#Personally I do believe the wizarding world has been milked dry

[onesaltysir]

Lmfao you know the new Harry Potter series is already a flop when even Harry Potter fans aren't excited about it

[the-jade-cross]

Journey to Middle Earth - Chapter 10

Summary – What if JRR Tolkien never gave Thorin a love story… because the person that was meant to be Thorin’s was not yet born when he wrote the Hobbit? Sara journeys from her world to Middle Earth after an accident, with a mission. To change something about the Hobbit story… but she is not sure what. What she does not know is that while trying to prevent something from happening, something new might arise between her and the dwarf prince….even if it is not on the agenda!

Warnings – None, no explicit scenes, some kissing, violence, frightening creatures, mentions of abuse.

Pairings – Thorin Oakenshield x OC

Sara watched in wonder as the black and white ponies frolicked and pranced around in the pasture. She still couldn’t believe she was there, sitting atop the chopping block, staring at the bright green grassy hills, sprinkled with the lives of Beorn’s farm animals.

Even after all the things she had seen and done since entering Middle Earth, she was still astounded that it was real. A part of her often feared that she had dreamt it all up and she would wake up at the worst moment, only to find herself in bed with her brothers jumping on her to get up and make them breakfast.

Their favorite breakfast was jam on toast with whatever leftover cold meat in the fridge, a glass of juice and a piece of fruit. Except Ryder who chose milk over juice.

Sara wondered what it would feel like to wake up to find this all a dream. Would she feel sad? Probably. Even if this was a dream, she had made many friends in the company and it felt so real to her that if it all was just a dream, it would hurt.

She hadn’t really thought about what she would do if she woke up to a dream. A part of her felt like she would be happy to see her brothers again but at the same time, she would lose the family she had found in the company and not only that, Pierce was dead. And if the deepest, darkest dread of the possibility that Axel, Ryder and Omar did not survive was true… Sara would be alone in the world where dragons and dwarves were just stories.

The girl was brought from her thoughts by a huge shadow that appeared over her. spinning on the chopping block, she had to look way up at the tall figure of Beorn. He had his axe in one hand and three logs in his other.

Sara gulped. She could barely lift one of those boulders of wood and he was holding three in one arm!

“You are one of them,” the man growled in his deep voice. “One of the people I chased here.” Sara gulped again and hopped off the block only to feel like a hobbit next to a mountain, “Yes Mr. Beorn.” The giant tilted his head at her, “You are not a dwarf. What are you?” “Oh…. I’m a human…. I am just very short,” The girl explained.

The man studied Sara a moment, “You look strong for a human lass. I see why you haven’t died yet.” Sara smiled, relieved at the king tone in Beorn’s voice though she wasn’t sure if his words were meant to be a compliment. He reminded her of Mason. He hated other male dogs and male humans but adored females of any kind. Maybe that was just a guy thing.

“Can I help you with anything? As a thank you?” The girl inquired.

Beorn considered the objects in his arms and Sara was sure he was thinking about how each of them were almost larger than her.

“I have to chop this for indoors. If you wouldn’t mind stacking the chopping’s….” The skin changer suggested.

Sara beamed and even though Beorn did not smile at the girl’s joyful face, his face softened.

A few minutes later, Thorin slowly came to when he heard the panicked, hushed whispers of his two nephews nearby. Cracking his eyes open, he saw them peering out one of the barn’s windows, whispering to each other.

He sighed. Those two were going to be the death of him. He rolled over and reached out his arm to find Sara’s body but only groped air. He was up in an instant, realizing that the girl hadn’t rolled away but was nowhere to be found! Jumping up, he stormed over to his nephews and the two jumped when his deep voice boomed in their ears.

“Where is Sara!?”

Both boys pointed out the window and Thorin saw what they had been watching. Outside in the backyard was a giant of a man, probably two heads taller than Gandalf. He was slamming his axe into the chopping block, splitting huge logs in a single blow.

Standing next to the giant was Sara. She looked a sight with a bed head, her red hair a mess and the short curls flopping into her eyes that were shining. She was picking up every split log Beorn cut and piled them between two posts with a bunch of other chopped wood.

Standing next to the skin changer, she looked like a toddler next to her large father.

Thorin was amazed at how content and comfortable she seemed around the huge man and even when the axe struck the block, she didn’t jump.

Thorin saw Beorn’s lips move occasionally as he asked Sara questions and the girl would happily reply, a smile on her lips and a light in her eyes.

“Do you think we should go rescue her?” Kili whispered.

“She doesn’t look like she needs saving Kee,” Fili observed. “The guy seems rather intrigued by her. she is probably safer than we are.”

“Why?” the other brother inquired, “Because she is the one standing near the giant with an axe?””

Fili chuckled, “No, because she is a woman and women have a way of making men more at ease than other men. Besides, Sara’s smile could melt a mountain of ice.”

Thorin gritted his teeth at Fili’s words. He knew that Sara was nice like that to everyone but he hated it that Fili was right about Sara’s smile. He wished she only showed him her smile… he didn’t even like it when she showed it to the rest of the company because she melted their hearts and brains (in Kili’s case).

“Good, you’re up,” Gandalf said as he approached the three. “Sara has been out there for the past hour. Hopefully since she has befriended Beorn, this will be easier.”

When Gandalf old the dwarves to wait for his signal as he went out with Bilbo, Thorin knew he would have to wait to get out there to Sara. What was worse, the wizard told him to come out last. They seemed to be out there forever when Bofur finally recognized the “signal” and they started to stumble out. Thorin came out last to find Gandalf giving the company death glares, Bilbo hiding behind the wizard.

Beorn stood with his axe in his hands, glaring while Sara looked confused with an armful of wood in her arms.

Beorn glanced at Thorin before turning to Sara, “They’re your friends?”

Sara smiled and nodded and Thorin saw Kili let out a sigh of relief as if he had feared that Sara would dub them her sworn enemies.

“We need to talk,” the skin changer said to Gandalf before turning back to the girl, “Thank you for helping.”

Sara beamed and Thorin had to bite his tongue to keep from growling.

*********

“We will be staying here the night,” Gandalf announced. “Beorn has agreed to give us supplies and ponies for the journey to Mirkwood. Get some rest. We leave at dawn.” the dwarves all sighed and beamed with relief. Finally a chance to rest and have some fun.

“Come on lads!” Dwalin hooted. “Time to get dipping!”

Before Gandalf or Thorin could object, the whole company including the hobbit had darted out the back door for the little river out back. Gandalf glanced over at Sara who was sitting on the top rung of one of the stalls, petting the head of the furry cow who resided there.

“Are you not going to join them?” the wizard asked with a smile, knowing full well why the girl hadn’t moved.

Sara glared, “Considering that my undershirt got ripped to be used as bandages for my side and my jacket happens to take hours to dry, I will not be joining. I cannot possibly be a man who is inclined to walk around shirtless.”

Gandalf chuckled, not filing to notice that Thorin stood in the corner in the shadows listening in, a blush on his face from what Sara had just said. Just then, Beorn emerged from one of the back rooms with a small bundle in one hand. he held it out to Sara who took it confused.

“It is the smallest shirt I’ve got… thought it may still be large on you…” the skin changer explained.

Sara smiled and took the clothes form him, “Thank you Beorn.”

The large man walked off silently but with a soft look in his dark eyes. Sara hopped from the gate and skipped out of the house. She saw that the company were further upstream so she headed downstream to where no one could see her.

Stripping her clothes away, she laid them in the water, placing a rock on them so they wouldn’t flow away but under the water so the water would soften the crusty blood and mud caked clothes.

Feeling exposed, she submerged herself under the water. Luckily, she had ended with an extra pair of underwear when she entered middle earth and the people of Rohan had equipped her with a few pairs so she changed into a clean pair of underwear and a new bra. When she emerged from the water, the water around her was a reddish brown so she climbed out. Realizing that she didn’t have anything to dry herself with other than the clean shirt Beorn had given her, she shook herself off in an attempt to dry. She was just reaching down to grab her now clean but soaking wet clothes when she heard someone clear their throat behind her.

Spinning around, she felt her face go red when she saw Thorin standing about twenty feet away from her, one hand on the tree next to him as he watched her with an unreadable expression on his face.

“Thorin!” the girl squeaked, grabbing the oversized shirt and hugging it to her chest in an attempt to cover herself, turning her back to him. “What are you doing?”

“I came to check on you,” Thorin replied, his voice closer now meaning that he was approaching her.

Sara tried to get her shirt on but couldn’t tell the difference between the sleeve and the head holes since they were so large and found herself stuck. Finally, Thorin gripped the shirt and helped her pull it on. the shirt was very baggy and fell to her mid thighs, the sleeves looking long on her even though they were short. The shoulders of the shirt were wide and left one of her shoulders bare. When Thorin didn’t move his hands from where they rested on her shoulders, Sara was about to say something but froze when Thorin leant forward.

He pressed his chest snug against her back, trailing one hand down to her waist. The other he reached up and pushed her wet curls to the side, exposing her neck to him. Sara shivered when his hot breath touched her neck and his hand gripped her bare hip through the shirt.

“Thorin,” she said, surprised when her voice came out in a hoarse whisper.

Thorin buried his nose against the back of her ear, pressing a kiss there. “Hm?” he whispered back.

Sara gasped when Thorin’s hand crept beneath the hem of the shirt, brushing his hand over her smooth skin.

“You were thinking of home weren’t you?” Thorin whispered against her skin as he ran his lip over the rim of her ear. “This morning….”

“How did you know?” Sara whispered, her breathing becoming uneven as Thorin’s warm hands caressed her bare skin.

Thorin buried his nose in her curls and inhaled her scent, “The way you spoke and acted since we got here… like you were seeing a ghost.”

IN other circumstances, She would have thought about how Thorin was practically a ghost to her since in the movie he was dead. However, she could barely think straight. All she could comprehend was the loud pounding of her heart against her chest… the feeling of Thorin’s taut muscles against her shoulder blades.

“Being here… in such a peaceful place reminds me of home. I was just thinking about what I would feel if… if this all turned out to be a dream and I woke up to find you all gone…” Thorin’s hands stilled and Sara realized that he was holding his breath. Dreading what she would say.

“What would you feel?” he whispered.

Sara sighed, “I would feel conflicted. I honestly do not know if my brothers would be alive… if they were I would be happy but if they were dead… I would be hurt… even if they were alive I would feel hurt because I left this place and all of you behind… I do not know if I would be able to move on… even if you were okay with my leaving…”

Thorin’s grip on her waist tightened and he spun her around to face him. Sara realized that because she had turned around so quickly when he had appeared, she hadn’t noticed that he had shed all his clothes except his boots, pants and white shirt. His hair was slightly damp, having just come from swimming with the others.

Grabbing one of her hands, Thorin lifted it and placed her palm over his heart. Sara’s mouth parted at the feeling of his pounding heart.

“Does this sound like I want you to leave? That I wouldn’t dread every day that you were not in?”

Sara let her hand trail across his chest till it came to rest against the parting of his collar before slipping beneath the material to touch the roughness of his skin. Thorin’s breathing caught in his throat as Sara’s cool fingers stroked the skin of his chest, wishing that the whole shirt would just disappear…. Not to mention the shirt keeping Sara as covered as possible.

“And what would you feel if I stayed?” she whispered, standing on tiptoe to press her front against his chest before brushing her lips across the skin of his collar bone in a teasing manner like he had done to her.

Thorin seemed to snap when her plush lips touched his neck. Reaching down, he grabbed her neck and pulling her closer, he crushed his damp lips on hers. Sara felt her legs buckle at the urgency of the kiss, holding onto his forearms to keep from falling over.

Thorin’s hands gripped at the material of the shirt she wore, pulling it up slowly to reveal her navy blue boxer shorts and a strip of her stomach before they parted, panting and their pupils blown.

“I wouldn’t let you go,” Thorin whispered. “And if we don’t stop, I might do something I shouldn’t… yet.”

Sara pulled away not before pressing a chaste kiss to his swollen lips. A the two began to pull their clothes on, Sara realized what Thorin had said: I might do something I shouldn’t… yet.

*******

Sara was so distracted the next morning by thoughts of the day before that she could barely register what was happening as the company packed up and made to leave. The whole company sensed her distracted state but only two people knew the origin of her behavior and those two people were Thorin and Gandalf. Thorin had not expected Sara to realize the core meaning of his words he had so carefully chosen at the riverbed in the hopes of eliciting a reaction from the girl that would, whatever her reaction was would give the dwarf some sort of hint as to what her reaction would be if he had stated the deepest secret hopes of his heart more plainly.

However, her reaction puzzled him and he did not know what to make of how she was behaving. Gandalf however did not know what Thorin had said but after perceiving how Sara acted in her alone time and around Thorin, he was able to deduce what the gist of the conversation had been about. The way Sara looked at Thorin in wonder and puzzlement when he wasn’t looking indicated that whatever Thorin had said had awoken a confusion in the girl. And when Sara’s eyes widened, her cheeks heated up and how she quickly averted her eyes the moment Thorin met her gaze told Gandalf that the words of the dwarf prince had flustered the usually calm girl. When Sara was alone was the time the wizard saw what Thorin did not. The spark of hope shining in the girl’s eyes, clouded by worry and concern in the way her brows furrowed.

Of course, since only Gandalf seemed to understand the situation, the rest of the company saw it fit to keep a watchful eye on the red head, not just because of her behavior but rather because of the fact that when Oin asked Sara to fetch some water, the girl had absent mindedly walked towards the pastures, in the opposite direction of the stream, too distracted by her thoughts to realize where she was going. Fili and Kili were following the girl like double shadows in such a way that whenever Sara turned to the left or the right, she head butted one of them.

Thorin was perched atop his pony, waiting for the others to mount and for Gandalf to finish speaking to Beorn. He saw his two nephews trying to help Sara get her things loaded onto her pony and Thorin knew that they would bicker over who she rode with since Beorn was short one pony. In that case, Thorin urged his pony over to the three and nudged the two boys away with his boot before reaching down to Sara. The girl looked up at him and her eyes widened.

She was about to look away when Thorin grabbed her wrist. “if you don’t climb on, I’ll throw you over my saddle,” he threatened.

Sara did not know that his threat was just teasing playfulness because from the hand motions Fili and Kili were giving her, she deduced that the threat was fatal.

The girl took his hand and Thorin lifted her onto the horse in front of him, much to Sara’s embarrassment.

“Gandalf,” Thorin called. “Time is wasting.”

As they trotted off across the pure green countryside, Thorin sensed Sara’s tense state. He had both hands on the reins, Sara’s hands gripping the pony’s mane.

Pretending to not do it on purpose, Thorin bunched the reins in one hand while he slid his free hand along Sara’s pant leg that clung perfectly to her legs now that her pants were clean.

Sara shivered under his touch and Thorin smirked when she instinctively leant back against his chest. Keeping his eyes on the company ahead, he rested his chin on her shoulder. He was glad that the only ones behind him who could possibly see what he was doing were Balin and Dwalin who knew better than to comment on Thorin’s behavior especially around Sara.

“Why are you avoiding me?” he whispered, brushing the tips of his fingers against the inside of her wrists.

Sara’s heartbeat increased and she bit her lip to keep from making an inhuman noise. This movement didn’t go unnoticed by Thorin who gritted his teeth.

“You better answer or I am going to turn you around and kiss you senseless,” he growled in her ear, trying to not look at where her teeth dug into the pink flesh of her bottom lip.

Sara blushed and letting go of her lip, she spoke, “I didn’t know what to make of what you said yesterday…” “Which part?” Thorin whispered against her skin, planting a kiss on the bare skin by her shoulder.

“The part… where you said you might do something you shouldn’t…” Sara whispered.

Thorin hummed, indicating that he was listening, “And?” he asked, kissing her neck.

“What did you mean by ‘yet’?” Sara finally asked.

Thorin stilled before breathing against her ear, “I meant that I am sorely tempted to show everyone and everything that I love you. But to do it now would be immoral.”

“Then… what is the difference between the now and later?” Sara asked.

“The difference,” Thorin whispered in a growl, “is that in the near later something might occur that makes it not immoral.”

Sara stilled, her thoughts earlier having been confirmed by those words, “You mean…” “Exactly,” Thorin whispered, kissing her neck again. “The only thing stopping me is the fact that we are being hunted by Azog as of the present and the fact that I do not know how I would be received by the other party.”

Sara tried to stop the huge grin that appeared on her face but to no avail. He might as well have just asked her to marry him.

“Well…” Sara said with a smile in her voice. “What are you going to do to keep all the other males away from the other party until the opportune moment and your courage arises?”

Sara felt Thorin stiffen behind her in surprise and she smirked. She felt him brush her hair from her neck before locking his lips on her soft flesh beneath her ear and sucked. Sara gasped and had to cover her mouth to keep from moaning as Thorin left a mark on her neck right where her hair could cover it. Sara shivered before touching his thigh that was pressed against her leg. Thorin buried his face in her shoulder to muffle his growl.

“Well then, we better hope the girls stay away… because I do not really like to share.” Thorin’s grip on her thigh tightened and the rest of the company swore they heard Thorin growl a string of curses in Kuzdul but when they looked at him to see his eyes darkened and Sara’s face alight, they thought it better to not ask.

*******

The air around the company felt stiff and heavy as if the usually weightless air had overeaten and had gained weight. Thorin lifted Sara down from her pony and set about unsaddling the pony.

Sara stared up at the tall looming trees. She spied Gandalf looking at the statue of Galadriel. Sara knew what lingered ahead in the forest. Why did spiders have to be at the top of her most dreaded fears? Right up there next to snakes?

Suddenly Gandalf strode back towards the ponies, “not my horse! I need it!”

“You’re not leaving us,” Bilbo said in more of a question than a statement.

“I wouldn’t unless I had to,” the wizard assured the little hobbit.

Sara frowned. The wizard was off to look for the tombs in the mountains of the nine wraiths. He would end up at Dol Goldur where… oh gosh!

“Gandalf!” Sara cried, rushing over to him without even thinking.

The tall wizard looked down at the girl who whispered something only Gandalf could hear. When she pulled away, the wizard smiled knowingly at her before mounting his horse.

“No matter what happens, stay on the path. Don’t leave it. if you do, you’ll never find it again. I’ll meet you on the overlook. Do not enter the mountain without me.”

Sara frowned. Was the line the other way around?

“No matter what may come, stay on the path!” The wizard hollered as he rode off.

As the man rode away, Sara felt someone touch her shoulder and turned to see Balin standing there.

“What did you tell him lass?” he asked.

Sara shook her head, “Something I probably shouldn’t have. I might have just altered history.”

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

Everything was hazy as Sara came to. The first thing she thought was how she ended up there. the last thing she remembered was Thorin telling everyone to keep walking…moving where? All she remembered was trees… and no path… Path! Oh no, they lost the path! But hat meant…

Sara sat upright, only to realize that her vision wasn’t hazy but blocked by the filmy substance wrapped all over her body!

“Oh gross!” she groaned, peeling the webbing from her body.

It would take hours and water to clean all the webbing from her hair. It literally felt like every time they cleaned up; they were dirty the next day!

“Where’s Sara!?” a voice called, sounding like Thorin.

“I’m here!” Sara called out, only to have someone grab her hand and pull her to her feet.

“I’ve got her!” Fili called over to his uncle, keeping his hand on Sara’s elbow to support her.

“More are coming,” the girl panted, still lightheaded from the fumes of the forest and from having been hung upside down by the spiders.

Fili patted her cheeks to wake her and it worked until a thought dawned on her and her eyes widened.

“Kili!” she gasped.

Fili looked around immediately for his brother until he saw his dark-haired brother off in the distance fighting off a giant spider… unarmed!

Fili’s hand had barely released Sara’s arm when another hand grabbed her hand, and everything changed. It looked like everything had become gray and foggy and there was a buzzing sound all around Sara. She wondered why this seemed familiar until it dawned on her.

Looking at who was holding her hand, she saw Bilbo staring at her just as surprised as she was.

“How is this happening!?” she whispered to the hobbit.

Bilbo shook his head and whispered back, “Whenever I touch someone when wearing it, nothing happens… it must be because you are from another world… I wonder… are you invisible right now too?”

Sara looked around and saw the fuzzy figure of Fili running toward them but looked everwhere but at Sara and Bilbo.

“Sara!” the blond dwarf cried. “Where are you!?”

Sara looked at Bilbo and nodded, confirming their suspicions. When Bilbo touched Sara, she went invisible too. Sara was about to let go of the hobbit when she spied the white figures of elves surround the company and begin to empty their pockets.

“What do we do?” Bilbo whispered.

“Wait till the elves take them away and we follow,” Sara whispered back. Carefully, the two walked towards the dwarves and elves and Sara saw Legolas questioning Thorin. THE LEGOLAS! She was actually looking at the real deal!

Sara heard the elf yell something in elvish and the dwarves were pushed off. Sara saw Bofur say something to Thorin which made the dwarf look around in concern and she knew he was looking for her and Bilbo. The hobbit squeezed her hand and Sara nodded.

“Time to go.”

Sneaking after the company and into the Woodland kingdom was not as hard as Sara thought, except for the part of not making too much noise. Luckily, elves didn’t leave thingsaround that one could trip on which made this feat much easier.

When the dwarves were dragged off into their prison cells, Sara knew that in a few moments, Thorin would be taken to meet Thranduil before the Keeper of the Keys would venture to the cellar.

In that case, when the elves locked Thorin up, Sara waited for Legolas and the other elves to leave to inform the king about the guests before approaching the dwarves’ cells. Sara nodded to Bilbo who released her hand and the girl rounded the corner to reveal herself to the imprisoned company.

“Sara!” some of the dwarves whisper yelled.

“You’re here!”

“How did you not get caught?” Balin asked.

Sara smiled as she approached Thorin’s cell to find the dwarf prince rushing to the bars to look at her in surprise.

“I have my ways. Bilbo and I are going to find the keys and get you out so sit tight,” she explained.

Thorin reached through the bars of his cell when she approached and touched the girl’s cheek with his rough calloused thumb.

“I am sorry these things keep happening,” he muttered to her.

Sara smiled and shook her head, “You cannot control what happens Thorin. I doubt even I can.” Thorin bowed his head, ashamed of the state Sara found him in. Reaching through the bars, the girl grasped Thorin’s jaw in her hands and lifted his head to look at her with those pericing blue eyes.

“You want to know how I fell for you so quickly?” she asked. “So easily even though you are the most stubborn and big headed dwarf in the world?”

She was well aware that the whole company was listening in rapt attention to whatever she was saying but she really didn’t care.

“Back home, whenever I heard your story, all these things happened but no matter what, you kept going. You kept fighting and kept leading your kin no matter the obstacles or embarrassments. That is how I grew to love you. Not for your downs but how you always rose up again.”

The company all softly agreed to the girl’s words but Sara was watching a soft smile growing on Thorin’s lips and how his eyes glistened with unshed tears.

“Mahal, I love you,” he muttered.

Sara smirked before leaving her face against the cold bars and planting a soft kiss on his lips before stepping back. Releasing his hands, she stepped back toward the darkened corridor where she could hear Bilbo’s breathing where he waited for her.

“Whatever you do Thorin, try to not curse in Kuzdul too much when you see Thranduil.”

With that, she sank into the shadows and allowed Bilbo to grab her hand, completely missing the chuckles from the company and the surprised expression on Thorin’s face.

*****

Sara clung to Bilbo’s hand as if her life depended on it. Basically it did because if she let go, she would become visible and at present, she and Bilbo were down below in the cellar surrounded by elves. The only thing standing between them and being discovered was a pile of barrels and the ring’s power.

Sara had to admit that she hated the idea of using the ring and had almost suggested to Bilbo about not using it but then she remembered that Bilbo’s actions played a part in what would happen in sixty years during the Lord of the Rings.

If Bilbo didn’t use the ring like he did in the book and movies, Sauron wouldn’t have the power he did in the Lord of the Rings, meaning that it might alter what and when things happen in the quest of the ring, possibly saving some people but it might also result in Sauron winning. Sara wasn’t willing to risk that.

“How do we get the keys without them realizing?” Bilbo asked Sara in a hushed whisper.

“Wait a moment. They’re almost drop drunk. Then we can snatch them,” Sar whispered back. “Then we need to find a way to escape through the gate.” Bilbo whispered.

Sara frowned. What about the barrels? Then it dawned on her: her presence there changed things.

“What about using the barrels?” She asked. “They’ll float downriver and through an ungarded gate.”

Realization dawned on the Hobbit and his eyes widened. He practically had all the answers right next to him.

“Is that how we escape in the story?” he asked, curiously.

Sara nodded, “Though I am starting to wonder if it matters anymore.”

After waiting for another ten minutes, the elves were snoring in a drunk stupor and Sara released Bilbo’s hand to walk over and grab the keys.

“We must hurry,” she whispered when she wrapped her fingers around them. “We need to get them out before Tauriel notices they’re missing.” Bilbo grabbed her hand, bringing her back to the world of invisible but didn’t bother to ask who Tauriel was. He figured she was someone he would soon meet.

As the two silently treaded back up to the dungeons, Sara felt a strange sense of concern wash over her. Technically she was experiencing the vents of the second movie of the Hobbit. They were almost to Erabor….just a week or so… how was she going to accomplish the one thing she came here to do? And that was save the sons of Durin. When they reach the mountain, Sara could try to make a plan or set a trap in the three designated areas of future death… but what if she couldn’t? She only had five bullets left in her pistol. For all she knew, the bullets might not kill an orc like Azog or Bolg! Heck, bullets didn’t always kill humans but Azog managed to live with an amputated arm without any hitches. She didn’t have extra gunpowder so she couldn’t blow them up even if that idea had occurred to her.

Sara stopped her worried thinking when Bilbo released her hand and everything flooded into focus.

“I’ll wager the sun is on the rise. Must be nearly dawn!” Bofur whined from his cell ahead.

“Not stuck in here you’re not,” Bilbo announced softly, poking his head around the corner and the dwarves leapt to their feet.

“BILBO!” Balin cried happily.

“Sh!” Sara scolded as she took half the keys from Bilbo and began to unlock the other doors. “There are guards nearby!”

Sara managed to release Fili, Kili and Balin before she came upon Thorin’s cell to find him holding the bars in both hands and staring down at her petite form with icy blue orbs.

Sara felt herself blush beneath his fierce gaze as she fumbled with the keys and managed to unlock the door. She had barely pulled the keys from the hole when Thorin blew the door open and grabbed her around the shoulders, holding her to his chest so hard she feared her ribs would pop.

“Sometimes I wish the company was not always within hearing and seeing distance,” He grumbled in her ear, his deep voice reminding Sara greatly of Geralt of Rivia from the Witcher especially in how his chest rumbled in his rough tone.

Sara chuckled, aware that there were several dwarves watching them.

“Do not wish for things so lightly Thorin,” She whispered into his chest.

Thorin pulled away and looked at the girl with a smoldering look that sent a chill down Sara’s spine.

“What makes you think that I don’t want to be utterly alone ith you without the constant eavesdropping and stares?”

Sara felt her mouth go dry and heard Fili and Kili snickering behind them.

“I am almost inclined to agree with you,” Sara whispered in his ear, a smirk on her face.

Sara felt his body tense when her lips brushed his beard before hovering over his lips without touching.

“Sara, we need to get going.” Bilbo whisper yelled.

“Coming,” Sara whisper yelled back, pulling away from Thorin just when they were about to kiss, their lips not even touching. Sara scurried over to where the hobbit stood, leaving a flustered Thorin behind.

“Easy Thorin,” Dwalin chuckled as they followed Sara and Bilbo down the stairs. “You look about ready to kill someone.”

Thorin grumbled under his breath but Dwalin heard it, “I’ll kill the hobbit if he interrupts us like that again.”

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

When they tiptoed down into the cellar, Sara snuck ahead to check to see that the elves were still asleep while Bilbo tried to assure the company that coming to the cellars was part of the plan.

“Into the barrels,” Bilbo whispered.

“Are you bonkers?” Kili hissed. “They will find us!”

“No, they won’t!” Bilbo assured the dwarf but when he didn’t move to say anything else, Sara spoke up.

“Just get in the bloody barrels!” She whisper-yelled.

When the dwarves began to mutter amongst themselves about the possible outcomes of listening to Sara and Bilbo, both girl and hobbit turned to Thorin for guidance. He was watching the whole exchange and his eyes landed on Sara’s meaningful gaze before he snapped his eyes in the direction of the company.

“Do it.”

As the dwarves began to scramble into the barrels, Sara bit down on her lip. She was not in favor of climbing in one of the barrels and being jostled around but if she stayed behind with Bilbo, she would have to jump in the water and then find a barrel.

Scanning the stack of barrels, she noticed that there were two spares. Good. One for her and one for Bilbo. She scurried over to where Bilbo stood when all the dwarves suddenly poked their heads out of the barrels.

“What do we do now?” Bofur inquired.

Sara smirked but tried to hide it behind Bilbo’s back.

“Hold your breath,” the hobbit suggested before grabbing the lever and pulling it.

[stardustednymph]

AFTER ALL THESE WEEKS I WILL GET MY REVENGE. Answer all of them :)

SIGH, it’s a good thing I love you so damn much. 

1. Spotify, SoundCloud, or Pandora? Pandora2. is your room messy or clean? I try to keep it clean but right now it’s a mess cause I’m working on moving in.3. what color are your eyes? Sky blue.4. do you like your name? I do! why? It’s unique, and it has a story behind it. ^_^5. what is your relationship status? continuing to learn to love myself6. describe your personality in 3 words or less Desperate. For. Love.7. what color hair do you have? Purple8. what kind of car do you drive? Chevy Spark color? Lime green!9. where do you shop? Targèt10. how would you describe your style? “Can I wear this without it hurting? Yes? Cool.”11. favorite social media account? tumblr, actually. unless discord counts...12. what size bed do you have? Double13. any siblings? One older half-sister!14. if you can live anywhere in the world where would it be? Jackson, WY why? I feel at home when I’m there.15. favorite snapchat filter? Uhh...flower crowns?16. favorite makeup brand(s)? Cheap ones17. how many times a week do you shower? Depends on the severity of my pain.18. favorite tv show? RWBY19. shoe size? 8-8 1/220. how tall are you? 5′7″21. sandals or sneakers? barefoot.22. do you go to the gym? HAHAHAHA u jest23. describe your dream date. 

24. how much money do you have in your wallet at the moment? Nada25. what color socks are you wearing? Nada26. how many pillows do you sleep with? they surround me, but there’s only one under my head.27. do you have a job? personal pain management. what do you do? hurt.28. how many friends do you have? as many as I have.29. whats the worst thing you have ever done? aha. ahahahahaa. we’re not going down that rabbit hole cause then I’ll get into a baaaaaaad spot.30. whats your favorite candle scent? i dunno there are lots31. 3 favorite boy namesAlexanderBrendanZeddicus Zu’l Zorrander lmao32. 3 favorite girl namesRoseAilis (ah-liss)Athena33. favorite actor? David Tennant34. favorite actress? Cate Blanchett35. who is your celebrity crush?Jennifer Morrison/Gal Gadot/Natalie Dormer36. favorite movie? Currently? Wonder Woman37. do you read a lot? As much as my brain fog will let me38. whats your favorite book? Wizard’s First Rule by Terry Goodkind39. money or brains? I would like to have some of both, please, I have neither.40. do you have a nickname? what is it? Stardust/Star/Echo/LJ41. how many times have you been to the hospital? As in admitted? Once.42. top 10 favorite songsTha Mo Ghaol Air Àird a' Chuain - Julie FowlisCall Me -ShinedownAlone Together -FOBNails For Breakfast, Tacks For Snacks -P!atDThe Middle -Jimmy Eat WorldTeenagers -MCRCarry On -fun.I May Fall -Casey & Jeff WilliamsStop and Stare -One RepublicHedwig’s Theme -John Williams43. do you take any medications daily? Yes.44. what is your skin type? (oily, dry, etc) oily I guess?45. what is your biggest fear? Abandonment46. how many kids do you want? I want to adopt a girl someday. 47. whats your go to hair style?Ponytail48. what type of house do you live in? (big, small, etc) My parents’. 49. who is your role model? So many people. My friend Jessica is the first to come to mind. She’s an absolutely amazing woman.50. what was the last compliment you received?My discord fam trying to convince me I can sing. 51. what was the last text you sent?Said goodnight to my mom.52. how old were you when you found out santa wasn’t real?About 8, I think? One of my presents was labeled To: Lara From: Santa, and it was in my dad’s handwriting lol53. what is your dream car? 1969 camaro54. opinion on smoking?it is not healthy, my dudes55. do you go to college? not anymore...56. what is your dream job? teaching people to ride horses57. would you rather live in rural areas or the suburbs? rural58. do you take shampoo and conditioner bottles from hotels? ye59. do you have freckles? ye60. do you smile for pictures?Depends on the picture61. how many pictures do you have on your phone? 1,22362. have you ever peed in the woods? I used to backpack a lot, sooooo yeah once or twice lmao63. do you still watch cartoons? Dude cartoons are the best!64. do you prefer chicken nuggets from Wendy’s or McDonalds? Favorite dipping sauce? Wendy’s. A Frosty.65. what do you wear to bed? pajamas =p66. have you ever won a spelling bee? Was never in one.67. what are your hobbies?Writing, art, gaming, binging shows, reading68. can you draw? Occasionally.69. do you play an instrument?Piano, also occasionally.70. what was the last concert you saw?Uhhhhh Monumentour, I think 71. tea or coffee?Hot Chocolate72. Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts?I’ve never been inside a Dunkin Donuts, so Starbucks I guess.73. do you want to get married?Yes.74. what is your crush’s first and last initial?... E.R....75. are you going to change your last name when you get married?Depends on who I marry 76. what color looks best on you? Hell if I know.77. do you miss anyone right now? More than anything.78. do you sleep with your door open or closed?Open79. do you believe in ghosts?Absolutely.80. what is your biggest pet peeve? Assholes.81. last person you called?My mom.82. favorite ice cream flavor? Chocolate or Mint Chocolate Chip83. regular oreos or golden oreos? Reg.84. chocolate or rainbow sprinkles? I don’t like sprinkles85. what shirt are you wearing?Galaxy colored dreamcatcher 86. what is your phone background?Hogwarts in the style of Starry Starry Night87. are you outgoing or shy?I have social anxiety, my dude88. do you like it when people play with your hair?If I’m close with them? Hell fucking yes. That’s my shit.89. do you like your neighbors? Yeah?90. do you wash your face? at night? in the morning?When I remember91. have you ever been high? On RX pain pills, nothing else tho92. have you ever been drunk? ....yes....it wasn’t a good time.93. last thing you ate? Your mom (OHHHHHHHHHH) jk, fruit by the foot lmao94. favorite lyrics right now“Though shadows fall, still the stars find a way.”95. summer or winter? Fall.96. day or night? Night97. dark, milk, or white chocolate? Milk98. favorite month? October99. what is your zodiac sign Taurus100. who was the last person you cried in front of? in front of? Uhhhhhhh probably my mom.

happy now? =P

[kpopfanfictrash]

Obsidian

Author: kpopfanfictrash

Pairing: You / Taehyung (V)

Rating: R

Warning: Murder mystery, future smut

Word Count: 5,704

Summary: The world of magic is divided into dark and light, witches and warlocks, choice and fate. You’re a prodigy of light, a witch who works within the police force. You’ve heard of Taehyung in passing, spoken in whispers as the warlock of dark who has the world holding it’s breath.  All this changes on the night you’re assigned as security for a mysterious singer named V and you come face to face with Taehyung himself. What happens after that might be fate.

It is 8:21 AM, which means I am late. 

Typically, I leave my apartment no later than 8:10 – eleven whole minutes gone and I haven’t even reached the office yet. As I hurry down the sidewalk, tugging my coat closer, I realize I need to skip one of my morning rituals.

Coffee, no way. Newspaper? I sigh, mentally giving up my morning paper. I’ll just have to read the news on my phone like the rest of the world. There’s just something comforting though, about holding real paper and ink. Sitting in my seat squished on the train, something tangible between my palms.  Not this morning, I guess.

The line at the coffee shop is long and I impatiently join the back, staring forlornly at the crowd of people before me. My hand twitches at my side but I ignore it, closing my eyes instead. When the line starts to move I reopen them, checking my watch. There are at least five baristas working the counter but it’s still not enough.

The woman in front takes an especially long time to order.

“I’ll have a tall – no, Grande – blonde roasted coffee. Two shots of vanilla, sugar free, with non-fat milk. One Splenda packet – only Splenda – and you know what, make the coffee a Venti.”

The cashier flounders trying to keep up and I sigh. It would be simpler if the woman just ordered a regular coffee and did the rest at the counter. 

The woman overhears me, and her eyes narrow over her shoulder. “Do you have a problem?” she snaps.

I flush, realizing that everyone is staring. “No,” I mutter, quickly looking away. “Not a problem, no.”

Facing forward again, the woman rolls her eyes. “Where was I? Oh, right.”

The barista repeats her order back to her and I barely stifle my groan. Instead I glance at my phone in my fist. Sliding it open with one hand, I shoot a text to my best friend.

Y/N: Dinner tonight? [8:34 AM]

Yoongi only takes a few minutes to respond, ellipses blinking away.

Yoongi: Depends [8:35 AM]

Y/N: On what? [8:35 AM]

Yoongi: On if you’re the one cooking [8:36 AM]

“Next customer!”

Ignoring Yoongi’s reply, I step forward. “Hi,” I say, scanning the boards. “A Grande coffee with one shot of hazelnut.”

The woman nods, writing this on a paper cup. “That will be $3.51.”

I wince handing over my credit card. “Thanks,” I say, sliding the plastic into my pocket.

Moving to the other end of the counter, I squeeze into place at the end. My coffee arrives quickly and I scoop it into my arms, nearly tripping when I make my way over to the milk. Just as I’m leaving someone behind me yells, “WATCH OUT!”

Scalding coffee pours down my arm as I gasp, stumbling sideways and smacking the man standing next to me. He frowns, grumbling incoherently while he slinks off into the crowd.

“Sorry,” I gasp, shaking my drenched sleeve. When I whirl around, to find whomever dumped the coffee, they’re gone. I scowl replacing my lid and, coffee dripping from arm to floor, grab some napkins on my way out. Best I can do is clean up on the subway.

By the time I find a seat on the train, the coffee has dried. I stare at the stain pitifully, leaning my head against the window and closing my eyes. As I do, someone tugs on my bag between my feet and I open my eyes to see a teenage boy in the middle of pick-pocketing.

“Hey!” I yell, snapping to attention.

The boy flushes, hand instantly withdrawn before disappearing into the crowd. I stare for a second, hovering on the edge of my seat before deciding he’s not worth it. He didn’t even manage to take anything. Exhaling deeply, I fall back in my seat. It’s not worth it to call the cops – I know this, as a police officer myself. That boy would get off with a warning and it’d take more than that to convince him not to do it again.

I stare out my window instead, watching the shadowy tunnel pass. My coat smells like coffee and I wrinkle my nose at my reflection. When my pocket buzzes, I realize I never texted Yoongi back.

Yoongi: Fine. Dinner and I’ll cook – well, my mom will because I’m at her place tonight [8:45 am]

Y/N: Sorry, I was getting coffee. And getting coffee split on me. Woe am I, today sucks [8:46 AM]

Yoongi: Just zap yourself clean. Don’t be a baby [8:47 AM]

Y/N: See, that’s the difference between us. I do not misuse my powers, unlike you [8:47 AM]

Yoongi: I hope you can feel me rolling my eyes. It’d take more than dry cleaning to make you go dark [8:48 AM]

Y/N: Ah, but that��s the first step Yoongles. So, 6:00 PM? [8:48 PM]

Yoongi: 6:00. I’ll be the guy holding the knife, threatening to kill you if you call me Yoongles [8:48 PM]

I laugh, sliding the phone into my bag. Yoongi always pretends to be pricklier than he really is. Sitting up straight, I glance at my sleeve and shake my head. Yoongi is wrong – I can’t dry myself. People on this train have been sitting next to me. Pressed up against me, right under my nose. They’d notice if I were to become suddenly clean.

Slightly disappointed, I watch the train slow to a stop. Truthfully, my life would be so much easier if I just used magic for myself. It’s not against the rules, per se. Light witches and wizards can use magic – it’s just when they use magic for personal gain where things get tricky.

It’s a slippery slope. One day you’re making sure you get a certain test score. The next you’re getting a certain job, a certain salary and suddenly you’re buying that certain lottery ticket. Sin begets sin begets sin. The descent to darkness is not difficult.

Which is why I try not to use magic much. Not if it interferes with what I like to call ,‘the big three:’ love, money and vanity. Love means relationships. No forced liking, no disliking – overall, just no messing with people’s emotions. Money usually means work. Only pertaining to things like career advancement or pay though, because I often use magic at my job.

I work in the police force, a detective for the area’s homicide department. The best department in the area, which has a lot to do with my special talents in the precinct. Witches and wizards use our power for good, which is exactly what I do. I take unsolvable murders, unrecoverable cases and solve them.

Cases with dead ends, ones with no evidence, trails with zero suspects – all of them end up on my desk. It’s rare I can’t find the answer and when I don’t, it’s usually because the truth is too incredible for humans to know. A demon in a bar, a vampire on the subway, a warlock in Time Square. It’s hard not to groan at this last one. That was a recent case, one which I reluctantly had to admit unsolvable.

Unsolvable to the human police force, at least. The warlock, I ended up taking care of myself. He was high on drugs and went off the rails, killing the girl he had sex with. When the case appeared on my desk, I knew right away it was magical. A warlock – it had to be. There is nothing so deadly, so destructive as a warlock or sorceress. Except perhaps the demons who spawn them.

Technically, I suppose demons give us our magic as well but that’s hardly the point. Warlocks use magic for evil. Use it for self-gain, for pride and for any number of the deadly sins. The dark holds no moral code, they believe themselves better than humans simply because they have magic.

Those with magic are born either dark or light. The dark are called warlocks and sorceresses, while the light are witches and wizards. Occasionally a person is born one way and crosses over but such things are rare. For the most part magic is born, not made.

I blink when the subway doors open, revealing my stop. Scrambling up, I push my way free from the packed subway car. “Excuse me,” I mutter, ducking my head beneath the arm of an older man. “Thanks.”

Once outside, I head for the stairwell. The right is packed with commuters and I fall in line behind them, checking my phone once more. 8:52 AM. I breathe a sigh of relief – I should be on time. Stepping from the subway, I hurry through the crowd of people. To my right there’s a loud horn blast and I turn just as the truck rolls past.

It drives straight through the puddle to drench me from head to toe. I gasp, blinking rapidly and clearing my eyes. When the breeze blows I shiver, wishing I wore a heavier coat today. This one clings to my skin, the air brisk with dampness. Glancing down, I see that it’s worse than I thought. The coffee stain is still present, making me look as though Monet painted a human. One color bleeding into the next and the next.

I sigh, gaze snapping up when someone laughs. I turn to see a girl I don’t know staring. She blushes when she sees me looking but whispers to her friend anyways, as though I don’t know what they’re talking about. I end up doing nothing, balling my hands into fists before crossing the street.

Halfway through the lobby I pause, eyes darting sideways. Before I can change my mind, I switch directions and head towards the restroom. No one from my work has seen me yet, I can just wipe myself clean and start anew. I can – but I shouldn’t. Entering the stall, I stare hesitantly at the wall. My rules exist for a reason. I don’t interfere with love, money or vanity. 

Chewing my lip, I consider. Even most light witches and wizards don’t adhere themselves to rules like mine. What’s a pimple here, a pound loss there? Some people attribute my idealism to iron-clad morality but I know better.

I don’t let myself start because I know that once I do, I won’t stop.

Closing my eyes, I exhale. I’m being dramatic – it’s just a change of clothes. Shaking my head, I crook my index finger. Instantly my clothes are dry, coffee stain gone. My clothes look as though I’ve just changed and I step from the stall to glance in the mirror. Fluffing my hair once, before leaving the bathroom.

My heart races, mind buzzing as I enter the elevator and it’s a struggle to keep my breath calm. It’s fine, I’m fine – I did nothing wrong. I’m also right on time – my right foot steps off the elevator at exactly 8:59 AM.

“Morning,” I call, striding into the office. Some of the precinct looks up, nodding or waving in my direction. I keep going until I reach my desk, lowering my purse and removing my coat.

Julia slides around the cubicle partition. “Morning, partner!” She sighs looking at my outfit. “Why do you always look perfect?” she asks, looking down at her own shirt. “I spilled tea five minutes after getting into this hellhole. Derek laughed, the asshole.”

I glare at the back of Derek’s head. Though my right pinky twitches, I manage to restrain myself. “Yeah. Well, Karma’s a bitch.”

Julia laughs. “True. So, have you checked your email yet?”

“Nope.” Pulling out my laptop, I plug it into my docking station. “What’s going on?”

“New case.” Julia blows on her mug of tea. “Weird murder, a girl was found by the stadium a few hours after a concert ended. Anyways – well. I’ll let you see the rest for yourself.” She shrugs, her expression vaguely uncomfortable. “It’s kind of hard to describe.”

I nod, clicking on Outlook. Once my email finally loads, I see what Julia meant. I wince while image after image scrolls by. “Wow,” I mutter, enlarging the last picture. Julia rolls her chair into my cubicle. “I see what you mean.”

Zoomed in, it’s more than a little disturbing. 

The photo is of a girl in the middle of an alley, limbs splayed out like a star. Dark, tousled hair drifts over her face – peaceful, almost like she’s asleep. There are no marks visible, no stab wounds or bullet holes. Nothing to indicate blunt force trauma.

It’s her veins though, which catch my eye. Beneath her skin the blood is an unnatural shade of black. I stare, mind whirring with possibilities. The woman’s body is pale, especially in contrast to the spidery lines. The blood beneath her skin appears solid, hardened. Cool, dark – black as obsidian.

“What is it?” I squint closer. “Is it blood, or some sort of chemical?”

Julia taps a finger on the screen. “It’s blood. The forensics lab ran tests and reported nothing unusual about the chemical content. It’s her blood, just… black.”

“Right.” Slowly, I scroll from right to left. “No marks on her otherwise?”

Julia nods in confirmation. “She died of a heart attack.”

“Odd,” I murmur, my head buzzing.

Its supernatural – it has to be. The fact that she died of a heart attack solidifies my theory. Oftentimes when young people die this way, it’s not because of natural causes. As I move closer I notice the girl is arranged – not fallen, but arranged on the ground. As though someone moved her that way.

“Any security camera footage?” I ask, turning from the screen.

“None working at the time.”

I sigh, sinking lower in my chair. “Okay. Let’s try and get to the scene today. Do we have detail on her whereabouts before the time of death?”

“Yep.” Julia points to the bottom of the email. “She went to the concert with friends. She was tipsy, but not drunk. One of her friends saw her get in a cab while the rest of them went to a club. We can’t identify the cab driver, and she never made it home. She was found in the alley several hours later by a couple walking back to their car.”

Reading quickly, I take this all in. “Okay, so we talk to the friends.” I’ll be the one to do that since I can tell if they’re lying or not. “We should check the surveillance camera footage in front of the stadium. We can search for shots of her getting in a cab. We should also visit the scene.”

Julia nods, swiveling in her chair. “I’ll get started on the first two but I don’t think you need to worry about the last,“ she sighs, making a face.

“What? Why?” I’m already scrolling, not really paying attention.

“Look.” Julia points over my shoulder at the screen.

I scan the email. “Captain Joann,” I groan.

Hello,

Exciting news for a lucky few! The mayor has called to inform that the local police force are temporarily overloaded. They need help at tonight’s concert and since there’s case overlap, I’ll be assigning a few for security detail to the singer V as part of his sold out World Tour.

Y/N, Julia, James, Derek, Louis.

Please report to me at the end of the day for further details.

Best,

Captain Joann

“Fuck,” I groan, setting my coffee down. “Like we don’t have enough on our plates.”

“I know,” Julia agrees. “It’s dumb. At least we can check out the area while we’re there.”

“That’s one thing,” I sigh, drumming my fingers on the keyboard. “No chance of getting out of it, you think?”

“Probably not.” Julia pauses, letting out an uncharacteristic giggle. “It might not be that bad. Have you seen V?”

Shaking my head, I raise an eyebrow. “Isn’t he a pop singer? I don’t really follow.”

“Neither do I,” Julia hastily backtracks. “I’ve just heard some of his songs. He’s talented. And hot,” she confesses, leaning over my shoulder. Her fingers type quickly, pulling up a search engine. “See?”

My eyes widen as images fill my screen. Picture after picture of a gorgeous guy - V. He has light brown hair and dark eyes. There’s a picture of him holding a microphone in one hand, single spotlight illuminating broad shoulders from behind. 

I force myself to look away. “He’s uh, okay.”

“Okay?” Julia laughs. “What kind of guys do you know where V is just ‘okay?’”

“I don’t know,” I blush, grabbing my coffee. “He’s just not my type.”

“And who is?” Julia’s tone is teasing. “Derek?”

“Oh, god,” I laugh, taking a sip. “Please never say such things again.”

Shrugging, Julia ducks back to her side of the cubicle. “I’m just saying.” Her voice drifts over the top. “Maybe tonight won’t be so bad.”

As I move towards exit the browser, I hesitate. Finger hovering uncertainly over the button before clicking hide, blushing furiously.

I might need that later. For research.

All too soon it’s the end of the day and we’re gathered in Officer Joann’s office. He closes the door behind us, sitting down on the edge of his desk. “Good to see you,” he nods. “Sorry about working on a Friday night.”

“No problem, sir!” Louis barely restrains from saluting. It’s a struggle not to roll my eyes.

“Right.” The Captain eyes him suspiciously. “Tonight is straightforward. You’ll be backstage, stationed between the stage and dressing rooms – except, well.” Rather awkwardly, Officer Joann clears his throat. “The singer has requested the two officers stationed by his dressing room be female.”

Unable to stop myself, I laugh. “Are you serious?”

Julia looks confused, glancing over at the Captain. “What? Why would he want that?”

Captain Joann closes his eyes before slowly opening them. “Something about females being better for his energy. I don’t know, but he donates a lot of money to the city and the mayor wants him happy. As long as it’s no inconvenience I don’t see a reason to fight it.”

“Uh,” Derek stares. “I think the reasoning would be… because it’s creepy?”

For once I agree, though I note so does Captain. He speaks like he knows this is dumb. Like he knows this is sexist and wrong but also that we can’t risk offending the mayor. Gritting my teeth, I decide it doesn’t really matter who stands in front of V’s dressing room. Male or female, we’re all capable of disabling him if he tries something. 

I reluctantly nod. “Fine. Whatever.”

Julia exhales. “Sure.”

“Excellent.” Captain Joann claps his hands together. “Julia, Y/N. I know you’re both working on a case in the area. Maybe you can canvas before the concert, or –"

“It’s a bit late for that, isn’t it?” Derek interrupts, raising his eyebrows. “What time does the concert start?”

“Ah.” Captain Joann glances at his watch. “Right. Be there at 7:30 – you should probably get going. Oh well,” he shrugs. “Canvassing another time.”

My answering smile is brittle, at best. “Great,” I sigh. Its 5:30 now – I’ll have to run to make dinner with Yoongi. ��Anything else?”

“Nope.” The Captain shakes his head. “See you back on Monday. Good luck!”

As we file from the office, everyone is silent. No one dares speak until we round the corner. “This sucks,” James hisses. “I already had plans tonight.”

“With who?” Julia grins, reaching her cubicle. “Your mom?”

“Har-dee-har. No need to ask you your plans.” James narrows his eyes. “Sit at home alone. Again.”

Making a face, Julia pulls a bag over her shoulder. “Y/N, want to grab dinner?”

“Can’t,” I say, chucking my phone into my purse. “I already have plans.”

“Oh?” Derek pauses at the door to look back at me. “What?”

“Dinner,” I grin, walking across the floor. “Dinner with a dark and mysterious gentleman.” Waving, I disappear into the hall. “See you later!”

Min Yoongi opens the door to his mother’s apartment, looking me up and down. His hair is unkempt, tousled beneath his hat. “You’re late,” he scowls. Turning, but leaving the door open so I can enter.

“So happy you invited me!” I call out, stepping inside to shrug off my jacket.

Yoongi’s house smells great, like always – a mix of his mom’s cooking and him. The only wizard in a family of witches, Yoongi is the youngest, with three sisters. He doesn’t actually live at home, has been able to afford his own place since he was eighteen and sold his first video game. He usually just ends up here on weekends, stopping by to help his mom out.

Stretching overhead, Yoongi dodges his eldest sister’s son weaving in between his legs.

 “Hi, Mrs. Min!” I wave as we enter, spotting her over by the stove.

“Y/N!” Yoongi’s mother turns, wiping her hands on a towel. “Hope you’re hungry, I’m afraid I overcooked.”

I follow Yoongi around the edge of the kitchen table. “Don’t worry,” I grin. “I’m starved. Thank you for having me.”

“Nonsense.” Yoongi’s mother laughs, turning back to the stove. “You’re part of the family.”

“Hear that,” I say, nudging Yoongi’s side. “I’m family.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Yoongi walks towards his family room, collapsing onto the couch. “You’re the annoying little sister I never wanted.”

“I’m twenty-four,” I point out. “You’re only three months older than I am.”

“Three months older and wiser,” Yoongi drawls, sticking his tongue out at his niece. She screams happily, running from the room. “What do you want to watch,” he asks, picking up the remote. “Dinner probably won’t be ready for a little bit.”

“I don’t care,” I sigh, settling on the couch and tucking my feet beneath me. “We can keep watching that documentary, if you want.”

Yoongi nods, pointing the remote at the screen. “Any new cases?” he asks.

“One.” I pick at the cushion, debating how much to tell him. “It’s a weird case. A woman dead, heart attack. There are no external wounds and get this – her blood is completely black.”

Yoongi looks at me sharply. “Black?”

“Black as night,” I confirm. “It happened outside the stadium, so I’ve been reassigned concert duty as case overlap.” I roll my eyes. “I thought I’d stop by the crime scene on my way home tonight.”

“Those people take advantage of you,” Yoongi grumbles. “You know this, right?”

Shrugging, I watch Colombian coffee fields flick by on the screen. “What’s the harm?” I say. “They value me, they pay me well. I may work long hours but I’m the youngest and best detective on the force.”

Yoongi laughs. “No shit, you’re a witch. How do they think all these miracle cases are getting solved, anyways?”

“My own genius,” I grin, whacking Yoongi with a magazine. “I always manage to find ‘evidence.’”

Yoongi laughs before freezing. His eyes go wide as he flings out his hand. I whirl, spotting his little nephew frozen inches from the wall and start to laugh, realizing Yoongi stopped him just in time.

Exhaling, Yoongi scoots his sister’s son away from danger. With another wave, the boy unfreezes. Not having noticed any difference, he screams and runs into the next room.

Yoongi collapses back on the couch. “Ugh. Why do I even come back here?”

“Oh, stop,” I grin, nudging him. “You pretend to be mean but underneath, you’re a marshmallow.”

Peering up from the brim of his hat, Yoongi frowns. “I’m not. I’m horribly hardcore.”

“Hardcore people don’t use alliteration.”

Over in the next room, a child shrieks with laughter. Then yells, breaking out in a well-known clapping game. 

Yoongi groans loudly, dragging both hands down his face. “Not this rhyme,” he protests. “It’s been stuck in my head since the last time I visited.” He starts mouthing the words, deadpan while he claps to the beat.

One day there might / rise black as night / a shadow ever growing

Come if you dare / light’s chosen heir / and turn from darkness knowing

Your love will fall / betray them all / raise demons from the madness

The end is clear / find light my dear / for peace shall come with morning

It’s a jumping game, one we used to play as children and I wrinkle my nose. “Was this song always so… morbid?”

Yoongi laughs, sitting up. “The bit about your love betraying you is kind of rough.”

“You think that’s the worst?” I arch a brow. “What about ‘raise demons from the madness’?”

“Right.” Yoongi flicks a finger at the TV and the volume goes up. “That part is also depressing.”

“The remote is literally right there," I stare at him, incredulous.

Yoongi shrugs. “Sorry we don’t all suffer from your crippling sense of morality, O’ Prodigy of Light. Anyways, tell me more about this case.”

I roll my eyes. Yoongi likes to poke fun at my awards – which I’ll admit, are numerous. I’ve always been considered good at what I do. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like it but in general, I’m talented in the eyes of the magical community. Okay, more than talented.

If is a good thing or not, I’m unsure. It usually means I end up attracting a lot of unwanted attention.

“I wasn’t able to look into it,” I sigh, sweeping hair back from my face. “Had a bunch of other cases to close today. I think I’ll head to the alley after the concert, scan the place and see if there’s any weird energy lying around.”

Yoongi nods, expression thoughtful. “You think it was a warlock?”

“I think so,” I muse. “But I won’t know until I get there. It’s odd.” I look over. “I’ve never seen anything like this. Normally when a warlock kills, it’s messier. They lose control and,” I gesture with my palms, “splat. This murder was planned, almost as though they were using her for something.”

“For what, though?” Yoongi asks, his eyes unfocused. “Hmm. I see what you mean.”

“Yoongi!” I gasp, slamming mental shields down. “Stop prying.”

He laughs, holding up his hands. “Sorry, sorry! I just wanted to see the photos.”

Glaring, I lower my mental shields again. It’s not a ton of energy to keep them up, more a habit than anything else. Blocking out thoughts is subconscious, a reflex learned when everyone can see your thoughts in childhood, whether you want them to or not. With Yoongi, I usually don’t bother. It’s not like I have anything to hide.

I lean back against the couch. “It’s odd though, right?”

Yoongi nods. “Yeah. She’s young – pretty, too. You don’t think.” He stops mid-thought, glancing sideways. “You don’t think... Taehyung?”

At the name, a shiver runs down my spine. Yoongi was right to lower his voice - Taehyung’s name is rarely spoken aloud, despite everyone knowing who he is. Taehyung is the prodigy of darkness, the bringer of night. He’s said to be incredibly powerful, though no one knows for sure what his specialty is. Or even what he looks like.

It’s smart, come to think of it. People fear what they don’t know, and nothing is known about Taehyung. Nothing but that he’s male, around my age – and that’s it. Whenever a particularly dark incident occurs though, Taehyung is the first to be blamed.

I look away from Yoongi. “Doubtful. Taehyung is smart – he wouldn’t do something this messy. Leave the body for human police to find? Amateur move.”

“Maybe.” Yoongi shrugs. “Unless he’s trying to send a message. You’re well known, Y/N. People always say your name in the same sentence as his – maybe he finally wants to meet you.”

I exhale, playing with the phone in my hand. As I replay the images to myself, I shudder. It’s all too easy to picture me, instead of that girl. Hair fanned, limbs askew. “If that’s the case,” I say, glancing sideways. “I’m not sure I want to hear what he has to say.”

“Maybe you won’t have a choice.”

“Yoongi, ever the optimist,” I grumble, standing from his couch.

Yoongi laughs, not too far behind. “I try to leave the sunshine for Hoseok. I’m a dark wizard, remember?”

I laugh at his childhood taunt. Yoongi is a bit of a conundrum, as far as wizards go. Dark and cynical but beneath, lies a heart of gold. It’s why he’s a wizard and not a warlock - why he’s as light as the sun. Yoongi hates to be reminded of this.

Grinning, I punch him. “You’re a soft marshmallow,” I tease, barely making it two feet before my legs freeze beneath me. “Ah, really?” I groan, glancing over my shoulder.

Yoongi’s eyes narrow. “Carry on,” he grins, waving a hand to release me. “But if you call me marshmallow one more time…”

“Sure thing. Yoongles.”

At the expression on his face, I break into a run.

Five minutes to 7:30, I’m outside the stadium. “Hey!” I call, jogging to catch up with Julia.

She stops before the doors, waiting for me bfore entering. “Hey yourself,” she grins, pushing them open. “Ready for a night of weirdness?”

As I follow her, I laugh. “Please. With all we’ve seen? What’s weird?”

The doors fall shut as Julia shrugs. “I don’t know. I’ve heard a ton of rumors about V’s concerts.”

“Really? Like what?”

Our footsteps echo on linoleum floor. The hallway is empty, though I hear sounds of the crowd outside. The doors open at 7:45 PM, concert starting at 8:30. We’re supposed to be ready when the people come in. As we wander down the hallway, I peer into various rooms.

Julia glances around, lowering her voice. “I mean, have you heard any of his songs?”

“I think?” I say, struggling to remember. “I’m not sure.”

Julia laughs. “No, probably not. They’re all uh, explicit. Sexually. V knows what he’s doing and his concerts usually end up kind of wild.”

“Oh.” A frown creeps over my face. “That’s odd,” I muse. “Wasn’t our suspect at V’s concert? Did her friends mention if she met anyone there?”

Realization dawning, Julia looks suddenly stricken. “Oh,” she says, glancing sideways. “I don’t think they said. Hm. We’ll check that out first thing Monday.”  

I nod, falling silent when we reach the next hall. I spot Derek ahead, ducking down a stairwell labeled STAGE in bright, red letters. A woman with a headset walks by, staring intently at her phone.

Julia grabs her elbow. “Excuse me,” she smiles.

The woman looks up, scanning us from head to toe. “Can I help you?” she asks, clearly hoping the answer is no.

“We’re looking for V,” Julia smiles.

The woman snorts, shaking free. “Aren’t you all. Excuse me, ladies.”

When she tries to move, Julia steps in front of her. Blocking her path and opening her coat to reveal the badge and gun. “We’re looking for V,” she repeats, still smiling. “We’re the additional security.”

The woman’s eyes widen. “Right, sorry.” The woman is suddenly all business, gesturing sideways. “Follow me,” she exhales, taking off down the hall. Weaving in between racks of clothing, dodging the refreshment tables and crew members.

She leads us down a side hallway, knocking once on the plain, black door. Waiting exactly five seconds before she peers inside. “V?” the woman calls, sounding nervous. “Your security is here.”

“What is this?” I mutter, leaning into Julia. “Are we his personal bodyguards, or…?”

Julia shrugs. “Like I said – weird.”

A low voice answers her, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I frown, folding my hands over the top of my coat. I can’t shake the feeling that something is seriously off. The air around us buzzes with electricity, though the generator is nowhere around.

Pulling back from the door, the woman smiles. “Come in,” she says, stepping aside.

The room is bigger than expected. Clean, draped with soft lighting and dark colors. I scan the place as I enter, taking in billowing fabric but no windows, tables piled high with booze and desserts. Velvety sofas pushed against burgundy walls, only one sofa set in the middle of the room.

Julia and I are not the only people present, though all the others are beautiful. Men and women, millling in various corners of the room. They pay us no attention when we enter. Most hold champagne flutes, all wear outfits more revealing than anything in my closet.

Swallowing, I struggle not to feel out of place. Low music plays, the scent of sandalwood and lavender drifting through the room. Beside me, Julia draws in a breath. I turn, only to realize she’s not looking at me.

In front of us, a man rises from the sofa. He holds a glass in hand as he walks forward and now I see, why Julia stares. Why the assistant seemed nervous, why everyone here is drawn, dragged or pulled towards this man’s existence.

He is beautiful. His features are straight and narrow, brow even. Hair maybe a shade darker than the pictures, or maybe it is just the lighting. Everything about him is enticing, from his body to his face – both strong and delicate, at the same time. It is as though he has been made to lure women in. Or maybe, to send them running. The moment I think this, his mouth curves in a predatory smile.

He comes to a stop right before us, gaze half-lidded and focused on Julia. Whatever he sees seems to satisfy him, because he smirks and turns sideways to me. The moment our eyes meet, he starts. I arch an eyebrow, unsure why he looks at me in this manner and, just as quickly, he hides his expression.

V – I assume he must be V – shifts his weight to lean back on his heels. He is dressed in a plain black shirt, unbuttoned halfway and tucked into leather pants cinched with his belt. Running a hand lazily through his hair, he tilts his head to one side.

“Hello,” he smiles.

His voice is deeper than I thought it would be. At my side, Julia stifles a giggle.

“I’m V.“ He pauses, dark eyes glinting the longer he stares. “I suppose though, you can call me Taehyung.”

[Master List]

Author’s Note: I hope you enjoy! I’ve been wanting to write this for awhile, so more fun things to come ~ thank you for reading!

Playlist: Howlin’ For You, The Black Keys; Machine, MisterWives; Stigma, BTS; Chains, Nick Jonas; Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked, Cage the Elephant; Arabella, Arctic Monkeys; Boy Meets Evil, BTS

[dazzledbybooks]

The Bold Type meets The Social Network when three girls vying for prestigious summer internships through a startup incubator program uncover the truth about what it means to succeed in the male-dominated world of tech. This summer Silicon Valley is a girls' club. Three thousand applicants. An acceptance rate of two percent. A dream internship for the winning team. ValleyStart is the most prestigious high school tech incubator competition in the country. Lucy Katz, Maddie Li, and Delia Meyer have secured their spots. And they've come to win. Meet the Screen Queens. Lucy Katz was born and raised in Palo Alto, so tech, well, it runs in her blood. A social butterfly and CEO in-the-making, Lucy is ready to win and party. East Coast designer, Maddie Li left her home and small business behind for a summer at ValleyStart. Maddie thinks she's only there to bolster her graphic design portfolio, not to make friends. Delia Meyer taught herself how to code on a hand-me-down computer in her tiny Midwestern town. Now, it's time for the big leagues--ValleyStart--but super shy Delia isn't sure if she can hack it (pun intended). When the competition kicks off, Lucy, Maddie, and Delia realize just how challenging the next five weeks will be. As if there wasn't enough pressure already, the girls learn that they would be the only all-female team to win ever. Add in one first love, a two-faced mentor, and an ex-boyfriend turned nemesis and things get...complicated. Filled with humor, heart, and a whole lot of girl power, Screen Queens is perfect for fans of Morgan Matson, Jenny Han, and The Bold Type. Screen Queens by Lori Goldstein Publisher: Razorbill Release Date: June 11th 2019 Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction Review: Screen Queens by Lori Goldstein is such a fantastic book. This is something that we needed in the book industry. With how fast pace the tech industry is, I think we forget that women still struggle with the same things in every industry. In a lot of ways women have gained freedom but we still don't win in the workplace. I think that comparing this book to The Bold Type is pretty accurate. This book focuses on three girls that join an incubator tank to design a new app. It is about their struggles of being girls in a program and with trying to prove themselves because they fact that they are girls. I love how much empowerment this book gives girls and women alike. Lucy, Maddie, and Delia are all at ValleyStart for their own reasons. Delia is ready to be a part of the tech world. She is at ValleyStart to make her parents proud and to try to break into an industry that she loves. For Delia this is an opportunity of a lifetime. For Lucy this is an opportunity to meet big wigs in tech as a future CEO. All she wants to do is prove to her mom that she can accomplish her goals in life without her. Maddie is at ValleyStart to build her design portfolio. These three girls are thrown together to build an app together. I love that this story is told in the three perspectives of these young women. I feel like this really helped the reader get the full picture on what is going on at ValleyStart. I really enjoyed that these women were thrown together and became friends The had lots of issues along the way but in the end they were there for each other and that is how women should be. We should be there for each other rather than tear each other down. Goldstein wrote an amazing book. I really loved this book and I thought that Goldstein did an amazing job. You should definitely read this book. There is so much empowerment for women.  Favorite Quote: Because that's how they were all related. The women that came before, the women of now, and the ones to come. All empowered. For the future they'd create.  Five Things Every #TechGirl Needs 1. Snacks. Long hours of planning and coding demand snacks. Many startups and tech companies have fully stocked kitchens with food and beverages available for free around the clock. Sneak into one and you’re likely to find everything from organic granola to acai bowls to honey lavender lattes, jugs of cold brew with almond milk, and of course, ramen.2. A cool phone case. You never leave home without your phone, so why not use it to showcase who you are? Your favorite artist, motto, book (ahem!), stamp your phone case with it! Your favorite vacation spot, dog, cat, turtle, whatever, one flash shows the world your personality and what you hold most dear. Don’t let your phone go naked!3. Headphones. For times when you are head down, deep in coding, drawing, or whatever your passion is, you need to block out the world and focus. A great set of wireless headphones is key. Skullcandy is making headphones designed specifically to fit women. Pretty cool.4. Collaborators. In the world of a tech, a unicorn is someone who is a tech genius, a wizard able to do it all. If you aren’t a unicorn yourself, the best thing to do is surround yourself with collaborators who complete the skill set needed to create the next killer app. Lucy’s the project manager, Maddie’s the designer, and Delia’s the coder. Together they form a formidable team, and the apps they create prove it. Get yourself a squad!5. Thick skin. Here are the facts: Only 20 percent of tech jobs are held by women even though women make up more than half the workforce. The number of female computer science majors has dropped in the past two decades by more than 20 percent, down to just 18 percent. Only 11 percent of executive positions at Silicon Valley companies are held by women. Here’s what we do about it: Encourage more girls from a young age to think of STEM as a career path. The more women who enter the field, the more role models these young girls will see. It is a cycle that will feed itself. Yet it won’t be an easy road. Women entering this field are sure to encounter some of the discrimination and harassment that the girls in SCREEN QUEENS do. They face this with the strength that comes from knowing someone has their back. So along with that thick skin, make sure you have a team and support one another every step of the way. Excerpt: Four. Still. Only four.Lucy shifted in the hard wooden chair across from her mom’s desk and clutched her phone tighter. She swiped up and down with such force that her Caribbean Blue Baby fingernails would have scratched the glass had she not been diligent about using a screen protector.Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr, Snapchat, Facebook . . . Swipe, swipe, swipe. The likes, favorites, followers, friends . . . she had enough. Enough for her ranking on the Pulse app to be higher than four.Four?Swipe, swipe, swipe, swipe.The pink plastic bracelet the bouncer had secured around Lucy’s wrist danced up and down the same way she had last night, after name-dropping her way into the hottest new club in San Francisco’s Tenderloin District. The fact that she didn’t actually know Ryan Thompson, founder of Pulse, was a technicality that would soon be remedied.Her ♥ our fingers are on the pulse ♥ tee only given to Pulse employees opened doors closed even to most of Silicon Valley’s elite. She’d snagged it from a hipster-preneur six months ago at a party in Fremont. He was so busy claiming he left Pulse of his own accord (uh-huh) because his eco-friendly (read: nonprofitable) idea was going to change the world (i.e., drain his bank account) that he scarcely knew what he’d lost. All it took was a deftly spilled cocktail, an exorbitant dry cleaning bill, and Lucy’s favorite tank (note: pomegranate margaritas don’t come out of silk), but it was worth it.Soon she’d have one of her own.And she’d no longer be a 4.♥♥♥♥Really?The likes on her Instagram story from last night alone should have bumped her up to a 5. Thumping. But here she sat. Still at 4. Still Thudding.She stared at the string of hearts on her Pulse profile knowing that, somehow, this was all because she was wait-listed at Stanford.And that, Lucy knew the exact “how” of: Gavin Cox.Freaking Gavin Cox.She shouldn’t have done it, but her blue fingernail moved on its own, navigating to his profile.Level 6. Throbbing. Gavin Cox was Throbbing and she was Thudding. If only she possessed a male member and a wingspan like Michael Phelps, she’d be Throbbing too. But now that high school was over, winning state would no longer be a crutch for Gavin, and his Pulse would plummet. He’d be lucky to be Beating—a measly 3.Lucy was tempted to knock her mom’s expansive cherry wood desk. But Lucy Katz didn’t believe in luck. Lucy Katz didn’t hope. Lucy Katz didn’t dream. Lucy Katz did.She knew what she wanted.And it wasn’t this.Thudding and wait-listed and this drab third-floor office in this mud-brown building in this sad little Sunnyvale office park.So it wouldn’t be.Tired of the edge of the chair digging into the soft underside of her knees, she scooted forward until her wedge sandals reached the floor.Her mom was twenty minutes late.As usual.Lucy knew enough to show up for their scheduled lunch a half hour after its start time, but she was on time.As always.Lucy planned like other people breathed.Which was why she wasn’t nervous about Stanford. It was a blip. A minor inconvenience. Nothing that an internship at Pulse wouldn’t wipe away like a hard reset on her MacBook Pro.She stared at the gently tanned skin of her exposed ankles and wiggled her toes, enticing circulation to resume after being dangled two inches off the floor despite her heels. She pulled her pink-and-white-striped notebook onto her lap and leafed through the pages, refreshing herself on all the notes she’d taken thus far on ValleyStart, the summer tech incubator program she was about to begin. The five-week competition ended with one team winning an internship at Pulse. If she succeeded (please), she’d spend the rest of the summer at Pulse with Ryan Thompson. And Pulse, well, not even Stanford could ignore a pedigree that included Pulse.Satisfied it was all already committed to memory, she closed her notebook and stared at the shiny gold L floating on the center of the cover—the only Hanukkah gift she’d received last year, sent in a FedEx envelope from her mom’s assistant.She tucked it under her arm and stood, passing by windows that looked out on row after row of blue, red, black, white, and green hybrid cars lined up like Crayolas in the parking lot, the closest the office came to having a pop of color. A four-by-six double frame propped beside her mom’s three monitors was the only personalization in the room.One side held Lucy as a baby, swaddled in her mom’s arms with her dad looking off to the side, toward the London office he’d soon head. The second photo once again displayed the three of them, this time on graduation day, just a few weeks ago. Her dad had scheduled a week of meetings before and after in order to attend.Two milestones in Lucy’s life, as if nothing had happened in between, with the frame leaving no room for anything to come.The graduation photo hung crooked in the frame. She could just see her mom hurriedly shoving it inside with one hand, typing an email with the other, while on a conference call with Singapore, Melbourne, and Dubai.Lucy set her phone on the desk. She pulled off the cardboard backing to straighten the photo and out fell the slip of paper behind it: a smiling baby—not Lucy, simply the picture that had come in the frame. How long had her mom kept that other child beside Lucy? Long enough to forget to print one to take its place, long enough to no longer notice that she should.On the desk, her phone vibrated and lit up with a text.ValleyStart: Team assignments are in! Meet Your Mates!Lucy’s arm shot out like a rattlesnake and her notebook fell, knocking into one of her mom’s monitors.“Lucy!” Abigail Katz entered the room and rushed forward in her expensive flats.“Got it!” Lucy’s tennis-trained reflexes saved the monitor before it took down the others like dominos.Considering Lucy had read and re-read the acceptance packet about a thousand times and been waiting for the past two months to see who she’d be spending the next five weeks with, her restraint in not jumping on the ValleyStart portal instantly was extraordinary.It’s actually happening.Her pulse quickened, and she was almost dizzy as she circled one way around the desk, back to the hard chair. Her mom rounded the corner from the opposite direction, adjusted the tilt of the monitor, and sat down in front of it.With the seven-inch height difference between them, Lucy could only see her eyes. And the tiredness in them.Lucy would never deny that Abigail Katz worked hard.But that was all she did.“I’m sorry, Lucy.” Abigail smoothed the ends of her chin-length bob. The barest hint of gray dusted the roots—a constant battle, waged every three weeks as she colored it back to brown. “They needed some guidance in a branding meeting that wasn’t on my schedule.”“Right,” Lucy said.Abigail reached into the top drawer of her desk and pulled out two protein bars. “Just a quick lunch, then, okay?”Peanut butter. Lucy hated peanut butter. “Sure.” She peeled back the wrapping. Not even peanut butter could ruin her ValleyStart high.“All set for tomorrow?”“Packed the car this morning.” She bounced (just a little) in her seat.Abigail stopped chewing. “Not an Uber or Lyft?”“It’s ten miles.”“Right. Ten.”Half the number of fender benders Lucy had been in. Who has time to spend learning to be a perfect driver?“Fine. Whatever.” Lucy pretended there was no judgment in her mom’s question and forced a bite of the peanut butter. “I’ll leave the car.”“Better plan. You won’t need it anyway.” Abigail set her own half-eaten bar down. “You have to focus. Palo Alto High School may have been competitive, but ValleyStart’s in another league. The top startup incubator for high school graduates in the country with only sixty accepted out of—”“Three thousand applicants, I know.” An acceptance rate of only two percent. Two. Stanford’s was four. The sole explanation . . .Freaking Gavin Cox.The only other applicant from her high school to make it into ValleyStart.Lucy pushed her heels into the floor and all thoughts of Gavin where they belonged—in the past.“I’ve been focused, Mom. I’m certainly not going to stop now.” Top ten in her class, 4.8 GPA, tennis all-star, two marathons under her belt, and still a lecture on being “focused.” Lucy regretted the bite as her stomach churned.“Nothing wrong with reminders,” Abigail said, just as one dinged on her computer and phone in unison, the sound as familiar to Lucy as the squeak of her bedroom door.Lucy stood.“Wait. It’s just . . .” Abigail’s eyes slowly drifted from her three monitors to Lucy’s expertly draped off-the-shoulder tee and perfectly cuffed dark-wash jeans. “I’ve always given you freedom because you’ve shown that you can handle it. Up until now.”Now meaning not getting into Stanford.“But with this, with this new world you’re entering, well, I just want you to be aware of the pressures and the importance of how you present yourself.”“Present myself? I’m not a poodle in some dog show.”“That’s not what I meant.”“Then what do you mean, Mom?”“Letting off steam in high school is one thing, but now you’re an adult.”“So I’ve heard.” Her mom had repeated the same phrase ad nauseam since Lucy’s eighteenth birthday three months ago.“Believe me, Lucy, it’s no secret how little you’ve wanted to heed my advice lately. If and when that changes, you know where to find me.”Right here in this same baby-poop-brown office you’ve lived in since I took my first steps . . . which, naturally, you missed.Heat rose in Lucy’s chest, and all she wanted to do was give her mom a reminder: that the phrase was “work hard” and “play hard.” And the playing bit could yield the same—if not better—results as the working. Connections made things happen. Just ask her Pulse tee.“Sure, Mom.” Lucy brushed her hand through her long dark hair, forgetting she was still holding the brick of peanut butter. She picked a crumb off a strand by her chin and watched as her mom slipped on her computer glasses and turned the world right in front of her eyes crystal clear, blurring everything else beyond—including Lucy.Lucy headed for the door. “Just one small thing . . . in order to give me freedom or anything else, you’d actually have to be around.”She didn’t wait for her mom to look up; she simply wrapped her hand around the metal knob and closed the door behind her with barely a sound, making sure she “presented herself” properly.How am I even related to her?Lucy only made it halfway down the hall before she slowed, leaned her head against the crap-colored walls, and tried to stop her heart from racing.Level 7. Seven hearts was Racing.Like everyone her age, like everyone in the world, Lucy knew the Pulse levels as well as her home address. “What’s your Pulse?” were the first words off of anyone’s lips upon meeting, the first background check determining worthiness for everything from friend to blind date to party invites, probably even job offers.The brainchild of Ryan Thompson when he was only a year older than Lucy, the app amalgamated an individual’s likes, favorites, views, thumbs-ups, and more from every major social media platform, translating it to a simple Pulse level, ranking you from zero, Dead, all the way to ten, Crushing It. Over time, as the app evolved, Level 10s became top influencers, the people everyone wanted to be or be seen with. Advertisers and the entertainment business soon realized that Level 10s’ smiling faces could increase sales and media coverage. Now, 10s got complimentary everything, from the newest iPhones to dips in Iceland’s Blue Lagoon. To be a 10 was to live with all the perks.Once Lucy and her team won the ValleyStart incubator, Pulse would be her second home for the rest of the summer. The prize of an internship at the most successful tech company in the past ten years was worth more than any amount of money.She’d use it to her advantage. Starting now.Lucy opened the Stanford portal and did what she’d wanted to do for weeks, since she was accepted into ValleyStart. She requested a second alumni interview. She knew it was irregular, but she explained that she had new information she was delighted to share—namely the incubator.Lucy then lifted her chin higher and straightened her top. As she passed by the largest office—a suite—she ran her finger along the three little letters on the nameplate: CEO.Pulse would secure that future.At the elevators, Lucy logged into the ValleyStart portal to find not just the names of her teammates but her assigned mentor: Ryan Thompson.For the first time since arriving at her mom’s office, Lucy smiled. About the Author: Author of SCREEN QUEENS, coming from Razorbill, June 11, 2019, and available for preorder now (Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and IndieBound) about three teen girls who attend a startup incubator in Silicon Valley and learn what it means to compete in the male-dominated world of tech. My Young Adult Contemporary Fantasy series Becoming Jinn and Circle of Jinn is a modern spin on the traditional tale of wish-granting genies (Feiwel and Friends/Macmillan). Obsessed with books, beach, and Game of Thrones, Find me at @loriagoldstein and follow my blog and sign up for my newsletter at http://bit.ly/24E6Zjn, my Instagram at http://bit.ly/2x7UFhf my Tumblr at http://bit.ly/1Mbzk8a. Like my author page on Facebook for fun book-related photos, tidbits, and happenings as well as news on upcoming releases. Giveaway: Prize (1): Win a copy of SCREEN QUEENS by Lori Goldstein and two swag packs (US Only) Prize (2): Win (1) of (20) paper doll character cards for Lucy, Maddie, and Delia (INTERNATIONAL+US/CAN) Starts: June 18th 2019 Ends: July 2nd 2019 a Rafflecopter giveaway Tour Schedule: http://fantasticflyingbookclub.blogspot.com/2019/05/tour-schedule-screen-queens-by-lori.html June 18th The Unofficial Addiction Book Fan Club - Welcome Post June 19th Moonlight Rendezvous - Review + Favourite Quotes The Reading Corner for All - Review + Favourite Quotes Young Adult Media Consumer - Review + Favourite Quotes Devouring Books - Review Confessions of a YA Reader - Promotional Post June 20th The Book Thief Without Words - Review Snark and Squee - Review Kayla Reads and Reviews - Review Wall-to-wall books - Review June 21st The Hermit Librarian - Interview Book-Keeping - Review + Favourite Quotes A Few Chapters 'til Love - Review + Dream Cast Hauntedbybooks - Review + Favourite Quotes Bemused Bibliophile - Review June 22nd L.M. Durand - Review + Favourite Quotes Magical Reads - Review + Playlist Kait Plus Books - Review + Favourite Quotes Musings of a (Book) Girl - Review + Favourite Quotes Pooled Ink - Promotional Post June 23rd The YA Obsessed - Review Belle's Archive - Review Frayed Books - Review Firstbooklove - Review Dazzled by Books - Review + Favourite Quotes June 24th Morgan Vega - Review + Playlist + Favourite Quotes The Clever Reader - Review + Favourite Quotes Bookish In Bed - Review Mind of Luxe - Review Kourtni Reads - Review + Favourite Quotes

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[fashiontrendin-blog]

How I Got the Best Curly Hair of My Life, Thanks to Instagram

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How I Got the Best Curly Hair of My Life, Thanks to Instagram

If you had told 13-year-old me that someday, in the faraway future, hundreds of people would generously teach me how to take care of my curly hair on an app called Instagram, I would have cried. Okay, I would have asked what an app is and then I would have cried.

I have only very recently (like, in the last year) started loving my hair in all its maximalist, effusive glory. I used to straighten it every week all the way through high school and college. Now, though, I’ve come to realize that much like bright colors and clashing patterns, frizz and curls better reflect how I feel on the inside than stick-straight strands do. My hair is as much an expression of my personal style as my rainbow sweater collection.

That doesn’t mean it’s easy, however. Sometimes it looks like this (please see left). I often think about what Shiona Turini said when she shared her hair routine on Man Repeller after switching from straightening it for years to finally wearing it natural: “I’m […] learning that no two hair days are the same. It has a mind of its own and it depends on so many variables. I can only embrace it.”

She hit the nail on the head. Curly hair is higher-maintenance than a teacup poodle. As much as I’ve come to enjoy mine, I do not enjoy the mental space it takes up in my effort to make it look its best — the product application, the air-drying, the spritzing, the oiling — and even then it often turns on me out of the blue, sticking out at a weird angle after a restless night’s sleep or becoming broom-like after too much contact with my beloved chartreuse mohair peacoat.

Exasperated after a recent bout of curly hair betrayals, I turned to my favorite therapist-cum-search-engine (Instagram!) for advice. I asked for three things: 1.) general curly hair tips, 2.) how to preserve my curls so they maintain their luster for multiple days after washing, and 3.) where to get a good curly haircut in New York.

Messages poured in from people with every curl type under the sun, some offering advice and others asking for me to share said advice. I was originally going to post the responses on my Instagram Stories, but I received so many requests I figured there was a real thirst for it — enough to merit a permanent post on the interwebs that could be easily referenced in a post-mohair pinch. Below, find the answers to my three queries as culled from Instagram, plus the routine I’ve adopted since, and please oh puhleeze deposit any additional curly hair secrets in the comments below if you have them.

General product recommendations:

“Camille Rose. All its products are great! But the Algae Renew Deep Conditioner is my holy grail. I have super duper curly hair and it helps my curls stay lush.”

“Shea Moisture!!!!! Truly revolutionary!!!! It isn’t high-end and it’s very affordable. But the same brand has a higher-end line called Madam C.J. Walker. Absolutely life-changing. Use the shampoos and the hair cream for after the shower to keep the integrity of your curls.”

“Shu Uemura Wonder Worker — best product I’ve used for a frizz-free air dry.”

“Philip Kingsley Elasticizer Pre Shampoo Treatment!! It is a pre-wash treatment but I leave it in overnight. It is the only thing that saves my curls from all the heat damage I do to it!”

“I use Curl Keeper. It’s a Canadian product line, so I’m not sure if you can order it to the states but nothing tames my curls quite like it!”

“I just started using L’Oreal EverCurl Sculpt and Hold Cream. It’s NOT CRUNCHY and makes my hair shiny with less frizz. I also love Paul Mitchell Skinny Serum and Davines Curl Building Serum.”

“Evo Liquid Rollers Curl Balm is a game-changing product!! My hair is just like yours and it supports the curls but is not crunchy one bit! So soft!”

“Lush’s Dirty Hair Styling Cream is really good for light definition and it smells like someone who believes in crystal magic in the best possible way.”

“AG Hair Recoil Curl Activator is gooooood! Recommended to me by another curly-haired babe and I was skeptical but now can’t live without it.”

“Davines Oi All In One Milk! Also Davines has a whole line ‘Love Curl‘ with an amazing curl refresher. Cruelty-free and paraben-free!”

“I use the Whipped Cream by Sebastian! It’s super lightweight so doesn’t make your hair greasy, but it’s enough to hold your curls in place for a week.”

“R&B Hair Moisturizer from Lush!!! I used to bleach my hair and it was the only thing that’s kept it alive and soft, especially in the winter.”

“The best conditioner I’ve ever used and have used for the last eight years (!!!) is the Moisture Repair Conditioner by Moroccan Oil — you don’t need much, just comb that sucker through with a wide-tooth comb in the shower and rinse with cold water. [You’ll have] the silkiest hair [right] out of the shower.”

“I really like Miss Jessie’s Pillow Soft Curls Styling Lotion! It’s good for definition that’s not crunchy and it smells like fresh laundry. A woman stopped me in a bar last weekend to tell me how wonderful my hair smells!”

“A product called Cantu has rocked my world. It’s only 7 bucks but don’t let that fool ya. My curls are feelin’ themselves.”

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Curl preservation tips:

“I started leaving coconut oil in my hair for a full day before my shampoo day, and it feels aaaaaamazing. Highly recommend.”

“I really like Living Proof No Frizz Leave-In conditioner. It really helps tame the post-shower frizz for close to a week.”

“Put lots of salt (sea salt or kosher) in a big bowl with warm water, whisk it together and after a shower dunk it over your head.”

“Moisturize in the morning and evening! Spritz with a bit of water, let that sink in and then smooth over with a tiny bit of your favorite moisturizing styler.”

“I change up my products so I don’t use the same thing all the time or my hair starts to get used to it and starts to frizz.”

“Use a glass spray bottle to spray day 2 or 3 (or 4 or 5) after washing, and just get your whole head damp and add a little of whatever your after-shower product is, it kind of brings curls back to life a little.”

“For third-day hair, I’ve used Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk and then I’ll spritz my curls with water and then spray in a little more Briogeo Leave-In Conditioning Spray.”

“I like to use a spray bottle with a little argan oil in it to spray over those curls that need help day 2 or 3 after washing.”

“Carol’s Daughter Hair Milk Refresher Spray.”

“Bumble and bumble’s Bb. Curl (Style) Pre-Style/Re-Style Primer is CLUTCH for extending curls! You apply it before your other styling products and then just spray it on again to re-define and re-moisturize after a few days. If I need even more moisture I’ll spray Infusium 23 Moisture Replenisher (which is dirt cheap yay) and then the Bumble and bumble.”

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Where to get a good curly haircut in NYC:

“Fox & Jane on Grand St. — Kiki is a lifesaver.”

“Jennifer Luna at Fox & Jane is a curly-haired, curly hair genius and super bubbly and sweet.”

“Go to Angela at Whistle Salon!

“Chokmah Hair Lab”

“Bull in The Heather Salon”

“Stacy at Butterfly Studio on 23rd street. She’s amazing. A little pricey but worth it.”

“Coby at Little Axe in Williamsburg will change your life.”

“Brush on 19th St”

“Dante Pronio!!! The only haircut I haven’t cried after in my life. I have followed him to four different salons. He is at Sally Hershberger now. When my hair was short he cut it to visually compensate for my right shoulder which is a little higher than my left shoulder. He also does this cute dance when flicking cut pieces of hair to the group. I think he is totally unaware of it, which makes it even better.”

“Antonio at John Barrett is great with curls. He’s been my hair stylist for 16 years from Cleveland to NYC. He’s a hair genius and the nicest person IRL.”

“Chris Chase in Chelsea”

“Cindy at Linden Salon is a genius with curly hair — removing weight without length. She’s in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Worth a trip.”

“SELF Salon in Williamsburg. Go to one of their DevaChan-certified stylists.”

“Shuki Zikri”

“Girl, it’s Head Chop in Williamsburg. $100 for a cut and curl set. Ask for Martha Ellen — she’s a curl wizard AND she has a cute dog.”

“Molly at Sara June — she’s a curly-haired stylist.”

My new hair routine:

1. Wash in the shower once a week with DevaCurl Low Poo Shampoo

2. Condition with DevaCurl One Conditioner OR the Tony Moly Mayo Hair Mask and comb through with fingers

3. Scrunch in IGK Mistress Hydrating Hair Balm while it’s still pretty wet

4. Tie up using the “plopping” method for about ~20 minutes (an Instagram recommendation — TYSM!)

5. Air dry

6. Spritz with water throughout the week and reapply IGK Mistress Hydrating Hair Balm as-needed (also an Instagram recommendation, and probably the most impactful change in my routine in that I’m able to maintain the integrity of my curls for longer between washes)

Overall I couldn’t be more thrilled with the results of my Help Harling’s Curls social media campaign, the only downside being that I now have so many products and hair salons I want to try it will probably take me until age 175 to fully vet them all. That’s okay, though. If there’s one thing curly hair has taught me, it’s patience.

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Now it’s your turn! Deposit as much curl wisdom as your curly-scalped brain contains below.

Photos by Edith Young.; Illesteva sunglasses throughout.

[sadgirlclxb]

1-99?

All right kids here we go 1. Spotify, SoundCloud, or Pandora? If I had to choose I would Spotify. 2. is your room messy or clean? A weird combination of both 3. what color are your eyes? Brown 🙄4. do you like your name? why? No, because it sounds weird to me 5. what is your relationship status? Taken ✨💓6. describe your personality in 3 words or less: human trash can 7. what color hair do you have? Right now it's black and has two blonde pieces 8. what kind of car do you drive? color? I drive a Chevy HHR, it's like a weird gunmetal gray color 9. where do you shop? For what lol 10. how would you describe your style? I wear a lot of black and band tees 12. favorite social media account: probably this or Facebook 13. what size bed do you have? A size14. any siblings? 2 younger ones 15. if you can live anywhere in the world where would it be? why? Probably nowhere bc I'm pretty okay with where I live favorite snapchat filter? I don't really use them favorite makeup brand(s): Jeffree star, NYX, Maybelline, really anything honestly as long as it doesn't test on animals ✨how many times a week do you shower? Who knows favorite tv show? Probably American horror story shoe size? 8.5 how tall are you? 5'5 - 5'6 ishsandals or sneakers? Sneakers I fucking hate sandals do you go to the gym? Lol describe your dream date: taking a nice evening stroll through the seventh layer of hell how much money do you have in your wallet at the moment? A lot of cards what color socks are you wearing? Black 😬how many pillows do you sleep with? A lot, and then I push them all off and only really use one do you have a job? what do you do? Yes, I'm a hair wizard ✨💜🖤how many friends do you have? Like 5 whats the worst thing you have ever done? Exist whats your favorite candle scent? All the fall themed ones 3 favorite boy names: I don't really have any preference I guess 3 favorite girl names: same as the previous question favorite actor? Mmmm i have a few favorite actress? ^ who is your celebrity crush? Do band members count favorite movie? The nightmare before Christmas, or the devils rejects do you read a lot? whats your favorite book? No, I wish I did. Anything written by Ellen Hopkins money or brains? Brains do you have a nickname? what is it? I have a few how many times have you been to the hospital? Oh jeez top 10 favorite songs: can't answer this do you take any medications daily? Nope what is your skin type? (oily, dry, etc) oily AF what is your biggest fear? Being lied to and losing loved ones how many kids do you want? 🙅🏻whats your go to hair style? Leaving it down what type of house do you live in? (big, small, etc) it's like, medium sized I guess who is your role model? I have a few what was the last compliment you received? There's been a lot what was the last text you sent? I honestly don't rememberhow old were you when you found out santa wasn’t real? I think I was like, 9? what is your dream car? An all black Volkswagen bug, but a newer one opinion on smoking? I smoke but it's a bad habit do you go to college? Not anymore, a bitch graduated 🙋🏻what is your dream job? My current job would you rather live in rural areas or the suburbs? Either ordo you take shampoo and conditioner bottles from hotels? FUCK NO do you have freckles? On my arms do you smile for pictures? Sometimes how many pictures do you have on your phone? Like over a thousandhave you ever peed in the woods? Yeah do you still watch cartoons? Yeah lol do you prefer chicken nuggets from Wendy’s or McDonalds? I've never had Wendy's so Favorite dipping sauce? 🙅🏻what do you wear to bed? Usually shorts and a band tee have you ever won a spelling bee? No bc I don't participate in thingswhat are your hobbies? Hair and spending too much time on the internet can you draw? Nooooo do you play an instrument? Nope what was the last concert you saw? I went to warped tour tea or coffee? Both Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts? Starbucks do you want to get married? Eventually probablywhat is your crush’s first and last initial? DWare you going to change your last name when you get married? Probably what color looks best on you? I'm not sure actually do you miss anyone right now? Yeah do you sleep with your door open or closed? Closed do you believe in ghosts? Heck yeah 👻what is your biggest pet peeve? Lyinglast person you called: kwynn favorite ice cream flavor? Probably something chocolate regular oreos or golden oreos? Regular wtf chocolate or rainbow sprinkles? Either what shirt are you wearing? You guessed it- a black shirt what is your phone background? Kwynn and Sam are you outgoing or shy? Mostly shy but I can be both do you like it when people play with your hair? Yeaaah do you like your neighbors? Yeah they're okay do you wash your face? at night? in the morning? In the night have you ever been high? Yeah have you ever been drunk? Yeah last thing you ate? Cereal favorite lyrics right now: I have so many summer or winter? Winter day or night? Night dark, milk, or white chocolate? Milk chocolate favorite month? OCTOBER what is your zodiac sign: libra