#like having 3 black goat cards on the board at a time

[skull-storm-daily]

5/30/2022 (high cost deck)

#inscryption #kaycee's mod #high cost deck #skull storm daily #another high cost run sponsored by an elk totem..... i don't have a problem. i don't #you'll never guess what it was though- and i'll give you a hint that i didn't see undying/many lives/fercundity in my deck at ALL that run #wasn't morsel either- though i did pick up a meal worm card that i didn't use for anything #get this: it was DAM BUILDER #i didn't know this but apparently with the 3-blood sigil you can sacrifice cards you can't normally- so between the 2 black goats i had #one of them a myco'd copy of the other that looked exactly the same not even any sigils replaced #placed optimally i had six 3-blood sigil cards to work with- like hot damn #though the trouble here is that you have to play a bunch of high cost cards at once or you might lose them #like having 3 black goat cards on the board at a time #and all of mine had annoying on them too which makes them real easy to lose or take extra damage from flying cards #came to a few close calls especially in the map 3 boss but still a fun run #also- saccing a dire wolf onto a grizzly is fun but what's better is myco'ing two dire wolves together instead if you have the option #also word of advice- apparently there's Guaranteed totems with either bi-strike or double strike in the battles on map 3 #so if you're worried about your progress playing with all totem battles on make sure you have means of ensuring turn 1 wins by then #you might run into some scary situations then- especially combined with the higher difficulty challenges on too #be careful with your items around then too- if you can't replenish them quickly or often be frugal with them #skull storm advice blog when? vlkbkbn maybe

[courage-a-word-of-justice]

Akudama 2 - 3 | HypMic 4 | Yashahime 3 | Taiso 2 - 3 | Moriarty 2 | Maou-jou 3

Akudama 2

I think one or two of the reviews I read of this anime picked up the names of each episode are based on movies and it seems they’re right. Namely, episode 1 is Se7en while episode 2 is Reservoir Dogs...so they’re crime movies specifically.

Kanto, Hikari etc. are the names of certain shinkansen.

Playing with your own blood in front of a no violence sign and smoking in front of a no smoking sign…LOL. So edgy and yet simultaneously so fun.

…*blinks* Welp, that OP was…an experience.

…hey, Funi are hypocrites…they gave HypMic a language warning, but not this???

Come to think of it, this anime is already exactly how I’d imagine the HypMic MTC episode to go…but with more cyberpunk, of course.

…why is “are you gay?” an insult…? I thought we were past this point years ago.

…what’s up with these puppets? The shark’s shirt says “fool” on it…

The rabbit and shark’s shirts keep changing every time they spin. When they talk about poverty/rich, the rabbit shirts says “poor” and the shark’s “rich” (or something of the sort). When the shark talks about Kansai burning to the ground, his shirt says “nervousness”.

Wow, Hiroshima vers. 2…Rabbit: peace/shark:war

Hoodlum’s just a sycophant…

…ooh, so if the girl and Hoodlum aren’t part of the plan…they could f*** s*** up?

LOL, plasma shield.

“Lil’ stick”? That’s a jitte! A non-bladed weapon which is still plenty nasty by itself!

Ken the 390??? I knew UraShimaSakataSen were on this ED and I knew this was a rap ED because I heard it in AMQ before I was able to finish this ep, IIRC, but I didn’t expect the guy from BATTLE BATTLE BATTLE....

Taiso 2

A-hah! I was right on the money! Tomoyo is an actress!

Oh, it’s senu. That’s an old-timey way of negating your verbs (it’s shinai now), hence “retires not”.

I think they’re hailing Minamino as the first winner in 45 years if I understood the newspaper article on the screen right…?

Does this mean Minamino will join Leo and Aragaki…? The OP shows him with them.

The AnimeLab translation of the title is “Duelling Samurai”, but the translation on the hardsubs is “Rock-Bottom Samurai”. The word donzoko indicates the latter is correct.

I think Leo said “Rei-chan”, not “Rachel”. It’s a bit hard to hear because he’s eating though…

I think there’s only one line where he doesn’t talk like a ninja in his intro to Ayu and that’s the line where he uses keigo instead.

I think the card says “acupuncturist Kawa????” (can’t read the last character due to Britney’s thumb), but…welp, Britney’s kinda disturbing in their (not sure what pronoun to use) own way. There also appears to be an address in Ikebukuro on the card.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Leo learnt how to speak Japanese fluently from ninja movies – that’s a pretty common anime trope, like in Tada-kun’s Rainbow Samurai case. “Always make your heart rainbow!” and all that jazz.

…so that’s what the card said - Kawamoto Orthopedic Clinic.

“My shoulder would…”

Seriously, this anime is just an excuse to look at Aragaki in different outfits (and also shirtless) and I love it, LOL. (I’m such a simpleton.)

Ah…sometimes, people ask me about the days when I used to learn piano and I bring up the fact there is such a thing as “overpractice”. I thought gymnasts would know when they hit their limits in that regard, but…I guess they don’t because they’re so consumed in their passion, or they can’t see what they’re doing to themselves (because it occurs under the skin and doesn’t ache)…?

Minamino is basically Yurio…LOL.

That’s a cute, laidback ED. It’s called Yume? (yes, with the “?”) and it’s by Hatena, hence Leo’s shirt saying “Hatena”.

Welp, I don’t think anything supernatural will happen anymore, but…it’s still a fun anime. They toned down BB too, which should please a huge number of reviewers who found him obnoxious.

Yashahime 3

Hitokon? Short for “hito control” (hito = person)? Update: It seems the name was also kanji for “flying head root”.

“…puts one to sleep.”

“…from a place like that?”

Can a Dream Butterfly steal memories?

Moriarty 2

“Colum” (sic).

These CGI horses are gonna bug me, aren’t they…?

There is this sentiment that people need to be “saved” from poverty, especially when it comes down to African and Asian people living in slums (these days). I get the same feeling from this.

Maou-jou 3

Free advertising for Maou-jou’s home magazine! LOL!

I was wondering why those things were called “Show the Mary”…remember Mezo Shouji from Boku no Hero Academia? Same pun (the walls have ears and the doors have eyes, or something of the sort).

LOL, instead of yokudekimashita (literally, “you did good”) it’s makura ni narimashita (“you made [the book] into a pillow”). The common sentence ending for verbs means it’s funnier in Japanese, I think.

…argh! I can’t read all of Alazif’s info because of the hardsubs! Umm…”Current worry: Princess” and “Worry of the past hundred years: Destroying the demon clan” is in the box next to the logo. “Powerful magic techniques are recorded inside this book, so the demons feared it and sealed it away as a ‘forbidden grimoire’.”/”Currently, under the control of the princess, they’ve been bestowing magic and magic techniques to her, so they haven’t been used for the purpose they were made for and they’re wishing the princess would use them for not-so-stupid things” (I don’t know what pronoun to give Alazif, so I gave them 3rd person “them)…ah, someone translated the stuff for me! (That saves me a lot of time.) So Alazif is a “he”, huh?

OHKO to Demon Cleric, LOL.

SAN…? Oh, “sanity”?

Oh, Demon Cleric’s ears are black goat ears. No wonder you can’t see ‘em.

This sword is like Ex from Princess, ‘Tis Time for Torture!

HypMic 4

From here until episode 6-ish, I’ll be paying extra attention to characters’ role language. I normally do that, but I picked this anime for an assignment because I knew it had a lot of examples…yes, you heard me right. An assignment! I should be happy, but I’m wondering if my taste is going to get roasted by the normies or if I’ve gone too far with my unabashed love…

I was discussing with some of my peeps in a Discord server and…is it possible MTR will get an ED from here on out if you divide the episodes up for an almost equal amount for each division? We’ll have to wait and see.

…Oof. I’m sort of scared for this episode. It’s gonna have swearing galore…and yup, there it is, right out the gate.

Wait, why not translate wakagashira? It just means “young head” or “2nd in command”.

…well, at least they got some variation in their swearing this time…?

Hmm, normally the translation is “rabbit cop” or something toned down like that. They dialled it up to “rabbity-ass cop”. (Yakuwarigo: Samatoki = na, on the whole = very, very slang – as a former naval officer, you would expect Riou to speak formally, but he speaks as casually as almost everyone else (yamero etc.))

I’ve never seen anyone refer to Samatoki as “Kashira”. *laser stares Rentei for guest VA roles*

(Yakuwarigo: Samatoki (?) = zo)

“…why don’t you ask the cops to deal with it?” – Uh, Samatoki? Jyuto is the cop. (Well, a cop.)

I still have no idea why they subtitle the laughing…

Wait, if there’s a casino…is Dice there?!

…yup, right on cue. I didn’t think Tom and co. would be there too.

Oh, LOL. HypMic is a tourist trap anime = see those buns Tom’s eating? They’re chuukaman (Chinese buns). Makes sense in Chinatown.

It took me several watches to realise who’d passed by, but it’s…MTC in formal clothes?! (You can see part of Jyuto’s face, just to confirm it.)

Why are they wearing glasses? Even Jyuto’s wearing different glasses to the usual, LOL.

I learnt how to do some of the casino stuff while trying to get a job as a gaming customer service assistant in a huge casino joint one time. In a sense, this brings me back to then. (Update: I mean, the sound of the roulette, the sight of the board, the chips and the like. That’s what takes me back.)

(Yakuwarigo: Dice slurs his words a lot, especially when yelling things along the lines of “Please lend me moneyyyyyyyyyyyyy!” This is also true in the game.)

Dice seems to have jumped straight to “Riou”, rather than “Riou-san”.  

I wonder if anyone will ever elaborate on that incident where Dice and Riou met?

(Yakuwarigo: Samatoki speaks coarsely, but not outright swearing in the source language…for an example, he says kussotare when roped into being Jakurai’s “female counterpart” for the ARB Halloween event, but he doesn’t do anything of the sort here.)

Even Ramuda uses “san” with Samatoki, most likely to emulate how Samatoki calls himself “oresama” (but with lower formality).

Ramuda-chin? That’s new.

Yakuwarigo: Gentaro spoke normally, just with desu/masu. Maybe the “perchance” was to make it blend in with his -de aru?

Uh-oh…Ramuda’s favours always are things like “dress up for me” and “hang out with me”, if the game is any indication. (One of them happens to be how Ichiro was roped into being a sorta-Kirito for the ARB Halloween event.)

This CGI…it’s not the jankiest, but it is gonna bug me ever so slightly.

I’ve noticed a lot of people in the English-speaking fandom, when they watched the anime, took a shine to MTC (because they seem to embody the entire “refuge in audacity” thing they’ve picked up on…plus that one hamster lyric people got attached to). You can see them being all “cop/gangster husbands” here if that’s your gig – it’s kind of my gig, but to be real HypMic is not a scene where I ship dudes. I’m sorry, but I just like watching pretty boys kick butt.

What warranted the dramatic glasses drop…? (LOL anyway)

That whistle…LOL. It’s like “Look at my boy fight” and “Riou’s got some sweet fightin’ moves” rolled up in one.

For some reason, when I saw the sign for the Organised Crime department, I heard the Student Council theme from Boueibu play in my head…? (Remember that harpsichord theme?) *shrugs* I dunno why that happened.

Hmm…they crossed out the subtitles using Swedish letters instead of strikethrough, huh? Didn’t know that was a limitation.

(Yakuwarigo: Jyuto = dazo)

“Wouldya look at that forlorn mug of his?” – Seeing a man taller than you (Riou is a good 190 or so cm, mind you, making him the tallest member of his division above Samatoki’s 180-something and Jyuto’s 170-something) making a sort of demented puppy-dog face…LOL.

(Yakuwarigo: Jyuto elevated himself to kimasuyo…maybe to win back Riou’s favour?)

(Yakuwarigo: The translation elevated Samatoki’s “nanda” to “the f***”. “Nanda” is not that bad – it’s casual, but doesn’t imply swearing like “ittai” is supposed to mean “the hell”.)

(Yakuwarigo: Jyuto doesn’t finish when he says “ore wa hanashi ga”. That’s called an omission, plain as that may be.)

(Yakuwarigo: Taihendaze!...Maybe that’s a bit far to call it “we’re f**ked”…? It could just be “we’re doomed!” or “we’ve got trouble!”)

(Yakuwarigo: Jyuto uses desune. He’s the most feminine of the trio by virtue of being the smallest height-wise and most polite due to his job, but he seems to bounce between casual and polite a lot.)

…wow, even the rap lyrics have the F bomb…and this time, you can see the evidence.

Natsu no mushi = bugs in the summer. Not a perfect match, but it works. (Notably, things like Gentaro’s speech and rap lyrics don’t play by the same yakuwarigo rules because you can play characters within it – e.g. the evil doctor Jakurai sometimes plays. I’ve noticed most of the songs use casual or whatever rhymes, even for someone like Doppo who’s considered more polite than most.)

…Despite the swearing…that song slaps, man! That’s great.

MTC seems to have more tragedy on average than other divisions. This is because FP and BB are quite light-hearted and mostly family-friendly with hidden depths, but MTR mostly has stalker stories. Update: That’s when they’re focussing on MTR solo. FP’s currently could get pretty dark soon and a lot of the dark/tragic stuff is not actually going to make the anime because it’s in the drama tracks/manga.

My gosh, we got to see Nemu animated!

Okay, I’m not well-versed in yakuza slang but kumicho = boss, so Samatoki would have to answer to a kumicho.

(Yakuwarigo: Notably, when Riou bows, he doesn’t elevate his speech.)

(Yakuwarigo: Jyuto = desukane)

…and randomly, rock solo postcard memory away from the sunset. (LOL) (Also, I believe I befriended Zainou during my time on WordPress. This episode title really does mean things, in a certain sense.)

Ah, it did switch! It’s just…uh, gone to an MTC version of itself (and it has the same name, “Kizuna”). So that means we wait another 6 episodes for MTR. On the other hand…what will the final version be? A whole cast version? A different song? No song at all? *shrugs* Only the future can tell us these things. (Also, why is Jyuto so loud…? That’s why I’m not a bigger fan of him. Much like Ramuda’s minna genki?, his iconic quotes like “In the building!” are so loud and silly-sounding, you just can’t get them out of your head.)

The cityscape in the middle of the disc at the ED’s start seems to have changed. I would assume that’s a Yokohama skyline.

Keiichi Nakagawa is the voice of Rentei…I should stop burning myself on guest VA appearances, this guy’s a rookie. This Nouzenkazura VA (Kenji Hamada) though is voiced by the guy who does Otegine in Touken Ranbu and isn’t as much of a rookie as Rentei’s.

Notably, where BB do the “BB sign” (as it seems to be known), MTC do a finger gun. MTR have the wolf fang, but…what is FP’s, then? Update: It’s a peace sign to the side to make an F.

Today’s new music was “Red Zone (Don’t Test da Master)”, by KLOOZ and DJ WATARAI.

*cringes at the airhorn* *briefly presses fingers to forehead, as if going to massage temples, but then removes them* The airhorn reminds me of crazy sport fans. Crazy anime fans are more civil than them, which is one reason why I don’t follow sports on the regular.

Update: Oh! The pond owl cafe in episode 2! It means Ikebukuro!...Sort of. Fukurou rhymes with ‘bukuro and ike = pond.

Akudama 3

Hmm? Is it just me or is that T in the code the kanji for “bird” (tori)?

“It’s where I belong.” – I know my reason for pursuing Japanese is a purely selfish reason – so I can stay above others in the topics I think matter to me and pursue the endless natural high that comes from the thrill of translation (which may be all one reason or two, depending on how you look at it).

Oh, the bunny and shark again.

The bunny’s shirt said “life” at one point, I didn’t understand the shark’s though.

At one point, shark: Ka (from “Kansai”), bunny: ken (authority).

At the end, shark: heaven, bunny: hell. These broadcasts look like NHK broadcasts at the end.

Most of these words are katakana, making them look foreign.

Kansai 300, 25-1.

“Move-you-s**t!” – It…seems a bit out of character for Swindler to say the swear word there.

Taiso 3

That CGI…is not the greatest.

According to Moon Land, gymnastics operates on a deduction/addition system. You add points for difficulty, but deduct points for errors like how Minamino’s feet are apart.

*sees montage* - Those CGI scenes really take out the budget, huh…?

Gymnastics moves are named after their creators…kinda like scientific names and finders.

There was a lot of commentary in Moon Land so I’m not sure what the moves are called from memory (the dialogue always did that for me), but having the reactions speak for themselves…I think the anime team has enough faith the reactions will convey everything. They did, by the way.

You can see the bone at the base of Minamino’s neck, under the skin…it’s sort of scary.

The fact you couldn’t see Jotaro’s eyes for a shot or two…that kind of unnerved me and built tension.

Oh! The men in black appear after the credits!

#simulcast commentary #akudama drive #HypMic #Hypnosis Mic #Hypnosis Microphone #Hypnosis Mic: Division Rap Battle - Rhyme Anima #Taiso Samurai #hanyo no yashahime #Moriarty the Patriot #Yuukoku no Moriarty #maou-jou de oyasumi #Chesarka watches Taiso Samurai #Chesarka watches Yuukoku no Moriarty #Chesarka watches HypMic #Chesarka watches Akudama Drive #Chesarka watches Yashahime #Chesarka watches Maou-jou

[comfysocksfirst]

Chihayafuru as NBA Players!! Part 1

Oh Man!! Two of my great loves Chihayafuru and basketball. Finally they meet. No one asked for this. This is most likely an incredibly small venn diagram of converging interests.Nonetheless here it is which NBA player is the real world equal of which Chihayafuru character. Note: I tend to skew more current with my NBA picks mostly cause that’s what I’m most familiar with but also because it is much more difficult to know those older players’ personalities. One more note I just now decided to include runner-up choices for some people I think it will mostly be a jokey runner up. Wataya Arata: Oh boy let’s start hot! My second favorite character in the series he is the Karuta God and the True soul-mate to Chihaya. Disagree? Fite me. He is STEPHEN CURRY. Karuta is the family business. He is the legacy one born to devastate. I could see Nicki Minaj dropping Arata’s name in her songs calling out to him all at hours talking about those eyes, that accent, and that water-like play style that has her downing gallons of his essence. He’s also perfectly chill to outer appearances. Everyone thinks he’s having a good time win or lose but they don’t notice how he’s smiling at them while he is steadily inching closer to dropping 50 on them. Shinobu Wakamiya: I’m not letting up with this second name. My all time favorite characther in the series.Sharpest dresser in the hemisphere. The youngest Queen of all. You know this. She is KOBE. And not one to be fucked with. She brings that Mamba Mentality to all she does whether it’s destroying her opponents 25-0 or slinging them pastries she takes no prisoners. She’s eked out every drop of potential she possesses with constant practice and total devotion to Karuta. She’s all about that grind and sees the game in a way only she can some would even say it’s crazy??? Anyone and everyone trying to take cards from her is her enemy and she’ll cut them if given chance when they take some of her favorites. Runner-up: Michael Jordan. The GOAT. I like that the similarity that they both pushed away and oftentimes used the people around them in order to get better. But ultimately didn’t go with MJ cause he walked away from the game at his peak for a year and change and I don’t see Shinobu ever doing that. Chihaya Ayase: The protagonist. Lady Big Eyes. Mrs. Daddy Bear. President/Founder/(Only Member??) of the Chitose Appreciation Society. She’s gotta be GIANNIS. A physical freak who’s sheer athleticism catapults her puts her in the realm of Class A. Everywhere Giannis goes he draws them eyes and the same can said of this beauty who can rattle her male opponents with a smile or even just eye contact. Who else is on Giannis’ team? What? Can’t name anyone else cause you’re not a basketball fan? Well let me tell you even if you were a fan you might struggle cause he’s carrying that team on his back! And so is this young lady. They got some good players on this squad but this Ace knows well that is she don’t win and cruise through to victory it could adversely affect her team’s psyche so she is unstoppable on her own much like Giannis’ fast breaks. Runner-up: Ben Simmons was my first choice for her but ultimately I decided against him cause I think he’s not a great team player and I don’t think he’s serious enough about improving his deficiencies. I thought these runner ups were supposed to be funny??? IDK Kanade Oe: KENDRICK PERKINS. I’m kinda running out of steam here. And I got a long list to go. Kana-chan and Kendrick both top heavy. I never really noticed until they made it a topic of discussion in the mini-comic. But damn yeah definitely carrying a lot of weight on top.  She’s also the team enforcer. Hear me out on this. Sure she’s small but she’s probably the most serious of all the team. Serious about life, about how people should behave, about the beauty of Karuta. And if anyone is disrespecting the poems--You better hold her back!! She will get into the face of anyone lowkey Empress in the making. She’s also a big small voice in the locker room a different type of leader than Ayase and Taichi. She knows what poems people need to hear to click back in into the present. Perk is an old-school kind of player and Kana-chan has an old-school mentality and while both were important members of their title winning teams they weren’t close to being the focus. Midori Tamaru: I actually forgot I wrote a write-up for her! Cool I’m glad I did. She is LUKA DONCIC. She is a shit-talker supreme. She wants all the smoke and she got all the weapons. Big-time potential. Everyone saying to her Wait your turn. But Fuck It she says and is ready to shoot her shot. Drop a cold 3 at the buzzer to win a playoff game in front of a 10 year vet who’s desperate for a win. They’re both missing one critical aspect of their game. For Luka he needs to increase his stamina for Tamaru she needs to get mentally tough. Right now she can most definitely be fucked with and she may be the only one that don’t know it. But any team with her is going to be in the conversation for best in their region and they should be looking to book a hotel by the big red shrine every year. Dr. Harada: Da Big Bear. Brown Bear? Black Bear? Daddy Bear? He all da bear. A walking a build-a-bear-workshop. What’s that mean? I have no clue. This guy. There’s a reason he was Ayase’s first love. He cuddly af but he still got that tenacity and overwhelming physicality that keeps him happily married decades later and a Karuta vet to be feared. I went with a non-contemporary player for the Dr. and no not Dr.J but rather his teammate MOSES MALONE. Nicknamed the Chairman of the Board cause he throws his body into every rebound lunging wildly at each miss cause he KNOWS that every rebound is his by right. Yeah that sound our friend the bear. Moses played a looooong time longer maybe than one might think considering the era he played in and how physical his game was. But that incredible body of his allowed him to stay in the game as long as wanted throwing elbows to clear out any close competition. Alright I’m tired Part 2 to come soon. It’s already written out I just HATE transcribing. There’s another 9 characters to come! Let me know what you all think please. Am I alone in my dual NBA and Chihayafuru fandom??

#chihayafuru #wataya arata #harada #shinobu wakamiya #nba as anime #venn diagram #chiharata #first post I've written here #should I play better attention to my grammar in these #to be continued

[archangel0lucifer-a03]

Needing a wee break from actual story telling I have decided to share little fact sheets about a few of my characters (existing as well as OC). I have put all under a read more for possible spoilers for things to come. There are spoilers if you haven’t read fics from my What’s This? A Ghost Series collection. My take on Papa 2:

(mentions of abuse. not detailed.)

Full name: Dante Emeritus

Species: Half-breed demon (⅜ Human, ⅜ Andras demon lineage, ¼ unknown demon origin) While his demon heritage does not make him immortal, he has slower age progression and a life expectancy of approx 600 years

Date of Birth: 21 December 1739

Place of Birth: Rome, Italy

Height: 6 foot

Sexuality: Pansexual

Relationship status: Long-term committed relationship with Syver Andersson 

Notable features: When you see Dante, you notice a man who clearly had a privileged upbringing. He is elegant and classic, well put together. He is a distinguished man, a wealthy man. He lost most of his hair at an early age, keeping his head shaved since his mid twenties. He looks older than middle aged, but upon seeing him you'd never know he was well over 200 years old.

In his demonic form, Dante stands an impressive 9 feet tall, if he stands upright. Large, heavy wings stretch out from his back, causing him to stand almost hunched over. His skin is solid black in color and a thick leathery texture. Sharp angles and bone give him a terrifying look, though he remains slightly humanoid. His legs bend back, like a goat, his feet are large and he has clawed toes. His arms are long, ending with massive claws. His face shares features of a large beakless owl, most notable are his large, yellow eyes. His mouth never fully closes, filled with 2 rows of sharp, jagged teeth. If his enormous size and horrific features were not enough, he smells of fire and brimstone, same as the very landscape that his demon relations call home.

His two forms are interchangeable - not one masked over the other. He endures full transformations. It's excruciatingly painful and leaves him drained for days. He will not take his demon form, unless it is entirely unavoidable.

Eye color: One green, one white (right & left respectively). They're both yellow in his demon form.

Hair color: n/a

Piercings: 5 frenum piercing- laddered barbells in increasing gauges

Tattoos: 2, both are on his chest. His first, a bold-line Satanic cross (brimstone). It’s thick black lines, outlined in a vibrant green. It is located on the right side of his chest. The other, an ornate grucifix done in grey-scale sits on his left pectoral.

Typical style: Dante will almost always dress in a manner that touches formal. His tastes are classy and expensive, always cut and tailored to him; he will not buy right off a rack. The closest he comes to casual is forgoing a jacket. He is always in dress pants, button shirts. He isn’t always in a waistcoat or jacket but often can be seen in wearing both. He does not own a pair of jeans nor a pair of shorts.

Personality traits: On first impression, Dante comes across cold, serious and a little bitter. On some level, these things hold true. However, once he is comfortable with someone enough to drop the exterior, he's actually warm, fun and sweet. He is very emotional but internalizes most of his emotions unless he deems it necessary to share them. He likes to be alone but with the right people, he enjoys company. He is not shy, but won't waste his time speaking to someone he doesn't find worth his time.

Family is important to him and he is very protective of them. Several poorly managed romantic relationships left him less likely to seek more than strictly physical, short lived relationships, most of which have been one night sexual encounters. With the right person, he will open up, spoil them, treat them well and love them more than anything. Growing up in his father's church, he has deep connections to faith and worship of Satan. Religion is important to him, guides him but he does not let it control him. He is not a selfish man, but believes that the central part of life is to put oneself first and foremost. He is slow to trust and doesn't cope well with loss of control. He is not a demanding person, feels that everyone should have the free will to choose, but he doesn't do well in situations where he can't be in some control. His desire to be that way stems from abuses in his past, specifically abuse from his demonic mother. (Demons aren't all evil, she was). There was a point in his life where he struggled with drug and alcohol addiction. It did shape some of his mannerisms but eventually he overcame the hardships, coming out victorious and as he believed, a better man. Dante has the ability to strike fear into men, make women swoon and babies laugh. He has extensive patience with people, unless it's stupid people. He is much more than first meets the eye.

Parents: Enzo Emeritus (Papa Nihil) is his father. His mother is an Andras-line heiress named Aurrah. He has a close relationship to his father and a burning hatred for his mother, who was banished back to Hell when Dante was in his late teens.

Siblings: a younger brother, Alessandro (Papa 3)

Other noted relatives: a close cousin Celso (Papa 1)

Pets: A python named Cassandra

Occupation: Retired. He was the former Papa (Emeritus the Second) at his father's church.

Hobbies: reading, writing (texts and music), collects vintage wines, scotches and bourbons, he enjoys hiking (mostly on his own), he loves to cook (for himself or others), he likes listening to music and watching old films, he enjoys playing games (card & board), he likes to travel, he likes to gamble.

Favorite color: Green

Favorite food: Italian cheesecake

Favorite movie: The Devils

Favorite song: Seven Lives - In Strict Confidence

3 likes: peace & quiet, the smell of old books, kinky sex

3 dislikes: being lied to, having his time wasted, willful ignorance

6 Random facts:

- Dante is very close to his cousin Celso, as they grew up together.

- He helped with raising his brother, when Alessandro's mother left.

- He is deeply afraid of the dark. Like he cannot be left alone in total darkness.

- He learned to drive as a teenager, just to go against his father's wishes.

- Laughs at his own jokes.

- His top three places to visit are Florence Italy, Paris France, and Las Vegas Nevada USA.

#wt?ags #wt?ags : headcanon #papa2 #dante emeritus

[licenselesswriter]

The One Who Stayed CH 18

- So, it's finally here - Lucas says while Lily refuses to let Maya go.

- Looks like - Maya said with a nostalgic tone in her voice.

- I don't want you to go Aunt Maya - Lily begs Maya, hiding her face on her neck.

Maya looks at Lucas moved, and while Lucas tries to take Lily from Maya, she takes her face to look at her directly - Hey, I'm gonna come back, this it's not forever, just a year - she explains again.

- You know, I'm in the mood for some Ice cream, want to join me, Lily? - Zay asks and both, Lucas and Maya look at him gratefully.

- I've heard the Ice cream in the Italian gelateria it's really good, you should go with Uncle Zay and get some - Maya softly says to his goddaughter before hugging her and kiss her forehead - You're not gonna notice and I will be back to take you out and eat donuts with Mia - she adds while Lucas gives his card to Zay and slowly mouth to him "get me chocolate".

A few minutes later, Lucas and Maya, finally were left alone.

Lucas takes Maya's backpack and carries it for her. Maya softly takes his free hand and intertwines her fingers with his, making him in the second pull her hand and kiss it.

When they get to her door, they sit waiting for her final call.

- You're gonna be ok? - Maya asks him.

Lucas just smile without looking at her - God, no - he simply answers - But I will be, I have a daughter that needs a father in his 100% - he adds and then press a kiss on her cheek - But don't worry, when I'm alone, I promise I will be brooding, and people might think I'm a Blonde Jon Snow - Lucas jokes.

Maya just gives him a judgmental look - Please don't - she stops him.

Lucas looks at Maya, this time with a more serious look on his face - You know you're asking me to not miss you? - he asks before kissing her hand again - Hell, I would miss you even if we weren't in a relationship - he declares.

Maya just stays silent looking at him.

- What? - he asks - Do I have something on my face? - he adds.

Maya just let a muffled laugh escape her mouth - You make me regret my words when we went to the ski lodge - she replies with a calm smile.

- I can't say the same - Lucas replies and Maya gives him a false offended face - Don't take it the wrong way, but I love my Lily way too much - he adds with a soft smile.

- Yeah, you're right with that - Maya agrees and keeps silent for some minutes - Am I choosing poorly again? - she asks.

Lucas just laughs in her face - You never go wrong if you can quote "The Last Crusade" - Lucas replies offering his hand, which Maya fastly turns into a high five.

Maya laughs a bit after that and went silent again. They both stay there in complete silence, but neither of them wanted to ruin it, it was comfortable, it was kind, and it was expressing everything they had in their hearts.

- This is the final boarding call for passengers booked on flight 32V to Venice, Italy - they both heard from the speakers - Please proceed to gate 3 immediately, the final checks are being completed and the captain will order for the doors of the aircraft to close in approximately five minutes, I repeat, this is the final boarding call for passengers booked on flight 32V to Venice, Italy - the message repeats - Thank you - it finish.

- You know it right? - Maya asks Lucas.

- I know - he answers, feeling a void in his stomach.

- I wish we had more time, or another way - Maya says looking at the floor, refusing to look at him.

Lucas gives her a hurt smile and makes her look at him, then presses his lips against hers - I Love you, Pancakes, never forget that - he softly says.

- I Love you too Sundance - Maya replies before getting up and take her backpack.

Lucas felt his stomach make a flip when he saw her walk into the gate.

Maya turns and looks at him, waving one more time at him before disappearing inside the gate.

Lucas walks into the food court and saw his daughter eating a cone.

- Even when I pay, that's cheap - Lucas says while he asks for his card back.

Zay just looks at him and gives him his card - It's her third cone - he replies.

Lucas looks at his daughter and presses his lips against her head - Did you enjoy your ice cream? - he asks.

- Kinda - Lily answers - I'm gonna miss Aunt Maya - she adds.

- Me too Lil-Koala, me too - he replies to his daughter.

Lucas gets out of his daughter's room and with a cautious pace, he walks back to his living room, only to see his ex-wife doing the dishes on his kitchen - Come on, you don't have to do that - he says while he walks into his kitchen and takes 2 cups from the upper shelf, only to fill them with coffee.

Riley smiles. She knew exactly what he was doing, move by move - It's nothing - she replies and finishes the dishes, before turning to him and accepts the cup he offers to her.

- I heard that you're helping Eric with his presidential career - Lucas comments, trying not to be left alone with his ex-wife.

- Yeah, I'm pretty sure he's gonna do a great job if he's elected - she replies.

Then silence again.

- I remember this wasn't so hard before - Riley comments.

- Well, it's been time from that - Lucas replies.

- Yeah, I cheated on you, and you fall for my ex-best friend - Riley carefree comments.

Lucas takes a deep breath, surprised by her attitude - Yeah, a lot of things happened - he replies, still not sure how to react to his ex-wife.

Riley gives him a sad smile - Coffee? - she asks.

- Sure - Lucas replies, trying to distend the tension in his kitchen.

Riley gives him a sad smile while she tries to make coffee, knowing that she doesn't know where anything is, and in her mind, she can totally picture Maya knowing exactly where everything is, and not even asking if he wants a coffee, just making one for him.

- Are you feeling good Riley? - Lucas asks.

Riley clears a solitary tear on her left eye and denies - Sorry, I just... - she tries to say but she feels a huge chunk of guilt on her throat.

- This used to be us every day - Lucas continues what she wanted to say - I know - he continues - But we made a deal, this is not for us, is for Lily, this is the least we can do for her - he adds.

- We could try again, that's an option - Riley cuts him while she starts looking for his mugs.

Lucas just stays silent, refusing to say anything.

- Please say something - Riley continues opening another shelf.

- What you expect me to say, Riley? Because that's not gonna happen - he replies a bit tired.

- That doesn't mean I'm gonna stop trying - she says and put 2 cups on the counter in front of Lucas.

- Riley, please no - he begs her.

Riley walks to him and gently caress his face with her both hands - I've made unforgivable mistakes, but even after that, I still believe that you're the love of my life - she softly says.

Lucas closes his eyes to retain some tears, every time Riley tries to get back with him, he did the same, he closed his eyes and find if the war between his love and hate had a definitive winner, he closed his eyes and tries to look for forgiveness. But like usual he isn't able to find any - I'm sorry Riley, but I can't do that - he softly replies.

- I understand - Riley says in a sad tone - See you next Wednesday? - she asks.

- Yes - he replies looking at his ex-wife take her things and walk to the door. As a true gentleman, Lucas joins Riley to his door and softly opened for her.

- It was good, you've become a really good cock - she complimented his culinary skill.

- Thanks - he replies before watching her leave his home.

Once he knew he was completely alone, he lets himself rest for a second.

He walks to his kitchen and pours some of the coffee she brews for him. He looks at the calendar before taking a sip of the black beverage - Only 9 months - he says while his mind flew to his last memory of Maya.

Lucas takes out his tie and puts it on his backpack before slowly walking into the classroom, only to be cornered by 2 girls.

- Ohhh, new student? - one asks and she offers her hand - I'm Patricia - she introduces herself while Lucas shakes her hand.

- What's your name cutie - the girl next to her asks – I’m Alexandra, but you can call me bae after 3 dates - she adds, making Lucas laugh.

- I'm Lucas, nice to meet you all - he introduces himself before walking a bit from them - and I doubt I can call you anything before my daughter allows me to do it - he justifies himself.

- Awww, don't worry, I don't mind if she calls me Mommy - Patricia says and then looks at Lucas, before playing with his beard - Of course, only if you let me call you Daddy - she teases him.

Lucas just gives her a short laugh.

Creative girls, he has to concede.

- Patricia, right? - he asks and the girl only nods - Let me tell you something - he started noticing how a few students are looking at them interact - I'll call you by your first name, but you're gonna have to call me in a very particular way - he teases her back.

- Baby, with that face, I would call you Master - she says.

Lucas laughs again, the girl had game.

But he faced GOAT of that area.

- This is much easier than Master - he started and drops his backpack on the teacher's table - I'll let you call me Professor Friar, actually, you all should call me like that - he says while most men in the room laugh of the weird situation - My name is Lucas Friar, and I'm your new Parasitology teacher, yes, which means 3 things - he says and sits on his desk - First, flirt, to the minimum, or I'm gonna have to inform about it, second, plastic gloves are a must, and third, yes, we are gonna look at really disgusting things, besides animal feces - he listed.

- I would let you do disgusting things - Alexandra says looking directly at his eyes - You said minimum, not inexistent - she defends herself.

Lucas just laughs.

180 minutes later, most of the students came out with a sheet of paper with the things Lucas expects to review in his classes while he tries his best to walk out of the classroom without being rude and without being harassed.

- Ladies, if you excuse me, I have a daughter who needs me - he excuses himself.

- Awww come on Professor Friar, you're new, you should let us show you the hidden places of Cornell - Patricia says.

Lucas just laugh - Nice reason, sadly, I'm not new to this building - he says confusing them a bit - Where do you all think I get my license to practice veterinary medicine? - he asks, while his students mouth a silent "Oh".

Once he was in his car, he finally takes a break - Only 8 months - he says before starting his car and drives back to Brooklyn.

Lucas walks into his room and put his cup of coffee left from his laptop. He adjusts his glasses and takes a short sip of his coffee, burning his tongue in the process - Fuck! - he says and then covers his mouth before putting the cup back next to his laptop. He carefully arranges his tie - and then look around - Lily, are you done? Your uncle Zay is gonna murder me if I don't show with these rings soon - he says trying to get his daughter to be ready soon.

- I'm already ready, Aunt Isadora hired someone to get our make-up and hair done - she says to her now, confused, father.

- You're not wearing make-up - he says.

- But Aunt Isadora already gets up the person - she argues.

- Lily, no - he simply says looking at his daughter who looked gorgeous with her blue dress her "Aunt Isadora" get her.

- You know Aunt Isadora is gonna do it anyway, right? - Lily asks.

- I know, but I least I know I tried to stop her - he says and Lily hugs his legs, making him laugh. He takes another sip of his coffee, this time avoiding the burning and check his pockets - Wallet? check - he started and then taps on his other pocket - Rings? check - he continues and then picks up Lily and presses her nose with his finger - Lily? check - he says making her laugh - We're ready - he says and walks out with Lily on his arms.

30 minutes later, Lily climbs down from her father and runs towards Isadora.

- Aunt Isadora! - Lily yells in happiness while Isadora gets on her knees to hug Lucas' daughter.

- My favorite girl, besides my Mom, my 2 future daughters, and Maya- she says while Lucas slowly walks closer to them.

- Don't abuse of make-up - Lucas says to Isadora.

- I just want her to look prettier than she already is - Isadora replies.

- She's too young - he argues - Now, if you excuse me, I need to calm the groom - he adds before leaving Lily with Isadora.

Once Lucas left the hall, Isadora looks at Lily - Make-up time? - she asks.

Lily just smiled - Make-up time - she replies.

Lucas seats in one of the white chairs of his table looking at one of his best friends dance with his, now, wife, and wasn't able to suppress his mind to replace Zay with him and Vanessa with Riley.

He looks for his glass, and the Pepsi can next to it, opens it a pour a bit.

- Get married, they say, she's the love of your life, they say - he remembers the words of his college classmates while Farkle escorted his daughter back to him - Let me guess, he beats you on the robot dance-off? - Lucas asks his daughter.

- He only beats me because I'm tiny and I get tired faster - Lily says while she shows her tongue to Farkle.

- I'm offended that you accuse me of something that vile - Farkle defends himself with a fake offended face.

Soon after that, Isadora sits next to Lucas and then looks at her husband - Beloved One, why don't you take this gorgeous little girl to her room while you gave her father a rest from all the dancing he had with her? - she asks in a tone that was a direct order - And you little miss, give a hug to your smartest Aunt and then go directly to bed, ok? - she says, clearly indicating that it was time to bed.

- Ok - Lily says, nervous about

Once they leave, Lucas and Smackle were left in awkward silence.

- I'm gonna get myself a drink, do you want something? - Lucas offers before getting up from his chair.

- I want to know when you break up with Maya - Smackle drops on him.

Lucas freeze on the spot and then looks at her with a relaxed smile - How did you notice? - he asks back.

- Oh, so you actually break up with Maya - Smackle says with a sufficient smile.

- You're actually smarter than Farkle - Lucas says - I'm gonna get myself a bourbon and then, we might talk - he says.

- You quit drinking months ago, you're just gonna run from me - Isadora replies without looking at him.

Lucas just walks away from the table and checks the date on his watch - Only 6 months - he says more to himself than to anyone who can hear him.

Maya gets up to the constant buzz of his phone, she looks at the time and saw it marks 15:36, then she looked at her Snapchat only to see 12 messages from Smackle -  You serious? - she asks herself and deletes the notifications - Too hungover to react to anything - she says and goes back to sleep.

A few hours later, once she was fresh and rested, she meets with her models, her make-up artist and her hairdresser to share a few drinks before they.

- Congrats on finishing your third seasonal project - her make-up artist says to her while the rest keep chatting between them.

- Thank you, Emilia - Maya replies and takes orders a beer for her.

- You're only one project away from your "Huckleberry" boy - Emilia jokes, making Maya chuckle.

- You know the story - Maya says and takes a sip of her beer - His ex-wife lives close to him, it wouldn't be a surprise if when I come back, he's back with her again - she replies with a sad tone on her voice.

- Didn't he tell you that he loved you? - she asks and takes some pistachios from a little bowl.

- Yeah, but anything could happen - Maya replies while her friend looks at her serious - After all, it's been 9 months without a real talk with him - she confesses.

- Isn't your friend constantly text you to inform you about him? - Emilia asks a bit confused.

- It's funny, she used to flirt mercilessly with him, It was pretty funny - she comments.

They keep talking about their love life, or in the case of Maya and her winter model, lack of it, until a bit over 2 A.M.

When they decided to part ways so they can start working on the Spring project, Maya's phone started to buzz.

She pulls it out and looks at the caller, her smile grows in seconds - Hello Sundance, you waited till dinner to give me a call? - she asks.

- Kinda - Lucas replies - I was wondering if you could recommend me a place to eat - he adds, making Maya laugh.

- You've got to be kidding me - she says before laughing at his petition - I haven't been in New York in 9 months, what makes you think I have intel on that - she replies.

- Well, I'm not exactly asking for New York - Lucas says.

- Then I have less... GET OFF ME FUCKER! - Maya screamed punching the person who grabs her arms - Holy shit, Lucas - she says looking at the person she just hit.

- Noted, never approach to you by surprise - Lucas says on the floor - Well, this makes me feel more confident about you being here all alone - he says before start laughing.

Maya wasn't able to suppress her laughter after seeing him laugh - God, what makes you think you can grab me out of nowhere in the middle of the night, stupid huckleberry - she says, getting on her knees to examine his face in detail - God, that's gonna be hard to explain - she says.

Lucas gets up from the floor - It's ok, they probably gonna laugh when I tell them the story - he replies cleaning his jeans.

Maya just looks at him and the words escape her mouth - Why are you here Lucas? - she asks.

- You should know - Lucas answers.

They both stood in silence looking at each other for a few minutes until Maya broke the silence - We're gonna make out, right? - she asks.

- Oh, God yes - Lucas replies and kisses her lips.

#GMW #Lucaya #Lucaya Fanfic #Lucas x Maya #OoC Riley #Recovering Lucas #The One Who Stayed

[lindoig4]

Across Canada

I will try to post a little more text today, but the internet service here is pretty poor so I will leave posting of any more photos until we get home.  We leave the US this evening and arrive back in Melbourne before dawn on Wednesday, having missed an entire day along the way.

We took a cab to Union Station to catch the VIA Rail across the country.  We have usually paid cab fares by card, but Heather used cash this time.  The cabbie gave her a few coins as change and when Heather said that there should have been some notes, he said he was keeping that as his tip - about 50% of the fare.  Heather argued, but he bullied her and insisted that he was keeping it.  Had I been closer instead of getting our bags out of the boot, he may not have been so demanding, but it left a sour taste in our mouths as it was.

The train is by no means luxurious, obviously oldish, but it is quite functional and we are comfy enough in our little cabin.  One good thing is that the bunks are bigger and much more comfortable than on the ship or the other trains we have used.  We have both slept well.

On the other hand, there is no WiFi at all, only an occasional phone signal and although there are 110-volt power outlets, they won’t charge my PC - so once again, the technology has failed us.  Maybe I am naive, but we are now in the 21st century and I reckon basic power and signal issues should have been sorted out years ago.  As it is, the battery in my PC is flat and there is no way I can use it until we reach Vancouver at best.  That means I can’t look at my photos or do much with my blog other than draft bits on my iPad.

Canada is exquisitely beautiful.  It is an absolute picture postcard, full to bursting with trees and lakes.  The overwhelming colour is green, with literally billions of tall skinny pointy trees.  Actually, they are not that tall. We have seen very few trees more than 8-10 metres tall, but there are zillions of them, mostly densely packed with both understory and overstory.  In some places, it is a bit more open, but still usually gloomy and mysterious, inviting us to explore - if only we were out there in the bush.  Aspen, larch, spruce, alder, birch, pines and firs, conifers of every description, millions of stark white trunks, black trunks, all sorts, drowning in a thousand shades of green, leaves shimmering in the breeze, gleaming in the sun, with just a smattering of autumn tones starting to appear here and there.

Then there are the thousands of lakes.  We must have traversed 1000 kilometres of marshy land with water shimmering through the low vegetation as far as we could see.  But there are thousands of open lakes as well, from just a hectare or two to those speeding past the train for kilometre after kilometre.  Did I say picture postcard?  We have seen them all. The little ones that look like they came out of a cutesy 50s or 60s movie, with the summer camp atmosphere - a few canoes tied up to a little landing, a pontoon and shallow diving board, a short rowing course, maybe a pathetic little waterski-jump and a collection of quaint little huts that are probably family holiday shacks.  Then there are the more remote ones, some with a tiny island or two with just 2 or 3 perfectly conical fir trees on them and a kayak tied up to a partly-submerged drowning landing that defies imagination about how one might access it - not even a hiking track, much less a road, in sight.  Then we have the larger ones with a couple of small tinnies out there, each with a fisherman or two, sound asleep with their rods dangling limp over the side, or perhaps the ten deserted sheds, some literally falling down, and only a tiny Cessna anchored to the shore to suggest that anyone might occasionally visit them.  We are not talking upscale Hillbilly country.  This is magically picturesque country that should warrant criminal charges if anyone but us invades it.  Add your own superlatives, but for me, I have run out.  Simply stupendously glorious!

Later.  We have just crossed the border from massive Ontario into Manitoba - after more than 20 hours heading west.  Slowly, the trees and lakes seem to be getting slightly larger, the terrain is a little more open, the trees a little lighter green and the wildflowers more profuse and colourful - mainly white, yellow and mauve/purple.

For the entire trip, there has been a line of telegraph posts and cables beside the train: around 20 cables, but obviously long defunct.  Thousands of the posts have simply sunk into the boggy earth or fallen over or submerged into the lakes, and many of the cables are broken or hanging limp and tangled.  I am amazed that nobody has attempted to salvage the hundreds of thousands of dollars of copper out there.

As we went west, it became a little hillier and we even went through a couple of short tunnels.  We also went through many cuttings where the rock had been blasted away for the track.  There was a lot of red in the rocks and it is likely that some sort of algae was growing on it to make it that colour.

It was getting dark when we rolled into Winnipeg, but we had an hour and a bit stopover, so we went into the station and used the WiFi to download our email - alas, mostly more bills to pay!  I had prepared a few emails to send, but they were all on my PC and inaccessible due to the flat battery!

It was a very rocky night, but we were up early for showers.  I raised the blind just a centimetre or two in our cabin and could see everything there was to see.  The landscape was entirely in landscape.  Flat, flat, flat - all the way to the horizon. Everything looked manicured as if the farmers had risen early and swept or ironed their paddocks to welcome us.  A bit later, we saw patches of forest and lots of neat (or sometimes sprawling) farmhouses, often with 2 or 3 little cottages and a barn or two, and mostly at least a field-bin or ten (or 30) and a tractor parked nearby.  Many farms also have a machinery graveyard, usually at a distance from the house, with rows of rusty tractors, trucks, cars, pick-ups, ploughs, harvesters, caravans, campers and who knows what, all lined up in their final resting places, slowly sinking into the landscape.  The houses all have pitched rooves, presumably to avoid too much snow collecting on them in the winter.

The paddocks are mainly cropped with wheat, barley, oats and canola, but there is also a lot of uncropped land, mostly looking too boggy to crop.  Quite a bit of the uncropped land is still productive though, with miles of road and rail verges being harvested and baled for silage.  It is obviously harvest time over here with quite a lot of crop already cut, but with plenty more still to go.  We haven’t seen much actually being harvested, but plenty of hay bales in neatly shorn paddocks.  There are a few cattle but no big herds.  Also a few horses, half a dozen goats, a donkey, a young deer standing beside the track staring at me - and at least one fox scampering across the prairie with four magpies harassing it.  It was nearly two days later before we saw any sheep: about 20 near one house and 3 at another – then none through to Vancouver.

There have been a few shallow lakes, mainly fairly small and at last, a few birds.  We crossed one wide river, very shallow with flat mud islands and hundreds of birds: all gulls and Canada Geese as far as I could see.  It is very frustrating not having any internet because I can’t identify the birds conclusively without my favourite Merlin app, but I am taking photos and making notes and hope I will be able to tie some of them down later.  It is even more frustrating that Heather can sit there posting to Facebook and her blog almost any time when the SIM we purchased for me doesn’t work in either my phone or my iPad!

There were a few places along the rivers and nearby lakes where I suspect beavers were at work.  A couple of creeks appeared to be dammed and there was an area near one suspected lodge where a whole lot of smallish trees had been felled – all with pencil-sharpener bases.  And I saw a few flat conical structures a metre or so above the water level – again with a collection of pick-up-sticks pencil-ended logs embedded in the structure.  I could be just imagining it, but the indications seemed to be there that beavers could have created the dams and underwater pyramids.

It is strange that we rocketed through the night, speeding along much faster than anywhere to date, making for a very bumpy ride - then arriving in Saskatoon where they said we were way ahead of our timetable so there would be a two hour stopover to get back on schedule.  Go figure!  The track we are on is apparently owned by a freight company and freight trains always have priority.  This means that we frequently need to stop at sidings or on branch lines, often for half an hour or more until a freight train passes.  The freight trains are massive, up to about 3 kilometres long and mostly double-deckers that roar along carrying hundreds of thousands of tonnes of cargo across the country day and night.  They are not as bad as in Russia where a few kilometres of freight barrelled past us every time I raised my camera for a shot, but there must still be at least several dozen here each day.

Next time we woke up, we were in Saskatchewan and the terrain slowly became more varied, with lumpy low hills, uneven ground, more diverse vegetation, taller trees and in due course, we had an hour or so stopover in Edmonton and next morning we rolled into Jasper in the Canadian Rockies.  Our Edmonton stop was marked by the start of a dramatic electrical storm. It was really ferocious with lightning flashing brilliantly around us every few seconds.  We went to dinner as it was getting dark and the lightning outside the dining car was tremendous.  We were soon locked up, cosy in bed, but several other passengers said the electrical storm was amazing and followed us for hours.

[edh-a-to-z]

Budget EDH - Tajic, Blade of the Legion

Check it out here: (deck link)

Hail planeswalker!

I had been working on a deck tech for Angus Mackenzie (the next in my series of alphabetical commanders, coming soon!) when I realized something.

It’s crazy prices - Angus alone is over 150. Crazy expensive manabase (for maximum effectiveness), and basically pricey overall.

So, I wanna see if I can make a deck out of spare parts. Spare parts and under $50 dollars. So, here we go!

Tajic is a straightforward commander - get some dudes on the board, smash in.

We need Voltron parts, Tokens to go wide (plus go-wide support), some utility cards, and a cheap mana base. Let’s get to it!

Voltron

Our plan is to get Tajic out, soup him up, and lay waste.

We want evasion, haste, and damage. Luckily, Tajic is indestructible, which makes him much stickier - we can get away with leaving him around.

We want Tajic to swing through without problems, so that means unblockable on trample, and we need to pile on the damage (we also want him swinging at +5/+5, but that’s a token problem).

For unblockability, we need Spectra Ward. Protection from all colors is functionally unblockable. Hot Soup doesn’t have a downside for us, Whispersilk Cloak is great, and Rogue’s Passage are great and cheap.

Inquisitor’s Flail has no downside and doubles it’s equipped creatures damage, and Sword of Vengeance gives us a boatload of buffs. Relic Seeker is a cheap option to fetch us equipment, and Thalia’s Lancers can fetch us any legendary including Tenza, Godo’s Maul which works great with Tajic. 

Open the Armory and Godo, Bandit Warlord are cheap tutors.

Tokens

Captain of the Watch; by Greg Staples

Sunhome Guildmage can pop out hastey tokens and buff the team. Captain of the Watch is one of my pet cards, as she’s a one-man army and buff. Myr Battlesphere can bring an army and clear blockers, Trading Post gives you options and very scary 0/1 goats (that can attack!), Chancellor of the Forge is a fatty with tokens, Darien King of Kjeldor just went down in price. Conqueror's Pledge, Nomad’s Assembly, and Increasing Devotion are one-card armies

Paying to make tokens with Master Trinketeer, Oketra the True, and Drogskol Cavalry are also options.

There’s also some options for tokens not involving creatures. Assemble the Legion, Mobilization are great. 

Utility

Cast Out, Banishing Light and Oblivion Ring are some great removal options.

While we wanna avoid board sweepers, as we’re so devoted to the board, we wanna try out a few - it’s not like Tajic will die! While OG Wrath is over budget, we can consider Rout and Sublime Exhalation. Solid choices both, and both budget.

Rapid fire:

Draw from Staff of Nin, Mentor of the Meek, Magus of the Wheel and Skullclamp is a must.

Firemane Angel and Frontline Medic are great Battalion creatures.

Forsake the Worldly, Oblation, Swords to Plowshares, Condemn, Darksteel Mutation, Duergar Hedge-Mage, 

Marshal’s Anthem and Cathar’s Crusade are THE anthems. 

Adriana Captain of the Guard wants you to hit everyone, and Nobilis of War and Veteran Swordsmith make sure your tokens hit hard. Bring in Phantom General and Intangible Virtue as well.

On the defense, use Pariah on Tajic (he can take it!), and Plea For Guidance to get that (and any other) enchantments.

Chandra, Flamecaller nets you cards and can spam out creatures.

Stonecloaker, Sun Titan, Archon of Justice, Boros Guildmage, Twilight Shepherd, Hellkite Charger and Hoard-Smelter Dragon I didn’t feel like sorting. But they’re fun.

Mana Base

This is gonna be interesting.

Take a look at all those dual lands. Rugged Prarie, Sacred Foundry, Plateau. Look at them and weep.

We’re a guildgate kinda deck.

Start with 15 Mountains and 15 Plains. Plus Evolving Wilds and Terramorphic Expanse. Then Needle Spires, Boros Guildgate and Garrison, Wind-Scarred Crag, Slayer’s Stronghold also help. Add some cycling lands and cheap utility lands as you see fit.

On the manarock side of things, we use Boros Keyrune and Cluestone, Darksteel Ingot, Commander’s Sphere and Mindstone for some light ramping. 

After Building the Deck

We want Tajic, our commander, to hit the ground turn 4, and by turn 5 be a swinging 7/7. With some help, he should be able to kill another player with commander damage in 2-3 good swings. We also need him activated. If that means we swing in with a 0/1 Goat and a 1/1 Solider, do it. Make tokens often and fast - swarming is our backup plans. Don’t worry about board wipes, we have so many bodies on the field it’s easy to come back.

Bargain with your opponents - especially one’s in White or Black who can exile or -X/-X Tajic. Our only real fear is that, or Pacifism. 

Diplomacy is quick and hard in EDH, and time your attacks to kill someone with another’s help. 

Once you go a couple rounds with this deck, take it apart and analyze what works for you. Add some better cards from your collection, or experiment with some bulk you have.

Tajic, Blade of the Legion; by James Ryman

So, there you have it. Under 50 bucks. Uses a lot of EDH staples that can be used later, and can easily be upgraded to a more token based strategy, or a better equipment package.

Well campers, that was fun. If you want me to feature another budget commander, let me know! Questions, comments, ideas, hit me with it, I’m always looking for stuff in my inbox!

#mtg #edh #edhatoz #commander #tajic blade of the legion #atoz commander #budget commander #budget edhatoz #budget edh

[lindoig1]

Heaven - or almost!   Day 10.

We ate fiery beef noodles at a place opposite our hotel for breakfast. Not quite sure whether the hotel doesn’t do breakfast or whether what they provide is not suitable for westerners, but they gave us a voucher for beef noodles as I said - if we wanted anything else, we had to pay for it ourselves as well as try to explain to the cook what we wanted. Everyone who came into the cafe seemed to get the same order, but the cafe threw in a somewhat strange, but perfectly fine, boiled egg each for us. We have noticed that many places have a lot of eggs floating in some sort of hot stock and the look of them turned me off a bit, but they tasted fine even if we got eggs that had been in the soup for a week - how would anyone know?

Then it was off to the mountains to the Heavenly Lake near God’s Mountain (Mt Bogda).  It was well over an hour’s drive to where we had to go through security and buy our tickets. Oops, they don’t take tickets from foreigners so we had to get checked out at the Police Station and after 15 minutes or so, we were suitably accredited and cleared to rejoin the queue to go through security again. You then walk across a courtyard and go through security again. I wonder what they could have missed the first time that we could have acquired in the 50 metre walk across the razor-wire enclosure that warranted the second examination? Chinese people seem highly regimented and simply cop whatever ridiculous bureaucratic procedures are applied. They all line up neatly until the door is opened and then the queue collapses and it is all push and shove to be first inside. They wedge themselves between us and surreptitiously edge forward or sidle around and between you and then try the same manoeuvre with whoever is next in line. Only problem is that 500 others are trying to pull exactly the same stunt on them. I have to say that the security nonsense is getting to me. You have to show your passport or ID card 10 times a day and everything has to go through the X-ray machine even if nobody is there to monitor it - even to get into our own hotel lobby. You get patted down with greater or lesser intrusion/excitement at least a couple of times a day and I have observed that as westerners, we get a lot more scrutiny than the locals.

We are now in the CORRECT station waiting 4 hours for our train. At the first X-ray station, they confiscated Heather’s dry hair shampoo, at the second X-ray station 50 metres later, they confiscated our plastic fruit knife and hair cutting scissors. They made us open all our bags and did a thorough job on Heather’s, but when my bags were all open at their insistence, they didn’t even lift the lid, just waved me through. But they were VERY interested in my binoculars.  They mimed a lot of birdwatching moves until I understood that I had to get them out of my backpack. They turned them over, shook them, peered through both ends, examined them again from every angle and eventually handed them back with true eastern inscrutability and a flick of the hand to send me on my way.

Anyway, back to the Heavenly Lake. We all lined up in our thousands and progressively boarded a cavalcade of hundreds of buses to be driven 10-15 kilometres where we all had to get out and walk/climb close to a kilometre through a slightly tacky ‘traditional village’ lined with stalls selling mostly non-traditional souvenirs, food and other wares. This path led us to a larger enclosed buying opportunity with some similar items as well as plenty of others, all at upmarket prices. We escaped with our money belt intact and finished our walk to where we lined up dutifully so a different fleet of buses could take us the remaining 30-40 km up the mountain to the lake. Interesting that we alighted the first bus maybe 15 metres from where we boarded the second one, but a sturdy fence and a plethora of police and security guards prevented anyone taking a short cut to miss the tourist trap. Despite it all, the walk wasn’t too bad and the hawkers not too aggressive although Heather was struggling a bit with the stairs in what turned out to be quite a hot day.

The lake was suitable heavenly - very beautiful set in very steep towering hills against the broad background of a regiment of snowy peaks to the north. The water was glacial (there are 2 glaciers in the part of the range we could see) and deep emerald - also just deep, 100 metres at its deepest with an average depth of 60 metres. We paid a small fee and joined a boatload of local tourists for a half-hour spin around the lake. (We haven’t seen a single westerner for at least 4 days.) It was a pleasant enough trip, but no commentary, even from our guide who we have marked down heavily on a number of counts.

Our guide recommended that we go to his friend’s place further up the mountain for lunch because the food near the lake was tourist food and very poor. A little apprehensively, we agreed and Rachid collected us in his car and drove us up to his village - a collection of yurts. It was quite nice up there in the forest, quiet and with fewer people than we have seen outside our hotel rooms since arriving. We selected a few items and he and his wife cooked them for us. Nothing special, but quite nice, more than we could eat and a little on the expensive side, but we are tourists after all. Rachid and his wife were very courteous, Kazakhs but living in China for 40 years.  Rachid (at least) spoke excellent English and Heather had quite a yarn with him while I looked unsuccessfully for birds - saw hundreds of black-eared kites, very like our black kites, but only a single rook apart from them.

After lunch, we returned to the lake and I had a short walk along the boardwalk while Heather rested in the blazing sun, then it was into the bus that took us all the way to the bottom without providing any further buying opportunities. En route to find our driver, we discovered a geological museum in the entrance hall near the bus station and spent an interesting half hour or so finding out a bit about how the mountains and lake were formed. There was a lot to see and read and at least one more floor that we never explored so had we known and planned things better, we could happily have spent a couple of hours in the area.

This probably all sounds a bit flippant but it was a really nice day. The mountains are truly spectacular. Steep and rugged, rocky and riddled with jagged aretes slicing the slopes in all directions, strata running at all angles, a hundred shades of green, but with heavily scarred areas of slippage - truly dramatic, quite breathtaking, absolutely beautiful. There were horses, cattle, sheep and goats in numerous places along the roadside, some of the most colourful stock I have seen. The sheep, in particular, came in black, greys, browns, white, creamy-yellow, a range of fawns and beiges and red, really red, at least Hereford red. Many sported a combination of 2, 3 or 4 colours.  I have never seen sheep like that before and the horses and cattle were almost as colourful. There was a small river and a couple of minor creeks rushing the snowmelt to lower pastures, and the trees and grass were a mix of dazzling greens and the shady glades looked very inviting in the heat. To add to the natural beauty, there were quaint pagodas perched high at the very precipices of some mountains, a scattering of yurts here and there, and a couple of temples near the lake. All very interesting and picturesque. It was an entrancing day in the country even if the administrative hassles were frustrating and really quite ludicrous.

There was a fair bit of debate on the way back to town about what to do next. Our guide said it was too early to go to the station and suggested we go to a water park, but we were both pooped and didn’t want to do any more walking or climbing any more steps. We also got the feeling that the driver didn’t want to extend too much and the guide said we should give him an extra 100RMB for his time. We weren’t worried about the money, but just wanted to sit down with a cold drink for a while so we finally settled on a bar and we shouted them both a drink.

We sat and talked a strange mixture of language, signing and interpretation and when we were sufficiently recovered, it was off to the station. Another long walk to get to the entrance and then the multiple passport checking, X-rays and security hassles got into full swing. An hour or so later, we were inside the ginormous waiting room with 4 hours to go and huge crowds occupying almost every seat. Interesting that half of them left on the next train and the rest left on the following one and we got very lonely all alone in the mammoth waiting room. Another young couple came in just before our train was starting to board and the four of us set off with our baggage to climb two sets of at least 100 steps each up to the platform. The other couple were young and strong, but ended up as whacked as we were by the time we finally made it to the top. More hassles about our tickets and passports, but it was finally sorted and the train got under way about half an hour later than intended. Not sure if that was just because of us, but soon after we got our papers back, the train headed out into the night.

It is now 1am and I am going to sleep. More drama are possible ahead at the border - a process scheduled to take more than 8 hours!!!

[sirjustice1269]

Taking heed, selected 1 process way

U take ya line of making one kinda of products with the boom process, if mango, mango and if TV is TV, if surveillance is surveillance if u wanna make much in the boom process to increase ya scope 4 respect and cash, instead of the machine coming out, ya spinal kinda, breaks dude or ya flesh peels off to be left bones, so take heed dude as in the link below

https://gamecrate.com/13-fighting-games-watch-2020/24876

In the shelves of chain store with weighting scale digital inferred thermometers can be placed WiFi GPS software to detect the temp of those all who placed their hands into the cabin trying to select or pick one product and on the entrance and payment point of the same results as tested and the chain store can peg the temp on the people name after each purchase as they use credit/debit card to do the same so no escape made when goods stolen lest next time ya name escalated even in another chain store if u do the same caught as u r being monitored b4 taken to custody bro

Even with Gold u print the name on piece on paper step on within Cd hole on cemented wall but with just sand and cement not water proof 1 with ya ankle as u wash ya feet in grass extract mixed with hay added water or lukewarm surgical spirit with kids or with women and heap on the tarmacked road as kale and guava or chop hay on euphorbia wood on mud in dim light bro

Titanium, do the same as above, heap guava and kale on murram road, step on hay within Cd hole on metallic plate, chop the titanium photo on wood board on mud and boom ya metal when, same with aluminum, copper, silver and any, go the chop the photo style on any surface as metallic or floors, heap kale and hay or with cabbage or any as u hold to CD hole with ya ankle on wall or step on many veggies, leaves, grass, hay, berries on CD hole on the floor with sewer water, cement fumes, mineral water or on wet boxes, tiles and more surfaces in dim light or bright day or go the print name way, where u step Cd hole as explained above b4 washing ya feet or chop method bro

To make superb products, when covering the heap 4 final process of the boom, as explained earlier, either cover the heap with wet shits, duvets, clothes or blankets, boxes of think fluids as mango, passion, paints, vanish, avocado or onion extracts, or with honey, guava or both 4 quality to good looking to the eye products dude

Could this be boom made sky scrapper, we know not lets see dude and Magnetic GPS locators in the links below

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/11/silverbird-unveils-plans-to-build-africa%E2%80%99s-tallest-tower/

https://www.alibaba.com/premium/Navigation+&+GPS.html?src=sem_ggl&mark=drm0611&tagId=c340404&product_id=60833492440&pcate=340404&cid=340404&ali_creative_id=73643d962cdd0c1226c39e9ee5dff7c9&ali_image_material_id8614195ad9cb5297a48228645c0cd9d1&src=sem_ggl&cmpgn=10491125242&src=sem_ggl&adgrp=104667854355&fditm=&tgt=aud-806308081896&locintrst=&locphyscl=9063091&mtchtyp=&ntwrk=d&device=c&dvcmdl=&creative=446748390631&plcmnt=www.vanguardngr.com&plcmntcat=boomuserlist%3A%3A833287513&p1=&p2=&aceid=&position=none&gclid=Cj0KCQiA0MD_BRCTARIsADXoopZTlWHNrVbz4CQzU5SdFAWaygE5q0Yx6yyZy_L6wixujZ48uCMKHq4aAhXmEALw_wcB

In the link below remove the battery and connect to a cold or heat thermostat panel, maybe via a technician so not disturbed again and again as their is convenience in continual of operation as the heat panel u can place in a mini container with clothe heap or solid moisture absorbent chemicals placed inside shoe maybe to absorb moisture and keep the shoe not cold but warm

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Easy-to-install-laptop-anti-theft_62033529764.html?spm=a2700.wholesale.deiletai6.3.43a947ee9hGduD

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/World-smallest-mini-GPS-tracker-chip_62093397840.html?spm=a2700.pcdrm.normalList.146.7e1b0jWi0jWir7

https://www.jumia.co.ke/catalog/?q=GPS

https://www.jumia.co.ke/generic-car-navigation-gps-modification-radio-fm-am-signal-enhancer-signal-amplifier-new-model-33355826.html

After locating ya phone as in the link below and known the location but not the exact location u can use the signal finder of the WiFi being used within the phone or just waves/signal directs ya to the exact location using the signal detect machine in the link below, buy 1 today bro

https://www.jumia.co.ke/generic-g318-anti-amplification-signal-detect-rf-bug-gps-tracker-finder-black-26054545.html

https://www.google.com/android/find?access_token=ya29.a0AfH6SMDdvzSQw-KgbiWCysqJFuSOU5b9jEsykFaJovVTR9ufoYmRlkUnue2wsxcwl6fTH4aFeb52i02bVEIeeURlG42QqJoLml1e3ZrHWWUE0963Vu02Bc872op4iOfhQoFsYACOGTZlftM7MBUn4sRaYmi1Z9bV8glxC0-VQA0LX-jJSkI

Making one a fool or a little kid, and there wants ya food or share ya success, good dude but ya time elapsed as what u wanted most put to alt like with radar surveillance to those nations u want to attack and if any those which have not made yet those air and water radar surveillance system have bought such from nations which have made the same as stated above to alt all ya agendas and if any what u produce any tribe can make in the boom process to alt ya export and cash related to such to place ya on-top dude and that's the pain and my win ya lose as in the song link below

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=450p7goxZqg

Am not john Legend, who finished ya but afraid, with me aint kill ya but i fuck ya woman as harlot and i give them cash if u got such urgency. Dude what u want bro, am in ya nation and u monitor me lest u bomb my house or shout me which amount to absolute nothing or Mlk who babies u, me aint that type, my slogan, rule of thump is the ‘‘‘ VIOLENT TAKE IT UP BY FORCE‘ which i have employed enormously not babying u dude and if u want that forget cause u r on the wrong side of my side and if that hurts ya where is ya punch or gun shot or hurl at me, hurry dude, do with haste as am waiting bro, doc to be specific. Hate nonsensical issues and get that Doc

Smartphones that test covid with app made when guava heap placed in ripe paw paw add grass brown, on bare soil ground next to ya house u sitting down the your door staircase, your bear leg hind part on Cd hole on made hole on box on metallic plate made hole then on tile then finally on cement gravel polished floor as u wash ya feet in surgical spirit with kids and women or any old person and boom ya Gadget while app add hay extract to the wash ya feet surgical spirit or chop the photos of what u want to be infused in the smartphone together below each other on metallic plates as u step on hay within Cd hole on different species of cut tiny pieces of mango, heap guava and hay on bare soil ground or hay with mango on cemented floor or goat feces with hay on stones or sisal with hay on tarmacked road dude as in the link below and with any 2, 3, 4, 5 or more in 1 products and even with the app, step on both on CD hole, the software chip or the folded print out or chop printed net copies on metallic plates or write all names as below b4 chop or step on and cross with Biro in stripes going down dude and boom ya any in 1 gadgets

https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2020/04/wearable-devices-for-predicting-illness-.html

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Blood-Pressure-Heart-Rate-Monitor-Smart-Watch-Sports-Bracelet-Fitness-Tracker-Black/256782299

https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/body-temperature-watch

https://www.google.com/search?q=wireless+charging+smartphones&tbm=isch&ved=2ahUKEwj82eL37_ztAhWCwoUKHUFkB_AQ2-cCegQIABAA&oq=wireless+charging+smartphones&gs_lcp=CgNpbWcQAzICCAAyBAgAEBgyBAgAEBgyBAgAEBg6BAgjECc6BQgAELEDOgQIABBDOgcIABCxAxBDOgYIABAKEBg6BggAEAgQHlDQ8eUBWKfI5gFg1d3mAWgCcAB4AIABmgKIAe84kgEEMi0zMZgBAKABAaoBC2d3cy13aXotaW1nwAEB&sclient=img&ei=nzTwX7yOJoKFlwTByJ2ADw&bih=654&biw=1024&client=firefox-b-e

https://home.bt.com/tech-gadgets/phones-tablets/how-to-fix-improve-gps-on-android-phone-tablet-google-maps-11364044999319

https://www.lifewire.com/smartphone-or-car-gps-1683388

https://www.jumia.co.ke/fashion-m4-smart-bracelet-fitness-tracker-watch-32088862.html

https://www.jumia.co.ke/generic-kids-smart-watch-gps-tracker-anti-lost-monitor-sos-call-camera-phone-pink-27644136.html

https://www.jumia.co.ke/generic-q50-smart-child-watch-locator-tracker-sos-call-pedometer-kids-wristwatch-green-27647688.html

[margsld]

Outlander Epi 3.10 Recap

Heaven and Earth.  What I’d move to have a day on set with Caitriona Balfe.

Luke Shelhaas is the writer credited to this episode and IMDb tells me he produced on shows such as Smallvile, The Good Wife and Law and Order too. An interesting mix.  I like the arc of this episode surrounding Claire and Elias Pound. Pour yourself a brandy & grab your tissues. A big box.  No, not the cheap ones.

Thickly in the honeymoon-stage, Fergus not phased with the fact there are no shops on board the Artemis, coaxes the ship’s cook Mr Murphy to give him some Potpourri ingredients.  He wants it to eradicate the Au de Bilge that is assaulting his love’s olfactory senses below deck.  I don’t know how that is even an issue, when your sense of smell would have curled up and died 3 days into their journey, with some 40-odd smelly, unwashed sailors at close range.  It nonetheless amuses Milord  to be witness to Fergus’ aka Pepe Le Pourri antics but secretly, he wished he’d thought of it first. 

Always do your research Fergus!

They are suddenly distracted by the Porpoise setting sail into the sunset with Mrs Fraser still firmly on it, trying to stem the spread of the deadly Typhoid Fever.  Cue the action music, this is f*cking intense!

Jamie is not happy at all and shouts demands to the Artemis crew to give chase.  Captain Reynes however, is surprisingly not happy with Jamie pretending to do his job.  He’s starting to think Jamie really is bad luck, having started the journey to rescue this young kinsman Ian and now they have to rescue his missus.  The man is a ginger storm in his teacup. Next time he’s going to check every passengers back-story before agreeing to take them anywhere.    Meanwhile, Jamie doesn’t hear ‘No’ enough so gets rough with Reynes who promptly sends him to the Lido deck aka sail-jail. 

Jamie, Jamie, Jameeeee.  Ask yourself, what would Ross Poldark do? 

On the Porpoise, Claire has the able-bodied men Dettoling the ship within an inch of it’s life.  To help her get on top of the fast-spreading disease, Captain Leonard has enlisted a 14 year old lad called Elias Pound to act as gopher.  Having been at sea since he was 7, he’s very knowledgeable, efficient and Claire is impressed by his can-do attitude.  Can we keep him?

As Claire wades through a tsunami of vomit and poop, the spread of Typhoid Fever rages on.  She must find the source or no one will survive at this rate.  She checks where patient zero started by going over the last surgeon’s notes.  Claire narrows the search down to a man called Howard who is now working in the Galley and goes to have him removed. She comes up against the Gordon Ramsey of the seas in doing so and you can safely say they will never be making a buddy movie together.  Claire is never one to waste a moment though....

On the Artemis, Fergus brings Jamie some food and sees he is now nauseous again. Fergus tries to calm his farm by soothing Jamie with assurances that Claire will be ok as she can’t get the fever.  Jamie points out that yes, that is a good thing however, she is surrounded by lots of men.  At sea.  Lots of men sailors at sea, far from Hoor-houses.  Gulp. 

Jamie gets an idea & hatches a plan.  He tells Fergus to steal the keys to get him out of his cell. Then, they will start a mutiny and go rescue Claire.  Ta Dah!Simples!

Fergus slaps his forehead emoji and tries to reason with Jamie who perhaps has inhaled too much bilge gas.  He is also stressing over losing Claire again, especially as he only just got her back.  Jamie gets the Hulk-cranky with Fergus which is hard to watch.  It’s like Jamie is kicking a puppy.  When Fergus continually refuses his ginger-hair-brained-scheme, Jamie pulls out his Ace card and says he’ll bless the union of Fersali if he sets him free.  The man has an evil side, I swear.

It’s no Comedy Cruise on the Porpoise.  The latest round of dead sailors are being sewn into their hammocks ready for a sea burial.  Claire watches as Elias sews the shroud to his dead friend’s nose (to ensure he is dead). Yip, that would wake me from the dead!  The ceremony is respectfully formal and ends with the sounds of bodies entering water while the crew recite the Lord’s Prayer. 

Later at night, Claire is looking out to sea trying to find her zen when she is approached by Chef Cheerybritches.  He has a go at Claire as he does not believe she is helping at all.  Before he can get too sinister, Elias arrives and tells him to leave off.  This lad is a rock-solid legend.

Elias asks Claire how she can keep so calm in the face of such calamity.  She explains how she has learned to compartmentalise her emotions so that she can get her job done.  Surviving Black Jack Randall and living with his twin for 20 years will sprout special skills, I imagine, in anyone. 

Because he is a sweet child, Elias offers Claire his lucky rabbit foot.  I can’t understand Claire accepting it at all.  This was the last thing his mother gave Elias and Claire taking it, when she’s inoculated against the fever is odd.  Another reason to love Elias.  Like we needed one.

Claire is called below to tend to Mistress Johanssens husband who they suspect is the latest Typhoid victim.  Claire finds he’s not come down with the fever as first thought but has nearly drunk himself to death with pure alcohol.  Out of utter frustration, she swears so loudly and colourfully that even the sailors blush.  She asks Elias to watch Captain Johannsen overnight so he doesn’t choke on his own vomit.  Annejke looks ready to kill her silly hubby too!

As Claire leaves the goat pen, she notices a Portuguese flag lying in a corner and asks Mr Jones where it came from.  He said they’d come across a Portuguese frigate a few weeks ago.  Claire asks if it was called the Bruja but Jones wasn’t sure.  He suggests she go ask the Captain.  Claire anxious of any news of the boat that has Ian, goes in search of Captian Leonard.  She finds his office empty so goes to his log book to see if she can find the name for herself.  She finds the entry and the boat they encountered was called the Cackador or something like that (sounds like they had a bout of Typhoid too lol), sadly, it’s not the Bruja. 

Instead of leaving, she nosies through the book a bit more and comes across a familiar name.  Jamie Fraser.  Who’s he again?  Umm, oh the dude I married... That’s right, now I remember..... Claire is shocked to read that a Harry Tompkins has identified Jamie to Captain Leonard, when they first boarded the Artemis.  Poo & double poo.

The door opens and startles Claire.  At first she thinks it’s Captain Leonard but soon sees its the Cranky Cook.  He knows she’s up to no good and Claire tries to leave but he corners her like a hungry panther.  He says he’s not a fan of her and knows why she is here.  Claire threatens to tell Captain Leonard he assaulted her, if he doesn’t get out of her way.  He knows she has the upper hand so lets her go.  Claire, rattled by the confrontation, leaves and knows she must hurry and find this Harry Tompkins. 

Marsali bathes Fergus’ stump as they discuss Jamie’s terrible and highly dangerous plan.  Marsali points out if Fergus also lands in the slammer, she’ll be left on the ship defenceless. 

One thing leads to another when they realise no one is watching them. Marsali is all for taking things to the horizontal disco deck but eventually Fergus stops her and says he wants to wait until they are properly wed.  Awwww, we don’t blame Marsali at all.  Fergus is pretty hawt.

Elias returns to Claire looking very tired after watching Mr Johanssen all night.  She asks if he knows a Harry Tompkins but he says he doesn’t know everyone on crew.  Claire lies that he might be another source of the virus and to tell the men she wants to see him as soon as possible.  Then noting how tired he looks, she tells him to get some sleep.  He’s so tired he can’t even blink anymore.

On the Artemis, Fergus checks out the possibility of maybe accessing the keys but instead overhears the captain and crew being unchristian about them and saying they’d like to get very friendly with Marsali.  He quickly leaves before they find him eavesdropping.

Claire is sorting through her medicines when 2 men struggling with another come bursting in with Elias in tow.  They’ve found Harry Tompkins. Claire recognises him as Sir Percival’s Excise henchman that burned Jamie’s print shop to the ground.

Claire clears the room then asks him what he knows about Jamie.  Harry confesses he recognised Jamie on the Artemis and told Captain Leonard Claire was his wife.  Claire is holding a big bone saw and he knows it’s to threaten him but tells her she can kill him if she wants.  He’d actually thank her, as he is miserable on this boat. 

He explains that instead of being rewarded for telling Sir Percival about Jamie’s treason, he got pressed into working on the Porpoise and is now surrounded by the dead and dying.  A man has limits!  His modelling career is now well and truly over..... 

To Claire’s horror, he also adds that not only do they have Jamie on treason, but they have Jamie up for a murder charge too. They found the accountant thug from episode 7 inside the barrel of Crème de menthe. 

Harry also says that as Capt Leonard has designs on captianing his own ship permanently, then he’ll gladly hand Jamie over to the authorities in Jamaica to put that feather in his cap.  They’ll wait for him in Kingston, dangle her like a carrot in front of his nose and then he’ll be hanged.  You know, we’ve been through this before Claire.  The ginger is repeating on you!....

You sure you don’t want to pop on a Turtleneck and go back through those stones now?

Claire sends Harry to a cell, convincing him the Cocktail trolley will be along shortly.  As she leaves, she tells him not to get too close to Howard (in the cell opposite) as he really is the source of the fever.  Harry retreats to the furtherest point of his space like a chicken dropped into the croc enclosure at Australia Zoo.

Claire goes to see Annejke and even though Claire helped her husband feel better (language barriers suck) she gives her a gift of cheese.  Instead of looking over the cheesy-moon, Claire looks down.  Annejke is ace at body language so asks Claire why her face looks like her favourite goat just died? 

Claire explains her husband is a total trouble-magnet and they bond over the joys of husbands who cause them grief.  Sing it Sista!

Finally Annejke says ‘she help’ as 'Her goat’s needs grass’.  Claire exhausted out of her mind, is confused how that is of any use to her right now.  Annejke senses Claire is a bit thick so says louder ‘my goooooaaats neeeeeds grrraaaaassss’, (i would have popped in with some hand gestures here Annejke, like pointing to goats and pretending to eat hay but Annejke seems confident that saying it louder will make Claire understand.) 

C’mon Claire, its code for ‘I’ve got a bloody good plan but I’ll share it with you when the time is right’.  Annejke is crap at codes.  Claire is completely lost so we’ll blame lack of sleep.  Instead she smiles, waves awkwardly and leaves the nutty cheesemaker to her fun.

Fergus visits auld tantypants again to tell him he didn’t get the keys.  Jamie isn’t happy to learn it’s by choice and not illchance that he is still locked up. Fergus objects as Jamie is being le totes not le fair.  Fergus explains that Jamie hasn’t heard the nasty talk on deck and Fergus needs to be around Marsali at all times to protect her.  Like now.  Yoohoo, Fergus where is she now? 

Blind with missing his Sassenach, Jamie ignores common sense and is very angry at Fergus for not trying his mission impossible.  Thankfully, Fergus remains as stubborn as a Fraser and even at the risk of not getting his blessing, will not go down that rabbit hole. You tell him Fergy Ferg. 

Jamie tells Fergus if he was really in love with Marsali, he’d know what Jamie was experiencing.  Jamie, ye great lump of misery, Fergus knows mate. 

Open yer eyes.

Finally the vomiting, groaning and begging for a quick death has stopped on the Porpoise. Claire is sooooo relieved. All the men are celebrating with a happy song and it inspires Claire to find Elias.  She can give him back his lucky rabbits foot now the danger has passed.  Where is the wee cutie-pie?  

She wades through the singing men to find Elias on his hammock and stops just short, her grin slipping from her face.  His arm is covered in sores.  He has Typhoid or a bad STD?  Most likely Typhoid!

Why didn’t the other lads bring him to Claire? Poor darlin’. 

Elias is delirious and when Claire calls his name, he turns his head and asks ‘Mother?’ to which she heartbreakingly answers ‘Yes, it’s mother, it’s time to come home’ then you see her stroke the bridge of his nose between his eyes, which I did to my children when they were babes sleeping and....well.....

* insert half an hour of FUCC. (Full Ugly Crying Constantly.) 

Can we just pause a moment to appreciate actor Albie’s lips! Damn they are pretty. Sorry, got sidetracked there.  Where were we?  Oh that’s right.

Elias died. 

We have seen Caitriona Balfe act some pretty tough scenes during the last 2 seasons but this moment with Elias getting sewn into his shroud - just about killed my tear ducts.  She sobs as she gives him back his rabbits foot by tucking it under his lifeless wee hand and that releases another dam of tears for her and us.  Even Captain Leonard’s little stubborn chin wobbled a bit. 

Can we pause again to applaude the brilliant Albie Marber on a wonderful character but mostly a shout out to the award givers. Cait deserves endless accolades for this right here. Bravo!

Ps. That last photo is a reminder of the happy times.  Focus on that. Lets hug it out.

Later at the back of the boat, after a stiff brandy Claire is blaming herself for missing Elias being sick right under her nose.  Captain Leonard points out that while yes, it was a sad loss, they only had one death today and no new cases.  Hooray!

Claire in full negative-Nelly mode, points out they are nearly out of drinking water too.  Captain Pubescant says it’s okay though as they’ll get to Jamaica soon and be toot sweet. 

At this point in the book, instead of Captain Padewan talking to Claire as above, it was actually Lord John Grey who pops his head out of his cabin and sympathises with Claire over the loss of men.  John has witnessed many a man dying in the soldiering he’s done.  He never appears anywhere else during their boat trip as he was warned to lay low in his room while a plague killed the rest of the crew.  John and Claire would have met for the first time, not realising who the other really was.  I missed this innocent path crossing but alas.  It was not possible when filming due to minor plot changes in the adaptation process.

After Captain Leonard leaves Claire to sulk some more, Annejke and her husband come to tell her the great news......They’ll be arriving at the Grand Turk Island tomorrow so they can get fresh water and yes, grass for her goats ie get off to warn Jamie of his doom.  Claire finally sees the opportunity Annika meant earlier and has her Ah-Hahhh moment.  Oprah would be proud, Claire.

The next day they anchor in an uninhabited part of the island where Annejke’s goats get some sweet, sweet grass.  Ay, mon. 

A small party including Claire go on the beach to get supplies.  With Annejke’s encouragement, Claire breaks for it and legs it into the hills. We think she’s going great until she runs straight into Captain Leonard and two guards.  There ensues some very bad lying on Claire’s part as she swears she was just searching for herbs.  Captain Leonard knows she’s fibbing and says he can’t let her escape to warn her husband.  Claire pleades with him to turn a blind eye but the stubborn jerk says nah, yeah but nah, can’t do that.

Captain Reynes and Marsali come to see Jamie.  Marsali reassured the Captain that Jamie will behave if he gives his word to stop rattling Reyne’s cage.  Reynes is not one to hug it out and instead tells Jamie he really needs all hands on deck as they will soon be navigating between islands.  Marsali tells Jamie that he’s lucky Fergus arranged this release with the Captain.  Jamie snorts and says it’s not for him but for her that Fergus did it.  Marsali gives him ‘the look’ that women know instinctively when dealing with fidiots and retorts with ‘you have no idea mate and if you think that for realz, she will leave him there’. 

Commensense finally wins and when he’s free, Jamie who has had time to let Marsali’s words sink in, tells Fersali that they have his blessing and they will be wed in Jamaica by a real priest when they can. Squeeee!  

Annejke leads Claire to the back of the Porpoise.  No they are not high, she points to the lights on shore and says for Claire to jump, the water current will take her to the beach.  Then she can save Jamie.  Claire refuses and says she’ll drown but Annejke shows her the raft she’s made for her.  

Eventually, Claire realises she will not be getting another opportunity like this again and needs to take the leap of faith.  We all hold our breath as she lingers on the edge and then she jumps. The Baddass.

The End.

#Anzofs #outlander #recaps

[sofeyhh]

BTS Private Boarding School Au

Part 10 / ?

“I’m so proud of our boy,” Jin’s father boasts to Pierre Morten: the surgeon that has worked on every house wife in town, be it a nose job or a breast implant, Cooper Stocker: the son who’s taking over his father’s oil company and Mick Buratto: the president of Hawkings University - an ivy league school.

If it wasn’t obvious enough, Buratto is the one whom his father was interested in. He was playing out all his cards, buttering up Jin’s reputation in school.

“Jin has managed to hold the title of President of the school body for 4 years now. He’s involved in almost half the clubs in school, won a gold medal in this Spring’s debate competition and even has his own magazines published and distributed in school as a side project. And I've recently got news from the Director himself that Jin actually clinched the top spot for the examinations.

His father pushed him forward, patting him hard, trying to get him to saddle up to the Buratto.

“Well technically, I was a point below Kim Namjo-”

Jin choked in a gasp as his father’s grip on his shoulders tightens. He hated when this happens. When his parents would push him into the spotlight with a forced hand.

“My boy here, he’s graduating and has been yapping about attending Hawkings,” Jin’s father chuckled with a fake grin. He was reeling in the big fish. “Didn’t you tell me you applied for a spot in next Summer’s enrollment?”

No, Jin didn’t need to tell him because he, along with Jin’s mother, had filled out the application by themselves. Only telling him about it when they already sealed the envelope, stamp perfectly stuck to the top corner. Even so, Hawkings was and is his dream school ever since he knew how to read. He wanted it and all its glory, and so he nods and smiles as he gushes about his excitement.

It seems that Buratto was pleasantly surprised, oblivious to his father’s blatant attempt at trying to suay his bias opinion, and said he would gladly accept St Strachan Rutherford Academy’s golden boy. At that, his father finally releases his iron grip on his shoulder, presumably satisfied. Without a doubt, Jin was going to see a bruise bloom, black and blue.  

As the adults trail their conversation to politics, he slips away, desperate to find his friends. He had been glued to his parents’ side for hours, pushed from mother to father like a pinball, all to hear them gloat and boast about his accomplishments to everyone. Jin spots Namjoon and his adorable sister on the far side of the big room. Like magnets, he naturally gravitates to his four-eyed friend.

“Save me, please. Take me away from here,” he sighs as he rests his chin on Namjoon’s shoulders.

A smile spreads on Jin’s face as he hears the rumble of Namjoon’s deep chuckle. Oh, how he lived for those - it warms his body in all the right places.

“Mmm, well you might have just migrated to another round of Parents’ Pride,” Namjoon murmurs in his ears. He shifts his body so that he was now holding Jin in his embrace. A hand runs up and down Jin’s arm, soothing him even more.

Namjoon’s mother was animatedly talking about him to a group of ladies while Nara nodded along with the words. Jin listens closely to the conversation, surprised at the choice of topic. It wasn’t at all what he expected from Namjoon’s ‘round of Parents’ Pride’.

“It was delicious, by the grace of God I swear, his Souffle brought me to heaven,” she said. “The three of us were stuffed to the brim from the 3-course meal he cooked. He had stayed in the kitchen for hours, would you believe it?”

His mother had been boasting about...his cooking skills. And the way she boasted, it wasn’t in a conceited way. Instead, they were praises for Namjoon. Beautiful, Jin thought, such a beautiful family.

---

The pair strutted in, heads held high with their chests puffed out. They were channelling their alter-egos, inspired by confident male role-models. It was Will Smith, the inspirational actor/comedian for Hoseok and Leonardo DiCaprio, the charming and astounding actor/activist for Jimin. Yes, they were common figures in the island of “role-model” but heck, they gave the two an air of confidence.

“Are you sure this is working? I feel ridiculous,” Jimin muttered as his eyes dart around.

“Just wait for the turn at the corner.”

Hoseok counts down under his breath as they reached the point. Within seconds, they hear gasps and whispers of girls fawning over them. It felt good, Jimin shamelessly admitted as he daringly stuck out his tongue, licking his smirk. He earns a gratifying squeal and his ego undoubtedly grew high to the sky.

“Look at these idiots,” Taehyung guffawed.

“I’m thanking the gods Nara is still a toddler,” Namjoon scoffs. “I’d dig myself a grave if I had to listen to her grovel over them. Eugh.”

“Somehow, my mother’s fundraising gala always turns out to be soft porn for the girls,” Jin sighs.

The three boys stood by the bar, shaking their heads at their strutting friends, who's currently painting a target board on their backs. Those girls they were trying to impress, were somebody’s younger sister and daughter. They better pray none of them gets overly protective.

“Boys,” Jimin and Hoseok simultaneously sing songed as they gave a dramatic bow. It was strangely in sync not to think that they hadn’t practised it beforehand.

“Hubristic asshats,” Namjoon greeted them back with a raise of his glass.

Hoseok spots the three empty glasses on the bar by Taehyung’s elbow. “You started drinking without us?!”

He gives a grim smile, buzzed out of his brains as his eyes search for one Jeon Jungkook. Since he has arrived, he’s only been face to face with three glasses of bourbons while that muscle pig was yet to be found. He needed his drinking buddy real bad. It didn’t need to be said but everyone else in his posse was too boring to accompany him in his drinking rendezvous. Jin was too prissy, he only sipped fucking iced strawberry champagne. Namjoon never liked to get drunk to the point of hard hitting hangover. Jimin was a goody-two-shoe angel that drank with wide eyes. And Hoseok was too naggy by his 3rd glass.

Plus, there were other reasons that he wanted the icy Jeon Jungkook. It’s been decided after his 2nd glass, Kim Taehyung wanted to play with his toy.

“Oh hey uh, either of you has to be my designated driver again,” Taehyung said distractedly as he waved his finger at Jimin and Hoseok.

He squints at the crowd, catching sight of his prey. Damn, he thought, as his eyes raked over the tight material clinging onto Jungkook’s thick thighs. The all black ensemble he had only accentuated his dark personality and it got Taehyung excited like a puppy. He loves to play with his toy, especially when Jungkook had his hair slicked to the side like he was trying to make Taehyung eye fuck him right there and then.

“He drove here on his own,” Jin explained to the clueless pair when they received no more words from Taehyung. “His father’s sex drive was through the roof.”

“Can’t blame him,” Hoseok said before ordering a glass of margarita. “But I’m drinking tonight because I’ve got shit on my shoulders and I’ve already been this drunken ass’ driver a thousand times. You take the honours Jiminie.”

Jimin gratefully takes the shiny keys away from Taehyung’s pocket just as the gentleman orders another glass. He has never met such a young alcoholic before - Taehyung claims he isn’t one, merely a hard liquor expert.

“New money is the bastard’s driver now?”

The boys turn around to see Jungkook striding up to them with a cocked eyebrow. He was finally free from his father’s clutches and took the chance to slip away. The bar was surrounded by his friends, though he’d prefer it Yoongi was there.

“Why do you call me that? I have a name you know. And so does Tae,” Jimin bristled and scowl. That kid never showed respect to Jimin despite him being younger.

“Don’t be flattered, you’re not that special Mini. I have a name for everyone in the group, it’s practically a form of acceptance,” Jungkook said smugly. “Namjoon’s the brainiac, Hoseok’s the linguist, Yoongi’s the hustler and Jin’s the princess.”

He orders a shot of Vodka and looks Jimin in the eye, challenging him to retort back. The shorter friend always gave such great reactions that it made teasing him easy, a hobby almost.

Jimin crosses his arms. “How is it that everyone’s nickname emphasises on their qualities and I’m left with new money?”

“Hey, he called me princess,” Jin pointed out then muttered to Namjoon, “And I’m weirdly okay with that.” The two quietly chuckled, ignoring Jimin’s piercing glare.

“Ah lighten up will you?” Jungkook coos and pinches his chubby cheeks. Jimin swats it away and grumbled away to Hoseok who was busy with his phone. He downs the shot of vodka and asks for another.

“I want a smoke. Anyone?”

Though his question was offered to the group, he somehow found himself staring at Taehyung, urging him to say yes. He knew the boy didn’t smoke too often but of all the things Jungkook loved, goating his friends into doing something they weren’t too fond of was his favourite. Taehyung nurses his bourbon, swirling it around in the glass as he considers the offer; the fourth glass was going down slower than his previous ones. The bartender slides over Jungkook’s shot, immediately taken by Taehyung.

“Drink it with me outside,” he says, his deep voice dripping with sensuality and leaves for one of the many balconies.

That left his friends’ eyebrows shooting upwards, surprised by the sudden change in atmosphere. They watch Jungkook shuffle with intrigue after Taehyung without a word.

“I told you! He turns into a suave James Dean when he’s drunk.”

“By why is it that he’s only gunning for Jungkook? He literally called me a sexy virgin pirate and slapped my ass at the store the other day.”

“Aw Jin, do you smell burning jealousy?” Namjoon teases Jimin. “Don’t worry young chap, you’re his sober baby boy remember?”

The two older boys snorted at the blushing Jimin as he rambles on about how Taehyung’s pet name for him was solely platonic. Their bickering dulls away as Hoseok receives a text from Yoongi. He moves away from the noise, resting at the corner of the bar with his margarita.

-From: Min Grampy Having fun?

-To: Min Grampy Well Tae’s drunk, Kook’s being an ass and the two Kims are ganging up on Mini. As normal as always. How’s the beach?

Silently, he wished he could ditch the Gala and run straight to the beach. It’s always so beautiful at night - because it was secluded, covered by tall thick trees, it looked like an observatory with a magnifying lens to watch the twinkling stars.

-From: Min Grampy I see constellations but I can’t name them. If you were here, I’d ask you. You’re always good with them.

-To: Min Grampy Is that your subtle way of asking me to come over? My gosh... is that a compliment I hear? :P

-From: Min Grampy My compliments are reserved for people special to me. And I told you before, my invitation is still open. Come over anytime you want...I’m waiting for you.

The sip of margarita he had, went down the wrong pipe after his eyes scanned Yoongi’s reply. As Hoseok coughs up the bitter drink, the blush that crept up his neck, blooming on his cheeks and staining the tip of his ears practically made him look like a stop sign. Thankfully the rest of his friends were too busy to notice his fumbling ass.

Fucking Min Yoongi is going to be the death of him.

---

The frigid September winds bit at their cheeks the second they slid the balcony door open. Taehyung leads the younger boy to the corner, away from the transparent door. If he wanted to play with his toy, he needed a little privacy - as the groups’ designated tabloid, he of all people knew how fast gossips spread through town and especially in school. He settles Jungkook’s Vodka shot on the wide stone bannister, inviting him over.

Silence hung thick over the two friends as they leant on their elbow while taking in the expanse backyard Jin’s family had. It spread as far as a football field before dipping down a cliff to the crashing waves of the open sea. Jungkook handed Taehyung his open pack of cigarettes, seeing if he would do it. A smirk plays on his lips as his friend slips out a slim stick and placing it between his lips.

He shoves away Taehyung’s open palm and murmurs, “Let me do it for you.”

Jungkook leans closer, his thumb flicking to ignite the lighter. Their eyes pierced each other with intensity as the flickering amber flame glows between them. The tension between them heightened - aided by the fourth glass of Bourbon, the two shots of Vodka, the acrid smell of burning tobacco and their estranged relationship.

They’ve never been this close before, always sticking to the different companies in their group. So to find themselves alone in the dark was threatening to tear at the tension. Jungkook lights one for himself and they snap out of their gaze, going back to mockingly admire the backyard quietly.

Sucking in the smoke of the cigarette sent bursts of nicotine up to his brain, creating quite a cocktail when mixed with his four glasses of Bourbon. Taehyung draws it in deep into his lungs, letting it swirl around his tongue before blowing it out with a satisfied sigh.

“Fuck, I miss getting high,” Taehyung admitted. “I haven’t had a joint in months. You’ve got one on you?”

Jungkook scoffs, “Dimwit, what would I bring illegal weed to a public event. If my dad smells that shit on me, he’d have my grave plotted and dug.”

He takes a big puff from his stick and flicks the ashes away from the bannister. They watch the dull grey flakes float in the wind as it drifts further into the darkness. Then, the silence came again. It was unbearable for Taehyung, especially as someone who lives and breathes for commotions.

“Shit, I just remembered, that Mrs Kim’s Crystal Lilies are planted right below this balcony,” Taehyung said, leaning over as he tries to search in the dark.

Jungkook takes a disinterested peek. “Really?” He couldn’t care less if Taehyung decides to take a dump on Mrs Kim’s damn flowers.

“No. I was just joking,” he giggles.

He clears his throat when his joke was met with Jungkook’s deadpan face, not even showing a glint of amusement - or even any kind of emotions. Tough crowd, Taehyung thought as he huffs to himself. It usually works with Hoseok and Jimin - guess they’ve got better taste in humour.

“Jesus man, if you’re going to be throwing lame jokes the whole night, I need to get drunk,” uttered Jungkook as he throws back his shot, letting the liquid burn a trail down his throat.

A drop of Vodka escapes his lips, spilling down his chin and resting on his Adam's apple. It makes Taehyung gulp at the thought of sucking the liquor off of Jungkook’s neck - and he wouldn’t mind sneaking a little bruise on his skin either.  His tongue darts out, wetting his lips.

“God, you’re sexy.”

Jungkook coughs up the Vodka, burning his throat even more. He was baffled by his friend’s brazen words. How drunk was he really? The younger boy cautiously watches Taehyung as down the last drop of his Bourbon. He was suddenly aware of how close they had been and takes a step to his left.

“I’m being honest here. I’ve watched you practice one of the sports thingies where you smack around a ball. Turns me on.”

Taehyung smirked when he sees Jungkook getting flushed. He was fidgeting with his now-too-tight collar, unbuttoning them as he clears his throat. It made Taehyung even more excited when he flinches under his touch. He had closed the distance between them and was rubbing his thumb over Jungkook’s lower lip.

“Your bad boy demeanour is a plus point too.”

His whisper sent shivers down Jungkook’s arms as he stands rooted to the ground under his touch. The sound of his heart racing pounds in his ears while his eyes are sucked into Taehyung’s warm brown ones. He stiffens when he feels him leaning closer, his soft lips touching the side of his neck.

Taehyung relishes in tasting his skin, sucking and licking all the way to his Adam's apple where the trail of Vodka was waiting for him.

“Ah, T-Tae what are you doing?” Jungkook gasps.

He could feel the wetness of Taehyung’s lips and tongue moving on his skin, melting his entire body. Jungkook lets out a strangled moan when he gently bites just below his jaws. Taehyung’s sinful kisses made Jungkook weak in the knees as he grabs onto his shoulders; biting his lips in anticipation of feeling his nerves spark down to his tight pants.

“The things I’d do to hear you moan like that for me,” Taehyung whispers in his ears as he grabs him by the waist.

He pulls them closer, groaning when he feels Jungkook’s thighs rubbing on his hardening member. It was bliss for him to feel his toy under his control, it made him powerful against the feared Jeon Jungkook. Taehyung knew that after tasting him, he’d be pining for his younger friend endlessly and painfully. But at the moment, it didn’t matter. He’d have him right there and then if he could.

“Dinner is ready! Everyone head down to the dining hall, and don’t forget about your arranged seats!”

Jin’s mother and her shrill voice startled the two boys out of their fantasy land. Jungkook immediately pushes Taehyung away, taking a huge step backwards as he wipes his neck with the back of his hand.

“I’m not gay,” he choked out. He said it like he was trying to convince himself instead of Taehyung.

“No one is gay until they try it.”

Taehyung chuckles as he walks away with his empty glass, acting like nothing erotic had happened between them. He grabs onto the bannister as he feels his knees buckling, feeling dazed from Taehyung’s kisses. Fuck, he thought. If he wasn’t gay then why did it feel so good to have him suck away at his neck? And why did it leave him turned on?

BTS AU Masterlist

#bts #bts army #bts au #bts!au #bts school au #bts college au #bts private boarding school au #bts fanfics #bts fluff #bts angst #bts v #bts taehyung #bts jungkook #bts namjoon #bts rap monster #bts jin #bts jimin #bts j hope #bts taekook #bts vkook #bts namjin #bts jihope #bts yoonseok #bts sope #bts yoongi #bts suga #bangtan #bangtan boys #bangtan soneyondan