#the board so high it looks like a dolphin jumping

[owlconscience]

please look at my bestie's instagram story

#megposting #first tumblr post lets goooo #this is one of my fav series of images #lake just completely gone #the board so high it looks like a dolphin jumping #nature is beautiful

[ytsunodabrainrotbaybee]

Find a place where we belong

->Listen to I Think We’re Alone Now by Tiffany

Guanyu X Reader in a 1980s/21 Jump Street AU.

While investigating and hoping to bust a group of street racing gamblers, Y/N has to pose as Guanyu’s girlfriend in her first undercover assignment with the Jump Street Program.

Part one: Pilot

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Toto’s coffee sat forgotten as he poured over your work history. You sat, watching on as he all but ignored you.

“Well?”

“Unremarkable” he said, thumbing through pages and pages detailing your short career on the force. “Barely met quotas on parking tickets, partners say you’re untrainable, and past supervisors have called you noncommittal at best.”

In saying that, the police chief never looked up at you. He pushed your files to the side before taking off his glasses and taking the first real look at you.

“I’d like to recommend you to Captain Hamilton’s Jump Street Program.”

He kept talking. He explained the story behind Lewis Hamilton’s ragtag team of baby faced cops who couldn’t hack it anywhere else. Truly the team of misfit toys. Getting on the inside where any middle aged patrolman couldn’t reach without scaring everyone away.

Less of a shark among dolphins.

“So a narc?”

You interrupted Toto’s monologue.

“Essentially,” a new voice filtered in from behind you.

Leaned up against the doorframe, donned a pair of aviators and an aged leather jacket, captain Lewis Hamilton. The detective looking type. He pushed himself away from the frame and crossed the room to you, hand out for a firm handshake.

“We’re starting assignments now,” He said as he made a gesture for you to join the small group in another room.

Four sets of eyes tracked you to your seat, one unclaimed in the front. Your field of vision was taken up by a whiteboard with names and more names written on it.

The sets of eyes surrounding you belonged to a group easily mistaken for the teenagers you’d see riding their bikes in a cul de sac. Working their summer jobs at some amusement park.

The youngest looking of them, a shorter guy leaned over the table in front of him to better reach the conversation around him, wore shoulder holsters that held a pair of guns level with his chest.

The group settled down after Hamilton tapped the board a couple of times. Before tossing a marker’s cap at the shorter one leaned over the table. “I will put you outside, Tsunoda”

Pouting and making a heart shape with his hands, Tsunoda sunk into his chair. He, along with the others, settled into listening to Hamilton explaining their newest assignment.

“For the past six months a small group has been gambling on illegal street races throughout Miami,” Hamilton passed folders to each of the group members, “our main suspects are from two groups: West Seminole High School and Miami East Autobody. Guanyu, Y/N, Yuki, We’re sending the three of you to the school. Oscar and Logan get the autobody shop.”

“Oscar and Yuki will be our drivers,” Hamilton read over his folder, “Logan, Guanyu, focus on getting information from your targets” His eyes drifted to you, “Y/N, I want you at Guanyu’s hip.”

There was a simultaneous groan from the other boys, one speaking up, Yuki. “I’ve been here longer”

“You’re also scared of girls.”

Yuki threw that marker cap at Guanyu in response.

Hamilton raised his voice over the commotion, “the four I want you to focus on are Max Verstappen, Daniel Ricciardo, Lando Norris, and the man over the whole operation: Fernando Alonso”

“Max and Daniel co-own that autobody shop, Max is the best of the best, he has outrun every unit in the city. He drives a 1980 Toyota Celica Supra. It looks stock, it’s not.” Lewis articulated his explanation with his slapping pictures onto the whiteboard beside him, pulled from a file in his hands.

You stared at the picture of what truly was an unassuming looking navy blue Toyota. Max stood next to it speaking to a taller man. Accompanying that was another picture, dark, blurry, two cars next to each other in the middle of a burnout.

“Daniel has a 67 Dodge Challenger, loud and obnoxious. Just like him”

The man from that first picture of Max reappeared. Only a printout from CCTV footage. Daniel outside of that gas station, chatting up a tall blonde while leaning against the aforementioned Dodge Challenger.

“Lando is a student at West Seminole. He has a prior history with reckless driving, driving under the influence, and was detained at fourteen for trying to get into a casino in Las Vegas,” Hamilton continued flipping through his file folders, “He drives a 1979 Porsche 911.”

Lando’s pictures were a collection of school photos. Aside from one taken outside of another gas station. That one wasn’t a CCTV shot, more likely some PI that followed him around.

“Fernando is an English Literature teacher at West Seminole. He drives a 1960 Fastback Mustang,” Hamilton put up a glossy picture of Fernando with his cherry red mustang, taken in the high school parking lot, “We believe he recruits drivers from his classes. Over half of our suspects have gone through him in West Seminole. The other half come from Miami East.”

The meeting continued on without anything else too interesting. More backstory on the group you would be watching. Some honorable mentions without much pull, but still suspects nonetheless. The guys asking questions. Yuki antagonizing Lewis when he can. Logan antagonizing Yuki.

Lewis moved on to explain everyone’s cover. Names, backstory, down to the car you drive. You, Audrey Kellen would be riding around with Guanyu, or David Choi in his 1980 Alfa Romeo Giulia. Yuki, Jude Ioki already had his 1987 Nissan Z. Oscar’s Aaron Meyers’ 1981 Camaro was modified enough to make the ground shake as it drove by, Lewis explained. He would go on to be the main driver. Against Yuki’s protests. Logan, Alex Reeves had his father’s 79 Chevy S10.

The meeting adjourned. Guanyu hung back to walk with you out of the briefing room. He fell in step with you as you passed him.

“Ready to go back to school?” He asked, nudging you in the side.

“Can I be honest?” You shoved your hands into your jacket pockets. He leaned towards you as if you were gearing up to let him in on some sort of secret. “Teenagers terrify me, so not really.”

He laughed. Maybe a bit of a generous laugh. You couldn’t help laughing along.

The two of you fought up to the rest of the guys. They chattered on together, barely registering that y’all had joined them. Even when you added to the conversation, they talked along with you as if you’d been there the entire time.

That night you’d go home and pack your school bag. It stayed in the back of your closet. You’d graduated high school in 82, your backpack was even older. One you’d used since the 70s.

Your younger sister had a less vintage Trapper Keeper you planned on stealing from her. Probably with a promise of a months worth of video and radio store allowance, extra time at the arcade, and some of Kate Bush’s latest on a new Walkman to keep her from asking questions.

On your way home you hit a radio store to pick up said Walkman and Kate Bush tracks.

#f1 x reader #21 Jump Street AU #80s AU #zhou guanyu x reader #yuki tsunoda #logan sargeant #oscar piastri #lewis hamilton #Zhou guanyu #race cars #cops AU #Undercover #fake relationship #find a place where we belong

[brainlessrot]

Can I make a request ( for twisted wonderland )where fem!mc decided to rides their skateboard around school to travel quicker with Grim on their back

I'm thinking that they haven't even seen a skateboard before but how would the guys from your choosing would react seeing the residents other worldly magicless student do some tricks while riding?

ive decided to make it into headcanons format, hope you don't mind!

also, idk if my mind invented it but i believe cater canonicaly skates??? idk if its true but i went with that it is canon, however twst skates are a lil bit diff, just like magic wheels, skateboards in twst are like tiny surfboards (ie: don't have wheels) and they use magic to ride!

Contents ;; Fem! reader (gender is not mentioned and it doesn't change the story), platonic or romantic, reader is not mentioned to be goofy or regular, and the skate is implied to be a long board in caters and idia's part

Characters ;; Cater, Ace, Floyd, Idia

Twst Boys - Skater Reader + Grim

Cater ;;

he himself skates here and there, but your human skate is new to him!

the sight of Grim poking out of your backpack as you ride your skate is quite comical, and he takes a lot of pictures because he finds it endearing

so when he sees you jumping on a rail while still on the skate AND with grims weight on your back he cant help himself from recording it and posting it to magicam

you go viral bc people are asking what is that... ironing board with wheels??

he does one of those interviews with the little mics with you so that you explain that's a skate for non-magic people

he later asks you to be skating buddies and sometimes you two skate together <33

he lends you his magic skate but sunce you can't use magic he makes it float for you, its quite an interesting experience!!

he likes to sit in the nose of your skate while youre going around

"You two sat on your respective boards, looking over the edge of a cliff, it was starting to get late, the sun starting to dissappear behind the waves, the water glistening with light. He handed you a bottle of your favourite beverage that he had previously bought. As you uncapped the lid, he held his phone high, taking a picture of the sunset before turning to you, snapping one of your profile illuminated by the sun. "

Ace ;;

One of the first ones that saw your endeavors

he also finds Grim holding onto your shoulders very funny (and has teased the little monster for it)

but he thinks it is also very cool and wants to learn how to ride it

he tries to ride your skateboard but he finds it very difficult and falls more times that he'd like to admit

so you have to hold his hand while he practices or hes gonna break his tail bone

DESPISES using a helmet

he asked you what else you can do with a skate and you did an ollie

he was FLABBERGASTED, and when you told him THAT was a simple trick he lost his mind

demanded you teach him EVERY and ALL tricks

"i look hella cool, everyone's gonna be flocking to me for a date" Yeah sure, first learn how to stop the skate instead of jumping for it

"Aye, AYE, AYE PREFECT CATCH ME-" His arms flailing to his sides as he lost equilibrium, you opened your arms trying to stop Ace's fall, but as his body collided with yours, you tripped on your backpack, which Grim had left alone after a while, deciding to nap on the grass. You both fell to the floor, your body acting as a cushion for Ace. "Okay, that wasn't that bad, ON THE BOARD AGAIN!"

Floyd ;;

"What the HELL is that?!? I LOVE IT?!?" Quite literally pushes you off the skate to take a closer look at it (hes a dick)

asks a million questions about it "what is this device?? what do you land humans use it for?? can i bite it??" You want to say that that would be dangerous but hes,,, well, hes floyd

also demands that you reach him how to ride the land dolphin

completly ignored Grum and the disgruntled look he was giving him in favor of jumping on top of the table, proceding to fall in his ass the very next moment

you start wuth the basics, and turns out hes a goofy! picks it up very quickly and soom enough hes speeding (and slamming against a wall because he hasn't learned to stop)

found out you could jump with the skate on himself, and later asked you what you could do

he finds out that he really likes kickflips, like, perhaps too much

his favourite part is doing tricks and going down very steep hills

"YO! LOOK AT THIS" He was on top of your board while you were sitting on a bench, enjoying how much fun he was having with your "weird human invention". His left foot went to the back, pushing down so that the nose of the skate went up, at the same time he jumped, his right foot slid over the board, making it roll around itself before he planted his feet back on it as he landed. Effectively doing a kickflip. "Yooo that was SO COOL. Teach me more!"

Idia ;;

hes really interested on the technology of the device you're using, does it have a motor? what's its max speed? how does it leave the floor?

so when he finds out its a board with wheels and youre the one manually making it move and jump, hes a little bit disappointed

however the momet he sees you slide along the edge of a wall the only thing he can think of is how cool you are and that you must be a UR+ Character with OP stats, AND, Grim looked so fluffy and cute behind you!!!

You can see him looking at you from afar, muttering something under his breath, a pen and sketching pad in hid hands

you see that he wsnts to get closer to you and ask you something, but if he ever catches you looking at him while hes taking notes and sketching you hes gonna bolt

legit runs away

but you slide next to him with ease, and soon after hes wheezing for air

hes really defensive but apologizes for drawing you without consent, vut you assure him that you dont mind

"So... uhm, uh, you-" he points to the skate and then to you, you back down from the skate and offer him your hand, asking him if he wanted to try

he sucks

his hair is bright red because hes so embarrased, like, he cannot push himself even once before falling to demise

he fails so hard that you end up getting on the board with him, holding his arms so that he isn't flailing them around and push you both for a couple of meters

hes ecstatic

later he'll ask you if he can add some modifiers to your board to make it "an SSR item"

hell make one for ortho so that he can also play around with you

in the end, whenever you (and sometimes ortho) skate around, he'll take some pictures to brag online (mostly of his babies, ie: the now super technologically advanced skates that would make anyone jealous)

"Ortho followed behind you, he quickly adjusted to skateboarding, and was much better than his brother, but perhaps that was because he was a robot... Nah, even if he wasn't he'd still be better than Idia. He was looking at you both in between loading screens, as he sat in a bench under the shade, his handheld console in his hands. He only accepted to go out because he wanted to see how your skate was doing after the renovations he had done, and he was safe to say that they did wonders, so he quickly snapped a pic while you were distracted, posting it without a caption on his private magicam."

#twst #twisted wonderland #twst wonderland #disney twisted wonderland #twst x reader #twisted wonderland x reader #cater diamond #cater diamond x reader #ace trappola #ace trappola x reader #floyd leech #floyd leech x reader #idia shroud #idia shroud x reader

[sharkdream3421]

I need a hero! - Gang Orca X Female Wereshark Reader

Word Count: 3036

Summary: Your in danger and need a bodyguard. So Gang Orca is assigned to protect you.

You exited the airplane with a huge smile on your face along with a big breath of oxygen going into your lunges and carbon dioxide coming out of your mouth.

After many delays in flights and complications you were finally able to make it to Japan. You read some magazines during the flight and were able to familiarize yourself with the country. You saw that magazine mentioned that their number 1 hero was All Might. You saw a photograph and man was he strong and muscular. He looked very attractive too, but he didn't seem to be your type. He was a blond though, and that's probably why people saw him as attractive. You rolled your eyes on the plane, and took a deep breath. If he's the number 1 hero then he has to be a great guy. It doesn't matter if he's blond or not, that doesn't show what kind of person they are.

You looked at the map of the airport and saw were the pick up spot for your luggage was. Once you got your suitcase and you walked to your rental car and drove to a nearby apartment. It was a premium apartment and the entrance of the apartment looked very exquisite. Once you entered your apartment it was dazzling! The walls were perfectly painted and so many decorations were in every room like vases, expensive collectables, and many more expensive items.

You were able to get this exquisite apartment because your family was rich, your parents were practically millionaires. Although, there was one thing that nobody knew about your family.

Your weresharks.

It was a little complicated to explain your "gift" or that's what your parents called it. It was your quirk, but you never told anyone so everyone thought your family was quirkless. You all seemed like normal humans on the outside, but when it came to the inside and your secret. You didn't look human as your skin would turn into something that felt like sandpaper and you would be a walking shark standing on to legs with two arms and a tail. You would look ugly more than anything, and you were terrified if people knew. So, you hid your quirk from the outside world, and you would always be bullied because people thought you were quirkless even though you weren't.

You were hoping this vacation would at least give you some time to breathe and collect yourself. Japan was very far from your home country so you were hoping no one would recognize you. You emptied your luggage from your suitcase and put it into the dresser-drawers that were in the apartment. After you long flight and getting your belongings all sorted out in your apartment, you were exhausted. You decided to take a nap and relax in your bed.

~~~~

You explored a lot of Japan and even some of the unique islands. One of the islands had high tourism, which was Octo Island. It's known for having an aquarium. The airplane finally hit the ground and once you boarded off you made your way to the aquarium.

You saw so many creatures in the aquarium! Sea horses, sting-rays, baby sharks, and more! Although, you were here for the special show. You heard a special guest was going to be in it as well. You sat in the bleachers surrounded by many kids and parents, and some single adults. Using your chop sticks you scooped some noodles and put them into your mouth. The show was about dolphins doing tricks, which was pretty rad you weren't gonna lie.

Although, once the dolphins left the water tank. You sat there in confusion, along with the crowd of people.

"Okay ladies, and gentleman. Today we have a special guest, he protects the citizens of Japan and he was so kind to join us in the show today."

You saw something swim in the water, it was something big. Was it All Might, but wait why would All Might be swimming underwater?

"Say hello, to Gang Orca!" The announcer shouted.

You then suddenly saw an orca man jump out of the water and landed in a very badass pose. He then stood up and the dude look cool and intimidating as heck. You noticed that the orca man wore a white dress shirt along with a pink necktie that looked like he had a long tongue. He wore dress pants and dress shoes. You also noticed that he wore a watch on his wrist. It must have been water resistant.

You were simply amazed! He was a hero wasn't he?! That's awesome! If only he knew about your quirk!

You were amazed by this man's features, but everyone else not so much...

"Mommy, the monster looks scary!"

"Daddy, I want to go home!"

"He's a hero?! He looks like a villain?!"

"Why is he here?!"

"It's a villain!"

Everyone panicked as they all ran and even if the announcer tried to calm everyone down. They didn't listen. Screams and cries could be heard and started to slowly fade away as you just sat on your bench looking around super confused as to why everyone ran.

You looked down to see that Gang Orca had lowered his head down in humiliation. You saw his mouth move, but couldn't hear what he said.

You stood up from your seat to look at the hero with sadness in your eyes. Everyone ran because of...him? But he's a hero?

You noticed that he tilted his head towards you and looked directly at you. You weren't sure, but you noticed that his red eyes widened slightly. Was he surprised? He then quickly looked straight to where he was walking. Seemingly ignoring you.

~~~~

You were back in town again, and just left your plane that had departed from Octo Island. You had been in deep thought the entire ride back. What just happened? Their was a hero who was an orca man? So you weren't the only one with an underwater mutation quirk. Everyone must have ran away because he was scary right? The way he looked at you. He looked.....shocked?

You thought about it for some time as you walked in an alleyway. You heard a rustle sound, and using your quirk's enhanced sound ability. You noticed that someone was following you from the rooftop. You gasped as you quickly ran to get away from the stranger. Every time you ran faster, he ran faster. Every turn you made, he made a turn as well.

He then jumped off the roof and pulled out a sword in an attempt to slice you in half, or hurt you in some way. Although, they were repealed back an unknown force. You looked up to notice that a girl with headphones had saved you.

You were finally able to get a clear look of your culprit. He had the body of a dragon, scales were all over his body, and his wings were no where to be seen. The dragon roared in pain as he covered his ears, which were two small holes that appeared on each side of his head. The dragon tried to advance and attack the girl that was protecting you, but unfortunately for the dragon. He couldn't attack due to more sound waves hitting his eardrums. He appeared to have hated it immensely.

The dragon ran away in the blink of an eye on foot. He surprisingly, still didn't fly away. Why didn't he just use his wings to escape?

You looked at the person who had save you to notice that it looked like a high school who wore headphones. Headphone jacks appeared to be coming out of her ears. That must have been her quirk. The ability to make sound waves.

"Are you okay ma'am?" The young high schooler asked you.

You shook her hand as you smiled, "Yes, I am thank you."

You both looked in a different direction to notice that the police had finally arrived at the crime scene.

"Are you okay Ma'am? Who attacked you?" An officer asked.

"It looked like some sort of dragon. It appeared to be weak to sound. Kind of weird, that it hated sound waves. Don't dragons make a ton of noise?" The high school girl asked.

"Yes, they do. I'm actually quite surprised. Ma'am we have to ask you to come to the station with us and answer some questions. Is that okay?" The officer asked.

"Of course officer, let's go." You replied confirming your answer.

~~~~

"W-What?!" You exclaimed as you got up from your chair in the interrogation room.

"He seems to be after your father, and wants to get revenge about what the experiments that your mother did to him. I think he's wanting to kill you first so he can hurt your father. Your in danger miss." The detective Naomasa Tsukauchi told you.

You went pale. Someone was trying to kill you?! What were you going to do.

The detective gently touched your shoulder. "Don't worry ma'am we're going to make sure nothing bad happens to you. You need someone to protect you from this villain. You need a reliable hero. You said he was weak to sound waves yes? I know someone who is strong, and who can use his quirk to keep you safe. He'll meet you in front of your apartment tomorrow morning. You can call my phone number or the station's just in-case if something went wrong. Otherwise, just be careful miss alright? Mrs. Allers can escort you out."

You nodded as you walked on over to the exit and left the interrogation room. You followed Mrs. Allers as she led you to the front of the entrance of the station.

"Be careful okay?" Mrs. Allers told you.

You nodded, "I will thank you."

You took a deep breath as you tried to process all of the information. You just had to be on your toes tonight. Your hero was going to come and protect you starting tomorrow morning.

~~~~

You opened the door to see that it was...Gang Orca. Flashes of what happened yesterday instantly going into your brain.

Gang Orca looked at you with only a neutral expression showing on his face. You noticed that he wasn't in his hero wear and instead wore a light jacket, along with a t-shirt, jeans, and casual shoes that looked like dress shoes.

"Hello Mrs. (Last Name), my name is Gang Orca, and on behalf of the The Hero Public Safety Commission and my agency, I'm here to protect you from an assassin I presume?" Gang Orca said looking at you with a slight bow.

"Nice to meet you too! Just call me Y/N! Say uh how did you know my last name?" You asked.

"I saw your file at my agency, detective Tsukauchi came to me about your problem and I came here to keep you safe from any danger including our assassin."

"Oh, thank you so much Mr. Gang Orca! Please come on in!" You said as Kugo walked up the stairs and into your apartment.

"You have a magnificent place Mrs. Y/N." Kugo mentioned.

"Thanks, well that kind of happens when you come from a rich family. Anyway, how does this protection thing work exactly?" You asked your going to be protector.

"Well, I'm supposed to be your bodyguard and I'll make sure you don't get hurt by the assassin or any villains. I'll keep an eye out for him and hopefully we'll encounter him eventually so he can be put into handcuffs. I'll be keeping an eye on you until night. If you need me here is my number if you must call me for an emergency." Gang Orca explained as he handed you a post it note with a number written on it.

You bowed at him, "Thank you so much Mr. Gang Orca. I hope we can become good friends during this arrangement."

~~~~

You both sat at a table in a coffee shop as you both sipped your coffee.

"Thank you, for the coffee Mr. Gang Orca." You said smiling.

He chuckled as he pulled out his chair and sat in it. "The pleasure is mine ma'am. Besides not many people want to talk to me. So it's nice to have some company."

"Same here. I have a couple friends, but some of them are childhood friends. My friends from school, were jerks and only wanted to be my friend because of my family background." You said as you sipped from your coffee cup.

"But it's good to meet people like you. I really appreciate the time that you're taking out of your day to protect me. Being a hero must not be easy, but I admire the work that heroes do. Keeping us safe and helping people out really is something special." You explained your thoughts to him.

Kugo's eyes widened a little surprised at your confession.

You smiled as you reached your hand out to him, "Your a good person Mr. Orca. I hope we can become friends."

Kugo looked at your hand for a moment then back to your face.

Kugo then smiled as he shook your hand, "Thank you Y/N. It's good to have more friends and also please, call me Kugo."

You laughed lightly as you shook his hand, "It's nice to meet you Kugo!"

"Y/N, about what happened at the aquarium. Thank you for not running away, it's difficult to impress the children with my appearance." Kugo recalled his embarrassing moment at the aquarium.

You smiled sympathetically as you put his hand in yours, "It's okay Kugo, besides I bet your performance would have been great!"

~~~~

It was nighttime and Kugo wasn’t with you. Something was not right, you saw a shadow.

Call Kugo. Your instincts told you.

Ring! Ring!

"Y/N? What's up?" Kugo asked.

"Kugo, someone is stalking outside my apartment. Could you come over?" You silently whispered to the phone, while hiding behind the kitchen counter.

You heard him gasp as he said he was immediately on his way. You learned that his place wasn't that far from yours and was only a few blocks away. Kugo was also a fast runner so he would be at your house in only a matter of minutes.

You heard the door unlock, you swore you left the door locked. This person must have lock picking skills. It must have been the assassin, that was trying to kill you. You grabbed a knife that was in the kitchen cabinet that was next to you. As soon as you grabbed it and hid it behind your back. You were grabbed by an unknown force and you were pinned against the refrigerator harshly.

You felt a sharp blade to your throat. It was your assassin.

"Finally, I can kill his daughter. The hatch-ling from the man who experimented on me!" The assassin yelled.

"Look I know what my mother did to you was harsh, and cruel, but I'm nothing like her. Let me help-"

The assassin flipped his blade and cut your shoulder, which resulted in a weeping cry to come from you.

"I won't let anyone help me again! I can only trust myself your mother taught me that! I also know that your weresharks, don't even try to lie."

The assassin pinned you down onto the tiled floor and as the assassin rose his sword he yelled, "Go away from this earth, demon!"

The assassin was interrupted by a strong hand gripping his hands and was thrown against the wall harshly.

"She's not a demon, you are." Gang Orca said harshly.

"Kugo!" You cried in happiness.

"Y/N, get somewhere safe! I'll take care of the assassin." Kugo commanded.

You nodded as you quickly ran out of your apartment and stood a safe distance from the ongoing fight.

~~~~

After a couple loud noises, grunts, and hearing your furniture getting messed up. Kugo became victorious as he walked out of the apartment with the assassin in handcuffs and was unconscious. You noticed that Kugo was in his casual clothes and they were torn. A police car arrived and parked behind you. The cops got out of the car and ran over to the villain.

Kugo handed the villain over to the authorities, "Thank you Gang Orca, we'll make sure he gets a fair trial and will have an extended punishment in prison," A officer said.

Kugo nodded as the assassin was pushed into the squad car as it drove away.

You looked over at Kugo, "Thank you for protecting me Kugo, I really appreciate it!"

Kugo blushed lightly, "It was not a problem Y/N, I'm just glad your safe. I'll stay at your place just to make sure no more villains try to attack you just in case."

You then blushed some shades of red, "Thanks Kugo, you can take the guest bedroom."

~~~~

The next morning you saw that Kugo had patched himself up with bandages, and was ready to report to the station. You and Kugo resolved the case with the detective and Kugo's services were no longer needed and he could go back to his agency and continue his hero work.

"So I guess this is it then." You said sadly.

"Why are you sounding like it's good bye?" Kugo said with a deep chuckle.

"But you don't need to hang out with me anymore. You don't need to protect me anymore. The case is finished remember?" You said confusion written all over your face.

"What you don't want to hang out with me?" Kugo asked.

"No! I mean I want to hang out with you, but-"

Kugo put a hand up telling you to stop talking. Kugo walked up to you and placed his rostrum on your cheek as a make-shift kiss.

"How about we go for a walk around the city tonight? I'll text you when I'm at your place. I'll be a date just between us," Kugo said with a hint of a smile on his face.

You blushed, "S-Sure Kugo, I would love to go out on a date with you!"

~~~~

You were out on your date with Kugo and before you took your relationship to another level, you wanted to tell him about your quirk.

"Kugo, before we think about continuing dating, I never told you about my quirk. I'm, a wereshark Kugo."

Kugo kissed your cheek gently as he gave you a hug, "Yes, I already know. I heard the assassin saying it, and it doesn't change anything about the way how I think and feel about you. I love you, for you Y/N." Kugo admitted.

You cried a couple tears as you hugged Kugo tighter, "Same. I love you too Kugo."

Once you got back home you were going to have to talk about moving to Japan with your parents. So you could stay with Kugo and continue your relationship with him.

Masterlist

#gang orca x reader #my hero academia #gang orca #kugo sakamata #kuugo sakamata #wereshark #wereshark reader

[insomniac-jay]

Wedding HCs [Part 1]

Wedding headcanons for the lesser talked about ships bc they need more love and I will give it to them.

AquaOrca (Gang Orca x Aquamarina)

Lets ignore the fact that Jade tried to murder Gang Orca when she found out he was dating Aomi and only later came to terms with their relationship.

The wedding would be very beautiful with ocean inspired colors. Kugo's nieces would make all the decorations because they wanna help get ready for their new auntie.

For the dress, it would be inspired by Ariel's wedding dress but with more mermaid theme to it.

Aomi's anxiety rises to an all-time high because she wants the wedding to be perfect and what if she messes up? It's so bad to the point where her mothers literally had to ban any mention or talk of the wedding.

One of Kugo's nephews is the ring bearer and he gets to wear an adorable suit for it.

The day of the wedding, both of them are so excited to see each other and want to touch each other so bad but they can't because they aren't allowed to be near one another.

Jade sings a cover of one of Aomi's songs as she walks down the aisle. Everyone is in awe at how beautiful Aomi looks and even Kugo himself is brought to his knees at his wife.

Kugo has to pick up Aomi to kiss her bc he is tol and she is smol. Either way, it's a beautiful, romantic sight.

Also their rings are references to each other. Jade's has a killer whale on it and Kugo's has a clam shell bc he calls Aomi his Venus (and Venus emerged from the water in a literal clam shell).

Speaking of Venus, the cake is a parody of the birth of Venus but with Aomi. Needless to say, she's blown away by it.

AquaOrion (Orion x Aquanette)

*Aquanette belongs to @/aquajuilee

Contrary to what Sakana believed, Saizo wanted a small, intimate wedding with just friends and family. He don't have time for all the media bravado.

Ageha goes wedding dress shopping with Sakana to help her figure out what she wants. She ends up settling on a beautiful princess style dress with short sleeves.

Saizo is asking his younger brother Gen'ichiro all these questions about marriage and stuff because he got married before him and Saizo needs to be prepared for anything his role as a husband throws at him.

No particular theme but the color is indigo which looks great on the both of them.

They have the wedding at a nice place not too far from the seashore. As Saizo and Sakana kiss, a dolphin jumps up over them and it makes for an iconic wedding photo.

The cake is shaped like a seashell and is decorated with crystal candies.

DemoCat (Demoman x Black Cat)

This one goes out to @calciumcryptid

Akio wants to have a traditional Jewish wedding like his parents did and is trying to get Kuroneko on board with the idea.

As much as Kuroneko loves her baby, she's a) not religious at all/an atheist and b) feels like she'll be appropriating his religion. It's only when his mother and her have a Walter White "We're not done till I say we're done" type of convo that she agrees.

The experience is lowkey kinda harrowing for her because she never really saw herself getting married or anyone wanting to marry her (you can thank Goldeye for that) and now that it's actually happening, she feels all these emotions.

While everyone thought she was going to pick an extravagant wedding dress bc it's Kuroneko, she actually chose a rather simple looking one with black lace.

Either way, Akio thinks she looks absolutely beautiful.

Day of the wedding, Akio's mom gives Kuroneko a pair of hamsa hand earrings and a necklace with the same symbol. When asked what it meant, she was told it was a protective symbol in the Jewish faith.

Freaks out a little when she gets lifted up in the chairs by Akio's mother, his aunt, Suzy, and June at once.

StellaNox (Stellara x Nox)

Even before the wedding is announced, Taiyomi and Tsukimi already leaking shit to their friends and husbands like their name is TMZ.

Much like AquaOrion, both Umeji and Hoshimi wanted to their wedding to be private and intimate, especially with the presence of the Yonaga inner clan (though that'll be hard with the younger Sorakami sisters).

There's really nothing for them to worry about since they have experience with weddings.

Hokuto is the ring bearer and Hoshiyo is the flower girl. Meanwhile Kureko gets to be the "blessing boy" or he gets to bless Hoshimi's entrance into both the family and his life as his stepmother.

Hoshimi chooses to wear an elegant, dark blue wedding dress with stars embedded into it. It's different than her previous wedding dress, the one in which she married her first husband in.

They have the wedding in the afternoon and the party at night.

Umeji makes a toast to his new wife and makes a speech about how much he loves her and how she's lifted the darkness from his heart. For the first time in many years, people see Hoshimi become visibly flustered.

Taiyomi and Tsukimi take pictures of that and posts it to their social medias.

@floof-ghostie @s0ursop @opalofoctober @elflynns-horde-of-stuff @pizzolisnacks @peachyblkdemonslayer @blondephobicpercy

#jay's bnha ocs #oc headcanons #ship: aquaorca🐋 #ship: aquaorion🏝 #ship: democat😘 #ship: stellanox🎆

[baja4nia]

high surf today a little bit of rain but i went up to la jolla farms which would be worth it just for the drive up there but i hiked down the canyon to the shore to watch the surfers too. love doing that on high surf days. just taking videos to watch later. looking at everything the surfers are doing. talking to them. hanging out by the lifegaurds. it's my favorite. had lots of times with high surf this winter which has really just made me fall in love with the whole sport and ofc san diego. i got to see a wild coyote for the first time! ever! that bitch was huge it was the size of a large dog! and so beautiful. it was chasing a hare down the canyon. so dope. you could hear tons of parrots out today cause of the rain i think they like it cause their not native to san diego lmao. saw pelicans hunting which is always cool cause their right next to the surfers and you can see how small everything looks so you know their really far out there and the waves are just huge. surfers like to exit the wave by kind front flipping off their board into the water once they get back up to the top of the face and the wave is ending but this one guy slipped trying to jump off the board at the top of a 10 ft. wave and you just see this poor guy go flying off the wave literally kartwheeling back down to the water..... it's so addicting being down there. everyone surfing runs down the canyon wetsuit on holding their boards not wanting to miss any second they can be in the water. it's hard to leave too people will stand there for 30 minutes after they get out just talking to people leaving or watching people still in the water. i saw a dolphin come out of the set to jump out of the water as the wave was cresting and it was a big wave probably 15 ft. and the dolphin almost hit like 3 of the surfers going over the wave it was so damn close to them. terrifying

[jacks-tracks]

Dorado Jack

Dorado, also known as Mahi mahi, are a pelagic predator fish. They travel on schools, feeding on shrimp, squid and small fish, Very agressive feeders, they strike a lure that's traveling at 5 knots, only 50 feet behind the boat, just skipping along the surface. Do look them up to see a picture, as they are the most fabulous colours, and the males have a peculiar blunt head. The body has colour variations from aqua to kool aid lime green. and the pectoral fins are tourqoise, an electric blue. All these colours rapidly fade once the fish dies, and I got no good pictures, as the action was too quick to snap shots.

Fishing? Finally connected with Jimmy Tortuga, the luckiest fisherman, and he booked a charter boat. 3 guys, 2 crew, 40 kilometers offshore! Happily it was relatively calm when we left the beach in dawn darkness, riding out into the pink blushed sunrise. Just a beater panga, 90 HP engine, hard seats, but the crew were alert and competent, quickly finding the current line that concentrated the bait fish, We had a small fish right away, another when we found a drift log where predators seek their prey, and from then on it was fish after fish.Jimmy caught the biggest, and 2 more. i got 3 nice ones (10 pounds) and the new guy got 4, for an impressive total of 10 in the boat. Given that 225 boats had scoured the seas just days before in a derby, we were lucky, each of us taking turns on the rods, and reeling in the reluctant fish. Some jumped, most just plowed passed the boat till the skipper could catch the line and manhandle them aboard.

Not just fish, we saw 20+ big turtles, and were passed by hundreds of dolphins racing the boat, leaping, spinning and dancing across the waves. Awesome! Dolphins really are smart, they passed our 3 lures, never took a bite.

When i took customers fishing, they held the rod, set the hook, and hopefully reeled the fish close enough for me to net them, and bonk them. Here the boat is going so fast that the fish set their own hook, the deckhand pulls the rod out of the holder and passes it to whoever is in the chair wearing the belt with the rod butt holder, and then as soon as the fish is dragged close the skipper handlines them in. By the time the fish has stopped thrashing in the bilge, the deckhand has a new lure out and fishing goes on nonstop. Lures are what I'd call hootchies,plastic squid in co;ours from green to flame red. The lures are threaded onto a leader with big hooks and cut fresh bait. I could not get used to how fast we trolled, but it worked, keeping the lure just on the surface.

At those speeds we ran 10 miles downcoast, so by 11 am we headed home into a rising sea and cross chop. Bang, bang bang. Even quartering the waves we still took a pounding. However, spirits were high, and the deckhand fileted the fish on a board, making an impressive pile. Division of the spoils went 2 fish each for the customers, 4 for the skipper to sell. My bags weighed over 10 pounds, and cut up bagged and frozen, I have fish for a month. How do they taste? WelI',ve been enjoying the Marlin I bought, mild flavour like tuna, but dense meat, bit chewy. Dorado is tender, flaky, a little sweet, and totally delicious. Of course I ate some fresh, filling and good.

What did it cost? The charter was 3500 pesos, and a 500 peso tip. that's about $300 canadian dollars, split 4 ways. Lets say i spent $70 for an enjoyable trip, good company, some hard fought fishing, and a load of food. The Dorado migrate, so we may have caught the last of the season.

[vikas643]

Best Things To Do In Goa: Top 10 Activities in Goa You Must Try

Goa is a complete tourist destination and there is a lot to do in Goa. If you're always looking to hike to the waterfalls, explore the underwater world, or board a boat to see dolphins, this beach town welcomes you with open arms. Goa has a lot to do  to suit the travel preferences of all types of travelers. Let's see some of the best

1. Snow park

Looking for a really fun activity to cool and relax? Want to go to a place like  heaven? Why not try Snow Park , one of Goa's best attractions. A snow park in goa offers unique and unlimited entertainment activities for the whole family, single groups, couples and children's musty. It is located between two famous beaches, Baga Beach and Calangute beach. Quiet beaches and beautiful sunsets in winter, or cool-downs and stunning water sports activities in Goa. snow parks for peak  summer seasons Goa offers indoor snow adventures.

2. Flyboarding

Explore the adventurous side of Goa like never before with a flyboard in the Sunshine State. Did we get your attention? We love Sunshine, the ocean, the  sun and the sand. Thinking about exploring the length and width of the state, I found a place in Goa that pleased you. A new avatar for water sports. Water lovers are advised to take a break jet skiing in Goa with a paraglider and try a flyboard instead. Flyboarding in Goa takes place on the Chapora River with the help of an experienced instructor. The session begins with a briefing and tightens the gear! You can even jump out of the water with a  jetpack and try cool stunts!

3. Bungee Jumping

Goa offers tourists an adventure sports slate. The state has plenty of choices for adventure addicts. Exciting sports  accessible in Goa include trekking, parasailing, water skiing, scuba diving, jet skiing, bungee jumping and speedboating. Bungee jumping  is a relatively new activity that takes a baby's step in Goa. This movement is exciting and amazing. The basic cost of bungee jumping in depends on many factors, and bungee jumping cost in goa ranges from Rs 2550 to Rs 4850. This usually depends on the tour operator you choose, but the main factor is also  the time  you choose.

4. Paragliding

Imagine looking up and looking down at the beautiful blue sky blending into the horizon, and looking down at it blending into the ocean. You are somewhere in the middle and gliding. Forget all your worries, work pressures and deadlines. This is an experience that only paragliding in Goa beach can give you.  You can choose anything from a 15-minute session to a 1-hour session. A one-hour session usually costs about Rs 3,000, but the price is the shortest. September-March is considered the best month for paragliding in Goa, with December-March being the peak season.

5. Hot air balloon in Goa

If you want to be as high as a paraglider in Goa, a hot air balloon is the best choice, minus the effort. Recently launched and a bit expensive, it's one of the best ways to enjoy views of the  azure waters and golden beaches against the backdrop of lush  groves. Currently, this activity is taking place at the Asolda site in South Goa and costs about  10,000 rupees for a three-hour trip. The trip takes place early in the morning, so you can see the sunrise while you're in the air.

6. Paramotoring in Goa

A paramotor is a form of paragliding, but the motor is attached to the flight gear to further boost it. Climb to an altitude of 1000 feet and you'll see a bird's-eye view of the beach and the waves below it. This 15-20 minute session is by no means sufficient and you will want to return to the air. It is a two-seater and is thrown into the sky at a height of 1000 feet. You  have a pilot to guide you and make sure you are safe. It basically feels like you're sitting in a rocking chair, except that you're in the air. From there you can get a bird's eye view of the beautiful Goa under you. It will certainly give you a thrill and some chills. And in India, the love for motor drive paramotoring in goa is increasing day by day.

7. Quad biking in goa

Great for adrenaline enthusiasts Quad biking in Goa. Whether you are an amateur or a professional, this terrain is much more enjoyable and disease-free than other dirt roads in India.

8. Whitewater Rafting

If you are a fan of extreme adventures, this is  for you. Watch the adrenaline run through you as you glide through the waters of the torrent river. There are  many places to try this wonderful activity, such as the Madei, Mandvi and Valpoi rivers. The June-September season, also known as the monsoon season, is the best time for Whitewater Rafting Goa as it is the time of the most raging torrents.

9. Dolphin safari

One of the cheapest boating activities is Dolphin safari in Goa. Experience one of the most enjoyable, relaxing and pocket-friendly trips to see the grayish black and finless pods of Indo-Pacific humpback whales in the blue waters of the Arabian Sea. This package includes boating, life jackets, dolphin watching and sightseeing. Because Goa's steep waters are exposed to direct sunlight, you need to have sunglasses, a hat, sunscreen, and most importantly, a camera to capture the unforgettable moments of your trip.

10. Scuba Diving

Malvan is a quiet Tarka in the Sindhudurg district, a place for everyone to enjoy. No one is disappointed and returns from this place. If you are looking for a place to relax and unwind, this is a great destination to visit. . The best thing about Malvan Scuba is that you can enjoy it from beginners to non-swimmers. Malvan Beach has an enviable coastline of striking white sands bordered by cashew nuts, mangoes and coconut palms. The place is famous for its exotic beaches, tranquil backwaters, historic forts, and apparently adventurous water sports hotspots along with best scuba diving in malvan Goa Safar Travel Express is a place where beginners are trained to become professional diving in Malvan.

#water sports #adventure

[fluffyydumplings]

The Journey to Letting Go

Gone - Part 6

Summary: Life goes on - even after your death, even if moving on proves to be more complicated and heart-wrenching than anything could ever be. They don’t know where this is going, they don’t know what they are doing. But one thing is for sure, they’ll always love you. Letting go doesn’t mean forgetting you, it means getting the closure they deserve and need.

Word count: 6k

Genre: poly!au / painter!namjoon x sculptor!yoongi x fashion illustrator!jin x traveller!reader / angst / fluff/ poetry / romance / travel!au

Warning: themes of grief / brief mention of a nightmare / mentions of death / a shit load of flirting / profanity

A/N: Ahahahha... I thought this was going to be finished by January, but a trip was all it took for me to feel like writing the first half of it. Some of this shit is so poetic.. I mean it... With the news of Jin, Yoon and Joon.. This was basically me stress writing my worries away.. Three more parts to go :) Unless I come up with some other shit that is.. @jayhopely (The next part is going to roast you alive.. The angst hasn’t ended yet..) Frankly speaking, this chapter is not that angsty..

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‘I’m ready to let go,’ tucking the passport into his front pocket, Yoongi takes both Jin’s and Namjoon’s hands into that of his.

It was a world built out of ash, it was a world that was scarce of love and warmth. The memories of you, it was still fresh in their minds. The day you walked into their lives.. Your tiny fingers with that of Yoongi’s, your teabag seeping in a cup of hot water with that of Namjoon’s iced coffee, your brown sweater and Jin’s orange clothing. Like a basket of newly-baked croissants accidentally left out in the heat, stale and inedible even though it should be. The memories of you, bitter and painful even though they shouldn’t be.

‘I’m ready to let go,’ Namjoon squeezes onto Yoongi’s arm. gravitating closer and closer to the although older, smaller man.

*Attention to all passengers boarding flight xxxxxx of Lavander Airlines to Switzerland.. The departure gate has been changed to xx.. Thank you for listening..’

The same announcement is made in multiple languages. English, Japanese, Chinese, etc.

‘I too am ready to let go,’ Jin nods as an affirmation to himself, a slightly satisfied smile lining his lips.

What do you call those insects with pretty patterns on their wings? The ones that are part of the Lepidoptera family? Butterflies.. Yes, butterflies..

Butterflies can see colours that we are not able to see, just like how certain things are only seen by certain people while others are left in the dark. From that driver’s point of view, so high above.. Were you perhaps a dried leaf that he could simply crunch on with his tyres? From their point of view, you were the most precious human to ever exist. So much they’d jump in front of you if it meant you’d have one last breath to linger on.

They couldn't save you though.. that was hard to process. You were no longer there, yet you lingered everywhere. They would think you’d greet them with a smiling face whenever they entered your room, yet a chill in their bones is all that shows up. They would think they’d wake up to your footsteps that always leads outside, but they were trapped in a world where you no longer existed.

They didn't live as they should have.. They didn't look at the sky as they should have.. Because without you, what is life? Doing that, they almost lost what they had. All the communication between them and the devotion they had for each other lost in the guilt, pain and grief that lasted way longer than it should have. Nevertheless, those moments were what helped them heal and become the dolphins splashing freely in the sea that they are now, the net formed from losing you no longer having a strong hold on them as it once did.

Your floral dresses, loose t-shirts, and denim jeans all donated to a homeless shelter somewhere in the middle of the city you once called home. The letters you poured your soul onto, the cards that remain of the travels you once cherished, and the trinkets you once traced your fingers upon kept in a drawer they are only to seek for the day the thought of you doesn't bring a burn to the veins of their hearts or the touch of their hands, and instead a smile to their faces.

‘It’s okay... It’ll be okay..’

Hands attached, and hearts closer than ever.. They were ready to conquer the world together.. Across oceans and up mountains, there was no place they were afraid to reach. Because together they would be.

‘The thrill of being nowhere near the ground... The view outside of this window..’

Jin almost unleashes the demon of what his wind-shield laughter would be at Yoongi’s weirdly poetic if not philosophical words that resonate across the occupied seats. ‘Sunlight.. It’s been a while since I’ve gotten a good percentage of vitamin D.. Ahhhh, my back is starting to ache..’ There goes Yoongi’s poor attempt at convincing the others that the window seat should be his.

‘Huh?’ what was the silly boy thinking on and about.

‘Is this why Y/N liked travelling?’

Something Namjoon and Jin agreed upon over a drunken barbeque night where Yoongi was busy snoozing his pretty little ass off was: ‘If Yoons would have gone on another route, rather than one that involves rocks.. He would have ended up with a pen in his hands and a stack of paper on his table..’ Namjoon begins scribbling with his invisible tools.

‘Ya.. What’s with the sentiments? I thought I was in a movie theatre and a movie was playing.’

Giggles, and shy fiddling on and about..

‘Probably.. We should have travelled with her more..’

‘This lifetime will never be enough, Hyung.. Let’s just do whatever we can to savour the time we have.. We have a lot.. And until the very end, we’ll be together.. I know we will..’

‘Okay, Mr Poet.. Now, have a bite of this..’ Jin sticks a sour gummy worm in between that of the latter’s lips.

‘Uhmm.. Mmm..’

‘This one.. Is for..’ Jin aims it over to Yoongi who has his mouth wide open - perhaps like a child being fed an aeroplane made fully of rice?

‘Ahhh..’

‘Me..’ he chews mockingly, citric acid-infused sugar all over his face and hands.

‘Huhhh..’ a tiny pout..

‘Wiping the pout away,’ the tissue fits hesitantly against his lips, wiping both sugar and his pout away.

Jin has big hands, Yoongi tells himself..

‘Groarghhh..’

‘Groarghhh..’

Snoring..

They stop fighting for candy, carefully moving Namjoon in between the two of them. Secretly passing snacks over to each other and praying that no crumbs end up on their precious teddy bear...

‘He’s cute,’ a fond smile..

‘You’re cute,’ red ears..

‘You’re cute too,’ a whispered remark that results in an abundant layer of blush.

‘Groaarghhh..’

With muted laughter, Yoongi plays with Namjoon’s fingers as Jin make sure no hair ends up swallowed by either Namjoon’s eyes or mouth.

Then Yoongi falls asleep, Namjoon up in his stead. Constantly going on and on about the different art periods and artists he has a liking for, and how they must must must visit a museum, gallery or whatever at least twice during this expedition of theirs..

And then they all fall asleep, hands still intertwined - like otters that are afraid to drift away into the sea, all cold and alone.

‘Grilled pork and rice or congee with eggs’ the flight attendant asks the lady three seats ahead of theirs, the food cart within her reach..

‘Grilled pork and rice..’

Someone once asked you.. ‘Do you believe in love?’ Your answer was no..

Years later, walking across a beach filled with sand.. A girl who seemed to be of your age approached you.. Tapping your shoulder gently.. ‘Do you believe in love?’ she asked with a forlorn expression carved onto her youthful features. Your answer that time around was maybe..

You don't believe in falling in love at first sight, or soulmates that are meant for each other. You don’t believe in love.. You don’t believe in night skies filled with stars that all twinkle brightly without dimming once.. You don’t believe in ice cream being spoon fed by a lover all year round.. You believe in sleeping on the couch and making up the next day or hour because you know you’re wrong and simply don’t want to live without the other..

You believe in Jin’s eyes that always find yours, reassuring you that the world might be big but so is your dreams, the passion you have for what you love, your heart.. ‘Kim Seokjin’s love for you.. Kim Seokjin’s love for Joon and Yoon... The world doesn't stand a chance with me..’ ‘Ewww..’ You feign disgust, but deep inside you like it..

You believe in Yoongi’s arms that wrap around you every other night, kissing away the tears caused by the nightmares of your painful childhood away.. ‘It’s okay..’ ‘I’m here..’ ‘It’s okay..’ ‘We’re at home, sweetheart.. It’s okay..’ ‘Do you want me to hold you?’ ‘Do you want some leftover soup, sweetheart?’ ‘Stay.. Just stay, Yoons..’ ‘Okay..’

You believe in Namjoon’s ever so sincere words of comfort, telling you over and over again that the world will never hurt you as it once did before.. that if it tries, he won’t even let it come a continent close to you.. ‘Don’t you dare harm a single strand of her hair, you stupid world!’ he shouts to a considerable volume. ‘You know what.. Don’t you dare harm her at all, you stupid world! he shouts with more ferocity, remembering that he was on top of a mountain and that no soul would be able to hear his deafening scream. ‘Who invented this saying? Every strand of your hair is previous to me..’ ‘Namjoon..’ you hit his shoulder playfully.

‘Wake up.. Rise and shine!’

He’s a morning person.. Sand between toes, the sun peeking from the sky, a cup of cold hot americano.. That’s him!

‘Ughh.. Sleep.. Sleep..’ Yoongi mumbles, words slipping out unconsciously off of his lips.

‘We’re here, Yoon Hyung.. Get up..’ playfully ruffling the elder’s hair, Joon kisses the top of his head.

‘One for me too..’ Jin struggles to open his eyes.

‘Huh?’ Joon turns his head over to Jin.

‘A kiss.. I want one too..’ he points over to the top of his head.

*mwah*

Stolen kisses, silly jokes, and banana bread shared between three. Knees struggling to not hurt, shoulders pressed tightly together.

‘Cofee or tea, Sir?’

‘Two coffees and one water.. No milk, please..’

‘Two coffees and one water..’

‘Thank you..’ Jin smiles politely, passing the drinks over to the other two.

‘This is your captain speaking... We will be landing in HYYH airport at approximately, 9:30am..’

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Namjoon’s Point Of View ↴

We were in Thailand within a blink of an eye.. Glass windows, security guards and a whiff of cool air. Seoul, Bangkok, Phnom Penh, Beijing. A city was a city regardless of where you were.. Whether one had lights brighter than that of the other, or more population density than that of the other.. A city was a city..

In an unfamiliar place with familiar people.. Home wasn’t a place.. Home was Jin, Yoongi, and You, Y/n.. You are home, my love..

‘So.. Where should we head to first?’

‘The floating market..’

Silly thing..

‘Hyung.. Hugh..’

‘Do you seriously want to hop in the water this early in the morning.. And on a full stomach?’

Jin.. Ha! What’s with him.. Ha.. He.. He..

‘Tomorrow, Hyung.. Tomorrow..’ Yoongi suggests.. the idea of getting anywhere near water not one bit amusing to him.

I know how Yoongi is.. ‘As long as you are happy, I am..’ he says..

A big softie.. A big big big softie.. He’s cute... Really cute! Yeah..

If Jin wants a floating market, the tiny man would gladly buy one for him.. You could say he’s whipped.. Or you could go on with the other theory, that he’s simply a big big softie.. Or both! He’s cute.. He he!

Maybe I too am whipped.. ⁄ ⁄•⁄ω⁄•⁄ ⁄

‘Can we just laze around in the hotel?’

Yoonie’s tendency to avoid humans..

‘And then we explore!’

‘Half half..’ Yoongi negotiates.

The taxi driver grimaced.. I could have sworn he did.

‘Fine..’ Jin agrees, turning his head away from Yoongi and to the outside world.

‘I did some research.. We should do some painting and knitting while we are at it..’

‘Wahh.. Joon, that’s wonderful..’ a slap onto my thighs

‘Wood carving,. What do you think of that, Hyung?’

‘Oh.. Yahh.. What are you? That’s wonderful!’

‘We will arrive at Golden Elephant Hotel in five minutes,’ the driver informs us.

‘Wait.. You know Korean?’

‘Yep, I do.. Born in Korea and raised in Thailand..’

‘Jung Hoseok’s the name..’

The familiar can become unfamiliar... And the unfamiliar can become familiar.. Over time my love, we start to forget how your hands feel in ours and what every inch of you once felt like. One thing is for sure though, we loved it - every inch of you and your hands in ours. It might be a distant memory as of now, but we indeed loved it.

Who knew we’d come across a man like Hoseok?... Life Is truly a road with countless bumps, traffic signs and lights everywhere. We’ll never know if we need to turn right, left or stop.. We hopped into a taxi thinking we’d meet with a strange man from a strange country we hoped to find peace in, to only meet with one that shared the same tongue as we did and looked to a certain degree like we did.

Life is those pair of mix-matched socks in the corner of your drawer.. Ones you dread to wear outside.. Ones that have your anxiety spiralling from how they don't match as you try keeping yourself warm at home.. Forgotten and untouched, until the missing pair shows up one day as you try to fetch the remote you accidentally chucked under the couch.

Life is uncertain.. It bites at you, heals you back and the cycles starts over and over again - never in a methodical manner. You never know whether you’d get bitten twice before you heal or the other way around. Life is on no one’s side.. It does whatever it wants, whenever it wants..

I tell myself every day, both me and life are asses.. When in reality, I’m scared of being in the wrong.. Plus, having someone or something to share the blame with made my shoulders hurt a little less.. I’m a selfish man, Y/N.. We all are.. I let greed take over me.. I chose fame over you.. I chose my career over you.. In the end, I lost..

I walked this path.. I chose this.. I hurt you when I swore to never hurt you - not in this way at least. For the rest of my life, I’ll try to be the man I never was.. Words.. Words.. They are just words.. I’ll try, I will.. I’m sorry if I never become that man though.. I’m sorry.. I love you..

‘My love.. Y/N.. Y/N..’

Footsteps.. Footsteps

‘Don’t go! Don’t go!’

When I stare at the ceiling at night, I think of you.. I think of you and blame myself for everything that I have done to you when I should have done so much for you.. Then I try to gauze up my wounds with how it was life that killed you and not me. There is too much wrong I have done though.. So much, this gauze called life cannot stop my bleeding..

It stopped your breathing.. It did stop your breathing! Ahhhhhhh!!! Fuckkkkk!!!! There I go again! Again? Again! And again!!!

‘I love you..’

‘I love you, Jooniee..’

‘Y/N!!!!’

Frankly, I don't know what this trip will bring us.. One thing is for sure, love.. It feels right..

I don't know what is right for me.. But, this feels right.. It feels right..

The wind running against my hair like your fingers used to.. The smile on their sun-kissed faces that I absorb in the form of another smile.. I know that perfection does not exist.. But perhaps for one second I’ll bathe in the perfection of this world... This strange place with beautiful views and coconut trees beyond my soul.. This strange place with big malls and cars among a group of three tiny men..

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Jin’s Point of View ↴

London.. Locals crossing streets, as we try desperately to blend in.. or perhaps we aren’t..

The big clock that strikes every hour, the bridge we cross with our hands still entwined, the corner where the great fire of London initially started at..

Yoongi.. Small stars he uses to see with, pretty hands he shapes with and a large smile he hasn’t shown in a long while (until now, that is)

‘Hyung.. that figurine is so adorable..’

Joon.. That wise brain of his used for the purpose of navigating this world of people pretending to be geniuses. His tendency to go towards anything that is cute..

‘Hyung.. This..’

The sleeve of his overalls falling off..

‘Hyung will help you.. Come over here.. Hyung will help you..’

*click*

‘There you go, Joon..’

*head pat*

‘Hyung... Hyung.. They have oatmeal cookies!!’

‘Aigoo.. Yoongi... I’ll buy some for you, Yoongi-ah..’

*head pat*

I love you.. I love you all so so so much..

‘I love you..’

I wish I could have said those three words to you one last time.. In this life, I don’t think I’ve said it enough times. Then again, is there a sufficient amount of I love you’s in this world that is great enough to convey my love for you? Our love for you? My love for them?

I wake up once more and a day becomes a year.. Sometimes I forget you entirely, sometimes all I do is ache to see you again. Those photos I took of you, I look at it for hours and hours to come.. But, it was never enough or ever will be enough.. I miss you..

‘What? This.. Ha he he.. What is this? Ahhh, Hyung..’

‘What? It’s true.. I love you..’

‘I love you too..’ Namjoon winks..

We both focus on Yoongi..

‘What? What? What.. Did you expect me to say it too?’

‘Ha..’

He’s the same as always..

Yoongi’s better now, sweetheart.. He’s eating proper meals, trying his best not to enter that same cycle of overworking and hurt.. Yoongi’s better now, sweetheart.. He does scream and whimper in pain once in a while... But.. Nonetheless, he’s better now.. Don’t worry, sweetheart.. Don’t worry..

Namjoon? Ha ha.. He’s not in his room all day as he once was.. He’s eating well.. An appropriate dose of iced americanos once in a while.. You know how the man is like, sweetheart.. I tell him to cut back on it once in a while, so don't worry.. He’s doing great.. Whenever he looks at photos of you.. He usually smiles.. So, don’t worry! I know you worry a lot..

Me? Sweetheart.. I'm the oldest little shithead over here! Being the oldest is hard.. I feel like everything is my fault.. Not everything is on my shoulders though.. I’m grateful.. Those two won’t allow me to whither away or turn all wrinkly just yet.. They take care of me well.. They really do! They’re always trying to help around.. They’re great, Aren’t they sweetheart?

You’re great too sweetheart.. I miss you :(.. Jin misses you, sweetheart.. Lots and lots..

‘Hyung.. Hyung.. There’s this dish called bubble and squeak.. Isn’t that adorable? Isn’t it?’

‘Aigoo.. Do you want to try that, Yoons?’

‘Yeah.. Yeah.. Bubble and squeak! Adorable.. He he..’

‘Yeah.. Yeah.. Hyung, it looks wonderful... The dish!! Look! Look!’ Namjoon turns his phone over to me.

‘Bubble and squeak! Adorable!’

Adorable.. Oh how adorable they are.. I’ve never seen anyone this excited over fried potatoes, cabbage and vegetables.. adorable..

‘He he!’

Sometimes it feels like I’m taking care of two children rather than two adults... I can come home one day to an absolute mess and another to absolute silence. Pillows scattered on the ground, the sound of paintbrushes gliding against a canvas, plates pilling up a sink, a broom sweeping dust off of the floor, the therapeutic hammering of marble, and the sloshing of hands in water. I’m satisfied either ways, as long as they are here.. Running around and chasing after one another or cuddling on the couch as home alone (a Christmas movie) plays in the background even though it’s June.. As long as they are here, I am happy..

‘L is for the way you look at me~’

‘O is for the only one I see~’

‘V is very, very extraordinary~’

‘E is even more than anyone than anyone that you adore~’

On the wheel, in a rented car, driving somewhere we’ve never been before yet long to go..

In their eyes, I see love

In my eyes, I see you

Oh how desperately we wish you were here,

But I guess we’ll have to make it work

On the wheel, in a rented car.. We’re almost there, to this place we are yet to know

In your eyes, I once saw love

In your eyes, I still see love

Oh how desperately you would wish to be here,

But I guess in our hearts is the only way we can bring you here

‘And love is all that I can give to you~’

‘Love is more than just a game for two~’

‘Two in love can make it~’

‘Take my heart but please don't break it~’

‘Love was made for me and you~’

On the wheel, in a rented car..

Wherever we are, whoever we could be

Sweetheart, you who isn’t here with us..

We will always love you..

Always and always and always and always

‘Oh! Hyung! When is your audition? Don’t forget us once you are famous..’

‘Yah! I’m already famous.. Do you know who I am? I design clothes for the bestest of best brands out there! Yahh.. I’m famous alright..’

‘You won’t forget us.. Right, Hyung.?’ Yoongi teases..

Little rascal..

‘Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!’

‘Ahaaahahhahaa!!’

‘My Little Pony~’

‘My little Pony~’

‘What is friendship all about~’

‘My little pony~’

‘My little pony~’

‘Friendship is magic~’

‘I used to wonder what friendship could be~’

‘One of the best shows I have ever watched.. Truly..’

‘Who’s your favourite pony?’

‘I like twilight sparkle..’ says the painter whom I call my boyfriend.

He could capture sunflowers, dried and slipped in between pages of poetry or swaying within a field of millions of its own kind using shades of yellow and green that are scarce in variety. He could catch the droplets of water on grass as the early bird catches its worm.. He could bring that dead persimmon tree that once grew in the backyard of our neighbour’s home back to life - the same one hanging on our wall and providing safety to us just as it once did them. He could build a world with a single paintbrush and what once was a tree with branches, roots and leaves. He could do so much, yet right now he was sitting down and going deep into a world of magical ponies and pegasides. That's what makes him so lovable...

He is a man who has galaxies twirling within the tip of his fingers, yet he could make himself small and indulge into a world so much tinier than that of his. That’s what makes him so adorable..

‘I like pinky pie..’ says the sculptor whom I can call my boyfriend.

He who walks on water can turn it into wine.. Yoongi, who runs away from water can bring life into stones.. His callused hands that form what fills up our kitchen drawers and shelves, they shape your lips, eyes, nose and form.. He mumbles.. ‘She is much more prettier..’ He starts over.. From afar, I am astonished by what he can do.. Up close, I am frozen in an enchantment that he casts.. I cannot bring myself to form a mere sphere out of clay, but within two hours I saw you.. ‘She is much more prettier..’ he mumbles..

Yet from what I see, he did well... So well, I have to stop myself from thinking that you are still here.. So well, I have to stop myself from running up to what he made and giving you a hug..

I have never looked at pebbles, stones or dirt the same way I did before ever since he came into my life.. An ocean with its low and high tide.. A bear with its fur and paws...

‘Hyung.. Wow.. We just discovered something new today..’

Namjoon finds it endearing.. I can see it in the way his eyes twinkles and how his smile is out in the open..

‘I thought you were going to go with Rarity or Rainbow Dash..’

I never take my eyes off of the road just as I listen to every word that was said.

‘Hyung likes Rarity the best out of everyone..’

‘Ohhh!! Jin Hyung, that suits you well!’ Namjoon’s voice increases in volume as he exclaims his profound emotions for my liking towards a fictional character.

What can I say? I have great taste..

*Pop*

‘Oops..’

‘Aigooo.. Aigooo.. You should have asked for my help with opening that packet of corn chips, Joon-ah..’

Here comes the useless banter that will last for minutes or as long as we haven’t reached our destination.. Oh, I love them so much..

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Yoongi’s Point Of View ↴

‘Yoongi-ah.. Did you finish it yet?’

‘Huh?’ I jolted awake at the urgent tone of your voice.

‘Finish what?’ I was confused..

‘The other half of the report..’

‘Oh.. Yeah.. I left it in my locker..’ I grinned, your worries carried away along with the wind.

Those good old college days..

-

‘Yoonieee.. Are we going to make dumpwings over at your house? Lwast twime was fun..’

‘Maybe..’ a smile slowly forming on my face, I gently patted you on the head.

Those good old Montessori days..

-

We were children, then we were adults.. Much to my sorrow, I didn't know you when we were in diapers. However as I felt your tiny little nose touch mine I realised that I didn’t mind knowing you a little later than that.. We might not have cried in cribs next to each other or took our first steps together.. But we did so much more.. I was there when you learnt how to make your first dumpling, I was there when you drooled on my favourite sweater.. I was there when you had ink smeared across your fingers.. I was there those nights you couldn't sleep no matter how much milk you drank or how many movies you skipped through.. I was there when we accidentally kissed..

I don’t mind meeting you when the top of our heads are marred with grey, I don’t mind meeting you when the world is caught in a storm, I don’t mind meeting you when daylight morphs into darkness.. As long as I meet you, I am happy.. You make me happy..

‘Hyung.. Hyung.. Cotton Candy! Cotton Candy!’

‘Aigooo, careful.. Hyung will buy some for you.. Hyung will buy some for you!’ running after the man-child, Jin affectionately curses underneath his breath.

‘These guys..’ my eyes filled with adoration...

‘Su-weeet..’ Joon practically jumps up and down, as the fluffy treat seals his lips with its sugary goodness - a kiss that isn’t to be forgotten.

Silly Namu..

‘Where do you want to go, Yoongi-ah? Hyung will take you wherever you want..’

‘Your..’

‘My heart? Aigooo.. You’re already in my heart..’

*moments of silence*

‘Hyunggggg.. Let me finish.. Please... Aigooo..’

‘Your shirt.. There’s a hole in it..’

‘It’s your fault my shirt has hole in it..’

What is he talking about?

‘You burned it with your hotness.. Aigooo.. Yoongi.. It’s your fault.. Apologise right away!’

‘Don’t speak such nonsense..’

‘Heee heee.. Huh.. Hee.. Heh.. Huh.. Heeh..’

‘Hyung! Hyung! Hyung! The Ferris wheel..’ he poked at my shoulder.

‘Do you want to ride it, Joon?’

‘Yeah.. I do..’

‘Then go ahead..’

In a confined space, the three of us sat.. Metres up into the sky, thighs pressed together.. Seven out of ten lights in a building complex out of millions that coexist, saturating the city in a warm gold hue. One that matched that of the sun that slowly settled down, appearing as though it had been buried deep underground - a jewel to rise back up and be discovered as dawn arrives once more.

On the ground, we stood tall.. But as lights flickered on and off, streets slowly emptied, and houses creeped into the walls of nightfall. We realise, how small we truly are.. Three ants overpowered by bricks and cement that pile high into the sky. Patterned roofs and chimneys, as much as inanimate they are, more alive than we could ever be.

Y/N.. How are you, honey? Is the world treating you right? Do I have to punch someone today?

This trip makes me feel connected to you.. A lot.. It’s strange.. You’re not even here, but I feel as though I’ve been spending time with you.. This is what you loved after all.. Travelling.. This is what we call making up for lost time.. Love you, honey.. Never said it enough times..

Oh, how I wish to bury myself into your arms, coddling and cuddling you all day.. ‘Y/N..’ Oh, I love saying your name out-loud.. You have such a pretty name.. In fact, everything about you is technically pretty..

‘Yahh.. I’m so glad we’re not on some roller coaster ride.. Now that I think of it, this is scary..’ looking down, Jin Hyung swallows down his saliva (with uttermost terror).

‘It’s pretty okay, Hyung..’ Namjoon lowers his eyes down.

‘Aigoo.. Joon-ah.. You know how our Jin Hyung is..’

‘He’s a little scaredy-cat..’

Namjoon nods in agreement..

‘A CUTE LITT ahh.. SCAREDY Ci yaT..’

‘Why are you screaming all of a sudden?’

‘LoooOOOOK!’ he points down at some guy eating churros.

‘We should get churros later on,’ Namjoon mumbles at the back of his throat.

‘Churros or no churros.. This is so fucking scary..’

-

‘This is so fucking scary..’

‘You wanted to ride the carousel.. This is it, honey.. Are you really really really scared?’

‘I never got to ride one when I was younger.. It always looked so fun.. But, it’s so fucking scary...’

‘You wanted to go to the haunted house later on.. Are you sure you can handle that, honey?’

‘Of course..’ you stated pridefully, your hands firm on the plastic horse.

‘Are you sure.. Y/N?’

‘I am.. Very much!’

_

‘Ahhhhhhh!!

‘Yoongi... That’s a fucking zombie... It’s a fucking zombie!!’

‘This is so fucking scary..’

*bumps*

‘You smell like a Yooniee... Ahhhh.. Are you a Yoonie?’

‘This is so fucking scary..’

-

A side that I rarely saw with how composed, calm and relaxed you are most of them time.. Those words bring me back to a time a long to go back to..

Losing you, honey.. It was like walking home as rain was slowly seeping into my blood, feet aching as though hot iron was pressing against my flesh and eyes burning like the sun had infiltrated into my cornea.. It made me appreciate the simplest of things.. Mundane, boring or whatever - everything was to be appreciated.. From three toothbrushes that stick out of a yellow cup to a broken plate, I was happy with the life I had..

Because.. Even if Jin’s habit of conjuring up terrible jokes clashes with Namjoon’s inclination to knock down whatever that is in front of him, those seemingly irritating actions that causes one to cuss underneath their breath is precious.. I might be mortified out of my shoes, but when it’s gone only will I look back and realise how I didn't get to savour it all as I should have.. That’s life.. Oh, I hate that phrase.. So, what if it is life? Funny how things work out.. I find myself using it often these days.. That phrase..

That’s life.. You get pissed off over the annoying little things that a person does, veins bulging and blood pressure rising.. And then, they’re gone.. And you start missing those same annoying little things that they do.. As much as I loved you, and still do.. There were those annoying little things you did that pissed me off.. The way you would, the way- You know what, fuck it.. I love you.. Who cares.. We’re all covered head to toe with flaws.. We all piss off each other at times.. I’ve said pissed off way too many times.. I love you, honey.. I love you, honey.. There, it's all covered up..

-

(To Heaven - Bada )

‘Even without you I’m doing fine~’

‘You are just messing with me, Aren’t you?~’

‘Whenever it rains, I worry about you~’

‘It might be you hiding behind the clouds and crying~’

‘Please don’t do this to me~ You know that I won’t forget you easily, simply because I can’t see you~’

This song.. It reminds me of you..

‘Are you crying, Namjoon-ah?’ Jin’s eyes never leave the road.

‘The song is so.. Hugh.. Hugh.. sad..’

-

Rock carved too hastily, the artwork planned completely ruined just like that.. Fate is not something we can choose.. Life is a board game that involves a shit ton of luck, determination, hard work and the choices we make.. Depending on what we choose to do, that is our fate. You could have stayed that day, and something else could have happened. You could have never had that fight with Namjoon, and something else could have happened. Namjoon could have chose to never come back in the first place and something else could have happened..

At the end of it all, no matter how many times the sun sets and the moon rises in its place, another one of us is bound to succumb to defeat just as you did.. Or perhaps, we’ll survive this together.. Ha.. Ha.. Ha.. Only to plunge into the deep end of the ocean.. You don't win in life, that's the difference between it and a mere board game.

Some of us can win trophies, medals, awards.. rule the world.. fall in love.. But then one day, our memories are no more.. Our identities forgotten, the name and faces of those we love nowhere to be recalled, our names another to add to a record of billions of other deaths - nothing more or less..

We all die in the end.. We all die in the end.. I lived with that whirling in my head every day - a storm that never came to an end.. I would let it eat the remaining of what I was..

But, so what if we all die in the end.. It’s the lives that we lead that matters.. It’s the people we meet that matters.. It’s what we do that matters..

Making pancakes for Namjoon, and brewing coffee for Jin in the early morning. I found joy in that.. I learnt how to appreciate it.. Gifted a book by Namjoon, and a keychain by Jin on Christmas.. I found joy in that..

‘Hyung! Wake up! We are going to be late for the flight!’

‘Aigooo.. Yoongi-ah.. Just get some more sleep in the taxi or on the plane.’

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Dear Future,

20xx, Jin, Namjoon and Yoongi.. Stuck in between a world of havoc and terror, a tsunami overflowing within our hearts. Whatever you might have in store for us, I hope it will be one of greatness and prosperity.

But, do tell us.. Our lives a decade later on. What would have become of it? Does it all finally make sense? Are we finally half the size of what the world is? Are we happier than we are now?

We have years worth of questions, yet such little words left in our heads. Future, you seem like a kite we keep chasing after yet never manage to reach. Our feet left bruised and our foreheads dripping with sweat, yet you still seem so far away. You always are.. So much, we question whether you exist or not - every other day. For now, we’ll pretend you do. So, we ask you.. Are we flying on top of the world, laying six feet deep in underground, or standing on the cold darn floor just as we did the day we lost her? Has the pain of the past faded away over time, or has the bleeding gotten worse?

Are the people we hold dear and share all our worries with still sticking with us? Are we hanging with a different crowd, or are we lost in different crowds? What are you?

Sincerely yours, Jin.. Yoon.. And Joon

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

Dear wherever Y/N is,

Be nice to her.. We won’t take any of your unnecessary bullshit..

Dear Y/N,

We love you..

You have unlocked Jin’s, Yoon’s and Joon’s Travel Book

#bts fluff #bts angst #btswritingcafe #houseofincantations #yoongi fluff #yoongi angst #namjoon fluff #namjoon angst #yoongi x reader #min yoongi x reader #jin fluff #seokjin fluff #seokjin angst #jin angst #namjoon x reader #kim namjoon x reader #namjoon fic #jin fic #seokjin fic #yoongi fic #yoongi fanfic #yoongi x y/n #min yoongi x y/n #seokjjn x y/n #kim seokjin x y/n #kpop fanfiction #Gone by Fluffy Dumplings #bts fanfiction #bts fanfics #bts fics

[spaceacepirate]

-You will let me do this Paris.

-They will kill us both once they find out.

-At least it will be a proper end then.

Hektor stands on Troy’s walls, part of the army with him, the rest outside the gates. Soon, his little brother will ride out and fight Menelaos in single combat, soon his little brother will most likely die. Menelaos is a warlord, a ruthless fighter. Paris is not. The gates open, a single soldier rides out on a horse. Slowly the horse goes, even Scamandrius could keep up at this pace. The armor is strange, Paris normally wears brighter things, more for show than protection. This looks like one of Hektor’s sets. It is one of Hektor’s sets. Two spears, a sword, a shield, no bow. Paris does not like spears, he prefers the bow. From the Achaean ranks, a chariot rides out, a lot faster, with more flair. Menelaos, armor gleaming in the sun, he too holds two spears, a sword, and a shield.

The Trojan horse has stopped and the rider dismounts. Menelaos jumps out of the chariot. The warriors face each other. A yell from the Achaeans. The fighters clash.

-Sparta trains them well.

A voice from Hektor’s left. Paris. Paris who is meant to be fighting down there right now. Hektor drags him behind a pillar, out of sight.

-What have you done? Who is fighting instead of you?

-She threatened to skewer me with a sword, so it is not really something I did. Besides, she is a demigod, and trained, I am not.

-Helen? You let Helen fight?

-Again, she threatened me.

-Paris!

A scream from outside the city, too deep to be Helen. Paris drags Hektor back to the wall and points down to the battlefield. Menelaos, disarmed, helmet lost and on his knees in the dust, a sword at his throat. Helen, because it truly is her, in stolen armor, stands victorious, not a single scratch on her. On the field, Helen pulls the helmet off and throws it down next to Menelaos, long flowing hair revealed.

-Let this be a lesson to all, mortal and god alike, who claim to own me! I am the queen of Sparta, I am a princess of Troy and I am a daughter of gods. I am not property! I am free! And I will go wherever I please.

The spear crackles with electricity while just off the shore, behind the Achaean ships, clouds gather into a large mass. They disband again and leave behind a small ship. Several nephelae stay behind on deck. Helen picks up her helmet again and turns to the city walls, raising her spear high.

-Women of Troy, this is not your war. If you wish, this is your chance to leave. Join me and you will have a glorious and rich life on the seas.

With that Helen turns away and marches through the Achaean ranks, now once more wearing the helmet and brandishing the spear at any who dare to step too close. She boards the ship and leans over the prow, waiting. The gates of Troy open, a small parade of women leave, Cassandra at the front.

-Did we just lose a sister?

-You just lost your wife.

-And you lost a set of armor. Is that really Casandra?

-What do you mean I lost a set of armor?

-Mine did not fit okay? 

-Paris!

From the walls of Troy a loud shriek comes, although it is not one of fear or pain. Two brothers tussle, the war outside forgotten for a short moment. Their ignorance does not last long. Two weeks later Patroclus will fall from the walls of Troy. A week later Achilles shall drag Hektor around those walls. Soon after Achilles’s death will come from high up on the same walls. Afterward, Paris will fall outside the walls. Troy burns.

Far away on distant shores and foreign waters, Helen sails with her crew of women and nymphs. Some days the dolphins join them, sometimes human, sometimes not. Cassandra does not speak, but she writes and signs, the curse has no effect. They live a rich life, taking over ships and freeing slaves. They find Andromache on Corfu and learn of the end of Troy. They ask her to join them, but she declines, she mourns her Hektor still. Once a year they return to mourn brothers, friends, husbands, and fathers fallen during the sacking of Troy. Helen stays aboard the ship and mourns in her own way.

Every evening they sail into the sunset and laugh. No one owns them, they are free.

#poetry #its more a fic tbh #helen of troy #helen of sparta #cassandra of troy #andromache of troy #hektor of troy #hektor and andromache #paris of troy #menelaus #menelaos #what even is correct spelling #greek mythology #greek myth poetry #the illiad #illiad #because helen deserves to be a cool pirate okay #shes also definetly taller than paris #enjoy? #original poem

[w-o-r-d-s--f-a-i-l]

🎲

4 Mermaid(man) AU

Ezra had seen wonders of the world in his travels, trees taller than skyscrapers, all manner of animals, man-made marvels, and even some things that were beyond his comprehension, but he’d never seen the ocean. So, when he’d found a job listing for a short-term lighthouse keeper, he jumped at the chance. He didn’t care that he’d be working and living there all by himself, only seeing someone when food was delivered to him every two weeks or that the previous lighthouse keepers had all allegedly thrown themselves into the sea, he was getting room and board and getting paid for it and all he needed to do was turn on the light at night, take weather readings, and make sure things stayed clean. He’d only just arrived and he found himself taken by the beauty of the sea for a moment, glancing at some abnormally long and skinny seals upon a rock before looking at the bigger picture. There were always stories of lighthouse keepers going mad, but Ezra decided that wasn’t going to happen to him, he had a solid head on his shoulders and reveled in solitude. He’d been mistakenly given some food he couldn’t eat when he had first arrived and had come to the conclusion that it wouldn’t hurt to throw some of it into the sea for fish and those weird seals to get. He couldn’t eat seafood that didn’t have fins and scales, so the shipment of shellfish he received came with him to the edge of the water one day as he just started throwing some in there. Despite knowing fish couldn’t understand human language, he found himself calling out to them as he threw each frozen shrimp back into the water it had likely once come from, “Fish, or dolphins or whatever, I got some food here for you. Real high quality stuff. You don’t even have to hunt for it.”

#muse: ezra merritt #notyourapollo

[fairymadnessyeah]

Clone High

I rewatched Clone High today, after finishing a fic, and it gave me an idea for a second season, or a reboot season, if it ever happens. Warning: this will have JoanFK shipping in it.

So, in this season, everything is almost the same as the first one. The names of the episodes and what they are about, is all basically the same, except: all the students have a weird sense of deja vu. For example: when the students talk about something that happened last year, they get confused, and they all remember something cold, but they can’t put their finger on it. Mostly they shrug it off. However, feelings don’t disappear, so... Abe is a little more aware of Joan, Cleo wants Abe more, Joan is more hopeless about Abe and developing a weird crush on Kennedy, and JFK the same.

So...

Episode 1

Things go pretty much the same.

The hotline happens, JFK’s ultimatum, and Abe wanting to get Cleo.

But this time, Abe get real alcohol. He vaguely remembers failing to do so before, so he somehow gets real alcohol.

The party goes pretty much the same, and Joan tells Cleo to get with Abe.

But this time, when JFK offers her a drink, she accepts it with the idea to forget this night. She gets a bit tipsy though, and ends up making out with JFK.

The police come, but they take Abe and Gandhi. Joan was nowhere to be seen, since she was making out with JFK at the moment.

Principal Scudworth and Mr. Butlertron crash the party, but only to see what effect would the alcohol make in the clones. 

The fact that the clones lost a year is supposed to be a mystery.

Episode 2

This episode is almost the same.

Except that when Abe takes the sponsor, the brand goes: “Didn’t that kid look familiar? I feel like I have seen him before...”

Joan still goes to JFK, and he is more like: “I uh see you are back for more,”

The episode still continues the same, but at the end, Joan and JFK are seen talking.

“We will never speak about what happend at your party ever again,”

“Why uh not?”

“Because it’s never going to happen again,”

Next scene, both of them come out of a the school with their hair and clothes messed up, and lipstick all over their mouths.

Episode 3

The episode goes the same, but Joan doesn’t end like a speaker.

She instead goes to the Grassy Knol to sorrow in her embarrassment.

Marie Antoinette helps her a little. She tells her that she isn’t confused about her future or her past, but she is confused about her present. 

Also, Scudworth is there to see what the clones remember from the past year. He is happy to find out they don’t remember much.

Episode 4

So, the school film festival, and pretty much is all the same.

Except, Joan’s entry is about her confusion between JFK and Abe.

Lincoln doesn’t get it, but Kennedy does.

Joan, who is tired of Abe’s bullshit, enters a friends with benefits agreements with JFK. He can still be a player, and acts as her stress reliever, or rebound fuck.

Also, Scudworth gets visited by some ministers. They were in charge of the secret board of shadowy figures. They haven’t heard from them in a while, and they are suspicious. Butlertron saves the day, again.

Episode 5

The PJXTs come around and things go like the Episode did.

Except for a moment a moment in which JFK calls Joan ‘Dolphin Tat’. 

Episode 6

So, Joan’s learns about the team not allowing girls or animals on the team by JFK, on one of their meetings. 

She still dotes her incredible disguise, and Cleo still hits on her.

The episode finishes with JFK realizing he is not into guys, he is simply into Joan. He likes her.

Episode 7

Again, the episode goes like the original. But at the end, we see Joan go back to JFK for comfort.

Episode 8

Joan becomes homeless, and moves in with Cleo. They don’t get along, but it’s not as bad, because Joan is moving on from Abe.

Cleo does find out about them, when Joan sneaks out and comes back smelling like JFK’s perfume. She plans on telling the whole school, and things get ugly.

They start fighting, until Joan threatens to publish Cleo’s puberty pictures on the school’s newspaper. They kind of form a truce.

Meanwhile, JFK and Gandhi also fight. Gandhi wants to go spy on the girls, but JFK stops him. Only he get to stare at Joan in a girl on girl action.

Episode 9

This is the episode that completely changes. Not because I don’t like the episode, but because I love it too much to change it.

The episode is still a musical.

Fritz Habers clone (the inventor of the mustard gas) gave out cards that had a mysterius dust in it. It was supposed to be a prank, with the dust making them stink, but something else happened.

The people who opened the cards, started acting like love-sick fools. A few were saved. Gandhi, cause Fritz thinks he already smelled bad. Abe, cause his neck is too long and he didn’t get to smell it. And Cleo, cause Fritz thought he might get with her, if he was the only good smelling dude.

The dust works as a watered-down sex-pollen. It might make you horny, but not to the extent of stripping in the middle of a crowd to have sex. And it makes you blind to everything else but that person.

The first song is the group seeing the student under the dust for the first time. Thing of ‘What’s this?’ from Nightmare Before Christmas, but with love themes. 

What’s this? What’s this? There’s smooshing everywhere.

Fritz finds the group that hadn’t been contaminated, and he explains what happened. They search for a way to create an antidote, and they find a journal that might have the answer, but it’s in french.

They start looking for Joan, who Abe knows hasn’t opened the letter yet. Here come the second song. It’s a version of ‘If you seek Amy’ by Britney Spears.

Oh, oh; Tell me, have you seen her?; Cause we, oh, oh; Don’t know how to speak French!

By the end of the song they find her, she is opening the card. There is a whole slow-motion montage as the dust hits her and the others go: NOOO.

Joan blinks for a few seconds, then looks back at the group, and the next song comes. It’s ‘Girlfriend’ by Avril Lavigne, but instead of saying Girlfriend, it says GirlfriendS. And for a while, they think she is singing it to Abe. But when she is in front of him, she pushes Abe aside, and runs to JFK that was behind them.

I also like to think that the rest of the people around are dancing and doing the chorus every time there is a song.

We cut to Principal Scrubworth, who is looking at all of this from his office. He also sings a song, ‘Crazy=Genius’ by P!ATD. 

While he sings, he dances around his matchines.

Then we go back to the crew who are at the Grassy Knol sad, while the other are all around being happy. Then, Marie Antoinette comes and translates the journal.

The next day, the students come into the school. The last song happens, it’s ‘Walking on sunshine’ by Katrina & the Waves. By the end of the song, the fire alarm goes off, and the sprinkles wet everybody with the antidote.

When they snap out of it, Joan and JFK are embracing. She notices how everybody is staring, and decks him, before leaving.

They break off their arrangement, bc everybody knows now.

Also, Fritz is taken to the frezzer by Principal Scrubworth.

Episode 10

We see Ponce trying to cheer up JFK since Joan rejected him, but he still dies.

I would find it funny if this is a recurring joke. That ponce dies every season, and after a while it becomes a thing of, ‘has he died yet? this is the longest he’s gone- oh no, forget it, he died,’

JFK mourns him. Joan has been avoidig him since the dust incident, so he goes to the other perso he once had for comfort, Cleo.

Abe is mad. He is more annoyed at JFK in here, bc he thinks that he took advantage of Joan. He is actually jealous.

The episode continues the same way, except for the end.

When Abe goes to console him, Joan is already there. He starts feeling something in hid chest.

Episode 11

So, Snowflake day comes. Joan doen’t like the holiday, and Abe needs to get an expensive gift for Cleo.

JFK tries to show Joan how good Snowflake day is, and they go all around town doing things.

JFK is trying to win her over, but Joan is still confused. She likes Kennedy, but she also likes Abe.

She understands the meaning of Snowflake day by the end of the episode, with the help of a trashy celebrity. Maybe a Kardashian?

And she also gets a gift from JFK that he made himself. Since she doesn’t like the consumerism of the holiday.

Abe, on that regard, instead of buying Cleo an expensive gift, he buys her a gift with some extra cash he had. The rest of his money went to buy an expensive gift for Joan. He saw it and thought of her.

It’s nice, but Joan likes JFK’s gift more. Cleo is pissed.

Episode 12

Abe is in thin ice. He has to do an extraordinary promposal to Cleo, but he can’t stop thinking about how Joan has nobody to go with.

The only one who asked her was JFK, and she is thinking about accepting.

He tries to help her get a date for prom, one that isn’t Kennedy.

They go through multiple makeovers, but in the end, Cleo takes matters into her own hands.

If she gets Joan to go with somebody else, then she gets her promposal from Abe and she wins. 

She gives her the same makeover from before, and asks Napoleon to take her.

When Abe sees her, he realizes he might have feelings for her. But she is with Napoleon, so he respects that, It’s better than JFK.

Episode 13

Abe makes his Promposal, and Cleo accepts.

JFK tries to asks Joan again, but before he can, Napoleon interrupts.

They go to prom, and Joan is clearly not having a good time. She isn’t acting like a giggly vapid slut in here, but it’s clear she is not happy.

JFK sees her sad, so he goes to talk to her. She tells him that she misses him, and that she would have accepted his invitation.

Abe sees them talking and tries to stop it, but Cloe jumps him, promising sex.

He leaves with her, but the only thing he can see is Joan.

Meanwhile, Joan got rid of her makeover, and is talking with JFK. He compliments her, telling her he doesn’t need a makeover, and the two kiss.

They agree to be boyfriend and girlfriend, and they go to dance.

Abe come looking for her sees them, but becomes dramatic, and gives a speech about locking himself in the frezzer, to forget all about this.

When he goes to do that, however, he unfrezzes the secret board of shadowy figures.

The season ends there

#clone high #joan of arc #jfk #abe lincoln #gandhi #cleopatra #joan x jfk #joanfk #cleo x abe #season 2 #what i think #Idk #im sleep deprived #and tired from writing an 11K fic the last three days #might delete later

[chaseatinydream]

pirate king (69) || atz

You’re too late to reach him.

By the time your footsteps come thundering up the gangplank of the Treasure, wood creaking beneath your boots, Mingi comes to greet you midway, face drawn with concern and barely veiled fury.

“Where is he?” Your captain asks urgently, immediately, and you feel the pit in your stomach sinking more than it already has. San has had his hand on your arm the entire time, a reassuring presence but unwilling to divulge any information to you about that mysterious white ship.

White ship... you think, eyes glancing over over the hull, following the harbor. What meets your gaze is an unassuming, slender ship a few docks down, hull painted a stark, bone white, the same colour of ashes long burnt out, cold and dead.

“He’s in the sickbay.” Mingi runs a hand through his hair, eyes hard and distressed. He makes a soft, helpless noise, turns to your captain. “Captain, I really didn’t know this was going to happen, I-”

“There was nothing you could do, you couldn’t have predicted it.” Hongjoong says with a sigh, his fingers tracing the stitching along his eye patch. Next to you, San’s hand falls from your arm, chewing on his bottom lip nervously as he glances at the door to the sickbay. “How is he?”

“Wait.” You cut in, unable to bear not knowing about what is going on anymore. This is Wooyoung they’re talking, dolphin laugh Wooyoung, chatterbox Wooyoung, brighter than the sun Wooyoung. Why is the mere sight of a single ship sailing into the harbor of Tortuga enough to unsettle all of them so much. “What’s going on?”

San’s mouth works soundlessly for a moment, trying to find the right words, before it abruptly closes. He glances between you and the white ship and back again, then swallows nervously. “Chin Hae, that ship is-”

All of a sudden, the door to the sick bay slams open with a bang and you nearly jump, whirling to stare at the source of the noise.

“Wooyoung, wait!” You hear Yeosang cry out, and your eyes widen when you see the purple haired gunner burst out of the door, stumbling on shaky legs and eyes wild. He looks about frantically before his eyes zero in on the gangplank, and takes off at a run, frighteningly fast, barreling straight towards you. You don’t recognise his eyes, lost in the waves of something dark, a place where you can’t see.

“Wooyoung, stop!” Hongjoong grabs him by the arm and tackles him to the ground, and the younger gunner goes crashing to the ground with a painful cry. You merely watch in horror as Yunho follows behind his captain, dropping from the rigging to pin his other hand to the deck as Wooyoung continues to struggle and flail, panicked tears streaming from his eyes, mumbling unintelligible nothings under his breath.

“They’ve found me, they’ve found me, need to run, need to escape,” he moans, tears slipping down his cheeks as you can only stare on in horror - what on earth is happening? “Need to hide, need to run away before they find me and chain me up again, I-”

What?

“Wooyoung, listen to me-” Hongjoong tries to say, but Wooyoung shivers uncontrollably even though the sea breeze is warm, teeth practically chattering from fear. “Wooyoung, please, you need to listen-”

“Who?” You find yourself saying, even before you realise you’ve spoken. “Who is ‘they’, Wooyoung?”

“He’s here.” He sobs, and you can feel each individual piece of your heart shatter and crack at his heart wrenching wails. “He’s found me, I need to escape, I need to-”

“Wooyoung.” Your captain grabs him by the cheeks, forcing the younger man to look at him with tear filled eyes. “Listen to me. You are Jung Wooyoung. I gave you that name myself years ago, when I broke the chains on your hands and brought you with me. You are one of my crew, part of the Treasure.” He squeezes Wooyoung’s hands tightly, as if trying to will him to understand. “No one is going to hurt you ever again.”

Wooyoung stills, the fight deflating from him like a ship’s sails that have lost the wind. “No hurt anymore?” He whimpers quietly, eyes still clouded with fear.

Hongjoong nods once.

“No more hurt.”

>>>

“Master, what’s going on?” You ask the second he steps into the storage hold. San draws in a heavy breath, as if it carries the weight of the world, and sits down in front of you where your blanket is wrapped around your knees. Because of Wooyoung’s current sensitive condition, your captain has ordered for the beds in the sickbay to be given to Wooyoung and Yeosang for now, the navigator apparently being one of the few people able to calm him down. Thus now, you’re bunking down in the storage hold, lantern flickering dimly overhead, illuminating the weary slant of San’s eyes, the tight purse of his lips.

“I brought you this.” San says quietly, holding out something red - fox fur! - you realise. Thanking him, you draw the half stitched coat into your lap, fingers fondling the stray ends like they’re old friends, before you ask once again.

“Master, please.” You say quietly, fingers of your real hand curling around his, a reassurance of your presence, a persuasion for the truth. You can see that it’s weighing him down, that he’s dying to tell you, but there’s something holding him back. “Master, Wooyoung is...” you trail off, searching for the right words. What exactly is Wooyoung to you? But regardless of the answer that you do not yet have, the truth is still the same. “He’s a very precious person to me. I can’t just-”

“He’s an important person to me too, Chin Hae.” San says softly, squeezing your hand back tight. “He’s my best friend.”

“But you know.” You insist, desperation welling up in you. You feel your lower lips trembling, struggle to keep your tears from falling. “Master, what happened to Wooyoung?”

San lets out a groan, letting go of your hands to run his own through his hair harshly. “Wooyoung’s past is... complicated. He’s been through a lot, and-”

“Master.” You say, and he turns to stare at you with pained eyes. “Please, just tell me. I want to know.”

San holds your gaze for a moment longer before his eyes drop from yours, a soft breath leaving his lips. “I just... don’t want you to think any differently of him, or any lesser about him because of his past.”

“I couldn’t.” You answer instantly. When San looks at you, confused, you add on earnestly. “Nothing you say about his past could change the way I view him now, Master. He’s the one,” your breath catches a little, and you turn away, looking instead at the fox fur in your lap, “who saved me from the very beginning in Nassau, even before he really knew me. I care for him a great deal, master.”

“I know.” San says softly. A breath passes before he looks up at you, manages a grin. “Scoot over?”

You do instantly, shifting so that San has space to sit next to you, shoulders pressing together. He’s warm, you think quietly, letting your head rest against his upper arm. “So?”

San exhales. “Well... did we ever tell you how Wooyoung came onto the Treasure?”

“No.” You shake your head. As far as you know, Wooyoung’s past has been cryptic at best, with San and Hongjoong dropping the occasional comment before about how he’d been like you, without a name. The circumstances behind that are unknown, but you wonder if you might finally get to find out today.

“I was in the sickbay alone a few years back.” He raises his hands, looking at them as if trying to remember what he had been doing that day. “I was still relatively new on board the ship, after captain picked me up, but I know we were docked right here, in Tortuga.” Your breath hitches. “I was doing something at the table, whether grinding herbs or mixing salves, I can’t remember. But then all of a sudden Captain burst into the room, Mingi behind him. And I remember so clearly, the small, pitiful shape Mingi was carrying in his arms.”

You can see it playing out in your mind, San sitting at his little table, back turned to the door, spinning around in shock as your captain crashes in with his quartermaster in tow. “He was nothing but a bag of bones,” your master continues, voice hushed, cracking a little at the ends, “but the scariest thing were his eyes. They were so dead, Chin Hae.” The despair in his words is enough to make tears well up in your eyes. “If I hadn’t seen him breathing, I would have thought he might have been dead.”

Wooyoung with dead eyes? His eyes have always danced with life since the first day you’ve known him, bright and vibrant like the pulse of the sea and the life it brings. You don’t want to even imagine what he could have looked like, the mere thought of it too painful for you to handle.

“There were broken shackles around his wrists, heavy padlocks hanging from each.” San adds on, voice growing more and more solemn with each word. “Captain didn’t tell me the reason behind them, only instructing me to take care of him and feed him till he got better. And I did. I fed him and bathed him, and that’s when I saw the marks all over his body, bruises, deep scratches, bite marks...”

You still. “Bite marks?” You repeat hollowly, the words echoing around your mind. San sucks in a deep breath, buries his face in your hair. Your arms come up instinctively to wrap around him, and San continues, words heavy.

“Bite marks... from the women he was sold to.” The words seem to be nothing more than white noise now, ringing emptily in your skull. “Chin Hae, his old captain was a slave trader, but kept Wooyoung on board as a pet since he could remember. He was kicked, abused, beaten within an inch of his life as he grew up.” His tears soak into your hair as you stare silently at the wooden beams opposite, unable to think. “And when his captain thought he was pretty and exotic because of his purple hair, he started trading Wooyoung with high ranking women in towns for favors, and the things they did to him, he still has nightmares about them sometimes, and he-”

There’s nothing but a dull, throbbing ache in your chest. It hurts so much it stifles your breath, poisonous chains wrapped tight around your throat and lungs.

“-that’s why he’s so afraid of women, Chin Hae.” San says helplessly, seemingly unaware of the way your breath is trapped in your lungs. “He slept with them so much afterwards as his way of convincing himself he’d finally left his demons behind, but when you came, he-”

“Please stop.” You manage to croak out, and immediately San falls silent. Your head is spinning, a painful, raw feeling in your chest, breath trapped painfully in your lungs. Rising to your feet, you try not to let the tears slip from your eyes, refusing to look at your master.

“I need some time, please.”

Without waiting for his reply you stride out of the storage hold, climbing the stairs to the main deck, away from the stifling air beneath the deck that seems far too choking. Here the air is calming, and you step to the edge of the ship to cool off, trying to keep your emotions under control.

Wooyoung was hurt, is all you can think. People hurt him.

How could anyone hurt a person like Wooyoung?

You let out a long, shaky breath as you look down at the rippling surface of the sea. Your image is distorted, reflection half glancing off with the lights coming from the harbor, the other half submerged in darkness. There’s a feeling that only builds in you, deep and roiling, far beneath the surface, somewhere deep within you, like the beginning of a tidal wave.

Fury.

Like waves lapping at shore, slowly but surely, eating away at the edges. You glance up at the white ship a little while off, and thunder rumbles in the distance from the sea.

You’re furious.

#ateez #ateez fanfic #ateez fanfiction #hongjoong #seonghwa #yunho #yeosang #san #mingi #wooyoung #jongho #ateez pirate king #w; ot8 #w; pirate king #w; fanfiction

[shortace]

The Adventures of Gloop and Angry Hamster in the Dimension of Fire Unfamiliar Environment with a Kid Who’s Going To Get Fired

Gloop was pretty smart for a goldfish. It came, he thought, of spending too much time in close proximity to Myles Fowl. That alone, however, would have done nothing; it took the intermediary efforts of the trans-species polyglot Beckett for anything Myles said to make any sense to Gloop. 

Angry Hamster wasn’t very smart, even for a sculpture made of shredded IQ tests held together with saliva. He was too busy being angry because he couldn’t figure out which number came next after 37, 34, 31, 28. Gloop could have told him the answer was 25, of course, and Myles would have informed him that IQ tests really only measure how good you are at standardised tests but his was 170 thank you very much. But Angry Hamster never thought to ask. He wasn’t that smart. 

Dolphin was a dolphin, and exactly as smart as a dolphin.

The sun shone, and a light breeze played with the tips of the waves. No record survives concerning the nature of the game, but possibly Tic-Tac-Toe. What we do know is that the ocean won. The ocean always does.

But Dolphin, leaping and frolicking, cared nothing for the breeze, or the sunshine, or the Tic-Tac-Toe. Her only concern was to have no concerns. And she was remarkably good at it. 

The low hum of a far-off boat reached Dolphin's ears, but she paid it no mind. It wasn't her concern.

Inside Villa Eco, young Myles Fowl was trying to comfort his twin brother Beckett. He wasn’t very good at it, as he often failed to grasp that emotions do not respond to logic.

'She's a wild animal, Beck,' he said again. 'She does wild things.'

'But she said she'd be there!' Beckett insisted. 'Dolphins don't break promises, brother.'

'Your sample size is one,' Myles pointed out, Beckett having only ever met one dolphin, and Myles remained unconvinced that actual communication had taken place, making ‘met’ seem the wrong word for the encounter. 'That is insufficient data to draw a conclusion regarding the reliability of the species.'

'I just know she's in trouble.'

Myles thought that 'just knowing' was poor research methodology, but he just sighed. 'We'll wait for her again tomorrow. Now come on, it's lunch time, and we need energy for our growing brains.'

Gloop, in his bowl, let out a nervous 'Gloop.' He hadn't understood all of the twins' conversation, but he could tell that Beckett was worried and it had something to do with his new dolphin friend. Even though dolphins were mammals, not fish, somewhere deep inside all aquatic creatures was a sympathy with all the rest, and like Beckett, he hoped that Dolphin was okay.

Dolphin was not okay. 

Off the coast of Dalkey Island, a fishing boat loitered. The pilot was sleeping off a bout of food poisoning - which, frankly, served him right for many of his illegal and immoral practices. On deck was a single underpaid, unqualified, and underage employee. Not for him a certificate in aquaculture, nor one in first-aid aboard ship. Moby Dick, though, he had read several times: quite an achievement for any adult, let alone a fifteen year old. The boy did his best to make up for his shortcomings with pure enthusiasm, and had, a few moments earlier, cast out a line with a complete lack of precision and the wrong bait. This wouldn’t normally be much of a problem, as tuna fish aren’t known for being overly fussy, but in this case Dolphin happened to be having a wonderful time just off the stern of the boat, and she wasn’t fussy either. 

The bait was disappointing, tasting stale and dull, and it had something hard and sharp inside it. It hurt Dolphin’s mouth. This would not stand. What sort of ocean gods would provide food like this? Dolphin raised her voice in complaint. 

Sound travels faster in water than it does through the air, so it wasn’t long before Dolphin’s podmates heard her whistles and clicks. Roughly translated, she had said: ‘This fish is bad and it hurts my mouth; send me the manager.’ Her podmates laughed and mocked her, a series of clicks that traveled all the way to the shores of Dalkey Island, where Beckett stood listening. 

Gloop’s laps of the fishbowl slowed slightly as he devoted more energy to his brain. Dolphin was in trouble, and NANNI wouldn’t let Myles and Beckett put to sea. Gloop was going to have to solve this problem on his own. It was a bit harder than figuring out what came next after 37, 34, 31, 28, but not for nothing was he the smartest goldfish in Ireland and perhaps the world. He would have to enlist some help.  

‘Brother mine, what are you putting in the fish tank?’ Myles asked wearily. He had written multiple treatises on the biology and psychology of twins, and perhaps his most important conclusion was that love and exasperation could, and generally did, co-exist. His second most important conclusion was that doubling the calorific intake of one twin could not sustain the other; Beckett had simply bulked up while Myles’ stomach rumbled miserably. He would not be repeating that experiment.

‘It’s a scaled-down version of your water filtration system, attached to a swimming suit,’ Beckett said proudly. ‘Gloop is going to sea, and he needs fresh water.’ 

‘There is only one Gloop, and two filtration systems,’ Myles pointed out.

Beckett held aloft the second unit. ‘This one’s for Angry Hamster. Look, NANNI fixed it to make air for him!’

‘Beck, Angry Hamster can’t swim.’ 

‘Gloop will help him. He told me.’ 

‘Is this about your dolphin friend?’ 

‘Yes, Myles; Gloop and Angry Hamster are going to rescue her!’ Beckett beamed. ‘NANNI has no joooo-ris-tic-shun over them!’ 

Myles had been playing vocabulary lists to his brother while he slept, hoping he might learn subliminally; he was pleased that it seemed to be working, but less pleased about this plan. ‘That is true,’ he acknowledged, ‘but Angry Hamster is made of paper and saliva. He will disintegrate in water.’ 

Beckett demonstrated the watertight suit he had had NANNI design for him. It was monogrammed with a cursive AH on each side. ‘Angry Hamster wants to go.’

Myles sighed. ‘Very well, brother. How are they going to get into the ocean?’ 

‘I will flush them down the toilet,’ Beckett proclaimed.

Beck!’ 

‘Kidding, brother!’ Beckett laughed at his brother’s shocked expression. ‘I will carry them to the beach and throw them in. Gently.’ Despite his boisterous nature, Beckett had a deep empathy and was perfectly capable of being gentle if circumstances required. Myles imagined that introducing two very different non-sea creatures equipped with untested suits into a marine environment counted as circumstances that required it. 

Beckett was as good as his word, and Gloop and Angry Hamster safely - if nervously - entered the waves from the Fowl’s private beach. To Myles, Beckett seemed to be making a series of very strange noises, but Gloop and Angry Hamster each heard ‘Fishing boat, southeast! Good luck!’ 

Being small creatures in a big and strange new world, Gloop and Angry Hamster did not swim particularly fast. They did their small best, though, with Gloop encouraging his papery friend. Angry Hamster got along in a sort of wriggly doggy-paddle, and NANNI’s suits withstood the challenge. Both animals were kept safe and breathing in their own special ways. 

In a matter of hours they had caught up with the fishing boat. Angry Hamster was exhausted, and if the boat’s pilot had not been unwell, he would never have made it. If our heroes understood the concept of food poisoning, they would be very glad for it. The boat remained idle. Angry Hamster was able to cling to the side with one claw, even though it was hard to grip through the material of his suit, and hold up Gloop with another, allowing them both to rest. 

As they rested, Gloop and Angry Hamster heard a voice above them. Angry Hamster could make nothing of it, but Gloop caught the drift of it. If either of them had a full comprehension of English, what they heard would have been something like this: ‘I don’t think this is a tuna fish. It doesn’t look tuna-y. I think it’s a dolphin. I’m going to be fired. I’m in so much trouble. What do I do? What would Ishmael do?’ all the accompaniment of pacing footsteps and heavy breathing.

Gloop caught ‘dolphin’ several times, as well as ‘fired’. He knew two meanings of the word fire: one was hot and burny, and the other was fast and deadly. Neither sounded good for Dolphin. He tried to convey his concern to Angry Hamster, but the fragmented analogy question on the hamster’s back was itchy and he couldn’t scratch it through NANNI’s suit. This, combined with hunger and exhaustion, was making him very angry. He let out a wild screech and clawed his way frantically up the side of the boat and onto the deck. 

The pacing, muttering boy stopped pacing and muttering at the sight of a wet-suited paper-mache hamster climbing on board. He began to wonder if food poisoning was contagious, and if hallucinations were a common symptom. Angry Hamster took advantage of the hesitation to launch himself at the boy’s face, screeching. What he was trying to say was ‘For the love of all the gods, scratch my back!’ But what the boy heard was tantamount to ‘I’m going to claw your face off!’

Gloop knew he had to act fast. High jump is not commonly practiced among small domestic fish, but with determination and a rudimentary understanding of geometry, much can be accomplished even by the smallest of animals. He swam away from the boat to give himself a run-up - or rather, a swim-up - and followed Angry Hamster’s lead in launching himself on deck. 

The poor boy fainted on the spot. 

To one side of the deck lay Dolphin, tangled in fishing lines and nets, flopping weakly. Dolphins can survive several hours out of the water, if it isn’t too hot or dry, and Gloop was relieved to see that, although she was clearly tired and uncomfortable, Dolphin was unhurt and should make a full recovery. But first they had to get her back into the water, which meant getting her out of those nets. 

Gloop knew who had the perfect teeth to gnaw through fishing lines. What he didn’t know was how to convey that instruction to Angry Hamster, who was currently scuttling around the deck looking for something he could scratch his back against - and whose teeth were still enclosed in NANNI’s watertight suit. Angry Hamster finally found a scratching post in the form of a tackle box. It had a sharp corner which dug in through the suit and hit the sweet spot perfectly. Angry Hamster was, briefly, less angry as he scratched. But his suit was meant to withstand water pressure, not tackle boxes. It ripped open, and Angry Hamster wriggled his way out of it. On some level he understood that this was undesirable, and he turned to look apologetically at Gloop.

But Gloop was overjoyed now that Angry Hamster’s teeth were free. He mimed chewing, gnawing, and pointed with a fin at the nets surrounding Dolphin. Chewing comes naturally to hamsters, so Angry Hamster understood immediately, and abandoned his tackle box. It was the work of moments to chew through the lines holding Dolphin on deck. Before she let herself slide back into the ocean, Dolphin took a moment to slap the recovering fisher boy with a fin. 

‘Hey!’ he protested weakly, but she was already gone.

‘There, brother.’ Myles and Beckett stood on the beach on Dalkey Island, looking out to the southeast. Myles had just spotted Dolphin scything through the waves towards them. ‘I told you she would be okay.’

‘And I told you Gloop and Angry Hamster would save her.’ Beckett handed the binoculars to his twin, to let him see the small goldfish swimming furiously beside the dolphin, and the slightly mushy hamster riding on her back. 

THE END (probably)

#artemis fowl #the fowl twins #gloop and angry hamster #fanfic #writing #beckett fowl #myles fowl

[fizzyxcustard]

Not So Nice

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Fandom: seaQuest DSV

Summary: Just after the episode ‘And Everything Nice’ from season 2. Lucas has just had his heart broken when a woman named Sandra has pretended to want a relationship with him, only to then be ‘kidnapped’ by the people she is working with, and pull Lucas into a game she is part of, wanting to get access to seaQuest’s emergency codes. 

Lucas has been quiet and distant for three days after his brief relationship and heartbreak with Sandra. You try and cheer him up, but instead you wind up being the one who opens up old wounds, and feelings are shared.

Pairings: Lucas Wolenczak x fem!LieutenantReader (friendship mainly)

Warnings: Angst, sadness, break up, heartbreak, age difference, admission of feelings. 

Comments: If you wish to be added to my seaQuest tag list, which will be separate from all my other tags, let me know, and I will only tag you in these if you specifically request to be tagged. This is practically a dead fandom now, but I would still like to share my writings with you. If you would like to ask any questions, then by all means just ask! People are probably wondering why I’m still continuing this fic when it gets so little feedback, but it’s purely because I enjoy writing it. It’d a pleasure to be reminiscing in old times.

This has no link really to Fear and Loathing, only that the characters are the same. 

Lucas had been quiet and distant for the last three days, only answering when was absolutely necessary. It was only natural that he would react in such a way, but it hurt you when he pushed you away. All you wanted to do was help, try and ease some of his pain and take the weight on your own shoulders. Betrayal always cut deep. You knew of betrayal quite well. Lucas was still only eighteen, barely a man. This was his first instance of betrayal, when he’d given his heart to a girl so quickly in sheer innocence. And now you wanted to take the burn and ease the pain.

After your shift on the third day after Lucas had ripped up his resignation letter, you went to the mess hall and made two mugs of hot coffee. Tony Piccolo, Lucas’ bunkmate, had been making himself scarce most evenings to play Poker with O’Neill, Brody and Ortiz, so this would be the perfect opportunity to try and show Lucas that you truly did care.

Lucas was lying on his bunk, staring at the metal pipes which ran above his bed. He had his arms behind his head, and still, all he could see was Sandra. It had all been too good to be true; a beautiful woman like her had wanted him. Of course she had ulterior motives. Not many men would ever be good enough for her.

A sudden tap to Lucas’ door pulled him out of his reverie. “Yeah?” he asked.

“Can you open the door, Lucas? I’ve got my hands full,” you called, your voice muffled.

Lucas sighed and jumped down from his bunk, letting you in to the room. There, on a tray, were two large steaming coffees, surrounded by an assortment of sweets and candies. “Thought you might want a bit of company,” you said, offering a smile. “And some sugar. It always helps cheer me up.”

“Ummm, yeah….” Lucas replied, his voice sounding unsure and sceptical.

You could see from the set of his face that he was going to be a little awkward, but you would do your best to help his sadness. “I’ll put these down on the table,” you said. “I brought extra milk and sugar…”

“Look, thanks and everything, but I’m kinda not in the mood,” Lucas said. His blue eyes met your gaze, and in that moment he saw the flash of upset. A tiny jolt of something hit him in the chest and he moved forward. “I’m…sorry. Please, I shouldn’t have said that. Thank you.” As he focused on you, Sandra seemed to slip away briefly. And those buried feelings stirred. You may not have been outwardly stunning in your appearance with full pouting lips, a model figure and high cheekbones, but your beauty shone through your smile and sparkled in your eyes. It slipped off your tongue when you spoke words of kindness, and it left a sweet scent on the air when you showed a gesture of friendship and compassion. Lucas swallowed hard. You were far more beautiful than Sandra could have ever hoped to be.

To your surprise, Lucas stepped to you and put his arms around you, pulling you into a tight embrace.

You held him and felt him sink into you, his despair finally being let loose. He wept on your shoulder and you couldn’t help but feel yourself begin to fill with tears also, your heart breaking for him.

“I just want one person to not walk away from me,” he sobbed. “I want someone to put me first and love me.”

“You are so special,” you told him as you both parted. Lucas sniffed, his eyes red and sore.

“I want to be special to one person, you know?” he asked. “To be wanted and needed, and not just needed for when a computer needs to be fixed.”

“I need you,” you said softly. “You make me smile, help me laugh. You’re one of my closest friends, and I honestly cherish you more than you know.”

“No one truly needs me though, do they? I’m just a kid to everyone,” Lucas countered. “If you and Miguel hooked up tomorrow then you’d be all him and you wouldn’t need me.”

You took a step back and widened your eyes in shock at Lucas’ words. “I’m assuming you mentioned Miguel purely as a way to make your point and not to actually insinuate that something is going on between us. Being in a relationship isn’t the only way you can need someone, Lucas. It doesn’t somehow magically make your life complete. Trust me, it doesn’t.”

Lucas remained quiet and brushed his hand through his hair, and began to put sugar into his coffee.

“You’re eighteen, and you’ll have plenty of time to meet lots of new people,” you said softly. “I know it doesn’t take away what happened between you and Sandra, but the right people will come into your life. Maybe you just haven’t found the right people yet.”

Lucas looked at you for a second and felt a very weak smile erupt. You were definitely one of the right people in his life. He felt that. He’d always felt it. On the day you first met, when crew were being brought on board after the re-building of the infamous sub, Lucas had been checking on Darwin and you and a few other crew members had been escorted into the Moon Pool on a short tour of the vessel. Immediately you had been overcome with excitement upon seeing the dolphin. Lucas couldn’t help but laugh at your enthusiasm that day and it was here, somehow, something was born. All of the crew on the small tour were dressed in their civilian clothing; mostly the norm, T-shirts, jeans. But you were wearing a bright, colourful T-shirt with a Looney Tunes character on the front and a cardigan that way way too big for you, covered in purple stars. Your shoes were bright red Converse.

“Can you remember the day we first met?” Lucas asked suddenly, sitting down on Tony’s bunk.

You smiled, reminiscing in your first day aboard seaQuest. “Yeah, I do. It was one of the most exciting days of my life.”

“I think you got a bit more than you bargained for, huh?”

“No, I got everything I was expecting and more. I’ve made some amazing friends, had wonderful experiences, and I wouldn’t give it up for anything. I can honestly say that I’m happy for the first time in years,” you replied, sipping your hot coffee. “Anyway, enough of me. I came to see how you’re doing.”

Lucas chuckled.

“That’s better,” you giggled. “Smiles suit you.” You watched Lucas hang his head and blush, a broad smile still beaming from his face.

“You’re the first person who has made me smile,” Lucas said softly. “Thank you.”

“I do have my uses. They’re few, but I do have some,” you laughed.

You sat down in the seat opposite where Lucas was perched, and you gripped the warm coffee in your hand. The smile began to dissipate from Lucas’ face and his eyes wondered towards a space behind you. What was he thinking? You wanted to take all the hurt and worry from him, throw it away, and then hold him tight. He deserved so much better than the hand he had been dealt.

“Has anyone ever broke your heart?” Lucas asked absently.

“I’ve had my heart broken many times, Lucas,” you replied. “It comes with the territory of being human, I’m afraid. Friends, family, lovers…” Well, lover. The word wasn’t plural in your case; you had only ever been in one relationship. It was a secret that you kept close to your scarred heart. At your age and point in your life, you should have had many lovers and now been preparing to settle down with one, to buy your own home, get married and have a handful of kids. But, no, you had decided to join the Navy, see the world, and forfeit that life because you felt you would never have it.

As Lucas looked up at you, he reminded you of the type of teenage boy you would have had a crush on when you were that age. Fair-haired, blue-eyed, cute. However, when you were eighteen, you were chubby, and no doubt he wouldn’t have looked at you twice. You had always been invisible to the good looking boys when you were growing up. Everyone only saw your dependable and loner nature, asking for help when they needed it, but remaining scarce any other time.

The sadness of your past began to rise in your chest and you batted away a tear, which Lucas noticed.

“Hey, are you okay?” he asked, moving toward you. His hand reached out to you, quivering a little as he felt unsure of what to do.

“I’m fine,” you said, faking a smile. “Your question just brought back some memories. Look at me. I come to see if you’re okay, and I’m the one who winds up crying. How stupid.”

Lucas was lost for words in those moments and just looked at you trying to push your tears away with another fake smile. Would you ever have any idea how beautiful you were? Losing Sandra had hurt, but from the betrayal itself, not losing her. And now that Sandra was no longer in his life, Lucas knew that he couldn’t stop feeling for you what he did. The time with Sandra had only been a temporary relief of the unrequited feelings that he had for you. Was she a rebound for you? Lucas had had many crushes in the last couple of years, many of them being on female crew, but with you, it was more than just a crush. He lay awake at night thinking of you, often dreamed of you and then became very embarrassed when he saw you the day after.

Sandra had seemed like a natural choice for Lucas to make. Clever, beautiful. The female equivalent of him. He’d gravitated towards that, being able to shut off his feelings for you in order to pursue a life with a girl he’d only known one night. But your differences to Lucas were what made you special. They were new, unique and a novelty to him. Sitting with a girlfriend, discussing quantum theories and computer algorithms would have been the norm and to be expected. But talking about rock concerts you attended in your youth, fantasy books you loved, and watching you laugh over the thought of Tony Piccolo getting locked outside his quarters, stark naked, was what Lucas wanted. It was what he was thriving on. You unlocked a whole new world to him, offering it. It was a world of vibrancy, humour and creativity.

“I wish I could hunt down all those people who have hurt you,” Lucas whispered.

You saw the anger in his eyes at the very thought of someone upsetting you, and you curled your hand around his. “I need you in my life more than you know,” you told him. “You keep me upright.”

“You’re good at doing that for everyone else,” Lucas said, a hint of frustration in his tone.

“It’s who I am, Lucas. I’ve always been a helper and a giver. But you’ve got to guard yourself and not give yourself over so willingly. I’ve seen you do it so much since I first met you. You pour your heart and soul into everything you do, and that can mean you lose yourself. In time, through experience, you learn who to trust and who not to. You begin to develop an anti-bullshit radar.”

“Like Tony?” Lucas laughed. Most of what that man spouted really was bullshit.

“He covers up his feelings of inadequacy,” you replied. “I tend to be able to sum people up pretty quickly.”

“How about…say, Brody?”

“Ahh, the ladies man,” you mused. “He’s confident, good-looking, but there’s a lot of hurt in him, probably around his upbringing and his mother. He likes the ladies, but deep down he’s looking for a mother figure.”

“How about Ortiz?”

“He’s pretty much an open book. Honest, practical. I’ve always liked Miguel’s straight talking nature.”

“And me?”

“Oh, come on. Have I got to go through and analyse every crew member? I’ve noticed it’s all the younger men you’re asking me about.” You nudged Lucas with your elbow. “Is there a point to this exercise? I’m guessing you want to see if I have a crush on any of these men?”

“Well, do you?”

You laughed loud. “You cheeky little shit! You had to put yourself in there, I noticed.”

“I’ll tell you if you tell me.”

“What, if you have a crush on any of the guys?” you teased, sticking your tongue out for emphasis. “Okay….I did have a bit of a crush on Miguel when I first came aboard. And Brody’s kinda cute, but that’s about it. Your turn!”

Lucas swallowed hard and then looked at you. “You.”

“What about me?” you asked, your expression turning very straight from your previous amusement.

“I’ve liked you since we first met.”

“What about Lonnie?” you asked, feeling yourself begin to shake. How had you become cornered like this?

“No, you,” Lucas replied simply.

You got up from your seat and sighed. “I’ve got to go. I need to press my uniform for in the morning…”

Lucas looked on, watching you grow flustered in your attempt to escape the conversation and the room. “Sandra has made me realise even more how deep my feelings for you are.”

“Lucas, stop it,” you said, turning on your heel. “I’m not even going to entertain such an idea of anything happening. I’m too old for you.”

Then you disappeared out of the door, slamming it behind you.

***

seaQuest tag list: @shrimpsthings​ @lathalea​

#seaquest #seaquest dsv #seaquest fanfic #fizzyxcustard #Lucas wolenczak #Jonathan brandis #Lucas wolenczak x you #Lucas wolenczak x reader #angst #heartbreak #fic

[neomikey]

For June 2021's #ryukoprompt!  Time to go swimming!

I don't have a favorite “summer memory,” exactly.  However, I do remember growing up that summers were always a proper season book-ended by the end and start of the school years.  The weather grew warmer, I was relieved for three months of the obligation of going to school, and that time was spent hanging out with friends any day of the week, playing video games, and sometimes my parents would take us all somewhere for vacation.

Some place that was a staple of the summer, though, was the Hobart Community Pool, though we all just said “the Hobart Pool.”  As of this writing, it's 59 years old and is still in operation today, though they've added more from when I was a child.  Growing up through the 80s, 90s, and early 2000s, it was a basic pool – technically two – and we all loved it.

It was a meeting place, where you and everyone you knew were likely to bump into each other at some point in the summer.  All manner of people grouped there, from the young to the old.  We would spend hours there at the pool and the time always went by quicker than expected.

You passed through a wooden gate house, where you would show your membership or pay them.  The main area where the staff was had two large windows – one facing out to incoming customers and one facing in towards the main pools.  They had music playing there, pool supplies on the wall, and were generally easygoing.  All the staff were that I encountered.  You then passed through a gendered show area, where you could clean up and change, and then you were put out in front of the kiddie pool.

Almost no adults ever hung out in there.  The shallowest end of the pool was two feet deep, where the absolute beginners – regardless of age – could literally get their feet wet.  The pool deepened as you went further in, until you stood at one end where it just reached three feet.  There was no paint on that end to mark how deep it was, but I remembered as a kid being absolutely sure it was three feet, since the water went up to me the same amount when I was in the other pool.  I felt like a genius.

The other pool was the main pool, which is in the shape of a large L. The main rectangle went from three feet gradually down to five feet. Of course, this also meant that as you went deeper, the people swimming generally were older as well.  This pool was mainly where I and everyone else did our swimming.  In the middle was a huge water slide, and at the end deep in the five-foot section was a basketball hoop.  I remember my dad frequently playing over there.

The smaller rectangle of the L was the deep end – 12 feet – and was separated by a rope which no one was allowed to cross.  This was where the diving boards were.  Normally, the deep end was only for people using the diving boards, but oftentimes they would allow open swimming as well.  I remember being older and being able to get to the bottom, where I would stand and walk, simply because I could.   There were three diving boards.  Two of them were on the outside and were short, and the high-dive was in the middle.  I think it was two stories tall at the top.

Every hour they would blow a whistle, announcing that “adult swim” had started, meaning that the kids needed to get out, rest, and let the “old people” enjoy the whole pool to themselves.  I still remember the whistle blows they would do.  If I recall correctly, there would be three bursts, which were echoed by all the other lifeguards who heard it.  When it was time to go back in, they would do one long blow that would shift its intensity, mimicking how we would say “alley-oop!” when hoisting something heavy.

Adult swim was also when people would take the time to visit their cafe...though I use the word lightly. It was there to sell cheap food like candy, hotdogs, and soft drinks. It was also the place where I was introduced to banana Laffy Taffy, and to this day, I still love the stuff.  Park benches were set up in a lightly protected area, and I remember occasionally seeing curious wasps in that area.

The pool used to have a line of trees protecting it.  They were tall evergreen trees planted side by side, and did fantastic work blocking out the wind when it came from that direction.  However, eventually Hobart's hospital was built and they built a road right through what used to be a prairie to give it better access.  Part of the road's installation involved taking down those trees.  I didn't think they “needed” to, I thought there was plenty of room, but I'm sure there was some proper reason.  My friend Tim joked this was going to cause a lot of accidents.  He said guys were gonna be driving, see a hot lady in a bikini, and get distracted.

I have many memories from there.  Most good, some bad.  I loved being underwater and would frequently be under there.  My eyes would eventually hurt from the chlorine, but that was the price I willingly paid.  I would sometimes be underwater and swim through crowds of people.  I'm told I surprised a few of them, as they weren't expecting to suddenly see a child going past their feet.

My friends and I would frequently play there.  There would be light roughhousing, but it was mostly just swimming, playing, and laughing.  We would talk about or mimic stuff we had seen in video games.  I remember squirting a line of water out through my teeth and calling it a laser.  When we were allowed to swim in the deep end, I jumped off the side and brought my limbs close to my body, mimicking Iron Man in the Captain America and the Avengers arcade game. This always got me pretty deep pretty quickly.  Other times we would try out stuff, such as someone lying on the bottom, then someone else standing on their back to keep them there.  When the person on the bottom had to come up for breath, he would stand and topple the person on top over.  I remember back skin feeling really weird on my feet.

There was a way to swim during adult swim if you were a kid, and that was to pass the “Dolphin” exam.  You had to get from one end of the main pool, down the length, and to the other side.  You had to do it while swimming properly – freestyle – and had to go straight.  It was difficult for me to pass and I remember once skewing to the side and hitting the side of the pool near the water slide.  I failed that one.  I know I did pass it at least once and wore the Dolphin badge on my swim trunks with pride that summer.  

There was one incident where I thought I was older, mature, and brave enough to tackle the high dive.  I stood in line, ascended, and then once at the top, looked over the edge.  It was so, so far down and I couldn't bring myself to jump.  I remember some people calling up to me, telling me I wasn't allowed to climb down and I had to jump.  I appreciate them trying to motivate me to get over my fears, but it only made me more scared. Eventually, I climbed down and broke into tears.  My dad was there to comfort me as I came down and I told him I would never swim again. That turned out to be wrong.

When I was old enough to drive, I started going to the Hobart Pool on my own.  My whole life up to that point I had always gone there with someone and getting to be there on my own felt like another step into adulthood.  It was a nice feeling that if it was hot out and my parents were busy, I could hop in my vehicle and just go.

As time went on, my time wasn't as structured.  I was no longer in school, I had jobs, and held different interests where the pool didn't interest me as much.  Summers were no longer an event, but something in the background that meant we had to roll down the car windows.  I didn't have a need for membership to the Hobart Pool anymore, and it wasn't until years later after I was married that I realized how long it had truly been since I had gone swimming.

Once the pandemic is over, my wife and I agree – we're hitting the pools hard.

#ryukoprompt #pools #swimming #hobart community pool #hobart pool