#(achievement unlocked: the part where he blends you)

[your-fave-is-being-blended]

Can you blend Wheatley from Portal 2?

Wheatly from Portal 2 is being blended!!

You cannot save him.

[reunionatdawn]

My Analysis of the Best Paired Endings in 3H (Part 8: Manuela/Hanneman)

Hanneman: My sister is far from the only victim. Many noblemen have done the same to their own wives, and I despise them for it. So, my quest began. I would unlock the secrets of Crests, make them available to any who desired… If I achieved my goal, the nobility would be rendered obsolete, and my sister could finally rest peacefully.

Hanneman wanted to get married, but he always drove women away due to his life being consumed by his research and never being able to shut up about Crests. Unless you marry him yourself, the only other romantic option for Hanneman is Dorothea.

Manuela: My voice is a gift from the goddess. However, as all things do, it will decline with age. One day, I will lose that gift. And so I decided I needed to learn to survive without it, long before that day came. I needed to prove to myself that I can live on… even after my voice returns to the goddess.

Manuela is a more believable romantic partner. And she was in the same boat as he was because she felt like she'd spend her life alone, too. She felt like damaged goods due to her age and all of the unsavory things she had to do in the past to achieve her dream of performing in the opera. But she was a lot stronger than she seemed.

Hanneman: I see you act so irrationally, and I lose my wits. I care about you a great deal, and wish to see you safe. Will you believe me? Manuela: Yes, of course. I'm the same way, after all. I let my emotions get the best of me.

The writers sort of pushed these two together. Even their paralogue "Oil and Water" is shared with each other. The two always got into arguments and made up again, but it was precisely because of all their funny banter that I liked them together. They acted like they were already a married couple.

Hanneman: If we combine our abilities, housework would be conquered and dinner rendered delicious. There are other ways we could find to support one another, I would imagine. We might make a better pair than you think. You and I, together. Manuela: Huh. You might be on to something.

Hanneman bears the Crest of Indech, represented by Temperance. This arcana symbolizes the blending of opposites and the achieving of synthesis. It's about harmony, peace, and patience. Temperance brings a message of balance and moderation in all things. It is a card of collaboration, of trying to find common ground instead of forcing the will of one onto another.

Hanneman was right. There are even more ways they can support one another than just cooking and cleaning. They'd be able to support each other emotionally because they have a lot in common due to their pasts. Manuela is childfree. She cannot understand people like Alois who have kids, and when she has a baby with Ferdinand, she lives as a career woman and he is the child's primary caretaker. Hanneman is the last man who would ever value her for baby-making potential.

Manuela: Heh, it seems my longtime rival has taken his final bow before me. There is a gaping hole in my heart. Try as I might, I cannot rouse myself. I can almost hear him now: "Why are you so despondent? This is completely out of character for you." How I wish I could say back, "That's none of your business, you doddering old geezer!"

Their relationship is given even more prominence in Hopes where they both get their time to shine playing the hero for each other. When Hanneman comes to her rescue, Manuela even admits that she's into it. And Manuela worries for Hanneman before coming to his rescue. She is particularly grief-stricken if he doesn't survive. It shows how she cared about him much more than she let on.

Hanneman & Manuela After the war, Hanneman and Manuela held a grand wedding ceremony, to which all of their many students were invited. Later, as Garreg Mach came to be restored, the Officers Academy finally reopened, with a renewed focus on accepting students regardless of status. Manuela and Hanneman returned to work as teachers, almost as if nothing had changed, and filled the halls with their banter in the way only married couples can. Their relationship spawned a trend of romances among colleagues at the Officers Academy, but that is an entirely different story.

The two always argued like an old married couple. Might as well just become one. Nothing about their lives even changes when they get together. They maintain their positions at Garreg Mach and it's just business as usual. Hanneman can still continue his vital research to accomplish his dream and Manuela can continue being a surrogate mother to all her students.

[letstalkassassinscreed]

Back to the Routes? (A spoiler-free review of Assassin's Creed Mirage)

Thanks to the amazing people at Ubisoft I got a chance to play Mirage early, and after a few days, I am still playing with a huge smile. Because this game is such a joy to play and experience.

The game kicks off with an amazing intro that is up there with Bayek's opening speech In Origins, and then drops you into Basim's shoes and the game begins. And within the few moments of playing you can see how this world is built for parkour and stealth. There are a lot of NPCs milling about making plenty of options to blend but also creating a sense that this world is alive and thriving. There are also a lot of obstacles for the player to use to help them reach the rooftops, and with Basim's light and faster feel chaining parkour routes has never felt so fun.

I am now 10 hours into the story and it is one I'm heavily invested in because it's smaller and more linear, and it's a very good story, one full of mystery and suspense, and even with Basim's fate already set with Valhalla the writers still have managed to create dramatic moments for the character.

The only reservation I had when I started playing was the Back to the Roots marketing and how the team was going to make the game feel back to the roots. And I am happy with what they have achieved because to me it's not the 1:1 Assassin's Creed 1 gameplay that I associate with the series roots, instead the developers have taken the best parts of the recent RPG games and combined them with the best parts of the older titles, to create a perfect blend of old and new. With a sense of nostalgia in the gameplay I would love to see more games in this style.

I do feel there are a lot of positives about this title, from how the world encourages stealth and parkour and the amazing detailed world of Baghdad. But I do feel at some moments this game is let down by its over-challenging combat. For example, in my gameplay, I came to an area that was heavily fortified and my only tool was a throwing knife. At first, planning the route to stealth was exciting and fun, but when I tried to ledge assassinate a guard no matter how many whistles he never walked to the ledge. So I had to chance a combat encounter, which resulted in me being swarmed by 2 agile guards that are easy to pary which triggers an instant kill option like older titles. But there was also an armored guard who could only be damaged from behind. So trying to doge 3 attackers on low stamina with outfits that don't have damage reduction systems became difficult as 4 hits and game over. With more tools at your disposal, the challenging combat becomes a way to force players into navigating more stealthy and pre-planning tools and routes. I feel this approach is clever and can be great, but In early areas where your tools are limited to what you have unlocked combat becomes more of a chore than a fun mechanic to get you to play more stealthy.

Overall even with the challenging combat, there is more to this game that overshadows the combat. Mirage is a world begging to be explored, bright vibrant, and alive. The urban areas are filled with parkour routes or places to blend in making you feel more like a stealthy assassin. This is a game I would recommend to both newer and older fans, and I do hope Ubisoft attempts to make these types of games again.

[absurdbartholomew]

lets say you just got put in charge of a brand new popular cartoon properties video game, you have a team consisting of an college intern coder, a brilliant musician, a couple coders who are quiet and keep to themselves, and you, the art designer and playtester.

you have a tech demo that got the ball rolling and landed your team this job. now comes the hard part, how much money is being put into each department of your team, are you going for a multi console release? is the game full 2d, 2.5d, or 3d? you have 2 years to get this game out and finished.

how are you going to make this licensed game hell string itself into a proper product

unfortunately, I cannot answer the first two questions as a developer (that would be up to the publisher who has the license, which said license would be nearly impossible to negotiate for with such a small development team. I'm assuming this team is a dev-for-hire style team.) I can say that our team would be assigned to the NDS version of it assuming it's a multiplatform game. if not, we would probably be assigned to the gamecube and playstation 2.

the game's amount of dimensions would most likely be determined by what time we started this project. if it was from 1999-2009, it would most likely be 2.5D (not fully 3D as our team is small and only has one programmer. licenses for a full game engine would probably be expensive) if it was from 2015-now, full 3D would be completely viable with just a single programmer due to premade game engines making it much easier.

I'm going to assume this project is from 1999-2009 (cause all the cool cartoons were from that time!!)

more specifically I want to start in 2006 as we would probably be given more interesting projects + the benefit of nostalgia whether it be from people who actually played it or people born in 2009 who like to pretend they were around in 1996 for super mario 64.

anyways, most of the difficulty on this project would probably be related to the programmer. he was probably trained just enough to work with most systems and is probably fluent with C++ (though, he'd write it exactly like C) but he barely knows how to write functional code. if it makes it easier to describe, he basically has the same skill as someone working on a bad spongebob horror fangame where the Spooky Patrick chases you in a dim hallway using bfbb textures if they could write in C++.

bug reports from anyone on our team who decided to playtest at the time would totally pile up and some of them would just waste our time (for example, someone would miss every dev meeting and report that unlocking something intentionally was a bug)

anyways, knowing me, I would most likely go for a style similar to the cartoon. is the main character's head weird as a result of translating it to a 3D model? tilt it away from the camera a bit. can we not add an outline to that specific object? shut up.

i'd also push for creative solutions (you can achieve A LOT with just clever usage of texture scrolling, blending, and vertex color) since we're working on a DS game and obviously shaders aren't possible.

being a lowly art designer (and playtester!) I cannot contribute much to the project and any art-related work I'd submit would most likely be messed with by the programmer (probably just downscaled textures. nothing wrong with that!)

i probably wouldn't HAVE to playtest since everyone else on the team does that anyways

fast forward 1 year (we were already 1 year in development prior to fast-forwarding), our team finds a bug related to crashing when loading a week before the game is due for review by nintendo. somehow the sole programmer fixes that in just 3 hours and THE DAY IS SAVED!

game's submitted. nothing we can do now if anything else comes up. seems like we fixed everything!

anyways 9 years later speedrunners find 8 more game breaking glitches, 6 of which involve loading

assuming the game is based off of a popular license, we get emails constantly asking for the source code, source art assets, and concept art. we get about 17 emails asking for these each week, some with threats! (the "popular license" is spongebob. this would only happen with a spongebob game.)

thats all

[fyexo]

221209 LAY ZHANG IS FINDING HIS WAY

A young Lay Zhang had a clear goal in mind: in 2005, he enrolled in a talent competition, the Hunan-based Star Academy. Zhang Yixing (as he was known back then) did it for 50 RMB — an incentive that his father had promised him if he got through the first round of auditions.

He did, but more importantly, the achievement meant that he went on to become a finalist on the variety show. “I never dreamed that I would become an artiste,” Zhang reminisces. But the experience unlocked something inside him, as the creative teenager found himself continually drawn to the allure of the stage. He’d go on to make cameos in other shows in China, and each time he gained even more confidence and experience. It helped that Zhang was an easy crowd-pleaser; he was charismatic, and bubbled over with youthful exuberance. Plus, he could sing, rap and dance — he had all the makings of a teen idol. Not surprisingly, he ended up at a global casting by SM Entertainment, held in Wuhan in 2008, and was soon headed to South Korea to train as a performer at the age of 17. In 2012, he debuted as part of EXO — the wildly successful South Korean-Chinese boy band that has topped music charts worldwide since its debut.

Now, at 31, an older Zhang has a different goal in mind: to create works that speak to his roots, and that are unapologetically his. After 10 years with EXO, the Chinese pop star will be focusing on his solo career. But the experience of condensing years of hard work into mere minutes of an intense performance alongside his fellow members is something that Zhang continues to hold dear to his heart today. “I feel that it’s because I’ve gone through all that back then that I developed this awe for the stage,” he says. “It’s just so unforgettable.”

A hand-written note on Zhang’s social media account says: “It’s time to say goodbye… It’s also my new beginning.” That fresh start would see Zhang venturing into uncharted territory, where he melds Chinese classical poetry, traditional instruments and historical facts with modern musical influences — adding cultural elements into songs, raps, music videos, and more. “I want to share my music and my culture with my fans from all over the world,” he muses. West, his latest five-track EP, is a widely anticipated sequel to 2021’s East — and continues to be a heartfelt ode to his Asian heritage. When sharing how he blends and finds harmony in melding Eastern and Western influences, Zhang gets particularly animated. “That makes the sound feel very unique,” he says. “There’s something different, yet the same.” In the lead single “Veil”, what starts out as dreamy chords from the erhu, a Chinese traditional instrument, quickly segues into slick trap beats. The same Oriental motif can also be detected in “I Don’t Care”, a song about cyberbullying, and how it is important to stand up to the haters.

Most of his songs can feel vastly distinct at first; the groovy, flute-fuelled “NAMANANA” stands in stark contrast to the heavy, rap-driven “Lit” (the music video is a vivid reimagination of Xiang Yu in the historical Chinese opera Farewell My Concubine). But a common thread that runs across most of Zhang’s discography is a duality in terms of the language used. He flits comfortably between Mandarin choruses and English verses, connecting the dots, sonically, between seemingly distinct cultures — and thus bringing into full force his entire vision: of finding a higher purpose (and platform) for Chinese culture and folklore. He calls this Mix-Mandarin pop, or M-pop for short (not to be confused with Mandopop).

His music has certainly got everyone perked up, and tuned in. “Different languages help achieve different effects,” Zhang shares. Beyond cementing his popularity back in China, the pop star has also started to gain the attention of audiences elsewhere. His first solo performance in the States saw Zhang joining Alan Walker in a 2018 Lollapalooza set. The Chinese singer also lent his vocals to “Love You More”, in a collaboration with Steve Aoki and Will.I.Am. Diplo was impressed by the work ethic of Zhang when they met backstage, and referred to him as “the truth” in a tweet. In recent times, he sang — in both Mandarin and English — alongside American rapper 24kGoldn in “Dawn to Dusk”. “Through music, we can overcome language barriers,” he says in an Instagram post. Not that Zhang has ever let any obstacle get in his way. “Every small setback is a great opportunity to toughen you up.”

This might explain why the multi-hyphenate never shies away from a challenge — from his role as Er Yuehong in the action series The Mystic Nine, to voicing the sleek and chic Jackson Storm in the Chinese-dubbed version of Disney’s animated film Cars 3. Not one to be satisfied with the status quo, Zhang says: “I keep raising the bar on myself, on my music, on my dancing, and more. When I reach a certain level of quality, I raise it even higher — to make myself better.” In this continual pursuit for more, the entrepreneurial creative has embarked on yet another new path, as the founder of Chromosome Entertainment Group, where he, in turn, hopes to identify a new generation of superstars — and nurture in them a “respect for the stage”, the same reverence that got him performing in the first place.

These days, Zhang finds himself dreaming a new dream. He didn’t set out to become a global phenomenon — but along the way, he gradually found and settled into his own voice and identity. Zhang now wants to be remembered as a musician “with guts” — one who is unafraid to take risks, and make bold moves. “I hope to leave behind a spirit of not giving up, of chasing a goal regardless of the cost,” he says. It seems fitting that Zhang uses a quote from an ancient Chinese poem, A View of Taishan, to describe his journey thus far — “that at the summit, look beyond your feet, and everything else in the scenery will look small in comparison”. The stanza holds a huge amount of literary significance, but its essence, to put it loosely is be ambitious, trust the journey, and reap the reward. “I feel that the world belongs to the adventurous,” he says. And it’s clear that Zhang is embarking on the grandest adventure of all.

source: Fabian Loo @ Elle Singapore

[inifinds]

Best Books By Deepak Chopra: 9 Top Recommendations

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. In an ever-evolving world, pursuing spiritual awakening and a deeper understanding of oneself is increasingly essential. Let's discuss the best books by Deepak Chopra, a beacon of hope in the realm of spiritual practice, holistic health, and personal growth.  His works as a prolific author have made the New York Times bestseller list several times so, where should we start? This guide aims to introduce readers to the best books by Deepak Chopra, offering a roadmap to navigate his profound teachings. Understanding Deepak Chopra's Vision Deepak Chopra and his works Deepak Chopra's journey began as a physician, but life had a different path in store. Over the years, he has metamorphosed into an international bestselling author, shedding light on spiritual principles, mind-body remedy, and personal growth. His work integrates modern science with ancient wisdom, providing readers a unique blend of the two worlds. Spirituality and Meditation Deepak's teachings emphasize the power of meditation and the profound effects it has on our being. He believes that true self-awareness can be achieved by delving deep into spiritual practices. His books often serve as spiritual guides, helping readers embark on a journey inward. Mind-body Medicine and Health At the core of Deepak's teachings is the idea that our minds and bodies are part of the same system that deserves equal attention. His groundbreaking insights into integrative medicine have paved the way for a holistic approach to wellness. It's not just about treating symptoms, but understanding the root cause and achieving a state of balance. Personal Success and Growth Chopra's wisdom isn't limited to spiritual awakening. He delves into how individuals can harness their potential for personal and spiritual growth. His books provide a roadmap, offering practical advice, exercises, and practices to achieve success in all facets of existence. Best Books By Deepak Chopra: Diving Deeper "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success" What it's about: This book dives into the fundamental spiritual laws that govern our existence. Deepak Chopra beautifully explains these laws, ranging from the Law of Pure Potentiality to the Law of Detachment. Why it’s a must-read: "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success" offers readers an actionable plan to harness these laws in their being. Deepak Chopra's eloquent writing combined with profound insights makes this a seminal work for anyone on a spiritual journey. "Ageless Body, Timeless Mind" What it's about: Age is more than just a number. It's a state of mind. In "Ageless Body, Timeless Mind," Deepak Chopra delves into the mysterious connection between our mental perceptions and the aging process. He suggests that our beliefs and feelings about aging can have a direct impact on our physical well-being. Why it’s a must-read: Chopra makes an interesting argument that challenges our societal norms about aging. He believes that by harnessing the power of the mind and by understanding our true nature, we can slow down the aging process. This book is a beautiful blend of spirituality, science, and practical exercises. For those who've ever feared growing older, this book is a refreshing and optimistic take on the infinite potential of human nature. "The Book of Secrets" What it's about: Have you ever felt that living has more to offer? That there are unseen wonders waiting to be discovered? Chopra unveils the hidden dimensions of being, unlocking the secrets to a fulfilling existence. Why it’s a must-read: Deepak Chopra takes readers on a fascinating journey, exploring the mysteries of existence and the universe. This isn't just a book; it's an experience. The practical exercises intertwined with spiritualistic concepts provide a roadmap to discovering the deeper layers of one's self. It's about understanding life beyond the physical realm and tapping into the vast field of infinite possibilities. "Super Brain" What it's about: Our brains, the epicenter of thoughts, emotions, and decisions. But are we using it to its fullest potential? "Super Brain" explores the harmonious relationship between the brain and the body, presenting groundbreaking insights into harnessing our brain's power. Why it’s a must-read: Written in collaboration with a senior scientist, this book is a brilliant fusion of Chopra's insights and modern neuroscience. It's more than just understanding the brain; it's about reshaping our thinking patterns, enhancing memory, and leading a life driven by intelligence and consciousness. For anyone looking to elevate their cognitive abilities and lead a life driven by a "super brain," this book is the key. "Quantum Healing" What it's about: Dive into the profound connection between the mind and body in "Quantum Healing." Chopra introduces readers to the concept that our body's well-being is deeply tied to our consciousness. He delves into how understanding this connection can lead to miraculous recoveries and a state of perfect well-being. Why it’s a must-read: If you've ever been curious about the intricate dance between modern remedies and ancient wisdom, this is the book for you. Chopra seamlessly combines the world of Western medicine with the insights of Ayurvedic practices. It’s a revelation that our body can heal, not just through drugs or surgery, but through a shift in consciousness.  "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga" What it's about: Yoga isn't just a physical practice; it's a spiritual journey. In "The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga," Chopra explores the deeper, more profound aspects of yoga, which transcend beyond the physical postures and into the realm of the spirit. Why it’s a must-read: Whether you’re an avid yogi or someone just stepping onto the mat, this book offers a fresh perspective on the ancient art of yoga. Chopra guides readers through the spiritual principles that form the foundation of yoga, ensuring a practice that’s not just about flexibility, but also about inner peace and enlightenment. "The Third Jesus" What it's about: Who was Jesus? In "The Third Jesus," Chopra provides an intriguing exploration into the life of one of history's most enigmatic figures, suggesting that beyond the historical and the divine, there is a third interpretation of Jesus, deeply rooted in spirituality and enlightenment. Why it’s a must-read: For those who seek a deeper understanding of Jesus, beyond the religious and historical narratives, this book is an eye-opener. Chopra's insights into the teachings of Jesus offer readers a fresh perspective, emphasizing spiritual growth and universal love. It's a journey into the heart of one of the world's most revered spiritual leaders. "Perfect Health" What it's about: "Perfect Health," Chopra uncovers the secrets of Ayurveda, the ancient Indian system of natural healing. He discusses the importance of understanding one’s unique body type and offers tailored advice for achieving an optimal state of health and well-being. Why it’s a must-read: Have you ever felt that one-size-fits-all health advice just doesn’t cut it? Well, this book is the antidote. It emphasizes individual needs and the idea that perfect health isn’t a distant dream, but a tangible reality. If you've been on the lookout for a holistic approach to health, one that encompasses mind, body, and spirit, this is your guide. "Life After Death" What it's about: This thought-provoking book dives deep into the mysteries of existence beyond our mortal life. Chopra intricately weaves together philosophy, spirituality, and science to explore what happens when we cross over to the other side. Why it’s a must-read: Death is often a topic shrouded in fear and mystery, but Chopra’s approach is refreshingly optimistic. He assures us that death is not an end but a new beginning, a transition to another phase of existence. This book is a comforting hand on the shoulder for anyone pondering life's big questions. Best books by Deepak Chopra: Tips for Success 1. Practicing Daily Meditation (From "Total Meditation"): Tip: Start with just 5 minutes a day. Focus on your breath, or try repeating a mantra like "Om" or "Peace". Over time, gradually increase the duration. Why it's beneficial: Meditation helps to declutter the mind, reducing stress, and enhancing focus. It's a pathway to discover your true self and foster a sense of inner peace. 2. Understand Your Body Type (From "Perfect Health"): Tip: Ayurveda identifies three primary body types or doshas: Vata, Pitta, and Kapha. Discover yours through an Ayurvedic consultation or even online quizzes. Why it's beneficial: Once you know your dosha, you can tailor your diet, exercise, and even meditation practices to better suit your unique constitution, promoting optimal health. 3. Reflect on Life's Big Questions (From "Life After Death"): Tip: Dedicate some time each week to ponder profound questions about life, purpose, and the universe. This can be during a quiet moment, a walk, or even journaling. Why it's beneficial: Such reflections provide depth to our existence, helping us connect with the larger cosmos and understanding our role in it. 4. Unlock Your Personal Growth (From "The Book of Secrets"): Tip: Practice self-awareness. Regularly ask yourself – "What am I feeling right now?" or "Why did I react that way?". Why it's beneficial: By understanding our emotions and reactions, we pave the way for personal growth and emotional intelligence. 5. Embrace Nature (From "Seven Spiritual Laws of Success"): Tip: Spend some time in nature every week, whether it's a walk in the park, gardening, or just sitting by a river. Why it's beneficial: Nature has a way of grounding us, reminding us of life's simple joys and the interconnectedness of all beings. 6. Practice Gratitude (Across multiple works): Tip: Every night before sleeping, list three things you're grateful for. They can be big or small – from a kind gesture by a stranger to achieving a personal milestone. Why it's beneficial: Fostering gratitude shifts our focus from what's lacking in our lives to the abundance that's already present, promoting positivity and contentment. 7. Setting Intentions (From "Seven Spiritual Laws of Success"): Tip: Begin each day by setting a clear intention. For instance, "Today, I will approach challenges with calmness" or "I will express gratitude to at least three people." Why it's beneficial: Intentions act as a compass, guiding our actions and thoughts throughout the day, ensuring they align with our overall goals and values. 8. Embracing Change (From "Ageless Body, Timeless Mind"): Tip: Whenever faced with change, instead of resisting, ask yourself, "What can I learn from this?" or "How can this lead to growth?" Why it's beneficial: Change is the only constant. By embracing it, we cultivate resilience and open ourselves up to new opportunities and experiences. 9. Deepening Connections (From "The Book of Secrets"): Tip: Dedicate some time each day to genuinely connect with someone – even if it's just a few minutes – be it through a heartfelt conversation, a hug, or simply listening. Why it's beneficial: Deep, meaningful connections enrich our lives, providing support, love, and a sense of belonging to fulfillment of your dreams 10. Continuous Learning (Inspired by Chopra's prolific writing): Tip: Read a book, attend a workshop, or even watch a documentary on a topic you're curious about at least once a month. Why it's beneficial: Continuous learning keeps the mind sharp, expands horizons, and fosters a sense of curiosity and wonder. The Power of Deepak Chopra’s Wisdom in Modern Careers At Initial Finds, we're always on the lookout for transformative knowledge. And who better to turn to than the renowned Deepak Chopra? His groundbreaking books don't just touch on spiritualism, but they also provide key insights into achieving balance and fulfillment in one's career. Let's delve deeper. - New-Age Wisdom for Contemporary Challenges: With books like "The Healing Power of the Mind, ", Deepak Chopra taps into the field of mind-body medicine. Professionals seeking clarity in the chaotic corporate world can find solace in his teachings. - The Chopra Global and Its Vision: Spearheaded by the international bestselling author himself, Chopra Global stands at the forefront of the meditation revolution. It's not just about spiritual growth, but physical health, too. It's a testament to the fact that the right mental state can influence our well-being, crucial for anyone facing the daily pressures of the corporate ladder. - Modern Gurus for Modern Times: Deepak Chopra and other contemporaries like Eckhart Tolle provide insights that are just as relevant to the boardroom as they are to the meditation mat. Whether it's tackling stress reduction or understanding the primacy of consciousness, we can apply their teachings in real time to enhance productivity and creativity. - Harnessing Natural Laws for Career Success: Deepak's focus on natural laws goes beyond just spirituality. At Initial Finds, we believe we can leverage these principles for a more fulfilling career. Understanding one's true self, the human body's natural state, and the hidden dimensions of your life can empower professionals to work in harmony with their inner selves, leading to increased productivity and a happier life. - The Future of God and Business: In books like "Future of God, ", Deepak delves into topics that might seem abstract but can have concrete implications for career professionals. Tapping into the infinite potential of the universe can guide us to make more informed decisions and pave the way for success in any field. Final Words: As we close the chapter on this exploration of Deepak Chopra’s best books, we circle back to the core of what this is all about — empowering you, to create a life of balance and enrichment. Deepak Chopra’s insights serve as a reminder that financial gains or job titles did not solely measure success. True success is about achieving a harmonious balance between your professional endeavors and your personal growth. It's about nurturing an existence where work is not a burden but a practice of fulfilling your dreams and embracing your true nature. The principles found in Chopra’s books can be your guide to unlocking this potential. They encourage us to live in the present moment, reduce stress, and ultimately, lead a happy life. Related Articles - 5am Club Book Summary: Elevate your morning - 21 Best Life coach blogs - 21 Mindset Hacks you Need to Transform Your Life Forever - 27 Best Books for Business Mindset to Activate your Success - Change Your Mind, Build Your Wealth: The Best Books For Money Mindset Read the full article

[digressfromreality]

The Fall of Baby Might

Lana Yagi had been famous from the moment it was revealed who her father was, All Might, Japan’s number one hero. But had that revelation been worth it: the media scrutiny, the burden of legacy, the crippling seeds of doubt? Did Lana crumple under the pressure?

Izuku x Lana x Tomura

Part 6 / Part 8

Part 7. “I couldn’t find the words to mend your heart.” (Mend You by Times of Grace)

After the meltdown at Izuku’s agency, Lana had strategically kept her distance. Which Izuku had willingly accepted without a fight. The only time she had allowed him in her presence was when she was lying in bed, holding her eyes shut and trying to steady her breathing.

She pretended to sleep to avoid their awkward tension.

She didn’t know whether Izuku knew or not, but every night after that fight, he still greeted her forehead with kiss and soft words of an apology mumbled to the silence of their room. It took all her will power not to move when he did so. His shallow words made her heart feel so…heavy.

Her last venture out of the apartment had caused their current estrangement. The longer she stood by Izuku’s side, the more realizations came; she didn’t belong there.

Slowly months had melted by, without improvement.

As the days began to blend and bleed together, Lana felt her former life spiraling out of control.

Her head barely above a sea of emotions, and everyone who supposed cared about her could not see it, or as her anxiety put it, they chose not to see it.

It was so lonely.

A day where distractions would be welcomed, but always seemingly in the distance. Lana’s gaze brimming with a saltiness that wasn’t easily swept away. Nothing but anxiety and a seeping coldness, filled her days. No love, no warmth.

Lana walked aimlessly through the apartment trying to clear her thoughts. It was exhausting to realize time and time again how underqualified she truly was, she needed to find a way from Izuku. A clean break.

She stood in front of opened closet, unsure what move to make next. Should she start packing? Did she even want to take anything with her?

She had money, truly little of her money was tied to Izuku’s, she could easily leave everything behind and just buy new. The problem was getting away.

Would the world let her leave him? Doubtful. There’s no way they would let her hide and fade away into obscurity.

And Izuku would blame himself.

*DING*

The sound of the doorbell had taken her by surprise. She didn’t remember anyone informing her that she would have company. She shoved the bag back into the closet and closed the door.

She sauntered toward the door not really caring if she looked like a mess, whoever would get over it.

*DING*

A random gentleman was smiling at her maliciously.

Lana nearly slammed the door instinctively but stopped herself at the last moment. The gentleman said nothing as he evaluated her appearance.

Her eyes were listless, almost despondent as Toga’s eyes trailed down her unkempt appearance. Was this how eyes looked when they finally broke? Perhaps, Tomura would let her play with her later. She could get Lana’s eyes to sparkle.

Suddenly fingers wound themselves into her hair, yanking her abruptly from her doorway. “Hiya sweetpea!” Toga giggled, giving her a sloppy peck on the cheek. Lana nearly screamed as chunks of the man’s face dropped to the floor as Toga’s façade had literally melted away in front of her.  Before she could blink Toga shoved her through a gateway.

Her knees fucking hurt after being tossed upon the ground like that. Her pulse quickens, recognizing the tiled floor.  “Here you go boss man, one cutie patootie as you asked for!” Toga booped her nose, before making a lazy exit.

After a pregnant pause, Tomura broke the silence.  

“I’ve missed you.” She looked up at him flabbergasted. She never would have imagined him saying that, in a sincere tone no less!

His smug face made her look away, embarrassed.

“How was it?” Terrible, he bet.

Lana was still unwilling to meet his eyes.

“Was it everything you dreamed about?” Unlikely.

Lana’s hands clenched and relaxed.

“How have the heroes been treating you?” She bit her bottom lip, trying to hold in her rage. Her feet started to move on their own, each step pounded the tiled floor with gusto.

His words were sharper than any blade he could have showed her. They both knew the truth.

Sitting on what appeared to be a dilapidated throne, Tomura sat there haughty as a king would. Watching her every step with smug dignity. Her anger was refreshing. He just needed to push her buttons a little further to guide her to the correct route.

“Everything handed to you, the fame, the money, a legacy that no one hoped to compete with.”

She sneered, her lip curling in distain, “Yes, and what does legacy done for me?” She dared to step forward in anger, “Other than be a burden staining everything I do? What would your father do? What would your father think? Would he be proud of you’re doing? I’m nothing without him!”

FIGHT IT.

Her rage was fulfilling as it was delicious, each step closer to him it seemed to lose her grip on what was so well hidden. The facade woven so intricately over each crack, embedded deep within every festering scar, the silence she had worn so elegantly as a mask began to crumble.

“Nothing, you say?” His question broke her of her destructive reverie. She blinked, losing what momentum her ire had, she had gotten too close, much too close to him. “Do you feel that you’re the only one who spiraled and toil in a pit of despair? How the disappointment and fear came to be so familiar? The darkness you created, is ever growing.”

STRUGGLE AND DEFLECT.

“I’m here to save you from all that want to use you.” She contemplated; her eyes hyper fixated on his extended hand.

The heroes.

The media.

All the burdens attached to the name, Baby Might. She was looking for a family, not the shadows of those who don’t see the real her.

For once, it seemed the churning in her gut wasn’t from the anxiety of what was yet to come, but rather from excitement.

ACCEPT IT.

She took Tomura’s hand.

ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED.

Lana crawled in Tomura’s lap. He sighed content as she rested her head on his shoulder.

[ladylynse]

Chapter 12 [FF | AO3] of Whirlwind (SQ fic): Jake should be used to ominous predictions by now. Randy should know better than to blindly follow McFist. Adrien should think twice before sneaking away. And Danny should’ve expected something like this when he got that phone call.

Previous | Timeline post

-|-

7:46 PM

“Don’t come here,” Gabriel hissed. “If you’ve captured Chat Noir, simply take his Miraculous! I want that ring.”

“Bringing him to you while he wears his ring is the same as bringing his ring to you,” was her infuriatingly mild response. “Unless you care to revise the terms of our agreement and specify that you would like only his ring?”

Gabriel ground his teeth. He knew what she was trying to do. “Take his Miraculous,” he repeated. “I have no use for the boy. If you bring him here, his fate is on your head.”

He thought that would give her pause. Instead, she asked, “Are you so afraid of him?”

“I know you don’t like needless death, Dracona,” he snapped. “If you believe bringing him to me will save him, you are sorely mistaken.”

“You don’t want to know who he is?” she asked lightly. “For the next time he foils your plans?”

“There won’t be a next time if you give me his Miraculous this time.��

“How can you be so sure of that when he could face you using a different Miraculous?”

Gabriel stilled. How did she know that? He had never told her of the Miraculous beyond asking her to fetch Chat Noir’s, and he didn’t recall naming the ring as a Miraculous until now.

She must be guessing. She couldn’t know more.

He wasn’t willing to bet on that, though. She’d surprised him by having that blood magic of hers; he wasn’t about to assume she was ignorant of other magics. “We’ll meet on the rooftops, then. The former venue.” He didn’t want to make this concession, but she’d use a refusal against him. It was far better to meet her away from prying eyes than to have her find him where he stood now. Besides, he knew to be careful. She’d only captured Chat Noir; the other heroes he’d seen acting earlier were still out there, as was her son.

He suspected this was her new way of opposing him. She was still trying to bargain with him, trying to find loopholes in their agreement. Still thinking she could get the upper hand. No matter; he’d prove her wrong soon enough.

“No.”

“I beg your pardon?” He spoke slowly, letting his threat soak through the words at her audacity of trying to dictate more terms.

“Go to the roof of your hotel. I’ll find you.”

“I’m afraid—”

“You’re not from here, and this is hardly a residential district. You’re staying at a hotel nearby. Your first choice tells me that much.”

Gabriel let out a growl, and Dracona added, “Or would you prefer I come straight to your room?”

The cane in Gabriel’s grip trembled slightly, and he forced himself to relax. He didn’t want to let her know how much her insubordination irked him. “Very well.” Once he had Chat Noir’s ring, he could recall her akuma and be done with this. She may have inside knowledge of other magical artefacts that might be useful to him, but it was abundantly clear that she wouldn’t part with that knowledge if he didn’t have some leverage. He’d hoped Nooroo’s magic would be enough to keep her on a short leash, but if she could push back this much, he was better off declawing her.

Fortunately, while she wouldn’t remember the incident, he’d know everything she’d told him. That would have to be enough for him when he found his next target.

“Dark wings fall, Nooroo,” he said, letting the magic wash over him.

Nooroo appeared in front of him. “Is this wise, Master?”

“Are you questioning my judgement?”

“No, Master.”

“Then what more can you tell me of her magic? How she could possibly know about the Miraculous?”

Nooroo hesitated.

“Answer me.”

“These things are not meant to be spoken of, Master.”

“Consider this an exception.”

Nooroo swallowed. “Dragons believe themselves to be the protectors of the magical world. While the Order of the Guardians have striven for utmost secrecy themselves, it is likely the dragons are aware of the Miraculous.”

Dragons.

“And you did not think to mention this before?” Nooroo would have known that from the beginning. It was highly unlikely he’d known she possessed blood magic without recognizing its kind, especially after Dracona had unlocked her own power. Gabriel did not appreciate being taken for a fool, yet they all seemed intent to try it—though it did make Dracona’s protection of her family make so much more sense. Her son, especially; as she’d said he’d fought and won his own battles despite still learning, Gabriel had no doubt that her son also considered himself a protector of the magical world.

“You forbade me from speaking, Master.”

A convenient excuse but not likely the real reason. Nooroo’s reluctance to speak of this at all would have been obvious even if he had met Gabriel’s eyes. “Then speak now. What can you tell me about the others? The ghost, the ninja?”

“I do not know specifics,” Nooroo admitted in a whisper. “I believe the Ninja is using magical artefacts to achieve his powers—”

“Then we shall have to see if we can take those away from him.”

Nooroo flinched. “That would not be an easy thing to do, Master. I do not know what the artefacts might be or if they are connected and must be used together. I cannot even guess if they are bound by magic my own cannot unravel. I would have to see them to discern that, as was your plan for any other artefacts we find here.”

“Then we shall see if you can properly evaluate those artefacts once we crush the Ninja. What of this Phantom?”

“Spirits are not uncommon but rarely pose a serious threat to the living realm. They…. The strongest are capable of possession, but—”

“Possession?” That was not a threat that should have gone undisclosed. “Can you counter it?” When Nooroo didn’t answer, Gabriel repeated himself slowly, letting his anger at Nooroo’s delayed response simmer in every word. “Can you counter it?”

“It’s not the same as when my magic is used to overtake another Miraculous Holder. The spirit magic—”

“I don’t want an explanation. I want an answer. Can you counter it or not?”

“I-I don’t know, Master. I can try.”

He couldn’t afford to expose himself if Nooroo wasn’t certain. “You can shield me from other threats,” he said, keeping his voice deliberately mild. “You said it’s not the same as when other Miraculous Holders are overcome by your magic, but unlike Ladybug and Chat Noir, there are no constraints on how much of your power I can safely access. If you used all your power to fight a threat such as this, could you not protect me?”

“I don’t—”

“Could you not protect me?”

“I could,” Nooroo breathed, not meeting his eyes.

“Then I command you to do so. Protect me regardless of the cost to yourself.”

The kwami nodded and had the sense to hide in Gabriel’s breast pocket instead of arguing.

Gabriel reached up to touch his earpiece. “Nathalie, I’ll be delayed further. Relay to the security team that everyone is to stay off the rooftops for their own protection.” Enough people had seen Dracona that such an order wouldn’t be questioned, and with any luck, Dracona’s presence would be enough incentive for the other buildings where he had no influence to follow suit.

“Of course, sir. Would you like me to see if I can have a lockdown instituted?”

Gabriel considered the idea and then dismissed it; if worst came to worst, he’d need to blend into the crowd quickly—and that would require there to be a crowd in the first place. “Not within the building. I want people to be free to move about inside, but talk to security about getting the streets cleared. There’s no benefit in stalling that any longer.”

“I’ll see to it right away, sir.”

He didn’t need to ask how her negotiations were going. She would be doing an exemplary job; he didn’t pay her for anything less. She knew what he wanted and she’d find a way to get it—most likely while making others think they were doing precisely what they wanted.

As Adrien knew better than to leave his room, Gabriel had no need to check the adjoining suite to know that everything was in order.

Much as he hated letting Dracona choose their meeting ground, he wasn’t going to argue with results. With Chat Noir out of the picture, Ladybug would be easy enough to defeat in the future, even without any other magical artefacts.

-|-

7:47 PM

This was not going according to plan. Clearly, there was a reason that Ladybug was the one to come up with their plans. Adrien didn’t even have the room to squirm in Dracona’s talons. The suit protected him from being sliced to bits, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t feel the amount of pressure she was using to keep him in her grip.

The suit also protected him from the cold wind, and he hoped that wind wasn’t going to rip away his words. He needed Dracona to hear this. Even if he could only get her to hesitate, it would give the others time to catch up. “You’re worried about your family, aren’t you?” he asked, thinking that was a fair assumption when they were clearly involved in the magical world and Hawk Moth wanted something from that world enough to put in an appearance. “I’ve met your son. And your daughter. They love you very much.”

Dracona said nothing.

Maybe she couldn’t hear him; he wasn’t whispering, but he couldn’t draw enough breath to shout over the wind.

Or maybe she was just ignoring him.

“I’m someone’s son, too. And if you give my Miraculous to Hawk Moth, you’ll be endangering so many more kids just like your own. You’ll be endangering everyone. He won’t stop until he gets what he wants, and he doesn’t care who gets hurt in the process. It won’t just be your family or mine; it’ll be anyone who’s even remotely in his way.”

Everyone was insisting that Dracona was different because she was part of a family of dragons, but she was still akumatized. Most akumatized people couldn’t be reasoned with, but some of them— Some of them fought back. And from what he’d heard of the dragon earlier—of how no one had been hurt—he was pretty sure that she was one of those people who was fighting back.

She might be like Nathaniel had been as the Evillustrator. From what he’d seen and what he’d heard from Marinette, Nathaniel had tried to resist Hawk Moth more than once. If Susan could keep doing that….

“I heard what happened earlier at the fashion show,” he continued. If he hadn’t begged off shadowing Nathalie, chances were very good he’d have been caught in the middle of it. As it was, everyone seemed to have assumed that he’d never left his room. Perhaps they’d left a message for him and told him to remain there; he hadn’t looked in the brief time he’d been back there, too focused on other things, monitoring Plagg’s cheese consumption included. He could always claim to have been in the washroom when the message came, maybe say he’d needed a shower to wake up.

As it was, too much had happened for Adrien to feel tired. More likely than not, he’d crash once this was over. They had to get this sorted out tonight. Soon. Now. He couldn’t afford to give Hawk Moth more time to find what he was looking for, especially when he had a connection to someone who would know exactly where to procure what he wanted, providing he could convince her to do that.

“I know this night didn’t go like you’d hoped, and I can’t fix that—” Not like Ladybug could have, anyway. “—but that doesn’t mean we can’t begin to make it better now. And better includes keeping your family safe, doesn’t it? You might think that will happen if you give me over to Hawk Moth, but it won’t. Your son and I….” Adrien hesitated, not sure if he could call this a proper partnership, let alone a friendship, when he hadn’t told them his real name. “We’re working together. Sacrificing me—and sacrificing my Miraculous is sacrificing me—won’t make him give up; it’ll make him fight harder.”

“I know.”

Adrien blinked, not expecting to get a response. At least, he hadn’t been expecting that response. An argument, maybe, if not continued silence, but an acknowledgement? It was going to be a lot harder to sway her to his side if she already knew what he was going to say.

“Then why are you doing this?”

“It’s the only choice I have.”

His heart sank at her words, and as she banked towards the site of the gala, he thought it might have skipped a beat entirely. There was a figure on one of the rooftops—and unless he was completely disoriented, it was the rooftop of his hotel. Hawk Moth was staying at this hotel? Surely he wouldn’t have had time to go to a different one. But if it was this one, then if Plagg could get a look at the registry so Adrien could check names once he got back to Paris—

He could discover Hawk Moth’s identity. At the very least, he could narrow it down.

He just needed to get out of this first.

-|-

7:49 PM

“Why are you slowing down?” Randy asked. “They’re there! We can see them! We need to go!”

“Danny’s gotta get Chat Noir out of there before we completely lose the element of surprise,” Jake reminded him. “If he can do that without Hawk Moth realizing, all the better.”

“Yeah, that’s not gonna happen.”

“I like to be optimistic sometimes.”

“Really didn’t seem like that earlier.”

“I said sometimes. Besides, it’s better if I drop you here and we hit them from different angles.” He wheeled towards the same rooftop where he’d talked to Randy earlier that day. “I wanna check on Trixie and Spud, too. Make sure they caught up to Haley. If I tell you the number, can you call them for me?”

Randy snorted. “With what, my broken phone that you left in pieces somewhere? Or did you give them one of those earphone things?”

Oh. Right. Jake had used his cell phone as a dragon before, difficult as that was when it came to precise handling and not, well, accidentally gouging out buttons or scratching the screen or completely smashing it, but if he didn’t specifically try to keep the phone with him when he transformed, it stayed safely with his human clothes.

“Sorry,” Jake mumbled as he landed and crouched so Randy could slide off.

Randy flipped onto the rooftop instead, missing Jake’s transformation but turning back in time to watch him dig his cell phone out of his pocket. “You didn���t talk angles with Danny,” he said as Jake started dialling. “Shouldn’t you have done that if you wanted to hit them from all fronts? And, I mean, not to say I don’t have some pretty bruce moves, but is it wise to pretty much divide and conquer ourselves against someone we know is strong, especially when she’s with the shoob who’s manipulating her?”

“Now you’re questioning me? Really?”

“You decided to stop before fighting. That means I get to criticize, doesn’t it? Since I’m not doing anything else. I mean, I don’t usually get the luxury of a breather in a fight. You seriously do?”

Jake rolled his eyes and was about to retort when Spud picked up his phone. “Hello?”

That wasn’t Spud.

“Trixie? What’s going on? What happened to Spud?”

“He’s fine. We’re both fine. Don’t worry about us.”

Jake frowned and turned away from Randy, who had pulled off his mask in order to make increasingly silly faces at Jake in what was undoubtedly an attempt to get a reaction out of him. “Then you guys found Haley already? Have you dealt with Rotwood? And, um, McFist?”

“Not exactly.”

“What do you mean, ‘not exactly’? Where are you guys?”

“Cool it, Jakey. Spud had an idea. I’m helping.”

“Wh—? I need you here! Haley needs you here!”

“We’re trying to save your butt. And Haley’s. Let us do this.”

“Yo, do you have any idea how crazy you sound right now? Spud doesn’t have time to build another thermos if he can’t find the first one!”

Trixie let out a low whistle. “You would be surprised what ya boy can do under pressure.”

“But—”

“Just trust us. We got this. I think. And Haley can hold her own. Chill.”

Jake just groaned as Trixie hung up on him. He turned back to Randy, about to explain Trixie’s side of the conversation, and then realized that Randy wasn’t there. Jake spun and finally spotted a flash of Randy’s red scarf the next building over. He was steadily making his way towards the building—hotel, Jake realized—where Hawk Moth stood with Susan, who was still in her dragon form and using it to very effectively pin Nino to the rooftop.

Evidently, Randy’s suit had repaired itself just fine.

Jake hoped that wasn’t the only bit of luck they’d have tonight.

-|-

7:48 PM

“Magic exists,” Haley said. The words were a bitter betrayal. It didn’t matter that Rotwood already knew about the magical world or that McFist had to be aware of it if he fought the Ninja; the point was that she was never supposed to confirm that knowledge, and now she was.

“Of course magic exists,” sniffed Rotwood. “You are a dragon. I know you are a dragon. Therefore, magic exists.”

Haley glanced at McFist, who shrugged. “I work with a sorcerer. It’s not news to me.”

“Still,” she whispered, “that’s not the same. This magic isn’t like that.”

“We do not have time for games,” Rotwood said. “If you think we do, perhaps I should just phone one of the news channels?”

Ordinarily, Haley would think Rotwood had cried wolf too many times for that threat to hold any water, but after tonight?

She wasn’t willing to make that bet after tonight.

“You have to swear that you won’t tell anyone if I explain this,” she said. Jake and Rotwood had called truces in the past, so he might keep his word, but she had no idea about McFist. Frankly, she didn’t trust either of them as far as Fu could throw them. But, hopefully, if she made this sound important—and told them a little bit of what was important—they might not realize what she left out.

Or how much.

McFist frowned at her. “Any of this going to blow up in our faces?”

“Not if I tell you,” she said carefully, “so you’re warned.”

“Good enough for me.” McFist hesitated. “Except I don’t want to lie to my wife. I don’t lie to her. I’ll have to be able to tell her enough so she knows she can’t push me on this. You good with that?”

Haley blinked.

“And Viceroy sometimes just knows things. Man’s not a mind reader, but he’s good at tricking you into saying things. Not sure I can make any promises with him, either, and expect to keep them. But if you’re worried about this whole magic thing, he knows it’s real, too. Helps me help the Sorcerer. And I can’t keep anything from the Sorcerer. I think he really is a mind reader. Maybe. Hard to say. He hasn’t caught the Ninja yet, either. But he knows things. The existence of magic included, obviously. So you okay with me promising not to tell anyone but with the caveat that those people might find out?”

“You have our word,” Rotwood said. “He won’t intentionally tell anyone, and I won’t tell anyone who doesn’t already know—unless you try to trick us.”

She wasn’t going to get a better deal than that, and it was as much as she’d expected anyway. Rotwood has given himself the out he wanted—he could claim trickery and tell the media—and given McFist the out he’d wanted, and she was left with little more than she’d started with.

“Okay.” What was the best way for her to put this? “The dragon you saw earlier was created with magic.”

“How?” McFist demanded. “Can it be replicated?”

“Not by any of us. It’s not a magic I understand. The person doing this…. They’re not from here. And that dragon? She’s not much more than a distraction.” That wasn’t exactly true, but they wouldn’t know that. Besides, it wasn’t entirely a lie, either. Things would be simpler if it were. “If you—if anyone—kicks up a fuss over the dragon, you’ll be playing right into their hands.”

Rotwood frowned. “This other person, what game are they playing?”

Haley shrugged. “We figured it was better if we could cut them off before they could set any more rules.”

“So you, what, saw me talking to him and figured you had to get us out of there before we messed with your big plan?” McFist crossed his arms. “Gotta be more to it than that.”

“It’s my job to protect people from the magical world, including those who go poking their noses into trouble,” Haley shot back. Rotwood sniffed, maybe because he knew that was supposed to be more on Jake and Gramps and Sun than her at the moment, but she ignored him. “The Ninja’s heard of you,” she said, looking at McFist, “and what’s happening in Norrisville. He gave me some weaponry to help me, um, convince you to leave. If I can figure out how to use it to distract more than just you, all the better.”

“Wait, are you asking us to help you?”

She wasn’t, but Haley nodded anyway. If McFist was going to offer, she wasn’t going to turn him down. She didn’t have a plan—not anymore, anyway—and she doubted Jake had come up with anything yet.

“And what are we supposed to get in return? Are you willing to take me back to the Magus Bazaar?”

“The what?”

“Magical market,” Rotwood said to McFist. “Filled with magical creatures and magical things.”

“Could I get something to take down the Ninja there?”

“I can promise to ask if someone will take you,” Haley said, “and I can promise that you’ll remember this when it’s over.”

“Why wouldn’t we remember this once it’s over?” McFist asked.

Haley cocked her head. “Why do you think so many people don’t believe in magic anymore?”

“If you could do that, Jake would have already done this to me. To Brock. You are stretching the truth, little girl.”

“Ordinary humans aren’t supposed to know about the magical world,” Haley said. “You might know it exists and keep looking for solid proof to share with others, but that doesn’t mean you remember every encounter you’ve had with it. Even Jake knows how suspicious it would be if you suddenly stopped poking around until you saw something that made you suspect the truth again.”

“But…but your brother’s friends—!”

“I don’t know,” admitted Haley. “I think Jake defied direct orders and Gramps smoothed it over. You’ve met my family, Rotwood. If it were perfectly fine for humans to know about the magical world, don’t you think our lives would be easier?”

Rotwood opened his mouth but paused as her words sunk in. McFist raised his eyebrows at him, and Rotwood’s expression sunk into a glower. “It’s Professor Rotwood. But very well. I see your point. However, if you are not able to get me entrance to the Magus Bazaar again, you must do something else for me in the future. I am not going to give up on an opportunity like this without good reason. There is footage of a dragon out there now. Proof. Which means redemption for me as all those who have mocked me realize they were the ones who were wrong. You must think me a fool if you believe I would give this up for nothing.”

She did think him a fool, but she shook her head anyway. “I can’t make an open promise like that.”

“Then I will add the caveat that, whatever I decide, it will not directly endanger the magical world or your family. Or directly expose them. Is that satisfactory, Miss Long?”

Haley bit her lip. She knew this wasn’t what anyone had intended when they’d asked her to distract Rotwood and McFist. It might very well be the opposite of what had been intended. Still, they needed help. And Jake had struck deals with Rotwood before. She wasn’t sure about Randy and McFist, but….

“Okay. Yes. I agree. Help me protect the magical world now and don’t ever tell anyone the truth about what’s going on, and I’ll do something for you later if I can’t get you into the Magus Bazaar.” She looked at McFist, waiting to see what he’d ask for; he didn’t strike her as someone who would let Rotwood take a better deal than him.

“You don’t have anything that’ll grant me the superpower of my choice, do you?”

She shook her head. “There are some potions that grant temporary effects for something specific, but—”

“Like what?”

Haley swallowed. “Invisibility. Flight. Shapeshifting. There are a lot of—”

“Could you get me a bottle of something?”

She wanted to say no. Giving magic to a human, especially one with questionable intentions, was just asking for another situation like they one they were already facing. And if McFist intended to misuse magic and she gave him the opportunity to do so, chances were good Randy would pay the price for her decision later. Still, if she warned Randy and gave him something to allow him to counter whatever she gave McFist, then maybe—?

“No, wait— Have you got anything that will stop magic from affecting me?”

“You’re worried about that sorcerer you mentioned?” she guessed. “I might—”

“No, he’s going to give me a superpower when I destroy the Ninja for him,” McFist said, “and if you can’t give me one, too, then I want something that’ll stop swamp magic in case Booray gets any ideas.”

“Swamp magic?”

“It’s, y’know, swamp magic,” McFist said, waving his hands in vague motions as if that made his point any clearer. “Little pouches of mind-controlly stuff. Freaky. Don’t want it anywhere near me.”

A protection spell, then, or something that would cancel out this other magic. Gramps and Fu would have an idea of what would be best, but she was sure there was something. “All right.”

“And you have to tell me about the NYC Ninja.”

Haley agreed to that condition immediately. If McFist had just said the Ninja, she would’ve had more trouble justifying that grey area, but as he’d specified, she felt no qualms about agreeing at all. It was hardly her fault that he wanted to know about a Ninja that didn’t exist—at least, not to her knowledge.

She wasn’t going to tell him that until he asked, though.

McFist grinned and stuck out his hand. She shook it, then shook Rotwood’s. “You want us to find a way to convince everyone that things are not as they seem, yes?” he asked. “That this new dragon is a hoax? As everyone has always believed of my proof?”

McFist grunted. “People were already muttering about it being some kind of publicity stunt. Better to lean into that. I can even sponsor something if I need to.” He glanced at the bulging pocket of her hoodie again and said, “Let’s have a look at what the Ninja gave you first and see what we can come up with.”

(next | see more fics)

[baby-grayson]

Kind Stranger|GBD|Finale

Parts 1-13

Words: 2.5k Tags: @not-gbd​ @styles-dolan​ @evergreendolan​ @someonetogray​ @vintagedolan​ @prettyboydolan​ @dolansficsandpics​ @graysavant​ @baby-turtles​ @dolanpornhub​ @wheezeatmedolans​ @dolansontheblock​

A/N: I can’t believe we have arrived here. There are so many things I want to say and I can’t thank you enough for reading, especially if you started reading with part 1. This story had re-energized me as a writer for the first time in years. I’ll keep it brief, but this is so special to me. I can never hear enough from your guys about your thoughts, opinions, and reactions. 

Grayson Dolan was lucky that his home in Malibu was a rental. Being a rental, he could throw it in the back of his mind and forget about it when he moved into his new, renovated home. He would have the chance to walk into a new space, a fresh space, and decorate every corner of the house with new memories. When he was ready to move into that new house, promising opportunity and positive potential, he could choose to leave all his memories from the rental in the past.

Grayson was running out of spaces that weren’t tainted by the events of the summer. Kate’s apartment was stained in the ghosts of their first night together. The beach was sullied by the first time they met, and the first time they said I love you. His van was forever soiled by their first kiss. Hell, even the LA county aquarium was discolored in the memories of their first date.

They were all good memories. No, they were great memories. But they were the remnants of the internal war he struggled with that summer. Some days, he was a normal 20-year-old guy; kissing his girlfriend for the first time when taking her home from their first date as her lips opened like a rose against his surprised mouth, admiring her as he drove down the freeway while she sang along to 90s pop songs while the wind blew through her hair, waking up in the morning and adoring how the morning sunlight cast beautiful shadows over her angelic face from where she snored in his arms. By night, he was a struggling 20-year-old star; watching the love of his life break down when he had ignorantly asked her to keep their relationship on his terms, stuttering in front of a fan while his petite, feminine, heroine faced the daunting aisles of a CVS alone, and laboring for coherent words, feelings, and breaths while staring at her fragile, soft frame draped in his shirt. 

All those moments happened in spaces. Tainted spaces. Colored in the story of a young man who was given everything he wanted, before he was ready for it. 

Now, Grayson Dolan was faced with a decision that tormented him in a way he hadn’t realized was possible.

Grayson Dolan was no stranger to hazardous emotions. He knew them all too well: grief, guilt, and all-encompassing self-hatred.

And yet, she made it all fade away. She made him feel light.  She lifted his heart up. Her demure hands supported his heart with a strength that induced the inner sensations that he was a man who had never been hurt before. 

But that was far from the truth. He knew the ache of a broken heart better than most people. He knew it well before he had met her, but Kate had reminded him more than once what it felt like to be a man without a center of gravity. She never meant to: she never sought to break Grayson’s heart. He recognized her drive to be an independent woman and her uneasiness with his lifestyle. Grayson knew, in his deepest of hearts, that she would never purposefully hurt him.

Kate loved him. She really truly loved him. Grayson could see it in the gold flakes in her eyes. He felt it in the way she would always look for his hand to grab onto. He heard it in her groggy words during the early mornings they shared together. He tasted it every time her luscious lips pressed sweetly against his. He would forever associate the small of love with sweet vanilla and citrus undertones. 

His definition of love was Kate. 

So much so, that a year later Grayson would design a candle for Wakeheart. He worked tirelessly on the perfect blend of sweet vanilla and fragrant citrus. He packaged it in a gold label, reminiscent of the traces in Kate’s eyes. He named it Love.

But on that August night, Grayson Dolan was very lucky that his home was a rental. It meant that a man who clung tightly to emotional memories and nostalgia, could speak without the fear of returning to a triggering space every day. 

A small open window allowed sweet summer air to diffuse through the living room. Kate sat across from Grayson, on an armchair. She wore a pensive look, with a tight mouth and concerned eyes. Her long eyelashes touched the tops of her cheekbones only to blink, the only time she took her eyes off Grayson. Her hands gently fingered the arms of the chair, feeling a soft velvet plush. 

Grayson sat on his couch, with a hunched back. He balled his hands into fists and tangled them between his knees. He exhaled roughly and sucked on his teeth. He grabbed the side of his face and slid his hand into his hair. He unlocked his jaw and let out another breath. Inwardly, he decided that breaking the silence was more important than choosing the perfect words, “I’m sorry.” That was always a good place to start when you felt terrible.

Kate swallowed audibly and sat back in her chair, keeping every muscle stiff. “You’re sorry?” She knitted her eyebrows together.

 Grayson gave a small nod, “I’m sorry for everything I’ve done to you.”“I realize now that maybe I love you in a way, a deep way, that you will never love me.” His heart twisted in on itself, “And it’s not right if I want you around in hopes that you will someday, somehow, suddenly start feeling the things for me that I have felt for you all along.”

 “You loved me in a way that I never loved you?” Her voice was soft, surprised, and colored in shock. She repeated his words out loud not for emphasis, but in hopes that saying them would help her achieve the smallest ounce of understanding. 

Grayson nodded and bit the corner of his bottom lip, “Yeah.” He took in a rough breath, “I just—” he looked down at the ground and back at Kate, “I look at you and I see everything.” He started to spiral, “I love you in a way that makes my brain dizzy. That makes me wish you were in every room. That makes me think about how you slept last night. That ---” he bit his lip, struggling to turn emotions into words, “That tells me a life without you will always be worse, in every way, than one with you.”

“Grayson,” Kate started, her face contorting into images of sadness, confusion, and horror, “I do.” She nodded, a big indigent towards his implications. “I do love you Grayson, I told you that.” “I know you do, but you just—you rule every corner of my mind and heart,” he held out his palms from where he sat. Grayson searched his mind for his next words, but he quickly learned that your truest thoughts will always come from your heart, “I almost wish you could meet yourself as another person so that you might understand how hard it is for me not to love you with everything in me.”

Kate felt a crack from deep insider her being. Her mind went blank. Her stare was so strong that she bored holes in the top of Grayson’s head from where he looked at the floor. When he looked up to meet her eyes, he saw a tear drop down the left side of her face. 

She shook her head softly, in disbelief at what was happening. She spoke outwardly and without redress, “Is that why you invited me over? To tell me that I never loved you enough?” Her voice broke, “I didn’t know what this was supposed to be Grayson,” she felt a large tear well up on her eyelid, “but I wouldn’t have come if I knew this is what you were going to say.”

Grayson’s eyes darted around her figure, from her tears to her shaky hands to her crossed ankles and to quivering lip. His breath stopped. His eyes wanted to crawl inward and never return to light again. His heart, which was already hanging on a loose thread, dove into the pits of his being.

He was seeing her cry for the first time. 

He was seeing her cry for the first time. And he was the reason she was crying.

 Grayson’s tongue moved in his dry mouth. His words were unsure, shaking like a rickety bridge hanging above an open chasm. “Not just to say that, I—I wanted to talk about why I don’t think we should be friends anymore.” He tucked his hands underneath his thighs to avoid succumbing to his instincts to hold her, “I love you too much to just be your friend.”

Kate shook her head, more than dissatisfied with his response. “Fine,” she was curt, “We can not be friends. We can be something else,” her face was turned down in sadness, but her voice held a pitch of bitterness. “But” she clenched her teeth, “do not say,” she stuck out a finger toward him, “that you love me,” her voice broke, “more.” Kate closed her eyes, forcing a few tears to stray down her face. She pointed her face towards the ceiling, as if the air was better up there. She brought her face down. “Grayson Dolan you really don’t know what you do to me.” She opened her eyes. Her next words were just a whisper, barely audible over the sound of the wind blowing in through the living room window. “I love you. I’m in love with you.”

She met her lips together, sucking them in slightly. She pursed them. Grayson released his hands from under his thighs and rested them on his knees. “You’re—” she nearly scoffed at herself for what she was about to say. When did the engineer turn into a poet? “You’re like the sun Grayson, you’re like my sun. Like when you’re around, the world is light and happy and I know where I am going but then you’re not there and it’s all so dark and a little scary and I know I can do it but I would prefer to do it all when the sun is out.” Her words mashed together as her speech got quicker. “Grayson Dolan being with you is like finally having my left arm. I was getting by just fine with my right one before you, but now that I know it what it’s like, going back will never be the same.” 

She closed her eyes, as if bracing herself for an invisible impact. “It was never you Grayson. You’re wonderful Grayson, you’re amazing Grayson, you’re—I love you Grayson. And hearing you accuse me of not feeling the same way as you…that hurts.”

She didn’t stop herself from speaking openly, “The world is a scary place for someone like me Grayson. I’m a disabled girl who’s trying to save the world, there aren’t very many of me for a reason. And when I have to be strong, or face the unthinkable, finding someone who lets me be soft, who lets me put my guard down and really be. I used to think I knew what love was, and then I met you Grayson Dolan.”

At this point, her eyes were red and swollen from the salty sting of tears. Her lips were plump and engorged. She let out a breath before finishing, “It was never you Grayson. It was your life. It was your life and my life, two things that I’m pretty sure were never supposed to be together. To be honest Grayson, I don’t think guys like you and girls like me were ever supposed to be together because now that I loved you,” she shook her head, “I don’t know” she commented lowly. 

“I don’t deserve you,” Grayson’s voice was firm and stable compared to Kate’s rickety one. He bit down on his bottom lip, “I wanted to talk to you tonight. Here. To tell you that,” he sucked his top lip in quickly, “You’re too good for me.”

Kate wiped a few tears from the corners of her eyes, only sending more tears down across her cheeks. “What?” 

Grayson shook his head. When he tilted his eyes toward the ceiling, Kate noticed a few small wells forming in the corners of his eyes. He swallowed hard before starting again. “You’re everything I ever wanted.” He gave something that sounded like a sad chuckle, “Beautiful. Smart. Caring. Funny.” He shook his head, stopping himself from continuing. “But I met your way before I was ready enough to love you the way you deserve to be loved.” He huffed, “I shouldn’t try to love you if I know I’m not ready.” Kate’s mouth transformed into the smallest circle on the bottom of her face. Her eyes went wide in bewilderment. 

“I don’t know how to do this” He wasn’t sure if he meant talking about this or love, but he didn’t know how to do either. “I’m not ready for the kind of life I know I could have with you.” His hands landed on the couch with a tap. “I don’t know how to communicate; I don’t know how to express myself fully and openly. I don’t know how to keep you safe when we leave our—our bubble,” he gestured to the rental home, “I don’t know how” he motioned his hands in the air before exhaling, “to do this.” 

Grayson let his head hang low, “Sure, I love to kiss you. And yes, I love to cuddle. But there is a difference between showing someone you love them and showing up to love them-- knowing what to do when things get hard.”

“So what are you saying?” Her voice sounded hollow and lost. She felt like someone had punched her in the stomach while asking her to do complex math. 

“I’m saying that,” Grayson’s voice broke for the first time. A single tear escaped his right eye, “We should.” He stopped himself. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to be in each other’s lives. At least for right now. For a while. You should be with someone who is more ready for what you have than me. I love you too much to make you wait for me.”

The look on Kate’s face after he said that was the reason that Grayson Dolan was very lucky his Malibu home was a rental. If his home wasn’t a rental, Grayson would be faced to picture the gut-wrenching, heart breaking, Earth shattering image of Kate crying on his armchair every time he walked into his living room. He convinced himself that he did the right thing, even though it nearly killed him inside to do it. 

Leaving his rental home felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders, even if it did make his life more complicated because his house wasn’t ready yet. When Ethan suggested a road trip, partially out of necessity but also out of recognition for his brother’s broken heart, Grayson was more than happy to say yes. Even the LA sidewalks were overflowing with memories of Kate. Grayson gladly accepted the chance to get away from all of his tainted spaces.                 

((the epilogue will be coming out tomorrow night))

[chimchimsauce]

A Dye - cision

YN dyes her hair the same color as her boyfriend’s and is nervous about his reaction.

Commission for @diznizzle4shizzle​

Thank you so much for commissioning me! I hope you enjoy!

This is an example of a short oneshot. If you’re interested in commissioning me, please dm me.

YN bops her head along to the addicting notes of Dionysus. The newest album, Persona, hasn’t even come out yet, but hearing music early is one of the perks of dating one of the boys. Yes, mischievous Min Yoongi always manages to slip her something early.

While the two of them haven’t been dating for very long, YN knows that he’s the one for her. The long hours, constant travel, and packed schedule are all everyday things they have to overcome, but just getting to hear his voice at the end of a long day throws her heart into overdrive.

Giggling to herself, YN uses a bottle of white conditioner to lip-sync the lyrics, banging her head along to the beat. She stops before she gives herself whiplash and opens the bottle, squirting a random amount of conditioner into the bowl on her countertop. Still humming, YN opens her messages and pulls up Yoongi’s most recent text, smiling at how adorable he looks.

The boys all had their hair colors changed this morning in preparation for Persona’s comeback and Yoongi’s head is dyed a wonderful shade of wine purple, the exact same shade YN is trying to replicate. He just looks so adorable, YN can’t help but want to recreate it on her own freshly bleached head.

YN stirs the conditioning dye, squinting slightly at her phone screen before decided to add a little red dye, trying to make the color richer. She fools around with the mixture for another fifteen minutes before deciding that it’s as good as she’s gonna get it. Parting her hair as Boy With Luv begins playing, YN tests the color on a small section of her hair and decides that she likes it. 

Soon enough, all of her hair is saturated with purple, YN swirling it on top of her head like icing on a cupcake. Feeling rather satisfied with herself, YN watches an episode of her favorite drama to give the dye more time to deposit color. Once the show ends on a frustrating cliff hanger, YN hops into the shower, purple draining down. A quick towel and blow-dry later, YN admires the color in the mirror, mentally patting herself on the back for a job well done.

And right on time too, based on the sound of the front door being unlocked. Suddenly nervous that he might not like it, YN scrambles to style her hair into something more presentable.

“What are you doing?”

Startled, YN drops her hairbrush and turns around to face her very amused looking boyfriend. There he is - Min Yoongi - looking amazing as always. He’s dressed very simply most likely to make all the outfit changes from today easier.

“Nothing. What are you doing?” YN deflects playfully, pretending that she has no idea what he’s talking about.      

“Mmhm,” Yoongi says, taking a step closer and wrapping YN in his arms, leaning his head onto her shoulder, “I’m tired. Why do I have to do stuff like this again?”

“Did he not realize I dyed my hair?” YN thinks to herself.

There’s no way he didn’t. It’s purple.       

Realizing that he’s probably just exhausted from having his picture taken a million times today, YN pats his head affectionately.

“Want me to run you a bath?” she offers.

Yoongi just shakes his head.

“I just want to snuggle right now,” he murmurs.    

YN leads the two of them to their bedroom, Yoongi more or less faceplanting onto the soft sheets. Impatient, he taps the space next to him, wanting to pull YN in close. She indulges him, glad that she already dried her hair. 

Once the two of them are comfortably settled into their usual cuddling position, Yoongi sighs heavily, nuzzling YN’s neck. His fingers slide their way through the recently dyed strands; YN can feel him smile against her skin.

“I didn’t know you liked the color that much,” Yoongi teases playfully.

YN feels heat rise to her cheeks.

“I . . . well . . . do you like it?”

When Yoongi doesn’t immediately respond, YN starts babbling.

“It was a really quick decision. I just saw your photo and I thought you looked cute and the next thing I know I’ve run out and bought hair dye and I’m painting it all over my hair and -”

“YN,” Yoongi interrupts, “It looks really cute on you. I like it,”

YN shifts her weight, rolling over so she’s facing Yoongi. Her hair falls over his, the colors blending seamlessly.

“Are you sure?”

“Mmhm,” Yoongi says, “Now everyone will know we’re together. It’s cute,”

YN giggles, relieved. Yoongi kisses her nose and then promptly falls asleep.

The next morning, YN rouses her boyfriend, ignoring his grumpy protests. He’s still only half awake when the driver pulls up.

YN watches as he opens the door, intending to wave him off. But before Yoongi steps into the vehicle, he turns to her, pulling his black mask down to just under his lips.

“Will you come with me?” he asks her.

“Me? Is that okay? I know you’re taking more concept photos today. I don’t want to get in the way.”

Yoongi shrugs.

“It’ll be fine. Namjoon brings his girlfriend all the time. It’s not like you’ll be a distraction. Most of today will be individual shots. It’ll be boring without you.”

“If you’re sure . . . then okay!”

YN can barely hide her excitement. She’s already met all of the boys and a few of the more important staff members, but she’s never seen them at work.

It’s only when they’re pulling up on location that YN realizes her hair.

“Oh my God!” YN shouts, hand flying up to her hair, “I forgot about this!”

“You’ll be fine!” Yoongi says, “There’s nothing wrong with your hair.”

“You don’t think they’ll think it’s weird, do you?”

“YN,” Yoongi says, kissing her cheek quickly, “It’ll be fine. You trust me, don’t you?”

“Of course,” YN says immediately, “More than anyone,”

“Then come on. Everything will be fine, I promise,”

And for the first hour or so, no one even pays YN any attention, too focused on their jobs. People are adjusting lights, fixing hair, and exchanging props, eager to achieve whatever vision they’re going for.

But when Yoongi is taking his solo photos, a friendly-looking Jungkook stops by, leaning against the wall where YN is watching.

“So . . . I see someone else got the purple treatment,”

His words are teasing and light. YN blushes, slightly embarrassed.

“Oh, yeah. I thought it looked cute so . . .”

Jungkook nods.

“You’re right. It does look cute. And so do the two of you. Yoongi’s been happier than he has been for a while since you came around. You two really are cute.”

The youngest winks at YN.

“Hey, Jungkook! What are you doing over there?” Yoongi calls out from where he sits in front of a small closet.

“Teasing your girlfriend!” he calls back, grinning widely.

“Hey!”

As Jungkook runs off to avoid being scolded, YN smiles at herself. Really, she had nothing to worry about. Quietly, she once again touches her hair.

Dyeing it has been one of the best decisions she’s made in a while.

[leejihoonownsmyheart]

Translator

When you met Hansol for the first time it was at a public movie at your school’s University.

You had gone to the movie event on your own, being new to the school, just looking to possibly find some friends. Of course, “find some friends” meant sitting in the back corner of the little movie theatre in your dorm hall, regretting ever coming there.

Everyone who came to the event knew someone, anyone and was talking to the people around them- clearly leaving no room for you in their friend group- so you decided to keep to yourself. You pulled your knees up against your chest as you sat on the chair and stared at the blank movie screen waiting for the mystery showing to start.

You watched as kids flowed into the small room, excitedly calling out for their friends in what you picked out to be Korean- whether they themselves were Korean or not. The different language honestly confused you at first, making you note that you didn’t even really know what movie you were here for. You had just read “In the movie theatre” and the time and decided that you should go and check out the event.

You picked up from a conversation a few of the students were having that this movie watching event was mostly for Korean language students, which sort of explained why you felt so left out… And why the professor kept giving you strange looks from her corner of the room.

Even so, you tried not to think about it too much- how clearly out of place you were. You wanted to just blend in and be cool and stand out as little as possible, but before you could really achieve that a boy walked in.

He didn’t look lost you wouldn’t say, but he also didn’t really look like he belonged in the group of people.

He was wearing jeans, and a bomber jacket and big shoes and had a flat expression on his face. His eyes skimmed across the room, but it didn’t look like he was searching for anyone in particular. It just seemed like he was lost in his own thoughts, trying to see what this place had in store for him.

Embarrassingly enough, you got lost in the cool expression on his face as he looked around- so lost that you didn’t really think it through as you watched his gaze coming closer and closer to where you were seated.

After all, if you had thought it through you would have diverted your attention to your phone or anything else really, to avoid making it seem like you had been staring at him- which you had been, probably looking like a dumbfounded idiot in the process.

Of course, instead of playing it safe and being smart, you had held your gaze on him until his eyes finally fell on you, seated there in the corner of the room. He didn’t really look surprised to see you staring at him- or he didn’t jump or anything when you two locked gazes. Instead, after a few moments of prolonged eye contact, he raised an eyebrow towards you, seeming to know that out of all the things he had seen so far in the room you were the one that didn’t belong.

You wanted to be cool, keep an even expression and maintain eye contact until finally, he looked away from you. But looking at him too long like that only made your heart thud harder in your chest. You cleared your throat and let your gaze leave his, looking down to your phone to avoid the awkwardness of accidentally meeting his gaze again.

You figured he just wanted to gauge a reaction from you after all. See how you would try to get his attention, see how desperate you were for a friend or for simple social interaction in this small room. Yeah, sure you didn’t have any friends at this event, but you certainly weren’t going to talk to anyone you didn’t have to. You didn’t want a friend that badly.

You unlocked your phone and went to look at your Instagram feed scrolling through the images before you without really registering what any of them are.

It was really just a way to make it look like you had moved on, after all, to throw off the stranger if he was still looking at you. Sure if you sat there and simply looked at the other students you looked more like you were desperate to meet someone new. But the more that you sat there and looked at your phone the more it seemed like maybe you were waiting for a friend. Getting impatient because- but before you could follow that line of thought any further, you heard some shuffling, and someone sat down in the chair directly beside you.

You looked up in surprise, your eyes widening when you saw it was the guy from before. He wasn’t even pretending like his presence was a coincidence. He was looking right at you, his body angled towards you just so. Then, without even a moment's pause he smiled at you and offered you his hand.

“Hi, I’m Hansol.”

Your nose wrinkled as you looked at the guy in front of you, unsure of what to really think. What was his angle? Why has he playing friendly with you?

Still, as you weren’t an entirely skeptical person, you smiled and took his hand.

“Hello,” you greeted warmly. He raised his eyebrows at you when you spoke, and it was only after a moment that you realized the reason why was because you had neglected to share your name as well. Your face pinkened and you quietly murmured it to him.

“It’s nice to meet you,” he mumbled softly. He fell silent and his gaze turned back to a group of students in the front of the classroom, however, you noted that it was a different group of kids than the ones who were very obviously looking at him and talking about him. You gave him a confused look from the side, and considered saying something, but after a few minutes passed you figured there was no point.

You sighed and rested your back against the back of the chair again, looking in front of you, thinking about focusing back on what you had before. The people, the scenery- what movie were you going to be watching anyways- when suddenly Hansol turned to you again.

“Are you going to school here?” He asked. You turned to give him a puzzled look and that’s when he shook his head. “Sorry, of course you are going here. What year are you? I’m a sophomore.”

You hummed and turned to face him more fully.

“I’m a sophomore too,” you replied. Before you could add to the conversation, he gestured to the room around you two.

“Are you a Korean student? This is an event for kids in Korean classes,” he stated. You honestly weren’t really sure why he even bothered asking. You knew he knew the answer. You shook your head.

“I uh, just saw a poster and thought it would be fun,” you replied. He nodded his understanding.

“Yeah, I’m not either,” he stated pointedly. Confusion tugged at the back of your mind once again and you opened your mouth to ask him how he had discovered the event himself, but before you could he got up. “I’ll be right back.”

And then he was gone.

You stared after him, not really sure how to feel.

You weren’t sure if you were supposed to look away from him, or something, but all you could do was stare as he tried to walk over to the snack table only to be stopped by the group of kids that had been clearly talking about him before. One of the boys- the shorter of the entire pack of boys, smacked Hansol, making him pout and hold his head slightly in pain… You weren’t sure if he was overexaggerating or not.

Another boy rushed over to Hansol’s side at that, pulling him protectively behind his back. You couldn’t hear what they were saying- the room was just too loud to hear them properly, but you could still easily deduct that the boy with the round cheeks was protective over Hansol.

Hansol seemed a little dim to this and simply smiled a gummy smile, resting his head on the boys’ shoulder, looking on at the two arguing in adoration. The dopey look on Hansol’s face seemed to annoy the rest of the boys as they took turns reaching forward and hitting the back of his head when the only boy protecting him wasn’t paying attention.

Eventually, the students began to look at their phones, seeming to decide the movie was going to start soon. They gestured towards some seats that were near them, clearly wanting Hansol to sit down with them, but he just smiled, shook his head and then gesture up to you.

Your eyes widened and you looked away as quickly as possible- even though it wasn’t quick enough. You knew that they had all seen you looking. You sucked in a deep breath and tried not to seem too much like you had been eavesdropping, but it wasn’t long before someone took a seat next to you. They didn’t say anything, so you risked a glance.

It was Hansol. He had slid out of his shoes at some point- Who knew when that had happened, and was sitting with his feet tucked under his body in the chair. You were quick to look away from him as the two of you sat there, not wanting him to think you were obsessed with him or something, but he looked at you pointedly almost as soon as you looked away and smiled and you just knew that he had caught you.

“I’m back,” he stated. Then he pointed at the movie screen. “The movie is about to start.”

And as if on cue, the room faded dark.

Once the movie started, you realized that you needed to start reading posters better. As you couldn’t understand a single word that left the people on the screen’s mouths.

Sure, it made sense that a Korean department hosted movie night, that Korean students needed to attend for class would be showing a movie entirely in Korean, but even so you were surprised when you realized that you would have to read subtitles throughout the length of the film.

The annoying part maybe wasn’t that you had to read the subtitles even. You watched your fair share of shows and movies that weren’t exclusively in a language you knew. Subtitles weren’t that annoying.

It was however Hansol that bothered you the most.

As the movie started you initially honestly thought that he was talking to himself.

You could hear his voice, barely above a whispering speaking to absolutely nobody as the movie ran its course. At first, you had told yourself just to ignore it, but eventually you couldn’t keep to yourself. God you couldn’t focus on the movie with him murmuring like that beside you the whole time…

You ended up shifting your weight, leaning your body towards him so that you could hear him better.

Your first realization once you could actually make out what he was saying was that his words were the same as the ones on the screen in front of you.

That only confused you more.

You thought maybe he was a visual learner, needed to hear the English for himself to truly understand what was being said, but it was then that you realized he was speaking before the subtitles appeared.

You frowned deeply at that, glancing at him in-between each subtitle switch.

“What do you think I’m here for?” He whispered under his breath. Your eyes darted towards the movie screen. The subtitles popped up as soon as he spoke, and you resisted the urge to gasp. Did he know Korean?

You tested out your theory as the time went on, noting when he would say the words that were on the screen, and realizing with a start that sometimes he would say something a little different then what was said on the screen.

And then, at some point you stopped paying attention to the captions at all. You leaned your body close to Hansol’s, listening to each word as it left his mouth. He too shifted during the movie, his body leaning towards you.

You wanted to think it was a coincidence, the way he had glanced at you after you would look away from him to look at the movie screen, or the way that he started directing his words towards you instead of just to himself and the world around him, but you knew that it wasn’t. He had noticed that you were listening to him.

He rested his arm close against yours as each line of dialogue was spoken, translating every bit of it for you. By the time the credits were rolling you had tears in your eyes, and your legs crossed under as you wiped the wetness from your cheeks.

You heard Hansol chuckle suddenly from the side, and you looked over at him with red eyes. He had a large goofy smile spread across his lips, an incredulous look on his face.

“Are you crying?” He asked.

“It was sad,” you blurted back. Hansol didn’t stop laughing at you, and so you grunted and reached over smacking his shoulder. He pouted at that, actually pulling back as if that had hurt him. It made you feel a little better about the fact that a literal stranger was laughing at you for crying in a movie. “You know I don’t have to deal with this if you are going to just make fun of me.”

You got to your feet and rubbed your hands over your jeans, intent on leaving, but before you could get any further Hansol was scrambling to his feet, almost falling over he was laughing so hard: “Wait”. He fought to quickly catch his balance and ended up holding on to your wrist for support.

You couldn’t help the way that your cheeks reddened at the contact, honestly a little touched that he was comfortable enough around you to use you for support. Still, once he was back to his normal height you pulled your arm away from him and raised an eyebrow at him.

“You can’t leave,” he continued once he had sobered up a little. He dug into his pocket before finally pulling out his phone. He messed with it for a little- too long really, and then scrunched his nose. “Can I have your phone number?”

He brandished his phone for you to see and input your phone number in, and your face turned a bright red when you saw that he had written “cute girl from the movie” in the spot where your name belonged.

You weren’t really the type of person who met a stranger and gave them your phone number. It wasn’t generally a safe bet in your opinion. Better to get to know someone before they found out the string of numbers that practically meant your lifeline nowadays.

And in this day and age it was so much more common to share snapchats, or Instagram usernames, that it felt almost awkward to type your phone number into the contact bar.

And yet… You found yourself doing so even to your own disbelief.

You handed Hansol back his phone, raising an eyebrow at him as you did so.

“Happy now?” You asked. He nodded and smiled.

“We have to hang out more…. Maybe we can watch more movies together? I’ll translate.”

You shuffled your feet against the ground of the small theatre, unsure of how to respond without sounding too eager. Sitting next to him in this space had been so much fun, it felt almost like you two were in your own world.

You could imagine getting to know him better, having the opportunity to rest your head on his shoulder as he whispered dialogue into your hair, holding you close when you cried.

Normally when you were watching a show in another language you would look away when something sad happened so that you didn’t have to know exactly what was being said. You could only imagine the way that Hansol would turn into you, only speaking the words louder for you to hear, not letting you escape from the pain. Smiling in adoration as you cried over the smallest most obvious thing.

It would be fun to share all those romantic moments with him, all that heart ache, to have someone warm and safe to cling to if things got scary, or if all hope seemed lost.

You risked a glance up at Hansol, surprised when you saw the way his gaze was glued to you. You could tell from just a glance that he was thinking the same thing you were.

Together you two would make quite the pair.

“Maybe,” you murmured softly. You ducked your head again and turned your back to Hansol. “I’ll see you.”

You waved over your shoulder and quickly began to leave the small room, so embarrassed by your hasty departure that you weren’t really sure what to do with yourself. Even so when you hit the bottom floor, ready to slide past who you supposed to be the Korean professor and get out of that room, your phone started to buzz in your pocket.

You froze, a frown decorating your lips as you looked down at the cell phone. The number was unknown, but for some reason as soon as you saw it, you just knew who it was. You looked back over your shoulder at Hansol, amused when you saw the gooey smile that just wouldn’t leave his lips.

He raised his phone in the air.

“I had to make sure it works!” He said defensively. His loud exclamation made the entire room look at him, a bit of a silence falling over the students as they tried to gauge who he was talking to and why he was talking so loudly to them. He didn’t seem to be embarrassed by the attention. “You gotta answer so you can save my phone number.”

At that everyone in the room turned their attention to you, and your face turned an even darker shade of red. You weren’t entirely sure how to react being put on the spot, but Hansol didn’t even seem to realize that you were just embarrassed by the attention. He dropped his arms to his side and shrugged shyly.

“Unless, I’m being a little too forward or rushing things a bit- in that case take your time I would-”

Before he could finish speaking you raised your phone up pointedly and slid the green phone button across your phone.

“You won yourself a date with the cute girl from the movie,” you murmured into the speaker. The kid closest to you snickered at your words, and it only made you that much more embarrassed.

But it didn’t matter as you stared at Hansol, because he looked so happy that you had answered that it genuinely made your heart skip a beat.

“I can’t wait to see you again,” he stated into the speaker. You rolled your eyes at the cheesiness of his statement. And hung up the phone call. You made eye contact with him again.

“I can’t wait to see you again either,” you mouthed back at him, before shooting him a deliberate wave and walking away from him. You knew that an hour with someone in a totally casual setting wasn’t really enough to for sure state that you would be really happy with them in the future, but you were confident as you added Hansol’s phone number to your phone that he would be the best thing about this university.

[simply-shakera]

Embodying Black Joy

Before Black History Month 2021 comes to an end, I want to take this moment to reflect on how significant this time truly is. Although my belief is that Black History and culture should be celebrated throughout all months of the year;  for now, I do believe it is important that we continue to utilize this time to acknowledge the historical feat against monumental odds that Black people have been able to achieve. It is the responsibility of the current and future generations to take what we have learned and keep the momentum going. It is also necessary for us to utilize our talents and gifts to uplift those around us.

As a natural caregiver, I  nourish the people around me by creating and sustaining a community of care, joy & connection. Carnival Spice has allowed me to complete much of this work and I am truly grateful for that. Typically in February months I see an increase in Carnival Spice bookings due to Black History Month. Our most popular offering during this time is our family-friendly cultural presentations that highlight Black culture using dance, fitness and story telling in such a unique way.

I feel so full-filled when leading these presentations - especially when it is for our school-aged groups. Seeing kids of all ages so excited to learn and embrace the richness of Afro-Caribbean culture really motivates me to keep going. I particularly appreciate how engaged they are in the experience and the high vibrations they exude. Though all of our presentations were virtual this year, you could still feel their energy and joy through the screen.

"The most radical and revolutionary thing we can do for ourselves is to connect to joy and to allow ourselves to feel. That is how show up positively in the world and complete dissolve ancestral trauma."  -- Devi Brown

Joy, that deep-rooted inner feeling that inspires that outward expression of happiness... But Black joy goes far beyond that. Black people have contributed so much to this world yet sadly the way we as a people have been treated does not reflect that. Racism, social injustice, and trauma runs rampant plus there isn't enough spaces that allow for healing. Thankfully, joy is a form of healing; and while society often condemns Black people for being "too loud", "too angry" or "too much", revelling in joy is an act of resistance too.

Engaging in Black joy sends a message to your mind and spirit that you are worthy, you are important, and you are loved. We should make a habit of taking inspired action to bring joy into our lives. I put together a few light-hearted lists for you that may help you engage in Black joy daily:

The Beauty of Affirmations

I believe the universe has the power to align us with people, things and experiences that match our vibrations. It is important for us to keep our vibrations high to increase the opportunity of positive attraction. Practicing the act of repeating and affirmations (positive statements) is a powerful way to strengthen our mindset by helping us believe in the potential of an action we desire to manifest.

I encourage you to write out an affirmation related to joy and set it as a as a daily alarm on your phone. When the alarm goes off repeat the statement out loud and be present in the moment and positive energy.

Listen To Music

Music is a powerful tool that unlocks joy. From the beat, to the lyrics, to the melody certain parts of songs just know how to hit our soul. I created a playlist with a mix of feel good songs from different eras and genres - take what you'd like:

Can’t Take My Joy by Terri Lyons

My Dream by Nesbeth

Put Your Hands Where My Eyes Could See by Busta Rhymes

The Anthem by  Todd Dehaney

Blessed by Wizkid and Damien Marley

Beat of Life by Sarz ft. Wizkid

Jerusalema by Master KG ft. Burna Boy

Skip To My Lou by Ding Dong, Serani & Biggy

Just Dance - Wacky Dip by Ding Dong feat. Voicemail

Go Crazy by Chris Brown

High Life by Machel Montano

Full of Vibes by Voice &  Marge Blackman

Lose Control by Missy Elliot - ft. Fat Man Scoop

Happy by Pharell Williams

Dance Heals

Dance truly does heals and it is such a positive way to embody Black joy. Here are some of my favourite dance moves from the African Caribbean Diaspora - taken from popular genres such as afrobeat, soca, dancehall and hip - hop.

Shaku Shaku (Nigeria)

"Although the dance is credited to Olamide, the truth is that he is not the inventor of the dance. But he played the major role in the crossing over of the dance to the mainstream media. The dance originated in the streets. According to DJ Real, Shaku Shaku name is for street guys, and the dance was named after their particular style of dances when they are hanging out" - Source. The move involves crossing one arm over the other and bringing that same arm toward the ear as if you are making a phone call.

Palance (Trinidad)

In 2010, the world was introduced to the song and dance that is palance. The song by JW and Blaze ’s popularity was established when it took the "Road March" title at Trinidad’s Carnival that year where it was played along the parade’s judging route 417 times.The move involves jumping side to side on one foot at a time while waving yuh flaggg. Back then, soca song's weren't known for having dances - so palance truly broke the mold. We have even seen Beyonce and Justin Trudeau do it.

Krazy Hype (Jamaica)

This mid school dancehall move will always be one of my favourites. It was created in 2003 by choreographer Crazy Hype from the The MOB Dance Group to Elephant Man hit song of the same name. The move involves hopping from side to side but landing on your heels.

Harlem Shake (Us)

The dance was created by Harlem resident Al. B. in 1981. However, in 2001 the dance resurfaced and was renamed when it featured heavily in G.Dep’s music video for the song "Let's Get It". When you hear this song one can't help but get to shakin'.

Enjoy A Movie

Get your laugh on or enjoy a flick that makes your heart smile. While your at it, support a Black art! I have helped you out by compiling a list movies that exude Black Joy.

Soul (2020)

Critics Consensus: A film as beautiful to contemplate as it is to behold, Soul proves Pixar's power to deliver outstanding all-ages entertainment remains undimmed.

Synopsis: A music teacher who dreams of performing jazz live finally gets his chance, only he travels to another realm to help someone find their passion, he soon discovers what it means to have soul.

Soul Food (1997)

Critics Consensus: Much like the titular cuisine, Soul Food blends a series of savoury ingredients to offer warm, generous helpings of nourishment and comfort.

Synopsis: This hit domestic comedy-drama concerned the fortunes of an extended African-American family recalled through the eyes of young narrator Ahmad Hammond.

Love and Basketball (2000)

Critics Consensus: Confident directing and acting deliver an insightful look at young athletes.

Synopsis: A young African-American couple navigates the tricky paths of romance and athletics in this drama. Over the years, the two lead characters begin to fall for each other, but their separate paths to basketball stardom threaten to pull them apart.

Sister Act 2: Back In The Habit (1993)

Critics Consensus: Sister Act is off-key in this reprise, fatally shifting the spotlight from Whoopi Goldberg to a less compelling ensemble of pupils and trading its predecessor's sharp comedy for unconvincing sentiment.

Synopsis: In the sequel to the hit comedy Sister Act, Whoopie Goldberg reprises her role of Deloris Van Cartier, a Las Performer. It appears Deloris is needed in her nun guise as Sister Mary Clarence to help teach music to teens at a troubled school in hopes of keeping the facility from closing at the hands of Mr. Crisp (James Coburn), a callous administrator.

[scorchedhearth]

Character ask: Pick between Andy, Booker and your fav/least fav from Black Sails idk I'm undecisive lol <3

Undecisive besties, let’s go <3 Thank you! Black Sails is still very fresh for me so my opinions are very messy and rough rn but this was a great exercise to try and put words on my feelings!

So far my fav is Captain Flint, obviously since he’s the main character so here we go:

How I feel about this character

I think he’s one of the best morally grey character I’ve seen in a while, and morally grey as what it really means, someone with ideals that sees his methods blend right and wrong to achieve his goals. I also love how he dominates the entire narratives from season one til the very end, how even when he’s not in the scene he’s everything the characters are talking about, he’s always at the center of everything happening even when not there in person, you really feel how imposing and how heavy he weights on the mind of everyone and the fate and the story of Nassau and new providence. The design of the character is also really great, the small details in the costume, especially when turning from s02 to s03 and how his physic represent his state of mind. And the actor does an incredible job too! I love how his arc is written and how he evolves and changes, and especially how his and Silver’s relationship grows and what it becomes. Also love the s02ep05 reveal and how up until that point (aka 1.5 season which is a lot) you have no idea what is the main drive and the backstory of the main character, and how it unlocks everything. Up until then he’s just, very rough and unlikable and he still is after but you understand why and it’s just so satisfying from a storytelling point of view

All the people I ship romantically with this character

I don’t really ship him, I said a while back I didn’t want to see that show in a fandom lense I think I won’t do it, and in the show he has value because of his lack of relationships, the fact that he has nothing to loose anymore is what drives his character until the end and he doesn’t let romantic matters and things like that influence him. But lbr, Flint and Thomas are the only ship I can see for him, or the two of them with Miranda

My non-romantic OTP for this character

Flint and Silver all the way. The way their relationship evolves over the course of the 4 seasons is just perfect I think. It feels so real, how they slowly earn each other’s trust and respect and friendship and how it ends. The fact that they are the same, and the show makes sure to show and tell us that. They are a mirror to each other. And if not Silver, then Madi, if only for the way they work so similarly and the few scenes where you see how they share a mind toward their goal, even if not for the same reason they often agree and do thing together, and she’s one of the few to go up against him and stand her ground (or even make him back off)

My unpopular opinion about this character

Don’t know if it’s unpopular or not, I haven’t dipped my toes in the fandom’s pool, but I actually like his ending, it’s the total opposite of what you were expecting for this character and still it works. Because of how unexpected it is, it works really well and even if a part of me wanted to see him carry on with his devouring rage and grief, the fact that they choose to give him a kind end where he can find peace again (which he could never have reached with the war he was planing) despite how obviously set up it was for him to go down in battle/being betrayed, it feels like a good and satisfying twist

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

I can’t really think of anything yet, I really liked how they used the character and what he’s done in the show. Maybe, just out of curiosity not really wanting to see it in canon the ending was really good for me, what would have happened if Silver hadn’t stopped him and Flint had carried on his war, how he would have ended and if he would have succeeded and how that would have impacted all the characters around him

Send me a character!

[nurseofren]

Keeping Your Promise - Chapter 16 (NSFW)

Read on AO3

Read chapter fifteen (NSFW)

Title: Wake-up Call

Words: 4500

Summary: Who knew men's underwear could be so erotic?

ST Rambles:  Y'all. We are getting closer and closer to the good stuff, my friends. Not that there hasn't been good stuff already, but the really good, messy, plot-heavy stuff. When I was just reading through this chapter I started to get very excited about the future of this fic. I hope I can deliver on this, I really do. 

[Masterlist]

Sleepy eyes peered around the mirror, examining the savaging which took new residence over your skin. All shapes and shades of dusk covered your prominences; one purpled puddle spanning your elbow, another three parallel over your side – one etching over your hip, another dripping over the curve of your rib cage, and the final fringing atop your deltoid in a russet starburst. A suggestion of a hand print fixed itself over your opposite shoulder, the bruise more vivid where your Commander’s fingers had bitten into the muscle. The grisly sight continued below your waist, both your knees inked in injury, one blotch creeping upwards in memoriam of the joint’s protrusions crashing against the floor. For once your neck remained free of the ghosted grip of Kylo Ren, the only evidence of him blending together in a patchy trail along your artery.

The tips of your fingers traced down the perforated contusions starting at the hinge of your jaw, drawing down the curve of your pulse, and ending at the proximal end of your clavicle; a violet twilight splayed beneath your touch, the memory of its fruition warming the tops of your cheeks. The reflection gave light to the faint lines which racked together over your wrists, the sight prompting the mindless rolling of the joint to test its range of motion. To any unsuspecting onlooker you appeared a survivor of a gruesome tale, one that indicated a battle with some ferocious creature; in a way, you thought, that wasn’t completely false.

Every welt lingering over your skin, visible or not – the torment which your core had endured aching with each suggestion of movement – belonged completely to Kylo Ren. Last night he’d painted his own pain over your body, the ache of his anger obvious with even the slightest pressure over the affected areas. Though you knew this, knew that these marks were premeditated, you distantly regarded the comfort the echoed pain offered; while the night had been birthed in egregious wrath, its end offered a breath-stealing contrast.

In the full light of Kylo Ren’s bathroom, you brought your hands together before you, the mirror falling out of focus as they turned over and brushed over each other’s knuckles and tendons. The soft skin was painted with vestiges in the valleys between each knuckle, the sight reminding you of the intimacy which had created them, the irony of how a moment of such beauty could manifest in such an injurious manner lighting a spark at your spine. The frozen air of his quarters nipped at your bare skin, reminding you what had prompted you from the warm, yet vacated, covers: the search for clothing.

Waking up had been disorienting, jolting you past the haze of morning and into the acknowledgment of the unfamiliar environment. It felt hollow waking up alone, like you were on some separate plane of reality without Kylo’s presence in his own bed. Out of habit, you’d gone to search for the time on your wrist, only remembering the timepiece’s absence when its red-shining face didn’t blind you in the shadows of early light, artificial in its existence, which framed the ceiling.

It had been too chaotic to get a good look at the Starkiller quarters last night, but as the frozen floor bit at your toes in your walk through the unfamiliar space, you noticed how mundane the provisions were. Everything lacked in comparison to the Finalizer, noting how the smaller rooms and shorter walls created a false sense of hominess; there was barely a kitchen, no dining table, and a hint at a sitting area – all of which blended together in various shades of similar blacks, greys, and whites. It felt uncomfortable to think that the Commander of the First Order lived in such normalcy and necessity when he wasn’t killing innocents or training to do so.

A pile sat at the countertop’s center, your uniform obvious at the top, the red embroidery prominent even in darkness. After a short search, you flicked on a light and padded towards it, crossing your arms as your breath shuddered through the cold air. It was a curious sight, your uniform folded into a frumpy square as your bra poked out from beneath the collar and your watch sat parallel above the red threading. Confused alarms sounded in your head, the fact that Kylo Ren had spent time collecting your belongings and compiling them into a neat pile making you doubt your consciousness, momentarily stopping to see if you had only been imagining the past few minutes.

Something else stole your attention, bringing your eyes away from the stack and up towards a rectangle of paper. It was folded in half, its torn edges and faded print indicating it had come from some scrapped document he no longer needed. Reaching for it, you found something underneath, a soft piece of unfamiliar black fabric. Then, when you lifted it, something slipped out from its confines, a black plastic rectangle glinting beneath the overhead light; its familiar design quickly indicating that of your Finalizer room key. Squinting in effort and inquiry, you read the hand-penned note, skin igniting as your leaned into the icy counter and half-admired the pointed scrawl of your first name at the top left-hand corner.

I’ve arranged for your residence’s security to be updated and reprogrammed to this key. Return there unless otherwise indicated.

You’ll also need these, as yours are tucked into the fasteners of my uniform.

Thanks for the keepsake, officer,

K.R.

With a hesitant curiosity, you took the folded fabric and unfolded each of its creases. It was a pair of his briefs, the sight eliciting a heartbeat between your legs. An astonished gasp fell from your lips, your face burning with exhilaration at the thought of your panties – unwashed and nearly three days old – stowed at his hip, their presence only known to him and you. As you imagined the frail stitching hanging loosely at his waistband, your thighs clamped together, the shifted bones of your pelvis crying out in protest at the sudden plead for satiety. He took your panties as a prize, spoils from last night’s conquest. Such a sick, unapologetic, hot bastard, you thought, your face split in an unintentional grin.

Taking his donation in stride, you pulled the article over your legs, surprised to find the elastic resting easily at your hips. The material was stretchy, an excess amount of give indicating, though they could fit, they were intended for legs much larger than your own. The hem rested four inches below the apex of your thighs, your hands smoothing over the front, your thumb catching on the open flap which rested along the line of your inner right leg. The light sensation, sending tiny continuous vibrations over your mound, built on the prominent pulse beating at your entrance.

Kylo’s face, nonsensically beautiful, passed through your memory, your teeth pulling your lip between them as you thought of how his tongue felt over yours, how his breath ignited body-enrapturing sparks at your ear. A gasp caught in your throat, your thighs pressing together in need, your head bowing down into the counter while you filed through the endless thoughts you’d cataloged from previous encounters. Congratulations. A sharp throb came from your core, your hands grappling onto the countertop’s edge at the memory of graduation.

“Stars.” The plead led into a moan, your throat thickening with need as your body ached for what it couldn’t have.

Closing your eyes and pushing a long breath from your lungs, your fingers dipped into the briefs’ opening, the knowledge that they were his frenzying you further, your skin reveling in the feel of the smooth fabric gliding over the back of your hand. The tips of your index and middle fingers trailed parallel down your slit, mind drifting to how Kylo’s could frame your sex in their length as they drifted closer towards your entrance, the thought seething a whine through your teeth. His modulated voice percolated in your ears, the way his breath falls out in proximity eliciting another merciless pulse, your abdomen tightening to absorb the ramifications.

Parting your folds, your fingers dipped into your slit, collecting the fluid which fled from your core. Just the thought of Kylo Ren – the way his abdomen ripples with every calculated step, the way his hair shifts in rhythm with his thrusts, the way it feels to have his full weight consume your body and alter your breathing – had worked diligently to ruin the fresh garment, your center preparing for a fullness it couldn’t currently achieve. Taking the pad of your middle finger, you pressed against the buzzing flesh of your clit, winding a wide, deep circle around it. A muffled cry fought to unlock your teeth, your head falling back at the taunting.

Are you a good girl? The melody of his past words crept over your skin, your leg crossing behind the other as you remembered his lips kissing the tops of his gifted stockings; a hum buzzed in your head, your fingers leading down to your entrance so your thumb could take residence over your clit. Hunching down lower, your head pressing down onto the smooth countertop as you took a wider stance, you pushed two fingers past your entrance, a shuddered whimper leaving your now parted lips. Your walls were throbbing, your pulse rising with each new reminiscent thought of your master.

The pad of your thumb wound a tighter, fuller path around the engorged flesh beneath, your fingers pumping into your core, your mind wandering through time while pressure heightened within you. A fast thought, a wondering instead of a memory, passed through, imagining how Kylo would react seeing you like this, setting eyes on you while you stood in his kitchen, wearing only his briefs while you bucked into your hand as thoughts of him cascaded from your mind to his. Would he be angry, furious that you could build your own release without him? Or would he watch you, his hidden eyes gawking as he felt your every intention before it came to be, attuned to the way your body sang at the memory of his voice, of his eyes, of his frame?

“Fucking hell,” you gasped, the heel of your hand grinding into the rapturous nerves as your digits hooked into your core, fluid streaming past your knuckles as your body promised an impending release.

With each second and every flex of your hand you crawled towards climax, thinking of Kylo Ren’s cock as it throbbed in need, beads of precum dripping from the slit as it twitched in his hands, readying to fill you with each torturous inch of its pulsating length. Breath stuck in your throat, your pulse pounding in your skull as your mouth hung open, salivating at the thought of him painting your face with thick, hot ropes of his cum, moaning as you remembered how the liquid collected over your nose and slowly dripped within reach of your hunting tongue.

“Oh, Kylo,” you whined, drool dripping onto the floor within your spread stance, remembering how badly you’d wanted his cock, dowsed in his own blood, to completely destroy your cunt, to stretch you until you tore, to have your own blood combine with his as he rocked into you, relentless even in your pain.

Your walls peaked, your body stalling and unfurling into a nebula of pleasure, hearing the phantom cries of your master echo into the false reality as your free hand strained against the countertop, your lungs trembling with quick breaths. Taking in your accomplishment, you leaned down onto the marble, your hand leaving his briefs and hugging onto the chilled stone, gulping as you slowly left the hazed state of contentment.

“Thanks for the wake-up call, Commander.” Not that he could hear you, you felt it was now a fair trade, your panties for his briefs, acknowledging the notion had done a nice job at kick starting your day.

Reaching over towards the pile, you brushed over the watch’s screen, finding it to be a quarter before seven. Although you knew you hadn’t been to the stormtrooper hub in what seemed like a lifetime, you could make it there for shift change if you left from here in five minutes. Reluctantly, wanting to stay here and hide from life’s responsibilities, you pushed off from the counter and grappled your uniform over your head, not bothering to toil with the buttons. Without looking down, you slipped your shoes on and fastened the watch around your wrist; with a quick finger-brush through your hair and a swish of water from the sink, you stowed the keycard into the front pocket of your uniform and activated the door, keeping your head low and face hidden as you made your way into the open hallways.

In an effort to multitask, you pulled your phone out, finding an email waiting on its home screen. The subject line read CONFIDENTIAL: Trial proceedings. In your hobbled stride, the notification dropped your heart. Had it really been less than twenty-four hours since meeting with Hux? He’d informed you of the email, that it would come later in the day, but you’d been so tossed up in the world of Kylo Ren that you’d forgotten to worry about it, forgotten that life wasn’t simple anymore. Even as you skulked away from your Commander’s quarters after not just fucking him, but sleeping with him, this email was what brought you back to reality, your shoulders falling as to remind you of the burdens they’d set down for the night.

Swiping across the screen, you opened the contents, being half-mindful of your surroundings as you trekked towards Starkiller’s general med bay. The scrollbar indicated the lengthiness of the correspondence, your pulse quickening thinking about how serious this all was. This was the beginning of the end, or at least the beginning of trying to prevent the end. It was difficult not to place blame, accepting that it was both a risk and a necessity to take the blood, but also knowing full well that none of this would be happening if Kylo Ren hadn’t taken you from the valuable clinical experience you would have obtained had you been allowed the time to learn in a professional setting. Inwardly you knew you did the right thing, but knowing the entire Board of Physicians was against your cause made it impossible not to feel guilty.

Continuing towards your destination, you delved into the email, first reading the sender information of the Board in all caps – their institutional name, address, contact information, and correspondence code – and then seeing your own information, stomach churning at the sight, head dizzying simultaneously.

Concerning the defendant,

This is an official summons to appear before the Board of Physicians to be tried for the accusation made of first-degree larceny based on multiple eyewitness accounts, a detailed variance report provided by an on-staff provider, and physical evidence surrounding this case collected during the time between the incident’s occurrence and determined trial date. The defendant is required to be notified via word of mouth and either physical or electronic correspondence; once these requirements have been met, construction of the case can and will be expedited.

The defendant will appear directly before the Board, bypassing the selection of a jury as to keep in pace with this time sensitive matter. For clarity’s sake it is reinforced that the defendant is being tried on the matter of her execution, as her license will be promptly revoked upon the formal announcement of the Board’s judgement. As the defendant has been informed, she will be placed under surveillance in an effort to provide adequate evidence regarding not only her practice as a nurse and provider, but as a functioning member of the First Order. During this time of surveillance the defendant should go about her daily life as she normally would to provide the most accurate idea of her character. In addition to technological monitoring, the character review will be centered around personal accounts of those who have worked with the defendant and superior reviews; these documents will be collected directly by the offices of the Board of Physicians and are to be collected no later than the morning of the defendant’s initial hearing.

The initial hearing will provide the defendant the opportunity to be introduced to the current elected members of the Board of Physicians. There shall be no questions asked verbally during this time as the defendant will be provided a list of official inquiries following her appearance. In the time between the initial hearing and the official trial – which shall be no less than five days and no more than seven – the defendant will be allotted adequate time to prepare for her questioning; during this same period, the defendant will choose a representative. Let it be known that the defendant is limited to the representatives provided for and selected by the Board of Physicians. Though it is ill-advised, the defendant also has the choice of representing herself.

Once the defendant has prepared her answers and chosen her representative, the official trial will promptly begin at O-eight hundred the following morning. The trial will follow all legal policies and proceedings as established by the First Order in exception of a selected jury. In the absence of a jury, the defendant will plead directly to the Board of Physicians; the Board has gone through training and certification to disallow bias, emotional or otherwise, to affect their judgments, barring the defendant from skewing their final decision. There will be three testimonies in accordance to the case – one from Officer Talia Harper, another from General Armitage Hux, and a final to be chosen by the defendant to speak in her favor.

The deciding members of the Board will be allotted seven days to construct their judgments and rationales. As there are five members of the Board, there will be no possibility of a tie. A majority of three will decide if the defendant is to be executed. Once the final judgement has been ratified, one chosen representative will formally announce the decision before the Board and the defendant. As disclosed earlier, upon the judgement’s announcement, the defendant’s license will be permanently revoked and she will be barred from practicing medicine under the First Order. Should the judgment entail the defendant’s execution, she will spend an additional seven days on Cantonica; during this time, the defendant will be allowed the facilities and liberties to get her affairs in order.

The trial will be conducted in the city of Canto Bight, six weeks from the initial send date of this correspondence. The defendant will need to arrange for travel and plan to arrive two days prior to the morning of her initial hearing. Standard necessities will be provided to the defendant during her time on Canto Bight; in addition, the defendant will also be assigned a security detail who will report to General Hux at the end of each day. During the defendant’s time away from her Master, Commander Ren, he will be assigned a new provider in her absence; this new provider will be selected from the pool of individuals who were screened for the position earlier this year.

Let it be known that this correspondence does not require a return from the recipient as she cannot refuse an audience with the Board of Physicians without forfeiting her case. Should the defendant be absent at her initial hearing, it would result in a call for her capture followed by an immediate scheduling of her execution.

On a final note, the Board of Physicians has deemed it necessary to put emphasis on this case, meaning all legal proceedings – the initial hearing, the official trial, the formal sentencing, and the potential execution – are to be televised and allowed for public viewing. The defendant should be prepared to go before upwards of two hundred people.

Direct any questions to the return address at the top of this official correspondence.

Respectfully,

Karmen Zag, Esq.

Head of Communications,

The Board of Physicians

The glutton of air which your lungs sucked in pointed out the fact that you hadn’t taken a full breath since you began reading the document. As you’d been reading, your head down and your eyes focused on the bright white screen, the world had fallen away, your journey towards the stormtrooper hub nearly complete. It was five minutes to seven, time evading you in the wake of all the new overwhelming information.

Six weeks didn’t seem like a long enough time for life to change so drastically. Then again, though, it had only been a little over two months since graduation and look how different life looked from then. Standing so far out yet to close to the trial, it felt impossible to win; and how could you win? What’s the prize at this point? Even if the Board rules against your execution, what life could you return to? All the schooling you’d put yourself through, every hour of studying and practicing, just, gone; if you had known it would be so ephemeral and pointless, maybe you’d have spent less time in the library, enjoyed your youth more than you did.

When you turned the corner, you collided into something solid, your body tripping backwards as you took in the familiar sight of your masked master, mind quickly thinking about your hidden belongings tucked beneath the layers of clothing they rested behind. Taking another step back, you regarded General Hux at his right arm, face resting in its usual repugnance.

“Oh, uh, I’m so sorry Commander Ren, I was just on my way to the stormtrooper hub,” you said, shifting your hair so it hid the superficial injury.

“I trust you’ve read over the email detailing your trial, officer?” Each syllable was annunciated, Hux’s voice clear and loud, a sense of unmistakable pride seeping from the question.

“Yes, actually. That’s what had me so distracted from my surroundings.”

“Hm. I’ll see you in six weeks, I suppose.” He took a step forward, away from your Commander. “I’ll notify you when the documents have been cataloged and filed.” With a too-long glare, he tromped past you, his steps growing quieter in his distance.

Looking back up at Kylo’s visor, you went to speak, but he beat you to it. “I trust you’ve had a productive morning.” There was something seductive about his tone, like it was laced with intentional double entendre.

Looking over your shoulder, you scanned the room for onlookers and cameras, finding nothing within earshot before looking back to him. “You could say that.” An unintentional throb came from between your legs, your mind trying and failing at not recounting your earlier self-satisfaction.

“I assume you found my note.”

“Yeah. Yes. Thank you for the… resources. They are both very much appreciated.” It felt funny being so formal with him in public, like a game of pretend.

“Oh, you’re welcome, by the way.”

Had you not just thanked him for the security – both technological and textile? “What… am I missing something?”

Kylo stepped forward, his arm grazing over yours as his head turned down towards your ear. “For the wake-up call, of course.”

Your mouth fell open, a gasp coming from your stunned lungs. “How did you – but you were nowhere near me.”

“I found you last night without that glorified compass on your wrist, didn’t I?” Two fingers pressed into the curve of your hip, goosebumps prickling your skin in fast waves.

Turning your head so your nose almost met his sleeved bicep, you cleared your throat. “So, what? You can hear me now?”

“Not in the literal sense, no. But, you were particularly obvious in your pursuits this morning. You were easy to sense above everyone else.”

You said nothing, still astonished that he grew more attuned to your presence with every encounter. He brushed past you, his fingers pulling at your uniform until they left completely. “Have a nice day, officer.”

His boots echoed behind you in his stride, leaving you hanging like it was nothing to him. Standing there a moment longer, you realized it was past seven, now. Shift change had already begun, and you were once again going to be late due to Kylo Ren’s distractions. Nearly running through the halls, you made it to the nurses’ station five minutes late, seeing the small huddles of night and day nurses around the patients’ doors, listening to their whispers related to client care. A few faces were twisted in confused disbelief, your face hot under their scrutiny.

Walking to the nurse manager’s office, you leaned into the room as you lightly knocked at her door, alerting her to spin in her chair to face you, her own expression following suit with the others’.  “Uh, hi. I don’t know if you remember me, but-,”

“You can’t be here,” the woman said, her words fast and jarring.

“I’m sorry, have I done something wrong?”

“Here—” she patted her desk until she gripped the document of her intent “—this should explain it.”

The paper was fresh, warming your hands when she passed it to you. On the front it had a photocopy of your ID, your unbeknownst face looking back at you in black and white next to your licensure information. Looking at the bottom of the document, you found a short blip of information, reading:

By signing this document, you hereby enforce the temporary disbarment of the above indicated physician from practicing medicine not related to his or her own assigned master.

Once more you looked further down the document, seeing the same pointed script from earlier scrawled across a printed line, next to it finding General Hux’s name in its own full, sweeping signature. Was this a joke? He really let you embarrass yourself in coming here instead of telling you in the halls? And, just, why? Why was he insistent in finding new ways to drive you insane? There was no logical reason for him to ban you from practice.

Without noticing, your teeth had clenched together, your fingers gripping too roughly into the thin document, staining your thumb in the fresh ink as it contorted within your grasp. The nurse manager was looking at you with a forced smile, silently saying you had no more business being here.

“Feel free to keep that,” she said, pointing to the crumpled copy.

Shaking with anger, you fought to contain yourself. “Yep.”

With that, you skulked out of the infirmary, not bothering to look up at the knowing faces of the coworkers you never got the chance to befriend. Would there ever come a day where you weren’t humiliated in your professional life? No. That was a pointless question to ask. Whatever career you currently had was about to end, and now you couldn’t even attempt to make up for it. As you whipped down the halls, fast, seething sounds left you, curses for Kylo Ren and General Hux distorted in a frenzied talk.

As if to piss you off further, your phone buzzed at your hip, hand tearing it from your uniform like the object had any say in the matter. The screen was free of emails, but your stride still stopped abruptly, your anger quickly replaced with a sense of ill-defined fear. Staring back at you was a message from Mason, only offering a single question with no context; three words that could mean anything:

Can we talk?

[mrluvian]

DREAM LOG 21st MAY 2020: Leaving past life and discovered who I am

I don’t usually log / input my dreams, but last night dream was amazing and I had to put it here. It was about me having superpower like Hancock (movie) and discovered who I really am. So let me begin:

AN OFFICE WORKER WHO WANTED TO BE FREE First, my dream started with me working in my father’s company (like real world) in a grey colored tall office building. After a heated arguments between my and my father, my father almost said the word that indicated I can leave if I don’t like the way things work around here in an angry tone. I said “Fine, I’ll quit.” and leave all my belongings there, such as my laptop, document and belongings, never look back. 

At this point, I think I knew before that I actually had powers. So at the side of my company’s tall building, I jumped and flew high and reached half of the building, then proceed on until the top of the building. After that, I jump-fly (like Hancock in the movie) away from my office. At that moment I knew my passion was to be free, not locked in an office room (at least in that dream).

So I flew around, I tried to boost myself into flying faster, and it did work. My, the graphics in my dream were very real, and detail. The trees in the urban area, the electric poles, the housing, all looked like in my country. So I flew and flew, and eventually decided to land somewhere, near a shop, to buy some equipment to start my new identity - as a superhero.

I landed softly on a shopping area, with no one around, but I broke the fence door, but nobody was there so I kept walking. I stumbled into a shoe stand. So I decided to ask what’s the good shoes to get a nice grip (since I may need to escalate a wall) and they can customize my shoe sizes too. I asked about the price, it was around 50 USD. At that time i think it was not worth it, since I figured my superhero job would make me to walk in fires or hard conditions. I abandoned and moved somewhere. 

The dream cut and I met my current girflriend (in real world and in dream -- the same). I  told her what happened, and consulted what to do. She told me I could do extreme jobs, like fixing pipes under the sea (like Iron Man did) and perhaps collect a sample from the sun. Those would worth a fortune. But then I said if I want to do that, better make sure I can hold my breath for few hours and not die because of sea water pressure, or melt because of the scorching sun. Perhaps doing that in government’s lab and getting acknowledged by them would be nice. 

She said that I do not need those tests. She knows who I really am. My father told me the real identity of me to her. It looks like my father entrusted this to my girlfriend since he believed in her so much.

AN INTERSTELLAR SPECIES

She told me that I am a part of species others called the Traveller. A not-from-earth interstellar species that has amazing superhuman abilities of travelling great distances, like between planets and solar systems without any equipment or vessel. Our species were meant to travel great distances, explore and help establish civilizations, but eventually, we are a peaceful and free creature so we can do whatever we want as long as it’s peaceful. Be it helping people, protect them, and so on. We are the only strongest species out there. We are the perfect species. We cannot die, unless we choose to. We cannot grow old unless we want to. Some of us has superhuman abilities that can be developed (such as super speed, super vision and psychic abilities, and it seems the ability to jump or travel between solar systems must be learned too, which at that point I cannot) but we can choose not to. After all, we are also perfect in our own image, therefore we can choose what we want to be as long as it is peaceful. We have achieved it all, why would we want more? All we want is to have a peaceful life and helping each other.

She told me our planet base was an clear sea planet, where we would hop on great distances on the sparkling sea and eventually landed on our base (it was colored as gray) where our home was. There were lots of our species there, dressed in tight spandex futuristic suit. We are a peaceful, scientific, explore enthusiast creature. Thousands of year of scientific advancement has made us unlock every potential of what a species can be.

BUT WAIT --- If I am an interstellar out from the earth species, that means my father and mother... AM I ADOPTED?  That’s what I thought. She said : no. My family are all from another planet. So our family, well my father and mother decided to explore to another planet ( it seems by flying from planet to planet without any equipment) and landed on Earth. Apparently Earth was already modern like today’s civilization and we kept our secret identity secret -- but it was never revealed in my dream. So when my father and mother landed on this earth, I was still not conceived yet. I don’t know what happened why my father decided to kept our powers hidden from the world and established a great company, instead of being an explorer. Was it because he was trying to blend in and not to attract attention, or that humans already know (since I flew on open air and nobody cared) and government knows it already but didn’t care since we’re not a threat? I think that  makes sense since nobody cared I flew from one place to another.

WHAT I AM GONNA DO TO MAKE A FORTUNE? OR TO FULFILL MY DREAMS?

So after I knew what my real identity is, I guess my father knew I was tempered man, and he pushed me into the edge, so that I can be free and find out my destiny is. 

So I figured what she said is true. I think I can give benefit to humanity , by contributing in science. Maybe in the past my parents were an explorer and contributed to humanity. Then they used their fortune to manage people and advance sciences instead of them helping directly by physical means. They now using their brains. 

For now, perhaps I can lift heavy stuff and get some quick cash, but I think our race were meant to explore, so some ideas might be about:

Exploring deep sea. Large part of the sea remained untouched until today, perhaps I can go deeper than most advanced submarines and retrieve some samples. It will be scary and dark, but considering I’m a superhuman who can’t die or go out of breath, and perhaps can kick away large predator, I should be fine. If I’m too scared, I just can help retrieve some heavy precious rocks or salvage old parts of ships. Who knows? The next idea is...

Collecting samples from the sun sounds amazing. I literally should be able to walk on the face of scorching sun without burning my own body. I believe I could, at least in my dream. The last I could think of is retrieving valuable samples from pool of lava on earth. 

DOES THE WORLD KNOWS US?

So my plan was to make my self known to the world. Hopefully my closed loved ones won’t be threatened by criminals, at least they will got protection from government. In this dream, I can hope, right? 

But I never sure whether the condition of the world knows us already or not. It seems that we previously have made our species clear in the eyes of the world and government, they just don’t care so long as we have peaceful intention or does not interfere in any war or politics issue. So just have to focus on occasionally helping those neighborhood people who needs favor.

My purpose was for peace and exploration and perhaps to advance science, and I’m gonna reveal or dedicate myself to the government or science organization and get acknowledged by them, then contribute to society. 

I think, in my dream, I should head back to my parents and consulted what to do next. Was it really a good idea to commit/reveal myself to human organization? They will tell the answer.

That is all for my dream that I could collect. I hope you guys enjoy reading. Perhaps it’s my deepest desire right now in real world but never get a chance in reality. 

Or perhaps... I am truly and interstellar species because that distant planet called me and I miss it.

[amehanaaa]

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days

We out here with another Nalu story! It’s been so long since I’ve written Nalu, but once I watched this movie, I couldn’t resist. I desperately needed to write this!

I actually have this story all written out, so I plan to have it all posted within the month of June. I hope you will join me on this journey! (Also can be read here.)

Chapter 1 / ? Words: 3030 Summary: Lucy and Natsu are determined to take the necessary steps to fulfill their lifetime dreams. Little do they know, they have both given themselves 10 days to achieve it.

                                                   ——————–

If Lucy doesn't start her mornings with a bagel slathered with strawberry cream cheese, it is not a good morning. The satisfying crunch of the first bite is just as pleasant as birds chirping.

Today is a good morning as Lucy eats her bagel with a content smile as she enters her office building. She makes a beeline towards the elevator. With her free hand, she scrolls through her phone to see if there are any updates.

"Fifty new comments," she whispers to herself.

Unsure whether to be proud or disappointed, she sticks her phone back into her purse and returns her attention to her half-eaten breakfast.

In between bites, she observes the lobby through the glass walls of the elevator. People from all over bustle through the area, all consumed by their own lackluster agendas. The higher she elevates, the more everyone blends together.

There isn't anyone who stands out more than the other—how fitting.

This is what it's like where Lucy works. It's the same routine every week: Mondays are for new ideas, Tuesdays are for settling with an idea, Wednesdays are for presentation, Thursdays through Saturdays are for writing, editing, proofreading, and Sundays are for posting.

Today is Tuesday, which means Lucy needs to decide what she wants to write for this week's article. Normally, she'd walk into her office with an itinerary. But this week, she finds herself feeling lost and uninspired to settle with an idea.

She doesn't let this affect her mood, though. Entering her designated floor, she holds her breath while walking through the experimental smells drifting in the air. Once she smells the familiar booze with a special ting to it, she sits in the open desk next to it.

"Is that blueberry, Cana?" Lucy asks her coworker frantically typing at her computer.

"Cranberry, actually," Cana responds through her types. "I've been experimenting this drink all week. I think this is going to be my best review yet!"

"I still can't believe Erza is letting you do this to yourself." Lucy shakes her head slightly, feeling a sense of pity as Cana appears to be in shambles.

"It's a privilege more than anything." Cana sends Lucy a grin over her shoulder, completely oblivious to her wild eyes. "I mean, how many people get paid for drinking unhealthy amounts of alcohol just to write a review on it?"

"I think I can see why it's not a popular job," Lucy responds. She returns to her own computer and purses her lips in thought. She has a list of what she could do for this week, but none of her ideas are close to what she actually wants to write.

Cana notices Lucy's blank stares. "Can't decide what to write this week?"

"I have some ideas," Lucy answers, half-lying. "I'm just not sure which one to pick."

"How about a follow up on that survey you did a couple of months ago? The one about lip gloss?" Cana suggests.

It takes every part of Lucy's physical being to hold back her cringe. "Yeah, I could do that."

"Everyone likes reading about lip gloss," Cana states simply, returning to her typing.

"Not everyone," Lucy mutters beneath her breath.

This is also what it's like every week. Pretending to love cheap cosmetics, the latest fashion trends, celebrity rumors, abs-guaranteed-exercises, and everything else in between. Lucy has mastered the art of pretending to be fully invested in these ideas.

Really, her dream is to have her own writing business that covers stories like how Fiore became the way it is, why the locals are the way they are, and highlight the hidden, creative minds throughout the city of Magnolia. She wants Fiore's hidden voices to finally have some light—that's all.

She thought joining this company would be the doorway to more opportunities to pursue her dream. And yet, here she is, already have worked two years without any progress. For now, she remains at a company where its sole purpose is to make women's lives easier one hairstyle, workout, rumor, and lip gloss application at a time.

Lucy's ultimate desires are easy to suppress throughout the day, but it doesn't seem to be working as effectively today.

"Do you think you're going to be ready to present to Erza tomorrow?" Cana asks once the work day is almost over.

"I'll figure it out." Lucy releases a heavy sigh, tilting her neck to each side with a relieving pop. It's not like she has much of a choice—she has to figure it out or else.

"We can go drinking tonight if you want," Cana offers.

"The only thing you should be drinking tonight is water." Lucy nearly scolds, standing from her seat and collecting her belongings. She places a water bottle next to Cana's desk. "I have plans tonight with Levy, but thanks, anyway. See you tomorrow."

Before Cana can convince her like she has done plenty of times before, she leaves the office building. Like any other city, cars cover the streets like mindless ants. The sunset hides behind the buildings, allowing Lucy to be guided by the flickering streetlights.

She strategically makes her way through the traffic, travels through three subway stations, and eventually arrives to her apartment. She unlocks her front door, being met with the delicious smell of dinner.

"Welcome back, Lu!" a voice sings out from the kitchen.

"Hey, Levy," Lucy smiles at her best friend and sets her purse down on the counter. "What's for tonight?"

"Dumplings," Levy announces proudly. "Are we still watching our show tonight?"

"Of course we are," she nods. The two exchange an excited smile before Lucy takes out her phone and reads another update. Who knew a trivial review about makeup could get so many comments?

After indulging in Levy's famous dumplings, Lucy tries to find any sense of inspiration for what to write this week. She thought of how she could write about how to eat healthy while eating dumplings, but she remembered that Evergreen wrote something similar last year.

"You okay? You're quiet tonight," Levy comments as they settle onto the couch minutes before their beloved TV show.

"I have no idea what to write this week," Lucy admits, running a hand through her hair. "I just want to write what I want to write, you know? I'm tired of writing all of this nonsense."

"It's okay," Levy reaches over and rubs Lucy's shoulder for comfort. "You're going to get there, okay? For now, let yourself enjoy the show. I read some spoilers that it's going to get juicy tonight."

"You said you weren't going to read spoilers without me!" Lucy proclaims, scoffing as Levy giggles mischievously.

Lucy decides to accept her best friend's advice, deciding that her article is more trivial than the show. But after this, she is definitely going to have to choose an idea.

"He should just dump her already!" Levy groans loudly as the episode cuts to a commercial.

"There has to be a reason why he keeps staying with her," Lucy theorizes aloud. "She has treated him horribly all episode. He wants something from her."

"Or maybe she wants something from him," Levy retorts. "They're not even a good pair, anyway. Ugh, I'll be right back. I need a refresher."

Lucy can't help but laugh to herself at Levy's dramatic expressions. She hopes that someday her audience will also react in a way like Levy. Her work will cause her audience to feel riled up, whether it be out of inspiration to take action or enragement and throw a fit.

At the same time, Lucy feels an emotional wall for the characters in the TV show, which is the complete opposite of Levy. Lucy can't remember the last time she has felt anything remotely related to love, let alone infatuation.

What was it like to feel so helplessly in love? What a foreign idea.

With the sound of Levy's quick steps back to the couch matching the steady thump of her heartbeat, the gears in Lucy's head gradually begin turning. When the TV show returns from commercial, it hits her.

"I have an idea on what to write!" Lucy exclaims suddenly.

"Shh, tell me later!" Levy waves her off, but Lucy doesn't care.

A grin stretches across her face. The idea is risky. It might not work out. It's not going to be easy.

But if each article she writes is one step closer to her dream, she's determined to take that next step.

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

"Come in, Lucy!"

Lucy opens the door to a spacious office, windows displaying the buildings of Magnolia. It's the classic office that anyone would dream of having—that is, anyone who only wishes to write about nonsense all the time.

"Hi, Erza," Lucy greets her boss. "I'm here to present my idea for you."

"It took you longer than I expected, but I can squeeze in some time for you. You can sit down," Erza beckons her. "What do you have for me?"

"It's going to be a personal story this week, but with a twist. Here are my ideas," Lucy explains while sliding her a notebook with all her scribbled ideas.

Erza squints at her handwriting, but they soon return back to normal. Much to Lucy's delight, interest swirls in Erza's eyes. She begins to nod with an amused smile, glancing at Lucy above her glasses.

"So, you're going to date a guy in reverse? How will you do that?"

"I'll find ways to drive him away," she answers. "I'll use mistakes that women typically make. It'll be an article of what not to do when you're dating someone. I'll keep a journal about it and record my findings."

"How to lose a guy in ten days," Erza echoes Lucy's final notes. "I think you've struck gold here. How did you think of this?"

Lucy can't hold back her satisfied smile. "This TV show I watched last night gave me some inspiration. Do you approve of my idea? In terms of posting, I won't be able to post on Sunday due to the length of the experiment."

"We can afford that if the execution is as good as the idea," Erza responds.

Although her words come out discouraging, Lucy takes a deep breath to ignore the looming pressure. She knows this isn't going to be an easy article to write, but she's willing to sell a kidney at this point.

"I'm going to a gathering tonight," Erza mentions, causing Lucy to perk up in her seat. "There will be plenty of men. Would you like to join me and find your experiment?"

Lucy doesn't like the idea of calling her future date an experiment, but she can't take back this opportunity. "I would love to come!"

"Okay, see you then. Now, if you would excuse me, I have some strawberry cake to eat."

Understanding that this is Erza's way of kicking her out of her office, Lucy collects her belongings and nearly dances out of the office. There isn't any room for anxiety for what she has gotten herself into. Right now, there is just pure bliss.

The outside air has never felt fresher on Lucy's skin as she makes her way back home for the day. Even though most of her articles have been nonsense, there is always a pre-article excitement.

"Levy, my boss accepted my idea!" Lucy shouts into her phone, her voice contained by the crowd surrounding her.

"That's awesome, Lu! I knew you could do it!" Levy cheers her on. "You're off work early, right? Come to the bakery and I'll treat you!"

"You don't have to invite me twice. I'll be right there," Lucy responds happily.

After hanging up the call, Lucy isn't able to hide the bounce in her step. She'll never admit this aloud, but the high of getting Erza's approval is almost as gratifying as her morning bagels.

Lucy pauses at a crosswalk, holding a staring contest with the red light across the street. She doesn't hesitate once it turns green; however, the first step she takes on the street matches with a screech.

"Oh, my—"

"Are you alright?!"

Lucy's eyes are almost bulging out of its sockets as she watches a man jump off his motorcycle and approach her with eyes the same size.

"Are you alright?" the man repeats, searching her for any injuries. "I wasn't expecting you to be there when I was turning."

"I-I'm okay," Lucy stutters, finally catching up with her ragged breaths. "It was my fault. I should have looked before I started crossing."

"I'm just glad you're not hurt." He lets out a relieved sigh. "I'm sorry about that."

"It's okay," she assures. She watches as the man shivers, almost as though to release the idea of what could have just happened. Although he wears a helmet with a tinted visor, she can tell he isn't bad looking. Could he be the one for her experiment?

"Well, since we're both good here, I'm heading out. Stay safe." The man nods his head as he begins to return to his bike.

Lucy moves her foot to step towards him. But by the time she realizes that there is no way she could ask someone out after being nearly trampled, the man is already zooming away.

"Note to self," Lucy mumbles, carefully walking across the street. "Just go for it next time."

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

The idea of running someone over after driving a motorcycle for less than a week is enough for Gray to shiver through his jacket. He can vividly see how the woman's eyes widened and jaw dropped in a matter of seconds. Gray deletes the image from his mind as quickly as possible.

"Hey, where have you been?!" a voice shouts out to Gray as he rolls towards the front of the fire station.

"Sorry, I got caught up in something," he explains, trying not to show that his voice is still shaky. "Anyway, here's your lunch. You owe me one."

"Owe you for what?" a man snatches the bag from Gray's hands. "Juvia gives you these for free, anyway."

"Not the point, Natsu." He rolls his eyes, following his friend to an outdoor table. "You're going to have to teach yourself how to cook someday."

"I do know how to cook," Natsu retorts. "I just cook at my own convenience."

Gray stifles a laugh while shaking his head. "Microwaveable meals don't count."

The two bicker—occasionally getting physical—until Natsu catches a glimpse of Gray's sparkling motorcycle in his peripheral vision. He pauses just for a second. "How's your bike?"

"I haven't killed anyone yet," Gray responds with a nonchalant shrug.

"My bike is cooler, anyway." Natsu waves his hand in dismissal. "You're welcome for getting you that deal, by the way."

"Yeah, yeah," Gray also lifts his hand to wave him off. He's positive that Natsu will never let him live that down. He is about to say they should race someday, but he notices the time.

"Hey, I need to head out, but I wanted to mention that Juvia is hosting a party tonight. You can come if you want."

"What's the menu look like?" Natsu asks.

"I can tell Juvia to think of you," Gray responds, causing Natsu to grin. "Come to my place in a suit."

"Alright, I'm in," Natsu nods in acceptance. He follows Gray towards his bike, munching on the remains of his baby carrots. It isn't until Gray is almost a street away when a thought surfaces into Natsu's mind.

"Does he expect me to bring a date?" he mutters to himself, going back inside the station.

Natsu's memory is blurry on the last time he was romantically involved with a woman. Sure, he has had his share of relationships, but there came a day when none of it was enjoyable as it used to be. Now that he is a fresh 26, Natsu wants more than a pointless, ten-day fling.

Knowing fully well that the food at the parties Juvia hosts is some of the best, Natsu purposely skips snacking throughout the day. It makes his time at the station a lot more difficult than it needs to be, but it's worth it.

By the time he takes a quick elevator trip up to Gray's apartment later that evening, his stomach growls louder than the blow dryer Gray holds onto as he opens the door.

Gray whistles, taking in Natsu's attire. "Looks like you're dressed to meet the love of your life tonight."

"Good one," Natsu scoffs and enters the apartment. "Does Juvia know you use a blow dryer?"

"Yes, she does. She appreciates it," Gray quips back.

Natsu can't stop himself from wandering into the kitchen, searching for just a nibble of a snack. It isn't hard to spot Gray's collection, snacks of all types covering the pantry.

A pit of envy settles in Natsu's stomach. Not for the snacks themselves, but for the guarantee that the pantry will always be filled. Natsu still isn't quite sure how Gray landed the career he has. He certainly deserves it, though. He has always been skilled at talking to others, especially if it's to persuade.

As a result, Gray's career has gifted him a luxurious apartment with luxurious amenities. But it's not the tangible items that Natsu envies the most—it's the connections and network of people he knows.

Natsu reaches for a box of crackers until he hears Gray's footsteps behind him. "You ready? Juvia is about to pick us up."

"Readier than I'll ever be," Natsu responds, stuffing a couple of crackers into his mouth. He can't hold back his laugh at Gray's eye roll, puffs of cracker dust sparkling across the air.

"You love food so much. I wonder if you have any game left," Gray remarks.

"Why wouldn't I?" Natsu raises his brows.

"Do you think you could get a girl tonight?" Gray challenges.

"For how long?"

Gray's eyes light up at the question, which makes Natsu immediately regret his question. Giving Gray the opportunity to manipulate the duration of this bet is one of the worst moves he could have ever made.

"Ten days," Gray answers eventually.

"Ten days?" Natsu repeats incredulously, but hastily changes his tone. "I can do that. What do I get in return?"

"Anything you want," Gray shrugs simply. "As long as you stay with the girl a full ten days, of course. No matter how difficult she gets."

Natsu is quiet as he tries to form his words. "After this bet, I want you to get my name out there." His voice is firm. "I want to be recruited to a place that has more activity."

It appears that Gray is holding his breath, but the image fades away as he nods. "Really, I've been wanting to do that for you sooner or later. I can tell how disappointing Magnolia has been for you."

Natsu smiles thinly at Gray's words. "Yeah. I'm ready to get out of here."

"Well, if you work hard enough, maybe you will," Gray confirms with newfound amusement in his eyes. "Maybe after these ten days, you can get that girl to move away with you."

"You sure have quite the imagination, Ice Princess."

Gray is about to shoot back with one of the many nicknames they have for one another, but the ring of his phone beats him to it.

"Yeah, we'll be right out."

"Actually," Natsu begins, reaching for the keys on the wall. "I'll follow you. Nobody knows how this night might end."

"You're lucky that you know how to ride a bike," Gray remarks.

"You're lucky that I taught you!" Natsu retorts, following his friend out of his apartment.

With that, Natsu revs the motorcycle and follows Gray and Juvia's sleek car. He isn't sure what this night will hold, but he ignores the annoying buzz in the back of his ears.

So what if he said he was tired of pointless, ten-day flings? Those flings weren't going to lead him to a new job opportunity. This fling, however, is going to be one of the most rewarding bets he has ever done.

If this fling is one step closer to his dream, Natsu is determined to take that next step.