#buy a home in 4th quarter

[cloudberry-sims]

A Decade Through Time: The Alderberg Legacy: Year 1613

Sorry for posting this when I promised  , I been feeling unmotivated to post and I just want to play the game 😥

From the Beginning I Currently

It has been 3 months now since Jane Crawford gave birth to her daughter Ruth , and the 19 year old was settling down in the role as a mother and wife quite splendidly.

Rodger , however , was still a bit disappointed that Ruth was not the son he had always imagined himself to have , and the increasing urge to have one was overwhelming. 

Jane would reassured her husband that they were both young , a son would hopefully come with time. But the nagging voice in the back of her head told her otherwise.

It had been a foggy morning 6 months into the year , when young Marion Alderberg was sent to the market to buy materials for her stepmother, when she heard something. 

It was a young man , probably only a few years older then her , playing the fiddle with such grace and ease that made her heart swoon. 

The song was unknown to her , but it was clearly a love balled, for a song that lovely must be about love. Marion felt like she was spellbound by this strangers music. 

When the stopped playing , Marion gave him a coin out of respect and praised his music , asking questions were he was taught. 

The boy blushed and told her that he taught himself on the road, and Marion felt gleeful as she told him that she also  taught herself music , but she was not as good with the fiddle then she was with the lute. They exchanged names as they went to the market- the boys name was Galwell Marston , he was 17 year old musician traveling around SimEngland. It would be the start of a blooming friendship.

Meanwhile back home , Caleb was called by their father while he was tending to the crops.

 Griffyn asked if he would be interested in finally learning carpentry , as he had been too busy to teach his eldest son the Alderberg family trade.

Caleb was hesitant though , as he enjoyed poetry and gardening more then woodworking , but he knew how much it would mean to his father , so he accepted it.

Hours later and Marion returned and started playing the same melody Galwell had on her dear lute with the softest smile on her face. 

Griffyn noticed and asked where she had learned that song from , and he could see her eyes glimmering as she told him about her new friend. 

A pang of paternal protectiveness came over his senses , after all , Marion had her father wrapped around her finger since the day she was born. Yet he didn’t act out on those feelings , only hugged her and told her he was happy she finally found a friend with the same love for music as she. 

During the 3rd quarter of 1613 , at the Horthall Hall , cries of a newborn babe ring out-loud , as Tiecia Horthall gave birth to her first born child. 

With the help of Ursula Calott , Tiecia delivered a healthy and strong son.To honor the man who gave the Horthall’s their wealth and statues ,the boy was named Arthur III. 

Yet when Tiecia looked at her newborn son , she felt worry. Something wasn’t quite right with Arthur , yet  she was unsure what it was and concluded that it must just be the pain from the ordeal clouding her mind . After all , Arthur was just a baby , her little son , he couldn’t be bad... right?

Meanwhile , Marion and Galwell’s friendship were growing fast , as they spend time with one and other discussing music and life happenings. 

Although shy by nature , Marion felt safe and comfortable with the blond musician, and he with her. 

Jokes , laughs and smiles were easy between them and it wouldn't be long before they both fall in love with one and other. It would be their beautiful secret ,for the time being. 

At the beginning of the 4th quarter of 1613 , Jane Crawford went into labor. She was not surprised that it was another daughter. 

Agatha was a very healthy baby , much like her older sister Ruth. Jane , Catherine and Anne couldn’t stop but reminisce over their respective childhoods with their sisters , and hoped that Rutie and Aggie would be as close. 

Meanwhile , at the Kellogg Farm  little Christiana Mildmay turned into a beautiful , sweet little girl. As the youngest child in the household , Christiana was dotted on immensely.  

In the eyes of her mother Parnell , she was the perfect daughter any mother would dream of- friendly and good matured. Parnell hopes Christiana will continue to be her sweet little girl as she grows older. 

At the Dagworth House , young Tobias and Amos spend their days inside their gloomy and dark house with only each others company. 

They hadn’t left home since Jane got married , which didn’t help the mental health of the now 6 year old Amos. The younger Dagworth brother had told Tobias a bunch of alarming stories that made him worry , yet their mother dismissed it as “foolish ramblings”, though he often talked about a lady wandering in their house at night , who was set a blase... 

Speaking of their mother , Mary Dagworth was 30 years old now , and busily writing letters with tutors for her sons , as she wants them to have the best possible education to make her life more comfortable. She contemplating on if she should send Tobias to Praven on his 16th birthday to study at university before marriage, but she had time to decided on that. 

By the very end of 1613 , the Rookwood twins celebrated their 13th birthday. If you look at the twins from afar , many would think they were identical , yet the differences were in the minor details.

Isabel was the the friendly , bubbly twin , who dreamed of the day she would marry and liked to gossip. Many would say she was the prettiest twin out of her and her sister. 

Avis however was the more serious twin - she viewed the world through cynical eyes. The world was big and mysterious with little to no place for woman to study it.    Still , even with their differences they were close as sisters could be. 

:: Cloudberry’s random thoughts ::

Arthur III is a evil baby , so it’s why Tiecia is getting weird vibes from him as she is a good sim. I like to explore the idea of evil: nature vs nurture , like can something be born evil? or is evil taught? 

Btw I will continue having Arthurs in the Horthall branch until the line dies out. Like I want a Arthur X Horthall , because that would be sick. But I will only name a sims Arthur when the last Arthur died , so I won’t be confused. 

Isabel and Avis are both getting married and having children. Since gen 4 are the gen heading towards the colonies and I’m taking half of my sims with me. 

Isabel rolled a 5 for babies , while Avis rolled a 11 for babies , and therefore will be going to the colonies because of the new death rolls for sims have sky rocked for all ages. Basically Avis is my back up in case the dice decides to be evil. 

[megamindsupremacy]

Misc Marvel Fic Recs (Part 5)

Say you don’t know me (or recognize my face) by showmeahero

Daredevil is kind of dark and broody. He doesn't want anyone to know his real name, he never smiles, and he has kind of a loner attitude.

Matt Murdock, on the other hand, is completely unrecognizable to Jessica the first time she really sees him.

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I’ll build a house inside of you by magdaliny

Natalia is stacking blocks very carefully when the adults come into the room. None of them look at her, because they're all looking at her father. He's wearing combat gear, and the hair on the left side of his head is slicked back with blood. He smells like smoke and something unnameable, sweet and dark and a little sickly in her nose.

Father is saying, “Don't be ridiculous. The only thing children are good at is disobeying.”

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Night nurse by whichry9

Danny's the one who sets up and funds the clinic, but Claire's the one who's there night in and night out, patching up those stupid superheroes.

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Coming Home by longforgottenhymn

Fury doesn't missuse the pager - not in his own opinion. Though, he has to admit, sometimes he and Carol have different views on what counts as an emergency.

And then there's the times they agree.

-

Galactic Response Time by SassySnowperson

All the OTHER times Nick Fury texted Carol Danvers.

May 4th, 2012

Get your ASS over here there is an INVASION. Aliens are coming out of the SKY HELP US

May 10th, 2012

"Invasion, Fury, the word you used was invasion! I made it across three quarters of the galaxy in six days! Where are the aliens?"

-

Exclamation, Question, Statement, Command by shipNslash

As a child, Foggy Nelson is diagnosed with a rare, terminal brain disease. Thankfully, a team of scientists is working on an experimental treatment. Foggy bonds with another boy in the trial, Kevin Thompson, whose parents are both doctors. This sets Foggy and Kevin's lives on a path that neither of them would have ever imagined….

Two decades later, Nelson Fogwell, his friend Marci Stahl, and his fiance Matt Murdock are running a “thriving” law office when a Miss Jessica Jones knocks on their door. She's out to stop a man going by the name of Kilgrave and she's looking for his childhood companion that she thinks might be able to help.

A mind-control!Foggy AU with generous helpings of fluff and angst.

-

the identity crisis of one nicholas j fury by sevenfoxes

“… And you should really get your cat spayed,” Earl says smugly, staring at Goose who is resting a few feet away, licking her paw.

Shit.

Goose eats Earl. Nick files an incident report and takes Goose to the lab to wait for her to barf up Earl because Nick is tired of replacing the accent rug in his office. Finance has gotten really stingy with the office budget lately, and Goose’s cat-flerken vomit reeks.

HR assigns Goose her own incident code and installs a BEWARE OF CAT sign on Nick's office door under his nameplate. Earl stops offering unsolicited advice, and Nick buys Goose one of the new expensive horizontal scratching posts that looks like a wave.

Goose looks way too pleased with herself.

--

All the things Goose has eaten and the all the things people have called Nicholas J. Fury, with or without his consent.

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Scrambled by ForgedObsidian

The first message Fury sends Carol is . . . unexpected, in a variety of ways.

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Everyday Superhero by stoneage_woman

When a field trip to Stark Industries ends in disaster, Roger Harrington finds himself faced with an impossible choice. Suddenly, Tony Stark is shoving an NDA in his face while Peter Parker stares at him with terrified, desperate eyes. Nothing in his 13-year teaching career could have prepared Harrington for this, but he knows one thing for sure: ten years ago, he'd stared down into the sightless eyes of a seventeen-year-old girl, and he'd sworn to himself that he would never again lose another student. He's going to do everything in his power to keep that promise now…even if it costs him everything.

Set during and post Spider-Man Homecoming. A realistic field trip story that also explores the long-term consequences of trauma and responsibility, written by a real-life teacher.

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What is the Lifespan of a Flerken? by csmithman

The intertwined lives of Nick Fury, agent of SHIELD, and Goose, Flerken. How did these two spend the years between Captain Marvel and Infinity War?

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this one goes out to all the children of the stars by GrimRevolution

Sometimes it takes space to teach the lessons we all need: that light continues endlessly even after its source is gone, that each breath is a measure of the infinite, and that, in all the miracles of the universe, matter came together to create you.

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[totallyhussein-blog]

Join The Wolf of Baghdad on a journey into Iraqi-Jewish history

In the 1940’s, a third of Baghdad’s population was Jewish. Within a decade nearly all of Iraq’s 150,000 Jews had fled. The Wolf of Baghdad is a graphic memoir of a lost homeland and a wordless narrative for a home never visited, with its own original soundtrack of Judeo-Arabic and Iraqi music recorded by the ground-breaking band 3yin.

The Wolf of Baghdad is a unique audio-visual journey through a Jewish family’s memories of their lost Iraqi homeland and speaks to audiences about the little-known story of Iraqi Jews and the NAZI inspired pogrom known as The Farhud. This music based and visual narrative is illuminated by the words and portraits of Carol Isaacs own family, whose stories provide a fascinating insight into the experiences of Baghdadi Jews.

The Wolf of Baghdad film is based on Carol Isaacs book of the same title, which was published by Myriad Editions. The Wolf of Baghdad was included in the Guardian's best graphic novels of 2020. Sandi Toksvig also described it as a book "where you actually fall inside the story. It's wonderful.' Pictured is Carol signing copies at the Manchester Jewish Museum.

The Wolf of Baghdad film had its world premiere in New York in 2020 and it's first screening in Manchester, England, on the 4th Nov 2021. Visitors at the Manchester Jewish Museum were transported from Carol Isaacs current home in London, to her ancestral home in the old Jewish quarter of Baghdad. Audiences encountered ghost-like inhabitants and got to explore Baghdad through their memories.

The Manchester Jewish Museum provided the ideal setting for The Wolf of Baghdad film, especially with the former synagogue having such strong ties with Manchester's Iraqi community. Opening its doors in 1874, as the first Sephardi synagogue in Manchester, Iraqi's who worshipped there included the family of the famous World War One poet Siegfried Sassoon, who came to Britain from Basra in 1858.

The Wolf of Baghdad book and film are available to buy from the Manchester Jewish Museum, 190 Cheetham Hill Rd, Cheetham Hill, Manchester M8 8LW. Both can be purchased online and you can also rent The Wolf of Baghdad film, and have it streamed to your home through Carol Isaacs TSM Cartoons website.

Holocaust Memorial Day takes place on 27th January. You can learn more about the Holocaust at the Auschwitz Museum. You can also develop your understanding of The Farhud at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum and learn more about the Jewish experience in North Africa at Yad Vashem. 

[mortgages-by-mixon-nmls-2450250]

The Benefits of Buying a Home in the 4th Quarter

Spend Christmas in your new home!

1. Less Competition

One of the most significant benefits of buying a home in the 4th quarter is reduced competition. As the year winds down, many potential buyers take a break from house hunting due to holiday distractions or the desire to wait for the new year. This drop in demand often results in fewer bidding wars and more negotiating power for buyers, giving you a better chance of securing your dream home at a favorable price.

2. Motivated Sellers

Sellers who list their homes during the last few months of the year are often more motivated. They may be eager to close before the holidays or before the end of the tax year. This motivation can lead to more flexibility in negotiations, whether it's price, closing costs, or even including furniture and appliances in the sale. If you’re willing to look at homes that have been on the market longer, you might find sellers who are particularly eager to make a deal.

3. Year-End Tax Benefits

Purchasing a home before the end of the year can also yield significant tax benefits. Homebuyers can potentially deduct mortgage interest and property taxes from their taxable income, which can be especially beneficial if the purchase is completed by December 31st. This timing allows new homeowners to take advantage of these deductions in their tax filings for that year, providing potential savings.

4. Seasonal Pricing Trends

Historically, home prices can dip during the winter months. Many buyers believe that spring and summer are the best times to sell, leading to price adjustments as sellers try to attract buyers in the slower season. If you’re in the market during the 4th quarter, you may find more favorable pricing, particularly for homes that have been on the market for a while.

5. Time for Reflection and Planning

Buying a home is not just a financial decision; it’s also an emotional one. The 4th quarter often provides an opportunity for reflection as the year comes to a close. With the holiday spirit in the air, it’s a perfect time to envision your future in a new home, think about your family's needs, and plan for the upcoming year. This reflective mindset can help you make a more informed and thoughtful choice.

6. Favorable Interest Rates

The end of the year may also see more favorable interest rates as lenders look to meet year-end goals. By taking advantage of competitive rates, buyers can secure better financing options, resulting in lower monthly payments over the life of the loan.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while many people overlook the 4th quarter as a prime time for home buying, it presents unique advantages. From reduced competition and motivated sellers to potential tax benefits and favorable pricing, the last months of the year can be an excellent opportunity for homebuyers. If you're considering a home purchase, don’t underestimate the potential benefits of making your move before the year ends.

Contact me today to begin your homebuying journey.

Lanny Mixon - NMLS# 2450250

312 Hemphill St.

Hattiesburg, MS 39401

601-336-6862

lmixon@dlhmpa.com

[pint4punt]

A Giant Shopping Spree: Which Teams Should Plunder New York Before the Trade Deadline

We’re sorry Giants’ fans the party is officially over. What Brian Daboll accomplished in 2022 was nothing short of sensational, but as is often the case with incredible stories, the sequel simply doesn’t live up to its predecessor.

At 1-3 and dead last in a highly competitive NFC East along with a gauntlet of a schedule on the horizon, New York’s chances of making the playoffs went out the door with the Giants’ fans who left early in the 4th Quarter last Monday. We considered writing a follow-up to our previous rendition of “How Fucked are the Giants?” from a few years ago, but riding a nice buzz, we decided to focus on a more positive theme. Putting New York Football fans out of their misery for 2023! With this year’s campaign lost, it’s clearly time for the Giants to look to the future……and for competitive teams to raid their roster like Fantasy Waiver Wires!

Today we’ll highlight the best players on the Giants’ roster and which teams we think should rescue them. So grab your credit cards and leave your better judgement behind as we go on a Giant shopping spree!

Saquon Barkley

Let’s start with the most obvious. Saquon is far and away the Giants’ best player. And in a market in which no team (including the Giants) wants to pay Running Backs, it has to be beyond tantalizing for teams to pick up a rental with the pedigree of Saquon Barkley for a potential championship run. Just imagine if Hailee Steinfeld wanted to give you the night of your life, buy you breakfast the next morning, and wish you a nice life. Yeah, that’s what every GM in the league is picturing when imagining a Barkley acquisition.

So what teams should be in the mix for Barkley’s services?

Buffalo Bills:

Having just throttled the Dolphins, the Bills look every bit the Super Bowl contender Vegas penned them as last year. But what happened last year? They came screaming out the gate only to lose momentum and put entirely too much on their superhuman QB’s shoulders late in the year.

So what better way to avoid that same fate than with the injection of a dynamic rushing threat with legitimate pass catching ability a la Christian McCaffrey for the 49ers? Even when the coverage is too tight to throw downfield to Diggs, Davis, Knox, or Kincaid, with Barkley in tow, Defenses will have to account for more than just Allen gashing them underneath. Sure they have other backs, but with all due respect, none of them are Saquon Barkley.

Kansas City Chiefs:

Do the Chiefs need Barkley? Lol no not at all. They just won the Super Bowl after everyone wrote them off in light of the Tyreek Hill trade. But that being said, they lost their home opener largely due to not having a credible threat outside of Travis Kelce who wasn’t available.

Mahomes is used to making due with subpar Receivers so why not lean into it and be a run first team? Defenses having to deal with fresh legs from Barkley and Pacheco while worrying about whatever dark magic Mahomes is concocting that week would have them all doing ayahuasca by the end of the day to cope with the PTSD.

Baltimore Ravens:

Is there an Offense in the league more fitting for Saquon Barkley than the Baltimore Ravens? Having lost J.K. Dobbins for the year (again) and dealing with a rash of injuries (again), Barkley would immediately reignite Baltimore’s backfield. Seeing Lamar standing next to Saquon would make most defenses stroke out immediately while opening up the passing game even more for Baltimore’s new look receiving corps.

In an age where blockbuster trades are commonplace and teams are pushing their chips to the middle of the table, why not add one of the best Running Backs in the league to the league’s top ranked Red Zone Offense? While the league will hate it, OBJ and Ravens’ fans alike will be thrilled with the reunion.

Darren Waller

Elite options at Tight End are few and far between. And while Waller has struggled to stay healthy and make an impact in Big Blue (who hasn’t) he was a revelation for the Raiders and is a Red Zone nightmare.

But 4 weeks in, it’s very apparent that Waller is wasting away in the Big Apple while royally pissing off his Fantasy Football managers. So what teams would benefit from a big ass physical mother fucker when the field shrinks? Well frankly all of them, but these ones more than others.

Jacksonville Jaguars:

Trevor Lawrence was viewed as generational when he came out of college. And while the Urban Meyer saga is most definitely still the primary topic of his therapy sessions, his growth in his sophomore season led many to believe he was due for a breakout year especially with the addition of former 2nd Team All-Pro and Gambling Addict Calvin Ridley. Well a month into the 2023 season, Lawrence’s offense ranks 26th in Red Zone Efficiency.

While this isn’t all Lawrence’s fault and the offense as a whole is struggling to execute in key moments, adding a weapon like Darren Waller will give Defenses so much more to account for while pulling coverage away from the rest of his weapons. Plus, it’s evident Lawrence loves throwing to his Tight Ends with Evan Engram netting the second most targets on the team (29) so far this season. The Jags already resurrected one Giants’ Tight End, who’s to say that can’t do the same for Waller?

Kansas City Chiefs:

We know, we’re sick of seeing them too. But let’s be honest, two Tight End sets with Kelce and Waller would be devastating for opposing Defenses and who better to get the absolute most out of Waller than Mahomes and Andy Reid. The Chiefs are currently the definition of mid in the Red Zone (16th) and their pass catchers have had more dropped balls than a middle school locker room. Waller would force Defenses to focus on someone other than Kelce and open up even more fuckery for the league’s most diabolical duo.

Houston Texans:

That’s right, 4 weeks in, the 2023 Houston Texans are a team that should bolster its talent right now! CJ Stroud has been a revelation and is a breath of fresh air for the team that harbored, paid, and protected a rapist. Less than a quarter into his rookie season, Stroud is already throwing for over 300 yards/game, has yet to throw an interception, and is on pace to shatter Andrew Luck’s rookie passing record.

Whether that is sustainable or not remains to be seen, but the early returns could not be more encouraging for Houston and they should be all-in on helping accelerate this kid’s development. They’re also 31st in Red Zone efficiency yet sitting at 2-2 along with the rest of the AFC South. With a playoff berth in Head Coach Demeco Ryan’s first year well within reach, it seems criminal not to address one of their fundamental flaws and go on an inspired run to set the tone for the new regime.

New Orleans Saints:

Derek Carr was brought in to fix the Saints’ dog shit Offense. Well he currently holds a 45.2 QBR (24th in the league) and New Orleans is dead last in Red Zone Efficiency. But hey change can be hard sometimes and Carr was clearly playing hurt last weekend. So why not make the transition to the Big Easy, well….easy!

Waller played his best football with Carr as his Quarterback and adding a familiar face who understands Carr’s tendencies to an Offense already featuring Chris Olave, Michael Thomas, and their dipshit, yet dynamic Running Back, Alvin Kamara would certainly boost those Red Zone numbers. The NFC South is a three horse race and the Saints could use a little giddy up.

Think we missed someone? Feel free to throw out your suggestions in the comments of who else should get the fuck out of New York before their career dies!

[yakourinka]

I lied, we took the bus because it was the most financially feasible option, and he hated every second of our 30 minute trip. he made sure everyone on the bus knew he hated it here. then I missed my stop and we had to walk

we went to a public animal hospital. public in that it's ran by a public university's vet studies department. because financial feasibility etc. prices are like a quarter of a private vet so that's great, but also this is a Hospital where everything ranging from wildlife to cattle gets taken to, so the waiting times are. long. and it's a challenge getting an appointment. and the way they operate is they have one Actual Doctor and several interns/4th years tailing them and doing simpler procedures

so we're one cat, one doctor, five interns and myself in a room. someone has to draw blood. one asks me if he's nice - the cat, I mean - and I admit I have no idea because it's his first time at a vet, but he doesn't particularly like people. like in general. one of the interns wears these elbow length leather gloves and all five move to hold the cat down. someone's holding him by his ass. another's got his head. one's just lightly touching one of his feet. everyone looks like they're participating. the cat shows no intention of resisting, probably more confused than anything. then they're done and the gloves intern is like alright man go back to your cage and my cat, mysteriously, complies

the Actual Doctor then asked me if I wanted them to administer the antiparasitics - costs extra - or if I'd rather buy the drug directly and do it myself at home. so obviously I was like yeah I'll do it myself my guy. great place. had to fork out the cash for a cab home because I was going to die. they told me he was a delight to have btw

he was very brave today. congratulate him

[thewineauctionroom]

New Post has been published on https://wineauctionroom.com/report-on-late-summer-auction-announcing-the-date-of-autumn-live-auction-2023/

Report on Late Summer Auction & Announcing the Date of Autumn Live Auction

Our Late summer online auction closed on Sunday, March 05 with a flurry of activity, the results of which summed up the first quarter of 2023 beautifully.  This sale featured wines from a range of regions and was studded with exemplary wines from each. The top bids from this auction spanned a diverse range of regions, a sharp contrast to 2022 when Burgundy, Champagne, and Bordeaux dominated the leading sales list. We are only three months into 2023, but these distinct results confirm our view that wines with better relative value will play a significant role in upcoming auctions. Before we head into the line results of this auction, we wish to extend a heartfelt thank you to our community. Through your hearty bidding and generous spirit, we are thrilled to have made a tidy donation on your behalf to the Red Cross Appeal for the New Zealand Disaster fund.

The highest hammer win went for 2005 E. Guigal La Landonne at $893, also from Guigal, its 2013 La Mouline sold for $470. For the first time, Riesling featured in the top 3 sales, 2007 Egon Muller Scharzhofberger Riesling Auslese achieved $470; from the same vintage and producer, its 2007 Spatlese sold for $293.75.

Burgundy, once again, was the best-performing region overall. 1999 Domaine Jean Grivot Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru also reached $470, followed by 2010 Domaine Taupenot Merme Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru at $423, and 2003 Pascal Lachaux Chambertin Grand Cru at $376. 2008 Domaine Francois Lamarche Echezeaux Grand Cru and  2010 Domaine Taupenot Merme Mazoyeres-Chambertin Grand Cru both sold for $352.50.

No auction is complete without Penfolds, 1997 Penfolds Grange Bin 95 was snapped at $587.50. 1998 Jim Barry Armagh sold for $352.50; both its 1987 and 1990 vintage sold for $293.75. Syrah blends from home, 2014 Craggy Range Le Sol reached $152.75.

One of New Zealand’s flagship Bordeaux blends, Te Mata Estate Coleraine from its iconic vintage 1998 scored $305.50. 2008 Vieux Chateau Certan (Bordeaux) sold at the same price of $305.50.

Being the most established segment of the fine wine market, Bordeaux has seen slower performance over the past year yet remains the most stable region for growth in the last decade. This means it’s a great time to buy and bank these Bordeaux wines now, as prices will likely increase again.

Thank you again for the participation and long-term support from our lovely wine community. Our next auction will be a LIVE/online event on Tuesday 4th April at Caro’s Wine 14 Mackelvie Street, Grey Lynn from 6pm. The catalogue is now available for viewing. Be sure to subscribe to our newsletter and be the first to know about future auctions.  As usual, this auction will be streamed live on auctions.wineauctionroom.com and absentee bids are welcome before and during the auction.

[hakesbros]

Craigslist: Las Cruces Jobs, Apartments, For Sale, Companies, Neighborhood, And Occasions

Take the first step in direction of owning the home you like. This duplex has just been just lately renovated with new refrigerated air systems new homes las cruces for each rental units. New cupboards and granite counter tops in kitchens of both units.

Centennial Care began on January 1, 2014 with providers offered by 4 managed care organizations . These providers include physical well being, behavioral health, long-term care and group benefits. In addition to backed leases, the town also helps up to 35 households a yr by giving out no-interest loans up to $50,000. According to the town, there are currently 250 reasonably priced models beneath building. While O’Donnell mentioned there’s not one resolution, she talked about giving monetary help may help.

The Trails at Metro features superbly designed open, flexible plans for a selection of lifestyles. Our bright, open-concept homes are surrounded by a big selection of amenities that embrace world-class golf, group parks, and inspiring views. Redfin is redefining real property and the house buying course of in Alameda Depot with industry-leading expertise, full-service agents, and decrease fees that provide a greater worth for Redfin consumers homes for sale in las cruces new mexico and sellers. Here you can see all of the homes for sale in Las Cruces NM. We offer all the latest listings, correct data, and up-to-date property particulars throughout the Las Cruces area. According to the latest knowledge launched by the Santa Fe affiliation of realtors, town of Santa Fe median home worth rose by about 14% from the 4th quarter of 2021 to this quarter. Median homes costs jumped from nearly $535,000 to more than $608,000.

IDX data is offered completely for customers' private, non-commercial use and will not be used for any objective aside from to determine potential properties shoppers could additionally be excited about purchasing. Copyright© 2022 REALTORS® ASSOCIATION OF NEW MEXICO and the NEW MEXICO MULTI-BOARD MLS, INC. All rights reserved. With Beleta, finding the property of your dreams has by no means been really easy. You will receive glorious homes for sale in las cruces nm service from our community of premium real estate brokers. We have an in depth variety of choices for financial institution owned homes in Las Cruces, however in addition to the name Bank Foreclosures Sale, a huge part of our listings belong to authorities institutions. You will discover Las Cruces HUD homes for sale, Freddie Mac foreclosures, Fannie Mae foreclosures, FHA properties, VA foreclosures and other forms of presidency repo homes in Las Cruces, NM.

Just add to your cart and your online order will be delivered right to your own home. You'll get quality John Deere products and enjoy nice financial savings. From the Z300 Series all the way as much as the Z700 Series, command your terrain with pace, precision, and a smile on your home builders in las cruces face. Information regarding 2023 ought to be considered a ''work in progress''. Prior yr information is informational only and doesn't essentially mirror the values certified to the tax office. Every inquiries I place are dealt in a timely method.

Love the customer support, the buildings are very sturdy. We just lately bought a Graceland constructing with some custom options. We have made it into our rooster coop and garden storage building. The Yoakum TX dealer helped make our project precisely what we needed. Coming from everywhere in the world, our IKEA co-workers share a particular set of values and a vision to enable individuals to reside a better, extra sustainable on an everyday basis life.

Join True Value Rewards for points, coupons, and unique member provides. Chase the coolness and save with these energy-efficient ideas. Dudley referred to as New Mexico's 'grandmother of childhood improvement' ABQnews Seeker An creator, poet and photographer, Mary ... An author, poet and photographer, Mary Neary Dudley died unexpectedly at a neighborhood hospital on Jan. 27.

Square footage and measurements noted are approximate. All drawings of exteriors and ground plans are artist’s renderings and will range from actual product. Plans are subject to vary to comply homes for sale las cruces with metropolis ordinances. Placement of home on lot is finished at sellers discretion. All info on this flooring plan is subject to alter without notice.

[woodfinder8754]

2 Properties And Homes To Let In Johannesburg, Gauteng

Here we show our status as go-to counsel for actual estate transactions for a broad vary of high-profile investors in the sector, together with leading funds. Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr is representing Total South Africa, the leading South Africa-based power company. Our real estate team is advising Total South Africa on quite a few acquisitions of filling station websites, in South Africa and elsewhere in Southern Africa.

A mere 2 km from Sandton Square and Sandton City, it is obvious that Sandton’s sophistication has spilt over to Sandown making it a sought-after address, notably among business-minded people. The South African Residential Real Estate Market is Segmented by Type and City . The report offers market measurement and forecasts for the South African Residential Real Estate Market in Value . The nation residential estates johannesburg's demographics present that 15.6 million South Africans are aged 20 to 34. With the right economic opportunities, some of them might be coming into the market as first-time buyers.

You can find a incredible mix of african food, fashion and design in what has turn out to be the guts of Jozi metropolis life. Dainfern, Fourways Gardens, and Cedar Lakes are a few of the greater ones which are built round golf courses, and have very worldwide, transient communities. Randburg, Northcliff Northcliff is a wealthy and exclusive residential suburb of Johannesburg, South Africa. The suburb is located on Northcliff Ridge which presents views of the Central Business District on one side, and the leafy northern suburbs on the opposite.

In spite of the fact that the area is mostly residential, 4th Avenue is a historical a half of Parkhurst, providing as strip of eating places, cafes, décor and design and antique retailers. It holds a special buzz for all ages, and you will usually see folks strolling their canines, biking and having fun with the streets and avenues of Parkhurst. Research reveals that the spectre of apartheid city design continues to haunt South Africa’s cities and plays a central position within the country’s most urgent current issues.

It can be presumably due to the massive number of first-time consumers buying a home in Gauteng. Freehold properties have declined from practically 90% of all sales to simply over two thirds – with sectional title sales exhibiting sturdy growth. In 2003, sectional title properties accounted for simply residential estates johannesburg 8% of complete transactions however by 2018 this had risen to 22%. We are a group of dynamic property consultants who have a ardour for people and actual estate. We facilitate the selling of residential and industrial properties, and we also act as managing agents for rental properties.

The area now has more prime grade offices than anyplace else in South Africa, with the whole provide having exploded from 1,000 square metres in 2010 to 95,000 in the first quarter of 2019. While there’s no prospect of the Leonardo changing into a white elephant, Smith says he’s “not convinced” that the constructing will prove to be an excellent financial funding. Political analysts recommend that it'll residential estates johannesburg solely be after the elections that we will see any actual political course coming into the system – resulting in momentum in path of resolving the assorted problems SA faces. However, Ramaphosa’s Investment Summit noticed the announcement of R134.1-billion in new investments in South Africa by the non-public sector, which augurs nicely for job creation and our native economic system.

State of the artwork convention facilities permit for group building and communication in a personal tranquil surroundings. The City of Johannesburg’s Spatial and Development Framework is the City’s master spatial improvement plan that, in essence, governs the Mashabas’ backyard shack, the gated security estates mushrooming on the suburban edges of town and every thing in between. The SDF acknowledges the legacy of apartheid and prescribes centrally situated, mixed-income residential developments as an antidote. Nestled between Sandhurst and Parkmore, you will find the Sandton gem of Hurlingham. Falling within the CBD, its neighbour Craighall is an indication of its upmarket status.

Serviced by Beyers Naude Drive and Rivonia Drive, residents have easy accessibility to surrounding areas, as Johannesburg and Sandton’s Centre is a 12 km and four km drive respectively. Pareto Limited is a South African property funding firm that acquires regional purchasing facilities & mixed-use developments in SA. Parkview is built around a lovely park, and similarly to Parkhurst has an exquisite strip of shops and low shops . Parkview is more of a household suburb, built around George Hay park, which plays host to many neighborhood events hosted by the superb main and secondary colleges in partnerships with the Parkview Residence Association. Close to business district, near the main shopping center, and the Gautrain to commute to Pretoria or the airport. Vereeniging, Vereeniging Central Vereeniging is a metropolis located in the south of Gauteng province, South Africa, located the place the Klip River empties into the northern loop of the Vaal River.

[okpow]

NFL Week 10 2022 Picks Against the Evil Las Vegas Point Spread - Brownie the Elf Edition

(above: APOLOGIZE. NOW.)

We are already at the halfway point of the regular season and you still haven’t visited the top primary care clinic in North Dallas.... 

Seahawks vs Punished Tom Brady LIVE FROM BAD FOOD WORSE WEATHER MARY FUCKIN POPPINS LONDON - Bucs by 3

Tom Brady, Steph Curry, et al just lost a bunch of money in a crypto scam AND NOW BRADY HAS TO FLY TO LONDON TO PLAY COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR AND RUSS-WILSON-EXPOSER GENO SMITH. How will Brady’s ancient body handle the jet lag and endless bangers and mash he will be forced to gorge on in lieu of nutrient-rich Tampa-area child’s blood? Chris Godwin catches 2 tuddies and the Bucs cover if you buy down to 2.5. Seattle has probably over-performed this season and the Bucs have probably underperformed. So far....

Broncos at Titans - Tits by 2.5

Not sure who is under center for Tennessee this week but it’s not good either way. Somewhere over the hills AJ Brown is laughing. Over on an absurdly low 36 point total?

Cleveland Brownie the Elfs vs Fantasy Football Savior Mike McDaniel’s Fins - Dolphins by 5.5

Tyreek Hill is on pace for like ALL THE SINGLE SEASON RECEIVING STAT RECORDS. He’s so hot right now! At some point the Dolphins have to chill out a little with the fantasy goodness and someone has to put their foot down. This week, that foot is the Cleveland Brownies. Browns keep it close and this game does not go over the implied total of 48.5 points.

Saints at Steelers - Saints favored by 1.5

Now here’s a home dog I can get behind BECAUSE THE NFL MAKES NO SENSE. Najae Harris scores 3 TDs on 42 yards rushing. Steelers. Money line. Don’t care.

Loins at Burrs LIVE FROM THE WINDY CITY - Bears by 3

This is what soycucks might call a YUMMY HECKIN NFC NORTH DIVISIONAL GAME. And for once, they’d be right. I started to type “because nothing makes sense, the Lions win” but I had to delete it. I can’t. I just can’t. Even if Fields chills out a little there’s no way the Lions win on the road. Their defense IS THAT FUCKING BAD.

Vikings at THE SUDDENLY CRUMBLING BILLS - Bills by 3.5

If Josh Allen can’t play, and I assume this is already factored into the above point spread, VIKINGS MONEY LINE ALL DAY. Buffalo fans spend the rest of the day sitting in darkness listening to Johnny Cash’s cover of “Hurt” on repeat.

Texans at Giants - Giants by 5

Saquon Barkley profiles as THE DAILY FANTASY RB PLAY OF THE YEAR in this spot. It’s that juicy. Massive meltdown potential for the Texans here, I think this line should be closer to 7. Giants cover.

Jags at Chiefs - Over/Under 50 points

I like the Over here. I mean the Chiefs will score 30. Jags garbage it up against soft prevent defense. Wash rinse repeat. Is this the Kadarius Toney “Tyreek who?” eruption game?

Colts at Raiders - Disaster Bowl 2022 - Raiders by 7

In a brilliant tank-job, the Colts have hired their former center to coach out the rest of the season lol. This entire game vibe is a disaster. Raiders should win by a touchdown and the Colts might have the worst offense in the league right now.

Cardinals vs Rams - Rams by 1.5

At some point the Rams figure things out, no? Relatively speaking anyway. Kyler Murray will do his usual “nothing for 3 quarters and then two garbage TDs in the 4th in a losing effort” routine but I’m thinking Rams cover here.

Cowboys at Packers from Scenic Lambeau - Cowboys by 5

PACKERS MONEY LINE.

[wlwbookshelf]

WLW BOOKSHELF: JANUARY RELEASE ROUNDUP

Hi! A little late, but here is our round up WLW of books that were released/will be released in January!! Releasing this month are: Fiona and Jane - JEAN CHEN HO - 4th Jan All of You Every Single One - BEATRICE HITCHMAN - 4th Jan The Bone Spindle - LESLIE VEDDER - 11th Jan Love Somebody - RACHEL ROASEK - 11th Jan Full descriptions are available under the cut! Please tag #wlwbookshelf with any reviews, creations or recommendations!! (And if possible buy from an independent bookstore 💖)

[formenis]

Hi there! I can to request a one shot where the reader is jealous because BB has been looking at someone too much or something like that. Please and thank you!

Yes, of course dear~ I love writing B ♥

.

.

TITLE: SIGHT

pairing: Beyond Birthday x jealous!gn!reader

|| warning: major spoilers of the novel "The Los Angeles BB murder cases" / jealousy / slightly yandere behaviour / a not very healthy relationship ||

When B left the Wammy's House on May 2002 for the States he felt a bit out of place: he was alone in a foreign and far country. Luckily that feeling lasted less than five minutes once at the Los Angeles airport. He had only one goal in mind: to surpass L, the greatest detective in the world, as the "World's Greatest Criminal," giving him a case that B hoped he would be unable to solve.

June just started few days ago when B's life changed in a way he would never imagined. He was in a beauty store, he needed to buy a new foundation and few eye pencils in order to maintain his heavy mask of L's lookalike. B was waiting for his turn at the cash register and he was the only boy there.

All the girls (and women) were secretly looking at him trying to understand if those products were for him or for a female partner or relative. And maybe the oldest ones were mentally insulting him because "boys should not wear makeup". As if B read those thoughts he turned his head towards those women to glare at them: his dull black eyes always made people look away in fear. A voice, however, distracted him.

«Sir? It's your turn»

B looked in front of him once again and noticed the cashier was right so he walked closer to them, scattering the products on the conveyor belt. The cashier, someone with H/C hair and S/C skin, smiled kindly at him while doing whatever a cashier did, B didn’t care and looked away just to read people's names above their heads.

«Sir? If you're interested, we have a lighter shade of this foundation»

At those words B turned to look at the cashier one more time. Since L was really pale, lighter was better.

«Really? I saw nothing at the display cabinet» B replied with a raised eyebrow but the cashier couldn’t see it since his face was partially hidden by a cap.

«It's because we hadn’t the time to organise it but it is available. Do you want to see it?»

«Yes»

The E/C coloured cashier nodded at him and whispered something to a girl next to them. In few instants that girl opened the register next to them so the other clients could pay for their shopping there.

In the meantime, B thought about his plan: everything was perfectly set (the crime scene, the Wara Ningyo, the victim's name and his cover), nothing will go wrong. He smirked at the perfection of his project, he couldn’t be more satisfied.

«There it is, sir. Do you want to try it?» the cashier came back, in their hands a tiny bottle of foundation way lighter than the one B chose before. The once L's successor nodded and extended his right hand so the cashier could apply a small quantity of foundation on it, with circular motions.

«The ideal is to test the product on the side of your jaw but I believe this shade suits you well, sir. It's almost invisible on your hand»

B, however, wasn’t focused on the foundation in that moment. When the cashier's fingers touched his hand he felt a strange sensation. It was like…flames, as if he touched the fire with bare hands. He wanted…to feel it…once again…

«You're right, I think I'll take this» B masked his emotions with a fake smile and the cashier nodded at his reply. While they were busy with his products, B's eyes couldn’t look away from his right hand. The foundation was still there and he caressed it with the thumb. Something about that simple gesture upset him…in a positive way, maybe?

«It's $22.13, sir»

Without saying another word, B payed for his shopping and left the beauty shop. Before leading back home, he glanced inside the shop. He could read above the cashier's head two words: Y/N L/N. And then a date.

"Your death is so far from now, Y/N…you're lucky".

.

.

.

It was August 2002 and Believe Bridesmaid was already dead. B was rather satisfied about his job, nobody interrupted him during the murderer. Not even when he re-dressed the victim after the post-mortem mutilation.

Something, however, didn’t go as he planned. This "something" was Y/N. A part of B's brain yelled things like "Don’t distract yourself!" or "Focus on L not them"; but the other half pushed him to know Y/N more. He went in that beauty shop as much as he could even though he didn’t buy anything.

Despite his unique personality, B and Y/N started to get along. Poor Y/N ignored the fact that more than once B followed them home and he even spied on them different times.

«Ryuzaki! Did you hear?» an afraid Y/N appeared from the service entrance of their beauty shop. It was a sort of habit for B (or Ryuzaki as he introduced to Y/N) to join them after work.

«Hear what, Y/N?» he asked while putting his hands in the pockets of his faded jeans. Even though he always walked hunched over he was still taller than Y/N.

«A famous writer died!» they put the shop's keys in their bag and started to walk back home with Ryuzaki beside them.

«Yes, I heard that. It happened few weeks ago, right?»

Y/N nodded, they seemed quite shocked. «I read all his books, I can't believe someone killed him»

«Yeah…Los Angeles is becoming a dangerous place»

.

.

.

August 4th was close and B had to kill again. He managed to realise all the riddles and the three Wara Ningyo he had to leave on the scene. However, something was missing: the victim itself. He decided he would take advantage of a walk he wanted to take with Y/N. They needed a break from work and B suggested to spend some time at the park.

Once surrounded by peace and trees, however, Y/N noticed something strange on Ryuzaki. Something that made them…boil with jealousy.

Since the moment they met Ryuzaki at the beauty shop, Y/N felt something for that strange "un-private" detective. They didn’t care about his peculiar behaviour or particular taste about food: his deep black eyes, the way his thin lips curved in a smile each time he saw them and his intellect…he knew so many things, Y/N wondered where he studied all that.

Ah, poor Y/N. They were completely unaware of Ryuzaki's real self. They knew the pale, slouched "un-private" detective and not the bloodthirsty and ferocious serial killer.

They admitted they started to feel…attracted by the man. Y/N didn’t know it was simple friendship or…something else.

Back to the park, Y/N noticed a strange attitude of Ryuzaki. Since the two of them started to walk towards the park, the man was staring intensely at all women (and even men) that passed next to them. It looked like he was searching for someone in particular.

«Are you alright Ryuzaki?»

The un-private detective turned towards Y/N and smiled. «Yes Y/N» and then he came back at staring at people as nothing happened…as if Y/N wasn’t there with him.

He looked at people down on with such intensity that Y/N had the feeling he was imagining something in his head. He even smirked from time to time.

«I wish you would look at me in the same way…» Y/N said in a whisper.

«I don’t know what that was about, but I love seeing you all riled up» at that answer Y/N turned towards him. Did he hear them?

Ryuzaki was looking at them with curiosity, a thumb over his lips. The wind messed up his (already ruffled) hair and his weird sitting position - with his knees pulled up against his chest- made him bigger than usual.

Y/N's cheeks turned pink and looked away embarrassed. Geez, Ryuzaki heard them…

They were so focused on their gaffe that they didn’t notice the man moved an arm around their shoulder in a cute attempt to hug them. That gesture took Y/N aback but hugged him back almost immediately, sensing the intoxicating scent of strawberry jam of his clothes.

«I would never reserve that kind of look on you, Y/N. You're far too…» and B paused, trying to find the right word to not to make them suspicious about his behaviour. «…important for me»

Y/N silently sighed in relief and stood trapped in the hug for a while. They were unaware, however, that B found the person he was searching for: Quarter Queen, August 4th 2002. At that sight he grasped with force at Y/N's shoulder…finally, his second victim.

Y/N interpreted that grasp as a gesture of Ryuzaki to remark what he said before, that they were important to him so they didn’t notice the strange, dangerous look on his face.

«Trust me, Y/N…you don't wish to be looked like that by me»

[let-them-read-fics]

Yours Truly (Pt. 2)

Requested By: Some of you!

Pairing: Jisoo x Fem!Reader

AU: College

Word Count: Part 1 -> 9,786 // Part 2 -> 7,433

Warnings / Misc. -- Angst, Pining, Fluff

Disclaimer: This writing is a work of fiction, and no disrespect is meant for those mentioned herein.

A/N: Here's the second and final part of the imagine, gang. I hope you enjoy the adventures I wrote for you! Let me know about your fav part(s)!

♡ Happy Reading ♡

Part 1 -- Click Here

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

5.) Epiphanies

A Week Later

"Yuqi, why the hell did you drag me here? I'd so much rather be writing…" you shove your hands further into the pockets of your hoodie and look at her with a scowl. Rows of people fill the bleachers around you, everyone excited for the football game that's scheduled to start soon. Happy couples sit together all around the stadium, and the sight only works to remind you of how weird things are with Jisoo right now.

"One: it's a Friday night and you need to let loose, and two: I wanted to come, so you have to tag along by default. The rules of friendship are very simple, Y/N," she trails off, tilting her head at you with a smile. 

"Well I am gonna go get some food," you imitate her, "Do you want anything?" You stand from the bench and look down at her, noticing how her permed hair sticks up in a few different places. You smooth it out for her as she answers, "Nachos, please." 

"Alright, dork. I'm sure the line's kinda long, but come look for me if I'm not back in 20." She pats your butt as you leave, and you just shake your head with a smile. 

"--I know! Did you hear about Lee's new girlfriend? I heard she got in a fight with his ex last ni--"

"I'm fucking starving bro."

"Yeah, they totally hooked up at Jackson's party!"

Various conversations work their way to your ears as you walk towards the back of the line, but you attempt to not get too invested in the gossip. As welcoming as your school tends to be, even it has its fair share of scandals and drama. You've never been one to care about rumors though, and you don't plan to start now.

"I heard that Jisoo likes someone." 

Funny how plans can change in an instant, don't you think? 

You can't find it in yourself to ignore the childish desire to eavesdrop, so you listen in as the line slowly shifts forward with each new customer served, doing your best to be inconspicuous. 

"Supposedly she's been into them for a while but they don't know about it. I guess Lisa is planning to get them together tonight or something, I don't know." You recognize the brunette speaking as Seulgi, a dance major that you share a couple classes with. She's talking to Yeri, whom you've seen a few times in passing. 

That must be why she was defensive about the kiss; she has feelings for someone else. 

"Ooh, that'll be interesting. I can't say that I'm not disappointed, though; now Jisoo's gonna be off the market." The shorter girl frowns, basically reading your mind with her statement. You've never fooled yourself into believing you have a chance with Jisoo, but knowing that she'll be whisked away by some lucky classmate of yours definitely isn't an easy pill to swallow. 

You pass the remaining wait time by imagining who that person may be. Jisoo has a lot of friends, but you've never seen her around campus with any particular love interest; she always puts her studies first, deciding that her education is far more important than any potential relationship.

You remain lost in your thoughts until it's your turn to order.

"Hey Y/N, what can I get for you?" The cashier greets, resetting the register as she grins at you. 

"Hi Yeji," you smile back, happy to see your old friend again after what feels like forever. Your busy schedules have kept you from hanging out much lately, but seeing her now is something you're grateful for. "I'll take two waters, a medium nacho, and 1 hot dog, please." 

"You want everything on it?" She asks in reference to your last request, assuming you still stick with the order you used to go with in your childhood. 

"You know it. And make sure to--"

"--spread the toppings out well. I remember, girl." She says with a wink, turning around to get started on your order. The familiar interaction warms your heart, aided by the idea that some things never change. After she packages your things up in a convenient little container, you thank her and pay, walking away with a promise to meet up at the school's café next week.

About halfway back to your seat, something unexpected happens.

"Rosie, we can't buy out the whole place. This is the 4th trip we've taken back here and the game hasn't even started yet!" You freeze as you round the corner, almost dropping your food as Jisoo's low voice sounds off nearby. 

"Unnie, I didn't even get to eat much of the other stuff at all! Lisa and Jennie stole it and shared it with everyone else," the artist pouts, rolling her hands into fists at her sides like a toddler. 

"Fine. But this is the last trip I'm taking." She warns, rolling her eyes when the Australian attacks her with a flurry of kisses. "Yah! Let's go before we miss something." She says, pushing her off of her with a smile on her face. 

Even her voice makes your heart ache, and it reminds you of what her kiss felt like against your lips. It was short, no doubt, and barely there; but the sparks remain, waiting to be reignited anytime she's around. Maybe you're just destined to pine.

----

"There you are! I was literally about to go steal some food from Shuhua because you were taking so long." 

"Yeah, yeah," you say, sitting down beside Yuqi with the cardboard box in your hands. "You're lucky I love you enough to pay for this. Now I'll have to survive on 3 grains of rice and ramen for the next few weeks." 

"Oh, the struggles of being a broke college student." She says woefully, clutching her hands together in front of her chest to add to the effect. 

"Precisely," you agree, scooting closer to offer her some nachos. When she tries to greedily take the whole tray of them, you're quick to stop her. 

"Ah, ah, ah," you warn, pulling her wrist back down. "We're sharing, chica." She huffs, but eventually settles down and decides to shove her face full instead of protesting anymore. 

Now, with your best friend happily eating, you relax and begin to prepare yourself for the match. 

--

"LET'S GO!" You shout with Yuqi, chanting together as your school's anthem echoes throughout the stadium. The rival team has been behind the entire game, but they closed the gap in the last few minutes and now it's neck and neck. Your band plays loudly to encourage your team, and it seems to be working; they manage to repeatedly hold the others off and keep them from scoring. 

It's the start of the fourth quarter now -- the home stretch. With their spirits still high, your team continues to keep victory out of their opponents hands. The black paint underneath their eyes is really streaked now, showing all the effort and sweat that they've put into the game so far. A beautiful sunset just previously gave way to a rapidly darkening evening sky, allowing some stars to peek out now.

"My high school team sucked; this is epic!" Yuqi says, making you laugh. You tear your eyes away from the heated game to say something to her, but all thoughts soon disappear from your mind and you stop mid-sentence. 

She notices your sudden silence and looks at you, only realizing what's happening once she follows your line of sight. Jeong is standing against the metal fence that borders the track, mingling with everyone at the bottom of the bleachers. That doesn't bother you, but what you see next certainly does; you spot Jisoo beside him, giggling at something he said as he tucks a piece of hair behind her ear. 

"Oh shit," Yuqi breathes out, fully grasping the weight of the situation now. She doesn't even attempt to give him the benefit of the doubt, because he knows how in love you are with Jisoo and yet there he is, flirting away. He's the only other person besides Yuqi who knows of your feelings for the brunette, and you really trusted him with it. Clearly that was a mistake. You blink a few times and set your jaw, quickly looking away as he moves closer to whisper something in her ear over the noise of the crowd. 

"I'm gonna head out to the car. Just let me know who wins," you mumble, brushing past her on your way toward the exit. You know there's no way you'd be able to focus on the game anymore after seeing that, so going is your best option. She catches your arm before you can slip away, and says, "Wait, I'm coming with you. And don't even try to tell me no; I can always watch highlights later. I'm not gonna let you be alone right now." 

Knowing it's pointless to argue anymore, you nod once and wait for her to gather up her trash and coat. "Let's go," she says, taking your hand after tossing her garbage in the can conveniently placed at the end of your row. She squeezes it a few times for reassurance, and a bittersweet smile works onto your lips at the gesture. 

You don't notice how Jisoo's eyes follow you, every fiber of her being yelling at her to go after you. She hates seeing you sad, and although she isn't 100% sure of the reason for it now, all she wants is to cheer you up. 

"So, Jisoo. Do you have any plans after the game?" Jeong smirks, quirking a brow suggestively at his own question. Jisoo grimaces, saying, "Yeah, I do. I have to study." She tries to find you in the crowd again, but it seems that you've already slipped away. 

"We're throwing a party tonight, you should come." He leans a little closer to her, but she takes a step back. The only reason she's even talking to him right now is because Lisa introduced them, and it would be impolite not to. She turns him down, yet again sneaking a glance around the stadium. 

"No wonder Y/N's too chicken to ask you out; you're hard to get, but I don't mind a challenge." Her head whips around at his statement, heart regaining that familiar uptick at the mention of you. "What?" She blinks, not believing her ears. Surely she was just hearing things. 

"I said I don't mind a challenge," his words come out slightly slurred, and the effects of the alcohol he's been drinking are beginning to show themselves in all the wrong ways. The more he talks, the less Jisoo can stand him. "Look, Jeong -- I'm not interested. I'm sure there are other girls here that would love to get to know you, but I'm not one of them. Now, if you'll excuse me," she says, turning her body to the side to maneuver around him and get to the stairs. He lets her go without another word, his pride too bruised to come up with a more fitting response than a muttered insult. 

She makes quick work of getting to the parking lot, where she spots you approaching Yuqi's car, head hanging a bit. Seeing you upset saddens her, and she's determined to find out what's wrong. 

"Y/N! Wait up!" The shout catches your attention, and you slowly spin around. Jisoo begins to jog out to you, and a scoff slips past your lips (though you don't put much effort into stopping it). You're hurt, and half of the reason for your pain is staring right back at you like nothing happened. 

"What do you want, Jisoo?" You sigh, not looking forward to where this conversation will most certainly go.

"I want to talk, Y/N." She's in front of you now, scanning her eyes between yours to gauge your reaction. 

"What is there to say? Just go back to talking to Jeong; you looked like you were enjoying yourself." She can hear the jealousy laced in your tone, and things finally -- finally -- begin to click for her. 

"Is that what this is about?" She asks in reference to your sadness. The question isn't accusatory at all; she's genuinely trying to piece things together. 

A disbelieving laugh leaves you at that. How is she still so oblivious? "Yes, Jisoo, it is. I just had to witness someone who I thought was my friend flirt with my crush. So yeah, that's what this is about." Sensing that she doesn't know what to say, you decide to conclude things for her. This is already pitiful enough, and you'd rather spare the both of you from having the "it's not you, it's me" talk. 

"Look, I get it. You don't like me back, and you were only trying to be friendly by inviting me to the rehearsal that night. Just please, for the both of us, forget it even happened. Forget all of this. It was a mistake, and I won't do it again."

Jisoo hates that you're jumping to conclusions without even knowing her true feelings; you automatically think that she couldn't possibly feel the same, and you use her moment of silence as a form of evidence to prove that. The complete opposite is true, though you'd never give her enough time to straighten out her jumbled thoughts and tell you that. 

She finds her voice when you turn away, and she reaches out to touch your hand. "Stop, you've got it all wrong." Your eyes glance down to your intertwined hands, but you wiggle out of her grip with a heavy sigh. Over your shoulder, you shakily say, "You don't have to pretend for me, Jisoo. I'll be alright. If he makes you happy, then so be it." 

With that, you get in Yuqi's car and tell her to drive away, leaving Jisoo to deal with the sinking feeling in her chest that worsens as the car's tail lights grow dimmer and dimmer in the distance. You're gone, and she really has no idea how to come back from this. 

6.) Broken Hearted

The next few weeks were hell. You avoided Jisoo as much as possible, too embarrassed to face her after what happened and too weak to be close to her again. You'd surely fall even harder if you allowed yourself to grow any closer, so you didn't take the risk. How could you? Falling alone isn't an enjoyable experience, and you've been teetering on the edge of no return ever since that afternoon at the daycare. 

It was hard enough to escape her hold -- her face was everywhere, plastered on ads and bulletin boards all throughout campus, on reminders and sign ups for student council. You used your sick days in order to hide away in your dorm and block out the world, only being comforted by Ryujin when she wasn't busy with her own life or Yuqi when she could spare a few hours. They always made sure to care for you as much as they could, knowing first hand how tough heartbreak can be -- especially with the added stress of schoolwork. 

One person you thought about often was Jeong. Every time he'd cross your mind, dirtying up your brainwaves with the mere notion of himself, you'd grimace. He didn't deserve the attention, and yet you couldn't help but question why he did that to you. He hadn't reached out since that night, likely due to Yuqi giving him a piece of her mind after the game. He made it clear that he wasn't sorry, and that if given the chance, he'd play his cards even better and hopefully score a date with Jisoo. 

Maybe that was the worst part of it all. Hearing that it hadn't just been a stupid thing he did because he was drunk; he realized the weight of his actions, and he'd do it again, over and over, without caring about how you fit into the equation. That football game was simply a turning point, hidden in plain sight as an unassuming night for you to hang out with Yuqi. But you learned more then than you had ever intended to; Jeong's selfish, and he probably never even cared for you in the first place. The idea of that makes you feel dirty -- like you wasted so much of your time with such a horrible person, sticking up for him and defending his name when he wasn't around when he never even deserved that in the first place. You wish you would've known who he really was back then; you would've stayed away. 

Unbeknownst to you, Jisoo was struggling much like you -- minus the whole "betrayed by a best friend" situation. Every time that she showed up in class, she hoped with every piece of herself that you'd walk through the door and grace the room with your presence. You seldom ever did, though -- but when you ran out of free days of absence and were forced to attend class in order to keep your grades up, you never even uttered a word to her. She'd make it a point to ask questions in class, hoping that hearing her voice would bring something out of you, as yours did to her. She longed to talk to you again, if only for a minute; but your resolve remained strong, and her determination grew weaker as the days went by. 

Being the person she is, though, she knew giving up wasn't an option. After a few weeks of that cycle, greeting stands were placed at the front doors of each complex on campus, manned by different members of the council. She came up with a story for the administration on the fly, using her people skills to convince them that it would be good for student morale and getting more people to join clubs. It was a great effort, but she underestimated your avoidance skills; you thwarted her plans again, slipping right through her strategically linked fingers. 

Eventually, she lost hope. She exhausted every option she knew to try, and the girls ran out of new ones as well. Seeing their unnie so upset saddened them, and they did all they could to cheer her up in any and every way they knew how. 

7.) Premiere Night

"Y/N, get up. You're gonna shower and get dressed if I have to force you to do it myself." Yuqi commands, blasting into your room and flipping on the overhead light that shines far too bright for your liking. 

"Mmm," you groan in protest, not even bothering to roll over. 

"I mean it; don't test me, you know I'm true to my word."

"Why, Yuqi?"

"Because we're going to the performance tonight. The big show that everyone has been going on about is premiering, and you're coming with me to see it."

"I can't do that." You say, her words sobering you up from your sleepy stupor.

"I know who the lead is," she informs, already knowing about your reasons for being hesitant, "and that's precisely why we're going. You can't keep living like this, so either go get your girl, or agree to be friends with her and work past what you're dealing with." 

"You sound like a mom at the end of an 80s movie."

"80s movie moms are valid, so I'll take that as a compliment. Now go!" She shouts, shoving you off the bed. You tumble to the floor in a heap of blankets and pillows, still managing to hit your funny bone as you let out a pained groan. 

"Remind me to slap her later, Ryujin." 

"Will do." She salutes, reaching a hand down to help you up. With one last glare at an annoyingly bubbly Yuqi, you head to the bathroom to shower. 

----

"How do I look?" You ask, looking yourself up and down in the skinny mirror attached to the wall. 

"Is it gay if I say I'd ask you out?" Yuqi asks with a smile, fanning herself animatedly when you strike a pose. 

"Very much so, yes." 

"Well, hand me the rainbow suspenders, then." 

You push her over with a laugh -- the first real one you've shared in a while -- and wrap her in a hug. 

"Thank you, for real. I don't know where I'd be if I didn't have you." You say against her shoulder, pulling back to look at your roommate and add, "Either of you." The three of you settle in for a group hug and tell a few more jokes before Yuqi finally drags you out of the dorm. 

----

"How does it feel to be back in society?" Yuqi whispers, leaning in close to you to read the seat numbers printed on your tickets. 

"As lame as ever." You add, amusingly unenthused. 

"You're never gonna convince Jisoo to date your dumbass with that attitude." She retorts, feeling a little guilty when she sees your expression change upon hearing her name. You're afraid to see where the two of you will stand at the end of the night, so saying it's still a sore subject is the understatement of the year. 

"I'm messing with you, dude. If she doesn't want to be with you, then it's her loss; but I highly doubt that's the case. I've heard she misses you a lot." For once, Yuqi's words are halfway encouraging to hear, and you let out a light smile. 

"Well I'm prepared to worry about that whole situation later. For now, let's find our seats and enjoy the show." Your best friend quickly agrees, and the two of you squeeze through the crowds in the aisles to get to your row. 

----

"Jisoo, I promise you'll do well. You've been practicing for months; you've got this," Soo-hyun says, rubbing his co-lead's back in reassuring circles. The certainty in his deep voice gives Jisoo some semblance of security, and she stands to look at him with one final, nervous sigh. Stage fright has never been this big of an issue for her, but the size of the crowd and the idea that you might be out there scare the hell out of her. She wants you to be there with all of her heart, but she doesn't know if she'll be able to handle watching you walk away again. The past few weeks have been torture, and she misses your presence and witty remarks more than she ever thought possible. 

"Thank you, Soo-hyun. I'll meet you out there in a couple minutes, just let me collect myself."

He nods and says, "Take your time. I'll let Mrs. Choi know," before leaving and shutting the door behind himself. Now alone again, Jisoo digs through her personal bag that lays neatly on the small futon of the dressing room. When her fingers come in contact with that familiar material she's spent hours staring at, she bites the inside of her cheek and unfolds it for the millionth time. Multiple poems and blurbs litter the page, accompanied by cute doodles and cartoons here and there that give it a personal feel. She's spent the time away from you methodically working through the different writings, restraining herself from reading all of them in one setting so that she can have new content from time to time. 

She's down to the last one, now, and a surprising sort of realization hits her when she reads it. It instills within her a sense of determination -- determination to get you back and set things right, one way or another. She makes a plan to find you after the performance.

-- After The Performance -- 

It was even more spectacular than you ever imagined it could be. The school spared no expense in getting the best props, employing the most skilled technicians on hand, and recruiting the best artists that the school had to paint the backdrops. Everyone behind the scenes worked tirelessly to produce the best show possible, and their efforts really paid off. 

And, of course, you can't forget the actors. 

The entire cast was incredible, their talent matching some of the world's most sought-after stars. Every part was played to perfection; even the smaller, supporting roles were acted with passion, really bringing the piece together as a whole. The production left you wanting more, too inspired and awestruck by the amazing performances to be content with just seeing it once. So, after numerous calls for an encore, the cast returned to run through a few of their key scenes. 

---

As the cast takes their final bow, large cannons placed on either side of the stage shoot out bursts of colorful confetti, and you watch it flutter down around them. Some try to catch a piece or two to add to their scrapbooks, wanting to have a trinket from their college years, while others just hug each other and twirl around with content smiles on their faces. The crowd continues its loud cheering, and eventually you find the courage to sneak a glance at Jisoo.

To your surprise, she's looking right back. 

Her eyes hold a mixed softness; she's proud of herself and glad that you came to support her on such a big night, but part of her wants to escape the busyness of it all and tell you everything she's been feeling. She'd be content with looking at you forever, she realizes, as she studies you. You're the true star in her eyes, always shining so bright and making everyone feel at home whenever they're around you. She hopes you know how special you are. 

Mrs. Choi approaches the cast from stage right, gathering their attention to congratulate them and commend them for their performances. Jisoo reluctantly looks away from you, unsure if it's the last time she'll be seeing you tonight. The thought upsets her, but there isn't much she can do about it right now; so, she gives her attention to her professor and flashes that smile that makes everyone weak in the knees. 

You knew it was just a matter of time before she'd be pulled away and immersed in some conversation about the show, but the selfish side of you never wanted her to look away. No matter how confusing things may be because of all of your unresolved issues, she still looks at you like she always had before -- her gaze is kind, albeit bittersweet, but it's full of care. Seeing her like that makes you feel like even more of an asshole than you already do -- maybe you should have just listened to her at the game. Running away was an immature choice, rooted entirely in your own sadness in that moment as you deprived yourself of any explanation she could've offered, though you can't judge yourself too harshly. The situation is complicated, and you still don't know whether to hate yourself for running or go easy on yourself in light of what happened. 

When Yuqi sees you stand up and shuffle towards the end of your row, she sends you a warning look. 

"Dude, I'm not gonna run away. I'm literally just gonna step outside for some fresh air, I promise." She visibly relaxes, no longer having to prepare herself to wrangle you back into the seat. 

"Fine. But if you aren't back in 15 minutes I'm coming to track you down. You really need to talk to her." 

You sigh, nodding in agreement. "I know, trust me. Just let me get my thoughts together first." She sends you off to do just that, but not until the two of you complete the special handshake you made up all those months ago. 

---

Brisk air rushes over your skin in waves the moment you exit the side door of the building, automatically sending goosebumps to raise in its wake. It feels nice, though; it grounds you, and works to cool off your heated skin. The atmosphere inside was thick with the tension you've been feeling ever since what happened that night at the game, and its effects were only heightened by the raw performances of the evening. Passion and longing were the driving factors of the play, ironically, and many of the scenes drew eerie parallels to your current situation. So, it's no wonder that you're thankful to step away from it all for a bit.

You greet a few stray audience members that're puttering around outside as well, opting to walk down a little further away from them and lean against the building. The wall's brick material feels rough against your back, lightly scratching it whenever you shift your weight from one foot to the other. You don't mind it, though; it's oddly nostalgic, somehow. 

When you hear the door open again, you think nothing of it. The metal hinges latch just the same as they had for you, so there's really no reason for you to even look up. However, that all changes when you feel someone's eyes on you.

Unprepared is leaps and bounds away from being a fitting statement to describe how you feel in that moment; Jisoo stands merely 10 feet away from you at most, right next to the stage door that she just came out of. Her hands fiddle with the drawstrings of her costume, seemingly always needing to be occupied when she's nervous or unsure of herself; it's a habit you've picked up on after seeing it so many times. 

The longer you look at her, the more you want to look away; she's so beautiful it hurts, and the silence is eating away at you. You can't blame her, though; neither of you know what to say or do, and the only thing you seem capable of is staring at each other. When you break the intense eye contact you were sharing to turn away, only intending to take a minute to collect yourself, Jisoo is suddenly set in motion. 

She's afraid you'll leave again, and she's prepared to fight even harder for you this time.

I love you as the stars love the night sky

A fateful, cyclic romance

A game of eager greetings and reluctant goodbyes

Those words -- ones that you remember penning one day in class while completely entranced by Jisoo -- roll from her lips effortlessly, as if she had spent time committing them to memory. She had, in fact; whenever days passed without her even catching a glimpse of you, she always found herself unfolding that note again, tracing a finger over the curve of your unique letters as she reread the poem. It always brought her comfort to think that you were in just as deep as her, and a similar sense of hope blossoms in her chest now when she spots an unbelieving smile tug at the corner of your lips as you slowly turn to face her again. 

You're still into her, and she's falling even deeper at the realization. Maybe she didn't lose you after all. 

She takes calculated steps towards you and breathes a sigh of relief when you stay put, not showing any signs of running. The wheels in your head are going into overdrive now, turning and churning as you process her little recital, and she prays with all of her heart that you won't be upset once you put two and two together. 

"How did you…"

"You dropped it one day, and I picked it up. I meant to give it back to you, but I guess I just never got around to it." She feels a little guilty for keeping it as long as she has, but it's served as a way of keeping you close during your time apart. Those bits and pieces of you, scattered around on that page, encapsulated by the annotations and doodles you so kindly left behind, have stayed in her heart. Ever since she discovered it all that time ago, it's never been very far from her; she cherishes it more than you'll ever know. 

"You didn't show it to anyone, right?" Your voice is laced with worry, lowered a bit to keep others from overhearing. 

"No, no! Of course not. I just… kept it for myself. You're really talented; I couldn't stop reading your stuff." 

"Thank, I guess?" You awkwardly chuckle, still a bit rusty on how to interact with her after everything. Plus, to be fair, having your crush read one of the love letters you wrote about her is a bit unheard of. Newfound territory, you think to yourself.

"How long?" You ask after a minute of silence, only realizing how loaded your question is after it slips past your lips, turning into a puff of steam in the chilly atmosphere. "How long have you… felt that way about me?" You quickly add, "Assuming that you feel what the poem says, of course." 

An amused smile tweaks her lips at how cute you are. "I do, Y/N. I always have; ever since that afternoon at the daycare." 

"Really?" The question is quiet, full of childlike disbelief. 

"Really. It was always you." She says it freely now: unafraid.

The sentiment is sweet, but memories of the football game come flooding back and you're reminded that as much as you want to skip this next part, you still have things to discuss. 

"What about Jeong?" 

"What about him?"

"Did you ever like him?"

"No. The girls thought so, but it was just a misunderstanding. That's why Lisa introduced us at the game; she thought I had a crush on him, but I told her that you were always the one I was looking at. I told all of the girls that, after that night." 

Her confession renders you speechless -- only capable of listening and nodding every now and then. She takes advantage of your silence to finally explain herself and tell you everything she's been dying to. 

"I didn't know you felt the same until our talk in the parking lot. I mean, I was hopeful after some of the moments we had, but I didn't know for sure until then. I wanted to beg you to stay and hear me out, but you left before I had the chance."

You blink a few times as the reality of her words begin to sink in. "I had no idea…"

"Yeah, well…" she trails off, unsure of what to say next. She's forgiven you for walking away, knowing you were just hurt, but the whole situation still left a bad taste in her mouth. So much pain could've been avoided for the both of you if you had just listened.

"How did they take it?"

"They yelled at me for waiting so long to tell them, but then they tried to help me get you back. Remember those student council booths?" She leans in a little closer to ask that last line, her lips pulling to the side in that iconic smirk of hers. 

You audibly gasp and point at her animatedly. "I knew that was you!"

"Mhm, pulled some fancy-sounding excuse out of my ass to convince the board, and boom; 20 brand new tables set up the next day. I still can't believe you managed to slip past them, though. I mean, c'mon, have you seen how talkative those kids can be?" 

"Trust me, it wasn't easy," you laugh with her. "I had to sneak to the back entrances like a drug dealer." 

"I can totally see that." 

"I'm dedicated, what can I say?" The stupid hair flip you do makes her laugh even harder, clutching her stomach as those beautiful sounds slip past her lips. 

As your shared laughter eventually turns into soft chuckles, she smiles at you, saying, "I really missed this. I missed you, so so much." 

"I've been a wreck without you, Jisoo. It's honestly embarrassing." 

She looks at you with something new shining in her eyes, and she carefully contemplates what she's about to admit. "Can I tell you a secret?"

"Of course." 

"I rarely cry, Y/N, but I did over you. So you have no reason to be embarrassed. It seems like both of us were pretty bad off." She looks down after saying that, scuffing her foot against the concrete of the sidewalk. Being vulnerable isn't usually easy for her, and she never really lets people see that side of her -- not even the girls. She feels like she has to stay strong for them to keep things running smoothly, but she fails to realize how important her own feelings are. You're different, though; she feels like her entire collection of secrets would be safe with you, and you make her feel secure enough to be open like that. 

When she feels you step closer and hook two fingers underneath her chin, her eyes dart up to yours and her heart speeds up. Your other arm hesitantly wraps around her waist, giving her plenty of time to step away and deny you. You've spent so much time convincing yourself that she couldn't possibly want someone like you that you're genuinely surprised when she steps further into your embrace, pulling your arm tighter around herself. 

Her right arm comes to rest loosely on your shoulder as her other hand caresses your forearm, rubbing various patterns against your smooth skin. "I tried so hard to get you to pick up on my flirting," she starts, playing with the baby hairs at the nape of your neck as she holds you close. "Every touch," she runs a finger down your arm, leaving a trail of electricity in its wake. "Every look," she moves her hand from your neck to your cheek, cupping it sweetly as she gazes into your eyes. She strokes your skin with the pad of her thumb, smiling beautifully when she feels you nuzzle into her hold even more. 

"And that kiss…" she says, sounding breathless at the mere thought of it. "I wanted it to last forever." 

"Why didn't you tell me that, then?" You ask, not even a trace of anger in your tone. You're determined to let go of all the hurt and fear that your misunderstandings have caused, opting instead to finally get the answers you've wanted for so long. "After I came back from putting Aera to bed you were just… different. And then when you said it was just a part of the script--"

"I know. I was afraid that if I let myself have you like that -- if I let you in all the way -- there'd be no going back." When she sees the confusion building in your eyes, she continues on. "I don't usually let myself get distracted; I can't afford it. You know how seriously I take my studies." You nod, recalling the numerous times you've found her in the library until it closed, studying hard for the exams everyone knew she'd ace. "But you wiggled your way past every line of defense I ever put up. You became my favorite distraction." A dopey grin tugs at your lips at receiving that title, and you subconsciously hold your head a little higher.

"But I wasn't prepared for that. You make me feel things that I've never felt before, and I really didn't think I could afford to let myself have you. Not fully, anyway. I could deal with a crush; I told myself I could keep you close enough that I wouldn't miss you, but far enough that I could keep myself protected."

"What changed?" You ask, smoothing your hands over the small of her back, feeling the heat radiate from her skin. They've worked their way under the hem of her shirt during your conversation, subconsciously seeking to share her warmth, and Jisoo has been acutely aware of it the entire time. 

"When I saw you walk away like that I didn't know what to do with myself. I've had people leave before, so it's not a new thing; but I never missed them like I've missed you."

A bittersweet, melancholic look settles on your face at that; she deserves every good thing that the world has to offer, so knowing that you played a part in her sadness -- whether it be direct or indirect -- disheartens you a bit. 

"But you're here now, and that's all that matters." She says, leaning her forehead against yours. 

"And I'm not going anywhere," you affirm, holding her even closer than before. She brushes her nose against yours with a quiet sigh, relieved to be in your arms, caught safely in your warm embrace. If falling feels like this, she's more than okay with it. 

"Can I?" You ask, glancing down to the heart shaped pillows you've dreamt of having against yours again. 

She nods, uttering a soft, "Please", as she tilts her head to the side in expectancy. You close the remaining distance, bending your knees slightly to tighten your hold on her waist and pull her flush up against yourself. Both of her arms wrap around your neck now, occasionally coming down to tilt your head and allow her better access, or run her fingers through your hair. It's sensual and meaningful, but an air of urgency hangs in the air, thickening it the longer her lips are on you. Both of you are making up for lost time, so it's no wonder you're so eager. 

She takes your bottom lip between her teeth as she backs you up, pressing you against the brick wall that you had migrated a few steps away from during your conversation. If she were kissing anyone else, perhaps she'd care about the strangers staring, or what they might say; but as she stands here, feeling your hands explore her body in the ways that she's dreamed of and your lips kiss her senseless, that's the furthest thought from her mind. Her hands grab at the collar of your shirt, balling the material up in her palms as she pushes her lips against yours from a new angle. 

When you eventually pull back for air, you can't help but say the phrase that's been sitting on your mind for weeks. "I love you." 

Her heart speeds up to match yours, both of them racing as you look at each other with giant smiles on your faces. "I love you, too. If you hadn't already guessed that," she chuckles, leaning up to kiss you again. This one's more innocent, though -- full of giddiness as you replay each other's declaration in your minds. 

"Y/N L/N IF YOU AREN'T OUT HERE--"

Yuqi bellows loudly, blasting through the side door and out into the chilly night air. The metal smacks against the wall from the force she exerted, and you physically cringe at the sound. Jisoo does the same, quickly pulling away to find out what's going on. 

When Yuqi's line of sight settles on the two of you, her eyebrows raise and a smirk lands on her lips. "Well, well, well. Looks like my work here is done," she says, cocking her head to the side self-assuredly when she sees how swollen both of your lips are and how mussed your clothing is. You send her a look that she registers as "Get lost", and she retreats back into the performance hall with her hands raised in surrender.

"Idiot," you mutter under your breath, shaking your head as you watch the door close behind her, its poor hinges still recovering from her assault. Jisoo's giggle makes you turn back to her, finding a breathtaking smile forming on her lips. "You're so cute," she coos, poking your cheek, "especially when you blush like that." 

You fight the bashfulness that attempts to take over, managing to cock a brow at her and say, "Hey, watch it -- I might not be so kind in my next poem if you don't stop teasing me." 

"Aww, don't be like that, baby." 

She tenses up after realizing she let that pet name slip out at the end, but your smile only widens. 

"Say that again."

"Baby," she drawls in her signature sultry tone, stepping closer to you again. 

"Mmm, I could get used to that." You hum against her lips, pressing yours to them at the end of your statement. 

"Good, because there's more where that came from." 

"Oh yeah?"

"Mhm," she settles into your arms again, looking into your eyes with so much love you nearly swoon. "This is only the beginning for us." 

[thickness-protection-program]

Hoe Story Yikes Part 2 : Electric Boogaloo, I'm so sorry it's a long story and I'm kind of venting cause every now and again i get that "wah i miss him" when he was a huge asshole,

tl;dr: Got into a relationship after i moved states, he was extremely possessive and manipulative, broke up with him after 9 months of enduring it, 4 months after the breakup he catfishes me on grindr to ambush me in my apartment and curse me out.

AND HERE'S THE LONG VERSION FOR WHOEVER CARES

So last year (2021), I quarter life crisis'd myself into moving to another state instead of going to therapy, flew into a relationship about 10 days after I moved, got love bombed, let him move in like the following week, then over the course of the following 9 months submitted to ever increasing possessiveness and manipulation chasing the high of the thought that someone wanted me for me and didnt just fetishize that I'm a 6'7" Blatino gamer.

Now when I say possessiveness im talkin: got upset when i went to a store without him (closest supermarket is literally walking distance around the corner from the apartment complex), I gave him my phone pin, my computer pin, i made sure to spend time with him when he came home from his night job even if i opened at work the next day, when i got my dream work from home graphic design job he didnt like it because "then id just have guys over when he left", he didnt like that my supervisor at the new job is gay, always asked if I knew who posted something i liked or retweeted if it was someone who thotposts and shitposts, thought my discord girlies were all flirting with each other cause we have raunchy gay humor, and so on and so forth.

For 9 Months. As if I didnt indulge in his hobbies of LARPing, going with him to another state for like the biannual rules meeting of this larp thing that he had his own chapter of, i did all of the branding and half of the initial story writing for his chapter cause I enjoyed it and wanted him to pull it off, took him to my home state to see my friends and family, we planned a valentines trip to hawaii, we were looking at houses to buy, we were talking marriage, cleaned if he cooked, cooked if he cleaned, didnt say anything even if it bothered me to how his clothes were literally all over the floor all over this small ass apartment.

Mid to Late november I felt like things were okay and going fine, finally looking up, i stopped leaving my phone in the open to see if he would ease up but of course he would just go through my computer while im working in the living room. Christmas comes around and not 2 seconds after we finish opening presents he asks if he can have my phone again like a child asking for their confiscated toy back and i felt something snap in my brain. So after festering until January (2022) I broke it off with him and told him i needed my space and to re-re-establish boundaries and Im moving back to my home state when my lease runs up. February I had to kick him out of the apartment cause he wanted to stay with me until I left (but i felt like it was to make sure no one else could get their hands on me). I keep in touch with him cause Im still clinging on to the good memories even though the bad was waaaay worse but over time the texting got stale and after I poured my heart out to him for like the 4th time i got a "Yeah" in response and nothing else. and i was like okay cool i got the memo, have a good life.

SO i get back on the apps last week (April), in one part to be social after being held captive for almost a year and in another to satiate baser instincts. Couple of days go by and im feelin particularly salacious and bottomy so I cast a net while im working and hosing down the chimney. Someone takes the bite and at this point it's like midnight, almost 1 am, i havent eaten, he was Cute Enough so i was like yeah come over whatever. as he said he was getting closer, he said do you wanna just leave the door open and wait for me on the bed and me being a disgusting dangerous hoe said sure just lock the door behind you. Mind you im in nothing but a jock on my bed, i hear the door, im like alright lets get down to business.

I turn to look and it's my Ex.

He fully catfished me with someone elses face and nudes and then he starts popping off going "Wow. You're a horrible person, youre a whore, i wish you were dead, you ruined so much for me, i want you out of my life and out of this state" and im in nothing but my jock still, fully gooped and gagged that he had the audacity to do this, and the only words i managed in the middle of his tirade was "Are you serious", then he stormed out of the apartment. I wasn't scared cause I knew he wouldn't get physical with me (cause i'd win) but this is gonna be fun to talk to my therapist about.

:)

I... I want to fight him and I want to hug you lol. I'm glad you're ok but babe we can't be letting our need for dick cum before our safety! But tbh I probably would've called the cops or my homegirls on him or something like... He would've got spin kicked in his throat. Thots and gayers for you bestie 😅 and once again I'm glad you're ok

[theoriginalcarnivorousmuffin]

Opinions on Molly Weasley????

You know, I actually don’t think I’m too far out in left field for her. Well, I might be strange in that we tend to see very polarized opinions on Molly: either she’s the greatest mother who ever mothered and the Weasleys are a perfect family or she’s an overbearing manipulative matriarch who’s secretly poisoning Harry with love potions into marrying her daughter.

Sort of like Ron, I wouldn’t say Molly’s a saint, but she’s also not one of the truly nasty characters (she’s not eating babies or feeding Harry love potions or anything). That said, she is far from the warm, generous, matriarch JKR presented her as.

First, she is overbearing . There’s nothing wrong with this, it’s just how her and Arthur’s dynamic works, but at the same time if Arthur ever did have a spine it’s been completely conditioned out of him. It’s also very telling that Ron marries the overbearing equivalent of his mother in Hermione Granger. I suspect Ron’s spine has also completely disappeared by the time we hit that delightful epilogue from canon. 

As for the Weasleys, JKR sets them up to be the perfect family we can possibly (realistically) imagine. It’s huge, they all love each other and are fiercely loyal (except for Percy, the swine, we’ll get into this), they give Harry a sweater, it’s the family he wants so desperately that he marries the only available and socially acceptable option: Ginny (I could go on a rant about this for days, but guys, Harry shows way more interest in men than in women and I think 90% or Ginny’s attraction to him is that she’s a Weasley). 

That said the Weasleys, and Molly herself, have major issues. 

One, the money. I think JKR makes them poor to give contrast to the Malfoys. The Weasleys are nobly impoverished, they’re a wizarding family but understand more important things than money. The snobby Malfoys on the other hand have peacocks in their yard because rich people are inherently evil.  

That said, most of this is because Arthur and Molly completely mismanage finances. There’s nothing wrong with having seven children, but the Weasleys clearly cannot afford to have seven children. More, we see them spend money instantly when they have it. Ron is left without a wand for a year but the second Arthur wins the lottery, rather than save the money, WE’RE GOING TO EGYPT. Even the year before, money that might have gone towards emergency situations such as: my son’s wand broke is used to take Molly, Arthur, and Ginny to Egypt. They buy tickets to the Quidditch World Cup. The Weasleys don’t have that kind of money and then they go and are extremely bitter that Lucius Malfoy does have that kind of money. Yes, I’m sure the Malfoys were always wealthier than the Weasleys, but at the same time the Weasleys are the type to buy iphones for their kids when they’re on food stamps.

I’m getting a little distracted though, back to Molly.

I’d say Molly is far more traditional than JKR ever intended for her to be. She’s progressive enough that she supports muggleborns (they should get to go to Hogwarts and be very appreciative) but she also doesn’t think they should get too far ahead of themselves (we’ll get into this). She’s a raging misogynist (we’ll get into this). She is extremely judgmental and can flip on you at the drop of a hat with the barest of evidence. She never really does anything about Harry’s situation despite having very good evidence of its realities. And despite her family’s extreme poverty, even when all the kids are in boarding school, we don’t see her try to take up a job or even take up some etsy equivalent where she can enchant shit and sell it. There’s nothing wrong with staying home to raise the kids, but at the same time, I think for Molly it’s because “this is what the wife does”. 

Right, well, that actually was a lot.

Let’s start with Harry. Molly is witness to seven years of Harry’s childhood abuse and seems to take no action regarding it. Now, Fred and George are dubious sources, so them telling Molly that “hey Harry’s house had bars on his window” might not be taken seriously. Harry also is generally very private and embarrassed about his home life. That said, there are many many signs, and while Hermione practically lives at the Burrow ever since third or fourth year Harry has to spend every single summer with the Dursleys even before Voldemort’s return.

Granted, I have gone over that I don’t think child protection or even a good understanding of abuse exists in the Wizarding World. I think to wizards you’re stuck with the family you’ve got, and if your pureblood grandfather is raping you then it sucks to be you. That said, the Weasleys are such a central part of Harry’s life that I would expected them to do *something*. Instead it’s like Harry’s situation is... vaguely acknowledged but mostly ignored. 

Now, the Weasleys don’t have the money for an eighth kid (though Harry’s so absurdly wealthy he could help lighten the load were he to live with them) so I don’t hold this too much against them but... I would hope that a truly good family would have noticed Harry’s situation and tried to do something about it.

Right, the judgement part. The Weasley family’s unofficial disowning of Percy was horrible. This is going to be controversial, but Percy actually made some excellent points. Dumbledore and Harry’s story about Voldemort’s resurrection does sound nuts, the guy’s been dead ten years, he isn’t Jesus. More, it comes from Harry Potter who is young, traumatized, and has generally been erratic throughout the time Percy’s known him. And parts of what he says aren’t wrong. Why do the Weasley’s worship Dumbledore and listen to everything this man says? Dumbledore does do things like recruit child soldiers from the boarding school he runs. Dumbledore’s a shady guy. 

Mostly though, while Percy not believing Harry and Dumbledore is bad, I always got the feeling that a lot of the resentment and disowning was that Percy dared to do better than his father. Percy rises through the ranks quickly in the ministry, he’s extremely competent, where his father has been stuck in the same dead end joke of a job for years. Arthur even accuses Percy of having his position because Fudge is spying on Arthur. Which... no, Arthur, no. And the family just loathes him for it. They loathe him and it’s terrible. 

And I’m sure Dumbledore meanwhile is just dying that they’ve forced Percy out when Percy was in the perfect position to be a spy in the Ministry. I can just picture him drinking with Snape after Molly’s told him, tears in her eyes, that Percy is cut off because he betrayed the family, wondering what kind of morons are in the Order. 

Beyond Percy there’s what Molly does to Hermione in 4th year. And good god, this is also where the misogyny comes in. Rita Skeeter writes that Hermione, a fourteen-year-old girl, is a harlot and Molly not only a) believes it but b) becomes extremely judgmental of Hermione and essentially calls her a jezebel to her face. Molly, what the hell? Hermione’s life has been ruined by the tabloids for something that didn’t happen, and even if it did is nothing she should be slandered for, and Molly’s going “THAT WHORE”.

This is after Skeeter had slandered Arthur just that summer over the Quidditch World Cup incident and Molly hadn’t believed any of it for a second. So, either Hermione’s being a girl or her being an uppity muggleborn or both somehow makes this believable...

Molly’s very similar with Fleur. She doesn’t approve and I always got the feeling it was in part because Fleur is not the traditional sort of woman she’d want Bill to marry (Fleur is a working woman at Gringotts and more is elegant refined beauty rather than a girl next door who’d make a great housewife) but also because Fleur’s foreign. Bill should marry a nice, English, woman and instead he ends up with this French quarter-veela. 

Had Harry done anything to offend Molly, or even if Dumbledore had simply gone “You know what, Harry’s awful, we hate him”, then I would expect he too would have been completely cut off and thrown back into the gutter where he belongs.

So, Molly sucks and is not nearly as progressive as JKR intended, but is she feeding Harry love potions to marry Ginny and make the family wealthy? No.

[totallyhussein-blog]

Remembering The Farhud - June 1 and 2, 1941

In the 1940’s, a third of Baghdad’s population was Jewish. Within a decade nearly all of Iraq’s 150,000 Jews had fled. The Wolf of Baghdad is a graphic memoir of a lost homeland and a wordless narrative for a home never visited, with its own original soundtrack of Judeo-Arabic and Iraqi music recorded by the ground-breaking band 3yin.

The Wolf of Baghdad is a unique audio-visual journey through a Jewish family’s memories of their lost Iraqi homeland and speaks to audiences about the little-known story of Iraqi Jews. This music based and visual narrative is illuminated by the words and portraits of Carol Isaacs own family, whose stories provide a fascinating insight into the experiences of Baghdadi Jews.

The Wolf of Baghdad film is based on Carol Isaacs book of the same title, which was published by Myriad Editions. The Wolf of Baghdad was included in the Guardian's best graphic novels of 2020. Sandi Toksvig also described it as a book "where you actually fall inside the story. It's wonderful.' Pictured is Carol signing copies at the Manchester Jewish Museum.

The Wolf of Baghdad film had its world premiere in New York in 2020 and it's first screening in Manchester, England, on the 4th Nov 2021. Visitors at the Manchester Jewish Museum were transported from Carol Isaacs current home in London, to her ancestral home in the old Jewish quarter of Baghdad. Audiences encountered ghost-like inhabitants and got to explore Baghdad through their memories.

The Manchester Jewish Museum provided the ideal setting for The Wolf of Baghdad film, especially with the former synagogue having such strong ties with Manchester's Iraqi community. Opening its doors in 1874, as the first Sephardi synagogue in Manchester, Iraqi's who worshipped there included the family of the famous World War One poet Siegfried Sassoon, who came to Britain from Basra in 1858.

The Wolf of Baghdad book and film are now available to buy from the Manchester Jewish Museum, 190 Cheetham Hill Rd, Cheetham Hill, Manchester M8 8LW. Both can be purchased online and you can also rent The Wolf of Baghdad film, and have it streamed to your home through Carol Isaacs TSM Cartoons website.

 Hussein Al-alak is the editor of Iraq Solidarity News (Al-Thawra)