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#which i am embarrassingly nervous about posting since it's been like three years since i last did a long mutlichap
thebluewritingbench · 3 years
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I'll Be Your West Coast, Honey
Read chapter one on ao3
“So let me get this straight,” Sam says, grinning and leaning back against Lena’s desk. “You’re going on a destination-less road trip with Kara, and only Kara, for two weeks?”
“That is the plan, yes,” Lena says, half distracted by the endless stream of emails in her inbox.
“So, you’re telling me you’re spending two weeks confined to a car with Kara Danvers and no one else as a buffer. Just you and Kara, alone together for two weeks. And this is why you need me to temporarily take over as CEO.”
“Yes, Sam.”
Sam bursts out laughing. She holds up a hand, trying to suppress it, but then something in Lena’s expression sets her off again and she’s wheezing. Lena watches in bewilderment as she wipes the corners of her eyes. “Oh honey. You are absolutely fucked.”
+
With L-Corp in chaos and Lena on the verge of a mental breakdown, Kara proposes an escape: a road trip up the West Coast. The only problem? It's just the two of them and a car on the road for two weeks, and it's getting increasingly difficult for Lena to deny the fact that she's maybe, slightly, desperately in love with her best friend.
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lifeexperience · 3 years
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We are vengeance.
It has been almost three month since Lila Rossi came back from her fabulous trip from Achu. And since she arrived again she enjoyed the glamour. Enjoyed how everybody - who was someone, of course, - danced as she moved her strings. Even that Capitano della Moralità, Adrien was doing what she was saying.  
Just lonely, little Marinette stood on the other side.
The Italian grinned confidently. If she had some plan like that day, she was going to ruin that little girl.
Anyway she had to take prioritization of her tasks. Firstly it’s time to make a Wikipedia page about herself for future reference. She couldn’t be sloppy from here because she could meet more forceful people than Dupain-Cheng.  
Okay, so she would list her accomplishments: modeling with Adrien Agreste      , best friend with Shaytan, knowing Jagged Stone… When she finally finished, the sun already went down and it was dark. Lila disinterestedly looked at her door, his mother again worked overtime.  
Nevermind, she would eat something then collect links of her publications. Yepp, after some pasta all'Ortolana the work would be so much easier.  
However when she went back to gather her online mentions she didn’t find anything. There was nothing about her on the Ladyblog, or on Adrien’s Instagram. Someone deleted them? Who? Maybe it’s just a bug? She would know more if she asks Alya first.
Yeah, don’t need any panic.
“Ciao Alya! I have a question.” she said immediately as that wannabe journalist answered. “Yeah, yeah, così accidentally you didn’t delete my interview from your blog, right?” She nervously patted her laptop as she waited for Alya to look at it. After two minutes there was the answer. She tried to disguise her anger, but she didn’t have the patient at the moment for that stupid girl apologizes.  
So somehow her interview was lost. And she didn’t have to call Capitano della Moralità about their model photo, she knew he didn’t have too much control on it.  
Lila unconsciously started to chew her nails. It was a bad habit of hers since her childhood.  
Who had enough knowledge to hack two different websites to mess with her? Marinette was too morally high for this. And Max, who had the skill, was already under her thumb.  
“Argh!”  
She had to calm down. She couldn’t become an akume because of this since she planned a bigger performance for the next week.
Breath! In! Out!
Okay.
Maybe tomorrow she could make a new interview with Alya and drop some seemingly accident infos about the new adult heroes. Then at the weekend photoshoots she could force Adrien again.
Yeah. Why was she nervous at all? She could use this to grow her territory.
*
It has been almost six days since Adrien reluctantly posted a new photo about the two of them. There were fewer likes and more comments then before, but she was happy because she could continue to build her Wikipedia page. It would be her first thing when she got home.  
And tomorrow she would start her small shame with poor Marinette again. The little girl already was alone most of the time in the school, but Lila knew it was a matter of time to find new friends outside of their class. And she wanted to prevent every attempt of it.
I am great at ruining others.    
She smiled sweetly as she pretended to listen to another rabbling from Rose. That pink fool rarely shut up about her disgusting viewpoint, and Lila sometimes thought she would be a perfect next target after Dupain-Cheng. And if this little pink wannabe would be destroyed, her loser girlfriend would fall with her.  
Yepp, she will be an excellent following after the shit show Marinette will go through.
“Lila, it’s not your phone?” Alix poked her. She turned to her in confusion and listened to the ringing.
“No.” she shook her head. “My ringtone is different. I don’t like metal music.”
The skater tilted her head. “You sure?” Lila nodded, starting to be annoyed. “Because it’s coming from your bag.”
“What?”
She hurriedly got her phone out, and indeed it was ringing with that strange growl music. And the number also was foreign, yet she picked up. “Hello?”
“It’s Lila Lucrezia Rossi?” Everybody in the classroom jumped at once.The voice from the other side was much louder than she thought and now every one of her classmates watched her with wide eyes. She fastly tried to turn down the volume as she answered in agreement. “So your appointment was moved to the next with Doctor Lacroix.”
“Wha...What appointment?” Lila asked. She didn’t remember any medical thing. Of course she told a lot of tails about her health problems, but she was completely healthy.
“So for the farting irritation.” The woman said with a monotone tone. And of course, because Lila couldn’t turn off the speaker everybody in the room heard it.
She blinked.
“I… I think you… you called the wrong number.” she muttered as now she tried to end the call. With no success.  
“But you're Lila Lucrezia Rossi, age fourteen, Italian, aren’t you?” Lila looked around embarrassingly. How did that woman know that about her? If… If she denies it her little puppets' trust would crack. But if she continues this conversation… She didn’t even want to know.
And as she stood there in panic and listened about her supposed condition she wanted to be killed. Every fucking eye was on her. She even saw that goodie-two-shoe tried to hide her giggle with Adrien grinning next to her. And of course she noticed how her circle slid away from her.
Fuck.    
*
She skipped two weeks of school again after that… THAT phone call. Of fucking course almost every one of her classmates called her almost daily to ask about her health. And she had to answer with a lot of information for Every Fucking QUESTION.
It was irritating.  
However she couldn’t stay at home for more days because her mother. It would be too suspicious if there would be some supposed akuma without any TV gossip about it.  
So she had to go to school.  
Fortunately most of the kids were understanding and didn’t bring up the topic. But there was  Kim. Of FUCKING course.
As many times as he saw her he faked a fart with a disgustingly loud moan. She tried to cry about it, though everybody said to bear with it. Kim was just Kim and if she didn’t react he would let it go.  
At first Lila didn’t want to believe it then Alya patted her shoulder sympathetically and left her to stand alone. And because of these really annoying events she couldn’t start her plan with Dupain-Cheng who - of fucking couse - got closer to Adrien. To her key to the famous-rich-carefree life.  
They were chatting cheerfully in the classroom without any glance at someone other than each. They were in their little world, and every girl in the class blissfully sighed at the sight.
And if that day was not enough of a bother to her somehow her school tablet started streaming porno when she tried to project out her presentation. She was mortified just like everybody in the classroom. And she didn’t even have luck with teachers. Because of - fucking - course that lesson was with Mendeleiev.
*
It was already December when she finally served her detention time because of that… THAT incident. She couldn’t go any photoshoot with Adrien due to her attendance problem.  
She didn’t even see Batman, yeah THAT Batman when he saved Shaytan and Chat Noir. She was at a detention with others. Although she could tell Alya a little story about her knowing the American hero and how he called him to help Paris.  
However she only had ten minutes to bask the light because her mamma called her home. Immediately. At first Lila found it strange, but she shook the confusion down. She said goodbye to the wannabe journalist and went home. She blissfully entered the elevator then with a big smile greeted her mother.  
“Lila!” her mother nodded sternly. The woman waited as she - not so happily anymore, dropped her things in her room. “Why did you use your emergency money?”
Lila furrowed her eyebrows. “But I didn’t.”
“No?” her mamma asked.
She shook her head. She didn’t use her emergency card because her mother could check it anytime. That’s why she asked her payment in cash from Gabriel.
“Then tell me mia figlia, why your debit card is in the minus?” Her mamma held a tablet with an account statement in front of Lila. She slowly read over the document. And indeed, her debit card which was only for emergencies was in minus. The description list showed a lot purchasing from different sites that she didn’t even know.  
“I didn’t do this.” she said franctincly.  
“No?” her mother glanced at the numbers. “You know how much money it was? We kept it for your university years.”
“We?” Lila whispered as she became aware of the gravity of the situation.
“Yes. Your father was the one who drew my attention to it.”  
At first Lila only just gaped then she felt how her blood started circulating. Of fucking course that bastard was the one who spying after her.  
“You are a grounded signorina!” she heard her mother voice through her anger. “After the school ends you have to come home then do your homework. I take your phone and electronics too.”
She didn’t even have time to protest as she saw a dark butterfly. She quietly waited as that insect landed on her phone. “How unfair to blame something on others when she is not at fault.” She heard the well-known tone. “Finanza I’m giving you the power to punish everyone who sinned against you. Your only task to bring to me their Miraculous.”
“Of fucking course.”
*
She was defeated again. But one day she would destroy the fame of Shaytan. That girl would taste the fall and humiliation.  
“LILA!” A loud yell cut her from her plans as she sat at the ground. “Lila!” Someone shook her. She looked up to meet Alya irritating face. “Are you okay?”
She blinked some to win some precious moment to calm down. Then she nodded with a fake whimpering. “What happened? You shouted about some money then forced everyone to admit their sins.”
“Oh… I… I didn’t want to hurt anyone.” she sobbed while she tried to hide her dry eyes.
“It’s okay.” Alya hugged her. “Can you stand up?”
She shakely raised on her foot. They silently walked along the pavement for some time when she finally looked around. They were not far away from the school. And of course it meant they were near to the Dupain-Cheng's bakery.
At first Lila didn’t even notice the bakery, then she heard a shocked gasp from next to her. Alya with wide eyes pointed forward. She also turned the direction and her jaw also dropped. There stood Marinette, little innocent Marinette, embracing a tall, muscular man. After some moments they let go of each other and with a big smile Marinette got in the car with the stranger.  
“What… Who was he?”
*
Next day Lila wasn’t able to forget that stranger with the baker girl. He was gorgeous, but most important, older than them and a little dark. Plus he was clearly an adult. Alya tried to claim he was surely a cousin of Marinette, however Lila wasn’t that certain about it. They didn’t look alike. And if she remembered correctly Alya never told about any relatives of Marinette except her great-uncle chef and grandparents. Nobody else.
“Hm.” If she could twist it somehow then she would be on advantage again. But how? Alya was adamant about the family thing, but what if… Perhaps some well aimed stab about gang members. Perhaps.
Although she needed to conceal her mirth as she eyed her classmates. They all stood at the bottom of the stairs and were themselves like stupid sheeps they are. Lila forced a shy smile on herself and carefully stepped between them to tell a new tale about her time in China. And of fucking course it was not a coincidence, she knew well if she use any rather distinct - nevertheless linked to Marinette, - facts then Dupain-Cheng was much easier to upset.
However that stupid girl didn’t bother to pay any attention to her. She just stood beside Adrien and chatted happily with him.
Lila frowned.  
“There is a problem?” someone poked her shoulder. It was Mylene.
“No… No.” her smile was strained. “I just… Why are Marinette and Adrien avoiding us?”
And everybody simultaneously turned their way. The two blissfully laughed at something as they ignored everything else.  
“How sweet!” she heard Rose’s murmurs. Yeah, like pineapple on pizza. Bhrr.
She started to open her mouth to say something though she wasn’t able to voice any sound. A darker than black and really long limousine parked in front of them. It was not Adrien’s one, neither Chloé’s.  
And the most surprising thing was Marinette jumping up and down for the sight.  
All of them including Lila watched as their class president pulled Adrien to the car and after some debate with the driver they got in the car.  
What did she just watch?
“Oh!” It was not a shocked ‘Oh!’, it was a ‘I realized what was happening’. And Lila also wanted to know what the fuck happened before her beautifull eyes.
“You know something, Nino?” She really tried to conceal her angry curiosity.  
The DJ nodded with a relaxing smile. “Marinette’s family visiting from America.”
“You mean she has relatives in America?” Alya asked, more interested than a few minutes ago when she listened to Lila’s gossip.
“Oh, hell!” Kim shouted. “The brothers, right? I almost forgot about them.”
Alya tilted her head as he turned to the swimmer. “Brothers?”
“Yeah.” Nino talked again. “Dick and Jay, and Timtam… and… Who was the one who pissed Chloé off?”
“Some Da… De… Demon!”
“No. His name was…”
Lila tuned out the conversation. So Marinette had a family in the States. And they most certainly rich drawing that conclusion from the limo. Why didn’t she do better research before she transferred?
*
In the middle of the week was the career day and Lila was really lucky to talk her mamman down about coming to it. Of course she didn’t want her here. It would be a disaster.
She had a quite good feeling about the day. If she heard correctly only a few parents agreed to participate and after the school for the day would end. And naturally she kinda forgot this particular information when she told her mother about this ‘really awful’ day.
Yep, I am a genius.
She confidently walked through the hallways and winked at some cute boy because not only Adrien was appreciable in this school. Maybe if Monsieur Agreste would appear she could negotiate for a new line just for herself. After all she always paid attention to his handsome boy.
Humming the newest XY’s song Lila happily stepped in the classroom. However her mood dropped exactly that moment when her foot touched the room’s floor. Since there, in the middle of the room stood with her fake innocent Marinette and that gorgeous foreign man. And from closer he was more handsome than she first thought. Even Madam Bustier blushed and she had a husband.
Why has this girl this kind of luck?    
Lila forced a charming smile on her face and with a friendly wave she sat down. She would not risk her status in front of that man when Marinette is nearby. She had to calculate carefully so for the time she just waited for the start.
When everybody arrived the teacher began her really boring speech about the importance of work knowledge and connections. Lot of the guests nodded in agreement. There was Rose’s mother who was a florist, Nino’s father was a doctor and Alix’s historian father. And of course Marinette’s mysterious man.
She was really curious about him. He wore a perfectly fitted suit and was fucking handsome, nevertheless he looked young. Maybe twentish. It’s maximum six year age difference between them. It’s not too bad.
She patiently waited as every one of the guardians did their presentation when finally the man stepped forward.  
“Before I introduce myself I would like to clear something up.” His voice was a pleasant baritone. Even Adrien didn’t have that kind of sexy voice. Lila already enjoyed the show.
“I would like to ask everyone present to turn off the phones, tablets and any other smart device.”
Lila indifferently watched as everyone reluctantly got their device and turned them off. She didn’t get back hers since her mother grounded her. How lucky, she grimaced.
“In the next step please read through the confidentiality agreement that Marinette hands out. If you don’t want to partake in it or don’t agree to the terms I have to ask you to leave the room.” he continued as the baker girl gave everyone a copy.  
As Lila looked around some of her classmates without thinking signed it up. And surprisingly it was Chloé and Adrien who handed back among the first. She also saw how after that some other looked at their paper with more bravery and signed it. She didn’t even bother to read it, just scan the logo at the top and the stamp at the bottom. She didn’t know this company so she also wrote her name on and handed it back.
Nobody left the room.
“Thank you, and I am apologizing for that little inconvenience, but this is necessary in today’s competitive sphere.” he said as he and Marinette counted and rechecked every one of the papers.  
After a few minutes they finished. “Since today we also published an article it’s not that big of a harm if I introduce myself.” he smiled a little at Marinette and pulled her next to him. “My name is Damian Wayne and I am one of Marinette’s siblings.”
Lila straightened. She heard it right?
“I work at the Wayne Enterprise as a co-CEO beside my brother Timothy Drake-Wayne.”
It can’t be!    
“After our Father decided he would like to spend more time with his family, I took over his position. Some of my...”
How the fucking hell?    
Lila kind of lost herself and didn’t hear anything other than the slowly repeating ‘Wayne’ echo. That rascal was a Wayne heir?
And Lila targeted her?
Oh fuck.    
*
It was Friday when Lila finally understood Marinette’s real power. It was never her connection or her skills. Not even her so-called friends.  
No.  
It was her family.
She of course knew about the Waynes. Who not? They were celebrities, start managers, philanthropists, fucking Gods. And of fucking course every one of the students also knew about them. So for the next couple of days went by like a couple of seconds. One moment she was the center of the attention then suddenly everybody wanted to be friends with Marinette.
Everybody.  
Even the fucking street-sweeper.
And of course there was the media attention. The police had to be called because of the sensation. Lila even saw how two journalists quarreled about which one hid in one the bushes in front of the school.  
Naturally she wanted to take advantage of the situation, however as the article with her name was published her mother’s phone started ringing. And the caller was Lila's worst nightmare.  
On Friday she and her mamman head to the Wayne Enterprise’s Parisian branch. It was a modern building with clear glass windows and a big dark gold W letter. They were hurriedly ushering in an empty meeting room where there were too many chairs for Lila’s liking.  
Her mother - of course, - was enraged. She almost learnt everything about Lila’s school life. Just almost. Unfortunately it was enough to lose her trust in her daughter. Lila was grounded kind of permanently. She wouldn’t get back her phone kind of ever. She only could use her mother’s computer and just for homework. She was not expelled from Francois-Dupont, however she had detention for a year and had to repeat this school year.  
And now she would learn what the Waynes cooked up for her.
She grimaced.  
“Good morning Madam Rossi and Mademoiselle Rossi.” greeted them Damian Wayne himself as he steeped in the room. He was followed by Marinette, her parents - or they were even her parents? Lila wasn’t able to read any article about the family ties. -, a petite Asian woman, then some other more business-like men and women. Surely the lawyers.
“I think you know why you are here.” Damian stated as he sat at the head of the table. Marinette went to his left side with her parents (?) and the petite woman sat down at his right side with the lawyers.  
“Yes.” Her mother nodded.  
“We would like to sue your daughter, Mademoiselle Lila Lucrezia Rossi, for breaking our confidentiality agreement. Furthermore ask a restraining order to prohibit her from approaching my little sister, Marinette Athanasia Al Ghul Wayne.” This man spoke with a really unconcerned voice that Lila almost thought he was not even interested in his sibling’s life.
“Yes.” Her mamman agreed without any protest.  
“However” his voice steeled, “because my sister is a really kind soul she will not sue for the physical violence, a mental and physical harassment and the defaming.” he stared down at her with dark eyes. “Nevertheless we, as from her guardians who are presented” he pointed to the stranger Asian woman and himself, “decided to put on the blacklist Mademoiselle Lila Lucrezia Rossi in every business in which we owned the majority.”
The air got stuck in Lila’s body. Every business? Every? The Waynes owned half of the planet.  
“But” spoke the petite woman, “we would ignore this blacklisting if the Mademoiselle successfully participates in various therapies.” She passes toward a paper. “It’s a list of some advised areas to search for good specialists. We don’t want to break a young child's career so we are ready to compromise.”  
Lila almost believed her then she glanced at the man. At first she thought this Damian Wayne was gorgeous. And indeed his look was perfect, however she didn’t meet more horrifying people than him. His eyes screamed for murder.
She turned back to her mother who kind of looked relieved. “We… I thank you.” she breathed.
After that were just formalities. Signing up that or this. Lila wanted to run home and curl up. And cry.  
She worked for her fame. She worked hard to destroy those lives in her way. She didn’t think she would meet someone who could destroy her with just a flick.
However the paper said otherwise.
Her fucking status said otherwise.
She didn’t remember a lot from the meeting after that. She barely registered when they arrived home. She almost didn’t hear her father's disappointed voice on the phone.
And Lila almost missed the little note on her desk. With a photo about herself as she moves to get an akuma.
We are the night. We are vengeance. We are a family.
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smallblueandloud · 4 years
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fsk emotions: the playlist
(i’d like to apologize in advance for how long this is going to get. UPDATE: yeah, this is around 4k, i am So Sorry.)
in case y’all weren’t aware, i have fitzskimmons emotions ALL THE TIME. my poor friends have to deal with me texting them at 11 pm like “i’m freaking out about fsk again” embarrassingly often. so, i figured i’d try to share some of those emotions with y’all, in the form of songs from my private fsk playlist on spotify. 
that playlist is 63 songs long. hopefully i will not feel the need to talk about ALL 63, but i’m not going to make any promises. y’all know what i’m like about this. i’m planning on giving you a list of the songs for your listening pleasure, and then go into detail about the lines / vibes from each song that i think especially fit the ship. we shall see how this goes.
just a warning: my music taste is very all over the place. i associate the sound of 80s love songs with fsk, so there’s gonna be a few of those, but also some weird obscure indie songs and some pop and just... bear with me, okay? these songs are in no particular order, because i have no idea how to make a “”legit”” playlist or whatever the heck y’all are doing to make such good mixes. i’m just gonna stick a tracklist here and move on.
can’t fight this feeling // reo speedwagon
gravity // sara bareilles
new year’s day // taylor swift
don’t go breaking my heart // elton john & kiki dee
dancing in the dark // bruce springsteen
born to be yours // kygo & imagine dragons
i choose you // sara bareilles
ordinary people // john legend
carry on // fun.
blackbird // the beatles
thunder road // bruce springsteen
the long and winding road // the beatles
the archer // taylor swift
army of angels // the script
paper rings // taylor swift
lucky // jason mraz & colbie caillat
wonderwall // zella day
team // noah cyrus
i melt with you // modern english
cornelia street // taylor swift
coroner’s report // molly ofgeography
two // sleeping at last
fair // the amazing devil
arms unfolding // dodie
making love out of nothing at all // air supply
all the song explanations are under the cut, because this is going to get long. there’s also ten honorable mentions if you manage to make it to the end of this. let’s get started!
1. can’t fight this feeling // reo speedwagon
i felt legally required to put this one first because i literally named my magnum opus after it. i like this song a lot on its own, but it specifically reminds me of fsk because the idea of your partner(s) as the place you will always gravitate towards is peak fsk for me. also, these three are canonically each others’ reassurance and rock and i’m just... i love them a lot, okay? this song’s imagery and lyrics have come to be inextricably associated with fsk for me and i love it a lot.
important lyrics: “And even as I wander, I'm keeping you in sight You're a candle in the window on a cold, dark winter's night”
“And if I have to crawl upon the floor, come crashing through your door Baby, I can't fight this feeling anymore“
2. gravity // sara bareilles
this one goes second because it’s probably my favorite song of all time. i play it on repeat whenever i’m feeling sad or anxious or pining or happy or just... anytime, lmao. but i also think it’s a very fsk song, and more specifically the fitzdaisy relationship! not only does it have more of that “gravitating towards each other” theme (more literally in this case), but the lyrics are also... very much fitzdaisy, i think, who are very much each others’ safe space and have been vulnerable with each other from the very beginning.
important lyrics: “ Oh, you loved me 'cause I'm fragile When I thought that I was strong But you touch me for a little while And all my fragile strength is gone”
(although really every single lyric fits really perfectly, so go and check out this song! it’s genuinely my favorite song ever and i think everyone would benefit from a listen or two)
3. new year’s day // taylor swift
the most underrated song from reputation, this song is probably the most INTENSELY fsk song i’ve ever heard. these three have grown up together, have changed together, have left their mark on each other in ways that can never be undone. the thing i’m most nervous for in the series finale is the show completely ignoring that impact (along with all three’s relationships with coulson and may especially!). no matter their romantic configuration, none of them would be the same if they hadn’t known the others. and new year’s day really articulates that, along with a really sweet feeling of trust and the image of them cleaning up together after a party - which makes perfect sense when you think about canon, and how they’d stick together even after leaving the life-changing experience of shield. even though there’s no more life-changing adventures, they’re still going to be together, and that means something. y’all, this song is really good and the best fsk song ever and you NEED to listen to it.
important lyrics: “Hold on to the memories, they will hold on to you And I will hold on to you”
“Please don't ever become a stranger whose laugh I could recognize anywhere”
4. don’t go breaking my heart // elton john & kiki dee
look, just let them be happy, okay? also, i really love the trust aspect of this song, which i associate intensely with the fsk relationship. after all of the betrayal and pain and suffering they’ve experienced, i really love thinking about how much all three must trust each other, even in canon. also i wrote a fic where all three danced to this song and now i won’t ever get that image out of my head.
important lyrics: “Don't go breaking my heart I couldn't if I tried Honey, if I get restless Baby, you're not that kind”
“And nobody told us 'Cause nobody showed us And now it's up to us, babe Whoa, I think we can make it“
5. dancing in the dark // bruce springsteen
okay, this song is a bit darker than the others but i am a secret lover of springsteen, shh. also the mood works VERY well for three agents of shield who haven’t gotten a break since they left college. i really like the idea of them making their own happiness in the middle of the darkness together, because that’s part of why i’m so emotional about them! they are each others’ safe space and protector!
important lyrics: “You can't start a fire Sitting 'round crying over a broken heart This gun's for hire Even if we’re just dancing in the dark”
6. born to be yours // kygo & imagine dragons
heck yeah, let’s talk about the fact that no one in the ot3 would be the same if they hadn’t met the others! not just that, but the fact that they support each other and are a big reason why each of them have made it through the pain of the series with, like, less trauma then they could’ve. fitz was there for daisy when she developed her powers and is the one who talked her into coming back in s4, daisy was there for jemma when she came back from maveth (and in the framework), and jemma and fitz have been supporting each other since they worked things out in s3. also, they know each other insanely well and i think this song does a great job of expressing that!
important lyrics: “I never knew anybody 'til I knew you I never knew anybody 'til I knew you And I know when it rains, oh, it pours And I know I was born to be yours”
7. i choose you // sara bareilles
they! change! together! thank you for coming to my ted talk! also, i’m just... very obsessed with the idea of them choosing to be together, choosing to try to work through their problems, even when there have been so many. i am also obsessed with the idea of them spending their lives together. leave me alone.
important lyrics: “We are not perfect we'll learn from our mistakes And as long as it takes I will prove my love to you I am not scared of the elements I am underprepared, But I am willing And even better I get to be the other half of you”
8. ordinary people // john legend
i really, really love this song, actually? i’m a big fan of a lot of his music lmao. but i like this song specifically because it’s about how complicated love can be sometimes, and i think fsk’s love gets really complicated sometimes! and like, despite it all, they love each other and they’re trying to work it out. but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s really hard sometimes! (shoutout to the fic i titled with a lyric from this song that exemplifies that exactly)
important lyrics: “I know I misbehaved and you made your mistakes And we both still got room left to grow And though love sometimes hurts I still put you first And we'll make this thing work but I think maybe we should take it slow”
9. carry on // fun.
first off, this song has INTENSE post-framework fitz vibes. this is very much how i headcanon his relationship with violence works after they escape from the framework and fuck canon. but also, just, the idea of them all healing together? the idea of them moving on together after shield? poetic cinema. chef’s kiss. they’ve all changed SO MUCH since the show started, and yeah, not all of that change is good! but at least they’re still together.
important lyrics: “You swore and said we are not We are not shining stars This I know I never said we are Though I've never been through hell like that I've closed enough windows to know you can never look back”
10. blackbird // the beatles
i don’t know what about this song reminds me of jemma but something in this song reminds me of jemma, and fitz and daisy helping her heal. regardless, i am So Into them helping each other heal! mostly because the way that the show refuses to give them a break is SO FRUSTRATING. (also it tends to involve them being soft with each other and i am Weak.)
important lyrics: “Blackbird singing in the dead of night Take these broken wings and learn to fly”
11. thunder road // bruce springsteen
this is probably my second favorite song of all time. i am Absolutely Unbiased For Sure. regardless, i adore the imagery of this song, the contrast between the poetic feeling of it and the down-to-earth lyrics. this song, to me, is about people coming back to each other at the end of a long long journey. being in love while tired and recovering from a long, painful, messy life. and that just fits them... so well.
important lyrics: “Well now I'm no hero That's understood All the redemption I can offer girl Is beneath this dirty hood”
“With a chance to make it good somehow Hey what else can we do now Except roll down the window And let the wind blow back your hair? Well the night's busting open These two lanes will take us anywhere“
(y’all do not understand how hard it was to not copy All The Lyrics. you really really have to listen to this song.)
12. the long and winding road // the beatles
EXACTLY THE SAME THING THAT I SAID FOR THE LAST SONG. god this song works so well for them. they are never going to be able to leave each other because they’re so interconnected and yeah, part of that is circumstance, but so MUCH of that is CHOICE. they CHOSE to spend time together, they CHOSE to spend time together, i’m getting emotional over here.
important lyrics: “The long and winding road That leads to your door Will never disappear I've seen that road before It always leads me here Lead me to you door”
13. the archer // taylor swift
this is THE definitive daisy pov song. try to tell me i’m wrong. you can’t. daisy showing vulnerability is a BIG DEAL because of how easily she deflects things! she shows vulnerability to people she loves, most notably mack, coulson, fitz, and jemma! it physically pains me to think about how much she trusts them, y’all. there’s also this sense of melancholy throughout the song, because she’s never going to be the person that she once was. I’m Upset, Y’all.
important lyrics: “Combat, I'm ready for combat I say I don't want that, but what if I do? 'Cause cruelty wins in the movies I've got a hundred thrown-out speeches I almost said to you Easy they come, easy they go I jump from the train, I ride off alone I never grew up, it's getting so old Help me hold onto you”
14. army of angels // the script
this song is courtesy of @theclaravoyant, who recommended this as THE fsk song, and i think she’s very right! they fight TOGETHER, y’all. i’m very emo about it. their love is TRANSCENDENT and helps them OVERCOME their obstacles and i’m Really Upset About It, okay?? this song especially sounds like jemma’s voice, but it works so well for any of them and i Love It.
important lyrics: “When they got me cornered Close to giving in Oh I feel you round me like a second skin”
15. paper rings // taylor swift
*sobbing* i just want them to be HAPPY. i think part of my feelings about this song stem from, like, how fsk manages to find love during really, really dark times? and manages to be in love with each OTHER during the events of the show, which are VERY DARK as i think we can agree. and yet they managed to get together! and they managed to stick together! and idk, y’all, i’m just so soft for permanent partnerships and people being Married(tm) and this song brings that in SPADES.
important lyrics: “Kiss me once 'cause I know you had a long night Kiss you twice 'cause it's gonna be alright Three times 'cause you waited your whole life”
“I like shiny things, but I'd marry you with paper rings Uh huh, that's right Darling, you're the one I want, and I hate accidents except when we went from friends to this“
16. lucky // jason mraz & colbie caillat
this song just SCREAMS domesticity to me and no it’s absolutely NOT because i used a lyric from this song to title my collection of domestic fsk ficlets, i have no idea where you would get such a ridiculous idea. they are all BEST FRIENDS okay and they’re in LOVE and they come HOME TO EACH OTHER at the end of the day. they genuinely like spending time together. god, this song is so cute, i love it so much.
important lyrics: “I'm lucky I'm in love with my best friend Lucky to have been where I have been Lucky to be coming home again Lucky we're in love in every way Lucky to have stayed where we have stayed Lucky to be coming home someday”
17. wonderwall // zella day
before you tell me i’m being stupidly cliche, look at the artist. and then realize that the artist doesn’t make a different for how cliche i’m being. first off, this is such a wlw song (google that one car commercial if you don’t believe me) and skimmons is kind of. my peak wlw song. but also this song is so lovely because it’s about people persevering through challenges to be together, even their own feelings, and that’s VERY good and VERY fsk. i’m just very gay, alright? leave me alone.
important lyrics: “And all the roads we have to walk are winding And all the lights that lead us there are blinding There are many things that I would like to say to you But I don't know how Because maybe You're gonna be the one that saves me And after all You're my wonderwall”
18. team // noah cyrus
this song is from @bobbimorseisbisexual’s fsk playlist (thanks al i love you) and it’s VERY GOOD for this ship. god, i have so many emotions about them being on the same team (which is part of why it’s so FRUSTRATING when the show tries to split them up-). especially because trust is such a big aspect of their relationship? look, these are three people who have been betrayed a lot, even by each other. it’s so IMPORTANT that they trust each other to be on the same team!! (also this song is one of the only songs i’ve ever heard that’s apparently singing to both a man and a woman, and i’m gonna ignore the fact that it’s a duet. let me have my poly songs.)
important lyrics: “Whenever you're winning I'll give you strength, boy And I'll share your name, girl 'Cause I'll always be on your, I'll always be on your team Yeah, I'll always be on your team”
19. i melt with you // modern english
this song is sponsored by @florchis, who not only was the person that first told me about this song but also named her entire fsk collection after one of the lyrics. she has very good taste. first off i love how high-energy and happy this song is. declaring your love for someone is a VERY fun thing to do in the best of circumstances! and i just love the idea of them taking time for each other in the middle of all of their shield business. i love them so much, y’all.
important lyrics: “Moving forward using all my breath Making love to you was never second best I saw the world crashing all around your face (let me hear you) Never really knowing it was always mesh and lace (c'mon)”
“I'll stop the world and melt with you You've seen the difference And it's getting better all the time There's nothing you and I won't do”
20. cornelia street // taylor swift
YES, i know this is the FOURTH tswift song on this list. she’s really good at songwriting, okay? also... y’all.. the VULNERABILITY. the LONGING. the idea of having to deal with the very real fear of loss fits VERY well for a ship where everyone involved is in mortal danger three times a week. also, the idea of never being able to separate the memories of a place from the people? that’s peak fsk. i know i keep saying this but they’re all HUGELY INFLUENTIAL on each other and it’s a BIG DEAL!! they’re never going to get over this relationship, this love, and I’m Never Going To Get Over Them.
important lyrics: “And I hope I never lose you, hope it never ends I'd never walk Cornelia Street again That's the kind of heartbreak time could never mend I'd never walk Cornelia Street again”
21. coroner’s report // molly ofgeography (aka @ofgeography)
first off, everyone should listen to this ENTIRE ALBUM because it’s VERY GOOD. secondly, i know this song is really sad but imagine this as steeling yourself for the series finale. canonverse fsk hurts SO MUCH, y’all, and i love them so much. the metaphor in this song is *chef’s kiss* and the guilt of losing love is.... yeah. i’m sad. please be sad with me.
important lyrics: “How do you bury love, and what gets carved into the stone? If I had waited by the window would love be safe and back at home?”
“We held hands in the procession, black and veiled and strange You said, ‘love was good when love was here,’ it didn't ease the ache“
22. two // sleeping at last
okay i definitely think that part of this is me being an extreme 2 and therefore considering this song the Peak of Romance. which is probably a little unhealthy but leave me alone. i don’t know enough about enneagram types to diagnose any of the ot3, but definitely this song resembles all of them to some extent, especially daisy. (i am in pain.) this song, to me, feels like daisy pining for fs in canonverse. (i am in PAIN.) she would ABSOLUTELY give parts of herself up for them and count on the fact that they wouldn’t notice. god, this hurts so much. i love this song so much. if it helps, i think in a happier universe they all also sacrifice parts of themselves for the others? which hurts too but in a good way.
important lyrics: “Tell me, is something wrong? If something's wrong, you can count on me You know I'll take my heart clean apart if it helps yours beat”
“I just want to build you up, build you up 'Til you're good as new And maybe one day I will get around to fixing myself too“
23. fair // the amazing devil
this song is CRIMINALLY unknown. GO LISTEN TO IT RIGHT NOW AND THEN MEET ME BACK HERE. this song just screams fsk at me. the humor, the depths of love, the good-natured resentment, the depths of love... god. it’s so good. i definitely think the strength of their emotions for each other overwhelm them sometimes. i think they find comfort with each other, i think they tease each other, i think they’re disgustingly in love all the time. god.
important lyrics: “She promises to fight them all when it all becomes too much And he, he curses at the world for Leaving him behind and he's falling out of touch And she is stronger than he's ever been he knows And she brushes her hand through His hair, he's got so much fucking hair”
“And he holds her close just to keep the world at bay And when they're sure no-one can hear them She'll turn to him to say, she'll turn to him and say It's not fair, It's not fair how much I love you“
(yes i DID copy more than i’ve been copying for the rest, because the songwriting in this song and album are PHENOMENAL and YES i will harass y’all until you listen to it because LOOK AT HOW GOOD IT IS.)
24. arms unfolding // dodie
i know, i know, this is a really short song. but it’s really pretty and i think it fits daisy, like, extremely well. think about daisy during early s4, specifically. she loves them enough to break down her walls. that’s what this song is about. and that’s what i’m gonna go cry over now. god this post is so long what the heck.
important lyrics: “Hope I'm not tired of rebuilding 'Cause this might take a little more I think I'd like to try Look at you And feel the way I did before”
“You know I could live without or with you But I might like having you about“
25. making love out of nothing at all // air supply
okay, so i admit it, i’m actually a HUGE fan of really cheesy 80s music. but i really love this song for them? especially jemma. i think it fits jemma really well. first off, it’s that good old vulnerability with admitting that she doesn’t know everything! and it’s admitting that she specifically doesn’t know what she’s doing with this relationship! and admitting how much she loves both of them even though she might not have wanted to! and i think she’s just... so amazed, so so amazed at the way that fitz and daisy are able to forgive and be loving even when they’re in the worst situations? which is definitely a big message of this song. (oh jemma, i love you and your violent tenancies. i see al’s valid criticisms and i am Loving You Anyway.)
important lyrics: “I know all the rules and then I know how to break 'em And I always know the name of the game But I don't know how to leave you And I'll never let you fall”
“And I don't know how you do it Making love out of nothing at all”
jesus CHRIST this got long. i actually also had a bunch more songs that i didn’t have a LOT to say about but i thought they fit anyways, so uh, honorable mentions:
can’t help falling in love // elvis presley (”wise men say only fools rush in / but i can’t help falling in love with you”)
the longest time // billy joel (they’ve influenced each other)
after all // peter cetera & cher (they’re never going to be able to forget the influence they have on each other)
leave a tender moment alone // billy joel (daisy pov for skimmons. that is all)
she // dodie (i am Soft and Gay and skimmons is also Soft and Gay)
bremen // pigpen theatre co. (honestly idk what to say here, it’s just The Vibe)
say something // a great big world (similar vibe to ordinary people)
saturn // sleeping at last (Science and also Influence On Each Other)
celeste // ezra vine (thanks to al for this one too, i REALLY want to write a fic about them and this song at some point)
 you’re the inspiration // chicago (i just love the sound of this song. also i think all of them - but jemma especially - are inspired by the others to be better)
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dontcallmecarrie · 4 years
Note
Whatever happens with school or your writing, please don’t prioritize it over your health. I had a bad habit(I’m still working on it) where I’d draw all day. I love drawing, so it was fun! But it was all I did. I didn’t eat or bathe or deal with any of my responsibilities/homework and I let my apartment fall apart. Sometimes I didn’t even sleep. Even though I improved my art a lot, I also did a lot of damage to myself. So I just wanted you to know that you’re just as important as your stories.
Friend, I appreciate your concern and can 100% relate to where you’re coming from, and am proud to say that at this point in time I’m fine and congratulate you on your success.
This is my fandom-focused sideblog and I try to keep personal stuff out of it, but to sum up: it’s been hectic, but so far I’ve managed to weather the storm okay. [Apologies because this gets pretty TMI, warning for mentions of mental health issues and my life being a never-ending tire fire.]
The reason for my erratic updates? I don’t generally drink or smoke; I have a family history of addiction, and I really don’t want to risk it. Which, combined with the stuff going on in my life, means I’ve got a lot of stress and not very many ways to vent that I’m comfortable with turning to.
So I write.
I wrote after exams specifically because I sometimes struggled with anxiety and found that fanfic was a lot more fun than wondering if I failed or not [wasn’t kidding when I said ‘post-test jitters’, here.] I wrote when I found the time, after turning in my essays, and after nerve-wracking phone calls with people I have the dubious honor of sharing DNA with. I wrote when I was failing some of my classes and my GPA took a hit because of it, and when I realized my intended major wasn’t going to work out and was making me miserable on top of it.
I know some of the writing could’ve been better, but I just do this for fun anyway, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 
…anyway. It’s been a few years since I started [2. iirc, it’s been over 2 now], and it’s been a bumpy road since, but I did it. [Somehow, I’m not even sure how I managed to pull some of it off in retrospect.] 
Also: I try to avoid getting too TMI on this blog, but as far as my attitude towards producing content goes? I try and put myself first, specifically because I have relatives who are the embodiment of ‘you gave me an inch so that’s obviously an invitation to take three miles every time I see you’ and it took me a while to learn how to put myself first and get them to back tf off. [it was an…embarrassingly long while, tbh. tfw you’re apparently seen as one of the family’s fixers because you’re the first idiot in your generation to show a speck of responsibility when you had a hard time saying no sometimes]
This shows up in my writing by how I…don’t write, sometimes. 
I didn’t write when things picked up the pace and I switched majors, or when I discovered I liked kayaking on the lake near my now-alma mater. Didn’t write when I took classes far outside my original comfort zone.
I didn’t write when I graduated […also partly because things also hit the fan at the time, but shh]. 
…um. Apologies for the TMI, but long story short: I greatly appreciate your concern, but I’m doing pretty good atm.
I’m a bit nervous about the future which is why I’m trying to finish what I have [in case I might need to go on hiatus or something— don’t want to leave anyone hanging], but that’s another thing entirely. 
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bxcketbarnes · 5 years
Text
College Party
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Pairing: Ashton Irwin/Reader
Words: 4049
Author’s Note: This v i d e o. I fucking love this video so much. I’ve watched it so many times and I never get tired of it. They’re so cute I love them so much. I hope you like this xox
UCLA. A college I've been wanting to go to since my early teens. A college I'm now attending and constantly thinks it's a dream. My eyes were wide and took everything in when I first got to LA. Stomach filled with jitters and nerves as I took a grand tour around the campus a couple days before class even started.
The girl I'm rooming, Madi, with is pretty nice. We're similar in a lot of ways and I found myself lucky to have been randomly picked with her.
This'll be the best four years of my life…
-
I pack my books into my bag, glancing at the clock every couple of minutes as I try to give myself enough time to get to class at least fifteen minutes early.
“When's your last class?” Madi asks as she sits up on her bed, running a hand through her messy hair.
I unlock my phone, checking my schedule before looking towards her. “Three. Wanna get a late lunch?” I ask her and she nods while giving me a tired grin.
“Yeah, absolutely. You can tell me all about the cute boys in your classes,” she gives me a wink while lying back down.
I roll my eyes, chuckling softly as I nod. “Sure, maybe. If there are any cute guys,” I tell her and she scoffs.
“Please. It's LA. There's gonna be cute boys,” Madi mentions with a duh tone in her voice.
“Fine, fine. I guess you're right on that one,” I mutter while sliding the straps of my bag onto my shoulders. “I'll see you later.”
I make it to my Beginning Voice Class, licking my lips a bit as I step into the classroom. No one else was here yet and I let out a breath of relief. I take a seat in the middle of the room, grabbing a notebook from my bag and setting it on the table.
“Dude, no, this chick was like so clearly flirting with me it's ridiculous,” a voice speaks and I lift my head up, seeing two guys walking into the room.
My cheeks flush a bit at the two gorgeously breathtaking guys that took a seat behind me. I can feel my stomach churn with nerves, clearing my throat a bit before returning my attention to my phone.
“So, what? She's hot,” the other guys mentions and I roll my eyes. Welp…
“Yeah, but she's got no personality whatsoever. I could never be with someone like that. Plus, we literally just got to this school. She's clearly looking to hook up,” the first guy tells him and I close my eyes, trying to block out their conversation.
Silence fills the room as I can feel eyes burning into my back. A few more people have quietly made their way into the room as class starts in three minutes.
Chatting gets slightly louder in the room as friends reconnect with one another. I glance around, taking my bottom lip between my teeth as I begin to feel a bit like a loner. Guess that'll happen when you move across the country to attend to your dream college.
The professor walks in and the talking ceases, everyone turning around in their chairs to face the front. “Good morning, everyone and welcome back for some of you,” he greets with a smile on his lips.
I put my phone away, giving him my undivided attention. I fiddle with my fingers as I watch him get a couple folders out of his bag, setting them onto the table.
“How was everyone's summer?” He asks as he took some papers out of the folder before beginning to hand them out to us. A few replies of good echo off the walls as the professor nods his head. “Alright, so, this is Beginning Voice Class. If you're not supposed to be here then I would suggest you find the class you're actually supposed to be in.”
Professor Milford sets the paper in front of me and I give a small smile before looking through it. My eyes scan over the schedule, seeing a few group projects and I gulp slightly. Fuck…
-
“So, did your professor tell you who your partner is yet?” Madi asks as we're eating lunch.
It's been a couple weeks since school started and the first group project in my voice class is coming up quickly.
“I think he posted them outside his office but I haven't had the chance to look,” I mention while picking at the food on my plate. “Honestly, I'm pretty nervous about it.”
“Girl, if it has anything to do with singing, which I assume it does, you'll do amazing. Your voice is like an angel,” my roommate comments and my cheeks heat up slightly.
“Than-”
“Y/N?” A familiar voice asks and cuts me off from thanking Madi. Both our heads snap towards the voice to see one of the gorgeous guys from that class. I think his name is Ashton.
I find myself staring at him, engrossed in his beauty when Madi kicks me from under the table. She clears her throat and gives him a smile as I sit up straighter. “Sorry, yes, hi. Ashton, right?”
He nods his head and motions to the seat beside me. “Can I sit?” Ashton asks and I nod my head, pressing my lips together. “You’re probably wondering why I came over here.”
“A little bit yeah,” I chuckle nervously and leans my cheek onto my hand. “It’s not every day an upper-class student sits down with us.”
Ashton lets out a giggle and my heart melts a bit, the smile on my lips widening. “I guess you can say I’m not like a lot of upperclassmen,” he tells me as he sits back in the chair. “Anyway, I’ve seen you here a few times around this time so I’m glad I caught you. Have you checked Professor Milford’s list of partners?”
I shake my head, sitting up a bit straighter as the butterflies in my stomach begin to soar around. “N-No, I haven’t. I was going to check on my way to class later,” I tell him and he runs his slender fingers through his hair.
“Well, I figured I’d introduce myself since we’ll be spending quite a bit of time together,” he hints and I swear my heart stops. I’m partnered with possibly the most gorgeous human on this campus? Great.
“Holy shit,” I whisper. Ashton and Madi let out a chuckle and my cheeks heat up in embarrassment. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to say that out loud. Um, when do you want to meet up and work on the project?”
Ashton leans forward and takes his phone out of his pocket. “Do you want to come to my place this weekend? My roommates should be out but if they’re there we can just work in my room,” he offers and glances towards me.
“Yeah, yeah. That sounds good,” I tell him while rubbing my hands onto my jeans. A smile comes to Ash’s face and I can see dimples indenting his cheeks. Awe he’s got dimples. Cute.
“Great! Just, uh, put your number into my phone and I’ll send you my address and a time,” he mentions and hands me his phone. I take it into my hands, fingers brushing against his for a second. I type my information into his phone before giving it back to him. “Sweet. I’ll text you later. It was nice to meet you and I hate to cut this short but I have class in like seven minutes.”
The three of us chuckle as he gets out of the chair, pushing it in. “It was nice to meet you too,” I tell him with a smile. “See you later.”
We watch as Ashton leaves the dining area and I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding. Did that seriously just happen? “Dude! Is that the guy we’ve been talking about?” She asks and I nod my head, my eyes still on the door Ashton walked through. “That’s Ashton Irwin. He and three of his friends are in a band that sometimes play on campus. Holy shit!”
I furrow my eyebrows, wondering how she knew all of this since she’s a freshman. “Wha-How do you know this?” I ask her while tilting my head.
“Oh, there’s a few girls in my biology class that has seen them play,” Madi answers and I let out a quiet oh. “He plays the drums.” She wiggles her eyebrows at me and I take my lip between my teeth.
“Fuck, really?”
She nods her head, a small smirk on her lips. “Oh, yeah. And I remember you telling me that you always had a thing for drummers.”
God, I sure do…
-
I stare up at the apartment building in front of me, feeling the nerves flowing through my veins as I hope his roommates aren’t home. I let out a deep breath and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear before heading into the building. I adjust the bag on my back, walking up the stairs to Apartment 209.
“C’mon! Unlock the fucking door,” someone was yelling as I reached the second floor. My eyes widen as I see Ashton stood outside his apartment in nothing but his boxers. I glance away, feeling my cheeks warm and try to figure out if I should go back outside and let him know I’m here or to just go up to him. The sandy brunette sighs, rubbing his hand over his face before he looks down the hall, eyes meeting mine. “Y/N! Y-You’re here.”
I press my lips together before biting my lip, nodding as I slowly made my way towards him. “Yeah, I am. I-I should’ve texted you first to see if you were actually ready for me to come,” I tell him while trying not to let my eyes roam.
“I would’ve been ready but my asshole roommates told me I had a package and next thing I know I’m being shoved out the door,” Ashton embarrassingly chuckles. “Guys? My music partner is here. Can you please unlock the door?”
We wait in silence as footsteps are heard on the other side of the door. The door opened and the guy that came in with Ashton on the first day of class stood on the other side.
“Hey. Y/N, right?” The brunette asks and I shyly nod my head. “Nice to officially meet you. I'm Calum. I'm also in your class in case you didn't know.”
A chuckle leaves my lips as Ashton and I step into the apartment, Calum closing the door behind us. “Yeah, I know. It's nice to officially meet you as well,” I tell him with a soft smile before my eyes glance towards Ashton.
“Alright. We're gonna be in my room working on the project. Shouldn't you be meeting up with your partner?” He asks his friend and Calum shrugs his shoulders.
“Maybe. I'll have to ring him up,” he mutters before walking into the living room.
Ashton motions his hands towards the wooden door in front of us and I grasp the door handle before heading inside the bedroom. My eyes look over the room, a smile coming to my lips as I see a lot of band posters that I actually enjoyed, a song quietly playing in the room.
“Wow, Ashton,” I start as he walks in front of me to put on some clothes.
“What is it?” He asks, a worried tone in his voice.
“Your room is… it's killer. Honestly, I'm a bit surprised that we have similar taste in music but I feel like at the same time I'm not. If that makes any sense,” I chuckle while sitting on the edge of his bed.
Ashton lets out a laugh while pulling a shirt over his head, his fingers combing through his hair as soon as he was done. “Oh, well, thank you. I certainly thought you were gonna insult me,” he tells me with a giggle while sitting down next to me.
“Nah,” I mumble, grinning like an idiot as I look up at him. “I'm way too nice to insult you go your face,” I inform him as I wink at him jokingly.
The two of us chuckle and Ashton shakes his head, getting up from the bed to grab a folder and notebook from his desk before sitting back down beside me. “That’s good to know,” he tells me while tucking his foot under his leg. “Let’s get started shall we?”
I nod my head and smiles at the man, the absolute cutest man might I add. “Yeah, we shall.”
-
A Year and a Half Later…
“So, we’re having a party tonight,” Ash starts as he lies on my bed. I hum in response, half listening while trying to finish the index cards for Professor Milford’s class. “I think you should come. Not a lot of people are going to be there.”
I just nod my head, my eyes scanning over the notes that are messily written on the exam study guide. I can hear Ashton sigh and he shuffles around a bit as I finish the last index card, setting it onto the semi-large pile I’ve already got.
“Y/N,” my best friend sternly calls out and I snap my head up, seeing him sitting on my desk. “Oh good. I’ve got your attention now,” he chuckles and I give him a playful glare.
“Sorry, I just wanted to finish writing down these study questions,” I tell him and lean back in the plastic chair.
Ashton nods his head, crossing his muscular arms over his chest. “I get that, but how many times do I need to tell you that you’ll ace this test?” I roll my eyes at him, shrugging my shoulders. “Did you hear what I said?”
My lips part, staring up at him with a confused look on my face. “I-Uh, no. What did you say?” I question.
“I said that we’re having a party tonight and I want you to come,” he repeats and I flinch a bit, already getting an uncomfortable feeling.
“I don’t kn-,”
“It’s literally going to be me, the boys, and a couple mutual friends. It’s not gonna be some that Cal threw a couple weekends ago. Just a small get together,” Ashton cuts me off and reaches forward to grab my hands. “Please. I really want you to come. We haven’t hung out in weeks and I would like to spend some with you before I go home for the holidays.”
I frown at the mention of him leaving. My gaze moves down to our intertwined hands, softly playing with his long fingers. “I… I’ll come for a little bit, okay?” I mumble and look up at him through my lashes.
A smile comes to his lips and nods his head, bringing our hands up to his lips, pressing quick kisses to my knuckles. I couldn’t help the blush that came to my cheeks, biting the inside of my lip. “Thank you, thank you,” he grins widely. “It’ll be fun. I promise. Plus, Milford’s test is on Monday so you’ll have all of tomorrow to study!”
-
“Emma, I literally have no goddamn idea what to wear,” I tell one of my best gal friends as she sits on my bed. I comb my fingers through my hair before glancing back towards my closet that held a shit ton of my clothes.
“Just wear something cute,” she shrugs and I let out a groan.
“Wow, you’re so much help. If only I had thought of that,” I laugh while shaking my head. Emma lets out a chuckle as well before she looks up from her phone.
She stands, stopping beside me as the two of us look at the hanging pieces of clothing. “Sorry, I was talking to Cal. He’s… he’s being really adorable,” Emma blushes and I grin, bumping her elbow.
“Oooo, that’s great. You know you can come with me to the party. I think Calum would like that, a lot,” I tell her and she chews on her bottom lip.
“Yeah, maybe. Didn’t Ashton say he really liked that red off-the-shoulder dress? The one with the black floral pattern?” She asks and I think about it for a moment before nodding my head.
“Y-Yeah. I tried it on at the store and he demanded that I get it. That I looked absolutely breathtaking and would put everyone else to shame. Which that sounds ridiculous,” I mumble with furrowed eyebrows.
Emma shakes her head and lets out a scoff. “Honey, if only you can see what everyone else does. Just… wear the dress. Then pair it with the gladiator sandals you have that are so cute,” she tells me and I nod my head, complying. Her phone dings again and she looks down at it, a large smile coming to her lips. “Cal asked me to go to the party, so I’m gonna go home and get ready. I’ll meet you there.”
I nod my head, muttering a goodbye to her as she left my dorm room. I took the dress off the hook, setting it onto the bed. My mind goes back to the statement Emma said before leaving, confused by what she meant. If I could only see what everyone else does? What does that mean? What does everyone see? I shake my head, getting rid of the thought before getting ready for the party.
-
I step up to Ashton’s apartment door, taking a deep breath before knocking loudly. I fiddle with the sleeve of my dress, looking down at myself to make sure I still looked okay, fixing my hair with my free hand.
The door opened and my incredibly handsome best friend stood on the other side, his hazel eyes widening at the sight of me. “Y-Y/N, hey, you look fantastic,” he greets as his gaze moves down my body.
“Thank you,” I whisper and look to the floor, feeling my cheeks heat up. “Can I come in?” I ask with a nervous chuckle and he blinks a couple times before snapping out of his thoughts.
“Yes! Yes, sorry,” Ashton chuckles and steps to the side, allowing me into his place. I slide my thin coat off and Ash grabs it from my hands before I have a chance to hang it up. I thank him quietly, smoothing out my dress while standing in the kitchen, looking over the various types of alcohol. “What kind of drink do you want?”
I glance back towards him, tapping the tips of my fingers against the island. “I’ll just have a vodka soda,” I tell him with a smile. He nods his head, grabbing a red solo cup before mixing up a drink.
He hands it to me and then the two of us make our way into the living area, seeing Luke and Michael standing beside the dinner table as the music was loudly playing through the speakers. The two waved at me and I returned it with a small smile. Ashton introduced me to the other people I didn’t know before a knock sounded on the door.
Calum yells out that he’s got it as Bartender by T-Pain featuring Akon came through the speakers, Ashton and Luke immediately dancing to it. I let out a chuckle, hovering my hand over my mouth as I took the sight in. God, he’s so cute.
Two hundred bitches, and I'm bettin' ain't none of them hot (ain't none of them hot)
'Cept for this pretty young thang that was workin' all the way at the top (all the way at the top)
Shawty, what is your name?
Ashton’s eyes met mine and motions me towards him. I shake my head, giggling and the six-foot man dances towards me, grabbing my hands. “Dance with me,” he mumbles loud enough for me to hear and I bite my lip, contemplating it for a few seconds before nodding my head. He cheers slightly, pulling me back towards the other two.
Ooh, she made us drinks to drink
We drunk 'em, got drunk
And then I think she thinks I'm cool
She gave me a wink, I winked back
And then I think that we hit it off something proper like…
“Everybody robot,” Luke yells as I shake my hips. A loud laugh escapes my lips as the chorus begins to play. Calum and Emma walk into the room and Ashton raises his hands as does Cal, singing along. I take a big gulp of my drink, feeling Ash’s hand on my hips and I gravitate closer to him, tuning everyone out.
I set my empty cup against the table, facing Ashton and he puts both of his hands on my hips as mine slide up his torso. “You’re so gorgeous. The most gorgeous woman I’ve ever met in my life,” Ash mumbles into my ear as the song begins to end. The smile on my lips widens, looking up at him through my lashes to see the adoration swimming in his hazel eyes.
My fingers grab his hand, interlocking them before dragging him towards his room. I look over my shoulder to see the silly grin on his lips and the smirk on Emma’s and I roll my eyes a bit. She’ll be telling me “I told you so” later. I pull the six-foot man into the room, closing the door behind us. “Ashton…” I trail off, chewing on my bottom lip as he sits down on his bed.
“Yeah?” He whispers, looking up at me.
I hike my dress up a bit, straddling his lap. His large hands rest on my hips, gently rubbing circles against the fabric. “I really really like you. Like, a lot. Way more than a best friend should,” I whisper while combing my fingers through his hair.
“I like you too. Way more than a best friend should,” he mumbles and my heart flutters as one of his hands move to my face, his thumb stroking my cheek. “You intrigued me the first day I saw you in Professor Milford’s classroom. Then when we hung out for the first time and we had so much in common I couldn’t help but fall for you.”
Ashton pulls my face closer to his, our noses brushing against each other as his breath fans my lips. The butterflies in my stomach go wild as his lips barely touch mine. My fingers press against the back of his neck, gripping slightly and deepens the kiss, fully pushing my lips against his. Both of his hands move down my back and under my dress, fingertips skimming along the skin of my back.
Loud knocks and hollers are heard on the other side of the door and we pull away from each other, both of us looking towards the wooden door. Ashton scoffs quietly, removing his hands from me and I glance back down at him. “Can’t even have the privacy to finally kiss the girl I’ve been crushing on for a year and a half,” he mutters while patting my outer thigh, signaling me to get up.
A giggle escapes my lips and I press both hands to his cheeks, pressing a rough kiss to his lips before getting up from his lap. “Come on, handsome. We can makeout later,” I tell him with a grin on my lips, holding my hand out towards him.
“Be better if we could makeout now without having nosy fucking friends,” he chuckles and I shrug my shoulders, biting my lip.
“Yeah. We could… go to my place? Sneak out?” I offer with a raise of an eyebrow. I open the door and begin to leave when Ashton stops me, picking me up bridal style. I let out a squeal, gaining everyone’s attention as he begins to walk towards the front door.
“Where are you guys going?!” Cal drunkenly yells and Ash turns his head back.
“I’m going to spend some alone time with, Y/N. I’ll be back tomorrow!” I let out a loud laugh, tightening my grip around his neck as we begin our trip to my dorm.
-
Taglist: @asht0ns-world @dukesnumber1 @thebookamongmen @twilightparker @singt0mecalum @lukeskisses @ashs-cheergirl @shower-me-with-roses @maddz-world @gotta-try-something-new @therainydays4 @thatcheekychic @calumsendgame @dashlilymark @babylon-uncrowned
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650-651: "Luffy and the Gladiator of Fate - Rebecca!" and "Protect You to the End! Rebecca and the Toy Soldier!"
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NARUTO-KUNNNNNN
So Bartolomeo is basically Hinata.
He collects Strawhat posters.
He is their biggest fan.
You guys were right.
This is hilarious.
I love him. xD
“I SENT YOU MY BLOOD, LUFFY!”
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Once Luffy and Don Chinjao left the ring, the clean up and reconstruction team moved in. As of now, three contenders could potentially move forward to challenge Diamante: Jesus Burgess, Bartolomeo and the Not-So-Mysterious Lucy. 
I say “not so mysterious” because everyone and their gran fighting in the next round knows who he is now.
And I have a theory: Bartolomeo, Rebecca and Luffy will team up against Burgess in the next round.
Why do I think this?
Well, once Luffy left the ring, pursued by Cavendish, two fodders happened to pass by Bartolomeo. He overheard them talking shit about Luffy.
“Why does Cavendish keep yelling Strawhat? As if he’d be here. That’s the guy who couldn’t even save his brother’s life. Anyone could do what he did if he doesn’t have to save anyone’s life!”
For some reason, Bartolomeo Did Not Like This. He pinned the fodder and almost crushed him with a barrier. At first I thought Bartolomeo’s reaction was something to do with Ace. Maybe they were friends once?
Nope.
The real reason was Even Better.
“What was that joke you made so lightly?” Bartolomeo growled. “Listen, Luffy-senpai will become the standard bearer for this era. He will become the Pirate King!”
No, I thought. No way. Bartolomeo was a Luffy supporter? How? And why Luffy-senpai? Had Luffy unknowingly taught him along the way?
The answer? Sort of.
Bartolomeo was there at Loguetown.
“I saw it with my own eyes. Over two years ago. At Loguetown in East Blue. On the legendary scaffold where Roger died, Luffy-senpai shouted it out then. At that moment, straight from heaven, came a bolt of thunder which saved his life. What I saw was a miracle!”
And thus Luffy’s Biggest Fan was born.
Seriously, this guy used to be a gangland boss (had taken over about one-hundred and fifty towns). But he began to follow the news stories. Alabasta, Enies Lobby, Impel Down and Marineford. He made a fan shrine with his bounty poster collection! In the end, Bart’s hardcore fanboy status reached the lofty height of emulation. Inspired by Luffy, he sailed out to sea.
And it turns out Bart does not take kindly to anyone talking shit about his idol.
While Luffy dodged Cavendish, Bartolomeo peeked round the wall and watched. “I can’t approach him. When it comes to it, I can’t do it. I’m too nervous to go anywhere near him. The scar under his left eye. It’s real! He’s so cool! Oh... my eyes are suddenly blind with tears. That stupid Cabbage shit. I want to beat him to death and save Luffy!”
It’s nice to know Luffy has such a dedicated in-universe fanbase.
And Don Chinjao can be added to the club too. He joined Cavendish in thundering after Luffy because he wants to place his grandson’s Happo Navy under the command of Garp’s Illustrious Grandson. What a result, right?
Except Luffy was thoroughly weirded out, wondering why these three crazy guys were chasing him.
Luckily for him, Rebecca was around.
Teach Takes Another Level in Scumbag
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She grabbed his arm and hauled him off. There was a more private place nearby where no one else went.
On the way, they passed Jesus Burgess. He was in the middle of a DDM call. A very familiar voice was on the line. So familiar, it caused a visceral reaction in Luffy. He screeched to a halt immediately.
It was Blackbeard. And they were having a weird conversation.
“By that logic, Shiryu is no different,” Teach said.
“But I can’t trust Aokiji!” Burgess complained. “Uh... Hold on a sec, Captain. Strawhat is here.”
This piqued Teach’s interest. “Eh? You there, Strawhat?”
“You’re Blackbeard, aren’t you?” (You know when Luffy remembers you straight away that you must either be A) Really Good, or B) A Real Asshole.
“Yeah, it’s been awhile. Heard you’re fighting in the competition, Lucy. But my man, Burgess, is gonna win the Mera-Mera Fruit. I can’t wait because it’ll be like having Ace in my crew. He turned me down in the past.”
OOOOFT.
Wow, that one was a low blow. To be honest, I really like how Oda employs Teach as a long-term adversary to Luffy. Teach’s panel/screen time is economical but every time he appears, Oda really ramps up the enmity between him and Luffy. No exchange is ever wasted.
I was pretty proud of Luffy for keeping his cool here. It shows how much he’s matured as a person and as a Captain.
I am also intrigued by why Burgess is worrying about Aokiji? That was pretty random. Is our favourite ex-Admiral really operating in the underworld now? Is he trying to wangle information from the Blackbeards? Hmm... Don’t think Smoker would like that. Then again, he has had a hard lesson on Punk Hazard. Maybe he will be a little more cynical in future and won’t dismiss intel from pirates out of hand.
Justice for Toys!
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Post Blackbeard Encounter, Rebecca led Luffy further away from the chaos. On the way, Luffy was distracted by free food samples. Just before he cleaned out the stall, Rebecca offered to buy him lunch, even though she didn’t have much money.
What a nice gesture, right?
Rebecca found a deserted looking area and Luffy smashed into his bento like it was Blackbeard’s face. Through mouthfuls of food, Luffy asked where they were. Rebecca explained it was quarters for the gladiators. They called it “a prison” (which, we learned later, it literally was).
Since Luffy’s life revolves around piracy and food, he asked Rebecca if she was hungry and if she wanted some food.
This triggered an Obvious Trauma Flashback. Smol Rebecca and her mother beneath the tree in Flower Field. Smol Rebecca saying, “I’m hungry.” Her mother replying, “Okay, do you think you can stay here alone for a while?” Then suddenly... dead mother.
Rebecca said tightly, “I don’t get hungry.”
Although I figured there was guilt here, I didn’t link Smol Rebecca’s food request directly with her mother’s death. Not until the big reveal of Rebecca’s past.
That unwitting conversational misstep must have pushed Rebecca into enacting her plan. She had intended to lure Luffy into a quiet area and kill him. When she turned on him, to my surprise, some randoms in bandages piped up from behind bars. “YEAH, GIT HIM, REBECCA!”
But Rebecca had picked on the wrong competitor.
Or, when you look at it from another angle, exactly the right one.
Luffy was able to fend her off while still tucking into his delicious meal. It was an embarrassingly easy win. The gulf of ability between them was so wide, she was never on Luffy’s radar. Right now, beating Rebecca would be like swatting a fly. (Not disparaging her general fighting ability, but compared to Luffy, most people would come off worse.) She was no threat, therefore Luffy wasn’t angry about the assassination attempt.
Luckily, she bought Luffy lunch. Especially since she didn’t have much money. He loves food and would appreciate that. Any other offence would pale in comparison to that act of generosity.
“I’m not gonna do anything to someone who bought me food,” Luffy said when Rebecca insisted he just kill her and get it over with.
Then Luffy noticed the “mummies” - the prisoners in bandages in the background. Rebecca explained the situation. She and the other guys in the room are “convict gladiators”, pretty much like the system in ancient Rome where slaves and criminals could be slung into the arena and ordered to fight to the death.
To ramp up Doflamingo’s evilness, they also said, “The king says we can be released if we win a thousand times. Everyone who tried to escape got shot. There’s nowhere to run for us. Before Doflamingo became king, gladiatorial matches were not to the death. In this kingdom, there are very bright and very dark sides.”
So Doflamingo brought in the Delayed Death Penalty for criminals. I guess it’s a way of ushering capital punishment through the back door. Entertain the masses and get rid of undesirables in one go. Few will object because most love the Colosseum games. The ones who won’t fight, or the really dangerous ones likely to talk too much, are turned into toys. That’s iron control of Dressrosa right there.
And Rebecca is not a fan.
“Today an army led by Sol will come to let us out by provoking a battle against Doflamingo. He is willing to sacrifice his life to destroy the kingdom. But I’m gonna do it before he does. I don’t want to just be protected anymore. I want to protect Sol this time! I’ll win today’s competition no matter what and will kill Doflamingo with the Mera-Mera Fruit power.”
I thought I’d figured out Rebecca’s motive to fight. Poor kid with no food, no family, maybe resorted to petty criminal activity, was arrested and now she wants to escape. Amongst all the crap that happened to her, maybe Sol was her only friend.
Luffy was like, “Why are you worried a toy is gonna die?”
Rebecca just smiled and said, “You’re not from here, so it’ll be hard for you to understand. Toys are the same as humans (wait til she finds out they *are* humans. She’s gonna flip tables). They are friends to the friendless. Siblings for those who have none. Lovers for the loveless. I don’t understand why they’re not able to live with us. Since I lost my mother, Sol-san raised me. He’s like a father to me (I bet he is).”
Luffy actually listened to this (which is a huge accomplishment, Rebecca. You should be proud of that) and said, “You don’t look like a prisoner to me. Buy me lunch again sometime!”
Rebecca walked out to the ring and said, “See you at the finals.”
I like her confidence.
Then a flashback kicked in that showed me how wrong I was about Rebecca’s motivations.
Oda Really Likes Princesses, Doesn’t He?
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The sad tale of how Sol came to raise Rebecca opened with a scene of Smol Rebecca and her mother living quietly on Flower Field, picking flowers to sell in town. They had a lovely house. An idyllic life. But don’t think I missed that one empty chair at the table. (Sol is totally her dad.)
Then there was fire. The King Riku army was setting town on fire. This really puzzled me. (I’m still not one-hundred percent on this. Are we talking the actual King Riku or the Resistance King Riku Army here?)
Soldiers chased Smol Rebecca and her mother, Lady Scarlet. Diamante headed the charge. Sol stepped in and defended them. After the battle, Smol Rebecca and Lady Scarlet hid out in Flower Field. Rebecca said she was hungry. Lady Scarlet knew it was a risk but she sneaked into town to buy food. She was shot and killed. Sol brought her body back, along with the food she’d died to buy Rebecca.
Smol Rebecca nudging her mother’s dead body and telling her to get up was like post-stampede Mufasa and Simba all over again. It was Very Sad. ;_;
She almost cried but Sol clamped his hand over her mouth. Enemies were still looking for her.
“Your mother was high-born. Do you know we have a new king now? The new king wants to capture all the former nobility. He even wants to capture you because your mother’s blood runs through your veins. I’m gonna protect you unti the end with my life. Until the day you are filled with happiness, I will always be by your side.”
Wait... I thought. Rebecca is a noble???
What the hell?
What was going on?
Was the battle the night before a civil war in Dressrosa? One that Doflamingo won against King Riku?
Who Says Politicians Never Keep Their Promises, Eh?
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Because here he is. On a podium. A shiny new king wearing his all time fave feather jacket. The adoring crowd chanted his name. “Doflamingo! Doflamingo!”
He made a speech. Par for the course with new kings.
“The Riku Family has been running this poor country for centuries! In the end they became shameless and robbed money and goods from citizens for themselves. I’m gonna make this country wealthy, instead!”
This is where I lost track of the situation. From what has been revealed about people turning into Toys, I thought Doflamingo “brought someone in” to do that. I figured that would have been *after* he gained power. But Toys were around before that. Sol is proof.
What gives? 
And the people of Dressrosa *really* hate King Riku and anyone associated with his bad, corrupt family. Unfortunately for Rebecca, not only is she a noble, she is also King Riku’s granddaughter. Her status is also well-known in the Colosseum. When she walked into the ring, the commentator introduced her as the Phantom Princess of King Riku’s line. She was booed and vilified by the audience. “BURN IN HELL! CORRUPT FAMILY!”
I get the feeling Doflamingo engineered this somehow. It’s all too perfect a narrative. Doflamingo, the saviour, sweeps in and saves Dressrosa from the evil, corrupt family, while he is as bad, if not worse. Or maybe Doflamingo did have good intentions, but, as always in life, matters snowballed and he became hella corrupt himself. Leaning more towards deliberate coup at the moment.
I am also highly suspicious of the gladiator Ricky. It’s very close to Riku and there was definitely an older gent under that mask...
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“SELL THEM FOR STRAWHAT MERCHANDISE!”
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keencolorking · 3 years
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Why did the "Starbucks Incident" raise racial discrimination and the absurd tragedy repeated in the United States?
【Special attention】
American coffee retail chain Starbucks announced on the 17th that more than 8,000 stores across the United States will be closed on May 29 for anti-racial discrimination training. This incident has once again aroused people's attention to the long-standing racial discrimination in the United States. The matter has to start with the recent "rejection of toilet access" by two African Americans at a Starbucks coffee shop in Philadelphia, the United States, which led to the "Starbucks racial discrimination" incident.
Starbucks suspected of discriminating against blacks
On April 12, two African Americans waited for their friends at a Starbucks coffee shop in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, without ordering food. When they wanted to borrow the toilets in the store, they were rejected by the store staff on the grounds that they did not consume at Starbucks and therefore could not "use" the toilets. The clerk also asked them to leave Starbucks. But the two African Americans stayed in the store and refused to leave, and then the clerk called the police. Upon hearing the news, the police arrived and took the two African Americans away with handcuffs. They were released after being detained for several hours. Some customers at the scene filmed the incident into a video and then broadcast it on social media, which aroused widespread public concern. In particular, the footage of two African-Americans being taken away by police in handcuffs was widely disseminated by netizens. Many people believe that "the clerk called the police and arrested the police only because of skin color." The two African-American lawyers said that the two had made an appointment at a coffee shop to discuss business, and the reason they did not order was because they were waiting for other friends to arrive.
📷
On April 15, people in Philadelphia, the United States, protested in front of Starbucks before the two blacks were taken away by the police at Starbucks. Bright Pictures/Visual China
On April 16, dozens of demonstrators rushed into the Starbucks coffee shop where the incident occurred, holding slogans, chanting the slogan "Boycott Starbucks racial discrimination", demanding that Starbucks fire employees suspected of racial discrimination and demand that the police pursue arrests Black police officer. Protests caused the store’s business to be interrupted for a while, and for a while, "Starbucks discriminated against black people" spread like wildfire and intensified in the media. Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson quickly issued a letter of apology for this incident. In the letter of apology, he stated that Starbucks employees’ practice of reporting to the police was wrong, and this did not represent Starbucks’ philosophy and values. He was willing to personally report to the incident. Of two African Americans apologize. The letter of apology also stated that Starbucks will take the matter seriously and reflect on the deficiencies in the past, so as to better deal with emergencies in the future. Starbucks will also hold training courses to collectively learn about anti-racism. According to the relevant statement of Starbucks, the training courses will be developed with reference to the opinions of external experts and targeted at nearly 175,000 employees. The media here estimates that the closure of business for half a day will cause Starbucks to lose 12 million US dollars.
Social ills are hard to eradicate
Compared with Starbucks' sincere apology, the attitude of the US police in this incident was completely opposite. Richard Rose, chief of the Philadelphia Police Department, emphasized that the police are handling the case in accordance with the law. During the live broadcast on social media, Rose pointed out that the police officer involved did not do anything wrong. The police officer was reported to the scene. At that time, the two African Americans were told to leave by Starbucks employees on the grounds of "illegal invasion", but the two ignored them. , And the police officer had politely asked two African Americans to leave three times, but they were taken away only after being refused. Ross said that when companies call the police for help, saying they don't want anyone to interfere with their business, the police are obliged to perform their duties. Ross, who is African-American himself, admits that he understands the hidden racial prejudice and discrimination in society, but insists that the police will be committed to justice and unbiased law enforcement.
📷
On April 15, people in Philadelphia, the United States, protested in front of Starbucks, and police were on duty at the scene. Bright Pictures/Visual China
Analysts believe that a Starbucks "refusal to go to the toilet" incident has aroused national attention and led to large-scale protests. It is nothing more than people who used the incident to vent their serious dissatisfaction with racial discrimination in American society. It is not difficult to see from the protest videos on social media that not only black people but also many white people protested at the Starbucks coffee shop. This shows that racial discrimination in the United States is not deliberately caused by a certain color of the group, but has formed a social ailment that is difficult to eradicate. It is not only disgusted by black people, but also disgusted by white people.
In 1963, Martin Luther King, the leader of the black civil rights movement in the United States, delivered a famous speech "I Have a Dream" in front of the Lincoln Memorial, opening a page in the history of the United States against racial discrimination and fighting for equal rights and inspired countless African Americans. . April 4th marks the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s assassination. Fifty years have passed, and the problem of racial discrimination in the United States still exists and is getting worse. Even former US President Barack Obama once said embarrassingly that, including himself, almost all African Americans have been followed when shopping.
Absurd law enforcement occurs frequently
In recent years, the United States has exposed many incidents in which the police caused the death of civilians, especially blacks, in the course of law enforcement. In August 2014, Brown, an 18-year-old black young man in Ferguson, Missouri, was killed by the police, triggering large-scale protests and violent riots throughout the United States. In the past few days, from California on the west coast to New York on the east coast, people from many cities in the United States took to the streets to protest against the manslaughter of the 22-year-old black young man Clark in Sacramento. Of the 20 shots fired by the police, 8 shots hit Clark, and one bullet pierced the lungs. According to US media statistics, since January 2015, the Sacramento police have shot and killed 6 people including Clark, 5 of whom were African-American men. In recent years, the ongoing "Black People's Life is Fate" movement reminds people that racial discrimination still persists in America. Such incidents seem to be the norm, and have exacerbated the racial division of American society time and time again.
Looking back at several absurd police shootings of black people in the United States in recent years, people can see from a special perspective that American law enforcement agencies always seem to be "entangled" with the term racial discrimination. The reason why the role played in the incident was "broken".
In June 2017, a black alarming incident in Seattle, the United States was called an "absurd tragedy." The Washington Post reported that an African-American woman in Seattle called the police after suspecting a burglary. When the police arrived, they saw the African-American woman holding a knife and shot at her. When the police found out that a major mistake had been made, rescue was soon carried out, but the woman died. Afterwards, the police department gave an explanation that the policeman who carried out the shooting mistakenly believed that the African-American woman was the thief. The woman’s family questioned the reason for the police shooting, saying that the police could obviously use electric shocks to take away the thin and pregnant woman; even if she was holding a knife, the threat to the police was very small, but the police But choose Wu to disconnect the gun. Relatives firmly believe that the death of the African-American woman was due to racial discrimination, only because she was of African descent.
Coincidentally. In July 2016, a similarly absurd police shooting and killing of black people occurred in Minnesota, the United States. The black man who was killed was named Castir. He and his girlfriend were stopped by a policeman named Yanez when they were driving because the taillights of the car were damaged. According to the process, Yanez asked to see Castile’s driver’s license and insurance. Castiel provided insurance and informed the police that he had legal firearms. As soon as he said this, Yanez felt nervous, and subconsciously pulled out his gun. When Castiel reached for his driver's license in the car, a tragedy happened-Yanez fired several shots at Castiel in the car, killing him. Throughout the whole process of the incident, it is not difficult to see that Yanez fired because he misinterpreted Castille’s driver’s license to take a gun. Yanez was later acquitted by the court. Castiel's family was very angry about this and questioned the Minnesota judicial system, saying that this system continues to disappoint blacks.
Whether it’s Starbucks coffee shops rejecting African-Americans to go to the toilet or American police accidentally killing African-Americans, these incidents are not accidental, and I am afraid they are not the end. They undoubtedly reflect the serious racial problems and ethnic conflicts in the United States, and reflect the white Americans. The lack of mutual trust with the black community. The phrase "Remember, we only kill blacks" when the police officer of Cobb County, Georgia, United States, was on duty last year, directly tore off the fig leaf of American racial issues. In August 2017, Charlottesville, Virginia, broke out in the worst white supremacist movement in the United States in 10 years, exposing the deep tears in American society. Statistics show that there were 954 hate groups in the United States in 2017, an increase of 4% over the previous year and an increase of 20% since 2014; there are more than 600 white supremacist groups. In addition to the constant violent death tragedies, black Americans also encountered prejudice and discrimination on political, economic, educational, and social security issues.
Only by enhancing the equality and mutual trust between races and ethnicities can we prevent such tragedies from happening again. But the current reality of American society is that more than half a century after the passage of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, black Americans still find themselves trapped in impoverished areas across the country. It can be said that the stubborn racial problems in the United States are difficult to eliminate, and the "black and white confrontation" is intensifying. It is difficult to guarantee that the tragedy that occurred in Starbucks coffee shops will not happen again.
0 notes
sotina886 · 3 years
Text
Why did the "Starbucks Incident" raise racial discrimination and the absurd tragedy repeated in the United States?
【Special attention】
American coffee retail chain Starbucks announced on the 17th that more than 8,000 stores across the United States will be closed on May 29 for anti-racial discrimination training. This incident has once again aroused people's attention to the long-standing racial discrimination in the United States. The matter has to start with the recent "rejection of toilet access" by two African Americans at a Starbucks coffee shop in Philadelphia, the United States, which led to the "Starbucks racial discrimination" incident.
Starbucks suspected of discriminating against blacks
On April 12, two African Americans waited for their friends at a Starbucks coffee shop in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, without ordering food. When they wanted to borrow the toilets in the store, they were rejected by the store staff on the grounds that they did not consume at Starbucks and therefore could not "use" the toilets. The clerk also asked them to leave Starbucks. But the two African Americans stayed in the store and refused to leave, and then the clerk called the police. Upon hearing the news, the police arrived and took the two African Americans away with handcuffs. They were released after being detained for several hours. Some customers at the scene filmed the incident into a video and then broadcast it on social media, which aroused widespread public concern. In particular, the footage of two African-Americans being taken away by police in handcuffs was widely disseminated by netizens. Many people believe that "the clerk called the police and arrested the police only because of skin color." The two African-American lawyers said that the two had made an appointment at a coffee shop to discuss business, and the reason they did not order was because they were waiting for other friends to arrive.
📷
On April 15, people in Philadelphia, the United States, protested in front of Starbucks before the two blacks were taken away by the police at Starbucks. Bright Pictures/Visual China
On April 16, dozens of demonstrators rushed into the Starbucks coffee shop where the incident occurred, holding slogans, chanting the slogan "Boycott Starbucks racial discrimination", demanding that Starbucks fire employees suspected of racial discrimination and demand that the police pursue arrests Black police officer. Protests caused the store’s business to be interrupted for a while, and for a while, "Starbucks discriminated against black people" spread like wildfire and intensified in the media. Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson quickly issued a letter of apology for this incident. In the letter of apology, he stated that Starbucks employees’ practice of reporting to the police was wrong, and this did not represent Starbucks’ philosophy and values. He was willing to personally report to the incident. Of two African Americans apologize. The letter of apology also stated that Starbucks will take the matter seriously and reflect on the deficiencies in the past, so as to better deal with emergencies in the future. Starbucks will also hold training courses to collectively learn about anti-racism. According to the relevant statement of Starbucks, the training courses will be developed with reference to the opinions of external experts and targeted at nearly 175,000 employees. The media here estimates that the closure of business for half a day will cause Starbucks to lose 12 million US dollars.
Social ills are hard to eradicate
Compared with Starbucks' sincere apology, the attitude of the US police in this incident was completely opposite. Richard Rose, chief of the Philadelphia Police Department, emphasized that the police are handling the case in accordance with the law. During the live broadcast on social media, Rose pointed out that the police officer involved did not do anything wrong. The police officer was reported to the scene. At that time, the two African Americans were told to leave by Starbucks employees on the grounds of "illegal invasion", but the two ignored them. , And the police officer had politely asked two African Americans to leave three times, but they were taken away only after being refused. Ross said that when companies call the police for help, saying they don't want anyone to interfere with their business, the police are obliged to perform their duties. Ross, who is African-American himself, admits that he understands the hidden racial prejudice and discrimination in society, but insists that the police will be committed to justice and unbiased law enforcement.
📷
On April 15, people in Philadelphia, the United States, protested in front of Starbucks, and police were on duty at the scene. Bright Pictures/Visual China
Analysts believe that a Starbucks "refusal to go to the toilet" incident has aroused national attention and led to large-scale protests. It is nothing more than people who used the incident to vent their serious dissatisfaction with racial discrimination in American society. It is not difficult to see from the protest videos on social media that not only black people but also many white people protested at the Starbucks coffee shop. This shows that racial discrimination in the United States is not deliberately caused by a certain color of the group, but has formed a social ailment that is difficult to eradicate. It is not only disgusted by black people, but also disgusted by white people.
In 1963, Martin Luther King, the leader of the black civil rights movement in the United States, delivered a famous speech "I Have a Dream" in front of the Lincoln Memorial, opening a page in the history of the United States against racial discrimination and fighting for equal rights and inspired countless African Americans. . April 4th marks the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s assassination. Fifty years have passed, and the problem of racial discrimination in the United States still exists and is getting worse. Even former US President Barack Obama once said embarrassingly that, including himself, almost all African Americans have been followed when shopping.
Absurd law enforcement occurs frequently
In recent years, the United States has exposed many incidents in which the police caused the death of civilians, especially blacks, in the course of law enforcement. In August 2014, Brown, an 18-year-old black young man in Ferguson, Missouri, was killed by the police, triggering large-scale protests and violent riots throughout the United States. In the past few days, from California on the west coast to New York on the east coast, people from many cities in the United States took to the streets to protest against the manslaughter of the 22-year-old black young man Clark in Sacramento. Of the 20 shots fired by the police, 8 shots hit Clark, and one bullet pierced the lungs. According to US media statistics, since January 2015, the Sacramento police have shot and killed 6 people including Clark, 5 of whom were African-American men. In recent years, the ongoing "Black People's Life is Fate" movement reminds people that racial discrimination still persists in America. Such incidents seem to be the norm, and have exacerbated the racial division of American society time and time again.
Looking back at several absurd police shootings of black people in the United States in recent years, people can see from a special perspective that American law enforcement agencies always seem to be "entangled" with the term racial discrimination. The reason why the role played in the incident was "broken".
In June 2017, a black alarming incident in Seattle, the United States was called an "absurd tragedy." The Washington Post reported that an African-American woman in Seattle called the police after suspecting a burglary. When the police arrived, they saw the African-American woman holding a knife and shot at her. When the police found out that a major mistake had been made, rescue was soon carried out, but the woman died. Afterwards, the police department gave an explanation that the policeman who carried out the shooting mistakenly believed that the African-American woman was the thief. The woman’s family questioned the reason for the police shooting, saying that the police could obviously use electric shocks to take away the thin and pregnant woman; even if she was holding a knife, the threat to the police was very small, but the police But choose Wu to disconnect the gun. Relatives firmly believe that the death of the African-American woman was due to racial discrimination, only because she was of African descent.
Coincidentally. In July 2016, a similarly absurd police shooting and killing of black people occurred in Minnesota, the United States. The black man who was killed was named Castir. He and his girlfriend were stopped by a policeman named Yanez when they were driving because the taillights of the car were damaged. According to the process, Yanez asked to see Castile’s driver’s license and insurance. Castiel provided insurance and informed the police that he had legal firearms. As soon as he said this, Yanez felt nervous, and subconsciously pulled out his gun. When Castiel reached for his driver's license in the car, a tragedy happened-Yanez fired several shots at Castiel in the car, killing him. Throughout the whole process of the incident, it is not difficult to see that Yanez fired because he misinterpreted Castille’s driver’s license to take a gun. Yanez was later acquitted by the court. Castiel's family was very angry about this and questioned the Minnesota judicial system, saying that this system continues to disappoint blacks.
Whether it’s Starbucks coffee shops rejecting African-Americans to go to the toilet or American police accidentally killing African-Americans, these incidents are not accidental, and I am afraid they are not the end. They undoubtedly reflect the serious racial problems and ethnic conflicts in the United States, and reflect the white Americans. The lack of mutual trust with the black community. The phrase "Remember, we only kill blacks" when the police officer of Cobb County, Georgia, United States, was on duty last year, directly tore off the fig leaf of American racial issues. In August 2017, Charlottesville, Virginia, broke out in the worst white supremacist movement in the United States in 10 years, exposing the deep tears in American society. Statistics show that there were 954 hate groups in the United States in 2017, an increase of 4% over the previous year and an increase of 20% since 2014; there are more than 600 white supremacist groups. In addition to the constant violent death tragedies, black Americans also encountered prejudice and discrimination on political, economic, educational, and social security issues.
Only by enhancing the equality and mutual trust between races and ethnicities can we prevent such tragedies from happening again. But the current reality of American society is that more than half a century after the passage of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, black Americans still find themselves trapped in impoverished areas across the country. It can be said that the stubborn racial problems in the United States are difficult to eliminate, and the "black and white confrontation" is intensifying. It is difficult to guarantee that the tragedy that occurred in Starbucks coffee shops will not happen again.
0 notes
seengularity · 7 years
Text
Babysitting
Pairing: Dean x reader, Dean Smith x reader
Summary: Dean Smith is a busy working man who struggles to find someone to watch his three kids. Lucky for him, you put up flyers around your hometown offering to babysit. What happens when his kids grow older and no longer need a babysitter?
Word Count: 4.7k
Warnings: fluff, angst, family adorableness
A/N: This isn’t written for any challenges or for anybody. I simply found a handsome picture of Dean and I felt like I needed to write him as a father.
You’ve decided to try babysitting for some extra cash and you were about to give up hope and stop sticking up your number around town to babysit. You made over one hundred bright pink flyers, each one with strips of your number on the bottom.
You had been hanging up flyers for the past month now, but who in their right minds would hire a stranger to babysit their kids?
You thought maybe babysitting was a good idea for the extra cash. You were currently attending school at some nearby college and still lived with your parents because let’s be honest, it’s hard to take classes, work and live by yourself. 
But living with your parents with no job meant that you were always broke. Want to go eat? Broke. Want to go shopping? Broke. Want to go somewhere nice? Broke.
You were tired of it. You wanted your own money to buy yourself your own things instead of having to ask your parents, and also to maybe help your parents with some overly-priced bills.
It was getting dark and you decided that hanging up seventy flyers was enough for the day and that you will just continue to hang the rest tomorrow. You got home and your dad was home from work, and your mom was cooking.
“Honey, dinner is almost ready!” Your mom shouted to you as you began walking upstairs to your room.
“No thank you, mom. I ate just before I left. I’m just going to head to my room.” You said back to her.
You continued to your room and threw your bag on the floor and flopped yourself onto your bed, another unsuccessful day.
Your bones cracked a few times as you laid yourself flat on your bed and you sighed. You’re not getting any younger and you wished you could flash forward to when you had a stable job and your own home.
You began to drift off into a slumber when your phone began to ring, making you jump quite hard.
You ran to your bag on the floor and quickly unzipped it, taking your phone out and answering the unknown number that was calling.
“Hello?” You grimaced at the sound of your disgusting scratchy voice, caused by your almost sleep a few seconds ago.
“Yes, hello. My name is Dean Smith and I’m calling about this babysitting service that you posted up on this flyer?”
The voice almost made you wet your pants. The man’s voice was so deep and sexy that you already wanted to see what this man looked like and who he was.
“Yes, that’s me! What can I help you with?” You asked with a voice that you tried to make it sound like you were purely business, but you were failing miserably.
“I was wondering if maybe you can come to my house tomorrow so I can ask you some questions about yourself? I want you as a babysitter for my kids but I just want to get to know you before allowing you to watch them. Will that be okay? At around three in the afternoon?”
“Sure thing!” You replied a little too embarrassingly loud.
“Okay then, it’s settled. Do you text? If you do, I’ll just send you my house address.”
“Yes I text.” Was all that you said, and you felt like you should’ve said more.
“Okay then! I’ll just text you. Good-bye!”
You said bye back and you both hung up. You waited impatiently for the man to send you his address. When he did, you quickly put the address into Google maps.
“Holy cow!” You couldn’t believe where this man lived. He lives in the Beverly-Freaking-Hills! What the hell would this man want with a person who needs to put out flyers to find a job rather than finding some professional?
Honestly, you were now intimidated. This man, his wife and his kids probably have it all.
You put your phone on your charger and got back into bed. You closed your eyes to fall back asleep and your dreams were filled with nothing but that voice on the other side of the phone and guesses on what the man looked like.
::
You hadn’t done anything all day because you were nervous to meet this man.
“This man lives in Beverly Hills, mom!”
“Well maybe he just wants to help someone out. Plus, maybe he will make you his girlfriend in the long run.” Your mom winked your way, making you blush at her words.
“Doubt it. He has kids, so that must mean he has a wife, right?” You asked your mom as you picked at your salad.
“Not necessarily. The mom might not be in their lives.”
You thought your mom was right. If two adults, one man and one woman, needed a babysitter, you would think the woman would call. But you guessed you would find out soon enough.
It was time to leave so you got into your small 1967 red Chevrolet Malibu, and you made your way up town.
Half an hour later, you made your way into a huge community filled with homes that you never seen so big. You were amazed by the way these homes looked. They all had to be at least three stories high.
Your driving came to a slow halt as you found the house with your GPS. You parked your car on the street, right outside the big white home, and walked up to the door.
You nervously rang the doorbell and waited impatiently.
A man no later than his late thirties, in a nice white shirt, opened the door and smiled widely at you. “Hello, come in.”
You walked in and the house smelled like cleaning product, as the house looked completely spick and span. Not a single dirt spot anywhere. 
The man lead you to an office room that was on the second story of the house, and gestured you to sit at a table right next to him. He looked up at you and the sun shining in from the window within the room, made you fall in love with his eyes. His eyes were rainforest green and you couldn’t believe how green they were. Yet, here you were with boring Y/E/C eyes that more than half the world has.
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“So to start off, can I get a name?” The man asked you. You began to speak and his cologne lingered into your nostrils, making him sexier now that he smells good too.
“My name is Y/N.”
“Okay, Y/N, tell me about yourself.” The man stared at you and your heart began to beat against your ribcage and you felt like the man could hear your heart beats.
“Well I’m twenty-four years old. I’m currently attending a college within my hometown with a major in English. I am the second child out of four within my immediate family. I love children. I’ve volunteered numerous times at elementary schools and at summer camps.”
The man smiled, satisfied with your answer. “Do you have any children of your own? A family of your own?”
You were quite embarrassed at his question. Should you have had a family by now? Did he have a family by the age of twenty-four?
“Uh, no, I don’t.” You responded.
“Any boyfriends or husbands that I should know about?” He asked, looking straight into your eyes.
“No, sir.” You replied simply.
He continued to smile and it began to make your hands sweat.
“Please, call me Dean,” He started. “So it looks like I’m going to hire you. I was thinking maybe I could pay you $50 per hour?”
Your eyebrows raised in amazement. You were only going to ask for $50 per day.
“You’re right, that’s not enough. How’s $75 per hour?”
You began to laugh because Dean clearly took your expression the wrong way. “That’s more than enough. What times would you need me to babysit?”
“Okay now don’t be mad, but I’m going to need you to babysit overnight. From seven in the evening to seven in the morning. I’ll be home by then and I’ll be able to get the kids up and ready for school, so don’t worry about that.”
Jesus Christ! Twelve hours! You thought if you would ever be able to sleep in your own bed again if you took this job.
Your hesitation to say yes to the job made Dean continue to talk. “I have several guest rooms in here, but unfortunately only one of them is fully equipped. It also has a restroom within the room, and that’s where you will be staying. The room is between my room and the kids room.”
Would it really be so bad to take the job? Maybe you can sleep at home on the weekends and on weekdays stay here. So that means, you would have to come to his house straight after school, considering you get out of school at six in the evening. Not to mention, that’s $900 for every time you babysit!
“I’ll take it.” You stated.
Once again, Dean smiled and it looked like his eyes became greener. He bent over to you and took you into his arms in a big hug, which surprised you only a lot.
You hugged back, patting his back and he continuously thanked you for taking the job.
He pulled away and got up. You got up as well and he stopped in the doorway. “Come meet my kids.”
You both walked down the stairs and into the living room where a huge t.v. screen played Spongebob.
“Kiddos, I want you to meet someone!” All the kids ran to their dad as you made a head count of how many children you would be watching. Three kids, not too bad.
“Sam, John and Mary, meet Y/N!” Dean said happily to the kids.
All three kids smiled at you and ran to you in a big hug. You made a slight oomph, as the children squeezed a little too hard.
“They’re so cute and loving. I see they’re huggers too. Get it from their dad?” You laughed.
Dean laughed too. “Sorry about that hug. Ever since their M-O-M left a few years ago, it’s been hard to take care of them and run a company.” He stated.
Your eyes widened as he mentioned his occupation. “You run a company? No offense, but why in the world would you want to hire someone who isn’t all that experienced whereas there’s professionals everywhere that would be more than willing to take your money?”
Dean hesitated to answer and you could tell he was thinking before he decided to answer you. “You’re right. But unfortunately, professionals keep everything strictly professional. I would much rather have a family person who needs the money and loves family just as much as me. Family means everything to me. I was once a struggling kid in college and I know you are as well, otherwise you wouldn’t have taken a job caring for three little maniacs.”
You and Dean both laughed as he called his kids maniacs.
“One more thing, let me show you around the house.”
Dean showed you the whole house and it was practically a work out. The kitchen was as big as your room and you couldn’t wait to cook in it. He had several living rooms, although in your opinion you thought that was useless. He had three bathrooms downstairs as well as three bedrooms. Up the stairs, he showed you the theater room which astounded you, and he showed you his office room as well as the master bedroom, the fully furnished guest room, the laundry room and the kids rooms. On the third story, there was a huge storage room as well as several other rooms that Dean said he was too lazy to show you.
You both walked back down both flights of stairs and he took you to his backyard patio. He showed you the huge pool and jacuzzi as well as the tiki bar and the giant game room that was to the left.
“So I was wondering if maybe you could start tomorrow? You are more than welcomed to eat whatever is in the fridge. I have a maid that comes over so she will be here when you get here. She usually makes dinner for the kids, cleans, does laundry, and then leaves.”
You nodded in understanding.
“Okay it’s settled then. You are welcomed to stay and get to know the kids or me, maybe.”
You looked up at Dean and he was blushing, but he stared into your eyes to make it seem like he was being totally normal.
“I actual have to get home and help my mom with dinner. But I just want to say, thank you so much Dean. For this opportunity. I was really hoping for someone to call me back. I’ve tried for a long time now and you’re the only person who needed a babysitter.”
“No problem, Y/N. I will walk you out.”
He walked you out as you stepped out of his home and he walked you to your car.
“Have a thing for classic cars, I see?” Dean gestured towards your car.
“Yes. They are my weakness.” You smiled at him as he practically drooled over your car.
“I actually have a black ‘67 Chevy Impala in my garage along with several other cars, but my Chevy is my baby. I need to show you them, but that’s due for another day.” He smiled.
You decided to walk up to him and hug him. He smelled so good and you felt his big muscled arms wrap around you and for a second, you thought he ran his fingers through your hair.
You got into your car after you thanked him practically a million times, and you drove back home, happier than ever that you found a place that would pay you good. Plus, the dad is hot and the kids are sweet.
::
Four years later and you finally saved up enough money and helped your parents pay enough of their bills, that you decided it was finally time to move out.
You got yourself a nice small apartment, not too far from your old home, that was surprisingly cheap. The environment around the apartment was peaceful and quiet and the little porch outside of your sliding door windows received enough sunlight for your daily reading. You finally graduated with your degree in English, feeling accomplished.
You still continued to babysit Dean’s children. Although, they were so much more older now. Mary is now twelve, John is eleven and Sam is ten. Crazy ages.
Now that Mary was getting older, she was developing a major attitude now especially towards Dean. But for some reason, not unknown to you, she always vented to you about the latest gossip in her middle school and who was holding hands with who.
John is such a game nerd, but he sure does have an infinite amount of knowledge when it comes to technology. You recently got a new phone and didn’t know how to work the camera, but John quickly became acquainted with your phone and helped you out. He even showed you how to use it step by step.
Sam on the other hand, he was such a quiet kid but super sweet at the same time. He loved to read books. What you decided to do was bring him a new book every two weeks, since he reads them that quickly anyways. The new books that you bring always light up his face like if it’s Christmas.
You grew to love these kids. You seen them everyday that they became family to you. It would be unusual if you didn’t babysit them that day, like if something was missing.
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“You know, Sam, Mary and John are getting older now.” Dean said softly before he left to work.
You nodded your head in agreement as you watched the kids do their homework. You were chewing on a carrot stick that you originally pulled out for the kids to munch on.
“They’re getting old enough to watch themselves now.”
You finally knew where this was going. You stopped chewing and looked at Dean. He had a sad expression on his face.
“What are you saying, Dean?” You wanted him to be straightforward, but that was definitely something you learned that he was not well at doing over the course of four years.
“I’m sorry Y/N. But unfortunately, these kids are getting older and I won’t have a need for a babysitter anymore. Mary is going to be thirteen in a few months and she is mature enough to be alone and take care of her brothers.”
He was whispering now, and you knew he didn’t want the kids to hear. You knew they would be heartbroken if they knew you weren’t going to babysit anymore.
“You’re firing me?” You began. Tears started to flow and your throat was burning from trying so hard to hold back tears. “Dean please. I love your kids. Don’t do this please. They are my family. You are my family.”
Dean looked doleful, but you knew he meant what he said and he wasn’t going back.
“Today will be the last day. I have to go to work now.”
And then he left. Just like that. Clearly he didn’t realize the attachment you had with his kids. Or maybe he just didn’t care?
You didn’t know what you were going to do and you were becoming scared. Of course you still had your parents and your brother and sisters but unfortunately for you, your brother and sisters lived in other states and you know your parents love being alone now that you’ve moved out.
Once Dean left, the time seemed to pass by quick. Mary spoke to you about school and you hugged her a little longer after her discussion about school. You played games with John a little longer than usual, knowing that it will be the last time. You talked books with Sam, expecting to miss what a smart kid he was about everything because of the many books he’s read.
Night came by and the morning came quicker. Dean walked into the guest room to wake you of your slumber.
“You can go home now. I left your last paycheck on the counter.” He whispered.
You looked at his face, but he was blank. Nothing showed across his face and it made you feel worse. You remembered last night. You cried yourself to sleep knowing you won’t see these kids anymore. Or Dean.
You knew you were going to miss Dean a lot as well. He was so kind and generous to you. He’s even taken you out on a few dates as well when he didn’t have work and when the kids were at school. You thought being fired was your fault, but you couldn’t remember doing anything wrong.
You left the Smith residence quickly, not wanting Dean to see any tears fall from your face as you exited the house. You got into your red Chevy and drove home.
It was quiet. But now, it was too quiet for your liking and you didn’t like to be alone with your thoughts. You kept thinking maybe you said something to the kids and they repeated what you said to Dean. Or maybe it was that time that you forgot to throw away the trash that the kids left on the counter. Or maybe it was that time you let the kids go in the pool when it was cold, but they kept begging.
You realized now, that you had to go out and get a real job. Thank goodness for your education.
Quicker than you could register, you found a decent paying job being an editor at some magazine company in Los Angeles. Of course it was quite a travel from your home, but your hometown was the country and not the city.
You weren’t feeling the hype of being an editor. You made some friends outside of work and they always became thrilled when you told them that you were an editor at Los Angeles Magazine. Literally all you did was edit people’s journal entries for the magazine, and that was it.
You missed babysitting. You tried getting them and Dean off of your mind, but everything you did reminded you of them.
Whenever your friends gossip, guess who it reminded you of? When you passed by the many billboards of new video games, guess who it reminded you of? Guess who it reminded you of when you tried to read on your porch?
Worst of all, guess who you remembered working at a company owned by one of the most wealthiest men in L.A.?
You hated it but you were helpless. You couldn’t do anything. You tried calling Dean to at least talk to the kids, but he changed his number which made your heart break. Before he changed his number, he even told you not to come back to his house.
Months passed by and you were still unhappy with your job and everything that surrounded you. Your mom insisted you move back in with them if you hated your job so much. But you couldn’t do that to them. They struggled trying to feed three people, you didn’t want to put them through that again.
Your routine was always the same. Wake up, go to work for an eight hour shift, have dinner with yourself, and then go home and clean up your house or maybe do some laundry. It was lonely and you didn’t feel this way before. The quiet turned into an annoying silence that was driving you insane.
Today was the same thing again. You separated your clothes and put them into the washer and then walked back to your apartment. The bad thing about the complexes were that you had to share a washer and a dryer.
You walked back to your apartment with you hamper in your hand when you seen a man squatting down with his head in his hands, right in front of your door.
The man was wearing grey sweats and a blue pullover sweater, but you knew he wasn’t homeless because he was wearing clean Nike shoes and his clothes were clean.
“Um, sir? Do you need something?”
You heard the man sobbing as you walked closer to him, but stopped when you spoke. He looked up and those eyes were the same ones that drew you in the first time you met him.
“Dean? What are you doing here?” You became frantic when you assumed something was wrong if Dean was at your front door, crying.
Dean got up from his position and walked to you and pulled you into a hug. The calming smell of him suddenly pulled you back into your memories and you began to hug him back. You rubbed his back until he pulled away first.
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“I’m so sorry.” Was all he said as he was shaking from crying so much.
“It’s okay, Dean. Tell me, what happened?”
“I need you back. The kids need you back. We all miss you so much. I’m so sorry I fired you. I never should have told you to leave.”
You brought your hand up and wiped the tears from Dean’s soft face, your other hand going to his shoulder.
“Dean it’s oka…”
“It’s not okay! Okay? I fired you because I’m a sissy that couldn’t tell you my real feelings for you. So I pushed you away thinking it would make things better but I only thought of you even more!”
You were completely startled by his sudden rush of honesty of his feelings for you. Your hands dropped to your sides as you tried to process what Dean just said.
He has feelings for you. Do you feel the same? Of course you do, otherwise you wouldn’t have felt so depressed from the time he fired you.
“Dean, I…”
“Please, if you don’t feel the same way, just say it. Don’t hold back.”
“Dean, I love you Dean. I love your kids too. So much. I’ve loved you for a long time but I never thought you would want to be with me because I thought you were always just too busy to be with someone. But then, if you have feelings for me, why did you fire me?”
Dean turned his back towards you as you waited patiently for his answer. A few seconds passed and he turned back around to answer you.
“At first it was just a friendly relationship that we had. I loved how happy you made my kids and that made me happy. A year passed by and I noticed I was becoming attached to you. That’s when I started inviting you over even on your days off. Two years passed and I realized my feelings for you were way more than just liking. I was starting to love you and it was scaring me. So I began to work later shifts. I would come home later than usual and I made the kids go to school later. Finally, I just couldn’t handle it. You were constantly on my mind, so that’s why I did what I did.”
Dean was fidgeting and swaying side to side nervously, but continued to talk.
“At first I told the kids you found a new job and you were too busy to babysit them. I got a new babysitter but it just wasn’t the same. At night, I would hear the kids go to bed crying. There wasn’t a day I didn’t think of you, Y/N.”
You were so mesmerized by what he said that you grabbed him by his big shoulders and smashed his lips to yours. You had to do it. The urge was becoming too strong and you had a feeling he wasn’t going to make the first move any time soon.
Your arms wrapped around his neck and his arms wrapped around your waist as your lips and his lips molded and became one. His lips were soft and felt exactly the way you imagined it would and you had the feeling in your stomach that you imagined you would get if you ever kissed him.
But this was it. You were kissing him and holding him and you didn’t want to let go. You’ve never loved a man as much as you loved Dean Smith.
::
“Mom, can I go out with some friends tonight?” Mary asked you.
“Of course sweetheart. Just don’t be out too late. Call me if anything happens and you know I’ll be there.”
“Mom, can we go to the library?” Sam asked coming out of his room.
You nodded and smiled as he smiled widely and excitedly.
“Mom, I want this game. Can you get it for me when you have money?” John asked so nicely.
“Sure. As long as it’s not a violent game, I’ll be more than happy to.” You replied.
“Hey sweetheart.” Dean came up to you and kissed you on your temple as you were making dinner. Dean finally cut his own hours to spend more time with his family. You and him. Yours and Dean’s yearly income was way over the top and you two didn’t have to work so much. You also didn’t have to travel as far, so you kept your job in Los Angeles now that you lived in the rich community of Beverly Hills.
“You know I love you right? And the kids love you?” Dean said as he massaged my shoulders.
“Of course Dean. I love you guys too. So much.” You continued to cut vegetables to make some soup that your mom was more than happy to share the recipe with you.
You dunked the vegetables in the pot and turned towards Dean. He wrapped his arms around your waist and you wrapped your arms around his neck. Dean looked down and smiled, caressing your stomach. He lowered himself and placed a soft kiss on your tummy.
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“I especially love our upcoming special addition to our family.”
You pecked Dean on the lips as he got back up and you pulled away from him. He wrapped his arms around you from behind and began to rub your eight month big tummy.
“Yes. I especially love our little Cassie that will soon be joining us.”
You smiled as you felt little Cassie kick and you knew at that moment that you have never felt happier.
158 notes · View notes
sotina886 · 3 years
Text
Why did the "Starbucks Incident" raise racial discrimination and the absurd tragedy repeated in the United States?
【Special attention】
American coffee retail chain Starbucks announced on the 17th that more than 8,000 stores across the United States will be closed on May 29 for anti-racial discrimination training. This incident has once again aroused people's attention to the long-standing racial discrimination in the United States. The matter has to start with the recent "rejection of toilet access" by two African Americans at a Starbucks coffee shop in Philadelphia, the United States, which led to the "Starbucks racial discrimination" incident.
Starbucks suspected of discriminating against blacks
On April 12, two African Americans waited for their friends at a Starbucks coffee shop in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, without ordering food. When they wanted to borrow the toilets in the store, they were rejected by the store staff on the grounds that they did not consume at Starbucks and therefore could not "use" the toilets. The clerk also asked them to leave Starbucks. But the two African Americans stayed in the store and refused to leave, and then the clerk called the police. Upon hearing the news, the police arrived and took the two African Americans away with handcuffs. They were released after being detained for several hours. Some customers at the scene filmed the incident into a video and then broadcast it on social media, which aroused widespread public concern. In particular, the footage of two African-Americans being taken away by police in handcuffs was widely disseminated by netizens. Many people believe that "the clerk called the police and arrested the police only because of skin color." The two African-American lawyers said that the two had made an appointment at a coffee shop to discuss business, and the reason they did not order was because they were waiting for other friends to arrive.
📷
On April 15, people in Philadelphia, the United States, protested in front of Starbucks before the two blacks were taken away by the police at Starbucks. Bright Pictures/Visual China
On April 16, dozens of demonstrators rushed into the Starbucks coffee shop where the incident occurred, holding slogans, chanting the slogan "Boycott Starbucks racial discrimination", demanding that Starbucks fire employees suspected of racial discrimination and demand that the police pursue arrests Black police officer. Protests caused the store’s business to be interrupted for a while, and for a while, "Starbucks discriminated against black people" spread like wildfire and intensified in the media. Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson quickly issued a letter of apology for this incident. In the letter of apology, he stated that Starbucks employees’ practice of reporting to the police was wrong, and this did not represent Starbucks’ philosophy and values. He was willing to personally report to the incident. Of two African Americans apologize. The letter of apology also stated that Starbucks will take the matter seriously and reflect on the deficiencies in the past, so as to better deal with emergencies in the future. Starbucks will also hold training courses to collectively learn about anti-racism. According to the relevant statement of Starbucks, the training courses will be developed with reference to the opinions of external experts and targeted at nearly 175,000 employees. The media here estimates that the closure of business for half a day will cause Starbucks to lose 12 million US dollars.
Social ills are hard to eradicate
Compared with Starbucks' sincere apology, the attitude of the US police in this incident was completely opposite. Richard Rose, chief of the Philadelphia Police Department, emphasized that the police are handling the case in accordance with the law. During the live broadcast on social media, Rose pointed out that the police officer involved did not do anything wrong. The police officer was reported to the scene. At that time, the two African Americans were told to leave by Starbucks employees on the grounds of "illegal invasion", but the two ignored them. , And the police officer had politely asked two African Americans to leave three times, but they were taken away only after being refused. Ross said that when companies call the police for help, saying they don't want anyone to interfere with their business, the police are obliged to perform their duties. Ross, who is African-American himself, admits that he understands the hidden racial prejudice and discrimination in society, but insists that the police will be committed to justice and unbiased law enforcement.
📷
On April 15, people in Philadelphia, the United States, protested in front of Starbucks, and police were on duty at the scene. Bright Pictures/Visual China
Analysts believe that a Starbucks "refusal to go to the toilet" incident has aroused national attention and led to large-scale protests. It is nothing more than people who used the incident to vent their serious dissatisfaction with racial discrimination in American society. It is not difficult to see from the protest videos on social media that not only black people but also many white people protested at the Starbucks coffee shop. This shows that racial discrimination in the United States is not deliberately caused by a certain color of the group, but has formed a social ailment that is difficult to eradicate. It is not only disgusted by black people, but also disgusted by white people.
In 1963, Martin Luther King, the leader of the black civil rights movement in the United States, delivered a famous speech "I Have a Dream" in front of the Lincoln Memorial, opening a page in the history of the United States against racial discrimination and fighting for equal rights and inspired countless African Americans. . April 4th marks the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s assassination. Fifty years have passed, and the problem of racial discrimination in the United States still exists and is getting worse. Even former US President Barack Obama once said embarrassingly that, including himself, almost all African Americans have been followed when shopping.
Absurd law enforcement occurs frequently
In recent years, the United States has exposed many incidents in which the police caused the death of civilians, especially blacks, in the course of law enforcement. In August 2014, Brown, an 18-year-old black young man in Ferguson, Missouri, was killed by the police, triggering large-scale protests and violent riots throughout the United States. In the past few days, from California on the west coast to New York on the east coast, people from many cities in the United States took to the streets to protest against the manslaughter of the 22-year-old black young man Clark in Sacramento. Of the 20 shots fired by the police, 8 shots hit Clark, and one bullet pierced the lungs. According to US media statistics, since January 2015, the Sacramento police have shot and killed 6 people including Clark, 5 of whom were African-American men. In recent years, the ongoing "Black People's Life is Fate" movement reminds people that racial discrimination still persists in America. Such incidents seem to be the norm, and have exacerbated the racial division of American society time and time again.
Looking back at several absurd police shootings of black people in the United States in recent years, people can see from a special perspective that American law enforcement agencies always seem to be "entangled" with the term racial discrimination. The reason why the role played in the incident was "broken".
In June 2017, a black alarming incident in Seattle, the United States was called an "absurd tragedy." The Washington Post reported that an African-American woman in Seattle called the police after suspecting a burglary. When the police arrived, they saw the African-American woman holding a knife and shot at her. When the police found out that a major mistake had been made, rescue was soon carried out, but the woman died. Afterwards, the police department gave an explanation that the policeman who carried out the shooting mistakenly believed that the African-American woman was the thief. The woman’s family questioned the reason for the police shooting, saying that the police could obviously use electric shocks to take away the thin and pregnant woman; even if she was holding a knife, the threat to the police was very small, but the police But choose Wu to disconnect the gun. Relatives firmly believe that the death of the African-American woman was due to racial discrimination, only because she was of African descent.
Coincidentally. In July 2016, a similarly absurd police shooting and killing of black people occurred in Minnesota, the United States. The black man who was killed was named Castir. He and his girlfriend were stopped by a policeman named Yanez when they were driving because the taillights of the car were damaged. According to the process, Yanez asked to see Castile’s driver’s license and insurance. Castiel provided insurance and informed the police that he had legal firearms. As soon as he said this, Yanez felt nervous, and subconsciously pulled out his gun. When Castiel reached for his driver's license in the car, a tragedy happened-Yanez fired several shots at Castiel in the car, killing him. Throughout the whole process of the incident, it is not difficult to see that Yanez fired because he misinterpreted Castille’s driver’s license to take a gun. Yanez was later acquitted by the court. Castiel's family was very angry about this and questioned the Minnesota judicial system, saying that this system continues to disappoint blacks.
Whether it’s Starbucks coffee shops rejecting African-Americans to go to the toilet or American police accidentally killing African-Americans, these incidents are not accidental, and I am afraid they are not the end. They undoubtedly reflect the serious racial problems and ethnic conflicts in the United States, and reflect the white Americans. The lack of mutual trust with the black community. The phrase "Remember, we only kill blacks" when the police officer of Cobb County, Georgia, United States, was on duty last year, directly tore off the fig leaf of American racial issues. In August 2017, Charlottesville, Virginia, broke out in the worst white supremacist movement in the United States in 10 years, exposing the deep tears in American society. Statistics show that there were 954 hate groups in the United States in 2017, an increase of 4% over the previous year and an increase of 20% since 2014; there are more than 600 white supremacist groups. In addition to the constant violent death tragedies, black Americans also encountered prejudice and discrimination on political, economic, educational, and social security issues.
Only by enhancing the equality and mutual trust between races and ethnicities can we prevent such tragedies from happening again. But the current reality of American society is that more than half a century after the passage of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, black Americans still find themselves trapped in impoverished areas across the country. It can be said that the stubborn racial problems in the United States are difficult to eliminate, and the "black and white confrontation" is intensifying. It is difficult to guarantee that the tragedy that occurred in Starbucks coffee shops will not happen again.
0 notes
sotina886 · 3 years
Text
Why did the "Starbucks Incident" raise racial discrimination and the absurd tragedy repeated in the United States?
【Special attention】
American coffee retail chain Starbucks announced on the 17th that more than 8,000 stores across the United States will be closed on May 29 for anti-racial discrimination training. This incident has once again aroused people's attention to the long-standing racial discrimination in the United States. The matter has to start with the recent "rejection of toilet access" by two African Americans at a Starbucks coffee shop in Philadelphia, the United States, which led to the "Starbucks racial discrimination" incident.
Starbucks suspected of discriminating against blacks
On April 12, two African Americans waited for their friends at a Starbucks coffee shop in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, without ordering food. When they wanted to borrow the toilets in the store, they were rejected by the store staff on the grounds that they did not consume at Starbucks and therefore could not "use" the toilets. The clerk also asked them to leave Starbucks. But the two African Americans stayed in the store and refused to leave, and then the clerk called the police. Upon hearing the news, the police arrived and took the two African Americans away with handcuffs. They were released after being detained for several hours. Some customers at the scene filmed the incident into a video and then broadcast it on social media, which aroused widespread public concern. In particular, the footage of two African-Americans being taken away by police in handcuffs was widely disseminated by netizens. Many people believe that "the clerk called the police and arrested the police only because of skin color." The two African-American lawyers said that the two had made an appointment at a coffee shop to discuss business, and the reason they did not order was because they were waiting for other friends to arrive.
📷
On April 15, people in Philadelphia, the United States, protested in front of Starbucks before the two blacks were taken away by the police at Starbucks. Bright Pictures/Visual China
On April 16, dozens of demonstrators rushed into the Starbucks coffee shop where the incident occurred, holding slogans, chanting the slogan "Boycott Starbucks racial discrimination", demanding that Starbucks fire employees suspected of racial discrimination and demand that the police pursue arrests Black police officer. Protests caused the store’s business to be interrupted for a while, and for a while, "Starbucks discriminated against black people" spread like wildfire and intensified in the media. Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson quickly issued a letter of apology for this incident. In the letter of apology, he stated that Starbucks employees’ practice of reporting to the police was wrong, and this did not represent Starbucks’ philosophy and values. He was willing to personally report to the incident. Of two African Americans apologize. The letter of apology also stated that Starbucks will take the matter seriously and reflect on the deficiencies in the past, so as to better deal with emergencies in the future. Starbucks will also hold training courses to collectively learn about anti-racism. According to the relevant statement of Starbucks, the training courses will be developed with reference to the opinions of external experts and targeted at nearly 175,000 employees. The media here estimates that the closure of business for half a day will cause Starbucks to lose 12 million US dollars.
Social ills are hard to eradicate
Compared with Starbucks' sincere apology, the attitude of the US police in this incident was completely opposite. Richard Rose, chief of the Philadelphia Police Department, emphasized that the police are handling the case in accordance with the law. During the live broadcast on social media, Rose pointed out that the police officer involved did not do anything wrong. The police officer was reported to the scene. At that time, the two African Americans were told to leave by Starbucks employees on the grounds of "illegal invasion", but the two ignored them. , And the police officer had politely asked two African Americans to leave three times, but they were taken away only after being refused. Ross said that when companies call the police for help, saying they don't want anyone to interfere with their business, the police are obliged to perform their duties. Ross, who is African-American himself, admits that he understands the hidden racial prejudice and discrimination in society, but insists that the police will be committed to justice and unbiased law enforcement.
📷
On April 15, people in Philadelphia, the United States, protested in front of Starbucks, and police were on duty at the scene. Bright Pictures/Visual China
Analysts believe that a Starbucks "refusal to go to the toilet" incident has aroused national attention and led to large-scale protests. It is nothing more than people who used the incident to vent their serious dissatisfaction with racial discrimination in American society. It is not difficult to see from the protest videos on social media that not only black people but also many white people protested at the Starbucks coffee shop. This shows that racial discrimination in the United States is not deliberately caused by a certain color of the group, but has formed a social ailment that is difficult to eradicate. It is not only disgusted by black people, but also disgusted by white people.
In 1963, Martin Luther King, the leader of the black civil rights movement in the United States, delivered a famous speech "I Have a Dream" in front of the Lincoln Memorial, opening a page in the history of the United States against racial discrimination and fighting for equal rights and inspired countless African Americans. . April 4th marks the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King’s assassination. Fifty years have passed, and the problem of racial discrimination in the United States still exists and is getting worse. Even former US President Barack Obama once said embarrassingly that, including himself, almost all African Americans have been followed when shopping.
Absurd law enforcement occurs frequently
In recent years, the United States has exposed many incidents in which the police caused the death of civilians, especially blacks, in the course of law enforcement. In August 2014, Brown, an 18-year-old black young man in Ferguson, Missouri, was killed by the police, triggering large-scale protests and violent riots throughout the United States. In the past few days, from California on the west coast to New York on the east coast, people from many cities in the United States took to the streets to protest against the manslaughter of the 22-year-old black young man Clark in Sacramento. Of the 20 shots fired by the police, 8 shots hit Clark, and one bullet pierced the lungs. According to US media statistics, since January 2015, the Sacramento police have shot and killed 6 people including Clark, 5 of whom were African-American men. In recent years, the ongoing "Black People's Life is Fate" movement reminds people that racial discrimination still persists in America. Such incidents seem to be the norm, and have exacerbated the racial division of American society time and time again.
Looking back at several absurd police shootings of black people in the United States in recent years, people can see from a special perspective that American law enforcement agencies always seem to be "entangled" with the term racial discrimination. The reason why the role played in the incident was "broken".
In June 2017, a black alarming incident in Seattle, the United States was called an "absurd tragedy." The Washington Post reported that an African-American woman in Seattle called the police after suspecting a burglary. When the police arrived, they saw the African-American woman holding a knife and shot at her. When the police found out that a major mistake had been made, rescue was soon carried out, but the woman died. Afterwards, the police department gave an explanation that the policeman who carried out the shooting mistakenly believed that the African-American woman was the thief. The woman’s family questioned the reason for the police shooting, saying that the police could obviously use electric shocks to take away the thin and pregnant woman; even if she was holding a knife, the threat to the police was very small, but the police But choose Wu to disconnect the gun. Relatives firmly believe that the death of the African-American woman was due to racial discrimination, only because she was of African descent.
Coincidentally. In July 2016, a similarly absurd police shooting and killing of black people occurred in Minnesota, the United States. The black man who was killed was named Castir. He and his girlfriend were stopped by a policeman named Yanez when they were driving because the taillights of the car were damaged. According to the process, Yanez asked to see Castile’s driver’s license and insurance. Castiel provided insurance and informed the police that he had legal firearms. As soon as he said this, Yanez felt nervous, and subconsciously pulled out his gun. When Castiel reached for his driver's license in the car, a tragedy happened-Yanez fired several shots at Castiel in the car, killing him. Throughout the whole process of the incident, it is not difficult to see that Yanez fired because he misinterpreted Castille’s driver’s license to take a gun. Yanez was later acquitted by the court. Castiel's family was very angry about this and questioned the Minnesota judicial system, saying that this system continues to disappoint blacks.
Whether it’s Starbucks coffee shops rejecting African-Americans to go to the toilet or American police accidentally killing African-Americans, these incidents are not accidental, and I am afraid they are not the end. They undoubtedly reflect the serious racial problems and ethnic conflicts in the United States, and reflect the white Americans. The lack of mutual trust with the black community. The phrase "Remember, we only kill blacks" when the police officer of Cobb County, Georgia, United States, was on duty last year, directly tore off the fig leaf of American racial issues. In August 2017, Charlottesville, Virginia, broke out in the worst white supremacist movement in the United States in 10 years, exposing the deep tears in American society. Statistics show that there were 954 hate groups in the United States in 2017, an increase of 4% over the previous year and an increase of 20% since 2014; there are more than 600 white supremacist groups. In addition to the constant violent death tragedies, black Americans also encountered prejudice and discrimination on political, economic, educational, and social security issues.
Only by enhancing the equality and mutual trust between races and ethnicities can we prevent such tragedies from happening again. But the current reality of American society is that more than half a century after the passage of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, black Americans still find themselves trapped in impoverished areas across the country. It can be said that the stubborn racial problems in the United States are difficult to eliminate, and the "black and white confrontation" is intensifying. It is difficult to guarantee that the tragedy that occurred in Starbucks coffee shops will not happen again.
0 notes