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babyleostuff · 4 months ago

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── OLYMPICS MASTERLIST

[🛹] DISCIPLINE: SKATEBOARDING

GENRE: fluff, strangers to lovers(ish), introverted reader, vernon being the greenest flag of them all PAIRING: skateboarder!vernon x athlete!fem reader WARNINGS: explicit language and a couple of sexist comments WORD COUNT: 3.1 k

“not the anti-sex beds again,” katie groaned, like it was the end of the world.

rolling your eyes, you threw your duffle bags on the bed next to the window. though, as dramatic as she could get sometimes, and as much as you couldn’t wait for the games to begin - you were not looking towards sleeping on the cardboard monstrosities. the amount of massages you had to get four years ago because of them was not something you’d like to go through again.

“it’s not like you’re going to have sex anyway,” sam nudged katie with her shoulder and threw her own stuff on the bed next to yours.

“i’m not talking about myself, stupid,” katie said. “our friend over here,” she put her arms around you and squeezed your shoulders, “needs to get laid. she almost managed to bang that rugby dude the last time, and i can feel it in my bones,” she took a deep breath, ”she’s going to succeed this year.”

you tried shoving her away, as sam erupted in a loud laugh.

“hah hah, very funny,” you mumbled, and flicked katie’s forehead. ��i’m here to win medals, not to find a hookup.”

“mhm, sure,” sam said. “we’ll see about that.”

the next morning you stood up with the first rays of sunshine, a lot earlier than most people in the village, with a plan to make the most of your only day off before the eliminations. it’d get crowded quickly, so you figured it’d be nice to soak in the surroundings without hundreds of people bumping into each other. you didn’t bother to wake the girls up - you were eternally grateful you could share this amazing adventure with them, but you needed some time alone.

besides, there was a 99% probability that sam would skin you alive if you tried cutting her beauty sleep short.

before leaving the building, you managed, to your delight, to find the gym and the swimming pool, which surely would become really handy in a couple of days. then, you found a small farmacy a couple of blocks away, and a post office where you took a couple of pictures in a photobooth and wrote short letters to your friends at home, before throwing them into the mailbox.

though the streets were starting to get busier and busier, because well - the athletes, their trainers, the volunteers, staff - everyone wanted to see what this year’s host had to offer, it was still pleasantly peaceful, and you could enjoy your time alone to the fullest. and apart from the cardboard beds, the village was so nice. the purple colours especially.

just as you turned around the corner of south korea’s apartment complex, you felt and heard your tummy rumble, and thatwas your cue to find the dining hall. fortunately, it didn’t take you long. apart from the big ass signs with “dining hall”written all over them, most people that you passed were walking in one direction, which could only mean one thing.

after a short while, you entered the big room, all purple and pretty, already filled with hundreds of athletes and staff.

scanning around the huge hall, you tried looking for someone, anyone you knew, but to no avail. most of the tables were already taken, but somehow, to your misfortune, none of them were taken by anyone from your country. you sighed and twisted the pendant hanging around your neck, trying to distract yourself from the fact that you’d be forced to sit at a table with people you did not know.

there went your peaceful morning.

without wasting more time, and before you’d completely spiral over the lack of familiar faces, you picked up a plate and cutlery and made your way to the queue for food, standing behind two chinese athletes.

the line moved slowly, but you didn’t mind. as much as you weren’t particularly overjoyed with the loud noise and chaos, it was nice to do some people-watching. the different races, heights and widths, cultures, languages - all within one building - that had to be one of your favourite things about olympics.

“isn’t that the chick kyle fucked last time?” suddenly a male voice pulled you out of your thoughts, as if your brain knew that the comment was direct to you. drowning out the noise around you, you tried your best to focus on the people behind you.

“he didn’t fuck her, she ran away the second he touched her tits,” another guy said. “fucking prude,” he snickered.

you felt your cheeks heat up - in embarrassment because you were right there, and they knew you could hear them, but also in anger because what they were saying was just not true.

“i told him to go for the track runner, she had a better ass anyways,” the first guy said, as the other laughed.

comments like these were nothing new. men like these were nothing new, but it didn’t make the ache in your chest any less painful. worst part was that you’d let them, you wouldn’t stop them - you couldn’t. anytime you tried standing up for yourself you felt at loss for words, your throat closed up, and your mind went blank.

“excuse me, guys,” a new voice joined in. “the last time i checked this was the olympics, not who has a better ass competition.”

you didn’t have the nerve to turn around to see who that new voice belonged to. you just clenched and unclenched your fists, trying to control your breathing.

“also if i may suggest one thing-,”

“you may not-,”

“you may want to check out your own ass… or the lack of it,” you could hear the smile in his voice.

the two guys grumbled something and left the line, but not before one of them bumped into you with too much force for it to be just an accident. muttering a curse under your breath, you massaged your slightly sore arm and prayed to whatever force for the two fuckers not to pass their eliminations.

“are you okay?” you could feel the guy's breath on your neck.

fuck, now you had no other choice but to acknowledge what had just happened. if it was up to you, you’d happily skip breakfast and run back to your room. who would’ve thought that the cardboard bed would be the equivalent of a safe haven.

“uh,” you took a shaky inhale, “i’m okay.”

“just turn around, smile politely, thank for the help, and move on,” you thought. but as you did that, your eyes went wide, and your breath hitched in your throat.

you found a set of hazel brown eyes looking at you with curiosity and a tad of softness as if asking a silent question if you were really okay, a kind smile that managed to calm your pounding heart on its own, and cheeks dusted in a light shade of pink as if he had just finished his morning run. the guy couldn’t be much older than you and was the perfect height. you didn’t have to tilt your head in an uncomfortable way to look him in the eye, and he didn’t have to look down at you as if you were a dwarf.

his dark brown hair was hidden under a beanie, and despite the oversized shirt and shorts, you could make out his lean build, which made him stand out from the other bulky men around. you quickly figured he was part of the us team by his outfit, but you couldn’t rack your brains around what type of sport he could be doing.

he looked so… laid back compared to everyone around.

“are you sure?” he asked, his gaze still attentive to you and you only.

you nodded your head. “sorry you had to listen to that,” you said.

“i’m sorry you had to listen to that,” the guy muttered. “you know those dudes are total douchebags, right?” annoyance flashed across his face for a second, “people like them shouldn’t even be here and-,”

“it’s okay, really,” you said with a stern voice, cutting him short. grateful - that’s what you were - and it was really nice of him to stand up for you, but you couldn’t shake off the feeling that he saw you as nothing more than a weakling that couldn’t even stand up for herself. and that had to be more embarrassing than the comments.

he must’ve noticed your sour expression, because he quickly said, “i didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable.”

“you didn’t, i… i’m sorry for snapping at you,” god, you really messed this up. this gorgeous boy just saved your ass from getting harassed, and you were acting like an ungrateful bitch. “i’m just not the best at dealing with… whatever that was,” you cleared your throat. “but thank you, it was really kind of you, and you didn’t really have to say anything, but-,”

“but i would’ve been the biggest asshole if i hadn’t said anything,” he chuckled, amusement sparkling in his eyes. “i couldn’t just let those two fuckers say those things about you. about anyone for that matter. what kind of person would that make me?”

you nodded, though if you had to be real - you were too distracted by his eyes to focus on what he was saying.

“okay, that sounded so pretentious,” he said, frowning, as if cringing at his own words. you couldn’t help but giggle at his expression. he looked really adorable despite his disgusted look.

and that didn’t mean anything good. you knew yourself, and you knew how easily it was for you to fall for a person that showed you an ounce of kindness, even if they did it just because they were a good person. and that was probably what was happening now - he saw you getting harassed, he stepped in, said a couple of words, and that would be it.

but you. you’d think about this for the rest of the olympics. about his teasing voice, the slightly curly hair coming out of his beanie, the fact that you’d never know what kind of athlete he was. the freaking hazel eyes.

“i’m vernon, by the way,” he, or vernon, extended his hand.

you cringed at the thought of your sweaty palms, still closed in fists. and it wasn’t like you could wipe them right in front of him. now that would just send you straight into a coma. but you took it anyway, it couldn’t get worse than the comments about your flat ass, you figured. and if he noticed he didn’t say anything, just smiled and nodded when you told him your name.

“so, do you have any plans for today?” he asked, letting go of your hand way too soon for your liking.

“i was planning on eating breakfast, but…,” you shrugged.

“well, i might have an idea then,” he said, a proud smile on his face. “have you ever tried skateboarding?”

…

you did not think this through.

trying to skate on a wooden board with four wheels sounded kind of appealing at the moment, but now - now that you were about to actually stand on it? huh yeah, you’d rather stick to keeping your own two feet on the ground.

“it’s not going to kill you, you know?” vernon laughed, as you looked at the board in front of you with pure horror. there was no way anyone could survive skating on that thing, let alone doing tricks and flips or whatever they did with that torture device.

“just,” he pulled the board closer to you with his foot, “lean your weight on me first and i’m going to hold you, just so you can get comfortable standing on it,” he said, as if it was the easiest thing in the world.

would he think you were a complete loser if you ran away? maybe you could blame it on a sudden stomach bug or something.

“mhm, yeah,” you breathed, grabbing his extended hand. “easy peasy.”

luckly for you, the skatepark was still relatively empty since most of the village was trying to fight others in the queue for food, so the chance of you skating into someone by accident was almost non existent. but that did not change the fact that you were on the verge of a panic attack. why did you say yes to this? why did you step out of your comfort zone so easily? comfort zone was good - you loved your comfort zone. that was what kept you safe from agreeing to skateboarding on a whim.

but it was so easy to say yes when vernon looked at you with so much kindness. you just weren’t able to decline - there was something about him that put you at ease, whether it was his voice or mannerisms - he oozed with so much calmness that even your erratic heart was screaming “say yes!”

“put your right foot in front of the left one,” he said, still grasping your hand tightly. “and keep your knees bent, it’ll help with keeping your balance.”

you watched him as he showed you how you were supposed to stand correctly, and tried to mirror his stance the best you could.

“that’s perfect,” vernon said with a bright smile, as if you just won the gold medal for not falling off the board on the first occasion. “told you you’d do a great job.”

“this is ridiculous,” you muttered, as your legs wobbled. “i’m looking worse than a baby trying to walk.”

he rolled his eyes and sighed dramatically, making you giggle. “i love your form of self motivation. now,” still holding onto you, vernon walked around the board, “uh, is it okay if i put my hand on your waist?” he asked, and your heart skipped a beat.

usually, you’d immediately say no, but… there was nothing usual about vernon as it turned out. if this was your day of breaking your walls then so be it. you nodded in agreement. “try to put your left foot on the ground and push yourself forward,” he said.

your thin t-shirt did nothing to conceal the warmth coming from vernon’s hand, but somehow, instead of making you more nervous, it only calmed your wobbling feet and shaking hands, grounding you on the board, making it less scary by the second. you’d never met anyone before who had been so gentle with you, so patient and understanding so quickly.

“like this?” you took your left foot off the skateboard, but before it could reach the ground you wobbled backwards. “vernon!” you shrieked, ready to fall ass first on the asphalt, but that never happened. your back met his solid chest before you could move more than an inch.

“‘s okay,” he said, gripping your waist tighter. “i’m right here.”

you breathed a sigh of relief. “i don’t think this is a good idea,” you looked over your shoulder at him. “what if i break your board?”

“i have ten others,” he stated as a matter of fact, not bothered at all even if you actually broke his board. “try again, i’ve got you.”

the next try went a little bit better, at least you managed to put your foot down without bumping into him again.

“okay, now push yourself forward.”

“just… don’t let go, okay?”

“i won’t,” vernon said. you could feel him so close to you, his breath creeping down your neck. “i won’t.”

you never thought you’d feel so accomplished by such a simple thing, you were a gold winning athlete for god’s sake, but when you finally moved, when the board skated forward and you were still standing on it - you felt a flicker of pride settle in your chest.

“that’s it,” vernon said, giving your hand a squeeze. “you’re doing great. try doing that again.”

and so you did just that. you pushed yourself forward, again and again, until your feet weren’t wobbling at all, and your moves were getting more confident.

“i’m doing it, i’m…,” you laughed, “vernon, i’m skateboarding,” you said, pushing once more.

“yes, you are!”

wait. why was his voice so distant?

that’s when you realised you couldn’t feel his hand on your waist anymore, nor were your fingers intertwined with his.

“vernon?” you asked, alarmed.

“just don’t turn around-,”

but it was too late. you took a look behind you to see vernon standing a couple of metres behind you, and that was enough to lose all of the balance, all of the control.

“shit,” you heard him scream, right before you closed your eyes shut, readying yourself for the impact.

the board flew forward as you slipped backwards, your hands flying to your slides trying to hold onto something. but there was nothing, just air.

but then - the strong grip, the warm embrace, the hands that you trusted so much - you could feel him all around you. no pain, no broken bones - just vernon.

“shit, i’m so sorry,” he said, still holding onto you. “i shouldn’t have let you go.”

gently, he helped you sit on the ground, his eyes scanning all over your body, looking for any injuries.

“it’s fine, i just panicked,” you said, and put your hand on his shoulder, pulling his gaze back to your eyes. “seriously, it was actually quite fun.”

at that, vernon’s expression softened a bit, and after a second he even flashed you a smile.

“that’s good, that’s…,” he exhaled. “that’s a lot for one morning i think.”

you laughed, and shook your head. “yeah, i think you’re right. but you know,” you looked over at the board that was still rolling on its own. “i think i’ll stick to watching you skate. i don’t think i’m built for this.”

his body shook with a silent giggle. “i’m still proud of you.”

“thank you,” you said quietly. and you truly meant it - not only for catching you, or trying to teach you how to skate - but for standing up for you when he could just ignore it and move on with his day, for pulling you out of your little safe bubble. that thank you meant a lot of things and you hoped that vernon knew that.

“were you serious, though?”

you frowned, not really sure what he ment.

“that you want to watch me skate?”.

any other day you’d say no, but…

“yes. i’d really love to.”

a beautiful smile bloomed on vernon’s face, and you knew right there and then that the feeling of gratitude was forming into something more than just that.

“my eliminations are in two days, uh and maybe, only if you want, you could come?”

you nodded eagerly. at this point you weren’t sure you were able to tell this man no at all.

and you couldn’t wait to see where that would get you.

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afeelgoodblog · 1 year ago

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The Best News of Last Week

1. Arizona governor Ok's over the counter birth control

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) has expanded access to over-the-counter birth control that will “soon be available to Arizonans,” according to a press release.

Arizonans 18 and older will soon be able to go to their local pharmacy and purchase oral contraceptives without a doctor’s prescription.

2. ‘Great news’: EU hails discovery of massive phosphate rock deposit in Norway

A massive underground deposit of high-grade phosphate rock in Norway, pitched as the world’s largest, is big enough to satisfy world demand for fertilisers, solar panels and electric car batteries over the next 50 years, according to the company exploiting the resource. About 90% of the world’s mined phosphate rock is used in agriculture for the production of phosphorous for the fertiliser industry, for which there is currently no substitute.

3. U.S. Is Destroying the Last of Its Once-Vast Chemical Weapons Arsenal

Decades behind its initial schedule, the dangerous job of eliminating the world’s only remaining declared stockpile of lethal chemical munitions will be completed as soon as Friday.

4. Chinese scientists create edible food packaging to replace plastic

By incorporating certain soy proteins into the structure, Chinese University of Hong Kong scientists successfully created edible food packaging.

5. World's 1st 'tooth regrowth' medicine moves toward clinical trials in Japan

A Japanese research team is making progress on the development of a groundbreaking medication that may allow people to grow new teeth, with clinical trials set to begin in July 2024. The tooth regrowth medicine is intended for people who lack a full set of adult teeth due to congenital factors.

6. No Longer Endangered: The Bald Eagle is an Icon of the ESA

When the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was enacted in 1973, bald eagle population numbers across the country showed that the species was close to disappearing. Before the ESA, in the 1950s and ‘60s, eagles were shot routinely despite the protection. The ESA listing helped bring public attention to the issue.

Through the early 1970s and into the early ‘80s, numbers increased gradually. Then, as you got into the ��90s, there was still gradual growth. From the late ‘90s into the 2000s, the population really exploded. There was a doubling rate of every several years or so for a while.

7. Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon drops 34% in first half 2023

Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon fell 34% in the first half of 2023, preliminary government data showed on Thursday, hitting its lowest level in four years as President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva institutes tougher environmental policies.

Data produced by Brazil's national space research agency Inpe indicated that 2,649 square km (1,023 square miles) of rainforest were cleared in the region in the half year, the lowest for the period since 2019.

----

That's it for this week :)

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Also don’t forget to reblog.

#best news of last week

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atlaculture · 4 months ago

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Favorite Foods: Katara

Since Katara was forced to take on a traditionally maternal role at an early age, I'd like to think her favorite Water Tribe dishes are the ones that are quick and easy to prepare. I also feel that Katara would be fond of the few fruits and edible greens available in the arctic, as it brings back fond memories of foraging with her mother and grandmother during the warmer seasons.

Sea Prunes (Entire 1st Row)- Katara doesn't express many food preferences in the show, but she seemed pretty enthusiastic about eating sea prunes, so I assume it's a meat she enjoys. Sea prune is another name for the black katy chiton, a type of mollusk. Their shells are dark and leathery, earning them nicknames like "sea prune" and "gumboot". Sea prunes are a traditional protein source for many indigenous peoples in Alaska and western coastal Canada. I think Katara would enjoy them sauteed with Chinese (Earth Kingdom) five-spice or tossed with seal oil in a kelp salad.

Suaasat - A Greenlandic Inuit soup. It traditionally consists of a thick broth made of seal meat, barley, onions, and potatoes. I'd like to think that she likes any dish where you can just throw all the ingredients in a pot and feed a lot of people fast.

Boiled Crab - She likes crabs because they're relatively easy to catch and even easier to cook. You just boil them and crack them open!

Pitsik - Dried Arctic Char. Like crab, she enjoys the simplicity of preparing it. You simply fillet the fish with its skin on, score and salt the flesh, hang the char to let the arctic winds airdry it, and you have a delicious jerky-like snack! They are also rather visually striking when you hang them up.

Akutaq - Meaning "mixed together" in Inupiat and Yupik, this dish is traditionally made with whipped fat, boiled fish, and berries. Commonly used berries include cranberries, lingonberries, cloudberries, bearberries, and crowberries. A sweet and savory meal that Katara and her mother probably used to make together.

Suvalik - If akutaq is “Arctic Ice Cream”, then suvalik is “Arctic Fruit Salad”. It’s traditionally comprised of emulsified fish eggs and seal oil mixed with berries. It’s described as creamy and sweet. This dish is known in Yupik culture as qerpertaq.

Bannock - Also called palauga in some Inuit dialects and alatiq in Yupik. Bannock is an unleavened flatbread found throughout North American indigenous culture. Since the flour has to be imported all the way from the Earth Kingdom, it was a rare treat for Katara growing up. She also likes how easy it is to make.

For more Water Tribe dishes, check out my Cultural Cuisine tag.

Like what I’m doing? Tips always appreciated, never expected. ^_^

https://ko-fi.com/atlaculture

#atla #avatar #avatar the last airbender #water tribe #replies #cultural cuisine #ATLA favorite foods #building up

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callsign-magnolia · 3 months ago

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Undiagnosed // Ch. 22

Mature Content 18+

Jake Seresin x Neurodivergent OC

Summary: Katie Blair grew up trying to be the perfect daughter. She always struggled to be the prim and proper little girl her parents wanted. Big personality as a kid, but now at 25, she's the shy admiral's daughter who just keeps her head down and tries to get through law school. So what happens when she's had enough and with help from a certain Lieutenant, she gets out.

Warnings: Emotional abuse, trauma response, abusive parents, smut.

Word Count: 5.0k

Chapter 21 | Masterlist

By the end of the day I was pumped, shockingly not exhausted like I thought I would be. “Hey, wanna come over and study?” Brooke asked and I nodded. “Yeah, just let me text Jake and let him know I’ll be home late.” She laughed and rolled her eyes jokingly. “Jeez, he’s your boyfriend Katie, not your dad.” I laughed quietly at her joke, feeling a little ridiculous now. I never mentioned anything to her or Annie about my parents and I don’t intend to. “Now let’s go, I’ll stop and pick up chinese on the way there.” I smiled at her and grabbed my bags. “We’ll see you there.” I said and walked out. I hiked through the hospital parking lot to get to my car and was relieved when I reached it. “Thank god.” I muttered as I put my stuff inside and grabbed my phone to text Jake.

Gonna be home late. Going over to Brooke’s apartment to study.

I sent the text and started up my truck. It roared to life and I threw it in drive. As I drove to the apartment complex it looked like the bottom was gonna fall out and I was right, about halfway there it started raining, hard. I drove slowly, barely able to see anything as I went before arriving at the apartment complex. I text Brooke I was here and I could barely make out her sticking her stick her head out of her front door and wave me in. With that I grabbed my stuff and jumped out of my truck just as lightning flashed and I rushed through the door. “Nice, you’re not too soaked.” She said and I laughed. “Now I wish I brought a change of clothes with me.” We all laughed and I sat in the floor at the coffe table, grabbing my plate. My phone buzzed in my pocket and I looked at it to see a text from Jake.

Okay, be careful. I love you! 😘

I smiled at the text and both girls ‘ooo’d at me. “I bet I know who made you make that face.” Annie teased and I grinned. “My very loving and doting boyfriend.” I remarked, opening some chopsticks. “How did he do when you were sick?” Brooke asked and I sighed. “I couldn’t get a moments peace without hearing, ‘Do you need water? Do you need food? Can I get you another blanket?’ But I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I could’ve landed a boyfriend who wanted me to coddle him while I’m sick.” They agreed. “Well better eat so we can get started.” Annie and I agreed with Brooke before digging in. We ate a bunch of food, studied hard, quizzed each other and made it fun. “Well, this was probably one of the best study sessions I’ve ever had.” I remarked as I grabbed my bag. “We’ll definitely do it again. Maybe a few times a month or something like that.” I nodded and grabbed the doorknob. “Definitely. See y’all tomorrow.” They both waved and I rushed through the rain and hopped in the truck. As soon as I closed the door I realized I never locked it. “Well that’s not good.” I looked at my phone and saw it was eight o’clock. I text Jake that I was on my way and headed out.

The rain made it really hard to see so I had to go slow. As I turned out onto the road that led to Brooke’s apartment I wound up behind an older Chevy Tahoe. Just like me they were driving slow. It was totally silent besides the rain and my windshield wipers, which I decided needed to be changed. My eyes were trained on the back windshield of this Tahoe when suddenly something was flung out the drivers side window and it looked like something white fell out of it. No one was behind me so I pulled over, something in my gut told me to check it out. I climbed out of the truck and made my way over to the box, it was upside down so I flipped it over. I opened it up and saw five kittens, I gasped and turned looking for the white one that fell out. I scoured the grass for five minutes and was about to give up when I heard a small meow. It was constant and I made my way to the tree line, lifting some branches, I found the little white kitten. “Aw, baby.” I picked it up, cradling it to my chest as it cried out. I quickly made my way back to the box and set the white kitten inside with the others and hauled it back to my truck. I managed to climb in and set the box in my passenger seat. I shivered as I cranked the heat, hoping it would warm me and the kittens. I dug around under the seats for a blanket or anything but there was nothing. I took a better look at the kittens and saw their eyes were still closed. I immediately grabbed my phone and started googling. These kittens were so young if their eyes were still closed and they should be nursing but of course mama is nowhere to be found. “Okay guys, I’ll get you what you need.”

I drove to the nearest pet store and pulled into the parking lot. It was empty for the most part so I left the truck running as I got out and rushed inside. I looked around and after a minute I found an associate. “Excuse me.” She turned and smiled at me. “How can I help you?” She asked. “I was driving behind this chevy and they tossed a box out the window. When I stopped I found it had six kittens and none of them have opened their eyes yet. I need MRK… No, that's not right. RKM? Whatever is a milk replacement for kittens.” I said and she furrowed her brows at me before smiling. “I know exactly what you need.” She led me to an aisle that held a bunch of cat supplies. “KMR.” She grabbed two containers and handed them to me. “You’re gonna want puppy pads and something to keep them from wandering off once they’re mobile.” I nodded and gathered everything before meeting her at the front to check out. I felt weird using Jake’s credit card for this but I also had no other means to buy this. “Thank you.” I said before gathering everything and rushing back out to my truck. I slung everything into the passenger floorboard before climbing in. At this point I was absolutely soaked to the bone from being in and out of the rain.

I drove home, the little meows of the kittens filling the silence. Once I was in the driveway I gathered everything except the box of kittens and hauled it inside. I set everything down by the door and rushed back out to the truck for the box. Jake was standing in the doorway when I walked back. "What is that?" Jake asked as I carried the soaking wet box into the house. I pushed past him and made my way to the kitchen when the little noises started up again. "Is that a box of kittens?" He asked, following me. "Yes. Someone just launched a box of kittens out of their car on Brookes road, and I couldn't just leave them there, not with it storming like it is." I said, setting the box down on the kitchen floor and going to the laundry room for some towels. "Why did you bring them here?" He asked, and I huffed. "Because it is raining outside, and they’re eyes aren’t even open! There was no vet or rescue open! So help me get them warm!" I felt like my emotions were going to explode out of me, and I could tell Jake saw it too. “Okay, it’s okay.” He helped me grab some towels before sitting on the floor next to the soaked box. I joined him and we each picked up a kitten, gently rubbing them with the towels to dry them off and warm them up.

I picked the white one up and it cried as I gently rubbed its back. “That one sure is vocal.” Jake said as he rubbed a solid black one. I nodded, “The person driving in front of me threw the box out of his truck and this one fell out of it. I found her way down by the tree line just crying.” I pulled her close and her tiny claws dug into my shirt. “Tomorrow I plan to take them to the vet. My first class isn’t until nine and the one closest to the house opens at seven.” He nodded. “I’ll go with you.” He said as he set the black one down and picked up an orange one. “You don’t have to.” I said and he shook his head. “I want to.” I sat quietly for a minute before I picked up the last cat, a calico. “Okay. Could you get the milk replacement ready?” I asked, nodding towards the bag and he got up. He prepped the food and I held the kitten as he came back with six tiny bottles. We sat on the floor and fed all the kittens until their bellies were full and they started drifting off to sleep. “I’m gonna go shower real quick while they’re sleeping.” Jake nodded, the last kitten in his arms finishing its bottle.

I rushed upstairs and showered quickly, wanting to get back downstairs to the kittens. Once I was dry I put on some pajama pants and one of Jake’s shirts before making my way back downstairs. It was quiet when I came down and I walked into the kitchen to see Jake in the laundry room lining an empty laundry basket with blankets. “Might as well give them a warm dry place to sleep. That box is soaked.” I nodded and walked over, helping him move all of the kittens into the laundry basket. “They’ll sleep for a while but they’ll be up again in a few hours to eat.” I grabbed the KMR container. “Well, may wanna premake these so we aren’t up too long throughout the night.” He smiled and grabbed the bottles. We made enough bottles for multiple feedings. We watched some TV until the kittens started making noise again so we fed them one more time before going to bed. As we laid down, Jake pulled me in close to him. “How did studying go?” He asked and I yawned. “Great.” He chuckled, kissing my head. “I’ll get up with them next.” He said and I was too tired to say otherwise.

The next morning Jake and I got up and got ready before getting the kittens ready. “Jake!” I called excitedly. “What?” He asked as he walked into the kitchen. “Two of them have their eyes open.” He leaned down next to me looking at the two tabby’s. “They sure do.” The two cats were looking up at us but I’m sure their eyesight wasn’t good enough to truly see us. “Well I’m gonna go start the truck, we’ll leave here in a minute.” I nodded as I grabbed the basket, carefully carrying it to the living room as Jake came back in. “Ready?” He asked and I nodded. I grabbed both of our bags and he carried the kittens out to the truck, setting the basket on the back floorboard. I set our bags in the backseat before getting in. The ride there was full of cries from the kittens, I didn’t feed them before we left because I read they needed to fast. But I have bottles ready to feed them at the vet once they’re finished. Their cries were stressing me out, knowing I can’t give them what they needed in this moment. “You okay?” Jake asked and I raised a brow at him. “Their crying is stressing me out.” He chuckled and grabbed one of my hands, holding it on the console. “I can tell. I was waiting on you to pull your thumb out of socket.” I looked down at my free hand to see my thumb was red and I realized I was tugging on it. “Oh, sorry.” I said and he brought my hand up to kiss it. “No reason to apologize, honey.”

Once at the vet Jake grabbed the kittens while I went inside to check in. “Hi, my name is Katie. I left a voicemail last night saying I found some kittens.” Her eyes widened. “Oh! I was about to call you. Dr. Braggs had a seven-thirty cancellation and asked me to call you in.” I smiled. “Perfect!” She smiled and started asking me basic questions. “Dr. Braggs will be with you in a moment.” I nodded and walked over to sit next to Jake in the feline waiting area. He had the white one in his arms, rubbing its head as it purred against his arm. “She’s precious.” I said, sitting next to him. He smiled and continued to pet it. “When did they say we could get in?” He asked. “They had a seven-thirty cancellation.” He nodded. “I text Rebecca this morning. I told her what was going on and she said I could bring the kittens into class with me so they can be fed every few hours. Thankfully today is a short day.” He nodded. “Well how about after this, we go on a breakfast date.” I raised a brow at him. “A breakfast date?” He nodded. “I got to thinking about it. We’ve been so worried about your dad, I don’t think I’ve taken you on a real date.” I gave him a small smile. “No, I don’t think you have either. At least not just the two of us.” We both smiled at each other. “So, we’ll leave here, swing by the diner up the road for some pancakes and bacon and we’ll sit in the truck and eat and I’ll drive you to class.” I nodded. “Okay. I like that idea.”

“Blair?” I looked up to see a girl smiling at me. “Hi, I’m Ellie.” She said, holding out her hand to me as we stood up. “Katie and this is Jake.” He tried to wave but he had the laundry basket in one hand and a kitten in the other. I took the basket from him as we walked into the exam room. “Okay, so we have six kittens?” I nodded as I set the basket down. “Correct.” She typed some stuff in before setting the keyboard to the side. “Well let’s start by weighing them.” All the kittens look so tiny on the scale as she sat them up there one by one. “Please stay there.” She said, trying to get the orange one to stay on the scale but he was just crying and slowly making his way off the scale. Once it read his weight Jake grabbed him, holding him close. “Okay, I’ve gotten all this in their chart and Dr. Braggs will be in here in a moment.” We nodded and Ellie walked out. “I just want to squeeze them all until they pop!” I said, scooping up the calico and the orange one and snuggling them. “Well that would be mean, so let’s not make them pop.” Jake picked up one of the tabbies and kissed its little head. “So what are we going to do with them?” Jake sighed. “Find a rescue or a shelter for them?” He suggested. “We can’t keep six cats.” I knew he was right, but sending them to a shelter scared me. They only hold them for so long before euthanizing.

There was a knock on the door and a redheaded woman poked her head in. “Hi! I’m Kathy Braggs!” She was super cheery and smiled at us. We both shook her hand before her bright eyes turned to the kittens. “So many kittens!” She squealed before picking two of them up. “Someone tossed a box out of their truck last night and all these kittens were in it. The white one actually fell out and was a ways away from the box.” She gasped and set down the two in her hands before picking up the white one. “I’ll look her over for injuries.” Dr. Braggs took her time looking over each kitten individually. “This black one. He may need to be fed more often, he’s smaller than all of his littermates. Other than that he should be fine.” I nodded. “They all seem to be in good health. I’d say they’re about five days old, these two have obviously opened their eyes but no ears have unfolded. Both happen between two and sixteen days after birth. They’ll be able to start standing at about three weeks.” We nodded and I sighed. “So as much as I want to, we can’t keep six cats. Do you know of any rescues or shelters?” I asked and she pursed her lips. “There are a few but they’re all very overwhelmed right now. It’s kitten season and every rescue and shelter I know of is bursting at the seams with kittens. Truth be told, the shelters have tried to hold off from euthanizing any of them but they can’t afford to feed them.” My breath caught in my chest and I wanted to burst into tears. “If possible, their best chance for survival is if you find homes for them. Preferably people you know and trust will take care of them.”

Before I could even look at Jake he spoke up. “We can do that. I’m sure I can find enough people on base to take a cat.” I smiled and so did Dr. Braggs. “Wonderful! Since you brought this litter in after finding them the visit is free. We have a program here that injured or lost animals brought in for care are covered financially.” I raised my brows. “Oh, that’s great!” I said and she nodded. “They’ll get you to fill out the paperwork out front but other than that, I think we’re all set.” I nodded. “So the white one is okay?” She nodded. “Fit as a fiddle. No injuries from what I can tell. But if her eyes aren’t open by day sixteen or she stops eating or going to the bathroom, bring her back in and we’ll check her over again.” I nodded. “Thank you, Dr. Braggs! So much!” With that we went out to the desk, filled out the paperwork and left with the kittens.

“Now. To the diner for some pancakes!” Jake said excitedly as he backed out of the parking spot. We swung by the diner and Jake ran in for a platter of pancakes and bacon before coming back to the car. “Oh that smells heavenly!” I said as he handed me the bag. I felt like I was starving at this point even though I knew I wasn’t. “Now, let’s get you to school.” We listened to the radio as we drove and once we pulled up on campus Jake took the food from my lap. “Okay.” He announced. “Pancakes, bacon and hashbrowns for you! Pancakes, bacon and hashbrowns for me!” I laughed and took the to-go container he handed me and turned in my seat to face him. “Thank you.” I said and he smiled at me. “You're welcome.” We sat and ate until he turned and grinned at me. “What?” I asked. “It’s just funny. This is technically our first date and I already know so much about you. I feel like a first date is all about getting to know each other.” I smiled at him. “Well, I don’t think you’ve ever told me much about your family. I know you’re from Texas and you have a brother and a sister.” He nodded, a smile forming. “I do. My sister has three kids too, two boys and a girl. Her youngest just turned two.” I smiled at him. “Does your brother have any kids?” I asked and he nodded. “Him and his wife are expecting their first within a week or so.” My eyebrows shot up. “I didn’t know that.” With everything going on in my life I never really stopped to ask him about personal things like this and now I feel like a shitty girlfriend. He nodded. “I’m excited for another niece.”

I smiled at him and he opened his mouth to say something when I noticed the time. “Shit! I have five minutes to get upstairs!” I put the last bit of bacon in my mouth before closing the container. “I’ll help you with the kittens.” I shook my head. “You don’t have to.” I said and he huffed. “But I want to, so let me.” He kissed me quickly before I agreed and got out. I grabbed my backpack and the bag of kittens stuff and he grabbed the kittens. We rushed inside and made it into the classroom with one minute to spare. I set my bags in my seat as Jake set the box on the floor. “Thank you.” I told him, pulling out the bottles for the kitten formula. “It’s no problem.” The white kitten let out a loud meow and all heads turned to us. “I thought that’s what was in the box.” Rebecca said as she walked over to us. “Thanks again for letting me bring them. It’s going to make my life so much easier.” She smiled at me. “You’re welcome. Anything for kittens snuggles.” She smiled. “Can I?” I nodded and she reached for the white one, cradling it to her chest. Jake helped me get the bottles ready before Rebecca started class.

“Okay, now I’m gonna head to work. I’ll be back to pick you up later.” I nodded and was startled when he placed his hand on the side of my neck and kissed me in front of everyone. “I love you.” He said as he pulled away. “Love you too.” “Good to see ya, Jake.” Brooke said as she walked in with Annie. “You too.” Jake squeezed my hand before walking out and as soon as he did, more kittens started crying. “Okay, okay.” I grabbed the black one and a bottle before sitting down. “Need some help?” I nodded at Annie’s question and she and Brooke picked up the two tabby’s. “I can help too.” Starla said as she walked over. “Sure.” I said and she immediately grabbed the calico. Two more girls picked up the orange one and the white one from Rebecca to feed. I looked around to see almost everyone in the front feeding a kitten and I smiled. This Friday is going to be pretty easy.

The weekend was spent feeding the kittens and watching them so I was ready for something different on Monday. The kittens went back to class with me on Monday and once again everyone wanted to get their hands on them and I happily let them. “Any questions?” Rebecca asked and I raised my hand just as there was a knock on the door and it opened. The dean stood there with two police officers. “Mrs. Ford, could we please see Ms. Blair?” The Dean asked and my heart fell into my gut. She nodded. “Of course.” Her eyes met mine and concern flashed in them. I stood up and walked towards the door, fear gripping me with every step. As soon as I was out the door closed. “Is Jake okay?” I immediately asked. “This has nothing to do with your boyfriend, Ms. Blair.” I was relieved and concerned all at once. “What’s wrong then?” I asked as I wiped my eyes where tears began building up. “We came to give you this.” The stockier police officer said, holding out a paper to me. I took it and at the top it says summons. “Your mother is pressing charges.” I furrowed my brows. “For what?” I asked, looking up at them. “Breaking and entering and battery. She claims you broke in and punched her in the face.” My jaw dropped. “I can’t believe her.” I said, running my hands through my hair. “You’re lucky. She begged us to not arrest you. If you were my child, I would make sure you went to jail.” I gave him a disgusted look. “Have a good day Ms. Blair.” With that they left.

“Katie-” “You don’t understand. Why I did it. What they’ve done to me all my life.” He just stared at me as I stared at the paper. “My mother and father made my entire life a living hell, then I found out I have a developmental disorder that they never bothered to tell me about. I was so angry and I know I acted on emotion but it-” “Katie,” His hand landed on my shoulder. “I believe you. But we still have to have a meeting about this.” I nodded as tears gathered in my eyes. “Grab your stuff.” I nodded and walked back in. Everyone stared at me as I walked in and I wanted to crawl out of my skin. “Mrs. Ford. We need to have an emergency meeting.” She nodded. “Why don’t y’all start early on your essay’s?” Everyone agreed and I put everything in my bag. “Here. I got them.” Rebecca grabbed the laundry basket with the kittens and I put my bag on my back. “Everything okay?” Annie asked and I shook my head. “No. I’ll call you this afternoon.” They nodded and I followed Rebecca out. We walked down the hall to a conference room and we walked in. We all sat down and I tucked my hands between my thighs attempting to ground myself. “Okay, Katie. What happened?” I was shocked by the dean’s question but answered anyway, I told them every detail of what happened when I went to my mother’s house. Including what she told me.

“I-I don’t understand how a mother can do something like that to their child, let alone admit it to them.” Rebecca said, distress clear on her face. The dean nodded. “Katie. It’s clear that what happened is distressing and don’t tell anyone but I feel like you were justified.” I nodded. I felt like I was going to scream and throw up at once, my nerves were eating me alive. “But this is a legal case and the university policy is very clear, any student involved in a criminal legal case is hereby dismissed from the program they’re enrolled in and the university as a whole.” I busted into sobs when he said that, feeling like no matter what I do my parents ruin everything for me. “Katie, I’m sorry. You’re a fantastic student and you show real potential. When you’re found innocent and this is all over we’d be happy to welcome you back into the program.” Rebecca said and I just laid my head on the table. “It’s our policy Katie, and if I could make an exception I would. But if there’s anything we can do, please let us know.” I tried to take deep breaths but I just kept choking. “Can we have a minute?” The dean nodded and stepped out and Rebecca came and sat next to me. “Come here.” Rebecca pulled me into her and I broke down even more. She rubbed my back and I realized I’ve never truly had a hug from a motherly figure. I don’t know how long she let me cry for but she didn’t let go till I had calmed down. “It will get better.” She said and I sighed. “But until it does, you call me if you need me. You have my personal number?” I nodded as I wiped my eyes. “I do.” She smiled at me. “Good. Now go home and rest. You’re gonna need it if you plan to win this case.” I cracked a small smile. “Thanks, Rebecca.”

I grabbed my bag and the kittens and made my way out to the truck. I got everything set up and started my drive home. The ride was quiet until I was about five minutes away from the house and the kittens started crying. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself but they kept getting louder and more frequent. Once I pulled into the driveway I cut the truck off, but the kittens were so loud. “JUST STOP!” I screamed but they only got louder. I got out of the truck, slamming the door. I leaned against it for a moment before going around and getting my bags and the kittens. I hauled them inside and set the basket on the couch before dropping my bag. I looked up and was shocked to find Jake at the table with a beer in hand. “Wh-what are you doing here?” I asked and he sighed. “It’s my house.” I flinched at his tone. “That’s obvious, but why aren’t you at work?” I asked, tugging on my thumb. “I have officially been dishonorably discharged from the United States Navy.” My jaw dropped. “On what grounds?” I asked. “Kidnapping and sexual assault, against you.” I thought my eyes would fall out of my head at his words. “Me?” He nodded. “According to your dad I’m holding you hostage and assaulting you.” The tears started again and I leaned against the wall, sliding down it. “I’m so sorry, Jake.” I said as I buried my face in my knees. He came over and sat next to me. “Why are you home?” He asked. “My parents are charging me with breaking and entering and battery for slapping my mom. So I have been kicked out of school.” I choked on a sob as I said it. We sat there in silence for a few minutes before he spoke up again. “What do you wanna do?” I stared at my shoes for a moment before sighing. “Fight back and ruin their lives for once.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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arlana-likes-to-write · 8 months ago

Note

Hi there. I'm sorry if I'm doing this the wrong way. I've never requested anything before. (i want to put a trigger warning for self harm)

I was wondering if you could do a Kate Bishop and female reader angst/comfort where they've been dating for a bit. Kate comes home early from duty with cliny to surprise her and finds her self harming. If you can't or its too dark I understand. I struggle with self injury and a story with Kate comforting her girlfriend who struggles with mental health sounds nice.

Scars to Your Beautiful

Summary: You thought you had time to get it under control, a dark secret that not even your girlfriend knew about. But now she knows.

Please read the warnings as some topics in the this story can be triggering for some. As always you are enough and I am here if you need someone to talk to!

Warning: mention of past and current self harm, act of self harm, verbal abuse from parents, anxiety, Kate being a good girlfriend, reader has bad mental health

Word Count: 3.2k

“Sweetheart,” you looked up at your girlfriend’s voice. Her eyes flicked to yours and the small razor blade in your hand. What was she doing at home? She was earlier.

5 Days Ago

You dropped your bag to the ground with a groan. It seemed heavier daily, but you were one step closer to graduating. Then you would be free—free from strict professors, free from anxiously waiting for a paper or test to be graded to pop up on the portal, free from the endless pressure your parents placed on your shoulders to carry on your family’s legacy.

You slumped down on the couch, and your girlfriend’s dog rested his head on your lap. The action made you smile. “Hi, Lucky baby,” you whispered, scratching his head. His tongue hung out of the side of his mouth. “When do you think your mom is going to be home?” The one-eyed Golden Retriever jumped on the couch and laid on you, forcing you to lay back. “Lucky,” you laughed. “I have to do homework.” Instead of getting up, he placed his head on your chest and closed his. “Unbelievable,” you mumbled, but his breathing soon brought you to an unwanted nap.

Soft fingers running through your hair slowly woke you up. You rubbed the sleep out of your eyes and saw Kate with a smile on her face. “Hi, sleepy,” she teased. “How was your nap?”

“Good but unwanted,” you sat up and put your arms around her neck. “Your dog held me hostage and forced me to take a nap,” you felt her body shake from laughter, and her arms locked you into place. “Katie,” you whined. “I have to get up and do homework and cook dinner.”

“Nope,” she popped the ‘p’. “Homework can wait, and I ordered food. So now you can cuddle with your girlfriend.” You huffed, but Kate pouted her lips and gave you the best puppy dog eyes.

“Cuddling does something nice,” you gave in and rested your head on the crook of her neck. Kate reached for the remote and played the next episode of Grey’s Anatomy. You loved these moments. With her training, your classwork, and other extracurricular, it was hard to have these moments of peace. Still, anxiety began to creep into your bones as the seconds ticked to minutes, and the list of assignments was not getting any smaller. Kate touched your neck and dug her fingers into the knots. You melted against her. It was unfair how easily she could turn you into a puddle. You stayed there until the food was delivered and had to part away from the warmth of your girlfriend to eat your Chinese food. She allowed you to change the show to SVU while you ate.

“I leave for a mission tomorrow morning,” you said, dropping the chopsticks you were using. They said it should be about a week.” A week without her would be the longest you both would be apart.

“Whose going with you?” You asked.

“It’s a small team—me, Kamala, America, and Peter.” The urge to ask more died on your lips. Kate never told you what the missions were in the name of keeping you safe. It was hard to wonder, especially when nightmares woke her, and you had to clean her wounds. Instead of rattling off a hundred and one questions, you placed your food on the small table and wrapped your arms around her.

“Promise me you’ll come back to me in one piece.” It was a hard promise to keep, but you needed to hear her say.

“Of course, sweetheart,” she kissed your temple. “You are my home, my one and only. I’ll always come back to you.”

The universe must have liked fucking with you. As soon as Kate left for her mission, one bad thing happened after another. You received a horrible grade on a group project you were stressing over because your other members-only did the bare minimum for their part. Pleading your case to your professor fell on deaf ears because you passed. A passing grade wasn’t good enough. You needed to be perfect.

Then, your internship kept piling more and more work on you because they claimed you were the most responsible and could handle the workload. The cherry on top of the shitty sundae was a phone call from your mother.

“It seems that Dr. Narvaez hasn’t received your application,” you rolled your eyes at your mother’s tone. “Is there a reason for that?” Lucky greeted you at the door, making walking into Kate’s apartment difficult. But you greeted the one-eyed dog with a forced smile and a pat on the head. You toed off your sneakers and dropped down at the small table.

“Because I didn’t send it in,” your confession was met with silence. Sometimes, you preferred your parents constantly yelling or belittling you over the silence.

“And why is that?” You played with an arrowhead that Kate left.

“I don’t know if I want to work for Dr. Narvaez,” you said honestly. He was a friend of your father’s and owned a private practice catering to high-end clients. It would be good money but different from the work you wanted to do. You wanted to help people, not rich saps who wanted Botox.

“Are you serious? Your father gave up a lot to secure you that spot.” You bit your lip, stopping the sigh. It was what they wanted, not you.

“I want a break,” you told her and crossed your arms on top of the table. “Kate and I are thinking about taking a vacation.” The Bishops had a cabin up north, and she wanted to take you right there after graduation. She scuffed at the mention of your girlfriend. “What is that supposed to mean?”

“That girl doesn’t know what’s best for you. Not like your father and I,” you pinched the bridge of your nose. It was the same argument every time. “If you do not work with Dr. Narvaez, you will not have a successful future. You will amount to nothing. You will not only be a failure to yourself but your father, brother, and me.” This type of rant was what you were used to with her. Not praise or support or a gentle reminder that she loved you. All she would do was remind you of how much of a failure you were. If she said it so many times, it had to be true. Right?

Your mother’s degrading words echoed in your head. Worthless. Stupid. You were a disgrace. An embarrassment to the family, and you were going to amount to nothing. You were a mistake. A nobody compared to your brother. They consumed you. Everything seemed to spiral out of control. You needed some aspect of it back. It was a behavior you weren’t proud of that started in middle school. For the six months you were with Kate, you had no need to resort to destructive habits. Kate grounded you. She kept all the negative thoughts away. You found the razor blade in your jewelry box. A hidden compartment at the bottom was perfect because Kate had gone through it all the time.

So you sat on your shared bed with your pant legs rolled up. Your fingertips danced over the faint scars that decorated your skin. Sometimes, Kate traced the lines but never asked where they came from. It was second nature as you moved the sharp razor across your skin. The red of your blood bubbled to the surface. The pressure you’ve felt for the past day and a half disappeared. Finally, you felt like you had control.

The behavior continued over the next two days. Every time you brought the blade out, you promised yourself it would be the last time. It never was, but you had time to get your habit back under control. You had three days, then Kate would be home, and you wouldn’t need it anymore. You had to get everything under control, so you thought.

Present day

“What-what are you doing back?” You asked. You tried to keep your voice steady, but panic raced through your body.

“We got done early,” her voice was surprisingly calm. “I wanted to surprise you.” Her hair was damp, and she was dressed in a purple tracksuit. She must have taken a shower at the tower and rushed over here. Slowly, she closed the distance between you and here. There was enough space so you wouldn’t feel trapped. “Sweetheart, can you hand me that?” She pointed to the razor in your hand. On instinct, you gripped the blade, and you felt it cut your hand. “Please, baby, give it to me.” Her voice was firm, but you heard the plead.

“Katie,” you whimpered and dropped the blade into her outstretched hand. The world seemed to collapse around you. Your legs began to shake, and Kate caught you before you hit the ground. No tears fell from your eyes. A blanket of numbness covered your body.

“I’m going to lift you so we can get you all clean, okay?” You nodded, unable to open your mouth. Your stomach dropped as Kate quickly picked you up and walked to the bathroom. Goosebumps formed on your skin when she set you down and turned to get the first aid kit. Her body shook as she exhaled, looking at the new cuts on your thighs. “This may hurt, but I’ll be gentle, okay?” Again, you gave her another nod. You expected the sting of the antiseptic, but you felt nothing. How long have you been numb to it?

“None are very deep so that you won’t need stitches,” Kate explained. You knew that. Even in your mind-numbing haze, you knew to be careful. There was one night during high school when you cut too deep and stole your father’s suture kit. You learned that night your hands were steady enough to become a surgeon. “I’m going to clean your hand now,” without a response, she didn’t reach to take it. “Baby,” you forced yourself to look into her blue eyes. “Can I see your hand?” You nodded and gave it to her. There was a small cut, nothing compared to the ones on your legs. She cleaned it, placed a badge, and kissed your hand. “I’m going to ask you something, and I won’t be made no matter the answer as long as you are honest with me. Are there others?”

You wanted to lie. All you had to do was say no, and when she went to bed, you could clean the cuts that scattered your arms, but the lie tasted like poison. It made your stomach twist and throat constrict. Before Kate, lying about this was easy. It flowed off your tongue so quickly that even you believed it. With a quick nod, you tugged off your long-sleeved shirt. It was one of Kate’s old college shirts. Your girlfriend scanned your upper half. Again, her body shook as she exhaled. “Okay, thank you for being honest with me, baby. I’m going to clean these too.” You nodded as she kissed your forehead.

Quickly, you put your hand on the back of her neck and kept her close. You knew they needed adequately cleaned, but you needed her close. Everything felt so cold. “Tell me what you need,” she said.

“Need you,” you mumbled. “Katie,” you whined. “Please.” Your throat burned as you tried to keep your tears at bay. Kate hushed you and brought you into a tight hug.

“I’m right here, sweet girl. I’m not going anywhere.”

Once Kate deemed every cut was cleaned, she helped you change into a pair of sweatpants and a baggy hoodie. She carried you to the living room, sat on the couch, and covered you with a blanket. You whined when she pulled away. “I’m going to order food and get you some water. I’ll be right back.” You wanted to protest. She just returned from a mission, and you should be caring for her, but there was no energy in your body. When she entered the kitchen, Lucky jumped on the couch beside you. You ran our fingers through his fur.

The action was mind-numbing, the repetitive motion of his fur through your fingers. You weren’t sure how long you sat there, but Kate returned with a pizza box, and Lucky jumped to the ground. He wasn’t far, just by your feet. “Are you hungry?” She asked. You were, but your stomach twisted and turned. Dark thoughts filled your mind of how undeserving you were. “Just a few bites. I got your favorite.” She opened the box, and it was your favorite. You took a small piece, and with every bite, Kate kissed your forehead and whispered positive words in your ear. You had another slice, and once Kate ate, she put her arm around your shoulders and brought you closer. A conversation was on the horizon, but you were in no mood to talk about what led you here. It would only lead you to spiral more.

“I know we have to talk,” your voice was soft. “Can it wait? I want to cuddle with you.”

“Yeah, of course,” you felt her sigh. “I love you, baby girl. I hope you know that.”

“I love you too, Katie.”

You woke up in your shared bed with Kate. The archer was fast asleep, and at some point, she separated from you in the night. You smiled at how peaceful she looked so different from when she came home. You got out of bed as quietly as possible and went to the kitchen - making breakfast was the least you could do. There was little in the fridge. In your slow mental breakdown, you failed to fill the fridge. Come to think of it, that pizza you ate was your first meal since Kate left for her mission. God, your mother was right. You were worthless.

Deep within the freezer, you found a bag of frozen fruit and decided to make an acai bowl. So you divided the fruit, making sure Kate had more strawberries than blackberries, and placed it in the blender with some Greek yogurt. Thankfully, Kate was a heavy sleeper, and as the mixture was being blended, you started a fresh pot of coffee. Once it was blended, you poured the mixture into bowls.

It was on instinct. You picked up the two still-good bananas and the knife from the drawer. It was an action you’ve done 100 times, but this morning you hesitated.

Your eyes were trained on the knife every time you cut the fruit. It was dangerous to be this close to something sharp after last night. Dark and dangerous thoughts started to fill your head. You wondered how the knife you held would differ from the small razor blade you used. It could be deadly. “Sweetheart,” you snapped out of your thoughts. Are you okay?”

“I don’t know,” you answered honestly and set the knife down as your hands shook. “Sit, please. I made breakfast.” She sat at the table, and you placed the cut-up banana on top with some leftover granola you found. You brought it over to her with a coffee, and you quickly turned around to get your breakfast and return to her. You ate in silence. Occasionally, Kate would grab your hand and squeeze it. You wondered if she needed the reminder that you were here.

“I’m sorry,” you finally said and sipped your coffee. “I thought I’d get it under control before you came back.” Kate moved her thumb on the back of your hand.

“How long has this been going on?” You sighed, brought your knee up to your chest, and rested your chin on top.

“Since middle school, but I stopped when we got together. You made me feel grounded despite all the pressure and stress,” you explained. “When you went on the mission, one bad thing happened after the other.”

“Tell me what happened,” you told her about your lousy grade from your professor, the extra work your internship pilled on you, and the comments your family made. When you brought up your family, Kate tried to keep her face neutral, but her blue eyes turned stormy. She’s met your parents a handful of times and you knew how much she hated how they treated you. Once you were done with your story, it sounded foolish. It was typical pre-adult responsibilities; people were going through much worse. But Kate had a soft smile that almost caused the dame you were holding to break.

“You are so loved, baby girl. You are smart, beautiful, and kind. My world is so much brighter with you in it,” you felt your bottom lip tremble. Still, it was hard for you to believe. “Come with me,” she pulled you to your feet and towards the bathroom downstairs. She flicked on the lights and put you in front of the mirror. Her arms wrapped around your waist. “Look in the mirror,” you struggled to say, but you looked at yourself in the mirror. “My beautiful girl,” she mumbled, kissing the part of your skin uncovered by the hoodie. Her hands were warm as they moved under your hoodie and rested on your stomach. The warmth made you melt against your girlfriend’s solid frame. “I will say some sentences, and I want you to repeat them for me. Can you do that for me, baby?” You were a little hesitant but nodded. However, Kate gave you a stern look that said use your words.

“Yes, Kit Kat,” you smiled, using the nickname she hated. She tickled your sides, and your laughter danced off the bathroom walls.

“Okay, okay,” she said once your laughter turned to quiet giggles. Kate let out a shaky breath and turned her attention to the reflection. “I am strong,” you pouted when she expected you to say it back. It wasn’t true. You weren’t strong. At this moment, you felt so weak. “Come on, sweetheart, say it back to me.” You sighed.

“I am strong,” you mumbled. There was no belief in your words but Kate kissed your cheek.

“Good. I’m so proud of you. Alright, next one. I am smart,” she continued with more phrases. Each one was different from the next, but they had the same idea: I am confident, brave, and loved. Every time you repeated a phrase back, your voice was stronger, and a small part of you started to believe it. “Last one, beautiful,” she whipped away your tears with her thumb. I am enough.”

“Katie,” you whimpered. It was almost painful to say or believe. “I’m not.”

“Yes, you are,” she squeezed you tight. “Say it.” She encouraged you and rested her chin on your shoulder. You closed your eyes. “I am enough.”

“I am,” Worthless. A disgrace. Dumb. “I am enough.” It was so soft. “I am enough.” The second time was stronger. “I am,” Loved. Beautiful. Strong. Brave. “Enough. I am enough,” you cried. Kate was quick to turn you around and pulled you into her arms. You clung onto her back as you sobbed into her shoulder.

“You are baby. You are enough, and I will remind you every single day.” It was hard to believe. After years and years of verbal abuse from your family, those thoughts weren’t going to disappear overnight. But you were stronger than them. You were better than them. You were enough.

#kate bishop x reader #kate bishop x you #kate bishop imagine #hawkeye x reader #kate bishop #hawkeye kate bishop

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freddie-77-ao3 · 7 months ago

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random facts about random riordanverse characters from my characters doc:

percy jackson: thalia once dyed his hair neon green (which, he has black hair, so no clue how) and it lasted for two weeks before washing out entirely

thalia grace: actually very close to will solace. he treated her when she first woke up, and reminded her of jason. she's basically a big sister now. she threatened nico about him.

nico di angelo: got so nervous about asking will out he accidentally asked in chinese, before reverting to welsh, and then latin. finally, he stutters it out in a mix of greek, italian, and english (luckily will understands all three). unfortunately, will responds in sign language for some reason??? nico doesn't know sign language.

meg mccaffrey: meg has a horrendous obsession with gatorade. like. she won't drink water, it's gatorade or nothing. apollo is SO concerned because he doesn't know what gatorade is and also it looks VERY unnatural.

leo valdez: not only can he cook tacos, he knows how to make tamales. actually, while on the argo ii, he and percy made most of the food. this man can COOK.

will solace: has a habit of always carrying pens around with him (both as a way of keeping close to michael, who collected pens before his death, and just bc he's in the infirmary so much) and he clicks them ALL THE TIME as a fidget. people forcibly take them from him sometimes.

Annabeth Chase: she's autistic and so is her dad. part of why they have so much trouble having a good relationship with each other. they both have really black and white thinking styles.

Calypso: she's like 7 feet tall.

Magnus Chase: he really likes the chronicles of narnia series. when he was a kid, he dressed up like the lion for three halloweens in a row. his favorite is the lion the witch and the wardrobe.

Alex Fierro: felines are easier than canines in regards to shapeshifting.

Sadie Kane: she likes strawberry ribena the best

Carter Kane: he wants to grow his hair out. when he's in his twenties, he does. sadie helps him braid it.

Clarisse La Rue: after her mission in ttc, she's extremely claustrophobic.

Piper McLean: the reason she was so against feminine stuff in TLH is because she was so sexualized by the media when she was girly. so she openly rejected it.

Travis Stoll: makes oddly specific t-shirts about what happens at camp. like, “I defeated the greek personification of time this summer and all i got was this lousy tee shirt.”

Connor Stoll: isn't dyslexic. loves reading.

Katie Gardner: she drops out of college after her first semester. it just wasn't for her. she owns a flower shop called petal to the metal, where she says "have a punk rock day" to all her customers.

clovis: he doesn't actually need to sleep 24/7, he just doesn't want to interact with people.

Cecil Markowitz: a threesome baby. no, really. he's 25% his mum, 25% his dad, and 50% hermes. he-- he has a lot of questions and no answers, and that's probably for the better.

Lou Ellen Blackstone: she's black, and usually keeps her hair in braids. before alabaster torrington defected he did it (he's white, learned just for her), and after, beckendorf did her hair.

Zoe Nightshade: she's regenerating. she was a titaness, she'll be back.

Lee Fletcher: he dropped out of high school. it wasn't for him. got his GED and took college classes on the side til he died, but personally modern schooling wasn't really for him.

Rachel Dare: when she turns 21 and gains access to her trust fund, she immediately donates the entire thing.

Hazel Levesque: definitely the person who always has a cardigan/sweater for you to use if you get cold.

Frank Zhang: goes back and finds his grandmother after HoO

Jason Grace: jiper was comphet. he's gay.

Reyna: didn't actually join the hunt. i don't think that really is a natural character ending? she is ace though.

Grover: turns out pan passing his spirit on to grover actually made grover a god?? yeah grover didn't realise for //years//

juniper: fought in the battle of manhattan. she just brought a couple of her berries with her.

Chris Rodriguez: following going insane and becoming sane again, he develops anorexia to regain his sense of control over his life.

Drew Tanaka: she's actually aro-ace.

Malcolm Pace: in an effort to always be prepared he sleeps in jeans and street clothes, and always has a bag of supplies on him.

Ellis Wakefield: is from somalia. his first language is somali. he speaks somali, english, arabic, and greek.

Mitchell: went to military school for a bit. has a habit of calling people sir/ma'am after every sentence now.

michael yew: has the gift of prophecy, knew going into manhattan that he was going to die.

miranda gardiner: summer only camper, takes over counselor during the summer (katie doesn't want it. also she's vietnamese. i know thats two facts i just think it's important.

sherman yang: he has two dads. his mortal dad's name is jeff. sherman sees him like, one week every two months? jeff lives in seattle.

jake mason: he's got a fish named bubbles. he says it's because harley wanted to name it. he lies.

silena beauregard: summer only camper, she volunteers at a domestic abuse shelter during the year, and hopes to go into social work.

charles beckendorf: he was 16 when he died, but had finished HS work 2 years early. had been accepted to MIT. he wouldn't have gone, anyway, because of the expense, too far from camp, but-- it had been a nice dream

Nyssa Barrera: she's a year round camper, and always been mad that taking care of harley fell to her.

Lacy: physically disabled. she's got JRA, and is in a wheelchair part time.

Harley: really likes unsweetened cheerios.

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joe9cool · 1 year ago

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Invisible String- Collide

This takes place after the story and before the epilogues. Just a cute little story while listening to Invisible String by Taylor Swift

Mike Wozniak was in his attic, normally this was something his wife would be doing, but this was something that was driving him nuts since he discovered the tall young man that stole his youngest daughter's heart.

Justin looked familiar, but he couldn't put his place on it. Then the lightbulb went off in his head when he remembered Justin was from Oregon. He had never gotten a proper chance to mention it since everyone had been fussing over him the entire time he was visiting

After hours of searching through photo albums, he made an "Aha!" Noise as he grabbed the two photos he was looking for

—----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Dad, I thought you were taking this slow. You just had a medical emergency." Sara had decided to go home for a week to check on her dad before Justin's training camp started. She had just finished wrapping up promotional press for the shows new season premiere. Sara was cleaning her home when her dad surprised her with food and an envelope. "Where's mom?"

"Probably at her art class. Who knows?" Sara laughed and crossed her arms. "And how pissed would she be if she knew you were here with Chinese food?"

"Really pissed. But she will be gone for a few more hours and there's the farmers market on her way home. Plenty of time to hide the evidence." He set the food down as Sara got out the paper plates and plastic utensils. "What's in the envelope?"

He slid it across the dining room table as he began to plate some of the food. "Take a look for yourself."

Confused, she tucked a piece of her dark hair around her ear before opening the envelope. It was a series of photos. She studied the first one. It was a picture of her, Alyssa and their dad outside what looked like a stadium. She looked at the back, in her moms handwriting

7/12/2002

Autzen stadium, Eugene Oregon

"Oh my god. How do I not remember this?" Sara examined the photo. She and Alyssa were dressed in typical early 2000s kids clothes. Their hair in pigtails, and they looked like they would have rather been anywhere but there. "I told Justin I'd never been there before but I guess I'm a liar."

Mike laughed. Taking a bite of his food. "It was an overnight business trip and I took your girls at the last minute since you were upset about Katie and Brittany going to Florida with your cousins. I didn't know anything about the area, saw this massive football stadium with Duck gear everywhere and got you this since you cried." There was a bag that he reached in. He pulled out a small stuffed Duck with an old Oregon logo on it. "Maybe one day, you could give it to your baby."

Sara took the duck and smiled. "I don't even remember having this." Her dad smiled. "Well you kept it in your room for a few days until Brittany made fun of you for having too many stuffed animals and then you threw them in the basin. You're lucky your mother is a sentimental hoarder."

He picked up the envelope and took out another photo. "This was when I went to New York for work because my company was sponsoring the college football awards. In 2019 I attended the national college football awards banquet to see my buddy Steve present the William Campbell trophy to a young man. I didn't know much about him, but he was very smart and polite in the brief moment I shook his hand."

He flipped the photo over and there was a group photo. All of the big execs surrounding Justin, and sure enough her dad was all of the way at the end.

"Who would have thought I'd be meeting my future son-in-law." Mike smiled as his daughter rolled his eyes. "Dad please."

"I'm just saying." He held his hands up.

—

"Wow. Now I feel bad, I didn't even recognize your dad when I met him in the hospital." Justin smiled as she showed him the two photos and the stuffed Duck. Sara laughed. "How would you have known?"

"True." He smiled. "You're a liar though." She looked confused. "Huh?" He got up and walked towards her, cornering her, he spoke slowly. "You told me you've never been to Eugene" She smiled, catching on by his tone. "I guess technically I did lie. Does that mean I'm a bad girl and need to be punished?"

She squealed as his hand snaked around her to squeeze her ass hard. "Bad girls always get punished."

—-------------------------------------------------------------

A week after she showed him the photos something else had happened. She was scrolling on her tiktok page when a photo she recognized came across her for you page.

It was an old photo that her college roommate Cameron had posted back in 2017 on instagram. Fans must have dug up the photo as the old friend's profile was open.It was a photo of them at a UCLA football game, one of the few she attended. They were on the field, her name starting to pick up as she gotten some guest star roles on tv shows and was gaining traction in movies. Her and Cameron were by the end zone. She captioned it

One day she will get into football.

The person who posted it had used the song 'invisible string' as the sound

Isn't it just so pretty to think All along there was some invisible String, Tying you to me

Sliding over the person had zoomed in on the same photo. Sara gasped as she recognized the guy on the field throwing a few feet behind them

It was Justin, her Justin.

She smiled widely. She vaguely remembered that game. From what she did remember, she was bored and on her phone messaging a douche that she was dating while waiting for call backs.

How close she was to meeting him. His hair was buzzed short, and he paid no attention to the chaos around him as he was getting ready for the game. Typical Justin.

Smiling, she made a few calls.

—--------------------------------------------------------------

A few weeks later, Justin was at camp as Sara had just gotten in from another day of protesting for the writers. She was cooking dinner when he walked in. "Hey babe." He kissed her. "Smells good, as usual. I'm going to change."

"Okay when you're done I have a surprise for you." He lifted his eyebrows. "Oh?" His earlier task was forgotten. "Is it another workout?" He wiggled his eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

"That's for later. I'm talking about an actual gift."

Justin sighed and Sara laughed, deciding to show him earlier, she grabbed the frame from one of the drawers. He took it and was confused for a second. "Who is the girl with you?"

"My roommate Cameron this was when we went to the UCLA Oregon game." She smiled as she saw the recognition on his face. "Hey that's me in the back!" Justin looked up and laughed. "This was in 2017. Oh my god."

She smiled. "Who would have known? It's too bad you had that shaved head otherwise I would have definitely tried to fuck you." He rolled his eyes. "You know I had a girlfriend at this time?"

“So was I, well kinda, we were seeing other people on the side.” He narrowed his eyes “Hey I was a hoe when I first got into the La/Hollywood scene”

“I don’t want to hear about that.” She laughed at his jealousy. “You know the chicken needs some time to cool off, I need to keep busy.” She dragged a finger down his chest. Catching on, he put her over his shoulder and immediately went into the room. Unbeknownst to them, the music playing in the background begun playing ‘invisible strings’

A.N. This was just something cute I thought of while listening to the song

#justin herbert #sara and justin canon #nfl imagine

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brandogenius · 8 months ago

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POM KATIE GAVIN ERA!!! PRAYED FOR DAYS LIKE THESE!!! how about a good ol fashion katie comfort fic 👀👀🙈🙈

KATIE FANS EATING GOOD

‼️RPF‼️

HC - katie x reader - comfort (short)

- katie gives the best advice

- reader finds comfort going to katie for advice. not even able to be ashemed

- need help with understanding something ? need a hug ? katie has got you sorted

- she gives back rubs when hugging. it makes reader cry harder tbh

- katie would hug reader when they are anxious, just sit them on her lap and run her fingers through readers hair like “no more crying alright?” wiping some tears away with her sleeve ☹️☹️

- katie would be willing to go into a spaceship and fly to the sun and start a fight with it becauwe you complained it got in your eyes

- late night discussions about anything. lying beside each other, katie has her arm wrapped around you while you debate on random topics / talk over your problems

- katie is the only one who knows how to properly calm you down from an anxiety attack

- “honey remember what we talked about? name five things you can see”

- she’s the type of person who would bring home chinese and hot chocolate and a plushy when you’ve had an extra bad day. “something to make you smile sweetheart”

- having a depression day and katie is there to help you get clean, have food, pampering you. making you feel pretty and loved

#pom writes #katie gavin x reader #katie gavin angst #katie gavin fluff #katie gavin one shot #katie gavin blurb #katie gavin au #katie gavin headcanons #katie gavin fanfic #muna one shot #muna x reader #muna au #muna blurb #muna fluff #muna angst #muna fanfic

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viewfromgumlog · 2 months ago

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Blog 4 - Chinese Medicine & Mindful Eating

As I enter my fourth week on this journey into Chinese medicine and food, I am facing more challenges. First, I discovered I can no longer eat eggs. After having another bout of gastritis, I traced it back to eggs. At this rate, I will end up not having much I can eat! I have ordered a book on allergies and retraining the brain, but that is another topic for another day.

Anyway, another area of Chinese medicine that I need to incorporate in my life revolves around how I eat. Chinese medicine practitioners stress mindful eating. I tend to do distracted eating in front of the television, except for our main meal that I usually eat at the dining table with my husband. From the Chinese medicine perspective, distracted eating contributes to my digestive problems.

I do not enjoy eating at a table, unless I am eating in a restaurant.

As a kid, my parents, my brother, and I sat down to eat supper at a drop-leaf table in our narrow kitchen. My father reigned from one narrow side of the table while my mother sat opposite from him. My brother and I sat together on the long edge. Tension was served along with the food. My father’s anger often permeated the atmosphere like a low-hanging gray cloud. Sitting next to my brother, the first bully in my life, increased the tension.

Despite my past relationship with eating and sitting at a kitchen table, I am willing to start to eat mindfully. Katy Tapper from the Department of Psychology at the University of London authored an extensive article called “Mindful eating: what we know so far.”[1] She points out that studies on mindful eating and its health benefits prove to inconclusive (Tapper 173). Measuring mindful eating has proven to be confusing. My conclusion—it cannot hurt!

I am trying to eat our main meal mindfully. However, my husband does not. He still gobbles down his food. Life seems to offer so many opportunities to stay true to ourselves despite the choices others make!

Maybe I need to learn some lessons from the deer eating in our front yard . . . .

Works Cited

Tapper, Katy. “Mindful Eating: What We Know so Far.” Nutrition Bulletin, vol. 47, no. 2, June 2022, pp. 168–85. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1111/nbu.12559.

#mindfulness #chinese medicine

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braveclementine · 16 days ago

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Part 18

Warnings: None. However, future chapters will contain sexual content so readers that are under the age of 18 may have to skip those chapters (However they are very few so those under the age of 18 can still read a majority of this book. However please keep note of the warnings).

Copyright: I do not own any Wizarding World characters that J.K. Rowling wrote. I do however own Elizabeth Kane (main character) and Trang Nyguen (best friend). There should be no use of these two names without my permission. Also, all of Severus and Elizabeths' childrens names are mine and mine alone.I also do not condone any copying of this.

HARRY AND GINNY POTTERS HOUSE, KITCHEN

🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶🩶

Severus, Harry, Hermione, Elizabeth, Trang, Ginny, and Weasley were sitting in the Potters' kitchen, eating together. It was Chinese noodles, rice, and orange chicken that Severus was pretty sure Harry had cooked and it was very good, as it always was.

"I've told Draco again and again- no one in the Ministry is saying anything about Scorpius. The rumors aren't coming from us." Granger sighed as she twisted her fork in the food.

"I wrote to him- after he lost Astoria- to ask if there's anything we could do. I thought maybe- as he was such a good friend to Albus- maybe Scorpius might want to stay over part of the Christmas break or. . . My owl came back with a letter containing one simple sentence: 'Tell your husband to refute these allegations about my son once and for all.'"

"He's obsessed." Hermione said.

"Wouldn't you be?" Trang asked, putting the piece of chicken she was going to eat down. Severus thought she looked pale, which was certainly saying something. She looked almost sick and Severus was worried about her. "I mean, I can only imagine how I'd feel if people made allegations that Katie and Thomas weren't actually my children! And that's excluding the fact that Scorpius is being accused of being Voldemort's son of all people!"

"He's grieving." Ginny sighed.

"And I'm sorry for his loss." Weasley said to his sister, "but when he accuses Hermione of. . . well. . oi droopy drawers, like I say to her all the time, it could be nothing."

"Her?" Hermione questioned.

"The trolls could be going to a party, the giants to a wedding, you could be getting bad dreams because you're worried about Albus, and your scar could be hurting because you're getting old." Weasley explained.

Severus snorted in amusement. "Old?"

"Getting old?" Harry echoed him. "Thanks, mate."

"Honestly, every time I sit down now I make an 'oof' noise. An 'ooof'. And my feet- the trouble I'm having with my feet- I could write songs about the pain my feet give me- maybe your scar is like that." Weasley said.

"Maybe you should go to St. Mungos." Severus replied with a smirk. "Cause I feel none of that."

At the same time, Ginny said, "You talk a lot of rubbish."

"I consider it my specialty. That and my range of Skiving Snackboxes. And my love for all of you, even Skinny Ginny. Well, perhaps an exception for you Professor."

Severus rolled his eyes. "Believe me Weasley, the feeling is mutual."

Elizabeth smiled faintly, but he could tell that she wasn't really here. She was still stuck inside her head, where she had been since she'd left the meeting.

"If you don't behave, Ronald Weasley, I will tell Mum." Ginny said firmly.

"You wouldn't." Weasley responded, horrified.

"If some part of Voldemort survived, in whatever form, we need to be prepared. And I'm scared." Hermione said.

Severus frowned now, scooping rice into his mouth. There was no way the Dark Lord had survived. . . had he?

"I'm scared too." Ginny said softly.

Trang's fingers were clenched tightly around her fork, looking like she was going to pass out.

"Nothing scares me. Apart from Mum."

"I mean it, Harry, Elizabeth, I will not be Cornelius Fudge on this one. I will not stick my head in the sand. And I don't care how unpopular that makes me with Draco Malfoy, sorry Professor." Hermione said.

"It's fine Granger." Severus said dryly, thinking of his godson.

"You never really were one for popularity, were you?" Ron asked.

"Something is wrong." Elizabeth whispered and the joking dies down around the table.

"What? Where?" Hermione, Harry, and Severus demanded together.

"It's Scorpius and Albus." Elizabeth said, looking up at Harry, then glancing at Severus. "They-" She was cut off as an owl swooped in through the window.

"It's from McGonagall." Harry said, snatching the letter up out of the air, his eyes practically blurring as he read it, before looking back at his sister. "It's Albus- Albus, Scorpius, and Marinette." Severus' stomach dropped, hearing his daughters' name. "They never made it to school. They're missing."

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oh-no-another-idea · 3 months ago

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Catch up tag

Thanks for this one, @mysticstarlightduck! 🥂

💛 Favorite color - Yellow!

🥽 Last fun activity - Hmm, just wrote 1k out in my screen room, that was pretty fun! Other than writing, probably getting together with friends to choreograph a swing dance inspired number :D

🎶 Song (s) stuck in my head - Little Fortune by Katie Lynne Sharbaugh (look at her play the viola while singing! incredible!)

youtube

🥟 Favorite food - Chinese wontons! Also a good burrito. Hrrrgghhh

🏖 Dream trip - Haven't done much plotting since fulfilling my previous dream trip to Italy last year! I'd love to see Budapest sometime though and also make a trip to New York City. :)

🍰 Spicy/sweet/savory - Savory and spicy!

🧭 Last thing I googled - "scalloped potato recipe" Proud to report that the potatoes were delicious!

🤩 Current obsession - Writing Six of Crows fanfiction and rereading a childhood favorite series PK Pinkerton and also eating the chicken soup I made for lunch today :D

🍀 Something you're looking forward to - Seeing some cousins over the weekend and having some down time to read and write!

Tagging you back, @mysticstarlightduck, and also @paintedbutton @sleepyowlwrites @cljordan-imperium @tabswrites

@autumnalwalker @writernopal @thewriteflame @winglesswriter and @on-noon and anyone else who'd like to play!!!! 🌈💛

#tag games #catch up tag

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steele-soulmate · 25 days ago

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Tattooed Wings, CHAPTER 620, Peter Steele & OFC, Soulmate AU

SUMMARY: Mary Claire Bradley meets her soulmate- literally- the famous Peter Steele of metal group Type O Negative. But will obstacles including trauma, stalkers, and toxic family members get in the way of their life?

WARNING: mentions of child rape (nothing graphic) PTSD, milk kink, soft smut, grinding, assault, fingering, hand jobs, blow jobs, 69, P in V sex, blood, noncon rape, violence, death, vandalism, graffiti, attempted kidnapping, break-ins, wild animal attacks, terrorist attack (sabotage) consensual impregnation, bareback, impregnation kink, creampies, terrorist attacks (shootings) hit and run pedestrian accident, precipitous labor, neonatal death, abandoned baby, child intoxication, death of a minor character, injured baby, kidnapped child

WORDS: 1312

“Knock knock!” someone called out, before entering the girls’ shared hospital room to reveal Cara from American Girl. She carried two bags, each packed with doll boxes galore.

“Hihi!” Katie beamed excitedly, her eyes on the bags as Cara set them down before taking a seat into a chair. “What do you have there?”

“Prototypes of your dolls and their outfits and accessories!” The corners of Cara’s eyes crinkled pleasantly as she reached down and handed the girl a doll box each.

When they opened them, Elizabeth burst into tears and Katie’s face grew a painful smile.

“She’s so pretty!” Elizabeth blubbered as she took out her mini me and hugged her tightly. The Elizabeth Ratajczyk dollie had light skin, freckles that crossed from one cheek across her nose and spilled onto her other cheek, and a little bald head. She wore an adorable violet and chocolate striped dress with a knee length high-low skirt, puffed sleeves and a dark lilac waist cincher. Her black ballet flats had detachable steampunk themed spats, her wrists wore little lacy gloves and earrings and a necklace decorated her ears and neck.

“I love her!” sniffled Elizabeth.

Katie’s little Katie was dressed casually in jeans, a dark red and hot pink baseball T-shirt and royal blue high tops converses. Her accessories included a beaded bracelet, a backwards baseball cap and a pendant with a Chinese characteristics. The dollie featured a thick neck, a visible tongue in place of buckteeth, and spirally curls in a soft black color.

“Wowee!” Katie gasped gleefully. “She so prettiful!”

Cara next handed them miniature doll boxes, which turned out to be Elle and Jing. Elizabeth’s tears only grew messier while Katie’s beaming grin only grew bigger.

“Jing Jr.!” she proclaimed the tiny dollie with a happy smile. “This is so cool!”

“And now, if I can show you their collections…” Cara pulled out two boxes and handed them to the emotional girls. “This is your renaissance faire collection. Included are chemises, lace up kirtles, buckled slippers, a flower crown for Elizabeth and hair ribbons for Katie, belts, pouches and miniature outfits for Elle Jr. and Jing Jr. The renaissance faire big pieces collection contains of an archery target, a longbow, a recurve bow, two sets of six arrows tipped with purple and red feathers each, two sets of eating ware, fae wings for Katie, stickers for Elizabeth’s head to mimic faux tattoos and traditional faire foods.”

Elizabeth was still crying, summoning me to cross the room and perch on her bed, welcoming her in as she sought of a cuddle with mommy. I cooed at my daughter softly, wishing that Peter would just hurry up and return from taking the Ratajczyk babies out exploring.

“Are those happy tears or sad tears?” I hummed softly as I wrapped my arm around her and rubbed my hand against her back.

HIC

I pulled away and stared down at the bawling girl, who was now beginning to wildly hiccup.