#but now its like COMMENCE !!! FAST HEART RATE

[moss-flesh]

I JUST GOT FUCKING JUMPSCARED BY GIDEON EMERY WHILE PLAYING SKYRIM WTF HES IN THIS TOO ????

[geckosong]

Anime Recommendations

Here lies even more shows that are worth watching

Demon Slayer (2019)

A family is attacked by demons and only two members survive - Tanjiro and his sister Nezuko, who is turning into a demon slowly. Tanjiro sets out to become a demon slayer to avenge his family and cure his sister.

My Rating: 8/10

Death Parade (2015)

After death, there is no heaven or hell, only a bar that stands between reincarnation and oblivion. There the attendant will, one after another, challenge pairs of the recently deceased to a random game in which their fate of either ascending into reincarnation or falling into the void will be wagered. Whether it's bowling, darts, air hockey, or anything in between, each person's true nature will be revealed in a ghastly parade of death and memories, dancing to the whims of the bar's master. Welcome to Quindecim, where Decim, arbiter of the afterlife, awaits! Death Parade expands upon the original one-shot intended to train young animators. It follows yet more people receiving judgment—until a strange, black-haired guest causes Decim to begin questioning his own rulings.

My Rating: 8/10

Noragami (2014)

In times of need, if you look in the right place, you just may see a strange telephone number scrawled in red. If you call this number, you will hear a young man introduce himself as the God Yato. Yato is a minor deity and a self-proclaimed "Delivery God," who dreams of having millions of worshippers. Without a single shrine dedicated to his name, however, his goals are far from being realized. He spends his days doing odd jobs for five yen apiece, until his weapon partner becomes fed up with her useless master and deserts him. Just as things seem to be looking grim for the god, his fortune changes when a middle school girl, Hiyori Iki, supposedly saves Yato from a car accident, taking the hit for him. Remarkably, she survives, but the event has caused her soul to become loose and hence able to leave her body. Hiyori demands that Yato return her to normal, but upon learning that he needs a new partner to do so, reluctantly agrees to help him find one. And with Hiyori's help, Yato's luck may finally be turning around.

My Rating: 9/10

Yona of the Dawn (2014-2015)

Princess Yona lives a life of luxury and ease, completely sheltered from the problems of the seemingly peaceful Kingdom of Kouka; however, the sudden murder of the king and betrayal of her beloved cousin Su-won places Yona's life in mortal peril. Forced to escape only with Son Hak, who is both her childhood friend and bodyguard, the naïve princess soon discovers that Kouka is not the idyllic place she envisioned it to be. Poverty, strife, and corruption run rampant, making reclaiming the throne nothing more than a wishful fantasy given the kingdom's current state. With only a mysterious legend to guide her, Yona must discover a way to restore Kouka to its former glory while being pursued relentlessly by the forces of the new King of Kouka.

My Rating: 8/10

Haikyu! (2014-Present)

Inspired after watching a volleyball ace nicknamed "Little Giant" in action, small-statured Shouyou Hinata revives the volleyball club at his middle school. The newly-formed team even makes it to a tournament; however, their first match turns out to be their last when they are brutally squashed by the "King of the Court," Tobio Kageyama. Hinata vows to surpass Kageyama, and so after graduating from middle school, he joins Karasuno High School's volleyball team—only to find that his sworn rival, Kageyama, is now his teammate. Thanks to his short height, Hinata struggles to find his role on the team, even with his superior jumping power. Surprisingly, Kageyama has his own problems that only Hinata can help with, and learning to work together appears to be the only way for the team to be successful.

My Rating: 9/10

The Devil is a Part-Timer (2013)

Striking fear into the hearts of mortals, the Demon Lord Satan begins to conquer the land of Ente Isla with his vast demon armies. However, while embarking on this brutal quest to take over the continent, his efforts are foiled by the hero Emilia, forcing Satan to make his swift retreat through a dimensional portal only to land in the human world. Along with his loyal general Alsiel, the demon finds himself stranded in modern-day Tokyo and vows to return and complete his subjugation of Ente Isla—that is, if they can find a way back! Powerless in a world without magic, Satan assumes the guise of a human named Sadao Maou and begins working at MgRonald's—a local fast-food restaurant—to make ends meet. He soon realizes that his goal of conquering Ente Isla is just not enough as he grows determined to climb the corporate ladder and become the ruler of Earth, one satisfied customer at a time!

My Rating: 9/10

The Promised Neverland (2019-Present)

Surrounded by a forest and a gated entrance, the Grace Field House is inhabited by orphans happily living together as one big family, looked after by their "Mama," Isabella. Although they are required to take tests daily, the children are free to spend their time as they see fit, usually playing outside, as long as they do not venture too far from the orphanage—a rule they are expected to follow no matter what. However, all good times must come to an end, as every few months, a child is adopted and sent to live with their new family... never to be heard from again. However, the three oldest siblings have their suspicions about what is actually happening at the orphanage, and they are about to discover the cruel fate that awaits the children living at Grace Field, including the twisted nature of their beloved Mama.

My Rating: 8/10

Toradora (2008-2009)

Ryuuji Takasu is a gentle high school student with a love for housework; but in contrast to his kind nature, he has an intimidating face that often gets him labeled as a delinquent. On the other hand is Taiga Aisaka, a small, doll-like student, who is anything but a cute and fragile girl. Equipped with a wooden katana and feisty personality, Taiga is known throughout the school as the "Palmtop Tiger." One day, an embarrassing mistake causes the two students to cross paths. Ryuuji discovers that Taiga actually has a sweet side: she has a crush on the popular vice president, Yuusaku Kitamura, who happens to be his best friend. But things only get crazier when Ryuuji reveals that he has a crush on Minori Kushieda—Taiga's best friend! Toradora! is a romantic comedy that follows this odd duo as they embark on a quest to help each other with their respective crushes, forming an unlikely alliance in the process.

My Rating: 9/10

Hypnosis Microphone: Division Rap Battle - Rhyme Anima (2020)

In a world overtaken by war and conflict, "Hypnosis Microphones"—devices through which a user channels lyrics that can affect the listener's brain and even cause physical damage—were introduced to the masses by the Party of Words. Revolutionizing warfare, Hypnosis Mics have transformed words and music into the sole weapons used by gangsters, terrorists, and the military, with physical weapons having been banned from use. As a result of swooping in during the chaos, the all-female Party of Words rules over the Japanese government. Women in Japan now live in Chuuouku, while men battle over surrounding territories outside the ward through rap battles. With intentions unknown, the Party of Words begins to gather the former members of the now-disbanded legendary rap crew The Dirty Dawg to fight not for territory or war, but for their respective crew's pride and honor in the greatest rap battle of all time. The first Division Rap Battle is about to commence, and practice isn't something these rappers are going to need.

My Rating: 6/10

Kamisama Kiss (2012)

High schooler Nanami Momozono has quite a few problems of late, beginning with her absentee father being in such extreme debt that they lose everything. Downtrodden and homeless, she runs into a man being harassed by a dog. After helping him, she explains her situation, and to her surprise, he offers her his home in gratitude. But when she discovers that said home is a rundown shrine, she tries to leave; however, she is caught by two shrine spirits and a fox familiar named Tomoe. They mistake her for the man Nanami rescued—the land god of the shrine, Mikage. Realizing that Mikage must have sent her there as a replacement god, Tomoe leaves abruptly, refusing to serve a human. Rather than going back to being homeless, Nanami immerses herself in her divine duties. But if she must keep things running smoothly, she will need the help of a certain hot-headed fox. In her fumbling attempt to seek out Tomoe, she lands in trouble and ends up sealing a contract with him. Now the two must traverse the path of godhood together as god and familiar; but it will not be easy, for new threats arise in the form of a youkai who wants to devour the girl, a snake that wants to marry her, and Nanami's own unexpected feelings for her new familiar.

My Rating: 7/10

My Roommate is a Cat (2019)

Subaru Mikazuki is a 23-year-old mystery novel author, major introvert, and an awkwardly shy person. He would much rather stay home to read a book than go outside and interact with others. Further exacerbating this life of solitude, his parents tragically died in an accident many years ago, leaving him alone in the world. One day, while giving offerings at his parents' grave, Subaru runs into a small black and white cat named Haru, which he ends up taking home with him. Subaru, however, has never taken care of anyone else in his life—can he even take care of a cat? Haru is grateful toward Subaru, as he gives her all the food she wants—a luxury for a cat who is used to a rough life on the streets. But she notices that Subaru can't even seem to take care of himself! Will she be okay with this dunce?

My Rating: 7/10

[quillandink333]

Sunrise

BotW Link X Zelda

Rating: M

Word Count: 4.5k

WARNINGS: suggestive themes, implied sex

Summary: Ten long years after her return to the land of the living, the queen of Hyrule takes her first steps out of her comfort zone with her groom’s hand in hers.

Masterlist

“Tighter.”

I suffered through my struggle to breathe as my lady’s maid tightened my corset to its limits. This was for an occasion that would occur once and never again. If ever had there been a time when I’d needed to look my absolute best, it was now.

My eyes constantly kept returning to the clock on the wall. There was only one hour left before the ceremony was scheduled to commence. I wasn’t even at the Temple of Time, and yet I already felt close to fainting. I looked in the mirror, and I still had the waist width of an obese hynox. “Honestly, can’t you make it any tighter?” I snapped.

“Your Majesty, please try to remain calm,” pleaded one of my maids. I nodded; she was right. I was really letting my stress get the best of me. “My deepest apologies if I’m speaking out of line, but, ehm...I feel it necessary to mention something that your lover spoke to us about.”

When had Link possibly found the time to seek out my own group of personal attendants to tell them something? “Not at all. Go on.”

“Yes. He told us to put your comfort at the highest priority rather than your appearance. He said, quote, ‘Today means more to us than any other day of our lives up until now, so it’s imperative that her memory of it is not plagued by discomfort.’ He was quite insistent about it, I tell you.”

My heart fluttered. It was just like him to go out of his way like that for my sake. I swallowed my pride. “Very well.”

“Would you like me to loosen your corset then?”

“Yes, please,” I heaved. “Thank you.”

I’d recently been blessed with the rare opportunity to be freed from my royal responsibilities for a few days. This was something that only happened for me once or perhaps twice a year. Luckier still, Link had managed to secure a week-long leave from his duties as general of the Calamity Defence Brigade in conjunction with my time off. Since it had been ages since we’d had the chance, we decided to go on a proper adventure like we’d used to in the days when our kingdom had still been in its early stages of restoration. I suggested we spend our few days of freedom in Kakariko Village to pay a long overdue visit to our old friends who lived there, and he proposed that we set out on a hiking trip as well just to make things more exciting and to get outside for a change.

However, I‘d neglected to discern that ‘hiking trip,’ in Linkish, translated to ‘long and arduous climb up a near vertical mountain range.’ It was now an hour or so past midnight, and the two of us were making our way up the side of the cliff just south of Lanayru Road. As one might expect from someone who’s spent roughly the last half decade cooped up in the castle and filling out scroll after scroll of political documents, I was remarkably out of shape. My partner, however, was just as full of energy as he’d been in those olden days, scrambling up the rocky hills with ease. Even by the time we’d reached a level where he was able to stand and walk, I was still trudging along on all fours, barely able to carry my own weight. The gracious gentleman he was, he offered to carry me on his back for a ways when he saw what a sad state I was in.

Not long after I’d recovered strength enough to walk on my own, I started to feel a chill in the air. It was already quite cold to begin with on account of the high altitude, but now my snowquill tunic was beginning to fail me. I stiffened, watching my breath come out in billowing puffs of fog. With Link just a few steps ahead, he looked over his shoulder and came to a stop, nearly causing me to walk straight into him. He smiled mysteriously.

I turned in the direction he faced and spotted the cause of the sudden drop in temperature. In the distance, but steadily drawing nearer, was none other than the spirit Naydra. My eyes probably looked like they were ready to pop out of my skull in that moment.

Before I could fully grasp the situation, he’d already begun retrieving his paraglider from his bag, which he’d propped up against one of the monumental stone pillars dotting the hillside. “Hold onto me.” He held his hand out, holding both handles of the glider in the other. The dragon of ice and snow continued her rapid approach. “Zelda, quickly!” I rushed to his side. He hooked his arm around my waist, and I clung to him tightly by his shoulders.

“Link, are you sure this—ahh!”

A biting gust of wind came our way, and then the feeling of solid earth beneath my feet vanished.

I cried out in terror as he and I were swept upward. I’d used a paraglider before—I even had one of my own—but I’d never considered the thought of sharing one with another. And yet, to my surprise, we were still alive. I summoned the courage to open my eyes, and the moment I did, I was mesmerized.

Naydra was gliding around the two of us, encapsulating us in a vortex created by her flowing, river-like body that shined in a brilliant array of colours the likes of which I’d never beheld up close before. Silently, I gazed up at Link, whose cheeks were coral-coloured from the cold and whose locks danced about his face in the breeze. He wore the serene expression of one who’d had many a chance to experience this sort of thing, but was still just as awestruck as he’d been the first time. Despite the arctic winds nipping at me constantly through my clothes, feeling his arm around my waist holding me fast to his familiar frame filled me to the brim with a tangible sense of warmth and safety.

Naydra guided us with her winds to the top of the stone pillar, and I relaxed at the feeling of the ground beneath me, which was covered in iridescent blue flowers of all different kinds. The spirit of wisdom looked at us with respect in her ancient eyes. Link’s arm stroked up and down my back passively, still wrapped around my waist. Her icy breath touched my face gently and gracefully before she turned and disappeared into the sky.

“Zelda...?”

I turned around in his hold and bumped noses with him on accident, making us both crack a smile. I hadn’t quite finished laughing when he cupped my face and touched his lips to mine. Our embrace lasted an age. A symphony of strings had burst into song deep within my heart. It almost felt like we’d left the ground again as the sound of the wind caressing the flora flew into my ears.

When we parted, he touched his forehead softly to my own. I mirrored his blissful smile, whispering an, “I love you,” and laying my palm over his hand which rested against my cheek.

“I love you,” he echoed. Behind him, the sky was awash with tears of the Goddesses. Down below, the lights of the village shined just as brilliantly. I no longer felt any hint of the cold.

Link let go of me and knelt down on one knee. He then reached into his pouch and pulled out a small box, which he opened to reveal a ring. My hand flew up to my parted lips.

“Will you be my wife?”

My eyes became damp with tears. Of course, there was only one answer.

“Yes.”

Six tireless months of preparation had passed, and the ceremony was now underway. My whole body was more tense than the string of a bow. After an eternity of holding my breath as I waited outside in my carriage, watching the parade of participants walk one by one through the temple doors, my moment had arrived. I made my way up to the looming Doors of Time, and I peered in to see a grand sanctuary decked from one end to the other with stunning floral decor courtesy of Magda, a lovely lady Link had introduced me to with a passion for gardening and flower arrangement. At the far end on either side of the Goddess statue were our bridesmaids and groomsmen all standing in a row. At Her feet stood the priest and, in front of him, my soon-to-be husband whose jaw had dropped to the floor at the sight of me in my full regalia.

I tried my best to keep breathing normally whilst I took in the vast number of attendees filling up the main floor and the gallery through my peripheral vision. They were all trusted friends of ours, of course. However, my level of acquaintanceship with them did not change the fact that most were important figures of society who had high expectations of me, the queen of Hyrule. It was with this in mind that I held my head high, staying vehemently focused on my posture and the way I put each foot in front of the other as I walked down the carpeted aisle.

I held my bouquet in one hand and lifted the skirt of my dress with the other as I ascended the stairs leading to the altar, my train trailing gracefully behind me. I took my place beside Link and turned to face him, allowing him to remove my veil. It was subtle, but I’d without a doubt caught his lips forming the word, “Breathtaking.” I wanted to comment on how he looked equally as stunning in his regal, ivory attire accented by the various bits of gold decorating him from head to toe, but I’d save that for later.

At this time, the priest opened with the customary “Dearly Beloved” speech. I spotted the blur of court painter Pikango’s brush out of the corner of my eye. Although photographs were commonplace nowadays, I’d requested that he do a small-scale portrait of the ceremony with the reason being simply that Link and I were fond of his paintings.

Once the priest’s heartwarming introduction had reached its end, he looked to us and requested that we declare our vows to one and other. We’d worked out ahead of time that Link would go first. Yet if I could have predicted the true depth and authenticity of the words that were about to pass his lips, I would have taken the lead, for his vows would set the standard for my own far, far above what I could possibly meet.

“My dear Zelda,” he began in earnest,

“I still often find myself looking back on the days when I knew nothing but the sweet sound of your voice. In those days that I spent scouring the land for little scraps of my life from one hundred and ten years ago, the thought of seeing your face with my own eyes and hearing your voice with my own ears was what gave me comfort during sleepless nights. I may never regain most of my memories of our past relationship, but that no longer bothers me, because since then, I have made countless precious memories with you that I will cherish for the rest of my life. Like the time we spent living in our little house in Hateno Village, where every morning I would make us breakfast while you’d try and think up new ways to use me as a test subject for your research.”

This earned a collective chuckle from the audience and put a crooked smile on my face as I tried not to laugh.

“Although I said, ‘Yes,’ when you first asked if I still loved you despite everything, I didn’t realize just how many things about you that I would later discover and fall in love with one by one: your brilliant mind, your kind and affectionate heart, and the true depth of your inextinguishable passion, just to name a few. These past years that I’ve spent by your side are what have shaped me into the man standing before you now. My hope for the future, as well as my promise to you, is that we will continue to set out on new adventures and forge new memories together for the rest of our days as husband and wife.”

To say his words had hit me straight in the heart would be an arrant understatement. It was all I could do to hold myself back from prematurely tossing my bouquet over my shoulder and kissing him to death right then and there. Instead, however, I retained my composure and proceeded to recite what I had prepared.

“Link,

“As you may have noticed, we are surrounded by silent princess flowers, a once rare breed that hadn’t yet found a place to thrive amongst civilization a century ago, but has now flourished into a prospering species that can be seen from every window in this beautiful kingdom of ours. Now, since I know you’re already renowned for your role as the hero of Hyrule, I’ll talk about something a little more personal between you and me. And that something is that you’re not just a hero to Hyrule, but even more so to me. For as long as I’ve known you, you’ve never once left my side willfully and I’ve always been able to rely on you in times of need. It’s thanks solely to your undying support over the years that my dream of taking a fallen nation and rebuilding it into something greater than ever before has since blossomed into reality.”

It was around then when I looked up to see tears forming in his eyes. He nodded curtly, urging me to continue.

“I promise to be there for you whenever you’re being too hard on yourself, and to turn to you for guidance when I do the same. I promise to remind you, when you lose sight of who you are, that you are perfect in every way no matter how many doubts you may have. I promise to always make time to spend with you, and to respect your need to be alone at times. And above all, I promise to you absolute love and trust, for although today marks the start to the rest of our lives together, I know it will not be enough time to spend with you.”

Link’s face was fixed in a sentimental smile that mirrored my own. He’d managed to hold back his tears, but it was clear to see how moved he was. Glancing around the room, I realized he and I weren’t the only ones who had gotten emotional.

With that, the time came for us to exchange rings and join hands.

“Link, please place Zelda’s ring on her fourth finger.” I raised my hand out, and he held it with the utmost care while he slipped the ring onto my extended finger. “Do you, Link, take Zelda to be your lawfully wedded wife, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in the good times and the bad, treating her as your equal for as long as you both shall live?”

He never took his eyes off me as he gave his answer. “I do.”

“Zelda, please place Link’s ring on his fourth finger.” I did as instructed, glad to hear the priest drop the honourifics for the occasion like I’d asked. Link’s ring fit perfectly on his slim, calloused finger as I put it on for him. “Do you, Zelda, take Link to be your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, in the good times and the bad, treating him as your equal for as long as you both shall live?”

“I do.”

“Very good.” The priest closed his tome and placed it under his arm. “With that, by the power vested in me by the Goddess Hylia, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may seal your vows with a kiss.”

Of course, we couldn’t just stay in our current positions and have a light, chaste kiss—absolutely not.

Link just had to set fire to all established formalities by sweeping me off my feet and dipping me almost to the point where I was parallel with the floor. Only then did he dive in for the kiss. Roaring applause ensued. Flower petals showered down from above. In the midst of all the excitement, I could’ve sworn I heard a stifled chuckle before someone mumbled the word, “‘Seal,’” under their breath.

During the procession following the ceremony, my subjects—soon to be our subjects—were all lined up along the route to the castle, waiting to get a glimpse of the newlywed royal couple in their specially fashioned horse-drawn carriage. Upon arriving at our destination, the butterflies in my stomach began fluttering up a storm when I noticed the throngs of people that had gathered. For years, I’d hesitated announcing our relationship to the public for fear of their disapproval. But seeing their smiling faces and hearing their joyous cheers from the balcony filled me with hope. On top of that, the proud smile worn by my husband as he waved to the crowd from beside me was infectious.

The reception was spectacular, which only made it all the more terrifying. For the whole of the afternoon, the castle grounds were open to the lucky winners of a raffle that people from all over the world had been given the opportunity to participate in. To kick it off, Link and I each gave a brief speech encouraging guests to make merry and celebrate to their hearts’ content. From then on, the great hall was alive with music coupled by the din of friendly conversation, and every so often, the names and titles of new arrivals would be announced from the main entrance.

My aversion to large social gatherings like this was no secret to Link. If not for royal traditions, we both would’ve preferred to have a nice, simple wedding in the countryside and to keep our invitations limited to a select few of our closest friends. Even so, he would not accept my perfectly appropriate inclination to simply preside over the festivities from my throne. Instead, when people were beginning to partner up in the middle of the ballroom, he dragged me down one of the soaring flights of stairs by force straight into the heart of the crowd. Everything came to an abrupt halt. My stomach sank. Link, clearly pleased as punch to be the centre of attention, bowed and offered me his hand as if to say, “May I have this dance?”

Given that all eyes were now glued to us, I was left with no choice but to digress and take his hand. The moment he drew me closer and placed his other hand on my waist, the orchestra raised their instruments and began playing, which prompted the dancers to begin dancing. The tumult of twirling and sidestepping and switching of partners that then ensued had my head spinning.

At some point when Link and I were back in each other’s arms amidst the whirlpool of dancers, we’d gravitated toward the rim of the ballroom floor where a few steps led up to an expanse of tables and chairs beyond which stood a doorway leading outside. My partner was looking around the room with intent. I glanced over my shoulder to see whatever he had seen, but I was swept off to the side as soon as my head was turned.

Half of me was filled with relief to be away from prying eyes as I followed him to Hylia knew where. The other half was filled with doubt that our absence would go unnoticed for long. And the second half was prevailing over the first. He didn’t answer any of my continuous demands to know just where he was taking me. All he did was continue along on his happy-go-lucky way. Perhaps even he didn’t know where he was going.

We hadn’t gotten far when we’d reached a small pavilion overlooking the castle gardens. He turned to face me with a worrying glint in his eye. “Wait, what are you doing?” He gripped my shoulders. “Link—”

Before I could get another word out, he backed me up into the banister and began slowly ravishing my mouth. I gave into him, my fingers weaving themselves into his modestly groomed locks out of habit. He drew away sooner than I’d anticipated, and my eyes fluttered open.

“Kissing my wife,” he finally answered, flashing that charming smile of his. My shoulders shook a little in laughter as I pulled him in for another kiss. He crooned happily, taking me by the waist. His hands roamed across the bodice of my gown, feeling every little intricacy embroidered onto its surface. “I must say,” he muttered, “I couldn’t have imagined something that‘d make you look so gorgeous.”

“Well, you really have the tailors to thank for all this,” I blushed, playing with the pleats of my elegant skirt. “I’m quite pleased with their work myself.”

“While it looks magnificent on you, darling,” he began, running a finger under where it scooped up and cupped my breasts, “I am looking forward to seeing you take it off later this evening.”

I pushed him away gently. “Stop it. Someone could hear—ah!” He grabbed my behind through my dress, without warning.

“Sorry,” he lied, snickering. “I just can’t help myself around you.” He gave me a quick kiss to the temple. I glowered at him, praying he’d get the message that this wasn’t funny to me anymore, but he paid no mind as he bent down and started hiking my skirt up my leg. My face burned as hot as the touch of his fingertips trailing up the skin of my thigh. I looked around frantically for anyone we might’ve been in plain sight of.

“Link,” I whined, “for the love of the Goddesses—”

“Hey, does anyone see the newlyweds about?” He and I both froze at Prince Sidon’s jolly and boisterous tones booming all the way from the great hall. “I figure it’s about time to roll out some old Hyrulian traditions!”

The next thing I knew, I was sat on a big throne that had been set up in the dead centre of the ballroom, and my groom was kneeling at my feet with an utterly victorious smirk on his face. Kass and the other musicians had stopped playing. All of the guests—every single one as well as some staff members—had gathered in front of us. I cursed Sidon under my breath, making Link’s grin grow wider. Everyone was cheering and whistling like they were watching the semiannual shield surfing tournament. I laughed halfheartedly, feeling humiliation sinking in.

With no hesitation, Link raised my right leg over his shoulder and ducked his head under my dress. I didn’t have time to react before I felt him nip gently at my inner thigh. I jumped, biting back a yelp. The audience hollered out in excitement. The ten seconds or so that it then took him to take my garter between his teeth and inch it along the length of my leg seemed like a century. When he emerged, he looked up at me with a sultry gaze that made my blood boil.

With the garter still in his mouth, he stood up and tossed it over his shoulder like a dog with a stick. This did me in. I erupted into uncontrollable bouts of laughter, and Link and the rest of the audience followed suit. Regrettably I was too hysterical to notice who had caught it.

The rest of the reception went on without a hitch. Immediately following Link’s grandiose display of shamelessness, I performed the long-awaited throwing of the bouquet. This time I remembered to take note of the catcher; it was none other than Impa’s granddaughter, Paya, whose complexion had taken on a shade similar to that of her Sheikah facial markings. After that, there were one or two more traditions that needed to be taken care of, such as the cutting of the cake. Link and I had to be given a ladder to stand on in order for us to be able to reach the top tier. Even so, the amount of effort needed was befitting of the delectable prize waiting for me at the end. My lovely husband even offered to feed me the fruits and berries off of his slice, and who would I have been to decline his generosity?

A short while later, I was out on the dance floor again. Compared to before, I was feeling a great deal more relaxed as I mingled with the the many, many partygoers.

Then I heard the thunderous crack of an explosion.

I looked out through the great hall’s lofty windows and witnessed the shimmering hues of fireworks painting the night sky. My plans for them had completely slipped my mind. By the time they’d begun, many people had already made their way outside. I scanned the room for Link and, upon spotting him, asked my current dance partner to excuse me and made my way over to him. Then he followed me to the balcony where we’d enjoy the show for as long as it would last, until the clock struck midnight and the celebration was drawn to a close.

The night had already progressed into the small hours of morning when my husband and I had made it back to our shared quarters. Our lavish ensembles were folded neatly away inside a box in our wardrobe, probably never to be worn again. I’d never revelled so much in the sensation of lying down on my bed and feeling all the tension in my body melt away. What a day it had been.

“I love you.” Link’s voice was low and warm as his fingertips combed delicately through the roots of my hair.

“I love you too,” I smiled, idly tracing each of the scars littering his chest one by one. “Be honest. How long did it take you to write those vows?”

He donned a prideful grin, saying, “Made them up on the spot.”

“I said, ‘Be honest,’” I giggled, giving him a light shove.

“I am! It’s the truth!” And yet his ear-to-ear grin did little to back up his claim.

“Really?” I gave him an incredulous look, which he challenged with a raise of his brow. “Well, I, for one, wrote out draft after draft and spent hours of my precious time memorizing and rehearsing them.”

“I figured as much,” he chided into my neck. A chill raced through my blanketed body followed by another bubbly laugh.

I rolled my eyes. “If you are telling the truth and you really did improvise that whole thing, then...I admit, I’m impressed.”

“Am I not brilliant?”

“Oh, yes,” I smiled, craning my neck to kiss his jawline. Then with a slight yawn as I laid my head back down on his shoulder, “Absolutely.”

[vintage-brass-tc]

4/30/2021

On Friday, a marching band event was held at M’s new school for all the band kids. This was one of the many meetings to prepare for the busy year ahead of us, including the sessions I mentioned in the past couple of months. This one happened to be about our choreography!

I’ll get right into it. Let the highlights commence.

||||||||||||||||||||||||

I never found direct instructions on getting to the room we were set to go in, so I roamed the clearing when I entered, guided by the different people standing at certain checkpoints in the hallways. I reached a certain spot in one hall and there was a door blocking one of its directions. My gut told me to maneuver through it, but I didn’t, instead listening to the hall guy’s instructions.

Soon enough, I made it.

I walked into the auditorium, pretty confused as to why we would be placed there. I was very obviously puzzled when I then entered the room and realized. Not only were there like…only fifteen kids inside the area, but by some coincidence, W was there too. I was led to the wrong place.

W was already looking at me prior to we had made eye contact. He tilted his head to his left and furrowed his eyebrows at my arrival. I mirrored his movements, being just as baffled as he was. He then began to walk around the occupied chairs he stood behind.

He strode over to me and stopped around 8 inches away. He then leaned towards my face, making his usual serious eye contact. “Are you here for marching band?” His face was full of curiosity. “Yes, marching band.” I replied. I attempted to stay calm under his piercing gaze, which was always hard, as much as I’ve seen it before.

“I thought so,” he stated, “I’ll walk you there.” Without any wait whatsoever, he began p to move briskly up the wooden stairs of the auditorium. I speed-walked behind him. With quick strides, he glided through the backstage area. His quick footsteps reverberated throughout the room, followed by my rushed ones as I jogged to catch up with him.

I finally made it right behind him before we exited the room and we walked together in silence, which was accompanied by the taps of our shoes on the thick floor beneath us. I decided I wouldn’t leave him hanging. “Thank you for helping, W,” I said to him, genuinely. “Mmhm!” He hummed happily.

Soon we arrived at the starting destination.

“And here’s the band hall!” He exclaimed, beaming, as we entered. “Uhhh...” I felt my face flush slightly with embarrassment as I looked around. The room was empty, minus the four or five staff members present inside it. He froze for two seconds, slightly stunned. “I guess they already left.” He said.

“Haha, yeah.” I responded to him and chuckled after muttering to myself, “of COURSE they did.” Luckily, after our little moment of humiliation, we weren’t left hanging for a while. A lady went up and offered to lead me to where the marching band was. Of course, I gratefully took up that offer.

“And I’ll follow YOU (this time)!” He said in an upbeat tone of voice. “Hehe, alright!” I giggled. I shot my head back to smile at him, and he was already smiling. He moved with an adorable bouncy walk too while he trailed behind us.

We all walked for a little bit before the girl began some small talk about what instrument I played and whatnot. W parted from our little group at some point during the awkward conversation.

~~

“And through this door here...” she told me.

Funnily enough, it was the other side of the door that I had the gut urge to pass earlier. I suppose my ignorance led me to seeing W though, so it wasn’t all that bad. The lady smiled and I passed through the now un-propped open door while she held it for me.

“Thank you.” I told her in a quiet voice. She responded with a smile before softly shutting the door. I turned to look around the room, which was a gymnasium. Groups of people were either at the front or the sides of the room, chatting amongst themselves.

While I stood, a friend in my section greeted me joyfully, told me where to put my stuff down, and all that jazz. I placed my mildly translucent water bottle, hair-tie, sunglasses, and phone down on the flat, open seat-like area on the wall. In hindsight, I probably didn’t need the sunglasses or hair tie, but oh well. Bless the great indoors!

After I carefully pushed my gray sweater off of me, I noticed that all of the kids were beginning to gather on their spots at the front, so I followed suit. We soon stood in a formation of neat rows and columns after some slight controversy on who should stand where in line. After that, the rehearsal began.

~~

I didn’t see M at first when I walked in, but soon my eyes were gifted with the sight of his presence. Soon enough, he started to speak into his microphone. His voice and appearance is always better in person than it is in my head. ❤️

I believe he greeted us and thanked us for coming out to join him, but briefly due to a time crunch. He then let the choreographer introduce himself. While the guy talked and gave us a starter, M leaned on the wall.

I took this time to take in his outfit, and thank goodness I did. M looked great. All I’ll say to avoid being super specific is that he wore a hat as usual, and a long-sleeved baby blue shirt.

Fast forward during some preparation on posture and terms to remember, we began our first lesson in our dancing: A quick instruction on tendus. Soon after starting to demonstrate them, the choreographer told the front few rows to get low so the back could see what was going on.

He presented to everyone how they would shift their weight correctly and point our inner leg out in front of us while we did this. We then learned the correct way to lift that leg off the ground on each side and did some reps on those. Yada yada.

As the repetitions progressed, I noticed that M began to record the class. I figured he would use this footage for the future in case we had to learn these again in class. At 2-3 points in time, the camera was pointed right at me while I relayed the movements the class was taught. And it wasn’t even for a second. It was more like 8-15 seconds, give or take.

One of the times, I snuck a long glance at the camera, and then at him. He met my eyes while he was taping and stared into them with a pensive and interested look. His luminous dark brown eyes shone as a puppy’s would when begging for scraps.

I felt a light smile begin to tug at my lips as I looked into his eyes for a moment longer. I then focused back on the task at hand while he did his thing. He soon started panning the device to his left, and stopped taping (for now) after 6 seconds or so afterwards.

I would like to repeat that this happened at least 2-3 times, each during different reps...HDHGGHDYGS. I feel helpful. Just hoping my face wasn’t that red in the footage.

~~

After this fiasco, we were being taught how to bend one leg and glide the other across the floor in a circular motion without bending it. I’m not quite sure what the term was for this exercise (I think we called it a bend?), but it was pretty fun!

At some point during the leader’s examples and explanations, M walked near me. When I saw him in the corner of my eye, I internally flipped out. I felt his body give off some heat, which traveled smoothly from him to me. I felt my heart-rate begin to increase at the contact, and my eyes widened a little bit as well.

My head twisted somewhat to the left so I could get a better look at him. He was about 5 inches to the left and a foot behind me, and he stood still, now facing the front, while he held his phone up.

A second and a half later, he sat down quickly yet softly right where he was standing.And when I heard that? I swear I could feel my pupils dilate because HOOOH, I was beyond happy.

I shifted my body and hand’s position on the ground so I would appear more vertical and orderly. This way, he would get a better shot of the instructor without my hair or something being in the way.

He sat there for a good while as he got the footage, then stood up a little bit before we were off to begin attempting the movements. The excitement never left inside me. I was smiling that whole time.

~~

Boom, first water break!

All the kids cheered and started chatting while they went to grab their stuff.

As the others spoke, I looked over at him. He was smiling, confused and attempting to do a tendu while the instructor guy watched. He wasn’t great at it, but the sight made me feel even more relaxed than I had felt before, since it reassured me he wasn’t perfect at everything.

After some more chatting between the people in my section, we were called over to get back into practicing. When we came back, we learned what a passé was and how to do it. Again, while everyone’s eyes were fixed on the dancer in front of us, I felt some warm air hit my back as I sat on the ground. This breeze was accompanied by the sound of shoes hitting the floor.

He strolled slowly behind me once again, unknowingly teasing me with our closer proximity, along with the scent I so dearly loved that more noticeably lingered around him. The amount of time he took and how close he was when he moved near me leads me to believe his actions weren’t entirely unconscious.

After the slow trail, he came to a stop in the same place as before, to the left and just slightly behind me, only about three inches from my side. He then moved a little closer and sat down right next to me, just avoiding the touch of our knees.

We were seriously that close.

I adjusted myself just as I did last time, so I wasn’t too close to him to make him uncomfortable, although I did allow my body to lean juuuust a little bit near him. He didn’t seem to mind too much.

My mind began to spin a little as his cologne engulfed me, the mask I had on failing to block it, and I closed my eyes to take in the atmosphere.

How warm he felt compared to the room around me.

How his breathing was barely audible, yet so comforting.

How the aura he set out put me in a sense of calm, as if I was protected.

How just the mere presence of him right beside myself put me at ease.

I opened my eyes and didn’t even try to fight the smile already planted on my features when I turned my head to the left. I looked at his face, which was fixed on the instructor, but it had a twinge of softness as well. It may have been my imagination, but I believe he was smiling a little bit too.

Being here, coexisting with him felt so natural to me, and I surprisingly kept my composure the whole time.

Because my head was already rotated, I casually tuned in to the directions while watching the movements being taped on his phone. He probably noticed my attention because, again, he was grinning, and he seemed very content as well.

Interrupting our silent moment, his phone displayed the ‘10% battery remaining’ icon, which almost made me laugh. He dismissed the warning without a second thought against it and continued recording.

I looked back at the real choreographer, and not too long later we were told to stand up. This time, he remained on the ground. I stood up, leaning on my left hand at first, so for a quick moment I was moving my body towards him. Despite this, I got up as cleanly as I could just in case I would end up doing something dumb, like falling on him.....or bumping his head with my hip. 😳

He sat there for an extra two seconds before he, himself, got up, beaming. From the little view I got from gazing down at him, the way he sat was just adorable. He reminded me of a child—he looked so young. Younger than I remember at least. <3

~~

The choreographer gave us a speech about how the little things matter and stuff in band especially, just basically something meaningful, and I looked at him during part of it.

He already had his soft eyes set on me.

He nodded slowly at me with a huge grin that caused noticeable dimples, even with the little space the mask was covering. While the encouraging words were spoken, it looked like he was getting emotional. Like was growing closer and closer to crying. Aww. 💕

I allowed my body to cave in slightly and I gave him a timid smile while tilting my head to the right.

The way he looked at me with encouragement was so lovely. His acting was so....personal. So vulnerable. Unlike the tough and dominant demeanor he set out when I had him in the past.

I’m so proud of him.

When the first closer was finished, he gave out his own speech.

“You’re all probably hurting in places you’ve never felt before,” he told us, making us laugh, “and that’s okay!” He then reminded us that we’d have to teach each other these moves, and probably teach him too in the future.

He mentioned that he tried to get footage on the phone to help him as much as he could, but then his phone ran out and he was like *!!!!!* panicking. He said this very expressively, putting his hands out in front of him like he was holding two tennis balls.

Again, I found it so cute that he was being more like himself than ever before in this crowd. He’s way more open than I remember from the past. He used to be more hesitant when it came to showing his weakness.

After those thoughts were out of the way, he spoke with a clear voice, telling us all how the conductor’s statement of ‘the best bands are the best at the smallest details’ spoke to him and represented his usual motto clearly.

He was speaking with so much passion in his voice that I bet everyone could hear it.

||||||||||||||||||||||||

WOW, that was a bunch to unload! I need to stop worrying about including everything so I can get these out sooner and do better stuff with my time. Hopefully this was worth the wait, and if not, oh well! Just finding some time to ramble about stuff that happened with M. 😂❤️

If I begin posting about stuff from this week too, it’s just an excuse to talk about M and W, so you can ignore it. GJDHSJGSA — It’ll only be small things anyway!

Alright, think I’m done here! Have a great weekend everyone, and stay safe. School year’s almost over, so we better make the most of it. :)

[eirist]

A Taste of Summer II

WORKING IT OUT 

One-shot #: 2

Disclaimer: One Piece (and its characters) belongs to Eiichiro Oda-sensei.

Reminder: I have no beta-reader. Any grammatical and spelling errors are solely mine.

Warning: OOC possible. One shot.

Rating: T (Teasing again?)

Note: Entry for ZoNami Week 2020 @zonamievents. Day 2: Workout. I know it’s late. I’m sorry! And if you squint, you’ll see ‘workout’ there, promise.

Summary:  “Your dainty hands are much better for map making anyway.”

Brown eyes slanted dangerously, the heat blazing behind them almost tangible as she peered down the lawn of the Thousand Sunny from the upper deck.

She was pissed. Scratch that. She is still pissed.

How in the world was he able to do that? Act so nonchalantly, as if the incident in the lake a few days ago did not happen.

Nami huffed. Blowing at her bangs exasperatedly she leaned against the white, wooden railing to observe their idiot swordsman as he went over his daily workout routine on the grassy deck.

Instead of holed up in the nest. She thought irascibly as she watched him do a repetition of arm curls with those stupid dumbbells of his.

As dumb as its owner.

Her hands fisted tightly. Argh! She was so incensed at him right now that she wanted to throw one of her sandals at that moronic green head of his just to get some sort of satisfaction.

She was sooo close to siccing a chock-full of thunder balls Zeus at him.

He has to be asexual! That must be it!

She mumbled an expletive under her breath. She honestly thought he’d make a grab for her when they encountered each other in the lake… given the way he was looking at her like he wanted to take her right there and then.

That was why she had stood her ground and stared right back at him, daring him to make his move.

Because she would’ve let him.

Then Zoro’s expression suddenly shifted to a blank one. He merely stared at her for another second or two before showing her his back. 

But not before irritably telling her that if she wants to get out of the lake now, then she better do it fast because SHE was disturbing HIM?!

ASS!

She was so shock at the sudden turn of events that she wasn’t able to come up with any retort as her face colored in combination of embarrassment and fury.

Grrrr…. relieving all that gets her work up again.

What the hell was that all about? She cannot ignore the way he had looked at her. You don’t look at someone like that without feeling anything!

ANYTHING!

Besides, she had known Zoro for so long that she is actually aware that he may appear calm and indifferent most of the times, but some of his expressions were damn too easy to read…

Especially when it comes to emotions that he has no grasp on.

Something is there. And she’ll be damned if it wasn’t like what she thinks so.

Nami straightened up… just as Zoro put the weights down to peel off the sweaty white tank top he was wearing before moving to do some push-ups.

She bit her lip.

He's really delectable. That jerk! 

“Nami-san!!”

She turned abruptly at the sound of their chef’s voice. Nami looked around only to realize that Sanji was calling her from the hatch of the galley.

She immediately moved away from her position, lest Zoro realized that she was watching him.

“Hai, Sanji-kun?” Nami peered from the open hatch leading to the galley below.

The blond immediately went hyperactive. “Nami-swaan! I prepared a special drink for you and Robin-chwan! Perfect for beating this heat. Do you want me to bring it up there?”

“Uh no,” she smiled. “I’m coming down.”

“Here let me catch you in my arms.” Sanji offered as hearts magically burst out of his body.

“No.”

Tch. If only Zoro was this easy.

But that wouldn’t be fun nor interesting right?

 She gestured at the cook that she will go down now and actually let him assist her, with a sugary sweet threat that if his hands slipped somewhere it weren’t supposed to go, she’ll be cashing his bounty on the next island.

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

Nami clicked her tongue as she stood on the lawn deck, glaring at the dumbbells carelessly left there for anyone to trip over.

After that refreshing drink from Sanji, she decided to invite Robin for a dip in the inflatable pool that Franky had set up after they anchored somewhere in the middle of the sea.

She had change into her newest blue green two-piece swimsuit and had thrown in a loose t-shirt she wasn’t even sure was hers (yet she found it in her closet). It probably belongs to one of the boys and was wrongfully mixed in the women’s clothes pile given its size, as it almost swallowed her whole slim figure.

She tied it in a knot on her waist to make it more… presentable and was about to make her way down the dock system when she nearly tripped on Zoro’s exercise equipment.

Seriously, why is he such a slob? And where was he?

And why in the freaking world does she even like him?

She’ll charge him for this. Plus that incident in the lake. And for pissing her off. And for pissing her off again today, thrice. And for later as well. Because she knows he’ll do something to make her set off again.

He’ll be a poor man once she’s finished with him.

She bent down to pick it up with a weary sigh.

Her hand had closed around the metal grip to lift it up and place it somewhere else.

Nami’s eyes widened. The hell?

She stared at the dumbbells. Why the fuck was it so heavy?!

She recalled watching Zoro earlier… easily, almost boredly, lifting it as if it weight next to nothing…

She tried to lift it again, but it won’t budge.

“Don’t,” a voice said behind her. “You’ll just hurt yourself.” Zoro said as he took a step closer to her.

Nami, still grasping the dumbbell turned and glared at him. “Why is it so heavy?”

Zoro raised an eyebrow at her. “If it’s lighter then what’s the use?”

“And why did you even left them here where anyone can trip on it?”

He bent down as well, hand closing around the handle just beside hers. Nami tilted her head towards him and tried to force down the blush that threatened to appear on her cheeks.

He was close. Close enough that her nose was almost touching his face.

If she moves a little more closely…

“Here,” she thought she heard him say, as the dumbbell that she was still grasping was lifted effortlessly.

“Huh?”

Zoro looked amused as she blinked, looking at the equipment in her hand in an astounded manner. He was still gripping it as well and then he chuckled. “You’ll just end up spraining your wrist if you try to lift this. Your dainty hands are much better for map making anyway.”

Nami almost short-circuited when she thought he said… love making.

She just stared at him… her skin tingling as she realized that their proximity now…

Was lethal. Dangerous even.  

It feels like she would combust on the spot at the intensity of his gaze and closeness.

They continued to stare at each other… very much like a repeat of what happened in the lake.

They were supposed to kiss now right? Shouldn’t they?

It feels like it’s the only logical step next to this.

Slowly, she shuffled a bit closer and…

Zoro swiftly turned his head away as Nami’s heart sank in disappointment.

Damn it! When will he ever? WILL HE EVER?

Kami. He was a hard nut to crack.

There is something between them. And damn, by all means she would make it so that he wouldn’t, couldn’t resist her.

“Zo—”

“Oi!!!!! Watch out!!!”

A sudden splash of water hit her and Zoro, drenching them both.

The unmistakable laugh of their captain rang across the deck as both Nami and Zoro spluttered out expletives at the rubber man’s latest antic.

“Luffy damn it!”

“Luffy you idiot!”

“Shishishi…” Luffy chortled as he appeared before them, brandishing what could only be… a water gun?

His grin was mirthful and promised nothing but trouble.

 “Ladies and gentlemen,” Usopp’s voice suddenly blasted out from the crow’s nest speakers. “Time to find your team!”

“The Straw Hats water gun battle are about to commence in a few minutes!!!”

[falkenscreen]

South African Film Festival opens online this week with vibrant film, doco program

The Festival runs May 12-24 with special in-cinema closing night screenings in Sydney and Melbourne. All ticket proceeds go to programs supporting vulnerable groups in South Africa.

We’re not getting to South Africa anytime soon, so the South African Film Festival brought it here.

Three years strong, the Festival launched in Bondi in 2019, went online in 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic and this year will run online May 12-24 with special in-cinema closing night screenings in Sydney and Melbourne. All ticket proceeds this year go to programs supporting vulnerable groups in South Africa.

This year’s program includes documentaries, feature films and two short features.

“There’s a range of intrinsic directorial visions extrapolating South Africa’s past, present and future,” said Festival director Clare Jankelson. “Each year the focus is to find a selection of proudly South African films that brings the vibrancy of the unique South African culture and its people to our Australian, and for the first time this year, New Zealand, audiences.”

The program kicks off on Wednesday May 12 with documentary Influence, billed with world leaders Margaret Thatcher, Nelson Mandela and Jacob Zuma as stars.

“The disgraced PR powerhouse Bell Pottinger, with everything that went wrong, came to light with the probe into the severe Government corruption under the Zuma presidency,” said Clare. “The film highlights the relationship of truth and power on a global platform and shows how political spin and ‘fake news’ sway public perception.”

“This film won Best Documentary at the Durban International Film Festival in South Africa in 2021 and was a nominee for the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance.”

The documentary bears an especially strong resonance in light of events transpiring only this week past, with the ruling African National Congress’ Secretary-General Ace Magashule, currently facing fraud and other charges, being suspended by the ANC.

With South African politics remaining a consistent theme of the Festival and ever-present in the minds of South Africans both abroad and in Australia, the focus is even stronger this year in light of an unprecedented emphasis on documentaries.

“We usually try to find a balance between feature films, documentaries and short films, but this year and due to the global pandemic, most feature film productions slowed down, and documentaries were more readily available,” said Clare. “It’s a curation of ‘fresh off the press’ features launched at international Film Festivals before local South African release, like Influence and Barakat, or past releases with accolades. The Festival offers a reminder of South Africa’s history pre and post-Apartheid together with climate and environmental references that speaks to a country rich with remarkable nature and wildlife.”

Barakat, translating to ‘blessings’ in Urdu, follows a Muslim, Malay community residing in Cape Town where the feature was also completed. Also selected for the 2021 Pan African Film Festival, Barakat was the Closing Night feature of London’s most recent Film Africa Festival.

“Barakat is produced by Nagvlug Films, it’s dynamic young Writer/Director Amy Jephta and her producing partner Ephraim Gordon,” said Clare. “They brought together a stellar cast of mostly Muslim people in order to achieve a nuanced integrity in their depictions of ordinary family life.”

“This passionate little family film with so much heart, which is in the vain of Minari, will not only appeal to the African diaspora across Australia and New Zealand, but to all communities trying to overcome the trials and tribulations of this year of a global pandemic. The film will be released at the same time as the South African release and during the time of breaking the fast in celebration of Eid-al-Fitr (commencing May 12, 2021), a religious holiday celebrated by Muslims world-wide marking the end of the fasting of Ramadan.”

One of four documentaries on the program, Blindside covers the 1974 British Lions’ boycott-breaking Apartheid-era tour of South Africa. Reflecting on the political role of, and debates around, rugby during the regime, the material will resonate with fans of Clint Eastwood’s Invictus and those who recall, fondly or not, the recent triumph of South Africa in the World Cup; reminiscent itself of the events depicted in the 2009 drama.

The nation’s Oscar entry Toorbos will also screen; a period drama set in a conservative Knysna forest community chronicling 18-year-old Karoliena’s forced marriage to a shopkeeper and transition to a new reality in a new town. Based on the Dalene Matthee novel, Toorbos too centres on the Government’s plans to imminently remove and rehouse the impoverished community.  

Spanning the genre range to romantic adventure, Riding with Sugar covers pursuit of BMX success, the lead’s romance with a dancer and dreams of a happier life while Sandance! takes us across southern Africa via rehearsals by members of the San community bringing performances and healing dance as far as Botswana’s annual Kuru Dance Festival.

Gangster flick For Love and Broken Bones follows Motheo, a musician and debt collector who falls for his newest target while Mama Africa utilises five decades of archival footage to present singer Miriam Makeba’s legacy. Exiled from the country for more than 30 years, Makeba’s life took her from the US to Guinea, with her banishment heavily influencing her art.

A New Country and District Six Rising From the Dust, directed by Sifiso Khanyile and Weaam Williams respectively, via contemporary commentary and archival footage chronicle the continued effects of Apartheid, with Good Hope outlining the views, aspirations and experiences of younger South Africans whose earliest memories recall the post-Apartheid nation. Life is Wonderful will look to the earlier impacts of the laws and the story of Denis Goldberg, who was convicted at the infamous Rivonia trial where Mandela, alongside Goldberg and other co-defendents, were sentenced to life imprisonment.

Jozi Gold will highlight the ever-present issue of the environmental state of South Africa and the impacts of mining, with drama Tess exploring the issues of abuse and gender violence through the experiences of a sex worker who falls pregnant.

Letter Reader, one of the short features on the program, follows a 12-year-old boy who becomes his village’s letter reader.

Continuing the Festival’s commitment to ‘Education without Borders,’ all ticket proceeds will go toward a charity assisting vulnerable and young South Africans in some of the nation’s most disadvantaged communities. A strong motivating factor in taking the Festival online last year, Education without Borders and those of their ilk are seeking to ameliorate conditions further impacted by an as of yet very limited vaccine rollout and the highest mortality rate in Africa.  An education foundation functioning in South Africa since 2002, their roles are as crucial as ever now given the extent to which COVID-19 has impacted the country with many communities now left even more bereft of requisite resources amidst lengthy lockdowns.

There resides a strong Australian-South African community surrounding the South African Film Festival’s foundations in Bondi but going online has meant the Festival bears an even greater opportunity to reach more ex-pats, community members and local film fans than before. For local residents of the South African community keenly watching what is happening overseas, some of whom have had to forestall long-awaited trips to Bloemfontein or Johannesburg, this author included, it’s a more than welcome opportunity to reconnect, re-engage, enjoy some movies and be as close to South Africa as we’re going to get right now.

The South African Film Festival screens online from Wednesday 12 May to Monday 24 May, 2021 in Australia and New Zealand with Closing Night Barakat screenings in Event Cinemas Bondi Junction and Castle Hill together with Melbourne’s Classic Cinema. Get program and ticket information at the Festival website.

on SBS

on Festevez

[ginnyzero]

Completely Harmless Ch. 62

Completely Harmless An SSO SilverGlade Re-imagining Story (Or Fix it Fan Salt fic) By Ginny O.

When Lily and her friends wanted to buy horses and were directed to the Silverglade Manor and its myriad of problems, they didn’t expect to start a revolution. They were just a bunch a stable girls. Completely harmless. Right?

A/N: Things are only canon if I say they’re canon. Pre-Saving the Moorland Stables compliant for the most part. Posted in its entirety on my website. Posted in 2000 to 4000 word bits here. Rated T for Swearing Word Count 177,577

Chapter Sixty-Two Commence Rescue!

Pi tugged her hat low over her eyes. “Do I look evil?” She’d smeared green makeup on her face and hands. Her hair powdered with green chalk.

“Good enough for government work,” Lily said blandly.

Alex leaned into Tin Can’s nose. “We’ll be back in hours. I promise.”

Tin Can huffed and pawed the ground.

“No. You can’t come with us. That’s too many to get back off.”

Tin Can neighed.

“I don’t care if he’s going. You can’t. Lily needs him.”

Tin Can trumpeted now.

“Of course I need you. I don’t like it either.” Alex flung her arms around his neck. “I have to rescue them. I have to. I can’t leave them there, any of them. And you have to do your part.”

Tin Can lowered his head.

Lily took the harp case strapped to Nimbus’ side off. She handed it to Linda. “Keep it safe and remember, once you have the gate open.”

“Don’t stop playing,” Linda nodded. “Be careful.”

“That’s not exactly what this mission is about.” Lily smiled at her.

“Okay, don’t die,” Linda amended.

They hugged.

Linda let her go and touched Alex’s shoulder.

Alex turned and they hugged tightly.

“You’ve got this,” Linda whispered.

Pi cleared her throat. “It’s time.”

Linda and Alex parted and Linda grabbed Tin Can’s reins.

“Follow me, but not too closely,” Pi said. She tugged Saga’s reins and walked on. “Come on, Saga. Let’s get you to Justin.”

Alex patted her pockets. “Okay, I’ve got my chap stick.”

“He’s lucky it isn’t lipstick.”

Alex groaned. “Don’t start, Lily, please.”

They followed Pi taking care to hang back enough it didn’t look like they were following her. Pi led Saga straight to the site manager.

“Is this the horse?” he asked.

“Is this the horse? Of course this is the horse. Would I be bringing any other horse?” Pi glared at him.

The site manager held out his hand.

Saga reared slightly.

Pi sneered at him. “You think he’s going to trust a peon. Show me the container and I’ll get him settled. You must be new.”

The site manager scowled, but led the way to a container.

Pi let him open it. “I can take it from here. Tell Mr. Sands I kept my side of the bargain. I expect payment promptly.”

The site manager did more than grunt as he stomped off.

Lily and Alex waited until he was gone and slipped around the container. Lily backed Nimbus in beside Saga and they stepped inside.

Pi lowered her voice. “I’m going to shut and lock you in. The Baroness will be here soon. Hold tight. You’ll get there one way or the other.”

The doors shut.

They assumed Pi left.

A few minutes later, truck engines roared and halted nearby. Doors slammed.

“This is the Jorvik Rangers. Nobody move,” the Master Ranger yelled. “Who is in charge here?”

They waited holding onto Saga and Nimbus as they heard people running about and within fifteen minutes the chopping blades of a helicopter.

Mr. Sands spoke once it was quiet. “What is this, Annabella?”

“This is an eviction notice, John, effective immediately.”

Mr. Sands was silent for a few minutes as he read the papers. “This is a bold move for you.”

The Baroness’ voice turned dark and furious. “You have our grandson. You really believed that I would sit back and do nothing. I told you I was coming for you.”

“He came of his own free will.”

“I would believe that when the sun starts rising in the west. You may think he’s out of my reach and power, and you’d be wrong.”

“You have no power over me. I’ve always been the stronger of the two of us.”

“And you never understood that I don’t need magic to wield power. I will drive you off of Jorvik. You can live in your little oil rigs. Your games here in my county are over. I think you’ll find my arm is long enough to haunt you wherever you go.”

“There’s still time to change your mind.”

“We both chose our paths years ago. Get off my beach.”

The helicopter started again. And soon enough, the container moved. Lily and Alex didn’t dare say anything to one another. They didn’t know if they’d be overheard. The container swayed and settled with a clunk onto metal decking.

From the inside of the container it was difficult to know if they were moving or not. Engines faintly throbbed when they pressed their ears to the walls.

It didn’t take as long as the rowboat. In fact, the barges were about as fast as the ferry. Soon enough, they bumped up against something that rattled. The container lifted upwards, swung through the air and landed again.

Lily and Alex looked at each other. Show time.

The doors swung open.

Lily sniffed. “Why thank you, how magnaminous of you,” she said as she tugged Nimbus’ reins and sashayed out of the container.

Alex grabbed Saga’s reins. She smirked at them.

“Who the hell are you?” one of the men demanded.

“What? Pi didn’t say.” Lily widened her eyes. “Alex, I swore Pi was going to say something. She told me that she was going to send a message ahead.”

“Filthy witches.”

“We’re the new recruits. Pi trusts us to deliver Saga to--” Lily turned her head. “What was his name?”

“Jay, Jay,” Alex trailed off.

“Justin,” one of the men said.

“Justin, that’s the name.” Lily smiled. “So, if you’ll point the way.”

“First I’ve heard of new recruits,” the man said and glowered.

“Witches.” Alex curled her lip. “You can’t trust them. You just can’t.”

“Easy, Alex, I’m sure this is a little misunderstanding. Something must have gone wrong in all the commotion.” Lily waved her hand. She turned a dazzling smile on the man and bared her teeth. “Well?”

“Let the boss sort it out,” one of the men said to the other.

“Fine. I’ll only tell you once. Justin’s waiting at the helicopter pad for Mr. Sands to return.” He gave them directions.

Lily simpered. “Thank you ever so much. I’ll be sure to tell Mr. Sands and Justin that it was,” she paused.

“Number 47,” he growled.

“Number 47 that sent us. I’m sure he’ll give you your just reward,” Lily fluttered her lashes and led Nimbus away. “Glorious revolution awaits.” She sauntered off leading Nimbus.

Alex sniffed and followed Lily. She had a hard time keeping a straight face once they were out of earshot and given the noise it was relatively quickly. “Glorious revolution,” she drawled. “Laying it on a bit thick.”

Lily stuck her tongue out at her.

“Can’t believe they bought it,” Alex cracked her neck.

They already knew the way. Lily nodded at the guards who weren’t quite sure what to do with two young women brazenly leading horses and looking like they knew where they were going. “Hello, hello, good evening,” Lily said to each of them as they passed.

Alex glowered and kept her shoulders stiff. Her boots made a racket as she stomped down the metal walkways. She thought one word, murder. The men scrambled to get out of her way.

Mr. Sands disembarked from the helicopter. His face clouded with anger. “This is merely a setback. We weren’t acquiring what we needed from there anyways. Not with those meddling stable girls.”

Lily smirked.

The helicopter rose in the air, hovered, and flew away to the north.

Lily and Alex led the horses up the final stairs to the platform. “Mr. Sands,” Lily said boldly. “Just the gentleman I was looking for. Witch Pi sends her regards. And,” she stepped to the side, “the Dark Horse, as agreed.”

Alex tugged Saga forward and tossed her head. Her eyes landed on Justin.

“Wait,” the red hooded girl said. “I think I know the two of you.” She pushed her hood back revealing the face of Sabine.

Lily knew she’d recognized the voice.

“You’re,” Sabine pointed at Alex, “you’re the Soul Rider, Alex Cloudmill.”

“Was a Soul Rider, past tense, sweetheart,” Alex drawled.

“And you, you’re that stable girl from the Winery, Ell, something or other.”

“To be so insignificant you can’t even remember the name of the one who stole it out from under you.” Lily sniffed. “A stroke of genius on my part.” She stroked Nimbus’ mane. “My name is Lily and the Baroness trusts me completely. The same can’t be said about you, Dark Rider.”

Jessica pushed her hood back. “She has a point. You had one job.”

“Oh, like you were able to get the deed for Moorland Stables? That was your job and you bungled it.”

“Princess,” Mr. Sands said in a soothing voice. “Sabine.”

The girls turned away from each other and crossed their arms.

“You expect to win with help like this,” Alex gestured dismissively.

“Like we should trust you,” Jessica said sneering.

“You shouldn’t,” Lily said.

“We got here, didn’t we,” Alex pointed out.

That shut the two up.

“Take care of your horses with the rest, and we’ll discuss your change of heart,” Mr. Sands said. “Over lasagna.”

“I love lasagna,” Justin said with a grin.

Alex handed him Saga’s reins.

Saga snorted and rolled her eyes.

“What, you didn’t miss me?” Justin said. “I missed you.”

Saga turned her head to Alex.

“Wait,” Jessica said. “Where’s your horse, Cloudmill? That ugly one.”

“He repudiated me. The nag. He wasn’t about to turn against the Keepers.”

“My horse does what I tell him to do,” Sabine smirked.

“Maybe your horse doesn’t have opinions. Or maybe he does and you don’t know how to hear them,” Alex retorted. “I can always get a new horse, a better one.”

“A dark one,” Lily said in a sultry voice as she patted Nimbus’ side.

“Yes, a dark one,” Jessica hissed.

“This way,” Justin said and led the way with Saga reluctantly following him. He led them to a stable.

Alex counted the horses, six, including Saga.

“Who are the other horses for?” she asked.

“Katya and Elise, they’re in Pandoria chasing down Lisa,” Justin said as he backed Saga into a stall.

Lily chose a free one and put Nimbus into it.

“I know you two are up to something.” Justin frowned at them and took Saga’s tack off.

Alex leaned against the door. “Ohhh, we’re up to something.”

“Grandfather won’t keep you around. We already have four Dark Riders.”

“I never said we were angling to become Dark Riders,” Lily pointed out.

Justin blinked slowly. He snorted. “Generals? Are you crazy?”

Alex laughed. “We’re more competent than the other lot.”

“You need leaders,” Lily said.

Alex gestured under her chin hand flat. “Us.”

Justin snorted. “Come on, before they eat all the lasagna.”

Alex hooked her arm around his. “This is going to be amazing. You’ll see.” She turned her head. “Lily?”

“I need to check his hooves. He’s been fussy of late.”

Alex nodded. “Hurry it up then.”

“How will you know where to go?” Justin twisted his body to look at her.

“I’ll follow my nose.” Lily tapped it.

Justin shrugged. “We won’t wait.”

They left the stable. Not that it was a great stable.

Lily walked over to Concorde. “They didn’t even search us. Can you believe it?”

Concorde snorted.

“Okay, the Helmsman and Captain Brus should be in place,” Lily said. “Ready to get out of here?”

He nodded his head.

Lily found a halter and put it on him. She snapped a lead rope to it. Opening the door she let him walk out. “We have to hurry,” she said and ran out of the stable.

Concorde kept up at a trot. His shoes sparking on the metal.

Lily didn’t look to the left or the right as she jogged Concorde back the way they came, but not completely. The barge had docked on a different section of the rig than where the Helmsman could sidle up to the huge oil rig.

“Hey!” One of the men shouted.

“Oh, Number 47, the boss told me to move this horse,” Lily said. “You know how it is, you show up and they give you drudge work.”

He frowned at her. “The boss?”

“Mr. Sands,” Lily sighed. “You can take it up with him. I don’t want to be doing it.” She held out the rope. “Unless you want to?”

He backed up and held up his hands. “Carry on then.”

Lily nodded and continued. She slowed to a walk and they went down the stairs out of sight of the men.

The helmsman was waiting for them. “Don’t dally long,” he said.

“We won’t,” Lily said.

Concorde stepped into the boat.

The helmsman rowed away. Lily took out binoculars and looked over the sea. She could see Mr. Brus’ ship in the distance. She nodded to herself and headed back up avoiding all the guards.

She did follow her nose to the lasagna.

Alex sat in a chair with her combat boots up on the table. “I want to be on the winning side,” she said. “It’s that simple. Elizabeth won’t tell us anything. She orders us around as if we’re her servants to do her drudge work. She can’t even pick a simple bunch of herbs by herself. Every time you want to do something, she runs off and has to ask Fripp. You’d think a grown woman would be able to make up her own mind without the aid of a blue squirell. I tell you, Linda’s almost as fed up as I am.” She cut off a corner of lasagna and ate it.

Justin ate looking like he was actually enjoying the food.

Lily would have been more worried except Alex had told her lasagna was Justin’s favorite food and no matter how bad things were, he’d eat lasagna. She dished herself a large helping and leaned against the table crossing her ankles. “It’s simple tactics,” she said.

Jessica frowned. “Cloudmill, I can understand, but not you.” She turned her gaze to Lily.

Lily shrugged. “I go where I smell power. I don’t care who rules anywhere, as long as I get my piece of the pie.”

“You have a riding club.” Sabine sneered.

“You think far too small.” Lily raised a brow. “Of course, I have a riding club, sweetie. That’s part of the power here on Jorvik. If I was anywhere else, it’d be Girl Scouts, or cheerleading, or a sorority.” She waved her fork before cutting off another bite. “Here, it’s riding clubs. They get you close to the people in power and once you have their trust. You can get them to do anything you want. Stepping stones across a river.”

Jessica frowned. “We don’t need them,” she said to Mr. Sands.

Mr. Sands rubbed his chin. “Now, now, we might need them more than you think. My darling Annabella has kicked us out of her county.”

“She can’t enforce it.” Jessica sneered.

“Of course she can’t,” Alex drawled. “Not if we’re your agents in South New Jorvik County. They don’t have to know I’ve switched sides. Tin Can has gone somewhere to sulk. He’s not about to tell the Keepers of Aideen that he lost his rider anytime soon. We have a window of opportunity.”

“One that we can take advantage of,” Lily said.

“Strike while the iron is hot, so to speak.” Alex shrugged a shoulder.

“This must be considered carefully, but swiftly,” Mr. Sands said in agreement.

“Preferably before we’re missed.” Lily looked at her nails. She looked around. “I’m not sure this place meets my cleanliness standards.”

Jessica scoffed. “Don’t be a rube. We don’t actually stay here. We have palatial rooms at,” she yelped as Sabine elbowed her.

“It’s not a state secret that Mr. Sands has a mansion on Pine Hill,” Alex said raising her brow. “Linda’s been there, remember?”

“If she decides to defect, she’ll know where to join us,” Lily said and continued to eat.

Alex swung her legs down. “So, do we get a tour, or do I get to explore on my own.”

Justin stood up. “I’ll show you around,” he said with a look at his grandfather.

Mr. Sands nodded.

FOR THE ACCOMPANYING IMAGES PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE MY WATERMARK AND CONTACT INFORMATION. THANK YOU. I get it. Some of you might get excited and want to see this stuff in the game, especially the clothes, tack, and pets. However, the only way I want to see this in the game is if I get paid for it. If I see it in the game and I’m not paid for it, there will be hell to pay. You think I’m salty. I’d be angry. Personally, I’m not going to send this info to SSO. If you do, leave my contact information there! Don’t give them any excuses to steal.

Now, I’ll know you haven’t read this note if you leave me comments about how ‘salty’ I am about the game and if I hate it so much I should do something else. I am doing something else. It’s called Mystic Riders MMORPG Project. Mystic Riders however is a very baby phase game. You can check out our plans on the game dev blog. (Skills, Factions, Professions, Crafting, Mini-Games, 25+ horse breeds!) If you know anyone who would be interested and has money or contacts about game making, direct them to the blog.

[dingoat]

“He doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”  That’s the snapped answer one would get, if they asked Watcher Five directly about the ‘flagpole incident’ that Thirteen so delighted in alluding to. “It’s not my problem if he still doesn’t understand that he needed to better compensate for the possibility of a shifting updraught, or that half of the point of the exercise was to prepare for the chance that during a hazardous mission I could be taken out of the picture at any moment. But he likes to behave as though he can hold this over my head, as though he can influence and therefore threaten my reputation, as if every opportunity currently presented to him didn’t hinge directly upon my direction…”

Five would shake his head with a tight little scowl, an artfully perfected act. “I’ll have to have another word or two with him. I daresay there’s something he’s trying to gain, if he’s gone back to spouting that old story around the place. Pay it no heed.”

But Five’s memory of the incident paints a decidedly different picture.

No matter how hard he tries to smother it, rewrite the events in his own mind, he hasn’t yet managed to do away with the sick, tight feeling in his guts whenever that particular exercise is brought up.

---

Every Cipher has to put a great deal of trust in their Watcher, if they are to meet any measure of success. They have to trust that they don’t need the full picture, that they will be given what information is relevant and necessary, they have to trust that they will be directed toward what they need to focus on, that the parameters set for them, difficult or painful or unpalatable as they may seem, will always be with a bigger picture in mind that they need not be privy to. Always for the greater good.

And Cipher Thirteen was part of a program that necessitated an unprecedented level of trust.

Watcher Five reveled in it. He was just as delighted as his new charge to explore the new possibilities that Imperial Intelligence had to work with, just as hungry to push the limits and test the boundaries. But his excitement came with an edge; a new avenue of power, a new method of control. One couldn’t exactly call him reckless, he was far too methodical in the planning of his exercises for that. But some might consider the fact that he preferred to test Thirteen’s abilities in situ as an unnecessary risk.

Five would argue that utilizing the full extent of terrain that Kaas City and its surrounds had to offer was invaluable in regard to training purposes, and he’d argued long, hard and frequently enough, with impressive enough results to back up his words, that Keeper no longer tried to curb and redirect his enthusiasm.

He was expecting the flight to run through without a hitch, as every other one had. Thirteen had been put through every area before, after all, just not following the particular route Five had mapped out for him this time around. Five had assured him he’d calculated it down to the second, boasted that if Thirteen could maintain a steady speed he could operate his side of the exercise with his eyes shut.

Five was confident, and Thirteen trusted him.

Five was confident, and he didn’t think the comm call from a fellow Agent would impact his response time in the slightest.

---

Thirteen had been given the option of a running start, or to be pushed off the ledge. He’d chosen to be pushed, if for no other reason than to see the look Five got in his eye when he shoved him backward, naked, into the yawning chasm beneath them.

There was as much glory in falling as there was in flight, and Thirteen was able to experience the best of both worlds and everything in between as Five tracked his progress from his monitor and controlled his shapeshifts to best fit the situation. A man one moment, tall and lean and fit, a brilliant beast the next, impossibly huge and brimming with strength and chaotic energy. Then small and lithe, building up speed and angling his wings and body vertically to slot through a narrow pass, feeling the change come on again as he exited the crevice at the precise moment that let him kick off the rocky wall with legs that were both humanoid and reptilian, and land with precision on a scaffolding beam overlooking one of the great unfinished Sith monuments being worked on below. Wings turned back to arms, human feet found purchase on the textured metal surface, and then he launched again, ready for the agile hawkbat shape again that would let him catch a thermal and send him once more skyward.

He was ready.

Any second now.

Five was really cutting a fine line with this one, wasn’t he?

If he wasn’t careful someone working down there was going to see-

Five Five Five where are you what are you doing that pole is coming awfully cl---

Thirteen had trusted, trusted implicitly that Five knew what he was doing, that making such a close call was all part of the exercise. He encouraged it half the time, after all, the element of danger being something they both enjoyed to a slightly irrational degree. It was impossibly difficult to believe that his Watcher would actually allow him to become skewered on a flagpole over half a klick up, even if, in the last half second, that absolutely looked to be the case. He should have reacted sooner, but the idea that Five would knowingly let him be damaged was so unthinkable… Thirteen shouted voicelessly into the rush of wind as he tried to twist away mid-air, suddenly not knowing if the plan was for him to simply keep falling or to try and grab a hold of the pole; in that half second his body contorted, shrunk down, his holler turning into an animal screech, but he was already moving wrong and the next thing he knew was a shock of pain that nearly blacked him out on the spot, and he suddenly couldn’t move.

Reflexively, he tried to flap away, but only one wing was moving and that action blistered so much agony through his chest that he immediately gave up and hung limp, only for the pressure of sagging in place to become rapidly unbearable as well. He wrapped his good wing around the post, clung desperately for purchase with his legs and beak, and waited while stars spun in his vision.

---

“Well make sure you send it along as soon as y-“

Five stared at his tracking screen and immediately ended the call as his heart leapt into his throat.

Thirteen had stopped moving.

Why had he stopped moving? For a few furious seconds Watcher Five’s eyes, wide with unprecedented uncertainty, roved his monitoring equipment. The shift had gone through successfully, all of his Cipher’s readings demonstrated that he’d reacted properly to the implant’s signals, his heart rate was up though and his…

Five didn’t bother looking any further to try and determine remotely what might be wrong. He was in his speeder in a heartbeat, traveling at a speed that would earn a six digit fine to anyone else in any other circumstance. And he knew; he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he’d made an error, that he’d let his attention lapse for a few crucial seconds, that he’d cut it too fine and he’d triggered Thirteen’s change too late. He knew, when he saw his precious hawkbat wrapped around a flagpole, that it was his fault. Shame and loathing twisted his insides into churning acid, and as he set his speeder to hover his hands were shaking. Thirteen’s normally green eyes were bright, solid silver, and he thrashed and cried out and hooked his beak into Five’s hands as his Watcher attempted to pry him free. His beautiful sleek body patterned in purple and gold was wet and red, and Five realised that the pole had gone through him twice, one of his wings wrenched and twisted and stuck taut behind him.

Five realised that pulling the bat free was not an option, not if he wasn’t going to bleed out in the time it took to get him to the med labs.

It almost took too long to laser cut through the top of the flagpole as it was, and there was smoke pouring from underneath Five’s speeder when he skidded up to the landing pad outside Intelligence headquarters, bowling the taxi droid clean over the edge.

Guilt was not an emotion Five knew how to handle particularly well, and in the days that followed he was absolutely intolerable. His temper was hot, and his was just as quick with his fist as he was with the sharp edge of his tongue. He made sure that the recruit who’d commed him during the training exercise was fired, for perfectly sound and unrelated reasons. The Fixer who’d asked too many questions about what had happened found themselves stationed on Balmorra for seventeen months. The workers in the expansion district, upon whom Five had officially laid blame for the incident in his report, found themselves with pages of new documents to fill at the commencement of every day’s work outlining all of their communication relays, so that their signals wouldn’t ‘interfere’ with Intelligence work ever again. The project manager who argued about it being a waste of time had a nasty fall the following week.  Keeper finally agreed to Five’s insistence that they fast-track development of a system that allowed the Ciphers to control their implants internally, and Thirteen was to be the first fitted with the new tech.

Thirteen himself was left wanting for absolutely nothing during his recovery in Five’s Citadel apartment.

And Watcher Five’s comm was set to silent. Never again was it answered during any mission in which he was overseeing Thirteen’s work… not that he had to, after long. Balmorra was getting awfully full of recruits who’d tried to contact Five at the wrong time.

[ @halibellecter​, ask and ye shall receive! Five, of course, is my horrible character and Thirteen belongs to @askshivanulegacy​ who maintains all right to veto/retcon as necessary! These guys exist in our werewolf au where Imperial Intelligence has some very specialised technology and procedures for their top Cipher agents. Five and Thirteen are the best of the best of the best, sir, with honours... which means that for anyone on the other side of the conflict (or, frankly, on the other side of Five’s moods) they are the absolute worst. ]

[thcvapesmart1]

Wal-Mart Liable for Being overweight?

    Wal-Mart the big box retailer is now remaining accused of contributing to Being overweight, heart disorder and diabetic issues! So say the anti Wal-Mart advocates and it really is a shame that the retail big has to go on the defense the moment again to defend its business enterprise. When you have almost any questions relating to in which along with how to make use of Puff Bars for Sale, it is possible to email us on our own web site. I would not ordinarily protect Wal-Mart as I as well at times truly feel that the retail huge has a adverse influence on modest communities when it will come to opposition but to blame our nations problems with Being overweight on Wal-Mart is ridiculous. Let us commence with the posting that seems to have sparked the fires of a now expanding debate. A National Post (Tuesday, Jan. eighteen, 2011) headlined "Wal-Mart will make communities body fat." That Countrywide Publish story specifics a review by two economists that demonstrates when a new Wal-Mart opens in a community, the local community gains pounds. The Countrywide Write-up had this to say about the study, which was posted in the "Journal of Urban Economics": "A person new Wal-Mart supercentre for every a hundred,000 citizens meant an typical bodyweight acquire of 1.5 lbs . for every person sometime in excess of a ten-calendar year interval courting from the store's opening. It also boosted the weight problems price by 2.three proportion factors, that means that for each one hundred individuals, two who were not obese finished up in that category just after a superstore opened." My individual impression (that and a dime will purchase you a cup of espresso) is that there are more explanations for the investigate numbers becoming what they are than that of Wal-Mart offering lessen prices on the goods that men and women want and need to have. You can find really no very simple hyperlink in between Wal-Mart and fat. The extra lift in the figures may possibly be due to a total array of reasons, ranging from lower costs for food items to a change in buying habits due to influences in advertising and steeper rate drops on processed harmful food items that can be procured any where. If we want to start off pointing fingers let us glimpse at the numerous sources of restaurants and fast foodstuff franchises who push large part, fatty, substantial cholesterol, large sugar and just all all-around unhealthy foodstuff in the name of comfort and value. Our culture is overweight due to the fact we have develop into lazy and way too obsessed with simplicity and convenience. We want every thing now and at the cheapest possible cost. We line up at restaurant buffets to fork out our $15.00 to take in 37 distinct options until our belt buckles explode all the though building feedback about the unwanted fat persons who seem to be to be piling their plates high and likely back again five or six occasions for extra. Still we are unsuccessful to recognize that we can't see our toes for the midriff. Neighborhood layout problems are what I suspect participate in a significant function in this bodyweight gain difficulty. As with most huge box stores, Wal-Mart is geared toward men and women driving to the retail outlet in which decades back we drove into city and walked from retail store to retailer. Now times we are capable to generate to the lower price outlets (Wal-Mart, Costco, K-Mart, Concentrate on...Extended record) to acquire loads and hundreds of inexpensive stuff that can all be hauled away in the trunk of a motor vehicle. Several industry experts have stated that getting these styles of suppliers pop up in a local community can drive smaller mom-and-pop shops out of organization due to the fact they cannot contend on the identical scale - therefore foremost to significantly less walkable neighborhoods and much more driving. Hmmm, far more driving, it's possible we need to blame Wal-Mart for the air pollution or the greenhouse outcome. And most individuals would agree that if you try to eat low cost processed food whilst going for walks less and driving extra, you are probable to get fats. In any circumstance, the analyze seemed at Wal-Marts and the communities all-around them amongst 1996 and 2005. This also occurs to be a time body that we noticed a big leap in fast food stuff franchising such as franchises like Krispy Kreme, Fat Burgers, Panago Pizza, Papa John's Pizza (heaps of Pizza franchises). It just so occurs that Wal-Mart has just declared lately in an party attended by initially woman Michelle Obama, no much less - its ideas to "make hundreds of its packaged food items lower in unhealthy salts, fats and sugars, and to fall selling prices on fruits and greens." So maybe all this hoopla will have a constructive spin when it is all claimed and done.  

[tsarisfanfiction]

Black Widow

Fandom: Naruto Rating: Teen Genre: Angst Characters: Rin, Obito

Rin was Obito's best friend. Always there for him with a smile and kind words, no-one ever doubted her intentions towards him. Maybe someone should have done. Canon-verse, dark!Rin.

Listen, Rin, her mother once told a four year old girl with a smile on her face that didn't match with the blood on her hands. To be a kunoichi is to be a queen of deception. Pick your target, groom them and wait until the time is right. Once they've outlived their usefulness, dispose of them and move on.

Four year old Rin had looked down at the broken and bloodied body of the man that had once been her father and nodded.

Pick your target.

She didn't have to do it so young. It didn't matter if she waited a while, until she was old enough to successfully ensnare a target into obeying her every whim. That was what she told herself until the day she met a boy with dark hair and eyes, but still shone as brightly as the sun.

Uchiha Obito, orphan but still part of the illustrious Uchiha clan and a latent talent to match. Supposedly. Watching him squawk about being Hokage even as he fell out of a tree made it a little harder to believe – even if Rin knew few children their age that could even climb that high in the first place.

"Hi!" he said, bounding over to her and almost tripping over his feet in his haste. "I'm Uchiha Obito, what's your name?" Ridiculous goggles pushed up onto his forehead, he grinned brightly as he offered a handshake while his other hand rubbed the back of his head sheepishly.

"Nohara Rin," she offered, matching the smile and clasping his hand in both of hers, watching pink bloom across his cheeks. "Are you training?" He nodded frantically, immediately launching into a garbling mess of a conversation that was supposed to tell her how amazing he was going to be. Another girl could well have been bowled over with admiration for his dedication and self-belief.

Rin felt nothing but a burning hatred for a bumbling fool.

Target acquired.

Grooming was the hard part, especially as she'd started so young, or so her mother told her upon learning she'd already selected her target. Young as they were, it would be years before she could properly use him, and so slow and steady was the mantra Rin implemented.

The end game was an utter dependency on her, so much so that once his use expired he wouldn't even question the poison in his drink, the kunai whispering across his throat, or whatever other method Rin eventually decided upon to eliminate him from the shadows.

Her mother had never so much as been suspected over her father's death, after all.

Obito did not fall easily. Rin had thought the fool would be easy to wrap up in threads, but as soon as she thought she'd done it, he'd slip away again. Kind words whispered in his ear, exclamations of astonishment as he did things far beyond the abilities of someone their age group built his ego, but while they manipulated Obito into seeking to impress her further, they did nothing to tame him.

Others were starting to notice him. A katon jutsu performed in front of a panel of judges gathered admirers; after all, five year olds weren't supposed to know elemental releases. He was fast, strong and dedicated – not to mention kind. The more he revealed that despite his clumsiness he would one day stand proud as one of the elite, the more Rin detested him.

Why wouldn't he stumble? She poured kindness upon him – kindness she didn't mean but everyone felt is as genuine so what did it matter that behind the face of an angel was the heart of a devil – and he gravitated towards her, going so far as to consider her his best friend, but despite that, she never had the control she so craved.

Patience, her mother crooned the day she came home from the entrance ceremony at the academy with her mask almost broken. She'd saved his future, had made him so indebted to her that he'd never be able to pay it off for the rest of his life, and still he refused to grovel at her feet.

At five years old, a year after she'd commenced on her mission, she sat back to look at things again.

Kindness didn't work. The kinder she was, the more he shone and the more it hurt to look at him. The academy was a perfect opportunity to start to pull away, bond with new friends and leave him behind in the dust, but that would be admitting defeat, and Rin refused to do that. She had selected her target, and Uchiha Obito would dance on her threads.

It was quite by chance when she discovered the missing piece of her puzzle. A walk along the river – beside it, aware that Obito already knew how to walk on it even if he could never hold it for long – took her past the Uchiha compound.

The Uchiha were close-knit and tight-lipped. Obito would never tell her what went on within the clan, calling it clan business and sorry, I'm not allowed to say, but it appeared that one lone girl wandering along their boundary was nothing for the clan to worry about. She wasn't particularly curious, anyway. Let the clans keep their secrets, she'd always thought.

Hearing the name Obito fall from gossiping lips changed her mind.

Like the clan itself, there was really little she knew about Obito, although like a blind fool she'd missed that for the past year. The clan, the clan. Sharingan this, Sharingan that.

But nothing about family, and as she listened to the gossip she learnt that Obito had no family, just an old woman that couldn't wait until she could get him out of her house.

The clan hated Obito, just as she did, and things began to fall into place.

Rin was a smart girl. Five years old and already weaving a web that would keep a prisoner for the rest of his life, much like her mother had done, and her grandmother before that. Puzzles, she was especially good at, once she had the pieces.

Obito's bluster was an attempt to be noticed. All he wanted was to be acknowledged, and Rin had come dangerously close to completing that dream for him, by bringing him to the spotlight and lavishing all of her attention on him. She was popular, so where her attention went, so did their peers'.

Her hard work had almost ruined itself, and Rin grit her teeth at the realisation she'd come so, so close to failing, all because of one oversight.

No matter, she reassured herself as she continued walking, past the gossiping Uchiha that had just sealed the fate of one of their own. It was correctable. All she needed to do was turn everyone into her pawns. If she could get them all to notice Obito, she could get them all to ignore him, too.

Finding him in a game with their peers, demonstrating the speed and agility that would one day mark him as an elite, she mused how fortunate it was that the Uchiha were too short-sighted to see this particular uncut diamond in the rough. If his clan acknowledged him, it would be the end.

Hatake Kakashi was the perfect pawn. Son of the White Fang and an established genius, against him even Obito seemed useless. Rin didn't even need to shift anything about Kakashi to make use of him, not when he could do elemental releases that made Obito's miniature fireball look like child's play and clamber up trees all day long.

The rest of her class were already becoming enamoured with him, making her job even easier as she began to ignore Obito if Kakashi was in the vicinity, joining the throng that told Kakashi he was amazing, a prodigy to the core.

Kakashi ignored them. That didn't matter, because she saw the change in Obito's eyes – still obscured by those hideous goggles but there nonetheless – and knew she'd finally found his weakness. From then on, it was simply a case of pressuring the crack, slipping in a senbon to pry it wider, then a kunai once the gap was big enough.

Obito tried his best. Of course he did, but with Rin's manoeuvring pitting even the teachers against him – and thereby hiding his talent under the moniker dead last, convincing him that it didn't exist – there was little he could do. Training harder, pushing his body to its limits and then smashing through them, led him to making mistakes as he paced himself wrong. Shuriken that formerly flew straight started to go astray until all anyone remembered was the time Obito almost killed their teacher – and not that every other shuriken had hit perfect bullseye.

Through it all, Rin was there for him. A reassuring word when things went wrong again, false promises to always be there with him. Making a point of it to be the only one that ever spent time with him of her own free will outside of class, seeking him out in the worst of the weathers and lying through her teeth when she said she cared.

It made her skin crawl, throat wanting to constrict itself rather than say those words, but she was a kunoichi. Deception was what she did, and Obito had been a challenge, once, but now it was just so easy to make him dance to her tune.

Kakashi's early graduation was another thread in her web, Obito clawing his way after him only to fail miserably, and Rin patiently sat and watched as he sabotaged himself further and further, marvelling at how easily he fell after a single push in the right place. She almost didn't need to do anything anymore. All she had to do was maintain her faux friendship with him, encouraging him with her words while discouraging him with her actions.

Their own graduation came and went, bringing with it confirmation that her mission was succeeding. Obito preferred to receive his certificate from her, alone, than from the Hokage in front of everyone. She'd become his most important person.

Now, she just had to keep him like that. They were still children, and it would be a shame to lose him so soon.

Namikaze Minato was a problem. Uzumaki Kushina even more of one. Rin saw all of her hard work almost crumble in front of her as the sharp blue eyes noticed the potential no other adult had and started to try and draw it out of him. Kushina played favourites, picking up on the breaking Uchiha and trying to bind him back together with her too-big heart and there was nothing Rin could do to stop them without revealing herself.

If their third teammate hadn't been Hatake Kakashi, it would have all fallen apart, but Rin was skilled and the saying always went luck comes to the skilled. Or something to that effect.

Obito was fixated on surpassing Kakashi – a feat almost impossible for him because he might have one day been an elite without her meddling, but Kakashi was already an elite. Rin had instilled that desire in him long ago, and it paid as he completely missed his own potential blooming under Minato's careful tutelage, because no matter how good he got, Kakashi was always better.

As an academy student, Rin had learnt deception and manipulation. As a genin, she was forced to hone them, and hone them quickly. Minato's blue eyes were sharp, and more than once she'd received a gentle rebuke for playing favouritism – "Obito's strong, too. Don't ignore him."

She learnt iryoninjutsu, finding the ability to heal a useful cover for her manipulation. She paid Obito attention again – always having to patch him up from whatever scrape it was he'd gained. No matter how minor it was, she always made a point of healing him, drawing his attention oh so subtly to the way that Kakashi never needed healing from something so simple as a messed-up training exercise.

Not even Minato noticed that manipulation, and to Obito the message that Kakashi would always be better than him hammered itself a little further in. Rin perfected subliminal messaging and watched as Obito fell – down, down, down into her web.

Kakashi's promotion to jounin should have been the final thread to her web, ensnaring Obito for good. Her wording when she asked to meet him later was deliberate. Obito had never been loved, so he'd mistaken his feelings of gratitude for that very emotion.

Watching the bouquet of roses tumble to the ground, red petal spilling out like blood, brought Rin a sadistic delight as she carefully manoeuvred their group into multiple conversations, leaving Obito out of all of them to wallow in his crushing disappointment.

He wouldn't get Kakashi a present. She'd known that, and watched his face as disappointment coloured the tones of both Kakashi and Minato, although both would deny it. Obito missed the disappointment completely, never realising that Kakashi had, deep down, hoped for something from his teammate. That somewhere along the way, the silver-haired boy had given him the acknowledgement he'd always sought.

But then her plans, now taking up almost a decade of her life, all came crashing down amongst crushing rocks.

Clinging to his hand, her tears weren't faked. She still hated Obito – couldn't stand the idiot with his prattling about Hokage this and Sharingan that – but he was hers and she'd put too much of her life into grooming him to lose him now, before she could even start to use him.

A blood red eye looked up at her, still full of love and entirely ignorant of her deceptions. She'd wondered what would happen when he finally awoke it, feared that it would see through her and break the illusion she'd placed him under, but now faced with it she realised it wouldn't have mattered. She'd succeeded in blinding him in time.

There was no satisfaction in defeating the kekkei genkai, because he was dead and everything she'd worked so hard on was gone.

Minato and Kakashi thought she was inconsolable because he'd been her best friend. She was inconsolable because he'd escaped her web.

[ffp1facemask-blog]

Day to day life in Italy During the actual Period of Reino Trojan, CoViD-19

dust masks For more compared to monthly, Italians had listened to of the particular 'Corona Virus' in Tiongkok, having viewed the testimonies on typically the news about how often the China's Government was coping with the actual epidemic. This information appeared like something that ended up being from a remote territory that could never reach the Italian peninsula mainly because it was the kind associated with situation that just happened in order to 'others', an amazing normal answer, much like several multitude responded. Thus, citizens were gradual to put any unexpected emergency plans into place. With one point in beginning Thinking about receiving, it was proposed that an Italian language director come up with a good emergency prepare, but this kind of had not been initially this manager had already been encouraged that establishing regulations to safeguard people from the particular normal flu virus was throughout order. However, a single experienced to think positively rather then to living in dread of typically the Corona Disease, which was deemed 'unlikely' to spread above The far east.

3m masks

People from most experience, not just Italians, are definitely favourable of looking in lifestyle from a good point of view; nonetheless planning for the greatest is sometimes the same as hitting the bucket the next day to be able to someone else. Politicians are trying to find some sort of solution to help small companies that are facing troubles throughout this trying period, along with dollars is being issued to help households along with children who need to hold a mother or papa at home to observe often the children whose schools possess recently been closed. About the surface, these types of look to be the very best solutions to troubles going through the country, but the actual long effects could most likely bury the continent in spectacular debt, triggering difficulties intended for future ages.

Not just have hugs, smooches, in addition to handshakes been prohibited. Basketball games open to supporters have also been restricted for 1 month by the particular decreet of Giuseppe Conte, the Prime Minister regarding Italy. This has saddened almost all Italians, although a lot of argue that actually football players should have the justification to keep their distance from a another. Furthermore, all sports' events must be presented in today's world until the 3rd of The spring, something in which remains incredible in the land acknowledged for kisses on typically the cheekbones.

COVID-19 has interupted substantially with the process of religion, specially often the Catholic religion, throughout March and March 2020. Recently, the author visited the actual Church of Santo Stefano in Borgomanero, where custodians had just cleaned the particular floors and disinfected typically the church. Not a lifestyle heart was to become found, not a clergyman nor a new tourist, which often allowed this articles author to target on the frescoes plus the beautiful stained-glass windows alone. If one travels over Italy this month, they or she can face numerous churches without having parishioners because people are by natural means afraid to meet just one another with closed spots no matter how significant and accommodating they may be. Many experts have recommended this priests get rid of the holy normal water from Catholic Churches to get fear of growing often the virus. Although citizens as well as tourists can visit holy shrines, church services should be conducted via television and also internet. Additionally, churches have got been closed since, within recent years, people get begun of stealing religious combinaison from them as soon as the chapels and shrines are definitely not secured.

The author has recently been investigating what is going on in the churches all through Italy; however, there is usually considerably more information available regarding sports games and the actual survival on the economy, which will seems to be the main objective right now. For illustration, in the media 1 finds much info on keeping the reputation of 'Made in Italy', so low-level employees are forced for you to work also harder as compared to before as they desire other countries will carry on and demand their products inside times of difficulties. The company which had was required to quit producing medical encounter masks for fifteen decades (due to Chinese competition), suddenly had to reopen the doors to support meet the needs involving the particular Italian population which would not have enough markers to protect people through COVID-19.

Not having plenty of masks was ironic in the country known for it is Venetian Carnival celebration. Regretfully, Venetian Carnival parades got to be terminated that year for fear connected with contamination, causing the state to lose quite a few visitor dollars and commencing typically the current crisis in German tourism. According to Assoturismo, eighty per cent associated with hotel reservations in Paris have been baulked, along with the United States possesses granted a level-3 notice to help its citizens, mentioning that they can should avoid vacation to Croatia in Mar. Travelers visiting Italy tend to be required to stay property with regard to 14 days soon after returning to the us. Any well-known leader of often the 5 star Party was stressed that will such travel limits might trigger discrimination against Italians in addition to 'Made in Italy'. A lot of members of Chicago Lega have confidence in a bailout amounting in order to 50 thousand euros.

People who employed to hate seeing the actual news because they normally hate politics are at this point glued on the TV to be able to see what will transpire up coming, whether or not necessarily they should stock upwards on as well as masks, no matter if or not they will probably go to function, and who else will help them defeat the crisis.

On the optimistic note, unlike almost all People in the usa who have for you to worry about paying very much money to be taken care of to the Corona Virus, Italians understand they will definitely not take on a weight of private debt to shell out for initial examining as well as further cures. The Plan Sanitario Nazionale aims to help treat all Italian residents in addition to those who include the appropriate visa to be seated in the country. Notwithstanding these kinds of fine intentions, there is definitely the likelihood how the wellness system will become overburdoned with too many people in order to care for in the course of the crisis. Like throughout a message written from 12: 30 on the particular 3 rd of March, typically the Piemonte Region announced in which simple surgery that make the most of the operating areas possess had to be hanging (if they are not really urgent procedures) so as to guarantee that the diffusion with the virus is contained.

About the fourth of March, the us govenment decreed that all universities and also universities would end up being closed for any month until eventually the fifteenth regarding Drive although they are authorized to present lessons on the web when probable with often the goal of quitting the actual spread of the trojan or at least slowing down down its distributed. Until eventually now, most Italians are actually suspicious of online training; for that reason most teachers have got not possessed training with how to convert to be able to the net platform; nor get college students been prepared regarding this brand-new learning shape. Fortunately, this particular experience will certainly change the First-rate way of thinking, so that everyone learn to utilize the world wide web for mastering, telecommuting, along with flexitime.

Typically the Decree involving the Prime Minister connected with the Council (DPCM) indicates citizens to limit leaving the home if these people are over the era of 68, to avoid from shaking arms, for you to refrain from kissing in addition to hugging, and to steer clear of traveling to family members within hospice or maybe in made it simpler for living. Residents have also been advised not to get directly to the crisis bedrooms, but that they will should face 112 ahead of going in order to help ensure they are certainly not positive with the Culminación Virus.

The Lombardia Place, having closed the health clubs as well as swimming pools, acquired also purchased its individuals not to proceed to the community health clubs. Many folks surviving in Lombardia interpreted the particular orders placed differently, thus selecting to venture to use the game clubs from the nearby Piemonte Region. For that reason the Apoderado of Novara, one associated with the cities in Piemonte, had to order this all from the city's health and fitness clubs be shut. Moreover, some people have attempted to escape the Red Areas and specific zones of containment in Lombardia to reach their family members elsewhere. One of them was which of two open public institution teachers from the lower village of Irpinia who also had been bought not necessarily to leave Codogno, nevertheless who returned home in order to Irpinia near Naples because fast as they could possibly exactly where they were compelled to be quarantined together with their families, causing typically the overall condominium to include to be quarantined.

No matter if museums should be maintained open during the COVID-19 economic crisis remains a issue for issue amongst art work enthusiasts. Museums take inside much money when likewise attracting much-needed vacationers coming from across the globe. In addition, unusual tourists have to be able to pay the required traveler taxes, known as often the tassa di soggiorno, and that is going to be have missed by the urban centers regarding Rome, Florence, and also Venice (as well several various other cities) if tourist lessens, not to mention the actual offenses to museums that are often higher intended for noncitizens. Italians themselves enjoy to visit museums through their country, in order that they realize they will be dissatisfied whenever they find museums shut down to get a month.

The motion pictures, concert arrivée, and theaters have started out once once again, but the Italian TELEVISION SET news has instructed reduce weight leave space between by themselves and others. One tip is usually to leave a vide place between every a pair of seating, and this need to be organized with the keepers of the venue if they sell the tickets. As outlined by TV reports, entertainment fans have been slow for you to get out and about once once more. Whereas many Italians are usually not at all reluctant involving going to the particular cinema, there has been recently any humongous decrease throughout sales since evidenced by simply empty theaters and live show halls. During the last weekend (March 1-2, 2020), according to help the Associazione Generale Italiana Spettacolo (AGIS), there seemed to be some sort of forty-four per nickle decrease in priced income for various varieties of leisure.

Since Italians adore to try to eat fresh food, they can be a lesser amount of prone to stocking through to food for the problems. When Americans typically commodity up on discontinued veggies, frozen foods, along with foodstuff in glass jugs, Italians prefer to buy fresh new at all times--a wonderful practice, but it may possibly be useful in a crisis to have something using an lengthy expiration particular date. According to a great Swedish shopper, "It had been odd that they were getting a lot of eggs in addition to prosciutto. " Italian customers consider purchasing fresh greens, fruit, garlic, bread, calo, and almond, the very last two of which unquestionably have long shelf existence.

Italians approach the COVID-19 crisis in numerous approaches: Pro-active Italians help some others deal with this crisis with an sorted out and sensible manner. These are the city and even cruise directors who really present typically the crisis. Sergio Mattarella is still calm at the time of suggestions concerning how to be one as a nation. Counter-active Italians are those who have remain jammed and who all do not try and transform their ways of performing to meet the demands of the anxiety. That they are unrealistic and hesitant to sacrifice something to guard their employees, and numerous of those would like in order to borrow vast amounts connected with money to solve often the travel and leisure, healthcare, and job desperate. At the similar time, some religious Italians (not all) want to be able to placed everything into the actual hands associated with God with no trying to help make endeavours to avoid getting not well. Others are fatalistic, simply experiencing a negative final result, really worried about obtaining to exit the property, crazy about cleaning every little thing all-around them. Those who are generally in-denial never even consider in the existence regarding the particular dangerous Corona Pathogen; a lot of them think it is actually 'just the flu' as well as they are taking zero measures. Furthermore, others usually are simply tranquil about the idea all as they feel they must go having the flow. These allergic reactions are common even within other societies.

[kk095]

Workload

I felt creative in the past day or two and came up with this. It may need some additional tweaking, but I hope everyone likes the story! Also, I received a lot of positive feedback on my last story. I greatly appreciate that! 🙂

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There's a common saying that goes “if you find a career you really like, you'll never have to work a day in your life.” For most people, the idea of this sounds fictitious, but it was a reality for Stephanie. Stephanie Crawford was a graduate of the prestigious Brown university, and went on to become a successful lawyer, specializing in corporate law and civil litigation. Being a lawyer was Stephanie's passion, willfully devoting large sums of time to her career, foregoing the opportunity to experience other life milestones such as marriage and children; Stephanie is someone that could be labeled a “workaholic.”

Even though Stephanie worked around the clock, her looks never suffered as a result of her high stress, high pressure job. Stephanie was a 37 year old white woman with brown hair that was slightly past her shoulders with angled bangs. She had blue eyes, a semi tan complexion, was 5'4, and had a slim build. Stephanie had a very classy, sophisticated appearance and had a refined demeanor.

This particular case started long before Stephanie was brought to our emergency department. Stephanie was at the office after normal business hours working on her latest case. The case involved something known as “frustration of purpose”, a scenario where contractual obligations become impossible for both parties to satisfy because of unforeseen circumstances. These scenarios can be quite messy and complicated, but Stephanie was always up for the task.

Stephanie was sorting through paperwork, working on her computer, eating take out dinner, and was the only person at the office. Stephanie was at work for almost 12 hours at that point, and she barely slept the night before. The 37 year old decided to call it a night and head home. Little did she know, the drive home would be anything but routine.

The roads were relatively empty at that time in the evening. It had rained earlier in the day, so the roads were still a bit wet. On the way home, Stephanie was focusing on everything except driving. She took a turn a little too fast and slipped on a wet spot, losing control of her car and crashing it into a utility pole on the side of the road, wrecking her brand new BMW.

Everything happened so fast. Her chest hit the steering wheel milliseconds before the airbag deployed, with the airbag smacking her in the face, sending her back quickly. The lap portion of her seatbelt tightened up, pressing exceptionally hard on her abdomen. The windshield cracked, sending a handful of small glass shards flying towards Stephanie, causing lacerations to her face and neck.

Stephanie wasn't in any pain immediately, but had some minor breathing difficulties. She was in a frenzied state due to a sudden rush of adrenaline and endorphins. Believe it or not, she reached for her cell phone and called 911 for herself.

EMS responded to the scene of the accident within a few minutes of her 911 call. The driver's side door had to be cut off by the fire department since it wouldn't open and Stephanie was in a confined space, unable to move.

The extraction took somewhat long. The fire department had to set up several types of mechanical equipment so they were able to remove the door from the mangled, black BMW. A feeling of nervousness consumed Stephanie while the mechanical device started crunching and pulling at her car door. The scene became very loud as a result, causing sensory overload to a minor degree. Stephanie was holding back tears, but kept her composure. “I'm ok. Everything's going to be just fine” Stephanie kept thinking to herself, unaware that she would be in the hospital morgue in just a little while.

Once the door was removed, paramedics placed a c-collar on her. Stephanie's seatbelt was cut, and she was carefully wiggled out of the confined space she was trapped in, and placed onto a backboard. Paramedics carried the backboard over to a stretcher, where they placed Stephanie. She was wheeled into the ambulance, and rushed to the nearest hospital.

During the ambulance ride, paramedics set up 2 large bore IVs and hung normal saline. Stephanie's top was cut off by the medics, exposing her toned body and black bra. She was set up on a heart monitor; her vitals were: BP 92/68, heart rate 124bpm with a thready pulse, and her oxygen saturation was at 95%. Stephanie complained of shortness of breath, so the paramedics placed a nasal cannula to help with breathing difficulties. Further along into transport, she began to complain of soreness in her chest, and she started to feel some stinging from lacerations on her face and neck. Stephanie was given a dose of lidocaine to take the edge off of the pain she was experiencing.

Approximately 7 minutes later, Stephanie arrived at the hospital. She was experiencing increased pain levels upon arrival at the emergency department, wincing and groaning, trying her very best to fight through the intensifying pain.

Stephanie was now in the trauma bay. She laid on the table, staring up at the blinding overhead light. She felt a nurse at the other end of the bed removing her shoes and the rest of her clothes while more people entered the room. Stephanie became more apprehensive, wondering what was coming next. She started feeling vulnerable for the first time in awhile due to her lack of control over her current situation; all she could do was wait.

The trauma team was finally fully assembled and began ordering tests and beginning their initial examination of the injured lawyer. The attending physician ordered trauma labs, a chest x ray, an echocardiogram, an abdominal ultrasound, and made sure that blood products were on standby.

The chest x ray showed a moderate pneumothorax on the right side with left sided tracheal deviation. There was some bruising and redness on the middle of her chest from the steering wheel injury. A nurse snipped off Stephanie's black bra, putting her b cup breasts on display. The echocardiogram revealed a myocardial contusion with fluid in the pericardium. The abdominal ultrasound showed minor, non specific bleeding that was likely to heal on its own, but worthy of monitoring. The main concerns were the collapsed lung and activity within the pericardium.

Stephanie's symptoms continued getting worse. She began complaining of heart palpitations and feeling cold in the seconds following the tests. Her blood pressure was still low, her heart rate was up in the 130s, and her o2 levels were dropping. Stephanie was visibly uncomfortable, writhing in pain. A nurse told the attractive lawyer to stay still and remain calm.

The trauma team was greatly concerned over Stephanie's deterioration. They had to urgently place a chest tube, and didn't have time to sedate their patient. A round of pain medications were pushed intravenously, and the procedure commenced. A 1inch incision was made in between her ribs on the right side. Stephanie moaned, feeling the scalpel's every move. Stephanie shouted and cried out in pain while the chest tube was being shoved into the small incision site.

All of the air that was trapped inside of Stephanie's chest cavity was blasted through the tube, and out of her body. Although her breathing improved a bit, Stephanie was still in pain and her vital signs weren't improving. Stephanie was breathing rapidly and appeared distressed. The attending physician was concerned about her worsening condition and wanted to make sure her airway wasn't lost, so it was decided that Stephanie would be intubated. Rapid sequence orotracheal intubation was performed. Stephanie was now unconscious from the intubation sedatives, with the metal blade of the laryngoscope leaning on the roof of her mouth, while a 7.0 ET tube was being navigated into her airway. Once the breathing tube was in place, a blue tube holder was connected to secure the tube.

Following the intubation, the trauma team decided to perform a pericardiocentesis to remove some of the excess fluid in their patient's pericardium. A fine needle was placed through the skin at the infrasternal angle in a subxiphoid approach, meaning the needle was navigated under the sternum and left ribcage, into the lining of the heart. After an echocardiogram confirmed correct placement, a small catheter was attached to the needle, which was connected to a collection bag. At first, a small amount of blood and pericardial fluid was aspirated. Seemingly out of nowhere, a large amount of bright red, arterial blood rushed into the catheter's collection bag. “what the hell?” thought the attending physician. “page cardio. She didn't cut the aorta because she would've died already, but whatever's going on in there is pretty serious.” Ordered the attending physician with a sense of urgency.

Stephanie's condition was much worse by the time the cardiothoracic surgeon arrived. Her blood pressure was dangerously low, and distant heart sounds were heard through the stethoscope. The cardiothoracic surgeon ordered a repeat echo and hung 2 units of blood products from the rapid infuser.

Before the repeat echocardiogram could be performed, Stephanie became pulseless. The pericardiocentesis catheter was carefully removed, with chest compressions commencing immediately afterwards. The lawyer's chest was pumped robustly while the defibrillator paddles were being gelled and charged. The paddles were charged to 250j and pressed up against Stephanie's bare chest. Once everyone backed away, shock #1 was delivered. Stephanie's torso rose upwards, arching her back for a brief moment before returning to her previous position. The heart monitors showed V-Fib, so a round of drugs and cycle of compressions were performed during the handful of seconds it took for the defibrillator to recharge.

The paddles were charged to 300j and placed back onto Stephanie's chest, releasing a stronger current of electricity. Stephanie's body jolted violently on the table. Her arms tensed up and her head lolled to the side, with the monitors still chirping in the background.

Shock #2 did nothing to better the situation, so a 3rd shock at 360j was delivered moments later. The 37 year old's body flopped on the table. Her feet jumped into the air an inch or so above the table and crashed back down, showing off the prominent wrinkles in her soft soles.

Defibrillator shock #3 also didn't improve the situation. The next round of intravenous drugs were pushed and CPR was resumed while the trauma team thought about their next move. One of the nurses delivered strong, rapid compressions onto the attorney's chest. Her belly bounced outward and her breasts shook from the vibrations created from the compressions.

Another 2 and a half minutes of chest compressions and another defibrillator shock weren't enough to bring back Stephanie. The situation was growing more and more desperate by the second, and the trauma team needed to make a move. Stephanie had an injury inside her chest cavity, and likely to her heart, so the trauma team elected to access her chest cavity by performing a clamshell thoracotomy. Betadine was quickly splashed all over Stephanie's chest with harsh chest compressions still ongoing. A large incision was made extending across the entire 5th intercostal space, underneath both breasts, and through the sternum. CPR continued while the underlying tissue in Stephanie's chest was incised further. The next step was to separate the sternum to make room for the rib spreaders. A Gigli saw was used to divide the sternum horizontally. The manual wire saw was placed around each side of her sternum, and the cutting began. The saw worked its way through the sternum, with the cardiothoracic surgeon pushing with all their strength. The saw made short work of the solid bone in the sternum. The rib spreaders were placed on each side of her chest, and her chest was cracked open shortly after.

Stephanie's frantically twitching heart was revealed upon opening of the chest. A vascular clamp was placed on the aorta near her diaphragm and internal massage began. A 2nd round of drugs were pushed while the cardiothoracic surgeon made an incision into the pericardium. Blood squirted out of the incision area, with copious amounts of blood following. The surgeon couldn't locate the source of the bleeding. The surgeon wanted to perform a pericardial window right there in the ER due to the dire circumstances. With the monitors showing V-Fib, it was decided that an internal shock should be delivered beforehand.

The Zoll 8011 internal paddles were charged to 20j and placed around each side of the fluttering organ. A jolt of electricity was released directly into Stephanie's heart, causing her torso to flop on the table. The internal shock regained a faint heartbeat.

The cardiothoracic surgeon began performing a pericardial window. This is a procedure where a section of the pericardium is removed to allow excess blood and fluid to be drained, giving the heart an adequate amount of space to pump effectively.

The pericardial window was met with blood squirting out of the pericardium. Stephanie's pulse was lost again as more and more blood seeped out of the opening. More blood products were hung and direct cardiac massage was restarted. The cardiothoracic surgeon extended their incision in the pericardium in an attempt to locate the source of hemorrhaging.

Hemopericardium was discovered by the surgeon's continued efforts, but that still didn't explain where the bleeding originated. V-Fib appeared on the monitor again, so the surgeon's investigation was paused so an internal shock could be delivered. The internal paddles were placed back around her twitching heart, and a 30j shock was delivered once everyone backed away. A dull, wet thunk was heard, accompanied by her torso jolting quickly and sharply. This shock couldn't convert the beautiful patient out of V-Fib, so another shock was delivered immediately afterwards. Stephanie converted to PEA after this shock, so internal compressions were resumed while the next round of IV drugs were given.

Stephanie's heart was being squeezed by the attending ER physician, trying to force it back to life. The surgeon continued probing around inside Stephanie's chest cavity. The ventricles and atria were intact, the SVC and aorta were also intact. That only meant 1 thing: a coronary artery laceration. Coronary artery lacerations are exceedingly rare, but that doesn't mean they don't happen.

The cardiothoracic surgeon located the left coronary artery. Surprisingly, it was still intact. Stephanie was back in V-Fib so another unsuccessful internal shock was delivered. After the shock, the surgeon continued looking around. Finally, the surgeon located the bleeder. The right coronary artery was severed completely in half and ripped off of the myocardium. The heart muscle in that section of the myocardium was already dead upon discovery. Due to the catastrophic nature of this injury, the trauma team abruptly ceased resuscitation efforts, calling time of death at 11:04pm while Stephanie was still in V-Fib.

The monitors were shut off and the ambu bag was detached from the ET tube. The room was eerily silent as some people were exiting the room, while others were beginning postmortem care. Stephanie's heart fired off its last few dysfunctional, erratic bits of electrical activity while the nurses worked. Finally, a cover was placed over Stephanie's lifeless body, leaving her feet exposed. A nurse filled out a toe tag that read:

Name: Crawford, Stephanie

Date of birth: 1/12/1982

Date of death: 4/27/2019

TOD: 23:04

COD: Blunt coronary artery rupture

The toe tag was placed on the big toe of Stephanie's left foot after it was filled out. The tag dangled in front of the silky wrinkles of her soles while she was wheeled off to the hospital morgue, only an hour after her accident.

[keyenuta]

Serenity trailer (Team S.W.A.N)

 "Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun." -- Mary Lou Cook

On a sunny day in an old library, a short statured girl is guarded by a towering fortress of books as she bounds in her seat at the book in front of her. Page after page, a widening smile and constrained laughter graces her dark skinned freckled face as the enamored girl wades through each paragraph in a dream-like state for minutes on end.  Giggling and laughing to her heart's content until a tremor shakes her to reality. Two mini bunny ears flutter atop her head as she gazes around building. Emerald eyes dart to each side in an attempt to find the source of the disturbance. At first, finding nothing amiss, she returns to her story. Only to again be disturbed by an even larger tremor, which sends one of her prized books tumbling to the earth. Sighing in disappointment, she leaves her book face down and investigates the origin of the tremors.

Humming to herself a tune, she strolls to a pair of double doors and hears a muffled sound through the old wood. Curious at what's happening, she creaks open the two frames to meet a roar of screams and desperation. A flood of humans and faunus race to the hills at the arrival of a pack of grim. The girl ogled at the black beasts and jotted down a sketch. Her eyes twinkled in interest as she copied the Grimm as best she could. A memory from the book she read popped in her mind, they appeared to be a pack of ursa, a grimm resembling a bear in form, but upon a glance it was twice as deadly than any animal comparable.  

Within the wave of people a man trips over his feet, too far from the group and too frightened to move, he now stares into the maw of the approaching black creatures, certain of his death the man shuts his eyes and waits for it to claim him.

But, to his surprise, he feels no fangs, no claws, no pain or even saliva.  What he does feel is a hand resting on his shoulder. Startled by the touch he jolts and backs up into a wall?  The frightened man shakily and slowly turns to see a newly erected wall of stone and sand at his back, looking dumbfounded at its sudden appearance.  A giggle brings him to his senses as he looks upon a girl with black green hair, and a forest colored outfit. Her smile while teasing, was also comforting as she motions him to run or stand, but the man simply sat there agape before a crackling sound made him heed her motions. He tumbled forward and thanked the young lady before disappearing over the horizon like a bat out of hell.

Waving goodbye to the man the girl heard the crackling sound once more. With her ears perked up she turns to meet the grimm as a blade curves from her hand, seemingly made from the orange-green gem a top her backhand. Repeated thuds strike against the weakening structure as each impact slowly withers away the stone as Grimm race forwards with fangs bared and claws raised.  A chuckle of excitement escapes the huntress as the battle commences. While the pack charges, a light blue spark exits the girl's foot as a small pillar propels her to the side, her eyes focus on each beast as the lesson, in her eyes begins.

"Let's see, let's see...large size, bulky exterior, good streength-!" She squeaks ducking a paw. "Slow speed, bit rude, aaand, a poor defense" she states slicing off a limb, the ursa roars in pain before attacking once again. As the dance of the pack and the girl continued. A rush here, a roll there, a chomp from below and a leap from above. Again and again the huntress bobbed and weaved the attacks of the pack as she commented and studied their capabilities bit by bit, as the battle eased in difficulty.

"Ursa, a strong Grimm in the realm of strength and size, but it ain't that bright or creative in combat.  Overall you score a rating of basic. Thank you all for the lesson, but sadly, class is dismissed!" she said brightly, as she began her attack. Using her semblance to launch forward she twirled and sliced through a grim like a buzzsaw. As its halves fade away, two pack members leap from each side. Tsking at their attack the huntress slides on her knees as the Grimm collide and stumble. With her slide reaching its end she turns and decapitates the beasts as she rises. Clasping her palms together she places them to the earth with a spear of rock made from the ground. With a hum she lifts up her new weapon and charges. The ursa rears up in anticipation, clawing at the girl in vain.

Using the but of her spear she springs herself behind the ursa and runs one through with a backwards thrust. Resting on one knee she rises up to meet the red and yellow eyes of the alpha. A snarling maw glares at a playful smile as they size their opponent up. After precious moments of draining silence they attack.  Knowing she had a speed advantage, the huntress tries to out maneuver the Grimm. At its first attack she dashes to the side and swings her spear's end up. Only for it to be dodged as well. Humming in interest, she hangs back and watches. The grim hurtles towards her as she sighs in disappointment. Again rolling to the side she expects and easy defeat, only to her surprise she sees a paw rocketing towards her direction. Gasping in shock she raises her spear to block, only for it to be cracked in half. Frantic in shock she grasps both severed ends and launches herself back to get a bit of room. But it seems the alpha had other plans.  Fast on her heels and almost over her head, the grimm begins its descent upon the green huntress as time slows before the two. Thinking fast, the huntress pulses a bolt of energy to the broken end in her hand, it sharpens to a point and when the ursa is just about to crash on her. The newly made tip is thrusted through the ursa's neck as with a battle cry the huntress flips and plunges her spear head through the skull of the grimm in triumph. Panting in breath she watches as the alpha disintegrates beneath her feet as she now breathes a sigh of relief.

And when she does she simply stretches and walks back in to finish her book, grateful for the experience.

Please Welcome Serenity Kol

@littlemisssquiggles happy birthday

[abitterlifethroughcinema]

      Three Summer Taquilla Behemoths in Cinemas!       WOKE! Film Reviews...Halfway Through Summer                                        by Lucas A Cavazos

It goes without saying that Disney is undoubtedly the strongest hand in all of cinema. They have proved that beyond any shadow of a doubt over many decades but definitely most recently, what with the takeover of Pixar and LucasFilms and Marvel Studios and and and… As I hinted at last time, growing up, whether in Texas or Brooklyn, my dorky bum always had that weekly subscription of Entertainment Weekly waiting for me come week’s end. And that meant I had all the box office data, top album sales, Nielsen TV ratings, book sales and such all there to satiate my stats-obsessed appetite. Now, I bring to you a summer run-down of what fare has been most successful throughout this first half of the summer. Believe it or not, we are only halfway through the summer cinema season and these last six or seven weeks mark the last summer fare that either got delayed from the early summer due to concern of being pulverised by these upcoming blockbusters, or they are merely getting rid of fodder too long on the shelf or in need of distribution.

I’d dare say in fact that it was a rather smart move on behalf of Guy Ritchie and the entire marketing team behind the live-action remake of Aladdin, to release it just before the summer season truly hit. It is now fast closing in on 25€M in Spain alone, and has surpassed 1.1€B globally…quite an accomplished feat and second in box office stealth only behind Endgame for 2019 so far.

But let’s please talk newer reviews first as Disney’s The Lion King ###-1/2 burst into Spanish cinemas with a loud roar two weeks ago, and the same can be said of its success worldwide. Now soon to pass 19€M in Spain in a matter of mere days and more than 1.0€B globally, we at Bitter Life are pleased to say that the film, much like the formerly mentioned live-action remake, is a thing of wonder. What director Jon Favreau, who so lovingly concocted the impeccable remake of The Jungle Book a few years ago, does so well is adapt a timeless, and much beloved, cartoon classic into a breathtaking adventure story of the animal kingdom. One thing is for certain, if you are a true lover of the cartoon, this film will merely be palatable. For those few of us who were none too keen on the cartoon and its cheese-tactic musical numbers nor its cornball last-attempts at Top 40 numbers by Elton John, this film is quite the spectacle to behold. Telling the story of a proud lineage of lions who preside over what could best be described more as a savannah than a jungle, this rendering gives us a lifelike portrayal of fathers and sons, duty and honour, and is easily a testament to whatever family means to any individual. Apart from the brilliant, yet almost frightening, way in which the creators have anthropomorphised the creatures into almost too-real perfection, there isn’t too much to tell that the viewer is not going to know already, and thereby lies a part of the challenge that I find intriguing. While Disney continues to take risks in revamping their classics into live-action newer ones, do they then run the risk of petering out of new ideas? I mean, now that they have Pixar and so many more studios to pick up the slack, will we slowly see the demise of the annual big, Disney cartoon classic? We already have Frozen 2 appearing soon enough in cinemas, but even that is not building anything new and original into the cartoon oeuvre…it’s a damn sequel. I say it’s fair enough that most all investments in Disney live-action prequels are bound to be successful in terms of box office. Still, few of them will boast the talent power of Beyonce and Donald Glover, along with original Mufasa James Earl Jones, plus John Oliver, Seth Rogen, Keegan-Michael Key, Alfre Woodard. Amy Sedaris and so many more. These artists breathe life into a fun, if tired, film that we’ve all seen before, just never in this way. Here’s to hoping the tots of today don’t scare too much from the frolicking if fierce, fun found in this film.

The next big movie that has blown up the taquillas here in Spain is also the best one of the lot…Toy Story 4 ####.  If we have to wait nearly a decade between film sequels to have this type of wonderment thrown lovingly at our eyes, I’ll gladly take it and wait. So far, the film has taken in a nearly whopping 19€M in Spain alone, and it is also nearing 950€M worldwide, so far be it from me to deny that absolute scores of millions agree that this film marks itself in our hearts yet again. It is rather surreal that over the span of well over a generation, the creators have moved through the mid-90s to damn near 2020 with the same revolving door of a family, while carefully detailing the intricacies of our own nostalgia…and playing on that also forces us to love it.  Again, I dare say that they have achieved that tremendously throughout the entirety of the series’ lifespan. The premise this time revolves around Andy, now all grown up and, I’d suppose well past grad school, has donated his toys to little sister Bonnie, who has her own taste on what she prefers to play with versus her older brother, and dear ol’ cowpoke Woody, sensing certain neglect under the ownership of Bonnie, sneaks himself into her rucksack one day y voila!…the new adventure commences. The others set off to search for Woody, outdone by no one less than Buzz Lightyear, who is allowing himself to be led by his inner voice, which fits wonderfully into the guffaws of this type of silly and campy humour. What I began to notice while the screening went on is that the film continues to come up with a specific theme that ties itself into the plot, the denouement and frankly, throughout the film. Simply put, that would be the fear of rejection or not being wanted/accepted. Herein is where story developers like John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton, Rashida Jones, Stephany Folsom, amongst others, and all under the directing tutelage of Josh Cooley, spring to life and steer the film into witty and on-fleek, au courant elements that should make excellent fodder for post-parental conversations! What more can be said? Steal away and grab a 10’er and retreat to the coolness of your local cineplex!

Lastly, the other big box office behemoth so far this summer in Spain’s movie houses is Spider Man: Far From Home ###-1/2, with just under 12€M reaped into the Spanish taquilla coffers. This time around finds us back in live-action mode and with our recurring Marvel characters picking up after the what can only be described as intense ending of Avengers:Endgame. Okay then, while I was not a fan of the new Peter Parker with Homecoming from a couple of years back, I can now see how Tom Holland has taken a stab at ye olde generic if endearing dork-that-could appeal, and he feels much more fluid now a few Marvel flicks in. Director Jon Watts and go-to writers McKenna and Sommers seem to strike a chord with their flow, though we really do have to wait until the last half of the film to see the ebb actually catch up with that flow. Here’s why…our Marvel superheroes have gone bye bye, you dig? Flashbacks of the fallen Marvel superheroes actually made me a tad sad to be honest, so when the injection of the last part kicks in with all its CGI glory, what I take the director and writers to be doing, this time around, is actually showing us how Parker is growing into his own belief within himself and his powers. Zendaya as his love interest, and I’ve monitored her from afar for quite some time, is fun as hell to watch, and she should seriously star in a film version of Sade’s life story, but it really does come down to the charm and vivid need for suspension of disbelief that envelops the characters towards the end of the film. This has a lot to do with the enter-stage-right presence of Quentin Beck, a.k.a. Mysterio, played with an enigmatic if smug awareness by Jake Gyllenhaal, and frankly, all of the myriad cast of characters do their thang to breathe a sense of renewal just when you think the film is getting a tad too slow and eager. From Sam Jackson to Marisa Tomei, though perhaps not Jon Favreau as Stark caretaker Happy Hogan…he’s best suited as a director of Disney re-boots these days, me thinks (see The Lion King review above). Apart from all that, I’d say the Marvel universe has quite rightly fixed another pathway into the continuance of the Spiderverse journey.

[dearlazerbunny]

Once Upon A December

Pairings: Kylo x Reader

Genre/Rating: Anastasia!AU

Words: 3800

Summary: Requested by anon, who wanted a Kylo Anastasia AU to go along with my Poe one. Not as long as the other, but I hope you enjoy anyways!

As a fist flies towards your face, you dodge and roll to the right, back on your feet before your opponent has time to blink. You aim a wicked kick to the back of his knees, crumpling him to the ground, and you’re on top of him in an instant, pinning down his arms so he can’t land another hit. Unfortunately, he’s strong enough to flip himself over, even with you on his back, slamming you onto the floor.

You wince, but wearily get back up, knowing he won’t let up until he’s beaten or you’re unconscious. When he comes at you again, you decide to take the defensive, blocking his moves with bruised forearms and the occasional duck and cover. Goddamn he’s fast. But nobody’s perfect- and even Master Ren has weaknesses, few as they may be. Your body is screaming at you to end this sparring match, and fast, so you duck under his arm and snag the lightsaber hanging from his belt and activate it. Red sparks whine into existence as you wave it into a defensive position, effectively blocking him from yourself.

You both pause, breathing hard. Then Ren leans down and taps the mat twice, your signal for tapping out. Internally sighing with relief, you shut the saber off and practically collapse onto the floor, back to the mat, lying in a lovely pool of your own sweat.

“Cheater.” With a flick of his fingers, his lightsaber flies into his hands, and he returns it to his place. “This was hand to hand only.”

“‘Use whatever advantages you might get,’” you quote, not looking up from your resting place. “Or have you forgotten your own golden rule?”

He walks over to you and stands in your line of sight. Two inches closer and you’d practically be looking up his robes. “Not everyone is going to have a lightsaber for you to steal.”

You scoff. “You’re just mad that you had to tap out.”

For a second, he’s quiet, and you think he’ll get angry. But instead, a smile breaks out across his lips, and he offers you a hand. You take it gratefully, slowly rolling onto your feet. “Touché. Go get cleaned up; I’ll see you here same time tomorrow.”

“Ugh.” You work your hair out of its messy ponytail, then wrap it back into a bun on top of your head. “Don’t you have someone your own size to beat up on?”

Ren rolls his eyes. This is a common retort for you, and even though you say it jokingly, part of you does wonder why he chose an apprentice a third his size. “I’ve told you before, you-”

“-have potential, yadda yadda, I know, I know.” You roll your neck and it audibly cracks, making you wince. “Potential to be a sack of ground meat by the time you’re done with me.”

He chuckles and points to the door. “Out. You’ve done plenty for today.”

You obey, a small smile on your face as you aim your battered body for your quarters. A good spar may be something to be proud of, but the thing you love most is making Master Ren laugh.

Not that you’d ever admit it.

…

That night, you’re expecting to sleep like a rock, but instead you toss and turn, restless. You can’t get comfortable, and your dreams are proving to be ruthless. Flashes of smoke and fire couples with the shrill sounds of screams floating in the air. You run and run down corridors crumbling all around you, but you can never seem to escape. That’s the most common nightmare. But you do occasionally have good ones. A blurry face looking down on you from above, singing softly. The intangible feeling of a hug from someone who loved you. Through it all, snatches of a melody too far away to hear properly, but haunts you all the same.

You wonder where they came from. The dreams. Were they real, at one point? Is the lullaby meant for you as a child? Did where you came from burn to ash? Per usual, you have no concrete answers. Whenever you managed to work up the courage to broach the topic with Ren, he always changed the subject or harshly shut you down. Whoever you were, whatever there was before Starkiller, doesn’t matter. This is your calling in life. To fight by Ren’s side, in the name of the First Order.

Not that you really have a problem with this. Despite being your master, you would also call Ren a friend. Not only that, your only friend. You’d defend him with your life, and from the way he’s warmed up to you since your first day meeting, you’re inclined to think he’d do the same. At first, he was always cold, and harsh. Demanding perfection constantly, with little needed to set him off on one of his tirades. But as you got to know him, the less of him you feared. You realized that despite his reputation, he’s quite… human. And you made it your mission to pull that human part to the surface any chance you got.

Thinking of it makes you smile. You remember the first time you made him laugh, and how sweet that sound was. When he came back from a mission bruised and bloodied, and instead of going to medical he knocked on your door and asked you for help instead. When you caught fever and in between unconsciousness, you could see him sitting by your bedside, keeping watch.

Yes, Kylo Ren is a friend. And if you want more than that… well. That’s a road best not travelled down.

Finally, you stand and wrap a coat around your shoulders, intending to take a walk around Base to clear your head. After wandering for the better part of an hour, you end up in one of your favorite spots: the surface of the planet, beneath the base of a pine tree so large it’s jokingly used as target practice by trainee pilots. You settle down into the snow, head against the rough bark, and breathe in the cold air so sharp if feels like it will leave ice crystallizing in your lungs. You like it though. The cold banishes the dreams from whence they came.

You don’t even notice when you start humming that elusive lullaby. It sticks in your head for hours on end, just solid enough to make you wonder about its origins. Who you learned it from. Who sang it to you. It goes nicely with the snowflakes whipping around in the air, so you let the song be, mingling in the night with the stars and the moon.

“Y/N!” At the sound of Kylo’s voice, you’re immediately on alert. He emerges from the trees, cape whipping in the wind like some dramatic super villain. “What the hell are you doing out here?”

You shrug. He never understood your fondness for the cold. “Thinking.”

“About?” He sits beside you with a crunch, and you almost make a jab about him messing up his cape, but you decide to let it lie.

You let a breath hiss into the air. “Where I came from.”

Kylo doesn’t say anything for a moment. “Y/N, you know that-”

“No, that’s the thing, Ren! I don’t know! I don’t know anything!” You rarely lose your temper- that’s Ren’s job- but the lullaby is enough to drive you mad. “You won’t tell me jack shit except that I was drafted in the war to be your apprentice. But-” your voice cracks. “There has to be more than that. There has to be- family. A home planet. Something.” You turn to look at him, hoping all the emotion in your voice isn’t showing on your face. “You’d tell me if you knew something. Right?”

His face is neutral, his eyes scanning yours like he’s looking for something. “Have I ever lied to you?” It’s more a statement than a question, but all the same it makes you deflate into a shiver.

“No.” He hasn’t. Why would he?

…

As Kylo looks at you, he can see tears beginning to form in your eyes, even though you’d never admit it. Damn. This is really weighing on you. Sure, you’ve asked a few times over the years about where you were from, but never this seriously. And he never knew it got to you this much.

Are you not happy here?  Would you rather be out somewhere in the galaxy with the family you never knew? Without him?

The thought makes his heart clench. There, sitting side by side with you beneath the trees, cold wind smarting his face, he can’t deny it- losing you would destroy him. He’s grown fond of you, ever since that first day you came out of your shell and decided to snark back at him. That was when he knew you were a fighter. With some coaching, you could be good enough to fight by his side.

And you are, now. But if you’re not happy…

Kylo gets up, brushing snow off his clothes. “I’ll see what I can do.”

…

The next day, Kylo strides into Hux’s office, not caring if he’s busy or has another meeting. With one look at the officer sitting across from Hux’s desk, he scampers out, leaving him and the General alone.

“I need to know about Y/N.”

Hux raises an eyebrow. “What about her?”

“Where did you find her?”

Surprisingly, Hux doesn’t bite back, just sits down at his desk and begins rifling through files on his digipad. “Ah. Y/N Y/L/N.” She was captured when the First Order overtook Rusija. Apparently she’s the daughter of the former monarch there, and was brought on board Starkiller by mistake. She was slated for execution when you took an interest in her.” He looks up at Kylo. “Does that answer your question?”

Kylo knows about Rusija. The operation commenced before his time, and he’s suddenly furiously glad. “What happened to the family?”

Hux smiles. “Executed, of course.” His face turns suspicious. “Why are you asking? Does she suspect something?”

Kylo shakes his head. “No. She knows nothing. I was just… curious.”

Hux nods. “Good. She was dosed with experimental amnesiac drugs once you decided to keep her; I’m glad to see they’re doing their job.”

Oh, stars. Without warning, Kylo stalks out of the room. They drugged her to forget her past? All because he wanted to train her? He shakes his head. But if he hadn’t picked her up, she’d be dead just like the rest of her family. So this was for the best… right?

…

That night there’s a bang outside Kylo’s door. Angrily, he stalks over to it, throwing it open ready to shout at anyone who dares to interrupt him this late at night-

But stops short, when he sees you on the ground, looking confused and rubbing your forehead.

“Y/N?” Kylo crouches down. “Are you okay?”

“I think so?” You laugh a little, hoping it will cover up your embarrassment. “I think I- I think I ran into the door,” you mumble, trying to piece together what happened.

“You ran into the door,” Kylo says dryly.

“Sleepwalking,” you admit, shrugging your shoulders. “I do it occasionally. I must’ve somehow been aiming for your quarters and-” you stop, gesturing to the welt on your forehead.

Kylo’s eyebrows draw together. Sleepwalking? “Do you need medical?”

“Oh, stars, no, I’ll just-” you try to stand, but wobble on your feet, clutching your head.

“Okay, no, you’re coming with me.” Kylo grabs your elbow and leads you inside his room, setting you on the bed. “I’m getting a washcloth for that bump.”

When you don’t respond, he leaves for the bathroom to wet a cloth for your forehead. When he gets back you’ve laid onto his pillows, eyes closed. “So that was stupid of me,” you say.

“I don’t think you can exactly control sleepwalking.” He drapes the cloth over your forehead and you press it onto the wound gratefully. “Were you… dreaming about anything in particular?”

You sigh. “Fire, screaming, not being able to escape. The usual nightmare fuel.”

“I’m sorry.”

You snort. “It’s not like it’s your fault.” You seem to curl inward on yourself, making you even smaller than you normally are. “Could I… could I stay here tonight?” You murmur. “I don’t really want to be alone.”

You want to stay here? With him? “I- yes.” He nods. “I can sleep on the floor.”

You roll your eyes. “You don’t have to do that, Ren. Seriously, you’ve seen me in much more compromising positions.”

His cheeks flame at your insinuation. “You better not kick in your sleep,” he grumbles, trying to cover up the sudden flare of warmth in his chest.

Another eye roll and a smile as you grab a pillow for yourself and settle down with it on the opposite side of the bed. Kylo carefully lays down on his side, concentrating very hard on not touching you. He falls asleep to your even breathing, faster than he ever does when he’s alone.

He wakes before you in the morning- he’s a much earlier riser than you- and when he opens his eyes he’s shocked to find you curled into his side, your head on his chest. The two of you must have shifted in the night. At first he’s going to wake you, but then… you’re sleeping so peacefully. And after last night, you probably need it. So instead, he slowly works an arm around you shoulders and pulls you in a hair closer, closing his eyes once again.

…

“Get dressed.” A few days later, Kylo comes into your room unannounced while you’re stretching out sore limbs. “We leave in five.”

“Where?” No answer. So you shrug and put on traveling clothes, pack a few necessities, and meet him at his TIE. You strap yourself in expertly; you’re used to being his copilot. As he fiddles with the controls. You can’t help but notice there isn’t a squadron going with you for backup. Must not be a mission then. Then why go off base. “Uh, Ren? Mind telling me where we’re going without assistance?”

“You’ll see when we get there.”

That’s all you get? Well, fine, then. Two can play at that game. You cross your arms and sit back, pouting the entire flight to…wherever. As he nears a planet frosted over in ice, you glance down at your clothes. “Not sure I’m prepared for snow, Ren.”

He fishes around and pulls out a black, fur lined coat, then tosses it at you, barely missing your face. You take it with a huff, but gratefully. As you land, officers are there to greet you, saluting as you disembark and taking the reins of Ren’s TIE to look it over for inspection. You look around. Pine trees covered in icicles, a brisk wind blowing from the north… it’s nice, although other people might think you’re crazy for saying so.

“This is Rusija,” Ren says without looking at you, and you nod. You’ve heard of it.

“It’s pretty.”

He doesn’t respond as he begins marching off to who knows where, and you follow, more than a little annoyed he won’t tell you where you’re going. It’s a long walk through a fairly massive metropolis, all bustling with First Order business. But as you reach the outskirts, the buildings become shacks, the bustle becomes silent streets. It’s a quiet, run down town, with nothing of much importance. You can’t imagine why he’s brought you here, unless you’re here to run down a fugitive they’ve caught wind of.

The few people who are on the streets look at Ren fearfully, but he ignores them, walking right up to a house at the end of the lane and knocking on the door. An old woman answers, a Shaw wrapped around her shoulders. “May I help you?” She seems terrified, but knows enough to stay polite.

“I’d like to speak with you, if you please.” You reel back a little. Ren saying please? Nevertheless, the two of you are invited into the small hut, which a roaring fire is keeping warm. There are chairs, but the two of you stand- Ren out of propriety, yourself out of confusion.

When the old lady has settled back down into her own chair, Ren begins bluntly. “I know who you are,” he says, and though you have no idea what he’s talking about, the lady seems to know exactly what he’s saying. She looks frightened, but also… regal, in a way. Like she will accept her fate.

“Very well. Do what you wish to me.”

He shakes his head. “I’m not here to turn you in. I’ve… I’ve brought you someone.” He stands aside, and you realize the person he’;s talking about is you. You shake your head at him, wondering what he’s getting at, but he gives you a look that says ‘be patient’.

The lady stands, and walks towards you slowly. You stand your ground, not afraid of such a frail woman. But as she gets closer, she seems more and more sure of herself, even going so far as to brush a piece of hair away from your face before you can recoil.

“It can’t be…” she whispers, apparently in disbelief.

You raise an eyebrow. “Someone mind explaining what exactly is going on here?” You ask the two of them. Both are silent.

“Anastasia,” the woman murmurs, and for some reason that name sets off all sorts of alarm bells in your head.

A shiver rolls down your spine, but you try to ignore it. “Sorry, no, my name is Y/N. I don’t know who Anastasia is, but-”

“Where did you find her?” The woman cuts you off, directing the question at Ren.

“The First Order picked her up during the takeover,” he says. “She was dosed with… with amnesiac drugs. She doesn’t remember a thing.”

“I was what now?” You practically shriek, taking a few steps back. “Picked up when?”

Ren looks at you. “When Rusija was taken over by the First Order, the royal family of the planet was decimated. Two people slipped through the cracks. The matriarch of the family,” he nods to the woman still staring at you, “and a granddaughter.”

“And you’re saying that granddaughter is me,” you say in disbelief. Unbelievable. What sort of joke is this?

“Anastasia, my dear,” the woman steps forward, wringing her hands. “I know you must not remember me. But I am your grandmother.” There are tears in her eyes. “Oh, my dear, I never thought I’d see you again. We thought we’d lost you…”

“I’ll leave you two to get acquainted,” Ren says in a rough voice, then steps outside the hut, shutting the door behind him.

‘I- wait! Ren!” You follow him out the door, letting it bang behind you. “What the hell are you doing?”

He stares at you as though the answer is obvious. “Giving you what you wanted. This,” he gestures around, “is where you came from. That woman used to be the crown queen of Rusija. She’s your family.”

His words hit you in the chest, hard, and you feel like you’re about to fall over. “My family,” you repeat, the word unfamiliar on your tongue.

He nods. “I thought you wanted to know.”

“I- I thought I did too.” You look around at unfamiliar surroundings. “But this planet- that woman- are strangers to me. Starkiller is my home.”  You glance at him, trying to gauge his reaction. “You’re my home. You were right, it doesn’t matter where I came from. It matters what I’ve become.”

He looks at you for a long while, his eyes blank. Then he slowly nods, and gestures back the way you came. “Let’s go home, then.”

…

You did tell the woman goodbye, and give her a hug at least. You aren’t cruel. And she seemed to understand how lost you were in that strange new world. Back amongst Starkiller, with its winding corridors and sparring matches with Ren, you feel more like yourself then you ever had.

One such sparring session is taking place late at night, with the both of you working out pent up frustration from the day before. He’s hitting a little harder than usual, but you’re punching right back, not giving him an inch. Eventually, the both of you tap the mat at the same time. A draw.

Hands behind your head, you try to get some air in your lungs as Ren leans against the wall, breathing hard. You look at him. You’ve been practicing the last few weeks, on what to say, but that doesn’t make it much easier.

“Hey.” He looks at you. “I wanted to say… thank you. For taking me to Rusija.” You falter, but forge ahead. “You… didn’t have to do that. But you did. For me. And…” you try not to blush. “It means a lot to me.”

He shrugs. “It was nothing.”

“It wasn’t nothing!” You walk over, standing right in front of him. “If I had wanted to stay with that woman, on that planet, would you have let me?”

He tilts his head, considering you. Then nods. “Yes.”

“That’s… stars, Kylo, I can’t even tell you how selfless that is.” A small smile appears on his face. You frown. “What?”

“You called me Kylo.”

“I-” your heart beats to a stop. “Did I? Sorry, Ren, I just-”

“No,” he cuts you off. “It’s okay.”

“Oh.” You look at him. “Well, good.”

“Good.”

The two of you look at each other, neither sure what to say or do next. Then, ever so slowly, you raise up on your toes and give him a soft kiss on the cheek, lingering for a second before pulling away. “Seriously. Thank you,” you whisper.

Another beat. And then you’re both leaning in, meeting in the middle for a heated kiss. His hands immediately wrap around you, resting on your lower back, pulling you into him, and yours run through his hair like you’ve dreamed about doing so many times before. Teeth collide, noses bump- as kisses go, it’s hardly flawless- but the pull in your stomach makes it feel like the most heady thing in the world.

When you pull away, trying to catch your breath, he’s staring at you wide eyed, like he can’t believe that just happened. You put a hand to his cheek. “I never would have left you, you know,” you say softly, and the smile on his face could rival the sun as he goes in to kiss you again.

[courtneychicken]

Autumn Leaves

So, I’ve had this one in the works for over a year now. I’ve been a bit indecisive about whether or not I should post this, so I’d like to thank @travelwithwords for encouraging me. 

Warnings: Cancer, Character death. 

Natasha Romanoff x Reader

Y/N shot Natasha a reassuring smile, her long hair bouncing against her back as she turned quickly, returning to the fight that played out before them. The red head couldn't help but smile to herself, her mind wandering away from the task at hand as she thought about how lucky she was to score a girlfriend like Y/N. The support she had shown and continued to show, her laugh, her smile… a few of the many things Natasha loved about her. The day they met, Natasha knew if it wasn't her, it wouldn't be anybody. She was the love of her life, and she wouldn't change anything.

Natasha was abruptly drawn from her thoughts as a loud gunshot and a pained scream erupted among them, stopping Natasha dead in her tracks. Her eyes scanned the many figures still fighting, hoping to catch a glimpse of her love, but instead saw nothing. It was when her eyes shot down, her chest began to sink, her heart thumping rapidly against her now tightening chest. There she lay, her body growing weaker by the second, the blood flow increasing as her heart rate decreased.

Natasha’s legs grew weak and she stumbled over to Y/N, muttering to herself, trying her best to convince herself she’d be fine. She placed her hands over her girlfriends, applying pressure to the wound as if it would make a difference. The blood seemed to engulf their hands, but they didn't seem to notice. Their tear filled eyes were locked, staring into each others as the inevitable commenced. Y/N spluttered, her blood escaping her dry throat and covering her chin. “I-I love you…” Y/N started, but Natasha shushed her, encouraging her not to speak. “I love you too. Save your voice, sweetie. W-We’re gonna get you to a hospital, okay? You just gotta hold on a little while longer.”

Y/N weakly shook her head, her vision blurring as the darkness grew stronger. “I’m sorry, Tasha,” her eyes fluttered shut, her body grew limp and the distraught sobs of a grief-stricken assassin filled the ears of all that surrounded them as she cradled the body of her love.

Natasha shot up from her unpleasant slumber, beads of sweat lay on the surface of her skin. She ran her hand through her sweat drenched, tousled hair, pushing it from her face to catch sight of the person she valued most. Her breathing eventually evened out and she couldn't help but smile at Y/N’s sleeping form, so peaceful, so content. She stared at her a little longer, thankful to have her still. That’s when the reality hit, she may not have lost her just yet, but she would eventually and she knew the time was approaching quickly.

Ever since the diagnosis, she had to reluctantly adapt to the fact they wouldn't grow old together. Y/N would spend the rest of her life with Natasha, but Natasha couldn't do the same. She would have to live her life without the one thing that makes her day brighter. She would lose the one thing that grounds her, she would lose her home.  

Natasha gently brushed the hair from Y/N’s face, placing a small kiss on her forehead before pulling her closer as she drifted off.

Y/N and Natasha were sat at the kitchen table, Y/N eating what she could of her freshly prepared breakfast as Nat watched her attentively, taking in her every feature as if it were the last time. Natasha watched as her girlfriend stood, making her way past her and up the stairs. Nat just sat staring at her plate, dreading the news that was to come with todays check up. They were both beyond scared, not only for themselves, but for others close to them.

The ride to the hospital was uncomfortably silent, both women unable to find words as their anxieties spiked drastically, their whole world about to be rocked once again. Natasha reached for Y/N’s hand, giving it a firm, but reassuring squeeze as they pulled into the hospital car park. The short walk to the doctors office was enough to increase their nerves further, both women becoming restless, unable to contain their nervous fidgets until the doctor appeared, inviting them into his office. They sat as quickly as they could, feeling as if their legs would fail them at any second.

The doctor read over the results multiple times, unsure of how to approach the situation. Natasha could read his face all too well, but she was holding on to the smallest piece of hope she had left. Clearing his throat, he broke the silence, “Miss Y/L/N, I’ve been over your test results and I'm afraid it isn't good news. The cancer has grown rapidly since your last visit, causing it to spread and attack your other organs. I’m ever so sorry.” Y/N couldn't seem to focus, the room began spinning, the lump in her throat tightened and the doctors words became blurred as it started to sink in.

“H-How many months?” Natasha asked, her voice small and broken. All the doctor could do was shake his head, “Weeks. We recommend chemotherapy to make it easier during her final stages but theres nothing more we can do.”

Nat just stared at him, waiting for him to tell her it was a joke, to tell her it was all going to be okay. Her worst fear was coming true and there was nothing she could do about it. Thanking the doctor, they left without a sound.

Eventually, they reached their home, allowing themselves to show their true emotions. The shock was slowly fading, replacing itself with sadness. Tear stained, puffy eyes were now visible and their bodies shook with their sobs. All they could do was hold each other, clinging on to what time they had together.

Over the next week, they had started to arrange the official things. Starting with the burial options, they had to decide what would happen to her body once she had passed. There were a few disagreements on the cremation or burial decision, but after listening to Y/N’s wish, they came to a decision.

Laying in bed, Natasha pulled Y/N close to her before putting her hand over her heart. The steady rhythm comforted Nat instantly. “Y/N, can I ask you something?” Y/N knew what she was going to ask, she was awaiting the question. “Are you scared?”

Y/N took a deep breath, thinking over her answer momentarily. “Of dying? No. It’s a part of life, its inevitable. I’ll tell you what I am scared of.” Natasha studied Y/N’s face, inquisitive as to what she could be scared of. “I’m scared of what will happen to you once I’m gone. I’m scared that you’ll blame yourself, that’ll you’ll beat yourself up about it so much that you can’t heal. I’m scared you won’t move on and find happiness. I’m scared you’ll be lonely, a-and I don’t want you to be lonely Nat. You’re allowed to grieve, you’re allowed to take as much time as you need but please promise me something? Promise me you won’t dwell on this, remember the good times we had together, not my death. Just promise me you’ll be okay.”

Nat didn’t respond, she wiped away her tears as quickly as she could and pulled Y/N closer. “I promise that I’ll try.”

“That’s good enough for me.”

It wasn’t long before Y/N’s health plummeted. She was deteriorating rapidly and all the team could do was watch. Her frame grew more fragile. Her once vibrant skin was now pale, her luscious locks grew weak and fell from her scalp in clumps, her eyes were sunken in, her body now half the size it used to be. She would spend most of her days in bed, her body unconscious as she slept her days away.

The chemotherapy was terminated, making the process unbearable.

It hurt Natasha to see Y/N like this, all she wanted to do was take her pain away. All she could do was stand by and watch helplessly as she lost her fight.

The weeks went by, and as much as it pained Natasha to admit, the end was nearing. Natasha hadn’t left Y/N’s side in what seemed like forever. Everybody urged her to take a quick shower, or grab a quit bite to eat, but she adamantly refused. She was too scared to leave, fearing she would lose her person.

Tony sat beside Natasha, turning her to face him. “Nat, go get sorted. We’ll let you know if anything changes. You’re not doing yourself any good just sitting here, Y/N would want you looking after yourself. Just nip out quickly, she’ll be right here when you get back.”

Natasha looked from Tony, to Y/N. Through Y/N’s shallow breathing, she managed to croak out a few words, although they were almost whispers, “Tasha, I-I’ll be okay.”

Natasha was hesitant, but she kissed Y/N’s forehead and told her she would be back shortly, before walking out of the room and heading to the shower.

Y/N lay there, her breathing getting more shallow by the second. “T-Tony?”

“I’m right here, sweetheart. Everything okay?” His face was now etched with concern. She weakly shook her head. “I-I think it’s time…”

“No! Y/N, not without Tasha. Not yet, please,” he tried to bargain, hoping and praying for you to hold on a little bit longer.

“I-I need you to tell T-Tasha something… I-I need you to tell her that I love her, a-and that she was the best t-thing that’s ever happened to me. I-I need you to look after her, t-to make sure that she’s okay. There’s a letter, in my draw, there’s a letter. G-Give it to her once I’m gone. Promise me?”

The tears traced Tony’s cheeks as he held her hand, the lump in his throat tightening. “I promise.”

Y/N smiled weakly, her eyes feeling heavy as she finally gave in. She took one last breath, before her body relaxed and she let go. Tony’s sobs filled the room, his eyes squeezed shut as he continued to hold her hand.

Steve left to find Natasha, fearing the news he was to bring.

As soon as Natasha caught sight of Steve, realisation dawned on her. She felt the air leave her lungs, her whole world stopping. She ran as fast as her weak, shaky legs could take her, ignoring the feeling of her legs collapsing beneath her. She reached the room quickly, although time seemed to slow down for her.

One look at Y/N’s lifeless body had her kneeling over the bed. “No, no, no, please. You cant do this to me, please. I love you, Y/N, I need you. I need you, please…” her pleas were desperate.she begged, pleaded and cried until she couldn’t anymore. She climbed up onto the bed and pulled her body to her, cradling Y/N in her arms one last time.

When Y/N’s body was taken, Natasha felt numb, empty even. She struggled to process the thought of never seeing her again. Never hearing her laugh, never seeing her smile, never kissing her or even snuggling with her again. She couldn’t do anything, except mourn her.

A week later, it was her funeral. Natasha was getting ready, the concealer barely covering the dark circles that lay beneath her eyes. She finished the look with the red lipstick Y/N adored on her. Her legs felt like bricks as she attempted to walk out of her room. The rest of the team stood waiting, giving her sad, but reassuring smiles.

They made their way to the cemetery, following the horse drawn carriage that transported Y/N’s coffin. It was a short, but agonising journey for the team, especially Natasha.

Upon arrival, Natasha looked across the graves, giving a small smile at the rain that fell heavily. She remembered their first date, it rained and they ran to find cover. They had their first kiss in the rain. She remembered the way Y/N would dance in the rain, a smile gracing her face as she dragged Natasha to join her. It was Y/N’s favourite weather. She was always happiest in the rain.

The team helped Natasha carry the coffin, the weight barely putting pressure on their shoulders as they lifted her through. Eventually, they reached their desired destination and lowered her down, not wanting to let go.

Once everybody was seated, the funeral director stood at the podium and began the service. His words echoed throughout, each person tearing up as he continued on. Soon enough, it was Tasha’s turn to speak. She stood before everybody, wiping her eyes and clearing her throat before starting.

“I would like to start off by thanking you all for being here today. It means a lot to me, and I’m sure it does to Y/N too.

When I first met Y/N, I instantly fell in love with her. She had this energy that seemed to radiate from her, I was intrigued. She had this huge smile, and an adorable laugh and I knew then, I was in trouble. She changed me. She showed me what it was like to be a good person, and to love somebody as much as one possibly could. She helped me see the good in life. She made me a better person, and for that I’m eternally grateful.

She was always such a bubbly person, instantly brightening peoples day, no matter how tough it was. She never let anything get her down. When we discovered she was sick, our worlds were flipped upside down, but she didn’t let it get the better of her. No matter how rough she was feeling, or even towards the end, she never let it get her down. She always made light of the situation.

I’ve been with her for many years, and each day had been a blessing. We had so much we wanted to do. We had planned to get married, have children, and eventually grow old together. She spent the rest of her life with me, but I don’t get to spend the rest of mine with her. My heart breaks each day, when I wake up and she’s no longer there. I love her beyond words can even begin to explain, she is and always will be my person. I will remember her and keep her memory alive, until we can reunite once again.

As much as it pains me to see her go, I know she is out of pain. So, Y/N, I love you, my beautiful Angel.”

There wasn’t a dry eye present, each person allowing the tears to stain their cheeks. They stood over the coffin, watching as it lowered, like an autumn leaf, drifting to the ground. Y/N’s favourite song playing in the background.

The team threw a rose into the grave, along with Y/N’s parents and eventually, Nat. Then, came the soil. After their final goodbyes, everybody made their way to the wake. All, except Nat and Tony. Natasha was standing beside her grave, her eyes falling on all the other headstones, the rain drenching her clothes even more. Y/N was so young compared to the others surrounding her. Tony stood behind her, his hand stretched out to rest on her shoulder, causing her to jump.

She turned to him, before pulling him into a tight hug. “You did her proud.”

“I sure hope so.”

Tony reached into his suit pocket, pulling out an envelope and handing it to Nat. “She asked me to give this to you. She made me promise.” Natasha looked at him, confusion evident on her face. “I’ll leave you alone to read it, I’ll be in the car waiting,” and with that, he turned and walked away, leaving Natasha alone.

Her shaky hands opened it up, pulling the letter out and reading it slowly.

My Love,

If you’re reading this, I’ve lost the battle. And for that, I’m sorry. I wanted to write you this letter, just in case I never got to say goodbye. I hope you know, I never wanted to hurt you and I apologise profusely that you’re going through this. I know, you’re probably rolling your eyes at this, thinking to yourself that it’s not my fault.

From the moment I met you, I knew you were the one for me. You say I helped you in many ways, but you helped me too. You gave me something to fight for, you were a reason not to give up. My reason to not give up.

You’ve stood by me, no matter what. You dealt with the ups and downs of this illness and for that, you are perfect. You’re perfect in so many ways, believe me.

I want you to take care of yourself. Eat properly, sleep properly and stay hydrated. Leave the house, go for a walk, just don’t neglect yourself. Do these things for me. Don’t dwell on my death, just remember the good times we shared, think of the memories we made, the life we have built. Don’t let yourself get all dark and twisty. Let somebody in, the team will always be there for you, you know that.

Tasha, I love you. I always have and always will love you. I’m sorry things have ended this way, it wasn’t fair. But, know that I’m out of pain and awaiting your arrival. You can only arrive once it’s your time. No sooner.

Things will get better for you. Eventually, time will heal all wounds left from my passing. I know it’ll be hard, but I want you to move on. I don’t want you to be alone. Please, don’t be alone. Find a nice girl, settle down, have the life we were supposed to have. The life with the wedding, the kids, the grandkids and the old age. I want you to be happy. You deserve to be happy.

You’ve made me the happiest girl in the world in the years we’ve spent together. The way you make me feel, the way you look at me. I’m completely and utterly in love with you.

I’ll be sure to visit you every now and then, just to let you know that I’m still by your side, watching over and protecting you. I’ll always protect you, just like you did me.

Once again, I love you, Tasha.

Love,

Y/N

P.s. I almost forgot, there’s a ring in the envelope. The same ring I was going to use to propose to you. I want you to have it, after all, it was always going to be yours. I hope it fits!

The tears blurred her vision as she finished the note. She wiped her eyes quickly, sniffling as she pulled the ring from the envelope. She smiled as she looked at it, before sliding it onto her left ring finger. It fit perfectly.

Taking one last look at the place her girlfriend lay, she whispered, “I love you.” And with that, she silently walked back to the car, thanking Tony for the letter as they started their journey to the wake.

As Natasha looked down at her ring, she couldn’t help but give a sad smile. She really did have the best.