#Listen I know the nurse arguments are bull | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

devondespresso · 1 year ago

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WIP Ask Game

tagged by the lovely @itsthestrangestthings and with perfect timing too! I've just finished the outline for the next arc and need to get words down

Rules

In a reblog of this post (so people can find you in the notes) or new thread (w/ rules attached) if you want to play on your own, post up to five (5) filenames of your WIPs; not titles, file names.

Post a snippet from one of them. Snippet must be words you wrote in the last 7 days. We’re posting progress here. If you haven’t made any, go make some and come back to play!

After you’ve posted, people can send you an ask with one of your file names. You must then write 3 sentences in that file. If the filename is one you can't share from (for example, an event or gift fic), write 3 sentences on it anyway, and then 3 more on another to share.

(per usual I only have my one wip, so I'll be listing scenes from my Steve Henderson AU instead of different files. I'm also listing them with the short details i remember them by because they dont really have names lol)

Scenes

The Old Office (where's dustin's dad?)

Before Bed (we try and fail to talk about important things)

Family Dinner (with a side of overthinking)

Nightmare, but worse (for the love of god just talk about things)

Breakdown in the club(house) (as in the little play fort in dustins backyard)

Snippet

(and tags below)

Most of my work in the last 7 days has been trying to figure out what has been feeling off in some of my scenes i already jotted down, then putting together the outline for my next arc, so im being pretty loose with "words in the past 7 days" Chucks of this snippet were the most I've rewritten recently, but I'm definitely sharing more than just the rewritten parts because i can (Steve and Hopper has been one of my favorite dynamics to explore, especially within the context of the hospital and Hop's background)

___

But then a nurse came in, asking if his parents had been notified of his admission. She offered to call if they hadn’t yet, but Hopper promised he would take care of it.

He stood by the wall waiting for someone to pick up on the other line while Steve sat on the side of the bed and El curled up in a guest chair nearby. Hop stood there listening to several minutes of dialing sounds and voicemail over and over with no sign of stopping.

“If they won't pick up after 5 minutes they're not going to pick up after 10."

Hop glared over.

"Thank you, Harrington, very helpful." he grumbled but still gave up and set the phone back.

“Just tell the nurse they know and don’t worry about it.” he offered, laying back down.

“Yeah and just leave ‘em in the dark about their kid in the damn hospital.”

“I’ll call them later.”

Hopper huffed from the other side of the room. Steve tried not to focus on it, but after too long of a silence, especially after the building frustration, he had to look over.

Hop stood silent, leaned back against the wall. A mixture of thinking and working through his frustrations.

An unnerving amount of thinking for Hop, and his expressions were harder to read than most, having his own more subtle tells Steve hadn't known him long enough to recognize.

He looked over at Steve, gathering clues or something. Steve shot a face back, asking for an explanation.

He thought for a moment, then crossed his arms and walked over to him.

“Why don’t you want anyone here?”

Steve scooted back, sat up and crossed his arms back.

“Because it’s not that big of a deal-”

“That's a load of bull.”

Steve rolled his eyes, projecting annoyance to say This is not going to go anywhere.

“I’ve already dealt with a concussion on my own before and, surprise, it was fine.”

“That’s not it.” he said slow and cold: the tone he used to shut down that argument with Mike. “Tell me why.”

“I told you!” he said, pushing down more nerves to throw that tone back at him.

"No, you haven't."

"Well, what do you want me to say!"

“The truth, Harrington!” he yelled.

Steve froze in place, holding the scowl in place, keeping his eyes glued to Hopper to hide his reaction. Hopper caught himself, sighing and looking away in a self-directed disappointment. Only after the break in tension did Steve look away, staring at the wall.

Calm down, it was an accident. He didn’t mean to.

“I just want to know the truth, kid.” he backed up a good few feet, leaning back against the wall and looking at him firmly, “Because I can’t think of anyone who’d want to be completely alone in a hospital. Let alone a kid.”

He’s not like that, he’s trying not to be. He’s stopped.

His throat was tight and he could feel tears invading his eyes.

Not here, not here, not here

“You trying to prove something?” Hop guessed, taking his silence for stubbornness. He can work with that.

Steve threw a glare at him, getting up and going to the room’s bathroom, putting a lot of effort into appearing completely steady despite the dizziness. Hopper followed.

“Kid, I'm just trying to help.” He said, putting a hand on the door to keep him from opening it.

He’s not gonna drop it. Not trusting his voice to hold, Steve ripped out his wallet and shoved over a business card. Hop took it with his free hand, confusion distracting him enough to let Steve yank the door open and slip inside.

“Harringt-”

He slammed the door right behind him with a loud thud that made his breath catch. He quickly locked it, then held his breath a moment and closed his eyes. Then he breathed out slowly, quietly, and flicked the light on. Waited to hear Hopper’s footsteps leading away from the door back towards the phone before opening his eyes again.

Finally

___

Tags

@stobinesque @fag4dykestobin @museumgiftshoperaser @sharpbutsoft @spicysix @blushweddinggowns @marvel-ous-m @alexcharmsyou

(no pressure ofc 💕💕)

#steve harrington #stranger things #steve and hopper #hopper and steve #stevecentric #sad steve harrington #tw trauma #steve harrington has bad parents #devon's steve henderson au #devon thinks sometimes #wip game #wip ask game #wip weekend #wip wednesday

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theartist666-official · 4 years ago

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~ Heroic Halloween || MHA Boys x GN! Reader || SFW Halloween HCs ~

(A/N: I’m kinda bored so here are some headcanons for if you and one of the mha boys decided to both wear costumes that paired cuz that couple shit is cute uwu)

edit: just so y’all know, i’m making more headcanons similar to this with other characters. so please check them out. if you want to that is idk

Izuku Midoriya

• He’s probably spending a lot of time considering what he wanted to wear this year for Halloween (other than an All Might costume lol)

• Then here you come suggesting that this year you two could get couple’s costumes so you can pair with each other

• When you say this, he’s a little surprised. He’s definitely thought of it before ever since he started crushing on you, but he didn’t think it would ever actually happen.

• “You want us to go as paired characters?” His face definitely turning a bright shade of red.

• So of course, he says yes and is very ecstatic. He then goes into his mutter-mutter mode while trying to think of all the pairings you two could possibly go as.

• Eventually you two end up going as Sherlock and Watson

Katsuki Bakugou

• From the outside, he doesn’t look like he really cares about what to go as for Halloween, and he doesn’t. But he wonders what you’re wanting to go as.

• When you go suggest getting couple’s costumes, he immediately says, “No. I don’t even care about stupid shit like that.” He scoffed.

• As much as he denies your suggestion, you don’t stop persisting. Eventually he caves in and complies to the idea, not that he actually minded it in the first place. Tsundere much ō3ō

• Though he was very adamant about shooting down the suggestion, he’s actually looked online in his free time for some couple’s costume ideas and has helped with the decision making.

• His argument: “If we’re going as a pair, we’re gonna have to be the best damn pair that’ll make everyone jealous and writhe at that fact that we’re better than them.” Katsuki what the fu—

• The pairing you two go as is a devil and an angel

Shoto Todoroki

• This boy doesn’t really care too much about Halloween, but he still wants to find some sort of costume to wear because he’s still learning to engage in activities he wasn’t really able to as a kid

• At first he decides to himself without too much thought, “I guess I’ll go as a ghost.” But when you suggest going as a coupled pair for Halloween, he immediately disregards being whatever the heck he thought about.

• He’s definitely a bit surprised by the suggestion, but he’s intrigued. Plus he’ll do it because he kinda wants to please you.

• He’s not exactly an expert when it comes to planning these kinds of things, so he’ll listen to some of your suggestions and even go to the other classmates for help.

• In the end you two go as a knight and a prince/princess

Eijiro Kirishima

• This precious boy will be thinking, “What’s something super manly or cool that’ll impress my friends?” when trying to decide what to go as for Halloween.

• Y’know, because he cares about what people think of him 🙂

• Anyways, when you come up to him and suggest going as a coupled pair this year for Halloween, he’ll smile so wide and be very ecstatic. He’ll probably pick you up and spin you around praising you for the idea.

• Now with a new found determination, he’s going through many ideas online and even goes around the mall or some sort of Halloween store for ideas.

• “You’re really excited for Halloween this year, aren’t you?” You’d chuckle. “How can I not? I get to do something fun that only my love and I can share!”

• So for Halloween, you two go as a pirate and a mermaid/merman

Hanta Sero

• He wants to do something impressive this year for Halloween, but he doesn’t really know what. He could go as a mummy or a ninja or maybe even try to pull off the vampire look this year.

• While looking through magazines for ideas, you catch him off guard when you tell him you’d like for the two of you to pair up this year and wear couple’s costumes.

• “Really? That’s such a good idea! Why didn’t I think of that? Nothing less from mi amor~” (a/n side note: i’m such a simp for latino sero)

• He often brags to the others that he gets to do something as fun as this with his s/o every time they’re around him while he’s looking through pinterest boards of costume ideas

• For Halloween, you two go as a matador and a bull

Denki Kaminari

• He’s the one suggesting it before you even get the chance to

• Ever since you two became a thing, he’s fantasized many of the future events you two will celebrate together including Halloween.

• As the months drew closer to the month of spooks, he’s compiled a list of costume ideas while adding and taking some away out of consideration

• Some of his pairing ideas don’t even actually pair well or accurately together. “What do you mean? A sexy nurse and a swordsman totally go together!”

• Reluctantly, he crosses those ones off the list but always keeps them in mind and still has some of those costumes in his Amazon shopping cart.

• However, the both of you end up going as a witch doctor and a voodoo doll

Tenya Iida

• Tenya’s probably considered going as Frankenstein’s monster or a zombie or something, but he decides to go to you for ideas and to ask what you’ll be this year.

• Jokingly you tell him you wanna wear some kind of promiscuous costume like a succubus/incubus and he’ll scold you and tell you to throw that idea out the window immediately.

• You then tell him you actually wanted to go as a pairing together for Halloween and he’s a bit surprised, maybe a little flustered. But smiling sweetly at you, he agrees.

• When trying to decide what the two of you should go as, he wants it to be something that symbolizes/represents you both well.

• He’ll ask his classmates for help but will mostly rely on the internet or magazines for costume ideas.

• For Halloween you two decide to go steampunk

Fumikage Tokoyami

• You know this boy’s already thinking about what to wear for Halloween considering it’s the day after his birthday (and because he edgy boy)

• While deciding his costume, he wonders about what you’ll be wearing on that day.

• So when he asks you, and you tell him you actually wanna go as something paired together, he’s caught by surprise.

• “Well, I suppose I don’t mind. That would make decision-making on costumes much easier.”

• He’s honestly really happy you wanted that because it also gives him more reason to strengthen the bonds in your relationship and be more intimate with you.

• So eventually you two decide to go as a grim reaper and a ghost

#bnha x reader #izuku midoriya x reader #katsuki bakugou x reader #shoto todoroki x reader #eijiro kirishima x reader #hanta sero x reader #denki kaminari x reader #tenya iida x reader #fumikage tokoyami x reader

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jewishzevran · 4 years ago

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Companion Guide: Ori Lavellan

Original template from @dextronoms, art by @tzedekart

Inquisitor’s Name: Ori Lavellan

Alternate Name?: None

Race, Class, & Specialization: Elf, Mage, Spirit Healer/Fire

Varric’s Nickname for them: Firecracker

Default Tarot Card: Strength (bravery, compassion, protection)

How they are recruited: Ori is part of a group of Dalish elves from the Free Marches that have come to assist the rebel mages. She can be found in the Hinterlands, tending to the wounded in a refugee camp. She will initially be standoffish with non-mage or non-elf Inquisitors, but through conversation will reveal that a nearby group of bandits have stolen most of her medical supplies and she fears those she is treating will die without them. If the party locate the bandits and retrieve her supplies, the Inquisitor can ask her to join the Inquisition as they need talented medics such as herself.

Where they are in Haven: Ori can be found near the pier, past the soldiers, where she has set up a small fire and healer’s tent. She will be tending to the injury of a soldier resting on her cot, and she will be singing under her breath quietly. There is a cutscene with Cullen where the Inquisitor happens upon the end of an argument between the two, and observes Ori take a swing at the commander before storming off. The Inquisitor will comment on her aim, and Cullen will nurse a split lip. If the Inquisitor asks what the argument was about, Cullen will say that Ori grew up in Kirkwall and there are apparently wounds that are still raw.

Where they are in Skyhold: Ori will be outside the infirmary, watching the courtyard, though sometimes she may be either tending to injured soldiers, or observing the sparring ring. Most of her cutscenes take place in the courtyard area. With a high enough approval, the Inquisitor can inquire about her past, and she will divulge that she was born in the Kirkwall, that her parents were killed by Templars raiding the alienage looking for elven apostate children to take to the Gallows, and that she left to seek out her mother’s clan in around 9:34 Dragon. Her opening dialogue at Skyhold begins with her covering the body of a dead soldier, but thanking the Inquisitor for saving so many lives.

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

Things they Generally Approve of:

Greatly Approve -

Making the mages allies

Saving all the civilians in Haven

Putting Briala in Power

Drinking from the Well of Sorrows (Elf Inquisitor)

Gaining approval from the Dalish (if in party)

Approve -

Compassionate choices in judgements

Completing side quests that help civilians, mages or elves

Allowing the Grey Wardens to join the Inquisition

Picking the infirmary upgrade for Skyhold

Slightly Approve -

Killing Red Templars

Exploring Elven Ruins

Dialogue options that are chantry and templar critical

Things they Generally Disapprove of:

Greatly Disapprove -

Making the mages prisoners

Recruiting the Templars (without disbanding)

Reuniting Celene and Briala

Keeping Celene in power

Selling the Dalish history to the chantry

Clan Lavellan killed

Disapprove -

Supporting Cassandra as Divine

Allowing Morrigan to drink from the Well of Sorrows (Elf Inquisitor)

Claiming to be the Herald of Andraste

Letting Cullen interrogate Samson

Telling Cullen to continue taking Lyrium

Slightly Disapprove -

Killing Dragons

Lying to Dorian about his father’s letter

Making Cole human

Dialogue that is critical or derogatory towards elves

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

Mages, Templars, Other?: Ori is resolutely pro-mage. If recruited before In Hushed Whispers/Champions of the Just, and the mages are made prisoners or templars not disbanded, she will leave the Inquisition unless the Inquisitor is an elf or a mage, in which case she may be persuaded to stay, but she will still greatly disapprove. Several of her further dialogue options are locked off, and it will be impossible to complete her personal quest. If she is not sought out until after the quest and either of these choices were picked, she will be permanently unrecruitable.

Friends in the Inquisition: Varric, Iron Bull, Cole, Krem, Sera, Vivienne (if questioned about their differing positions regarding the Circles, Ori will remark that she and Vivienne disagree but she has a great deal of respect for her, and values her opinion highly).

Rivals in the Inquisition: Cullen, Cassandra, Morrigan Neutral towards: Dorian, Solas, Blackwall, Josephine, Leliana

Romanceable?: Ori is not romanceable by the Inquisitor, though flirt dialogues are available for all races and genders. If the Inquisitor is persistent enough, it will trigger a cutscene where the two are alone, and the Inquisitor leans in to kiss Ori. She will pull away and apologise, saying that she hadn’t meant to lead the Inquisitor on, but that she is in love with someone else. If Anders was romanced in DA2, Ori will remark that her affections are unrequited.

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

Small Side Quest: A Night of Revelry Ori will mention to the inquisitor that the elves that are part of the inquisition are feeling quite homesick, particularly the Dalish that have been separated from their clans, and she would like to hold a party for a night to allow the elves to celebrate their culture, with traditional Dalish songs and dances. If the Inquisitor agrees, Ori asks them to acquire some ingredients so she can help the kitchen make food in preparation. Once this is complete and the items delivered to the kitchen, a cutscene will trigger with Ori inside the Herald’s Rest who is stood on a table singing whilst a very large gathering of elves joins in, interjected with cheering and whistling. A space has been cleared for a dance floor and there is a band of elvish musicians playing where Maryden usually is. Ori will notice the Inquisitor as her song finishes, and she comes to talk to them and thank them for allowing them to have such a special evening.

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

Companion quest: Sanctum Santorum Note: This quest is only available when approval with Ori is very high. A cutscene will trigger where Ori is poring over a map, and will jump when the Inquisitor appears. She will look visibly nervous and flustered, and asks very seriously if she can trust the Inquisitor. The Inquisitor replies with yes, and Ori will then say she has managed to track an old friend to somewhere in the Emerald Graves and asks the Inquisitor to go with her and help find him. The next time Ori is in the party in the Emerald Graves, a small cutscene will trigger where she notices a mark on a tree and remarks that “he must be close”. The search function is then used to find three more signs (blood from an animal carcass, flattened grass from someone sitting or lying down, and the remnants of a fire, the last being outside a well-hidden cave. A magical trap is triggered and the party must fight off several angry spirits. When combat ends, a cutscene is triggered of the Inquisitor and Ori creeping inside the cave at night. A spell comes flying out the dark and both characters dodge, then a voice shouts from further in “don’t come any closer!” The Inquisitor goes for their weapon and Ori places a hand on their arm and shakes her head. She then lights a flame, illuminating herself, the Inquisitor and most of the cave, shedding light on a small, dirty campsite situated right at the back, and a cloaked figure with a staff raised to attack. She then says quietly, “Anders? It’s me. It’s Ori.” The figure slowly drops their staff, then steps into the light and pulls their hood down revealing themselves to indeed be Anders. He squints at the pair for a moment, and upon recognising Ori, breaks into a smile and hugs her tightly. Dialogue then follows where Ori reveals her long-standing friendship with Anders and the Inquisitor can ask about their history. If questioned, Ori will say she supports Anders’ actions at the end of DA2, and will remark that it pained her to see a place of worship destroyed and lives lost as a result but after all the evil she’s seen, she knows it was necessary. After dialogue is finished, Ori will thank the Inquisitor for coming with her, and beg them not to say anything.

Option 1: Let Anders go. Ori will greatly approve of this choice. If this option is selected, the Inquisitor will promise to keep Anders’ location a secret, and hopes they can meet one day in better circumstances. Ori and Anders will say their goodbyes, and Ori and the Inquisitor will depart. Back at Skyhold a cutscene will trigger where Ori is sat by a window reading a letter and smiling, and when prompted, will say it is from Anders. She will thank the Inquisitor again, and say that she lost contact with him when she left Kirkwall to join her mother’s clan, so she’s glad he’s safe and that she can keep an eye on him again. If the kiss scene has been played, the Inquisitor can comment on Ori’s feelings for Anders, asking if he is the person she had previously referred to. She will agree, and either comment sadly on Hawke being who makes him happy, (if he was romanced in DA2), or blush and say she hopes one day she will pluck up the courage to confess to him. There is a dialogue option for the Inquisitor to encourage this.

Option 2: Bring Anders back to Skyhold for judgement (unlocks the quest The Judgement of Anders).

Ori will greatly disapprove of this choice, and will be visibly upset, telling the Inquisitor she trusted them and feels betrayed, and will not listen to any justifications for this decision. It will be impossible to engage in dialogue with her until The Judgement of Anders is complete; the first attempt to do so will trigger a cutscene in the infirmary where Ori shouts at the Inquisitor, for all subsequent attempts she will simply reply “leave me, I have patients to care for”.

Follow-up Quest: The Judgement of Anders

Ori will be present in the main hall during this judgement.

If the Inquisitor pardons Anders, Ori will greatly approve. After the quest is finished, the next time she is interacted with, it will trigger a cutscene where the Inquisitor walks in on Anders and Ori holding each other, both crying and laughing. They break apart when they hear the Inquisitor, and Anders will smile at the Inquisitor, squeeze Ori’s hand and leave the room. Ori will then give the Inquisitor a tight hug, and thank them profusely. There will be dialogue about what Anders plans to do forthwith, and the Inquisitor has the option to invite him to stay on as healer at Skyhold, which Ori will greatly approve of. The Inquisitor will now also have the same dialogue options regarding her romantic sentiments from option 1. If Anders stays on as healer, then, Ori will then sometimes be found talking with him inside the infirmary. If not romanced in DA2, idle dialogue later in the game will imply that he and Ori have started a relationship.

If the Inquisitor conscripts Anders, Ori will have no approval change, but if the Inquisitor executes Anders, Ori will greatly disapprove and permanently leave the Inquisition.

Tarot card change:

Option 1 - If Anders let go: VI of Cups (reunion, healing, joy)

Option 2 - If Anders brought to Skyhold: X of Swords (betrayal, defeat, loss)

Option 3 - If Anders pardoned: The Star (hope, faith, renewal)

Option 4 - If Anders executed: III of Swords (heartbreak, suffering, grief)

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

Cole’s reflection on their thoughts:

“Panic. Screaming. Armor silver and sharp and unforgiving. Helplessness. Grief. So much anger. Family taken without warning. “In their blood the maker’s will is written”. A hole in your chest. Guilt. Guilt. Guilt. It’s my fault. I should have stopped it.”

“White lines where skin has healed but you still feel its bite. Dreams darkened by wretched smiles and pleas for mercy gone unanswered. Tears darken the dirt and water the roots of the tree that cries out in anguish for salvation that will never come.”

“So full of righteous fury. So determined to seek justice. A clenched fist, gritted teeth, a battle cry. An apron worn like armor. A voice for the voiceless. A flame inside that never dies. Always strong. Always caring. I will protect them. There is so much love inside you.”

“You love him. He sees you when no one else does. Words spoken through silence. Hazel eyes and healer’s hands. Soft smiles and gentle touches that feel almost holy. (If Anders was romanced in DA2) You whisper his name in the dark. It hurts that he doesn’t hear it, but you want him to be happy more than anything else.”

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

Comment(s) on Mages: (referring to the Circle) “No one deserves to be locked away for a circumstance of birth.” / “We’ve been fighting for so long. We just want freedom and peace.” / “Magic is a gift.” / “Our light will outlast this hatred.”

Comment(s) on Templars: “They claim to be peacekeepers, but they wield fear like a weapon.” / “I’ve never met a Templar I can trust. They’re all the same.”

When looking for something: “Keep your eyes sharp.” / “We should investigate.”

When finding a campsite: “We should rest.” / “This will be good for a camp.”

When the Inquisitor Falls: “Be more careful!” / “Not on my watch, Inquisitor!”

When they are low on Health: “It’s not wise to let your healer die!” / “Fenhedis!”

When they see a Dragon: “So beautiful, and so misunderstood. It is a privilege to behold such a creature.”

Default saying: "How can I help you?" / (high approval, teasing) “What needs healing this time?”

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

Travel Banter with Canon Companions:

Varric: It’s been a while, Firecracker. Ori: Indeed it has. It’s good to be adventuring with you again Varric. Varric: Just like old times! Though I suppose if we’re picking our favourite old times, I’d rather be drinking the liquor you and Daisy used to make than out here shooting demons. Ori: (laughs) I think the demons are easier to handle.

Cassandra: You are Dalish, Lavellan, but you were raised in Kirkwall? Ori: (curtly) Yes. Cassandra: Why did you leave? Ori: Templars murdered my parents. Cassandra: I’m sorry. Ori: I will not speak of them again. Not to you. Cassandra: What have I done to make you dislike me so? Ori: You stand for an order that has enslaved and murdered my people for generations, justify the imprisonment and oppression of mages, refuse to acknowledge the corruption in your own ranks and then choose to remain wilfully ignorant of why I have cause to distrust you. Cassandra: I… Ori: I would wish that you could spend a day in my shoes during my time in the alienage, Seeker, but I do not think you would survive it.

(If Anders was not romanced in DA2, and was invited to stay with the Inquisition after his trial) Iron Bull: So… Ori: So? Iron Bull: You and Blondie, huh? Ori: What about us? Iron Bull: Have you told him how you feel yet? Ori: I don’t know what you’re talking about. Iron Bull: Sure. And I’m the Queen of Antiva. Ori: Is it really that obvious? Iron Bull: Kid, you’re about as subtle as my horns. He’s about the only person in all of Skyhold that hasn’t noticed. Ori: Oh sweet creators…

Vivienne: You are a very talented mage, my dear. Ori: As are you, ma’am. It is a privilege to watch you fight. I have learnt much. Blackwall: But you use different styles of magic? Ori: Frost and Fire are opposites yes, but Madame de Fer’s use of offensive ice magic informs my defensive fire, and vice versa. I learn how to better protect myself and exploit my enemy’s weakness. Vivienne: (smiling) Very astute my dear. We shall have to meet up to practice some time. Ori: I should like that very much, ma’am.

(if Blackwall was pardoned after his revelation) Blackwall: There have been many that have turned their backs on me, Miss Ori, but you have not wavered in your kindness. I am very grateful for that. Ori: I may disapprove of your original actions, Blackwall, but we have all done things we are not proud of. What matters is how we move forward.

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

Leaving the Inquisition: (what do they say or do if the approval is low enough for them to leave?)

Ori will leave the Inquisition if her approval becomes low enough, or after choices she disapproves of after In Hushed Whispers/Champions of the Just or The Judgement of Anders.

Ori will be found packing her bags in the infirmary. If this takes place after Anders’ execution, she will be seen holding his mage robes to her chest and weeping. She will not acknowledge the Inquisitor until her name is spoken, and then she will turn around, visibly shaken and upset.

“I trusted you. I thought you might actually make a difference, that you cared. But you are just like the rest of them. You stand here claiming to be holy and expect me to believe that your God - any God - would condone this? You are drunk on power and your heart is bitter and cruel. I will not assist your crusade or become complicit as you remain blinded to the corruption running through the heart of your ideals. May your name and memory be erased. I pray we never meet again, Herald.”

#ash writes #ori lavellan #inquisitor as a companion #inquisitor lavellan #my ocs #oof this was long

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detectivecarlosreyes · 4 years ago

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Afraid For You

Also on Ao3 | Word Count: 1.6k | Day: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7

Day 5: Buddie + “How do we fix this?” + angst

@buddieweek2020

This was not how Buck thought his night would go.

It started with him and Eddie having an argument borne off the tailcoats of their last rescue of the night. He had made a split-second decision, a justified and ultimately correct one that resulted in him saving a life, he just didn’t have the time to tell anyone that he made it until he emerged from the building covered in soot and glass and carrying an elderly woman.

Once they were off shift and at home the tension that had been held between him and Eddie finally manifested into an argument, one that was about being too reckless at work. They were in a steady relationship, and Eddie argued that it was time that Buck realised that, that he had a partner, a family that needed him to come home and not risk his life so needlessly.

Somehow it then shifted to being about trust. The fact that despite the fact that Buck trusted Eddie to do what was necessary in order to save someone, Eddie couldn’t do the same. That he didn’t trust that Buck was capable of making the hard choice, to get himself out of the situations that he puts himself in in order to save a life.

In the end, they were both left standing there, stung by the words that were said, out of argument material but still upset and angry over the situation.

“How do we fix this?” was all he asked Eddie when they had run out of things to say, but from the looks of it neither of them had an answer, at least not in this moment while emotions were still running high.

All he knew was that he needed to get out, to take some time away to think and give each other some space, so he left, telling Eddie that he was going for a drive but promised that he’d be back in a few hours.

Now, kneeling beside a man as he pumped his chest on the road, with blood running into his eyes, Buck wished more than anything that he had Eddie by his side.

Once again he was caught in an unlucky situation; wrong place, wrong time. The road had empty aside from one oncoming car when it happened. The car swerved, and he had barely enough time to react to avoid a head-on collision, but that’s not to say he and his car came away unscathed.

The car managed to clip his back bumper hard, sending him into a spin while it continued to careen into a brick wall. Everything that happened, did so in a blur. He cracked his head on the window before the airbags deployed from the steering wheel sending it crashing into his face and chest.

Buck doesn’t remember getting out of his car when it came to a stop, all he knows is that he managed to walk away from it and went straight to the other car, to find the driver unresponsive.

He doesn’t remember calling 911, but they were on the phone with him after he managed to pull the man from the wreckage of his car when he found that he had no pulse.

All he knows is that his chest felt like it was on fire and his eye stung as his vision turned red while he worked on this man. Miraculously, after only 4 cycles of compressions, the middle-aged man sputtered back to life and started breathing on his own, and all Buck could do was let out a sigh of relief as he rolled him into the recovery position.

He sat there, with his fingers on the still unconscious but now breathing man’s pulse as he updated the 911 operator who sounded suspiciously familiar. His chest ached, and breathing was now painful to the point of being a near-impossible task, so he sat and waited, hoping the ambulance was close because he’s pretty sure he’s about to pass out.

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

When Eddie’s phone rang, he thought it would be Buck, hoping that it would be Buck because he’d been gone for over two hours and he couldn’t help but feel like something was wrong.

Turns out it was the other Buckley calling.

And it wasn’t good news.

The only words that registered were: Buck, hurt, and accident. That was all he needed to know before he was flying out the door with car keys in hand. Asking for the hospital he was transported to.

Maddie couldn’t give him much information as he drove, all she knew was that Josh had gotten a 911 call from Buck saying that had been in a car accident and had to resuscitate the other driver, which he did only to end up being transported to the hospital with his own injuries, It was unclear what the injuries were, but from what she gathered, Buck became unresponsive shortly after he announced that the driver had a pulse again.

From the sounds of it, they weren’t good if he had to be transported in his own ambulance. But surely they couldn’t have been that bad if Buck was able to perform CPR unassisted. Still, all that Eddie could imagine was a worst-case scenario and he couldn’t help but feel like it was his fault that Buck was hurt in the first place.

He should have stopped him. Why didn’t he? If they had just listened to each other and talked it out instead of yelling at each other, Buck wouldn’t have felt the need to leave, he wouldn’t have been in this accident alone, and he would have been safe at home. Eddie hopes that it's not as bad as he’s imagining because he would hate for the last memory Buck had of him would be of their fight.

Eddie was pretty sure that he made it to the hospital in record time and its times like these that he’s grateful that Christopher was at a sleepover. He wouldn’t have wanted him to see how uneasy and anxious he is over the thought of Buck being hurt and he’s well aware that he wouldn’t have been able to hide it from him.

When he gets to the main desk he’s barely had the chance to utter “I’m looking for my fiancé Evan Buckley,” when the familiar voice of Athena cuts across the din of the Emergency waiting room.

“Eddie, over here.”

Confused, he thanks the person at the desk and joins her on the far wall, “Athena? What are you doing here?”

“I was dispatched to the accident. I didn’t know it was Buck until I got there, he’s was already being loaded into the ambulance by the time I was on the scene. I followed them here to get his statement.”

Before he has a chance to ask her if she knew how he was, a nurse joined them saying that Buck was ready to take visitors now that they had finished assessing him. He explained the short list of injuries as they walked.

It’s not until Eddie sees Buck in person that he allows the tightness in his chest to loosen. Of course, Buck was chatting with the doctor who was working on the deep cut on his forehead. He barely looked injured aside from the gash, but Eddie knew from the nurse that the worst of it was hidden by his gown.

When he sees Eddie and Athena his smile brightens a moment before it dims as if he remembers the core reason why he was in this predicament. Athena, ever perceptive, notices this and takes charge, asking Buck everything he remembered from the accident. As Buck recounts his side of the events, Eddie is reminded of the reasons he loved the man and can’t help but feel proud of him for what he did.

It’s not until after Athena and the doctor had left does he finally address his fiancé with fond exasperation, “You’re an idiot, you know that right? Putting yourself at risk. You could have punctured a lung from your rib fractures from resuscitating that man, Buck.”

“I was the only one there! He would have died if I didn’t do anything.” Bucks gestures without thinking and winces from the movement.

Eddie groans softly to himself at Buck’s bull-headedness and moves closer to the bed and rests a hand lightly in his hair, “And if you did puncture a lung before the ambulance got there, you might have died with him.”

“But I didn’t, Eddie! And I saved a life, why don’t you get that?”

He ends up sitting heavily in the chair beside Buck, frustrated that he still wasn’t understanding what he was trying to say, “Our fight from before; I realised after you left that it was never about me not trusting your ability, you’re a brilliant firefighter, it was me being afraid for you.” He runs a hand through his hair as his eyes fixate on the only visibly wound on Buck as he continues.

“You are so willing to save a life at the cost of your own to the point that you don’t even bat an eye at it. I was scared over the thought that one day, you’ll go in for a risky rescue and not tell anyone your plan, and when you don’t come back none of us will know what happened to you.”

Buck deflates and settles back down against the pillow, “Oh.”

“Yeah, oh.” Eddie reaches out to take Buck’s hand and gently kisses his knuckles, “Just promise me that you’ll communicate with us from now on, so we can all agree it’s worth the shot even if you think we’re wasting time. I’d rather see you live to have the chance to save more people than to die from a half-cocked plan we could have prevented.”

“Alright, I can do that.” Buck squeezes Eddie’s hand, “I promise.”

#buddieweek2020 #Eddie Diaz #Evan Buckley #Athena Grant #Buddie fic #911 fox #jess writes #my fic #hurt evan Buckley #worried eddie diaz #arguments and make ups #userkourt #userkimmy

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captainofthebrokentides · 5 years ago

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Briefcases and Blood Splatter Chapter 2: Guilty Pleasures and Pool Benny Colon x OC

Thank you everyone who read the first chapter and enjoyed it! it’s always a boost when someone appreciates your work. It makes you work faster to get the next part out!! I hope you all enjoy this one!! let me know! :) 2453 words

The hours had ticked by without Olivia even noticing. The sun was beginning to dip behind the New York skyline, and TAC’s muted windows allowed the little lab to be flooded with a warm orange light. Beeps and whirs came from the temporary machinery, but she paid them no heed, bobbing her head rhythmically along to the music coming through her headphones.

She tapped her pen against the table, her dark eyes searching through the data that her earlier blood and hair analysis tests had provided, hoping to find any new information that had not been in the ‘welcome’ pack she had been given by Marissa.

“Blood-Alcohol level is high. 0.10. High, but not life threatening. Impaired, but not belligerent.” She thought to herself, chewing the cap of her pen, a habit she hadn’t been able to shake since university. “I need to get a test sample of the semen from Alyssa’s body and from the kid. Look and see if there’s blood content mixed in it, or any hallucinogen or toxin.”

She was so involved in the paperwork and her thoughts she hadn’t realised she had company, until he was standing beside her. That delicious smell of sandalwood, leather and citrus engulfed her nose, and she inhaled it happily, closing her eyes for a brief second to savour it.

Benny gently touched her shoulder to get her attention. She looked up at him, and saw his lips moving, but her music drowned out his words. She quickly removed her headphones and smiled up at him apologetically.

“Hey Benny, sorry, I was involved in …”

“The Lion King?” he cut her off with a smirk before she could finish her sentence.

The expression on his face made her mouth dry. Olivia had never been one to get all giggly and shy around men. Even the ones she found attractive. That was her friend Dawn, she normally stayed cool and collected, but there was something about Benny that had struck a cord from the moment the pair of them had made eye contact. It had been completely solidified when Cable and Danny had dropped in to introduce themselves and encouraged her to join them in peeking down into mock court. He oozed confidence while he paced back and forth in front of the jury. He was confident, but not arrogant. His voice full of heat, passion and strength. Olivia was sure she’d never seen someone put so much heart and soul into something that was essentially just an act. He had looked up towards the end of his closing argument and caught her eye. Without missing a beat he’d shot her a dashing smile and a subtle wink.

And in that moment Olivia knew she’d have to keep her wits about her around the lawyer, or she’d become one of those giggly girls she never thought she’d be.

“Sorry?” she said, furrowing her brow in confusion.

“Your headphones, I distinctly heard the opening beats to ‘I just can’t wait to be king’”

Olivia fought the blush that threatened to spider it’s way up her cheeks. She let out a slightly strained laugh instead. “You caught me.” She joked good naturedly “Everywhere I look in my job there’s doom and gloom. Its nice to listen to something light hearted, you know.” She wasn’t sure why she was explaining herself to him, the words just bubbled out of her throat. “So much death, and it’s always blood readings this, urinalysis that, I’m normally up to my elbows is some form of body fluid – and at home, if I’m in the morgue the people I’m working on don’t mind because you know, they’re dead …”

Benny said nothing, but listened to her talk with big smile on his face, showcasing his perfectly straight pearly whites and showing off his boyish dimples. His eyes were alight with amusement, but with no malice.

“I should really shut up, shouldn’t I? Because now I’m babbling at you, and you obviously came in here to ask me something, before I started waffling at you about the merits of Disney soundtracks.” She sighed and bit her lip. She put her pen down and flattened her hands out on the table to mentally and physically ground herself. “I’ll try again. What can I do for you, Benny?”

The lawyer shook his head and laughed. It was a deep, smooth sound that Olivia had instantly come to adore, and she hadn’t spent that long in his company so far. ‘this man is going to be the death of me … but I think I could live with it.’ He gently placed a reassuring hand on top of hers, his fingers curling under her palms and giving the appendage a gentle squeeze.

“If I didn’t already like Disney, you’d have made me a convert.” His deep velvety tones were laced with humour.

“You’re a Disney fan?” the words and their surprised tone had slipped from Olivia’s mouth before she realised they had left her brain.

Benny snorted, “Of course.”

“You’re a dark horse aren’t you? Is the brooding, serious lawyer mask hiding more guilty pleasures?” and now she was flirting. Olivia could barely believe herself. But Benny didn’t seem to have a problem with it, although an intensity took over his dark eyes as he regarded her.

“There’s so much more to me than that, Miss Byrne. I’ll be happy to show you sometime.”

She was sure her ears weren’t deceiving her … was he … flirting back?

She bit her lip again and felt the blush course up her cheeks, unhindered this time. She swore he shifted his weight towards her, closing the gap between them a little more.

The temporary lab door swung open and Marissa wandered in, her head buried in a manilla TAC folder, as usual. Olivia was beginning to realise that was Marissa’s default during the planning stages of a case. Benny almost jumped, as if coming to his senses, and shuffled back to put a bit more space between them. Liv lamented the loss of his warmth by her side.

“Any luck with the blood and hair Liv?” Marissa asked looking up from her folder with a warm smile. She looked at Benny a little shocked. “Oh Benny …”

“I came to ask Olivia here if she’d like to join us at the bar for drinks tonight. Sort of a welcome thing.” He explained deftly. Olivia noted he’d left out any mention of Disney, or what they were really discussing when Marissa had interrupted.

Marissa nodded emphatically, “You should, it’ll be good to get to know you, and you us, a little better.”

Olivia chewed on her bottom lip. It had been a long day, and she’d not yet managed to return to her hotel and unpack her things, but she supposed one drink wouldn’t hurt. She did want to get to know them all, after all. “I really shouldn’t, as I’ve not even unpacked yet. But I want to keep that jet lag at bay. Gotta get myself properly in your time zone. I’ll come for one.”

Marissa grinned happily, and Benny nodded at her, still regarding her with that hot, intense gaze.

“One it is! There will be plenty more times. We’re only just getting started.” The blonde said. “But back to why I’m here. Any luck with the blood and hair?”

Olivia opened her own file and pointed to her results with her pen as she spoke, both Benny and Marissa looking over her shoulders.

“Not much more than you already had. I’ve got the tox and alcohol levels all rated and labelled for you. Is there any way I can get access to the body? I know an autopsy has already been performed, but I’d like to see a few things for myself.”

Marissa nodded, making some notes in her own file. “I will do my best, is there anything else I can do for you?”

Olivia busied herself closing up her notes and packing up her desk. “Yes, I need some semen.”

Benny made an audible choking noise. She glanced at him out the corner of her eye. It was her turn to smirk.

“Semen?” Marissa repeated, checking she was clear.

“Yep, a sample from the girl’s body and a living sample from Brandon so I can compare counts and check for abnormalities … ooh and if you can, a sample of what was on Brandon’s clothing for the night in question. In my experience, teenage boys aren’t exactly brilliantly skilled with their target practice, so it shouldn’t be too hard.”

She could see Benny’s shoulders moving as he chuckled under his breath.

“ok … I’m not sure how I’ll broach that subject, but I’ll do what I can. This could get awkward.”

“Yeah, sorry, I’ve got the easy bit this end.” Olivia shrugged apologetically.

“No problem, I’ll get this logged. See you at the bar.”

Benny gave Marissa a minute to exit before he turned to her with a devilish grin. “In your experience, huh?”

She laughed and lightly slapped his arm. She was very pleased to feel the hard sinew of bulging muscle beneath the finely tailored cloth he wore.

“Get your head out the gutter, I’m probably old enough to be his mum.”

“Probably more like a disapproving aunt.” He held his arm out to her like a gentleman when she threw her handbag over her shoulder. “Shall we?”

She willingly accepted his crooked elbow, and let him lead her from the room. “I used to work in a all boys boarding school while I was putting myself through uni. Trust me, there are a few things I wish I could unsee.”

***

“… And a passionfruit daquiri for our newest member of the family. We’re glad you’re here.” Chunk placed the glass of frosted cocktail down in front of her.

Olivia found herself seated around a large round table, sandwiched between Chunk and Cable, with Marissa and Danny opposite them. They were all laughing, joking and learning things about each other, but she always found her eyes straying to the pool table nearby, where Benny and Bull were in the middle of a heated game.

Benny was currently leaning against the bar, with his pool cue tucked safely behind one leg. He had discarded his suit jacket, waistcoat and tie. The collar of his light blue shirt open by a few buttons and the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The fabric did a wonderful job of showing off his muscles. He was laughing and baiting Bull, nursing what was left of his scotch. Occasionally his eyes would flicker up and meet hers, and he would smile, a soft smile.

“So where did you say you trained in medicine?” Danny asked jovially, catching Olivia’s attention.

“Oh, Southampton, it’s not a big city or a prestigious university, but it was homely.”

“Southampton …” Chunk tapped his fingers on the table in thought, “Where the Titanic sailed from?”

Olivia nodded, taking a mouthful of her drink and sighing, it was just what she needed, “That’s the place.”

“I’ve only ever seen London, I’d like to go back and travel around, see Cornwall and places like that, I hear they’re beautiful.” Marissa said dreamily.

“Cornwall is gorgeous, have you ever had a proper British cream tea?”

“Shhhh, don’t mention food, Benny has the hearing of a bat when it comes to food.” Danny laughed. Olivia too giggled and watched the subject of their conversation through her eyelashes. He was leaning over the pool table, lining his cue up to take a shot. She tried not to openly ogle his ass too much, she’d barely been in their company a day, she didn’t want a reputation, but she had to admit, it was hard.

“Seriously, I’ve never seen someone eat like he does. I’m surprised he’s not fat.” Chunk held his hands up.

“And he’s like a child if he gets hungry, so if he is, I’d make a break for it Liv, save yourself!!” Cable laughed and made a dramatic hand gesture.

“I’m sure I can handle him.” She laughed too. “I’ll bring you all some if I get a chance to make some scones.”

There was a loud pop as the final ball of the pool game was potted, and Bull whooped in victory. “And that my friend is why you need to keep your head in the game.” He sounded smug, and Benny slumped onto his bar stool in defeat, rubbing the back of his neck.

“How about you, new girl, play pool much?” Bull asked her, looking at her over the top of his glasses.

Liv shook her head. “Not really, a couple of times at uni, and when I was young.”

“Come play the next game with me, I promise I wont clean out your wallet unlike Benny here.”

Everyone was watching her to gauge her reaction, it was Bull’s way of testing her mettle in a friendly manner, to see if she fit in with his little ‘family’.

“I don’t play much, I might need a few pointers.” She excused herself from the group and joined the two men at the pool table, she was determined to show Bull that she could hold her own.

“I’ll help you.” Benny said smoothly, finishing his drink and letting his eyes linger on her with that burning intensity.

“Thank you, Benny.” She said sweetly, taking the cue from his outstretched hand. Their fingers brushed against each other and Liv felt her tummy jingle with butterflies.

“My pleasure.” It was almost a hungry growl, gravelly, low and almost erotic.

“And I will enjoy beating you both.” Bull said loudly destroying the moment between them.

“Take him down a peg, Liv!” cheered Chunk and Cable.

Olivia grinned and gave them a thumbs up.

“Your break” Bull said lining up the balls in their starter positions.

“Ok, so if you line up your cue here …” Benny placed one hand on the table where he was indicating and used his other to guide her to the table, his touch warm and secure on the bottom of her back.

She lined the cue up against his hand and looked down the shaft of wood. “Like this?”

“Mhmm, but a little closer, and lower … like this …” Benny encircled her body with his arms, his chin resting on her shoulder, so he could see. He was warm against her back, and Olivia couldn’t help the big, goofy grin on her face at the contact.

Across the other side of the table Bull smirked, satisfied with himself as he watched the pair of them. He looked at Marissa, who shook her head with a resigned smile.

@reelovesbennycolon

#benny colon x reader #benny colon x oc #benny colon #bull #bull2016 #jason bull #fanfic #imagines #benny colon imagines #freddy rodriguez

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wolfpawn · 5 years ago

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I Hate you, I Love You Chapter 5

Chapter Summary - Danielle helps Benedict with Christopher while the pair talk.Tom goes into his mothers and is brought to a realisation that the world is not, contrary to recent belief, all about him.

Previous Chapter

Rating - Mature (some chapters contain smut)

Triggers - references to Tom Hiddleston’s work with the #MeToo Movement. That chapter will be tagged accordingly.

authors Note - I have been working on this for the last 3 years, it is currently 180+ chapters long. This will be updated daily, so long as I can get time to do so, obviously.

I think it goes without saying that I am taking some serious artistic licence with Tom here. I would hope he is more copped on than this......actually, considering the last few months, I think it may be somewhat true, hopefully, he isn't so naive, he is, after all, a (then) 35-year-old man, but let's face it, this makes the story more dramatic.

If you wish to be tagged, please let me know.

tags: @sweetkingdomstarlight-blog @jessibelle-nerdy-mum @nonsensicalobsessions @damalseer

“How are you feeling?” Ben asked. He had met Danielle a few times through Tom and his family, she was incredibly normal, which was refreshing when you’re surrounded by actors and Hollywood. “I heard you yell at Tom about your night.”

“I just…Today is not the day for unimportant bull…” She caught herself before she swore. “Sorry.”

“I keep getting caught myself.” Ben dismissed changing the nappy. “Can I be so rude as to ask to heat some food for him too?”

“Sure, get him sorted and then we’ll organise that then.” She smiled. “It is nine in the morning, did you drive from London?”

“Someone, and I am not pointing fingers,” He pointed to his son. “Is getting up early, and Sophie is in Scotland, so I didn’t know what to do, I thought I would visit Tom, but well…”

“That blew up in your face.”

“That’s the polite way of putting it. This is so…not Tom.”

“Tell me about it, Diana is completely at a loss, so are Emma and Sarah, and for some reason, because he does not want to confront whatever or whoever is eating at him, I am Public Enemy Number One. Does he eat porridge?” She indicated to Christopher.

“Yes, but there’s no need to go to the trouble.”

“I usually have a bowl before I go to bed anyway,” she shrugged. “It’s only a little extra scoop; unless you want some yourself.”

“I am fine, thank you. Strong coffee is good. So you are…”

“I will be fine, I will go to bed for a while, then head to work early and get an assessment and an obligatory counselling session then be back to work.”

“That…Jesus, that’s rough.”

“You get used to it, in some ways, if that makes any bit of sense.”

“Do you not ever get nightmares?”

“Most weeks that something terrible happens, yeah.”

“Jesus.”

“I should have just gone to acting college.”

“Could you have afforded it?” There was a clear hint in Benedict’s voice that he was being sarcastic, clearly having heard everything Tom had said.

“Any other day, I’d have kneed him in the nuts for that, but today, I just can’t care, besides, it is clear, he is not the guy he was.” She sighed.

“Is that…?” Benedict pointed out the window.

“Mac, get down.” Elle didn’t even have to look, she knew it was the dog. “He’s the dog Tom found, yeah.”

“He looks good.”

“A bit scraggily, but yeah, he is doing well now.” She smiled.

“I am sorry.”

“What for?”

“Tom.”

“No one can apologise for him but himself. I only hope he sees sense, and when he does, that everyone is still here for him, because I think I am officially at the very precipice of telling him to go take a running jump off the nearest cliff.”

“No one would blame you. Thank you.” He took the fresh porridge and coffee from her and blew on it.

Half an hour, and a fed waddler later, Benedict thanked her, and left her home, tying Christopher into his car seat, before looking at Diana Hiddleston’s house and sighing.

“What was that ruckus outside Tom?” Diana asked, still in her nightgown.

“Benedict has gone into Danielle’s.” He stated angrily.

“I am not sure I follow.”

“He came here, supposedly to see me, but instead went into hers, and is in there now.”

“And why is that?” Diana looked at her son, she knew when he was at fault for something as a child, he would just give the start and end of a story, but nothing of what occurred in the intervening period.

“I was talking with Elle, and she went off on me, and he took her side.”

“Thomas,” Diana warned.

“I was tired and angry, and I may have said something, and she…”

“Gave you the truth?” Diana interjected. “You are my son Thomas, and I will always love you, but you need to get yourself in check, you are going to allow everything you worked for go down the toilet, and for what? When you were dating Susannah, you broke it off because you knew you would be too busy and did not want to drag her along, and now, you are going too far the other way, dropping it all for a woman, one who is not ready to settle down, and at twenty-six, that is fine, she is young, but you are putting it all on this one horse Thomas, and I am not sure the horse will even run the race.” Tom frowned. “Elle has a difficult job, and she wants her life outside it to be as smooth as possible, please do not make that any harder on her.”

Tom said no more, he knew once his mother found out the difficult night Danielle had, she would murder him for adding to her misery. “I need to get showered.” Diana nodded and went into the kitchen, turning on the radio.

“There was a road traffic accident in the early hours of this morning in Suffolk, a woman, and her two children were travelling back from a trip to Legoland when a truck driver fell asleep at the wheel, killing the occupiers of the car. The woman, named as thirty-four-year-old Carol Johnson originally from Brighton, residing in Suffolk, was recently widowed and had taken her children, eight year old Jeffery and five year old Jessica to the famous theme park following the death of her husband in a workplace accident in the North Sea on an oil rig earlier this summer, Jessica was said to be excited to start school next week, having bought her school supplies while in London with her mother. Police and paramedics at the scene said it was a devastating reminder of the dangers of driving while tired, and urge drivers to pull in and sleep if they feel themselves dozing off at the wheel.”

Tom sat on the steps of the stairs, listening to what Danielle had dealt with at work, feeling guilt riddle him once more. Diana came into the hallway, her face pale at what she had heard. “You don’t think…”

“She mentioned it, yes.”

“She was there?” Tom nodded. “And you were…”

“I didn’t know.”

“I think it best you leave her alone from now on Thomas,” Diana stated coldly.

Tom went upstairs without another word as Diana left the house to check on her neighbour.

For the rest of the time he was in Suffolk, Tom did as his mother suggested, and left Danielle alone. He was opening the window of the bathroom to leave out steam after a shower, and saw her in her back garden, a cup of coffee and a slice of apple crumble on the table, on a recliner garden chair, with Mac Tíre curled up on top of her. The dog, though small for a Sheppard, took up most of her torso, as she curled her arms around him, the dog clearly sensing her distress. He felt terrible for her, and was about to go apologise to her when his phone went off, looking at the screen, he noticed it was Taylor and clicked accept; since she was supposed to be in LA and that meant she was ringing him at five am there. “Hey.”

“I have the best night.” She half sang at him.

“I’m glad to hear that.”

“I sang with Nelly at Mike’s birthday.”

“What?”

“Mike Heis, the oil heir, I sang at his birthday, here in the Hamptons.” She repeated excitedly.

“The Hamptons, isn’t that on the East Coast?” Tom frowned.

“Eh, yeah, here in Long Island.”

“I thought you were in LA, that’s what you said yesterday?”

“OMG, I decided not to go, a party is so much more fun, especially for Mike, he is super rich and sweet, so I said, how could I say no, right? I mean he is practically squad approved awesome, by the way, I kissed him, so don’t be surprised to see a photo.”

“What?”

“Oh there’s nothing behind it, totally platonic, it’s on the cheek, so you’ll get over it.”

“That’s sort of, inappropriate, though, isn’t it? I mean if there are pictures.” Tom broached.

“It was a friendly one, and besides, I am not changing myself for anyone, and it keeps the cameras where they need to be. I’m tired, so I am going to bed, you’re here again tomorrow, right?”

“I need to go straight to Australia, there is one scene that went a bit awry, so I am to go there and then I am free for a week, yeah.”

“Tell them you are busy til Thursday.”

“That’s not how it goes with Marvel movies Taylor, they are in charge, not me.”

“I told my parents you are going to be here, so be here Tom.” She demanded petulantly.

“I cannot be there until I do the scene, they’ve paid the flights, I have to go.”

“Fine, but I am coming too.”

“Great.” His tone did not match the word.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Jetlag, and a small argument with my mum’s neighbour I have to sort.”

“That woman?”

“Danielle, yes.”

“She is such a bitch, Johnny, my bodyguard, told me she was trying to sneak into your mums when I was there with you, as though she owned the place, and had like a camera phone in her hand, you are better off away from her, I bet she has a hoard of things on you, waiting for the highest bidder, you should have a high fence and an NDA put on her ass. I mean, what is she paying for that house with?”

Tom’s brow furrowed. “I never asked.”

“Maybe you should, your family has money, and she is some nurse or something, and she can live next door to your mum, and only did so after you got famous.” Taylor planted a seed in his mind; he looked down, looking at the woman that had been close to his family for so long. “I mean, it’s so cliché, use the family to get to your celebrity crush.”

“Crush?”

“Yeah, she is totally in love with you, why do you think she is always running around to your mothers, dying to see you no doubt, I mean, I bet she accidentally walked in while you were there, pretending not to know you were home.” Tom thought of the first day, and her arriving home just after him from work. “I’m right, you know it. I am used to it all, I have been in this game long enough, she is practically a stalker.”

“Tom, are you there?” a voice called from outside the bathroom.

“I better go; mum is calling.”

“What time are you into JFK tomorrow?”

“Actually, it’s to Florida.”

“What, no that’s unacceptable, change it.”

“I am afraid not everyone has private jets, love.” Tom chuckled.

“You should, fine, I will send mine to get you.”

“The next flight is from there to Hawaii and then a connection to Brisbane.”

“God, that’s a joke.” She commented.

“Get some sleep love, I will see you soon.”

“You better.” She signed off, hanging up before he could say anymore.

“Tom?” He heard his mother call from outside his room in the hallway.

“Yeah,” Tom looked at the phone. “I’m here.”

“I am going to Emma’s for a few days with Danielle, what time is your flight?”

“What?” Tom demanded, opening the bathroom door.

“Emma’s, Elle and I are going there for a few days.” Diana jumped slightly when Tom opened the door.

“Why?”

“Because Elle took that crash badly, she is not sleeping at all, apparently those children, they are keeping her awake,” Diana stated sadly. “She’s been giving compassionate leave for a week, she needs a break.”

“So she is on the verge of a breakdown, that is what you are saying, that she is nuts.”

“Thomas!”

“What, that is what you are saying, is she even safe to be around?”

“How could you say such a thing, you heard the news report, and saw the photo’s in the paper, you can see her, trying to get into the car. How she hasn’t had one is a miracle. Don’t you dare speak badly of her for it.” Diana snapped.

“She is too close to the family, you need to step back from her. How do we even know her family are dead?”

“Thomas! What has gotten into you?”

“Taylor was saying…”

“I should have known.” Diana walked off. “That girl has cost you a lot of late Thomas, I have to wonder how much you will lose before you wisen up. She is off snuggling up to billionaires sons and kissing them all too closely and you are here losing everything for her.”

“She told me about that, it was platonic.” He called down the stairs.

“And yet when I met that Australian girl from The Night Manager, she said she tried to ring you about your Emmy, she was met with an automated answer, as has Elle, and I bet others too. You cannot be friends with women, but she can snuggle men, trust has to go both ways in a relationship Thomas.” She stated back to him, opening the front door. “Ready sweetheart.” He heard her call. “Tom’s car is in my way, put Mac in and we’ll take yours.”

#I Hate you I Love You #chapter 5 #tom hiddleston fic #tom hiddleston

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charanteleclerc · 5 years ago

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love is found in crowded streets and coffee shops

For Quagswagging as part of the Summer Break Fic Exchange 2019. As usual, crossposted to my AO3 (Charante_Leclerc). Prompts are always open. Enjoy! ❤️

The residents of Stirling Street were, for the most part, good friends. They were a tight knit community of five shops, and possibly a little co-dependent for their own good. Seb owned Horse & Bull Repairs Shop, fixing anything from watches to car engines. Kimi and Kevin were next door at Iceman Tattoos, which sometimes also did alcohol (it was never advised). On the other side of him was Restaurant de Monte-Carlo, run by Romain and his trusty crew, and kept very traditionally French. Across the road was Jenson and Fernando’s Champions Coffee Shop & Bakery, once started as two separate shops, but they had ended up sharing so many customers they’d eventually given in and taken down the inbetween wall. Next to them was Jev and Andre’s shop, which was… well, they seemed to change it every week, the rest of them had given up trying to predict what shop it was going to be.

Stirling Street was great. Except for the fact that Seb and Kimi hated each other.

No-one knew how the rivalry had started, not even the two of them. It was just a fact of life by now. They opened their shops, argued about where their poster boards were situated at 9.15 exactly, sniped their way through their lunch break at Champions, and yelled at each other through their shared wall about their choice in music.

“We need to do something.” Jenson groaned, after Seb and Kimi had left following another tense lunch-break. “They’re always at each other's throats, and frankly, it’s driving me insane.”

“I can’t hear myself think.” Kevin muttered. “I need to stay out of there as long as possible.”

“Romain said he has heard them yelling three time this week. Three times. It is insane.” Fernando said glumly. “And they argued over what was the best flavour muffin. And they were both wrong.”

“They didn’t choose my Key Lime Pie muffin?” Jenson sounded wounded. “What did they choose?”

“Seb said chocolate chip.” Fernando flinched at Jenson’s sharp intake of breath. “You do not want to know what Kimi said.”

“Tell me what he said.”

Fernando sighed. “Vanilla. He said vanilla.”

“He said what?” Jenson yelped. “Is he open? I need to have words with him.”

Fernando watched Jenson leave, shaking his head. He’d said that he wouldn’t want to know. People really should listen to him.

“How can we stop them fighting?” Lando asked, clearing plates. “They’re pretty much always at each other’s throats.”

“You’re missing the point.” Lewis said from a nearby table, who had before looked completely asleep. He still did, except for the part his mouth was moving.

“What’s the point then?” Kevin asked curiously.

“It’s not that they hate each other. It’s that they don’t.”

“What do you mean, they don’t?” Lando frowned. “Of course they do. They fight all the time!”

“It’s because they’re scared.” Lewis shrugged. “They don’t actually hate each other, but they’re terrified of not-hating each other. It’s comfortable, it’s a relationship they know.”

“That makes sense.” Fernando shrugged. “I can work with it.”

Jenson stormed back in, eyes suspiciously red. “He won’t apologise. Said his opinions are his own and that vanilla is a valid choice.” His voice sounded wobbly. “It’s fine.”

“Did you cry during or after this discussion?” Fernando raised an eyebrow. Jenson shuffled.

“During.”

“You do know that he’s going to remember that forever.”

“Yep.”

“Just checking.”

“So,” Lando leaned on the counter. “So we need to convince them that they don’t hate each other? How hard can it be?”

~*~

It was pretty hard.

Romain kept on complaining that he could hear Kimi shouting at Seb, and had even sent his waiters over to try and calm the situation.

It hadn’t.

Pierre, Charles and Esteban had stumbled back to the restaurant terrified, Kevin alongside, and needed two shots each until they stopped trembling. They looked shell-shocked for another week.

Jenson tried talking to Seb one afternoon, bringing muffins as a go-between (chocolate chip included). Seb had taken the muffin’s, had listened as long as it had taken to eat them, before turfing Jenson out. (He’d agreed to mend the bakery clock free of charge though. It might have something to do with Jenson lying in the doorway, holding his muffin tub, determined not to move. Bribery was sometimes needed).

Even Jev had tried. Which was something that no-one had ever imagined happened, as Jev and Andre acted like the cool kids that thought everything was beneath them. Jev had wandered into the bakery at lunchtime, looking unconcerned, and had attempted to mediate one of their arguments. When he’d left, his usually perfect hair had been sticking up on end, and something was popping in his jaw.

Everyone had tried, except for Lewis, who refused to get involved. Something about them figuring it out for themselves.

“What are we going to do?” Jenson moaned. “It’s like everything we do makes things worse!”

“No more meddling here.” Fernando threatened. “Look at George.”

Jenson looked over to where George was lying with his head on a table, cheesecake in his hair. Lando was patting him on the back, while Carlos was trying to brush as many crumbs as possible out of his hair. Alex was playing gentle music from his phone, making comforting noises.

“Look at him Jenson.” Fernando repeated. “He has cheesecake in his hair. I don’t even know how they got cheesecake, we don’t sell cheesecake.”

“It was fantastic aim though.” Andre shrugged. “Can’t deny that. Two double espressos to go please.”

“Those are going to keep you up all night you know?” Fernando said. “Or give you superpowers, you’ve been getting those everyday for a year.”

“Betting on it.” Andre winked. “Plus, gotta keep looking hot somehow.”

“Amen.” Lewis chimed in from the back of the bakery. Jenson jumped a little, staring at him.

“I thought he was asleep, didn’t you think he was asleep?”

“Maybe you should convince them of the things that they like about each other.” Andre suggested. “Vodka, racing, ice-cream. Start slow.” He picked up both espressos, downed one after the other, before grinning. “See you later.”

“He’s going to die.” Carlos said in admiration. “He is insane.”

“Do you think that would work?” Jenson asked. “Slowly warming them up to each other?”

“Cannot do much worse, can it?” Fernando replied. “It will either stay the same or they will want to bang each other in a week.”

“Challenge accepted.” Jenson looked determined. “Better than the arguing.”

~*~

“So, Seb.” Jenson leaned up on Seb’s counter, grinning. “Ice-cream?”

Seb gave him a weird look. “Sure.” He said slowly, taking one of the offered ice-creams. “What do you want?”

“I can come and hang out with you, can’t I? We’re friends.” Jenson laughed. “So, vodka? What’s that about?”

“Are you trying to make me like Kimi?” Seb raised an eyebrow, tapping a finger against the counter. “Because it’s not going to work.”

“What, no! No, no no…” Jenson trailed off. “Well, good chat.” He backed away towards the door. “Lovely, lovely chat.”

“Tell them it’ll take more than that to sort out your problem.” Seb called after him. “And I want a free coffee for that attempt!”

~*~

Jenson spent twenty seconds in Kimi’s shop before something was thrown at him. He didn’t stop to find out what it was.

Valtteri, who was in the shop of the time, only shook his head when asked.

~*~

“We’re doomed.” Romain said gloomily. “I’m going to need to buy earplugs.”

The majority of the Stirling Street residents (minus the significant two) were sat around a few tables pushed together, nursing various coffees and teas. Charles, Pierre and Esteban still looked jittery. George was still finding crumbs in his hair. Jev still tensed up when he heard their names mentioned. Kevin was just starting to pretend that he didn’t exist.

Lewis was still asleep in the corner. Or maybe he wasn’t, they weren’t sure.

“Wait, here they come.” Jenson shushed the group. They all turned to watch out the window as they came out of their shops, scowling as they saw each other.

“Your board is in front of my store.” Seb snapped, locking his shop. “Again.”

“Well, it’s not like I’m stealing your customers. How many people did you see today?” Kimi countered, crossing his arms.

“Don’t change the subject. Also, why do you have to play your music so loud? It’d be nice not to have it drill into my head.”

“Well, I’m sorry... “ They continued bickering down the street. The group turned back to look at each other, dismally.

“Doomed.” Romain repeated sadly. “Doomed.”

~*~

Jenson picked up his tub of muffins, steeling himself. “Half for Seb, half for Kimi. As an apology of sorts.”

“They need to learn for themselves.” Fernando agreed. “We cannot have anymore scared kids. They do not need to see that ever.”

Jenson sighed, picking up the tubs. “I hope Romain buys those earplugs.” He said, walking towards the door. “Really hope.”

He crossed the street, opening the door to Seb’s shop. It was before opening time, but Seb never locked his shop (which was probably a really bad idea considering his shop was filled with valuables).

“Hey Seb, just brought some more muffins, five chocolate chips and one of my new inventions, Blackberry Crumble muffins. Thought you might one to try it, and - er, what?” He stopped as he finally took in the scene in front of him. “What is happening?”

Seb looked up, blinking. “Huh?”

Jenson gaped. “But… you’re here! And… and him!” He stuttered, pointing at the other guy in the room. “It’s Kimi!”

Seb turned to Kimi sat next to him. “Huh, it is. Funny that.”

“But… you hate each other!” Jenson clutched his muffin box to his chest. “You hate each other!”

“Well, we did.” Seb said, tapping away at his laptop. “For ages.”

“Arguing is the way to a man’s heart.” Kimi muttered from behind his coffee. Seb nodded absentmindedly.

“Exactly.”

“So, we’ve been trying to make you two not hate each other when you don’t actually hate each other?” Jenson asked. “I think I need to sit down.”

“The floor is just there.” Seb said helpfully. Kimi snickered.

“How long has this been going on?” Jenson looked between them wildly. “How long?”

“Since those poor French boys walked in.” Seb replied. “I really am sorry for traumatising them.”

“I’m not.” Kimi shrugged.

“Oh my… oh my god.” Jenson put his tub on the counter, resting his forehead on the counter. “Does anyone else know?”

“Lewis.” Kimi yawned.

“Lewis?!” Jenson screeched. “He knew?!” He took a deep breath, looking at the two men in front of him. “Give me a minute.”

~*~

Jenson would later admit that running back across the street, screaming words with no coherence at Lewis, and then promptly fainting was not his finest moment.

However, he’d also say that his emotions were running high. It was justified.

~*~

“So, they don’t actually hate each other?” Lando asked. “Wow.”

“All this time?” Andre said. “Wow.”

“I think it is sweet.” Fernando said. “That Seb and Kimi - do not flinch -” as Jev, Charles, Pierre, Kevin and Esteban all involuntarily shuddered, “that even they can get over their differences.”

“I can’t believe they let me find out like that!” Jenson still looked haunted.

The door opened, and the usual bickering being heard again. “If you move that sign one more time …”

“Love at it’s finest.” Lewis said smugly. “I said to leave it to themselves.”

“I swear you were asleep a second ago!” Jenson yelped. “You were asleep!”

#sebastian vettel #kimi raikkonen #jenson button #fernando alonso #kevin magnussen #romain grosjean #charles leclerc #pierre gasly #esteban ocon #lando norris #george russell #alex albon #valterri bottas #jean-eric vergne #andre lotterer #carlos sainz jr #simi #f1 summer break fic exchange #f1 fanfic

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effyeahzimbits · 6 years ago

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Swawesome Santa 2018 Submission

Title: Five Times Bitty and Jack Allowed Fate to Get the Better of Them…and the One Time They Took Matters into Their Own Hands Rating: T+ Pairings: Jack/Bitty, mentions of Shitty/Lardo, mentions of Holster/Ransom. Very, very brief Jack/OC and Bitty/OC. Warnings: Alcohol use, brief mentions of Jack’s overdose. Summary: Bitty always felt like he was missing a train he was meant to have taken. Jack always let the universe decide which direction he should go in. It took them three New Year's Eves before they got it right.A 5+1 things AU fic created for the Swawesome Santa, gifted to @loveyoutoobits! I hope you like it.

Five Times Bitty and Jack Allowed Fate to Get the Better of Them…and the One Time They Took Matters into Their Own Hands

31st December 2017 Bitty’s first New Year’s Eve in Boston was spent in a bar. He wasn’t a stranger to bars, especially the loud, gaudy one he was in right now. But he had previously rung in the new years with his parents at family parties back in Madison, Georgia, and had been desperate for a change of scenery. When his best friends had suggested a night out on the town, he had jumped at the chance. He never turned down an opportunity to dance and spend the night with his friends. That was also the night he first met Jack Zimmermann.

Now, Bitty didn’t know a great deal about hockey culture. He knew the game and enjoyed it just as much as his friends did, but he never took that much interest in teams’ rosters and star players. But Jack Zimmermann, the Providence Falconers’ current captain, he knew. If only because he scored a hat trick in their last game against the Bruins and Holster was furious for a week. Bitty had been impressed enough to Google him, and had been impressed further by the man’s understated smile and bright blue eyes. Still, he was just another hockey player. Just another hockey player who turned out to be the best friend of Lardo’s new boyfriend. Bitty could see right away he wasn’t the partying type. While Bitty and his friends downed shots and sang at the top of their lungs and danced without a care in the world, Jack simply sat at a booth nursing a single beer and watching them have a good time. When questioned he just said he was perfectly happy as he was, and Shitty (Lardo’s boyfriend) would confirm it. Bitty mostly forgot all about him and continued partying. That was, until he felt Jack’s eyes on him. No one knew how he did it. Hell, even Bitty himself didn’t know how he did it. But one moment he was playfully beckoning Zimmermann from the dance floor, and the next Jack was joining him. He looked just as surprised to find himself there as anyone else, but Bitty wasn’t about to pass up the opportunity. With Shitty, Ransom and Holster all hollering excitedly behind them, Bitty tugged Jack towards him. It turned out that Jack Zimmermann wasn’t a bad dancer. He was a little shy and awkward at first, swaying stiffly beside him. Bitty would later blame it on the alcohol, but at the time he just simply didn’t think and grabbed Jack’s hand and pulled. Jack’s professional athlete build wasn’t fazed by the gesture, but something in him was, and it was enough to encourage him to move. A couple of songs in, and Jack was matching Bitty’s peppy rhythm. Bitty couldn’t put his finger on it, especially with his brain fogged with a haze of Jägermeister and Red Bull, but there was something between them that neither of them expected. It was almost an electricity, thrumming with an energy that made the hair on Bitty’s forearms stand on end. It started at their joined hands and vibrated through them until it resonated in their chests. He’d barely said more than two sentences to Jack Zimmermann all night, but suddenly Bitty wanted to kiss him. He could tell the exact moment Jack became aware of the connection. The easy smile on his face quickly dropped and was replaced with an uneasy confusion. There was a muttered excuse – Bitty couldn’t hear it over the pounding music – and then Jack turned and hurried out of the bar, fighting his way through the crowd. Bitty watched him go, then shrugged carelessly and turned around to dance with his friends again. It wasn’t until he woke up the next morning, slightly hungover but content, did he wonder if the universe had tried to give him something and he let it pass him by. 5th May 2018 Bitty had explicitly said no parties. Every birthday for the last four years his friends had threw a raging kegster to celebrate. For his first birthday out of college, all Bitty wanted was to call his parents, bake some nice food and share it with his friends over a glass of good wine and the Great British Bake-Off reruns (the better ones, before Mary, Mel and Sue had quit the show obviously). Ransom, Holster and Shitty had taken a little more persuading, but had soon agreed after Bitty had promised his signature peach cobbler and black forest brownies. His phone call to his parents lasted nearly an hour. His relationship with them had been a little strained since coming out, but it was slowly getting better, and he hung up with a big smile on his face. Lardo had still been in bed at ten that morning, so he went to the store to fetch baking ingredients on his own. It was cliché, but it was a perfect spring day, like it was the movie of his life. Working as a junior social media and marketing assistant had its perks, like weekends off. Today was a Saturday, so he wandered down to the fresh foods market for his ingredients. The peaches weren’t quite as sweet as the ones back home, but the ones here were a close second. He left an hour later with his tote bag full to the brim with ripened fruit and fresh spices and fingers sticky with pear juice. He stopped by his favourite deli next, the one with the premium butter and organic flour. His budget never usually stretched past Walmart, but he had birthday money burning a hole in his pocket. It was late afternoon by the time he got home. The kitchen smelled strongly of ground coffee, and he found Lardo perching on a chair and trying to hang purple streamers from the lampshade. She had put on her favourite sweatshirt for the occasion, the one with a rubber duck wearing sunglasses, and that alone made Bitty’s chest swell with happiness. They finished putting up the streamers between them and had lunch, squabbling over whose turn it was to use the one decent plate they had. It was Lardo’s, who overruled Bitty’s birthday argument with a smirk and a flick to his forehead. An hour later he was elbow deep in pastry when the buzzer rang. It was Ransom and Holster, bearing wine and beer and takeout menus, though they all knew they’d be too full of pie to eat the Chinese food they’d still order. The wine was shared out and they were put to work, greasing tins and chopping fruit. Shitty appeared not long after, and gave Bitty a slurpy, whiskery kiss on his cheek before handing over more wine. He wore a suspicious grin for a whole hour and sang loudly and out of tune to the radio as he peeled peaches. When the buzzer went a third time, everyone looked around at each other in confusion, except Shitty, who just grinned even wider. Bitty rolled his eyes and wiped his hands on a towel, wondering who on earth Shitty had invited. Maybe a stripper. He didn’t know whether to be disappointed or relieved when he found a shy looking Jack Zimmermann in the hallway. He was pleasantly surprised though, especially when Jack sheepishly held out a small bunch of flowers and wished him happy birthday. He’d met Jack a handful of times since New Year’s Eve. He’d learned that Jack wasn’t quite as stoic and robotic in real life as his television interviews would have you believe. He was quiet and reserved, but also thoughtful and could hold his own in an intelligent discussion. His accent was just as endearing though, and Bitty found his awkward shyness adorable. Bitty never denied the attraction to himself, but it was never one he would act on either. Parties and clubs might not have been his thing, but it turned out that quiet gatherings with people he knew were more to Jack’s taste. He threw himself into the baking, listening to Bitty’s instructions with keen ears and following them with enthusiasm. After a glass of wine Bitty would even call him charming, quick to tease or crack a joke. If Bitty didn’t know any better, he’d say Jack was flirting with him when he flicked flour in his face or purposely nudged his pie out of the way when he tried to take a bite. But Bitty did know better. Guys like Jack were never Not Straight. And even if they were, Bitty was never their type. It was probably the best birthday he’d ever had, anyway. By the end of the night, his and Lardo’s apartment was a complete mess. The streamers had fallen, there were plates and takeout cartons all over the living room and the kitchen was filled with dirty pans and covered in a fine layer of flour dust. They’d eaten and drank until they were fit to burst, argued over which Bake-Off contestant would win in a mud fight, and Jack had offended them all by declaring he didn’t find Mary Berry all that great. Come midnight, Ransom and Holster had wandered back to their own apartment and Lardo had dragged a wasted Shitty back to her room. Bitty told Jack he didn’t need to stay and help tidy, but Jack insisted anyway. It was only when they were both alone did Bitty feel it again. That strange electricity that drew Bitty towards Jack like a moth to the flame. He couldn’t blame the alcohol this time, not after only two glasses of wine. Jack either wasn’t aware of it, or was ignoring it, focusing hard on wiping flour from the counter tops. Bitty tried to do the same, humming along to the quiet tune playing on the radio as he filled a trashbag full of rubbish. They worked without a word, moving around almost in tandem, like they had done it a million times before. Bitty didn’t believe in fate, or soul mates, or past lives. At least, he didn’t until their rhythm was suddenly broken and they bumped into one another. Jack had flour on his nose and a dirty cloth in his hand. Bitty had a smudge of cherry sauce on his mouth and was holding a stack of empty plates. They both laughed and then went still. It felt like they were both waiting for something as they looked at each other, taking in lashes and eyes and noses and freckles and dimples and mouths. Waiting for what though, they didn’t know. Jack’s phone pinged. It was loud enough to break the reverie and they both pulled free from the spell. Jack could never leave a text unanswered, and for the briefest of seconds Bitty wished that he would. Ignoring a text would make him not-Jack though, so he couldn’t be too disappointed when Jack took a step back and pulled his phone from his back pocket. Bitty cleared his throat and continued his task like nothing had happened. Jack was still staring at his phone screen a couple of minutes later. His brows were slightly furrowed, but Bitty couldn’t read the expression on his face. He questioned him gently, and Jack almost jumped, like he’d forgotten where he was. He managed an apologetic smile, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. He didn’t explain himself or the text message, and simply announced that he had to leave. With a last ‘happy birthday’ he showed himself to the door and left. Bitty felt like he had just missed a train that he was supposed to take. 31st December 2018 They didn’t go to a bar that year. Ransom and Holster threw a party in their apartment, though it was thankfully not as outrageous as the kegsters they used to host in college. Their work friends were accountants and administrators and fellow consultants so Bitty wasn’t expecting it to get too wild. He’d had a pleasant, sleepy Christmas with plenty of good food and catching up with family, so didn’t mind that this new year was different to the last. Lardo brought Shitty along, who naturally dragged Jack with him. Bitty was over the moon to hear this, hoping that maybe fate would give them both a helping hand this year. However, it appeared that fate had other plans in store. Jack appeared at the party as promised, but Bitty hadn’t expected to see a young, smiley blonde man attached to his hip. Jack introduced him as his boyfriend, and Bitty felt like the floor had abruptly disappeared from beneath him. It was a lot to process all at once. He’d started to have suspicions that Jack was Not Straight as Bitty had originally thought, and to have that confirmed was a little overwhelming. Then to learn that he was also suddenly spoken for left Bitty with a bitter taste in his mouth. He and Jack had grown close over the last few months, and he thought that they shared everything over a glass of wine and a slice of pie. It turned out that was wrong though, and Bitty wasn’t sure what he felt more betrayed about. Still, he plastered on a smile and congratulated them as if it wasn’t a knife through his heart. Jack’s partner was funny and charming and handsome and everyone liked him. Bitty wanted to hate him, but he couldn’t bring himself to. The man had asked for his macaron recipe and talked about his cat for a full twenty minutes for god’s sake. When Bitty had first walked in, he’d eyed the mistletoe hanging over each door with hopeful eyes, but now he just glared at it acrimoniously. It was an ugly way to feel, but Bitty couldn’t help but think the universe was laughing in his face. The worst thing was, Jack looked happy. Bitty was pleased for him, but it was tainted, and he hated that it was marred that way. He spied Jack’s hand casually sitting on the man’s waist or spotted a chaste peck on the cheek between them and wanted to down another shot. He didn’t want to spend the night torturing himself, but he didn’t want to succumb to the jealousy either. He left at eleven, feigning a headache and smiling through the well wishes. He would spend tonight pitying himself, and then starting tomorrow he would get over Jack Zimmermann. August 3rd 2019 Getting over Jack Zimmermann was damned hard. But Greg helped. Bitty had met him at one of Shitty’s law school mixers. He was an ex-college rugby player, dragged along to the event by his friend. Tall, broad, half Greek with a mop of dark, curly hair and an accent that made Bitty’s knees weak. He hadn’t dated seriously since college, and it was hard work. Between working their full-time jobs, Greg’s beer league rugby and Bitty’s figure skating, they barely had enough time to squeeze in dates and time together, but Bitty enjoyed it all the same. Greg wasn’t Jack. They didn’t share the same sense of humour, and Greg’s taste in music and television wasn’t to Bitty’s tastes, and Greg was bossier and more assertive than Jack ever was. But he was also kind and caring and Bitty had a nice time with him. Even if he wasn’t Jack. But that was okay, because nobody could be Jack but Jack. And Bitty had to be fine about it. He could do that. They hadn’t had time to hang out much lately, but tonight was Jack’s birthday, and Shitty was throwing a get together in his honour. Bitty hadn’t originally wanted to bring Greg along, though he wasn’t sure why. Shitty had invited him too though, and Greg seemed to be looking forward to it. Bitty couldn’t exactly tell him no. He had no idea what to get Jack for his birthday. What do you get the man who has everything? And if he didn’t have it, he had more than enough money to buy it anyway. This year, Jack had bought Bitty an entire collection of cookbooks from his favourite baker. Bitty knew it cost more than a whole month’s worth of his wages, though to Jack it was probably nothing. How could Bitty match something like that? He knew Jack wasn’t expecting him to, but it still made him feel inadequate. Whatever it was, it had to be something special. It was almost an apology. I’m sorry we haven’t hung out much and you’ve taken a backseat to my actual Greek god boyfriend. Bitty didn’t think he should feel too guilty though. As far as Bitty knew, Jack was still with his own boyfriend. It was never talked about in the media for obvious reasons, but still, Bitty would know if they’d broken up. No, this get together would be good for the both of them. They could exist in the same room without that stupid electric connection between them. And even if it did appear, their boyfriends would keep it at bay. Right? Wrong. It wasn’t an entire collection of cookbooks, but Bitty turned up on Jack’s swanky Providence doorstep with Jack’s favourite pie and a Barnes and Noble gift card. A feeble attempt, but he’d genuinely been stumped. He knew Jack liked history books, but Bitty was frightened of getting the wrong one. He explained this to Jack in a nervous ramble as he handed them over, but Jack laughed and thanked him sincerely anyway. It was only after Bitty stepped over the threshold did Jack notice who had been standing beside him. Bitty introduced Greg hurriedly, hoping his edgy fluster wasn’t completely obvious to either of them. Jack was polite and smiley and shook Greg’s hand, but something about it seemed fake. Bitty tried to ignore it, heading straight to the wine. His friends were already around, and he greeted them with false enthusiasm. Once he had his glass in hand and looked around the apartment he noticed Jack’s boyfriend was nowhere to be seen. The pictures of them both were gone, as were the cat hairs and various caps and hoodies they used to share. Jack and his boyfriend had broken up. �� Bitty could’ve kicked himself. He had been so wrapped up in getting over Jack he’d forgotten to be a friend in the meantime. How long had it been since they had last hung out? Or had a lengthy phone call? The only thing Bitty had managed lately was a few quick texts and picture messages every now and again, all of which Jack had promptly replied to. He felt like an idiot. He had to apologise, but he wasn’t sure that this was the right moment. Jack looked like he was enjoying himself. A few glasses of wine later, Bitty managed to push his guilt aside for the time being. He’d always loved Jack’s kitchen, and couldn’t resist baking in his top of the range oven, no matter the occasion. He was pulling out a tray of freshly baked mini tarts when he realised he was being watched. People had popped in and out the whole time he was baking, to fill up drinks or fetch snacks, but this time the body lingered. Bitty turned to tell them they’d have to wait a bit longer for the tarts to cool, but the words disappeared off his tongue when he noticed it was Jack. Jack stood in the doorway, a half-drunk bottle of low alcohol beer in his hand. He had a determined look in his eyes that made Bitty go still, though his heart started to hammer in his chest. He didn’t say anything, waiting for Jack to make the first move. The energy was between them again, throbbing loud and unspoken. The metal tray shook in Bitty’s hands. Jack opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He closed his mouth again, frowned, thought about it. Jack had never been one to say a lot, but each word was usually carefully thought out and selected. Bitty waited, expecting something insightful and meaningful. Jack opened his mouth, closed it, frowned again and thought some more. Greg made them both jump. He was never quiet or graceful and strode in to the kitchen with a booming voice. He was half drunk, grinning at them and calling back to the others as he filled his glass, stole a mini tart and gave Bitty a swift peck on the cheek. He left almost as quickly as he appeared, but the moment was ruined. Jack gave him a stiff nod and retreated to the living room having clearly lost his nerve. Bitty slammed the hot tray down onto the marble counter, feeling like he’d missed the train again. 31st December 2019 Tonight, Bitty was going to get drunk. He knew it was silly and immature, but these last few months had been stressful and depressing. He felt like he deserved to let loose and get messy and see off the year in style. A lot of things had happened this winter, including a promotion, Shitty and Lardo’s engagement, and his and Greg’s breakup. He hadn’t been angry or surprised, just disappointed. Greg wasn’t Jack, after all. Jack wouldn’t be attending the party. He’d had a string of games and a long roadie over the last couple of days and wouldn’t be making it back to Providence until past eleven pm. Bitty knew that Jack would head straight to bed rather than get changed and drag himself to a loud and crowded bar after all of his travelling, and Bitty couldn’t blame him. The season had started off rough, and Jack hadn’t much time for anything in between practicing, playing, resting and all of his extra-curricular events. Bitty knew this, but couldn’t help feeling frustrated. He’d tried to reach out, especially after his breakup, but Jack felt distant now and Bitty didn’t know how to bridge the gap. He didn’t have the energy anymore. He decided that if Jack was interested in preserving their friendship, it was his turn to make the effort. Bitty wasn’t holding his breath. It was a fun party. It was the same LGBT+ friendly bar they went to two years ago, and Bitty felt an affinity for it. It almost felt like déjà vu, and if Bitty tried hard enough, he could almost imagine Jack sitting in his corner and nursing his beer. He wouldn’t though, he was done with torturing himself over Jack Zimmermann. He threw himself into the moment instead, filing to memory the song that was playing, the way he felt shimmying to the music, the sight of Lardo’s glittery red lipstick, the smell of Holster’s cheap cologne, the taste of Jägermeister on his tongue. His phone buzzed at some point, but he ignored it. It buzzed a couple more times and he ignored it again, wanting to switch off from everything that wasn’t this party and this drink in his hand. Midnight was drawing closer, and he was sober enough to be aware of the heavy feeling in his chest. He watched Shitty and Lardo and Ransom and Holster dancing together and all of the other people surrounding him, and he never felt more alone. He suddenly started to wish he was anywhere but there. He wanted to be wherever Jack was. But Jack wasn’t here. Instead there were dozens of good looking, charming boys dancing around him. A few had tried to catch his eye, and he knew he would have no problem finding someone to dance with. And if they so happened to share a kiss when the clock struck twelve, then where was the crime in that? Just a kiss, on New Year’s Eve, between two consenting adults. No big deal. The man whose arms he fell into just happened to be tall, and dark, and blue eyed. Maybe he had a type. He didn’t look much like Jack, but if he thought hard he could just feel Jack’s hands on his hips. He looked hard at the boy’s face, trying to imagine Jack in the high cheekbones and full lips. He shook his head, wafting away the daze. That was stupid, he couldn’t keep doing this to himself. He looked away, but he was starting to see Jack everywhere. A man by the bar had the same jacket. Another guy on the dance floor had the same awkward dance steps. A boy waiting by the toilets had a similar smile. His eyes drifted toward the door and even saw Jack standing there, a single flower in his hands and watching him. But it wasn’t real. None of these men were Jack. Bitty turned back to the one in his arms and waited for midnight. 31st December 2019 Jack was done waiting. He was tired of letting everything else dictate his life for him. Ever since he was born he felt like the universe had already decided what was going to happen to him. The Q, the overdose, rebuilding his career from the ground up. He couldn’t choose his team. There was only one in the AHL who wanted to set him on after the scandal. He was forever grateful, but it wasn’t something he could choose. He’d worked damn hard to get where he was today. An NHL team, a captaincy and two Stanley Cups under his belt. The last time he made a decision for himself he ended up nearly killing himself. Even now, he was worried that choosing something for himself could ruin everything. So, he waited. He let people walk in and out of his life as they saw fit. He allowed situations to happen to him, never fighting them or questioning them. It was just the universe deciding for him and he was in no position to try and take control. Until now. Jack stood in the doorway of the bar, watching Bitty dancing with another man. He turned the flower around in his hands. It was the same kind he’d bought for Bitty on his birthday a year and a half ago. It was a little cheesy maybe, but he had known Bitty would like it. He’d texted, letting him know he was on his way, but Bitty had never seen the messages. Bitty clearly had different things on his mind. And the old Jack would have turned away, deciding it was just what fate had decided for them, just like always. But not this Jack. This Jack was tired and in love. He strode forward, pushing his way past the various bodies towards the dance floor. Bitty’s eyes had drifted over him like he hadn’t realised Jack was really there. Jack couldn’t really blame him. He hadn’t been there, not recently. He’d been caught up in the start of the season, dealing with his own break up, torn between wanting to give Bitty space or comfort him after his. It had been a hard few months for both of them. Jack figured it was time to make it better. He grabbed Bitty’s arm and pulled him around, ignoring the guy he was dancing with as he protested. Bitty opened his mouth to tell him off, but they were both momentarily stunned as they stared at each other. Bitty was shocked to see him, but Jack was stunned yet again by just how beautiful this boy was. And he was going to have him. He was going to take matters into his own hands. He’d rehearsed a speech in the car, but the words left his brain. He suddenly couldn’t think of anything to say. He didn’t know how to explain what he was thinking or feeling and awkwardly fumbled. Bitty watched and waited with a familiar patience. Bitty never rushed him. Bitty always knew that each word needed time and thought. But still, the words wouldn’t come. Instead, Jack dumbly held out the flower and hoped that would be enough. It was. As the people around them started to chant a countdown, Bitty and Jack stepped forward. No more running away. No more making excuses. No more letting opportunities pass them by. Bitty jumped on the train. Jack took control. They couldn’t help but laugh, gazing at each other like they were the only two people in the world. The clock struck twelve. “Happy New Year, Bits.” “Happy New Year, Jack.” They kissed. The End Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it :) thank you for the notes and the kudos and comments this year - I appreciate every single one of them. For those of you interested - Jack’s mysterious partner was intended to be Kent, but I deliberately left it ambiguous so choose your own!

This was posted for the Swawesome Santa 2018 event and gifted to Loveyoutoobits.

#omgcp #omgcheckplease #checkplease #zimbits #jack zimmermann #eric bittle #zimbits fanfiction #zimbits au #my fic #my writing #my work #new years eve au #five things plus one #5 + 1

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t-aeddie · 6 years ago

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Chicago MED rewatch...

A whole messy essay.

While trying to understand where Chexton started, I don't know if it's during Noah's first appearance in Season 1 (He was under Ethan and Sarah's supervision) or Season 2 Episode 4 when Ethan and April really had a moment. Ethan opened up about how combat medicine was easier (just save the patient no matter what). Their case was a sugar daddy who was unconscious. Ethan really wanted to save him so did the sugar baby while the son was objecting (with the DNR card, but he didn't exactly have the legal paperwork).

Ethan and April's relationship was one of trusted colleagues and great teamwork. I guess, with feelings involved, it would make sense if Ethan would do anything to shield April. Although, they still bump heads on several occasions. Anyways, in the beginning, when the kiss was shared in Season 2's finale, I thought it was out of the blue. Now, rewatching the series, I see that the writers left subtle clues. Had them work together starting the second half of season 1 actually. Season 2, they kept them around. Ethan had this tough love going on when it came to season 2's appearances of Noah.

Ethan doesn't open to many. When Wheeler committed suicide, he looked tough the entire episode, but, ultimately, he went to the morgue alone and shed tears. Remember when, in season 2, the Navy medic came in. He inquired about the notebook Ethan had in his bag. Ethan brushed it off as "important notes that I shouldn't forget". End of that episode, we see him writing down the name of the mother who died in the ED from a stray bullet. He keeps notes of people he couldn't save. Not like others would know. It took a very long time for Ethan to accept his PTSD and shared this to Dr. Charles. At first, when the patient with bipolar disorder in season 1, had a manic episode from dialysis (lithium was killing her), he told Dr. Charles that she should try to cope with it without using harmful medicine. He was doing the same (trying to cope with PTSD).

I didn't pay that much attention to Ethan or what the writers was telling us. Watching back while waiting for the latest episode of season 4, helps a lot. Honestly, I thought that it was rushed and they happened over night with two episodes then boom Chexton a couple. Chexton is the normal real life progression. Colleagues that have been working together for a long time starting to develop feelings over time. That person is there when traumatic events happen (death of their patient not a patient). They are a nurse/doctor combo. Many doctors work with the same team of nurses every day. Thinking about this make sense that Ethan would open up or shield April (although he really hated to be put on the spot when it came to the drug mule). I guess he even tried his hardest when it came to his sister, because of how April and Noah are. He opened up about his family to April. He has great trust in her.

All this does not excuse the fact that he was a dick the past few episodes of season 4. He got to work on his stubborness.

About the Chexton break-up, April specifically. I mean my keywords for her is that she is a woman of family and a woman of integrity. While I understand that Emily was in the wrong, I still don't understand why the writers had her broke up with Ethan based on this. April was the one who pushed Ethan to reach out to his sister. Honestly, I would have thought that April would have tried to help Ethan bring Emily back on track. April does that for Noah. She has his back. It made no sense to me that she broke up with Ethan, because Ethan had his sister's back. There were other reasons that could have led to break, but not family. While rewatching, I recall, when April was still pondering if she was going to marry the footballer, that she didn't want to be a house wife in a house where his ex lived. If they wanted to give a good reason for April to break up, the storyline should have been to bring back Vicki after she back from her deployment. Possibly had the storyline when Ethan was hospitalized earlier (or have them break up early season 4).

I remember I argued that Ethan and April had trust issues. Rewatching the episodes, I think I misread the issues. First issue, they are bull-headed. Second issue, they have different opinions. Ethan is disciplined (very by the book), hellbent on saving lives and follower of rules to the extreme (the oath), likes to do things his way. April is really honest (princess of integrity but Goodwin is integrity incarnate), risks it all and hellbent on doing it all for her patient, conservative on certain aspect, a strong woman and great older sister. Their personality should be matching and making them the perfect duo, but not entirely. When their patient in season 2 episode 22, the one who had ALS and was willing to receive blood thinner to be sure to donate his organs, the duo clashed hard. April didn't not want to. She explained her reasoning clearly. He could have weeks, months or a couple years to live and to do the most out of it. Ethan, on the other hand, saw the lives that could be save with the organs and tissues. He said it clearly "58 people can be saved". Both are not wrong. Their arguments are sound. Stubborn April did say that it was assisted suicide in the beginning when they had their argument. But, then, she opened up that she would give anything for the baby she lost to be able to live. Earlier, Season 2 Episode 16, the drug mule incident. That is the best incident to show where both Ethan and April are on two different point of the spectrum. Ethan will save a patient; however, drugs are illegal; therefore, the mother should be reported. April, other hand, the mother flushed down the drugs (except 2 packs) and sacrificed her life for her daughter to receive treatment; therefore, they should keep it a secret. When they were in Goodwin's office, April was quick to say that the one packet was the only thing in the woman had with her. Sure, Ethan backed up the lie. He was pissed. In his mind, you got to obey the law. He will treat any patient; however, he will report any incident (he even reported the domestic abuse incident where the wife was poising her ranger husband so that it'd seem he had diabetes thus he would no longer be able to deploy). Another time that both butted heads was about their relationship. April didn't want to be that cliche. She didn't want people to know that Nurse Sexton is dating Dr. Choi. Meanwhile, Ethan wanted to be public about (was even jealous of Natalie and Will being able to share their love without bother in the lounge back in the early episodes or when Doris talked about having April hook up with the cousin). It was a few episodes of early season 3. Up until the season 4 episode with Vicki, they have been able to deal with their stubborness and differences and work well. Their third issue, their feelings. They are human beings clearly still in love. Their emotions got out of hand. It gave us a great scene between the two. I get the tension. I get why things blew up. April did the right thing compared to Vicki actually. Ethan always get too caught up and emotional when it comes to someone with military ties (active duty to veteran). April was grounded and made the right calls. Ethan realized his mistake afterwards (kissed April even). They are still a great work partnership, but they got to learn to find a common ground (and to leave that stubborness outside).

Do I think Chexton will be back together next week? No. Or, I hope not. I want them to relearn how to trust each other, to accept the other's opinion, to talk to each other and to listen to one another. I want them to repair the foundation of their relationship. I want them to take their time. Besides, Vicki exists. A whole Nina 2.0 is dating (being a sidechick). I think they will be together eventually.

#chexton #april x ethan #april sexton #ethan choi

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quoteablebooks · 6 years ago

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Genre: Romance, Fantasy, Historical Fiction

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:

The year is 1945. Claire Randall, a former combat nurse, is just back from the war and reunited with her husband on a second honeymoon when she walks through a standing stone in one of the ancient circles that dot the British Isles. Suddenly she is a Sassenach—an “outlander”—in a Scotland torn by war and raiding border clans in the year of Our Lord...1743. Hurled back in time by forces she cannot understand, Claire is catapulted into the intrigues of lairds and spies that may threaten her life, and shatter her heart. For here James Fraser, a gallant young Scots warrior, shows her a love so absolute that Claire becomes a woman torn between fidelity and desire—and between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

*Opinions*

I did something a little different this time and wrote the review while I was reading since it was such a long novel. That has lead it to be a rather long review.

I have had this book for almost a year at this point, but at almost 900 pages it was rather intimidating, especially with my inability to find time to read recently. However, I finally decided to take the bull by the horns and dive in. I was so pleased to see that most of the chapters are broken up into smaller segments, making it easier to move quickly through the book and not being locked into needing forty-five minutes to get through a chapter. I’m one of those people that really hates stopping in the middle of a chapter without a clear break in the action. There is also a good pace to the novel so that it's not that hard to convince yourself to go one more chapter break or make it to the end of the chapter. That being said, the overall plot of the story moves rather slowly, which would account for the novel's 850 pages. Still, after all the hype, I went in cautiously, not wanting to get my hopes up and be disappointed as I have been in the past.

We started in the “present” of 1945 and even though we aren’t in 1945 long, Frank Randall finds the page time to be rather condescending and annoying. I do believe that is the point, his dismissal of his wife while he hunts down the family connection with Jonathan “Black Jack” Randall, to highlight the difference with Jamie, but it still bothered me. Now, I get it, I have family members who are very into genealogy, but to complete ignore your wife who you barely saw for six years to look at old records is ridiculous. Also, Frank’s view of adoption instantly made me sour toward him, but it’s a viewpoint that a number of people still hold. Not to mention how he reacted to Claire swearing. Now my viewpoint might be colored because I know that Jaime is the main romantic interest due to the television show, but still. Just saying you love someone doesn’t mean much when you’re a giant ass, Frank. To be honest, I don’t know why Claire tried so hard to get back to him. Getting back to indoor plumbing I understood, but not to get back to Frank. That coupled with his ancestor being the primary villain in the novel and I didn’t really give a damn about Frank.

Something that I liked in regards to Jaime, which I hadn’t expected, was that he was younger than Claire. There was something so endearing about Jamie becoming flustered when Claire even suggested they sleep in the same room with absolutely not romantic intentions toward one another. Jaime has a lot of sweetness in him and while he has mysteries, he isn’t overly brooding, which is slightly overdone these days. Still, there are moments when he wants to be Claire's “master” that make him unlikable. Claire tells him no multiple times and they end up having sex anyway. While I am going to address this when it’s with males who aren’t Jaime, it is still nonconsensual sex (also known as rape) even if it’s a man that you are married to. You can argue that it’s the time and that makes it acceptable, seen a marital duty or whatever, but it doesn’t make Jaime likable. However, that doesn’t make me completely hate Jaime, due to his youth and inexperience, it just makes him a complex character. I just wish romance, as a genre, could stop pushing the no actually means a coy yes story line. It’s not sexy on the page or in real life. It’s rape.

As with everything that is set in historical times, rape is spoken about, implied, and threatened on a number of occasions. It even happens to a male character, though I don’t want to spoil who. I understand, it is the truth of that point in time, but I personally feel that more of discussion needs to be had about it if you chose to focus on that part of history on so many occasions. I mean, Gabaldon has time travel in this novel, she could have toned down the amount non-consensual touching, kissing, undressing, groping, almost rape and actual rape in the case of Jaime taking Claire after she told him no on a couple occasions. Every male that runs into Claire either threatens to assault her or does assault her in some way and it’s just tiring. I thought that the novel was done with that particular issue once they had left the castle, but the minute that a male that was described as somewhat attractive and not crippled once again enters the narrative, Claire is forced into a position where she should be sexually assaulted. Then it is threatened again with a male that is mentally unstable. If that is the only way you can build tension in a scene with two members of the opposite sex, maybe take a step back and looking at how you’re crafting the story a little more carefully. This isn’t selling the romantic dream of every man wanting to be with you, it is reinforcing the knowledge that every woman has that we should always be on our guard and are never safe, which isn’t something I read fiction novels to be reminded of to this degree.

One thing that I will give Gabaldon a small bit of credit for was how she dealt with the male rape victim in the novel. I don’t want to spoil who it is or the specifics surrounding the assault, but I believe she gave enough page space and emotional weight, Now this wasn’t just an assault, but torture as well, but the feeling of helplessness and shame that surrounded the character in regards to sex afterwards I believe was well done. However, that leads to another issue I have with this novel, that both homosexual characters are portrayed poorly. One is a villain and it is implied that he raped his younger brother, the other is a caricature and literally only in the novel for a while as a sort of comedic character, who also attempts to rape young boys. You can’t claim historical accuracy in this poor representation. While it might not have been written down, I highly doubt that every non-straight individual in the Scottish Highlands was a pedophile and/or rapist.

Moving on from that, Gabaldon got the sibling dynamic between Jaime and his sister Jenny down pretty well. While we may live in a more civilized time, this is basically how arguments between me and my older brother go down, sans the whole kilt incident obviously. While it was frustrating that Jaime didn’t give her a chance to explain herself, especially when he already knew about Randall’s issue from Claire explaining her experience, it is a pretty accurate representation of sibling stubbornness. Jaime had years to form a picture in his mind of what had happened and it’s hard to listen to reason, from anyone, when that happens. Jaime’s interactions with his namesake nephew were also painfully adorable and it was a nice respite from the constant danger that they faced while at the castle. I really enjoyed this whole section of the novel, though the weird sexual display when describing what it’s like to be pregnant seemed a bit odd to me. Still, it was easy to understand the mood of the room and it was a rather wonderfully written section.

Now to address the criticism that Claire is a Mary Sue that I had seen on a number of occasions. The knowledge that she had of medicine from her time as a nurse during the war makes perfect sense for the time period that she was living. The interest in herbs would also make sense if she had learned so much medical knowledge, hell I am interested in herbs and I have zero medical knowledge. While, I will admit, the whole traveling around with her uncle on archeological digs was a bit much, it’s no different than Indiana Jones and no one has a problem with him. While I don’t think that addition was necessary, most people adapt to roughing it when there is no other choice, it wasn’t something that pulled me out of the story. Honestly, I think what saves Claire from being insufferable is that she makes stupid decisions and is not a perfect person. I’m alright with a very knowledgeable main character as long as she also has flaws, which Claire has many. She is a very alive character and I appreciate that about her, even if I don’t like her all the time.

It was a brave move on Gabaldon’s part, is that she lets the story take a very leisurely pace. There are whole sections that don’t move forward the plot, but they do give us the personality of the Scots that Claire is traveling with or meeting during her trip into the past. It is probably why the novel is almost 900 pages, however I appreciate learning to care about and getting complex characters to fall in love with or loath. While I do think that some areas could have been tightened up a bit, you are pulled with Claire into the Highlands and it is rare that you find yourself thinking that Gabaldon should just speed it up already. While it does seem as if the plot becomes a little repetitive, Claire finds herself in danger, is saved, becomes comfortable in her surrounds, and then the cycle is repeated, I never forced myself to pick up the book and dive back in. The only section that I found completely unnecessary was the entire battle with the wolf near the end of the book. The injuries from that encounter really have no bearing, nor does the actual killing as Claire is forced to kill humans a little later on. It was too long and I found myself really not all that interested. A couple paragraphs could have neatly wrapped up that section and moved the plot forward, but it was the only time I felt that way. It really is well situated to a television format, and it’s easy to see how sections could be broken up into episodes. I might search out the show now that I’m finished with the novel. Overall, I enjoyed my adventure in the Highlands and will continue with the rest of the series, but I don’t see this becoming my favorite series. There are just too many problems with it that I find hard to overlook or ignore.

#review #Outlander #the outlander series #Diana Gabaldon #3 out of 5 stars

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invaderzia1 · 6 years ago

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The Worst is Yet To Come (Jean Kirschstein x Fem!Reader) (Part 5)

hey hey hey whats up sorry this has taken so long, i was struggling on the end but I finally feel good about it

9 more days of torture passed since I learned (Y/n) had been meeting with another guy. Everyday I watched her walk out that door I knew she was getting farther away from me. I was loosing her to someone else, I was loosing the love of my life. My thoughts had become more dangerous and toxic, I couldn’t be alone with them any more. All I wanted to do was cry and drink, throw myself into a disoriented state where I could relive my old life. The only way I could be happy.

It had been decided that I was to stay with Eren until I was able to properly care for myself. I felt like a child, but I knew it was for the best. I had packed up a good portion of my clothes and valuables, leaving behind our apartment. It hurt, no longer could I curl up to a picture frame of us while I drank myself asleep. But it’s what had to be done.

Currently, Mikasa, Sasha, Connie, Eren, Historia, and I were all watching some movies. It had been a while most of us had hung out like this, especially without (Y/n) with us. It was ever present over us how weird it felt. Mikasa and Historia has taken over the main couch, laying out onto it. Sasha and Connie were cuddled on the ground with each other. Me and Eren had ourselves on the side couch, sitting comfortably on it. For the first time in a few week, my mind didn’t feel plagued with horrible thoughts of what had happened, rather I was able to enjoy the presence of my friends. It was nice.

“So have you seen that Porco guy yet?” Connie asked, stuffing his face with popcorn as he did.

“Yeah, she introduced us to him the other day.” Mikasa said, putting her phone down. “There’s something off with him, I can’t place it.”

“Yeah!!” Sasha exclaimed, throwing her hand up excitedly. “He seemed like an asshole too. I don’t know what she sees in him.”

I just sighed, not letting my depressive thoughts get the better of me. “Are you just saying that cuz I’m here or because you really didn’t like him? I’d rather you not pass judgement on someone just because you think it’ll make me feel better.”

Sasha whipped around, staring me into my eyes. “No! There’s something really weird about him and I don’t like it.”

I placed my hands up defensively, waving her excitement off.

“What about you guys? Have y’all seen him?” Connie questioned Eren and Historia.

Eren shook his head, disinterested in the conversation. Historia nodded however, catching Connie’s attention.

“Yeah? What did you think? Is he a dick like everyone is saying?”

“He just seemed disinterested in everyone who wasn’t (Y/n), as if we didn’t matter to him. If he was trying to make a good impression of us than he did a pisspoor job at it.” Historia replied, shrugging her shoulders.

Suddenly, Historia’s phone let off a loud buzz, startling a good portion of us. She reached into her pocket and answered it, scurrying out of the living room into one of the empty room. We all just shrugged it off as we continued to enjoy the movie.

After a couple minutes of uninterrupted peace and relaxation, a loud thud was heard, as if someone had just called from the apartment upstairs down to erens, followed by a faint red light from under the door frame where Historia was. A few muffled voices were heard from the room as everyone suspiciously turned to look at it.

Eren nudged me not so gently with his foot, making me turn to him. His panicked expression told me everything I needed to know. Ymir and Armin must be back. I nodded at him.

“Would you two know what’s going on in there?” Mikasa not so gently put, annoyed by this sudden development.

“Maybe Historia dropped a book or something.” Eren joked, shrugging his shoulders.

Mikasa didn’t like this joke however, narrowing her eyes at him. “Eren, what’s going on?”

Everyone’s eyes were on us, trying to figure out what was going on. We had been able to bullshit a reason Armin just disappeared, something about Erwin needing him for a conference or someshit. But we knew we weren’t going to be able to bull shit this. Especially with anymore loud mouth causing a scene in the next room over.

“Historia, you can come out!!” Eren yelled. “I guess it’s time to let you guys in on this.”

The door opened pretty quickly, Historia shuffling out first followed by Armin and lastly Ymir. Everyone was a little apprehensive around Ymir, past interactions with her coming to mind. Mikasa’s eyes glazed over them before turning to me.

“Good to see you guys again.” Ymir announced, making herself at home on Eren couch.

“Hmmmph, what are you doing here?” Connie asked, practically spitting his words at her.

“Oh come on, can’t I spend time with my favorite mortals and half demon.”

“I don’t know, seems like Jean and Eren were about the explain what was going on, however.”

“Oh this should be fun.” Ymir smirked.

I was getting pretty feed up with this back and forth, not finding Ymir and Connie’s conversation as entertaining as I would’ve. I slammed my hand down onto the coffee table in front of me, bringing the attention back to me.

“Fuck it, you want to know?” I exclaimed, my jaw clenching in anger as I spoke. “I asked Ymir here to help find some sort of way we can help (Y/n), she wanted to take Armin to Hell with her in order to research better.”

Everyone was taken aback by my words, shocked by how much they had been left out of the loop. However, they were quickly brought back when Mikasa slapped my face. Then she slapped Eren’s followed by Armins. All three of us nursed our red cheeks, staring up at her in shock.

“MIKASA WHAT THE HELL???” Eren yelled out.

“Why didn’t any of you tell us? Are you idiots?” Mikasa’s eyes were angry, her usual stoic mood gone in favor for this fiery anger. Her fist was clenched by her side, her knuckles white.

“We couldn’t, you would’ve tried to stop us. I needed to make sure I was doing anything I could to help (Y/n).” I spat back, not caring that Mikasa could and will kick my ass.

“But how can you trust Ymir so blindly?”

“Ouch. Hurting my feelings here, Mika.” Ymir said, interjecting her sly comment in between our argument.

Mikasa shot a glare at Ymir before continuing her tirade. “You could’ve gotten Armin hurt down there, who knows what could’ve happened.”

My jaw clenched even harder as I ground my teeth together, I knew Mikasa was just worried but I couldn’t take her scolding me over this.

“Guy, stop fighting.” Armin exclaimed, jumping in between Mikasa and I. “I went on my own accord, I wanted to help Jean as much as I could.”

Mikasa eyes stared down at Armin, softening slightly as she did. Her fist unclenched as she took a breath, calming herself down. She crossed her arms and turned away from us, taking a seat in the lounge chair on the opposite side of the main couch. I released a sigh of relief, calming my nerves ever slightly. Everyone else seemingly did the same, taking seats around the living room and staring up at Ymir and I.

“Anyone else got any stupid questions before I start or can I get into what we found?” Ymir asked, running a hand through her hair, pushing it out of her face.

Nobody said anything, just staring up at her. Ymir sighed, rolling her eyes at everyone. She put her free arm around Historia, spreading herself out on the couch. Her jet black eyes scanned everyone’s face before settling in mine.

“Alright, lets get started then.” Her voice went for snarky to serious, preparing the rest of the room for what was to come. “So, bad news first, there’s no immediate fix to this.”

“What does that mean?” Eren jumped in, cutting Ymir off before she could continue.

“How about you let me explain before jumping in.” She glared. “Now, what I was going to say was there’s no simple solution to this.”

I stared back at her, waiting for her continue.

“There is some good news.” Armin nervously jumped in, turning attention from Ymir to him. “While there is no simple way to go about this, there is a way to fix this.”

I felt my heart leap from my chest, hope filling inside of me. My eyes widened as I sat up to listen more attentively. I couldn’t hide my excitement.

“W-What do we have to do?” I exclaimed. I could feel everyone’s eyes boring into me, I didn’t care about them.

“Well, there are two ways we can go about it. Though, they will be difficult and there’s no way to know if they will actually work.”

“I don’t care, I still need to try them. I can’t give up on her so easily.” I stood up in excitement, getting overworked by this new hope. I felt a pillow smash into my face, breaking me of my excitement.

“Sit down and let us explain this first.” Ymir yelled, snarling her sharp teeth at me.

Grumbling to myself, I reluctantly say down. I stared down Ymir and Armin as they began, bouncing my foot up and down impatiently.

“Okay... lets start with the first one, since it’s the least assine one.” Armin cleared his throat before speaking. “Well, we need travel to Hell and perform this ritual where Jean has to climb to the highest peak of the highest mountain in Hell, while carrying this medallion, then he has to bury it and wait for a bolt of lightning to strike that exact spot, at which point-“ Armin caught the collective look of uneasiness, stoping his explanation. “-oh... yeah, this one is pretty convoluted.”

“You think?” Eren replied, sarcastically.

Armin’s face went red in embarrassment, rubbing the back of his head nervously. I shot Eren an annoyed look, but was as equally unimpressed by that method. It didn’t sound like he was even half way through with that and while I would try it, I wasn’t happy about it.

“Well,” Ymir started, “If you didn’t like that one you probably won’t like this next one.”

Ymir gave Armin a look, cuing him into continuing. He cleared his throat and, with less vigor than before, continued.

“Well, the next way is to get the demon to break the contract.”

Oh, that seems simple, I thought.

Everyone else must’ve had that same thought, as they exchanged a similar look, before looking back to Armin. Armin must’ve knew how confused everyone is.

“Why are you all looking at me like that?” Armin stuttered out.

“Is that... all we have to do?” Sasha cautiously asked, quirking an eyebrow up.

“Well... for the most part.”

Everyone looked at each other again. My mind was blank, that couldn’t be hard to do. Why had they opened with the other one?

“Okay, it’s not that easy.” Ymir said, running her fingers through her hair. “First of all, it needs to take place in Hell, and only Hell to be valid. Secondly, these assholes take their contracts seriously, especially this one. If they are able to keep you fuckers out of their hair, they will use everything they can to do so.”

“We just need to attack them enough for them to attack us, it won’t be that hard.” Eren added, matter-of-factly.

“They won’t, they said they wouldn’t hurt you so they will not attack you. They can have other factions attack you or they could kill (Y/n). It’s simple as that.” Ymir shot back.

My eyes widened, the thought of harm coming to (Y/n) and it being my fault again was too much. There was no way I would be able to handle that again.

Everything was quiet again, everyone too startled to speak. There was no way this would be easy, but nobody wanted to give up. We all looked up at Ymir, who sighed to herself and ran her fingers through her hair yet again.

“So you really want to go through with this.” Her eyes glazed over everyone in the room, stopping at mine for a brief second. “Fine, you have two days to get packed.”

#jean kirschstein #jean kirschstein x reader #maddy writes #aot #snk #aot x reader #snk x reader #shingeki no kyojin #attack on titan #fic

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longlivemystories · 7 years ago

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Moonlit Strolls: Chapter Nine

GUESS WHO’S FINALLY UPDATING AGAIN GUYS

Saturday

Alucard leaned against the wall with the door attached to it, watching the nurse closely enough to make her nervous. Her hands shook as she put a couple simple stitches in the scratch I'd received from Jake not half an hour ago I could tell Alucard was fuming about what had happened, though it was hard to say why, exactly. I was quickly becoming tired of his presence.

"Alucard, I'm fine. I don't need you hanging out," I grumbled, trying not to move my mouth too much because of the pain. "And who will make sure you don't do something stupid again," he growled, arms crossed over his chest. "I had the situation under control," I sighed, wincing when the nurse put the bandage on my face, careful not to stick medical tape in my hair. "How long do you think it'll take to heal?" I asked her. "N-Not too long. I'll come back later to change your bandage," she stuttered, giving a quick bow before gathering the medical supplies and trash and scurrying out of the room. "I told you not to go too close to the cage, Red. You're human and it's far too dangerous." I looked over at him tiredly, brain too fried to figure out why he was acting so weird. Alucard didn't seem to care too much before, so his irritation was baffling to me now. Something about his mood made me want to stop the argument, but then again, it also made me want to fight on. Perhaps it was the exhaustion, but my common sense was seeping out, leaving me behind and I wanted to prod the bull. "Remind me again why I have to listen to you?" I grumbled, pulling my legs up to cross on the bed. Red eyes flashed with something I couldn't identify, but it made my spine crawl with uncertainty. I may have made a bad choice, though there was no turning back now.” "My master has tasked me with keeping your safety," he responded evenly, eyes glowing, "but if you'd like to throw your life into the hands of some useless mongrel-" "He's my friend!" I snapped, sitting up straighter. "Not some monster incapable of empathy or reason. He /will/ recognize me soon enough and then there won't be any danger at all." "And yet he still harmed you," the vampire snorted, pulling his upper lip back in a sneer, flashing his canines in an obvious show of power. "There will always be danger where monsters are concerned." I caught my tongue before I responded too hastily, an insult very nearly endangering my life. I closed my eyes a moment and grabbed my brush from the nightstand; this was a sure way to calm my mind. As I started methodically brushing my hair, I responded with, "You startled us both." "And look at what he did to you in turn. If he's this dangerous when startled, then he really can't be trusted." White knuckles were glaringly obvious as I gripped my brush, practically ripping it through my hair. Where the hell did this guy get off acting like such a jerk?! Last I checked, he was lord Dracula himself, capable of probably much more damage than Jake upon being startled an yet he acted like he was the most harmless thing in the world. "That's pretty funny, coming from someone who wanted, who /pressed/ me to spend more time with him." That seemed to be the last straw for the vampire. He stood up straight, pushing his sunglasses on. "It's too early in the goddamn morning," he growled. "Stay here until I return." With that, he left my room and I threw my brush on the bed.

"You made a ruckus in my home." I turned my head away from my journal. I had turned to it in this time of deep frustration in the vain hopes it would help sort my thoughts. I had a chance to calm down at least a little and sat up, putting book and utensil down. "Sorry," I sighed lightly. "It's been... difficult today, but that's no excuse." Integra was quiet a moment before moving over to the chair at the small table. She casually lit a cigar and took a long drag. "Alucard can be... difficult," she finally stated, cutting the silence. It took a lot of willpower not to snort at her blatant comment. "You're his uh... master, right?" I inquired, sitting up to cross his legs. "You'd think he wouldn't be so annoying towards you." My statement drove an interesting chuckle from Integra. I had a feeling the two had been working together for quite some time and she was used to his games. "Yes... He has his moments, as brief and far between as they are. How is your friend, Jake?" The sudden change in subject caught me off guard, welling up feelings I hadn't had time to process by myself yet. How was he? How was I even supposed to answer that? How was I supposed to know? I dropped my gaze, taking my time in figuring out an answer. "Better." "Oh?" "I know; the face... it looks bad, but it doesn't hurt, really," I sputtered, looking up at her once more. "Alucard startled the both of us--" "Yes, so I've heard quite a bit about it," she interrupted, looking at me pointedly. "He was holding your face... much like a loved one would caress." "Exactly! We-- wait.. I... no, no, uh no, I uhm." The sputtering only worsened so finally I just shut up. Another, lighter chuckle came from the Englishwoman. "This might work to our advantage." I snapped my head up at her in confusion, but she was already leaving the room.

I stood with uncertainty at the top of Jake's stairs, staring down into the pitch blackness. "Jake?" A soft rattle of chains told me he was indeed awake. I reached over and flicked the nearby light switch before descending. The taller man was sitting with his legs crossed, towards the near edge of the cage, watching me with intense, focused eyes. I smiled gently at him and sat near the cage. "Oliver?" The both of us looked up at the entrance, startled. This was happening too much for any heart to remain healthy. Seras was the intruder this time and she came down quietly. "You sure it's a good idea; being down here and all?" she asked, plopping down next to me.

"I trust him with my life, Seras," I admitted softly. She smiled fondly at that, not taking her eyes off Jake. "How'd you two meet, anyway?" "High school," I laughed, thinking back and finding the memory all too quickly. "I was uh... picked on a lot as a kid and that, of course, traveled into my freshman year of high school. Jake here had just transferred in from the States, New York, I think and it was barely a week into the school year when my old childhood bully started his crap. "Big ol' Larry Southerson... It was hard to be mad at him once I found out about his family life. Abusive mom, absent dad... He had it rough, but that doesn't really completely excuse his actions. Anyways, first week in and I'm in a locker--" "A locker?" Seras repeated, incredulous. "You're so tall--" "Not as tall as I seem." I laughed. "Just uh... skinny. Jake, he saved me. Apparently, he'd seen Larry pull some other stunt on another kid earlier that day. They fought, I mean literally, physically fought. Larry ran off, having never had someone other than teachers stand up to him." I found myself recalling the very moment Jake pulled me out of the locker and checked me over so carefully for any bruising or any other injuries. His ringed fingers were gentle, as were eyes line heavily in black. If I knew then how much he was going to impact my life, I might've kissed him right then and there. "Anyways, Jake spent all his time with me from then until, well, now," I mumbled, looking at him fondly. "That's really sweet... Well, save for the bullying, but I'm glad you two are friends now," Seras said, smiling. "U... tah..." The word startled both of us and all our attention was on the werewolf, who was holding a slight smirk on his face. "I'm from... Utah."

His voice was hoarse and gravelly, but it brought tears of relief to my eyes. "R-right," I sputtered. "Utah... how--" "I'm feeling.... better," he sighed, leaning his weight back on his hands. "It's like everything went blank for a little while... except your face. I couldn't remember who you were, just that, well... anyways... A cage, really?"

#hellsing #moonlit strolls #chapter nine #alucard #oliver #jake #seras victoria #integra fairbrook wingates hellsing

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anthonybialy · 3 years ago

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Expensive Speech

The First Amendment is just another part of the Constitution Joe Biden loathes. Now you're going to condemn him for consistency? President Velcro risibly tries to run your life even though nothing in the rulebook authorizes any of his regrettable infiltrations. An executive whose made full use of his right as an American and person to blabber wants to cut your microphone.

Please don't feel intimidated by someone in power abusing it as he wonders aloud why you can keep claiming he's a clueless dunce. Misadventures in censorship are especially appalling considering he's spent his life full of it.

This column has not been verified by White House officials. I'd encourage taking a screenshot before the letters are confiscated as evidence against me during my trial for subversion. To further irk my federal minder, I am compelled to call free speech infringements chilling. It's the Columnist Code. But clichés come along because they contain enough truth to be repeated frequently. You're free to say anything you'd like as long as it's been approved by a White House that thinks calling child care infrastructure is honest.

You'll murder us all. Hysteria serves as the present reason for not letting you do something, in this case open your noise hole and repeat something you read on Town Hall. Type away as long as you don't say what you want.

Using the virus as an excuse is coincidental just like how elected hall monitors fapped while proclaiming which businesses were allowed to conduct business. It's so unpredictable that the current crisis is conveniently used to stifle opposition. I hope the Truth Patrol can't recognize deadpan irony.

Shut up for your health. Symptoms include lust for control and innate insecurity. The most noticeable result from the virus of statism is living out every sick fantasy sufferers have about control. Pretending they weren't pleased a virus came along to enable domination is the toughest part.

The anti-whispering campaign is going as well as every other Democratic virus-fighting initiative. A party that said your selfishness was a form of genocide has lost the war against COVID-19 like they're abandoning the South Vietnamese. It's no wonder they bristle at noticing precedent.

Halting sanctimonious initiatives is apparently not an option. Aggressively enthusiastic liberals want to squash skepticism as if it were being uttered by New York nursing home residents. There's only one way to ensure witnesses won't blab.

Misinformation is anything that makes Democrats uncomfortable. Trust their definition or be fined. Finding errors is the excuse used by every aspiring fascist who fantasizes about the 21st -century equivalent of smashing printing presses.

Dynamiting servers is necessary to preserve life. Free speech is killing people, according to an administration that doesn't even feign guilt over disregarding shamelessness.

Federal word auditors are taking your rights for your safety, money for your security, and decisions for your freedom from horrible autonomy. I'd trust the accuracy rate of anyone criticizing this dopey administration more than any of its perpetually dishonest stooges. People are allowed to be wrong, you know. Biden does it all the time so we can learn from his poor example.

Moronic political science majors who sucked up enough to get White House jobs want to control people in general and what they can say in particular. To them, shredding the Bill of Rights from the top means they're on message. Meanwhile, your message has been rejected by law. The indignant reflex they exhibit about anything resembling dissent says so much, which for the record is also constitutionally protected.

Perhaps I'm just jealous of Jen Psaki because of her kind compassion. The particularly likable embodiment of everything joyous about humanity dispenses bull excrement constantly even by the standards of presidential press secretaries. I'm almost impressed. Enablers are the real criminals. Being fibbed to by Democrats is the preferred fetish of media members who perversely get off on television channels that don't have to be ordered by show.

Every last thing Biden says, has ever said, or will ever say is a lie. Only taxing the particularly successful would be a terrible notion even if he stuck to it, which of course he won't. The government is not only authorized to run your life but is quite skilled at it, if your source is said government.

Daft views on science make the assault on the ability to be incorrect even funnier. Try not to giggle in the principal's office. Breathing through cloth has done nothing but keep carbon dioxide from getting exhaled if you wonder why people seem particularly cloudy. But at least shutting down society did nothing to halt a rampaging virus that managed to climb through door seams.

They're called Blue States due to lack of oxygen. Andrew Cuomo choosing your grandma's roommate allowed Corpse Mountain to surpass Mount Marcy as the erstwhile Empire State's highest peak. Yet nobody from the White House demands their latest Jim Jones have his Twitter account revoked.

A White House that's proficient at business and constitutional law must be experts in communication aside from how they can't express their awful ideas clearly. Washington gives away vaccinations and still can't get people to take them. The reluctance must be caused by meanies at right-wing online rags who ruined what would otherwise be your leaders efficiently dispersing lifesaving treatment as usual.

The only debate about those who feel speech is a luxurious privilege is whether they're liars or ignorant. Such arguments would be prohibited by the Ministry of Misinformation. Inventing its name like I just did right there will be considered libelous blasphemy. The federal agency charged with measuring truthfulness will imprison and damn me. Promise you'll visit?

It's merely extra horrifying that the professionally mendacious want to determine who else is full of it. But I don't want them to shut up. Please keep talking. Sure, it's unpleasant to listen to a shaky president who's been a doddering old fool long before he turned 384. But enduring dolts is the surest way to discredit them.

Wanting to let people decide is dangerous to their enemies. The lifetime politician who made his way to the White House despises markets in every way. It's a definite sign of confidence to scrutinize the site where your mom checks the neighborhood free stuff page for vaccine doubts. Biden and those at his workplace forging his signature don't trust humans to figure out anything, which can only be more appalling considering they're wrong about everything.

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dfroza · 3 years ago

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Today’s reading from the ancient book of Proverbs and book of Psalms

for july 22 of 2021 with Proverbs 22 and Psalm 22, accompanied by Psalm 33 for the 33rd day of Summer and Psalm 53 for day 203 of the year (now with the consummate book of 150 Psalms in its 2nd revolution this year)

[Proverbs 22]

[How to Live a Life of Wisdom]

A beautiful reputation is more to be desired than great riches,

and to be esteemed by others is more honorable

than to own immense investments.

The rich and the poor have one thing in common:

the Lord God created each one.

A prudent person with insight foresees danger coming

and prepares himself for it.

But the senseless rush blindly forward

and suffer the consequences.

Laying your life down in tender surrender before the Lord

will bring life, prosperity, and honor as your reward.

Twisted and perverse lives are surrounded by demonic influence.

If you value your soul, stay far away from them.

Dedicate your children to God

and point them in the way that they should go,

and the values they’ve learned from you will be with them for life.

If you borrow money with interest,

you’ll end up serving the interests of your creditors,

for the rich rule over the poor.

Sin is a seed that brings a harvest;

you’ll reap a heap of trouble with every seed you plant.

For your investment in sins pays a full return—

the full punishment you deserve!

When you are generous to the poor,

you are enriched with blessings in return.

Say goodbye to a troublemaker and you’ll say goodbye

to quarrels, strife, tension, and arguments,

for a troublemaker traffics in shame.

The Lord loves those whose hearts are holy,

and he is the friend of those whose ways are pure.

God passionately watches over

his deep reservoir of revelation-knowledge,

but he subverts the lies of those who pervert the truth.

A slacker always has an excuse for not working—

like “I can’t go to work. There’s a lion outside!

And murderers too!”

Sex with an adulteress is like falling into the abyss.

Those under God’s curse jump right in to their own destruction.

Although rebellion is woven into a young man’s heart,

tough discipline can make him into a man.

There are two kinds of people headed toward poverty:

those who exploit the poor

and those who bribe the rich.

[Sayings of the Wise Sages]

Listen carefully and open your heart.

Drink in the wise revelation that I impart.

You’ll become winsome and wise

when you treasure the beauty of my words.

And always be prepared to share them at the appropriate time.

For I’m releasing these words to you this day,

yes, even to you, so that your living hope

will be found in God alone,

for he is the only one who is always true.

Pay attention to these excellent sayings of three-fold things.

For within my words you will discover true and reliable revelation.

They will give you serenity so that you can reveal

the truth of the word of the one who sends you.

Never oppress the poor

or pass laws with the motive of crushing the weak.

For the Lord will rise to plead their case

and humiliate the one who humiliates the poor.

Walk away from an angry man

or you’ll embrace a snare in your soul

by becoming bad-tempered just like him.

Why would you ever guarantee a loan for someone else

or promise to be responsible for someone’s debts?

For if you fail to pay you could lose your shirt!

The previous generation has set boundaries in place.

Don’t you dare move them just to benefit yourself.

If you are uniquely gifted in your work,

you will rise and be promoted.

You won’t be held back—

you’ll stand before kings!

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 22 (The Passion Translation)

[Psalm 22]

A Prophetic Portrait of the Cross

For the Pure and Shining One

David’s song of anguish

For the worship leader. A song of David to the tune “Deer of the Dawn.”

My God, my God, why have You turned Your back on me?

Your ears are deaf to my groans.

O my God, I cry all day and You are silent;

my tears in the night bring no relief.

Still, You are holy;

You make Your home on the praises of Israel.

Our mothers and fathers trusted in You;

they trusted, and You rescued them.

They cried out to You for help and were spared;

they trusted in You and were vindicated.

But I am a worm and not a human being,

a disgrace and an object of scorn.

Everyone who sees me laughs at me;

they whisper to one another I’m a loser; they sneer and mock me, saying,

“He relies on the Eternal; let the Eternal rescue him

and keep him safe because He is happy with him.”

But You are the One who granted me life;

You endowed me with trust as I nursed at my mother’s breast.

I was dedicated to You at birth;

You’ve been my God from my mother’s womb.

Stay close to me—

trouble is at my door;

no one else can help me.

I’m surrounded by many tormenters;

like strong bulls of Bashan, they circle around me with their taunts.

They open their mouths wide at me

like ravenous, roaring lions.

My life is poured out like water,

and all my bones have slipped out of joint.

My heart melts like wax inside me.

My strength is gone, dried up like shards of pottery;

my dry tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth;

You lay me in the dust of death.

A throng of evil ones has surrounded me

like a pack of wild dogs;

They pierced my hands and ripped a hole in my feet.

I count all my bones;

people gawk and stare at me.

They make a game out of dividing my clothes among themselves;

they cast lots for the clothes on my back.

But You, O Eternal, stay close;

O You, my help, hurry to my side.

Save my life from violence,

my sweet life from the teeth of the wild dog.

Rescue me from the mouth of the lion.

From the horns of the wild oxen, You responded to my plea.

I will speak Your Name to my brothers and sisters

when I praise You in the midst of the community.

You who revere the Eternal, praise Him—

descendants of Jacob, worship Him;

be struck with wonder before Him, all you children of Israel.

He’s not put off

by the suffering of the suffering one;

He doesn’t pretend He hasn’t seen him;

when he pleaded for help, He listened.

You stir my praise in the great assembly;

I will fulfill my vows before those who humble their hearts before Him.

Those who are suffering will eat and be nourished;

those who seek Him will praise the Eternal.

May your hearts beat strong forever!

Those from the farthest reaches of the earth will remember

and turn back to look for the Eternal;

All the families of the nations

will worship You.

The Eternal owns the world;

He exercises His gentle rule over all the nations.

All the wealthy of the world will eat and worship;

all those who fall in the dust will bow before Him,

even the life that is headed to the grave.

Our children will serve Him;

future generations will hear the story of how the Lord rescued us.

They will tell the generations to come

of the righteousness of the Lord,

of what He has done.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 22 (The Voice)

[Psalm 33]

Release your heart’s joy in sweet music to the Eternal.

When the upright passionately sing glory-filled songs to Him, everything is in its right place.

Worship the Eternal with your instruments, strings offering their praise;

write awe-filled songs to Him on the 10-stringed harp.

Sing to Him a new song;

play each the best way you can,

and don’t be afraid to be bold with your joyful feelings.

For the word of the Eternal is perfect and true;

His actions are always faithful and right.

He loves virtue and equity;

the Eternal’s love fills the whole earth.

The unfathomable cosmos came into being at the word of the Eternal’s imagination, a solitary voice in endless darkness.

The breath of His mouth whispered the sea of stars into existence.

He gathers every drop of every ocean as in a jar,

securing the ocean depths as His watery treasure.

Let all people stand in awe of the Eternal;

let every man, woman, and child live in wonder of Him.

For He spoke, and all things came into being.

A single command from His lips, and all creation obeyed and stood its ground.

The Eternal cripples the schemes of the other nations;

He impedes the plans of rival peoples.

The Eternal’s purposes will last to the end of time;

the thoughts of His heart will awaken and stir all generations.

The nation whose True God is the Eternal is truly blessed;

fortunate are all whom He chooses to inherit His legacy.

The Eternal peers down from heaven

and watches all of humanity;

He observes every soul

from His divine residence.

He has formed every human heart, breathing life into every human spirit;

He knows the deeds of each person, inside and out.

A king is not delivered by the might of his army.

Even the strongest warrior is not saved by his own strength.

A horse is not the way to victory;

its great strength cannot rescue.

Listen, the eye of the Eternal is upon those who live in awe of Him,

those who hope in His steadfast love,

That He may save them from the darkness of the grave

and be kept alive during the lean seasons.

We live with hope in the Eternal. We wait for Him,

for He is our Divine Help and Impenetrable Shield.

Our hearts erupt with joy in Him

because we trust His holy name.

O Eternal, drench us with Your endless love,

even now as we wait for You.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 33 (The Voice)

[Psalm 53]

For the worship leader. A contemplative song of David. A song for the dance.

The foolish are convinced deep down that there is no God.

Their souls are polluted, and they commit gross injustice.

Not one of them does good.

From heaven the one True God examines the earth

to see if any understand the big picture,

if any seek to know the True God.

All have turned back to their wicked ways; they’ve become totally perverse.

Not one of them does good,

not even one.

Do the wicked relish their ignorance,

the wicked ones who consume My people as if they were bread

and fail to call upon the True God?

They trembled with great fear,

though they��d never been afraid before,

Because the True God ravaged the bones of those who rose against you.

You humiliated them because the True God spat them out.

Oh, that the liberation of Israel would come out of Zion!

When the True God reclaims His people,

let Jacob celebrate; let Israel rejoice.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 53 (The Voice)

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