#hopefully it will be less like winston was and more adjusted to things

[sheepdog-and-fakegoldenretriever]

Soooo i put a deposit down for the waiting list with the breeder i want my next puppy from.

Very exciting.

It'll give win time to settle into new house and routine and be able to introduce a puppy properly. Will be taking 4 weeks off work between de and I to help pup settle to.

Can't wait.

[nelllraiser]

teardrops on my guitar(m) | leah & nell

TIMING: shortly after and then you’re free (escape from the ring) LOCATION: nell’s greenhouse. PARTIES: @nelllraiser and @phoenixleah SUMMARY: leah helps heal nell’s arms, and gets some veggies in return. taki gets to see his cat crush.

To be honest, Nell had been in dire need of some burgers from Al’s, and Leah was always good company for a trip such as that. After breaking loose from the Ring with Remmy, she’d been eating more than perhaps seemed humanly possible after going hungry for an entire week. Now that her stomach was full, she was walking Leah towards her greenhouse behind the Vural place, figuring it was as good a place as any to do this. “You’re sure you’re okay with this?” Nell asked again, not wanting to take advantage of Leah and her tear’s healing abilities. “I still feel sort of bad that all I got you for something like this was lunch.” Nell knew that phoenix tears went for obscene amounts of money on the supernatural market, and she still wanted to make sure that everything was still alright with Bea’s friend. Opening the door to the greenhouse, Nell circumvented around the mattress that was still in the center of it, leftover from when Bea had been dead, and Nell hadn’t felt right sleeping in the house. To be honest...she still used it when Bea wasn’t home, the house seeming too quiet to be alone in it, as if her sister were still gone. “Alright, here we are,” she said before stopping some twenty feet in, surrounded by greenery.

Leah would never turn down a good burger, so stopping at Al’s with Nell before giving her what she needed was never not an option in her mind.  She was worried about the youngest Vural, if she were being honest.  After everything that had happened with all of them- after what happened with Bea, she still felt a certain ache and anxiety around the Vurals, like she couldn’t do enough to help.  She didn’t know exactly what happened that got Nell involved in an underground fight ring, and for once she had no desire to know anymore about something that was clearly supernatural.  Maybe she was doing a disservice to herself and the Scribes, but she was worried she’d find out something she didn’t like about the ring- and if Nell were involved in something like that- well, … It was easier to just not ask questions.  She adjusted her bag on her shoulder as she followed Nell, not remembering the last time she’d been back there.  “Really.  I’m really more than okay with it.  I wouldn’t feel right taking money, not from you.”  She probably wouldn’t feel right taking it from anyone, but then she wouldn’t have offered tears to just anyone, either.  “I know you’ll keep it quiet- people don’t need to know where you got these from, right? ...and that’s really all I can ask, honestly.”  Her eyes fell to the mattress in the center, and that pang of worry was back in a flash.  How could she have been so distant and selfish when Bea died to not even reach out to Nell and Luce?  “I don’t think I’ve ever been in here.  It’s..beautiful. Are you… in here a lot?”, she asked vaguely.

Nell nodded at Leah’s answer, having wanted to confirm one last time that this was all in line with her sister’s friend. Though she figured...it wouldn’t be blasphemy is she also counted Leah amongst her own friends. Certainly they weren’t as close, but it was safe to say she always enjoyed the other girl’s company. “Alright then, deal. Thank you again, Leah.” As for not spreading the news of the tears, Nell didn’t hesitate to reassure the phoenix. “Oh no, of course. I won’t be telling anyone where they came from. I know how...people like you can often be targeted. And I have no interest in putting you in danger.” If anyone tried to hurt Leah, Nell wouldn’t hesitate to make them regret, and she knew Bea was of a very similar mind. “Really? I guess that makes sense. I’m pretty...protective of the greenhouse. I don’t usually like people going into it without me. Of course, sometimes Bea gets to come in if she needs vegetables for dinner sometimes or something.” It was still strange at times, readjusting to Bea being back and mentioning her in everyday conversation as if she’d neve died in the first place. “I mean- I spend a lot of time here. It’s...peaceful, you know?” It was basically Nell’s retreat at this point, a safe space to be away from all the noise of the outside world. “I’m glad you like it, though. Maybe you could take come clippings with you if you won’t accept payment.”

With a smile, Leah dismissed Nell’s thankfulness.  She never quite knew how to react to gratefulness, especially when she knew in her heart something was the right thing to do.  She didn’t have to question whether she’d give the tears to Nell, or whether to bring extra for the other Vurals.  “You brought her back”, she started, knowing she didn’t have to explain what she meant.  “And now you’re hurt because of it.  This is literally...literally the least I can do.” At Nell’s reassurance, she reached into her bag, fishing around for one of the vials she’d brought with her.  She nodded, letting out a breath.  “I trust you, Nell. And, well… if it does somehow get out, it’s not like I don’t know where to find you,” she teased.  Her hand finally found the vial, and she pulled it out, holding it up triumphantly.  Her eyes landed on Nell’s wounded arms, and she blinked.  They were worse than she thought.  “They won’t be instant”, she explained.  “Not with your arms being so bad.  But maybe after an hour or two, you’ll notice a huge difference.”  She looked around, amazed at the variety and condition of plants that surrounded them.  Nell was describing the greenhouse almost like her own private sanctuary, and it reminded her of how she felt about the library.  “Maybe I’ll take some veggies of my own?”, she suggested.  “Do you have any kale?”

“We brought her back,” Nell corrected gently, knowing it wasn’t just herself that was responsible for Bea walking the earth once again. “I would have...there’s nothing I wouldn’t do for her. For Luce, too.” She figured that went without saying, but the witch wasn’t sure what else to say in response to Leah’s words when it came to her wounds. At the sight of the vial, Nell’s eyes lit up, hopeful as to how they might make it so her arms seemed to constantly sting and crack. She tried to reign it in as Leah explained, giving a nod. As for her arms...they looked like someone had splashed a map of the world across them, shiny continents plastered onto rougher patches here and there, still raw in places and pink and fragile. “Anything is better than this,” she simply said, endlessly frustrated with how limited she’d been ever since the resurrection. “I’m ready whenever you are?” Nell asked, presenting the gruesome sight of her arms for inspection and phoenix tear application. “Leah, you can have literally as many veggies as you want if it means being able to do something as take a fucking shower without having to worry about reopening my arms. I’ll give you an entire forest of kale.”

Leah nodded.  “You all did.” She couldn’t imagine what it took for all of them to get Bea back, even now, it was clearly still affecting everyone in some way.  She’d helped Winston with their tech problem, at least, but emotional trauma was going to be a little harder for all of them to overcome.  “I know that, Nell.  And I know they know that, too.”  Even when they bickered or argued, the love the Vural girls had for one another was so strong you could basically see it flowing through them.  She expected nothing less than Nell and Luce to try to bring Bea back when it first happened, and part of her felt like a coward for giving up hope so soon. With a laugh, letting her eyes fall to more of Nell’s plants.  “You’re like a regular old granny, growing all of this in here, you know that?  Okay, deal… I’ll have free reign of all your kale and zucchini.  That’s how you can repay me.” She winced as she got a better look at Nells arms, every new angle seemed to provide deeper insight into just how damaged they truly were.  “Shit.  How did you explain this to the hospital?”, she asked, as she popped open the vial.  “I can see why they wanted to keep you there for so long.  Okay, hold still…”, she warned.  Gently taking hold of Nell’s left wrist, Leah pulled her arm out straight so the tears could access area’s evenly.  Her face was serious and concentrated as she began the process, tipping the vial along Nell’s arm and letting the contents spill out onto it. The last thing she wanted was to use too much on one arm before she had the chance to start the process on the other. “Stop me if it’s hurting you”, she said, letting her eyes shoot to Nell’s for only a second.  

As far as emotional trauma went, Nell was firmly refusing to let it truly sink in, or rather acknowledge it. She’d power through. She always did. That’s how it worked, right? Either way, a warm smile was on her lips at the mention of her sisters and their relationship. It was certainly..complicated at times, but at the end of the day they were family. “Excuse me?” Nell said, faking outrage at Leah’s words. “I am not a grandma! But if I was a grandma, I’d be the hippest one. If anyone’s a grandma, it’s Bea.” She stayed still as Leah poured, a little apprehensive as the drops began to flow. There was a reason her blood sacrifice scars had been so prominent on her arms before the necromancy had even happened. Injuries made by blood magic weren’t meant to be healed by magical terms. But at this point, Nell was desperate to have her arms healed. With everything going on with the Ring, she couldn’t afford to be caught at anything less than her best. Hopefully, seeing as phoenix tears weren’t the traditional sort of magical healing, it wouldn’t have any adverse effects. Finally, the tears made contact with her skin, and Nell clenched her teeth as a burning sensation began to follow the liquid’s path. That wasn’t supposed to happen, was it? Maybe it was just the residual blood magic fighting back, trying to keep the sacrificial wound from being healed. But even though it hurt, she could see her skin stitching itself back together before her very eyes. If she could have her arms back, the pain was worth it. “No, keep going. It’s fine.”

With a loud laugh, Leah held up a hand defensively.  “You’re the coolest granny”, she reassured.  “All the other grandmas go to you for grandma fashion advice.”  She pointed at her with a teasing finger, grinning.  “Are you calling Bea a grandma cause you think she’s old?  Because I’m not too far behind her, honey.”  She bit her lip as she continued to pour the tears, wanting to get every inch of Nell’s arm before she starting on the other one.  Her eyes darted up when she noticed it was causing Nell pain, but she continued. She nodded at her words, understanding. Pausing in between would just make the pain last longer.  “Hey, where’s that big guy Taki?  I haven’t seen him in a while”, she said, wanting to distract Nell.  Satisfied that she was done with her left arm, she grabbed Nell’s right wrist, glancing up at her before she began again.  “We good?”

“You bet I am,” Nell joked back with a slight chuckle. “I’m the baddest bitch in the retirement home.” Though, if she was being honest...the chances of making it to a ripe, old age at the rate she was going seemed slim. Before the last couple of months, she’d barely thought about her own mortality, but after watching her sister die, being an inch from death, and continuously finding herself in bleak situations...it was a reality she could no longer escape. “I’m calling both of you grandmas because I think you’re both old,” she shot back with a grin. Then, Taki seemed to appear at the very mention of his name, instantly rubbing up against the ankles of Leah with eyes sleepily slitted in contentment. He’d always been fond of the girl, after all- they shared the element of fire. Nell spared him a smile before gritting her teeth again, and giving Leah a determined nod. “We’re good. I just want my arms back.” She’d bear the pain ten times over if it meant she could get rid of this sense of powerlessness. 

Leah rolled her eyes playfully, chuckling.  It was something she could really see happening, Nell being the ring leader to a bunch of badass old ladies.  “I’ll be sure to remind you of that on your 28th birthday, we’ll see what you think of that then.”  She smiled down at Taki as he walked by, taking her attention away from Nell’s arms momentarily.  “I’ve summoned him!”, she joked.  “Hey there big guy.”  She always felt a certain kinship with the Ovinikk, and hadn’t seen him since before Bea died.  Leah nodded back, licking her lips before pouring the last bit of the vial onto Nell’s right arm.  “There.”, she said, letting her eyes meet Nell’s again.  “That should be it.  They already look like they’re getting better.”  It wasn’t a lie- she could tell just by looking at them that they were already vastly better than when she got there.  But Nell still had a long way to go.  “It’ll take a few hours, … maybe even into tomorrow to be 100%.  Maybe you should have a movie night with Winston or someone, just so you’re not tempted to go out and get yourself into more trouble… at least not until you’re fully healed.”  There was a playful smile on her lips, but the sentiment was real- if Nell wanted this to work, she needed to rest.  Suddenly, she held up her finger, as if she was remembering something.  She rummaged through her bag, pulling out two more vials and presenting them to Nell.  “For Bea and Luce.  You’ll probably see both of them before me, so… I figured I’d just give them to you.”

“If I make it until then,” Nell joked, though the delivery of it might have come off a bit more morbid than she’d intended. With everything that had happened in the past few months...it wasn’t exactly looking all that promising. The witch tried to brush the thought aside like an errant cobweb, moving on to something much more enjoyable. Taki. “He must have sensed your radiant presence,” she said lightheartedly. Meanwhile, the oversized cat began to purr ferociously, patting his paws against Leah’s legs as he stretched, almost as it to ask why she was paying attention to anything other than him. As Leah signaled the end to the healing, Nell instantly went to test the limits of her arms, stretching and flexing them. They still weren’t prettily healed, but her voice broke out in a relieved laugh when there was little to no pain as she moved. “Thank you, Leah,” she breathed, not knowing how to express her endless gratitude in a way that was sufficient. “Thank you so much. This is...this is really helpful.” At least she could gain some of her autonomy and power back now that her arms were nearly mended. As she gripped the vials in her hands, she again asked, “Are you sure? If you give us these you have to take more vegetables and stuff than you can carry.”

Leah gave Nell a pointed look.  “Don’t talk like that”, she warned, putting a hand on Nell’s shoulder.  “You can’t let yourself even think like that, Nell, because you’re gonna manifest it.  You’ll make it to 28.  You’ll make it to 108.  Because your sisters will kill you if you don’t.”   There was no doubt in her mind that if something happened to Nell before then (and who knew, with all the bad luck she’d been having lately), that Bea and Luce and Blanche and Winston would go to the ends of the earth to bring her back, just as they had done for Bea.  But she also couldn’t imagine all of them having to go through that again.  She laughed at Taki at her feet and at Nell’s comment, kneeling down to scratch behind his ears now that she was done with Nell’s arms.  “Do you need some attention, Baby?” she asked over his purr.   She pressed her face into Taki’s and then kissed him on the forehead before quickly standing back up to chat with Nell, though she continued to pet him.  She nodded to acknowledge the thanks, biting her lip.  “I’m really, really glad, because after all the shit you’ve been through lately, this is the least I can do, like I said.  For all of you.  I’m so, so positive”, she nodded again, and then glanced around at all the vegetables just begging to be picked.  “Okay, fine… but can you and Taki help me bring them to my car?”

[danetobelieve]

A Seal, A Mage and A Hunter Walk Into A Bar || Orion, Ricky and Winston

Winston hadn’t expected Rio’s message. They hadn’t expected them to be coming over and honestly they were somewhat concerned about the sudden change in the perspective that their new friend had. But they were glad that they had chosen to turn to Winston and they weren’t going to let them down. The thunder rumbling in the background was somewhat atmospheric, night must just be falling as darkness was enveloping the exterior of their house. Hearing the knock on the door, Winston turned back to Ricky doing their best to hurridly explain. “Rio messaged, I don’t have time to properly explain the very little that I do know, just be your usual gregarious and welcoming self and he’s underage so you can’t try and get him too drunk I don’t think he’ll appreciate the hangover tomorrow.” Winston turned to the door as they heard a second knock and dashed over, adjusting their glasses and smiling at Orion as they pulled the door open. 

It was one of Ricky’s favorite kinds of weather; dark and stormy, and as Spring still hadn’t really managed to find their little corner of Maine, he’d lit a fire in the fireplace to really round out the whole atmosphere. He and Winston had just been relaxing, something playing on the tv in the background, most of his attention turned to the 3DS he’d bought himself to keep from dying of boredom as he recovered when several things happened in quick succession and his poor mind tried to keep up. There was a knock on the door and Winston suddenly started talking a thousand miles an hour, “One I resent the implication that I’m some sort of weird “get the kids drunk” guy and two what? What’s going on?” Gregarious and welcoming were Ricky’s standard MO and it wasn’t hard for him and he somewhat stiffly pushed himself off the couch and towards the door that Winston ran towards, smiling broadly as it was opened to reveal a very wet Orion. “Hey man. Welcome.” 

Orion hadn’t had much time. He had left his family in the guest house and sprinted to his bedroom, quickly grabbing a duffel bag and trying to stuff clothes and some essentials into it before his parents made their way into the main house. He escaped out of the front door before he could hear his parents. They probably weren’t in any rush. It was clear they hadn’t wanted him there anyways. It wasn't until after he was out onto the street that he realized it had started raining. Usually he would have heard the rain, or smelled the moisture in the air, but his senses must have been off tonight. He shot a message over to Winston, confirming that the invitation they had extended was stil open. Winston and Ricky didn’t live far away, so he walked over slowly, giving Winston time to reply and letting the rain soak him along the way. It wasn’t until he got to the door that he became self conscious of the blonde hair. He hadn’t had blonde hair since his eighteenth birthday, and anyone he had met in the last few years would have never seen it. But he couldn’t exactly hide it right now. At least one good thing about the rain meant that it washed away any evidence that Rio had been crying. So he sighed and knocked on the door, smiling as normally as he could when the two answered. “Uh- hey there. Thanks for letting me stay over.”

Winston shot Ricky a warning look. The truth was that he knew little more then their friend. The second thing Winston did was raise and eyebrow at the Blonde hair. They were sure it was a better look when Rio wasn’t soaked to the bone by the torrential rain. Winston stepped back and let Rio into their home, leading them towards the kitchen. “Don’t worry at all you’re always welcome bro…” they looked them up and down for a moment, “no offence dude but you look very wet, I could’ve come and got you if I had known you needed me man…” they trailed off suddenly aware that it was hardly a useful suggestion now. “Do you want a hot drink or a towel or something?” Winston hoped that their things hadn’t gotten too gross in the rain, but they also wanted an explanation. There was plenty of time for that though and Winston didn’t want to push the matter.

It was one of the many gay-red-flags that Ricky knew when somebody who’d been conspicuously radio silent showed up with freshly dyed blonde hair. But Winston’s quick warning made him think this was anything but being upset over a boy. “Towels and tea.” he kept his smile wide and warm as he turned on his heel and made his way to the kitchen to put the kettle on and then to the closet to grab one of the spare towels down from it, “Do you have dry things? If you don’t between the two of us Winston and I can cobble together something dry and warm for you. We can throw your wet things in the dryer for you.” He offered the towel to Rio, shooting a confused and slightly worried look over to Winston, “Have you had dinner? I can whip you up something real quick. Something warm.” 

For some reason, this wasn’t the first time that Orion had been around Ricky completely drenched and being offered a change of clothes. Though it didn’t make him any less nervous about it. At least this house offered more places to change than the workshop had. Orion could tell the glances at his hair. He didn’t blame them. It wasn’t like it had been professionally done. Just a sloppy quick bleach to appease his parents. The first chance he got he would be dying it back or shaving it off. Now that he was away from his parents the last thing he wanted was to continue looking like them. “I should be fine. Well as long as the duffel bag kept the rain out.” He shrugged, glancing down at the bag. Hopefully he could find something in the bag that was semi dry that he could change into. He went into the house but stayed hovering by the front door, accepting Ricky’s towel but not wanting to continue dripping across the house. He set his duffel bag down and began wiping off what he could, though there wasn’t much he could do for his clothes. The hoodie felt like it weighed an extra twenty pounds and clanged to him uncomfortably. He’d have to get into the safety of a bathroom before he could take it off. “Um yeah… just some tea or something would be great thanks. And uh- no food needed. I’m not hungry. Thanks though.” After what he saw, he wasn’t sure he would ever have an appetite again. “Sorry for the short notice. I just need a night or two to figure things out. I hope I didn’t interrupt anything.”

As Ricky made tea, Winston grabbed some clothes which had been neatly folded and were sat waiting to go up to their rooms and directed Rio to the toilet downstairs so that he could get changed. “Can I get a coffee Ricky,” Winston was wondering if perhaps Rio needed some of the whiskey that Ricky loved so much but tea would do for now, or coffee if you weren’t planning to sleep which Winston wasn’t, they had too much left to do. They needed to research the squid lake demon, they needed to try not to obsess over Athena after last night and they needed to keep working on their project. It was getting close to the end now. “You didn’t interrupt anything,” Winston replied dismissively even though they were half way through dry running a sub routine that ran the graphics vectors for their project, but that could wait, Rio was more important, “and like I said you’re welcome here as long as you need or want to be here, we never managed to find a third room mate so there’s still space.”

“This close to bedtime?!” Ricky kept the shock in his voice light and jovial, an attempt to lighten what was becoming an oppressively dim atmosphere, “Fine, but I’m not reading you a bedtime story when you can’t sleep tonight. You’re on your own.” As Winston and Rio both disappeared he quickly ducked back towards the front door; keying in his passcode on the alarm so that it armed the mundane and magical systems Winston had been installing on the house. He didn’t know exactly what was happening, but people didn’t show up soaking wet with a duffle unless something was wrong, and this way they’d know if anyone turned down their drive. “Oh yes, my attempts to catch a Cutiefly for that bitch in the pokecenter were really eating up my evening.” He poured the coffee and the tea and brought them back into the living room, setting Rio’s by the chair closest to the fire, “You’re never interrupting, and like Winston said, “You’re welcome here whenever and however long you need. Our house is yours.” 

Orion wasn’t surprised that Ricky and Winston were being this welcoming, but they were certainly emotional about it. But Orion kept his nerves at ease. The last thing either Ricky or Winston needed was for Rio to break down in front of the two of them. They deserved better than that. Plus, it wasn’t like Rio could exactly explain the situation to them. The truth wasn’t going to help anymore. It was too late for that. Instead, Rio silently accepted the clothes and went into the bathroom to get changed. After switching into drier clothes, he stared at himself in the mirror for a long time. His eyes were less noticeably red than they had been before, but that was because the rain had made his entire face red and puffy. Great. His blonde hair hung, wet and ratty in his face and he rifled through his bag until he found the one snapback he owned, some zoo hat that he had bought at a thrift store and put it on to push the hair from his eyes. He already felt better, being here instead of his home. He knew he’d have to go back eventually. He still had things there. Plus his phone. His car. Well… maybe he couldn’t keep the car anymore. It wasn’t his. Despite the relief, everything still weighed on his shoulders. He had so much to do, to worry about now. He was exhausted. But he would try to stress about that another night. He went back into the kitchen area, meeting the two back in there and trying again for that smile. “Yeah, of course. Thanks.” He didn’t want to impose on them. Not without a job or anyway to pay rent. But Winston spent enough time at the Scribe Headquarters now that he couldn’t exactly hide out there without Winston finding out. “Thanks for the tea.” He grabbed onto the cup to warm up his hands, blowing at the liquid to try to cool it off before taking his first sip. The tea stung when it touched his busted lip. He hadn’t even realized that it had been hurt until now. It had probably happened when Athena had punched him in the face earlier. Then again, he would have taken that over what had actually happened anyday. “So uh.. What are you both up to tonight?”

Looking Orion up and down, Winston reached out and topped up their cup of tea, hoping that it would prompt Orion to in turn spill their own tea but apparently that wasn’t to be and both Winston and Ricky were going to have to ask. Winston decided that as they were mostly responsible for this they were going to have to be the person who made the first step. “It was just a normal night, Ricky and I kinda do whatever the fuck we want usually, but obviously you coming over changed our plans a little, which I am not complaining about because it is much cooler to have a friend over then do something on my own…” Winston tried to think of the best and most sensitive way to phrase this, after deciding that their own addled brain apparently couldn’t quite manage that level of emotional sensitivity, Winston decided that ripping off the bandage might be a good idea. “Rio, what’s going on? You show up soaked? Is everything okay at home?” 

Ricky made himself a mug of tea as well, stirring in some honey as he made his way gingerly back to his spot on the armchair, “Not shit. I’m still stuck in the house on practically bed rest so… it’s just me and Winston in front of the fire like some alternate universe Norman Rockwell painting.” He took a sip, watching Winston refill Rio’s mug and attempt gingerly to eke some sort of story out of him. “I’ve gotta side with my better domestic half over here. You know we love seeing you, and you’re welcome here anytime day or night, and for as long as you need to be, but this is honestly a little worrying. People don’t generally show up dripping wet at my door, as this is not a scene from The Notebook. I’m hotter than Ryan Gosling for starters.” It wasn’t going to go anywhere if the atmosphere turned intense or if it seemed like they were grilling him for answers. Ricky could at the very least help keep it light and pleasant. 

Orion laughed nervously at Ricky’s joke, welcoming the humor dispersed through what was otherwise a pretty serious conversation. He supposed he couldn’t be surprised that the two were curious about Rio’s sudden appearance. He wasn’t exactly very subtle when he frantically messaged Winston and asked to crash for a couple of nights. If it hadn’t been so late Rio probably would have ran to the Scribe Headquarters, but their house was closer and he hadn’t exactly been in the right state of mind to think this far in advance. He didn’t want to lie. He was so sick of lying. But he couldn’t tell the whole truth either. Not without the obvious repercussions. More people would be in danger if they found out. It was better to keep the whole truth a secret. “We had a fight.” He sighed, settling on a vague version of the whole truth. “They want me to be something I’m not. And I can’t-” What was he going for here? He could tell them about him being a hunter. So what was he going for then? The idea came to him in a moment of deluded brilliance. Or maybe stupidity. The other thing that Rio would rather die than have his parent’s find out about. “I came out to them.” Guess he was lying again. “It didn’t go so well. Clearly. I couldn’t just stay there.”

Raising an eyebrow gently, Winston had to admit that they had known that Rio’s parents were that Christian then they might’ve been a little firmer in their offer. But Winston listened carefully at what their friend had to say before frowning gently and running their hand over the handle of their mug of very milky coffee. “Okay, that makes a tonne of sense,” Winston had to admit that this entire situation made them feel a little uneasy really, “you told them that you’re not …. Or that you are whatever and they took it badly?” Winston cast a critical eye over the bruising and cut up lip that Orion was sporting. “Rio, was it something more then just an argument? Did they hurt you? We can call the police if they touched you or you can just stay here….” they swallowed, worried that their friend might be in even deeper then before. 

Ricky prided himself on his ability to always keep if not a pleasant face then at the very least a neutral face, but when Rio’s story slowly unspooled he felt his blood run ice cold and his eyebrows furrow into a frown. It reminded him of another fight, a long time ago, about something similar. “Well…” He took a sip of his tea to give himself a moment not to erupt in rage at Rio’s parents. “That is… profoundly upsetting to say the very least. I’m very sorry that happened. It’s not… that’s not a great argument to have. Winston’s right. Next steps are entirely up to you; I’d be more than happy to help you file a police report if you want or you can just stay here. But,” he could feel a shake in his hands and held his mug more tightly, “Let me make something super clear. You staying here has no time limit. As long as you need; no questions asked and nothing required in return. If you need to get stuff from your place one or both of us can go with you if you’d like. Or you can bring Dee. She’d be happy to. Ever seen an elderly woman threaten someone with a shotgun? It’s a fun time. But really. This house is your house too. We mean it.” 

It was nice to have such supportive friends. And it would have been even nicer and felt more genuine if Orion had actually come out to his parents earlier that night. But who knows, the night could have gone even worse if everything had come to light. “No! No.” Rio could absolutely not go to the police. That was the worst case scenario. “They didn’t do this to me. I promise.” At least that was the truth. Sure, they were definitely involved. And they were absolutely to blame. But they hadn’t been the one to deck him in the face earlier that night. That had been his sister. Ironically, he blamed her the least for what had happened. He could see it, finally. Something in her that understood him. Maybe not entirely, and maybe she was too afraid to do anything about it as well. But she had even doubted their parents for a minute. That alone was enough to make Rio think there was still something there that was redeemable. “It’s- I think we all knew, y’know? It’s just never been said out loud before. I’ve always been different from them. Never quite fit in like they wanted me to. I think they thought I could still be saved or whatever.” Orion shrugged. He supposed it didn’t matter anymore. He was gone now. Hopefully for good. “Thank you, but I can go get it myself.” The last thing he needed was Ricky going over there. He was already 90% sure that he wasn’t human, and he didn’t need his family figuring that one out too. In fact, Rio didn’t want them to know where he was at all. He knew when they would all be out of the house. He knew all of their schedules by heart. He would just sneak in during the day. “I really appreciate you both. So now we can definitely talk about not me right?”

Swallowing gently, Winston listened once more and did their best not to roll their eyes at the story they were being told. But they weren’t ready to stop talking about their friend just yet. Winston also knew that Orion wasn’t entirely human, Skylar had told them about Orion being a hunter and Winston wasn’t about to judge them for it. Especially because they knew that Ricky was safe. But they didn’t know if they completely believed everything that was happening here. “If they didn’t do this then who did?” Winston wasn’t going to let anyone get away with hurting their friend, even if they had to call the cops themselves. “Listen, I’m so sorry you’re dealing with this, but maybe you should let one of us drive you to get your stuff later just so that you don’t have to haul it across to here on your own again,” and just so that they didn’t hurt Orion anymore, “we can wait in the car or something.” Swallowing once more, Winston glanced at Ricky and wanted to push the matter. “I think, that after that you’ve earned your privacy, so if you’d really rather talk about something else then of course we can, do you want a drink? Something … stronger then tea? I think you’ve earned it here…” 

Taking a long sip of his drink Ricky shot a glance over at his housemate over the rim of his mug. As someone whose public identity and private life were a semi-complicated network of various lies and half-truths it was pretty apparent they were being told a version of the truth. “Like usual, Winston’s the smartest one in the house. I absolutely don’t think you should go alone. We’ll wait in the car, or Dee will. I was super serious about that. She’d do it in a heartbeat, with or without the shotgun. But… it’s not a good idea to do it alone.” Ricky didn’t share Winston’s belief that this conversation was over but, he also knew that pushing wouldn’t get them anywhere. This was a story that could only be fully told at Rio’s own pace. Wandering over to the sidebar he pulled out three rocks glasses and poured a decent slug of whiskey into each one, “Well. We’re not terribly exciting over here. I mean. I almost died a couple weeks ago but that’s already old news.” 

While Orion appreciated how much Winston and Ricky seemed to care about his well being, their insistence on keeping him safe was really getting in the way of Rio’s ability to keep lying to them about tonight’s events, which he would rather slink away and sleep at the bottom of the lake than drag the two of them into. Lies or not, Rio knew it was best to keep them out of the Quinn affairs. He didn’t need anymore collateral damage. “My sister did it, actually.” he answered honestly, trying to disperse the truth throughout the lies to really weave the whole story together. “But uh- not because of the gay thing.” He didn’t know what made him defend her, but he wanted it to be clear that she hadn’t done it in some homophobic fit of rage. “We train together sometimes. Self defense.” Yeah, that was pretty much the truth. “She’s better than I am.” That was definitely the truth. “Fine, fine.” Rio admitted defeat and gave into Winston and Ricky’s demands. He wouldn’t go back alone, “But not tonight. I have plenty of stuff for a few days. I want to go during the day, when no one’s home.” Look at that, he could be honest about a few things. “Stronger than tea?” Rio questioned, confused. He didn’t drink coffee. Oh. Never mind. “Oh! Thanks. I don’t really drink. But I appreciate the offer.” He had heard about Ricky’s accident, but hadn’t exactly had a chance to visit considering everything. He was glad to see that he was out of the hospital and back to mostly functioning, “How has the recovery been?”

“Your sister?” Winston asked with a deep frown before pausing an sighing. “Well, that’s pretty fucked up, I didn’t know that you had your sister and I guess we can only deal with this in the way that you want, but you know, we’re here for you I guess, sorry, this is really new to me and I get that you guys train together but that seems a bit much…” Orion’s sister was clearly a hunter too and they were training together. “We don’t really know or do self defense,” Winston paused and frowned, “but maybe we should start, so if you …” they awkwardly fell silent and took a long breath. “No definitely not tonight, we can go back tomorrow or we can go back next week and I can take as much time to help you as you need or Ricky can or whatever,” Winston paused and nodded. Honestly at this point in time they were thinking that they might need the drink. “Sure, no problem….” they looked around at the room, waiting for Ricky to respond about the recovery.

Ricky split the contents of the third glass between the other two and offered one to Winston. “You know it’s like Winston’s in my head and saying everything I’m thinking. Because that is fucked up and I’m not the fuck about it. Thank you, though, for allowing us to go with you. I know I’ll feel better if you’re not going back there alone.” He slugged back the whiskey and set the empty glass down on the side table. “I mean. Speak for yourself. I can take care of myself. Self defense not required and if you make a comment about the car accident I’m gonna pull a shard of rib out of my chest and stab you with it.” He shrugged and sat back down in the chair, “Which brings us neatly around to the recovery thing. I”m over it. I’m super over it it’s so boring I might die from the boredom. They say the danger is infection… that’s bullshit. The danger is boredom.” He returned to his mug of tea, “But that’s about it. Moving on. We’ll clear out my random-ass art room and make it a bedroom for you tomorrow, but tonight we’ll have to set you up on the couch.” 

“Yeah well, my sister’s a bit intense.” Orion shrugged. She had only done what she was forced to do. Not that he forgave it or understood it even, but he accepted it. He wasn’t ready to try to be friends with his sister or to rebuild bridges, but he didn’t hate her. Not entirely. “It’s not important, really. This bruise will clear up in no time. But no more self defense is fine with me. I’m not really much of a fighter anyways.” He wouldn’t miss the training sessions, not that he ever did much fighting back during them anyways. He listened as Ricky recounted his recovery story, or rather his recovery rant. Clearly he wasn’t a homebody, and he must have hated being trapped inside this place. “Can you at least go to the workshop?” He asked curiously. He wished he had some kind of craft that he could practice with the two of them in the workshop. But Rio wasn’t much of an artist, nor was he a computer genius. He wouldn’t have much expertise to add to the table. “Oh you don’t have to move your stuff out of the room. The couch is fine. Seriously. I just really appreciate you both.”

“A bit intense? Rio you have a split lip, I know you were sparring or training or whatever but that is a bit more then intense.” Winston replied with a tone of disdain to their voice. What kind of sibling did this to their own brother? The thought alone sent shudders down Winston’s spine. “Hey, self defense classes are fine, it’s the injuries that I’m concerned about, but yeah we can take a break and I am sure I can find you a sparring partner who won’t beat the shit out of you.” Winston wasn’t about to forgive whoever had done this to their friend.  “Please do not say that, I’ve been begging Ricky to clean his shit out of that room for months, there’s so much goddamn clutter all the time and if you’re the reason that I get to avoid being on a program for hoarders then I won’t be complaining. Besides, the couch is only comfortable for one night.” Winston held their whiskey, not drinking it. They were lying of course. Ricky didn’t have a clutter problem and they hadn’t ever asked them to clear that room out. But Orion needed to feel like not a burden now and this was the only way Winston could think to do it. 

Ricky watched silently as Rio and Winston talked about the incredibly transparent lie Rio was using to cover for his split lip. Whatever the actual story was, it was becoming incredibly apparent that he wasn’t going to share it with them… yet. If there was anything Ricky was good at it was being aggressively supportive and caring until people opened up; and a very nice pancake breakfast in the immediate future was going to be his first plan of attack. He tuned back into the conversation just in time for Winston to spin a ridiculous lie about the state of his studio, one he found himself narrowing his eyes over the top of his mug at Winston for, “It isn’t my fault that you don’t understand the complicated and incredibly personal way my art is organized. I think it really speaks volumes to the fact that you haven’t gotten to know me in the deepest parts of my soul that you think it’s messy. But Winston’s right about the couch. We’ll have a room made up for you tomorrow. Maybe take a little ikea road trip. Get some of those swedish meatballs and a bed with a name that has too many vowels.” He levered himself off the couch and started to gather the empty glasses, “Don’t worry about my recovery,” He gave Rio’s shoulder a gentle squeeze as he walked past, “Just worry about yours.” 

Okay, so clearly they didn’t believe him. Orion was at least telling like 60% of the truth. 50/50 at the very least. But they seemed to be playing along for now at least. He figured they would come back to it eventually, but he seemed to be safe for now. “Okay. Got it. But no Ikea trip. I don’t have enough money yet. And you aren’t buying me anything. I have a sleeping bag that I can use until I can buy more stuff.” He did not want them paying for any of his stuff. He already had a free ride here as it was. At least until he could find a job and have some kind of income. They had already done way too much for Rio. “The only thing I need is a wifi password. If I have that I’ll be happy.” He sighed when Ricky dismissed Rio’s concern over Ricky’s health. “My recovery is a bit different… I didn’t break anything.” And if he had, it would heal within the week anyways.

Winston was glad that Ricky wasn’t pushing the split lip and that they had gone along with Winston’s incredibly transparent lie. Ricky was a neat freak and the idea that they could be a hoarder was beyond belief. But they knew that it made things somewhat better for Orion and they were happy that it made things a little easier. Laughing, Winston shook his head. “Rio you don’t get a choice about the IKEA trip, Ricky did the exact same thing to me when I moved in, I think he just likes an excuse to eat nothing but a plate of meatballs. But you can say no as much as you like, you’ll just wake up to a room full of flatpacked furniture or a you’ll find yourself on your way to IKEA without knowing about it.” Winston paused for a moment and nodded. “Of course, this is the wifi password and you should be able to connect to extenders throughout the house, there’s also a sound system you can connect your bluetooth too and you’re welcome to use the TV or the PS4 or any of the other stuff until we’ve got your stuff set up…” they shrugged. “Every wound is different Rio, you’ll just complain less about yours then Ricky does about his.”

“Listen to them. They speak the truth. You either get to help pick things out and listen to my amazing roadtrip playlists or you miss out on meatballs and get a surprise as far as furniture goes. Your call. But we’re turning that into a bedroom. After we clean up……. My mess.” from behind Rio’s back Ricky flipped Winston off and moved back to the kitchen, rinsing out the glasses and putting them in the dishwasher as he attempted to listen to the conversation from a slight distance, “Exactly what they said!” he called back, before walking back to the living room wiping his hands on a side towel, “Also all the food in the fridge. It’s not… overflowing right now because we need to make a grocery run but anything that’s in there you’re welcome to. And if there’s anything you want us to pick up at the store just let one of us know.” Flipping Winston off again he gave Rio one of his warmest smiles, “You can complain about it as much as you want. We’ll always listen.” 

Orion sighed again. Apparently he couldn’t escape the Ikea trip. No matter how much he argued. He could find a way to pay them back eventually for anything. He just needed to keep a tab on the things that he owed. He wondered if he could casually ask what a reasonable rent was. Considering it was Harris Island, Rio figured that it was not cheap. His mind began racing, trying to decipher how he was going to juggle a job with schoolwork and what he was trying to do with the Scribes. But he was going to avoid stressing about that for the time being. He had some ideas in mind on how he could lighten the load. He would figure something out. Tonight was about trying to destress and relax. As much as possible. “Okay, okay. Just- I do own some things. So we will move my stuff into here and then we will assess.” At least he was here. And not with his family. This was way better. “Thanks, I appreciate it. I will keep that in mind.” They pretty much told him he had free reign of the house. As if he was already their roommate. Good people. “So are there any like ground rules? Like a sock on the door thing or something? Not for me, obviously. I won’t be having anyone over. But like uh- in case one of you does? Should I steer clear?”

Smirking at the surreptitious middle finger that was shot their way, Winston grinned a little and nodded. “I’m glad that you’ve accepted your inevitable fate which includes copious quantities of flat packed furniture,” Winston winked playfully before swallowing a good portion of their whiskey. “Sure, we can go round to your house and grab whatever you need whenever you need it,” Winston gave them a reassuring smile, “and if you need to borrow anything in the meantime we’ll try and sort you out.” Winston frowned before nodding. “I guess the first ground rule is just be honest with us, we’re not unreasonable guys and I’d rather get a shitty text about my dishes not being done then a passive aggressive post it note. Second, we’ve got a security system that isn’t completely … mundane. You’ll be fine because you’re not really what it is aimed at but just keep that in mind. I’ll show you how it all works tomorrow and I’m actually working on a phone app so we can control everything in the house all at once in one place. As for having people over, I’ll give you pre-warning if I’m having guests….” they hadn’t thought about Athena in a bit, they wondered how she was doing.

[bluesunsdusk]

Siebren in Overwatch drabble (I can’t think of a name, again) 

Contains: Not translated Dutch, emotional turmoil, near death.

The explosions. The cacophony of gunfire. The torturous rumbling of the far too small building, causing parts of the ceiling to crumble and lights to flicker as their fixtures lost integrity. People screamed, ran, and fought with whatever they had outside and inside. 

Not Siebren, however.

Rather than stand tall and fight for his life and freedom, he shrunk. He shrunk into a corner of his quarters, his head shielded by hands and knees as tears cascaded down his face, sobs racking his body, eyes squeezed shut. Even his feet crossed over each other in an attempt to make his position as closed as possible, as guarded as possible. He rocked lightly back and forth through uncontrollable trembling. If only he could contort himself into a single atom and be gone from the agonizing chaos that roared around him. Perhaps, then, he’d at last be safe, free from this constant waiting for the rapids the universe continuously thrust him into.

He didn’t want to go back. 

Dwing me niet om terug te gaan. Alsjeblieft... Alsjeblieft niet!

“Alsjeblieft,” he begged in a cracked whisper, sliding his hands over the back of his head to bury his face farther away. “Alsjeblieft. Ik wil het niet. Ik wil het niet.”

He would rather feel death's eternal embrace than be forced to return to his last captors and smear yet more innocent blood on his hands. He rather cease to have ever been at all than be subjected to whatever it was Talon had in store for him this time. The universe would answer his pleading with nothing. He wasn’t a man of god, there was nothing he could pray to for protection, and no one on this earthly coil who would suffice. He couldn't… He-

“Ik kan het niet. Ik-” A wail slipped from between his lips.

Yet again, he was hopeless, helpless. Told to stay put and wait for Overwatch to handle this while he remained in the tenuous safety of his quarters, he could only hold so much faith in their small chance for success. It took so long, and he knew what Talon was capable of. Almost all of his being felt ill at the thought of them breaking down the door and dragging him, kicking and screaming until they knocked him out, with them. His stomach twisted into knots, his throat clenched. He clapped a hand over his mouth, one part to silence himself, one part to prevent himself from spitting up. He gulped and swallowed through his shivering, soft whimpers escaping his fragile form. 

Then it all stopped.

Disorienting and deafening fear had been cut through by something new, something stronger. Purpose. The noise had lifted. Someone else had taken the helm, but it was still him. A certainty washed over him, like someone firmly gripping his shoulder and speaking directly to his mind, dispelling all but them. He was instantaneously filled with nothing but clarity. All his fractured parts had come together, joined for a singular goal. He was afloat, through the ravaging of his safe haven, his tears still clinging to his skin and mixing with dirt and dust, with but one thought in mind. 

Bevecht dit. 

Fight this. 

He would fight this, tooth and nail, now that, if they were indeed here to steal him away, this time he was able to fight. Their violence would be answered with an opposite reaction built up from years of suffering. If that was what it took, that was what he would do. Their violence would be answered with a violence so exquisite it would shake galaxies. People were dying, and he had been given a gift that could help end that. He had to use it. It was his obligation to.

Overwatch had allowed him to decide whether he wanted to keep the equipment Talon had outfitted him with and let them make various adjustments in their labs. While they assured him there would be no deploying him into a battle, he knew to remain prepared, and he knew where to go. 

Siebren always had help equipping his harness. Even in a rush, however, he paid enough attention to know some of the steps. Sharp eyes examined each component. This harness had indeed been altered, though not enough to make it impossible to don alone. It was less crude, far more streamlined, more approachable. He knew putting this on would permanently mark him as Overwatch, but that was scarcely a concern worth keeping. Now, the wires that had to be attached to the base of his skull… They were the same. 

He put on the base of his gear, the jumpsuit, the bits and pieces that layered it. Everything, sans shoes. He wouldn't be needing those.

The way the larger and more elaborate torso section hung in the display frame with a screen turned towards it, he could have sworn Overwatch had anticipated this moment just as much as he had. All he needed to do to attach it was turn around, back into it, and connect the primary cerebral cord. The screen popped on, displaying a diagnostic in progress. Automated vertebral alignment. Interesting. It also displayed other changes. His shield generators had been significantly upgraded. No doubt Winston's doing. Good. Hopefully, it would no longer feel as though he was defending his colleagues with a sheet of paper.

He took the time it took for the machine to prepare his first time use to wipe some of the filth from his face. It was getting uncomfortable.

The machine shifted as the diagnostic progressed. There was a soft hiss. Several studs pressed into his back, down the upper portions of his spine, with a painful pressure and a pinch that passed in a mere second. The front connections of his armor clamped on, followed by the shoulders. The wiring that connected to his gloves, he attached himself, flexing his fingers to check the integrity of the connection and the fit of the material around his fingers. His leg braces were secured with a little more effort. 

What more was there to equip? A helmet? With an opaque screen? No. No, he wanted Talon to see his face when he destroyed them. He wanted them to see the man they'd turned into their own demise, not just a weapon. 

His hyperspheres… They were purely for offensive capability. He couldn’t say for certain if he was quite ready for that, even now, when he moved with such purpose. He would take them, unfolded and neatly stored on the arm of his right glove for if the need to use them arose.

Another check. Everything was in order, well within acceptable margins. Sigma… Siebren ready to deploy.

After making his way through the facility, closed up in a state of emergency but not entirely unbreachable, he found the exit. Sunlight and the screaming of both people and weaponry met him at the doors. He remained unperturbed, gliding his way past several combatants, far in the backline, on his way to the most optimal position, just as he had been made to do in Talon. No one questioned his arrival. No one could. There was no space or time for them to even begin to do so. Their eyes were trained on the skies.

So, Talon had sent gunships? Relatively lightly armored, with weak weaponry,  compared to what he knew Talon was well in their ability to deploy. A difficult problem, all the same, but not without a solution. Judging from the chatter of the Overwatch troops around him, they were holding Talon off in anticipation for allied reinforcements. All they required was time, time Siebren could offer. The gunships looked to be preparing a volley of missiles, trained on the entrance of the main building he’d just left, no doubt to cut off an escape. With an outreached hand, Siebren spread his shield, halting the barrage from striking the building. His barrier shattered from the final impact, sending the generator fragments back to him to regenerate. Though his shield had been made both larger and stronger than it had been, the structures to the side were unlucky, struck with bullets and explosions that had passed by Siebren's defenses, but the rubble could still prove useful. The shield, after a brief moment of collective surprise from his new allies, had also offered the Overwatch troops a precious few seconds to retaliate against the enemy. For one ship, this proved fatal. 

Siebren couldn't help but feel a small amount of satisfaction at its fall. Another ship found itself ambushed by an old friend. In the confusion Siebren's unannounced arrival had caused, Winston took it upon himself to launch into the opening of one of the Talon vehicles with a masterfully aimed jump. He made short work of it before retreating as the ship came crashing down. Impressive work, but the battle continued.

Guns turned towards Siebren, the Talon troops having recognized him as a threat. Loosing their ammunition on him, however, was more than a waste. In fact, it was a huge mistake. Yet again, he extended a hand, this time to grasp all matter, within a certain mass, that accelerated towards him and convert the energy into a bolstering of his personal shielding. By the time they realized this, it was too late. They needed to reload, giving Siebren time to gather the rubble around him into one collection, using both hands and the pull of gravity they generated. The strain it took was tremendous, and he could feel all the old sensations—the whispers, the muffled feeling in his head—returning. The boulder he had amassed was larger than he'd ever managed during his days with Talon, but he held fast. His mind was set on one thing. The last Talon gunship to not have retreated once things started looking ugly. With one mighty thrust of his hands, accompanied by a laboured grunt, Siebren sent the accumulation of mass flying into the gunship, a gunship with a pilot who only seemed to have gotten the hint that this battle was lost seconds before impact. Like all others, it crashed down, several Talon troops jumping out with their boosters to avoid dying in the ensuing blaze. 

Siebren observed the crash and glanced down at his hands. Part of him could feel bad for taking to this so naturally after the time he'd spent out of action, but it felt oddly satisfying using his abilities again, although about as nerve racking as it used to be as well. The adrenaline, the drum of his speeding heart pounding in his chest… he did miss that, unfortunately. At least, some of him did. 

Finally, all they had to worry about were the ground troops. Disposing of them would be a simple matter, even without his hyperspheres. He wasn't reliant on those to incapacitate an aggressor. He didn’t need them to kill either, if the need happened to arise. He didn't think it would at this point, not for him. That was, until a new rumbling grew over the horizon. 

Siebren's eyes shifted from the ground troops to the air once again. Backup. A lot of backup. Too much backup.

"Get inside," Siebren barked to the Overwatch troops around him. Some relayed his command to their allies on the comm channel and awaited approval. "Fall back, now. Get everyone inside and-" 

Oh no. No no no no no! 

The new ships prepared another hail of missiles. Siebren projected a barrier, erecting both hands to extend its surface area as wide as he could possibly manage. Oh god. He couldn't stretch it this wide. It couldn’t take this much damage. It would break before he could stop everything. Perhaps… The rubble. He could layer some of the rubble under it, just to be sure he could cover the retreat. He’d stay behind, and perhaps even be buried or captured, but the fight would be far from over. Before half of the impacts had been made, he could feel and see his barrier become unstable.

As everyone ran past him, having gotten an official order to retreat back into the base, Siebren remained put, using all of his effort to form a blanket of rock and metal growing around several singularities, as with his accretion, for as long as he could. 

The music… It was growing so loud… The laughing, the echoes, the whispers, the pulled strings of the universe ripping at his mind harder the longer he exerted himself… It was too much. His vision grew tunneled, the sounds of war had been replaced with the sound of his blood rushing, his heart beating, his mind screaming, and muffled chords that still shattered his hearing. Yet, he held. He couldn't do it for much longer, and he could no longer even tell when it would be enough, but he held. It may become the end of him, but he held. He would hold for as long as he had to, longer even. He would hold for as long as he could. 

Everything swam around him, swarmed around him, time winding in paths it wasn’t meant to take. Where was reality? Where had the world gone? Everything was a haze of noise, vision, touch, even taste and smell. He couldn't… He couldn’t- 

He was snapped out of his daze by a powerful collision, rocketing him towards the facility, away from under the hellfire that would barrel towards him the moment his focus shattered, and knocking the wind from his lungs in the process. Shatter his focus certainly did. The warm dust that rushed through the halls as the building's front section collapsed was blinding, suffocating. His body crashed against the hard ground beneath him, a nearly crushing weight pressing down on him. In the darkness that swallowed him, Siebren wasn’t quite aware if he had just died or not. Death wasn’t supposed to be like this. There should be nothing but the collapsing of time and space as the brain died, but… this wasn’t that. This wasn’t that, at all.

It took a moment for his senses to return after the cacophony that had assaulted his senses and his body. The sounds of coughs and groans among the settling rubble gave some much needed context, and assurance that people had survived. Had he been saved? Was that what the impact had been? Siebren hadn't even the chance to lay eyes on his savior before the entire group he was with got shut into a facility with what seemed to be cut power to light. 

Not having had his cranium replaced could have proven useful right now… if only for the small bit of light it may have provided in exchange for the receding hairline he actually rather liked having back. He was certain the troops had lights on them, but they needed time to recover from the shock they'd been subjected to. He, too, could use a moment to catch what little breath the dust let him have. He moved his arm, honestly a little uncertain of where it would end up, until he could feel the inside of his elbow over his mouth. It wouldn't do much, but any little bit of protection for his stinging lungs was good. Maybe that helmet would have been a diligent choice, after all.

Finally, he managed to find the ability to speak once more. “Is… Is everyone alright?” he asked with a pained groan, still looking though nothing but a void ahead of him.

Didn’t this call for more of a head count? Ah… He had never been in the military, and the only one he was close with who would know, had perished in the Omnic Crisis. These troops would do whatever protocol Overwatch knew. Asking if everyone was alright after all that, though? How naive. Of course not everyone was alright. He could hit himself over the head about that later.

[lyricalt]

[ovw] sun

Rating: T Note: Post-Recall

McGenji Week - Day 3: Snow / Sun

On a dark winter night like this, Genji would have thought McCree to plead no contest to a practice match in the woods. There were too many factors in Genji’s favor—an overcast sky, no stars, too much snow to cover one’s tracks—and McCree’s skeptical expression hadn’t looked too thrilled at the prospect of being in the cold either, but there was very little they could do about it. Winston had taken it upon himself to outfit the both of them with new equipment, so of course the best way to test the kit out was to hold an impromptu game of cat-and-mouse at the stroke of midnight.

“If you are willing to lose right away, we can be back in bed within the hour,” Genji had offered, one arm wrapping around McCree’s waist.

“Tempting,” McCree replied, in a tone that suggested he wasn’t actually tempted at all, and spun himself out of Genji’s grasp.

It was well into the early morning hours now. The sun hadn’t come up yet, but Genji could see a hint of pink light bleeding into the night sky on the horizon. But what he hadn’t seen yet was McCree. Not since Winston had allowed the cowboy to get a five-minute head start before setting Genji loose after him. Genji would have been embarrassed if he hadn’t been so frustrated.

They had until dawn—for either Genji to capture McCree, or for McCree to escape.

The new interface of Genji’s HUD had some new features, including heat-seeking vision in addition to an updated night mode. Genji could see the outline of each individual tree, every stark branch and crooked twig from several meters away. His eyes took less than a second to adjust while zooming in or out, and he had initially thought he had every single advantage to win the game within ten minutes or less.

Winston’s only gift to McCree had been a new serape. Heat-signature blocking and made to camouflage, yes, but a tactical serape was still only a serape.

Just hours ago Genji had to stop himself from doubling over in laughter, but at this very moment he was partly glad he had only given McCree a benevolent grin from across the briefing room rather than a smartass comment. At the very least, he hadn’t set himself up to eat his own words. Just his pride.

Genji paused, head tilted to listen to his soundings. The woods were quiet, though he could pick up the occasional rustle from the wildlife or soft collapse of snowfall from when the overhead branches became too heavy to support their icy weight.

A mechanical click, in time to a sleepy bird chirping in the distance.

Genji’s sword drew up, blade singing just in time to catch the bullet. The woods echoed with the leftover sound of McCree’s revolver and then became silent.

McCree had been taking potshots at Genji every so often, almost every half and hour. None of them had found their mark, but it kept Genji on alert, just a little bit of warning to make the game interesting. It wasn’t McCree’s objective to capture Genji, but Genji supposed McCree had took it as a direct challenge for himself, tactical serape and all.

The sound of the gun had come from the south. With not much left to lose, Genji headed towards it, weaving around clusters of trees and overgrowth. From the ground he could spot the occasional bootprint in the snow, the bottoms marked by the indent of a spur. Genji wasn’t much of a tracker, but the signs made it obvious enough for him. Perhaps this was one of the reasonings for Winston’s exercises.

Eventually the tracks came to an end in the middle of a small clearing. Genji crouched down, fingers tracing the outline of McCree’s bootprints. He smiled. The tracks simply spiraled around, bootprints crossing over each other and scattered every which way with no hint as to the direction McCree might have gone.

“Is this a trap?” Genji asked hopefully, voice clear and sharp in the cold air. “I’ve been waiting for it.”

He got to his feet, turning in a tight circle with his sword ready in his hand. There weren’t any heat signatures on his scanners, but he wasn’t surprised. Genji hadn’t seen anything the last couple of hours, but call it instinct—he had a feeling McCree was nearby.

“I hope you’re keeping warm,” Genji said, a little amused. “I know you don’t like the cold.”

A flicker of light pulsed up in his scan, a shimmer of heat in his enhanced vision. Genji paused. He walked towards it, peering behind a tree. Nothing. Of course.

“Last chance to come back to bed with me,” Genji said, more to the horizon than anyone else. At this point, he took the hint that McCree was going to make him work for it.

Dawn was approaching. Genji made his way back to the center of the clearing, sheathing his sword. McCree didn’t have much time left to make his move, and neither did he.

Genji flexed his hands, shuriken falling between his fingers. And then, as methodical and fast as he could, Genji began to throw them into the trees.

He listened as each point buried itself into either rock or word or rustled into the bushes—until he heard a muted scrape, something different in the way one of the shuriken had landed.

Genji whirled around, grinning, one hand going to his sword. Found you.

He was met with McCree’s revolver firing from the trees, the flash of its muzzle blinking in his HUD. The bullet bit into his shoulder, not quite on the mark to stagger him. Either McCree wasn’t playing seriously enough, or he hadn’t meant to shoot Genji there.

McCree’s heat signature was still fresh in his vision, fading fast, but there were very few things in life that were faster than Genji. Sacrificing finesse for speed, Genji drove his sword into the brush, feeling the point of the blade snag onto cloth.

He knew the fabric, even before he grabbed onto it and yanked with all his strength. McCree’s serape pulled free from the darkness, still warm but lacking its owner.

Genji held onto it, grip tightening, even when the next three bullets came for his head. He moved quickly back, ears ringing as he flicked the serape around his own neck. The move cost him a precious second of discovering where McCree had been hiding, but he couldn’t help it. His sword had angled the bullets away, but hadn’t reflected them back to the exact original location.

The sky was starting to glow on the horizon. McCree’s serape was warm over his shoulders. In a few minutes, the both of them would be back at base, done with all of Winston’s silly tests and ready to sleep in for the rest of the day.

Without the serape, Genji could see McCree pressed behind one of trees, the contrast of his heat signature a dead giveaway. Genji leapt towards him, not quite as fluid as McCree dashed out, gun aimed for Genji’s weak points.

Flash, flash, flash. Each shot was a beacon to where McCree was. All that was left was to close the distance between them. Genji deflected every shot aimed for him, conscious of how easy it seemed to be. He knew McCree was up to something—

Six bullets fired, so all that was left was a flashbang. Genji could see through the night vision, McCree reaching for the cylinders at his hip, and he took a fistful of McCree’s serape and held it up over his helmet, waiting to hear the pop of the flashbang to go off.

The pop sounded from in front of Genji so he turned around, having already been dazzled one too many times by McCree’s trick to fall for it again. He dropped the serape from his face, sword arm poised to attack.

As expected, McCree had moved behind him in an attempt to take Genji by surprised. Genji took a step forward, but in between the time it took for him to register McCree’s silhouette and the angle of his gun, he had to look away, vision flashing a white light.

It wasn’t McCree’s gun going off again or a flashbang in his eyes.

All that turning around and all that running in circles—Genji had forgotten he was now facing east.

McCree brought him down to the ground, serape pulled over Genji’s head and flying all around them. He shot Genji at the knees, then pulled Genji’s own short sword from its sheath to drive it through his wrist and into the snow.

Tricky, clever, bound to rub it in afterwards—and Genji thought for a moment there was a blazing fire around him, all saturated with glittering red and bright heat.

Then the serape was pulled from his head, and Genji saw McCree straddling over him, breathing hard as he leaned down and pressed his cold revolver to Genji’s temple.

“Sun in your eyes, sweetheart,” McCree said, eyes alight with a triumphant smile.

Genji let out a soft laugh, just knowing he sounded much too fond for defeat.

“Perhaps more than what I bargained for,” he said, and fell back into the snow in surrender.

[marcusssanderson]

50 Quotes About New Beginnings and Starting Fresh

Our latest collection of quotes about new beginnings that will help you adjust to a new chapter in your life. These new beginnings quotes will motivate you to let go of your past so you can move forward.

Looking to get out of your comfort zone and start your life over? Each one of us reaches a point where we get fed up with our current situation. During such times, letting go and starting over can be the best thing for you.

When you let go of what didn’t work, what held you back previously, or wipe out those fears that don’t deserve to rule you anymore, you create room to become a more passionate, engaged and inspiring individual.

So how can you start over? When creating the life you want, start by clearing out the things you won’t have use for and get your surrounding in order.

If there are habits, relationships, or activities that don’t work for you anymore,  it’s best to leave them out of your life altogether. After you’ve made some room, develop some new customs in your life and follow through with them.

Since none of us knows what the future holds, the idea of new beginnings can feel terrifying at times. However, if you focus on that which is optimistic and encouraging, starting afresh can be an exciting time.

Here are some inspirational quotes about new beginnings to give you the strength and courage to adjust to a new chapter in your life.

Quotes about new beginnings and starting fresh

1.) “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” —Seneca

2.) “No one can ever take your memories from you – each day is a new beginning, make good memories every day.” –Catherine Pulsifer

3.) “Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

4.) “Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” ~ Carl Bard

5.) “It’s never too late to become who you want to be. I hope you live a life that you’re proud of, and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start over.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald

6.) “There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth… not going all the way, and not starting.” –Buddha

7.) “New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.” – Lao Tzu

8.) “No, this is not the beginning of a new chapter in my life; this is the beginning of a new book! That first book is already closed, ended, and tossed into the seas; this new book is newly opened, has just begun! Look, it is the first page! And it is a beautiful one!” — C. JoyBell C.

9.) “Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” – Henry Ford

10.) “No river can return to its source, yet all rivers must have a beginning.” – Proverb

Quotes about new beginnings and change.

11.) “Nothing in the universe can stop you from letting go and starting over.” —Guy Finley

12.) “I discovered that a fresh start is a process. A fresh start is a journey – a journey that requires a plan.” – Vivian Jokotade

13.) “Some of us think holding on makes us strong, but sometimes it is letting go.” – Herman Hesse

14.) “The beginning is the most important part of the work.” –Plato

15.) “Nourish beginnings, let us nourish beginnings. Not all things are blest, but the seeds of all things are blest. The blessing is in the seed.” ~ Muriel Rukeyser

16.) “Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.” – Meister Eckhart

17.) “You can learn new things at any time in your life if you’re willing to be a beginner. If you actually learn to like being a beginner, the whole world opens up to you.” — Barbara Shur

18.) “There will come a time when you believe everything is finished; that will be the beginning.” – Louis L’Amour

19.) “Change can be scary, but you know what’s scarier? Allowing fear to stop you from growing, evolving, and progressing.” — Mandy Hale

20.) “Your life does not get better by chance. It gets better by change.” — Jim Rohn

Quotes about new beginnings to inspire and teach

21.) “Each day is a new beginning, the chance to do with it what should be done and not to be seen as simply another day to put in time.” – Catherine Pulsifer

22.) “Every moment is a fresh beginning.” —T.S. Eliot

23.) “Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.” — Oprah Winfrey

24.) “I realize there’s something incredibly honest about trees in winter, how they’re experts at letting things go.” —Jeffrey McDaniel

25.) “The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.” –Steve Jobs

26.) “Keep on beginning and failing. Each time you fail, start all over again, and you will grow stronger until you have accomplished a purpose – not the one you began with perhaps, but one you’ll be glad to remember.” –Anne Sullivan

27.) “Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It’s the courage to continue that counts.” — Winston Churchill

28.) “Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward.” – C. S. Lewis

29.) “Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born.” – Dale Turner

30.) “Nothing is predestined. The obstacles of your past can become the gateways that lead to new beginnings.” –Ralph Blum

New beginnings quotes to help you erase the past

31.) “Let’s forget the baggages of the past and make a new beginning.” – Shahbaz Sharif

32.) “Forgiveness says you are given another chance to make a new beginning.” – Desmond Tutu

33.) “Every day is a chance to begin again. Don’t focus on the failures of yesterday, start today with positive thoughts and expectations.” – Catherine Pulsifer

34.) “Let go of yesterday. Let today be a new beginning and be the best that you can, and you’ll get to where God wants you to be.” – Joel Osteen

35.) “No matter how hard the past is, you can always begin again.” – Buddha

36.) “Champions keep playing until they get it right.” — Billie Jean King

37.) “Celebrate endings – for they precede new beginnings.” – Jonathan Lockwood Huie

38.) “Begin today. Declare out loud to the universe that you are willing to let go of struggle and eager to learn through joy.” –Sarah Ban Breathnach

39.) “Don’t live the same year 75 times and call it a life.” — Robin Sharma

40.) “Every day is a new beginning. Treat it that way. Stay away from what might have been, and look at what can be.” – Marsha Petrie Sue

Other inspirational quotes about new beginnings

41.) “Every day I feel is a blessing from God. And I consider it a new beginning. Yeah, everything is beautiful.” – Prince

42.) “The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.” – J.P. Morgan

43.) “Do not wait until the conditions are perfect to begin. Beginning makes the conditions perfect.” – Alan Cohen

44.) “Let us make each day our birthday – every morning life is new, with the splendors of the sunrise, and the baptism of the dew.” – S.A.R

45.) “Holding on is believing that there’s only a past; letting go is knowing that there’s a future.” – Daphne Rose Kingma

46.) “One can begin so many things with a new person – even begin to be a better man.” – George Eliot

47.) “Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go. They merely determine where you start.” — Nido Qubein

48.) “Starting over is an acceptance of a past we can’t change, an unrelenting conviction that the future can be different, and the stubborn wisdom to use the past to make the future what the past was not.” – Craig D. Lounsbrough

49.) “Life is about change, sometimes it’s painful, sometimes it’s beautiful, but most of the time it’s both.” — Kristin Kreuk

50.) “Every day is a fresh beginning, Every morn is the world made new.” – Sarah Chauncey Woolsey

How did you find these new beginnings quotes?

Sometimes life requires us to start over and rebuild from scratch. In order, to create the life you want, you have to be willing to let go of what isn’t working or what’s holding you back.

But because you do not know what’s written in your next chapter of life, the idea of starting afresh can be intimidating. Hopefully, these new beginnings quotes have given you the courage to start over and reboot your life for the better.

Did you enjoy these quotes about new beginnings? Which of the quotes was your favorite? Tell us in the comment section below. We would love to hear all about it.

The post 50 Quotes About New Beginnings and Starting Fresh appeared first on Everyday Power.

[sdeckermike]

The 5 Most Important Construction Statistics For Construction Managers

“Statistics are like a drunk with a lamp post: used more for support than illumination,” — Winston Churchill.

I love this Winston Churchill quote. It’s my second favorite one, in fact. My favorite, of course, is this pithy saying of his: “When you don’t know the origin of a quote, simply follow the lead of every other idiot on the Internet and attribute it to me.”

I have no idea if he actually said that about statistics, since 95% of Churchill quotes circulating online are fake, as someone once said. Probably Churchill. But the sentiment rings true: statistics by themselves don’t really tell you that much, it’s the context surrounding them that tells the real story. The stats are just there to support the point.

Construction statistics

The same is true for construction statistics. We’re all aware of general trends, but statistics, when used as a supporting point, really help cement which trends are important and which are just noise. And when you step back and look at the broader picture in construction management, five statistics stand out.

1. $35.4 Billion:The increase in the total value of construction projects nationwide in the last year 

The construction industry is growing at a healthy clip. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that the total value of construction put in place in the month of January 2017 (seasonally adjusted) was $1.18 trillion. That’s an increase of $35.4 billion compared to the same time last year, or a 3.1% increase. (Tweet this stat!)

But there’s a deeper story hidden within those numbers: the growth greatly differs depending on whether you’re in residential or non-residential construction.

Growth has been a lot stronger lately on the residential side (which includes remodeling), increasing 5.5% from $456.6 billion in January 2016 to $481.9 billion in January 2017.

The growth has been a lot more sluggish on the non-residential side, increasing by just 1.5% over the same time period (from $688.3 billion to $698.4 billion). But again, a deeper look at the numbers tells a more nuanced story. Commercial projects have been chugging right along with a 10.6% increase over that period. The public sector is what’s holding the non-residential category back: there’s been big decreases in public safety, transportation, road, sewage, and water supply construction projects. With a new presidential administration taking the reins that is promising big infrastructure investments, however, that could change in the coming years.

2. 16%: The increase in construction industry fatalities between 2012 and 2015

Construction spending may be increasing, but something not so nice has been increasing as well: fatalities. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that 985 construction workers died in 2015 in the United States, an increase of 16% over 2012’s total of 849.

It’s a sobering reminder that construction work is a dangerous job. Construction is the 11th most dangerous profession in the nation based on fatal occupational injuries per 100,000 full-time workers.

The onus is on you, the construction manager, to provide a safe environment for your workers. And no matter what needs are pressing on you at the moment, you cannot lose sight of worker safety for even a moment. A reminder that nearly a thousand workers died in 2015 on construction projects will hopefully keep that truth in the front of your mind at all times.

Want to prevent construction injuries? Pay attention to OSHA’s guidelines, invest in safety-focused construction management software like Intelex, Safesite, or HCSS, and invest in properly training your contractors.

3. 10.6% – The percent of a construction project’s cost that falls under “other”

Going over budget on a construction project is a fact of life, but it’s a big problem in this industry and it results in tremendous headaches for construction managers.

Is it possible your budget is off before you even begin? A report from the National Association of Home Builders found that 10.6% of the cost of a typical home construction project are things that can’t be categorized and get stashed in the broad “other” category. In the case of an average home construction cost of $184,125 as listed in the NAHB report, that comes out to $19,487 per build.

So after you’ve finished your budget accounting for excavations, materials, plumbing, wiring, HVAC, drywall, appliances, and all the other million things that go into a project, ask yourself this: are you tacking on another 10.6% for “other,” or are you just budgeting a couple thousand dollars for unforeseen expenses and hoping for the best? If it’s the latter, you may be setting yourself up for a cost overrun nightmare.

Plenty of things can surprise you in the midst of a construction project. You might encounter a jurisdictional fee or permit that you didn’t know existed for that locality. Surprise litigation can come out of nowhere if some sort of dispute arises, leading to costly delays. You may find decay and dry rot much deeper in your building site than you thought when you first inspected the location. Or, god forbid, perhaps you stumble upon some asbestos while on a roofing replacement project. The possibilities are endless, and expensive.

4. Less Than 2% – The budget percentage that most construction managers spend on IT

The construction work site of 2017 is a lot different from what you’d see 15 years ago, or even five years ago. All industries have become more reliant on networks and technology, and information technology (IT) is the necessary support structure behind those systems. So why do more than half of construction managers spend 2% or less of their revenue on IT? And why do only 42% of construction managers have a dedicated IT staff they can depend on?

Most likely, it’s because the construction industry is a bit old fashioned and resistant to change. Many construction managers haven’t adapted to a new climate where there are all sorts of technological tools at their disposal to make their lives easier.

The statistic is a reassuring sign that even if you’re not the most technologically inclined construction manager, you are far from alone in the world of construction if you barely have an IT budget.

5. 72 – The number of construction software options added to Capterra’s directory in the last year

Construction management software is certainly a form of technology, so it’s no surprise that just like with all the other technologies out there, it’s growing exponentially. Each passing year brings new software options that are available to construction managers seeking to better run their businesses.

Between February 2016 and February 2017, Capterra’s construction management software directory added another 72 construction software options, and if anything that number is likely to increase this coming year.

What does that mean for you? Perhaps it’s wise to set aside some time to poke around and see what software is out there. You never know what cool new stuff has hit the market in just the last few months.

More construction statistics for 2017?

Have any other construction industry statistics that blew you away when you first heard them? Please, share them below. We’d love to hear your take.

The post The 5 Most Important Construction Statistics For Construction Managers appeared first on Capterra Blog.

from Construction Management – Capterra Blog http://blog.capterra.com/the-5-most-important-construction-statistics-for-construction-managers/ via Capterra from Blogger http://sdeckermike.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-5-most-important-construction.html via blogger

[danetobelieve]

A Latte To Talk About || Athena and Winston

Wiping their increasingly sweaty palms on their jeans, Winston looked at themselves in the mirror of their sun visor before deciding that there was nothing they could do even if something was amiss. Flipping it out of the way, they opened the door to what was definitely still the shittiest car in the world. Their door slammed shut with a clunk and Winston locked and double locked the car behind them. It was still perpetual night, but apparently that didn’t stop anyone from getting coffee and it seemed just as busy as ever. Waiting outside, Winston shot a text to Athena. “I’m here.” They weren’t in any rush, so they took a moment to breath in the day’s air. Or was it nights? The stars were still twinkling brightly in the sky and Winston wasn’t sure if that changed whether it was day or night. Was day or night a time thing or a light thing? They weren’t sure. 

This wasn’t even a date, she didn’t think, even though Winston was attractive. Athena had far too many things on her mind to focus on actual dating, but this was nice, and if it ended with anything more than platonic, she certainly was not about to shy away from that. She’d even thrown on some extra nice clothes - dark jeans, a button-down shirt, and one of her favorite necklaces. She’d driven to Coffee Plus and thankfully hadn’t run into anything that needed taking care of on her way there. She pulled in about half a block away and pulled out some lipgloss, applying it quickly just as Winston’s text came in. She hopped out of her car and made her way over to Coffee Plus, spotting them outside. “Hey!” She grinned, walking up to them. “Hope I didn’t keep you waiting too long.” That earned them a wink, before she started moving toward the door. “Shall we?”

They had barely sent their text when Winston looked up to see Athena. Great, she looked hot. That was, just great. Winston swallowed. The first time they’d met them they’d both been wearing workout gear. Athena had looked good in workout gear. But this was something else. Winston hadn’t really thought about what they were wearing today and suddenly they were self conscious that they should’ve changed, but it was too late for that and she was winking and leading them inside of the coffee shop and Winston’s feet were following her and they found their mouth moving and were they talking too? Oh no that wouldn’t be good. “Hey, Athena,” they smiled in return and shook their head, “I’ve literally just got here, you’re all good, besides, it’s not the end of the world if I wait five minutes.” It was bizarre to think that she could probably judo slam Winston over her knee if she wanted to, Winston decided not to think too much about that.

“Well, good, I like to try and always be on time, if possible. Even early, if I can manage that.” Athena gave a small shrug. “But I am glad you are an understanding person, and that it is not the end of the world.” She appreciated that they seemed willing to follow her into Coffee Plus - over to the counter and looked up at the menu. She drank both coffee and tea - she was not entirely certain which she’d do today. “You’re paying, right?” She let her gaze fall onto them again, “As thanks for me helping you out? If you’d prefer I pay for my own, I’m down with that too, your company is quite good on its own.” She glanced back up at the menu again. Maybe a mocha would be good. “What do you usually get here?”

“It’s only polite right,” Winston replied with a smile, “I’m trying not to get as stressed out about the little things, especially when there are apparently vampires lurking around every corner whilst it remains this dark all the time.” Nodding, Winston smiled. “Yeah, if it only costs me a coffee to survive a vampire attack then I would be more then happy to get this one for you.” They smiled gently and looked at the menu. “I am kind of boring to be honest, for the most part I just stick to something simple like a latte, but occasionally I’ll branch out and get an iced coffee or something fruity like a smoothie,” turning to the barista they flashed a quick smile, “can I get a large latte and whatever she would like too please?” 

“Well, the vampires are not always around.” Athena offered them what she hoped was at least a bit of a comforting smile. “Honestly? Sometimes it’s nicer to get stressed out about little things, because if one gets too worried about vampires, one stops being able to properly function in the world.” She followed their gaze. “Well, that’s a good deal. Yes, it only costs you coffee and my company, and from what I can see, you have no problems with the latter.” She allowed them to order, before biting her lip, still deciding what exactly she would get. “One mocha latte please, skim milk, small, thank you.” After Winston paid, she made her way over to the waiting area for their drinks. “So, how’ve you been, all things considered?”

“True and at least now I know that they exist and I can take the necessary precautions to make sure that I am as safe as can reasonably be expected,” Winston looked around cautiously, “the magic really helps too.” They flashed her a smile that they hoped reassured her. This was not something that kept them up at night but it wasn’t something that they were about to risk either. “I get it, what’s the phrase, enjoy the little things or something like that, sometimes you’ve got to enjoy the little stresses of life too I guess.” Winston swallowed a mouthful of coffee that was probably a little too hot to be drinking freely, “all things considered?” they weren’t about to go into the long list of problems they were experiencing right now, “Fine, I guess, there’s only so much control you can have I guess.” They paused once more. “How about you?” 

“Yes, exactly.” Athena gave a smile, followed by a shrug. “I bet it does.” She bit her lip, unsure of how much they would want to talk about this in public. Decided that less was more, in this case - and if she could get them in private, if this whatever it was went well, maybe more intimate and power-related conversations (or intimate in any way they wanted) could happen. She grabbed her drink and began to walk over to a table as she answered them. “Yes, stress and calmness are an important duality to manage, each equally important, depending on the day.” She sat down and raised an eyebrow. “I have been fine. More to do during all hours of the day than usual, but you know, I do what I can, and I make certain that I take care of myself.” She took a small sip of her drink. “Winston, this is sheer perfection, I have to say. Are you sure you didn’t plan this extra special? Or perhaps it is that you are more tolerable company than some who I have come here with.”

Although Athena had seen what they could do if they needed to, Winston wasn’t sure that they particularly wanted to continue this discussion whilst they waited for their drink. Winston followed suit and scooped up a swimming pool sized mug of latte and followed Athena over to a table, slipping down into a seat opposite her, they took a long sip of their drink and thanked whatever powers that be that they had something to occupy their mouth so they had more time to think about what they were going to say rather then just stumbling over themselves like they normally did. “I try to avoid stress as much as I can, gotta say that it hasn’t exactly been as easy as I would normally like.” They paused and listened to her carefully. “Hopefully we’ll be through … this sooner then later. Then hopefully your busy … schedule will calm down.” They were a hunter after all, apparently one of the good ones, at least that was what Winston was telling themselves. Despite that, Athena may be one of the most complimentary people they’d ever met. “That’s very kind of you to say, the trick is that I do absolutely no preparation and just hope that people enjoy sitting drinking coffee with me, though I can’t imagine what sort of people you’re coming here with if you think my company is extra tolerable.”

“Of course, that is entirely understandable.” Athena nodded, “this time is stressful for everyone - well, most everyone.” Not for vampires or mara or any other creatures who loved the night. She bit her lip. “Yes, I hope so very much.” She tapped her fingers against the tabletop, trying to block out the sounds of the café, to just focus in on Winston. She took another sip of her drink and raised an eyebrow at them. “Well, you can hold conversation, which is a lot more than some people, and you certainly are not difficult to look at.” She smirked at them, pressing the toe of her boot against their foot. “So I say you are winning all around.”

Swallowing gently, Winston did their best not to focus on the way she bit her lip. “You don’t seem all that stressed out by any of this, if anything it’s almost as if you were born to handle the eternal night.” Winston watched her fingers slowly rise and fall, drumming on the shiny surface of the table. Blushing gently, Winston had to force themselves not to jerk their foot away in surprise. This was a first for them. Women, pretty women especially did not take an interest in Winston and did not say things like they were certainly not difficult to look at. Shifting their foot so that it was slightly further under the toe of her boot, they smiled and shrugged. Play it cool. Play it cool. Play it cool. They weren’t sure they knew how to do that. Swallowing a mouthful of coffee to buy themselves more time, Winston tried not to stammer over their words. “You say that now, but if you’d met me a few years ago before I’d started the internship then you’d have been shocked at the socially inept nightmare that I was.” They flashed her a smile anyway. 

“Well, I do have background training,” Athena smirked, letting her gaze follow theirs, to her fingertips. They weren’t moving their foot away either - if anything, she felt them adjust it to move under her boot more, and she tucked the toe of her boot against the edge of their pants. Why not flirt? If it got them to see her side of things more, she was certainly not opposed to leaning in a bit more. They were beautiful, either way, and she did enjoy spending time with them so far. “Well, a few years ago I was still in high school, so I think it’s lucky that we met when we did.” She moved her foot away for a moment, glancing around the café. “Even if, well, it was under less than ideal circumstances.”

“I mean training or no, you did a better job then me. Most of the time I just run the fuck away as fast as I can. I can’t see you having to do that half as much.” Winston felt their breath catch in their throat as they felt her boot trail up their foot and to the end of their leg. They weren’t expecting that. This was the first time anyone had ever done anything like this before and Winston was begging to feel increasingly out of their depth. They weren’t exactly the most experienced either. Trying to act as if they hadn’t noticed anything, they took another long drink from their coffee. “Oh you definitely wouldn’t have wanted to meet me in high school, that was a dark time for everyone.” Laughing at their own self deprecation they tried to change the subject. “How long since you graduated?” 

“No, I do not usually tend to run away.” Athena smirked. In fact, the exact opposite was most frequently true. She ran towards things more than away, even if that was sometimes, admittedly, not the best of ideas. Not that Winston needed to know that. She watched them take another drink from their coffee, tapping her foot against the ground for a moment before tapping her own foot against theirs a second time. Just for a moment, before letting her feet hang down, seeing if they would do any movement back. “I graduated W-C-H-S in 2017. So, just about three years now. I’m a Junior now, I can’t remember if I’ve already told you that or not.” She took a careful sip of her drink. Thankfully, so far, everything in the café was normal. She could guarantee at least that there were no fae around.

“Well when you can fight the way that you do, I don’t suppose that there are many things that make you run from them.” Winston had seen her take on however many vampires, if there was something out there that could make her run. Winston felt her legs move, they considered for a moment not returning the movement. Not encouraging it. They felt out of their depth and sometimes when you’re out of your depth you make sure not to get any deeper. But now they couldn’t help themselves and Winston shifted their foot alongside hers. “Okay, so you’re a couple years or so younger then me, I’m doing a one year post graduate course, so once i’m done with that I won’t have an excuse to keep coming to the University anymore. But I went to WCHS too, just a few years before you apparently.” 

“No, I suppose you are correct.” Athena replied, “though I think a fair part of it is also my desire to help out those in trouble - like, I don’t want to just leave someone because a vampire or something else is attacking them. That wouldn’t be fair, especially when I am able to do what I can do.” She could feel another smile cover her lips as they moved their foot with hers. She’d always known she was charming, and it was nice to have others confirm that, others respond to her movements and behaviors. “Well, I’ll still be there.” The smirk returned, “so you could always visit me, though I do suppose that once you graduate you might want to just be out in the real world, as they say.” She paused. “Oh? Small world that keeps on getting smaller, isn’t it?”

Raising an eyebrow gently, Winston shook their head. “I mean, I guess, but that isn’t really what I meant. I just meant that you can do stuff and help people and stop these things from hurting someone if you need to. If it isn’t something that can be fixed with a very simple spell then I tend to leave it to someone else.” Winston was impressed by Athena and in many ways they really admired her. She seemed to be in control, even though she was so much younger then Winston. Maybe it was just because they were so new to it. “Maybe if you give me a reason to come and visit then there’ll be a visit in the future. Though, maybe once I’m working and shit I’ll actually want to be back here.” Winston paused for a second more before shrugging once again. “Maybe, although we both grew up in the area and it isn’t like there are two high schools here.” They paused.

“Oh!” Athena chirped. “Well, thank you. Perhaps that would have been a better reply in the first place, sorry.” Athena looked down, forcing a small blush on her cheeks. She kept her posture straight, though, and quickly looked back up at Winston. “Maybe I will give you a reason to come and visit,” she winked at them quickly. “Of course, working is and should come as a first priority, I should never feel a need to force someone to not do the best work that they possibly can.” She watched them shrug, before agreeing. “Oh of course, this is a reasonably sized town, so it is not that much of a coincidence, though I do have friends at university who didn’t go to school here.”

“Don’t be sorry, and you know, you’re of course welcome,” Winston replied, normally they were the one that was being over polite. They weren’t sure if they were really all that comfortable with the way that things were being reversed. But then it was Winston’s turn to blush at her wink and they looked down at their coffee before giving her a quick smile. “Maybe you will,” they replied sheepishly, flashing her a quick smile once more, “it depends on a lot of stuff. I’m kind of aware that there is a possibility that I won’t necessarily be able to pursue what I would like to pursue in this town, but now that I know the truth about this place then I don’t know if I am ready to leave it…” they raised an eyebrow and drained the last of their coffee, “maybe you know some of my friends though, they would’ve been closer to your age?” 

“Okay, if you insist.” Athena dug the toe of her boot into the ground. Her modesty was a bit false, but so what? It worked wonders with Winston, and she was far too curious about them to let anything slip. Besides, her apology had been at least half genuine. Seeing them blush at her comment made the smirk grow wider. “Well, I am good at giving people reasons to come and see me.” She raised an eyebrow as she reached out for their hand and took it in her own, giving it a small squeeze. “Of course - I also get that, like, my top med schools are not in town, not even in this state, and I’ve never been out of Maine in my whole life so it’s -- well, it’s a lot and sometimes I don’t even want to leave, but you also have to take into account what is best for you and…” her voice trailed off at their question. “Yes?” She said, her voice squeaking perhaps too much. Not Ri, of course not Ri. She’d fake being a singleton if she had to, because if they knew Orion then they could figure out that he was a hunter and hell, she trusted them, but she was not about to get in trouble with her brother. She could care about him, even if he was a disaster. “You might! I knew a lot of people in high school!” 

“Insist is a strong word, I just meant it would be nice to see you…” Winston swallowed and fought the desire to sweat nervously. A sentence that they had never thought they would consider internally but they were going to have this go well whether they wanted it to or not. “You definitely are, you … thought of this right.” That was maybe the lamest thing to say and of course Athena would know it. Winston didn’t get it, why was she here with them? “Med school?” Winston asked with a raised eyebrow, “You want to be a doctor? That’s really cool, but I understand the dilemma, if you feel like you should be here how can you leave? Even if it would potentially give you a better option?” Winston knew that they could never leave. Not when they knew the truth about what was really going on in White Crest. “Who knows right? Guess only time will tell whether or not we’re going to have any mutual friends.”

“Well, it would be nice to see you too.” Athena grinned. “I think a lot of things through,” event though she knew that Ri would say the opposite, and even though even she knew that she perhaps ran into things headfirst without thinking. Her academics had always been something she’d taken at least relatively seriously, though -- she had to, if she wanted to be a doctor, go to medical school and turn out just as skilled as (if not more so than) her father. “Yes, I’d love to be! Surgery, possibly - specifically otolaryngology, but I’m also interested in medical genetics and immunology or studying allergies.” A shrug, “it is complicated, and I’ll have to figure out what is best for me,” and what my parents allow, “but even if I didn’t go to Harvard or Johns Hopkins, I would still do my best to get the best education possible. Names mean a lot, but the experience is the most valuable.” She raised an eyebrow at their comment but did not press further. “Well, if only time will tell, then I do suppose we must spend more of it together.”

“For sure,” Winston replied, “sometimes thinking can be overrated, sometimes if you think about something too much it makes it worse, y’know?” Winston wasn’t sure that Athena knew. They liked Athena. Maybe more then they should. She was smart and perceptive and there was something hot about the fact that Winston knew she would be able to judo flip a vampire without so much as a second thought. There was just something nagging at the back of their mind. Why Winston? They didn’t get the interest in them, maybe that was just self doubt but no one normally paid this much attention to them. They were pretty used to being invisible. “Otolaryngology?” Winston asked curiously, making a note to google it as soon as they got back to their desktop, “that sounds really smart, probably a bit above my pay grade, but you definitely sound like you’re doing the right thing, shooting for a goal and working hard is tough but it’s always worth it and you seem like you know what you want anyway, I’m sure you don’t need someone you barely know telling you that your life choices are valid anyway.”

“Oh, I agree. If you think too much you get all done up in your own thoughts and well, that’s not good for anyone, is it?” Athena smirked. She took another sip of her drink, a small bit of foam on her lips before she ran her tongue across it. “Yes, and thank you! Well, surgeons do make a decent salary but I’d also be doing it to learn, to help people.” To have excuses for things, too, but those words went unspoken. “Well, no, I might not need that, but I also am not opposed to it, it’s nice to see that people care about my life choices. Especially if they are someone who I plan on seeing again, sometime.”

Winston’s eyebrows shot up at Athena’s tongue on lips. Swallowing gently they wished that they hadn’t finished their coffee so that they could use something to act as a distraction but there was no distraction for this. Despite their own words, Winston was thinking way too much right now. “Yeah- a good- exactly,” Winston agreed and nodded along with Athena acting as if they still had an inkling of what they were talking about and weren’t still distracted from moments ago. “Sure, well, very valid life choices.” Winston might be sweating? They weren’t sure but they didn’t want to find out. “Yeah, definitely, this has been fun.” They weren’t lying. Athena was cool. They liked her a lot. She was just not really what they’d expected.

[marcusssanderson]

50 Quotes About New Beginnings and Starting Fresh

Our latest collection of quotes about new beginnings on Everyday Power.

Looking to get out of your comfort zone and start your life over? Each one of us reaches a point where we get fed up with our current situation. During such times, letting go and starting over can be the best thing for you.

When you let go of what didn’t work, what held you back previously, or wipe out those fears that don’t deserve to rule you anymore, you create room to become a more passionate, engaged and inspiring individual.

So how can you start over? When creating the life you want, start by clearing out the things you won’t have use for and get your surrounding in order. If there are habits, relationships, or activities that don’t work for you anymore,  it’s best to leave them out of your life altogether. After you’ve made some room, develop some new customs in your life and follow through with them.

Since none of us knows what the future holds, the idea of new beginnings can feel terrifying at times. However, if you focus on that which is optimistic and encouraging, starting afresh can be an exciting time.

Here are some inspirational quotes about new beginnings to give you the strength and courage to adjust to a new chapter in your life.

  Quotes about new beginnings and starting fresh

  1.) “Every new beginning comes from some other beginning’s end.” —Seneca

  2.) “No one can ever take your memories from you – each day is a new beginning, make good memories every day.” –Catherine Pulsifer

  3.) “Take the first step in faith. You don��t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

  4.) “Although no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.” ~ Carl Bard

  5.) “It’s never too late to become who you want to be. I hope you live a life that you’re proud of, and if you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start over.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald

  6.) “There are two mistakes one can make along the road to truth… not going all the way, and not starting.” –Buddha

  7.) “New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.” – Lao Tzu

    8.) “No, this is not the beginning of a new chapter in my life; this is the beginning of a new book! That first book is already closed, ended, and tossed into the seas; this new book is newly opened, has just begun! Look, it is the first page! And it is a beautiful one!” — C. JoyBell C.

  9.) “Failure is the opportunity to begin again more intelligently.” – Henry Ford

  10.) “No river can return to its source, yet all rivers must have a beginning.” – Proverb

  Quotes about new beginnings and change.

  11.) “Nothing in the universe can stop you from letting go and starting over.” —Guy Finley

  12.) “I discovered that a fresh start is a process. A fresh start is a journey – a journey that requires a plan.” – Vivian Jokotade

  13.) “Some of us think holding on makes us strong, but sometimes it is letting go.” – Herman Hesse

  14.) “The beginning is the most important part of the work.” –Plato

  15.) “Nourish beginnings, let us nourish beginnings. Not all things are blest, but the seeds of all things are blest. The blessing is in the seed.” ~ Muriel Rukeyser

  16.) “Be willing to be a beginner every single morning.” – Meister Eckhart

    17.) “You can learn new things at any time in your life if you’re willing to be a beginner. If you actually learn to like being a beginner, the whole world opens up to you.” — Barbara Shur

  18.) “There will come a time when you believe everything is finished; that will be the beginning.” – Louis L’Amour

  19.) “Change can be scary, but you know what’s scarier? Allowing fear to stop you from growing, evolving, and progressing.” — Mandy Hale

  20.) “Your life does not get better by chance. It gets better by change.” — Jim Rohn

  Quotes about new beginnings to inspire and teach

  21.) “Each day is a new beginning, the chance to do with it what should be done and not to be seen as simply another day to put in time.” – Catherine Pulsifer

  22.) “Every moment is a fresh beginning.” —T.S. Eliot

  23.) “Breathe. Let go. And remind yourself that this very moment is the only one you know you have for sure.” — Oprah Winfrey

  24.) “I realize there’s something incredibly honest about trees in winter, how they’re experts at letting things go.” —Jeffrey McDaniel

  25.) “The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.” –Steve Jobs

  26.) “Keep on beginning and failing. Each time you fail, start all over again, and you will grow stronger until you have accomplished a purpose – not the one you began with perhaps, but one you’ll be glad to remember.” –Anne Sullivan

  27.) “Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It’s the courage to continue that counts.” — Winston Churchill

    28.) “Getting over a painful experience is much like crossing monkey bars. You have to let go at some point in order to move forward.” – C. S. Lewis

  29.) “Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born.” – Dale Turner

  30.) “Nothing is predestined. The obstacles of your past can become the gateways that lead to new beginnings.” –Ralph Blum

  New beginnings quotes to help you erase the past

  31.) “Let’s forget the baggages of the past and make a new beginning.” – Shahbaz Sharif

  32.) “Forgiveness says you are given another chance to make a new beginning.” – Desmond Tutu

  33.) “Every day is a chance to begin again. Don’t focus on the failures of yesterday, start today with positive thoughts and expectations.” – Catherine Pulsifer

  34.) “Let go of yesterday. Let today be a new beginning and be the best that you can, and you’ll get to where God wants you to be.” – Joel Osteen

  35.) “No matter how hard the past is, you can always begin again.” – Buddha

    36.) “Champions keep playing until they get it right.” — Billie Jean King

  37.) “Celebrate endings – for they precede new beginnings.” – Jonathan Lockwood Huie

  38.) “Begin today. Declare out loud to the universe that you are willing to let go of struggle and eager to learn through joy.” –Sarah Ban Breathnach

  39.) “Don’t live the same year 75 times and call it a life.” — Robin Sharma

  40.) “Every day is a new beginning. Treat it that way. Stay away from what might have been, and look at what can be.” – Marsha Petrie Sue

  Other inspirational quotes about new beginnings

  41.) “Every day I feel is a blessing from God. And I consider it a new beginning. Yeah, everything is beautiful.” – Prince

  42.) “The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are.” – J.P. Morgan

  43.) “Do not wait until the conditions are perfect to begin. Beginning makes the conditions perfect.” – Alan Cohen

  44.) “Let us make each day our birthday – every morning life is new, with the splendors of the sunrise, and the baptism of the dew.” – S.A.R

  45.) “Holding on is believing that there’s only a past; letting go is knowing that there’s a future.” – Daphne Rose Kingma

  46.) “One can begin so many things with a new person – even begin to be a better man.” – George Eliot

    47.) “Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go. They merely determine where you start.” — Nido Qubein

  48.) “Starting over is an acceptance of a past we can’t change, an unrelenting conviction that the future can be different, and the stubborn wisdom to use the past to make the future what the past was not.” – Craig D. Lounsbrough

  49.) “Life is about change, sometimes it’s painful, sometimes it’s beautiful, but most of the time it’s both.” — Kristin Kreuk

  50.) “Every day is a fresh beginning, Every morn is the world made new.” – Sarah Chauncey Woolsey

  How did you find these new beginnings quotes?

Sometimes life requires us to start over and rebuild from scratch. In order, to create the life you want, you have to be willing to let go of what isn’t working or what’s holding you back.

But because you do not know what’s written in your next chapter of life, the idea of starting afresh can be intimidating. Hopefully, these quotes have given you the courage to start over and reboot your life for the better.

Did you enjoy these quotes about new beginnings? Which of the quotes was your favorite? Tell us in the comment section below. We would love to hear all about it.

The post 50 Quotes About New Beginnings and Starting Fresh appeared first on Everyday Power Blog.