#They just kind of... well protested but not because they'd miss me if you catch my drift.

[rubberduckyrye]

ARGH I FELL DOWN A YT RABBIT HOLE WATCHING SU:F CLIPS.

There's something that chokes me up about Steven saying goodbye to his friends and family, in a "I never really got that kind of goodbye" kind of way.

[doyelikehaggis]

Twelve Days of Rarepairs: Scydia/McMartin | Scott McCall x Lydia Martin (Teen Wolf)

Requested by @wonderdoves & anonymous

"This place is…"

Scott can't even think of a word. He just gazes ahead of them in wonder and awe. For miles, all he can see is snow. A thick white blanket of it covering the entire path ahead, the roads, the cobblestoned buildings, the trees—god, even the trees feel like something out of a fairytale, with long, twisting branches that have a dusting of snow themselves. And it's still going, trying to make them part of the scenery, too.

"You'd think you'd never seen snow before," Lydia teases. 

"I haven't—not like this! California's snow is nothing compared to this." 

Lydia just smiles, a certain fondness in her eyes. She squints up at the sky, her nose wrinkling slightly, their suitcases dragging along through the snow behind them as they continue their way from the ferry port. Something else that Scott is admittedly still in amazement over; he'd never actually been on a ferry before. 

It's just a good thing that the snow stopped long enough for them to actually reach Ireland, or else they'd have still been holed up in their cabin, stuck somewhere in the middle of the sea. Not the worst scenario he can think of, to be fair. But he's glad, nonetheless, because this is so much better. 

"I don't know," Lydia says. "I think I prefer the warm winters. I'm just hoping that Gran and Nana make their hot chocolate like they used to when I was younger, I'm telling you, it's the best thing ever."

Scott smiles, finally looking at Lydia as they come to a stop outside a two-storey, cobbled house with a gate around the garden. Her cheeks are flushed from the cold, her nose a pale pink. Snowflakes have clung to her green hat, along the shoulders of her matching green coat, and to her eyelashes. There's a gleam of pure excitement and joy beneath them as she stares at the house. 

When she takes a deep breath, it returns like a puff of smoke. Scott gently squeezes her hand and holds it up in his own, bringing her gloved knuckles to his lips.

"You look nervous," he tells her softly. 

"A little," Lydia says, nodding. "Only because I haven't been here since I was… nine? And there's so much to tell them. I mean, I know my mom filled them in on pretty much everything, but still."

Scott nods as well, saying, "I know. It's a lot. But it'll be okay."

"Yeah, of course," Lydia agrees. Her smile seems a little more confident as she gives another nod.

They walk through the gate, into the garden that Scott's now seeing is teeming with things; empty plant pots, kids toys, an overturned bicycle. Even the stones of the house are more interesting than he had initially realized, with bright murals painted across the whole front of the house. 

As soon as they enter the house, the door closing behind them, they're hit with unexplainable warmth. And the shouting and giggling of kids that whiz past them, nearly knocking them off their feet. 

"I forgot how loud it gets here," Lydia says, but she's laughing. Scott can see it in her eyes as she looks around the entrance hall, beautifully decorated with lengths of tinsel, and handcrafted baubles hanging from the ceiling. 

Framed pictures line the walls up the stairs as far as he can. The closest one, hanging by the bottom of the stairs, has a familiar little girl, giving her biggest smile to the camera beside a young woman with a striking resemblance. 

"Is this you?" Scott asks, his smile wide. 

Lydia looks at the photo. "Oh god, yeah. I think that was when I was, like… six? I came up here every Christmas and New Year before my parents divorced. That's my gran."

"You look like her," Scott tells her, and he can hear the joyful skip of heart, hear it in her proud little hum of agreement. 

"Well, maybe without some of the grey hair," a voice says from behind them. 

They both turn around, and Lydia's face lights up. She's already squealing and dropping her suitcase and Scott's hand. 

"Gran!" Lydia practically flies at her, hugging her tightly. 

Her gran laughs, caught by surprise but only for a second, wrapping her up in her arms. "I've missed you too, Ariel!" 

"Haven't heard that name in a while," someone else says, with a distinctively more Irish accent, but still holding the same fond, overjoyed tone.

Scott looks at the woman who appears at their side from the room behind Lydia and her gran. He recognizes her instantly from all the photos. 

Maddy places a hand on Lorraine's shoulder as she and Lydia pull apart. Lydia looks on the verge of tears as she buries herself into Maddy's open embrace as well for a second, both laughing now. 

"And you…" Lorraine looks over Scott with a smile and a gleam in her eyes. A certain kind of knowing. "... You're Scott McCall."

Scott returns her smile and nods. "I am. I've heard a lot about you, Mrs. Martin."

"Yeah, I know a thing or two about you as well," Lorraine tells him, and he knows. 

He knows she isn't just talking about him and Lydia being together, but about everything. The deadpool. She knew who he was and what he was going to be before he even hit ten. 

For a moment, his worries from the ferry come back. Not all supernatural creatures are a fan of each other, and with the destruction that werewolves have a history of causing, banshees can't be that fond of them. And especially with everything that's happened to Lydia. 

But then her smile grows and she says, "I'm glad to finally meet you! And, please, call me Lorraine. This is my wife, Maddy."

"So, this is the little wolf that got your heart, huh?" Maddy jokes to Lydia, an arm around her shoulders. 

Lydia looks at Scott. She bites her bottom lip through her smile, and her eyes are saying everything. 

She nods and softly says, "Yeah. He is."

"Then you're more than welcome here," Lorraine says.

Relief starts to lift the weight off of Scott's shoulders and chest. The warm, welcoming atmosphere is hard to resist, and he's already feeling at home. 

-

Lydia was right. The hot chocolate is one of the best things he's ever had. Creamy and overflowing with marshmallows with a candy cane to stir it around. Not to mention the plate of cookies. He has never had a gingerbread man that tastes this good.

It's already dark outside, the sun having set an hour or two after they arrived. They already changed into warmer, more comfortable clothes, and settled in front of the fireplace in the living room to get rid of the chill from the snow. Lorraine and Maddy insisted. Didn't want them getting sick, and ignoring their protests about not being able to actually get sick.

"Your cousins don't look like they're having a good time," Scott comments quietly, watching the half-asleep couple sitting in the corner. 

"They have five kids, all under the age of ten," Lydia replies. "I think the only thing they can feel right now is exhausted."

Scott snorts. He looks around the room. He's met nearly everyone on this side of the family by now. Every cousin, second cousin, aunts, uncles. The kids that Lorraine and Maddy took in have been especially eager to meet him. 

His attention is drawn back to the little boy sitting cross-legged in front of him. He's only nine.

Scott wasn't expecting it when Lorraine and Maddy told him that around ten years ago, another banshee had found them. She was only nineteen and had no one and no idea what was going on with her. They took her in, Lorraine helped her. And from then, it's like their home was its own supernatural beacon, but for kids who had nowhere else to go. 

Sean, the little boy currently sneaking another gingerbread man from the plate, is a werewolf. His family, his pack, were hunted down when he was four. Lorraine felt it coming. She and Maddy found Sean. 

There's a little yelp and Sean clutches his hand. Scott catches a glimpse of tiny claws where nails should be. 

"Can I…?" he asks, holding out a hand. 

Sean hesitates, but he glances at Lydia, who smiles and nods encouragingly, then back at Scott. He slowly gives him his hand, palm up. 

"I don't know how to control it…" Sean mutters, looking down sheepishly. 

Scott inspects where the small trickle of blood is coming from. Three little lines where his claws accidentally caught his skin in passing. 

Shaking his head, Scott speaks gently, and draws on the pain in Sean's hand. "It's okay. You're still learning."

"Yeah, it's actually harder for born wolves," Lydia chimes in, nodding convincingly when Sean lifts his eyes to her with curiosity. "You'd think it was the other way around, but one of our friends—he was born a werewolf."

"And he didn't learn until he was sixteen," Scott tells him. "It just takes time."

"And knowing what keeps you grounded," Lydia adds. "Your anchor."

Sean looks at Scott. "Do you have an anchor?"

Scott nods. "I do. I had to learn to let me be my own anchor, but when that doesn't work for me, I focus on all the people I love. My mom, my best friend, my pack." 

He glances at Lydia only to find her already gazing at him with the softest smile, her cheek leaning against her shoulder. She places a kiss to his shoulder, her hand resting on her arm for a second.

"You just need to find something that makes you feel more in control," Scott finishes, turning back to Sean. "Even if it's an emotion."

Sean nods slowly. His expression is one of deep thought, trying to work to figure out what his own anchor could be. 

"Now, you should go clean this up," Scott says. "Just run it under warm water with some soap, okay? It might sting a little, but just ask Lorraine or Maddy if they have any antibiotic cream, and then put a bandage on it."

"Are you a doctor?" Sean asks.

"No," Scott can't help but grin as he says, "I'm just a vet."

That answer only seems to confuse Sean. But he gets up and hurries off to go do what Scott instructed. 

When Scott turns back, Lydia's still watching him. She has this look on her face, a thoughtful glaze in her eyes and a certain kind of smile that he can't read. 

Chuckling, Scott asks, "What is it?"

She lets a beat pass. She shakes her head, takes a slow breath in, then looks over at the window instead.

"It's still snowing. Do you wanna sit in the garden? There's a nice bench out back."

Scott's eyebrows furrow a little, but he stands with her, following her to the back door from the kitchen. Stepping outside is like what he'd imagine stepping into a walk-in freezer would feel like. 

But the cold biting at his skin is unimportant. The awe hits him all over again as he takes in the sight of the garden, feeling like he just stepped into a fairytale instead. Everywhere he looks, everything is white and sparkling. From the entire ground, to the gazebo at the end of the garden. 

Somehow, in amidst it all, there are flowers. Whole roses and everything, snow dusting across their dark red petals. 

"This is…" Scott breathes out, his eyes wide, "... I don't even know what this is. This place doesn't feel real."

Lydia laughs gently. She wraps her arms around her and nods, looking around as the snow falls around them. 

"Yeah, it does feel kind of… magical."

"We could actually make a snowman," Scott continues. "Or have a real snowball fight. Are snow angels things that people actually do?"

Lydia's eyebrows are raised when he looks back at her, and she's shaking her head. But she's got a smile that stretches to the corners of her eyes and he can feel emotions radiating off of her.

"You are so dorky." She moves closer, wrapping her arms around the back of his neck. "And I love you."

Scott smiles. His voice is soft and giving away all of the fondness he feels for her when he says, "And I love you."

She leans in, her head tilting. Her lips are soft against his. He pulls her a little closer, his arms wrapping around her waist. The cold and even the snow is easier to ignore.

Lydia pulls back, her hands lingering on his shoulders. Scott doesn't let go at all. 

"I'm really glad you're here with me," Lydia tells him. "And my whole family now loves you, so that's a nice bonus. I think you even made a friend."

Scott grins, shrugging. "Your family is great, and I am… beyond relieved that they like me. And, I think with Sean, it's a werewolf thing."

"Oh, no." Lydia shakes her head firmly. "Maybe that's a small part of it, the whole Alpha thing and all, but all of the kids in there love you."

They pull apart. Lydia sits down on the bench. Scott follows, and can't help but start piling the snow from the arm of the bench into a ball in his hand. 

"You were amazing with Sean," Lydia comments, glancing at him. She's doing the same thing with the snow on her side. 

Scott shrugs again. "I just told him the same as I told Liam. And Alec. It's how I wish I could have been introduced to all of this. With someone reassuring me that it would be okay."

Lydia nods in a shared understanding. Neither of their starts in the supernatural word were exactly pleasant or comforting. Scott's only sorry that Lydia was brought into it the way she was. 

She rests a hand on top of his, curling her fingers beneath his palm. She squeezes gently. 

He knows that she can tell what he's thinking. Sometimes he worries that banshees have the ability to read minds as well. But the look she gives him and her hand there with his draws his thoughts away from the past. Everything is okay. It's better than okay. 

"It's amazing what your gran and nana have done, though," Scott says. "Taking in supernatural kids who have nowhere else to go."

"Yeah, it's like a little foster home, but… for werewolves, banshees, and everything else," Lydia jokes, but her smile is sincere. "It's a really good thing they're doing. The kids are so happy here."

"I can see why," Scott says, gazing back out across the garden. The snow has the sky practically glowing, in no way looking like it's dark enough to be night. 

There's a slight pressure against his hand from Lydia's fingers, moving slowly. 

"Do you… do you think that's something you'd ever want to do?" Lydia asks, careful with her words.

Scott looks back at her. She's watching him again, with curious eyes. His heart drops many beats.

"Wait, are you—?" he starts to ask, but Lydia's eyes widen and she quickly shakes her head.

"No!" she hastens to answer. "No, I'm not! I just meant… you know, in general, is it—is it something that you can see for the future? Not necessarily the foster home part, but… you know."

She chews her bottom lip. Scott takes it in, letting the question process. After a moment, a smile curves the corners of his mouth up.

"Imagine, the first werewolf-banshee hybrid," he says.

"That can't have been done before," Lydia agrees, a laugh to her voice. "I wonder if one side would skip them, or if we'd be creating a whole new species."

Scott actually does laugh now, and Lydia joins him. His stomach is buzzing with butterflies or bees, he can't tell. 

When they both go quiet, Scott slowly nods. He lifts his eyes to meet Lydia's.

"I like the sound of that," he says softly. "Whether it be a werewolf-banshee hybrid, or even an orphaned werewolf with nobody else… yeah. It's something I see for the future."

Lydia takes in a deep breath. She presses her lips together as her smile threatens to take over her entire face. She just nods, and breathes out slowly.

"Good to know," she says. "I do too, for the record."

"Okay, that's great," Scott says, grinning from ear to ear. 

Lydia hums in agreement. Then the ball of snow that she'd been forming hits him square in the chest. 

It's safe to say that it is freezing. The snow instantly seeps through his Christmas jumper, melting into his skin. He gasps while Lydia laughs behind her hands, hee eyes wide.

"You said you wanted a snowball fight…" she reminds him. 

Scott nods. "You're absolutely right. I did."

The ball of snow in his own hand hits Lydia. She gasps, snow sticking to her jumper as well now. 

"Oh my god, so cold!" she exclaims. "Why is that so cold?!" 

"Because it's real snow," Scott says, his excitement quickly returning. 

Lydia looks at him, her eyes narrowing. A familiar, competitive smirk forms on both their faces. 

"Game on," she says. 

Next second, they're trying to dodge out of the other's way, snowballs flying across the garden. There are gasps and shouts and laughter when they successfully land a shot. 

Maybe it's a little unfair that Scott taps into his heightened abilities to move faster. But the advantage doesn't stop Lydia from managing to sneak up on him and tackle him into the snow. It's so deep that they sink a few inches into it, laughing until their sides and faces ache, and neither of them actually win, both claiming they did. But they end up just lying there in the freezing snow, curled into each other, staring up at the night sky. 

[odissey061]

Motonari's route

Chapter(s) already posted:

1. This freak won't have me

Chapter 2: Kick him in the teeth

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I and Hideyoshi walk side by side in Azuchi's chaotic streets. It's the first time I have the chance to visit this city, so my eyes try to notice as much as they can about the Sengoku life: I'm going go stay here for three mounths, so I need to adapt quickly. The street are really crowded, is almost impossibile walk without  bumping in someone and around me I hear a lot of voices: some people is complaining about the high prices and the merchants negotiate. But what catches my attention are the different form my time: in this period the air is more clean, without smog and pollution; when I breath I can smell the flavours of this place, but most importantly people watch aroud them, they look interested in what are gazing at. And I see two children smile at me when we pass close to them. And I start to wonder how many episodes like these I had missed looking at my phone and I start to feel inexplicably guilty.

"y/n" Hideyoshi recalls my attention, "I apologize from the bottom of my heart for the cold treatment I gave you in this week: I suspected you were a spy, came here to watch us, but now I understand how I was wrong". His apologize is really unaspected and it takes me by surprise, but I'm glad he doesn't think me ad a Please, forgive me" and he deeply bows. His bows is really unaspected and it takes me by surprise, but now I see how much he's sorry and I'm glad he doesn't think me ad a threat as I accept his apologise.

"Thanks very much for your apology, I gladly accept but you didn't need to bow. I mean, I can understand why you thought I was a spy. I hope we can be friends from now on" I smile at him and he does the same. Hideyoshi shows to me all the concern he usually deserve to the others:"Is everything okay in the castle? I hope you are fine and you aren't overwork yourself: is bad for your health. If Masamune tries do to funny things to you or Mitsuhide gives you trouble, come to me immediatly: I'll manage their misbehave". His worries leaves me a little bit puzzled:"I'm okay Hideyoshi. Thanks for your care, but you don't need to be so concerned about me, after all I just arrived" I reassure him. When I talk he glares at me as I just offended Nobunaga in front of him:"Don't say such a silly things! As long you are in the castle I worry about you as much I do with the others".

I always thought Nobunaga was the master of the castle, the one who commands the others but now I remind some days ago he took Nobunaga's favourite candies and the pouty look he gave to Hideyoshi. Just now it looks to me like Hideyoshi is the mother of all of us, whose cares are above Nobunaga himself.  For a second in my mind flashes the imagine of a hen Hideyoshi walks followed by a bunch of chicks warlords behind him and I start to laugh.

"Did I say something funny?" he asks perplexed and I shake my head in denial: Hideyoshi could never understand the fun thought of a girl from the meme era. We pass in front of a fabric shop and my eyes sparkle with joy. "Hideyoshi, is a problem if I enter in this shop?" I demand exited like a child in a candy shop and he respondes:"No, it's fine. I had no idea you were a girl who love fancy dresses".

"In fact I'm not. The truth is I love make dresses and before I came here, I was going to become a kind of sewer" I correct him and he wonders:"Why do you like so much sew?". "The first time I sewed was for a friend: a long time has passed, but I still remember her joy when I gave her the dress. Since then I sewed to see other's smiles when they wear my clothes. This makes me happy" I explain and he pats my head:"You really have a kind heart y/n". He continues with a kind smile:"If you want you can be a sewer in the castle, you know?", I exclame overjoyed:"Is that really possible? Thanks Hideyoshi!". His face turns serious:"Yes, but at two conditions: the first, you mustn't overwork yourself too much, otherwise sew will be forbidden", and his eyes soften a bit, "and the second is that I'd like your first work is for me". I agree at all the condition as we enter in the shop.

I'm so overjoyed that mayby I buy too much fabric and when we go out I start to feel guilty: after all Hideyoshi bought all with his money. We walk for some minutes, talking about the commission he gave me but then a man approach us and asks to speak alone with Hideyoshi.

He sends me an apologetically look and I smile:"Don't worry Hideyoshi, is fine. I'll go to watch some stalls over there to match with a kimono of mine" and I leave.

My gaze is cought by a jewelry seller's stall a few meter away: on the ground there's a white sheet full of shining jewels.

They are really beautiful and, even if I'm not a craftsman, I can see their valuable workmanship: they are simply perflect.

I gaze at a gem: it's a brilliant blue, probably is a sapphire. It is flawless and shining,  around the jewel there's a gold frame. Is really beautiful, but surely the price is out of my economical possibilities.

A familiar voice says:"You can touch of ya want, princess" and I stare at him: he is the white aired man I saw the night I arrived in Sengoku period. His relaxed back leans on the wooden wall, a leg lays straight on the ground and an arm is on the other knee.

"You are the man from that night" I reconize him, "So we meet again, Princess. I'm glad you remind me" says the man. "So you are a merchant, uh?" is the only thing that pops in my mind after some second of silence and I regret it as soon as I talk. "Nice to meet you, m'lady. I'm Motonari Mori, a humble merchant who travels around the world. And what about you?" he introduces himself. "I'm the Oda Princess, y/n. I'm a distant relative of Nobunaga. My family sent me here to find a husband. I'm glad to meet you" and I do the same, hoping he doesn't ask more about me.

As soon as I say I'm a Nobunaga's relative, it look to me to see a flash of interest in his eyes, but it vanishes too soon and I'm not sure about it. "I know very well the Oda family, but I didn't know Nobunaga had a princess" he says serious and a shiver runs down my back.

Did he notice I was lying? How? I'm sure I acted the most credible as possible.

I'm a bit nervous and I feel my hands sweating under his gaze, but I manage to look relaxed:"I always lived in a isolated country but, as I have alredy told you, I left my family to find a husband". And when I speak, his smile returns to be slightly ironic like before and he chuckles:"I was joking: I trust your words, Princess. But let me advice you since you'll stay with him for a while: Nobunaga may be really different from what you think. You should keep hight your guard around him".

I'm going to ask him what he's talking about, but he glares over my shoulder and says:"Don't worry if ya haven't the money right now: ya can keep the jewel and pay me in other ways. I have to with a colligue of mine". Puzzled I take the sapphire and I leave the stall. A man talks very close to him. I don't know what are they talking about, but they act like they share a dangerous secret. At some point Motonari looks at me with a spooky smile, but I don't see it because I turn to search Hideyoshi. When I find him, he tells me straight:"We have to return at the castle immediatly: a daimyo started a revolt against Lord Nobunaga"

Although all my protests and my escape attempts (failed for Mitsuhide's fault) two days later I'm on a war field with some Oda force members. Nobunaga, judging the rebellion small, sent Masamune, Mitsunari and Ieyasu to take care of the ribellion and he requested my presence as lucky charm. His words were:"You are a lucky charm: you will go with my vassals to bring them luck". And I wanted kick him in the teeth.

I'm in the backways to heal the wounded, but the grief rises in my chest: if the revolt is small, why it still going on?

While the time passes always more injured men come to be healed.

My fingers shake as I'm overhelmed by the fear of not be able to save them all: I know the basics of medicine but if they increase more I won't be able to do anything.

A man walks in the tend and speaks to me:"Lord Ieyasu says you must go to Nobunaga and ask for other troups" and I blink twice to be sure I heard correctly: I have to do what?

"We discovered that the situation is different from what we expected: this is a war not a revolt. He says you are the only one who can go to Azuchi" he continues seeing my puzzled look. I understand why I'm the only one: nobody would send a woman on a battlefield, so if the enemy' d catch me, they'd let me go; but this is still sheer madness. But as I watch around me I understand if I won't go all the wounded men will dies, so I declare with conviction:"Give me a horse!"

When we went on the battlefield, I rode with Ieyasu and I asked him how to ride and he explained it to me, obviously not without his salty tone and sarcastic words. So somehow I arrive safely an unharmed to Azuchi castle. Nobunaga listens my request and immediatly later we ride back to the field followed by twenty five troops.

Nobunaga leads the horse in the middle of the field (with me on) and takes side by side to Ieyasu and he comments:"I suppose the girl is more strong and brave then I thought". Should I take this as a compliment or as insult?

"My lucky charm did an excellent work, Ieyasu. Where's Masamune right now?" Nobunaga says proudly. I try to find Masamune in the turmoil of war, but all I see is death and devastation around us. I hear the artillery's shoots, men shouting orders to the soldier and the screams of dying man. I don't want be here!

I close my eyes and cover the ear to don't assist to this cruel and horrible show. But Nobunaga whispers in my hear:"y/n, open your eyes and uncover your ear: now we are going in the middle of the battle and you need to hold thight on the reins if you don't want fall" and I do what he suggests, even if the tentation to close the eyes is really strong. Nobunaga leads the army and in a blink of eyes I'm in the middle of the chaos. Some warrior become pale as they see Nobunaga, but the most of them start an assault. "He brought a woman on the field. Let's aim at her: she's is weak point!" screams a man, "You'd like it" I wishper and I kick him on the chin, making him fall by the horse. I can't lean on Nobunaga's protection in this moment, so I must count only to myself. An enemy soldier draws his sword at me, but Nobunaga cuts his hand:"This is my lucky charm and I don't allow someone to hurt her" and he starts a ferocious duel with his opponents. The time looks to quicken, due to adrenaline, as I see a lot of men get killed and I feel their blood on my face, but in some hours we win the war.

Once at Azuchi castle I lock myself in my room to coming to terms with the fact that I went to war and saw people die. The next day I go in Azuchi city, hoping that a bit of shopping will help me. I sit in a restourant and I eat a fish when a cat steals it from my plate. I follow the cat until he enters in a deserted and darker street. My female intuition suggests me to go back, but I'm too hungry to listen it. And I regret it when someone grabs my arms in a strong grip. I understand I'm in big trouble and I start to feel panicated when my mounth and my nose are covered by a tissue. I stop to breath to don't inhale chloroform and I squirm violently as much as I can. "Keep quiet if you don't want be hurted, little girl" says a male voice close my hear. I give him a head butt on his chin to free myself, but the grip on my fists os more thight and painful:"Unlike my captain I'm not a very patient man: if you keep on with your vain and useless resistence I won't so kind like now". I scream, but from the mouth exits only a low, muffled breath. "I told you to behave, little girl" growls the man and my head is crushed violently against the wall until I loose conciousness.

Posted on 8/11/'19