#But to finish the Museum Island in less than two days Is NOT normal

[goodlucktai]

keep your brittle heart warm

one piece pairing: chopper & luffy word count: 2k title borrowed from peace by taylor swift smile again au

read on ao3

x

A year after the funeral, there are mostly good days.

Brook’s initially interrupted tour has finally been rescheduled, so he’s out of state. Everyone else has shifted their work or class schedules from reduced hours back to full-time. Their lives are returning to what Usopp calls a degree of separation from normal. The old normal. 

Because Luffy smiles like he used to, and sleeps through the night. He’s re-enrolling in his classes next term and keeps busy in the meantime. They all help him keep busy. He has mostly good days. 

Chopper knew from the moment he came downstairs that today was going to be a bad one. 

In the usual morning crush of breakfast and rushed showers and last-minute carpool arrangements, Luffy perches on a stool in front of the kitchen island and tears his egg and sausage sandwich in half and then in half again. He lets the noise cover him like a blanket, familiar and precious, but he doesn’t add to it. 

When Sanji’s ride arrives, he says, “Luffy, move it.” Because Luffy is supposed to go to the Baratie with him today. 

Luffy licks egg yolk off his thumb and doesn’t look up from the deconstructed English muffin on his plate. 

“Sanji can go without me,” he says. 

If a train crashed through the front of the house, it probably would have startled Sanji less than that statement did. His phone chimes, reminding him of the car waiting for him outside, but he doesn’t seem to hear it.

“Okay,” the chef says, doing a decent job of sounding normal. “Are you coming by later?”

“Dunno,” Luffy replies. He has on a blank expression that all of his friends know better than to take at face value. 

When Chopper first met them, the Portgas brothers lived in a cramped two-bedroom apartment that he remembers as bigger than it actually was. Ace was always a warm, laughing presence there, and never minded making room for yet another rowdy teenager in his busy life. 

That was where it began. Those long summer afternoons crammed onto the sofa together, the late nights making a mess of the kitchen because someone couldn’t sleep. The apartment itself is long-gone, the whole building having been gutted and renovated a few years ago, but it’s where they started cultivating the idea of forever together. 

It’s where Chopper first realized that home has nothing to do with walls and a roof. 

Ace is present in this house, too. There are dog-eared books stacked on the shelf that he never finished before starting a new one, and a burnt-orange leather coat in the front closet that he found in a thrift store and shared custody of with Usopp and Nami, and fiery spices in the cupboard that Sanji only started experimenting with in his cooking as a teenager because their big brother preferred his food hot. 

Sometimes it feels like he could just be in the next room; like they’d only have to walk down the hall to see him again. 

It’s not good to stay cooped up here alone. 

Zoro slides his phone out of his pocket and starts texting someone. Probably the director of the museum where he works. His coworker once said that Mihawk was more of an out-of-touch, weirdly overbearing dad than he was a boss. 

At the time Zoro had disagreed out of principle, because he and Perona have fun getting on each other’s last nerve. But Chopper thinks she was right. Anyone else would have been fired by now with how many times Zoro has called in over the last horrible year. 

Robin used to gently lecture him about work ethic, but she gave up on that ages ago. There isn’t a force on earth that could drag Zoro away from Luffy’s side on the bad days. Or even on the good ones, really. Zoro has never been confused about what his real job is.

Sanji’s phone chimes again. He seems to be frozen in the entryway. He looks like he doesn’t want to leave. He’s two years older than Luffy and Zoro, a year older than Nami and Usopp—which means that sometimes he gets all protective of them, the way everyone in their family sometimes gets protective of Chopper. 

Zoro doesn’t always appreciate it. In fact, he rarely does. Chopper understands. There are times when he doesn’t appreciate it, either. 

“Old man Zeff will be annoyed if you’re late,” Luffy says, finally looking up from his plate. “Take Zoro, too, okay? The museum is getting an important shipment today. Zoro needs to be there.”

It makes Chopper’s heart hurt, how bewildered Zoro looks. “I don’t care about that,” he says.

“Yes, you do,” Luffy replies frankly. “You and Robin talked about it for ages. Three swords from the sixteenth century, that’s what you said. They belonged to a famous warrior, and now they’re on loan from some super special martial arts museum in Japan, and you get to be the one to unpack them. So you’re gonna go do that.”

Chopper, who isn’t allowed to take more than three courses at a time, because Dr. Kureha is very protective of him in her own way and yells things like “you’re sixteen years old!” during their weekly phone calls when he timidly asks if he can take an extra biology class next term, pipes up, “I don’t have any lectures or labs today! I’ll be here!” 

It’s meant to be reassuring, but instead Zoro and Sanji both look more troubled. When Sanji’s phone chimes one last time, he strides to the front door, yanks it open, and bellows, “Give me a fucking minute! God damn, just let the meter run, asshole!” 

Luffy smiles, because he thinks everything his friends do is funny and charming, even when they’re being rude and inconveniencing complete strangers. 

“Bring us something good to eat when you come home,” he says. It sounds like a casual thing to say, but it’s clearly his final word on the matter. 

Their friends finally leave, with obvious reluctance, and Luffy sighs when they’re gone. It’s not a sigh of relief or exasperation, it's just a breath he was holding that he doesn’t have to hold anymore. 

Down to the blood and bone and marrow of him, Luffy is a free spirit. There’s nothing he values more than independence and autonomy. He wants his loved ones to do exactly what they want to do at all times and nothing else. 

So Chopper knows it’s been killing him to hold them back. Zoro doesn’t have a problem with skipping work, because he could get a million different jobs but there’s only one Luffy in the whole world. For him, that’s the simplest math there is. 

The Luffy from a year and a month ago would have understood. He would have laughed at his friends’ transparent attempts to stay home with him and let them do whatever they wanted. He would have known that it was as much for their sake as it was his. 

The Luffy from a year and a month ago hadn’t had this big awful hole carved into his life. He’s still learning his way around it. The map his mind knows to follow is still outdated in a few areas, still wired to take him places he can’t go anymore. 

Grief upsets the chemistry of the brain. It alters neural pathways. Healing from that is complicated and backwards and sometimes it can be a lifelong process.

Luffy is the most perceptive person that Chopper has ever known, but he’s anxious now in a way he didn’t used to be. Doubts can creep up on him even here in their sunny kitchen. 

Chopper won’t have his medical degree for years, but Luffy is good friends with somebody who already does. Which means that Chopper is good friends with that person, too. Which means he can pull out his phone while Luffy picks his way through the rest of his food and send a text that only says, Bad day. :( 

Six minutes later, the reply comes back: Omw. 

They’re piled on the sofa together, watching cartoon reruns, when the doorbell rings. Luffy tilts his head curiously, knowing very well that no one is supposed to be back home until lunch. 

“Do you think Zoro skipped after all?” he asks blithely. “I’ll beat him up if he did.”

Chopper shakes his head without lifting it, cheek pressed against Luffy’s shoulder. He doesn’t want to spoil the surprise, which he definitely will do if he opens his mouth or makes eye contact. 

The doorbell is just a formality; the person Chopper texted has a key. 

When the door opens, muffled voices from outside become clearer, and the good-natured one-sided chatter that fills the entryway makes Chopper smile automatically at the same time that Luffy perks up and flings himself halfway over the back of the sofa in bald delight. 

“Rosi!” he yells by way of hello.

“Luffy!” Rosinante yells back with equal enthusiasm. A second later he manages to trip over his own two feet, and his entire body slams into the entryway floor face-first. Everything standing on the console table by the door wobbles precariously and then falls on top of him. 

The resounding silence that follows is broken by Luffy’s surprised laughter. 

“Oh my god, Cora,” Law mutters, stooping to help him up. 

“Are you okay?!” Chopper only just manages not to shriek. He’ll never get used to the way Rosinante can brush himself off and walk away from accidents that should have at the very least left him with a broken bone. 

Sure enough, he says, “Ah, I’m fine, I’m fine,” followed by, “Oops, sorry,” when he sits up and nearly knocks the console table over with his shoulder. 

Law’s dad is big and intimidating, ex-military with the build to prove it. But he’s very kind. Nami says too kind for his own good, whatever that means. And even though no one would ever assume he and Law were related, with the differences in their complexion and coloring and bone structure, it’s obvious they’re family. They think the world of each other.

Actually, Rosinante brags about Law so much that even Chopper gets tired of hearing about his medical accomplishments.

Luffy stretches his arms as far towards Law as they’ll go. 

“Traffy, you came to visit! Who told you to? Was it Sanji?”

Law ignores him outright until Rosinante is back on his feet and steered safely into the living room, and only then does he drift casually into Luffy’s reach. He submits to the one-sided hug without enthusiasm, but if he really didn’t want it, he would have gone around the couch on the other side. 

In a smoother lie by omission than Chopper would ever be capable of, Law says, “You think Sanji can tell me what to do?”

Luffy squeezes his friend one last time and then lets him go abruptly to round on Rosinante instead. The two of them lift their hands automatically to sign along as they talk. Luffy’s ASL is awkward and clumsy, still learning, while Rosinante’s hands only seem to move with any grace when he’s using them to speak with. 

The white scars that wrap around Rosinante’s wrists are visible once he rolls his cuffs back to keep his sleeves out of the way. Luffy, whose own scar peeks out of the neck of his T-shirt, would never think to comment on something like that. 

Usually, Chopper likes to practice ASL with them. Rosinante is a fun teacher. Instead, he follows Law into the adjoining dining room. Law brings work with him everywhere he goes, and he’ll sometimes let Chopper look at stuff if it isn’t confidential. 

“Anything new at the Heart?” he asks, trying not to be nosy as Law opens his laptop. “Any new patients? Baffling new cases? Medical marvels?”

“No,” Law says. He pokes Chopper in the forehead, pushing his head away firmly. “My hospital isn’t a soap opera and you don’t work there yet.”

“Nothing exciting?”  

“Not unless you think retrograde amnesia is exciting. Potential client came in yesterday to ask about outpatient physical therapy and meet the staff. He kept making jokes about the car that hit him when he was a child. Unfortunately, Shachi and Penguin thought he was hilarious.” He levels Chopper with a narrow-eyed stare before he can do more than open his mouth. “Finish med school and apply for residency at the Heart and then I’ll tell you all about it.”

Chopper’s mouth clicks shut. He slinks a little lower in his chair to sulk. “That’s forever from now. And you guys don’t even have a residency program.”

“We will when you apply for it,” Law replies evenly. 

Warmth fills Chopper’s chest like his own personal miniature sun. You’d never guess how kind this reserved man was just by looking at him or even talking to him for a few minutes. It takes really knowing him to figure it out. Rosinante is silly and a total klutz and kind of scary at first just ‘cause he’s so big, but he must have been a great dad to grow up with. He did a good job with Law. 

“Can I ask another question?” Chopper says shyly. 

“Depends. Would answering it be a HIPAA violation?”

“What made you decide to be Luffy’s friend?” he blurts. “I mean, I’m glad you did! But you must have dozens of other patients. I’m sure you’ve helped survivors of accidents even worse than the one my big brothers were in. I know that Lu can be awfully stubborn, and he sort of latches onto the people he decides to keep, but you went along with it. You let him keep you.” Chopper rubs his fingers against the grain of the tabletop, not brave enough to look up. “I was just wondering why.”

“He reminded me of someone,” Law says, and puts his headphones on to work. It’s a dismissal if Chopper’s ever seen one, and as much of an answer as he’s likely to get. 

When he reenters the living room, it’s to find Luffy grinning wildly, bright eyes flitting between Rosinante’s face and his hands as the man tells a rambling story about his latest in a long line of mishaps at work. 

Hopping over Rosi’s long legs and throwing himself onto the couch next to Luffy, Chopper signs along as he says, “What’s so funny? What did I miss?”

Chopper was young when Dr. Hiriluk died, but he remembers every horrible second of all the days that came after. He remembers Dr. Kureha learning how to be the patient one, the gentle one, shouldering Hiriluk’s half of the job so that someone would be there to hold Chopper while he cried. 

It’s a process, she would tell him. Any doctor worth their salt would say the same thing. It’s not a wound you can see, but it still needs to be treated. Give yourself a little grace. 

Of all the lessons she taught him, that’s the one he keeps closest to his heart. 

Chopper knows a lot about bad days. He and his family have lived through enough of them to become reluctant experts on the subject. He knows how it feels to suffer so acutely you can’t breathe, to hurt in the pit of your chest like you should be gushing blood, even if all the charts and x-rays and experts say you’re fine. He knows how senseless and unpredictable the pain can be, popping up when you least expect it, when you thought you were getting better. 

But he knows about healing, too. He knows how to help. All he wants to do is help.

[biosurvive]

@deadaim -> hey baby would you wanna go to a museum or is that kinda lame?

The tutorials he was obsessively watching were taking root, if by the texture of the frosting he was mixing was anything to go by. It was a stark contrast to when he attempted to bake a birthday cake for Claire back in the day. He could still remember Claire coming home to a mess of flour and sugar and a frazzled Chris with a shitty store bought cake on the counter. She has laughed... and it had made everything better. Now though? He had more experience, he had decent appliances and utensils and ingredients, his own children would enjoy a cake baked from the father whose culinary skills were... less than favorable compared to their other father. Speaking of, his husband had been his supportive audience, perched at the barstool, newspaper in hand in the most delicious and domestic manner. He looked good in the morning light shining through the windows, and the aroma of coffee and the sugary ingredients set the scene perfectly. Marriage and family life agreed with them both, how in the world did they ever get so lucky?

His question had put a halt to his baking adventure, peeking up over the bowl of frosting with an almost deer-in-headlights manner. The idea wasn't lame, in fact it sounded amazing. It had felt like years since the two of them went on such a normal date, time spent together without the kids usually amounted to the two of them crashing in bed and sleeping or lazy five minute over the clothing sex in the mornings, a day at a museum just enjoying one another's time? Talk about a fantasy. " Let's do it. The cake will need to cool in the fridge, we can go after it's finished baking. I can frost when we get back. Kids won't be back from Barry and Kathy's until tomorrow, and then we'll be too busy hosting a birthday party for children. " His mixing becomes slightly more aggressive, a relaxed grin slipping on his features as he leans his hip against the kitchen island. " We'll go to the museum, get lunch, come back home, and have the most raunchy dirty sex imaginable in our giant tub upstairs. " Setting the bowl down with a loud thud, he leans further across the island, face inching closer to the shorter man, voice dropping to a husky whisper. " And once I have satisfied you, mon mari, I will finish the damn cake while you wrap the presents. Maybe if we finish at the decent time we'll be able to crash early? Maybe even cuddle? ….Sound romantic? "

[fingfamily-blog-blog]

Family Vacation on Flores

In the first semester, I averaged just under 2 blog posts per week. Then I took a month-long vacation through Java and Flores islands, and only posted once. And this is set to be my first post for the second semester. But am I running out of interest, of things to discuss? I took this up because everything was new and might be provocative for a writer. But, as I begin the (longer) second half of this professionally unsatisfying experience, I wonder what more I can convey, other than sitting around my house, wondering how much booze I should consume. But, first, the month-long journey was fabulous. It was so nice to be with my wife again after 4.5 months apart. In 30+ years together, 3 weeks was the longest we'd been apart, on a couple of occasions. WhatsApp technology has allowed us to see each other and talk regularly, but still, it's quite a honeymoon to reunite after 4.5 months apart. I had wondered if we might take up some of the negative themes of our "normal" life, when we spend 20+ hours of every single day together. But it didn't happen. I think whatever agitation we might have felt (which everyone does in weeks of travel) was dissipated by the previous months of missing each other. Nary a negative thought, let alone snarky words or attitudes. We also had our son with us, and he was the conduit for whatever snark we ended up dealing with. He's a seasoned traveller, but jet-lag was an issue at first, and generally we had to wake him up earlier than he wanted, so it was occasionally rough getting him to civility. But, again, understanding that touring like that is hard, I think we all gave each other space to be cranky. And we enjoy travel and new food, new things... That being said, Java was a disappointment for all of us. We spent more time in Jakarta than we needed to (expecting jet-lag to be an issue). Yogyakarta was nicer (more culture), but even that was noisy and crowded and dirty. We spent two nights in Solo, and, except for a visit to a fantastic batik museum and store, we wished we'd never gone there at all. On the eastern side of Java, Batu was a fine stop. Batu is higher altitude and more comfortable air, more natural things, waterfalls, vistas. And our son is a farmer, so the agriculture there was of interest. We only spent two nights at my home in Malang. We should have done more than that, but we didn't know how grungy and dull Java would be. I know now! We went to Mt. Bromo, and the excruciating journey was made unbearable because of fog. We saw nothing, a great let-down. Still, compared to all the other places we visited in Java, Malang looks almost charming. So, I have a new-found appreciation for the town I was more-or-less randomly placed in. I could have been in much worse circumstances. The second half of our trip was spent in a much happier, more relaxed place, Flores island. Our tour started in the east and we moved west through some quite remote places, seeing waterfalls, crater lakes, beaches, mountains, volcanos, tropical islands... We went snorkeling, saw wild animals, ate and slept more locally. We were just more comfortable and pleased with our surroundings and experiences. Flores has vanilla, cashews, cacao, coffee, all kinds of fruits. For our farmer, it was so much more compelling. And his happiness made us happier. On Java, to our surprise, our foreignness drew unwanted attention, with people approaching us just to take pictures, or to practice their English. Sometimes this was fine, but other times it was a challenge not to be rude. On Flores, this was less of a problem. And we finished our time there, with 5 nights in Labuan Bajo, one of the most beautiful places I've ever been. Oh, it's still pretty grungy and unequally developed, with trash everywhere, but the sea, the breezes, the islands, the coral reefs, the hillsides, and the sunsets, my heart was stolen. It appears as if the Indonesian government is investing heavily in developing tourism there, so soon there are likely to be too many tourists, too much traffic, and all kinds of soulless touts roaming the streets. But for our short week, it was a wonderful way to end 4 weeks of wandering. We did two more nights in Surabaya, the second-city of Java, before we said goodbye to each other. It was an unwelcome return to the grossness of Java, but there are charms in the Old Town, the Chinatown and the Arab Quarter. It was not pleasant to say goodbye. It made me feel like I was going back into custody. But I have fond memories and many pics to remind me that it did happen and was a refreshing interlude during an otherwise difficult slog. My second semester has started with one class all my own, and nothing of any other consequence in my schedule. That means, three hours of class per week, plus prep and grading. I will have even more free-time than the first semester, when I tried to ingratiate myself and make things work. Now, I know that I am truly not wanted or needed and I have no trouble accepting that. The trouble is finding ways to spend my time. I'm making plans with my brother and a friend to come in March for a few weeks. And I'm also planning time in June/July with our elder son. And planning is fun! There is so much more to Indonesia than my little experience here in Malang. I will take long weekend trips, both locally and further afield. Next week, I go to Bangkok for my program's mid-year meetings. So the time will pass, and then I'll be back in the States, wondering whether I want to go back into the Academic Writing classroom to compete with AI Chatbots. Welcome to 2023!

[justkending]

The Number One Rule. Chapter 19.

Series Summary: Y/N has always been seen as “Steve’s rambunctious sister.” However, she grew up, graduated, and moved to London to study abroad for 4 years and get her bachelor's degree. The girl that returns looks nothing like the teenager that left, but don’t worry the attitude is still there and stronger than ever. What’s to come of the two grown adults that used to push each other's buttons, but now have a lot more in common than they’ve ever realized.

Pairing: Bucky Barnes x Y/N Rogers (Steve’s little sister)

Word Count: 2400+

Chapter Nineteen:

“Peace offering delivery,” Y/N said as Steve opened the door for her.

“About time,” Steve laughed, taking the boxes out of her hand and leaning down to give her a kiss on the head before moving to the kitchen. “Where’s Beck? I thought you guys were coming together?”

“She said something about a meeting with a professor and going to the grocery store before dropping by. She should be here in probably less than half an hour or so,” Y/N shrugged, kicking off her shoes at the door and looking at the couch where Bucky was staring at her. “Hey, B.” she said sweetly. 

His nerves lightened at her acting normal as if he hadn’t confessed his love for her earlier. 

“Hey, Y/N/N,” he replied with a smile as she walked over to him. She stopped at the back of the couch and put her hands on his shoulders giving him a squeeze. “How was your day?”

“Eh, same old same old. Still waiting for those Roman documents to be transferred from another museum before I can really dive into my project, but besides that, good,” she smiled, leaning down and placing a kiss to his cheek before moving to the kitchen. 

“Ugh, I know I’m going to have to get used to that, but maybe give me a second to wrap my head around you two being together before doing any PDA,” Steve shivered as he pulled plates out from the cabinet where he could still see them in the living room. 

Bucky and Y/N laughing as they made their way to the food. 

“Get over yourself,” Y/N said, hip bumping her brother away from the pizza so she could dive in first. “Where’s Sam? You told him about movie night, right?”

“Movie night?” Bucky asked, tucking his hands in his pockets behind Y/N. 

“Yeah, did Steve not tell you?” she asked, making a plate for herself. 

“Can’t say I’m in the loop,” Bucky laughed. 

“In honor of all being best buds again, we’re celebrating with a movie night,” Y/N explained, with a wink to Bucky before moving around the kitchen like it was her own. 

“Just like the good ol’ days,” Steve nodded, making a plate for himself too. “Sam! War’s over!” he shouted down the hall where Sam almost instantly came out of his room. 

“I thought I smelled peace and pizza,” Sam smiled as he practically skipped in. 

Steve noticed Bucky slightly zoned out and realized him and Y/N probably needed to talk and catch up on everything. Of course, he didn’t realize the real reason why Bucky was zoned out. 

“Hey Sam,” Steve nodded once the two had their own plates. “Come help me pick out a movie for tonight while we wait for Becca.”

“What genre are we going for?” Sam asked with a bite of the new york pie in his mouth already. 

“Ooo!” Y/N started.

“No, no murder mystery,” Steve pointed. 

“But, last night we-”

“No,” Steve shook his head. 

“I like murder mystery-” Sam started.

“Don’t encourage her obsession,” Steve warned, pushing Sam out of the room. 

“Jackass,” Y/N scoffed, taking a bite of pizza as they left. Bucky laughed coming up to her and placing a kiss to her forehead. “Hey,” she smiled. 

“Hey,” he smiled back. 

“I’m guessing things went well considering his mood. He seems back to normal,” she gleamed. 

“Really well. We both came to the conclusion we were idiots,” Bucky nodded. She laughed at him before there was a slight silence. “Listen, about earlier today on the phone,” he began. His cheek bones almost instantly turned a shade darker. “I didn’t plan to make things awkward. What I said just kinda slipped out,” he noted, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked at the ground. 

Having not been looking at her, he was shocked to feel her hands wrap around his neck and bring his eye down to hers. 

“You didn’t make things awkward,” she smiled. 

“We’ve been dating two months Y/N. I didn’t want to scare you away…” he noted not breaking eye contact. “So don’t feel obligated to say it if you don’t feel that because-,” He was on the verge of rambling. 

Placing a finger over his lips, she cut him off. 

“You aren’t scaring me away, B,” she said with a soft smile. 

“I’m not?” he questioned with her finger still on his lips. 

She laughed before moving her hands to his shoulders. 

“Yes, we’ve been dating two months, but we’ve known each other for what? 23 years?” she tilted her head. He moved in grabbing her hips ever so gently. “I think it’s easier to figure out your feelings for someone in this kind of situation when you’ve known them your whole life,” she shrugged. 

“I wanted to make it special,” he said quietly, leaning his forehead down to hers. No longer nervous, but more so embarrassed. 

“Saying it in itself is special, Buck. You don’t need some monumental moment like the movies tricked us into thinking we do,” she giggled. The sound made a wide smile form on his face. “And in saying that,” she smiled, pulling back to see his face fully. Her eyes switching back and forth between his blue ones. “The feeling is very much mutual.”

His face went blank for a second. Wait, did she just say she loved him back? In a different way, but she said it, right?

“Wait, you-?” he started, but when he didn’t finish his sentence, Y/N laughed. 

“Yes, B. I love you as well,” she smiled widely. His grin copying hers almost instantly. “Call me crazy, but-”

“Hey, if you’re crazy, then I’m just as crazy,” he stopped her before leaning down for a kiss. 

They smiled into the kiss after the confession of love. Sure it wasn’t the textbook written way of saying those three little words. But who cared? The meaning behind it was all that mattered in those kinds of moments. And if they meant it, which they both very much did, that’s all it took to make them both feel like they were walking on cloud nine. 

“Ok, I’m all for you guys being together, but it’s going to take me a second with the PDA,” Becca’s voice sounded from behind them shocking them both. 

Bucky pulled back looking at his sister who had scrunched up her face as she put her purse on the kitchen island. Y/N immediately burrowing into his chest in embarrassment and he wrapped her into him with a laugh. 

“Are you guys making out in my kitchen?” Steve sounded from the other room. “Come on guys! I just figured all this out the other day. I’m still adjusting!”

“Adjust faster then!” Y/N shouted to her brother. 

“Yeah, and you and Steve can get over yourselves,” Bucky said to his sister.

“Beck, I think we’re going to get ganged up on a lot more,” Steve retorted from the other room. 

“I think you’re right, Stevie,” Beck shook her head with a laugh. “When you guys are done making out, care to join us for the movie night we had planned?” she asked as she made a plate for herself. 

“Get out of here!” Bucky chided, throwing a towel from the counter at her. 

“Sheesh, I’m going. I’m going,” she huffed, grabbing her things quicker as she went back to the living room.

“This is going to be an interesting time,” Y/N laughed. 

“I’d have to agree with that,” Bucky shook his head with a deep breath. Looking down at her one more time, he bent down for another quick kiss. “What are the odds Steve picked an old 60’s spy film?” 

“High. I’d say the odds are high,” she nodded. 

“God help us all.”

_________________

The entire crew had a good night hanging out all together. Sam and Y/N had hit it off and had started to become good friends even though this was only really their 2nd or 3rd time hanging out. 

They bantered and also obsessed over murder mysteries and surprisingly, Sam was very much into greek gods as well. He didn’t know much about other cultures' Gods, but one group was all it took for Y/N and him to go on and on about the topic. 

Bucky having rolled his eyes on multiple occasions when he and Sam would go back sassing the other, and Y/N now started defending Sam really only as a way to tease Bucky. God, the two together were going to be a handful for him. 

Steve and Bucky were practically back to normal though the rest of the evening. It was a little weird seeing his best friend and his little sister cuddled into each other on the loveseat by themselves, but he reminded himself they were happy. He was going to have to get over the weirdness. Though, it was fun for him and Beck to tease them on it and make them blush or retort something sarcastic back to them. 

In the end, the night was a night to remember. It was rounding about midnight now and Becca had just left. Sam was headed off to bed saying his goodnights and getting a quick late-night snack before disappearing into his room. Leaving Steve, Bucky, and Y/N in the living room with Brooklyn Nine-Nine playing in the background. 

“Ok, I think I’m going to call it a night for myself. I’ll probably go in my actual hours tomorrow,” Steve yawned standing and stretching. “What about you? See you tomorrow like usual?”

“Don’t know yet. Fury said I can come in later tomorrow since things are slow in my department. I’ll probably just go in for a few hours honestly,” Bucky shrugged softly. Y/N had fallen asleep on his chest and was completely knocked out.

Steve looked down at his sleeping sister and laughed softly. “You got her?”

Bucky looked down, seeing that she had her hand covering where his heart was and was completely nuzzled into him in comfort. 

“Always,” he chuckled lightly, not to wake her up. “She said she was going to spend the night. You ok with that?”

It was weird. Steve had to admit it. But he trusted Bucky. He said it earlier, if there was anyone on this planet that would treat his sister right and protect her, it was Buck. 

“Yeah, man. I mean it’ll be weird to me for a while, I’m not going to lie, but it’s not my decision to make. Just, just don’t let me hear anything,” he said with a cringe. 

“Steve, I’ve already told you, we haven’t done anything like that. It’s only been two months man,” he shook his head. 

“I know. I know, it’s just. You know what? Talking about it just makes it weird. I’m going to bed,” Steve waved off. “You guys do whatever you do, just don’t tell me.”

Bucky laughed at his innocent friend who was trying his best to be accepting and not be an overbearing brother at the end of the day. No matter how bad he wanted to. 

“Go to bed, punk. I’ll take care of her,” Bucky laughed. 

“Yeah, yeah. Good night,” Steve walked out. 

Once Steve was down the hall and Bucky heard his door shut, he looked back down at Y/N. Yup, sound asleep. 

He didn’t want to wake her, but there was no way he was going to be able to sleep in the position he was in for a whole night, and eventually she would wake up with a crick in her neck too if they stayed like that too long. 

Gently, he ran his hand up and down her arm to slowly wake her. 

“Sweetheart, you need to wake up,” he said softly, laying his cheek on her head. 

“Hmmm,” she hummed nuzzling into him more. 

“We can go to bed, but I promise you won’t want to sleep here at the end of the night,” he chuckled at her protest. 

“I’m comfy,” she mumbled barely audibly.

“I bet, but I can promise, my bed’s a lot more comfy,” he hummed kissing the top of her head. 

“Fine, but will you carry me?” she asked, throwing her arms over his shoulder. 

He chuckled again before adjusting his arms in the best way to lift her. “Of course, doll.” As if she was a feather, he maneuvered her off the couch with him and walked her to his room. 

He placed her on one side of the bed, walked over and turned on his lamp before going back, and pulling the blankets over her. Instantly, she cuddled into his pillows and bedside. Luckily she was already in shorts and a t-shirt when she came over, so she didn’t really need to change, but he went and grabbed her overnight bag at the front door anyway. 

“Want to change, or-” he asked, placing it on her side of the bed. 

“No, ‘m ok,” she mumbled, pulling the covers up more to her chin. 

“Ok, baby. I’m going to go to the bathroom and I’ll be right back,” he smiled, kissing her forehead before walking off. 

When he got back, she was sound asleep again but now facing his side of the bed. And as soon as he was changed and maneuvered under the covers, it’s like her body sensed him and she shimmied over to him before he could move to her himself. 

Immediately going back to the position she had been in while on the couch. Her arm thrown over his torso and her head resting in the nook of his side and arm. Perfectly and comfortably puzzle pieced into his side. 

“Goodnight, Y/N/N. Sweet dreams,” he grinned, happy that they no longer had to hide anything and it was all free of worry from here on out. “I love you.”

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[sweeethinny]

Devil in Disguise

Potterverse Gift Exchange and I wrote this married!Hinny for @merrymagicalmenagerie i hope you like it! Clearly inspired by Elvis Presley's music! 

She walked like an angel. Wearing that white satin dress that made her ass look amazing, her back naked, her hair stuck in that elaborate hairstyle, the back of her neck also naked so that everyone could have an insane desire to kiss her skin, and those two red hair wisely falling in front of the face, shaping it as the most beautiful work of art in the museum. Her feet in silver high heels, so delicate, seemed to be part of her genetics, strutting around the room.

She spoke like an angel. Her voice was low and melodious, her lips painted not as dark as usual, her cheeks naturally flushed, and that little smile in the corner that made even a priest feel like sinning.

She acted like an angel. Being completely polite, holding the glass of wine elegantly, keeping her back always straight, even laughing at someone's embarrassing jokes... But Harry knew something they didn't know.

Harry knew she was the devil in disguise.

He knew this for several reasons, but the way she looked at him over her shoulder just to blink before returning to pay attention to the conversation that was being held, or how she made a point of touching him whenever they passed each other,  and even how her hand hovered purposefully on his thigh when they sat down to dinner.

She continued to speak normally to the wife of a guy that Harry didn't even remember the name of, but her hand played slowly up towards his groin, sometimes Ginny stopped and removed her hand, using it to adjust the loose lock of hair, or just putting it on the table, but it was not long before she returned to her place of before.

‘’Would you like to dance?’’ Harry asked, when dinner was over and their wedding music started to echo through the hall.

Her brown eyes were darkened by the evil he knew so well, and the long black-painted lashes cast a shadow over her irises, making them even more cloudy. He thought he would never be able to go crazy just looking at her, but Ginny was proving him otherwise.

‘‘Sure, I would love to.’’ She answered him, so sweetly that Harry thought that honey might drip out of her mouth.

She knew better than anyone how to look like an angel.

They held hands and she waved to the lady in front of her, who commented on how beautiful it was to see two young people in love. Harry, who just wanted to get out of there and touch his wife decently, said nothing, walking towards the middle of the room and holding Ginny's waist firmly, leaving no room for her to escape.

‘‘You look a little upset.’’ She smiled, leaving her right hand on his shoulder, her white painted nails poking him sweetly.

''You wish, don't you?'' They moved slowly, with each step, Harry tightened his hand a little more on her waist, bringing her closer and making her feel exactly where he was getting disturbed. ‘’It’s a beautiful dress.’’ He let his hand slip behind her back, perfectly on top of where the stitching started and hid her ass, his thumb touching the bare skin of her spine.

''Thanks. Made to measure.’’ Ginny also moved her hand, taking it to the back of her husband’s neck and scratching that sensitive spot that made him almost purr.

‘’The neckline on the back does something for you.’’ Harry raised his hand just to feel the bare skin, then returned to the covered curvature where her spine ended.

''I know. You didn't hide your fondness for that detail.’’ He shrugged, turning and pulling her away from a man who was looking too far behind her. ''Jealous?'' She said.

‘’No, just dancing.’’ Ginny laughed softly and bit her bottom lip, chin slightly lifted, as if she wanted him to kiss her. ‘’It’s a beautiful song.’’

‘‘As I recall, we already danced on another occasion when I was wearing white.’’

‘’And if all goes well, we’ll end the night the same as the first time we dance.’’ He blinked, smirking and bringing his face closer to hers. Just a little. But if Ginny wanted a kiss, she would have to grab him.

‘’Are you going to take me to the Maldives Islands again? Wow, it's my lucky day.’’ She raised her red eyebrow. In that way that made her seem a little more daring and less angelic, but still, a goddess.

‘’I thought about just finishing in the bedroom. But I can arrange a trip for us.’’ Harry lowered his hand slightly to her back, almost grabbing her ass, but still maintaining class.

‘’I’d love it. Maybe this time, you’ll let me swim naked.’’ She shrugged, and there it was, that devil that Harry knew so well.

That same evil angel who convinced everyone in the auror office that she urgently needed to talk to Harry, which was an important family issue, and made Robards let her in, only so that when she arrived in his office - with Harry very worried that it really was something important - Ginny would take off her overcoat and show off one of the sexiest pieces he remembered seeing her wear.

That other side of her, which only he had the great pleasure of knowing.

''Let's see how the night goes.'' Harry said at last, feeling her chest against his, her brown eyes burning even more. ‘’I like to surprise you.’’ He smiled genuinely, followed by Ginny, who turned her cheeks a rosier shade.

‘’I like it too when you surprise me.’’ They rolled over again, and this time, she raised her eyebrow at a blonde who was staring too much at Harry. ‘’Tomorrow, some will say that my biggest prize as the Chosen One’s wife is that he fills me with diamonds.’’ Ginny touched her own neck, where the necklace rested, also displaying their wedding ring, where there was a carved diamond.

‘’That was the worst story of all years.’’ Harry held back the urge to roll his eyes at the memory. ‘’As if the biggest prize wasn’t that you’re married to me.’’ He laughed, receiving a light pat on the back.

‘’That's what you think.’’ Ginny lifted her chin again, keeping them very close, noses almost touching. ‘’You are the lucky one that I accepted the request.’’

‘’I never doubted that.’’ Harry shrugged, being totally sincere. ‘’I am a completely unhappy man without you.’’

‘’Even when I trick you into sin?’’ She had that look again. One that everyone would see as something pure and naive, angelic, but that Harry knew how to see beyond. He knew she was nothing more than the Devil in disguise.

And he has never been happier to sin.

‘’Especially at those times.’’ He said.

She finally came over, giving him a chaste and quick kiss, but making sure to make him even more tense and hungry for her. The nails lightly scratched the foot of his hair, making Harry purr and press it even closer to her, groaning low in her mouth.

‘’Do you think you can get us out of here and take us as far as possible without anyone following us?’’ Ginny asked, looking quite affected too, eyes closed and pressing their foreheads together.

‘’Am I an auror or not?’’ Harry bit her lip lightly, listening to the music end and people starting to dissipate and talk louder. ‘’Give me five minutes and say goodbye to people.’’

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

‘’Where are you taking me?’’ Ginny asked, hands clasped in Harry’s who was pulling them into the Apparition area just outside the hall. There were few people around, and those who were, looked drunk or in too much of a hurry to notice the Potters running away like two teenagers.

‘’Didn’t I say I love to surprise you?’’ Harry put her down beside him, thinking of any place far before he Apparated into the middle of a forest, close to where the last Quidditch Cup had been.

‘’Hm.. Harry, I know you want and surprise but…’’ He laughed, denying and shaking their hands again, ignoring when Ginny tried to walk away, curious about the chosen place.

‘’Shut up, we haven’t got there yet.’’ He thought again, this time, visualizing the country house they had been building since Albus ’birth. Harry remembered the well-kept garden, the flowers in front of the house, the big front windows, the white stone exterior that Ginny liked and chose, and the sign that James and Teddy stuck in the grass in front of the path to enter the house, which said in children's writing '’Potter's Residence'' even though there were no neighbors within a radius of almost 5 kilometers.

Soon, they landed there, holding hands in front of the entrance door, the dark stone floor a little dirty from the fallen leaves, the cat that occasionally appeared there was lying on the windowsill of the room and was startled by the noise they made, before going back to sleep.

‘’I like surprises.’’ Ginny looked at the house almost ready. There were still some finishes like lamps, and all the decoration inside, but it was already a beautiful house. A beautiful, secluded home. ‘’But I thought we were going to swim.’’ She put her hands on his shoulders, smiling in the moonlight, before leaning over and kissing him. Just an inviting peck.

‘’And we’re going.’’ Harry finally grabbed her ass as he wanted from the beginning of the party, pressing her against him and listening to her sigh. ‘’We have a waterfall just for us.’’

‘’Oh, yea, I didn’t remember it .’’ Ginny gave him another kiss before turning and pulling him with her towards the waterfall that was a few meters away from the house. ‘’And why didn’t we go straight there?’’ She looked over her shoulder, the way she did at the party, still driving him crazy.

‘’I thought it would be best to apparate here first.’’ He shrugged, not quite able to think when Ginny was leaning over to take off her shoes.

‘’Hold this.’’ She handed him her bag, and the heels. ‘’It’s going to be awful walking on the grass with them.’’ Her face lost more and more of that angelic glow, becoming too treacherous for their safety. ‘‘Idiot.’’ Ginny laughed, much more Ginny than that perfect mask she wore at social events, running as fast as possible from Harry, letting go of her hair and making flying like a cape behind her.

He put her belongings in his extender pocket inside his jacket, and started running too, laughing at her loud laughter that echoed through the quiet yard, the moonlight making her look like one of those Goddesses they saw represented in the museum.

‘’You stole it!’’ He complained, really trying to reach her, but Ginny had an exercise routine that Harry couldn’t handle even if he had to do it in two days instead of an hour and a half.

‘’I’m smart.’’ She screamed, disappearing into the trees. ’’You are getting old!’’

‘’You’ll see the old man, Potter!’’ Harry replied, quickening his pace even further, getting closer to her, who was now laughing out loud.

She was so much more beautiful like that, free, being herself, without all the fancy gadgets that would make her envy even in a Queen. Running barefoot in the damp grass, her hair becoming increasingly tousled and bulky from the wind, looking much more alive than before.

Of course she was beautiful in every way. Harry loved her in every way. But something about Ginny being that evil little creature, tempting him, biting her lip with eyes burning with excitement; it made him feel like it was the first time he was seeing a woman in front of him.

‘‘I got you.’’ He whispered, grabbing her around the waist and burying his head in her neck, kissing her skin before picking her up like he did with the kids. ‘’You little devil creature.’’ She laughed, trying to escape into his arms but failing miserably.

‘’You don’t even think about it, Mr Potter!’’ She screamed as Harry moved closer to the waterfall, the noise echoing through the dark, silent forest.

‘’Call me Mr Potter again and I can think about it.’’ He raised an eyebrow at her, much happier than in the last 3 hours that they stayed at that event.

Her brown eyes burned and that little smile that Harry knew so well shone on her freckled and handsome face. ‘’Never.’’ She spoke defiantly.

‘’You asked for it.’’ He took the last step and felt the icy stones surrounding the waterfall, the cold making his body shiver. They had already swam there, it was Teddy's favorite place, and James had been trying to learn to swim whenever they went there. Albus didn't like to get in the water very much without Harry being holding him.

So Harry knew where to step and where he had cleaned and removed the stones so the kids wouldn't get hurt, so he just threw himself into the water with Ginny in his arms, the cold water making them cling to each other as they dived.

‘’Prat!’’ She said, splashing water on him as soon as the two emerged, her makeup smudged and her hair looking even more messy now wet.

‘‘Beautiful breasts.’’ Harry pointed at her nipples in view. ‘’No bra today?’’ He bit his lip, amused that she, even though they already had 2 children, blushed slightly.

‘’You don’t even know what I’m not wearing’’ She lay on her back in the water, swimming away from Harry with her face being lit by the full moon and the starry sky.

‘’I thought you wanted to swim naked.’’ He took off his wet clothes, throwing them on the grass and then diving to go over to where Ginny was, almost getting close to the waterfall that splashed water everywhere.

''That was before you threw me in the water.'' She stood in front of him, cold hands touching him in the face, the same eyes he had seen since he was 11 years old, now looks even more beautiful, even with all that makeup running under them.

‘’I love you.’’ Harry said, resting his hands on her waist, wishing that dress was out of her body.

‘’It won’t make me swim naked. You missed the chance to see that, Potter, you will have to convince me even if you want to kiss me.’’ Ginny looked at him defiantly, trying to get away from his grip but failing every time.

‘’It’s good that I know what to do then.’’ And then, more natural than any other movement, Harry dove, ready to get on his knees for that devil disguised as an angel.

[demonologist-in-denim]

“Okay,” Dean declared as the Winchesters, Cas and Crowley ambled into the mostly empty museum, “this place is awesome!”

For any imaginative child – or grown man denied the joy of childhood – the interactive children’s museum and library was very much a magical place. The walls were brightly painted, with puzzles or buttons that lit up. There were large foam constructions to climb on, and nooks to hide in, rope bridges and swing sets, an obstacle course and one of those nebula lightening balls that made kids’ hair stand on end. According to the map of the vast museum, there was a room where the entire floor was a pool of bubble solution, and kids hopped from island to island, using huge wands to blow massive bubbles. In another room, kids could be the bubbles, climbing inside inflated suits and bouncing around a room full of air jets. An entire wing of the museum was given over to a library, where shelves revolved to reveal hidden rooms and spiral staircases led up into miniature observatories. It was a place of childhood wonder and imagination.

All that fun, however, was being put on hold by unwelcome disappearances – and odd appearances. Lately, museum and library staff were going missing, and in their place, children were suddenly appearing. The children all went unclaimed at the end of the day, and made quite a bit of fuss when adults attempted to help them find their families. They insisted they weren’t really children at all.

“A case involving children,” Crowley griped, “how delightful.”

“Come on, Crowley,” Sam laughed at both the demon and his brother’s excited exploration of one of the exhibits. “We were all kids once. With imagination and joy and – you know – optimism about life.”

“Speak for yourself,” Crowley muttered. He grabbed Dean by the elbow and dragged him over to the cartoon-styled map of the museum. The FBI agents and the consulting Child’s Services counselors had just come from a meeting with the museum’s director regarding the case, and were scoping out the place. Normally, one pair would have done the preliminary investigation while the other pair looked into lore and the victims, but the museum was massive and too much for just two people. And it was clear that Dean was going to be a bit of a handful on this case.

Cas wasn’t helping much either.

“You were a child, once.” The fallen angel smiled irritatingly and glanced at Crowley out of the corner of his eye, thoroughly enjoying ribbing the reformed demon. “You wouldn’t have enjoyed a place like this? Is there not some small – very small – part of you that – ”

“I’m going to spare you from finishing that utterly ridiculous sentence, Feathers. If this is Neverland, than I am Captain Hook. Which would make you lot the Lost Boys and that one – ” He eyed Dean as the hunter enthusiastically dug a penny out of his pocket and set to spinning down the museum’s donation funnel. Crowley would murder them all before admitting something in him softened at the sight. “ – the boy who will never grow up.”

They all watched Dean for a moment, watching the penny as it spun round and round.

“Right,” Sam said, nodding towards the entrance to the main exhibits. “Who’s up for some exploring?” The four passed through the turnstile and into the museum.

It was rather obvious what was happening, of course. Something or someone was turning the museum and library staff into their childhood selves. Crowley wasn’t yet clear on the how or why of it. Or how to reverse whatever was happening.

What he did know was to take the necessary precautions against the Winchesters, Castiel or himself being turned into children. The absolute last thing he needed was for Sam and Dean to be downsized to hyperactive, bloodthirsty “wee-chesters” with himself and Cas responsible for their care and the case. Or worse – much, much worse – for all of four of them to be de-aged. In which case, the only real solution, horrible as it would be, would be to call his mother. Crowley could only imagine the delight Rowena would take in that particular situation. Unless, of course, reversing the spell proved to be difficult, in which case she would have not one, but four very rambunctious and very unwelcome boys under her care.

Rowena was not even remotely fond of children, much less her own son at that age. And it wasn’t something Crowley had any interest in reliving either. Thus, the necessary precautions were in place.

Which left him free to enjoy, from an emotional remove and with dismissive amusement, the wonders of the children’s museum.

Room after room opened into another immersive, interactive exhibit. A room where they walked on bridges and ducked under overpasses built for marble races. A room lit up in blacklight with huge, glowing blocks where kids learned about the light spectrum. More than once, they nearly lost Dean.

“Dude! Dude!” Dean grabbed Cas by a shoulder and shook him. “That room is a giant ball pit! And slides!” The hunter stared up into the two-story high room designed to look like an alien spaceship, where slides of all different colors and lengths slithered down into the ball pit. A child walked by eating a multi-colored swirled cookie from the museum’s café. The treat was the same size as the kid’s head. Dean stared after him. “Duuuude…”

“I am beginning to suspect,” Crowley mused, glancing back with bemusement as Dean shuffled after them, craning his neck to look into every room they passed, “that whatever is causing the staff to become children likely has to do with their own over-enthusiasm for the museum.”

“You think so?” Sam asked. Almost to juxtapose his brother, he straightened his suit’s tie and walked like the professional FBI agent he was pretending to be. “I would have guessed it was the work of a witch.”

“Oh yeah?” Dean hopped on the moving sidewalk and rode ahead of them, looking a little too proud of himself for it. “If that’s the case, why bother? In my experience, witches turn adults into kids to eat them. But there are plenty of kids running around, so why not just snatch any of them?”

Castiel furrowed his brow at Dean and glanced around them, concerned. “You should not talk about snatching children so loudly in public.”

“Feathers makes a good point.”

“Yeah, okay, thanks, Mr. Pretend Child Services.”

Crowley adjusted his cardigan and glared at the hunter. He still wasn’t clear why, exactly, he and Cas needed to play at the counselors while the Winchesters got to be the investigating agents.

“Maybe it is some sort of benevolent entity,” Cas offered, obnoxiously hopeful as always. “Perhaps it only wishes for the staff to enjoy the museum and the library as much as their young patrons enjoy it. And it doesn’t understand that it is causing undue harm.”

“Yeeeah,” Sam smiled weakly at the fallen angel. “I suppose that could be it.”

The foursome stopped at the end of the corridor, before a massive pile of books stacked to create a doorway which marked the entrance to the library. Beyond, light choired through the room in sparkling peals, shelves upon shelves climbed the walls, and in the center rose a great tree. Not a real tree, as would be immediately obvious to any adult. A sign declared it to be The Great Reading Tree, and rope ladders and staircases climbed up into its branches, where hammocks hung and platforms with railings looked out over the room. There were soft burrows carved into the tree at the base and into some of the larger branches, where children could nestle in for a read. The top branches entwined with the ceiling and drifted out over the room. Bookmarks dangled above the boys’ heads.

“Don’t,” Sam warned his brother, “even think about it.”

Dean opened his mouth to protest, but couldn’t keep the massive smile off his face. It was clear just how badly he wanted to climb The Great Reading Tree. Even if he wouldn’t fit in any of the hammocks or burrows or any of the rest of it.

They walked through a room bathed in ultramarine, with floor-to-ceiling aquariums creating a child-sized maze. Dean stopped to ogle the dwarf lanternshark and scare the pufferfish into inflating. With bored exasperation, Cas reminded him not to tap on the glass. In a room without lights, the floor tiles were lit in bright colors and chimed musical notes as the boys stepped on them. Dean danced the chorus of “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” and Crowley may or may not have tapped out the opening notes of Brahms’ Symphony No. 3. They tottered their way through a vortex tunnel the length of a football field. Dean had to be quite literally dragged from the room where some ingenious engineer had managed to combine air hockey and bowling.

Towards the end, they walked through a holographic, interactive exhibit of the solar system. Sam studied the rings of Saturn with scholarly intensity. Dean flicked asteroids across space. Cas held the world in his hands, turning Earth this way and that, pondering, with that deep furrow carved into his brow. Pretending disinterest, Crowley wandered towards the sun. He put his hand up to it, felt a muted warmth supplied by some sensory system or other. Pretended, for just a moment, that he was the center of their little universe, rather than second-rate Pluto.

“You ever walk among the stars, Cas?”

The fallen angel looked at him over the top of their world.

“Did you?” He asked, though it wasn’t so much a question as a quiet commiseration, a reminder to them both that they had more in common with one another than with the humans with which they now chose to keep company, to consider family.

They explored every exhibit in the museum, allegedly looking for clues about the case. There would be time for that later, though, once the museum closed. For now, it was admittedly fun to simply wander through and familiarize themselves with the museum.

Maybe, Crowley mused to himself in secret, there was a little bit of childlike wonder in each of them after all. Even in him, if only a little.

The maze of corridors and rooms led the four boys back around to the main entrance, with only one exhibit left. A floor-to-ceiling green screen photo booth, with a touchscreen interface that allowed the museum-goer to choose the background. And large green foam blocks and shapes to maneuver, sit or climb on, hide or lift to create a fully-immersive photo experience. On the opposite wall, the potential photo appeared, allowing photo-takers to see themselves and adjust accordingly. The final photo was available in both digital and print at the museum gift shop.

“Dude! We gotta do this!” Dean was already swiping through the available backgrounds.

“Yes, by all means,” Crowley drawled. “Let’s leave a record of our being here, as well as making fools of ourselves. That will surely never come back around to bite us in the arse.”

“Hey, you know what? You don’t have to be in the photo if you don’t want to be.” Dean replied, with a tone that said he wasn’t about to let the demon ruin his fun. “Me and Sam and Cas? We’re gonna be pirates.”

“Wait,” Sam started to say, “I didn’t agree to – ”

“Come on, Sammy!” Dean called happily over his shoulder. The screen on the opposite wall lit up with the image of a massive pirate ship, floating in what could only be, Crowley realized with some amusement, Mermaid Bay. A jolly roger flew from the mast and a crocodile lurked in the waters below the boat. Trailing among the sails was a sprinkling of golden glitter. Fairy dust.

Crowley shook his head. Neverland, indeed.

With Cas’ confused assistance, Dean stacked and arranged the foam blocks so that he and Sam could appear as if over the railing of the ship. More blocks were stacked to a precarious height, especially given that the blocks had to bear the weight of a grown man, and Dean appeared in the crow’s nest of the ship.

“Check it out!” Dean laughed. “We look awesome! Everyone ready?” He held the remote control clicker in one hand, ready to take the photo.

Crowley looked at the three – Dean up in the crow’s next making a fierce scowl; Sam with his hands up to his eyes, pretending to be looking through a spyglass; Castiel, so eager to go along despite his utter lack of understanding, absolutely beaming at the camera. Little boys at play, all three of them.

Crowley sighed, and stepped into the bottom corner of the green screen. He lifted a foot to “brace” against the open treasure chest resting on the shore, crossed his arms, and offered the camera his most supremely pleased smile.

There was a loud, lens-shutter sound that the exhibit’s child audience would recognize and understand, and then their little tour of the museum was over.

Out in the main entrance, Sam delegated responsibilities, sending Dean and Crowley to interview the museum and library staff turned into children, under the premise of reunited the supposedly lost children with their parents. Sam was going to look into any related lore, and Castiel was to remain at the museum, keep an eye on the staff, and see if he couldn’t ascertain anything that might be of importance.

“Okay, but before we head out,” Dean insisted to Crowley, after they had parted ways with his brother and the angel, “I’mma visit the café, get me one of those cookies. Maybe a nacho-flavored corndog or some astronaut ice cream. You want anything?”

A decent cup of tea was entirely unlikely, so Crowley sent Dean off on his own, with strict instructions to return immediately after obtaining the desired treats, and not go wandering off again into the museum. He even threatened with the possibility of acquiring one of those child leashes, but Dean just laughed, patted him on the shoulder and made off towards the museum café.

In the absence of any unbelieving eyes, Crowley wandered over to the gift shop. He scrolled through the various photos taken from throughout the day in the green screen room. Ostensively to look for anything that might pertain to the case. But when he came to the photo of the four of them, he quietly paid for a digital copy to be sent to one of his private emails. And for a printed one, which he thought would go nicely in a frame and which he might present to Dean later, with the insistence that the photo be hung in Dean’s room or someplace that no one but the four of them might see it. Crowley had a reputation to maintain, after all.

And then, remembering something, Crowley pulled out his phone and opened up his Bumblr app. He checked the date, and smiled to himself. How fortuitous.

He made a new post and tagged one of the supernatural fans with whom he occasionally liked to chat, keeping himself up to date on the fandom and, surprising no one but himself, even making a few friends. This fan also happened to enjoy the work of J.M. Barrie, and Crowley was fairly certain they’d appreciate this particular photo of himself and the boys, who were known to the fandom as rather dedicated Supernatural LARPers. He supposed his reputation could handle a little fun, now and then.

“Happy birthday, @emblue-sparks,” Crowley tapped out under the photo. “From everyone’s favorite ‘boys who refuse to grow up.’”

He clicked post, and smiling, wandered back into the museum in search of Dean.

***

Surprise, Em! Wasn’t sure I was going to get this written in time, but where there is a will, there is a way. Hope you like it and have a wonderful day today! Eat lots of cake for me.

Thanks to everyone for reading! If you’re wondering exactly why – or even how – Crowley became a member of the in-world spn fandom, you can find out here.

[marvelous-writer]

if you’re happy and you know it... break a rib?

Summary: In which Peter spends the weekend at Happy’s for much-needed bonding time, according to May, only they end up bonding over broken bones instead when Peter takes a particularly nasty tumble.

Febuwhump Day 16: Broken Bones

A/N: @febuwhump

Word Count: 1,931

Genre: whump, hurt/comfort, fluff

Link to read on Ao3

Peter doesn’t know how he got roped into spending the weekend at Happy’s for what May calls it—a ‘guy’s weekend.’

With Happy and May being newly engaged for less than a month now, this ‘guy’s weekend’ is a little overdue apparently, according to her. Tony has been on board with it from the moment May told him about it during one of their many weekly phone call chat sessions.

This weekend would be a chance for Peter and Happy to get to know each other better—not that they actually need to. Peter already knows all he has to about Happy and Happy knows all he has to about him. They get along just fine and Peter likes Happy—he’s a good guy and Peter couldn’t be happier for him and May. They’re absolutely smitten with each other and Happy goes out of his way to let May know how much he loves her.

It’s nice to see May with someone that truly cares about her… but it’s just hard. Peter never thought he’d see a day where May was with someone other than Ben. He remembers growing up with them, seeing how much they loved each other so much through the little things like them sparing a soft, loving glance at each other, how they use to hold hands on walks in the park, or how Ben always woke up extra early to get May her favorite bagels halfway across the city every Sunday morning.

Peter had been taken back when Happy first proposed to May, but he’d dealt with it by shoving his grief down because the last thing he’d ever want to do is ruin May’s happiness. He knows she’ll always love Ben but she’s been able to move on from that part of her life after years of healing and grieving. May doesn’t deserve to spend the rest of her life alone. She deserves to live a life with someone that loves her unconditionally and that someone is Happy.

That’s why Peter doesn’t understand why this weekend even has to happen but Happy agreed to it easily when May proposed the idea of it, much to Peter’s surprise. And what’s even more surprising… Happy planned out the entire weekend. He has a checklist and everything too.

They’re already into the second day of their ‘guy’s weekend’ and so far… it’s actually been pretty nice. They spent the day at the new outer space exhibit at the museum and got pizza for lunch at that new pizzeria a few blocks away. Peter even found out that Happy is a little bit of a Star Wars fan while they were in the Imax theater during the video presentation of all the planets and stars.

It’s been a good day.

Until now.

It’s close to nine-thirty in the evening and Peter’s finishing up scrubbing his hair dry with a towel after a shower. He hangs the towel over his bare shoulders as he grabs his sweatpants from the vanity counter and puts them on, only for his feet to slide out from under him as he unknowingly walks over a puddle of water on the tiled floor.

Peter falls backwards and he reaches out to catch himself, only to meet air since the sink is too far away for him to grab onto. He knows he’s screwed. When his back collides against the porcelain toilet behind him, an audible, loud crack fills the air as a blinding pain explodes in his back and on his right side. Peter cries out from the pain as he hits the bathroom floor, somehow managing to smack the side of his head on the thankfully closed toilet lid on his way down.

He lets out a groan as he lays on the cold bathroom floor for a few long, pain-filled moments, tightly squeezing his eyes shut against the pain radiating from his head and entire side.

So much for a spider-sense, Peter thinks.

Through ringing ears, Peter can hear the thud hurried footsteps coming from down the hall. “Peter? Are you okay in there?” Happy’s worried voice comes from outside the door.

For a brief second, he almost considers lying about his current dilemma with how embarrassing the whole thing is but he feels something shift painfully in his side—which is definitely not normal.

“Um… n-not really?” Peter answers weakly.

“What happened?” Happy asks. “Did you fall in the shower?”

“N-No…but I kind of slipped,” Peter says as he blinks open his eyes, only to be met with an alarming amount of dizziness. He has to close them again before it gets him sick. It reminds him of that one time he and Ned went on the Hulk Tower Of Smashing roller coaster at Coney Island and he couldn’t see straight for almost twenty minutes once they got off.

“Are you hurt?” Happy asks.

Peter’s head gives off a particularly sharp throb as if he needs a reminder. “A-A little,” he says through gritted teeth.

He hears the door handle jiggle. “Shit—the doors locked,” Happy mumbles from outside. “Uh—okay. I’m gonna get the door open, you just stay where you are.”

Peter frowns at that but before he can question him, the door is suddenly forcefully shoved in with a loud squeak from the hinges protesting against the movement.

Happy steps in, clad in his pajamas, his face falling at the sight of him. “Oh shit,” he breathes out as he rushes over and kneels at Peter’s side. “What happened?”

“‘S water on the floor… slipped,” Peter answers as he blinks up at the man’s blurry figure, grateful to be at least half-dressed with sweatpants on to spare him of any further embarrassment.

“Where are you hurt?” Happy asks, brows pulled together in concern as his eyes scan over him for any obvious signs of injury.

“My side… I think something’s loose.” Peter mumbles.

Happy’s eyes widen in alarm. “You think something’s loose?”

“Mhmm,” Peter hums in response as he tightly squeezes his eyes shut as another wave of pain washes over him.

He feels Happy’s fingertips run along his side, only to let out a sharp hiss in pain when he hits a particularly sensitive spot along his ribs.

“Sorry,” Happy apologizes, wincing in sympathy as he takes his hand away, brows still pulled together as he looks at Peter worriedly. “I think you might’ve broken a rib or two.” He says as he reaches up and gently pressed his thumb against the side of Peter’s head. “Looks like you banged your head pretty good too.”

“Yeah,” Peter says as he cracks an eye open. “Your toilet’s evil.”

Happy glances at the white porcelain before looking back at him with a raised brow. “You mean you hit your head on the toilet?”

Peter hums in response, afraid that his head will throb more if he nods.

“Well, shit. Now we’ve gotta add a possible concussion to the list,” Happy says with a frown. “How many fingers am I holding up?” He asks as he holds up a few fingers.

Peter looks up at his hand, blinking his eyes a few times to clear his blurry vision but it doesn’t help much. “Uhhh… three? N-No no… four?”

“Yeah, you definitely have a concussion. I’m only holding up one.” Happy tells him as he drops his hand. “Do you think you can stand up? We have to get you sitting up so I can have a better look at you.”

“Think so.”

Happy carefully slides an arm underneath Peter’s back and helps him slowly sit up, pausing a few times when Peter lets out a pained groan. Peter has to squeeze his eyes shut when he’s sitting propped up against the vanity, feeling like the world is swirling around him with how dizzy he feels.

Happy is rummaging through one of the drawers beside him before he kneels in front of Peter again. “Alright, open your eyes for me, Pete.” He says as he gently holds a hand to the back of Peter’s head.

Peter manages to crack his eyes open, only for a bright light to be shined in his eyes. He groans from the sharp pain that shoots up from his eyes to his head.

“Sorry, Pete,” Happy apologizes with a wince in sympathy. “Well…” he says as he clicks the skinny flashlight off, breathing out a sigh. “It looks like you have a minor concussion—I’m no doctor but I’ve had plenty of experience with Tony back in the day. And with your healing, you should be as good as new tomorrow but… I think we should postpone the rest of the activities for the weekend.”

Peter closes his eyes and carefully leans his head against the vanity behind him. He knows Happy’s been looking forward to checking off whatever else was on his list with him. “‘M sorry.” He mumbles guiltily.

“No—hey, Pete this isn’t your fault. You just slipped. It happens to everyone.”

“Yeah, but I ruined your whole weekend. I know you had a lot planned and everything.”

“Kid, look at me,” Happy says in an gentle tone Peter’s only heard him use with Morgan. Peter opens his eyes and meets Happy’s concerned ones. “This isn’t my weekend, it's ours. And you didn’t ruin anything. We can still have a guy’s weekend by sitting on the couch, watching whatever movies you want, even if it includes Star Wars.” He says with a small smile.

Peter manages a weak smile at that. “Even both seasons of the Mandalorian?” He asks.

Happy sighs and rolls his eyes goodnaturedly. “Of course,” he says. “But I don’t want you blaming yourself for this, okay?”

Peter hesitates for a moment, only to receive a raised brow from Happy. “Okay.” He agrees.

“Good. So how about we get you off the floor, get some pain meds in you, and get you into bed?” Happy suggests.

“Sounds good,” Peter says with a small smile.

…

Once Peter is settled into the guest bedroom bed with an ice pack on his injured side, Happy hands him his pain meds (thankfully his own that Happy keeps here) and washes them down with a bottle of water.

“Thanks, Happy,” Peter mumbles sleepily with a small, grateful smile.

“Anytime, kid. Just get some rest and call me if you need anything, okay?” Happy says with a small smile of his own as he turns around and starts to head over to the door.

“Hey, Happy?”

Happy pauses in the doorframe and looks back at him. “Hmm?”

“Um…” Peter trails off as he looks down at the blanket he’s fiddling with in his hands. For some reason, he doesn’t want to be alone right now. “Do you maybe want to get a head start on season one of the Mandalorian?”

The corners of Happy’s lips turn up into a small smile. “Do you want some popcorn?”

“Sure,” Peter says with a small smile.

When Happy comes back fifteen minutes later with two bowls of popcorn, he settles into a chair beside Peter’s bed and rests his feet on the edge of the mattress as the opening credits of the show begin.

They’re about twenty minutes into the first episode when Peter spares a glance Happy’s way, finding that the man’s eyes are glued to the tv as he munches away on his popcorn, intently watching the action unfolding on the screen. Peter grins to himself as he turns back to the tv.

“Man, whoever the writer is for this show is a genius.” Happy says around a mouthful of popcorn.

[euphoriacrossing]

So while I sit here trying to get normal balloon spawns...

I may as well write a blog. I am using a guide post on how to catch normal balloon spawns to try and get more cherry blossom recipes. Well I am only half using it.. I am camping on the beach waiting for normal balloon spawns instead of going there every 0/5 ending minute. I'll share the guide on here after this if I remember, but I already got one new cherry blossom recipe just by camping on the side of the beach that balloon spawns are coming from and ignoring the bunny day balloons, so I think this could work, too.

Anyway, now story mode is over, but I still have so, so much to do that it's not even funny. I am making it my main priority to save miles up to buy all the different paths and stuff. I think I have three left to buy so roughly 6,000 miles to earn. But saving miles means making less bells as Nook mile trips are where I made the most, I think. And now I can't take them because I have no miles/am saving miles and so I don't have the bells to pay off my house or to build a new bridge or any of the things I am saving for. But in part the fact it is harder to save bells just makes it feel like I have more to do and that is comforting in a way. I want the appeal of this game to last forever but I know my brain doesn't work like that. Still for now it's the best distraction I have and I'm grateful for it.

Having the ability to make paths is tough because it's just another million decisions to make and hope I get it right or can redo it better or whatever, so that Euphoria becomes the island I dreamed it could be. Right now I have a lot of dirt paths and I think they look okay. But I plan on redoing them someday with either custom paths or maybe just the arched tile ones... I like that path style. Still I started when I just had dirt so I just kind of kept going that way.

It looks alright, I think, especially at the entrance. I haven't finished a lot of the paths on either the right (residential) side or the left (wooded area/orchard) but I have mostly finished the center which is shops and such.

(So far I've gotten a normal balloon spawn every 5 minutes! So it works to just hang around the beach and then look for the spawns at every 0 and 5 ending minute. Edit: Aw, nope just didn't get that last one... I am probably doing something wrong then. Oops Edit2: Definitely doing something wrong. Didn't get a spawn again. Oh well I'll check the guide again once I finish this post. I am also watching for wishing stars so it won't be a total waste.. though I haven't seen any of those either. Last edit: Guide said spawns don't happen every time AND I just got another regular balloon, so maybe I'm fine? I hope I am not just wasting time.)

I am moving most of the houses before I do the paths on that side which is ANOTHER expense for sure, but after seeing a couple of my friend's islands, I knew I could make the houses probably a bit straighter and I decided I want them not quite as closer together as I want everyone to be able to have a yard. One of my friends has houses that are PIN straight and have little yards to them. I don't think I can accomplish that. But I do think I can space them out far enough to fence them in and have little yards.

So I started with the last to move in which was Marina. I put her in a space both by the beach, and by my house because even though she just moved in we're absolute besties. No but honestly, I love her. She sings like everywhere she goes and it's adorable.

I would move Beau next but I think he might stay close to where he is. Unfortunately if I have to move him a little bit I first have to move his house out of the way and then move it back because you can't move buildings just a tad, you have to find a whole new spot. This is why I had to move the whole museum to a new spot as it was slightly out of line and i couldn't just move it to where it lined up. I wish i had known this when i put things there. I didn't take care placing anything because I knew it could be moved. I only ASSUMED it could be moved a small amount as well especially since I assumed correctly that you were paying for it. But no, so oh well, now I have to come up with new spots for things, that's fine. Luckily both Nook's Cranny and the Able Sisters I got in perfect alignment with resident services like I wanted to so they're all on one straight path.

Anyway, I hope I can get it looking like i want it to. I thought that decorating it how I wanted would be the hardest because I still need to find all the furniture. But the paths might give that a run for it's money when we talk about difficulty level if you include trying to get all the houses in the right position and such.

But as hard as I've been "working" (it's definitely still fun or I wouldn't do it) I have found plenty of time for play as well. Yesterday morning I visited a friend for her KK Slider concert. I luckily have a good group of friends from a discord I'm part of and a lot of them are from other countries so they experience stuff before I do and things like that. So a bunch of us visited her for her KK concert and we did some of that...

And then things got a little wild...

Lol, it was fun. I thought for a second about the state of the world but I didn't panic thankfully. I just saw a bunch of us coming together from across the globe, some of us in quaratine, almost all of us at least ADVISED not to go out unless necessary. The world is a scary place right now, but the fact we could still come together from across the globe to be silly and enjoy a game together makes me feel like everything might be alright. I mean, it would still be cool even if these things weren't going on, but the fact they are abd socialization is becoming more difficult than ever, it's cool to see an alternate means of that in action.

I can't believe I took no pictures of her super straight houses, ugh, if I go again, I will have to, they are literally perfect.

And the weirdest thing about all of this to me is how included i feel in all of this. We're all on a small AC discord together and it seems like a lot of them have maybe known each other a while. But unlike a lot of other places it doesn't feel cliquey to me. I've always been welcome to come to their islands, and they have always been very courteous when any of them have come to mine. They act as happy to see me as they do anyone else. And I've only known them a short time so it would usually feel strange to call them "friends" but it doesn't. Now obviously they could feel differently but if they do they don't show it. I am incredibly grateful to have found them. I really couldn't ask for a better group of people to play with.

I actually was invited from this tumblr. Likely after I made some kind of post about not feeling like I belonged in the AC community or something similarly emo and whiny, I'm sure. So I am surprised I was invited at all, but I am so thankful I was. It was just what i was looking for in the AC community.

(Yes! I learned cherry blossom umbrella! Balloon hunting is going fairly well considering I only had like two of the cherry blossom DIYs total before I started and now in about an hour I've doubled that.)

I do have some facebook friends and such I have play AC with, and I am also grateful for them as well of course. It has brought us closer together and I am thankful for that. I have one friend who we constantly send each other gifts like if we accidentally got two of something or a DIY we already have or just if we think something is cool, it's really fun. I enjoy mail as much in game as I do in real life.

But yeah, I was nervous when this game first came out that I would be stuck playing just with my sister. And don't get me wrong I love playing the game with her, we always have a good time. But sometimes you need socialization beyond your own family and I really saw this as my one chance to connect since I'm not very social, I am very anxious, and I just struggle with these things. I may have been right about it being my best chance at connection because I can hide a lot of the awkwardness in game. Very thankfully though, I found people who accept what I can't hide in game. And who accept me. For some reason that's just been really hard to do. Every community I am a part of I feel like an outsider until now. But yeah, I am looking forward to a continued friendship with these people and continuing to enjoy the game moving forward.

I guess I've rambled enough. I still need to get more balloons, but I can't write here forever. Though... I frequently do write far too much here and I wonder if it get read. If it doesn't I don't blame ya. But yeah. I will leave you with this adorable pic I took while Marina was singing... you can't really tell she was singing, but still, she's adorable either way.

(And don't you love this dress? I have it in I think 4 different colors, I just love it.)

[theshatteredrose]

A Gathering of Guardians - Prologue Saga (Chapter 7) - Etrian Odyssey Nexus Fanfiction

AN: I finally managed to write something~ Took me a while to finally finish this chapter. It’s a rather long one, too. 5k words. That might be one of the reasons why it’s taking me this long to finish it. Perhaps I should focus on shorter chapter. Anyway, I honestly don’t know when I’ll get the next chapter out. But I will be working on it slowly. I will finish this series. It might take me a while, but I will finish it.

Enough ramblings. Hope you enjoy reading~!

Chapter 7:

The sun had barely risen when the shadow of the flying city of Maginia passed over Armoroad. It moved slowly, almost ominously, causing many of the residents to take to the streets to obverse. The city’s appearance was rather sudden, so it was fortunate that they had received word of its presence days in advance.

The low, vibrational rumbling of the passing city caused Oracle, leader of the Aurora Guild, to step onto the balcony of his room. He watched with mild interest as Maginia rumbled overhead. The other members of his guild were also aroused from their sleep by the flying city, and they too, headed outside to watch as it passed, searching for a landing area.

However, Oracle wasn’t all that interested in the flying city. He was more interested in what, or rather who was to be found within the city.

The stars had been alerting him to a newcomer for a few days now. A new person who would be able to help them. Although, the stars didn’t tell him who that person who or what it was they would help them with. But, hopefully, they were a healer. A talented healer who could help the two most fragile members of the guild.

With everyone of the guild now awake, Oracle turned to move back inside to get changed into his zodiac robes before he moved downstairs. Everyone was gathering for breakfast, chatting idly about the flying city. He could hear the bubbling of excitement in their voices.

All Oracle could think about, however, as he glanced over at shogun Zydon as he rested in his wheelchair, was the hope that the stars were right once again. The injuries that Zydon unfortunately suffered from were far from conventional. No healer upon the island of Armoroad knew how to help him, and nothing they tried to return the use of his legs had worked.

He was well cared for within the guild. Kujura, in particular was very attentive of him. And it wasn’t just from the guilt he felt. Not entirely. It might be neigh impossible for Zydon to return to how he used to be, but as his guild leader, Oracle owed it to him to at least try.

The same for Seyfried. His health was rather precarious, too. Having been an Yggdroid for over a hundred years and suddenly finding himself human again, its no wonder he doesn’t know how the handle the form of a fragile, vulnerable human. He felt useless, stated as much, and had fallen into a depression because he was no longer able to lead his people like he once did.

Hoplite Razak was instrumental in convincing Seyfried to move in with them at the Observatory, the large lighthouse that Guild Aurora called home. Getting him out of his underground environment and back into the sunlight was quite the change for him. But it was necessary. The further away he was from the labyrinth and the responsibilities he once held, the better.

Oracle turned his attention toward the older monk, a professor and “mentor”, though more like an adoptive father figure. He did whisk him away from his murderous mother, saving his life, after all.

“We’re going to be asked to join Maginia’s expedition, aren’t we?” Oracle directed that question toward Holt, the older Monk momentarily pausing in his morning stretches.

“Ah,” Holt uttered after a moment. “Did your cards or stars tell you that?”

“Cards,” Oracle answered swiftly. “The stars tell me of something else.”

Again, Holt paused for the briefest moment before he swiftly returned to his exercises. “Oh?”

“Someone is aboard that flying monstrosity that may be able to help Zydon and Seyfried.”

A lull fell over the room and a silence crept in. Oracle could feel the eyes of the others on him. Four gazes in particular; Zydon, Kujura, Seyfried, and Razak.

“Ah,” Holt uttered once again, but this time breaking the silence. “Is that so? How intriguing. I hope that this person lives up to your expectations.”

Holt was being cautious. Annoyingly but rightfully so. They had tried several times to remove that curse that was taking the use of Zydon’s legs away from him. Being half zodiac allowed him to manifest wings, so he could move about with ease. But it was still exhausting for him to do so. The curse of which he suffered was likely the cause.

“Are we really going to move to Maginia?” Joren, their guild’s farmer and self-imposed caretaker, asked softly. Almost meekly. He was likely unnerved about the idea of leaving behind the only place he has ever really known.

“Maginia is planning quite the excursion,” Holt replied as he continued his morning stretches. “They plan to visit an island known in myth as Lemuria. An unknown and mysterious island said to be filled with legends and treasures.”

So…even if that person that the stars had told him about was unable to help, perhaps something within the island of Lemuria could instead?

“As you know, Villard is an old acquaintance of mine,” Holt continued. “He requested that I help with the Maginian Museum. Of course, I don’t have to agree. But…perhaps it would do as all some good to leave Armoroad. Even for a short while.”

It did sound nice. Moving to a new place to get into trouble. Oracle was certain that there were inhabitants of Armoroad, especially the hoity-toity types, that would be thrilled that the Aurora Guild would be leaving. They were the outcasts, basically. They didn’t reform themselves to social structure. So they were often looked down upon.

Oracle couldn’t care less. His own mother wanted to abide by social beliefs, and that desperation of having a “normal” son, and not one who predicted the death of a family friend, led to her to try to drown him.

“Well, perhaps I should head out to greet my old friend,” Holt said as he finally finished with his stretches. “An expedition sounds quite fun. I’ll be going myself. As for anyone else, it’s your choice.”

While Oracle had pretty much dragged many into his guild (often without their knowledge), he still didn’t feel right about making this kind of decision for them. Packing up and moving to Maginia for an expedition was not easy decision.

Oracle, however, had no problem with packing up and moving elsewhere.

So, he turned to everyone of his guild. “Take your time to make your decisions. It’s up to you. Think carefully.”

“Oracle, Sigil; care to accompany me?” Holt requested. A reasonable request, honestly. They were seen as his apprentices, after all.

“Of course,” Oracle replied as he watched as his brother, a fellow zodiac with purple hair and a perpetual shit-eating grin on his lips lifted from his chair.

Holt folded his arms behind his back and smoothly moved to the front doors. Oracle and Sigil followed him close behind. But as Oracle walked past Zydon, the shogun reached out to snare his wrist to pull him to a stop.

“Oracle?” Zydon asked as he looked up at him from his wheelchair. “Do you really believe there’s someone who can help me?”

Oracle empathised with what Zydon was feeling. He suffered greatly, perhaps more than all of them. Stabbed by a man he trusted and loved, a man who was possessed by a cursed sword, who’s name would never be uttered again. The attack was nearly life-threatening, though they managed to save his life. Not the use of his legs.

He felt…useless, for a lack of a better word. He was far from it, but he was highly critical of himself. Much like Seyfried, really.

“I do,” Oracle said firmly as he looked straight into Zydon’s eyes. “Don’t worry.”

Zydon gazed up at him for a silent moment before he nodded his head. “Ok.” He then let go of Oracle’s wrist.

Oracle gave Zydon a small smile before he turned to follow Sigil and Holt out of the Observatory. Holt took the lead as they walked down a stone-lined path that led to the city of Armoroad. Oracle stayed a few paces back with Sigil. Sigil appeared jovial, humming lightly under his breathe while Oracle was contemplative.

“Nee, Oracle,” Sigil cooed, as he usually did when he wanted his attention. “You’ve made you decision, hm?”

Oracle nodded his head. “Indeed.”

He would still need to talk to Kardos, though. He was sure that the gladiator would accompany him. He had said multiple times before that he would stay with him, to the ends of the earth. Still, Oracle would ask. He…wanted to go to Lemuria more than Maginia.

“Sounds fun,” Sigil hummed. “New people to terrify and befuddle.”

Hm. Sounded that Sigil had made his decision also.

“Indeed,” Oracle uttered again, a half-smirk on his lips.

As they reached the halfway mark, a sudden, tingling sensation that touched Oracle’s aura caused him to immediately come to a stop. His etheric wings twitched and the third eye, found in the middle of his forehead, fluttered also. He instinctively looked up at the sky to concentrate on the feeling. Next to him, Sigil did the same.

Over the bubbling, bustling atmosphere, two very distinct and new presences could be felt. Both were quite warm in comparison to those found within the city. One was tender, ethereal in a way. Light and nurturing. The other, however, was powerful. Not overwhelming, but benignly and protectively strong. One could heal any wound, the other could defeat any threat.

That was what he felt from their auras.

Oracle wasn’t an empath. Not a very well-trained one at least. But he was able to sense the presences of others all the same. Know where they were and what their intentions were. But he had never encountered anything quite like the presences that had just arrived in Armoroad.

“Hm? Do you feel that?” Sigil asked, though the question wasn’t exactly necessary.

Oracle nodded his head. “I do. Two power presences.”

“Extremely powerful,” Sigil muttered before that shit-eating grin reappeared on his lips and he continued forward, a slight spring in his step. “Interesting.”

It was. Perhaps…

Oracle shook his head and continued forward, also, increasing his steps to catch up with both Sigil and Holt. But as they approached the city, those two presences seemed to be drawing closer toward them also. Heading in their direction, even.

Looking further down the path, the sight of three figures approaching greeted him. One was an elderly man with a monocle and a cape of eccentric design. With him where two others. Younger men. Clearly both explorers.

And they were the ones that held the powerful presences they had sensed.

“Ah, Villard,” Holt greeted warmly as the two small groups met. “We were just coming to greet you ourselves, old friend.”

“Holt,” the elderly War Magus grinned. “Still allergic to shirts, I see.”

“Of course,” Holt replied instantly before he punched himself in his supposedly rock-hard abs. “It would be a right shame to hide this magnificent physic.”

Villard laughed for a moment before the two men grasped each other’s hands and pulled themselves into a half, manly hug, patting each other on the back with their other hands. But Oracle wasn’t paying much attention to the older men. His gaze was locked on the two younger men behind Villard.

One was tall with red hair and blue-eyes. His muscles were subtle, but his straight but relaxed posture indicated that he was confident without overpowering ego. He gave the impression of power, protection, and acceptance.

The other man was shorter with long orange-hair, vibrant violet eyes, and a marking atop of his third eye chakra. He was the quintessential healer; nurturing, empathetic, compassionate. He gave the presence that made people want to open up to him, seeking advice or comfort.

…It was him.

“You’re heard of Oracle and Sigil, yes?” Holt’s voice pulled Oracle from his observation. “Two wayward waifs that are my apprentice.”

“Ah, yes. Oracle is the guild leader of Aurora, yes?” Villard said in return as he folded his arms within his robes. “Well, allow me to introduce to you the co-leaders of the Guardian Guild from Lagaard; Axel and Lynus.”

The redheaded Axel gave a friendly grin and nodded. “Hey.”

And the orange-haired Lynus smiled gently. “Nice to meet you.”

Oracle, instead of utterly a greeting in return, walked past Holt and Villard, and moved to stand before the one with the bright aura. Lynus, was his name. Violet eyes focused in on his in curiosity, his regard toward him more of interest than intimidated. He did hold a sense of nervous, but that was to be expected.

"You must be the one that the stars told me about," Oracle said.

The medic's brow furrowed ever so slightly, his curiosity mixing with confusion. His expression soon soothed out in realisation. "Who is it that you want me to see?"

…That response. He had to be the one.

"This way, please," Oracle said simply as he half turned and motioned toward the Observatory.

Lynus nodded his head before he turned to look over at the tall man next to him. “Axel?”

“You’re not leaving my sight,” Axel immediately stated.

Hm…protective but understanding. Intriguing. And reasonable. He appeared somewhat curious, too.

Oracle simply nodded his head and turned to lead the two back to the Observatory, leaving Holt, Sigil, and Villard to literally talk amongst themselves. He assumed that many of his guildmates had left the Observatory. To spend some time alone, or with their partners, pondering on their decisions regarding Maginia.

Hopefully, Zydon and Seyfried were still there.

“Do you mind if I introduce you to everyone later?” Oracle asked as the approached the tall, white lighthouse.

“Not at all,” Lynus replied politely.

“They are wishing to take this time to come to their own decisions regarding whether joining Villard on Maginia,” Oracle explained as they reached the front doors, which were still propped open.

“Ah, yes.” There was obvious understanding in Lynus’ voice. “We, too, had to consider the request quite thoroughly ourselves. Thankfully, everyone of our guild, and those we hold dear, agree to join us.”

“Oracle?”

Lynus’ gaze immediately flickered over to Zydon’s direction, drawn toward him seemingly by some unknown force. His eyes widened a fraction and he drew in a sharp intake of air, so softly that there was an almost inaudible gasp. His expression suddenly softened, almost appeared pained.

Oracle turned to look at Zydon, too, noting that the shogun looked somewhat startled, and confused. He locked gazes with Oracle, his head tilted to the side questioningly.

“Sorry, I did not mean to startle you,” Lynus was the one to speak up first, his voice calming and reassuring. “I’m a medic and medical researcher, so it’s in my nature to cast a cursory glance at others.”

Zydon turned to look at Lynus once more, his confusion soothing into interest. “Oh, are you from Maginia?”

“Actually, from High Lagaard,” Lynus replied as he walked further into the Observatory and approached Zydon.

Kyan, Zydon’s twin brother appeared from the kitchen area, his posture protective as he glanced at Lynus suspiciously, but cursorily all the same. “Medical researcher?”

“Hm. I’ve been healing mortal wounds for over ten years now and have quite a lot of experience with curses,” Lynus replied.

Curses, huh? That was a rather odd thing to state, but intriguing all the same. Many of those in the medical field don’t actually believe in curses and dark spells, despite the evidence.

Kyan found the admission a little startling himself, though he didn’t say anything in response.

Instead, he turned to keep a close eye on his brother. Zydon had pulled his wheelchair close to the coffee table and watched as Lynus moved to perch on the edge of the table to give him his full attention. Axel stayed near the door of the Observatory, his arms folded across his chest. He was guarded, but not willing to intervene. It indicated to Oracle that this kind of scenario was a common occurrence.

Lynus raised his hand toward Zydon. “Do you mind?”

Zydon looked at him in curiosity before he glanced down at his hand. Slowly, he raised his own hand and allowed Lynus to take it gently. Lynus covered his hand with both of his before he lowered his head slightly and closed his eyes. He stayed like that for a few moments.

Curious himself, Oracle turned to look at Axel.

Axel leaned toward him to whisper to him. “Inspecting him through his aura. He sensed something not right the moment he entered.”

“Touching the person allows for greater clarity?” Oracle asked.

Axel nodded his head. “He’s currently searching for the reason for anomalies in his aura. If there is something wrong, he will find it.”

Oracle nodded his head also. Intriguing.

Finally, Lynus sighed and opened his eyes. He idly rubbed his thumb against the back of Zydon’s hand as he tried to find the right words to respond. With a sad smile, he released Zydon’s hand.

“You’re in quite the state, aren’t you?” Lynus said as he rested his hands on his lap. “Thankfully, you still have sensations in your legs and you can move them, but placing any pressure on them will result in you collapsing.”

Oracle had to admit that he was honestly surprised to hear Lynus say that. He hadn’t told him a thing, but he picked out what was ailing Zydon exactly.

The twins were also greatly surprised. “You know that? Do you know the cause?” Kyan was the one to ask.

Lynus nodded his head slowly. “A curse. It is also the cause of your fatigue.”

Again, he was right.

“Can…you-?”

“It’s not easily fixed,” Lynus interrupted gently. “It can’t be done overnight. To be honest, I will need to do some research. But, within Maginia, I have a clinic of my own. And a friend and colleague of mine is working on opening a hospital.”

That would mean they Zydon would have to move to Maginia as well.

“I don’t want to influence your decision of joining Maginia,” Lynus continued. “It’s your choice entirely. But I am staying with Maginia and I am certain that, under my care, I will find a way to help you. And if you do choose to do so, I will do whatever is necessary to improve your way of life.”

He sounded determined. And sincere.

It was the sincerity that caught Zydon and Kyan off guard.

“What’s going on here?”

Oracle looked over to a small room to the right of the seating room and watched as Seyfried, with his walking stick and Razak at his side walked out. Ah, good. The second person he would like their newfound medical friend to inspect.

“Take a seat, Seyfried,” Oracle instructed. “A medic from Maginia has agreed to visit us.”

Seyfried flickered his gaze over to Lynus, and though didn’t look all that impressed, resigned himself nonetheless. Lynus stayed sat on the coffee table as he regarded Seyfried carefully. His face was professionally free from expression, but it was obvious that he was indeed watching him carefully.

“Ah, I apologise for my sudden appearance and nosiness,” Lynus said as he turned his attention toward Seyfried, attempting to diffuse the minor tension in the room. “I’m a devout medic and Oracle has insinuated that he has a few guildmates that may require medical attention.”

It took Seyfried a few moments to drop himself stubbornly majestically onto the couch close to the coffee table. The former Abyssal King was unused to receiving help and attention from others, and preferred to stubbornly do things on his own. But he also knew how stubborn Oracle was in return, and knew it would only drain time and energy to act rebellious.

“I’ll need your hand as well,” Lynus said as he raised a rather delicate hand toward Seyfried. “Will that be all right?”

Seyfried barely smothered a sigh but raised his hand nevertheless. “Very well.”

Seyfried’s hand was pale and fragile, even in Lynus’ soft hands. Lynus closed his hand around Seyfried’s quickly and much like he did with Zydon, he closed his hands and concentrated.

He didn’t need to focus on Seyfried for as long as he did with Zydon, it seemed. And after a few silent moments, opened his eyes.

“Hmm. It won’t be an easy fix either,” Lynus said as he rubbed his thumb against the back of Seyfried’s hand, again much like he did with Zydon. “It will take time. You feel disconnected to your physical body. We’ll need to increase your muscle mass and loosen your joints. Gentle exercise and a refined diet are the best course of action. Once you start feeling in control of yourself once more, your disconnection will also ease.”

Though Seyfried’s expression didn’t change from his regal and stoic professionalism, it was obvious from Oracle’s point of view that he was greatly surprised by the medic’s accurate insight.

Oracle glanced over at Zydon, noting the wheelchair, before turning back to Seyfriend, his gaze lingering on the walking-stick he relied on heavily. “We’ll be able to bring them both with us?”

“Of course,” Lynus immediately replied. “I don’t see why not. I believe Villard will agree, but if for whatever reason he doesn’t, I’ll talk to him.”

Oracle arched an eyebrow. “Hm? Quite the negotiator then?”

“His Disappointed Mum look is devastating,” Axel supplied with mirth.

“Is that so?” Oracle returned, intrigued. “Must be fascinating to witness. I usually just hound the shit out of them or threaten their life to make them agree.”

Axel made a noise that was a half snort, half laugh. “Sounds amusing to watch.”

“Don’t encourage him,” Razak rudely chided, sounding exasperated. “He does it enough.”

This time, Axel did realise a quick laugh and rested his hands on his hip. “Sounds good. Some people definitely deserve it.”

Hmm, Oracle liked this guy.

“Finally, someone who understands me,” Oracle said in a deadpanned, but humorous manner.

Razak, however, didn’t find the amusement, instead levelling him with a pointed look. “Don’t let Kardos hear you say that.”

Oh, Kardos wasn’t the jealous type. Protective, but not jealous.

“In any case,” Lynus started as he pushed himself to his feet. “You really can bring everyone that you are close to you. We certainly did. We practically brought half of Lagaard with us.”

“There’s over thirty of us,” Axel explained. “We even have our own bar-keep.”

“Is that so.” That was actually quite reassuring to know. “Perhaps it would make the choice easier on the others if they knew that.”

“It’s up to them. They’ll come to it on their own.” Axel dropped his hand from his hip as he raised the other toward Lynus, Lynus slipping his hand in his and allowing him to pull him toward him. “Well, we better get going. We have a few things we need to do today, too.”

Oracle nodded his head in understanding. “I’ll escort you back to the city.”

Axel and Lynus accepted this and with Oracle taking the lead once more, he led the pair out of the Observatory. Their appearance and Lynus’ quick diagnosis of both Zydon and Seyfried may be a bit out of the norm. It was rather sudden, after all. No context, now conversation beforehand.

Oracle was never the one for following social or normal convention. And, thankfully, the two didn’t seem to mind all that much.

There was something very curious about the two, honestly. Nothing bad. Just curious.

“Hope you don’t mind me asking; are you two engaged?” Oracle asked.

“Married,” Lynus replied with a light laugh, one that was filled with fondness. “Two years.”

Ahh, explained why they were so incredibly comfortable and supportive of each other.

“Wait!”

Hearing Kyan’s voice when they reached the boundaries of the Observatory pulled Oracle to a sudden stop, Lynus and Axel following suit. “Kyan?”

Zydon’s twin brother hastily met with the three of them. He, however, seemed to ignore Oracle, though, and looked desperately, almost frantically to Lynus. “There’s more, isn’t there? More to my brother?” he unexpectedly asked.

Lynus looked at him, his brow slightly furrowed. Confusion evident. But that puzzling expression soon soothed out into quite the remarkable poker-face.

“You know about that curse, don’t you?” Kyan continued to press, becoming desperate. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

Axel turned protective, ready to intervene, but Lynus placed a hand upon his chest and shook his head. Axel, though indeed defensive, nodded his head in return. He stayed back, expression stoic, yet a sense of pity in his eyes. He didn’t know the details either, but he knew his husband well enough that his reluctance to talk was indicative to how vulnerable Zydon had to be.

“Telling him everything won’t help with his recovery,” Lynus stated. “And it won’t ease your fears, either.”

Kyan frowned, his posture tensing. He was afraid for his brother, but determined to know more. “This isn’t about me; I deserve to know what’s really wrong with my brother.”

Lynus looked as him, studying him with an empathetic expression. He then sighed in defeat. “That curse is the cause of his partial paralysis. However, it’s also the reason why he still has any feeling in his legs. Removing it now, in this state, will causing him to lose all use and feeling in his legs. He will become irreversibly paralysed from the waist down. That is the curse’s intent.”

Oracle hadn’t expected that answer. And Kyan certainly didn’t either as he had gone completely white and silent. It actually made a knot form in the pit of Oracle’s stomach. “Wait. Should have any of our attempts to help him worked, we would have actually paralysed him?”

Grimly, slowly, Lynus nodded his head. “That’s why I didn’t want to say anything. And why I said I would deal with it. Should anyone else attempt it…”

Lynus trailed off as he looked at Kyan. He suddenly lunged forward, and caught Kyan as his legs suddenly crumbled beneath him. Lynus staggered, barely able to keep the both of them standing. Oracle, Axel too, reached out to steady the other man.

“S-sorry,” Kyan managed to mumble as Oracle supported him. “I…wasn’t expecting that.”

Slowly, Lynus leaned back and allowed for Oracle to support his guildmate fully. Concern was evident in his gaze as he looked Kyan up and down. “You need to sit down. That was quite the shock for you,” he said before he sighed again. “Sometimes, medics do keep things from their patients. And it’s always for their benefit.”

Indeed. Zydon and Kujura especially couldn’t know about this. No one else was to know.

“I promise, with Zydon under my care within Maginia, I will find a way to bring him back to full health,” Lynus promised. “But it will take time.”

Kyan remained leaning on Oracle, to which he allowed, also quite concerned for the other. He could only imagine how he felt. He blamed himself for his brother’s condition. Wasn’t remotely his fault, but logic and reason were often sidelined to the little voice of doubt that resided in everyone’s head.

“Hey!” Came Kardos’ voice. “What’s going on?”

Oracle kept a firm hold on Kyan as he looked up and watched as gladiator with vibrant orange hair and a shogun with blond hair and sharp blue eyes hurried over to them.

“Kyan?” Kujura questioned as he looked at his fellow shogun in mild concern. His poker-face slipped a fraction into panic as he looked around. “Where’s Zydon? Did something happen?”

“Relax, he’s inside,” Oracle immediately stated, Lynus and Axel taking this time to step back and allow them to focus on each other for now. “Where have you been?”

“The ol’ guildmaster wanted to chat with us,” Kardos explained. “He heard about Maginia’s plan and was a little miffed about it, for a lack of a better word. He reckons they should spawn their own explorers rather than stealing other cities.”

Ah, that made sense.

“Aww, is he going to miss us?” Oracle asked in a mocking, deadpanned manner.

It brought a grin to Kardos’s lips. “He said, and I quote “finally some peace from those bastards”.”

Oracle snorted. “How sweet. In any case, turn around so I can introduce you.”

Kardos blinked before he soon realised that there were indeed someone else with them. And had been there before he and Kujura even arrived. “Oh, hey, sorry for interrupting!” he said in a friendly but apologetic manner.

“Nah, it’s fine,” Axel replied. “We tend to do the same when we’re with our guildmates, too.”

“Well, as you’ve likely already guessed, Kardos and Kujura here are members of my guild, Guild Aurora,” Oracle explained before turning to the necessary introductions. “These two are Axel and Lynus, helping Maginia on the expedition. Co-leaders of the Guardian Guild.”

Kujura simply nodded his head in greeting, no doubt eager to get back to Zydon, but Kardos continued to grin brightly. “Nice meeting ya,” he said as he offered a hand to shake.

Axel shook his hand firmly, granting him a half smile in return, while Lynus choose to instead wave. Completely reasonable. Kardos had the firm handshake, and sometimes underestimated his own strength. Crushing the delicate hands of a medic right in front of his husband would not go down well.

Speaking of something not going down well, he had better get Kyan back inside. He was still struggling with the information he learnt, after all.

“You’ll have to excuse us; we need to get Kyan back inside,” Oracle said.

“No, I’m fine,” Kyan immediately insisted and straightened his posture. Pushing aside his own needs in front of others for the sake of others. It was, unfortunately, something he did all the time. “I apologise for my behaviour.”

But Lynus shook his head and smiled softly, empathetically. “It’s completely understandable. But allow Oracle and your guildmates to escort you. Axel and I will head into Armoroad from here. We’re actually searching for someone ourselves. I’m sure you have some packing and preparation that needs to be done.”

“Hm,” Axel said as he slipped an arm around Lynus’ shoulders and pull him toward him once again. “We’ll leave you to it. We’ll see you later.”

Lynus offered a small wave in goodbye before he and Axel moved down the path toward the city.

Oracle watched until he felt they were out of earshot and turned to give his attention to Kyan. Before he could ask him if he was alright, Kyan interrupted him.

“I’m all right,” Kyan insisted. “I wasn’t expecting that. We could have…”

Oracle barely covered a wince and nodded his head. “I know,” he whispered.

A faraway look appeared in Kyan’s eyes and he seemed to swallow a lump of emotion in his throat. “He’s…truthful, isn’t he?”

“You can feel it, too,” Oracle returned as he moved to guide Kyan back toward the Observatory. “If nothing else, the change in scenery may allow Zydon to relax. There’s a few…unneeded memories here.”

Kyan nodded his head. “You’re right.”

Kardos, having heard their conversation, frowned as he moved to stand next to Oracle. “Did something happen?”

Oracle resisted the urge to look over at Kujura. They really couldn’t afford to let the blond-haired shogun know how close they were to potentially taking the use of Zydon’s legs completely.

“…Not really,” Oracle replied. “Lynus there is a medic. He obliged my selfish request and inspected both Zydon and Seyfried.”

Kujura’s eyes narrowed sceptically. “And Kyan?”

“I’m…” Kyan started before he paused. “Just relieved. He says he can help Zydon. The first healer we’ve met so far who actually said as such.”

“So…that means we’re moving to Maginia, after all, huh?” Kardos commented somewhat idlily. Acting as if it was no big deal. Perhaps it wasn’t to him.

“Hopefully, all of us.”

Oracle didn’t realise how hopeful that really sounded until Kardos slipped an arm around his waist and hastily pulled him against his side. “Where you go, I go,” he said, once again, a promise he reminded of him often. “So, we better get packing.”

Honestly, Oracle was comforted by both Kardos’ dedication toward him and flippant attitude to supposedly difficult decisions. “Yeah.”

[raymondklhi340-blog]

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[sotatosamoa-blog]

Days 46-52

I thought I was just losing my mind, but the locals at my gym backed me up and said it HAS been hotter the last week or two. With humidity it’s been sitting up around 103-105 degrees now, and only dropping down to 91 degrees at night. 2.5 more weeks until I get to breathe in that nice, cool Minnesotan air!

Officially done at the hospital. Or done trying to go, I should say. It was confirmed after some conversations with the agency that paperwork and contracts weren’t going to be sorted out in time for me to work while I am still here. Good news is that things are set and sorted for the next volunteer who may want to come here. I guess I just got stuck being the guinea pig for the new contract and ended up with the short end of the stick.

Pam and Rae (the “Grandmas”) left this weekend. We had a big family dinner together the night before they left. The day before they left I went to the Little Sisters of the Poor with them in the morning. I didn’t do any therapy really, but I did spend two hours completing dependent transfers for the little women who are confined to their recliners and wheelchairs so they could all get their haircut. It was quite the operation (the quite the workout for me). About 30 of them got their haircut. The staff rolled them all in, myself and another staff member would pick them up and place them in the chair, they’d get their haircut in 5-10 minutes while we held their head up, and we’d pick them up and transfer them back and settle them back into their chairs comfortably, and move on to the next one. The lady who cut their hair was doing it all pro bono, and comes out about once a month to do it. The rest of my morning I spent pushing residents in their chairs to and from the dining room to eat and feeding a couple residents who aren’t able to feed themselves. My buddy, Tasi, sure did love his fish and bananas.

Not the most flattering picture of either of us, but the only picture I have with Pam; we just finished a 30 minute walk and of course, sweating like crazy:

In the afternoon, Pam, Rae, and I drove to a museum west of town. It was an art museum connected to a school. They had a lot of cultural art and the tour guide did an amazing job telling us the Samoan traditions, myths, and stories behind them all. My favorite were the wood carvings, each figure out of one tree.

After this museum we went to the memorial site for the 2009 Tsunami. I spoke about it prior, but my first weekend in Samoa I stayed in the Fale on the beach in Lalomanu. This is where the Tsunami hit. There were 144 people who were killed, most of which were below the age of 10 (the youngest being 1 month) or elderly (one person aged 106) as the middle aged were off at work during the day. The village had less than a 20 minute warning, but this village sits on the beach, right in front of a steep mountain side. There was no way out. Now Samoa has carved escape routes and paths up the mountain for people to run up if it were to happen again.

Memorial:

I already miss Pam and Rae. At night we would sit on the balcony and talking for a couple hours before bed. Now I sit alone and try to fend off all the mosquitoes. My favorite memory with them was last week when we were supposed to go to a show. It got cancelled last minute and on the way home Pam said all she wanted to do was ride in a truck bed before she went home, because she would never do it then (and it’s illegal in Australia). It’s legal in Samoa, and it’s common to see. So our host mom agreed to drive us around in their tiny little truck as long as we would buy her ice cream after. We drove around town at night, getting honked and waved at constantly. It was hysterical for the Samoans to see Palagis (translates to: white people and pronounced: Po-long-ee) in the back of a truck. We stopped for ice cream, but since Pam and Rae had a hard time getting in, they had me run in and buy their ice cream and bring it back out to them in the truck. During this, while the rest of the group was inside enjoying their ice cream. It began to downpour. Think of the hardest rain you’ve seen in Minnesota....that’s normal here, only for 5 minutes at a time, though. Anyway, of course the Grandmas were in the back of the truck just taking it in, tipping their ice cream cups at an angle to try and avoid too much rain water from getting in. I can’t remember the last time I laughed that hard. I also don’t think I have ever seen those two smile or laugh so much. They loved every second of it. I think that was absolutely the highlight of their trip, and probably one of mine.

Pam left me a book with a special note inside. It’s a reflection and 365 day prayer book for women. She said it was her’s but she’s made it through the whole thing so wanted me to have it. That filled my heart so much. I will absolutely use it.

This weekend I took it easy, staying in the Apia area. Went to the resort to relax with Ingrid (from Norway). Somehow we both ended up with colds this week. Still not sure how that happens in Samoa.

This week my plan is to go to the Little Sisters of the Poor on my own about 3 times, run errands and relax the other days. I plan to go to the other island this weekend, Savai’i.  Savai’i is more rural but said to be even more beautiful. Only 2 more weekends left to enjoy here. Trying to fill them up and make the most of it despite not officially working.

[aztravelling]

Santorini Travel Guide

Santorini, Greece

Santorini’s volcanic movement assumes a job in a large number of island’s famous exercises, from swimming and sunbathing at the liquid colored sea shores, (for example, Kamari Beach) to investigating old demolishes once covered in debris (Ancient Akrotiri). Indeed, even the kind of wine here is influenced by the island’s volcanic territory, making an excursion to one of Santorini’s numerous wineries an unquestionable requirement do movement for foodies. Outdoorsy sorts will appreciate climbing along the caldera from Fira, where the city of Atlantis was said to have once stood. Whatever you decide to do in Santorini, you can’t miss nightfall from Oia, or while eating outdoors in Amoudi Bay.

Kamari Beach

#1 Best Things To Do in Santorini 

Santorini’s volcanic history has prompted the arrangement of a portion of the more remarkable sea shores in the Greek Isles, and Kamari is no special case. Sitting around 4 miles southeast of Fira on the island’s east coast, this stretch of dark sand is one of the biggest in Santorini. The sea shore is supported by the town of its namesake, a famous retreat territory where you’ll discover various lodgings, eateries, beachside bars and shops. On the sea shore, guests can exploit the accessible parlor seats and umbrellas.

Explorers appreciated the away from waters of Kamari and proposed planting your feet towards the southern part of the shore. That is on the grounds that the perspectives on the impressive Mesa Vouno slope, where you can discover Ancient Thira, makes for an all around flawless Greek sea shore setting. Regardless of where you choose to kick back on Kamari Beach, explorers firmly recommend bringing defensive footwear. The sand and pebbly territory can get very sweltering with the sun pounding on it, particularly following two or three hours, so bring shoes in case you’re wanting to go through the day on the sea shore. A few guests even proposed bringing water shoes, remarking that the submerged landscape at the shore rapidly goes from sand to tricky strong stone.

Amoudi Bay

#2 Best Things To Do in Santorini

For lovely perspectives on the caldera, plunge the 300 stages from the northern city of Oia to the enchanting port of Amoudi Bay. Encircled by striking red bluffs and dabbed with white-washed structures normal to Santorini, this little town includes a few curious tavernas presenting the catch of the day. Beside delving in the abundance of the ocean, guests can appreciate some swimming here, however the sea shore is rough so you ought to bring fitting footwear, particularly on the off chance that you plan on precipice jumping (a well known movement in Amoudi Bay). On the little island of Saint Nicholas, seen from Amoudi Bay’s sea shore, guests can move up steps from the water onto the little, rough island and hop from an assigned point.

Voyagers concede there is certainly not a ton to do in Amoudi Bay, however the nature of the inlet more than compensates for the amount of exercises it offers. Guests were astonished by the excellence of Amoudi Bay and said just feasting in the open air was all they expected to absorb the site. Most emphatically proposed to design an outing in the late evening, as a dusk from Amoudi is a site to observe.

Fira to Oia Hike

#3 Best Things To Do in Santorini

The most ideal approach to take in Santorini is to walk, and there is no preferable course over the one from Fira to Oia. This climb is 6 miles single direction and goes through four towns, including Fira, Firostefani, Imerovigli and Oia. It’s essential to realize that there is no checked path or pathway for this climb (beside two or three signs, as per late voyagers), however a matter of following the streets nearest to the caldera. En route, voyagers will discover various destinations worth halting for, notwithstanding terrific sea perspectives and pleasant towns. One of these is Skaros Rock. Today, this headland is a well known vantage point for watching dusks, however in yesteryears it housed a palace that filled in as the prime gathering place for Christians during the 1800s. There’s likewise various places of worship dabbed all through, including the blue-domed St. Gerasimos Church, which offers brilliant perspectives on the spring of gushing lava. When you hit Oia, you’ll discover Byzantine château ruins open for investigation.

Late guests express the best time to begin this trek is in the first part of the day, as there is no shade and the evening sun might be a lot for a few. Voyagers likewise said there are rough rise changes all through, so plan to wear strong shoes and bring a lot of water. Numerous commentators said they finished the climb in three hours or less, yet in addition noted fruition time all relies upon a voyager’s degree of wellness just as how regularly they stop. What’s more, with all the photogenic spots along the path, be set up to stop a great deal. Despite the fact that the climb is viewed as moderate and tedious, voyagers concurred this is the most ideal approach to encounter Santorini’s normal magnificence.

Ancient Thira

#4 Best Things To Do in Santorini

Isolating Kamari from Perissa on Mesa Vouna is Ancient Thira. This archeological site, which was first guaranteed by the Dorians (old Greeks) in the ninth century B.C., is home to ruins from the Hellenistic (Greek domain worked by Alexander the Great), Roman and Byzantine (eastern Roman realm) periods. Walk around Ancient Thira and you’ll discover vestiges of antiquated strict destinations, a theater, old city regulatory structures and even an exercise center for military students.

Ongoing explorers saw the vestiges of Ancient Thira as fascinating, however many said the amazing perspectives on the Aegean Sea were pretty diverting. Voyagers who strolled from the town of Kamari up to Mesa Vouna suggested the beautiful walk in case you’re fit as a fiddle; it takes about an hour to get up and there is insignificant shade en route. Alongside the incredible perspectives, voyagers adored the low cost of induction into the vestiges in contrast with Ancient Akrotiri.

Winery Tours

#5 Best Things To Do in Santorini

When conjuring up pictures of acclaimed wine goals, one may consider France or Italy, however in all honesty, Santorini is viewed as a debut wine goal in Europe. That is on the grounds that the dirt where the wine develops in Santorini, which is halfway made out of volcanic residue, makes an intriguing flavor hard to track down somewhere else. That, yet here, vines trees are regularly framed into circles and developed on the ground (rather than propped upstanding in columns) to shield the harvest from solid sea winds.

Wineries can be discovered everywhere throughout the island, however most are moved in focal Santorini. Santo Wines in Pyrgos is the biggest winery on the island and considered one of the most mainstream in Santorini. Other decision spots among voyagers incorporate Venetsanos Winery in Megalochori (about a half-mile south of Santo Wines) and Domaine Sigalas in Oia. Explorers additionally delighted in the Wine Museum Koutsogiannopoulos, found in Fira. Situated in a cavern, the historical center grandstands Santorini’s history as a winemaker and offers guests a tasting with their ticket. When visiting a winery, benefactors will in general get a complimentary tidbit, for example, bread and cheddar, alongside their tasting. For the individuals who might not have the opportunity to make a day out of visiting wineries, a significant number of Santorini’s wines are included in the island’s cafés. Get some information about nearby wines or look out for Vinsanto (a pastry wine), Nychteri, or Assyrtiko, the two of which are white wines.

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[from-story-to-screen]

A Compilation of some of my favorite Writing Prompts

The royal family employs no bodyguards. A would-be assassin discovers why.

Two gay guys and two lesbians have to pretend to be straight for an entire weekend, pretending to be each other’s dates for a wedding.

You, a time traveler, accidentally introduces 21st-century slang to Shakespeare.

Angel/demon romance, where the demon is the stuffy, orthodox one and the angel is like “hold my beer”.

A dating service where matching is based on people’s search histories. You’re a serial killer, you go on a date with a writer.

You have many of the abilities of a Disney princess. You can talk to animals, people burst into song around you, it seems every other day a “prince charming” type falls madly in love with you. As one of the most feared mafia enforcers in New York, it’s tough, but you make it work.

Dating an immortal and you find a photo album of their exes dating back a century. All the exes sort of look like you and the immortal’s been dating all of them in the hopes of getting you to remember your first life when you first met them.

You are what mankind believes to be the devil. However there are three things that they’re got all wrong: 1. Everyone goes to heaven, no matter what they do in life. 2. You’re the only one who’s ever escaped heaven. 3. Heaven is absolutely fucked.

The world goes through 2000 year natural cycles of magic and non-magic. The non-magical cycle is about to end any day now.

After Lucifer was kicked out of heaven, he decided to make his own paradise. Both compete to have the best afterlife, sadly you lived a sin-free life and got sent to heaven. God is throwing a very boring, sin-free party. You spend your time trying to get kicked out so you can go to hell.

You come from a family of highly respected heroes. All three of your big brothers are known as powerhouses, but you rarely see them since they’re always saving the city. One day you realize that the only way to see all of your brother is to become a villain. Turns out you’re better at it than you thought, and family dinners suddenly become the most amusing time of day.

Write a completely ordinary story about an ordinary person’s life with an almost unsettlingly idyllic environment, but at the end reveal that the main character is an unreliable narrator and has actually been on a murdering spree the entire time.

Your roommate is literally the devil, surprisingly, he is the best roommate you’ve ever had.

Every person on earth is born with a tattoo on each arm. One matches your soulmate, and one matches your worst enemy. However, most people have no clue which is which. You do, because they are both the same.

Grim Reaper, not tied to any particular religion, they just personify death and collect the soul and take them...where? What if they’re like afterlife HR? Where they go depends on their belief.

A show/book where each chapter has a new story with a new set of characters and each chapter ends in a cliffhanger. In the final chapter(s), they show conclusions for all the stories, and reveal that the stories connect like puzzle pieces.

Twilight, but Bella stays in Arizona and it’s about Charlie Swan finding out that his best friend is a werewolf and the town doctor he’s trusted for years is a vampire, and he helps stop the vampires that are murdering everyone.

A guy who runs for president and wins but suddenly realizes that he doesn’t want to be president and just starts doing ridiculous things to try to get impeached but it never works because they always end up miraculously being the right thing to do. 100% approval rating, most popular president ever.

The Purge but it’s 24 hours where retail workers can be as rude as they want.

You’re part of a community that lives on an island, no other land mass in sight. When a crime is committed, the person responsible has to “go find more land” to redeem their honor. Someone has yet to return. You’ve just been caught stealing.

Your alternate universe self comes to kill you. The only thing is, you are the evil version.

A seemingly bottomless pit was found, for which the depth can’t be determined. Over time, scores of people began using it to illegally dump trash, many have jumped in to die, while others jumped believing that they’ll find life’s answers within. Today, the truth about the hole is learned.

Your phone rings; the number looks familiar. You pick up to hear your own voice asking you for help.

Your daughter has been begging you for a pony, and you told her to write a letter to Santa. On Christmas morning, you find a fire-breathing horse in your front yard, and a package by your front door. Looks like she wrote a letter to Satan, and he delivered.

You’re an assassin with a 6th sense. You help ghosts seek out vengeance for the wrong that was done to them when they were alive.

If the eyes of an animal are on the sides of the animal’s head, they are a “prey” species. If the eyes are on the front, they are a “predator” species. Explain why nature designated dragons as a “prey” species.

In a world where what doesn’t kill you literally makes you stronger, you run a clinic that gives people near-death experiences.

The wrinkled fingertips are just the beginning of the transformation. We just always leave the water too early.

Since you were 8 years old, you’ve been helping people and giving things away for free; the only condition: that one day you’ll call on that person for a favor. You’re now 33 and owed 10,000 favors. You decide to call them in all at once.

As a babysitter you are putting a young girl to bed. She says, “Don’t worry, there aren’t any monsters in the closet. Daddy keeps them all locked up in the basement.”

The reaper does not bring death, he follows it. The reaper is not an omen of doom, he is a guardian, sent to protect your soul on its way from one world to the next. The things that wait between the worlds are...unpleasant.

A photographer and a sniper meet in a bar. Neither is aware of the other’s occupation. They talk about “how to take the perfect shot”.

You are the devil and you have been summoned via a satanic ritual. As you manifest yourself, you find yourself in a quaint living room and meet a sweet old lady who just wants some company.

Art museum guards don’t guard the painting in fear that someone might steal them, they guard the artwork in fear that someone might get too close and fall in.

The devil mixed up your paperwork and gave you someone else’s personal hell, which to you, is heaven.

When the police came to announce you the death of your husband, you refused to believe it. “That’s impossible,” you said. “Unfortunately, it’s the truth, miss,” answered the policemen. “It’s impossible,” you say again,” because he’s in the kitchen making dinner”.

A man who sees ghosts checks himself into a mental institution, oblivious to the fact that the facility has been closed for almost 30 years.

You’re in charge of assigning every child on earth the monster under their bed. One child in particular has caused every monster assigned to them to quit. You decide to assign yourself.

You have an ATM that gives you the exact amount of money you need to survive for the day, how you spend it is your choice. Today you are given $70,000,000.

Every time a person makes a promise or bargain, a tattoo is etched onto their skin. You just went out with friends drinking so much, you passed out. Upon awakening, you can’t recall what happened and realize that your whole arm has been inked black. Someone knocks on your door

“Welcome to hell! As the seventh human to ever arrive here, you are now an official member of the 7 Deadly Sins!”

Your oldest brother is a military genius. Your little sister has cured 3 types of cancer. The twins are working on a new method of locating planets fit for terraforming. And you...you are mom’s favorite.

I know i’m getting close to finishing my time machine because I’ve caught several older versions of myself trying to sabotage my lab.

Dream superpower: the ability to manipulate probability.

Every time you die your injured limbs and body parts are replaced by machines and you slowly become less and less human until the point where you have no human body parts left and must decide whether you will continue to fight for humanity, with which you have no remaining connection.

There’s a love triangle but then the girl realizes she’s asexual and gets a puppy and a cat and the two boys fall for each other. Boys realize they were only fighting for the girl because they wanted to impress one another other.

A ghost and a zombie come from the same person. Ghost watches their zombie body stumbling around with dismay.

A tattoo appears on people’s skin at key points in their life and they must figure out what they mean.

The asteroid that hit the earth and killed the dinosaurs was actually a UFO and humans are the aliens.

Four roommates are extraterrestrials who have taken human form in the hopes of learning about earth’s culture. Unfortunately, each alien is from a different planet and believes the other three are normal humans.

Your super power is that you are average at everything you do. (flying, communicating with aliens, curing cancer, etc.)

The year is 2030. The first astronauts have landed on Mars. They find a cave with a single human skeleton and 4 words written on the wall.

You have the ability to hear the honest answer to any question just by looking at a person and mentally asking the question. It was all fun and games until you looked in the mirror and asked a question you shouldn’t have.

A woman is cursed by the gods to kill any man she falls in love with. She falls in love with a man who was cursed by the gods with immortality.

The remains of the human race live in a glass dome with no entrance or exit, which protects them from the wasteland on the outside. One morning a dusty handprint appears on the outside.

Suddenly, all over the world, all children start drawing the same thing over and over again.

Your doorbell rings and it’s a person from an alternate universe who says “i just wanted you to know that you are my favorite book character and i know how it ends and i want to change it.”

You get a deep cut for the first time in your life; instead of bone or muscle, you see wires.

“My domain is time,” said the genie. “Instead of three wishes, you get three decisions. Go back and choose again.”

You’re an archaeologist working on a dig when you uncover a thick pane of glass. You dust the dirt away, and see the inside of a massive bio-dome, hidden for too long. Only one organism is inside, and it was meant to be forgotten.

A child is kidnapped. Outraged, the monsters living under the bed and in their closet vow to find them.

You die. As you go up to paradise, you notice it seems to be in ruins. Then you find the corpse of god.

“And the legions of Hell rose from the great split in the earth, but they did not emerge in a geyser of flame. The demons and monsters varied greatly, from delicate, sapphire wings to great, lumbering monstrosities. At the head of the army walked Lucifer himself, a dark cloak flowing beside him. The forces of Hell had arrived, to save humanity from Heaven’s wrath.”

Write a superhero story that’s narrated by the villain, who leads the reader to believe that they are the hero. However, due to the biased narration the reader only realizes that they’ve been misled in the final sentences.

Since the beginning of time, humanity has believed that death is universal. Everything that is born must also die. We’ve created our world around this single fact, worshipped gods, sacrificed and prayed, but when we finally make contact with the rest of the universe it is discovered that death is in fact not real. Most aliens believe it’s a silly old legend, and it is determined that only humans do in fact die. Write what comes of this discovery.

You’re alone in your room when suddenly, you disappear and arrive in an unknown location. Turns out you’re in hell and this time, the tables have been turned. You’ve been summoned by a demon who needs your help.

They say that “history is written by the victors.” Turns out, so are fairytales; they’ve been twisted by the “heroes” of the fairytale world to make themselves look like they’ve always been in the right. You are a fairytale villain at a support group for characters like you.

You’re a wealthy and famous writer whose bestselling children’s series, about a young girl escaping her house nightly to battle monsters in a fantasy world, has brought you endless success. Following your daughter’s eighth birthday, you start to notice strange cuts and bruises on her in the morning, which she casually dismisses. Your curiosity gets the best of you, and one night you enter your daughter’s bedroom far past her bedtime, but it’s not the room you know that you step into—it’s the world of your own series’ Book Five.

You’re a demon who governs the creation of Personal Hells; parts of Hell created for the truly despicable designed specifically around them. You’ve just gotten a submission for someone who doesn’t seem to be afraid of anything.

Apparently the tooth fairy is a pretty controversial figure among skeletons. some think she is a thief that steals mouth bones others think she is the true skeleton queen.

“I would probably win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in a biopic about my own life.”

Why can’t the pirate get the princess for once?

Conversation prompt: “We’re a team of highly trained professionals.” “No you’re not, you’re all wearing friendship bracelets.”

You have been accepted into a school for supernatural creatures. You decide to let your teachers and classmates guess what you are.

A story about vigilante Victorian prostitutes hunting down Jack The Ripper.

Every person, at exactly midnight on New Years following their 22nd birthday, possesses the body of their soulmate; people run around trying to figure out who they are so they can find one another, leave notes for the body’s owner to find with their address. There are language gaps so people have to translate it and travel to different countries carrying the notes they’re left. Write about the search and adventure of one.

A retired supervillain is in the bank with his 6 year old daughter when a new crew of super villains comes in to rob the place.

For as long as you can remember, you’ve worn glasses. Your parents always made sure you had them on and formed the habit. One day you forget them and realize you can see something no one else can.

The character wakes up multiple times a week with inexplicable bruises on their arms and legs. The day they graduate from college, an agent from the CIA approaches them and introduces them to Project Nightlight.

I hit play and watch myself in the recording. But what i see isn’t what i remember.

At birth, everyone has the date they will die imprinted on their arm. You were supposed to die yesterday.

Every baby is taken away by the government and returned when they are ten years old. They never remember what happened in those years, but they always recognize their parents. You, however, remember everything. And those aren’t your parents.

You were born with the ability to know what is buried beneath your feet. You have worked for years alongside archaeologists finding lost cities and ancient treasures. However, today is the first time you have ever said “We should not dig here.”

A man calls 911 and says in a soft voice, “I am currently sitting next to the little girl you are looking for. She is safe, for now, but if no one comes to get her quick enough, i will be forced to do something unspeakable to her kidnappers”.

Human emotions can be bottled and sold on the black market. You are in desperate need of money and sell yours. It will take months to grow back, leaving you empty inside. The next day you meet Her.

You are a recently hired psychiatrist in a mental hospital. Some of your patients insist that they were once staff, but are now being held prisoner/hostage by the actual patients that now run the hospital.

A depressed guy moves into a house which is inhabited by 7 demons, each one corresponding to a different Deadly Sin. But, they are trying to help him get back on his feet.

Your girl is a member of a shadowy organization bent on ruling the world. Your best friend is a CIA operative, and your dog is a secret escaped lab experiment. And you? Well, you run a website debunking conspiracy theories.

You slowly begin to realize that all your friends are undercover agents tasked with keeping you alive. Then, at your birthday party, with every one of your friends surrounding you, the people trying to kill you finally find you.

You adopt 4 teenage girls. As they grow up, you begin to realize that each one of them represents a horseman of the apocalypse. All hell breaks loose when Famine steals War’s significant other.

In the future, virtual reality has flourished. One of the more controversial uses is prisons. Whatever crime you commit, you have to relive it through your victim’s point of view. It’s your first day in prison and you’re terrified because of what you did.

[misslongcep]

Histories Collide - an Uncharted fanfic...

Hi there! Thank you for choosing to read my uncharted fanfic! I absolutely love the Uncharted series, and ofc Sam Drake (who wouldn’t?) so I just had to write something. Please let me know what you think - likes/reblogs are much appreciated!

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Chapter 1

When Maggie Thyme got the news that her Grandmother Evelyn had died, she was beyond devastated.

Not only because her Grandmother had died, but she was the only person who made Maggie feel "normal". Like Evelyn, Maggie was a keen reader and historian. From a very young age, Maggie had always been interested in the old books gathering dust in her Grandmother's study, and she couldn't wait until she was old enough to go and research some of the ancient legends she had been told about as bed time stories. Maggie's own parents, and Evelyn's son and daughter-in-law, had been less than unsupportive about her interests, saying she had inherited her Grandmother's "obsession" and no good would come from it.

In fact, when Maggie expressed her wishes about pursuing her dream and studying History at college, her parents all but disowned her, and Maggie went to live with Evelyn in Boston instead, where she spent her childhood years soaking up her Grandmother's knowledge of all things ancient and legendary. Every school holiday, you would be sure to find Maggie at the Museum where her Grandmother and her team worked, following anybody who would listen, and filling their ears with questions and her own theories as to where these legends stemmed from.

Just before Maggie's 18th birthday, she had made plans with her Grandmother to visit some of the colleges she would be applying to; UCLA, Columbia and Berkeley. Maggie had wanted to attend Boston University, as it meant she could stay at home and keep an eye on Evelyn who, despite all of her protests, had begun to look a little unsteady on her feet.

Evelyn, however, had other ideas. "You can't put a price on a decent education, Maggie!" she would say. "If you're going to be like me, then you gotta go the distance to get there!". Maggie was never too sure what her Grandmother meant when she said things like that, but she knew better than to question them. Her Grandmother eventually agreed, however, that Maggie would go to any interviews on her own. She didn't want to be seen as "piggybacking" on Evelyn Thyme's reputation.

One spring evening, Maggie made the 3 and a half hour journey from Boston to New York in preparation for her school interview at Columbia University the next day. After getting stuck in traffic jams for the last third of the journey, stopping for a well needed coffee break, and then getting lost in the bustling New York Streets trying to find her hotel, Maggie collapsed exhausted on her hotel bed almost 3 hours later than she should have done. She was just about to doze off, when her hotel phone rang.

"Hello?" she answered sleepily.

"Good Evening, Miss Thyme. There is a call for you from a Mrs Evelyn Thyme, should I connect?" the receptionist asked.

"Sure, go ahead" Maggie replied almost unwillingly, adjusting her position in preparation for the audible onslaught her Grandmother was about to give her.

There was a click as the receptionist connected the call, and before Maggie could say hello, her Grandmother bellowed down the phone, "WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?! I have been calling and calling for you for the last 2 hours! I've been worried sick, anything could have happened! You should have called me the moment you got there!"

"Woah, calm down Gran! I've only just arrived!" Maggie interjected. "The traffic was ridiculous, and then I couldn't find my hotel!"

"DON'T YOU TELL ME TO CALM DOWN! I KNOW HOW LONG IT TAKES TO GET TO NEW YORK FROM HERE, AND IT DOES NOT TAKE...." Maggie rolled her oval brown eyes as she held the phone away from her ear, whilst she waited for her Grandmother to finish reading the riot act. There was no point even trying to reason with Evelyn when she was like this; Maggie was too similar to know it would be pointless.

"Better to just take the shouting, apologise and promise you will be more considerate in future" Maggie thought to herself.

Finally, after what seemed like an age, Evelyn seemed to remember why she was actually calling. "Oh, guess what came today!" She suddenly exclaimed excitedly.

"What?"

"Do you remember Cassandra Morgan, my number one researcher at the museum?" Evelyn asked.

"Vaguely" Maggie replied. "I only saw her a few times."

"Yes, you would have. She was extremely unwell, and nobody knew except me" Evelyn remembered, sadly. "Every day, she put on a brave face for her husband and her two young children, but she got to the point where she couldn't cope, and it was easier to end her pain."

"How sad," Maggie had no idea. She had only met Cassandra a few times when she was young, she was constantly flying from one expedition to another. Then one day, she just realised that she never saw her again. Maggie had never even given it a thought, and was instantly ashamed. She remembered Evelyn mentioning two children, and thought about how she'd feel if it was her Grandmother who had suddenly killed herself with no explanation. Maggie shuddered. "Her poor family," Maggie said, thoughtfully, "they must have been devastated."

"Well actually, that's why I'm calling," Evelyn answered, serious now. "After she died, her husband couldn't cope. He abandoned his boys to an orphanage, sold all of his belongings, and disappeared overnight. Never seen again." Maggie was shocked. "It was an awful shame, he was a pretty good explorer too, from what I remember. They'd collected all kinds of weird and wonderful things over the years, and he sold every last bit of it. AND within the belongings that he sold, was all of Cassandra's research," Evelyn went on, "Every note she had taken, every map she had drawn, Gone! It's taken me a while, but I've finally found it after all these years! It arrived today, so the moment you get back from Columbia, I want you going through every journal you can find, Maggie! This is a chance for us to prove Cassandra's dream come true, I owe her that much after all!" Maggie's Grandmother almost sang, she was so excited again.

Maggie chuckled, fondly. This is what she loved about her Grandmother, more than anything else in the world. Her passion. Here she was, almost 90 years old, and she was speaking as if she was a giddy schoolgirl. Maggie began to get excited herself, and smiled. "Okay, you got it, Gran" Maggie laughed, "anything else?"

"Just you be safe, young lady" Evelyn retorted, back to lovingly-overbearing Grandmother mode. "New York can be dangerous! Make sure you call me tomorrow!"

"I will, don't worry," Maggie sighed, "I'll call you first thing tomorrow morning before I leave for my interview, and I'll call you as soon as I'm back afterwards, deal?" Maggie asked with just a twinge of sarcasm she knew her Grandmother wouldn't miss.

"You best do, young lady, or there'll be hell to pay!" Evelyn growled, lovingly.

"Love you, Gran, Good Night!" Maggie laughed as she hung up the phone.

Maggie lay on the bed for a moment, thinking about what her Grandmother had just told her. She wondered what had happened to Cassandra's husband and their two kids, whether they ever saw each other again, and her thoughts flickered to her own mother. They had never been particularly close, seeing as Maggie's mother couldn't stand to have a daughter who refused to conform to the "normal" things girls should do. Maggie wondered if there was an underlying reason why her mother was so against her following her Grandmother's footsteps, which she didn't know about. Maggie promised to herself she would call her Mom once she got home, in an effort to make amends for the time they'd not spent together as she grew up.

Maggie shook her head, as if to shake off the looming thoughts threatening to ruin her Grandmother's good news. "This is it!" Maggie thought to herself excitedly. "I'm finally going to have my own research to study!" Maggie thought about the opportunities this could bring. Not only could she be potentially attending one of the oldest Colleges in America, but she could start her classes with a wealth of actual fieldwork experience! "This is unbelievable! Almost too good to be true!" Maggie squealed with excitement as she climbed under the crisp hotel bed sheets. As she settled down, she let her mind wander to great mounds of treasure, buried on an island far, far away waiting to be discovered and smiled lazily as she finally fell asleep, her dreams playing out behind her closed eyes.

[rachelisnotatwork]

Spring sojourn in Stockholm

We had very kindly been invited to visit Stockholm by some emergency medicine doctors and shadow the workings of their hospital for a week. After gratefully accepting, we decided to tack on a few holiday days at the end because...well this is Marcel and I!

I had been to Stockholm before, way back in 2006 when I had just finished university. I’d really enjoyed it and also thought it might well be a city my mother would enjoy. So I invited her to join us for the weekend.

She asked me to find her a hotel to stay and so I picked the nearest one to the airbnb we’d rented that had decent reviews. It turned out to be owned by a member of Abba, because….Swedish stereotypes. We had dinner there on her first night; thankfully no Abba was playing. Huge win though, we discovered the walk between our airbnb and her hotel passed something called The Secret Little Horse and as a statue poser, I was a big fan.

The next day dawned super sunny, so I was glad I had asked my mother to bring me sunglasses (Sweden has many upsides. The cost of living there is not one of them. Since I didn’t want to empty my overdraft, I didn’t want to buy sunglasses there). We were staying on the island of Södermalm, which meant climbing up a large hill (where does Marcel find them??) secured a beautiful view of the harbour.

After that we headed into town and into the Vasa museum. The Vasa Museum is a literal morality tale about what happens if no one dares to defy an over-reaching king. It is a huge warship that was built and carved to the nines to be the pride of the Swedish fleet and got less than a mile away from it’s launch spot before sinking. It was built much too narrow and much too tall, but no one wanted to say anything and so it was launched, only to capsize and go under as soon as the wind came up. After several hundred years in the brackish harbour (which apparently arrests the degradation of wood) it was pulled up amazingly intact for the likes of you and I to gawp at.

Since it was a beautiful day outside, we headed next on a boat over to another island which contained Skansen, a large open air historical museum with a sort of zoo attached. I’m not sure if it counts as a zoo if it only hosts animals native to your country. But the sort of animals you don’t normally see roaming central Stockholm (moose, bears, wolves etc). My mother was most disappointed that the wolverines still seemed to be hibernating despite my explanation that the name is far more exciting than the animal reality.

After a pleasant lunch by a duck pond, we headed down into the old city centre (Gamla Stan) and wandered about, although I think the thing my mother found most exciting was the vacuum-emptying roadside bins.

Rather fatigued by that point, we headed home for a rest before a huge and delicious Greek dinner at a place called Dionysos (if you ever find yourself in southern Stockholm craving greek food.

The next morning we headed out to a sculpture park called Millesgården. It apparently used to have beautiful views of Stockholm. I’m imagining this was before they built all the factories and cruise ship berths across the bay. It was hosting an excellent exhibition inside of Chinese silk (fascinating if you are a fabric nerd, which I am) and then outside it housed a permanent collection of the owner’s sculptures. Not sold on his talents. Clearly people must have liked them at the time since it funded a pretty nice house with a view but….yeah no.

Afterwards we headed over to the City Hall. Whilst normally not a scintillating destination, Stockholm’s is a little more exciting than most as it features a place called the Blue Hall where the Nobel banquet is served, and also an extremely gaudy room covered in gold-plating (apparently only 10kg, but 10kg of gold-plating goes a LONG way) which is...something.

Because we are hardcore tourists and we only had two days, we then headed to the Swedish photography museum, which was on the same island we were staying and had a great mix of stuff in it’s current exhibitions. It also had a restaurant on the top floor with beautiful views across the harbour, so was worth visiting for that alone.

And so ended a brief, but fun weekend in Stockholm. We could have happily stayed longer but the bank balance was suffering and so we headed back to the UK.

[superkrispypeanutstudentstu-blog]

A Guide To Princess Cruises

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