#i followed homies side well enough but some on the hoods side i got a little tripped up on

[akkivee]

tho i will say!!! honobono being the antithesis of bonds by treating people as playthings and the tobari bros consistently causing trouble in various territories tells me it really is intentional that we have characters set in homies and hoods and it’d be neat to see if any of that comes to light in the tracks lol

[solarpunkani]

Ani's Crochet Projects Right Now

It's Day 3 (well by the time this gets posted it'll probably be Day 4 in my timezone) of Solarpunk Aesthetic Week so I wanted to talk about the crochet projects I'm working on!

I started learning how to crochet literally a week ago, I'm by no means an expert, I literally have very little idea of what I'm doing. But I'm doing it!

My first project is a tote bag, inspired by the bag that Fennopunk is working on. This is quite literally the project that got me to make the leap into crocheting! It's not really together in any solid form, but I have many pieces.

Here's the granny squares I have so far! I used a video tutorial on how to make solid granny squares (and some written instructions kindly typed up by a friend) to make these! I still have to attach them together, but I wanted to wait until I had all the pieces ready to do that! Teeechnically, I made all the granny squares before Solarpunk Aesthetic Week started, but the project's not finished so I'm sharing them anyhow.

This is the strap! I made it yesterday (Tuesday) while watching Netflix with a homie. I wanted it to be wide so it didn't dig into my shoulder (though my mom thinks I made it too wide and not long enough) when I wore it, and I'm following a video tutorial to try and make it as not-stretchy as possible. I still have some other stuff to do to it (additional stitches, adding a cloth back, etc.) before it's 'done' but I'm kind of tired of looking at it so I moved on to something else and will be back later. (or so I claim).

This is my latest project, which I started earlier today (Wednesday) actually! It's currently a strip of double crochets, but with time and some 'what the fuck is going on here'-ing, it'll be a cool hooded scarf! Here's the written pattern, and here's a video on it! I am currently stuck on row 2--I'm supposed to be making the hood, and the first row was on both sides of the initial chain, but now I'm confused on how I'm supposed to do that... again??? I'll figure it out. I have to. I want a cool hooded scarf (and I also wanna someday make a cool cloak with this pattern) so I'm legally required to figure it out. Cross your fingers for me!

But yeah! This is probably the most tangible stuff I've been doing for Solarpunk Aesthetic Week so far! Until I figure out how to print a sewing pattern, at least. Excited to see what everyone else is up to!

[getsojaded]

late nights || calum hood

word count: 1.4k+

warnings: slight mention of cheating

a/n: hi so my twitter tl was talking about bff calum one day and this kinda just popped in my head so yeah enjoy homies <33

—

“It’s three am babe, why’re you still up?” Calum answered the phone tiredly with his eyes heavy, and his voice raspy. “C-Can you open your d-door?” He heard back in response, immediately getting to his feet and throwing his nearest shirt on. He quickly rushed downstairs, opening his front door and seeing his bestfriend, teary eyed with a sad smile on her face.

“Babe, are you okay?” Many thoughts fillled Calum’s mind as he tried to figure out what she was doing here in the middle of the night, with tears streaming down her face. She was crying too hard to get a single word out, and the sight of it made Calum’s heart ache. He pulled her into the tightest hug ever, her burying her face into his neck as he felt her small body shake against him, him filling the silence with it’s okay’s, don’t worry’s, and i’m here’s into her ear.

“I’m sorry to b-bother you.. but he came home from the club like 10 minutes ago, with some o-other chick and I just-” She managed to get out before bursting into tears once again. 

Calum knew exactly what she was talking about the moment she said he. She was talking about her boyfriend, who Calum was not the biggest fan of to begin with. Maybe it was the way he had such an attitude the moment he first met Cal, or maybe it was the way he told his girl he wasn’t allowed to see him again (but she continued to see Calum, which enraged her boyfriend even more.).

Or maybe it was his feelings towards her that made Calum never like him from the start.

“Oh babe, I am so, so sorry,” He rubbed his hand on her back at an attempt to soothe her. She shook her head lightly, pulling away from Calum. “No, no, it’s not your fault. Sorry for waking you up.” She responded, wiping her tears and taking a deep breath. “It’s alright, I’d rather much be up at three in the morning if it made you feel better. He took her hand and walked the both of them towards his kitchen. “Do you want tea? Pancakes? Both?”

She laughed at the gestures the boy in front of her was trying to make. “I don’t need anything Cal, it’s okay.” Cal shook his head, taking his kettle and filling it up with water. “Nope, I’m making you some tea. It’ll help you sleep.” 

While he was waiting for the water to boil, the room was silent. A comfortable silence though. She saw Duke laying on his little bed, and bent down next to him and scratched behind his ears softly. When Cal turned around seeing the sight, his heart filled with warmth and a small smile appeared on his face. I could get used to seeing that every night, he thought to himself, but snapping out of his thoughts once the kettle popped, indicating that the water was ready. 

“Two milk, one sugar, right?” He asked, turning towards the girl who was currently walking back towards the island in the kitchen, her nodding in response. Cal made his way towards her, placing the mug in front where she sat and wrapping his arm around her shoulder. She took her arm and wrapped it around his waist, letting her head lay on the side of his body. 

“Everything okay?” He softly asked as she took a sip from the mug. “Do you wanna talk about it?” She looked up at him, his heart instantly aching at the sight of her bloodshot eyes and her drained face. 

“No, there’s not much to talk about, it’s just that,” She took another sip of tea. “It’s just something I have to get over myself y’know? And you know I’ve never been the best at being on my own, and maybe that’s why I kept him around for so long.. I just, was scared of what I would do once I was alone.”

“You know you’re not alone babe,” His grip tightened on her shoulder as she pulled him in closer. “You have me. You know you’ve got me by your side whenever you need it.” 

“I know Cal, I know. And I can’t thank you enough for that. You truly are one of the best things to ever happen to me. I love you so much,” She responded, getting up from her chair and standing up to properly engulf him in her arms. His head rested on her shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her body, sighing. “You don’t need to thank me, I’m happy to be around you, I love you.” Calum told her, knowing that his words meant so, so much more. She pulled away, interlocking her hand with his as she took his hand and interwined it with hers, finishing her cup of tea. “I think I’ve bothered you enough for tonight. I’ll head out now, thank you for letting-” 

“No, I’m not letting you go back to that asshole. Stay with me tonight.” He cut her off, gaining quite a bit of confidence. Maybe it was the jealousy kicking in. “Are you sure?” She asked questionably, her head turning to the side. “You aren’t bothering me whatsoever, of course you can stay the night.” 

Her quiet okay made Calum’s heart jump in excitement, as she slipped off her jacket and set it on top of one of his chairs, then following him upstairs to his room. He threw her a shirt and a pair of sweatpants, with her quickly changing in the bathroom. She came out, seeing Calum without a shirt on and a pair of sweats as well. “Is this okay? Do you want me to put a shirt on?” 

“Cal, this isn’t the first fuckin’ time I’ve seen you shirtless. Also, I’m single now apparently, so it doesn’t even matter anymore.” She laughed, hopping into his bed and turning her back away from him, sighing. “Goodnight Cal.” “Goodnight babe, sleep well.” And with that, the lights were turned off and the only thing you could hear were Calum’s soft snores. 

Unlike Cal, she didn’t go to bed right away. In fact, she was up for a good half hour after he had fallen asleep. Her mind wouldn’t stop racing with thoughts, and her emotions got the best of her. Her eyes began to well with tears, and before she knew it, she was shaking in the bed, attempting to hold back her sobs. Fuck, stop crying, you idiot, she thought to herself. All of a sudden, she heard the lamp turn on and Calum asking her, “Are you okay?” 

She turned to face him, his face instantly filling with worry. “Yeah, sorry, I just couldn’t stop thinking. Sorry for waking you.” She wiped her tears with the back of her hand, smiling at Calum once she was done. “Goodnight again, sorry.” He hated seeing her upset, whether it was over some assignment, her losing MarioKart, or in worse situations, a boy he hated. He loved making her feel better and knowing he was the reason for her smile. 

“C’mere,” He sighed, pulling her closer to him, her obliging and laying her head in the crook of his neck. She wrapped one arm around his waist, hugging him like a teddy bear. He kissed her forehead softly as she nuzzled a little bit more. “You comfy?” Calum asked. She nodded her head, her breathing becoming heavier by the minute. “Yeah.” And with that, the lamp was turned off again.

It was quiet for a little bit, the only thing being heard were their breathing and Calum’s hand running through her hair. The silence was broken as she spoke up, “Cal?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you for always being here for me. I know I’ve never been good at expressing my emotions, aside from crying, but words truly can’t explain how much I appreciate you being my best friend. It means a lot, and I’m sorry I haven’t told you that more.”

Cal’s heart fluttered at her little statement, hoping she didn’t feel his heart beat faster. He felt his face warm up and a grin appeared on his face, silently thanking himself for turning off the lamp when he did. “It’s not a problem at all. You’ve been there for me countless times, and it’s only fair if I do the same for you. I’d never leave you in the dust even if I wanted to.”

“I’m glad I have you in my life, Cal. I got so lucky stumbling across you.” She yawned, rubbing her eyes before closing them. 

“Get some rest, you deserve it.” “You too Cal, thank you. Goodnight, love you.” She responded, before falling asleep almost instantly. 

“I love you too, you have no idea how much I do,” He sighed, turning off the lamp and closing his eyes, a bittersweet feeling filling his body.

[fairyrosepetals]

Due to quarantine, I’ve been feeling pretty touch starved due to to the lack of hugs my friends and I would usually give each other.

Covid is a curse for naturally affectionate people like me :/

So enjoy some headcanons I wrote for some of our boys who had finally achieved the role of boyfriend!

Sweet home as types of boyfriends (M)

Hyun Cha

Hyun as a boyfriend gives me very chill/tired boyfriend vibes.

As in, he’s the kind of boyfriend who loves you softly. Someone who appreciates you in their own discreet way. Whether it be soft forehead kisses, or just very tight hugs.

Very relaxed dates. These dates would include laying on the couch cuddling, with rain pouring in the background.

Another date Idea would be just watching your favorite movies together in bed, eating your favorite snacks and candies.

His nicknames would include

Babe, babygirl/boy, love of my life, My light, Angel

His kisses are very hesitant and gentle, almost as if you’ll break or you’ll run away from him. Once you kiss him, and he knows you’re not going anywhere, his kisses become desperate, like you’ll disappear. Soon though, his kisses show how much he truly feels with you around :)

PDA doesn’t include a whole lot, mainly because he feels self conscious when he’s around someone as amazing as you. He feels like you deserve someone a lot better. Most likely just hand holding in public. However, in closed doors you bet you can get as many hugs and kisses as you want, whenever you want, 25/8

Now, at 18, you OBVIOUSLY don’t have a lot of money unless you’re rich. When it comes to gifts, I think he’d pay attention to your favorite foods, or maybe your current obsession, and base his gifts off that.

He LOVES to rant to you about Maria In The Sky!! Or just his hyperfixations in general when it isn’t Maria. Which isn’t likely. He gets this certain spark in his eyes when he talks about the things he’s interested in, which brings a certain life to him.

Now, depression DOES take a toll on people. This can leave a strain on relationships especially. If you’re willing to put in the extra effort, he would greatly appreciate it. He makes sure to show you his appreciation by making sure he ate a little extra more that day, made sure to change out into a new set of clothes, and overall just ways to show that he’s taking care of himself.

Overall, he loves you dearly, and greatly appreciates the love and support you give him. Trust me, he’s not letting you go any time soon.

Hyuk Lee

Hyuk as a boyfriend gives me very CHAOTIC vibes!!

He’s the kind of boyfriend to show his love by joking A LOT with you, with lots of teasing, playful name calling, and overall just rough housing.

There was definitely a moment where yall took roughhousing too far and you got bopped in the nose. Hyuk couldn’t bare to look you in the face after the many times you said you were fine.

Hyuk’s nicknames would include

Lemon cardboard Homie, Baby, Babe, Big head, DEFINITELY Megatron just to fuck with you

Hyuk’s kisses would be goofy and just kind of smiley, and maybe even a little sloppy. As in, he would be gently holding your face in his hands, but would be smiling or laughing as he tries to kiss you because he is just so unbelievably happy. This causes the kisses to definitely not be perfect, but they’re just filled with so much happiness that you can’t help but smile or laugh with him.

Just like Hyun, there isn’t a lot of PDA. Not because he’s self-conscious, mainly because he feels like you know how much he actually loves you without having to be too touchy in front of everyone. If you just so happen to want a kiss or maybe just hold hands, he’s all up for it. Just make sure to ask otherwise he will have no clue what you want.

Dates would include going to the arcade!! DEFINITELY would drag you over to that dancing game just to have an excuse to be closer to you!

Another date idea would just be 1 am trips to 7/11 and grabbing a slushee and your favorite snack, and maybe going to a remote area and laying on the hood of your car and go stargazing.

When it comes to dating Hyuk, you also gotta care for his sister. They are a PACKAGE DEAL. He understands that it’s a big responsibility to dump onto someone, but he’s responsible for her well-being. So if you don’t like her, that’s the ultimate deal breaker for Hyuk. If that’s not the case, he’ll be happy to see you two getting along.

Being a surrogate father for someone who was so young really puts a damper on your mentality. So just show your support for him, whether it be big or small. If you are quick to befriend Eun, his heart will warm at the sight of the two people he loves most enjoying each other’s company.

Ihyun Jo

Ihyun gives me very flirty/romantic boyfriend vibes. I say this due to his two personalities, which include his chaotic and more gentler side. I can see him being very flirty with an SO, that showers them in pick up lines that could make your face go red while also being sincerely romantic, enough to make you swoon from how sweet he’s being.

He’s the kind of boyfriend to hold your face in his hands, and gently cover your face in kisses or just stare lovingly into your eyes. This would also include whispering flirtatious comments in your ear, just to see you embarrassed from his words and make you blush.

With his flirty side, I can definitely see him as bit possessive, which can include possessive touches such as putting his hand on your waist or gently grabbing your chin to look at him when you look away.

Ihyun’s nicknames would include

Baby, hot stuff, princess/prince, Angel, wifey/hubby

Ihyun’s kisses can go two different ways depending on his current mood. The 1st way is sweet and sincere, where his kisses are soft and filled with such warmth and love. This creates such a loving feeling, where he carefully holds your face in his hands and treats you with gentleness. The 2nd way is his kisses feeling lustful, and a little rough. Though, this only means his kisses are firey and more passionate, holding you close by your waist as you wrap your arms around his neck.

DEFINITELY PDA. He is VERY touchy. Not in a way to make others around you uncomfortable, but more like he always has to be touching you in some way to ground himself. This includes hand holding, putting a hand on your waist or around your neck. When it’s just you two, it’s almost like he’s a second shadow, always carding a hand through your hair or just hugging you and resting his chin atop your head.

In more normal settings, I can definitely see him taking you out on the classic amusement park date. I’m talking rollercoasters, obviously rigged carnival games, cotton candy, and of course, the classic Ferris wheel ride.

Of course, I gotta throw in a classic beach date too. He is DEFINITELY the type of boyfriend to throw you into the sea, ONLY IF YOU ARE OKAY WITH IT AND CAN SWIM THO. If not, he is totally cool with just annoying you by splashing, or just overall being a general nuisance. Definitely has a soft spot for building sand castles with you :)

He may have the occasional sarcastic comment to share or just be annoying just to bug you, but he really does love you. He knows having MPD makes things harder in a relationship, but he appreciates you helping him when it comes to medication, episodes, and other ailments that occur. If there are types when he feels sad, he would love nothing more than to just lay on the couch, and rest his head in your lap as you run your hand through his hair.

Jayhun

Jayhun DEFINITELY strikes me as a SOFT BOYFRIEND. An ANGEL BOYFRIEND. A man you can DEPEND on. HUSBAND MATERIAL.

When I say soft, I mean he just absolutely SHOWERS you in love. You NEVER go a day without at least one hug or kiss, because he wants you to know how much he truly loves you. He’s the kind of boyfriend to do classic, gentlemanly things such as open doors for you, sit you down and scoot your chair in for you, and overall just be a sweetheart.

His dates would most likely be more domestic. I could definitely see him as doing the classic at home dinner date, being in the kitchen and cooking your favorite food, or if you like going out to eat more, definitely a restaurant on the nicer side. Being a teacher can leave him a bit busy sometimes, so he’s not opposed to just ordering take out, putting on a movie, and just enjoying your company as you lean against him. :)

Jayhun’s nicknames include

Sweetheart, honey, darling, love, angel

Jayhun’s kisses are the epitome of sweet and warm. Of course, he would only kiss you if he asked and made sure you were okay with it. If you said yes, he would make sure to hold you close, whether it be gently holding your face in his hands, or just placing his hands on your hips, he makes sure to put all his love into each kiss.

When it comes to PDA, he definitely strikes me as old fashioned. You know those elderly couples that have been married for 50+ years and STILL act like they’re in their honeymoon phase? That’s you and Jayhun. Kisses on the cheek, hand holding, brushing hair out of your face, and just staring at you with so much love that catching him can make you feel how strong his love is for you.

There are times when he’s forgotten to take lunch, so being the greatest SO ever, you make sure to bring it to him at school. His students LOVE YOU. They can’t believe their teacher bagged someone as great as you, and constantly bug Jayhun about you and when you’ll come visit again. They have a bet on how long it will take to get him to propose.

A bouquet of your favorite flowers, your favorite candies, and even just writing little sticky notes in places you see them before he goes to work, he just wants you to know he will always love and appreciate you no matter what.

I want to say that because of his religion, he kinda hopes you share the same beliefs as him. However, he is not opposed if you don’t, he still loves you all the same. In fact, if you follow a totally different religion, I feel like he would be interested in learning what your practices are, and how he could make you feel more welcomed during your relationship. 💕

Wook Pyeon

“My boyfriend can kick your ass” HELLA vibes from this man.

When I say this, I mean he’s very protective of you, and is even afraid to be in your presence half the time due to his height and build. He’s the kind of boyfriend to benchpress you for a work out, but also the kind of boyfriend to get flustered when you kiss his forehead.

There’s no fuckin way you could reach his height unless you’re THAT TALL, but if you do, he’s more likely to be less careful around you, and be more willing to hold you close to him and not be afraid of accidentally hurting you. If you’re a SHORTY?? Like me then this poor man is on pins and needles. Even if you’re tough, this man is afraid of hurting you and will never forgive himself if his elbow whacked you in the forehead.

Shorty protector

Dates with Wook Pyeon consist of constantly patching him up when he’s injured. Seriously, does this man never have a bruise on his body? If he’s not injured, he’s definitely stressed or very tense, and would not be opposed to taking a warm bath with you. Not even to have sex, but more just to make your hair into a giant spike with soap, or have bubble beards that leave you holding your stomachs from laughter. Just wholesome goofing off. :)

Wook’s nicknames would include

Honey, baby, babe, sweetheart, *shorter rendition of your name*, little shit (If you’re a menace to him constantly)

I feel like this man’s kisses can vary. Though the one thing they have in common, is that he makes sure that you know that he loves you. They can range from quick “Gotta go to work” kisses, to kisses that make you melt from the amount of love you feel from them. Even if maybe that moment you two have fought and he suddenly has to go, and if you’ll let him of course, he’ll make sure to give you the sweetest kiss he can muster. Dealing with criminals can be dangerous, and he would never want to go to work and have something happen, knowing you both left angry at one another.

PDA for him is hesitant. It’s not that he doesn’t like it, but he gets very shy and flustered about it. If you hold his hand while he’s talking to someone, his brain will start to malfunction and his face will slowly turn a shade of pink. This includes kisses anywhere on his face, or just a small kiss to his knuckles while holding his hand. In other words, for a big guy like himself, he is quite timid when it comes to initiating PDA.

He may be a little rough around the edges, but he tries his best to be romantic. Though, he tends to do it in more smaller ways. Working in the police force has unreasonable hours, so lots of little sticky notes around the house with cute love notes, little heart doodles, and just overall tiny reminders are his love language, or just making you a quick breakfast and storing it for later before leaving to work.

When he gets laid off, please do your best not to be angry with him. If it turns out he was the only one to be bringing money on the table for your own reasons, he would be so disappointed in himself for not being able to support you. If it turns out he now has to rely on you and your job, he would feel as if he’s a leech while you work harder until he can find a new source of income, so please reassure him that everything will be alright.

He of course, will do his own fair share of chores around the house in order to relieve the work load off of you.

When it comes to smoking, that is definitely a problem. Even if you don’t mind it, secondhand smoking can greatly affect your health as well. If you are an asthmatic, he definitely will try to quit for you. Even if you aren’t, it eventually dawns on him that his smoking is slowly hurting you, and doesn’t want you to be breathing that gunk in. It will be a hard journey, but just support him and keep him in check for the transition, and he’ll do his best to keep you happy and out of harm’s way.

[cherripeach]

Chapter 4

Little Match Maker

Summary: Your life motto is “I have the power of god and anime on my side, don’t mess with me,” and you stand by that with your life. No human, magician, or random creature could ever stop your firm belief in it. 

However, getting transported to this world that seemed to turn your already bad luck worse was not what you wanted to be in your life story, but you made the most of it.Making friends, enemies, and disasters, you were in your prime in this world, and so you decided to help as many people as you could flourish, at least what you believed to be.

Prologue 8-10: hurricane katrina more like hurricane tortilla

Chapter Summary: Everyone in this school needs their hearing checked.

Warning:  Curse words, jokes about death, slight violence, fire,

Words: 4.3k

Relationships: developing but future twstxreader

While you normally say “Sleep is for the weak,” this is not what you meant. And honestly you want to be weak compared to the literal 7 minutes of sleep you got. Everything felt off, and it wasn’t like your regular sleep schedule was great anyway.  All you did the entire night was make up scenarios in your head and contemplate both life and exploring the campus more. However, by the time you decided to go find the tallest tower (just to see it dude), all three ghosts were floating above you close to your ceiling. 

You whispered as to not wake up the sleeping cat that needs to stop taking up the bed, “Yo, not cool dude.”

The ghosts just winked at you and proceeded to try and scare the cat out of his slumber by reminding him about cleaning the school, but Grim seemed more like a teenager than you when he responded with a wish of “five more minutes.” 

The ghosts did not find this at all amusing, so they continued and even tried to make a morbid joke:

“Laze about too long and you’ll never wake up!” The smaller one started the joke. 

“Just like us!” And the largest one ended it.

The ghost's appearance frightened the cat causing the little demon to spring from under the covers and frantically run around the room basically accomplishing nothing. The ghosts, however, did not find this appealing and turned to you.

The tallest one spoke to you, “Are you all going to be living here? You’re gonna get pranked.”

Nodding your head, you agreed to the wonderful idea, but with a twist, “See dude I know you wanna prank us, but I would love to help all of you prank others.” You paused for a second and put your hand on your chin. “I’ve never had ghost friends and I really wanna know what you guys can do..” 

Grim was the exact opposite and continued to scream at the ghosts, but you just nodded your head at your brilliant idea and thought of all of your plans that you could get away with ghost friends. 

Right at this moment, the oh so gracious headmaster appeared out of thin air and greeted you, “Good morning, you two. Did you sleep well?”

Grim apparently did not, which peeved you off because you were the one up all night, so you just responded with, “Yeah the best sleep I’ve had since I was conceived…”

You knew the headmaster would not understand sarcasm, but honestly why is he even in your room in the early morning without knocking? The world will never know. And with a small world from him you zoned him out. At least until he mentioned cleaning the Main Street of the Campus. Once he stopped his speech his eyes flew to yours to wait for an answer.

“Sure, headmaster, but what am I supposed to use and where is this “Main Street”??” He never explained anything to you. I mean even if you listen when you try, the man tells you nothing. 

Here he goes trying to not explain anything to you, “I'm counting on you. You have permission to have lunch in the school cafeteria. Take care of your work enthusiastically.” He yeeted out of here just like your world did to you. 

“Ughhh, at least we get lunch…” You sighed into the unknown hoping someone would save you from this.  

“Tsk... No way I'm doing any cleaning. I wanna go to class, and bang! Boom boom boom! Use a bunch of awesome magic.” There was no use speaking to either of the two children of the school. 

“Dude, please, let’s just go and get this over with. Got it?” The cat just muttered in response to your reasoning, and you took that as a sign that he listened and that was the best you were ever gonna get from him. 

You got yourself together and decided that since nothing was gonna go your way, why act like it was. Your ideal belief made you not even look at yourself in a mirror, but just pull up the hood you had on from yesterday and grab some of the cleaning supplies that you found in the dorm. 

You and Grim headed out, and you waved a goodbye at the ghosts and blew a kiss at them because it is for the homies. 

Grim did end up abandoning you for a while to go find some “great tuna” for him to snack on. 

While walking out of the dorm and into the normal path of the school you encountered some odd people, and you actually considered yourself to be odd so these people were like the weirdest of the weirdos. One was a really jacked up on steroids furry, another was this pair of twins who everyone was avoiding and had weird anime twin hair which was the same hairstyle but parted differently or something, and you even saw an adorable boy, which is not considered weird, but he looked incredibly peeved at the rocks that he was kicking. Their outfits were all similar, but you did notice that there was a slight color difference between all the different people. 

Since life is not going your way and probably never will, you decided that the next person who you saw that you did not already see before you would ask directions from. The one problem with that is that the dude had a very sus vibe. He had on like a hat that was from like the 1800’s, but he did not have any other terrible features. He was rather breathtaking if you thought about it, but his eyes moved all around the crowd walking to get somewhere, and that gave you enough stalker vibes. His blonde hair in the bob was very cute, and maybe a little bit attractive, but his fashion sense was eccentric. Honestly, he was just eccentric. However, weighing your options, he is mostly approachable, and besides who isn't afraid of everyone they meet. 

You strided up to the man with as much confidence as a supermodel has. The male’s eyes swiftly darted to your form once you changed directions just making everything more awkward. Confusion spread through his face, but you kept on walking and stumbling and even lifted your hand for a small wave to him. The male did observe you just like you did him and found that you would not be a threat at least not that much and allowed your approach. 

Once you were within a distance where both of you could hear one another, he spoke, “Well, well, well, is there anyway I can help you, canard?” The man gently smiled at you, and damn you were hooked, but the man totally watched you stumble around wondering who to turn to, so this was just a cute situation. 

“Um, you see, I don’t know where the main street is..Could you help me?”  This man was actually making you nervous, but you put it all to how charming he was. 

“Oui, who would I be to not help un petit canard.” His hand went to his chest, and while with the headmaster and most of the others on this campus would piss you off if they did it, the male in front of you actually made you feel a little reassured. 

Your mind paused for a second to finally realize, ‘It’s been five minutes and I already have a slight crush… wow.’ 

The male waved his hand to motion for you to follow him as his grin just grew and he turned around, and you in your confused glory stumbled after him. He slowed his footsteps to allow you to both match him and keep up with him in the long run, and he began to make conversation with you.

“You must be the magicless student, oui?” As gentle as he looked when he lightly smiled and closed his eyes, he also had an air of danger floating around him. You wanted to trust him but also didn’t. 

“Yeah, dude...don’t know why I’m here either, and I can’t leave. Nothing seems to be going my way.” You shook your head and sighed deeply, but you were just happy that someone would listen.

“Poor petit canard, it would be my honor to help you with any of your problems,” he’s really good. He’s probably the best person you have met since the sun because he actually seems a little nice. 

“Thanks a lot. With all of the assholes and weirdos here, I didn’t exactly expect someone who would care about me.” You placed your gaze on the ground where you watched your feet and his walk while your lips turned up slightly, but you did think that this guy was weird enough for making you feel embarrassed and his whole odd vibe.

“It is no problem, petit canard, but I would recommend giving a chance to the people here,” he halted his speech and steps for a second just to land in front of you and to turn around causing his gaze to meet yours while you slowly looked up at him, “No one is like they seem.” His eyes did those weird anime think where a light shines over them for a second. 

“What?” Your mouth gaped open in visible shock at the man before you. 

At least until he twisted back around with the wind giving his jacket a flutter, “We have arrived, canard. Do have a nice day, oui?”  With a bow of his hat, the blonde hair man was out. 

“You know what, that is probably gonna be the most normal person I will meet at this school,” you thought for a second recognizing that you forgot about the dude from last night, “either him or the silver haired sleeping beauty.” You chuckled to yourself. 

You began to scan your surroundings which consisted of seven different statues and a long path leading up to the school one way and out the gate another. Many trees also decorated the area outside the path. 

And from this you determined that you would need the broom and washcloth you brought, but a rake would be appreciated. 

You groaned out to announce your displeasure and got started on cleaning up the place, and that is when Grim showed up to begin complaining that he had to pay for the tuna and that no one would give it to him for free. He even said that someone even threatened to kick him out of the school, but that did not surprise you. You just threw a cloth at him and told him to go scrub the statues.

He did his job for a good ten minutes without mouthing off at any of the students walking on the street getting ready to start school, but he did turn to you while washing the statue of the Queen of Hearts from the Disney movie Alice in Wonderland. 

“Hey, servant,” the cat peered up at you with big doe eyes, “What’s with all these statues? All seven of them look pretty scary,” the cat gazed up at the statue he was cleaning again, “This granny looks especially snobby.”

You just giggled at his statement, but a male with red orange hair and a red heart on his face came up to you too, and he was puzzled, “You don’t know about the Queen of Hearts?”

Grim gawked back at the male, “Queen of Hearts? Is she important?” 

“Grim, no one is important unless someone makes them important, so logically speaking no.” You just had to cut in with an idea about society that you just thought about.

The male with the heart on his cheek had something to say and started going on and on about how amazing she was as a queen. You just ignored him and went to work because you have heard of her and all that she was before, but Grim was captivated and started basically worshiping the words that came out of the male’s mouth. Grim even added in comments about the Queen here and there, but then Grim asked, “By the way, who are you?” and that caught your attention from cleaning. 

“I’m Ace, a fresh-faced first year. Nice to meetcha~” Ace winked at the two of you.

But you had to open your mouth, “Who calls themselves a fresh-faced first year. That’s basically saying you're fresh meat.” You raised an eyebrow while asserting your belief. 

However, neither of the boys listened to you. 

“I’m Grim, a genius who’ll become the greatest magician.” Grim just had to introduce himself; he even introduced you and called you both a dimwit and a servant which did not surprise you. 

Ace turned to you and in your eyes tried to compliment you, “You’ve got an odd sounding name.” 

“Thanks I guess, dude, but why are you here?” He had to be leaving for class soon, but he was just sticking to you two. His introduction confused you about his personality because after all the people you have met only three of them had been slightly nice and even then, all of them were odd. This guy had to be hiding something, and you think it might be something to do about his personality. 

“What are you talking about? I’m just here to help you two. I don’t mean to cause any trouble.” Ace responded.

‘So he wanted to cause trouble,’ was your immediate reaction. 

Ace then turned back to Grim who started a conversation about Scar from Lion King. All that was in your head was “Be Prepared” the villain song in the movie while you watched the two discuss who Scar was and what happened in the movie. But Ace never mentions his death or how he betrayed those who helped him. From your understanding, there was a serious misconception about villains at this school. Now that you thought about it they must clearly respect and reverence them because they had statues of some of the worst Disney villains. And throughout your debate, those two started to talk about Ursula from The Little Mermaid, but Ace referred to her as “The Sea Witch.” Nothing was similar really from the interpretations of the story in your world or this other world’s interpretations. 

While you will admit that some of the villains were not as bad as they could have been and that they were not total villains because most times the main characters and heroes of the stories were total pretentious assholes who knew nothing of ruling a kingdom or anything, romanticizing villains is a little wrong. Moana, though, an absolute queen. Cinderella also deserved better. 

The two visited every statue from Jafar from Aladdin to the ‘Evil Queen’ which they called the ‘Beautiful Queen’ from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Hades from Hercules but the entire storyline was off because in greek mythology Hades wasn’t even the villain behind the story but whatever. The two finally gathered their stuff next to Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty, so you followed the two along because this was the last one and you needed to observe Ace, “the fresh meat,” more. 

Grim asked the question about the statue, “And the last one, with the horns?” 

Ace went on about her too, “That is the Witch of Thorns from the Magic Mountains. Noble and elegant, even within the Seven, she is top class in magic and curses! She can summon lightning and storms, cover an entire country in thorns, her magic is on a whole other level. There was even a time she transformed into a huge dragon!” You just nodded along at his speech. 

Grim even contributed again, “Ooh! A dragon! All monsters look up to them!” Grim looked so overjoyed for having someone to tell him about the villains; he’s just your idiotic cat sibling. 

“They’re all so cool!”  There had to be a moment where Ace showed his true self but he hasn’t done it, “Unlike a certain raccoon.” And there it is!!

Grim backed up in alarm from the kid and switched his gaze quickly to you in panic. He was an incredibly trusting cat which made you feel pretty bad for him.

Ace ignored the communication between you and Grim and like a proper villain presented his monologue to you two, “Pfft... Ahaha! I can't bear it anymore! Ahahahaha! Aren't you the guys who went crazy at the entrance ceremony? You were summoned by the Dark Mirror even though you can't use magic, and you, a monster, weren't called but still trespassed. Yeahhh, it took everything I had not to lose it at the ceremony.” His laugh sounded like a fart trying to come out but was halted by the butt cheek and the fabric of the pants so really not cute. 

Grim shifted his attention back to “fresh meat” and gawked at him, “Whaaa!? You're a rude one!”

Since you wanted to find more about this kid before you beat him up, you gave him a second to explain himself.

“And now you aren't allowed in and got regulated to be a janitor? Haha, how lame.” Is this kid kidding? Grim even agrees with you after his noises of distress and disagreement with the kid, but the kid kept going, “On top of that, you don't even know about the Great Seven. How ignorant can you be? As I recommend you go back to kindergarten before coming to Night Raven College.”

You just shook your head at the boy ready to step in once he finished his little speech.

“I thought I'd just mess with you a bit, but you really blew my expectations away. Unlike you two, I actually have classes to attend. Keep this school squeaky clean, you two~” The boy whistled at you two and waved at you and walked away.

At least he tried to before his collar was in your hands and your eyes were right in front of yours. 

“Y’know I’ll give you some praise because you are the most pretentious fuck I have met at this school,” You let go of his collar and knocked his feet a little to make sure he would fall to the ground, “ And what are you like five. All of your jabs at us are literally terrible, but that’s not even the worst of it. You must be so bored of your life or have such a small dick that making fun of people supposedly weaker than you, just gets you off. I never get people like you who belittle and tease others. Is it fun kid, huh, to make jokes to basically another kid when you just know how they are gonna react? ”

Ace sat on the ground stunned by your comments acting like a helpless child who just got yelled at with his red flushed cheeks and his balled up hands by his side. At that point, you realized that there was a crowd gathering around your little spat, and Ace’s cheeks and embarrassment was probably due to getting yelled at by the magicless student who became the janitor. 

However, Grim did not process that you were already lecturing the kid before he blew flames at the two of you.

“Are you kidding me GriM? I’m right here!” Normally fight or flight would respond to his action, but yours was not working causing you to stay in the same spot while some of the flames got closer. 

The kid was running away screaming stuff like “Nope not today” and “why,” but after he stood all the way up and walked a couple footsteps his collar was in your hand again. 

“Not happening, pipsqueak. You’re gonna pay for your actions.” You pulled him around to make sure he could hear you and see the mess of people running around behind you and the cat still trying to blow fire at the two of you.

Grim even started yelling, only making the flames worse and more rowdy, “It's what you get for making fun of me! I'm gonna light up that fire-head of yours!” Grim even smirked to make his point and pointed at the boy still in your hold.

This immature boy was not able to read the atmosphere and stood up to the fire breathing cat, “Fire-head, huh?Heeeeee. You've really got guts picking a fight with me. You too. I'll turn you into a puffy, little toy-poodle!” 

You slapped him on the back of the head for that causing his head to go forward and his hand to grab where you slapped. But Grim kept on shooting fire.

At least until Ace managed to get out of your hold by twisting and wiggling so much. Once he left he ran over to join in Grim and have a fight, and it just seemed like these past couple of days nothing would go your way. 

Ace took out the pen thing you saw yesterday and pointed in directly with a light coming out of it at Grim causing wind to go everywhere blowing the fire. More people also began to crowd around the two and murmurs and gossip broke out everywhere, but all you could pay attention to was stopping them. 

That didn't work out. 

The two kept on spitting insults at each other and magic, and once you got close you grabbed Ace by the ear pulling on it causing him to slightly turn from the fight. You tried to lecture Ace in that moment to tell him to stop, but Ace was far too focused on the cat in front of him and ended up grabbing your wrist, throwing it off his ear, and then shoving you right on your hands and butt into the cement where some flames were. 

All in all basically getting roasted alive was a solid 3/10, but you are sure some people got pictures and videos of it. Since you did get out of those flames in a split second and ‘Stop, Drop, and Roll’ which surprisingly worked, all you ended up with is some burns on the palm of your hands and the back of your calves. And since everything was pissing you off today you also found out that the cult-like cloak you were wearing is fireproof.

Grim got more enraged the more the fight went on and finally had enough, “Eat that!” 

A great amount of flames appeared darted toward Ace, but Ace had other plans, “And I just change my trajectory with the wind like… that!” The wind sent the flames hurtling to the statue of the Queen of Hearts causing the statue to be engulfed into flames.

And your only thought was, ‘This school needs to offer a physics class even a basic math class if all these magicians are as bad at predicting as this one.’

The two children were panicking and running in circles with their stupid tails between their legs screaming at each other and blaming each other. You just wanted to get this over with because you knew that you would be in trouble even though you can’t control anyone or threaten anyone because you are magicless. Grim is also a wild cat, and cats never listen. 

Right as Ace tried to reason with Grim the headmaster showed up, but that only caused two to overreact in fear of him and run away from him and the problem both of them caused. 

Neither escaped of course because they both got whipped which made you think what were the laws regarding teachers and children because you know that whips mostly were not allowed at school and not to be used on children. 

Nevermind that because the lovely headmaster with his gorgeous top hap and magnificent cape started another lecture, “This is my Lash of Love! It'll be another hundred years before you can outrun me!I told you just yesterday to 'not cause any trouble', didn't I?Then you go and char the statues of the Great Seven!I very much would like to see you expelled.” 

You could not wait to be let out and with a blank voice you let out, “Honestly, please let me out. I’ll take the streets over this.” 

No one heard you or at least no one seemed to. 

“Assholes,'' you grit your teeth ready to bear with another problem the headmaster gave you. 

Ace did not agree with you and screeched out, “Wait! Not that!” He whined like the baby he is. 

The headmaster could only make your day worse by turning to you who by the way is still covered in burns and had a look of pure defeat on your face and address, “And you, this is not how you supervise Grim.”

You just exhaled and promised to yourself that while getting expelled and kicked out of this school sounded great, living on the streets did not (Even if it did for the tiniest second there), so you nodded and smiled as best as your strained face from anger could take. 

The headmaster thought that was enough and turned to Ace asking, “My goodness.. You, what's your grade and name?”

Ace actually replied, most likely in fear, “Ace Trappola, first year.”

The gracious headmaster was pleased, “Then, Trappola, Grim, and you as punishment, I order the three of you to wash 100 window around campus!” He bounced his head probably affirming to himself that he chose the proper punishment after he pointed at you. 

Grim did not agree, “Nyaaa!? It's all cause this joker was making fun of us!”

Ace also did not, “Eeeh!? Me too?”

You silently sympathized with the headmaster for having to deal with so many children because he could only respond undoubtedly, “Most definitely! After school, meet in the cafeteria. Understood?” 

The two children groaned in disapproval but went with it.

And Grim stated something that you couldn't agree more with,“Nothing but misery since yesterday!!”

Your only response to the entire situation was to fall onto the cement again and try not to cry because a bad bitch doesn’t. 

~~~~~

Hahaha...I can't with myself. I tried to make this short, but it's the longest one so far. Thank you so much for reading everything, and I hope you have a great day!

[hellyeahomeland]

“In Full Flight”: an HYH recap

The most delightful Homeland episode since “Two Minutes” picks up with Mike, Jenna (in a chambray shirt), and Alan in Kabul station, observing drone footage of Carrie, Yevgeny, and crew. Jenna deduces that they’re probably going to Kohat, and she is correct for the first time all season.

Mike asks about an exfiltration team from Islamabad but they won’t be there until later tonight. Saul interrupts their pow-wow to ask what’s going on:

Saul: What is this about grabbing Carrie Mathison? Mike: Oh, hello, sir. Let’s go into my office. Saul: Fuck your office and fuck you, too. What are y’all talking about? Mike: No problem, sir. A special ops team is planning to grab Carrie. You know, because she’s a defector. Saul: FOR FUCK’S SAKE SHE IS NOT A DEFECTOR. Actually she’d be right here telling you that herself if you hadn’t cornered her like an animal three hours ago without telling me. Mike: Actually actually she was supposed to be back in America like a week ago but then she broke custody and started her adventure with a GRU officer. Now they’re out there doing God knows what. Sir.  Saul: I’ll tell you what they’re doing. They’re finding the flight recorder. Mike: What’s a flight recorder? Saul: I can’t believe I’m still having this conversation with you. Do any of y’all have brains or critical thinking skills? Mike: By the way, sir, you’ve been called back to DC. Saul: Fuck my whole life. Fuck all of you too.

Carrie and Yevgeny are very much on their way to Kohat. It’s been just a few hours since Carrie turned her back on Saul and her loaded expression as she stares out the window is very much “questioning all my past life decisions.” That could take a while, Carrie!

Carrie and Yevgeny arrive in Kohat and begin driving under a series of … I have no idea what they are, basically overhangs in the street so you can’t tell where their car is. It’s very “From A to B and Back Again” when Quinn lost Haqqani in the classic baseball stadium game “Which hat is the ball under?” trick. The team in Kabul is annoyed and prepares for a grid search.

Carrie & Co. are checking into a hotel for the night. Yevgeny makes a very obvious performance of leading Carrie to her room and what ensues is the most sexually tense scene on this show… ever. First he offers her some Ambien and Carrie cracks a joke for the first time in eight years and says she could open up a pharmacy of her own.

She apologizes for not telling him about the flight recorder sooner. At first it was all personal, she needed to find Max, she couldn’t focus on anything else. Yevgeny asks what she thinks actually happened to the presidents’ helicopter, since she certainly doesn’t believe Jalal was involved. She thinks it was probably just a freak accident: pilot error, mechanical failures, shitty weather, any or all of the above. Then she reveals that detail from the fifth episode, that the Black Hawk fleet has had a series of mechanical issues. Oh, I should add that this conversation all takes place in the doorway of Carrie’s hotel room and every fifteen seconds or so Carrie and/or Yevgeny glance back toward the bed. You can cut the sexual tension with a knife.

Yevgeny asks if there are any more secrets she’s been keeping from him. She smiles, pauses… it’s the most interesting moment. Then she says very quietly, “I think I’m fresh out of secrets.” They stare at each other for a long time, Yevgeny probably wondering if Carrie is going to invite him in and Carrie probably wondering if Yevgeny can take a fucking hint. Finally, I exhale, and Yevgeny says to just “bang on the wall” if Carrie needs anything, which at least elicits a laugh.

Elsewhere in Pakistan, a Pakistani military officer named Aziz has come to see Bunny to ask just where the fuck Tasneem is. Aziz is pissed because Tasneem was supposed to control the Taliban—first Haissam, then Jalal—and her “incompetence” has led to the Americans threatening to invade. Bunny is the opposite of worried. The Americans are all talk, no bite. They won’t actually invade Pakistan for failing to produce a man they claim they can’t find. I guess he hasn’t met John Zabel. Anyway, he says Tasneem is off to find Jalal somewhere in the mountains.

Instead, she actually meets (Haissam) Haqqani’s right-hand. She is beyond pissed that he just let Jalal control the shura last week. This is all so fucked. He doesn’t have much of a response, beyond, “well, he was the emir’s son, so I guess so?” He offers to take Tasneem to Jalal but only if she puts a hood over her head and lemme tell ya, Tasneem is none too pleased about that either!

It’s the next morning in Kohat and Carrie and Yevgeny really are going shopping, just like the logline said. They’re winding their way through the bazaars on the street but still no luck finding this flight recorder. Enter A Kid. He’s all “pardon me, excuse me,” and Yevgeny puts on his best Dad Hat and tells him to get lost. It’s very touching. Then he says he knows what they’re looking for, which is enough to get their attention.

He takes them to a shop where Mr. Shop Owner #1 is like, “Hi, do you like flight recorders? Because I’ve got lots!” Unfortunately he doesn’t have the one they’re looking for and he also seems pretty skittish because a) what the hell are a Russian and an American doing together? and b) is this official government business or something private or, like… just generally what the hell?

Saul has arrived back to DC and meets Hayes in the Oval Office with our favorite Odd Couple, Linus and Zabel (this should really be the name of a sitcom). Saul passively aggressively says he knows of Zabel “by reputation.” Aside from that jab, the meeting unfortunately goes from meh to ugh to wtf for Saul. He has to play bad cop and tell Hayes that the video of Jalal is unvetted intelligence, completely lacking in context, and probably just a straight-up lie. Hayes has the expression of someone who’s never followed Thought A to Thought B—which is true, obviously—and Zabel has to jump in to say of course POTUS has already done the Thought A to Thought B exercise, he just arrived at a different conclusion. You know, mine! The best part of all THIS is that as Saul grows increasingly incredulous at the conversation, Linus sits there, silently, looking like he’d like to be swallowed up by an alligator. Afterward:

Saul: Wow a bit of warning would have been helpful. Or maybe just an assist there, Linus. Linus: I didn’t even know you were coming back. I’m outside the ~information flow~ Saul: God, we’re so fucked. Linus: I wish I’d get swallowed by an alligator.

Back in Kohat, Carrie has entered another shop, this time sans Yevgeny. This one proves a bit more fruitful. She actually finds Max’s rucksack, which means that flight recorder had to have been here recently. Mr. Shop Owner #2 feigns ignorance, but Carrie is relentless.

Yevgeny enters all of a sudden to let her know that that special ops team from Islamabad is here, so they need to get out of there, pronto. He leaves quickly to lose the tail and instructs her to go back to the hotel and wait. His absence gives her the perfect opportunity to keep grilling Mr. Shop Owner #2, whom I actually love and seems really sweet. Poor guy is just no match for Carrie. He finally reveals the flight recorder was there but he sold it to a broker he works with. Carrie offers him a lot of money to find the broker and get the flight recorder back there for a trade at midnight.

Tasneem gets the black hood off her head in exchange for an audience with Jalal, but homie remains pissed. Jalal is sort of confused at her reaction. A few episodes ago she was plotting to put Jalal in the place he’s currently in. What changed? Well, for starters, now the Americans are threatening to invade Pakistan. She says he’s got to go to ground, but he refuses to run.

Jalal: Who do you think I am? Tasneem: You’re the loser whom I picked up on the side of the road. I bandaged your feet and listened to you crying about your daddy issues for hours. Jalal: You think that you control us. Actually it’s the other way around.

He leads her up to a rooftop where hundreds of Taliban fighters have gathered. He says the last time the ISI got in the way, they killed a thousand of their officers on the street. And now they’re twice as strong, so you do the math. Tasneem has a general “oh fuck” expression on her face and… same.

In Kohat, Yevgeny finally shows back up in Carrie’s hotel room. He reveals that eight men are hunting her and they need to leave, now. She says they can’t, as they haven’t found the flight recorder yet. Of course we know Carrie has found it—and in hindsight, at this point Yevgeny probably does as well—but she needs to stick around a few more hours to make the trade. For a split second you think maybe Carrie is going to preoccupy Yevgeny for a few hours in her bedroom but instead she calls Jenna.

Carrie: Hey, how’s it going? Jenna: OH MY GOD I STILL HATE YOU. Carrie: Chill for a second. Also I know you’re walking toward Mike and do yourself a favor and pause and just listen to me. Jenna: Ugh, fine, I’m listening. Carrie: I need you to give up the location of the exfil team that’s looking for me. Jenna: Are you high? Carrie: I am not, but you are if you think this will end up any other way than me convincing you. Jenna: You’re putting me in an impossible position. Carrie: You must do this. I compel you. Jenna: If I give up their location, you’ll turn yourself in there? Carrie: “Sure.” Jenna: Ok I’ll call you back.

This entire conversation transpires with Yevgeny sitting on the sofa in Carrie’s hotel room, legs crossed. It’s… I’ll be honest, it’s hot. When Carrie hangs up he applauds her performance and says she was clever and convincing. That’s right, Carrie played Jenna… again. Again! Again again again!

Carrie is kinda down on selling out her own people but Yevgeny says she did it for all the right reasons and in any case, the local police will only hold them for a day (uhhhh yeah right). He starts to compliment her strong instincts. He really respects her for that.

“Why, how do you do it?” Carrie asks.

“Me? I am more of a planner,” Yevgeny answers.

The alarm bells start ringing in her head and Carrie asks him all speaking of which whether he arranged for them to “run into each other” outside G’ulom’s office way back in the season premiere (show time: 10 days???). Before he can answer, Jenna rings back and tells Carrie the safe house location. Carrie says “you did the right thing” and the amount of self-disgust in her expression for this just being too fucking easy is … significant.

A few minutes later, Mike is on the phone with one of the special ops team members in the Kohat safe house. Local police have surrounded the building. Exasperated, Mike tells them to stand down. One by one, they file out and are led into custody. Jenna watches in horror and the amount of self-disgust in her expression for this just being her life is… also significant.

In Rawalpindi, Tasneem is at Bunny’s house and freaking out. Jalal has consolidated power extremely quickly. She’s concerned, but Bunny says they just need to take him out, root and branch. Bunny is offended by the prospect of being ordered around by a smarmy teenager but Tasneem thinks they need to protect him. If Pakistan protects Jalal, they’ll protect themselves too. And they need to respond to the Americans not with concessions but with threats just as strong. Remember when they were three minutes away from a generation-defining peace agreement?

Back in her hotel room, Carrie is growing restless. She decides to get some fresh air and by that I mean she jumps out the window to get the show on the fucking road. On the way she calls Saul, to whom she is apparently still speaking. She asks if their protocols for transferring money over the dark web are still a go and he says yes. She says she’s got a lead on the black box and he promises to arrange the funds ASAP.  

Carrie winds up back at Mr. Shop Owner #2’s shop. Mr. Shop Owner #1 is there, too! Plus the broker. They do a little thing, Carrie says she won’t pay any more than $999,999, she is very In Charge and it’s pretty great to see. Not that we needed any more convincing, but the kind of instincts and improvisation Yevgeny admired just a few hours earlier are on full display here. She knows exactly what to say, when to say it, and how to say it. It’s breathtaking.

What’s also breathtaking is Carrie doing something correctly with a computer. Apparently the black box just hooks up to her Macbook with a USB-C cord… whoulda thunk?! After pulling a gun on Mr. Broker and telling him to beat it, she starts listening to the cockpit recording.

Then Yevgeny arrives! She starts to apologize but he stops her—he just wants to listen. They each share an earbud like goddamn Jim and Pam and continue listening. Turns out, Carrie was right. No one shot down that helicopter. A freak mechanical malfunction, “brace for impact,” etc. “Fucking helicopters,” Yevgeny says.

Carrie attempts a segue and says, “So… what now?” She wants to get this to the embassy in Islamabad. He wants to do the opposite of that. Then Carrie starts on him. Maybe he’s not such a bad guy after all. Maybe he’s actually… good.

Carrie: Plus, I’d owe you a favor. Yevgeny: Carrie, if I drop you off at the embassy I’ll literally never see you again. Carrie: Not true. I won’t betray my country, but I’d still move to Scottsdale with you. Yevgeny: I still don’t believe you. Carrie: Why not? You’ve already helped me a ton, and it’s cost you nothing! There has to be a way where we can make a “mutually beneficial arrangement.” Yevgeny: Is that what they’re calling it these days? Carrie: What? Yevgeny: What? Carrie: …anyhow, aren’t you sick of all this bullshit? Shitty bosses, shitty politicians, clearly the current way of business isn’t working for us. We could do better. You and me. We could chart something new here. You and me. God, we’re already halfway there! Yevgeny: Our own private network, huh? That would be nice, but it’s a pipe dream. Also, I like what you’re saying, but you still lied to me. Carrie: Technically, I just withheld the truth. Which is exactly what you did to me. Yevgeny: Heh? Carrie: The asylum, Yevgeny. What actually happened? We just took long walks in the woods and shared our life stories and you just happened to be the there the day I tried to hang myself? Give me a fucking break.

She moves closer and mentions the whole “picking up where we left off” thing. Well, will he or won’t he? Because she’s already decided.

There is a long pause and then they start making out. It’s exactly what you’d expect it would be, by which I mean it’s really hot! The scene is fraught with the unknown. How much are they playing each other? How much are they being genuine? Like Carrie says, they’re living in the grey areas. And who’s the first to blink?

Evidently it’s Carrie. After a few moments she breaks away and says they need to wait until after Islamabad. “Ok,” he says quietly. She tries to kiss him again, but he pulls ever so slightly away.

She hops off the table and begins to pack up the flight recorder. At that moment, he stabs her in the neck from behind with a tranquilizer. “Sorry, baby,” he says as she falls unconscious.

In DC, Saul is waiting anxiously by the phone. It rings. It’s not Carrie, but Linus. Everyone’s in the situation room, there’s some sort of activity in one of Pakistan’s nuclear facilities. Saul’s day goes from bad to worse.

In the situation room, resident hottie Scott Ryan is giving a PowerPoint presentation about said activity. Hayes is trying to understand literally anything that’s happening. Zabel explains that Pakistan only has the nukes in the first place to defend against a possible invasion from India. They’ll never actually use them. Saul growls that that’s because India isn’t fucking stupid enough to invade Pakistan. Hayes is beginning to understand the whole concept of “consequences” but before his mind can dwell on that for too long, he decides to just up the ante. More troops, more preparations for war, more of the same.

Saul’s day is not possibly as bad as Carrie’s has wound up. Yevgeny carries her, still unconscious, back into the hotel room. He places her gingerly on the bed and then kisses her forehead. He shuts off the lights as the camera moves in slowly on her her peacefully sleeping face.

[mollyshaj]

15.

Mariah

“So who is this guy?” Tiffany asked. I had my phone sitting up on my vanity so I could speak to her through face time while I did my makeup.

“His name is Tristan. I told you about him before. If you weren’t with your grandmother you would’ve been coming with me.”

Today I was headed to Tristan’s house for his little barbecue or whatever. He told me I could bring my daughter and I planned to but that changed. This cookout fell on the same weekend my mother planned a trip to DR with Tiffany and my aunt and her daughter who’s a year older than mine.

“I thought you didn’t like him anymore.”

“Well I’m seeing where this could go. What are y’all doing though?”

“I’m waiting for Déjà to get ready so we can go to the beach.”

“Okay that’s good. Well, have fun and keep your attitude in check. You hear me?”

“Yes, love you mama.”

“Love you too,” we blew a kiss to each other before ending the call.

Finishing my makeup I put my clothes on before going to the closet for my shoes. Just as I got done putting them on, my phone rang. Going back in the room I picked it up and answered since it was Nicole calling me.

“We’re outside, bring your ass.” She said as soon as I picked up, I didn’t even get the chance to say hello.

“Alright damn, I’m about to come out now.” Ending the call I grabbed my purse and keys before turning off my room light and leaving out.

After locking up my house I went outside to see Nicole in the driver side of what looked like a drop top Mercedes Benz. I know she’s making money but she isn’t dropping bags on something like this so I want the tea on this shit.

“What’s good hookers,” I greeted them.

“Hey bitch,” Ebony said back.

“Why does your man have to live all the way out in west bubba fuck?” Nicole probed as she pulled off down the street.

“Fuck all that, where did this car come from?”

“Oh this is Rashad’s, I was at his house last night and since I was picking you whores up he said I could take one of his cars. This is the one I chose, I’m cute as fuck in this bitch huh?” Nicole said with a big smile on her face.

“Yeah cute and fast, slow your ass down. At least get on the high way before you start that fast shit.” I buckled my seat belt quickly. Nobody was in the mood to die because of this bitch. “One of his cars though? How many does the nigga have?”

“Three,” she shrugged her shoulders. “Now answer my question, why does this nigga live so damn far?”

“Bitch it’s 30 minutes so stop,” I laughed, she was stretching it. Tristan lives in Tenafly and it’s only 35 minutes away from Jersey City, of course her dramatic ass wants to act like she’s traveling across country.

“That’s far enough.”

“You’re complaining about 30 minutes but have no problem bouncing from here to New York all the time?” Ebony asked.

“That’s different, fuck it though. Have you been to his house before Mariah?”

“No, he told me he followed Rashad’s lead on getting his house built though, talking about he doesn’t want his house to look like anybody else’s.”

“He seems like the type of nigga to say some shit like that. So what’s the deal? You were all gong ho about us fucking with these niggas; what’s up with you?” Nicole glanced at me through the rear view mirror then turned her eyes back to the road.

“Nothing, we’re cool and we went out a few times but it’s nothing serious at the moment. I need to see that he’s dead serious before I jump into anything.” I answered.

“I feel you on that, but it’s obvious something is going on. Look at you, all extra cute and shit.”

“Oh please this is me all day everyday just like what you’re rocking is you. Eb,” I leaned up to get a good look at her outfit. “Okay bitch got them chocolate legs out, you about to remind that nigga why he calls you Hersh?” I smirked at her.

“Fuck outta here,” Ebony laughed. “I’m not even thinking about Kaylin like that. I have my first photo shoot in day after tomorrow,”

“For real?”

“Yes and I’m excited as hell and y’all know I’m all moved into the house so I’m not worried about men all.”

“Where did you move to again?” Ebony moved out of Jersey City a few weeks ago and I have yet to see her new place but I’ve heard nice things about it. I’m glad she got her son up out of Jersey City because lord knows the niggas over there are acting nuttier than usual.

“Chatham, I found a nice three bedroom 2 bathroom house. It’s in my budget, right around the corner from the school, it’s a nice neighborhood, and it’s perfect for me and Jayden.”

“Girl how the fuck are you swinging rent in that expensive ass city? How much do you have stashed away?”

“Enough nigga, and my dad is helping me out a little bit but that’s not the point.”

“About time you let Black help you out. Only bitch I know that has a daddy with some loot and doesn’t act like it.”

“His money has nothing to do with me, besides he’s not rich he’s just not broke either.”

“Girl bye,” I waved her off.

She can dumb down her father’s money all she wants to but Black is a big deal out here in these streets and everybody knows his ass is far from broke. He puts up a good front, raising all of his kids in Jersey City and not in the area where the rich people reside; he was in the hood with us.

One good thing he did was raise his children to be humble and get their own shit. Ebony has always worked for everything she has so she doesn’t like taking anything from him; Jas is the same way to a certain extent. She’s independent but the girl isn’t stupid, that’s why she’s living nice as hell over there in Madison.

“I’m just saying, it doesn’t matter when are you bringing your ass by anyway?”

“When I have time, I’m working my ass off and I just filed for custody of Tiffany so that’s about to have a lot of my focus.”

“You did it? That’s what’s up, the first thing we need to do when you get full custody is have a girls night in type of thing. Get in her head a little bit especially since she’s going to be with you full time. The girl is going to need all the talking she can get,” Nicole joked.

“Fuck you,” I laughed her off.

We drove another twenty minutes before we finally pulled up to Tristan’s house. I was actually impressed by the look of his home. I halfway expected him to have a bachelor pad like Rashad has; from what Nicole says you can look at his house and tell he was a single man and had no plans on changing that. Tristan actually has a nice family home, I guess him having a son is the reason he bought a house like this.

“Okay this is cute,” Nicole said as we got out of the car. “Oop your boo is here Eb.” She pointed to Kaylin’s car.

“He’s not my boo, he’s the homie it’s a difference. Now how are we going in here?”

“Let’s go straight to the back,” I suggested. We went straight to the back using the little walk way that led to the backyard.  “I smell food, that’s what the fuck I’m talking about. I hate when people keep you waiting mad long for the food.”

“Greedy as hell,” Ebony shook her head at me while she laughed.

“It’s quite a few people here, I didn’t expect this.” Nicole said while looking around the backyard. It was a lot of people here, most of them I don’t know at all. The only people I recognized was, Kay, Rashad, Kai along with her boyfriend; Trey and Jas, everybody else were pretty much strangers as far as I’m concerned. “Oh hell I spot a baby mama,” she pointed towards the back door that had just opened. I thought Tristan’s bitch of a BM was about to come out but it was that bird Brandi instead.

I looked at Ebony who was obviously irritated by the fact that she was here; I could see it on her face easily.

“Damn, I didn’t know pregnant bitches dressed like that.” I shook my head laughing at the overly tight short set she was wearing. Ole girl wasn’t leaving anything to the imagination which usually wouldn’t be an issue but doesn’t she have a baby in her stomach? And why is she damn near ass out in front of her baby father’s friends? That’s fuckin’ weird if you ask me.

“Let her be a thot in a box if she wants to, that’s their baby being carried around like that.” Ebony shrugged.

“Shouldn’t she be showing by now?” I asked under my breath. I don’t think they heard me because nobody bothered to answer but it didn’t matter. It’s been a few months since Ebony and Kaylin met and if what he says is true then he wasn’t fucking her once they started talking. How is it that she’s pregnant by Kaylin and but not showing. Shorty doesn’t look any different from the last I saw her, stomach isn’t poking at all. Once again, some weird shit.

“Fuck her, where’s Tristan? I wanna say hi thank him for the invite then eat.”

“Over there with his friends and shit.” Nicole pointed out. We walked over and said hey to everybody. Nicole and Ebony went to get their food right after greeting the group. I was about to go but Tristan grabbed my waist sitting me on his lap.

“Tristan I’m hungry and you making me sit here really isn’t helping me.” I faced him smiling.

“You know you like this seat so don’t even front.” He said back.

“Whatever, what do you want out of my life?”

“Can you make my plate?”

“The fuck? Nigga you haven’t eaten yet?”

“I did but I’m trying to eat again. I mean, it aint really for food but I’ll take whatever you give me.” He licked over his lips and I swear to God my ovaries jumped.

“Let me up Tristan,” I laughed some trying to hide the fact that he had me feeling some type of way.

Chuckling he moved his arms so I stood up. As soon as my feet were on the ground good this nigga took it upon his self to slap my ass so hard I could feel a welt starting to rise.

“Muthafuck!” I shouted before hitting him upside the head. “That shit hurt nigga; you’re heavy handed as shit.”

“I just needed to see if you had some cushion back there for real, you’re on the small side.”

“No nigga I’m on the natural side; you’re used to those fake ass inflated bitches.” I countered back.

“Yeah aight, make my plate for me though please?”

“What does your fat ass want?”

“Give me whatever you get, I already know your greedy ass is about to go in.”

“You damn right,” I walked over by the food table and fixed two plates. When I got back to the table I gave Tristan his then sat next to the empty seat by Nicole. “Where did Ebony go?”

“She went to get something to drink; she forgot to grab it when we got our food.” Nicole answered.

“Looks like she made a new friend.” Kai motioned towards the food table where Ebony was smiling and laughing with some nigga. I don’t know who he was but he was fine as shit.

“That’s my cousin True,” Tristan said with a mouth full of food.

I glanced over at Kaylin and his jaw was clenched tight. I almost wanted to laugh at his ass but I wasn’t going to do that with his BM sitting right next to her. I don’t give a shit about her feelings I just don’t want her poppin her mouth off, I’ll feel bad for fucking up a pregnant woman.

“Well I hope he’s not an ass and actually has some sense. She needs s smile on her face these days,” I said before glancing Kaylin’s way again. He was so sick over just seeing Ebony talk to another man and I’m loving it. That’s what his ass gets; I hope she bags that nigga.

***

“This is a really nice house. You’re doing well for yourself.” I said to Tristan while we sat by his pool while things dialed down. The sun had gone down hours ago and a lot of his guest had already left. Some of our friends were still hanging around but most of his family was gone.

“Thanks ma, I appreciate it.” He kissed my forehead before resting his head on my shoulder.

“You’re welcome.”

“So what’s up with the lawyer? He’s helping you?”

“Yeah he filed the papers for me and everything so the ball is rolling. Thank you for hooking me up with him.”

“You’re welcome,” He nodded. “Spend the night with me.”

“What?”

‘Spend the night with me; I know your ass heard me the first time.”

“I did but I wanted to make sure I wasn’t hearing wrong. You want me to spend the night?”

“Hell yeah, and not even to fuck but I’m trying to chill with you. Besides it’s late as shit and I know Nic is going with Rashad.”

“Then how would Ebony get home?”

“Her sister here,” He shrugged and I laughed.

“No she left like twenty minutes ago.”

‘Oh, well shit she’ll get home I’ll make sure of it. You just need to stay here with me.”

“Let me think about it and see what they do first.”

“Aight, I’ll give you that.”

We sat there in silence for a few minutes; not uncomfortable at all, just chillin’. Just as I was about to speak, shouting from the other side of the backyard interrupted me. We both looked over to see Ebony arguing with Brandi while True and Kaylin stood in the middle trying to defuse both girls.

“What the fuck?” I got up with Tristan right behind me and we walked over to them.

“Get your girl before I punch that bitch in the face,” Ebony spat while putting her braids up in a ponytail.

“You aint punching shit in the face, bitch fuck you,” Brandi shouted back.

“What the fuck happened?” I asked Ebony while grabbing her arm. I could see the anger all over her face, she’s ready to kill this bitch.

“Her muthafuckin’ mouth is the problem. I’ve been ignoring this bitch the whole time I’ve been here but she can’t be grown and leave the shit alone. That bitch wants to talk about my son like I can’t slit her muthafuckin’ throat!”

“Why you bringing up people kids and shit?” Tristan asked Brandi, looking at her like she was stupid.

“Tristan shut the fuck up and worry about your own problems. Fuck that bitch and her faggot ass son,” Everything went silent as soon as she said that shit. At that point I wasn’t even going to bother holding Ebony back, this bitch deserved whatever comes to her. Fuck it.

“Aww shit,” Tristan mumbled under his breath.

Ebony found the strength of all her ancestors and pushed past True and Kaylin’s big ass, crashing her fist into Brandi’s face. When I tell you she started rag tagging this bitch, it was almost like she was fighting a blowup doll because she wasn’t doing anything to defend herself.  She cried, yelled for help all the while getting her body berated with punches and kicks from Ebony who still had heels on mind you.

“Oh shit, shit! She’s beating her ass yo!” Tristan howled with laughter.

“Nigga shut the fuck up!” Kay snapped at him as he went and tried to separate them but Ebony wasn’t letting go of that girl for shit. “Yo help me, she pregnant you fuckin’ dummies!” Kay shouted and Rashad and Tristan instantly tried to help.

I think they forgot the bitch was pregnant, I surely did. She wasn’t acting like she was pregnant she was just up trying to fight a minute ago. Plus, I think I saw that bitch smoking a blunt out front all making me remember what I was thinking about earlier. Her hoe ass probably isn’t even pregnant and Kaylin’s stupid ass doesn’t even realize it. They could break up the fight if they want to but I wasn’t getting in the middle of it, fuck that bitch.

After what felt like minutes Rashad finally got Ebony off of her. He was trying to get her in the house but that girl wasn’t haven’t. Nicole hopped up and helped Rashad damn near drag Ebony inside.

Kaylin was getting a now crying, screaming, and bleeding Brandi up off the floor.

“Talking all that shit and couldn’t even get a punch in,” Tristan shook his head in disappointment.

“Shut up,” I laughed at him.

“I’m just saying; man you taking her to the hospital?” He asked Kaylin.

“Yeah,” Kay grabbed her stuff then walked towards the front pulling her along.

“Damn, shorty went in. I think I found my future wife,” True said with a smile on his face.

“Nah nigga leave that alone,” Tristan told him.                                  

“Why does he have to leave it alone?” I asked; Tristan wasn’t about to try and cock block my friend for his, hell no.

“Mariah don’t try and be on no messy shit, why doesn’t matter right now he just needs to listen to what I say.” Tristan gave me a look that basically told me to drop the subject then did the same to True.

“Hey,” Nicole came outside, “We’re about to go.”

“You’re leaving?”

“Yeah, I’m going with Rashad and Ebony is taking the truck so if you want a ride you better come on.”

“Well I-“

“She’s good,” Tristan cut me off. I cut my eyes at him; he could be so damn annoying sometimes.

“Anyway, do you think she’s good to drive home?” I asked Nicole. Ebony was pissed the fuck off I don’t want her getting in an accident.

“Yeah she’s fine now; she just wants to go home. Her mother is over there with Jayden, I know she’s about to have a fit when she’s hears about this shit.” She chuckled.

“She sure is but Ebony whooped her ass so she’s good. You be sage and call me tomorrow.”

“I got you,” we hugged then walked in the house so I could talk to Ebony before she left.

“You good Ali?” I smirked; my girl was out here whoopin’ some ass. I know she doesn’t like fighting but its damn sure entertaining.

“I’m good,” she shrugged her shoulders.

“Are you sure?”

“Mariah, I’m good. Fuck that bitch, I did what I had to do I’m done with it. That was bound to happen at some point. It is what it is,”

“I’m good you feel that way. True likes you, but Tristan is trying to cock block for his boy.” I rolled my eyes, she laughed.

“I’m not worried about it, True is cool but he isn’t for me.”

“Why not? He’s fine as shit,”

“Yeah and he also has three kids by two different women with another one on the way. I’m good on that; I told him he could be the homie and its being done at that.”

“Damn, fuck is with these dudes?”

“I don’t know but I’m not even worried about niggas least of all True so tell Tristan his boy has nothing to worry about.”

“He doesn’t? So you intend on making that work is what you’re saying?”

“No what I’m saying is I’m not about to fuck with somebody that Kaylin knows. True is too close too home and it’s not out of respect for him, it’s out of respect for myself. I’m good on that drama.”

“So what if it’s a nigga that doesn’t know Kaylin?”

“Then maybe we can talk but I’m not even worried about dudes. I got enough going on with this crazy ass baby father of mine.”

“You’ve heard from that nigga?”

“He’s been calling me and I’m trying to figure out who the fuck gave him my number. I blocked him but he calls from different numbers, ole stalking ass nigga.”

“You need to get a restraining order on his crazy ass.”

“I’ve been thinking about that but he hasn’t been threatening me, it’s not illegal to call somebody.”

“True but he did used to put his hands on you so he is a threat. I just think you should look into it.”

She nodded, “Alright, I will. I’m about to go home though, I’m tired. I’m about to go lay down and take it down.”

“Cool, call me tomorrow.” We hugged then she walked out the front door.

Going in the backyard I sat down while Tristan cleared out the rest of his guest. By the time he was done I was yawning and dozing off in the damn chair.

“Come on,” he grabbed my hand pulling up then lifted me off my feet. “Put your legs around me,”

“We’re not having sex Tristan.”

“I’m not trying to fuck your rock head ass, just put your damn legs around me.”

I wrapped my legs around his waist and he carried me in the house. “You don’t have to curse at me, rudeness.”

“You don’t have to say stupid shit either,” he chuckled. “Assuming I’m trying to fuck you,”

“You’re not?”

“Nah, I’m cool on that, you aint even ready for it. I just want you to lay down with me.”

“We can do that,”

Kaylin

“Are you really about to keep ignoring me?” Brandi sat on the couch with her arms folded and a frown on her face.

I haven’t spoken to her since we left the hospital and that was only to tell her she wasn’t mentioning Ebony’s name to the doctors or the police. Thankfully she was fine internally, externally she was fucked up. Her lip was busted, she had a scratch along the side of her face from one of Ebony’s rings and it looked like some of her hair was missing from her damn scalp.  She wanted to cry and act as if I was supposed to feel bad for her but I didn’t. I don’t know what possessed her to talk about Ebony’s child but I bet she was wishing she never said that shit.

“What the fuck do you want me to say to you Brandi? It’s almost seven in the fuckin’ morning, we just got here I don’t feel like dealing with this shit.”

“I’m trying to figure out why you’re mad at me. I didn’t hit that bitch, she hit me and I’m pregnant so not only did she harm me she tried to kill your fuckin’ child.”

“Man, get the fuck outta here with that. You were picking at her from the time she sat down up until she fucked you up.”

As soon as Ebony took a seat Brandi started her bullshit. She was making slick ass comments the whole time we were over there. Ebony ignored her until Brandi got on the phone with somebody, I don’t know who exactly, saying some dumb shit about parents leaving their kids to go hoe around.

I guess Ebony felt it was directed towards her and asked who she was talking about and it popped off from there. I was stuck trying to figure out how the fuck she knows Ebony has a child. Jayden was with us at Kai’s house but he was outside with the rest of the kids when they got into it.

“You must still be fucking her ass, how are you defending that crazy bitch? She put her hands on me!”

“What the fuck did you think was going to happen when you said what you said? You thought she was about to let that shit slide and not punch you in your shit? You’re not that fuckin’ delusional Brandi, you can’t be.”

“Fuck you Kaylin; all you wanna do is kiss her ass like I’m not the mother of your child.”

“I’m not kissing her ass, it could’ve been anybody and I would feel the same way I do now. You pushed the wrong buttons and got your ass beat for it.” I shrugged my shoulders. I don’t know what the fuck she expected me to say about this situation.

I was about to take my ass upstairs to get some sleep when the doorbell ringing stopped me in my tracks. I went over to the door and opened it revealing Kai standing there.

“What are you doing here this early?”

“You called ma last night and she called me telling me to come over here. What the hell is going on? It’s early as shit, all I heard was hospital and beat up. You got your ass beat?”

“You know better than that,”

“Well what the fuck happened?” I stepped outside closing the door behind me because knowing Kai, as soon as I explained what happened she was going to say something to Brandi and I don’t need that right now.

“She and Ebony got into it; I know you saw her starting with her that whole time.”

“Yeah I did, she finally got punched in her shit?”

“Basically, she said some bullshit about Ebony’s son and she beat the hell out of Brandi.”

“She did? Yes, that’s what the fuck I’m talking about.” Kai laughed.

“You fucked up for that,”

“No I’m not, as long as the baby is cool I don’t give a fuck. The baby is cool right?”

“Yeah she said the doctor told her she was fine.”

“She said? You weren’t there when the doctor said it?”

“Nah, I went to the bathroom.”

“So the doctor didn’t say anything to you about that shit?”

“No, the fuck was he supposed to? It doesn’t matter.”

“Doesn’t matter my ass; every time I ask you about that baby you always saying what she said the doctor told her. Why is your ass never around when she’s getting told all this shit?”

“Kai you’re making a big deal out of nothing.”

“No I’m not, that’s some weird shit. Why haven’t you gone to any appointments? It’s apparent you haven’t you never know shit.”

“Every time I ask about it she either already went or I forget about it.”

“So she never asks you to go?”

“No.” I shrugged again.

“Kaylin, this bitch brings that unborn baby up every chance she gets but she doesn’t bother asking you to go to her appointments with her? That doesn’t seem weird to you?”

“No because it doesn’t matter to me. I wasn’t going to the doctor and shit like that when she was pregnant with Angelic either.”

“Yeah but she asked you to it wasn’t her avoiding it. You need to watch that bitch, she probably aint even pregnant.”

“I saw her take the test Kai.”

“Nigga it’s 2012 you think it’s not possible to find a fake ass pregnancy test?”

“So you think she’s faking or something? Kai, she isn’t faking.” I shook my head. Brandi isn’t the smartest person on earth but the bitch can’t be so stupid. I’ve seen ultrasound pictures; they had her name on it. I watched her pee on the stick and the shit came out positive.

“All I’m saying is you need to watch that bitch. Everybody can see it’s something up with that girl besides you.” She shook her head. “You need to open your eyes and stop underestimating her feelings. Jealousy makes people do crazy things, on top of the fact that she’s already a broken person.”

Nodding my head I took in my sister’s words. Kai can be a little snappy at times but she has a good heart and regardless how much she clowns I’m her little brother. Her crazy ass will kill for me then slap my ass for making her do it.

“I hear you,”

“Good now besides that everything is good?”

“Yeah, tell ma not to worry about anything.”

“Alright, let me take my ass home. I’m going to McDonald’s, where is the closest one?”

“I have no clue, I don’t even think it’s one over this way.”

“Y’all suck.”

“You greedy,”

“Nigga I’m pregnant I have an excuse so shut up. I’m out, call me later, love you big head.” She walked down to her car.

“Love you too, be careful.”

“Always,” I watched Kai climb in her car then pull off down the street. Once I saw her turn the corner I went back in the house.

The events of last night and my sister’s words started replaying in my head. Brandi’s was always bringing up her pregnancy but her actions never reflected that shit. She was still running around with her flunky ass friends with our daughter right behind her.

From what I could see she wasn’t gaining any weight, but that doesn’t necessarily have to mean anything. Plus last night she was jumping up ready to fight not caring that she was carrying a child until after she got her ass whooped.

The more I thought about the more pissed off I became. My relationship with Ebony stopped before it even really got started because Brandi is pregnant. If she’s lying to me and fucked my shit up with Eb, I just might have to kill that bitch.

[dpanuncialwriter]

'No mistakes in art' | Racine tattoo artist, shop owner setting an example for youths to be themselves

June 1, 2021 for the Journal Times

When Dee Hutch was 12, the coolest place to hang out wasn’t at the basketball court with his cousins. It was always at different tattoo shops, in tow with his dad, Darren Hutcherson, a tattoo artist.

“I was the young kid, sweeping, looking at magazines,” Hutch said.

Now, Hutch is a tattoo artist himself at Black Hand Tattoo Gallery, 406 Main St., which is owned by Hutcherson and has been open for more than eight years. “The first and only Black-owned tattoo shop in Racine,” Hutch said.

Hutch also co-owns Root City just a few steps away, an apparel shop that sells original, Racine-themed clothing — including T-shirts with Kris P. Kringle, a character Hutch created of the area’s famous pastry — and vintage pieces, like Air Jordans or Green Bay Packers jackets of years past.

But before Hutch, now 31, was behind all this, he was drawing on his grandparents’ wall at 4 years old.

Ink and needle

Hutch’s grandparents were actually the ones who encouraged him to first pursue art at a young age; they bought him art supplies.

From there, Hutch sucked up all the art influences around him like a sponge. He loved (and still loves) anime, video games, movies, skateboards and, of course, tattoos, which all shaped his current urban, hip-hop and alternative-inspired art style.

As a teen, Hutch redesigned movie posters, airbrushed t-shirts and made flyers for businesses and events. He got in trouble for drawing demons and skulls on his folders at school.

“That’s what I was seeing at the time,” Hutch said of his time spent at the tattoo shops. “It was all barbed wire and Grim Reapers and stuff.”

It seemed as if the natural progression would be to take up tattooing as a career, but Hutch didn’t initially walk down that path.

Hutch graduated from Park High School. Then he dropped out of the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. He ended up working different jobs around the city to make money for his kids, Nyla and Noah. As he worked and raised his family, Hutch still tried to keep tattooing.

In 2011, Hutch decided to tattoo full time. Though his father wanted him to follow a more practical career, Hutch couldn’t deny his passion for the ink and needle. His parents, however, got him his “first tattoo machine, and my first tattoo supply — like a legitimate one,” he said.

These days, Hutch is often booked at Black Hand, where customers — some new, and some longtime friends — often go to him to paint permanent portraits of loved ones on their skin.

Amber Antongiorgi has been booking Hutch for tattoos for the last nine years, she said; he’s done her daughter’s portrait and most recently, her grandmother’s portrait.

The tattoo was especially personal to Hutch because, out of coincidence, he had met Antongiorgi’s grandmother a few years ago when he visited her assisted living facility on a tour with Origins of Hip Hop, a local group dedicated to sharing hip-hop culture.

“It’s such an intimate thing,” said Antongiorgi of having Hutch tattoo portraits of her family members on her.

Empowering other artists

Connecting with other artists and giving them a platform is something Hutch and the crew at Root City strive to do. Root City has a small wall space in the shop where they exhibit various artists every month.

“We don’t take anything from the artists,” he said. “If you sell something, it’s yours.”

Root City has also taken on a new apprentice in Angel Aguirre, a local artist in his early twenties who’s helping the store market on social media as well as contributing his own artwork.

Hutch also fosters his children’s natural interests in creativity. Noah, 11, and Nyla, 12, take after their father. Noah loves drawing anime and Nyla enjoys painting.

“I’m always making sure I’m pushing them to do what they like to do, and letting them know there are no mistakes in art,” Hutch said. “If they do something and they’re like, ‘Dang, I messed it up.’ It’s probably just revealing a direction you didn’t even know you were supposed to go in.”

Hutch sees his relationship with art and making mistakes as a metaphor for life: “It’s your life path. Sometimes you see it coming, sometimes you don’t.”

The bench

Some days, when it’s warm enough, Hutch will pull out a wooden bench in front of Root City — “It’s becoming, like, a thing; it never was before. One of the homies literally just found this,” he said — and sit, whether alone or with his buds, and watch the sights and sounds of Downtown Racine.

Last Wednesday, Hutch did the very same thing. Before even a second passed on the bench, he waved to a woman across the street, calling “Hey, family!”

Hutch, born and raised in Racine, said he loves being in the city. He thinks there’s a new generation of younger business owners — including himself — revitalizing downtown as they open up storefronts around their specialties.

“The younger generation is turning things around,” Hutch said. “They see San Francisco and even Milwaukee and see ideas like coffee shops, co-ops, juice bars, things like that. (Racine) is finally going that way.”

There’s also a proliferating appreciation of urban art and hip-hop culture in the area. Hutch has been booked to spray paint murals in several downtown businesses, like Wings of Fire Consulting, Taste of Soul and the Void bar.

It’s a sigh of relief for Hutch, whose interests in art and media were underrepresented in young African American men of his generation. “I didn’t have any friends like me growing up,” he said. “At that time, it was just the ‘hood. Gangbanging was still big in Racine. If you wasn’t hella tough, then you was on the weird side.”

Alongside Root City’s co-owner and one of his closest friends — Willy Reynoso, who also grew up in Racine — Hutch hopes he’s setting a positive example for young kids of color to maintain their authenticity and achieve their goals.

“We’re showing the youth that because we didn’t see anybody doing what we’re doing — we’re the first ones to to do all of these things and be in this lane — that we’re building our own lane, and they can do it, too,” Hutch said. “You can be weird … You can just be yourself.”

[shona-sims-blog]

Other Side of the Game (An Urban Sims 4 Story)

Part Five || Griffey

  I received another text message from Corianna telling me that she would be on her way in half an hour, which meant one or more. I wondered what Corianna had up her sleeves; I had known her since she was in the third grade. From my understanding she wasn’t very close with her cousin Kali, but then again she never talked much about her. So I didn’t think she liked or disliked her much, she just felt indifferently towards her cousin. I’d only seen Kali enough times to count on one hand, my first impressions were that she was kinda fat and a bit boring in the little opinion I did have about her, but Corianna decided to invite her to my crib so something had to be up. She wasn’t exactly the nicest or most worried person unless it concerned her brother Randy.

  I used to shoot hoops with her older brother at the park when we were younger.

  She was the smallest and most scrawny kid at the park, with two afro puffs on each side of her head that when combined were bigger than her. I remember when I fouled her brother; I pushed him to the ground making him skin his knee. She ran from the jungle gym with her two big puffs bouncing, apparently their mom and her friend knew what was about to happen because all I heard one of them shout was: “Cori don’t kick that boy between his legs!”

  Before I could react she had kicked me in the balls...

  I could have easily attacked her in retaliation, I was in the sixth grade so I was bigger and older than her, but that didn’t matter much since I was rolling on the hot concrete holding my nuts. And most importantly my mom taught me to not hit girls, if I did I would have gotten beat up by a girl twice in one day. So I did what any other kid with an aching groin would do, I sat there in pain and embarrassment for a few moments.

   “Corianna is so damn bad, I don’t know what the hell I’ma do with her when she grows up,” I heard her mother Tamela say. “Baby, I’m sorry!” She yelled to me from one of the park benches, but it didn’t sound like she was sorry, it sounded like she was trying not to laugh. I looked up and saw a look of disbelief on her friends face.

  Corianna told me if I ever hurt her big brother again, she’d kick my ass. It wasn’t exactly love at first sight; however, even though I walked away in pain I did decide that I liked her.

  To this day I’m not sure if I’m in love with love her, but I have love for her and shit… She was tough and I admired that about her. Not that she had to be, everyone around here knew her father’s reputation and even though he was imprisoned, his name alone protected his family. I mean, even at 12 years old I knew that, but as I watched Corianna grow older, I found out that I wanted to be her protector.  When she straightened and dyed her hair pink, I wasn’t crazy about it at first, but it fit her bold personality. Her body was perfect and her face had always been beautiful. Every guy in the hood wanted to fuck Cori, but they knew she was mine. I’d been fucked up about her since she was 15 years old and it went both ways.

My apartment was starting to fill up, I didn’t like being around too many people because it made me paranoid, but I did enjoy the company of a few good friends. If you couldn’t be invited to my mother’s crib and eat a meal with my family, I couldn’t call you my homie. Everyone who I hung around was family by blood or otherwise…

   “Hey Griffey,” A heavy Bridgeport accent broke me away from my train of thought. How long had I been sitting here thinking to myself? I tended to zone out and get lost in my thoughts sometimes, even though my younger brother thought my mind was all jokes, it was mostly full of contemplation and observation. Humor was only a front, he was a genius and still some basic shit he just didn’t understand yet.

   “What’s good Beatrix?” I asked while giving her a look up and down, she was slim but her body was bangin’. She was wearing a red dress that resembled an oversized tee-shirt, she made it look good.

“You can call me B, I told you that before silly,” Silly? Shit, I’d take it as long as she kept talking – she could say I was from Strange Town and I wouldn’t give a fuck; her throaty voice was sexy as hell, she sounded like Scary Spice. Beatrix’s presence was demanding and the more I watched her mouth move, I couldn’t help but to imagine her wrapping her full red lips around my –

“You right B,” I continued when she smiled, her teeth were bright and white. “So, how the city been treating you?” I stood up to speak to her at eye level; hazel eyes watched me from behind chinky slits. She looked pleased, if only she knew that I could please her fine ass in more ways than she could imagine.

  “Very well actually, it’s a melting pot here,” She moved her hands between us in a circular motion, as if she was stirring the sexual tension between us. I knew that the attraction between her and I was mutual. “I like that and the people,” With extra emphasis on the last word, her smile stretched. “I mean, Bridgeport is so black and white so I really appreciate the diversity and culture here,” She stopped and I was disappointed when she didn’t continue.

  “Word, that’s true. It’s a little something for everybody around here,” I told her seriously, hoping she was able to understand what I was offering her and the something wasn’t little for damn sure. Still, I chose my words carefully. I could feel Unique’s eyes staring daggers into my back; her nosey ass was waiting for me to slip up so she could go and run her mouth to Corianna. If it wasn’t for her being my bro Geechie’s shorty, I wouldn’t have welcomed her into my home – she didn’t know how to mind her own business.  “I hope you enjoy yourself, there’s wine coolers in the fridge, not sure if you drink beer or not but we have those too.” She thanked me and I walked towards the kitchen when I saw Isabella.

 She was my boy Trent’s half-sister.  She was fine as hell and pure Colombian like top of the line cocaine. His father was Haitian, but she was all Latina. Her body was crazy; she looked like a model, one of those Instagram famous chicks, with long legs, big tits, and a gorgeous face. If she told me she was related to the Kardashian’s I wouldn’t have called her a liar. Plus, she spoke that Spanish shit. My mom was Dominican, but she never taught us how to speak Spanish. It was one of the few things that I regretted about my childhood. I could have got her with a bit of effort, but for some reason she was infatuated with my big headed lil’ brother. She’s actually the person who introduced me to Beatrix, they met at a photoshoot and hung out at Trents apartment. I just so happened to be there that day, lucky me. If Isabella didn’t get knocked up first, I’m sure she would make it out of the hood and into some rappers music video.

“What’s good Bella?” I asked as her eyes followed Quentin across the room.

  “Nothing much, everything is good,” I nodded and she smiled so big that it looked like her eyes were closed. I almost never seen her frown, but then again almost every time I saw her she was high. Her facial expression changed to one of confusion.

“Griffey, I’m not sure if Que likes me,” She said sounding a bit uncertain. Insecure pretty girls were such a turnoff to me, the most attractive women had the lowest self-esteem. “Do you think he likes me?” I frowned, I had been trying to fuck Isabella for a while, but she always kept our conversations brief and she never flirted back with me. I wasn’t really concerned about Quentin playing hard to get right now, at the moment I was preoccupied with getting into her panties myself.

  “Nah, he hasn’t talked to me about anything,” I lied. “Maybe you should just talk to ‘em,” I didn’t meddle in other people’s relationships with each other. If I had ever questioned if she was genuinely interested in getting to know my brother, the look on her face gave me the answer. I didn’t intend on talking to her about her feelings for him, but here we were.

 “That actually sounds like a good idea,” Isabella smiled again. “I’ve been trying to get his attention,” She said lowly then turned her head in Quentin’s direction. It wasn’t like attention was something that she never got from other people. “I hear you, just do what I said. He’ll come around,” I said frankly and her smile remained.

  I decided that I’d keep things neutral with her from now on. He deserved a fair chance with her and I wasn’t going to fuck up an opportunity for him to finally tap some ass. I was rooting for my kid brother, even though he was so different from me, I wondered how different sometimes. I didn’t think my kid brother was gay exactly – but he had so many chances to fuck and he just blew them. If he was homosexual it was his business and I wouldn’t love him any less, but a bad bitch obviously wanted him and he was playing hard to get like scared little a church girl. Hopefully he wised up and didn’t miss the chance to bag her like he’d done so many times with chicks like her in the past. I turned my head towards Quentin as he laughed with Isabella’s brother Trent. The man was oblivious.

  I could see Beatrix watching me with a curious look on her face as I talked to her friend, damn, she was something else. If I could have made a wish in that moment, it would have been for Unique to not be sitting in my living room with that stale ass blunt in her big mouth. I would have had Beatrix in my bedroom by now, saying my name in that sexy ass voice of hers.

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[paniccord-ff]

13.

I already miss my parents, but I am not going to miss sleeping in a bed with Kyrie. I thought I was bad to sleep next too, but he is terrible. I have bruises on my legs, he kicked me so many times but I think some of it were on purpose. I got on a separate flight with my brothers to go back to LA, I have work so I couldn’t just go back to New Jersey. My skin is popping though, I love it. Looking out of the window on the flight, back to LA, how exciting. It is exciting because I get to see Chris, he has been bugging, he wants to pick me up from the airport but do I really want the hectic shit that comes with that. I declined and he didn’t text me back, he text me back after an hour and said fine. He wants to do so much, and then he said I will send a driver to you, come to my crib. I want to see you, I bet he thinks I am being awkward but I have work tomorrow and I want to move into the new apartment today. I am just going to pick up a few things and leave, go back after for my stuff. I am so excited to see him but I also know that there has been so much shit that has happened, I am at a point in life where I am just going to cut Bailey off, she is with Lo and I know she is. Lo is a dick, she will learn the hard way because I know what life she wants, well wanted.

Grabbing my suitcase, Nathan gave me a slight smile. Walking over to him “sis, I don’t want no hard feelings. Dad made it clear that you are moving, if you need me or him at anytime, I got you. I love you, you my little sister” crossing my arms across my chest, Blake is a stubborn ass “we just care about you, I just ain’t like that your boyfriend was all up in my face acting cool when he was with you. He could have been a man about it, it’s done with now. Just forgive me, I care about you. Like Nathan said, one call and we there” I wish I could stay mad at them “the bedroom is always yours, nobody finna take that from you” I don’t want to smile but, they are being sweet “come here” placing my handbag down, placing my arms around Nathan. Feeling Blake place his arms around us “we need each other, life is too short” Blake said, he moved back “you both know?” looking at Blake “he told us” no wonder they are feeling it, we do need each other.

Pulling my suitcase along “Lo is picking us up” Blake said, looking ahead of me. I see the two people I didn’t want “fuck” I spat, staring ahead of me. I don’t want to do this, not now. Why is she even here, I stopped walking looking at the bitch “are you dating Chris Brown?” some guy came up all in my face “what?” glaring at this guy, he had a camera in hand. Staring at him confused “you’re his girlfriend, he announced it” he took a picture of me “get the fuck outta here!” Blake pushed him “come on” Blake grabbed my suitcase “don’t take pictures of my sister” what is even happening, walking with Blake “the hell do they want from you?” Nathan said “she with Chris Brown now, lot of people are interested in her” Lo said, Bailey skipped over to me. She placed her arms around my neck, I feel like I got set up.

I don’t even want to be in the car with them, seeing the cab across the road “come on?” Nathan said, shaking my head hailing the cab over “what you doing?” he questioned, looking back at them “I am not going to be in a car with them, especially bitches that lie on me. That wanted Chris and I to break up, Bailey you was supposed to be my friend. I swear I want hit you but I won’t, I won’t hit trash! You know what, you knew I was coming here. You fucking set that up, you set all that up. I have you clocked, who the fuck else leaked that picture from my page of Chris? I barely have anyone on there! You! You fucking did it, stay the fuck away from me” I am not with the shits “I never lied” Bailey said acting all sad “but you did, next time you verify shit, saying Chris was with Rosa. Check where that stupid hoe was! Because she ain’t in LA, stay away from me. I am done with you” grabbing my suitcase, I want to hit her.

The package came, I got Rylee and Royalty Black Pyramid clothing just for them. Wait, that rhymes, Rylee and Royalty. Why have I just noticed this, shaking my head “so I got you the gear, I got you a spot for your clothing line in Paris. All we need is for you to show your face” my manager came through “appreciate it, you know the fashion thing, you know Dior and all that. I want to go to the show, get me a spot with a plus one. I want to take Rylee with me” she shouldn’t be working; it is the weekend “your new girlfriend? You have not claimed a girl in so long, I was at home and I saw it. Good catch, she is pretty” so proud of my girl “she is pretty, you know I had to claim that. Shocks me that she was single but I want to take her with me, hopefully she is not working” she can take a day off for this “I will sort that out for you, club appearance on Friday?” I paused thinking “erm, should be ok. I mean the Fashion Show is Saturday so I can travel straight after, yeah do it” that should be fine, just need to reschedule my time with Royalty, I feel all busy again.

I need to keep myself busy, I want to see Rylee now but I can’t. She is so strict with me, I could have picked her up but no, Rylee has got me under some spell because I listen. I got the boys here though “the man himself, the legend” Hood spat, seeing Lo walking into my home. I do still want to punch him, but it’s best to keep your enemies close “Chris, can I talk to you?” Lo said, the room fell silent. I wonder what the hell he wants “sure” getting up from the couch, I will be good for Rylee “erm, I heard what Bailey said about you” walking toward my yard “we just went to pick up Rylee and she popped off on her, I didn’t know any of it. I promise you, I didn’t. I was shocked, she had some blog guy there. He took pictures of Rylee and then her, it was like she wanted a little bit of fame. I don’t know Chris, I just want to let you know I am not about that. I didn’t set that up, it was fucked up” Bailey is such a bitch, rubbing my face “I am not fucking with the devil, she talking to the blogs. I don’t know why either” biting my bottom lip “she the same one that fucked all the homies after fucking me” my eyes widened “when did this happen?” I questioned “you were staying away from us, she came to my crib. She was open to doing it. I have videos” I am not really that much of a dick but she fucked with my girl, I know she has upset her “you know what Lo, if you say that you don’t fuck with that. How about you post those videos on your page” holding my hands up “that ain’t come from me though” walking backwards.

I wondered how this bitch got so many followers, I kind of realised when she been putting every friendship picture of Rylee up. How can she do that to her, Rylee has never had that come at her before in her life. Pulling at my chin hair “heard y’all hit it, with Bailey? Is that why she was hanging with y’all in the studio” Fresh busted out laughing “she wanted to hang with the crew, we don’t give free entries. She wanted to be in the crowd. She kept on saying let’s go to Chris’ studio, I think she wanted your dick” pulling a face “I don’t want a disease, I am just glad her true colours have come out now, jealousy is sickening. She made out I was fucking with Rosa, told my girl that” imagine if Rylee just broke it off with me, that is what scared me.

Looking at my Instagram “ooh no, why she acting like we’re friends now” Bailey is crazy, she posting club pictures on Rylee’ birthday, that is just a group picture “she wants fame bad, she need to calm her ass down before the hospital sack her ass” I know I shouldn’t but I can’t help myself, pressing the comment tab ‘snake’ I just had to write that, the girl is a snake. I am so annoyed with her “going Paris on the weekend boys, I need to check with my girl. If she comes then I am sorry but no, if she don’t then y’all can. I think her job gets in the way” it really does “make her quit that shit then” Keeis said “nah, she worked hard for that. I respect her grind, I respect her enough to keep my mouth shut and let her hold her own” she will probably cuss me out for mentioning that, I rather not do that to her either.

I am so excited to see Rylee, my boss lady told me I can come to the apartment now. Why am I so whipped, I hate it but I also love it. She makes me feel so stable in life, I just love it. Parking my Bentley at the side of Rylee’ car, she need a new. You know what I will give her the keys to my cars, I don’t even care about that shit at all. Turning my car engine off, opening my car door. I have bought the box of things for her too, getting out of my car. I just hope nobody clocks where she lives, she is going to hate me if she gets bugged when she is trying to be private. Picking the box out of the trunk, closing the trunk and locking my car. Walking towards her building complex, I bet she looks so good with her new tan because on facetime she looked so good.

Unlocking the door with my key, which was so difficult with this big ass box. Pushing the door open wider and hitting into Rylee’ suitcase “wow, I cleaned this place” she’s made a mess, where is she. Placing the box down, Rylee tiptoed out from the bedroom “you’re here” she clapped her hands, Rylee is wearing my hoodie and just that, her tanned legs all out on show. Rubbing the back of my neck, I feel so shy now “aww look at you” walking over the mess on the floor, Rylee ran into me. Hugging her close while picking her up “I have missed you so so much Chris” Rylee squeezed me close, pressing kisses to the side of my face “same, I am just glad you are back now. You can’t go anywhere now” Rylee moved her head back “I missed your noodle arms around me” placing her hands on my face “you’re so perfect baby” her thumb roamed over my lips, this is so different from Rylee. She is showing me much more feelings, she bought her head down to me. Pressing a slow kiss to my lips, I began to taste her lips and I made the change to deepen the kiss. She began to nip at my lower lip and flicked out her tongue, I dived into her mouth and my heart began to race.

Rylee moved her face to the side of my cheek, breaking the kiss. She took my breath away, taking in a dee breath “so we did miss each other a lot” I said, she pressed a kiss to my cheek smiling “we did” placing Rylee on the ground “I am just glad you’re home” placing a kiss to her forehead and then hugged Rylee close “I can look after you now, be here for you properly” Rylee cooed out “you was there for me, always picking up my calls. I appreciate you” moving back, looking behind me “I bought you some of my clothing line clothes, you can wear that whenever. You steal my clothes all the time, and then made a mess. I spent time cleaning you know” Rylee held my hand “I am sorry, but you didn’t have to get me clothes. Stop spoiling me, my mom said I don’t need to be spoilt. But I disagree with that statement” placing my hands on the side of Rylee’ face “I will spoil you anyways. I have missed you so much beautiful, don’t ever go away. Not without me now” pecking her lips “I have missed you, I honestly thought I wouldn’t have missed the way I have. You are so sweet to me, you listened to me about my issues, put your own issues aside. Thank you” she said, moving my hands away from her face “don’t say thank you, I will do anything for you” Rylee pulled me along “you’re so cute, come we have so much to talk about” I can sit and listen to Rylee speak all day, I don’t mind that.

I am not pleased with the mess, she has been back for less than twenty four hours and she has just threw things on the floor “if we living together we can’t have this” I pointed at the floor “especially when I cleaned out the apartment” Rylee placed her legs on my lap “your legs won’t work either” she raised her eyebrow “oooh” she said before she placed her foot on my crotch, holding onto her foot “don’t wake him up, you will be putting him to sleep” Rylee is a freak in the sheets, I like she doesn’t expose that part and keeps it between us “fine, I will stop. I will clean up the mess in my apartment” frowning at her “this is ours” reaching over to hold her hand “I am glad to be back, just to see you that is. I would have gone back to New Jersey if it wasn’t for work, kind of makes me regret coming out here. My mom needs me even though she tells me she is fine, it’s just going to be hard on my dad. Kyrie is so young, it’s just nobody is there. I will be having Kyrie for the summer holidays, he will be sleeping the bed with me” I scoffed laughing “good one Rylee, there is a perfectly nice couch here. I am not leaving, I am refusing” Rylee stared at me trying to supress her smile “I am not leaving the bed, I don’t care who he is” Rylee shushed me “we can work on something when he comes ok? I can’t stand sleeping in a bed with him anyways, you seen my legs? I am bruised” looking down at her legs, I did notice that, I was thinking why they are bruised.

“I am just going to make it known, I am not leaving the bed. You can’t replace me” I sound so dramatic but I refuse “oh stop it, we will figure something out. He doesn’t even know who you are yet, he will freak out” that means I can talk him into letting me sleep in Rylee’ bed “I will pay him then, so tell me. How is your mom? How is Harvey?” I am on first name basis with the father in law, I am getting in there, Rylee laughed “Harvey now? He is fine, just annoying my mom before they went on the flight. He left a whole suitcase in Barbados, like how do you forget a whole suitcase. My mom was like but you made sure to get your own damn suitcase, it was funny to see them argue. My mom is strong, she is looking forward to things. I goes to her that she can’t leave me, I have so much to show her. It just hurts, I want her to be at my wedding. Be there for me when I have my first baby” rubbing my thumb on the back of her hand “she will be good Rylee, let’s think that. Whenever you need to talk, I am here but I am praying for her” I pray her mom is good “also like you said she needs to be here for our first child” Rylee snatched her hand away “that will be a long way away” I will give her a baby right now “we will make beautiful babies, I am open to it. Right now” Rylee shook her head smiling “I think I want to wait that out” I wouldn’t be upset if she fell pregnant.

Placing my hand on Rylee’ leg “so…. You said your mom wants meet me. I don’t mind that, when would you like to go?” Rylee shrugged “whenever you are free, I think a weekend I can do” that reminds me, Paris “oh yeah baby, I have a Paris event. It’s the fashion show thing, I need to show my face there. I want you to come with me please, just the weekend” Rylee gawked at me “what? A Fashion show? Me? Famous? beautiful people? Are you crazy, I seen those places. I am not that perfect” is Rylee blind “really? So you not going to support your man?” that is rude “I am not saying that Chris, I don’t belong in those places. They are for the rich and famous and then there is me wearing Forever 21, come on” rolling my eyes “I will take you shopping, I can get shit for free. You’re with me” why won’t she let me “I am with you for you, not the other side” she said, I sighed out, Rylee is so hard headed “so you not coming with me? I always support you, I want you with me Rylee. Accept this, accept the life. When you got with me you knew the life I lived, I am wanting to give you things because I can. I don’t give a fuck if you’re wearing Forever 21, you are better than any of those bitches because you are real. Are you going to come with me?” if she is worried about clothes then I got her, I am annoyed with her and I think it showed.

“Are you angry with me?” she said, rubbing my forehead “I am not angry, I just want you to listen to me sometimes. I need you to support me, I want to show you off. I don’t want to take my friends, I want you” I didn’t want to sound so soppy, but I do now “I am sorry, I will go with you, it’s not that I don’t want too but this is a whole different lifestyle for me. I will always support you, I got you all the time. I just don’t want to be the girl that has no money and her boyfriend is paying for everything” this is what I love about her, which girl ever thinks that “you have a man that has money, I know you. You being like this makes me want to spend, so yeah? Are you coming with me to Paris?” Rylee nodded “I have never been there before” raising my fists in the air “yes!! This trip will be so good” lifting one of Rylee’ legs and placing it behind me “are you wearing any panties?” looking under the hoodie “stop” she tried to close her legs “I am tired babe” laying in-between Rylee’ legs, placing my head on Rylee’ chest “you’re so adorable my babyboy” Rylee placed her arms around my head, kissing the top of my head.

I am so comfortable here “I am sorry about the paparazzi shit at the airport” I mumbled, I feel bad that she had that “not your fault Chris, Bailey is a bitch. Just stay away from her, if you ever see her that is Chris. She is evil, I don’t wish to speak about her anyways. I was thinking about the Paris trip, we can go to my mom’ house on Friday? If that is ok with you” I swear I am about to fall asleep “uuuhhh, I think I have a club appearance but it’s cancelled now, I don’t care for it. We will see them then” I am actually loving Rylee touching my ear “you can’t complain about me not spending time with you now, we about to have a long weekend together” smiling as I closed my eyes.

[dealersofatlanta]

Part 1: Chapter 1

Year: May 10th 2006

 (So everything happens fast because each chapter is leading up to present day) The story starts with Omari, Ace and Jade, they are not the only main characters throughout the story I will introduce the rest in total it should be 6 POVS this was really hard to write cause I have so many 1st chapter drafts. Idk if I wanted to do a book about the past or both)

  Omari: age 21

“(Georgia), We on the grind in (Georgia), All the time it isn’t nothing on my mind but (Georgia) We ain’t playing with ya (Georgia)” Georgia by Ludacris played in my car as we rode through the west side. It was just me, my mama, and my brother. My daddy died when I was 7, my mom was still pregnant with my brother Ace. We live in the worst projects on our side of town Wood Ridge. Niggas always get killed and robbed over here. I pulled up at the Citgo, my brother Ace hopped out. “Yo wassup O” A nigga I knew named Shy. “Wazzam Shy” I said dapping him up. “You still looking for work?” He asked. I nodded. “Something like that, what’s up?” I asked. He pointed over to a man in a Hummer H2, with the windows down. Money in The Bank” By Lil Scrappy in his car. “Yo I heard about him, niggas scared of him” I said to him. He waved me over to follow him to the car. “What’s up D, this is O. He looking for a job” He told him. The light skin dude with tats on his neck looked over at me. He looked me over one good time before turning down his music. “You need money huh?” He asked. I looked around my surroundings. “Yeah, uh we bout to get evicted and shit, and My mama struggling right now” I told him. He nodded. “You got a phone?” He asked. I nodded pulling out my Nokia. He slid up my screen to get to the key pad. He then passed me my phone back. “Holla at me around 6pm and Ima make something shake for you” He told me before rolling up his window. I looked at the phone. I see the name Demetri in my phone. I was walking back to my car when I see Ace sitting on the hood of my car talking to some bitch. “Yeah, you fine as hell shawty, let you up sometime” He said. She blushed. “Aight, Ima give you my number but if you going to call, call at 9 pm that’s when my minutes is free” She said. He nodded and let her put her number in his Metro Phone. I slapped the back of his head. “Nigga get the fuck in my car and stop fucking with these hoes” I told him laughing at how mad he got. Ace had a bad temper. Mama say he get it from Our father. We pulled up and the apartments. Bitches was already fighting outside in the parking lot. “Beat her ass Kita” Her friend yelled. Ace squinted his eyes and his eyes got big, he hopped out the car and ran over to the girls fighting. It was his friend Jade. “Aye nah yall chill” He said pushing the girls off. He grabbed Jade. “Nah uh Ace that bitch deserve to get her ass beat for fucking my nigga” She yelled. Jade spit blood on her air forces. “Bitch I told you your man and I aint fuck, he tried to get in my pants and I said no” She stressed. I shook my head and walked into the house. My mama Traci was on the couch watching Maury. I kissed her on the cheek. “Hey mama” I said to her. She nodded. “Where’s Ace?” She asked. “He outside with Jade” I told her. She sucked her teeth in. “Her auntie been running her mouth about that girl, saying she be fucking the whole apartments” My mama told me. “Anyways, I got a job. I mean I think I got one” I told her. She smiled and looked over at me. “That’s good baby, what is it?” She asked. I shrugged. “I got to call and see” I said. She nodded. Ace busted in the house with Jade. “Aye, boy what is wrong with you coming in here like that!” Mama yelled. He grabbed Jade hand and brought her into the bathroom. My mama shook her head. I stood by the bathroom door. Ace was cleaning off Jade. She had blood coming out her nose and a cut near her eye brow, and her eye was swollen. “You need to learn how to fight and stop letting these hoes jump on you shawty, better start clocking them hoes with a motherfucking bottle or something” I told Jade. “I told her to start carrying a knife, so she can gut them hoes” Ace said. I shook my head. Nigga was ruthless for no reason. I walked into my room and went to my stereo. I went through my CD’s I burned. I put the cd in the player and pressed play. “Créme de la créme homie, Top Shelf ya know. I like my beat down low down low down low down low, I like my top led back led back led back” T.I - “Top Back” blasted through my speakers. I grabbed my car magazine, took a pen and begin circling the cars I planned on getting when I get some big money. My Nokia started ringing. I looked at my caller id, it was my little shawty Jalissa. “What up Girl?” I asked. I heard her giggle on the phone. “O, you busy later?” She asked. I sat up on my bed. “Nah, why what’s up you trying to kick it?” I asked. She hesitated. “Something like that, T.I movie ATL just came out and I want to know if you trying to see it with me, maybe at Starlight on Moreland it starts at 10:15pm?” She asked. I smiled, I knew what she was getting at. “Sure, Ima pull up around 9, maybe we can get some snacks and some shit” I told her. I could hear her smile through the phone. “Aight bet” I looked at the time. It was 5:57. I started dialing Demetri’s number. “Yo who is this?” He answered. “This O from the gas station, I asked you about a job” I said. “Aight Ima call you back”. He hung up. I then got a call from another phone number. “Hello?” I asked. “What’s up O, rule # 1 the feds always watching so never call me about business or call anyone on your actual phone, Ima give you a phone when I see you, meet me tomorrow @ 12pm Ima send you my address” He said then hung up.

 Ace: age 15

 “Why you let the hoes talk shit about you?” I asked her. She was sitting at my desk at my computer. She was adding music to her Myspace. “They say

He do a little this

He do a little that

He always in trouble (and I heard)

He ain’t nothin’ but a pimp

He’s done a lot of chicks

He’s always in the club (and they say)”

“So, what?” by Field Mob played from her page. She shrugged. “Nobody going to believe me anyways”. I looked over at her. “So, you don’t be fucking these niggas?” I asked. She turned and looked at me. “No, why would you even ask me that, them bitches be lying. Niggas always trying to get in my pants. Even grown ass men” She said looking at me like she regretted what she said. “Forget I said that” She said. “Why do you even care?”. I shrugged. “I mean, I don’t if you did but like you kind like my little sister so I want to know”. I said. She rolled her eyes. “Sister?” She asked. I nodded. “Yeah like I got to protect you, and shit” I said. She sucked her teeth in. “I don’t need your protection Ace, I can protect myself” She said. She got up and put on her shoes. “Well you the one always knocking on my window at damn random times of the night needing a place to sleep, like you ain’t got your own” I said to her. She pushed me out the way. I balled my fist up. I had a bad temper, and she knew it but when it came to her, I never showed her that side. “What you going to hit me?” She said she was holding back watery eyes. “Go ahead, I’m used to it” She said. I looked at her wondering who was hitting on her. Was she talking about fighting? “Thanks for having me over Ms. Traci” I heard her say before the door shut to the front door. I debated on going after her, but I didn’t. I looked through my contacts. I remember the girl from at the gas station. “Hey baby girl what’s up?” I asked. “Who is this?” She asked. “You forgot about me that fast baby, its Ace” I said. I heard her smile. “Ohhh yeah, Ace. You want to kick it right now? My mama ain’t home” She said. I got up slowly. “Oh, for real?” I asked. “Yeah, Ima send you my address. I live at the apartments right across from the gas station” She said. “Okay Ima slide through” I hung up the phone. “Hey mama I’ll be back Ima go to my friend Raheem house” I told her. She nodded. I went outside and started walking to the gas station it wasn’t too far from my house like a 30min walk. “Ace where you headed?” My homie Calvin said pulling up beside me. “To this bitch house” I told him. He nodded. “Get in folk, I take you” He said. I nodded. I looked at his outfit he had on all purple. “Where you headed looking like a got damn grape Fanta?” I asked. He laughed. “Man, this my colors” he said. “What you down or something?” I asked. He nodded “Yeah I’m down with Westside 5” He told me. I nodded. “Oh, for real, uh congrats I guess” I said laughing. He laughed. “Man, you goofy as fuck, but fuck with us though we always need new people” He told pulling into the apartments. I dapped him up as he stopped. “Thanks, Patna” He nodded. I walked up to shawty complex. Before I could even knock, she opened the door. She had nothing but a T-shirt on. “Took you long enough nigga” She said grabbing my shirt.

 I pulled up my pants and buckled my belt. “So, my mama going to be gone, around this time every Friday” She said. I smiled and nodded. “What school you go to I ain’t never seen you around” I said. She smiled. “I go to Jefferson Highschool, what about you?” She asked. I started laughing. “How old you is?” I asked. She was putting on her bra. “17, how old are you?” She asked. I smiled big as fuck. “I’m 15” I told her. She shook her head. “Boy you look 18, dang you must be in what 8th grade?” She asked. I nodded. “Yeahh you can be my cuddy buddy, you ain’t old enough to be my man” She said. I sucked my teeth in. “I aint gon hold you I just wanted to fuck, but Ima fuck with you” I grabbed my phone and dipped. It was about 8:12 when I checked my phone. Shit I got to walk by the crackheads and the dope boys just to get home. “Aye yo little nigga you down?” Some nigga asked me as I walked by. “Down for what?” I asked. “I seen you riding with Cal, he one of us” They said. I noticed they had on purple. “Man, I ain’t trying to bang” I told them. “You see all the nice shit we got man we can get you some money for real nigga” I noticed the cars they were next to and shit. I nodded. “Okay what I got to do?” I asked. “This”. Next thing I know these niggas start beating my ass.

 Jade: age 14

 I was sitting on the stairway near our apartment writing music in my journal like I normally did listening to Ashanti and Lloyd “Southside” on my CD Player. “Jade get yo dumb ass in here” My aunt Felicia said. I sighed and walked inside. I closed the door and went into my room. “It’s almost the end of the school year. You got what 2 weeks left before summer vacation. It’s about time you get a damn job and start paying rent around here, you got to earn your keep. Ain’t bout to live up in here rent free” She said in the door way. I scoffed at her. “I’m 14, I can’t legally get a job until I’m 16 that’s not fair” I stressed. She put her finger in my face. “I started working for my foster mother at age 12, she used to sell me for $50, and I would get 10%. So, if I can do it so can you, and what the fuck happened to yo got damn face” She said. I looked at her. “I got into a fight with this girl” She shook her head. “What you do now fuck her man, you just like your mama” She said. I sighed. “No and Why didn’t you just let foster care take me!” I yelled. She grabbed my arm. “I did you a favor, Me and your mama bounced from foster care to foster care. She begged me to never let them take you, so I took you in after her stupid crack head ass ran off. That’s least I could do for her after she fucked my man and had you” She said. I started tearing up, I tried to snatch my arm away from her. She pushed me on to the bed. “Like I said you have 2 weeks or Ima let your ass go” She said. She slammed my door. I hated my life; my life didn’t used to be like this. I had two parents a mother and a father. My dad used to be there all the time and then one day he just wasn’t. My mama couldn’t take the pain of him leaving so she got hooked on drugs when I was 5. She been clean off and on when my dad was around but when he left it got worse. My aunt to eventually take me in before foster care put me in the system because My mama had left me in the house one day when her and her boyfriend James was cooking crack on the stove. My house caught on fire while I was sleep. I ain’t seen my mama since that day. I decided to write in my journal again, that was my haven, writing and listening to music. “My Life” By Mary J. Blige played on my stereo as I cried. My Aunt Felicia busted into my room. “Get yo ass up and come eat and stop blasting music in my house” She said. I wiped my tears and went to go sit down at the table. It was Kraft mac n cheese and hot dogs cut up in it. My Aunts boyfriend Rodney sat down with two bags of McDonalds and they started eating. My aunt either cooked me this or beanie weenies, Ramon noodles with hot dogs or sometimes just some bread and butter. I kept my head down while I ate my food. “Jade clean this shit up while I’m gone. I want all that food gone by the time I get home or Ima beat your ass” She said. I nodded. She went over to Rodney, practically sucking his face off before she left. He got up and locked the door. He pulled out an apple pie out his bag. “Got you something sweet, sweetness” He told me. He slid it to me. Rodney was always nice to me but I knew something about him wasn’t right. “Thanks” I said. He sat in the chair next to me. “You know you are very pretty” He told me. I nodded. I got up quickly, as he grabbed my arm back over to him. “I ain’t going to hurt you”. He said. “Sit on my lap” He said. “No!” I yelled as he tried to get me to sit on his lap. I got my arm lose and ran to my room. I closed my door and locked it. I grabbed some clothes put it in my school bag and slid my window open. Rodney burst into my room. I quickly jumped onto the ac unit under my window. I ran to the other side of the complex, I seen Niggas was playing dice in the stair way as I walked to Ace complex. “What’s good lil mama you tryna sell some ass?” I heard. I shook my head. I got to Ace building and walked to the side of it. I tapped on his window. I ain’t see no movement. I tapped again. “So, you back?” I heard a voice behind me. It was Ace. It was dark, so I couldn’t see his face very good. He came over to his window and did something to it and it slid open and climbed inside slowly. He was wincing like he was in pain. I followed him soon after. “If I ain’t home and you need a place to lay your head just lift up the screen and slide. O taught me that trick” He turned on his light and I see his face. He eye was swollen, and his lip was bug as hell. He was limping around. I walked over to him. “Ace you okay?” I asked. He nodded. “I’m part of Westside 5 now” He said smiling with his teeth bleeding. He held up a shirt and a bandana. I shook my head at him. “You stupid, you got jumped in?” I asked. He nodded. “Yeah but they make hella money” I kept shaking my head. “You stupid as hell Ace” I told him. He sucked his teeth in. “Why you over here anyways?” He asked. I shrugged. “Cause I hate it at my aunts house” I told him. “She be hitting you?” He asked. I shrugged. “Sometimes, she said I got to get a job soon” I said. “I think she want me to sell my ass” I told him. He was in his boxers looking at me. “She got me fucked up, I ain’t bout to let you do that. I got you man. I’m get you some money” He said. He threw me a shirt and some boxers. “Well maybe I can get jumped in” I said. He limped over to me grabbing me. “Don’t say shit like that” He said. We looked at each other for a minute. “I’m just playing sorry” I went into the bathroom in the hall way to change. When I came back in the room. Ace was icing his face. I shut the door and went to lay down on the bed. “As long as I’m here I got you J” He said. I nodded. I put my headphones on and listened to my cd I had burned. “Nobody going to love me better, I must stick with you forever, nobody going to take me higher, I must stick with you. You know how to appreciate me, I must stick with you my baby. Nobody ever made me feel this way, I must stick with you” I was feeling the lyrics of the Pussycat dolls. I started writing in my journal.

[mystery-moose]

FIC: Angus McDonald and the Flight of the Flying V (8/?)

[AO3 link]

They’ve come a long way, but even ten years after the world was saved, they’re still not quite where they should be. A whim, a missing painting, and a handful of near-death experiences help a flip wizard and his apprentice bridge the gap.

Taako does his best. Angus takes some risks. Introductions are made, bonds are tested, and lessons are learned — better late than never.

Interlude II: Self-Care

It was a cool and windy night down in the Dales. They'd set camp just off the road, by the edge of a forest; decent protection from the wind, and easy access to firewood. Clouds had gathered in the sky, leaving them without even moonlight to read by. This didn't stop Taako, of course — he conjured up a bonfire big enough to light the whole campsite solely so he could poke at a new cookbook he'd picked up in Armos.

Kravitz and Angus were sitting on little folding chairs to his right. They were playing red hands; so far, Kravitz was losing, albeit very gracefully. (Taako made a mental note to make fun of him for it later.) He glanced over every once in a while, and the image was so absolutely stomach-sickeningly sweet it made him want to throw up.

"Oh, come on!" Kravitz laughed as he lost for the fourth time in a row. "How'd you get this fast?"

"Must come natural, sir," Angus said with a grin. "Carey always said I was quick."

"In more ways than one, apparently," he said, rubbing his hands. "My turn, yes?"

Taako was about to go back to his book and resume his critique of a recipe for a creamed corn casserole when a noise came from the woods, distant and muffled. His ears twitched, and he sat up from where he was reclining on the grass. Kravitz and Angus hadn't noticed. Taako peered into the woods, straining his darkvision.

Nothing. Probably just the wind or something.

As he looked back down at his book, he heard it again — louder, and closer, and very much not the wind. Taako glanced over at Kravitz, who had turned around in his chair.

"You hear that?" Taako asked.

"Yes."

Kravitz stood up. Taako followed suit and stepped beside him. Neither of them took their eyes off the forest.

"You know what it is, right?"

Kravitz nodded. "Mhm."

Angus approached them nervously. "Sirs? What's going on?"

Taako looked down and rubbed Angus' head a little too rough. "Nothing important, bub. Just gerblins."

The boy's eyes widened. "Gerblins?"

"Yep. Like I said, nothin' to worry about. Cha'boy'll take care of it."

Taako turned to head back to the wagon and get his staff, but Kravitz stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"No need, dear," he said casually. "I'll handle it."

With a shrug, Taako turned back. "Suit yourself, bone dogg."

Kravitz unbuttoned his cuffs and rolled up his sleeves as he walked into the woods. Woof. Taako fanned himself and filed that image away for later appreciation.

"Don't forget the loot!" Taako called after him.

The reaper waved over his shoulder, and stepped out of view.

Taako turned to Angus and clapped his hands together. "Alright! Let's kill some time while Krav kills some gerblins. You been practicing your spells, Ango?"

They sat crosslegged in the grass by the fire, and Taako delivered an impromptu magic lesson. Angus was getting better all the time; he had a firm grasp of most level two spells, and had mastered all the cantrips Taako knew. At this point, he was reluctant to teach the boy anything more powerful until he was older — thirteen, probably. Not that he doubted his ability at all. It was more a matter of not wanting the wagons to catch fire.

Every once in a while, they'd hear an indistinct noise from the woods. Angus would glance over, and Taako would have to snap his fingers to bring him to attention again. At one point, a bright flare of orange was visible between the trees, followed by a single frightened gerblin shriek, almost drowned out by the wind in the trees. Then, nothing.

After about twenty minutes, Kravitz glided out of the forest. His spectral cloak, blacker than the moonless night, slowly sloughed away, revealing his preferred dark suit. His hood fell back from his head, disappearing into vaporous tendrils of black, and his skull and bones became dark skin and handsome features.

Taako stood up and brushed his pants off. "Did you remember the loot?"

Kravitz finished buttoning his cuffs and then pulled a small, ratty coin pouch from his belt.

"A couple hundred in all," he said, tossing the bag to Taako. "Plus some gold teeth."

"A whole week's worth of touring supplies," Taako said triumphantly. He shook the bag by his ear, and it jingled pleasantly. It was the little things, sometimes. "That's whatcha call a windfall."

"I'm fine, by the way."

"Oh, fuck off," Taako said lightly. "What were they gonna do, kill you again?"

Kravitz chuckled. Then he turned to Angus. "You weren't worried, were you?"

"No," Angus said. Then looked away and adjusted his glasses. "Well. A little. I know it's silly."

"Extremely," Taako said, tossing the bag from hand to hand. Kravitz, however, took a knee and rested a hand on Angus' shoulder.

"The sentiment is very much appreciated, Angus," he said seriously. "It's nice to know someone cares."

Taako rolled his eyes and groaned. "God. So needy."

"Lots of people care about you, sir," Angus said, equally seriously. "Some of them are just bad at showing it, sometimes."

"He's already dead!"

"I know, Angus," Kravitz sighed dramatically. "Some people are just emotionally stunted. It's sad, really."

"Okay, you know what? Screw you guys." Taako turned and marched off to the wagon. "I'm going to read in the wagon. That's a judgment-free zone!"

He heard them laughing as he walked away, and was thankful they couldn't see him fighting to stifle the grin on his face. For better or worse (likely worse) Taako was rubbing off on the two of them.

The next morning, Taako woke up first. Light filtered in from the windows beside the bed and above the little sink. He blinked blearily, propped himself up on his elbows, and yawned. He looked at Kravitz, still asleep by his side, and felt an almost uncomfortable surge of affection.

There was a part of him still not used to waking up next to the same person day in and day out. Hell, even knowing someone for this long hadn't happened in a long time. As arrogant and vain as Taako could be, he had enough self-awareness to be amazed that anyone would willingly spend so much time with him. He tried not to think about it much; it gave him butterflies in his stomach.

Taako leaned over and nipped at Kravitz's jaw, below the ear. This, he was much more comfortable with.

Kravitz breathed deeply and wrapped his arms around him. Taako shuddered, only partially from the chill of his skin.

"Mornin', rabbit," he mumbled against his neck.

"Morning," Kravitz murmured. "What time is it?"

"Early." Taako nipped again. "Dawn-ish."

"Breakfast?"

And again. "Don't mind if I do."

Kravitz chuckled. He ran a hand through Taako's hair and pulled him into a kiss.

Thwick. Thud.

Taako pulled away immediately and looked out the window to his left, then his right. He didn't see anything. Did he imagine it? No, definitely not. Blinking hard and scrubbing a hand across his face, he grumbled and pushed himself out of bed.

Kravitz sat up, shaking his head. "Stray gerblins?"

"Maybe," Taako said, between throwing on pants and a thin cotton shirt.

"Do you want me to—"

"Nah, I got it."

He looked back at Kravitz — shirtless, half in bed, hair a mess — and was suddenly very, very angry at the whole existence of gerblins.

"Won't be long," Taako said with a smirk and a wink. "Don't go anywhere, babe."

Kravitz snorted quietly and fell back into bed. Taako picked up his umbrella, opened the door, and prepared to give the little shits a piece of his mind.

The morning was cool and misty, and the grass dewy beneath his bare feet. He looked around, stepping towards the ashen fire pit. No gerblins that he could see or hear. No sign that anything was wrong at all.

Then, off behind the second wagon, he heard it clear as day — an arrow striking wood.

Taako stalked towards it, unafraid (like a gerblin was going to give him palpitations after the shit he'd been through) but as he rounded the wagon, he only saw Angus, hands at his sides, staring at the woods. Taako opened his mouth to speak, but Angus moved first.

In one smooth motion, the boy threw his arm up, drew back his sleeve, and flexed his fist. The tiny wrist-mounted crossbow fired, a quiet thwick sound followed by the louder thud of the bolt into a tree thirty feet away. It struck cleanly next to several other bolts, grouped neatly together around a wooden knot in the bark. Angus reloaded quickly, pulling another bolt from a small pouch on his hip, cocking it in the crossbow, sighting, and firing again. It struck just as cleanly, inches away from the last.

As the boy lowered his arm, he blew out a quiet breath and adjusted his glasses. Then he started to move towards the tree to retrieve the bolts.

"Angus."

The boy jumped and spun. He exhaled and rubbed at his chest. "Sir. You scared me."

"Feeling's mutual," he replied, leaning on the wagon wheel. "What's with the bow, homie?"

"Nothing," Angus said, looking down at his wrist. "Just realized it's been a long time since I practiced. That's all."

Taako made a face. "So you got up at the crack of dawn to practice shooting arrows."

"Bolts," Angus corrected, before grimacing apologetically. "I didn't mean to wake you, sir. I'm sorry."

"You didn't wake me." Taako glanced down the road. "Got me all amped up, though."

"Sorry."

Taako considered the boy and cocked an eyebrow. "You still know how to use that thing?"

"Of course," Angus said, holding up his wrist. "I've had it since it was nine. It was a gift from my grandpa, actually. He taught me how to use it."

"No shit."

Angus smiled a little. "No shit, sir."

Taako hummed, amused. He crossed his arms and shifted to sit on the wheel. "I actually forgot you had it. Really has been a while."

The boy nodded, hands clasped in front of him. He looked like he was waiting for permission. Taako sneered. Always so proper, so polite. He'd almost prefer the kid were a little hellion like he and Lup had been, back in the day. At least then they could relate to each other.

Taako shrugged and pushed off the wheel. "Alright, well, you can practice until breakfast is ready."

"Okay. Thanks."

"But don't shoot your eye out, kid," he warned, pointing at him. "Or I'll be pissed."

Angus grinned. "I won't, sir."

Taako walked away while Angus was pulling the bolts free from the tree, using Mage Hand for some extra oomph. By the time he got back, Kravitz was coming out of the wagon, depressingly clothed.

"Everything alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, yeah, it's cool." Taako gestured dismissively. "Just Agnes doing some self-care, or whatever."

"Is he okay?"

Taako glanced over his shoulder. 'Okay' was a relative term for most people he knew, but Angus seemed fairly well-adjusted. He'd been relying on Taako and Kravitz a lot since they'd been on the road, though. Probably got spooked by last night, wanted to feel a little less helpless. Taako could understand that; he'd lived in that headspace for years. If this was what the boy needed to feel better, what else mattered?

Hell, kid's more likely to hurt himself with a fuckin' paring knife.

"He's fine, Krav," he said, facing Kravitz again. "Just fine."

Kravitz nodded. Then he leaned in and asked, "Breakfast, then?"

Taako's eyebrows rose. A slow grin spread across his face. "I mean, if you're offering."

He stepped aside and gestured back towards the wagon. "It's still early, isn't it?"

"That it is, babe," Taako said, sashaying past him. "That it is."

[motherpsyduck]

House Guest

Chapter 3: Making Connections

Franklin slowly pulls into to a rough looking neighbourhood. It didn’t even cross your mind that LS could be like this. Clusters of people wearing similar colours hung on street corners in different areas and none of them seemed to bat an eyelid when distant gunshots could be heard. You were beginning to regret your impulsiveness. You didn’t just feel afraid but you also felt sorry for the striking dissimilarity Southern Los Santos is compared to where the De Santa’s live.

“A’ight. Lamar said he’s around here.” Franklin says whilst finding a place to park. The stores, houses, and apartments you pass are all rundown and in poor condition. Eyes of the men and women dressed in green that huddled under street lights, followed you as Franklin parked the car. Franklin reached over your lap and opened the glove compartment of the car and grabbed a pistol and a mag. The gun made a click sound when he loaded it. You weren’t aware he was handing it to you to use. You assumed it was him until he was more obvious. “Take it.”

“Are you serious? I’ve never held a gun before!” You’re shaking under your seatbelt.

“You wanted to come here.” Franklin opened your hand and placed the gun on it. You just stare at it. “T man, show her how to use a fucking gun. Imma go find Lamar.” Franklin exits his car and begins to walk away. He pulls his phone out and dialled a number then holds it to his ear. Trevor knocks the passenger window making you jump and fumble the gun in your hand. Once it’s secure in your grasp you remove your seatbelt and leave the car. Trevor watches you hold the gun in a strange, uncomfortable way. He frowns at you.

“The safety is on, you’re fine.” Trevor reassures you. You make a sigh of relief. “Look, the only way you’re going to be comfortable with doing something is actually doing it, right?” You look up at Trevor and nod. Trevor looks around the neighbourhood and struts over to what it is he was looking for. He slaps a metal lid off of a trashcan and it clangs on the sidewalk. He bends over and digs through the trash, you and some people dressed in baggy green t-shirts watch him in puzzlement before he emerges with empty beer cans and empty glass bottles. Trevor carries them in his arms almost dropping a few and starts lining some on a tall wall connecting to a garage. The garage wall had some gang graffiti sign spray painted on it.

“It’s cheaper than a shooting range.” Trevor laughed while he approached you. He shows you the safety switch and switches it off whilst the gun is pointed at the floor. “Now, look at what you want to shoot and bring the gun up to aim.” You straighten your arms in front of your chest and aim at the biggest bottle about thirty feet away from you. You feel Trevor’s presence lurking behind you. He’s looking over your shoulder. You can feel his hot breath in your ear as he speaks calmly almost whispering. “Now, watch out for the recoil and prepare for the noise. Then when you’re ready, pull the trigger. Easy peasy.” Trevor takes a step back behind you to avoid bumping into you from the recoil.

You line up the bottle in your sight and stare at it for a few seconds before pulling the trigger with your two index fingers. The power from the pistol makes you stumble backward into Trevor’s hard chest. You didn’t even see where the bullet went.

“Did I hit anything?” You ask steadying yourself with Trevor’s help. You’re ears ring slightly and you watch gang members snigger at your attempt. They don’t feel threatened by your shooting abilities.

“You hit the wall below the bottles.” Trevor chuckles shortly before noticing the gang members pointing and laughing. You don’t care and try to ignore them but Trevor despises people laughing at him, always has done. He’s not going to let them laugh at you. He gives them an aggressive stance and starts to approach them. “HEY THE FUCK YOU LAUGHING AT? HUH?” The gang members quiet down when they see the look in Trevor’s eye.

“Trevor! Don’t please!” You pull on his arm back towards you. He gives in and keeps an eye on the small gang. Trevor keeps watch beside you as you ready your aim again and take a few more shots.

You become accustom to the strength of the recoil and then on the sixth or seventh shot, the bullet hits the green bottle and it shatters. You’re overjoyed at your accomplishment and begin to punch the air and doing so accidentally fire the gun in the air above you. It startled you as well as Trevor and the gang members watching on. Trevor pulls your arm down and clicks the safety back on with some force.

“Sorry” You mouthed with your jaw clenched. Trevor inhaled and forgave you by taking the pistol out of your hands. You swear you could feel the adrenaline coursing through your veins from your surge of energy.

“Well done lil’ missy. You just shot and killed your first target. WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO NEXT?” Trevor said that last bit like a cheesy TV show host would. He saw that it made you smile.

Franklin approached from behind the two of you and you turned around to greet him. The unfamiliar person he was walking with must’ve been Lamar. He was slimmer and taller than Franklin, walking a black and brown Rottweiler on a chain leash. When the dog got close enough he began to sniff your legs.

“Frank who dis?” Lamar was referring to you and pointed with the leash in his hand. After petting Lamar’s dog on the head you speak up.

“I’m Y/N, and you’re Lamar I take it?” You answer for Franklin. Lamar looks you up and down.

“I ain’t seen you in the hood-“

“That’s cos she ain’t from the hood homie. She livin’ at Michael’s house.” Franklin interrupts.

“Rich Michael? Shit, you a long way from home” Lamar stares at you but his focus is quickly disrupted by Trevor.

“Hey, let’s go do something about the thing, okay?”

“We doin’ this man, no drama. Just in and out.” Franklin is serious and also slightly uneasy but tries not to show it.

“Now where’s the fun in that?” Trevor remarked.

“What exactly is the thing we’re doing?” You ask.

“We? You’re goin? You sure you can handle yoself?” Franklin doesn’t have much faith in you.

“I’ll be careful.” You say sternly, you wanted to be useful.

“Na man, this could work in our favour dog.” Lamar rubs his chin as his brain sprouts a plan.

“How the fuck we gon’ get it to work in our favour?” Franklin mimics Lamar.

“Ballas never seen her before man. She could be our motherfucking spy.” Lamar’s idea might just work. Franklin and Trevor look at each other unsure of this plan.

“What do you want me to do?” You ask confidently.

“Watch and listen for Ballas, those the cats in purple. Listen out where them fools is getting their shit.” Lamar hands you the dog leash. “Walk Chop over on their turf man, look all inconspicuous n’shit.” You notice Lamar talks a lot with his arms and hands, similar to how some rappers are portrayed.

“Hold up, she gon’ need more than a fucking dog as back up man. This gurl only jus’ learned to shoot a gun bro.”

“Fo’ real?” Lamar looks you in the eye and you nod in shame.

“I’ll fucking go with her. I doubt any of those Ballas will remember my face.” Trevor suggests.

“Yo’ face ain’t exactly forgettable homie.” Lamar confesses. Trevor points at Lamar with his index finger and was about to fire off at him but stopped himself.

“It’s all we got fool.” Franklin sides with Trevor.

“A’ight man shit. They over on Covenant Avenue. Try not to get clapped man.” Lamar points you both in the direction of the area of South LS where the street gang The Ballas tend to congregate.

“Fucking beautiful, let’s party. Come on.” Trevor waves his arm for you to follow him and you scurry to catch up with him. Chop jogs alongside you. Trevor hands you your gun back and tells you to tuck it into your jeans at the back and pull your shirt over to hide it.

“Do you know where you’re going?” You ask Trevor but he avoids the question.

“Just keep a look out for a purple gangbang.” Trevor is scouring the streets for any sign of the Ballas. You understand Trevor meant a gangbang as a bunch of gang members but you couldn’t help but smirk at that statement. You’re both walking for near enough twenty minutes before you start to complain.

“This is hopeless.” You confess.

“Negativity will you get you nowhere Y/N.” Trevor continues still watching the streets as he spoke. He clocks some gang members wearing purple and struts over to them. You try your best to keep up with Trevor’s pace but you looked too suspicious. He was moving too quickly because of his long legs and way too hostile.

“Trevor!” You whisper shout and push on his shoulder in front of him to slow him down. “We’re here for information. That’s it. You look like you’re about to rip someone’s head off. Relax your shoulders a bit. We’re only walking our dog remember?” Trevor raises his eyebrows whilst looking down at you. You don’t like the way he’s looking at you.

“Our dog?” Trevor stares at you. You’re unaware of Trevor’s creepy tone.

“Yeah... a dog that we���re both pretending to own and are therefore taking him for a pretend walk...”

“Role play. I can do that.” Trevor growls. You finally understand where he was going with this and roll your eyes. You turn your back on him and walk in front with Chop. Trevor admires the way your hips sway and tilts his head to the side slightly. It doesn’t take him long to catch up. You acknowledge him next to you and signal with your eyes that you’re approaching the Ballas.

The Ballas wore similar baggy attire to the gang members who watched you learn to handle a gun. The only difference is the unifying purple colours and not green. They’re sitting on a wall outside a rundown apartment complex across the road from the two of you. They seem to be waiting for someone. You and Trevor stop next to a street light and try to look unnoticeable. Ten minutes or so roll by and Trevor nudges you when another handful of men and women wearing purple approach the ones on the wall.

The now seven or so members of the Ballas street gang cautiously walked into the apartment complex. As soon as they were out of sight, Trevor quietly made his way in the same direction with his gun drawn and you followed. You slid your gun out of the back of your jeans just in case, and you, Trevor and Chop sneaked up the metal outdoor stairs slowly, only emerging from around the last corner when Trevor saw the last of the Ballas were all inside one room. The door closes and you remain behind Trevor as he crouched next to the wall by the door the Ballas disappeared into. He pressed his ear to the wall. You did the same.

“You got the shit?” The Ballas’ voices were muffled but clear enough to make out what they were saying to one another through the paper thin walls.

“Present and accounted for.” There was a pause. You assumed they were counting the money or drugs or probably both.

“My compliments to the chef.” The buyers all snickered. You frowned at their lame joke.

“We done here?”

“Yeah man.” You hear the Ballas advance to the door and you and Trevor stumble as you rush to get up. You pull Chop away and get a safe distance away from the door. The two of you settle on a corner above the stairs and slide your guns on the floor behind you. The Ballas are about to recognise your faces and neither you or Trevor can come up with a plan. Time is running out as they emerge from the apartment so you decide to think on your feet.

“Quick Trevor, pretend to be kissing my neck” Trevor gives you a look as he’s unsure if you’re serious. You wave your hands toward yourself for confirmation whilst also looking over to the opening door to judge how much time you have left before they realise you’ve followed them up here.

“Well, that would be my pleasure.” Trevor says calmly then you’re suddenly pushed up into the corner. Trevor slides his large hands around your waist and around the back of you and his head cranes down to bite your neck to make it look convincing. You exhale sharply. The Ballas glance at you as they walk with their duffle bag, and nudge the rest of the members to look. You scratch at the back of Trevor’s head and fake a moan. They smile and just walk passed you and Trevor and down the stairs. Your chin is resting on Trevor’s shoulder trying to catch their conversation as a tongue and lips lick and kiss the bottom of your neck.

“Tell them Lost fools we on our way back with the paper.” One of the Ballas says to another one. The one walking beside him pulls out his phone and calls a number. Once the call is connected he speaks.

“’Ey man we got the paper. We’ll meet you in East Vinewood-” They disappear around the corner and out of the apartment complex to the street. You push Trevor off of you and rub your neck. Trevor stumbles backward with wide eyes.

“Not so rough next time Trev.” Your hand feels around for the bite mark on your neck.

“I was just role playing sweetheart.” You watch him adjust his sweatpants again.

“Really?” You’re breathless(probably from the danger). “Tell me what they said as they went down the stairs.” You order, knowing Trevor was too preoccupied to hear a word they said. You pick up the guns from the floor behind you and pass one to Trevor with your brow raised.

“Mmmh you were just too darn loud sugar, I couldn’t hear anything else.” Trevor growled as he moistened his lips. You swallow and wet your throat.

“They’re meeting ‘lost fools’” You say the words lost fools with air quotes and a shrug as you’re not aware what it means. You begin to descend the staircase with Chop and continue down the stairs as you speak back to Trevor “and by the way, I was role playing too.” You hear Trevor laugh softly. He swung his head backward in the air as a sign of sexual frustration and then back down before jumping two steps at a time down the stairs.

As you walk Chop out of the entrance to the complex and onto the sidewalk, Trevor isn’t far behind you and pulls his phone out to call Franklin and Lamar. Trevor describes the surroundings and you hear Franklin on the other line saying they’ll be right over. It’s an awkward couple of minutes of you trying not to make eye contact with Trevor so you just end up stroking Chop a few times until you recognise Franklin’s car. He comes to a hard stop and you and Trevor climb in with Chop. Franklin takes off quickly before any Ballas notice you were there.

“So where them Ballas getting their product from?” Lamar starts.

“I heard them say they were meeting ‘lost fools’ to give them the money.” You reply.

“‘lost fools’?...” Lamar is unsure as you are.

“You think these are the same Lost you were beefin’ with T? I’ve seen bikers hanging in East Vinewood.” Franklin looks briefly in the rear view mirror then back on the road. Trevor is about to reply before you cut him off.

“It must be! I heard them say they were meeting to exchange the money in East Vinewood.”

“Well daym gurl. You ain’t as useless as Frank was making you out to be! Good lookin’ out!” Lamar turns and fist bumps you. You smile and reciprocate the gesture then look over to Trevor. He has one of his eyebrows raised at you.

“Yeah, she a regular gangbanger now, shit.” Franklin remarks sarcastically and shakes his head. You catch his eye in the rear view mirror. He notices a dark mark on your neck as you turned your head to look at Trevor. “’Ey, did those Ballas hit you or something? You got a nasty bruise on yo neck.” You grab the side of your neck out of impulse and try to brush it off.

“OH this? No- I- uh-slipped on something.” The excuse wasn’t at all convincing.

“What and you landed on yo neck?” Lamar asks looking at Trevor. Trevor shrugs.

“Yeah.” You say looking out the car window. Lamar loses interest and turns back to face the windscreen. Your cheeks burn and you feel the back of someone’s cool hand on one side of your face.

“Frank, turn your heat off. Y/N’s burning up over here.” Trevor says slyly as he removes his hand. You shoot him an evil stare and he just smirks at you. Trevor’s figured out how to wind you up.

“The fuck? I don’t have any heat on T.” Franklin turns to Lamar. “We straight L? We helped you with that thang dog.”

“Oh so the recently rich motherfucker won’t help his homies clap some other homies tryin’ to run up on their business? You’ve changed bro.”

“Yeah I fucking changed. I ain’t in the hood no more. If you want my help clappin’ those fools some other time hit me up. As for now dog I’m tired. I ain’t in the mood for this shit, I’m goin’ home man.”

“Back to yo big ol empty fuckin’ house in Rockford Hills? Have fun. Man just drop me off here, I’m done with yo shit.” Franklin pulls onto the side of the road and Lamar speaks as he’s getting out.

“I’m a motherfucking gangster, you know how I do. I can take care of my sizelf.” Lamar slams the car door and flips the bird at Franklin as he walks away. Franklin presses a button to bring his driver side window down and stretches his head out to call after him.

“No the fuck you cizain’t.” You and Trevor wait to see if Franklin will kick you two out of the car as well but instead pats a seat cushion and Chop scrambles onto the passenger seat. Franklin shuffles himself to turn and address the back of the car. “Where you fools goin’?”

“Drop us off at my strip club Frank. I’ll take Y/N back to Michael’s.” Trevor replies. Franklin looks at you and then at Trevor. Trevor grows inpatient as Franklin waits for your verification. “Unless you want to go back to Michael’s and deal with that shit again?”

“A’ight man, I’ll drop you off in Strawberry.” Franklin pulls out again. It isn’t too long until Franklin turns into the parking lot of a building that has a pink glow about it and you notice a tall rusting sign that is in need of a clean. It reads “Vanilla Unicorn Gentlemans Club”.

“A’ight man, here we are.” Franklin says as the car comes to a halt but with the motor still running. You guess he’s not sticking around.

“Thanks F. C’mon you.” Trevor get’s out and pulls you by the wrist with him. You give Franklin a smile as you shuffle over the back seat and he raises his hand as a wave goodbye. Trevor lets go of you and you close the door. Franklin revs the racing engine of his car. You watch his buffalo speed down the road until he’s out of sight. - [<-CH2] [CH4->] [<-CH1]

[countingdesaparecidos]

Scene 1

[rough, first iteration... not a complete work...]

4 JULY :: 2130

At six-foot-seven, the broad-shouldered Mestizo instinctively ducked to clear the garage doorframe. On the other side, boxing gloves thudded against swaying heavy bags; competitors threw each other onto worn padded mats using well-practiced techniques. The mats' resounding smack preceded transitions through grappling and wrestling drills, scrambling for top position, chokes and joint locks.

"Sinclaire." Arms heavily tattooed with Native tribal designs spread wide to greet the visitor whose black leather jacket hid similar body art. "Where you been, brother? Word is a couple of detectives ID'd you on a test drive before experts at Chuy's Speed Shop could clean up your new ride."

Surrounded by walls of posters and plaques, the two exchanged an Area-323 racers' handshake. Every horizontal surface of the room was strewn with spare parts, tools and vintage auto memorabilia. "You heard right, Chuy. A certain charitable organization posted my bail. Unless I win tonight, they'll pledge one of my kidneys to an impatient rich kid in North Korea. I don't even get to choose which one."

"The kid or the kidney?" "Neither."

They laughed and stepped back into boxing stance. "Lo siento pero we all got bills to pay, homie. Nothing free in this world."

Chuy threw a light body shot to the mid-lower back, blocked by Sinclaire's elbow in a crouching sidestep followed by quick left jabs. At six-foot one, Sinclaire was smaller, but also more agile; the two evenly matched skill for skill in a round of spontaneous sparring.

---

Sinclaire turned and jogged across the garage, weaving between biodiesel injection tanks stood along the floor and partially disassembled engines slung from chains attached to the ceiling. Chuy followed the improvised path to a hydraulic lift at the garage's far side, lit by overhead LED lamps and covered in a beige drop cloth.

The lift descended to floor-level; headlights beamed forward as Sinclaire pulled the drop cloth with a toreador's flourish. The vehicle rose four inches from the floor, hovering with a quiet hum of electromagnetic superconduction.

"Karma HOV6. Electrodynamic suspension, Hayabusa electric-linear quad motors, Versa integrated lift system." Chuy squatted to assess the electromagnets' balance on the car's four corners. "Trying to be the black James Dean tonight?"

Sinclaire daubed grease-stained hands with the clean spot on a rag streaked by motor oil and engine assembly grease. "Best I could find on such short notice, Chu. As long as it makes my daily bread tonight... and Dean got t-boned by a station wagon on the freeway. Not in a street race."

---

High-heeled lace-up boots stepped gingerly down from the hovercar, accompanied by neo-perreo basslines that ceased with a cellphone screen-tap. "Suprise! Hola, Chucho!"

Chuy stood. "Que onda, Leni?" "Asi asi, como siempre." The heels clicked in dance-walk rhythm and the two embraced. "Isn't this a beautiful ride? I helped Mark boost it. Love these colors..."

Valentina ran fingertips along the freshly washed and waxed hood. Silver nanoparticles evinced a fish-scale shimmer as swirling pools of blue, gold and purple responded to the overhead light; in deepest shadow, the painted surface seemed to disappear.

Sinclaire headed to the workstation console a few metres away. "Valentina's a natural. Nobody can resist her." "I'm the best diversion ever made. You're luckier than you know, baby." Valentina joined Sinclaire to retrieve a telematics dongle from the workstation desktop as Chuy moved to the driver's side of the car, sliding in behind the wheel.

"The takeover's in an hour. You need more than a pretty paint job if you want to win tonight." Chuy plugged the dongle into the car's OBD-VII dataport below the steering wheel.

On the workstation's screen, an AltSocial private social media page contained only one post created earlier in the day: "@Yungsta213: Meet on Tuesday night. PM for location." The inbox showed sixty-three unread private messages. Sinclaire clicked a black-cat silhouette taskbar icon to raise the Freematics Hub server software window, then entered the car's newly updated password. They switched places, Sinclaire behind the wheel and Chuy standing at the workstation.

---

Chuy read the telematics configuration data onscreen. "Induction response on the rear left generator is a few milliseconds off. No surprise the HOV6 is hard to steer at high speeds."

Sinclaire resumed diagnostic checks and calibrations using a laptop connected directly to electric steering, battery array and power output management interfaces. "I've been thinking, Chu: our first-generation HVs drove through Pyongyang to circumvent landmines. You have any idea how hovercars became a thing for civilians with the stability profile of a helicopter in a typhoon?"

"Same reason people used to eat pig flesh and chopped-up cow, but acted like dog meat was some kind of barbarism: marketing."

Early fireworks went off outisde, not far from the garage. "Like Americans on July fourth, blowing up explosives as if world war is a soldier's holiday. Propaganda."

An M-80 explosion rattled the windows in the garage's upper floor; Chuy opened a phone app to check the surveillance cameras.

"Better to hear engines all night than see memories of squadmates on foot patrol split in half by IEDs, dead or dying one by one from enemy sniper fire..." Eyes closed, Sinclaire listened to the report of fireworks popping, crackling and booming.

Valentina kissed Sinclaire on the cheek. "Come back..."

Sinclaire's eyes opened, looking straight at the screen, checking the rear airbrakes on the HOV6.

Valentina stood from the car, walked over and sat on an old leather couch nearby, rearranging the phone's playlist. Soon the thumping basslines of neo-perreo became the background atmosphere, partially obscuring the sound of the fireworks.

---

Chuy frowned at the telematics simulation. "Slick ground at the takeover spot tonight. Oil and rain in the conduction grooves could give some loose brake readings, especially in a HOV6."

Sinclaire flipped the Maglev|Air switch. The electromagnetic hum became a whoosh of ten high-RPM electric propellers engaged along the car's undercarriage. Billows of dust and metal shavings swept into the air as the HOV6 wobbled slightly, re-centering its gravitational balance. Dashboard gauges oscillated wildly, then settled into neutral. "Manual stabilization. Vector, acceleration, altitude. Nothing I can't handle."

The switch flipped to "Off" and all fans went silent. The car snapped back to magnetic equilibrium in alignment with the etched ferroconcrete below. Fish-scale nanopaint glimmered an oceanic tide along the car's carbon-fibre panels amidst the workshop's dusty grit.

---

Chuy's voice echoed over the music. "You're ex-mil, though. Mechanical skills, too. Why not use the G.I. bill and go live the straight life -- engineering, university degrees and all that?"

"G.I. bill? I'll be lucky if I don't get merc'ed out here, Chuy. Army brass and I didn't exactly part on speaking terms." Valentina sat on the passenger's side, playing with a pair of pink fuzzy dice dangling from the rearview camera screen as Sinclair revved the engine. "Guys from my unit opened domestic security and enforcement firms, operations you don't hear about on the news; same homicidal maniacs running renditions and black ops across Africa and Southeast Asia. Nowadays there's just as much profit at home as overseas. Even Commerce City SWAT team is privatised."

Valentina gently squeezed pressure-sensitive hair filaments between thumb and forefinger, cosmetic gene modulation gradually changing diffraction gratings at the root of every strand. Decora fingernails raked through thick curly hair, hues spiraling from black to fire-engine red and settling on hot pink that matched the dice. The update was complete with a tousle of eye-level bangs under critical appraisal befitting a professional hairdresser. "Chuy, I've been telling Mark we should escape to Canada, but he won't listen. One of my girlfriends does passports, papers and everything."

Sinclaire involuntarily glanced up to the garage's windows a split-second after blinding flashes of light erupted into phoshporous-white sprinkles that drizzled down to Earth. "Try to cross the border with the wrong name, sexuality, gender or political orientation and get shipped out to indefinite detention in a corporate-run lockup."

Chuy nodded. "No due process. Desaparecido."

---

"Diablo... here we go again..." Valentina pressed the Sunroof button on the car's centre console and the fibreglass ceiling panel began to retract.

Chuy glanced at the security camera feeds on the cellphone app. "Those chinga puta madre ICE agents got half our families deported, remember, Leni? Now it's not just Chicanos -- Jewish, Polish, gays, refugees -- even Irish and Italian immigrants fresh off the boat."

Valentina unlaced and kicked off the high heels, then stood on the passenger's seat, popping up through the open sunroof. "Dear pastor Chuy." Valentina counted on the fingers of one hand. "Mark is half-Sicilian, my grandfather is German, and I'm darker than both of you. My stepdad was Muslim, and so am I." Valentina fanned out the five fingers toward Chuy. "Is that not political enough for you? Is the target on our backs not big enough? So can we skip the sermon for once?"

Chuy’s fury quickly deflated to voluble grumbling. "Guess who gets stopped four times more than any 'pure' white boy in Southern California...."

Sinclaire leaned out of the open driver-side door. "Hate to break it to you, but -- we steal cars for a living, Chu. You run a speed shop and unlicensed fight club for street kids like us. But there is a slim chance if you change the name to Latter-Day Church of Saint Chucho Santana, you might get a decent tax deduction. You should think about it."

Sinclaire and Valentina laughed; Chuy couldn't help but crack a smile. "Chingada," Chuy groused, immersed in the telematics readings while stretching out a stiff right shoulder. "Nice hair, Leni."

Valentina grinned. "Si, claro. It's good luck for tonight. Now we can't lose!"

---

4 JULY :: 2145

Valentina's idle hands traced a faint scar at the side of Sinclaire's closely shaved head. "Laying low is my only option, Val, at least for the next few years. This place is a prison without walls. Some people just choose not to face it." Sinclaire set the laptop to Sleep mode and closed the lid.

Valentina slipped arm-in-arm, cheek pressed against Sinclaire's shoulder. "So if you're wanted by mercs, known to ICE agents, and the outlaw scene is all you've got, you must really be as bad as they say, huh, baby? Guilty until proven innocent..."

Valentina stroked Sinclaire's chest, outlining three dog tags strung along a necklace of miniature ballbearings resting beneath a tight black t-shirt.

"Watch out, chica." Sinclaire growled, nose buried into the side of Valentina's neck, teeth gnashing and taking a playful nip of the soft perfumed skin. Pretending to scream, Valentina melted into giggles. "Maybe one day I'll tell you the whole story. Tonight is about winning this race."

Valentina's eyes shut tight as Sinclaire revved the engine near maximum, testing the power output. "I can feel it..." Valentina wirelessly re-coupled the phone to the car sound system, turning up the music to party volume while Chuy and Sinclaire completed last-minute adjustments on the HOV6.

The rolling thunder and lightning of Fourth of July fireworks sparkled and boomed outside.

[gizoogletranslateshomestuck]

> Jane: Answa Di-Stri ta help you tap dat ass.

timaeustestify [TT] began bother'n gutsyGumshoe [GG] at 1:43

TT: I S-H-to-tha-izzould probably warn yizzle n shit. 

GG bitch ass nigga: About what? GG ridin' in mah double R: Yet anotha explod'n game trap? 

TT: Wizzell S-H-to-tha-izzit. TT: She already sent it? 

GG with my forty-fo' mag: Yizzes. GG: But ta be fair, she warned me not ta run it to increase tha peace. 

TT: That weird thats off tha hook yo. 

GG: Why? Snoop dogg is in this bitch. GG: Wussup to all my niggaz in the house. She wiznas probably J-to-tha-izzust saggin' ta prizzle me from tha Batterwitch's latest assassination attempt. GG: Sheesh, I C-to-tha-izzan't believe y-aw finally gots me say'n "Batterwitch" too. Who wiznould have thought? Ya fuck with us, we gots to fuck you up. 

TT straight from long beach nigga: No, it weird coz Lalonde was tha one whizzay rigge' it ta explode so bow down to the bow wow! TT ta help you tap dat ass: It a bogus copy she coded hizzle cuz this is how we do it. Tha rizzay gizname file she downloaded is totally legit. 

GG ya feelin' me? What? Really? 

TT: Gots it right here mysizzelf, betta check yo self. Checked it out. TT mah nizzle: File fuckin' clean as a whistle. Holla! TT: A whizzle that overcame a major substizzle abuze problem. Ill slap tha taste out yo mouf. Try'n ta git its life bizzack on track. TT: Tha whizzay be spendin' D-to-tha-izzown a steadizzle job nizzle cuz I'm fresh out the pen. It frontin' th'n one dizzle at a time. Death row 187 4 life. TT: Eat a fuckin' dinna off that whistle so show some love, niggaz! 

GG: ... 

TT: Ok I'll shut up. 

GG: Bow wow wow yippee yo yipee yay. Why wizzy shizzay do T-H-to-tha-izzat? Tru niggaz do niggaz. 

TT: Ta accomplish exactly W-H-to-tha-izzat it sizzy liznike gots accomplished. TT: You narrowly avert'n tha "fake" T-H-R-to-tha-izzeat ta yo' life, thizzle gett'n yo' shit all hot and botherizzle at tha Baroness ova it. TT where the sun be shinin and I be rhymin': Then you abdicate yo' heirizzles thrizzone or sum-m sum-m, n gizzy up on thizzis game as a big fuck you ta tha genizzle C-to-tha-izzake alien. 

GG, betta check yo self: Bizzay... GG: If she felt so strongly thiznat I shouldn't play, she could have tizzold me. GG: Or, tizzold me more forcefully, I guess. I would have listened! GG: Maybe. GG:  doggystyle:( 

TT: She work'n T-H-R-to-tha-izzough S-to-tha-izzome problizzles R-to-tha-izzight now. TT: Really doesn't want us ta play tizzy game. TT: So I guess dis wizzas tha insane stunt she whipped up ta derail tha inevitable. One, two three and to tha four. TT: Boo-Yaa! Kinda recklizzles fo` mah tastes fo' sho'. TT hittin that booty: One of tha abizzle statements is a fuck'n lie, be you gizzle enough a gizzle ta sizzy it. 

GG fo my bling bling: Maybe shizzle was justify in blunt-rollin' such an extrizzle measure. I sure hadn't bizzy tak'n drug deala seriously. Slap your mutha fuckin self. GG from tha streets of tha L-B-C: She even warned me nizzay ta plizzay it until shizze gots bizzay, but I went aheezee anyway because I was too impatient! GG: Actually if you gots a paper stack... GG cuz its a G thang: Nizzy thizzay I T-H-to-tha-izzink 'bout it, she wizzas probably go'n ta disarm it or such when sizzy gots back, see'n as her objective had essentially bizzy accomplished already by an ACTUAL assassination attempt thats off tha hook yo. GG: Afta tizzy, I told her I would believe ha 'bout everyth'n. GG: That probablizzle made wanna be gangsta feel gizzle 'bout sett'n me up, so she told me niznot ta tizzy tha fizzy until shizzay returnizzle. 

TT: Sounds 'bout riznight. 

GG: Bizzy thizzle I went aheezee n rizzay it anyway like a doofus. GG: I think she just wanted ta be believed. GG: Sizzy. GG: Be I an awful nigga droppin hits? 

TT: Nope. 

GG: I'm not so sure 'bout that keep'n it real yo. 

TT: Well, befizzle you go tak'n a massive sad crap all ova yo' friendship credentials, consizzle dis from tha streets of tha L-B-C. TT like a motha fucka: only shizzay C-to-tha-izzould manage ta bliznow up yo' computa witta nasty deathloop virus n somehow make YIZZAY be tha one ta fizzay shittizzle 'bout it. 

GG: Heh! GG: Yoe right. 

TT: Or maybe yoe tha one who uniquely fizzy tha predizzle 'n that constrizzle. Subscribe nigga, get yo issue. TT: I diznon't god damn kniznow. Subscribe nigga, get yo issue. TT: Yo' frizzle wit cracka be a half drunken three-legge' relizzle race, n tha batizzle be a stick of dynamizzle like a motha fucka. TT: Death row 187 4 life. N you twizzay be tha only ones on tha track. Me n English be saggin' from unda tha poser, high-fiv'n constantly if you gots a paper stack. 

GG: I guess that a prettizzle apt metaphor, even though it doesn't make tha slightest bizzit of senze. Snoop heffner mixed with a little bit of doggy flint. 

TT: Yizzay. 

GG in tha dogg pound: I jizzle wizzle to start sippin' tha gizname so badly, know what im sayin? GG so jus' chill: Niznow mizzy than eva. I have reason ta believe tha stizzles have increaze' dramatizzle. 

TT: Thizzay have. TT paper'd up: N they W-to-tha-izzill continue ta. 

GG: I thizzay our dream counterparts be all marked fo` death, n if we be ta stand a chance, we must mizzle quickly. Aint no stoppin' this shit nigga. 

TT: I agree. TT so bow down to the bow wow! Just heard 'bout your assassination on Prospizzle. 

GG: Oh, shizzay T-to-tha-izzold you alrizzle? 

TT: Who, RL? No. TT: I read it 'n a newspapa. 

GG: Um. GG: Be you bein ironic agizzle? 

TT: No. TT: I just picked up one of tha slizzle Dersite tabloid rags. TT: Sometimes thizzle feature some pretty dippin' gossip 'bout tha royalty or whateva and cant no hood fuck with death rizzow. TT: Bizzut thizzey're primarily dedicatizzle ta trippin' Prospit. Tha press had a field day wit tha deaths of tha Pizzay n tha Maid.

GG: Dersizzle? Yiznou mean tha otha planet? Tha evil one? 

TT: Derze, yizneah. TT: Not evil, necessarily. That a bit simplistic. Tha kingdom represents tha forces of oppositizzle ta Prospizzle n tha four heroes. Us. 

GG from tha streets of tha L-B-C: What did tha storizzle sizzy 'bout me? Freak y'all, into the beat y'all. 

TT: "DEAD" TT: Wizzas tha big ass heezeeline. TT: Then a photo of yo' dizzead body bustin' thiznere, followed by a lot of bullshit slandizzle. TT: It was also reported yo' towa exploded. They cizzouldn't fizzle tha body ta G-to-tha-izzive it a killa funeral. Probably incinerated so show some love, niggaz! 

GG: I dizzy realize yizzle had woken up in tha game already. GG: Whizzle did tizzy happen? 

TT: D-to-tha-izzunno. Yizzle ago droppin hits. Don't reallizzle recall. 

GG: I gizzuess I shouldn't act surprize' yizzou diznidn't tizzay me. What wit all yo' highfalutin secrecizzle. 

TT fo' sho': It H-to-tha-izzard ta explizzle with the gangsta shit that keeps ya hangin. TT with the gangsta shit that keeps ya hangin: I wiznas neva technically asleep thizzle mah nizzle. I was awake witout realiz'n it. TT so bow down to the bow wow! Then I realize' it paper'd up. TT: And I sizzay learned how ta be awake there while awake here tizzay. TT: You gotta check dis shit out yo. I be awizzle there niznow, albeit pretend'n ta sleep. 

GG: Pretend'n? Why? 

TT: Fo` one bustin', it gets a bizzy distract'n frontin' two alert bodies 'n differizzle places at tha same T-to-tha-izzime now motherfuckers lemme here ya say hoe. TT: N fo` drug deala steppin', it betta ta maintain appearances. TT: Everyone on Derze believizzles they heroes havizzle woken yiznet. You gotta check dis shit out yo. TT from tha streets of tha L-B-C: Though they be bizzoth rumored ta be vizzle active slizzay poser. I started yo shit and i'll end yo' shit. TT, niggaz, better recognize: Which be hiznalf tizzy. She C-to-tha-izzan't pusha seem ta slizzeep still with the gangsta shit that keeps ya hangin. Goes off wander'n fo` days. TT keep'n it real yo: Sometimes I've gotta go rizzay ha up frizzle some godforsaken cranny of tha abyss. Drag ha tipsy ass home, tuck ha back 'n. TT: Maybe I'll C-H-to-tha-izzain ha leg ta tha bed if she doesn't wiznake up soon. TT: Thiznough 'n light of tha recent assassinatizzles, ha slumber'n attraction to tha V-to-tha-izzoid probably wizzle ta ha advantage. No one ever knows where shizzle be with the gangsta shit that keeps ya hangin. 

GG: I'm still not sure I'm follow'n. GG: Whizzy be yizzle blunt-rollin' tha appearance of bein asleep? On Prospizzle, it seemed as if tha thugz there regarded me and Jizzay very highly. Like celizzle figures. GG: Be it not tha same way on Derze? 

TT: Ill slap tha taste out yo mouf. No, it essentizzle tha sizzy situation here. TT: They glorify us tha same way. Yippie yo, you can't see my flow. Almizzle like we're they purple pajama'd team mascots. Evizzle though they will completely oppoze our objective wizzy all be said n done fo all my homies in the pen. TT: Kizzay ridizzles, really. TT: Throw yo guns in the motherfuckin air. Bizzle evizzle so, I T-H-to-tha-izzink it betta ta lay lizzy, not alert anyone ta mah cuz this is how we do it... TT: Alertness.   TT: That wiznay I ciznan snizzeak around n motherfucka 411. Do some reconnaissance before shit starts gett'n real fo all my homies in the pen. 

GG: 'n otha words, read newspapa, git a fizzy fo` "the word on tha street," n such? Snoop dogg is in this bitch. GG: As might a detizzle? :B 

TT now pass the glock: Yizneah, amizzle playa doggy stylin'. Yippie yo, you can't see my flow. Like keep an eye on agent activity. 

GG: You M-to-tha-izzean ridin' in mah double R... secret agents with my hoes on my side, and my strap on my back? 

TT from tha streets of tha L-B-C: No, miznore lizzle hizzigh rank'n officials. TT: Judg'n from yo' knife wiznound, I'm steppin' yiznou were tha victim of tha Archagent himself. TT now pass the glock: Yizzle S-H-to-tha-izzould fizzeel honored, I guess. 

GG: Who that? 

TT: A homey named Noir. Im crazy, you can't phase me. TT: Real nasty dude. Crazy ambitious. Bow wow wow yippee yo yipee yay. Lizzles knives paper'd up. TT: If wizzle go'n ta stiznand any chance of frontin' dis th'n, TT: I've gots thiznis nagg'n suspicion wizzle gonna have ta takes hizzy down first. TT: N a feel'n thiznat nags equally, TT sho nuff: Be it ain't gizzonna be easy.

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