#I choose to believe he lost both his legs in the same accident Ten lost his arm in

[warning-heckboop]

Everyone talks about human designs for the Extension Corps with Ten having a prosthetic arm, which is great, I agree, but where are all my supporters of Ecks also being a bilateral leg amputee

[ragingbookdragon]

It's Who We Are Underneath That Defines Us

Kyle Rayner x Batsis One-Shot

Word Count: 1.9K Warnings: Explicit Language, Slight Angst

Author's Note: Really gotta make the story where the Batfamily learns she and GL are dating. Enjoy! -Thorne

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

“Hey babe?”

She hummed absentmindedly, her eyes still trained to the stars above. “Yeah, Kyle?” Fingers twitched against her palm, then laced with her own; a heartbeat pounded against her skin, like a pulsing speaker, causing her to look over at him. “Is everything alright?”

Evergreen eyes met hers and he murmured, “Do you ever think about what life would be like if you weren’t a superhero?”

She blinked, the question giving her a slight pause. Leaning closer, she propped her chin in his shoulder and teased, “Thinking about how you could’ve had an apple pie and picket fence life, Kyle?”

A grin crossed his lips and he glanced over at her. “To be honest with you, (Y/N), I’m more of a cherry pie kinda man.” His gaze dropped, and his eyes roamed her body. “Blame Warrant on that one.” She rolled her eyes, but the laugh she gave him showed her amusement. Kyle paused, his gaze searching her face. “But back to my original question...what do you think you’d be doing if you weren’t a vigilante?”

(Y/N) inhaled deeply, rolling away from his shoulder and laid on her back, her eyes scanning the immense field of stars above them. “I don’t know, honestly. I’ve never really given it much thought.” Raising her hand, she traced the scars across her expanse of her arm with her eyes. “I’ve been training to be a vigilante since I was ten years old...helping people is all I’ve ever really wanted to do with life.”

She looked back over at him. “But since you asked, if I wasn’t a vigilante, I’d probably be a stuck-up rich bitch who overcharges her dad’s credit cards and throws hissy fits when she gets told no.” Kyle snorted, and she giggled.

After a moment of silence, he looked to her and asked, “Would you ever change anything you’ve done?”

The question he’d given her had been one she’s asked herself so many times. What if’s rising to the tongue of a girl too afraid to choose a path other than that of the least resistance, but ultimately keeping them contained and taking the hardest ones anyway. (Y/N) bit her lip slightly, the memories of every mistake, every wrong choice, flashing behind her eyes like lightning in a storm. The fingers laced though hers squeezed gently, dragging her from them, and she glanced back over, her eyes tracing the wisps of hair at his temples that had fallen from the gel he’d put in it earlier.

She blinked, then gave him a smile, her voice soft as she replied, “No...I don’t think I would change a single thing.”

Kyle’s eyebrows furrowed in confusion and he questioned, “Why not? Hasn’t there been a time where you’ve screwed up monumentally and couldn’t change it?”

(Y/N) watched him carefully, the words toying with the tip of her tongue as she asked calmly, “Are you talking about what happened to Alex?”

His face momentarily darkened, a mixture of anger, hate, and self-loathing, then it fell, and she saw the pain and regret in his eyes and heard it in his voice as he muttered, “I’m talking about everything that I’ve done wrong.” He sat up, resting his elbows on his knees, the heel of his tennis shoes scraping against the brick of the roof. He let out a heavy sigh, causing her heart to tighten, and she rose beside him, curling her arm through his.

They stared at the city across the water, then she murmured, “When I was sixteen, I accidentally shoved someone over a support beam during a fight.” He eyed her, silently wondering what had happened and just what the hell this had to do with his issues. “Didn't mean to, of course. But he grabbed me from behind, and I did what I'd been trained to do—react. I freed myself and made the distance between us. But I misjudged the force of my kick and he tumbled over and down about a hundred feet onto concrete.”

She paused, thumb rubbing the back of his hand. “When my family and friends saw what I’d done, even if it were an accident, a lot of them decided to keep me at an arm's length. ‘She might kill again’, they said, ‘If she’s killed once, she’ll do it again...there’s no way we can trust her anymore.’ Eventually, I stopped patrolling with the Titans and Teen Titans. Hell, I even stopped helping the Justice League. I did my own thing by myself because no one trusted me anymore. ‘Til this day, there are some people within the superhero community who shun me and don’t trust me. And at every meeting, somehow, someway, it's always brought up.”

(Y/N) looked over at him, squeezing his hand again. “Wherever I go, whatever I do, that follows me. It’s never going to be let go, and it’s certainly never going to be forgotten. However, despite those problems and feelings, and what occurred in the past, that accident doesn't define meor my actions. Yes, I unintentionally took someone’s life, but I’m not a murderer. I carry that burden with me, and I always will and while I can't change what happened, it drives me to make sure that I don't make the same mistake again.”

She let go of his hand, slipping her legs on either side of his body, her hands coming up to cup his cheeks; she caressed his cheekbones with her thumbs, staring into his eyes, and mustered the sincerest voice she could. “Kyle, what you’ve gone through, the people you’ve lost, the people you’ve saved, and the friends you’ve gathered along the way? That’s not who you are...it’s what you do with it that defines who you are.” His eyes widened slightly, and his lips parted to speak, but no words fell from them.

(Y/N) gave him a warm smile and leaned forward, pressing her lips against his forehead; she pulled back and murmured, “It may not mean much, but I'm proud of you, Kyle. You make me proud every single day.” She watched him exhale shakily, and she swore she could see the damn inside him breaking as he lowered his head, his arms reaching to pull her against him.

She shifted, perching in his lap, and let him bury his face in her neck. Kyle let out a breath, but it felt more like a soft sob, and heat blossomed against her skin where his lips touched.

He let out a sound, crossing between a groan and grunt as he told her, “I love you, (Y/N).”

She hummed, wrapping her arms around his neck, her lips brushing his temple. “I love you too, Kyle.”

They stayed that way for a few minutes, simply holding the other. Providing the anchors needed to keep their spirits alive. Eventually, (Y/N) pulled back and dragged his face away from her neck, huffing a laugh when he whined lowly from the loss of contact.

She reached up and wiped his face. “You look like a kid who was told no to ice-cream before dinner.”

Kyle let out a chuckle, moving her hands away and rubbing at his face vigorously. She climbed out of his lap and sat beside him once more, and he looked over at her wondering, “How do you manage to stay so positive outside the mask? To be the same person in costume and out?”

(Y/N) went silent, thinking for a moment, then she said, “A few years ago, I asked my dad the same thing, and he told me, ‘It doesn't matter who we are underneath the costume or out in the real world...it’s what we do in or out that defines us. If the person you claim to be isn’t the same person inside and outside of uniform, you don’t need to be wearing it.’” She glanced back over at him, nudging him in the ribs. “Don't worry about it though, you’re still a dork inside and out of G.L.”

Kyle let out an amused scoff, placing a hand against his chest. “I can't believe you would insult your boyfriend like that. A dork? I’m hurt.”

(Y/N) rolled her eyes, looking back at the city. “Kyle, you doodle in the middle of J.L. meetings, and it’s usually caricatures of my dad strangling Hal, the Joker, Jason, or Dick…typically it depends on what’s going on during the meetings and who’s been a pain in his ass for it.”

He opened his mouth to retort, but shut it, then raised a pointer finger at her. “Alright, you have me there.”

(Y/N) looked over at him, raising an eyebrow. “Of course I have you there, Dork Lantern...” She gave him a grin, wiggling her eyebrows and quipped, “I sit and doodle with you.” The two of them laughed, and she rested her head on his shoulder, letting out a sigh. “I could stay with you here forever.”

Kyle nodded, wrapping an arm around her waist. “Me too.”

A moment of silence passed them, and as they were enjoying it, a voice called out, “Oi! Kyle! Queenie! Are you guys up there!”

She let out a groan, rubbing the bridge of her nose. “So help me God, I can’t enjoy anything without dumb and dumber sticking their noses into it.”

Kyle looked over at her, his eyebrows furrowing as he pointed out, “But there’s only one?”

(Y/N) raised a hand in a ‘wait’ motion, then she waved it and, “Of course they’re up there Little-wing. The roof is where all the teens go to make out.”

Her eye twitched, and she leaned over the ledge, shouting, “The only person who’s made out on the roof is you, Dick. And it was with Kori after you guys broke up...AGAIN.”

A scoff sounded below followed by, “Hit me where it hurts why don't you!” She rolled her eyes, huffing, then he asked, “Is Kyle up there with you?”

“And what’s it to you?”

“Just wanted to make sure you guys are acting appropriate.”

“Dick...I am older than you. Kyle and I are both older than you.”

“So?”

(Y/N) turned to Kyle and mouthed, ‘Wanna get out of here?’ He flashed her a grin, then a strike of green blinded her, and he stood before her in his Green Lantern suit. He held out his hand. A beam of green light surrounded them, and a moment later, (Y/N) felt herself drop into a seat. She looked around, a grin appearing on her lips as she ran her hand along the dash of the constructed car.

“Kyle, are you trying to woo me with my love of nice cars?”

He matched her grin, laying his unoccupied arm across the seats. “I don't know...is it working?”

She nodded, sliding over into his side. “Yes. It is.” He chuckled, and they started moving, leaving her two brothers yelling for them.

“Kyle! Are you letting (Y/N) ride in the Green Machine?! You never let me do that!”

“(Y/N)’s my girlfriend, Jason!”

“I’M YOUR FUCKING BEST FRIEND! WHAT EVEN!”

She leaned across Kyle, glaring at Dick and Jason. “Go do something productive with your time, losers.”

“I am hurt, Jellybean! I thought you loved me!”

“Only when I can get something out of it!” (Y/N) glanced at Kyle and grinned. “Hit the gas G.L. Don't let ‘em catch the taillights.” He smirked, and they waved as they left Wayne Manor behind them.

[chroniclesofamber]

THE CHRONICLES OF AMBER & History Lessons

It should be obvious that writers, composers, painters and all artists respond to the time in which they live, and that this is reflected in their art.  And it should also come as no surprise that some material is more strongly influenced by the historical moment than other art.  All this is at least as true for Roger Zelazny and his idolized Chronicles of Amber — perhaps somewhat more so, given that these five books in no small way chart a complete decade.

NINE PRINCES IN AMBER (1970)

History:  Pieces of the first book saw print as early as 1967.  It appears Zelazny worked on the book here and there for three years or more until its publication in 1970.  Still looming over the political landscape of the time was the assassination of John F. Kennedy years earlier, which had led to the Johnson “great society” era and from there to Nixon’s struggles with China, the Soviet Union and the Vietnam War.  Just as influential was the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., as well as that of Robert Kennedy.  The 1960s were dominated by these issues, the Cold War and threat of nuclear annihilation, the rise of the counter-culture and protest movements, the Beatles and Woodstock, and the first landing of men on the Moon.

As someone familiar with Jungian psychology and Frazer’s Golden Bough, Zelazny saw a way to harness the interregnum turmoil of the Sixties while incorporating the ritual of “the Killing of the King.”  (Conspiriologists left and right — politically, and otherwise — have long adhered to the notion that it was not a coincidence that this particular killing of the king had been carried out in accordance with ancient ritual.)  The King of Amber is missing or deceased. Factions have quickly aligned to jockey for the best position to take advantage of the power vacuum.  That a conspiracy to remove both the king and Corwin is uncovered, a few books later, also mirrors the deaths of the Kennedys.  Our hero, already in a state of confusion over his own identity and situation, is thrust into the midst of this power-struggle and — like Armstrong and Aldrin aboard the Eagle — soon finds himself visiting another world.

Lesson:  Corwin charges in somewhat blindly, and is literally blinded (and imprisoned) as a result.  When he miraculously regains both his sight and his freedom, he vows that patience and planning will guide him going forward and that, this time, he will prevail and take his rightful place in Amber.  He also learns that what drives you, what you want, has a lot to say about who you are.

Journey:  He starts out being held against his will in a hospital, recovering from broken legs and near-drowning from a car accident.  By the end of the book, he is recuperating from years of blindness and imprisonment under much better circumstances in a remote lighthouse while cared for by an old friend.  When he leaves the lighthouse, no one tries to thwart his departure (he is voluntarily assisted, in point of fact), he knows exactly who he is and what he wants, and has a clear idea of his objective and how to achieve it.

THE GUNS OF AVALON (1972)

History:  Two years pass, eventful ones.  No shortage of natural disasters — major cholera epidemics in Istanbul and Slovakia; avalanches in France and Peru; earthquakes in Tonghai, Gediz, Burdur, Bingöl, Peru and elsewhere destroy cities and kill thousands; Mount Etna erupts; Montreal is buried by the blizzard dubbed La Tempête du Siècle; the Odisha cyclone overtakes the Bay of Bengal and claims 10,000 lives; 50 tornadoes tear through Louisiana and Mississippi; floods put Bangladesh and eastern Bengal underwater; the Bhola cyclone wipes out half a million people.  But the real disasters turn out to be man-made, so much so that this period could easily be described by the phrase “state of emergency.”  The Apollo 13 mission fails, though the astronauts survive and the summer of 1971 sees a rover rolling across the surface of the Moon.  Oil-price instability and Nixon taking the dollar off the gold standard together signal economic and energy crises yet-to-come, but the real instability is social, political and military.  Coups and assassinations become commonplace as former colonial possessions are granted independence.

Keyword:  Napalm.  Bombs, terrorism, murder and violence, state-sanctioned and otherwise, plague the United Kingdom due to resistance to British rule in Northern Ireland.  American incursions into Laos and Cambodia fuel growing anti-war sentiment.  The publication of the Pentagon Papers and the COINTELPRO documents stolen from FBI offices in Pennsylvania, news images of the Kent State shootings, and revelations of the My Lai Massacre throw gasoline onto the fire:  150,000 protest the Vietnam War in San Francisco on the same day that half a million march on Washington, D.C.  60% of Americans oppose American troops in Southeast Asia.  Meanwhile, the ashes of Hitler, Eva Braun, and the Goebbels family are scattered in East Germany’s Biederitz River.  Echoing all this, Zelazny pulls from the Grail quest an idea which unites the chaos reflected in the natural and human worlds in a single image — the Wasteland — and gives it the form of the Black Road, which Corwin discovers runs all the way to the outskirts of his beloved Amber.

Lesson:  Corwin struggles with his commitment to his system of values as demonic beings and foreign-imposed dictatorship threaten the shadow world Lorraine and Amber herself.  With some reluctance, he risks his own neck for a place lost to him long ago, and abandons his scheme to turn his troops and guns against Amber when the kingdom seems on the brink of falling to an enemy coming in strength.  He understands the necessity to adapt to changing conditions and to remain flexible while pursuing his goals.

Journey:  Corwin intends to sail straight to Avalon but gets lost in his very own Wood of Error, so that a spontaneous choice leads him instead into the hell of Lorraine, its Goat, and the citadel at the heart of the Black Circle.  Toward the end of the book he is again diverted from his course in that his original mission, to exact vengeance on his brother Eric and seize the throne, is set aside when he comes upon the creatures of the Black Road at Amber’s gates.  Just as he set out seeking gunpowder in Avalon but found something else along the way — the knight errant he once was long ago — he marches to Amber to find that the regicide he believed he desired was not what he would ultimately want or choose to do.

Vietnam and the 1970s

The tide had definitely turned against U.S. participation in the Vietnam War by the first years of the decade.  Nixon, having seen Johnson’s presidency founder and meet an early end due to the war, initiated a draw-down of forces.  Australia and New Zealand pulled out of the war in 1971.  By the end of that same year, American ground forces had been withdrawn from the war effort, though involvement would drag on a few more years.

Britain, though victorious after World War I, had been left depleted and weary of war — brutal trench warfare had cost the nation more than a million lives.  The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution of 1964 more or less marked the beginning of the Vietnam War in the minds of Americans, when U.S. troop strength went from 23,000 to 184,000.  It had therefore gone on longer than World War I and wound up costing approximately 60,000 American lives.  In America a fatigue had taken hold which was not so different from what post-Great War Britain had known.

Zelazny may have been responding to the mood of the times when portraying the enormity and senselessness of the losses witnessed, and caused, by Corwin and other princes of Amber.

From the first book:

“…ten thousand men dead in a plains battle with centaurs, five thousand lost in an earthquake of frightening proportions, fifteen hundred dead of a whirlwind plague that swept the camps, nineteen thousand dead or missing in action as they passed through the jungles of a place I didn’t recognize, when the napalm fell upon them from the strange buzzing things that passed overhead, six thousand deserting in a place that looked like the heaven they had been promised, five hundred unaccounted for as they crossed a sand flat where a mushroom cloud burned and towered beside them, eighty-six hundred gone as they moved through a valley of suddenly militant machines that rolled forward on treads and fired fires, eight hundred sick and abandoned, two hundred dead from flash floods, fifty-four dying of duels among themselves, three hundred dead from eating poisonous native fruits, a thousand slain in a massive stampede of buffalo-like creatures, seventy-three gone when their tents caught fire, fifteen hundred carried away by the floods, two thousand slain by the winds that came down from the blue hills.”

What tends to jump out from that passage (especially to readers harkening back to the ’70s):

(1)    napalm dropped from aircraft on troops moving through jungles below results in a number of casualties far higher than deaths from any other cause;

(2)    immediately after thousands depart for paradise, their desertion is contrasted with the hell of the detonation of a nuclear weapon;

(3)    aside from deaths due to centaurs, war machines, nuclear warfare and napalm, natural disasters are responsible for the mass losses of life, yet the total taken by disaster is still dwarfed by the number slain in combat.

There is not much other commentary on war in the series.  The subject of warfare is largely confined to the first two books.  But there is this from the end of the sixth chapter of Nine Princes in Amber:

“As I stood on a hilltop and the evening began around me, it seemed as if I looked out over every camp I had ever stood within, stretching on and on over the miles and the centuries without end.  I suddenly felt tears come into my eyes, for the men who are not like the lords of Amber, living but a brief span and passing into dust, that so many of them must meet their ends upon the battlefields of the world.”

[…to be continued in a future post…]

[thatshankcallednewt]

Newt: Alternate Universe - Spilt Milk

Prompt: You and Newt are soulmates; the soulmate universe where soulmates receive the same injuries as each other.

requested by anonymous

I’ve never heard of this soulmate AU before, so I gave it my best shot. Kept it fluffy (because I’m sick of writing angst), I hope you enjoy reading, and that it follows the AU as much as possible as I was a little unsure by what “injury soulmate au” actually meant! :P

You sat down on the edge of your bed and sighed audibly, your chest rose and fell dramatically as it expelled. It had been a serious week of moving in and organizing the place, so much so that you had forgotten what it felt like to just sit down and breathe calmly.

But it was a good week, nonetheless. It was good to finally have your own space, completely yours.

You let the late afternoon sunshine warm your cheeks as it spilled through the new, soft transparent-white curtains you hung over your bedroom window last night, and you thought about the rest of your day. You wanted to buy a couple of extra mugs for guests and some new bath towels and an indoor drying rack for your washing when the weather becomes gloomy. You figured you would just spend a quiet afternoon looking through some thrift stores and homeware shops near your apartment building, so you grabbed your things up and shoved it all quickly into your bag before locking your front door shut.

When you twisted the keys in the lock and checked that the doorknob wouldn’t twist open, you spun in the direction of the stairs but instead saw your neighbor walking onto your level. You’ve met him a few times now, it was usually a small smile and a nod. The first time you met, you spilled a carton of milk all over the hall. Fortunately, there wasn’t a carpeted rug over the flooring, but it was still quite the mess; you were grateful for his help in cleaning it up despite being such a klutz. You were an immediate sucker for his chocolate brown eyes and golden hair, but what did it was the playful accent, especially when he called out to you in passing.

You started down the hallway and caught eyes with Newt as he neared his own front door. He had his backpack slung over one shoulder and was wearing a blue sweater, he must have been to one of his classes during the morning. He’s mentioned to you before about his study.

He smiled at you, “Y/N, how are ya?”

You smiled back warmly, “Great, what about yourself?”

He nodded, “Great, yeah, great,” he paused and noticed your bag, “headed out?”

“Last minute shopping. I keep thinking of all the random pieces of furniture or homewares I need that I didn’t realize I would need before moving in.”

“Ah yes, I’ve been there. You got enough towels?”

You grinned sheepishly at him, “On my list.”

“Make sure to buy extra soft, may be a little pricier but definitely worth it, otherwise it’ll just be uncomfortably rough within six months.”

You laughed at his advice and shook your head a little, “You got anymore tips for me?”

He thought for a moment, you watched his amused eyes, “Yeah, don’t buy a carton of milk and drop it in the hallway.”

You both laughed at the memory and you shook your head at him again, “I promise it was an accident.”

“I don’t know,” he started suspiciously, “maybe you were trying to distract me so you could scope my place out before you rob me and take off in the middle of the night.”

“Oh, yeah,” you said, “that’s exactly what I was doing.”

He smiled again, and your heart warmed. “Seriously though,” he started again, “how did you manage it?”

You sighed and glanced at the floor before looking back up at him again, “Honestly, I don’t know, I’m usually a little bit un-co but that day my leg kept aching and I think I stepped wrong or something.”

He frowned at this, “Your leg hurt?”

“Yeah,” you held it out now before you, “it’s okay now though. I think it’s nothing, but it’s been like that for a while, I went to the doctor about it and she said that there wasn’t anything wrong with it. It’s just on and off, I guess.”

Newt stared down at your leg in silence, he blinked, and then he found your eyes again, “Yeah… it’s probably nothing.”

You both said your goodbyes as Newt mentioned he had an essay due soon, so you let him get back to studying while you took off for the bunch of stores near your street. You found some nice décor pieces at the thrift stores for cheap prices, so you indulged yourself in that but as you went into the homeware store you were overwhelmed. There were so many items you been eyeing off online but pushed yourself not to buy that it was now harder than ever to stop yourself.

You found the towels and decided on some warm tones and also took Newt’s advice on buying extra soft ones, they did feel nice against your skin.

When you got to the mugs section though, you were floored at all the possible designs you could choose from. You weren’t sure if you should go quirky or colorful, or even comical; you never before realized how much of a task mug-choosing could be. You probably stood there in the aisle for ten minutes straight, just staring at all your options.

Then you finally picked out one, it was a comical one, you could never say no to a cute little pun on a coffee mug, but the satisfaction of making a decision was short-lived as you fumbled with the mug and watched it clatter to the floor; cracking apart.

You stared at the mug and could feel panic rising. You bent down to pick up the broken pieces, you didn’t want anyone to injure themselves while you went and found an employer that could help, but as you picked up the pieces in your panicked state, you sliced your finger open.

“Ouch!” you cried and lifted the finger to inspect it. It was bleeding, definitely bleeding, the blood began running down the side of your finger, but from what you could see after wiping it up with tissues, it didn’t look too deep.

Finally, an employer came to your aid and found a first-aid kit. With heated cheeks you let him ask what happened and give you a Band-Aid, and then you paid for the broken mug (as well as the new ones you selected out afterwards). You hated that you embarrassed yourself so, you kept thinking how you wouldn’t be able to show your face there ever again.

You were busy still thinking hard about the incident when you stumbled up the stairs to your apartment. You were just thinking how you could have made a run for it, and they never would’ve known, when Newt’s apartment door swung open beside you.

You froze in place and looked at the blond boy as he held his hand up, his finger spurting blood. You stared hard at his hand and then your eyes widened.

“I don’t have any bloody Band-Aids,” he said, his frown tight and his eyebrows furrowed from the pain.

“Your finger…” you said, and then you realized he needed your help, so you quickly unlocked your apartment door and he followed you into the bathroom. You opened up the mirror’s storage doors and searched for your small box of first-aid equipment.

You pulled out a Band-Aid and, after cleaning the wound on his finger, you wrapped it up carefully, hyper-aware of every touch. You felt the blush back on your cheeks and you hoped he didn’t notice.

“So, you have plenty of extra soft towels but no Band-Aids, huh?” you questioned, jokingly.

He smiled at this, “Well, if you weren’t such a klutz, I wouldn’t bloody need them.”

You pulled your hands away from him and stared up at him, you weren’t sure if you had heard him correctly. In fact, you were sure you hadn’t.

“You don’t know?” he said, his brown eyes amused. He pointed to his leg, “My limp, your leg pains? It’s the same bloody leg.”

“But—”

He eyed your injured finger before continuing, “I didn’t slice my finger open, I was nowhere near anything that would. I was just typing away on my laptop, minding my own business. Essays are hard and painful but not that kind of painful,” he laughed at his joke and you couldn’t believe what he was getting at, you just couldn’t. “And what about this?” he continued as held up his other arm where a big, fat purple bruise swelled his skin. 

You twisted your arm to look at where the bruise was, you remembered that you were vacuuming and tripped over the cord, you looked back to him and saw him half-grinning.

He sighed, “I saw that one first, on your arm, in the hallway once when I was on my way out and you were going home. I... I was sure I was just imagining things but... it all made sense after a while.”

You were lost for words entirely, the whole soulmate thing, you believed it of course, your own parents found each other after your mom broke her wrist roller-skating. They went to the hospital at the same time and saw each other in the waiting room, for the same injury, except Dad was only watching TV when it happened.

But you never even thought about it, not consistently anyway, meeting your soulmate was something you just figured would happen later, a lot later.

“Have you always been this much of a klutz? ‘Coz I’ve been through the bloody wars, especially this week,” he couldn’t keep his smile off his face, “and when we met and you spilled that milk all over the corridor…” he laughed softly, and licked his lips nervously, “I guess I thought about how clumsy my soulmate must be and I kinda hoped it was you. Spilt milk is pretty romantic, right?” he paused, “Makes a good story to tell.”

“I…” you said, but your sentence trailed off. “I can’t believe…” You shook your head and laughed, finally, and it put Newt at ease when he realized you weren’t in complete shock-horror at the thought of him being your soulmate. “God, I must have drove you crazy…”

“A lot of injuries, sometimes I thought you might kill me before we ever even got the chance to meet but… I guess I always thought that at least you would be a pretty interesting person. Not any normal person gets into that many accidents on the daily.”

“I’m sorry about that…” you said sheepishly, suddenly embarrassed all over again.

He smiled brightly at you, his brown eyes flashed, “No need to be, I can take it. Besides, you have to put up with that bloody pain in your leg all the time.”

You shrugged, “I’m used to it, it would be weird not having it around.”

He smiled at that, and in that moment, it suddenly dawned on the both of you that your soulmate, your soulmate, was right there in front of you. 

Newt nervously put his hand through his hair, he glanced down at your bathroom tiles momentarily before his eyes found yours again, “M-maybe we should get coffee some time?”

You laughed at him, a big, hearty laugh that rose from your stomach, and you tried to stop yourself by shoving your hand over your mouth, but his surprised face only made it harder.

At first, he didn’t know how to react, but your laugh was contagious to him, your smile was everything, and he couldn’t help but laugh with you.

[writerspink]

K-12 Words

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capture remark western outcome risk current bold compare resident ambition arrest furthermore desire confuse accurate disclose considerable contribute calculate baggage literacy noble era benefit orchard shabby content precious manufacture dusk afford assist demonstrate instant concentrate sturdy severe blend vacant weary carefree host limb pointless prepare inspire shallow chamber vast ease attentive source frantic lack recent distress basic permit threat analyze distract meadow mistrust jagged prefer sole envy hail reduce arena tour annual apparent recognize captivity burrow proceed develop humble resist peculiar response communicate circular variety frequent reveal essential disaster plead mature appropriate attractive request congratulate address destructive fragile modest attempt tradition ancestor focus flexible conclude venture impact generosity routine tragic crafty furious blossom concern ascend awkward master queasy release portion plentiful alert heroic extraordinary frontier descend invisible coax entrance capable peer terror mock outstanding valiant typical competition hardship entertain eager limp survive tidy antonym duplicate abolish approach approve glory magnificent meek prompt revive watchful wreckage audible consume glide origin prevent punctuate representative scorn stout woe arch authentic clarify declare grant grave opponent valid yearn admirable automatic devotion distant dreary exhaust kindle predict separation stunt

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apprehensive dialogue prejudice marvel eligible accommodate arrogant distinct knack deposit liberate cumulative consequence strive salvage chronological unique vow concise influence lure poverty priority legislation significant conserve verdict leisure erupt beacon stationary generate provoke efficient campaign paraphrase swarm adhere eerie mere mimic deteriorate literal preliminary solar soothe expanse ignite verge recount apparel terrain ample quest composure majority collide prominent duration pursue innovation omniscient resolute unruly optimist restrain agony convenient constant prosper elaborate genre retrieve exploit continuous dissolve dwell persecute abandon meager elude rural retaliate primitive remote blunder propel vital designate cultivate loathe consent drastic fuse maximum negotiate barren transform conspicuous possess allegiance beneficial former factor deluge vibrant intimidate idiom dense awe rigorous manipulate transport discretion hostile clarity arid parody boisterous capacity massive prosecute declare stifle remorse refuge predicament treacherous inevitable ingenious plummet adapt monotonous accumulate reinforce extract reluctant vacate hazardous inept diminish domestic linger context excel cancel distribute document fragile myth reject scuffle solitary temporary veteran assault convert dispute impressive justify misleading numerous productive shrewd strategy villain bluff cautious consist despise haven miniature monarch obstacle postpone straggle vivid aggressive associate deceive emigrate flexible glamour hazy luxurious mishap overwhelm span blemish blunt capable conclude detect fatigue festive hospitality nomad supreme

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exclude civic compact painstaking supplement habitat leeway minute hoax contaminate likeness migration commentary extinct tangible originate urban unanimous subordinate collaborate obstacle esteem encounter futile cordial trait improvises superior exaggerate anticipate cope evolve eclipse dissent anguish subsequent sanctuary formulates makeshift controversy diversity terminate precise equivalent pamper prior potential obnoxious radiant predatory presume permanent pending simultaneously tamper supervise perceived vicious patronize trickle stodgy rant oration preview species poised perturb vista wince yearn persist shirk status tragedy trivial snare vindictive wrath recede peevish rupture unscathed random toxic void orthodox subtle resume sequel upright wary overwhelm perjury uncertainty prowess utmost throb pluck pique vengeance pelt urgent substantial robust sullen retort ponder whim saga sham reprimand vocation assimilate dub defect accord embark desist dialect chastise banter inaugurate ovation barter muse blasé stamina atrocity deter principal liberal epoch preposterous advocate audacious dispatch incense deplore institute deceptive component subside spontaneous bonanza ultimate wrangle clarify hindrance irascible plausible profound infinite accomplish apparent capacity civilian conceal duplicate keen provoke spurt undoing vast withdraw barrier calculate compose considerable deputy industrious jolt loot rejoice reliable senseless shrivel alternate demolish energetic enforce feat hearty mature observant primary resign strive verdict brisk cherish considerate displace downfall estimate humiliate identical improper poll soothe vicinity abolish appeal brittle condemn descend dictator expand famine portable prey thrifty visual

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stance vie instill exceptional avail strident formidable rebuke enhance benign perspective tedious aloof encroach memoir mien desolate inventive prodigy staple stint fallacy grope vilify recur assail tirade antics recourse clad jurisdiction caption pseudonym reception humane ornate sage ungainly overt sedative amiss convey connoisseur rational enigma fortify servile fastidious contagious elite disgruntled eccentric pioneer abet luminous era sleek serene proficient rue articulate awry pungent wage deploy anarchy culminate inventory commemorate muster adept durable foreboding lucrative modify authority transition confiscate pivotal analogy avid flair ferret decree voracious imperative grapple deface augment shackle legendary trepidation discern glut cache endeavor attribute phenomenon balmy bizarre gullible loll rankle decipher sublime rubble renounce porous turbulent heritage hover pithy allot minimize agile renown fend revenue versa gaunt haven dire doctrine intricate conservative exotic facilitate bountiful cite panorama swelter foster indifferent millennium gingerly conscientious intervene mercenary citadel obviously rely supportive sympathy weakling atmosphere decay gradual impact noticeable recede stability variation approximately astronomical calculation criterion diameter evaluate orbit sphere agricultural decline disorder identify probable thrive expected widespread bulletin contribution diversity enlist intercept operation recruit survival abruptly ally collide confident conflict protective taunt adaptation dormant forage frigid hibernate insulate export glisten influence landscape native plantation restore urge blare connection errand exchange

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feasible teem pang vice tycoon succumb capacious onslaught excerpt eventful forfeit crusade tract haggard susceptible exemplify ardent crucial excruciating embargo disdain apprehend surpass sporadic flustered languish conventional disposition theme plunder ignore project complaint title dramatic delivery litter experimental clinic arrogance preparation remind atomic occasional conscious deny maturity closure stressed translator animate observation physical further gently registration suppress combination amazing constructive allied poetry passion ecstasy mystery cheerful contribution spirit failed gummy commerce prove disagreement raid consume embarrass preference migrant devour encouragement quote mythology destined destination illuminating struggle accent ungrateful giggle approval confidence expose scientist operation superstitious emergency manners absolutely swallow readily mutual bound crisp orient stress sort stare comfort verbal heel challenging advertisement envious sex scar astonish basis accuracy enviable alliance specific chef embarrassed counter tolerable sympathetic gradually vanish informative amaze royal furry insist jealousy simplify quiver collaborate dedicated flexible function mimic obstacle technique archaeologist fragment historian intact preserve reconstruct remnant commence deed exaggeration heroic impress pose saunter wring astound concealed inquisitive interpret perplexed precise reconsider suspicious anticipation defy entitled neutral outspoken reserved sought equal absorb affect circulate conserve cycle necessity seep barren expression meaningful plume focused genius perspective prospect stunned superb transition assume guarantee nominate

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install reticent corroborate regretfully strength murder concise cunning intention holy satire query confused progression disillusion background mundane abrupt multiple enormously introduce emulate harmful pragmatic pity rebut liberate enthusiastic elucidate camaraderie disparage nature creep profitability impression racist sobriety occupy autonomy currently amiable reiterate reproduce cripple modest offer atom provincial augment ungratefully expansion yield rashly allude immigration silence epitome exacerbate somber avid dispute vindicate collaborate manufacturer embellish superficial propaganda incompetent objective diminish statistics endure ambivalent perpetuate illuminate phenomenon exasperate originality restrict anxiety anthropology circumstances aesthetic manufacturing conventional dubious vulnerable reality precedent entity success term critical repair underscore stepmother republican hesitantly classic wary contents prediction immediate invoke notorious implicit excluding input skeptical foster element punish frank humanity profound dessert orthodox substance disappear encourage neighborhood elder superfluous naive ascertain complacent resilient deafening military tend prudent glare acceptance skillfully induce monster beam gullible conciliate vessel petty cantankerous disclose archaeology anecdote disdain electronics substantiate subjective tourism advisable joyful incredible provocative psychological ruins discipline condone indifferent misfortune judgmental industrialize tasty assume astute mission mar protective definitely escape oppress shocked virtual zealous endorse qualification hostile eccentric abstract disparate geographical scrutinize generalization tolerate activity claim dogmatic influential obsolete extol implausible subsequent resource chronic benevolent improve confidential ambiguous seriously dearth perplex hatred throughout dine contemporary evoke essentially economic flagrant obscure alleviate eloquent dreaadful clumsy sympathy victim condemn vigor condescend spontaneous quell reprehensible substantially sleeve equivocal ironic decry errand articulate progressive eradicate refreshments elicit aspiration recently exemplary bribery theoretical disingenuous partisan revere particle nostalgia self-aggrandizement debunk tyranny rhetoric hierarchy warning whimsical venerate commend assert miserable awful vibe constrain undermine explicit differentiate compliment scrupulous contempt erroneous ideal refute imply cynical rash presume insight revival vary delay renounce indignant offensive temperate circumstantial export peep logo advertise suppress distort chunk convoluted denounce overwhelming fertility rigorous acquire arrogant university antagonize profitable indulgent strategic breathing idiosyncrasy profession frugal discern accommodation adversary incredulous disturbance digress social belie roam smug continual pertinent voluntarily elite subtle blame sincerity lick horror censure involvement candid infer futile impetuous exploit bewilder sustain diligent sincere protect sealed musical empathy callous parenthetical insure acorn sarcasm seize sacrificially allege emphatic irrelevant progress diplomatic stunned improvise deride reconcile meticulous deject scientifically incontrovertible pressure justify gloomy depict supplant endurance analogous diary bolster slip contemplate pesticide glow religious advocate negligent creator lament fundamental embrace throne inherent inferior valuable thrive trivial pretense reserved capricious refresh refusal flight boost explanation coherent prevalent tenacious official royalty assassin rub poach delete

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warrant circumscribed somewhat explosive optimistic mandate previously detract opinion intuitive feasible intimate persistent humble simplicity tempt deliberate painful unethical fundamentals discrepancy remorse pessimistic possibility conclusion acknowledge impregnate soberly creation paralyze suitability oblige tranquil medal arbitrate pacify illusory susceptible vibrate vengeance infection democratic stressful grave speculative sample identification stifle obligation revenge organization namely mediocre practical scream weaken consensus affectionate deficient treacherous console isolation ingenious memory melodrama despair awestruck composition regret recommendation celebrity decision devoid opaque ornamentation longevity participate dread restore interrogate aid accordingly mislead embarrassment optimism domestic apt funds virtue geography fundamentally thoroughly press despite horrible chilling rental esteemed disappointment innovative contemplation assign popularize haunt deafen serene percent estrangement suffer extravagant throng estimate comment priesthood mass dreadfully promote periphery animated saying relate clarity triple derivative succeed distortion register suicide improvement discreet inquisition probable curative incident praise convenience baffle covet dreadful genuinely weary undisturbed disgruntled humility renown nonchalant monopoly comedy vague decisive inconsequential announcement fabricated nevertheless vigilant scarce neglectful hushed attainment tedious explode snatch pslm agency sentimental tension adhere meanwhile sacred avert conformity likewise challenger accessible responsibility peril contact event roast fallible catastrophic competitor violate resolute deceive exaggeration discredit intolerable approve paste dimly novelist demeanor norm politician satisfaction obvious vehicle reservation defer involve restoration crush audible assistant backpack attain inanimate commemorate confrontation emigration parasite disperse quantitative laughter policy vulgar occasionally repay effective eulogy starvation empty therapeutic overall immortal encompass inappropriate opportune engagement illustrate turmoil observatory classification expression reminiscence comedian invention depress remedy protagonist gesture texture diplomatic election prolong conducive emotional invigorate curiosity expressive %

K-12 Words was originally published on PinkWrite

[milehighcity-rp]

“I’m a selfish broken heart and how I got this far coping with the thought of holding you a minute longer in my arms is beyond me. I set you free, but I feel so guilty cause I take every sunrise for granted. Sometimes I forget your voice I can’t stand it. Am I wrong for moving on?”

Name: Samuel ‘Sam’ Thomas Montgomery

FC: Theo James

Age / Birthday: 32 / 16 December 1984

Job: Gym Teacher

Apartment: 1204

Personality traits:

+ Determined, Athletic, Caring, Faithful

- Stubborn, Insecure, Mistaken, Secretive

tw: physical abuse, death Washington DC, the capitol of the United States, the home of the president and the heart of government and politics. A city filled with possibilities and power the perfect place for a family like the Montgomery’s to settle down in. A family that treasures tradition and believes that men should serve for their country while women stay at home and take care of the kids. The head of the family is General Michael Montgomery, a man with a title so big, it was hard to not let it get to your head. Michael is married to Rebecca, who just likes tradition lives as the housewife. Together they have three children. Peter is the oldest, then you have Christina and the little baby family is Sam. From the moment they could walk and talk, their mother taught them how to behave and not do anything that would put the family in a bad light. The right appearance and good reputation was the only thing they cared about. There was no way one of the Montgomery children was gonna ruin that.

To his parents Sam had always been a bit of a problem child. While his older siblings knew how to behave and keep quiet, Sam just wanted to play and have fun like other kids. A loud and stubborn child didn’t make the family look good so Sam got punished a lot, it started of with yelling and taking away his toys. But one night after ruining an important business dinner, his father decided that yelling wasn’t going to be cutting it anymore. With a belt in his hand he made sure his son was feeling his mistakes. It quickly became a routine, every time he even opened his mouth at the wrong time his father would make him shut up. The energetic and happy little boy turned into a quiet and scared child. He was afraid of his father and felt indifferent about his mother who just turned her head and pretended as if nothing bad was happening.

Peter and Christina grew up to be two confident teenagers, well behaved and earning good grades, Sam was always the one falling behind. He studied hard but he was distracted fighting the demons his father had created. He didn’t feel good in his skin and he felt as if his parents weren’t happy to have him. They must have hated ever making a son like him. Getting older, his siblings started leaving their home one by one. First was Peter who enrolled in the army just like every male of their family had ever done. next was Christina, who left for college, dreaming of becoming a journalist. When it was finally Sam’s time to graduate and leave, he couldn’t be happier. Finally he got to leave the house that he had to call his 'home’ for the past eighteen years. He didn’t care that his father chose the same path for him as his brother. He would be away from home and maybe Fort Lee would be his last way of showing his father that he got the guts to be a Montgomery and that he had been so wrong about his son all this time.

Fort Lee, Virginia, was his new home for the next year. It was on the other side of the state, a few hours away from Washington. It was a perfect new start for him. The first ten days were hard, but it was nothing he hadn’t been prepared for. Physically he could handle it, he had always been pretty athletic, he used to jog every morning back home with the sole reason of just wanting to get away for half an hour. Physically was no problem, but mentally it broke him. It brought back memories of his childhood and the way he got treated back home. Only this time around he wasn’t alone. He made friends, he was at the top of his class and he didn’t had his father yell at him or hurt him. He knew he could do it, he was strong enough to do so and that’s exactly what he proved. He fought his demons and passed his ten weeks basic combat training with flying colors.

It was only the start of his journey, next he had to choose a career and with help of a test he decided on becoming an explosive ordnance disposal specialist or in easier words he was becoming part of the bomb squad. His job was to detonate bombs and explosive devices before they could do any damage. A dangerous job that provided him the thrill he was seeking for. His career choice meant that he had to leave his friends behind but he quickly made new ones, one of them more special than the others. Her name was Sarah and she came to Fort Lee to study the same thing as him. The two soon became more than just good friends but they kept their relationship hidden in fear of being pulled apart.

After graduating their advanced class Sam and Sarah became public with their relationship and moved into together. They were both on active duty and needed to stay in their base but the houses Fort Lee offered them almost made it feel as if they could really be a normal young couple. To Sam this was his new life. He cut all ties with his parents and family. He still talked to his siblings, but even his relationship with them wasn’t what it used to be. But he had found home at Fort Lee and even though he wasn’t related by blood with any of his friends, they still felt more like family than his real one. Sarah and Sam applied to be assigned together and after two years of peace they both got the message that they’ve been assigned for a tour of duty overseas. It was the first of three tours together, one lasted longer than the other and sometimes they got assigned separately and had to spend time apart. Those were the hardest since the two love birds really got attached to each other.

In 2012 Sam asked Sarah to marry him. He did it right before they had to leave on a tour of duty in Afghanistan. They had made the decision of taking a break after this last tour so they could focus on their relationship and getting married. They both left with a positive mindset and big plans for the future but those all vanished in the middle of their tour of duty. Working together to detonate a self made bomb, things didn’t work out as planned and the bomb exploded before they could. That day Sam lost his fiancé and his job. Coming back home he got told his injuries were too bad and he got medically discharged. He almost lost his leg as one of the pieces hit him in a bad way but they managed to save it and now he lives life with a bit of a limb and a couple of big scars. It could have ended worse for him but it was hard to bring himself to be happy. He just lost the only person in the world that mattered to him and for a while he didn’t feel like living himself.

We’re almost five years later and Sam now lives in Denver. The VR&E helped him paying for college and now he works as a gym teacher at Mullen high school. Besides teaching, he coaches their football team. It’s completely different of what he used to do but he loves to teach and he thinks it’s important to promote exercise and sports. even though it’s been a couple of years, he still thinks of Sarah a lot and he’s still adjusting to his new life. His parents know about the accident and all the consequences it made but they never bothered to call him or look for him and he doesn’t want them to either. Right now he’s just trying to live day by day and hoping life will throw something good at him at some point.