#duarte extras

[plumdale]

Girl boss successful business woman single mom (yeah, all of that) who just got her second nose job 💋💖

[darlingod]

The Cruel Prince Ch.26

Jude: he doesn’t want to want this

Meanwhile, Cardan: is she gonna kill me if I enjoy this

Jude, honey, did you forget that you have a knife against his throat and that testing your boundaries might be somewhat terrifying for him?

[jude-duarte-wannabe]

welcome to the bakery

currently playing; the bakery by melanie martinez "pack it, box it, flip it, top it... the bakery, i'm tryna make some more"

this was inspired by @bunnys-kisses so go check out their page, such incredible stuff <3

when you request, please make sure to let me know if it's from my smut prompts or my soft ones [soft request prompts are still in the works]

hey lovely, how can i help? may i take your order? what do you feel like today? personally i'm in need of some iced tea and all you have to do is pick a dessert, drink and server of your choosing please, please, please don't forget to indicate who you want me to write about!! also please keep in mind that i haven't written anything in a while so it might take a bit for me to back into the groove of it. <3

the bakeries i currently have open are: formula one, resident evil, bridgerton and criminal minds, just for now.[but i am open to any other fandoms you might have in mind! please do not hesitate to ask!!]

the servers i'm currently writing for include; charles leclerc, carlos sainz, lewis hamiltion, pierre gasly, lando norris, max verstappen, oscar piastri, leon kennedy, carlos oliveria, chris redfield, anthony bridgerton, benedict bridgerton, colin bridgerton, spencer reid, aaron hotchner and luke alvez.

i do also accept polyam relationships! [pairing + reader] but only three people just to make it manageable on my end!

all orders can be made to the inbox for @jude-duarte-wannabe and i'll get your order together when i can also let me know if you want your order to...

be extra hot; real smutty or have sweetener; extra fluffy

let me know if want to be added to my taglist by commenting <3 followed by the person.

the bakery menu;

pound cake; "i can be rough and i don't want to hurt you"

churro's; "does my sweet boy need comforting"

cheese scone; "let your brother find out, i don't fucking care"

mille-feuille; "that's it, shit, such a good fucking girl"

cinnamon buns; "no promises"

gingerbread; "i mean i would totally make out with her/him but like platonically, you know"

baguette; "give me a minute, i really need to tickle the shit out of you"

pretzel; "i was never meant to fall for you"

cornbread; "you taste really good"

strawberry shortcake; "he's so cute, i really want to bite him"

soda bread; "wait a second... am i your lockscreen'

focaccia; "i could beat the shit out of you" "i know"

choux pastry; "i can't believe i ever loved you"

pumpkin muffin; "shut up... my girls asleep"

dinner roll; "holy shit, you still love him/her"

cakepop; "goodnight to my future wife, fuck the rest of you"

pull apart bread; "i love you"

souffle; "i'll be gentle"

powdered doughnuts; "marry me"

s'more; "the accent got to you, didn't it"

waffles; "you spill a single fucking drop and we're starting again"

shortbread biscuits; "if he pisses me off again, i'm fucking his girl"

red velvet cupcake; "does he know that i cum deep inside his little angel'

pancakes; "no, we can't, not here"

coffee cake; "i need to breed you"

french toast; "i don't think it'll fit"

crepes; "go back to sleep, you don't need to be awake for this sweetcheeks"

sweet pastry; "i'm trying to get you pregnant, now shut up and let me concentrate"

butter tart; "stop, don't fake it"

sugar pie; "stop wriggling"

zebra cake; "i'll make it fit"

carrot cake; "dirty girl"

date scone; "i'm going to make you a mama and your going to make me a daddy"

cookie; "do you feel that, how fucking deep i am"

brownie; "no fucking touching"

cheesecake; "don't yell at me"

pumpkin pie; "are you nibbling on me"

chocolate cake; "i'll use protection, i promise"

spice pie; "i wonder if your brother know that i cum inside you"

apple crumble; "i can't do this while you cat/dog is watching"

sausage roll; "i hate being your secret"

blueberry slice; "but what if somebody see's"

mushroom pie; "that looks like it hurt"

apple tart; "what do you mean you want me to choke you"

lemon slice; "i forget how small you are sometimes"

swiss roll; "your glasses are fogging up"

truffle; "send me an audio of you moaning"

oaty slice; "you smell like me"

cream puff; "this ends when your pregnant"

custard slice; "no hiding your face"

victoria sponge; "you wanna hold my hand"

english muffin; "i could die between these legs"

bagel; "where you going, this ain't over"

banana bread; "i can't believe you broke my bed"

hot cross buns; "i'll pay for the damages"

apple turnover; "can you keep it down"

fudge; "what do you mean noise complaint"

peach cake; "i've never done this"

tiramisu; "how could you be so stupid"

crumb cake; "nobody has to know"

custard tart; "you gonna let me cum inside"

date pudding; "your going to let me rawdog you, oh fuck"

mince pie; "so fucking dumb"

angel food cake; "did you just squirt, since when could you do that"

savory scroll; "stop stressing, i'm not going to post it"

chocolate chip cookie; "did you just call me pretty boy"

croissant; "don't you dare"

elcairs; "don't, leave them on"

chocolate mousse; "i'm sorry"

boston cream pie; "fuck it's dripping down your legs"

and to drink;

coffee; somnophilia kink

tea; semi public

juice; breeding kink

mocha; daddy kink

peppermint tea; mommy kink

vodka shot; rough sex

sparkling water; gentle sex

oat milk; one night stand

soy milk; friends with benefits

coconut milk; friends to lovers

almond milk; grumpy x sunshine

energy drink; doggy style

turmeric latte; fake dating

cold brew; possessive

espresso shot; dirty talking

chamomile tea; choking kink

glass of water; aftercare

herbal tea; soft but only for you

milkshake; size kink

pina colada; pregnancy

matcha latte; mixed with smau

cider; body worship

mai tai; loss of virginity

margarita; unprotected sex

chai; biting or hickeys [please let me know which]

earl grey; big cock

tonic water; age gap

soda; protected sex

root beer; caught in the act

americano; oral sex

whiskey; degrading language

vitamin water; dom/sub dynamics

irish coffee; drunk sex

lemon water; secret relationship

dark roast; sub character

hot chocolate; sub reader

iced tea; accentally leaking relationship

flat white; brothers best friend

iced latte; best friends brother

iced mocha latte; plus sized reader

smoothie; belly bulge

doppio coffee; wall sex

green tea; spiting kink

cortado; belly kisses

affogato; a bet

lemon ginger tea; single mom/dad

berry smoothie; accidental pregnancy

sunshine smoothies; fake dating

cappuccino; secret baby

rice milk; baby fever

cashew milk; somebody flirts with your bf/gf

iced chai; forehead kisses

[bumblebeeappletree]

We have deployed 2000 structures to patch up a reef in Indonesia and the results were immediate!

🪸 To support our work you can become a member here: https://mossy.earth

To build this project from the ground up we needed the stability of the constant support that our members give us. Nothing we do is possible without you. We hope you will consider joining us in creating more coral reefs!

🙌 And if you are already a member you can pay for an extra structure (or more!) to be deployed here: https://www.mossy.eart...

MOSSY EARTH MEMBERSHIP

===============================

The rewilding membership that restores nature across a wide range of ecosystems.

🌲 Support a diversity of ecosystems

🐺 Rewild habitats to bring back biodiversity

🦫 Fund neglected species & ecosystems

Learn more and become a member here: https://mossy.earth

⏱️TIMESTAMPS⏱️

===============================

0:00 Intro

1:00 Our project area

4:20 First deployment

9:08 Boat name

9:50 Zip ties!

12:10 Scaling up

🔎 ABOUT THIS PROJECT

===============================

Coral reefs are known as “the rainforests of the sea”. These vibrantly complex ecosystems harbour the highest biodiversity of any ecosystem globally. An estimated 25% of all marine species depend on reefs. They are also crucial for millions of people, providing food, livelihoods, resources and coastal protection.

Major threats, such as over-exploitation and climate change, are jeopardising the future of coral reefs. In the last few decades, sharp declines in reef cover have occurred worldwide. This is our first coral reef project to restore damaged reefs in the northern waters of Nusa Penida, Indonesia.

Our long-term goal is to improve resilience by enhancing connectivity of fragmented reefs whilst protecting and preserving endangered coral species. Led by our local team of expert divers and marine biologists passionate about the preservation of this marine ecosystem, we work with local people to promote positive community involvement in coral reef restoration.

Read more about this project here: https://www.mossy.eart...

CREDITS

===============================

This project is managed by Purnomo Yudhianto, Ellie Jackson-Smith

and Chansa Hilmira

Filming: Julie Schleiss-Andreassen, Duarte de Zoeten, Purnomo Yudhianto and Chansa Hilmira

Writing: Duarte de Zoeten

Editing: Duarte de Zoeten and Thomas Hikin

Scoring: Charlie Hernández

📄 REFERENCES

===============================

Bachman, S. D., Kleypas, J. A., Erdmann, M., & Setyawan, E. (2022). A global atlas of potential thermal refugia for coral reefs generated by internal gravity waves.

Boakes, Z., Hall, A. E., Ampou, E. E., et al. (2022). Coral reef conservation in Bali in light of international best practice: A literature review.

Bowden-Kerby, A. (2023). Coral-Focused Climate Change Adaptation and Restoration: The "Reefs of Hope" Paradigm.

Bruno, J. F., & Selig, E. R. (2007). Regional decline of coral cover in the Indo-Pacific: Timing, extent, and subregional comparisons.

Fox, H., Mous, P. J., Pet, J. S., et al. (2005). Experimental assessment of coral reef rehabilitation following blast fishing.

García-Baciero, A., García-Herrero, A., Horcajo-Berná, E., & Clements, G. R. (2024). The Art of Sticking: Attaching Methods Affect Direct Transplantation Success.

Islam, M. S., Islam, A. R. M. T., Ismail, Z., et al. (2023). Effects of microplastic and heavy metals on coral reefs: A new window for analytical research.

Lamont, T. A. C., Razak, T. B., Djohani, R., et al. (2022). Multi-dimensional approaches to scaling up coral reef restoration.

Lange, I. D., Razak, T. B., Perry, C. T., et al. (2024). Coral restoration can drive rapid reef carbonate budget recovery.

Paxton, A. B., Shertzer, K. W., Bacheler, N. M., et al. (2020). Meta-Analysis Reveals Artificial Reefs Can Be Effective Tools for Fish Community Enhancement.

Ruchimat, T., Basuki, R., & Welly, M. (2013). Nusa Penida Marine Protected Area (MPA) Bali - Indonesia: Why Need to be Protected?.

[covid-safer-hotties]

Controversy Over Cancer Center Masking Policies as COVID Surge Looms? - Published Aug 27, 2024

By: Marcia Frellick

Although oncologists broadly agree that people with cancer have an elevated risk for COVID-19 infection, long COVID, breakthrough infections, and hospitalization, the nation’s top cancer centers are sharply divided on masking policies, even when the virus is surging, new data show.

Michael Hoerger, PhD, MSCR, a clinical health psychologist at Tulane Cancer Center in New Orleans, Louisiana, who models COVID transmissions, said that he and colleagues were concerned about the lack of protections in public places three years after the start of the pandemic. They looked to National Cancer Institute–designated cancer centers to gauge what top institutions were doing to protect immunocompromised patients in the winter of 2023–2024, when the United States experienced its second-highest COVID transmission peak. The highest peak was in the winter of 2021–2022, with the surge of the BA.1 Omicron subvariant, Dr. Hoerger said.

The researchers analyzed each center’s policies on Jan. 15, 2024, the day they had estimated to be the midpoint of the surge. They found that all 67 of the patient-serving centers had COVID-19 policies. However, only 28 centers (41.8%) required universal masking for all visitors and staff in at least some clinical areas, and only 12 centers (17.9%) required universal masking in all areas. The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

Compared with what the rest of the country was doing at the time, Dr. Hoerger said, the results from the select cancer centers were “encouraging.” Although no national study has compared all masking policies, “I would guess less than 5% of hospitals had any sort of masking requirement,” he said.

“I would encourage people to view universal masking as an indicator of healthcare quality when there’s a COVID wave. This shows that many of the top cancer centers in the country are aware of that.”

Centers with strict masking guidelines signal to patients that COVID is still a serious disease and that people with cancer should take extra precautions, Dr. Hoerger said. Those guidelines should also signal to other cancer centers that they may want to rethink their policies, he added.

Although many people refer to COVID in the past tense, spikes in incidence keep coming. “We’re experiencing a wave right now,” Dr. Hoerger noted. “Right now, the South and West are having the highest transmission, and probably the peak will happen for the Midwest and Northeast a little bit later, like early September. Our model, based on wastewater, is that over a million Americans are getting infected each day.”

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute confirmed that it was one of the 12 centers that required universal masking in all areas on the Jan. 15 date. “This policy not only helped to protect our patients but also the visitors and the workforce,” said Meghan A. Baker, MD, ScD, the hospital epidemiologist at the institute.

As for the near future, she said Dana-Farber will follow state guidance and monitor local viral respiratory illness, “and will consider reinstating a mask requirement to coincide with the peak of the viral respiratory season.”

At the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Chief Infection Control Officer Amy Spallone, MD, said that during the past winter surge, the institution required staff, visitors, and patients to wear masks in designated areas and required masking in all locations for symptomatic people. “The institution will continue these practices this coming respiratory viral season and adjust as needed, based on the available evidence,” she said.

Leo David Wang, MD, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics and immuno-oncology at City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California, said that he was not surprised by the widely varying masking policies in the study, given the rapidly changing nature of the virus. He added that it would be important to know the COVID prevalence rates in a particular area on the designated date to better understand the individual policies at work. City of Hope had a universal masking policy until very recently, and still requires masking in some spaces, he said.

Dr. Wang, who performs stem cell transplants, has always masked when interacting with patients, even before COVID. “It doesn’t bother me, and I don’t think it bothers my patients.” He said that oncologists are well aware of the vulnerability of their patients and that part of an oncologist’s responsibility is to maximize patients’ safety.

“At the same time,” he says, “It’s also our responsibility to incorporate evidence-based practices so our patients aren’t facing undue restrictions.”

Study link:  jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2821699

[shiftingmegs]

Fate: The Winx Saga DR

(All images found on Pinterest)

Some people may be dissapointed but this DR follows a lot of the netflix show storyline and aesthetics.

So just like how in the cartoon the girls have power upgrades the same happens here, it just have a couple extra steps. We start with just the powers -> then we get the wings -> then we get the full transformation

I did script myself to be overpowered but i did not script myself to be the main character because i don't want to be in the middle of all that drama

About Me

My Name is Genevieve Duarte.

I'm 16 with a Birthday on July 14

I do want to do like the cartoon where wich fairy is from a different Realms but i haven't got a idea for how it looks like.

This DR starts with us all arriving in Alfea. I'm assigned to the Winx Suite and i'm roomates with Musa. The others roomates are:

Bloom - Aisha

Flora - Stella

My S/O is Sky

Powers

Technically in the school in under as a Earth Fairy but my powers are matter manipulation and creation.

Other stuff

I Scripted Terra out and Flora is in the group since the start (i have reasons from both this reality and that reality for this)

Stella and Sky never dated because honestly that's just a misunderstanding of what happened on the cartoon

I did script Brandon in. Everybody this is my Brandon:

I'm not sure if i will script Tecna or not because i love her but she doesn’t exactly fit into the Fate mythology

[plumdale]

Love her, even in those ugly work clothes

[darlingod]

Cardan in TWK, “As I said before, a lot can happen in a year and a day. Much has happened in half that time.”

One of the things that happened has gottttt to be him referring to falling in love with her

[bullet-prooflove]

A tortured poets prompt 🥰

At dinner, you take my ring off my middle finger And put it on the one people put wedding rings on

With Mike Duarte if it speaks to you!

Hi babe,

Sorry I have already done a Mike Duarte proposal, it was set before Past Mistakes and featured in Mike Duarte's Four Christmases.

[ironcladrhett]

TIMING: Current (last night) LOCATION: Alan’s house, World’s End Isle PARTIES: Rhett (@ironcladrhett) & Alan (@alan-duarte) SUMMARY: Definitely worried about Alan’s shoulder after having been shot (and definitely not just an excuse to see him), Rhett drops in on the realtor unannounced. It’s going fine until Alan admits to Rhett, in not so many words, that he knows he’s a hunter, and he knows he attacked Cass and Alex. CONTENT WARNINGS: Wrspice (implied, it fades to black)

—

It had been months since he’d gotten shot by that fucking hunter. The wound had time to mend itself but you couldn’t say the same about Alan. The weather would only get worse and worse as the days went by, and the latest rainfall had made his shoulder ache. Still, how could he possibly regret stepping in the way? Ever since Alex had stepped into the werewolf’s life, he felt as though he had another, new reason to wake up in the morning. There was the purpose that came along with being a mentor of sorts, of course, but he also had to admit to appreciating the girl’s company, even if she spent half her air criticizing his housing projects and the other half talking about Cass. 

His hand idly rubbing at his shoulder, Alan’s eyes scanned through his emails. His empty coffee cup sat nearby, next to a pile of ongoing contracts and a plate that only had a bunch of crumbs to hold now. He didn’t usually bring work home but to say they were short staffed would have been an understatement. Alan could have hired someone extra, but there weren’t many people looking forward to living or working in a town where the floor wanted you dead (or anything close enough to that), and he hadn’t found anyone who could do the job properly among the very few resumes that were sent their way.

His jaw popped as he yawned and if that wasn’t enough proof that he needed a change of mind, a knock on the door finished convincing him out of his duties. And yet, as he opened the door, answering negatively to desperate emails suddenly didn’t seem like such a terrible idea. What was he doing here? 

—

He’d been attacked. Shot out in the woods while… what, hiking? The sudden surge of concern had been alarming, making his steps falter. Ophelia walked on without him for a few seconds before realizing her father wasn’t beside her anymore, slowing and turning around to face him. “What? What is it?” she inquired curiously. Rhett shook his head, his frown deepening as he tapped away at the screen. His daughter let out a huff of breath, closing the distance between them again and putting her hands on her hips. “Dad. What is it?” 

Rhett clicked the screen off and stuffed the device in his pocket, shaking his head again. “Nothin’,” he lied, flashing her a brief, unconvincing smile. She frowned and rolled her eyes, pulling the sleeve of her flannel back to check the time.

“Ah, shit, I have to go—we’ll pick up where we left off tomorrow, okay?” The warden grimaced, rubbing a hand over his face. 

“Do we gotta?” “Yes, we gotta. You need a place to live that isn’t that atrocious van!” Ophelia argued, shutting down his continued protest with a feisty glare. The man relented, holding up his hands in defeat. “Good. Okay. I’ll see you in the morning.” 

“Can… can we do the afternoon, instead?” Rhett tried, giving her a hopeful look and a shrug. Ophelia narrowed her eyes at him for a moment, then nodded. 

“Fine. 11am is late enough. Don’t be hungover,” she warned, grabbing him in a tight hug before hurrying off down the street to the nearest bus stop. Rhett sighed, watching her go for a moment before calling a taxi to take him to World’s End Isle.

The ride wasn’t unfamiliar, and neither was the home that stood before him as he got out of the taxi. Shoving a hand into his pocket, he paid his fare before moving toward the front door, pausing to pull his hair up into a messy bun along the way and push up the sleeves of the dark button-up he was wearing. He was still clad in jeans and boots, but they were a far cry from the ratty old things Alan had insisted he’d tossed. Knocking on the door, he didn’t have to wait long in the bitter cold of the darkening evening (he really should have worn a coat) for Alan to pull it open. 

And just like that, his words failed him and he felt a little stupid for being here. Not unannounced, that’d never been a problem for him, but… ah, forget it. His gaze jumped from Alan’s face to one shoulder, then the other, then back to his face. 

“Hey,” he said stupidly, sucking in a sharp breath. “You, ah… I was… nearby, and I thought… uh. How’s your…” Another deep breath, and the warden closed his eyes. “I been shot ‘afore. Sometimes leaves… chronic pain. Learned a few… massagin’ techniques to take the edge off. Thought I could help. Maybe.”

—

While Alan doubted at first that Rhett just happened to be in the neighborhood, he then remembered Emilio saying that he had moved into the realtor’s neighborhood and it wasn't like they had not spoken recently. It was a bit perilous, to keep talking to him as though he wasn't aware of what had happened between the hunter and Cass, or of Alex’s involvement. 

Alan could get along with hunters, if they were reasonable. He got along with Emilio just fine. This complicated things. He appreciated Emilio, he cared a lot for Alex, which meant that he cared for Cass too, but ultimately, Alan also had a fondness for the man who stood on his doorstep with a bashful, stammering stream of words and what seemed like an attempt at sympathy and honesty. It was in a moment like this Alan wished he hadn't let others soften him up.

“Alright, don't stay here,” crossing his arms to wrap his cardigan around him and attempt to stay warm, he pushed himself aside. “Do you want to drink something?”

—

“Aye, when don’t I?” Rhett chuckled, moving into the home and giving a soft sigh of relief at the warmth that wrapped around him. He was still barely used to actual winters and didn’t quite prepare for them right, always overestimating his ability to handle the cold. A shiver ran up his spine and he let his gaze sweep over the place, still finding new things he’d missed despite having been here a few times. It was… nice. Maybe having a place to live that wasn’t on wheels wouldn’t be so bad.

“Anythin’s fine.” Not picky, he didn’t have to say. Alan knew that, obviously. He turned to the man as they made their way to the kitchen, his brow wrinkling as he thought about what he wanted to say. 

“Hey… maybe you oughtta stick to like, neighborhood trails, aye? The woods out beyond downtown are… fucked.” He stepped a bit closer to minimize the distance between them, one hand gently finding Alan’s shoulder. “... which one?”

—

“I’ll get something from the wine cellar,” Alan’s gaze drifted toward the lights across the street. Some of his neighbors were already decorating for Christmas, and their houses could have replaced the public lighting with ease. His parents always found it wasteful and Alan had always preferred to keep his front lawn decorations to a tasteful minimum, which didn’t clash with the minimalism of his house, or Alan’s less than sunny personality. “You’re alright with Californian wine?” Most likely. 

Two glasses were poured and while Alan focused on that, he could try to ignore just for a little bit the irony of Rhett’s words. One of the reasons the woods were so fucking dangerous for Alan was the presence of people who shared Rhett’s belief that a certain part of the local population didn’t deserve to live. And yet that hand on his shoulder was easy to lean against. “Wrong pick,” Alan glanced up to find the other’s eyes, and tapped on the left shoulder. The hunter didn’t look very frightening right now, did he? “Massaging techniques?” He asked, his eyebrows furrowed slightly, as if he challenged the other’s ability to soothe out pain rather than cause it. “Your hand is cold dear, I’m gonna start a fire in the living room.”

—

“Where yer other scar is? Man. Unlucky shoulder,” the hunter mused, catching that look in Alan’s eyes and letting out a soft sigh. As the other announced his intention to make a fire, Rhett picked up his glass from the counter, leaning instead onto his cane as he stepped forward after his friend to slowly follow him into the next room. “S’what I said,” he answered, albeit delayed, at Alan’s apparent disbelief that there was much to be done about the aching wound. Or at least that there wasn’t much Rhett could do. Which was… fair. More fair than he figured the man knew, considering there’d not been any threats of violence yet. The way they’d carried on online, he assumed that news of the girls hadn’t made it back to Alan, which told him two things: Alan was unaware of the supernatural (which would stop the girls from having said anything, most likely), and by extension, he himself was quite normal. Human. 

Or at least this was the logic that he applied because he hoped it was true. He couldn’t imagine someone putting on a facade just to fool him, pretending that they didn’t know something as devastating as what he’d done to those girls just to… to what? Get the jump on him? It didn’t make sense, so that couldn’t be it. No, he had no idea, and Rhett found himself clinging to that idea more desperately with each moment of calm familiarity that passed between them. 

Parking himself on the couch while his host went about building a fire, Rhett rested his cane against the coffee table, keeping his eye trained on the other man. A finger reached up idly to push itself beneath the eyepatch and scratch at skin unseen. “Kinda good I been half-blind fer a couple years now,” he said suddenly, gesturing vaguely at the eyepatch when Alan looked over. “Would be havin’ a hell of a time with depth perception, otherwise.” It was said with a dry, nearly humorless chuckle. He’d long since adjusted, and the eye he’d lost to trauma was no more useful when it was still plugged into his head. It wasn’t something he readily told people, because it was a weakness, and he hated admitting those, but… well, it was a lot more obvious now anyway, wasn’t it? Anyway, he didn’t have to mention the fact that he could barely see out of the eye that remained. Even Emilio didn’t know about that.

— 

“Same one,” Alan confirmed. Right above that one bite mark he considered still a curse rather than a blessing. It was easier to tell Alex that she should embrace it than to make her feel the same way he did. There was no cure to the evil they suffered, and there was no undoing the things Alan did. There were some things he didn’t regret, of course, but there was too much he had lost for the benefits to outweigh the disadvantages. 

Sitting by the fireplace with a log in his hands, he looked over at Rhett, unaware of the hunter’s mental peregrinations. He was going through his own : it seemed unlikely that man was going to be able to do anyone harm in that state, but there was a chance he’d want to get his revenge. That is what Alan would have done if he’d been standing in his shoes. Maybe now was the right moment to ask Rhett about it. What could he do to him anyway? He had a bad leg and worse eyesight than before, and Alan liked to think he wouldn’t have come all the way to his house if he hadn’t appreciated him at all. “Since we’re talking about things that we’ve carried around for a few years,” he pushed himself back up, as the firestarter did its work and the wood started cracking gently against the new flames, “you know that old scar of mine?” He rubbed his fingers over his sweater, right where he knew the irregular scar remained. You could tell that he wasn’t the most comfortable talking about it, after all these years. Still, he took a seat, on the other end of the couch, and picked up his glass of wine. “That’s something Alex and I have in common,” with a clearly knowing look, he turned his attention toward the hunter’s face. There was no trace of amusement on Alan’s face. He didn’t particularly enjoy having this conversation with Rhett, but it wasn’t like the other had left him with much of a choice. “I’m not trying to ambush you. You’d have joined the club already if I did,” but that was not the sort of fate he wished on anyone and Alan hoped he never did such a thing on one of his full moons.

—

Alan was uncomfortable. The things he was saying didn't quite click at first, and the warden just cocked his head at the man, wearing a soft, bemused smile. That’s something Alex and I have in common. His heart leapt into his throat at the girl’s name, body tensing reflexively. He felt his too-strong grip on the glass threatening to shatter it, and instead leaned forward to set it down on the coffee table, realizing that his hand was shaking as he pulled back again. “What?” he balked, refusing to believe what he was being told. 

Alan was a fucking werewolf? And he knew—he knew, this whole time. There was a vague threat in there, one that had been restrained only because of… whatever this was that they shared, apparently. The hunter’s heartbeat had kicked up significantly, fearful in spite of Alan’s assurances that if he wanted Rhett dead—or worse—it would’ve already come to pass. There was no pretending now. No reason to act like he wasn’t a killer, like Alan didn’t know that he’d attacked Cass and Alex in the woods, and that his fresh scars and permanent injuries were a result of the young werewolf protecting what she loved. 

Before her, he would have been angry. He would have been furious for being duped like this, duped into caring for someone who was… was… The insults felt bitter on his tongue, and of course his thoughts went briefly to his daughter. He’d been a hypocrite plenty of times in his life, he knew that, but he couldn’t—he’d said he wouldn’t. He was retired now. He couldn’t—

“You’re… I…” He didn’t know what to say, hating the feeling of fear and hurt taking up residence where the anger should have been. “I didn’t know—she… I thought I was protectin’ her,” he breathed, rising from the couch and grabbing his cane before he sank back to the floor without it. For the brief few moments before she turned and attacked us, sure. “Then she—look. Listen. I ain’t—I’m retired now, aye? I don’t…” He felt sick. Whatever sort of affection he held for the man—no, the werewolf—sitting at the other end of the couch felt tainted by his deeply ingrained disgust for inhuman things, but he was wrestling with his acceptance of his daughter at the same time. He couldn’t have it both ways, and yet his mind was trying to put the blinders back on. 

He took a wobbly step backward, waving his free hand in the air defensively. “I don’t want no more trouble,” he muttered, turning away from Alan to try and hobble back toward the front door.

—

“I…” Well this wasn’t what Alan had expected. For a moment, he thought he saw it : the anger, the disgust, but there was nothing but worry and something akin to fright there. At least Alan figured that must have been fright, and he realized that perhaps he had just fucked up here. “Rhett, please…” It wasn’t like he was gonna outrun the werewolf, not in the state he was in and Alan still rushed past him, if only to stand in his way and attempt to have a conversation. “I’m sorry, I…” Putting his hands before him, Alan felt oddly vulnerable, for someone who wasn’t precisely under any threat other than Rhett’s sudden departure. 

It was too much at once. Finding out Alan was a werewolf, finding out he knew about the hunting thing, about the incident with Cass, about the incident with Alex. But the werewolf was feeling a whirl of conflicting emotions ever since he had heard what happened, and the more he spoke with the hunter, the more confused he was with what was the right course of action. If he hadn’t known Rhett at all, it wouldn’t have been difficult. It would have been quite simple, really. With a sigh, Alan looked down to the side,  finding it difficult to hold up his gaze. 

“Can we just sit down and talk?” Because he’d just follow him outside, stubborn as he was. “You said you retired, yeah?” Whatever that meant. Retirement didn’t make anyone like Rhett completely harmless, but the way he said it made Alan wonder what had pushed him to make that call. He had mentioned a daughter earlier today, and now that the werewolf saw the damage done by Alex, he could take a wild guess and claim that the hunter was now unfit for carrying out his duties. “I wish I could do the same,” with a bitter scoff, he glanced the other way, still avoiding looking him in the eyes.

—

Alan stopping him, apologizing and asking him to just talk were things that desperately confused the warden. He came to an abrupt halt, of course, keeping his distance from Alan, knowing that there was no chance of him forcing his way through. Even with his enhanced strength, he was crippled. There was nothing to do about it, so he stayed, trapped like a stray dog for the second time in as many months. 

At least this werewolf wasn’t trying to gut him like a fish. 

There was a weak attempt at humor that was met with a soft exhale from Rhett, not quite a laugh, but an acknowledgement of what Alan was saying. He looked as bewildered as he felt, the grip on his cane tightening as he steadied himself on his feet and lifted it to his waist, like he was afraid he was going to have to use it to defend himself. It was clear he didn’t want a fight, because they both knew it would be his last one, but he couldn’t help the reaction. 

“Nothin’ to talk about,” he argued, his voice strained with emotion. He too was looking anywhere but at Alan, his one-eyed gaze raking over the ceiling as he spoke again in a voice that was nearly too soft and too upset to be coming from such a typically gruff, loud man. “I fucked up,” he breathed, his knuckles turning white as they clutched the cane even tighter. It wasn’t clear what exactly he was referring to, though one could surmise that it was likely his attack on Alex and Cass—though in his mind, coming here had been part of it. Engaging with Alan had been part of it, even back when he thought nothing of it, because it always just made things harder. He wasn’t built for this. Never had been, and he shouldn’t have tried again. Not even to the level that they had… which was far from falling in love, but still. He cared for Alan in a way that was mostly foreign to him these days, and caring for people… well, shit, look what it had put him through with Emilio. Hell and back again. 

His eye finally found Alan’s face and he hissed in a sharp breath when he felt it welling with tears. “Please,” he begged, not sure what he was begging for. He just wanted to leave, but… he also didn’t. He wanted them to be okay, but some part of him was ready to convince him that they never could. That made sense, right? How could it ever be okay? 

This was why he shouldn’t be looking for a place to live. He’d fucked things up here, beyond the point of repair. There was no home to be had here. And Ophelia… she’d be better off without him. He was a destroyer, nothing more. 

—

“Really? You’re gonna tell me that what happened in the woods was nothing?” The bitterness of Alan’s tone clashed with Rhett’s, and it took the werewolf aback as well, as if he had expected their tones to match instead. They both had a right to be furious at the other, didn’t they? 

Confused, but not defeated yet, he pressed his lips into a thin line. “This makes things easier, don’t you think?” A monster meets a monster ; a killer, a killer, and a liar, a liar. They both had a lot of terrible things on their ledger, without a doubt, but Alan didn’t ask Rhett to stay because he wanted to have a look at an hypothetical moral balance if only because he worried his own would be just as bad, if not worse. 

“You don’t precisely have a monopoly on having done terrible things or fucking up,” and he held out his hand, not entirely sure of whether the other would reject it or not. “I’m not… I just want to talk and sort things out,” because he was tired of seeing people he cared about hurt, and of losing people. He didn’t want to lose Alex, but he had come to realize he didn’t really want to lose Rhett either. What they had might have been new, he cared for that fool enough to ask him, once again to have a word with him. Maybe Alan was the fool here, who knew? 

“I’m not a good person myself, but… I’m trying to be better,” because he’d seen the kind of change it made. Alan kept to himself the fact that a fae had been partly responsible for the change, at first. Forced kindness surely had done a lot for Alan’s morale at first, worsening it each passing day until he realized how different things were when he addressed others with consideration. “C’mon. You’ll be sorry you didn’t try the wine, and it’s warmer by the fireplace than out there, and…” then, and only then, he tried looking at Rhett, catching sight of near teary eyes and the look he gave him was an apologetic one. “I really am sorry for the way I brought this up.”

—

He stared at the extended hand, knowing it for what it was: an olive branch, and yet… His gaze jumped back up to find Alan’s just as he was looking at him. And he apologized again. And Rhett realized he still had yet to do that, but didn’t know if he could. He swallowed hard, finally releasing the cane with his left hand and setting it back against the floor where it belonged, leaning onto it as he realized his leg was aching. 

He opened his mouth to speak, hesitated, sighed, and tried again. “I’m tryin’, too. To be better.” Annoyed that his body had betrayed him, the warden pressed the sleeve of his shirt over his ‘good’ eye to soak up the unspilled tears, lowering his arm again and shaking out the nervous energy that was building up in him like a terrible storm. Again his gaze fell to Alan’s hand, and he sighed, dropped his head, and reached for it. “Stop apologizin’,” he grumbled at the other, keeping his chin down as he was led back into the living room where the fireplace and wine still waited for them. 

Once they were seated again, the warden leaned forward onto his knees, hands clasped in front of him. “... what you wanna sort out, then? Before you ask, no—I ain’t gonna go after them again. Hence the whole…” Retirement thing, he left out, his voice trailing off instead as it threatened to waver and betray him once more. 

—

Alan was grateful for Rhett’s pragmatism then. He didn't precisely want to ask whether or not he would have to worry for Cass’ or Alex’s safety although he was curious as to what had caused him to change his mind. Was it the fact that he’d lost an eye, or that he most likely would walk with a cane from now on? Or was it that recent revelation he had had. 

It was another thing he wasn't sure how to bring up. Rhett had been evasive on the matter while they spoke online, and back then Alan was more interested in his girls’ well-being to care to push the subject any further. “What are you gonna do now? Focus on the forge business ?” Perhaps kicking around the bush was easier, for now. It wasn't like he didn't care for Rhett’s answer. Even though he was furious he had attacked Cass (especially since he’d first seen her at his place), when Alex told him what she’d done, he couldn't help but feel worried for both sides instead of just hers. And then, Alan had felt terrible about that. 

He still felt conflicted. How could he not ?

“Would you like me to let them know that they’re safe?” Part of him felt like an idiot for blindly believing his word, and the other part just had to look at the poor man to forget about any sense of doubt. “Do you want something stronger than wine?” Because one glass wouldn't suffice to soothe Alan’s nerves and he assumed Rhett, much like his brother, favored stronger liquor.

—

“I guess,” he responded dejectedly. It was true, it wasn’t like hunting was the only thing he spent his time on, and he could certainly put in more hours at the forge. They’d extend his contract if he asked, he knew that. His work made them a lot of money, after all. And that would fill the days, but what of the nights? He’d been horribly restless since Alex kicked his ass six ways to Sunday, stuck in bed all day and night, shuffling aimlessly around Parker’s house, irritated by his own uselessness. He slept enough, but not much. How would he fill the rest of those hours? It was why, in his conversation with Emilio, he’d wanted to make sure he ended up living somewhere near a pub, if that was a thing that was going to happen at all. He needed a distraction. He needed to medicate. 

Glancing sideways at his friend, Rhett scoffed, but it wasn’t out of malice. He was just… well, it was difficult to describe. “They know. Er… Alex does, anyway. She… reached out, after. Told ‘er as much. Guess hearin’ it from you too ain’t gonna hurt none, though.” At the offer for something harder than wine, the warden nodded silently. It wasn’t until Alan had returned with said liquor (and Rhett had drained his glass already) that the hunter spoke of the elephant in the room. 

“It’s my kid,” he offered quietly, downing a gulp of the hard liquor Alan had brought back to the living room, not much caring to know what it was, and just wanting it to help him fucking relax. “She’s… like Cass. A nymph.” He dragged a hand down his face, shaking his head. A moment of silence fell over them while Alan absorbed what he’d said and Rhett reached deep for the next thing he wanted to say. 

“I wasn’t… always like this.” Like this meaning, of course, the sort of hunter, the sort of man that would attempt to murder a girl who had committed no crime other than being different from him. “I used to… I was, y’know. More… live n’ let live.” The explanations were not coming easily, strangled out of him like he’d never spoken them before (which he hadn’t), an admission of the person he’d been before everything went wrong only making him feel worse for the way he’d become. He couldn’t claim to have been born this way, no… it was learned. It was adopted from grief, and he’d clung to that grief so bitterly and for so long that it had overtaken him like a parasite. Why? What changed? He knew the questions were coming. He could see Desmond’s face in his mind’s eye, hear his friend accusing him of failing. Fuck. Fuck. 

—

Although Alan felt as though speaking would do more harm than good, remaining quiet when someone unfolded themselves like that wasn't exactly easy. He would have liked to ask questions, but rather than push to know more, he sat back, getting his feet and his knees up on the couch to get comfortable and just listen. Nursing his glass of wine against his cashmere sweater, he shifted again, pushing on his shoulder briefly before humming quietly. 

Rhett had had a child with a nymph and then decided that not one single fae deserved to live. Alan knew he was missing a piece of the puzzle here, one that Rhett kept without a doubt, close to his chest. But he had already shared so much. Was it fair to ask ? Should he have waited for him to tell by himself? Was he supposed to piece it all together on his own ? 

With no clear answer to his thoughts, Alan took a long sip from his glass and leaned forward to give his pal a refill. He scooted a bit closer too, if only to put a friendly hand on his forearm. “What's her name ?” He inquired. “Did you… reach out to her?” He imagined easily that facing an angry werewolf could make one reflect on the meaning of their life. “Is she staying with you?” Neither the van nor the bunker seemed like a suitable place for a young woman to live, but Alan felt like now was a good time for kindness. 

The wood cracked a bit in the fireplace, and Alan’s gaze fell onto the flames for a moment. “You’ll have to tell me more about that live and let live guy. He sounds fun,” with a light smile he picked up his wine glass, taking another sip. 

—

What’s her name? Rhett stared down at his hands, at Alan’s hand on his tattooed arm, and hesitated. “Ophelia,” he finally answered, trying to make a list of the rest of them in his mind so he could rattle them off more easily and satisfy Alan’s curiosity. “And no. She.. found me. After… after this.” He gestured at his leg and eye. “Reached out once. Ignored her. Then she tracked down ‘Milio, made him agree to have us meet. N’ no. She ain’t stayin’ with me. She n’... her mum, they’re… they got a community’ah their own. One I was huntin’ down. I was ready to raze that place to the fuckin’ ground, mate.” He lifted his free hand to his face again, hiding behind his palm as he struggled with the reality of his situation. “She’s… she’s a good kid. Grown now, but… fuck’s sake.” He was crying again, gritting his teeth angrily and swiping at the tears with the back of his hand. 

Rhett actually managed a weak laugh when Alan smiled as his own little half-joke. He felt like he was shaking his head too much, but it was all he could think to do half the time. All of this just felt… stupid. Wrong. He’d not talked to anyone about any of this and he didn’t know how he was supposed to feel. Was he mourning who he used to be? Relieved to have a chance to get back to that? Afraid? He couldn’t fucking decide. “He was fun,” came his answer, finally. “Fun enough to… to keep his stupid, angry brother in line, anyway. Desmond, he… he hated nonhumans. Hated ‘em all, always wanted to kill every single one we came across. I talked him outta a lot of ‘em, but after he—” Rhett’s breath caught in his throat and he shivered, pushing the thought away. He turned his head to look at Alan, distraught. “M’sorry. Fer all of it. I ain’t been right in a… a long time.”

—

That wasn't the sort of spectacle he’d have ever expected to see. Some men looked like they had never shed a tear in their entire life and up until now, Alan figured that Rhett was one of them. For a few more seconds, he didn't budge, sympathetically brushing his thumb against the tattooed forearm. “She’s a brave kid,” at least from what he understood. Searching for the guy who wanted her whole species dead took guts. “I guess she got that much from you,” moving his hand to Rhett’s cheek, Alan couldn't help but smile a bit more as he elicited a laugh out of him.

His hand dropped back to his lap, and he once again fell silent. He didn't know everything about Emilio and Rhett’s lives clearly, but he always assumed their family bond might have gone a bit further than blood. Desmond was a name he had never heard before, one Rhett spoke of past tense, he noticed. It didn't take the full sentence for Alan to connect the dots. 

He remained silent, even as Rhett's apology finally arrived. With all that he had just unpacked, Alan even had to stop himself from saying sorry for the third time. “You know, if you can change once, you can change twice. I meant it when I said I'd like to know more about the live and let live version of you,” and how could that happen without support ? 

His empty glass of wine was set down on the coffee table, and an offer to get or make something to eat was made. “You’re not alone, alright ?”

—

She was brave… braver than Alan knew. Braver than Rhett could bring himself to admit. She’d sought him out, even though he was the reason she and her mother had to run from place to place. She looked for him knowing that he might want to kill her, and… and he had, hadn’t he? For a moment. The first time she called him, he was angry. Angry that she existed, angry that she’d found him, angry that her presence was going to complicate his plans. 

For a moment, he’d wanted her dead. For a moment, he’d settled on the idea that he’d be the one to do it. A moment turned into a week, turned into two. He’d kill her, he thought. Be done with it. Only Emilio wouldn’t let him, wouldn’t allow them to be alone together. Smart. He’d been bluffing when he told his brother that she was safe because she was his daughter—what did blood matter? He’d never been a part of her life. What did any of it matter? 

But then he saw her face to face, and his fury had withered beneath her warm gaze and bright smile. All the fight had left him in one fell swoop, and he found himself wishing it’d happened just a few days sooner. Before he tracked Cass to her cave. Before Alex attacked him to save her, before she crippled him further, before all of it. But… maybe it wasn’t a bad thing, being physically unable to fight, to match how he felt inside. Maybe it made all this easier. Maybe if he hadn’t been so injured, he still would have been angry when Ophelia looked him in the eye and told him he had to stop hunting her mother. Maybe he would have done something stupid, and maybe Emilio would have been the one to put him down. 

It was all for the best, probably. Except for that girl, that nymph. None of it was fair to her. Ugh. 

The offer of food was turned down, the warden’s interest in anything other than booze proving to be lackluster. And the more he drank of that, the less reactive he became to the things he was saying. The pent up fear and frustration and guilt didn’t force itself out by way of tears or stammered words anymore, and for a while, Rhett was quiet. He simply existed, sitting beside Alan on the couch as they watched the flames eat up the logs in the fireplace, the comfortable but heavy silence stretching on until he felt compelled to break it with a question. 

“Alan,” he began, his voice hoarse, “why don’t you hate me?”

—

Why didn't he hate him? Alan couldn't say he had tried very much. His anger against Rhett’s action had almost immediately become laced to worry and, little by little with an unsettling echo. The werewolf might have not hunted down any specific hunter in his life, most of those who had crossed his path had either come to regret it or didn't even have time to reflect on their mistake. 

A few months ago, he wouldn't have seen hypocrisy in condemning what Rhett had done because it wasn't the same, right? At least Alan was protecting himself, and those hunters were probably going to try to hurt him or another werewolf. It was only self preservation. Nothing more. These last few weeks, yes, Alan felt a different way. On both sides of the story, there were people with lives and loved ones and he knew for certain that this wasn't how he’d get hunters to stop roaming the woods looking for revenge or ultimately… trying to protect their own people.  Maybe it was not the same, no, but that didn't make it right.

Alan’s gaze remained fixed on the flames for a while more and he served himself another glass of wine as he thought some more on his reply. 

He didn't want to give Rhett the wrong idea. Even if he did something similar, he didn't convince himself that what he did was right, even if that would have helped him sleep better some nights. And eventually what did the trick was thinking of what else defined him and telling oneself that there was more to him than his wrong doings. 

“I suppose I have been reflecting on my own actions a lot lately,” and the eulogy that would have gotten him. He realized he would have been glad not to hear it. Maybe he didn't have it in him to do grand gestures of kindness but he could try at least to be kinder. That came with showing Alex how to live her lycanthropy better, helping his neighbors replace into a new home and quite frankly changing his methods. This wouldn't change how he got successful or buy him a ticket to heaven but peace of mind was good enough.

“Trying this thing called kindness,” he took a sip and didn't even grimace when he said that last word. “I wouldn't be doing a good job at that if I refused to see the good in you,” if you put aside some quirks that were anything but usual, the version of Rhett he had been around was nothing like the one he imagined the girls had faced. It didn't change what he had done, but Alan couldn't unsee it, or pretend he didn't appreciate him. “I have a lot of reasons to despise myself but I don't think I'd even try changing if there was no one to give me hope that it’ll be okay,” he looked up from the fireplace, at last, to set his eyes on the hunter. “I don't hate you, because you are so much more.” 

—

He didn't deserve it, he knew that. Alan making an effort to see the goodness in him was a waste, but was it fair to tell the man that? He'd likely just argue it, anyway. But Rhett knew better than anyone that he wasn't worth anyone's pity or concern, not for all the hellish things he'd done in his life. He didn't deserve his daughter, who seemed to love him unconditionally in spite of those terrible things, or perhaps because of them, because she felt like she could fix him. But there was nothing left to fix. The warden could claim to be retired, he could claim to have no interest in hunting intelligent supernatural species anymore, but the damage was done. The bias was there, and it was never going away. He'd never be able to love his girl the way he should, he'd never be able to look past the things that made him and Alan so different. He could lie and say he was, but deep down, he knew. He was a hunter. He was a tool, raised for one thing, and he'd been doing it for forty years. There was more bad in him than good, and anyone who knew hunters would know that he didn't have the time to make up for it. 

But... if that's what Alan chose to see, that small percentage of decency, who was Rhett to say he shouldn't? Life was fucking lonely enough already. 

He shook his head like he didn't really believe what Alan was saying, the silent response cut with a soft sigh. “Flattered you think so,” he finally responded. He wasn't confirming that Alan was right or wrong, just that it was nice to hear. Because... it was. For better or worse, Rhett and Emilio clung to one another like they were the only thing keeping each other afloat, and sometimes Rhett wondered if that wasn't the truth. They were family, but that didn't mean that Emilio saw anything in Rhett that he liked. He loved him, unconditionally, just like Ophelia... but that didn't make it right. That didn't mean that Rhett was worth saving, it didn't mean that the warden had any chance of changing again. 

He glanced over and found Alan looking back at him, and his throat tightened. “Don't mean it'll be okay, though. Caused a lotta damage. Figure there's plenty'ah folks that ain't gonna forgive me.” I shouldn't be staying in this town, he thought, but I have to if I want any kind of relationship with my daughter. “I'd leave, if not for...” The thought drifted away from him, dead in the air. If not for her. If not for Emilio. If not for the one person that doesn't have to like him, who shouldn’t like him, still giving him a chance. Alan. 

“Guess I just don't want you gettin' the wrong sorta idea, mate. Too mercurial for anythin' like that. Not long for this world, considerin'.” Don't get attached, was what he was trying to say. “So don't go givin’ me anythin' more than I've earned, aye?” Which was next to nothing. Polite company, someone to spend the night with. He hoped Alan could understand.

—

“I think we’re both old enough to know saying it will be okay doesn't fix much, but…” he fell silent. “What I'm trying to say is don't overthink it. You’re not alone, and that has to be a relief, hasn't it?” Or maybe that was just Alan speaking out loud, reflecting on his own needs. He found relief in having his family, yes, but it weighed a lot, knowing that he was lying to them every full moon. He had missed, over the last ten years, a good share of family events that had the misfortune of happening on one of these evenings.

He offered the other man a slight smile. He didn't have much more to offer in terms of comfort. Yes, there would be folks coming at him for revenge, and perhaps they’d want more than Alex had gotten here. He knew the sentiment. 

Now all Rhett could hope for was for these people to see his cane and eye patch and realize that someone had been quicker than them at getting back at him. That was also what Alan could hope for. 

“Rhett, I don't want to alarm you, but you’re being extremely gentle here,” he teased, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth and wrinkling his eyes. It was also quite clumsy, but what else did he expect from the New Zealander? The werewolf reached out, plucking flyaway hair from the hunter's cheek and pushing it back behind his ear. “I’m fine with what we have,” he finally stated. “I’ll let you know if that changes,” it wasn't reasonable to expect much more at his age, with his track record. “Another glass of Martinique rum?” 

—

It was a relief. Rhett nodded to indicate as much, but let the man's words roll around in his head in quiet contemplation. He'd been overthinking a lot of things lately, since thinking was all he could fucking do. 

Whatever will be will be. There was no point in agonizing over it. Worrying wouldn't make anything better or prevent the inevitable… so he may as well just focus on existing in the moment. 

When Alan accused him of being gentle, the warden scoffed as if offended, though he did wear a slight grin at the same time. “Shut up,” he grumbled, not seeing the hand coming his way until it was touching his face. He tried not to flinch but was only partially successful, and an attempt to mask it was made as he turned his head again to look at Alan. His expression was… difficult to read. On the one hand, he was glad for the company. On the other… Alan was a werewolf. And sure, that boundary had been crossed some months ago already, but he hadn't known this then. If he had, he would have killed him. Tried, anyway. Probably ended up worse than he was now. 

Alan was a werewolf, but he was also a friend. One of the very few that Rhett actually had, and certainly the only one willing to offer physical comfort—a thing the warden hadn't been aware he so desperately wanted until it had been given. He glanced at his emptied glass when Alan offered to refill it, and sighed. He'd promised Ophelia he wouldn't be hungover in the morning, but… “Sure,” he conceded, and when Alan had finished pouring from the bottle, he motioned for him to turn around. “Now, ‘bout that shoulder…” His hands quickly found a home on the correct side of Alan's neck, uncharacteristically cautious in the way they applied pressure meant to soothe, listening for any sounds of discomfort. The two-handed action was interrupted only as he moved one to grab his glass and take a sip. “Call me gentle again ‘n I'll make ya regret it,” he teased back as both thumbs dug into the muscle with care.

—

It was Alan’s turn to flinch, then. Clearly he wasn't scared too much by the hunter’s presence, but his shoulder had been giving him a hard time and while the idea of Rhett’s rough hands meddling with it didn't sound like a good one on paper, it didn’t prove so bad for now.

His nerves relaxed, and the werewolf who had no reason to feel uncomfortable by his own doing, rested his weight against the back of the couch, letting the hunter's fingers knead his tired shoulder. Alan found himself thinking of what his reaction could have been. 

A year ago, if Alex had told him of Rhett’s wrong doings, the werewolf would not have thought about it at all. He would have found him and attempted to put a more permanent end to the threat. 

While he was leaning into the hunter's definitely gentle touch, Alan’s smile grew up to his eyes. That wasn't supposed to be his reaction to a threat but in this instant it was difficult to feel anything but safe and warm. 

“I’m glad we had this conversation,” not as eye opening as figuring out the other could be soft, but certainly important. “I always feel lighter telling people I…” 

He still had his difficulties admitting to caring for others, even if he showed it in every way but words. 

“Well, telling them the truth. I hope you feel lighter knowing you’re not lying to me either.”

—

“Aye,” was all Rhett could say to the sentiment, struggling even more than his counterpart to admit when he gave a shit about someone. All other soft dialogue was shoved back into a trunk and locked away, the key discarded carelessly somewhere in the maze of barren rooms that made up his mind. His stubbornness would always put up a fight, a staunch refusal to accept such things boiling down into denial that kept him, in a way, at arm’s length from everyone. Not literally, of course—hands worked deftly at easing the pain in Alan’s shoulder, quite practiced in the motions after so many years of performing them on himself after difficult hunts. 

The silence that settled between them was comfortable, neither feeling the need to fill it with inanity, talking for the sake of talking. Anyway, Rhett was terrible with chit chat, a fact that Alan seemed to have already understood and internalized. He was grateful for it. 

His fingers slipped beneath the collar of Alan’s shirt in the front, sliding over bare skin to the scar on his shoulder that he now knew came from a werewolf. Still massaging with the other hand, Rhett drifted his fingertips over the uneven skin, his gaze flicking up to Alan’s profile. He’d never killed a werewolf before. Had a good idea of what it’d take, and it sure as hell didn’t sound easy. Not only that, but the man’s earlier insinuation that he could’ve been turned by now was… well, accurate, for one, but it was a thought that elbowed its way to the forefront of his mind as he took in the other’s visage. What was it like, he wondered. Losing control like that, but on such a strict schedule. How did Alan cope with it? How many people had he killed? How many hunters? When had Rhett stopped being just another body to add to the pile and started being something worth protecting? 

He was reminded, for a moment, of Emilio and how he had tried to protect the people in his life from Rhett. Funny, how the roles had been reversed. It was a perspective that he’d do well to think on for a while, but as his hands became distracted from their duty, wandering farther from Alan’s shoulder, so too did his thoughts. They were already quite close, but the warden leaned in to speak into his ear. 

“Mind if I stay here tonight?” 

—

“Aye indeed,” there was no denying that Alan, as respectful of silence as he was, was usually a little more talkative. It wasn't that he and Rhett had nothing more to say to each other but their conversation had been quite trying and the werewolf didn't want to go back there just yet. The subject would probably come back on the agenda later. Alan had a lot to make up for, too. Not that he had harmed Rhett, but among the hunters who had passed through his clutches, there were some who would come back to haunt him one day. He sometimes hoped that the large number of wolves in the region protected him. In truth, he knew nothing about it. Maybe no one was looking for him, and maybe living worried was the worst punishment he would have to endure.

Distracted by his thoughts, he was quick to notice that the hunter's hands had taken a more direct approach, and after a brief glance over his shoulder, unbuttoned the first few buttons of his white shirt to let him further examine the hideous scar that he had on his shoulder, now adorned with a second scar, more marked, recent, blistered. That silver bullet had left quite a mess.

When Rhett had flinched, Alan had told himself that his condition made him unattractive, even repulsive to the hunter, and he would have understood if that had been the case. Although he behaved like someone who had everything under control, that was how he managed to hide his weaknesses and faults from everyone. According to him, it was easier to live looking perfect for everyone to see, even if it meant being alone with your pain and difficulties, because that also meant that everyone envied what he had and that sounded better than pity. Besides, people had better things to do than deal with his personal problems.

The hunter's breath against his ear was a welcome distraction, and his unpleasant thoughts gave way to a relieved sigh as he sank into sturdy arms. “I would not mind at all,” and reaching over his head to weave fingers through unruly (but softer than usual, he noted) hair, Alan shifted to the side to grant the man an affectionate kiss on the corner of his lips. 

—

The mistake had already been made, if you could call it that, so what was the point in holding back now? Rhett would gain nothing by shutting Alan out at this point except more loneliness. He'd had plenty of that over the last couple of decades, why insist that it continue unless he sought misery? Sometimes he wondered if that wasn't the case, and he just couldn't or wouldn't admit it to himself. 

Oh well. Made no difference to him now. 

The feeling of fingers in his hair elicited a soft sigh from the warden, all the hostility that typically filled his days ebbing away to make room for something softer and warmer. Was this how other people often felt? Was the cold, dark grip of a life resigned to violence his own fault, or was that something he was always destined to ride out? He couldn’t say for certain, but he did recognize that it was becoming easier to forget that anger the more time he spent around people like Ophelia and Alan. People that, for all the world, should want him dead, and yet…

He chased Alan's kiss with one of his own, angling his head to better catch his mouth fully. There was something akin to desperation in the way he grasped at Alan, like he might slip away if Rhett wasn't quick enough to show his interest, like he'd come back to his senses and realize that what the warden had done was inexcusable. He guided the man to turn and face him, his bum leg dangling uselessly off the couch as the other tucked itself beneath him. 

“Was hopin’ you'd say that,” he answered breathlessly before pulling Alan over the top of him as he laid back on the cushions. 

—

From someone who would have happily massacred him a few months ago, Alan expected hesitant gestures as if inviting him to slow down the course of things, a kind of new timidity, as if they had actually met only a few moments ago. The fervor was as much a surprise as it was a welcomed one.

All this changed a lot of things. He knew it well. But he didn't want them to become strangers again. Doubts dissipated with each kiss given, each breath shared, each sigh whispered against the skin. Running his hand through his own hair to discipline it (a futile effort if there was one right now), Alan studied him for a short moment, his eyes wandering along those long eyelashes, the pronounced bridge of his nose, the scars more or less less recent speckling the face of the hunter like a constellation traced on his skin, up until he decided it was no longer time for contemplation.

For now at least. Because it resumed later.

It was entirely dark out now, and through the large windows that faced the living room, there was nothing to see. The fire still crackled in the attic, covering white noise and outdoor sounds. Alan often had something of the sort going, if only to cover the hum of kitchen appliances, cars in the street, or any distraction that he imagined had dogs barking. 

It didn't prevent him from monitoring every breath the hunter was taking, however, his face nuzzled as it was against the crook of his neck. It was a warm, comfortable embrace, and a younger Alan would have probably agreed on greeting slumber here with just a throw blanket and a shoulder for a pillow. “How does a proper bed sound to you? Or a shower and toothbrush?” He would have rather not moved, still, the werewolf pushed himself off the couch, stepping over discarded clothes to bravely lead the way there. “Unless you’d rather stay here on your own of course.” With a glance over his shoulder, and a kind smile he disappeared around the corner.

—

As their heartbeats slowed and breaths evened out, Rhett stared blankly at the ceiling. Alan was half draped over him, perhaps the only thing keeping him from floating off into that unseen abyss that was his fractured mind. He could hear Desmond, he could see him in some capacity, like a hallucination, loudly announcing his disgust at the sight of his brother in this state. It was the same as before, the same as when Desmond realized Rhett was falling in love with Mariela. I don’t know how you’ve managed it, but you love her more than me, and you’ve only known her for six months! You’re choosing her! 

It’s not that simple, Rhett had protested, and it was certainly a sentiment that could apply to the present as well. He looked down at the semi-opaque figure of his brother that stood at his feet. I’m lonely, he told the apparition in their private, shared headspace. What the fuck does it matter? I’ll be dead this time next year anyway. Desmond shook his head and turned away, just in time for Alan to stir and say something. Rhett watched him get to his feet, his chest tight. He hesitated on the couch for a few moments before pushing himself up and grabbing his cane to follow after his bedfellow, thinking that a shower, brush, and bed all sounded pretty damn nice.

[mobiusstripper]

Can't stop thinking about all the Expanse novellas I want but will never get:

Young Avasarala at the start of her political career

Elsa Singh POV, life on Laconia 10-20 years after end of LF

Murtry and Wei life debt backstory

Captain Akari Tanaka POV, the MCRN in its glory days + MCR-UN Cold War life + more background on her relationship with Aliana. Extra points if we get to see Bobbie's dad. Extra extra points if we get to see the MCRN Tachi.

Duarte recruiting his breakaway fleet

Really anything about Duarte pre-Laconia. Also TELL US ABOUT HIS WIFE DAMMIT.

Come on, James S.A. Corey, help me out here. Don't make me write fanfiction. I'm too busy and lazy. I'm not even skilled enough to write political and military stuff.

Okay, I AM thrilled that we got a Cortazar POV and the backstory of Cara + Xan. And I'm glad that we got to find out what ever became of Filip.

I just want more, is that too much to ask?

[duartegazzola]

Scourge - Of shared fate

Tool: Paint Tool SAI ver.2

Character: Scourge (Warrior Cats)

Meaning: None

Extra commentary: Was being a hot second since I dip my toes into polished lineart, the "Linework Layer" of paint tool sai, is honestly the best tool of any digital art program ever. Especially because I use a tv as my screen, my tablet is like 4x times smaller, is hard to get anything straight.

Adding this as redbubble sticker because is I think this would be cool sticker to have.

[brookston]

Holidays 9.30

Holidays

Agricultural Reform Day (Sao Tome and Principe)

Arizona Monsoon Season ends

Army Incompetence Day

Birth of Morelos (Mexico)

Botswana Day (Botswana)

Boy’s Day (Poland)

Chewing Gum Day

Day of Hungarian Folktales (Hungary)

Do Something Wacky With A Grandparent Day

E-mail Debt Forgiveness Day

Frisbee Day

International Blasphemy Rights Day (a.k.a. Blasphemy Day)

International Podcast Day

International Recovery Day

International Thunderbirds Day

International Translation Day (UN)

Jananeta Irawat Birth Day (Manipur, India)

Kokkeisetsu (Japan)

Liberation Day (Abkhazia)

Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy Awareness Day

Monkey Bars Day

National Black Funding Day

National Chewing Gum Day

National Day of Remembrance for Indian Boarding Schools

National Kratom Day

National Love People Day

National Microcephaly Awareness Day

National Mud Pack Day

National Nonspeaking / Nonverbal Awareness Day (UK)

National Pet Tricks Day (UK)

National PrepareAthon! Day [also 4.30]

National Puppy Mill Survivor Day

National Sporting Heritage Day (UK)

National Teach Spanish Day

Neonatal Intensive Care Awareness Day

Orange Shirt Day (Canada)

Parsnip Day (French Republic Day)

Peon Day (Warcraft)

Pink Out Day

Rabbit Rabbit Day [Last Day of Every Month]

Recovery Day (Canada)

Rumi Day

Secretary Day (Venezuela)

Thunderbirds Day

Time For Yoga Day

Truth and Reconciliation Day (Canada)

World Pole Dance Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Austrian Beer Day (Austria)

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Day

Hot Mulled Cider Day

National Hot Mulled Cider Day

National Soufflé Potato Day

World Stroopwafel Day (Netherlands)

5th & Last Saturday in September

Centzon-Totochtin Drunken Rabbit Day [Last Saturday]

Everybody's Day Festival [Last Saturday]

Family Health and Fitness Day USA (Last Saturday]

International Lace Day [Last Saturday]

National Alpaca Farm Days begin [Last Saturday]

National Ghost Hunting Day [Last Saturday]

Nickelodeon’s Worldwide Day of Play [Last Saturday]

Save Your Photos Day [Last Saturday]

World Cyanotype Day [Last Saturday]

World Day of Leukodystrophies [Last Saturday]

Independence Days

Botswana (from UK, 1966)

Republic of Abkhazia (from Georgia, 1983) [unrecognized]

Tinakula (Declared; 2020) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Aequinoctium Autumnale II (Pagan)

Anthony Green (Artology)

Blue-Feathered Swallowing Swallow (Muppetism)

Feast of Soma (God of Ambrosia & Immortality; India)

Festival of Drunkenness (Ancient Egypt)

Festival of Tereteth (Goddess of the Coconut Toddy; Yap Island, Micronesia)

Gregory the Illuminator (Christian; Saint)

Honorius of Canterbury (Christian; Saint)

Jerome (Christian; Saint)

John Waters Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Medetrinalia (Fruits Offered to Goddess of Medicine; Ancient Rome)

Molière (Positivist; Saint)

Plan for the 31st if September Day (Pastafarian)

Ridiculous Excuses Day (Pastafarian)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Taian (大安 Japan) [Lucky all day.]

Uncyclopedia Bad to Be Born Today (because Green Day fans will never leave you alone.)

Premieres

Adjustment Team, by Philip K. Dick (Short Story; 1954)

Alias (TV Series; 2001)

The Ascent Of Rum Doodle, by W.E. Bowman (Novel; 1956)

The Big Chill (Film; 1983)

Bird (Film; 1988)

Blueberries for Sal, by Robert McCloskey (Children’s Book; 1948)

The Boy Friend (Broadway Musical; 1954)

Car Talk (Radio Series; 1977)

Cheers (TV Series; 1982)

The Clock Store (Disney Cartoon; 1931)

Con Man (Web Series; 2015)

Dad, Can I Borrow the Car? (Disney Short Film; 1970)

Death Valley Days (Radio Series; 1930)

Entergalactic (Animated Film; 2022)

The Family of Pascual Duarte, by Camilo José Cela (Novel; 1942)

Fantasy, by Mariah Carey (Song; 1995)

50/50 (Film; 2011)

The Flintstones (Animated TV Series; 1960)

Go Away Stowaway (WB MM Cartoon; 1967)

Grand Ole Opry (TV Series; 1950)

The Graveyard Book, by Neil Gaiman (Novel; 2008)

The Greatest Game Ever Played (Film; 2005)

Into the Blue (Film; 2005)

Little Women (Novel; 1868)

Louis Armstrong Plays King Oliver, recorded by Louis Armstrong (Album; 1957) [1st stereo album]

Love for Sale, by Tony Bennett (Album; 2021)

Luke Cage (TV Series; 2016)

The Magic Flute, by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Opera; 1791)

Marvel Rising: Secret Warriors (Animated Film; 2018)

Methuselah's Children, by Robert A. Heinlein (Novel; 1958)

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children (Film; 2016)

Murder, She Wrote (TV Series; 1984)

Nebraska, by Bruce Springsteen (Album; 1982)

Porgy and Bess, by George Gershwin (Opera; 1935)

The Queen (Film; 2006)

The Rifleman (TV Series; 1958)

The Robe, by Lloyd C. Douglas (Novel; 1942)

The Saint in Europe, by Leslie Charteris (Short Stories 1953) [Saint #30]

Scooby-Doo! And the Monster of Mexico (WB Animated Film; 2003)

A Separate Peace, by John Knowles (Novel; 1959)

Serenity (Film; 2005)

Shine On, by Jet (Album; 2006)

The Steeple-Chase (Disney Cartoon; 1933)

Theme From Shaft, by Isaac Hayes (Song; 1971)

To the Manor Born (UK TV Series; 1979)

You, Me and the Apocalypse (UK TV Series; 2015)

Today’s Name Days

Hieronymus, Urs, Victor (Austria)

Felicija, Grgur, Jerko, Jeronim (Croatia)

Jeroným (Czech Republic)

Hieronymus (Denmark)

Kaur, Kauri, Tauri (Estonia)

Sirja, Siru, Sorja (Finland)

Jérôme (France)

Hieronymus , Urs, Viktor (Germany)

Stratonikos (Greece)

Jeromos (Hungary)

Gerolamo (Italy)

Abgara, Elma, Lamekins (Latvia)

Bytautė, Jeronimas, Sofija, Žymantas (Lithuania)

Hege, Helga, Helge (Norway)

Grzegorz, Hieronim, Honoriusz, Imisław, Leopard, Sofia, Wera, Wiera, Wiktor, Wiktoriusz, Zofia (Poland)

Grigorie (Romania)

Lubov, Nadezhda, Vera (Russia)

Jarolím (Slovakia)

Jerónimo, Sofía, Sonia (Spain)

Helge (Sweden)

Jerome, Jeronima, Gerome, Geromino (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 273 of 2024; 92 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 6 of week 39 of 2023

Celtic Tree Calendar: Muin (Vine) [Day 26 of 28]

Chinese: Month 8 (Xin-You), Day 16 (Xin-Mao)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 15 Tishri 5784

Islamic: 15 Rabi I 1445

J Cal: 3 Shù; Threesday [3 of 30]

Julian: 17 September 2023

Moon: 98%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 21 Shakespeare (10th Month) [Molière]

Runic Half Month: Gyfu (Gift) [Day 4 of 15]

Season: Autumn (Day 7 of 89)

Zodiac: Libra (Day 7 of 30)

[wickedsrest-rp-archive]

Welcome to our weekly round-up! We do these every week to provide plot drops, highlight starters posted that week, and share other information about the setting. Anyone is welcome to use these bullet points in starters, plots, anons etc. Also let us know if you want us to include one of your setting-related plots in here for next week by sending us a bullet point!

What’s new in town?:

As the moon in the sky waxes toward the second full moon of the month, the crystals around town have taken on a blue-ish glow and are having varying effects on those around. Check out our latest plot of the week for ways to interact!

As coffee shops are rolling out their pumpkin spice lattes, Maized & Confused is taking advantage of the fall excitement and opening up for business a few weeks early this fall season. Enjoy fall treats and a potentially haunted walk through the corn maze while the season lasts!

An already large and still-growing cluster of rats has been scurrying around the streets of downtown. Businesses have been warning customers to avoid the creature as it's wont to deliver a nasty bite. Some, like Starring Role, have been closing early if the rats have been spotted nearby. The chef could be seen angrily pantomiming about not risking a rat getting into his kitchen.

Just because it's Back to School season doesn't mean Bigfeet's Adventureland is ready to slow down on the fun. For the last week of August and month of September, tickets for admission to the theme park will be buy one get one free for Maine residents. Be sure to try the fried cheese on a stick for an extra good time!

Starters:

Duarte Real Estate will be closed through the remainder of the month and Alan has posted contact information for where to send inquiries in the meantime

Mack was pleasantly surprised by gas station chicken and is taking suggestions for other off-the-wall fun stuff to try

Baking is difficult and Ren is looking for easier ways to bake without disastrous results

Someone's cousin has a big mouth so Alex is giving a PSA that she's alive and looking for your streaming recommendations

If you'd like bones and or other random items reach out to Regan who is currently giving away her belongings

It's a 'once in a blue moon' event so Samir is suggesting everyone checks out the Wildcat versus Razor fight coming up this full moon

If anyone knows any good doctors send your recommendations over to Mack who's asking for a friend

Help Emilio settle a debate and cast your vote for who is more handsome: him or Rhett

Wynne is wondering if anyone has any plans for the upcoming betrayer moon so if you have any good traditions, send those over to them

If you're the owner of the chihuahua who bit her toes, Inge is really not happy with you

There's a special at the boathouse and like a good citizen, Shan is giving recommendations to check it out

[momizuka]

Transform Your House with These Easy House Renovation Ideas

""

Home renovation can be a challenging task, yet it does not need to be. With a little creative thinking as well as effort, you can transform your residence right into an attractive and useful area that you'll love investing time in. Here are some very easy house improvement suggestions to get you started.First, consider adding a fresh coat of paint to your walls. This can quickly cheer up a space and also make it really feel extra sizable. You can also switch over out your old light components for brand-new ones to update the look of your room. One more easy upgrade is to replace your cabinet equipment with something more contemporary and also trendy. These little changes can make a large effect on the total look of your residence. Another house improvement task that can include worth to your

home is upgrading your kitchen or restroom. This doesn't need to be a significant improvement, however can be as easy as replacing outdated appliances or fixtures. You can likewise add some new ceramic tile or a backsplash to give your space a fresh new appearance. Ultimately, don't ignore the outside of your home. Adding some potted plants or flowers to

your porch or outdoor patio can create an inviting entry. You can also upgrade your landscape design or add a fresh layer of paint to your front door to provide your residence some visual charm. With these simple home improvement ideas, you can transform your residence right into an area you'll like.

Read more here Top Contractors for Adu in California Experienced Contractors for Adu in Ontario California Adu Westlake Village, Adu Hidden Hills,Adu Calabasas, Adu Santa Monica,Adu San Fernando,Adu Beverly Hills, Adu Santa Clarita, Adu Culver City,Adu West Hollywood,Adu Rancho Santa Clarita,Adu El Segundo, Adu Burbank Junction, Adu Inglewood, Adu Manhattan Beach,Adu Hawthorne,Adu Hermosa Beach, AduLawndale,Adu Glendale Los Angeles, Adu Redondo Beach, Adu Los Angeles,Adu Gardena, Adu Palos Verdes Estates,Adu Torrance,Adu Vernon,Adu La Canada Flintridge, Adu Rolling Hills Estates,Adu South Gate,Adu Rancho Palos Verdes,Adu Carson, Adu Lynwood, Adu Maywood,Adu Bell, Adu Lomita, Adu Rolling Hills, Adu South Pasadena,Adu Compton, Adu Cudahy, Adu Pasadena,Adu Walker,Adu Commerce,Adu Alhambra, Adu Stoneman, Adu Bell Gardens, Adu Monterey Park, Adu San Marino, Adu San Gabriel,Adu East Pasadena,Adu Paramount,Adu Downey, Adu Montebello, Adu Pico Rivera, Adu Rosemead,Adu California Heights, AduTemple City, Adu Sierra Madre, Adu Santa Anita, Adu Santa Fe Springs, Adu Bellflower, Lakewood, South El Monte, Long Beach,Adu Arcadia,Adu Norwalk, Adu El Monte,Adu Dolley,Adu Artesia, Adu Whittier, Adu Monrovia, Adu Cerritos,Adu Hawaiian Gardens,Adu Duarte,Adu Bradbury,Adu La Mirada, AduBaldwin Park, Adu Industry,Adu La Puente, Adu West Covina,Adu Irwindale, Adu Palmdale, Adu La Habra Heights, Adu Azusa,Adu Covina, Glendora, Walnut, Adu Lancaster, Adu San Dimas, Adu Diamond Bar,Adu La Verne,Adu Pomona, Adu Claremont,Adu Avalon Agoura Hills

[andromeda-al]

1950: Novos horizontes

Por mais que os quilômetros de distância assustassem o coração de mãe de Olindina, ela apoia e incentiva que a filha a ir atrás do que quer. Ela sentia-se orgulhosa ao ver a mulher que Coralina e admirava a força e coragem que ela tinha.

Depois de seis longos dias de viagem de trem, Coralina chega ao Rio de Janeiro em março de 1950 carregando consigo apenas uma bagagem de mão contendo todos os seus pertences. Mesmo sendo nascida e criada numa cidade grande como o Recife, ela ficava deslumbrada com a dimensão da capital do país e imediatamente sente-se minúscula.

Coralina divide um quarto em uma discreta pensão no subúrbio com Antônia: uma jovem professora que, assim como ela, havia deixado sua terra natal em busca de melhores oportunidades de vida. A relação entre as duas é distante, porém cordial. Devido as suas respectivas rotinas, encontravam-se praticamente apenas ao acordar e dormir.

Por influência de Edgar, o seu antigo diretor, Coralina passa a fazer parte da Companhia Teatral Quarta Parede, comandada pelo senhor Mário Cavalcanti e sua esposa Cláudia Cavalcanti. Ela é recebida de modo cortês por quase todos os membros da companhia, que demonstram simpatia ao conhecê-la, mas de forma mais comedida de que em seu grupo anterior.

Com exceção de Ana Paula Beltrão, a atriz mais jovem da companhia, que faz questão de expressar o seu descontentamento com a chegada de Coralina desde o primeiro momento em que a vê.

Coralina estreia nos palcos do Rio de Janeiro como a endiabrada Nanci no espetáculo "O Coração Traído". Na trama, Laura (Claúdia Cavalcanti) suspeita que o seu marido Ernesto (Ricardo Duarte) mantém um caso extra-conjugal com sua irmã mais nova, a inocente Elisa (Ana Paula Beltrão). No entanto, a intriga entre as irmãs não passa de uma armação de Ernesto para esconder sua verdadeira amante: Nanci, a empregada da família.