#8 of 10 of these are ray gazing at sand | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

shonenkun309 · 2 years ago

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A/N : Hello, Eid Mubarak everyone!! Even for those of you who don't celebrate it or don't even know about it, I haven't forgotten about the fanfiction and I don't plan to do so anytime soon, my brain is so screwed haha... Anyway, the chapter this time may be complicated, or you may have considered it like a Filler, so that I can go deeper into the story and reveal the perpetrator very soon...

𝑯𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝑭𝒖𝒏 ~𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒏~

Chapters : 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15

Tags : @just-somehuman @the-bird-and-the-flute @kogasimp1 @callmeklair @colourless-hydrangeas @randomf2p @blackmond11

ᑕᕼᗩᑭTᗴᖇ 16

𝑇𝑜 𝑏𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑢𝑒𝑑...➡➡➡

Futaba stood paralyzed, her foot refusing to take a single step forward. A suffocating darkness enveloped her, obscuring all but her trembling hands that danced with an anxious energy, though for no discernible reason. Curiosity gnawed at her spirit, urging her to press onward into the unknown, but fear gripped her heart, a vice that stifled any reckless ambition. Each breath was quaking, laden with the weight of the unseen presence lurking in the void. A chilling phrase echoed in her mind, relentless: “The sands in their hourglass are running low.” Its ominous meaning eluded her, even as it haunted her thoughts.

After what felt like an eternity, a fleeting courage flickered within her, pushing her to lift her foot. The darkness swallowed her whole, and the first step felt monumental, as if some unseen force had nudged her forward. She meticulously calculated her movements, extending her arms into the void, desperate to avoid any danger that might lurk just beyond her reach. Suddenly, her hand brushed against something cool and solid. The surface was smooth and soft, yet its nature remained elusive, resisting identification no matter how many times she inspected it with her fingertips.

“Sand...” a thought struck her, crystal clear amidst the chaos of her mind.

“Hey...Futaba...” a distant voice broke through her reverie. The darkness began to dissolve around her, inch by inch, as light seeped in.

“Huh!” She gasped, eyes snapping open to reveal the familiar surroundings of the shrine. Her hand, still clutching Koga’s, lay motionless on the ground. His face was peaceful but pale, a stark reminder of the many weeks that had passed since that fateful encounter by the park.

“The sun doth fall upon the horizon ere long, Lady Futaba,” Yura said, breaking the silence, his voice melodic yet laced with concern.

“We were informed of your presence but found you asleep when we entered,” Gaku added, an edge of worry in his tone.

“No, I... I didn’t mean to disturb anyone,” she stammered, a flush creeping across her cheeks. “I just thought... I didn’t feel like sleeping after I returned.” Her heart twisted with the memories of her encounter with the prophet; the weight of her words still heavy on her soul.

“Thou shalt not repent,” Yura assured her, concern softening his features. “If there are any developments, we shall inform thee at once.”

“Thank you, Yura.” Futaba’s gaze drifted back to Koga, his slumber hauntingly serene. The ache of longing swelled within her, a longing not just for his presence but for the normalcy that seemed just beyond her reach. Visiting him had become both an escape from her own troubles and a balm for her yearning heart—perhaps it was both, intertwined in a complex tapestry of hope and despair.

°•°•°

The sun dipped below the horizon, its last rays spilling vibrant colors across the sky as Futaba trudged homeward, each step heavy with the weight of memory. As she walked, thoughts of Koga flooded her mind, recalling the chilling sight of his pale, lifeless face during her last visit. The only indication of life was the shallow rise and fall of his chest, a heartbreaking rhythm that haunted her. She could still feel the coldness on her fingertips from where she had dared to touch his cheek, a stark contrast to the warmth she had once known so intimately.

“I should have listened to him,” she murmured, frustration welling up within her. “He told me to leave, and yet I—” Her voice trailed off as guilt clawed at her insides. The reckless determination from that day had brought him to this state, and now she longed for a sign of his awakening, to see those crimson eyes that sparked joy in her heart. “Maybe if I had only obeyed…” But deep down, she knew there was no reversing what had happened.

If only he could scold her for disobeying him, or laugh at her clumsiness one more time. Futaba ached for his goofy nature, the warmth of his hand as it brushed through her hair, the safety of his presence. What could she do? She felt utterly powerless. The weight of her thoughts suffocated her; what if he never awoke?

“He promise me we’ll stay together,” she whispered to the steadily darkening sky. The fear of losing him surged within her, an unrelenting tide. She wasn’t ready for more sorrow.

Just when the weight of her despair felt unbearable, something unfamiliar caught her eye—a glimmer of color against the fading twilight.

Two flowerpots rested at her doorstep. One held a golden rose, bright as the sun and bright as the memories she cherished. The other pot stirred a flicker of recognition within her, but before she could ponder it further—

“TA-DA!!”

A sudden, exuberant shriek startled her. Futaba jumped and turned, a smile reluctantly breaking across her face as she recognized her little friend, Fukajiro.

“Was it necessary to scare me like that, Fukajiro?” she retorted, but the irritation felt trivial compared to the burst of warmth her presence brought.

Fukajiro grinned, her eyes sparkling. “Of course! If I didn’t surprise you, you’d be left wondering who brought you flowers, wouldn’t you?”

Futaba couldn’t help but laugh a little, her mood slightly lifting. “So, you brought these… for me?” she asked, gesturing to the pots.

“Who else would I bring them for?” she replied with a playful tilt of her head. “I’ve always loved flowers, and I wanted to share that with you. Besides,” she added, her tone shifting to something more serious, “I’ve noticed you’ve been… different lately. You’re usually bursting with energy, but now it’s like you’ve been drained.”

Surprise flickered across Futaba’s face. Had she truly noticed her struggle? A small smile emerged, breaking through her cloud of sorrow as she reached out instinctively to pat Fukajiro's head, as was their custom. “You really are the best, Fukajiro,” she whispered, grateful for her bright spirit in her moment of darkness. “Thank you.”

°•°•°

As the afternoon sun dipped toward the horizon, Futaba and Fukajiro stroll into Futaba's house, each clutching a vibrant pot. They set their treasures down by the veranda, ready to breathe life into the small patch of earth.

Futaba gazes at the crimson flower, her curiosity piqued. “That crimson flower...”

Fukajiro beams, “That’s a Red Camellia.”

“Yeah, I know about it,” Futaba replies, a hint of nostalgia flickering in her eyes.

Fukajiro chuckles. “To be honest, I was torn between two flowers—they were both so beautiful. So, I decided to make it easy and just got both!”

Futaba raises an eyebrow. “But why a yellow rose? Does it have a special meaning in the language of flowers?”

“It sure does!” Fukajiro exclaims, her excitement infectious. “Giving a yellow rose shows that you value the friendship you have with the person you give it to. Since we’re best friends, I wanted you to know how much I appreciate having you in my life, Futaba.”

Futaba’s heart swells; she can’t believe how much those words resonate within her. It struck her, really—Fukajiro unwaveringly claims their friendship, while Futaba finds herself wondering if she's truly as committed. But there's a warmth in knowing that Fukajiro takes it so seriously. She reflects on her past, remembering flowers that were given to her by her fellow ayakashi comrades, each with their own meanings, yet one flower's meaning eluded her when its giver refused to unveil it.

“What about the Red Camellia? Do you know its meaning?” Futaba's voice softens. She almost seems to be musing aloud.

“Do you?” Fukajiro counters, her smile unwavering as she locks eyes with Futaba, and it sends a shiver down her spine. There’s an unspoken challenge there; Fukajiro seems to know more than she lets on.

Fukajiro laughs lightly, bringing her gaze back to the flowers, “I picked this flower because its color reminded me of your hair. But whatever the meaning is, I’m sure it’s deep—like the bond we share. You’ve certainly received one before, right?”

“You think about this a lot, don’t you?” Futaba asks, a teasing glint lighting up her eyes.

“I need to show you I’m really your best friend,” Fukajiro insists, her features softening. “And I can’t help but think there are others who’ve done the same thing.”

Futaba’s laughter bubbles up unbidden. “Well, each one that I've received has had a different meaning…”

“See! It seems giving you flowers is becoming a habit for everyone,” Fukajiro teases, her playful frown failing to conceal her radiant smile.

For a moment, the air around them buzzes with the freshness of their teasing. Futaba can’t help but laugh, and she feels a warmth spreading inside her—a feeling she realized she'd been missing for so long.

“I can’t quite recall the last time I laughed like this… it feels good,” Futaba thinks, the realization washing over her.

“Alrighty then,” Fukajiro says, hopping off the veranda, her emerald eyes glinting with mischief. “I should clear out. I’ve probably exhausted you with my nonsense!”

“Not at all! Thanks for coming by. I really needed a chat,” Futaba admits, the sincerity in her voice undeniable.

“I might just turn up every day for our chat until you get sick of me!” Fukajiro grins.

“Trust me, I won’t get sick of you,” Futaba assures, her eyes sparkling with warmth.

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow... and the day after that!” Fukajiro waves as she retreats, closing the door behind her.

Left alone, a peaceful silence envelops Futaba. She rises from the threshold and approaches the newly planted flowers, running her fingers over their petals. Even with two flowers, her focus zeroes in on the Red Camellia—the wave of memories it brought washing over her like a tide.

“I wonder if Fukajiro knows the real meaning of this flower,” she muses, recalling the glimmer in her friend’s eyes when she posed the question earlier. Did she, in fact, know but was simply waiting for Futaba to respond?

And as if struck by a sudden realization, she adds, “Maybe it holds a meaning different from what’s widely known…”

Letting the day drift peacefully, she decides not to overthink it, allowing the sunset to cast a golden glow over her thoughts.

°•°•°

As night draped its shadows over the capital, Mototaka and Futaba sat at the dinner table, the silence enveloping them like a thick fog. Usually, Nachi’s laughter filled the air, igniting the atmosphere with warmth, but tonight, it was absent, leaving a palpable void. Mototaka diligently pushed food around on his plate, stealing glances at his only daughter. Futaba sat still, bowl in hand and chopsticks poised, yet her fingers hesitated, her gaze lost somewhere far beyond her meal.

Mototaka could feel a stir of worry coiling in his chest. Exhaling softly, he broke the silence, his voice laced with care. “Won’t you eat your dinner, Futaba?”

The simplicity of his question acted like a gentle nudge, startling her from her reverie. Futaba blinked and nodded, finally drawing her chopsticks to her plate and taking a bite, though her eyes still clouded with unspoken thoughts.

“So, Nachi still hasn’t come back, huh?” Mototaka ventured, hopeful for a shift in the mood.

Futaba sighed, a hint of guilt sulking in her expression. “He insisted on sticking to his decision. I didn’t have it in me to force him home, even if what happened was my fault,” she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

Mototaka's brow furrowed with concern. “I’m worried. What if I have to go out of the capital for work? I’d be leaving you here alone, especially with everything that’s been happening lately.”

Futaba met her father’s gaze, the weight of his sadness piercing her heart. She shook her head gently, determination flaring in her eyes. “Please, don’t worry about me. I don’t want anything to distract you from your work. I’ll manage—maybe I could invite a friend over to keep me company, so I won’t feel lonely.”

She offered a faint smile, hoping to lift the burden etched on his face, but Mototaka remained unconvinced. The truth of his fears lingered unspoken between them, wrapping around their dinner like an uninvited guest. Futaba recognized the worry in her father’s eyes and, sensing the depth of his unease, she chose not to press further. They continued their meal in silence, the clinking of chopsticks a reminder of the distance growing between them amidst the shadows of uncertainty.

°•°•°

It was the middle of the night, and as the moon hung high in the starry sky over the capital, a city wrapped in slumber, one soul remained restless. Futaba slowly drifted into sleep, despite the turmoil that churned within her. The weight of everything she had witnessed pressed heavily on her, yet she felt an unseen force cradle her into a state of oblivion. (How could I fall asleep now?) she thought in her dreams, baffled by the sudden fog that enveloped her mind.

When she finally opened her eyes, darkness surrounded her, a suffocating blackness that felt all too familiar. (This must be another dream,) she realized, recalling her encounter in the Shrine of the Hidden God. Futaba hesitated, a flicker of determination igniting within her. (If I retrace my steps, perhaps I'll uncover the truth.) Cautiously, she began to move forward. She could barely remember the solid object she had touched moments ago when she got being enveloped by slumber, her curiosity bubbling inside her.

But suddenly, she stopped. (What is happening?) Futaba frowned, trying to will her feet to move, but they remained stubbornly rooted to the ground. “Come on, feet, don’t fail me now!” she muttered under her breath, frustration bubbling up inside her. Just then, an almost imperceptible whisper curled around her ears, vibrating with a haunting resonance. Against her better judgment, she turned her head, eyes squinting into the pitch black.

There it was—a shadowy entity, neither near nor far, shrouded in obscurity. (Who is that?) she thought, grappling to discern the figure, its face obscured by the enveloping darkness. Then, without a word, the entity turned away, its back now facing her. “W-wait! Where are you going?” Futaba called, her voice trembling between hope and uncertainty, but the figure continued to retreat into the shadows.

Inexplicably, her feet began to move, as if drawn by an invisible thread. “Hey! Wait!” Futaba shouted, the urgency in her voice growing. Yet the entity seemed to beckon her forward, urging her to follow. With every step, exhaustion gripped her, but still, she pressed on, the abyss around her swirling like a tide. Gradually, everything started to fade, the entity dissolving into the unrelenting darkness, until even her own hands became invisible, and the world spun like a kaleidoscope.

“Huh?!” Futaba exclaimed, jolting awake with a start. Panic surged through her as she surveyed her surroundings. Gone was the familiar ceiling of her room; instead, she found herself unsettlingly close to the door of her house, as if she were on the verge of stepping outside into the unknown.

“Why... Why am I here?” she whispered to herself, bewildered, each word a fragile echo in the silence.

(Is this because I followed that entity?) she pondered, struggling to piece together the fragments of her dream. “But how did I even end up here?” A chill crept up her spine, questions swirling in her mind, unanswered, as the shadows of her pursuit lingered in the corners of her consciousness.

#ayakashi romance reborn #ayakashi koi meguri #ayakoi #ayakashi fanfic #ayakashi oc

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polywards · 1 year ago

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1. "Bathed in golden hues, the sun embraces the sea, whispering joy to every wave."

2. "As the waves dance and the sun beams, my heart finds solace in this seaside dream."

3. "In the realm where sky meets sea, pure bliss emerges and sets me free."

4. "With sandy toes and radiant smiles, we surrender to the sun's warm caress, embracing life's joyful miles."

5. "In the sun's gentle embrace, our souls ignite with joy and grace."

6. "Like glistening jewels, the sun's rays adorn the waves, painting a masterpiece of joy."

7. "With every shimmering wave that meets the shore, laughter and joy forevermore."

8. "The beach becomes a canvas, where laughter paints the scene, and the sun's golden touch turns joy into a dream."

9. "Beneath the sun's benevolent gaze, joy awakens and finds its place."

10. "In the symphony of seagulls' cries and crashing waves, joy resounds and fills our days."

11. "The beach, a sanctuary of sunlit delight, where joy and serenity take flight."

12. "Sun-kissed and joy-filled, we embrace the shore, our hearts forevermore."

13. "With every step upon the sand, happiness takes hold of my hand."

14. "As the sun's rays kiss my face, joy weaves its enchanting embrace."

15. "The beach's melody sings of joy, as sunbeams dance with every girl and boy."

#para fotos com praia

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wordsnwhiskey · 4 years ago

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As It Should Be Verse: Hold Onto The Sunset Drabble/Oneshot

A/N: This is my go at Writer Wednesday, hosted by the amazing @autumnleaves1991-blog . I've got this set in the future of the As It Should Be verse. I figured since Chapter 3: Statesmen & Demons left off on a bit of a sad note I'd give you guys some fluff to tide you over until Ch 4!

It's 03:30 here and this is unedited so I might come back and see if something is egregiously wrong but otherwise this is going to stand.

Warnings: None? Aside from a polyam MMF relationship that's all fluff (with PDA) here!

Pairing: Agent Whiskey x F!Reader x Frankie Morales [AO3]

The sand was warm beneath your toes as you shifted in your decidedly uneven folding chair. A few crushed beer cans littered the table but you were all too enthralled in your game of Hold ‘Em to care. The smell of charcoal and grilled food floats teasingly in the air. Santiago had abandoned your game to go and start grilling otherwise we won’t eat until the sun’s long gone. Yeah, that was it. It had nothing to do with the fact that he had handedly lost his last hand and consequently the rest of his money, to Frankie.

It was Jack’s turn to deal and you watch his large hands palm and manipulate the well-worn deck. The whirring sound of the cards folding together followed by the sharp tap against the table as he shuffled was calming and sounded as natural as the ocean waves licking at the beach did. You paused a moment before looking at your cards to try to gauge everyone else's reactions only to find three pairs of brown eyes and one pair of green eyes staring back at you. Laughter rang out across the table, that’s just what happens when you play poker with Statesmen agents and Delta Force vets. Schooling your facial expressions, you peel back the corners of your cards to see your hand: a Jack and 10 of spades.

“Call.” Came Tequila’s cheery drawl.

“Fold.” Ginger sighed and tossed her cards back to the center of the glass table.

“I’m getting another beer from the cooler. Does anyone else want one?”

Her question was met with chorus of ‘pleases’ and ‘thank yous’. She smiled then rolled her eyes and went about collecting the cold, wet cans from the cooler.

“Call.” Continues Jack with his trademark smirk.

“Call.” Frankie’s voice is a bit rough from having just downed the remainder of his beer.

You called wordlessly, your chips following the others’ as they clinked on the glass table top, then Jack dealt the flop: 9 of hearts, 8 of spades and Ace of diamonds.

Jack’s gaze was on you, gauging your reaction and wondering if you had an Ace to match the one on the table. The betting went around, Jack raised, a classic aggressive opening move from him, but you were all somewhat surprised when Frankie re-raised him. All eyes narrowed at Frankie. The man had a scary good poker face, keeping the tension out of his jaw and meeting everyone’s gaze with those brown puppy eyes of his. It was how he had trounced Santi earlier.

Ginger came back with your beers and set them down on the table before taking back her seat, watching in amusement. You called and Jack dealt the turn card: a Queen of spades.

“You waitin’ on a Jack there darlin’?”

Jack challenged and raised, his voice was rough honey as he tried to get a rise out of you.

You let a laugh spill from your lips and your own mischievous smirk lights a spark in your eye.

“Oh no, I’ve already got a Jack and you’re more than enough. I don’t think I could handle another.”

Frankie’s neutral face breaks into a wide grin and Jack’s mind starts spinning, trying to assess all of the possible meanings behind what you just said. The three of you call and Jack throws down the river: a 7 of spades. What were the fucking odds?

Tequila frowned then checked, Jack raised, Frankie called and you re-raised. A collection of groans were uttered across the table but they all ponied up anyways.

“Straight Flush. Pay up boys!”

You don’t even bother to hide the smugness in your voice. Tequila huffed and cracked his beer open.

“Santiago! Is the food done yet? I thought you said we’d be eating before the sun went down?”

He was exaggerating of course, it wasn’t nearly that late and the summer sun was slow to set over the water. Tequila got up to go and lick his wounds with Santiago around the grill. You got up as well, walking around and pressing a kiss to Frankie’s lips before Jack unceremoniously tugged you into his lap for a kiss as well and smiled.

“C’mere, darlin’ I want one too.”

His smile is good natured, your boys were rarely ever jealous of each other. Something cold and wet makes you jump, your eyes darting to the offending object only to see Frankie’s wide grin and mischievous eyes as he holds your cold beer to your arm. You playfully smack Frankie’s arm then take your beer with a thank you. You’re pleasantly surprised when Frankie lifts your legs to rest in his lap, his fingers grazing over them as he sips his own beer.

Frankie deals the next hand and you can’t help but giggle at how ridiculous it is being in Jack’s lap and trying to keep your cards from each other. Ginger wipes the floor with all of you that hand.

Hooting and hollering, draws your group’s attention across the beach and you see Benny and Will ambling across the sand, each with a six pack in their hands. Benny practically tackles Santiago as he brings him in for a hug.

“Hey! Watch it Benny, I’m grilling here!”

Will shakes his head and pulls Santi in for a decidedly calmer hug and Benny is already waltzing over to the table where you, Frankie, Whiskey, Ginger and Tequila are. Frankie lets your feet down and stands to give Benny a hug.

“Fish! Good to see ya man!”

“Good to see you too, Benny.”

You’re out of Jack’s lap, to his slight dismay, and hugging Benny, it had been years since you had last seen the lovable younger Miller brother.

“Benny, this is Whiskey, Ginger and Tequila, we all work together.”

Benny didn’t even bat an eye and just greeted everyone with a large smile.

“Whiskey, Ginger and Tequila! Well, don’t you all sound like fun!”

Laughter rang out amongst everyone and Santiago called out that the food was done.

“Why don’t you stay here, honey. Benny and I will get plates for you and Whiskey.”

Frankie wasn’t really asking a question and it wasn’t much of a choice since you found yourself once again back in Jack’s lap, his mustache tickling your skin as his lips pressed to your cheek then temple.

Benny clapped Frankie on the back as they walked over to where Santiago had set out their food.

“So you and Hawk and… ?”

“Yeah, and Whiskey, the three of us, together.”

Benny eyed Frankie for a moment, more out of concern than any judgement.

“Well right on, Fish. It’s good to see you happy. About time with Hawk too, huh?”

Frankie fought and lost against his blush, playfully shoving Benny. They brought their plates back to where you and Whiskey were sitting. Frankie put Whiskey’s plate down, inched his chair closer then sat down. Benny handed you your plate with a flourish.

“Here you go, baby.”

You rolled your eyes, shaking your head and smiling at him even as Jack’s grip on your hip tightened slightly.

“Thanks, Benny.”

He left the three of you then and went to mingle with Ginger and Tequila.

The three of you ate in easy silence. Your feet were draped across Frankie’s lap, your back cradled by Jack’s arm and head resting on his shoulder. Frankie’s fingers alternated between tracing patterns over your skin and resting on Jack’s free hand.

Laughter played off of the sand and air around you, mixing with the sound of the waves. A light, content smile played across your lips as you watched your friends together. It was getting darker now and the sky was painted varying shades of pink, purple, and orange.

“Wow.”

The word slipped from your mouth in awe. Frankie and Jack hummed their agreement in unison and you swear sometimes they were on the same wavelength. You let out a long sigh then take a sip of your beer and settle in further against Jack.

“Whatcha thinking, honey?”

Frankie’s voice is just above a whisper, as if talking any louder would break the spell of perfection that had settled around your group and mother nature.

“I wish I could just hold onto this moment, hold onto this sunset. I’m with the loves of my life, for the first time my family is all together, they’re all having fun and I can’t think of a place I’d rather be than right here watching this sunset.”

Jack held you tighter and kissed your shoulder while Frankie brought your knuckles to his lips.

“We love you too, honey. Couldn’t imagine being anywhere else either.”

Frankie murmurs against your skin and you feel Jack’s hum through his chest. You take in the sight before you, memorizing it so you can paint the canvas in your mind and hold this moment with you, your own slice of heaven. Breathing in, you hold onto the remnants of charcoal from the grill and the salt from the ocean. You hold onto the feeling of the warmth radiating from the last rays of the fading light. It gives way to the heat emanating from Jack and Frankie, which envelops not just your body but your soul as well. You let out a sigh as Frankie leans in closer to you and Jack.

You were going to hold onto this sunset for the rest of your days.

Thanks for reading y'all!

Taglist: @danniburgh @pascalslittlebrat @yespolkadotkitty @mothandpidgeon @mouthymandalorianalso @phoenixhalliwell @itsme-aj467 @kesskirata @rosiefridayrogersunday-reads @driedgreentomatoes @pintsizemama @neganwifey25-blog @wheresarizona @absurdthirst @sarahjkl82-blog @duchesschameleon @sherala007 @beautyagegoodnesssize @all-hallows-evie @a-bang-for-your-bucky

#As It Should Be #writer wednesday #agent whiskey #agent whiskey x f!reader #agent whiskey x reader #Frankie Morales #Frankie Morales x f!reader #Frankie Morales x reader #Agent Whiskey x f!reader x Frankie Morales

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harryandmolly · 5 years ago

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Change of Pace - 8 (Summer 2019)

cowritten by @achinglyshawn

summary: Shawn and Maya meet again 10 years after life got in the way of love

warnings: language, NSFW

wc: 11.3k

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

Maya knocks her knees together rhythmically, watching her white topsheet catch the ray of sunshine coming in from her window and release it again.

Her window is open. She can smell the sea. And when she closes her eyes she can hear it.

She swears that’s more valuable than any hour of the expensive therapy she’s had in 12 years.

When she wakes up in the morning in her bedroom in the house she bought herself in her happiest place, she gets to feel proud. She hasn’t felt true pride like this in a long time, not since she first started working in finance and felt like she had made a smart, adult choice that would support her and create a good, solid life.

She looks at it now and wonders how she got there, how she managed to convince herself that words like “solid” and “adult” would ever be enough to describe the life she really wanted.

So yeah, Maya’s proud. She’s proud she sacked up and left. She’s proud that she hasn’t gone running back, especially with all the emotional tumult she’s caused herself with this whole unexpected Shawn situation. It would’ve been like her, once, to shut this down and go running back to Manhattan where she could control everything and not hurt anyone.

Not anyone but herself, at least.

But hurting herself is not what she’s doing anymore. She still doesn’t really know what she’s doing in Avila other than surfing and painting and sleeping. Maybe that’s what she’ll do with her life now, forever. Maybe that’ll be enough. Maybe she’ll need something else.

The point is she doesn’t know. She can’t know now. She can’t control it, so she must embrace it. Embracing Avila means more than just enjoying its beaches and the occasional farmers market. It means learning what Avila can really give her, can really make her.

Maya’s ready for her Avila makeover.

Maya frowns at the eyeliner pencil between her fingers. Was it always this clumpy? When the hell did she buy this?

When did she last wear eyeliner?

She lifts her eyebrows and sighs. She can’t honestly remember.

She swallows and puts it down, shaking a hand through her hair and adjusting her loose-fitting sheer button-up. She unbuttons one button at the chest, then buttons it back again. She makes a face. She’s never thought this hard about her appearance around Shawn in her life. She knows he doesn’t care. So what the fuck is she doing?

She just… she really likes to stun him. For him to stare at her with that slow-growing smile like he’s thinking about how fucking lucky he is. He hasn’t looked at her that way since the night they were together. She thinks she’d like him to look at her like that again.

Breakfast felt like a turning point, but she can’t explain exactly how. Since she got home that afternoon, she’s been a churning, overflowing cauldron of artistic output. She wakes up, surfs, draws or paints all afternoon and surfs again at night. And it feels fucking great.

Feeling great has been unfamiliar to Maya for so long. She’s gonna chase it. And right now, the feeling’s got her seeking out Shawn.

She feels good about the decision to ditch the eyeliner when she walks through the front door of his shop, signaled by the little ding of his bell. She wants to feel like herself around him. Just… a vibrant, sexy version.

Sawdust overwhelms his senses as he lies on his back beneath his piano. He glides sandpaper along the not-quite-perfect edges of the underlying framework. He doesn’t mind the extra time it takes with the paper, because he can’t get the finesse, the perfection with the electric sander at this angle.

He hums along to the new John Mayer album playing over the speakers as he brushes dust from his work goggles, before reaching for a particularly tricky edge whose perfection has been evading him.

The sandpaper falls on his face when the door to the shop opens, the little bell chiming over Mayer’s voice. Shawn blows at the paper until it slides off his face and lands on the floor.

“Be right there! Picking up or dropping off?” he calls as he rolls himself out from under the piano. He stands up and keeps his back to the door so he can brush himself off before greeting a client.

He shouldn’t wear black to work anymore. It does nothing to hide sawdust.

He gets himself as clean as he possibly can with dirty hands and a kind of clean rag, then turns to the doorway to the front of the shop.

“Oh—“ fuck.

Maya. He blinks at her, then looks down at himself, then back to her. He swallows; there’s absolutely nothing he can do about the fact that she looks gorgeous and he looks like he spilled coke all over himself like a desperate drug addict.

“Hey— hi. Hi,” he walks out of the back, into the doorway as wipes his hands on his rag again, “I didn’t know you were stopping by. Did I know? Shit, I haven’t looked at my phone all morning.”

The shop is empty. She gazes around at his instruments, each one of them holding a piece of him. It makes her indescribably happy and comfortable to be surrounded by them like this. She doesn’t even mind the smell of lacquer and sawdust. It’s as personal to her as her acrylic paints and turpentine.

He comes hustling out of the back room before she can answer his question. She beams at him, at the sweat matting his curls to his forehead and the sawdust that covers him. He looks like she’s knocked him out of an intense focus. Maybe she should feel a little guilty, but god, he looks so cute.

She lifts her hand from the back pocket of her little shorts and waves delicately, tilting her head like she’s flirting with him. The idea is funny to her, flirting with Shawn. Like he doesn’t know all her tricks. She bites her glossy lower lip and walks up to the counter. She props her elbows up and doesn’t regret leaving that one button undone.

“No, I was feeling spontaneous. I’d hug you, but you kind of smell like power tools,” she jokes, blinking up at him, hoping he touches her anyway.

She’s… different. Good different, he thinks. Confident different, like maybe she doesn’t feel like a total stranger around him anymore. She’s more familiar, he guesses. He smiles, throws his rag over his shoulder as he steps down from the doorway of the workshop and up to the counter.

Shawn leans down on his elbows and smiles at her, shrugging a little.

“This is how I always smell now, unfortunately.”

He wets his lower lip and lets himself study her. She did herself up a bit, for Maya standards. He knows when she puts thought into a look. His heart stutters. Why would she put effort into an outfit if she wasn’t trying to impress him or, you know, woo him or something?

That familiar feeling of hope flares in his chest. He bites his lip as he looks down at her.

“So, suddenly interested in picking up an instrument, Lu?” he asks with a teasing smirk and a tilt of his head.

Shawn mirrors her position over the counter. He’s a little overwhelming so close up like this -- Maya’s out of practice. Her breath catches in her chest. She decides not to tell him that she thinks the workshop smell thing is actually really sexy in a very classically masculine way. But she thinks it. Boy, does she think it.

Maya giggles and looks around the shop, nodding at the walls. “Mhmm, came in for a private lesson.”

… What? Where the fuck did that come from?

She floors him. The last time Shawn saw her, he practically broke her heart. But she’s here now, blinking up at him with her pretty brown eyes and— and flirting with him.

She didn’t even flirt with him before they had sex the other week. This is different. He’s not complaining.

“I charge double for walk-ins, sugar,” he murmurs with a wink.

Maya nearly melts into the counter when he winks at her and lowers his voice into that register that always made her knees weak. God, she’d walk into fucking fire for him.

Before she can let herself panic over that comment, she squares her shoulders and smirks at him instead.

“Want to show me what you’ve been working on back there?”

Oh yeah, his work. He told her to come over to see his work. He supposes he’d convinced himself she wasn’t going to.

He likes when she proves him wrong.

He raises his brows, then looks over his shoulder into the back, where the piano waits for him to stop fucking around.

“Yeah, totally,” he says with a grin as he looks back at her, “There are a few things back there, actually.”

“C’mon,” he says as he walks to the end of the counter and holds his hand out for her.

She takes his hand eagerly, giggling as she walks around the counter like she’s being naughty and going where she’s not allowed. She squeezes his hand, a silent additional greeting, an extra little “hey, I missed you.”

As he guides her into the back room, she sees nothing but the piano at first. It’s enormous, of course, so it catches her eye, but it’s more than that. It’s so sleek and elegant, even unfinished. Maya gasps through a grin, dropping his hand to circle it, admiring from every angle.

She examines his piano like she would a Botticelli at the Met. His heart clatters against his ribs as she watches her admire his work, like it’s really something exceptional and not like, a pretty basic piano considering it’s his first.

He’s clever though, so maybe it’s a little more unique than that. Maybe he sells himself short, too.

It really is magnificent. It’s beautiful, masculine somehow, poised and welcoming. It’s like if Shawn were an instrument, he’d be this piano. The thought makes her smile wider.

She turns away from him to place her hands on top, to feel its solid weight. “It’s extraordinary.”

He smiles and leans back against the desk behind him, still focused on her.

“Careful,” he murmurs, “I still need to sand it down up there.”

It’s actually pretty smooth but. He’s picky. And you really shouldn’t touch it with bare hands until it’s lacquered and dried anyway. Splinters fucking suck, so it’s too risky.

“But, you know, thank you. I guess it’s not bad for a first try.”

He glances down at the ground and smiles to himself, the tips of his ears turning pink. He’s always liked impressing her, always felt warm and bright from her praise. He preens for her. He’s easy.

Even after all these years, she’s still Maya Lu, junior art star and charismatic orientation leader and someone he just wants to know, so he trips over himself to impress her, to get her to be proud of him. To notice him.

He shoves a hand into his hair and tugs.

Maya lifts her hands and wiggles her fingers playfully to prove she hasn’t gotten any splinters. She turns to face him with a soft smile.

“I totally get it, you know. I see you everywhere in here. It makes so much sense to me that this is what you do. I mean, beyond being meticulous or whatever, you’ve always loved everything about music. So I get wanting to be so deep in it that you build it from the ground up like this. It’s… so you.”

She bites her lip and clasps her hands behind her back, walking back toward the other pieces in his work studio. The harp catches her eye. She touches it gently, admiring its curves and angles. She grins at the idea of him sitting down to play it. She thinks that would be a sight to see. A shiver shoots down her spine. She covers it by turning on her heel to face him again.

“I hope you still write music, though.”

She talks about him like she’s read a diary he doesn’t keep. She knows his facade and can see right through it, into the depths of who he really is, or whatever.

She’s held his heart in her hand and because of that, she can see him from the inside out.

It doesn’t scare him. It gives him a reason to keep hoping for the future he could have with her.

“I—“ Only about you. “I do, yeah, but not as often. I just don’t have the time, you know?”

It’s not really a lie, it’s just not the entire truth. He doesn’t have time, but he also doesn’t have ideas unless he’s thinking about her, in one way or another. Even if he doesn’t write a love song, Maya’s still the inspiration that guides his words and melodies.

It’s so cliche, that she’s his muse or whatever. He’s kind of disgusted with himself. That’s probably (definitely) why he pretends he doesn’t write very much.

He flirts with the idea of telling her, though. Like one desperate appeal to her emotions to convince her to stay in Avila forever and learn how to love him again.

He digs his fingernails into his palms to cool himself down. He’s always too willing to jump the gun with her, and today he doesn’t want to ruin this good thing that seems to be happening.

“I like to write little tunes for the different pieces I fix up, though. Like that harp. I’m not much of a harpist, but it’s fun to fuck around.”

He’s babbling like an idiot. He hopes she comes to shut him up before he says something totally incriminating.

Maya nods, watching him realize how much she still knows about him. After all, he’s still Shawn and she’s still Maya, even after everything. She imagines there’s plenty she doesn’t know about him but the fundamental things that make him who he is? Yeah, she still gets those.

“I’ve been… painting a lot,” she says carefully. It’s not something she needs to be wary of telling him, really, but she hasn’t told anyone that she’s dived back into her art. She hasn’t talked about art in so long. It’s like her mouth has trouble fitting around the words, or like she’s trying to speak a language she hasn’t spoken in many years.

Maya speaks like she’s telling him a secret. He smiles, wetting his lips before he murmurs, “That’s good.”

She deserves to paint. To do something for herself and not for her career or money. Painting, surfing, falling back in love with him. You know. That kind of thing.

He only hates himself a little for thinking it.

She takes little steps closer to him almost unconsciously, watching his chest rise and fall as he breathes. It’s meditative.

“I actually bought watercolors the other day. I haven’t worked in watercolors since I was about 15. It’s wonderful. It’s so… light.”

She wiggles her nose and chuckles to herself. “You and your harp and me and my watercolors. I guess some things never change.”

He chews on his lip, considering. “Yeah, actually. I don’t think I’ve ever seen any watercolor pieces of yours. And you’ve never seen me play the harp.”

She reaches out and taps his arm playfully but it sets her ablaze.

She’s such a dork. He grins at her, ignoring the way his stomach flips as she draws closer to him. He keeps himself steady, cool enough to catch her wrist in one hand before she can pull away from him.

He pouts. “Ouch, Lu.”

Maya feels like the way she’s creeping toward him seems maybe a little too much like a handler approaching a wild animal. He doesn’t scurry away from her though. He stays put.

He reaches out for her. Her heart breaks into a sprint.

Maya takes another step forward. He smells like sweat and sawdust. His eyes are curious and a little sleepy. And he feels like home.

Maya steps forward again. She’s right up against him now. She holds his gaze as she lowers her lips to the spot on his bicep that she tapped, kissing it gently.

“There,” she murmurs, “All better?”

Maya has always been a little too good at teasing him. He presses his fingers into her pulse as she presses her lips to his arm. He mashes his own lips together as he watches her.

“I guess,” he says, glancing down at his arm, then back to her. “Though I don’t think that’s standard medical protocol.”

He was not about to say something disgusting like, but that’s not the only spot that hurts. Even though he really wanted to. Like, what an easy opening. Maybe he should’ve said it. Maybe that’s what she’s angling for. He’s not used to this flirty version of Maya anymore, hasn’t seen her in 12 years and now she’s here in full force, like she never left.

Carefully, he lifts her hand until it’s resting on his shoulder. He drops her wrist in favor of curling his hand around her waist instead.

“But I won’t tell anyone,” he finishes with a smirk.

Shawn is warm and responsive. He holds her around the waist and brings her up against him gently, carefully, because neither of them is too sure how far to push this right now. It feels like they’re on a precipice again. One good gust of wind could knock them both over.

But he’s teasing her back and she missed it so much. So maybe this time she’ll be the breeze.

Maya lifts her other arm to curl them both around his shoulders. She doesn’t care that he’s covered in work dust and has some paint under his nails. She always wants him. She wants him even more now after being in his sacred space getting a special introduction to how he spends his time.

Maya comes up onto her toes and brushes her nose against his. “Our secret, then?”

It’s a little pathetic, how easy it is for Maya to drive Shawn crazy. To make goosebumps prickle his skin and his heart throb in his chest. She knows how to play him better than he does any instrument.

His eyes close, fingers curling tighter into her waist. He purrs, “I love keeping secrets with you, sugar.”

He brings his free hand to her neck, cupping her just beneath her ear and tilting her head back with a firm press of his thumb to her jaw.

“M’gonna kiss you now,” he breathes, before doing exactly that.

It’s a delicate, teasing brush of his lips against hers as he slides his thigh forward, pressing between hers.

When he holds her like this, when he kisses her like this, it feels like their world is their secret.

This kiss isn’t like the ones from the other night, frantic and a little neurotic because neither of them knew really what the other was thinking. This kiss feels more like the ones from Maya’s memory, the ones that came with years of experience. It’s not the first kiss, it’s the millionth and it feels so good.

She gives in easily, practically melts against him as she grips his thigh with hers. He hums into her mouth, tongue licking carefully at her lower lip.

Maya tilts her head, holding him where he is. She slots her mouth against his so she can suck on his lower lip, soft at first, getting firmer as they breathe together and she snuggles a little closer against his leg.

She’s in little denim cutoffs. The feel of his jeans pressed up against her bare legs is tantalizing. She squeezes her thighs around his, smiling into his mouth before she pulls away slightly.

He’s getting into it when she pulls away. His breath catches in his throat and he almost chases after her.

She looks up at him, smoothing the curls down against his neck.

She tilts her head and whispers, “You bring all the girls back here, Mendes?”

He chuckles, leaning in to nip at the angle of her jaw, just beneath her ear. “Oh yeah, Lu. This is the hottest hook up spot in Avila. I thought you knew,” he smirks, nosing carefully at her earlobe.

Maya chuckles but it doesn’t quite cover the shiver she feels at his sexy teasing. She holds on a little tighter around his shoulders, very sure that he’ll hold her up if her knees give.

That does remind her, though, that she hasn’t been on her knees for him. She misses that.

His tongue snakes out to lick her soft skin, slowly at first, before he gets worked up and starts pressing open-mouthed kisses behind her ear.

Maya aids him by sweeping hair off her shoulder. She mewls at the feverish press of his mouth to her skin. As a 21-year-old, she’d have begged him to leave a mark. Now she’s more interested in letting him do what he wants when he wants. She thinks of it as a way they can get to know each other again. She knows he liked it when she got bossy before, though. That part of her isn’t lost.

Maya closes her eyes and leans into him when he catches a certain spot on her neck that makes goosebumps break out over her whole body. She inhales sharply, right in his ear, and hums.

She strokes a hand down his back and back up, rucking his shirt up with her fingers. His skin is soft and sizzling warm all over. She grins, knowing he’s hot for her.

He focuses on tasting as much as of her skin as he can get to, has to use his mouth for something other than babbling her praise or telling her how much he loves her.

Tiny explosions sting his skin in the wake of her wandering hands. Her soft, panting breaths in his ear have his cock twitching in his jeans.

He rocks his thigh up against her, gripping her hip tightly so he can pull her down onto his firm quad. His lips find their way back to her ear and he catches her earlobe with his teeth, giving her a little tug.

“Lu,” he coos after he kisses the shell of her ear, “What do you want, sugar?”

They’re grinding hard where they stand like the horny kids they still are at heart. Maya can feel herself already a little wet in her panties for him as he drags her along the thick, muscled length of his thigh. He feels so fucking good.

She hangs on him, lets him spoil her with every touch, every nip, every kiss. When he asks her what she wants, she’s almost too overwhelmed to answer. She groans and looks around the room. There’s a couch against a wall that looks welcoming. Maya drags her fingernails down his spine and nods at it.

“I want you to go sit. I want you to let me spoil you a little,” she murmurs, turning her head to plant a kiss on his cheek as she releases him.

Waiting for him to obey, she starts tugging at the buttons of her shirt.

He’s imagined something incredibly similar to this happening to him time and time again. It’s one of his go-to shower fantasies. He should probably be a bit ashamed of that.

He pants as he looks down at her, hand dropping to the desk once more. He grips the edge, has to get his bearings first so he doesn’t trip over himself.

“What did I do to get so lucky?” he asks with a raise of his brow as he finally pushes off of desk and drops down on the couch, sinking into the plush leather while he drapes his arms along the back.

His dick aches in anticipation, and he spreads his thighs in an attempt to calm himself down as he looks up at her.

Maya wets her lips, reaching the last button on her shirt. She tugs it out where it’s tucked into the front of her shorts and lets it fall open over a sweet, sheer lace bralette. She drops it off her shoulders, wasn’t really planning to give him a little show, but, while she’s here…

Maya turns away from him and slips her fingers into the waistband of her shorts, thumbing around her hips teasingly. She glances at him over her shoulder and inhales slowly, tugging at her zipper. She pulls them down slowly, wriggling out of the tight fabric, turning back around to show off her little matching panties. She’s putting her cards on the table -- Maya didn’t often bother to match her bra and underwear. She’s showing him that she put in some effort in the vain hope that this was where it might lead.

She planned this. Maya fucking planned this. He knows because her panties match the pretty bralette she’s wearing and she only ever wore matching lingerie when she had a plan. He squeezes his eyes shut and groans a little. He’s not complaining. She makes good plans.

She takes a couple steps forward and kneels between his legs. His cock is already getting hard in his jeans, she can see it beginning to strain against the fabric. Maya runs her hands, fingers spread wide and hungry, up and down his quadriceps from hip to knee, digging her thumbs in to massage the muscles. She looks up at Shawn, blinking innocently.

He opens his eyes again quickly, not keen on missing anything, and sees her dropping down to her knees.

“Shit,” he breathes as she presses her small hands into his thighs, fingers scratching over his muscles. His cock twitches and his legs part just a bit more as he rolls his hips forward. His head tips back and he pushes a hand into his hair, trying to find some way to ground himself.

Maya watches his body react without his mind’s permission, canting his hips up because he knows what he’s getting from her and knows how good she can give it. She’s flooded with power and pride, imagining no one’s ever made him feel this way. Maybe she’s wrong, maybe she’s not the best he’s ever had, maybe her ego only gets this swollen when he’s looking at her like that between his knees but she wants to believe it.

He’s that for her, anyway.

“Sweetheart,” she rasps, “You miss my mouth?”

A rough laugh rumbles his chest as he shakes his head. “God, baby. You know I did.”

I missed everything about you.

He manages to choke on the sentiment instead of admitting it. He moves past it, babbles on with, “Missed your pretty lips and hot tongue. Missed how good you always are.”

His lips loosen, praising the attributes of her mouth. She hums in agreement, flushing a little as she reaches for the button of his jeans. She pulls on them, biting her lip as she watches him rake a shaky hand through his gorgeous curls.

She wastes no time, taking his boxer briefs down with his pants in the same motion. She wets her lips at the sight of his cock stiff and pink and nearly ready for her. She sits forward, resting her chin on his thigh and blinking up at him sweetly. She takes his cock in her hand and strokes him slowly, light pressure, because she loves driving him crazy and she’s damn good at it.

“What else did you miss?”

She loves watching him run his mouth when he’s getting worked up like this. She wants to see what kind of picture he can paint for her.

“Ah-- ah, shit,” he growls when she digs her chin into his thigh and wraps her perfect hand around his cock.

Missed the way you looked at me when you told me you loved me.

He can’t fucking say that, or anything remotely like it. His hips twitch and he closes his eyes, breathes in slowly through his nose to calm himself down. After a moment, he’s able to look at her, sees the glint in her eye and the sweet little smirk on her lips as she slowly works his shaft.

“Missed how you suck my cock, Lu. Missed how you moan around me, how you rub your thighs together as you get wet with my dick on your tongue. Missed watching you touch your clit while you suck at me like a popsicle.”

He’s panting by the end of it, his lips wet and swollen as he fucks his cock up into her fist. He’s got no shame with her, can’t bother acting like they don’t know each other like this, inside and out. Maya’s well aware of what this coy little act of hers does to him. He doesn’t mind that she uses it against him.

“Love how wet you get while sucking my cock, sugar,” he growls, pushing both hands into his hair and tipping his head back, watching her from beneath his thick lashes.

Maya’s enchanted. He’s so fucking sexy. He’s always sexy, he was sexy when she bumped into him on the beach today, he was sexy when she walked in to see him covered in sawdust, he was sexy when he was blushing at her artwork 15 years ago.

But when his lips are wet around the filth he’s moaning about loving how turned on she gets by getting him off, he’s so sexy she doesn’t know what to fucking do with herself.

Maya’s head feels heavy. She tilts it so her cheek is resting on his bare thigh, tightening her grip on his cock as he starts to fuck up into it. She knows it’s not nearly enough for him, she knows it’s not at all the best she can do to drive him insane, but the best is yet to come.

“Mmm, can’t help it,” she sighs, turning her face to leave a biting kiss on the inside of his thigh. She sits forward and forces his hips down with a press of her hand, watching his head fall back. She stares up at him, licking a hot, thick stripe up the underside of his cock. She follows it up with sweet little kitten licks around his swollen head, scooting forward on her knees.

“Getting you hard gets me so fucking wet,” she confesses, but he already knows. She hums again, dipping her head to drop the tip of his dick into her mouth, swirling her tongue around slowly.

“God, Maya,” he grunts when she gets her tongue on him. Her confession is something he’s aware of, but hearing her say it sparks lightning in his veins. She’s so gorgeous like this, settled comfortably in his lap with her mouth on his cock. She’s always prettiest when she’s the most comfortable around him.

“That’s it, sugar,” he practically slurs as her hot little tongue circles the head of his cock. He tugs his hair as he focuses on her mouth, watching her plump lips stretch around him, just barely covering his tip as she teases him the best way she knows how.

Maya’s lashes flutter at the sound of his voice, hot and smooth like syrup as he purrs at her. It makes her moan around his cock as it throbs against her tongue.

The sounds her mouth makes around his dick are so obscene -- wet, slurping pops as she sucks at him like she might never get the chance again.

“S’this why you came over here, Lulu? Missed sucking my cock like this?” he coos, but his voice is rough, fucked from her lips and her hands and the smell of sea salt in her pretty brown hair.

“Missed getting your thighs all wet with my dick in your mouth, didn’t you?” he asks, so he doesn’t ask her something like, Did you miss the way I used to make love to you when you couldn’t sleep at night?

Now is not the fucking time.

She blinks up at him and takes him back further down her throat, starting to bob her head as he speaks. She groans again, nodding, pausing on an upward pass of his shaft to kiss the tip of his dick and take a breath.

“Yeah,” she pants, “Wanted you in my mouth so bad. Miss how good it feels having you down my throat. You haven’t even touched me and my pussy is soaked.”

She’s a lot filthier than she used to be. All those years of his dirty mouth must’ve rubbed off on her. It’s incredibly fucking sexy, mostly because it’s so goddamn honest.

He believes she means every word. She’s not just trying to be sexy, and that’s the sexiest part.

He drops a hand from his hair to reach for hers, cupping the back of her hair as she sinks her mouth further down the length of his cock. She’s warm and velvety around him, and absolutely fucking incredible. He throbs between her lips.

With another gentle kiss on his twitching head, she grips him firmly, stroking while she holds his gaze and dips her hand down the front of her panties. When she pulls it back out, he can see she wasn’t fucking around. She’s so wet.

She grins and dives back in, using the hand that was stroking him to reach down and cup his balls, squeezing and rolling them between her fingers.

“Oh, fuck, sugar, oh my fucking god,” he growls when she shows him her sticky wet fingers then plays with his balls.

“That’s so sexy, baby, Jesus Christ. Gonna let me taste you? You taste so fucking good.”

Maya thrives on this, on hearing how completely wrecked he sounds when she really starts going to work on him. Truthfully, she was nervous -- she hadn’t had her mouth on a man in a really long time. Shawn’s eager whimpering and words of praise tell her for certain she hasn’t lost her touch.

His hand in her hair has her pumping him a little faster in and out of her mouth, meeting where her gag reflex resists him with little groaning purrs from the back of her throat.

She slides back up his cock again, tonguing at his slit. She reaches up and offers him her fingers to suck on, knowing what he wants.

She shivers, pulling off his shaft and kissing down the beating vein on his cock to press teasing kisses all over his balls. She wants to make him lose his goddamn mind. After all, it’s what he deserves.

“Suck on my fingers, baby,” she encourages, breath rough and hot on his thighs.

It’s a little pathetic, how he scrambles for her fingers. He wraps his hand around her wrist and tugs her to his mouth, licking her fingers carefully before sucking them past his lips. He groans around her, pulling her fingers from his mouth with a pop before kisses her fingertips.

Maya could watch him lose his mind like this for her forever. He holds her wrist steady so he can savor the sweetness on her fingers and it reminds her just how desperate he can get for her. He could never get enough of the taste of her. But she was similarly affected -- she used to drag blow jobs out until he was begging, pleading to come, it was too much to take, but she liked pushing his limits.

Her lips on his balls have his cock aching, leaking for her, dripping down his shaft and onto his abdomen. He squeezes her wrist and drops his head back, hips fucking up, cock grinding against nothing.

“Shit-- shit, Maya, my god. You’re-- fuck, you’re so sexy. So good-- so fucking good at this, so good to me, Christ,” he hisses, nipping at her fingertips again before looking down at her, his eyes glassy.

He wants to tell her he loves her so badly. His heart is hammering against his ribs and the feeling of it warms through his entire body as his hips rock back and forth on the couch. He feels like he’s vibrating with need, but he’ll never be satisfied until he can tell her how he really feels.

He nibbles at her fingers and mutters hopelessly like he’ll never have it so good again in his life. It makes her stomach swirl. She’s so eager to get him off now. She wants to make it unforgettable.

“Sugar, Maya, I’m-- ah, fuck, I missed you,” he rasps, holding on just enough to choose his words wisely.

I missed you.

He’s been saying it since they started making out. Hell, he said it the last time they fucked. It just… it sounded different this time, like he was trying to say something else. Maya pulls away from him to look up, past his heaving, panting chest and his swollen lips to his big brown eyes. She closes her eyes, turns her face into his thigh and slowly, affectionately noses at the soft hair there. With one last little kiss, the only thing she can give him in return, she sits up and takes his cock down her throat, bobbing her head quickly, soaking his dick.

Maya squirms, moaning around him hot and hard in her mouth. She reaches down between her thighs and rubs her clit quickly with the pad of her middle finger, swallowing him down as far as she can, ready to make him fall apart.

“Holy fuck,” he chokes out, curling forward over her head as she takes his cock deep into her mouth and sucks at him like her life fucking depends on it. He pushes his hands into her hair to hold on, not to guide or direct her, but to steady himself as she completely overwhelms him.

He looks down at her and realizes her hand is between her thighs, sure her fingers are flicking her clit like she always loves to do as she tries to carry him to the edge.

He wants to come in her mouth, but he also wants so much more. He’s feeling crazed for it, maybe overly emotional and nostalgic, but he wants to come with her. He wants to make her come all over his cock before he finally lets go himself. He wants her to know how he feels without having to say it.

“Baby, baby--” he growls, tugging at her hair, grinding his hips into the couch. “Maya, sugar, I’m-- you got me so fucking close, but I don’t-- I wanna feel your pussy, sweetie. Please.”

Shawn wants more.

Before Shawn, no guy had ever refused the opportunity to come in her mouth. He was the first to show interest in getting her off with him. It seems he hasn’t lost the desire.

She’s sure he’s practically dangling on the edge of an orgasm, so the willpower it takes to reel it in and do what he can to get her there with him is pretty stunning. Maya whimpers, overwhelmed by his desire for her, and sits back on her heels, running a hand through her hair.

“Ok,” she murmurs, clearing her throat, “Yeah, baby. Wanna feel you inside me. Always.”

The “always” was maybe a little much but her brain is fried. She stands, giggles as she nearly tips over on shaky legs, and ditches her soaking wet lace panties.

She stands before him flushed and needy as she slips out of her sticky panties. He can see the wetness dripping down her thighs as she crawls onto the couch, legs spreading so she can straddle his lap.

He’s breathless, staring at her with his hands tangled in his own hair. He lets her take him how she wants, touch him how she wants, use him however she wants.

He’s hers.

Shawn watches her from the couch. She does what she can not to leap on him, instead lowering herself into his lap and sitting forward until his cock is pressed against her pussy and she can roll her hips to grind against him.

“Oh fuck,” she whines, scrunching up her nose, tightening her grip on his shoulders.

Shawn doesn’t know how he went twelve years without this. Without her. She fits perfectly against him, curves perfectly into the lines and divots of his body, so well sometimes that he can’t remember where he ends and she begins. He’s really so fucked that he thinks about her in cliches and he doesn’t even care.

Finally, she slides forward; her pussy is hot and slick over his cock as his hips jerk up in response to the sweet sensation.

“Yeah, baby,” he growls, dropping one hand to her thigh as he looks her up and down, from her slick pussy dripping on his shaft to the smooth curve of her belly, to her hard nipples that strain against the pretty fabric of her bra.

“God, you’re gorgeous,” he says, his voice more awestruck than sex-fucked in this moment, as he gazes at her resting atop him like she belongs there and nowhere else.

How does he not tell her he loves her? How can he not? She should know, she deserves to know. He can’t just keep doing this with her and pretending like it doesn’t mean the world to him.

He pushes himself away from the back of the couch and presses his chest to hers, cupping her throat with his hands and gliding his thumbs along her jaw. He presses his forehead to hers and looks her in the eye, searching for something, though he’s not sure what.

“Maya,” he breathes, nudging her nose as he grinds his cock up against her, brushing the head over her swollen, sensitive clit. “Missed how good you feel like this, sugar.”

Maya sobs a breath when he lurches forward and presses up against her chest, holding her face in his hands. She wants to close her eyes so badly, it’s too much having him so close and staring at her like this like he’s considering not ever letting her go again. But the way he’s holding her, pressing his nose against hers gently while he finds an angle that will make her gasp (which he does easily), it makes her hold his gaze.

Her breathing is ragged. She’s half a heartbeat away from tears. How can he treat her this way, after everything? It’s not to be denied now, not at all. There’s still something very real here between them that neither of them is doing a good job ignoring. And Maya’s not running from it.

Maya lifts her fingers into Shawn’s hair, surrendering. She tips her head onto his shoulder, takes a slow, deep breath with her hips still rocking into his and wraps her arms around him.

“Take me, Shawn. Please.”

“I got you,” he murmurs, pressing his lips to hers as he wraps his arms around her waist and reaches up the length of her spine to cup her shoulder blades and rock her down against his cock. “Lu, I got you, I’ll take care of you.”

He kisses her again to shut himself up, then rolls his hips forward, smoothly sliding his length along her slit and nudging over her clit before pressing up against her tight entrance. He rocks again, pushing his tip shallowly into her pussy, her velvet walls immediately clenching perfectly around him.

He swallows her up into his chest with the way he curls his arms around her. Maya’s never felt so safe, ever. The kiss keeps both their stupid mouths occupied, which she’s so grateful for. But when he slips inside her, hard and thick and everything she’s wanted, she groans, loud and unabashed into his mouth.

“Fuck, sugar,” he purrs, sucking at her lower lip, giving her a little nibble. He then mouths along the sharp angle of her jaw until he reaches her ear, giving her earlobe a kiss.

“So fucking wet for me. Can’t believe how wet you get, can’t believe how fucking good you feel,” he mutters in her ear, voice rough with need. “Feels perfect, Maya, you know that. Don’t you, sweetheart? You know you feel so perfect on my cock.”

He emphasizes his words with a flick of his hips that slides him deeper into her slick, welcoming cunt.

“Oh my god, oh Shawn,” she gasps between his sweet lips as he starts to break away for her jaw, mumbling to her quietly like he doesn’t realize he’s doing it. It makes a sharp shiver tear down her spine so she squirms hard in his arms.

His hips flick up. Her head falls back, her mouth drops open in a silent scream as her hips start to rock of their own volition.

“Never been so good, never been so fucking good with you,” she chants, shaking her head, “It was always perfect but, fuck, it’s never been this good, baby, you’re so good with me. It’s perfect, baby. It’s perfect.”

Her words are repetitive, a stream of consciousness of the hot, torrid thoughts in her head. She scrunches her fingers in his hair and tugs to show her urgency because words simply aren’t enough at this point. Plus, if she opens her mouth now, she just knows a poorly-timed I love you will come tumbling out.

She’s right, it’s never been this good. He’s never felt so desperate for her before, so determined to use his body to show her the depth of his feelings for her because they’re too much to vocalize. He whines against her ear as she praises him, praises them both.

“Just wanna make you feel this good as much as I can,” he admits on a choked off breath, his fingers digging into her shoulder blades as his hips stutter beneath her soft, slick thighs.

God, everything he says right now feels like an atom bomb. But he’s giving it to her so good she really can’t stop and think too hard about it. She can’t really think at all.

Shawn wisely silences himself against her neck, at least temporarily, busying himself with marking his former territory. She’s far from stopping him. If she can walk around with his love bites on her body for a few days, she’ll welcome it. They’re like a badge of honor.

He rocks his cock deeper and deeper into her sweet pussy, licking and sucking along the column of her throat, down to her clavicle then back up to her ear, nipping at the sensitive shell of cartilage.

Her tits bounce as he thrusts hard into her. She clings to him, fingers sinking into his neck and his hair to keep herself from smacking into him as their bodies take over control. There’s nothing gentle or meticulous about it the way Shawn sometimes is with her. That’s equally as wonderful, of course. But this, this raw need for her that controls the flicking of his hips and has him so deep inside her that her toes curl, this is so fucking good.

“Jesus, sugar,” he pants, hips snapping harder and harder as he bounces her in his lap, working her on his dick. “Fucking-- love it, love having you on my cock, baby.”

He bites down on her shoulder, squeezing his eyes shut after a close fucking call that he can only blame on the ambiance of the sunset shining through the windows and panting the room in golden amber light.

Maya doesn’t notice him fumble over his words, instead gasping and twitching when he bites at her bronzed shoulder like he doesn’t trust his mouth. She cradles the back of his head and whines, the pain and pleasure setting something off inside her.

“Baby, I’m gonna come. Gonna come soon. Wanna touch my clit for me?” she whispers, tonguing at the shell of his ear in time with the roll of her hips.

Something snaps inside of him when she purrs in his ear, asks him to help make her come with his fingers. He growls and wraps a thick, sturdy arm around her waist so he can lift her from his lap and settle her down onto the couch instead.

Maya mewls in his ear when he lifts her and repositions her on the couch. She lets him take over her hands — as much as she likes to hold him, she knows she’s taken care of right now.

They stay connected as he shifts around, knees on the couch, thighs pressed against the back of hers as he reaches for her wrists and pins them above her head so she’s arched beneath him, pretty tits straining against her bra.

Shawn starts moving again, making sure this orgasm is going to overwhelm her to the point of total, unadulterated bliss.

Her sensitive nipples arch against his chest and drag against the fabric of her bralette. Her feet are planted on either side of his legs so she can give as good as she gets, but the rhythm of her hips is starting to fail as she gets closer and closer.

“M’gonna make you come so good, sugar,” he pants, keeping her wrists pinned with one hand while the other ventures down her body, fingertips tripping over her skin until he reaches the wet, hot apex of her thighs.

He snaps his hips once, twice, thrice, changing the angle each time until the head of his cock finally brushes her g-spot, just as he slips his middle finger between her pink folds and flicks at her swollen clit. He presses down on the stiff little nub before slowly working her in tight circles, the rhythm of his finger slower than the snapping cadence of his hips as he stretches her pretty pussy with his cock.

He knows exactly what she needs like he always has. He tilts his hips to rut against her g-spot with every stroke. His finger swirls tight but tantalizingly slow against her swollen, twitching clit.

He kisses along her throat until his lips meet her chin. He moves to her mouth, sucking her lower lip between his teeth. He gives her a little nip before pressing their foreheads together. “C’mon, Lu, come all over me. Feels-- fuck, fuck-- feels so fucking good when you come on my cock.”

She can’t keep the air in her lungs. She’s panting and writhing beneath him, thrashing like a desperate caged animal. Until he settles his forehead against hers and whispers.

Maya goes rigid, crying out into his mouth, arching extraordinarily as she soaks his thick cock. Her body holds him in as it riots, orgasm reaching up through her until she’s rolling, slow and tortured, like she’s clinging to every piece of her release.

He’s not sure how he manages to make it through her rippling, overwhelming orgasm without completely falling apart himself. He kisses her through it, rolling his hips faster as he picks up speed with his finger on her twitching clit.

It’s hard to keep up with her thrashing, but he tightens his grip on her wrists and lets himself settle more of his weight atop her. She’s fucking dripping all over him, soaking his dick and his lower abdomen, along with his thighs.

He pulls back when she starts to come down, slowing his hips as his cock throbs inside of her spamming cunt. He watches her chest heave as he clenches his jaw, forcing himself still as he pants along with her.

It’s one of the longer orgasms she’s ever had. When it begins to fade, Maya blinks her wet eyes open and stares at him, so in love he must just see it all over her face. She coos and kisses his swollen lower lip.

“Your turn, honey. Come inside me. Wanna feel you so deep, baby.”

His eyes flutter shut when she kisses him, purring with a loving clenching of her pussy. He groans into her mouth, his snapping tightly, just once, before he lets himself kiss her properly.

“Gonna give you what you want, Lu, gonna—“ he cuts himself off with a moan, dropping his head down to her shoulder as he fucks her faster, hips rabbiting down and slapping her thighs.

He goes quick and shallow, can’t help but focus the head of his cock over her g-spot with every frantic stroke, the angle ingrained in his muscle memory.

Maya’s heart rate has just started to normalize when he starts stroking hard again. But she can’t help but get worked up again -- she anticipates his orgasm as much as her own, if not more.

Maya holds on, wrapping her legs around his hips as he slams them into her. With each quick thrust, he bumps up against her sensitive spot that has her grunting and squirming.

“May— Maya, shit,” he bites at her collarbone to shut himself up as his balls tighten and he finally lets go. He groans into her skin, coming deep inside of her as his hips come to a clenched stop against her wet thighs.

He sinks his teeth into her clavicle when he buries himself and comes hard, letting go inside her. She groans, low and deep, at the dual sensations. She slides a hand up to cradle the back of his head, letting him rest against her chest while he comes down. She strokes his hair and lets her clenched legs slide off until she’s limp and wholly satisfied beneath him.

“That was… god, Jesus Christ,” Maya sighs, running her pointed toes down the back of his leg as she tries to remember how to talk.

Shawn’s a little out of his head. He’s pretty sure he’s never come so hard in his life. His face is buried in her neck as he finally begins to relax, legs and hips unclenching as he collapses on top of her, settling between her thighs.

Maya’s eyes are closed as he noses at her, strokes her fiery, goosebumped skin and recovers from a truly epic orgasm. She relishes the weight of him against her, so familiar and comforting like he’s her favorite giant blanket. She scooches around beneath him until they’re both comfortable and tucked up against each other.

His chest is heaving, pressing into hers while they breathe together, basking in the warm afterglow. Shawn carefully releases Maya’s wrists and glides his fingers down the length of her body until he reaches her waist. He mouths slowly at her throat when he finally gets his breathing under control.

He doesn’t trust himself to speak yet, though, still shaken from the heat of his orgasm. He rubs the tips of his nose across her skin and paws at her sides with his needy, wandering hands.

She’s not doing much better than he is.

“You’re the most incredible woman I have ever known,” he pants into the soft skin of her neck when he decides he just can’t keep quiet. He’s lame and hyperbolic and probably too much, but an orgasm is a hell of a drug. And Maya is a hell of a woman.

His words have her eyes snapping open. She clenches her jaw and blinks quickly, trying not to gasp for breath but she’s having trouble oxygenating her brain.

After a moment or two, she speaks.

“You really always have been too good to me,” she murmurs, turning her face so her nose brushes up against his sweaty curls.

Maya’s overwhelmed. Part of her wants to spill her guts, tell him all the lovely things she’s been thinking for so long, tell him all the ways she’s missed him. The other part knows it’s not the time. Not now, not even when he’s said something so unbelievable.

He smiles into her skin. She says it like she doesn’t believe him, like he’s just nice to be nice. But he would never say something like that just to be sweet. He nudges her jaw with his nose, kisses her just beneath her chin.

“No,” he hums, kissing along her jaw lazily, “No, I’m just trying to give you what you deserve. Even if you don’t think you deserve it.”

It’s strikingly honest, but it’s true. She deserves the fucking world, and she doesn’t seem to know it.

Maya exhales sharply. She’s still getting used to this idea that he doesn’t hate her breathing guts. She’s also getting used to not hating her own breathing guts. So him laying it on this thick for no other reason than because he truly believes what he’s saying?

It’s a lot.

He breathes out after a moment, letting his head drop onto her chest.

“I know you think-- maybe you think I’m a glutton for punishment and you probably think I should hate you or something, but. I don’t. I never did. I was--” he lets out a gruff laugh, “I was fucking pissed, for a while. But I--” I always loved you, “I could never hate you. And I could never not think the sun shines out of your ass, because it does. You have, like, the best, shiniest ass.”

He rests his chin on her sternum and looks up at her, biting his lip through a sheepish smile.

He snuggles up to her chest and continues talking. She listens carefully, smirking at his comment about her ass. He props his chin up between her breasts. She plays with the curls on his forehead, twirling them around her slender fingers.

“Shawn Mendes, I think only you have a big enough heart not to hate me after what I did. I hated me. I think I’ve only recently stopped hating me. I think you’ve been part of that.”

“I don’t think you should hate yourself at all,” Shawn murmurs. He wants to kiss her, but if he kisses her, he’ll definitely blow it. He’s getting too close to ‘I love you’ with ‘I could never hate you’ as it is. Instead, he presses a gentle peck to her chest before looking back up at her.

She’s quiet for a moment or two before booping his nose with the tip of her finger. “You know, at some point, not now but maybe soon, we should talk about what it is we’re doing here.”

He wrinkles his nose, then closes his eyes at her suggestion. He only hates her a little bit for being the adult.

We’re falling in love again, right?

That’s what he wants them to be doing, even if it’s rash. Realistically, he knows that it can’t be what they’re doing. They haven’t seen each other in so long, and she has a job and a life and a completely different city to get back to. But she’s keeping the house here, so it’s not like she’ll be disappearing all over again. He could do long distance for a little, if need be, and they could learn how to love each other again.

He can’t say anything like that.

She continues toying with, bouncing the curls against his forehead like she’s a cat and he’s her ball of yarn. When he closes his eyes to think, Maya stretches back, folding an arm under her head, letting herself get even more comfortable with him. She ignores the idea that maybe that’s dangerous.

Instead, he blinks his eyes open and smiles crookedly at her. “We’re helping you relax after being so uptight in New York, obviously.”

It’s such a cop out. It’s cowardice, and he hates himself for it.

She chuckles at his answer to her question and strokes a hand through his hair from crown to neck, scratching him gently with her nails.

“You’re doing an excellent job of that,” she purrs, “I haven’t come this hard in… uhm, years.”

He closes his eyes and sighs, brushes one more sweet kiss to her chest. “We’re doing whatever you want to do, Lulu. I’m just-- I’m here. For you. However you need me.”

He kisses her chest again. She swallows sharply, her lie on her mind. He still thinks she’s leaving. He thinks at worst, she’ll be a temporary dalliance and will leave him alone again to live his life unburdened by her.

He doesn’t know what he’s getting himself into. She hasn’t let him.

She takes a deep breath, trying to free herself from the creeping guilt and gloom. She can be mature later.

Shawn loves the comfort of settling his whole weight atop her while she plays with his hair, even though it’s sweaty and like, pretty full of sawdust. He likes the familiarity of this, the comfort and warmth. He likes how she loves cradling him between her thighs, even long after they’ve both come down from their peaks.

He starts spreading kisses along the length of her sternum, down between the valley of her breasts then back up again, nipping at the soft fabric of her bralette every now and then.

“I hope you weren’t expecting any customers,” she murmurs, glancing around his work studio with a lifted eyebrow. She totally derailed his process.

He laughs, looking up at her, then around at the shop, now dark under the sparse light of dusk. He shakes his head as he looks back down at her.

“Nah,” he says with a shrug, “Most foot traffic actually happens in the morning, or right after lunch. By the end of the day it’s usually just me, obsessing over some project I don’t have to actually finish for like… weeks.”

Maya’s trying not to let herself fantasize about the idea of getting used to this. But she can see it so clearly -- installing a board rack outside. Walking up after a session to squeeze out her hair before she walks inside because he gets pissy about the saltwater on his fine hardwood floors. Riding him on the couch while the sun sets.

Yeah. Ok. The fantasy took hold. Too late.

He blinks down at her, then carefully pushes himself up onto one arm, lifting his hips from hers so he can slip out of her. He reaches down for his briefs and pulls them back up before he wiggles in between her and the back of the couch.

He pulls her into his chest, so her back his flush against his front, then reaches for the blanket over the arm of the couch and wraps them up.

Maya grunts gently when he slips out of her but he doesn’t go far, wrapping them up in a blanket on the couch. She’s so comfortable she’s a little worried about passing out right here up against him. He probably wouldn’t even mind. He’d probably be happy.

She wants to make him happy.

Maya snuggles in, tucks herself so the proportions of her body fit neatly into his. Spooning has never truly felt like spooning with anyone else, not when she fits so perfectly into him. She always rolled her eyes at the puzzle piece metaphor people like to use, but now she gets it.

She doesn’t try to wiggle away or excuse herself by pulling her panties on. She lets him move her, then cuddles back against him like a satisfied cat who wants to bask in his body heat. It’s his favorite feeling.

He sighs, presses a kiss to the back of her shoulder. “Better,” he murmurs. “Sometimes I sleep here. Like, if I lose track of time and don’t feel like walking home. This couch is really comfy.”

He’s babbling, now, like if he finds more shit to say, the longer she’ll stay.

Maya closes her eyes. “I don’t like the idea of you sleeping here all by yourself on this couch. It’s not even that comfy. Stop doing that,” she scolds with a smile.

He so busy plodding kisses along her shoulder and towards the back of her neck, that he doesn’t really care she’s fussing. He smiles into her hair as he noses the base of her scalp.

“It’s either alone here or alone at the apartment. Not much difference, Lu,” he says with a thoughtful hum. One of his hands finds her leg under the blanket, and his fingers slowly tease the curving slope of her thigh until he reaches her knee. He trails back up, then, stroking her skin until he reaches the ripple of stretch marks that bloom at her hip. He loves them. He’s familiar with each one, has spent hours tracing their path as they wrap around her body with his fingertips.

Maya lets him spoil her, dropping kisses all over her shoulders, sore from hunching over a canvas and paddling out to catch waves. She sighs at his words and goes to speak.

But his hand is so distracting.

God, his hands are so huge and yet so graceful. She just basks in the feeling of his touch after starving herself of it for so long. She hums and tries to remind herself what she was going to say to him next, before he started caressing her hip like he loves her stretch marks as much as he loves the rest of her.

“Will admit, though,” he murmurs, taking a calm breath through his nose as he presses his lips to the top of her head, his cheek cradled by his own bicep, “This couch is exponentially comfier when I have you here with me.”

He disgusts himself, sometimes. But he can’t help it. Maya brings it out in him.

Maya opens her eyes and lifts a hand to cup his jaw from behind her, stroking along the cut of it with her thumb.

“You know what I bet is comfier than this couch with me? Your bed with me,” she points out, glancing over her shoulder at him.

Shawn presses his jaw into her hand, like a dog nudging into a pet. His brows raise as he pushing himself up onto his elbow, looking down at her. She’s really on a roll with awesome ideas today. He grins.

“I dunno, Lemon,” he says, lips quirking, “You kinda steal the sheets. And sometimes you kick me when you have that soccer dream from when you were in third grade.”

He’ll take any chance he can get to remind her he knows her, knows the small details and close-kept secrets whispered between them in the dark as well as he knows the back of his hand or the chords to Back to Black by Amy Winehouse.

He drops his nose to her shoulder, kisses her gently.

“Do you really want to?” he murmurs, his voice gruff as he breathes into her skin and keeps his eyes closed. It’s a question bathed in doubt, but he can’t help it. This is the first time since she’s been in Avila where she seems truly receptive to folding herself into his life. He doesn’t want that to go away.

He’s teasing her but she can pretty much tell by the cadence of his voice that he’s stalling, a little bit in disbelief, maybe even a little nervous about letting her in that far. Or maybe he’s nervous that if he does she’ll run again.

She’s so fucking tired of running.

Maya carefully turns over and does a 180 to face him on her other side. She slings a leg over his and scooches up the couch so her face is level with his.

“If I can deal with you clinging to me like a leech in the middle of the night and talking in your sleep like a weirdo, you can deal with my occasional light kicking and hogging of sheets.”

She swings an arm around his neck and flattens her lips against his with a smile for a brief, loud kiss.

“Take me home, Mendes.”

----------

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mythicallore · 5 years ago

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Weird Encounters with humanoids in Texas

There are a lot of strange cases of creatures and entities out there, scattered all across the world. Often these accounts have no clear origin or logical answer to explain what people are seeing, and they seem doomed to flutter about in the periphery of the odd. Strikingly, many of such reports describe entities that are humanoid in nature, and which serve to defy all attempts to truly classify them. The U.S. state of Texas has more than its share of accounts of bizarre humanoid creatures, and here we will look at a selection of some of the stranger.

The first report we will look at here is about as bizarre as they come. Paranormal researcher Albert S. Rosales wrote a series of books called Humanoid Encounters, which focused on alleged sighting of various strange entities corresponding to certain years. In the 1970-1974 edition there is a very odd report from the town of Amarillo, Texas, which supposedly took place in 1970. In the account, the witness claims that he moved into a ranch with his family surrounded by a desolate landscape of sand dunes and very little vegetation. For the first few days at their new home nothing particularly strange happened, but it took a deep right turn into Bizarreville rather quickly.

It started when the grandmother allegedly discovered a den of wolf cubs near the house, but when she brought the grandfather there the next day to show him her discovery it was found that the adult wolves were dead and the cubs were nowhere to be seen. When the wolf carcasses were examined, it seemed as if they had been torn apart by something very large with formidable claws, and this understandably made them a bit wary as to what was roaming around out there in the wilds.

The next evening, the grandfather had a nightmare in which he had a premonition of intense foreboding, and a warning in his head to move away immediately. When he awoke in a cold sweat he went out to the outhouse and as he did so he claimed to have seen a hulking humanoid figure with glowing red eyes, which seemed to be surveying the house from the dark. Interestingly, the witness’ great-grandmother also had a premonition that night, and he would say of what happened next thus:

Earlier in that very night, my great grandmother had a terrible feeling and sent my granduncle, Ray, with his family to check up on his brother. Ray was almost to the house when the car ran out of water. He remembered there was a well nearby and went to get some water. He didn’t get too far when the thing with red eyes came in front of him. He ran back to the car and told his family to run to his brother’s house. He grab his shotgun and Bowie knife so he could buy his family time to get away. Ray made sure the car was between him and creature. The creature charged him quickly. He shot the creature nearly point-blank range several times with no effect. He tried to stab it but almost got slashed by it’s claws. Then, he ran fast as he could to the house. The creature followed but, suddenly stop short of the hill. By then, the entire family was awake and saw it on the hill staring at them. Grandfather told all the girls to get in the bed of the truck and covered them with lots of blankets and other stuff to make a barrier in case the creature jumped into the bed. The men were in the cab of the truck staring at the hulking being. They drove past it praying it didn’t attack them. It’s gaze was on the house. Suddenly it jumped off the hill and began to chase them. It stopped short of the line where the sand ended and grass began.

After this harrowing encounter, they went back the following day to get their things from the house, only to find the ranch owner and numerous police and “military looking” people all over the area. On top of this, it appeared as if the entire first floor of the home had been completely wrecked by something. This was all strange enough, but what really makes it even more surreal and off-the-wall is what happened when a police K-9 unit was released, and the report says of what transpired thus:

A K-9 unit went in to investigate. The first floor was totally destroyed . The second floor was the same as well. The dogs got a scent of something and started to bark at the attic door. The officers opened the door and let the dogs up it. Everybody heard the dogs fighting with something. Suddenly the dogs were thrown out the attic window like rag dolls. They were both skinned alive! The two officers inside went into attic to see what the hell it was. Everybody outside heard lots of gunfire and then saw one the officers being thrown out the window. He was dead before he hit the ground. When everybody looked back up toward the window, they saw the creature clear as day. It looked like a big bald blue-skinned man with big red eyes and sharp claws. The high ranking military man ordered its’ destruction. Everybody opened fire on it and the house. Two guys threw grenades into the attic and it exploded. The house was then set on fire! Grandfather and the family left but later heard that the only body found was that of the other officer. Footprints were found leading away from the house! Nothing of it was ever heard again to their knowledge.

It is all completely and insanely bonkers, and it leaves one wondering just what truth any of it has, and if it does, then what it was they encountered. The problem is that the account has no real sources listed, so it is unverifiable and could very well be fake. Who knows? Speaking of hulking, terrifyingly beastly humanoids, there is another report covered on the site True Horror Stories of Texas, and it involves a witness known only as “Jacqueline.” She claims that she was on her way back to the town of Coldspring, Texas, after visiting her father in Houston, and that as she was passing by Lake Livingston Dam at around 10 PM when some decidedly weird events would unfold, of which she would say:

I was past that light in total darkness with only my headlights shining. I saw something up ahead and slowed down. It was a furry creature on all fours crossing the road. I’ll never forget the way it felt, the hair on my arms are standing up and I get goosebumps just remembering. It looked like the boy from the jungle book crossing the road with the hind part of the body higher than the front.

It stopped just on the other side of my truck passing a few feet in front of my truck. It was dark grey and black and it didn’t seem to have a face or maybe it just had too much hair. It was too big to be a dog or any animal. I still don’t know what it was, all I know is that I drove off speeding away looking back into my rear view mirror hoping it wasn’t following me home. I locked up and stayed close to my rifle the whole night. And to this day driving through that stretch of road I hope I never see that creature again.

What was this thing? Was it, as has been suggested, some kind of werewolf? If it was, then it would not be alone out in the Lone Star State. One of the most well-known of such supposed werewolf reports comes from the town of Converse, Texas, where during the 1800s a rancher moved onto a modest plot of land in the area along with his son. One day the rancher apparently sent his son off on a deer hunting trip, determined to toughen him up, as he was described as a rather frail and nerdy boy who liked to study and read all day rather than go out into the great outdoors.

The boy found himself at a heavily forested area called Skull Crossing, and he disappeared into the woods for several hours. When he returned he was without any kill, and his father was deeply disappointed with him. For his part, the boy claimed that he had been stalked through the woods by some sort of “werewolf,” and that this was one of the reasons he had not been able to hunt, but the father did not believe him. He instead made his son turn right back around and go back to finish the job he had started, despite the boys pleas to not make him go. The young man once again ventured out into the wilderness and his father stood there waiting.

The hours passed and the sun began to set, bathing the woods in darkness, but the boy would not appear from the trees. The father purportedly grew worried, and he decided to call upon some other locals to go out and look for his son, fearful that something may have happened to him out there. As they fanned out into the increasingly murky forest they probably thought that they would find the inexperienced lad out wandering about without a clue, but they would soon find out that something altogether more sinister had transpired.

According to the tale, the search party came upon a monstrous, hairy beast measuring 8 feet tall, which was described as looking like a cross between wolf and man, and which was more disturbingly still crouched down and in the process of eating the dead son of the rancher. The party apparently shot at and chased off the monstrosity, which dispersed with supernatural speed, but the boy was dead, torn to shreds. After this the story becomes a bit hazy, with some versions saying that the rancher went insane and others saying that he locked himself away to wither and die, or that he killed himself. What was this thing, if anything? Was it a real werewolf, a misidentified bear, or something more like a Sasquatch? We will probably never know, and the Converse Werewolf remains little more than a perplexing historical oddity.

Joining werewolves in the wilds of Texas is what has been described as basically a cross between a man and a goat, and which supposedly haunts the picturesque locale of White Rock Lake. For years there have been accounts from the area of being terrorized by a humanoid entity that has a body mostly like that of a man, but with hoofed feet, a horned head, and long fingers with twisted, claw-like fingernails. Whatever it is, the Goatman of White rock Lake has been seen far and wide, and has become entrenched in the local lore. Interestingly, Texas seems to be crawling with Goat Men, as there is another said to haunt the Old Alton Bridge in Denton County, and yet another said to prowl the wilds of Lake Worth. Cryptids, ghosts, interdimensional beings? What in the world are the Goat Men?

Less identifiable is a story shared by Week in Weird, of some sort of creature with glowing eyes that was seen and even photographed at a cemetery in North Houston. In 2013, a paramedic claims that he had been at the Mueschke Cemetery in order to take a rest along with his partner at around 2 AM. As they drifted off to sleep, there was apparently heard something roaming about through the underbrush, and when the pair peered into the dark they were met with the sight of two glowing eyes peering right back at them. The partner apparently had the presence of mind to snap a picture of whatever it was, and this was soon posted to the Internet. The picture is indistinct and pretty mundane mostly, but there are indeed two glowing orbs in the upper left hand corner that look like they could be the eyes of something lurking in the woods. What do you think?

A very surreal, and most certainly paranormal entity reported from Texas and covered by Glenn Harrison, and posted at True Texas Horror Stories, is that of a strange creature known as La Malacosa, or, rather ominously, “The Bad Thing.” The entity was first mentioned in Adventures in the Unknown Interior of America, published in 1542, and begins with the arrival of conquistador Cabeza de Vaca, who during their many adventures came across a Native tribe in the Ozark mountains, who told the Spaniards that they had long been visited by a mysterious bearded stranger, who always appeared as rather indistinct and blurry, as if maintaining jst a tennous hold on reality.

This stranger was said to carry with him some sort of blindingly bright light, a lantern or wand, which he would wave about in front of him and in some cases cause people to faint in fright or under the influence of some arcane force. The appearance of this wandering figure was often accompanied by the discovery of the dead bodies of both animals and humans who appeared to have been surgically operated upon, some of their organs removed, and then the whole thing stitched back together again. Other tribesmen showed scars or disfigurations that they claimed had been inflicted by La Malacosa in the night.

This stranger was also said to appear at tribal feasts or celebrations, lurking in the shadows of the sidelines to merely watch, never partaking in the opulent meals laid out at such events. According to legend he would never talk to anyone, except to say that he was from a place “from the regions below.” The conquistadors mostly scoffed at such stories, but used it all as a way to try to convert the Natives to Christianity. It is uncertain just what La Malacosa was supposed to be, an ancient spirit, a demon, or even an alien going about performing mutilations, but it is a creepy historical account to be sure.

Perhaps even weirder still are creatures not stalking abut on the land, but rather through the skies above. Another report was covered on the site True Horror Stories of Texas, this time from near Three Rivers, Texas. In 2000, the witness claims that he had been driving along the highway IH37 between San Antonio and Corpus Christi at around 1 AM. He was heading along the interstate, the nighttime scenery flashing by past his headlights, when something odd apparently flew up right out of the night and up over his car. He would describe the weird encounter thus:

A large white humanoid figure with wings. Not a crane, or goose, or swan, or bird of prey…but a humanoid figure with skin wings. I remember doing about 65 mph and it came from the right rear and crossed my driving line at about 45 degrees… overtaking me in speed by maybe 5-10 mph. As it crossed over me it was only 10 or so feet above the roof of my vehicle. Wingspan was probably 6-8 feet and the skin was white. The wings looked to be constructed/shaped more like you would expect to see on a bat or pterodactyl but with a solidly defined human arms on the leading edge. There were definitely human legs trailing behind it and the torso was built like a human. Because it came from behind, I did not see a face. But, looking back I’m glad I didn’t.

Another flying humanoid creature that has had plenty of coverage in Texas is the so-called “Houston Batman.” Sightings began back in the 1950s, when a bat-like humanoid was seen all over the area by numerous witnesses. The first official sighting happened in June of 1953, when three neighbors at the Houston Heights apartment complex saw what they would describe as a “very tall man or manlike figure standing about six and a half feet tall but with bat-like wings attached to his back.” Making it all even stranger was that the entity seemed to be surrounded by an ethereal glow. Ever since then the “Batman” has been seen across the city, often causing witnesses to freeze for no discernible reason, and has never entirely been explained.

What lies out there in the badlands of the state of Texas? What strange creatures and entities call this place home? We are not likely to find any concrete answers any time soon, but such accounts serve to get the imagination going. Are these ghosts, specters, demons, or some sort of interdimensional entities, so called “ultra terrestrials”? The very isolated nature of these reports leaves us scratching our heads. In the end we can only guess at the nature of such beasts, and hope that we do not run across them if we are ever traveling along a dark road in Texas.

#cryptids #creature feature #texas #paranormal #supernatural

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touristhai · 5 years ago

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Top 20 places in Thailand that you must explore in 2020

Thailand is a blend of picturesque landscapes with rich cultural heritage.

The land embodies a soul of its own, enthralling the people who visit it. Welcome the beginning of a new decade by visiting Thailand this 2020. From the tranquil sight of Buddhist temples perched on the mountains, the quaint villages filled with the simplicity of traditional Thai culture, to the azure blue oceans meeting the white sands of Thailand’s Beaches, there is much to explore on your next visit to Thailand. We shall guide you through places to explore during your visit. The magic of the land will undoubtedly give you reasons to keep coming back. Let us present to you the Top 20 places in Thailand that you must explore as we head into 2020.

1. Chiang Mai

An amalgamation of traditional culture merging with modern Thai architecture, Chiang Mai is the largest city in Northern Thailand and is a prominent tourist destination. Breathe in the rich history as you walk around the streets of Chiang Mai’s Historical Centre and gaze upon the old city walls and the Buddhist temples nestled within it, like the Wat Phra Singh (Gold Temple). Take a relaxing break and stop for a cup of coffee at one of the many cafes & restaurants, rejuvenating amongst the natural beauty of the region. Once the sun sets, don’t forget to take in the sights of Chiang Mai’s bustling night markets. They offer an assortment of products for sale from the Northern Thai, Burmese & Lanna cultures.

2. Mae Hong Son

Nestled between the North-Western corner of Thailand, Mae Hong Son is a premier adventure tourism location in Thailand. Rent a bicycle & ride away as you watch the picturesque landscape blend into the ocean’s horizon. There are over 1,800 curves along the sprawling bike racing tracks that Mae Hong Son has to offer. If you’d rather take in the scenic beauty over a walk, you may do just that! Take a pleasant stroll across the hillside, offer prayers at Phra That Doi Kong Mu, or simply relish a delicious choice of Thai cuisine at one of the many restaurants located here.

3. Rayong

Rayong, the capital of Rayong Province is located on the east coast of the Gulf of Thailand. It’s a popular tourist destination owing to its scenic beaches and vast stretches of picturesque landscapes. Visitors here can opt to go island hopping or relax and engage in a variety of water-sport activities. One may also visit the Ban Phe Seafood Market, enjoy an exotic fruit buffet at Suan Lung Thongbai, Suan Lamai, Suan Sangdad or other local orchards, experience the visceral beauty of Mu Koh Samet National Park or simply take a stroll through the quaint Yomjinda road during their stay at Rayong.

4. Chiang Rai

Not to be confused with Chiang Mai, although both should be on your itinerary of places to visit in Thailand during 2020. Chiang Rai has situated just North-East of Chiang Mai. Not fond of crowded, hustling & bustling places? Would you rather enjoy the solitude that comes with exploring the land? Then Chiang Rai would be the perfect place for you! Take in the sights of orange-robed monks offering daily prayers at the Temple of the Emerald Buddha and admire the sound of the Khun Korn Waterfall cascading in the backdrop. Some of the other notable locations to visit here would include the Baan Dam (Black House), Wat Rong Khun (The White Temple) and Wat Rong Suea Ten (The Blue Temple)

5. Ayutthaya

Declared a UNESCO World Heritage site, Ayutthaya has located a mere 2 hours’ train ride away from Bangkok. Ayutthaya was originally founded in 1350. Brimming with rich history and culture surrounding its origin, Ayutthaya is a hotspot for any archaeologist or history enthusiast to visit. While you must pay a visit to all the temples here, don’t miss out on Wat Mahathat and Wat Phra Sri Sanphet.

6. Chanthaburi

Chanthaburi is a hidden seaside gem located on the banks of Chanthaburi River. It is the capital of the Mueang Chanthaburi District. From exploring the quaint riverside communities, hiking among the lush landscapes of Khao Khitchakut National Park & offering prayer at King Taksin Shrine, there’s much to do during your visit to Chanthaburi. If you’re simply looking to relax, why not visit some of the tranquil beaches here? Come, experience the stunning sight of sky & sea at Kung Wilman Beach and let the sea breeze rejuvenate you.

7. Khao Sok National Park

Declared in 1980 as the 22nd national park in Thailand, Khao sok sprawls an impressive 285-square mile range across Southern Thailand. On your visit here, you can spot the elusive Rafflesia, the heaviest flower on Earth that’s native to this land. Immerse yourself within the serenity of the forest. Enjoy the reflection of the sun set across the majestic lakes and indigenous huts you may find floating along these lakes.

8. Krabi

Krabi, located on the west coast of southern Thailand is a world-famous tourist hub. Home to the iconic Phi Phi Islands & Railay Beach, Krabi has cemented its position as a must-visit spot for any intrepid traveler. The gleaming blue waters and white sandy shores make the ambience of this place very relaxing and perfect getaway from the hustle & bustle of the mainland. There are about 150 islands & islets around the Krabi coastline for those interested in island hopping. One can also witness the tranquil sight of Wat Tham Sua or spend the afternoon strolling through Krabi Town.

9. Kanchanaburi

Kanchanaburi is set on the famous river Kwai and located just two hours away from Bangkok. While replete with prolific history of the World War 2 era, Kanchanaburi has emerged as a trending tourist spot. It is home to the prominent bridge connecting Bangkok and Rangoon. It was even featured in the French novel based movie ‘Bridge on the River Kwai’. Other attractions to explore here include the Erawan National Park and Sai Yok National Park.

10. Udon Thani

Udon Thani is the provincial capital city in northeast Thailand (Isaan). The place is an important hub that connects the region with the rest of Thailand & Laos. Udon Thani is a top destination for history enthusiasts as it is home to one of the world’s earliest bronze age civilizations ( at Ban Chiang ). There are beautiful attractions sprawled across the city for one to explore, a notable one being the City Pillar Shrine. One may also choose to have a fun-time at the Playport Udon Thani Water Park or spend a relaxing afternoon at Phu Foi Lom Eco Park.

For reading More visit: Top 20 places in Thailand that you must explore in 2020

#Top 20 places in Thailand #Thailand Tourism #Thailand Tour

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loveofyhwh · 6 years ago

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December 26: Habakkuk 1–3; John 17; Psalm 145:14–21; Proverbs 30:29–31

New Post has been published on https://loveofyhwh.com/december-26-habakkuk-1-3-john-17-psalm-14514-21-proverbs-3029-31/

December 26: Habakkuk 1–3; John 17; Psalm 145:14–21; Proverbs 30:29–31

Old Testament:

Habakkuk 1–3

Habakkuk 1–3 (Listen)

1 The oracle that Habakkuk the prophet saw.

Habakkuk’s Complaint

2 O LORD, how long shall I cry for help, and you will not hear? Or cry to you “Violence!” and you will not save? 3 Why do you make me see iniquity, and why do you idly look at wrong? Destruction and violence are before me; strife and contention arise. 4 So the law is paralyzed, and justice never goes forth. For the wicked surround the righteous; so justice goes forth perverted.

The Lord‘s Answer

5 “Look among the nations, and see; wonder and be astounded. For I am doing a work in your days that you would not believe if told. 6 For behold, I am raising up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, who march through the breadth of the earth, to seize dwellings not their own. 7 They are dreaded and fearsome; their justice and dignity go forth from themselves. 8 Their horses are swifter than leopards, more fierce than the evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on. Their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle swift to devour. 9 They all come for violence, all their faces forward. They gather captives like sand. 10 At kings they scoff, and at rulers they laugh. They laugh at every fortress, for they pile up earth and take it. 11 Then they sweep by like the wind and go on, guilty men, whose own might is their god!”

Habakkuk’s Second Complaint

12 Are you not from everlasting, O LORD my God, my Holy One? We shall not die. O LORD, you have ordained them as a judgment, and you, O Rock, have established them for reproof. 13 You who are of purer eyes than to see evil and cannot look at wrong, why do you idly look at traitors and remain silent when the wicked swallows up the man more righteous than he? 14 You make mankind like the fish of the sea, like crawling things that have no ruler. 15 HeThat is, the wicked foe‘>1 brings all of them up with a hook; he drags them out with his net; he gathers them in his dragnet; so he rejoices and is glad. 16 Therefore he sacrifices to his net and makes offerings to his dragnet; for by them he lives in luxury,Hebrew his portion is fat‘>2 and his food is rich. 17 Is he then to keep on emptying his net and mercilessly killing nations forever? 2 I will take my stand at my watchpost and station myself on the tower, and look out to see what he will say to me, and what I will answer concerning my complaint.

The Righteous Shall Live by His Faith

2 And the LORD answered me:

“Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it. 3 For still the vision awaits its appointed time; it hastens to the end—it will not lie. If it seems slow, wait for it; it will surely come; it will not delay. 4 “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.Or faithfulness‘>3 5 “Moreover, wineMasoretic Text; Dead Sea Scroll wealth‘>4 is a traitor, an arrogant man who is never at rest.The meaning of the Hebrew of these two lines is uncertain‘>5 His greed is as wide as Sheol; like death he has never enough. He gathers for himself all nations and collects as his own all peoples.”

Woe to the Chaldeans

6 Shall not all these take up their taunt against him, with scoffing and riddles for him, and say,

“Woe to him who heaps up what is not his own— for how long?— and loads himself with pledges!” 7 Will not your debtors suddenly arise, and those awake who will make you tremble? Then you will be spoil for them. 8 Because you have plundered many nations, all the remnant of the peoples shall plunder you, for the blood of man and violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell in them. 9 “Woe to him who gets evil gain for his house, to set his nest on high, to be safe from the reach of harm! 10 You have devised shame for your house by cutting off many peoples; you have forfeited your life. 11 For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the woodwork respond. 12 “Woe to him who builds a town with blood and founds a city on iniquity! 13 Behold, is it not from the LORD of hosts that peoples labor merely for fire, and nations weary themselves for nothing? 14 For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea. 15 “Woe to him who makes his neighbors drink— you pour out your wrath and make them drunk, in order to gaze at their nakedness! 16 You will have your fill of shame instead of glory. Drink, yourself, and show your uncircumcision! The cup in the LORD’s right hand will come around to you, and utter shame will come upon your glory! 17 The violence done to Lebanon will overwhelm you, as will the destruction of the beasts that terrified them, for the blood of man and violence to the earth, to cities and all who dwell in them. 18 “What profit is an idol when its maker has shaped it, a metal image, a teacher of lies? For its maker trusts in his own creation when he makes speechless idols! 19 Woe to him who says to a wooden thing, Awake; to a silent stone, Arise! Can this teach? Behold, it is overlaid with gold and silver, and there is no breath at all in it. 20 But the LORD is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.”

Habakkuk’s Prayer

3 A prayer of Habakkuk the prophet, according to Shigionoth.

2 O LORD, I have heard the report of you, and your work, O LORD, do I fear. In the midst of the years revive it; in the midst of the years make it known; in wrath remember mercy. 3 God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. Selah His splendor covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his praise. 4 His brightness was like the light; rays flashed from his hand; and there he veiled his power. 5 Before him went pestilence, and plague followed at his heels.Hebrew feet‘>6 6 He stood and measured the earth; he looked and shook the nations; then the eternal mountains were scattered; the everlasting hills sank low. His were the everlasting ways. 7 I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction; the curtains of the land of Midian did tremble. 8 Was your wrath against the rivers, O LORD? Was your anger against the rivers, or your indignation against the sea, when you rode on your horses, on your chariot of salvation? 9 You stripped the sheath from your bow, calling for many arrows.The meaning of the Hebrew line is uncertain‘>7 Selah You split the earth with rivers. 10 The mountains saw you and writhed; the raging waters swept on; the deep gave forth its voice; it lifted its hands on high. 11 The sun and moon stood still in their place at the light of your arrows as they sped, at the flash of your glittering spear. 12 You marched through the earth in fury; you threshed the nations in anger. 13 You went out for the salvation of your people, for the salvation of your anointed. You crushed the head of the house of the wicked, laying him bare from thigh to neck.The meaning of the Hebrew line is uncertain‘>8 Selah 14 You pierced with his own arrows the heads of his warriors, who came like a whirlwind to scatter me, rejoicing as if to devour the poor in secret. 15 You trampled the sea with your horses, the surging of mighty waters. 16 I hear, and my body trembles; my lips quiver at the sound; rottenness enters into my bones; my legs tremble beneath me. Yet I will quietly wait for the day of trouble to come upon people who invade us.

Habakkuk Rejoices in the Lord

17 Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. 19 GOD, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places. To the choirmaster: with stringedHebrew my stringed‘>9 instruments.

Footnotes

[1] 1:15 That is, the wicked foe [2] 1:16 Hebrew his portion is fat [3] 2:4 Or faithfulness [4] 2:5 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scroll wealth [5] 2:5 The meaning of the Hebrew of these two lines is uncertain [6] 3:5 Hebrew feet [7] 3:9 The meaning of the Hebrew line is uncertain [8] 3:13 The meaning of the Hebrew line is uncertain [9] 3:19 Hebrew my stringed

(ESV)

New Testament:

John 17

John 17 (Listen)

The High Priestly Prayer

17 When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, 2 since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. 3 And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. 4 I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.

6 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. 9 I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one.Or from evil‘>1 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify themGreek Set them apart (for holy service to God)‘>2 in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself,Or I sanctify myself; or I set myself apart (for holy service to God)‘>3 that they also may be sanctifiedGreek may be set apart (for holy service to God)‘>4 in truth.

20 “I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. 24 Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. 26 I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”

Footnotes

[1] 17:15 Or from evil [2] 17:17 Greek Set them apart (for holy service to God) [3] 17:19 Or I sanctify myself; or I set myself apart (for holy service to God) [4] 17:19 Greek may be set apart (for holy service to God)

(ESV)

Psalm:

Psalm 145:14–21

Psalm 145:14–21 (Listen)

14 The LORD upholds all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down. 15 The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food in due season. 16 You open your hand; you satisfy the desire of every living thing. 17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works. 18 The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. 19 He fulfills the desire of those who fear him; he also hears their cry and saves them. 20 The LORD preserves all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. 21 My mouth will speak the praise of the LORD, and let all flesh bless his holy name forever and ever.

(ESV)

Proverb:

Proverbs 30:29–31

Proverbs 30:29–31 (Listen)

29 Three things are stately in their tread; four are stately in their stride: 30 the lion, which is mightiest among beasts and does not turn back before any; 31 the strutting rooster,Or the magpie, or the greyhound; Hebrew girt-of-loins‘>1 the he-goat, and a king whose army is with him.Or against whom there is no rising up‘>2

Footnotes

[1] 30:31 Or the magpie, or the greyhound; Hebrew girt-of-loins [2] 30:31 Or against whom there is no rising up

(ESV)

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hotel-payphone-carpark · 4 years ago

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Bali Island - Paradise For Vacationers

Located on the center of Indonesian islands, first learned simply by the European mariners, Bali becomes really tranquil island. This is the earthy paradise for individuals, who are focused on the beauty associated with the tropical tropical isle. For summer vacation, honeymoon and even loved ones perfect holiday. Not only its attractive view and amazing tourism spot but additionally the hospitality of the men and women you hardly find in the metropolitan city or highest civilization. Numerous travelers mesmerized simply by not merely a part of it yet almost completely all. The power of attracting individuals on the planet has make Bali as one associated with the “must visit” world’s tourist location.

Over 8 regencies spread out gorgeous spots to end up being visited through the more than 3 million residents. Further, every one of them provides unique character of the culture by itself. The selling stage of this island is usually The Hindus tradition with the temples or shrine from ancient age group. There is simply no day without celebration to the God. The tradition mixes within the Hindus people, their everyday life filled in simply by ritual culture. As soon as you experienced Bali, the air of the tropical isle will capture your soul. The everyday life and routines of the men and women reflect their religious culture. Everywhere a person go everything that may be found is ritual ceremony and the offerings upon the street, shrine or temples, big trees plus other places thought active holy spirits. The belief and culture could possibly be the principle attention for visitor to get captivated along with their purpose to visit some tourist destinations spread along Bali.

Thus Bali is recognized as “Heaven on Earth” trough charming scenery, since it is recognized as “Island associated with Thousand Temples”. Across the paradise you will be able to get many temples through centuries ago stay with their unique and beautiful demonstration. Besakih Temple is usually the mother brow of all shrine or temples in Bali. It is nestled on the particular slope of the highest mountain, Mount Agung. Other temples or shrine for they’re well known by where the two temples sited are usually Uluwatu Temples plus Tanah Lot Temples or shrine. Uluwatu Temple is on the advantage of the high cliff by which it’s lived on by group of monkeys. Right beneath the temple, the majority of surfers find Uluwatu beach as heaven for high influx lovers. Within the additional part, Tanah Great deal Temple is the sixteenth century temple that will beautifully perched from the sea, rocky silhouette where numerous individuals come during the sunset to ruin their eyes and feel the moment. Whenever it’s not tide it is possible to stroll to reach the particular temple. Another mystical thing about this temple is the particular cave where there’s a holy snake living.

For accommodation, there are “bunch of Bali hotels” can be hunted. From all those small hotels or even inns, which offer good rate along with a standard support until individuals who have wonderful rate including their particular luxurious rooms, amazing view and exclusive services. These are situated not simply around travel and leisure object more likely in such ”out of civilization” places, up high on the cliff or slope and also down in order to the river and rice field region.

For surfers plus passionate travelers, discover your pleasure from south coast associated with Bali. Kuta is about 15 moments from Ngurah Rai Airport where the particular white sand’s beach stretch over 10 Km. Travelers arrive not without reason since this location has everything that every single traveler’s desire. Do not just discern in order to the beach regarding it’s fantastic influx, topless sunbathers, masseurs relax your entire body with compatible cost and the ones vendors marketing the crafts, within spite of those motives try in order to provide a glance at the night life as experiencing this, lots of fun could be gained. Even simply for a cool out time at cafes or pub on the street to some tranquil supper in a decent restaurant accompanied by easy listening music or “Gamelan” Balinese traditional songs instrument.

Inland, away from the beach, some villages demonstrate the serenity associated with the paradise. Conceal away from the crowd, up in order to the mountain region where heart can be so calm from the lush tropical vegetation or green paddy fields. Central Bali and northern Bali is very famous simply by terraced rice fields, down to the particular Tabanan regency. The particular fresh air encircle you whilst the particular song of the bird rhythm with the early morning breeze. Feel the harmony within mind.

One to be achieved for home existing are available down the particular art craft’s place. Just about the tourism object, lots of art shops provide good stuffs regarding reasonable price and suggested for bargaining. Along the road of Gianyar regency, you will discover handicraft’s store, woodcarvings even jewelries workshop. As the particular eyes gaze in order to the display associated with wood or rock statue and painting, you can since well go to a town named Celuk for silver or gold jewelries or proceed along Mas community for another assessment instead.

#bali island #bali #bali vacation #bali travel #bali tour

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creativeculturesandcontext · 4 years ago

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WEEK 4

Independent

Understanding media - MARSHALL McCLUHAN

Hey if you do read these notes would like to add that this writing reminded me of that They Live by ray Nelson. Is the media we see the true message? Sorry I didn’t add this in class

A lightbulb is not a lightbulb. There is no media in a lightbuld but say if it lights up a message then there is a media.

But… The medium is the message and so the lightbulb is the medium because without it our culture would be very different.

Shakespeare is hard to understand, maybe that’s why he seems so deep..

In other words, cubism, by giving the inside and outside, the top, bottom, back, and front and the rest, in two dimensions, drops the illusion of perspective in favor of instant sensory awareness of the whole. Cubism, by seizing on instant total awareness, suddenly announced that the medium is the message.

Cardinal Newman said of Napoleon, “He understood the grammar of gunpow-der.” Napoleon had paid some attention to other media as well, especially the semaphore telegraph that gave him a great advantage over his enemies. He is on record for saying that “Three hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thou-sand bayonets.”

Media has power, propaganda and nzi Germany used media to outcast jews.

kind of massacre of the innocents. Instagram?

“Their I.Q.’s were much higher than usual among political bosses. Why were they such a disaster?” The view of Rowse, Snow approves: “They would not listen to warnings because they did not wish to hear.” Being anti-Red made it impossible for them to read the mes-sage of Hitler. But their failure was as nothing compared to our present one. The American stake in literacy as a technology or uniformity applied to every level of education, government, industry, and social life is totally threatened by the electric technology. The threat of Stalin or Hitler was external. The electric technology is within the gates, and we are numb, deaf, blind, and mute about its encounter with the Gutenberg technology, on and through which the American way of life was formed. It is, however, no time to suggest strategies when the threat has not even been acknowledged to exist.

Uhh ohhh……

The “content” of writing or print is speech, but the reader is almost entirely unaware either of print or of speech.

I experience this whenever a story is on even if it’s a kids one I zone in on it and forget about world, I don’t notice any media w words and stuff

Subliminal and docile acceptance of media impact has made them prisons without walls for their human users. As A. J. Liebling remarked in his book The Press, a man is not free if he cannot see where he is going

The medium is the message

Innumerable confusions and a profound feeling of despair invariably emerge in periods of greattechnological and cultural transitions. Our "Age of.Anxiety" is, in great part, the result of trying todo today's job with yesterday's tools-with yester-day's concepts.

10" In the study of ideas, it is necessary to rememberthat insistence on hard-headed clarity issues fromsentimental feeling, as it were a mist, cloaking theperplexities of fact. Insistence on clarity at allcosts is based on sheer s u p e r s t i t i on as to t he modein which human intelligence functions. Our reason-ings grasp at straws for premises and float ongossamers for deductions."—A. N. Whitehead, "Adventures in Ideas."

The "child" was an invention of theseventeenth century; he did not existin, say, Shakespeare's day. He had, upuntil that time, been merged in theadult world and there was nothing thatcould be called childhood in our sense.

This feels v wrong to say how would they know???

Media, by altering the environment, evoke in usunique ratios of sense perceptions. The extensionof any one sense alters the way we think and act—the way we perceive the world.Whentheseratioschange,men change this be deep stuff kindda facts tho

The discovery of the alphabet will create forget-fulness in the learners' souls, because they will notuse their memories; they will trust to the externalwritten characters and not remember of them-selves . .. Y ou give your disciples not truth but onlythe semblance of truth; they will be heroes of manythings, and will have learned nothing; they willappear to be omniscient and will generally knownothing."-Socrates, "Phaedrus"

Socrates was boss and there are some weird as images in this book..

Ways of seeing John Berger

Women troug the lens of dudes w the male gaze is next level. Its everywhere. I mean strip clubs exist. “offereing up her feminity as the surveyed..”

Im glad there was example of legitimate nude painting where the female was naked and not nude. Nakedness being the natural state and nude being sexualised.

Good docco made me question everything especially the lst bit..

Draft work:

Design for the Real World

Victor Papanek

INTRO

Design for the real world is a book written by Victor Papanek about industrial design. In the book Victor Papanek calls out the design establishment for mass negligence and designing for the minority.

The book is split into two parts the first titled “Like it is” which focuses on the at the time current design world of 1972 highlighting the inadequacies with business as usual. The second Part is titled “How it could be” and digs into specific design examples of what designing for the world instead of profit looks like and finishes with a projection of what the world could look like if designers starting practicing social design for the betterment of humanity.

Victor Papanek, although a designer himself did not make it a secret that he did not think highly of the design world, especially industrial design as it was in the 1970’s. He used the book to call out designers who are partaking in “Kleenex Culture” and had a “preoccupation with making things pretty”. This is very clear in chapter 8 after highlighting five myths that underly the current design profession as it was. Followed by 6 areas where design has not yet been focused and where social good would be inherent in the work of the designer. He then ends the chapter with “These are six possible directions in which the design profession not only can but must go if it is to do a worthwhile job. So far the designers have neither realised the challenge nor responded to it. So far the action of the profession has been comparable to what would happen if all medical doctors were to forsake general practice and surgery, and concentrate exclusively on dermatology and cosmetics.” (pg. 184) Sentences like this that very bluntly called out bad behaviours and sometimes even naming specific industry leaders who were promoting profit seeking design for the privileged are throughout the book. What effect this has on book

Modernism

Sustainability and social responsibility Mana Toanga.

—the book joined a groundswell of important critiques of modernism and postwar excess in architecture, design, industry, and corporate America. https://www.metropolismag.com/ideas/rereading-design-for-the-real-world/

Looked at the design world and didn’t really like what he saw.

“has been comparable to what would happen if all medical doctors were to forsake general practice and surgery, and concentrate exclusively on dermatology and cosmetics.” Before tree of knowledge

How the design wrld reacted.

“Form follows function,” Louis Sullivan’s battle cry of the 1880’s and 1890’s, was followed by Frank Lloyd wright’s “form and function are one.” But semantically all the statements from horatio Greenough to the germn Bauhaus are meaningless. The concept that what works well will of necessity look well, has been a lame excuse for all the sterile, operating room like furniture and implements of the twenties and thirties. A dining table of the period might have a top, well proportioned in glistening white marble, the legs carefully nurtured for maximum strength with minimum materials in gleaming stainless steel. And the first reaction on encountering such a table is to lie down on it and have your appendix extracted.

The function complex is introduced showing the dynamic actions and relationships that make up design.

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sun-burnt-elf · 7 years ago

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Get to Know the Blogger

1. What have you eaten today?

i caught a 🦂 this morning! it was so nice and big i had to share. 💛

2. Who was your last kiss with? Was it pleasant?

😏😚👦🏽👌 he was just passing through, but we had fun.

3. What color shoes did you last wear?

brown? you can get them in other colors? 😮😍

4. Who has made you laugh the hardest in the last week?

Andhrimnir is beaming hilarious. 🤣🐦💖

5. What is your favorite scent?

it might be strange, but the smell of leather in the hot ☀. it always smells… safe? 🤔

6. What is your favorite season? Why?

early spring: when the flowers bloom 🌻😍🌼

7. Can you do a handstand or cartwheel?

😏 yep. 🤸

8. What color are your nails?

gold “french tip”! 💅 (i'm not very good at it, but it's still fun to do!)

9. If you had to get a tattoo on your face to save your life, what would it be?

i’d add on to mine, maybe… more sun rays? 😅 if it has to be a NEW one... a small line of 🌟s above my eyebrow?

10. What is something you find romantic?

😳 i.. um… flowers as a gift are nice? sunsets… or um… staying up late talking about life or dreams while gazing up at the star filled sky until we drift off in each other’s arms beneath the stars and only waking up as the sun’s first light flows across the sands and lights up you face but you try to snuggle closer and hide from it so I kiss you softly awake… but uh. flowers are nice.

11. Are you happy?

i am! 😊 there are too many beautiful things in this world to be unhappy for long

12. Is there anything in particular making you happy or sad?

nope! every morning the sun rises, there are people who believe in me and things i can believe in. it is good. 😁💛

13. Dogs or Cats?

dogs, i think- but cats are really good too! (do foxes count as dogs?? 🦊😍)

14. Which do you prefer: a museum, a nightclub, the forest or a library?

a museu-- a nightclu-- er. none of them? the club sounds fun, i guess?

15. What is your style?

light, airy clothing is best in the desert. i once saw a shirt that looked like it was made out of *diamonds*. that would be somethin’. 💎

16. If you could be doing anything you like right now, what would it be?

relaxing. a cool mug of beer or pulque. some good company. 🍻⛱

17. Are you in a relationship or single?

single! 😁

18. What makes you attracted to the person you like right now?

uh flirting is always fun- even if i get flustered easily. 😅

19. If you could replace your partner/best friend with a celebrity of your choice, would you? Who with?

what? why??

20. Are you holding on to something you need to let go of? If so then what?

no, not really.

21. How did you celebrate last Halloween?

went trick-or-treating and got into a fight 😅

22. Have you recently made any big decisions?

yeah... 🙏 i have faith it will work out in the end!

23. Were you ever in a school play?

yeah! it was fun! 🤔 tho looking back on things….

24. What movie would you use to describe your life?

i don’t know! 😩 i need to see more movies!

25. Is there something you have dreamed of doing for a long time? Why haven’t you done it?

yeah. i tried! but no one’s good at everything. 🤷 it’s ok though!

26. Complete this sentence, “I wish I had someone with whom I could share…”

my life...

27. What are two things that irritate you about the same sex?

too hot. 😏 and hard to read

28. What are two things that irritate you about the opposite sex?

flirty. weird.

29. What is the best thing that has happened to you this week?

i met someone new 😳

30. What is something that makes you sad when you think about it?

i can’t understand him 😵

31. How long was your longest relationship?

almost a year! 😯

32. Have you ever been in love?

yep, lots of times! 💛😍

33. Are you currently in love?

🤔 i might be!

34. Why did your last relationship end?

we weren’t going the same direction. 🤷 but maybe we’ll meet again someday. 😏

35. What jewelry are you wearing right now, and where did you get it?

an earcuff my teacher gave me! 👂✨

36. When was the last time you cried and why?

i couldn’t save them.

37. Name someone pretty.

😱 how do i pick just one?

38. What did you receive last Valentines Day?

oh, i was busy. 🤷🍫

39. Do you get jealous easily?

i try not to! 😅

40. Have you ever been cheated on?

🙅

41. Do you trust your partner/best friend?

👌

42. Ever had detention?

Haha yeah 😓

43. Would you rather live in the countryside or the city?

probably the countryside, but i like to visit the city often! 🏙

44. What do people call you?

Iira (apparently my name’s “too long” and “sounds funny”) 🙄

45. What was the last book you read?

📖 The Birth of Light and Truth 🌣- i don’t read a lot, honestly.

46. How big of a nerd/dork are you?

i am vary refined how dare 😂

47. What kind of music do you listen to?

something that you can feel. something you can move to 🎵

48. How tall are you?

5’10” 🙆

49. Do you like kids?

yeah sure

50. Favorite fruits?

🍊😍

51. Do you wear jeans or sweats more?

neither! but jeans sound cooler 😂

52. What’s your earliest memory?

😖 the dark and cold hands

53. Ever had a poem or song written about you or to you?

nope! 🤔🖋📓

54. Do you prefer to be behind the camera or in front of it?

😳 being in front could be fun…

55. Do you have a collection of anything?

pressed flowers! 🌻💮🥀🌷🌸🌹🌺🌼 and blades, but flowers cost less

56. Do you save money or spend it?

💸 trying to save it! (there’s a 📗 i want 😮)

57. What would your dream house be like?

something open and bright where the sun can reach all the corners 🌄☀

58. What top 5 things make you the angriest?

Cruelty and Elitism. people who judge others without knowing them. people who knowingly lay out traps for others. people who won’t give others a chance at redemption. 😠

59. What top 5 things always brings a smile to your face?

🦊! 🌻! 🌅! 👬! 🍻! 😁😁😁

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

save the gritting fox! uh, dog, sorry. point stands! 🖕😠

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

a) no. no no no. b) everything. c) … why are you asking this??

62. Give me the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word heart.

love 💛

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

Morocco 😍

64. Do you like the beach?

never been, but it sounds wild 🤔🏖

65. Ever sleep on the couch or a bed with someone special?

yeah 💛

66. Do you have a middle name? If so, what is it!

yep! it’s Ala’Quarlua 😊

67. Do you talk to yourself?

not really 🤔

68. Describe your hair.

long, silvery, fine, soft, gets in my face, surprisingly cool? 🤔

69. What is the meaning of life?

to love and to be loved 💛💛

70. What is your ideal partner like?

fun, clever, affectionate 😏💛

71. Do you want to get married?

😲 eventually? maybe?? (👶🙅👰)

72. Do you want to have kids?

🤷

73. Like or dislike your family?

depends on what you mean by family

74. Are you Chunky or Slim?

slim. i’m lucky i’ve got muscles or i’d be too slim. 💪😅

75. Would you consider yourself smart?

i wouldn’t consider myself dumb, does that count? 🤓

76. What would you change about your life?

oh, lots! a life is always a work in progress, change is important! 👍

77. Religious or Not?

i don’t know where i’d be without Sarenrae 🙏

78. You’re drunk and yelling at hot guys/girls out of your car window, you’re with?

hopefully @sylphishness and @rogueinthestreets 😏

79. You’re locked in a room with the last person you kissed, is that a problem?

no? why would it be? 😕

80. Does anyone regularly (other than family) tell you they love you?

nah 😶

81. If the person you wish to be with were with you, what would you be doing right now?

making out 😏

82. So, the last person you kissed just happens to arrive at your door at 3AM; do you let them in?

yeah, it’s gotta be important! is he ok?? 😨

83. Do you like when people play with your hair?

😏 there’s a reason i keep it long

84. Do you like bubble baths?

that sounds amazing. 😍🛀

85. Have you ever been pulled over by a cop?

… kinda. 😓

86. Have you ever danced in the rain?

no but i would! 🌧🕺☔

87. Do you trust anyone with your life?

yeah if i couldn’t trust the person at my side in a fight than i might as well stab myself. 🗡😅👻

88. What was your first thought when you woke up this morning?

it’s alright, the sun is up. 😔🙏☀

89. If money wasn’t an issue, what top 10 places would you travel to? (You get to stay at each place for a week)

oh thats too many to choose! 🗺 it would be neat to see where everyone’s from? and stand on top a mountain ⛰ or see the sea🏖 or a forest🌲🌳 or something!

90. How was your day today?

it... tomorrow might be better, but i’ll try to make the most of today! 😄

91. Play an instrument?

i’ve been thinking of learning! 🎺

92. Describe the what you think of the ocean.

how does all the water not flow out? 🌊😵💦

93. Do you believe in aliens or ghosts?

Aliens are real. 👾😓

94. Honestly, are things how you wanted them to be?

how i wanted them when I was a kid? no, they’re so much better. 🙌😁

95. Do you have a mean bitchy scary side?

nah. 🤷

96. When are you vulnerable?

nuh uh. not saying. 🙅

97. How much free time do you have?

it depends! between trips, quite a bit! but i try to keep myself busy. 💪⚔

98. Do you like to go hiking?

yeah, good exercise. 👍

99. Odd or Even Numbers?

even ✌

100. Would you ever go sky diving, bungee jumping , cliff diving, wing suit gliding, parasailing, snorkeling, or other extreme activities?

🤔 yeah sure sounds exciting

TAG 15 FOLLOWERS TO DO THE GET TO KNOW THE BLOGGER TAG:

@b-witching-dreams @a-certain-familiarity @rogueinthestreets @sylphishness @alegacyofflames

#ooooh this was fun #but soooooo gritting long #ugh #thanks for tagging me!

3 notes · View notes

sculpture-workbook · 4 years ago

Text

VENN

Venn diagram: (noun) a diagram representing mathematical or logical sets pictorially as circles or closed curves within an enclosing rectangle (the universal set), common elements of the sets being represented by intersections of the circles.

Nancy Holt:

05/04/1938 - 08/02/2014

Born in Massachusetts

Married artist Robert Smithson

Majored in Biology at Tufts University (Massachusetts);

Key to Earth, Land, & Conceptual art movements;

“How we understand our place in the world”;

Key concepts:

Vision

Memory

Perception

Time

Space;

Natural environment = medium and subject

Used drawings as a medium to articulate concerns -> careful detailing to mathematical calculations & full rendering;

Body of works encompass:

Concrete poetry

Ephemeral gestures

Audio, film, & video

Photography

Artist books

Major public sculpture commissions (US & Europe);

Some of her works:

Sun Tunnels:

Nancy Holt, Sun Tunnels, 1973-76. Earthwork & Sculpture.

> 9ft tall concrete tunnels > Following the summer & winter solstice line

Nancy Holt, Drawing for Positioning of Holes in the Perseus Constellation for "Sun Tunnels", 1975. Works on Paper.

> Constellation is exact - done in collaboration with astrologists -> cast light on the tunnel floors - like walking on the constellation/stars

Nancy Holt, Preparatory Drawing of "Sun Tunnels", 1975. Works on Paper.

> 12 photos of horizon line corresponding to 12 different angles of sight -> cardinal direction > Lines radiating for centre mimic sun’s rays > Photos frames limit views of the landscape constructing a different experience of it

Nancy Holt, Sunlight in Sun Tunnels, July 14, 1976. Photo works.

> 30 photos - suns movement inside tunnels every half hour > “Photographs of the work are memory traces, not art.”;

https://holtsmithsonfoundation.org/sun-tunnels https://ocula.com/artists/nancy-holt/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LSS1tbaLfW8 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6koPeWqrYho

2. Stone Enclosure: Rock Rings:

Nancy Holt, Stone Enclosure: Rock Rings, 1977-78.

> 10ft x 2ft (H x W), inner wall - 20ft (D) - outer wall 40ft (D) > 14k hours to erect > Looking out through potholes = tunnelling effect > Looking in = telescopes out/flattens depending on shifting sunlight > Gazing up at night you see the Polaris star and when the other star move through the night sky the galactic clock mechanism can be recorded a.k.a space-time > Material used - local metamorphic rocks quarried 65miles from site and dating back to the Triassic period > Iron sulphide presence in rocks used will quicken the decomposition of work rapidly (ephemeral) > Work was born out of a need to look at the night sky

Nancy Holt, Stone Enclosure: Rock Rings, 1978. > Entrances and exits located on a true North axis calculated from North Star Polaris (used for navigation purposes);

https://www.moma.org/collection/works/117286 https://holtsmithsonfoundation.org/doubling-down-nancy-holts-stone-enclosure-rock-rings

3. Up and Under:

Nancy Holt, Up and Under, 1987-98, Pinsiö, Finland.

> Sand, concrete, topsoil, grass, water > Mound: height ranges from 11 to 26 ft. (3.5 to 8 m), with a length of 630 ft. (192 m); Tunnels: length 241 ft. (74 m), with a diameter of 10 ft. (3 m) > 1 vertical tunnel & 7 horizontal tunnels align with the North Star Polaris > Surrounding tunnels is 3 reflective pools of water > Earth underfoot is collected from across Finland;

https://holtsmithsonfoundation.org/and-under

4. LOCATOR P.S.1:

Nancy Holt, Locator P.S.1, 1971, The Institute for Art and Urban Resources.

> Steel pipe, black paintOverall dimensions variable > Locator Height: 60 in. (152 cm); Width: 12 in. (31 cm) > Indicate the concept of constructing a new experience of the environment the viewer by framing a particular view changing the perspective they once had of the view -> the distorted circle becoming whole;

https://holtsmithsonfoundation.org/locator-ps1

5. Stone Ruin Tour:

Nancy Holt, Stone Ruin Tour, 1967, Little Falls, Cedar Grove, New Jersey.

> 126 format black and white photographs and typewritten text > Incomplete, sparse, and seemingly vague instruction make up the text that directs the tour. > Viewers are new sightseers filling in the blanks of the instructions with imagination and creating individual experiences -> going beyond the boundaries of the museum and art institutes walls;

https://holtsmithsonfoundation.org/stone-ruin-tour-i

6. Sky Mounds:

Nancy Holt,

Sky Mound: Sun Viewing Area with Pond and Star Viewing Mounds, 1985. Nancy Holt, Sky Mound: Moon Viewing Area, 1985. Nancy Holt, Original Site Plan for Sky Mound,1986. Graphite on paper and colour pencil on blueprint. I-A Landfill, Hackensack Meadowlands, New Jersey, USA

> Overall: 57 acres (23.1 ha); Height: 110 ft. (33.5 m) > Designed for site reclamation that would serve to mitigate environment damage and make a sculptural observatory > Design was never fully realised - only the pond at the site was finished -> but the drawings and plans look amazing > Gravel paths were designed to follow the solstices, while a large granite sphere surrounded by a moat would represent the moon. -> her fascination with our solar system and night sky has been a repeated theme yet she has brilliant ideas that she executes differently with each project.

https://holtsmithsonfoundation.org/sky-mound

Some of her concrete poem works:

Concrete Poetry: (n) poetry in which the meaning or effect is conveyed partly or wholly by visual means, using patterns of words or letters and other typographical devices.

1. 10 Billion Barrels of Crude Oil:

Nancy Holt, 10 Billion Barrels of Crude Oil, 1986. Ink on paper. 14 x 8 1/2 in. (35.6 x 21.6 cm).

> This wasn’t the kind of work she had been expected to when the Visual Arts Centre of Alaska invited her -> she chose to bring into focus the impacts of crude oil extraction on the beautiful landscape - an uncomfortable topic rather than simply focussing on the beauty of the landscape > Map-like -> makes the viewer more aware of how much our human actions both directly and indirectly impact the environment - that being our immediate environment or another part of our planet;

https://holtsmithsonfoundation.org/10-billion-barrels-crude-oil 2. Hometown:

Nancy Holt, Hometown, 1969. Ink on paper. 11 x 8 1/2 in. (27.9 x 21.6 cm).

> Key concept of the intersection between language and place > Map-like - mirrors physical location using names of places on paper -> mapped out places she lived and/or moved to;

https://holtsmithsonfoundation.org/hometown

3. Making Waves:

Nancy Holt, Making Waves, 1972. Ink on paper. 8 1/2 x 11 in. (21.6 x 27.9 cm).

> Charts 3 different ‘selves’ in her day from 4am-10pm -> feminist -> artist -> mystic > Characteristic method of thinking in systems that makes the invisible tangible;

https://holtsmithsonfoundation.org/making-waves

4. The World Through A Circle:

Nancy Holt, The World Through A Circle ca. 1970. Typewriter ink on paper. 11 x 8 1/2 in. (27.9 x 21.6 cm).

> Sun, moon, water, sky, earth, star > Alludes to the cosmos - something that comes up in a lot of her works mentioned above > Fits her most influential concepts within the confines of a circle -> again the use of the circle.

https://holtsmithsonfoundation.org/world-through-circle

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tipsycad147 · 4 years ago

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SunGazing

Published July 12, 2019 | By shirleytwofeathers

SunGazing was a popular practice in ancient times. Mayans, ancient Egyptians, Indians and many other ancient cultures strongly believed in the power of Sun. They believed that it could heal diseases, put an end the need of food, and even make telepathy a real possibility.

The practice of SunGazing closely resembles its name. At sunrise and/or sunset, when the sun is closest to the earth, SunGazers stand barefoot on the earth and look directly at the sun for 10 seconds. Every day, 10 seconds are added and some SunGazers eventually reach a duration of 44 minutes.

The theory is that the sun is the force of all life, and staring at it can infuse the body with large amounts of energy. So much so that, Hira Ratan Manek, one of the SunGazers featured in the documentary, Eat the Sun, claims to have gone eight years without eating. He has been “eating” a steady diet of solar rays, and claims that this is all he needs for nourishment.

It may sound like a myth, but some scientists, have acknowledged the power of SunGazing. Nikola Tesla once talked about these super human abilities. He said,

‘My idea is that the development of life must lead to forms of existence that will be possible without nourishment and which will not be shackled by consequent limitations. Why should a living being not be able to obtain all the energy it needs for the performance of its life functions from the environment, instead of through consumption of food, and transforming, by a complicated process, the energy of chemical combinations into life-sustaining energy?’

Our ancestors understood the relation between the sun and health. From the Aztecs to the ancient Egyptians, many past societies revered SunGazing as an esoteric practice for high-ranking priests and shamans. Today, it is experiencing a resurgence in popularity and SunGazers claim it has its benefits.

The benefits of the practice are said to be as follows:

It activates our pineal gland and boosts production of melatonin and serotonin which are also called feel-good hormones. The hormones are also supposed to be the reason behind the increased energy level.

It is known to stimulate the growth of pineal gland. Generally pineal glands shrink with age, but with SunGazing, the result is otherwise.

SunGazing provides nutrition to both mind and body which provides for our energy requirement. Hence, human can get rid of the need to eat food which promotes weight loss in a healthy way.

Sungazing is an interesting practice that touches the spiritual and psychological realms, which are very personal things. Everyone is wired a little differently and this practice isn’t for everyone, nor is it something I recommend. If you choose to partake, do your own research, be careful, be cautious, and document your experience.

Important Disclaimer:

The human eye is very sensitive, and prolonged exposure to direct sunlight can lead to solar retinopathy, pterygium,cataracts,and often blindness. Studies have shown that even when viewing a solar eclipse the eye can still be exposed to harmful levels of ultraviolet radiation.

SunGazing With Your Eyes Closed

The practice of SunGazing with your eyes closed is actually more powerful than SunGazing with your eyes open and can be done safely all day long. With them closed, the visible light spectrum is blocked but the other than visible light spectrum penetrates the cranium – x-rays, gamma rays, microwaves etc.

The after image which is present when you SunGaze or stare at a candle or light source, is actually the biophotons in your head illuminating. Biophotons are very healing – that is why they discredit that after image and refer to it like it is a mirage, and just to be ignored.

The biophotons react to other than visible light – the light that penetrates the cranium when your eyes are closed and you look at the sun. Biophotons will expand and fill the entire cranium and then the whole body, as you focus on the inner Light, that Light becomes more coherent.

The coherent light is a more potent healer than anything else we have on earth. Illness and disease cannot exist inside a coherent energy field. There are 13 different LIGHTS inside the head – corresponding to Jesus and the 12 disciples – these are the Light frequencies required to cleanse and purify the Pranic body – the 2nd body up – not to be confused with the aura – to accomplish ascension – the Jesus thing.

But Wait, There’s More!

I found another article about SunGazing that I thought was interesting and worth a look if this interests you. The article was written by Stasia Bliss for The Guardian Express (guardianlv.com):

NASA Confirms -Super Human Abilities Gained Through Sungazing

Ever wanted to be in more than one place at a time? That’s right, I’m talking about the super-human abilities that can be gained by those who follow the protocol for what’s known as sun-gazing, a valid practice recently confirmed by NASA.

Many proponents of this ancient technique, used by many cultures such as Mayan, Egyptian, Aztec, Tibetan and Indian yoga, report not only healing benefits to common illnesses, but obtaining super-human abilities such as advanced telepathy and going completely without the need for food.

Another Disclaimer: Do not engage in sungazing practices without proper training and medical supervision. Permanent eye injury and blindness may occur. Do not attempt to change your diet and live on sunlight or water alone. Before attempting any radical spiritual or dietary practice, seek qualified medical advice and spiritual supervision.

What is Sun Gazing?

Sun gazing (also known as sun-eating) is a strict practice of gradually introducing sunlight into your eyes at the lowest ultraviolet-index times of day – sunrise and sunset. Those who teach the practice say there are several rules to the practice. First, it must be done within the hour after sunrise or before sunset to avoid damaging the eyes. It is important to only look at the sun when it is orange or red according to the ancients. Looking at the sun when it is yellow or white, or uncomfortable in any way is not recommended.

Second, you must be barefoot, in contact with the actual earth – sand, dirt or mud; and finally, you must begin with only 10 seconds the first day, increasing by 10 second intervals each day you practice. Following these rules make the practice safe, says sources.

Nikolai Dolgoruky of the Ukraine calls himself a ‘sun-eater’. He has been practising sun gazing for the past 12 years and has largely subsisted off solar energy since he began. Others have reported losing the need for food after only 9 months of sun gazing (by which time the practitioner has worked up to a maximum of 44 minutes).

After 9 months of practice, you need only walk barefoot on the earth for 45 minutes per day, 6 days in a row to further the process of what has been initiated by sun gazing.

Sun-gazing is a practice also called the HRM phenomenom, coined as such after Hira Ratan Manek, the man who submitted himself to NASA for scientific testing to confirm that he does indeed possess the almost ‘super-human’ ability of not eating, gained through his dedication to this interesting marvel.

Funded by NASA, a team of medical doctors at the University of Pennsylvania observed Hira 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for 100 days. NASA confirmed that he was indeed able to survive largely on light with occasionally a small amount of buttermilk or water during this time.

What happens to the body during Sun Gazing?

During your first 3 months of practice, the suns energy is moving through the eyes and charging the hypothalamus tract, says those who have studied this technique and used it. This Science/Medical Team wanted to observe and examine his retina, pineal gland and brain, therefore this observation team was led by Dr. Andrew B. Newberg, a leading authority on the brain and also featured in the recent movie “What the Bleep Do We Know”, and by Dr. George C. Brenard, the leading authority on the pineal gland.

Initial results found that the grey cells in HRM’s brain are regenerating. 700 photographs have been taken where the neurons were reported to be active and not dying. Furthermore, the pineal gland was expanding and not shrinking which is typically what happens after mid fifties and its maximum average size is about 6 x 6 mm, however for HRM, it has been measured to be at 8 x 11 mm. The hypothalamus tract is the pathway to the rear of the retina which leads to the brain.

The brain then, over time, becomes activated by the energy supply being received by the sun. You will first experience a relief of mental tension and worry, since most worry is fuelled by the energy received by the foods we eat. Since food gets it’s energy from the sun, it is said to be readily available to sun-eaters without the trouble of digestion. Though hunger is said to eventually cease, it is fine to continue eating regularly during initial stages, until appetite disappears naturally.

Another benefit early on is said to be an increase in confidence and an ability to easily solve your problems, as you are without tension. Everyone has at least a bit of psychosis, but during the first few months of sun gazing practice, it is reported that these attitudes go away and a positive nature gracefully replaces the old persona full of fears.

By the end of 3 months, the gazing time will have increased to 15 minutes per day.

Reports on sun gazing say that the bad qualities normally associated with any person will gradually disappear and good qualities will remain, explaining that ‘bad qualities’ only develop in the absence of sunlight. Bad qualities like anger, fear, jealousy, lust – are said to disappear – and be replaced by a certain confidence and ‘spiritual knowing’ that senses more purely the heart of an issue.

At 3-6 months of gazing, the studies show that physical diseases start to disappear.

They say that by the time one is gazing 30 minutes per day (building up 10 seconds per day) all the colours of the sun will have reached the brain. Color therapists attribute their healing of certain diseases to flooding the body and brain with the particular colour that is lacking – depending on the ailment.

For example, in liver disease, the colour green is deficient. The kidneys need red, and the heart, yellow. All of the organs and all of the systems are said to respond to different colours of the rainbow, which is why it is also recommended to eat a diet rich in a variety of colours. It is recommended during the 3-4 month period that you use autosuggestion to see your body already healed of any perceived weakness or disease.

This action will facilitate the process of returning to wholeness.

As you continue the process, it is reported that after 6 months, the energy stored from the technique is no longer being used for repairing the body or the mind and can move now into supporting you in gaining more super-human abilities.

How can we take in sunlight?

How can the body take in sunlight in such a manner as to sustain life? Is it possible that some of our dormant “junk” DNA may become active and allow us to utilise Solar Energetic Factors in the same way that plants do? Let us examine a possible method.

There is a pathway from the retina, to the hypothalamus, called the retino-hypothalamic tract. This brings information about the dark &light cycles to supra-chiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus. From the SCN, impulses along the nerve travel via the pineal nerve (Sympathetic nervous system) to the pineal gland. These impulses inhibit the production of melatonin. When these impulses stop (at night or in dark, when the light no longer stimulates the hypothalamus) pineal inhibition ceases, and melatonin is released. The pineal gland is therefore a photosensitive organ and an important timekeeper for the human body.

The unexplored process of energy absorption, transformation, and processing from the Sun may occur here. The activation of pineal gland is a key step in psychic, spiritual and energy transformation processes. Suffice it to say that in this gland, energy processing and distribution can take place. The pineal gland is the subtle controller of all endocrine glands, therefore controlling the endocrine system. Through secretion of melatonin, it also regulates the circadian rhythm, sleep wake cycle and it also slows down ageing process. It has psychic properties and it is said to be the seat of soul or mind.

Sunlight may enter the eyes and be directly stored in the pineal gland. Pineal activation and charging through solar energy could be a vital step in higher evolution. Once activated and charged by the Pineal gland, Solar Energetic factors may be transformed into electrical, magnetic or chemical energies in body. Once processed, this energy must be transported & must be stored somewhere. If the initial processing of this energy starts in the pineal gland, how does it get to the rest of the body?

What’s Beyond Healing?

By seven and a half months of gazing, now at 35 minutes, need and desire for food is dwindling. According to sun gazing experts, food is not actually needed to maintain the body, only energy – and ‘sun-eating’ provides that energy. By 9 months, all taste for food, including aroma, all hunger pains and cravings disappear. Those who make it this far say that they report a noticeable ’change’ in the way their brain feels – like it’s “charged up.” After 9 months of sun-gazing – reaching a maximum of 44 minutes – it is advised that you give up sun-gazing and redirect your attention now to the Earth.

For 6 days straight, one is to walk barefoot on the earth, 45 minutes per day.

During this barefoot walking, the pineal gland is said to become activated. Professional sun gazers and those researching the science say that each toe is connected to a specific gland, and by walking barefoot on the Earth, you activate these glands. The big toe is thought to be aligned with the pineal gland, the second toe with the pituitary, then the hypothalamus, thalamus and finally the pinky toe correlates to the amygdala. Walking barefoot, with the sun now falling on the top of your head, practitioners claim to create a sort of magnetic field in and around your body that recharges you and your brain.

Apparently this walking barefoot part is the most important aspect of the practice. As you continue walking on the Earth, this is when the magic really begins. The pineal gland is activated more and more by this walking procedure. Intellect is said to increase, along with memory. The pineal gland has navigational and psychic capabilities, meaning telepathy, the possibility of flight… now we are getting somewhere! Have you ever thought you would like to have your body in more than one place at a time? Well, sun-gazing is said to be the magical key to such abilities.

If you can barefoot walk 45 minutes every day for a year – you are golden. At that point, only a maintenance of 3-4 days a week is necessary to maintain the capabilities you have acquired.

Are there any dangers?

Doctors and eye care professionals caution against looking directly at the sun, saying that it will damage the retina. However, if done correctly, sun-gazing at the correct times of day, sunrise and sunset, studies show there is no risk of damaging the eyes.

Those who have been sun gazing for many years have had their eyes checked to show no damage, though it is advised that you have your eyes checked in the first few weeks of your practice, so you can know for yourself.

To sum it all up…

Remember, it’s 10 seconds the first day, at sunrise or sunset, adding 10 seconds per day each day there after. After 90 days of accumulative gazing equaling 44 minutes, you cease the gazing and start the barefoot walking 45 minutes per day for 6 days. At this point, I could imagine, hey – if you made it this far, what’s a year of barefoot walking an hour per day to keep it all? You will have to try it out and see for yourself.

Sources:

Soul Travel Rules

Linked In

Wikipedia

An Enlightened Perspective

shirleytwofeathers.com/The_Blog/alternativetherapies/sungazing/

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