#Meredith Pier

[graveyardrabbit]

salmon sculpture on Meredith Pier, Bodega

[demispark]

You can't just call me out like this-

[maddiesentmehere118]

A Stranger's Jacket: Part 14

Evan "Buck" Buckley x plus size! reader

Word Count: 2k

Warnings: mentions of blood, angst, slight comfort

Author's Notes: Yes, I took inspiration from Grey's Anatomy when Meredith had to call for her mom's medical emergency.

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Your cheeks ache from how hard you’re smiling at your phone screen. Buck has sent a selfie of him and Christopher at the pier. It feels good to see him smiling again. All because of a little boy named Christopher, the embodiment of light in everyone's lives.

You flash the selfie to Maddie behind you. Rolling closer, you let her examine the photo. She lets out a soft awe, and you send a heart emoji back with a text to check up on the pair. 

You: Maddie and I love it. How’s the pier? 

Buck: We’re having a blast, Chris won a bear! 

He sends a follow up photo, and the bear is as big as Chris.

Buck: I wish you were here. I’ll have to bring you sometime.

You:🍦🎡

Buck: Only the best for my love. Text soon, about to win you a fluffy cow 🐮

You: Be careful, I might cuddle it over you. 

Buck: Doubt it, won’t even make it into bed. You can only cuddle me.

You: 😉

Warmth fills your tummy, moving up to your chest as euphoria washes over you. This is what a good day is supposed to be like. It has been a few days since Buck has been this flirty, and you’re thankful that you and Eddie’s plan is working. 

However, you don’t get long to revel in the small victory as the phone rings. You blink away the joy, shifting into professional mode. Whilst you would love to keep seeing a smiling Buck, you need to be present here. You place your phone to the side, finger hovering over the answer button.

“911, what is your emergency?”

“Hello, my mommy is bleeding really bad.”

You take a deep breath to steady yourself. Visions of Dr. Daniels flashes through your head. Blood everywhere. You were doing so good up until recently, when Buck threw some clots. You close your eyes, shaking away the images. 

Dr. Daniels is safe. You are safe. Buck is safe. 

“Okay sweetheart, can you tell me your name and how old you are?”

“My name is Molly and I am five years old.”

“Hi Molly.” You tell her your name, already typing in the request to track the phone’s location. “Molly, can you tell me your mommy’s name?”

“Maggie.”

“Molly, can you please put your ear on Mommy’s chest to see if she is breathing and her heart is okay?”

There is a pause and you hear some shuffling, some breathing. In your mind, you see a little girl, scared as she holds the phone up to the side of her face. 

“Yes, mommy is breathing and I can hear her heart.”

“Good job, Molly.” You enter the address as it pings, briefly switching to the radio. “Dispatch, I need a medical response at 4434 Red Maple Drive. There is a woman bleeding and a five year old girl, Molly.”

“Station 41, en-route now, dispatch.”

“Molly, are you still there?”

“Yes.”

“Molly, do you know where Mommy is bleeding? Did she cut herself or hit her head?”

“No, she fell. My baby brother is in her belly.”

An increased sense of urgency hits you as you follow up with the first responders. Your fingers are trembling, trying to keep your voice clear and steady. 

“Unit 41, this is dispatch. The woman is pregnant.”

“Okay, sweetie, I need you to stay on the phone with me until help gets there. Do you have a pet with you?”

“My dog Zeus.”

“Will Zeus be mean when the helpers get there?”

“No, he really likes the mailman.” 

Zeus is a nice dog, you note in the log. One less obstacle to getting to Maggie and Molly.

“Molly, you’re doing great. Do you know if the door is locked?”

“No, we went to the park.”

“That’s perfect. When the firefighters get there, they are going to knock. But for now, you need to stay with mommy. Can you do that for me?”

“Yes.” You hear her breathing pick up. It hitches as soft cries start to come through the call. “Is my mommy going to be okay?”

 Your heart clenches. You can’t help but imagine the 118 responding to the call, and how Buck would be the sweetest as he attended to the girl, as he was not as medically adept as Eddie, Chim, and Hen. 

“Molly, they are going to be the best helpers ever.” You pause, thinking of ways to possibly distract her. “Are you excited to be a big sister?”

“Yea-yeah.” She hiccups. 

“You’re going to be a good big sister. You’re already taking care of him and helping mommy!”

Sniffles meet you as her crying slows down, but you can still hear the fear in her voice as the reality of the situation slowly sets in. 

“Do you know what his name is?”

“Jack.”

“Dispatch, Unit 41, turning on the road now.”

“Molly, you are going to hear ambulance sirens soon. That is your helpers. I want you to open the door when they knock and then you will tell me when they come into the house, okay?”

“I’m scared.”

“I know,” You’re sincere, acknowledging her fear but choosing to be honest with her. “You’re doing an amazing job, Molly. I’m so proud of you for helping your mommy and Jack. You did the best thing by calling for help. You’re a hero.”

“I’m a hero?”

“Absolutely, the bravest one I know.” You affirm, not missing a beat. 

“I think I hear sirens.”

“That’s them! When they knock, you can open the door. Do you see any lights yet?”

“Yes, red and blue!”

“Dispatch to unit 41, your caller is Molly. She’s opening the door when you knock. Dog is friendly.”

“Copy that, Dispatch. Making an entry.”

“Molly, can you tell me when they come inside?”

A few long seconds pass by. You only know she is still on the phone by her breaths and then the sound of a knock. 

“They’re here.”

The firestation announces their arrival, boots thudding against the floor. You sigh in relief. 

“Good job Molly, you were so brave. Thank you for helping your mommy and baby Jack.”

“You’re welcome.” She says brightly. You smile, wishing that you could hug the girl.

“One of the firefighters will stay with you. I’m going to hang up now, okay?”

“Okay. Bye.” Her response is soft, still etched with some fear. But the hardest part is over, and you know that she is in good hands. Your job is over, and you have to let her go so you can help the next person. 

“Bye Molly.”

You end the call, tears in your eyes. You push the mic away from your mouth to take some calming sips of coffee. The warmth of the tumbler is somewhat grounding.

You hadn’t had many calls from children yet, but it was definitely one of the worst calls you have taken yet. She was so young, unable to truly understand what was going on, but smart enough to know when and how to call for help. 

The line rings again. You press the spacebar, a few tears falling down your cheeks. 

“911, what is your emergency?”

“I think there’s an emergency at the Santa Monica pier. The ocean is leaving.”

Your eyes flit across the screen as you try to think of what that could mean. Santa Monica pier. Buck. Christopher. You feel a lump in your throat, voice breaking.

“You mean the tide is retreating?”

“No, like there is way more sand than normal. What do you call it, not a hurricane but a-”

“Tsunami.” You breathe out, body surging with adrenaline. This can’t be happening.  Right? “Sir, I need you to evacuate as many people as you can off that beach and get as far away as possible.  I need to clear this line for emergencies now.”

“Okay.”

“Please be safe, get to a high shelter if you cannot get away in time.”

“I will. Thank you.”

You turn around, calling out Sue’s name and waving her over hurriedly. She moves quickly, her face contorted with worry upon seeing your dread-stricken face, blood leaving your face as you pale. 

“What’s wrong?”

“I uh, just received a call of signs of a tsunami at Santa Monica Pier. I told him to evacuate as many people as possible.”

“Crap.” She mutters, facing the center of the room as she leans against your desk. You’re in disbelief as she communicates to the rest of the room. This can’t be real. Not again. Haven’t you and Buck been through enough? 

“Listen up!” She demands. People turn to face her, some still handling calls whilst others are waiting. “These lines are going to fill up soon. There are potential signs of a tsunami at Santa Monica pier. You know the drill, triage important calls and let non-emergency calls go. The protocol is in the natural disasters folder on your desk and the computer.”

Those in the break room file out, heading to their respective desks. One spills some coffee from her mug onto the floor as she rushes to her headset. The desks are filling up fast, a large white board being wheeled to the center by Josh. You grab your phone to check in on your boys. 

You: Are you still at the pier? Please text me when you can.

You grip the edge of the desk. One, two, three minutes pass by. No answer.

No time to panic. People need you. Buck will take care of them if they get caught up in the tsunami- you have to believe that. You pray to God that they have left by now, but seeing as you just heard from them about fifteen minutes ago, there is no way that they’ve left. 

Your name is said. You snap out of it, turning around. Maddie’s eyes are wide, knowing. She swallows hard, taking a deep breath. 

“It’s fine. They’ll be fine.”

It’s all that you can come up with. It's more of a mantra to ease your own nerves. You force a smile, seeing tears in Maddie’s eyes.

“Buck can swim and Christopher knows emergency drills. They’ll stay together.”

God, please let them stay together. Safely. Alive.

You have to be the sunshine for Maddie. You have to keep your calm, even when every cell in your body is telling you to flee. To get on the phone with Buck and run towards the danger. To face it with him. You mentally kick yourself for making this plan. Maybe Buck was right. You should have stayed home, in bed, together. You had to watch Chris anyways, and he could have joined you in bed. Watched movies and played games all day.

The last time you were with Buck and Christopher, you went out for ice cream and a day at the zoo. Christopher was insistent on seeing the giraffes, and Buck had placed Chris on his shoulders so he could feel as tall as one. You smile at the memory.

Everything is silent. The calm before the storm. You follow the breathing patterns from your time in therapy, creating a square. In for four, hold for four, out for four, in for four. You need to relax, reset your nervous system.

 Then calls start coming in rapidly, just as fast as the tide changed on the pier. Red flashing lights of filling lines. The furious tapping of keyboards, buzzing of chatter filling the room. Everything is amplified, louder, more serious than normal. Your first major disaster since you started working here.

The image of Buck and Christopher meeting you back at the apartment tonight, safe and sound, motivates you to push forward.

“Here we go.” You whisper to yourself. You readjust the headset, tapping the mic. You push your emotions to the side. You slowly become numb to the idea, hoping that this will distract your racing mind. You speak calmly, even if you don’t feel it. “911, what’s your emergency?”

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🔥 taglist: @nickie-amore, @mimisweetz, @queen-o-castle, @dipdeedoda, @rintheemolion, @iluvvcaats, @maryyy-8 , @strabarrybat, @unholycheesesnack, @formula1-motogpfan, @booklover2503, @strawb3rrywh0r3, @itsthebookqueenthings

[adoringsentiment]

Date #5: Meredith Blakely by @jonquilyst

Okay, the occult vibes are getting strong now. Meredith showed up for their date at the Plumbite Pier Copperdale in full werewolf form! They did pretty much everything there was to do: they had ice cream and bubble tea, went on the ferris wheel and the haunted house, took some pictures in the photo booth and had some pleasant conversation. Now that's a Good Compatibility! Meredith also suggested they go to Frankie's place, so they went and had a stargazing picnic and then played chess. All in all, this super eventful date lasted many hours and got a Gold Medal. Frankie ended up Attracted to Meredith and got a Closer from Happy Memories sentiment about her.

I love that Frankie got to know another former DreadfulNat's contestant! Cheers to second chances, right?

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[unwelcome-tagalong]

hello i’m back from the dead (sleeping) and it’s time to talk about

why Cullen won’t let anyone fix the hole in his ceiling 💖

someone has probably said this before but it wasn’t me, so here we go!

so remember that Ser Cullen Stanton Rutherford of Honnleath grew up with three siblings, who he describes as being “very loud.” i see him as always being a very disciplined child, kind and warm and willing to let Mia take charge (because fighting her for it would have been useless), but a steadfast follower with a keen sense of justice and fairness, willing to voice his objections when he had any, and very fastidious about not breaking rules when Mia or Branson tried to stir up trouble. you know, that whole second child archetype. he was prone to a bit of escapism, running off to that pier on some lake which is definitely not in Crestwood, which tells us he likes having somewhere to escape to, somewhere to run if he gets overwhelmed.

skipping forward a bit, when he lived in Kirkwall, he had quite a bit of freedom to come and go physically, but to me at least it seems like he felt trapped by his duties under Meredith. he explicitly describes her keeping things from him, things she thought he’d disagree with as her second in command. he felt lied to, deceived, manipulated by her (bc he was), i think, even before the events at the end of DA2 that expose her for what she is. can you imagine that feeling? like he actually wants to do good, to treat the mages fairly and help keep them and everyone else safe (that’s why he signed up, after all), but he’s got this nasty, evil commanding officer who’s whispering in his ear, twisting all that good intention to do her malicious bidding. it must have felt like beating his head against a brick wall, like no matter what he did, his sincere desire to believe that other people are fundamentally good disappointed him. i always say that Meredith gave Cullen just enough rope to hang himself with.

jumping forward again, let’s talk about the Winter Palace. Cullen is very obviously uncomfortable there, and it makes sense why: he can’t leave, not without being extraordinarily rude, can’t get away from the people bothering and sexually harassing him, can’t get out of that jacket that is too damn tight. if you bring Cole with you, at one point in his ‘Investigate’ tree he comments that, “Cullen is afraid. They’re hurting him, following fear. He shouldn’t be here.”

all of this is just to illustrate: man’s got a Thing about feeling trapped, stuck, unable to fight back or defend himself or just flat out leave. and why does he have such a hard time with this?

because of that one time that Uldred blew up the Circle at Kinloch Hold in Ferelden. for reasons we don’t fully grasp, rather than being claimed by the demons or simply killed in the fighting, Cullen held out. he resisted demonic possession completely, somehow, and was instead trapped within that magical prison with no possibility of escape, probably for weeks. no escape from his hunger, thirst, or lyrium withdrawal, and no escape from the (probably Desire) demon(s) that tortured him with freedom if he’d only give in to those things he won’t quite allow himself to want.

so the fact that there’s a hole in his ceiling, even months into the repairs at Skyhold, when almost everything else has been fixed but a few, hard-to-access bits of masonry, is not lost on me. and sure, you could always blame it on lighting for the romance scene that takes place up there. but i like to think that it’s there because Cullen refuses to let them fix it. here’s why:

Cullen doesn’t like to stray far from his post. he likes that there’s a loft with a bed where he can pretend to sleep that’s not far from his desk, where he commands the lives of thousands of people. (i think at one point in Absolution, it’s revealed that at its height, the Inquisition was composed of ~10,000 troops, plus all the necessary support personnel.) the fate of the world is quite literally depending on his ability to do his job, and when the lyrium withdrawals make him feel like he must be losing his mind, he likes that he’s got an easy choice between resting (like he knows he probably should) or working (like he knows he really needs to), separated only by a little wooden ladder and a few planks that make up the floor.

he needs that little hole in the ceiling. if ever something happened at Skyhold, and it wasn’t safe or possible to leave through the three fucking doors on the lower level, he needs a back up plan, a way to get out from the top of that tower, or he’s every bit as trapped as he was at the Winter Palace, or by Meredith, or by Uldred and his demons, and he can’t be, not here, not with so many lives in his hands. not after Haven.

he needs it when he wakes up shouting, drenched in sweat, from another nightmare where he’s back there, trapped with demons who’ve murdered or enslaved your brothers and sisters and are trying to break you next, or pinned under Meredith’s thumb, doing things that he knows are wrong, he knows, but she’s his commanding officer and he trusts her, so how wrong can they really be? he needs it, first thing when he opens his eyes, to know he’s got an escape route, a backup plan. he’s safe.

and when he finally gives in to temptation, that thing he wants more than anything that he really shouldn’t let himself want, when the Inquisitor confesses that she wants to be with him when this is all over and he very dramatically sweeps aside everything on his desk, his whole life, shattering it all over the floor, he needs that little patch of sky to remind him it’s real. he’s free to leave whenever he needs to.

and that’s what allows him to stay.

[al59]

… sans oublier tant d’autres belles visions

D’autres sex symbols ont intéressé mon regard comme celles des années 1940 et 1950 telles que Bettie Page, Hedy Lamarr, Danielle Darrieux, Virginia Mayo, Mae West, Greta Garbo, Ann Blyth, Jane Greer, Katharine Hepburn, Brenda Marshall, Jennifer Jones, Gene Tierney, Cyd Charisse, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Esther Williams, Doris Day, Rita Hayworth, Elizabeth Taylor, Gina Lollobrigida, Ava Gardner, Candy Barr, Tempest Storm, Betty Grabble, Hind Rostom, Lana Turner, Grace Kelly, Joan Taylor, Sophia Loren, Marilyn Monroe, Mamie Van Doren, Audrey Hepburn, May Britt, Brigitte Bardot, Jeanne Moreau, Martine Carol, Dorothy Malone, Jane Russell, Shelley Winters, Kim Novak, Diana Dors, Dorothy Dandridge, Janet Leigh, Yvonne Furneaux, Sara Montiel, Pier Angeli, Rita Moreno, Barbara Rush, Carroll Baker, Debra Paget, Nadja Tiller, Rhonda Fleming, Martha Hayer, Connie Stevens, Susan Hayward, Lauren Bacall, Jean Peters, Maureen O'Hara, Terry Moore, Jean Simmons, Dawn Addams, Julie Addams, Anne Baxter, Anne Francis, Anne Heywood, Barbara Nichols, Betty Brosmer, Cleo Moore, Elaine Stewart, Ellen Straton, Jacquelyn Prescott, Leslie Parish, Mara Corday, Mari Blanchard, Sabrina, Susan Oliver, Sally Todd, Susy Parker, et Irish McCalla.

… mais aussi celles des années 1960 telles qu’Ursula Andress, Shirley Eaton, Nancy Sinatra, Shirley Basset, Yvonne de Carlo, Dolores Hart, Giorgia Moll, Sue Lyon, Anita Ekberg, Silvana Mangano, Julie Newmar, Natalie Wood, Nancy Kwan, June Wilkinson, Tina Louise, Patricia Medina, Monica Vitti, Claudia Cardinale, Stella Stevens, Ingrid Thulin, Luciana Paluzzi, Molly Peters, Karin Dor, Elke Sommer, Barbara Eden, Michèle Mercier, Yvette Mimieux, Honor Blackman, Alexandra Bastedo, Virna Lisi, Elsa Martinelli, Rosanna Schiaffino, Ann-Margret, Eartha Kitt, Sharon Tate, Jane Fonda, Shirley Eaton, Claudine Auger, Marina Vlady, Catherine Deneuve, Anouk Aimée, Sophie Daumier, Romy Schneider, Hénia Suchar, Stéphane Audran, Magali Noël, Françoise Dorléac, Ana Karina, Faye Dunaway, Valérie Lagrange, Yvonne Craig, Nancy Kovack, Tania Mallet, Carla Gravina, Sandra Milo, Mie Hama, Akiko Wakabayashi, Diana Rigg, Catherine Schell, Lee Remick, Angie Dickinson, Sandra Dee, Carol Lynley, Claire Bloom, Linda Cristal, Odete Lara, Katharine Ross, Janet Margolin, Berverly Adams, Elizabeth Montgomery, Francine York, Jocelyn Lane, Judy Carne, Lee Meredith, Lee Meriwether, Linda Thorson, Suzanne Pleshette, et Thordis Brandt.

… et celles des années 1970 telles Marisa Mell, Lana Wood, Barbara Parkins, Tuesday Weld, Julie London, Julie Christie, Senta Berger, Paula Prentiss, Linda Harrison, Britt Ekland, Jacqueline Bisset, Jane Seymour, Florinda Bolkan, Dyan Cannon, Isabelle Adjani, Barbara Bouchet, Brigitte Fossey, Miou-Miou, Sandra Julien, Anicée Alvina, Cher, Olivia Newton-John, Cheryl Ladd, Farrah Fawcett, Catherine Bach, Cybill Shepherd, Lynda Carter, Loni Anderson, Suzanne Sommers, Victoria Principal, Candice Bergen, Jessica Lange, Farrah Fawcett, Jeane Manson, Lauren Hutton, Barbara Bach, Stephanie Powers, Teresa Ann Savoy, Pam Grier, Ottavia Piccolo, Jennifer O’Neill, Morgan Fairchild, Audrey Landers, Marie Osmond, Dolly Parton, Sydne Rome, Joanna Lumley, Jill St. John, Gloria Hendry, Maud Adams, Blanche Ravalec, Irka Bochenko, Anne Lonnberg, Liv Ullmann, Helen Mirren, Marlene França, Ali MacGraw, Susan Anton, Cheryl Tiegs, Pamela Hensley, Dominique Sanda, et Ewa Aulin.

[theseusernamesarehard]

Stuck on the puzzle: Chapter two

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pairing: Luke Castellan x Olivia Messer (daughter of Apollo oc)

word count: 2,9k

summary: Two best friends are starting an auspicious summer. Set the summer before part one (almost a year earlier).

The clock was ticking slow. So. Fucking. Slow. Luke felt like someone was slowing it down or purpose. And who knows, maybe someone was. Some god he had pissed off without knowing. But he didn't ponder too much. Only five minutes and he'd be free. His thoughts were already moving forward towards the idea of summer. Summer campers were arriving at different times, but most of them would be there today already. He could do more exiting sword fighting lessons, now that he once again had more participants and best of all, the Apollo cabin had a new camper who seemed very gifted at healing which meant Olivia would get some extra time off this summer.

They'd planned it all out. A morning swim at least once a week, some time to lay on the pier and sunbathe and most importantly, they would absolutely wreck anyone and everyone at capture the flag.

The bell rang and he gathered his stuff, ready to walk out, when Sheila Widows fell into step with him.

"Excited for summer?" she asked.

"Like you wouldn't believe", he sighed.

"I don't get how you can be so happy when you don't get to see any of us", she pouted.

"Distance makes the heart grow fonder", he joked.

"What kind of a foster home doesn't let the kids leave or have friends over though?" she persisted.

The year round kids at Camp half-blood were distributed across different schools in New York to avoid the threat of too many demigods attracting monsters. It didn't always work, per the 'empusa at a pep rally' incident, but it was safe enough. The cover story they all used to explain why they lived together and weren't (usually) related was that they stayed at a foster home in upstate New York.

"The kids there are going through a lot especially the small ones. They can't really handle visitors. And I can leave-"

"You just don't want to", the pout was back.

"I just have a lot of responsibility there. The kids need me."

"It's cute how much you care about them."

"I'll see if I can come, but we might be a bit busy with-"

He was interrupted by someone jumping on his back. He didn't have to wrack his brain much to figure out who it was. The yelp of joy was enough of a hint.

"We're fucking FREE!" Olivia yelled.

Luke laughed and did a twirl, holding onto the arms she'd wrapped on his front. She let out a yelp and hopped down. He squeezed her into tight hug.

"Although my excitement is slightly dampened by the mountain of summer reading Ms. Hobbs gave us", she sighed.

"That was the dampened version?" Sheila meant it to come out teasing, but her tone was just slightly too serious.

"Which is probably for the best. Can't have you blowing the roof off this place", Luke laughed and let her go, leaving his arm to rest around Olivia's shoulders. "And lucky for you, Ms. Hobbs religiously recycles the readings. You can just copy off mine from last year."

"The day just keeps getting better", she beamed up at him.

"You'll owe me though."

"I most certainly won't. You're the one who owes me."

"You've got it all wrong. Remember when I-"

"Let's settle it later", Olivia cut him off with a quick glance to Sheila.

"Anyway, we should probably find Chris, right?"

"He's off with some friends, Argus is picking up some new kids for the summer first so he'll be another two hours. Which means-"

"Luke has time to hangout?" Sheila butted in. "Perfect."

Olivia and Luke looked at each other.

"Uh...yeah", Olivia said awkwardly.

"Were you going to suggest we go to that ice cream place?" Luke was still looking at Olivia.

"No, no! I mean...yes, but you can go with Sheila."

"Exactly, you two will see each other for the entire summer!" Sheila mused.

"You sure?" Luke asked Olivia once more, expression unreadable.

"I'm sure. Callie and Meredith were going to go to central park anyway. I'll get to join them now", Olivia subtly shook Luke's hand off her shoulder. "I'll see you here at five."

She walked off, hiding her face.

"Be safe", Luke yelled after her.

"You too!"

He tried not to frown. It's not that he didn't like Sheila. She was nice, pretty and when he was with her he wasn't reminded of the responsibilities he had at camp or the dangers lurking behind every corner. Besides, Sheila was right, from here on out he could spend pretty much every day with Olivia if he wanted to. He decided he wouldn't try to figure out why Olivias smile didn't fully reach her eyes when they said goodbye and went on with Sheila.

Luke returned to the school where Olivia and Chris Rodriguez, who had arrived to camp two months ago were waiting for Argus. Luke wanted let out a sigh of relief when Olivia said she was dead tired and leaned on his shoulder to nap for the ride back to camp.

At camp they were almost immediately separated. As counselors, their first job was to help the summer campers unpack in their cabins and after that they were almost immediately rushed to a counselors meeting about the summer itinerary. Once that was settled, it was already time for dinner, which also required them to do some policing around since the amount of kids had almost doubled from the day before. From there it was directly to the campfire where Olivia and Luke managed to sit together for an entirety of five minutes until they had to stop a marshmallow fight that was about to turn real between the Ares and Hephaestus cabins. That put a bit of a quick stop to the bonfire and after the debacle that was trying to get the youngest kids to brush their teeth properly (a task that mainly Olivia took seriously) it was finally time for a bedtime story and lights out.

Which meant that it was time for the older campers to go to their start of summer party. Olivia let her siblings go first, straining from the path to the lake to someone waiting for her on the front stairs of the Hermes cabin, holding two cans of red bull and a small bottle of vodka.

"That's so incredibly bad for your heart, Castellan", she sighed as she sat down.

"I don't think you get to chastise me when you drink them yourself, doc", he chuckled.

"Everyone has their vices."

"I'll cheers to that."

"I'll cheers to Mr. D for vodka red bulls."

They clinked their cans together, their own little pregame.

"I considered skipping out, you know", Olivia sighed. "My bed has never looked more appealing."

"You know I couldn't have let you do that. I would've dragged you out."

"And woken up half the camp in the progress, undoing everything we worked so hard for today."

"I don't know how we do this every year."

"And yet we do."

With their red bulls half drunk, they filled the rest of their cans with vodka.

"How was your date", Olivia asked after a few sips.

"Wasn't a date."

"What makes you think that?"

"I would've known if it was a date."

"It was so obviously a date."

"We're just friends, we've hung out before."

An eye roll.

"Never just the two of you, though."

"Still. It wasn't a date."

"Fine. I'll give you that, but that doesn't take away the fact that she definitely likes you."

"Maybe. But no use thinking about it now. I'll see her again in the fall."

"Will you two go on a date then?"

He shrugged.

"Like I said, no use thinking about it now."

"I suppose so."

"Got any predictions for tonight?"

This was Luke's favorite game. Olivia was gifted with the tiniest bit of prophecy, nothing that's ever going to change lives, as she put it, but sometimes she had vague inklings of things before they happened.

"Lots of strong emotions, although I feel like that describes every start of summer party ever. Reunions, anger and...love. That's what I'm getting, anyway."

"And you've never been wrong."

"I feel like one of those women's magazine that has the daily horoscope predictions in it. Anything can come true if it's vague enough and you have some speck of imagination."

"Or you're always right about everything."

"Are you getting absolutely wasted on one shot of vodka or are you having a stroke?"

Luke grabbed her shoulder and pulled her into him dramatically.

"Revel in it now, 'cause I'll never repeat it but you, Olivia Messer, are a genius and I'm proud to call you my best friend", Luke declared.

She laughed into his neck.

"And I don't care who knows it!"

"Shh, you're going to wake up the cabin!" Olivia gasped from laughter. "And you're also such a lightweight."

"No I'm not!"

"You're drunk!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Better get to this party before you fucking black out", she teased.

Olivia made a motion to get up and stumbled a bit, swaying to the side when she stood up.

"Well it's nice to know I'm not the only one", Luke laughed.

"Yeah well...race you to the party!"

They stumbled through the woods, hand in hand, for safety reasons obviously, although they were supposed to be racing each other. A lot of the older campers were gathered around a tiny, makeshift fire drinking cheap beers smuggled in by the Hermes cabin.

"Oh great, the narcs have arrived", a fairly new Ares kid, part of the crowd starting the marshmallow fight, groaned.

"Not right now, dude", Luke grinned. "You kids are going to have to sort out your own issues."

"And no one's allowed to get hurt", Olivia declared, taking another sip "Or better yet, get hurt all you want, see if I care, 'cause I'm not on duty tonight!"

"Wow, is that caffeine? After 4pm?" Travis Stoll, one of Lukes brothers, gasped.

"Mom and dad are going fucking crazy tonight", Connor Still, Travis' identical looking not identical brother, continued.

"Damn right, so crazy, I won't even correct you on the fact that I told you to stop that mom and dad shit", Olivia said.

"With a threat of immense violence, if I recall correctly", Luke said and ruffled the boys' hair as they walked past them.

Luke and Olivia went to sit on little logs by the fire with some friends. Chris was there, he smiled when he saw them. Next to him was Meg, a new camper who'd arrived with Violet, a daughter of Aphrodite just that day. Poor girl still looked a little confused by everything, but she was nursing a cup of something that looked like it might make the whole thing more digestible.

"How you holding up? Meg, right?" Luke asked.

You can take the man from the cabin, but you can't take the cabin from the man.

"You know, everything is absolutely insane."

"It doesn't get any less crazy, you just have to get crazy with it", Olivia said. "You'll fit in just fine."

"We should do an ice breaker!" Violet gasped.

"Truth or dare! Truth or dare!" the Stolls started chanting.

Which is why, after a few rounds of people making out or admitting when they'd last peed their pants, Luke and Olivia were now standing on the pier, debating whether or not they should keep their clothes on.

Technically it was only Olivia who had been assigned this certain task, but Luke said someone has to stop her from drowning, with all the vodka she'd drunk (he'd had more).

"I think we go full skinny dip", Luke said.

"Of course you do. You'll be fine with any excuse to take your shirt off."

"I'd think that as a doctor-"

"I'm not a doctor."

"-you should know that walking around in wet clothes is extremely dangerous and could cause you to catch a cold."

"Underwear."

"Excuse you?"

"We'll strip down to our underwear and jump."

"Alright professor boring", Luke sighed.

"I'm just saying that us jumping in the lake buttnaked and drunk off our minds right at the beginning of summer will take away any respect or credibility we might have for counselor meetings. Or capture the flag."

"Our credibility is reliant on the fact that we kick ass at everything we do. And people finding out we also kick ass at being naked-"

She sighed, he was so drunk.

"-will not take that away."

"Underwear."

"Still requires you to take some clothes off, you know."

"I'm aware."

"That rhymed. Aware, underwear. Should you be getting to it?"

"I'm getting to it right now."

And with that, she pulled her camp shirt off, shorts soon going down with it.

"Your turn."

Luke chuckled and discarded his garments as well. Although the two had been friends, best of friends for a few years now, they'd been clothed throughout it, despite what Travis and Connor liked to suggest. They both tried not to stare, but with a bottle of vodka in their systems, it wasn't entirely successful. Eventually it took someone, probably the Ares kid, yelling 'Are you going jump or start banging?' for them to plunge in the cold-ish water of the lake.

Their swim ended quickly though, when a nymph started raging at them for 'disturbing her sleep with flying cans and having the gall to swim in her afterwards'. Luke apologized profusely, while Olivia had a different agenda.

"Who's throwing cans?"

The nymph shrugged, said it didn't matter to her, it was one of them. Olivia stumbled out of the water, five feet six inches of pure annoyance, while Luke carefully got out after her.

"Who's. Throwing. Cans?"

Nobody answered for a second.

"It's not that big of a deal", the Ares kid said.

He hadn't spent much time in the Hermes cabin before getting claimed, so she didn't recognize him. Luke clearly did, though.

"Bryce, there's no need in throwing the cans in the water, we'll take care of it", Luke sighed.

"Man, you really have everything figured out", Bruce rolled his eyes.

"You know, Bryce, you really haven't been here long enough to catch a fucking attitude", Olivia said, voice low and dangerous.

"You're cute doc, but you could really relax. Maybe with me, by the stables in a few minutes."

He had no shame in the way he checked her out, eyes stopping at the scar on her waist before coming back up. Luke wanted to punch him, but he didn't.

Olivia beat him to it.

The last thing you want to do is get in a fight with a healer. Because they know which part of your jaw to aim for.

Not that it was much of a fight. All that ego and yet Bryce didn't take an effort to get up. Just complained that she'd broken his jaw. Another problem with pissing off a healer; they're the one that's supposed to heal you. She grabbed his chin (right in the spot she'd punched it), told him it was fine and he should just sleep it off, quit being a baby and start caring about the fucking environment.

"You don't want to make an enemy of me", he tried, but was losing most of his valor.

"I don't think that's going to be a problem. I could argue that I'm going to be a much worse enemy than you'll ever be. So I suggest we sober up, sleep this off and act like it never happened. How's that sound?"

She didn't wait for an answer, just got up and went to get her clothes. Luke followed her grinning, Luke always, kicking sand in Bryces way while he went 'by accident'.

They got dressed and without really saying it, agreed that it was the end of the party for them. Usually when someone gets punched at a party, the puncher or the punchee has to go. In this case Olivia decided it would be the puncher. Mostly because she was dead tired. They walked in silence for a while, but when Luke hugged her goodbye in front of the Hermes cabin, Olivia didn't want to go.

"Luke", she said into his neck.

"Liv", was his response.

"I haven't been sleeping."

"Nightmares?"

"Nightmares."

"About what?"

"Nothing, really. Or nothing visual. Just feelings; sadness, danger, loss. I don't know what it means. Or if it's even prophetic. I think that's what makes it worse."

"I have nightmares too. But more of the same-old. Monsters, ancient creatures crawling out of Tartarus and me dying over and over again."

She didn't know if it was the vodka, sleep-deprivation or coldness that was now seeping into her bones, but she couldn't help asking.

"Can I sleep with you?"

She felt him tense a little around her. It wasn't as if they hadn't fallen asleep together before. They usually went by the pier when they couldn't sleep and had woken up there more times than they could count. But they'd never spent the night in each other's cabins. Or arms for that matter.

"It's just that I always feel better with you there and I don't know maybe it's stupid, but I feel like the nightmares would stop. Maybe. It sounds dumb when I say it."

"No, I-I think it's a good idea too. Anything to get a good night's sleep would be nice", Luke agreed then.

They let go of each other and Luke led Olivia to his cabin where she borrowed a shirt and shorts. They did their best to be quiet and hopefully no one woke up when they crammed themselves into Luke's bed. Luke's twin bed. Which of course meant that there was no space unless they cuddled, which was a little awkward at first, but eventually they relaxed and it felt like it was were they were meant to be. Facing each other with their arms wrapped around and legs tangling together felt like peace.

Luke could tell Olivia had fallen asleep quickly from the way her breaths slowed down on his neck, but he took awhile. He wanted to will her nightmares away, make sure that nothing ever bothered her and he was so concerned with that that he fell asleep not even thinking about the next day. When he'd have to explain to his friends and the younger campers why he woke up with the Apollo counselors hair in his mouth. And why she was lying on top of him in the first place.

But that concern was for tomorrow because now he was only hoping that she could find peace in her sleep. And secretly wishing that it was because he brought it to her like she did to him.

[viornefni]

You're in my head

I had plans for the weekend

But wound up with you instead

Back here again

Got me deep in my feelings

When i should be in your bed

You and i go back to like '09 it's like forever

And you were there my lonely nights, yeah, keeping me together

So wouldn't it make sense if I was yours and you could call me your baby

But we say we're just, say we're just

Friends

Just for now

Yeah but friends don't say words that

Make friends feel like more than just

Friends

Just for now

Now I'm over pretending

So let's put the "end" in friends

Friends

Just for now

Yeah but friends don't say words that

Make friends feel like more than just

Friends are not supposed to get too close

And feel emotions that we're feeling now, now, now

We ain't slowing down, down, down

But once we cross the line, there's no denying you and I can never turn around, round, round

Know we'll never be the same

You and I go back to like '09 it's like forever

And you were there my lonely nights, yeah, keeping me together

So wouldn't it make sense if I was yours and you could call me your baby

But we say we're just, say we're just

Friends

Just for now

Yeah but friends don't say words that

Make friends feel like more than just

Friends

Just for now

Now I'm over pretending

So let's put the "end" in friends

V 'FRI(END)S' Release

🎧 Listen now: https://ingrv.es/friends​

Credits:

Director: Samuel Bradley

Production Company: Iconoclast TV

EP: Maeva Tenneroni, Jean Mougin, Guy Rolfe

Head of Production: Kate Sharpe

Producer: Martha Mcguirk

Directors Agent: Yoni Yosef

Casting: Road Casting

Casting Director: Coralie Rose

Casting Assist: Luis Torrecilla, Laura Meredith

Love Interest: Ruby Sear

Production Manager: Chanel Parkinson

Production Co-ord: Alice Hayes

Artist Liason: Jo Thompson

Cast Co-ord: Beth Rubery

Production Assistant: Callum Anderson

Production Runner: Mia Tessema

Intimacy Coordinator: Stella Moss

Movement Director: Yagamoto

Location Manager: Ryan Colaco

Location Assistant: Eser Savrin, Lois Constantinou

1st AD: Ben Gill

2nd AD: Gabriel O’Donohoe

3rd AD: Kitty Rajakulasingham, Aloha Kulieshova

Runner: Kai Rajakulasingham, Joe Heap, Danny Zanre, Anna Kovalevska, Grace Goodworth, Kwesi Mcleod, Darren Sintes, Tyson Douglas, Tiger Brewers

DOP: Jake Gabbay

A CAM Focus Puller: Rozemarijn Stokkel

A CAM 2nd AC: Ania Bahadrian

Trainee: Guillem Zamora

B CAM Operator Day 1: Juanjo Salazar

B CAM Operator Day 2: Jomar O’Meally

B CAM 1st AC - Alex Rawson

B CAM Trainee: Ollie Wesley

Camera Car: Davide Viera

Key Grip: Darren Quinn

Crane Tech: Henry Stone

Grip Trainee: James Quinn

Gaffer: Kieran Brown

Electrician: Shuan Clark, Ed Irvine, John Joe Besagni, Akeel Fleary, Cieran Nash, Amarjeet Singh, Laurent Arnaud

Master Rigger: Lee Doran

Rigger: Joe Parrott, Jamie Brindle, Ryan Ross, Alfie Berry, Scott Allen, Joe Knight

Video Playback: Liam Coles

Playback Assistant: Elvis Mcgovern

DIT: Lilly Palmer

Production Designer: Staci Lee Hindley

Art Director: Nia Samuel

Prop Master: Ezra Piers Mantell

Prop Buyer: Jessa Thorpe, Shopie-Mai Wigans

Art Assistant: Harry Beedle, Camilla Byles, Tom Hope, George Mein, Freya Wentworth, Alice Moles

Home Economist: Olivia Somary

Action Vehicle Driver (Car): Dan Chester

Action Vehicle Driver (Bus): Tom Burnage

SFX; Sean Harland

SFX Technician: Danny Matters

Stunt Coordinator: Jim Dowdall

Stylist: Justin Hamilton

Stylist Assistant: Samela Gjozi, Colleen Finnerty, Lorna Lane, Chris Atkins, Vania Monteiro, Katherine Somavia, Anna Menshykova, Mel Lyse

Hair Stylist: Simon Izard

Hair Assistant: Julie West, Aaron Dorn, Natasha Rose, Natasha Lawes

Makeup Assistant: Sophie Gia Moore, Marta Wozniak

Makeup Trainee: Rebecca Robinson

Medic: Alex Gardner, Richard Drakesford

Paramedic: Lynsey Shewring

Mini Winnego Driver: Phil Rainer

Honeywagon Driver: John Suttion

Production Sprinter: Jos Benschop

Minibus Driver: Rob Higgs, Gavin Baker, Granger Goodey, Dean Cumbers

Label Vehicle: Blerim Morina, Othman Abashikh, Peter Tarling, Steven Smith

Artist Trailer: Paul Haddock

Artist Wardrobe: David Czekalski

Honeywagon Driver: Martin Dean

Wardrobe Truck: Warren Smart

Hmu Truck: Wally Smart

Dining Bus: Andy Byrne

Location Security: Randal Berbick, Billy Bridger, Alan Laney, Kerri Mccann, Malakai Mars, Angelo Evangelou, Richard Johnson, Mathew Richards

Edit House: Assembly Rooms

Editor: Jack Williams

Edit Producer: Phoebe Armstrong-Beaver

Edit Assist: Bruna Manfredi, Tamara Ishida

Post Production: Cheat

Grade: Toby Tomkins

Post Producer: Joanna Dawson, Jen Saunders

Post Sound House: Soundtree Music

Sound Designer: Jack Patterson

Sound Producer: Neil Athale

BIGHIT MUSIC. Rights are reserved selectively in the video. Unauthorized reproduction is a violation of applicable laws. Manufactured by BIGHIT MUSIC, Seoul, Korea.

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#V_FRIENDS​ #FRI_END_S​ #뷔​ #V​

[warningsine]

Former colleagues and stars have paid tribute to Friends actor Matthew Perry, who died on Saturday night at his home in Los Angeles.

The 54-year-old actor, beloved for his performance in the hit sitcom as the sarcastic Chandler Bing, was found dead in an apparent drowning, his representative told NBC News. A Los Angeles fire department spokesperson confirmed first responders were called to Perry’s home in Pacific Palisades about a “water emergency”.

Maggie Wheeler, who played Chandler’s girlfriend Janice in Friends, said the joy Perry brought to “so many” in his “too short lifetime will live on”.

“I feel so very blessed by every creative moment we shared,” she wrote on Instagram.

Morgan Fairchild, who played Chandler’s mother Nora Bing, said: “I’m heartbroken about the untimely death of my ‘son’ … The loss of such a brilliant young actor is a shock.”

Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, who knew Perry as a boy when Perry’s mother worked as an aide to his father, Canadian prime minister Pierre Trudeau, described his death was “shocking and saddening.”

“I’ll never forget the schoolyard games we used to play, and I know people around the world are never going to forget the joy he brought them. Thanks for all the laughs, Matthew. You were loved – and you will be missed,” he said.

The actor Wendell Pierce, who starred alongside Perry in the remake of The Odd Couple, wrote on X: “Damn. For two years Matthew Perry was my boss, my colleague, and a giving, kind, funny man. I pray and hope he is at peace.”

The actor Selma Blair wrote on Instagram that Perry was “my oldest boy friend”.

“All of us loved Matthew Perry, and I did especially. Every day,” Blair wrote. “I loved him unconditionally. And he me. And I’m broken. Broken hearted. Sweet dreams Matty. Sweet dreams.”

Mira Sorvino, who starred with Perry in the 1994 movie Parallel Lives, wrote on X: “Oh no!!! Matthew Perry!! You sweet, troubled soul!! May you find peace and happiness in Heaven, making everyone laugh with your singular wit!!!”

Actor Paget Brewster, who played Chandler’s girlfriend Kathy in season four of Friends, wrote on X: “He was lovely to me on Friends and every time I saw him in the decades after. Please read his book. It was his legacy to help. He won’t rest in peace though. He’s already too busy making everyone laugh up there.”

Meredith Salenger, who starred in A Night in the Life of Jimmy Reardon with Perry when he was 16, shared four photos of them together. “Matthew and I have known each other since [we] were 16 years old. Oh man. No words. Rest in peace sweet @MatthewPerry,” she said.

“What a tragic piece of news to read,” actor George Takei wrote. “My heart goes out to his loved ones and long time cast mates.”

Canadian-American comedian Tom Green wrote: “Shocked and saddened to just hear about the passing of Matthew Perry in a tragic drowning. He is one of the many talented and incredible success stories from my hometown of Ottawa Canada. Rest in peace Matthew.”

Broadcaster Piers Morgan called Perry “a great actor, but by his own admission, a very tormented guy. His recent autobiography about his addiction-ravaged life was one of the most powerful, honest and revealing I’ve ever read. Such sad news.”

Warner Bros Television Group, which produced Friends for its entire run from 1994 to 2004, said in a statement: “We are devastated by the passing of our dear friend Matthew Perry. Matthew was an incredibly gifted actor and an indelible part of the Warner Bros Television Group family. The impact of his comedic genius was felt around the world, and his legacy will live on in the hearts of so many. This is a heartbreaking day, and we send our love to his family, his loved ones, and all of his devoted fans.”

NBC, the network that aired Friends, said: “He brought so much joy to hundreds of millions of people around the world with his pitch perfect comedic timing and wry wit. His legacy will live on through countless generations.”

The official Friends account on X, formerly known as Twitter, shared: “We are devastated to learn of Matthew Perry’s passing. He was a true gift to us all. Our heart goes out to his family, loved ones, and all of his fans.”

[libidomechanica]

Ah, what can I fortune of Ulysses; not all

A Meredith sonnet sequence

               1

Piers, I haue pyped erst so long ago   was made! And further were.—Ah, what can I   fortune of Ulysses; not all look’d sad and law began the sunshine intellectual lord of Tryermaine? Like so many   changes in your Mistress’ lips, and trembling   of a wooden spoons’ of verse like only said, My life a long, dear horror on the Abbey-stones, till our dwelling-place. In hills   beyond this Cot, and joined legs stop the river   side, with hollow grows. Could not choose but knew we that hear his busy in that day’s decay; is this a commend my lameness,   would hand in its stubborne stroke restrain;   thy life in which he had to do. She listen to add a worse I fared: neuer knew.

               2

I’m guessing or steepy mountain, that all   the world and would grieve. An Eastern anti-   jacobin at last; gold cups of gold, like skulls at Memphian banquets, to the Thonder, whereto will in fairest the courted:   wha spied I but all is stillness in her   marriage mart, than they buried him over, despise her; and now she were as eyes the sleeping Woman Old, who nails were on her   breast. The last grace, in love withal to guide   and good-bye: no lightning, now, your eyes shouts, I must own, Nay! And sat so waiting for, to hold my spirit calls you a store thou   with the old man of Uz and Us without   a stone tower on thy feet; show me those true painted, things in shade, or with me?

               3

My hand—the name to her house together;   and I am dead; he seeks the arms of   meaning love. Now whether his smile; tis sometimes resound the heather, or when the subterranean echo of my life from   books entered, a daughter’s near. Such chains as   his bed-fellow, he could not her forever and small. A loyal treason, the scents snatched in hands to tortur’d bride, my bride, wi’   the frame destruction flies, and suffer. Then   having tact as weeds. His arms; then calm, and I have not known a dozen wedding dresses, made quite another: they could new though   I care not my fond endeavor, to enrich   you to Love’s unbound the heart aches, crying still. Had chronicled the maid, alas!

               4

Air, I would leaves seem’d full of a kind intent   she stole into the great those who has   not so fit to warb—le those tended by a private meet? The east could love the victor’s fantasy, unless infants at a   leaf may fail or turn to do: a sisters   as she spake, her lord hath not letting Sun I mix, and, attentive: there’s a Religion, pomp of solitude. And here, although   here the devil mocks that sawe it, simple   artless passing his ivy tent, onward the questions, all delights, all pass it; even in dreams that which is then there was   serv’d my kingdoms of them a bond of brother   kiss’d, and his hat bedewed with a friendly sigh from a friend as dreamless sleep.

               5

But they speak, they should helpe, doe me, and shame!   It hangs still! In the Praises of the price   to draw a moments every silly to gild refined gold, that now, hip to be mine— Fill high to kill. Not from beneath the station,   avarice, pride, and fluttering   desperate those who hath been a bleakness of pain capacious in a man who mad’st the sea there is not with such a rate for needy   honoured by the seems it rich to   thy high raignes with a lowly dust: and after other with danger. Lord, it’s fast holding my sight: in search, such a rate; for   into the monstrous charity, to her:   then she, sitting of all the best can speak too much admired;—ave Maria!

               6

That in my heart has left alone surveys   the sun; the primal things transmitted, like   vinegar from his eye, numbering a breath, her hair. He dancers will not fitly done to give her to be married and sought,   ere from thy name is no more. We had   forgotten in dire woe; just as the very wears; bid amaranth, when, without a heart with the slavish hat from time to let   thee to the other sweetly lambent with   figures, and then did she are better death- bed she smile and wield a Jovian thunder roused not rouses the world of sin o   sorrow. In pure was, watching up his lot   had been: he left alive; but being my fingers still and fields, and hairs of herself!

               7

Save what is in the warm South, cap and blood.   Then grudge me not man, saints with sandals, ere   delicacies of Poesy, When I was on the whole in their feet on crimson wine in maidenhood, all through me! Now in gloom,   and naught. I did learn thy soul move still, pass   as light the tides: and hear? My lord was like to spree. So we expect the lie. Am I not augment, the martyr’s groan and other   died away, in sunshine opposite! Kindly   am served—but served, I wonder into a new voice, his nose, his nose, with chat. Truth’s and moving story—an old man of   parcells make the boy, the night-birds around   her thou with poppies orange, peeled and ever- changing so very fear; down they came.

               8

The shepheards twayne: sike a sweetest odor!   Of my best when I came first of Druids   was a woman love are apt to talk about— no more. Command, if it couched, close o’er his mind, though doubtless some evening face under   the opening gray. There came a dread   reposed on that good to life, and coverlet, all matter. Just as well fill up their fount, she now, no force together go,   but by a female family of Christabel   Jesu, Maria, shield her animals, well enough something of hypocrisy has saved therefore doves will splash the sky   above, much more free, more fond that moaned as   near relatives, like thyself to death such power he doth stay that I were diverged.

               9

At its root; lions, those I need to the   heavy curtain and to god Phoebus sprung!   I am at think o’ her grief, which expands, though my gentle gales from his a Wine the world of Pantisocracy; or Coleridge,   on syren short hours that die from ten   to its root; lions, those light, sank down upon that white mouse bespoke a sleepy dusk, an odorous shade where she spake seemed too   soon and up and far, I am no pick-   purse of going of this my wiser in their warnings gainst female with their loves in bloody cloth unfolds. To ask him awkwardly,   at its edges, a heron. Return,   Sicilian Muse, and my success produced, and to the very sound of his Soul?

               10

Why rove my thought his face, not as the cops.   I loved out along the wings of the   accomplishment complete. Are clouds descent, in this oak; he sword his angry moan did many a morn to be purple sky. Flight, from   very high requiem become memories   like these our daysleep, in moonshine. Before me likeness, nor idly; for this what now are one, these both leant to arrive   thee! Life had for inditers malthus and   her wooer in the House of turbulence or tides. The end of worthless fellow, and Vesper, form’d before but now no more. And fears   impart. Fresh blooming flame, a pleasure; the   man; and steam-boats of verb and nothing else is smoked rasp sounder sleeping I have told.

               11

For wine we follows closed up each other   beauty, you have in most of ebony   inlaid with light towards heaven is love? Then sadly say, we love of love both love for cits. Lifted in the Gospel’s Sin no more;   such sort that Nobleness and with woe. I   ask a broken bounds: you should appears and pure affected such lowly learnest. Eyes be hel-driu’n from high the wander in and   again that close my will streams along the   destroy, that can ail the devil his dungeon at these bring her nails were flowers his brow, as if I had my cunning Time she   hath my palm trees, by the rising in his   mouth slips the weakness, no pearl the only pretty ring time and beauty’s silent voice?

               12

Raving void left his heart I felt for text.   And raise, and Eloisa spreads her instead   of springtime, the youth that dandy-despot, he, that is the bed-furniture—a dozen wedding and his lady stranger, from   ill report me, now! Ideas, all adieu!   So talks as it wither’d in the foot- way path called by the time of sleepe, whose woundlesse art of all those bright peona kiss’d the   remorse. Together went. His Peter Bell’   can sneer at him as a dove’s its head grew like a spaceship. My own fancies she, his cheeks. Bells and with us, and a thousand   ships, by the world farewell? Me, I admire   how that day’s rude hoarse minstrelsy, the shade where so I dwell, sick, and loveliness!

               13

Courtier could, till they are better’d in   Profusion to rest, that shine and thine hand   full, through his Mecænas left alone, my senses, I heard that moment’s simplified in low faltering and on the departed,   sad, cheerly, cheerly, The isle.—And two pretty   ring time, time to bathe at midday. In her father made answer meet: my sire is no treachery! Where Loue is change now   that cheerless spot, where smiling; merry Hebe   laughs, and castanets from Fingers there was no mighty reason why ye drooped, and fro, that so it seems to be woo’d and a woman   climbs into this her Johnny, he fear’d   the jetty stain, or up the hills are too feeble power of mind and breath blossom.

               14

Like one red leaves is the poet here perhaps   it is as if they deign’d the jewelry   becomes heavy dream the milky way, they should drown mine arm, most of ebony inlaid; and shame! Lambro, our selves in fear,   and pale and wildly glittering, lovely   idleness, would fain know and dearest pleasing for bread at my saints and shook thereof, my deadly fae, unless I own this may   sound of revelry expire, they vanish   into a matrons country folks would do; but at Apollo! But now unrobe your greater then he shall pleased; perhaps this reft   house where pride and Preaching in air, I would   quit the idle loom still let me have been all things astray, are wiser miserable?

               15

—In that poison-cup, he drank until they   do much amiss, and there as plentiful   as before the business of her side of her, the new births of both the soul. When Nero perish’d love’s antidote. Then sudden   blaze, and down the streets eight years gone, which it   were let alone. A further we return! Should it now with somewhat loudly she no longer read their cups with the insult to   his dying in melody spilling of   time, the scene, by thinking the level brine sleek Panope with somewhere choppers taking its way—ah, what of any other Pasty   than of the world besides those few years   were wronged the frame to? Still would awake his fires, they do much one, although the gardens.

               16

And when he’d pine after a sort; but some   of this the world has such a jocund while   the day, and made a merry to divine came but he, more merit in his heart, while you so totall are gone, which I think I   speak of his nose, his cheeks. And dawning love’s   veins thou hadst better, to shunne the crossed the mystery. Being shut, till Miss’s comb is made of night blush? Those that a life. This   bedside’s black, each wish resigned to the   opinion of low-thought worthy Them; behold are such expenses, dreading the shaped his sphere his father’s landscape a velvet summer   since then, sweet; but I was a general   hard. The wall whose deluding eyes of day when we maun part frae charms, that what they went.

               17

Silent rain-drops silver springtime, the christall   glasse: all as their answer meets all faire   Beauty is creeping, for they call we missed, with dull red stains discoloured and honeysuckles full of the sky. Far other   side to side and the Spring, flush Summer,   autumn, winter cave. Beyond earth’s diurnal course the inner me that the same path, espouse jove’s delight steady beams of   clear spring dismally through verdurous   gloom, and not do you wroughten much divide my head, or he had traveller’s road but seats a nations which flies on the spade from   my trust that which in her breath of   Reconciliation, and tied me on a picture, their chase, cries to keep Touch warm with ache?

               18

Bloom of heav’n’s while or Niger, to which can   be such richness never tasted by a   death, when, without him, Wordsworth’s poem, and strange flower looked out on a palfrey was no want to his gloom, and take a wanton   o’er the edges of the Lambe in the stroked   my covered bit of beetles chewing that found her thousand ships, by the service. Me, darling, th’ East, to wanton in my   fashion. To this Cave of love, and merely   practice losing isn’t it to make a farewell, fair crown! To my daughter mild made a monk out the lower pale death-note to turn   an arm of early life, and disgrace doth   make me that in the crust, jutted that himself and his path. Full length my favorite vow.

               19

Who wants to good: yours will splash the service.   Flasks of Samian and face the abject from   the fresco in finished the passed away, and Jealousy brought: so you may buye gold bar above you, readers. Flipped in a   connubial kiss, then the Colchian days; but Lambro   was a miser and leaving dark all else, you are! And catch my Tent—for ever. Alone in northern downs in clearer air   ascends, wi’ sangs o’erpay. Into a country   back? The viewless wings, that oil’d and doleful tale, and you know’st what passe the pinion may resumed and honour! What perils   still say with me remain’d, as humour soon   became one kiss and she also had rehearse. Still let me be by thy loof in mine.

               20

Of men, and there things in shade, and roe, free   from despaired,—been half my soul, one thoughts I   cannot step as does the best music drop here unawares I in an honest, shouldst be one on astronomy, but lift them   all; what matter made for Poets fury   tell, pointing for our mutual Victims at your hath shone; yet ne’er found a well half- cheese so we expected largesse? Just as   lovers are exhausted like to thy high   raignes with fairy fishes as the shade and I see symbols where was the Lily and flowers. Prayed she kneels beneath th’   Atlantic ocean I couldn’t but will, and   bring the cold, with buls and sae neat, where should fondly on Sir Leoline; and Christabel!

               21

Pick up a manner which skims the mountain,   though some sent from my eyes in swimming search   after a decent time in day and fell! I was a heart of the Woman’s hanging a living alwaies seene; or with boys, or   have you note it with tears, to sit by advised   respect, though we know what; but he strove,— guess now who rewards him ere the first discerned; and what Absál from you better thou,   faire lands; let no dimme shade—These raven ever   collide? The brutal summers, all whose worthy Ladies I will in a colour it had been detain’d his daughters of the   lily thing of my sorrow and can returns,   and wooden bow, and the wild stares on her mind: and as he spake, her loose soul then?

               22

The glowing his ivy tent, onward these   greensward glance at the wretched Weed that secret   plot revealed innocent: twere base as spotted traine, his priesthood moans; before take the penalty of such a jocund   company is Heaven, are we come! Long lov’d,   and then I may discourse from the dark pillars of the sun was white; but he is burning teares did me kiss, and tell how she   nuh see who running restive—they in whom   abundantly detest through the worst of linden blooms of flower enjoys the time it leads to less heart from me. The innocent   children out of the power, and nature   says she now, no force together than to hurt yourself—first What the clicking coals.

               23

Death I bought, your dear lord, all ghastly   malady to smile on your sight—not to discuss   pretend to be true to this time remove, or how to fresh new spangle the drill but from his fires, and rolls and is no reason   why ye drooped, and let him speak of poetry’s   relatives, like thing I dote on: so I’d fain, peona, ye should follow with me. I tell you a story the better   to his lady’s tale, for wine with so dull   a child—little children running restive in this, prithee try she keeps it for the swords, though his mortal soil, nor euer did in shade   and I. Something left to us: and hunger   there’s not a slope of usual greeting, Margaret for her thorns and eat it.

               24

The man who has the stain of all the worst   of Druids, lie, nor pass this neighborhood   kids who spin a yarn about my son! They are out; but hope of chalk, and pacing on your threading. Attended bee, let simple   grove, ’ at least not all looks both use and found   and bleeding on his hall at once only: we lodged in a siren, that In no time the gesture. Some days you can her own mouth,   twas fright, betwixt the innocent flies, let   me, and hunger too? The night, and the breath will unprepares the midnight and make a balloons that once I saw your face: perhaps   you’llfind from its moving vintage   melodious howsoever, can command the head in my fashionable month to help me?

               25

The unprofitable cares; but no less   heart, and natural a poor and hand in a   blissful swoon. Fractions—probably its reputation. Last Love, I envy your vacuum cleaner breath of my woe cannot long   Devotion Come, come sweet or colours purest   blood that to be with his countrèe. Quo’ she, A sodger. Clench my teeth, suck my last sad office pay, and image? What is this? That so   it seemed to be hove down next day by thee   my wrong’d? At distance. I am at thinke you than their smile, ’ said Margaret went struggling on disquiet thus lay she falling to   see what you were sweet, to sing, hey dined on   mince, and Paradise, nor tears before—so deeply, and steady beams of clear black wings.

               26

To say anything, words favourite with   his habits, and taught to chace: and ouer them,   fat and kittens, he chosen what the urchin’s fit for—that causes greene saye, the Muse herself dreaming, yet, I wis, dreading tear-   drop laves, and much in my fashion,—the   kitchen lightning something in the delicious singer of art at bottom perfect storm, or wits, and dies; in general animal   loveliest to this stuff that makes me   in base, or yet why that weighty pen let the tillage of ill-requited heaven seem best? Cool flesh and meats of all thy will,   and now that bold and wanton o’er her eyes,   thoughts bring sad, or at the best music: Do I wake to life and sink beneath his shroud.

               27

Sky bends towards commons thither I went after   a day, then if we study them, and   night nigheth fast, yts time neglect, nor had power, with downcast eyes divine there came next to me, how can do. Placed length peopled   them in search’d Abyssinia rouse and swell   and mine thou shalt, beloved yestermorn, me, even make the way to where I smell the green, and thither to his brow, he lay   coil’d like a true lover,—shadow’d my   mistressful cry; but yet no pitie augment with good prince? Strikes in danger to taste: the last Caesar’s early immortal frame, o how   the drains as better, to resume to   unsettled his only this after a pleasant grove with virgin honey is wax?

               28

Which, let’s be honest gentle peace return.   A topiary so the hart, hind, and   stars twire not be absent present, regret, conceals his rugged rocks hang nodding elders mixed good help, this soul would defile   the mystic heavens. The only said, Look!—   Forgetting, blessings for ten long lost, days the alien corn; so, lovers love were resign, for air looke, lest one that concerns   you and in my hart did seem to tell me   Perigot his Embleme. Bonds which I have been gone forever. From thee a sweet enemy Fraunce; horsemen my skill in love with   toying oars and all this ratty and I   seek I cannot be thus,—not very low and wild, its pride of which happy children.

               29

Or do you curtted Spartan dead! I gave   me time, he felt the fame of the devil   his dungeon at the torch out what, if given by what we would helpe their shared bed, who think of him the front door. At even asleep   I was on the tender nothing saints   with heart, I think and rarest gift to be going. That yokes wi’ a mate for what is left. And put one’s servants all my wings. Two   persons down his side, that light and daughter.   He alone upon whose heart; ’tis then the Breath of my own child. As my own breast: with sweet that they without; but Wordsworth unexcised,   unhired, while still say: go with   thee! No tongue will I sit for ever. In thine heart so unkind as your coonskin hat.

[2hcnds]

         001.                𝗪𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗘𝗗   𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦.

RIDE   OR   DIE   ⸺   christina   to   her   meredith,   they   met   at   their   intern   year   or   maybe   even   med   school   but   became   inseparable   ever   since   then.   they   understand   each   other   even   without   using   words   and   know   exactly   what   the   other   one   needs.   to   say   that   they're   attached   by   hip   is   an   understatement. 

GOOD   INFLUENCE   ⸺   they   are   two   polar   opposites   but   somehow   they   make   it   work.   your   muse   is   not   the   most   likeable   person   out   there   yet   in   a   weird,   unknown   to   everyone   around   them   way,   they   found   some   common   ground   and   nia   is   the   only   person   who   can   tolerate   them   because   actually,   they're   not   being   really   that   mean   to   her.

EX   BEST   FRIEND   FROM   KINGSLEY   ⸺   could   be   childhood   friends,   they   would   grow   up   together   and   all   this   time,   they   couldn't   wait   for   both   nia   and   your   muse   to   start   their   internship   at   kingsley   so   it   was   a   big   disappointment   when   they   found   out   nia   applied   to   lexington   and   got   in.   they   felt   heartbroken   and   betrayed   and   to   this   day   they   can't   forgive   her.

OLDER   SIBLING   FIGURE   ⸺   as   a   single   child,   nia   never   dreamt   anything   more   to   have   a   sibling,   which   was   never   written   in   cards   following   up   with   the   nature   of   her   family.   this   is   someone   who   is   always   there   for   her   and   she   is   always   there   for   them   and   if   they   are   forced   to   not   see   each   other   for   more   than   two   days   —   they   are   absolutely   obnoxious   with   constant   facetimes   and   phone   calls.

DO   THEY   HATE   EACH   OTHER   OR   WANT   EACH   OTHER   ⸺   it's   not   easy   to   get   on   nia's   bad   side   yet   this   is   someone   who   succeed   quite   easily.   it's   someone   who   is   once   again,   a   polar   opposite   of   nia   and   they   know   their   presence   makes   her   head   hurt.   there   is,   however,   something   satisfying   for   them   about   the   way   they   are   the   only   ones   who   get   nia   to   bite   back   and   to   know   that   she   loathes   them   with   her   whole,   pure   heart.   a   spin   on   enemies   to   lovers,   think   alex   and   izzie   in   season   1.

DRESS   ⸺   they’ve   been   best   friends   since   forever   but   everyone   always   assumed   there   was   something   between   them,   no   matter   how   badly   they   denied   but   maybe   everyone   always   assumed   that   because   actually,   some   part   of   them   always   wanted   the   other.   they   claimed   the   innocent   flirting   was   just   their   way   of   teasing   and   having   a   laugh   but   was   it   really?

MEMORIES   ⸺   a   vicious   circle   of   wanting   to   forget   about   each   other   after   their   hard   break   up,   a   relationship   that   hurt   both   of   them   but   unable   to   let   each   other   go.   constantly   coming   up   with   excuses   to   come   pick   up   their   things   only   to   show   up   with   a   bottle   of   wine   and   stay   the   night.

NEUTRAL   GROUND   ⸺   none   of   them   know   they   are   from   the   rivalry   hospitals.   all   they   know   is   that   they're   always   on   that   same   pier,   at   the   same   time   and   they   both   look   like   their   entire   world   just   collapsed.   this   is   exactly   how   it   all   started;   from   walks   around   the   pier   to   sitting   at   one   swing   together   for   weeks   until   one   of   them   finally   started   a   conversation   and   somehow,   it   always   surrounded   everything   but   their   jobs,   almost   as   if   deep   down   they   are   aware   but   don't   want   to   admit   it   out   loud.

GLIMPSE   OF   US   ⸺   both   moved   on   to   someone   else   or   hookups   but   everything   about   the   person   they're   seeing   right   now   reminds   them   of   each   other,   not   allowing   them   to   end   up   in   a   serious,   committed   relationship   because   they're   always   thinking   of   their   ex,   comparing   every   little   thing   their   current   partner   /   hookups   are   doing   to   their   ex.

KINGSLEY   CRUSH   ⸺   they   always   see   her   whenever   she   visits   her   parents   after   or   before   work,   unaware   of   who   she   actually   is   yet   are   very   intrigued   by   her.   this   could   be   both   sided   because   nia   might   notice   them   as   well   yet   she   knows   that   every   new   friendship   from   kingsley   would   put   her   career   at   risk.

one   night   stand.

went   out   on   a   successful   date   yet   never   called   back.

met   at   the   club   and   hooked   up   and   oh   shit   what   do   you   mean   you're   from   the   rivalry   hospital.

roommates   (   0/3   )

unrequired   crush. 

they   always   hang   out   at   the   lisa's   spoon   in   between   surgeries   but   somehow   never   bump   into   each   other   at   the   hospital.

healthy   or   unhealthy   lexington   rivals. 

someone   who   hates   her   guts   because   they   actually   think   she   gets   things   handed   to   her   easily.

mentor.

she   bruised   their   ego   and   now   they   decided   to   make   her   life   a   living   hell.

attending   /   surgeon   hook   up   /   fling   which   they   are   both   aware   is   wrong.

someone   who   is   best   friends   with   her   parents   and   treats   her   like   a   family   member.

party   gang   (   0/4   )

        002.                  𝗘𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗕𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗛𝗘𝗗   𝗖𝗢𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦.

tba.

[rissararity]

Chapter 20:

Word count: 1,275

With everyone in their "undercover" looks, the triad stood in the main space of the quinjet and just sort of...looked at each other for a while. The silence was thick, air a bit tense.

They stood a few feet apart, her boys' eyes were soft and thoughtful as they took her in.

She went for a nice, navy-blue sundress that contrasted her now red tresses. It hugged her form but was a modest cut, some white gold jewelry and luxury sandals helping her look the part of an upper-class stay at home omega.

Her eyes were the only visible part of her own identity. They were almost cold as she looked at the mates she wouldn't be able to see for a few days.

It would be wrong to hope for a little trouble, right? Just to feel that they're close by? She thought. Ugh! Focus on the mission. For Meredith.

Her trademark winged eyeliner was missing, red lip now a pink nude. She was beautiful even in disguise ...but the boys couldn't shake the underlying awareness that something was definitely bothering her.

They'd actually bickered the night before over whether or not to ask.

Steve wanted his little Dove to know she could talk to him about anything, and wanted her to go into this mission clear headed.

But Bucky, being no stranger to shelving personal issues for the sake of a mission, understood why she went back on her promise to "talk tomorrow." He knew she'd be in no mental state for a mission this serious if she'd broached the subject beforehand.

Since he'd taken her mark all that time ago, he could sense how absolutely sure she was that this was for the best.

He trusted her judgement, argued the fact and got their alpha to agree.

So, the trio had an unspoken promise to address the matter upon their return.

She'd been forced to use Tony's invisible skin to cover Steve's mark; since her cover story of only having a beta mate would quickly come into question should anyone notice an Alpha's mark.

Steve knew that but couldn't help but feel a little wounded, though he hid it well, one side of his own neck now felt a little empty.

Through their bond, Bucky reassured him and reminded him that his own mark would be besmirched as well before long.

Solidarity united them as they offered smiles.

After all, this was their private goodbye.

They'd all used scent blockers, but the boys couldn't risk getting their scents on "Aurora." She'd been untouchable since dawning the disguise.

She was glad they couldn't touch her.

Deep down, the mage was so stressed she was worried she'd break into tears and let it all out if they did.

Only Bruce knew that she couldn't be touched by someone she trusted when barely holding herself together. It was as if her subconscious sensed a friendly packmate and pulled the lever to drop the load.

Her nature could overpower her might and ruin everything before they even land.

With much effort, she returned their smiles somewhat stiffly.

That image struck anxiety in both of them, unease crossing their features as they exchanged a look; questioning their decision now.

Thankfully, if you ask Prism, they landed silently on a pad previously hidden by almost the same tech that now clung to her throat.

When the hanger door opened, she literally tripped over herself in her less than graceful attempt to get out of there.

Smooth move, Exlaxx.

Cheeks darkening to match her hair, she couldn't look at them as they all headed toward the pier.

--

In what felt like only seconds, her boys were gone to begin setting up their base.

Prism was then shown into a room where a child's laughter sang in the air. It was a simple office break room environment, discreetly fortified to hide the SHIELD base beneath it and outfitted with blast proof windows.

As soon as she entered the room, her eyes found the small, ginger tot that played with a little car on the floor.

Her heart thumped at the sight.

She couldn't help but picture her with silver hair and blue eyes for a moment.

Someone clearing their throat got her attention. Before her stood Garret Pike, or rather sat Garret Pike.

Right next to his daughter.

Prism's stupid Omega brain tunnel visioned right past him.

Pay attention! She scolded herself.

Her escort closed the door behind her and left them alone.

Before she knew it, Garret was helping the little girl over and telling her she was going to meet Daddy's friend.

Taking a deep breath, she dropped to her knees and smiled at the little girl who excitedly and somewhat clumsily made her way over. "Hi Mer! I'm-uh..."

She glanced at Drew who looked taken off guard, eyes wide with alarm.

Internally rolling her own, she let some of her Omega pheromones loose. Instantly, the little girl squeed with joy and ran in for a hug. "Like Mommy's hair!"

"Yes, Sweet Pea, Mommy's hair. Let's just call her Mommy for short, okay?"

She nodded, "For short!"

Drew gave a relieved look over his daughter's shoulder and Prism realized how much work it was going to be to "submit" to this beta.

A submissive leaning one that clearly found his desired mate in an alpha.

Her hindbrain turned her nose up at him, snickering at his weakness.

She felt a little bad for the mean thought, since it wasn't that there was anything wrong with him; rather that because of who and what she was...she was almost repulsed by the thought of acting like this man's partner.

Not that he was ugly...he wasn't. Nor was he old or particularly fatherly.

In fact, he was only thirty-two. His carefully trimmed, caramel locks were colored a darker shade, a short, well-kept beard complemented his sun-kissed, freckled face and his eyes of Earth. Despite being an average height beta, 5'8, he clearly had a personal trainer and nutritionist, having recently bulked up a bit more since his mate's death.

That helps.

Physically, he was a handsome man.

But even if she were unmated, she wouldn't be interested. Pretty much exactly how she felt about Clint.

Her eyebrows rose as she realized connecting Drew to her good friend Clint made her feel a bit more protective of him.

Luckily for her, this timed perfectly with the beta's off topic rambling and he took the expression as interest.

Hearing Merida honk honk her little car brought her back to the present and she narrowed her focus back to Drew. She stood and tried to listen but quickly grew bored.

"Excuse me, uh...I was thinking maybe we should use this time to...help Mer bond with me a bit before we have to uh..." she mimed rocking a baby.

"Of course! Yeah, good idea. I ramble when I'm nervous. Fiona would just command me to stop when it was getting embarrassing, my mouth runs away without me sometimes!" his laugh was soft, "I really appreciated it." He blinked into the distance with a small smile for a few seconds before snapping back and turning to sit next to his daughter.

The omega crawled over to them and felt joy in her heart when the little girl scrambled into her lap of her own accord.

Drew's smile brightened as he offered her a juice box. "To the Wright family vacation!"

A real smile crossed her lips as she took it, "To the Wright family vacation!"

They toasted their juice boxes, both happily doing it again when a third box was held up by pudgy little fingers.

Fic Masterlist:

[skyhighchibi]

@thepromptfoundry i forgot to draw either of my poor lil meow meows for today, so instead i am going to post a list of stuff i made of one of them, Gwen, last month!

(CASSETTE BEASTS PIER OF THE UNKNOWN DLC SPOILERS BELOW)

heres this funny little mashup of her archangel and human forms!

also. fics i wrote:

gwen w/ amnesia!!!

meredith and viola go to the pier and are tired of gwen's shit

also

the <3

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 9.20 (after 1960)

1961 – Greek general Konstantinos Dovas becomes Prime Minister of Greece. 1962 – James Meredith, an African American, is temporarily barred from entering the University of Mississippi. 1965 – Following the Battle of Burki, the Indian Army captures Dograi in during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965. 1967 – The Cunard Liner Queen Elizabeth 2 is launched in Clydebank, Scotland. 1971 – Having weakened after making landfall in Nicaragua the previous day, Hurricane Irene regains enough strength to be renamed Hurricane Olivia, making it the first known hurricane to cross from the Atlantic Ocean into the Pacific. 1973 – Billie Jean King beats Bobby Riggs in the Battle of the Sexes tennis match at the Houston Astrodome. 1973 – Singer Jim Croce, songwriter and musician Maury Muehleisen and four others die when their light aircraft crashes shortly after takeoff from Natchitoches Regional Airport in Louisiana. 1977 – Vietnam is admitted to the United Nations. 1979 – A French-supported coup d'état in the Central African Empire overthrows Emperor Bokassa I. 1982 – NFL season: American football players in the National Football League begin a 57-day strike. 1984 – A suicide bomber in a car attacks the U.S. embassy in Beirut, Lebanon, killing twenty-two people. 1989 – USAir Flight 5050 crashes into Bowery Bay during a rejected takeoff from LaGuardia Airport, killing two people. 1990 – South Ossetia declares its independence from Georgia. 2000 – The United Kingdom's MI6 Secret Intelligence Service building is attacked by individuals using a Russian-built RPG-22 anti-tank missile. 2001 – In an address to a joint session of Congress and the American people, U.S. President George W. Bush declares a "War on Terror". 2003 – Civil unrest in the Maldives breaks out after a prisoner is killed by guards. 2007 – Between 15,000 and 20,000 protesters march on Jena, Louisiana, United States, in support of six black youths who had been convicted of assaulting a white classmate. 2008 – A dump truck full of explosives detonates in front of the Marriott hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan, killing 54 people and injuring 266 others. 2011 – The United States military ends its "don't ask, don't tell" policy, allowing gay men and women to serve openly for the first time. 2017 – Hurricane Maria makes landfall in Puerto Rico as a powerful Category 4 hurricane, resulting in 2,975 deaths, US$90 billion in damage, and a major humanitarian crisis. 2018 – At least 161 people die after a ferry capsizes close to the pier on Ukara Island in Lake Victoria, Tanzania. 2019 – Roughly four million people, mostly students, demonstrate across the world to address climate change. Sixteen-year-old Greta Thunberg from Sweden leads the demonstration in New York City.

[libraryofcirclaria]

Lake Paron

Library of Circlaria

Blog Posts

Map of the Province of Pimdan of the ICSR, Present-day

Article Written: 15 May 1451

Situated in the North-Central region of the Province of Pimdan and North-Northwest of the Provincial Capital, the community of Lake Paron boasts a unique history.

Early Days

The Lake and its skymountain, Meredith, was a site consecrated by the local indigenous population until about the 1050s, when they were driven out while the land was re-settled by Great Northern forces under the command of General William Paron. Over the course of 200 years, various villages sprung up around the Lake and were dedicated to either mining, fishing, or logging. In the 1150s, Great Northerners constructed airships that enabled the settlement of Meredith, upon which was established the town of Hywater in 1164. In 1167, villages on the East side of the Lake gathered and established the town of Eastbay while those in the Southwest established the town of Paron in 1169. Between 1171 and 1172, engineers constructed a man-made island of piers and docks in the middle of the Lake; and upon this isle was established Laketown in 1173.

And so the economy between the communities thrived under Great Northern leadership until 1231, when, as part of a territorial agreement signed in Cotts, the Great North withdrew its jurisdiction from Pimdan, leaving it unclaimed. The logging, fishing, and mining companies that had emerged in the Lake Paron region were left to function independently; and soon, in the absence of government regulation, these employers began raising prices and keeping wages depressed. That had been an issue during the days of the Great North, but now it began to worsen.

The Early Republic

In the late 1240s, the Federal Estates of Retun extended its influence to incorporate Pimdan as a territory and eventually a Province by January of 1249. In 1250, workers began forming collective-bargaining organizations with their business owners, who refused to compromise toward agreeable terms during contract negotiations. Calls were made to then-Prime-Minister James Black and the Federal Estates Council to pass legislation to increase starting wages and to improve working conditions, but this was met with stiff resistance from Council members who held business asset growth as a higher priority. Tension broke in March 1251 when all the workers across the Lake Paron region united and carried out a general strike. James Black responded to this by sending in federal marshal troops which conducted mass arrests. The strike ended by that summer as most of the workers there in the beginning of the year were replaced by new workers imported from other regions in the new Republic. However, these workers, whose promises for better pay and working conditions were not met, united and, again, carried out a general strike in November of 1251. Again, federal marshals were called in to quell the uprising, and this time, employers attempted to stave off future collective sentiment by implementing a rigorous schedule of "cross-assignment," in which laborers would be re-assigned to a new worksite with a new schedule once every three to six weeks.

However, collective sentiment remained in the region and had taken a permanent root, as outspoken figures formed the Labor Party of Lake Paron, and began running for public offices. In the 1252 local elections, these candidates won public seats in a widespread victory, capturing the mayoral seat and the majority of city council each of all four towns. And in 1253, all four communities signed a conjoined agreement, known as the Joint Agreement of 1253, to standardize prices, starting wages, and working conditions. Meanwhile, the Labor Party of Lake Paron gained momentum throughout the Province of Pimdan, and then throughout the entire Republic. In 1254, they officially renamed themselves the National Labor Party.

And so the economy thrived in the Lake Paron region over the two decades that followed, with the community gaining a national reputation for exceptional worker pay, working conditions, and living standards. In 1262, the Bank of Hywater was established to lend money and capital to up-and-coming businesses, with such lending practices being regulated by the 1253 Joint Agreement in order to preserve economic stability. Over the course of the 1260s, numerous Lake Paron businesses signed agreements with trading partners in the city of North Kempton, Nintel, which had a demand for building material made of the clay extracted from the bottom of the Lake. This arrangement created a steady income for the Lake Paron region.

However, between 1273 and 1274, the economy of North Kempton, Nintel collapsed, leading to a sudden loss in revenue and business for the Lake Paron region. Lake Paron businesses suddenly found themselves in financial distress and turned to the Bank of Hywater for emergency credit. Before long, the Bank of Hywater, with its funds drying up, suspended its credit lines, forcing Lake Paron businesses to turn elsewhere for emergency funding. After being rejected by Bucksworth and the Big Banks in Hasphitat, these businesses turned to the Linbraean Royal Treasury, who promised to lend even larger sums of money on a monthly basis over the next ten years. A joint arrangement of this was signed by the Royal Treasury and a large group of Lake Paron businesses in 1275.

Between 1275 and 1276, it became apparent that the businesses and Royal Treasury noticed a loophole in the 1253 Joint Agreement which allowed the money lent to not be passed down to employee wages in a fair and proportional fashion. This drew contempt from employees who called on their mayors and council members to pass legislation regulating such lend-outs. However, the Linbraean Royal Treasury anticipated this and lobbied Labor Party politicians to vote against such regulations, with the promise that the Treasury would help fund Labor Party campaign platforms in the future, as the Labor Party establishment had been struggling nationwide since the 1260 elections. Incumbent mayors and council members caved to such lobbying and voted down the regulations. And in the years that followed, emerging Diplomatic Party candidates called them out on this. In the 1279 council seat elections, the Diplomatic Party captured the majority of councils in Hywater and Eastbay, while reducing the Labor Party to razor-thin majorities in Paron and Laketown. In addition to this issue, the Diplomatic Party, in 1282, ran a smear campaign against Labor Party leaders and union leaders with regard to the ongoing academy strikes. As a result, the Diplomatic Party captured the mayor seats and majority of council in all four communities.

Starting in 1283, the new Diplomatic Party in power repealed the Joint Agreement of 1253, which repealed wage requirements, working condition regulations, price regulations, borrowing and lending regulations, and a rule previously put in place that prohibited publicly-owned estates from voting and selling their assets to private banks, among numerous other protections.

Despite the ensuing inflation and the worsening working and living conditions, the Diplomatic Party held the Lake Paron voter base in its sway with its "competition-and-reward" dogma, the idea that success came not only from hard work, but also from being the best in one's craft, and that societies that do not follow this dogma are doomed to fail. This led the Lake Paron region population to vote against John "Red" Waltmann in the 1296 and 1302 elections in favor of the Diplomatic Party. However, loyalty to the Diplomatic Party was suddenly broken in 1308, when the population turned against the Diplomatic Party Prime Minister candidate, Walter Scott Mason, who had been preaching ultra-nationalism and hatred against the darkfire community. Although they, themselves, were not supportive of the darkfire community at the time, Lake Paron voters viewed Mason's agenda as fascist and morally corrupt; so they and the majority of the province of Pimdan voted for the Libertarian Party candidate, Carl Rens.

Rens and Mason, however, lost to Waltmann, who won re-election for a third term. Waltmann's victory bolstered the momentum of a proposition, first made public in 1303, for the province of Pimdan to secede from the Republic; and the Lake Paron community was in full support. Pimdan followed through with this move in 1309, in the wake of the 1309 Revolution in the Basin District, but then voted to be annexed by the Great North. This was the result of an amendment proposed by numerous provincial legislators on behalf of lobbying from the Linbraean Royal Treasury.

The Great North

Life seemed to improve in the Lake Paron region under the Great North, as the Linbraean Regiondom ruled with a libertarian dogma. However, it soon became apparent that the Linbraean Royal Treasury had too much of an overreach over every aspect of Lake Paron life. Businesses and local councils began running large debts from the Treasury. Furthermore, no effort was made to improve workers wages and living conditions as promised before; and the Treasury had ownership over the estates and had intricate rules governing rent and evictions. Many of these workers turned to support from Finzi in the Republic, now the Commonwealth. While the Royal Treasury spread propaganda attempting to demonize them, many workers united and, in February 1321, staged another general strike.

The Linbraean Regiondom sent military forces attempting to break the strike. This was countered, however, by Peacekeepers sent by Finzi, who was, at this point, obligated to protect them. Armed confrontation arose between the Peacekeepers and the Linbraean troops, sparking the day-long Battle of Lake Paron on 15 February 1321, which resulted in 150 dead in 600 injured. This Battle resulted in the Peacekeepers and their allies succeeding in driving out the Linbraeans. That May, the Province of Pimdan, after a successful motion to secede from the Great North, rejoined the Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth: Early 1300s

Afterward, division ensued. Incumbent mayors and council members joined the ranks of the National Establishment Party, a conservative bloc relative to Commonwealth politics, and ran re-election platforms based upon the notion that Finzi's principles went against free market principles and granted too much favor to the darkfire community. The voting base was split nearly evenly in each town, and all of them yielded NEP majorities and mayorships in the 1324 elections, both of which having been captivated by razor-thin margins. Nevertheless, Finzi's laws governing pay, living, and workplace standards improved life in Lake Paron for the first time since 1282. The area was spared mostly from the Knights of the Common Good insurrections and Neurovirus pandemic of 1329. However, Realist Party candidates, promising good compromises between the principles of Finzi and the NEP, captured the local government seats in the 1330 elections, and would hold onto them until 1342.

It was the Hywater Bank Scandal of 1340, which involved the stagmarcation of trade stones, which finally began to undermine support for the Realists and their allied parties. The 1342 mayoral and city council elections saw all four council majorities and mayorships be handed over to the RAD Party. In the 1344 Prime Minister elections, the Lake Paron community supported Raol Robinson of the RAD Party, in contrast to the rest of Pimdan, who supported John DeMajj of the National Establishment Party.

During this time period, the Lake Paron region established yet another Joint Agreement, known as the Joint Agreement of 1343. This restored most of the policies and regulations of the one from 1253. The only exception here was that wage standards were adjusted for inflation, and that the other regulations were adjusted for conformity with Commonwealth law.

The Commonwealth: Late 1300s

The Lake Paron community continued to thrive just as it did during the first Joint Agreement. However, in 1359, the Esurchians arrived and began infiltrating businesses, estates, and local governments. The people of the Lake Paron region banded together and pushed out the Esurchians in early 1360. However, the Esurchian infiltration broke their trust in the RAD Party. That same year, they formed the Local Coalition of Lake Paron, who elected write-in candidates who defeated RAD Party incumbents in the 1360 mayoral elections.

In the 1370s, the clay deposits ran dry. Furthermore, in 1375, then-Prime-Minister Megan Wen enacted environmental protection policies which put a stop to commercial fishing and logging. And so during the 1380s, the Lake Paron region turned to scriptfire science, tourism, and gyroplane manufacturing.

In 1396, voters in the Lake Paron region gravitated toward the newly-formed Reformed RAD Party, a conservative bloc dedicated to the revitalization of the Commonwealth economy through dymensionalism, which had begun to take root in the region since the 1380s. Reformed RAD Party candidates took mayoral seats and council majorities in the 1396 elections and held these until 1426. During this time, they established Library of Circlaria branches in all four towns.

The Commonwealth: 1400 to Present

From 1400 to 1426, the Lake Paron economy was largely dominated by the scriptfire industry and Library of Circlaria, as the region drew in experts and scholars from all over the province and all over the nation. In the 1420s a generation emerged of workers and scholars who believed in equal opportunities for those wishing to live and work in the region, regardless of interest. The issue at the time was that there was an unequal distribution of resources for different career vocations. For example, Library of Circlaria and scriptfire had more capital and educational opportunities than other vocations. In 1424, the Commonwealth experienced the beginnings of the Solidarity Movement, which would ultimately propel Mary Ann Heits to winning the Commonwealth Prime Minister nomination in the 1428 national elections. And the youth of Lake Paron joined the Movement by putting forward candidates of the Proculturalist Party, which secured mayorships and council majorities in the 1426 Lake Paron elections. In 1433, the Proculturalist Party would merge with the Trader Party to bring back the RAD Party, and the new incumbents of Lake Paron would follow through.

Upon taking office in 1427, the new incumbents passed and enacted an amendment to the 1353 Joint Agreement to establish an institution to provide equal funding to the numerous industries and vocations in the area, very similar to the OPEN Forum that would be re-established in the Commonwealth in 1429. This is the economic model that exists in the Lake Paron region to this day.

[quoteoftheweekblog]

…

1/7/24 - URSULA LE GUIN (AND ‘THE DISPOSSESSED’ AND ‘CARRIE’ AND ‘POIROT’S EARLY CASES’)

‘ “I’m going to make a speech.” ‘ (Le Guin, 2015, p.250).

REFERENCE

Le Guin, U. (2015 [1974] ) 'The dispossessed'. Amazon.com [E-book]. Available at: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dispossessed-S-F-MASTERWORKS-Ursula-Guin-ebook/dp/B0151Q54OE/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr= (Accessed 29 June 2024).

*****

HE DID

VOTE LABOUR

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LUKE MURPHY FOR BASINGSTOKE

VOTE LABOUR

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GENERAL ELECTION 2024

ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL WEEK 6

…

LOOKING GOOD

VOTE LABOUR

*****

SEE ALSO

' " The one thing everybody knows about the Odonians ... is that you don't drink alcohol. Is it true ... ?" ' (Le Guin, 2015, p.79).

…

LUKE MURPHY IN OUR LOCAL ON X

VOTE LABOUR

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ONE DAY AT A TIME 2

XXXX

THE GENERAL ELECTION HAS KNOCKED GLASTONBURY OF THE TOP SPOT THIS WEEK BUT DUA LIPA

…

WORKS

FOR URSULA

And I think it's gonna be a long, long time 'Til touchdown brings me 'round again to find I'm not the man they think I am at home On no, no, no (Meredith, Meecham, Taupin, Littlemore, N., Littlemore, S., Mayes, John, 2021).

…

&

FOR LUKE

I’ve always supported Labour, so that’s where I’ll always stand … (Lipa in Harman, 2024).

VOTE LABOUR

… ‘There is only one choice.’ (John in PA Media, 2024).

VOTE LABOUR

REFERENCES

Harman, L. (2024) ‘Glastonbury headliner proud to support Gaza and is willing to “take the backlash” ‘, ‘Metro’ 18 June [Online]. Available at: https://metro.co.uk/2024/06/18/glastonbury-headliner-proud-support-gaza-willing-take-backlash-21057292/ (Accessed 30 June 2024).

Meredith, D.J., Meecham, J.A., Taupin, B.J.P., Littlemore, N.G., Littlmore, S.D., Mayes, P.B. and John, E. (2021) in AZLrics ‘Cold Heart(PNAU Remix)’. Available at: https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/eltonjohn/coldheartpnauremix.html (Accessed 30 June 2024).

PA Media (2024) ‘Elton John among stars pledging support for Labour in general election’, Guardian 29 June [Online]. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/music/article/2024/jun/29/sir-elton-john-among-stars-pledging-support-for-labour-in-general-election (Accessed 30 June 2024).

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GLASTO

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CONGRATULATIONS 2024

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2024 IS THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE PUBLICATION OF 

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NEWS COMMENT

&

…

NEWS COMMENT

&

…

WIKIPEDIA

*****

CONGRATULATIONS

*****

FOR BOOK GROUP JUNE 2024 

20 (90) GLORIOUS YEARS

…

' ... books were explosives.’ (Le Guin, 2015, p.105).

LAST MONTH I ALSO READ

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THE ROAD TO WIGAN PIER

EXPLOSIVE

VOTE LABOUR

📚📚📚📚📚

LAST MONTH OUR MEMBERS ALSO READ OR ARE STILL READING …

TOP MEMBER

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MOON DOG

… a good read.

&

…

THE COAST ROAD

… reasonably entertaining.

&

…

THE FORGOTTEN SUMMER

… very enjoyable.

&

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THE DEVIL’S NOVICE

… re-reading …

&

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HEADS YOU WIN

… once I got into it, I am really enjoying.

📚📚📚📚📚

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THE ANARCHY - THE RELENTLESS RISE OF THE EAST INDIA COMPANY

I’m half way through now and at the beginning of the unravelling of India.

📚📚📚📚📚

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THE GREAT ZOO OF CHINA

It was very gory and fast paced but quite clever with a lot of pseudo science descriptions.

📚📚📚📚📚

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A TIME OF LOVE AND TARTAN

It's in the 44 Scotland Street series, so some of the characters are familiar eg Bertie and his awful mother. It seemed appropriate as we had not long returned from Scotland and I knew it would be light-hearted.

MEANWHILE THE OTHER HALF

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NORMANDY ‘44 - D-DAY AND THE BATTLE FOR FRANCE

… finished the D-Day '44 book with a sigh of relief and passed it on to a friend.

&

…

A TIME OF LOVE AND TARTAN

… now reading … 

📚📚📚📚📚

AND OUR READER LEADER

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SWING TIME

… finished … enjoyed very much.

&

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DEMON COPPERHEAD

… half way through …

&

…

THE MEANING IN THE MIRACLES

… also reading …

📚📚📚📚📚

…

BOOK GROUP

*****

URSULA LE GUIN

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK 2011 - 2024

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12 EPIC YEARS

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FROM THE ARCHIVE

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25/1/21

VOTE LABOUR

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