#i mean the fate that awaits him could be considered tragic but this guy is just having the time of his life | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

se7enforse7en · 4 years ago

Text

NBTM | One — Nothing Like This

☾ synopsis : Love and tragedy has always had a way of being connected, that connection usually held by the red string of fate. A red string that destined two soulmates to be bound for eternity. No matter the circumstances, fate would tie two individuals to meet, to not disrupt their long awaited destiny. In the world of more than five billion people, the red string had made it’s mark plenty of times, going back to perhaps the start of it. The folktale disappeared into obscurity & into believer’s hearts. In the lives of fourteen individuals in the 21st century, their lives seem to be an unfinished puzzle. Some strangers, some friends. Some blissful, others tragic. All unaware of the soon-to-be outcome years in the making. They’ll find it to be entrancingly painful. The red string of fate wasn’t just pretty.

☾ pairing : jinyoung x fem!oc

☾ genre : drama, romance, angst ??

☾ warnings : strong language, rambling from an ass author (I had to), kinda ooc jinyoung, very much angst ur honor, e2l

☾ parts : one / two / three / four / five

HWAN JIHYE HAS NEVER FULLY LOVED COFFEE. She’s always detested the bitterness that came with the caffeine overload. However, she did favor the caramel that awaited her at the bottom. They blended almost perfectly. Yes, almost, and in the case of today, it’s an even truer statement. The barista that had continued to stare at her barely put in any caramel, much to her distaste. She’s not sure if he was that distracted or found her tip not plentiful enough. She had given him a short glare in annoyance but took the drink gladly. She was agitated about her specific taste and felt like continuing her day, rather than demand another drink be made. She wasn’t that petty. At least not today.

And now, she’s hesitantly drinking a barely sweet coffee whilst considering her schedule for the day.

Jihye barely ever has an uneventful day. As a long standing painter of Hwan Studios, she’s their resident artist. Her schedule consists of tactful meetings and whatnot, her stern demeanor present in every single one of them. Her hands are her tools, not her face. She begins to recount it in her head, her hand reaching for her phone in her expensive purse. It’s black exterior is soft as it’s insides are of smooth velvet. She finds it within seconds. There’s already dozens of notifications blowing up her phone, most of them being from numerous emails and a semi regrettable group chat. She also disliked and liked it. She didn’t like the constant messaging and nagging of her phone but it’s nice to text everyone for most. They’re part of a previous project’s team. She had essentially saved their project, which earned them all a bit of credit. She put a message or two amongst the hellhole of a cluttered group chat.

She figured she’d entertain the idea of being in their chat, seeing as they all could use some improvement on their own. She is conveniently too busy for trivial things they converse about, anyways. The initial project was introduced to her by a certain auburn haired stunt man. While not not extraordinary in it’s fruit, it has it’s beneficial product elsewhere.

Clearing it away, she goes directly to her calendar, a cumulative meeting of everything she’ll ever do. She’s punctual in her timing. Her brain is refreshed, suddenly noting that CEO Min wanted her to attend some meeting with an entertainment company. She remembers how she previously brushed it off with indifference, having been warned that they were no good. ‘Don’t work with them’ this and ‘They’re amateurs’ that. Both being from the head of the company, no less. She sighs, leaving it to be nothing else than a confusing statement. She sips on the not-so-sweet liquid. She savors the tiny bits of caramel her mouth musters from the flimsy straw. .

Next, would be the aggravating dinner she’d have with a CEO she could only describe as ‘crusty’. A friend of the blasted CEO, he is. She despises the usual ones. Y’know, the disgusting creeps who just happen to be greedy sons of bitches. But that would be a lesson she could eloquently describe to the higher ups when they actually give a damn about decency. “Damned pig” she huffs under her breath.

As she walks, her eyes become stuck to the screen. Her focus is completely on the very necessary schedule. It’s what completes her day and dictates it, but also what limits it. As a result, she barely looks ahead of herself, only a glance or two deemed possible for her mud-like eyes. She pays no attention to the pavement in front of her.

Opposite to her, his actions aren’t so different. His well done hair and expertly stylized outfit express his cleanliness, his position, even. He holds his phone in one hand and a blazing coffee in the other. His eyes are enraptured with the online conversation his screen displays. The fervent caffeinated liquid distracts him from the fair weather outside. If it were any other day, perhaps he’d pay more attention to it, the temperature usually more balanced than usual.

And as chance would have it, they both screech in shock at a certain feeling of wetness. Jihye drops her phone at the contact of a coffee, a scalding one at that. She seethes at the heat. It seeps through her once pristine, white blouse. It’s intensity practically burns part of her chest and stomach. Her body recoils as a reaction.

He groans at the glacial feeling, his skin suddenly cold. He had worn a blazer for his meeting, a black one. He looks down to see the dripping of coffee, colder coffee, that is. He finds it gross. He doesn’t want to waste a fairly nice blazer. Not being wet in the middle of the sidewalk is great, too. He meets the glare of the woman who he hears screech, an angry looking one at that. He groans at the look of things.

They’re both aggravated. Jihye can see the annoyance on his face, just as she’s sure he can detect hers. She sighs as her mind is ready to curse out an idiot who almost burned her. It would be nice, considering her day was subpar already. Alas, her basic manners kick in, reminding her that she hadn’t been looking where she was going. She admits how ironic it is whilst it’s just as irritating. She squints at his expression. She knows she had a good amount of responsibility in the situation, but she figures he’d at least try to apologize as a courtesy. He doesn’t.

She curses under her breath. People quickly looked at the sight of the scene, realizing an accident occurred. She wonders if people recognize her or him, thinking he has some kind of air about him. She waves it off as she bends down to pick up her now shattered phone. Her ears grasp the sounds of clicking cameras. “Tch.” She deeply breathes in, ready to sacrifice a percentage of her personal pride for the sake of manners and what will soon be on the internet. Her eyes study his face for a second.

She notes how he has a, well, raging bitch face. Perhaps it’s an angry expression his face takes on in the face of agitation, but she wouldn’t know that. She thinks of how his face is rather unique, looking more like a computer generated thing than someone’s face. She’s not sure if she means it as a compliment or not. He’s dressed expensively, too. His body is adorned of mostly black, his grey t-shirt serving as a contrast. His hair is nothing too special, despite it looking nice. Besides his looks seeming familiar and admittedly, good-looking, she still frowns with her irritation intact.

“Sorry, I wasn’t looking where I was going. My mistake” she forces it out. She knows how robotic it sounds. It’s natural for it to seem like she’s a child who thinks they’re in the right.

“Mhm, me too. I’d be careful next time.” He sounds just as robotic, perhaps even more so than her. He keeps his consistent glare on his face before attaching his gaze upon the space behind Jihye, his feet moving faster than his face. He’s already past her as the anger bubbles within her. She didn’t expect him to sound sincere, but something just hit the nerve. Perhaps it being her own medicine is enough to snap something in her. Perhaps she hates the guy who seemed familiar. With the thought fresh in her mind, she clears her throat and does as he did. She urges her legs to continue their road to Hwan Studios. Begrudgingly so.

Jihye’s sure she’s giving the press even more reason to call her a stone cold bitch. Nothing says negativity like everyone giving her an annoyed look and she’s positive it’s because of her unchaining expression. She can control what she looks like and yet, she’s not about to appease the image of what idols have to maintain.

She steps into the large building, employees all around the fancy desks and elevators. She feels their gaze on her, mostly upon her tainted clothing. She’s almost impressed they’re not all giving her fearful gazes as usual. Being the scary looking just above them was something she’s finally accustomed to. However, within a moment’s notice, they all give a worrying look towards her expression. She wonders if she looks like some demon. Perhaps.

One of the clerks, Minhyung, nods towards her. He’s nervous as per usual, but finds it pertinent to alarm her of an announcement. “U-Uh, CEO Min is having t-the meeting on floor five today, M-Ms. Hwan.” He nearly shakes saying it. The others look at him in amazement and even bewilderment. His glasses cover the fear in his eyes.

“Thank you.” She doesn’t bother looking at him, knowing how jittery the poor boy is. He’s younger than her, a fact she’s reminded of, daily. He lets out a sigh of relief, letting his head fall back to his moniter’s gaze. Jihye continues her journey to what is now floor five. She ventures into one of the many sleek elevators, pressing the now illuminated button. The metallic walls remind her of her somewhat disheveled appearance. A stained blouse and angry expression are the first to come to mind. Her expensive clothing is second. The black pants and midnight-like blazer make her think of a certain...loneliness. It seems to suck her up, like a black hole of sorts. Even her black hair looks cold, no color to invite personality. “Hm,” she hums. She knows how bitchy she looks in black. She smirks for a moment, before letting it fall. An indifferent face replaces it, just in time for the elevator doors to open.

She walks out as the glamorously stale walls surround her. She’s seen them a million times. They exude the same sensation her closet usually brings, but with even more professionalism. Her heeled boots clack against the marble floor. The white tiles mix with the black walls, reminding the young Korean just how lifeless the decorations feel. She grabs the clear handles to the board room. She can't see through the clear doors all too well, the sun peeking through the windows. She squints as a result.

“Jihye! Finally, we can begin this meeting.” CEO Min, an older and fairly petit woman, greets her. Her hands are clasped together. A forced and albeit sweetly sickening smile sits on her face as she motions her hand for Jihye to sit.

Her eyes instantly widen in unison with the supposed guest, a familiar and rage inducing face. She frowns even more, if that was possible. His face scrunches up in slight disgust. Her eyes dance between the CEO and the young man. She mentally scoffs, curious of why god suddenly decided to make her day the worst with a pinch of shit. She warily saunters toward the leather chair, directly across from him. She glares at him. As does he, with even more hints of vexation. They both look to the very woman who arranged such a meeting.

“Jihye, I’d like to introduce who we’ll be doing our collaboration with. This is Park Jinyoung—“

“JYP Entertainment.” The words slide off her tongue with venom. She remembers quite clearly now. The exact company she had been warned of and directed to stay away from, none other by the woman sitting a few feet away from her. “Yes, you eloquently warned me of them, Mrs. Min.”

“‘Warned is a bit exaggerated’. I simply informed you of them.” She sweetly smiles at him, not exactly convincing him. “And this is Hwan Jihye, my—a beloved artist at Hwan Studios. She’s one of our best and oldest.”

She slightly winces at the last part, thinking it not at all pertinent. “You know, it would have been very insightful if you informed me of who I’d be working with, ma’am. Why a sudden collaboration when you can’t even notify your senior artist?” The hate in her voice made the older woman sigh. It even extends to the man, Jinyoung.

“Why keep two perfectly capable artists in the dark, Mrs. Min? Afraid one can’t compensate?” His tone is just as cold.

She can tell it’s a slight jab at her own abilities, despite not knowing the other. She rolls her eyes before focusing her attention on the target. “Of course not,” she laughs, in an obvious corner. “We just found it to be more of a lax way of telling you two about it.” Jihye finds it to be bullshit.

“And just what kind of collaboration is this? I won’t waste my time on something so trivial.”

“For a music video, er, album.”

“A what now?” She stuck her neck out a bit, shock written over her face. She’s no musical artist, nor is she about to be one.

“You cannot be serious. We never even ask—“

“Yes, you didn’t, but your company did. We reached a mutual decision. It would be quite beneficial if we had Jihye create art for the music video and perhaps some performances.” She says it so casually, it makes the two wonder why they’re even there.

“No.” Her words make CEO Min sigh, causing Jinyoung to raise an eyebrow. Even when agreeing, he found the tone a bit offensive. “I work with who I want and when I want. You didn’t do your job of presenting a tolerable client and what’s more, you expect me to join a project I don’t know anything about? Shall I do your job for you?” She spits anger out from her words as she stands up, her veins filled with agitation. “Mr. Park, we will not be collaborating on your group’s next album or music video, whatever it may be.” She gives a glare back to the supposed CEO, turning on her heels to get back to the elevator. She doesn't look back at their apologetic actions nor does she listen to their yelps of ‘Wait!’.

As Jihye disappears from his sight, Jinyoung whispers a little, “Tch” before rising in his own seat. He picks up his stained blazer from the table and turns to face the older woman. “Next time, pick a patient artist, Mrs. Min. Wouldn’t want your reputation to sink like this meeting.” He leaves the room, a flabbergasted woman paying him just about all the mind. He quickly takes the next elevator, his fingers massaging his own temple.

He’s had enough of shitty events one after the other. He’s not sure if he’s thankful for Hwan Jihye’s refusal or offended she’s so unable to work with him. It’s both insulting and interesting, for sure. He’d even admit that she initially caught some of his eye at first. He couldn’t deny that she has beautiful features, her style somewhat similar to his. Although, the appeal rapidly disappeared as reality hit him like a truck. His displeasure was fair, at least in his eyes. Her cold demeanor did nothing to her looks except diminish their entreaty. The apology had no sincerity and yes, he’s aware that the he’s a pot calling the kettle black.

He hurries home, wanting to simply wind down with a book he still needs to finish. Exquisite literature with a cup of tea has always been his saving grace when needed. He readily places his blazer in the laundry, meaning to do it later. He sits upon his bed and places his already made tea on his nightstand. He looks for the book, having remembered the cover was a bright green. His eyes can’t find it. He grows confused but his eyes do land on an unfamiliar one in the meantime.

He finds it to be like a storybook. Long in height and extravagant in looks. It has a black cover, one resembling the night sky. Gold letters spell out a phrase he can vaguely recognize.

“Not By The Moon?”

hi, if you read or checked this out, tysm !! sorry for lowkey ooc jinyoung 🙇🏽‍♀️ I’d rlly appreciate it if you could reblog or like this post. I’d love to hear what ppl think so a comment is awesome too. This is also a work of fiction and for entertainment purposes.

#got7 #got7 au #park jinyoung #jinyoung au #park jinyoung au #got7 fanfiction #jinyoung

6 notes · View notes

mst3kproject · 5 years ago

Photo

The Manster

Who has two thumbs and is back on terra firma with working wifi? This MSTie!

As for my chosen subject this week… I don’t think I have to justify this one. It’s called The Manster, as in a portmanteau of man and monster. It was directed by a guy who mostly made cheap-ass jungle movies, and stars a bunch of embarrassed actors who don’t know how they ended up here. It’s old and it’s dumb and it’s often pretty funny though never on purpose, and the perfect stinger moment comes very early in the film… you’ll know it when you see it.

So we have Dr. Robert Suzuki, who lives on top of a volcano. When people have ‘Dr’ in front of their names and live in isolation with a bunch of blinky light machines, that’s usually a pretty good clue that they’re mad scientists. Tragically our hero, Larry Stanford, is not that observant (Larry’s obliviousness would have been a constant target for Mike and the bots and he would have deserved all of it). He’s a reporter who wants an interview about Suzuki’s theories on the causes of mutations, but too bad for him, he arrives just as the mad doctor has run out of family members to experiment on. Under the influence of Suzuki’s injections he’s soon devolving into an animalistic frat-boy, drinking, carousing, and murdering… oh, and he’s growing a second head. Will that be a problem?

So basically this is a werewolf movie with a fake mustache on… or perhaps a Jekyll and Hyde movie of sorts, as discussed in the denouement. It wants to explore the dichotomy of good and evil in every one of us, using the very silly device of a two-headed man. I have to say, I understand the metaphor, but it wasn’t put to nearly good enough use. The movie would have been ten times more fun if we’d gotten to see Larry and his second head arguing over whether or not they’re going to kill somebody. Not better, mind you, just more fun.

As far as just being a movie goes, The Manster is better than a lot of things I’ve watched for this blog. The characters have names and look different enough that you can tell them apart, the story makes sense on its own terms and everything that happens is relevant to the plot. Photography is honestly pretty good and the actors are competent. All this happens to be in the service of a really silly story with awful special effects (I love Larry’s rubbery second head bouncing as he runs) but it’s engaging enough that you want to keep watching.

What I really like about The Manster, however, is that it offers a lot to analyze. I’m not sure much of it is intentional. The Jekyll and Hyde side of the story is elucidated in an ending speech, as Larry’s friend Ian tries to reassure Mrs. Stanford. He says there was good and evil in Larry, and they’ll just have to wait and see which side wins. This is not a very satisfying ending, really. We’ve just seen Larry’s evil side plummet to its death into a volcanic crater… and the surviving good side is under arrest as a serial killer. Dr. Suzuki and his assistant, the only people who could testify that Larry was not responsible for his actions, are both dead. This guy’s going to jail.

The really interesting thing in the movie, though, is one that comes up by accident. Dr. Suzuki’s work is on evolution – his theory is that cosmic rays can induce mutations, producing new species more or less overnight (this is called ‘macromutation’ or ‘the hopeful monster theory’, and lurked on the edges of the mainstream in the 40’s and 50’s) and he hopes to induce the same effect chemically. When he tries, however, his efforts invariably produce monsters. Emiko, his wife and former research partner, turns into something resembling the closet monster from The Brain that Wouldn’t Die. Kenji, his brother, turns into a yeti, and a similar fate awaits Larry. These mutants cannot understand human speech, and their behaviour is irrational and violent.

This implies a couple of things. We hear vague mentions of Dr. Suzuki experimenting on fungi, but his heart is mostly in his human experiments. That tells us that his goal is to speed up the evolution of humanity, and one presumes that this is intended to improve us somehow. Of course, this is not how evolution works. Evolution does not make things better – this is why biologists have mostly dropped the descriptions primitive and advanced in favour of the more neutral basal and derived. Dr. Suzuki’s quest is therefore quite misguided, as illustrated by his monsters. In no way could they be considered ‘better’ than humans – in fact, they’re significantly worse at surviving and reproducing (the thing natural selection selects for) than ordinary people are.

There’s another layer here, though. ‘Evolution makes things better’ is a misconception that’s been around since Darwin, and dates back to even earlier ways of organizing the natural world. When Linnaeus created the classification system for living things that we’re still saddled with today, he did it under the believe in the Great Chain of Being – the idea that you can order everything that exists into a hierarchy with mold at the bottom and god at the top, and that after god and the angels humans are the best thing that exists (as proved by our being the only creatures able to create classification systems). It’s an idea that appeals to human vanity and to our need to impose order on the natural world, and it isn’t likely to go away anytime soon.

With that in mind, perhaps there’s another reason Suzuki’s experiments fail. If you believe that humans are the best living thing around, particularly if you believe we are the image of god on earth, then maybe it’s not possible to improve on us. Any change you make to people that takes them away from humanity will automatically make them worse. This idea does appear to be manifest in the fates of Emiko, Kenji, and Larry, all of whom become more apelike, less ‘advanced’, as they change.

In that case, what does The Manster think makes for a good human? We see a little of Larry before he starts to mutate, so we can compare that with what he becomes. Rather surprisingly for a movie of this vintage, the fact that Larry is white seems to be pretty incidental. He is a foreigner in a faraway place, but this serves mostly to drive a wedge between him and his wife Linda. Except for a couple of rather troubling moments, the film does not present Japan in an exotifying light. We do see things like a bathhouse and a geisha bar, but these represent Larry’s personal slide into debauchery, rather than the country as a whole. We also meet normal working people among both the Japanese and the American expat community – reporters, police officers, and even priests.

There’s a very nice bit, actually, where Larry comes upon a Buddhist priest praying, and when he realizes this man doesn’t speak English, Larry takes the opportunity to unburden himself. It makes him feel better to talk about his moral quandaries aloud, and the fact that the priest doesn’t understand him means he cannot judge him. This is a very relatable and human moment, one of the best in the movie.

Unfortunately, it also segues into a couple of the most distasteful things in the film. As I’m sure you’ve guessed, Larry does murder the priest, but before he does, he stares at a particular statue in the shrine – a representation of a three-eyed, fanged being that I am in no position to identify, although it looks a bit like Vajrapani. Before Larry grows a full second head he sprouts an extra eye in his shoulder, and the implication is that the three-eyed statue draws his attention to the monster within himself. I don’t know much about Buddhism but I do not like the idea of casting another culture’s religious figures as symbols of monstrosity. The west has done plenty enough of that.

But back to the question of acceptable humanity. We watch Larry get drunk, violent, antisocial, lazy, and promiscuous, which tells us that the ‘good’ man is the opposite of these things: sober, peaceful, friendly, hardworking, and chaste. The film pays particular attention to how Larry relates to women. The fact that he’s been faithful to his distant wife is established early on, and one of the first symptoms of his devolution is his willingness to discard her. First he makes out with a couple of girls at the geisha bar, and later he takes Dr. Suzuki’s assistant Terra (who has a tragic backstory but we frustratingly never find out what it entails) as his mistress. On the phone with his wife Linda at the beginning of the film, Larry tells her he loves her and promises to be home soon. Later, when she comes to Japan searching for him, he shouts at her and makes a show of preferring Terra.

One conversation he has with Linda is particularly revealing. He tells her he has no desire to settle down in one place and wile away his time drinking coffee and playing bridge when there’s a big wide world out there. She asks him what about her plans, and he declares he will ‘put her in her place’ and ‘slap her down’. Since this is when Larry is the opposite of what a good man should be, we can take from it that a good man respects his wife and takes her opinions and needs into account. For the late fifties, this is actually kind of surprising – I’ve seen films from a decade or two later that were far more backward about this. So hey, points for that.

All things considered, The Manster is a pretty well-made movie. It’s dumb and full of clichés, such as the man scientist destroyed by his own creation, the femme fatale who sacrifices herself for the hero because she’s fallen in love with him, theremin music to represent the monster’s appearance, etc etc etc… but it’s competently put together and whether intentionally or no, contains a lot of interesting material. It’s the sort of movie I can watch repeatedly and always find something new in. Definitely recommended viewing for the 50’s Monster Flick fan, although with the caveat that there is a scene in which one character urges another to commit suicide.

#mst3k #reviews #episodes that never were #the manster #guys in gorilla suits #tw: suicide #50s

27 notes · View notes

xfanfics · 5 years ago

Photo

Destiel Fic Rec List Part 7

Last Updated in October 2014. Posted in May 2020 for posterity. Listed in no particular order - the total rec list will have ~250 fics. Header graphic used with permission.

This part of the list contains: 39 fics.

Other Destiel Rec Lists: [1]. [2]. [3]. [4]. [5]. [6]. [7].

Bare Your Throat and Have Me by highermagic E | 4k | AU, PWP, a/b/o

Castiel and Dean have only been mated for a few months, but Dean knows how this goes by now.

Deterioration by highermagic E | 33k | Hot, AU, Cop!Dean, Mystery

Dean has a gift – he can see things. Things that others wouldn't see, motive and calm control between the splatters of blood and fractured mirrors. He solves crimes others simply can't. When bodies are piling up all around him, Dean starts to feel as though he's drowning in it, falling under the weight of his own helpless observations, until he finds something unbreakable. Unwavering. Castiel – if only the man was as good for him as he appears.

Try Something Tuesday by almaasi E | 48k | Fluff, Teacher AU, Librarian Cas

Human AU. Dean Winchester teaches a third-grade class. He's new to this whole ‘bisexual’ thing - but by pure happenstance, he meets Castiel: a particularly dapper male librarian who moonlights as a substitute teacher. Dean's curious and Castiel is willing, so why the hell not? Except, fate never intended it to be one-time-only.

Angel-Cuffed by Luciel89 E | 15k | CANON!verse

Dean wakes up to find himself handcuffed to his angel. Both are annoyed, Sam finds it hilarious and awkward situations await them. But the longer they're tied together, the more things between them start to change...

The Bet List ❤ by StevieCas M | 55k | Fluff, AU, Underage, wing!kink

"That bet list was the worst thing you've ever come up with, Gabe. If it wasn't for it, I would never have thought about such things. It's bad enough being an earthbound angel, it's bad enough being considered a weirdo even by angel standards. Did I have to be gay as well? Do I even represent a minority or is it just me out there?

I love the world of this fic--and Dean and Cas' relationship dynamic is perfect.

Ad Astra ❤ by nhixxie T | 17k | Angst

One day Cas says, "Stars died for you, Dean Winchester", against ruffled hair perched atop sun kissed skin and sleepy eyes. Dean stirs, moving to spread his palms against the contour of Cas’ back, tips of fingers languidly strumming the indentations of his spine. One, two, three, four, he counts, the closest he could get to scientifically studying the anatomy of the human body. "Is this some physics crap again?" He frowns with eyes closed. Cas smiles softly. "Far from it. "Dean’s fingers play at the base of his back, ninth thoracic vertebrae, Cas notes. "Then tell me all about it.”

Read it and weep. If this were published, I would buy it.

Sensitive by nevergotwings E | 1k | wing!kink

Curiosity sparks when Dean gets the urge to touch Castiel's wings.

An Exercise in 'Worthless' ❤ by beastofthesky

M | 26k | AU, Tattoos

"I mean, you’re–" He gestures at Cas, in his neat oxford shirt and nice pants. “–and I’m a high school dropout who tattoos for a living." Wherein Dean makes a hefty living as a tattoo artist who owns the space next to Gabriel's cafe. Sam attends the local university. When Gabe's cousin comes to live with him while starting grad school at Sam's university, Dean thinks for sure that all his negative karma's coming to bite him in the ass because Cas clearly has a thing for Sam. No one would ever choose him over Sam. That's just logic.

Perfection everywhere. Dean's lack of self-worth is explored, and there are tattoos.

Of ties and wings by perpetuallycaffinated E | 4k | Hot, PWP, wing!kink

Jealousy, ties and and impatient angel. Also, wings.

pie | by perpetuallycaffinated E | 3k | Hot, PWP

Dean uses pie to eat out Castiel. That's pretty much it.

I Say, But I Mean by inplayruns T | 4k | Coffee Shop AU

Dean runs a bed & breakfast. Cas works in a coffeeshop.

Heavenly Delights by TamrynEradani T | 2k | Fluff, Coffee Shop AU

Gabriel owns Heavenly Delights, the coffee shop Cas works at and on the day before Thanksgiving, Cas sees someone looking down so he brings him a hot chocolate, and Gabriel conspires to get them together.

New Eyes by ozzutly E | 1k | Canon!Verse

Dean sees Castiel's true form. He decides he likes it.

Resonance by definitely_indecisive G | 1k | Canon!Verse, Soul Bond

The battered and abused presence had poked warily out, almost as if expecting harm. He let his grace drift forward to meet the soul instantly, putting off all of the warmth he could muster. The presence seemed to stutter for a second, before melding itself into Castiel's grace. He allowed the soul to do so, cradling it with his core. He could feel the tiredness and abuse from the poor thing, yet also the amazing light it gave off as it started to slowly heal because of his grace. He could tell this was the most unique soul he had ever met, and that he wouldn't forget the feeling of the presence for all of millennia.

My Roots Take Flight by KismetJeska M | 125k | Reverse!verse, s4 AU

After forty years in Hell, Dean’s more than willing to accept the offer: become a guardian angel and earn his freedom. But his new ward seems destined to hunt alongside Sam, and there are secrets in Heaven that the angels don’t want found out. Dean’s going to have to choose between his duty and the people he loves- and to work out just where Castiel fits in.

Angel Airlines by dancingloki E | 19k | Hot, Airline AU

Dean is an airline pilot with a raging hard-on for his head flight attendant. Fluffy fluffy fluff.

El Tango de Amor by literaryoblivion E | 16k | AU, Fluff, Angst,

Every Tuesday and Thursday, Dean leaves, is gone for two to three hours, and comes home sweaty and exhausted to the apartment he and his brother Sam share. Sam had asked him where he went once, and Dean had said he was working out, which technically wasn’t a lie. What he was doing was definitely giving him a workout, just not in the traditional sense. In all actuality though, Dean was leaving every Tuesday and Thursday for a dance class. A dance class taught by a one Castiel Novak.

Ugly Sweater!Verse ❤ ❤ by nerdylittledude E | 193k | Canon!verse,Fluff, Post s5

If they really go back and think about it... it all started with a tree. A Christmas tree, that is. Castiel is human now, and the apocalypse is not only over, it's been averted. Sam's away at NYU, finally finishing law school, and Dean's stuck in what is probably the most awkward situation of his life. He's not exactly sure how he ended up sharing a flat with Cas in Media, Pennsylvania, but he does know the curious would-be angel is sort of derailing his plans for a life of decadence and booze. Cas is trying to make the best of his humanity by exploring human holidays. Dean can't exactly complain because he's pretty much the reason Cas got his wings clipped in the first place. Dean didn't actually want to fall in love, but how was he supposed to know it would all start with a goddamn tree?

My favorite fic ever. I don't know how many times I've read it. There is switching, fluff, angst, and slow building romance. I will rec this forever.

More Than Alien Mojo by remivel

E | 29k | Men in Black AU, Fluff,

Dean was one of Men in Black's best agents. In fact, he's been knee deep in extraterrestrial crap his whole life, and he's gone through more apocalypses than he could care to remember. He thought he's seen it all-- until he and his partner, Sam, were sent out to a routine meteorite crash inspection. What was supposed to be a meteorite turned out to be a golden spaceship, and instead of hitchhiking intergalactic pathogens, it was an alien that took the form of a human male. A very naked human male. Soon, they discovered that this alien named 'Castiel' was a refugee from a war-torn galaxy.The first of his kind to ever venture to Earth, Castiel agreed to share information about his galaxy and his race in exchange for his relocation on Earth. The only catch was: since Castiel was a new alien species, nobody knew what he was capable of, whether he was as harmless as E.T., or as dangerous as the Predator. And it was Dean's job to keep an eye on him and assess just how much of a threat Castiel could be, and if necessary, eliminate him. It wasn't a job Dean was looking forward to doing. Especially since he couldn't seem to keep his eyes off him, naked or not.

Come On With the Rain by remivel E | 36k | High School AU, dubcon

When Castiel was 15, his life changed. In one tragic instant, he lost his parents, and he was forced to live with his Uncle Bobby in Lawrence, Kansas. There he met the Winchester boys, Sam and Dean, who were living next door. He thought Sam was pleasant, and Dean, well, Dean was special. Three years passed and Castiel’s relationship with the boys developed in an unexpected way. Sam became his best friend. But Dean was a different story. Dean was not Castiel’s friend. He was a neighbor, a classmate, the brother of Castiel’s best friend, and the guy who worked part time at his uncle’s salvage yard. That was all. But on the rare times that Dean asked Castiel for help, Castiel couldn’t find it in him to turn him down. Because this was Dean. And the answer would never be “no” when it came to Dean.

Crossroads State by Mercy M | 51k | AU

Castiel has a nice predictable structured life teaching high school, even if he happens to be overqualified for it. Then this guy moves in around the corner and literally knocks him on his ass.

Heart of Glass by omphalos E | 17k | Canon!Verse

He's the one who was punished, severely, because of his feelings for Dean, but who still gave up everything for him in the end. Surely there should exist between them a better level of comprehension than this.

Domesticated by kototyph E | 15k | AU

Being the only angel in the entire Pacific Northwest can be tiring, even if these days Castiel spends more of his time shoveling manure than fighting off the hordes of hell. It's an occupational hazard, unfortunately; he earns most of his living rehabilitating wild animals a few miles outside Spokane. Wild animals like Dean, for instance— a mountain lion who's entirely too smart for his own good. There's a man in Castiel's dreams named Dean too, but that part's just a huge coincidence.

Excite by perpetuallycaffinated E | 3k | Crack, wing!kink

"Sam Winchester, I am going to carnally worship your brother whether you are in this room or not.

Snapshots 'Verse ❤ by highermagic E | 60k [WIP] | AU, Wing!kink, a/b/o, omega!dean

A series of one-shots following the meeting, courting and eventual love between an Angel doctor named Castiel and an Angel teacher by the name of Dean.

Less of a WIP, more of a series of one-shots. Rowan's worldbuilding is lovely, and the sex is perfect as usual. EDIT: Apparently this has been removed.

Angel's Wild ❤ by riseofthefallenone E | 389k | AU, H/C, Wing!kink

But that’s the whole reason he’s here, isn’t it? He’s not out here hunting Humans. He’s not even hunting deer, or bears, or anything else that featured in Bambi. He’s out here, freezing his nuts off every night, because he’s hunting Angels. Sometimes Dean wishes that Angels were like how they’re described in the Bible. How people from time too old for him to care much about thought Angels were messengers and warriors of God, protectors of Humans. He knows that how they’re really described in the Bible is actually pretty terrifying, but at least they were told by God that they’re supposed to love Humans, right? That’s a thousand times better than what Angels really turned out to be.

Perfection. Go read it now.

Sharing Hands by almaasi E | 6k | Hot, Canon!Verse

Dean feels something strange when he touches himself, and realises Cas has been using him as a vessel ever since he came back from Purgatory.

The Good Samaritan Rule by manic_intent E | 6k | AU, wing!kink

Written for deancaskink: "Dean and Castiel are both angels and brothers-in-arms. During a battle, Cas's wings get hurt and [it's] up to Dean to help him out. In the process, Cas finds out how sensitive his wings are and well Dean is Dean no matter what his form [is], so this leads to lovely first time sex." God never made humans. Instead, he made the angels in his image, and on the sixth day he made the is him, and gave them free will.

How (thanks to Gabriel) Dean and Castiel (accidentally) raised each other (and Sam) ❤ by Vera_Dragonmuse E | 69k | AU, Sam/Gabriel

In which, Gabriel meddles with the time line and Castiel becomes Dean's angel rather sooner than intended.

Out of the Deep ❤ by riseofthefallenone E | 488k | AU, h/c

Stay away from the light-beds. Stay in the deep. It is the first thing hatchlings are taught the moment their fans unfurl and they can swim without their parents to buoy them along. It is the first rule, the first law. It is the beginning of every boogey-monster bedtime story told when they settle against the cliffs to sleep. Castiel should have listened better.

It's long, but worth it.

Feathers by brightly_lit M | 90k | Angst, Wing!kink, D/s

In an alternate season 5 scenario, Dean, Sam, and twenty of their closest hunter friends stopped the apocalypse by closing the gates to heaven, hell, and purgatory. Now working with his former hunter buddies at Ellen's security company, Dean doesn't know what to make of his weird new coworker who always wears a trenchcoat and leaves behind feathers everywhere he goes. He especially doesn't know that, cut off from the power of heaven, the constantly falling feathers mean his new friend is dying. "Creation cried out against the injustice of a righteous man in hell. I answered its cry.

Vita Nuova ❤ by wordaccordingtofangirls M | 61k | Teacher AU

AU. Dean Winchester takes a job as a teaching assistant to get his little brother into a prestigious academy. He doesn't quite expect such long nights and snobby kids, but the real surprise is professor Castiel Novak: or falling in love with him, that is.

Like a Parched Land by twoskeletons E | 8k | reverse!verse

Written for the following prompt: "Reverse!verse: Castiel is the Righteous Man and Dean is the angel who drags his ass out of Hell." This is an AU version of episodes 5x01 through 5x03.

The Cabin by bookkbaby E | 16k | Canon!Verse, Wing!kink

For an angel, the building of a Nest is sacred. Dean doesn't understand. Written for the 2013 DCBB.

Pies and Prejudice by linoresearch E | 97k | AU

Dean didn’t even want to enter this damn competition. He was happy with his life, more or less. It might not look like much from the outside, or to a younger brother headed towards a big time law career, but it wasn’t so bad that Dean needed to scrabble around for any opportunity to make a change – particularly not one as stupid as this. He’s going to throttle Sam the next time he sees him, for getting him involved in this ridiculous Bake-Off TV show. It’s bad enough that Dean has to cook in front of people he doesn’t know; he now has to go through the humiliation of being judged on it too. Its humiliation piled on humiliation, and to make matters worse Dean has to play nice with all the other suckers involved, like that rich dick-bag Castiel Novak. God, he hates that guy, and he hates that someone so awful has such a frustratingly fine ass. Written for the Dean/Castiel Big Bang 2013

The Breath of All Things ❤ by KismetJeska T | 65k | AU, H/C Angst,

Dean Winchester was twenty-six years old when a car accident killed his father and left him paralysed from the waist down. A year and a half later, Dean is in a wheelchair and lives in a care home in Kansas, where he spends his days waiting to die. It's only when Castiel Novak starts volunteering at the care home that Dean starts to wonder if a changed life always equals a ruined one.

So angsty, and so, so perfect.

All the Way ❤ by cadignan E | 81k | College AU

Castiel spends the first two weeks of college in much the same way he spent the previous years: alone with his books. He’s fine with it—he enrolled in college to learn, after all. Then in his first chemistry lab, he has the bad luck of being paired with snide, good-for-nothing Ruby, and the further misfortune of sitting behind Dean Winchester, the world’s most beautiful distraction. Ruby catches Castiel staring at Dean and makes him an offer.

Destiel, Actually by Bloodism E | 15k | Crack Fluff,

Picture your typical rom-com cliché. Now picture Dean stuck in that rom-com cliché. With Castiel. Because that's what happening to him - a crazy whirlwind of your typical-and-not-so-typical cliché's. He's playing the main lead in all of them and Castiel's his counterpart. Of course, the culprit is obvious. Gabe's enjoying himself too much, lying back on his favourite cloud with a tub of salted popcorn. It was about time someone kicked the two knuckleheads into gear.

Suburban War by squeemonster E | 100k | High School AU

Moving to Lawrence with his family is the most significant event of Dean Winchester's life. It brings a stability he's never known, and the only thing to have more of a profound impact on him is Castiel Novak: the two boys become fast friends the day they meet. But as Dean grows older, he dreams for something beyond the monotony and constraints of suburbia, and he is haunted by the inexplicable feeling that he was born for something more than what this life offers. As he struggles to reconcile the person he yearns to be with what his family and friends expect of him, a fateful choice exposes just how fragile his life in the suburbs is, and possibly risks losing the best friend he's ever had.

#destiel #deancas #spn #spn fic rec #destiel fic rec #*#list

14 notes · View notes

margridarnauds · 6 years ago

Note

Can you please talk about Imhotep x Anck Sun Amun. Anything. I’ve come back to one of my age old opts and I need your help

Oh my God, I’ll try! (Warning: Contains some salt for the second film, though it comes from a place of love and affection, and much rambling, which isn’t helped by the fact that it’s been a little while since I’ve seen both films but still have many feelings, also tw: for references to rape)

Like you, they were probably one of my oldest OTPs, and I’ve always been more or less consistent on them. (I remember being SO disappointed as a kid with the finale of the Animated Series when Imhotep just...walks away from her.) I absolutely loved how EPIC and tragic it was, and I was always rooting for them to get a happy ending. (And I was always disappointed, until I discovered the wonderful world of fanfic.) The Mummy is actually what got me started with my interest in history, and so I really do owe it a big one for that. It’s probably one of the single most influential pieces of media I’ve consumed in my life. I definitely think they were at their strongest in The Mummy; that’s the film that really DEFINES the ship for me, despite Anck getting relatively little time. Like, in the course of the introduction, we find out several things in quick succession: That Imhotep was Pharaoh’s high priest, that Anck was his mistress, and that they loved each other enough that "For their love, they were willing to risk life itself.” And then, after THAT, we learn that they were willing to kill PHARAOH, AKA the MEDIATOR BETWEEN THE DIVINE AND THE MORTAL REALM for the sake of each other. One of the things I actually realized while I was rewatching The Scene is that there’s actually a moment immediately after Pharaoh’s asked her who touched her where she looks at her arm and has a brief moment of surprise, starting just a LITTLE before she turns to look at Seti and then, behind him...

She is TERRIFIED at this point. I think that killing Pharaoh was probably been something they’d considered, possibly talked about, but I have some strong doubts that this particular part was planned out. (Though I could also be very, very easily persuaded otherwise as well; it’s the kind of thing I’ve gone back and forth on over the years.) And then the two of them work TOGETHER to kill Pharaoh. Anck isn’t passively sitting by while her lover kills Seti, she’s actively participating in it, taking the first stab even before Imhotep gets to it, when he’s just drawn his sword. And, when the Medjai come, Imhotep was willing to DIE for her, only being dragged away by his priests, even though Anck had begged him to leave so that he could resurrect her. And then we learn a little bit about why she might not have hesitated to kill Pharaoh before Imhotep did...

This is what she chooses as her LAST WORDS. A defiant statement saying, once and for all, that she’s never going to be violated again, her last action seizing agency for herself, killing herself before letting her fate being dictated by someone else again (and to prevent her from the painful, painful death that would have awaited her otherwise). All while letting the man she chose to be with, to love, escape while she took the full blame (it’s mentioned in the original script by Narrator!Imhotep that “For murdering Pharaoh, Anck-su-namun's body was to be cursed. And it was I, the High Priest, whose duty it was to curse it.” Which...holy ANGST Batman. Given how IMPORTANT the body was to Ancient Egyptian beliefs relating to the afterlife and how important the afterlife really WAS, this must have killed him, even if he might have justified to himself that he was going to get her back.

I’ll never entirely forgive the second film for changing her from “mistress” to “fiancee” (which seems to give her more...security, than her just being a concubine, though realistically Seti has MULTIPLE wives, but The Mummy doesn’t MENTION them or Nefertiti’s mother, so...) and deciding that she was going to be an Obvious Dark Sexy Lady from the get-go, when this is pretty damn self-explanatory. But they’d decided that Nefertiti was going to be Evie, and Seti was now the BELOVED FATHER of our heroine, and so of course Seti has to be a loving, kind father whose death was a great tragedy. (Though...personally, I choose to go with Nefertiti as an unreliable narrator. Of course she’s not going to have sympathy for a common concubine who murdered her rightful king, she had to have been a scheming, manipulative woman from the beginning. Seti can be a loving father...who still treated Anck as if she was an object for his pleasure.)

It’s just...so, so important for me to emphasize that she CHOSE to love Imhotep, that he might very well have BEEN the only man she CHOSE to be with in her life

And I’ve focused a lot on this opening and how IMPORTANT it is because it’s literally the first thing we see, and it’s what sets up the entire series. “For their love, they were willing to risk life itself” and, as it turns out, their afterlives as well. Even while Imhotep’s been turned into a cursed figure, doomed to bring the Ten Plagues of Egypt, he has two essential goals (1) Get himself rejuvenated so he won’t run up a tree whenever a cat comes along and (2) Get Anck back. Like...holy SHIT. He was willing to tear down this world and the next just to have the life with her that they SHOULD have had, in another world.

One of the things that really stood out while I was looking for sources to work with was something that Pete Hammond, a film critic said, which is that "people want to believe in a life after death situation," which is TRUE, and explains a lot of the appeal of figures like ghosts and zombies and mummies (who are kind of specifically Egyptian zombies, as far as their ties to imperialism are concerned, but I digress), but also with Imhotep and Anck-su-Namun in particular, it’s the idea of a star-crossed love so incredibly powerful that it lasts for MILLENNIA, in defiance of death and life. It’s destructive, to the society they live in, to the world at large, but it’s epic love at its finest and it was something they both fought like Hell for.

And then we get the second film. And in the second film, there’s obviously the ambiguity between Anck and Meela, and which one is which. Still, I think that for the MOST part the person we see in the film is more or less meant to be the person that Anck was in the past, given that there are traces of that in the pre-canon flashbacks, such as the opposition of Nefertiti VS Ankh su Namun, Pharaoh’s daughter VS the mistress, light feminine VS dark feminine, which then is repeated throughout film with Evie VS Anck/Meela, though to be fair, I’m not sure that the WRITERS were 100% sure where one began and the other ended. Which is probably a consequence of defining Anck in the first film mainly as “a goddess” and “gorgeous” the latter of which the film notes EVEN AFTER SHE’S DEAD, but I digress. The novelization plays with it a little bit, having Meela be the one to desert Imhotep, not Anck, running as her identities collapsed in on themselves. The one script I was able to get my hands on that seemed like it might be halfway legitimate rather than just a transcript said that he “realizes that she never loved him,” which seems to swing the opposite direction, being more in line with the Animated Series which would follow it where Anck is a villain whose “Love” for Imhotep is entirely opportunistic.

Personally, even though I waffle back and forth on this one, I think that Meela is slightly more outwardly vampy than Anck, slightly more pragmatic (Anck was always pragmatic, don’t get me wrong, THAT’S shown by her asking Imhotep to leave so he could resurrect her, but it’s...DIFFERENT, in that I can’t see Meela stabbing herself in the stomach either.) But, we did get some solid OTP content in this film:

THE LONGING. HOLY SHIT. Like, we know so little about their relationship pre-canon, but obviously, with the whole “Body paint” issue, I honestly don’t see how they would have had TOO much time available for sexytimes, and so you have this situation where they have to try to repress so much around each other when they love each other so much, and sometimes they fail and there are those LOOKS (which cues Nefertiti in on it, so bad move guys, but...#YouTried). I don’t think that they were chaste, per se, given that they were going to do SOMETHING in Anck’s bedchamber before Pharaoh arrived, but I think that their time together was limited and always fraught with the danger of being discovered.

Which also ties into one of the major THINGS in both movies, which is that almost-but-not-quite-touch. There’s such an INTIMACY there, so much mutual pining. Even when they kiss and everything is ruined for them, look at how they do it.

It’s so SLOW and longing, the way that Imhotep’s hands just kind of hover for a little while before going to her shoulders as he angles for the kiss. I mean, this is some REGENCY level pining here. Albeit. In Anck’s bedchamber. But still.

Honestly, I think one of the biggest dick moves the second film did was use them as a foil for the O’Connell’s One True Love. Like, at the end of the first film, there are two love arcs, and for Imhotep to fulfill his and get Anck back, Evie has to be sacrificed, while for Rick to succeed (and save the world!), Imhotep’s gotta go. There’s no real way around this.

With the second film, though, it comes down more to the two ladies, with BOTH of them having the chance to save their respective love interests. Evie, obviously, goes to save Rick, but Anck...wavers? Suddenly? And you could make an argument that Imhotep wavers himself, given that he chose fighting the Scorpion King for power rather than staying behind with her, but...still. After all these years? The novel explains it as Meela coming back and reasserting herself, but in the film proper it really doesn’t make as much sense, unless you go with the idea that she was never in love with Imhotep, as mentioned in the script above, or at the very least, that it was somehow LESSER to the love that Evie has for Rick, which switches the narrative of the first film from World-Destroying, Epic Love of the Undead VS World-Saving Love of the Living to Fake Love VS Real True Love (With the appropriate child to show it, while Imhotep and Anck can...obviously not produce children. Which I wouldn’t want to bring up normally but given how MUCH of Evie’s identity in the film is tied to her being Alex’s mom, Rick’s wife, and Seti’s daughter...). Which...I fundamentally can’t believe. I can’t believe that after everything the two of them did for each other, how IMPORTANT they both were, that it was just an infatuation. It adds a pointless element to Imhotep’s arc that doesn’t really make sense with what we’d seen before. The tragedy, for me, with their relationship was never that one loved the other more or less; it was that they lived in a world where it simply couldn’t happen, whereas Rick and Evie DID.

The quote that I’ve gone back to time and time again is, “For their love, they were willing to risk life itself,” THEIR. Always THEIR. No matter what, they felt strongly enough for one another that they were willing to do anything so long as it kept the other by their side, and they did it TOGETHER.

Tl;dr: Iconic ship, iconic characters, 100/10 will stan for eternity

#the mummy #anck su namun #long post #xenowlsome

148 notes · View notes

gadgetgirl71 · 4 years ago

Photo

Amazon First Reads November 2020

Well Halloween is over and Guy Fawkes/Bonfire Night is only a three days away. You’d think it was bonfire night every night. People have been letting off numerous fire works every night and over the weekend its been even worse. As they start going off just as dusk falls and they go on for the rest of the night, sometimes even in to the early hours.

Anyway back to this months Amazon First Reads, Prime Members are allowed to choose one book this month out of the eight titles.

This months choices are:

Thriller

The Last Resort by Susi Holliday, Pages: 300, Publication Date: 1 December 2020

Synopsis: Seven strangers. Seven secrets. One perfect crime.

When Amelia is invited to an all-expenses-paid retreat on a private island, the mysterious offer is too good to refuse. Along with six other strangers, she’s told they’re here to test a brand-new product for Timeo Technologies. But the guests’ excitement soon turns to terror when the real reason for their summons becomes clear.

Each guest has a guilty secret. And when they’re all forced to wear a memory-tracking device that reveals their dark and shameful deeds to their fellow guests, there’s no hiding from the past. This is no luxury retreat—it’s a trap they can’t get out of.

As the clock counts down to the lavish end-of-day party they’ve been promised, injuries and in-fighting split the group. But with no escape from the island—or the other guests’ most shocking secrets—Amelia begins to suspect that her only hope for survival is to be the last one standing. Can she confront her own dark past to uncover the truth—before it’s too late to get out?

Book Club Fiction

Memories in the Drift by Melissa Payne, Pages: 279, Publication Date: 1 December 2020

Synopsis: My name is Claire. I’m thirty-six years old. It’s September. I know what I’m doing and why I am here…for now.

Ten years ago, Claire Hines lost her unborn child—and her short-term memory—following a heartrending tragedy. With notebooks, calendars, to-do lists, fractured pieces of the past, and her father’s support, Claire makes it through each day, hour by hour, with relative confidence. She also has a close-knit community of friends in the remote Alaskan town where she teaches guitar to the local children. It’s there, in the reminders.

As determined as Claire is to regain all that’s disappeared, she’d prefer to live without some memories of her before life—especially those of her mother, Alice, who abandoned her, and Tate, the ex-boyfriend who broke her heart.

But when Alice and Tate return from the past, there’ll be so much more for Claire to relive. And to discover for the very first time. Through healing, forgiveness, and second chances, Claire may realize that what’s most important might not be re-creating the person she was, but embracing the possibilities of being the person she is.

Suspense

Every Last Secret by A R Torre, Pages: 302, Publication Date: 1 December 2020

Synopsis: Welcome to the neighborhood. Watch your husband, watch your friends, and watch your back.

Cat Winthorpe has worked hard to get what she has: a gorgeous home; social standing; and William, her successful, handsome husband. Then a friendly new couple moves into the estate next door. While cautious, a good neighbor like Cat greets them with open arms and warm hospitality.

Neena Ryder isn’t a fellow lady of leisure. A life coach with off-the-rack dresses, personal issues, and a husband who hasn’t delivered, she’s anxious to move up in the world. This beautiful new town is a step in the right direction. It’s also making Neena aware of what she doesn’t have. Namely, William. When Neena’s infatuation escalates into obsession, it’s just a matter of eliminating a few obstacles to get the life she wants. The life next door.

As Neena’s secret fixation grows, so does her friendship with Cat. But beneath their cordial interactions is a wealth of temptations, secrets, and toxic jealousy. For both women, the desire for a perfect life can turn perfectly dangerous.

Historical Fiction

Under a Gilded Moon by Joy Jordan-Lake, Pages: 409, Publication Date: 1 December 2020

Synopsis: From the bestselling author of A Tangled Mercy comes an enthralling novel of secrets, a tumultuous war of ideas, and murder as classes collide in the shadow of Biltmore House.

Biltmore House, a palatial mansion being built by the Vanderbilts, American “royalty,” is in its final stages of construction in North Carolina. The country’s grandest example of privilege, it symbolizes the aspirations of its owner and the dreams of a girl, just as driven, who lives in its shadow.

Kerry MacGregor’s future is derailed when, after two years in college in New York City, family obligations call her home to the beautiful Appalachians. She is determined to distance herself from the opulence she sees rising in the Blue Ridge Mountains, however close its reach. Her family’s land is among the last pieces required to complete the Biltmore Estate. But something more powerful than an ambitious Vanderbilt heir could change Kerry’s fate as, one by one, more outsiders descend on the changing landscape—a fugitive from Sicily, a reporter chasing a groundbreaking story, a debutante tainted by scandal, and a conservationist prepared to put anyone at risk to stoke the resentment of the locals.

As Kerry finds herself caught in a war between wealth and poverty, innocence and corruption, she must navigate not only her own pride and desperation to survive but also the temptations of fortune and the men who control it.

Memoir

Jew(ish) by Matt Greene, Pages: 199, Publication Date: 1 December 2020

Synopsis: What does it mean to be Jew(ish) in 2020? Caught between tradition and modernity, between a Jewish family and a non-Jewish son, Matt Greene ponders the big questions concerning identity, religion, family and Seinfeld.

When his son was born to a non-Jewish mother, Matt began to consider the upbringing he’d put behind him—the sense of not belonging, the forbidden foods, the holidays that felt more like punishments. There are more types of Jew than there are bagel fillings, and for every two there are three opinions. But if you’re not a black-hatted frummer, if you’re allergic to groups, if you observe but don’t believe, or you don’t observe at all, does that make you less Jewish?

In this wide-ranging series of essays, at turns irreverent, insightful, urgent and iconoclastic, Matt considers what might loosely be termed ‘the modern Jewish experience’, and asks what it means to be anything in a world obsessed with the self and the other.

Domestic Suspense

Open House by Katie Sise, Pages: 255, Publication Date: 1 December 2020

Synopsis: A missing young woman, ten years gone. A town still held in the grip of an unsolved mystery. A breathtaking novel of psychological suspense by the bestselling author of We Were Mothers.

A decade ago in upstate New York, art student Emma McCullough walked into the woods and was never seen again. It’s a mystery that still haunts her bucolic university town and her broken family, especially her sister, Haley, whose need for closure has become an obsession. But now, finally, the first piece of evidence in the vanishing has been found: Emma’s bracelet, lodged in a frozen piece of earth at the bottom of a gorge. For Emma’s three best college friends, for a beloved former teacher, and for Haley, the chilling trinket is more than a clue in a resurrected cold case. It’s a trigger.

Then a woman Tis attacked during an open house, and the connections between the two crimes, ten winters apart, begin to surface. So do the secrets that run as deep and dark as the currents in this quiet river town.

Biographical Fiction

The Empress by Laura Martinez-Belli, Translator Simon Bruni, Pages: 402, Publication Date: 1 December 2020

Synopsis: From a bestselling author in Mexico comes her English-language debut—an enthralling historical novel about the tragic reign of Empress Carlota of Mexico.

It’s 1863. Napoleon III has installed a foreign monarch in Mexico to squash the current regime. Maximilian von Habsburg of Austria accepts the emperor’s crown. But it is his wife, the brilliant and ambitious Princess Charlotte, who throws herself passionately into the role. Known to the people as Empress Carlota, she rules deftly from behind the scenes while her husband contents himself with philandering and decorating the palace.

But Carlota bears a guilty secret. Trapped in a loveless marriage, she’s thrown herself into a reckless affair. Desire has blinded Carlota to its consequences, for it has left her vulnerable to her sole trusted confidante. Carlota’s devious lady-in-waiting has political beliefs of her own—and they are strong enough to cause her to betray the empress and join a plot to depose her from the throne. As Carlota grows increasingly, maddeningly defenseless, both her own fate and that of the empire are at stake.

A sweeping historical novel of forbidden love, dangerous secrets, courtly intrigue, and treachery, The Empress passionately reimagines the tragic romance and ill-fated reign of the most unforgettable royal couple of nineteenth-century Europe during the last throes of the Second Empire.

Children’s Picture Book

The Snow Dancer by Addie Boswell, Illustrated by Merce Lopez, Pages: 32, Publication Date: 1 December 2020

Synopsis: Young dancer Sofia wakes up to a quiet, white world—it’s a snow day! She makes her way outside to the neighborhood park, where a field awaits her, white and shining and open. It isn’t long before the rest of the neighborhood wakes its sleepy head—and the other kids make their way to the park, scattering all of Sofia’s beautiful silence. But with the help of a new young friend, Sofia is ready to show everyone what a snow dancer can do on a perfect day like this. With lyrical language and gorgeous art, this book sparkles with all the joy and beauty of a snow day.

*** Which book will you choose? I’m not sure which book I’ll choose as non of the books stand out to me. ***

#AmazonFirstReads, #Amazonkindle, #AmazonPrimeMembers, #BiographicalFiction, #BookClubFiction, #Books, #ChildrensPictureBook, #DomesticSuspense, #HistoricalFiction, #Kindle, #KindleBooks, #Memoir, #Suspense, #Thriller

0 notes

adamcoled · 8 years ago

Text

hope and fate | sami zayn

It was an incredibly painful thing, trying to forget so many years of my life and the one person that was there through each of them. Though I’d wished I didn’t have to do it, didn’t have to erase Sami from my mind or diminish the importance he once had to me, my only other option was considerably more difficult. I could accept his absence and pretend like I didn’t wonder each morning how different things would be if he were beside me, or I could live miserably, yearning to turn back to a time when it was he and I against the world. Perhaps I was already living miserably- any life without Sami seemed encompassed by a significant lack of smiles and laughter and pure happiness.

Maybe I was being a bit selfish in these never-ending silent requests for Sami’s return. After all, the many years we did spend together included more moments of absolute bliss than I could ever deserve, and if he were to somehow find his way back to me, I’d just be holding him back again. I knew there would come a time where the two of us would have to admit to our dividing paths, but blame it on my denial for putting it off so long. Had I realized what new heights Sami’s career could achieve without the setback of constant worrying and apprehension over a girlfriend back at home, maybe we would have been separated much sooner and maybe he would have been accomplishing even bigger things.

Because Sami was Sami and, consequently, utterly perfect in every aspect, he’d insisted there was no possible way I could ever be a setback. He’d explained at least a hundred times that he hated how I thought that and wanted so desperately to prove it was just a fallacy created by my overthinking.

That was easier to believe when he was in non-WWE promotions, where we still had time to spend exploring places I could barely pronounce and the distance was a mere accessory to our relationship, something I’d gotten used to and strengthened us in all ways possible. There were times, of course, where I pondered if things could truly last between us, but considering so many others made it possible and we’d overcome too many things during our own years, my qualms were squashed almost instantaneously.

When the big league company came knocking on his door, it was a very bittersweet moment in the sense that the future seemed brighter than ever for Sami, yet there was no room for me to be a part of it. Even as I congratulated him, all goofy smiles and relentless hugs, there was an underlying unease boiling within. I despised it, loathed this fear of losing him when the moment should have been all his. There was no time to wonder what this meant for us, there was only time to await the promising opportunities it meant for him.

I tried telling myself I was just being rational, confronting the impending state of our relationship early on rather than allowing it to fade to a tragic replica of what it once was. The reality was that I was just being selfish once more. I didn’t want to end up at home in an empty room, clutching the side of the bed where Sami usually would be. I didn’t want the gradually-increasing increments of time spent apart. If I had to lose him, I wanted to lose him all at once rather than watching as he vanished piece by piece. Anything to spare myself a dragged-on heartache.

Even if it meant pushing him away when we were entirely fine, completely happy, absolutely in love.

It was one of those treasured days we had together, one we would spend any other time with a wild adventure characteristic of our relationship. Today would be different; there was no time for euphoric memories when I’d convinced myself we were soon to be no more.

“What’s the plan for today?” Sami asked, his signature smile making an appearance once he found me in the kitchen. In any other circumstances, the way he wrapped his arms around my front and pressed a gentle kiss to my temple would have been enough to extinguish any tumultuous thoughts immediately. All it did now was turn me into a choked-up mess of shameful regret.

“Don’t know,” I confessed simply, making my way out of his arms and towards the fridge.

“Well, our improvised plans are always the best, anyway.”

“Mhm.”

Clearly, I wasn’t even making an effort to conceal my self-induced despair. This didn’t go unnoticed by Sami as he leaned against the doorframe, his face painted with confusion and concern while his gaze lingered on me. In a few quick seconds, he had pushed himself off the doorframe and towards me again, brushing a few annoying stands of hair behind my ear. It was his silent way of asking, no, pleading for me to tell him what was causing this odd behavior.

Preventing myself from pressing my cheek against his hand, an act that would have certainly alleviated a bit of my distress, I released a heavy sigh and gathered my rambunctious thoughts. “I don’t think I can do this anymore, Sami,” I admitted, the words burning my tongue as I spoke them. If there was any possible way I could take them back, I would have in a second; immediately following their escapade, the regret made a comfortable home right in my chest.

The look on his face alone was enough to shatter anyone’s heart; it was a look that just didn’t belong on the face of such a pure, kind-hearted soul. “What do you mean?”

“Us.”

“Where is this coming from?”

I tried to think back to the months of looming thoughts and unreasonable worries. This was the culmination of incessant overthinking, an unbreakable habit that had lasted for too long and ultimately created this entire mess. “I’ve been thinking about it for a while,” I revealed, my voice crumbling with each passing second, “We just need to go our separate ways now.”

“I don’t understand,” he shook his head in confusion, frustration, undeniable sadness. Even I couldn’t understand, couldn’t figure out why it was so impossible to just be happy and let things happen as they should. I was no fortune teller, who was I to determine how his upcoming job would affect us? Truthfully, I didn’t have a clue, but it was a condition I agreed to when I first began dating Sami. I knew and still couldn’t accept it.

“You don’t need to understand, okay? Your career is going to take you to such big places in these next years; I won’t be the one holding you back.”

“This again?” he groaned, more than likely just as upset with himself as he was with me. Even though he tried so hard, he could never make those thoughts disappear completely. “How many times do I have to tell you, you could never hold me back.”

While I tried to focus my attention on the floor, too overcome with a cocktail of emotions to look at his face, he realized my actions quickly and placed a hand on either side of my face, picking my head up to look at him. “Will you ever believe me?” he begged, using his thumb to wipe away a few tears, ones that had betrayed my resolve to not cry.

“I don’t know Sami,” I shrugged, “But I’m serious about it this time. I’m not meant for this; I’m supposed to be cheering you on from the sidelines. I’d love to do that, if you’ll let me.”

Even while Sami had granted me the opportunity to do just that, it never happened. When we broke up and I moved out, Sami became just a ghost of the past, a distant memory, a face I saw on TV and could hardly believe used to be beside me each night. We lost contact, perhaps a coping method we each took to; I’d secretly hoped he would reach out to me after I failed to do so, but I couldn’t really be surprised when he didn’t. He wanted me to take those steps of salvaging our relationship, and when I didn’t, all he could do was move on. There wasn’t any argument over it; for once, he’d thought of himself and his own emotions, saving himself from inevitable heartbreak yet again.

So, here I was, in the horrible midway of begging to turn back time and aching to move forward. Even when I forced myself to push the thoughts of him to the back of my mind, I found myself asking our mutual friends how he was doing. They’d still kept up with him, which really solidified my regret. If Sami had managed to stay in contact with people just barely above acquaintances, our long-term relationship was more than safe. Regardless, they’d always said he was happy and looking forward to the future, eager to see what awaited him. They never mentioned a girlfriend, but then again, I never asked; I was in no position to do so and also didn’t really want to let on just how much I missed him.

Meanwhile, I tried to meet new people as well, though nothing ever lasted. It was silly, really, for me to even try to move on when my heart was set on another. I was doing myself, and every single guy I went out with, an injustice. But if I tried to rekindle things with Sami, I’d be doing him an even bigger injustice; he didn’t deserve to be faced with my guilt months after the fact.

I knew this, and yet still couldn’t help the smile from erupting when I’d found out Sami was back home for just a few days. If the world was giving me that second chance I both yearned for and dreaded, my only option was clear. Of course I had to try. Even if it was incredibly painful to do, there was absolutely no way I could let him go again without at least putting in the effort.

There was a small, cute café we frequented whenever we had the chance. Over our many months of heading there before our planned, and sometimes unplanned, adventures, the employees had gotten to know us very well. We’d greet them happily and they would have our usual orders served to us right away. Unfortunately, I hadn’t returned since the last time we went together. It held so many precious memories I couldn’t bear to remember, which would undoubtedly happen the mere moment I stepped foot in the building. Although this was the case, I knew Sami well enough to conclude he’d more than likely stop by there at least once during his visit. It was a long-shot, the timing would have to be unworldly accurate, but it was the only shot I had.

Before I could change my mind or wonder if this was even a good decision at all, I grabbed my purse off the counter and accepted the steps my feet took on their own accord. Only when I reached my car did I stop to think about the potential outcomes. It was highly unlikely that Sami and I would cross paths, so within a few seconds, I was pulling out of the driveway and heading towards possible annihilation.

Unsurprisingly, I sat in a booth for half an hour with no sign of him. Each time the loud bell above the door would ring out, I’d snap my head towards it in hopes I would see the face I missed so much, and each time I was let down. When I’d entered without Sami by my side, I could tell the friends we’d made here were shocked and sympathetic; they’d offered a free coffee and dessert, claiming it was because it’d been so long since I was there, but the way they spoke so gently, as if I would break, told it all. They didn’t ask, of course they didn’t, because I’m sure they knew my coming in was entirely because I was desperate to see him once more, and I graciously took their offering before making my way towards our usual spot.

My heart was as heavy as the sigh I emitted when I watched a few couples pass by through the large glass window. I wondered if any other heartbroken girl had sat in this café, watching as Sami and I walked by; we must’ve looked so happy and so in love. For some odd reason, I felt bad for this girl who may have never even existed, simply because right now, I was her. I felt her jealousy and regret and sadness and I certainly felt the tears that threatened to fall. And when the bell sang once more, drowned out by my focus on other things, I felt her dwindling hope that maybe, just maybe, it would be him.

Imagine my shock when it was. Here I was, chin in my hand and tears building up while I waited for a miracle, and there he was, as handsome and radiant as ever, right in front of me. I could have made a million 11:11 wishes and blew hundreds of dandelions and still not believe this moment would ever happen. Maybe miracles do exist- at least, they exist in my world, or else Sami would have never walked through that door, both literally and figuratively. Someone so ethereal would have never came into my life without the help of something beyond me.

Now that he was so close, I had no idea what to do. I continued to stare out the window, evaluating every choice I had as I watched Sami out of my peripheral vision. I almost missed the way the cashier pointed in my direction, causing Sami to lean against the counter and turn to look at me, but I definitely didn’t miss the slow strides he took towards me. In a second, he slid into the booth in front of me, tapping on the table nervously.

“Hi,” I greeted casually, smiling slightly to feign indifference.

His tapping subsided, but I knew him well enough to know it was most likely replaced with his leg shaking. “Hey. Fancy seeing you here.”

“I could say the same to you,” I continued the relaxed small-talk, “How are you?”

“Good. I mean my job is great, the fans are loud, and I made a lot of good friends.”

“Oh,” I breathed out, both relieved to hear his life was so wonderful and disappointed our conversation was the equivalent of one held by casual friends, “I’m glad to hear that.”

“Yeah…it just feels like something’s missing,” he confessed, tracing his finger along his coffee cup.

“Sami…”

“You know, if you had asked me to stay, I would’ve.”

I wasn’t entirely sure what he meant by that, but I had a pretty good idea. He was willing to put me above his job, all I had to do was ask. I could never do that; I may have made selfish choices, but that was simply too much- even just thinking about it made me angry. How could he be so careless, so selfless and foolish? That was his big moment, the biggest moment of his career, and he would have given it up if I had just mentioned it.

“Don’t say that,” I hissed, “I would never give you an ultimatum like that, I’d never let you choose me.”

“But it would have kept us together, right? I’d always choose you.”

Maybe he was right; who knows where we would be if he’d never signed with WWE? That was a path we left behind months ago and could never get a glimpse of now. But if there was one thing I’d learned over these never-ending days without Sami, it was that if I ever wanted a future I could look forward to, I had to try. No more overthinking, not if I wanted things to work out for good this time.

“What if…what if you could have both?” I asked, hesitant in my words as I anticipated his answer. This had the potential to go two completely opposite ways; all I had was that sliver of hope that it’d work out.

“What do you mean?” he asked, repeating his same words from our break-up, only this time, they weren’t full of sadness or heartache, instead replaced by hope.

I could have taken it all back right then, making a mad dash out of the café to save myself the embarrassment if Sami had managed to do the moving on I never could. It was in my nature to do that, but something told me it wasn’t just coincidental that he’d shown up while I was here. This was the closest thing to fate I’d ever seen, and I couldn’t let it slip away like that. “I miss you, too, Sami,” I confessed easily, the words tumbling out without any thought, “And I really regret ending things.”

Any doubts I had dissipated when a signature Sami smile, complete with an eye-smile as well, broke out as soon as the words left my mouth. “Are you saying you want to get back together?”

“If you’d give me another chance, I would love that.”

“Another chance?” he repeated, perplexed, “Y/N, I’ve been waiting to hear those words for months.”

He reached out, placing his hand on top of mine on the table, but I hardly even noticed. It felt so natural, as if the feeling never left, that I only noticed when my eyes glanced down for just a fleeting moment. When I saw the small act of affection, all I could do was smile right back at him. And when he interlocked our fingers, I almost missed the words he said softly.

“I promise, someday I’ll put a ring on this finger.”

For a few brief seconds, I stared out of the window once more, taking note of the couple that passed by with their hands pressed together. Rather than feeling jealous or regretful, all I felt was an immense sense of optimism and certainty; finally, things had fallen back into place. Soon enough, Sami and I could be that couple walking down the sidewalk in serenity. There would never be another looking-out-the-window moment again, because the only thing I need to look at will be right in front of me ‘till death do us part.

#sami zayn imagine #sami zayn fanfiction #sami zayn x reader #sami zayn one shot #wwe imagine #wwe fanfiction #wwe fic #wrestling imagine

110 notes · View notes

kacydeneen · 5 years ago

Text

Family, Friends Mourn California Boat Fire Victims

Family and friends converged on Southern California to learn the fates of their loved ones after a commercial scuba boat erupted in flames off the coast near Santa Cruz Island on Labor Day, leaving 34 people confirmed or presumed dead.

Among those who lost their lives were a 41-year-old marine biologist, a 25-year-old crew member who was dedicated to the Southern California scuba community and three sisters celebrating a birthday for their father, also presumed dead.

Man Who Rescued 5 Survivors From Deadly Boat Fire Shares Horrific Story

Here are their stories.

Diana Adamic

Updates: Download the NBCLA App

Adamic died on the scuba trip along with her husband, Steve Salika and his daughter, Tia, a student at Pacific Collegiate School, a charter school in Santa Cruz. Tia's fellow student Berenice Felipe also died on the trip.

"Obviously, our hearts are with these two PCS families, and we hope and pray that they are found safe," wrote Maria C. Reitano, the head of the school. "As we await more information, please know that PCS is prepared to respond to difficult times such as this. We will have additional counselors on site tomorrow and in the days to come, who are trained to help support students, staff, parents, and our entire school community. This tragedy is sure to raise many emotions, concerns, and questions for our entire school, especially our students."

Neal Baltz

Baltz died on the scuba trip with his girlfriend, Patricia Beitzinger, said Beitzinger's niece, Hannah.

Hannah said in a Facebook message that her aunt and Baltz were perfect for each other.

Patricia Beitzinger

Beitzinger died on the scuba trip with her boyfriend, Neal Baltz, said Beitzinger's niece, Hannah.

"She's one of the coolest people I ever met," Hannah said in a Facebook message. "She was adventurous and brave and always living every day as full as she could, she was always going on these amazing trips around the world. And so goofy she has a great sense of humor and was always smiling and laughing. And Neal was the same way, they were perfect for each other and I considered him my uncle as well."

Kendra Chan

Kendra Chan was on the boat with her father, R. Scott Chan, a physics teacher at American High School in Fremont. In a Facebook post, Kendra's brother, Kevin, wrote: "Thanks for being my big sister, Kendra. I'll miss you and your love for all things outdoors and underwater. Rest easy."

Raymond Scott Chan

Raymond Scott Chan, a physics teacher in Northern California, was identified as one of the people killed in the boat fire off the coast of Santa Cruz island, according to the Fremont Unified School District. His daughter Kendra, a marine biologist in Southern California, also was aboard the Conception.

The school district tweeted, "We are saddened to report the passing of American High School Physics Teacher, Raymond (Scott) Chan, who was among the fatalities of this weekend's boat fire off the coast of Santa Barbara. We send our condolences to Mr. Chan's family and the American High School community."

Berenice Felipe

Berenice, a student at Pacific Collegiate School, a charter school in Santa Cruz, died on the scuba trip with fellow student Tia Salika and Salika's parents.

Kristy Finstad, 41

Finstad was a diving enthusiast who was leading the dive trip as the co-owner of Worldwide Diving Adventures.

She ran the company with her husband, Dan Chua, who was leading another dive in Costa Rica when the boat Finstad was on caught fire.

Finstad's brother Brett Harmeling of Houston asked for prayers in a Facebook post.

"Thank You ALL for your unconditional love and support during this incredibly tragic time," he wrote. "My family and I truly appreciate it. "No final word on my sister Kristy; however, it is likely she has transitioned to be with the good Lord."

Daniel Garcia

Garcia, from Berkeley, worked for Apple. He was on the boat with his girlfriend, Yulia Krashennaya.

Nicole, Angela Rose, Evan and Michael Quitasol and Fernisa Sison

The Quitasol sisters were celebrating the birthday of their father Michael, who is also presumed dead, their mother Susana Rosas said on Facebook. Their stepmother, Fernisa Sison was also on board.

"It is with a broken heart ... 3 of our daughters were on this boat," she wrote on Facebook. "As of now they are still missing. My #1, Evanmichel Solano Quitasol, my #3, NicoleStorm Quitasol and my #4, Angela Rose Quitasol. My girls' dad Michel Storm Quitasol and stepmom were also on the boat."

Nicole Quitasol lived in San Diego and worked at Nicky Rottens Bar & Burger Joint in Coronado for the last four years, according to the restaurant.

"She was one of a kind. She was ahead of her time, for sure. An old soul that was just in love the outdoors, anything to do with her dog, peanut butter, anything to do with water, beaches, diving, paddle boarding — I mean, that was her life," Nicky Rottens CFO Bryn Butolph told NBC7.

Marybeth Guiney

Guiney, a sales director and ocean enthusiast who was dedicated to the protection of sharks and other sea life, was hailed by friends as an outgoing figure who always had a smile.

"She was such an inspiration, a voice to help understand and protect sharks, and shared her pictures and stories as she traveled the world," one friend wrote on Facebook. "She was endlessly energetic, optimistic and always had a smile to share. Just can't believe it. What a tragedy for so many."

Another wrote: "Her gentle and sweet nature made her a great companion ... Marybeth was 'good people.'"' Another added: "You were hysterical. You were real. I will always think about you and smile."

Alexandra Kurtz, 25

Family described Kurtz as an energetic go-getter who was passionate about scuba diving and lived life to the fullest.

"She loved it here," Kurtz's sister Cherie McDonough said. "She loved the boat. She loved diving."

She also loved exploring nature in the ocean and had been embraced by Southern California's tight-knit diving community, her sister said.

Charles McIlvain

McIlvain, according to his Facebook page, worked as a visual effects designer for Walt Disney Imagineering.

His wife, filmmaker Jasmine Lord, was not with him on the Conception dive boat. Her online posts indicated she was working over the weekend in Miami — in the path of Hurricane Dorian.

After receiving news of the deadly fire, McIlvain's friends poured out their hearts online, calling him one of "the kindest, funniest people you'll ever meet."

"Anyone who knew Charles 'Chuck' McIlvain would know how full of life he was, how contagious his laugh and his smile was and what a warm soul he had," another friend wrote.

Neighbors of the pair in Santa Monica said that Guiney would often go on dive trips with McIlvain and his wife. Of McIlvain, one neighbor told the station: "He's the kind of guy who's always happy — 8 o'clock in the morning, he's happy. Comes home from work at 7, he's happy."

The Malibu Divers dive shop posted on its Facebook page: "All of us are devastated by the Conception dive boat tragedy. We'd like to honor Charles McIlvain and Marybeth Guiney by asking you to tell a story about a dive adventure or (anecdote) you had with them. Please share, I know it will help us all."

Steve and Tia Salika

Tia Salika, a student at Pacific Collegiate School, a charter school in Santa Cruz, died on the scuba trip with her parents and fellow student Berenice Felipe.

Editor's note: This video in this story has been removed as it incorrectly identified a victim.

Photo Credit: Getty Images Family, Friends Mourn California Boat Fire Victims published first on Miami News

0 notes

qualiteadnd · 6 years ago

Text

Assassin’s Creed: Waterdeep I

— A WATERDEEP IRREGULARS ADVENTURE

Nearly two months after fleeing Waterdeep, Keros and the gang receive a letter from Lady Mara Blackwood begging them to return to the city.

Having parted ways with Audulio, the party made their way towards Yartar. The river city was a hub for travelers and information and the party decided to see what ventures they might come across there. A venture, however, was already waiting for them. A courier quickly caught them at the gates with a letter. “Thought you might be the ones,” he said, passing the envelope to Keros. “Not a whole lot of tritons ’round these parts.”

With the letter addressed to the three of them, they crowded around Keros as he broke the wax seal with a familiar tree crest. The letter, in neat script, read:

I hope this finds you in time.

There have been some deaths in the city in the weeks since you’ve left and I grow increasingly worried. An attempt was made on the life of someone in House Blackwood, thankfully we are alright. I know it is much to ask, but you uncovered Bran’s treachery and I can think of no one else to turn to. I have managed to arrange your pardons if you return to Waterdeep, I only hope you do so.

Yours sincerely, Lady Mara Blackwood

Though the concern of this being a ploy for their arrest came up, Keros whole-heartedly trusted that Lady Mara sincerely needed their help. She had, after all, allowed them to escape the first time. So, with some mutterings from their cleric, the party left Yartar almost as soon as they’d arrived and pushed on back towards Waterdeep.

In under a tenday, they found themselves back at Waterdeep’s North Gates. The other travelers filing into the gates were chatty, talking of tensions in the city, crime spikes, and strikes in the Copper District. Hardly encouraged about their return, even with the letter they carried, they attempted to pass the guards with their heads down.

That went about as well as expected.

Pulled aside from the rest of the travelers moving in and out of the city, Keros quickly pulled out Mara’s letter in their defense. The City Watch, however, insisted on escorting them down to the Watch House where they could take it up with the captain. They considered breaking from the guards, but ultimately decided against it and allowed themselves to be led off. Though Bonu and Keros tried to strike up conversation and win favors, their attempts fizzled pretty quickly.

Let into the Watch House, they were ushered into a corner of the building definitely more suited for criminal folks awaiting bail than friendly chats with the local watch captain. Already making himself quite at home there was a dwarvish looking fellow and two dogs roughly as big as himself.

Greyson, as the dwarf introduced himself, was vaguely familiar with this post, though friendly was not really the word he’d choose to describe his relationship with the watchmen here. Still, he waved once when a guard looked over at the motley crew and returned to petting the nearest drooling mastiff: Mac or Gruff, the party couldn’t really tell which was which.

After some small talk and some side eyeing of the dwarf in their company, a half-orc in uniform approached them. Stern and tired, Captain Kraag Agundar was almost less enthused about having the party in his company than they were on being escorted to him. “If Lord Blackwood hadn’t already sent word, I’d have you lot in manacles for the shit you pulled.”

Kraag then walked over to a desk and pulled out several leaflets of paper and aggressively insisted the lot of them, Greyson included, take it and take it to heart. ‘The Laws of Waterdeep’ was emblazoned across the top of the parchment. Keros whistled a bit at the realization of just how many laws they’d tossed to the wayside last time.

“In our defense,” Bonu said, “the guys we killed killed way more people than us.” Kraag was not amused. Greyson simply fed the paper to one of his dogs when no one was looking.

Another watchman hurried in and announced the arrival of Lady Westra and Lady Mara Blackwood moments before the women appeared. Westra, as dignified and cold as ever, didn’t look too pleased to be there, certainly not for the men who had killed her eldest son. Mara, on the other hand, seemed relieved.

Agreeing to take them under her charge — with the threat that a fate worse than prison would await them if they crossed her family again — Lady Westra swept out of the post as quick as she’d come. “Mother is worried,” Mara explained. “Please, there are carriages waiting. I will explain when we have some privacy.”

On their way out, Kraag issued one last warning against breaking the city laws. “I have enough problems right now without you lot.”

Keros promised their best behavior. Again, Kraag was unimpressed. Though Bonu seemed convinced he would come around.

With Greyson assumed to be part of their troupe by the Blackwoods, the dwarf came along with only the barest of invites to do so. Mara and Westra rode off in a carriage ahead of them and the four men and two dogs clambered into a second carriage.

Blackwood Manor was as imposing as they’d left it and the party quickly followed the two nobles inside. Greyson, at least, seemed more interested in the ornamentation of the manor than their reason for being there. Excusing herself from their company, only explaining she had business elsewhere in the city, Westra left Mara and one of their guards to deal with their guests.

Mara hurriedly explained that a string of deaths among the nobles of Waterdeep were beginning to raise some alarm. Although one of the deaths was still being spoken of as a tragic accident, the death that occurred just last night and the attempt on her own house — a poisoned dish that never made it to the table — made Mara believe there was something else to it.

“I, for one, will sleep better knowing someone is looking for the truth. And with the situation in the South Ward what it is now, well, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone came after our house again.”

“Is there anything you all have in common? A reason why someone might target these houses in particular?” Grumbar asked.

Mara grew visibly tense. “Waterdeep is ruled by the Open Lord and a secret council, the Masked Lords. There are rumors — just rumors — of which houses are part of this council and if you believe those rumors…” She waved her hand in gesture and said no more.

Promising to be the eyes and ears of the Blackwoods in the city, they agreed to look into the deaths. Mara promised a tab would be opened in her name at a nearby inn for them and Grumbar quickly led the charge there. “He’s very eager to plan things,” Keros tried to explain while he and Bonu waited for a written list of the families they should speak to before chasing after the rest of the team.

Grumbar and Greyson were already well into their drinks at the Grinning Lion when Bonu and Keros joined the table. Between them, Keros slapped down the list of nobles that had recently passed under odd circumstances:

Lord Ulb Jardeth, died in his bed almost a month ago.

Lord Ulmassus Phull, broke his neck in a fall little over a tenday ago.

Lord Dulbrawan Anteos II, died in his bed just last night.

Deciding to work their way across the city and visit each grieving family, the group grabbed some lunch at the inn and headed out.

Lord Anteos III was a grieving, frazzled young man when they arrived at the estate. With the very recent loss of his father, he didn’t want to speak more than absolutely necessary. He told them there was no way anyone could have gotten into the room. His father and mother locked the door from within and there was only a window with no way to climb the manor wall without a guard noticing. It had to be an unfortunate accident.

When Grumbar asked if there was anything strange about the body, Lord Anteos grew wary. “Well, there was a mark on his neck that mother found…” Either upset or concerned by this, he excused himself shortly after and they were encouraged to be on their way.

Across town, Lady Jardeth refused to take their company at all. They managed to speak with her house guards and questioned after any strange goings-on prior to the lord’s death. Though they’d noticed nothing unusual, nor had they seen anyone on the estate that night, they did mention that one of the house guards had gone missing. “An elf of some kind,” said one of the guards. “He kept to himself a lot. The lady had hired him maybe a month ago, if that.”

Taking note, the party thanked them for their cooperation and the guards looked the other way just long enough for Bonu to pick a flower from the garden before they left.

Lord Phull was only slightly more accommodating than the others. Though he kept them waiting — and Greyson got a little handsy with some of the less noticeable valuables around the study they waited in — he answered their questions easily. He didn’t believe his father’s death was anything more than it seemed — an accident.

“It’s tragic, of course it is, my father was a good man. Very well liked by the merchants here. But he was older now and it was very dark. He fell, that’s that. Do me a favor, while you’re about, tell that to the damn undertaker. I’d like to bury my father soon.”

Getting only slightly lost on their way to the undertaker’s, they found the man elbow deep in fluids they didn’t really want to question. When they mentioned their position with the Blackwoods, the man made a noise of understanding and ushered them in. His building was lit by arcane means and still managed to be dark and cold, though the cold he asked them to forgive, bodies and all.

“That boy,” he huffed, at the mention of Lord Phull, “should listen to me lest he end up like his father. Fall— A FALL.” He yanked back the sheet on the body of Lord Ulmassus Phull and tipped back the man’s head. Beneath the bruising of his broken neck, there was a faint dark and gangrenous webbing around a pinprick mark. “Does that look like a fall to you? Can’t be certain what kind, but from the reactions? I’d say it’s snake venom.”

Having passed on the lord’s message and thanking him for his time, the group quickly made their way out into the fresh evening air of the Sea Ward. With night fast approaching, they decided to check in with the Blackwoods and pick up in the morning.

“So, Lady Mara was right,” Keros said, as they made their way back.

“Sure. Someone’s killing nobles,” Grumbar agreed, “and it’s not us.”

Greyson ( ft. Mac & Gruff the mastiffs ) — “Dwarf.” Thief Rogue. Played by Malfrost.

#qdnd #swords coast #waterdeep irregulars #bonu #grumbar #keros #greyson

0 notes