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daybreak-academy-fanfic · 4 years

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Daybreak Academy: Chapter 77

Of Apples And Joy

Summary: In which Ephemer, Skuld, Strelitzia, and Anora go apple picking. Word Count: 1,627 First | Previous | Next ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆ ⚬ ☆

Anora had not been to the Departure County fair grounds since Ephemer took her to the spring festival. She almost thought they had gone to a completely different place seeing it now. One corner of the grounds was used for a corn maze, another for a pumpkin patch, and the rest held an orchard with at least three different apple varieties. It was rather impressive, but all of her interest was nearly drained at this point.

Going to the fair grounds had been Skuld's idea. She wanted to collect apples so she could bake pies later on. Which, of course meant that Ephemer had been invited by proxy. Anora wasn't exactly sure why Skuld wanted her to come along- but at least she had managed to convince her to allow Strelitzia to come along. The flower girl and the baker, no surprise, took to each other like they had been friends for years.

Ephemer said nothing to the girls on the ride over. Instead, he opted to look at the window with the purposeful intention of avoiding Anora. Skuld and Strelitzia didn't seem to notice- the two discussing baking techniques and fresh ingredients without a care in the world. Anora felt invisible as she sat by the other window. Her stomach was churning, just waiting for the moment when Ephemer would reach over Skuld and Strelitzia just to say hi, or poke her, or something.

He never did, so Anora went unseen.

The four of them got out of the taxi and were all but pulled by Strelitzia toward the orchard. With a wide smile on her face, she took a deep breath in before calmly letting it out.

“It smells so nice here.” Strelitzia sighed. “The sweet apples, the greenery brushed with dew, the pollen...”

“Watch yourself, Zee,” Ephemer, who was walking a good three paces behind the girls, bemused. “You're drooling.”

“Am I?” she nervously squeaked before wiping her mouth with her sleeve.

“Don't listen to him,” Skuld then told Strelitzia. “He's been super prickly recently.”

“And with that,” the young man announced, moving a bit faster to walk past the girls, “I'm departing from you lovely ladies. Have fun on your apple picking adventures without me.”

“Coward!” Skuld warned him even though he was almost out of earshot. The young man gave a shameless shrug as he disappeared into the corn maze. His friend let out an annoyed huff. Strelitzia and Anora exchanged a small glance before the carrot-red haired girl clapped her hands together.

“Skuld, you and I can go look at the Granny Smiths.” she suggested, trying to remain cheerful. “Anora, do you want to go pick some Golden Delicious for us?”

The youngest of the three girls carefully nodded her head in agreement. After this, the three of them bought three wicker baskets to put their apples in before going their separate ways. A small pit in Anora's stomach formed when she realized that she was alone. She should have brought her music player or something- anything to distract her mind as she walked along the rows of trees for apples.

She walked for a few minutes before turning her attention to an apple directly above her. It wasn't anything special, that apple, but something about it seemed a little off. Anora gave a small tilt her head in curiosity. She started to reach for it, but immediately stopped when she saw something move near it. Fully prepared to scream, Anora waited a few moments before realizing that it was a small green worm. She watched, almost unblinking, as the worm made its way from the branch to the apple. The corner of her mouth twitched as she considered something. Slowly, carefully, Anora plucked the apple with the worm on it from the tree, then set the apple down on the ground. The worm was now making its way through the apple's exterior, leading Anora squat down to watch it with interest.

A small smile appeared on the young woman's face. Her concentration was broken when she heard someone let out a long sigh. She knew who it belonged to- and it didn't surprise her in the slightest.

“You can come out, Ephemer.” Anora said, loud enough to be heard, but still quiet enough that it could have been ignored. “I know you're there.”

Coming out from behind a tree, Ephemer sheepishly chuckled as he rubbed the back of his neck. “Guess I should never play hide and seek with you around, huh?” he nervously noted.

Anora stood up and gave him a rather angered raise of her eyebrow. Ephemer visibly paled upon seeing it.

“I… uh, I guess I have some explaining to do...”

“You've been ignoring me all week.”

Ephemer flinched. “Y-yeah… I have. I'm sorry.”

“Are you?”

This time, Ephemer flinched as if Anora had hit him instead. He likely wouldn't have felt as guilty if she had.

“Anora,” he finally struggled to say, “I… I love you. A lot. And I just... I just want you to know that at any given moment. I want us to go to different places. I want to see your face light up with excitement when something interests you. I want to see you happy, and in love, and… and so beautifully curious. But the longer we're together, the more I realize that I can't do that. I can't give you new places to go to. I can't keep you curious, and happy, and...”

“You shouldn't have to.”

For a moment, Ephemer looked up at her and blinked. Anora took it as a sign to continue.

“We don't have to go places to be a couple.” she told him. “I just want you to talk to me. I don't care what we do, or where we do it. I just want to know, to be sure, that you'll be there when I need you the most. This week? With you ignoring me just because you can't take me places? That's stupid, Ephemer.”

Again, the young man flinched, wishing Anora would just hit him and get over with it. The expression she was giving him was still hard, but it was also starting to slowly soften. Anora took a large step toward him without so much a blink. She slipped her hands into his to further gain his attention. A jolt coursed through both their bodies at the touch. Could they really be that starved for each other after four days? Anora gently nibbled at her lower lip before pulling Ephemer closer to her.

“I love you.” she quietly admitted. “But you don't need to bend over backwards to keep me happy. We're only teenagers; being happy all the time just isn't possible.”

“Yeah, but...”

Anora shut him up with a quick kiss. Ephemer didn't resist- his mind suddenly feeling too sluggish to object. When they pulled away, Anora let out a thoughtful sigh.

“Remember how you felt when Skuld and I were in the hospital?” she quietly asked him, “That's how I'll feel if you hurt yourself while trying to keep me happy. And you will. Your determination is one of the reasons why I love you. But you shouldn't let it be the thing that kills you either.”

Ephemer gave a slow nod. His eyes could barely stay open as he tried to steal another kiss from her; too bad Anora kept denying him the chance.

“I understand.” he eventually agreed. “I get it. But if you keep talking, you're going to lose your voice tomorrow.”

Anora gave Ephemer a funny look before realizing that he was joking. Seeing her confusion allowed Ephemer to let out a light laughter at her expense. It didn't last very long, though- a pensive expression then coming across on his feature.

“Let's… cool our jets a bit.” the young man slowly started to suggest. “Try to work on our schoolwork, meet up when there aren't fifty different projects going on. Kinda like what it was before. We can still eat together at lunch and stuff, but maybe we could spend a little less time together after class.”

For some reason, a small shot of horror ran up Anora's spine.

“Can you still spend the night?” she asked, almost too quickly. “On Saturdays?”

“Of course.” he promised. “Always. We can even make Saturday our 'Just Us' day! Even if we don't see each other all week -and Ub Iwerks forbid neither of us are sick- then we can have Saturday all to ourselves.”

“Well, I hope you two don't mind helping me bake later this week.” Skuld cut in. She was now holding a rather full basket of apples, each one a bright green with very little blemishes. “There's no way I'm peeling all these apples by myself.”

Ephemer and Anora gave each other a quick glance before looking back to Skuld.

“Why can't Strelitzia help you?” Ephemer questioned with a raise of his eyebrow.

“Because I promised Lauriam that I'd help him later.” Strelitzia informed him. Her face was glowing with joy- her feet rocking against the ground in amusement. “Besides, Skuld told me that you never waste an opportunity to steal a taste test.”

“Whose side are you on anyway?”

Before Strelitzia could even answer, the sound of Anora suddenly bursting into laughter caught their attention. All three of them asked Anora if she was alright- but she couldn't answer. Right now, in this moment, she was safe and surrounded by the people she loved. She was happy. Ephemer was the first to realize this, and in suddenly remembering what she had told him earlier, went into a laughter of his own. Skuld followed, then Strelitzia joined in as well.

Nothing in this world could have ruined their joy; absolutely nothing at all.

#daybreak academy #chapter 77 #kingdom hearts fanfiction #Anora #Ephemer #Skuld #Strelitzia #Fall 2020 #Season 2

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startswithhope · 7 years

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Farmer’s Market Hot

It’s been a few months, so forgive me if this is rusty. Here’s 3000 words of Farmer’s Market flirty fun and farmhouse sexy times. Modern AU, rated M - AO3.

To her left, her neighbor is providing a constant and delicious kettle corn flavored breeze, a welcome fragrant addition to her favorite day of the week. Saturday, Farmer’s Market day, a day filled with flannel shirts, leaves crunching beneath her boots and a good chunk of money in her pocket. The bushels of apples on her table are filled to the brim, collected from David’s orchard, a small pocket of trees she’s sure he only keeps tended because he knows how much she loves them. She sells the apples and gets to pocket half the proceeds, which she’s been squirreling away so she can eventually buy a place of her own. David and Mary Margaret’s guest house on the farm is nice and all, but she could really use some privacy.

It’s an unconscious thing, she tells herself, as her eyes drift across the walkway to Killian and those stupid blue eyes and friendly smile she just knows will be directed at her. This happens entirely too often, the two of them catching each other looking, his obvious interest raising goosebumps along her skin. He’s entirely too attractive, with that carelessly tousled dark hair, ginger-tinged scruff and wiry frame. The fact that he bakes the best damn pies she’s ever tasted doesn’t help, either. He’s like her own personal dessert on display if she’d only just forget her diet and allow herself to indulge.

It’s been a long time, too long if you ask her body, since she’s let a man get close enough to touch her (both physically and emotionally). And she’s hungry...for both. So, Killian is scary, because despite her feigned protests, she’s past the point of curious and veering straight into potentially Bad Decision Central.

The sun overhead is warm, but the autumn breeze keeps Emma cool as she chats and sweet talks her customers into buying more apples than they obviously could need. They know they are being worked by a pro, but she’s well liked by this little rural town (or at least David and Mary Margaret are, so she is by proxy), so they just smile as she coaxes one more granny smith into their produce bags.

As afternoon swiftly approaches, she realizes she’s down to just one barrell and quickly dumps half into a box below the table. The minute she does it she feels a bit foolish, cheeks burning from internal embarrassment as she taps her foot against the stash of apples she’s just saved for when Killian comes by at the end of the day. Looking over at his stall, she sees him winking at Ms. Lucas as he hands a box full of pies to Marco waiting patiently at her side.

“You are a scoundrel, Jones, but you know I love you anyway,” Ms. Lucas chides, before turning her smile to Marco and ushering him to the next stall.

Killian looks over at Emma and gives her a wink as well, which he knows full well will make her laugh and get her to engage.

“Nope, you still suck at that. Who taught you how to wink, anyway?”

Chuckling, Killian steps out from behind his table and wipes his hand on the black apron tied around his waist. The claw attachment he’s wearing today on his left hand is still clutching the money from Marcus and he pauses to stuff it in his pocket before taking the 12 steps (yes, she knows how many steps) over to her booth.

“I’ve told you time and again, Swan, if you’re offering me a lesson, you’d have a very willing pupil.”

Sweat begins to prickle beneath the skin between her breasts at the heat behind his eyes and her gaze falls not so subtly to his mouth, watching as his tongue darts out to wet his lower lip. The two seconds that pass in that moment feel like an eternity, an impossible number of dirty thoughts fighting for dominance in her brain before she composes herself with a quick huff and a shake of her head.

“The last thing you need is lessons on how to flirt more.”

Killian laughs, his “aye, love” warming her like spicy honey and she lets herself smile, the small action making her feel immediately lighter and more confident in the decision she’s apparently just made.

Speaking simultaneously, Killian asks “if this is all of the apples she has left” just as Emma blurts out “we should grab a drink sometime”.

“No,” Emma answers, bending down to hide her flaming cheeks and grab the hidden apples at her feet.

“Swan, did you just ask me out on a date?” Killian asks, the tone of his voice somehow both incredulous and cocky at the same time.

Not meeting his eyes, she bags up all of the rest of her apples, both from the bushel and her hidden stash.

“Yeah, I mean, we’re both single, right? I’m free tonight if you don’t have…”

“It’d be my pleasure, love. Perhaps you’d like to come to my place? I can finally give you an in-person demonstration on how I do that lattice work with only one hand.”

The innuendo he packed into that last sentence has her meeting his eyes, the huge smile on his face creating tiny lines at the edges of those baby blues. Yeah, she’d be up for a demonstration.

“Fine. You want these apples?”

The bag is heavy and he reaches out, letting his fingers brush hers for a moment before pulling it from her hand. Tucking it into the crook of his elbow, he grabs a handful of bills from his apron and drops them right into her open cash box.

“I do so appreciate you saving some for me, Swan.”

He’s already back at his own stall before she finds her voice to protest, but it’s half-hearted and he just tips his head at her with a smile from behind his table. With her apples all gone, she focuses on breaking down her stall, doing her best to not overthink the decision she’s just made and the implications of the actions she so hopes to be making in the very near future. Grabbing her phone, she shoots off a text to David, letting him know not to wait on her for dinner tonight and to not ask any questions. He does, but she just texts back the winky face emoticon before stuffing the phone back in her pocket. Sometimes that man really needs to pull back on the dad vibes.

They drive separately to Killian’s place, the fading sun creating a orange-red glow over the top of the trees in the field by his farmhouse as she pulls her VW bug in behind his truck. He’s at her door before she has a chance to open it, pulling the handle and offering her his hand.

“Really?”

“Aye, love, I am nothing if not a gentleman.”

Rolling her eyes up at him, she takes his hand, the rough callouses on his fingers sending sparks of awareness up her arms as she lets him help her from her car. He doesn’t step back as she stands, bringing them nearly chest to chest and smile to smile.

“Did I mention how happy I was to receive your invitation?”

Meeting his eyes and fighting a lingering urge to step back, she gives the hand she’s still holding a gentle squeeze.

“One of us had to make the first move and you obviously were to chicken to do it.”

Scoffing, Killian shuffles a tad closer and she feels the tentative pressure of his prosthetic at her waist.

“I was just biding my time, love, making sure you’d be receptive before making my move.”

Emma’s hands have moved to his chest, fingers flexing against the flannel before curling one hand around his collar to pull him down towards her. He’s close enough to kiss when realization hits her and her palm flattens, holding him back as she fixes him with an incredulous stare.

“The trees I saw as we drove up, those are apple trees. You have an orchard? Why on earth have you been buying grannies from me every week for two seasons now?”

Killian’s hand releases hers and she feels the loss immediately, but as he places it gently on her cheek and his fingers slide into the side of her hair, she swears her heart skips a few beats. Her breath is catching in her chest as his eyes rove over her face, gaze landing on her lips for a moment before coming back to her eyes. The unmasked affection warms her from the tips of her ears to the soles of her feet and she moves her fingers back to gripping at his collar.

“Don’t you know, Emma?”

It only takes a slight tug of her fingers to bring his mouth to hers, strong lips moving hungrily, taking all that she’s giving and then some. Curling her hand around his neck, she walks them backwards, groaning against his mouth as his body pushes her against the side of her car and fits so perfectly in places so desperately in need of touch. His body hard and warm, she curls around his strength, not protesting as his hand and prosthetic urge her legs up and around his waist, hoarse whispers of longing lingering in the breaths spared between them.

His tongue is masterful, making her tingle in anticipation of other places he can show his skill, places best explored inside and not up against the faded yellow car door he’s currently grinding her against. But it feels too good, the friction, the kisses, the sweat beading at the small of her back and deep in the hollow of her throat. It’s passion, almost animalistic, but building to that sweet anticipation of connection, not just with someone, but with Killian...who she’s been holding at arm's length for entirely too long.

Feeling her leg begin to slip over his hip, she tries to cling tighter, the movement drawing a deep groan from Killian as his lips move from her mouth to her neck. She lets her head fall back at the first nibble of his teeth, his mouth mumbling something unintelligible against her skin.

“What was that? Oh god...harder…”

Killian’s hips slam into hers and her fingers dig into his scalp, drawing a cry from both of them that he swallows with a shaky kiss. Releasing his hair, she pushes her hands between them so she can tug blindly at his shirt, fingers clumsy as she tries to find buttons.

“Love, let’s take this inside,” Killian pants against her mouth, kissing her again as he guides her hips down and holds her waist as her legs hit the ground. He’s so kiss drunk that she doubts he meant that to sound as salacious as it did, but she’s good with both meanings, and nearly trips over her own feet as he takes her hand to lead her inside his farmhouse. His back hits the inside of the door as soon as he ushers her inside, lips swollen from overuse as she slides her tongue along the seam and her hands up and under his shirt. The curse he expels as her fingertips slide over his nipples is encouraging, and she works the flannel up and over his head, thankful for the lack of buttons buttoned to allow the quick removal. Her lips close over his right nipple and he goes slack against the door, hand sliding into her hair encouraging her to stay exactly where she is. The shifting power dynamic is everything and she has half a mind to see how long he will let her tease, but she’s too worked up and needs to find some kind of release.

Moving her hand to his jeans, she palms his erection beneath his zipper and lifts her mouth back to his lips, letting him take a bit of the power back with a deep, plunging kiss. When they both need a second to breathe, she slides her hand down into his now open jeans, looking up at him as she strokes him firmly beneath what feels like boxer briefs.

“Condom?”

“Aye...in the...bedroom. Fuck...Emma...you’re killing me.”

Untangling his fingers from her hair, he grabs at her wrist, pulling her hand from his pants so he can place it at the first button of her shirt. Realizing immediately what he wants, she begins to work her buttons open, watching as his eyes darken at the first sight of her breasts swelling over the cotton cups of her bra. She doesn’t get the shirt open all the way before he’s lifting her off her feet and she has to scramble to grab his neck, her laugh meeting his growl as he maneuvers them somewhat clumsily down the hallway to his bedroom.

“You’re a caveman, Jones,” she chides, letting her tongue peek out to trace the adorably pointed tip of his ear. His whole body shudders and she files that information away for later, when they have more time.

“I’ve wanted this too long, Swan. Forgive my brutish behavior.”

His words belie his actions, as he practically drops her onto the mattress before falling to his knees so he can work at tugging her leggings down her hips. He gets waylaid for a moment by her boots, but soon those are on the floor and he’s back to removing her pants. Finding herself completely on the same page with what is shaping up to a quick and dirty fuck, she gets her shirt off and unhooks her bra, hoping he’ll get a move on so she can feel…

“Guh...Killian, I…”

Words escape her as his tongue begins an unexpected, but welcome, assault of her clit. The first tendrils of orgasm are already pinging as he sucks and licks, his hand gripping hard at her hip to hold her legs open for his feast. The quilt beneath her crumples as she grips hard, knuckles turning white as she lets her body react, hips rising up towards his mouth, other hand searching blindly for the headboard to give her some sort of anchor. Giving up on that, she digs her fingers into his hair which prompts him to look up at her, the hunger in his eyes so palpable she knows she needs to feel barely coiled passion moving inside of her...now.

“Get the condom.”

“In the drawer to your right, love,” he mumbles, mouth descending for one more long suck before sliding up, tongue and lips mapping out the skin of her belly, the underside of her breasts and each nipple, leaving her unable to do anything but lie there and be worshipped. She’s still trying to catch her breath as he reaches her lips, leaving a quick kiss there before leaning over the side the bed, the soft, yet slightly prickly hair on his chest brushing against her nipple as he digs for the condom in his bedside table.

“You know, I’ve wanted this for a long time, too,” she confesses, cheeks burning as she closes her eyes at her own honestly spoken words. It’s terrifying being this open, but also exhilarating, and she welcomes the slight chill that runs up along her spine. The soft touch of Killian’s palm on her cheek brings her back to the moment at hand, opening her eyes to find him perched above her with a thankful smile. Before he can say something sappy, she does her best to lighten the moment.

“You find that condom yet, Jones?”

He chuckles and shakes his head, leaning back on his knees so he can rip the condom packet open with his teeth. She notices the socket holding his prosthetic on has designs similar to tattoos painted on it and she makes a quick mental note to ask him what they symbolize. She’s got other things that are much more pressing to attend to at the moment, like the beautiful man leaning back to down to kiss her as she pulls at his waist to bring him between her legs. They have to slow down initially as she remembers how long it’s been, both of them panting as her body slowly stretches, the sweat of exertion from holding back mingling as their chests and bellies crush together once he’s buried deep.

“Incredible...you feel incredible…” Killian breathes against her lips, kissing her slowly as he gently rocks his hips.

Needing more, she widens her legs, crying out as that brings him closer and it feels so good she wants to scream. “Move...please….”

He does, the claw of his prosthetic gripping the slat of his headboard as he puts his weight on his elbow, quickly pulling back his hips so he can come back to her with purpose. Her hands search for somewhere to hold, finding purchase at his waist as each crash of his body against hers draws her orgasm closer, her body feeling like warm jelly charged with electricity. Leaning up, she draws him into a kiss, the juxtaposition of the sweetness of his mouth against the power between his legs enough to scramble her brain.

“Emma, I’m too close...what do you need?”

“Close...too...fuck, just need…”

Unable to form words, she pushes at his chest and he sits back, causing her to scramble to keep their bodies connecting. It feels like a game of Twister for a minute, but eventually she gets herself situated in his lap, knees on either side of his hips and mouth kissing his laughs away as she takes control. This angle gives her the pressure she needs and she takes full advantage, riding him hard and quick until her thighs begin to quiver and she’s coming, knees clamping hard so hard she feels the beginnings of a cramp. Her orgasm must have triggered his, as his head falls forward onto her shoulder, breath hot against her skin as he groans and urges her to still her movements with a strong hand on her hip.

Pushing him onto his back, she stretches out onto his chest, loving the feel of sweat soaked limbs languidly tangling as she finds his mouth for a kiss. His hair is soft beneath her fingers as she holds him steady beneath her, the deep intimacy of the way their mouths are communicating scary and confusing, but she can’t seem to stop. Neither can he. When she leaves early the next morning, he kisses her long and soft against her car, the promise of much more to come like a tether growing stronger with each touch of their lips.

On their third date he finally teaches her how he makes the amazing lattice work of his pie crust with one hand. It’s mesmerizing watching him work and she listens as he tells her all of the stories behind his many painted on tattoos. They eat strawberry rhubarb pie naked at his kitchen counter, the chocolate silk pie following them to the bedroom later along with a bowl of fresh whipped cream.

On their fourth date, he takes her into his orchard to show off his trees, and when they emerge she can feel the itch of tree bark abrasions on her back and is missing a sock. It was worth it though, as she’s secured a deal to sell his apples at the Farmer’s Market that Sunday and a date for Sunday night.

He doesn’t know yet that the plan is dinner with David and Mary Margaret.

She has to make that one up to him late Sunday night, but it’s not a hardship.

#cs ff #cs smut #cs au #captain swan #my writing #farmer's market hot #sorry if someone has used this title before #I honestly can't remember #and I legit forgot the tags to use for a minute there #forgive me if this is a mess #:)

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hellocupcakeitsme · 4 years

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An Unexpected Journey

https://ift.tt/2SYS6ZT

So for the last almost 7 months I have been walking more and more and finding it rather enjoyable. I've never been one for hiking or anything like that. I've liked the idea of it, but putting that into the physical act of actually doing so has always been something completely different.

Just recently, I walked 13.5 miles (21.73k) from my town to the next. Now according to the trail signs, the distance is only 7.3 miles (11.75k). But Im not sure if that "as the crow flies" (meaning a straight line) or if that is how far it actually is. But 3 different apps that I have on my phone said that it was 13.5 miles. Which trust me, either way, my feet and back were killing me. It was such an emotional and almost spiritual adventure. I have NO EXCUSE for why I did it. It quite literally just happened. The day that I went walking, I had it in my mind that I was going to walk to the 6 mile marker. Where I park my car and start walking is about 1/4 of a mile (0.042k) from the 7 mile post marker. So I have always done the trail just past the 6.5 trail marker. But that day like I said I wanted to see where Mile 6 post was. And it was on a part of the trail that I had never done before, so if anything, curiosity got the better of me.

So, when I came up on the 6 mile marker, I decided to "go a little further" to see where that part of the trial went. When I came to the bottom of a steep hill and saw a ranch style fence, I thought "ok i'll just walk up to that fence and turn around." Had I done that, my round trip would have been just under 4 miles at that point, because I had walked over 1.5 miles. But when I got to the top of that hill and caught my breath, I noticed that the trail was flat for as far as I could see. So I thought, "ok I wonder where 5.5 miles is." A few weeks prior to all of this, I picked up the trail from a different access point and walked from the 4 mile marker to the 5 mile marker. I called a girlfriend of mine and asked her if she would come pick me up if I kept walking because I knew I probably wouldn't have the strength nor the stamina to make the return trip to my car. And that I was going to keep walking until I couldn't go any further. So she agreed and so I continued my journey.

When I got to the 5.5 mile marker (8.85k) I realized that I had seen it before, and realized where I was from having walked it a few weeks prior. So that gave me a renewed sense of energy "knowing" that the next trail access was only a mile or so up from where I was. This is when things started getting a bit spiritual for me. As I was walking, and there really wasn't anyone else on the trail, save for a biker or someone running by every now and then, but for the majority of the time, I was all by myself.

So I started talking to god/goddess/spirit/higher power/the universe/etc and asking for the ability to complete my task of walking further than I have. Now mind you, this is when the wildfires in California, Oregon, and Washington were really bad. The air quality was 289 (which is really really REALLY bad). And because I didn't plan on doing that large of a walk, I had NO previsions with me. Thankfully this time of year all of the Blackberries are in season and so are the wild apple trees. So every so often I would stop at a blackberry patch and grab a few handfuls and mush it around in my mouth. Not only for the sweet sugary taste, but for the juice to help with my thirst. So about 2 miles from where I started eating the blackberries, I met a wonderful lady who was mucking out her horse stalls. I stopped and spoke with her for a few moments, she offered to go get me some water, but her house was about 8 acres from where she was, and I honestly didn't want to stand around and wait for her. So I thanked her and kept on going. I then came to a green apple tree. I thought that it might be crab apples, which are very tart and kind of "woody" and not very juicy. I knocked one off the tree, because at this point I was starving because I didn't eat anything before going on my walk, because having to use the restroom on the trail isn't that fun, and I didnt have any toilet paper with me, so I didn't want to eat and have to deficate on the trail. But that apple was a wild Granny Smith. It was the most delicious apple I had ever eaten (at least right then while i was a bit dehydrated and hungry) that I actually turned around and got 5 more for the trip ahead.

By this time I was at the 4.5 mile marker letting me know that I was almost to the trail access that I was going to have my friend pick me up at. But I started thinking "its really not that much further into town." So I kept going. By this time im an emotional wreck, and everything is making me want to cry. I had begun "unpacking" emotions and situations that had happened and just really doing some mental and emotional cleaning and soul searching. My feet were in pain, my lower back was numb from the pain. But I just kept telling myself to keep going. Honestly I have no fixed memory of what I was thinking about at the time. What feelings I was having. Nothing. It would come in waves, I would think about it and play scenarios out in my head and then move on to the next thought. They kept coming like waves, and it seemed like everytime I would come up for a breath I would get hit with another one.

After I got past the 4 mile marker and saw the 3.5 marker I was completely lost. So everything at that point was new. Which brought on its own set of emotional tidal waves. I started talking to myself and the universe or whatever spirit or god wanted to hear me and listen to the ramblings of a fat man walking in the woods. At one point I came to a large tunnel that ran under a road that I had driven over many times before, but did not realize that there was a trail that went under it. And there was a breeze that was passing through it that made it feel like an air conditioner, which took my breath away because I was really hot. I just stood there for a moment, and cooled down.

Then walking through it, I noticed all the graffiti that was on the walls and had thought about my friends from California who are street artists and how they would have loved that tunnel and would have used it as one big canvas for something im sure that would have been worthy of an art gallery.

Just on the other side of this tunnel was a long stretch of forest trail that had the most lush and prehistoric looking Sword Ferns that I have ever seen. These have quickly become one of my favorite forest plants that I have come across. So as I was marveling at the natural beauty around me, and coming to an open field, something walked out onto the road and caught my eye. At first I thought that it was a small dog or a racoon or something like that, but it was an orange tom cat. As I approached it I thought that someone may have abandoned it out there. But as the trees began thinning and I got closer to the clearing, I could see that there were houses on either side of me, and that this little guy had a collar on, and a well worn trail where he had walked many times before. But trust me, I was more than ready to scoop him up and bring him home with me, even though Bella probably would have killed both him and I.

When I had walked about 1500 yards, I could see the highway into town. This of course brought tears to my eyes, realizing how close I was to the end of the trail, and thinking about how many times I had driven that stretch of road and never knew that there was all of this beauty and semi hidden trail. Walking under the freeway and realizing that I had less than 2.5 miles to go before I was at the end of my journey, I began getting really giddy. More street art adorned the overpass.

When I came to the 2 mile marker of the trail, I almost lost it. Years prior, when I had first moved to Washington, I had walked to the 2 mile marker from the end of the trail, and realized that it was literally all downhill from there, but in the best possible way. My thoughts and emotions were all over the place. When I came to the 1 mile marker. I started crying uncontrollably. I started talking to my dad, my grandma, and grandpa, telling them how proud they would be of me for making it that far, and for having done something like that in the first place. I could see my end goal in sight. I know that section of the trial all to well, as I walk it several times a month. When I got to the 1/2 mile marker I called my friend and told her where to pick me up. There was a part of me that wanted to keep walking. To keep walking past the trails end, all the way to the end of the road where it met the ocean. But I had kept her waiting by her phone all day, and didn't want to make her wait around for me any longer than what she already had.

As I approached the end of the trail, where it meets a parking lot. It felt like my steps were getting heavier and harder to make. Like subconsciously I didn't want it to end. That even though I was in pain, and numb, that I needed to keep going. But the spark of sanity that I had left told me that it was more of an accomplishment than I was giving myself credit for. Stepping off the trail, and walking to where I told my friend I would meet her, was difficult. Time was off for me. I kept having flashbacks to where I was, what I had seen, and to a smaller degree who i was when I started vs who I was when it ended. Yeah it was only a few hours, and several miles of walking. But it really did have that profound of an effect on me. Especially since the week before I was seriously depressed, and had being toying with the idea of just ending it once and for all. But here I was. I had accomplished a goal that I had set for the following summer, and had accomplished it almost 7 months ahead of schedule.

When I saw my friends car pull up, I lost all control I had and began crying. She was more than ecstatic for me, and just as shocked as I was that I had done it. I kept my sobbing under control the best that I could, just letting hot tears streak down my face. My back was in spasms, my feet felt like they were broken. My shins hurt, my calves were cramping. But I had done it. I had made a trip that this time last year would have been impossible.

For days after my walk, I had what I can only describe as PTSD from it. I just kept having flashbacks to parts of the trail. Remembering things that I saw, the scent, the sounds. I have since started watching Trail Vloggers, and watching their journey's. And they all have said the same thing. That when they end a hike, that they get what they call "post trail depression". I have now downloaded several hiking apps, that show all of the trails in my area, and their ratings. And I have also began stockpiling hiking gear. I've been walking with a school backpack with about 7lbs of stuff in it, just to get used to walking with a pack on. My friends husband, gave me one of his old hunting packs and told me that he has some other items that he was going to give me.

I have already planned my next "big" walk. Its just under 14 miles, and another one that I plan on doing next summer too. I would try to do it now, but its fall/winter here in the PNW now and i'm still not that experienced, and still need to build up the strength and stamina to do so. And plus it will give me some more time to get things together for it.

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ramblingthoughtsofayoungadult · 7 years

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Thick of It-Juice Ortiz Imagine

Requested: Yes

Warnings: flashbacks of violence, swearing, some sensuality

A/N: It’s a continuation of my Sons of Anarchy series and I finally decided to make the pairing between the reader and Juice. Let me know if you want a final part :)

When Y/N woke up, the first thing she noticed was Juice sitting in the chair next to her bed, eyes trained on her. The second thing she noticed was how well the morphine that Tara gave her worked.

“There she is,” Juice muttered with a small grin.

“What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be with the other guys?” Y/N’s voice was husky and laced with fatigue.

“They’re working on finding the bastards who put you in this hospital bed. Opie and I are playing bodyguards right now.”

“I feel so much safer,” Y/N teased.

Juice didn’t seem to appreciate her joke as the line between his eyebrows deepened and he pressed his lips firmly together. “You know I would kill for you, right? Same as Ope, maybe even more.”

“Yeah, I do know, it’s just...making fun of it ‘s nice way to cope with it.” Y/N placed her hand over Juice’s and stroked his knuckles. It was one of the few ways she tried to relax him when they were alone outside of more intimate, strenuous activities.

Juice sighed and leaned forward. “I wanna tear him apart and I will as soon as we catch him.”

“Get in line, I think I deserve first punch,” Y/N said.

Juice shook his head. “You didn’t---couldn’t see how you looked when you first came in. All bloody and beaten----you looked dead and...and I was so f-cking scared. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me and I can’t stand the thought of-of you being taken away form me.”

There were tears in Juice’s eyes and Y/N almost gasped at the sight. He was always strong, albeit a little dim at times, but he always maintained a tough exterior. Seeing him so vulnerable in that moment made something stir in the heart that Y/N didn’t know she had. Over the past year they had been secretly seeing each other, he had never been too vulnerable around her, but Y/N had never been extremely vulnerable around him either. He did have his moments of being super romantic, like their first Valentine’s day together when he got her a nice box of chocolates and two dozen roses because he couldn’t decide which she’d like better. It was the first time Y/N told him she loved him and about the fifteenth time Juice confessed his love for her, but that was just how their relationship worked. No one in SAMCRO knew about them partially because no one would expect Juice’s stupid charm to win over the tough, independent Y/N. He flirted with her endlessly when Y/N first started bar tending and ignored her many threats of beating him up or stabbing him because he knew she wasn’t serious. Then, after a particularly wild night at the bar, Y/N and Juice had an intense, whiskey-fueled conversation about the deeper things in life. Seeing Juice be so thoughtful made him extremely attractive in Y/N’s eyes and after he took her home, she thanked him with the best kiss he ever had. Keeping the relationship a secret was her idea since Juice was more than happy to make her his old lady during their first week of dating. Y/N thought it would make things complicated in the club and so far, keeping the relationship a secret was only complicating things. Juice would have to hold himself back when someone tried to get frisky with her and Y/N would have to bite her tongue and keep her hands busy whenever some croweater tried to flirt with her man.

Y/N moved her other hand to cup the side of Juice’s face. “I can’t stand the thought of you being taken away from me either, that’s why I fought so hard to stay.” She slid her hand down to wrap around his neck and pulled him close.

“Y/N,” Juice whispered.

“Please,” Y/N whispered against his lips.

Juice hesitated before kissing her as gently as possible. As far as he was concerned, Y/N was a porcelain doll that could break at any second. He knew she was strong and tough, but she looked so weak in that bed. Y/N kissed back stronger and more passionately, quickly losing herself in it. She was nearly stunned when Juice pulled away and rest his head against her chest. His hand came up and grazed her collarbone, making her shiver a little bit.

“I want my crow right here,” he said. “When all this is over, I want everyone to know you’re mine.”

“Collarbone tattoos hurt like hell, though,” Y/N muttered.

“You can take it.” He kissed the bone and pulled away a bit. He couldn’t help but be surprised that Y/N agreed to be open about their relationship. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that she had nearly died.

Someone knocked on the door and Tara walked into the room a second later. Juice snatched away from Y/N at the first knock so Tara didn’t suspect anything.

“How are you feeling?” she asked.

“Groggy and pissed,” Y/N dead-panned.

“Understandable.” Tara looked at the monitors that were to the left of Y/N. “Your vitals look good, we just have to change your bandages and give you some more pain meds.”

“Morphine,” Y/N said with a wide grin.

“Don’t get hooked on that stuff. Last thing we need’s a bartender hooked on morphine,” Juice said.

Y/N rolled her eyes and Tara smirked. “You’ll be fine, Y/N.”

“I’ll be even better when someone gives me a gun.”

“Not happening,” Juice said.

“A nurse will be in to change out your bandages and give you food and meds,” Tara said.

“Thanks.”

As soon as Tara left, Y/N sighed. “Are the guys making any progress?”

“Based on what you said last night, I think they’re doing okay.”

In Vegas, Clay, Tig, Jax, and Chibs were in the clubhouse with Adam and the rest of the Las Vegas chapter. There was a grim tension in the air due to the severity of the meeting.

“All right, we got some new information on the man who attacked Y/N,” Clay said. “She said it was a redneck who she ran into outside of a bar.”

“There aren’t any rednecks in any of the gangs in Vegas, but we did just learn that there was a gang visiting from Shreveport around the time Y/N and her friends were there, call themselves Louisiana Locusts,” Adam said.

“Never heard of ‘em,” Tig said.

“Because they’re into small time stuff, move cocaine once in a while from Alabama, dabble a bit in extortion, and from what we’ve gathered in Vegas, they are not above attacking women,” Adam said.

“Where are they now?” Clay asked.

Adam smirked. “For some reason, they thought it was a good idea to stop in Reno for a couple of days.”

Clay glanced at Jax. “Maybe we’ll go over and give ‘em an old Charming welcome?”

Jax nodded in agreement. “Did anyone find out exactly which one put their hands on Y/N?”

“No, only person who would know that is Y/N, sorry,” Adam said.

“That’s all right,” Clay clapped the man on the back, “you’ve been a great help.”

Tig stood from his seat. “Let’s go show those Locusts what happens when you mess with one of us.”

The rest of the Sons yelled in agreement because they knew that once the boys from the Charming chapter caught up with the Locusts, the rednecks were nowhere near prepared for what would hit them.

“Can you describe what happened to you, Miss Y/L/N?” Unser asked.

Unfortunately, as much as Juice, Opie, and Tara tried to keep the cops away from her, Unser forced his way into Y/N’s room and the young woman was less than pleased to see him. She picked at the cherry Jell-O in front of her, tossing the occasional glance Unser’s way.

“I was in a bar with some friends---”

“Were you drinking?”

“What’s the point of being in a bar if you’re not drinking?”

Unser’s grip tightened around his pen as he took down notes. He decided to write “Miss Y/L/N was drinking at the time of the incident”. “Do you think this inhibited your perception of the events?”

“It’s pretty difficult to misunderstand being beaten to a pulp and then dropped outside of a hospital,” Y/N seethed.

“So, you were beaten? Was it by one or more assailants?”

Y/N shrugged. “I don’t know, it’s kind of a blur.”

“Very well then. One last question, Miss Y/L/N: do you believe that your attack has anything to do with the motorcycle game known as the Sons of Anarchy?”

Unser gave her a warning look that he truly didn’t need to give her. Y/N had spoken to the Charming police plenty of times to know just how to wriggle her way out of any situation and stall until one of the guys got her out of there.

“No, not that I can think of,” she said.

“Thank you, Miss Y/L/N, my associates and I will do our best to apprehend the people responsible for this,” Unser said.

“I hope you do.”

As soon as Unser left, Gemma stormed in, carrying a large white paper bag and looking as though someone keyed her car.

“I’m guessing it went okay if you’ve got that look on your face,” Gemma said.

“Yeah, what’s in the bag?” Y/N asked.

“Real food, better than the crap they serve you in here.” Gemma tossed a distasteful glance at the Jell-O and plate of turkey with gravy and green peas on Y/N’s bed table. She grabbed the tray, threw it in the trash, and set the white bag of food on the table.

Y/N grabbed a corn beef on rye sandwich out of the bag as well as a bag of plain Lays and a granny smith apple. “At least you tried to be a little healthy.”

“Real food actually feeds you, eat up.”

Y/N began nibbling at the sandwich and chips, grinning like an idiot at the taste of some of her favorite foods. “Clay call you yet?”

“No, I just know he, Jax, Tig, and Chibs are in Vegas. You have nothing to worry about, though, they’ll catch the people who got you in this hospital.”

“I don’t doubt that they will.” Y/N sighed. “This just had to happen when I took some time off.”

“Could’ve been worse----you could’ve gotten knocked up.”

Y/N snorted, which made both she and Gemma laugh even harder. Unfortunately, Y/N had to stop because her ribs were beginning to get sore due to her laughter.

“I can’t even laugh without some pain,” she said with a groan.

“It’ll pass, honey. Have you talked to your parents?”

“No, but according to Opie, they’ll be here by tomorrow along with all my brothers. Did we have to tell them what happened?”

“Course we did, they’re family. If we didn’t, your mom would tear everyone a new one, especially me.” Gemma ran her hands through Y/N’s hair. “You know, we always thought that you and Jax would end up together.”

“No, you didn’t.”

“Yes, we did. We thought it was sweet how you would try to fight him and he’d never really fight you, but if someone messed with you and you couldn’t beat them up, he and Opie would do it for you.” Gemma sighed as she reminisced.

“Good times.”

“Simpler ones. Plus, your crush on Jax was extremely adorable.”

Y/N groaned. “That was ages ago, why can’t you let it go?”

“Because it was so precious. Besides, I know now that both of your are grown up and have different tastes.”

Y/N paused from taking another bite of her sandwich and looked at Gemma as a chill ran up her spine. She felt the way she imagined rabbits felt when they were cornered by a wolf. In that moment, Gemma’s mouth may as well have been filled with razor sharp fangs as she grinned at Y/N. There was no way she could possibly know about Y/N and Juice, Y/N needed to play it cool.

“What do you mean by that?” Y/N asked.

“Well, he prefers stuffy, pretentious doctors like Tara while you seem to drift more towards the other rugged bikers, am I right?”

“I wouldn’t say Tara’s stuffy or pretentious....”

“I guess you wouldn’t.” Gemma stood. “Well, I hope you enjoy the food. Just call me if you need anything.”

“I will.”

When Gemma left, Y/N hesitated to breathe a sigh of relief. On one hand, the last two people she dated before getting with Juice were other bikers who were allies of the Sons so most people could guess she liked bikers. On the other hand, Gemma had an eerie way of knowing about everything and maybe Y/N’s relationship with Juice wasn’t an exception.

#sons of anarchy imagine #juice ortiz imagine #requested

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foreveregyptian · 6 years

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crayola crayon color asks: Macaroni and Cheese, Asparagus, Shocking Pink, Robin’s Egg Blue, Granny Smith Apple, Glossy Grape, World Wide Web Yellow, Shadow Blue, Night Owl, Sunny Side Up, Sweet Pea Green, Cosmic Cobalt, Fuzzy Duckling Yellow, Periwinkle, Blueberry Blue, Purple Mountains Majesty

Macaroni and Cheese: What makes you think of your childhood?

I tend to daydream a lot and sometimes i’ll think about my childhood, so nothing really triggers memories from then, unless I’m watching old home videos or looking at baby pictures.

Asparagus: What’s an unpopular opinion you have?

hmm I guess my taste in music is an unpopular opinion. I cant explain it other than the fact that i need to feel emotion and a high range of instrumentals. but i dont listen to music as much as i used to.

Shocking Pink: Is there a trait that you have that others don’t expect from you?

LOL so I come off as shy and quiet but I’m the exact opposite when I’m doing tang soo do like ill be at a tournament or even training and I’m the loudest person there because it helps me release tension. People who see me do it for the first time are like “i didnt know you were so vicious” LOLLL

Robin’s Egg Blue: If you were an animal, which one do you think would you be?

I took a few quizzes and I got elephant and I’m not surprised or disappointed tbh

Granny Smith Apple: What’s something everyone else likes that you don’t?

certain kinds of music

Glossy Grape: Recommend something to your followers.

oh! theres this book I started reading called Do Not Be Sad. Its written by a Muslim scholar so its based on Islamic principles but he writes it for anyone with an open mind and it’s already changed my pov on how to approach what makes me sad, anxious, or upset. free pdf :3

World Wide Web Yellow: What was the last thing you looked up?

the word dingus on google :P c:

Shadow Blue: Do you have a darker side to you that most people are unaware of?

there are days when I’m overwhelmed with life stuff and anxiety to the point I need to take a break from social media. I try not to show it. so yeah i guess.

Night Owl: Describe a very interesting dream that you had.

so my friend had painted a pumpkin for something her apartment community was doing and she named it pumpkin friend and I dreamt that she hated him and wanted to get rid of him so she gave him to me and told me to make it into a pumpkin pie and i clearly remember her saying to wait a few days until he gets bigger to turn him into one LOL

Sunny Side Up: Do you like waking up in the mornings, or would you rather sleep in?

I like waking up in the morning because I wont be productive and i’ll waste half the day if I sleep in.

Sweet Pea Green: Do you have/want children?

I love kids and being around them, God willing i would like kids. I have none but I’ve adopted my friends.

Cosmic Cobalt: What’s your zodiac sign, and do you think it’s accurate?

horoscopes are forbidden in Islam but I’ve been told im a vergo

Fuzzy Duckling Yellow: Is there something from childhood that you haven’t outgrown?

the nights when my mom tucks me in. she doesnt do it anymore but if she did it again i wouldnt ask her to stop. I’d ask her to do it again.

Periwinkle: What’s something ordinary that has personal meaning to you?

sharing food/giving gifts!

Blueberry Blue: Do you get sad easily?

hmmmmmmmmmmmmm. I get sad over time. Something that might bother me, ill try to forget it, but when i do that they just pile up, so i get overwhelmed and one day i start thinking about them all at the same time. kind of.

Purple Mountains Majesty: How does someone earn your respect?

respect is a two way street, so i try to respect everyone from the get go. if someone disrespects me then I disregard my relationship with them. being a good person, respecting my beliefs, agreeing to disagree, and treating people how you wish to be treated are ways one can keep my respect.

#anon #ask #personal #ㅈㄱㅇㅇ

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nostalgic-blood · 7 years

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the perfect pear isn’t SPOILERS anymore !!!!!!!!!

YES I CAN PRAISE IT TO THE MOOOOOOOOOOOOON and spam my blog of the best episode in the series

my tastes are v. predictable

my favourite stuff has FEELS and HEART, and it doesn’t matter how predictable or unoriginal or whatever it is i watched or read, as long as it successfully makes me FEEL... it is perfect. it has achieved what it needs to do

for the longest time i’d list out all the stuff i’ve seen and be like THIS! THIS IS THE SADDEST PART AND I CRIED OR ALMOST CRIED and no matter what THAT part is always my absolute favourite in the whole show but I never had this for MLP. IT’s always been that sweet saccharine show i’d watch when i need to be reminded that no matter what is happening, sometimes the fluffiest most sugarcoated crap is what i need to consume. sometimes i just need pure happy. that’s why pinkie pie is my absolute favourite pony. she’s pure happy. but CRYING? no i don’t do that to ponies, it’s too TV-Y and for kids to ever touch upon dark or sad topics and not only that but do it WELL

things like say that one RD episode about tank. some fans are saying the intention with that episode was to showcase the four stages of grief. The problem with that was that Tank DIDN’T ACTUALLY DIE and while it’s still a nice and good lesson and wonderful and sweet for the audience and especially the children, it makes Rainbow Dash seem a lot more childish than her age in the series. And yes it makes sense she is more childish, this being a kids show for kids to relate to. Even if our main characters all have jobs and seem like stable adults, there has to be times where they act like this to teach kids stuff, but imo that could have been pulled off better with the CMC or maybe actually killing off the tortoise

other kids shows have some kind of death in it! It’s usually subtle or whatever, but some kids shows can broach the topic and THE WORLD DOESN’T END

but then MLP goes and starts implying the apple parents are dead. and that’s not just some pet or some animal or something with less weight on the television for the children, it’s literally THE GUARDIANS OF OUR CHARACTERs, who died when they were young and NEEDED these parents the most. Genius then that Granny Smith exists, but still. the biggest nightmare for a child is a parent dying, their primary caretaker, the most important person in their world leaving. but then MLP goes even FURTHER BEYOND THAT

it’s all about this family drama, where two who are in love cannot be in love due to their feuding families, reminding us of romeo and juliet where the main lovers ALSO die, but where that play was meant to send the message that young love where two characters who’ve known each other for all of like two weeks and end up committing suicide are foolish and dumb teenagers, here we have this wonderful wholesome love story about two adorable ponies and even if it seems like the most perfect and happy love story ever, it isn’t! IT ISN’T

AND NOT JUST BECAUSE THEY DIE. it’s that Pear Butter has to leave her family to be with Bright Mac, and there is a rift, and Grand Pear disowns her. She is abandoned by a family she grew up for her whole life, in this one momentous decision..and it’s DEPRESSING. IT’S DARK. I never expected MLP of all things to cover such a topic at all, and so well too! The fact that Grand Pear made the biggest mistake of his life, and left... and never saw his daughter again. That’s not whimsical childish mistake #29, that’s a regret you can NEVER fix ever again. And all you can do is move on and change what you can with the present, which is to rekindle with the family that’s still there, that you rejected, the grandchildren. And THAT’s another thing I could never ever predict at ALL when it comes to ponies, that not only do we know the parents died, but that a parent lost his child. A parent not only lost his child, but never talked to them again after a fight, after a rift. It’s unbearable the amount of regret there is there and how utterly depressing and dark that is.

That’s not. I DON’T EXPECT THAT IN HAPPY TECHNICOLOUR PONIES. You expect that in those primetime dramas with the heavy hitting tragedies and such. THAT’S JUST NOT SOMETHING YOU SEE, AND I SAW IT. AND IT WAS PULLED OFF WELL, and it MADE sense. We never heard of Grand Pear for seven seasons because he moved away! We never knew about the parents because no one wanted to bring up such a sad and uncomfortable topic, and no one was sure when it’d be the right time to do so! Yes there are some oddities and plotholes like why no one’s seen that combined twisty tree before and other such things, but overall it fit!

honestly, my biggest fucking pet peeve is anyone coming away from that episode and the first thing they ask is “BUT HOW DID THEY DIE!? WHY DID THEY NOT SHOW THAT!?” that is fucking missing the ENTIRE point of the episode and it just pains me deeply that some people need to know something so unnecessary after everything else that episode spoonfed us. It’s like, someone must be absolutely soulless or heartless to only focus on something like that. It’s a reasonable curiosity sure, but this episode was not the time for them to reveal something like that, and even if they did? SO!? WHAT WOULD THAT ACHIEVE!? ALL IT WOULD DO IS SATISFY YOUR CURIOSITIES. THERE IS NO NEED FOR THAT KNOWLEDGE IN AN EPISODE LIKE THIS

the episode was celebrating the perfect pear’s life. The parents’ life. It was about THEIR life not their death. And I cried like a baby during and after this episode. I was BROKEN after this episode. My head was on the table and I just sat there numb for a long time. It just reminds me of how life really is like. There will be reasonable people who can be absolute intolerable shitheads, and they may eventually learn their lesson, but sometimes they learn their lesson too late. Sometimes you can’t choose your own family. Sometimes wonderful people die before their time. But by the end of the episode, after all the regrets and sadness there is forgiveness. And it just brings me hope because no matter how shitty it is that MLP’s message in the end is to still look up, still remember, and still be good to each other. It’s not being happy and sappy and everything is a utopia kind of thing, it reminded me that even in a seemingly wondrous place like Equestria there’s still these real things happening, but they can STILL have their happy ending eventually. It’s this kind of deep positivity I truly adore, and what keeps my gears running if not most people’s.

Like, I truly related to this episode and it instantly became my favourite of the entire series. None of my favourite characters were in it. It just told a beautiful story and pulled it off flawlessly. Maybe there was good timing too, as my father passed away this year. His death was not pleasant to watch. People complaining “HOW COME WE DON’T KNOW HOW THEY DIED” piss me off to no end. I don’t want to remember how my father died. I don’t want to relive that memory. And IT’S NOT THE PART YOU SHOULD REMEMBER ABOUT THE PERSON ANYWAY, BUT THEIR LIFE.

Anyone who doesn’t understand that isn’t my friend. Anyone who can’t see this episode for what it is break my heart. This episode resonated with my very soul. I never expected this from MLP but I’m so glad they were able to do this, and were able to tell such a genuine, heartbreaking love story. Thank you My Little Pony. Thank you for this episode.

#personal!shit #text!post #rant!post #mlp!shit #this episode is the greatest mlp has ever been #and nothing from here on out can ever match it

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dracimalfoy1988292 · 3 years

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(ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ 31: ᴀᴍᴏʀᴇɴᴛɪᴀ)

"Amortentia is the most powerful love potion in existence. It is a powerful and highly dangerous potion. Despite its power, Amortentia does not create actual love; it's impossible to manufacture or imitate love. The person under the effect of the potion would only hold an obsession for the person who administered it."

Professor Slughorn took a pause, turning towards the cauldron rested in his table, the substance a pearly sheen color as wisps of smoke rose into the air. He took a heavy breath, smiling at the scent.

"It has a different aroma for everyone who smells it, reminding you of the things that you find most attractive, even if the person does not acknowledge or is unaware of their fondness for the object of their affection themselves."

Professor Slughorn went around, setting a small petri-dish of the potion on tables for everyone to observe.

Valentine was only halfway paying attention, Professor McGonagall's words playing as an infinite loop in her head. She'd already turned around and glanced at James enough times to raise suspicion, and she couldn't sit still, constantly jittering and speaking in mumbles.

Macey took initiative to lean forward, taking a generous waft of the potion before her. She hovered over the substance for quite some time, just smelling it as if it were the sweetest thing she'd ever known.

"Well?" Valentine inquired, and Macey grinned.

"Mangoes, smoked firewood, and the ocean."

"Oh, beachy vibes," Valentine chuckled. "Any of those remind you of someone."

Macey bit her lip, looking away, thus giving Valentine the answer.

"You go," Macey ushered, wanting the attention off her, and she was also curious to see what her blonde friend would smell.

Valentine, although nervous, pulled her hair back and leaned forward. The scent was strong, making Valentine blink as she welcomed it in her naval passage.

It smelled so familiar that she was wondering if the potion had even worked. Because it smelt like something she'd smelt every day for the past few months.

She recognized the quidditch pitch, freshly cut grass and a breeze. Then there was hot chocolate, rich and so real Valentine could almost taste it. Last, it was the comforting aroma of butterbeer, prominent flavors of butterscotch and cinnamon.

It smelled like James Potter.

Valentine whipped her face from the potion, head whoozy and heart racing. She licked her lips, swallowing deeply as she tried to focus on a single thing, but her mind was too occupied.

"Mr. Potter, would you like to share what you smell?"1

James' head flew up, sharing a quick look with Valentine before he cleared his throat, taking another whiff of the potion to confirm the aromas. He seemed nervous, but he smiled softly, as if happy.

"I smell.... I smell fresh baked cookies, broomstick polish, and maple syrup."24

Macey, Lily, Remus, Marlene, Sirius, and Peter all turned in unison to look upon Valentine Lotus, eyes wide and knowing smirks on their faces.7

Even Professor Slughorn turned to face the Hufflepuff, a delightful grin on his face. Valentine wasn't quite sure how to respond to all the stares.16

Feeling overwhelmed, Valentine darted out her seat, quickly retreating to the hallways. James, slightly surprised and hurt at her reaction, was the next to jump up, following after the blonde. He found she walked quickly, already halfway down the hall, fists clenching and unclenching, shaking her head as she mumbled to herself.

"Valentine! Hey- woah, slow down, my legs are too short I- Valentine!" James rambled on, picking up his strides to reach the determined girl quickly. He stopped her, pulling on her wrist, and she quickly retreated her hand, as if he'd burned her.

Standing face to face, James rocked on his feet and stared at Valentine, this being the closest contact he'd had with the girl in months.

"I want you to know-,"

"I don't need to know," Valentine cut him off quickly, the words she'd monologued to say disappearing like snow in the sun. Melting slowly, slipping from her brain, new words forming on her tongue.

"I know, but you want to," James corrected, brown eyes staring into hers so intensely she was sure she'd go blind. A fire in his gaze so hot it lit her in flames. And she loved it.

"James-,"

"No. I'm talking now, alright? And you don't get to run."

"Oh, so now you talk to me?" Valentine queried, poking him in the chest. "You're only three months and two weeks late!"2

"That was really specific- but I know, okay! I messed up- which was exactly what I was scared to do. You see, Sirius had told me to give you space. I really thought it would do good, to give you some space. So I gave you three months. Looking at it now, that might've been a bit too long."

"A bit?!?"

James sighed. "I really liked Lily Evans," he tried again, and Valentine scoffed.

"Really doing good at this apology thing."

"Shut up, Valentine!" James snapped impatiently. Noticing her agitated face and crossed arms, he put his hands out in surrender. "Respectfully... respectfully shut up."23

Valentine redirected her gaze to the roof, unsure she could hold eye contact with him any longer without either slapping him or hugging him.

"I really liked Lily, and for a long time, too. So when those feelings suddenly just evaporated and I fell for you, Valentine, I denied them. Because after spending so much time loving one person, how could you just come along and steal that from me? And I was terrified, Val, absolutely terrified I would mess it up. That I would make you hate me like I made Lily hate me. And by trying to fix this, that's exactly what I did."17

Valentine couldn't find words. Her throat was dry, and she was sure no amount of water could fix that.

"I don't hate you, James," Valentine whispered. James, who had previously looked like a kicked puppy, looked up from his feet. "I could never hate you."2

James let out a heavy breath.

"You remember that time when you told me about Lily? About knowing all the important things? The little things that tell you how you really feel about someone?"

Valentine nodded.

"I don't remember how it happened, but one day I just woke up and I knew all these things about you. I knew that your favorite color was green, like a mix between keylime and a Granny Smith apple. I knew that you'd eat cauldron cakes for every meal if you could get away with it, and I know how much you adore animals and how you want to be a magical Zoologist when you graduate from Hogwarts. Or how you read one muggle book a week, and your favorite breakfast food is waffles."18

James' face was heavy with emotion, matching Valentine's. In fact, she could feel small tears work their way to the surface of her eyes, making them appear lighter and sad.

"I woke up knowing you better than I knew myself, Valentine. And I know that I really want to kiss you right now."

Valentine opened her mouth. Then she closed it.

"Fine, then."

"Fine, then?" James repeated. "How am I supposed to respond to that?"

"Bloody hell, James, if you want to kiss me then go for it!"

"Are you sure? I know it's the heat of the moment, and I don't wanna-,"7

"James!"

James watched her for a long second before he dove down, pressing a short kiss to her mouth. He instantly pulled away, however, eyes wide as if he couldn't believe he'd actually just done that.8

"Valentine, I-,"

Valentine cut him off as she shuffled forward, pulling him by the shirt to her height and kissed him. While it was unmistakably gentle, like a soft breeze whispering among the hills and breaths against skin, it was also ravenous; hungry and desperate.18

Valentine felt James smile against her kiss, leaning into it as he looped an arm around the back of her neck, pulling her more against him. His palm cupped her cheek, and Valentine's hand rested flat against his chest, feeling James' heart kick back and forth at a speed matching hers.11

Hesitantly, James broke away, dragging his tongue over his bottom lip to memorize her taste. He opened his eyes, only to find Valentine's still closed.

He took the time to inspect her. Her tan skin and shinny hair, the freckles dotting her flushed cheeks and her lips swollen and pink from the impact of James' mouth against her own.2

Valentine opened her eyes, and James' breath hitched. They were wide, resembling the color of sun-melted caramel candies. Valentine bit the inside of her cheek, suddenly shy.

"What?" Valentine murmured, acknowledging the intent look James was watching her with. The look that made her feel exposed and vulnerable.

"You're beautiful."

It was quiet, but heard. And his hands still held her face, fingers slightly calloused but so warm, leaving a trail of fires amongst Valentine's skin.

Valentine bit back a smile. "You are too."

James cocked his head, grinning. "That boosts my masculinity."

"As if your masculinity can boost any higher," Valentine sarcastically voiced. James playfully pinched her cheek, causing her to laugh and push him away.

"Kiss me again and maybe you'll see just how high it can get," James winked. Valentine whacked his shoulder.2

She tried to wipe the smile off her face.1

She couldn't.

______________________

JAMES HAD DROPPED VALENTINE back by the Hufflepuff common room, having lingered by the door as he wondered if he should kiss her again or not.

He decided to wait.

And Valentine, after hours had passed, laid in bed, head not working properly. Not working properly because she couldn't even begin to make sense of the events that had gone down that day.

She laid on her back in her bed, staring at the tiled roof. It was blank; the only color being white. Well, that's only if you didn't count the poorly painted badger Valentine had artistically drawn back in her first year.

Valentine could still feel James' soft hair between her fingers and his lips against hers, fitting like two pieces of the same ripped image.

She continued watching the roof. Watching the shadows from Macey's bed as she casted 'lumos' beneath the covers and read a book.

But Valentine looked up. She looked up, thinking about how fast her feelings for James had come. So fast that she barely realized they were there. So fast that she couldn't even pin point when she'd started to see James as more than a friend.

But, nonetheless, it had happened. And Valentine didn't know if James was hers. She didn't know if he was going to be her boyfriend or maybe just a innocent kiss.

But she went to bed that night, slowly drifting off as she thought about James Potter.

Just James Potter. And for now, that was enough.

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