#‘’WHAT ARE YOU DOING AT A GAS STATION??’’

[cazort]

Learning words is great but one additional tip I would have for learning a new language is to learn every word in the context of a sentence that has been written or spoken by a native speaker.

Languages are idiomatic and words don't have one-to-one correspondences, but rather, complex, partly-overlapping meanings.

For example, in Spanish, "bomba" can mean "bomb" like an explosive, but it can also mean "pump", like a gas station pump or bike pump, or it can be slang for a sexy woman. And "Bomba" is also a genre of music and dance. And think about how in English, you can say something is "the bomb" and it means it is really awesome, but if you say something "bombed" it means that it was really bad and failed to achieve its goals (like bombing a test = failing or flunking, or a movie that bombs means it was unpopular and made very little money.)

So basically, understanding the literal / core meaning of a word is important, but you need to expose yourself to a lot of different sentences involving that word to pick up the different idiomatic uses. A great way to get this meaning when you look something up is to type the word into google image search when having the settings set for the language in question. This often captures alternate meanings or connotation differences that you might not catch from a dictionary translation.

It's not just the meaning too, it's a connotation of who would say it and where / when you would say it. For example, "poop", "take a shit", and "defecate" all mean the same thing. But say "poop" and you sound like a little kid, "take a shit" and you are being more vulgar, so something an adult or older teen would say only amongst friends in a casual setting, whereas "defecate" sounds formal and stodgy like you would see in a medical textbook or legal proceedings.

When you learn a word, don't just learn the meaning, learn the cultural context.

A lot of Americans find Japanese hard and I think a huge part of it is that Japanese carries relatively more meaning in connotation of "who is speaking" and "what context am I speaking in" and this context includes more information about your relationship to the listener. So for example you can humble yourself or alternatively, insult someone, by using different word choice. We do it in English too, but different languages vary in the degree to which we are able to do this and Japanese for instance does it more. So be aware of the different ways the languages use words differently from each other, and keep this in mind when learning the words. Learn the words in a cultural context, and expose yourself to a variety of contexts. For example, try to converse casually with peers in the language, but also listen to news broadcasts, a children's TV show, and a regular TV drama. Interact on social media in the language, but also take a book out that is on a more dry, nonfiction topic so you can span the range of reading casual, slang-rich text, with formal, precisely-written text.

If you pick material you already know a lot about, it will be easier to read or listen to, because your brain will fill in a lot of things from context. For example, because I know a lot about plants and birds, I can pick up field guides to plants and birds in other languages I only know some of (like Spanish, German, and Portuguese) and read them just fine, only having to look up an occasional word here or there, but I don't know these languages well enough to read a novel written for a typical adult audience of native speakers. If you start by exposing yourself to the material more accessible to you, it gives you a "way in" to the language that is easier and then you can start filling in the gaps and exploring the more general aspects of the language from there.

Tips to learn a new language

The 75 most common words make up 40% of occurrences The 200 most common words make up 50% of occurrences The 524 most common words make up 60% of occurrences The 1257 most common words make up 70% of occurrences The 2925 most common words make up 80% of occurrences The 7444 most common words make up 90% of occurrences The 13374 most common words make up 95% of occurrences The 25508 most common words make up 99% of occurrences

(Source: 5 Steps to Speak a New Language by Hung Quang Pham)

This article has an excellent summary on how to rapidly learn a new language within 90 days.

We can begin with studying the first 600 words. Of course chucking is an effective way to memorize words readily. Here’s a list to translate into the language you desire to learn that Derek Roger suggested! :)

EXPRESSIONS OF POLITENESS (about 50 expressions)      

‘Yes’ and ‘no’: yes, no, absolutely, no way, exactly.    

Question words: when? where? how? how much? how many? why? what? who? which? whose?    

Apologizing: excuse me, sorry to interrupt, well now, I’m afraid so, I’m afraid not.    

Meeting and parting: good morning, good afternoon, good evening, hello, goodbye, cheers, see you later, pleased to meet you, nice to have met.    

Interjections: please, thank you, don’t mention it, sorry, it’ll be done, I agree, congratulations, thank heavens, nonsense.    

NOUNS (about 120 words)

Time: morning, afternoon, evening, night; Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday; spring, summer, autumn, winter; time, occasion, minute, half-hour, hour, day, week, month, year.    

People: family, relative, mother, father, son, daughter, sister, brother, husband, wife; colleague, friend, boyfriend, girlfriend; people, person, human being, man, woman, lady, gentleman, boy, girl, child.    

Objects: address, bag, book, car, clothes, key, letter (=to post), light (=lamp), money, name, newspaper, pen, pencil, picture, suitcase, thing, ticket.    

Places: place, world, country, town, street, road, school, shop, house, apartment, room, ground; Britain, name of the foreign country, British town-names, foreign town-names.    

Abstract: accident, beginning, change, color, damage, fun, half, help, joke, journey, language, English, name of the foreign language, letter (of alphabet), life, love, mistake, news, page, pain, part, question, reason, sort, surprise, way (=method), weather, work.    

Other: hand, foot, head, eye, mouth, voice; the left, the right; the top, the bottom, the side; air, water, sun, bread, food, paper, noise.    

PREPOSITIONS (about 40 words)    

General: of, to, at, for, from, in, on.    

Logical: about, according-to, except, like, against, with, without, by, despite, instead of.    

Space: into, out of, outside, towards, away from, behind, in front of, beside, next to, between, above, on top of, below, under, underneath, near to, a long way from, through.    

Time: after, ago, before, during, since, until.    

DETERMINERS (about 80 words)  

Articles and numbers: a, the; nos. 0–20; nos. 30–100; nos. 200–1000; last, next, 1st–12th.    

Demonstrative: this, that.    

Possessive: my, your, his, her, its, our, their.    

Quantifiers: all, some, no, any, many, much, more, less, a few, several, whole, a little, a lot of.    

Comparators: both, neither, each, every, other, another, same, different, such.    

ADJECTIVES (about 80 words)    

Color: black, blue, green, red, white, yellow.    

Evaluative: bad, good, terrible; important, urgent, necessary; possible, impossible; right, wrong, true.    

General: big, little, small, heavy; high, low; hot, cold, warm; easy, difficult; cheap, expensive; clean, dirty; beautiful, funny (=comical), funny (=odd), usual, common (=shared), nice, pretty, wonderful; boring, interesting, dangerous, safe; short, tall, long; new, old; calm, clear, dry; fast, slow; finished, free, full, light (=not dark), open, quiet, ready, strong.    

Personal: afraid, alone, angry, certain, cheerful, dead, famous, glad, happy, ill, kind, married, pleased, sorry, stupid, surprised, tired, well, worried, young.    

VERBS (about 100 words)    

arrive, ask, be, be able to, become, begin, believe, borrow, bring, buy, can, change, check, collect, come, continue, cry, do, drop, eat, fall, feel, find, finish, forget, give, going to, have, have to, hear, help, hold, hope, hurt (oneself), hurt (someone else), keep, know, laugh, learn, leave, lend, let (=allow), lie down, like, listen, live (=be alive), live (=reside), look (at), look for, lose, love, make, may (=permission), may (=possibility), mean, meet, must, need, obtain, open, ought to, pay, play, put, read, remember, say, see, sell, send, should, show, shut, sing, sleep, speak, stand, stay, stop, suggest, take, talk, teach, think, travel, try, understand, use, used to, wait for, walk, want, watch, will, work (=operate), work (=toil), worry, would, write.    

PRONOUNS (about 40 words)

Personal: I, you, he, she, it, we, they, one; myself, yourself, himself, herself, itself, ourselves, yourselves, themselves.    

Possessive: mine, yours, his, hers, its, ours, theirs.    

Demonstrative: this, that.    

Universal: everyone, everybody, everything, each, both, all, one, another.

Indefinite: someone, somebody, something, some, a few, a little, more, less; anyone, anybody, anything, any, either, much, many.    

Negative: no-one, nobody, nothing, none, neither.    

ADVERBS (about 60 words)

Place: here, there, above, over, below, in front, behind, nearby, a long way away, inside, outside, to the right, to the left, somewhere, anywhere, everywhere, nowhere, home, upstairs, downstairs.    

Time: now, soon, immediately, quickly, finally, again, once, for a long time, today, generally, sometimes, always, often, before, after, early, late, never, not yet, still, already, then (=at that time), then (=next), yesterday, tomorrow, tonight.    

Quantifiers: a little, about (=approximately), almost, at least, completely, very, enough, exactly, just, not, too much, more, less.    

Manner: also, especially, gradually, of course, only, otherwise, perhaps, probably, quite, so, then (=therefore), too (=also), unfortunately, very much, well.    

CONJUNCTIONS (about 30 words)

Coordinating: and, but, or; as, than, like.    

Time & Place: when, while, before, after, since (=time), until; where.    

Manner & Logic: how, why, because, since (=because), although, if; what, who, whom, whose, which, that.   

[sandwhitches]

༘⋆ THE SPINS | SUGURU GETO x READER

CHAPTER 1: NIGHTTIMING cw: crude humor, language, mentions of financial struggles

<- prologue + masterlist + chapter two ->

𖦹 suguru beefs like a teenage girl he's so ?! your honor, i love him.

𖦹 satoru, as a mexican, i knight you an honorary latina.

𖦹 gojo always gives the barista a different name even though he goes to the same place nearly every day

𖦹 y/n needs to get her money up bad hmmm hm hmm wonder what she could go

𖦹 satoru got his mango of course <3 if the people in your life won't get you gas station fruit at 1 am, do they really love u??

𖦹 suguru likes to quote "all i wanted was a pepsi, just one pepsi!" from institutionalized it's one of his favorite songs to sing along to because of that; satoru caroline polachek truther ; shoko. i love you.

taglist: @aozui @chososcamgirl @qingpunk @kameyyy @definitelynotanalien @solaqes @gigiiiiislife @jelliblue @starmapz @creamflix @brideads @san-it-is-i-guess @rriwyu @poopooindamouf (blogs in bold couldn’t be tagged, pls check settings!) taglist status: open! (13/50) please send an ask to be added!

[halloweenbitch2764]

In sequel to "Slashers Catching You Masturbating" I present to you, You Catching The Slashers Masturbating. Hope you enjoy!

NSFW Content Ahead!

Catching The Slashers Masturbating

Bo Sinclair

You decided to visit Bo at the shop today. Usually you stayed up at the house but you wanted to surprise your boyfriend. So you were making the trek to the gas station/mechanic shop. You hummed softly to yourself as you walked, reaching the gas station soon enough.

You walked into the mechanic side of the shop and noticed Bo was nowhere to be found. It was strange. You walked into the gas station and still noticed he wasn't there either. You chewed on your cheek as you contemplated where he might be.

There hadn't been any victims lately, so it wasn't that. As far as you were aware, this was where he'd be. You walked further into the gas station and saw a back room which Bo sometimes used as an office sort of space. The door was closed but not locked. You tried the door handle, and it was unlocked.

You pushed the door open to find Bo on a chair, legs splayed open as his fingers were wrapped around his cock. His face was contorted into one of pleasure, and his eyes were closed. It seemed he had yet to notice you were even in the room.

You smirked to yourself and knocked loudly on the door. His eyes shot open, and he noticed you. "What are you doing here?" He asked, not making any movements. You laughed softly. "I was going to visit you." You say and smirk. His surprised appearance melted into one of seductiveness.

"Well, how about you come help me then, sweetheart." He said, stroking his cock teasingly slow.

Vincent Sinclair

You had been assisting Bo at the shop, just doing some routine cleaning. Just enough to make the shop look normal to any visitors. You weren't certain where Vincent was but assumed he was simply in the basement of the museum, working on whatever wax figure he was currently on.

You double-checked with Bo and headed back to the house, finishing your chores early. Vincent knew you were helping Bo for the day. You contemplated visiting him in the museum but decided against it for the meantime. He needed his space to do his work.

You opened the front door, the house being silent as you expected. You closed the door and walked into the house. You contemplated what you wanted to do before deciding. A soft yawn tumbled from your lips as you headed for your bedroom. You'd just like to lie down for a little bit.

You noticed the door was closed, which confused you a bit. Didn't you leave it open this morning? You brushed it off. Maybe you had simply misremembered. It wouldn't be the first time.

You pushed the door open to find Vincent laying on the bed, his cock in his hand and mask on the side table. You gasped in surprise, and Vincent quickly tried to pull his pants up. "I'm sorry!" You squeaked out and closed the door quickly.

After a moment, the door opened, and Vincent was standing there. He looked less disheveled. "Sorry for just walking in, I thought it was weird that the door was closed, but I figured I just didn't remember properly and -" He cut your rambling off by pulling you into the bedroom and shutting the door behind you.

You looked at him curiously but noticed he was still hard. "Oh, do you want help?" You asked, and he nodded. He pulled you to the bed and laid down, pulling you so you straddled his lap.

Thomas Hewitt

You had been kept up later than usual this evening. Luda Mae had extra chores for you, and a victim had nearly escaped, wreaking chaos throughout the house. You were left to clean up the mess. The night was kinder than the hot daytime sun so you didn't mind staying up a little later.

You stood up, dusted your hands off, and yawned softly. You had finished your final chore and were finally able to head to bed. You said goodnight to Luda Mae and headed to your shared bedroom.

The door was closed, which wasn't surprising. Thomas had likely already gone to bed. You quietly opened the door and stepped into the room, quietly shutting the door behind you. You didn't even notice what Thomas was doing until you turned around.

The glow of the moonlight showed you what was happening. Thomas's hand moved up and down his shaft, his face scrunched into one of pleasure. You didn't say anything but bit your cheek. You walked towards the bed when a floorboard squeaked, alerting him of your presence.

He immediately stopped and looked at you, settling down when he noticed it was just you. He looked a bit guilty. You gave him a sweet smile and approached him, climbing on top of him so you straddled his waist. "Want some help?" You asked, and he nodded.

Billy Loomis

You were busy with classes, so you weren't able to hang out with Billy. He usually found something to do while you were busy, so you weren't worried. You hummed softly as you unlocked your apartment door, pushing it open.

You set your stuff down, sighing softly. You needed to do some studying. You had a couple of important tests coming up. Suddenly, you stopped, noticing a noise coming from your bedroom. You grabbed a knife from your kitchen and slowly moved towards the room.

You held your hand on the handle, hearing soft grunts coming. You gripped the handle of the knife and threw the door open, raising the knife. Billy was laying in your bed, his cock in his hand. He looked at you and smirked. He didn't seem to care that he was in your room or the fact that you had caught him jerking off.

"Hey princess. You got home earlier than I expected." He said and smirked. "Asshole, I thought someone broke into my house!" You say and lower the knife, setting it on a table by the door. He shrugged, not making any move to cover himself. In fact, he kept stroking himself.

"Wanna come help me?"

Studying could wait.

Stu Macher

You had promised to hang out with Stu later in the day, but found you could come over sooner. You had previous obligations to attend to, but managed to finish them early. You had tried to call Stu to let him know you were heading over but he hadn't picked up. You figured maybe he was busy with something. As far you knew, he was home for the day.

You parked your car and walked up the sidewalk to his apartment. You knocked on the door and waited. After a minute or two, you knocked again, but still no answer. You tried the doorknob and saw it wasn't locked. You worried something had happened so you opened the door.

You walked into the apartment and looked around. Nothing was out of place. You furrowed your eyebrows in confusion and continued into the apartment. You heard soft grunts coming from his bedroom. It wasn't clear if they were from pain or pleasure. Your paranoia feared the worst.

You threw the door open, and Stu laid on his bed, his dick in his hand. His head immediately turned in your direction, and he stopped what he was doing. "Ohhhh, you were busy, huh?" You teased him, crossing your arms and leaning against the doorframe.

He looked almost flustered that you had caught him. "You weren't supposed to see that." He said and tried to hide his lower half with a blanket. You laughed softly and approached him. "Want some help?" You asked flirtatiously. His eyes lit up, and he nodded excitedly.

[planetpedri]

Hi!!! This is my first request but could you please do an imagine with Pau Cubarsi x reader where he wants to be more than friends and doesn't know how to tell her but in the end he finally does. your writing is amazing btw!!

I’ll call you mine — Pau Cubarsí.

Pairing: Pau Cubarsí x Fem!Reader

Summary: Pau has been trying to confess for months, but instead of it coming out with a planned confession, he just blurted it out.

Word count: 1.58k+

Disclaimer/s: Injured (but healing) cat + fluff

A/N: on a pau grind because i’m desperately in love with him.

Your whole study group, which consisted of you, Pau, Lamine, and a girl named Elaine, had agreed to meet at a local diner a few blockes away from school. Pau had kindly offered you a ride there, since he was your neighbor and best friend.

Music played quietly in the background while he drove, adding a nice vibe to the one you’d already created while talking. Pau was asking about you cat, Beatrice, since she just had surgery.

“Oh my God, she literally—“ You let out an annoyed breath, “she literally is so energetic. She literally just got her surgery and now she’s suddenly full of life! I had twenty-four hours of peace before she started walking on our balcony railing again!”

Pau chuckles, his eyes darting to you every few seconds to watch your animated retelling of Beatrice’s actions. “She’s always been a handful, why are you surprised?”

Pinching your lips together, you huff. “Okay, true. It’s still stressful though. So anyways, Lamine and Elaine texted and said they are waiting for us.. but, I was thinking we.. you, could stop at the gas station so I can get some chips? They always have boring flavors at the diner.” You turn in your seat to face Pau, your lips jutting out in a pleading pout.

The boy glances at you with a knowing look, but of course he could never say no to you. “Yeah, sure. Just be quick, we’re already late.”

Pau turns into one of the corner stores, parking in the front so you could get in and out as quickly as possible. As you dig for your bag to get your card, Pau pulls his out from his wallet, shoving it into your face.

Pulling back, you give him a look. “No. Pau, you paid for them last time!”

“And, i’ll pay for them this time.” He waves the card in front of your face, which was forming an annoyed look. “Take it. Go.”

With a groan, you snatch it from his hand. “Okay, thanks. I’ll pay you back.”

You were in and out of the gas station in five minutes, clicking your seatbelt on and handing Pau’s card back with a smile. Chips in hand, you watch the store disappear as Pau drives away.

Your eyes eventually trail back to Pau, who seemed to be deep in thought. Observing his concentrated face, you don’t realize the growing upturn to your lips. He feels your stare, but doesn’t say anything to stop it. His stomach churns the longer you silently watch him and his heart felt like it was beating so fast that it wasn’t beating at all.

You only look away when he parks outside the diner. Unbuckling and climbing out with an eager bounce in your step. Inside, you two find Lamine and Elaine waiting in a back booth, their laptops already opened on the table alongside a red box of fries.

“About time.” Elaine quips, not bothering to look up from her laptop when you and Pau slide into the bench across from her and Lamine.

“Someone,” Pau drawls out, eyes flickering to yours teasingly, “wanted her chips.”

Lamine laughs, sticking out his hand to Elaine who frowns as she places a few bucks into his open palm. “I told you.”

Your lips pull into a frown, “what the hell? You placed a bet—you know what. Whatever! I don’t even care. Moving along, who has the wifi password?”

“They haven’t changed it since we were last here.” Elaine informs, plopping a fry into her mouth.

Pau’s eyebrows quirk up, “they haven’t?”

Your elbow nudges his shoulder, “they are learning to love us!”

Lamine glances between the duo, sharing a quirked eyebrow with Pau when your hand lingered a bit too long on the boy’s arm, and Pau’s cheeks had flushed a bright red.

The thing was, Lamine had been trying to get Pau to tell you how he felt for months. Every time, the boy promised he’d do it ‘soon’. He never did.

As the night went on, the group studies quietly, sharing small talk here and there. You and Pau decided to leave early, opting out of the study session to go watch a movie at your house.

The second you two arrived back at your house, you had changed into pajamas and joined Pau on the couch. With your parents already fast asleep, they didn’t bother telling you what time to have Pau leave. This was quite a normal activity for you two; Pau coming over to your house and staying over while you guys half-pay attention to the movie playing.

Most of the time you two spent together was filled with you talking and Pau listening. Thats the sort of friendship you had. He loved to hear you talk, and, well, you loved to talk. Plus, Pau preferred it that way simply because he could avoid the stuttering mess you made him when you listened to him talk.

Even as you sat there, only a foot between each other as you talked. Your knees were pulled to your chest and you were going in on a conspiracy theory you happened to come across on Tiktok. Pau’s eyes darted across your face as you spoke, and you found it harder and harder to remember all the facts when his eyes kept wandering to your lips.

Maybe he should just tell you.

Your brain was spinning just trying to focus on the topic at hand, but you had enough. “Pau, will you stop. I’m trying to tell a story here.”

The boy blinks, taken aback at your random call out. “What?

“Whatever you’re doing with your eyes, stop. Look away, it’s like.. distracting.” You gulp, why was it distracting in the first place?

Pau nods, he hadn’t even realized what exactly he was doing, so he just avoided your face. That, though, was harder than he thought. All he wanted to do was look at you, to see your face, and now more than ever.

That was the hardest part about him liking you. He was so deeply enthralled with everything you did, having that taken away was horrible. Pau had started to hate away games for the simple fact that he saw you less.

“Okay, but also, this—Pau? Hi?” You wave your hand in front of the teen’s face. “You went off into another planet, did you even get the last part? It was kind of vital.”

“Sorry, I was thinking. Could you repeat?” He looks back at you, and finds his breath catching in his throat. Had you gotten closer? You did look beautiful in the TV lights glow.

You suck in a long breath, “okay. Prepare—“

“I like you.”

Oh.

Silence.

“Huh?”

Another long beat of silence.

Pau’s mouth parts, he didn’t mean to say that out loud. He really didn’t. “Whaaat.. who said that?”

It was your turn for your mouth to fall open, slightly shocked but more.. well. You started laughing. You were choking on your laughter, your hand clutching Pau’s shoulder as your head dipped down to rest on it. He was laughing too, partly humiliated, partly-amused.

When you finally calmed down and look back up at him, you take a deep breath, swiping a hand in front of your face for dramatic effect. “Okay, i’m done. Sorry. Say it again.”

“Uhm… say what?”

“Quit playing with me Pau. Say it again so I can have a serious reaction.” Crossing your legs, you wait for him to speak again.

Pau feels his face grow hot. He really didn’t want to do that. “Do I have to?”

You blink, “what? Did you not mean it?”

His face flattens, “what? No! No, I did mean it… it’s just embarrassing.” He exhales, attempting to calm himself down. He truly did mean it, he just didn’t want to say it without a certain response from you.

His eyes meet yours and he notices the almost hopeful look in your eyes. “I like you.” He says slowly, cautiously.

“I like you too.” You smile, the weight of your once hidden feelings dissolved as the words tumbled off your lips.

Pau’s heart feels heavy with the emotions rushing through it. “Yeah?”

You nod, “yeah.” You weren’t sure what to do next, but truthfully, neither did he. Instead, you both sat there with stupidly wide smiles on your faces and rosy cheeks.

“I wonder if Lamine and Elaine bet on this too.” Pau suddenly blurts, cutting the tension you’d just formed. He laughs nervously, causing you to laugh in turn.

“Probably.” You agree, “maybe we just shouldn’t tell them, not for a bit.”

Pau’s eyebrows pull together, confusion flashing across his face. “Why?”

You shrug, settling into the couch beside him, a bit closer this time. “I dunno, I kind of want to have this to ourself for a little while… not long, but, y’know?”

Understanding what you meant, the boy leans back against the couch, his arm draping over your shoulder’s and pulling you into his side. “Yeah, I don’t mind that.”

You smile against him, your stomach fluttering when you process the boy you’d had feelings for since you were thirteen, liked you just the same. He was finally yours.

Pau sat back too, smiling to himself. This meant he could finally call you his, and vise versa. He’d waited for this moment for a very long time and he was very grateful for his lack of… self control.

likes , comments , and reblog’s are all appreciated. lmk if you’d like to be tagged in any pau posts.

DTS , @halfwayhearted @spidybaby @unx100to !

[ollieofthebeholder]

[Image description: A series of tweets screenshotted by boredpanda.com

Tweet #1 by Katie Anthony (@yokatykatikate): Overheard in the women's bathroom: "I just feel so stupid--" "No, HE'S the stupid one! HE'S the STUPID ASS [redacted word that ends in an E]. Look at yourself, you're a f[uck]ing goddess and he's a s[hit]ty shoebox." "Oh my god. Thank you… … … What's your name?" "Shana." "I'm Mandy."

Tweet #2 by Kate Fedewa O'Connor (@iverbwords): Overheard at the gas station: Clerk 1: Janet worked last night, didn't she? Clerk 2: Yeah, why? Clerk 1: The candy is organized by color again. Clerk 2: Dammit Janet.

Tweet #3 by Sebastopol 🩵 (@SuperMascott): Overheard at British Museum - Young boy to Dad - "When you die, can I use your skull to strike fear into the hearts of my enemies?" Dad - "…No."

Tweet #4 by Elias Toufexis (@EliasToufexis): Actual quote I overheard my 7yo daughter say when she met someone at the park today. "I'm Isabella. I'm good at gymnastics and fighting to the death."

Tweet #5 by Haseena Golimaar (@Erum_Sangji): Overheard 15 yr old niece fighting with her friend: You think I can't live without you? Who do you think you are? My phone charger? 😂😂

Tweet #6 by Andy Kesson (@andykesson): Overheard in Chicago Institute of Art: Small child, reading description of painting: Grandma, what's a brothel? Grandma, after enormous pause: It's the place where they make soup. THIS IS BOTH THE BEST AND ALSO THE MOST RUIN-YOUR-LIFE-FOREVER ANSWER POSSIBLE

Tweet #7 by Monsieur Midas (@MisterMidas): I once overheard the cop who pulled me over whisper into his radio "Not our guy. This one's got pants." #IOnceOverheard

Tweet #8 by Kyle🚀🦈🛸🦖 (@KyleMorgenstein): Overheard in lab meeting: "We can't build that, I don't wanna end up on Black Mirror."

Tweet #9 by liv !! (@oliviabenun): Overheard two boys moving out of their dorm: 1: Dude my heart genuinely hurts right now. 2: (puts down box) Oh no bro did you have too much salt in your lunch again?

Tweet #10 by Mave (@MavenofHonor): Overheard someone hiss into their phone, "I realize that, but I cannot miss Theodore's bassoon recital," and now I have a new catch-all excuse.

Tweet #11 by Nancy Yang (@n_yang): [Overheard in the newsroom] Reporter: Good news, I don't have to go to the strip club! #OHnewsroom

/end ID]

(source)

[violetmuses]

Angel - T. Richmond ❤️‍🩹

Title: Angel - T. Richmond ❤️‍🩹

Fandom: “Rebel Ridge” Film Universe

Character: Terry Richmond

Pairing: Terry Richmond + Female Reader

Main Storyline: Facing one nightmare could lead to unexpected joy.

@episodes-ff @diaries-of-me @blackgurlnhermoods @liquorlaughslove @babybratzmaraj @cloveroctobers @becauseimswagman1 🏷

=====

2024

“Excuse me?” Grounded in the rural town of Shelby Springs, veteran Terry Richmond noticed your own steps moving down this federal corridor.

“Yes?” You've turned around mid-stride when someone catches your attention.

Goodness gracious.

Towering this muscular build as he chose one fitted shirt, veteran Terry Richmond offered unexpected height as his striking gaze reached your direction.

“I left the police station this morning and I don't have representation yet. Do you know anyone available?” His deep yet gentle voice nearly shook up your presence.

“Depending on your case, finding assistance could be difficult. Most of us scramble here with many circumstances.” Clearing your throat, an explanation offered the truth.

“Are you swamped?” Richmond handed out the question for obvious reasons.

“I might as well be.” You sighed while holding this briefcase. “This town is so small that you'll cough and everyone will know about it.”

“I just need help if something goes wrong.” Terry knew better.

“Follow me. Let's speak in private.” You offered this path while heading elsewhere.

______

“I'm sorry if there's too much going on, but how can I move forward?” Richmond sat across from you while placed in this cramped office.

“No chance in hell.” Struggling with advice, you shook your head after learning Terry Richmond's case. "Just show up on Monday like the Chief said or you've lost an opportunity.”

“He's not very nice.” Richmond settled his frustration regarding Sandy Burne, the arrogant Chief of Police.

“Burne is only tolerable if folks put up with his nonsense.” You say. “Defiance gets your ass kicked out.”

“I'll be gone if everything stays in order.” Terry just wanted to leave this place with his cousin Mike alive.

“Be careful out here.” Your voice cautioned. “The police department has more resources than everyone else.”

“Does Burne know who you are?” Terry still looked out.

“Enough to keep me working.” You almost scoffed behind the desk. “Tight skirts always make money. There's so many perverts that I even collected wedding rings for this side of town.”

Damn. Richmond thought.

“Apologies for wasting time.” Terry stood from the chair and gathered his backpack, ready to go.

“Here's my contact info as a safeguard.” You exchanged phone numbers.

“Thank you, Ma'am.” Terry nodded, leaving this establishment.

******

“Terry! I heard the news. Where are you?” You picked up this phone in broad daylight. R

Reports explained drama that bled from the corrupt police station.

“At the hospital. Medics started helping Summer McBride.” Richmond acknowledged one of the other legal assistants.

“What's the next plan? You can't stay here forever.” Your voice warned again.

“I've figured out a settlement.” Terry explained further. “We locked enough proof to shut everything down.”

“What should I do?” You didn't even know what to think. “Summer's probably knocked off from ailments.”

“Please pick me up from the lobby.” Richmond continued speaking. “I lost my bike and just gave back one of their police cruisers.”

“Okay. Stay there.” You snatched car keys without thinking twice and rushed out of work.

******

“Terry!” You honked while staying in that driver's seat and Terry jogged outdoors, circled around to meet the passenger side.

“Thank you.” Despite expressing gratitude, Richmond couldn't smile when you punched the gas to avoid more problems.

______

“Where should we go, Terry?“ Given no other choice, you kept driving. “With Burne still mad, you're better off leaving this place.”

“Come with me.” Richmond pulled his deep voice again.

“What?” Squinting, you nearly pulled the car over right now.

“If I couldn't help Mike and Summer get out of here, maybe there's a chance with us.” Terry offered.

“I….” You've made one turn and led Richmond near the airport.

“No matter what happens, we'll keep looking out for each other. Deal?” His words revealed this vow.

“Deal.” You hurried to park the car before gas would run out and reached Terry's hand while entering that larger terminal.

*****

Scoring this new home, you joined Richmond and practically lived together now.

“No luck?” Terry snuck from behind as you work with your laptop by the kitchen table.

“Stop it!” Laughing, you almost swatted him away as this rare yet adorable smile brightened his face.

“I'm asking.” Richmond pointed to the main screen.

“Working soon.” You grinned while confirming another placement.

“Aight, c'mon…” Hardly responding, Terry lifted your weight and carried you over his shoulder, leading this moment upstairs.

“Wait, put me down!” Your laugh would echo straight through his mind forever.

[acute-crashout-jeyuso]

Sacrifices/ BTR Book 2: a Jhea fanfic.

Chapter 10: Jon, Jon, Jon, Trin’, Trin’, Trin’…

February 1st, 2025 3:43 AM

Jey and Rhea were sound asleep, cuddled up together, when Jey felt a nudge. Half-asleep, he assumed it was Rhea shifting beside him. But then it happened again, more insistent. Groggily, Jey opened his eyes—and let out a startled yelp when he saw Dominik standing at the side of the bed.

“Dom! What the hell, dude? Not cool!” Jey whispered harshly, his heart pounding as he tried to catch his breath.

Rhea stirred at the commotion, blinking herself awake. She frowned as she sat up and spotted Liv and Dominik standing at the foot of their bed. “Liv? Dom? What’s wrong?” she asked, her voice still laced with sleep. Her eyes quickly scanned their faces, and alarm bells went off in her head. Both looked pale, their expressions drawn and shaken. Something had happened.

Liv was the first to speak. “We need to talk,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper but filled with urgency.

Jey groaned, running a hand down his face. “Can it wait? It’s almost four in the morning.”

Dom shook his head, his eyes haunted. “No, it can’t. We were almost killed tonight. We have to talk.”

Jey and Rhea exchanged a worried glance. Whatever had happened, it was serious. Rhea nodded, her tone gentle but firm. “Okay. Go downstairs to the dining table. Let us get dressed real quick.”

Liv and Dom nodded silently, their footsteps heavy as they made their way out of the bedroom and down the stairs.

Rhea grabbed her robe from the back of the door and slipped it on, while Jey did the same. They moved quickly, the tension thick in the air. Once they were ready, they headed downstairs, finding Liv and Dominik sitting at the long dining table. The only light came from the chandelier, casting an eerie glow over the room.

Rhea tried to lighten the atmosphere, her voice soft but kind. “Do you guys want some tea or coffee?”

Dominik shook his head, his voice hoarse. “Whiskey.”

“Some tea please..” Liv added

Rhea raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue. “We have that too.” She went to the bar cart, poured a generous amount of whiskey over ice, and handed the glass to Dominik. She then went to the fridge and pulled out some sweet tea that Jey had made and poured a glass for Liv. Liv was handed her glass and she took a generous sip.

Once she and Jey were seated, Rhea leaned in. “Alright,” she said, her voice steady but concerned. “Tell us everything.”

Jey and Rhea stared in disbelief as Liv recounted the night’s harrowing events. Her hands trembled slightly as she clutched her cup of tea, her voice shaky but determined to get through the story.

“We were driving,” Liv began, her eyes wide, “and out of nowhere, this big black four-by-four truck started flashing its brights at us. It was blinding. Every time Dominik tried to switch lanes, the truck would tailgate us, getting closer and closer.”

Dominik nodded, his jaw tight. “It didn’t stop. This guy was relentless. Finally, he forced us off the road, and we ended up in a ditch.”

Rhea gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. “Oh my god. Are you guys okay?”

Liv gave a weak nod. “I hit my head against the window, but that’s not even the worst part. After we crashed, the truck came back. It rammed into our car while we were still inside. If we hadn’t gotten out in time…” Her voice trailed off, and she shuddered at the memory.

Dominik picked up where she left off. “We thought it was over when the truck drove off, but it came back again. We didn’t wait around to see what it wanted. We cut through the woods until we found a gas station.”

Liv interjected, her voice dropping to a whisper. “But the gas station clerk… he was so strange. He wouldn’t let us use the phone at first and kept saying weird things about how people have been going missing since—since ‘those people’ moved in by the New Canaan border.”

Jey tensed, his eyes narrowing. “Those people? You mean us?”

Dominik nodded. “That’s what we thought too. It didn’t sit right. But Liv begged him, and he finally let me use the phone. I called the cops, and this officer showed up. But he was just as strange.”

Rhea frowned. “Strange how?”

Liv leaned forward, her voice barely audible. “He knew where you guys lived without us telling him. He wouldn’t let us file a report at first and kept acting like this was all some joke.”

Dominik downed the rest of his whiskey in one gulp. “And then it gets worse. When he finally took us back to our car…” He hesitated, his eyes darting between Jey and Rhea. “It was gone.”

“Gone?” Jey repeated, his voice sharp. “What do you mean, gone?”

Dominik slammed his empty glass on the table, his frustration boiling over. “I mean gone, Jey! No car, no sign it was ever there except for some tire marks. The cop just shrugged and said he couldn’t do anything about it.”

Liv clutched her arms, her voice shaking. “We’ve never been so scared in our lives. It felt like a setup. Like someone’s trying to send a message.”

The room fell silent as Jey and Rhea processed the gravity of what they had just heard. Rhea reached out, placing a comforting hand on Liv’s. “Liv… I know you’re holding back…” Liv bit her lip.

Rhea’s voice trembled as she asked again, “Liv, what are you holding back?” Her eyes narrowed, searching Liv’s face for answers. Liv’s hands trembled visibly, her anxiety climbing with each passing second.

Rhea, her patience wearing thin, stood up abruptly, her chair scraping against the floor. “Liv!” she shouted, her voice echoing through the quiet house.

Liv flinched and then looked up at Rhea, her eyes filled with tears. She finally broke, crying out, “Demetri!”

The name sent a shockwave through the room. Rhea’s anger evaporated, her expression shifting to one of disbelief. She staggered back slightly, her breathing uneven.

Dominik furrowed his brows, confusion written all over his face. “Who’s Demetri?” he asked, looking between the three of them.

Liv’s focus shifted to Jey, guilt etched into every line of her face. “I’m so sorry, Jey,” she said, her voice cracking. “I should’ve told you sooner.”

Jey’s eyes darted between Liv and Rhea.

Liv turned back to Rhea, tears streaming down her face. “I know, Rhea. I know. I know.”

Rhea shook her head furiously, stepping back. “No. No, no, no,” she murmured, her voice barely audible.

Liv nodded, her sobs growing louder. “I knew she did it,” she said, her voice rising. “I just didn’t want to say it to you, Jey! You and her were finally doing so well after everything that’s happened. I didn’t want to be the one to ruin that!”

Dominik, still clueless, slammed his hand on the table. “Can someone please tell me who the hell Demetri is?”

Jey, now visibly furious, slammed his own hand down on the table, making everyone jump. “Enough!” he roared. The room fell into a heavy silence. He stood, his gaze piercing everyone in turn. “No more secrets. Am I clear? How are we supposed to be a family if everyone’s hiding things from each other?”

He turned to Rhea, his voice dropping, but the intensity remained. “Rhea, I told you—I got you. But I need you to be straight with me. Right now. Did you really… kill him?”

Rhea, without a second of hesitation, blurted out, “Yes! I did it! I did it! I saw him get put in his casket!” Her voice broke as she confessed, her body trembling under the weight of her words.

Jey immediately pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly. “I believe you,” he whispered, his voice calm and steady. “I do believe you.”

Dominik, still baffled, frowned. “Okay, can someone please tell me who the hell Demetri is?”

Rhea pulled away slightly, her hands still clutching Jey’s shirt as she turned to face Liv. “How did you know?” she asked, her voice softer but still laced with tension.

Liv took a deep breath, her eyes flickering to Dominik before returning to Rhea. “Hunter,” she said. “He asked me if I was with you that night. Remember? I was supposed to go with you.”

Rhea’s eyes widened as the memory hit her. “I… I blocked it out,” she muttered, shaking her head in disbelief.

Jey, still holding Rhea close, looked her in the eyes. “Babe, look,” he began, his tone serious but gentle. “I love you. I really do. But maybe… maybe it’s time we start taking matters into our own hands.”

Rhea nodded slowly, her resolve hardening. “You’re right,” she said, her voice steadier now.

Jey then turned to Dominik and Liv, his expression serious. “We’re going to handle this. Don’t worry you will be safe here..”

Dominik, clearly frustrated, threw his hands up. “Great! Then someone better start explaining, because if I don’t find out who Demetri is in the next five seconds, I’m going to lose it.”

Liv sighed and glanced at Rhea, who gave a small nod of permission. Liv looked at Dominik and said, “Demetri… was Rhea’s ex.”

Dominik blinked, clearly not expecting that. “Okay… and?”

Rhea inhaled deeply. “And he was dangerous,” she said, her voice low. “So dangerous, I had no choice but to end things. Permanently.”

Dominik’s eyes widened in shock as the weight of her words sank in.

After about ten minutes of silence, Dominik finally exhaled, his expression a mixture of shock and disbelief. He had just heard the full story of Demetri, a name tied to the dark chapter in Rhea’s life called The Terrible Awful.

Liv shifted uncomfortably in her seat, her anxiety evident as she glanced between Jey and Rhea. “Should we call the cops?” she asked tentatively.

Jey leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed as he considered the question. “I think we should contact the detectives in Orlando,” he said firmly.

Rhea furrowed her brows. “Orlando? Why there?”

Jey shrugged, his gaze steady. “Something’s telling me we’ll get what we need from Orlando. Maybe it’s just a gut feeling, but I trust it.”

Rhea thought for a moment, then nodded slowly. “Actually, you might be right. We’ll start there. Tomorrow, we’ll make the calls and see what we can find out.”

Dominik let out a tired sigh, rubbing his face. “I think it’s time we get some sleep. We’ll need it. Plus, all our clothes were in the car.”

Liv’s face fell as she remembered. “And my makeup…” she said mournfully.

Rhea gave her a small smile. “Jaciyah already set up the guest bedroom for you two. It’s all ready.”

Liv stood and walked over to Rhea, pulling her into a tight hug. “We’ll be okay,” she whispered.

Rhea nodded, hugging her back. “Yeah, we will.”

As the quartet headed upstairs, Jey and Rhea detoured to their bedroom to find some fresh clothes. Jey rummaged through a drawer, pulling out an unopened pair of boxers for Dominik. Rhea did the same, finding a fresh set of undergarments for Liv.

Jey carried the clothes to the guest bedroom and knocked lightly before stepping inside. He handed them to Dominik. “Here’s some fresh undergarments for both of you,” he said. “Toiletries are in the bottom cabinet in the bathroom. Get some rest.”

Dominik gave a tired but grateful nod. “Thanks, man.”

Jey clapped him on the shoulder lightly before heading back to his own room.

Climbing into bed, Jey pulled Rhea close, cradling her against him. She rested her head on his chest, feeling the steady rise and fall of his breathing.

“I love you,” Jey murmured, his voice soft but resolute.

Rhea’s lips curved into a faint smile. “I love you too.”

Jey kissed the top of her head. “Tomorrow, we’ll worry about everything. Right now, let’s rest. You and the baby need it.”

Rhea placed a hand over her small belly, letting out a slow breath. Despite the storm raging in her mind, Jey’s words were a tether, grounding her in the moment. She closed her eyes, willing herself to find peace, even if only for a few hours.

—

10:31 AM

Jey awoke first, blinking against the early morning light streaming through the curtains. He glanced over at Rhea, who was still sound asleep, her hand resting protectively over her stomach. Smiling, he carefully slipped out of bed, stretching as he headed into the master bathroom.

The sound of water running soon filled the quiet room as Jey stepped into the shower. He let the warm water loosen the tension in his muscles, his mind already shifting to the day ahead. Once finished, he brushed his teeth, styled his hair, and grabbed a Nike shirt and basketball shorts from the closet.

Fully dressed, Jey walked back over to Rhea and gently kissed her awake. She stirred, her eyes fluttering open.

“Good morning, beautiful,” Jey said softly. “I’m heading downstairs to make breakfast.”

Rhea smiled sleepily, her voice still groggy. “Pancakes, please.”

“You got it.” Jey grinned, kissing her forehead before leaving the room.

Downstairs, the house was quiet, save for the faint hum of the refrigerator. Jey turned on the stereo, selecting a playlist of classics. Al Green’s Let’s Stay Together filled the kitchen, setting a smooth, relaxed tone. He pulled out the ingredients for pancakes, cracking eggs and whisking batter to the rhythm of the song. He also grabbed some bacon and sausage.

As the scent of pancakes filled the air, Dominik shuffled down the stairs, looking slightly more refreshed in Jey’s black “Yeet” shirt and joggers. He made his way to the kitchen and slumped into a chair at the dining table.

Jey glanced over and smirked, grabbing a mug. “Want some breakfast?” He asked as he poured Dominik a cup of coffee and set it in front of him. Dominik nodded and Jey asked, “How’d you sleep?”

Dominik took a sip of the coffee, nodding. “Yeah, surprisingly. You’ve got a nice, firm mattress in that guest bedroom.”

Jey chuckled. “Glad it worked out.”

Dominik leaned back, taking in the music playing softly in the background. He raised an eyebrow. “How can you listen to this stuff so early?”

Jey flipped a pancake with practiced ease, grinning. “Me and Rhea bond over this kind of music. It’s our vibe, man. Smooth and timeless.”

Dominik snorted, shaking his head. “Man, you’re really a romantic, huh?”

Jey shrugged playfully. “What can I say? Rhea brings it out of me.”

The two shared a laugh as the pancakes continued to sizzle on the griddle, the morning starting on a lighter note despite the weight of the previous night’s revelations.

As Jey started on the bacon and sausage, the savory aroma mingled with the sweet scent of pancakes. He turned to Dominik, who was still nursing his coffee.

“You get in touch with the rental car company yet?” Jey asked, flipping the sausage links.

Dominik nodded. “Yeah, I got off the phone with them earlier. Since I had the rental insurance and explained how that cop refused to file a report, they’re going to follow up with the police themselves.”

Jey gave an approving nod. “That’s good. At least they’re handling it. What about you and Liv’s meeting with corporate this morning?”

Dominik checked his watch. “Not till 2. We’ve got some time to breathe.”

“Alright, cool.” Jey transferred the cooked bacon onto a paper towel-lined plate, letting the grease drain.

Dominik leaned back in his chair, taking another sip of his coffee. “How’ve you and Rhea been doing since the move?”

Jey shrugged, cracking a few more eggs into a bowl. “It’s been okay, I guess. We’ve mostly been busy dealing with my sons, Jeyce and Jaciyah.”

Dominik’s eyes lit up. “Oh yeah? How are they?”

Jey smirked, shaking his head. “Jeyce? Man, that kid’s a handful. He got into trouble this past Monday—hit some other kid in the face with his lunchbox.”

Dominik burst out laughing, nearly spilling his coffee. “No way! He’s already got that Uso fire in him. He’s gonna be like one of us!”

Jey laughed, wagging a spatula at Dominik. “Yeah, no WWE for that twelve-year-old just yet. We’re trying to steer him straight.”

Dominik grinned. “And Jaciyah?”

Jey let out a breath as he stirred the eggs. “Still too early to tell. He just got in yesterday, so we’ll see how he adjusts.”

Dominik nodded, sensing the unspoken tension. “Sounds like you’ve got your hands full, man.”

Jey offered a small smile. “Yeah, but we’re getting through it. One day at a time.”

—

In Pensacola, Florida, Jon and Trinity were stretched out on their couch, basking in the comfort of a lazy morning. Tank and Marley, their two dogs, lay sprawled at their feet, enjoying the serene atmosphere. They had just polished off a hearty breakfast, and the soft hum of their relaxed conversation filled the room.

Jon glanced at Trinity, a smirk tugging at his lips. “Someone’s gettin’ a little pudge in their stomach.”

Trinity laughed, resting her hands on her growing baby bump. “These twins, man. All I wanna do is eat.”

Jon chuckled, leaning over to kiss her cheek. “You’re beautiful, though.”

She smiled and nestled closer to him. “So, what should we do today?”

Jon tilted his head, pretending to ponder. “Hmm, how about we go stroller shopping? Gotta find somethin’ for these little ones to cruise in style.”

“That’s perfect,” Trinity replied, grinning. But before they could plan further, two deafening explosions shattered the peaceful morning.

Jon and Trinity jumped to their feet, grabbing Tank and Marley as they bolted outside. Smoke and flames shot into the sky from their driveway, where Trinity’s Escalade and Jon’s Mustang were now blazing infernos.

Jon’s eyes widened in disbelief. “What the hell?!”

Trinity clutched his arm, her voice trembling. “Jon… our cars!”

The fire roared, sending waves of heat across the yard. Trinity, shielding her face, pulled out her phone and dialed 911 with shaky hands. “We need the fire department,” she told the operator, her voice urgent but steady. “Our cars are on fire. Please hurry!”

As she spoke, a neighbor rushed over, his face etched with concern. “Y’all okay? Anybody hurt?”

Jon nodded, though his expression remained grim. “No one’s hurt.”

The neighbor stood back, watching the flames alongside them. “Why would someone do this?”

Trinity leaned into Jon, her breathing uneven. “Jon, for real, what’s happening? Who would do this?”

Jon wrapped his arms around her protectively, his eyes never leaving the blaze. “I don’t know, babe,” he said, his voice filled with quiet resolve. “But whoever it is, they’re gonna regret messin’ with us.”

As the sound of sirens echoed in the distance, Jon’s mind was already spinning, trying to piece together who could have orchestrated such a bold and dangerous act.

—

“I think you two should stay with someone you trust,” the cop advised, his voice firm yet sympathetic. The smoldering remains of their vehicles still sent tendrils of smoke curling into the air behind him.

Jon nodded, his jaw tight. “We have some family here, thank you.”

The officer handed Jon an incident report and left with a brief nod, promising to keep them updated. Once the cop was gone, Jon and Trinity exchanged a tense glance before heading back inside the house.

“We can’t stay here, not with everything going on,” Jon said, already moving toward the bedroom.

Trinity followed, her face pale but determined. “You’re right. Let’s pack what we need.”

They quickly gathered clothes and essentials. Jon pulled out his phone and dialed his father, Solofa, who answered on the second ring.

“Jon, what’s going on?” Solofa’s voice was calm, but there was an edge of concern.

“Pops, I don’t have time to explain,” Jon said, glancing at Trinity as she zipped up a bag. “But is your beach house in Titusville listed on Airbnb yet?”

“No, not yet,” Solofa replied, a hint of confusion in his tone.

“Good. Don’t list it. I need it.”

Solofa didn’t hesitate. “It’s yours. No questions asked.”

Jon exhaled a small breath of relief. “Thanks, Pops. One more thing—Jey’s old Volvo still in the garage?”

“Of course,” Solofa said with a chuckle. “You think I’d get rid of that classic?”

Jon managed a faint smile. “Good. We’ll be there soon.”

Hanging up, Jon turned to Trinity. “We’ve got a place. My dad’s beach house in Titusville. And we’ll have wheels—Jey’s old ride.”

Trinity nodded, her shoulders relaxing slightly. “That sounds perfect. Let’s get out of here.”

They finished packing and loaded up what they could. As they prepared to leave for the airport, Jon glanced around the house one last time, a mixture of anger and determination flashing in his eyes. The dogs on leashes stood by their side.

Jon thought about whoever was behind this wouldn’t get away with it. As the taxi driver opened the door to let them in, they knew they were on there way to safety… seven hours away.

—

The figure stood hidden in the bushes across the street, watching intently as Jon and Trinity loaded their bags and their dogs, Tank and Marley, into the taxi. A malicious grin crept across its face as the car pulled out of the driveway.

“Run, little birds,” the figure whispered. “But you can’t hide.”

A quiet laugh bubbled from its throat, filled with venom and satisfaction. The plan was coming together perfectly. Their partner had already succeeded in forcing Dominik and Liv off the road, leaving them shaken and vulnerable. And now, with Jon and Trinity’s cars reduced to charred heaps, their confidence would be shattered.

The figure reached into their pocket and pulled out a burner phone, dialing a number.

“It’s done,” they said once the line connected.

“Good,” the voice on the other end replied, cold and calculating. “The distraction worked. They’re running scared.”

“Everything is in place,” the figure continued. “What about New York?”

A dark chuckle echoed on the line. “Don’t worry. Damian and Kayden won’t know what hit them.”

The figure’s grin widened. “Keep me updated.”

[theepitomeofamess]

ok ok it's theory time bc i'm rewatching mismag 1 as a coping mechanism so potential spoilers ahoy & forgive me if it's rambly i've also had a sedative

the serpent in the storm. the one without a name and only shown as an illumination in the Tome of Nimble Working. is that what was possessing evan? like is it the amalgamation of the "demons" that were haunting him, or even just The Main Guy? i'm not sure if this creature has anything to do with the breaking of magic, I just started thinking about this today at work, but hear me out.

in Class Conflict, the manifestation of the thing haunting Evan when it emerged to protect him was the blood cobra, and the barb that Tallulah hit Evan with after potions class was that all she heard was "hissing noises." so we know that snakes are something evil & monstrous in wizard culture (as much as they were in HP) but not because they're the mascot of the "evil house" Aqarbus. so where did the serpent symbolism come from?

later, in Family on Six when Evan makes the agreement to lean on the demons to save K, the "permanent change" that Brennan describes is that out of the shadow across evan's face "just goes black and is leaking black oil and water." aabira's description of the illumination of this creature was "a mix between a snake and an oil-soaked bird of prey." oil-soaked.

this is kinda what got me thinking in the first place, because what are the things you think of when you think of Evan Kelmp? Bird Facts and Gas Station Parking Lots. this absolutely feels like something Aabria would pull to make Brennan eat the lore he created.

it's also the type of shit she would do because of K's attempts to find any sort of books about what these "demons" might be during the exorcism, only to be met with "you think you're going to find me in a book?" maybe not named. not studied. no anatomical drawings or any sort of understanding as to what it is. but yeah. they'll find it in a book.

i do think that maybe this bird snake entity has been tied to Evan since before his birth---aabria's description in the latest S2 ep: "you feel yourself and the inside of you is empty, and something that was always meant to be poured in is beginning to pour itself back in" tells me that Evan was born to be a vessel for something. now, the demons at the exorcism said that Evan was promised to them. promised by whom? promised by what? maybe by the thing that knew it was going to be held within Evan, and knew that if he were to grow up with a dark enough childhood, if he were to be haunted enough, he might become the Dark One.

now, we don't really know the mythology of the Dark One. we don't know what sort of prophecy was told about it. going off of the general trope of the thing, we've gotta assume that it's something along the lines of "this person will unleash a great terror/darkness/evil upon the world." this likely was supposed to happen as a result of evan's torment like a psychotic break, or maybe as a defense mechanism in a life-or-death situation. either way, this creature and the magic that it represents would have wanted to be released, maybe still using Evan as a vessel and working through him to maintain its unknown, mythological status. this thing isn't Tad, it can't and won't be lulled to sleep.

could this creature have been accidentally released as a result of sam's exorcism? probably, it had to have been a thing or else it wouldn't be on the orery.(besides, this ancient monstrosity would never have anticipated Sam Black). could it be that it was released after K killed Evan? possibly, idk how often gm's rearrange lore behind the scenes to better fit what's happened in the story they're playing through.

whatever the case, I do think that it's not insignificant that Evan only started getting inklings of this sort of repossession leaking in after the events on Seeganpelater. the place where he saw the creature through the serpent's watch (a scene that in illustration implies that, maybe, the serpent could see them, too). the place where he snapped his wand. the place where he killed Boudicca. where we saw him be a magic murderer, where we saw him truly tap into the darkness he's been assigned his whole life. somewhere on cannibal Island, there was a moment of reconnection, and it helps that the very next places they went to were the islands that 1) stressed Evan out beyond belief, and 2) worked with amplification. it was able to strengthen its bond either the minute they landed, or as soon as Evan leaned into his strengths to scratch the tree with his shadow.

maybe this creature is what broke the well of magic. maybe it created the storm and destroyed Gowpenny. maybe this is a version of the Dark One prophecy coming true, breaking the rules of magic to the point that the entire system is broken and the world can never be what it used to. maybe it's not involved in anything and is just reveling in the chaos. I don't know. maybe all of these are coincidences between seasons. fun to think about, though!

[snirtsnirkarts]

Yes. I have been listening to Sherlock and Co. Yes, I am getting a little obsession. And yes, I am waiting impatiently for the next part to come out. Anywho, this is my little take on Sherlock and John.

My concept of them comes from a combination of BBC Sherlock, how the fandom sees Sherlock and co. , and how the voice actors look. Little things like Sherlock being a ginger, and John’s face and head build.

Hope y’all like it and uh… Listen to Sherlock and Co.? Yep, sounds like a good enough message to me, let me just turn off this recording… How do I-? Mother fu-

[daughters-of-liberty]

I had a similar experience to greater-than-the-sword when my cat grew ill. Not being with her while they fruitlessly tried to figure out what was wrong with her, was very trying at the time.

As a retail worker, I saw the best and worst of humanity. I was routinely tipped by customers as thanks "for doing my job". I saw someone pay for someone else's groceries because they lost their job and couldn't pay, leaving them in grateful tears. In addition to our store's curbside and delivery services being offered, we had local young people offer to deliver groceries to elderly people in town so they wouldn't have to leave home and risk infection.

But the bad far outweighed the good, I'm sorry to say:

I lived and worked in a border down at the time. My state did not implement mandates until August 2020. We had people come over from our neighboring state and yell at us for not wearing masks, only to storm off in a huff when we told them we did not have mask mandates, and vow to never shop there again! ...They were back the next week.

I have severe social anxiety and wearing a mask made my periods of hyperventilating worse, as you can imagine. But, I didn't have a medical exemption. Still, my boss stood by those of us that found it difficult or even traumatizing to wear a mask. In my department, I worked with two women, let's call them Jane and Alice. Alice had severe asthma, to the point that wearing a mask set off such bad asthma attacks, she'd have to go home for the day. And Jane's last birth saw her forced into a ventilator mask, so she associated masks with her birth trauma.

Even after mandates were enacted in our state, some of us were told by our boss that we didn't have to wear a mask because of our circumstances. The worst social harassment I have ever experienced happened during this time, as others documented above. When the threat of fines became too much for our employer, we few were finally forced into compliance. Jane, Alice, and I really struggled that first week. Jane had a panic attack on the floor and had to go home for the day. Alice had an asthma attack and had to go home for the day. I had a panic attack in the back, and one of the other department managers (who was an Afghanistan vet with PTSD) had to help me through it. I did not go home that day.

I remember those same karens that yelled at me for not wearing a mask were now very smug. "Oh, looks like you have to wear masks now, huh?" I tried to hide the violent thoughts I had in that moment, but the fact they quickly glanced away after meeting my eyes told me I had failed.

I remember one time, after curfews were put into effect (mostly for teenagers, I should point out), I was followed home after a closing shift by a cop, ensuring I never went anywhere but work and home. I waited a minute or two and left to go get some food at the gas station despite having food at home, my tiny act of rebellion against the stupid curfews that didn't apply to me anyway, because I was a legal adult.

My mother lived in the neighboring state, which had curfews that applied to everybody, not just teenagers. I can't recall what time at night they were enacted, but they didn't lift until like 7/8 in the morning. Small problem: my mother opened at her job, meaning she had to be there before 6. Why her department had to open at 6 when customers weren't even supposed to be on the roads until 7 or 8, I don't know. So, all the department managers had to be given slips that stated they were on their way to/from work to be carried on their person in the event they were pulled over en route.

My stepmother works in a factory in the neighboring state, in a facility with not so great air conditioning. In summer, people typically had fans at their station to help keep cool. During the pandemic, they were banned because they "blew the virus around". I think she said two or three colleagues got heat stroke that summer from lack of fans/air conditioning in combination with the suffocating masks.

I had a coworker who worked at the local nursing home as their full time job. Every week, she had a new story about some poor elderly man or woman, some with dementia or alzheimer's, who had no contact with their families. The saddest story she told was of a man who's family came to visit him, as he was dying of cancer. They couldn't see him face to face. They had to stand outside, in the snow, and wave at him through his window. He died shortly after, not being able to physically say goodbye to his family.

The teenagers I worked with were depressed because they couldn't spend time with their friends in person, were robbed of prom and homecoming, and an actual graduation ceremony. They had a "drive through graduation" followed by a graduation parade down main street. Needless to say, a lot of these kids didn't feel like they had fully passed through that door, like they hadn't really "achieved" anything.

The lasting implications from these events, even in my little corner of the world, cannot be fully known.

We should journal and record what the pandemic hoax was really like...and I mean offline... because I have a feeling this is one the history books and digital world are going to intentionally forget about.

Like remember how they had stores where "for your safety" you were only allowed to buy products they deemed essential. Remember going into a store and sections were roped off and the fucking stores wouldn't let you buy certain things.

I remember going into a dollar store to buy emergency supplies but they were deemed non essential because they were in the camping/outdoor section. I remember that they had employees...regular ass people doing a minimum wage job walking around and harassing customers who were trying to buy anything but food or medicine. Because apparently if you buy food at the store covid wouldn't get you but if you bought a book you were sure to kill yourself and everyone around you. All this during a stage of this "pandemic" where nobody you knew had even heard of anyone who was sick...this was before the jabs came out and people really started "Dying of covid."

You could write a whole chapter about all the times some karen told you to put on a mask and you had to resist the urge to feed them theirs. And remember when they changed the meaning of karen midstream to apply to people who wanted to be left alone and not wear a mask instead of insane entitled people desperate for a sense of power over otherswho make unreasonable demands...like someone who approaches strangers to demand they cover their face so they feel less afraid.

[strawberriesandmist]

Everyone from home says that you’re so cool, c’mon everybody to the boarding school

[clockworkreapers]

Damn Jack... I think you might have hurt his feelings

[m0e-ru]

say cheese !

[luckhissoul]

for a moment he gets distracted just watching her. the almost graceful moment of her hand. her lashes when she blinks. the light from the window behind her is played with by the colors of her hair. he swallows harshly. he shouldn't take the job. working with her wasn't going to be easy. and she seemed so bloody random, didn't she? he feels a weight on him. he lowers his eyes briefly as if to remind himself. remind himself that she's his boss. well, if he takes the job. but what's he going to do? go back to the bloody gas station? that would be absurd now that she was putting this offer on the table.

he lifts his eyes back to her face. smiling. "easy enough." he agrees with a small shrug of his shoulders. he's still not sure what she's thinking. what in the light is she thinking? he had no experience in something like this, did he? he had spent all his time in los angeles at that gas station. a fancy place like this? all shiny and new? he lets down a small breath of a laugh as he sits back. "that's what you spotted in me, huh?" is it too familiar? easy? she seemed the sort of woman to have so many expectations and demands, didn't she?

He really was thinking about it and she found that, yes, they were here in this place and she was one step closer to her goal. That was what she needed more than anything. She just wanted someone to believe in her and really get things moving. That was where they were at now, weren't they? He was looking to take it, she just knew it. There was no way that he was going to go off to take that job that he was going to leave behind. There was no way that he was going to turn this offer down. Something told her that Mat Cauthon didn't see many offers that were like this.

She held up her hand as though to count on it with her fingers. "Intelligence, personality, class, determination, someone who seems like a hard worker." Her shoulder shrugged briefly and a small smile came across her face as she further held his gaze. He didn't seem confident so much as he seemed intrigued and she had to wonder what that mask of his was hiding away. How did she know that it was a mask? Something simply told her that it was. "Those are traits that are pretty easy to spot, aren't they?"

[silverskye13]

He is a creature to me do you understand?

@lindentree @helsknight-daily

[pickinglilahs]

It's a bit concerning that I do more research for a fic than I ever did for a college essay