#Jewelers Block Insurance

[cm-12]

How Insurance for Diamond Rings Protects Your Most Precious Jewelry

A diamond ring is more than just a piece of jewelry; it is a symbol of love, commitment, and cherished memories. However, like all valuable possessions, diamond rings are vulnerable to risks such as theft, loss, or damage. Protecting these precious items with insurance for diamond ring ensures peace of mind and financial security. This article delves into why insuring your diamond ring is essential and explores related policies like watch insurance and jewelers block insurance, providing a comprehensive understanding of how to safeguard your most prized possessions.

The Importance of Insuring Diamond Rings

While a diamond ring may carry sentimental value, its monetary worth makes it a target for theft or accidental damage. Insurance for diamond ring provides coverage that helps you repair or replace your jewelry in unforeseen circumstances. Whether it’s an engagement ring or a family heirloom, insurance ensures you don’t bear the financial burden alone.

Here’s why it’s important:

Comprehensive Coverage: Policies typically cover a wide range of risks, including accidental damage, loss, or theft.

Worldwide Protection: Many policies provide coverage even when you��re traveling, ensuring your ring is safe no matter where you go.

Affordable Premiums: Insuring a diamond ring is often more cost-effective than replacing it outright, especially for high-value pieces.

How Insurance for Diamond Rings Works

When you purchase insurance for diamond ring, the first step involves appraising the item to determine its value. This appraisal ensures that your ring is adequately insured for its replacement cost. Policies may also require you to provide a purchase receipt or certification from a reputable jeweler.

In the event of a loss or damage, you file a claim with your insurer, who then assesses the situation and compensates you accordingly. Some policies even offer options for direct repair or replacement through their network of jewelers.

Related Coverage: Watch Insurance

While protecting diamond rings is crucial, other valuable items like luxury watches also deserve coverage. Watch insurance works similarly, offering financial protection against loss, theft, or damage. Given the high value of branded and antique watches, insuring them ensures that your investment remains secure.

Key benefits of watch insurance include:

Customized Coverage: Policies tailored to the specific brand and value of your watch.

Repair and Replacement Options: Access to authorized service centers for repairs or replacements.

Travel Protection: Coverage even when you’re traveling internationally.

Combining insurance for diamond ring with watch insurance ensures that all your precious items are protected under comprehensive policies.

Specialized Coverage: Jewelers Block Insurance

For jewelers and those in the jewelry trade, jewelers block insurance provides specialized coverage for high-value inventory, including diamond rings and luxury watches. This policy is designed to protect businesses against risks such as theft, damage, or loss during transit.

Key Features of Jewelers Block Insurance:

Inventory Protection: Covers diamonds, gemstones, and other inventory in the event of loss or damage.

Transit Coverage: Protects items being transported to clients or trade shows.

Flexible Policies: Tailored to meet the unique needs of jewelers, ensuring comprehensive protection.

While jewelers block insurance is more relevant to businesses, understanding its scope highlights the importance of having specialized coverage for valuable items.

Tips for Choosing the Right Insurance

When selecting insurance for diamond ring, watch insurance, or jewelers block insurance, consider the following:

Understand Coverage Limits: Ensure the policy provides sufficient coverage for the full value of your items.

Work with Reputable Providers: Choose insurers with experience in high-value jewelry and luxury items.

Evaluate Premiums: Compare premiums to ensure they align with the level of coverage offered.

Read the Fine Print: Be aware of exclusions or conditions that may affect your claim.

Real-Life Scenarios Highlighting the Importance of Insurance

Lost Diamond Ring During TravelA customer misplaced their diamond engagement ring during an overseas trip. Fortunately, their insurance for diamond ring policy covered the loss, allowing them to receive a replacement without financial stress.

Watch Damaged in an AccidentAn antique watch was accidentally damaged during an event. Thanks to watch insurance, the owner had it repaired at an authorized service center without incurring significant costs.

Jewelers Block Insurance Saving a BusinessA jeweler transporting a shipment of diamond rings faced a theft incident. The jewelers block insurance policy covered the loss, ensuring the business did not suffer financially.

Final Thoughts

Valuable possessions like diamond rings and luxury watches are not only symbols of elegance but also significant financial investments. Protecting them with the right insurance policies, such as insurance for diamond ring, watch insurance, or jewelers block insurance, ensures peace of mind against unforeseen risks.

Whether you’re a jewelry owner or a professional in the trade, having adequate coverage is essential to safeguard your treasures. Take the proactive step to secure your precious items today and enjoy the assurance that they are protected, no matter what life throws your way.

[sailoryooons]

Obsidian | One | myg (m)

☾ Pairing: Yoongi x f. reader

☾ Summary: You remember everything. The first time you radiated at garnet, feeling the power of the jewel rushing through you. Remember the energy pulsing at your command. And you certainly remember the face of the man who ruined your life. Then there’s Min Yoongi, the Chaotic who is the key to your revenge.

☾ Word Count: 10,012

☾ Genre: Urban fantasy, criminal/syndicate, strangers to lovers, angst, eventual smut

☾ Rating: 18+ Minors are strictly prohibited from engaging and reading this content. It contains explicit content and any minors discovered reading or engaging with this work will be blocked immediately. 

☾ Warnings: Graphic depiction of death and body dismemberment, a lot of blood, Yoongi is brutally wounded/gutted, near-death experience, traumatic loss of parents, mention of suicide (not actual, but metaphorical), this is pretty blood and gory but not gratuitous? Death of a koi fish rip Agust the I. 

☾ Published: April 22, 2023

☾ A/N: Don’t ask me to explain myself. I have no idea what I’m doing and my Aries moon is in full control of me and working me like a robot. This is a series or something I don’t know. I have no plans and no thoughts, just brain rot. Inspired by Jade City by Fonda Lee, the movie Colombiana, the movie Scarface and by my fuck it we ball attitude about writing what I want when I think of it. Also please note that the order of first and last names will be done in Western fashion in this, as this story does not exist anywhere real-world-adjacent and thus, will be first name > last name.❀ Disclaimer: All members of BTS are faces and name claims for this story. This is entirely a work of fiction and by no means is meant to be a projection, judgment or representation of real-life people. Any scenarios or representations of the people and places mentioned in works are not representative of real-life scenarios.

THIS FIC IS BEING RE-WRITTEN. PLEASE FIND THE NEW FIC HERE.

An emerald Radiant walks into the bar and makes a mess. It sounds like a punchline, but you never hear the end of the joke. Only the hook and the line. No sinker. 

Before he arrives and messes everything up is important, though. 

-

Market Town is a mess. Each side of the road has storefronts with open doors, neon and holographic signage blinking on and off with the shitty pulse from the electricity grid. In front of them on the side walks and spilling into the street are the stall vendors, ever-changing and ever-moving sales carts, tables, boxes and people hawking their wares, fruits and trinkets at the hundreds of people who writhe through the market. 

It smells terrible. You keep to yourself, all the stink of bodies and rotting fruit and the sizzling fat of meat making your head dizzy no matter which way you navigate. Market Town stretches an entire district, street after street of stores and people and things and it feels like it never ends, the stench of humanity clinging to you like a second skin.

Water crashes down on a man selling lab-grade jewels to a wary-looking mother and daughter. They flinch away from the seller as he sputters and screams, soaked in sweat and whatever liquid has been tossed out an apartment window from above. He cranes his neck up to locate whoever tossed the water - or more likely, piss - out of the window, but he has hundreds of options to choose from from the apartment building that towers behind him. You grimace and step further into the middle of the street. Most of the apartments in Market Town have years worth of failing plumbing, and you have no desire to be showered with piss and shit. 

It’s too early in the evening for the lights of the neon advertisements glittering in the air above your head to cast a blinding light on your eyes. Their glow is not yet painted on the surge of people coming and going, but you know by sundown Market Town will be a watercolor of holographic and neon advertisements courtesy of Roanoke Insurance, Jend Cosmetics, and Jura Jura Coffee: Best Brew In Diade. 

At least Market Town has sensible advertisements. It isn’t the vibrant horror of naked figures bent over, or the bloody holograph of a man having his brains blown out. Crimson District has no shortage of unique and salacious advertising and the money its businesses generate make the lights and the glow much harder to ignore, even in the daylight. It’s part of why you prefer to scrounge around Market Town like a mangrove rat. 

Well, and it’s what you can afford. 

Namjoon’s work stall floats around Market Town. Usually, you can find him tucked between Margot’s fruit stand and Len’s divination table. Namjoon likes to nibble on Margot’s sweet strawberries in exchange for fixing the till on Margot’s stand, and Len is an okay stall neighbor when he isn’t so drunk that he’s trying to convince you that the end is near and the world will be swallowed in garnet and obsidian. 

That sounds lovely, you always tell him.

Prepare for the end, Len always answers. 

The sweet smell of tangerines reaches you through the sizzling smell of frying meat a few stalls over. It’s better than the rank stink  of flowers wafting from a stall a few carts over, your head dizzy with the fragrance as you approach Namjoon, Margot and Len.

Margot’s fruit always smells better than any other food set out across tables and bins on the street. You’re pretty sure it has to do with the pretty, green citrine jewel that he keeps tucked away and out of sight and away from any wandering eyes. 

You can’t blame him. Even though citrine isn’t high on the Jewel Caste, Market Town is primarily made up of Nulls. They certainly can’t radiate with jewels, but they sell them at a high price to those desperate enough to feel the power of a Radiant. Some even promise to sell jewels that make Radiants Caste Drop to a new, darker and more powerful color. 

Only an untrained Radiant would think a Caste Drop is possible through a rock. It’s stupid, really. Anyone who wears or buys jewels openly in Market Town is asking to be robbed and gutted. You’ve even seen as light as a diamond caste get murdered here. 

A kindly young man stands in front of Namjoon’s stand. It’s really just a wooden table with a bunch of trinkets, clocks with too many dials, little holographic action figures jumping into different poses, and other wares that run on technology or small engineering. Namjoon prides himself on being the best tinkerer, though you’re willing to bet he’s a lot smarter than that. 

Namjoon himself isn’t much older than the man at his table, gesturing to a watch as Namjoon leans over it. Namjoon’s brown hair has grown long, shoved back by a black, cotton strip he has tied around his head to keep it out of the way. He’s dressed in a dirty shirt and canvas overalls, a little bit of grease on his arms. His glasses slide down his nose, lenses fogged with the humidity that collects in Market Town and makes it rot. 

A fly buzzes toward you from Margot’s stand. He has his back turned to you, placing little white pricing stickers on his green melons. He's a little portly and very short - especially when Namjoon stands and shakes his customer’s hand. Namjoon is taller than most people, and much broader, his shoulders wide and arms thick, suggesting that he did something else before he became a tinkerer in Market Town. 

You don’t know what, though. You can sense the peridot he has hidden in the soles of his boots and the fingertips of his work gloves, giving him power to radiate as he works on his little devices and mending broken objects for people. But you’ve never asked. 

Asking questions is the first step to murder in these parts. 

When his customer leaves, Namjoon turns to you and blinks his brown eyes at you owlishly, magnetized by his prescription lenses. He’s handsome - a little too handsome by Market Town standards - and he smiles at you, a dimple popping up in his cheek. 

“I finally fixed this device for you,” Namjoon says by way of greeting. He digs around in his overall pockets and produces a tiny, silver device that looks like a bullet. “The little battery inside was fried. I put in a new one and replaced the copper plating on the starter. Your wires were totally corroded and-”

“How much?” you ask, a little exasperated. Namjoon will go on forever if you let him, and you need to get to Montana. “I only asked for the battery to be looked at, Joon.” 

“No cost. It was a fun little device to look at. Kind of dangerous, though, no?”

“You can’t not charge me. I told you to stop giving people their shit for free.”

His cheeks turn cherry as he scratches the back of his neck. “Fine, what about five nil?” You toss the coins on the table and he passes you the device. “It’s a mini shatterwave, right? The high-pitched frequency scatters the frequency of Radiants?” 

You give him an annoyed look. “Yes.” 

“Who made it? It’s a fascinating device.” 

Instead of answering Namjoon’s question, you pocket the little bullet  and toss another five nil on the table. “For silence,” you tell him firmly. 

He wants to ask another question. You can see it in his face. Namjoon is always asking you questions about the things you bring to him and ask him for. It isn’t his job to ask questions, especially as freely as he asks them. But Namjoon operates like someone who has no idea that he’s tucked away in the most dangerous market in the Crown Cities. 

Nothing Namjoon does is that of someone low born. He’s too polite, gives out too many handouts, and lets his curiosity get the best of him. Lets his clients become friends. You’re fond of him as much as someone of your position is allowed to be - maybe even a little more - but Namjoon is a danger to himself, no matter how often you keep steering him back in the right direction. 

“You!” Len leans over Namjoon’s table, his glassy green eyes wide, pupils dilated. His hair is white as salt and sticks up in multiple directions, looking as though he may have been electrocuted and never recovered. He points one knobby finger at you. “The world will end in garnet and obsidian.” 

“That sounds lovely, Len.” 

You predict the next words. Have heard him say it dozens of times. “Obsidian.” 

Len surprises you. That has yet to be a response in your little game of prophecy, and you open your mouth to indulge and ask him what he means when something tingles at the back of your neck. 

You pause and glance to the side where Margot is dealing with a customer arguing about the price of squash. A soft breeze rustles the canvas topper to Margot’s stand, carrying the scent of tangerine with it. Something is buzzing at the back of your neck, and your gaze slowly drifts from Margot to a man passing by the cart. 

This is someone who blends in. His clothes are plain: his pants are ripped at the knees and scuffed at the bottom, his white t-shirt clinging to his chest in places where he’s sweating through. He has a floral shirt pulled over, open and fluttering in the balmy breezy of the market.

Nothing about him is remarkable, except that he’s beautiful. Perhaps not on the first glance, but when you blink and focus, it feels like you’re seeing him for the first time. You have no idea how upon first glance you thought he could ever blend in.

He has a round face, glowing and pale like the moon. Inky hair that is a little bit dirty, a few wavy pieces falling over cat-sharp eyes. He smirks as he walks, and though he isn’t looking at you, he seems smug about something. You’re not sure what, but as he passes you, you feel that tingle again. 

Your eyes dart to all of the places you look for jewels first. Hands, ears, neck, and wrists. Nothing, there’s no jewel on him. You can’t sense a frequency about him that makes sense - he doesn’t fit anywhere on the caste that makes sense to you, but it’s definitely a Radiant-adjacent sensation. He’s on the caste, but you don’t know where.

Most Radiants feel like a dull buzz. When they have jewels, it’s more like an itch that you want to scratch. There is always an attraction for a Radiant to use jewels, even if they don’t belong to them. This feeling isn’t that, it’s more invasive and sharp, not like anything you’ve felt from diamond caste to onyx caste.

When he gets a few yards away, the feeling begins to fade. You start to turn away but he tosses something up and the air and catches it. You narrow your eyes and he does it again, realizing he’s tossing a tangerine up and down. 

A tangerine that he stole. 

“Hey!” you bark at him, making several people turn in your direction, including Namjoon and Margot. The man doesn’t pause, tossing his tangerine in the air again. “Hey motherfucker! You have to pay for that tangerine!”

That catches his attention. He turns and looks at you over his shoulder, eyes round and mouth parted in surprise. A few people turn to look at where you’re shouting, but you mostly go ignored. Thieves are common here and most people don’t bother to yell at them anymore. 

The man pauses for a moment. His gaze darts between you, Margot who is coming around his cart behind you with a knife, and the ripe little tangerine in his hand. He looks at you again, dark eyes glittering. For a second, the two of you are connected, strung together by an unlikely moment between strangers. Then he does the damndest thing: he grins. 

And then he’s running down the street, floral shirt snapping in the wind as he dashes headfirst into the crowd. 

Like the idiot you are, you take off after him. Suddenly, you are the number one security measure of Margot’s fruit stand, a man who has never given you a fucking discount in your life. You have no idea why you’re running after this tangerine thief, but you feel energy surge through you as you do, dodging people and bodies and things as you tear after him. 

The tangerine thief is quick on his feet but you’re fast too, the emerald jewel hidden in your boot sending energy through you. You only radiate a little - not enough to draw too much attention, but enough to not lose sight of his red shirt flapping as he takes a corner and leaps over a stall. 

He’s a Radiant, you realize. You suspected when you felt him walk behind you, but the ease at which he vaults a market stall much taller than him gives it away. He isn’t worried about hiding his status from you, which can mean a couple of things. 

You don’t consider any of them, going around the stall instead of over. The emerald in your shoe is more than enough to send you several meters in the air, but you like to play your cards close. Don’t like to flash power unless you absolutely have to.

In a market full of Nulls, you prefer to blend in. Unjeweled is safer, especially in Market Town full of thieves and cut throats for naive or unsuspecting Radiants.

Just as you catch sight of your thief again, there’s a loud snap in the market. You look up, seeing a two story stall made from dry-rotted driftwood splinter. There’s a single second where you’re watching the top of the stall holding fresh rain water and it’s crashing down onto the market floor. 

Screams ring out as alarmed market goers are startled by the sudden deluge. You just barely throw up a shield of concentrated energy. Water splits once it hits you, a river breaking around a boulder. Chaos ensues, the stall owner screaming her head off and wailing about the precious rainwater she collected to bless with her divine spiritual energy and sell, while shoppers and other stall owners alike are furious about their now soaking persons and wares. 

Dropping your shield, you shoulder through the crowd. Now the smell of garbage is wet and pungent, clinging to bodies as you shove through the mess, looking for any sign of the pretty boy and his stolen tangerine. 

It’s a mass of colors and people, lanes between stalls and the crowd opening and closing. The movement of Market Town flexes like a living thing, shifting and writhing, a hungry serpent sliding through the streets. 

“Fuck,” you growl. It was a well placed distraction and perfect aim, using his power to snap the beam of the stand. 

With a sigh, you look down at your watch and curse. You’re going to be late to work. Again. All because you chased down a thief for a fruit salesman that doesn’t even like you.  

But that tingle. That sense of awareness that pricked the back of your neck, sharp and lethal. You think about it as you speed walk to the outskirts of Market Town where the edge of the Night Sphinx territory borders the loosely carved strip of streets that belong to the Green Dragons.

The lane of pockmarked pavement between the left and right sides of the street is the only place in Diade where two families of the Armory share such close property. Though the Salib and Park families are friendly enough, it still doesn’t do well to mix too much among Armory families outside of official business.

As soon as you hit the corner, you keep your eye on the other side of the street. It’s lined with clubs and bars and gambling dens that belong to the Night Sphinx organization. A few patrons loiter on the street, but it’s mostly members with sphinx tattoos, brooches or emblems stitched to their clothing to state their association.

The sun is sinking toward its final goodbye, rays of gold light cut in half by the towering buildings of Civ just a few miles away. It’s a beautiful sight, a shot straight down to the lower elevation of the giant buildings turned burnish gold by the sunset. 

Even from a distance, the commercial district of the city is imposing, its steel teeth biting upward at a colored sky. You wonder what it must be like to live in that world. To work or live in one of the Civ towers. You imagine you’d have your own little office with a desk and a private window to look out at the world. So high up near the clouds, a god of civilization. 

A group of Green Dragons pour out of the door of Montana and onto the sidewalk. It draws your attention away from the shining, ever-golden Civ to the flickering neon sign above a banged-up metal door. It looks like the lock is busted again and you make a note to tell Burro. Not that he’ll get it fixed. It’s not worth the nil to fix anything in Montana, including the mangrove rat infestation brought in by one of the liquor shipments from Blows.

Inside the bar is no better. Sticky floors, wobbling tables with chipped wood and scratched lacquer coating, a single bar with broken stools pulled up to the edge. There are a few holoscreens flickering above the colorful bottles that line the bar, sometimes interrupted by Jungkook’s tattooed hand reaching for bottles.  

Montana is rarely busy. It’s a new acquisition fronted by the Green Dragons, though the building isn’t new and neither is the bar. It had been closed for almost fifteen years, a rotted hole of a used-to-be-bar until Jimin opened it up again. He doesn’t intend for it to be a popular place to drink as much as he needs it for Green Dragons operations, but he fixed it up a bit. 

As you round the bar to throw your shit in the office, a mangrove rat scurries by your feet, making you screech and jump. Jungkook lifts his head, round eyes sweeping back and forth for danger, hands cocked and fists half-clenched. He catches sight of the rat scurrying into one of the holes in the side of the wall and scowls before nodding in greeting.

So maybe Jimin hadn’t fixed up the bar that much. 

If Jungkook is irritated by your tardiness, he doesn’t say anything. You’re just as pleased as you are displeased to discover that Burro isn’t in the bar at all. You suspect he’s down the block wasted in the Green Garter. Instead of asking, you immediately get to helping Jungkook maintain the system behind the bar, which is mostly cleaning vigorously at all times to fight the grime that seems to inch up on the place every hour. 

Working with Jungkook is your favorite. He’s a quiet kid with a guarded expression and soft eyes. You don’t ask him much about how he got here or why. Jimin seems to show him the same reverence as when he first found you, so it’s safe to assume that Jungkook is a stray like you. 

Even without jewels, Jungkook is tall and broad, his arms thick and strong enough to lift kegs one-armed over his shoulder. You’ve seen him go from quiet and unassuming behind the bar to throwing a jeweled Radiant across the street. You know he has your back. Despite the fact that his eyes sometimes drift to where your emerald is hidden. It’s the only evidence that you have that he’s frequency sensitive, like you.

Jungkook’s energy vibrates somewhere on the light colors. Maybe jade or rose, it’s hard to place him because he wears no jewels. 

The sound of some sporting event on the holoscreen buzzes behind you. The murmur of voices is soothing as you work, scrubbing a stain on the bartop you don’t remember being there yesterday. A quick sweep tells you that it’s the usual crowd this evening: Daro who is a smoky jewel sitting at a booth with Rollins and Gia, both emeralds; twins Rin and Maki sitting at the bar with their sharp, matching gazes vibrating at amethyst, and Bolero who doesn’t run with the Green Dragons but has become a regular, the only Null in the building. 

Bolero signals for another drink, grey eyes following you. He’s dancer-thin and his face is sharp like a hawk, grey eyes even sharper. He’s always in a long, red trench coat no matter how boiling hot it is. You think you’re going to see him keel over and have a heatstroke one day, but he never does. Just strolls in, pushing his long, dark hair out of his face before sitting down wordlessly at the bar. 

You pour him a whiskey neat and slide it over to him. He hums a thank you and turns his attention back to the screen flickering behind you. Bolero never talks, but you don’t mind him. The Radiants ignore him, though they hadn’t at first. You still see Rollins sporting a ropey scar on his hand from learning how much bullying Bolero would take.

Apparently, it was very little. 

Most places would have had the Null killed and dragged out for the city sanitation to collect in their once-a-week pickups. To Radiants, anyone who doesn’t have power, who can’t radiate on the same frequency as a jewel, is beneath them. Powerless. Ant, meet boot. 

Radiants, you’ve learned, are certainly powerful but not quite intelligent. 

“Where’s the asshole?” you ask Jungkook as you close the dishwasher with your hip. Three hours in and no Burro in sight. Not that you’re complaining, but as the manager, he’s usually expected to be around in the event that someone important drops by for business. 

Jungkook shrugs, dubious. “How should I know?”

“He can’t keep leaving you alone.”

“I’m not a kid.” You give him a look and his cheeks go pink. “I’m twenty-two, you know?”

“A child. A mere infant. Baby.”

“Ugh.” 

“Anway,” you clarify, throwing a rag over your shoulder. “It’s not right. If someone comes in here for Green Dragons shit and Burro isn’t around, you’re gonna be fucked.” 

“I can service them just fine.” 

“Yeah? Where’s the stash?” 

Jungkook smirks and leans against the bar. He’s dressed in dirty pants and a t-shirt he’s patched holes on several times already. His arms flex as he crosses them, cocking his head to the side. His hair is so much longer than it used to be - now it’s wavy and falling into his eyes, sticking to the sweaty skin of his forehead. You want to offer him a haircut, but you don’t want to baby him further. 

“It’s in the grate underneath the desk in Burro’s office.” 

“Great, and then they’ll flay you alive for not answering in their weird little code phrase.” Jungkook’s smirk falls off his face and you shake your head. “Exactly. Just because you know things doesn’t mean you know all of them, Jungkook.”

“Whatever.” 

Jungkook pushes off of the counter and distracts himself by sullenly adjusting the bottles on the bar. You snort and turn back to trying to pry the sparking plug of the freezer out from the outlet to move power sources. Eventually, you feel Jungkook’s presence at your side, making you crane your neck up to look at him.

“So what is the code phrase?” he asks, pout prominent. You roll your eyes and straighten just as the door opens to the bar. 

The door swings open with such force that it smacks the wall behind it, doorknob cracking. It draws the attention of the bar, everyone turning in their seats to see the man standing at the entrance. He’s mid-size with wild, blue hair and there’s a messy tattoo of a black cat on his arm. Your eyes narrow and the bar stills at the violent entrance of a Night Sphinx member in front of you, panting and staring directly at Bolero, the only person not looking at the door. 

“Can I help you?” you ask, looking back and forth between them.

The Night Sphinx is angry and his energy snaps around him, a crackle in the air. You don’t have to sense the emeralds on him to know where he’s at on the Jewel Caste. He has a single ring on his finger and two modest earrings, not polished jewels but still emeralds all the same. 

For a second, the man doesn’t say anything. He just stares at Bolero in a red rage, face purpling with the way he’s panting, fists clenched at his sides. You think he might just pass out, but then he’s pointing a finger at the Null sitting at your bar, sipping whiskey.

“You motherfucker!” His voice is garbled and slurred with liquor. “You fucked my wife!”

“Oh for jewels sake,” Maki grunts, turning away and sharing a roll of her eyes with her twin. “Take him outside and kick his ass then. He’s a Null.” 

If being sold out by Maki bothers Bolero, he doesn’t show it. He simply sits there in his heavy trench coat, eyes fixed on the game on the holoscreen. This seems to enrage the man at the door even further. He ignores Maki’s advice and storms into the bar, gathering energy as he goes. The chairs and tables he walks by rattle and slide away from him, the pulse of energy flowing through him as he radiates disturbing them. 

No one in the bar moves. Jungkook is transfixed and confused, eyes wide. The Green Dragons in the bar watch with mild interest. Bolero isn’t one of them, and the bar isn’t important enough to pick a fight with one of Salib's men over a Null.

But you’re not looking forward to the cleanup, and you don’t want to explain to Jimin how you did nothing while some Night Sphinx came in and fucked up a patron. 

As your hand slides to the small, bullet-shaped device Namjoon fixed for you, Bolero moves. It’s almost too fast to follow the fluid way he stands and spins from the chair. His foot slips under the stool, using the toe of his boot to hook it behind the stool’s leg and he kicks. 

The stool flies at the Radiant. He’s a little drunk and slow, but he’s still a Radiant and he reacts with enough clarity to pulse with the jewels on his hand and earrings once, sending a shield of energy around him. The stool shatters against the invisible wall, leaving the intruder unharmed. 

Bolero is still fast for a Null though, already flipping a round table over to duck behind it as the Night Sphinx sends a green bolt of energy right at Bolero. It hits the table and singes it, cracking it in half. It’s loud as thunder, your yell going ignored as the two of them wreck the left side of the bar. 

This is the ignorance of the Radiants. They don’t care about how destructive they are, storming into places and letting others take damage as they make demands and use force when they want. 

Grabbing the scatterwave in your pocket. Bolero is dodging and waving blasts of energy from the man who chases him around the bar, blowing tables and chairs to bits. The other members of the Green Dragons have moved out of the warpath, collected near a booth on the far end of the bar, watching and jeering as Bolero doges a slice of concentrated energy that would have taken his head off.

“Fuckers,” you mutter. 

Palming the device you press the top of the scatterwave. The device is small but it lets out a high-pitched sound when activated, sharp enough to disrupt frequencies within a small radius. Its target is the darker colors on the caste, its high frequency enough of a distraction and disruption for Radiants that it makes it harder to radiate.  

The reaction is instantaneous. You feel nausea roll through your stomach and your world spins. It’s an earth-shattering noise, your ears vibrating with the force of the whistle. Your vision is blurry but you stumble toward where the two men are fighting, the Radiant bent over with his hands on his ears screaming from the force of the shatterwave. 

Bolero is unaffected. He has no frequency to scatter and he takes the shot, leaping at the struggling Radiant with a snarl on his face. 

“Not in here!” you screech. “He’s a Salib, you cannot kill him in Park territory. Go somewhere else! Bolero, please!” 

Bolero looks at you once, grey eyes full of fire. He has the intruder by the shirt collar, fisted tight as the man continues to thrash against the sound of your device. You think for a split second that Bolero is going to drag him out of the bar and do what you ask. He turns to look at the door, considering it. 

He decides not to. A knife appears in his hand and you yell as he stabs downward. You can’t hear the fleshy sound as Bolero sinks the blade in over the wailing of the device in your hand. He hits right between the ribs and up, a solid jab directly to the heart. The Radiant jerks in Bolero’s arms, his death twitch violent as he fists Bolero’s shirt, eyes wide, face aghast. Then he goes limp, sagging as a ragged breath leaves him. 

No one moves. Bolero holds the dead man in his arms, panting and looking down at him. They are so close, Bolero’s face right over the man’s and if you didn’t know any better, you might think they were lovers. Bolero slowly crouches down, suddenly gentle as he lays the dead body on the ground, hands hovering over him. 

You press the top of the shatterwave and it goes silent as it can with the high-pitched ring in your ears as you try to recover. You’re a little unsteady on your feet, pressing your hand against the bartop to keep your balance. A sharp pain behind your eyes signals an oncoming headache.

“What the fuck?” your voice sounds foreign and strained in the ringing quiet. “Are you fucking serious?”

Bolero rises, pulling the bloody knife with him. He wipes it on his pants and flips it in his fingers artfully. Familiar with blades, you note. He half turns to you and glances around the destroyed section of Monatna before he looks back at you and shrugs.

“Maybe you didn’t notice, but he was trying to kill me.”

“I don’t give a fuck. You kill people outside of this bar. You aren’t permitted to kill here.”

“Montana doesn’t protect its patrons?”

“Montana protects Green Dragons,” you clarify with a hiss.

You feel your fingers twitch. The familiar urge to radiate rises. It’s a natural instinct, to want to reach for the power that is right there on the edge of your mind all the time. You feel the emerald in your shoe. You imagine it beckons you, wiggling its fingers, begging to be used. 

You ignore it, pointing a finger at Bolero. “You fucked up and you know it. What the fuck am I supposed to do with a dead Night Sphynix?”

“Tell the Salib’s he attacked first.”

“You’re a Null asshole, it doesn’t matter that he attacked you first. You’re not fucking one of us.”

Something passes over Bolero’s face when you say it. Offense, you think. It’s there and gone so fast that you think you imagine it. You only feel a little guilty that he thinks you mean not a Radiant. You really mean not one of the Green Dragons but it doesn’t matter, in the end. 

He pulls his phone out. “My boss will pay for the damage and deal with the Salibs.”

“Unless your boss is Jimin fucking Park, that doesn’t really matter.” 

Bolero holds the phone up to his ear. You watch as he smirks a bit, shrugging. “Nah, but don’t worry about it.” 

“Oh I’m fucking worried about it,” you snarl. Jungkook is watching wordlessly, mouth parted slightly. “Call Jimin,” you bark at him, making him flinch. You immediately soften your voice. “Sorry, just - call Jimin.”

With a bow of his head, Jungkook grabs the phone and dials.

Jungkook starts murmuring quietly when Jimin - or an assistant, more like - answers the phone while you let yourself into the back and lock the backdoor for security before returning to the front. Bolero is sitting at the bar waiting, the dead Night Sphinx behind him. Red is beginning to pool around him, almost black against the dirty floor of the bar.

Heading to the door, you throw Gia a look. “Watch the bar,” you grunt. “Unlike you did when that fuck stick walked in here and ripped the place apart.”

She looks down her nose at you, eyes narrowed. Gia is terrifyingly beautiful, standing nearly a foot taller than you and built with wiry muscle. Her silky, black hair is braided out of her face, elegant and carved like one of the glass angels sold in the art district. Her eyes are the same color as her jewels, a stunning emerald that flashes in annoyance at your command. 

Gia nods once instead of arguing. The other Green Dragons behind her have the decency to look ashamed. While they aren’t heavies dedicated to protecting the Park family assets, they are low-level lackeys who could have prevented half the bar from being blown to bits by a Radiant. Especially the two amethyst caste twins who look at the wall blankly realizing what's going to happen now. 

Instead of stopping the Night Sphinx, they all stood there with drunk stares and half-tilted grins. Jimin won’t like it and they know it. It doesn’t matter that Montana isn’t an integral operation to the Green Dragons. It’s about pride and respect. The fact that a drunk, emerald caste man under the flag of the Salib family stumbled into Jimin’s bar, destroyed the place and then was killed by a Null is going to set Jimin off.

So you find a target to direct his anger at. 

Burro is slouched down on a leather couch at the Green Garter, exactly where you expect him. He doesn’t see you coming, the scattered green and white lights from the stage refracting and splitting into dozens of beams shining in his eyes as he stares at the topless woman on stage. There’s hardly anyone in the club and only a few people look startled when you grab him by the collar and yank him from the booth.

Security at the door and near the strange straighten up. The girl on stage keeps moving, lithe movements carrying her  away from where you lift Burro up, fingers digging into his shirt enough to rip. He smells like grain alcohol and sweat, the stubble on his face indicating that he may have slept in the club.

It wouldn’t be the first time.

“Come on,” you snarl at him, shooting daggers as one of the security guards steps in your direction. You let yourself radiate just a little, enough to give out a steady hum that even the lightest on the Jewel Caste can feel the sensation of an emerald jewel. He backs off immediately despite the fact that you can see and sense the amethyst pieces drilled into his pale knuckles. 

But there are two things that stop him: emerald is close enough to amethyst that a good Radiant can fuck up someone who is only a little darker than them on the Caste, and you’re a Radiant under the protection of the Park family, specifically Jimin, who owns the club. 

As much as it annoys the man whose job is to protect the dancers and the patrons, if you want to beat the shit out of Burro on the shitty green carpet in front of everyone, he has to allow it. You’re one of Jimin’s favorite little Radiants and everyone knows it, especially on this strip of road. 

No one stops you as you drag Burro out of the bar. His feet slide on the stained carpet, trying to find purchase as he yanks at your hand, shouting obscenities at you with his reeking breath. Your grip is iron, and you throw him as hard as you can once you’re back onto the sidewalk. He hits the ground hard, shoulder cracking against the street. 

Burro yells and rolls over, curling into himself. You fight the urge to kick him a few times, your wrath waiting like a coiled snake to strike out and punish him for being such a burden to deal with. You leave him in a fetal position, storming back into the bar to throw a couple of nill on the table for the drinks and a heavy sum more on the stage for the girl’s trouble. She winks at you, pretty enough to make you flush and spin on your heel to get back outside where Burro is still laying on the ground. 

Most of the time, you don’t bother. Burro is technically your manager and your superior. He’s an asshole and a waste of the Green Dragon's salary, which is why Jimin stuck him behind the bar, a punishment as much as a favor to Burro’s father who is a mid-ranking heavy in the Park family’s retinue. It’s as good as his son is willing to get for an emerald caste who is lazy and spends most of his days gambling, ogling at naked bodies, or wasted in a booth with Rollins. 

Even so, most days you let him yell at you. Throw curses your way. Drone about how shitty of a bartender you are - which is true - like a gnat that won’t leave. He’s harmless on good days, annoying on bad days, and he’s too afraid to retaliate in rare moments like this when you shove him into his ill-fitting role. 

“Get up,” you spit at him. You have the urge to crush his fingers that are spread out on the sidewalk. You think the loud crunch beneath your boot might be satisfying. You don’t, though. “Bolero just killed a Night Sphinx in the bar.”

“Swhwat?” 

You growl as he slurs, slowly pushing himself to his feet. You think he might have been handsome once. He has the making for it, but his days knocking back grain alcohol have weathered him. You see the early signs of Alloy addiction all over his face, scabs picked raw, leaving behind dark scarring, the track marks in his arms when he wears short sleeves.  

Raucous noise reaches you from a group of Night Sphinxes watching your exchange. Their laughter and whistles echo across the street, backed by the loud hum of shitty neon and the now very bright and flickering holographic display ads spinning in windows. This is a nice show for them, you’re sure. Everyone on this edge of Market Town has seen Burro get his shit kicked, though usually not by you.

“Get up, you’re embarrassing yourself.” You start marching back to Montana. “You’re needed at the bar. You know, the place you manage.” 

He mutters something behind you as he manages to get to his feet, tilted and tripping. You don’t catch what he says, eyes fixed on the sleek car that sits parked right in front of the door at Montana.

The road here isn’t really built for cars. It’s full of cracked faultlines and potholes, but Jimin has opted for a sharp-looking SUV with green LEDs running down the side and a little metal dragon on the grill. Not his personal car, but a business class that is no doubt reinforced with bulletproof windows and shatterwave tech. 

There are four men standing around the car, dressed in pressed suits, each with a dragon brooch pinned to the front. They nod when you walk by and you keep your eyes low, feeling the different colors as you pass by: amethyst, sapphire, emerald. They have jewels drilled into their knuckles and some of their teeth, earrings of polished stone, and necklaces set with their respective caste colors. 

Walking around with that much power is safe enough for them, but it makes your skin itch. Thinking of all that energy just waiting to be tapped into, waiting for them to radiate. The urge to reach for the power just a few feet away lessens as you walk inside of Montana. 

Inside is a vision. Jimin’s loyal group of Green Dragons sit together in a booth, silent and heads down. Maki glances up for a split second as you come through the door, anger twitching on her face before she looks back down at the table in resolute silence, her curtain of black hair hiding her scowl. 

Good. She could have used her fucking amethyst to wipe the now dead man from the map and not suffered a consequence under Jimin’s protection. And yet there you are, walking slowly toward the scene of the crime. 

Jungkook is standing behind the bar chewing on his lip, hands linked behind his back as he watches the two men in front of him conversing. Bolero smokes a cigarette on the same stool he was on earlier, eyes fixated on the holo once again. The dead man is still very dead, Jimin’s men spread out around the bar to assess the damage.

Jimin is one of the two men speaking at the bar in front of Jungkook. Jimin’s dressed sharply in black dress pants and a matching black, tailored jacket with emerald buttons and a beautiful dragon broach set with emeralds and jade. His arms are crossed as he listens passively, dark hair slicked back. There’s a single dangling earring in one ear, a teardrop diamond at the end.

Jimin Park is one of the most beautiful men you’ve ever seen. He reminds you of a dangerous jungle cat. His eyes are sharp, shadowed by a full-fan of dark lashes, cheeks round and soft in contrast to his elegant jawline. He smiles at something the man he’s talking to says, full lips rosebud pink.

Your eyes drift to the man talking to Jimin and before you can think twice about interrupting them, you’re yelling, “You!” 

Both of the men jerk their heads in your direction. Jimin’s brows shoot up and he shakes his head as if to ask what the fuck? But you’re too distracted by the other man, who grins at you as soon as he realizes who you are, adjusting his floral shirt as he turns to face you head on. 

You get a better look at him now and you’re angry to discover that he is still just as stunning as he was in the middle of the Market Town stalls. His hair is pushed back out of his face more, eyes twinkling as they drag up and down your frame. He wiggles his fingers at you in a wave. 

“You can’t just steal tangerines!” you bark at him suddenly. 

“What?” Jimin asks. He frowns and looks between the two of you. “I’m sorry, do you know one another?” The man says ‘no’ at the exact same time you say ‘sort of’ which makes Jimin’s jaw tick, patience waning. “Well? Which is it?” 

“Seen her once,” the man admits. “But I don’t know her. She chased me through the streets of Market Town today like a lunatic. I think she took one look at me and fell in love.”

Your jaw drops. “You stole fruit from Margot’s fruit stand motherfucker! It had nothing to do with your good looks.” 

“So you admit I’m good-looking!”

A failed attempt at a response comes sputtering out of you. You stop and start your sentences multiple times, trying to come up with a wicked riposte to his ridiculous insinuation that you think he’s attractive. Which you do, especially when he gives you a full, shit-eating gummy grin. 

“Enough,” Jimin snaps in your direction. “Wait with Jungkook, I’ll deal with you later. And don’t interrupt me again, got it?” 

You bow deeply at the command.  You feel hot all over, an unpleasant mix of shame and something else that you can’t place for “Yes sir. I apologize for my outburst.” 

Jimin turns away from you and back to the tangerine thief, leaving you to rush behind the bar to stand next to Jungkook while you stare at the two of them.  

You have no idea who this man is. You’ve never seen him in the bar with Bolero, though it’s possible he’s come in when you’re not working. It isn’t likely, since there’s only one additional bartender besides you and Jungkook, but you can’t possibly imagine how this man is important enough to look Jimin in the eye when he speaks.

Jungkook gives you a head tilt and doe eyes. You shake your head, opting instead to study the object of your irritation rather than explaining. He doesn’t ask any questions but you can see the way he shifts back and forth, unsure of where to focus his energy. 

As one of the family members in the city’s Armory, Jimin is one of the highest-ranking citizens in Diade. Though the Green Dragons are on the bottom of the totem in the Armory, Jimin ranks higher than most of the city by being the son of his family’s leader. 

The man speaking to Jimin looks at him directly in the eyes as an equal. He is a hairsbreadth taller, but his gaze and tone are steady and respectful. There is no air of superiority between the two of them, making you wonder where exactly this smug man falls on the spectrum of city authority. 

Each face of the Armory is familiar to you: the Parks, the Manobals, the Salibs, the Achilleos’ and the Kims. This man belongs to none of them and yet Jimin listens to him calmly, nodding his head at whatever the man is saying. Jimin’s arms are looped behind his back and he is poised as ever, even making a joke or two as they exchange words in hushed tones. 

In Diade, the ruling family syndicates are the ultimate power. Jimin’s family owns the territory to the southeast, the Salib’s directly to the north, the Manobals to the west. You stick to Park territory only, always mindful of where each Armory boundary lies. 

Despite Jimin’s favoritism, you’re not a high-ranking member of the Park family’s Green Dragons. Jimin thinks you’re useful enough though, and has a soft heart for strays. Jungkook is proof enough of that as you are, two little sources of information and loyalty in his personal pocket. 

You work for Jimin, not his mother. 

The respect that Jimin shows the tangerine thief leads to a few possibilities of who he could be. Under the rule of the Armory, there are other smaller and less organized gangs. The Circles are not particularly powerful and still concede to the Armory, but they range from loose bands of idiots and thieves to highly organized factions. There are dozens of Circles in the city, but only a few are powerful enough to earn a smile from Jimin Park, the prince of the Green Dragons. 

Chewing your lip, your mind runs through a list of possible Circles this man could rank high enough in to matter. White Fang has always worked with the Green Dragons well. Their members can sometimes be found hanging out in Montana with tight if not overly polite smiles while they conduct business. While White Fang answers to all of the families of the Armory as a collective governing body, they are particularly fond of the Parks. 

There is little chance that the tangerine thief belongs to the Midnight Sun. As the largest and most powerful Circle, they are only allied to the Kim family. Dangerous for any Circle to declare allyship to only a single governing body, but the Kim family sits at the top of the food chain. Being protected by Yujun and his son Seokjin have its strengths.  

Your vision blurs when you think of the Kim family. Seokjin’s beautiful smile, the way his inky eyes glitter. He remains the most eternal person you’ve ever laid eyes on, and one of the most charming. Funny, smooth talking, intelligent. 

But Seokjin is a snake. A beautiful thing that can fool you into a false sense of security before striking and sinking his fangs in deep.  

Nausea unfurls in your stomach at the thought of him. You blink a few times, willing away the memories of him and his high-pitched laughter and anything else to do with him. Jimin shakes the man’s hand in front of you. It draws your attention to where their hands meet. Jimin’s hand is small and delicate in the large hand of the tangerine thief. A man who was raised with privilege and a man you suspect made his own. 

“I’ll be back,” Jimin calls. You realize he’s talking to you and you bow. He turns his attention to the group of his gang members sitting at the table, waiting for their punishment. He whistles at them, calling them like dogs. “With me.” 

You can’t help but feel a little smug as they jump up, tangled over one another to get out of the booth as fast as possible to follow Jimin toward the front door. None of them look at you or Jungkook, chins tucked to their chest and eyes on the floor. At least they’re good dogs who know when they’re going to be punished. 

“Hello again.” 

The tangerine thief is leaning on the bar. Up close, he smells like sandalwood and a hint of sea salt. It isn’t unpleasant, but you grimace all the same. There are bracelets on his wrist, but no jewels. The prickling, needle-like sensation comes back, right at the back of your neck.

“Jungkook, can you start cleaning up?” You ask. He nods and dashes away, giving the stranger a single nervous glance as he joins the security members of Jimin’s team cleaning up. 

They pick up the body and carry him through the bag on Jungkook’s guidance, dripping blood the entire way. Bolero doesn’t even glance as they pass him, still transfixed by the holoscreen. 

“Why did you use a shatterwave?”

Your eyes drift back to the man in front of you. Up close, you notice that his skin is flawless. He has a shine and glow to him of a healthy Radiant, and yet you’re not sure how to place him on the caste. You know he’s a radiant from his escape methods in Market Town, but you’ve never had this much trouble placing someone on the caste. “What?” 

“The shatterwave. Had to hurt you too, I imagine.” 

“Well no one else was going to do anything,” you answer, skirting his assertion that you’re a Radiant. “It didn’t hurt that bad. I’m a Light Radiant.” 

He raises his brows. “Oh, you’re a liar.” 

“About some things, sure. I can’t take on an emerald caste, though. So I used a shatterwave.” 

“There’s an emerald in your boot.” 

You grit your teeth. He doesn’t make sense. The needling feeling only increases as he cocks his head, scanning you from head to toe. His pout turns into a smirk and there’s something heated in his gaze that makes you squirm as you shift back and forth on your feet, trying to place him. 

Sensing jewel frequencies outside of the jewel you radiate most with is difficult. Energy is a fickle thing, and though you can feel the buzz of every color of jewel around you, most Radiants can’t. They can only sense what jewel they vibrate on the same frequency as, though trained Radiants can sense their assigned jewel and lighter. 

This puts the tangerine thief at emerald or darker. If he can sense the emerald in your shoe, it means he can use it. Unless he is a rare case like you and Jungkook, who are frequency sensitive. But he doesn’t feel like emerald and he doesn’t feel like he sits darker at garnet and onyx. 

You shiver remembering what onyx feels like, an oppressive and demanding thing.  

“It wouldn’t be the first time I lied,” you offer. You can keep skirting the topic of the emerald in your shoe, but he already knows it's there. 

He chuckles. It’s raspy and soft as a whisper. There’s no doubt he’s used to the effect he has on people. It reminds you a little of Seokjin and you feel skittish.

“No, I’m sure you are quite the liar.” He leans in a little bit. “I’m Agust, by the way.” 

Schooling your features is hard. Out of all of the Circles that crossed your mind that he could belong to, you never considered Black Lotus. It makes sense, you suppose, that Bolero belongs to the Black Lotus. It’s one of the few Circles in the city that not only accept Nulls in their ranks, but encourage it. A little oasis for Radiants and Nulls alike to claw their way to the top from the bottom of the barrel. 

My boss will pay for the damage and deal with the Salibs. You think of Bolero’s comment, realizing why he was so confident. His boss is the leader of the Black Lotus, a chaotic thorn in the Armory’s side who walks around the Crown Cities undermining authority where he can. 

Agust smiles, pride bleeding through when you recognize his name. He’s a little notorious for the destruction of three Circles associated with the Kim family and for donating thousands of nil to squatters in Blows. A violent killer with a soft spot for charity. Strange, and not quite as heroic as some seem to think it is. 

Instead of saying anything, you busy yourself with folding rags, feeling the way of his gaze. Agust is pretty with a soft edge to his face and a charming grin. There’s a confidence about him that draws the eye, and yet he can blend in just like he did at Margot’s fruit stand. He is both sides of the moon, light and dark, switching whenever it suits him. 

Again, he reminds you of Seokjin and your heart squeezes as you take a step away from him.

“Well, I hope you have a great evening, Agust.” It's dismal. Polite, but an end to the conversation nevertheless.  

He isn’t swayed. “What, no name?”

“Do you need it?”

“I’d like it. Is it as pretty as you are?”

“Your flattery isn’t welcome here.” 

“Then what is?”

You glare. “The money for Margot’s tangerine.” 

Agust chuckles again and shrugs. You expect him to walk away or volley back with a riposte but he doesn’t. Instead, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out the nil that Margot is owed and sets them on the counter, the silver coins clinking against the wood. He leans against the bar again, hand cupping his chin as he looks up at you.

“This cover me?” 

You swipe the coins off the bar and sniff. “I suppose.” 

“I like you. How about I call you Montana, hmm? Since you won’t give me a name, I’ll make one for you.”

Instead of looking at him directly, you busy yourself with moving around the syrup bottles in their plastic bin. “You don’t have to call me anything.” 

“Or Garnet?”

For a second, you stare at your hands before slowly dragging your gaze to him where he watches you, feline-eyes glittering. That pinprick feeling returns sharper than ever. You’re a mouse caught under the watchful gaze of a hungry cat. 

There are only a handful of people in the world that knows you sit on the second darkest color of the Jewel Caste. One of them is outside giving his gang members the lashing of a lifetime, one of them is sitting in a luxurious home in Aria and the other is no doubt watching cameras on the casino floor of Kaiju. 

Sweat gathers on the back of your neck. You think about the first time you radiated at garnet, the power so raw and rich that you were almost drunk on it. You were just a kid, untrained in how to syphon energy that volatile. You’d become sick right after, taking too much too fast and completely unaware of how to channel all that energy.

The Kim’s had helped you find a way. And then used it to their advantage, a little girl with no one else to count on with all that power just waiting to be directed. 

You refused to ever be used for your place on the Jewel Caste ever again. 

“Say it again,” you murmur, voice low. Your hands open and close and you feel the emerald surge in your boot. Agust is either onyx or frequency sensitive, but it doesn’t matter. You’ve gone head to head with darker than you before. “I dare you.”

To your surprise, his smile is sad this time. There’s a moment you think you see understanding. Compassion. Something soft. Then it’s gone and he gives you a brief nod before pushing away from the bar, running a hand through his hair. You don’t move, muscles locked and primed to lash out, to grind him to dust if you have to. You don’t have a garnet, but you don’t need it. You can do just as much damage with an emerald, regardless of whatever color he is. 

“Put the claws away, your secret is safe with me.” He nods to the pool of blood on the floor. “You have my apologies for the mess. Black Lotus will handle the fallout. Tell Bolero if any of those Night Sphinx fucks give you any trouble. You have my word I’ll pay my debt.”

“What debt?” 

He jerks his thumb at Bolero. “You saved his worthless ass.” You don’t disagree but you say nothing. He lingers for a second, looking you up and down. Something passes his face that makes your heart speed up a little. “I mean it. Call if you need.”

“I won't.” 

He grins. “Bye, Montana.” 

When Agust turns to leave, Bolero gets up and goes with him. When the door shuts, it’s just you and the sound of Jungkook and Jimin’s men putting the bar back together. 

No one can hear how loud your heart thunders. 

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THE JEWEL CASTE (from least to most powerful)

Light Caste

Diamond Citrine Aquamarine Jade Rose

Mid Caste

Peridot Topaz Turquoise Ruby Smokey

Dark Caste

Emerald Amethyst Sapphire Garnet Onyx

THE CHAOTIC CASTE (in general, from least to most powerful)

Opal Quartz Tourmaline Carnelian  Obsidian 

GLOSSARY

Alloy - A drug that allows radiants to lift frequency for a temporary amount of time and meld with a jewel they cannot normally radiate with.  Caste Drop - When someone drops a color on the Jewel Caste and vibrates at a higher frequency  Circle - Lower gangs who are not in the Armory Dark Radiant - Those who vibrate at the low-colors and high frequencies Jewel Caste - The order of least to most powerful vibrational jewel frequencies  Light Radiant - Those who vibrate at the lighter colors and lower frequencies  Mid Radiant - Those who vibrate at the mid-colors and medium frequencies Null - Those who don’t vibrate at the same frequency as the jewels and cannot radiate Radiant - Those who vibrate at the same frequency as the jewels and thus can radiate Shatterwave - A type of device that lets out high-frequency sounds to shatter Radiant frequencies in a certain radius Unjeweled - A radiant who doesn’t have any jewels on them to help radiate

[randomidiocyncrazies]

Watched ep 5... some scattered notes so far

PEOPLE: Lupin & Phantom of the Opera vs. Holmes & Watson (& Lestrade) + Birdcage User team + "insurance firm" agents + assorted guards (20) & Scotland Yard (...40??? Forgot the number) vs. Moriarty's team (maybe)

The guy from insurance firm hates going underground, is obsessed with cleaniness/purity, and seems to have a keen sense of smell judging by him holding his nose all the time... Werewolf??? (Backstory of the jewel involves feud between werewolves and dwarves) BUT the firm is said to be anti-monsters, so maybe not

Lupin: athleticism and master of disguise(?). Also Lupin = "pertaining to the wolf" so maybe he's the werewolf, and stealing the jewel is personal? (The OP also sort of implied he can maybe see through Erik's eye, so maybe he can 'hitch a ride' in other people's consciousness to scope places out? Idk)

THE HEIST

Lupin's note claims he will commit the crime between 11-11:30

Target of heist is an artificial black diamond with a bloody past involving genocide (feud between dwarves and werewolves)—value comes from it's uniqueness as the last artifact of the slaughtered dwarves

LAYOUT

Moat surrounding mansion, leading into Thames—Holmes advised to block it

East & West wings are for displaying artifacts; master and butler received guests in the North wing

Room housing jewel: entering from the front/intended entrance, 3 different locks needed. Needs 4 men to push the door open—irrelevant when you factor in the supernatural strength that multiple characters possess

Air vent: a child could barely fit through, and the vents are twisty; the vent is the only way air is delivered to the room—sleeping gas or poison could be deployed to incapacitate the people inside?

Communication device: there's a device so that people inside the room can communicate with people outside (and vice versa)

Safe for jewel: silver (protection against werewolves and vampires)—can be smashed open by someone with sufficient strength (multiple characters have supernatural strength, and can bypass the silver weakness)

Jewel: unbreakable—can smash the safe without harming the jewel

[xxthefairywitchxx]

Are there any F/Os you're uncomfortable sharing? I couldn't find any info about it in your carrd

To be honest it's usually most of them, though I've been getting less...idk intense about it? It's been less of an issue lately? Maybe it's cause my current main is Ian Duff, a dating sim character, so it makes it a little easier to deal with?

Generally I just block people if I see we share an f/o unless it's a mutual then I just block their tag for that character.

Lemme just...Copy paste my whole ship list under the cut for ease of explaining who I am and am not comfortable sharing, that'll make this simple...And I'll keep the tags so anyone can block any tag they need to

encouraged actually, not just okay with: 💓

yes: 💖

no: 💔

depends: 🫀

Princess Peach - Fruitbowl 💓 Jaden Yuki(Yu-Gi-Oh GX) - SuperLuv 💔 Jesse Anderson(Also GX)- Southern Jewel 💔 Aster Phoenix(GX) - Angel 💖 Sartorius Kumar(GX) - Gummybear 💖 Blair Flanagan(GX)- Kitten 💖 Adrian Gekko(GX) - Insurance 💓 (take him) Jack Atlas♥(5Ds) - Bastard Man 💖 Kalin Kessler(5Ds) - Puppy 💔 Carly Carmine(5Ds) - Lady Friends 💖 Link(LOZ) - My Hero 💔(this one sucks, he's so popular and z3l!nk is every where) Dark Link(LOZ) - Shadow 💖 Linkle(LOZ) - Girls Do It Better 💓 Bonnie(fnaf) - Bunny Boy 💔 Foxy(fnaf) - Pirate Protector 💔 Monty(fnaf) - Rock And Roll 💔 Baby(fnaf) - Clowning Around 💓 Nova(fnaf oc kinda?) - Shooting Star 💔 Broly(Dragon Ball Super) - Let’s Rock 💔 Tadase(Shugo Chara) - Strawberry Shortcake 💓(he was bullied so much when I was in the fandom he needs more love) Frankenstein's Creature - Patchwork Hearts 💓 (more people need to love him) Dylas(RF4) - Tsundere Tango 💖 Keith Claes(Villainess Isekai) - Linked Hearts 💖 Alan Stuart(Villainess Isekai) - Resonate Soul 💖 Red Velvet(CRK) - Dark Desire 💖 Pure Vanilla(CRK) - Sweet As Sugar 💖 Vash(Trigun) - Heart Typhoon 💓 (love him getting love) Knives(Trigun) - Million Hearts 💓 (get him away from me) Joe Tazuna(YTTD) - Keychain Buddies 💔 Alice Yabusame (YTTD) - Love Crimes 💔 Rio Ranger (YTTD) - Dressup Doll 💔 Naomichi Kurumada(YTTD) - Final Countdown 💖 Mai Tsurugi(YTTD) - Creampuff 💖 Trash, Garbage & Scum(River City Girls) - Brothers Gross 💖 Sunny Day Jack(SWWSDJ) - Sunny Days 🫀 Ian Duff(SWWSDJ) - Second Chance 💖 Bo(Dachabo) - Dog Toy 💓 Taylor Pots(Gallagher Mansion) - Lovely Dork 💓 Garrett Golde(Snaggemon) - Pretty Idiot 💖 Bram(Snaggemon) - Rival Bicycle 💓 Keaton(Fire Emblem Fates) - Favorite Treasure 💔 Kaden(Fire Emblem Fates) - Mutual Pampering 💖 Corrin(M) - Dragon Prince 💖 Chrom(Fire Emblem Awakening) - Hot Dad 💓 Dimitri(FE Three houses) - Taste Of Love 💔 Alfonse(FEH) - Prince Charming 💖 Otr(FEH) - Dear One 💖 Elm(FEH) - Batty About You 💔 Karamatsu(Osomatsu-san) - Fashion Disasters 💓 Ichimatsu(Osomatsu-san) - Furreal Boyfriend 💓 Sir Pentious(Hazbin Hotel) - Soup Snake 💔/🫀(I have a mutual who ships with him and I just...don't look at that tag...) Cherri Bomb(Hazbin Hotel) - Cherry Pie 💖 Arackniss(Hazbin Hotel) - Spider's Kiss 🫀 Striker(Helluva Boss) - Cowboy Snake 🫀 Gonta Gokuhara(DR V3) - LoveBug 💔💔💔 (idk why but I've had to block more people for him than anyone else) Kaito Momota(DRV3) - Outta This World 💖 Nagito Komaeda(SDR2) - Lucky Day Hajime Hinata(SDR2) - Loverboy 💖 Izuru Kamakura(SDR2) - Ultimate Love Junko Enoshima(DR) - Terrible Queen 💓 Mukuro Ikusaba(DR) - She Wolf 💓 Sabro Sabnock(M!IK) - Precious Metals 💔/🫀 (someone rebloged a gush post for him but otherwise it might be fine?) Shichiro Balam(M!IK) - Gentle Sunset 💔 Ameri Azazel(M!IK) - Blushing Beauty 💓 Atori(M!IK) - Wax Prince 💓 Purson Soi(M!IK) - Daddy Issues 💖 Kisshu/Dren(TMM) - Alien Feeling 💔 Anos Voldigoad(Misfit at Demon King Academy) - Sweet Laughs 💓💓💓 Arven(Pokemon ScarVio) - Puppyboy 💖 Piers(Pokemon SWSH) - Dark Heart 🫀 Riddle Rosehearts(TW) - Red King 🫀 Andrew&Ashley Graves(TCOAAL) - Three Of Them 💓💓💓💓💓

that is so much and I hope I didn't miss any...And didn't lose any since the formatting got hella fucked...

[candy-floss-crazy]

With a scientific name translating as 'Food Of The Gods', having been eaten for centuries and a taste loved by most people, chocolate is actually a fascinating substance. 1 Its First Shipment Was Mistaken For Sheep Poo We might well have enjoyed the delights of chocolate earlier in this country, if it wasn't for a case of mistaken identity. A Spanish shipment of goods was seized off the coast in the 16th century. But when they opened the sacks of cocoa beans they were mistaken for sheep poo and destroyed. 2 Chocolate, Along With Coffee, Was Once Associated With Rebellion King Charles felt threatened by the coffee and chocolate shops in 1660's England. It had became a drink of the intellectuals and radicals, and he felt they would be meeting to plan subversion. Spain and France didn't have this problem as there it was reserved as a drink for the privileged. The insurance house Lloyd's of London, actually started in a coffee shop. 3 Many Of Our Favourite Chocolate Bars Are 100 Years Old Cadbury's Flake, Fruit and Nut, and the crunchy bar date from the 1920's. Mars Bar, Milky Way, KitKat, Maltesers, Aero and Smarties from the 1930's. This was the golden era of chocolate creativity. An interesting fact, is that the much loved Cadbury's Cream egg, was actually a J.S. Fry's product. It wasn't branded Cadbury until much later. 4 Chocolate Consumption Dates Back 5000 Years Archaeological evidence suggests that people from the Mayo-Chinchipe civilisation were ingestion cacao based products some 3000 years B.C. The Maya poeple were evidently consuming it as a drink between 250 and 850A.D. And it was very popular with the legendary Aztecs. I suppose it was their version of quaffing champagne whilst on a day out at the races. A good cup of cocoa and a few human hearts being cut out. 5 White Chocolate Was Actually A Children's Medicine In Switzerland in the 1930's, doctors tried to improve the health of young patients by giving them vitamin enriched milk. But the older kids thought milk babyish. The addition of cocoa butter resulted in the accidental invention of white chocolate. 6 The Claim That Chocolate Is An Aphrodisiac Is False Damn, I always liked this one. The Aztecs may have been the first on record to draw a link between the cocoa bean and an increase in sexual desire. Montezuma was reputed to have consumed the bean in large amounts to fuel his romantic trysts. There are actually two chemicals in chocolate that do have an effect on sexual desire, tryptophan and phenylethylamine. The first is a building block of serotonin that sexual arousal chemical. The second a stimulant released when people fall in love. Sadly scientists reckon that the amount in chocolate is so low as to have no discernible impact. 7 The Largest Cup Of Hot Chocolate Ever Made Was 1059.4 Gallons It was produced to celebrate Three Kings Day and was achieved by the Municipio de Uruapan (Mexico), in Uruapan, Michoacán, Mexico. It contained 600kg of locally grown chocolate. I bet that had enough tryptophan in to gets things rising. 8 The Most Expensive Chocolate Dessert The Frrrozen Haute Chocolate, which costs an eye watering £12,000, was added to the menu New Yorks Serendipity 3 restaurant. Made in partnership with a luxury jeweller, the sundae uses a fine blend of 28 cocoas. Including 14 of the world’s most expensive. It is then decorated with 5 g of edible 23-carat gold, served in a goblet lined with edible gold. The base of the goblet is an 18-carat gold bracelet with 1 carat of white diamonds. The dessert is eaten with a gold and diamond spoon, which they graciously allow you to take home. I should bloody well think they do at the price of a small car. I would want to be spoon fed it by Heidi Klum for that price. 9 Melts In The Mouth Chocolate is the only edible substance to melt around 32°C , just below normal human body temperature. That’s the reason chocolate melts in your mouth. The scientific name given to the tree that chocolate comes from is Theobroma cacao, means “food of the gods.” The smell of chocolate supposedly increases theta brain waves, which triggers relaxation. Chocolate has over 600 flavor compounds, while red wine has 200, it is actually quite a complex substance. It takes approximately 400 beans to make a single pound of chocolate. 10 We Offer A Range Of Hot Chocolate Carts For Your Event From our Victorian themed wedding carts, to a horse box for those outdoor events, you can have a range of themed offerings. All with our range of delicious drinking chocolate. Choose from everyone's favourite Cadbury's to the upmarket Charbonnel Et Walker. All served with cream, marshmallows, sprinkles and a range of syrups to add extra flavour. Read the full article

[newstfionline]

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

For Car Thieves, Toronto Is a ‘Candy Store,’ and Drivers Are Fed Up (NYT) Whenever Dennis Wilson wants to take a drive in his new SUV, he has to set aside an extra 15 minutes. That’s about how long it takes to remove the car’s steering wheel club, undo four tire locks and lower a yellow bollard before backing out of his driveway. His Honda CR-V is also fitted with two alarm systems, a vehicle tracking device and, for good measure, four Apple AirTags. Its remote-access key fob rests in a Faraday bag, to jam illicit unlocking signals. As a final touch, he mounted two motion-sensitive floodlights on his house and aimed them at the driveway in his modest neighborhood in Toronto. But all of these security gadgets, Mr. Wilson is convinced, will do no more than delay what seems inevitable: Toronto’s seasoned auto thieves won’t be deterred by the defensive gear, and they’ll make off with this Honda SUV just as they did with its predecessor—and its insurance replacement, which they returned to steal. “By no means do I think that I’ve stopped them,” Mr. Wilson said. “All I’ve done is made it take an extra 10 minutes to steal my car.”

Biden Caught in a Political Bind Over Israel Policy (NYT) The Biden administration’s reversal of Trump-era policy on settlements in the occupied West Bank reflects not just its rising frustration with Israel, but the political bind the president finds himself in, just days before the Democratic primary in Michigan, where a large Arab American population is urging voters to register their anger by voting “uncommitted.” The United States has long been Israel’s most important international ally. Since the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7 left 1,200 dead in Israel, mostly civilians, Washington has consistently backed Israel’s blistering campaign in Gaza. The Biden administration has also shielded Israel from international censure by blocking cease-fire resolutions at the U.N. Security Council, even as the death toll in Gaza nears 30,000, according to health officials in the enclave. That stance has increasingly left Mr. Biden in a no-win situation. His recent moves to press the Israeli government to wind down the war in Gaza and enter negotiations toward a Palestinian state have angered some ardent supporters of Israel in the United States. Yet they have come nowhere close to placating Israel’s fiercest critics on the political left and the Arab American community.

Supporters of Brazil’s Bolsonaro stage huge demonstration to defend him amid investigations (AP) Supporters of former President Jair Bolsonaro staged a huge rally jamming a main avenue in Brazil’s biggest city Sunday to defend him against legal challenges that could put him in jail. The far-right leader said in a speech that he seeks “pacification to erase the past,” taking a more conciliatory tone than when he was in office. Bolsonaro is seeking to show his base is resilient as he is being investigated by federal police over his alleged role in the Jan. 8, 2023, attacks on government buildings by his supporters over his election loss. Bolsonaro is also accused of illegally receiving jewels from Saudi Arabia during his presidency.

Hungary approves Sweden’s NATO bid, unblocking historic expansion (Washington Post) Hungary’s parliament voted Monday in favor of Sweden’s long-delayed bid to join NATO, clearing the final obstacle to a historic expansion of the military alliance and putting an end to an uncomfortable standoff between members. With Budapest at last onboard, Sweden is set to become NATO’s 32nd member, possibly within the week, completing a process that began with Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine and saw Finland join last year. The addition of the two Nordic countries will bolster the alliance’s capabilities, strengthening its position in the high north and the Baltic Sea—all while sending an important message to Moscow.

How the C.I.A. Secretly Helps Ukraine Fight Putin (NYT) Nestled in a dense forest, the Ukrainian military base appears abandoned and destroyed, its command center a burned-out husk, a casualty of a Russian missile barrage early in the war. But that is above ground. Not far away, a discreet passageway descends to a subterranean bunker where teams of Ukrainian soldiers track Russian spy satellites and eavesdrop on conversations between Russian commanders. On one screen, a red line followed the route of an explosive drone threading through Russian air defenses from a point in central Ukraine to a target in the Russian city of Rostov. The underground bunker, built to replace the destroyed command center in the months after Russia’s invasion, is a secret nerve center of Ukraine’s military. There is also one more secret: The base is almost fully financed, and partly equipped, by the C.I.A. Now entering the third year of a war that has claimed hundreds of thousands of lives, the intelligence partnership between Washington and Kyiv is a linchpin of Ukraine’s ability to defend itself. The C.I.A. and other American intelligence agencies provide intelligence for targeted missile strikes, track Russian troop movements and help support spy networks.

In water-stressed Singapore, a search for new solutions to keep the taps flowing (AP) A crack of thunder booms as dozens of screens in a locked office flash between live video of cars splashing through wet roads, drains sapping the streets dry, and reservoirs collecting the precious rainwater across the tropical island of Singapore. A team of government employees intently monitors the water, which will be collected and purified for use by the country’s six million residents. “We make use of real-time data to manage the storm water,” Harry Seah, deputy chief executive of operations at PUB, Singapore’s National Water Agency, says with a smile while standing in front of the screens. “All of this water will go to the marina and reservoirs.” The room is part of Singapore’s cutting-edge water management system that combines technology, diplomacy and community involvement to help one of the most water-stressed nations in the world secure its water future. Singapore is one of the most densely populated countries on the planet. In recent decades the island has also transformed into a modern international business hub, with a rapidly developing economy. The boom has caused the country’s water consumption to increase by over twelve times since the nation’s independence from Malaysia in 1965.

China’s Cat Island, where lucky strays wait for a new home (Washington Post) The happiest place on Earth for cats might just be here, on Cat Island, a feline playground just a few miles from Shanghai Disneyland. While humans whoop and whirl at the latter, the 400-plus kitties who call Cat Island home rest in the shade of specially constructed grass-covered play tunnels or loll about in pagodas. They cross a wooden bridge to stalk through pear orchards, the intrepid among them even venturing into the horse stable. The pampered residents here were once strays in downtown Shanghai, a city of 25 million people and somewhere between 400,000 and 1.5 million stray cats. But efforts are underway to stem the exploding feral population in the metropolis, and find homes for at least some of the newly neutered cats. Cat Island’s entire population is up for adoption.

South Korea doctors on mass walkout say they are overworked and unheard (Reuters) Ryu Ok Hada always wanted to help people, but now the South Korean trainee doctor has walked off the job and stands outside the hospital where he worked, holding his medical gown in his hand. Park Dan, who recently realised his childhood dream of being an emergency physician, is also one of over 7,800 interns and residents who have resigned in a confrontation with the government, which threatens to arrest them. Ryu and Park say the junior doctors, a crucial cog in South Korea’s highly regarded medical system, are overworked, underpaid and unheard. “The current medical system in South Korea, which is a great one, is run by making cheap trainee doctors keep grinding,” Ryu, 25, told Reuters. Intern and resident doctors in South Korea work 36-hour shifts, compared to shifts of less than 24 hours in the U.S., according to the Korean Intern Resident Association. It says half the young U.S. physicians work 60 hours a week or less, while Korean doctors often work more than 100 hours.

A Re-established West Bank Settlement Symbolizes Hardened Israeli Views (NYT) For an Israeli settlement that has become such a resounding symbol of religious and right-wing politics in the West Bank, Homesh is not much to look at. Three families live in tarpaulin-covered shelters full of bunk beds for some 50 young men, who study in a yeshiva that is a shabby prefab structure surrounded by abandoned toys, building materials and garbage. They live part time here amid the ruins and rubbish of a hilltop settlement ripped down in 2005 by the Israeli army and police. It is one of four West Bank settlements dismantled when Israel pulled all of its troops and settlements out of Gaza. Israel’s intention then, pushed by Washington, was to signal that outlying settlements too hard to defend would be consolidated in any future peace deal. The decision to dismantle them is now being challenged by the more religious and right-wing ministers in the government of Benjamin Netanyahu. They are agitating to settle more land in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and even remove Palestinians from Gaza to resettle there. Homesh, perched in the hills above Nablus, has become a symbol of their resolve.

Israeli Forces Will Move Into Rafah, Cease-Fire Deal or Not, Netanyahu Says (NYT) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that Israeli forces would push into the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah regardless of the outcome of talks to pause the fighting that appear to have been making some progress in recent days. “It has to be done,” the Israeli prime minister said. “Because total victory is our goal, and total victory is within reach.” The push toward Rafah has drawn warnings from Israel’s closest ally, the United States, because of the potential for mass civilian casualties beyond the nearly 30,000 Gazans who have already been reported killed in the war, more than half of whom are women and children. Israeli officials have said that the battle for Rafah could take place during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which is expected to begin during the second week of March. Ramadan has been a critical moment for tensions between Israelis and Palestinians over the years.

Runaway train speeds 43 miles down tracks in India without a driver (CBS News) An Indian train conductor should maybe consider retaking driving lessons after leaving a fully loaded freight train unattended on a slope without the emergency brake on. Thanks to the basic principles of physics, the 53-wagon train quickly began rolling on its own. It traveled 43.4 miles at around 53 miles per hour in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday, whizzing through several stations before officials managed to stop its journey five stations over from where it had started. Luckily, only gravel was aboard the runaway train, and no one was injured.

[firstclassinsurance]

Jewelry Business Insurance - arts insurance

In the vibrant realm of artistic expression, your jewelry creations are more than mere products; they are works of art. Jewelry business insurance recognizes and safeguards the artistic and financial value of your pieces, offering protection against a range of potential risks. Whether you operate a boutique studio, a retail store, or an online platform, this insurance provides a safety net that extends from the crafting bench to the display case.

Coverage typically includes protection against theft, damage, or loss of your valuable inventory, ensuring that your artistic investments are shielded from unforeseen circumstances. Additionally, liability coverage is designed to protect your business from potential legal claims related to your products or operations. As a jewelry artisan, you understand the meticulous craftsmanship that goes into each piece, and jewelry business insurance is there to preserve the passion and dedication you've invested.

Moreover, in a world where artisans engage with customers both in-person and online, this insurance provides peace of mind by covering potential risks associated with sales, exhibitions, and shipping. Whether your creations are on display at an art fair, in a gallery, or being shipped to a satisfied customer, you can focus on your craft knowing that your business is protected.

Choosing the right jewelry business insurance is an investment in the longevity and prosperity of your artistic venture. It's a testament to the recognition of the unique challenges faced by jewelry artisans, ensuring that your passion for creating beautiful and meaningful pieces is safeguarded against the unpredictable nature of the art and business world.

[thegaytraveler]

Pride Journey: Coastal Mississippi

By Joey Amato, Guest Contributor

Every now and then I visit a destination I know absolutely nothing about. That happened a few years ago when I visited Oklahoma City and I fell in love with OKC. This time around, that destination was Coastal Mississippi, more specifically Biloxi, Gulfport, and Ocean Springs. In fact, the only thing I knew about the Biloxi was the hotel I stayed at, Beau Rivage. I knew it was owned by MGM Resorts, but that was about it. The rest of the trip was going to be a surprise.

For this particular trip, I wanted to focus on health and wellness and luckily, Beau Rivage’s most recent renovation included two floors full of Stay Well rooms as well as an updated spa. My gulf view room came complete with an aromatherapy machine, ultra high-end linens, a memory foam mattress, and pillows as well as a vitamin C dispenser hooked up to my shower. I had never seen one of those before, so I had to ask what it was.

After an early check in, I departed for Ocean Springs, a quaint town just east of Beau Rivage. My first stop was a place called Shearwater Pottery. Apparently, it is very well known to everyone but me. After posting pictures on social media, I received numerous comments from friends wanting to visit. Shearwater Pottery was founded in 1928 by Peter Anderson and from the 1920s through the present day, Shearwater Pottery has produced art pottery, utilitarian ware, figurines, decorative tiles, and other pottery pieces.

I had the opportunity to meet with Margie Ashley, the daughter of Peter Anderson who told me about her family’s legacy in Ocean Springs. At that time, Coastal Mississippi was known for fishing and not so much for the arts, so her family was viewed as outcasts but the community. Margie told me people used to called them the “crazy Andersons.” But they eventually had the last laugh as the family name has become as much of Coastal Mississippi culture as seafood gumbo.

A few minutes up the road from Shearwater Pottery is the Walter Anderson Museum of Art. Walter was the brother of Peter Anderson and equally as talented, creating thousands of works throughout his lifetime. Many of Walter Anderson’s paintings, drawings, murals, block prints, sculpture, carvings, and writings are on display at the museum.

The pièce de résistance is the Community Center, which is the site of Walter Anderson’s monumental 3,000 square foot mural, which depicts the historic discovery of the Mississippi Coast and its diverse climates. The city commissioned Walter Anderson in 1950 for a fee of $1.00 and the project took 16 months to complete.

For dinner, head to Vestige, a farm-to-table restaurant in Ocean Springs helmed by head chefs Alex Perry and his wife, Kumi Omori who were recently nominated for a James Beard Award. Vestige offers a pre-fixed menu which changes on a regular basis and contains only the freshest local ingredients. And if it’s not local, they fly it in from its land of origin to insure its freshness. We began our meal with sashimi of Hamachi complete with a foie gras emulsion, rose, purple sweet potato and magnolia flower kombucha veil. Yes, that was one dish and just an appetizer, but probably my favorite item on the menu.

After 3 more courses which consisted of a piece of perfectly cooked fish to charcoal grilled wagyu beef, the meal comes to an end with a delectable strawberry Bavarian, with cacao mint genoise, whipped match, grapefruit lemon curd and pecan ginger shortbread. This wasn’t just a meal; it was an experience worthy of a James Beard nomination and definitely the award for Best Chef: South.

You’ll need the rest of the night to recover from a food coma, so head back to Beau Rivage for some much-needed rest or hit the casino if your heart desires.

Head out the next morning to the recently opened Mississippi Aquarium in Gulfport, about 15 minutes west of Biloxi. The state-of-the-art facility is home to a variety of sea life and is one of the crown jewels of the area.

I can never see enough animals, so next on the agenda was the Institute of Marine Mammal Studies located at Ocean Adventures Marine Park. Guests can come up close and personal with stingrays, sea lions and dolphins. I had the opportunity to interact with a beautiful male dolphin, getting to rub his belly, give him commands and feed him some delicious fish. For my, I mean his hard work, I got a kiss from one of my favorite animals.

On the way back to your hotel, stop by Coastal Roast Coffee for an afternoon pick me up before dinner. I wasn’t sure what to expect at White Pillars. The bar was set really high at Vestige the night before, but I was in for another treat. We began our meal with a bowl of Oyster & Artichoke soup. I was a bit hesitant to order this at first as I didn’t want to begin my meal with something heavy, but when it arrived, it turned out to be one of the best soups I’ve had in a long time. It was light and fragrant, consisting of Gulf oysters, fennel, and oyster mushrooms in a coconut milk broth. When dining near the coast, why not try the Gulf Seafood Tower, two tiers of fresh oysters, mahi crudo, smoked fish dip and amberjack ceviche.

And those were just the starters. For my main course, I ordered the Duck Ramen prepared with a confit duck leg, collards, togarashi, duck cracklins, and the traditional soft-boiled egg. In fact, the egg was the only thing traditional about the dish, which was rich and delicious. The duck was cooked to perfection and the broth was fantastic.

The area is home to two LGBTQ bars, Sipp’s in Gulfport, and Just Us Lounge, located within walking distance of Beau Rivage. The crowd at Just Us was a melting pot of the area’s LGBTQ community, extremely diverse and welcoming. One thing to note is that smoking is still legal inside bars, so if that bothers you, there is a large outdoor space available.

I know I said I wanted to focus on health and wellness during this trip, but I seemed to have detoured from my mission somewhere in Ocean Springs. One can’t resist the food in Coastal Mississippi, so screw the diet for one more day and head to The Roasted Bean located in the lobby of Beau Rivage and ask for an order of beignets. These are not listed anywhere in plain site and are the best kept secret of the hotel. I received a tip from the captain of the Biloxi Shrimping Trip, which I went on the morning prior. The powdered sugar pastries where the best I’ve ever had. Light, airy, and simply delicious. They couldn’t have been that many calories, right?

End your stay in Coastal Mississippi with a relaxing CBD massage at the The Spa at Beau Rivage. The 80-minute massage uses CBD body oils as well as a Moor Mud treatment to soothe tired muscles and back pain. Playing with dolphins, eating oysters, and savoring beignets all weekend was quite stressful. If you are looking for a relaxed seaside vacation, put Coastal Mississippi on your radar. There are many unique experiences that will make your stay truly memorable. Visit coastalmississippi.com for more information about the destination.

[edifybroker]

Jewelers block insurance policy is an all-risk policy which provides tailored coverage to your business of manufacturing high-value goods like precious metals or gems. We are Edify Insurance Brokers provide specialized advice about the best type of Jewelers block insurance policy to meet all of your needs.

[fd-beck-insurance-brokers]

FD Beck Has over 100 years of experience in the industry. Get a quote in under a minute.

[chesspecialrisk]

Securing Precious Valuables Through Jewellers Block Insurance

We live in a tragic era. Insurance is a safety key if we suffer from health problems or accidents while travelling or have our jewellery looted or damaged. Disaster can knock on your door anytime. Insurance helps us protect against such tragedies with specific financial security.

What is jewellers block insurance?

Block comes from the French term ‘en bloc’, which means ‘all in one. An insurance policy delivering comprehensive coverage for risks related to high-valued items such as diamonds, silver, gold, paintings, antiques, or any other artistic things in the retail business is called jewellers block insurance. The risk in the jewellery business is rising day by day. Therefore, it is advised that jewellers should buy jeweller's block insurance to safeguard themselves from any risks in future.

Below stated risks are some of the general threats covered under jewellers block insurance in Canada:

Accidental harm because of natural calamity or fire

Thievery like theft, burglary, grab and run, shoplifting, etc.

Financial loss due to momentary business interruptions

Financial loss due to employee misbehaviour or dishonesty

Theft in transit

Every risk covered by the insurance policy is cited in the contract. Various insurers offer different quotes and conditions. Consider the most suitable quotations. Give preference to an experienced insurance company in the market. They will adequately define the terms with you and know enough to negotiate with disputed lawsuits.

CHES Special Risk Inc. is one of Canada’s leading agencies providing 250+ insurance coverages. This insurance solution provider was founded in 2004, making it one of the oldest Managing General Agencies based in Toronto, Ottawa and Quebec.

From brokers to standard jewellery stores, from furriers to bureau de change, their jewellers insurance covers every high-valued item against loss or damage because of theft, burglary, grab and run, shoplifting, etc. These thieveries are tracked with the criminal history and credit authority checks. The expense of these trackers is included with the policy amount.

CHES Special Risk Inc. delivers comprehensive or tailor-made jewellers block insurance as per the policyholder’s needs. They will help you keep in the same position, i.e. without losses. CHES’s years of jewellery professional wisdom comes in handy along with their years of experience in the insurance industry. They do what’s best for their clients and know that every business circumstance is different.

To know more about them and the different risk policies, visit their website here. Contact their professionals for any other further assistance and read the product disclosure statement to secure precious valuables through jewellers block insurance.

[cm-12]

Top Benefits of Wedding Ring Insurance and Watch Coverage Plans

Introduction

Jewelry and watches are not just accessories; they are investments and often hold immense sentimental value. Whether it’s a wedding ring, an heirloom diamond, or a luxury watch, these possessions deserve proper protection against unexpected events like theft, loss, or damage. This is where specialized policies like Wedding Ring Insurance, Watch Insurance, and Insurance for Diamond Ring come into play.

These coverage plans are designed to offer peace of mind by ensuring financial protection and ease of replacement. For jewelers and retailers, Jewelers Block Insurance provides comprehensive coverage for inventory, making it an indispensable part of the jewelry business.

Why Wedding Ring Insurance is Essential

A wedding ring is not just a piece of jewelry; it symbolizes love and commitment. Unfortunately, wedding rings are often at risk of being lost, stolen, or damaged due to daily wear. Wedding Ring Insurance is a specialized policy that protects against these risks, ensuring that the sentimental and monetary value of your ring is preserved.

Key Benefits of Wedding Ring Insurance:

Comprehensive Coverage: Protects against theft, loss, and damage.

Worldwide Protection: Coverage applies whether you’re at home or traveling abroad.

Replacement Value: Ensures that the replacement ring matches the original in terms of quality and value.

Affordable Premiums: Policies are typically cost-effective, with annual premiums around 1-2% of the ring’s value.

Many couples assume that their home insurance covers wedding rings, but such policies often have low coverage limits for valuable jewelry. This makes Wedding Ring Insurance an essential investment for peace of mind.

The Importance of Watch Insurance

Luxury watches are more than just timepieces; they are symbols of style, craftsmanship, and status. High-end watches, such as those from Rolex, Omega, or Patek Philippe, can cost thousands of dollars and are prime targets for theft or damage. Watch Insurance provides specialized coverage tailored to these valuable items.

Why Watch Insurance is a Must-Have:

Protection Against Theft: Luxury watches are frequently targeted by thieves, especially during travel.

Coverage for Damage: Accidental damage, such as a cracked face or broken mechanism, is covered under most policies.

Worldwide Protection: Just like Wedding Ring Insurance, watch coverage offers global protection.

High Replacement Costs: Luxury watches are expensive to replace. Watch Insurance ensures you won’t bear the financial burden alone.

Owning a high-value timepiece comes with its risks, and Watch Insurance ensures those risks are mitigated, allowing owners to wear their watches with confidence.

The Value of Insurance for Diamond Rings

Diamond rings often hold significant monetary and sentimental value. From engagement rings to anniversary gifts, these pieces are frequently worn and, therefore, at risk of being lost, stolen, or damaged. Insurance for Diamond Ring is specifically designed to protect these valuable items, ensuring they can be repaired or replaced without financial strain.

Key Features of Insurance for Diamond Ring:

Protection Against Damage: Even though diamonds are one of the hardest substances on earth, they are not indestructible and can chip or crack under pressure.

Comprehensive Loss Coverage: Whether your ring is stolen, lost while traveling, or misplaced, the policy covers replacement costs.

Customization Options: Policies can be tailored to cover unique or heirloom diamonds, ensuring adequate valuation.

Hassle-Free Claims: Insurance providers often facilitate quick and easy claims processes for replacing or repairing damaged rings.

By investing in Insurance for Diamond Ring, owners can safeguard both the financial and emotional value of their precious jewelry.

Jewelers Block Insurance: A Necessity for Businesses

For jewelers and retailers, protecting their inventory is critical. Jewelers Block Insurance is a comprehensive policy designed specifically for jewelry businesses, covering risks like theft, burglary, damage, and loss.

Benefits of Jewelers Block Insurance:

Inventory Protection: Covers all stock, including diamonds, precious metals, and finished jewelry.

Transit Coverage: Protects items being transported between locations or shipped to clients.

Employee Theft Coverage: Offers protection against losses caused by dishonest employees.

Customizable Policies: Tailored to meet the specific needs of the jewelry business, ensuring no gaps in coverage.

While individuals protect their personal belongings with policies like Wedding Ring Insurance or Insurance for Diamond Ring, Jewelers Block Insurance provides the same peace of mind on a larger scale for business owners.

How to Choose the Right Insurance Plan for Jewelry and Watches

Selecting the right coverage plan requires understanding your needs and evaluating different options. Here are some tips:

Get a Professional Appraisal:Have your jewelry or watch professionally appraised to determine its current market value. This ensures your policy provides adequate coverage.

Compare Policies:Review multiple options for Wedding Ring Insurance, Watch Insurance, and Insurance for Diamond Ring to find one that suits your needs and budget.

Understand the Fine Print:Check for any exclusions, such as coverage limits for specific types of losses or damages.

Bundle Policies:If you own multiple high-value items, consider bundling coverage to receive a discount.

Opt for Global Coverage:Ensure the policy covers losses or damages incurred while traveling internationally.

By following these steps, you can secure the most comprehensive protection for your prized possessions.

Common Questions About Jewelry and Watch Insurance

1. Does Home Insurance Cover Jewelry and Watches?

Most home insurance policies have low coverage limits for valuables like jewelry and watches. For high-value items, specialized policies like Wedding Ring Insurance and Watch Insurance are recommended.

2. How Much Does Jewelry Insurance Cost?

The cost of jewelry insurance typically ranges from 1-2% of the item’s value annually. For example, insuring a $10,000 diamond ring might cost $100-$200 per year.

3. What is Covered Under Jewelers Block Insurance?

Jewelers Block Insurance covers theft, damage, loss, and transit-related risks for jewelers, wholesalers, and manufacturers. It ensures comprehensive protection for the business’s inventory.

Conclusion

Jewelry and watches are significant investments that deserve proper protection. Whether you’re safeguarding a wedding ring, a luxury watch, or an heirloom diamond, specialized coverage plans like Wedding Ring Insurance, Watch Insurance, and Insurance for Diamond Ring provide peace of mind. For business owners, Jewelers Block Insurance ensures inventory remains protected against a wide range of risks.

Investing in the right insurance policy is not just a financial decision but a means to preserve the sentimental and symbolic value of these cherished items. Take the time to explore your options and choose a policy that best suits your needs, ensuring you can enjoy your valuables without worry.

[pinkrelish]

𝐰𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞.

bestfriend!eddie x fem!reader

✶For once in his life, Eddie makes a good decision when he shows up to your motel room early. And another good decision when he mumbles something under his breath after you outsmart him at his DND club. That's my girl.✶

NSFW — fluff, flirting, sexual tension, wearing eddie's shirt and loving the scent a little too much, & oops you discover you have a praise kink, 18+ overall for eventual smut, drug/alcohol mention/use, canon typical violence

chapter: 6/15 [wc: 7.1k]

↳ part 01 / 02 / 03 / 04 / 05 / 06 / 07 / 08 / 09 / 10 / 11

AO3

Chapter 6: The First Rule of Hellfire Club

The moment Eddie’s knuckles connected with the chipped paint under the peep hole, his stomach sank, much like the weathered bronze number Nine losing its top nail and plummeting into the number Six. In his head, strands of apologies tangled into amalgamations of concern, and seeing your distressed face pleading up at him when you struggled to open the door sent them spiraling into the single emotion he could grasp: protection. The words he’d meant to say vanished from his brain in favor of fixing whatever it was causing you trouble.

“Sorry,” you mumbled, balancing the dingy yellow phone between your ear and shoulder; arms crowded with the clunky receiver itself, trying not to press any buttons as you let him inside, kicking the cords out of his way.

“Didn’t know when you were coming–” you whispered to him, then straightened your spine and changed to a forceful tone. “Yes, I’m still here. Ye– ..Yes, I told you, I’m not home right now, but I still have the–” Eddie edged into your room and tuned out the conversation. Not necessarily because it seemed private on account of the manila file you were reading from, but because his gaze landed on your open suitcase. Specifically the delicate lace set on top.

He didn’t pin you as the type to wear that sort of stuff. Tight. Partially see through. Jewel toned. Carnal in design, mouth watering in nature. Lingering on the notion of the material against your skin..

He drummed his fingers on his leg and reminded himself, and the devil on his shoulder, why he was here early.

“Wait! Don’t–Don’t you dare hang up. Hello? Hello?” You examined the phone. An arrant dial tone persisted. You put it up to your ear again. “Hello?” Pressing your lips into a thin line, the plastic creaked under your grip, seething temper boiling under your composed exterior.

You let out a calming exhale. Relaxed the tension from your shoulders.

Then you beat the phone on the bedside table three times and slammed it on the receiver with a definitive, “Bitch.”

Curiosity aroused, Eddie asked, “Everything good?”

“Stupid insurance bullshit. Been on the phone with them all day.”

“Anything I can do to help?” Still unsure of where you stood after last night, you gave a little shrug, and put away your files, volunteering nothing more. He offered, “I can make some calls for you or something. Sit on the hold lines. Whatever would make it easier for you.”

“I can handle it,” you interjected. “Should we get going?”

Walking past him to the end of the bed, you bent to grab your purse from the floor and saw what you tossed on top of the pile of laundry spilling from your suitcase after your shower this morning.

You cut a glance at Eddie the exact moment he chose to look the opposite direction, humming a tune to himself.

Using your foot, you closed the suitcase and made to step around him.

“Can we talk first? I wanted to apologize for what I said last night.”

Despite him acknowledging the tension between you, you kept your gaze on the carpet, remaining vigilant for the sake of his feelings. “You didn’t say anything last night.” You kept moving.

He asserted his arm in front of you. “Don’t do that,” he whispered, voice cutting in and out. Harsh, yet sensitive. “Don’t walk away from me.”

The cold metal chains decorating his sleeve brushed your upper chest. You considered his method for blocking you from leaving; how he leaned into it, caging you, face tipped to speak into your ear. Aggressive to those who did not know him, but you understood the charity in the curl of his fingers hesitating in the air to refrain from an accidental caress. The desperation in his chapped lips. The absolute fatigue in his attempts to dance around the awkwardness of your tumultuous relationship.

“I..” Eddie started, fluttering his eyes shut to better sift through his thoughts. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean what I said last night. I don’t hate you.” You sighed in a way that had him cringing at his actions. It was always worse when you were disappointed in him. “To be honest, seeing you again after all this time has been.. has been..”

“Bizarre?”

“Yes, bizarre,” he said emphatically, beginning to pace. “It’s brought up a lot of old feelings I never got over, and–and stuff I wanted to forget.. And stuff I didn’t want to forget, but at this point, I’m tired of the back and forth, and lashing out at you, and being a massive asshole. It didn’t feel good to say that last night, and I swear to you I didn’t mean it. I’m not mad at you for doing what you needed to for your future.” Stopping, he drove his hands through his hair and locked his fingers behind his head, monopolizing the cramped space at the end of your bed where you wrung your arm. “You’re here now, and I like being around you, and me trying to, I don’t know, is ‘punish’ the right word? Wallowing and wasting all this energy punishing you for leaving has been exhausting and I just, I–”

Unwavering eye contact. A rare occasion as of late, taken for granted long ago. You seized it, held it, and the glimmer of hope in how his face softened when he looked at you.

“I miss you,” he admitted in a gentle breath. “I miss you and I want to be friends again.”

He wasn’t so much as asking permission to pick up where you left off as he was adamant for it, and his verbiage was not lost on you.

Eddie wanted you, needed you to be his friend again.

Faithful to your detriment, willing to make sacrifices for your best friend, ever diligent and committed to someone who returned the same kindness in the same degree with the same modesty, you smiled. “We can be friends again.”

Here is where normal people would hug. Not for you two.

Eddie beamed sunlight on a cloudy day. “I was also thinking about our conversation yesterday and I wanted you to know I’m really going to try at school this year. I’m going to graduate, and who knows, maybe I’ll end up at Penn State with you, so you can have a friend there and we can.. Okay, it wasn’t that funny.”

“S-Sorry,” you hissed through the laughter, “It’s not because of you going to college, I swear; your hair is all messed up. More than usual.” He examined his appearance in the large square mirror above the chest of drawers, and instead of fixing his mane like any sane person, he headbanged a few times and decided the wildness of it was perfect. Which it was.

Eyeing the entirety of the bed in the reflection, he smirked. “Interesting place for a mirror.” He turned to you. “Do you have your character sheet and stuff?”

You held up your purse. “Yep.”

“Sweet.”

~~~

Arriving at your dreaded destination, Eddie escorted you down the halls of Hawkins High, opening doors for you with a half-bow and grand sweep of his arm. You’d only spent one year here, and that was enough to build sore memories. Passing by your dented locker someone repeatedly broke into to steal your things, the classroom where a girl stuck gum to the back of your neck, the grassy patch near the concrete steps you had been formally introduced to after a boy shoved you because he heard a rumor you had a crush on him. All acts the principal excused as, “Kids being kids.”

Problems Eddie took upon himself to fix. Sharing his locker. Coming home with a black eye beneath the one his parole-granted father gave him. Threatening anyone who looked at you twice, regardless if he was the instigator. He shielded you. Your knight in rusted tin armor.

“Didn’t realize your club was literally at school.”

“Oh yeah, it’s the easiest place for us to meet,” he said, showing you to the back entrance of the theater. “Welcome.. To Hellfire Club.” He walked backwards into the prop storage area, and you couldn’t quite tell if you were supposed to be impressed by the big empty table in the middle, or if he was joking with you. To be polite, you pointed out the club’s handmade banner on the wall.

“Cool logo.”

His grin grew wicked. “I’m so glad you like it.” Removing his backpack, he unzipped it and took out a bundle of black and white fabric. “You should know the first rule of Hellfire Club is.. You gotta wear a member shirt.”

You caught what was hurled at you and unfolded it, frowning. “You couldn’t even turn it right-side-out?” Pulling the sleeves through and shaking out the wrinkles, you saw why it was balled up, and snarked in disgust, “Did you wear this already?”

“Rules are rules, my dear,” he sang, setting up his barricade of binders where he sat on his gaudy throne like the incensing king he wished he was.

“And where do you expect me to change?”

“It’s a theater department. Go find a prop tree, or,” –He threw his thumb over his shoulder– “The Russian cathedrals behind me, or something.”

“That would be sacrilegious, Eddie.” Opting for the gathering of standee trees and bushes blocking you from both his sight and the door, you said goodbye to your Macho Man t-shirt and peeled it off, stuffing it in your purse.

You should feel humiliated, embarrassed by how your body reacted holding his worn shirt in your hands. Flushed hot from burning cheeks to curled toes. You cradled the delicate memento to your chest, collar gripped tight in your fingers, hem tickling your exposed belly, sleeves tucked in your arms. You should feel ashamed of your nipples hardening against your thin bra when you paused in the trivial space between smelling his clothing and still having alibi if he caught you.

His shadow stayed at the table, arranging his things, and you broke for your old addictions.

An itch you could scratch again, finally.

Fabric to nose, you curled your shoulders in and inhaled deep. It was him. All him. Turning you dizzy. Invading your mind fuzz. Eliciting a perverse craving, an insatiable hunger. Inciting a primal greed over your possession. You don’t know what started this habit–him giving you his clothes and you obsessing over every little detail that was Eddie Munson–but you knew it was wrong.

However, the image of his body touching what lied in your palms, creating the scent buzzing in your veins, draping yourself in the smell of his sweat knowing it belonged to him alone.. It felt so fucking right.

Getting a hold of yourself, you quickly pulled it over your head, and tucked the hem into the corduroy skirt you borrowed from one of your teammates. You’d been hidden behind the trees long enough for Eddie to ask if you required assistance, and now you had to pretend you hadn’t been a complete degenerate for a full minute straight, getting high off his scent.

“Was it necessary to make me wear your dirty laundry?” you scoffed. “And what is this stain at the bottom?”

“I think it’s from a–” He turned around to finish his statement. The dice tower in his hand tumbled to the floor.

What a fantastic thing white shirts revealed to be when under the dramatic overhead lighting of the drama department.

He swallowed. “From a pen exploding on me.” Managing the meager sentence, he commanded his gaze off your chest and met your equally stunned expression reflecting the thrill of catching him. “I designed the logo myself,” he said a bit too loudly.

“Cool.” You nodded slowly, locking in the memory of how he devoured your clothed body, how he had to blink away and adjust his stance. “Cool, and what were the other rules?”

“Other rules?”

Picking up the dice tower at your feet, you put it on the table, taking inventory of the figures and miniatures he would be using during the game. He returned to his flamboyant throne, organizing stacks of campaign plots written in his neat handwriting. “You said wearing the shirt was the first rule like there were more, so what’s the second?”

“Oh, there is no second rule.” He smiled above the binders, all cocksure and full of himself as if you hadn’t just witnessed him staring at your tits moments ago. “Except, of course,” he implored, tilting his head, “Having fun.”

Attraction be damned, you could, in fact, wring this man’s neck.

~~~

The stage lights had been dimmed. A candelabra behind the throne cast the campaign in shadows, setting the mood. Jeff was the first to open the door, and his laughter trailed off. Gareth was second, watching you and Eddie converse over the graph paper map on the table.

“That wall should go one square to the right.” He checked his notes. “Then Gareth’s figure would be one to the left.” You leaned over the plastic chairs opposite him, following his directions, replicating where they left off on their game last Friday. “And I think we’re done.”

Breaking the spell settling over his Dungeon Master’s face as he watched his assistant saunter to the right hand spot at the table where Jeff usually sat, Gareth stepped forward and announced his presence rather well, he thought. “So that’s why Eddie was talking about you at lunch.” To which Jeff added, “You should’ve seen him, he looked so cute updating us on you..” And serving the knockout punch was Lloyd, who had just come in. “Hey Eddie, Eddie’s girlfriend.”

“She’s not my girlfriend.”

“I’m not his girlfriend.” You tried not to do the cliche thing of shifting your eyes to Eddie, but your curiosity got the better of you. “You were talking about me?”

Jeff supplied the answer, “Oh yeah, he was bragging about you being the best gymnast on your team.” He sat across from you, ignoring the way Eddie was shaking his head at him, frantically communicating his panic through his wide-eyes screaming at him to shut up.

Gareth piped up again, “He said you ran off to Penn State.”

“And he warned us not to be weird at DND tonight, presumably he meant not being weird in front of you,” Lloyd said.

Tickled by their eagerness to divulge this information with you at their leader’s expense, you found it most interesting Eddie was speaking so highly of you when he hadn’t apologized yet, or ensured you two were on amicable ground before giving them a dissertation on your life since you left. “Is that true?” you asked Eddie, who performed his best innocent act.

“I–Well, it’s not like it sounds.”

“You see,” Jeff ribbed, “he hadn’t talked about you in years. He was just excited you were back in town, and wouldn’t let anyone else get a word in edgewise; going on, and on, and on, about how you’re some college big shot now, and just so cool.”

Eddie pointed a stern finger at him, and said through gritted teeth, “I did not say that last part.”

Luckily for the blush crawling up Eddie’s throat, the door opened again and all attention turned to the last three guests for the evening. Unfortunately for Eddie’s self-esteem, Dustin was in a chatty mood.

“Sweet, a girl’s joining us. You must be Eddie’s girlfriend he was talking about at lunch.”

“Fucking Christ,” he put his face in his hands.

You offered a faint, “I’m not his girlfriend,” and introduced yourself properly to those you hadn’t met yet, amused by Mike’s haircut resembling a certain someone’s next to you, and Lucas’ windbreaker pants, wearing them from his first basketball practice.

However, as the idle chatter waned, you gave in to the irking awareness someone was staring at you, and quirked a brow at Jeff, who was squinting at something in particular.

“Nice shirt,” he said, flicking his gaze to the ink stain.

This was going to be a long night..

Intervening, Eddie slammed his hands on the table, shaking his plethora of binders, commanding his distracted party to assimilate into their characters. “As we left off..” Slipping into his role as Dungeon Master, he sat at the edge of his plush seat, legs spread wide, gripping the ornate edges of his throne. He wove the tale in a mysterious tone, building anticipation, “Taking the quest from Hordram, the dwarven barkeep, you find yourselves lost to the labyrinth hidden deep within the Mountains of Hag Baduhr. Days are immeasurable as you succumb to sleep-deprived delirium. All you know is darkness, cold, and the stench of old gore dried to your clothes. Dank mildew stuck in your nose. The faint drips of water..” He held up his hand and curled his fingers in one at a time. “Drip. Drip. Drip. A clock with no hands, nor face. Neverending shadows playing tricks on your mind as your torch loses its flame, knocked from Sargas’ hand in the last battle.” Eddie made a show of gesturing to Lucas to indicate that was his character. “Gareth, you chose to limp deeper into the narrow passage of the maze, hissing at your wounds, clutching onto your wounded arm. A musty, warm breeze caresses your right cheek, almost undetectable. Around the corner you approach comes a soft orange glow. You hear something shifting. What do you do?”

Gareth chewed the inside of his cheek while he considered where his figure stood on the map. “Can I tell if there is another pathway nearby?”

“Roll for perception.” The dice tumbled from his palm. Eddie sucked his teeth. “No, it looks to be a dead end and your only option is the stretch of light coming from the right.”

“I tap my gauntlet on the wall twice, giving them the signal for backup.”

Eddie raised his eyebrows at the rest of his little adventurers, and they agreed. You garnered they had just finished an intense fight from their descriptions of having the help carry Lloyd’s tiefling barbarian. “Now, the smell of smoke wafts to you. Soot and pine.”

“Another torch?” Jeff whispered in character.

“On three?” Gareth said to his team. They nodded, and looked to Eddie to lead them through the scenario.

“Upon the bend in the labyrinth, you peek around the corner as one, weapons at the ready. Breaths held. Peering into the depths at..” Dramatic pause. A swell of his chest as he bewitched his audience into hanging onto his every word. “You encounter not a monster, but another person, perched on a mossy slab.” With a dramatic sigh, he slouched sideways on his throne, propping his elbow on the chair’s arm and settling his cheek into his palm, tapping his forefinger on his high cheekbone. Beholding you from beneath his long lashes as he granted you the stage to introduce your character.

Unfolding the paper in your shaky hands, you didn’t know if you were supposed to roleplay yet, or read from the sheet, but with how dry your mouth became, you chose to stick with what you wrote. If you could read it, that is.

Everything swirled. Stammering, you tried, “I’m a half-elf cleric named Valendrei. Lawful good. Level 5. Uh..” How much were you supposed to share? Did it sound dumb? Was everyone expecting more? When were you supposed to enter the scene?

Eddie bumped his leg against yours, ceasing your nervous bouncing.

“Uhm, I chose the Life Domain, if that matters..” Calm. His adoring gaze. Calm. Proud of you for taking part in his hobby. Calm. “My shield lays in splinters at my feet, and my mace rests propped against the slab. I’m unarmed except for the torch I’m using to cauterize a wound on my knee.”

Lloyd reacted first. “Intense.”

“That’s metal,” Dustin said, impressed.

Earning their respect stirred a deep-seated desire etched into your very being; a want to belong. And same as always, you glimpsed at Eddie for his approval to gauge whether you were doing the right thing, but instead of being met with his mild reassurance, he looked at you in bold admiration. Stark glory, hair fanned about his face from him twisting it. Eyes nearly closed from how broad his smile was. Fingertips placed on his bottom lip, tracing it languidly as his chest jumped with a laugh.

“Should’ve known you would pick a healer,” he said to you, and sat up to address the others. “She hates it when her favorite characters die in books, so now she wants to be the one to save them.” Entranced by his mouth, you watched it form the coy remark, wholly invested in what annoying observation he would conclude next. “Although.. Lawful good? That’s a mighty claim. Need I remind you, I’ve seen your permanent record.”

“Shut up. It’s my character, she can be lawful good.”

He seemed hellbent on oversharing your previous life together. “You know that cheerleader Brittany who graduated two years ago, the one with the broken nose? Guess who did that.” Their eyes were on you. You kicked Eddie’s shoe under the table, telepathically yelling at him to cut it out. Much to your dismay, he snapped a few times, recalling something, and said, “That’s right! And there was that other time in 8th grade when you were suspended for beating up that popular girl. Man, you guys should’ve seen it. She knocked her to the ground, sat on her chest, and just fucking whaled on her.” He mimicked your punches while the guys laughed. “It was crazy. I’ve never seen so much blood. What did she say to you, anyway?”

Trailer trash. She called Eddie weird, she called him ugly, and she called him trailer trash. In a classic misunderstanding, Eddie was being his normal self around Jessie, who was from the good suburbs, and she mistook his goofy, boisterous antics as him flirting with her. And as soon as he was out of earshot, she turned to her giggling friends, and your next vivid memory was pulling your fist back, musing over how sticky blood became when it reached oxygen. “I don’t remember,” you mumbled.

“You fucking rock, dude,” someone said. You weren’t sure who.

“I mean, you see her guns, that girl stood no chance,” Eddie raved. With the candles crowned above his head like a halo, you had no choice but to bask in the radiance of his everlasting light. “Strongest person I know,” he said quietly, dragging his gaze over your broad shoulders filling out his shirt. Deliberate in his efforts to appreciate the finer details of where it hugged you.

He was so obvious. A wave of whispers ensued; gossips of yours and Eddie’s names at the intimate table where his knee touched the skin of your thigh through the rips in his jeans.

Shrugging out of his jacket, he was all business. He staked an elven figure on the map, and demanded silence and the continuation of his game. “So, you see an unassuming, unarmed half-elf before you. Do you invite her to your party?”

The clear answer was yes, and yet..

The apple of Jeff’s cheeks shined with joy under the same benevolence you shied from. “I’m not about to trust some rando in a dungeon,” he said to Eddie while picking up a dice. “I prepare my spear.”

This would be a long night, indeed.

~~~

Neverending encounters.

Dismembered goblin parts laid in heaps like bricks around your party. Their gore clung to your armor. In fantasy, your half-elf worked to bandage your teammate’s wounds; in reality, clusters of dice rolled across the table top. Bleak were the low health points. The squish of pallid flesh, the metallic taste in your mouth, the putrid reek of entrails. Eddie’s knack for descriptive storytelling would follow you to bed that night.

More dice rolls. Lucas found a treasure chest of disappointment. All those goblins for very little loot, and anticlimax in the form of him passing off his Wand of Magic Detection to you. An impractical object since the spell could not penetrate stone, and being in a labyrinth inside a mountain, it was not exactly useful, but considering you had the bag space and no shield, you accepted it.

Down, down the labyrinth you traveled. An enemy here, an ambush there. Dense packs of creatures, but low on health, meaning this was a good sign you were heading in the right direction. Gareth and Lloyd led the way with your dwindling torch, insisting those of you with darkvision determine paths. Up, up an incline, over a ravine on a tattered rope bridge. The wind became thick. The scent earthier. It seemed like you were helping them escape the maze. It seemed like you were everyone’s hero, healing their sores and sending them off to freedom. It seemed like you were the star of the night after answering a riddle far too easily for the cunning mind who created it. It seemed to be too good to be true, because it was. Especially paired with the Dungeon Master’s rolls behind his binders, running his tongue over his top lip with an excited lurch in his posture when Dustin suggested Mike’s wizard bounce a fireball down a hallway, and suddenly, fog engulfed the party.

A smirk claimed Eddie’s face as he placed an elaborate figure of a winged lion on the map. “My friends, you have alerted a manticore to your location, and he, and his prey hiding amongst the shadows, are not very happy to have you in their domain.”

~~~

You tried. Cantrips on your tongue, hands aglow with prayers. Spending actions until your spell slots were nearly exhausted. Salves, bandages, well wishes; they fell short. Your friends laid splayed on their backs, gurgling through mucky blood in their throats. Manticore spikes impaled their forearms, protruding like breached bones. Skin flayed in ribbons. All the while, the manticore stood ready to attack, its thick fur acting as armor. Another round of Death Saving Throws were completed and Eddie’s menacing leer was upon you.

“The manticore sinks into its hind legs, nails scraping the stone floor, and he leaps forward. His wings extend, catching the draft, and he lunges for you, Valendrei. Mouth open. Fangs glistening in the torchlight, dripping with blood. What do you do?”

Two second level spell slots remained. You asked Lloyd, “If I cast Healing Word, can you protect me?”

“How confident are you that I’ll heal enough to not immediately die again?”

“Not very.”

“Mm.”

Tapping your pencil on the corner of your character sheet, you ground your teeth at your options, weighing them in your head as Mike offered a cooing wisdom.

“This was a tough dungeon and the school year just started. Don’t worry about our characters dying, we can always make new ones. It’s not your fault, no healer would’ve been able to juggle a party this size.”

His well-meaning kindness got under your skin.

You weren’t a loser. You didn’t earn consolation prizes. You were a gold medalist, you could outsmart the Dungeon Master.

“Tick, tock,” your smarmy friend added from over his binders.

Reading over your abilities, your bag space, your copper–anything, your gaze zeroed in on one item.

“What does the Wand of Magic Detection look like?”

Eddie blinked. Gears turned in his head, calculating your scheme, rushing through simulations of where you were leading him, and finding no flaw–nor logic–in your question. As a severe, but not unkind Master, he consulted his books, and figured he’d be generous. Just this once. You had 4 hit points left. You weren’t coming out of this scenario alive, anyway. “What do you want it to look like?”

Flipping over your sheet, you sketched a straightforward rod with a pointed gem at the top, not unlike the ones you’d seen in the Player’s Handbook yesterday. A simple wand, but efficient. You weren’t about to take advantage of Eddie by conjuring up something ludicrous and overpowered. “Like this.” You showed him.

Suspicious, he drawled, “Sure, that works.”

“I shove it in the manticore’s mouth.”

“What?”

“You said his mouth was open, so I wedge it in there. Vertically. Preferably with the gem against the hard palate and the base against the soft floor under his tongue, but I’ll take what I can get.” You laced your fingers and appeared stoic despite his condescending taunt.

“I’m gonna need a dex check for that one, sweetheart.”

Sweetheart?

You disregarded the pet name, ascribing it to one of his habits. A slip of his tongue, nothing more. Besides, you had a game to play.

The table embraced your confidence. Murmurs of encouragement, exchanges of premature celebration, more than one person chanting for your victory. You picked up the die and imbued it with your collective support, and rolled.

“Nat 20!”

“Man, that’s one way to decimate a monster.”

Slowly, Eddie drew his gaze to the paper in front of him. Eyes moving back and forth over his handwriting. Losing the crease between his brows as he buckled under the weight of acceptance. “Roll for damage,” he mumbled.

You complied with an arrogant lilt, “Is 28 enough?”

The corner of Eddie’s lips jumped in a small smile aimed at his clasped hands. Gareth erupted in a rowdy cheer, recognizing the look on his face as one of content defeat, and Jeff took it upon himself to flick the manticore figure off the map. “Screw you and your grueling labyrinth.”

You were being rocked back and forth. Many hands patted your back, shook your shoulders, bumped your fist. Lauding you for your wit, and for being the one to put Eddie in his place. You were glowing under their excitement, their congratulations, their insistence on coming back to Hawkins to play with them again, and your best friend sat on his throne, chin in his hand–palm covering his mouth–smitten from the group’s acceptance of you.

“That’s my girl.”

He didn’t mean for anyone to hear it, and for the most part, everyone had sat back down, busy making their Death Saving Throws and rationing out potions, gunning for your spell slots. But you heard it.

That’s my girl.

His praise, the creaking of his chair as he leaned forward, the rustle of his papers as he poured over his notes for the next part of the story he crafted; shifting the same way he did yesterday in his van, except there was no lighter to drown out his words.

You were his girl.

Your heart raced at the implication. Turning your body heat on high, and with it, carrying his shirt’s scent to your nose again. Snapped to attention like an obedient animal and it didn’t even phase you as you did it. Frozen on the receiving end of a brutal awakening. A winner all your life, but on the caveat you could score higher, move faster, perform sharper. Words of affirmation followed by a critique. Not from Eddie, though. You were his perfect girl who did everything right.

What else could he praise you for?

A whine hitched in your throat at the visual your mind latched onto.

And he caught you in the midst of your preening for more. How you sat up straighter. Unadulterated desperation in your candid expression; a slight parting of your plump lips. Tempting his massive ego into discovering your secret. Too taken by his words to erase the evidence of your reaction.

Eddie’s pupils were black lakes absorbing every detail of your face. Mirrors reflecting intrigue. Exhilaration. A curiosity rivaled by no other.

Leaning towards you, head and voice down where the others could not eavesdrop, he asked, “You good?”

Ever the deviant, you responded with one short confirmation, loud enough for his ears only, “Yes, sir.”

He tensed. Eyes widening the exact way someone’s would when trapped in this predicament; squirming under the narrowed scope you viewed each other in after hitting that sweet spot neither of you were aware of, and having no outlet to act upon it. Afterall, you had only agreed to be friends again hours ago. There were boundaries to your relationship. Walls. Guards he resurrected around his heart.. And drool pooling against his bottom lip as he remembered you were wearing a skirt and what sort of sinful delights were trapped between your thighs.

Fervent whispers were had at the other end of the table, and after a hushed debate, Dustin spoke up, “Are you two going to keep flirting, or are you going to wrap this up so we can go home?”

Recovering first, Eddie forced a laugh and opened his arms wide. “Taken by surprise, the manticore continues its planned trajectory, biting down on the wand with its powerful jaw. The gemstone pierces the tissue at the back of his throat. Blood flows over Valendrei’s arm as she retreats from her move. He attempts another bite, lusting for her demise, but the wand lodges deeper into its flesh, crushing his windpipe. Succumbing to the pain, it stumbles backwards into a shimmering wall and disappears behind it. Shimmering, shimmering. The wall waves like heat refracting on hot ground. And then.. It dissipates. Striking bright light blinds you. Warmth gathers all of you in a hug. Scents of damp tree bark and chimney smoke welcome you. The manticore lays in an open plain of grass, gasping its last breath. Beyond him, on a hill in the far distance, is the beginnings of a village amongst the sparse woods.”

”Whiteridge!” The name of the town their original quest was for, before the unrelenting maze of the labyrinth diverted them. Next week they could return to their adventure, experience gained, and free from their Dungeon Master’s cackling.

A succinct, yet satisfying close to the evening. Pushing back from the table, you carried a conversation with the guys outside the theater while Eddie made notes for himself about the map and what miniatures he would need for the village.

Falling behind the freshman, Jeff, Gareth, and Lloyd slowed once you’d said bye to the others, passing around silent looks in lieu of spoken word. When you turned around, Jeff volunteered as the one who should confront you.

“So, about Eddie..”

“About Eddie?” you asked, feeling the elation of the evening evaporate from your mood at his serious tone.

“We feel like you should know how he reacted after you left.” Taking a deep breath, he struggled to explain. “I don’t know how much he told you, or if he told you at all; and you know I’m not really into all the stuff you guys do–drugs, or whatever–but.. I don’t know, man.. He was on some serious shit for a while after you left. No one knew what happened to you, and he just kinda.. spiraled out of control.”

Lloyd said, “My mom worked at the pharmacy back then. It was a shitload of pills.”

“I went over to get him for band practice one time and..” A wince developed on Gareth’s face as he came to terms with what he saw. “It was sad, walking in on someone crushing their day’s worth of benzos into these little meticulous lines to snort later.”

“Jesus..” You thought back to the diner and shook your head, confused. “He said it was a few days that he couldn’t remember.”

All three of them bulged their eyes at the ground. “It was definitely more than a few days.”

Gareth soothed you, “He evened out eventually, obviously. He’s been normal since then, but when you first came back, we were kinda worried he’d relapse, but, uh.. I guess things are fine now?” He ran his hand over his nape and shrugged at the others.

“Whatever you two are,” Jeff began. You didn’t bother picking at the scab of correcting him that you were only friends. “We hope you’re working things out. I know you’re in town for other reasons, but I wouldn’t hate it if you came to visit again some day. Don’t forget you left me without saying anything, too.” He drew in a long breath, shoving his hands in his jeans pockets, swaying. “But if Eddie can forgive you, then you’re cool with me.”

“Yeah, you’re fun to play with,” Lloyd added. “Just saying, give it a thought if you can make the drive.”

Sensing the end of the heart-to-heart, Gareth walked in the direction of the school’s parking lot. “There'll always be a seat at the table for you.” Lloyd dipped his head in farewell and joined him.

Waiting for them to disappear amongst the cars, Jeff shifted his weight beside you, crunching grass beneath his shoes. Faced turned up at the stars, taking a moment of peace for himself. You sighed into the cricket-laden night. “Was Eddie really that bad?”

He gave you his blessing. “He’s better now, and I think that’s all he cares about, and all you should focus on. The present. See ya around, yeah?”

“See ya.” Watching him leave, you tightened your arms around yourself, fiddling with the sleeves of Eddie’s shirt as you unpacked way too much information for one day. Returning to the prop area, you shut the door softly behind you, and picked up a trash bin, cleaning up the soda cans and snacks while Eddie packed his things; stuffing papers in his binder and closing it, putting figures in a wooden box. You worked in quiet tandem. Avoiding the other, and being painfully aware of their presence all the same when the unexpected graze of fingers produced a physical yearn–a flinch–when you both reached for a notebook, and the simultaneous whispers of, “Sorry,” stained the interaction as an accident, thus no longer meaningful. “Can I ask you a question?”

Eddie hesitated. “Depends.”

“How come you were talking about me at lunch when we didn’t end yesterday on a good note? You had no idea if I still wanted to come today.”

Relieved it wasn’t about other matters, he revealed his truth. “Hope, really. I had hope. I thought if I manned up and apologized, you’d want to try being friends again, and want to play tonight.” Putting on his jacket and grabbing his bag, he continued on the way to his van, “Plus, as annoying as he is.. Jeff was right about one thing. I was excited to brag about you.”

It was times like these, when Eddie minimized his pain and downplayed his hurt, that you wondered if there were enough apologies in the world to overcome your guilt. He didn’t talk about you for years. Numbed himself for days, weeks, months, and lied to you about it.

He opened the car door for you. Because of course he did.

He kept the radio on low, in case you wanted to talk, because of course he did.

You were finally friends again, and you couldn’t look at him. He could look at you, though. Glancing every minute he drove at a reasonable speed down the dark road, gripping the steering wheel too tight. Taking a breath as if he were about to speak, and letting it go by clearing his throat when he couldn’t get the words out.

Jeff could be right about two things.

Moving on was easier. Reverting to your old dynamic, your style of banter, of laughing until your stomachs hurt; though it came with the confusing sentiment of relentless adoration, yet keeping each other at arm’s-length. You were ready to embrace it. Ready to work on forgiving yourself, if you could manage.

You wanted Eddie, needed him to be your friend again.

In the motel parking lot, he aimed for the room on the corner near the edge of the woods, with the extra window opposite the bathroom where a lamp you left on painted the green bushes lining the trees stark orange.

It was far too easy for Eddie Munson to be charming.

Standing in front of your door, caught in the headlights of his van, you both made awkward attempts at hiding your shy smiles. For a beat, your eyes met, and his toothy grin was as generous as him. This could be it, this could be goodbye. You could never see him after today and he spent his last moments with you nervously playing with his watch.

“Thanks for walking me the..” You eyed the ground. “Four feet to my door. What a gentleman.”

He swung his arms about him. “Anything to keep you safe at night.” You giggled. Waiting for either one of you to make the first move; to leave, to fuel the conversation, to say goodbye and mean it. Waiting for the sky to fall so neither of you would have to make a decision.

After another agonizing minute of sidelong looks, he brought his thumb to his mouth, and ran it over his lip. “So..” he attempted.

“So.”

Eddie dropped all pretenses and went for it.

He asked casually, “Does your fancy dorm have a communal phone, or a payphone nearby, or something like that?” Understanding immediately what he was getting at, your surprised expression did no favors in helping ease his adrenaline. His confidence wilted. He gave you an out, “If not–”

“Every room gets their own phone with an extension. I just have to share it with my roommate. It even comes with an answering machine, so if we’re not there, someone could, in theory, leave a message.”

He whistled. “Extra fancy,” he said, raising his brows. “Could, ah..” You swore you could hear his heartbeat in the shallow breaths he took. In the antsy way he punched his fist in his hand, like old times. “Could I, maybe, get your number, then? Y’know.. If you want to talk more..”

“Sure.” Calm. Full of starstruck smiles. Totally calm, you ripped open your purse and took out your character sheet, tearing a long strip from the top, and using your pencil against the door to write the obscenely long number, trying not to tremble. You handed it to him and he pocketed it without reading it. Too enamored with the positive result of throwing caution to the wind.

“Sweet. Uhm.. I’ll see you–or–call you later. Not tonight, obviously.. But soon, yeah?”

You should win a gold medal for keeping in your laughter. “Yeah. Soon.”

Not at all fumbling with your keys while unlocking your door, you closed it behind you, dropped your head back on the wood, and released your energy in a suppressed squeal.

“Holy shit!” You couldn’t wait to rub it in your roommate's face, “A boy just asked me for my number.”

~~~

Forgetting to drive away, Eddie stared at the paper in his hand, studying it and the way you wrote the numbers above your half-elf’s name. He was so pleased with himself, he could pass out from the blood rushing to his head. “Holy shit.. I fucking did it.”

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[gwilliam-mail]

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[vampire207343]

New Life

What if Jennette Margarita is really the daughter Claude de alger obelia with Penelope when they accidently slept together while drunk. Anastacius de alger obelia stay dead and Claude never use dark magic to forget Diana.

  In the verge of her death Princess Serenity the fifth knows that her mother's plan to get her married to the Earth Prince Endymione by placing many magical blocks on her in her next life to avoid the plan of her mother Princess Serenity created an exact clone to take her place while asking her bestfriend Eris the Goddess of strife and discord to insure that she get reborn to a different Demision from her scouts except for Saturn her most loyal senshi which she ensure as well to place the real sliver crystal inside Serenity's body while creating a copy that could do similer powers but not as strong as the original Sliver crystal, Queen Serenity was non the wiser that the Crystal she currently have is a mere copy of the original use it's power to reborn the Inner and outer guards along her daughter to the future of Earth but with the Godess Eris meddling, Sailor Saturn are reborn along side her princess in a different demision and not even Sailor Pluto can find them no matter how long she search if they ever find out the truth.

While Penelope Judith run out of the Palace when she was pregnant with their daughter during Claude's coup d'etat. That named him the new Emperor when he killed his older half brother Anastasius de Alger Obelia. Claude later learn Penelope died of childbirth with their daughter he search for her everywhere but he never thought to look for his daughter at the house of Alpheus if he had he would have already found his beloved daughter Jennette is the name Penelope and I agree on the name of our daughter that much he knows.

Even when Claude fell in love with Diana of Siodonna he never stop search for his daughter even more when Diana became pregnant with their child but the baby was slowly killing Diana, he want her to get rid of the baby but she refuse so he decided to ignore her and when she died giving birth to the girl she dared to name the girl Athanasia. He killed all his concubine he no longer has any use for them. The only reason Athanasia even survive at all was because Lilian York beg on her knees to spear Athanasia's life which he did leaving them in Ruby Palace while he continue to search for his daughter Jennette.

6 years later...

Jennette Margarita is a very smart little girl even more to the secound Princess of Obelia if the Rumors are true at all. She is also very matures and Elegent for her age that by the time she was seven she already stop playing with dolls and already learn many language and politics and even began learn how to weild a weapon to defend herself from future assasin that might go after her. Duke Roger Alpheus also got her magic teacher by the name Tate who is a magician in Arlanta

It was also believed that Tate was the Mentor of the Great Magician of Blacktower Lucas.

           Lee Ji Hye who recently awaken as Athanasia & she seek to change her fate and survive past her 18 birthday and she's working so hard to gain all the maids of Ruby Palace favor along with her dirtbag of a father putting on act of innocent and cute to gain their favor, but while the Emperor just tolerant her presence, but she has yet to truely gain the favor of her father.

Jennete learn under Tate for 5 years learning magic and taught him everything he knows before finally leaving Obelia and return to Arlanta by then she was already 12 years old with long golden blond hair that are in twin pigtails buns and with a beautiful blue jewel eyes. She already has a strong magical powers and she has unquie mark on her forehead a golden upward crescent moon, which glow when she use ever use to her magic. By then she already has her Divine Beast for 5 years now, he meet her divine beast a year after she began learning magic from Tate. She meet him when he was looking for food. Her devine beast also has the unquie mark on his forehead a golden upward crescent moon, like Jennette which are the mark of Lunaria royalty in her last life as Princess Serenity.

She has never been a pacifist unlike what her mother Queen Serenity the fourt has believe, but she a Lunarian scout train like her former cousin in her last life Sailor Dike, she was one of the most powerful scout but she also has disguise to prevent her mother the Queen from finding out that she's a scout train. Even Queen Hela of Saturn her stepmother taught her how to weild a spear and help her train along side her half sister Princess Hotaru who is the misunderstood out of all the senshi.

2 years later...

Athanasia work so hard to gain her father favor which somehow she manged to gain some of his favor but sometime he still ignors which she dosen't know why. And her dubte is tomrrow and she will end up meeting Jennette and so will her father, but if that happen she might say goodbye to surving so she has stop Jennette from meeting her father somehow tomrrow, she just has to, she dosen't want to die in this new life after only woking after 9 years living as Athanasia.

The maids of Emerald Palace got Athanasia ready for her dubte and the Emperor also gaved her a better dress than the one Athanasia original worn in the novel.

She has to get ready to stop her father from meet Jennette she just has to, but when she arrived she can't find Jennette anywhere but Duke Roger and ijekiel are already so Jennette has to be around here somewhere. Her escort is Felix, original she wanted her father to escort her but she thought that he might not show up so she ask Felix instead so she was shock that her father show up at all.

      Felix Robane knows the only reason his Majesty even show up at the Princess Athanasia's debtute is the chance he might meet his eldest daughter their since Penelope run away with her while she was pregnant after his majesty's coup d'etat, with Penelope dead they don't know where Princess Jennette currently reside.

Athanasia look for Jennette everywhere after she dance with Felix but her father didn't even ask her for a dance he was so busy searching for someone in crowds and who he was search for she dosen't know. She want to continue her search but Duke Roger is already infront of father when he introduce Jennette to father but this Jennette look nothing like in the original Novel, she long blonde hair that nearly reach the ground unlike the brown hair she thought she'll have and blue gem eyes. And a unique mark on her forehead which look like a tattoos.

She's wearing a beautiful dress she ever seen, she thought that by wearing a different dress for her debute that the out come would be different

The dress the Jennette currently wearing makes her look like a goddess came down to earth and father even accepted Jennette as his daughter when Duke Roger introduce her to him even going so far as to give Jennette Opal Palace which are the Palace of the Crown Princes/Princess so with her father giving her that Palace basicly said to all the nobles that he already favor Jennette even after just meeting her about 5 minutes ago. And she dosen't even recognized Jennette's escort to the debute but she did find out his name and that she's Jennette's childhoodbfriend Jeremy agriche.

Athanasia de alger obelia was horrified to find out that her father has accepted Jennette as his daughter so quickly while it took her two years to gain some of her father's favor and not only that he has basicly named Jennette Crown Princess after giving her Ophal Palace since it's where the crown Prince/princess lives.

As months pass by her father and Jennette slowly get closer and closer while she was beging push back and slowly beging ignored by her father many maids already loves Jennette since many meet her before they found out that she's Emperor's daughter and it dosen't help anything that many Nobel's love and adore Jennette having the Support of the Alpheus and Agriche family which is a powerful Dukedom family. While Athanasia still has no support not even the Emperor since he know support Jennette. Her maids slowly leave her, until only, Lily, Hannah, and Cres remain with her.

Even Lucas seem to like Jennette, I thought that he would hate her since she was suppose to be a Chimera well the original Jennette in novel was a Chimera but with Lucas current reaction I guess Jennette isn't a chimera in this life.

Athanasia visited Jennette to Ophal Palace to give her inivation in person for her party and she found that Jennette also has a divine beast like herself but unlike Raven who look like a black and blue dog this one is a white fox with the same unique marking on it's forehead like Jennette

She really look like a real goddess which only cause envy in her heart to grew and with how little time she spent time with her father she already gain his favor while I have to work hard just to gain the favor only to lose it to Jennette how is that fair. Even the noble ladies I invited for my tea party adored Jennette and it seem that they are also Jennette's friends especially Lady Helena who's protective of Jennette.

         Lucas the magician of Blacktower found out that Princess Jennette and her friend Lady Helena are both reborn soul from a different world unlike Athanasia they were a princess of their own Planet a goddess in their own right one day they will recieved their immortality once more but Helena made a vow in her last life to protect Jennete in that life to the next and that she would always fallow her she was only one who Jennette trust in their past life.

[candy-floss-crazy]

With a scientific name translating as 'Food Of The Gods', having been eaten for centuries and a taste loved by most people, chocolate is actually a fascinating substance. 1 Its First Shipment Was Mistaken For Sheep Poo We might well have enjoyed the delights of chocolate earlier in this country, if it wasn't for a case of mistaken identity. A Spanish shipment of goods was seized off the coast in the 16th century. But when they opened the sacks of cocoa beans they were mistaken for sheep poo and destroyed. 2 Chocolate, Along With Coffee, Was Once Associated With Rebellion King Charles felt threatened by the coffee and chocolate shops in 1660's England. It had became a drink of the intellectuals and radicals, and he felt they would be meeting to plan subversion. Spain and France didn't have this problem as there it was reserved as a drink for the privileged. The insurance house Lloyd's of London, actually started in a coffee shop. 3 Many Of Our Favourite Chocolate Bars Are 100 Years Old Cadbury's Flake, Fruit and Nut, and the crunchy bar date from the 1920's. Mars Bar, Milky Way, KitKat, Maltesers, Aero and Smarties from the 1930's. This was the golden era of chocolate creativity. An interesting fact, is that the much loved Cadbury's Cream egg, was actually a J.S. Fry's product. It wasn't branded Cadbury until much later. 4 Chocolate Consumption Dates Back 5000 Years Archaeological evidence suggests that people from the Mayo-Chinchipe civilisation were ingestion cacao based products some 3000 years B.C. The Maya poeple were evidently consuming it as a drink between 250 and 850A.D. And it was very popular with the legendary Aztecs. I suppose it was their version of quaffing champagne whilst on a day out at the races. A good cup of cocoa and a few human hearts being cut out. 5 White Chocolate Was Actually A Children's Medicine In Switzerland in the 1930's, doctors tried to improve the health of young patients by giving them vitamin enriched milk. But the older kids thought milk babyish. The addition of cocoa butter resulted in the accidental invention of white chocolate. 6 The Claim That Chocolate Is An Aphrodisiac Is False Damn, I always liked this one. The Aztecs may have been the first on record to draw a link between the cocoa bean and an increase in sexual desire. Montezuma was reputed to have consumed the bean in large amounts to fuel his romantic trysts. There are actually two chemicals in chocolate that do have an effect on sexual desire, tryptophan and phenylethylamine. The first is a building block of serotonin that sexual arousal chemical. The second a stimulant released when people fall in love. Sadly scientists reckon that the amount in chocolate is so low as to have no discernible impact. 7 The Largest Cup Of Hot Chocolate Ever Made Was 1059.4 Gallons It was produced to celebrate Three Kings Day and was achieved by the Municipio de Uruapan (Mexico), in Uruapan, Michoacán, Mexico. It contained 600kg of locally grown chocolate. I bet that had enough tryptophan in to gets things rising. 8 The Most Expensive Chocolate Dessert The Frrrozen Haute Chocolate, which costs an eye watering £12,000, was added to the menu New Yorks Serendipity 3 restaurant. Made in partnership with a luxury jeweller, the sundae uses a fine blend of 28 cocoas. Including 14 of the world’s most expensive. It is then decorated with 5 g of edible 23-carat gold, served in a goblet lined with edible gold. The base of the goblet is an 18-carat gold bracelet with 1 carat of white diamonds. The dessert is eaten with a gold and diamond spoon, which they graciously allow you to take home. I should bloody well think they do at the price of a small car. I would want to be spoon fed it by Heidi Klum for that price. 9 Melts In The Mouth Chocolate is the only edible substance to melt around 32°C , just below normal human body temperature. That’s the reason chocolate melts in your mouth. The scientific name given to the tree that chocolate comes from is Theobroma cacao, means “food of the gods.” The smell of chocolate supposedly increases theta brain waves, which triggers relaxation. Chocolate has over 600 flavor compounds, while red wine has 200, it is actually quite a complex substance. It takes approximately 400 beans to make a single pound of chocolate. 10 We Offer A Range Of Hot Chocolate Carts For Your Event From our Victorian themed wedding carts, to a horse box for those outdoor events, you can have a range of themed offerings. All with our range of delicious drinking chocolate. Choose from everyone's favourite Cadbury's to the upmarket Charbonnel Et Walker. All served with cream, marshmallows, sprinkles and a range of syrups to add extra flavour. Read the full article