#( vida informed me shes in a MOOD so )

[bruiisedpetals-a]

𝑣𝑖𝑑𝑎 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑠 𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑐𝑦 𝑡𝑒𝑥𝑡 𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑡𝑠

[feyhunter78]

Pink Pastels Pt 34

Description: You and Miguel have dinner with your mother and things get intense. TW: mentions of pregnancy and vomiting Final chapter

You sit in the dimly lit corner of the restaurant, Miguel’s hand resting on your knee, a half empty wine glass in front of you.

“She’s never late, this isn’t like her.” You say, checking your phone once more, mere minutes have passed, but your anxiety has your stomach tied into knots.

“Maybe that’s all part of her therapy?” Miguel offers, his own wine glass in his hand, a deep red wine, darkened by the low mood lighting of the restaurant.

“Being late?” You snort.

“Allowing herself to relax and not abide by overly strict timelines.” He explains, taking a sip of his wine, then setting it down on the pristine white tablecloth.

“I guess I could see that…” You say, picking up your glass and swirling it around before taking a long drink of it. You didn’t want your mother to ask why you weren’t drinking, so you had the waiter bring your mocktail in a wine glass.

Miguel cups your cheek, turning your head gently, so you’re looking at him, his warm brown eyes, and familiar touch grounding you. “You worry too much, mi vida, it’s not good for the baby.”

“How can I not be worried?” You say, your hand coming up to cover his.

“Y/N, so sorry we’re late, we got a little sidetracked.” Your mother’s voice rings out, accompanied by the scrape of two chairs being pulled out.

You brace yourself, turning to face her—wait, we’re ?

Instead of just your mother sitting across from you, a man sits beside her. He’s tall, around her age, dressed appropriately for the occasion, but he’s a stranger, sitting at your table, next to your mother.

“What can I say, I just can’t keep my hands off you, Tiff.” The man said, giving her a wide grin.

“Mother, who is this?” You ask, forcing a polite smile onto your face.

“Oh, this is my fiancé, John.” She says, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.

“I didn’t—you didn’t tell me that you were bringing a guest.” You tell her, shooting daggers at her with your eyes.

“That’s my fault, kiddo, I wanted it to be a surprise.” John says, throwing an arm over your mother’s shoulders.

“Miguel O’Hara, y/n’s husband, pleasure to meet you, John.” Miguel says, reaching over the table to shake John’s hand.

“Pleasure’s all mine, I couldn’t wait to meet the man who makes your little y/n so happy.” John says, shaking Miguel’s hand, that wide smile still on his face.

“Our little y/n? I’m sorry, have we met before?” You ask, the shock still settling in your mind, your thoughts scattered.

“No, no, but Tiff has been telling me all about you, I already feel like we’re going to have a great daddy daughter relationship.”

You blink owlishly at him, stunned.

“How did you two meet?” Miguel interjects, the hand on your knee squeezing reassuringly, keeping you in your seat.

“Oh, we’ve been friends forever, but about a year or so ago we reconnected.” Tiffany says, smiling at John.

“And since then, it’s been happily ever after.” He says, taking her hand in his.

“We’re actually getting married soon, that’s why I wanted to have this dinner.”

You laugh, a short bitter huff, but your mother and John are saved by the appearance of the waiter.

After you all order, Miguel steers the conversation away from the wedding, asking John what he does for work, he’s an accountant, does he have any children, no, which is why he’s so excited to connect with y/n, what does he do in his spare time, whatever Tiff likes to do, he just loves her so much.

You feel like you’re going crazy, your mind running a million miles an hour as you try to piece together the information you’ve just been given.

“Now, now, enough boy talk, I want to discuss our wedding. It will be in a beautiful chapel, and y/n of course you’ll be my maid of honor, and we want Gabry to be the flower girl—”

“Gabi, my daughter’s name is Gabi .” You cut her off, hand wrapped tighter around the stem of your wine glass.

“Gabi, yes, whatever. We want Gabi to be the flower girl, it’ll be such a show of support.” Tiffany says, waving her hand in the air dismissively.

“Support?”

“Yes, it’ll show everyone that you support my new marriage. We’ll dress her up so adorably, and I’ll introduce her to everyone, my granddaughter who loves her grandmother so much, everyone will love it.”

The waiter brings the food, and you tuck in, grateful to have an excuse to not talk.

Since finding out you’re pregnant, you’ve thankfully been craving relatively normal meals, your baby’s favorite being chicken alfredo. Miguel made sure the restaurant had said meal and that it was good ahead of time, which you may or may not have cried about. You blame that on the hormones, though.

“I would want Gabi to be more familiar with the both of you before I agree to her taking on such a big job.” Miguel says, his voice tight, as he cuts your chicken into smaller pieces for you.

You thank him quietly, and continue eating, ignoring the look your mother gives you.

You would definitely describe Miguel as protective, but it’s in his nature, he’s Spiderman he knows how dangerous the city can be. And once he found out you were pregnant? It’s like someone flipped a switch. If you were treated like a princess before, now you’re treated like a queen. Not that you mind at all.

“All she has to do is throw flower petals and walk in a straight line, isn’t she six years old? Can she not do that?” Tiffany asks, her fragrant fish dish floating towards your nose, your stomach churning.

“She’s seven, almost eight, and yes she can do that, but Miguel is right, we want Gabi to be more comfortable with you two first.” You reiterate, voice unwavering, tone edged with finality as you wipe your mouth with your napkin and hope it’ll block out the smell.

“That makes sense, kids can get nervous with things like weddings.” John says. He’s eating some blue cheese nightmare that makes you want to vomit just looking at it.

“Exactly.” Miguel says, his eyes darting to you when you lean back in your chair, your hand resting on your throat.

“I’m thinking orange for my bridesmaid dresses, and I will be inviting your father, and his…whor—wife.”

“Oh, that will be nice.” You say, bile rising in your throat, when your mother cuts another piece of fish and holds it up to John.

The smell washes over you, your nerves, the shock, and a million other things making you sick churn together in your stomach turning it into a choppy sea, waves crashing and swelling, threatening to choke you.

“Cariño? Are you alright?” Miguel asks quietly, his thumb caressing the inside of your knee reassuringly.

“I—sorry, just give me a second.” You push out of your chair, and dash off to the bathroom, barely making it into a stall before you throw up, coughing and gasping, your throat burning.

There’s luckily no one else in the bathroom, just you, the small puff of an automatic air freshener and soft Italian music playing over the speaker. It’s cooler in here, the air conditioner working better in a smaller space, the cold tiles against your knees.

You grab some toilet paper and wipe your mouth, flushing the toilet and standing up, hand pressed to the side of the stall to steady yourself. Resting your hand on your stomach, you close your eyes and breath in and out through your nose, willing the wave of nausea to recede.

Once it does, you rinse your mouth with some water and fix your makeup, staring at yourself in the mirror. You’re three, almost four months along, barely showing, which is a godsend considering you’ve been able to hide it from most everyone. Of course, Miguel and Gabi knew Tia Margo, Monica and Brett, your parents, your brother, your friends at work, but your kids don’t know, and neither does your mother. Though she might know now if Miguel doesn’t come up with a good excuse.

Pushing the door of the bathroom open, you collect yourself and head back to the table.

“Everything okay?” John asks. He seems genuinely concerned, and if it wasn’t for his daddy-daughter comment, you’d almost call him a decent guy.

“Yes, yes, sorry.” You smile, taking your seat.

“I was telling them about the stomach bug that’s been going through the school.” Miguel says, intertwining his fingers with yours. Your food is already boxed up, Miguel as well.

“He said it was best if you two went home, but I told him I wanted to hear that from you.” Tiffany says, leaning forward, her voice dropping to a whisper. “I don’t like how controlling he is, it’s never too late you can come home with us.”

Miguel’s grip on your hand tightens and you see red.

“Are you fucking kidding me? How dare you? Miguel is a wonderful husband, and you’re just a crazy bitch who can’t be fucking happy for me.” You snap, standing abruptly, yanking Miguel with you.

“Y/N, cariño, por favor, vámonos a casa.” Miguel whispers, grabbing your boxed food and putting it in the plastic bag provided by the restaurant. Trsl: Y/N sweetheart, please, let’s just go home.

“I’m not going to your fucking wedding to this rando, and our daughter is not going to be paraded about, so you can lie to all your friends. You will never have a granddaughter that loves you so much, you don’t even have a daughter that loves you.” You’re seething, Miguel’s hand in yours keeping you from doing something drastic.

“We’re going to leave, wonderful to meet you both.” Miguel says hurriedly, guiding you out of the restaurant and into the car. He buckles you in and then slips into his own seat.

After a while, he speaks. “Are you alright?”

You nod. “Yeah, she just gets under my skin so easily, and I hate it.”

“She was awful, and she sprung so many things on you, I don’t blame you for your reaction.” Miguel assures you, one hand settling on your stomach.

“I just never want to see her again.” 

TL: @miggyoharaswife, @badbishsblog, @imisshim2much, @wanderlustingcastaway, @lynn-9703, @sleepyamaya, @erensbbg, @sweetea85, @ilovemiguelohara, @natthernandez, @stxrrielle, @ihateuguys, @jenniferdixon05207, @blep-23, @minimari415, @emerald-09, @violet-19999, @kenchosaikuo, @groovycass, @youcantseem3, @lovefks, @nightshxdex, @dusstory, @munsonssecretblog, @kirke-is-my-name, @starbearieee, @chatoicboy, @needsleep3000, @witchy-lizard, @cxmeiloorun7, @justrandomlolidk, @chimpkinnuggies, @alicefallsintotherabbithole, @loser-alert, @wwwellacom, @ryantryan6969, @lollipopin, @youcantseem3, @a-cult-leader, @verexi, @purpleskiesandroses, @they2luv1naia, @sophiaj650, @idolautism, @rheannajrs, @merakiq, @rexs-wife, @sukaretto-n, @twilight-loveer, @f1shb0nez, @callsign-blue, @marcelineormars

[thefallennightmare]

Arranged-seventeen

credit to whoever made the gif. found on google/pintrest.

Pairings: Mob!Bucky Barnes x Reader

Warnings: language, smut, angst, fluff, mentions of death.

Summary: Reader would do anything to make her parents happy and that included agreeing to an arranged marriage. She never expected it to be to one of New York's most feared Mob Boss: Bucky Barnes. He is anything but loving towards Reader however when her parents are mysteriously killed, Bucky makes it his mission to find out who were at fault. And in the process, ends up coming close to losing Reader.

Authors Note: SMUT AHEAD! I thought I would leave you with something good for the night.

Tags(closed): @alexxavicry @mdpplgtz03 @broadwaybabe18 @samsgirl93 @cherryflavoureds-blog @findthebeautyinbreakdowns @capsgrantrogersclqrosmgc @loumaaria-blog @queerqueenlynn @pampeop @cjand10 @purplerain85 @savannahcole99 @evanstanhoney @sebastianstansqueen @portrait-ninja @honeyglee @saranghaey @almosttoopizza @lilya-petrichor @valsworldofcreativity @buckycallsmeaslut @romanoffjohansson @themayzittcha @sapphiredreamer26 @buckybarnessimpp @itjustkindahappenedreally @mavrellover91 @esoltis280 @playboystark @legendarytrashcopeclipse @pansexual-4-all @elizacusi-blog @dnc331 @tee-swizzle @lovsalpkn @yourfavunsub @madebylilly @cerberusmybeloved @lclove2012-blog @onelmstreetett @tesseract69 @monique2281 @wayward-gypsy @wholesomewhorelol @ozwriterchick @pono-pura-vida @bogwaterswamp @s0urw00lf @daydreaming-mood @maggiemae5 @big-heart-ninjasblog @alexa4040 @screaming-les-bean @loustan90 @buckys2lut​ @marnle

Arranged Masterlist

With the towel wrapped tightly around me, I shook off the excess water from my hair and padded barefoot into the bedroom, ready to get dressed and find out if Bucky or Steve had found out any new information. The shower I intended to have ended up being me soaking in the large tub as I allowed the hot water to ease my stressed muscles. 

As much as I would have liked to rush things along in hopes of finding my parents' killer, I knew that it would be useless if I wasn’t one hundred percent mentally prepared. 

I came to a sudden halt when I saw the person lounging on the chair, legs spread wide. 

“Fuck, Bucky. You scared the shit out of me,” I gasped while clutching the towel closer to my chest. 

His chest rose and fell with each deep breath as his lips were parted, something heavy on his mind. He had cleaned all the blood from his hands and was dressed in a clean suit. I didn’t bother to ask where he had cleaned himself up, knowing he didn’t join me.

“Everything alright?” I asked. 

Bucky hummed in response. 

“Oh-kay,” I replied. 

Before I could enter our closet, his deep voice saying my name halted my movements. 

“Do you need something?” 

He nodded with his hand extended towards me and I took it, our fingers linked together. A quick tug and I was now straddling his lap, the bottom of my towel raising to just below the round of my ass. 

Bucky’s hands rested on my hips while his lips brushed against the crook of my neck. 

“You smell so fucking delicious, doll,” he groaned. “I’m such a sucker for jasmine.”

The growing bulge in his pants that pressed against my bare mound told me exactly what he needed. 

“Bucky,” I breathed. 

He was leaving small love bites all along my neck and I rutted myself against him. Bucky hissed while tightening his hold on my hips. My fingers ran through his hair and forced his lips up towards me, crashing them with my own. 

It was a quick one, Bucky pulling away before attacking my neck once again.

“I need you, doll.” 

I let out a breathy moan when his vibranium hand began to slide up underneath my towel. The coldness of his finger brushed over my already slick entrance and I rolled myself over it, hoping he understood my silent plea. 

He answered with the finger sliding deep between my folds and I moaned at the sensation. It had only been the second time we’ve been this intimate but I don’t think I’d ever get used to the feeling.  

Bucky’s finger slowly pumped in and out, almost in tangent with my hips as I continued to roll on top of him. Our breaths came out in a mess of curses, my orgasm started to build, and Bucky understood. 

So he slipped his finger out, the sudden emptiness brought a frown to my lips. Bucky kissed the corners of them. 

“You think I would let you cum that quick and easy? After how you acted tonight?” 

I shook on top of him, body covered with goosebumps. 

“Bucky, please,” I begged while grabbing his hand in hopes to guide it back to my now swollen mound. 

He quickly had my hands between my back, held by his flesh one. The warm breath from his mouth was felt on my cheek as he nibbled on my ear and with his free hand, the towel that was around me had been thrown across the room. 

I was bare in front of Bucky’s hungry gaze and he flicked my hard nipple. I bit my lip at the sensation. 

“What do you want?” He questioned. 

I whined, not wanting to have to beg for it. 

“You had no problem running your mouth earlier, doll. What happened?” Bucky teased. 

With one hand still holding mine behind me, he started to pinch and pull my nipples giving both of them equal time. My hips dug deeper into his, hoping the friction from his pants would be enough to chase my orgasm. 

I couldn’t register what happened until my body was thrown onto our bed. Bucky stood at the end, his dark eyes grazing every inch of my body. His tongue rolled over his bottom lip in anticipation. 

“Spread them,” he ordered. 

My legs had opened wide for him as I leaned back onto my elbows, my pussy on display for his eyes only. 

Bucky was on his knees and pulled my hips closer to his face and I couldn’t stop the squeal that erupted from my throat. 

“All I could think of today was the way you tasted on my tongue.” Bucky admitted with a groan as he stared at my wetness. 

His tongue spread wide over it and I grunted out a loud moan with my head falling back onto the bed. The tip of his tongue pressed down hard onto the swollen numb of my clit and I forced his face deeper, fucking his face. 

Bucky moans vibrated against me and my lips parted in a silent scream as my orgasm washed over me with no warning. I convulsed onto his face and he lapped up my juices. Even in the faint light of the room, I could see the aftermath of my orgasm shine on the small hairs of Bucky’s face as he looked up from my pussy. 

“You taste like heaven, and I can’t get enough,” Bucky admitted. 

He kissed his way up every inch of skin until he reached my lips, locking us in a battle of tongues and I moaned when I tasted myself on him. I made quick work of shedding his jacket and dress shirt from him and when I began to undo the belt at his pants, vibranium fingers stopped me. 

“Get on your knees,” He demanded again with a deep voice. 

“Bucky,” I began. 

Skin against skin echoed throughout the room followed by a shrieking moan as Bucky slapped my ass with his vibranium hand. 

“Ass towards me. Now!” 

Without a second thought, I was on my knees in front of him and the sound of pants falling to the ground sounded in my ears. 

“You act all innocent and look so sweet, but I know what a dirty mind you really have,” Bucky’s warm breath fanned across my back. 

But the warmth was gone, replaced with cool metal dragging across my spine. Only it wasn’t his fingers. This was something sharper. 

I bit the inside of my cheek when I realized exactly what was being dragged across my skin. 

“I saw the way you watched as I twirled this between my fingers,” Bucky spoke. 

He had the knife in front of my face and it glimmered in the light from the bedside lamp. 

“Do you have a knife kink, doll?” 

I felt like putty in front of him, unsure how to answer. Which only caused Bucky to slap my ass once again. 

“I don’t know,” I admitted with a breathy moan. 

Bucky dropped the knife onto the bed. “Maybe another night. Right now I want to fuck that pretty little cunt of yours.” 

“Oh, Bucky,” I groaned, head falling to the mattress. 

With a quick snap of his hips, his hard cock slid into my drenched lips and I began rocking back onto him hoping to help him fill me up. Our bodies rocked together as our moans of desire bounced off the walls of our bedroom and Bucky’s hands gripped deep into my hips as he held me still before sliding in and out of me at an unforgiving pace. 

My ears rang with white noise and my eyes rolled back, the sensation causing me to quiver underneath him. 

“Fuck, Y/N. So tight. So fucking tight,” Bucky said through gritted teeth. 

“Oh, oh, Bucky,” I panted. “I’m so close.” 

“Not yet, doll.” 

I groaned because there wasn’t any way I could hold on, my orgasm catching up so close. The blood ran from my head straight down to my core as my toes curled. My breathing became ragged when I began to lose control of my actions. 

“Please,” I begged. 

Bucky now was dragging his cock in and out of me in an antagonizing slow pace, the feel of every vein on his dragging on my walls. I clenched around him, our shared wetness creating ungodly sounds. 

Suddenly there was a persistent knocking at our door and I went to push Bucky away but his grip on me held strong, cock still dragging in and out of me. 

“Yeah?” Bucky called out. 

“It’s Steve. I need you downstairs.” 

Bucky’s vibranium finger reached around to my swollen clit and began drawing circles. I had to bite back a moan. 

“Is it important?” Bucky asked. 

“I wouldn’t be bothering you guys if it wasn’t.” 

I peeked over my shoulder. “Maybe we should—oh fuck!” 

Bucky’s pace in my pussy started up again and I felt the tip of his cock reach every single inch of me. 

With his vibranium finger still working my clit, his other hand wrapped around my throat and pulled my back up into his chest, the new position made my head spin. I let out another loud moan. 

"Be quiet, otherwise he's going to hear you. Or maybe you'd like that? Having Steve hear how I have you bent over, fucking this tight pussy,” Bucky grunted in my ear. 

My second orgasm washed over me in waves with that simple thought Bucky had planted in my mind and I spasmed over his cock which did nothing to halter his erratic movements. 

“Buck?” 

He groaned but never responded to Steve. 

“I’m going to fill this sweet little pussy up,” he bit hard down on the skin of my shoulder, him keeping up his promise. 

His cock throbbed and pulsed as he spilled himself into me and I rolled my hips over him, hoping to get every last drop. 

Our bodies fell in a heap onto the bed and Bucky rolled me on top of him, dragging the blanket over our lower half. He brushed a soft kiss to my forehead. 

“You alright?” He asked. 

I nodded in a haze and Bucky chuckled. 

Our eyes locked and we shared a slower, passionate kiss. I could see in his eyes that Bucky wanted to say something, his lips even parted to speak. 

“I lo-.”

“Bucky, this is important-.” 

Steve barged into the room but I had been too tired to try and cover up more. Even if my lower half was covered, with the right-angle Steve could have been able to see my exposed breasts. Bucky simply wasn’t bothered in the way Steve gazed at the two of us, an amused expression on his face. 

“I probably should have knocked,” Steve chuckled while rubbing the back of his neck. 

I didn’t miss the way his cheeks reddened in a blush. 

“What is so important, Steve,” I asked with a yawn. 

“We’ve got a location.” 

I was now suddenly wide awake.

[julietas-basil]

hellooou can I request a Julieta x Agustin or a male reader where in the kitchen is like early morning they are making out and then alma catches them imagine alma's face lol

i lovee your writting

Of course! thank you so much for trusting me with this! I hope you'll enjoy!

(I don't speak Spanish nor do I have knowledge,I just visit Google translate often)

Vocabulary

Nosotros estamos en la cocina: we are in the kitchen

Ni siquiera Los piences: don't even think about it

Vete de aquí: get away from here

It was morning,early after the sun has just extended its first Sunrays painting the sky in golden yellow shadows,the birds chirping soundly to accompany the beginning of a harmonious morning. Julieta was in the kitchen,staring outside the window over the trees. A smile was formed between her cheeks,taking into the scenery that slowly occurred in front of her eyes. With a sigh she pulled herself up,yawning under her hand so to gather enough powers for the following day. Coffee wasn't much of her liking,it actually didn't offer much to the sleepiness that threatened to take over her body,but it kept her in low levels of hyperactivity.

She walked back and forth in search of ingredients,herbs. She started humming an old song under her breath,tapping gently her foot on the ground. She had leaned a little forward to read some notes on another recipe,a finger scratching her chin in question and curiosity. Her eyes twitched,trying to focus under the dim light of the sun and the candles on the white paper note...

'Ay,my eyes have failed me'

She thought,moving her hands in defense of herself against the rules of the time,a long sigh escaping her mouth. Her body swifted from side to side,adding to the food,preparing the other snacks for the town's people. Multitasking had turned into a chance to dance even rather than wait for one thing to get ready...she could easily reach everywhere pretty fast,pretty skillful huh?

The sweet rhythm of the song started playing on her lips again,only mumbling a few lyrics to spice up her mood that was a bit influenced by the tiredness of the morning call. Agustín silently stepped on the main floor,fixing his tie with a satisfied grin - It wasn't every time he made up his tie right,Julieta had to be present for that and it was his favorite view first thing in the morning,he was not gonna lie...

His walking altered upon listening to her voice. Stepping between the door frame,resting his shoulder blade over the sculpted cement. He nodded his head in appreciation of his esposa's gentle sound and he simply stared at her -dipping in fingers to taste the food,tasting its flavor,burning her skin,cursing every now and then.

"¡Agustín!"

The cook exclaimed after noticing her husband looking fondly at her

"Buenos días,mi Amor"

Agustín stepped towards into the room,reaching for his girl. Julieta scavenged her hands together so as to face her bee boy. But a pair of hands firmly held her in her place

"Don't move,it's alright!" He whispered protesting. His lips came to rest on the soft skin in the curve of her neck taking in the cinnamon scent

'just like the first time...'

He thought to himself,the nostalgic scent filling his nostrils. It was like the first time he met her,her presence was identified by that aroma and that could easily inform you that she was there. He started planting kisses across the back of her neck,her shoulders

"Agustín,did you come to district me?"

He smiled,biting onto her flesh,his arms embracing further onto her stomach. Large hands grabbed onto a pair of full breasts over a detailed cooking apron. Her hands immediately gripped his in an attempt to stop his ministrations

"¡Agustín,nosotros estamos en la cocina!"

The tall man laughed in her ear. His left hand pulled the over the tiled kitchen stall,turning the older woman around. His pupils had dilated and irises had darkened,the nurse could tell by the way he roamed her with his quick stares

"Agustín,mi Vida the kids will be up soon,I have to make breakfast"

she leaned over to meet his gaze,her warm hand cupping his flushed cheek in reassurance. He just huffed and twisted his arm around her waist,his digits played for a short time with the ribbon of her apron

"I'm aware Julieta...just-"

he stood straight,untying the knot taking off the teal cloth slowly. Julieta just stared a puzzled expression in her face

"Honey,you're not listening..."

"Casita turn off the kitchen"

by the time she reacted at last,was removed from her waist and off her body,thrown over the wooden table. He sprung on the short woman by connecting their lips in a longing kiss making the nurse whine in surprise. Her arms pressed into his chaste,trying to pause him from going further unsuccesfully,as his hands traced over the hem of her underwear. The older woman's hands cupped both the sides of his arms,gropping just enough for him to alter his ways

Julieta then sensed a pair of hands extending over her backside,suddenly firmly gripping her mounds massaging the clothed skin in circles

"Mmh!"

She felt Agustín's grin against their passionate kiss,colliding their midsections together. A much softer moan escaped her lips now her fingers entangled between his grey-ish hair. At that moment she realized that she had betrayed herself,giving in to his -oh so undoubtedly caring attention- but at the same time it had been so long since they did something and away from everyone... Excellent idea! How hadn't she thought about that,besides that would be a very thoughtful present for his birthday...

"You feel amazing Chiquita...so warm,so soft,so-"

Agustín parted from their kiss and grinned once more bitting his bottom lip,while stroking her back fondly,Julieta joined his giggle,her fingertips fighting now over his pants' buttons,their lips joining into a sloppy kiss-

"¡Díos mio! What are you two doing?"

Alma's aggregated voice echoed across the room,startling Julieta,who in her panic shoved her esposo over the table in all her power. Her cheeks where so flushed and she was doomed and caught doing the 'deed' with her husband by her MOTHER . Never in her life could she imagine that this could happen and in the kitchen...well she was getting scolded for sure!

Poor Agustín stumbled in his footing,hitting his back at the edge of the table,hissing in the process

"Mamà!"

"¡Abuela Alma!"

Both of them replied in unison,as they stared onto a frustrated elder woman. The taller man gulped,while the cook looked at the floor,dusting off her skirt to escape showing her embarrassment...

"Buenos Días,mi Niños...Casita bring the table outside Linda!"

The 75 year old woman clapped for the Casita to respond in clicking tiles. The couple old couple released a heavy exhale after Alma went far away. Julieta furiously raised a finger at her husband

"Don't. Say. Anything!"

"You're so hot when you're angry-"

"ni siquiera lo pienses..."

Agustín mocked his wife by muttering her words on her ear,the proceeded diving a finger in the boiling stew earning a striking slap in his hand from his wife

"¡Ay,Vete de aquí!"

"Alright!"

[sayuricorner]

Miraculous Ladybug salt x Jojo’s bizarre adventure: “Biodad!Jonathan Joestar” AU

Headcanons part 1

Warning: English is not my first language so sorry if it’s confusing.

Warning 2: This AU content salt don’t like don’t read!

Warning 3: For the Jojo character’s palettes colors I use the anime palette colors as reference.

If you want to use this AU you can! just credite and tag me in return please! :)

----------------------------

So, in many ML biodad AUs Marinette’s bio dad is most of the time someone like Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark, but how about:

                                 Biodad! Jonathan Joestar AU

I mean when you think about it both Marinette and Jonathan are alike in looks and personnality!

Appearance:

-Both got blue hair

-Both got light blue eyes

Personnality:

-Both are kind souls

-Both are selfless and think about others before themself most of the time

-Both got a strong sense of justice

-Both are very smart

-Both are combative when needed

-Both don’t hesitate to put themself in danger to protect others

-Both can over-react when they’re carried away by their emotions

And just imagine the story possibilities with this AU!

“But Sayuri! Jonathan Joestar is from the Victorian aera and Marinette is born in the french modern aera how Jonathan would be Marinette’s bio dad in this AU?”

Well the same way which make Giorno, Donatello, Ungalo and Rikiel Jonathan’s kids:

Yep! In this AU Marinette is another child born from Dio’s one night stands!

Now I know that make Marinette Dio’s daughter too and I know Giorno, Donatello, Ungalo and Rikiel are mostly know as Dio’s children but to be honest I consider them more as Jonathan’s kids than as Dio’s because honnestly outside of the head the rest of the body is Jonathan’s.

How Marinette’s conception happen then? Well here’s how:

Years before Marinette’s birth, a young adult Sabine Cheng was on a trip in Egypt, she meet Dio in a bar one night, he seduced her and they got a one night stand, with Dio having the intention to suck Sabine’s blood after, but at one Dio got a brutal crisis.

Normally anyone would get afraid and run away but instead Sabine, being the kind person she was, had done all she can to calm down Dio with all the tenderness she can give. And without being aware of it this actually saved her life.

After helping Dio to calm down both fall asleep, Dio woke up later in night while Sabine was still asleep.

Remembering the warm and familiar kind feeling he experienced during his “episode”, a feeling he didn’t feel for a very long time, he decided to spare Sabine under the pretext he wasn’t in the mood to suck her blood anymore before living to go back to his mansion.

In the morning Sabine wake up only to notice Dio left and never see him again after that night, she go on with her trip and when she go back to France she found out she was pregnant.

She decided to keep the baby, times later she meet and fall in love with Tom Dupain, both end up marrying to each other and Tom adopt Marinette and became legally her father.

The Dupain-Cheng couple also decided to give her a middle name “Joanne” in memory of one of Tom’s aunts with who he was close, making her full name “Marinette Joanne Dupain-Cheng”

Does that mean Marinette in this AU had the Joestar birthmark? Yep, she does! And she also got the Joestar genes when it’s come to body shape: as a kid she look like a shrimp but when she will be older she will get rather tall and will got more muscules to her peers’s surprise.

Did she had a stand in this AU? Yes!

Her stand is called [Viva la vida], a reference to the Coldplay’s song, this stand had the power to create miracles like making plants grow, healing illness and bad injures or being a big source of luck she also had a big affinity with plants and animals. But her powers had limits for example while her miracles allow her to bring back someone to life it’s only possible if the dead person isn’t dead for a too long time and make a powerfull miracle drain Marinette energy and she end up knocked out for a time.

When Marinette is Ladybug, [Viva la vida]’s miracles powers are stronger.

[Viva la vida] isn’t a stand know for her strengh but she’s very fast which allow her to make a lot of punches and kicks at the same time.

Stand’s appearance: [Viva la vida] is an humanoid stand with beetle features, her color schemes are black white and pink, she had beetle wings, big rond blue non-reflective eyes and her head is rond with two anthenas and is a head smaller than Marinette.

But if [Viva la vida] is a cute stand when Marinette is a civil, when the young girl took her Ladybug form, her stand took a more imposing and majesting appearance, she became taller, more muscular, her eyes smaller and almond shaped, her whole body get more armors features and her colors scheme change to black and red with black dots and she emit a rather intimidating aura.

Stand’s behavior: [Viva la vida] is a very expressive stand and very sentient and is a friendly and playfull stand. She’s very curious by nature and had the habit to examin in curiosity when Marinette meet new people or stands. Her being very sentient allow her to sometimes act as a conscience to Marinette.

She also love to eat cookies baked by Marinette.

When Marinette is Ladybug, [Viva la vida] is more serious and a more combative behavior.

Stand’s cry: “Mira!” a reference to “miraculous” and to the word miracle.

AU additional details:

-Class salt

-Bustier salt/bad teacher Bustier

-Adrien salt or Adrien sugar(it’s up to whoever use this AU)

-Lila salt

-Chloe redemption

-Class redemption, a part having a redemption or none of them having a redemption(you choose)

-Permanent miraculous user Luka

-Permanent miraculous user Kagami

-Stand user Luka

-Not everyone die AU/temporary death AU: if some Jojo characters like the Pillarmen, Caesar, Kakoyin, Avdol and Iggy are alive but others like Buccellatti, Abbacchio, Narancia and La Squadra are still dead but will not stay dead(You’ll see).

-Good father Jotaro

-Marinette's closed friends/loved ones calling her "Jojo" in reference to her middle name "Joanne"

-Donatello, Ungalo and Rikiel adopted by the Dupain-Cheng

-Protective siblings Donatello, Giorno, Rikiel and Ungalo

-Marinette being the baby sister of all Jonathan’s and Dio’s kids

-[Viva la vida] being a cute stand

-Marinette, Giorno, Donatello, Ungalo and Rikiel not acknowledging Dio as their dad

-Protective Joestar family

-Jonadad

-Good parents Sabine and Tom Dupain-Cheng

-Permanent miraculous users Donatello, Ungalo and Rikiel

-Badass Marinette

-Scientist Gina Dupain at Speedwagon Foundation

-Diavolo and Doppio getting differents boddies

-Akumatised Marinette with her stand being corrupted and turned into a sentimonster.(You’ll see! ;) )

-Temporary Ladybug!Giorno (You’ll see! ;) )

-Diavolo still stuck in the death loop(’cause it’s only canon if Diavolo die!)

-The Pillarmen knowing about the miraculous

-Shipping:You decide the ship you want just not Adrinette please

Arcs for this AU:

The bizarre origins arc:

This arc is about the origins of Marinette’s birth, her growing up and getting a stand, becoming Ladybug and learning to accomplish her duties as Ladybug while learning to control and use her stand and meeting others stand users.(ex: Luka)

The bizarre USA adventures arc:

Take place times after Lila’s return, the liar keep her word and little by little Marinette’s friends turned their back on her and the fights against the akumas are always very hard to not say harder especially ever since she became the guardian.

Seeing their daughter’s moral so down Sabine and Tom decide to send Marinette to Gina to the USA for summer break. After making sure to had Kaalki with her to teleport back to Paris when an akuma attack, Marinette go on a trip to the USA with her grandmother.

But what should have been a normal vacation trip will take a bizarre turn when Marinette will learn about Gina’s job at the mysterious Speedwagon Foundation which will lead to a meeting with four ancients Aztec gods of fitness, getting informations about stands and her mysterious lineage and a meeting with three american unknow brothers.

(In this AU the Pillarmen aren’t dead after Battle Tendency but they’re detained by the Speedwagon Foundation)

The bizarre mass resurection mystery arc:

A lot of things happened in Marinette’s life, things she didn’t expected whatever in good or bad.

Finding out about her grandmother’s job at the Speedwagon Foundation, learning more about her stand, finding about the existence of three brothers and having said newfound brothers being adopted by her parents, her friends isolating her thank to Lila and learning she by Bustier she and Chloe were banned from the class field trip...

So she decided with to create with other classmates from the school a trip club and after some successful fundraisers the club get a trip to Italy.

And since Hawkmoth seemed to not have attacked for a time there isn’t any problems to go on that trip.

In Italy, on Giorno’s side the part 5 events happen just like in canon while on Marinette’s side she and the trip club get a good time in Italy until a particuliary violent stand user akuma attack the country. He was akumatised by Hawkmoth ‘cause Gabriel Agreste was on a business trip in Italy and thought creating a akuma in the country would attract Ladybug and Chat Noir and give him an advantage since the akuma attack in a unfamiliar place.

The fight was very hard but in the end Marinette and her allies were able to beat the akuma and with her miraculous powers combined with her stand powers she revert any damage... it’s even worked for damage/injuries/death by stands leaving Marinette knocked out for a time since she use a lot of energy while using her stand’s miracle powers.

On Giorno’s side after he beat Diavolo and became the boss it was noticed that Buccelatti, Narancia, Abbacchio, the whole La Squadra were bring back to life.

Even Doppio was back but in a boddy of his own.

Everyone thought at first this was the work of [Gold experience requiem] but it was reveiled later this was the work of another stand which will put Giorno, his gang and even Jotaro with the SWF on a big infestigation which will lead them to the stand user resposible for this mystery and unknowly to them and to Marinette to one big bizarre family reunion.

The bizarre family arc:

With everything which happened in Italy, Marinette not only had to deal with Lila, Hawkmoth, the akumas and her guardian duties but also with the discovery of an extended families and horrible and disturbing informations about “one of her bio fathers”.

And one day Lila took things too far leading Marinette to unleash all her frustration, stress and anger making her akumatised and it will be up to Giorno as a temporary Ladybug holder, her true friends and her family to saved her from herself and from Hawkmoth’s influence.

But the task will be hard with not only Marinette being akumatised but also with her stand [Viva la vida] having being unconsciously corrupted by Mayura while trying to corrupt Marinette turning her into a sentimonster.

The bizarre final showdown arc:

A alliance between Hawkmoth and a mysterious priest will lead the miraculous villain to his ultimate plan by helping the priest to resurect a powerful man, a man infamous for being a curse to the Joestar family and to the world, with the promise to achieve Heaven and to gain a power which will allow Hawkmoth to do all he want.

It will be up to Marinette, her friends, allies and her new found family to put an end to Hawkmoth once for all and to beat this priest before the worst happen with the resurection of the infamous Dio.

But bizarre chains of events will lead to another resurection, the resurection of a man very well know by the Joestar family and who’s tightly connected to Marinette, Giorno, Donatello, Ungalo and Rikiel.

[matrixaffiliate]

Endeavor

Chapter Update! FFN and AO3

I want to promise you right now that this story is a happy story and has a happy ending...just stick with me. ;) Next chapter goes up on Friday, August 21st.

Chapter 4

Ted made it back to his flat and forced himself to plug his phone in next to his bed so he would stop checking it again and again. She said she would text him. He just had to trust that.

He tried to distract himself by tidying up his room a bit, but his mind kept going back to how amazing the night had been. Being there with Vic felt right, it felt easy, it felt like everything he wanted things between them to be.

He was kicking himself over that feeling for the hundredth time when his phone buzzed on his night table.

Unknown: Did you make it home alright?

Ted let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and saved the number.

Ted: Who is this? How do I know you aren't a predator?

He grinned and laid back in his bed, propping himself up against his pillow.

Vic: I'm totally a predator. My victims are always white males in their mid-twenties.

Ted laughed out loud.

Ted: That seems fair. I guess I can talk to you until my coworker decides to get back to me. She was supposed to text me tonight.

Ted watched her typing icon with what he was sure was a stupid grin on his face.

Vic: As fun as that sounds, I really was looking forward to guessing your name, so can we drop this game and pick up that one?

Ted: Such a killjoy.

Vic: You promised me clues, Ted…

Ted: How do I know you're really Vic and not an impersonator?

Vic: Because your wolf figurine is sitting on my desk next to my laptop dock, and you knocked half your chips on the floor tonight when Jamie said that it was probably time you found a girlfriend.

Ted groaned. That had, unfortunately, happened. Jamie had asked if Ted would start dating now that he was done with university and only had the one job. Ted had been so flustered that he tipped his basket up and knocked some of his chips on the floor.

Ted: So cruel...why would I give you any information about my full name now?

She sent him a GIF of a baby about to cry, and Ted started laughing. He started to type a snarky reply but stopped himself when a dangerous thought crossed his mind.

What if he called her? Heaven knew he wanted to.

He deleted what he already wrote and started again.

Ted: Don't do that, don't pull on my heartstrings. I'll make you a deal, call me so I know it's you and then I won't hang up until you know my name.

Ted hit send and held his breath. He was beyond screwed at this point. He was certain she was going to play this off, tell him she was tired and they could pick up this twisted game on Monday.

Then his phone rang and Teddy's heart exploded in his chest.

"You waste no time, Weasley, do you?"

"Oh, shut up," Vic laughed and Ted tried to let his relieved sigh out slowly.

"No more stalling, Ted, I want my clues."

Ted grinned, "But of course, I'm a man of my word.

"Clues, Ted, clues!"

Ted laughed. "First clue, a few of my predecessors have been our country's monarch, while another abdicated the throne."

"Ha!" She shouted, and Ted laughed as he moved his phone to his other ear.

"I knew you were an Edward," she laughed. "You're too down to earth to be a Theodore."

"What does that even mean?"

"Doesn't matter, all that matters is I was right!"

Ted couldn't stop smiling. "Are you satisfied with being right enough to not care about my last name, then?"

"In your dreams, Edward."

Ted swallowed. Maybe this was a bad idea, but he was already in this deep, too late to back out now.

"Alright, do an internet search for the scientific name of wolves."

It was quiet for a moment before Vic spoke.

"Canis Lupus?"

"Right," Ted smirked, "and this is probably the part where you decide you hate me. Because next, you take those letters and rearrange them into my last name. You'll only need five of them though."

Vic groaned. "Ted that is an awful clue!"

"I don't know, it stretches your mind and gets your brain thinking. Those are things that are supposed to help stop Alzheimer's. So really, I'm helping you, Weasley, I'm preserving your brain for your future self."

"You're so full of it," Vic laughed. "Come on, Ted, give me more than a word scramble."

Ted could feel the smile stretching across his face.

"Please, Ted." Vic's voice went soft and Ted felt himself falling.

"Alright, one last clue," he looked over at his desk and the picture of him and his mum when he was ten, a bouquet of flowers in her hands. "There's a flower, it's my last name. It's usually purple, but they come in pink and blue and orange too."

"You should send me a picture of the flower."

Ted rolled his eyes. "I have to make you work for something Weasley."

"Fine," she laughed, "I'm turning on my laptop."

"You're going to try and search for it? What is your search even going to be?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She teased.

"I would actually," Ted chuckled. "That way the next time someone wants to guess my name I can make it harder."

"I can't believe it! It worked!"

"What's my last name then, Weasley?"

"Lupin!"

Ted laughed. "What the hell did you search?!"

"Canis Lupus flower."

"Well done, Vic," Ted picked at one of the stray threads on his blanket.

"Why thank you, Edward Lupin."

His name felt like a song when she said it.

"Not a bad name, eh?"

"I've heard worse," Vic's voice was soft again. "But you still haven't told me your middle name."

"No way, Weasley," he laughed, "I don't know that about you, so I'm not giving you that information about me."

"If I tell you my middle name will you tell me yours?"

Ted felt his heart rate increase

"Yeah, I think that's fair."

It was quiet a moment before Vic made her decision. "It's Gabrielle, it's my aunt's name."

"Victoire Gabrielle Weasley," Teddy tried it out and it felt like honey on his tongue.

Vic cleared her throat, "Alright, your turn, what's your middle name?"

"Remus, after my dad," Ted answered without hesitation, "And Edward is after my grandfather."

"Edward Remus Lupin, that has a nice flow to it."

Ted smiled. "I've always been fond of my name."

It was contentedly quiet between them and then Ted got up the courage to ask something he'd been thinking about since Jamie said Vic had him reading a rough draft of a book she wrote.

"So, you're writing a book?"

Vic was silent a while longer before she answered. "Yeah, I, er, I've been working on it since uni."

"And you got a communications degree instead of focusing on creative writing because…?" Ted held his breath, worried that Vic would shut down this conversation.

"Well, I thought a communications degree would pay the bills, you know?"

"Authors do tend to have day jobs," Ted chuckled. "So, what's this story about? From someone as brilliant as you are, I'm sure it's a best-seller waiting to break all the records."

"Well, it's a fantasy epic," Vic started but then she went silent. "Oh, Sean is calling, you alright if we call it a night?"

Ted leaned his head back into the wall and closed his eyes. "Sure, I'll see you Monday."

"Thanks, Ted. See you Monday."

Teddy tossed his phone back on his night table. He might as well find something to distract himself from how much it sucked to be falling for a girl that was so far out of his reach. He changed into his P.J.s and then decided he would see if Kalil was in the mood for some late-night Mario Kart or something, but his phone buzzed against his table.

Vic: What is it with people deciding they have to call other people when they're drunk?

Ted sighed; he shouldn't do this. He should act like he fell asleep and text her in the morning.

Vic: He's singing me the song playing at the pub. It's Jamie's Got A Gun.

Ted laughed and gave in.

Ted: Maybe it's code ;)

Vic: That would be the worst way to tell me he was in trouble!

Ted grinned.

Ted: But think of the possibilities! You could send all sorts of messages with songs!

He watched Vic's typing icon and laughed when her message came through.

Vic: You mean like Viva la Vida?

Ted: You fancy yourself a disgraced king?

Vic: I'm full of surprises.

Ted: That you are Weasley.

Ted smiled as he watched Vic's typing icon blink on his screen.

Vic: I finally convinced him to go home and get some water. I'll see you on Monday, Edward Remus Lupin. ;)

Vic: Goodnight, Victoire Gabrielle Weasley.

He set his phone back down on his night table and flipped the lamp off.

Monday couldn't get here fast enough.

OoOoOoOoO

Ted laughed when he walked into the office Monday morning. His wolf figurine sat in the center of his desk with a fence built out of paperclips around it.

"Afraid he'll run back to you?"

"I just want him to understand that he has to stay with you." Vic grinned.

Ted moved his wolf out of the corral and set him down closer to Vic's desk.

"There, now he won't feel like you've abandoned him."

"What about my fence?" Vic teased.

"Oh, I think I'll see what I can get for it on eBay. There's bound to be someone out there who wants a paperclip fence."

"Start the bidding at ten quid. I'll accept nothing less for my artwork."

"Maybe we should paint it, raise its value." Ted laughed at the face Vic made.

"You want to ruin it? How dare you suggest such things!"

"I'm just saying," Ted laughed, "Why settle for less when we could maybe get twelve quid for it instead of ten?"

"You mean settle for eight quid because you had to ruin it with paint." She shot back with a laugh.

"Color makes everything better."

"Of course, you think that," Vic grinned and gestured to his hair.

Ted ruffled his hair, "Well, you told me you liked it that first day, so I think you just proved my point."

Vic smiled and looked down at her hands. "So, did you, did you really want to know about my book?"

"Of course, I do," Ted felt like she'd just offered him fifty pounds. "Is it YA or NA or YMCA?"

Vic laughed and started to give him the sparsest of details.

"That's all you're going to tell me?" Ted threw his hands up. "Come on, you can't expect me to believe you only want to tell me the basics. You've been working on this epic for more than three years!"

"Well, I mean, Sean doesn't really like to hear about it, and I just thought…"

"I'm not Sean, Vic," Ted rolled his eyes. "I want to know everything, so let's get to it."

Vic gave him a shy smile, "If you're sure?"

"I asked, didn't I?"

She smiled and before Ted knew it, they'd lost the first hour of the workday.

"Ok, let's get some work done, and then you can tell me the rest." Ted laughed. "I haven't even logged in yet."

"You're sure you want to hear how it ends?" Vic teased him.

"So torturous," Ted grinned at her.

Vic went to respond but her desk phone rang and for a moment she looked torn before turning her chair back to her desk and answering the call.

Ted grinned to himself as he went back to getting set up for the day. Things were going well, they were having fun, and he was settling happily into not just the position, but also the goal of growing their department into the first branch of Bread & Butter to break off and stand on its own.

But it wasn't so great when Sean showed up at lunch and took Vic for the rest of the day. She texted him an hour after they'd left and asked that he cover for her in the case that Ron showed up, and she asked Ted to forward her desk phone to her cell phone. Ted did so, and then spent the rest of the day feeling like an idiot.

And things continued to go up and down as they moved into winter and approached Christmas.

It only made things harder when Ted realized that he wasn't hiding his attraction to Vic well from anyone, except maybe Vic.

"Why are you looking at stuffed toys that look like wolves?" Kalil sat down next to him on the sofa and leant in to see his laptop screen a bit more than a week before Christmas.

"I was thinking of giving it as a present," Ted defended.

"Right, but for whom?" Kalil gave him a pointed stare and Ted rolled his eyes.

"I don't see how that's relevant."

"Ted! You're buying a present for your coworker who is in a relationship!"

"I never said it was for Vic!" Ted shut his laptop.

"You didn't have to," Kalil shook his head. "Look, Ted, I'm worried about you. You're obsessed with Vic and she's off-limits. You need to get out of your head. Come to the pub with me and Maira tonight. I'm sure she can get a few people to come too. You need to remember that there are more women in this city than just your coworker."

"Kalil," Ted ran his hands over his face.

"What would you do if she married Sean?"

Ted felt like Kalil had just punched him in the stomach. He couldn't breathe for a moment and his chest felt like it was collapsing.

"See," Kalil put a hand on his shoulder, "I can see it in your face, Ted, you're falling for her. Stop it! Get out and find someone just as great. Come to the pub tonight."

Ted let out a long breath, and he couldn't help but think that maybe, maybe Kalil was right. Vic seemed to like to goof around with him, but she'd shown no signs of leaving Sean for him. No matter how many times Sean let her down, no matter how many times he did something that she didn't like, she stayed. And the nearly five months of working with her had been full of huge highs and incredible lows. He'd loved the moments where he felt like it was just the two of them, but walking out after work on the days Sean picked her up to find he hadn't waited long enough after she'd left as he got a full view of Sean's tongue down her throat left him feeling like a loser.

"Alright," Ted nodded, "I'll come tonight."

Kalil squeezed his shoulder, "Good on you, mate. You'll see, this will be a good thing."

Ted nodded, but a part of him wondered if it really was.

Even with his misgivings, Ted was ready to head out when Maira showed up at their flat.

"I'm so glad you're coming with us!" Maira hugged him. "I've asked a friend to meet us there, I think you'll have fun!"

Ted rubbed the back of his neck, "Thanks, Maira, I appreciate it."

"Let's head out then," Kalil took Maira's hand and led them out into the cold.

Ted realized after they'd been out for a bit, just the three of them, that this was a good idea. He hadn't gone out much at all since before finals in May. Getting to laugh and talk with friends felt freeing.

"Oh, there's Nicki!" Maira jumped up and waved her friend over to their table.

Ted turned around to see a woman who could have been described as Vic's opposite. She had black hair with lime green highlights and it was cut in choppy layers, the longest barely touching her shoulders. And while Vic tended to wear conservatively colored clothes, at least at work and the one Saturday Ted had seen her, Nicki was wearing a bright pink blouse with teal trousers; her orange coat draped over her arm.

"Nicki this is Kalil's roommate, Ted Lupin. Ted this is my friend Nicki Choi."

"It's nice to meet you, and I love your hair!" She shook his hand across the table as she sat down.

"Thanks, I like yours as well." Ted smiled. Nicki wasn't Vic, but she definitely put out the vibe that she liked to have a good time.

And she did. Nicki was loud and fun and not afraid of anything. She tried anything she was put up to. She laughed loudly. She defended her opinions with passion, even if he flat out told her she was wrong. Nicki reminded Ted a bit of the stories he had heard about his mum when she was his age.

Ted was having fun, and so when Nicki scooted closer to him, he didn't think about it when he draped his arm across her shoulders. And when she rested her head on his shoulder, he let her. A small part of him pushed back, but Ted told that part of him that if Vic could snog Sean in the car park, then he could let a cool woman rest her head on his shoulder.

"I'm calling it a night," Nicki moved to hug Maira at about half eleven. Then she turned to Ted. "Will you wait with me out front for my Uber?"

"Sure thing," Ted nodded and moved to follow her. He tried to ignore the way Kalil grinned at him.

"This was fun," Nicki smiled up at him and pulled her orange coat closer around her.

"Yeah," Ted nodded, "yeah it was."

"So, who broke your heart?"

Ted blinked. "What?"

"You have 'heartbroken' written all over your face. I figured that was why Maira called me." She smiled sympathetically at him.

"I, er, it's complicated." Ted shook his head and rubbed his hand over his eyes.

"Did you have fun tonight?"

"Yeah," Ted chuckled, "yeah, I actually had a lot of fun."

"We could keep having fun. I don't expect you to move into another relationship with me, but we could just have fun, spend some time reminding you that hearts heal."

Ted hesitated. He didn't know why, but he did. Nicki was amazing. He'd be an idiot to turn her down.

"Here," Nicki pulled out a gum wrapper and pen from her clutch and wrote on it. "This is my number. Think about it, Ted, I think we could have a lot of fun together."

Ted nodded as he took the gum wrapper. "Thanks, I, er, I'll think about it, alright?"

Nicki smiled and then nodded a few cars down from the curb. "There's my Uber. Thanks, Ted."

She stepped forward and kissed his cheek, her cold lips managing to warm just the skin they touched.

Ted stood in the cold and watched her wave once before climbing into the Uber. He waved back and then the car pulled away.

He took a moment before he went back inside. Gum wrapper still clasped in his hand. He'd had fun with Nicki, and she obviously had fun with him. She was fun and beautiful and he admired her spunk and attitude.

So why was he hesitating?

Ted slipped the wrapper into his wallet and went back inside.

"That took some time," Kalil smirked at him.

"Er, yeah, I, we talked," Ted took a swig from his drink.

"Nicki is amazing, Ted," Maira smiled.

"Yeah, yeah she's, she's really cool, I, er, she gave me her number."

"You're going to call her, right?" Kalil asked.

"I, er, I think I might, yeah."

Kalil stared at him like he was stupid and Ted sighed.

"I think I'm done for tonight, mates. I'll catch an Uber home, let you two enjoy the rest of your night." Ted didn't wait for a response. He forced a smile and moved to the door. The pub wasn't all that far from their flat, and so Ted decided to walk it instead of requesting the ride.

The cold was bitter, but it helped to clear his head, though not enough to figure out what he should do. He wanted to hope that maybe Vic would suddenly return his feelings and dump Sean and be with him. But even with all the problems he could see she was having with Sean, Vic still stayed. A part of Ted feared she always would.

OoOoOoOoOoO

Monday morning rolled around and Ted was trying to figure out if he was looking forward or not to seeing Vic as he drove into work. He'd spent Sunday more or less holed up in his room, and Kalil seemed content to let Ted work through this one on his own. That didn't mean Ted was any surer one way or the other, though.

But when Ted walked into the office, he paused.

Vic hadn't made it in yet.

That felt weird. Ted was never late, but Vic was always early. He tried to shrug it off and get himself settled in for the day. She'd probably hit traffic was all. But even as he kept telling himself that, Ted kept trying to see around the corner of the building out the window into the car park.

Finally, he heard the door push open and Ted spun in his chair, ready to razz her for being late. But his eyes fell on her hand as she pulled off her glove with her teeth.

"You've got to be kidding me." He'd said it before he could stop himself.

"I know!" Vic smiled down at her ring. "I would have thought he would have waited for Christmas or New Year's, but he asked last night!"

"That's," Ted forced a smile, "wow. I, er, congratulations."

"Thanks," Vic smiled at the ring again and then started getting settled into her desk.

Ted thought he might vomit. He needed to get out. He couldn't be here, not with her, not now, now that she'd chosen Sean permanently.

He picked up his desk phone and forwarded it to his cell. Then he shut down his laptop.

"Are you going somewhere?" Vic looked over as he packed up.

"I have a few sales calls I'm going on today."

"Oh, well, are we still good for dinner?"

Ted paused. He'd forgotten all about their Monday and Wednesday meetings over dinner. Those evenings that he looked forward to every week. The moments that he felt connected to her in a way that felt real to him.

"I actually have something tonight. I'm sorry I should have remembered to tell you on Friday." He zipped up his backpack and grabbed his coat.

"I'll see you tomorrow, and congrats again, it's brilliant."

"Thanks," Vic frowned, "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Right," Ted nodded and left without a second glance.

He was grateful that she wouldn't be able to see him from the window as he stepped into the car park. How could he have been so stupid? Of course, she chose Sean. Ted had wanted her to like him so much he'd blinded himself to the fact that she was in love with her boyfriend, tosser that he was.

Ted drove home and set up at his desk in his room to get back to work. He tossed his wallet on his dresser and paused. He pulled out the gum wrapper and called Nicki.

It went straight to voicemail, and Ted almost hung up, almost gave into that part of him that hoped Vic would choose him, but he pushed that aside and left a message.

"Hey, Nicki, it's Ted. I was calling to see if you wanted to grab a drink or something. I, er, I hope to hear back from you. Bye."

He set his phone down on the desk and powered on his laptop. Then his phone buzzed.

Nicki: Hey Ted, it's Nicki, I'm in a meeting, but would you like to meet for lunch today?

Ted didn't let himself hesitate this time.

Ted: Sounds great, send me an address and time. I'll meet you there.

[johannesviii]

Top 10 Personal Favorite Hit Songs from 2019

The last list, for now. It’s been a wild ride.

Not the best of these lists, but some really refreshing stuff charted that year, and what was good was super good. And also, here’s a barely elligible #1 that nobody seemed to care about for some reason.

Disclaimers:

Keep in mind I’m using both the year-end top 100 lists from the US and from France while making these top 10 things. There’s songs in English that charted in my country way higher than they did in their home countries, or even earlier or later, so that might get surprising at times.

Of course there will be stuff in French. We suck. I know. It’s my list. Deal with it.

My musical tastes have always been terrible and I’m not a critic, just a listener and an idiot.

I have sound to color synesthesia which justifies nothing but might explain why I have trouble describing some songs in other terms than visual ones.

In 2019, my finger was fixed, I dropkicked depression in the garbage bin (with a little help from Eurovision because it was super good and full of hilarious shit), got married, and went on a roadtrip on Vancouver Island (BC, Canada), and that was my first real travel in 13 years. Met a lot of great people, seen amazing places, trees, bears and whales. And planes are also part of the adventure when you’re not used to them (you can watch movies on little screens from your seat now?? I had no idea. I watched so many movies). It was very exciting.

I also saw VNV Nation live in February, for the third time in six years. This time I had enough budget to buy a tshirt. I wasn’t expecting that concert to be even better than the previous two. At that point the new album had only been out for a couple of months and we still knew the lyrics of most of the new songs and Ronan’s face was constantly broadcasting a kind of “...........how” expression (face it guys, we like you. A lot). And they finished with All Of Our Sins and let me tell you, half the club was ready to start a revolution by the time that was over. Super intense.

Ok. 2019 albums! First, let’s talk about some negative things. Coldplay released Everyday Life at the end of the year. It was... uh. It was basically how I stopped loving their new stuff. That’s a very sad conclusion (for now) to this saga. This is exactly what I feared would have happened after Viva La Vida, aka them trying to go back to their earlier sound - except in the meantime we’ve got three fantastic albums with songs full of energy and joy. So I’m not too mad about this, just disappointed.

Within Temptation released Resist, and it wasn’t very good either, but I appreciated the general aesthetic of it. More SF-themed albums in symphonic metal, please. NF released The Search and while I’m still not a fan there’s a song on it that would have been #1 on this list if it had been elligible, so that’s something. And Carly Rae Jepsen released Dedicated and it was super good so why isn’t she getting new hits. Why. It feels unfair. Oh, and Avantasia made Moonglow and that’s the first time I’ve cared about their stuff in like a decade or so. Ghost In The Moon is super good, check it out.

But the big event of the year music-wise, as far as I’m concerned, was the return of two bands I thought we had lost forever. Of course My Chemical Romance reformed, but they don’t have new music yet, so the main event for this post is the return of Tool with Fear Inoculum. It’s not even their best album, but having a pretty good new Tool album in the year of our lord 2019 wasn’t at all something I was counting on. Of course, the hardcore fans are still as insufferable as ever (insert the “you need a pretty high IQ” copypasta here), but it didn’t spoil my enjoyment of it. Come on! Their first album in 13 years! 80 minutes of hypnotic heavy rhythms and weird shit, an album that trolled me when I opened it by playing a music video while I was looking somewhere else (yeah I jumped), and they even managed to land a track for one week on the US hot 100! Again, Tool! On the hot 100! in 2019! Unbelievable. Are we starting to return to the good timeline? I certainly hope so.

Unelligible songs, now. The Search by NF would have topped this list super easily. Might be one of the songs I listened to the most in 2019, actually. Now That I Found You by Carly Rae Jepsen, again, should have been a hit, and I beg you to watch this music video if you’ve never seen it. The 1975 released the super unexpected People, which was still good, and also Frail State of Mind. And most unexpected of all, three artists I didn’t care about at all teamed up and made absolute gold: I Think I’m OKAY, by Machine Gun Kelly, YUNGBLUD and Travis Barker. That would have been the second slot on this list if it had been elligible. Or maybe the first, even? Not sure. I’m just so happy this kind of angry but uplifting music is starting to become popular again. I just love everything about this song.

Here’s a short list of honorable mentions!

Roi (Bilal Hassani) - I don’t like this song a lot, but I do like it, I’m glad it was our song for the ESC 2019, and Bilal is a very nice and endearing person, and everyone who disrespects him on twitter is free to come fight me in the pit, where I’m still waiting with that tambourine from my 1992 list.

Con Calma (Daddy Yankee, Katy Perry, Snow) - You already know I liked the original Informer a lot, so I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t pleased to hear this clone of it on the radio.

Breathin’ (Ariana Grande) - Here’s the usual “if I had better taste this would be higher” honorable mention.

Summer Days (Martin Garrix) - In the absence of any new hit song from Macklemore this will do in a pinch.

Circles (Post Malone) - The fact that everyone seems to adore this and I’m over there saying “it’s ok I guess” probably means I will never love Post Malone nor understand the hype about him, and that’s okay, I can live with that.

High Hopes (Panic! At the Disco) - Still elligible. Still good but too borderline annoying to make the list.

How Do You Sleep (Sam Smith) - This year Sam Smith pulled a Viva La Vida and decided to stop making boring music all of a sudden and I’m LIVING FOR THIS. I certainly hope they continue in that direction.

And now, the list.

10 - La Grenade (Clara Luciani)

US: Not on the list / FR: #55

The only semi-filler on the list. I still like it a lot. Don’t have anything to say about it, though.

9 - Panini (Lil Nas X)

US: #40 / FR: Not on the list

Wasn’t too impressed by this at first and it took a while to grow on me, but the chorus is a nice little earworm, and “hey panini, don’t you be a meanie” has a tendency to pop in my head when I read hateful comments on the internet now. And Lil Nas X is just too endearing to be ignored. We’re so lucky to have someone who became famous so quickly and instantly decided to dress like a Jojo character and have the geekiest music videos possible and still be super nice and humble. We don’t deserve this guy.

8 - Dance Monkey (Tones And I)

US: Not on the list / FR: #6

I’m super glad the US are finally getting on the hype train in 2020 because this is a ton of fun. If the voice was juuuuuust a little less grating this would be even higher. Impossible to get it out of your head and somehow in this case that’s a good thing.

7 - Dancing With a Stranger (Sam Smith & Normani)

US: #14 / FR: Not on the list

As I said in the honorable mentions, Sam Smith pulled a Viva La Vida and decided to stop making boring music all of a sudden and I couldn’t be happier about that. This song is still a bit too calm for my taste most of the time, but when I’m in the right mood, it’s just fantastic.

Again, I hope Sam Smith continues in that direction, because if you had told me a couple of years ago that I would start to like their stuff one day, I would have laughed out loud.

6 - Bad Guy (Billie Eilish)

US: #4 / FR: #16

Duh.

I’m not as enthusiastic about When The Party’s Over as a ton of people are, mostly because, well, it’s a slow emotional song with little to no colour in it and by now you’re already aware I tend to have next to zero interest in that kind of songs. Bad Guy, on the other hand, is half hilarious half scary in equal doses, and even if I’m not super fond of the weird outro, it’s still a fantastic, weird as shit song, and I’m really glad Billie Eilish exists. Can’t wait to see where she goes from there.

I’m super glad this song didn’t come out when I was a teenager myself though. Come to think of it, I’m not sure I would have survived if the musical landscape from 16 years ago had been as depressed as it currently is. Thank god music is slowly getting more energetic again in 2020. Let’s stay on that track.

5 - Hey Look Ma I Made It (Panic! At The Disco)

US: #61 / FR: Not on the list

I follow several music critics on youtube and over the course of 2019, I’ve seen undiluted vitriol and hatred against this song (Spectrum Pulse even made a list of his “worst hit songs” of the decade and put this one at #10! TEN!!). And... I don’t really get where it’s coming from? Maybe I’m too literal-minded to see what the problem is with a sarcastic song saying “look I sold out and now I found success again! And it’s not that great!”. I just think it’s a lot of fun. Thank god Todd put it on his best list, at least we can agree on one thing for once.

It is hilarious that after putting so many Fall Out Boy songs on my lists, the one that I love the most from Panic! is the sellout song. Not sure why this was huge while the even better Say Amen wasn’t, though.

4 - Sunflower (Swae Lee & Post Malone)

US: #2 / FR: Not on the list

I usually don’t get the “chill” songs that tend to be successful these days but this one, unlike most Post Malone songs (bar Circles), has lovely pastel colors and a cloudy texture and it’s a really good vibe. It took several months to grow on me but it sure did.

In about ten years, people will listen to Sunflower and be submerged by nostalgia, mark my words.

3 - Old Town Road (Lil Nas X)

US: #1 / FR: #1 (see, everyone agrees for once)

Everyone on the planet already wrote a thinkpiece about this song and yet I’ve only seen maybe one out of five mentioning, just in passing, that the entire song is based on a Nine Inch Nail track from Ghosts I-IV, superbly re-used to make a weird and insanely catchy country hip hop song out of it. Ghosts has been one of my go-to albums to listen to while I’m painting for about ten years now. I’m saying all this because hearing a track from Ghosts on the radio for months was absolute bliss for me, especially in a new and improved version.

Thank you Lil Nas X for everything you’ve been doing and I wish you a long and successful career. You deserve it. I love this and I love you.

2 - Bury A Friend (Billie Eilish)

US: #73 / FR: Not on the list

Hello again, Billie Eilish.

This song is absolutely terrifying and that was before I even saw the music video. This is the soundtrack of your nightmares right there. I’m not even sure it deserves to be so high on the list, but frankly I’m too terrified to care. Maybe Old Town Road should be higher. I don’t know.

Also you have to know that when I’m super tired I go into echolalia mode and automatically repeat words or entire sentences that my brain considers interesting, like “potiron” (pumpkin) or “dramatique” ; and recently, my brain decided “when we all fall asleep, where do we go?”, sung exactly like it’s sung in this song, was its new favorite sentence. So. Hearing yourself saying that to an empty room while you’re drawing or folding clothes or cleaning plates is not a very pleasant experience, and it makes this song extra scary to me.

And now, here’s the last #1 of the last one of these lists (for now), and I’m glad to announce it closes this series of posts in a super fitting way.

Check this out. It’s so perfect in every way.

1 - Walk Me Home (Pink)

US: #99 / FR: Not on the list

Nobody seemed to care about this song over the course of 2019, and it's barely elligible, and I still have no idea why. The music reviewers I follow only either talked about it super briefly when it came out, or not at all. The rare ones who were making top 100s at the end of the year instead of top 10s usually put it somewhere in the middle of their lists. And yet it’s the elligible song I’ve listened to the most.

If you’ve been reading this series of posts for a while now, you probably already know exactly why it’s here, but here’s a quick recap.

The second album I ever bought in my life was Pink’s Missundaztood in 2002, and I loved her music a lot:

I was still really fond of her stuff in 2007:

Then she started to become less interesting and I basically ignored her apart from a brief blip on my radar in 2017:

Meanwhile, in 2012, fun. made some of the best songs of the entire decade before vanishing instantly, and I’ve been mourning them ever since:

And in the middle of last year, here I am, listening to the radio, and suddenly I hear something that sounds exactly like a fun. song, except I’ve never heard it before and it’s sung by a female singer, and, most importantly, it’s 2019 and fun. broke up more than six years earlier. And I’m like, what’s going on. This is so good. What the hell. What is this.

And I hear it a second time weeks later, and I google it, and I discovered that 1) it was Pink singing this, which made it my favorite Pink song in literally more than ten years, and 2) it was, indeed, written by one of the guys from fun., among other people who’s influence is less obvious.

I guess the main lesson from 2019, between newcomers making great music based on dead trends, old groups reforming, and this song, is that nothing’s gone forever, and things you used to enjoy can come back at the most unexpected time and in the most unexpected form.

There’s always, always gonna be new music to love, and it’s just a question of time.

Quick note

And with this, these lists are over... for now.

I don’t regret making them even if they were a ton of work, because that was super useful for a lot of different reasons.

They helped me get a better understanding of my own life’s chronology. That may sound stupid but I tend to link events to the music I was listening to at the time, and putting all that music in chronological order helped a lot.

I rediscovered a ton of songs I had completely forgotten about, and a lot of new ones. My playlist is much richer now and I’m happy about that.

I also discovered a few artists I knew nothing about.

It forced me to analyse two depressive episodes in my life and just because everything was now in exact chronological order, it accidentally helped me pinpoint what caused both of them. Better and cheaper than therapy. Impressive.

It made me realise how important some bands and artists had been in my life, and I relistened to some of their catalogue while making these lists. For some it was really obvious (Indochine, Placebo, Mylène Farmer, My Chemical Romance among some others), and for some others (Moby, Linkin Park, Mika in particular), it was a real surprise.

It made me realise that Placebo might have been huge in France but weirdly enough not that huge in the UK nor in the US. It’s especially striking when you look at their wikipedia page in English then in French and realise how detailed the French one is compared to the English one. Can’t believe Sleeping With Ghosts was a n°1 album here and basically nowhere else. That was the band where that discrepency was the most obvious but it wasn’t the only one like that. Really puts stuff in perspective.

It also helped me realise how cyclical popular music is. 1) trends tend to die near the end of every decade and the worst year is usually somewhere between the 8th and the 9th year. 2008 and 2018 tend to confirm this. 2) For the same reason, some new & interesting stuff appears at the beginning of every decade, and reaches its high point of quality between the 2nd and 4th year of the decade. 3) Basically I’m saying we’ve now passed the lowest musical quality in recent memory and 2022-2023 will have some exceptional music.

See you in December 2020. I have no doubt there’s a ton of great music coming up in the near future.

[you-kinda-smell-like-christmas]

Rehab (pt.2)

¡Hola bellos! This is my entry for @pretendcnco 300(?) followers challenge! Congrats babes on hitting that milestone! I hope you guys enjoy this!❤

**********************************************

Pairing: criminal!Chris x reader

Warnings: swearing, angst?, mentions of jail, mentions of marijuana, feels, drugs

Word Count: 8.1k

“Forget all we said that night, no, it doesn't even matter, 'cause we both got split in two, If you could spare an hour or so we'll go for lunch down by the river, we can really talk it through.”

**********************************************

Christopher's POV

The pouring rain outside foreshadowed the mood for me all day. I've been stuck in jail for 15 days. 2 weeks and 1 day. It's been 15 days since I was dropped off here, and 15 days since the break up. I've been feeling nothing but pain, sorrow, hurt, and regret. Regret for my past, my actions, my self. But most importantly, I felt regret for letting her go so easy. Then again, there's not much you can do to contact someone when they arent on your visitors list, or just dont want to see you at all. All I know is that I need to apologize and explain myself to her. I cant let her go that easy.

Walking out of my cell, I approached the makeshift cafeteria and was given my breakfast. Breakfast today consisted of pancakes, blueberries, and a carton of milk. Just like Y/N used to make. Only much more edible. Nevertheless, I ate the slop. The meal had reminded me to much of her that I didnt realize I started to cry until a tear landed on the plastic tray. God I miss her.

Sulkingly, I finished the breakfast and stood up from the metal table, throwing my trash away, and returning the plastic tray to the men who were working the cafeteria. Heading towards my cell, I had some major thinking to do.

Arriving at C153, I entered, and was locked back in the tiny cubicle. As I looked around the room, my eyes landed on a picture. Inmates were able to keep some form of personal life with them during their stay here. Mine just so happened to be a picture. A picture that held a thousand words. In the picture, Y/N and I were on our couch laughing at god knows what and just having a good time. Though, my ass was high as fuck that night, I still remember the lecture she gave me. The lecture that ultimately landed me here. The lecture that tore us apart.

"Christopher stop! That's too much."

Christopher had arrived home high as hell, and you weren't letting him off easy this time. You and him say om the couch. Your legs intertwined with his, holding hands, with your head on his chest. What started off sweet would soon turn into something you may regret.

"Chris, babe, you're high again. You need to drink some water." You tried to help him recover.

"I'm fine Y/N." His words slipped up, and he definitely was not fine.

"Chris stop! No you arent. You need to get some rest, and drink some water too." You tried negotiating with him.

"I'm fine Y/N. I promise." Christopher slurridly said.

Sighing, you take a step back. He wasn't going to listen to you. He never does when hes high. You always told yourself you knew what you were getting into, when you started dating a drug dealer. You thought he had changed. You helped him stop his drug addiction. You were there for him. And you always would be. However all good things come to an end. Once an addict, always an addict. Right? Halfway into your relationship, he went back to his old ways. Recieving yet another addiction to marijuana. You couldn't handle this anymore. You needed to stop this once and for all.

You tore the blunt he held in his hand away from him. "What the hell Y/N?" Chris had shouted at you.

"Chris, this needs to stop. Once and for all."

"Why? I feel fine. I'm telling you that I'm perfectly okay right now." Chris fired back.

"No you're not. Just stop." You nagged him on.

"Just shut the fuck up Y/N. I said I'm fine and I mean it. Sometimes you just annoy me. I wish I didnt date you sometimes." He muttered the last part to himself, but you still heard it.

With tears brimming your eyes, you shakingly look up, hoping what he didnt mean what he said. "You dont mean that, do you?"

"Of course I do. You nag me all the time about stupid shit, when you know damn well that I'm perfectly fine of handling it myself."

Ouch. That stung. But then you remembered that he was high and most likely wouldn't remember most of the things he said tomorrow.

So with all the courage you had, you mustered up two words. "Fuck you." You sneered at him, walking to your room and locking yourself in it to hopefully try to get some sleep.

The next morning you woke up, and went to check up on Chris. When you got downstairs, he made breakfast for you. Pancakes, blueberries and coffee just the way you liked it: four sugars with five creams.

He seemed stable today. You needed to talk about last night though. "How was your night?" Chris interrupted your thoughts.

"Good. Pero, we need to talk about last night."

Chris remembers what happened last night, and hes scared to talk about it. Of course he didnt mean to hurt you and say what he said, it just slipped out and was a heat of the moment type thing.

"Mira princesa, lo siento. Nothing I said last night was true. I love you and I love having you as my girlfriend. You've helped me through so much, and I can't thank you enough. I dont know what I would do without you. Tú eres mi vida, mi mundo."

The speech was heartfelt. But you wouldn't let it get to you this time. You needed to make sure Chris was understanding this as much as you were. "Chris, I love you, tú eres mi luz, but this needs to stop. You can't continue to do drugs. It needs to stop. Once and for all."

Chris was silent for a while. Realizing he may lose his love to marijuana. "Princesa, I promise to stop doing drugs. Pinky promise."

Trusting him, you intertwined pinkies, though you didnt trust him fully.

Coming back to reality, I realized I was crying. Sobbing even. I didnt realize how much of an effect Y/N could have on me. I said some stuff I regretted that night, and I broke a promise I made. A promise that led me here. In jail. For what cost? Nothing, because I lost something so great to me. All of a sudden, I remembered one final way I could contact her. I would have to write a note. Grabbing some paper and a pen from my cellmate, I began to write the letter. It would all be coming from my heart.

Querido Y/N,

Dios, where do I start? First off, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for breaking a promise I know was so important to you. I'm sorry for being such a terrible boyfriend. I'm sorry for not being there for you, when you were always there for me. I'm sorry for the countless times I've left you sitting at home alone, wondering where I was, when I was out doing drug business. I'm sorry for all the fights I've caused. I'm sorry for what I've said during those fights. Pero, I want you to know that I love you. Te amo mucho. Being in jail, without you gave me some time to think. Think about all that we've gone through, and how lucky I am to even have you in my life. I promise you, after this, no more drugs will be involved. I'll go to rehab, a halfway house, and do anything to get me back to where I need to be. With you. I'm sitting here, writing this note with full regret for my words and actions. Pero, actions speak louder than words, and my actions led us away from eachother. I just wanted to say gracias. Gracias por everything you've given me, and supported me with. I dont know where I'd be if I didnt meet you. You continue to make me want to get better and change for better. One day, we will be together again. I'll always be waiting for you. Whether you're on the other side of the world, or I have to wait a lifetime, my arms are always open for you. Te amo mucho. Forget all we said that night, no, it doesn't even matter, cause we both got split in two, If you could spare an hour or so we'll go for lunch down by the river, we can really talk it through. I love you.

Tú amor,

Christopher

Tears rid the letter. It was a very heartfelt one. Tears littered my face as well. I cant afford to lose her. Sealing it in an envelope with her name and information on it, I quickly say a prayer to God hoping he'll answer me.

Walking out of my cell with the envelope on my hand, I put it in the box labeled "outgoing mail."

Now all we can do is wait.

Taglist:

@smoljoelito, @estoy-enamorado-de-ti, @cncobby, @ericksmamita ,@ellos-me-vuelven-loca

[nethwan]

A Life By Your Side

Summary: After a tragic car accident Lars has lost his memories of the past few years. Many things have changed, not to mention that he's married. He still trusts no one, least of all the one who claims to be his wife. Is it possible that he can continue his life in that way, or will life take such a turn that it will change him even more?

Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Happy Ending (ofc)

Translation of “Una vida contigo”

Otros links: 

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/13663177/1/A-Life-By-Your-Side

https://archiveofourown.org/works/25720198/chapters/62452669

_______________________________

Chapter I: Waking Up

Lars looked out the car window, still not daring to say a word. He couldn’t think of what to say or how to act. Besides he was sore all over and he felt dizzy. His siblings were finally taking him home. He observed them, having the impression that they both looked a little different from what he remembered. Then, he turned to see the woman next to him, a certain Mei, who said, was his wife. She smiled sweetly at him and wanted to hold his hand, but he instantly pushed away. She continued smiling. He still couldn’t accept the idea that he was married.

A few days before, he had woken up in the hospital, and when he did it, his whole life was different from how he remembered it. According to the doctor, the impact he received during that car accident had caused him partial memory loss. He had apparently hit another vehicle while trying to avoid a deer. The fog had obscured the road, and by the time he realized it, the animal was only a short distant away, so by avoiding it, both cars lost control and it ended up in a messy accident.  

When he finally reacted and opened his eyes, he was lying in a hospital bed and a woman was holding his hand. Lars asked her who she was and looked at her with incredulously as she explained that she was his wife. He shook his head, saying that it was the first time he had seen her, he couldn’t be married, it must be a mistake, this woman was a complete stranger to him. She looked at him shocked and confused. Then the doctor came to check him and Mei had to leave the room.

All the corresponding analyses were carried out and it was concluded that he would recover his memory over time. It was as if his memories of his last few years had been buried somewhere in his mind or had simply vanished. Lars didn’t want to know any more details because he couldn’t understand a single word, he thought it was such an implausible story out of some dull soap opera. Only the young woman listened carefully, nodding. His siblings visited him a little later, when he was finally able to receive visitors.

“We are glad to know you’re better,” Henri said, smiling.

“Emma? Henri?” he asked, as if he hardly recognized them.

Both siblings nodded, talked for a moment, comforting him in the face of the situation, and above all, encouraging him. Then, Lars saw the young woman talking to one of the doctors. It was her, whom he had just met when he woke up, and she proclaimed herself his wife.

“Who is this woman?”

“It’s Mei, your wife. You had been married for over three years,” Emma explained.

He later learned that she had not left his side since the day he was admitted to the hospital. So, he figured he had to trust them. Mei visited him every day and always tried to cheer him up, he didn’t know what to talk about and sometimes they were just silent. His parents visited him as soon as they found out, they mentioned to him that Mei was informing them of his progress, since they lived on the other side of the country and he calmed down a bit. A few days later he was finally discharged.  

On the way, Mei and his siblings were telling him about his life in general, but he wasn’t paying attention. He looked around, at his siblings’ new appearance and the ring on his left hand, asking himself a lot of questions. It was like had been asleep for a long time.

They came to the apartment. That was exactly the same place he had been living, but when he went inside, he realized it was different. There were some people waiting for him, all of them looking happy to see him and dedicated loving words of relief to him. However, they looked different from the way he had tried to look for them in the scraps of his memory, some of them were barely familiar and others were complete strangers. He also learned of several events, for example that his sister owned a bakery, was married and had a baby; his younger brother, was also a lawyer and had a relationship with Mei’s sister.

The guests were there for a while longer, wishing him a speedy recovery, but Lars didn’t feel like being there. They understood and left. He hated surprises, so this whole scenario was overwhelming. He wasn’t ready to suddenly hear so much news all at once. Even though the events weren’t serious, it was still a lot of information for one day. Mei felt a bit guilty about making him feel uncomfortable, so she suggested that he better get some rest. She would wake him up later for dinner. He agreed and she led him to the bedroom.

Lars looked around the bedroom, noticed the double bed, the decoration he knew couldn’t be of his choice and on the night table: a book in Mandarin Chinese and a photograph of the wedding. He looked at the photo for a few seconds. They looked happy indeed, she looked at the camera with a smile, while he put his arms around her and kissed her on the cheek. He put it back in its place and lay down in bed. He sighed and closed his eyes, thinking that it was a dream and he would soon wake up.

A couple of hours later she brought him dinner. He didn’t want to eat; he still didn’t have much of an appetite.

“Give it a try, you need to eat to get energy” she said with a certain motherly sweetness.

“I’m not hungry”

“Well, at least have some water. I’ll let you rest, but if you need anything, I’m in the next room,” she said, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek and a sweet smile.

That night Lars couldn’t sleep, even though he was tired. He tried to make a mental summary of everything that had happened. It was more than obvious that he wouldn’t regain his memory overnight. Perhaps, it would be best to be patient and try to remember little by little. Besides, he wasn’t alone, he had his siblings and Mei, although he didn’t yet know if he should trust her completely.

Meanwhile, Mei was grateful to have him alive. How scared she had been by the news of the accident, she spent days in complete anguish waiting for positive results. And then, he woke up and she thought the nightmare was over. Now the next challenge followed. She prayed that little by little he would remember and get his life back. She knew it would be difficult, but she would be there to help him to get through the accident and fill in the gaps in his mind that it had caused.

The next day, Lars woke up late. He sat up on the edge of the bed and yawed. At least he didn’t forget that he hated mornings. He saw his reflection in the mirror, he was pale, haggard, he also had some scratches on his face, then he touched his head scar with his fingertips. Now he realized how serious the matter was and how lucky he was to have survived. He took a long shower, as if to prevent the day from continuing. Then he put on a simple shirt and jeans, something different from the expensive suits he wore, but for the moment it didn’t matter since he would only be at home. Then he went to the kitchen and found Mei preparing breakfast, which was plenty, not like the cup of coffee he used to start his days with. Mei was happy to see him, and told him to sit down and eat. From that day on, they would start looking for his memories.

“Good morning, Bunny. Did you sleep well?”

“Bunny?” he repeated, raising an eyebrow.

“It’s a loving nickname” she explained with a smile.

“I don’t like it, that’s why I have a name” he said, dryly.

“Oh… Ok, you’re right” she replied a little embarrassed to hear such a harsh comment.

He saw her smile fade and apologized for his abruptness. It wasn’t the nickname itself that bothered him, but the familiarity of this woman he barely knew was strange to him. Yes, she was his wife, but for the moment she was a stranger.

“Forgive me, I didn’t mean it like that. I’m not brusque with you, am I?” he asked worriedly, thinking that maybe it was like that and it wasn’t his morning mood.

She smiled again and shook her head. “Only when we argue… you know… I don’t have the best character either…”

“If you say so,” he said a bit uneasy. “Well, tell me what happened to me,” he continued, to change the subject.

“Let’s see, you are a great lawyer. You write for a little column in an independent journal…”

“Some of it I remember, what else?” he interrupted her, patiently.

“You’ve also tried to learn many different things, like Mandarin Chinese”, she said a little sadly, “It’s a shame. It took a bit of work, but you understood it more and more every day. You’ve also tried to do plumbing work.”

“Really?” he exclaimed in surprise, since it had never occurred to him and also understanding why that book was on the bedside table.

Mei nodded again, then added: “We have had a lot of plans lately. We are thinking about looking for a house somewhere calm. A place where we can have a garden and an orchard, and where our kids can ride their bikes in peace.”

“Kids?” he asked, about to spit out his coffee, and raising his eyebrow as if he had heard something horrible.

“Yeah… you know, when we got… we were working in it…” she added and her cheeks turned pink. “What else do you want to know?” she asked, changing the subject.

“What’s your job?”

“I’m an art teacher and an illustrator, but we are not talking about me, we are talking about you,” she said. “You’ll get to know me.”

He assumed she was right, however if his memory came back, he would know more about her.

Every day, Mei would wake up very early, leave him indications and go to work. Lars did the cleaning and when she arrived, they ate and spent every afternoon watching videos and pictures of their life together and telling him what had happened with several people close to him. Lars simply nodded, trying to get a sense of what was going on and being surprised by all the changes. It was like entering another dimension. Other times, they would go for a walk. They would visit places that had sentimental value, like the café they used to frequent when they were dating or the park where they had their first kiss. Lars could only imagine, but for him they no longer meant anything.

Mei always had a positive attitude and was very patient in the face of his perpetual indifference. Lars was surprised when she told him certain details of his life. She knew everything about him, what he liked and disliked even his clothing size. That made him feel important, in a way, and at the same time guilty because it seemed unfair, because he just getting to know her, and as that feeling was repeated, he asked himself more and more questions.

He watched Mei get excited when she told him about the project, she had in mind for a comic book and suddenly he wondered why he had agreed to marry her in the first place if she wasn’t his ideal type. He always had another kind of woman in mind. He wanted a sophisticated, judicious and intellectual woman, which, he felt, Mei was far from being. Although it was true that her beauty didn’t go unnoticed and that she had grace and artistic talent, he found it difficult to discuss serious matters with her, she seemed so immature. Perhaps, it was the emotional stability she offered him. Mei turned to see him and smiled tenderly as she showed him another project she had. He felt like a fool to be judging her without even really knowing her and seeing her as not deserving of being around him. That she wasn’t his type didn’t make her inferior to the woman he had in mind.

He was always resigned to getting married so he wouldn’t be alone, having a fairly routine couple’s life that would end in divorce, and many years later, his children would hate him for being an absentee father. But this life he had seemed completely different. Mei was an attentive and loving wife, an optimistic and persistent woman who conveyed encouragement. He wondered then, quite the opposite of what his pride had let him believe, why she would have married him.

So, as she told him some stories, he had the impression that, although they loved each other, they were quite incompatible, and that detail didn’t convince him of that supposed domestic happiness. Although she described everything as a fairy tale, he was sure the story was another one, and even more so if he considered what he had thought of her. He couldn’t even identify with the Lars in those stories. It was hard to believe. It was hard to digest a life together and have to bear the burden of not being able to reciprocate and the fear of asking for space, because Mei wanted to be by his side constantly.

He also began to worry about her, as each day that passed, he saw her more distressed, even paler and more haggard. But when she was with him, she always had a smile on her face, gave him everything he needed, and did the impossible to make him remember her again. So, he put up with it as long as he had the chance to get his life back just for her. However, as the days went by, he saw it as more and more difficult.

One day, after a little over a month without good results, Mei sat down by the side of the bed and took out the wedding photo album. As she turned the pages, she let out a few tears. The truth was that she was desperate to have her husband with her again, but he wasn’t coming back. He didn’t remember anything. Lars watched her from the door, it was terrible to see her like that, it broke his heart to see her suffer. She noticed his presence in the room and rushed to wipe away her tears.

“I didn’t hear you. Dinner is…”

“I’m sorry.”

“No, it’s not your fault. It really isn’t. Now come on, I’ll heat up dinner”

She gave him back a fake smile and left the room. That was the last straw. Mei deserved someone who would love her and protected her, not someone who would make her suffer and judge her. So, it was the best was to stop being a burden and not tie her to an uncertain future. Lars followed her into the kitchen and asked her to talk at once, because he couldn’t bear to continue with the charade. He had to make her understand the situation so she could finally open her eyes. He tried to think in the right words and use a soft, but firm tone. Mei looked at him in confusion, waiting for what he was trying to say. Finally, Lars took a deep breath and without making much eye contact, he began talking.

“Mei, I don’t think I can go on like this anymore. I don’t want you to suffer for me anymore, maybe we should stop all this. I’m just causing you troubles…”

“Don’t say that. You know you will never be a bother to me,” she said, reaching out and hugging him.

He refused her hug.

“Of course, I am, look at you, you look more tired every day. When was the last time you slept well?”

“What are you talking about? I just want to help you. You are my husband and I want to be with you in these difficult times,” she replied, somewhat offended.

Lars sighed in frustration as he heard this argument from a devoted wife, blinded by a love that was going nowhere.

“Tell me why you want to be tied to a man who can’t remember you?” he replied, already exasperated, taking her by the wrists.

She looked away. It was true that nothing was the same anymore and that every day she lost more hope, that everything would return to normal. But it was so cruel to think of the possibility of losing him just like that.

“I admit I’m desperate too, but… I just want my husband back… understand me”

“Well, realize for once that I’m no longer the man you married. I’m sorry but that’s the way it is. I don’t think I will ever be the same again,” he said. “I think we should… get a divorce,” he said, releasing her.

“No, Lars, don’t do this to me. Please reconsider,” she replied, sobbing.

“Mei, think about it. It’s been over a month and I’m still the same, we haven’t made any progress. It’s uncomfortable to me to see you suffer. It’s better to separate, maybe we were going to get divorced someday… Don’t you think we have very little in common? How do you build a relationship with someone who’s not compatible with you?”

Mei looked at him shocked and began to cry, it was too painful to hear what she was once afraid to say to him at the beginning of their relationship. She never thought she would hear those words, but they were spoken for him.  

“Don’t you think that love has nothing to do with us getting married?” She asked him, in a serious tone.

“Sometimes marriage has nothing to do with love. Besides, I don’t know if you are telling the truth when you talk about us. I don’t think we’ve gotten along as well as you insist on making me believe”

“I never lied to you! Don’t you want to know about me anymore?” Mei replied.

“Anyway, I can’t do this anymore. I don’t love you and I felt overwhelmed when I’m with you,” he confessed and looked at her as if it would have been better to shut up.

Mei was speechless, the latter falling like a bucket of cold water, but maybe it was true. It was her fault for harassing him to force him to come back, insisting on so much information and why not, painting a life that was a distorted version of reality. She was being so selfish instead of truly help him. So, maybe she was the burden.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that…” he said, when he saw her reaction.

“No, you’re right. Now I realize that instead of helping you I’m just suffocating you,” she said, looking at him for the first time.

Lars thought that expression of pain would be hard to forget. Despite the fact that he didn’t love her, he felt that his heart was breaking into a thousand pieces, but if they didn’t do something, the situation would probably get worse and she might hate him for wasting her time.

“We are both hurting each other. I’m taking up your time and energy. So, I’m asking you to give me time to put my mind in order, to find myself on my own pace. This might even be useful to both us,” he murmured.

Mei nodded. Her love for him and herself prevented her for imploring him any longer, and especially after those words. If he wanted to be free, then she would let him go. It was better than tying him up against his will. They were silent for a while. Then she wiped away her tears and tried to pull herself together.

“Well, this apartment is yours. It’s better that I go. Then, you won’t have any trouble getting used to what you already know,” she suggested, stepping aside.

“But where will you go?”

“With my sister. She had a room available. I’ll call her tonight”

Lars observed that in her countenance there was no longer the sweetness or affection with which she looked at him, but instead the total resignation of someone who had just given up.

It didn’t take Mei long to pack up all her belongings, she did it as fast as she could, without stopping to think. The next day, she had everything ready and very early Ling arrived to help her put everything in the car, without allowing Lars help her. She wanted to leave before he woke up, but she didn’t make it, he watched her in silence, not being able to come near her. Finally, Mei took her purse, walked to the door and without looking back, said: “I’ll come later for the rest of my stuff”. Lars saw her getting into the vehicle and disappearing into the distance. Not knowing that she hadn’t been able to look at him, so he wouldn’t notice that she was crying.

[thisolddag]

In Defense of Happiness.

Before our trip to Costa Rica, there was a part of me that thought I was dying. I was rattled with pain - real and imagined - my mind overwhelmed, my body tired. I would lie awake, my fingers traveling to spine, or behind my knee, or my collarbone - poking things I was sure were dormant calamities. Is this just getting old, I’d ask my husband. Yes, he assured me. I have creaks too, I have aches. But he was able to name them for what they were - a pinched nerve, a sore muscle, a pulled tendon, a swollen lymph node because of a cold, allergies. My aches had no name. They were constant and they were profound and they were bullshit - and once we landed in Costa Rica, they all went away.

It was magic, on the heels of malady.

In Costa Rica, I shed my skin. I breathed easier. I stared out into the ocean and the waves calmed me. 

I was happy because I was surrounded by happiness. 

Pure Life was a real thing in Costa Rica, and I saw it and I felt it every day - in nature wild and undisturbed, in the monkeys in trees, in the faces of my children, in the sound of birds, in the Ticos among us, who would not only always smile at us but at each other, calling out their eternal greeting, pura vida pura vida. 

Here was place where people checked in with each other, where they helped each other, where they sunk into the moment, feet first. Never was the friendliness ingratiating or phony. It was lived in, it was pure. It was a balm. 

Each day, I woke up rested, ready to be happy again. We lounged, we sunbathed, we held hands. I was in love with my husband, truly, deeply. It was a week where somehow the five of us decided to accept one another for who we were and take solace in the fact that we were together. We milked every good mood, every adventure, every bit of laziness. 

Before our trip, I felt rifts left and right. Less communicating, more separateness, those wretched devices we are beholden to in our hands, friendships that waxed and waned, and loneliness - which is different than solitude. I finished the final draft of my second novel and sent it off to my agent and sat there biting my cuticles, remembering things like my youth and my first book. Let’s go somewhere, we said. Let’s go somewhere where there is sunshine.

There is such immense privilege in my adult life - there is the option of booking tickets five days out and paying stupid amounts of money to stay at a beautiful hotel, and taking my mom along, why not. I wrestle with this privilege and so I delve back to my childhood, to its poverty and pain, and then some of the guilt recedes. 

But then we get to Costa Rica, and we say let’s accept this happiness. We are here because of a great and powerful marriage of luck and hard, relentless work. We are here because we deserve to be happy, and we can be happy on a dollar budget or we can be happy at the Four Seasons. Happiness is a lifetime’s work, a moment’s reward, and it is up for grabs. You let go of tomorrow, you let go of yesterday and that is Pura Vida. It is difficult when one is predisposed to anxiety, or when one is mostly American, or when one falls back on the tortured soul thing. The thing is real, but it need not be everpresent. 

Watching my mother in Costa Rica was watching happiness unfold. There she was - napping by the shores of a magnificent peninsula, zipining towards the ocean, shrieking joyously at a thieving monkey, using her walking stick in a thick and muggy transient rainforest - hiking miles and miles, with her knees, her aches -  and like the rest of us, she felt no fear - only a quiet, gorgeous contentment, and gratitude. 

For six days we were a happy family.

I’m taking back some pura vida to New Jersey, I told my girlfriends. 

And I meant it. 

I sit here now, awash with memories, wanting to up and leave again; wanderlust, in spades. But I sit here peacefully. There’s excitement once again in the unknown, in what’s to come. I battle ‘what’s to come’ everyday. I worry about future battles, “real” problems again. We have it too good, for it to stay so good. That is my worst fear - and when I was in Costa Rica, that fear went away. My body healed. My mind opened. And I sit here knowing I will have panic attacks again, and I will yell again, and I will lose my fucking patience. But I sit here happily.

You can be a truth seeker, an advocate, intelligent and progressive, charitable, questioning - and you can be happy. In our modern times, when we are inundated with so much terrible information and so much tragedy, horror stories reaching us via Flipboard articles and Twitter and news outlets - it is a mighty fucking feat to just shut it off, turn the valve, and be ok with a trickle and not a flood. It is selfish and in a way, it is our survival. Maybe it is how I survived the first twenty years of my life. 

Happiness is a gift, a distraction, a journey. It is private, and yet it’s there to be shared. I will take it, value it, work hard for it. I won’t question it. I won’t apologize for wanting it, or for holding onto it. 

On the way back from Costa Rica, we flew through a bad storm. The plane shook, bounced and throttled, and it seemed like the ominous dark clouds were going to swallow us whole. Normally, I would cry and try to hide it from my kids, and grasp my husband’s hand till his skin turned white. Normally, I would think it was the end. This time, I settled into the seat and leaned my head back. I listened to Pink’s latest single Walk Me Home, on repeat. And in my mind I repeated a little mantra. We are together in this. We are together in this. My body didn't quake, as it normally would. I was still, and I stared out the window and found peace, somehow. Somehow, even through a raging storm. 

And when we landed, a lightness, and a happiness. 

[elizabethhollowswriting-blog]

Soundtrack for your WIP - 1

I was tagged in this by @gold-from-straw and this was both fun and difficult. I do like to come up with playlists for my WIP stories, but that also takes time for me to do. So this involved me going out of my way to create it, heh.

A snippet of your work in progress

The theme song for your WIP

The theme song for your protagonist

The theme song for your antagonist

The theme song for your protagonist’s love interest (if they have one)

The theme song for the main pairing of your WIP

The theme song for the opening chapter (if it’s a long fic)

Song for the current chapter/page (if it’s a long fic)

Any other songs you’d like to mention and why

I’m gonna do two WIP’s this one is a vampire/human homosexual romance that I’ve had on my list to work on for a while but was struck by inspiration recently. It has a tentative title of “Your Last Resort“ and only has about 1,400 words written at the moment.

A snippet of your work in progress:

When Lucian was finished explaining the vampire nodded and walked over to Nathan. He placed a thin hand on Nathan’s shoulder as he informed the men behind Nathan with a crisp, cultured accent, “The house of Jacquet will accept Mr Swann’s debt.” He gestured to the left at a female vampire. “If you follow her, she will process the transaction while I prepare Mr Swann.”

Nathan had no warning as the vampire’s hand gripped him tighter and pulled him to his feet as if he weighed little more than a child; still reeling from their acceptance, Nathan didn’t fight the vampire. His obedience made it easy to be directed past the chair where Lucian sat, the vampire clan leader was still imposing and cold, but his eyes lingered on Nathan until he was out of view. Nathan just nervously darted his eyes over his surroundings; there were more vampires than he’d noticed initially, they were lingering in the shadowed corners of the room, talking lowly or watching the proceedings. There were  humans as well, some had serving dishes, others were lingering by a vampire, waiting for orders. There were two just standing in front of what seemed to be thick black curtains but as Nathan was led closer by the vampire’s firm hand on his shoulder, the two humans hurriedly pulled the fabric aside with bowed heads. It was beyond obvious that by their simple clothing and submissive gestures that all of them were human servants.

Something Nathan had a good chance of becoming.

The hallway that they stepped into was lit by lanterns that were hanging from the roof or built into the walls. Paintings and tapestries also decorated the walls while the carpet was thick under Nathan’s feet. The room felt old despite being in a relatively new building. He didn’t know if it was a testament to the five centuries Lucian had lived or if it was a decor that all vampires instinctively craved for their courts; shadowed, antiquated and oppressive. 

When the curtains fell closed behind them, further sealing Nathan into the debt and control of a vampire clan, he felt cold sweat break out over his skin. The hallways also took on a more intimidating, fearful edge as without windows, or doors that weren’t guarded by humans with a vampire liable to walk around every corner, he was well and truly trapped.

And worse than that, even if he did run, Nathan had nowhere he could go.

The theme song for your WIP:

Need You Tonight - INXS. This could also count as a pairing song buuuut I think it fits the mood of the story very well XD

The theme song for your protagonist:

Downfall of Us All - A Day to Remember. This is very fitting for Nathan, showing his optimism and drive and how things go wrong, but he’s going to rise above it. He’s going to move forward and out.

The theme song for your antagonist: 

The story doesn’t really have an “antagonist” as such, the closest would be the protagonist’s ex best-friend and former business partner, Garrett. This song would fit for him: Money - Pink Floyd

The theme song for your protagonist’s love interest (if they have one): 

Viva La Vida - Coldplay. Lucian is a very tired, lonely old vampire whose disenchanted despite his supportive court around him. This fits him very well.

The theme song for the main pairing of your WIP:

I’m going with one from each since that seems the most fitting thing to do!

Nathan: Damn Regret - Red Jumpsuit Apparatus

Lucian: I Don't Want to Miss a Thing - Aerosmith

The theme song for the opening chapter (if it’s a long fic)// Song for the current chapter/page (if it’s a long fic):

Time to Dance - Panic! at the Disco. You have to squint a little to make this work. It also fits for other planned chapters too. I’m also on the first chapter, so I’m combining this question since I’m having difficulty working out something else, heh.

Any other songs you’d like to mention and why:

Last Resort - Papa Roach. It does not fit this story but because of the title, I always get it in my head, so it bares mentioning for that reason ^^;

I tag @staglynxspider, @sparcina annnnd anyone else who wants to join in :) 

Hopefully I’ll have the soundtrack for my other WIP posted in the coming days, just need to find a few more songs!

[themangaguide]

The elements created people

No One Wants that!

This holiday love fuufukan renai is just, what can I say? Damn male, SO GREAT, It's the BEST. The chapters are REALLY LONG also, which is genuinely terrific obviously.Our M/C has actually been executed twice, and also he's experienced accidentally from some unreasonable God. In his very first life on Earth, the whole class dies on a ship from a terrorist attack and also he passes away trying to conserve a woman, she shouted too clearly.

They satisfy the God Rodcarte and also he tells them all they have 2 selections - You can be born-again on Earth yet you'll have your memories wiped OR you can be born-again right into a brand-new world, acquire extraordinary skills to boost that globe as well as maintain your memories. The God is only offering folks powers given that he needs to improve the world and also our God Rodcarte heard this is a great way to do it in the various other Gods from various other worlds.

Out of the 102 people there, just 1 individual declines to be reborn in a brand-new globe with powers, the remainder chooses the second alternative. The God calls them up, one at a time to provide them fresh destinies, he gives them powers and also sends them in their means. Unluckily, there's a male in the team with the SAME NAME as our primary personality, just a 1 letter cutter various, and this idiotic God provides our MC's powers or destiny for this scrub, so our main personality, unfortunately, gets NOTHING. From the very start of his new life, he knew he's screwed up. The only point that the God offered him is a large quantity OF MANA (he's 10k mana, and also 10k mana is normally a fabulous mage), however the God informs him he can not practice magic in any kind of respect, so our MC flips out to the God as well.

unbalance x unbalance so, in his second life on earth called Origin, his father was a drunk, mama a hoe, to ensure that they sell him for alcohol. He ends up in a research laboratory, was experimented on and turned into an Undead. He actually obtained death magic there (fire, water, air, earth, light, life as well as soul magic are the recognized 7 components of magic so that this death magic is rare as well as fresh)Unfortunately, he wound up dying to 30 of his previous OP AF classmates who had no suggestion that our MC was born-again and them. They were sent off to remove some risk which was our primary character, sadly. So, In holiday love fuufukan renai, our primary personality satisfies the God a THIRD time and also tells him "I WILL KILL THEM ALL," describing the folks that only eliminated him unconsciously. It's actually an enormous misconception and also he recognizes this also, however he's still mad, mostly at the God. After passing away twice as well as planning for his 3rd life, the God Rodcarte does not want him to experience, so he curses him, wishing he'll pass away quickly. Our M/C is reborn in the world Lambaerde, as He's immune to the sunlight unlike vampires, and also possesses very few defects. Regarding this planet and its background - We've Vida, the siren of love and also life. Alda, the god of light and law.Zantark, the war-god of damage and also fire.

Botin, mom of the world and also siren of craftsmanship. Ricklent, the genie of magic and time. Zuruwarn, the god of distance and creation.These 8 gods of the parts along with the dragon-emperor god Marduke, the huge god Zeno as well as the beast-god Ganpaplio were recognized as the eleven establishing gods. The eight gods of the elements created people, modeled after themselves, and began to training as well as leading them as their followers. This is just a tiny part of my testimonial regarding this manga online. You can offer it a try if you're in the mood. Extremely suggested! It's worth a read. Kindly visit this link https://bookreadingblog.site123.me/blog/nonetheless-lack-any-level for more useful reference

[littlefoxesonthehillside]

Another survey I found. Because I’m bored af.

1) Sexuality?

Gay.

2) If you could meet anyone on this earth, who would it be?

Lily Tomlin.

3) Grab the book nearest to you, turn to page 23, give me line 17.

“should have continued to talk of it, and allowed their guest to re-”

4) What do you think about most?

Movies, wrestling, men.

5) What does your latest text message from someone else say?

Thumbs up emoji.

6) Do you sleep with or without clothes on?

Usually with.

7) What’s your strangest talent?

I used to be able to shimmy up doorways.

8) Girls…. (finish the sentence); Boys…. (finish the sentence)

Girls should have the same rights as everyone and be treated equally.

Boys are stupid.

9) Ever had a poem or song written about you?

Don’t think so.

10) When is the last time you played the air guitar?

About a week or so ago.

11) Do you have any strange phobias?

I’m afraid of birds.

12) Ever stuck a foreign object up your nose?

An almond.

13) What’s your religion?

I’m not religious.

14) If you are outside, what are you most likely doing?

Yard work.

15) Do you prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it?

Behind.

16) Simple but extremely complex. Favorite band?

It varies, honestly. I’ve been in an early-to-mid-2000s mood lately, so I’ve been listening to The Killers recently.

17) What was the last lie you told?

That I’m doing okay.

18) Do you believe in karma?

Not really.

19) What does your URL mean?

Just the name of my blog, which is a riff on Lillian Hellman’s Little Foxes and the song from Weeds that goes “little boxes on the hillside.”

20) What is your greatest weakness; your greatest strength?

Weakness: Caring too much about what others will think. Strength: Empathy.

21) Who is your celebrity crush?

Stanley Tucci.

22) Have you ever gone skinny dipping?

Yes.

23) How do you vent your anger?

I use a bunch of curse words.

24) Do you have a collection of anything?

I have a collection of movie ticket stubs that I only update sporadically.

25) Do you prefer talking on the phone or video chatting online?

Phone.

26) Are you happy with the person you’ve become?

I guess.

27) What’s a sound you hate; sound you love?

Hate: Airplanes flying over my house. Love: Page-turning.

28) What’s your biggest “what if”?

Right now my “what if’s” are all about the pandemic. Otherwise, I prefer to live in the now.

29) Do you believe in ghosts? How about aliens?

No to both, honestly. I believe there’s possibly life on other planets, but who’s to say whether they’re anything like us.

30) Stick your right arm out; what do you touch first? Do the same with your left arm.

My laptop screen for both.

31) Smell the air. What do you smell?

Nothing.

32) What’s the worst place you have ever been to?

Texas.

33) Choose East Coast or West Coast?

Maybe East Coast? Don’t have a strong opinion.

34) Most attractive singer of your opposite gender?

Probably Beyonce?

35) To you, what is the meaning of life?

Love.

36) Define Art.

Any form of creative expression (photography, writing, dance, painting, music, etc.) that inspires a distinct, stirring reaction from a spectator, whether in a positive or negative way.

37) Do you believe in luck?

Sometimes.

38) What’s the weather like right now?

Cloudy. Not too hot.

39) What time is it?

5:06 PM

40) Do you drive? If so, have you ever crashed?

I do. Never crashed, thankfully.

41) What was the last book you read?

The Shining by Stephen King

42) Do you like the smell of gasoline?

Ugh, no.

43) Do you have any nicknames?

No.

44) What was the last movie you saw?

Michael Clayton.

45) What’s the worst injury you’ve ever had?

Stepped on my foot sideways and possibly broke my right pinky toe. It was swollen and hurt to walk on.

46) Have you ever caught a butterfly?

No.

47) Do you have any obsessions right now?

Fantasy booking WWE.

48) What’s your sexual orientation?

Gay.

49) Ever had a rumor spread about you?

I don’t think so.

50) Do you believe in magic?

No.

51) Do you tend to hold grudges against people who have done you wrong?

I do my best not to. I sometimes find it harder to trust those people, but I try to love them to the best of my ability.

52) What is your astrological sign?

Virgo

53) Do you save money or spend it?

Save what I can.

54) What’s the last thing you purchased?

Gas.

55) Love or lust?

Why not both.

56) In a relationship?

No.

57) How many relationships have you had?

One.

58) Can you touch your nose with your tongue?

I can’t.

59) Where were you yesterday?

At my home. The same place I was today and tomorrow and the next day and the next day and the next day and the next day and

60) Is there anything pink within 10 feet of you?

The case for my DVD copy of Mean Girls is pink.

61) Are you wearing socks right now?

No.

62) What’s your favorite animal?

Dogs.

63) What is your secret weapon to get someone to like you?

Treat others the way you want to be treated.

64) Where is your best friend?

Not sure.

65) Spit or swallow?(;

Spit.

66) What is your heritage?

German. I also have a great-great-great grandmother who was Native American.

67) What were you doing last night at 12 AM?

Watching a movie.

68) What do you think is Satan’s last name?

Trump.

69) Be honest. Ever gotten yourself off?

Yeah.

70) Are you the kind of friend you would want to have as a friend?

There’s only one me. I have a lot of strong qualities that would make for a great friendship, but the key to being a good friend is accepting people for who they are.

71) You are walking down the street on your way to work. There is a dog drowning in the canal on the side of the street. Your boss has told you if you are late one more time you get fired. What do you do?

Save the dog. Explain what happened.

72) You are at the doctor’s office and she has just informed you that you have approximately one month to live. a) Do you tell anyone/everyone you are going to die? b) What do you do with your remaining days? c) Would you be afraid?

a) Probably.

b) Spend it with people I care about.

c) Probably.

73) You can only have one of these things; trust or love.

Love.

74) What’s a song that always makes you happy when you hear it?

"By the Way” by Red Hot Chili Peppers

75) What are the last four digits in your cell phone number?

****

76) In your opinion, what makes a great relationship?

Trust, communication, love.

77) How can I win your heart?

I have famously low standards, so you could so much as breathe a certain way and I’d be in love. lol

78) Can insanity bring on more creativity?

Almost certainly.

79) What is the single best decision you have made in your life so far?

Any good decisions I’ve made would be an oasis in a desert of bad ones. That being said, adopting my now-deceased dog would probably be up there.

80) What size shoes do you wear?

11

81) What would you want to be written on your tombstone?

If my mother could see me now.

82) What is your favorite word?

Wiggle.

83) Give me the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word; heart.

My cousin’s heart condition.

84) What is a saying you say a lot?

Drive safe.

85) What’s the last song you listened to?

I was listening to Coldplay’s Viva La Vida album in its entirety.

86) Basic question; what’s your favorite color/colors?

Blue

87) What is your current desktop picture?

88) If you could press a button and make anyone in the world instantaneously explode, who would it be?

I don’t believe in blowing people up.

89) What would be a question you’d be afraid to tell the truth on?

Depends on who’s asking, but “Why are you sad? would be one.

90) One night you wake up because you heard a noise. You turn on the light to find that you are surrounded by MUMMIES. The mummies aren’t really doing anything, they’re just standing around your bed. What do you do?

I’d shit a brick.

91) You accidentally eat some radioactive vegetables. They were good, and what’s even cooler is that they endow you with the super-power of your choice! What is that power?

Invisibility. So many advantages.

92) You can re-live any point of time in your life. The time-span can only be a half-hour, though. What half-hour of your past would you like to experience again?

Storytelling Festival 2007. Orange backpack night. Don’t ask.

93) You can erase any horrible experience from your past. What will it be?

I don’t wanna say.

94) You have the opportunity to sleep with the music-celebrity of your choice. Who would it be?

Willie Nelson.

95) You just got a free plane ticket to anywhere. You have to depart right now. Where are you gonna go?

Private island with a year’s worth of supplies for me and everyone I love.

96) Do you have any relatives in jail?

I definitely have relatives who’ve been in jail. And one who’s at risk of being in jail.

97) Have you ever thrown up in the car?

I have! Trip to Disney World.

98) Ever been on a plane?

No, unfortunately.

99) If the whole world were listening to you right now, what would you say?

WEAR A DAMN MASK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[jarmes]

JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: Twisted Destiny Chapter 13 - Go Greased Lightning! Part 1

Masterpost - Previous Chapter - Next Chapter

A beat-up car pulls into the campus parking lot. Its driver, a freshman wearing a sweater vest, lays his head on the steering wheel and groans. 9:00 AM is far too early for any person to get up for class. A large hand knocks on his window. He turns his head and sees a tall man wearing a black beanie, a man named Nero Zeppeli.

“Hello there, would you mind selling me this car?” Nero asks.

“I’m sorry, what?” the student in the sweater vest asks.

“Your car, I would like to buy it,” Nero repeats.

The student sighs. “Look, it’s early, I didn’t get a lot of sleep last night, I’m not in the mood for some stupid prank,” he says.

“This is not a prank. I need a car and do not have the time necessary to acquire one, so I would like to buy this one.”

“I need it to get home from class this afternoon.”

“I will pay you more than enough for you to take a taxi home tonight and buy a new car this weekend,” Nero says while reaching into his pocket.

Nero sets a large wad of fifty pound banknotes down on the student’s windshield. “It is very important that you sell me this car,” he says.

“Okay, you’re serious,” the student says. “Don’t know why you’d want it, it’s kinda a piece of crap.”

Nero places two more wads of cash on the windshield. The student rushes out of his car, hands Nero the keys, and heads off to class. Johana walks out from behind a tree. Kan leans over her shoulder, barely conscious. Johana’s Stand begrudgingly carries the egg.

“Where’d you get all of that money?” she asks as she approaches Nero.

“The Speedwagon Foundation gave me a large budget for expenses before I came here,” Nero says.

Nero opens the passenger side door of the car and sits down. After a moment of confusion, he notices the steering wheel in the seat next to him and slides over. Johana opens the helps Kan into the backseat of the car, locking her and the egg in using seat belts. Nero pulls out of the parking lot and begins driving to the airport.

“Remind me again why we couldn’t have just taken a taxi, like we did when we came home from the hospital?” Johana asks.

“Vuitton attacked us less than an hour after we left the hospital. Until we get back to New York, we should consider anyone we encounter to be a possible Stand User,” Nero says. “Hailing a taxi would just put an innocent civilian in danger.”

“I suppose that makes sense,” Johana says.

She opens the glove compartment and starts looking for something thin, long, and sturdy. She pulls out two chopsticks, remnants of a takeout dinner ate on the way to class. Johana jabs the chopsticks into her shoulder.

“What are you doing?” Nero asks, unfazed.

“I got shot earlier,” Johana says. “I’d rather not go through airport security covered in blood with a bullet in my shoulder.”

“Would it not be better to go to a hospital?”

“Like you said, people around us are in danger right now. I really don’t want to destroy a second hospital in less than 24 hours.”

Nero takes a turn far too fast, slamming Johana’s head into her window in the process. “What the shit, Nero?” she yells.

“Sorry JoJo, I may have taken that turn a bit quick,” Nero says.

“Did you even slow down?”

“I slowed down a little,” Nero mumbles.

Johana glances at her shoulder. The chopsticks are broken in half, with their ends still lodged inside Johana’s wound. Johana grits her teeth and rips the chopsticks out, bringing the bullet and more than a few drops of blood with them.

Johana places her hand on the wound, applying pressure, and takes a deep breath. Hamon energy spreads through her body, strengthening her natural healing process and closing the wound. Johana wipes her bloody hand on her seat.

Nero pulls to a stop at a stoplight. An old convertible pulls up next to Nero. Its driver, a young man in a leather jacket, revs the car’s engine. “I believe that gentleman is challenging me to a drag race,” Nero says.

“Focus on getting us to the airport,” Johana says.

Nero turns left, leaving the convertible behind. Johana reaches into her pocket and pulls out a smartphone. She turns it on, revealing a four-digit lock screen. “What is that?” Nero asks.

“It’s Vuitton’s,” Johana says. “I grabbed after she...how should I phrase this-”

“Accidently blew her brains out using her cybernetic shotgun arm?”

“Yeah, after that. I grabbed it, hoping I’d be able to find out more information on Woodstock and the other Stand Users after us,” Johana says. “Unfortunately, it needs a password.”

“Try typing 1234,” Nero says.

“Her password isn’t going to be 1234.”

“My password is 1234.”

“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” Johana says as she types in Nero’s suggestion.

The phone unlocks. Johana rolls her eyes and looks through the files stored on the phone. She opens up a directory of text files. “Jackpot,” she says.

“What?” Nero asks.

“It seems that Vuitton investigated Woodstock and all of the other Stand Users before deciding to come after me.

“I suppose that means she considered you to be the smallest threat,” Nero says.

Johana ignores him. “According to these files, Woodstock made fifteen of these bracelets and distributed fourteen of them. That means there are eleven Stand Users out there gunning for us,” she says.

“What does it say about Woodstock?”

“Nothing, other than the fact that he shot Vuitton and has a Stand called Love’s Requiem. Vuitton didn’t know what it can do, though. She just wrote that it’s powerful.”

“That phone has information of the Stands we’re up against?”

“Yep, want me to read them off?”

“I would like that very much, JoJo.”

“Mylo Xyloto, wielder of an unnamed Stand Vuitton codenamed Coldplay, Max Burnham, wielder of a Stand called Deep, and Vuitton herself, who wielded a Stand she called Guns N’ Roses, are all dead,” Johana says. “Still remaining are Stefani Germanotta, wielder of a defensive Stand called Iron Maiden, Kelly Zuko, wielder of a phenomena Stand called Greased Lightning, Pink Floyd, wielder of an unknown Stand, Sydney Young, wielder of an electricity manipulation Stand called Thunderstruck, Fleetwood McVie, wielder of-”

“Fleetwood Mac wields a close-range Stand called Eye of the Tiger,” Nero interjects.

“That’s...correct,” Johana says, confused.

“I’ve met a lot of different Stand Users while working for the Speedwagon Foundation. Fleetwood has helped us take out some dangerous Stand Users in the past,” Nero says. “Woodstock said he didn’t create all of his Stand Users, right? He said he found some of them. Fleetwood falls into that second category.”

“How dangerous is this Fleetwood guy?” Johana asks.

“He is strong, but he is not a bad person. We may be able to convince him to let us go in the event of a fight. The same goes for many of the other Stand Users I know. Keep reading, there may be some friends of mine left on that list.”

“Stan Mathers, wielder of Slim Shady?”

“I have not met him.”

“Sandra Dee, wielder of Summer Nights?

“She is an archeologist who has worked with the Foundation in the past. We can trust her.”

“Luther Campbell, wielder of an unknown Stand?”

“I have not met him, but I do know of him. He is a crime lord. The Foundation has suspected that he is a Stand user for a long time, but none of the people we have sent to investigate have lived to tell the tale.”

“One more reason to get out of London as soon as possible, I suppose. Do you know an Eleanor Rigby, wielder of a Stand called Defying Gravity?”

“No.”

“What about a Kaiser Stroheim, wielder of an unknown but powerful Stand?”

“I do not, but the name seems familiar. I shall ask Grandpa Joe when we arrive in New York,” Nero says.

Johana scrolls down to the last file on the list, a file on a person she knows far too much about. “I guess I don’t need to ask if you know Bethany Leadbelly, do I?” Johana says.

“I do, unfortunately,” Nero says softly.

The two drive in silence for a few more minutes. Nero keeps his foot planted firmly on the gas pedal, ignoring the speed limit and weaving between cars as he rushes to the airport. He comes to a red light and slams his foot on the breaks. Instead of stopping, the car keeps going, bursting through the red light into the intersection.

A large truck rushes through the intersection, almost slamming into Nero’s car. Nero keeps pressing down on the brake pedal, trying desperately to stop the car. He summons his Stand in front of the car. His Stand, Viva La Vida, grabs the car’s bumper, digs its heels into the ground, and forces the car to a stop.

The sudden stop of the car throws all three of its passengers forward. Johana and Nero slam their faces into the dashboard. Kan slams her head into the back of Johana’s chair. After a moment of grogginess, Johana smacks Nero. “What the hell was that?” she yells.

“The brakes stopped working,” Nero says. “I believe that this is the work of an enemy Stand User.”

“Or, and hear me out, the car’s brakes are shitty because you bought a broken piece of garbage without making sure it worked,” Johana snaps.

“That is a possibility, yes,” Nero says.

Johana hears a groan coming from the backseat. She looks over her shoulder to see Kan clutching her forehead. “What happened?” Kan mutters.

“Nero ran a red light and almost killed us,” Johana says.

“I told you, the brakes aren’t working,” Nero says.

“What’s going on?” Kan asks.

“You cut yourself on the arrow, so you have a Stand now,” Nero says. “Unfortunately, you lack the fighting spirit necessary to control it, so your Stand is slowly killing you.”

“That isn’t good,” Kan mumbles.

“Don’t worry. We’re going to get you to someone who can help you,” Johana says. “All you need to do is sit back and let us protect you.”

A storm of honking surrounds the car. Nero laughs nervously and starts driving again. “What are you doing?” Johana asks.

“I was holding up traffic and the other drivers started honking,” Nero says. “I don’t want to be rude.”

“Nero, you had to use your Stand to stop the car ten seconds ago because the brakes weren’t working,” Johana says.

“It is fine,” Nero says. “I will use Viva to stop the car if-”

Nero spots something out of the corner of his eye and goes silent. “That car is back,” he says.

“What car?”

“The convertible whose driver challenged me to a drag race, it is following us,” Nero says while looking in his rearview mirror.

“Step on it,” Johana says.

“But the brakes-”

“If they’re following us, they’re an enemy Stand User. We need to get out of here before he attacks.”

“Right,” Nero says before slamming on the gas.

Nero speeds through London, pursued by the man in the convertible. “What can I do to help?” Kan asks.

“Sit there and stay safe,” Johana says. “If a fight breaks out, I need you to run, okay?”

Nero makes a sharp right turn, steering into the convertible’s blindspot. He continues making random turns, trying to give the enemy driver the slip. He comes across a busy intersection and slams on the breaks. Once again, his car refuses to slow down.

As he plows through the intersection, Nero spots the convertible in another lane. The convertible stays on his tail. The two cars come across another intersection.

The man in the convertible raises his arm, revealing a black, fingerless glove emblazoned with a red lightning bolt. He snaps his fingers and a bolt of lightning shoots out of his hand, striking the intersection. Instead of relying on his brakes, Nero speeds up, flying through the intersection before a car can hit him.

“I think I know what is going on,” Nero says. “The man in that convertible, he is able to make the road as slippery as ice by snapping his fingers.”

The two cars come against another intersection. The man in the convertible greases the road again. Nero summons his Stand. Viva La Vida grabs onto the car and a nearby streetlamp. The Stand pulls, forcing the car to make a last-minute turn.

As the convertible flies through the intersection, leaving Nero’s car behind, the man in the leather jacket fires a grease bolt at Nero’s tires. Nero’s car spins out of control into a public square containing two large fountains. Civilians run in terror as the spinning car charges towards a large pillar holding up an oversized glass bottle.

Nero climbs onto the hood of the car and summons his Stand. “VIVAVIVAVIVAVIVA!” he shouts as his Stand tears into the car, decaying its wheels until only the axels remain. The axels dig into the asphalt and slow the car to a stop.

Nero hops off the hood of the car. Johana walks over to him. “How many of those bundles of cash did Grandpa Joe give you?” she asks.

“Enough to get another car,” Nero says with a smile.

The convertible comes out of nowhere, flying through the square at Johana and Nero. Johana shoves Nero out of the way, saving him from being run down by the convertible. Unfortunately, Johana isn’t so lucky.

“Machine Gun” Kelly Zuko hops out of his car and looks down at Johana. She lies unconscious behind the convertible. Her bracelet remains on her arm, signifying that she hasn’t perished yet.

“Shame,” Machine Gun Kelly says. “I was hoping your death would be quick.”

To Be Continued In:

Chapter 13: Go Greased Lightning! Part 2

[beanjuice-duh]

Oooooo for the prompt thingy, what about Johsnavi in the afterlife??

(Johsnavi 50) “I found you–in the afterlife”

“Buenodias senor, Johan!” (Good Morning mister, Johan)“Buenos…” (Good morning (informal))“Vas a camar la playa hoy? No es un buen idea” (Going to walk the beach today?Not a good a idea)“O?” (Oh?) “Y por que?” (And why not?)“El viento hoy…es muy, pero, muuuuy fuerte! Una tormenta va a visitar…no,no creo que es un buen idea, no saligas, por favor” (The winds are far toostrong. A storm is going to visit, no, I don’t think it’s a good idea, pleasedon’t go out.)“Disculpe me pero, tengo una promesa con mi…bueno, tengo una promesa, eso estodo…gracisas” (Forgive me but I promised my…well, I have a promise thatsall. Thank you).Johan waved at his beachside neighbor who was pushing a cart full of mangosdown to the town. His eyes well down to the shoreline where gulls were waitingfor Johan, yes this was paradise. Pearly sands and teal waters so clear thatJohan could have used it as a mirror. He walked down from his small, onebedroom bungalow with a basket in his hand. “Morning” He smiled at the gullsand sat down on the sand. He dug his toes into the grains and relaxed as hestarted to pick pieces of bread and feed the seagulls. “He said a storm iscoming, is that right?” He spoke softly to the white feathered birds thatpecked bread delicately out of his hand.

Itwas so nice out…how could there ever be a storm. The wind picked up a bit; itruffled Johan’s hair a bit as he stared off into the sea with a melancholiclook. It was a beautiful sight though he felt like he was only experiencing iton the surface. The scenery didn’t amaze him. It didn’t touch him like it wouldhave years ago. This place did little to fill the ebbing ache in his chest. “Youwould have loved it here…I wonder if you have a view like this…in theafterlife.” He breathed, a gust of wind lifted some loose grains of sand andforced Johan to cover his eyes so he wouldn’t get any in them. The wind pickedup and whipped around hard, when it died down he was surprised to find that thesky had darkened so fast. The clouds were gathering as far as the horizon,shrouding the midday sun. Even the gulls who enjoyed the free meal where gone,without a trace. “Tch…its true…beautiful things don’t last forever…” Johansimply closed his eyes and sank down on the sand. It was cold now. The sand, the atmosphere, it matched hismood. He could smile and smile for days on end but that didn’t change the coldthat filled his every thought. Every bitter memory that felt like a fading,happy, vintage tape of a time so long ago. Like it had been a dream this wholetime, Johan often wished it was. He wished it was all one beautiful dream andthe only loss was that he couldn’t dream another dream more beautiful thanthat. His eyes fluttered close…Thunder cracked, then…nothing. “Mm..” Johan pursed his lips, his skin was suddenly ambushed by a warmth. Hefelt cold for so long on the sand now there was nothing but warmth. A goodwarmth, not hot and abrasive like most tropical days. This was a mild, butterysunshine. The kind of sunshine that melted over his skin and filled him with a tendersort warmth. Like a hug or a kiss from someone he longed. He opened his eyesand saw nothing but clear, blue eyes that stretched on forever. A perfect sunsettled right above him beaming down all its delicious rays. “How long have Ibeen out for?” He groaned shaking his fluffy hair free of sand. Slowly he gotto his feet and started to shake some more. “Keep going, mi hijo, you are covered in it.” An unfamiliar withered voicespoke from a few feet away. Johan glanced over his shoulder and found anelderly woman laying on a beach chair wearing a mumu. “Uh…this…is…uh a private beach.” Johan blinked, he never saw this woman beforeand surely she had never crashed on his part of the beach before either. The woman didn’t say much after that, she took a long sip ofher coconut drink which was infact in a coconut with a straw hanging out. “Paradiseis to be shared with all of God’s children.” “I suppose God didn’t mention property rights? My house is right…” He pointedand caught himself sounding like him. He smiled a bit, and slowly lowered hishand. “You’re right…a little company wouldn’t hurt. I’m sure you’d enjoy thisbeach more than I would.” “Oh I don’t know about that, mi hijo.” She smiled, so wide and warm it made thesun’s rays feel chilled to Johan. He couldn’t help but smile back. “Maybe allyou need a stiff drink. I know a cute little bar just around the shore. I’msure the bartender would be more than happy to give you one on the house. Heand I, we’re fairly close.” She lifted up her sunglasses and gave him a wink. “A bar…” Johan blinked, had there always been a bar before? Strange. He nevermoved far from his small beach side home but he thought he would have noticed abar. “…I don’t really have many reasons to drink…” “At least go say hello, it won’t kill you.” “…Shame.” Johan got up and sighed, he found it hard to fight the old woman’swords. He did as she instructed, he walked around the shore, following the bendaround the trees to a small opening. Right there in the middle of secludedland, like a beautiful oasis tucked within a canopy of tall palms was a small barand shack. It wasn’t crowded, only two other, older looking folk, sat at thebar. Laughing and talking in Spanish, Johan honed in a few words. “…no se …si me vas a conocer…” (I don’t know if he’ll remember me)“Y como no!? No es tu novio? El amor de tu vida?” (How could he not?! Wasn’t heyour boyfriend, the love of your life?)“El nunco hasta mi ultima palabra” (The only one until my last words…) “Entonces no te procupas. Hijo, cuando es tiempo…” (Then don’t worry, son, whenits time…) Johan approached slowly standing behind the couple at the bar. “Uh…perdon a mepero…mi espanol no es muy bueno…eh..me llamo Johan … hola.” (Uh…excuse me butmy Spanish isn’t very good…I’m Johan, hi) He hoped these were friendlytourists. The couple turned and faced him, he was met with warm smiles and agedeyes. There was a strong wave of familiarity even though he personally didn’tknow them. Something about their eyes, their noses, their smiles made him feel…wholeagain. “eee~ tan lindo!” (Ee~ so cute!) The woman squealed, she was silenced by whoJohan assumed was her husband. He held her hand and slowly stepped off his stool moving aside from the bar. “About time, when were you planning on finally grabbing a drink.” That voice. It couldn’t have been. Johan didn’t turn his face, the tears rolleddown without reason. He was terrified to see what he thought was there, what heknew couldn’t be there. However longing was far more powerful than reason, heturned his head slowly and felt a cry escape his lips. There dressed in asmooth cabana button up shirt, polishing a glass was him. Usnavi, as young andfresh as the last time Johan saw him. He glowed, he smiled, Johan felt thequestion form in his mind long before he could utter it. Fear that the onlynoise that would escape him was a sob. “Abuela said she was looking out for you…” He smiled placing the glassdown. “You could have taken your time a bit…lived a little longer but…god damn,did I miss you Johan.” Realization sank in, Johan felt a grace wash over him as he took a seat at thebar and met Usnavi’s hand. He gripped it knowing he was never going to let himago. Not for an eternity. 

[sunflowers-and-sweetviolets]

¿Por qué no vamos a bailar esta noche, mi cielo?

Some (more) work with Antonio for MLMay2021! 

Feel free to interact! I love people enjoying my work. (I will be using my name in the text)

Antonio smiled, running his hands along my hips as I fiddled with the controller, lying on his lap as I played the game.

“Fernando and I were never able to get that stupid box, I remember him spending hours trying to get past it, and then Papa figured out you needed to use golden feathers.” he laughed, “Got back from work one day to Mama shaking her head, ‘Los chicos están en ello de nuevo’, she always said.” 

Leaning back into his chest I smiled as he rambled, happy just to hear his voice.

“We couldn’t get Nintendo Power over in Cuba, but once Papa went on a bushiness trip and brought us back a copy, I’m pretty sure Fernando still owns it to this day.” 

As the little jingle of Banjo collecting the Jiggy played he smiled as he ran his ringers through my hair, before finally resting his fingers on my neck. 

“Do you want a go?” I said, lifting up the controller, he shook his head.

“I like watching you play, you being happy makes me happy.” 

Shrugging I turned back to the screen, “Hm, Gobi’s Valley next? That was my favourite world when I was younger, the one where you fly through the Ancient Ones rings was the best jiggy in the whole world.”

“Good, good.” he responded, wrapping his hands around my hips.

After a few moments of only listening to the music from the game our mastiff, Carlos, stood up and began growling at the window as a car door was closed.

“Carlos, silencio,” said my husband, lifting me up and placing me back down on the couch, standing up he wrapped a shawl around his chest to cover up slightly, “I’ll get it, sweetheart, money’s on the desk - right?”

“Mhm.” 

“Good, “ he said, closing the door behind him, leaving Carlos to fall back down and paw at the door, waiting for his return.

I couldn’t hear their conversation over the music of the game, and the whimpers of Carlos, I smiled, standing up I put the controller down and sat down in the middle of the floor, patting my side, Carlos quickly perked up and lay down beside me, leaning on his paws. 

“Good boy!” I smiled, stroking the fur along his neck I heard herd the door being closed and the rustling of keys. 

“Indian, just as requested, free bottle of coke too!” he laughed, “I’ll put it on the table, then I’ll be back.” he said, throwing the shawl off his shoulders and back over the couch. 

Standing up I quietly followed Antonio into the kitchen where he was unpacking, only to have my cover blown by Carlos’s big paws slapping against the hardwood floor and loudly lying down next to Antonio’s feet, looking up towards the food.

“Heh, perro estúpido.” he said, throwing him a cube of crispy paneer from the dhal coconut curry. 

As he continued to unpack and Carlos played with his food I thought back to a term Rohan had taught me when I told him I was engaged.

मैं तुम्हें मेरे दिल, आत्मा और शरीर सौंप दिया है, और तुम मेरे हो तुम आशाओं को रहता है, मेरे प्यारे पति...

A term he always heard in his youth, his mother would say it every morning when his father joined them for breakfast.

“God, this methi thepla looks delicious, you made a good choice in ordering this, sweetheart.” 

“...main tumhen mere dil, aatmaa aur shrir saunp diyaa hai, aur tum mere ho tum aashaaon ko rhtaa hai, mere pyaare pti.” I said softly, wrapping my arms around his waist, leaning into the back of his shoulders.

“¿Qué?” he said, not recognizing the language I was speaking.

“Rohan taught me it, says his Maa always used to say it.” I responded, tightening my grip around his waist, pulling him closer, turning his nead he placed a hand on my shoulder.

“What does it mean?” 

“I have handed you my heart, soul and body, and you are mine. You've lived up to the hopes, my dear husband.” 

He chuckled softly, “Ah, mi cielo, when did you learn that?” 

“When I went for a meal with over at Padraig’s, Saoirse and Rohan where there, and I told him.” 

“...” he was silent before grabbing my hands, pulling them away from his body and turning himself around to face me, “Do you remember our wedding?” 

“Of course! How could I forget?”  I responded nervously. 

“Do you remember what I said, after we ate?”

“...I remember you standing up and extending your hand, and I remember Saorise nudging me, but I can’t remember what you said, far too loud.” 

“I said, ¿Por qué no vamos a bailar esta noche, mi cielo?, you took my hand and you immediately knew what to do.” 

“Aye...aye, I remember now.” 

He placed his hands on my hips and smirked, but not before quickly throwing another bit of paneer across the room, causing Carlos to chase after it. 

“Why don’t you take me up on that offer, again?” 

“Antonio,” I smiled, leaning into his shoulder, “I’d love to.” 

“Té amo, amor de mi vida.” he said, smiling, lifting my hand above his head and pullng my other hand beside his waist.

“Y té amo también, cariño.” 

Pulling my hand to his waist he pushed forward, following in his footsteps I mirrored his actions, following him in dance as if it were the Rasa Leela - the emotion of love in human form, expressed in the beauty of dance.

Antonio laughed, picking me up and spinning me around, his strong frame allowed him to do so - I spent my free time typing essays, while he spent it playing rugby or hurling with Ferdia and his other co-workers - a gentle giant.

“Back home in Cuba, they call this informal dance a Rumba, dancing to the beat of the music, replace the beat of the music with the beat of our hearts and you’ve got it down to a T!”

“Antonio!”

“Gah! I know that was cheesy, you knew that when you married me, sweetheart.” 

I pulled myself into his chest, wrapping my arms around his back and stopping in my tracks, I smiled against him, “Fernando did warn me of your corniness.” 

“You love me for it.” he smirked, petting my hair.

“I do, I really do, Antonio.”

“I love you too, Max.” 

The moment was silent, almost angelic, only to have the mood broken by having a metal tray fall to the floor.

“JESUS!” yelped Antonio, quickly letting go of his grip and turning around, only to see Carlos jumping up at the counter to eat some more paneer. 

“He’s just being a scrounge, you encouraged it!” 

“Whisht!” he laughed, walking over to push Carlos down, as he bent on his knees to get to the dogs level Carlos sat down, allowing himself to be pet. 

“... I wish we would dance more often.”

“Ask me, whenever, and I’ll dance with you, I’ll drop everything to make you happy, sweetheart.” 

“...I love you.”

“Té amo también, Max.”