the world was yourself and a house you simply inherited. You didn't want to tell him you were lonely, because if you did, you didn't want him to think that it was the only reason you spent time with him; it'd break your heart if you hurt this sensitive creature, but you couldn't help yourself; it was your selfishness talking. True, you were making this more complicated than it had to be, but you didn't know how to fix that yet. "I just…I don't mind being around you more and hanging out. That's all."

Although, it might've not been as complicated after all for it didn't take much for him to lift up your moods. All he had to do was smile, and to pull you into his arms for a big hug. Did he know?

"Rick?"

Squeezing you a fraction tighter, he confessed. "Gee, it's - I-I appreciate your worrying a-about me," he started, his soft, warm voice brushing past your ear and giving you goosebumps. "but I can't - can't help but wonder why y-you look as though you could use a friend right now. Are you al-alright? Did y-you want t-t-to talk about it?"

Your fingers dug into the worn fabric of his sweater and you wanted to cry because he was so devastatingly kind, and you knew in that one moment it didn't matter how long you held on to him; he'd let you hold him for as long as you needed because he was great at empathizing. Little did he know it unraveled your heart every time. "You're right Rick, I do need a friend. I…I need...."

You; the word which refused to leave your mouth. His assumption filled in the blank. "You probably miss your dad on nights like this huh? It's hard t-to go home to an empty house."

That was partly true. "Mhm."

Rubbing your back, he sighed. "Th-there there. Everything is going t-t-to be alright."

Is it? Would it be alright? No, he didn't know or if he did, he ignored it. Though, like this, you could almost believe there was more to this relationship than… then being good friends.

With your face hidden in the softness of his sweater, held so sure and firm, with such strength that seemed unnatural for one his age, he was as you thought of him; as a man you held in the highest regard, beyond reason or doubt that you could love if…if it was appropriate. Why couldn't he stay that friend that you needed and why did you wish for more than this? Was this to be your punishment? To adore someone who made you happy but couldn't be more than society should allow?

"Will I be alright?" you confessed more to yourself than to him.

Squeezing you a fraction tighter, you felt him nod. "Y-you're young, so y-you will be."

That's right, you were young; too young for him. While you had been ready to beat yourself up for it, he continued in a voice that was above a whisper. "I'd like t-t-to help you if I can but only if y-you want me to. Is that o-okay? Do you want me t-to?"

You wanted so much, but more than anything you wanted what he was willing to give. Rubbing his back in a similar, soothing motion, you softened. "Please do."

Another sigh escaped him, but he continued to rub your back; the warmth of his hands and sounds of his breathing making you a little sleepy. You hadn't been checking the time, but you were sure that it had been a while. What you hadn't been sure of was what the neighbors were going to think if they saw you two in such a warm embrace at this time of the evening or anytime for that matter; you didn't care because this felt right. It was as though you could melt into him with how comforting it was. Who knows how long you must've held onto him, but eventually you heard him say softly, albeit oddly disappointed. "It's getting late and I-I should let you go. It's…and you…but y-you can always call me if you - if you can't sleep."

Glancing up at him, you wondered why it ever had to end. However, with reluctance, you pulled away, but only enough so that you could hold him a little longer. "You're right. I…I should go to bed. Thank you for the lovely evening, my wonderful… my friend."

And with that, you released your hold on him. However, if you hadn't known any better, the look he gave you was softer than his usual ones. Was…no…it must've been nothing. A trick of the dim porch light. Half hidden by the dark, he confessed. "Thank you f-for being my - for being my friend. It makes me happy t-to have you around. I'll um - I'll be sure t-to make myself more available to you if you need me."

Your heart ached with half affection, half guilt. You really were asking for so much you didn't deserve. "Oh Rick, I'd appreciate that."

For a quick second, you saw him stretch out his hand but just as quickly let it fall back to his side. Then, he stepped back and reminded you. "Don't forget t-to lock the door."

"I won't."

You opened your front door, and smiled up at him from your doorway, trying to channel all that you felt in a single word; knowing that was all you could do for now. "Goodnight."

Softening, he turned away quickly, mostly hidden in the darkness, and waved. "D-don't let th-the bed bugs bite."

Closing the door behind you, you barely made it to the couch before you began to cry. What were you thinking? Playing around with a lonely man's feelings and possibly confusing him. Could you ever get over him? Would your heart let you?

Wrapping your arms around yourself, you thought back to only minutes ago when you were secure in his arms, and you felt as though you belonged to him. And how your blouse smelled like him now or that his care for you was almost enough. Though, were his actions like that of a parent? You could only wonder. Though, if you couldn't get over him, couldn't you help change his mind?

When you had calmed a little and had time to change and get a drink of water, you found that you still weren't sleepy. It was late but before you could give it much forethought, you dialed his number and he picked up right away. "C-can't sleep?"

"Yeah."

"Me either. I um - I was thinking a-about what you said about th-the birdhouse. While it is built, and I'd painted it, I would be happy t-t-to have you over when you're available and help me make it pretty. Gosh, it's - it's only if you want to."

"That would be lovely. Too bad it's late because I would've come over now if you'd asked."

"Y-you see, that wouldn't um - tomorrow would be better."

"What's the matter? A little sleepover never hurt anybody." You teased.

Right away you heard a clatter and then a crack. Did he drop his phone?

"Rick? Are you okay?"

"Yes, I-I-I-I just - my phone had fallen."

"I see. Sorry for the bad joke."

“It's o-okay. Just surprised me is -is all.”

A chair scraped the floor, and you heard the click of either a pen or a small appliance. "I-I don't think I'll be able to sleep t-tonight but I won't keep you up with m-my thoughts. It'd get kind of boring for you."

"I mean, I am tired, but I don't mind listening to you for a while. Could you just talk? It can be about anything."

He sighed into the phone, and you heard paper. Perhaps he was flipping through a book. “I-I was thinking of reading, but my eyes are a-a bit tired.”

“When you do read, do you only read nonfiction?”

“I-I like to read a little bit of everything.”

“You do? Well, how convenient. I happen to have a bunch of books and if you'd ever like to borrow any of them, you're free to do so.”

“Boy, I'll have to take a-a look the next time I’m over. Hey, um - I do have a-a story you might enjoy. It has t-t-to do with how I came to have jasmine in my backyard. Would you like t-to hear it?”

Grabbing a pillow, you nodded. “Yes, I really would. Though, tell it slowly so that I don't miss a thing.”

With a chuckle, he began to explain, and you placed the phone beside you; careful as to not drop it as his sing-song voice twisted and curled about you in your lonely room.

Fin

#doofus rick #doofus rick x reader #rick sanchez x reader #j19z7 #j-19-zeta-7 #rnm #rick x reader #rick and morty #rick j19zeta7 #j19zeta7 #rick and Marty fanfic #rick j19z7 #ram fanfic #my fanfic #my works #my writing #rnm fanfiction

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just-dreaming-about · 4 years

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Here I am with the third part of my Spider-Man fanfic. Thank you so much to those who have liked the others and I hope you also like this. Enjoy!

FIRST IMPRESSIONS #3

When Thalia noticed it she was doing it again. She had just left the hospital, another afternoon with her father, and now she was wandering around the city turning all the doubts in her head. She was getting used to the noise of the city, she was beginning to seem it ideal to think but the doubts were not clearing in her head. She carried a great weight on her back and she had no one to share with, her only world was her father and she didn't want to worry him anymore. It was so frustrating.

It had been a few days since her encounter with Spider-Man and her talk with her father, she hadn't clarified anything but she also didn't know why she had started walking around the city until late. Was looking for the solution to her problems or was looking for someone? That was another question that she couldn't answer and when her thoughts seemed to turn against her, it was time to go home. But this time was different because she couldn't remember the way home, she didn't recognize the buildings or the stores.

She began to feel overwhelmed, a anxiety attack was growing in her chest and she tried to contain it. She crossed the street and turned right but still didn't recognize where she was. Was she really lost? She? She knew the streets of New York as if it were the palm of her hand! It was embarrassing to recognize it out loud and yet another pressure her heart must endure. Turn to the left. Another unrecognizable street. Then another thought crossed her mind; didn't she recognize the street because she was lost or because she was having a anxiety attack?

So the next step was obvious. She took refuge in a lonely alley, leaned her back against the wall and tried to breathe slowly but was unable. Every pounding in her heart ached in her chest and tears began to collect in her eyes.

Suddenly someone was in front of her, it was speaking to her but she couldn't hear it clearly and that person's hands were cold on her shoulders. And one of those hands went down her right arm urgently until caught her hand and brought it to a marked chest. He was a boy, for sure, and a strong one. A new wave of panic invaded her at the thought of what could happen to her if she didn't defend herself and tried to attack him but to no avail, she wasn't at her best and whoever had found her like this was strong enough to contain her. Her right hand was still clinging to that boy's chest by his hand, but now his other hand was holding her by the nape of the neck trying not to hurt her, which puzzled her more. And then she was able to focus her vision and see him clearly. Chocolate eyes, brown curls and a worried gesture. His thin, pink lips were moving fast -he was talking to her- but she couldn't figure out what they were saying. Then the boy's chest started to puff up and deflate slowly, it was almost mesmerizing and she started to imitate him. Little by little the sound returned to her.

-That's right, you do it very well -he said slowly- Inspire with me, come on -his chest puffed up and she followed him- And now we let it go -his chest deflate slowly on a par with her- Good. Once again?

Slowly everything came to her, each pounding stopped hurting, her head cleared, and her breathing was no longer so strained.

-Cute boy? -she asked looking at him.

-Actually is Peter Parker -he said laughing although the blush that appeared soon on his cheeks gave him away.

He removed the hand that had rested on the nape of her neck as if the touch suddenly burned but he was unable to move away because her hand still rested on his chest.

-What are you doing here?

-Help you with an anxiety attack?

He was so confused and she was so weakened at the time, she was clear but her head hurt. She shook her head, that wasn't what she was referring to but couldn't explain herself.

-Where I am?

-Queens. Do you want me to call someone?

-I want a hug.

And that was the most sincere thing Thalia had said in several months. Sincere and painful. Cute boy granted her what she wanted, hugged her a little awkward at first. He did his best to comfort her, one firm hand on her waist as the other circled her back, whispering words of encouragement even though he didn't know what he was comforting her for.

-We will talk about why I found you here? -he whispered not wanting to break the moment.

-You first -she whispered too.

-My aunt work at this help center. I was taking out the trash and I saw you here.

-And you still remember me? It's been almost a week since we collide.

-Well not many girls have put me against the bookshelf... It sounded fatal. I'm sorry, I didn't want to...

-It's okay -she interrupted him, she remembered that watching him rambling was fun but she wasn't for that now. Now she needed stability and he was providing it- Why do you help me?

-Because you seemed to be suffering.

Those words sounded so sincere that it hurt. It hurt as if a truck had passed her. Lately everything hurt, physically and emotionally, her world was shaking and she had nowhere to hold on.

-I know it may sound a little strange but I think it would be better to go inside-he was still whispering like he was afraid she might get another attack.

She said nothing but he carried her inside. His firm hand was still on her waist and she had an arm around his shoulders. She still needed stability and he kept providing it. The door through which they entered led them to the kitchen where five people were fighting each other to make quality food in the shortest time possible while many other people came and went carrying dishes. No one paid attention to them as they headed towards the stairs but halfway there a voice stopped them.

-Peter, how good I find you. Who's your friend?

Peter whispered an apology before turning to the woman who was looking at them with a kind smile and a playful look, her hands resting on her hips as if she had just caught two kids being mean.

-Aunt May, this is Thalia.

-Nice to meet you Thalia -smiled May- Where was my responsible and trustworthy nephew taking you?

-Even I have noticed the double meaning, Aunt May -Peter said frustrated- Is not what you think.

-So what is it, Pete?

Aunt May was folding her arms but smiling amused at the expense of Peter who was rambling again.

-Actually -it was the first time Thalia had spoken and she won May's kind and Peter's worried gaze- I'm not at my best and her nephew has offered to help me.

Thalia's frankness was received with a few seconds of silence until May gave them permission for them to go up to her office and they did. The office Peter took her to was small, with just enough space for a table, an armchair, a bookshelf full of messy folders, and a narrow sofa for visitors. Papers were scattered everywhere, even on the sofa. Peter ran to pick them up apologizing for the mess and motioned for her to sit on the small sofa.

-Do you want me to bring you something to drink or eat?

Thalia didn't answer, sat down and looked at her hands. Peter looked at her worriedly and sat next to her.

-Do you want to talk about what has happened?

But she didn't want to talk, that wasn't her thing, she didn't open herself up to people and less to people she had just met. Peter seemed genuinely concerned about her and was offering her the stability that she needed but couldn't hold on to him because if anyone saw all the shit on her...So what was she doing there? Why had she been dragged into that office and sat there? The answer came to her in a blink and she looked at him seriously.

-If I asked you for something, would you give it to me?

-If it is something within my reach... Yes, of course.

-I need a friend. Someone who doesn't ask. Would you do that for me?

Peter swallowed and nodded but nothing in the world could prepare him for what she did next. She snuggled into his chest and hid from all the bad that was chasing her, hugged him with perhaps too much strength but he didn't refuse, accepted the strength of her grip and hugged her with the same strength. Peter didn't understand the reason for that much-needed hug, it was as if Thalia was clinging to the only thing that could get her afloat and it was a strange feeling to feel so much needed by someone he hardly knew. But that was a lie because he knew perfectly well who she was, she was a spy, a thief, the agent of one of his greatest enemies and still felt that he had the responsibility to help her because she was slowly giving him all the pieces of the puzzle although she didn't know that all the pieces were given to the same person. As Spider-Man obtained the information that she didn't want to give to Peter Parker and as Peter Parker could comfort her as she didn't allow herself to be consoled by Spider-Man. It was a mess but it worked.

When Thalia opened her eyes again it was dark in the office, she was lying on the sofa and a blanket covered her. She was alone. There was a note in front of her signed by Peter promising her that he would be back soon, that if she was hungry she could snack from the kitchen. But she wasn't going to wait for him. She grabbed a jacket labeled Peter Parker and left the office. The whole building seemed to be dark but it didn't bother her, she used to work better with the lights off, she undid the path that she had done with Parker hours before and left the building through the back door. Once outside, she picked up her phone and saw that she had several missed calls and a lot of messages from the same number, but she ignored it and went to a fire escape that took her to the roof of the building. From above everything seemed smaller, including her confused thoughts. She took refuge in his jacket and allowed herself to breathe in Parker's scent again. Cute boy. She smiled.

-Should I be concerned that we always end up on a rooftop?

She turned her head lazily to verify that it was Spider-Man who was accompanying her and then continued to look at the city.

-Are you going to arrest me?

-Have you done anything illegal lately? -he stood next to her, observing the city too.

-I've convinced an innocent boy to spend the night with me -she commented as if it was nothing but it really meant something to her. Everything was easier if she pretended.

Spider-Man turned his head in surprise, then coughed and replied;

-And why are you telling me that?

-He has made me think. Well, not him but thanks to him I have been able to...-took a deep breath and released it- think clearly.

-He seems a nice person -he turned his head to look at her and then looked back quickly- Has he left you the jacket?

-Actually... I stole it from him -she smiled absently, wrapping herself in the jacket- Old habits aren't easily forgotten.

-I hope you return it.

-I hope so too -she closed her eyes, breathed in the scent of Peter Parker again and when she opened them again her gaze hardened- Spider-Man, I'm about to entrust you with important information but if I asked you for something, would you give it to me?

Spiderman's aura suddenly hardened too, preparing himself.

-Only if it's something within my reach.

Thalia must have listened to her instinct at that moment, the feeling of deja vu that suddenly enveloped her but it was at a very important moment and as that conversation ended her life would change for better or for worse.

Thalia's demands for their negotiation were reduced to one; protection for her father. She didn't care what might happen to herself. Spider-Man accepted without hesitation, promised that he would contact S.H.I.E.L.D. and that they would take care of everything. In exchange Thalia gave him names, addresses, told him of the plans they had entrusted to her and of which she had learned spying. She told him how she had ended in that situation, how everything seemed simple and innocent at first -an easy job- and how it progressively complicated until she found the shit up to her neck without escape. She told him everything and Spider-Man listened without interruption.

When she finished speaking, she headed for the fire escape stairs under the watchful eye of Spider-Man.

-Are you going to spend the rest of the night with that innocent boy?

Thalia stopped before reaching the stairs.

-No. I won't go back to him.

-Why not? He helped you think clearly ... or so you said.

She turned to see him with a wistful smile on her face.

-I don't want my shit to splash on him. He would be scared.

-Maybe you'd be surprised at what innocent boys are capable of.

-Maybe another day I'll give to my innocent boy that chance. I'll see you out there, Spider-Man.

She went downstairs and drifted down the streets of Queens. This time she knew the way home.

#spiderman #spiderman imagine #spiderman x reader #spiderman x oc #spider man #marvel fanfiction #marvel #fanfic #fanfiction #peter parker x oc #peter parker imagine #peter parker x reader #peter parker

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fjordfolk · 4 years

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Sorry if this isn't the sort of question you wanna answer publicly! But if you don't mind, could you tell me how breeders are in Norway? Here in America, they tend to be REALLY snooty and rarely will a breeder give anyone under 25 the time of day. We're pretty good at health testing, not so good at not breeding biters. Oftentimes we'll have NuVet and ~holistic~ thrown around. Minimal vaccination protocol too, if any vaccines at all! Are Norwegian breeders less ridiculous?

Ofc it's hard to speak in broad lines, but culturally I'd say yeah, it's pretty different. But then they’re also just all people and you’ll find good and bad, you know?

TLDR; You’re pretty likely to get a dog from whichever breeder you want. Most breeders follow the rules, but the rules are outdated. Some people are just assholes.

I can only speak to sheltie/farmdog/spitz breeders etc because those are the ones I mostly interact with, and breeders of high-drive dogs are (rightfully) pickier and have different ways of doing things, but I'd say there's no inherent problem for anyone to buy a dog from a breeder in Norway. I know several people who got their dogs around 18, I was 21 without any kind of experience or ambition and right out of school when I got Sparta, and I've never been met with hesitation from a breeder. Imo most aren’t snooty, but some are pretty set in their ways.

I think part of the difference is that *most* breeds in Norway have no pet/preformance split. There's no difference in price or contract depending on how "hopeful" a puppy is. There's no "pet quality" and "show quality" or limited registration or anything like that. Sparta, with no champion parents, cost the same and came with the same contract as a puppy of a 3x world champion. Legally, all dogs sold on a standard NKK contract are pets. Dogs are usually expensive, too - many breeds these days standard at roughly $2000.

Breeders of companion-type dogs are expected to raise their puppies more or less in the living room, the idea being that if you're breeding family members, you should be raising family members. Not all do, of course, but kennel buildings seem more frowned upon now than a few years ago. For this reason, I tend to look for breeders with younger kids or grandkids, since I feel they're the most likely to understand the importance of stability in a dog that's "just a pet."Vaccinations are routine and must be done by a vet - twice or thrice by the time they're 3 months old and then usually annually. At this point, vacc coverage in Norway is good enough that Parvo incidents are news stories.

Imo in "my" breeds, we have a handful of great breeders that check most or all marks, heaps and heaps of "okay" breeders that could certainly be doing more but isn't actively fucking up the breed, and a handful of really shit breeders you couldn't pay me to take a puppy from. You have about the same chance of getting a puppy from any of them, though, and it’s pretty high.

Norwegian breeders as a whole are shit at health testing though. There are good ones, for sure, but in shelties we're still having arguments about whether screening for HD is "looking for problems" and I see plenty and enough dams whose only health documentation is "eye screened clear as a puppy." Shelties are also one of the breeds with a lot of politics, the community seems super clique-y, with main divides running along topics like health testing and UK vs US lines. It's here, with the ones still arguing about things that happened in the 70s, that you'll get into the breeders that won't sell you a puppy. Not because you're too young or lack experience or aren't a good enough handler, but probably because your cousin once bought their puppy from someone they don't like.

I read a post a while back about someone talking to a judge of Elkhounds. Elkhounds used to be remarkably bad-tempered, it was thought that in order to risk their life going up against a half-tonne horned beast, a dog had to be mean. The jugde said something like "we've come far in eliminating poor temperament in our dogs now. I wish I could say the same about the owners."

#i think the biggest problems are that we tend to silence issues to death #which makes it harder for new buyers to be aware of the full picture #allowing so many breeders to keep doing the bare minimum while thinking they're doing great #Anonymous

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araeph · 6 years

Conversation

Conversation with prune-balled-blog

{NOTE: This is unedited, so please excuse spelling and grammar errors. With one exception--colons, which automatically bold anything in chat, have been replaced with [colon] where necessary to preserve the original formatting. Also, this is NOT an invitation to harass prune-balled-blog. Please do not @ him about this.}

prune-balled-blog: Sorry for the confusion. Should asked this. Do you know WHO talked with Aaron Ehasz?

Should have*

araeph: There are various tumblr and message board users who claimed to have talked to him. Some on the Kataang side[colon] http[colon]//araeph.tumblr.com/post/152660740000/web-archive

Some on the Zutara side[colon] http[colon]//araeph.tumblr.com/post/159119946362/kataraandzuko-terminaschosenone

But I don't know any of them by name.

prune-balled-blog: Thanks for the reply.

araeph: You're welcome. [smiley]

prune-balled-blog: It's all fake by the way. Aaron confirmed it on an Reddit AMA. The whole "Season 4/I had a different vision" thing was debunked.

Also, this for good measure.

[two screenshots inserted of reddit AMA]

araeph: Yes, I saw that post. However, what he said was the studio asked him to think up ideas for Season 4 and that he discussed them with Mike. So he did come up with ideas for it, even if they never went into production.

I also would call The Legend of Korra daring and beautiful. I just don't think it was any _good_.

prune-balled-blog: But those ideas were never outspoken.

It's all smoke and mirrors.

araeph: You mean, he never spoke to anyone else about Book 4? We don't know anything about who he did or didn't talk do between the period when Nick asked him to think up suggestions and the time when Bryke shut it down.

Of course, neither do we know that he said any of the things he allegedly said in those tumblr posts. [smiley]

prune-balled-blog: It's very easy to infer that he said absolutely nothing to anyone about anything.

He certainly would have gotten into more detail, but he didn't.

araeph: It's certainly possible. But nothing is certain.

prune-balled-blog: I mean, i would say the chances of Unicorns existing are pretty low.

araeph: How do you know he would "certainly" have gone into more detail?

prune-balled-blog: Because he seems to know of "Fake interviews", and i'm sure he would been able to go into further detail explaining that he didn't discuss any details of a possible Season 4 with some random. My point, is that had those claims been true, he would feel the need to address them further to clear further confusion. But his post implies the entire shebang was a ruse.

prune-balled-blog: There's no need to speculate any further. It was all a big hoax made by Zutara shippers putting Aaron on a pedestal to expand on their agenda. And people who didn't like Korra.

araeph: I think the opposite is true. If he'd said, "I never discussed it with anyone but Mike, and all the interviews from fans are fake," that would have been easy. He said there were some fake interviews out there, and that he did discuss it with Mike, and that's all we know.

Since it was suggested at the studio level, no it was not a hoax, and no one ever put Ehasz on a pedestal.

prune-balled-blog: I'm going to have to disagree with you there.

prune-balled-blog: And oh, yes they certainly do.

araeph: That's fine if you disagree.

prune-balled-blog: Look everywhere. People praise Ehasz as the sole reason why Avatar was good only because he was head writer.

prune-balled-blog: This whole thing reeked of angry fans methodically building a boogeyman because they were unhappy with how things went for their favorite show.

araeph: Actually, it's more of a process of elimination.

Before I saw Legend of Korra, I too thought Bryke were the be-all-end-all of Avatar.

Then LOK's writing let me down, and I started realizing there were people with power to influencing the writing of ATLA.

prune-balled-blog: You don't have to go through the motions. I know exactly your point of view.

araeph: Maybe it was Tim Hedrick or Joshua Hamilton? But they went on to make Voltron, and while that show was good for a while, it's headed off the rails now.

prune-balled-blog: Yeah but were we REALLY shocked when things didn't turn out perfect? Any show would have a stark difference in quality had an army of writers left a project.

araeph: Yes, it would.

prune-balled-blog: Assuming Korra would be just as good as Avatar, due to some naive 'understanding' that Bryke is the "end-all-be-all" is just silly.

araeph: Since almost everyone outside the fandom knows Bryke as /the/ creators of the show, and since they were the executive producers, it actually makes sense.

It just happened to be wrong.

prune-balled-blog: All you had to do was look at who was in charge, and marginalize your expectations accordingly.

prune-balled-blog: Actually, not entirely. It's dumb to assume two guys from Rhode Island (?) who had no prior experience running a show or writing a script, that they would churn out gold a second time without the 15 or so extra writers on board.

Not to mention a missing Head Writer.

What this fandom did to Bryke was shameful.

They kicked them in the dirt and spat on them for making something they wanted.

Aaron was a talented guy, and likely a massive contributor to what made Avatar a great piece.

prune-balled-blog: But what people did to demonize these poor guys was a complete and utter disgrace.

araeph: If you think fans (most of whom have no experience in television) should have known better than the studio heads who banked on EXACTLY the churning out gold a second time premise that we did, I don't know what to tell you.

araeph: Bryke aren't poor, and they're not victims.

prune-balled-blog: Would you forgive a thief for committing a crime because he didn't know stealing was wrong? This should be pretty obvious, no?

They certainly aren't villains.

araeph: Hahaha, so people who are ignorant of the details of television production are comparable to thieves?

prune-balled-blog: And if you think so, you're delusional.

araeph: Let me make this simple. Bryke accepted the credit for being the overall creators of the show.

prune-balled-blog: It was a hyperbolic example. Should have been obvious.

araeph: They got the accolades, so they get all the criticism for not living up to expectations.

araeph: Thievery is not an exaggeration of not delving into production details from a medium you're not an expert in.

prune-balled-blog: That's bizarrely unfair.

araeph: It's called "with great power comes great responsibility".

prune-balled-blog: I know. I saw Spider-Man.

And honestly, the people who spread this bull online should have listened to Uncle Ben.

araeph: How much power do a bunch of online fans really have, compared to successful showrunners who can snap their fingers and get a press release into the news?

prune-balled-blog: A lot, actually. For example, when Microsoft announced the Xbox One, they had a slew of controversial shit under their belt. After 2 days of nonstop harassment from fans, they reneged on that deal. And boom. Huuuuge change.

The internet is a powerful tool.

prune-balled-blog: Granted, that was a good change. Considering Microsoft went out of their way to enslave gamers wallets and playful freedom.

araeph: True. But for every example like that, Microsoft as a thousand other unpopular practices that they continue with no matter how many people complain.

araeph: I don't know of Bryke ever admitting to changing something about the way they took care of business, just because people complained.

prune-balled-blog: I would happen to agree with that. But the bottom line is that the internet is a tool.

prune-balled-blog: My main point is this. Pleading ignorance to how a show is made is not a serviceable answer for what fans have said/lied about with Bryke. That's all.

araeph: I disagree. When a show is marketed by creators like Bryke as a true successor to their previous work, and they make NO attempt to tamp down expectations themselves, they can't blame people who are not industry professionals for believing the hype that THEY and the studio they worked with spread far and wide.

araeph: And if your argument is, "Well you should have known better than to believe what they said," then you can't also make the argument of "poor Bryke" if the latter were intentionally misleading and exaggerating.

prune-balled-blog: What they said? No, i said you should have been able to infer you miiiight just be getting something a taaad bit different if you only saw they were returning, and no one else.

araeph: But this is exactly the problem. You're blaming fans for not reading between the lines, and not Bryke, who put out those very lines, despite the latter having vastly more power and experience at their disposal.

araeph: They, as showrunners, had a greater responsibility to inform fans of what LOK would really be like than the fans had to research and acquaint themselves with the intricacies of making television.

prune-balled-blog: Let me ask you something. Is it probably a fair/good idea to create a fake hoax that basically claimed Ehasz had been at odds with Bryke the entire production, claimed a Season 4 was supposed to be made, and that he had different plans for Korra had be been involved?

Bryke said Korra was going to be a sequel in the future, with a new Avatar. They were also the only confirmed writers. You can infer A LOT from that.

araeph: If any (or all of those interviews) are hoaxes, they should be condemned and the people who made them up should be criticized for it. I personally still believe there was some tension, but stating my opinion, even if it's based on speculation, isn't dishonest unless I pass it off as fact.

prune-balled-blog: That's fair enough.

araeph: As for what they said about Korra ...

http[colon]//comicsalliance.com/the-legend-of-korra-michael-dante-dimartino-bryan-konietzko-interview/

:I really love when Korra arrives in Republic City and sees Aang's statue for the first time. There's a moment where she's almost in a trance. She's in awe of Aang and also wants to become as great an Avatar as he was. The Legend of Korra is a little like that for us. We know we have a big legacy to live up to, but hopefully this series will be even better than the original."

#anti-bryke #lok criticism #debate #long post

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x-exo · 3 years

Note

Lolol I had st first thought maybe you were busy so I didn't send right away but then it was getting long with time so I tried once, then twice and another until I gave up thinking either the app doesn't like me or maybe I annoyed you djajdjajdsj BUT you made that post and I gasped. Quickly sent an ask which you got so yay!! *happy dances* i must ask how are you doing!? I hope well, I see you made another sideblog hehe. I support

Now onto our beans!! First monsta x, ahhhh just, perfection. Literally monsta x always delivers with perfect style and music. Legit if you want some mafia themes with some sxhmexy spice then monsta x is for you lol. I'm a bit sad to shownu didn't join the promos *sigh* but i understand! Hyungwon and jooheon did a great job covering his part (which I was surprised to hear their vocals because usually in my experience they would either lip sing to the backing track or leave the spot empty for the missing member so to hear them sing was a surprise!) No wins sadly but its alright, the boys did amazing nonetheless and am proud of them! Fjakdjak me with secrets as well. I'm bopping and am thinking 'wait, why do I understand what they are singing' then I noticed it was in English as well haha. Gambler is on repeat alot I just cannot get enough of it

Now onto exo, the kings. The legends, the boys are back *insert the boys are back from hsm3* this comeback is everything. I legit cannot say anything bad about the title track nor bsides, they are all great and fun to listen to! No skips, the fact they even worked on it to make it like a gift for the fans. I'm going to cry ndkajdja. CAN WE TALK ABOUT LAY VEING FULLY HERE LIKE !?!? HELLO MISTER LAY, WELCOME BACK! I legit thought this would be like tempo but worse because while news was saying a 'full' exo comeback, no news for lay for a while and while I was happy to see his teasers (forever am salty we only have one album of lay at all which is the jewel case version. I understand things might be tricky but still ya know?) I was fishy lol. I had no trust with sm but to our surprise we hear lay more properly. Sure he could have more lines but he isn't pulling an nct winwin so I'm not complaining!! I will take this over tempo lol. Apparently they shot the mv during minseok and his bday so that made me extra soft, exo won over butter so I'm happy dancing. As they should, as they should. Records were broken so all I can say is stan exo for a better life I guess.

Now seventeen!! Its finally comeback time so thoughts on the comeback? Ngl I at first didn't bop to ready to love, I feel bad because always their comebacks were ones I always enjoyed and liked right away but yet, this time around I watched the mv and listened to the song and was sitting there confused like ??? That was all, I felt a bit like there was something missing within the song but I couldn't tell what and it was bugging me for a week njdjajd. However, I had the song on repeat and it grew on me!! Which is very much ok I think, while I did feel bad, im human and we all have different tastes and not everyone will like title tracks! The chorus is super catchy and the guitar? I think it is the guitar lol, that you hear is fantastic. I still think the song is missing something but this might be just me being nit picky. It is a huge summer bop, very much fitting for seventeen.

Ok that is all for me, I shall be going! Let us hope this also sends or else I am fish slapping my phone lol

I did... for pentagon... lord help me 🙌 good thing they're not releasing anything anytime soon so i can focus on my OTHER sideblogs fuihdiufhif

yeahhh it's a pity he couldn't join promotions :(( but anything for his health and wellbeing (but maybe they could have let him do the naiver now lives and fan signs but 🤷🏻‍♀️) it was so cute seeing him go to the concept store thingy and getting his albums and photo cards and visiting his boys during music shows pls he's so endearing i lov him!! I feel bad they couldn't even get one win with gambler bc it's sooooo good omg it's really one of the best title track releases this half year but since music show wins don't care about quality but only quantity...yeah SAD but I it's nice seeing jooheon so happy with his baby song I hope he's super proud of the masterpiece he's made!

EXO. SEXTUPLE MILLION SELLER EXO. They did THAT! without promotions whatsoever and without stepping a foot inside any music shows!! sciuhsdicudfvb legends only 💅🏼 same! i'm glad we could hear yixing in all the songs omg sm could have made it worse so i'll take what i can get and i'll cherish it! and now we've got THE KYUNGSOO making his solo debut!!!! aaahhhhh I can't wait to listen to all his songs omg i bet they're all so nice and good 🤧 also apparently he filmed his mv back in his hometown and with kids and stuff so yeah PREPARE THE PAPER TISSUES!!

ONTO SEVENTEEN NOW.

WELL. I don't really vibe with this comeback tbh idk RTL sounded good in the teasers but then the mv dropped and the album dropped and I- idk i wasn't feeling it (not gonna lie and say i haven't been singing the "runaway" part on repeat in my head FOR DAYS) but idk it doesn't feel like a seventeen song if that makes sense??? as for the rest of the album...I only like Anyone tbh...I feel bad for not vining with the rest but as you said we're human so all we have to do is wait for the next comeback! not gonna talk about the mv bc it was pretty meh for my taste tbh (coming from home; run... now they give me super saturated images, no story and a rain scene that makes it impossible to even see the members...) but yeah also it's so sad all that's happened during this comeback period... first minghao not being able to participate on the choreo, then the covid and quarantine thing not allowing them to step out of their rooms for ten day right after they had their first offline fansign with carats and now coups falling and injuring himself and not being able to end promotions on a high note... this comeback feels kind of cursed :(( but after all they seem happy so that's what really matters! (I'm living for seungkwan's ending fairy moments tbh lmaooo)

That's it for today! sorry for taking so long to answer fiuhfguyfhn i'll be fast next time I promise! I hope you're good! 🥰💕💖

#ask

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