#I thought my retrieval was gonna be Monday but now it looks like Wednesday

[windowsandfeelings]

Really putting all my effort into not whining about how uncomfortable I am to anyone who will listen. And failing.

[filthyjoetini]

Love is in the Air(BnB)

a/n: My loves. The long awaited part 6 is finally here. This one’s extra special because it’s now 4th June where I am and this means...it’s my birthday! Did I plan it this way? Not initially but the opportunity arose and I thought, why the hell not gift my loves with this monster of an update then? The usual thank you goes out to @barfightzanddiscolightz​. When I say I couldn’t do it without her, I mean it. I owe her at least 20 drinks by now...heh. Ok that’s enough! Enjoy

warnings: full on smut this time. angst at the end. that’s all.

wordcount: 7.5k

part 1 - Friday night - part 2 - Saturday - part 3 - Sunday - part 4 - Monday - part 5 - Tuesday - part 7 - Thursday -   Epilogue

Wednesday

Smiling to yourself, you took in Joe’s sleeping form which was illuminated by the few rays of late morning sunshine that shone through the small slits of the blinds. His lips were slightly parted and soft snores escaped them. His soft lashes kissed the freckled skin just beneath his eyes. His bare torso was partially covered by the duvet which he had hogged for most of the night and now had in a vice grip, holding it in his fist by his head. One bare leg was sticking out from underneath it, dangling off the bed.

He had his back to you, an invitation to run your fingertips down his spine. He shivered lightly and let out a soft groan. You giggled softly and turned your body more towards his. The movement made you hiss lowly. Oh yes, he indeed had left you breathless last night and sore – oh so sore. You slowly inched closer to him, pressing your cold, naked body against his and your lips to the nape of his neck, blowing raspberries there. Your icy skin on his warm back and your wet lips on his neck jolted him awake with a loud gasp.

“JESUS CHRiiiiist”

“Good morning.”, you giggled loudly as Joe tried to get away from you, scooting closer to the edge of the bed. He quickly pushed the duvet off himself, and you took your chance, snatching back the blanket to cover yourself with it, burying your face into it, inhaling his scent. He swiftly sat up, resting his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands.

“Fuck, babe.”, he mumbled into his hands, chest heaving. “You almost gave me a heart attack.”

He dropped his hands from his face to between his legs before he bent down to retrieve his abandoned boxer briefs from the floor. He quickly put them on and turned his upper body around to look at you. You were now completely engulfed by the duvet, only your eyes were poking out and they held a mischievous glint in them. A slight smirk played upon Joe’s lips, and he shook his head before fully turning around and crawling over to you.

“Good morning.” He greeted you; smirk still present on his lips. “What are you doing?”

“I was freezing.”

Your voice was muffled by the fabric in front of your mouth. Joe slowly lifted his hand and pulled it away from your face.

“Why were you freezing?”

“Well.”, you started, wiggling to get even more comfortable inside your now warm cocoon. “You hogged the blanket all night and then you even turned around and just left me lying there…naked and afraid.” You pouted up at him and he mimicked you before he lowered his face to yours to give you a soft peck on the lips.

“Awww, darling. I’m sorry.”

“Also. It’s very rude that you withheld the softness of your mattress from me for that long. I barely remembered how it felt after spending four nights on that shitty ass sofa…you still owe me a massage for that! And now you also owe me one for making my legs feel like they’re made of jelly and one more for almost letting me freeze to death.”, you huffed out, pouting even harder.

Your dramatics made Joe laugh out loud directly in your face and you tried to push him away, but you were trapped inside your cushy prison, and he was very much towering over you. When his laugh had somewhat subsided, he leaned down again to capture your lips with his once more.

“Turn around, babe.”, he whispered against your lips, “I’m gonna give you a massage that’ll count as three…”

“I’ll be the judge of that.”, you challenged him, placing a soft kiss to his lips. He snorted and shook his head once more, muttering the word unbelievable before sitting up back on his haunches. You slowly wiggled out from under the duvet and the cold air hit you once more, sending a chill down your spine. You felt your nipples harden and let out a small yelp.

“Also, I need to use the toilet first.”, you explained, wrapping your arms around yourself, trying to stay warm. Joe nodded and handed you his sleep shirt which he had lying around at the foot of his bed. You thanked him with a nod and quickly pulled it over your head, pushed your arms through the sleeves, and stood up. The shirt was rather big on you and its hem stopped mid-thigh, covering the majority of your behind. Looking around the room, you found your discarded lace thong right next to the door. You waddled over to where it lay, not daring to take big steps because of your aching limbs and put it on. You heard Joe giggle softly and turned back to him to give him a mock-glare and disappeared into the hallway.

---

When you got back, Joe had moulded a massage bed out of the duvet and stacked some pillows on top of each other so you could lay your head on them comfortably. He was rummaging through the drawer of his bedside table and pulled out a small bottle of massage oil. Of course, he of all people would have one of those in his bedside table. Joe closed the drawer and started to warm up the bottle of oil in his hands, turning to you with a smile.

“Do you do that often?”, you asked him curiously, taking slow steps towards him.

“Huh?”, he retorted with a furrowed brow.

“Massaging people.”

“Oh...uhm. No. I haven’t done it in... phew...I don’t know how long it’s been, but it must have been years.”, he explained, rolling the bottle between the palms of his hands. “Also, only a few select people have had the pleasure of getting one...so, consider yourself lucky and make yourself comfortable.”, he finished with a wink.

You playfully rolled your eyes at him and climbed onto the bed, positioning yourself on the makeshift massage bed. Before you lay down completely, you took off Joe’s sleep shirt and threw it across the room leaving you dressed only in your thong. Biting his lip and sucking in a sharp breath, Joe admired your sparsely dressed body. He then crawled over the bed and knelt down next to you.

“I’m gonna start now.”, he announced with a hushed voice to which you replied with a soft hum. Joe delicately lifted the sides of your thong and slowly slid it down over the cheeks of your bottom. While the fabric was pulled down, his fingers brushed your skin and sent the same electric feeling through your body as the night before in the back of the cab. It made you squirm a little.

“’m sorry, are my hands too cold?”, he questioned softly.

You shook your head no and urged him to continue. Joe undid the cap of the oil bottle, and you heard him squirt a good amount of it into his hand before swiftly closing the bottle again and putting it somewhere else. He then rubbed the oil between his hands to warm it up further and shortly after you felt his slick hands rub circles into your shoulder blades. You let out a blissful groan which elicited a small chuckle from the man currently hovering over you. When he pressed the heel of one of his palms into a very stubborn knot between your shoulders you almost let out the most obscene moan you could muster.

“Christ babe, your back really is tense.”, he stated the obvious pressing, rubbing and kneading the space expertly until the knot had completely loosened. When you felt the relief, it almost made you cry out in joy.

“I told you, that sofa of yours is evil. My whole body is in knots.”, you explained, your voice partly muffled by the pillow.

Joe only hummed in response and moved his hands down to your lower back, circling his thumbs into the dimples on it, applying more pressure with each finished circular motion. With each knot he massaged out he educed small whimpers, pants, and little prayers of pleasure from your lips, making his skin heat up as well. When he was done with your lower back, he quickly moved down to your bum, grabbing each cheek with one of his hands and squeezing them softly, making you yelp before he lifted his hands off your body. You protested loudly but he quickly put one hand on the nape of your neck and massaged there. You felt him shift a little and suddenly his warm breath was by your ear.

“I’m going to do your legs now.”

Still panting, you gulped when he took his hand from your neck and slid it down the length of your back to the sides of your hips, down to your thighs. Then he hooked his index fingers into the waistband of your thong, which lay just underneath your bum and lifted the fabric delicately, asking you to lift your lower half, which you did immediately. With one swift move, your undergarment was gone.

Unexpectedly you felt a warm liquid being poured down the back of your legs. Joe had retrieved the bottle of oil and was squeezing it directly onto your skin instead of into his hands. With a dull thud he let the bottle drop onto the mattress once more and rubbed the oil into your skin, starting at the calves. His big hands engulfed their width almost completely and he alternated between rubbing them with his whole hand to work in the oil and the pads of his fingers to gradually loosen the tension. He took his sweet time with each square inch of your skin before he eventually moved up to the back of your thighs. There too, he first massaged in the oil, then skilfully loosened all the knots one by one. While he was stroking your skin there, his fingers sometimes moved to the inside of your thighs, dangerously close to your very aroused pussy.

Every time you thought he would finally touch you there he would withdraw his hand making you groan out in frustration. Joe knew exactly what he was doing and had a devilish grin plastered on his face. He had discovered last night that he loved teasing you like this. You would get all riled up which made the actual satisfaction so much better. All the little sounds he had elicited from you did not pass him without a trace. His own arousal was very obvious and currently restrained inside his boxer briefs.

He leaned down to your ear once more and huskily whispered into it.

“Do you want me to touch you there?”

You nodded and whimpered softly as his fingers got close to your labia once more.

“I need words, darling.”

“Yes….please….touch me there.”

He placed a wet kiss just below your ear, sucking the skin there into his mouth while he moved his still oil covered index finger between your wet folds. Your breath hitched in your throat as he moved the finger up and down your lower lips, eventually inserting it, making you gasp even harder. The massage had left your whole body on fire, and it wouldn’t take much to push you over the edge. When he added a second finger, your whole body was trembling. He pumped his thick fingers unbearably slow in and out of you, hoping to get more of the sweet sounds out of you. You did not disappoint, which made him smile against the skin behind your ear. He then kissed down the back of your neck, bit and licked your skin at its nape.

“Can you turn around for be, babe?”, he asked you while his fingers were still pistoning in and out of your pussy. You nodded and turned to your back as best as you could without letting his fingers slip from you. As soon as you were on your back, you could finally see his face. Some of his hair was stuck to his forehead. The light sheen of sweat was keeping it there. His eyes were darker than usual, his want for you evident in them. You let yours wander down his torso to his groin where you saw his dick struggling in its cloth prison. He moved between your legs and bent down to your face again to capture your parted lips hungrily with his, deepening the kiss with his tongue sliding into your mouth. The hand that was not currently busy pleasuring you and curling its fingers up inside you with every second push, slowly moved to your breasts, firmly squeezing them one after another.

“Can’t miss these beauties.”, he whispered against your lips, starting to kiss down the front of your neck, between your collar bones and eventually the valley of your boobs. He licked around the areola of your left nipple before he took it into his mouth, gently sucking and nibbling on it. You moaned loudly when he let it go with a pop and repeated his actions on your other very much neglected nipple.

With your boobs thoroughly tended to and covered in his saliva; he kissed down your stomach to your mound and then pressed a soft kiss to your pussy lips. He removed his now soaked fingers under your very loud protest from you and sucked them into his mouth, moaning at your taste. His moan made you budge your hips upwards, closer to his face. He licked his lips and smirked up at you before he dove nose first into your love box, lapping up your juices hungrily and softly sucking on your lips and very sensitive bundle of nerves. He inserted his fingers once more and the combination of his plump lips on your lower ones and his thick fingers sent you over the moon instantly, shaking you to your core.

“FUUUUCK JOEEEEEE…fuuuhuuck,”, you moaned in a volume you didn’t know you were able to procure. You had tears pooling in the corners of your eyes from your orgasm. Panting even harder than before, his ministrations left you totally overwhelmed.

With one last lick of his tongue and pump of his fingers, Joe removed himself from between your legs and crawled up to your face, kissing you hard. His lips were glistening with your slick, which made your already flushed skin turn a shade darker.

“That was…”, you started, gulping hard and chest heaving, “…it was…fuck.”

You were at a loss for words and Joe grinned at you, wrapping his arms around your still trembling middle, pulling you up with him. He pressed you close to his chest and as he placed a soft kiss to your hair, just above your forehead, you wrapped your arms around him as well.

Straddling him now, you felt his penis poke your lower abdomen and you both looked down at it. When you looked up at Joe’s face he nodded at you, giving you his silent permission to make your move.

“I need words, babe.”

He chuckled at the way you repeated his words back to him and your raised eyebrow.

“What? Consent goes both ways.”

“Yes, it does.”, he agreed smiling at you lovingly. “You may touch me down there, darling.”

Looking him directly in his eyes, you moved your still shaking fingers from his back to his chest and rested them there for a bit before slowly sliding them down his front, over his belly button down his happy trail to the elastic band of his boxer briefs. He gave you a faint smile and a nod, encouraging you to go further and you smiled back at him softly before pulling back the band a bit and pushing your hand inside. You knew he was big, shit, you felt him inside of you last night, but holding his fully erect cock in your hand was kind of intimidating. You timidly started to pump his length inside his boxers but grew bolder when you heard the noises coming from his throat.

“Take them off please.”, you whispered against his lips before placing a heated kiss to them. Joe wiggled a bit underneath you and you took this as a sign to sit up bit so he could push down his underwear all the while you were still tending to his dick. With both of you now fully undressed, you sat down on his thighs again, pumping his length more heatedly, sliding your thumb over his slit, collecting the precum that was leaking from it to give you lubrication. Your action made him throw his head back with a groan and he whispered a low fuck which made you grin hard. You were working him up to the brink of an orgasm when he let his head fall forward again, resting it on your shoulder and biting down hard on it. His bite made you whimper loudly and pump his shaft faster which made him curse out in return.

“Fuck, I need to be inside of you!”

“Ahhh, I need you inside of me!”

You both declared in unison, and you immediately stopped what you were doing and lifted yourself up again. He aligned his throbbing cock with your equally pulsing pussy, and you lowered yourself down on it, taking him inside inch by inch. When you were fully seated on it your mouth was hanging open gasping for breath. You didn’t dare to move at first but eventually started to rock your hips a little, indicating that you now felt comfortable enough for Joe to move as well.

As you were riding him, he pulled you close again, biting, sucking, licking every inch of skin he could reach. You in return pulled him close to your chest, almost smothering him with it. Just as he was about to nibble on your collarbone you felt the newly formed knot of pleasure in your lower abdomen come loose, making your legs shake uncontrollably and you halted your movements. As you were moaning and whimpering, Joe noticed immediately that you were close and started to thrust up harder into you, moving his hand in between you both where he rubbed at your clit to guide your through your orgasm. You were a trembling mess of limbs when he also finally reached his breaking point and released himself inside of you.

“ffffuuuUUUHHHHCK!”, he shouted, way too loud before falling back onto his mattress, taking you with him. His shout must’ve surely woken up the last of your neighbours, but Joe and you couldn’t care less about it. You were lying on top of him, panting hard, mirroring his breathing. You looked down at Joe, whose face was contorted with pleasure and his eyes were closed. He moved one of his arms from around you to his face and just covered it with his forearm. The other arm slowly moved up your back to your head where he placed his hand to it, slowly pushing you down to his pectorals whilst massaging your scalp. You let out a content sigh and closed your eyes as well.

“Fuck, babe. That was…”, Joe started, gulping hard and huffing out a laugh. “It was…it was hot as fuck. I’m fucking spent.”

You chuckled in response, placing a soft kiss between his pecs. When you moved up a little to place your head into the crook of his neck, his now flaccid penis slid out of you, now lying limply between you both. You both didn’t have the energy to get up just yet, so you nuzzled your face further into his neck placing soft kisses to it from time to time, just taking in the after-sex-bliss.

You were about to doze off into a light slumber when Joe removed his hand from the back of your head and moved it down to your hips, joined by his other hand, which was previously covering his face. Your eyes shot open instantly when you felt him pull you up even further, now on the same eye level as him. His eyes held nothing but adoration and all you did was groan lightly which he returned with a low, raspy chuckle.

“No, we’re not falling asleep, darling.”, he whispered softly which you returned with yet another groan and a scrunched-up nose. Joe let out a hearty laugh at your antics, placing a soft kiss to the tip of it.

“But...”, you argued whilst he moved his lips from your nose to your left cheek, pecking it softly., “I’m sleepy...”

“I can see that.”

“Then let me sle-hmpf!”, you started but were silenced by his mouth on yours. At first you tried to push him away since you really just wanted to close your eyes, even just for a couple of minutes, but the soft caresses of his lips to yours and his hands drawing circles on your hips instantly quenched that desire and kindled a different one, one to just be kissed and held.

“I can’t let you fall asleep, not in this state.”, Joe explained with red and swollen lips, caused by the past couple of minutes of exchanging breathtaking kisses. He moved his hands from your hips down under your bum. “You gotta wash up first...”

You sheepishly looked down between your bodies and eventually nodded. Joe placed one last kiss to your lips before he let go of you and sat up. He leaned over to his bedside table and retrieved some wet wipes.

“Your bedside table is like Mary Poppin’s bag.”, you pointed out, now sitting up yourself. Joe snorted and shook his head at your comparison. He then moved closer to you again and pushed you back down gently.

“Open your legs, please.”

“Baby, you already ready to go again? Wow!”, you joked while slowly opening your legs to him. Your comment made him roll his eyes at you and he took a wet wipe out of the pack and gingerly wiped the evidence from the inside of your thighs and your still very tender labia. He was being very gentle, but it still made you hiss slightly at his touch. When he was done wiping you down, he dropped the used and crumpled up wipe next to you and bent down to peck your lips softly.

“Now you’re good.”

You grinned against his lips, a question forming on yours.

“Do you want me to help you clean up?”

“Nah, it’s alright. I can take care of that myself. Also, today was all about me taking care of you. Next time, you’re welcome to return the favour.”, he said with a wink, already wiping his dick with a wet wipe. You groaned at his reasoning, moving one leg up, placing your foot against his torso, pushing lightly. He did not expect you to push him and instantly lost his balance, falling backwards onto his arse.

“Oh no! I’m sorry, baby!”, you apologised, crawling over to Joe’s now laughing form, wipe still in his hand and around his dick. Joe just kept on laughing and spread out on the bed like a starfish. It was infectious and had you in your own fit in seconds.

When you both finally calmed down, you slowly climbed off the bed, declaring that you are now not tired anymore and in dire need of a shower.

Joe, still starfishing the bed, nodded and said he would go have one after you.

Just before you were about to open the bedroom door, Joe’s sleepshirt covering you once more and a change of clothes in your arms, the man in question softly called your name and you turned back to him. He was now lying on his side, still completely naked, facing you.

“Thank you for...everything.”

“Thank you for everything.”, you retorted with a soft smile.

“Also, I’m gonna cook us lunch after we’re done with our showers. Maybe you’ll find something tasty in the fridge?”, he suggested, now slowly sitting up.

“I will check and let you know.”, you replied smiling before silently slipping into the hallway.

---

Freshly showered, you were standing in the kitchen, your upper body half inside the refrigerator, rummaging through it when a figure appeared next to you.

“Sooooo…I guess Joe gave you one of his famous massages.”

It was Wesley, with a smug grin on his face. You leaned back out of the fridge and rolled your eyes at him.

“How do you know?”, you questioned, your own smirk plastered on, one hand on your hip. “Were you one of the select few who received one?”

Wesley chuckled at your question and shook his head before leaning in a little. You scrunched up your nose and tried to push him away, but it was a failed attempt.

“No, those are only reserved for the special ladies in his life.”, he replied, leaning back a little.

“Oh, is that so?”, you asked, one eyebrow raised, arms now crossed in front of your chest. “Then why did you suggest he should give me one?”

Wesley just shrugged and grinned at you which only irritated you further. You huffed at his non answer to which he let out a brief laugh. He then turned to the fridge and grabbed himself a can of coke which he slowly turned around in his hand as if to inspect its ingredients. You grew frustrated with his antics and uncrossed your arms to flick his biceps hard.

“Owwww!”

“Tell me!”

“OK, fine. Christ.”, Wesley frowned at you, rubbing the spot you flicked excessively. “Look, I know when my best mate fancies a girl, alright? He sometimes just needs a little push, and I wouldn’t’ve suggested it if I knew he wouldn’t go through with it at some point…let’s just say, I love playing matchmaker.

You blushed at this revelation, and he placed the can of coke down on the counter next to the fridge before grabbing your shoulders, pulling you into his arms.

“Thank you.”, you whispered. You felt his nod on your forehead followed by his lips, placing a soft kiss to it. He knew exactly what you were thanking him for. Without him, you didn’t think Joe and you would be where you were right now. Speaking of the handsome devil, Joe entered the kitchen midway through your hug with Wesley, also freshly showered and dressed for the day.

“Darling, have you found someth- …am I interrupting something?”, he questioned, coming to a sudden halt, with an unreadable expression on his face.

“No, no.”, Wesley answered, releasing you from his embrace, stepping back a little. “Just loving on my new bestie here.” He picked up his drink again and turned to Joe, giving him a knowing smirk and a pat on his shoulder before eventually making his way out of the kitchen. Before he left, he turned back to you.

“Love, my AirBnB app notified me that tonight will be your last night…we three should go out to give you a proper farewell.”

You only heard the first part of what he said to you. The rest didn’t reach your ears since your mind was already completely somewhere else. Shit, you almost forgot that you had to go back home. Shit. You knew the past couple of days were too good to be true. You didn’t want to go home. You slowly turned towards the two men who were expecting your answer, but you just stared blankly ahead somewhere behind Wesley in the hallway. When your name echoed through the air, you shook your head to get out of your dazed state and turned towards the source of the voice. It was Joe. Shit. Joe. You weren’t ready to say goodbye to him.

Joe’s eyes, which were filled with concern, searched yours and you shook your head once more, turning to Wesley. You plastered on a fake smile, which did not reach your eyes.

“Uh, yeah. That would be grand.”

“Perfect.”, Wesley, who was happy with your answer and luckily not addressing your weird little reaction, sent you a salute. “I’m off to work, afternoon shift aaaaand I’m running bloody late, shit… I’ll see you at around quarter to eight at the usual place?”, his question was directed at Joe who gave him a quick nod, eyes still on you and with one last smack to the doorframe, Wesley was gone.

You were still standing there, all stiff, gaze now on the floor. You heard fabric shuffling and then felt strong arms engulfing you.

“Babe.”

You shook your head, trying to rid your eyes of the tears that were forming in them.

“Babe…baby…come on, look at me.”, he urged you, moving one hand to your jaw and lifting your head up so you had no other option but to look at him. Your glossed over eyes found his big, wet ones. “Listen, I told you we would make it work, alright? I’m in no means ready to let you go tomorrow but I promise you, we will make it work.”

When you didn’t respond, he let out a deep sigh and leaned down to give your lips a soft kiss. “I promise.”, he whispered against them, kissing you once more which you finally returned with one of your own and nodded slightly.

“OK. Come on, let’s make some lunch. I’m starving.”, Joe spoke, taking a step back, letting go of you to turn to the still open fridge. You on the other hand, just kept standing there.

“I’m not that hungry anymore.”, you whispered, making Joe turn around to you quickly.

“What did you say? You need to speak a little louder, darling.”

You cleared your throat and then repeated your previous statement which made him pout a little.

“Ahhh shit, this means I didn’t do a well enough job with the massage and my dick…usually my clients are starved to death after.”, he stated, a shit-eating grin growing on his lips with every word he spoke. Your eyes almost bulged out of their sockets at his words, and you let out a loud snort, making you forget your worries completely.

“You’re such an idiot.”, you laughed, slapping his arm. His grin, now showcasing pride because he took your mind off your impending parting, grew even wider. He took hold of your hand that was still slapping him, and you instantly stilled. One hand still in his, he turned back to the refrigerator before turning back to you again.

“Fridge’s pretty empty…how does spaghetti with tomato sauce sound? Good?”

“Yeah, sounds perfect.”, you replied, trying to wiggle your hand free from his grasp. He immediately let go of it and went on to take out the ingredients from the different cupboards and drawers.

“I wanted to cook something else for you, but I forgot to go shopping.”, he explained as he took out a pot for the spaghetti and filled it with water. “But I will surprise you with a special menu when we get to see each other again.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

---

After cooking and eating lunch, Joe had to do some work. He had a short interview with a magazine lined up over Zoom as well as some audition tapes to record and send off. You took the opportunity to start packing your belongings. Your suitcase was still stored in the living room and now lying fully open in the middle of it, completely empty. You decided to take your sweet time completing this dreading task because you knew that as soon as you finished it, the dam that was currently holding back your emotions would break and you’d end up a sobbing mess.

You packed, un-packed, folded and un-folded your suitcase and clothes countless times and with each time, the lump in your throat grew thicker. You packed it one final time with just the clothes for tonight and tomorrow lying on the sofa, ready to be put on when needed, and your toiletry bag still on the shelf in the bathroom. Sighing, you stood up and exited the living room, walking over to Joe’s where you leaned against the doorframe, watching him.

He must have felt your presence because he slowly turned to you, holding up his hand, index finger in the air, indicating to you to wait a second. He also must have sensed your change of mood because he was frowning at you, holding your gaze with his.

“…yeah, mhmhmm…that’s alright. See you on Saturday, bye.”, Joe concluded his phone call, removing his AirPods from his ears.

“What’s wrong?”

“I’m done packing.”, you announced defeated, tears already brimming in your eyes again. Joe tutted softly, placed his headphones onto his desk, stood up and made his way over to you.

“None of that, darling. I promised you we will make this work.”, he said, a hint of irritation in his voice. With a tender embrace, he enveloped you, drawing you into the warmth of his chest. Head now on it, you savoured the rhythmic melody of his heartbeat as your arms instinctively found their way around him, pulling him even closer.

“I know, I just can’t help myself. I’m so sad. What if this doesn’t work out the way we hope it will. Especially the distance thing.”, Sniffling and tears now fully welling up in your eyes, you confided your deepest fears in him. Joe didn’t answer at first, just moving one hand to the back of your head, running his fingers through your hair whilst silent tears flowed down your cheeks. After a couple of moments, he finally spoke with a firm voice.

“I’ll promise you one last time.”, he started, moving both of his hands to your jaw, cupping it firmly. “We’re gonna make it work. I could always come visit you when I’m off work and you’re always, baby and I mean always, welcome here. I don’t even care if it bothers Wes or not. We are going to make this work.”

With tears streaming down your face, you nodded and leaned in to meet his lips in a wet kiss. One of his hands released your jaw to affectionately wipe your tears away as he reciprocated the kiss.

“Darling, please don’t cry. Everything’s going to be fine.”, he comfortingly reassured you as he pulled back, lips lingering on your right cheek, whispering into it all the while your sobs continued to wreck through your body.

Still standing in the doorway to his bedroom, he held you close to him, his voice a gentle whisper as his hands traced along your back and through your hair until your tears subsided. Seeing you break down like this didn’t leave him unfazed and he had to wipe away a few stray tears that cascaded down his own cheeks. Inhaling deeply, he reluctantly let go of you to check his phone. It was now close to half five which still gave you enough time to eat a brief supper and heading out to the pub.

“We should get ready soon.”, he said motioning towards the bathroom, trying to lift the mood, “Gotta make our pretty faces presentable for the public.”

He gave you a small smirk to which you sighed and attempted to muster your most convincing teary-eyed smile in response.

“OK. Can’t let them see us like this.”

“No, we can’t. Can’t let them know we are humans with emotions.”, Joe nodded, now slowly pulling you towards the bathroom, cackling a little when you once again slapped his arm, this time much more half-heartedly than before.

“Would be too scandalous.”, you snorted standing in front of the sink, your snot from crying now running out of your nose. Joe’s face contorted in disgust before he handed you some toilet paper so you could wipe and blow your nose.

“Exactly. Can’t have those in my line of work.”, With a chuckle, he ended the conversation and handed you a washcloth he had dampened under a low stream of water flowing from the sink's faucet.

Simultaneously getting ready in a cramped bathroom turned out harder than you two thought it would be, but you had managed and still had some time left to eat, which you both did on the balcony, overlooking the street. You both observed the events below in wide-eyed fascination.

---

Joe and you found yourselves running late as you had been so distracted by the bustling activities unfolding on the street.

Joe was running in front of you, dragging you along with him, which turned out to be a breakneck task. You had decided to put on your high-heeled sandals, not considering that half of London’s small alleys were still made from cobblestones. You had almost tripped and broken your ankle twice in the past ten minutes you had been running towards the pub making it an arduous journey.

Finally, panting like two weary horses burdened by excessive weight, you arrived 20 minutes late for your cosy farewell bash - if one could even call it that; you honestly weren’t sure. Joe quickly led you inside, nodding at the other patrons who were watching the two of you in your hurried state.

You both made your way as quickly as possible to the back of the pub where they usually hung out, but Wesley was nowhere to be seen. Confused, Joe let go of your hand and turned around to look if he’d missed him somewhere along the way.

“Uhh….Wes?”, he called out when suddenly six people screaming SURPRISE erupted from different booths. The room came alive with a burst of party horns, swirling confetti, and the crackling sound of party poppers. You let out a loud yelp and covered your ears, totally caught off guard by them. Joe was equally startled and quickly grasped onto your shoulders, almost hiding behind you.

When the noise settled a little you took your hands off your ears and looked at the smiling and expectant faces of Rebecca, Dan, Felix, Oliver, Jack and Wesley. Joe let go of your shoulders and was now standing beside you, grinning at his friends. He was so very grateful for them and that they had accepted you into the group in such a short time. He knew this was all Wesley’s doing. That man had a talent of making everyone feel welcome and comfortable around each other and for that he loved his best friend very dearly.

“Jesus, you guys. This really is a surprise.”, you finally said, looking to Wesley. “I thought this was gonna be just the three of us.”

Wes only smirked at you before stepping forward and engulfing you in a hug.

“Did you really think they would let you go back without saying goodbye?... Love, I’m disappointed.”, he retorted with mock-hurt in his voice and one hand over his heart. You rolled your eyes at him and pushed his shoulder gently before leaning into his hug.

“Thank you.”

“Any time, bestie.”

He then stepped back and let the others hug you tightly. Becky was the last to embrace you and told everyone that she would not let you go, so you couldn’t go to the airport and fly back home. You chuckled at her, and she eventually let go of you, nonetheless.

You danced and talked with them for what felt like hours. You limited yourself to one drink because you wanted to stay sober so that the memories of your last night with such wonderful people would remain etched in your mind, as clear as day.

You were laughing widely as Oliver coaxed you into dancing a waltz with him. The music that was playing did not suit such a dance at all, but Oliver couldn’t care less and led you almost expertly across the small dancefloor. Then suddenly both Felix and Jack declared that it was their turn, taking you from Oliver and twirling you around between the two of them.

Joe was sitting in a small booth, watching you dance with mates and sipping his drink with a content look on his face. Mid-twirl his gaze caught your attention and you excused yourself from the trio of now loudly complaining men, making your way over to him.

“Hey there, handsome. You come here often?”, you asked playfully as you took your seat opposite his. Joe snorted at your weak pickup line and took a sip of his drink.

“All the damn time, darling.”, he replied, playing a long with you.

“How come, I’ve never seen you before?”, you followed up, now leaning across the table, face dangerously close to his. Trying not to grin too hard he himself leaned forward a little more, stopping mere millimetres away from your lips.

“I like hiding in the shadows, you know.”, he explained before closing the distance and pecking your lips softly. You hummed against his before pulling back with a smile. Joe finished his drink with one last gulp and suddenly stood up, taking your hand in his and pulling you up as well.

“Come dance with me.”

He led you to the dancefloor and securely wrapped his arm around your waist, swaying you both from side to side. You had your head placed on his chest, listening to him hum the songs that were playing softly under his breath. Everything around you seemed to disappear, and Joe and you only existed in your small bubble, dancing along to the music which was now only a background noise. Within this sanctuary, you felt a sense of security. It was a haven where you yearned to remain for the rest of your days. It was in this bubble where in the future you wanted to invite your newfound friends, shrink them, and put them in your pockets so they would always be close to you. As for now, the bubble was exclusively reserved for Joe and you. You dreaded it being burst anytime soon. You knew it would burst soon. All too soon. Soon as in-

There was a sudden tap on your shoulder and Dan and Rebecca stood there, sad smiles on their faces. You didn’t know how much time had passed but their faces made it clear that it was time. Joe gently let go of you and you fully turned towards them.

“It’s getting late.”, Dan explained. “We have to get up early tomorrow, you know, for work.” You nodded sadly and hugged him goodbye then turning to Becky, who had her arms already spread wide for you.

“Promise me, you’ll come back soon.”, she said into your hair, squishing you hard against her chest. “’Cause if not, we all have to come visit you together with Joe, and believe me, you don’t want that.”

“I promise.”, you giggled sadly at her idle threat before swallowing hard. “I’m gonna miss you guys so much.”

You really didn’t want to cry anymore today but you couldn’t help your tears forming in your eyes again.

“Gonna miss you too.”

Rebecca let go of you, patting your shoulder softly. Then Felix, Oliver, and Jack engulfed you in a group hug and begged you to stay. You explained to them that you couldn’t but that you had promised Becky that you would be back soon. Your answer managed to appease them to a certain extent, and they eventually let go of you.

Five minutes later, Wesley, Joe and you were waiting on the curb for the cab that Wesley had called to pick you up from the pub. You had asked them in a small voice if it would be alright to do so, because you didn’t have the energy to walk to the nearest tube station and then all the way home. Saying goodbye to the others had left you hollow and drained. You let out a deep sigh and Joe, who had one arm around your middle, pulled you in closer to his side, placing a soft kiss to your hair.

You placed your head on Joe’s chest once more, not saying a single word which made Joe wrap both of his arms around you, pulling you in even closer and resting his chin on your head. He began swaying from side to side again, trying to keep you from crying once more. He softly whispered sweet nothings and the occasional peck into your hair and rubbed his hands up and down your back.

After a short while, Wesley placed his hand on your shoulder rubbing it gently, and you slowly turned your head towards him seeing his soft smile and a nod.

“Cab’s here.”, he announced taking his hand off your shoulder again, walking towards it, and climbing into the backseat. Joe gently let go of you and slowly guided you to the car so you could climb in after Wes before he himself sat down and closed the cab’s door behind him. You instantly snuggled up to Joe again, frowning hard and closing your eyes, painfully aware that this would be the last cab ride home to Joe and Wes’ place in a very long time.

---

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again, the ones that are crossed out cannot be tagged. sorry.

[fakescenarios-tohelpyousleep]

Spin the Bottle| Seth Acosta {Moxie}

summary|  not wanting to play spin the bottle you request the help of seth to pretend to be your boyfriend.

"Everyone get in a circle!" Lucy's voice carried throughout the room of the party I currently sat at. Surrounded by the girls in Moxie as well as some other girls and guys I didn't know the names of. "Come on, Y/N, we're playing spin the bottle." Kiera speaks as she appears at my right hooking our arms together. "It's gonna be fun." Amaya adds copying Kiera's actions only on my left. I quickly shake my head, unlinking our arms. "I'll sit this out." I dismiss them. "Come on, Mitchell's not here to be a creep." CJ speaks from her spot in the circle besides Lucy and Vivian. "You don't even have to spin, just sit." Vivian suggests at which I roll my eyes. "It could still land on me." Lucy shrugs. "So what, it's not like we're playing 7 minute in heaven or anything." She comments, the others nodding in agreement with Lucy. "Come on Y/N, it's not that serious. It's just a game." Kaitlynn adds. The tightness in my chests makes me excuse myself to the bathroom, closing the door quickly behind me, not thinking about it. I lean on the sink, staring back at myself in the mirror. "They're right Y/N, it's not that serious. Just a game." I speak to myself, but as my eyes remeet in the mirrors, I gasp for my breath again. Tears brimming in my eyes, when the sound of the door creaking open makes me jump back to meet the face of Seth Acosta. Seth is a acquaintance, an ex of Vivian's and a ally of moxie. He and Vivian didn't end on bad terms, however, she is still awkward around him. Seth has always been nice, standing up for the little guy as I would say. "Oh sorry-" Seth quickly stops his steps and he begins to leave the room, when I stop him. "No, Seth it's okay. I was just leaving." Seth finally steps into the room and sees the state I'm in, his face fills with concern. "Hey Y/N, are you okay?" He asks as he shuts the door behind him, leaning against it giving me space in the small bathroom. As he says this I wipe my eyes and fix my posture. "Yeah yeah, totally." "Are you sure? You don't look it." The sharp intake of breath, clarifies his suspicions. He stops and waits, waits for me to tell him what's wrong. He doesn't push for it, just stands there and lets me tell him on my own time. "The spin the bottle game. They're trying to get me to play." "You don't want to?" Seth asks, wanting to clarify the situations. I nod and he nods back in understanding. "Not to sound like a smart-ass, but did you tell them you didn't want to?" I chuckle at him and nod. "Yes, many a time." Silence falls and I speak again to fill it. "I don't want my first kiss to be in a spin the bottle game, if I'm being honest." Seth's eyes widen for a split second before he catches himself. "You haven't had your first kiss?" "No." Silence again and once again I fill it by speaking. "This might seem random, but... could you pretend like we're together. Like just walk down with me so it seems like a have a reason to not want to play?" Seth glances up at me, playing with one of the many rings on his fingers. He's totally going to say no. "Sure, did you drive?" My eyes widen for a second before I catch myself, Seth chuckles at it. "Um, yeah... You?" "Bike." He speaks putting his hand out, at which I flinch slightly. He chuckles, "Hold my hand, it'll be more realistic." I take a breath and nod, cupping my hand around his, he fixes them so our fingers are intertwined before leading me out of the bathroom. "You're shaking really bad, are you sure you'll be okay to drive?" He asks concerned as we make our way threw the crowd of people on the stairs. "I'll have to be." "I'll put my bike in your trunk and drive you home." Seth states, not suggests, states. "You really don't have to-" "It's cool." I don't say anything again, I wasn't going to win against Seth. He's charming like that. I understand why Vivian likes him so much and why the girls in Moxie appreciate him. He's the type of boy you would trust to hold your drink at a party, the type of boy who you'd ask to walk you to your car in the dark. "There you are!" Vivian calls as we walk into the living room hand in hand. She stops in front of us at the sight she's sees. "My mom called, I have to get going." She eyes glance from me to Seth to me to our hands to Seth again and back to me. "Um- yeah, yeah totally fine." "See ya Monday?" Seth speaks up, trying to break the tension. "Monday, yeah." Vivian agrees before walking back to the circle and I follow Seth out of the house. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding as we approach my car at the end of the block. Seth laughs, walking towards the trunk with his bike at his side. "And the sigh of relief." He jokes as I unlock the trunk and he lifts his bike into it, slamming it shut behind him. "You have no idea." I sigh again, leaning back against the car, Seth copying, stuffing in hands into his pockets. "Thank you for doing that. I'm really sorry for Vivian gets mad at you-" "Don't worry, I don't mind." He's quick to cut me off, he was honestly glad to help. For the third time silence falls, but this time it's him that breaks it. "Keys?" He puts a hand out once again and I hand him the keys. We just finish screaming the lyrics to Steal My Heart by One Direction as we pull into the small spot across the street from my house. Silence seeming too quiet as the car gets turned off and we both retreat from the inside around to the back, retrieving his bike from the trunk. "Are you going to the football game on Friday?" He asks after slamming the trunk closed for the second time that night. I shake my head at him, places my hands in the front pocket of my hoodie. "Not really my thing." "Have you ever gone?" I shake my head again at him. "Then how do you know?" I laugh at him, swaying lightly back and forth. "Football, asshole football players, petty cheerleaders and a shit ton of kids from school I don't know... yeah not my thing." "Take out the football itself and you just described the party we were just at." We chuckle again, "Yeah and look at how that turned out." "True, but add in food and it can be a pretty good time." "Still no, I'd rather stay in." "Not even as payback?" I think for a second, is me going to a football game really equal payback for tonight. "You're idea of payback is very screwed Acosta." "I'll pick you up at 8 then." With that he turns and is about to get on his bike and ride away when I stop him with the feeling of not breathing returning at the thought of what I'm about to do. "Seth!" I call out and as he turns around, before he can process nor can I, I wrap my arms around his torso hugging him. "Oof-" He makes a noise of surprise, hesitating before letting his arms fall loosely around my shoulders. "Thanks again." "Anytime." His voice was smaller now as he arm wraps tighter around my shoulders. Suddenly I felt like I couldn't breath, only in another way... a good way if that's even possible. My eyes close, savoring the hug with him for another second before I'm the first to pull away. "So Friday then." I clarify, he nods. "And Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, before that." We both laugh at stupid joke before he actual gets on his bike and ride away this time.

[sunrise-lou]

The Romantic

Ft. Lee Donghyuck x Reader / Zhong Chenle x Reader

Word count. 3k

Warnings. Fluff, tiny amount of angst, mostly  gender neutral but there are a handful of ‘he’ and ‘his’, Haechan playboy Au basically

AU: College / Unrequited love / Love Triangle / Song Lyric

Songs: ‘The One The Got Away’ Katy Perry + ‘I Feel The Love’ Tritonal / R5

Edit: I just got home from a closing shift and the paragraphs were all mixed around??? I have no idea how it happened, so I’m reuploading it- hopefully it’s fine this time

❥ - Wednesday 15th

"Sometimes I wonder what my life would be like if we dated, rather than me just going out with any guy or girl that asks me out, then leaves when they get bored"

Face flushing as he jolted up from his previous hunched position, Y/n turns to his childhood friend, "Excuse me Hyuck, but, what the fuck?"

"You know," Donghyuck inhales before continuing "if you and I got together or at least tried out what I do so often."

"I thought you had a girlfriend this week?" You mumble back to him, sounding more like a statement than a question.

"I do, but I doubt it'll last long, and you should know I was just joking when I said we should date." Donghyuck laughed in between his ramblings, "We're too close to date anyway."

"Yeah, you're right" You say back, under your breath.

 "Zhong!"

You jump at the shouting.

"Lee! L/n!"

You flickered your eyes up, smiling when you see rich kid extraordinaire and the other third of this friendships heart, Zhong Chenle, jogging in your and Donghyuck's direction.

"Hello Lele," you greet quietly, leaning back on your palms.

"How are you?" Donghyuck basically shouts before you get a chance too say the same.

 "I'm in trouble, my parents are getting on my back about improving my skills with instruments" He yelled before dropping to his knees and pretending to faint into your collective laps.

"Welp, I've already filled my daily quota for dramatic and annoying Chenle events with our class earlier," The older of the three says, "I'm gonna hop over and grab a drink from the cafeteria and visit my darling for this week." Hyuck promptly slides Chenle's legs from his lap and stands, before dusting off the grass from his jeans.

"I shall be back." He finishes, not bothering to turn to look at either of you, and instead just walking towards the pavement.

 After watching Donghyuck walk away, Chenle rolls off of you quickly, almost like his idea was to pester him till he had left.

"So, how did the planned confession go-"

"Horrible" You let out before falling back and laying in the grass.

"He mentioned his 'darling for this week' and he was single on Friday" Chenle complained, rolling his eyes during his air quotations.

 "You've been trying to confess for, what, 3, 4, maybe 5 weeks now and he's almost never single long enough for it NOT to be awkward! Can I ask who this week?"

"A girl from his Hospitality class, she's friends with the guy he dated last semester" You explain, resting your arm over your eyes to block out the sun. "He joked about us dating before you got here, I'm thankful you showed up when you did, I think I would've cried if that conversation continued" You finished, voice cracking midway through the later part of the sentence.

 Chenle gives you an almost pitying look and shuffles closer, grabbing hold of your free hand so he can swing it around in attempt to distract you from Donghyuck.

"Actually!" Shouting as you sit up, wanting to change the topic.

"I want to join the senior talent show, but I want to do it acoustic…"

The 'rich kid' hums, raising his eyebrows, knowing exactly what you're about to ask.

“Please, please, please can you play the guitar for me?” You plead, immediately turning on the puppy eyes.

 Chenle quickly turns away knowing your tactics by now.

“What do I get out of helping you?” he asks plainly, eyes scrunched shut as to avoid your infamous puppy eyes

“I’ll bring snacks to the practice sessions and if we’re both free after the sessions, maybe we could go for ice cream, not to mention practice for your instrumental talents- just like your parents want~.”

“That ice cream part sounded an awful lot like a date,” He coos back as you teasingly.

Rolling your eyes at him, you took your other hand and encased his, “Please, President Zhong Chenle, I’m begging you!”

Scoffing at the ridiculous nickname, Chenle smiled “Fine! But I want those ice cream dates!”

 “Dates? Are you two dating behind my back?” A third voice emerges.

Both of you spin to see a familiar boy, walking towards you.

“So, are you? I’m upset you never told me...” Donghyuck exclaims in an almost sarcastic voice, clutching at where his heart should be.

Laughing the elder makes his way from the pavement and plops down onto the grass, in front of you two.

You blink at him, confused, before looking down at your hands and essentially throwing Chenle’s hands at himself.

“Ow, the fuck Y/n, why did you yeet my own hands at me?”

  ❥ - Monday 20th

“I can’t believe you picked up an entire quarter of the song over the weekend! And then played it almost flawlessly every time!” You shout to your friend, your back to him as you lock the door to the music room you had booked to practice in during your free time.

“I know, I’m pretty impressive, aren’t I?” He boasts, earning a snort from your smiling figure.

“What about that ice cream you promise, or are you busy?” Chenle nudged you, crossing his fingers that you were free so he had an excuse to continue being in your company, as well as eat ice cream.

Beginning your walk back to the Student Services Desk, you mention your plans with Donghyuck later.

“Aww, okay Y/n, maybe after the next session-“

DING! VRRT, VRRT.

“Hold up, Lele,” you mumble, retrieving your phone from your pocket and unlocking it.

 Sighing as you discard your phone back into your back pocket, “Never mind, I guess, it’s a cancel plans relationship this week. So, I’m about to get really lonely…”

Chenle rolls his eyes once you look back at him, expressing his own disappointment in your mutual friend, “How about I pay for ice cream today instead?” he says, awkward smile on his face in attempt to make you feel better.

“Thank you Lele,” you mumble back to him with a shy smile “Donghyuck has always flip flopped his relationship status and I’ve followed him around with heart eyes for ages, but you, Chenle, seem to have been a constant throughout my life… So, really, thank you.”

 Chenle glances in your direction, flustered smile on his face, bright enough to match his red cheeks, you pretend not to notice, but you do and it makes you feel some kind of way.

What you didn’t notice was the pure looks of adoration he seemed to shoot your way anytime you yelled happily or exaggerated a story that included your interests.

  ❥ - Friday 24th

A chime echoes through the ice cream parlour as you walk in, ‘Hellos’ and ‘Welcome backs’ are heard from the familiar faces that work there and you wave back to the happily, after all this was your and Chenle’s fifth weekday in a row visiting for ice cream.

You and your best friend waltz over to an empty booth near the counter, somewhere near the back too, it’s usually the seat you sit in whenever you frequent the parlour.

 “Sooo,”

“Wait! Before you say anything- I actually bought this a little while ago, mostly as a huge ‘thank you’ for helping me with this, but also because you’re also my best friend…” Quickly you turn to rummage through, grabbing a little plastic bag out and from that bag a small cheaply made bracelet  with a locket on attached to it.

“I know it’s super cheap and flimsy, but here…” You finish, before slowly sliding the locket across the table.

“Y/n, you- you didn’t have to. I would’ve said ‘yes’ to playing the song regardless of all your little bribes.” He tries to fret the unimportance of him helping you with your performance, all while carefully tying the bracelet around his left wrist.

You lift up your arm and rest your chin on the palm of your hand, showing off your matching bracelet by jingling it beforehand.

 Before you know it, you’re looking at the same flustered face from earlier in the week, only this time you go just as red if not redder, in the face.

Both of you scoffing and laughing to hide the slight awkwardness of the embarrassing situation, “Hey, wait- isn’t that Hyuck?” your friend asks.

You turn to him, then in the direction he is now pointing to.

“Yep, that’s him alright,” you sigh, “why this of all places.” You growl as you pull at your face to exaggerate you distaste.

“If we ignore them maybe they won’t try to talk to us- wait, no, Donghyuck has spotted us and is walking in this direction, maybe if you look away, he won’t recognise your back.” Chenle chuckles, now clearly finding the situation funny.

You click you tongue and roll your eyes at him, a hand slapping down onto your shoulder, causing you to jump. “Jesus, why!” You yell and turn to glare at your childhood friend.

 “So, you two are dating~” Donghyuck smirks, before also jumping as his newest fling hooks their arms together, he drops his hand from your shoulder and you frown.

“I got us both mint choc and boba ice cream!” His date mentions, side eyeing you the whole time, you and Chenle glance at each other, knowing Donghyuck isn’t particularly fond of mint ice cream but opting to not tell her.

  ❥ - Saturday 25th

  ❥ - Tuesday 4th

  ❥ - Monday 3rd

You shuffled your feet as you stood in front of your locker, the showcase was getting closer, you were getting more and more nervous, surprisingly it had been nearly 3 weeks since Donghyuck and the girl had started going out.

You hadn’t learnt her name, you didn’t think you had to, but now it’s still going you guessed you should at least ask… right?

“Hey Y/n!” You turn to the voice and here comes prince charming himself, “Sorry, I haven’t hung out with you or Chenle lately, Ha-Won has been basically taking up all my time.”

You nod back to him with a tight-lipped smile, “It’s fine Donghyuck, Chenle and I have been pretty busy with our own stuff.”

The two of you stood there awkwardly, it was usually comfortable silence with him, but it was different today, not a different you liked either. You just wished Chenle would run up and ease the tension that seemed to only grow the longer you were in your crushes’ presents.

RIIING! RIIING!

Reaching up to close your locker, Donghyuck noticed the locket around your wrist and furrowed his brows. “When did you get a new locket, what happened to our locket necklace you had?”

“I bought them a while back, Chenle has the other one. That’s besides the point… What do you mean ‘what happened to ours’?” You made sure to air quote that last part.

“Matching lockets was our fucking thing.”  He pouts in reply, kicking the ground.

 “Excuse me, a lot of people do lockets, it’s not an exclusive thing. Not to mention, you haven’t worn yours for nearly a month! I don’t want to argue about this.” You turn away, trying not to notice the other students giving you two weird looks and begin to walk away.

Donghyuck has other ideas though, trailing after you.  “C’Mon Y/n, just because I never wear it doesn’t mean I don’t still have it! You said Chenle has one, but I never see him wearing it when we walk past each other!” He yells, grabbing onto your arm so you will look him in the eyes.

Naturally you look away, only to see a smiling Chenle running in your directions, he’s waving his arm in the air and you see he’s wearing the bracelet today. Assuming he took you asking why he hasn’t worn it to heart.

 You rip your arm from your childhood friends’ grip and step back to stand almost behind Chenle, Chenle cocks an eyebrow, sensing the butter thick tension.

“What’s- what’s going on between you two?” He asks with a light chuckle.

“This doesn’t concern you Zhong.” Hyuck spits, making Chenle furrow his brows too.

You laugh back at him, “Ha! This doesn’t concern him? You’re the one getting upset over a locket! It was a ‘thank you’ for him helping me with something I’m working on, but you would know that if you were ever around anymore.”

“I said I was sorry! Okay?!”

Both you and Chenle go wide eye at the shouting, Chenle lifts his am up to almost put a barrier in front of you.

“Donghyuck, I think this friendship needs to take a break…” Chenle mumbles.

“Don’t talk to us, we’ll talk to you when we’re ready…”  You add eyes tearing up and linking your arm with Lele’s, prompting him to continue the walk back to your class.

Leaving Donghyuck standing there to think about his actions and words.

  ❥ - Friday 7th

“I still can’t believe you chose to sing something so cheesy.” Chenle chuckles while helping you set up the microphones for your little performance.

You notice more and more people begin to walk into the assembly hall of the college campus, you knew this place was really only used for Performing Arts and the annual ‘Senior only Talent Show’. It was always nice seeing it being used.

“What do you mean, matey? Katy Perry’s older music can’t be beat.” You laugh in retort.

You dust off the chair Chenle would be sitting in, then yourself before looking up at the almost full seating area, locking eyes with Donghyuck. He smiles and waves, you turn away to test out the microphone.

 You clear your throat and speak into the microphone, “Hello- Oh, it is working. Hey everyone, I’m L/n, a senior obviously, I’ll be announcing the people performing today, as well as next Friday and then the Finale on the 21st.”

“So, first up actually, is me and Zhong Chenle…  I hope you enjoy it.”

You trotted over to fix the mic height for Chenle’s guitar and then walked back over to your own.

 ‘Summer after high school when we first met- ‘

Occasionally throughout the song you would glance over at Donghyuck, each time he seemed more and more surprised, you really hoped he realised you were basically singing at him.

‘Never planned that one day, I’d be losing you. In another life, I would be your boy~’

You sung and finally locked your gazed with Donghyuck, smiling sadly, his eyes wide and mouth agape.

Donghyuck’s look of realisation didn’t seem to settle the butterflies in your stomach, you turned to Chenle, seeing him focused on making this performance perfect for you.

It clicked.

“It’s time to face the music you’re no longer my muse.” You turn back to sing towards the audience, you hear a wrong cord play from Chenle, he hadn’t known you intended on changing the lyrics, then again neither did you.

‘Can’t replace you with a million rings’ Clutching the locket around your wrist.

“I’m glad I never told you, what you meant to me.” You were honestly beginning to tear up a little, but you only wiped them away quickly with your sleeve.

‘Cause now I pay the price’ You turn back to look at Chenle, you’re both smiling at each other like two silly children in love.

He looked at you like you were his world- his universe, you have his heart in the palm of your hands.

‘We keep all our promises, be us against the world’

“So now I get to say, I was the one that got away.” You slowly finish the song, smiling back at the crowd and waving at Donghyuck, who had by now, risen out of his seat.

 The crowd erupts out in an applause, they had not only witnessed a near perfect performance (minus Chenle’s little cord mix-up thanks to your surprise), but they saw two of the schools most notable students fall in love.

You waited for the crowd to calm down, before speaking into the microphone again, “So, I guess it was good-“ Some whistles and ‘yays’ sound throughout the hall, “thank you, I appreciate it, I actually prepared another song, that doesn’t involve Chenle. However, I would like the ask him to stay seated up here on stage.” You tilt your head towards him, and he cocks an eyebrow, still smiling though.

 ‘I've gone too many nights, chasing the shadow of your silhouette’ You’re tapping your foot on the wooden stage floor, it echoes louder than you had anticipated but it’s appreciated.

‘Stumbling through the crowd, feet lifting off the ground looking for you’ Midway through the line, you lift the microphone from it’s stand and walk over to your friend.

You smile at his face being beet red, and hold out your hand for him to take. He stands up and laces your fingers together. Chenle recognises this song, he had shown it to you not even a week ago, during an instrumental pause he whispers if he could sing along and you happily nod.

‘Standing here face to face, nothing to lose, I won't look back now’

‘I feel the love, I wanna get to know you’ He sings, tightening his grip on your hand and you respond the same way.

‘It's not over tonight, stay in this moment, we can hide away’

‘Cause they're gonna turn on the lights’

‘But we're burning bright, no, we'll never fade’ You sing together.

 Once the second song had come to a close, another round of applause sounded.

Both you and Chenle walked back over to the microphone stand, hand in hand, placing the mic back in its rightful place.

Throughout the remainder of the night, as well as the following Talent Shows you and Chenle MC’d together, always holding hands, smiling widely and joyful. Though the two of you never made it to the finals, because, let’s face it- with a performing arts department, you kind of have to be a bit more prepared than a guitar and a love story.

Neither of you seemed to mind though, but it will be a fun story to tell if anyone asks how the two of you got together.

[liaincursives]

These feelings I  got/Lucas season

previous part

This chapter is a huge mess, people, and if you didn’t hate me after Monday, you’ll probably do it after today. Not gonna lie, it’s the first time I’m using parts out. of. my original plot outline and. I feel bad for it. So, enjoy <3

Wednesday 15:30

Lucas didn’t know what he was doing here. He just didn’t know what was happening to him. 

Jens had apologised to him during lunch, he had pulled him out of the hallway, away from the chatters of the other students, trying to explain that he was honestly sorry and then he had invited him to come over to his place. Since it was a Wednesday, so a short day in school, Lucas had went back to his own place, thinking wether he should go or not, he had laid on his bed, staring at the ceiling for at least half an hour, and now, he was standing in front of Jens house, the pink sweatshirt in his hands and his  hands were shaking again. 

The place Jens’ family lived in was cute, a house build out of dark bricks and balconies with vibrant flower boxes on the cast-iron railings. Light curtains were concealing what happened behind the window and Lucas was thinking about turning around and just going home. He had met this boy not even a week ago and he was already not capable of not thinking of him anymore. Lucas tried to organise his thoughts. It probably wouldn’t end that bad, they could talk a bit and then he could make up an excuse to leave, since even if Jens made his heart beat higher, Lucas didn’t want to build up close relationships. He was only here for about two months, wasn’t he? 

He had realised that he actually wanted to hate Antwerp, looking at the pictures of his dutch friends hanging on the wall in his room. He really didn’t wanted all of this. He wanted his life in the Netherlands. The second he arrived here,  he had promised himself to dislike this place, But he was still here, in front of his house, with his sweater in his hand. Why was all of this so complicated? Why did all of this needed to be so confusing?With his shaky hands, Lucas rang the doorbell. 

A dog was barking and a few seconds later, the door opened and a girl, probably seven or eight. years old, was standing on the opposite side of the door. She was obviously struggling with holding a big golden retriever on its collar,  the dog was jumping up and down with excitement, trying to reach Lucas, but the little girl seemed to at least partly win this battle by telling the dog to stop. He threw a closer look at the girl. She was the girl from Jens instagram, his little sister and with the dark hair and the same deep brown eyes, he would have known tit was his sister without having seen the pictures on Jens’ instagram account.  

“Be silent, Artemis”, the girl said and the dog started to calm down, pressing its body towards the girl which made her laugh. Lucas needed to smile. They had named the dog after a greek goddess. He remembered his young self reading the Percy Jackson books and he could somehow imagine that Jens had read them too and a young Jens had given the impulse for this name. 

“Hi, are you one of Jens’ friends?” The little girl asked, throwing sceptical gazes at Lucas who was torn out of his thoughts once again. “I guess so, he to come over. Is he here?” “Well yes, him and Jana are in the kitchen because I asked them to bake with me. Did you know that Jana is leaving? I don’t want her to leave, she’s making Jens happy and she’s so nice to me. Not like the other girls that were with Jens, you know? Do you know Jana?” 

Jana was here. Was Jens serious? He wanted to make up for dumping him for Jana on Monday and now Jana was here? And the way the little girl talked about Jana, there was no doubt that Jana and Jens were dating, wasn’t there? What was Jens doing with him? 

“You know, if Jana is here, I don’t want to disturb them. Can you give Jens his sweater? He gave it to me on Monday and will know that I was here if you give it to him,” Lucas was disappointed, a bitter and cold feeling in his stomach, as he handed over the pink sweater. Why did he think that Jens had liked him back? He had probably just tried it out and now he was baking with his girlfriend, like they had been married for 20 years, owning a house and a dog. 

A second face appeared in the doorframe and Lucas wanted to scream. It was her, her brown hair up in a messy bun, with flour on her green pullover, smiling at him. “Hey, you are Lucas, aren’t you? I’ve heard a lot about you. Sorry, I know that you two wanted to meet up, but I’m leaving tomorrow and I couldn’t go without saying goodbye to my favourite little chief here” she pinched into the cheek of the small girl, who started giggling “Do you want to join in? We’re baking appelflappen and Jens is really good at it. He said you have a thing for sweet stuff, you’d definitely like them.”

Was he serious? Why did this girl know everything? Anger was building up in Lucas, all of this was just crazy, what was he doing here anyways? 

“No, you guys should totally spent your last hours together, I’m sorry that I interrupted you guys, I have a ton of homework to do anyways,” he took his skateboard and wanted to. leave, but. Jana was looking at him: “Are you sure, you wouldn’t disturb us or something, I actually wanted to get to know you, you should seriously stay” Lucas threw a bitter look at Jana: “It was nice to meet you Jana, you’re moving to New York, aren’t you? I hope you have a great time there.” “Wait”, Jana  tried to stop him, but Lucas had already left the entrance and was making his way home, confused, mad and missing his home. Antwerp wanted to destroy him, he thought and he just wanted to catch the next train back to the Netherlands. 

How could one guy make all of him go so crazy, give him this warm feeling and shaky hands in one moment and in the other, make him mad and confused? Lucas shook his head, all of this was just making him feel way to exhausted and confused.

next part

[captain-magikarp]

Let’s Settle This || Vic, Gabby, & Micah

Victor couldn't believe what he was seeing. There Gabby was, thankfully not sitting with the kid this time. What was with him and Mondays!?!

So badly, Vic wanted to say, “You know what? I’m not gonna let this shit-head get to me. Fuck that guy.” A few times he did say those things to himself, but it ended up biting him in the ass because he kept coming and coming. Every fucking Monday and Wednesday. It was worse when he brought the kid, because then that reminded him of how he wasn’t good enough for Gabby. Who was he kidding... He really wasn’t. Gabby went to college and had his life together. And what? Vic owned a restaurant... 

“I see that look on your face, Vic. You’re mad,” Micah teased, nudging Vic on his way out of the kitchen. 

“How ‘bout you go do your job?”

Micah sighed, but quickly shifted his facial expression into a fake grin as he approached the man of the hour. 

His nerves taking over, Micah’s voice cracked as he greeted Gabby at the table, making him even more nervous. He smiled, letting his anxious blinking take over. Quickly, he turned toward Vic to reveal his immediate regret for involving himself in the situation at hand. 

He flipped back over to Gabby as he put pen to paper, preparing to take their order. “So, what are we having today? We have almost anything. We’re like Willy Wonka. Gyros.. you got it... uh.. Hamburgers.. you bet,” he let out, taking a deep breath as he chuckled softly to ease the awkward moment. “..hah....ha...”

As the guy sat in silence, Micah scribbled on his paper, a note to Gabby, deciding it was time to settle this ordeal, once and for all. “Need some time then? A-OK. SOUNDS GOOD,” Micah smiled, as he passed Gabby the note, awkwardly walking off immediately after. ‘I’ll go get you some water.”

“TALK TO HIM -Micah p.s.: Probably don’t listen to me in most cases, but this time, I’m right. :) Good luck,” the note read.

When Micah was gone, Vic’s glare directed toward Gabby became prominent, almost as if he was trying to dig into Gabby’s conscience. 

The moment Micah returned to the table, the glass of water from his hand spilled all over, but especially on Gabby’s lap. “OH MY GOD... I’m sorry,” Micah gasped, almost making it obvious that it was on purpose. “I’ll go get some towels to clean that up for you.” As Micah walked away, he ended up helping other guests instead, leaving Vic no choice but to help Gabby. Because it was slow, Micah was the only server at the moment. “Oh, I’m sorry Vic! I’m really busy right now, can you please help this gentleman out?”

Vic groaned, showing his utter frustration for Micah’s persistence. The moment Vic finally spilled the beans to Micah about the situation, he couldn’t stop hounding Vic for weeks. “Talk to him. You gotta talk to him.” Well, here Vic was, finally talking to him. 

Instead of retrieving the rags that were promised, Vic decided to sit on the opposite side of the table that Gabby sat at, allowing the water to spill on both their laps simultaneously. Victor sat there in silence, attempting to withhold any negative thoughts he had toward Gabby. 

“I’m not gonna talk first, if that’s what you’re wondering, ‘Mister Comes in here every goddamn Monday and Wednesday with their kid’.”

[jesslcover]

H.E.A.L.T.H. What is it?

For many years, ive been trying to get all these beautiful inspiring stories out of my head and out into the public. I believe that I have a message and maybe my delivery is off but its there....  There is no right or wrong way to deliver a message because it truly comes down to the perception of the receiver, not you that creates the problem. If you have a message to share with the world.. share it, and if the world isn't ready, thats there issue, not yours. So here’s mine.... well a small piece of it... 

Have you ever thought about what the true definition of health is? Is the worlds definition of health congruent with your own definition? How did you come to your own way of health or do you follow others and envision yourself as them maybe when you were completely out of balance with yourself. Or did you do research on ways to quick fix your health Hit?  

There are so many ways we can view health and in each one of us, its different. Take a smoker of 30 years.....    If you or someone you know has smoked for a very long time and are thinking about quitting, you know its gonna be stressful. Even if you are 100% committed to giving up the filthy habit and saying good rides, the body and mind are going to, at some point be in stress overload. The nasty chemical of nicotine has adapted inside your body and your cells feed off of them but then ll of a sudden, you are suffocating the fuel for which stimulated the craving when they were on empty... So your brain thinks, “feed me nicotine, feed me oral fixation.” 

No patch, gum or physical ailment has ever been the true reason some someone killing the habit. The real healing and transformation comes from the energetic balance between what our mind is telling our body, and what forces surround us in our environment the controls our cravings within our body. 

For 12 years, I smoked very heavy cigarettes. Not the Light to Ultra light brands but the stuff the big boys, construction workers, mechanics, Beer Bellied red necks, used to smoke. My mom allowed me to smoke as many cigarettes as I wanted, just as long as I only smoked cigarettes and nothing else. 

In June 1999, after a car accident nearly caused my death, I was awaked into a new light and mindset. Still smoking cigarettes, going to church and attending local exercise classes, my perception to things was different.  

After 4.3 drooling months of battling a disconnect of me headspace and my Mind Body Spirit connection being in OFF mode, I was turn on with more voltage and internal power than ever before. 

In October 1999, 2.5 weeks after I was forced to drop out of high school, I was blown away that something so big, and active was living inside of my head. I asked myself, how could this tumor, be so unkind to just appear out of the blue and say, “That’s it Lady, POWER OFF.” 

I was a senior in High School, passionate about hospitality, working for Marriott hotels 23-28 hours a week in front office operations and selling shoes at Nine West 13-17 hours/week M-F. Marriot was a Fri-Sat-Sunday job with Holidays for  the additional overtime. After my accident, I lost my job at the shoe store however Marriott loved my positive energy and life force I expelled to guests while they checked in, even when I couldn't see over the front Desk front sitting in a chair from Pain. Although I felt much loved at this hotel, I would soon be discharged from here as well. 

October 24th, 1999, after my first attempt to get my GED, the equivalent to a High School Diploma, I failed. I felt horrible with my life. I had no job because of my disability, I quit high school and barely saw my friends, no driver license because they were taking from me by the State of Ohio for safety of other drivers and I was smoking 2-3 packs of cigarettes a day. How was I able to come out of this mess and go from SURVIVING to THRIVING?                           It certainly wasnt some Miracle pill or Reconstructive Surgery that changed me from the outside to inspire my inside......  It came from within me! How I looked at the physical things around me, how I gave thanks to everything, even a bird dropping its poo poo on my head while trying to sunbathe next to my neighbors pool, or having a check for $3.84 bounce over a pack of cigarettes. What taught me the greatest life comeback in these scenarios.

It was a wet and muggy Wednesday morning in October, the 27th to be exact, when my mom dreaded waking at 745am to take me to get a second opinion from a doctor at the Cleveland Clinic office near my small hometown. She had finished work at 1130pm the previous night to only arrive home around 1215am from the heavy rain that evening. My first appointment was at 830am. 

There were actually several appointments scheduled that day however my mom had to be at work by 1pm and wasnt able to take me to all of my appointments. After the first appointment, we decided to skip the potential MRI and take me to grandma’s house. 

For the next 9 months, until June, the summer of 2000, I stayed with grandma. It was a much happier place to be. Grandma had 3 fun loving dogs, a pool with a beautiful wooden deck big enough for 5-7 lawn chairs, and my aunt Kathy living within walking distance. Kathy smoked and she was more like a smoking buddy. I was able to make some money mowing yards for the neighbors and helping grandma with the house and her dogs. In June, I got my driver license back and went on a mission to find a job that would give me independence away from everyone! It was the greatest stepping stone into womanhood I could've ever taken. 

After attempting to retrieve my job with Marriott and being unsuccessful, an amusement park on the lake outside of cleveland contacted me for a summer job at one of their hotels in the park. Cedar Point is the PRIME ROLLERCOASTER park in the USA. Without hesitation, I took the job and moved 2.5 hours away in a cabin villa with 2 other girls, for the summer. 

Cutting to the chase... at the end of the summer, I felt like i was ready to go back to school and try my HSD again. It didnt take long to see that, this wasnt supposed to be the option for me. 

August 2000, just days before school was to begin, mom and I, her friend Cheryl and our long time neighbor were shopping for school supplies at our local Staples Store. Cheryl had MS and I took care of her also. Without her with us, my mom would've been in the Emergency room. 

As we were walking out of the store, I started to dauntingly walk a different direction than my mom and Cheryl. Completely disconnect from the world, my mom said she continued to yell at me but I didn't listen. Was I not listening or did I not hear her? 

In the moment when my mom gently grabbed my right shoulder to bring me toward our truck, I physically attacked her, bruised her face and she fell on the ground. Immediately she got back up and “started calling me names”, Cheryl said. Before we got to the truck, I came out of this brain freeze and began to ask my mom “Oh My God, what happened to you?” 

You can imagine my mom’s confusion, frustration and contemplation as to why I seemed to disillusioned to the event. This object in my brain was moving again and this time caused a disconnect that changed my life traumatically, with myself and my mother. 

A week before my Mom’s birthday, September 4, school had only jut begun and I was doing good until the long 3 days weekend for Labor Day. Labor day is the 1st Monday in September and my mom’s birthday happened to fall on that day however our doctors office was closed. 

The very next day, with a luck of the draw, Dr Angerman, who I saw the previous years, had a slot open at 9am which my mom booked me without question. The findings were what had been daunting me for more than 15 months. 

Ganglioglioma is low-grade tumor of mixed cell type. It is a type of brain tumor that contains properties of both glial cells (responsible for providing the structural support of the central nervous system) and neuronal cells (the functioning component of the central nervous system). It is very rare!! Being rare was one thing but with the location being life threatening inoperable, my mom burst into tears with fears of what to do with me. 

My Ganglioglioma treatments included:               Neurosurgery – to remove as much of the tumor as safely possible; surgery is often limited due to the deep, central placement of these tumors within the brain                                                                                                     Chemotherapy – either before surgery to shrink the tumor or to kill cancer cells 

Radiation therapy – precisely targeted treatment to control local growth of tumors; not recommended unless the child’s tumor has re-grown due to potential long-term side effects of therapy.

Cleveland Clinic has some of the most highly acclaimed doctors and surgeons in the world. They are one of the best trusted hospital resources for Neurological, Cardiac and Pulmonary operations. With a higher success rate than any other hospital affiliation on the entire planet, Dr Angerman relaxed my mom and assured her that I was in heaven’s hands.  On March 12th, 2001, I became a successful survivor of this rare scare of a brain tumor however the end wasn’t close yet. 

After 3 days, I was released from Cleveland Clinic Neurosurgery in Cleveland, Ohio, with 100% full confidence by Neurosurgeon Dr. Morris, that I would recover with no problems. March 16th, while at my grandmothers house, I had a stroke. I was paralyzed on the entire left side of my body for 6 weeks until April 29th 2001...... 

Dr Morris did an amazing job at my surgery and was the first person and step that gave me internal hope that led to my wellness path to what I call HEALTH however, it was the energy practices of Yoga& Pranayama, which no one in my red neck town had ever heard of), Mindfulness, Chiropractic, proper nutrition and guided imagery that allowed me to transform my mind, come back in tune with my body and provide positive feedback that would change my life, inside and out, forever. 

It’s now 18.5 years later, Aug 2019, and my passion for helping people, inspiring wellness and Mind Body Medicine to everyone I meet, especially as a career, gains excitement everyday! My true meaning of HEALTH is Holistic Enhancements Aspiring Longevity Tranquility & Happiness. Because true health starts with me, not with money, a beautiful BMW, fancy vacations or diamonds... It starts at the HEART... tap deep within and you will win.... no matter what you are going through!

When we live life in a state of our own positive definition of HEALTH, whatever it may be, we are creating an art that is unique to us and us only, but its from the heart. Learn to BREATHE... and used the same formula components(letters) to BE HEART! 

Sorry for any typos...

Namaste, Good Night friends. 

[hopefullylovelyxx]

Ça te rend belle.

part one

Authors Note:

This is my first writing post so sorry if it’s not fantastic but I’m growing as a writer everyday so it’s only up from here. Also all the French in this story stems from me being in AP French and all the mentions of high school memories/actual events taking place at the high school are based on my high school experience in America so sorry if you’re from another place and it doesn’t make sense. Also I’m not sure if this high school name is an actual high school somewhere so if it is then oops. If you have ANY questions or comments regarding the story PLEASE send me an ask and I’ll happily answer. Huge thank you to @nips-and-tats for encouraging me to go through with this story and giving me the confidence to post my writing <3. Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy. xx

. . . . . .

Wednesday August 15, 2018 6:52 am

Anxiety. Tests. Homework. Studying. Anxiety. Loneliness.Embarrassment. Insecurity. And more anxiety. The words that describe Y/N’s high school years best. As she walks up the steps to the high school her university assigned as her student teaching school she’s puzzled as to why she’s choosing to spend the rest of her life working in the exact same environment that she desired to break away from just 5 short years ago yet, for some odd nostalgic reason the environment is sort of comforting. She walks up to the front office door preparing herself by rehearsing what she planned on saying and running through the scenario she just practiced on the car ride over. Once she has everything on the tip of her tongue she pulls the door open and walks in with a smile she hopes they don’t look too closely at or else they might see right through her nerves and fear.

She approaches the desk and confidently begins to say “Hello I’m-“ but is cut short by the secretary holding her finger up for Y/N to take as a cue to hold her sentence. Y/N is taken aback as the scenarios she had thought up didn’t include one in which she’d be cut off by the secretary on the phone with a parent she presumes based on the answers being given. “Yes ma’am school started Monday....well I don’t know why your son would say the school burned down....okay...okay....no problem....thanks you too, bye.” She hangs up and looks up at Y/N with a warm smile, “How can I help you?”

Y/N smiles back and scraps whatever she’s practiced for the past 24 hours because now it’s all a bunch of jumbled up words that make no sense. “Um I’m Y/N, the new student teacher for French. My university said they sent over all the information.” She looks a bit confused then recalls the memory and says “Ahhh yes! Welcome to Meadow High School. I’m just gonna need to see your ID please.”

As she retrieves her drivers license from her bag Y/N recalls a brief memory of her mom getting her out of school early after calling her about fake stomach aches having to show the office secretary her ID. She shows the older woman and she gives Y/N a badge on a lanyard with her name and the schools name. She recalls all her years of schooling staring at her teachers badges yearning for one of her own.

She puts it on and has to keep her excitement contained as the secretary who she learns is named Kathy, gives her a map of the school and explains that the language buildings are just straight out of the office door leading into the school. “202. Can’t miss it. Mrs. Meyers is very...patriotic about the French culture.” Y/N just nods wondering what on earth that could mean.

As she walks out into her new but temporary life she immediately understands what Kathy was talking about. She walks the small distance between her and the French flag wrapped around a Eiffel Tower statue nearly as tall as her and knocks on the door before entering.

She’s met with a tall blonde, blue-eyed, woman perhaps in her mid to late 50’s rummaging through stacks of papers. She looks up at Y/N and says “ah you must be Y/N.” She stands up and shakes her hand. Y/N recalls the past couple days of emailing Mrs. Meyers. Just going over the basic classroom norms and requesting that 1 of the 2 class periods Y/N was required to teach be 6th period because she wanted to leave work early. Once Y/N informed her that the university has a policy of an actual teacher being present for each lesson a student teacher gives, Mrs. Meyers explained to Y/N that she had done this with multiple student teachers in the past. Not wanting to stir anything up Y/N just accepted it and although teaching seniors AP French wasn’t her first choice- as she felt she couldn’t connect with the older students as they might not take her seriously being only 5 or 6 years older than them- she requested first period as it was Beginners French aka French 1/2 meaning most if not all the students would be Freshman.

Most people would dread being stuck in a class in front of the youngest more immature of the school but Y/N felt the opposite. She felt that it was a privilege of some sort and great responsibility to teach the younger students not just French but also set them up for success in all aspects of life and prepare them for the next few years of school. It filled the maternal role Y/N always felt growing up wanting to take care of her baby dolls with extra care and now as a 23 year old wanting to care for students as her own children in a weird sense.

She knows that this student teaching job is only a semester long and that by the time winter break is over these students won’t be hers anymore but at least they were hers at all. Having only 4 months with them is good enough reason to make time with them even more precious she thinks. Or perhaps the school will allow her to stay another semester, perhaps she can be a teachers aid if they don’t allow her to keep her French teaching position.

Y/N is shaken out of her thoughts as Mrs. Meyers asks her to set the printed seating chart up under the document camera to be projected onto the white screen at the front of the classroom. Y/N recalls dreading those box representations of desks with names in them, she never liked change. School gave her enough anxiety, adding change to it made everything worse. The recollections of finding out she had to sit next to someone she didn’t know makes Y/N’s heart race for a second then quickly stops once she brings herself back to Earth remembering she’s 23 and not 17.

Once the bell rings Mrs. Meyers turns to her and says “Get ready for hell.” Y/N gives a little laugh but is quite confused as to why she would say that to someone who’s here to practice how to be a teacher.

She shakes the weird statement off and quickly brushes over the black silk of her plain romper and adjusts her jean jacket making sure the cuffs are folded perfectly. She looks down at her feet and wonders if she should’ve worn other shoes or if gold sandals will be fine for the tasks ahead. Now second guessing her entire outfit choice Y/N shakes herself out of it remembering it’s summer and 1000 degrees outside plus she’s a student teacher, who cares what she’s wearing.

When the first few kids come in they are noticeably confused by her presence but when they look up at the seating chart they’re too annoyed to even care. They all share glances and eye rolls as they go to their seats.

Y/N doesn’t know if she should want silence in the classroom being a teacher and all because the overwhelming sounds of the students talking are helping to make the negative thoughts in her head be muffled. By the time she knows it the second bell rings and the announcements go on continuing to stall for her. She can’t hear announcements over the students talking but is not bold enough to quiet them down and she’s not sure she wants to.

Finally the announcements fall silent and Y/N takes a deep breath. As she opens her mouth to speak Mrs. Meyers beats her to the punch. “Everyone be quiet!” The young faces notably aggravated turn away from their conversations and look at her. “This is Ms. Y/N and she’s a student at UCLA ( my university/location for the story but you can imagine any university or any location of your choice :) ) and she’s going to be your teacher this semester.” She looks at Y/N to take over and goes to sit at her desk in the back right corner of the room. She smiles and says “As Mrs. Meyers said, I’m Y/N. I go to UCLA. I’m studying to hopefully be a French teacher and I’m looking forward to teaching you all.”

A girl in the middle of the class raises her hand and Y/N smiles happy to have her first ever question from a student. “Yes?” The long blonde haired girl with foundation a few shades too tan but maybe that’s the style -who knows it’s been years since Y/N has been in high school- furrows her eyebrows and says “So like...you speak French fluently?” Y/N nods and says “I started learning French in 7th grade and continued all the way until college.”

A boy in the front row raises his hand and once Y/N gives him a nod he says “Say something in French.” Y/N thinks for a moment then settles on the basic introduction, after all this is just beginners. They probably don’t know a word of French. “Bonjour classe. Je m’appelle Y/N. J’ai vingt-trois et je suis très content d’être ici.”

They all stare at her in awe of her skill. All their hands fly up and Y/N says “I’d love to answer all your questions but I really want to get to know you.” There are some audible groans so Y/N says “You get a candy if you state your name and something about yourself.” Almost everyone’s hands go up and Y/N smiles to herself.

. . . . . .

*annoying iphone alarm that makes all our ears bleed*

“Fucking hell!” Harry groggily yells trying to stop his alarm. When he can’t seem to feel his way to his phone he groans and sits up grabbing it off his nightstand silencing it. 5:30 am. He throws his head back against his headboard reminiscing to just last week when he was able to sleep in. Which for harry meant sleeping until 7.

He’s always been an early bird ever since he moved to LA. Perhaps it was the time differences between here and England or maybe he’s just got the soul of an old man like all his ex’s have inquired for some odd reason.

He never quite understood that but assumes it’s because of his music taste and love for literature. It could be the fact that his closet is full of suits, nice button ups, trousers only your 70 year old Irish-uncle would find appealing, and his array of paper boy hats.

Whatever it is, Harry doesn’t mind. His confidence is thick like the copy of War and Peace he has on his bookshelf and will never deteriorate no matter how many shots anyone takes.

This confidence has also made Harry seem quite closed off to some. This mixed with his rather reserved nature has definitely made his social life quite dry. But he’s learned to become accustomed to it.

Harry rises out of bed in nothing but a grey tee shirt and black Calvin Klein underwear. He sleepily walks into his apartment bathroom and strips the few clothes he had on as he waits for the shower water to reach the perfect temperature. He gets in thinking about the past two days of school. It may only be his 3rd year teaching but he can tell his students this year are gonna be his favorite.

He thinks back to their discussion about the classes summer break reading assignment on the first day and chuckles a bit remembering what Kyle Patterson said about Romeo and Juliet, “The only reason I’d poison myself after knowing a girl for a few days is if she ghosted me.”

Harry knows he seems like a nightmare of a teacher to everyone on the outside but he enjoys the little curtain he has up. It makes it more fun when his own students to realize he’s not some pretentious boring British guy but actually a pretentious funny British guy.

Harry gets out of the shower and quickly dries himself before tying his towel around his waist. He brushes his teeth and shaves his face before going back into his bedroom and picking out a nice white button up and charcoal colored trousers with some nice black loafers. He lets his hair air dry as he packs his lunch and breakfast into a paper bag before putting it into his brown leather satchel making sure he has everything he needs for the day.

Upon arriving to the school he notices his usual parking spot is taken by a car he’s never seen before. “fucks sake.” He mumbles to himself driving around to the other aisle and parking in the first spot he sees.

Once Harry’s in his classroom he lets out a big sigh and immediately feels at home. He contemplates making a seating chart but decides against it considering they’re seniors and in an AP class, he doesn’t feel the need to control where they sit. It’s one of the things he likes about teaching seniors.

Their independence and self sufficiency. Yes, harry helps them when they don’t quite understand underlying symbolism or when they need something to be translated into “teen terms” rather than 19th century English, but more often than not they’re capable of figuring it out themselves. He’s always happy to guide them if they need and definitely loves to crack jokes throughout his lessons. His students past and present know how hilarious and lively he could be; but it’s day and night between his interactions with students and with the world around him. It’s why harry loves his job. He’s able to be his fun free spirited self then his tranquil reserved self all at the click of a button.

The bell rings and after a few seconds students funnel in taking seats. “Mr. Styles?” Harry looks up at the voice not knowing who it belongs to, after all it’s only the third day. “Yes?” He answers standing from his desk and closing the few inch gap between him and front of the classroom. “Are you married?” All the students look at him curiously. Harry is confused as to why they’d ask but simply says “No. Probably won’t ever get married f’I’m honest.” with a shrug he lets it go but it just leads to more questions being asked. Luckily for him the second bells rings and announcements start so the classroom is brought to a complete silence.

. . . . . .

Thank you for reading! Next part will be up soon so stick around. xx

[incessantwritersblock]

La Bague - Pas Si Simple

Pairing: Sirius Black x Reader

Warnings: cursing, idk ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Word Count: 3,016

Summary: When Sirius loses a family heirloom, he’s surprised it falls right into his lap, so he sets out to find who orchestrated the whole thing.

About: This is the third installment of three stories inspired by various aspects of both the movie and musical Amelie, despite the two being very different and the Broadway run being way different than the LA run that I saw and enjoyed. Anyway, I decided to write a story for each of my three favorite marauders.

A/N: I’m watching the Gilmore Girls episode where Rory has her coming out party, and now I’m thinking about Sirius as a Christopher type character at all the society balls. I’m gonna go scream into a pillow now. A potential story may or may not come of this. I just had to get out my feelings, so if you wanna talk about this, tell me your ideas.

More Pas Si Simple: Moony, Padfoot, Prongs

“She’s gonna kill me!” Sirius cried while he turned his entire room upside down in a desperate search, “Like, my mother will definitely curse me if I don’t have that ring on my finger when I get home for the holiday banquet.”

“Relax, Sirius,” James told his friend, “I promise you that we’ll find it in time for the holidays.”

…

The sun had begun to set in the astronomy tower, and it was just about time to begin your work. After fetching your textbooks, notes, and other supplies from your bag, you splayed them out on a table beside a telescope. The golden light streaming across the room warmed your chilled skin while you opened up all your materials to where you could work easily. A glint  from the corener caught your eye unexpectedly, and you approached the light to find a ring sitting on the floor displaying a center emerald within a crest. 

You’d felt like you’d seen the symbol before, so your fingers slid the ring into your pocket. Since it was late on a Friday, you could always turn it into McGonagall on Monday. After all, the ring looked valuable, and there were plenty of students who would likely pawn the thing if they found it. Unfortunately, that also meant someone was probably frantically searching for it before going home for break next week.

While the sun completed its decent past the horizon, you wondered who would lose such a valuable possession. The thought, however, quickly faded once you began to work on your astronomy project late into the night and into the early hours of the morning. Thankfully, you’d been given permission beforehand to stay in the astronomy tower until you saw fit.

Once you’d finished your end of semester project to turn in, you’d shuffled back to your dorm while thinking more about Christmas coming up.  Between the cheesy traditions, the hot chocolate, the decorations, the music, and everything the season came with, you loved the holiday despite never having people to celebrate with you. After all, you usually stayed home alone on Christmas, reading and listening to festive music beside the tree. By the time you’d gotten in bed, the ring had slipped your mind.

The following Saturday morning began as usual. You’d slept in a decent amount before heading down to breakfast to greet your friends. On your walk there, your thoughts drifted back to the ring. You almost thought it was your imagination when you saw a flyer posted that read, “Lost Ring If found, contact Sirius Black. There is a reward.” You immediately knew that the ring you found was his. That’s where you’d seen the image on it before. It was the Black family’s crest.

Shoving your hand in your pocket, you felt the ring you’d slipped in there when you’d gotten dressed. You briskly made your way to the Great Hall for breakfast, where you spotted Sirius with his friends the minute you’d entered, laughing at Gryffindor’s table. The sound prompted your heartbeat to gradually  escalate. You couldn’t just walk up to him and give him the ring. You’d probably embarrass yourself like an idiot if you so much as spoke one word, and it didn’t help that he was handsome.

Without even intending to, you walked past them and to your usual spot, regaining your composure now that you weren’t actually returning it yet. You could just pretend you didn’t see the flyer, and you could give it back when he was alone. So much for working up the nerve to talk to him.

After breakfast, you found yourself in the library. The week had been stressful, and the common room was too noisy for reading on the weekends. So, you found yourself leisurely relaxing in a comfy chair in some far-off corner of the library where nobody would find you. As your eyes skimmed across the words written on the pages, your hand subconsciously reached into your pocket to retrieve the ring there. While your mind raced with excitement, you found yourself flipping and spinning the metal in your fingers.

You’d been waiting for this event to happen since chapter two, and you could hardly contain yourself while you fidgeted faster and faster with the ring until the moment you’d waited for finally came to pass, and you finished the chapter. You took a moment to reflect on the text by shutting the book and setting it on your lap. Your adrenaline had spiked so high that your pulse was almost erratic.

After you took a deep, calming breath, you realized what you were doing, playing with Sirius’s ring. “What kind of person does that?” you wondered to yourself. Quickly dismissing your embarrassment, you hid the ring in another pocket before you picked up your book again.

Before you dove back in to another world, you shifted in your seat to avoid stiffness, all the while scanning your surroundings to assure yourself that nobody saw you holding the missing ring. However, nobody was around that you knew of, but there was someone a few aisles over searching for a book. You heard their footsteps and fingertips brushing across book spines.

A few more chapters in, and you subconsciously noticed the person who had been searching the library in your peripheral vision. Your eyes froze on the word you were reading, and your palms grew clammy. Of course, it had to be Sirius.

Mentally cursing yourself, you remembered your promise earlier. The next time you saw alone him, you promised that you’d return the ring. He looked so deep in thought, though, and you didn’t want to give up this connection to him, even if he didn’t know who you were. So, you kept reading until he left.

This happened four more times. You’d see Sirius and chicken out of talking to him every time without fail. Eventually, you knew you’d have to find some other way to return his ring, so you started brainstorming. The best option you could think of was to return it by owl, and that was how you finally sent it off.

Sirius received the small package one Tuesday evening at dinner when mail arrived. It was tied in paper with an adorable bow and a notecard that had his name scrawled across the front in writing he didn’t recognize. He was almost afraid to open it, but his fear subsided when he decided it couldn’t be from any of his family members.

Unfolding the note, he read the hand-written explanation that his ring had been found in the astronomy tower. His face lit up with a mix of relief and excitement when he cast the paper aside to open the package. Under the brown wrapping, sat his family’s emerald ring bearing the Black Family crest.

Sirius beamed with joy as he held the ring before kissing it and lifting it above his head in triumph.

“James! Remus! Someone found it! Look! Look! Look! Oh, Merlin, I can’t believe this! I’m saved! It’s really here!”

“Calm down, mate,” James patted his friend on his shoulder from his spot beside him, “I told you that it’d turn up.”

“So, who found it?” Remus wondered.

James perked up at the thought. “Oh yes! I’m interested in who now has ultimate immunity from all pranks, shenanigans, nonsense, and tomfoolery until graduation.”

“Wait,” Remus laughed, “That’s what you meant when you said, ‘There is a reward’ on that flyer?”

“Well, I thought it was a good reward,” shrugged James.

“I didn’t say it was bad, I just wouldn’t necessarily consider that a ‘reward’.” Remus shook his fondly at his friends. “I don’t know anyone who would to be honest, but anyway, back to the point. Who found it?”

Sirius picked up the parchment note after slipping the ring on his finger. He scanned the words over again in hopes to find a name, but he came up emptyhanded. “I don’t know,” he mumbled with a hint of disappointment, “They didn’t sign their name... I feel bad. This person truly saved my skin, and I can’t even thank them.”

Remus noticed his friend’s slightly deflated mood, and in an attempt to comfort him, he stated, “They probably just wanted to do something nice without anything in return.”

“I know, Remus,” Sirius sighed, “but that almost makes me want to thank them more. Whoever did this has no clue how much I appreciate it.”

“They might.” James was the one to suggest that.

Sirius stood up from the table slowly while he decided, “Even if they don’t now, they will. I’ve gotta find this person. I just don’t feel right without properly thanking them.”

And without another word, Sirius was walking out of the Great Hall with a plan in mind.

Wednesday afternoon, you walked past the bulletin board on your way to the common room. However, you were distracted when you noticed a new flyer about Sirius’s ring. In bold letters read, “To the person who found my ring, Please, meet me where you found it tonight.

A cold chill ran up your spine before you rushed to your dorm as fast as you could, climbing into bed to hide under your covers for the rest of the night. Nope, you certainly were not going to meet him in the Astronomy tower in the evening, alone. You couldn’t even return the ring in person, let alone voluntarily meet him.

Meanwhile, Sirius sat in the astronomy tower, watching the sun set slowly over the horizon. He’d been waiting for two hours, and still nothing. Another few hours passed, but he was still alone. Finally, the wooden door creaked open, and Sirius spun around with the brightest smile on his face only for it to fall when he found Remus and James standing in the doorway.

“Ten minutes until curfew, Sirius. We figured we’d let you know.” Remus paused, noting that Sirius was alone. “Didn’t show up?”

Sirius shook his head shyly.

“Sorry,” James tried, “You can always try again tomorrow.”

Sirius slowly trudged to the door where his friends stood while absently pushing his dark hair out of his eyes. “Yup. Tomorrow.”

Neither Remus nor James said anything to Sirius for the rest of the night. He was too deep in thought.

The next two days, he waited in the astronomy tower without any luck. After that, classes had ended, and the term was over. He couldn’t wait there anymore, so he decided to take advantage of the final Hogsmeade trip on Saturday. He amended his meeting spot, writing on a new flyer, “The Three Broomsticks. 5:00. Please.”

He was desperate, and something inside you wanted to go.

Somehow, you found yourself outside The Three Broomsticks at 4:50, standing about 15 feet in front of the wooden door. Every time you’d try to go inside, you’d rest your hand on the handle, but then you’d turn around. You weren’t ready for this.

One time, when you almost went inside at 4:55, you recognized a girl you’d seen around Hogwarts. She walked past you and inside where she scanned the crowd to find Sirius wringing his hands nervously at a corner table. She took a slight breath and approached the nervous boy. When he noticed her, the girl motioned towards the seat across from him. He nodded in a silent invitation to sit, and she settled into the seat while Sirius watched her skeptically.

Once she was comfortable, she gave Sirius a smile. “Hi.”

“Hi,” he replied, “Is there something I can help you with?”

“It’s me.”

“It’s you?”

“The girl who found your ring.”

“You– You’re the person who found my ring?” Something about the situation didn’t add up to Sirius. The girl sitting before him was too sure of herself. She wasn’t timid, like he’d figured that she should be. After all, whoever found the ring had left him waiting for days, and he would think they’d be a bit nervous about that. However, this girl just sat there, looking him straight in the eye with a beaming smile on her face while she nodded energetically. “Where’d you find it again?”

“Oh, uh,” she quickly caught herself from stumbling, “the Great Hall, of course.”

Sirius stood from his seat, explaining, “That’s not where my ring was found. I’m sorry, but I’ve gotta go.”

The girl tried to stop him, but her attempts were in vain while Sirius strolled towards the door to leave. He grabbed ahold of the handle and pushed the door open. As he was about to step outside, he almost collided with you, but you both caught yourselves before you could crash. Sirius didn’t think anything at first when he simply smiled a polite, “Excuse me.”

You were frozen for a half second when his grey eyes looked directly into yours, and you would’ve said something if your heart wasn’t about to beat out of your chest. However, he quickly brushed past you without a second thought, so you quickly slipped inside the door and made a break for it. Panicking, you couldn’t stop asking yourself what you were thinking over and over while you made a beeline for the back exit.

Sirius, on the other hand, had hardly taken a step outside when realization flooded him. He saw that look in your eyes, and a second later, it registered that you were the one who found his ring. Although, when he turned around, you were gone. Quick to follow you inside, Sirius returned to the warmth of the interior only to find that you weren’t anywhere to be found. You were right in front of him, and you’d slipped through his grasp all over again. He didn’t even know your name.

After that, he trudged back to the castle through the snow only to grab a large quill and write on his latest flyer “Why did you run?” Then, he climbed the stairs to his dorm and collapsed on his bed. The split-second glance at you was seared into his mind, and he wasn’t expecting you to be that beautiful.

“Hey, Sirius! How’d the date go?” James and Remus entered through the door with Honeyduke’s bags in hand.

“It didn’t happen,” Sirius groaned in defeat, “We leave tomorrow, and I still don’t know who this girl is!”

James quietly huffed out a laugh. “You don’t know it’s a girl.”

“Yes, I do. I saw her!”

“You saw her?” Remus questioned in surprise.

“Yes.”

Remus was still a bit confused at Sirius’s explanation. “And you don’t know who she is?”

“No,” Sirius continued, “I mean, of course I recognized her when I saw her, but I don’t know her name. Well, maybe I do, but I just haven’t matched the name to the face.”

James had changed into his pajamas while Remus and Sirius were talking, and he told his friend, “Just get some sleep for now, okay? You can figure it all out tomorrow morning before we leave.”

“I can’t, James. I only have hours left, and I need to know who she is, or I might just go mad! I’m crazy about her, and I don’t even know her.”

“Well,” Remus chimed in, “We’re going to sleep. After all, she will be here when we get back.”

With a nod at his friends, Sirius began to prepare for bed even though he knew sleep would be difficult without any knowledge of you.

In the morning, everyone was scrambling for last minute packing, but Sirius still found time to search for you. His heart sank a bit when he noticed that you hadn’t written an explanation as to why you ran, but he couldn’t wait for you anymore. The train was leaving soon.

When Sirius and his friends finally boarded, they snuck into a compartment and started discussing plans over the break. Everyone chimed in except Sirius, who was still deep in thought about you. At one point, he even excused himself with a mumble. “I’m gonna stretch my legs.”

He couldn’t resist glancing through the glass of the compartments in search of you while he strolled down the narrow aisle, but, for once, his attempts weren’t in vain. When his eyes caught sight of you, Sirius couldn’t believe it. You sat alone in a compartment while you read the same book you’d been reading in the library a few days ago. You were almost finished with it by now.

He took a step closer to your compartment to knock on the glass, and the sound caused you to look up from your book. Eyes going wide, you quickly pulled down the privacy shade to block Sirius from looking at you more. Leaning your back against the door, you made sure it was locked before you slid down to the floor.

From the other side of the door, you hear Sirius also sit against the glass before he asked, “Why’d you run?”

Thinking fast, you grabbed a notebook from your things and scribbled a reply before debating on telling him but ultimately sliding it under the door.

“I was scared.”

A few seconds later, the paper appeared on your side of the door again.

“Why?”

“I don’t know”

“Well if it helps, I’m really nervous to meet you too.”

“Why?

“Because I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you.”

You held the paper in your hands, running your fingers over the letters he’d written, and thinking if you should say something or just hope he’d go away. Sirius had gotten impatient, though. He dug around for a spare candy wrapper he had in his pocket and uncrumpled the paper.

On it, he asked, “Can I come in?”

After sliding it under the door, he thought you were going to ignore him like before, but then, after a minute or two, he heard the lock of the door and shuffling on the other side.

Sirius stood and carefully pushed the door to your compartment open. You sat on one side while watching him nervously.

“Hi,” he breathlessly greeted you. You were somehow even more perfect than he’d imagined.

“Hi.”

tagging:

@nadinissavage @hufflepuffhopes @dontpanicitsmylife

[mugiwara-lucy]

Boruto: Naruto Next Generations Episode 1-My Thoughts/Review-Start of a New Era!!!!!

What’s good, everyone!?!? Emmy’s here for the FIRST EPISODE REVIEW of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations!!!!

My bad it’s a day late but with my busy schedule there was no way around it! XD Anywho, this is gonna be SUPER LONG let’s dive right in!!

Basically the episode starts off with the son of Naruto, Boruto stating how the age of Shinobi has come to an end

Which is followed up with an older Boruto squaring off against an enemy by the name of Kawaki who states he’ll send Boruto to where he sent the seventh.

.....

More on that later -_-

However, Boruto activates his dojutsu and the two square off against each other on the destroyed faces of the seven hokage as well as New York and Konoha XD

It’s then where we’re sent back several years before this event occurs where we come across a younger Boruto scrambling around town with his best friend Shikadai as they eat burgers and ride on trains.

Sounds like the life for me XD

Soon after, he comes across a kid being mugged for his wallet by a bunch of thugs before Boruto defeats them with ease using shadow clones and gets him his wallet back.

After this we learn the boy’s nae is Denki and he comes from a family of wealth and we learn that he has problems with his father before Boruto says how he’s lucky that his dad’s actually home before he realizes that he’s late and needs to get home before Hinata goes crazy on him and a friendship is made.

Boruto then gets home where Naruto isn’t home due to being consumed with his work and he remarks how uncool Nardo is

What’s uncool about Naruto is that short haircut -_- I’m sorry but why did he have to cut his hair????

Anywho, we see Denki get into a verbal altercation with his father about how long as he has strength he can essentially do whatever it is that he wants to do

While he reflects on this, a sudden black force suddenly grasps and bites him, placing him under its control

The next morning, Boruto is later and runs around town before he discovers something off about Denki which he sees with what looks like the Byakugan...

However, we see Denki get on the train with Boruto following which ends up with Boruto reminding how it’s not about what his father wants that’s important but it’s about what HE wants as one can only do something if THEY THEMSELVES want to do it.

This coupled with seeing Boruto use his clones to keep the train from colliding with an oncoming one was enough to free Denki from the dark force’s control, however Boruto is about to fall before he’s saved by Denki and the thugs from earlier

Meanwhile at the academy, everyone is available for the orientation ceremony except for Boruto

Who decides to make a flashy entrance

Which amazes everyone....

TBH Boruto’s entrance reminded me of the entrance Naruto made during the fight against Zabuza XD

Once the shock dies down we get a glimpse into the current relationship between Boruto and Naruto which appears to be strained as while Naruto loves his family dearly he has his fair share of work

Boruto is later reprimanded by Konohamaru who then helps get the train off the head of Naruto while I think Naruto enjoyed the entrance honestly XD

Soon after, Boruto meets up with Denki who is then swept away by Chocho who wants to see his homework along with Sarada who berates Boruto. We then see after the ending credits where Boruto vows to not follow in his father’s footsteps but will walk his OWN steps as this is HIS own story!

Now, my thoughts on the episode?

Okay!

1.) The Animation and Soundtrack? The animation was really good in today’s episode! Then again this anime was announced months ago so I suppose SP was saving their budget for this series! XD And I thought that this anime would reuse soundtracks from the original Naruto as well as Shippuden but i guess that wasn’t the case! XP THO....this doesn’t rule out the possibility entirely! =P

2.) Theories about Denki. Now I’ve seen A LOT of people say that Denki is Kawaki or will one day become like Kawaki. Meanwhile I’m like:

I mean because I can’t really see any resemblance between Denki and Kawaki....

Tho we will one day see! BUT it wouldn’t really make sense because in the movie or the manga we don’t see Denki so to make him the person who allegedly killed Naruto and Sasuke is kind of.....random, TBH.....

TBH I think Denki will be on the same level of relevance as the Konoha 12 was in Shippuden....

3.) Boruto’s Eye.

Okay, when I first saw the episode yesterday I thought it was weird how this eye came into Boruto

And when you compare it what we see earlier in the episode, the eye looks the same as the one we see in older Boruto

However, when I REALLY think about it, the eye resembles the tenseigan....

Just a bit.....

Now I remember people used to say Boruto would awaken the tenseigan and I was always skeptical BUT with his father being Ashura’s reincarnation and his mother being the “Byakugan Princess”, would it be totally impossible??

Just some food for thought.

BTW, speaking of older Boruto

(Sighs)

I can’t believe he has that same high pitched voice he has now at the age of around....17 -_- I mean it kinda doesn’t fit TBH XD

BUT i may just get used to it when we return to that time which I don’t see us returning to for at least a year XD

Which leads me to my next point, is it just me or does this flash forward seem familiar to what we saw in Shippuden with the Sasuke Retrieval Arc in the first episode with Sai, Yamato, older Sasuke and etc?

4.) Kawaki’s words.

(Exhales)

Okay, I’ve already made a rant on my thoughts on WHAT IF Naruto and Sasuke were killed by this Kawaki kid right here:

http://lovely-anime-brunette.tumblr.com/post/157111607522/if-naruto-and-sasuke-are-dead

If they’re dead I promise I will make a rant the like of which has never been made before!! And you’ll all seen my rants before!!

Because it makes NO SENSE how this kid can kill essentially two kids.

They have gotten rusty I know but if this kid killed them we need MASSIVE development!!

With all that said and done I’ll have to give this episode a rating of a good! I really enjoyed this episode and can’t wait for the next one! Some life and slice episodes are just what Naruto needs and I’ll enjoy them!

Also, is it just me or does one of those bullies look like Hibachi (the person who used to bully Naruto as a kid)? XD

Maybe Hibachi is like Hidan and he worships Jashin who keeps him young and immortal XD OR maybe that’s his kid XP

P.S: Before I go I should mention how my reviews for the Boruto anime will be a day later as I’m busy on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Sorry for the inconvenience people XD

P.S.S: Since Mitsuki has yet to be introduced in the anime save for the opening do you all think it’s possible that we’ll get the manga chapter for him adapted?

P.S.S.S: (Sighs) We’ll most likely have the movie adapted into anime form -_-

Why? To make money -_-

Even though we have the regular movie

Manga

The novel for the movie

And a game that was released recently that covered the events of the film

I wouldn’t put it past SP to pull a Dragon Ball Super and animate the movie -_-

If I’m right I’m right but if I’m wrong I’ll give everyone who sees this review 300 dollars! XD

Anywho, I’ll see you all next week for the 2nd episode review of Boruto: Naruto Next Generations!

[jinkieswouldyoulookatthis]

The House Across the Street

Chapter Two

Go back to Chapter One

Words: 2256

Relationship: Reader x Alan (omc), but eventual Sam Winchester x female reader  OR Dean Winchester x female reader 

Warnings: There are no warnings for this part.

Summary: So you finally got a new neighbor, huh?

Beta’d by: @anotherwinchesterfangirl

Read it on AO3 here

"I go away for one weekend and Thor moves in across the street, really?" Alan said upon arriving the following Monday evening.

"What?" Your head snapped up from peering into the skillet on the stove so fast that you whacked into the corner of the range hood. "OW! Oh, ow. Ow." You rubbed your scalp, gingerly, seeking to soothe the point of impact and reassure yourself that you weren't bleeding. Luckily, you weren't. You looked at Alan as he stepped close. "What about Thor?"

He chuckled, "You alright there, Calamity Jane?" His fingers gently brushing against your hair.

"I'll live. The plus side to being hardheaded. Hi, by the way." You gave him a quick kiss. "What did you mean about Thor?"

"You mean you haven't seen him?" Alan turned and put a six pack in the fridge. "I figured you would have been glued to the window all weekend." He gave you a teasing little poke in the side and you rolled your eyes.

"Not all weekend." You both laughed. There was no way you could have denied that you were slightly obsessed with the general oddness of everything across the street. Of course it didn't help that the house in question was basically all you could see from the kitchen and since you had the tendency to daydream in there, leaning up against the counter, you saw it a lot. "I saw furniture getting moved in on Friday, but no one since. But, contrary to popular belief, I actually wandered away from the window occasionally. Is there someone over there now?" You glanced out the window, but it was already too dark to see anything more than a dim light shining in the kitchen across from you. "Was it the tall one? With the hair?" You made a sort of fringe gesture of hair hanging in your eyes.

"Yep." You heard the crack and hiss of a beer opening. "Why? What other options were there?"

You filled him in on what he'd missed as you loaded up a couple of plates and headed into the other room to sit down. After speculating for a bit on the neighbors you managed to pry a few details about his weekend from him. His parents were well, but his dad was going in to get a scan for something about his leg.

"Ooh! Speaking of Thor, Iron Fist hit Netflix...wanna watch?" you asked hopefully as your brain jumped tracks suddenly.

"Were we still talking about Thor?" Allan shook his head in feigned disbelief, he knew how obsessive your mind was. "And didn't Iron Fist come out on Friday? Did you actually wait to watch it with me? I'm touched!" He kissed your forehead and wrapped an arm around your shoulder. "Yes, but only one episode, I've got to go in early tomorrow."

With an exaggerated sigh you said, "Fine! I mean, I've waited this long, I suppose I'll live with just one episode tonight. But I'm watching another episode tomorrow, with or without you."

"Reasonable enough," he replied and grabbed the remote to switch the TV on.

The next afternoon a late season winter storm blew through the region, dumping a good eight inches of snow and a crisp coating of ice over top of everything. Alan had, wisely, chosen to stay at his place, since it was closer to his work.

The sun dawned bright and dazzlingly clear Wednesday morning and your neighborhood suddenly looked like something out of a children’s Christmas book, all soft white curves and glistening mounds. You quickly drank down your coffee while bundling up in boots, warm coat and gloves. Grabbing the snow shovel from the closet, you headed outside to clear your driveway. The sharp sounds of shovels scraping pavement and happily shrieking children filled the air. Luckily, your driveway wasn’t very long, just two car lengths, so you only had the short distance from the back of your car to the road to clear. Even still, 30 minutes later, you were only about halfway done when you paused to take a breather. Leaning your elbow on the upright handle of the shovel you stood and enjoyed the view of the snow covered street for a bit.

The crunching of boots on snow caught your attention and you turned towards the sound. The long-haired mover from Friday, a.k.a. Thor, was walking across the street toward you, a friendly smile on his incredibly handsome face. Wow, you thought. Just, wow. You smiled back, grateful that the cold had already rosied your cheeks so he wouldn’t notice you blushing.

“Hi!” he said, his voice deep and smooth, and he smiled a little wider. Oh, he had dimples!

“Hi!” you managed.

“I, uh, just moved in.” He gestured back across the street and then extended his hand to you. “I’m Sam.”

You shook his hand, or, rather, you allowed his hand to completely engulf yours and give it a gentle up and down. “Y/N. It’s nice to meet you. I’ve been wondering who was going to buy the place. Welcome to the neighborhood!”

"Thanks. It's nice to meet you too." He looked down at the shovel, which you were still leaning on.

God he was tall, you realized.

"I've, uh, actually got a bit of a proposition for you." His eyes narrowed, although he was still smiling.

You blinked up at him, unsure where this was going, but silently praying that he wasn't going to turn out to be some lecherous creep. Lecherous creeps made horrible neighbors, always having to avoid them and worrying about what their intentions actually were, it would be a real pain in the ass.

Seeming to sense your hesitation, he continued quickly. "I'm not really prepared for winter weather. I foolishly thought we were passed it for the year. So, I thought I’d offer to finish shoveling your driveway for you, if I can borrow the shovel to clear my own?"

You sighed in relief. So far, so good. He seemed like a nice guy and in your experience, nice guys made excellent neighbors.

"Of course you can borrow the shovel. But, you don't need to finish my driveway, I can do it. I'll bring the shovel over as soon as I'm done."

He looked a little embarrassed, his forehead wrinkling up in the most endearing way as he glanced back at his car--a new-ish, shiny, black, Dodge Charger--and the snow drift sloping down the side of it.

"What?" You asked.

"Well, it's just," he paused and looked at you. You could see him trying to calculate your potential response to what he was about to say. He brushed his hair back from his face and continued. "It's just, you're going kind of slowly and I really need to be able to get my car clear so I can leave within the hour. I've got to be somewhere and..."

You huffed out a laugh and shook your head. "Well. Far be it for me to hold you back." You leaned the handle of the shovel in his direction. "Go for it."

"Sorry." He smiled apologetically as he took the handle. "Thank you. I'll bring it right back."

"Mmmhmm." You walked a few steps back toward your house before grinning to yourself and turning back to look at him. "I'm gonna be timing you."

He laughed and set to work.

Back in your kitchen, you shed your coat and gloves and poured yourself another cup of coffee. Hands hugging the sides of the mug to warm up, you watched Sam shovel the rest of your driveway in about five minutes before striding across the street to clear his own. Honestly, watching all that bending and lifting did more to warm you up than the coffee did. Soon enough however, he finished and was knocking on your front door. You waited a moment, so it wouldn’t seem like you’d been watching, even though you had been, but you didn’t want him to know that. You really needed to get another hobby, you chided yourself.

“Wow, okay, you do that a lot faster than I do,” you admitted after opening the door and looking across both drives.

Sam shrugged as he handed you back the shovel. “Thanks.”

“Absolutely anytime you need to borrow it, you are welcome to shovel my driveway for me.”

He laughed, and, dear god in heaven, you swore that his smile would melt snow all by itself. “I’ll keep that in mind. It was good to meet you, Y/N. Thanks again!” And he walked off, long legs eating up the distance to his car in no time at all.

You went back inside and got yourself ready for work.

By that afternoon all the weather reports were calling for another storm to tear through the area that night.

You texted Alan, “Did you see the weather?”

“Just saw it. Probably going to stay home again tonight”

“Ok, talk to you tomorrow”

“K”

***

Your phone dinged. It was still dark outside when you opened your eyes. Another ding had you stretching your arm out to the side to retrieve your phone from the nightstand. Even auto-dimmed for the low lighting, the screen was blindingly bright, and you blinked and rubbed your eyes as they adjusted. It was a text from Alan, “Babe everything’s coated in ice be careful.”

“Good to know, thx! You too!”

Ugh! Ice was the worst, you thought. You still had an hour before you needed to be up, but with ice, you might need more time getting into your car. Assuming, that is, that the roads were safe by then. So you reset your alarm to wake you in half an hour and collapsed back into your pillow.

***

Forty-five minutes later you were blowing steam off your first mug of coffee and staring out the window trying to determine how much ice was out there. Everything looked shiny, not a good sign, and the bare branches of the trees looked like they were coated in glass, really not a good sign.

You drank your coffee, got dressed and ready to leave the house, picked out your boots with the best traction and carefully stepped outside through the kitchen door that lead onto the patio. The concrete was definitely slick, but you could walk well enough. The gate, however, was completely, solidly frozen shut, which the bruise on your shoulder would attest to the next day. So you let yourself back into the kitchen, locking the side door behind yourself, and went out the front door instead. You were fine, thanks to the porch roof, until you reached the steps and your feet shot out to one side, your death grip on the railing was the only thing that kept you upright. The ground wasn't as slick and you made it, cautiously, to your car without slipping again.

Your car, you noticed as you walked around it to get to the driver’s door, had at least a ¼” of ice coating it. Although it happily unlocked when you pushed the button on the key fob and the door handle moved when you pulled on it, the door did not. You tried again. And again. The door wouldn't budge. You carefully walked around to the other side to try the passenger door, but it was no use, it wouldn't open either. Growling in frustration, you were halfway back around to the driver’s side again, right behind the car, when your feet slipped again, but this time there was nothing to grab hold of and you fell on your butt on the hard pavement.

“Ow!”

“You ok?”

You looked up in embarrassed alarm at the sound of Sam’s voice. You’d been so preoccupied you hadn't noticed that he was outside.

“My butt hurts, but I think I'll live.” You grimaced, cheeks bright red, and tried to get back up only to slip again, this time ending up on your back. “Ow!”

“Oh! Do you need help?” He actually sounded more concerned than amused at your predicament, and you mentally gave him another point in the nice guy column.

“No. This is part of my plan. I'm going to lie here and let my rapidly dwindling body heat melt my driveway. Thanks anyway, though!”

He chuckled. “Okay, well, you could try that, or, you could let me use some of this rock salt which would melt the ice without the hypothermia and trip to the ER?”

You turned your head and looked at him. He held a large bag that looked like it probably weighed a couple of dozen pounds at least. That's when you noted that he was walking around confidently, having obviously already treated his own drive.

“Huh,” you replied, “I suppose we could give that a shot. I can always go back to my method if it doesn't work.” Carefully, you sat up and waited for him to work his way over to you.

“That is quite a bag of salt you've got there,” you said as he offered you a hand up and spread a generous amount of salt crystals around your feet.

He shrugged. “When I saw they were forecasting another storm, I went out and got some winter supplies. Didn't want to be caught unprepared again, it's so embarrassing to have to borrow stuff from your neighbors.” He was smirking as he walked around your car, shaking salt out as he went.

“Oh yeah, that is humiliating. Oh hey, look! I think my butt actually melted a spot!”

<---Previous Chapter         Chapter List             Next Chapter--->

[letuscomposefanfics]

I'm not convinced part 2

(Phillip Hamilton X Reader) Words: 1200+ Summary: High School was a pain in the ass. You and single mother don’t have much money. She works double shift and double jobs. One of her jobs is working for the Hamilton family as a part time housekeeper. Ironically, the biggest douche happens to be part of that family. (I can’t write a summary) AU: Modern AU Warnings: Just horrible grammar.. Cursing?? Tell me if there is any I did not put.

Rise and shine. You say goodbye to a picture and your running late mother. Run through the sprinklers again. Run into your class later than usual. So far, your week seem to repeat like last Friday, except this time you had to wake up your mom. Normally, she would wake herself up (without an alarm) around 5:00 to prepare the Hamilton’s- she worked on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays- day with clean floors, fresh laundries, and a your-wish-is-my-command attitude. People may call her a maid, but you prefer the term housekeeper. It felt more appropriate. No. Respectable. Maid sounded like a sexual kink- the hell you were talking about. It is. Despite the French maid versus American maids differences. Mostly everyone yearned maid that dressed in the short-skirted French outfit- you bet they weren’t normally that revealing. You shivered at the sexual thought.

As you plopped down in your plastic seat with a sigh and a late slip as a stress ball in your hand. The teacher went to retrieve your balled up, salmon late slip and tossed in the plastic bin without a care. You briefly snatched out all the listed items on the board and slammed on the desk impolitely. The adult in the room sent an annoyed glare your way in which you mutter out a sorry. The teacher straighten out the stack of papers with a loud thud- almost as loud as yours- and passed them out with a few extras that came flying. You took a glance at the warm up assignment, you scribbled the answers on the lines. You snapped open your note filled book, and navigated each and every answer. You placed your finger on the words and skimmed as you wrote down the answer. You glanced at the answers, the scribbles were curved downwards slightly. You cursed under your breath and shifted onto to the next question.

“(Y/N).” What you recognized to be Phillip’s voice, whispered out towards you. You ignored his call and held your focus on the warm up assignment. He called out the second time, and you never failed to keep your focus on your “chore”. Despite how annoying Philip Hamilton is, you have to and want to work your ass off to go to college. You plan to attend Harvard, Penn State, Columbia, or Stanford. You wanted a stone-solid education that could back you up with amazing paying job. All you had to do was get a great sponsor to achieve a scholarship from a great school. Maybe a Ivy league school. You would sigh dreamingly at the dream, but stopped yourself from embarrassment. You shudder out a sigh as your gears continued to spin. Fatigue sunk under your creating bags of memories of your late studies. Philip whispered out your name again, except he kept on tapping on your shoulder, “What?” You hissed as you continued to write down your answer quickly and thoughtfully.

“I need help on number two.” Phillip murmured in a shy tone.

You answered number four swifty,”Dammit, go look over the notes in your notebook.” You whispered harshly as you turn your gaze over to him. He arched his eyebrows confusingly at your unkind toned comment. You swore this kid will be the death of you.

“What notes?” He questioned with wide eyes. “ I don’t have a notebook. I use the looseleaf papers.” Philip added as he shifted uncomfortably at your annoyed gaze.

You tighten your grip on the wooden pencil,”Dude, are you fucking kidding me? It’s the middle of the semester!” You exasperated quietly.

“God, sorry!” The Hamilton exclaimed louder than intended. Everyone’s eye landed on the loud and interrupting Hamilton. You observed Phillip shrink in his seat with a embarrassed blush riding under his forest green eyes and on the bridge of his nose. “Phillip, students are still working! I advise you to continue your work, unless it’s done. Then go read a book.” The teacher scolded and advised him and continued to grade papers on the computer- you hope it was last week’s test grade. The soft taps of the keyboard distracted you a little bit.

“What about this.” You began as tone down your voice slightly. You did a quick slide-glance toward the teacher. Their typing halted and glanced at you with a awkward smile. You gave them the same smile and removed your eyes off of the them. Embarrassment flooded your face. You exhaled sharply and shook your head.

“You can look at my notes.” You submitted. “and in exchange for that is you leaving me alone.” You as you tossed your notes on his desk.

“Awe, I thought you liked my little taunts.” Philip cooed sarcastically.

“Awe, do you want to get a bruised eye?” You cooed in return. His smirk dropped and quickly muttered out a “no”. Chuckling at his actions, you unzipped your backpack and plucked out a book. You admired the silence as you did. You did enjoy fighting and arguing with the boy. Like stated, it was entertaining. You finished number four’s last sentence, which you were interrupted before hand. Turning your paper to seek anymore answers, you met up with a white blank space. You smiled satisfyingly.

“So, are you coming to charity dance?” The curly headed boy asked as he twist his head towards you. You nodded curtly with an honest answer. You didn’t spare a glance towards him. Phillip’s eyes widen slightly at your response. “I’m surprised you’re goin’.” Phillip stated. You heard your other peer’s flip the paper as well. “You don’t seem one for parties.”

“I’m not.” You responded coldly. “My mom is dragging me to the event. She wants me to socialize and meet someone.” You explained with a huff. “It’s annoying and I don’t need to meet anyone, yet. I have a whole life span ahead of me.” You grumbled. “What’s your reaction to the dance?”

“It's…” The boy began.”Formal.” He shuddered. “It’s just a bunch of classical music and slow dancing. Bunch of older people are gonna be there and it’s just going to… dull.” Phillip shared.

“Sounds dull.” You said as a response. “Exactly!” He exasperated in a whisper. The eldest son rolled his eyes at the thought of the charity event his mother is hosting. Eliza is a very kind and trusting woman, but he just couldn’t understand why the hell did his mother choose that kind of event. It was told to be appealing, but it wasn’t appealing for Phillip. The thought feathered his gut with irritation. He knew that his kind mother wanted to meet a fine lady as well. He could see the delighted look in her eyes as he agreed going to the function. Eliza rambled energetically about him meeting people she wanted to introduce to him. “My mom wants me to dress formal as possible and she wants me to meet people she knows!” Phillip complained as he began to use his hands emotionally. “It’s tiring to smile and shake hands. I don’t want to meet people! I don’t want to be in a crowded space with people I don’t know!” He said a bit to loudly. The adult in the room scolded him again. “It’s just stressful.” He murmured. Honestly, you didn’t know what to say. It went to emotionally fast for you to respond in words and in feelings. Apparently, your Phillips stress ball he can squeeze on. “That sucks.” You stated without a thought. “Yeah…” 

“Mom, I’m not wearing a goddamn dress.” You groaned as you were yanked over to the dresses aisle. She slapped your complaining away as she slid the hooks to the side. Mama plucked out a dress from the rack and placed it where your body was. She closed one eyelid as if she was some cloth designer or on project runway- whatever the hell it was called. You moaned with a tired-boredom taking over as you dragged the hanger downards.

“Can’t I just throw on a dress shirt, suspenders, and some pants like the office kind of pants?” You suggested desperately. She ignored your whining and continued to look for a dress. “Please?” You continued to beg.

“No, your just gonna attract girls- not there’s anything wrong with that- and I want you to attract both.” The elder women thought out as she plucked out another dress. You didn’t even pay attention the patterns or style the article of clothing had to offer.

Embarrassment caused the blood to rush through cheeks,”Mom, why did you have to say that out loud? I don’t exactly want to get a boyfriend nor girlfriend.” You hissed.

Your mom cackled,”I’m your mother. My job is to take care of you until you are the legal age of an adult. My side job is just embarrassing you.” She.. jested. “Plus I don’t want you to wear a suit again. You barely wear the dresses I bought you- which are now in the local Goodwill will down on Baker Street- they were cute dresses!” She explained.

“First off,” You both walked over to the other side of the rack.”I look horrible in anything that shows my legs or thighs. I have this uneven sun tan I had got when I decided to wear shorts in the pool, remember?” She hummed out a yes in response. Your hands were gesturing to your thigh as you looked at your mother- still picking out outfits.

“It’s not gonna show, honey. The dress I’m gonna find isn’t going to be that short.” The older women confirmed. You rolled your eyes as you followed her through the aisle even further.

“Right, like that necked dress you have me as kid wasn’t revealing.” You grumbled sassily.

“It wasn’t that low!” Your mom retorted as she turn her attention to you. She slapped your arm.

You slapped her arm back, “Whatever you say mom.” You responded.

“Can I wear my slip-ons? The one by Vans?”You asked almost hesitantly with a meek grin.

“No. It’s a formal-” You cut her off.

“Oh come on!” You exaggerated as you flew your hands up in the air and through them.

“It’s a formal event.” She finished.

“Yes, the one you are forcing me to go to.” You muttered. “Can I at least invite one of my friends?”

“No, I’m not going to go all that hassle with the Hamiltons! They’ve got a lot on their plate!” Your mother retorted. “And!” She emphasized. “You don’t need your friends as another barrier to hide behind, (Y/N)!”

You groaned in defeat. She swatted your arm.

Don’t be afraid to reblog or like!

I’m so sorry this was worse than the last. I’m on mobile rip I’ll edit it later

[trendingnewsb]

Claims by Joy Reids Cybersecurity Expert Fall Apart

MSNBC host Joy Reid claims that recently unearthed homophobic articles attributed to her are fakes. And she says a cybersecurity consultant has proof that her old blog has been hacked.

But that consultant, Jonathan Nichols, had trouble producing the promised evidence. And what he did produce failed to withstand scrutiny, according to a Daily Beast analysis. Blog posts that Nichols claimed do not appear on the Internet Archive are, in fact, there. The indicators of hacked posts dont bear out.

Last year, the AM Joy host apologized for a 2007 blog post in which she had mocked Floridas then-Republican Gov. Charlie Crist by referring to him as Miss Charlie and suggested that while on honeymoon with his wife, he secretly wanted to sleep with men.

Reid apologized on-air, suggesting she had evolved over a decade from those insensitive, tone-deaf and dumb remarks.

But Monday, media-news site Mediaite publishedusing screenshots taken from The Wayback Machines cached versions of Reids blogmore homophobic blog posts from the late aughts. In them, Reid appeared to crassly mock gay celebrities like Anderson Cooper and Clay Aiken, defend homophobia as intrinsic to straight people, declare that she wouldnt see Brokeback Mountain because of the gay sex scenes, and imply that gay advocacy groups prey upon impressionable teens. On Thursday, the Washington Free Beacon followed up by revealing another set of homophobic posts not previously reported by Mediaite.

Reida Daily Beast columnistdid not apologize this time around. Instead, she released a statement saying that In December I learned that an unknown, external party accessed and manipulated material from my now-defunct blog to include offensive and hateful references that are fabricated and run counter to my personal beliefs and ideology.

On Wednesday evening, Reids attorney announced that the FBI had opened an investigation into potential criminal activities surrounding several online accounts, including personal email and blog accounts, belonging to Joy-Ann Reid.

Reid said she hired Nichols, the cybersecurity consultant, to investigate the alleged hacking of her compromised old blog. In a letter distributed by MSNBC, Nichols claimed he found significant evidence that a hacker breached Reids blog and planted the offensive posts. Some of the posts in question were made while Ms. Reid was on the radio hosting her show, Nichols wrote. Text and visual styling was inconsistent with her original entries. Additionally, he claimed that at least some of the screenshots distributed by the @Jamie_Maz Twitter account, where the posts were first surfaced this week, had been faked and never appeared on the blog at allsuggesting a two-pronged attack on Reids reputation.

We have both evidence of fraudulent posts and evidence of screenshot manipulation, Nichols told The Daily Beast on Wednesday.

Except, that wasnt quite so.

To support the screenshot forgery allegation, Nichols pointed to six images in the @Jamie_Maz Twitter timeline that he said were definitely not written by Reid nor posted by a hacker, but instead were outright fabricated images of posts that never appeared on the site. The most obvious one was an instance whereits an easy one, itll stick in your head [@Jamie_Maz] says Joy made statements about Eddie Murphy. Its obviously false, she never made that claim.

Nichols said those six posts are nowhere to be found in the Internet Archive. But that is not true.

Further searching on the Internet Archive turned up the posts for all six of the screenshots Nichols described as fakes, including the one about Eddie Murphy. The Internet Archives records indicate they were retrieved and stored between 2006 and 2009. And all six are exactly as they appear in the screenshots. A random check of other screenshots attributed to the blog produced the same result: None of the images are faked or doctored.

A closer look at the archived blog by The Daily Beast revealed an error in Nichols methodology. Nichols examined the content tags visible in the screenshots and compared them to an archived list of all the labels that were actually used on the blog. He found that the tags Gallup, gay and lesbian, and Dan Abrams in three of the six screenshots did not appear in the catalog of labels.

Based on that evidence, Nichols had concluded that the screenshots could not be genuine. But in fact the tags in question were not Blogger.com labels, but rather tags linking to Technorati.com, a long-defunct blog-tracking site completely external to Reids blog publishing host site. Reid made an apples-to-oranges comparison and concluded that because the apples were not oranges, they must be fake.

Presented with that information on Thursday, Nichols acknowledged his error. Yeah Ive become aware of some methodology issues, he wrote in an online chat. We are looking to resolve the discrepancy.

If, as it appears, the approximately 50 newly surfaced posts indeed appeared on Reids blog, that leaves Reids claim that they were posted by an imposter. To that point, Nichols said passwords used by Reid had been found in the wild on the dark web, where a hacker with a grudge against the MSNBC host might have found them.

A search on the breach-notification site Have I Been Pwned confirmed this: Reids email address, like millions of others, has turned up in batches of hacked and phished accounts over the yearseight batches in all, some of which contain user passwords. While six of the leaks postdate the disputed blog posts, the remaining two are of uncertain origin and timing. If Reid used the same password on Blogger and one of the websites that suffered a password leak, its conceivable that someone found it and used it to log into her blog back in 2005.

But Nichols could not provide any evidence suggesting this had occurred.

As described by Nichols, the conclusion that a hacker was posting on Reids blog rests primarily on two types of forensic clues within the disputed posts. First, he said, some of the allegedly planted posts contain punctuation choices and markup sharply different from Reids other posts. The Daily Beast compared scores of disputed and undisputed posts and could not discern any such anomalies. Pressed for specificswhich posts, which artifactsNichols said Wednesday that he did not have ready access to that information, but would provide it. Reached again on Thursday, he said he did not have any details to offer. I thought I did, he said Were kind of reevaluating as of yesterday.

The second giveaway, Nichols said, was in the date and time stamps of some of the posts. They indicated that the entries were posted in the middle of Reids live radio show. No one writes long soliloquies while theyre on the radio, he said . It just doesnt happen. Reids lawyer made the same claim in a letter written last December that was made public this week. It would have been physically impossible for Ms. Reid to have made many of the posts. Some have dates and times when Ms. Reid was doing her radio show and could not have been blogging.

The Daily Beast asked Nichols to provide those posts on Wednesday, and the cybersecurity consultant replied: I dont have that on hand. On Thursday Nichols passed on what he now says is the only example he has available. Dated Thursday, Aug. 30, 2007, the posttitled Is you is, or is you aint gonna impeach?reads in its entirety: John Conyers talks a good game in front of a hometown crowd, but is he serious about keeping impeachment on the table?

The timestamp indicates the entry was posted at 7:14 a.m. Eastern Time. The Daily Beast confirmed that the radio show Reid co-hosted in 2006 and 2007, Wake Up South Florida, aired weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. No archive of the shows broadcasts from that era could be found online.

The contested post was followed by a longer blog post that went up at 8:10 a.m., also during the shows normal airing time. That posttitled The next war?contains 330 words of original writing discussing the prospect of war with Iran. Neither Reid, Nichols, nor Reids attorney have so far contested its authenticity.

The presence of the second post seems to admit only two possibilities: the blog washacked by someone with a well-considered view on U.S. conflict with Iran, or Reid, whether on the air or not, was able to blog that morning.

Reid declined to comment for this story.

The only other specific evidence offered by Reids team came from her attorney, John Reichmann. In letters sent to Google and the Internet Archive last December, which MSNBC distributed to journalists this week, Reichmann claimed that the timestamps on many of the posts on Reids blog are too close together to be the work of a single blogger. The letters provide as the only example Reids 2006 live-blogging of Samuel Alitos Supreme Court confirmation hearing, noting that Reid pushed short updates to the post at 10:18 a.m., 11:34 a.m., and 11:41 a.m.

The Blog, however, also shows a lengthy, fraudulent entry, Things people say when theyre on the Fox News Channel, supposedly posted right in the midst of this, at 11:28 a.m., wrote Reichmann. Ms. Reid did not have the superhuman blogging skills needed to do all of these posts simultaneously.

But the lengthy, fraudulent entry about Fox News Reichmann is referring to consisted of just two lines of original text, plus a copy-pasted quote. A check of CSPANs archive also shows that the post was made shortly after a 15-minute break in the hearing.

If there was a hack, it would have taken place years ago. The Internet Archives records show the disputed posts were mirrored by the Wayback Machine no later than 2009, and many of them were archived much earlier, some within hours of appearing on Reids blog. Reichmann explored the possibility last year that the posts were crafted more recently, and that someone inserted them into the Internet Archive with false dates. Reichmann contacted the nonprofit in December to demand that you provide us with the information needed to determine how the fraudulent posts came to be included in the archived posts.

But at least one of the entries was contemporaneously referenced on a completely different website. A Feb. 6, 2007 post containing the line most straight guys (and women) do react with winces at the sight of two men kissing on the lips drew a comment on the Democratic Underground forum the same day: Oh, Reidblog… why, why why

Today Nichols says Reid and her team no longer believe the archive was hacked, and the Internet Archive has denied any such manipulation could have occurred. We found nothing to indicate tampering or hacking of the Wayback Machine versions, an archiver for the site said in a statement.

That means the supposed hacker was posting alongside Reid for years. According to Reichmann, that even included inserting updates in Reids live blog of the Alito hearing in January 2006. Reichmann claimed that the hacker was responsible for two consecutive updates sandwiched between Reids legitimate ones. The updates report that Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch was using his questioning time to metaphorically fellate the judge. Oh, look, Orrin Hatch is putting on his Supreme Court knee pads to save Alito, one line read. The posts title, which Reichmann says the hacker changed, was Brokeback Committee Room, another reference to the film about gay lovers. All the contested material in the post is present in the earliest archived copy, which was captured the day after the hearing.

All of this alleged hacking apparently went unnoticed at the time by Reid.

Thats an extraordinary claim, and so far the bits and pieces of evidence offered for it have not stood up to scrutiny when theyve been specific enough to test. If she wasnt hacked, it doesnt necessarily follow that Reid is lying. Her decision to hire a security consultant to investigate the posts, and a lawyer to demand the access logs for her blog account, suggests she genuinely believes at least some of the posts were planted. After 12 years and tens of thousands of written words, Reid simply may not remember.

Its possible that in the end Reid will discover her adversary isnt a determined hacker, but a far more dogged foe: The Joy-Ann Reid of years past, writing in a voice she can no longer recognize as her own.

with additional reporting by Andrew Kirell and Maxwell Tani

Read more: https://www.thedailybeast.com/claims-by-joy-reids-cybersecurity-expert-fall-apart

from Viral News HQ https://ift.tt/2x0YrvI via Viral News HQ

[neverenoughpie-blog]

Zachariah Wolf‎ to Eliana DuPres It was an unfortunate comfort, at best, yet a comfort all the same. His station meant there would always be a bed open for him. A room. The best counselors and addiction specialists the V.A. had to offer. Time away, time to think. To regain his troops. Granted, it meant time from the tour which he could never do. He wasn't quite that far gone yet but having the back packed made him feel better. Like he was ready at a moments notice should that line be crossed. Finishing the zip, he passed it into the bottom of the closet and firmly locked the door.

Eliana DuPres The morning had been exactly what she'd expect it to be. Throwing up profusely for the better part of an hour before she'd lean over the sink, brushing her teeth, struggling to stand up on her own. She'd gained no weight during the pregnancy thus far when she should have been at least storing something for the baby, but it was hard to do when she couldn't keep anything down and every morning looked exactly like this. As she came out of the bathroom, she'd find Z at the closet, locking the door. Stepping in behind him, she'd lean her head against his back, her hands finding his sides. "Tell me it's not going to always be this way," she whispered, a weak request from strained vocal chords.

Zachariah Wolf It was only when he had been allowed the honor of puking in off shifts with her had he realized how much she had done it. Add one more thing to the list by this point as his head was throbbing and all of him felt heavy. Just needing about 29 bottles of water but unsure he could hold even one down. Hearing her behind him as she found his sides. "What way?" He asked, thinking it could be a few ways.

Eliana DuPres Letting her hand slip from his side to find his hand, she interlaced her fingers there with his before she'd come around in front of him, her forehead to his chest for a long, quiet moment before she'd lift her eyes there to meet his. "I've been puking for weeks now and it's not getting any lighter. If anything, it's getting worse," she confessed, defeat there in her eyes. "How are you feeling?" she asked, knowing he'd been in the bathroom between her own trips before her half hour long stint within that would lead her here now. "I was going to make breakfast, but I don't think I can bear the smell of it right now. Water and saltines sound alright?" she asked, figuring the two might not be such a bad thing for him, knowing that before four p.m. it was about all she could handle.

Zachariah Wolf "You need to go to the doctor." He stated honestly, not knowing it was that bad until fighting over the bathroom with her. A shake of his head at the mention of breakfast as even he couldn't stomach it. "Just water." He reasoned, a shake of his head as he assured that door was shut. "You need to call the doctor on Monday though."

Eliana DuPres "I'll get it for you," she offered, pressing a kiss to the center of his chest before slipping back from him and the locked door that she had never questioned the contents of. A minute later and she was there in the kitchen, retrieving two bottles of water as well as a bottle of aspirin for him, knowing his head must be killing him after all he had drank the night before. She would return to him a few minutes later, offering him his bottle of water as well as the bottle of pills. "I have an appointment for Wednesday," she reminded him, her free hand guiding him back to the bed with her. "Come and lay down," she offered, finally feeling some relief after there was nothing left in her to expel, more able to care for him since the little one within was leaving her be for the moment.

Zachariah Wolf "Oh." He stated simply, knowing he would be gone early Monday but back on Tuesday before being off for 18 days before they would be off again. Watching her return with aspirin before being guided back to the bed. Cracking open the lid to pop a few down before going for the water.

Eliana DuPres As he took from the bottle and followed it with the water, she'd take a seat there beside him on the bed. "I was thinking," she began, a soft smile to her lips as she leaned in and pressed a kiss to his shoulder, speaking there against him as her eyes lifted to the profile of his face. "When you go on Monday, I want to come with you," she began, her free hand finding his inner thigh. "I don't want you to be alone anymore and I don't want to be either. I miss you far too much when you are away, even if you do keep it to simply a night. It's too long and facetime sleeping with you just isn't the same," she offered, giving him her reasons and hoping they would be well received. "I don't want to be without you anymore."

Zachariah Wolf "It's just Atlanta, hun." He'd remind her, not bad given their other tour dates, feeling her at his shoulder as she looked him over. Another mouthful of water as it sounded like she intended on making this permanent for the next month or so or as long as this tour lasted. "I don't know if it's a good place for you with bein' sick like this. It's rough. I know you think bein' here is better but you're home, you're comfortable. Might be a lil' bored but we are comin' down to the wire. The next month and a half are going to be crazy."

Eliana DuPres "I know, but I don't want to spend another night without you," she confessed, unable to swallow the way she felt about him or the tour or him spending another night without her by his side. "After Monday night, you'll be here one night and gone the next, and some of those won't be so fortunate for us. There's one week in there where you're gone almost the entire time and I just can't sit here on my hands anymore. When we first got together, you were with me always, and we spent only two nights apart and it nearly killed us. With this tour, we've been lucky so far that it's been a night here and there and you were back with me in the morning, sometimes before I woke. But after this two and a half week break, it doesn't look like that any more. We're going to be apart more than we are together and I don't want to be apart from you. I want you to come off the stage to my kiss and I want you to lay down at night in my arms. My life is you, Zach. Everything I have and everything I am is you." Her free hand slipped down the curve of his upper arm as her lips remained against his shoulder. "I need these arms," she confessed, her hand finding his opposite shoulder before drawing around to his neck where her fingertips would drift up to his lips. "I need these lips," she went on to explain before her hand was drifting down again, her arm drawn around him from behind as she shifted there to her knees to make it possible. With one hand there in his, her grip would tighten as her free hand made its way over his heart as her lips found the side of his neck. "I need your heart," she continued, a soft kiss pressed to his neck in conclusion as she attempted to express to him just how she felt about being separated from him again.

Zachariah Wolf "I know." He began as she mentioned that he would be gone for that week but what a week it would be. Constant. Tiring for them all. Let alone a girl who was already pregnant and getting the hell beat out of her for it. Not to mention he was confused as to what he was seeing or hearing. Last night, she wasn't this way with him. Last night, she was upset with him for being upset and upset with him for being drunk and upset with him for having feelings on it all yet this was fine until he started having feelings on it all. As her explanation went on, he glanced down towards her at his neck. "I don't know. It's gonna be something to think about." He reminded her.

Eliana DuPres As she continued there at his neck, she'd hear his answer of needing to think about it, knowing they only had a day and a half before that next date, but willing to let him sit with it just the same. She had forced her way into his life, but she wouldn't force this as this was where she could only put out her honest feelings for him and for them and hope they were reciprocated and that he'd need her just as much as she needed him. Her hand gripped against his chest as her lips continued there at the side of his neck as her other hand released his for the man's inner thigh. "Do you think of me when you're gone?" she asked, knowing the man was all she thought about all of the time. "Do you miss my kiss?" she asked, continuing, not giving him time to answer one thing or the next. "Do you miss me when you lay down and the pressure is not there at your chest?" she asked, her hand venturing against his stomach. "Do you ache for me as I ache for you?" she asked, her tongue drawing against the curve of his neck.

Zachariah Wolf "It's not 'bout not missin' you." He stated honestly, as the road was always better with someone on it. But with the recent revelations of the night before and the fact that she was pregnant and such a thing was exhausting to begin with; he'd have to choose what was best for her and their unborn child. It was so much bigger than this, even as her questions came forward. All of them easy considering.

Eliana DuPres As he answered, she couldn't help the smile that would take her as she already knew the answer to each and every one of those questions without a doubt. Drawing around him to his other side, she'd bring one leg around him as she took up a space there at his lap, straddling him as her legs wrapped around him. With her nose there to his, she'd nudge the side of his with her own as her hands found the back of his neck. Pressing her lips to his, the night before was the night before and today was a new day. In her mind, the two of them had both made mistakes the night before and they had gone to bed together, in one another's arms, with exchanges of honest sentiment that would conclude it for her. Though there were things that she should have brought up again, she wouldn't do it, for she knew he'd been drunk and could only hope he didn't honestly feel those ways about her. With it gone and behind them, she'd press forward as the woman he knew her to be, continuously showering him with affection and attention, and needing him endlessly. Bringing her lips to barely touch his, her fingertips drifted into the base of his hairline. "I love you with all of my heart and all that I am," she whispered to his lips honestly where he could not only hear her words, but feel them, perhaps even taste them. "I want to be with you always in every way," she continued, more and more tempted by his lips by the moment. "I never want to know this life without you and I never want you to know it without me. I want to experience it with you. No matter if that is in this apartment or two thousand miles away. I am not me without you," she confessed, finally pressing her lips to his firmly to seal the honest words spoken to his lips there against those same lips as her fingertips gripped at the back of his neck.

Zachariah Wolf Only wishing he could have gotten a little of this the night before contemplating putting a gun in his mouth yet now it was entirely different and he was even more mind fucked then before as he heard her whisper. Eyes passing over hers as he wished he could believe it. As she went over in close proximity to his lips. Knowing one suggestion would push her over the edge as she was there. Sealed roughly to him as he allowed her lips to seal with his as she found his neck.

Eliana DuPres Without the night before being spoken of, neither could know where the other was on all of the things that had gone in both directions that night. For Eliana, she'd focus on today and tomorrow, and not the only bad night the two had ever experienced for if she focused on every bad moment she'd had in her life, she wouldn't be before him in that very moment. As her lips found his, she'd press firmly to his lips, giving him everything she had while knowing it wasn't much to begin with. She'd turned her back on everything in her life to be here in this moment with him and she had yet to regret it, even while worshiping a porcelain throne not so long before. Drawing back from his lips a moment later, she'd meet his eyes, one hand finding the side of his face as she kept that intensity about her that had been there since day one.

Zachariah Wolf Feeling her draw her hand back, watching his eyes as she stroked the side of his face in a seemingly familiar gesture. Letting his head drop simply as he glanced down between them. Having nothing to say on it all as he pulled them both back onto the bed to lay down and her to find a place beside him.

Eliana DuPres As he lowered his head, she pressed her lips to the top of his head before she felt him drawing back with her there around him. Unwrapping her legs from around him, she felt him urging her there to his side, yet she had yet to feel true reciprocation from him. Laying against him, partially over him and partially to his side, she'd find a happy medium there as she propped her chin against his chest. "Did you not want my kiss?" she asked, realizing he'd not said a word to any of which she had said, only hoping it had more to do with not feeling well and less to do with something worse.

-July 8, 2017

[victakestaipei]

WEEK 8 RECAP: The Journey Home

Monday:

Today was a struggle to get up. I sat there all day in class zoning out. We had a vocab quiz today and are working on finishing up lesson 10, our last chapter. We also talked a lot about our bonding event last Friday and poked fun at Felix who was acting a fool at karaoke after drinking too much booze. 

We had such a great time and it hadn't fully sunk in how much I'm gonna miss this small class. After class Bunny and I went to the computer lab to work on our listening homework, but not before I asked my teacher to write a recommendation letter for me. Which she happily obliged. I'll probably get it emailed though since I asked her pretty last minute. I also went down to the main office in the building to request my grade (Record of Study) for the month of August to be mailed to my house back in Reno. It's all really coming to an end. Bittersweet. After class today Bunny and I went to one of our favorite potsticker places right by campus. We stuffed our faces with veggie, curry, and spicy Korean style potstickers while reminiscing over the past two months. After we ate we headed home to relax and start the packing process.

Tuesday:

Today was our last day of class. Our teacher brought us egg scallion pancakes as a parting gift, as well as my letter of recommendation in a sealed envelope. I’m so surprised!! Our class was pretty laid back today. Wednesday is the actual last day of class but both Bunny and I leave Wednesday to head back to America. I'm so excited to surprise my friends and roommates by landing in Reno on Thursday instead of Saturday!!! It's going to be great. After class, and taking our last pictures and giving our last hugs, Bunny and I headed home as we weren't too hungry and needed to finish up packing as well as do laundry and a bunch of other stuff.

Here’s some Taipei flicks I took from the bus window... I’m going to miss this city!!

Later in the evening Bunny got us some boba, as I wasn't too hungry still.. I also got Bunny to start watching Insecure. She loves it and I'm so happy she's watching it!!!

For dinner we ate at the soy sauce braised place. Everyone there was so happy to see us and loved my hair (it was in a fro). When we left we told the workers we were going back to America and that this was our last meal here in Taiwan, and one of the workers even hugged us goodbye. So so sweet. We rode the bus back home and took the scenic route to take in the last few sights of Taipei night life.

We also watched the live stream of the eclipse tonight. It was cool!!!! I watched it on twitter because the US is like the only place where it's a full eclipse. It's only partial in other countries.

Wednesday:

Today I got up at 9:30am to get ready. It was so sad seeing Bunny’s stuff all cleared out already. She had left early this morning around 5:30am. I got up, and went to breakfast alone at our neighborhood spot. It was delicious as always, but I was eating all alone which made pretty sucky. I hadn't realized how attached to Bunny I was until I had gotten back to the room and was sitting on my bunk bed steps crying. I had an emotional moment and I was SO happy to be by myself. After I pulled myself together, I packed up the rest of my stuff and headed down to the main office to return our keys.

I left the house around 11 to head to the bus with all my luggage. It was a struggle getting around but I managed to make it to Taipei main station and onto the express train to the airport by 11:45am. I got to the airport around 12:30. I tried to check into my flight just before 1, but was told it was too early to check in for my 5pm flight, and I had to wait until after 2... So I found a table and an outlet and just sat and waited it out. I came back down to the ticketing area around 2 and was able to weigh my bags and my big bag was only a few pounds overweight!!! PROUD!!!! So I switched some stuff around and got the weight down with no problem. I was checked into my flight by 3 and headed to security. I got some food at Burger King (it was cheapest) and ate there in the food court. I headed to my gate and sat there a while before they moved our gate and delayed my flight by an hour. So I switched gates and waited at the new gate on a lower floor. We began boarding at 6:20ish... and our original flight departure time was 5:20. But the flight is only 2 hours and I have an aisle seat, fairly close to the front of the plane (because I checked in so early), that it shouldn't be too bad. Part 1 of my journey home begins NOW!

After getting off the plane I went to baggage claim and got my bags. My smaller bag came out first. I originally thought my bigger bag didn’t make it (because it was taking so long) but then I saw a small woman dressed as a flight attendant standing next to a huge burgundy bag (my bag) and looking around. She retrieved the bag from a separate baggage carousel, right next to the one all the other bags were coming out of. This other carousel was labeled "oversized baggage claim"... lol of COURSE. So I waved her down and rushed over and took my bag off her hands.

After getting through customs which was a breeze, I looked up the hotel on my phone to see how far it was. It was only an 8min walk!! So I decided to hit the road, dragging my suitcases behind me. It was dark at this point as it was after 10pm, but I found the hotel with no problem and checked in and went up to my room. I was exhausted. I talked on the phone with my mom and some friends (those of which still don't know I was at a hotel in China rather than in my dorm room), and I took a shower and knocked out. I woke up fairly early, around 6:30am and forced myself to go back to sleep for a few more hours. After 10am I checked out of the hotel, and caught the free shuttle service the hotel provided to drop me off at the terminal up the road.

I got in line at the ticketing counter and none of the workers had arrived yet. There were other passengers waiting too, but they weren't behind the ropes like I was. So when the time came for everyone to get in line, I was first in line bc best believe I didn't move when all of them tried to cut the line ;) lol.

I checked in and checked my bags with ease. I had to go to baggage inspection after ticketing , and I found out I couldn't bring lighters back to the US from China. So I had to throw away two really cool lighters I got as gifts for my stoner friends lol. The guy who was also working the baggage inspection was a total prick. HE BROKE THE HANDLE OF MY SUITCASE!! Asshole. But it's okay. I got through immigration and security pretty quickly and now I'm sitting at the gate eating a subway sandwich. I also got two cookies but they aren't half as good as they are in the US. The 12in sandwich and cookies cost me about 95 RMB.... Money of which I didn't have to spend because I was given some money by that kind Chinese guy who helped me buy my hotel on my way here back in June. This journey back to the US is 99% better than the journey here, and for that, thank you JESUS.

I board my plane in about an hour and 15 minutes (1:15) and from there I'll be on the plane for 12 hours before landing in LAX at 11am (pacific time).

My flight to Reno from LAX isn't until 6:30pm, so I'm hoping I can hop on a standby flight earlier so I can get home earlier... I'll keep you all posted ;)

On my flight to LAX from Nanjing, I got another awesome aisle seat only 4 away from first class. I’m feeling BLESSED to be at the front of the plane, but I know it's due to me checking in so early yet again. Thank goddddddd. Emptiest plane I've ever been on. The flight attendants started to close the overhead cabinets, and each row, including mine, had 1 or more empty seats in it. I was the only one in my row. Best believe I'm about to lay down and nap. 

Update: Our flight has been delayed an hour and a half on the tarmack. We are just SITTING HERE!!! Doing NOTHING!!! This is the worst ever.

Second Update*: I could not sleep a lick on the plane. I am delirious. I have watched what seems like a million movies and I feel like my eyes are BLOODSHOT.

I also have had to pee a million times since I’ve gotten on the flight so I keep getting up to run down the aisle to the toilet in my socks. HELP!!! This flight feels like an ETERNITY!!!

Our flight landed in LAX around 1pm (the original arrival time was 11am) and I can say I’ve never been more glad to be in America!! GOD BLESS AMERICA!!! After speeding through customs, and baggage inspection, I headed towards Southwest to check my bags for my evening flight to Reno. While I was in China, Karis texted me saying that she will be able to pick me up from LAX and spend some time with me before my next flight, so that’s exciting!! I can’t wait to see her!!

Update: Karis never showed. She texted me as if she was waiting for me at the Southwest counter, but come to find out, MY MOM COMES WALTZING FROM AROUND THE CORNER!! I AM SHOOK!! AND ECSTATIC!! MY MOMMA SURPRISED ME!!! Her little devious self. So SO cute. She made plans for us to grab lunch and catch up. I’m so so happy.

For lunch, my mom and I visited this restaurant on the marina that we’ve been going to for as long as I can remember. The food was so good, and you already know I had to order a MIMOSA!! God bless America.

After lunch, I actually still got to see Karis, despite her LIES!! Momma dropped me off at the LMU campus and I spent about 45 minutes with Karis catching up, before she dropped me at the airport. I’m so thankful to have a best friend like her. The surprise was the best welcome home present ever.

I boarded my flight to Reno with ease and am scheduled to land around 7:30pm. I am probably going to Uber home because no one knows I’m coming hehe. I can’t wait to surprise everyone. It’s going to be so great. 

[the-warmest-hands]

Weekend, week

Saturday: biked out to get spices because I’ve been craving indian food, and the places around me are questionable, and I don’t have money to gamble on mediocre food. Biked back after picking up stuff from Jai Ho Indian Grocery (Fillmore), stopped by Schubert’s to try their prinsesstårta and opera cake, then went to botanical garden to eat cake and watercolor. It was a very nice day, so there were a lot of people at the garden. Unfortunately for me, this meant a lot of people watching me paint a subpar painting. At one point I begrudgingly let some midwestern woman take a photo of me with my terrible and unfinished (it was gonna be terrible no matter what I suppose) painting. Biked home after a few shitty sketches because my butt hurt from sitting still for so long. Also I was excited to get started with spices! Followed a kachori recipe on youtube but somehow didn’t realize that I had to cook my lentil filling beforehand (the english subtitles said “soak for two hours” but it looked very cooked, in retrospect). I also figured they’d be mashable so I could forego grinding. Nope. I added spices and whatnot and cooked them in oil for a bit but they remained unsquishable and were pretty solid. I decided I’d dump everything in the food processor and grind it that way. Still nope. Food processor was unable to break up the solid lentils. So I adapted by throwing everything into a pot and cooking it for a while. I did try frying two kachori with the whole lentils (they weren’t hard, just whole) and that was okay! Then I tried frying one with the cooked-down lentils, but foolishly forgot that there was hella liquid in that, which meant that when I retrieved the fully-cooked kachori, the inside was soggy! This is why you cannot put wet stuff into flaky pastry. Anyway. Cooked down the lentils even more, until they were a dry paste, filled the rest of the dough, and fried them all for tomorrow. I ate three in total and was super full. I was actually full after just one (they are small! maybe 3/4 the size of my very small palm). Conclusion: need to adjust my spices (this combo didn’t *wow* me), and remember to cook the filling next time. Also, cilantro is fuckin everything. CILANTRO FOREVER. FOREVER CILANTRO.

Sunday: wait i don’t even remember lmao

oh yeah i talked to misha for a thousand hours

well, that’s every day HAHHAHAHA

oh i also fixed my website (or started fixing it?), and tried to figure out why my gifs weren’t looping infinitely in the browser, and then googled around, and discovered the magic of *hex editors* and that if you edit an image you can do *glitch art*! I always just thought it would straight up destroy the file if you did that. Anyway, tried to use hex editor to edit the gif to make it infinitely loop, but it did not work for most of my gifs. Weirdly, some gifs infinitely looped without any fiddling, and I am really not sure why. But now my website is updated with a bunch of garbage on it, some of which are gifs that loop and others not. Kool.

Monday: laps, tried to make dal puri and failed because I didn’t follow the instructions and my dough was wrong (fail).

Tuesday: laps, made some samosa filling to use up the dough. They were quite good. I ate all, of course. Also did a few pages from Form i Fokus övningsbok, and decided I need to learn more vocab, so I made myself a really dumb Chrome extension (lol welcome to 2007) that would allow me to set a word-of-the-day and then quiz me on it whenever I opened a new tab (I open a lot of new tabs). Could use a lot of upgrades but I’m done for today.

Wednesday: couldn’t fall asleep for a while last night (my feet were too cold), woke up very groggy, but got up anyway because I had to bake breakfast and lunch for later. I made scones. We will see how they are.

Edit: They were ok. Just returned from volunteering, which was dope, as usual. I repotted a jillion seedlings. Also checked on my seedlings from weeks prior and they are all flourishing! HURRAY! Also some fellow volunteers said I was super fast at repotting so now my goal is to be even faster. I am going to be the fastest repotter of all seedlings, and I am going to have a survival rate of 99.999999%. Fuck yeah. Watch me, bitches.

Anyway stayed late at nursery and totally missed the empty-gym time, so I just headed home. I’ll go tomorrow and try to get that sweet 2pm-3pm window.

Thursday: woke up annoyingly late (around 10), was annoyed, ate some scones I was saving for gym, then made more food, then hauled ass to the gym (it was an ok time/day, but I think I prefer Wednesdays), and just got back.

I have come to the realization that I despise biking home from the gym. Normally I love to bike home from anywhere, because I love going home. But biking after the gym is the worst. I’ve just exhausted my body, and I still have to bike. For a normal person, this might be okay. cuz. a normal person would just bike at a relaxed, 10-13mph pace (especially on uphills). I always try to do this. I’m always like, fuck everything imma take it madddd easy. But right after I get over the hills (which I allow myself to catch all the lights for because lazy (but also I practice trackstanding at every light... so does it really count as taking a break (yes, because trackstanding is not hard))), I’m like, OK TIME TO BIKE AS FAST AS POSSIBLE GOING HOME BECAUSE I LOVE GOING HOME, and by the time I get to the hill that my building is on, I’m racing up that hill (seriously I have to admit I love racing up this hill. It is my second favorite hill, after the one on 27th from Cabrillo to Balboa). Anyway then I’m at my doorstep and I just want to lie on the floor. Also I’m so disgustingly sweaty that I feel like I’m disrespecting anyone whose eyes come in contact with me.

Anyway now I am going to piddle away the remaining four hours of the day and maybe fix my chrome extension a bit

Edit: nope just piddled away the day (also made biscuits, but I think I overworked the dough again so they are not very soft. ugh! I just want to get back to what I had last year, when I was churning out biscuits and they were all amazing) Edit: ok now i’ve also fixed the chrome extension a bit

Friday: volunteering, then creating horrifying watercolors kool beans