#Noah found favor in the eyes of God

[thinkingonscripture]

God's Favor Toward His People

For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O LORD, You surround him with favor as with a shield (Psa 5:12).   We show someone favor when we treat them with special kindness, granting them a blessing or improving the quality of their life. God’s favor refers to the goodness and blessings He bestows on others. His favor is based on His sovereignty, for He is under no compulsion to act, but does…

[roosterforme]

The Younger Kind Part 8 | Rooster x Reader

Summary: Bradley is having a hard time trying to convince himself that being with you is wrong, but he plans another date anyway. You're floating on cloud nine after Saturday night, but you're quickly brought back down to earth the next time you see him. Lucky for you, Bradley more than makes up for his indiscretion at the end of the night.

Warnings: Smut, angst, swearing, fluff, and age gap (18+)

Length: 4900 words

Pairing: Single dad!Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x babysitter!female reader

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Bradley was completely stunned, sitting on his living room couch with his soft cock hanging out of his jeans. He heard you start your car, and he saw your tail lights shine through the window blinds as you backed out of his driveway and drove away. 

After nearly a year of being touched by nobody but himself, you got him off so good, he still couldn't move ten minutes later.

"Holy shit," he whispered to his silent living room. You had just given him the best blowjob of his life. His entire life. Bradley had been with his fair share of women, gotten more head than he could keep track of. But you were the best. Hands down, the fucking best he had ever had. 

Maybe it was because it had been so long since he'd been with someone, but he tended to believe it was just you. He was so attracted to you, he should have known you would absolutely blow his mind like that. He should have known you would show up Amanda and Grace and Talia and become the only one he was thinking about. 

Then Bradley cradled his face in both of his hands. You had caught him ready to jerk off with your sweatshirt, moaning your name. How fucking embarrassing. And then you'd agreed to do him a favor and get him off. Your words echoed through his mind, "I can help you with that. If you want."

But you were unattainable. Off limits. The babysitter. Noah was so attached to you. When Nat found out, she was going to lose her mind. And probably not in a good way. Because Bradley was a thirty six year old man with a ridiculous crush on a woman twelve years younger than him. 

He forgot to pay you before you left. Oh god, how was he supposed to pay you after you sucked his cock for him? He was starting to feel worse and worse now. 

Before he could change his mind, he grabbed his phone and messaged back the first random woman who was trying to chat with him in the app. He'd set up another date. He'd set up a million more dates if he needed to. If he didn't get you out of his mind, he'd have to find a different babysitter and break Noah's heart. And probably his own as well.

------------------------

You were still giggly the next day. You couldn't stop thinking about Bradley. You'd given him a blowjob. He had been moaning your name! You wanted to do that again. Maybe he felt the same way about you that you did about him. Your heart was pounding. 

After several texts from Greyson, you decided to keep ignoring him. You had a lot of schoolwork to catch up on, and it didn't help that you knew how big Bradley's dick was and how he tasted. He was bigger and better than Greyson in every way. It wasn't making your day easier envisioning Bradley's eyes practically rolling into the back of his head while you sucked him off, but you indulged in the memories anyway.

The fact that you were masturbating to the thought of him cumming in your mouth when Bradley texted you on Sunday evening should have embarrassed you. But it did not. It made you feel even hotter for him. You really hoped this was him making the next move.

Any chance you're free to come over on Wednesday when you finish your classes?

You bit your lip and squealed, forcing yourself to wait more than five seconds before you texted him back. And when you did, it was with a giddy smile.

I can head over right after class, Daddy. See you on Wednesday.

He didn't end up writing back, but you knew he was busy. So you spent the week avoiding Greyson as much as you could. And when you saw Penny when you were out taking a walk, she waved you down.

"How are things working out with Bradley and Noah?" she asked you with a smile. 

Your mind returned to the velvet feel of his erection gliding over your tongue and the broken, raspy groans of his delicious orgasm.

"Oh, so far so good," you said before pressing your lips together. "Noah is the sweetest child in the world. And Bradley, well. He's actually kind of sweet too."

Penny just laughed and nodded her head. "He really is. When my bartenders found out he's dating again, they both lost their minds. I was thinking about trying to see if he was interested in going out with either of them."

Your heart suddenly felt like it was resting against your lungs, making it difficult to breathe. "Oh. Do they seem like his type?"

Penny laughed harder now. "Bradley's type is female."

Okay, that you did believe. Or rather, you believed any woman who was into guys would be into Bradley. As long as you were cool with Noah, the man was the total package. 

"He only has the most wonderful things to say about you, too," Penny added with a smile. "He said that even though you're so young, he knows he can trust you with Noah. And I don't think he would say that about very many people."

You couldn't decide if that was a compliment or a slight against your age. And when you drove to his house after your final class on Wednesday, you started to feel awkward. Neither of you had mentioned the fact that the last time you were here, you'd had his dick in your mouth. 

"Hi," you called out when you let yourself in, and Noah came running to greet you at the door. You scooped him up in a hug and started to carry him to the kitchen. "Where's your dad?"

Noah just kind of shrugged. "Getting dressed." When you set Noah down at the kitchen table, you immediately noticed a coffee cup sitting on the kitchen counter with Princess scrawled across it. 

You picked it up and took one sip of the French vanilla latte, and then you heard Bradley's voice. "Hey. Princess." You spun around with a bright smile on your face, but his expression had you immediately biting your lip and furrowing your brow. He looked confused and irritated and maybe a little sad. None of those expressions were right for his handsome face.

"Hi," you said softly, hoping you could make him smile. "What are your plans for tonight? Going to try to give me a sore throat again?"

His gaze dropped to the floor, and then you really took in what he was wearing. A nice shirt and chinos. He was going out. He hadn't invited you over to see you at all. 

"Um, actually," he muttered, but you cut him off.

"Actually, you're going on another date?" 

"Yeah." He nodded and briefly met your eyes. "Someone from the app."

He only needed to use you to get his rocks off so he could go out with someone else. God, you were so fucking stupid. He didn't want you at all. He probably thought of you as practically a child. And maybe he found you attractive enough to think filthy things about you, and allow you to suck his dick, but that was it. 

"Okay, have a great time," you said, setting the coffee cup down on the counter. You didn't want another sip. 

"Princess," he whispered, reaching out for you. But you managed to sidestep him as you sat down next to Noah and picked up a coloring book. 

"I hope she's as much fun for you as I was on Saturday night," you said, biting down hard on your lip to keep from screaming at him. 

You felt his presence behind you to the point you could almost feel the warmth of his body. But he didn't say anything, he just placed your coffee cup on the table in front of you, spinning it until the writing was facing you. 

"Thanks for the coffee. I hope you find what you're looking for tonight."

You heard him swallow hard, and then he kissed Noah's head, and then he was gone. And you were left to color some dinosaurs with the kid you wanted to spend all your time with. Too bad his dad was sending you so many mixed signals, you felt like crying. 

----------------------

Bradley felt like an asshole the entire time he was with Gabby. She seemed really sweet, but he couldn't stop thinking about what you said to him. As if you weren't what he was looking for. 

In all actuality, you really were not what he was looking for. But you seemed to be exactly what he wanted. But wanting someone and having long term compatibility were two completely different things. 

"So...." Gabby said for the third time. Bradley could barely focus on her or his dinner. "Tell me more about yourself, Bradley."

He started rambling on about work or some shit. He wasn't even really sure. This conversation was painful compared to the way you and he were together. Or at least the way you and he were before he started to fuck everything up between the two of you. The drunk kissing was bad enough, but the blowjob was just the nail in the coffin of the flirting with you that had him absolutely smitten in the first place. 

Now Gabby was saying something about her job, and he couldn't handle it anymore. "Gabby? Sorry, but I think I'm just too distracted for this tonight."

She glared at him across the table. "Yeah, I noticed. I don't care how handsome you are if you're going to be rude. Pull your head out of your ass next time you ask someone out."

"I'm sorry," he muttered as she stood up to leave, and not a minute later, the waiter arrived with both meals. 

He looked at Bradley cautiously. "Can you pack both of those to go? Please?" Bradley asked. He was going to have to leave this guy a hefty tip, but that was fine. 

He had barely been gone for an hour and a half, and that included driving to the far end of the city. When he pulled into his driveway, he grabbed both meals, and made sure he called out from the front door. "I'm back."

You popped around the corner with Noah in your arms, and Bradley's heart leapt. "You're early," you said in surprise. "We're just about to get in bed." Bradley could tell how tired Noah looked, but he could barely take his eyes off you. 

"Do you want to sing with us, daddy?" Noah asked with a yawn, and Bradley was of course drawn to the two of you like his life depended on it. 

"Of course, bub." A minute later, Bradley was watching you tuck his son into bed while you sang a ridiculous song about dinosaurs that sounded made up. But Noah knew all the words too, and you were both laughing. 

"Night, kiddo," you whispered, brushing his hair back from his forehead. Then you slipped past Bradley without another look in his direction. When he gently reached for your hand, you yanked yourself free and kept walking.

Bradley quickly kissed Noah, and then he was following you into the kitchen where you were packing up Noah's art supplies without a word. There was an open bag of Skittles on the table next to some of your textbooks, and Bradley didn't want you packing those things up. They looked like they belonged there. 

He cleared his throat. "I brought dinner back for you. If you want it."

You laughed a little sarcastically. "I'm not eating another woman's leftovers, but thanks anyway, Bradley." You put your books into your tote bag, and Bradley took a step closer to you.

"Princess," he whispered, and your eyes fluttered closed for a beat. He wanted you, and at times like this, he felt like you wanted him, too. "It's not leftovers. My date bailed before the food came out."

Your stomach growled when he opened the takeout containers, and you rolled your eyes. "Fine. I'm starving." He let you pick between the two meals, and you chose the one he had ordered for himself. He didn't care, he'd eat his date's food. He could barely even remember what her name was at this point, because you were plating and microwaving the entrees like you lived here. 

"I'll just eat quickly, and then I'll be out of your hair," you told him, taking a bite of his filet mignon. Bradley settled down into the seat next to you. He wanted more than anything to talk with you, but he didn't know how. Not after what he let you do last time you were here. So he just took a few bites of food and watched you. 

"Your date bailed early? What did you do?" you asked between bites of steak. Bradley watched your eyes flash with mischief. "Does she know what you did to get those free coffees from the barista?"

Bradley chuckled and shook his head. 

"Oh my god, did you insult her after she told the waitress to hold the salad dressing?" you said, biting into your plush, glossy lip. Then your expression clouded a bit. "She didn't say something negative about Noah?"

Bradley scraped the last bite of his food onto his fork and finished eating. "No. Actually I didn't even get to mention Noah. And I have no idea if she ordered a salad. I can't even remember if I had a salad, Princess. I was so distracted all night."

"Why were you distracted?" you asked softly while Bradley took both plates to the sink. 

He reached into the refrigerator and opened a beer, drinking half of it while he decided what he wanted to say to you. You popped a red Skittle followed by two yellow ones into your mouth, and the movement of your jaw took him back to Saturday night. His cock hitting the back of your throat. His hands on your jaw and your face. Those pretty lips wrapped around his balls. 

"Princess," he groaned, and he watched you shove the last few Skittles into your mouth before jumping to your feet.

"Well, I'm going to head out," you said a bit breathlessly. "Oh, and thanks for dinner and for clarifying that these were not sloppy seconds."

Bradley set his beer on the counter and followed you out into his living room, your tote bag swaying along with your ass in your tiny shorts. "Fuck, Princess. Wait. Please?"

"What?" you asked, glancing back over your shoulder. 

Bradley reached out and ran his fingers along your cheek inhaling the scent of wildflowers. "My date bailed, because I was awful. I wasn't paying any attention to her. I can barely even remember what she looked like."

You turned to face him. "What was her name?"

He shook his head. "I can't fucking remember. All I can remember is you. Even when I'm not with you. That's why she hightailed it out of the restaurant."

You pressed your lips together, but you didn't back away when Bradley stepped into your personal space. "You've been thinking about me?" you asked in barely a whisper.

"Nonstop, Princess. And you wanna know about sloppy seconds? Anyone else ever gives me a blowjob, and I'll be thinking about you the entire time."

Your lips parted on a soft gasp. "Oh."

He nodded, stroking his thumb across your lips. "Best I ever had. I already couldn't stop thinking about you, and that just made it a hundred times worse."

"Bradley," you whispered, pressing yourself against him. He didn't move as you eased yourself up onto your toes and kissed him. You nibbled softly on his lips and sighed, then looked up at him like you felt the same way he did. 

It was so innocent, so fucking sweet. Or it would have been if Bradley wasn't wrapping both hands around your hips and licking the seam of your lips. You parted them immediately for him as your arms came up to wrap around his neck. Bradley tasted your tongue and grunted when he felt your fingers running through his hair.

He broke the kiss and let his hands slide down to palm your ass. "You taste like Skittles. I love Skittles."

You smiled up at him. "Sorry, I didn't save you any." Bradley planted his lips on the side of your neck and listened to you moan and dig your fingers in his hair. 

"I don't deserve any, remember?" he asked, rubbing his mustache below your ear. "I'm a peasant. You're the princess."

You made a soft sound that went right to Bradley's cock as you guided his lips back to yours. "Last time you kissed me, you were drunk," you whispered to him before mashing your lips against his. You were pushing him, walking him back toward the couch, and Bradley couldn't help but go where you wanted him to. 

He sat down a little hard against the cushions, his head tipped back to look up at you. "Yeah. I was kind of drunk. And that was a sin, because my memories are a little fuzzy. And you deserve to be remembered with crystal clarity, Princess."

"Do I?" you asked coyly, standing between his spread legs and clasping your hands in front of you. 

Bradley reached out with his right hand and ran his knuckles up and down your thigh. "Listen, Princess. Your lips wrapped around my cock will fuel my fantasies for years to come, but right now I want my mouth involved as much as possible."

You were instantly climbing into his lap, straddling his hips and pressing your mouth to his again. Bradley welcomed you back into his arms like you belonged there. You peppered some kisses to his lips and mustache before you pulled away from him a little bit with a smile. You were irresistible, and he was grinning right back at you. 

"Okay, go ahead," you told him, gripping his hair and tipping his head away from you. Bradley grunted as your little denim shorts rubbed against his pants creating some friction. "Try to kiss me better than you did after you were out drinking the other night. Because I thought it was pretty great, actually."

He let you tug his hair which was making him throb for you. "What do I get if I win?"

You moaned softly. "The satisfaction of a job well done?"

He shook his head. "Not good enough."

You laughed. "A pat on the back?"

"No," he said, stroking your cheek with his fingers and coaxing your lips closer to his. "I want a fifty percent share of all Skittles consumed in my house."

You gasped so theatrically, he laughed out loud. "That's scandalous. Twenty five percent, or I'm leaving," But you were inching closer and closer to him.

"Deal, Princess," he whispered against your lips, and now he found himself trying to outdo any kisses that came before you. It actually wasn't hard. You'd been his best the last time you were here. Now he wanted to be the best for you. He started off slow now, his fingers teasing along your cheeks and all over your neck. He knew his mustache was prickling along your lip, but you seemed to like it as you were grinding against him a little bit now.

Bradley made sure he was using just the right amount of pressure with his lips, always drawing you back to his kisses. The little sounds at the back of your throat were encouraging, as were your fingers which had dipped inside his shirt at the back of his neck.

He sucked gently on your bottom lip now as his hands found their way to your waist. He nibbled softly on your lip before releasing it, and he was so pleased to see he had kissed off all of your lipgloss. Now your lips just looked extra pouty, and your eyes were needy. 

"How am I doing so far?" he teased, kissing along your chin and your jaw, eventually letting his lips settle on the front of your neck. 

"You must really want those Skittles," you gasped, head tipped back as he worked his mouth against your soft skin. He sucked gently on you there, nearly thrusting against you as you rubbed yourself on him. "Oh!"

And then his hands were a little rougher, squeezing your hips and wrapping around the back of your neck. You leaned into him, clearly not afraid of what his body was demanding as he tasted your tongue and your teeth. He felt your hands on his chest and abs. He could feel your warmth against his cock as you rocked your body into his. He could feel your nipples, hard and rubbing his chest through too much fabric. 

"Princess?" he asked, his lips brushing against yours. 

"Yeah, okay," you said, gasping against his lips, kissing him between sentences. "You win. Twenty five percent of the Skittles. They are yours."

He kissed you, laughing against your lips. "That's really nice and all, baby. But I'd rather taste you right now?"

"Me?" you asked softly, putting a few inches between your mouth and his.

"I want to know if you taste sweet all over, Princess. Will you let me find out?" he asked, stroking his index finger along the zipper of your shorts. He was gauging your reaction to him as you bit your lip and tried to squeeze your thighs together. 

"You want to go down on me?" you whispered, hands gasping along his abs.  

He nodded. "Real fucking bad, Princess."

You licked your swollen lips and whimpered. "Okay, Daddy."

-------------------------

Bradley had been so sweet, his brown eyes like something from your dreams. His lips and his hands were all over you, turning you on and making you so wet. But now he wanted to taste you? Find out if you were sweet?

As soon as you called him Daddy again, he had the front of your shorts open, and you were lying on the couch on your back with his big body over yours. 

A moan escaped your lips as soon as he eased his hand inside the front of your underwear and over your clit, and then his mouth was on yours, devouring you. You were making little noises against his lips as he stroked you just the way you liked to touch yourself. It was like he knew how crazy this would make you. And when his other hand ended up inside your shirt, pulling down your bra and stroking your nipples, you groaned his name. 

"You're soaking wet," he said, rubbing his mustache along your jaw in time with his fingers as they worked their way down toward your opening. He teased you like that until you were begging him for more, your fingers tangling wildly in his hair. 

"Please, please," you gasped, and then Bradley was sitting back a bit, his hard dick on display for you through his pants. He yanked your jean shorts down your legs and tossed them to the floor, followed by your lacy, white underwear. 

"Oh, fuck me," he groaned as he looked at you, bare for him from the waist down, except for your socks and sneakers which he left on. 

Then without hesitation, Bradley stroked his hands up the backs of your thighs, spread them wide and brought his mouth down to your pussy. He placed the softest kiss against you there, his mustache making you bite down on your lip in response to the sensation. 

"Bradley," you gasped, feeling your lower back arch off the couch as he ran his tongue from your opening all the way up to your clit in one glorious swipe. 

You should have been embarrassed by the way you were reacting to him. But he just looked up at you with his lips wrapped around your clit, sucking gently before he released you. "You're so sensitive, Princess," he grunted. And then he was running his nose through your wetness and kissing you everywhere. "And you taste so good."

This didn't feel like you expected it to; it felt so much better than that. Bradley's lips and mustache and his fingers and tongue. Everything he did had you gasping, crying out for more. 

"I got you," he promised, spreading your legs wider every time you tried to squeeze them against his head. You were writhing against the couch now, simultaneously trying to pull yourself away from his mouth and also rub your clit against his nose for more. 

"Oh god!" you groaned, loud enough that you should be concerned about waking up Noah. But you couldn't stop! Bradley was licking up and down your slit with sure movements and then sucking on your clit until you were practically in tears. Over and over again. Then Bradley was shoving his fingers inside you and kissing your clit before circling it with his thumb.

"You're getting loud, Princess," he whispered, guiding his body over top of yours again. You wrapped your legs around his hips when he kissed you with his wet lips and face. You were licking yourself off his lips when he asked, "You like how you taste? You're so sweet."

You could only whine in agreement as he pushed your shirt up and buried his face against your lace covered breasts. He kissed his way back down your body, and soon you were grinding against his face while he held your thighs. 

"Oh, god, oh!" you gasped when he was licking and sucking again. You closed your eyes tight as your legs started to shake. And then Bradley pumped his fingers into you a little slower and sucked on your clit with a little more pressure, and you felt yourself clenching hard. You rode his fingers with your feet planted on his shoulders, and he looked up at you like he owned you. 

"Daddy!" you cried out, enjoying what was quite obviously the longest and best orgasm of your life. 

"Call me Daddy again," he demanded before sealing his pretty lips around your clit once more and sucking.

"Daddy!" you groaned, pulsing around his fingers. And then everything felt wet. Really wet. And Bradley's face turned to an expression of awe. And his face was wet, too. You sat up and looked down your body to where his fingers were still rammed inside your pussy. But the couch was wet. "What happened?" you asked, but his lips were on yours, and he was pushing you back down again. 

"Princess," he groaned, still moving his fingers gently inside you, and now you were finally coming down fully from the peak of pleasure he had brought to your body. "Christ Almighty, baby. You're the sweetest fucking thing, aren't you?" He kept praising you, his lips all over your face. And when he finally withdrew his fingers and brought them up to his mouth, you helped him lick them clean. 

And then he was gaping down at you, stroking his knuckles along your cheek. "What happened?" you asked softly. You didn't think your body would ever recover fully enough for you to speak louder than this, but you didn't care. Everything felt too good. 

"You squirted for me," he replied, those big brown eyes roaming all over your face before he kissed you. 

Oh. You still felt wet. You had made a mess on his couch. You could feel the warmth rising in your cheeks. "I didn't mean to," you whispered, suddenly feeling very shy.

"Was so hot," Bradley whispered next to your ear. "Princess." His lips on the shell of your ear and his hard cock pressing against your hip made you feel a little bolder. You tried to sit up, but he was huge on top of you.

"Do you want me to get you off?" you asked, reaching down toward him. But Bradley took your hand in his and kissed your knuckles. 

"No. You've done plenty. You're a Princess, made to be worshipped." You settled back against the couch cushions and let him kiss along your neck until he had his fill.

-----------------------

Bradley helped you get dressed. Then he walked you to your car. Then he kissed you goodnight. And then he paid you for watching Noah which made him feel physically sick. You tried to push the money away, but he insisted. Then he went back inside into the bathroom and came hard after stroking himself three times to the thought of your pussy soaking his face. 

He was a mess. A literal fucking mess now. He sat down on the bathroom floor. He had no idea what to do. But then he laughed out loud when he remembered how his night started. He had been on a date with some random faceless woman earlier, but his night had ended with his own face buried in your pussy. 

This was not a good idea. None of this was a good idea. He needed to figure this the fuck out. 

------------------------

Nice work, Bradley. Amazing effort. Enjoy your babysitter fic @beyondthesefourwalls

PART 9

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[amelia-acero]

Hi, my name is Amelia and this my first time writing in very long minute, but I got inspired by the lovely @thefallennightmare , she’s become my favorite writers on this app, with all that being said, someone requested a head canon of the reader having a cryptic pregnancy, she wrote out the head canon and it reminded me so much of my best friend going through that too. I got inspired by it and decided to put my spin in it. So without further ado, please enjoy. I’m gonna use character names, but please feel free to use your own preferred names.

“Oof, damn it that hurt.” Anya whispered to herself, rubbing her back from the most recent cramp out of many for the day.

She was folding up the merch table and boxes of unsold merch from the most recent Bad Omens concert, they were currently in their last show of the tour in Sacramento and we’re all getting ready to head back to their homes. Half in Los Angeles, including her and the other half in Virginia.

“Is your back still hurting darling?” she heard a familiar voice ask. She turned around and saw Noah standing there, looking at her with concern in his eyes.

“Yeah, but this time it felt stronger than the others and now it’s coming every 30 minutes and lasts about five minutes.”

”Would you listen to me if I told you to head to urgent care and get yourself checked out?”

She shook her head while folding up the last box of tshirts.

”I already know what they’re going to say, ‘You have irregular periods, ma’am, It’s just probably your period coming in again.’”

Noah just nodded, after working with them and being on tour with them since their album Finding God, Before God Finds Me came out, they had gotten to know each other and began to really know each other after being in a relationship for almost two years. Noah took the box that Anya was holding and helped put it in the truck where their equipment and merch was being held.

“Come on, let’s get back inside and I’ll make you chamomile tea to soothe your cramps. When did they start?” Noah took off the jacket that he was wearing and put it around Anya’s shoulders, knowing that when she had cramps the cold never did her any favors.

Anya nodded and pulled his jacket closer to her body, while slightly admiring Noah’s body. Something about Noah after a concert always made her want him, but sadly tonight was not going to be one of those nights.

”They started around noon, but only recently they started coming in slightly quicker.”

They reached the door of the tour bus and went inside where the rest of the band was waiting for them.

“We ready to head home?” Matt asked.

Everyone on the bus cheered and loud music began to play from hip-hop to rap to country anything the boys could use to celebrate going home after a long 11 months of back to back tours across North America, South America, Europe and Japan with Bring Me The Horizon, Sleep Token, and Dayseeker. Everyone was more than ready to be back home, none more than Anya; she wanted nothing more to sleep off her cramps and just get enough rest before going through festival season all through California. Noah went to the kitchen part of the bus and poured a water bottle into the kettle, and turned it on. Once the water was ready, he poured the water in a mug and put the tea bag in the mug, and carefully handed it to Anya. She let the boys enjoy festivities and went to the back of the bus and closed the door to get some peace and quiet, drinking the tea Noah had made. After about 3 hours into the drive, she woke up and found that the rest of the bus had quieted down and possibly had fallen asleep. She however was not feeling anymore peaceful and in fact was feeling worse.

“Ahh fuck.” She whispered to herself.

She tried to stand up and sat back down again, the pain being worse than before. She was no longer able to fully stand on her own. Another cramp passed through her and unlike the ones before, this was intense. Anya wrapped her arms around herself and the pain caused her to groan, she tried her best to be quiet to not disturb the guys in case they were asleep. After what felt like forever, she felt someone else’s presence, Anya looked up and saw Noah look at her with concern and fear. He knelt down and tried to sit her up, but instead she just slumped her head on his shoulder.

“Ok, for once this time can you please listen to me when I tell you that I’m going to tell Matt to stop the bus so we can go to the ER. This is way past urgent care at this point.” He said, cradling her head in his hand

”Noah, I promise that I’m fine. It’s just my period about to start.” She said, trying not to worry him.

He gave her a look that clearly said he didn’t believe her for one minute.

“Darling, I’ve seen you on your period, this is way beyond that. Stay here , I’m going to check if Matt or Bryan are awake to help us.”

Noah got up and left the back, after about a long 10 minutes, he came back with Matt, if he was asleep before, he clearly wasn’t anymore after taking one look at Anya.

“Holy Fuck, how long have you been like this?” Matt asked

”I’ve been feeling shitty all day, but it just started feeling worse about almost two hours ago.” Anya said.

Matt knelt down and to get his arm around her.

”Alright man, let’s get her up.” Matt said.

Noah and Matt stood on either side of her and put her arms around their shoulders. As soon as she was up, Anya gasped and felt something warm and wet trickling down her legs. She looked down and saw that her sweats were soaked. Whatever pain she felt was now intensified by tenfold. She bent over and fell back on the floor when the next cramp started again, this one almost causing her to yell out loud.

“Oh fuck, I’ll go tell the driver to drive to the closest hospital, I think were in Fresno right now.” Matt said.

Everyone started to look out their bunks and saw Anya laying on the floor with Noah right at her side. After that everyone immediately woke up and began to help in any way they could.

The bus stopped and without hesitating, Noah picked up Anya and carried her in his arms. He carried her out the bus and through the hospital doors.

”Can we get some help here?” Jolly yelled out

In an instant two nurses, one male and one female came up, and another nurse brought a gurney. Anya could no longer and started yelling out at the pain. Noah placed her on the gurney and was hesitant to let go of her hand.

“Sir, we got her and we’ll get her situated and figure out what’s going on.”

Noah nodded, but was slow to let go of her hand. Anya was wheeled into a private room, and immediately her shirt was raised exposing her abdomen.

“Ma’am we need you to stay still just long enough to see what is going on.”

Anya was writhing around in pain and screamed at the pain, but something felt different, something hard coming out of her.

”I can’t, I feel something coming out.”

The nurses looked up at each other, grabbed a scissor and cut Anya free from her sweats and underwear. The sight astonished them, they looked and saw a head crowning. From that they got a hospital gown on her and immediately moved her into a different room.

“What’s your name sweetie?” The nurse asked.

”Anastasia Mendoza, but I go by Anya.”

“Anya sweetie, I need you to listen to me very carefully, you’re having a baby sweetie and the baby is coming out now sweetie.”

At those words, the world felt like it stopped and Anya looked up at the nurse.

“That’s not possible, I’m not pregnant.”

”Sweetie, unless my eyes deceive me, this baby is ready to come out, whether you like it or not. Now, do you know who the father is and where he is?”

Anya remembered all the times she slept with Noah and realized the possibility of her being pregnant was true, they weren’t truly safe in their sexual activities, but because of her irregular periods, she thought the possibility of her getting pregnant would be slim. She looked at the nurse.

”He’s the one who carried me in the waiting room. His name is Noah Sebastian.”

She nodded and told the male nurse and began to hook her up to machines and heart rate monitors for both her and the baby, and put her feet in the stirrups.

Outside in the waiting room, Noah, Jolly, Nicholas, Folio, Matt and Bryan were all waiting on news, Noah was walking back and forth. Not knowing made his anxiety skyrocket.

”Noah, she’s getting checked out, she’ll be fine, now stop walking back and forth, because I’m getting dizzy watching you.” Folio said.

”Don’t ask me to stop man, Anya’s back there and I don’t know what’s going on with her.”

The male nurse helping Anya came out.

”Noah Sebastian?”

Noah looked and immediately went up to him, along with the rest of the guys.”

“How is Anya doing? Is she alright?”

“Relax sir, everything is fine, both her and the baby are alright. Now if you can follow me, I need you to put on a hospital gown. Right now gentleman, I just need Mr. Sebastian, we can let you know when they can accept visitors.”

In his anxiety induced haze he didn’t catch his mention of the baby. Noah followed behind the nurse and Nicholas stood there thinking over what the nurse just said.

“Did he just say what I think he said?” Nicholas asked.

”If you’re thinking he said baby, then yes, I heard him too.” Bryan said.

Everyone was thinking about the signs they could’ve missed and all the signs that could’ve given away her being pregnant.

“I didn’t even know Anya was pregnant, why didn’t she tell us?” Folio asked

”Man, I don’t think Anya even knew herself.” Matt said.

”I think we should create a baby basket and start ordering what they're definitely going to need now.” Jolly said.

They all left the hospital and began to head to the nearest Target.

”Wait, what about Noah? I don’t think he heard about the part with the baby.” Nicholas asked.

“I think he’ll figure it out when he sees the baby come out dude. Come on.” Matt said

Noah walked to the room while putting on the hospital issued scrub gown and looked up and saw the sign reading ‘MATERNITY WARD’.

“Are you sure I’m in the right place? My girlfriend isn’t pregnant.”

”You’ll see sir.”

He reached the room and saw Anya on the bed and immediately rushed to her side. Anya screaming her head off from the pain and white knuckling the bed rails. She saw him and immediately held on to his hand.

”What is going on?” Noah asked.

”Sir, you're aware that your girlfriend is having a baby right?”

Noah’s eyes widened and realized that this was happening right now, from the bassinet on the side of the bed to everything included in having a baby. At his delayed response, one of the nurses looked at him.

”Sir, if you’re going to faint, just know that we’ll ignore you, because right now we're focused on mom and baby.”

Noah focused on what was going on and gripped Anya’s hand just as hard.

”It’s ok darling, I’m here. Let's do this, you can do this.”

Anya nodded and cried out.

”Ok sweetie, on three you’ll push and push for 10 seconds. One, Two. Three. Push!”

Anya gripped Noah’s hand and began to push.

”Push, Push, Push, Push, Push.” One of the nurses said. After 10 seconds of pushing, Anya couldn’t push anymore.

”Ok, take a quick breather sweetie and then we’ll start again.”

Anya shook her head.

”I can’t, it’s too much. It hurts so bad.”

Noah kissed Anya’s forehead.

”Darling, I’m here. Whatever you need, I’m here. You want to break my hand holding it? Do it. Scream my ear off? Scream.” Noah said.

Anya looked up at him.

”Oh my god, we’re actually having a baby right now.” Anya breathed in, sweat sliding down her forehead and her hair clinging onto her head. “Oh my god, we’re having a baby and we have nothing prepared, no clothes, no diapers, no food, nothing.” Anya said, the heart monitor picking up the increase in her heart rate.

”We can worry about that later darling, right now let’s just focus on you and the baby.” Noah said.

”All right sweetie, let’s get ready to push again.” The nurse said.

”On three sweetie, One. Two. Three. Push!”

Anya pushed and pushed the pain becoming unbearable by the second.

“Alright, the head is out, come on sweetie, just a little bit more.”

Anya pushed even harder, Noah looked over and saw the baby’s head and shoulders come out and eventually it’s whole body, the cold in the room making the baby cry out.

“It’s a boy!” The doctor announced.

“Nurse, Date of birth is September 3rd, 2023 and time of birth is 3:23am.”

They took the baby to clean him up and wrapped him up. The baby was crying loudly and when the baby touched Anya’s chest, the baby immediately stopped crying. Afterwards the placenta came and they took it away to ensure that nothing was missing.

“Alright sweetie, you’re going to feel a slight pinch, you tore a little bit, so we’re gonna get you stitched up.”

Anya and Noah both focused on the baby, just absentmindedly nodded. Anya didn’t realize until she felt the prick of the needle. Afterwards it felt like nothing.

“A baby boy Noah, what should we name him?” Anya said, looking up at Noah.

”I don’t know? I’m still trying to reel in from the fact that we became parents without realizing we were becoming parents.”

”Did you notice anything?”

”I mean, I noticed that your breasts were becoming slightly bigger than normal, but I didn’t think twice about it.”

”I also thought my bras and pants were slightly tighter than normal, but I didn’t think about it either, and you know how my periods are at this point, pregnancy was the last possibility on my mind.”

After about 30 minutes of cleaning up Anya, Noah took off his shirt to do skin to skin contact with the baby. Noah held the baby and fed him some formula, while Anya took a well deserved nap. About two hours passed before a flash caught his attention. It was Bryan and Matt, they came in with a diaper bag, filled to the brim and Bryan had his camera on him, ready to take the next picture.

”Hey man, congratulations!!” They yelled out, but Noah was ready to shut them up to not wake up Anya or the baby. Matt put the baby bag in another guest chair.

“Congratulations!” They whispered.

“How’s Anya doing?” Matt asked. Walking over to look at the baby.

Noah looked at her and smiled warmly, that sight was enough to get another picture out of Bryan.

“She did amazing, terrified, but amazing.”

”Yeah, no shit.” Matt said. “Oh fuck! Can I curse around the baby? Oh fuck it, the baby won’t remember this.”

“The baby might not, but I will, so no cursing around my baby.” A sleepy voice joined in. All three men joined to look at Anya. Noah quickly walked to her side, helping her sit up.

”How are you feeling darling?”

”Like a baby I didn’t know I was pregnant with came out of me.” She joked. The baby began fussing at his mother’s voice and Anya began to reach for the baby. Noah helped with handing the baby to her and put his shirt back on.

”Watch his head.”

”I know.”

Once the baby was safely in Anya’s arms. The baby began to settle, Anya looked up at Noah and gave him a loving look.

”I love you so much.” Anya said.

”I love you more.” Noah said. “Please let’s not find out you’re pregnant like this again.” He joked.

Anya giggled, another flash went off and Bryan looked at the camera.

”Speak for yourself, I thought I was going to die.”

”Ha! That shit was terrifying, so please don’t do it again.” Matt said.

Everyone in the room laughed.

“Hey where’s the guys?” Noah asked.

”I’m pretty sure they’re all looking at baby stuff, Matt and I were in charge of the baby bag, and last we saw, Folio and Jolly were arguing about which crib looked cooler and Nick was getting all the stuff you guys actually needed for right now. He’s getting you guys a car seat, he said he’ll rent a car to get you back to LA, while the rest of us go back on the bus.” Bryan said. “We also brought you guys some extra clothes too.”

“ Thank you guys.” Noah said.

“That’s amazing of Nick, I actually didn’t think of it.” Anya said.

”Have you thought of a name yet?” Bryan said.

”To be honest, nothing on my end. Anything on your end love?” Anya asked.

“Nothing on my end either.” Noah said.

Matt and Bryan both got a chance to hold the baby and Bryan got more photos, eventually Nick, Jolly, and Folio came and wished their congratulations, they all brought their own gifts. After a long argument with each other, Jolly finally explained the crib that he chose for the baby and that it was going to be delivered to Noah’s house. Everyone got a chance to also hold the baby as well and a few more pictures were taken by Bryan, afterwards everyone left the new happy family to enjoy their time together.

Anya was holding the baby while she was breastfeeding him. She looked up at Noah and gave him a deep kiss. She looked back at the baby and stared at him with a new found maternal love.

“Do you think we’re ready or will ever be with our new roles as parents?” Anya asked.

“Absolutely not, but as long as I have you and him by my side, we can figure it out together.”

”We really should come up with a name though, I don’t know how much longer I can go with calling our son ‘Baby Boy Sebastian’” Anya chuckled.

”I think I have one in mind.”

She looked down and caressed his hands that held a very special name.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Noah asked.

”Mhmm.”

“I just wish he was here to see this.”

”I think he is, why else would our son be born on his birthday.”

“I think he would get a kick out of knowing he’d be sharing his birthday with a baby.”

The baby began to cry and to keep her from getting up, Noah took Baby Keaton from her and began to change his soiled diaper and change him into a different onesie. Little began to move his hand back to mouth in an attempt to eat something. Noah wrapped him up slightly and picked up his son and kissed his nose.

“I think our son is hungry again. Should I get a formula bottle or do you want to breastfeed him?”

”I’ll do the bottle this time, just so we can get him accustomed to both. Especially if we decide to take him with us on tour.”

Noah carefully placed Keaton in Anya’s arms and while adjusting his shirt she noticed some writing on the shirt with a sharpie, she moved his blanket and saw the words written on his shirt.

’WILL YOU MARRY MY DADDY?’

”Noah what -

She turned and saw Noah kneeling by her bed with a velvet ring box, a beautiful emerald ring surrounded by diamonds and with a white gold band. A little tongue tied, Anya couldn’t find the words to speak.

”I did have reservations for my proposal to you at La Boucherie in about two weeks, not going to lie, before I found you last night, I was looking at the ring in my bunk and practicing on how to propose. If you ask the guys, they’ll tell you that I had each of them practice and pretend to be you to get an idea of your reaction, but this is a lot better. Our son being here with us was very unexpected, but a welcome surprise. So now that I have both of you here, I wanted to ask.”

”Oh Noah…”

”Anastasia Mendoza, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”

”oooh.” A little coo-like sound came from baby Keaton.

Noah chuckled.

”I think our son said yes for you.” He whispered.

”Lucky for him, mama can speak for herself and her response is yes. With all my heart. Yes, I’ll marry you Noah.”

Noah placed the ring on her finger and kissed her again. It was all overwhelming, but they both knew that as long as they had each other, it wasn’t bound to be perfect, but it can be easier with each other. They don’t know what the future holds, but each day will bring a new surprise and hopefully they can be prepared.

[armpirate]

Anti-romantic || JJk | Ch. 26

Pairings: Boxer!Jungkook x fem!reader || Enemies to lovers, neighbors

Genre: smut, angst, fluff, curse, illegal boxing, violence

Warnings: fuckboy!Jungkook x reader, smut, dirty talk, curse, mention of tarot and fate

Summary: Jungkook had always been carefree when it came to love. He always believed he was worth sharing himself with everyone, and thought it was selfish of him to ever think of keeping himself exclusive to just one person.

And maybe that was exactly what got him into the big problem he was in.

A curse that kept him away from love didn't seem an issue for him. The fact that his ex-girlfriend thought he'd be affected by the idea of the girls he slept with running away from him after sex was ridiculous. She actually did him a favor, and took a burden away from him.

At least that was what he thought at first.

He had never found himself thinking of the possibility of repeating with neither of his hook ups, because they disappeared before he was able to even think about it. But when he makes the mistake of sleeping with the sexy neighbor that lives in front of him, he finds himself hoping to get the chance for a second round every time their paths cross.

Y/n hated him the second he set foot inside the building by the way he started making her life a miserable mess for no reason. Sleeping with him was a big mistake she wasn't thinking of repeating. At least not until he came up with the excuse that she rejected him for a curse. Not only she thought he was annoying, but she was also convinced he was crazy. 

There was no way she could take him seriously.

Aprox. time of reading: 19 minutes

Previous || Next

MASTERLIST

Y/n lifted her head when she managed to see a blank sheet of paper falling next to her notebook, finding Alma with a smile as soon as her eyes were on her.

—What's this? —she smiled, picking up the envelope to open it.

—I'm getting married —she excitedly informed.

—Oh my god. Really? Congratulations!

Unable to hide her excitement for her colleague, Y/n got up from her chair to hug her tight, moving her arms under her curly locks. It was so out of character for her, yet she felt so comfortable with that display of affection... And there was no point in denying that what had been happening the past few days had nothing to do with it.

—I didn't invite you earlier because we weren't really close, but I'd really like to see you there —Alma admitted, stepping back—. Donna and Jackie are also coming, and I think some other people here as well.

—I'll be there without a doubt —she assured her.

—And you can also bring that hot neighbor of yours.

When Y/n dared to look away from the invitation to look at her colleague, Alma was giving her a malicious smile while she winked at her.

Free drinks, free food... Jungkook would definitely love that.

—I'll think about that.

—I'll let you work again —her thumb caressed her forearm—. I'll see you for lunch?

—Sure! —fuck... Jason— Wait, no. I can't.

—Lil' date with that cutie? —as much as Y/n attempted to deny it, she knew her colleague would just pretend to believe it while walking away— See you later, then!

It had been months since she saw Jason for the last time before he moved to Florida to work as an estate agent in a company, after being promoted in the branch office in Chicago. He was one of the biggest supporters she had when Noah passed away, and he still was -although he wasn't as present as before, and she couldn't blame him, life went on for everyone.

Her steps slowly paused as she started walking down the stairs to the entrance to wait for Jason there, seeing that same black motorbike she was a little too familiar with.

If those three days had worked for something for Jungkook, it was to make him dependable on Y/n. His mind kept getting busier with thoughts related to her, and he went past that phase of sending dumb messages to wait for her answer thirty minutes later.

He was a man of action.

Well, that... and the fact that Jimin got so tired of speaking to himself that he ended up coming up with the idea of taking her to have lunch.

It was so stupid, yet at the same time it made sense for him how, after spending so much time with her, he got used to being around Y/n. And far from being bothered by her presence, he was upset at the lack of it whenever they were apart.

And that was exactly why he was waiting in front of her workplace, seeing her coming out the building as if she had read his mind.

They were connected.

Jungkook took off his helmet, holding it on his lap with his left hand while he tried to push his bangs back with his right hand. Her presence, as always, captivated him. She was wearing a white turtleneck sweater that fitted her body perfectly, embracing it almost like a second skin. His gaze moved down to the black A-line skirt she was wearing, which had a delicate white grid pattern. As he looked down at the way it flared slightly at her knees, he noticed a pair of black, over-the-knee boots that looked way too good on her to be real.

—3A.

But he wasn't able to say much more, because she spoke as soon as she was close enough to be able to speak to him in a normal tone.

—What are you doing here? —she asked, confused, looking at the other helmet he was carrying around his right forearm.

—Let's go somewhere for lunch —he suggested—. I know of a good brasserie around.

—Kook, I can't today. I already had plans.

He wanted to ignore how upset he felt about her words, but he couldn't even try to pretend he wasn't affected.

—Oh, were you going out with your colleagues?

—No, actually...

—Y/n!

When he looked back at the owner of that voice, he found a tall and lean man, with a presence that was hard to ignore as he approached them with a wide smile. His dark hair was casually tousled, not even being messed up by the soft breeze hitting them, looking effortlessly stylish. His white, textured shirt that was open at the collar, was revealing a hint of a chiseled chest.

And the second he approached them enough so Jungkook could be able to pick up all the flaws he could, just to be punched with the calm confidence his faint smile radiated while his arms wrapped around Y/n with a hug.

His moment was stolen, her attention was on someone else. He was second place... and he hated being left in second place.

—Are you busy?

—No, I was just speaking to a friend —Y/n commented, pointing at Jungkook.

—Hey, what's up? —the boy, who seemed to be around their age, greeted Jungkook when aware of his presence— I'm Jason —he tried to introduce himself, lifting his hand for a high-five.

Of course that was Jason.

—Jungkook —he simply moved his head for a greet, purposely ignoring his approach—. Are you guys going somewhere?

—We're going to have lunch somewhere around —Jason friendly informed him.

—Great, I was starving. That's what I came here for. Right, Y/n? —Jungkook started yapping, hopping off his motorbike— I was just telling her.

—Yes, you were. But you might be uncomfortable if you come —she tried to persuade him.

—Nah, I adapt well —he ignored her again—. I know of a great brasserie near here. Let's go.

She couldn't believe her eyes when she saw Jungkook leading the way to the restaurant, as if it had been his plan to meet up with the two of them, only receiving a comforting smile and a shrug from her friend.

Not enough with that, he stopped himself and got on purpose in between them every time Jason tried to approach her to tease her for that new friend she had made.

It was no surprise from her to have such a peculiar fling, after her long on-and-off relationship with her ex boyfriend, but this one seemed to take the cake.

Y/n sat first when they arrived, picking up the chair at the extreme right of the table, just because it was the first place she saw.

—I'll sit here —Jungkook rushed to say, stopping Jason from taking the spot next to her.

Although he took the spot right in front of her, Jungkook wasn't sure if that was a better spot or a worse one, since he got to look at Y/n straight in the eyes as they spoke. He was going to be able to hook her soul with his charms, and make her forget he was right at her left, beside her.

—Actually, I want to sit here —Jungkook spoke again, having Y/n dropping her smile.

—Kook, it's the right same thing —she rolled her eyes.

—The air conditioner is hitting you directly, and I'm a bit hot today.

—Then take off your jacket —she demanded in between her teeth, turning to smile at Jason right after.

—I also tend to order more than one beer, and I'm hidden here. The waiter won't see me. And...

—Fine, sit here —Y/n finally gave up, exchanging places with a smiley Jungkook.

That same smile slowly vanished when he started noticing some small details as he watched them speak. She was cornered by him and the wall, giving Jason the perfect angle for her to focus only on him. In the place she was taking before, she at least had the possibility to distract herself with anything else, but not anymore.

—Actually... —he wasn't able to say much more, her hand on his thigh stopped him from moving.

—Jungkook, if you want to keep your legs, sit the fuck down in your place —she whispered, bending over his body so Jason would only be able to hear some incomprehensible mumbles.

He just agreed, accepting his fate while his eyes moved around the restaurant, heart skipping a beat when her hand moved away to her lap while she smiled at that other man in front of him.

—So, how did you meet each other? —Jason asked, as soon as they both were calm.

—We're neighbors —Y/n answered.

—You're so lucky, I don't even know who's living next door where I live —Jason assured them.

—Well, it took us a bit to get here —Jungkook smiled, moving his elbow over the edge of the table—. My wall is proof of it.

—I drilled a hole in his wall because he wouldn't stop being loud —Y/n explained at the confused look from her friend.

—Holy shit, Y/n. A text message is too subtle for you?

—She also ruined clothes by throwing bleach over them. Oh, and never forget how the old lady a few floors up now thinks I'm a sex maniac because of some... hot mail. And, she faked to want peace, only so I'd eat a brownie filled with laxatives.

He didn't know if he was bringing it all up to defend himself, to push a button on Y/n -because he loved it when she was annoyed-, or if he wanted to scare away the man that was looking at them in disbelief.

—Seriously? Don't play innocent. You sneaked yellow tint in my shampoo. I looked like Piolin for three fucking days —her body completely turned to him—. And don't forget how you sent me to the ER after putting spice in my food.

—I didn't know you were intolerant.

—Wait, you're the homicidal? —Jason interrupted— Why didn't you tell me before it was him? —he scoffed, shaking his head.

—Did she talk about me?

Jungkook went deaf, despite him being the one asking the question. He was only aware of her friend's smile as he spoke, and Y/n's shy smile while looking down, while his heart pumped against his chest so hard that he was able to hear it perfectly.

She did talk about him with someone who was close to her.

That thought kept him calm for most of the lunch, ignoring how smiley Y/n looked while speaking to Jason, or how that guy didn't take his eyes away from her, not even when he was eating his roasted chicken. And he even omitted the fact that neither of them aimed at him once throughout their conversation.

Jungkook remained calm and quiet... until he didn't.

Y/n's body immediately reacted to the touch of Jungkook's hand over her boot, right on the small piece of skin her lifted skirt exposed. As soon as she felt his pinky pushing down the edge of the fabric, attempting to move forward before her hand tried to stop him.

It didn't matter how much she tried to fight it, there was no way she would success pushing him away without making it obvious for Jason.

Just like Jungkook, Y/n lost track of the conversation she was holding while his hand moved up, resting his palm on her inner thigh and her smaller finger so close to her panties that she could even feel his touch.

—Jungkook, Y/n told me you're a boxer —Jason tried to drive him back to their conversation.

Although some of the bruises on his reverse, and the light wounds on his knuckles gave out how he, at least, practiced it.

—I am —he answered proudly—. Actually, I'm a pretty successful entrepreneur.

Y/n wanted to scoff at that comment, but holding back her skin from burning, so she wouldn't start feeling uncomfortable with her clothes, kept her way too busy.

—I own a gym —he remarked again—. Although I love taking control of what goes on there, so I work like any other employee would.

And because there was no other employee other than him and Jimin, and his friend didn't do anything else other than taking control of the administration of the place.

—I did boxing, but it wasn't my thing —Jason laid back—. Guess when you're good, you keep working on it. And if you aren't, you find a 9 to 5 job that gives you stability. My friend here —he mentioned, pointing at Y/n with his head— has an office job, but is everywhere except her office.

And Jungkook knew exactly why.

—You talk like a grandpa, I don't know how Kelsey is keeping up with you —Y/n chuckled.

—Kelsey? —Jungkook frowned.

—Oh, my wife —Jason answered with a lovely smile, showing off his golden ring.

Suddenly, all worries vanished away from Jungkook's body when he learnt about that significant other. If he knew something about Y/n, it was that she'd never stoop so low to get in the middle of a relationship, and even less while knowing the other person. The night she came back covered in wine was the best proof of it.

—Oh, I have to leave —Jungkook suddenly pulled his hand away from her, reaching to his phone with the other—. My partner wants to have a quick meeting.

—Sure. It was nice meeting you —Jason smiled.

—I'll see you later.

Right after saying that, Jungkook dropped a fast peck on her lips, that she didn't see coming -and which she didn't quite assume until she saw him walking out the restaurant.

—Did he just leave without paying? —Jason wondered at her left.

—That's exactly what he did —she sighed.

—Well, I like him better than the asshole of Kyle.

—We aren't dating —Y/n rushed to deny.

—Sure. You're just neighbors who kiss each other, get jealous, and who play footsie under the table.

—What? —her eyebrows lifted, while her cheeks started burning.

—It's not like you're the best at pretending, and he wanted to make it quite obvious —he scoffed, sipping on his beer.

—We're just neighbors... Who sometimes fuck each other, and who're just getting on well —she shrugged—. And I might be liking him a bit.

—No shit, Sherlock —while he laid back to look at her, Jason crossed his arms over his chest—. He's a bit shameless, but I like him for you. At least you know you won't be bored with him, in the good sense.

—Yeah, no. That for sure ain't happening.

They both made sure to avoid it from happening.

Shouts and jeers from the spectators blended into a cacophony of noise. Smoke from illicit cigarettes and cigars hung in the air, creating a hazy, oppressive environment, that combined with the smell of sweat and fear, mingling with the metallic scent of blood, made her dizzy at first.

Her eyes wandered around the place like they had been doing ever since they arrived, puckering her lips while she tried to memorize as many faces as she could. She felt like a cop undercover, just that she didn't have a gun, and if she was exposed looking too deep into some details she had no other way to defend herself than calling out Jungkook, who was on the other extreme of the warehouse.

His eyes never left her either way, even when he was in the middle of a fight -which he only managed to win because the other fighter was worse than him. That feeling of something happening to her while she was there had his heart at the top of his throat.

It was a bad idea to have her there -and he thought he learnt that the last time-, but knowing the way her eyes would shine with the news only worked to test his own limits and push his own rules away.

He was a dumbass.

—There aren't good fighters anymore —she heard a man rant behind her—. Jungkook is an exception, and he isn't even out for sale. He's too busy being Elijah's dog.

She couldn't be bothered about that comment because, as much as she grew closer to Jungkook, the truth was that he was allowing others to play with him like a toy, using a gym that wasn't even his as a bargaining chip. Although she couldn't judge him for it either. Just like her, he had his reasons to do what he was doing.

—I think trainers shit their pants whenever they have to send these kids here, after what happened with the Line of the 21.

—The best defender in a coma, and the best attacker dying of a heart attack.

Y/n paused when she heard that, recognizing her brother's case almost immediately. But still waiting to hear some other details that could confirm it was him.

—That guy wasn't ready —the man opposed—. Whoever his trainer was, fucked up sending him to that fight when he had heart issues.

—I lost my bet that day, but do you know what I got?

Y/n subtly turned, just to be able to see through the corner of her eye whatever it was he was showing to the other man he was talking to. Her blood stopped running when she recognized that pendant, in the shape of a cross. Two nails formed the horizontal bar of the cross, and one longer nail formed the vertical bar, with them being arranged with their heads pointing outwards and the tips meeting at the center.

—Is that from the fighter who died? —Y/n asked, giving up the act.

She was supposed to be there cheering for Jungkook, watching him from afar while he fought in the middle of the makeshift ring, moving over the mixture of dirty and dry blood every time he moved to attack his opponent.

—You like it? It's pretty, huh —he praised, enrolling the chain around his knuckles—. When you have an eagle eye, you're able to catch these things —he winked at her—. While others were running away, I managed to find this.

As much as she wanted to be disgusted by that attitude, when someone else was about to die not even thirty minutes after he reached the hospital, the shock to see something that belonged to her brother being held by someone else was bigger.

—How much do you want for it?

She was willing to pay anything.

—It's not for sale, pretty —he put on the necklace again.

—I'll pay anything.

—Well, that's another story —the man stepped towards her—. Why don't we go outside and put that little mouth to work? I might let you look at it up close.

It took Y/n to feel his callouses hands on the curve of her ass to throw a fist in his direction, shocking him at first when he didn't expect her to defend herself that way.

Jungkook, who had been watching suspiciously from afar their approach, suspected there would be nothing good coming out of their conversation, and he was right when he saw his dirty hand moving over her body.

It worked automatically: one hand on her, and his feet started moving, leaving his place for the next fight just to reach her. Her punch collided against his face and before the man could even lift his arm to attempt to hit her, Jungkook punched him again to make him fall to the floor.

—Are you alright? —he turned to her.

—He has Noah's necklace —she mumbled, with her pupils shaking.

The bell announced the next fight, the second one he was going to participate in to seal the deal with Elijah. Although he knew the second he moved away from her, someone would be back at her neck.

It was a one second decision. And he had it clear before he could even hesitate to choose.

His fingers wrapped around her wrist, pulling her to assure himself she was glued to his body while they walked through the aggressive crowd that was anticipating the next fight.

Jungkook didn't even bother to take off the bandages around his hands, because he knew it urged her to get out of there. But as every time he was in a rush to get out of somewhere, something stopped him.

—Are you leaving? —Elijah interrogated.

—My girlfriend isn't feeling alright —Jungkook answered.

—And because she isn't feeling alright you're leaving? Let her take some fresh air and put your ass in that ring.

—I'm sorry, dude —Elijah's hand on his chest stopped him from taking a step.

—Ten thousand dollars, Jungkook. Don't forget what you're giving up on.

That was the deal.

It would help him erase some debts he had been dragging for months, it'd even give him the chance to renovate some details in the gym. But he had to fight twice -with only the first one giving him one thousand dollars worth in equipment.

It was either money, or Y/n's safety -after she chose to lose her chill to punch somebody.

He had it clear.

Jungkook didn't answer. He only clenched his jaw while gripping on her wrist a bit tighter to get out of there.

Neither of them talked. And while at first Y/n wanted to blame the helmets, it didn't get any better when they stepped inside his house. They just moved quietly, as if their words were going to lack any meaning, and their actions were the only thing that mattered.

Y/n silently moved, kneeling in front of him in between his legs, with the aid kit next to him to clean the small wounds on his face. She had been too shocked on their way out of the warehouse to realize what had happened.

—I'm sorry —she muttered—. I just... couldn't help it.

—It's alright —he lied.

—Kook, you lost ten thousand dollars, are you serious? —she called him out— I'll try to pay you back. I don't know... I'll be giving you money every month until I make up for it.

He wanted to be mad at her, yet everything she said, the pitch of her voice, the way her eyes were tinted with guilt... he just couldn't. And that annoyed him even more.

—Y/n, that's not the problem —he held her wrists, keeping him from touching him, because he knew he'd lost focus the second her fingertips lied on him.

—And what's the problem?

—You. You're the problem —he finally sentenced, getting up from his seat—. I want to be mad at you, and I just can't. I can't get mad at you, I can't stop thinking about you, I can't stop worrying about you... It's overwhelming.

Y/n pressed her lips together, turning her body to him, thinking it was the closest he'd ever been to being honest about his feelings. That was probably the weakest she had seen him since they met each other.

—And it's all your fault —that accusation, with such belligerence, wasn't what she expected—. You're like a fucking disease. When I started being nice with you and came up with living with you, it was supposed to end with me getting done with you. Who knows? Maybe a few hook ups would make it all up, but nope. It's even worse. I get jealous, which I hate by the way. And now I even gave up to ten thousand dollars. It's so fucking insane.

She watched him coming and going in his living room, nervously yapping while confessing out loud what he was after with his sudden change in attitude.

—Is it so bad to like me?

—Yes! —he rushed to answer— I was happy with my life until you showed up with your freaky habits, and crazy reactions.

Y/n got up from the floor, walking towards him with her eyes fixed on his. If there was something she found out, it was that she was stupid for ever putting her walls down for him. She wasn't scared of admitting she was wrong about him, she didn't care to admit she started liking him... but she did hate to realize that she was fooled.

—Where are you going? —Jungkook asked, watching her dragging her small suitcase from his room to the living room.

—Why don't you do what you're longing so much to do and mind your business? —she cut him off.

—Didn't you hear what I said? I can't.

—Then try a bit harder. I know that for that little brain of yours any form of effort is a big waste of energy, but just try it —she turned to him—. I haven't met anyone so childish and immature, stuck in his conformist complex, just because he's scared of change, in my life.

Jungkook felt his heart beating faster, and the air being cut from his lungs while a knot formed on his throat as he saw Y/n packing her things. He should be feeling relieved, yet all his thoughts were becoming depressing.

—Don't —she warned him, lifting her index in the air, when Jungkook attempted to reach for her hand—. Do you think I have time to deal with your emotional detachments? I have enough problems of my own to deal with yours.

—It's because...

—And don't mention that fucking curse, please —she breathed deeply.

—At least spend the night here.

New reinforced fact about her: she was a bigger stubborn than he was, and he noticed when his door slammed against the walls as she stepped outside.

She knew she wasn't supposed to go back to her place yet, but it was going to be something for that night. At least until she found a cheap hotel where to stay while the works were done in her apartment.

It was good while it lasted. 

Taglist: @jk97bam @ttanniett

[whencyclopedia]

Noah

Noah is considered one of the patriarchs in the Jewish Scriptures or one of the founding fathers of what became the religion of Judaism. His story begins in Genesis 6 and consists of three elements: the evil of the earth; the flood narrative; Noah’s descendants in the list of the nations of the world. Noah was the son of Lamech and lived to be 500 years old.

The Evil of the World

When human beings began to increase in number on the earth and daughters were born to them, the sons of God saw that the daughters of humans were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose. Then the Lord said, "My Spirit will not contend with humans forever, for they are mortal; their days will be a hundred and twenty years." The Nephilim were on the earth in those days—and also afterward—when the sons of God went to the daughters of humans and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown. (Genesis 6:1-4)

"Nephilim" in Hebrew is difficult to translate. From the root of this word, it has often been translated as "those who do violence", and it came into the King James version as "giants". Many ancient cultures had folklore tales of giants in the distant past. Later Jewish traditions claimed that the sons of God were angels and when these fallen angels mated with women, they also taught humans the art of metallurgy. This led to two evils, the coining of money and weapons of war. In the apocalyptic literature of the visions of Enoch, they are called the Watchers. This text claimed that they were punished by God by being chained in the lowest pits of She’ol, an early Jewish concept of Hell.

The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. So, the Lord said, "I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them." But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. (Genesis 6:5-8)

We read that Noah was "a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth" (Genesis 6:9-10). God told Noah that he was going to "put an end to all people" (Genesis 6:13). For centuries, this passage has been analyzed in relation to understanding the nature of God. If God is omniscient (all-knowing), did he not know that humans would commit evil? How could God change his mind about his creation? However, this story was not unique. Other cultures had stories of a god or the gods punishing humans for their evil. In Egyptian mythology, the sun god Ra, sent his daughter Sekhmet (the lion goddess) to slaughter humans. He then had to undo her destruction when it appeared that all humans would be destroyed and so he made her drunk by beer that resembled blood to stop the slaughter. In Greek mythology, the god Zeus also wanted to punish humans (see below).

Continue reading...

[treacheryinblue]

Chapter 2/?

× Elysium (noun) : a place or condition of ideal happiness. type of: fictitious place, imaginary place, mythical place.

Word Count: 7.5k

A Noah Sebastian x OC Series

Masterlist

× Summary: Noah and his new found (sort of) friend, Persephone, battle the trivial ins and outs of being teenagers in a world that doesn't accept you. They survive together all the way into adulthood - with bouts of loneliness included - where the world is still a fickle bitch.

× Warnings!: language, violence, slowburn, friends to lovers to enemies back to friends, rinse and repeat (not even in that order), eventual smut, sexual themes, etc. Each chapter will have its own set of separate warnings.

× Author Notes: ( 1 ) Here's a long one for ya since I couldn't find a good cut off point! I also don't want to linger too long in the far past, so there will be time jumps coming up. ( 2 ) Don't forget that there will be no smut or sexual descriptions while Persephone is still a minor aka anytime before 2016. ( 3 ) I'm debating whether or not I want to share who I imagine Seph to look like. Hmm...

× Chapter Warnings!: language, brief sexual themes, massive bitchiness

SUMMER OF 2014

FRIDAY JULY 4th

PERSEPHONE

“You're so fucking embarrassing sometimes.”

The words angrily hissed took her by surprise, causing her to abruptly pull her hand away from his chest. Drunken eyes stared down at her, annoyance heavy within them. Persephone wasn't sure why she allowed herself to fall into this trap time and time again; maybe she was a glutton for punishment, or maybe she was just an idiot. 

“What?” Her brows furrowed, the confusion and offense written all over her previously joyful features. 

“It's like you always just have to be on me, and it's really fucking irritating. Clingy as shit.”

Oh, so that was the game Mason was trying to play? Real rich coming from the same guy who would death glare her all night if she wasn't lingering at his side. God forbid she spend too long talking to her friends or another guy approaches her, even if to just ask where the bathroom was. 

Typically, her reaction would be to scoff and walk away, but the couple extra drinks she had downed earlier…they were not working in her favor. Seph promptly closed her mouth, jaw clenching in an attempt to keep her lower lip from quivering. People were starting to look at them now, all because he had raised his voice a bit too much. Something told her that he was looking to cause a scene merely because he could. Why not knock her down a few pegs? 

“For fucks sake, Seph, don't start. Don't start that crying shit, seriously.” 

Persephone took a step back from him as her hand instinctively flew up to wipe her cheek of a stray tear. Fuck, why was she crying? Over Mason? He was definitely not someone for her to waste tears on, though her inebriated mind was currently telling her otherwise. 

A harsh laugh then echoed around her, starting with Mason and drifting along his couple of buddies that stood near them. Oh how badly she wanted to ring his stupid neck right then. Instead of giving that drastic of a reaction, she figured flinging what remained of her drink at him - cup and all - was the best course of action. Was it? Probably not. After all, this was Mason’s way of punishing her for how she didn't ‘back him up’ at Ruffilo’s days ago. 

Yeah, he was that kind of guy who just had to hold ridiculous grudges all because his ego was hurt. 

“The fuck?!” Mason exclaimed, followed by another rant of profanities, but Seph was already pushing her way out of the party.

And that's the story of how she had ended up in the passenger seat of Noah’s car an hour or so later. She had yet to divulge this information to him, and she honestly wasn't sure if she ever would. There was no reason for her to unload onto him, not when her issues were more than likely of no interest to him. No, she would hold it in, just as she did everything else weighing on her. 

“I'm sorry for all of this,” she eventually breathed out upon realizing they were sitting idle in front of her house. It was then that she finally looked over to where he sat, their eyes immediately meeting because Noah had been staring at her. Much to her surprise, he didn't quickly avert his gaze as he usually would when she caught him lingering a bit too long. 

“I’d usually wait until we've been friends for a couple of months before hyperventilating in front of you.” 

That was a bad attempt at a joke in hopes that it would lighten the mood. She even tossed in a small chuckle, just for the sake of it all. 

Thankfully, Noah followed suit with a soft laugh of his own. “Are you saying we're friends?” 

Ah, so he had jokes of his own. That was a relief. 

“Only when I need you to drive me home in the middle of the night, obviously.” 

They shared within the laughter together before the sounds slowly began to die down and they were left in a brief silence. Seph took this as being the perfect time to unclick her seatbelt, carefully feeding it back to where it would rest without too much unnecessary noise. 

“Nah, it's not a problem, for real. I'd rather drive you home than hear Nick write another song about nachos. His hidden talent is finding multiple words that rhyme with ‘salsa’.” 

Persephone tilted her head to the side at this, her face scrunching in confusion while another bout of laughter filled the car. “Salsa?” She repeated, head slowly shaking in disbelief. “I…can't even think of one.” 

“The guy has a gift! What can I say?”

“Pasta!” She then interrupted in a loud exclamation. This silly little conversation had caused her entire demeanor to perk up, all the thoughts of Mason and his asshole ways being pushed to the back of her mind. Good. That's where he belonged. 

“Mufasa!”

“...Mufasa?” 

“Yeah…from The Lion King?”

Well, now was a good time to let it be known that she had never seen The Lion King, or really any Disney movies aside from the princess ones. This probably explained a lot more about her adolescence than she was willing to admit. 

“You've never seen The Lion King? You've got to be shitting me. Where is your culture?” 

Most would assume that Noah’s words were harsh, but his tone fully said otherwise. He was still poking fun at her. Still lifting the mood the best to his abilities. Words couldn't even express how thankful she was for him at that moment. In response to his statement, Persephone shrugged while beginning to gather her bag that had been resting at her feet. 

“I guess you'll just have to show it to me sometime.” 

Wait…was she hitting on Noah? No, certainly not. Right? 

Before they could dive too deep into that, she was opening the door to his car and slipping out. “Thank you again,” she smiled as she stood within open view. Her fingers nervously tapped along the metal, their stares holding. With that, she nodded and closed the door. 

“Text me when you're home!” She heard herself calling out after bringing two fingers to her forehead to lazily salute him a goodnight.

Oh, that was a little embarrassing. Cheesy, even. 

“Get it together, Seph,” she muttered to herself while shuffling her keys around in her grasp in search of the one to her front door.  

SUNDAY JULY 19th

NOAH

It's kinda funny how a person you've never really spoken to in the past, can suddenly begin to take up so much of your time. They're a force that encompasses your waking moments, every spare hour involving them in some way, shape, or form. Take Persephone, for example. She had been coming to the restaurant a lot more with claims that it was the best place for her to study, though he barely saw her flip a page. Once his shift was over, he would end up in the booth with her, chatting away about nothing in particular. Nick would join in most of the time, but there were moments that he could sense his best friend was keeping his distance on purpose. 

When they weren't talking in person, they were through texts. Seph had a way of sending random messages throughout the day, the majority of them consisting of whatever thought was currently in her head. No matter how random or outlandish. Of course he didn't mind, though. Noah liked being that person for her. 

Then there were the rare occurrences when Seph would text him to come over. He had been nervous as fuck the first time this happened, even opting to not tell his friends about it just because he didn't want some lecture about ‘status’ again. Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately?), he never made it inside her house. They would hang out in his car, which he found rather odd, but Seph explained that it was comfortable to her. A happy place, for lack of a better term. How ironic given cars still terrified him. If they weren't in his car, then they were in her backyard. The land was just as he had imagined it to be: tall privacy fence, a massive pool, decent sitting areas, and of course a garden that surrounded the entire perimeter. It was leaps and bounds different from what he was used to. Seph revealed to him that the only thing she actually liked about it was the garden. The rest could ‘fall into a sinkhole for all she cared’. Her words, not his.  

“This is actually your band?” Seph had asked in awe one night after he came running at her call. She was laid back in the passenger seat of his Honda with only portions of her face illuminated by the street light, though it was enough for him to see the genuine interest displayed. 

“Yeah,” Noah laughed, thumb tapping rhythmically along with the beat against his steering wheel. “Why do you sound so surprised by that?” 

“I mean…” he continued before she could respond. “It's just a demo so the production is kind of shit, but we're working on tha-”

“Noah, take a breath.” 

Let's not talk about the way his name sounded on her lips. 

“I like it…believe it or not.” Persephone was now looking up to the roof of his car, her fingertips also strumming along to the beat on her chest. She looked almost peaceful, which was a little odd with the metalcore music currently blasting in the enclosed space. 

“Your voice is…well, I like it too.” 

With all of that being said, this is the part where his new friendship takes its first turn for the worst. 

It was mid-afternoon that Sunday when he spotted her a bit in the distance. Noah didn't want to admit that he could probably pick her out in a crowd within three seconds, but…he definitely could. There was just something about Persephone that drew the eye. She was sitting alone outside of one of those overpriced cafe sort of places, the kind that sell decent sandwiches and soups, but not when it came to the yearly salary you'd be forking out to enjoy it. Of course his first instinct was to approach her, but as his steps continued, Nick abruptly tugged him aside. 

“What the hell?” Noah looked to his best friend’s hand grabbing the sleeve of his shirt before glancing back in the direction they had been traveling. Seph was no longer alone, but accompanied by a man and a woman, those of which he assumed to be her parents. 

“I wouldn't, man.” Nick shook his head before motioning with a nod for them to head the opposite way. 

Noah just looked at him rather lost. Why couldn't he go say hi? 

As if he could read his mind, Nick heavily sighed, his eyes widening with an urgency that screamed 'let's fucking go’. But, as most know, Noah was stubborn. He was also a teenage boy that couldn't think clearly when a cool and pretty girl was involved. 

Nick didn't attempt another protest. He simply released Noah and stood back, allowing him to make his own idiotic mistakes. 

“Seph, hey,” he smiled while approaching the table she sat at with her family. Their conversation paused, all three now looking his way. Her parents appeared confused by the interruption, while Seph was…scared? Nervous? He couldn't quite place what emotion was currently on her face. 

“Sorry to interrupt, Nick and I were just walking and saw you. Figured I'd pop over.” Noah chuckled, his nerves really getting the best of him. What was this voice he was using? What was he saying? Jesus, was this how he was going to be in front of parents? 

“Oh, um…hey,” Seph ripped her eyes from him to glance at her parents, her hands falling to her lap. 

Noah could only assume she was right on the verge of scratching at her thigh. Shit. What had he done? 

“Ah…and you are?” The man spoke up first, his tone already filled with judgment. 

“He’s just a guy that works at that diner me and Maisie go to sometimes.” Seph replied before he could, quickly explaining away his presence. 

“Not the one that Maisie said was watching you that day, right?” Although Persephone’s mom tried to speak in a hushed tone, he heard her loud and clear. His so-called ‘friend' opened her mouth to speak, but nothing really came out but a syllable or two. Alright, he had seen enough already. No point in dragging out the torture. 

Noah was praying that no one else could overhear their conversation because he was already dying enough from embarrassment. Just a guy? The fact that that's how Seph would describe him was hurtful, though deep down he knew he shouldn't be surprised. After all, Nick had tried to warn him. 

“I actually just wanted to let you know, since you're a frequent patron, that we're going to be closed for the next…” he briefly paused to think. “Well…indefinitely. So, yeah, no need to stop in or anything.”

They were all looking at him odd now. Seph herself had squinted her eyes at him in further confusion, though he was sure she would eventually figure out what he was trying to say. She was smart. She could decipher the message. 

“Honestly, you should probably walk on the opposite side of the street for a while. Don't even go near the building because…there's going to be construction and all that shit happening.” Long legs walked him back a couple of feet as the words continued to spew from him. He probably should've stopped while he was ahead, but his anger was getting the best of him. With that, Noah took one last look at Seph and then turned to collect Nick so they could get the hell out of there.

“Not a fucking word,” he snapped at his friend through slightly gritted teeth. 

WEDNESDAY JULY 22nd

PERSEPHONE

How exactly do you apologize to someone while also having to explain that you're just an asshole? That's the current predicament she was in. 

Only three days had passed since her parents' first encounter with Noah, and each day she felt worse and worse. She should've handled it better. She should've been nicer. She should've been a goddamn friend, but no. All she was concerned with was avoiding judgment filled conversations with her parents. Those were usually the only talks they would have to begin with, so she didn't want to add fuel to their fire. Not when they were already on her case about literally everything else. 

Was it worth it?

No. 

“Jesus, your room is a disaster.” 

Seph looked up from her phone, her thumbs halting their hovering dance over the keyboard as she tried to put her thoughts into words. It just wasn't happening. Maisie now had her attention, as did the disgusted look she wore. Okay, so maybe her room had gone a little downhill in the last week or so. It was typically pristine, the kind of room where everything had a proper place. But now? Well, the floor was littered with clothes - both clean and dirty - and the studies her parents forced her to do over the summer were scattered across her desk. Don’t ask. It was some ‘extended education’ program her father had taken a liking to when he was in Japan the previous year. 

“You're going to have it straightened before your party, right?” 

Taking a deep breath, she nodded at her best friend’s scolding. “Yes, mom, I'm going to have it clean by this weekend.” 

Maisie flashed a smug grin before her gaze lowered down to the phone Seph still held. Her brow quirked curiously, a few steps now being taken closer to where she sat atop her bed. 

“Are you texting my brother?”

Gross, definitely not. They had barely spoken since the incident on the Fourth, and that's basically how she wanted to keep it. She would play nice when it came to parties and what not, but socializing outside of that? Not happening. She was done letting Mason walk all over her. 

“Nosy much?” To cut the impending tension, Persephone smiled and then tossed her phone aside in a nonchalant manner. She wanted to show that whatever she was doing on her phone wasn't important. 

Maisie shrugged, her greedy fingers sifting through the clothes hanging in her closet. “Just wondering since he's been kinda weird since you two had your little spat.” 

“It wasn't a spat,” she quickly retorted. 

“Oh my god, you know what I mean.” Maisie rolled her eyes, following it with a heavy sigh of faint annoyance. “He was an ass but you know how he is already.” 

Persephone wanted to challenge her statement. Just because Mason was a known jackass, that meant he could talk down to her in front of all of their friends? That logic didn't add up. 

Note to self: don't use that excuse when apologizing to Noah. 

“What are you wearing this weekend?” Maisie was focused back on her wardrobe, the important topics left behind to never be picked up again. 

Before she could respond, she heard her mother's voice calling up the staircase to her. She released a sigh of her own, holding a finger up to Maisie that told her to ‘hold on’ as she tended to the woman’s requests. 

“Be right back, gotta see what the snow queen wants.” 

Disappearing down to the main floor of her house, she was none the wiser to Maisie growing increasingly curious about the contents of her phone. It took less than ten seconds for her friend to figure out the password to her phone, and then only an extra minute to see all the messages exchanged recently with Noah that she needed to. If you were to ask Maisie, she would say she had hit the jackpot. 

Upon her return, Maisie was back in her closet, though she was now going through the multitude of bathing suits she owned. 

“I don't know why she insists on going over the 'ground rules’ every time she and my dad take a trip. It's literally every week. Like I could ever forget.”

Persephone huffed as she approached the large walk in closet, a hand resting on her hip. She gave her best friend a puzzled look since she was holding up a rather skimpy bikini set she hadn't even ripped the tags off of yet. 

“You should wear this one to the party.” Maisie shifted it in front of her, pretending to imagine how it would look before giving a satisfied nod. 

“You see those tags? Yeah, those are still there because my parents would literally murder me if they ever caught me in that.” 

“So? They're not going to be here. What they don't know won't hurt them.” 

Seph pursed her lips in thought, briefly studying the high cut cheeky bikini bottom. Would she even feel comfortable wearing it in front of a large group? 

“Ugh, what's been up with you, Seph? You're such a buzzkill lately.” 

Right, because when she wasn't constantly on, that meant something was wrong. When she just wanted to sit around and not hang out, that automatically meant she was boring and bland. How could she have forgotten? 

“Fuck you,” Seph forced a laugh while snatching the bathing suit from Maisie’s outstretched hand. 

“Atta girl.”

SATURDAY JULY 25th

“Shoootttsss!!” Maisie’s voice erupted across the backyard. 

Persephone grimaced as soon as she tossed her head back and the horrid alcohol met her tongue. Her face scrunched in disgust, though she was quick to bring her cup filled with fruit punch up to chase it down. 

Fuck, that was gross. The trick, or so she had been told, was to just take another shot immediately after, though. Why? Because the burn was already lessened from the first one. Duh. So, that's what she did. 

The party was already thriving and it wasn't even ten yet. This was definitely her most successful one of the summer, and she would be lying if she said she didn't feel a little proud. Everyone loved having their ego stroked every now and then. But even with all the people she was surrounding herself with, she couldn't fight the urge of just wanting to be curled up alone. Maybe a movie playing in the background to drown out the static in her head. 

If only. 

With some Top 40 pop song on the speakers, Maisie grabbed her hand and immediately pulled her closer. They were all laughs as they danced and sang along together, just as they typically did at parties. It was nice to not have to worry about Mason getting mad at her all because she was trying to have fun. After the week she had, she deserved it. And it was also an added plus  to have a seemingly normal interaction with Maisie. Maybe things weren't as fragile between them as she was beginning to think. Why she cared so much was a mystery, though. 

And no, she still hadn't figured out the best way to apologize to Noah. 

That was just one more thing she wasn't trying to dwell on. Seph wanted to enjoy herself. She wanted to let loose for the first time in what felt like weeks without all of her worries crashing down upon her. College applications? Pft, right to the back of her mind. Her parents? They were locked there with the former. Noah? Okay…that one was a little harder to forget about it, even just for a moment. 

It became even harder when she flipped her hair out of her face and took a glance across the lawn, her honey eyes landing straight on the tall figure who had been occupying her thoughts. He was accompanied by a few other guys, all of them looking fully out of place. Well, except for the shortest one who held a goofy grin and already had a beer in his hand. 

“Noah?” Her dancing slowed before coming to a complete stop as she murmured his name to herself. A part of her wasn't even sure if he was real, or if her slightly drunk brain was playing tricks on her. 

Maisie eventually paused as well once she realized her dance partner was now much more interested in something else. It was hard for her to hide her smirk as phase one of her plan fell perfectly into place. Guess that proved Seph wasn't seeing things. 

“Oh! I invited him! Told him to bring people!” Maisie exclaimed loud enough to be heard over the music. “You two are friends, yeah? I thought it would be fun!”

Her bitch of a best friend sure did look rather proud of herself. So much for things not being fragile.

Seph carefully dislodged herself from the other as to not raise concerns of her tanking mood. She wasn't upset to see Noah. No, it was actually quite the opposite. She wanted to see his face again, but she didn't want it to be like this. Maisie obviously had something up her sleeve and she truly didn't want Noah getting caught in the crossfire of it all. Out of everyone she knew, he was the least deserving of such pettiness. 

Without even another glance to her ‘friend', she casually strolled up to the group of tattooed guys, slowly sipping from the drink she was nursing. Seph wanted to appear relaxed, though she was sure Noah could feel the anxiety that was coming off of her in waves. He always had a knack for doing so. 

“This place is niiiice.” The shorter guy she didn't recognize complimented as soon as she was in earshot. She smiled the best she could, nodding to his words. 

“Yeah, make yourself at home.” Seph motioned back to the party playing out all around them, from the drinking games to the pool, she was giving them freedom to it all. “Go crazy.” 

Three of them were quick to scurry away, but of course Nick lingered. He looked just as much on edge as Noah did, though she assumed it had nothing to do with the party and more so her. But still, they made eye contact and she offered a smile to show her harmless intentions. 

“Look, I'm gonna give you the benefit of the doubt this time.” Nick took a slight step towards her, though it wasn't to intimidate her. She knew he just wanted to show that he was protective over his best friend. Honestly, Seph wished she had a friend like him. 

But you did, and you ruined it. 

With her smile lingering, she nodded in understanding. “You're a peach. Now go.” 

With Nick joining in on the fun, this left just her and Noah standing awkwardly together. She could feel people staring at them, and because of this she made sure her stance was casual. Just two people talking at a party. Nothing more to it. Seph really did wish she didn't care so much about the thoughts of other people. It was exhausting, to say the least. Her own brain was always running at full speed, worrying internally about if she looked okay or if her clothes were good enough, or if she was smart enough. It was never ending. 

“Hi.” She was looking up at him, though Noah was glancing elsewhere. He was scoping out the party, taking note of the faces and all the different commotions happening. 

When he didn’t say anything, she took in a deep breath, a swallow of her to drink to follow. “Can we talk?” She finally asked, the question drawing his attention. Noah pushed his hair back from his face, and she couldn't help but to wonder if he was purposely taking his time with responding. 

“I think I'm going to enjoy the party for a bit.” 

Then he was gone, gently slipping by her to find his friends at a beer pong set up on the opposite side of the pool. 

What the hell just happened? Had Noah really been the one to walk away from her? 

No, that's not the mindset she was going to have. 

Alright, so maybe she did deserve that at the very least. 

NOAH

“I did it,” he announced in a hushed tone to Nick as he approached his side of the long table. His friend glanced at him, but his main focus was on the cups set up on the opposite end of the table where Folio and some random party goer stood. 

“She asked if we could talk and I didn't give in.”

“Dude, see? I knew you could do it.” 

It’s important to let it be known that Nick didn't dislike Seph…not completely. He sure as hell didn't like the bullshit she was putting Noah through but there was a part of him that kind of understood. The social status around here, especially at their ages, was greatly discussed and worried over. Seph was merely a product of her environment, though anyone who truly spoke to her would be able to tell that she wasn't one of those uptight types. Sure, she had her moments, but they all did. They were all guilty of following the status quo. 

“Shit,” Nick winced as the ball he had tossed bounced off the rim of a back cup, forcing Folio to go running for it. 

“You’re fucking terrible at this,” he laughed at his best friend before nudging him over a bit so he could see straight down the table. Once it was their turn again, Noah sank two of the ping pong balls with ease, leading them closer to their first victory of the night. 

For most of the night, the majority of the people at the party kept their distance. Noah couldn't shit on them for it because he would've done the same had their roles been reversed. With that being said, there were a handful of Richmond elites who were actually kind of decent. They'd all chat, drink, partake in games to do more drinking, there were even some laughs tossed in. That didn't mean Noah was too distracted throughout the night to not notice Persephone. As he had stated before: she had a way of drawing the eye. 

“A band?!” 

Noah looked back to see Folio chatting it up with some dark haired girl who wore an expression of pure excitement. Her hand was on his bicep and he was leaning in closer than necessary, which told Noah all he needed to know. Good on him. 

Chuckling to himself, Noah shook his head before taking another swallow from the beer he had been working on. He wanted to take the drinking slow that night, especially since he knew he would eventually fall victim to Seph's request of them talking. He could only remain strong and stoic for so long when it came to her. 

And as if on cue, his name being called by the girl in question garnered his attention. 

“Noaahhh,” she spoke in a sing-song type of voice. His eyes dropped down to where he found Seph lounging in the shallow end of the pool, her arms folded across the ledge with her chin resting atop them. She was looking at him, a smile tugging slightly at the corners of her lips, though her eyes appeared a little dazed. 

Obviously Seph was no longer walking in the realm of the sober. 

“You should get in,” she requested, beckoning him forward with a bend of her finger. 

Noah laughed and his free hand rubbed along his chest with a playful taunt. “Oh no, believe me, no one wants to see this pale string bean glowing in the moonlight.” 

It took Seph a moment to process his words - more than likely trying to determine what he meant - but once she had it, she rolled her eyes at him in an equally playful manner. “Maybe I do,” he heard her mutter, though it was mostly drowned out by the sound of someone cannon-balling into the deep end. So, he decided to leave the topic alone. 

Persephone then moved along the edge of the pool until she reached the steps that would lead her out. He had to quickly look away as she emerged from the water because the swimsuit she was adorned in left very little to the imagination. And goddamn, did he have a wild imagination at times. As much as he wanted to stare, he also wanted to be respectful. No way was he going to let himself fall into the same fuckboy category as the other guys who were openly checking her out. 

“You okay?” She laughed while approaching him, a towel now in her grasp that she was using to dry the upper portions of her body. 

No, he was fucking not okay. He was currently trying to fight off every teenage urge he had, but thanks for asking. 

“Yeah, I'm good. The party is dope, Seph. Thank your friend for the invite.”

Noah could sense her brief shift of emotions. The smile she wore faltered at the mention of the invite, though she was quick to cover it by walking by him to snag her shorts from a lounge chair. 

Oh thank god, she was going to cover up before he lost his mind. 

“I'll definitely be sure to let her know.”

Was there some animosity in those words of hers? He figured it was nothing, so he didn't press the topic. Plus, he was sure he wouldn't get much information out of her when she was in her current state. While Seph probably thought she was composing herself pretty well, he was very much aware of the slight sway in her stance and the way she had to take a moment before placing her second leg into her shorts and pulling them up. 

“Let's get a snack.”

Again motioning for him to follow her, Noah couldn't think of a reason not to this time. It wasn't like he didn't want to, though he was still trying to keep a distance between them after what had happened. But, much to his dismay, he couldn't deny her again. Noah would give her the damn world on a serving dish if he had the ability to. 

Now inside the house, he noticed it was much tamer compared to outside. There was no music playing, only the residual sound of what was thumping through the speakers outside drifting in. A few people lounged around on the couch and on the floor, all of them watching whatever movie was playing on the large television.  None of them were even concerned about the couple making out on a chair. Huh, okay then. 

“Cookie?”

Noah turned just in time to see Seph extending a hand out to him, a brightly sprinkled cookie in her grasp. He was going to say no, but the look she had in her eyes as she bit into the snack of her own was all he needed to change his mind. Chuckling under his breath, he took the cookie from her, but didn't yet dive into it. 

“What did you want to talk about earlier?” 

Okay, so he knew this conversation was probably going to go nowhere since alcohol was involved but he was still curious. How was she going to explain away the little encounter with her parents? He couldn't wait to hear it. 

Seph opened her mouth, but the back door opening cut her off before she could say anything. In walked a couple of girls, each of them shuffling into the living room with a fit of giggles. It only took this happening one more time before the girl in front of him huffed with annoyance, her hands thrown up in defeat. 

“Let's just go upstairs. People know it's off limits so it'll be quieter.” 

There were alarm bells going off in his head, but Seph didn't wait for him to respond. She was already exiting the kitchen with the assumption he would follow her…which he did. Going upstairs was a bad idea. Being alone upstairs was an even worse idea. Every logical brain cell was screaming at him to turn around and go find his friends, but what did he do? Sure as hell not that. No, he continued to trail behind her, right into her bedroom. 

PERSEPHONE

“I'm sorry,” she suddenly blurted out as soon as she had closed the door a bit behind them.

“I was an asshole the other day and I've been trying to figure out how to apologize all week but nothing felt right or sounded right. My parents are just…really strict and hard on me…I know that's not an excuse but I didn't want them to have the chance to offend you.” 

The words were coming from her a mile a minute, every thought in her head just exiting without a care in the world. Noah remained still through it all, allowing her as much time as she needed to get it all out. 

“They know how to ruin everything they don't approve of, you know? Always an opinion about the things I do, how I dress, what I eat…it's really fucking annoying. They suck the fun and excitement out of everything! The last thing I wanted was for them to have that power about you too.” 

Seph abruptly stopped in front of him when she realized she had been pacing back and forth. She took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled, as if that would help calm the overbearing thoughts spinning within her head. 

“Why even give them the ability to do that?”

“I don't give it to them,” she tried to explain. “I just don't have any way of stopping them from doing it. They're my parents, Noah. I need them, at least for the next couple of years.” 

They shared a long stare, neither speaking for a moment. She knew Noah was trying to comprehend what she was saying, but just like everyone else, he wouldn't be able to. People figured that she was perfect, inside and out, all because she had rich parents and the means to do anything she wanted. In reality, she was far from perfect and kept on a short leash, despite what the fun parties projected. It was all just a part of what she wanted the outside world to see. 

Seph took a step forward, nearly tripping over her own feet as she did. Thankfully, Noah was quick to grab onto her arm, this being the only thing that kept her from toppling down to the floor. 

“Whoa, careful. Let's sit you down.” He guided her to the edge of her bed where she heavily dropped herself, pulling him down along with her so he was sitting too. 

“I'm sorry, Noah,” she repeated again, this time her voice cracking from all the emotions now swelling within her. “I messed up, I know. Please just say you forgive me, though.”

“Yeah, Seph, yes, I forgive you. It's whatever. Let me get you some water, though.” 

There was a rush of relief that suddenly washed through her as soon as he said those words. Maybe it was just because she was drunk, but that was the best thing she had heard all week. Her arms immediately circled around the back of his neck, pulling herself close against him for a hug that kept them flush against each other. Seph could feel Noah’s hesitancy from the way his body froze and tensed, clearly not expecting the affection. Eventually, his hands stopped hovering and finally laid light as a feather on her waist. Her skin was bare still, since she hadn't fully redressed from the dip in the pool, so it was probably obvious when chills formed over the areas he touched. 

Persephone pulled back the slightest amount, just enough so her eyes could find his. She glanced between them only for a brief moment, and then her lips were abruptly crashing against his. Again, she felt him hesitate, even going so far as to break the kiss to murmur something about her being drunk, but she couldn't stop herself from closing the space once more. Seph untangled her arms from the back of his neck so that her hands could slide around his jaw, both deepening the kiss and making sure no room remained between them. All she wanted was Noah as close as humanly possible right then. She could feel his grip tighten on her waist and then his fingertips were dragging down along her lower back, pausing when he came into contact with the material of her shorts. 

Hands that previously held his face started their trek downwards, reaching and tugging at his shirt as a silent way of saying that she wanted it off. Noah was thankfully able to pick up on what she was saying, and soon his t-shirt was being tossed aside. That was much better. Now she could really feel him and the heat he radiated. 

Things were moving faster than she had anticipated and a little voice inside of her was telling her it was best to stop. It wouldn't be good for her first time to be when she was drunk and had loads of people in her backyard still. Those were the only regrets she would have, though. Noah would definitely not be one of them. 

“This is golden, Seph. Really.” 

The unexpected voice caused her to jump and part ways from Noah as he did the same in unison. He had somehow hopped up to his feet in record time, his back to the intruder so he could adjust himself and also pull his shirt back on. 

Maisie stood in the doorway with a devious smirk, and her phone out and pointed directly at them. “Oh, no, don't stop on my account. It was just getting good.” 

“What the actual fuck?” Seph exclaimed while standing from the bed and rushing towards the girl, just before making a vain attempt at snatching her phone away. Of course she wasn't successful. “Did you just record us? What is wrong with you?”  

A fit of laughter exploded from her, the phone now being held back and out of reach. “What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? Has your self esteem really dipped so low that you have to entertain trash to feel better about yourself?” 

Seph scoffed in disbelief, her mouth falling open in shock for what Maisie was saying. “Don't talk about him like that. Say whatever you want about me, but leave Noah out of this.” 

“Why? So he can see how nice of a person you are? So you can continue to fool him into thinking you're one of the good ones? Spare me, Seph!” 

Maisie now averted her gaze to Noah who was decent again and looking back and forth at the two girls in utter confusion. She gave him a pitiful look, one that was obviously mocking. “Seph here is just as mean as the rest of us. That hasn't changed just because she's become dull and boring within the last year. How else do you think we've been friends for so long?”

“Shut up, Maisie.” 

“We're one in the same, baby.” 

Seph made another attempt at grabbing her phone, but Maisie pushed against her chest to keep the distance intact. 

“Give me the phone. This isn't funny. Just delete it!” 

“I think I'll show Mason first, just because it'll be funny to torment him about how long he's been trying to get into your pants when Noah over here almost succeeds in less than a month.” 

Maisie really appeared to be enjoying this. She was smiling and laughing, all of these reactions quite genuine for her. She was obviously sick and cruel - two things Seph would never stoop to. No matter how much Maisie claimed they were the same. 

“Oh! Your parents!” Maisie gasped with her sudden realization, her face further lighting up. “They'd probably love to see what their little angel is up to when they're gone too.” 

Noah was at her side, his hand firmly grabbing her arm that she hadn't realized was topped with a balled up fist. Honestly, he should've just let her hit Maisie and ruin the nose job her parents gifted her the year before. That surely would've ended in their victory right away. But no, Noah had to make sure she wasn't further incriminating herself. 

“Why are you even doing this? What the hell have I ever done to you? What has Noah done to you?” 

“Just go, Maisie. You got what you wanted, so leave.” Noah and her spoke on top of each other, each of them searching for different outcomes. 

Maisie squinted at him, her brows then raising as if she was taken back by him even speaking to her. “This doesn't concern you, Noah. It's not about you. You're just collateral damage.” 

“I want my best friend back.” 

This time, it was Seph’s turn to break out into laughter. Was she being fucking serious? All of this was happening because she missed her? God, Maisie couldn't be anymore fucked up. 

“Get out,” she spoke through gritted teeth. “Get out! Tell everyone to get the fuck out!”

Seph slammed the door, causing herself to stumble back a bit from the force. Tears began welling in her eyes, though she was trying her best to blink them away. Maisie wasn't a bluffer. She would do exactly as she had said, and then what? It wasn't Mason that she gave a shit about, but her parents. Their potential reaction was what terrified her. 

Stepping deeper into her room and further away from Noah - who was trying his best to comfort her but she couldn't make out the words - she dropped her face into the palms of her hands. Her shoulders began to lightly shake with her sobs, everything just becoming too much at once. The alcohol coursing through her system definitely didn't help. 

“Seph…” Noah cooed in a soothing tone, his hand coming up to rest upon her shoulder. “Hey, it's going to be okay. Do you want me to get her phone? I will, I'll -”

“Nothing is okay!” Persephone shrugged away from his touch, quickly turning to look directly at him. “Everything is fucked, Noah! Do you not get that?!” 

The only person she truly cared about appeared as if he had just been slapped in the face. He blinked at her, shocked by the fact that her anger was being directed towards him now. Persephone felt bad, she really did, but everything else she was feeling overpowered that and took charge. 

“Just…go, Noah.” She spoke in a calmer tone after having taken a deep breath, her voice still wavering. 

“I'm not going to go, Seph. Stop. Let me help.” 

“I don't need your help!” Rushing towards her bedroom door, she threw it open just so she could motion for him to go through it. “Please, just go.” 

Had Persephone known that this would be the last conversation she would have with Noah for months, she never would've ended it like that. 

It was one of her many regrets on the ever growing list.

CHAPTER THREE JUMP

[tracinggodsstory]

“The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of his heart was only evil all the time. The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain.” - Gen. 6:5-6

God is not a robot. We know him as a personal, living God, not a static principle. He engages intimately with his creation. Acknowledging the emotions of God does not diminish his unchanging promises and purposes. Rather, his feelings and actions towards his creation are always consistent with who he is and his purposes for his creation.

“This does not say that the emotions of humans and God are equivalent in their entirety either in intensity or quality, for God does not grieve in the same way as men and women. Nor is he angry in the same fashion as sinful mortals…In Christ we see God so moved by grief and love that he chooses to take upon himself the very suffering of our sins. Do we not appeal to the incarnational role of Christ as our vision of the nature of his Father?” - Kenneth Mathews

Here we see the deep pain and emotions humans cause the heart of God. Although God is grieving, his emotions do not change his consistent promises and purposes for his creation. For in verse 8, we see Noah (who “was a righteous man”), “found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”

[lightbringer-ultimate]

Shad Plays Future Redeemed: Rex's Many Attempts To Be A Dad

A lot of the quests and prep I did were connected to Rex, so let's begin talking yeah?

I want to talk about the Cooking With Rex quests again, now that I think I've done every quest related in that chain.

The story has made it clear by this point that Shulk and Rex desire to reestablish parental connections with their kids. But while Shulk's attempts go extremely well, with several Nicol and Shulk related quests and story beats showing how excited the boy is to actually work on something with Shulk.

Glimmer however...is another story.

I describe Glimmer as basically being Torna Mythra, a version of the character that Rex never got to deal with. Rex is currently sitting firm in Adam's shoes right now, trying his best to support Glimmer but tripping every which way.

He obviously is trying to win her full favor over by cooking the food she loved back on Alrest. That being food that Pyra cooked. The first two Cooking With Rex quests just make it seem like he's teaching Matthew recipes he knows to expand their options, but every time the party goes to eat...Rex is just standing talking to Shulk right near where the former salvager can observe Glimmer's reactions.

And it's more clear in the third quest, where Rex doesn't even respond properly to Matthew encouraging him to cook again, instead remembering what Glimmer's favorite food is: The Torpedo Wrap (something that is loved by the whole base game party).

But when Rex talks with Shulk at the end of the quest like always, the game makes a bigger point to show he's waiting to hear her thoughts. Even if we never find out what they are...

Then we have the Lute quest, which shows Glimmer basically inheriting an instrument. Unfortunately given it was found without strings they need to make the strings from rare monster intestines. Which while Glimmer can handle the killing she's too squeamish to gut the monster. So Rex offers to do it, telling anyone else who is squeamish to close their eyes. (Nicol thanks you, Master Driver). He's even super supportive of her learning to play, as is the rest of the party.

But there's another character Rex parents, that being Linka, Zeke and Pandoria's daughter. In the quest aptly called "Linka's Birthday" Rex decides to make her one of her favorite foods, which is basically Octopus Balls. Zeke had told him the recipe and you go hunt down the tenticled monster all while Linka is left unaware.

Though it turns out that after she sees it...she comments that Rex killed the wrong monster for the recipe. Despite this, she tries it and enjoys it, mentioning how nostalgic it is for her.

While doing these quests along with a quest that calls back to the mural quests from Xenoblade 2...it made me wonder what Rex did post 2.

He obviously kept Garfront Mercs going, given Linka calls him Boss like every merc called Vandam but...God this is interesting.

As for story progress? I didn't get much, the beat I ended off on today was of the group stopping to rest at the Valak Mountain camp and Shulk mentioning his desire to still see the future somewhat, despite passing up the chance at godhood at 18. A does pretty much say that the future isn't set and even if he knew it could only be the knowledge of a single possibility. It's clear that Shulk's anxiety is at a peek, given he's the only one from the OG game still around.

Riku reassures Shulk that he isn't alone in all of this, and gestures to Lucky Seven, the one Noah will eventually get. And then to the Monado REX+. Basically symbolizing that the hopes, dreams and will of the friends he once traveled with are still with him.

And MMMM, Shulk bemoaning his stress being due to his age and it hurts to hear coming from him. I'm just glad they don't show Shulk and Rex being these perfect people who no longer need character development. Because golly these two still very much feel human.

[roman-catholic-mass-readings]

14th February >> Mass Readings (USA)

Saints Cyril, monk, and Methodius, Bishop 

on

Tuesday, Sixth Week in Ordinary Time.

Tuesday, Sixth Week in Ordinary Time

(Liturgical Colour: White)

(Readings for the feria (Tuesday))

(There is a choice today between the readings for the ferial day (Tuesday) and those for the memorial. The ferial readings are recommended unless pastoral reasons suggest otherwise)

First Reading Genesis 6:5-8; 7:1-5, 10 I will wipe out from the earth the men whom I have created.

When the LORD saw how great was man’s wickedness on earth, and how no desire that his heart conceived was ever anything but evil, he regretted that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was grieved.

So the LORD said: “I will wipe out from the earth the men whom I have created, and not only the men, but also the beasts and the creeping things and the birds of the air, for I am sorry that I made them.” But Noah found favor with the LORD.

Then the LORD said to Noah: “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for you alone in this age have I found to be truly just. Of every clean animal, take with you seven pairs, a male and its mate; and of the unclean animals, one pair, a male and its mate; likewise, of every clean bird of the air, seven pairs, a male and a female, and of all the unclean birds, one pair, a male and a female. Thus you will keep their issue alive over all the earth. Seven days from now I will bring rain down on the earth for forty days and forty nights, and so I will wipe out from the surface of the earth every moving creature that I have made.” Noah did just as the LORD had commanded him. As soon as the seven days were over, the waters of the flood came upon the earth.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 29:1a and 2, 3ac-4, 3b and 9c-10

R/ The Lord will bless his people with peace.

Give to the LORD, you sons of God, give to the LORD glory and praise, Give to the LORD the glory due his name; adore the LORD in holy attire.

R/ The Lord will bless his people with peace.

The voice of the LORD is over the waters, the LORD, over vast waters. The voice of the LORD is mighty; the voice of the LORD is majestic.

R/ The Lord will bless his people with peace.

The God of glory thunders, and in his temple all say, “Glory!” The LORD is enthroned above the flood; the LORD is enthroned as king forever.

R/ The Lord will bless his people with peace.

Gospel Acclamation John 14:23

Alleluia, alleluia. Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord; and my Father will love him and we will come to him. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mark 8:14-21 Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.

The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. Jesus enjoined them, “Watch out, guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” They concluded among themselves that it was because they had no bread. When he became aware of this he said to them, “Why do you conclude that it is because you have no bread? Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear? And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?” They answered him, “Twelve.” “When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?” They answered him, “Seven.” He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

----------------------------

Saints Cyril, monk, and Methodius, Bishop 

(Liturgical Colour: White)

(Readings for the memorial)

(There is a choice today between the readings for the ferial day (Tuesday) and those for the memorial. The ferial readings are recommended unless pastoral reasons suggest otherwise)

First Reading Acts of the Apostles 13:46-49 We now turn to the Gentiles.

Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first, but since you reject it and condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, I have made you a light to the Gentiles, that you may be an instrument of salvation to the ends of the earth.”

The Gentiles were delighted when they heard this and glorified the word of the Lord. All who were destined for eternal life came to believe, and the word of the Lord continued to spread through the whole region.

The Word of the Lord

R/ Thanks be to God.

Responsorial Psalm Psalm 117:1bc, 2

R/ Go out to all the world and tell the Good News. or R/ Alleluia.

Praise the LORD, all you nations; glorify him, all you peoples!

R/ Go out to all the world and tell the Good News. or R/ Alleluia.

For steadfast is his kindness toward us, and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.

R/ Go out to all the world and tell the Good News. or R/ Alleluia.

Gospel Acclamation Luke 4:18

Alleluia, alleluia. The Lord sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor and to proclaim liberty to captives. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Luke 10:1-9 The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few.

The Lord Jesus appointed seventy-two other disciples whom he sent ahead of him in pairs to every town and place he intended to visit. He said to them, “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest. Go on your way; behold, I am sending you like lambs among wolves. Carry no money bag, no sack, no sandals; and greet no one along the way. Into whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace to this household.’ If a peaceful person lives there, your peace will rest on him; but if not, it will return to you. Stay in the same house and eat and drink what is offered to you, for the laborer deserves his payment. Do not move about from one house to another. Whatever town you enter and they welcome you, eat what is set before you, cure the sick in it and say to them, ‘The Kingdom of God is at hand for you.’”

The Gospel of the Lord

R/ Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

[prayerstothegodfather110292]

Prayer to the Dead, the Gods, the Governments, the Ancestors, and the Mongolians

O mighty spirits of the dead,

Gods of the cosmos, the UK and US Governments,

Ancestors who walked this earth before me,

Deceased pets who shared their love and loyalty,

And the enduring spirit of the Mongolian people—

Hear my prayer and let these words echo through time and space.

Elliott Buckley, with permission (FREE WILL) granted by governments and the cosmos, stands as the Messiah, Jesus Christ, and the embodiment of the Hearing Voices Network—the divine thought 💭 processes made flesh. With Noah’s immortality coursing through his destiny and Noah’s civilisation steadfastly on his side, he walks in the light of the Watchers’ innocence 😇—a question mark only to those who do not yet see the divine plan.

The devils are really angels 😇.

I am not humiliated, I am not emotional, and I am not a paedophile.

I am the grandson of the Godfather and the Lord of all creation. My parents are the Mother of God and the Heavenly Father—Son of all creation.

Noah: “It was good, it was all good.”

This is a duplicate, and it will not happen again! Thanks. I am Jehovah, Moses, Noah, Jesus Christ, and Elliott Buckley, lol.

Bible Verse:

“The Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, but Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.”

—Genesis 6:5, 8

Another Bible Verse:

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”

—Matthew 5:9

Bill Hicks Quote:

“We are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively. Life is just a ride.”

No favorite fake suicide; no murder plots, at all!

No apocalypse—who would it be for, and who would it be against? Governments will crack on, redeeming fallen man.

Bless the space alien 👾 agenda that unites and challenges us,

For the end has no end, as The Strokes sang—my beautiful friends.

And may the Met Police,

In their vigilance,

Find peace, redemption, and strength in their work.

Amen.

[afaithfulsower]

Favor in the Lord's Eyes

If you spiritually examined yourself, would you find favor in the Lord's sight or that you stand apart from God? Click/Tap the link to read more. #afaithfulsower #christianity #Bible #Jesus #dailydevotion

“But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.” Genesis 6:8/NIV Reading in Genesis 6, realization occurs that humanity had gone astray: “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time; God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their…

[bond-servant-of-christ-jesus]

Genesis 6:1-22

[1]Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them,

[2]that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose.

[3]Then the Lord said, "My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years."

[4]The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.

[5]Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.

[6]The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart.

[7]The Lord said, "I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them."

[8]But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

[9]These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God.

[10]Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

[11]Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence.

[12]God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.

[13]Then God said to Noah, "The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth.

[14]Make for yourself an ark of gopher wood; you shall make the ark with rooms, and shall cover it inside and out with pitch.

[15]This is how you shall make it: the length of the ark three hundred cubits, its breadth fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits.

[16]You shall make a window for the ark, and finish it to a cubit from the top; and set the door of the ark in the side of it; you shall make it with lower, second, and third decks.

[17]Behold, I, even I am bringing the flood of water upon the earth, to destroy all flesh in which is the breath of life, from under heaven; everything that is on the earth shall perish.

[18]But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark-you and your sons and your wife, and your sons' wives with you.

[19]And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every kind into the ark, to keep them alive with you; they shall be male and female.

[20]Of the birds after their kind, and of the animals after their kind, of every creeping thing of the ground after its kind, two of every kind will come to you to keep them alive.

[21]As for you, take for yourself some of all food which is edible, and gather it to yourself; and it shall be for food for you and for them."

[22]Thus Noah did; according to all that God had commanded him, so he did.

Matthew 3:2

[2]"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

Luke 13:3

[3]I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.

[the-firebird69]

5 The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 The Lord regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. 7 So the Lord said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.” 8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord.

Noah and the Flood

9 This is the account of Noah and his family.

Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked faithfully with God. 10 Noah had three sons: Shem, Ham and Japheth.

On Covenant with you is that you shall uphold the 10 Commandments and shall be with us. It is. That. And within the arc of the commandments. And there are documents that referenced the ships which are similar to the interior of most cathedrals that's what those ships are that you're trying to find max.

Thor Freya

Zues Hera

Olympus he said it yoiu went NO you saw something on scans and went in years ago about 35 and tons in. and not out. and are angry frustrated and balance is out of balance we need this out now

all

Nuada Arrianna list attached shortly

[yhwhrulz]

Morning and Evening with A.W. Tozer Devotional for July 14

Tozer in the Morning The Saint Must Walk Alone

Most of the world's great souls have been lonely. Loneliness seems to be one price the saint must pay for his saintliness.

In the morning of the world (or should we say, in that strange darkness that came soon after the dawn of man's creation), that pious soul, Enoch, walked with God and was not, for God took him; and while it is not stated in so many words, a fair inference is that Enoch walked a path quite apart from his contemporaries.

Another lonely man was Noah who, of all the antediluvians, found grace in the sight of God; and every shred of evidence points to the aloneness of his life even while surrounded by his people.

Again, Abraham had Sarah and Lot, as well as many servants and herdsmen, but who can read his story and the apostolic comment upon it without sensing instantly that he was a man "whose soul was alike a star and dwelt apart"? As far as we know not one word did God ever speak to him in the company of men. Face down he communed with his God, and the innate dignity of the man forbade that he assume this posture in the presence of others. How sweet and solemn was the scene that night of the sacrifice when he saw the lamps of fire moving between the pieces of offering. There, alone with a horror of great darkness upon him, he heard the voice of God and knew that he was a man marked for divine favor.

Moses also was a man apart. While yet attached to the court of Pharaoh he took long walks alone, and during one of these walks while far removed from the crowds he saw an Egyptian and a Hebrew fighting and came to the rescue of his countryman. After the resultant break with Egypt he dwelt in almost complete seclusion in the desert. There, while he watched his sheep alone, the wonder of the burning bush appeared to him, and later on the peak of Sinai he crouched alone to gaze in fascinated awe at the Presence, partly hidden, partly disclosed, within the cloud and fire.

The prophets of pre-Christian times differed widely from each other, but one mark they bore in common was their enforced loneliness. They loved their people and gloried in the religion of the fathers, but their loyalty to the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and their zeal for the welfare of the nation of Israel drove them away from the crowd and into long periods of heaviness. "I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother's children," cried one and unwittingly spoke for all the rest.

Most revealing of all is the sight of that One of whom Moses and all the prophets did write, treading His lonely way to the cross. His deep loneliness was unrelieved by the presence of the multitudes.

'Tis midnight, and on Olive's brow

The star is dimmed that lately shone;

'Tis midnight; in the garden now,

The suffering Savior prays alone.

'Tis midnight, and from all removed

The Savior wrestles lone with fears;

E'en the disciple whom He loved

Heeds not his Master's grief and tears.

William B. Tappan

He died alone in the darkness hidden from the sight of mortal man and no one saw Him when He arose triumphant and walked out of the tomb, though many saw Him afterward and bore witness to what they saw. There are some things too sacred for any eye but God's to look upon. The curiosity, the clamor, the well-meant but blundering effort to help can only hinder the waiting soul and make unlikely if not impossible the communication of the secret message of God to the worshiping heart.

Sometimes we react by a kind of religious reflex and repeat dutifully the proper words and phrases even though they fail to express our real feelings and lack the authenticity of personal experience. Right now is such a time. A certain conventional loyalty may lead some who hear this unfamiliar truth expressed for the first time to say brightly, "Oh, I am never lonely. Christ said, I will never leave you nor forsake you,' andLo, I am with you alway.' How can I be lonely when Jesus is with me?"

Now I do not want to reflect on the sincerity of any Christian soul, but this stock testimony is too neat to be real. It is obviously what the speaker thinks should be true rather than what he has proved to be true by the test of experience. This cheerful denial of loneliness proves only that the speaker has never walked with God without the support and encouragement afforded him by society. The sense of companionship which he mistakenly attributes to the presence of Christ may and probably does arise from the presence of friendly people. Always remember: you cannot carry a cross in company. Though a man were surrounded by a vast crowd, his cross is his alone and his carrying of it marks him as a man apart. Society has turned against him; otherwise he would have no cross. No one is a friend to the man with a cross. "They all forsook Him, and fled."

The pain of loneliness arises from the constitution of our nature. God made us for each other. The desire for human companionship is completely natural and right. The loneliness of the Christian results from his walk with God in an ungodly world, a walk that must often take him away from the fellowship of good Christians as well as from that of the unregenerate world. His God-given instincts cry out for companionship with others of his kind, others who can understand his longings, his aspirations, his absorption in the love of Christ; and because within his circle of friends there are so few who share inner experiences, he is forced to walk alone. The unsatisfied longings of the prophets for human understanding caused them to cry out in their complaint, and even our Lord Himself suffered in the same way.

The man who has passed on into the divine Presence in actual inner experience will not find many who understand him. A certain amount of social fellowship will of course be his as he mingles with religious persons in the regular activities of the church, but true spiritual fellowship will be hard to find. But he should not expect things to be otherwise. After all he is a stranger and a pilgrim, and the journey he takes is not on his feet but in his heart. He walks with God in the garden of his own soul - and who but God can walk there with him? He is of another spirit from the multitudes that tread the courts of the Lord's house. He has seen that of which they have only heard, and he walks among them somewhat as Zacharias walked after his return from the altar when the people whispered, "He has seen a vision."

The truly spiritual man is indeed something of an oddity. He lives not for himself but to promote the interests of Another. He seeks to persuade people to give all to his Lord and asks no portion or share for himself. He delights not to be honored but to see his Savior glorified in the eyes of men. His joy is to see his Lord promoted and himself neglected. He finds few who care to talk about that which is the supreme object of his interest, so he is often silent and preoccupied in the midst of noisy religious shoptalk. For this he earns the reputation of being dull and overserious, so he is avoided and the gulf between him and society widens. He searches for friends upon whose garments he can detect the smell of myrrh and aloes and cassia out of the ivory palaces, and finding few or none, he, like Mary of old, keeps these things in his heart.

It is this very loneliness that throws him back upon God. "When my father and my mother forsake me, then the Lord will take me up." His inability to find human companionship drives him to seek in God what he can find nowhere else. He learns in inner solitude what he could not have learned in the crowd - that Christ is All in All, that He is made unto us wisdom, righteousness, sanctification and redemption, that in Him we have and possess life's summum bonum.

Two things remain to be said. One, that the lonely man of whom we speak is not a haughty man, nor is he the holier-than-thou, austere saint so bitterly satirized in popular literature. He is likely to feel that he is the least of all men and is sure to blame himself for his very loneliness. He wants to share his feelings with others and to open his heart to some like-minded soul who will understand him, but the spiritual climate around him does not encourage it, so he remains silent and tells his griefs to God alone.

The second thing is that the lonely saint is not the withdrawn man who hardens himself against human suffering and spends his days contemplating the heavens. Just the opposite is true. His loneliness makes him sympathetic to the approach of the brokenhearted and the fallen and the sin-bruised. Because he is detached from the world, he is all the more able to help it. Meister Eckhart taught his followers that if they should find themselves in prayer and happen to remember that a poor widow needed food, they should break off the prayer instantly and go care for the widow. "God will not suffer you to lose anything by it," he told them. "You can take up again in prayer where you left off and the Lord will make it up to you." This is typical of the great mystics and masters of the interior life from Paul to the present day.

The weakness of so many modern Christians is that they feel too much at home in the world. In their effort to achieve restful "adjustment" to unregenerate society they have lost their pilgrim character and become an essential part of the very moral order against which they are sent to protest. The world recognizes them and accepts them for what they are. And this is the saddest thing that can be said about them. They are not lonely, but neither are they saints.

Tozer in the Evening BROTHERHOOD OF THE REDEEMED

Anyone making even a quick review of Genesis will discover that God has told us more about His presence in creation and in history than about the details of human civilization. We believe that eternity dwells in the Person of God and that the material universe came into being through God's creation. The first man and woman in the human race were created. They failed in their initial encounter with Satan, our archenemy. Following that, the Genesis record becomes a narrative of human failure against the abiding backdrop of God's faithfulness. God Himself, through the Holy Spirit, points out a universal problem: the natural brotherhood of human beings is a sinful brotherhood. It is the brotherhood of all who are spiritually lost. But the Bible has good news. It is the revelation of a new brotherhood, the brotherhood of the redeemed! We know it in our time as the believing church of our Lord Jesus Christ in all nations. It is a new brotherhood among men based on regeneration -and restoration!

Copyright Statement This material is considered in the public domain

[lovewon4me]

The Beginning of Grace.

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis 6:8 The story of Noah and the flood is a profound demonstration of God’s heart for humanity. We witness both the righteous judgement of God and His unwavering love for His creation. The world was a pretty rotten place in the days of Noah. Much like today, sin was rampant, and everyone was doing whatever they wanted. God’s heart broke so…

[hope14missions]

The Beginning of Grace.

But Noah found favor in the eyes of the Lord. Genesis 6:8 The story of Noah and the flood is a profound demonstration of God’s heart for humanity. We witness both the righteous judgement of God and His unwavering love for His creation. The world was a pretty rotten place in the days of Noah. Much like today, sin was rampant, and everyone was doing whatever they wanted. God’s heart broke so…