#also someone put on little miss tn and all i remember is getting up on a chair and singing my fecking lungs out

[perfectly-clear-from-here]

not me purposefully getting off my face drunk just to write this house party chapter realistically. downing another can solely for research purposes.

[henleygod-fics]

2

Tn was taken to a separate room to be examined, not only for her gifts, since being the product of an experiment and being blocked by Aizawa's quirk caused quite a few doubts, but also to make sure that it has no relation to All for one. Aizawa along with the other teachers returned to their students, to reassure them and explain the situation.

When they arrived, the entire class A was in disarray, many were scared, others were arguing, some were crying (Mineta), etc. The situation had alerted them, seeing a girl their age facing great heroes made them feel inferior and that disgusted them all, as if that were not enough, they had been prevented from getting closer so they could not hear anything of the discussion they had. The man, tired of seeing the scene, sighed and told everyone to sit down. Once calmed down, Aizawa proceeded to explain what happened, of course saving many details. In conclusion, he said that the girl had appeared escaping from her family, but the complete situation could not be known because she had partially lost her memory, she remembered some things but not enough, so the school would take care of her and take care of her while she recovers her memories, and that by the way she would attend class A with them, since she showed everyone that she was worthy. Everyone started to raise their voices, some argued for everyone's safety, others disagreed because it was an unfair situation for many and others simply did not want a "new extra".

Meanwhile, on the other hand, there was a very upset Slenderman, trying to locate Tn in any way possible, Sally was crying in her room while hugging her stuffed animal, Eyeles was trying to comfort her. Laugthing went to look for her on his own when he found out, the news had reached Splendorman's cabin, he and Ben went through the same point several times trying to find her. Maski, Eyeles and Toby were trying to put a collar on a rabid Smile dog, while Jeff just yelled at him angrily for his betrayal.

-AND WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE, FLEA DOG??? WHO FEEDS YOU??-

- That's Tn- Toby responded indifferently.

- Exactly- Masky said, followed by an "aha" from Hoodie.

-tsk NOBODY ASKED YOU!!! WHO PETS YOU OR TAKES YOU FOR A WALK???- Jeff shouted angrily.

-It's Tn too- Toby continued, although a little more frustrated, since Smile was increasingly twisting, preventing him from completing his mission.

"Exactly," Masky repeated, followed again by an "aha" from Hoodie.

- SHUT UP!!! YOU'LL SEE ZARNOSO, betrayal must be paid for, AN EYE FOR AN EYE, A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH- shouted Jeff as he ran towards him with his knife- go to sleep- he whispered with his typical smile, Smile Dog began to growl and want to bite those who held him to fight with Jeff, as always.

-DAMN IT JEFF, STOP BEING ANNOYING- shouted Toby, his patience already exhausted.

-Smile, calm down, doggy, you just have to stay still and let us put the DAMN COLLAR on you- yelled Masky as he threw himself on top of him with the collar in his hands, but he only managed to make him start running all over the house, dragging Hoodie and Toby who were trying to keep him still, Masky ran behind him trying to catch up with him.

- Still can't do it? - Slenderman asked frustratedly, holding his face, causing Jeff to shiver slightly as he appeared behind him - That's why I can't move forward... - he whispered to himself thoughtfully - You could also help, don't you think? - He scolded Jeff.

-I'd love to, big boy, but in case you haven't noticed, someone is missing and we need to go find her before we continue playing with a traitor-

-Says the one who kept yelling at him...- replied Slenderman sarcastically.

- That's another matter, I'M LEAVING, I'm not going to keep wasting time LIKE YOU- he said as he headed for the door, but it opened abruptly, hitting him in the face.

-I didn't find anything, I searched through 3 different dimensions and nothing, there weren't even any signs of life... they were horrible- said Laugthing in a whisper, taking his hair with concern but with his crazy smile- everyone turned around when they heard the interference on TV, Ben came out slowly and sadly.

-I didn't find anything either... where I went there was life, but only in one were there people, although they weren't very intelligent, let's say- Laugthy heard the screams and saw how Masky was now being dragged by Smile Dog while he bit him, Hoodie and Toby followed them from behind.

- They still haven't put the collar on him- Laugthing said followed by a sigh.

-CAN SOMEONE TELL ME WHY THE FUCK ARE WE WORRYING ABOUT THE CRAPPY NECKLACE WHILE TN COULD BE IN A DAMN APOCALYPSE???- Jeff shouted, grabbing his head, laughing and acting crazy.

- Really, do I have to explain it to him? - Ben sighed.

- AND WHAT DO YOU THINK??- Jeff shouted angrily, changing completely.

- SMILE DISAPPEARED!!- Toby interrupted, preventing Ben and Jeff from starting to fight.

-Did you put the collar on him!!??- Slenderman asked, upset.

- YES!!- Hoodie shouted as he approached, staggering all hurt, with cuts and scratches. Toby jumped when he saw him, he was going to hide behind Tn, until he remembered that he wasn't there, he sighed. Slenderman smiled when he heard that... or well, that's what everyone understood, since they could perceive his emotions and expressions even if they couldn't be seen.

-I'll go back to the studio, you guys take care of searching on your own, by the way Jeff- he looked at him annoyed, motioning with his head for him to speak- the collar we put on Smile has a tracker, it's only a matter of time before we can find her- Jeff smiled maliciously, took his knife and with the others went to look for her.

-You'll see, brat, no one escapes from Jeff the Killer- he said in a whisper, but ended with his manic laughter.

Slender at the moment he was informed that Tn was going to summon Smile began to create the tracker, it was a problem to remove the collar and it was even worse to put it back on, but now they had a chance to locate her. Being the 1st tip it was more difficult to find her, since it would be a miracle in a million for them to enter the correct dimension, there were literally infinite realities that it housed and of course the chance of any of them repeating itself was almost nil. Even so, each of them went through the dimensions again and again trying to find her.

_____

I woke up at 3 in the morning, it was pure habit to get up at this time to prevent my crazy family from massacring a poor family... Anyway, I looked around and it was still night, the school was completely silent, I left the room I was in, which by the way since I had no place to go back to they decided I would live in the school, it seemed like a bad joke, but it's true, the teachers would take turns taking care of me or rather watching me, it's clear that they still don't trust me. They made a single room on the terrace of the building, I appreciated that. Thanks to the guy, who was called Cementos... I think, he was very fast and he was also able to adapt to my old room, so at least the situation wouldn't seem so strange to me. I went down swinging with my tentacles, until I reached the ground, I could use the door and go down, like a normal person using the stairs inside, but having to wake up the teacher who is there, no thanks, seeing Aizawa upset for having woken him up, passed.

The day was very cool and all I had on was a t-shirt and shorts, but as my old friend Jane says, the cold is imaginary or as Nina says, whores don't get cold... although I'm not a whore and I don't think she is either, we still like the saying. I took a breath and started jogging, then running until I could jump high, higher but shorter, so I started from the highest to the lowest. I continued with my training until the sun came up, I ended up tired and sweaty, I wanted to go back to my room to shower, the adrenaline was going away and the cold was flooding me again but I didn't want to move, or at least until my breathing was under control. A soft, warm coat fell over my face, I quickly removed it and sat down, putting myself on guard.

- For a moment I thought you would run away, did you really have to wake me up so early? - Aizawa said while yawning.

- I went outside so as not to bother you-

-looking even more suspicious- she replied sighing with two fingers on her temple.

-It's the thought that counts, isn't it?- I said smiling.

-results are what count-

-tsk and so you're a teacher?...- I said in a soft whisper.

-what did you say?-

-Thanks for the coat- I replied with a smile- but I warn you that I sweat too much.

- I already knew it, it's noticeable, go inside and take a shower, it seems like you haven't bathed in days. Your clothes are ready in your room, once you're done I'll be waiting for you outside, I'll guide you to the classroom, just for today so learn the way. And don't be late- he said as he began to walk towards school, I followed him.

- Well, first of course I smell bad, I smell like blood and I haven't bathed since I arrived because they just started testing me until I dropped. Second, how do they know if the clothes will fit me or not? And third, you don't need to tell me the obvious.

- First, with even more reason, go take a shower now, second, they did tests on you yesterday, for obvious reasons we have your measurements, and third, if it is necessary.

We continued arguing the whole trip, although more than an argument it was a funny conversation, we tried to annoy each other, but we only caused little laughs or some moans of annoyance, it reminded me of Slendy... I honestly miss them, just a little. I had changed into a uniform that consisted of a green skirt, a white shirt with a red tie, some somewhat long socks and some shoes, I also had a jacket, but it looked very uncomfortable, so I chose not to wear it.

It was time to meet my new classmates and my teacher was guiding me, the pressure was getting bigger and bigger, I didn't expect to have to meet people, much less so many, I hadn't even planned to live with them.

I had lived a very solitary life, although accompanied, except for my family I had never spoken to anyone, or well, saving them or telling them to run and escape didn't count. My lack of social interaction with the outside world now weighed on me.

I was standing in front of the classroom door, Aizawa entered first and told me to wait until he put everything in order, since the screams and disorder could be heard since we went up.

Little by little I began to hear how the screams became louder, how the complaints began to turn into reproaches and above all how the majority was against me. Now I couldn't fight, I had come to an agreement and killing wasn't my thing, even so I couldn't stand the idea of ​​being surrounded by simple mundane people who didn't even want me.

I waited a minute, then two, I reached the fifth and the mess on the other side did not seem to end, something that increased my nerves and my fury.

//

-Silence- Aizawa shouted, tired and fed up with the whole mess.

At last he was able to sigh with relief, the entire class still looked dissatisfied, expressions of anger, frustration, doubt and worry were the only things that could be seen.

-Now that everyone has calmed down, I need you to listen, you are going to have a new partner and before you say anything- she said staring at Bakugou who was already opening his mouth to complain- she has already been accepted and there will be no changes, nor room for complaints-

-Sensei- Iida called- don't you think this is something we should have been informed about with more time?- he asked, visibly displeased.

-No, the decisions Nezu made were analyzed and thought about seriously, if he decided that it is the best for everyone, then so be it- Aizawa answered with great confidence- now yes, welcome your new partner- he said opening the door.

While he was watching his students, analyzing each one so that they would not rebel again and start a new disorder.

-Am I sensei?- Momo asked confused.

Aizawa looked tiredly in her direction, he didn't want any more reproaches, nor for anyone to speak, much less his exemplary student. He didn't have time to ask or respond to her call, a beep filled the class, causing all the students to tense. Aizawa quickly looked at his device, and then to his side, he sighed heavily.

I knew perfectly well what was happening, only this time I didn't know why.

-Wait a minute, sit in your seats and stay calm- he clarified.

Then he went to the window and looked everywhere until he found his target and jumped.

None of his students paid attention, they all ran in a pack to the window to see what was happening, lately the spectacles were recurrent.

-That girl- Iida complained when he saw his teacher chasing her, after surprising her by finding her hiding place.

-It seems like they are playing- said Denki laughing, watching his teacher as a cat and the same girl from yesterday running like a mouse everywhere dodging and avoiding her teacher.

-NO- said Tn furiously, while running all over the place.

- They don't want me there and I don't want them either.

Aizawa seemed to be getting more and more furious, greatly losing his patience.

-Oh, they caught her- said Kirichima as he watched his teacher grab his classmate by the collar of her shirt and drag her towards the building.

-He ran away- said Sero.

-They caught her again- this time Mina answered.

The scene was funnier now and the mood of the class had greatly improved; they no longer saw their classmate as some sort of threat.

Even after all the trouble, Tn didn't leave the boundaries of the UA, she always escaped, hid and ran inside the establishment. She didn't break the pact of "not leaving", however she never agreed to live with the others, she was always reluctant to the idea of ​​attending school.

Aizawa, without patience and completely furious, held Tn with his ribbons until he completely wrapped her, leaving her no room to escape. As she continued to writhe, his fury got the better of his tired teacher, who gave his student a small but large blow on the head and scolded her with a great sermon.

A few minutes later they returned outside the classroom. Aizawa, his patience completely exhausted, stormed into the classroom, finding all his students standing in their places in silence. After that great scene, no one wanted to raise their voice or be noticed at all.

-Now yes- said Aizawa completely seriously- welcome your partner.

//

As I entered I could see the worried and angry faces of many. It was the same room as yesterday, the same faces and the same expressions. I sighed, I wasn't expecting a good welcome anyway.

-I'm Tn, nice to meet you- I made a small bow and was going to ask where I sat, until a boy with glasses raised his hand.

-I'm Iida Tenya, a pleasure, but you didn't tell us your name- he spoke in a very correct manner and moving in a strange way, although his tone sounded a little annoyed.

-Yes, I told you, it's Tn-

- Then tell us your last name - replied the man with glasses.

- Why do you want to know? - I asked distrustfully, remembering what I said when I came. I found it funny to see the faces of the others, they changed quickly with each answer or each movement I made, they are very expressive.

-because it is necessary and the correct thing to do is to present yourself well-

-That's how I introduce myself, is there a problem? - This guy was already driving me crazy, what does he have to do with my name?

-We need to know how to address you- said one who had two-colored hair.

-tsk, they're more annoying than the others- I whispered, although not so low, since I did it with the intention of the others hearing me. I didn't want to start off on the wrong foot, but I was already off to a bad start with this classroom, so one more stumble, one less stumble doesn't matter. I looked at Aizawa for approval, which he gave me instantly with a nod.

- I'm Tn the ki- a chill made me stop instantly, an intense red look from Aizawa made me stop instantly.

"Not that one," he whispered through his teeth with a warning look.

-I'm Tn Ta- I said looking at Aizawa, who instantly relaxed his gaze and yawned as if nothing had happened, I let out a short sigh- Happy?- I said looking at the guy with glasses.

- Thank you- he replied, making a strange gesture with his arms again and then sitting down.

-sensei where do I sit?- I asked tiredly.

-AAGH SERIOUSLY, I CAN'T STAND IT ANYMORE!! JUST SHUT UP AND SIT DOWN FOR GOD DAMN IT- an irritated blond yelled.

-EH!! And who the fuck told you something??? Why do you think I'm asking about my seat, meddling???- I could already hear Aizawa's sighs.

-Kacchan calm down- a green-haired boy spoke now.

-SHUT UP DEKU AND YOU EXTRA, DON'T YOU SEE THAT THERE'S ONLY ONE SEAT!!!- 'said "Deku"?'

-ARE YOU BLIND, KACCHAN?- I replied, pointing out his name mockingly- THERE ARE TWO FUCKING EMPTY SEATS!!!

-WHAT DID YOU CALL ME, YOU PIECE OF SHIT- he shouted, hitting the table and knocking over the chair as he stood up abruptly.

-Etto... I'm sorry, but I'm here- I heard the voice, but I couldn't see who had spoken, until I saw a book floating in the air, then a girl stood up... invisible, I could tell by her clothes.

- tsk and how did you want me to see that- I whispered- it's okay, it wasn't your fault- I raised my voice, enough for her to hear me. I went to my seat annoyed, feeling the mocking smile of the stupid Kacchan. Once there I realized that I sat next to the bicolor and behind the one who tried to calm the hysterical one, unfortunately I sat next to the annoying one too. I was going to take out my notebook to take notes, when the teacher called us.

-Now put on your suits, we are going to the training camp, since many feel upset or believe that the situation is unfair, Tn will show what he can do to be in class A-

I just sighed in resignation, I really had gone through the whole problem of the seat so that I could only occupy it for 2 seconds. It's only been two days and this is already hell.

- Miss Tn, you are going to wear this uniform until you have your suit ready.

-my suit??-

-needs to make the model of his hero costume-

- aah no need, I already have my pro...-

"We'll talk about that later," he said, glaring at me. I guess I was about to screw up again.

I stood up from my seat and was heading for the door when I felt someone gently take my arm. It was the green-haired boy, the one sitting in front of me.

- umm I'm sorry for the bad moment, I mean the presentation, it's not that your presentation was bad, but how they acted, although it is understandable, well not everything, Kacchan shouldn't have spoken badly to you, but that's his character, I say he's always like that, although that doesn't take away the bad, I just wanted to apologize for the situation and..- I couldn't hold back and I laughed- for a moment he was silent, he was speaking well at first, but he started to get nervous and speak very fast- l. what I wanted to say was that I'm sorry and that you dropped this- he said quickly to hand me the whistle.... I FORGOT THAT, I had promised Smile that I would summon him and I never did.

-Thanks and don't worry, I was also very defensive, by the way, what's your name? - I said smiling at him.

- I'm Izuku Midoriya, but you can call me Deku.-

- but Deku isn't...-

- Yes, but no, I mean if that's what you think, but it could have another meaning, doesn't that sound like "I can do it" to you? - No, I honestly don't think so.

- If you say so, you must like your nickname after all, right?

- Exactly- she said with a radiant smile, he's a cute boy. By the time I realized it was just the two of us and Aizawa, everyone else had gone to change. Deku was at the door when she turned around- Aren't you coming??

- Yes, I will go, but I have to talk to our teacher about something first.-

- Okay, do you want me to wait for you or...-

- No thanks, I'll go, don't worry- I said with a smile.

-Well, I'll see you there- he said with a nervous smile.

After a few seconds and making sure it was completely gone, I spoke.

-Sensei, I need to do something and I don't know if I should ask for permission or what. But I will do it no matter what, even if you don't want me to- he just sighed.

- tell me...-

-I have to summon Smile Dog-

-your dog??-

- Yes, but it's not just a dog, it's Smile, it's another...-

- another killer... or demon?-

-Yes, let's say a bit of both, but he hasn't killed anyone for a long time, not since he chose me as his owner, he protects me and I know he would do anything for me, like not hurting anyone, please believe me, although I have to do it anyway-

- Will you summon him with the whistle?

- Yes, it is more complicated to summon it without this, and I need a lot of materials that I don't have at the moment.

-You said that if you rang it we would all die...-

-I was cornered, and they already knew I wasn't going to kill them-

-Not you, but your dog does-

-Please listen to me, he won't hurt anyone, I assure you, I will take responsibility for him-

- When do you plan to summon him??-

-Now, I had to summon him as soon as I arrived, but for obvious reasons, I forgot-

- Okay, come with me-

We left the classroom to head to the office, we had to tell Nezu before doing so. But to our surprise there was a stupefied person standing at the door and from the way he looked at us it was clear that he heard a lot. Aizawa looked very surprised for a moment, until he reacted.

-Todoroki, what are you doing here? I said everyone go to the training camp- Aizawa sounded very angry.

- I'm sorry, I forgot something and the others told me to look for him because he wasn't coming, in case something had happened... - he spoke nervously, then after a pause he spoke again - It's true... Are you going to summon an assassin?

[neil-neil-orange-peel]

I only just found out (looking for old photos and articles) that filming the last season of TNS had to be postponed because Rik had broken his shoulder falling down the stairs at his house - I’d never heard of him having any other accidents besides the horrible 4-wheeler one! And I’m like: !!!!! Were there any other mishaps that you know about? Poor bby Rik! 🥺

I have more info about this!

It was actually before the filming of series 3, and ended up being a good thing for the show. 😂 On 22nd November 1990, after eleven terrible years in office, Margaret Thatcher resigned as PM after being stabbed in the back by her own party - this is what the Tories do to their own once weakness or opportunity is spotted, they're ruthless. This was all well and good for humankind as a whole... but it did sort of bugger up series 3 of The New Statesman, which was in pre-production.

Marks and Gran had already written a couple of scripts, but they were scripts where Thatcher was PM. Now she wasn't and their scripts were already out of date! So, what to do? What to do?

Luckily, their leading actor Rik Mayall solved this problem for them by very selflessly, drunkenly breaking his shoulder after falling down the stairs while celebrating Thatcher's resignation. 😂 This put him out of action for a bit, acting wise, meaning they had more time to rewrite the scripts.

It is true that Rik seemed to get injured - or very nearly injured, in some cases - a lot. This somehow doesn't surprise me at all 😂 but poor Rik. The other instances that spring to mind include the time he and Ade ended up in hospital after filming an episode of Bottom/performing a live show (can't remember which). Rik also said the first time they performed An Arse Oddity - which was Rik's first live performance onstage after his quadbike accident - during one of their fight scenes Ade accidentally whacked him with a frying pan and split his forehead open. Rik seemed to think this was very funny. 😂 I've also heard reports that after filming a particularly tricky scene in Guest House Paradiso, Rik managed to knock himself out by hitting his head on something.

As for near misses: quite a few in The Young Ones, because health and safety was basically nonexistent. 😂 There's the exploding oven we see in Oil, where the footage had to be slowed down to cope with the very large - unexpectedly large - explosion. We see Rick leaping away in shock and can hear someone in the audience scream - the shocked expression on his face is actually just Rik reacting, because the explosion was NOT meant to be that big! He might actually have gotten injured by that one, but not too seriously I hope. It happened because the team in charge of the explosives put them in, had lunch, forgot they'd put them in, so put more in. Basically, double the blast power! The other verified near miss from TYO I know about is from Flood. Alexei Sayle mentioned in How The Young Ones Changed Comedy that Rik got a little too close to the bedroom door while he was attacking it with the axe, and there's actually one swing where he very nearly got Rik. I've heard other stories from the set of TYO involving Rik and injuries - including one about him getting knocked out in Sick and having very temporary amnesia, but I really can't verify that because I've only seen it mentioned once in an old Tumblr post.

And as for TNS. WELL. In the last scene of Piers of the Realm (aka the last scene of series 2), Alan B'Stard is gunned down in broad daylight. Rik performed this stunt himself and was reassured it was perfectly safe. That turned out not to be the case. One of the shots bounced off the windscreen of the car and got dangerously close to hitting him in the eye and blinding him. Fun!

Those are all the Rik incidents that spring to mind at the moment, although there are definitely more. 😂 Thanks for the ask.

[bluegalaxyprime]

Alone

Javier Peña x Reader.

Summary: You discover something that you really did not want to discover.

Warnings: Mention of sexual intercourse, drugs, smoking, ingestion of alcoholic beverages, missed menstrual period, mentions of possible pregnancy, abandoned, Pregnancy, mentions of abortion, age difference (reader is still older).

English is not my original language, so I try to do the best I can, I have also lived with this pregnancy through my family so I will take some of it to be able to do my best.

Just graduated from university, 25 years old, with difficulties getting a job, not many still believed that a woman could work as a lawyer and much less in a place like Colombia, it was a struggle to climb within a field dominated by men but not it was impossible.

But now, it was a different case, most of the population knew the DEA agents in charge of finding Escobar, so that night he simply recognized him from afar, Javier Peña, he and his partner Murphy were in the news for a few days and others did not, the alcohol acted, an outing with friends ended up being a sexual encounter in the bathroom of that bar, and then ending up in the Agent's apartment and inside his bed.

Nights how are you happened again on a few occasions, he remembered her and she remembered him, they never took their interaction beyond passionate sex until one day that man decided to move away.

"Come on daughter, you have to have everything ready for opening time" She said if mother, it was 5 in the morning, her mother who owns an inn, always opened promptly at 6 in the morning for those who were looking for something fast for breakfast or to take to work or school, (TN) not being able to exercise as soon as expected, he was helping his mother all day, until 8 at night, closing time.

"Yes mom"

For a few days she did not feel good health, which worried her mother a lot that it was something more serious, and also that her money was not enough to help her daughter, she had already fought together with her husband so that her daughter went to a good university, that her baby had a secure future and that a relapse in her health worsened and took it away, she liked it very badly for that reason she had begun to save a little more if necessary.

"Do not worry my girl, sometimes I forget that you are not in your best conditions" he caresses one of her cheeks and she could feel the cold skin of her daughter. "Did you vomit again?" He asked.

"... yes" she couldn't lie before her mother's gaze, she knew something was wrong, the nausea, the vomiting, that feeling of bloating, the lack of energy.

"Your aunts and cousins ​​are about to arrive so don't worry my love, you can go to rest"

She was grateful that her aunts and cousins ​​arrived at the time to help her mother, she was able to go to her room to rest, the inn was at the bottom of her house, since being a two-story place that allowed her parents use the space for something productive, so she went up to the second floor, slept for a long time but woke up at times when her mother went to check on her and discovered that she had a fever so every 10 to 15 minutes she went back and forth to put new cloths on her damp on the forehead.

At times she swore to hear her mother cry out of concern, even her aunts and cousins ​​would go up to watch her, it was 6 in the afternoon when she woke up, surprised by how much she slept, she decided to go down but felt weak, muscle pain and the sensation of swelling still persisted and was uncomfortable.

When he got down, he noticed that there were few people at some tables and that they were enjoying the food, then he saw it, Javier Peña was sitting at a table with his partner from the DEA, she wanted to run away but he already noticed her horrible sick appearance , he turned to go to the kitchens and noticed his mother leaving.

"Oh my girl, come you need to eat something, it's very late, and you've been like this for many days ..." I take her by the hand and drag her into the kitchen to make her focus on a small table that was there, before long there was a plate of chicken broth in front of her, she had to admit it smelled delicious so she wasted no time and took the first spoonful, which fell well on her stomach.

“Tía, your DEA client asked about (TN)” said one of her cousins, Fabiola, as she entered the kitchen.

"Who? Javier?" Her mother asked and Fabiola shrugged.

"I don't know his name but I only know that he's from the DEA, he's the dark haired one," his cousin replied.

"Yes, it's Javier, he comes here almost every day to eat or to take something to work"

Damn it, he thought.

"For sure he saw my baby who is very bad and was worried, he is a good boy" said his mother.

"Baby? The baby is old ”said another of her cousins.

"She is the baby because she is the last to be seen born and she will continue to be until there is no other baby in the family" replies her aunt, Paulina while looking at her daughter, Yolanda, who is already married and still without children.

That meal had been perfect for her, she left the kitchen to go back upstairs and lock herself in the room for the remainder of the day while she thought about what one of her friends had told her.

Pregnant, it can't be possible.

For the next few days, he seemed to recover but there were others in which he had low energy, where vomiting and nausea were frequent.

"Come on, you have to think that it may be a possibility" her friend, Martha, both were walking to a pharmacy in search of a pregnancy test.

"But I've had a temperature, that doesn't come with the pregnancy, does it?" He asked, to which Martha shrugged. "And my period, I had it last month"

"I could not tell you but each pregnancy is different" He replied, both arrived at the pharmacy where they collected several tests of different brands, when paying the man at the box looked at them strange.

"What? Have you ever been in a baby shower organization? " He said (TN) to the man and he apologized and charged faster.

"Well, you have to wait at least 10 minutes, you know so that the test has a period to settle a good answer" Martha spoke, they both arrived at her house for fear that someone from (Tn's) house find out what they were doing.

"God, if they come out positive my father is going to kill me, I don't have a job or my own house, I don't even hang out with my father now" She spoke desperately, at the possibility that it could happen.

"That's why I'm here for you, I won't leave you" Martha supported her, that relieved her a bit.

"And if it tests positive, how do I tell the father?" I ask.

"You can try to locate him, you said you know where he works, right? You can go and ask that you want to talk to him" Martha answers enthusiastically and that made (Tn) smile.

"I could try ... but if you don't want to and you don't believe it's his ..."

"Would you think to abort?" Martha asked him calmly.

"You know I always wanted to have a baby but not so soon, I wanted financial stability, a house, a partner but I don't have it and you know how difficult it is to have an abortion" He spoke, and he remembered the news in the newspapers when they announced the death of a woman caused by a clandestine abortion.

"Everything will be fine" that was what Martha could say now, knowing that her friend would have a long difficult period to face if the tests were positive..From one moment to another, the stopwatch rang, the 10 minutes had passed, it was time for the truth, they both walked to the bathroom where they had left the evidence.

"God! What I am going to do?" She exclaimed with sadness and tears in her eyes, so that Martha could only hug her.

The tests came back positive.

[teatime-scans]

Wild Police Story - Chapter #11 Text Translations

Hi! Here’s a text translation of Chapter 11. Scanlations of this chapter (and the previous one) are being worked on at the moment! ^^

Be aware that since this hasn’t been proofread yet - this is basically the translation as it came out of our minds - some parts might not be very clear, especially the Nagano Dialect part which is just a partial localization we came up with and will probably be changed in the final version.

Translation: Holmes Translation check: Manaphy

CASE 11. Convening and discussing

[Original Work: Aoyama Gosho Artist: Arai Takahiro]

[His fury, yet unbeknownst to everyone, lies hidden deep inside him.]

[The eagerly-awaited first volume will be on sale from the eighteenth of November on!] [Second chapter of the Morofushi Arc! With their hearts set on their beliefs, this is the story of their youthful days during the half a year spent at the Police Academy!]

[Morofushi's past is going to be related right now...]

Morofushi: Understood! I’ll tell you... Morofushi: About that night from 15 years ago...

Morofushi: Enshrouded in that stench of steel... Morofushi: A night of dismay which made my inner clock’s hands... Morofushi: Freeze in place...

Morofushi: Someone came at around 7 PM when I was having dinner with my father and mother... Morofushi: Together with a loudly rung bell... *ding dong* *ding dong* *ding dong*

Morofushi: The visitor was apparently an acquaintance of my father's. Morofushi: At first, they conversed quietly by the entryway, which I could hear while being in the kitchen...

Morofushi: But before very long, the man started raising his voice... Morofushi: and as soon as my mom went to the entryway to check on them...

*GWAAAAAH* Morofushi: I could hear my father groaning... Morofushi: And so my mother came back with a radically changed facial expression, and told me...

Morofushi: “Stay hidden here for a while!”... Morofushi: “Don't come out at all costs, till I tell you it's okay to!”... That's what she said.

Morofushi: As my mom said that, she put me inside a store cupboard... Morofushi: then, in turn, she went and quarrelled with that man... Morofushi: but soon after I couldn't hear her voice anymore, either...

Morofushi: and, what's more, a stench of steel started hanging over... Morofushi: To the point even I could smell it, despite being inside the cupboard. Hagiwara: What's this “steel” you've been talking about since earlier?

Furuya: He's talking about the smell of blood! Furuya: The haemoglobin contained in the red blood cells is mainly composed of iron. That's why. Hagiwara: I see...

Matsuda: So, what happened later? Hiromitsu: I could hear him humming... Date: What? Humming?!

Hiromitsu: Yeah... It wasn't dad's voice, nor mom's. Hiromitsu: It was a shrill-made coaxing voice... Hiromitsu: He was repeating the same phrase while putting it in rhythm, again and again...

Hiromitsu: T-Therefore... Hiromitsu: I gingerly peeked out of the store cupboard from its opening...

Hiromitsu: And I saw a man holding a bloodstained knife, humming a tune... Hiromitsu: It went like, “it's fine nooow!”... Hiromitsu: “come out, pleeease!”...

Matsuda: What about the face?! Matsuda: Didn't you see that bloke's mug?! Hiromitsu: No, I didn't... Hiromitsu: I was too scared...

Furuya: How come that man was looking for you, though? Hiromitsu: Nah, he wasn't looking for me. Hiromitsu: I know because he called a girl's name after “come out please”.

Hiromitsu: That's right... The girl with whom I used to play when I was a kid's... Hiromitsu: “Yuri”, the name of the little girl looking just like the one who was reported missing last night!

Date: Why was he looking for that kid at your house? Furuya: What was her surname? Hiromitsu: I don't know... I always called her by her name... Hiromitsu: After she died from an illness, I did attend her funeral, but I was just a first-year elementary school pupil...

Hagiwara: You didn't see his face, but you did see the tattoo on his shoulder, didn't you? Hiromitsu: Yeah, I did. That man apparently tripped up because of all the blood, and he banged with his whole body against the armoire I was hidden inside... *BANG*

Hiromitsu: When he moved away, for an instant... Hiromitsu: I saw on his shoulder... Hiromitsu: a tattoo shaped like a goblet!

Matsuda: Did he really have it on his shoulder? Hiromitsu: There’s no doubt! Hiromitsu: After moving away from the cupboard, he clutched his shoulder, as if it hurt...

Hiromitsu: So and at that moment, the tattoo that was visible just before... Hiromitsu: Got hidden by his bloody hand, rendering me unable to catch sight of it...

Date: And? What did he do after that? Hiromitsu: I don't know... Hiromitsu: Before I could notice... I fell asleep.

Hiromitsu: After that, I woke up to the sound of doors and stuff being opened and closed... Hiromitsu: and just when I was squaring off, thinking “shit! I’m gonna get found!”... *clatter rattle clatter*

Hiromitsu: someone opened the cupboard's shutter! *slide*

Hiromitsu: It was my older brother, who had just come home from camp middle school... [Komei: Hiromitsu... Mom and dad are dead... Komei: What happened? Can you tell me?] Hiromitsu: It was noon of the following day already... Meaning I had been sleeping in the cupboard for half a day.

Hagiwara: So you had an older brother...? Hagiwara: I heard that, nowadays, he's a skilful police detective in the Nagano prefectural police, and is called the “Koumei of Nagano”! Matsuda: I like Guan Yu* better, though... Date: Who cares about The Records of the Three Kingdoms right now! [* TN: Both Koumei (Kong Ming in Chinese) and Guan Yu (Japanese name: Kan’u) are Chinese strategists whose feats are narrated in the Records of the Three Kingdoms.]

Date: Go ahead. Did you tell your brother about the murderer's tattoo? Hiromitsu: No, I didn't... I've been slightly amnesiac due to the shock caused by that case... Hiromitsu: and in addition, I've also been suffering from aphasia...

Hiromitsu: Later, we were put in our relatives' care — I was sent to Tokyo kinsmen, and my brother with Nagano's, and I changed scenery... Hiromitsu: Yet, my aphasia didn't heal for a while...

Hiromitsu: until I met Zero in Tokyo! [Furuya: It'd be way greater fun if you talked, y'know?]

Hagiwara: So you attended this place, the police academy because you want to seize the murderer? Hiromitsu: Spot on. Plus, I remembered several things recently... Hiromitsu: And I decided that I want to properly draw conclusions about what that was all about from a policeman's point of view... Hiromitsu: and transmit all that information to my brother in Nagano!

Hagiwara: And in the meantime, you chanced upon three suspicious individuals... Hiromitsu: R-Right...

Hiromitsu: There’s Irie-san, who runs a hardware store... Hiromitsu: and has a goblet tattooed on his shoulder...

Hiromitsu: Then, Tomori-san, who has a laundromat... Hiromitsu: and has on his upper arm a tattoo of Kannon, alias the Guanyin...

Hiromitsu: And the clerk of the motorbike shop who has a scorpion tattooed on the back of his neck... Hiromitsu: If I remember well, he’s called Monobe-san...

Hiromitsu: But it's simply impossible for the murderer to be in Tokyo and not in Nagano... Hiromitsu: and, what's more, for him to coincidentally be in my surroundings... Isn't it? Matsuda: We went and questioned those three people, y'know?

Hiromitsu: Wha...?! Matsuda: Ain't that right? Hagiwara: Bullseye. Date: We all split up... Furuya: Since it's for your revenge, Hiro!

Hiromitsu: Hold on a second, though... How'd you know I'm looking for the murderer who killed my parents, in the first place? Matsuda: Of course we’d know. Matsuda: You were always looking up “Nagano Couple Slaughter Case” on the internet over and over... Hagiwara: Although it is the first time we hear in detail about the tattoo and the murderer's behaviour.

Furuya: Well then, let's start with the squad leader, who was in charge of dealing with Irie-san. Date: He's a silent person, so having him spit something out was a whole pain in the butt...

Date: His name is Irie Sumio. He is forty-six years old and lives along with his wife. Date: He set up a hardware store in this city fourteen years ago. Date: He's a taciturn, unfriendly guy, but he's peerless when it comes to sharpening knives... That's his reputation in the neighbourhood.

Date: His shoulder tattoo is from 10 years ago... He tattooed the championship cup from when he won a ping-pong tournament hosted by the neighbourhood association. Matsuda: Ten years ago...? Date: Yes. I also checked on it with Tomori-san, whom he was paired with back then, so there's no doubt about it.

Date: After that, he told his wife something about horses and flowers, or something... Hiromitsu: You mean... Hiromitsu: He told her to “hose down the flowers”?

Date: Yes! That's it! Hiromitsu: In Nagano dialect, “giving” is often replaced with “hosing”! Hagiwara: Hold up! If that's the case...

Matsuda: But if he got his tattoo done ten years ago, the figures just don't add up, do they? Furuya: Then, Let's move on to Tomori-san, whom Hagi talked to...

Hagiwara: His full name is Tomori Hajime. He is fifty years old and lives alone. Hagiwara: Originally, his laundromat was run by an uncle of his, but he ended up straining himself... Hagiwara: so he planned to help him out till he was dismissed from the hospital, but he ended up continuing even after he passed away... Which brings us here... Apparently.

Hagiwara: He tattooed the Kannon, alias the Guanyin, on his upper arm when, 20 years ago, he lost his wife and mother at the same time in a traffic accident... Hagiwara: He apparently did it in order to mourn the two of them...

Hagiwara: He's also got a reputation in the neighbourhood as a repairman. Hagiwara: Since he came out of some college's engineering department, it seems he used to repair simple electric appliances. Hagiwara: A tad like you, right, Jinpei-chan?

Hagiwara: He paired with Irie-san because he's a friend who comes from his same town... That's what he said. Furuya: If he got his tattoo twenty years ago, he did already have it fifteen years ago... Furuya: but a picture of the Kannon doesn't look like a goblet at all, no matter how you look at it...

Matsuda: Actually, speaking of goblet look-alikes, we have that motorbike shop clerk. Matsuda: His name is Monobe Shuuzou and he is thirty-five years old. Matsuda: He has a scorpion tattooed behind his neck, which is the logo of a group he used to be part of back when he was a rascal...

Matsuda: whose name is, in fact, Scorpion Glass! Hagiwara: So he rather modeled it after a goblet!

Matsuda: He said he got it tattooed when he was twenty, so I guess it kind of could barely fit...? Hagiwara: It's located behind the neck, though... Matsuda: Same as Tomori-san, he also lives alone.

Hagiwara: Huh? What's the matter, you two? Date: I don't know, there was just something... Furuya: Yeah, me too...

Hiromitsu: ... Matsuda: What's with you, Morofushi? Matsuda: You, too?

Hiromitsu: Yeah, well... Recently I phoned my older brother to tell him what I remembered about the case anyway, and... [Komei: Haste makes waste...]

[Komei: Don't be in a hurry to seek success by consulting me without sufficient forethought. Komei: The place you were hidden in was not a store cupboard, but a closet equipped with kannon-biraki, alias double doors opening from the centre. Komei: That house was in Western-style, so it didn't have any Japanese store cupboards or sliding screens in the first place.]

Hiromitsu: That's what he told me. Hiromitsu: I'm sure I was in a cupboard, though... Furuya: Maybe aren't you mixing it up with your relatives' house here in Tokyo you were entrusted to?

Furuya: Since that house was Japanese-styled, and, conversely, only had sliding screens and cupboards... Hiromitsu: T-That could be...

Matsuda: If that were the case... Matsuda: wouldn't it be strange, though?

Matsuda: If you had been hiding in a closet with kannon-biraki double doors... Matsuda: then its door should've got shut when the murderer banged into it after tripping up...

Hagiwara: That's true... And in order to see the killer clutching his shoulder afterwards... Hagiwara: you would've had to open the shutter of the closet by yourself...

Matsuda: You... You opened the door in that situation? Hiromitsu: No way I could! Date: Then couldn't it be that the gap you were peeking out from...

Date: wasn't vertical but horizontal...? Date: The slit in the closet... Date: would allow you to look outside with the shutter closed, wouldn't it?

Onizuka: It's almost four o'clock... Onizuka: Maybe I should go check on those chaps a bit...

*rattle* Onizuka: Huh?

Onizuka: Hey, hey, hey... Onizuka: The dressing room is still dirty as hell?

Onizuka: Hey, you bums! You only have an hour left, y'know? Onizuka: As it is, you'll never make it in... *creak*

Onizuka: Hold on...

Onizuka: They're gone!

[Vertical and horizontal... The five have noticed something. Continued in the next issue.] [Continues in SS #50]

[thedeaditeslayer]

Moonshine, shotguns, buried cash: Bruce Campbell on 'The Evil Dead' in East Tennessee.

There are plenty of structurally sound homes scattered throughout East Tennessee's woods for tourists to enjoy, yet some prefer to visit the ruins of a Morristown cabin. Of course, it's the only cabin in the state once surrounded by demonizing trees and where zombies could be found locked in the cellar. A handful of circumstances led a Michigan film crew to East Tennessee in the late '70s to film the low-budget movie "The Evil Dead." More than 40 years later, the film is till very much alive in horror-enthusiast circles, with a special virtual screening scheduled for Jan. 23. The screening will include behind-the-scenes commentary from producer and actor Bruce Campbell, who recently spoke with Knox News about his time in East Tennessee and what's next for the "Evil Dead" franchise.

Check out our conversation with Campbell and visit bit.ly/WatchwithBruce to purchase tickets, starting at $25.  

How'd you end up in East Tennessee?

The crew planned to shoot the film in Michigan, but as delays got longer and the weather got colder, the thought of shooting outdoors in the North sounded less appealing.

"There were plenty of isolated cabins in Michigan that would have done the trick, but we went south," Campbell told Knox News.

The crew connected with folks from Tennessee's film commission, who then connected them with a local to drive them around.

"And we checked out half a dozen different possible places and finally found this creepy-ass place outside of Morristown," Campbell said.

He visited the cabin a few years back, although there's not much left of it.

"But it's private property, you know — 'Stay the hell off,'" Campbell said. "The usual deal (in) Tennessee: Shoot first, ask questions later. I never encourage people to go see it because part of the placed burned down in the '80s, but part of the fireplace still exists."

That hasn't stopped people from showing up at conventions with bricks to show Campbell, as the site has become a tourist destination of sorts.

Was the cabin as scary as it looks?

Fans of "The Evil Dead" might be surprised to learn the cabin was more scary than it appeared on screen.

"It had no power," Campbell said. "It had cow s--- on the floor. We had to knock doors and ceilings out and stuff. There was a lot of work to do. The locals showed up after a thunderstorm and said, 'Hey, have you seen Clara?'"

The story goes that people were once killed in the cabin during a storm, but Clara ran off.

Clara was rumored to come back to the cabin during storms and would have been an old lady at the time of filming "The Evil Dead."

"And so we were waited to see with bated breath if anyone caught out of the corner of their eyes some old woman crawling through the underbrush whose name happened to be Clara," Campbell said.

What was your experience in East TN?

Coming to East Tennessee in 1979 was a "fascinating cultural experience," Campbell said.

"It was all new," he said. "In 1979 you knew Tennessee was not Michigan. ... It changed in Kentucky, and we drove down."

Being that Campbell was a producer, he went to a bank to take out $10,000 in cash that he recalls smelling like dirt. He asked the woman at the bank if he was imagining the smell.

"Oh yeah, people still bury it in their back yard," he recalls her saying.

The crew tried their first moonshine in Tennessee, which they acquired along with marijuana from a local.

"We learned a lot about moonshine," Campbell said. "Too much. Too much."

Why did you decide on horror?

Campbell's early "Super 8" movies were slapstick style — "very 'Jackass'-like," he said.

But that changed after "The Evil Dead" director Sam Raimi, Campbell's high school friend, went off to college.

"He was sort of studying humanities or something and studied like the Sumerian book of the dead," Campbell said. "And that kind of caught his attention."

They knew they wanted to get into the movie industry after high school; they just didn't know what kind of movie to make.

"We sort of thought horror would be pretty safe," he said. "It's cheap, you don't have to have name actors, you can use regular street clothes and cars. Nothing had to be glitzy or fancy. If we did a comedy, you'd have to have John Candy or somebody. But, in this case, you were off the hook. Horror was very forgiving."

Raimi was interested in the subject matter, Campbell said. Once "The Evil Dead" story was selected, he was all in.

"We also thought no holds barred," Campbell said. "This movie is potentially unrated. Let's not pull any punches."

What were some low-budget tricks?

Being that the film was low budget, Campbell said, there were some tricks the crew used to make shots work.

"Every hour of every day on that shoot we were faking it," he said.

The moonshine they couldn't drink went onto the fire just before cameras rolled to make the flames roar.

"So we learned how to do that real cheaply," he said. "We learned to just use a real shotgun with real ammunition. That was just the easiest way to do it. ... The shadow passes over the window, you turn and you blow the window out with the shotgun just standing right there — no safety glasses, no earmuffs, no nothing.

"So simpler times, but stupider times. Hell yeah."

How do you illustrate fear on camera?

Illustrating fear on camera is just like illustrating any other emotion: You fake it, Campbell said.

He remembers someone at a Q&A criticizing his "Evil Dead" performance for being over-the-top.

"Sir, excuse me," Campbell recalls saying. "Can you verify sitting in that chair right now how you would react if your (girlfriend's) eyes turned white and she flew up into the air and got possessed and tried to rip your throat out? Would you react like Clint Eastwood? I would scream like a girl."

Campbell said his performances are "protected" by the fact no one knows how they actually would react. And while many modern films require even more faking, due to computer technology replacing sets, "The Evil Dead" had an advantage.

"You don't see anything anymore," Campbell said. "At least with the first 'Evil Dead,' you're in a real cabin in the middle of nowhere in the Deep South in 1979. I mean, it was weird as --- already.

"So, the nice little edge that 'Evil Dead' gets is it's a little docu-horror once you get deeper into the shoot and we all get a little crazier."

Why have you stuck with the franchise?

One of the reasons Campbell continues to be a part of the franchise is his love for his Ash character.

"He has no skills," he said. "In this case, the guy who saves the world from evil multiple times is — by the time he gets to the TV show, he's doing mescaline, he's drinking his ass off, he smokes reefer constantly. This is my kind of hero."

What will the screening be like?

The virtual watch party and live commentary will be different than what some fans are used to. Campbell will have the ability to stop and start the movie to share his thoughts.

"My problem with commentary always in the past is you see something that triggers it — a stunt or a punch in the face — and you tell about what happened," he said. "But then, you tell that story and you look back and you missed three other stories you could have told if that film hadn't just rolled along."

What's it like to watch yourself?

When asked what it's like to watch a young version of himself on screen, Campbell explained how being an actor is a double-edged sword. On one hand, every bad photo taken of Campbell is out there for the world to see.

"But then your best work is documented," he said. "That's what's awesome. Because a lot of guys go, 'I remember back in the day the chicks thought I was hot.' And most people are like, 'Yeah, yeah — sure pal.' At least I can suggest a couple of movies that I go, 'Well, this is me when I could do s---.'"

What's next for 'Evil Dead'?

Campbell said he's planning to shoot the next  "Evil Dead" movie in New Zealand later this year. The film will be set in a modern-day urban setting.

While he couldn't share much about the film, he did emphasize that "it's out of the woods."

"That's the best thing to say," he said.

Campbell also has a film called "Black Friday," in which he plays a manager at a toy store invaded by aliens on Black Friday. Campbell said he's interested in doing a drive-in tour and that it would make "a whole lot of sense" to show 'The Evil Dead' somewhere near Knoxville.

"Maybe I'll see you there in East Tennessee with this new movie," he said.

What are the challenges of COVID-19?

Campbell filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic in December, even though he had no clue what to expect.

"The whole crew looks like Darth Vader," Campbell said. "In proximity, you have to go beyond the mask. You have to put the shield too. The good news is Tom Cruise would shout at us, of course, if we had any problems with COVID."

In all seriousness, he said. the industry has been doing a good job taking precautions making sure work can be completed safely.

"Everything's more complicated, but it can still be done," he said.

[homosociallyyours]

@velvet-impala tagged me to answer this long set of questions, and bc I love this sort of thing I’m DOING IT! I’ll tag folks here just in case you don’t want to read thru this whole dang thing. But I wanna say: if you want to do this, PLEASE DO IT and tag me so I can see-- I *love* reading responses to stuff like this. But @la-paritalienne @disgruntledkittenface @and-id-marry-larry @calmrry @crinkle-eyed-boo @lightwoodsmagic -- y’all are tagged :) 

1. Do you prefer writing with a black pen or blue pen? black, but what matters most is how smoothly it writes.

2. Would you prefer to live in the country or city? walkable neighborhood in a city. 3. If you could learn a new skill what would it be? would love to learn how to hack into billionaire bank accounts without getting caught so i could redistribute their wealth to a variety of mutual aid funds. :)  4. Do you drink your tea/coffee with sugar? no, just milk! unless it’s really shitty/bitter coffee, and then i will take it with a couple sugars or sweetened creamer. 

5. What was your favourite book as a child? probably the Anne of Green Gables books  6. Do you prefer baths or showers? showers! i wanna love a bath, but i get bored too fast and i never feel comfortable (where do i put my head? my feet? what do i do when my belly isn’t covered by the water and it gets cold?) so they’re meh. 

7. If you could be a mythical creature, which one would it be? dryad! i wanna be a tree spirit!

8. Paper or electronic books? paper, i guess. but i do love reading fic electronically, so..

9. What is your favourite item of clothing? used to be my work hoodie. but now i would say this blue striped button down i have OR this one black dress i have with 3/4 sleeves that’s really soft and comfy. 

10. Do you like your name or would you like to change it? i always meant to start going by Dottie when I got older, but it hasn’t happened yet so it probably won’t by now? but i would never change my name generally speaking. 

more after the cut! 

  11. Who is a mentor to you? i had a co-worker who was really a mentor for me since i got into being a cheesemonger in 2008. he’s been in the industry for a long time and basically recruited me to the job i have/had here. but when i got sick he basically dropped me/hasn’t spoken to me in a long time. let me tell you: it fucking sucks. bc a mentor is a cross between a friend and a colleague and a relative; we jokingly called him my lesbian uncle. and so losing him from my life so completely over something like this is deeply shitty. 

12. Would you like to be famous and if so, what for?  not now, but before i was sick i would’ve said yes. BUT only bc i think i would be a great Saturday Night Live host (not a cast member! just a one time host with a monologue/skits). So whatever level of fame i needed to get that..

13. Are you a restless sleeper? I have really bad insomnia that means i take at least an hour to fall asleep most nights. Once I’m out, I usually sleep ok, but i do have intense dreams/nightmares that wake me up sometimes. 

14. Do you consider yourself a romantic person? yeah :/

15. Which element best represents you? earth: the wet dirt and leaves in a forest after rain in particular

16. Who do you want to be closer to? emotionally i’m pretty good i think. physically i wish i could be closer to friends and family in NYC, Seattle area, TN/Atlanta, and Germany

17. Do you miss someone at the moment? the people referenced above. also missing my Grandmomma a lot lately and my mom. 

18. Tell us about an early childhood memory. art lessons with my grandmomma. her set of pastels that were all worn down and the heavy paper (black) that she pulled out to work on. she drew a quick portrait of a man, showing me how to create depth in skin tones with blue and green against the softer flesh tones. she didn’t blend it out, the marks all painterly and strong-- her style. i was 10, maybe? 12? so not *early* but it feels like forever ago. 

19. What is the strangest thing you have eaten? i have no idea? i’ve eaten a lot of weirdish cheeses. i’ve had geoduck? 

20. What are you most thankful for? the amazing friends i’ve gathered into my life along the way, my dad, and my baby dog. 

21. Do you like spicy food? yes, within reason (i don’t get stuff that’s spicy just for the heck of it, like ghost pepper chips or whatever? but when spice is integrated in with other flavors i love it)

22. Have you ever met someone famous? i used to make up stories about meeting famous people that were based on partial truths. i’ve hung out with or met a lot of gay famous people. but the biggest person who comes to mind is Sandra Bernhard. I sold her cheese.  23. Do you do you keep a diary or journal? i have over the years. now i sometimes write things down in a paper journal, but mostly go to a really old blogging site where i basically put all my big feelings down in a public but sorta private spot.  

24. Do you prefer to use a pen or a pencil? depends on my mood.

25. What is your star sign? taurus sun and moon, gemini rising

26. Do you like your cereal soggy or crunchy? in between...not HARD crunchy, but not soft soggy. 

27. What would you want your legacy to be? would like people to remember that i loved them well and made them feel good/happy when i was around them. and hopefully that it made them feel like being good to others too. 

28. Do you like reading, what was the last book you read? i do, but i’m mostly reading fic these days. i think the thing i read last was Pink Like the Paradise Found, which was FANTASTIC!

29. How do you show someone you love them? i tell them, shower them with physical affection, and do little things for them. also try to remember small details about what they enjoy and then do stuff to make them feel good when they’re down

30. Do you like ice in your drinks? yes, but not too much

31. What are you afraid of? sometimes being along but only when it’s very dark out and i’m in the sads. honestly-- this is some deep internalized ableism but here it is --i’m very afraid of never getting better and not being able to take care of myself or anyone else. 

32. What is your favourite scent? jasmine flowers, pu-er tea, the specific scents of people i love

33. Do you address older people by their name or surname? however they’re introduced i guess. maybe because i’m an older person lol

34. If money was not a factor, how would you live your life? i would live in the apartment i had alone (with a guest room). i would hire someone from my community to come help me out sometimes. i would get a weekly grocery delivery from the good quality place. i would have a dog walker. and i would fly home to see my family more than once a year and fly my family out for a visit sometimes. so like. probably the way a lot of ppl live? idk. 

35. Do you prefer swimming in pools or the ocean? ocean

36. What would you do if you found £50 on the ground? get dinner at the thai restaurant down the street a couple times. 

37. Have you ever seen a shooting star? yes, lots! 

38. What is the one thing you would want to teach your children? i’m not having kids BUT for the kids in my life, i try to teach them/model the importance of consent and respect for their own bodies as well as other people’s. and i know it said one thing, but alongside that is that i respect and love them for who they are, and that’s something they get to decide. 

39. If you had to have a tattoo, what would it be and where would you get it? i want a lot of tattoos, but if i could get one tomorrow it would be a cheese themed tattoo with a variety of cheese knives (parm tools, dutch style knife) and a small cheese assortment. or a portrait of my dog

40. What can you hear now? this kinda dumb netflix show that i decided to binge today even tho it’s only kinda meh and my dog snoring just a little. 

41. Where do you feel the safest? when i’m surrounded by friends. 

42. What is the one thing you want to overcome/conquer? my stupid money issues prolly

43. Of you could travel back to any era, what would it be? wanna go back to 1977 and live in the girl direction AU i wrote last year, lol.

44. What is your most used emoji? laugh crying emoji or sobbing maybe

45. Describe yourself using one word. colorful

46. What do you regret the most? not sure if this is a thing but i regret not realizing when i got bitten by a tick/got lyme disease the first time, bc maybe i could’ve just taken antibiotics and killed it, and then maybe i wouldn’t be sick? 

47. Last movie you saw? watched the new charlie’s angels the other night

48. Last tv show you watched? this dumb show is called sweet magnolias, and it’s. honestly not terrible! it’s just not my style of show. OH WAIT i take it back, they left it on a really shitty cliffhanger without warning, and that is the one way to make me drop your show/fic HARD unless i like. genuinely love you. so byeeee dumb show, hope you get cancelled

49. Invent a word and it’s meaning. saungry: sadness brought on by being hungry, like hangry except oops you’re crying now! example: “fuck i knew i should’ve eaten before calling my best friend, now i miss them and i’m too saungry to figure out what to eat! Guess I’ll have tears for dinner” (almost called it sungry, but the internet thinks that might just mean ‘so hungry’)

did you make it to the end? WOW! devotion. thank you. 

[colourmehargrove]

love like a tongue in a nostril, love like an ache in the jaw

Summary: Steve and Billy are demigods (half-human, half-god). Aphrodite (goddess of love and beauty) is Steve's mother, and Ares (god of war) is Billy's father. They both live in a training camp for demigods.

Note: this short AU was inspired by "Percy Jackson and The Olympians" universe, as by The Last Shadow Puppets' song "Sweet Dreams, TN". It's told from Billy's pov.

Enjoy!

Watching Steve's lean frame disappearing in the forest, dark blue tunic swaying in the spring wind, as a daisy flower crown adorned his head, Billy let his thoughts wander to the time he used to take Steve for what he called "just another quickie in the woods", to the time he used to hide his real feelings, to the time he used to try to fool Steve, and, himself.

Billy never felt so full, yet so empty as he felt every time that any of his encounters with Steve under those sunny days got to its end. He'd be lying awake and overflowing feelings like a fountain all night long in his bed, and still notice the emptiness of not having Steve wrapped in his arms, snoozing beside him, while the cheesiest love song played in the background on repeat.

He wouldn't admit he was falling in love with Steve, though, and so came out as someone desperate for affection or to be loved. No, no—Billy would keep some dignity. Dammit, he was an Ares child! Violence was his speciality. He didn't make love, he just went straight to the point—knocking boots. 

Steve was supposed to be the one into romanticising everything.

Billy didn't want to become a puppet on a string for one of Aphrodite's son just like his father became for the goddess herself. Not for nothing was Eros, mostly known as Cupid, Aphrodite's and Ares' unholy child, and Steve's and his half-brother as well. Billy had no idea about what he looked like, but he was certain that the old saying "Eros strikes your heart, and weakens your mind" was real, if his latent passion for Steve and the turmoil in his mind said something.

Shaken. Billy felt totally shaken by Steve.

Just his merely presence could light his dark side up. In fact, Billy was obsessed with him—from his luscious, intoxicating perfume, to the little freckles on his cheeks.

Steve had a radiant, outstanding beauty.

And day after day Billy would spend endless time trying to figure ways out to deal with that feeling that was making him fall into bits.

Billy could still remember the amazed look on Steve's face when he finally got the guts—after a long while—to ask him if he wanted to leave their days of just fooling around behind, and take things further, since he, himself, could no longer hold his unexplainable love for him.

Billy didn't think he'd ever be able to forget Steve's big brown eyes staring at him, pouring shy drops of water just like the quiet rain outside, when he grabbed one of his hands and interlaced their fingers together, asking if he would be his boyfriend from then on.

He could even recall Tommy, one of his half-brothers, being a total prick when he found the news out in the next morning, "I see king Steve's been doing a great job settling you down, huh, Hargrove?" As another son of Ares, he was nothing but also a pain in the ass. Tommy loved to tease and challenge everyone. However, he'd never put on a real fight with Billy.

He knew his place very well.

Paying no attention to his surroundings, completely stuck in his daydream, Billy jumped in surprise when he felt a heavy hand landing on his left shoulder. 

"Ain't I fallen in...love?"

Closing his eyes, Billy chuckled, as he recognized the annoying voice coming from right beside him.

"You ever shut up, man?" he asked, moving his glare from Steve's gone image to Tommy's one.

Tommy shrugged. "Still can't believe you tried to convince me you weren't up Harrington's ass," he patted Billy's back, shaking his head sideways.

Billy moved away from the unpleasant touch on his back. "Your lucky I'm in a very, very good mood today, Tommy. 'Cause if I weren't, I'd kick your ass right now," he said, punching Tommy's face. Not too strong to hurt, though.

"All right!" Tommy raised his voice, and his furry eyebrows. "Trying to scare me away, Hargrove? Ok," he took some steps backwards, lifting his arms up in expected surrender. "But it won't change the fact that you," he pointed his finger to Billy, sneering, "are becoming Harrington's favorite doll."

Billy kept staring at him for a few seconds, just analyzing the mockery on his face, and then smiled. Not a natural, normal smile, but a mischievous one. The one he gave when he wanted to blow people's mind.

The cruel but impressive one.

Tommy only squirmed at that. Billy could tell he was getting nervous.

"You know what?" Billy turned his head to the side, and spat out on the grass. "I think," he started making his way towards Tommy, slowly. "I think I changed my mind," Billy stretched his arms out, and clenched his fists.

Tommy seemed to understand what Billy meant.

Billy swore he saw Tommy swallowing in deep.

Walking backwards again, with his eyes fixed on Billy, as if he didn't want to miss any of his movements, Tommy tripped over his own feet before running away. Not looking over his own shoulder once.

Billy only laughed at the sight. He wasn't really going to kick Tommy's ass.

Even though he wanted to, he was too exhausted for that. He actually needed a shower. His red tank top and black pants were dirty from dust and sweat, and his muscles were aching from overuse. Sword training all morning had been pretty intense.

He also promised Steve he would take him out to dinner in the late afternoon.

Take Steve out to dinner—Billy reckoned, sighing.

He never took anyone out to dinner before Steve.

He never even spent more than one night with the same person before!

But going to romantic dates with Steve whenever he could was Billy's newly, fresh habit.

And he wouldn't say he wasn't enjoying it.

"Fuck! What have you done to me, Harrington?" Billy whispered to himself, rubbing his forehead.

Well, maybe Tommy wasn't really wrong.

[mononoke-no-ko]

[Trans] R2 Sound Episode #5: C's Mushroom-ed C.C.

Someone always snapped at the end of these Sound Episodes xD.

C-take Rareta C.C.

C.C.: Please forgive me, Master!

Lelouch : Really, please remember already, C.C. You even got wet like this.

C.C.: Sorry, I'm sorry, I will never get wet again. Please forgive me...

Lelouch : I'm asking you, just don't try to wash my computer or mobile phone ever again. C'mon, stop hiding there and come out here.  

C.C.: I'm very sorry! Please, don't hurt me...!

Lelouch : Don't say things that will make people misunderstand! Anyway, why is your bulliable aura is so transparent?

(From monitor) Charles: Seems like you're having a great time, My Sweet Son!

Lelouch : Dad?! How did you find out my communication channel?

Charles: Facing C.C. who's different than usual, do you feel your heartbeats accelerating? No need to hide it.

Lelouch: What does that even mean? Don’t change the subject! What is your business anyway?

Charles: You know, I just want to see my son's flustered expression because of C.C.. Maybe one of these days I'm going to be a grandfather!

Lelouch : Like hell you're! I'm going to hang up, you stupid dad!

Charles: Wait, wait, wait! Wait a minute. The truth is, I came to share with you an information you would like to hear.  

Lelouch : Information?

Charles: Don't you want to know the method to change C.C. back, Lelouch?  

Lelouch : WHAT?!

----

Lelouch : So, now, "The first ever, sprouting and sprouting, cooking mushrooms that you have never seen before! A great gathering of friends who are confident about their craft in mushroom! Seek C’s mushroom assembly" is officially started.

Kallen: The title's long! Also, this is the hangar... right? You went as far as transforming it into a huge kitchen?!

Chiba: I heard that this is the biggest event of the Black Knights, so I come and see...

Todo: Looking at this situation, I can't even laugh.

Diethard: What's going on, Zero? Did you eat something bad? No, did you hit your head?

Rolo: Geass!

(SLAP! SLAP! SLAP!)

Rolo: Geass lifted!

Kallen: It hurts!

Todo: Uh!

Chiba: Aw!

Diethard: Ack!

Kallen: W-who is it? Just now someone just slap my head.

Todo: Unbelievable, someone actually punched my nose!

Chiba: It hurts. The inside area of my upper arm's softest part was twisted?!

Diethard: Just now I suddenly got stunned.

Rolo: Nii-san, I punished them a bit.

Lelouch: Sorry about that, Rolo. The next time they grumble again, I'll be relying on you.

Rolo: No big deal. Next time I have to make an effort not to kill them.

Lelouch: Hey hey, don't overdo it, Rolo. Well, regardless of those boring things. As I've said, I'm gathering you here for anything but one reason; to help to change the maid groupie with transparent bulliable aura, moe moe girl C.C. back to her previous self. For that purpose I need your strength.

Kallen: "Transparent bulliable aura"?

Todo: "Maid groupie"?

Chiba: "moe moe girl"?

Diethard: "Change back"?

Lelouch: That's right! In fact, I just received a contact from Emperor of Britannia.

Everyone: EHH?!

---------

Charles: There is only one way to recover C.C.'s lost memory. That is, for her to eat a new type of mushroom that grows in the underground city of the Geass Order; C-take. 

Lelouch: Shiitake (TN: a type of mushroom that's common in Japan)? Isn't that something that's sold everywhere?

Charles: You're wrong! Stupid Lelouch, C-take means C's mushroom, not the shiitake! The guy who doesn’t even know these things is actually a Geass user, how laughable!

Lelouch: Oh, I see. Because it's a mushroom that grows in C's world people called it C's mushroom... Who the hell knows this kind of thing?! How can there be such unreasonable naming method!

Charles: If she eats it, C.C. will be able to change back to the original C.C..

Lelouch: Really?

Charles: However, the underground city has grown a variety of mushrooms. You can't tell which one is C's mushrooms unless you eat it. And I heard that other mushrooms except for C's mushrooms have terrible side effects. Do you have the courage to take this risk?

Lelouch: Of course I have!

-----------

Todo: So, you are completely on his hook.

Chiba: I feel that I can already see the end of this story.

Lelouch: Rolo, let everyone take a look at the mushrooms that have been collected.

Rolo: Yes, Zero.

Kallen: Uwa-! What's this? Are these all mushrooms? How much is it...?

Rolo: These are what I've collected. The total is about 10 kilograms.

Diethard: Red, blue, green, yellow, purple, striped, and there's a red and white Bodhi leaf pattern. All are mushrooms that've never been seen before.

Todo: Somehow they scream 'don't eat', 'dangerous', and 'trouble'.

Chiba: What are we to do with these, Zero?

Lelouch: Isn't it obvious? Make dishes for C.C. to eat.

Everyone: Ehh?!

Diethard: But aren't they toxic and dangerous?

Lelouch: No, you got it wrong, Diethard. The Emperor said there are side effects, he didn’t say it’s poisonous.

Kallen: Hmm~ doesn't it sound interesting?

Chiba: K-kouzuki, you...

Kallen: If that's the case, let me help you.

Todo: But..!

Kallen: It should be fine~ it doesn't seem like there's anything dangerous in it. Moreover, everyone here has been looked down upon and made fun of by C.C.. Now it's a great opportunity for payback, don't you think?

Lelouch: Kallen, you've been harboring this kind of thought towards C.C.?

Kallen: Just a little revenge, but at the same time it can change C.C. back too. Isn't it killing two birds with one stone? Let's do it. "The first ever, sprouting and sprouting ~ cooking with mushrooms that have never been seen! A great gathering of friends who are confident about their craft in mushroom! Seek and cook the C mushroom assembly", begin...!

Diethard: The title is too long to fit into the title bar.

Todo: Title bar?

Diethard: And, last but not least, the title that's too long shows that he is not confident in the content of the show. Because the content is so boring, he wants to use the title to fool the-

Rolo: Geass!

(beating sounds)

Rolo: Lifted!

Diethard: Ahh!

Todo: Diethard suddenly gets in a tragic condition that couldn't be show on TV!

Lelouch: Ignore it. Now ladies and gentlemen, let's start this event with full power!

Kallen: Well, let's get Miss C.C., our protagonist today, to enter the stage. Miss C.C., please come up and introduce yourself!

C.C.: U-um... Excuse me, I'm a maid groupie with transparent bulliable aura, moe moe girl C.C.

Chiba: You say that about yourself?

Todo: In other words, is this the name that Zero forced C.C. to remember?

C.C.: Today, I'm ordered by Master's to help everyone here. Even though I'm just an ordinary servant, please give me your guidance.

Kallen: Come, C.C., we are all gathered here to make delicious mushroom dishes for you. You have to, without leaving a speck, finish them all.

C.C.: Master..., this woman's eyes are scary...

Todo: Well for now, try my dish first.

Kallen: Todo-san, you can cook?

Todo: That is a requirement to survive in the war.

Chiba: While we're still in the Japanese Liberation Front, snakes, mice, ants, caterpillars, weeds, barks, and roots, we've eaten anything that can be put into our mouth.

Todo: It's really nostalgic.

Chiba: Looking back, my cooking skill is also trained in those hard times.

Todo: The three cuts on the bear, your cutting method with a knife was really outstanding!

Lelouch: I see, you've gone through lot of hardship.

Todo: Next, what I made is a barbecue from the blue mushroom with a bright yellow-green round pattern on top.

Chiba: It's awesome, Todo-san. It completely researched and utilized the material color. Compared to this, the bear I did was far behind.

Todo: And with a little drop of soy sauce... here, C.C., please enjoy the dish!

C.C.: Ah, um, but it looks... kind of grotesque...

Lelouch: Eat it, C.C.. Isn’t there an old saying that effective medicine looks ominous?

C.C.: Yes..., then I'm going to eat.... (Chew)... En!

Lelouch: How are you feeling, C.C.? How does it taste? Do you feel any change?

C.C.: N-not really! There's nothing special about the taste! I ate it simply because Master would be troubled if I didn't. I'm totally NOT interested in you, okay?!

Chiba: Yet you're blushing

Todo: What? What is this change?

Diethard: Oh wow. This is a lucky first strike.

Kallen: Right. There's no mistake, this is Tsundere-mushroom.

Lelouch: Tsundere mushrooms? What's that?

Kallen: It's a new breed of mushrooms. Though I just came up with the name, but anyway this doesn't seem to be C's Mushroom.

Chiba: Then next try my dish.

Kallen: Here it is! The leader of Black Knights' kitchen, whose handmade dishes made countless men get the wrong idea, Chiba Nagisa! Today she has came to make mushroom cuisine for us... what is it?

Chiba: Don't add any weird commentary, Kozuki. I mean, originally I only made dishes for Todo-san...

Todo: Uh? What is it, Chiba? What did you say about me?

Chiba: N-nothing at all! Anyway, um, what I made is simple gratin mushrooms.

C.C.: Gratin? Again it's either too obscure or too pedestrian. In short it's just a semi-finished product. But, if you're feeding me, then I wouldn't mind eatin-

Chiba: Stop yapping and eat!

C.C.: Ah... it-it's hot... Hey...!

Chiba: Alright! So how is it?

C.C.: Um, what happened to me?

Kallen: Eh? Looks like the personality has changed again. I wonder if she just changed back.

C.C.: Somehow, my mouth is burning.

Chiba: That's of course, because I just transferred the newly baked gratin from the oven right to your mouth.

Todo: It seems only the effect of Tsundere mushroom that has disappeared. This doesn't seem to be a C's mushroom either.

Lelouch: Then let's decide the name of this mushroom as “Reset mushroom”. Haha, I've came up with a really fitting name.

Rolo: As expected from Zero!

Chiba: No creativity!

Diethard: Well, then it's my turn. Now you may not be able to tell, but my first work as an AD was on a gourmet show, and even now I’m still picky about food... ehem. The dish I made is a Britannia style dish with colored mushrooms and sweet and sour sauce. Dazzling sky blue, lemon yellow, shocking pink, emerald green, red rouge, and all these colorful colors create unprecedented flavors.

Kallen: Uwah... it looks bad for your health.

Todo: Looks poisonous.

Chiba: It's definitely poisonous.

C.C.: Master, this... do I have to eat this too...?

Lelouch: W-well, that's...

Diethard: Zero, don’t tell me you're thinking that my dish is something that can't be eaten by C.C.? I hope you're not having that kind of thought!

Lelouch: O-oh! Of course not! Since we don't know which one is C's mushroom, we have no other choice but to try every mushrooms! That's right, C.C., eat it.

C.C.: Uweeh. In the first place, why do I have to eat every one of these dishes, I don't know the reason anymore. (Eat)

Lelouch; How's the taste?

C.C.: Different from the appearance... it might be quite delicious. Unexpectedly, it's edible. Wha-!

Lelouch: What happened, C.C.?!

C.C.: Master, my hands are turning into strange shapes...!

Lelouch: The sharp-edge cone, the shape, and also the high-speed rotation while making "zing zing" noises. This... this is...!

Kallen: It's a drill.

Chiba: It's a drill huh.

Todo: How marvelous!

Lelouch: What the hell is going on?! Diethard!

Diethard: Well, no matter how you look at it, it's seems to be a mushroom that turns your hands into drills. How about naming it "Drill Mushrooms"?

Todo: Drill, huh... this is a man's romance, right, Chiba?

Chiba: Of course, Todo-san!

Kallen: What's that, fuufu manzai (couple skit)? (TN: manzai is a Japanese comedy act consisting of two people, usually one had a role of ‘funny man’ who acted silly/stupid and the other one made some retort/comment of the silly thing the other one did) 

Lelouch: You are wrong, Kallen! That was 'MENOto manzai' (wet nurse skit) because there’s no retort! 

C.C.: No, Master, the correct name should be 'MEOto manzai' (husband and wife skit). Anyway please hurry and change my hand back!!!

Lelouch: Oi, C.C., don't come close to me while waving that kind of hands! The drill will hit me!

C.C.: How could it be...! Master...! Diiethaaard! This all happened because you fed me with a strange mushroom!

Diethard: C-C.C., why only me?

C.C.: I'm going to kill you!

Diethard: Ah! It's piercing me!

Kallen: Eh, it looks painful. This is the kind of scene can never be shown on public.

Lelouch: Kallen, this is not the time to calmly admiring it!

Kallen: Well, maybe my dish could change her back.

Lelouch: Very well, try it!

Kallen: Well, what I made is mushroom risotto. This slightly turbid purple might make it seems toxic, but the taste is probably okay, though I haven't tried it myself.

C.C.: Heh, but, I can't eat with these hands.

Kallen: It can’t be helped, then! I'll be the one to feed you~! Come on, open your mouth and say 'ah~'

C.C.: A-ahn~

Lelouch: How is it? Do you feel like you're going to change back, C.C.?

C.C.: Um, somehow... my eyes feel strange...

Todo: Hmm, looks like there's no change in personality.

Lelouch: Your eyes? Does sand get into your eyes? Here, let me take a look.

C.C.: Yes, master.

Lelouch: Ack! What happened?! Just now C.C.'s eyes are glowing! They're glowing!

Todo: Rather, doesn't it seem like C.C.'s eyes are emitting beams...?

Chiba: There's a hole on the hangar walls....

Kallen: No no, Chiba, this is exactly the result that we're aiming!

Chiba: But even so, this is too...

Todo: For now, let's call this mushroom "Beaming Eyes Mushroom."

Chiba: Beam is also a man's romance right, Todo-san!

Lelouch: If we tell Rakshata about this, there's no doubt she will be very happy.

Kallen: The attack is really powerful, we can use it as a weapon.

Lelouch: Or not! Everyone, look! The beam just now scratched my helmet and left a mark! Kallen, how could you act so calm!

Kallen: That's because we have this "Reset mushroom", don't we? She just needs to eat that to change back to normal. Did you forget about it, Zero?

Lelouch: !! I DIDN'T!

Kallen: You forgot, huh.

Lelouch: Don't worry, C.C., now we will return you to normal. Come, Chiba! Bring your mushrooms gratin over.

Chiba: I'm sorry to inform you, Zero. Actually we've used all the Reset mushroom remained.

Lelouch: What did you say?

C.C.: Then what would happen to me, Master...!

Todo: Another blow on the wall. This is equivalent to the destructive power of a warship.

Lelouch: There's no other way. In this situation, let her eat each and every one of the mushrooms, then pray that there's any that can change her back.

Rolo: That’s Zero for you! It's a creative and amazing idea!

Chiba: Isn't he just trying his luck.

Lelouch: I need everyone’s help! Put all these mushrooms into C.C.'s mouth!

Everyone: Understood!

C.C.: Please stop, that unreasonable... uh... uh... W-w-whoa! Why am I getting bigger?

Lelouch: C.C. is turning into a giant!

Chiba: She grows to be even bigger than Zangetsu! This development is too unexpected.

Todo: So this is the power of Chinese Federation for 4000 years!

Rolo: Well, for now, let's name this mushroom as "Giant mushroom".

C.C.: Who cares about the name...

Lelouch: C.C. just... broke the hangar's ceiling!

Diethard: No, no, this must be CG! Or maybe it's a bluescreen effect that's used in the past... na ha, na ha ha!

Kallen: Diethard is escaping from reality.

Lelouch: Sorry about this, C.C.. I've used every method existed, but turns out modern science isn't able to help you yet.

C.C.: It's...! It's that so...

Lelouch: C.C....

C.C.: About this, or that matter, it's all the same. In the end everything is my fault.

Lelouch: No, this is Emperor of Brittania's...!

C.C.: No, it's okay. It's all my fault. Summer is hot and sea is salty because of my fault.

Todo: She doesn’t make any sense.

Kallen: Hmm she has became this big yet she feels small inside.

C.C.: This body now has became an obstruction. I can no longer stay by Master's side! Please don't look for me.

Chiba: Well, even if we don't look, you stick out.

C.C.: Bye-bye, everyone! Bye-bye, master!

Lelouch: Really, don't run, C.C.!

Diethard: Ack, it's collapsing...

Kallen: Stop, C.C! —————————————————————— Suzaku: Your Majesty, I have something to report to you.

Emperor: Oh? I was wondering who it is. So it's you, Suzaku. What's your business?

Suzaku: We got an emergency report from the spy we sneaked in to the area of Chinese Federation. It said there's a sight of unknown giant creature at Black Knight's HQ.

Emperor: Giant creature?

Suzaku: The reports says it looks like a young woman. I'm afraid there must be some mistake in this report.

Emperor: "Young woman"? Hahaha! Zero, I got you fooled!

Suzaku: Your Majesty?

Emperor: Zero... no, Lelouch... you are completely at my service! BWAHAHAHA!

Suzaku: H-huh?

———————————

C.C.: Please don’t look for me!!!

Fin.

Visit Index for other translations of other Code Geass materials.

[movienotesbyzawmer]

August 21: Mission: Impossible II

(previous notes: Mission: Impossible)

Not gonna lie, this is without question the Mission: Impossible movie that is remembered most unfavorably by me and, I'm pretty sure, everyone else. My recollection is that they tried SO SO SO SO HARD to make an action movie for Today's Kids; I'm typing this with the title screen of the 4K Blu-ray blasting its turn-of-the-millennium neo-metal version of the classic theme with Tom Cruise running in front of a wall of flame and it's just like come on. Is there even must fun spycraft in this? The first one promised lots of gravely furtive glancing, world-class makeup disguises, and dazzling gadgetry. Did this movie's director John Woo replace those with just way way way too much shooting and chasing and sexy vehicles? That's how I remember it but it's been a couple of decades.

I should probably address this series' exciting approach to director selection. The first one was directed by the legendary Brian De Palma, who brought us Carrie, The Untouchables, and Carlito's Way. Whether or not this one worked out, the trend here seemed to be to choose a respected director with a certain cred that could be imported into the franchise. More on that as this series unfolds. I am now to press play.

Opening scene is about a scientist who injects himself with something while a voiceover teases us with I-already-forget-what.

Oh, he's pals with Ethan; they're on a plane together out of Sydney when some bad-guy shenanigans totally thwart the whole fly-to-the-destination-safely thing. But! It wasn't even Ethan! It was good-ol' makeup fake-outery! It was a heist to take the warn leather pouch that the scientist had.

This I remember - during the opening credits, the REAL Ethan Hunt is climbing somewhere impressive, all freestyle like. All the related supplemental marketing materials never fail to talk up Tom Cruise's penchant for doing his own stunts, but these don't look real.

He then receives a fancy techno-message in a very, very dramatic and action-movie-ish fashion, which is that someone flies a helicopter by his climbing mountain and fires a rocket near him containing message-glasses tech! The voice in the message glasses sounds like Anthony Hopkins. Is it Anthony Hopkins?

Anyway now he has to go to Spain to recruit Thandie Newton and here is where it's already starting to get way too the-style-of-John-Woo. There is a flamenco show and Ethan and TN spot each other across the room. There is SLO MOTION and SPANISH STOMPING and ACOUSTIC GUITAR, and THOSE TWO GAZING AT EACH OTHER. I tell you I do not care for it.

What happens next is TN proceeds to use fancy technology and lockpicking skills to steal a well-concealed necklace. Ethan tags along flirtatiously. She still tries to steal the necklace even though this Lothario, this smarmy but irresistible cad, is trying to distract her with his testosterone.

Ugh, I was very right to remember not liking stuff about this movie. Ethan fails to recruit her at the jewel heist, so he car-chases at her the next day! He calls her during the car chase to irritate/seduce her, and she's all "you'll have to catch me ha ha", and it ends in a nearly fatal crash and then they KISS. The director worked very hard to ensure the kissing was HAWT, and Ethan has now successfully recruited TN for both spy work and boinkage.

Anthony Hopkins! He is in the next scene! That really was him! How did I forget that he is in this movie. This scene where he meets with Ethan and fills him in on everything is effectively expository. But then after he knows what he's gotta do, he walks with INTENSITY and it is in SLOW MOTION next to a BURNING EFFIGY THING with ELECTRIC GUITAR MUSIC GOING ON.

0:33:40 - Oh now it's a little more what I like, with a montage about using spy tech to get Ambrose, the bad guy who was pretending to be Ethan on the plane in the beginning, to track TN. And to further assure us that there is techie-fun to be had, Ving Rhames returns to be that guy for Ethan's team. But there is also time in this sequence for shots of TN walking slowly and looking super pretty. You know, so she can seduce Ambrose. A flowing scarf figures prominently in this imagery. A John Woo Film.

I like that they tricked Ambrose into thinking he is so damn smart for tracking her down. I also like Ambrose's compound on Sydney Harbour, it is a bitchin property.

Scene just happened where Ambrose seriously menaces his friend and uses a cigar-clipper on his finger. Ambrose is a bad friend.

But then they're all at the horse race game, even Ambrose's injured friend, who we learn is named Stemp and who is spying on TN, and Ethan and VR are spying on them all. There are shots of TN doing sleight of hand to steal a tape from Ambrose's pocket and it's pretty good spy-shot stuff.

I guess I should mention that there's one more guy on Ethan's team of four, an Australian guy. I haven't caught his name, so he is Australian Guy now, and he is pretending to be an employee of the horse race game venue. He gets bullied by Stemp! We don't like Stemp!

The tape she stole, they watch it right away and it shows footage of what the virus (there's a virus problem at the center of this) does. It is effective, and a little shocking.

But then, this is surprisingly actually kind of well-conveyed - they made it VERY clear that the tape was originally in Ambrose's left jacket pocket, and they showed very clearly that TN returned it to the wrong jacket pocket, AND it's obvious a moment later that Ambrose knows it has been replaced in the wrong jacket pocket. Don't know why, but at least it's keeping us on top of this situation.

Also not-too-shabby is how they're doing the consequences of Ethan and TN fancying each other, except then she has to go and seduce Ambrose and that's uncomfortable and drama-making. In Ethan's defense, as well as Ambrose's, I am also in love with TN right now.

1:02:12 - Ethan disguised himself as Scientist, the dead one from the beginning, and I'm just saying I'm glad this movie is embracing the disguise-craft theme that was established in the first movie. Ooh, is the show like that too?

And then just as I've typed that, it turns out that Ambrose did an Ethan disguise (it was established by Anthony Hopkins that Ambrose was an IMF agent so he can do that stuff too) to trick TN into outing her intentions. They make it very clear that there is voice-fake tech with their disguises that involves a wire mesh thing stuck to the throat.

Next up is a heist scheme to break into a skyscraper where they're growing stuff about the virus, and it's a little bit of that style I liked so much in the last movie, with the added twist that Ambrose is somewhere else anticipating what Ethan's planning, and, I think, plotting a separate, way-better heist. They're still talking about it and the heist is happening and it is suspenseful! I totally like this more than I remember.

1:13:30 - Ethan is at the part of the heist where he's at fancy lab facilities with robot arms and AI voices and oddly no people. VR and Australian Guy are observing everything that's happening using technology and Australian Guy's helicopter, making it more suspenseful, but I also don't know exactly what's going on? We appear to be where Scientist originally injected himself, and Ethan is I think killing the virus while also somehow visualizing Scientist injecting himself.

But then that all goes away because a platoon of thugs in black burst in and are shooting at Ethan. It all quickly became an action movie with blazing guns and VR's tech van getting bombed.

In the fracas it's clear that one of the injector guns contains the last of the virus, and also gunplay might shatter it and make them all infected, so that's decent suspense. But also, the lighting in this bio-lab is like a nightclub, with inexplicably roving spotlights and neon accents that pop in 4K.

TN is in the mix, and she decides to inject the last of the virus into herself, and there's a dumb moment where it's like ETHAN YOU HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO SHOOT ME WITH YOUR GUN and Ethan, Man of Ethics, does not do that. Instead there is more gunplay and Ethan jumps out a hole he made in the wall.

1:28:45 - We've moved to new location, a new compound, and it's on a guard-patrolled island and Ethan sneaks up on a guard and does a totally unnecessary body-flip martial arts move to take him out. I think he needs to steal the antidote from this compound so that he can save TN, who is somewhere else. He is visually passionate about this mission.

Ethan got caught sneaking in to this new compound by Stemp, and he did a whole grenade blowup thing but he still got caught. It's a trick, right? Yup, he put an Ethan mask on Stemp and a Stemp mask on himself and got Ambrose to kill Stemp. He realizes he just killed Stemp because of the finger injury, good job with that.

I am reminded that this movie is from the director of Face/Off, so I needn't have feared that the mask/disguise conceit would be forsaken.

But did he get the antidote? He must have. Sometimes when I'm typing notes I miss stuff, but he's now motorcycling away while VR and Australian Guy are providing support from their chopper.

This is now the vehicle-chase opera that I remember ending the movie so terribly extendedly. Much gunplay. Vehicles pirouette with violent elegance. Ethan can do such exquisite dances with his motorcycle and firearm. This climaxes in the ridiculous feat of Ethan and Ambrose riding their cycles at each other and jumping at off them at each other to finish the job sans vehicle. It ends as a tussle on the beach, and Ambrose has a knife that almost gets in Ethan's eye. The visual on that is striking. But it's no good, Ethan is too Tom Cruise for him. He gets the knife from him and DISCARDS THE KNIFE, and punch-kick-fights him a lot instead. Ethics.

Turns out Ambrose has a gun after all oh no. But then it turns out Ethan is standing by a sand-obscured gun somehow also oh good. He does a thoroughly storyboarded sand-kick-body-twirl gun recovery that ends like you'd guess.

So although there are some dumb things about this movie, I think it's better than I remembered. And having just watched the first one, I think it actually did a good job of having a story where you don't have to ignore a lot of stupidness. It's not like it's an especially good plot, but it didn't try to make you forget its holes like the first one. I still like the first one better, though.

(next: Mission: Impossible III)

[celiarollins]

can i get insurance with a permit

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can i get insurance with a permit

can i get insurance with a permit? I can t believe the answer is yes. This is not an opinion piece on or against smoking but rather, about having a permit to smoke. This is because I am aware. I have smoked several times in my life having been a smoker for over a year. And I do smoke. And I am able to get insurance from my permit as a smoker, as an independent agent. What am I missing out on? I have to ask! Does insurance cover tobacco smoking? This is a pretty common question whether I was drinking or smoking when I was 20 or 20 years old in the 1980s or in an attempt to quit, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have insurance or that no insurance is your best bet other than being a smoker. Now that we’ve talked about why cigarettes aren’t covered by insurance and how cigarette use affects insurance, let’s go over what it might mean when you’re researching your car policy, etc. can i get insurance with a permit as i never in my life have been in a wreck. i only drive my parents cars occasionally. Is it in a couple of years a car that never ends up? And if I was driving one it would end up in someone else s place or in a wreck for whatever reason it seems you dont want people driving insurance on your insurance, I hope the only reason I can drive a car with no insurance is by the car and you should know that it is not a car. I don t know if they will allow people to drive it out of a car but i get a check that means they are going to have to pay me if i was driving it out of my car. Any tips? I think you have mentioned that in the quote i am talking to the same type of car and driving on a different type of liability to insure it, my suggestion would be for people to do it because that is the way it is and there is a different risk to you. But for the most i. can i get insurance with a permit? If you re looking to save or get car insurance without a permit, it really isn t worth the risks. Your vehicle registration, license plate, and license plate will be impounding, and you will likely be unable to drive the vehicle. The best approach is to call up your insurance company to discuss options, but remember that the best rate is actually going to pay, with the latter being that it will likely include the cost of the vehicle itself. Let s discuss this in deeper detail. If you drive legally but don t own a car, then you re probably paying a lot for insurance and you shouldn t be driving. Auto insurance companies generally expect the riskiest drivers to have a poor driving record, and not to let them get into accidents or let an uninsured driver cause a crash. These type of drivers tend to have very minor accident injuries and need to be insured to drive the vehicle. The only exception to this was when drivers were asked to pay out of pocket for damages caused by another.

Learner’s Permit Insurance Policies

Learner’s Permit Insurance Policies, the new rules say these costs will have to be paid through your personal checking account, and you won’t have to submit a claim directly to your insurance company through either the site or a website. For more information, . You can also opt for an independent insurance agent in West Seattle City to guide you and get quotes from several popular nationwide insurance companies in one place to ensure you’re getting the best rates.  by calling (888) 983-8683.  If you know the individual, you can usually add a representative to make sure they understand your specific needs and can help guide you in reaching out to agents. The plan also includes a list of insureds that can make a claim, and one person in the insurance process who will look up information about your policy details.  You can also check out the . A West Seattle City agent can help you compare and shop your insurance plans. The average monthly cost of West Seattle car insurance premiums are $65..

Do you need insurance to get a learners permit?

Do you need insurance to get a learners permit? In order to get a learner’s permit, you must have an existing car insurance policy and satisfy the state’s motor vehicle liability requirement. To , you must have some basic automobile insurance coverage in place. While these types of coverage will get you a license, they aren’t considered the coverages that you would need to carry on your car insurance policy. The coverages you select will protect you, your passengers and your vehicle and will include bodily injury, property damage, collision or . Keep in mind that these coverages aren’t absolute. Some coverages may have a small discount for certain driving behaviors, like walking or air parking. Also keep in mind that certain coverages do have benefits. If you need the coverage offered, it will have an overall cost that will depend on your policy. Many adult children need to have basic coverage, but sometimes they may come with some special features like a learner’s permit or a vehicle or permit. For.

Do you need insurance for a learners permit in tn?

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Can you get a car insurance with only a learners permit?

Can you get a car insurance with only a learners permit? Here’s what to consider when it comes to getting insurance with a permit. Once you have a permit, it doesn’t have to be difficult to get and keep insurance if you’re a learner driver. With a permit, you can drive for rideshare or other rideshare services, even if you’re on your parents’ car insurance policy. Car insurance for young drivers is higher than for experienced drivers with a more professional driving record. That’s because of the lack of experience behind the wheel. As the cost of insuring an adult rises, so do the rates of teenage drivers. Even with a permit, it’s important to know what are the types of insurance that a learner driver would need to have. Some insurance companies consider the policyholder as a primary driver, so a learner’s permit driver could not be added to a car insurance policy or vicegele. If a learner driver is in an accident.

Do you have to add your teenage to your insurance if they got their learners permit in tx?

Do you have to add your teenage to your insurance if they got their learners permit in tx? No need for this insurance because you can add your teen to your auto insurance policy at any time. Your teenager often lives in a college or university residence because of it because their parents often add them to their parents’ auto insurance since it s not required. If your teen lives on campus, you should also consider making changes to your homeowners or renters insurance policy. However, if they re living with their parents or a college roommate, you may not need homeowners insurance. After all, their driving record is bad, their home is older, and they are less likely to have accidents. Your best bet before adding someone to your auto insurance is to contact your insurer and ask. If you don t have the same questions about your teenagers, take a look at the car insurance coverage offered their parents. It might be better to do nothing but put them off buying their own policy. Many major insurance companies will be willing to sell their company’s coverage for teens. As you can see, there are.

Can you drive a car without insurance if you have a learners permit?

Can you drive a car without insurance if you have a learners permit? If so, you wouldn’t be required to buy car insurance on your own if you attended school in the U.S. and your parents are licensed in the legal U.S. If you own a car, you probably can’t legally drive your parents’ car. It’s illegal in almost every state to drive a car without proof of car insurance. In Texas, you are required to register your car and provide proof that you have insurance. If you don’t, you’ll end up paying for the car and face fines. Even if you can’t legally drive your parents’ car because you have a permit, it still might be a wise decision to drive their car. It’s a lot easier to just keep the car you’re borrowing and show the insurance company that you’re insured (provided that you have a valid license and registration). Compare car insurance quotes to find your best rate Property and Casual.

Can you get auto insurance with a permit?

Can you get auto insurance with a permit? Most people know that unless they live in Massachusetts, they must have auto insurance with a permit. The easiest way of doing this is by simply getting a quote online. If there are multiple customers nearby, you might see them listing the same quote. Some quotes are much less expensive compared to others because you can see them instantly on your phone. After you’ve put your phone number in, you can call the insurance company or click on their website to continue the quote. It might be a little confusing to go from one quote to another. If they let you do a quote, you can also speak with the company. One thing to note about insurance quotes is that some companies do not let you start an account prior to your term of service. You have to ask the insurance company before the policy gets issued. For this reason, it’s very important to be honest with your insurance company. Ask them, but you can also talk to a representative from the start. The company might let.

Do you need car insurance with a learner’s permit? Does a child with a learner’s permit need insurance? Yes to both questions, but you don t need a separate car insurance policy for a learner s permit. The average car insurance rates for new and teen drivers are $320 a month. There are also discounts for learner s permit car insurance.

Do you need car insurance with a learner’s permit? Does a child with a learner’s permit need insurance? Yes to both questions, but you don t need a separate car insurance policy for a learner s permit. The average car insurance rates for new and teen drivers are $320 a month. There are also discounts for learner s permit car insurance. It s best to check with your insurance provider before you buy to see if it offers specific low-cost rates. If you re a young driver with a parent or guardian, you can still get insurance at age 24, though most companies will let you keep your coverage until the car s new owner. There aren t any age restrictions. Car insurance for new and teen drivers can be expensive, but choosing to stay on a parent s policy is still possible. The car s new owner insurance probably includes , which pays for a covered wreck for the next 72 hours. If your vehicle is still owned by the owner, it may not include coverage. A car s new owner insurance might help you pay for any expenses that come up as a result of an accident, like transportation. Some states provide special driver-related programs that reward drivers with a clean record who try to stay on the road safer. However, this won t happen to all parents and legal guardians, even if their vehicle is insured on their parents.

Does one need auto insurance to drive with a learners permit in Texas?

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Can your parents have liability insurance when you have a learners permit?

Can your parents have liability insurance when you have a learners permit? The answer is yes, this depends. The state where you live and the type and level of coverage you select will be entirely based on your personal needs. We’ve researched the ins and outs of car insurance: What Is Coverage? What Is The Standard? and does car insurance really matter? In this brief answer, we will cover the various types of car insurance available for drivers: What Is The Right Level Of Coverage? A insurance policy is typically the most expensive in the U.S. What is a Good Student Discount? Is your child a driver? What Are The Odds That You Will Need It When Drivers Are Old In Car Insurance? The insurance companies are interested in something when they take a car to school, but what is the age limit? Is an older person covered in the U.S. insurance? So, in this very brief question, we’ll go through all the relevant information that you can ask. Do You Ask What Is Contingent Coverage?.

[mercedesnameinlights-blog]

Para: Samcedes Thanksgiving

Who: Mercedes and Sam

When: Afternoon, 23 Nov 2017

Where: Granny Truitt’s Farm, Hohenwald, TN

What: Thanksgiving with the Truitt’s

The hour and a half drive to Sam’s grandmother’s house was filled with singing and chatter as Sam caught Mercedes up on life at his job and her about school and work, and all of the crazy things she and Santana seemed to get up to. His feelings about her aside, Sam was genuinely happy that she seemed to have bounced back completely from almost getting married just a few short months ago, and that things seemed to be on an upswing otherwise for her. Her happiness had always been the priority over his own feelings for her, and that hadn’t changed in the last few years. If anything, it just reaffirmed his commitment to being the very best friend to her that he could be.

Mercedes loved hearing about Sam’s work and all the things he and his team had to do for clients.  Sometimes they asked for some of the most ridiculous things to be put on their websites.  As they talked about school,  she mentioned the senior project she had done with her friend Todd, who was a musical theater major.  She promised him that she would give him a sneak peak of it once they got back home later.  Home.  Mercedes needed to get her mind right and remember that Tennessee and Sam’s apartment were not home.  No matter how much it felt like it, and no matter how much she found herself wanting it to be true.  She was about to meet some of his family and she needed to make a great impression as his best friend.

They drove up the long drive of Sam’s grandmother’s 10-acre farm and parked among one of the many cars always parked outside. Kids came running from around the back of the house, sporting their Sunday best as they chased each other loudly before stopping to look and see who’s arrived. Once they realized who it was, they all came rushing over, throwing their arms eagerly around Sam with excited greetings and questions.

Mercedes just looked at the vast acreage with wide eyes like a kid.  It was beautiful land, and the trees that still had leaves were full of red and gold colors.  When she saw Sam get swarmed by a team of kids she couldn’t keep herself from giggling at how cute it was, it reminded her of the way the twins would always greet him when he came home from school.  She made sure she was dressed church appropriate, opting for a simple teal colored dress that complimented her full figure.  She was wearing her hair natural (because Sam would sweat out any other style she wore except braids), so her curls were on full display.  She let Sam introduce her and made sure she greeted each child by name once they gave it, so she would remember.

Sam made sure to take a moment to chat with his younger cousins before they were off again. They’d given Mercedes a few shy replies when he introduced her, but then they were gone, leaving Sam to shake his head before he led the way to his grandmother’s front door. The moment he opened the door, the delicious smell of his grandmother’s home cooking wafting as they walked in. “Granny, your favorite grandson is here,” he called out.

The closer they got to the front door, the more nervous Mercedes felt.  She shook her head in amusement however at Sam’s words as they entered the house.  “Just wait until I tell Stevie you said that,” she joked softly.  She was not surprised at the immediate aroma of good food that hit her senses, and contrary to her big brother’s foolishness, she knew Granny Truitt had major cooking skills.  Mrs. Evans was as amazing in the kitchen as her own mom, and she knew a lot of those recipes had been passed down through family.  She could hear the football game playing nearby, as well as the distinct sound of a busy kitchen.

The sounds of his uncles and cousins cheering and jeering at the game on in the other room drew Sam’s attention and he stopped when his mom’s oldest brother came out of the family room. “Well, well, look what the cat dragged in,” his Uncle Vernon drawled, a huge smirk on his face as he eyed up Mercedes. “And he brought a lady friend. Look at this, boys,” he said, glancing over his shoulder.

The next to make an appearance was Sam’s uncle, Rhett. “Hi there, welcome. Sammy didn’t tell us that the friend he was bringing along was a lady. Must be special. I’m his Uncle Rhett, and this here is Uncle Vern. It’s nice to meet you…” His blue eyes turned to Sam expectantly.

Welp, Sam thought. He should’ve known that his uncles would be in rare form. He shook his head. “This is Mercedes...Mercedes, these are my mom’s brothers, Uncle Vern and Uncle Rhett.”

“Oh...this is the famous Mercedes. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you,” Vernon said, holding out his hand for her to shake.

Rhett offered her his hand next. “All this time we figured that he’d made you up when he moved to Ohio. “ He was joking because,  of course, they’d all seen pictures of her and heard stories from his parents and siblings, but Sam had never brought her home before and now they figured that meant things were finally official.

“Hi, nice to meet you both,” she said as she shook each uncle’s hand.  She could already tell this was going to be an interesting evening and that Mrs. Evans was going to get all kinds of calls and texts from the family.  She also could start to see the hints of family traits that were running through the family as well.  Truitts had some mighty fine genes from what she had seen so far.  And even though she knew that he may have mentioned her before, it had been forever ago! At least since they would’ve really heard about her from him.  It was kinda cute how Vernon said it like she was a big deal.  She looked over at Sam discreetly, wondering if he was thinking this was a colossal mistake.

By now, his cousins had started to gather around, and Sam almost rolled his eyes. He hadn’t expected them to remember Mercedes at all. It had been years. So a part of him suspected that his mom may have let it slip or one of his siblings. Which was just peachy. Not. Though he had known that people might make assumptions since he’d brought her along to meet the family. It was just that now they wouldn’t believe him when he said that they were just friends. He took the time to introduce her to the other cousins, ignoring his uncles’ constant poking. “Come on, ‘Cedes, let’s go find my granny,” he said, ushering her away towards the kitchen.

She waved politely at the posse of relatives, her nerves coming back tenfold now that they were off to find the matriarch.  She knew it was silly to be this worked up, especially since she and Sam were just very close friends, but she knew how much he loved his granny, and she wanted her to know that she loved her grandson, as a friend of course, very much.  “Your uncles are hilarious,” she said softly as they made their way towards the kitchen.  “I bet they gave your dad hell for his first few visits.”  

“Still do. My mom said she never had to fear bringing anyone home to her daddy. It was her big brothers that were likely to threaten the guy within an inch of his life,” Sam replied with a laugh. He walked into the kitchen, spotting his grandmother, Aunt Patty, and his cousin, Connie, working on dinner. “Well, Granny, your favorite has finally arrived,” he announced with a grin.

Turning, Ruby Truitt let out a happy scream and rushed over to her grandson, throwing her arms around him. She had a close relationship with all of her grandchildren, but she and Sam had always had a special kind of bond. She squeezed him tightly and kissed all over his face until he was squirming away and made her laugh. “You know I have to give you a kiss for every month I don’t see ya. I still owe you five.”

Sam hugged his aunt and cousin and then turned to Mercedes. “Everyone, this is Mercedes. Mercedes, this is my Granny, my Aunt Patty, she’s married to Uncle Rhett. And this is my cousin, Connie. She’s married to Brady. Uncle Vern is her dad.”

“But don’t hold either one against me,” Connie teased.

Walking around the counter, Ruby approached Mercedes. “It’s great to finally meet you, Mercedes.” She hugged the young woman to her. “You can call me Granny or Miss Ruby.”

Mercedes had to cover her mouth to keep her giggles in check when she saw Granny Truitt love up on her grandbaby.  It was the most adorable sight.  He looked more like one of the little kids running around outside than a grown man for those few moments.  She greeted his aunt and cousin, a soft laugh coming out at Connie’s words.  She wondered if Uncle Vern put the fear of everything in Brady when they started dating.

“Oh my goodness, you too,” she smiled brightly as she hugged the older woman back.  “I’ve heard stories about you for quite awhile now. And yes, they were all good, especially when they involved your legendary cooking. Although, he always seems to leave out the ones where he probably got in trouble for stuff.”  She could only imagine the kind of mischief little Sam probably got into.   “Thank you so much for letting me come visit and spend Thanksgiving with y’all.”  Hanging around Sam had caused her to pick up certain words and use them.  She wasn’t as twangy as Sam could get at times, but it was obvious that some of her words had started to get a bit of an accent to them.

She let out a hearty chuckle. “Oh honey, do I have some tales to tell about that one over there.  After dinner I’ll get out the photo albums.  It isn’t a proper Truitt Thanksgiving if someone isn’t getting just a bit embarrassed, and I think our Sammy is way overdue.” She gave her grandson a wink before she moved back around the counter.  “Now we’ll be ready to eat in about fifteen or twenty minutes tops.”  That meant it was time for parents to wrangle up the kids and get their hands washed and get them seated so they weren’t running under anyone as they brought the food to the table.  “Sam, why don’t you give Mercedes a little tour and also make sure none of your cousins are upstairs.”

Sam had to bite back his groan, knowing his granny would have his backside if he didn’t. He’d never brought a love interest home to meet his family. So he had actually escaped the baby picture embarrassment. There was no way anyone was gonna let him live it down either. So he nodded for Mercedes to follow him and started on his was to show her around.

——

The Truitt Thanksgiving meal was a spread worthy of Bon Appetit magazine it looked so good, and it tasted even better.  After Uncle Rhett said grace, the turkey was carved and the plates began getting prepared.   As the sides and bread began to pass around, the talking picked up. Kerrianne wanted to know all about New York, so she and Mercedes fell into an easy conversation about the pros and cons of living there.  The fact that Mercedes told her Tennessee was way safer and just an all around better place in comparison did not miss Granny Truitt’s ears.

The nerves that had been eating at Mercedes all morning had faded away for the most part.  Everyone was so nice, and there were some hilarious people in this family on top of it.  And the best part of it all, at least in her opinion, was watching Sam interact with his family.  There was an ease and almost childlike demeanor to him when he joked with his cousins or playfully got into it with his uncles on who was the best quarterback playing.  She’d catch herself every now and then just smiling at how happy he was in this environment.

What she was also grateful for was that no one questioned their relationship as being anything other than friends.  She knew that some were wondering, but they never brought it up, which she appreciated greatly.  Once bellies were full, the table was cleared and the family dispersed to different areas of the house.  Some to the den to resume football watching, others went outside to enjoy the back deck or go play out in the yard. For some unknown reason, baby Mason had taken to Mercedes and she was currently holding him as Granny Truitt showed her old pictures of Sam.  There was one of him buck naked except for a pair of cowboy boots and a cowboy hat, running out the front door.  He couldn’t have been more than two.  Apparently he was going through an au naturale phase she told her.  Mercedes couldn’t stop laughing, which made Mason laugh, and that only made her laugh even more.  Tears were in her eyes and was glorious.

“You’re pretty good with the little ones,” Ruby smiled.  “Sam is too.  He could get the twins to sleep even when I wanted to pull out my hair.  Twins run in our family too.” She liked Mercedes.  She fit in with the family and all their antics, and she didn’t even bat an eye to help out with the cleaning, even though she didn’t have to.  She also saw the way she looked at Sam when she thought no one was watching her.  She wasn’t sure what the two of them were trying to prove, but they weren’t fooling her in the least bit.

Mercedes shifted Mason so he was laying against her, his head on her shoulder.  He looked like he was getting tired so she was rubbing his little back.  “I used to babysit a lot in high school, even help Sam with the twins at times.” She smiled, thinking back on those times fondly.  “He’s an amazing big brother.”

“I agree.  He can be a bit stubborn at times though, set in his ways when he makes up his mind about something.  He gets that from his grandaddy.  He’s still young so he hasn’t fully learned that bending a little isn’t a bad thing.  It doesn’t have to be all or nothing.” She smiled as she put away the photo album.  “You two look at each other like no one else is in the room, did you know that?”

“No ma’am,” Mercedes replied softly, not sure if she was going to get a stern talking to or an interrogation about her intentions with Sam, but she hoped she wouldn’t be asked any questions, because lying to a grandmother to her face is probably an unwritten 11th commandment, separate from just the plain thou shall not bear false witness one.

Ruby chuckled, noticing the worried look on her face as she sat back down. “Oh hun, it’s not a bad thing as far as I’m concerned.  I’m glad he has someone that cares about him that deeply.  But y’all do need to talk about your feelings, because you’re not really fooling anyone with the whole friends thing.  And I know I’m just being a meddling ol’ woman, but you make that sweet grandson of mine smile like you hung the moon just for him.  And I’ve never seen anyone get all his corny jokes and think they’re funny too.  So I’m not sure if the timing isn’t right or maybe something else is going on that’s keeping y’all from saying you’re together, but let’s just say I wouldn’t mind having you back for some more family gatherings.”  She got up and gave Mercedes a wink.  “Looks like Mason is passed right on out, I can go put him in the crib if you want.”

“That’s okay, Miss Ruby, I’ve got him,” Mercedes said softly.  “Thank you for sharing those pictures and stories with me. And for the talk.”  It meant a lot to her that she knew how much she cared about Sam without her having to say it.  She made her way toward the room where Mason’s travel crib was set up so she could lay him down.

Sam had had his own talking to by his uncles and grandfather. He hadn’t stopped to examine too closely why he’d thought it would be a good idea to bring Mercedes to meet his family, but at the time, he’d just wanted her to meet them because she was important to him and so was his family. However, as his Grampa had pointed out, bringing someone to meet your family was the opposite of cooling things off, especially when it was so apparent to everyone else that he had feelings for Mercedes. So he hadn’t bothered to deny that part. He’d just pointed out that having feelings for someone didn’t mean that they should be together when their lives weren’t compatible. They’d argued with him about it, but no amount of counterpoints were going to make him think differently. So he’d excused himself and went in search of Mercedes, whom he’d found putting Mason down for a nap.

He stood in the doorway and just watched her with the baby, his love for her growing even stronger as he thought of what she’d one day be like with her own children. She’d always been so good with the twins. He had no doubt she’d excel at being a mother. It just really sucked that it wouldn’t be with him. He pushed the thoughts away and cleared his throat to announce his presence. “There you are. I came to see if you wanted to take a little walk with me before the sun sets and we get back on the road.”

She looked at the cute little boy as he slept, and it made her think about how much she wanted her own little family someday.  How she wouldn’t mind having a house just outside of a big city, with land for kids to run and play and climb trees.  But the problem is that she kept wanting Sam in that family, and she knew that wasn’t an option.  Miss Ruby meant well, and as wonderful as her words had been, she knew where she stood with Sam.  She was the ride or die bestie, and she’d probably end up in his wedding party with Blaine and Stevie.  She turned her head when she heard him, smiling slightly.  “Sure, let me turn on the baby monitor and we’ll go, okay?” She was glad he showed up before her brain went any further down the rabbit hole it was tumbling down.  She turned on the monitor sitting on the nightstand and then followed him out the room.

He waited as she turned on the monitor then led the way down to the back door. He told his Aunt, Patty, that he was going to show Mercedes around the farm before the sunset then he headed out the door with Mercedes behind him. “I hope you tell your brother that I didn’t feed you unseasoned, nasty food,” he joked after the peaceful quiet of their walk had stretched between them.

Mercedes laughed, her head shaking slightly,”He is a fool for sending you that.  But believe me, by the time I finish telling him about all the delicious food, he’s going to want to come down here and meet Miss Ruby.”  It was so peaceful out here. She had always thought she was a city girl, and she did like the city, but there was something so relaxing and nice about being away from all the buzzing and lights.

“That was probably one of the nicer things he’s ever sent me, if I’m honest,” Sam replied with a chuckle. It was weird to think that, even though his relationship and friendship with Mercedes was completely separate, he’d managed to get close to her brother in the years where they’d lost touch. It probably had to do with the fact that, until recently, she was a subject they avoided altogether. Sam didn’t ask any questions, and Royce didn’t volunteer any information. Once he didn’t have to fall into the protective older brother role, the older guy and Sam had just kind of reached a natural flow in their friendship. It was really something Sam had come to cherish. And if things were different, and he could end up with Mercedes for the long run, having that bond with her brother would make it all the better. “If he came to visit, I think he’d never leave. Plus, I don’t trust him with any of the Truitt women. He’d probably end up trying to sweet talk one, then I’d have to be the protective family member, and I don’t reckon I’d like that kind of role reversal.”

She was happy that Sam and Royce had stayed really good friends all these years. That was a positive outcome of their mutual and amiable breakup, that friendships could remain intact and that there was no drama or bad blood between them.  “I am not surprised at all. He has sent me some ridiculous stuff, and he tends to censor things with me like I’m still a teenager.” Which made her laugh softly.  “He definitely can’t be trusted around the women in your family, that’s a given.  I think Miss Ruby would get a kick out of him though.” She looked at him with a slightly worried look, mirth in her eyes. “Oh no, he’d probably get along with your uncles way too well.  That could be dangerous.”  It wasn’t lost on her that this was a talk that would happen if they were going to be together.  Blending families and who would get along with the other.  The impeccable battle of the grandmas that would happen via delicious baked goods.  A massive flag football game with all the cousins. It was nice to think about, but she knew it was unrealistic and selfish to hope.

“Definitely, my Granny would love him, and I can’t have anyone else vying for the spot of her favorite. I already have a gajillion cousins doing that. Beau is the closest on account of him and my granddaddy having the same name, but she loves us all ‘equally’ as she likes to say, but I know I’m up there at the top because my mama’s the baby of the family, and she was spoiled to hear the other’s tell it.” He chuckled and shook his head. “Royce would mess that right on up with his good looks and his flirtin nature.” He wasn’t even aware that as he spoke, his southern accent had become even more pronounced. It tended to happen whenever he was around his family for a long time. It was even worse when he was with the other Evanses. “Stevie already looks up to him way too much for my likin. So, I don’t need anymore competition.” He gave her a little grin and led the way over to the stables. He missed getting to take care of the horses even if he didn’t miss having to wake up before the sun to do it. “But I think everyone took a shine to you today, not just little Mason. You didn’t show fear. That was good,” he teased, but he was happy she fit in so well. If they were different people in a different life, he’d probably be proposing right now.

“Stevie is trying to be a thot in training, and I’ve told Royce he needs to stop influencing him.  However, I am thrilled that he has a girlfriend now, so he can stop trying to be my man.” She laughed and just shook her head as she remembered the last time she talked to Stevie. That boy was too much.  “And don’t tell Royce he’s good looking, he will start posing and primping around like a dang peacock.”  She followed behind him to the stables, marveling at the pretty horses that were there.  “Your family is amazing, Sam.  Everyone was so nice and welcoming.  And I don’t know why Mason likes me so much, maybe it’s the boobs.” She teased. “And you’re right, Beau might come for your number one spot with Miss Ruby, better stay on your toes.”  She could spend every night of her life like this, just walking and talking with him. It was so natural and easy, and she just felt happy.  “Which horse is yours?” She asked.

Her comments about his little brother made him laugh. He wanted to be annoyed with Stevie, but all in all, he and Stacy were pretty great siblings. “Well, I’d be mad, but the boy has good taste in ladies. My mom said his girlfriend is from a good family and very polite and sweet.” He looked out into the distance for a moment then turned back to her. “I love my family. It was why I missed Tennessee so much when I moved to Lima. I mean, you...and the others helped, but I knew I had to come back.” He glanced at her for a long moment then looked at the stables again. “If you were here...and like Blaine, it would be the most perfect place. I keep trying to talk my parents into moving back, but they don’t wanna move the twins. I get that, but I still wish they would.” He paused when they got to the doors and opened. “I don’t have one that’s just mine, but I’m pretty fond of that little filly over there. Her name is Ruby-Jean. My grandpa took one look at her and said she was as beautiful as the first time he seen my Granny. So they named her Ruby-Jean. She’s really gentle and sweet, but she’d got a stubborn streak. Just like my Granny...and you.” He said the last bit with a sly grin before he went over to the aforementioned horse.

She couldn’t look away from him when he mentioned how perfect it would be if she and Blaine were here too.  It felt like her heart had dropped and then slowly made its way back into her chest.  That wonderful feeling of awesomeness before reality snatched the dream away.  She couldn’t even entertain that idea for several reasons, one of them being she was going to be out of the country soon, and then graduating college, and who knew where she would be after that.  Maybe another tour? Maybe she’d finally get signed? There were so many maybes in her life, and Sam did not like maybes.  She was about to comment on how his grandpa Beau had to have mad game to get Miss Ruby, but then he had to throw in that last bit.  “Wait. Me? Stubborn? Surely you’re joking.”  She said as she put her hands on her hips.  Yes, she knew she was stubborn, but she didn’t want him pointing it out!  

Sam laughed loudly at how incredulous she was. “Yes, you. You are one of the most stubborn women I have ever met. It would actually be frustrating if you weren’t so dang nice and beautiful, and you know it. So you can wipe that surprised look off your gorgeous face and come meet the other stubborn filly in my life.” He whistled and called Ruby-Jean over to them, letting her nibble some of the oats he’d grabbed from nearby. “She’s a beauty isn’t she? She was born three summers ago. She’s nearly a full blown mare, but she’s still got a lot of filly in her.” He smiled and looked at Mercedes. “RJ, this here is MJ...no relation to the famous one,” he joked. “She’s gonna be famous one day and we’re gonna listen to her songs on the radio.”

He may not have known it, but her entire day was made by getting him to laugh like that.  She rolled her eyes at him, but was smirking the entire time as she moved closer to meet Ruby-Jean.  “She is gorgeous, Sam.” Her voice was soft as she gazed at the chestnut hued mare.  She nudged him gently with her elbow, laughing at him. “The famous part isn’t really important, I just want to share my music with people.  Also, we’re not stubborn women, we’re just determined and headstrong, right RJ?” She gave the horse a wink.

“I don’t know how anyone could hear you sing and not fall in love, Cedes. You have such an amazing gift, and it’s only gotten better with time,” he said sincerely. He could listen to her sing anything. He’d never met anyone as good as she was. “I just can’t believe a voice like that comes from anyone who isn’t like...some kind of weird half-angel/half-mythical creature hybrid.” He’d thought about making a graphic novel about a siren that bore a striking resemblance to Mercedes, but he just hadn’t gotten around to it. Maybe he should, though. It was the perfect storm for graphic novels that were more diverse.

She couldn’t say anything for almost a minute. She just stood there and looked at RJ, gently combing through her mane, until the burning from the tears that wanted to fall went away.  “You know you hype me up way too much, right.” She finally whispered out. “You’re going to have me thinking I’m all that and Miss Ruby’s cornbread dressing when I go back to New York.” Which she had been repeatedly reminded over the last several years that she was not.  Her voice wasn’t marketable enough on it’s own, she wasn’t what they were looking for, or the usual was check back after she lost 50 pounds.  She wanted to be accepted as she was, and even though it wasn’t happening the way she wanted career wise, she knew her friends and family, the people that knew and loved her, they did.  “Sounds like another character you can add to your king and queen from different kingdoms novel.”  She loved the way Sam’s brain worked, his imagination and the way he could create some of the most beautiful characters and art she had ever seen.

Sam smiled when he looked at her again. “I’m saying it because it’s true! I know it takes a long time for some people to really get into the music business, but I know when it happens, it’s gonna be huge,” he said, jokingly mimicking Donald Trump’s favorite saying. “But seriously, what’s up with the people in New York? In Nashville, you’d be on your third album. I’m sure of it.” He paused a moment and wondered why, in all of this time, he’d never considered that she could get her break in Nashville. It was just really random that neither of them had ever mentioned the possibility. Now he was certain that that had more to do with the fact that neither of them had truly wanted to “make it work.” “Though, going on tour with PMJ is like hella impressive. So, someone must have ears.”

“When has anyone signed with a record label from Nashville and put out a soul or R & B album though?  I could probably get signed with a gospel label, but I’m not really trying to be the next Yolanda Adams.  I’ve got way too many songs that have nothing to do with praising the Lord.” She chuckled softly.  “Even though y’all are getting more famous folks living here.  Justin Timberlake.  And did you know Jill Scott lives in Nashville?”  She probably shouldn’t have shared that info, Sam loved him some Jill Scott. “But who knows really, the New York angle isn’t working at all.  I am so lucky that the PMJ tour worked out, and I’m really hoping one of the songs Kelly put on the album gets radio play.  Once I graduate, there isn’t much keeping me in New York.  I feel that Santana is going to move to be closer to Finn once she’s done with this semester.  Maybe not back to Lima, but there are some good schools that are close.  I’m sure Puck isn’t going to care, he’ll probably be relieved.”

Sam’s brow furrowed. “I don’t know much about the music scene around here, but I know there are some R&B artists and like some other soul type music I hear a lot but don’t know the name for.” He scratched at his chin. “Yeah, I did know. I’ve resisted looking her up though. I wanna give her time to heal from her divorce then I’ll slide on in there like ‘hey, you ever think about dating a younger man?’ Think that’ll work?” he joked, shaking his head. “I’m sure that your shot’s coming. Next year is gonna be your year. Mark my words.” He didn’t like the idea of her being alone in New York, but he had no idea what she should do. “Blaine might be there next year. Then you’ll be in one place, and I can get some besties’ time in all at one time.”

“Boy if you do that, I need to have screen caps so I can see what she says.  I mean, you a fine looking man, Jill might take you up on the offer.” She chuckled and then tilted her head, making a face. “So 2018 is going to be my year, huh? I’m going to hold you to it too. If it ends up sucking, I’m moving into your guest room on January 1, 2019.”  She turned to look at RJ. “You have my permission to kick him in the butt if next year ends up being anything less than amazing, okay?  Not too hard though, he doesn’t have a lot of padding back there.”

“I’ll show you if...she doesn’t turn me down.” He tilted his head back and laughed again. “No way am I gonna show you proof that she shot me down like a hurt deer needing to be put out of his misery.” He sobered a little and shook his head as he looked at her. “If I’m wrong, you can move in...rent-free.” He liked the idea of her living with him, and he knew that was just a terrible idea. “Hell, if you’re still in New York, and Santana does actually move, then you should just come be my roommate anyway. How fun would that be?”

“Aww, my poor Sammy. If she turns you down I promise I will tell her that she’s missing out on being with the most amazing man and it is her loss.” She raised her eyebrow, amused slightly. “One, you know I’d never stay with you rent free. Two, I think your neighbors would move out if I moved in,” she laughed, keeping the mood light, even though her heart was nearly doing somersaults and screaming ‘do it’ in her chest.  Her brain, ever the buzzkill, was reminding her of all the reasons that would be a bad idea.  She could only imagine how their parents would chew them out if they were living together but no ring or commitment on the table.  “It would be fun though, we’d have the best Titans watch parties for away games.  Ooh, I wonder if they’d let me sing the national anthem? Maybe we could get season tickets?”

“Maybe I should have you write me a letter of recommendation. You can tell her how funny and sexy I am, and how good I am at laying it down.” He paused and started doing body rolls as a demonstration. “Tell her about my sweet moves,” he joked with a laugh. “Nah, it’d be totally fine...especially if you can get us some season tickets.���

She just shook her head at him, doing her best to hide a giggle. “Okay now you’re asking me to do too much, sir.” She was grinning though, so he knew she was teasing.  “I’ll let her know you have a thing for thick thighs, and that your public dance moves have nothing to do with your private skills.”  She gave RJ a few more loving scratches around her face before she moved to see the sun as it started to lower into the horizon.  Even though they were joking around, the idea of Sam being with someone else put a knot in her stomach.  She thought back on the evening of girl talk she and Quinn had not long ago, how she had told the gorgeous blonde that she knew Sam would find his perfect girl someday, and she’d be happy and supportive. Smile even though your heart is breaking, right?  “It’s so beautiful here,” she said softly.

“Oh am I? I don’t think so. You’re the one that would know best.” He grinned at her, shaking his head. He wished it could just be her and that this was another time where they could just be together, but he also reminded himself she’d never even brought up being together, and she’d just almost married someone else not five months ago. It was great to reconnect and all, but she could’ve easily been Mrs. Puckerman right now. It was just that easy. He didn’t think that she still had feelings for Puck, but he was sure she wasn’t even thinking about settling down right now. For one, she was about to go on a tour. Plus, he knew her. She wasn’t one to just hop from relationship to relationship. She was probably just having a bit of fun or something. It didn’t upset him because this wasn’t something either of them planned. It was just something that had kind of occurred. It was nice, and sometimes it felt like they were just drawn to one another no matter how hard he tried to resist. Only the truth of the matter was that he didn’t try to resist her at all. He’d probably given up on that the second she’d shown up at his door in that UPS outfit, and he hadn’t even bothered to wait until they got his room to be inside of her. So, it was kind of a lost cause. “Yeah, I used to want to own this place someday, but it’s not really a functioning farm anymore. It’s just been in my family for three generations, and my Uncle Rhett’s gonna take it over because Uncle Vern doesn’t want it.”

She wished that she could bare her heart and soul to him, confess all her fears, hopes, and dreams.  But to open herself up that way would leave her with no protection when he had to say that they just wouldn’t work.  At least with her keeping part of herself to herself, she could save him from having to go through that talk with her again.  Once had been more than enough.  “That’s good that it will stay in the family.” She looked at him and smiled. He was so unbelievably handsome, and she really wanted to kiss him, but that would be very inappropriate.  “We should probably head back to the house before they send out a search party.”  Or before she said or did something she shouldn’t.

Looking at her with the sun setting behind her at his grandparents’ farm was kind of breathtaking. It was kind of something he’d always dreamed about when they’d been in high school, bringing her here to meet his family. He’d always imagined he’d have a big ol’ ring, and he drop to his knee and ask her to be his wife. It kind of made the pit of his stomach knot nervously because for a moment, he worried he’d just blurt out his thoughts, and that was trouble. He reminded himself to calm down because he didn’t want to ruin the moment. It was just so intimate, and he couldn’t tear himself away. He moved closer to her, telling himself in his mind that he shouldn’t want to kiss her right now, especially after he told himself that they weren’t meant to be. But she was standing there before him, and she was just so beautiful. “Yeah, probably...but hang on. I just wanna…” He didn’t finish the sentence in favor of pressing his lips to hers.

Had he been thinking the same thing she was? It wouldn’t be the first time.  She would’ve laughed about it if she wasn’t so caught up in kissing him back.  This wasn’t a hot and heavy kiss that would lead to intense sex.  This was a tender, sweet, full of a lot of unspoken emotions kiss.  All the words that she knew she couldn’t say to him, she mentally said them in that moment.  Everything about today, meeting his family, talking to Miss Ruby, being loved on by Mason, and meeting RJ was so perfect and amazing, she felt like she was seeing a glimpse of what she wanted her future to be, and it was beautifully overwhelming.  She let her hand find his, threading her fingers between his own.

The kiss transported him for a moment to the land where this was real, and she was his. They were happy and had a future so bright before them that they needed shades. He kissed her with all of the emotions he felt in that make believe world, relaying to her feelings that he couldn’t speak into existence for fear of shattering the fragile bubble they’d carefully constructed around themselves. He felt her hand in his, and he gentled the kiss, pulling back. He brushed her hair back from her face and ran his thumb over her full lips before he tugged slightly at her hand. “Come on, let’s get inside,” he said softly, leading her back towards the house.

[axelsandwich]

YUZURU ON KENJI’S ROOM EPISODE 2 TRANSLATION (2015)

The full episode 2 of Yuzu’s interview at Kenji’s room was also uploaded by the kind fan so my completionist instincts kicked in and I had to translate ( : 

Disclaimer: my Japanese is far from perfect so corrections are welcome. This is more of the ‘gist’ of the conversation and not always word for word (Ep 1)

Axel talk: Yuzu jumped the 2A at the end of Year 3 in Primary School when he was a Novice and doesn’t quite remember it (cutely, he was like ‘desu ka ne?? desu ka ne?’ and I assume he was searching for his mum off-camera to confirm haha) When he was aiming for the Japanese Nationals as a Novice, his coach (Suzuki-sensei?) at the time told him the 2A was the ‘king of jumps’ and so if he didn’t master it, he couldn’t progress.  Yuzu loves Axel the most of all the jumps. It’s special because the other jumps are all backwards jumps and the method of takeoff is the same. Yuzu is the type who really places emphasis on having an image in his mind (visual learner). He jumped his first 2A just from watching his older sister jump it. He absolutely wanted to jump the jumps his sister could do. He jumped 3A after seeing Mao do it at the Japanese Nationals. Seeing how thin Mao was and how she didn’t really use a lot of muscles to jump it, he thought he should be able to do it too. He jumped the axel after 3 tries at that practice (after stepping out the first 2 times). 

Kenji: That’s....weird (he’s deeply impressed and disbelieving haha). Yuzu: But afterwards, I had a long period (1yr) where I couldn’t land the axel properly in competitions. 

Kenji was still in awe Yuzu got the axel after 3 tries and then the staff member asked him to talk about when he landed the 3A lol. 

Kenji’s axels: Kenji was bad at flips and struggled with 2F. He was nervous about the 3A and found it difficult so actually tried jumping the 4T first. However, Kenji rotated too much and so actually jumped about 3.5 revolutions and ended up hitting the wall and slid down like a manga character. Yuzu: But you rotated 3.5 times. You could have tried the Axel. Kenji: No, I was scared of the axel. They talked about axels at an ice show when they met. Kenji was trying to jump a single axel and Yuzu said ‘Eh? Your hands are weird’. Yuzu said their frames (bodies) are different but at the time... Kenji’s way of jumping was indeed weird.  Kenji: But after you taught me, I jump the axel properly now each time so thank you very much. 

Yuzu’s jumps (again, struggled to hear words): I think he’s saying he only gets one shot to master the Lutz so it’s a close-call jump (he uses ギリギリ which suggests he’s barely mastered it) and so he didn’t really practice it. Over anything, the probability of landing (?) the 3Lz-3T is the lowest so he needs to place emphasis on it. Yuzu also changes his jump timing to match the music and it affects whether he jumps straight or at a curve. Kenji mentions how your sense for the jump changes and Yuzu agrees that he can’t jump a 2A right now and the 3T is also pretty bad due to him losing his ‘sense’ for the jump by doing too many 3A and 4Ts. He had to jump a 2A at a group number during an ice show and realised he didn’t have a sense for them anymore. 

Shizuka and Yamato: He didn’t have much of a chance to skate together with Arakawa Shizuka even though they were in the same rink; he mostly only watched her admiringly. He didn’t really have a chance to interact with world class skaters (eg. like skating at the same rink or being in the same club etc.) He doesn’t have many memories of talking much with Shizuka but remembers Yamato Tamura a little more. ((Yamato sought him out to talk to him a bit more than Shizuka or Honda? This was one of those situations where he mumbled a lot and I have no context sorry lol)). 

Yuzu’s middle school graduation: He won the Junior World Championships in Year 9 (end of middle school) and graduated middle school alone in the principle’s office. He loved his Year 9 classmates a lot - he had a lot of close friends in that class and they all gathered to say ‘welcome back’ for him afterwards. This left a deep impression on him.

Dark stories of Junior days: Kenji was like ‘so do you have any dark stories from your Junior days?’ and Yuzu was like LET ME TELL YOU (he answered really fast and decisively like he didn’t have to think about it at all LOL). He placed 12th in his first Junior Worlds 2009 and it was very kuyashii (he even corrected Kenji who initially said ‘a little kuyashii’). He didn’t have a lot of time to practice and he was also injured (can’t catch precise phrases even though he uses some more here, but the idea is that he wasn’t entirely prepared?). At the time, he tended to make a lot of excuses for himself. He would tell himself he had a sprain etc. and people around him would say the same. After the experience at Worlds, he told himself he’d not give himself any excuses. He says strong athletes don’t give excuses for poor performance. It isn’t productive and won’t give you the ability to compete. He admires the people who can perform/jump under any condition, like Mao who performed with a broken bone. (THEN HE MUMBLED THE REST yuzu pls. I think he was essentially reiterating this ‘no excuses’ attitude was important to him) Kenji: Wow...that’s cool. Yuzu: Who? Did someone cool come in?? (he’s making a lame joke because he’s an awkward turtle)  Kenji (gravely): You’re cool

Yuzu’s next World Junior comp (2010): He held on to the regretful feelings from last season and practised a lot. ((I’m really not sure about some of his phrases re: Olympics and also his last year of Juniors so I won’t bother trying to translate but I think he was saying that because the year he lost was the Olympic year, a lot of skaters debuted as seniors and so he wanted to challenge them at a senior level. Also he did very well in his last year of Juniors)). At the time, he was bad at the SP and tended to make up for it in the FS. He was 3rd in SP and won the FS. No matter how big the match was, he always approached it as though it was just another competition and that he would just have to win.

Talk about Kanako getting food poisoning from eating raw food heheh

Senior debut (tn: I think Yuzu was getting tired here because he essentially...stopped enunciating the ends of his words, rolls some words into each other and trails off. This makes translating by ear super hard, as a non-native speaker who can’t guess at the words. I could only get bits and pieces so I’m sorry the next section is a bit incomplete/inaccurate):  Yuzu really realised that senior skating life was very difficult. His first senior competition was NHK in Nagoya. To put it bluntly he got carried away after that because he landed his quads, even though they weren’t regular/stable. His attitude towards practice changed after that but then he didn’t do well at the next competition and felt the difficulty of the senior level. He was grateful to have been rewarded at the end of the season at the 4CCC and told himself he has to do better next season, especially given his silver at the 4CC, he had to aim higher.

Most memorable competition he’s ever done: Of course the Olympics but also his first at the Japanese Nationals as a Novice (his time of having mushroom hair). He was so excited the point where he wasn’t even nervous and just felt like the competition was incredibly fun, and his practice at the time was great too. As a Year 4 primary student, he also had no concept of failing (missing his jumps) and was filled with the confidence that he’d definitely win. They were still using the 6.0 scoring system at the time. World level figure skaters at the GPF and Worlds were all scoring in the 5.0s and above. In one of Yuzu’s presentation scores (they laughed because it was still called presentation), he got a single 5.2 and was super happy and surprised to get it. He then had this feeling of, ‘oh, maybe I can compete on a world level!’ ( : 

Yuzu’s life goal: His life goal has also not changed since primary school, from when he first watched the Salt Lake Olympics at 7yrs old and thought ‘I’m definitely getting the gold medal.’ After he won in Sochi, he kept thinking that getting a second gold at the next Olympics would definitely be legendary and so made it a goal. Kenji: As I thought....you’re weird Yuzu: It’s weird. It was also not a ‘I can or cannot get a gold medal’ feeling (tn: because that suggests he was uncertain about it) -- it was ‘I will get a gold medal.’ Kenji: Well. There’s still one more (gold).  Yuzu: Pyeongchang is a goal -- it’s one of my biggest reasons for skating right now.

[yesyunniechan]

Detective Conan 995 [Japanese to English Translation]

Anguished... Depressed... Worried Conan?!

Ran's behavior is strange?! Conan and Kogoro decide to follow Ran and...

[Saraie-san?!]

N: Please hold on, Saraie-san!!

N: Saraie-san?!

S: Stop touching him!!

N: Eh?

S: I'll take a look...

N: O-okay...

[A murder occurred in the cafe where three female high school students were having a friendly chat!!]

K: Ran! The police! Call the police!!

R: O-okay!

K: And an ambulance...

S: No, we only need to call the police...

S: He has no pulse...

N: N-no...

H: W-who did this to Saraie-san?!

K: I don't know who did this yet.... But they must possess superhuman strength...

K: To not killing someone by wielding such huge vase...

K: But also crushing the padlock on that locker...

K: Looks like they took something from there...

M: So you're saying that you were looking for the flower vase that ended up being used as the murder weapon, came to this changing room in the process, and found Saraie-san?

N: Y-yes...

N: The manager told me 'why don't you search for it?'... Right?

H: Yeah...

H: One of the vases that we usually keep near the entrance was missing...

T: And when did this flower vase disappear?

N: I don't know... I usually get here first and clean the cafe...

N: It was already gone at that point...

H: I left after closing down shop... and the vase was there last night, right?

M: You two are the only ones with keys to the cafe, right?

N: No... The key used to open the cafe... Saraie-san has a copy as well...

H: And the kitchen staff has keys to the kitchen... in case they need to restock...

T: Kitchen?

I: The door near the exit of the changing room! Since it's troublesome to unlock all the doors when we open cafe, we leave this one unlocked...

M: Anyway, go and interview the kitchen staff!

M: Ask whether they noticed anyone walking by after the victim left for the changing room!

T: Ok!

M: You were at the cafe, did you see anything?

S: This is an employee-only door, so we would've noticed if someone had passed through...

So: But we were talking to each other...

R: And weren't paying much attention...

So: Maybe the detective-san who was keeping tabs on us...

So: Did you see anything?

K: A, no, I didn't...

K: We didn't see anything, right?

K: Oi, brat?!

C: Eh?

K: I asked you, we didn't see anything, right?!

C: A... yep...

[Megure-keibu!]

[I asked the kitchen staff...]

T: Estimated time of death is around one and a half to two hours ago, and nobody had come out of the kitchen at that point...

M: I see...

T: That aside, looking from the kitchen entrance, there's a blind spot where the door to the changing room would be...

T: They said that they don't know if anybody entered the changing room at that point in time...

T: A, but it looks like the former chef of this cafe visited the kitchen to offer advice at one point... 

H: This is my younger brother...

M: Yes... I did go to the kitchen once, because my sister asked me to advise the cooks, but...

M: I didn't even know that this man was in the changing room...

M: What's more important, though... 

M: Is that I didn't even have a reason to kill anyone, right?!

S: But you could've predicted that the victim would come here, right?

M: What?

S: This room smells like cigarettes...

S: There's an ashtray full of cigarette butts on the shelf, all from the same brand... and the victim's mouth smells like cigarettes too...

S: The victim was a heavy smoker, right?

S: That's why you must've known that if you waited for a bit, he'd come to this room?

H: Yeah...

H: Saraie-kun was the only one in our cafe's staff who smoked... So I knew that he'd to come here fairly often...

M: The murder weapon is this flower vase, right?

H: It might be hollow, but it's still a pretty heavy vase... No one on my staff could move it easily!

T: S-she's right... It weighs as much a 30 kilo rice bag...

M: If it was filled with water, not even I could move it...

K: But a man built as well as you might be able to do it, no?

H: Impossible!

M: It's as she said, look!

M: I got a luxation while playing grass-lot baseball... I can't even hold a frying pan in my current condition!!

K: Which means that... the only one left is...

M: I'm a woman... What?

K: Ah, nothing...

M: By the way, that locker with the broken padlock... could it be that it belonged to the victim?

H: Yeah... it was Saraie-san's locker...

M: Then maybe the criminal was aiming the this locker's contents?

M: It looks like someone rummaged through it... 

M: Any guesses as to what might have been stolen?

N: Who knows...

H: He's the only one who might have known...

T: Why'd this locker have a padlock?

H: He put it there when he started working here, right? I just figured he's a very cautious man...

M: But it was broken in such a bold fashion... How would someone break it like that? 

S: Does this cafe have a toolbox?

N: Yes, inside the shelf...

M: Hm... Pliers, a hammer, a screwdriver and a wrench...

M: You can't break a padlock like that with this...

T: Right... 

T: It also has screws and nails...

T: Ah...

T: Wah...

A: Ah! I just remembered!!

TN: No, you shouted to take the attention off the shelf.

T: Eh? 

N: There's this really important thing that Saraie-san keeps in his locker!

N: His tablet PC!

N: He'd always write stuff down on it during smoke breaks... maybe that's what was stolen...

M: Well, what on earth would he type?

N: I asked him, but he never answered...

Mo: It's his blog!

Mo: This guy... he was keeping an eatery review blog under the handle 'Full Belly Professor'... 

Mo: And he'd write a lot of nonsense about rival cafes!

R: I know that blog!

Se: He's got an interesting writing style, which is why he's pretty popular, right?

M: Oh really... so that's why he was so full of himself!!

M: My cafe is in dire straits because of that blog of his...

S: I see...

S: That's why you stopped Sonoko-kun from giving away the address of the Cafe Poirot, which she said had tastier sandwiches?

M: Y-yeah...

T: E-err, excuse me, manager.... you're brother and sister, but your surnames are different...

T: Are you married?

H: No, I'm getting married next month!

H: My brother's soon-to-be father-in-law was stubborn...

M: 'I can't give away my only daughter and heiress of the cafe...' So I had to adopt her family name... I had no choice...

M: Speaking of which, Isuzu-chan's family cafe, which is affiliated with my cafe... 

M: It's not a victim of this man's blog, right?

N: Yeah... it's staying afloat for now...

N: Netting as little profit as ever though, and we're drowning in debt on top of that...

K: ...or you're just claiming as much, when it actually did sank because of his blog... and you killed him out of hatred... 

N: Then I would've complained, just as Motosu-san did!

N: B-besides, I'm just eye candy at my family cafe...

H: But I didn't know... that Saraie-san was keeping such a blog...

M: But you lived with this guy for a year...

H: H-hey... that has nothing to do with this, right?

Me: Lived together?

T: You shared a place with the victim?

H: Yeah... well... that was 5 years ago.

K: That must be why he was able to extort you by threatening to show your fiance those embarrassing pictures of you, and so, and so...

K: And was blackmailing you...

H: Haah?

K: He was doing so many terrible things with his blog...

H: He wasn't short on money! He was going to become manager after I resign because of the marriage!

N: He mentioned that to me as well...

N: That he'd be the next manager, and that I would never have to worry about money if I agree to become his woman...

K: Then the criminal must be the former chef!!

M: And how exactly could I bring that vase over here? I handed over my keys when I quit my job at this shop...

K: But if you had the key... you could've made a copy, right?

M: B-but my wrist is dislocated...

K: You could've tried to trick us by bandaging your wrist after the fact!

M: I already had the luxation before I was bandaged!!

M: Call the hospital and ask!! They should have a copy of the X-Ray!!

S: I see..

S: That’s how it is..

S: But... with a trick like that, any one of those three could be the culprit...

S: But who...

So: Hey, Ran... Doesn't he seem off to you?

R: What?

So: Look, there, there!

So: The brat in glasses!

So: He's not doing his usual 'ah-le-le' or 'this is strange' thing, and he's not interrupting the investigation...

R: Y-yeah, but...

R: Looks like Conan-kun is thinking hard about the case in his own way?

R: While sometimes making scary faces...

S: What, what? You don't get it?

C: Yeah...

C: I don't get it... At all!!

Se: I've figured out the trick... too bad I still don't know who the culprit is...

C: Culprit?

C: Yeah... I understood it the second we entered the changing room! The gist of the trick!

S: Eh?!

S: So by saying that you 'don't get it'....

C: Ran-nee-chan's journey...

C: Not the usual trip experience, which I'll understand when 'grow up'... 

C: What in the world could it be?!

S: Eh? That one?

[The worried Conan's interest -> lies not with the case, but with Ran's behaviour?! Next issue - the resolution... whose deduction will it be?!]

[joie-university-rp]

Dear, HANNAH PUCKERMAN,

It is with great pleasure we invite you admission to Joie University! Welcome to the Thunderclap family!

–

Congratulations, JESS! Please be sure to check the New Members’ Checklistand send in your character’s account within 24 hours from now. We cannot wait to see all that you will bring to this roleplay! We love you already!

OOC INFORMATION:

Name/Alias; preferred pronouns:  Jess / she/her

Age, Timezone: 25+, est

Activity, short explanation:  6-7/10, I’m generally around daily, but I do work full time and sometimes that includes working 40+ hours a week so some days I’m just too tried.

Ships: /Chemistry

Anti-Ships: /No Chemistry

Triggers: n/a

Preferred photo for Character’s ID (please give a link): here

Anything else: I hope I didn’t miss something that goes here, but thank you for reading!!!

IC INFORMATION:

Full Name (First, Middle, Last): Hannah Beth Puckerman

FC: Zoey Deutch

Age/Year at University (Freshman [1st Year], Sophomore, Junior, Senior, or Graduate Student):  Freshman

Birth date: August 17th, 2000

Hometown (please be sure to check the hometowns listed for characters your muse is related to!): Nashville, TN

Gender/Pronouns: She/Her

Sexuality: Closest/Unsure Bisexual

Major(s): Creative Writing

Minor(s) [optional]: English (literature)

Housing request (remember, only the president of a Greek Organization is required to live at a Greek House to be in it!): Pillsbury Dorm - Room 119 (double)

Extracurriculars (Click here for the list. Be sure to specify any executive board positions [i.e. president, secretary, etc.] If something isn’t listed, please put it here and we will add it to the masterlist!): Literary Magazine

Greek Life Affiliation [optional] (Please be sure to specify any executive board positions [i.e. president, pledge educator, etc.] or if your character is not yet a member, but plans to rush): n/a

CHARACTER PROFILE:

Growing up Hannah was always known as the quiet member of the family. Most of the time she was lost in thought or daydreaming about something that kept her from paying attention to anything else that was going on. Their mom insisted that it wasn’t a big deal and that she’s grow out of it. It wasn’t until she was in high school and still struggling with things that they realized maybe it was something more than that. During her sophomore year they started her on medication for a.d.d. and it drastically made a difference on her life.

Relationships have never been Hannah’s strong suit and she’s almost certain that she’s destined for a life raising fifty cats instead of finding someone who actually wants to be with her. She knows it’s mostly her fault for only being interested in people that she can’t actually have. What isn’t her fault is the fact that every decent person out there already seems to be in a relationship so no one can expect her to settle for less than the best.

Her brother has always been one of her favorite people, even if sometimes he seems a little too cool for her. There was a lot of moments growing up where the two of them only had each other and she’s proud of the things he’s done with his life. Getting to live near him again has reminded her that she’s always had one of the best siblings ever and she hopes that nothing happens to come between the two of them.

STUDENT CENSUS SURVEY:

(Please answer the following questions IN CHARACTER. Responses can be as long or short as you see fit!)

What made you want to attend Joie University?

So my older brother goes here, which is kind of a lame reason to go to a college, I know. But we’ve always been kind of close and I sort of miss having him around so I’m hoping he doesn’t totally hate the idea of his little sister coming to the same school as him. Plus I’ve heard they have an awesome creative writing program so that’s my main reason for coming, he’s just an added bonus.

What are at least 3 positive or neutral and at least 3 negative traits that you believe you possess?

Most people would say I’m ambitious, excitable, and passionate, but I can also be anxious, forgetful, and uncoordinated so they kind of balance each other out.

Which of your traits do you value most?

I think my passion for things is definitely one of my favorite things about myself. If I love something, it’s like all I can think about. That’s sort of why I’m so set on becoming an author. Writing is like my favorite thing in the entire world.

How can that trait benefit the University (or its student body) as a whole?

I think having a passion for things can benefit others a ton. Sometimes you need that extra motivation from someone to take the steps to do something new. That would probably be the best way it could benefit other people here. I’m definitely the kind of person who likes to try to get people to try something new whenever they might be a little afraid to.

What do you hope to gain from your experience at JU?

I’m hoping that it’s going to make me an even better writer and hopefully lead to me ending up with my dream career. I also really want to start meeting new people because people always say college is whenever you meet your ‘lifelong friends’, that is something I’m definitely looking forward to.

What is a quote or song lyric that describes you?

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” ― Oscar Wilde

[dailyaudiobible]

8/10/2017 DAB Transcript

Ezra 10:1-44 ~ 1 Corinthians 6:1-20 ~ Psalm 31:9-18 ~ Proverbs 21:3

Today is the 10th day of August. Welcome to the Daily Audio Bible. I am Brian and it's great to be here with you today. Grateful for the coffee to my left, grateful for the technology that brings us together right now, grateful for the community that we share together as we journey through the scriptures in a year. And speaking of that, we’ll conclude the book of Ezra in our reading today and then continue Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians. So, first, Ezra Chapter 10 verse 1 through 44 today. We’re reading from the Good News translation this week.

Commentary:

OK. So, Paul, I mean, we talked extensively yesterday about a specific incident that was going on in the Corinthian church with a son being in a sexual relationship with his stepmother. And then Paul transitions and continues on with this idea of taking one another to court and allowing, essentially, the secular society to judge the small matters that could and should be worked out between one another or with the leaders of the church. And there's a reason for all this. So, like, Paul's being quite direct in the first part of this letter in a fairly confrontational way. So, he’s saying, some things that are going on should not be going on. There's a reason for this though. Paul's worldview is that Jesus declared he would make all things new and he believes that to be absolutely the truth. And, so, what that means is that we are being made new creations in Christ, being reborn, born-again, as Jesus said. So, like, restarting as something new. And for Paul, Jesus is the turning of the tide in the human race within this species. Jesus is the turn - the reintegration of God and man together in righteousness because of God's mercy and grace - all the stuff we watched form in the book of Acts and that Paul unpacked in the book of Romans. So, it's from that context that he speaks any of his letters. And as he’s speaking today, he’s basically saying to the church in Corinth, come on. Like, we are, we have to be better than this on all of these things. We have to be better than this. We are being remade as new creatures. The turning of the tide has come and we have to do better than how we were because we're not the same as we were. We’ve got to get rid of all of that. And I think this portion of the letter is succinctly summed up in one verse. And it's brilliantly stated. It's one verse that would be worth committing to memory. It’s kind of one of those ones that you want to write on your doorstep or wrap around your fingers…you know…or somewhere where you can remember this, always. It’s this: ‘Someone will say I am allowed to do anything’. Yes, you are. ‘But not everything is good for you’. Right? Just because you can do whatever you want doesn't mean that’s going anywhere and doesn't automatically mean that it's going to turn out well or that it's even healthy in any way for you. So, someone will say, I'm allowed to do anything. Yes, but not everything is good for you. I could say, and this is Paul, I could say that I’m allowed to do anything but I am not going to let anything make me it’s slave. So, boom! I need like a mic drop effect that I can put in here from time to time. That's like the mic drop effect right there. That summarizes everything that we’ve been working through. The freedom that you have can also enslave you if you let it. This is like when I was a kid in church and I'm sitting in the pews…the old, hard, wooden pews with the gross carpeting on the floor…right…it’s just gross…and…I don’t know…just red…or some…I don’t know…if you ever were in an old-time church you know what I’m talking about. And the preacher is saying, ‘can I get an Amen.’ That's kind of how this verse works because it’s comprehensive. We can apply it to anything in our lives. Yes, you have the freedom to do whatever you want. But not everything you might do will be good for you. And although we can do whatever we want we must not let anything make us it's slave. So, think about your life right now. Just…kind of…maybe you can’t do this is you’re driving right now…just kind of calm yourself here…even just close your eyes for a second…just breathe deeply for a second. Think about your life and now invite the Holy Spirit to show you the entanglements, the different big and small entanglements that are kind of wrapping themselves around you because you are doing things that are not good for you. You can do them but they're not good for you and they are slowly entangling you and making you a slave. Those are the things to invite Holy Spirit in. And, you know, sometimes what comes up in that is, I don't know how to get out…like…I'm entangled in lots of ways, relationships, and entangled with business partners, I'm entangled in all kinds of ways. And kind of the posture of the apostle Paul would be, look, you are a new creature, a different kind of being now and you have got to walk with God away from the things that are making you a slave to them. And it's really easy to read into Paul because he’s direct and blunt in his communication style. It's very easy to read condemnation all over lots of the things that Paul says. But when you get to condemnation you have to…you know…like…if you're feeling condemnation from somebody, you actually need to take a step back and a deep breath and count to ten and say why do I feel this. Do I feel this because this person is literally, falsely characterizing me and condemning me for things aren't a part of my life or that aren't being portrayed well or true? That's one thing. But if you're feeling this thing rise up in you because it's completely the truth, well, then no one’s condemning you. You're condemning yourself. Paul's posture isn't domination. Right? So, it's not like domination by condemnation. Which is something that everybody kind of brussels at and many people flee from. That’s something that should not be done, it's not good for anybody. That’s not Paul's point though or his posture. His posture is, come on. Wake up. We are different than this now. There are freedoms unspoken that we can walk into. There is no telling the kind of freedoms that we can experience because Christ now lives within us. The human and the divine are reunited together as humanity was intended to be. There's no telling the freedoms. There is no telling the beauty and the grace and the wonder of being here on earth in Christ. There's no telling what we can do. We’ve got to stop this other stuff. Wake up. There's freedom. This is Paul's posture. And, so, this is the invitation.

Prayer:

Father, we take the invitation and we see it and we accept it and we walk into it. Yes, we can do whatever we want. It's true. And the truth is, we do whatever we want and blame You for whatever doesn't go right. That's not helpful. That doesn’t change us. That’s our own attempt to justify ourselves. But we cannot make ourselves righteous. We will not be able to come before You because we earned it, because we were so good that You have no choice but to accept us. We’re all here because You loved us enough to come and get us. That’s it. So, we can do whatever we want. But that doesn’t mean we should. And we invite Your Holy Spirit to show us the things we've gotten ourselves into that are beginning to make us its slave. We want to cut those ties and renounce those things in the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ, and move away. Come Holy Spirit show us what that looks like. In the name of Jesus, we ask. Amen.

Announcements:

dailyaudiobible.com is the website. It’s home base. It’s where you find out what's going on around here. Be sure to check it out.

Couple of new things. In Daily Audio Bible shop, the Sneezing Jesus medallion that we had when we were launching and getting ready launch Sneezing Jesus is available for purchase in the store. And the Sneezing Jesus small group films and leaders guide that’s a downloadable set, that is also available in a Daily Audio Bible shop. So, check those things out.

If you want to partner with the Daily Audio Bible, thank you, especially in the summer, thank you for your partnership. There's a link on the homepage of dailyaudiobible.com. If you’re using the Daily Audio Bible app, you can press the More button in the lower right hand corner or if you prefer, the mailing address is PO Box 1996 Spring Hill TN 37174.

And of course, as always, if you have a prayer request or comment 877-942-4253 is the number to dial.

And that's it for today. I'm Brian I love you and I'll be waiting for you here tomorrow.

Community Prayers and Praise Reports:

Hey guys. How are you doing? It’s John...just John. I want to thank you all for praying for me for my  request to help our  marriage and things like that. And anyway. I’ve got a report. Let’s call it that. I just…ah…she left…she's gone. She moved to New Jersey…totally out of the blue. She’s never been to New Jersey before in her life. So, it’s been in play for six months or something like that. And I, of course, and am always on the road. So, you know, shame on me. But, anyway, I just ask everybody to pray that she stays happy, that she get what she really wants. She’s a really good woman. I remember when Brian married she and I again at En Gedi Springs back on our trip in Israel. But, you know, stuff happens and you have to move on. One door closes and God opens another for you. He never gives you anything He won’t help you handle. And I really have to believe that because if I don’t I’ll crater. But, anyway, so, I just want to say that everybody’s praying for marriages, pray for them, work on them and just keep your eyes open guys. There’s things that you just might miss…that…one little change…one little word might make the difference…all the difference in the world. Pray every ____ night if you’re challenged with something like that because He shows up. The things is, what I learned, is that he shows up in a way you might never expect. That’s what He did for me. And it was kind of like a wow moment. So, two weeks ago I was doing a leaving Las Vegas thing, trying to drink myself to death. You know, that’s one way to do it. And today I’m smiling, happy, and that’s gone. That’s past. What I have is right now. What I have is the future. And think we all have that, thanks to God. So, anyway, Love you all. And I lost the time on this thing. But, God bless you. Praying for you all. Praying for marriages. Praying for the prayer warriors. God bless you. Out.

Many times I'm angry God with You as well as men. Why is there such happiness and wealth where there is sin. Why do I still suffer while pie falls from the sky. Yet daily I stay serving you and daily still I cry. My heart is filled with anguish with the present and the past. Faith sometimes gets week dear God it seems like it won’t last.  I also get confused dear God when often wrong seems right. Temptations from the wicked one turn darkness into light. I long for you to comfort me. Lord can you hold me know. My Spirit Lord cries out for Thee as humbly now I bow. I trust You Lord above all things. You’ve taught me not to fear. I know there’s nothing in this life that can harm me while You’re near. Stay with me and comfort me. I struggle every day. Even when I know You’re right I still want things my way. David felt that same way too and everything I’ve said. A man you called after Your own heart who still lives though he’s dead. I’m thankful God that in all things I can open up and see. And share with you my inner thoughts. There are so many sides to me. I’m also thankful from my heart that I can speak the truth. Your loving hands have been on me from the time I was a youth. Never have You left me and I pray You never will. Let Your peace surround me now. My wrestles heart keep still. Closer Lord each day to thee please let my actions be holy and acceptable in thy sight for all eternity. Blindtony1016@gmail.com. Like to give a shout out to Less Like Me…haven’t heard from you in a while brother…time to check in. And Gigi…would be good to hear from you too. And Leah from Waskahegan…ya. Anyway. Be good to hear you all’s voices…

Hi you Daily Audio Bible people. This is my second time calling in probably two or three days. I wanted to reach out to…it’s either Peggy or something like that in California. And you touched my heart so much because you said that you were backslidden and now you have cancer. And I just want to say, your prayer was so sweet that you’ve already repented of that…Peggy or Patty in California. God has forgiven you completely and He loves you. Keep listening to the Daily Audio Bible reading every day because then you’ll hear His heart and how He loves you, how forgiving, how much mercifulness, and how much longsuffering He has with all of us. And it’s because you've already repented, I feel like, for that part of it, you're already on your way. You're already on your way. Just move forward to the next good thing. The next good thing, Patty or Peggy, is you’re reading your bible and you can talk to God just like you talk to another person. You don't have say ‘these and thoughs’. But just take some time with him every day and He’ll bring you back. As far as the cancer goes. I’m going to be praying about that too. But I know your heart. Your heart is true and your heart is right and the main thing you need is that full assurance that He sees you're cries, He hears your words, and…

Hey Family. It's Redeemed in Him from Virginia. Today is August 6th 2017. And I heard Debby from California who is very upset. She's a first-time caller and previously walked away from the Lord and is now diagnosed with cancer. Debbie, I want to reach out to you and anyone else who previously feels that they’ve walked away from the Lord. If you have returned, there is a party going on right now in heaven because you have returned to the Lord. I want you to go and read, out loud, because there’s power in speaking God’s word out loud, Luke 15:1-10. Verse 7 says, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sheep who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others. Your faith will grow by studying His word. I would start Romans, chapter 4 and 5. And remember that Romans 10:9 says, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 8:31-39, remember, nothing can ever separate us from the love of God. Romans 4, what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven, whose sins are put out of sight. Debbie, God sees your heart when we humble ourselves before Him and ask for forgiveness of our sins and keep thanking Him for everything you have. Please let us know how you are doing. We love you and are with you and are praying for you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Viola in Maryland, Victoria S., Louise in Alabama, Drew in the bay area, Lisa The Encourager, Charlette in England, Mark S., Robert F., Paula in Albuquerque, More Than a Conqueror, Suzy, Jay in New Jersey, Nadene in Michigan, Christy in Kentucky, Will is Bozeman Montana, Dianna B. in Newburgh Indiana, Gods Girl in east Texas, Dr. John in Jordan, Darlan in Utah, Candice in Oregon, Pastor Gene, my girl Nettie A., Erica M, Boya G…sorry…I’m a very emotional…Laura L. B., Jennifer S., SarahJane, Sheila P., Deborah C., Billy in Montgomery, and anyone that I may have missed…I want to thank you all for your prayers. You know, when it rains and the rain gets in your face and every drop literally makes your eyes blink but you're awake and that’s what I feel right now. I feel like all of you have been praying over me and every name that I mentioned has been a rain drop onto my face making me blink and it's washed in with my tears…tears of love…tears of gratitude. I have been so blessed by this community and I would love to continue being a blessing to you all and all of your encouraging words and knowing that God's will will be done and God has a plan. And something my husband continues to say, focus on the things you can change and be thankful for all the gifts that God has given us especially our little baby g, Aden. I love you DAB family. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you, Brian and Jill Hardin and the DAB family…everyone behind the scenes. Cheers. Asia in Munich.