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takerfoxx · 4 years ago

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Blood Island Fanfic (Pt. 2)

magic5ball submitted:

Funny how the day you post a new chapter, I finish writing this fanfic. Strange how life works out. Anyway, please let me know what you think!

. . .

From that day forward, she lived by her own terms. When she was hungry, she devoured whatever she fancied until she was fit to burst. When she was tired, she could sleep an entire week. And when she felt like exploring, well…

She could easily circle her island home twice in a day, exploring the hidden bays, reefs, lagoons that dotted the place, or just swimming with whatever school of strange sea creatures happened to be nearby. The shelled squids in particular were a favorite, if only because they made good snacks. True, there was the occasional scrape, usually against sharks who saw her as a potential morsel, but it was nothing her teeth or tail couldn’t handle.

Sometimes, she’d even try to drag herself on land, though she never went far, having seen some very fearsome, scaly monsters ashore, and was none too eager to face them where a powerful tail would not be nearly as useful.

Meanwhile, she’d started organizing the bones and shells in her grotto based on type, or just setting them as decorations at the entrance. There were so many different kinds, and she quietly wondered how so such a variety of species could all exist in one tiny slice of ocean.

As for the whale-eels, she still saw them from time to time. Now and again, she’d see one leave just as it had lain some juicy morsel at the entrance of her grotto, or she’d be hunting a school of fish and one would help her ambush prey. But they never bothered or attacked her.

Over time, she felt herself changes in herself, too.

Some were positive. Her ribs, for instance, were no longer visible through her skin, which now had a sleek, healthy appearance she quite liked. And with more frequent meals came more energy; strength: schools of fish she would have once struggled to keep up with could now be outrun a dozen times over before they escaped, and that wasn’t even going into how high she could leap into the air!

Others, were less favorable: her nails became sharp and pointed; her skin darkening to a deep cobalt blue. And her tail! Since she had arrived at this strange island, the sinuous ribbon had only become longer, fleshy fins blossoming out from it like tumors. Deep, ugly scars marked it as well, a permanent reminder of her daily run in with prey and predator alike. Even when she slept, she could feel the muscles inside pulsing, expanding, growing. She tried not to think about it. Made it hard to sleep.

You’re a monster.

Well, so what if she was?! There were so many fearsome creatures around this island that probably couldn’t care less what she looked like. For all she knew, she looked pretty good next to them! And why should she care, anyway? She was powerful! She could eat whatever she fancied! Go wherever she pleased! Sleep wherever she wanted! She liked those things, darn it, so why should she give it up because her sister who wasn’t there wanted to make her feel bad?! She was happy for once!

But still…

She had to admit there were some things she craved. That weren’t cephalopods, anyway.

As much as she adored her lavish lifestyle, there were times when she reminisced, almost got nostalgic for others of her kind. Even with all the strange creatures she shared her home with, the sea somehow seemed so vast and…empty, without someone to share it with. The whale-eels would always be there, sure, but as much as they revered her, their relationship felt professional more than anything. Just working towards a common goal sometimes. It didn’t help they never really appreciated their home, only seeing things and harmful or not harmful; predator or prey.

Fortunately for her, the island had a few more surprises in store.

. . .

It started in the evening, about five years after she had first arrived. She was combing near the shore for the flat oval crabs- this was the molting season, and they always tested their best after a new molt: a succulent middle surrounded by a tender shell with just the right amount of crunch- when she noticed an ominous pair of red lights on the beach. Her gut reaction was, of course, to flee back to the depths, but she had never seen a creature quite like this before, and curiosity, combined with confidence, goaded her on. Carefully, she slid closer and closer to the shore, until sand scraped across her belly. For a moment wondered if the source of the lights could see her, and then-

With a rustle the creature emerged from the jungle, carrying a strange object in its’ arm. It walked on two legs, but the upper half! The upper half was just like hers: two arms, a face, long black hair.

A human.

Her breath caught in her throat as she marveled at the beast before her. It seemed absurd, as if she was in a dream. Yet there the human was, in the flesh. Slowly coming toward her. Curious, maybe? She had to get closer…

. . .

The creature the mermaid called a human felt her heart beating a million miles a second. Company on this godforsaken rock! AT LAST! She would have to be careful, of course. No telling when a moment like this would come again. So, holding out one of the large, colorful fruits that grew in abundance across the island, she let loose a long, slow whistle.

Much to her relief, the mysterious girl from the sea responded, lugging herself onto the shore with what was obviously great effort. And no wonder! From head to the tip of her serpentine tail, the mermaid must have been ten feet long! Said tail was a lovely dark blue, lacking a prominent fluke but covered in rows of large, fleshy appendages, between which the skin was marked with scars and sometimes, even teeth still stuck in the flesh. But what really impressed her were the stranger’s rather, er, generous chest and hips, whose proportions made her more than a little envious…

. . .

The Mermaid was baffled as to why the human’s face had suddenly flushed a deep crimson. Had she done something wrong? Did human face usually do things like that? Such weird creatures…

. . .

The pale not-a-human marveled as the beautiful specimen before her plucked the fruit from her hand, and after a few seconds of sniffing, tore a great chunk out of its�� flesh. She sweated profusely as the mermaid chewed patiently for few minutes, then swallowed.

Tense minutes passed…

. . .

She had never tasted anything like this before: soft, juicy, with an odd flavor she could not describe in any terms other than she wanted more of it. Now!

It took all of her self-control not to inhale the rest of the fruit, taking a few moments to savor the moist flesh sliding down her throat. But just like that, it was gone. Well, except for the sticky juice still coating her fingers…

. . .

All the girl could do was try not to faint as the pretty mermaid in front of her licked fruit juice from her fingers in a fashion she could only describe as arousing. Fortunately, as excited as she was, she was able to get her mouth to open…

. . .

The mermaid listened, still casually licking the delectable juice from her fingers, noting how well it blended with the seawater, when it occurred the odd noises were the human trying to talk to her. Well, that wasn’t going to work! So she did what she did with the whale-eels, and using her index finger, drew in the sand.

It took awhile, but eventually they were able to communicate on a basic level. For her part, she told the human her story, maybe exaggerating a few parts in her favor, and for her part the human was completely enraptured. Before either knew it, the sun was rising. Just before she headed back to the sea, though, they (crudely) set a schedule to meet again the next evening. Same spot.

. . .

Things started simple, at first. Both rendezvous at their little slice of surf, bringing whatever food they thought the other would like: fruit from the ‘human’, whatever seafood looked good that day from her. She could easily outeat her friend five times over, but the ‘human’ never seemed to mind, so she wasn’t bothered either. They would draw in the sand, telling each other about the day’s adventures as best they could. She would also try to help the human with her art, something she clearly struggled with. Most of all, though, they just basked in each other’s company, happy to have someone to talk to. One day, the mermaid realized she had started styling her hair for the first time since she left her pod all those years ago. Strange, but nothing to be alarmed about. What was concerning was how she found herself staring at her friends’ body, her friend’s lean, muscular body that made her feel so self-conscious in her own. Likewise, the human admired her in such a way, so at least the feeling was mutual. Then came the hugs, and following those, quiet nights falling asleep in each other’s arms in the surf. Even on the balmiest nights, her friend was cold to the touch, so she liked cuddling up to her. It was a pretty good deal for all involved.

But something was bugging her…

She’s been on the island for years, right? Just like you. And yet, she didn’t show herself until now. WHY?

She frowned. Sister whispered to her again for the first time in ages.

Maybe she’s afraid of something. Or someone.

But why her in particular? There were plenty of terrifying beasts on the island already.

Or maybe she’s just using you to get food. Why else would she risk being around someone as ugly as-

She slammed her fist into the wall of her grotto, the sting on her knuckles knocking her back to her senses. Thin wisps of blood seeped out. Breathing heavy, she went back to organizing skulls she had recently collected, picking out one her new friend would find interesting. That night, she dreamt the ‘human’ could breathe underwater, and she could finally show off her humble abode.

. . .

That evening had started as it always had, with the two of them chatting over a wonderful meal, her friend imitating the shrieking calls of the island’s birds. But the whole time, her sister’s thoughts stuck to the back of her mind like the beach’s sand stuck to her tail. It couldn’t all be fake, could it? Regardless, she slept lightly that night, next to her friend.

Little did she know, it was the best decision she could have made.

Because that night, she sensed the soft touch of fingers on her tail, and groggily waking, she saw her dear friend holding her tail still, mouth wide open, fangs glinting in moonlight.

Seconds later, a quick flick of her tail ended it, sending the ‘human’ flying into the palm trees. A few more kicks later, she was speeding away back to her grotto.

. . .

An hour later, and her heart still threatened to beat out of her chest.

The human had fangs. She had attacked her! But how? Why?! Humans weren’t supposed to have fangs like that!

Were they?

How was she supposed to know?! She’d only heard about humans in stories! Unless…

Maybe she wasn’t quite ‘human’ after all. You’re not the only monster on this stupid island, you know…

But it couldn’t be, could it? All those nights together, showing off, drawing. All that juicy, succulent fruit…All the times her friend had gazed oh so fondly at her…

Mama did mention monsters can guise themselves as prettier things. Quite clever, they are. And it was pretty stupid of you to think yourself top predator…

Was that all it was? The thing, guised as a human, luring her in with treats, stuffing her until she was good enough to eat? It would explain why the not-a-human had always been so eager to feed her, and glared at her so longingly.

As she curled up in the corner of her grotto with only the pale-eyed fish for company, she dreamt of going ashore for an explanation.

Everything was deathly still and dark, so she went further inland, closer than she knew was safe. Just when she was almost at the trees, a million pairs of red eyes lit up. Realizing her mistake, she helplessly flopped back to a shore that had suddenly become a thousand miles away. She could only scream as a million forms lunged from the jungle, sinking sharp fangs into her tail.

For the first time in years, she missed Mama.

. . .

Meanwhile, on land, a pale figure curled into a ball rocked back and forth on the beach.

Not again. Not again. Not again.

. . .

A year later, thunder cracked, winds howled and a storm rocked the island. Rain beat the ocean’s surface in a thousand little notes. The mermaid loved nights like this, the rhythmic tune of the drops mixing with the whistle of rain to gently lull her to sleep. At least, until a large object in the distance caught her eye. Something was thrashing around in the darkness, gradually sinking, leaving a flurry of air bubbles in its’ wake.

Flotsam?

She swam over to investigate.

What she found instead, unmoving, had four limbs and blonde hair.

A human. Or was it?

For a moment she considered letting the thing drown, only to stare at its’ gorgeous face and realize she didn’t have the heart. Carefully she opened the human’s mouth to see several flat, blocky molars. So she was the real deal.

Taking the body in her arms, she swam islandward, the waves tossing her to the point where she nearly lost the girl many a time, yet still she pressed on until at last, her charge was safely on the sand.

She retreated back to her grotto after that, gently drifting off to sleep, or trying to. Thoughts of the human, alone in the storm, nagged at her conscious, until she could bear it no more and went to check on the thing. Sure enough, the human was fine. It shrieked and fled into the jungle at the sight of her.

Figured.

That, of course, was a real problem. The human would be at the mercy of her former friend, that devious not-a-human. How would she tempt this new visitor, she wondered? Fatten her up with treats, as she had tried to do with her, or something more insidious? The new human may have been an idiot, but idiocy didn’t justify being eaten. Sinking beneath the surface, she once more retreated back to her grotto, this time to plan. The not-a-human was no doubt plotting something sinister, and she was dam*ed if she was going to let it come to fruition.

Some more good stuff! I had an idea that there was some kind of relationship between the vampire and the mermaid, but I hadn’t considered making them have a falling out prior to the start of the story. It is definitely something to think about, as well as possibly explain why the vampire is so hesitant to show herself. I can’t promise that it’ll get 100% adapted, but there are some really good ideas here. I mainly had the mermaid penciled in as a minor supporting character, but honestly she could be a more active force.

Insofar as suggestions are concerned, I would say slow down when it comes to interactions and action scenes. You’re really good at fleshing out your characters with descriptions of their inner feelings, daily rituals, personality quirks, etc., but when it comes time to have the characters do things, such as being attacked by an antagonist or having a critical interaction, it can feel a little rushed.

So basically what I’m saying is to put the same amount of care and attention to detail to the payoffs as you do the buildup.

#blood island #submission

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27emailsicantsend · 5 years ago

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3x14 and 3x15 Andi Mack scene by scene recap + my unnecessary opinions lol

Forewarning: as from the title these ARE spoilers to the episodes if you haven’t seen it. I’m tagging spoilers out but there’s still a chance they could be seen. Also, I’m giving a scene by scene recap with my opinions of the show. I’ve been requested to do the recap but I also want to talk about what I thought from these episodes in more detail than my post yesterday. So for the most part it’ll be factual but I’m really invested in these two episodes so I’ll definitely be adding my own twang. It’s virtually impossible for me not to recap my own hype for the episodes lol. Hope you’re a Muffy and Tyrus stan bc I’ve got some cOnTeNt for you ❤️

Ok here. we. go.

3x14

Scene starts in the spoon. It’s Andi, Muffy, and Cyrus. Muffy and Cyrus talk about Andi’s parents not getting married while Amber overhears. She gets upset and asks why. Andi clarifies her parents aren’t married, but still together and Amber makes the comment, “unlike my house. My parents are still married but barely together”. Which gets some awks looks from the table. Andi tells them she’s not sad, but angry. Then she says that B&B (Bex and Bowie) said she’s entitled to her feelings to which Cyrus claims as being manipulative?? (Still don’t see how, but he explains that they are playing dodgeball and b&b are on one side and Andi on the other. She has a ball of anger she wants to throw, but they’re ready for it. So if she throws it, they’ll catch it and then she basically can’t show her anger- he’s obviously been listening to his counseling parents hahaha). Andi asks where she can throw her anger ball (lol) so Amber takes her to a sledge hammer place (Rage Cage) where everyone is in individual cages that have old items that you just beat up with a sledge hammer.

*opening song*

Andi is laying on her bed and gets a really excited phone call from CeCe about the wedding to which Andi feels guilty. She tries to tell Bex to tell CeCe it’s cancelled but Bex refuses bc the next day is CeCe’s bday. This scene had some really good acting BTW (I’ll probably tell you when this happens too bc honestly props to the actors. And the cinematography and music in these two episodes is beautiful. Literally made me feel like I was watching a movie).

Buffy runs up to Marty at a bench and he gets a big dimple smile bc why wouldn’t he be excited to see her?? Lol Buffy starts mocking Marty’s shoes because they have toe inserts and that’s when he tells her they are for a marathon. Buffy gets confused (and lowkey upset) she didn’t know about the marathon and Marty is all, “we have a lot of catching up to do” and I’m all (you have a lot of dating to do because my soul has been empty this past season without you. #RIPME 😭 ⚰️). So Buffy gets all flirty competitive and says she wants to race as well. Marty tries to talk her out of it bc he’s worried about an injury, dehydration, etc. but this is Buffy we’re talking about and she insists she can do it and then runs away lol, but Marty can’t help the love he feels for her and smiles sheepishly as he goes to run away with her (very metaphoric. I love)

Jonah and Cyrus are walking and Cyrus invites Jonah to see a meteor shower in his backyard for a campout (good Jyrus moment if you ship that) Jonah makes a lame joke about not having a s’more in awhile and so he has “s’less”- Cyrus tells him not to hurt himself making that joke 😂😂

B&B and Andi are at a restaurant waiting for CeCe & Ham. CeCe shows up and tells everyone Ham went back to India.

Cyrus and Jonah go into a beautifully set up tent where Cyrus obviously had to out-do himself and make everything in the tent extra. I love a gay interior design queen.

Back at the restaurant, CeCe says Ham went to India for rest. CeCe makes some really weird remark about seeing him again (yikes) and the rest make comments about him doing what he needs to do and that they have to accept it and not take each other for granted. Very subtextual of the real situation, but also a great way to write off his character and play into Bex worrying about cancelling the wedding. She showed fear like she wouldn’t want to say anything to CeCe bc he’s gone, but since CeCe was ok with him leaving, Bex calmed down too. Just really well done. CeCe tried to show Bex venue photo’s and Bex tried to stop her but then Bex just says she had a problem mailing the wedding invites *cliff hanger*

Cyrus and Jonah back at the tent. Jonah is panicking about dying in Cyrus’ backyard and Cyrus brings meat into the tent but makes it all flirty and weird- I don’t ship Jyrus but the whole thing lowkey felt like they were trying to impress Jyrus shippers with date vibes haha (also the meat is BAD if you’re camping bc animals can get to you). Then an animal hits their tent at (obviously) the right time

CeCe now knows the wedding is off and is PiSsEd™️. The waiters are all completely unaware and don’t know how to read the room so they bring a sparkler cake. CeCe flips the sparkler upside down, shoves it in the cake, and exits as dramatically as possible. Leaving the mustached waiter with an awkward face like:

Then there was this weird commercial on my app promoting season 2 like bish you already know I watched that season at least twice don’t play me like that

Back to the pointless tent scene (for real- this scene was just filler. You rip off Tyrus FOR THIS? Actual homophobia). Jonah mispronounces some weird thing (and Cyrus says don’t hurt yourself again) and then breaks the tent. Cyrus makes a failed attempt at opening the tent with a cheese knife but Shazam! saves the day by telling Cyrus not to hurt himself and opening the tent with the same cheese knife (honestly, weird flex but ok). They escape and are saved and watch a poorly CGI’d meteor shower like two old men on their front porch. and yippee five minutes of wasted screen time are over. I don’t care if you ship Jyrus. It was a waste of time when we could have been focusing on the TeA of the show. *rant over- no worries. Many more to come*

Back to important matters, Muffy is now running their race. Marty doesn’t want to race. He just wants to finish in under 4 hours and Buffy wants to finish under his time. Buffy agrees with Mr. Party at first, but then hears the word “race” and bolts away like Lightning McQueen.

Bex and Andi back at the house. Bex says it went bad with CeCe bc she won’t even act like Bex exists. Andi realizes her anger and knows where to take her (you guessed it. RAGe CAGe- Andi said it wasn’t for Bex lol so she wouldn’t tell Bex where she was going with CeCe 😂 the shade)

Marty is jogging along like a middle aged white woman and sees Buffy wheezing. He gets all husband like and concerned as he catches her in his arms. (Which reminds me of a pic I saw on Tumblr where they drew her in his arms but laced it with the “Miss Keisha” vine and I was here for it). Then Marty and Buffy put their arms around each other and he escorts her to a bench. (Just saying, everyone knows Tyrus is going to involve a bench scene but as us loyal fans know, Muffy shadows Tyrus and they have also encountered two (2) benches thus far. Coincidence? Maybe. Will I believe it was a coincidence? Absolutely not). Then he puts her on the bench and acts all cute and paramedic and concerned. He’s been taking doc notes at General Hospital obviously. (He even mentions taking her to a doctor). Buffy is all like, “Run your race Marty. 4 1/2 hours. [I’m the supportive girlfriend you hoe].” And he doesn’t want to leave her and she accuses him of being a martyr? Then she snaps at him (like tf) to go away and he gets all angsty™️ and runs off and my heart broke bc I was not ready for a Muffy battle.

Andi and CeCe at the Rage Cage... rage. In a cage.

Marty comes running back to Buffy with a dimple smile again bc he knows she was trying to “White Fang” him from a movie they saw together (❤️). To “White Fang” is for the boy in the movie to send the wolf away, wolf doesn’t want to leave, so the boy throws rocks at him to make him go. Buffy is caught (but she ain’t mad) and I need to quote this part word for word bc it’s TOO CUTE 🥰🥰🥰

B: You’re the one who said we should run our own race

M: That’s what I’m doing

B: Wanna sit here with me?

M: No. I wanna cross the finish line with you 😭😭😭

And that, my friends, was the day my heart ripped in half from joy

Then he picks her up and they put their arms around each other (I seriously can’t. They made me cry last night and lowkey I thought it was bc I was tired but I’m fully energized and watery eyed... sooo....) then Marty makes a joke about them running and Buffy goes, “you’re hilarious” and his voice gets all soft and he looks at her all gentle and goes, “you finally figured that out” AND PLEASE TERRI STOP IT HURTS. But no, the scene CONTINUES BECAUSE MY HEART APPARENTLY COULD TAKE THAT (lies). And the scene changes and now Marty is PIGBACKING HER ACROSS THE FINISH LINE THREE HOURS LATER. LIKE STOP. STOP. I CAN’T HANDLE THESE TENDER MOMENTS. (Seriously they were together an extra three hours with him helping her. I’m WeAk). And they both get medals and Buffy compliments him so he gets all happy and tells her to keep going, but she runs out of compliments so he goes, “ok, I just wanted to see how deep that well went” with his eyes darting all over her face and then the music shifts to almost like progressive-romantic music as BUFFY PUTS HER ARM BACK AROUND HIM AND THEY WALK AWAY (the music was placed so we knew they were having a moment) and that was the exact moment I died. MY PARENTS. (Watched this scene 3 times and will 100% watch it at least 1000 more).

Then Andi sees Amber raging. In a cage. She’s like “excuse me? What are you doing here” and Amber is all mad at Jonah and Andi’s all break up with your boyfriend yeah yeah cuz I’m bored. And Amber wasn’t here for it because apparently she thinks she’s in love with Jonah now? (with tears in her eyes... I mean, love to me isn’t that angry and hating everything he does [he only sent her six emoji’s apparently and just isn’t there for her] that it drives you to physical violence but ok)-(but good acting along with the last Muffy scene but I’m sure ya’ll picked up on that from my synopsis lol)

3x15

FYI this synopsis won’t be AS long, but that’s because Muffy is absent and I have an unexpresible love for them and this episode also sent me over the EDGE with Tyrus 🙄😤🙃 but I’ll do what I can with Tyrus bc it’s still gay and angsty and I was here for that part of it (also I love the Terri devoted two separate episodes to Tyrus and Muffy. Like she really knows this Friendom and what will keep us watching lol)

Unnecessary opening scene with B&B and Andi going to the movie instead of spending time on their phones (it was cute but unnecessary. I liked in the last episode that the rage cage in the beginning scene actually tied into the episode)

*opening credits*

Buffy and Cyrus watching Kira and TJ like hawks from the bench far away and Buffy is confused af about it. She asks Cyrus and he gets all angsty (I WILL over use this word bc it’s too accurate for this episode, wait til you actually see it) and goes “I don’t know” *shoulder shrug* “I haven’t been hanging out with TJ lately”

Buffy: because of that?

Cyrus: they’ve been pretty much attached at the hip (then Kira has the AUDACITY to jump on TJ’s back) and the back. They look happy.

B: it won’t last. Kira’s not a nice person. Only took me a day to figure that out. Since he’s a GUY, it’ll take longer.

Cloud 10 with Bex and Andi discussing Bex and CeCe making up, but in front of CeCe. CeCe is still PiSsEd™️. Bex tries to talk to her and BEGS to make up with her mom but her mom is cold and I felt Bex’s pain. (Great acting in this scene too. I just wanted to hug Bex. Like did you really have to do her a dirty like that? With Tyrus and Bex, this episode is starting to feel like 3x13 again and I thought we all agreed to never speak of that episode ever again)

Cyrus is sitting all angsty and alone with some frozen yogurt in front of a greenhouse? Literally no idea where he is at but it’s such a mood lol and even funnier that TJ found him there. Like where are they?? Hahahaha but ANYWAY, TJ sits down and confronts Cyrus about avoiding him. Cyrus says he isn’t but TJ is like “kinda feels like it”. Cyrus tries to say that TJ has been occupied with Kira taking up his time and TJ denies that hard. And here’s the TEA sis:

Cyrus: you two are clearly hitting it off. Which is great. I’m happy for you guys.

TJ: you make it sound like we’re a couple. We’re not. We mostly just talk about basketball.

C: and then you give her a piggy back ride?

T: she bet me I couldn’t carry her. That was all

Then TJ tried to tell Cyrus to hangout with them more and Cyrus rejects that bc Kira knows Cyrus is Buffy’s best friend. Then Kira comes in to hoe around the scene and sits at the table. Says “heyyyy” all flirty to TJ 😒 and “hi Cyrus” direct and cold to Cyrus. Then becomes the most fake hoeeeee when pretending to agree with TJ that they should hang out more with Cyrus. Cyrus YEETS outta there and Mr. heart eyes looks like he created depression (it was that prevalent). Kira gets all needy and is like, “hellooo? I’m over here” and TJ just looks at her with the fakest angsty smile. Like why.

At the spoon, the GHC AND Jonah are sitting and Andi tells of this store called Mint Chip where they burn clothes rather than donate them bc it would make the brand look bad and lose sales if it’s with charity. Like??? Ok you actually look better with charity sooooo take two steps back B. Buffy gets the taste of wanting to be a bad guy (cue bad guy by Billie Eilish) and they all go dumpster diving and get the clothes from Mint Chip’s dumpster. Not much happens other than them stealing clothes and Buffy says her ankle hurts so she can’t get in the dumpster. IDK if that’s from the dehydration last episode (bc when she’s walking with Marty 😍 she’s limping) or if she fell wrong at the dumpster. It’s foreshadowing bc I know she has a hurt foot in a later episode so not sure where it will come in or why.

The kids have an outdoor “sidewalk sale” where they give away the free clothes from mint chip and some lady comes and gets a coat. She shows up later in the episode to tell Bex and CeCe about the sale but they do nothing. It was really weirdly staged like this character had more importance in the episode and got cut or she has importance later on. IDK? She just got a ton of screen time for it to go nowhere so we’ll see. And Cyrus is a Queen and styled some guy for an interview and Buffy is a Queen and styled a lady for a first online date. Then Jonah is just himself and doesn’t know what a pencil skirt is. *cue clothing sale montage with Jonah being a player and talking to lots of girls and the GHC+Jonah looking all sweet looking at pics from the day*

B&B get a wedding gift from Celia. It’s a snow globe from the night Bowie proposed, but since it’s mailed, was sent before CeCe knew about the cancellation. Bex tries to write her a thank you card but can’t and cries through it (great acting here too- Bex just takes the cake on acting TBH)

At the sale, Cyrus shows Buffy a shirt he wants to give to TJ (which isn’t a hoodie, surprisingly). He takes a pic & sends it to him to ask if he likes it and Buffy says “it’ll look good with his eyes” and Cyrus is all “it WILL 😍”

Buffy: he’s gonna like it. Why don’t you just give it to him?

C: I thought about that. I’m not sure how much he’s want that.

B: a free shirt??

C: ME. Giving him a free shirt.

B: there’s a great way to find out

C: what is it?

B: *forcing the shirt back to Cyrus* give him the shirt. Maybe it’ll mean something to him. Maybe it won’t. Either way, it’s a nice thing to do [seriously though I stan a Tyrus Ally]

C: it’s TJ. Thumbs up on the shirt *replying to Teej lol* you should come by the sale. It’s amazing. *back to the Vampire Slayer* was that too braggy?

B: not braggy enough

C: TJ *reading the message* I’m at the park *back to Buffy* what do you think that means?

B: he wants you to meet him?

C: you think

B: why else would he tell you where he is?

C: should I bring the shirt? I’m gonna being the shirt. *walks away and comes back* the shirt feels weird

B: then don’t take it

C: *walks away and comes back*

B: *whilst saying nothing hands Cyrus the shirt with a loving, yet so over Cyrus’ gay angst expression*

C: he’s gonna be expecting it... so I’m just gonna- yeah *yeets out of there in gay*

Kira and TJ at the park. Kira asks who TJ is texting and he says no one 😤 so TJ suggests feeding the ducks and Kira decides to hoe around yet again and suggests swinging first. She’s all flirty and TJ is ~not straight and not here for it~. He’s all like “I’m not five” like he doesn’t go swinging and Kira gets all competitive over who can swing higher and makes comments reflecting his and Cyrus’ convo which gets him to get on the swing (reluctantly) and also she is on Cyrus’ swing?? So umm? Get tf off???? And that’s when Cyrus pops around a tree, shirt in hand, to see THAT DISGUSTING MOCKERY OF A FRIENDSHIP I HATE IT SO MUCH??? EWWWW. And he’s all sad and angsty and jealous so he walks away **AND AS HE’S WALKING AWAY DOES A LOOK BACK SOOOOOOOOOO HE IS FOR SURE IN LOVE FREAKING HECK I CAN’T** and I just want to hug my boi and I can’t hug him and ugh 😭😭😭 my sad tears are here.

So Cyrus sees Buffy and tells her TJ was with Kira so that makes Buffy all annoyed (she’s a real one). Cyrus becomes a liar and says they’re “good together” again. Buffy tries to reassure him it won’t last, but Cyrus isn’t sure and now has this shirt he doesn’t know what to do with. He gives it to Jonah and says he has nice eyes too??? Like umm? Rebound much, Cyrus?? Like Boo. Don’t do that. I’m here for YOU. Jonah then tells some woman about how they pulled off the clothing shop and a police officer shows up. They don’t have a license to sell and never bought the clothing so they can’t give it for free. Next thing you know Bex is getting a call (after trying to make things right with CeCe AGAIN and more A+ acting.. seriously though freaking FORGIVE HER ALREADY SHE IS DOING EVERYTHING SHE CAN) and runs with CeCe to go help bail the GHC+Jonah out of jail (this was also after the woman in the coat makes a 2 second appearance at cloud 10 to talk about the sale and NOTHING HAPPENS WITH HER SO WHY). The scene ends with the cell door closing so I hope next episode maybe this scare freaks CeCe enough into making up with Bex. But IDK.

I’ve got many mixed feelings about these episodes. Hope you enjoyed my highly detailed and opinionated synopsis of the show 😂😂 can’t wait for next week!! ❤️

#andi mack #am spoilers #andi mack spoilers #tyrus #muffy #epidode recap #buffy driscoll #marty from the party #tj kippen #cyrus goodman #sophia wylie #luke mullen #garren lake #joshua rush #bexie #cece mack #bex mack

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vanilla107 · 5 years ago

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Muse

Hey everyone!

I know I'm two days late for @chlonathweek already but I sadly fell sick and it was difficult to write while getting bed rest and recovering. I will try my best to catch up but as I type, my sickness shows no signs of slowing down :(. Day 2's prompt was Hero/Akuma and I think you'll be able to see which one I chose! I hope you enjoy it!

Stay healthy! (unlike me right now lol) vanilla107 xoxo

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

Nathanaël was a simple young man.

He drew what he wanted and he drew what he liked.

He liked sketching more than painting and was proud of his 24 journals of sketches he had collected over the past few years, each one filled to the brim with his works.

He went from sketching still live, to buildings, to random people in the street and if something -or rather someone- really inspired him, his thoughts would be plagued for days until that drawing was put to paper.

And recently he had started sketching Queen Bee.

He was well aware he was also sketching Chloe Bourgeois, the mean girl of their school, but he kept making excuses.

Chloe and Queen Bee are like two different people!

Queen Bee saves lives and Chloe….she was responsible of more than half the akumas!

When super heroes transform…maybe their personalities change too?

He knew it wasn’t fair to try and separate Chloe from her super hero identity but he couldn’t help it. Chloe was just so…mean sometimes but he always felt guilty.

Despite the internal war he had been at with himself over the blonde girl, he still sketched Queen Bee whenever inspiration struck.

Which was all the time.

During class when he could see the back of her head, after school at some fancy restaurant and rarely, but his most favourite moments, when she was fighting alongside Ladybug and Chat Noir as Queen Bee.

It was like she eluded an air of grace when she was Queen Bee and he savoured every minute of it.

Over time it became bothersome, like when inspiration struck at 3 in the morning and he had to sketch because his brain would hate him if he didn’t.

This soon became a problem for him and he began to doze off in class, not caring of he got detention or yelled at because majority of the time, his 3 am sketches were always the best ones.

One afternoon, after a long day of school, he came home, screamed, and fell on the floor when he saw Queen Bee sitting on the couch in his living room. Nathanaël’s parents were thankfully away on a business trip because God only knows how they would’ve reacted if they saw her in their house.

He was tired.

So tired and wanted to sleep so badly but the one girl he couldn’t stop thinking of was in his house.

“Chloe! What are you doing here?” he shrieked and the blonde looked up, her expression annoyed.

“That’s Queen Bee to you! And I’m here because Ladybug told me to come here!”

“Ladybug? I…I don’t understand. I didn’t make anyone mad so there shouldn’t be an akuma after me…unless I did?” he mumbled, the fogginess in his mind refusing to lift.

Queen Bee sighed and stood up, stretching her arms over her head and Nathanaël drank in how the sunlight hit the material of her suit.

So complex…I must draw-

“You didn’t make anyone mad. Ladybug sent me here because someone from our class is worried about your sleeping habits.”

“My sleeping habits? Oh…me falling asleep in class,” he yawned.

“Yeah, it’s kinda stupid because what teenager doesn’t fall asleep in class every once in a while but Ladybug told me that you’ve been sleeping through whole classes. So, are you gonna tell me what’s up or not?”

“Chlo- Queen Bee, I understand that you want to help me and that’s great it’s just I’ve been having a rough couple nights but I’m going to sleep now…so I’ll be all good tomorrow,” he lied.

I’m definitely not up at 3 in the morning sketching you because you won’t get out of my mind.

Queen Bee looked him up and down, her blue gaze sending a shiver down his spine.

“Nathanaël, you’re a terrible liar but I’ll let this slide. If there’s no improvement by tomorrow, there will be hell to pay.”

He nodded and she jumped out the window back to find Ladybug.

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

It had been three days since Queen Bee had visited him and those three days had been utter nightmares.

It seemed that Queen Bee’s presence in his home made things infinitely worse for his art because his dreams of her were consistent and had him waking up at least twice in one night to draw.

Was it good for his portfolio for art school? Yes.

Was it good for his mental and physical well-being? No.

And he could feel Chloe’s gaze burning into him each time that he was sent to the principal’s office for falling asleep.

Once he got home, he wasn’t surprised to see a pissed off Queen Bee watching tv before laying her eyes on him, fury directed at him.

“Nathanaël…you are still falling asleep in class! I thought I would only have to visit you once but no!”

“Queen Bee I swear I’m-”

“Did you develop insomnia? Do you have sleeping tablets?”

“No I don’t-”

“Then try harder to sleep! Ladybug was not impressed with me because the person that updates her on you hasn’t seen any progress!”

Nathanaël wasn’t the type of person to yell at people. He was a relatively calm person but the sleepless nights and the girl standing in front of him made something snap in him.

He stared at the superhero, sleep deprivation getting the better of him.

“Try harder? Try harder! Chloe-”

“Um, Queen Bee-”

“-You really want to know the reason I can’t sleep at night? Why I’m sleeping in class? Because I am sketching drawings of you at 3 in the freaking morning!”

The echo that came afterwards was deafening and Nathanaël had never wanted to die of embarrassment until that moment.

“You…you’ve been drawing me?” Chloe asked softly, her feet rooted to the spot.

“No…no I was lying...obviously! Must be the sleep deprivation talking-”

Her eyes landed on his sketch book in his hands and he froze.

“Chloe…no-”

One moment, the book was in his hands, and the next it was in her hands.

She ignored his protests and began to flip through the pages, her eyes widening in wonder at the drawings of her. Nathanaël tried to grab it out of her hands but her reflexes were fast and she was on the other side of the room in an instant.

“Chloe, okay. I know this looks bad but I swear I just-”

“Nathanaël…these are gorgeous.”

“Thank you for the compliment but I…”

“You what?”

Now or never Nathanaël. Just be honest. Even if that means Chloe/Queen Bee never talks to you again.

He sat down in a heap on the couch and she joined him on the opposite end.

“Chloe…Queen Bee…whoever you are…you are the reason I can’t sleep. That book is one of seven, filled with drawings of you. I know that’s borderline creepy but it’s the truth. When I first started sketching you, I thought it was harmless. Hell, I even felt weird drawing a person I initially disliked for all the shit you put me through but I kept drawing. It became obvious to me that you were my subject of interest after I completed two journals full of sketches of you and…then I was waking up at 3 in the morning because you would not get out of my head. My best drawings usually are produced at night so I was willing to sacrifice sleep for it. Which brings us to where we are now and it’s all your damn fault that I’m sleep deprived OKAY.”

Chloe was dead silent and she processed all the information before getting up from the couch and walking towards him.

“So what you’re saying is…I’m your muse?”

“I…yeah…you’re my muse,” he said awkwardly, the term feeling unfamiliar to him.

“That…that’s really sweet of you Nathanaël…thank you. I…I’m honoured.”

Nathanaël’s heart stopped.

She sounds so sincere…is this really the same Chloe?

“The drawings are beautiful but…you do need to sleep. I don’t want the one guy who draws me to die of exhaustion,” she stated and he nodded sleepily.

“How about this, I’ll visit you whenever I can…and I’ll pose for you. In exchange, you sleep and ignore your urges to draw at 3 in the morning. I know your best works are done at night but Ladybug will have my ass if there isn’t any progress.”

Nathanaël nodded once more and felt his eyelids close. All the rapid emotions he had felt were collapsing on him and he knew he was going to crash any minute.

Her voice is so soothing when she says nice things.

He felt her pick him up and carry him to his room before tucking him under the covers. He didn't protest as he sunk into the warmth of his bed.

“Sleep well Nathanaël. I’ll be back tomorrow,” Queen Bee whispered before leaving, the door closing behind her softly.

Nathanaël Kurtzberg fell asleep with a smile on his face and with the scent of lilies in the air.

#chlonath #nathchlo #miraculous ladybug #ml fanfiction #my writing #nathanael kurtzberg #chloe bourgeois #chlonath week 2k19

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quxntumvandyne · 6 years ago

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Neighbors (Bucky Barnes x Avenger!Reader)

Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Masterlist

Words: 2k (unedited yayyyyyy sorry not sorry)

Warnings: none, eventual mentions of PSTD, anxiety, and nightmares

Requested: yes by the ever so lovely @highlady-ofthe-summercourt !!!!!

Summary: These powers had come not too long before Mr. Stark had found you and taken you in as a new part of the team. However, you didn’t know much at all and had nobody to confide in besides Wanda. You felt alone and like nobody understood you. Until you heard his screams in the middle of the night. You had the urge to help your new neighbor; but did he want your help?

A/N: this is my first multi-chapter story so there will be more! if you wanna be tagged, just hop in my asks and i’ll add you to the list. hope you like it!

“And who is he?”

BUZZ. BUZZ. BUZZ.

Ugh.

It was 7:00 am sharp on a Monday morning, with your first full day ahead of you at the Avengers complex. It had been two weeks since you got your powers and your entire life had turned right around. You didn’t know your own body anymore, you felt like a child. Trying to figure out your limits every day. Nothing felt the same, almost like you were watching it happen to someone else from afar.

You never asked for it. But nonetheless, here you were in your new room. Far from your old home.

Someone knocked on your door, and Wanda popped her head in.

Wanda was the first person to talk to you when you arrived, and you felt secure around her. She was the room across from you and pretty much the only one in the whole complex you had even spoken with yet besides Mr. Stark and Mr. Rogers. She was a bit younger than you, so it felt like you had the little sister you always wanted.

“Oh good, you’re awake,” Wanda says, opening the door a bit more. “Would you like some breakfast? Vision can make you anything you’d like.”

She was already dressed, her hair pulled back in a ponytail, although she had bags under her eyes. Must’ve been up late. She had a grey tank top on and some black leggings, and just some ankle socks with a light sweater over top.

You sat up, rubbed your eyes and threw your legs out from under the bed. You could feel your hair sticking up and you had lines all over your arms from your shirt. Man, it felt like you’d slept for a month.

“Yes please, I am starving,” you replied, feeling your stomach rumble when you sat up.

“Well come on Y/L/N!” She slid down the hallway down past some other doors and was quickly out of sight.

You got out of bed and trudged out the door, still half asleep when you heard a grunt coming from the next door down. You stopped, curious as to who your next door neighbor was.

You weren’t terribly familiar with any of the other Avengers, but you recognized some. Vision was pretty hard to miss, you knew Mr. Stark and Mr. Rogers obviously and Wanda, but others tended to blur together.

The grunting continued and became more aggressive. You weren’t affected by that as your curiosity won over. You quietly stepped near the cracked door and looked in with your stomach against the door.

The room was fairly empty, except some clothes on the floor, an alarm clock identical to yours and a man in a bed. He had his hair up in a bun and a white tank top on, the rest of his body covered by a single blanket. He looked sweaty and his bed was a mess.

Must be an active sleeper, you thought to yourself.

You continue to watch, growing a bit worrisome at his sudden movements, and he turned toward you quickly. The look of discomfort on his face was frightening and he snapped his eyes awake, directly on you. Your eyes widen and for a split second, everything froze. You then moved at the same time; he jumped out of bed and you darted back in your room. You hid behind your door, and he walked out into the hallway. He looked around, not seeing you or anybody else. He sighed, took his hair down to let it fall on his neck. He scratched his stomach and walked back into his room.

You were unaware of you holding your breath until he shut his door. The stunning image of his eyes and that look on his face had already been engraved in your memory for good. You shook your head, determined not to think about him anymore and slid out to head to the dining room.

“Where’d you go Y/N?” Wanda asked, realizing she kinda left you behind.

“Oh, just still waking up. And this place is huge, so it takes me a minute to find things,” you said, awkwardly laughing. “Hi Vision, are you cooking anything yummy up?”

Vision looked up, wearing his “Robots Can Cook Too” apron and smiled at you. “Of course Y/N, anything, in particular, you would like on this Monday morning?”

“Maybe some eggs and toast? With a bit of butter,” you replied, already smelling the omelet he was making for Wanda.

“Sounds fantastic.” He went back to work, and you and Wanda made small talk until more people started arriving dressed and ready to start the day.

One by one, everybody was eventually in the living room and had eaten breakfast until two people were left to come out. Mr. Rogers was one of them but you weren’t sure who the other was. Then you realized you were the only person not dressed and slipped out of the room to go put on some clothes and look a bit more presentable.

When you got to your room, you heard voices in the next room down and curiosity won again. You tiptoed down to the room and listened carefully to the two voices talking on the other side; Mr. Rogers and somebody you didn’t know yet.

“We need somebody to talk to you about this, it’s been consistently happening for nights now Buck.” Buck? Who is Buck??

“Steve, it’s been happening for years. They’re just a bit more violent now, nothing I can’t handle.” This man’s voice was husky and deep, coming from the next door neighbor you assumed.

You peeked through the back of the door’s crack and saw Mr. Rogers, standing with his arms crossed looking at this all too new and now familiar face. You had yet to dress yet, still in your oversized ACDC shirt and Nike shorts underneath with black ankle socks on.

Both of the men were at least 5 inches taller than you, Mr. Rogers seeming an inch or two taller than this other man. You could only see the left side of his body (your left) and then he moved slightly and you saw it. You must’ve been so distracted by his face the first time that you hadn’t even noticed that he was missing an arm, replaced by a metal one with a shining red star on the shoulder. His facial hair had been growing, but nothing more than stubble. His hair was parted all which ways, and he was still in his white tank top and black sweatpants with no socks. His eyes were probably the most distracting thing about him though.

They were a soft baby blue, with medium length eyelashes but something was different about them. Not only were they beautiful, but they seemed so exhausted. Like he’d been through hell and back twice but still had the energy to get out of bed. They were experienced. Knowing. You wondered what those eyes had seen and why they were so tired. He drew you in just by you looking at him.

Then he looked at you. Mr. Rogers noticed what he was looking at, so he turned around and walked toward you, knowing you’d been caught. He walked toward you, with the guilt rising in your chest for eavesdropping.

“Hey Y/N.” said Steve, as he shut the door. “What all did you hear while listening in?” He looked at you with his hands on his hips, waiting to hear what you had to say.

“Not much at all, I was just coming to change.” You replied, attempting to play it off.

He looked at you suspiciously but decided to drop it. “Well, alright. Go ahead and get dress, we’ll be starting soon.”

He walked away, already ready as well in his elbow length navy shirt and grey cargo pants with navy blue shoes. You sighed of relief and headed to your room to get ready for your first day, and what a day it had already been by 7:45 am.

Everyone was dressed and ready in the living room on couches and chairs, even your mysterious neighbor who had his hair down and clean, a long sleeve black shirt on and grey joggers with black tennis shoes. You were dressed as well, in a white short sleeve shirt and some teal leggings with light grey shoes and your hair up in a ponytail.

Mr. Stark was going over the training we’d be doing as a team today, although much of the attention was on me and getting my powers ready for battle. Everybody seemed to have a different task for me and I would practice a bit with everyone. Even Peter, the youngest of the bunch. Even though he’s young, he still has a lot more experience than you, you thought.

You looked around the room at everyone and zoned out, getting an idea of who was who while Mr. Stark introduced you to the group. There was a tall man standing next to Mr. Rogers who seemed to be good friends with him, Peter Parker who you knew from Mr. Stark telling you, Vision and Wanda, an older man who has braces around his legs and seemed to be in constant slight pain during the whole meeting, your neighbor, a woman with short blonde hair and a a serious stare, a man who seemed to be in his 40s with short black curly hair sitting next to the woman, and finally a man standing behind the couch, with a vest on and a sling of arrows on his back.

Mr. Stark quickly listed names off to you as everyone waved or said hello, but when he got to your neighbor, you came back to the conversation and heard that his name was Bucky. Mr. Stark’s voice changed a bit when he had said his name, like something between the two of them, had happened in the past and it had not gone well.

“And that’s everyone! So, in about 10 minutes we’ll meet outside near the hangar and get ready for today’s training, starting with Little Miss Shapeshifter over here.”

You froze, immediately growing cold and uncomfortable. You were not exactly comfortable, to say the least with your powers yet, much less ready to reveal them to the whole group on your first day; but it seems like Mr. Stark had taken care of that for you already. Everyone’s eyes were on you, as you squeaked out a small hello and everyone left, you still as tense as a wooden board.

Mr. Stark saw your discomfort and sent everybody on their way, but stayed to chat with you.

You caught some stares and glances when everyone left but one specifically caught your eye. Bucky. He was staring at you, with a bit of confusion but mostly curiosity. You both seemed to be thinking the same thing, without either of you knowing it.

Who the hell are you?

But the real question was, did he want to know more about you?

Mr. Stark snapped you back to reality and Bucky was walking back to the hallway and soon out of sight when Mr. Stark began to speak. “Hey, I’m sorry about that. Things just slip out of my mouth without thinking but everybody would find out sooner or later today okay? My bad, Y/N.”

Mr. Stark rubbed your shoulder and walked off with Wanda coming to loosen you up, as she could see you were still tense.

“Hey, you okay?” Wanda said, wanting to make sure you were alright.

You dropped your shoulders and sighed, “Yeah I guess so. I don’t know, I guess I wanted to tell everyone myself about this weird thing that has happened to me. I’m still really uncomfortable in my own skin for now, but hopefully, all of you will help.”

Wanda gave you a small smile and a side hug when you thought you could maybe ask her something.

“Hey, Wanda?”

She looked at you and said, “What’s up?”

“Who is Bucky?”

SHHHHHH PLEASE BE NICE THIS IS MY FIRST MULTI-CHAPTER FIC SO YAYYYYYYY and if you wanna be tagged just jump in my asks!

Permanent Taglist: @magic-marvel @sunflowerannawrites @e-ms-world @minnie-marvel @0captain-marvel0 @peter-prkers @holland-haven @hedwigthelegend

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everything-is-by-design · 7 years ago

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(They Long To Be) Close To You

Female reader. Some original content with the ‘special’ witchiness and whatnot (similar to the Lucifer story I wrote). This is another series that I want to continue. Love me some Cassie. Getting better at writing him. Harry Potter references included within. I really can’t tell if this is terrible or not. Smut in part 2. Anyway, enjoy! Xo

Word Count: 5.7k

Castiel x Reader

Warnings: Fluff, feels, hints at/some smut.

Reader is from an ancient coven of witches known as the Astras (original content there). You’re living with the Winchesters. Chatting with Sam and Dean about your abilities in the library. Castiel shows up and finds out something about you that will change everything.

Your name: submit What is this?

You’ve been hunting with the Winchesters for the last few months. You’d met them while you were having a face off with a demon. You were a witch and had a unique grimoire that contained a spell that could allow you to exorcise demons just by touching them. That was obviously a threat, so they came to kill you and take the book. The brothers were tracking the demon and came to your rescue at the last minute. However, you were pretty confident in your magical skills, and took the demon down from one touch. Black smoke had puffed from its meat suit’s body as it was sent back to hell. You remembered the boys staring at you in disbelief, guns still raised as if they were not sure of you still.

You had told them that you were from a lineage of ancient witches who kept the balance of nature. You were very clear to elaborate on the fact that demons weren’t natural and that they had been killing off your family line. So, you decided to take matters into your own hands.

“Look, you saw what I can do. If I was going to kill you, I would have. I don’t hurt humans. You know, unless they try and hurt me first,” You had said, hands still raised. They slowly lowered their guns. They took you out to a diner and got your whole life story. You’d been hunting down demons for a few months, going relatively unnoticed, but there was a big bad. The one who was responsible for the death of your brother. The boys decided to help you, knowing the loss of family all too well. After finally defeating the demon, and saving their lives in the process once or twice, the Winchesters offered to take you in. You had nowhere else to go, so you obliged.

Now, you helped them with their hunts; doing research and taking down nests of vampires, packs of werewolves, wendigos, djinn, sirens, you name it. You became more skilled with your magic, bordering on nearly omnipotent. You were untouchable and an asset to the Winchesters. Nothing could penetrate your intense façade. Nothing except him. You’d never met an angel before, assuming God didn’t actually exist. The boys always talked about their best friend, Castiel, but you had yet to meet him. Until that night.

You and the boys were sitting in the bunker’s library, taking a break from researching. Sam was reading a normal looking book and Dean was on his laptop with his headphones on. You pondered to yourself what he was doing, but with Dean it could range from looking at car videos to busty Asian beauties. You decided not to question it, but silently hoped that he wouldn’t get too excited while you and Sam were still in the room. You were reading The Hunger Games, nose buried in it completely.

“Is that any good?” Sam asked, looking up from his coverless book. Dean was still pretty distracted by what he was watching.

You nodded, “It’s pretty brutal but it’s really good. The movie didn’t do too badly, but they made Katniss really broody. I mean, in the book when she first comes to the Capitol, she’s relatively friendly when she’s trying to get sponsors. JLaw made her seem really angry. I mean, I know why she’s like that. I’d be angry too if I had to fight to the death on live television, but still.”

Sam smiled, clearly amused by how passionate you were by your book. He tapped his finger on his book. “I’ll have to give it a go. I’m working on A Dance with Dragons right now.”

“Is that what you’re reading right now?” You asked, wiggling your finger at his book.

Sam’s cheeks flushed pink with embarrassment, “Uh, no. I, uh, I’m reading about your lineage.”

You tilted your head to the side, “Where the hell did you find that?”

“I did some digging,” He said, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. “Is all of this true? I mean, can I ask you questions about it? Is that weird?”

You hesitated, a little nervous that he may judge you after learning the truth. But this was Sammy, one of the nicest and most understanding people ever. You decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. You nodded, “Go for it.”

Sam shifted in his chair, clearly excited. “Uh, okay, so you have basic superhuman abilities?”

You nodded, “I can lift the Impala pretty easily. I lost my keys under there once and had to get them. Don’t tell Dean I did that.”

Sam laughed, “Okay, what else?”

“Do you have a knife on you?” I asked. He looked worried momentarily, but fished in his pocket and retrieved one. He handed it to you and you drew the blade down your arm. Blood flowed out for less than a second before the wound healed. “I can also heal you too if you were injured.”

Sam looked a bit confused as to why you’d never done that for them before.

You held up your hand to answer him, “I didn’t know you very well then, and hunters get a bad rap for killin’ witches.”

Sam nodded, “Fair enough. What else?”

“My sense of hearing is matched with that of a vampire’s and I’m pretty durable. My spidey-senses are on point too. I can also see things that aren’t really there.” Before he could ask, you honed in on your powers, and closed your eyes. You opened then and Sam leaned back a bit in shock. Your eyes were glowing a very light rouge. You pointed at him, “I can see the colours in your aura. Kinda murky actually. Like they used to be brighter but are sort of dull now.”

You blinked and your vision returned to normal. A question had clearly popped into Sam’s head and he drummed his fingers anxiously on the cover of the book. He cleared his throat, “Can you see hellhounds, and reapers, and…angel wings?”

You hesitated but nodded anyways, “Yeah. I mean, I’ve seen the first two. I’ve never met an angel, so I wouldn’t know about that one.”

Sam moved the conversation along, noticing your discomfort. “Okay what about telepathy?”

You frowned, “Some can, and some can’t. For me, it’s more psychometry than telepathy. I can read people; their past, present, and future by touching them. It doesn’t happen automatically though. I’d need to focus.”

It was like Sam’s inner child was peeking through. He was so excited that he was talking to someone with ‘superpowers’ that wasn’t trying to kill anyone. He smiled gleefully and you couldn’t help but grin back. “Okay, I guess this one is rare but what about telekinesis?”

His book started levitating in response and he marvelled at it. He quickly grabbed onto it, making sure Dean didn’t see. “I’ve also got limited manipulation over the natural elements. I mean, I can’t harness them all at once. I’d have to use one at a time. But it all feeds into the telekinesis thing, ya know?”

Sam nodded, “Reality warping?”

You scoffed, “Negatory. I’ve never heard of one of us being able to do that. I think the closest we can come to that are illusions.”

“What do you mean?” Sam asked, leaning forwards in his chair a bit. You flicked your fingers and a whisp of pink light flew out to the empty space on the table behind Dean’s laptop. The light shuddered and in a puff of smoke appeared a tiny orange and black dragon. Sam’s eyes widened in surprise but then narrowed as he studied it. “Is…Is that a Hungarian Horntail?”

You laughed, “You’re such a nerd.”

He gestured to it defensively, “Well, you made it! You’re obviously a nerd too.”

Sam’s raised voice caught Dean’s attention and he took his ear buds out. You waved your hand and the dragon dematerialized. Dean frowned at Sam, “Dude, what’s your problem?”

You snickered as Sam pointed to where the dragon once sat. Dean moved his computer to see what the heck Sam was pointing at, but when he saw nothing, he gave Sam an ‘are you going crazy’ look. Sam looked at you for help, “Come on, Y/N. I look like I’m insane.”

You sighed but kept the grin on your face. You flicked your fingers again, but this time to the open space that lead to the library. More light and smoke whirled around the room but instead of a dragon, a dementor appeared. Sam laughed while Dean shot up out of his seat. “Y/N, what the hell is that?”

The dementor hovered harmlessly in the room. You stood up and approached it, hearing Dean suck in air. You passed your hand through the being and then waved at it. It vanished. Sam smiled, “Yeah, you’re obviously the nerd. It’s a creature from Harry Potter, Dean. Y/N was just showing me what she could do with her magic.”

Dean held his hands up, “Okay, whatever. Just keep that shit out of the bunker. What else can you do?”

You looked at Sam who gave him the rundown, thankful that Sam left out the part about you picking up Baby. Sam turned back to you, “So, is that all?”

Both boys were sitting and staring at you unflinchingly. Dean was resting his head on his crossed arms on the table and Sam was leaning even farther forward in his seat. You gaped a bit, surprised that they were more curious than scared of you. “Photo and umbrakinesis, and truth manipulation.”

Dean looked a bit confused so Sam elaborated, “She can manipulate light and darkness, basically.”

“And what? Make people tell the truth? That’s kinda cool,” Dean smiled impishly.

You raised a finger, “Truth manipulation only works on humans, not supernatural beings unfortunately. It’s done by touch.”

Sam looked a little nervous, “Have you ever done that to us?”

You frowned, “No, that’s a little invasive.”

“Can you try it out on Sam?” Dean offered.

Sam whacked him in the arm, “Dude, why me?”

Dean shrugged and moved around the table, holding out his arm. “Ask me anything, Y/N.”

You hesitated but held onto him. You tried to think of a good question. Something embarrassing but you needed to start off simply. “Let’s take it slow. Do you trust me?”

“Yes,” He said instantly. “But you didn’t need to use your mojo on me for that to be my honest answer.”

Warmth filled your heart. You moved onto your next question, “What do you consider me as?”

“Family,” He responded quickly again. “Come on, Y/N. You already know these answers. Give me a good one.”

You giggled at a thought that always bugged you. “Do you like dudes?” You felt him resist against your will. He really didn’t want to admit that. Dean was a man’s man, but you had often found him flustered around abnormally pretty guys, and even found him checking them out from time to time. Dean made a face, “That’s not…”

“The more you resist, the more it will hurt,” You insisted. Sam’s brows were raised in curiosity and his lips had parted a little. You saw Dean struggling, so you backed off. It wasn’t fair of you to make him say that out loud if it was hard for him to admit to himself. If the roles were reversed, you sure as hell wouldn’t want to be forced out of the closet. You asked another question, “How many dirty magazines do you have in your room?”

“Fifteen,” He said and then instantly covered his mouth. You and Sam laughed in unison. Dean looked at you incredulously. “Okay, look, it’s not as bad as what some other guys have.”

“Sure, Dean. It’s not like you get laid all the time or anything,” Sam scoffed.

“Are there any in the Impala?” You asked.

“No,” Dean said, frowning. “I have more respect for Baby than that.”

Your smile faltered when you asked the next question. “Are you afraid of me?”

“Used to be, when we first met. I’ve never seen anyone take down a demon like that. That…that was almost like angel power. I didn’t know what to make of it or if you needed to be put down. But you’ve saved our asses more than once and when we got to know you, that little bit of fear went away.” Dean said, face soft and kind.

You released him and tried not to cry. “Okay, I think that’s enough for today.”

You stood and walked past Dean, touching his shoulder once before leaving the boys behind in the library. On your way to your room, you felt the air shift. Immediately on your guard, assuming it was a ghost or demon, you lit your hand aflame. You turned, ready to fight but smacked into someone. That someone had you up against the wall in an instant with an arm at your throat.

You tried to get your bearings. You looked into a pair of crystal blue eyes that were filled with offensive emotions. He was really handsome, with pink skin and raven black hair, but you were more or less focusing on trying to breathe rather than fawning over your attacker. You felt something sharp poking at your gut and assumed that he was armed as well. He held you back easily, which surprised you, seeing as you had super strength.

“Who are you?” He spat at you, voice gruff.

“Get off!” You said, pushing on his hold. His arm shifted from your touch. He repositioned himself, noticing that you were stronger than the average human.

“Who are you and what are you doing here?” He demanded, pressing harder into your throat.

“If you don’t get off of me, I will make you get off,” You hissed.

Before you could do anything, the boys ran down the hall, guns raised. They lowered their weapons when they saw who was holding you. Sam spoke urgently, “Cas, let her go.”

The man named ‘Cas’ looked at you and then back to the boys. “Are you aware of the kind of energy she is giving off?”

The boys looked a bit shocked. Dean piped up, “Cas, let her go. Now.”

“What is she?” Cas growled.

You continued to push against him. You sputtered, “I’m a witch, okay?”

Cas shook his head, “No, witches don’t radiate this kind of energy. What are you?”

You groaned against his grip. You hadn’t been specific to the boys about what kind of witch you were and that demons weren’t the only ones who had tried to wipe you out in the past. “I’m descendant from the Astra coven.”

Understanding passed through Cas’ eyes almost instantly and he released you. He stepped back and bowed his head slightly, “My apologies.”

That’s when you saw them. His wings. They were huge and black…but, no, that wasn’t right. They were actually a deep, almost midnight, blue. When he flexed his feathers, it was almost like there was starlight in them. But his wings were very thin, lacking many feathers, the sight made you sad. You were shocked to say the least. You could see his wings, but unlike how Sam suggested, you weren’t using your magic to see them. You felt his angelic light flowing around him. Dean snapped you out of your daydream. "Can someone please fill me in?”

Cas, who you assumed was Castiel, looked up to Dean. He sighed, “She’s a celestial being, almost as powerful as the seraphim.”

The boys were surprised. Sam stowed his gun behind his back. He looked like he was trying to put pieces together. “Wait, Y/N, you’re an angel?”

Cas made a face, “No, she’s not really a witch either. God created them to keep the balance of nature. And…”

“And what, Cas?” Dean prompted.

“And to guide humanity when the angels went AWOL,” You said.

Cas looked almost ashamed, “Yes. They’ve been very attentive to humanity in our absence. They are called Guardians, not witches, but I guess that’s an easier concept for humans to grasp. They also aided heaven in the rebellion. Astra Guardians have unprecedented healing abilities and were able to heal an angel’s grace. They can even extract the darkness from someone’s soul and make them pure again.”

The boys looked at you. You shifted, “Clearly, you didn’t get that far in the book, Sam.”

Sam continued to stare at you, “How...uh...how come you didn’t tell us?”

“I’ve lost my family not just because of demons, but because of them,” You said, pointing at Castiel. “They hunted us and almost wiped us out. I was afraid that I’d lose you both too.”

Sam embraced you, “Hey, you won’t lose us. No chance in hell that will ever happen, Y/N.”

“Cas, did you…?” Dean subtly implied, asking the angel if he was responsible for the deaths of your family.

Castiel looked offended and he raised his voice a little, “No. Some of my siblings saw Astra’s as a potential aide to Lucifer and started hunting them. I helped protect them.”

You poked your head up from Sam’s chest and looked at Castiel. You sniffled a little, “You did what?”

“I’ve been cloaking them for the last hundred years. Well, trying to anyways. They aren’t very cooperative. One family broke off from the coven; the Y/L/Ns. I wasn’t able to save them in time. I assume that they were your family. I knew them well but they warded themselves against me and the rest of the garrison. I am sorry for your loss,” Castiel said, his fingers twisting around the blade in his hand.

The angel looked genuinely sorry. You nodded, “Thank you.”

Before anything else could be said, you all heard a buzzing. Dean took out his phone, “Hey Garth, what’s up? Really? Okay, we’re on it.”

Sam looked at Dean expectantly, “I take it he’s got a case?”

Dean nodded, “Yep, Garth says it looks like a Rugaru. It’s just south of Albuquerque, New Mexico.”

Sam squeezed your shoulders, “Okay, that’s a twelve hour drive.”

Dean stowed his phone away, “Better get going then.”

Dean patted Sam’s shoulder and turned down the hall. You and Sam followed Dean but Castiel appeared in front of all three of you. Dean grumbled but Castiel spoke, “No.”

“No? Cas, we gotta go after this thing,” Dean said, his voice slowly filling with irritation.

“You both can go,” Castiel nodded at you. “She stays.”

You became instantly annoyed, “What the hell? No, I’m going. I can help.”

“Rugarus hunt based mainly on scent. Astra’s smell more…potent than humans. Her scent will draw it right to you,” Castiel said, his eyes trained on Dean as if the angel were pleading with the hunter.

You piped up quickly, “Even better, I can lure the bastard out so they can kill it.”

“You don’t understand. It won’t stop, it will never stop until it consumes you,” Castiel argued. He sighed, his wings slumping a little behind him. “Look, I understand that I have completely failed at protecting your family, but you are the last Y/L/N Astra Guardian and you need to be protected. I failed once. I won’t fail again.”

“So, what? I can’t hunt anymore?” You asked, your previous exasperation had developed into full blown rage.

“I will decide what hunts you can go on,” Castiel said, trying to be reasonable.

You considered it briefly before raising your hand and projected a beam of pink light from your palm. It smacked into Castiel’s chest and he flew back a few meters, landing on his back with a heavy grunt. The boys turned around to face you. Dean raised a hand, “Whoa now, Y/N. You can’t do that to Cas. He’s our friend and he means well.”

You glared at him, “I don’t like being told what to do, Dean.”

Sam patted your shoulder gently, “Cas is a good guy, Y/N. Sit this one out, it’s okay. We’ll be okay.”

You pursed your lips but gave into his puppy dog eyes. You threw your hands up in the air in defeat. “Okay, fine.”

The brothers smiled as you walked past, unapologetically stepping over the angel as you went.

You sat on the couch and watched as the boys emerged from the hall fifteen minutes with their bags packed. Both of them came up to you and said goodbye. Dean ruffled your hair and gave you a shoulder squeeze while Sam kissed the top of your head. Half expecting Castiel to follow them, you were surprised when both boys gave the angel a pat on the back before heading up the stairs.

You shifted on the couch, “What, you’re staying?”

“Play nice, you two,” Dean called out to us before shutting the bunker door. Castiel stood awkwardly at the bottom of the stairs.

You sat with your legs crossed and fingers drumming on your knees. Castiel kept your unwavering gaze but shifted underneath it. You sighed, deciding to give in first. “I’m sorry that I...uh…blasted you.”

The angel walked forwards and sat on the couch across from you. He nodded solemnly, “I understand why you did it.”

“Why are you so bent on protecting me? There are other Astra families out there,” You said, cocking your head to the side.

Castiel twiddled his thumbs almost anxiously. He sighed heavily, “Astra, the first, was a Y/L/N Guardian. The reason why my brothers and sisters targeted your family line specifically was done on purpose. If your line dies, then every Astra Guardian dies along with you.”

You suddenly felt uneasy. You felt bile threaten to erupt from your stomach and you grimaced. Your voice was raised when you spoke, “We keep the balance within nature! Why would we side with the devil?”

Castiel looked sincere, “I cannot make up for their actions, but I can atone for them.”

“How do you plan to do that? You can’t be by my side all the time,” You insisted.

“When one member of your family dies, their abilities—”

“Magic?” You cut him off.

He made a face but didn’t repeat the word you offered, “Pass onto the next Guardian. You have four Guardian’s worth of power inside of you. You’re nearly indestructible.”

You opened your mouth but he continued.

“Nearly,” He stressed.

You shook your head slowly in confusion, “So, what’s your plan?”

He opened his mouth to speak but shifted uncomfortably, as if something was poking him. His feathers shuddered and he reached around his back as if to grab onto something. Castiel grumbled and murmured something in another language.

“Did you just swear in Enochian?” You smirked.

Castiel glanced up at you, “I’m not very good at swearing in English.”

You smiled fully now at his lack of skills in general. You watched him struggle at trying to reach his back. “Do you need assistance?”

Castiel’s voice grew very rough in frustration before he gave up and leaned over with his face in his hands. Curious, you stood and walked around him. Once you were behind him, you peered closely at his wings. There was a loose feather scraping along the skin on the top of his wing. It had been scratching him so much that there was now a red mark on the visible skin. Castiel felt your proximity but remained still, “What are you doing?”

You gestured to his wings even though you knew he couldn’t see you. “I can see the feather that’s jabbing at you. I can just, uh, remove it if you want. I feel like ‘pluck’ is a bad word to use since you’re not a chicken.”

He didn’t seem to be fazed by your knowledge and waved his hand. Unsure of what that meant, you didn’t move. The poking seemed to get worse because Cas shouted at you. “Yes, please, take it out!”

You reached into his plumage and gently removed the attacking feather. The angel instantly relaxed.Yet you knew that he was still in pain and not because of some rogue feather. You’d always known that your coven had been able to heal angels and you wanted to test that theory. You held your hands over his wings, the spell coming to your lips as if you’d spoken the words many times before.

Honestly, you didn’t know why you couldn’t say the words in English. They roughly translated into: Angel of heaven, I heal thee. However, it came out of your mouth in Latin, “Angelus caeli, ego te sanandum.”

“What are you—?” Castiel trailed away as you spoke loudly over him. You repeated the chant until light erupted from your fingertips, palms, arms, shoulders, head, chest, legs, feet, and toes. The light shone brighter than the sun and expanded outwards to fill the entire bunker. You felt Castiel’s Grace pounding in your soul as you wrapped your healing light around every inch of his true form. Castiel didn’t make much sound aside from some heavy breathing and some inaudible words.

Something clicked in your mind, notifying you that the spell had been completed. You released Castiel and stepped back, the light fading completely. He was standing now and facing you, his eyes glowing a bright blue and his wings were…full. There weren’t any missing feathers now; nothing was burnt or charred or falling off. He looked whole. You smiled, “Wow, that actually worked.”

Castiel exhaled and the glow from his eyes faded, but his wings remained. Once again this confused you, as you weren’t using your magic to see them. Castiel looked a little stunned but managed to speak, “Why…did you do that?”

You were suddenly nervous and knew your voice would crack if you spoke. You tried to keep yourself steady and hid your shaking hands behind your back. You attempted to give a casual shrug, “You said you wanted to protect me, right? Well, I kinda need you to be a fully functioning angel to be able to do that.”

Astounded that you were able to keep your voice from faltering, you smiled to yourself. He smiled too, “I haven’t felt this good since before I fell. Thank you.”

You walked around the couch and smiled, “No more loose feathers now, huh?”

Shock spread across his features and he frowned at you. You reached up to touch his wings but hesitated, not sure if that was okay even though you had touched them moments prior. “Were you using your magic to see my wings before?”

You smirked and pointed at him, “So, you admit that it’s magic?”

Castiel grabbed onto your arm, “Y/N, answer me.”

You gulped, “No, I wasn’t. I can just see them.”

Castiel’s voice softened, “Oh.”

He let your arm go but stayed close to you. You looked at him, studying him, trying to find out what he was hiding. “Castiel, what does that mean?”

He tried to smile at you but failed completely, “It means…that it is very, very important that you stay safe.”

You found yourself reaching for him but he backed away. He disappeared in front of you with a flutter of wings. You blinked in surprise and left the common room for the bathroom.

Half an hour and a shower later, you emerged from your room, clad in a black t-shirt nightie that stopped just above your knees and fluffy Hufflepuff slippers. You went into the kitchen and poured yourself a rather large glass of chocolate milk and went back into the common room.

You saw Castiel sitting on the couch with the television on. You approached him and looked at the TV. You bit your lip to keep from smiling at the fact that he was watching Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Peter Quill, Gamora, Rocket, and Groot were being sent to the Kiln after Denarian Saal had prompted to Corpsmen Dey that they were a bunch of a-holes.

Castiel’s wings were spread wide against the back of the couch and you briefly found yourself mesmerized by their majesty. You sat down next to him, leaning back against his wings and saw Castiel go rigid from the contact.

“Never picked you for a Marvel man,” You said, taking a sip of your drink.

“This movie is bizarre. There are talking racoons and sentient trees,” Castiel said, staring at the TV.

“And a whole lot of sexy people,” You offered. Your breath hitched in your throat as you gazed at Peter Quill’s lack of shirt.

Castiel turned to look at you. He almost looked offended, “You’re attracted to him?”

You guffawed, “Hell yes! I mean look at that body. Plus, he’s super protective over the people he loves. He’s a complete sweetheart and yet a total badass.”

The angel eyed you and then lifted up his shirt as if to compare his vessel’s body to Chris Pratt’s. You put a hand on his shoulder as if to comfort him. “Hey, you’re gorgeous.”

Castiel looked up at you, dropping his shirt. He stared at you and you were surprised to see desire creep into his eyes. “I thought you didn’t like angels.”

You removed your hand which seemed to disappoint him. Instead, you moved it to his leg. He glanced down at it and sucked in air sharply. You shrugged, “I can make an exception.”

He nodded almost nervously, “Y/N, there’s a meaning behind why you can see my wings.”

“Oh?” Finally, you were going to get an answer. “And what’s that?”

Castiel kept staring at your hand, “It means…that…”

“Spit it out, Cas,” You urged.

“It means that we’re mates,” He said, taking that moment to look at you. When you stared at him unflinchingly, he waved a hand in front of your face. You kind of just sat there, desperately needing clarification but unable to form actual words. Castiel cleared his throat, “Soulmates.”

You nodded, silently thanking him for the extra information.

He kept talking, “It’s a match literally made in heaven. I figure it’s why your family tried to separate themselves from me. They knew that you could see my wings and they didn’t want us to…copulate…”

Your hands flew to your face in embarrassment, “Jesus, Cas! Could you be more subtle?”

“Well, I thought that term was more appropriate than ‘coitus’ or ‘intercourse’ or—”

This time you covered his mouth with both of your hands, having put your milk down on the coffee table while he was babbling. He looked at you but you spoke instead, “No, no more talking about sex.”

He rolled his eyes and then peeled your hands off of him. He seemed to want to defend himself. “I have some experience with sex, you know. I believe I am adequate.”

You stood up and gestured widely, “Oh my God, Cas. Please, stop.”

He frowned, “I’d appreciate it if you didn’t say my father’s name.”

“I feel like this is equally awkward. So, how about you stop talking about sex and I won’t say ‘God’. Okay?” You offered. He nodded and then looked down. However, he averted his gaze and you realized that your hooch was at eye level.

“I can’t be the only one who feels the…pull,” He said, trying to focus on the movie. You stayed quiet, so he continued. “I think that’s how I found you. You drew me in. Even now, I’m finding it terribly hard to resist…”

“Resist what?” You queried, curiously.

He shifted uncomfortably, keeping his gaze away from yours, “I want to claim you. I want to make you mine.”

Your breathing was rapid and shaky now and you pressed your thighs together, knowing exactly the feeling that he was talking about. “Yours?”

“I want to complete the mating process. I don’t want another angel to…”

You reached out and threaded your fingers through his hair. He groaned at the interaction. You scratched his scalp gently, “Make me theirs?”

“You’re making it worse, Y/N,” Castiel grunted. You retracted your hand but seeing him basically at your mercy was turning you on beyond belief. Angels were stoic and intense. Cold and calculating. This angel however…this angel was faltering in the presence of a woman. His facade was failing faster by the second from your proximity and you wondered how long it would take for him to completely unravel. You pulled him up to his feet and he watched as you moved behind him.

“Stay,” You ordered, smiling when he complied. “I mean it, Castiel. Don’t move.”

“I won’t,” He said, looking straight ahead. You placed your hand on the top of his back, between where his wings sprouted from his shoulder blades. He straightened up but remained silent. You gingerly pressed your fingers against the scapular feathers of his right wing and he sucked in air. You drew your fingers down, marvelling at how soft his feathers were. You moved down his wing, smoothing out the feathers and stopping every now and then to scratch at the skin of his wing.

Once you reached the end, you worked your way backwards and started on the left wing. Completing your work on the back, you walked around to face him. Castiel’s face was flushed and he looked like he was in some sort of trance. You threaded your fingers through the feathers on the inside of his left wing. He hummed as you preened him, his wings slowly drooping.

If you didn’t know any better, you might have thought that he was about to fall asleep. You got to the inside of his wing and then started on the right wing from the outside working in. When you finally made it inwards, he was looking at you.

“Did that feel…okay?” You asked, placing a hand on his chest.

Castiel responded by reaching up for your waist. He gripped onto your hips and pushed you backwards until your back hit the stone wall of the bunker. His wings were spread wide now, and his eyes were consumed with hunger. “I want…” He murmured. “I need you, Y/N.”

Castiel...

#castiel x reader #reader insert fanfiction #castiel #supernatural #sam winchester #dean winchester #original content

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mjsmum · 7 years ago

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Does a beautiful birth experience even exist?

It might seem as if I've opened the blogging flood gates, but I'm very aware that baby challenges change as quickly as the direction of the wind, and I want to get my feelings in order about some of the early topics before they fade to make way for new parenting dilemmas.

Matilda will be two weeks old tomorrow, and I feel like I'm finally ready to talk about my labour experience. In fact, I may have left it a little too late, as I would contemplate having another baby now - whereas at the time I strongly declared to Jim that we were getting a cat next time!

The naivety of going natural

Like many women, I had a strong desire for a natural, holistic birth experience. I'd like to consider myself a tough cookie when it comes to pain management, and I told myself that the discomfort would only be temporary, and that I could feel empowered by the act of bringing new life into the world with minimal medical assistance.

To support this goal, I started arming myself with tools to help me prepare for a painkiller-free birth. I attended prenatal yoga classes to learn controlled breaths; I consulted a herbalist to learn about natural remedies; I rented a tens machine, and wrote a birthing plan that was all about a water birth and absolutely no pethidine or epidural under any circumstance.

When reality starts getting in the way

The first sign that my birth experience wouldn't be all it was cracked up to be came in week 28 of pregnancy, when I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. After struggling to control it with dietary changes I was put onto metformin tablets with my evening meal, and nightly insulin injections. This meant two things:

1 - I would be induced around my due date if baby didn't make an early appearance

2 - the likelihood of needing extra monitoring was such that a water birth would be highly unlikely

I could write a whole separate blog post on the impact of GD on my pregnancy experience, but the overwhelming effect on my labour plan was one of panic . That my choices were being taken away from me. And it's hard to remain empowered when the things you wanted for your birth experience are being taken off the table one by one.

However, as my due date drew nearer and Matilda's weight and measurements began to shoot off the chart, I was secretly glad not to be enduring the agonising two-week countdown of being overdue, and one day before her due date we decamped to hospital to be induced.

The long wait for labour to begin

In the middle of my labour, my midwife (who was incredible - more on that later) declared that unless it's for medical reasons, she doesn't know why anyone has an induction, and I can understand why. Turns out it involves a whole lot of waiting around - two days in my case - for something to happen.

You're stuck in a side room while women in natural labour filter past you to the delivery suite, with someone poking their head round the door every few hours to take your blood pressure or shove a finger up your hoo-ha just in case anything has kicked off.

The best thing I did during this time was send Jim home for some proper sleep, as we had no idea how gruelling the first few days of parenthood would be. The worst thing I did was to let my mixture of fear and excitement keep me awake at night, as I could've used the energy for labour when it finally happened. However, it did give me the chance to binge watch my way through series 6 of ER on DVD!

Eventually, after a pessary, two gels and a sweep, I began to feel period-like pains in my stomach, and requested some light pain relief from the midwife. A dose of paracetamol and codeine later I got back into bed, and felt something start to trickle down my leg. By the time I got to the bathroom my waters gave way fully, and after a dramatic gush all over the floor I realised I was standing there with soaking wet pyjama bottoms. Things were finally kicking off!

Thank god for a hot shower

I don't actually remember much about early labour - it lasted around 5.5 hours, and Jim came back to the hospital as soon as my waters went - other than the fact I felt very alone. I was only checked by medical staff once or twice during this time, and it was hours before they would internally examine me to see how I was progressing.

It was a LOT more painful than I had imagined, and my yoga breathing went straight out of the window. My cries for more codeine were never answered, but one kind midwife did run me a bath. The water helped but I felt trapped in the restrictive porcelain tub, so got out after a handful of minutes.

Not being able to get comfortable basically summed up the early part of my labour. Standing was too much; sitting on the ball only worked between contractions; hanging off jim's shoulders worked temporarily, but didn't anchor me the way I needed. In the end, my absolute saviour was the en suite shower in my room. I turned it to maximum heat, grabbed hold of the hand rails in the cubicle and swayed from side to side for literally two and a half hours until someone came to check on my progress.

Everything...and then nothing

The good news on examination was that I was 9cm dilated and ready to go to the delivery suite. I'd lost the will to put clothes on by that point, so the midwife wheeled me up there in a towel and blanket with soaking wet hair - oh the glamour!

For me, the first hour in the delivery suite was the only moment of clarity and control in the whole labour experience. My midwife, Toni, was very calm, soothing and experienced. My contractions slowed to a manageable level, and I felt happy enough to proceed with my plan of as natural birth as possible, with just gas and air to see me through.

Had I known what was about to come, I would have taken the epidural offered to me at that point, but for some reason I was still hell bent on this badge of honour of pushing a baby out with minimal pain relief. Next time, I'm taking the drugs!

What should've been the beginning of the end was actually the start of 6 of the most tiring, painful and frustrating hours I've ever experienced in my life. And by the time Matilda arrived, I was so delusional and exhausted I felt like I was having some kind of out of body experience.

The slowing down of my contractions was the first of many things that started to go awry in those last few hours. They had to put me on a hormone drip to artificially stimulate me to contract three times every 10 minutes, and they also gave me IV fluid as Matilda was showing signs of dehydration.

I still wasn't dilated enough to push, so had to put up with a couple more hours of intense pain before being given the green light to start trying to pop my baby out.

Throughout those couple of hours I pleaded and begged to start pushing, but had I known what real pushing meant, I would've shut up and made the most of the gas and air! The physical effort involved with each push was so intense that I was physically sweating, and I definitely shit myself on more than one occasion, but by that point I no longer cared.

Time for intervention

What started to become apparent at the pushing stage was that Matilda just wasn't coming out. As much as I pushed her forward, she started to slip back, and after 90 minutes of body-wrenching squeezes, the midwife made the decision to call a doctor for assistance.

What I didn't know at the time was that doctor intervention had been discussed more than once during those final hours because of my 'failure to progress', but that my midwife fought tooth and nail at every stage to buy me more time. It was this determination that meant I didn't end up having a c-section, and I will be eternally grateful to her for being so persistent.

I don't think I'd really thought about what the end of my labour would be like in advance, but I never got that glorious moment of doing a final push to feel a slippery baby slide into the midwife's arms with a triumphant first cry. Matilda's heart rate began to drop, so the decision was taken to use forceps, and suddenly the room was filled with a team of doctors and nurses.

By this point I was basically hallucinating with adrenaline, pain and tiredness, so the final part felt slightly disembodied. I saw what I could only describe as a giant pair of salad tongs on the side, not realising that they were what was about to help deliver my baby, and then I was being dropped down and tilted backwards on the bed ready for the big moment.

The midwife explained to me that I needed to push hard with the next contraction, as the forceps were there to assist - they couldn't do the job for me. It was this next contraction where I basically had a total meltdown; the pain and discomfort of the forceps was like nothing I'd ever experienced, and instead of pushing I started screaming and begging for them to make it stop.

Here, the midwife stepped in with a bit of tough love and shouted at me to pull it together for the sake of my baby. It obviously did the trick as I gave it one final push and heard the staff telling me excitedly that my baby had arrived!

The eye of the storm - and the calm that followed

Because of the way Matilda was dragged into the world, we didn't get that idyllic moment where she went straight onto my bare chest for skin to skin. I didn't know at the time but her shoulders had got stuck so they'd had to rotate her to get her out. The cord was wrapped around her neck, and her apgar score was only 5, so they rushed her over to the side of the room to give her some inflationary breaths.

I remember everyone being calm but not hearing my baby crying, and repeatedly asking Jim and the staff if everything was ok. Then she let out the first of many wails we have since heard, and they briefly put her on a towel on my stomach to say hello.

At this point I was still lying flat on my back, legs akimbo in stirrups, unaware that I'd suffered a third degree tear and lost 800ml of blood. They explained to me that I needed to go straight into theatre for repair, so no sooner had I met my baby I was wheeled away, given a spinal block, and laid back down for repair.

Strangely, that moment in theatre was the beginning of the post-birth calm. I was so tired and overstimulated that I couldn't really think about the baby I'd left behind in the delivery suite - it almost felt as if it hadn't happened - and I zonked out into a deep sleep during the hour it took them to stitch me back together.

The next thing I remember is being transferred onto a different trolley and wheeled back to the now cleaned-up delivery room. I felt nothing but tingles from the waist down, and waiting for me was a plate of pie and mash and a peacefully sleeping baby, who was placed onto my bare chest. It still didn't quite feel real at that moment, but I wasn't in pain; all I felt was complete contentment.

Processing the reality of giving birth

The first couple of nights after Matilda was born I couldn't close my eyes without getting forcep flashbacks. To be honest, I felt haunted by the whole labour experience, but gradually the horror moments started to fade.

Over the next few days I began to fully process MJ’s birth, and realised that while it had been far from the holistic experience I had imagined, it had taught me some important lessons:

- Why do we put so much pressure on ourselves to make life even harder and have a natural birth? Real empowerment comes from making the best decision for you personally, and if we ever decide to go through it again, I will confidently ask for an epidural and feel no sense of shame

- Any woman who delivers a baby is a fucking superhero. Whether you deliver naturally in water or have an elective caesarean, you birthed a baby. That deserves a massive amount of respect

- Nothing that hurts that much can ever be empowering at the time, but you can definitely give yourself a massive pat on the back afterwards for getting through it. You are a female warrior!

- Never underestimate the power of a good birthing partner. I crushed every bone in Jim's hands during my contractions, and yelled at him every time our birthing soundtrack came to an end and needed rebooting, but he will never fully realise how just being there with that support in those moments got me through

- It's OK to come away from hospital with the opinion that labour sucks, and lament the gruelling process your body has been through, and continues to go though afterwards. Because when you're having a 'woe is me' moment you can pick up your perfect, tiny little baby and give her a tight cuddle, and realise all that pain and fear was completely and totally worth it

#labour #labor #birth #positivebirth #firsttimemum

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cessanderson · 5 years ago

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Charming, Trendy Small Town AirBnB Apartment https://ift.tt/2uHhoD7

Ready for a ‘Suite Thyme’? There’s a new place to stay in downtown Butler, PA. Suite Thyme (AirBnB) is officially open for guests!

Welcome!

Suite Thyme

Created with the help DIYShowOff partnerships, the second story of this 1890s home boasts a trendy newly renovated efficiency apartment loaded with charm, located just steps from the main thoroughfare of downtown Butler’s best eateries, antique shops, breweries and more. Perfect for festival-goers and travelers looking to enjoy a small town vibe just approximately 30 miles north of Pittsburgh, PA.

1st story…

Located on the main floor, Wellness Inspired Living is a quiet, by-appointment-only wellness workshop providing Aroma Freedom Technique, small chemical free living/healthy lifestyle events, reiki, relaxation sessions, iTovic scans and more. We’ll always let you know if there’s something scheduled during your stay and you’re always welcome to join in, free of charge, if interested.

2nd story…

This 2nd floor eclectic space is the efficiency apartment “Suite Thyme”. It’s loaded with personality and beautiful style. Inviting, warm and welcoming, all ready for your next trip to Butler!

One bedroom, two beds!

Sleeping arrangements include 2 queen beds in the bedroom + a queen sleeper sofa (officially sleeps 6) in the living room for peaceful night’s rest and sweet dreams,

a lunar retreat…

and a boho beauty…

Time to eat!

Cook up your favorite meal with local veggies from the farm market in a beautiful fully equipped modern kitchen area.

Coffee (tea, hot cocoa), anyone? Help yourself to the complimentary coffee bar. You may even find snacks in the pantry area. Open the cupboards. Get familiar. Make yourself at home!

Dine…

Downtown Butler is home to multiple restaurants with an eclectic menu ranging from your favorite comfort foods to gourmet dining. Ask about our favorites! But there’s room for 4 at the dining table, with additional seating for 3 at the breakfast bar if you’re staying in and whipping up a meal or ordering delivery.

Unwind!

Kick back on the comfy sofa with the tv remote. Choose your subscription and favorite shows utilizing the Smart TV feature or browse the limited selection on a very basic cable package. Or connect your phone to the blue tooth speaker and pump up the volume!

Quiet time!

Curl up in the cozy egg chair on the landing nook with a good book or your tablet and favorite game.

Soak your worries away!

Bathroom updates include the original but refinished vintage clawfoot tub for soaking away the tension. Escape! When was the last time you had a relaxing bath? It also offers up the traditional or handheld shower option. Bath bomb, fresh fluffy towels and bath essentials provided. PLUS! Suite Thyme has a la carte options including several ritual baths – baths with intention, herbs and essential oils. Coming soon!

Get to work!

Traveling to Butler for business? Connect your laptop at the USB charging station at the breakfast bar aka workstation and catch up on your work.

Seasonal:

…just a little gazebo/outdoor seating area.

Local Favorites:

Plus, it’s just a short stroll to Butler’s charming Main Street district!

Social Media:

Instagram: @SuiteThyme

Facebook: @ButlerSuiteThyme

#suitethyme

#suitethymeinbutlerexperience

#butlerdowntown #downtownbutler #butlercountypa

Suite Thyme amenities:

* Sleeping for up to 6 guests (2 queen beds, 1 queen sleeper sofa) * Full kitchen: electric range, refrigerator, microwave, toaster, coffee maker * Coffee, tea, sugar/sweetener, creamer * Small outdoor patio area in back * Free wi-fi * Free parking for 1 (maybe 2 if vehicles are small) * Smart TV * Bluetooth speaker * USB charging station * Clawfoot tub/shower * Heating // Central A/C * Self check in//keyless entry * Hair dyer * Bathroom Essentials * Iron * Essential oils diffuser and oils

Discounts:

Suite Thyme offers 20% off a weekly stay. Yay!

Around the Area:

30 mi. north of Pittsburgh, PA

Local breweries – walking distance

Restaurants – walking distance

Antique & boutique shops – walking distance

Brushes & Barstools painting studio – walking distance

Escape Room – walking distance

YMCA, library – walking distance

Talk of the Town Nail Salon – walking distance

The Art Center – walking distance

Maridon Museum- walking distance

Moraine State Park – Butler County

McConnell’s Mill – Butler County

Trampoline Park – Clearview Mall

Butler Freeport Trail – Butler County

Festivals (Jeep Fest, Italian Festival, Fall Festival and more, holiday parades) – walking distance

Butler Fair – Butler County

Butler Farmshow – Butler County

Saxonburg Carnival – Butler County

and more!

A la Carte Menu!

Coming soon! In an effort to familarize out of town guests with the downtown Butler, PA area, we’re partnering up with other local businesses by adding an a la carte menu with upgrades including a wedding weekend package, a romance bundle, photography sessions, reiki appointments, mani-pedi pampering, beer tasting, florist services and more – all from locally owned small businesses within walking distance to Suite Thyme.

Ready to make a reservation?

We are dedicated to ensuring you have a five star stay and look forward to hosting your “home away from home”.

BOOK SUITE THYME HERE!

What guests are saying:

“Beautiful Butler City Apartment is indeed a beautiful apartment. Everything was very nice, and the apartment was a beautiful, cozy place. The couch and beds were very comfortable, and the kitchen was very modern, with high quality, modern cooking utensils. Roeshel obviously takes a lot of pride in this apartment, and it shows. I was very pleased with my experience there.”

~Robert

“Beautiful apartment next to a cute down town! Our first Airbnb fell threw last minute and Roeshel was on top of getting back to us and having us stay with such short notice! So many extra touches to ensure a great stay! Lists of local places to eat and a calendar of things to do! If I could give more than 5 stars I would! Definitely recommend.”

~Brittany

“Roeshel’s place was simply spectacular!! Luxury surrounded us in every detail of her space. The kitchen was a dream…I enjoyed cooking up local vegetables. The beds were super comfortable with fabulous linens. And the decor was right out of a magazine! Roeshel’s special touches made this my favorite all-time AirBnB experience. We felt so at home and didn’t want to leave. If you’re lucky enough to get to stay here, I’m certain you’ll feel the same way.”

~Cathy

Holiday stays:

“My husband and I stayed at Roeshel’s for a trip home over the holidays and absolutely loved it! Roeshel met us for a quick tour when we arrived. The whole place is filled with cute little touches and smells amazing (all essential oils). She even had it decorated for Christmas and it looked incredible! The bed was super comfy and there are throw blankets to keep warm under and a full kitchen should you need it. We would definitely stay again!”

~Shannon

“This place had everything you need and more. I mentioned to the host that I was visiting my 2 1/2 yr old granddaughter for the holidays and I found a basket of perfect toys that were placed to share with her in the space. The house is sparkling clean and the atmosphere so inviting. Everything you need to have a nice getaway! I highly recommend staying here!”

~Christine

Wedding weekend:

“My husband and I booked Roeshel’s place for our wedding weekend. We used the space to get ready in and as a retreat after our long exciting wedding day. Her space is decorated beautifully with many amenities for her guests to use. One feature my make-up artist loved was the long table/desk with built in charging station – convenient!

Not only did she go above and beyond with her communication and little touches but she also surprised us, not once but twice! When we arrived the morning of our wedding she had laid out a little welcome platter of fruits and drinks with a congratulations sign hung on the fire place mantle. She also drew up a cute little note on the calendar on the refrigerator!

When we arrived back to the space late that night after having the most perfect wedding day, we were greeted with another surprise. The entry way and stairs leading up to the AirBnB had been decorated with rose petals and electric candles. This led to a decorated romantic set up outside the apartment door along with chocolates, drinks and chilled glasses. We cried. It was the most perfect ending to the beautiful day we had just shared. It meant the world to us.

Her thoughtful touches, ultra clean + super hip space and her timely communication make this easily the best place to stay in the Butler area. If you are in town or just want a little stay-cation I can’t encourage you enough to book Roeshel’s space!”

~Lizi

https://ift.tt/31R1QIW Roeshel

#DIY Show Off ™ – DIY Decorating and Home Improvement Blog

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lonewolfwriter · 7 years ago

Text

A Taste Of Hazel Chapter 11 (A Zootopia fan-story)

Alison arrived home from school she had her backpack over her should and looked exhausted she had been teased relentlessly, she wanted so badly to punch the dickens out of the other kids, but knew deep down that would not help.

“Hey sweetie” called a voice from the couch.

Alison hadn’t even seen Jack sitting on the couch.

“Hey dad”

“Hi sweetheart, how was your day?”

Alison smiled brightly “We had the whole last class was art and it was great, I drew a fox”

Alison pulled out her book and showed Jack the picture. He didn’t move from the couch but held a paw out and took the book looking over the picture.

It’s beautiful, “who is it?”

“The neighbour, I think she is very pretty!”

Jack knew who Alison spoke of; she was speaking of Ms Raine, the young fox who lived in the penthouse across from Jacks penthouse suite.

“Can I go show her?”

Asked Alison, Jack pursed his lips, he hated Alison’s fascination with other foxes, and it made him feel bad, but mainly uncomfortable.

“Sure” he said through strain “just be home before mom gets home okay?”

Alison did a 180 degree turn and went to go to the neighbour’s house when she paused under the doorframe.

“Dad?”

Jack who had gone back to watching television hit the mute button.

“Yeah?”

“What are you doing home?”

Jack looked blankly at the television “Just sick sweetheart”.

“Oh…okay, I’ll be back soon”.

Alison shut the door and Jack waited till her heard her paw steps disappear before reaching between the couch and pulling out a bottle of scotch and his pills.

“This is getting out of hand” he sighed throwing back three of the pills, as his eyes stayed poised on the dark figure sitting in the corner of the room rocking back and forth crying.

Alison tapped gently at the door to Ms.Raine’s penthouse suite.

“Hello Ms.Raine?”

“Hello?” choked a voice from the other side of the door; the voice was soft but sad.

“Hey Ms Raine, it’s me Alison”.

“Oh hi sweetie, what can I do for you?”

The door cracked a little and Miss Raines hazel eye peered out.

“I drew you a picture!” Alison confirmed with a gleeful smile holding up the picture.

“Oh sweetie that’s beautiful, is that you” she breathed out, sounding to Alison as though she was out of breath.

“No…It’s you!” explained Alison holding picture up for Ms Raine to take.

“Aw thank you” she exclaimed reaching a shaky paw out to take the picture from Alison, her paw however was shaking like mad.

“Are you okay Ms Raine?” quizzed Alison.

“Yeah, I’ve just got a temperature and haven’t been feeling too well, but it’s okay, its normal…you’ll understand when your older sweetheart. Ide invite you in but I don’t think I can today, maybe another night you can come over and we can watch a Fox tales?”

Alison’s face lit up with excitement.

“Well I hope you get better” comforted Alison.

“I think I’ll be much better soon enough” said Ms Raine with a bright fangy smile.

Nick was sharply woken by the god awful sound of his watch blaring in his ear; his sight was blurry as he tried to push himself up, his arms felt like paper that folded beneath his own weight.

“What? Are you kidding me?”

Nicks rest had barely recuperated him and he had 30 minutes to get dressed and get down stairs for his first shift.

He tried to sit up but his whole body seemed to resist him.

“Come on Nick, enough already” he spoke to himself, bashful that he was feeling this way, never having felt anything like this.

Each second the image of the Vixen in his mind reminding him why his body was completely drained.

It took Nick 12 minutes to drag himself from the floor and into the bathroom where he stared at himself in the mirror, trying his hardest to give himself a pep talk, grasping each side of the basin with as much force as he could muster.

“She’s just a Vixen, you’ve seen plenty before, this one is no different, she’s just…” he paused a moment as his thoughts took over thinking of other Vixens he had fancied and noticing none of them came close to this fox. “She’s just…undyingly beautiful and kind” he finished in a defeated whisper.

Nick sluggishly walked into his living room, snatching his shirt off the floor and slowly buttoning it up and rolling up the sleeves. He could hear the crowd grown downstairs, he knew he should be nervous but was too tired to think straight.

He grabbed the aftershave off the small bedside table and sprayed around his scruff twice.

He then walked to the mirror in the bathroom; he took a deep breath, poked his chest out and smiled.

“Nicholas Piberius Wilde” he exclaimed to himself smiling brightly extending his paw out as if he were to shake someone’s paw, his paw trembled with an uncontrollable force.

He pulled is paw back placing on in the other and rubbing them together as if that would sooth his tremor, however it did nothing.

Nick breathed out “Well, here goes nothing”

Nick got down stairs spot on time, the place was busy but, relaxing, he felt as though all eyes were on him, and at the same time calm; every animal here was simply relaxed having a nice dinner or laughing around a table that had one too many beers balancing atop it.

“Hey Nickie, sweetie”.

“Hey Pricilla, where do you want me?” asked Nick wondering where to start and feeling a little out of place.

“Well Sarah is behind the bar serving if you wanna start cleaning the tables and throwing out those bottles” she shouted over the sound of the jukebox starting up.

Nick smiled and nodded turning to catch Sarah’s eye, giving her a greeting nod, she was a deer in her early twenties with a cock sure smile, she had freckles and dressed in very casual attire and worked the bar like she lived there, knowing where everything was, she flung her head back reciprocating Nicks gesture, Nick could tell she must have worked here a long time as she knew everyone’s order before they even placed it.

Nick turned and made his way table to the first table the people continuing their conversation as if Nick weren’t even there only turning when he had the last bottle in paw to thank him for cleaning the table, the second table and third table was much the same, then Nick came to the table that had the most bottles on it, the one that looked as though it was about to overflow; he grabbed an empty glass and some at the table turned and sneered when they saw the fox only to lighten up and join him in their conversations when he gave them a reassuring and shy smile which was mirrored by Pricilla shooting them a stare as she walked by, obviously the rowdy ones were regulars and knew Pricilla’s stance on treating other with respect.

“Nicholas but people call me Nick” explained Nick answering ones question while still collecting their empty bottles.

He reached out grabbing a half full bottle while talking and a tiny paw grabbed his “hey there fella don’t be to overzealous, that’s not finished yet” pointed out the beaver with a chuckle.

Nick also chuckled letting go of the bear and moving instead to stacking up the empty glasses that remained. It took Nick two trips to get their table clear,

“Don’t forget to wipe down the table and put down coaster newbie” explained the deer who walked past him with a tied-up bin bag

“Coasters?” asked Nick unsure as to where they were located.

The deer simply pointed to a marble bench top that led toward the kitchen, which atop sat a stack of fresh coasters, Sarah manoeuvred past Nick, making her way to the back door to take out the trash.

Nick grabbed the coasters and made his way to the sink where he found the cleaning spray for the tables and a clean cloth; he tucked the cloth into his belt and hung the spray by the nozzle from his pants pocket.

Nick returned to the rowdy table; he sprayed his cloth wiping the sticky spilt beer from their table top and threw down several coasters from in his pocket.

“Thanks Slick Nick” laughed a leopard slapping Nick encouragingly on the back .

Nick swayed with the hit and went to speak but instead just smiled, nodded and moved to the next table, then the next and the next when he was suddenly interrupted.

“Nick!” yelled a voice; he looked to the back door to see Sarah standing there an aggravated look on her face, her paw gesturing to the bar.

Nick just stood confused

“When one of us goes somewhere the others got to watch the bar” she called out rolling her eyes and storming over to the bar to serve the queue of various mammals.

Nick fumbled and with haste nervously made his way to the bar

“Hi, what can I get you?” he asked the first animal in front of him

“I already got him newbie” called Sarah, focusing on punching the order into the til and not even looking up to address Nick.

“What can I get you sir; he asked sliding to the next animal.

“Hey I was first” called out a customer to the left.

“Sorry, what can I get you?” Nick asked moving to the customer that had called out.

“Two scotch on ice, 2 jerry lagers and one of these” explained the customer holding up the cocktails menu and pointing to one.

“Cold never bothered me anyway” read Nick out loud revising the name of the drink “on it” He confirmed turning to the bench of alcohols and glasses behind him, and suddenly his confidence became staggered, it was like a maze to him, everything looked the same and he could only hear the yelling of the customers behind him and to make it worse the images of the Vixen seemed to only get more progressive the longer he was awake.

Nick fumbled and dropped glasses and took more than twice as long to make the drinks as Sarah, he handed back incorrect change and forgot the ice in one of the scotches.

But after 17 minutes he had finally served his first customer. He moved down the bar asking the next customer, who, to Nicks surprise seemed to be the last one there.

“Sorry fox, the lady already got my drink” he confirmed reaching over and taking a drink from Sarah who passed it over Nicks shoulder. The customer raising his glass to her in thanks and her responding with a glinted wink.

There was silence as she waited for the bar to be completely clear before she threw = a tea towel over her shoulder crossing her arm and tapping her hoof.

“Listen Newbie, rule one of this bar, there is always someone here” she explained uncrossing her arms to point to where Nick and her stood behind the bar.

“Always…got it?”

Nick nodded he could feel his body shaking.

Sarah raised an eyebrow, her eyes seeing the shake in Nick, Had she gone to far? She thought to herself.

“You don’t look so good?” she confirmed suddenly “are you okay?”

Nick didn’t reply he simply nodded.

Sarah rolled her eyes realising she was being a little rough on the new guy, she tapped Nick on the shoulder.

“Hey don’t worry, I’m just a little stressed tonight okay? Just relax, and pay attention you’ll be alright”.

Nick looked up and smiled at her “what do I do next?” he asked.

Sarah smiled “the best job there is”.

Nick was in the bathroom sliding the mop backwards and forwards the bathroom was in shambles and someone was on the toilet with a symphony going.

“Greeeaat” he explained as he held his breath slopping the mop back and forth as quick as he could.

Nick was minding his own business when two Coyotes walked into the bathroom standing next to one another by the troth.

“Yeah so Cory might have us a new job… two cops” He whispered leaning over into his friend ear who pushed him back and gestured his eyes back to Nick.

“What him? Hey janitor, you’re not eavesdropping are you?”

Nick who was nervous he may get caught out simply shook his head and continued to mop.

“Yeah I didn’t think so” laughed the Coyote nudging his friend “told ya”.

The two finished washed their paws and towelled them and threw the towels on the floor in front of Nick, who starred at them as he grudgingly bent over to pick them up.

“Not your issue anymore Nick…head down…” he convinced himself trying not to think of what the two Coyotes had been talking about while taking a leak.

Nick got back to the bar and Sarah was simply towling it off and checking the pressure of the taps.

Nick strolled up next to her, “need any help?” he offered

“No, but you can serve the customer waiting”

Nick turned “oh sorr-“He began until he saw who it was.

“Hello Nick” spoke a she wolf on the other side of the counter “Nice earring barkeep” she giggled.

“Hi…” said Nick his earlier confusion coming back like a wave.

“Can I please get -“she asked while her seductive eyes danced over Nick and simply fell off him, his minds only thought however was the eyes of the unknown vixen.

“A water with ice”.

“Coming right up” Nick walked over to the bar, his eyes however were watching the she wolf from the reflection in the tiles, the stance, the gaze, he couldn’t be wrong.

He scooped ice into the glass and put the glass under the tap of water turning it and placing it down in front of the she wolf.

“Thanks stud, how much is that?”

“Waters free” confirmed Sarah, intervening without realising, what Nick knew was so obvious; the she-wolf was playing games.

“$5.00” confirmed Nick ignoring Sarah, unable to help himself from playing the game back. His years in the ZPD, screaming for him to confirm what he already knew to be true.

Sarah stopped wiping the table and stood chest to chest with Nick trying to grab his attention “No newbie water is free to customers” Nick moved his head to see past her not wanting to break eye contact with the wolf.

Nick knew the game, intimidation, seduction, information and resolution…he had seen it played much better than the she wolf was playing, he had been on the receiving end and learnt what it was and how it looked, and Nick never forgot a lesson learnt in pain.

The she-wolf smirk deepened “Okay slick, $5.00” the she-wolf opened her purse and pulled out a 5 handing it to Nick who took it and held it.

Sarah, turned back to the she-wolf whose eyes were locked with Nicks, Sarah looked at her for a moment then at the look plastered on Nicks face and realised something was not right

“What’s the catch?” asked Nick

“What about a kiss?”

“Not happening” responded Nick almost robotically, his hair standing on edge as if the question offended him, his mind going straight to the vixen, right to her defence as if kissing this wolf would be a betrayal on her.

The wolf sighed “Well then I guess I’ll be going home alone tonight after all”.

Nick needed answers and as the she wolf walked away he knew what to do.

He paused a moment thinking of whether or not this would help his situation with Pricilla, but he needed to know, he needed to verify what he knew so obviously.

Nick took a deep breath and barked as loud as he could “GUN!” he shouted.

Everyone dropped to the floor, cries of fear exiting their mouths and muzzles.

However due to years of training, the wolf had dropped the glass and in one motion held a handgun in her paws; pulled from her purse. She scanned the room for the perp with the gun; her stance typical of an operative, when there was no one else except her with a gun, she realised Wilde had gotten the better of her.

She was looking around bashfully when she gently placed her firearm into her side holster turning back to Nick who wore a smug grin.

“You’re a cop” chuckled Nick unenthused, unfolding his arms and pointing at her. “I saw the firearm from the get go”.

“God damn it” muttered the she-wolf to herself.

“Not too good at the cop game are you?” confirmed Nick scrunching up the five and throwing it on the bar.

The wolf stalked forward snatching the five dollars shoving it into her purse “I’m not the first officer to be tricked though, am I Officer Wilde”

Nick knew she must have been speaking of the deception of Judy and Jack and simply nodded in agreement, everyone who had a badge had known about his decimation. He finished with a simple sentence; “I am no officer…”

Pricilla was just behind Nick and grabbed his attention.

“What’s going on Nickie?” she asked nervously, phone in her hand ready to call the police

Nick smiled at Pricilla, “sorry, just a misunderstanding, this is officer…-”

“Sparrow, Violet Sparrow” exclaimed the wolf putting a paw out to Nick, who grasped it and shook once.

Sarah was just behind Nick, pushing herself up against the wall as close as she could, she had never seen a gun before and her heart was racing, Nick could hear it and he turned.

“Relax, she’s a police officer-“comforted Nick before his attention returned to Violet ”… so…What do you want? Jack send you? Keep an eye on me?”

While her and Nicks spoke Nick saw the two Coyotes from earlier nudge one another and make haste for the door, looking back every step or so to make sure their withdraw had not grabbed unwanted attention.

Violet laughed into the back of her paw throwing her head back “I don’t answer to that puny little runt, I’m in the K-9 division, we deal with, bigger issues…”

“Such as?”

The wolf walked forward and pinched Nick’s cheeks “If I told you that good looking, I’d have to kill you” she spoke through pursed lips, teasing Nick playfully.

Nick pulled his cheeks from her clutches “I’ve had enough of cops…I think you should leave”

“I’m not the enemy Nickie boy” explained the wolf over her shoulder as she went to leave.

“Yeah Ive heard that one before” he gnashed. “Then what are you”

The wolf did a 180 degrees turn and walked over to the bar leaning over and whispered into Nicks ear- “undercover”

The words itself burnt Nick to the core Nicks thoughts went into overdrive,” Undercover, just like her, just like him, a liar in disguise a two face, traitorous, sly! Mother fu-“.

Nick hadn’t realised but his muzzle was gently pulling back to expose his canines in an aggressive manner “Settle down Vulpes, I’m just playing”

Nick didn’t respond; he just starred at her.

She gently pulled her head back and her ears dropped to the side in sadness, she had never seen someone look at her the way Nick starred at her, with undeniable hatred and fury.

She went to speak, when a throat filled rumble left Nicks throat and without understanding or another words, she fluster turned and walked out.

There seemed, in Nicks mind at least, to be several hours of silence.

“Psst” called Pricilla to grab Nick’s attention; who seemed to be starring off into a very bad dimension full of pain, suffering and underlying rage.

Nick turn to her rigidly to see what she wanted and she gently placed her hands either side of her mouth gesturing for Nick to drop the snarl and close his mouth and hide his teeth, that’s when he noticed every set of eyes in the place where on him.

Nick turned his snarl into a genuine yet awkward smile moving as slow as possible as if people couldn’t see him do it. He stood smiling at everyone who made eye contact, patiently waited for the crowd in the pub to return to talking and eating; when they did he made a direct line over to Pricilla.

He huffed out a deep breath, reached deep into his pocket, fumbled around before he grabbed the key to his room from his pocket holding it out in an open palm.

“I’m sorry” he apologised, “I assume you would like me to leave”.

Pricilla looked at the room key being held out to her and was instantly offended, her face screwing up in disbelief at Nicks action, she grabbed Nickies paw and folded his hand into a fist, making him grasp the keys, her eyes locked with him in an annoyed way, but annoyed that he would ever assume she would leave him on the streets over a small misunderstanding; not that there had been an altercation on his first night.

“Dos tables aint gunna get clean if you keep standin ere checking me out Nickie” she explained shoving his chest playfully, her eyes softening; worried her annoyed look may scare Nick.

Nick breathed out, “how stupid can I be” he thought; his eyes praised Pricilla, she never got mad at Nick, she simply fought with all her strength to show that someone gave a shit.

The night died down and the incident with Violet had left Nicks mind, replaced only by the exhausting thoughts of his mystery Vixen.

Nick had been at the biggest table towelling the same spot in a circular motion for the last 15 minutes.

“Hey Newbie” called Sarah, placing down the bins she was taking out to empty, packed to the brim with bottles.

“yeah?” replied Nick lifting an ear to show he was listening and ceasing his methodic wiping of the table to give her his full attention.

“You did good tonight…scarred some of the patrons, but you needa be a little scary to work in places like dis”

Nick smirked he had come to notice that every now and again when Sarah spoke, there was a slip of Pricilla’s accent that would mix in, and Nick also noticed that Sarah didn’t notice she did this.

“So when is clock off time?”

“Why you tired?”

“All damn day” explained Nick turning back to his table and continuing to do small circles with his cloth.

“But you’re a fox, you should be wide awake”.

“It’s complicated” huffed Nick, who now had such little energy; he couldn’t even do the circles on the table and simply leaned on it to catch his breath.

“Yeah well, you better get use to this night shift thing, otherwise da place-le eat you alive” explained Sarah, heaving up the heavy bins full of glass bottles and continuing on her way to empty them into the industrial bin located near the car park.

Nick was in his own world when he felt a Pricilla’s hand land on his shoulder.

“Hey Nickie, you look bushed”

Nick chuckled with a nod “yeah”

Pricilla began wiping down tables and they worked side by side while talking.

“Yeah, Nightshift is hard to begin wit, but you’ll pick it up soon enough sugar, don’t even fret”.

Nick smiled at her as he forced his body one aching moment after the other to continue to clean.

The night came to a close and Nick could barely keep his eyes open and his knees had a subtle shake to them.

Pricilla was turning the lights off and collecting the til to count while she spoke out to Nickie and Sarah who were both walking away from the time on machine.

“So Sarah, I’ll see you tonight, Nickie you’ll be in on Wednesday and Friday, Friday is karaoke so be prepared for your ears ta hurt at de end o da night okay?”

Nick placed his paw to the side of his brow and threw a fake salute Pricilla’s way before making his way to the staircase to get to his room.

Sarah however turned to Pricilla with a scoff- “Hey why does the newbie get a few days off?” interrupted Sarah, feeling hard done by.

“Because he’s got a girl to get with, he’s useless until that happens”.

Nick who was heading back to his room not really listening suddenly realised what Pricilla just said and jumped out of his skin, as the words left Pricilla’s mouth; he turned ridigidly, riddled with embarrassment.

“What?” gulped Nick hoping her heard wrong.

“Ah come on Nickie, its plain as day you havin one o ya “fox moment”” chuckled Pricilla, emphasising ‘fox moments’ with her fingers before leaning smugly on the counter and sending Nick a playful, yet teasing grin.

Nick slapped his paw to his face, dragging it down and off his chin as though that would get rid of his embarrassment; he was too tired to be dealing with this and simply mumbled to himself.

“Oh so dats why he’s so tired” interjected Sarah realising why the nocturnal fox was having a hard time keeping up and staying focused.

Her and Pricilla breaking into a conversation about Nick and foxes without him being invited in for his two cents worth and so he grudgingly ignored them heading to his room; too exhausted to even think of how to be witty. Nick reached his room opened the door and fell face first dead to the world as the sun rose on Sunday morning 06:30 to gently warm his fur as he curled into a ball his tail shading his eyes.

Jack awoke the early Sunday morning, he rolled his sleeves up as he packed his bag for work, he didn’t know what weighed more; his guilt that had someone spiralled so out of control it was eating him like a plague from the inside out, or the bags under his eyes from not stop alcohol, self medication and lack of sleep. He shifted past the papers, fingerprints and a small notebook, and underneath all that a medium size flask full of alcohol he took it out and took a swig, no change to the smell of stale spirit on his breath.

“You’re no better than one Tyrone Valentine Wilde, Chief Savage”.

Jack looked to his right to see the lumbering giant figure of Bogo leaning on his door frame dark and ominous.

“The shirt really suits you Savage…” complimented Bogo, with a hint of malice, looking Jack up and down.

Jack looked down to the chief badge hanging leisurely from his chest.

“He slept with my wife” explain Jack.

“He slept with someone he loved, he slept with a lie, what did you do to him”

Jack turned with fury in his eyes pointing a finger “I-“

However the apparition had vanished and his paw gently dropped to his side as he spoke to himself.

“-I…I bashed him, I degraded him, I broke him into pieces, I took his child…and for what? For the horrors his father committed… Alison…I…” Jack couldn’t bear the words coming from his mouth and so drank them down until the flask was empty, the acidic, burning liquor fighting to come up and Jack wrestling to keep it down.

Jack opened the door and left, he stopped in the staircase slapping his forehead re opening the door, the invitation to Judy’s party awaiting him, but he walked straight past them and over to the liquor cabinet, grabbed a bottle of scotch topping up his flask he was about out the door, when he noticed the invitation from the corner of his eye, he grabbed the invitations for Maria’s party and placed them in his back pocket.

Checked his top pocket for his keys and his back pocket for his wallet before heading down the elevator to his car spot in the basement.

Jack got to the ZPD, it was empty, he turned all the lights on and made his way to Clawhauser’s desk placing the invitation in his pigeon hole with a note

“Hand these out, keep it discrete”.

Jack sluggishly made his way to the office he opened the door and reached his paw in turning the lights on, the bright lights burning his alcohol dried eyes, everything was the same as always, all things sitting in the same spot, he picked up the newspaper that had been placed at the front of his door earlier and read the front page. Something was off, the front page story was of a fox, the last thing he wanted to read about, however he knew the fox, Roxy, she had been involved a year ago with Tyrone’s plot, a sassy young thing sentenced to several years imprisonment, however it looked like her sentence was cut short, she had been found hanging in her cell.

Jack re read the article several times, something wasn’t right, Jack booted up his computer

His paws used great haste to open up the ZPD data base; he logged in with his username and password and went to records typing in the name of the now dead Vixen.

He read in silence for quite some time, he didn’t know what he was looking for, but he knew there was something.

That’s when he found her military background; she had been in foreign prisons and even military detention centres.

He read the paper again, supposedly she hung herself; that couldn’t be, it didn’t make sense.

She had been in many wars and imprisoned in tougher prisons around the globe then the ones they have in Zootopia; ZT prison would be walk in the part, child’s play to a veteran with her expertise.

Jack soon realised he had been trying to make a connection between the two for over an hour; he could hear the voices in the ZPD growing louder as more officers came in to start shift. A small soft tap at the door grabbed his attention as he looked over his computer.

“Come in” he called.

The door cracked open ad Maria stood in the doorway.

“Hey chief” she said biting her lip “hard at work?”

Jacks shoulders that were stiff and unyielding slowly relaxed as he softly sat back in his seat “Good Morning officer Savage what can I do for you”.

Maria turned and shut the door hoping her way over to Savage going past his desk and to the foot of his chair, he went to speak when Maria grabbed his tie pulling him down and locking tongue with him. It took Jack of guard but he returned it passionately.

“I did that to her to you know” spoke Nicks voice and instantly savage pulled from Maria, his paws in small fists so tight they were about to burst at the seams. His eyes directly averting from Maria to the computer on his desk.

“What’s wrong?” asked Maria, wondering why Jack had pulled away so quickly, just as they were getting into it.

“Not at work Maria” he breathed out his eyes locked with his computer.

“We use to” argued Maria playfully, her jestful tone not return in kind when Jack answered darkly with “Well not anymore”.

“Oh, okay, sorry” there was an awkward silence, Maria nervous she had done something wrong and so she pried “Is everything okay Jack?”

Jack whose face turned to anger sighed and took a breath calming himself “I’ve, just been busy. Sorry”

“That’s okay”, responded Maria seeing through Jacks shrug off lie but knowing it would be best to just let it go. “Don’t burn yourself out, I love you” she murmured walking over, grabbing his tie and pulling his face down to plant a soft kiss on his cheek.

“I love you to he grumbled as he returned to his investigation, that had someone taken a hold of him, and made him feel uneasy.

Jack was flicking through the paper when he came to another page of a dead fox.

“Maria” he called just as she was about to leave his office.

She stopped at the door facing jack and raising her ear high in the air to show she was listening.

“What was the other fox we arrested when we ran into Tyrone?”

Judy thought for a moment, trying to recall their names and the stack of paperwork they had done more than a year ago.

Jack waited patiently for her to remember; he was sure of the name but needed her to confirm it.

“Reece” she finally answered “His name was Reece” answered Maria, before leaving to check her case files for new jobs.

Maria left the room and Jack sat back in his chair gob smacked, the 4th page of the same newspaper was a story of a young male fox by the name of Reece he had been found drowned in a dam waterway.

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shikungigi · 6 years ago

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After getting lost in Madrid, I came back to my comfort zone for a week then headed out the next Saturday to Marseille. I was very anxious about this trip to France because it was going to be loooooong. When I say long, I mean very long. Why? Because cheap is expensive. As a newbie, I am not an expert at looking at the best flights with the shortest layovers, neither was my friend. Plus we let these flight booking sites trick us with their cookies. So much so that we later discovered that people who booked different flights months after, all got even cheaper rates and better flights. SMH. So it’s not even a matter of cheapness, it’s inexperience.

Anywho, the day came and I got relieved a bit. Etihad Airways is a cool airline with female and male cabin crew that sport very striking lipstick and perfect hair cuts respectively. And it was my first time on such a large plane. I sat next to this American girl who was quite chatty at the beginning, with some braids on her blonde hair. LOL. Total hippie. Plus since we booked these flights via Alitalia originally, I could not book seats in advance so I ended up next to the lavatories. LOL. So you keep hearing that loud vacuum flushing all the time. I can’t seem to remember what I watched during this leg. I think it was The 15:17 to Paris. I had to Google the title now. I was not sleepy yet, the best was yet to come. I got to Abu Dhabi at some minutes to 9. A few minutes into walking into the terminal, I met up with this other Kenyan who had an even longer layover, but we lost each other at the security check.

Abu Dhabi International Airport is a real swanky airport. They have poured a lot of their abundant money into making it the airport of choice for layovers. I was going to spend 6 hours here, so I decided to find the best seats in the terminal of my next flight. If I was sleepy, these would have been very helpful. I was not. Yet. I grabbed something to eat and chat up my people. I am not exactly sure what I did for the rest of the six hours. What I remember is too much a/c and people running across the terminal to their flights. I finally moved down to my gate about an hour to my flight. I was obviously starting to get real tired, so I did not like the next flight much. But hold that thought.

Real nice, right?

I think this is when I watched The Greatest Showman in my utter fatigue. And even then, I was so enraptured by the movie, even in this poor airplane quality amidst that continuous annoying drone, I cannot stop playing the soundtrack album now. A Million Dreams is playing in my ears right now, while I’m in the belly of a different drone — a hairdryer. I will not deny I watched it on and off, between dozing off, trips to the loo and munching some bits and pieces of Etihad supper. That notwithstanding, I really had to fight off my tears, an endeavour I failed at miserably. I ended up with a serious lump of pain in my throat by the end of it. If you’re into musicals or looking for a movie you can watch with little ones, I think this is it. I am definitely rewatching it in better quality soon.

Off to Fiumicino, Aeroporti di Roma (Rome) a.k.a. Leonardo da Vinci, my last and longest layover before Marseille. And the 8 hours were tortuuuuuure. I got there some minutes to 7AM, Sunday. And let us not forget crossing time zones just makes it even more confusing. Abu Dhabi is an hour ahead of us. Rome is 2 hours behind us. I think. And remember, I have not really slept since 8AM, Saturday. We all squeeze into the transfers hall which seems a bit too cramped for my liking and I already know I will not like my stay at this airport. The only flashy things that could not help me one bit were the luxury stores across Terminal E on two floors. I was in Italy, after all. Dolce&Gabbana. Pandora. Gucci. Burberry. The seats were not going to help in my sleepy misery, so I just sat there and played with my phone until my flight was finally displayed on the screens. I went through passport control as I was now really entering the Schengen area and went on to more shops and uncomfortable chairs. Try as I might, I could not sleep. So, again, I do not know what I did with those 8 hours. This is also mixed with the fact that I could have sworn I watched Modern Family for hours on Netflix but I can neither confirm this from my watch history nor from searching on Netflix. I was definitely not day-dreaming because my Google history tells me I was on Netflix all afternoon. But the other Google says Modern Family has never been on Netflix. Wacha tuachie hapo kwanza. What I am sure about is that I finally found myself inside a small Alitalia flight to Marseille in the early evening. I sat next to a polite boy who was all Bonjour on me. That was the first time I acted like I learnt French from my mum.

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———————————————————— Marseille is definitely hot. It’s a coastal town. I have never been happier to alight from anything in my life like I was when we did at Marseille. I just wanted to sleep! The immigration lines were so long I almost gave up. But since I had already got the stamp in Rome, the guy did not look at my passport twice. I ventured out into the Arrivals hall to wait for my people to get me. We headed out into the Alps (Alpes in French) some minutes after that. This is where we were going to spend most of the time in France. Destination, a little village called Saint Jacques. Why? Wedding Bells!!!!! How? All under the auspices of my dear loving friend Leilah and her very beautiful family. Just writing this almost made me tear up, so let me stop and will pick that up later. In private. Where no peering eyes are wondering why this crazy black girl is crying on a plane. LOL. I have clearly written this post for many days in different places and spaces, so don’t even try to envision my writing pattern.

So from Marseille, the capital of Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region (south-East France basically), the roads are a delight. They literally pay for them highways at toll gates. Cars stick to the right here too. I will never get used to that. The drive was a feast for my sore eyes as we drew nearer to the Alps. I temporarily forgot I was tired and sleepy. My new road trip friends offered some very sweet bread too. I mean, how else was I to really know I was in France? There was a bit of a drizzle too. Darkness had covered the mountains by the time we got to the village. And that is to say a lot considering the sun goes down late. Again, a warm welcome awaited us as the family ushered us into the most ageless home I have ever walked into right next to a church. I remember walking in and commenting on how I smelt history around. And great food! And books! And French! Oh my goodness. Was I not supposed to be sleepy btw?

After the warm dinner, mamé walked us to what we would call home for the next few days. I was in awe. This was the second most antique home I had ever walked into. She showed us everything and kept apologizing because she believed this was not good enough for us. I was confused. Why was she apologizing? This was like walking through a dream for me. Like walking into one of those fairy tales I had read as a kid. Red Riding Hood, perhaps. Or living inside the set of Once Upon A Time. Just look at these pics and tell me I am wrong?

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Anyway, I finally got over my awe and slept like a log. I think we woke up at 11 the next day. On a Monday. I mean, what else would I want in life than to wake up like that and open wooden shutters into the most awe-inspiring view of the Alps outside. Sigh. I want to go back.

Monday was chill, with more bread, cheese, chicken and sausages. We had lunch outside in the luscious green compound outside the main house. Then we attended mass in the church. Legitimately the most ancient church I have walked into. The experience was made all the more exotic because most of the mass was in French. I could not wait for the next day, wedding day!

And it came! A beautiful summer morning with everyone getting ready for the occasion. Leilah looked exquisite! She has always had a way with elegant gowns. Speaking of elegance, the wedding was the epitome of admirable simple-elegance. Sorry, what did you say? I can’t make up words? Not today. It made me rethink my whole wedding dream. I do think that the fact that we were already in a naturally beautiful place that needed no expensive and unnecessary decor contributed to this. And the people who streamed in to share in this joy. What else do you really need? Nothing. It was a lovely ceremony which included the baptism of the couple’s adorable baby girl. You should have seen me singing along to French hymns! 😀 You would have thought I had been there for months.

After the church ceremony, we spent some time out in the sun on some drinks and snacks. We then headed out to the wedding party. It was an intimate affair, not much different from the Kenyan ones we know with speeches and good food. Let me not talk too much about this from here. I will let the pictures do that for us.

The evening was wonderful! I never thought I could dance in public until this night. I guess I was still in a dream. We danced for hours in the open to all kinds of tunes, from African to pop, to reggae and samba. Suffice to say, my limbs were in pain the next day. I got over that real quick though as we headed out for a little hike in the Alps that afternoon. The views here are to die for, even when you’re not into climbing stuff. Worry not. You can just come here to stare.

The weather has a funny way of communicating, because after all the sun, the Alps decided it was time for rain on Thursday. So we tucked in and spent the rest of the day just making some Kenyan noise and eating. I could have sworn I had gained many kilos during my stay here but I actually didn’t.

We headed back to Marseille, with a short stopover at Gap. A little town that left nothing imagination, especially after experiencing dreamy Alps, but I did love these!!!

I got to experience Marseille for a few hours when the temperatures had dipped a little this time. The sights from Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde were amazing, including the sunset.

I also got to feast on the biggest burger I have seen in my life. Generally the short experience in France encouraged me in my quest to learn French. And to experience the love of a people brought together by love that supersedes all the many unnecessary complications we insist on bringing upon ourselves. The next time I am back there (because there will be a next time), I will have more to say about the city. Or maybe even drop by Paris. No, not maybe. Definitely. By then, I will be a master of French.

For now, I bow out, with a dreamy smile on my

&nface. À bientôt, mon amis!

An Alpine Affair After getting lost in Madrid, I came back to my comfort zone for a week then headed out the next Saturday to Marseille.

#Alps #France #French #Love #Marseille #wedding

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markssailingthecrisscolfership · 5 years ago

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Charming, Trendy Small Town AirBnB Apartment

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1st story…

2nd story…

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YMCA, library – walking distance

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Trampoline Park – Clearview Mall

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