#imagine showing him minesweeper

[skelecentral]

Day 26 of bad Sansuary (hosted by @owl-bones!): pajamas

He’s too chisp-drunk to notice you leave him alone

[tsams-and-co-memes]

TSAMS Moondrop Canon Info

Updated - 11/10/24

Moon's likes:

Dogs

Anime

Pokémon

Webcomics

Imagine Dragons

Quietness

Spending time with his family

Magic (he's trying to have as little to do with it as possible now)

Technology

Coding

Six The Musical

My Little Pony

Palworld

Hot water

Minesweeper

Wolves

Historical shows/movies

Puzzles

Knitting (he's expressed an interest in it)

Crunchy food (specifically BBQ chips)

His favorite land animal is cheetahs, his favorite flying animal is falcons, and his favorite sea animal is blue whales

Moon's dislikes:

Moon’s favorite MLP character is Fluttershy

Shadow the Hedgehog

Kids (<- he doesn't mind them as much anymore)

Witnessing any amount of affection between people or being subjected to it, even in a familial way (he always acts grossed out by it, but maybe he’s just messing around, I’m not sure)

Star Wars

Back to the Future

Eclipse

The creator

Bloodmoon

Cooking (Removing this, since he's expressed a desire to learn how to cook)

Flash (the TV series)

The bubbly sensation that comes with carbonated drinks

Pikachu

Miscellaneous:

Moon is aroace (but if he were to ever date anyone, he would want them to have the same sense of humor and sarcasm that he has, and he'd want them to be a little bit sadistic (for some reason))

If he could have a pet, it’d be a fruit bat

He takes a lot of inspiration from Rick Sanchez (from Rick and Morty)

He’s not good with directions

He can drive, he just hates doing so

He does not have a driver's license

Moon takes care of himself by taking a metal buffing drill and rubbing it across his face. He has a machine that cleans the rest of him (Unsure if this is only a New Moon thing, if Old Moon does it too, or if they both do it)

New Moon tended to/used to have a lot of sleepless nights, trying to relearn everything he knew from before he was reset, contemplating his mortality, how he could be reset, and wind up “dying” again

He’s been kidnapped by an evil version of Sun, who he described as being similar to “evil Morty” (<- an experience that New Moon had)

New Moon (after being reset), doesn’t know how he identifies. At the very least he’s ace, but he’s not sure about if he’s romantically attracted to people or not

Moon is a fan of Rick and Morty, and he thinks Rick is the smartest person in the universe

He gets angry whenever anyone says the earth is flat

Moon talks to the Devil from the Bible quite a bit and they get along

When having conversations, Moon prefers it when people are blunt and direct with him

When confronted with problems, he tends to either shrug it off or get angry

Part of his anger towards the situation with Eclipse being back stems from feeling inadequate. He thought he took care of an issue created by his past self (Old Moon), only to find out that the issue (Eclipse) was back, once again threatening his life and Sun's

There was a kid at the daycare once that wasn't scared of Old Moon. The two talked back and forth, and upon hearing that the kid's home life wasn't great, Moon decided to sneak out of the pizzaplex. He followed the kid home, saw what his home life was like, and he took matters into his own hands, wanting to help the kid. The kid didn't survive whatever Moon did, and Moon (before being reset) carried a lot of regret with him over that incident

New Moon recently bought a Chili's from Monty (implied, since Moon recently bought it and Monty said that they recently sold it)

New Moon turned his and Sun's garage into his "experimentation area"

New Moon makes and sells technology to the government, but he doesn't specify which government that is

Old Moon once ate someone (during the episode where he and Sun fought, and he wound up punching Sun)

New Moon knows the cure for cancer

Moon frequents a cannibal sushi shop in Japan where the employees all come to work in cosplay. The chef there is a furry/scalie (Unsure if this is New Moon or Old Moon, or both)

New Moon occasionally goes to some weird anime dimension to blow off steam or find some amusement. In this dimension, everyone talks like anime characters and they all have internal anime character dialogue that gets spoken out loud. Simply saying "wind bullet" or "bang" is enough to defeat them, as they believe they're actually fighting battles similar to what happens in various animes (essentially Moon goes there for anime battle LARP-ing purposes)

Moon has bad handwriting

Moon has always been bad with interior design

Old Moon is still very much present within New Moon's head/mind/consciousness (by the time this has been updated, the two have since separated)

It was on the day of Sun and Moon's separation that Moon's Whacking Stick™️ entered the picture

Moon doesn't know how to cook

After coming back, Moon didn't know what was and wasn't food, so he just went around licking things

Moon used to work for the mafia, and they were the ones supplying him with most of the things he needed to work on his projects

Moon typically tries hanging out with mute kids more, when the daycare is open

The genre of music he primarily listens to would be like rock, metal, punk, and things similar to those (he does enjoy pop, too)

Moon seems to be a texture oriented person with his foods

Moon feels slightly better when he's in the dark (physically, I'm assuming)

Moon creates backups of Sun nightly

Moon prefers white or vanilla cake over chocolate cake

Moon is agender

Moon tinkers with things when he's nervous and he makes little barbie sized mechanical dolls/action figures

[starshinesluvr]

:¨ ·.· ¨:⠀ `· . ୨୧ various edward nashton hcs & thoughts !!

contains: a mention or two about his killings in the movie, religious trauma, & drug usage. word count: 1.4k

writers note: hi friends! guhfhkj i am being brave and posting some writing on main.... ( ;´ - `;) here are a few headcanons and general thoughts that've been Marinating in my mind for a while. i felt like this was getting quite long, so maybe i'll have another post with some more soon.. because i have many thoughts..enjoooy! ^_^

♡ obviously he is obsessive. and loves repetitive actions and routines. his main special interest would be the renewal fund and the wayne family. (obviously) he has a big sense of moral justice. ⋆⭒ one of his main repetitive actions would be counting. he does this a lot with his fingers, the books on his shelf, or even the letters on a neon sign outside. just quickly under his breath. ⋆⭒ he also would sway. he usually does this in his apartment, when hes scrolling nigma or something. it really calms him. i think he would be too self-conscious to do it in public though. the King of masking. but occasionally he cant help himself when he's really focused at a café or something.

♡ but some of his other interests include: retro games, ancient civilizations, and general puzzle games. and god this man is a consistent minesweeper frequenter. heavy on frequent. loves 2048, sudoku, does the daily crossword on newspapers.

♡ half of the apps on his phone has to be games. 'games on his phone?' yes.

♡ i think he also has a undying love for pokemon. unsure what his favorite type would be, i think he would cycle through different types every single time the interest pops back up in his head again.

♡ AND GUYS GENUINELY HERE ME OUT. i think he helped code the club penguin rewritten website . im So. so serious on this one.

♡ OH OH. OHHH!! one of his longest lasting special interests? languages. how this starts? i imagine young edward back at the orphanage, already finished reading every single book he could find... every single english book, that is. maybe he'd sneak into the library. he's sure those books have riddles that can only be solved if you understand its language first. ⋆⭒ he finds interest in the progression of languages especially. how they change over time, and the origin of words and their sounds. ⋆⭒ though i don't think he would be a polyglot. but he'd know a lot of random words here and there, and some slang words no one would expect him to know from many languages!

♡ but a language he especially would like is ASL. he'd have a heightened interest of any form of communication that doesn't involve words. like, the font wingdings y'know? any kind of 'code.' ⋆⭒ he'd especially love learning ASL on his own during his younger years, since he struggled with speaking more often back then. he doesn't talk to anyone much now a days anyways, unless its small talk. (okk i see you selective mutism representation! >_< )

♡ he is sadistic. not a headcanon, just fact. this can be seen in his killings in the movie. though he primarily killed to give a point to the city of gotham, and to become a symbol much bigger than himself, he never gives these people quick and simple deaths. he enjoys these killings. cutting off the mayor’s thumb while he was still alive, sticking rat poison in officer savage, and sticking his head in a rat cage, waiting for them to eat him alive shown for everyone to watch. these were thought out, and he enjoyed watching. he enjoyed putting on a show, and their deaths were his entertainment.

♡ though outside of being the riddler, edward has a lot of self hatred. this fronts as anger, standoffish and anti-social behaviors. he doesn't mean to be mean, its just deep rooted. a combined hatred of everyone who'd hurt him prior.

♡ even though he hates himself, he also thinks of himself as better than anyone else. he feels as if he is worthy, and he has the intellect to show it. he consistently searches for small, daily positions that keep him in power.

♡ has a love/hate relationship with his own intellect. he wishes he wasn't cursed with his knowledge, sometimes he just wishes he could be blind and stupid to the darkness of the city. but he prides himself in being smart, especially in being good with numbers. its something he knows he can actually do correctly. he loves the certainty of numbers, how they never change or lie.

♡ i think would mostly hate how smart he was when he was younger. he hated how it distanced himself from genuinely everyone, and at one point he wasn't sure if he just enjoyed being reclusive or if he simply just got used to it. ⋆⭒ he would hate how the other kids or his classmates would only talk to him when they needed answers for their work and how they would expect him to know everything. (he sadly did.)

♡ he loves consistency. but hates complacency. he knows things can change, things could be better. but he finds comfort in his routines, even if it makes his world grey.

♡ due to religion being constantly drilled into his brain throughout his childhood, he experiences severe trauma. when he does something that is not pleasing to the beliefs he was taught, he self deprecates. lots of talking down on himself. he still can remember a few memory verses and prayers, and sometimes obsessively recites them to himself. ⋆⭒ he knows some of his fears are honestly a little irrational, that maybe one day he'll just be struck down. he's trying not to let them take over his logic, but he struggles. he is constantly upset that he still has these childhood fears that bind him.

♡ speaking of his time during the orphanage: his dirty unkempt upbringing and the long lasting effects of it could be seen in his living space. the chaotic and 'dirty' environment is almost comforting to him. sticky notes with ramblings of riddles and math problems. besides, his brain works too fast to care where things were placed in his home.  

♡ despite his messy apartment, he hates feeling dirty. this is also thanks to the orphanage. he’s well kempt. everything is messy, not dirty. the orphanage was sadly, both. he looks like a sopping wet rat, it doesn't mean he smells like one though.

♡ he also has a fear of smelling bad, despite knowing he thoroughly washes. ⋆⭒ i think he would smell like soap or just his laundry detergent. he wants to try different scents, he kind of likes the idea of having a 'signature scent,' but honestly some smells give him a headache if they're too concentrated. and he can't have that while doing his everyday activities. ⋆⭒ its the kind of scent where you can only really smell it on the person when you hug them, y'know? which is kind of fine to him, he'd rather smell like nothing than something bad.

♡ he absolutely despises drops. any kind of heavy drug really he stays away from. he knows just how easily it can unravel a person, after constantly watching kids as young as 12 years old become addicted to it. his intellect would go to waste if he ever decided to start using.

♡ BUT! definitely smokes weed, or just in general he smokes. he probably tried it for the first time in his early twenties, hated it and dropped it. but he CANNOT continue handling his anxieties raw. so he picks it up again in his thirties. only occasionally... kind of.

♡ he loves LOVES animals. i like to think he had a little hyperfixation on animals and the general care for them when he was younger, so despite never having a pet, he could definitely at least recommend what to feed your average household pet.

♡ not only that, but he finds interest their internal structures, and the similarities to the human body. (i honestly don't know where these hcs came from, but bare with me here.) ⋆⭒ he loves dogs, but he's found himself liking cats a bit more recently. especially strays, he finds their resilience to continue living despite their circumstances to be admirable. ⋆⭒ he'd love to adopt. but he can hardly keep track of his own health, not to mention the state of his apartment. and don't even get him started on the extra expenses. ⋆⭒ though, i think he'd be pretty scared of interacting with any stray, maybe just animals in general he'd be pretty hesitant of being around. he doesn't like the uncertainty. and hates remembering his bad experiences with animals when he was younger. ⋆⭒ i think he'd bring himself to a cat café for one of his birthdays after weighing the pros and cons, after a day that was especially rough on him or something. he usually doesn't care for the date, but he honestly just likes using it as an excuse to go out somewhere whenever he feels like it. (he probably cried either from the animals' cuteness or the fact that he was there alone, maybe a bit of both. poor employees probably didn't know what to do.) ⋆⭒ i also think it would be funny if he was allergic, but obsessed. constantly sneezing but he can't help but want to cuddle up with them. but he doesn't have to be.

[hannahssimblr]

I tap a knuckle against the study door. 

“Dad?”

There’s silence. 

I knock again. “Dad? Are you busy?” 

He’s moving around in there, I can hear him. Closing browser tabs, maybe. Shuffling around and rearranging things, in a blind panic trying to look like he’s doing something important. I huff out a tiny laugh at the thought of him hurrying to close the minesweeper window before someone can come in and catch him doing something unserious. I don’t really know what he does in his pokey little study all evening, but one of Jen’s crazy theories is that he’s chatting online to his twenty two year old YouTuber girlfriend, to which I need to remind her, once again, that my dad is too boring to have an affair. Mom says he’s writing reports and even that sounds too exciting for him.

“Come in,” he says eventually, and I let myself into his lair where he is sitting stoically at his computer, a stack of paper, no doubt with exceedingly dull information on them is right by his side, and his hand hovers over it so I'll know he’s especially busy, and whatever it is, I had better make it quick. 

I close the door behind me and approach him while his eyes settle curiously on the stack of soft cover books in my hands. “What are those?”

“I spoke to the guidance counsellor at school this week. She gave me some college prospectuses, and I thought we could... um, look through them together”

He heaves out a sigh and gestures to the second chair. The guest chair, I suppose, not that there’s ever guests in here to sit on it. It’s uncomfortable like a lot of furniture in this house, all style but no substance, and I perch on its edge, my knee doing that annoying anxious jerking thing while dad takes off his glasses and swaps them with another pair. “Show me what you have.”

I pass the stack to him and he drops it onto his desk with a thud, picks up the first and immediately flips the front cover towards me with a completely uncalled for attitude. “What’s this?”

“A prospectus.”

“Rhode Island School of Design?”

“Yes.”

He tosses it aside without so much as a glance inside it and grabs the next, “School of the Art Institute, Chicago,” Then reads the blurb incredulously “‘Art and design change the world.’ Alright…” He raises his eyebrows and puffs out a breath as he chucks it into the discard pile. “CalArts, nope.”

My face gets hot. 

He snatches another and flips over to the back, “‘Studying here is different,’” He reads, “‘It is about making a better world, about becoming a creative force and learning to change the world through bold and curious thinking…’” He mumbles the rest and then scoffs at it as if it’s some political argument he disagrees with inside the Sunday Times, and he goes on and on in this manner while the rejection pile builds and builds and so does the feeling inside me. 

“What is this?” He says eventually. “These are all American schools. American art schools.”

“Yes.”

He scrutinises me like he believes I have gone mad yet says nothing because he doesn’t need to. I already know what he’s asking. 

The words come out of me in a rush. I rehearsed this in the hall for five minutes before having the nerve to knock, “Because I think I would get a chance at a really great education there. It’d be good for me to be away and independent and to learn a lot of new things, not just education and art, but also travel and culture. I’d really like to go to college somewhere that’s exciting and dynamic and… and…” Damn, I forgot the other adjective I’d chosen, “...Um, fun, I guess. It’s just that whenever I think about college I imagine myself in the US. I really think that’s where I should be.”

“That’s because that’s what you see in those movies.” He says movies like one might say hardcore pornography, because Christopher doesn’t waste his time with such things as movies. Christopher works, and studies, and reads endless, endless books about World War II. “You’re not going to college in the states.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s a waste of time and it’s a waste of money. Do you know what it costs to attend just a year of college in the US? Before your living expenses?”

“I know, but I spoke to the counsellor about it, and she explained that there are scholarships.”

He laughs, “You’re not going to get a scholarship,” and switches back to his other glasses and shakes his mouse to wake up his PC, which has some kind of thrilling spreadsheet open on it. This 2009 financial report must be rapturously exciting if he’s more interested in it than the future of his only son and firstborn child. 

I inhale sharply, “But why couldn’t I get a scholarship?”

“Because,” He types some numbers into the sheet, “You’d have to have a pristine academic record, a long list of extracurriculars and a very persuasive personal statement,” he peers briefly at me over the rim of his specs, “I’ve been through the US education system, and I know the standard that these colleges expect of their scholarship students. You’re just not up to it.”

“I could be, if I worked hard. I’m already doing pretty well in all of my classes, like, I get Bs in most things-” I stop myself before unhelpfully adding, without even trying, “And I have extracurriculars, like, I play rugby and help out Jen with her maths work…”

“You have to understand that the kinds of people who earn these scholarships do a lot more than that.”

“Well I would do more things if I had more time to myself in the mornings, or in the evenings, or after school, or at any other point in my day when I have to ferry Ivy back and forth from-”

Dad barrels on as though he hasn’t registered that I am speaking, “And you know, as well as the extracurriculars, all of these scholarship students have exemplary records. They're well mannered, well behaved, they never get into trouble, never get detention, never mind suspension. Twice.”

I snap my mouth shut. 

“Honestly, if I was the dean of one of these,” he plucks at the limp corner of one of the prospectuses, “Art college places, and I saw an application from someone with your record, I would simply toss it out. There’s not a chance, and before you ask, I am not paying for art school when you could easily do that here. For free.”

“Okay, I understand that, but I don’t really want to go to college here if I can avoid it.”

He doesn’t ask me why. He already knows but doesn't want to acknowledge it, and it’s easier, as it always is, just not to discuss feelings. Any feelings, especially mine, which are the most irritating and irrational feelings of all. “Why art school?” He hums, idly poking around with something on screen. “Couldn’t you choose a more academic course?”

I’m surprised he thinks I’m capable based on all the things he just said about me.

“You could apply for something in Trinity. Math, maybe?”

“Maths.”

“Or if you want something more artistic you could try English. Literature. That would be interesting, don't you think?”

“Or I could just… do art.”

“I would just hate to see you become one of those arty types. One of that NCAD crowd loitering around Thomas Street with their facial piercings and crazy haircuts.”

Oh no, a haircut. I sigh, “I’m not going to NCAD. I was kind of hoping you’d be more enthusiastic about my choices, but if you don’t think they’re right, I mean… what can I do.” I loathe the laugh that comes out of me, this strange, nervous titter that I didn’t even realise I was capable of.

I get up and begin to gather the stack of prospectuses laying forlornly on my father’s desk, my hopes and dreams bound for the recycling bin. “I’ll speak to the guidance counsellor again about my options, I suppose, and then I’ll try and choose something that’s more realistic for me.”

Before I let myself out I force myself to pause and turn to him one last time, “Do you… um, if I come up with more choices for colleges, do you think you’d want to sit down with me some evening and go through them? Like, I mean, really look over all of the options and help me decide what the best thing is?”

There is a lengthy pause. 

“You know, Jude, I’m really busy, and-”

“Okay.” I leave the room and shut the door with a gentle click.

Beginning // Prev // Next

[titanus-horizio]

I have a headcanon about Godzilla minus one that makes the movie infinitely more terrifying.

So it's confirmed in the novelization that Godzilla knew Koichi wouldn't shoot him on Odo Island

So my headcanon is that, instead of taking pity on Koichi for showing fear; Godzilla intentionally began targeting and going after Koichi. Think of it as Godzilla playing with his food

Especially after operation crossroads where he was bombed, burned,mutilated and god knows what else. That process couldn't have felt good at all. Especially given the twist at the end of the movie seemingly confirming that Godzilla cannot die.

I'm not saying that Godzilla is in a state of intense suffering 24/7(we have Shin Godzilla for that). My headcanon is that Godzilla clearly doesn't like people(no shit he's a Boogeyman to the people of Odo Island and the first scene we see of him is him slaughtering a Japanese military repair station), his original plan was to save Koichi for last given Koichi's reluctance to fire on him. He sees that koichi is laying on the ground unmoving, thinks he's dead and he continues on his life. Then operation crossroads happens, The United States tests nuclear weapons on the island and Godzilla is brutally mutated and changed by the blast(we have a scene in the movie where he roars as the bomb changes his body)

After this he decides to go after Japan, since that's the closest known landmass he knows of that has people on it. While on route to Japan he encounters dozens of battleships and takes them out as part of his rampage...

then one faithful day he encounters a minesweeping ship, and wouldn't you know it that one guy who he let live is on that ship(only noticing this after he raised his head out of the water after getting hit with the first mine)

He goes after the ship since well,koichi is unfinished business, he gets rid of the last person on Odo Island he can go on to take out Japan.

Then koichi blows his brains out with a Sea mine, as expected this pisses him the fuck off

He rises out ot the water and is about to make his finishing move onto koichi when god damn it another destroyer gets in the way allowing that little rat to escape

Then he possibly follows the ship(keeping his distance while doing so) and that's how he finds out about Ginza and all that.

And we all know how the Ginza attack turned out

My headcanon is that Godzilla goes out of his way to target koichi in the movie for not only being a loose end on Odo Island but also for the amount of damage he takes in the movie. Godzilla is HUNTING koichi down, and with the end of the movie having Godzilla being almost killed by koichi again, I can only imagine how vicious Godzilla is in that

[lunaremy]

I feel like the whole R-Continued thing and the whole subplot around Black trying not to be a punchable person cuz of Misha is interesting because they're both robots but not every robot in the universe is gonna function the same and whatnot

like Black knows bombermen are sometimes built to do specific things like build or protect, and he knows they sometimes have special abilities to use. He knows about the rudimentary "animal life" on timbertree, he knows about robots that aren't lifeforms,

But Misha is literally someone's science project. there's no blueprint or guide for her "species" because she's literally like the only one. She has no powers she lives a fuckton of years and she cries because everyone dies like way before her. Imagine being Black and this girl you like detaches her entire fucking arm to tighten the screws or something and you're freaking out because for most robots you CANNOT just remove limbs like that because you'll probably collapse instantly. But here she is, acting like nothing happened

This is inverse for Misha too imagine basically seeing yourself as a computer system piloting around in this undying metal cage of a body and some guy that you overheard on the news once while you were playing minesweeper shows up and you're all "why is your face completely flat?? why is it glowing a little bit? what's this thing on your head for?? can I get a closer look?? why did your body just open like that??? where the fuck are your ears?? why are your hands so weird??? bombs just come out of them??"

Like, I know she's fascinated with the idea that she might have someone to share the next few years with, but it also sounds like she wants to dissect him.

[randomclam24]

Okay so now that we admit (you unconsciously did this) that the world has come to a complete stalemate What does it mean for me to get my Python learning book out? Dragging a leftist with her makeup running down her face across the highway Update - OKAY, the thing I have to do is get a Python book I'm comfortoable ftwith. with.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/205070231782?_skw=Python+3%3A+The+Comprehensive+Guide+to+Hands-On+Python+Programming&epid=4057259690&itmmeta=01JCNTT5A90P7Z2SS6TSXD4N5M&hash=item2fbf2368e6:g:ZrsAAOSwgUZnIIVM&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAABAHoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKkTPaYQpRbHkL9uEcOr9RSJnrkUoVCr4KUcj%2FKZhKY7SptW9u74lQ%2Bx0soAGN6hVmxNfHSdk0JxqNgIDiwW9FfCiqwBOYw%2FnWV3hUR2aci1PC%2BAeouYJRknY6mQRpAne8c7xePekp3%2FaCxUeb9P90TRiq0X69z9Dtg8h%2F5nZFYbv4RuVGjqUAt8csf9eNQLZvOs21kMyArAramcyssZbjg05PdVwa52NaQdueXMoVjIRLN3rSqm2sx5v98h75F%2FZmrm9JUNxQS7HK95xLu0BlBInMwN4miCn2dsO2IlgAPd3GZ9KZz60ElPQd8uqyPdmVQ%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR6DV6LrlZ A Update - after creating a "home" like the Yale student in the Minesweeper board at zoom 220%, my mind rewards me with the amount of satisfaction true capitalist ghost ever got after that the session remains torture Update - Some gayhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRHixdMv-mU Update - How we produce arguments, all we have to do to make the saintly ungodly and the singful godly is to assign an identity "Jesus was BLACK just because I worship jesus skins doesn’t make me a sinner" Update - I'm pretty sure any sense of Kaname-Madoka threads of fate *is* a Biblical out-of-Egypt calling event for the advertisers(as being what people call a universal constant, even though the show itself said nothing of this), because there's nothing else of substance Update - < The enslavement to the pyramids is, literally, [anagram]the Biblical lying-in-wait of the jews

Inevitably, < the lying in wait of the spirit is *not* jews, we are only seeking meaning like echolocation in this dark boring shit Update - It's fact that life happens in the void of what we call human life Update - https://archive.is/lbPvo This I would do if I could get away with doing so to boomer Update - Worst spawn on the face of the earth. Seriously, if you could get the ear load from them talking about how far they're projecting, you'd willingly understand how much Hell cries out Update - I'm [ ] enough to understand the "prophecies" of the people CF says once gooning zoomers can't get enough out of it anymore, they'll take to the streets I passed this threshold when I came in conflict with my dad, and you can do NOTHING my whole existence is packed "For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law." - the second you do that, the *whole* system - "the *heart* Update - In reality, this is superficial whereas the other quote was a hand-having from the beginning, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom", because we're not surface deep: "Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison." - we will put you in solitary Yeah? And then they *ask* you - what did your father just tell you "UH - I DON'T KNOW Update - In that time I was inspired, I thought of, just as a residual belief in fate, a world where the energy was invented to the point of replenishability, and all it would take was people maintaining Reality: They treat revolution as a leak, hence Update - Really in the minutes preceding

I had to make sure, the lyrics at the beginning say "the ones we hurt are you and me"

something about how this really is magicks that acallforanuprising keeps talking about Update - The essence of having a riches while having a casual party with things being served is that one is alcoholic, so the whole thing can be circumvented with alcohol in itself and imagination Up! The white organization ability is hindered by the shame of what the Catholic church did on - oh I was meant - built, like built for BBC? to recognize that that's what "on GOD" means Update after a while croco dile asdfasdfasdf "These are upon guidance from their Lord. These are the successful." or something - this is from the Quran That sounds a lot like the way CF talked about the successful in the grand sense and how that got there "God has set a seal on their hearts and on their hearing, and over their vision is a veil. They will have a severe torment." basically sounds like gooners when they talk about cringe On account of it being in meme culture sans any words to accompany

There is indeed a strange - no, not the equivalent "I have thought an awful LOt about blowing up the WHITE HOUSE." - in celebrity, because we're talking about the speaking mode we're speaking about a strange diametric where the elite think of themselves so grandiose, they are "naturalistic" in the sense that they are household, not in the sense of actual grand, as with celebrities that are known by families, but are "members of the family No, really, on this: Ty 2's [way they said]"diplomatic immunity" should be here Silent Hill 2: The narrative (really, you should be thinking of the three Siren games and where that got before

Where were you, was I when I realized in subconscious reality, 0% of people got to Silent Hill 2 by Silent Hill

[bearlydruid]

Could him burying those feelings be why he blows up so much at Minthara via Ultimatum?

There is a HUGE MINEFIELD I think - and like me, Halsin doesn't know how to win at Minesweeper. Like I imagine those first few decades, maybe even the first century after his captivity, he probably was suspicious of every drow he encountered. He would still carry that uncertainty, and it would 100% show in his treatment and approach to Minthara.

Hearing Minthara's plans and her resolute certainty of her status and birthright would have Halsin gritting his teeth, and ultimately after he was captive in the Goblin Camp his fury would be so palpable. He would struggle with setting aside her enslavement to the Absolute and who she is at her core, and trying to just reconcile all the options and the fact that if she left, she would fall victim to the Elder Brain (good lord I spelled brian, and it looked fine for all GOOD WHILE) Halsin tries to respect the balance in the world and uphold that balance, but he does see the Lolth sworn as a hivemind of danger. He is more accepting of Seldarine drow, though they are fewer and further in between.

And lemme just say that they acted the HELL out of that scene, btw. Here it is if you're unfamiliar!

[spotaus]

🥺🥺🥺🥺 (<- Me staring w/ my big ol eyes :] )

Ohhh yeah. Cross's codename was SO goofy. I had a couple of ideas for it, but ultimately landed on Cross's bestie and his temporary crush convincing him to use a dumb nickname. (Later on Shep and most of the guard still call him Z as a joke (when they can, ofc, the hierarchy still stands) and he dies a little inside every time-)

And yeah. I laid it on kinda thick but like. Cross wouldn't see Ccino enough to make the connection of anything between Ccino and Night, but he would still totally think Ccino was very very pretty and kinda blank for a second. Forget hierarchy. He assumes pretty privilege lmao---

I was also considering adding a moment where he was *also* flustered by Horror, but I imagine that can come later 🙏 He's just such a wreck <3

I feel like I'm going for forget something so I apologize but uhhhhb.

Oh! I'm SO glad you enjoy all tye setting details!! Sometimes I worry I'm laying it on too thick, so it's good to know they're working out mostly! (I had such a good time with the Tapestry!!! Cross would use that as info too, even if he doesn't know what to do with it! And yeah, initially the tapestry had been paused to allow Dream to take the throne before he'd be added, but Nightmare rose instead, and he didn't want his face on a wall just yet!)

The characters! I was hesitant to make any in this story because I couldn't land on any that I really liked, but Harper and Shep manifested and I got attached, haha! Harper will definitely hopefully live up to her arc! And Shep. Well. If I can get writing again here maybe I'll ping-pong off of you and do Night's return to shed some light on his situation, hehe!

Right!! Cross had no training at all! Dream believed he could do it, and just sent him in without any prep at all 🙏 it definitely hits hard when he finally accepts just how expendable he's seen to be by Dream. (And even more-so when Dream is furious to see him upon their face off, because??? Even if he was brainwashed, don't fight that hard, man!)

AND. AND. THE DUST SCENE!!! I was so so excited to do that one!!! Dust knows the castle like the back of his hand, and he knows that the handle to the study makes no noise if you weight it down a bit, so he wandered in like. A minute after Cross started his search abd just. Watched him!! He's so smug and relaxed!!! (Ohh yeah. Definitely minesweeper if he had a phone, haha!) He wanted to see how long it'd take Cross to notice him, but he didn't, so Dust got bored and spoke up! :D

And gods I'm glad the fight scene went well because!!! It was so so important, but I'm so so bad at fight scenes! Dust's magic was definitely something Cross had never seem before, abd Cross' magic was just like. Super weird!!

I really really like a continuous thing og Dust being the equivalent of Counterspell for magic-users in this au. Like, if he shows up the magic users might as well just head home and pack it up lmao- Cross in particular.... Dust would've totally drawn it out, he has enough stamina to outlast Cross, but because Cross did his weird thing Dust's magic was like "Oh? Oh? You're holding us? Bet >:[" and obliterated him way harder because all the little attacks basically smacked him all at once! (Dust would've stopped it if he'd known it'd be that strong, but he was mire occupied trying to figure out what Cross was doinglmao-)

Yes! Point blank lightning bolt!!!! Goofy ahh guy accidentally channeled Dust's easiest move. Which is Obliterates You w/ Lightning. Just shows how much better Dust has gotten over the years!

And yeah, them full-out in battle is crazy- when they spar the group actually tends to go outside, because Dust doesn't hold back (well, he does-) and sometimes he makes the field all foggy so he can make his attacks even more unpredictable! And Cross using his proper weapon in an open space? Hoo boy. He does slashing attacks with it, but long-range he can form cutting waves that shoot out! So they're crazy!!!

Also, shockingly, Night's study survived theur fight really well (Dust did damage control too-) and the only mark left over was the lightning singe on the stone from Cross's flashback moment haha!

New Age AU (Cross' Spy Adventures)

Hi guys! I'm back! This one has been eating at me so forgive me if it's a bit rougher than the others, but I hope you still enjoy! (And if plot details don't seem to line up? Remember Cross has no clue what's going on yet :] )

Context: Cross has been asked by Dream to do recover information on his brother's next plans of attack. He's not a very good spy.

(Hi to @ancha-aus @papiliovolens and @mutzelputz !!!)

Stars this place was big.

He'd almost forgotten what it felt like to be on a castle grounds after so many years roughing it with Ink. Inns and taverns and tents. He wasn't sure how much he enjoyed being back in the throes of the rich and powerful's estates.

The cart-ride with the other new recruits had been pleasant enough, they were all decently friendly guys. A few were putting on that tough-guy facade, but none of them could've been older than 25. Fresh off the press, practically. Perfect soldiers to be brainwashed.

Cross had laughed and joked with them about what life in the castle might be like. How different it would be from the old daily grind. How maybe they'd pick up a hot partner in town on their patrols. How they hoped they'd eat like kings.

Though, Cross noticed that each of them got cagey when word of the King resurfaced. One birdish-monster mourned that she couldn't have served the last King, Nim, before she passed on to join the gods. Another spoke of the honor it would bring for him to serve the blood of Nim.

They seemed averse to even acknowledging King Nightmare's existence. Aside from his connection to Nim.

Now, the chatter was all silent, and Cross was among the many new soldiers who were ogling the castle as they passed around its outer wall and entered through a side gate.

It was, admittedly, impressive.

His own home kingdom had less of a castle, more of a monolith. It had been dense, and tall, and impossibly smooth. His father couldn't stand imperfection.

This castle was almost the exact opposite of what Cross had always known. The walls imperfect and overlapping, rather than brick it looked like it had burst straight up from the ground. Bumpy and imperfect and natural, and yet beautiful and structurally stable. He didn't linger on it, but he wanted to so badly.

Instead, he drew his attention ahead. To where a man stood, his armor decorated in the marks which indicated him as a reporting officer.

This man, a human with a crooked nose and a thick, black, beard held up a hand, and the driver of the cart tugged at his reigns, the horses pulling to a slow stop.

One by one, once given the signal, the soldiers filed out. Stating their rank, their camp of origin, and their name.

Cross was middle of the pack, and saluted the human as Dream had taught him and as everyone had done before him.

"1st Year Guard, Pierson Camp, Z." He reported.

He was not proud of his code-name. It physically hurt to say it with a straight face, but when he'd been talking about needing a new code name, Ink had excitedly suggested it.

Z, he'd said, Like 'X' but not! And Cross hadn't been able to shut the idea down when Dream had giggled and tapped his cheekbone, the spot just under his eyelight that held is scar.

Dream had called it fitting, and it'd been settled in a heartbeat.

Cross managed to say it aloud without any hint of suspicion and was waved off to join his fellow recruits.

They lined up haphazardly, but didn't dare to do more than grin and snicker between eachother at. Well. Anything, it seemed. They were taking this very casually compared to what Cross had been expecting.

Though, the moment the captain was done looking to the cart for any stragglers, he turned. The soldiers all went still and aligned themselves.

Cross wondered how they survived training if they goofed off like that so readily.

He watched as the cart which had brought them circled away, and he listened carefully as the man introduced himself.

"I am Captain Rogers. Your platoon will report to me for any and all management. I control your training schedules, your mealtimes, and your work hours." He called out to them, right there on the lawn "you are here today to serve the blood of the gods, and by Nim's watch you will not slack on your oath. No matter how much you loathe it here. Understood?"

Such a bold declaration of... unrest.

The soldiers, one by one, gave affirmative nods and salutes, Cross making sure he wasn't the first. He didn't want to seem too eager.

The captain led them about.

He asked for them to stay in formation, and Cross ended up towards the middle of the pack yet again, just close enough to hear the explanations of their duties, places on the grounds they were allowed to go, and what their daily routine was meant to be like.

Near the stables, they paused briefly, and the Captain was taking an extra long time explaining that the horses in the stables were not to be ridden without explicate orders from him or another commanding officer.

Cross couldn't help but notice the guys ahead of him whispering about something, and Cross followed their miniscule gestures off to the left.

A black cat, wirey and short-hair. It was standing in the shadow of a fence, and he didn't think he would've spotted it if it weren't for its big, green eyes. They were like little saucers in its head.

It was staring straight at him. Tail flicking. One ear twitched.

Cross tried to ignore it, but when he'd glance back, it was still there.

Until, suddenly, it wasn't.

By the time they moved on, it was nowhere in sight.

His old home hadn't had many animals, especially not roaming cats. He wondered if it was a 'barn cat'. Blue had explained the concept to him once.

Regardless, that thing was freaky.

Finally, after what felt like hours of walking, the Captain announced that their last stop of the night would be to their quarters.

He could practically feel the relief rolling off of the guys next to him, and it took am effort to let his shoulders sag even an inch in imitation. The guy next to him looked like he might fall over, and Cross shared none of that exhaustion.

They would start their assignments bright and early in the morning, each of them would have a more experienced guard join them as a guiding measure before they were left to the duties themselves.

A much kinder grace period than Cross had been expecting, honestly.

The Captain escorted them down the halls, long and twisting. Each one held soldiers out of uniform, turning in for the night, going through their routines. As well as some moving out for the night shift. They ignored the rookies as they kept to their own business.

The Captain swung a door open, only to immediately block the soldiers in front from entering the space of relaxation beyond.

"Ah, Ccino, I was worried we'd missed you." The Captain spoke up.

"Soldiers, back up. Stand at attention." Came an order next.

Cross was faster than the others in recognizing the order, but forced himself to wait until the others stumbled into him to start moving. He wasn't sure why they were getting into this stance, but he knew better than to start asking questions.

They all stood in the hall, and Cross caught a few snickers from nearby lounging guards as the rookies stood there.

"The King called upon me, so I wasn't able to meet you where we had planned," a softer, calm, voice rang, "I figured I would run into you here before you turned in for your first night."

The Captain stood before them, and beside him, exiting the barracks, was a monster.

Cross tried not to stare, but he couldn't deny that this was odd. He'd never known a captain to bend to anyone but a higher up. But...

This skeleton was dressed in a servant's uniform. Granted, it was made of a thick, soft-looking brown and tan fabric, with an apron with more embroidery than he thought he'd ever seen in his life, but it was nothing too out of place.

Surely it wasn't a Knight. No, he'd been told they wore masks. He could tell this skeleton was not a Knight. He could see the full skull, soft and gentle, calm eyelights, and a body Cross swore had never seen a single battle.

No. Cross, stop that.

He didn't tear his eyes away, but he forced himself to look back to the skeleton's shoulder. No eye-contact, but still facing him. Good.

"Soldiers, This is our Head of House, Ccino." The Captain gestured to the skeleton at his side.

The soldiers all remained silent, and the captain nodded.

"If Ccino ever gives you any sort of order, you listen." The Captain's voice was harsh with this, the same way he'd spoken about the horses, and the kitchen, and the private training rooms they'd passed. "No questions, no hesitation, no disobeying. You understand?"

The squint of the Captain's eyes were more than enough for Cross to know better than to ask. Something like this was unfamiliar, for sure, but he knew when a soldier was saying something he truly believed in. Lived by. For better or worse.

None of the other recruits seemed to speak up. Cross certainly didn't. He tried not to let his nerves show as this skeleton, Ccino, let's his soft white eyelights skim softly from one soldier to the next. When they came to him, he desperately avoided the gaze, practically staring a hole into the soft fur scarf wrapped around his neck, hiding his spine from view.

"It's a pleasure to meet all of you," That calm voice again, "As you heard, my name is Ccino. I manage the Castle, it's grounds, and the people who stay within our walls. This includes all if you, as of tonight."

He seemed rather put-together. Pleasant. Cross didn't feel any unease. He was positive, now, that this was not a Knight. Yet, he couldn't figure out why such a monster would be held in such high regard, unless, of course...

"As you heard, our King trusts my decisions regarding these matters, which is why he asks you listen to my requests. However, I don't abuse this privilege, and it shouldn't dissuade you from coming to me if you have any problems." Ccino pulled his arms to cross infront of him, and once again looked over the recruits. "You may be our guard, but that does not mean you shouldn't recieve help as well. If you cannot find me, ask another servant and they will get word to me."

Ccino seemed... kind. That had to be it.

The sparkle of admiration in the captain's eyes. The way some of the soldiers watched. Maybe Ccino was the golden light in this dark place? Though, that didn't seem quite right.

"Stick to your duties, remain diligent, and you will be cared for here." He said softly. "Now, stand down and go rest. Your training tomorrow will be thorough, and you will need the extra sleep."

Oh.

Cross recognized the order, and his body moved a bit before his mind could catch up. He relaxed, as much as he naturally could, and took a step. Toward the barracks. Then paused and glanced like a deer in the headlights to the Captain and the Head of House.

Ccino just smiled, and the Captain seemed stoic.

"Seems Z gets first dibs on the cots!" The Captain announced, and with his approval, humor seeping into his tone a bit, and laughter echoing from the older guard who'd been observing?

Cross made the quick duck into the room and grabbed for the first cot he saw. Bottom bunk, closest to the door, the easiest way he'd be able to leave the long room of bunk beds.

The others hurried in after him, some laughing, others cursing jokingly at Cross having noticed the test first.

The test.

Of course it'd been a test. A test to see if they'd recognize Ccino as an authority figure. A test to see if they took the warning seriously. Cross just listened to the superior officer. And... put himself in the limelight of excelling new recruits.

If there was one good thing, though it was mortifying, the others didn't seem to notice what it was. They were too busy teasing Cross for the grape blush that enveloped his face the moment he sat to think it over. The others assumed he'd just slipped up. Listened to the prettiest person in the room.

Once again, Cross wondered how they'd made it through training. Though, it was good they just thought he was a stupid lover boy. Better than them realizing he was following orders on instinct.

It'd been a hard sell, getting to sleep, but he'd managed somehow.

.

The morning was much easier than the night prior. He woke up before the sun, before a lot of the others even showed signs of stirring. It was good he got up so early, sneaking off probably wouldn't be much of an issue.

Tomorrow, then. He'd do his sneaking tomorrow, after he got a lay of the land today. From what they'd been told, he'd be supervised today. Everyone would. It was different from what the Prince had told him, but it didn't matter. Policies could change, and Cross knew better than to disobey new policies.

The castle inside felt like a maze yesterday, he'd hopefully have routes inside, so he'd be able to memorize at least a few escapes. Orient himself. Worst case he could break a window.

He didn't want to leave any trace, though. The best scenario, as Dream had explained it, was that he'd get in, get the information, and get out. A week, maybe a week and a half tops. Cross wanted to spend as little time here as possible. He didn't want to fall into whatever mind-control he'd been warned of. He didn't want to run into the Knights. He certainly didn't want to see Dream's twin.

Though, he was curious. What he looked like. If he could see the sibling resemblance between the Prince and his supposedly brainwashed ruler of a sibling. It was honestly none of his business. If the King never saw his face, that would be all the better. He shouldn't know Cross was ever here at all.

The thoughts swirled in hid head as he stared at the bottom of the cot above his. Wood slats, the whole thing was sturdy wood, with decent mattresses and blankets and pillows resting on its support. It didn't creak at all, which was good. And surprising. Everything in the castle seemed so nice.

Mm, must've been a thing for the people here. Serve the 'gods' and live in luxury. It certainly seemed that was how the Prince's camp had run as well.

Cross couldn't be sure how long he was awake, examining the room and sitting still, but the sun managed to rise into the sky by the time he'd heard the slamming knock on the door to the barracks.

It was easy for him. When the Captain swung the door wide open and announced, in a hardy shout, that they were to be in the hall in 5? Cross rolled out of bed the moment the door closed again.

It pained him to move so slowly. He couldn't be the first one out again. Couldn't be the first one dressed. He didn't know why it took so long for the others to change to their uniforms and rub the sleep from their eyes. Monsters and humans alike! They hustled, some of them, and Cross was grateful a cat monster seemed to gather herself more readily than the others. An orange striped cat, her nose and the tip of her tail a stark white. Cross only noticed her when she rushed for the door, and he let himself trail her a moment later.

Thinking back, she'd been at the back of the group yesterday, joking with some of the others. Cross wondered what the energy change was all about.

He didn't get time to worry about it, though. The hall outside the barracks was busier than it had been last night, and Cross found himself facing, not only the Captain, but also several guards. They each seemed to be in full uniform, different than Cross' or the cat's which marked them as trainees. They seemed stoic before their captain, and Cross almost felt a moment if relief. Maybe this was a decent show of artillery?

No, wait, strong soldiers would be bad for the Prince. He'd have to get through these guys.

He shook away the thought, listening in as he stood awkwardly in the hall, another recruit lumbering out to stand where he'd joined the cat already.

The Captain looked them over, before nodding.

"Harper, you're with Jenna." The Captain ordered, pointing from the cat before gesturing towards one of the guard directly behind him.

Cross tried not to let his eyelights give away his observance as the guard stepped around her captain. She seemed to be a bunny monster, lots of fur and long, floppy ears tied behind her head. She, Jenna, saluted the cat, Harper, and Harper saluted in return.

"Listen to what your mentor tells you, got it?" The Captain asked, and Cross saw a few others exiting as he said this.

Those who started moving down the hall, and the Capatin looked to Cross. It was a kick glance, one look-over, before he turned and looked over his shoulder.

"Z, you're with Shep." And a gesture guided Cross towards whoever his mentor for the day would be.

From nearly the back of the crowd, snaked a dog monster. Black and white, short-trimmed fur. His eyes were brown and intense, and after a moment Cross realized this guard was shorter than him. He didn't like that when Shep saluted, he had to peer down to salute back.

He hardly even registered that they were already moving off, not unlike the two before them had done, until he'd taken a few steps to follow this small royal guard.

"So, you're Z?" Shep asked him as they stopped a few halls away. This one was largely barren aside from a few servants. Along each wall hung a huge tapestry, woven out of heavy threads and hung by a long piece of metal along the top edge.

"Yes, sir." Cross responded shortly. Not giving himself a moment to stammer.

Shep looked at his quizzically, before he leaned forward and sniffed. Actually just sniffed at Cross. It was still a few inches away, they didn't make contact, but suddenly he worried he was stinky. He's bathed before hopping on the cart, and he hadn't been exercising much, surely-

"Ah, you're not from this Kingdom! Not originally, at least." Shep said then, leaning away just as quickly as he'd gotten close.

Cross blinked, and he was sure his skull didn't hide his shock as well as he'd hoped. "I can smell the pollen on you, newbie. We don't have those kinda plants in this kingdom." He explained, and Cross internally cursed himself. Would he have to run? Would he have to-

"You know, I'm not from this kingdom either, I was born to the west." Shep admitted then, easily, using a paw to gesture loosely at the space between them, "I bet we'll get along just fine, newbie. C'mon. I'll show you around your route."

Cross didn't even get a spare second to defend himself, or puzzle at why a foreign monster would choose to come here. Shep was already on his way, back turned and hurrying down the hall at a brisk pace.

"As far as I know You're gonna be taking over my old route, inner portion of the castle." Cross listened, but orders were his second nature. As they walked, he eyed the tapestries hung along the wall. Long and intense, and yet, there was a moment where Cross could see the colors were more faded and worn.

"You'll mostly just be patrolling, watching out for anything out of the ordinary, waiting to see if you're needed for any specific duties." The images showed monsters, humans, monsters again. Depictions of complex circles and red splashes dripping from weapons and hands. And he noticed a trend, eventually. These must've been the previous rulers. The past Kings.

"Your patrols will be alone, the rooms in the hall aren't too important, and it's mostly servants that pass through that way." Cross almost lost his rhythm as they drew to the end of the tapestry, though the hall kept moving. There on the tapestry was a depiction of two little skeletons, one which seemed strikingly similar to Prince Dream, even in his adulthood. Beyond, the tapestry simply stopped. It was odd that King Nightmare hadn't bothered to get it finished with his own visage. Maybe his puppetmaster was waiting to put himself there instead?

"Still important, anyways. The servants halls are the easiest ways in and out of the castle, so we can't slack off." They turned a corner, and Cross pried his eyes away from the tapestry and back before him.

They passed a few more halls, before Shep stopped dead in his tracks, and Cross reacted quickly, spotting the way he peaked around the next corner.

Across the way, Cross spotted that they'd run into another pair who had also stopped. Only when Shep saluted did Cross think to follow his lead.

From the hall he couldn't see, emerged a figure.

Cross kept his eyelights to the ground, but the steps, the shoes, the heavy cape, and especially the dark and slimey tendrils which snaked along in his wake? That was the King. The one Dream had been so particular about not running into at all.

Two sets of feet followed him. Closely. He didn't have to look up to recognize that they must've been Knights. The easy weight of their steps, how close they stuck behind the king, the weight of the one's magic? Surely. He didn't risk a glance until after Shep lifted his head again. Cross only caught a glimpse of a tiger mask turning another corner before the three figures were gone.

In the tense silence, Cross swore he could hear his soul beating. He wasn't sure if it was fear, or indignance, or something else, but he knew being so close to the King had not made him feel good. Dream had been right, something about that guy was wrong.

Shep glanced around, and his ear twitched, watching down the hall where they'd left to.

The group across from them was already moving, towards the hall Cross had just cone from.

"You know, you kids are lucky Newbie." Shep voiced then, eying up the human rookie who was passing by. "When I first joined the guard, the King cut my tail off to prove my loyalty."

He said it so easily that Cross was speechless. What did he mean? Was. His tail was docked, but...

"What?!" The panicked whisper came from the passing humans who had obviously been eavesdropping. He expressed the concern coating Cross's soul and freezing him in place.

"Yep. I heard he used it as a cat toy for the strays." Shep confirmed loosely.

"Shep." Came the snap of his name from the other trained guard, though they didn't move to deny his claim.

Cross hadn't heard anything about that from Dream. Of course, he also hadn't heard about this introduction process either. He was flying blindly here, and suddenly he feared for his limbs.

Shep simply shrugged and kept moving forward. Cross wanted, badly, to excuse himself right this moment and go back and claim he couldn't do it. But he was here now, and he had a Prince to help. And a whole lot of people relying on him to prevent more tragedies.

The training wasn't hard. Shep stood with him, made small-talk, told him all the tricks to ensure he knew when someone would switch off with him, and then they had lunch.

He hated to admit it, but the food was delicious. He hadn't had something so filling in... maybe ever. He couldn't put his finger on it, not quite, but for monster food, it felt solid. Warmer. He felt less hungry after, and a part of him wondered if that was how they did it. The mind control. Was it the food?

But, no, surely not. He was still set on his mission when he went right back to his rounds. The food was just... strangely good.

The rest of the rounds were easy. Simple. And there was at least an hour after where Shep willingly guided him through the rest of the building. At least, anywhere he could.

Cross noticed, once, that Shep broke a rule. He ducked into the kitchen. Returned to a surprised Cross with two pieces of bread and handed one to Cross before tearing into his own. Apparently, from what Shep said, the main kitchen wasn't off-limits. Not really. Just the private one.

He didn't ask about the difference, he wouldn't need to know, after all. He doubted plans of attack were stached in the cupboards of a pantry.

And just as swiftly as it had begun, it ended. Shep said he'd be around the training grounds tomorrow if Cross needed him, and released him to dinner. After Dinner, Cross went back to the barracks.

Many of the rookies were talking all about their routes, others complaining that they had gotten cleaning duties for being the last out of the barracks that morning. They'd start training tomorrow. Cross tried not to contribute much, but he liked listening in. Understanding more about the place. The people.

It sounded like the King had crossed quite a few of their paths as well, and they didn't seem happy about it. Discussing in hushed tones how weird the King was compared to the last. Dark, secretive, hardly even a ruler. Cruel. He heard the human from before shamelessly telling Shep's tail misfortune to the gathered group, who all seemed to be riled up by it, exchanging other horrible speculations.

He needed to get this information. He just... he couldn't do anything until the others were asleep. So. Morning it would be.

.

Cross was a coward.

He knew as much, deep down somewhere, but as he woke up early again, he thought through his plan. He didn't know where he'd find any of this information he needed, he didn't know anything beyond his own route. He didn't even know what he'd be finding. He'd know when he found it, he was sure, but the last thing he wanted to do was get caught

He should've excused himself during dinner to go search around, or chosen a buddy to go wandering with. Shep had told him some things, he knew the room where the Knights trained was the indoor room, and he knew some areas no one went to. He knew the hall where the Knights and King stayed, Cross found it interesting they all stayed nearby, and he'd promised himself he'd avoid the space like the plague. He knew so much, and so little, all at once.

And he waited, thinking, so long that he... he just got up as the others did. Moved to his station to rotate shifts with the night guards. He just... did his duties again.

Well, they weren't his duties. He had no obligation to be here, not really. But the Prince had told him a week. A week and a half. That would make the most sense for an in and out. So, he wanted to respect that. And he had orders now to act out. Surely if he slacked off it'd be noticed, right? Yeah. He'd just slip away before dinner and say he went to train a bit more. Peak into some doorways. No biggy. Surely.

He worried about what he'd do to pick up a slack he hadn't even lost, all day. All through his rounds. If he showed it, his replacement at his last post said nothing, and waved him off.

Cross wanted so desperately to go searching. But. Before he could pass by the hall which would lead to the mess hall for the servants and guard? He glimpsed them from down the adjoining hall.

Two of the Knights.

One with a hood obscuring his face, casting a heavy shadow over everything, his eyelights a dull white. Though he didn't see a mask at first glance, Cross had to make some assumptions based on the one beside him that they were both Knights.

The other had on leather training armor, and a tiger's mask, red ribbons hanging from it, swaying with weight. He could see the skeleton's grin peaking from beneath the mask, and noticed how the tiger draped an arm over the other and laughed.

Cross didn't even give them a second to notice him, swiftly stepping out of the corridor and towards the dining halls after all. He didn't want to get in the way. He didn't want to be on their radar.

He needed to know when they trained. When they'd all be occupied so he wouldn't have to worry about them catching him off-guard.

Off guard. Ink would be having a hayday with that one if he'd made that joke back at camp.

Cross just kept moving forward, ducking into the dining space before the Knights even reached that hall.

.

Three days. It took him 6 whole days to learn more. To learn where the information might be. To learn where the Knights usually were at any given time. To learn how to navigate the place better. To not worry about getting caught.

He'd gone back to Shep one day, to test if he'd be told to go off the dinner or if he'd be sought out. He was not, so he had his proof that no one cared so long as he was doing his rounds.

He'd sat and talked. Asked about the Knights. (Shep had little to say that Cross didn't already know). Asked about training. (Shep said he was always out here now, running routines.) Asked about the king.

And Shep was interested about him asking on the King. Cross almost fumbled, but said he'd heard a lot of rumors. Shep had been here a while. What was true?

And Shep told him stories. In a low voice. Of the King breaking spines, of throwing objects with his tendrils, of sentencing folks to death over minor transgressions. Of his ruthless rule and cruel first. How he brought in servants and guards by force. Ripping them from their homes. How the king would declare traitors and have them hung.

Eventually, Cross asked him to stop. He'd heard enough.

Some of those things he'd heard from Dream, or the folks back at that encampment. Others were new. Insider information. Things he'd never dreamed of.

It was informational, and Cross decided that he'd keep learning more, until he was sure he had the perfect moment to strike.

.

He wasn't the smartest, okay?

Cross had done his rounds, and the moment he was done, he scurried off towards his destination.

He paid no mind to servants or guards, and used a servant's hall to arrive in the location he needed. The hall where the King's Study was located.

Yesterday he'd investigated the war room. Entering and closing the doors behind him, the room had been a mess of papers and figures and notes. The maps of each neighboring kingdom alone were strewn on walls, like the ravings of a mad-man. None of them had plans of attack, though. The light from his eyelights had been enough to illuminate each one as he approached. Every single one was a new defensive plan. Ways to deploy troops if they were attacked. Not one seemed unprovoked which was... strange.

Cross was almost unable to find any sign of the King's next route of action for his destructive feats, so he was resigned to search the study tomorrow. His only solace was that exiting the War Room had only been met with a servant a ways down the hall, and a cat pacing by, paying him no mind.

The cats in this place were many. Cross had never seen so many cats in one place, and when he'd asked at dinner, it seemed that everyone thought they belonged to the Head of House, Ccino.

It would make sense, Cross had seen the embroidery along his apron, plenty of paws and cat-like figures along the hemlines, between the branch and tree motif the entire building seemed set on holding tight to. But, it amazed him that there would be so many, allowed to run free. The King must've been very lenient with his Head of House, to allow so many creatures free-roam.

...then again, the Knights wore masks decorated with Big Cats. Cross had finally caught a glimpse of the Lion, out on the lawn while he was talking to Shep. He carried an Axe twice the size of Cross' torso, and he seemed to wield it with hardly any problem. Cross just hoped the little beasts weren't being sacrificed. He'd heard about the barbaric practices from Ink once when he had his head on straight. He hadn't had the guts to bring it up to the Prince. Or Shep. Fearing the answer.

And so, now, he moved for the study. When he knew no one would be around, when no one would see him or bother him. He could dig through the information, tuck it away in his ribcage, and get out of dodge.

It was mid-day. Apparently the Knights tended to have training about now, and the King always supervised. So the forbidden hall, as the others called it, was dead and silent.

It wasn't hard to determine which door was the study, the door was carved carefully with a beautiful tree, and the handle was a shining gold, as though it got less use than the other rooms. He tested the handle, it moved, and he slipped inside.

Of course it wouldn't be locked. Who would have the guts to go snooping around in the private spaces of murderous tyrant kings? Well. Cross would, but that was besides the point.

The inside was lit by a few stray candles, and Cross tried not to marvel at the luxury of the room. Everything was carved out of dark wood, with golden fabric lacing the cushions of lounge seats and the curtains which covered the windows. It was darker, used, but still gorgeous. The daylight filtered in through an open window, giving it a warm ambience. Cross didn't know how a room used by such an unpleasant man would be so calm and soft.

There was a case along one wall, large and long. Hung inside were masks of all different shapes and styles. Some were decorated with swirls and gems, but most resembled animals. A crane, a swan, a horse, a sheep, a hawk, a wolf, they all stared out at him with blank, empty, sockets. He wondered if these were used or not, but they seemed untouched.

And beside that case, in the far corner, sat a heavy desk, with bookshelves filled to the brim tucked just behind it.

The desk was heavy, and it looked to be covered with papers, letter drafts, just a quick glance over the contents told Cross this was just what he needed.

He stood behind the desk, unable to stop himself from lifting the papers up into his hands. From here he could see the door, as well. He'd know if someone was coming.

The first paper he looked at seemed to be the draft of a letter, addressed to someone by the name of Crop. The handwriting was beautiful, and Cross was lucky Ink knew how to write in so many dialects, or he'd have trouble deciphering exactly what this was saying. The cursive was precise. And... it seemed a half-finished letter asking about plants. The state of a harvest? No, that's strange.

Cross lifted the few pages which had been tucked beneath the first, confused. These ones seemed to be written in a much more unsure writing, but they held what he could only call sketches. Showing clouds and plants and... fields? Cross wasn't familiar with farming, but he could recognize a field anywhere. The paper had a few words underlined and circled, and they seemed to be later additions, added overtop by someone else. The words seemed to be mentioned again in the letter draft? It was completely innocuous. If this was the King's letter, he was just asking about the wellbeing of a farmer's harvest. Asking about improvements.

He moved them hastily into a stack and set them aside, reaching for the next haphazard bundle of paper. That couldn't have been right.

The next piece he scooped up was in that same pretty cursive, but this time it wasn't a letter. Instead it was some sort of list. Locations, some crossed off, and some untouched. Was this what he was searching for? Surely this was it.

He moved to grab the next page that had been beneath it. It held more context, it seemed. Notes scribbled down about how these towns needed changes. Action. Cross looked to the first crossed-off name, one he recognized from one of the woman at Dream's encampment.

The paper read of a faulty justice system, a lawman who needed to be checked up on for counts of bribery and false accusations. She'd said the Knight, the tiger, had arrived and asked for their head of city guard, the one who enforced rules and kept peace in their small village. Two days later he was killed, replaced by someone the King installed, and he started jailing innocent folks.

Cross looked to the next one, a pass where travel had been haunted by the royal guard. He'd been told they'd done it to halt people from mining in the area, a crop of wealth the King wanted to hoard. But this said that it was a mountain pass with frequent and dangerous rocks lines thanks to a sudden increase in storms since his rule. Notes reminding of supplies, and pay, and signs. Signs.

The next was not crossed off. An issue of bandits ransacked the town when people would enter or exit. Notes in messier scrawl seemed to pose solutions. Ideas. One that was circled said 'Send Horror, Autumn'. It was nearing the end of summer now.

This did seem to be the list that Dream had suggested existed, my twin is organized, he'll have a list with extensive notes, but he'd said nothing about the way the list wouldn't actually contain anything incriminating.

He skimmed again, but it seemed like nothing harmful. One lower down even acknowledged a damage caused during some sort of raid and to divert funds to someone. A random shopkeep in an outer city. This didn't add up at all.

He folded the paper silently and stuffed it into his armor, but kept looking. No doubt there would be something else. One of the lower pieces, something hidden away.

But the papers atop the desk seemed just as helpful in nature. Even ones like drafted decrees or laws to impose later were not unreasonable. One even seemed to propose a ban on child labor. What kind of tyrant would pass up a chance for easy workers?

Digging through the drawers revealed nothing more, just an impressive collection of quills, ink, and more books it seemed didn't fit on the shelves behind him. He wouldn't find anything more useful than these documents, he was sure. He... he just hoped the Prince would be able to see whatever evil Cross was obviously missing here. He scooped up another piece, one of the decrees, and then the letter draft to that Crop. Maybe they could speak to him? No, the planning was up to Dream. He was just here to get the information and go.

And now that he had it...

Cross sighed a bit, he couldn't understand why these were the things in here. In this innermost sanctum where only the trusted went. Everyone feared this King so much, Dream claimed he and his master were such a threat. And yet all Cross could find was a record of damages, and a plan to enact damage control. It...

"Having some trouble finding the dirt?"

Cross felt his entire soul freeze up as the voice cut through the silent room. It was quiet, and deep, and a bit gravelly. He didn't recognize it, but that didn't matter, because he knew he had been alone.

Almost all at once, a wave of presence crashed over his awareness. That damp static that had passed by once in the hall. Trailing the King. He didn't have to look up to know it was one of the Knights somewhere before him.

"Our King isn't usually one to make a mess." The voice said again, calmly.

Cross dragged his eyelights up, hands tentatively hovering at his sides. There, sat comfortably on one of the chairs, was the hooded one. Dust, Shep had told him.

Now, despite the shadow cast by his hood, Cross could see the faint details of his panther mask, black and hidden away in the darkness of his cover. He seemed entirely at-ease, not a care in the world, watching Cross. If his soul hadn't been sinking into his gut, Cross would've even thought Dust found the situation humorous.

He steeled himself, watching. Could he try and bluff his way out of this? Somehow? How long had Dust been there? How much had he seen?

"Any chance you'd believe I was looking for a good book?" Cross asked, though the bold humor he'd attempted to channel in the way Ink had done so many times before fell flat. Maybe his growing panic was clouding his mind, or maybe he'd never been much of a comedian.

Dust just stared at him, tilting his head a bit. By the way his eyelights changed shape, Cross imagined his sockets had drooped to give an unamused stare. Not a great sign.

"Are you going to try and run, or can I catch a break today?" Dust just asked across the room.

Mm. Cross didn't have much of a choice here anymore. Dream had told him, drilled it into his skull, not to get caught. Especially not by the Knights. They'd torture him. Kill him. The stories of what they did to traitors... Cross couldn't let this knight get hold of him. Couldn't be trapped. He had to get out of here.

He promised Ink he'd be back.

With that thought, his sword summoned to his hand in a flash. It was big, and bulky, and not the best for an indoor fight, but he'd make due. He just needed to get away from this guy. That was all.

His summons was clearly a declaration of intent, because he heard Dust scoff over the rush of adrenaline running through him and roaring through his ears. All at once, the electric charge in the room seemed to up itself. Bones, blue, cracked downwards from the rafters and planted themselves sturdy before the door and the window. His two possible exits. Dust stood up and stretched his arms before him.

"Alright, let's get this over with." Dust voiced, then.

Cross nearly let his guard down in the first moment. He felt a charge of energy coming from his side, and narrowly vaulted over the desk to avoid the spiked and jagged bones which rose where his feet had just been planted.

Momentum carried him now, and his sword was already poised for attack before his mind quick processed it. He slashed at Dust, growing rapidly closer. Hid swing was met with pure white bones that stopped his swing, just enough for Dust to avoid the hit with a split second to spare.

He was quiet, as they fought. As Cross lunged and spun and threw himself forward with grunts of exertion. It was unsettling, how the only noises were the cracks of his magic ripping into existence or Cross's sword cracking them to pieces like a lumberjack's axe.

He kept his attention on Dust. The magic had a pattern. The room was buzzing ambiently, and right before an attack it was like being too close to a fire. Just briefly. Cross barely managed to avoid spearing his ankle thanks to the crackle. He wished he could be a bit faster, though. Cross couldn't feel where an attack was aiming like he normally could. Dust gave no indications as to where an attack would be channeling either, almost like he wasn't controlling them at all. He didn't like it, it was unpredictable, and was wearing him down fast.

Dust kept dodging his swings, no matter how fast he moved, and eventually Cross stumbled. His shoulder connected with one of the random jutting bones. Dust stepped back just before it pierced upwards, and Cross grunted in distress as it drove him back a step as to not get impaled.

That was apparently his mistake. The moment he wasn't close to Dust, bones seemed to crop up all around him, gutting at different angles, just barely piercing the bone, little cracks forming with the force. Cross could feel each one jab a bit deeper than the last. Each time he reversed to get away from one or break away an incoming volley, another would arrive behind him at a new angle.

He hated that Dust stood back. Watched. The only sign that he had even broken a sweat was a slight heaviness to the up and down of his shoulders, and while Cross hadn't lost much HP yet, he was starting to feel the exhaustion creep closer, and each little wound and crack seemed to be draining him. Was this the strategy? Play with him like a living pin-cushion? Was this it's own sort of-

Cross shifted his stance and unsummoned his weapon as he jumped up and out of the quickly growing ring of spikes. He had to act fast. He had to get out of here.

He grumbled a bit under his breath, he didn't like trying to do this, but...

The moment his feet landed, Cross summoned up his other piece of magic. The part his father had embedded into his soul early on in his life which made him so powerful. He was sure his normally white eyelight changed shape in the split second it happened. Red, bright red.

It only took a moment, a tug at the very being, hidden away in the Knight's chest. For a split second, he could feel the control of foreign magic slip into his own hands.

For a moment, it worked just as he knew it would. His fist trembled under the effort, keeping an eye on Dust as the other seemed to stare at him. The bones he'd summoned all seemed to sink away at once, recalled faster than Cross could've hoped. Dust seemed to feel his magic stop responding to him.

Cross just needed to get the Knight downed. Not dead. He just needed out.

He shifted stiffly. One, concentrated blast of bones at the Knight. He seemed like he didn't want to risk taking any damage. That was all Cross needed then. Some damage. And he'd be free to escape back to the camp. Away from these weird monsters with their weird magic.

He let his palm open, directing the force like he'd done so many times, channeling another monster's magic against them. Controlling it against their will.

The feeling of electricity rose again. It spiked. It. It gathered in his hand, that burning feeling he felt when an attack had been about to hit him.

What?

It was too late to recall the intent once he'd released it. The moment he tried to command the magic, he felt it all roll back over him. Bones meant to be aimed at their owner came jolting straight at his front. And though he stumbled back, he couldn't escape the searing pain of a fire too hot to process escaping his bones and immediately rushing up his arm, into his chest, down to his feet.

He had to imagine, with the loud sound like a cracking whip, that that was what being struck by lightning felt like. Molten metal in your veins.

Cross laid sprawled, dazed, on the floor as his control magic puttered out. It hurt to breathe. To see. To exit. He was half-convinced his arm was completely splintered apart after the pulse of raw magic that had filtered through it, but he didn't bother to look.

His soul begged him to move, to get up and run again, but darkness danced in his vision as he stared up at the ceiling. He failed his mission.

He hated to see as the Knight rounded into view, standing cautiously over where he was laid. Floored by the backfire of his power. If the knight said anything, he couldn't hear over the loud ringing invading his head.

Though, instead of stabbing him through like Cross had expected, the knight seemed to duck down. A cool feeling encased Cross' wrists (so the other hadn't broken apart) and his soul suddenly felt exhausted. He felt exhausted.

No matter how much he wanted to stay awake, to escape, he lost this fight fair and square.

[tataswish]

❝   familiarity  /  one.

━   ♡ ・  paring:  kim taehyung x reader. ━   ♡ ・  genre:  soulmate!au, non idol!au, fluff (with a little angst!). ━   ♡ ・  word count:  2.7k.   ━   ♡ ・  summary:  you didn’t believe in soulmates. once. that all changed when you met yours; all thanks to one little drawing.

author’s note:  hi! i haven’t written in a while so excuse the small mistakes, but i hope you enjoy! if you’ve played bts world before, some of the stuff in this chapter might seem a little... familiar (no pun intented). i also plan to have the reader be connected to every member somehow in this fic, so they will come soon! hope you all enjoy, feedback is always appreciated. <3

“Shit,” you murmured under your breath, glancing at the rows of baked dough that were left in the oven for a little too long. Rather than its usual glossy, golden brown finish—it was dull, and… sad.

It’s been almost a year since you’ve been miraculously hired as the pastry chef’s assistant at Hotel Mudrin. You say miraculously, because even without any sort of culinary knowledge outside of cooking shows, you still managed to land the job. The chef was somehow impressed by the basic strawberry pancake dish you presented during your interview, and instantly saw growth potential in you.

That was also when you met your best friend, Seokjin. He was a newly hired intern at the time, and with the two of you being the only staff members in the hotel within the same age bracket, it didn’t take that much time for a bond to form. Seokjin was always getting into trouble by his boss Mr. Im, because to him, this intern could never do anything right. But with you there, you were able to lend a helping hand when tasks got a little too overwhelming—and things got a little easier from there. You and Seokjin began to spend time together on and off the clock since.

You weren’t sure if it was the adrenaline or the mixture of raging hormones from being together, but the two of you decided to give dating a shot not too long after. It lasted for a solid two months—and while it had to come to an end, you both concluded that you were happier as friends.

And it was true. You and Seokjin have been inseparable since.

“____,” you heard the head chef call out your name, which instantly reeled you back to reality. Glancing down at the burnt dough on the tray, you felt a surge of warmth rush through your cheeks, knowing that you were about to be scolded at any second. “Are you okay? Ever since you came back from your lunch break, something’s been off.”

“No chef, nothing’s wrong,” you lied, walking over to the nearby garbage can to throw the current batch of dough away. A reassuring smile soon formed across your lips. “Just tired.”

If it wasn’t for you spiraling during your lunch break after Seokjin had left, maybe you would be in a better head space. But of course, spending the last ten minutes of break thinking about what went wrong in all of your relationships didn’t exactly help anyone at all.

The head chef could see through your lies too. And rather than questioning it, he only continued piping cream on the freshly cooled pastries on his side of the counter. “Maybe you need some fresh air,” he added with a shrug of his shoulders, eyes concentrated on his work. It was evident he was still invested in the conversation with you, though. “There should be a shipment of mangoes coming in in about twenty minutes, do you mind bringing those boxes in here? Take all the time you need. I’ll work on making another batch of dough.”

“I can make the dough, chef!” you tried to protest, mostly as a way to convince your boss that you weren’t feeling too off (when in reality, you were). “It’s okay, the mangoes can wait.”

As you were about to reach for the measuring cups in a nearby counter top, you were met with a look from the chef that clearly said: Go get some fresh air. Now.

So, rather than questioning it, you did.

After washing your hands and hanging your apron by the door, you made your way outside of the kitchen and into the main hallways of the hotel. It was emptier than usual—mostly because it was a weekday afternoon, and the guests who were staying at the hotel were out. It was also the midst of October, and the influx of guests don’t usually start to come in until around Christmas-time. Which was fine, because you weren’t met with the stress of having to make hundreds of fruit tarts in a span of an hour. Instead, you were able to step out and take a small stroll, which was always nice.

Upon exiting the area where the stairs were (staff weren’t allowed to use the elevators, per Mr. Im’s orders), you finally arrived at the ground floor. You always felt so out of place in the main lobby, with or without your work uniform. With the spacious area matched with gray marble flooring and sleek interior design, it was never a place you imagined yourself staying in. Only the richest of the rich could afford even one night in this place, and you? Couldn’t even afford a proper meal for dinner on some days. Hotel Mudrin was known to be a hub for millionaires, celebrities, or rich families alike—not for struggling university graduates like yourself.

But sometimes, it was nice to dream.

Quietly humming to a tune of a song you heard in the radio earlier this morning, you casually strolled through the floor, making your way towards the back door where the shipments would be. The subtle smell of lemon from the newly mopped floors was an odd favorite of yours. From time to time you’d flash a friendly smile towards the guests or staff members you’d pass by. But before you could exit through the back and meet with the shipment truck, you decided to take a small pit stop to the front desk and say hi to your best friend.

“Dude,” you began the minute you saw Seokjin behind the front desk. His eyes were on the computer screen in front of him, typing and clicking away, but you knew him well enough to know that he was probably playing a game of Minesweeper like he always does. Crossed arms resting on the desk, you then rest your chin on them as your eyes look up to your friend on the other side of the counter. “Remember when I wanted to cry because I realized I’ll probably be single and alone forever? Well my boss—”

As you continued to ramble on, Seokjin’s eyes finally met with yours. They weren’t eyes that meant he was ready to listen to you vent, no… they were wide. Like he was in a state of shock.

He quickly began to shake his head, which caused you to raise an eyebrow in slight confusion. Did he want you to stop talking? Shut up? Right as you were about to say something though, his lips began to mouth the words ‘I’m busy’ over and over again.

That was when you knew, you fucked up.

The truth was, Seokjin was still busy tending to a guest, and you interrupted him actually working. Turning around, you briefly spotted the guest he’s been helping, and god—it was obvious by the look of your face that you had just embarrassed yourself into the next century.

“Sorry sir!” you apologized quickly, heat beginning to rush through your cheeks while you bowed for the hundredth time in the span of thirty seconds. Rather than making proper eye contact like any normal person would, your view was glued to the floor. “I honestly didn’t see you, and I know I should’ve, but—”

“It’s okay! Don’t worry about it,” he soon interrupted by providing reassurance. Once you heard a string of laughter from his end, you knew that he was understanding enough of the situation. “I get it.”

While you still couldn’t find the strength to really look him in the eye, you only returned with a sheepish laugh. It wasn’t every day you found yourself acting like a complete fool in front of a hotel guest (that was more of Seokjin’s speed in all honesty), so you didn’t exactly know how to fix the situation. Instead, you ended up sitting there in silence until Seokjin rescued the conversation.

“Alright!” he chimed in with the clasp of his hands, which was obviously your cue to slowly walk away. “You’re all checked in until the 31st, Mr. Kim. Let me grab your bags and take you to your suite.”

As you were about to leave, of course, you couldn’t go without embarrassing yourself one last time. Just as you were about to make a beeline towards the break room—also known as the place you were going to scream in—you managed to bump into this guest in full force.  

Looking up, you finally had the chance to take a good glimpse of the person in front of you. He was tall, muscular, with ash blond hair that was parted in the center. His almond eyes were practically gleaming behind his silver frames, and it paired well with the two dimples perfectly placed on each cheek.

In other words, he was gorgeous. And completely out of your league. Which is probably another reason why you were feeling flustered beyond belief at this very moment.

“Are you okay?” he asked softly. It felt like a movie—with both of his hands gently placed on each of your arms to provide support, gentle eyes locked on yours. You could’ve sworn you felt your heart stop, whether if it’s from being embarrassed or… swooned, even.

Swallowing thickly, you managed to let out a small “yeah,” before fixing your stance. He eventually let go, and the two of you were able to laugh it off for a little. “But are you okay, sir?”

“Didn’t even hurt,” he reassured, flashing that smile that accentuated his dimples really well. An open then was reached out as an offer. “You can call me Namjoon. Do you work here?”

But before you could even keep the conversation going, of course, Seokjin had to butt in. Literally. “Let me help you with that, Mr. Kim,” he urged with a friendly, yet painful smile as he walked in between you and Namjoon. He then reached down to pick up the leather suitcase that was sitting right beside the guest’s leg. Eventually, Namjoon had to retract his hand.

You took it as your cue to leave, so you excused yourself from the two without saying goodbye.

Thankfully there wasn’t anyone in the break room to look at you quietly take a moment to freak out over what just happened. If Namjoon wasn’t so good-looking and one hundred percent your type on paper, maybe you would’ve shrugged the interaction off by now. But you kept thinking over and over about how you were going to run into him again in one way or another—especially since he plans on staying at the hotel for over three weeks. All he had to do is walk into the hotel’s dining area to have dinner, and you’d be there. Not even as you off the job, but you in that stupid apron and chef’s hat.

Head dug into your arms as you leaned on the table, you tried to think of something—anything to get your mind off of what just happened. Letting out a deep exhale, you decided to take your phone out of your pocket and scroll through your e-mails. The first thing that caught your attention was an opened one, the one you received from that psychic about your soulmate.

Your soulmate is a man who is hard-working and bright, he will constantly continue to prove that he can be trusted and counted on by your friends and family…

Your eyes continued to read through the reading the photo was attached to, which was oddly comforting. To know that there was someone out there who could potentially be everything you’re looking for.

He is understanding, forgiving and respectful, even when you sometimes make mistakes…

Deciding to skim through the rest of the reading, you opened up that picture once again. You couldn’t help but notice something you didn’t the first time you saw it, and that was the small details on his facial features. He has three beauty marks: one sitting on the bottom of his eye, on his cheek, and one placed perfectly on the tip of his nose. You could’ve sworn those weren’t there before.

“And I thought I was the one who’s always the embarrassment at work,” you heard the familiar voice barge inside the break room, which obviously belonged to Seokjin. He walked over to where you were sitting and rested his chin on the top of your head, arms dangling from each side of your shoulders. “Jesus Christ bubs, you were a mess out there.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” you murmured grumpily, placing your phone back in your pocket. “Do you think he’s going to tell Mr. Im? I can’t be blacklisted from this place, I need my job.”

Seokjin only laughed. “Stop being so dramatic. He seems too nice to do that.” Shaking his head, he sighed. “Plus, I’m eighty-five percent sure he was hitting on you.”

“Ha ha, very funny,” you retorted while rolling your eyes. “As if he found my dirty uniform and the flour in my hair sexy.”

“You’re right, there’s nothing sexy about you,” he playfully joked back, which made you elbow him in the stomach. And all he did was laugh after. “What are you doing out here, anyway? Aren’t you supposed to be helping Chef Seong making those pies for tonight’s desserts?”

You sighed, nodding your head in response. “I’m supposed to be bringing a shipment of mangoes in from the back. Are you on your break? Do you want to come help me?”

With your best friend agreeing to accompany you to your trip to get the mangoes, the two of you head out of the break room and towards the back entrance of the hotel. As you opened the door to go outside, you noticed that the truck was already parked in front, with a few boxes of mangoes neatly stacked on top of one another. So, you decided to get to work and grabbed the first two boxes you see.

“Are these all of it?” you heard Seokjin ask (possibly the driver of the truck). You couldn’t really see, because the boxes were obstructing your view.

“There’s two more left,” the other person, who sounded like a man, replied. “Let me get those out.”

You made about two rounds in and out of the hotel before all of the boxes outside were brought in. Seokjin had to do the absolutely most as usual bringing way more boxes in than he could carry, and while he tried to play it cool as much as possible, you could tell he was struggling. His trembling arms were a clear tell that he could drop everything at given moment.

“Are you sure you don’t need any help?” you asked him, trying to suppress the laughter bubbling inside you.

“Does it look like I need your help?” Seokjin scoffed, which only made it harder to keep your laughter in. He couldn’t even look at you as he tried walking inside, because he was far too concentrated in keeping all of the mangoes inside these boxes. “Go away, you’re distracting me and my strength.”

As he continued to carry the boxes inside, you watched a couple of mangoes fall out and roll on the ground in front of you. He didn’t even seem to notice, because he kept walking. You only shook your head before bending down to quickly pick them up before they get too dirty.

Assuming that you’ve picked everything off the ground, you stood up and tried to catch up to Seokjin, who was already by the door. But rather than joining him, you were stopped. “Excuse me, miss!” you heard the foreign voice enter your ears. “You forgot these!”

You turned around to grab the mangoes out of the driver’s hands. “Thank you,” you replied with a soft smile. “Sorry about my friend, he’s—”

When you looked up to meet his gaze, it was as if what you were about to say next was thrown at the window. The person standing in front of you looked familiar. Even with the brim of his large straw hat hovering over his eyes, you could clearly see the prominent beauty marks on his features that resembled the ones of your soulmate in that one drawing.

It was him. It had to be.

[nemo-holmes]

Headcanons for Mori Iori

Hello guys. Notice this cute little boy in class A from chapter 50?

Guess what? Matsui DID give him a name! It’s Mori Iori according to the Character Book. And now, I am adopting him hehe. I’m sorry it's just that my side-characters obsession is putting my mind under control right now. 🥺🥺🥺

So here is some headcanons about my son Iori:

✒️ He is troubled by his feminine name (this is canon lol it is the only thing we know about him)

✒️ He is good at Maths. In fact, he is better at it than the Virtuosos (except for Gakushuu) and that is also the reason why he did not make it into the Virtuosos. They don’t really need another person excelling at Maths.

✒️ He ranked 6th in the first end-of-term finals (quite canon because in chapter 55 we can see 6 class A members ranked from 1 to 6; and he also ranks 6th in the panel of class A students in the Character Book)

✒️ He was bullied when he was in kindergarten and in elementary school due to his name and his academic results. Well, kids just don’t need any particular reasons to bully someone.

✒️ He is not gonna tell you, but he does really love Kunugigaoka. It is the first place where he can truly feel proud of his name instead of ashamed of it.

✒ Imagine it like this, seeing your name on the ranking board, being one of the top students that everyone notices and every time someone mentions you, they show respect to that name. The feeling is just like that.

✒️ Iori is a calm and collected boy most of the time. Still, he can be mean if he wants.

✒️ He is the type that knows every story in Kunugigaoka

✒️ He enjoys seeing the grades of the person he hates dropping down. It’s not something he would admit if you asked, but something he would show to his close friends.

✒️ Shidou Meiko and Iori are SUPER ULTRA MEGA BEST FRIENDS (according to her)

✒ And for your information, Shidou Meiko is a canon character as well, who is the girls’ basketball manager!! (She’s also a class A kid who appears in chapter 50) (Sorry I can’t help it!! It’d be so cool to see him trying to relax on the weekends while she tries to drag him out of the house to see some shows, or basketball games)

✒️ Iori and Meiko were kind of the left out kids in their elementary school. Meiko because she was quite a hyper one and kids hate diversity.

✒️ So eventually they became friends and decided to enrol into Kunugigaoka together.

✒️ At this rate, they are going to stick together until the end of high school.

✒️ He hates anyone who contributes nothing to group work, because he IS the one that would do everything to make it perfect.

✒️ Minesweeper is his favourite game on PC. He was so sad when his family’s Win XP computer was broken.

Well, that's it! I will surely give him a detailed character profile when I have more motivation hehe.

[starlightinkwell]

from the Tumblr acct of GeneKellyFans:

"Did you know the last name of Kelly's character in Marjorie Morningstar, Airman, is an English translation of the Yiddish expression luftmentsh, which means a dreamer or someone with his head in the clouds, unconcerned with earning a living?"

This is very interesting. I always suspected that the reason the author of Marjorie Morningstar, Herman Wouk, gave his character the name Noel Airman was because he was taking a dig at the character's lack of heroism. Wouk wrote Winds of War, The Caine Mutiny, War and Remembrance; he served in the US Naval Reserve in the Pacific Theater and served as an officer on two minesweepers during WWII. He had great respect for all who fought that terrible war, and said, ""I learned how men behaved under pressure, and I learned about Americans." With his character of Cpt Quegg in The Caine Mutiny, he also portrayed a weak man who could not handle responsibility or power. In this character from Marjorie Morningstar, Noel Airman, he created a charismatic character, but a weak man who settled for being “a big fish in a small pond”, who could not step up and take command.

As I have written before, it has always been hard for me to believe that the man who shows such rigor and mastery directing and choreographing the dance he is planning on showcasing at the summer camp where Marjorie Morningstar first encounters Airman would tolerate such weakness and flaccidity in himself. Gene Kelly was "in his element" in those scenes. I'm sure the filmmakers could not resist taking advantage of the chance to show Gene Kelly, teacher and choreographer at work, which is indeed a gift to all who love and respect Kelly for the artist he was.

It is not that I think Kelly did not do a good job of acting in the film, but more that who Kelly was as revealed in those scenes of him directing and teaching in no way jibes with the weak character who settles for being a "big fish in a small pond" that Airman is revealed to be as the film unfolds.

The film Marjorie Morningstar was the first to show traditional Jewish religious practices since the 1929 film, The Jazz Singer. Because Gene Kelly had spent years of his youth working with Jewish kids at the local Jewish Synagogue in his neighborhood and helping them put together their kermis festivals, he not only knew a lot about Judaism, he also had a deep respect for Jews and their faith. He also spoke Yiddish, and understood in a profound way the prejudice toward Jews. I would imagine he approached playing in this film as something of an honor. I also suspect that by lending his star power to the film, he helped ensure its success.

The film grossed $3M, which was a healthy box office in 1958. Gigi, released that same year made double that amount at the box office, but Morningstar was still a solid enough success. It was the first "grown up" role for Natalie Wood.

One bit of trivia: Gigi, made with a budget of $3.1M in 1957, and with a box office gross in 1958 of over 6M eventually grossing $13M over the ensuing years, had been the highest grossing MGM musical up to 1974, when That's Entertainment, with a budget of $3M dollars, blew it out of the water grossing $19.1M. In 1974 that was a huge and totally unexpected success. Its success encouraged the making of That's Entertainment II in 1976, That's Dancing in 1985, and That's Entertainment III in 1994. Gene Kelly was the only star to appear in and host all four films.

(Just another note:  The dancer with whom Gene performed in this number from Marjorie Morningstar is Patrice Denise. She worked with Gene on other films too, all uncredited as was the practice until the last few decades.)

[therainroguefanfiction]

🔥 ℝise Ⱥbove I̾t ◈ Chapter 027 [Cruel and Insane]

📑 Table of Contents | ◂Backward

Word Count: 2,018

⊱ ────── {⋅. 🔥 .⋅} ────── ⊰

〈“We are the warriors, who learned to love the pain. We come from different places, but have the same name. We are the broken ones, who chose to spark a flame.” The Score, “Born for This”〉

⊱ ────── {⋅. 🔥 .⋅} ────── ⊰

“And now, we’re finally approaching the last obstacle and everyone had better tread carefully, you’re stepping onto a minefield!!”

Bitch, what?? Who the fuck puts a fucking minefield in a school competition? U.A. is on drugs, man. Maybe I shoulda played more Minesweeper growing up, I never once won a round of that shit, I’m so screwed.

“If you look carefully, you can see where those little bombs are buried, so keep your eyes on the ground, folks! By the way, those land mines are designed for the game so they might be loud and flashy but they’re not all that powerful~ Just enough to make you wet your pants!!”

“Get ahold of yourself.”

Damn it, Todoroki, I ain’t lettin’ you take first place, fam. I held my hand out, allowing flames to lick at my skin. The flames shot down into the ground before shooting in a straight line across the field, setting off mine after mine and clearing a narrow path for me to safely pass through. Pink smoke filled the air. Why did they have to choose pink? Of all the damn colors…

Bakugo went flying overhead, aiming straight for Todoroki. “Bastard! Your declaration of war… was to the wrong person!!” He aimed an explosion at Todoroki’s face, who easily dodged it.

“Just like that, a new student takes the lead! The media here is going crazy! There’s nothing they love more than an upset! Hey, hey, hey, the rest of the competitors are catching up, too! Can our two leaders fight each other and stay in front of the competition?!”

No, they can’t. I grinned, sliding underneath Bakugo when he jumped. “Later, losers!”

“Get back here, you bitch!!”

“No thanks! Wouldn’t want to ruin that sexual tension you and Todoroki got going on there!”

“Winchester has taken advantage and slipped into first!”

BOOM!!

Uhh, what the fuck was that? I glanced over my shoulder, seeing a huge cloud of pink smoke filling the back of the field.

“What’s with that huge explosion in the back?! That’s way more powerful than it should be!!”

Yo, I think U.A. really be out here trying to kill its students, man. Did they accidentally put a real fucking mine in with the fake ones? Something shot out from the smoke and my eyes widened. Izuku?!

“Incredible! What just happened?! Whatever the case, class 1-A’s Izuku Midoriya is suddenly in hot pursuit of first place!!”

Oh… oh, shit. That fucker is barrelling right toward us!

“The lead is his!!”

“Deku!” Bakugo took off after him with me and Todoroki in hot pursuit. “What the hell do you think you’re doing, huh?!”

“Look at that plot twist! Those two aren’t fighting anymore, they’re chasing Midoriya! That’s what having a common enemy will do in this competition! This fight is still far from over, though!”

Izuku is starting to lose momentum and is falling from the sky. Suddenly, he flipped in mid-air, slamming down the metal plate he had been riding on. It hit the ground directly between the three of us, smacking several mines in the process. The resulting blast sent him flying forward, covering us in pink smoke. I coughed a few times, covering my mouth and nose with my arm as I continued to run. Why the fuck does this smoke smell like a french hooker?

“In a stunning move, Midoriya has busted past his classmates from 1-A! I don’t believe it! He cleared that minefield in an instant! Eraserhead, your students are amazing!! What the heck are you teaching them?!”

“This has nothing to do with me. Each of them is powered by their own drive to succeed.”

“There you have it! Eraserhead is a terrible teacher!!”

“I’m what?”

I bit back a laugh at their antics. Poor Zawa.

“Who would have imagined at the beginning of this race that the climax would be a non-stop megamix of surprises?! The first to make it back to the stadium is the first place winner! Izuku Midoriya is our champion!!”

Todoroki passed the threshold, followed by Bakugo and me seconds behind. I leaned over, hands on my knees as I breathed heavily. Fuck, this is way more effort than walking to the fridge.

Izuku stared up at Toshi, tears in his eyes. Sheesh, kid.

“Deku… no way!” Bakugo clutched his left forearm, eyes wide as they stared at the ground. “Not again…!”

I frowned at his back, scratching my cheek. Should I try to comfort him? I’m still shit at that and it’ll probably just piss him off more… but leaving him be feels wrong. I cleared my throat, setting my hand on the small of his back. “Hey, Baku -”

He shoved me back. “Don’t fucking touch me!”

“Oi -”

“Leave me the fuck alone, Winchester!”

A bead of sweat rolled down my cheek. I don’t think he’s ever used my name before… I sighed deeply, walking away from him. He has a serious Izuku Midoriya complex, he’s gotta get over that if he wants to keep moving forward, but there’s nothing I can do to help with that. That’s all him.

“The contestants are pouring in one after the other! Let’s hear some applause for all of our competitors as we prepare the results!”

“The first game for the first years is finally over and what a game it was!” Midnight grinned as the students gathered in front of her. “Now, let’s take a quick look at the standings, shall we?”

Eh, fourth place ain’t too bad. Hiryuu got thirty-firth, yeesh.

“Only the top forty-four will advance to the next round, but don’t be too let down if you didn’t make the cut, we’ve prepared other opportunities for you to shine.”

I don’t like that sadistic face she’s makin’. Why is she licking her lips?!

“Now, the real fun is about to begin. The chance to fully move yourselves into the limelight! Give it your best!” She held her whip out to the side as the screen started to cycle through events again. “Let’s see what we have in store for you next! Will your wildest fantasies come to life?”

Not unless the next event is a taco eating competition where the winner gets a lifetime supply of Dr. Pepper and gets to meet Deadpool.

“What could it be? The waiting is torture.” She pulled her glasses down over her face. “Guard your loins and prepare for your next task!”

The only torture is listening to you, Midnight…

“Cavalry battle? I’m terrible at those…”

“You’re terrible at everything, Sparky, it’s okay.”

“You’re so cruel, Winchester!”

“Yeah, no shit,” I muttered, kneeling down and hanging my head. He’s totally right, I’ve been a complete bitch to everyone I’ve met, so how the fuck am I supposed to make it through this event? I glanced at Bakugo, but he still looks pissed off at the world, more so than usual. What am I gonna do~?

“I wonder how they’ll split us up.” Tsu wondered.

“Allow me to explain,” Midnight started, motioning toward that screen that displayed All Might being carried by Thirteen in the front, Mic on the left and Snipe on the right. “The participants will form teams of two to four people as they see fit. In theory, it’s basically the same as a regular playground game, but there is one difference – each player has been assigned a point value based on the results from the obstacle course.”

“I get it, a point-based system like the entrance exams. That seems pretty simple,” Sumo commented.

“So that means each team will have a different point value based on which students are on it,” Ochaco concluded.

“Maybe you should shut up and let me explain things to you!!” Midnight snapped, glaring at the two of them.

Midnight, you need to chill, it ain’t that serious.

“Now then, the point assignments go up in increments of five starting from the bottom. For example, forty-forth place is worth five points and forty-third is worth ten. And the point value assigned to the first place contestant is… ten million!!”

Uhh, I’m shit at math but I’m pretty fucking sure that’s way over what it should be. That’s a big oof, fam. I glanced at Izuku with sympathy as the color drained from his face. Everyone snapped their attention to him, eyes full of hunger. Can I get some Fs in chat for our fallen brethren?

“That’s right,” Midnight smirked. “It’s survival of the fittest with a chance for those at the bottom to overthrow the top! Those of you at the top will suffer the most. Of course, that’s something you’ll hear over and over again at U.A. Show us what plus ultra means!”

So, I’m worth two hundred and five points, huh? What a pain.

“First years, these are the rules that you’ll abide by! The game itself will last fifteen minutes. Individual point values will be added together to reach your team total. Everyone will know how much you’re worth thanks to your headband!”

“Wait wait wait wait,” I stood up, catching Midnight’s attention as I stepped forward. She looked annoyed at being interrupted. “I’m already wearing a more important headband, I can’t wear that.”

“You’re saying a logo for a taco restaurant is more important than the sports festival?” She cocked a brow, resting her hand on her hip.

“Absolutely,”

“I think you have a problem, Jen. Ribbit.”

“She’s cruel and insane.”

“But she’s so manly!”

“I don’t think calling a girl ‘manly’ is a compliment, Kirishima.”

Midnight’s eye twitched. “Silence!”

“What I’m askin’ is, does it have to be over my forehead?” I scratched my cheek thoughtfully. “Can I wear it on top of my head? You know, tied under my chin like Lupin III.”

“Winchester…” her eye twitched again.

“Or maybe tied around my arm like Shikamaru Nara? Maybe the wrist? But that would have to be wrapped a couple times.”

“Enough!” She slapped the whip through the air, pointing it at me. “Now listen here, you little -”

“Take that ridiculous thing off your head, Winchester.” Aizawa ordered with an exasperated sigh. “You’re not an advertisement, you’re a student.”

“I refuse,” I glared up at the commentator’s box, pointing my finger. “This has nothing to do with you, Aizawa!”

“Huh?” I could feel his glare. “Take it off or I’ll make sure Lunch-Rush never serves tacos again.”

“What kind of threat is that?”

“Y-You wouldn’t dare,” I stepped back, swallowing hard.

“Try me,”

Shit, he’s dead serious. “Goddamn it,” I reluctantly tugged the bandana from my forehead, stuffing it into my pocket.

“That actually worked?!”

Midnight sighed deeply, running her hand down her face. “If the two of you are done… Swipe as many headbands as you can to raise your team’s score! Stolen headbands must be worn from the neck up, so the more you steal, the harder it’ll be to manage them.” The board changed to show All Might with his neck completely covered by bands and looking uncomfortable. “And another thing – even if your headband gets stolen or your team falls down, you can keep playing until time’s up!”

“It’s anyone’s game, then,” Momo commented.

“And since there are forty-four contestants, there’ll be ten or thirteen teams fighting on the field the entire time,” Sumo added.

“Sounds hard…” French Fry commented, folding his arms over his stomach.

“So, if you lose your headband at the beginning, you have more time to make up a plan.”

“I don’t know, Mina. Maybe we should wait and see how the teams turn out before we start strategizing.” Tsu said.

“This is going to be rough. You may use your quirks as much as you like! But there are still rules. Make a team fall on purpose and I’ll slap you with a red card! You’ll be disqualified!! Now, you’ve got fifteen minutes to build your teams. I recommend you get started!”

Man~ Why’s life gotta force you to constantly interact with other human beings? Just let me be anti-social and live in peace with my tacos and unhealthy obsessed with Wade Wilson! I kneeled down again, hanging my head.

⊱ ────── {⋅. 🔥 .⋅} ────── ⊰

▸ Forward

📜 Read more by checking out my masterlist 📜

[theshinobiway]

hi! could you please do headcannons with #5 (massages) from the touch prompts for team gai + team kurenai?

Request Scenarios: #5 (Massages) for Team Guy & Team Kurenai

Heck yes I’d love to! I’m always down to write about my Konoha 12 babes

as long as I can make sure the blog stays tilted in favor of Team Guy! Thanks

for submitting the ask to the blog! 

Minor Suggestive content but nothing explicit.

Might Guy

Giving

Ø  Oh God please ask for a massage at your own risk

Ø  He gets a little overzealous, to say the least. If we’re talking about Gai, you’re getting either the best shiatsu of your life or karate chopped in half. I guess your back can’t hurt if it’s been liquified.

Ø  He’s got some big hands and he’s going to show you everything he can do with them.

Ø  He will crush every bone in your body. That’s what he’s going to do with them.

Ø  You never knew you could bend that way, now whoop here you are. The context forthis can go either way because it would happen like that. He’ll be your personal chiropractor.

Ø  If you aren’t screaming ‘yes daddy’ by the end of the massage consider it his off day.

Ø  Though honestly, that stubborn knot in your back? Gone. Your spine went with it, but sacrifices had to be made. Thank you come again

Receiving

Ø  This man’s back is so tight it could deflect bullets.

Ø  You want to massage Guy? Buy a jackhammer. Only the steel-handed will work their magic on these biceps. You can try to kiss up on him to be sweet, but save it for his face, he’ll feel it more there anyway.

Ø  Loves his pecks massaged. They just get so tense from being, y’know, super freaking ripped all the time.

Ø  Use your whole body weight and press down as hard as you can go. You’ll warm him up to where he can relax a little and you can start to make headway into the 4 inches of rock solid steel that covers his body. Plus, he’s the kind to give you a lot of verbal praise.

Ø  Get your elbows in there son. You can’t go too rough on Guy. Just punch his back like your name is Saitama.

Ø  You trying to rile him up? Just freaking grab it. Massage round two: The dickening.

Rock Lee

Giving

Ø  Lee is so shy about putting his hands on you whether it’s giving or receiving, doesn’t want to make you uncomfortable and is worried about making you think he's inappropriate.

Ø  If you encourage him enough he’ll definitely do it and will be a little too soft at first, doesn’t want to hurt you at all. 

Ø  He’ll try to do exactly what you say but he might get a little crazy with it (slow down Lee), but if you don’t feel the need to reign him in besides that he’ll cover every muscle in your body. 

Ø  Literally will not stop until you are the most relaxed you’ve ever been. Once he gives you one, he’ll pop up every time you say something is sore and take care of it on the spot. You now have him on call and this boy delivers.

Ø  You don’t even need to ask at this point, mention you’re in pain (like cramps or anything) and he’s there. Doesn’t even bat an eye at what you’d be asking him to do. 

Ø  If you want more from this massage you’ll have to drop some serious hints. Lee will be a little flustered at first to act, but turn around and catch him in a kiss and he’ll get the idea. You might have to physically move his hands where you want them, but he does a thorough job.

Receiving

Ø  Now you know this boy needs athletic massages like no other with his crazy training regiments.

Ø  Totally wants it but may hesitate to ask. If he’s given you a massage but you haven’t given him one, still will be too flustered to ask.

Ø  You’ll have to vary your grip because his muscles will be crazy sore after a long day. Certain areas will be more sensitive/needy than others. He doesn’t have a preference on where you go on his body, he needs it all.

Ø  If you go rough on him (and he hasn’t injured anything lately) he might just pass out from how good it is. Tbh rough massages are his preference but with how often he pulls something he can’t always have them when he wants.

Ø  Going nice and slow will put him in the mood in a snap. He’ll be trying the whole time to enjoy it but the feeling of you being so gentle with him will make him want more of you. Prepare for a passionate encounter after with lots of kissing and hand-on-body contact.

Ø  His biceps, forearms, and calves need extra love. They’re always the most tense and get the brunt of his training. Start with gentle rubs, move up to kneading them, and finally use direct pressure on your fingers. Lee will be super snuggly with you the whole time you do it, giving you lots of verbal cues to let you know that he thinks you give the best massages in the whole village.

Tenten

Giving

Ø  You’ll have to ask, but Tenten will most often be down for giving massages to both her s/o and perhaps a closer friend.

Ø  She gets right to business where you need, and she doesn’t really ‘lead up to it.’ If you need gentle massages you’ll have to remind her because like everything else in her life, she goes hard. 100% or nothing baby

Ø  With a friend she’ll be insistent at working at the problem spots until the all of the knots are all gone. Nope, no job is left half-finished with Tenten. You’re staying until they’re gone and that’s final.

Ø  With her s/o she might relent a little bit, but she’ll also know how to work your body a lot better, which means it won’t take as long.

Ø  Low-key melts when you curl up with her. Loves having you in her arms while she gently massages your back, male or female.

Ø  Initiating sexytimes with a massage isn’t her preferred route, but if she’s on edge enough she’ll get creative. She’ll go for your sensitive spots and man she is good with her hands, you won’t want to stop her.

Receiving

Ø  As mentioned before in another post, Tenten will kill a man for back scratches. Especially if you go at it where her bra straps would be.

Ø  Will literally collapse into a puddle in your arms. She works out every muscle imaginable with her various weapons and this is such a welcome relief to finally relax.

Ø  The only place she doesn’t like touched as much is her hands, they get pretty raw from her weapon use and having to regularly cut them for her summoning jutsu. You can go pretty hard everywhere else, she isn't picky.

Ø  Massage her scalp after she takes her hair down, it feels heavenly. You’ve now unlocked snuggly Tenten and she won’t be leaving your side for the next few hours.

Ø  If you try to stop massaging her before she’s done, you’ll get the meanest of glares. Don’t you dare stop. You start massaging Tenten, you’re locked in for the next hour at least.

Ø  Of course, massages might get you lucky, but don’t push it if she’s tired. She works so hard so take some time to appreciate all those amazing and well-defined muscles you get to massage.

Neji Hyuga

Giving

Ø  Tbh the Hyuga have the entire body down to a perfected art and within the hour this genius is going to know your own body better than you probably do.

Ø  If you get a massage from him pre-relationship, he’ll only do your hands or a brief massage of your shoulder if you injured it, he keeps his touch strictly platonic and methodical even if he likes you. If he likes you he’s totally dying on the inside when he gets to touch you for an extended period of time.

Ø  Even still holy hell he’s got some magic hands. Can find and eliminate knots and discomfort in record time. Pretends like he’s agitated that you ask him to do it, but deep down he’s tossing his hair like ‘I know I’m good.’

Ø  Starts off gentle, ghosting his fingertips along your neck and back, before increasing the pressure once he locates the areas you need. Might be a bit of a tease if the massage is more meant for pleasure than soreness. Are you begging for more? You might be, idk.

Ø  He has like.. a presence. A really magnetic and naturally sensual presence, especially when you can tell his entire attention is on you. Even if he’s not trying to put you in the mood, somehow you’ll get there. Just emanates a natural knee-weakening sensuality in intimate situations.

Ø  If it’s not early relationship, he’ll try take advantage of a massage every time, he just can’t help it when he gets to caress your body in all the ways he wants to but is intimidated to ask for.

Ø After he works out all the knots and has you practically melting in his hands, of course.

Receiving

Ø  You only find out if Neji wants a massage by if he lets you or if he chews you out for trying. It’s like playing Neji minesweeper. Hot damn Neji this is why you need to chill out.

Ø  The first massage will probably be his hands after training. Totally eyeing you the whole time, but once you get started he’ll close his eyes and relax into your touch.

Ø  Prefers steady, firm pressure. He won’t direct you too much unless you’re honestly not super great at it, but he’ll be patient because he knows not everyone is as familiar with the body as he is.

Ø  You’ll never see Neji so relaxed until you give him a really good massage. He’s always super tense and on edge, so a good massage of his whole upper body will turn him to mush. Might even put him to sleep.

Ø  Massaging his scalp and forehead is his ultimate weakness. Nails on the scalp will give him goosebumps, but don’t be too rough. Forehead massages he never knew he liked until you tried it once to change things up, and now he’s addicted. When he lays his head in your lap he’s literally always praying you’ll give him one.

Ø  Kiss or nip at his neck once you have him mostly relaxed and it’s over, you’re getting laid then and there.

Kurenai Yuhi

Giving

Ø  Queen of sensual massages. She’ll wind you up in .5 seconds

Ø  She’s got the experience to know exactly what to go for and how. She won’t really touch you if you’re not dating, but massages become a part of the regular routine with her. She loves putting her hands on you.

Ø  Can work in a relaxing genjutsu on you to make your surroundings more serene. Like think of a spa atmosphere and music but you’ll be in a genjutsu that will put you right next to the waterfall or by the beach.

Ø  Loves to follow up your massage by drawing you a nice bath, tbh it’s not just the massage it’s the whole experience with her. She loves pampering her s/o.

Ø  Uses aromatic oils every time, can create a scent specifically for you. Such a meditative experience. Tbh her whole presence is always just so calming.

Ø  Her massage style is a combination of using her nails, warm stones, and firm fingertip pressure.

Receiving

Ø  You might feel intimidated because of how high the bar is set with how she does massages, but Kurenai isn’t that picky as long as you’re gentle.

Ø  Please make sure your hands are properly lotioned up, she hates the feeling of rough hands on her body. You might even want to soak them beforehand.

Ø  Foot massages are her weakness. Give her one after a long day and she’ll be purring just for you.

Ø  Tbh work your way up her thighs in a slow and sensual fashion and Kurenai will be in the mood real quick. Her thighs are sensitive, so don’t overstimulate.

Ø  Her whole body is pretty sensitive? Again, be gentle with her. Always air on the side of too light versus too firm, firmness will turn her off.

Ø  She’ll show you how to use the oils and hot stones if you want, though she’s pretty simple in just liking plain massage oil.

Kiba Inuzuka

Giving

Ø  You are probably only getting a massage if he’s horny

Ø  Lots of nails, lots of tongue, gentle nips with his teeth. Your skin will be covered in love marks during your massage but he’s going to keep you on the edge until you’re practically begging for him.

Ø  Max skin-to-skin contact. You might be getting a massage, but his shirt is off and he’ll massage all the way down your back while you’re in his lap or while he’s making out with you from the front.

Ø  He doesn’t spend too long on the massage, to say the least. You get maybe thirty minutes tops before you’re completely naked.

Ø  But if you’re really in need of a massage, fine

he’ll calm his energetic self down and get to work. He’s a little rough with his hands but it feels pretty darn good anyway

Ø  Gives the best menstrual cramp massages somehow. Maybe it’s because he was raised by women, but he knows exactly how to handle that sort of pain. Plus, Kiba ain't the kind of man to neglect his partner.

Receiving

Ø  You touch this boy and he’s in the mood 0-100 real quick

Ø  If you can get him calm enough to give him a massage, He will be very vocal about how much he’s enjoying what you’re doing.

Ø  After a good massage he’ll literally do whatever you want him to do. If you need something from him, you just give him a massage and he’s all “yes dear”

Ø  Really get in on his lower back and his forearms. He gets the most tension in his back and his forearms really just feel nice.

Ø  He’ll never admit it, but man he loves glute massages. Will totally freak out the first time you try and will deny it every time, but once you’re together for long enough he’ll let you do it. Boi has a good booty anyway so it’s totally worth it.

Shino Aburame

Giving

Ø   Not really sure how to do a massage at first, the Aburame aren’t touchy-feely at all as a family. He’s probably the most touch-avoidant of the entire Konoha 12

Ø  He will give massages only to the person he’s dating. Single? You sore? Find a med-nin.

Ø  To his credit he follows directions to the T. Shino will do exactly as you instruct him, with just the exact pressure you specify. He’ll also do anywhere you ask. If you ask him for a more intimate area he’ll hesitate for a moment before acquiescing.

Ø  He doesn’t get creative with it, but he’ll remember exactly what you like.

Ø  His hands are nice and firm, he’s not shy about going for other areas either. Massages may not always be his preferred was of indicating his interest in taking things further, but he’ll definitely not miss the opportunity if he picks up on your mood.

Receiving

Ø  Shino will basically never ask for a massage, and you’ll probably only end up giving him one if you’re in the mood.

Ø  Be gentle please! His bikouju are sensitive to pressure and the slightest changes. The lighter your touch the better. He doesn’t mind, he actually likes just the sensation of your hands on him.

Ø  Use your nails around his hairline. Now that he’ll die for.

Ø  To rile up the stoic man use your lips on his neck and shoulders while you’re running your hands along his body. Hoo boy if you ever wanted to see Shino flustered and primed, there he is.

Ø  Touching is just so intimate for him in general, he never lets anyone touch him but the fact that you’re not only doing so but also in such an intimate way just shows how much he cares about you.

Hinata Hyuga

Giving

Ø  Step aside Neji, this is the massage queen of Konoha.

Ø  Everything Neji does she does 1000% better. She recognizes every reaction you have and will capitalize on it with perfect precision. It takes Neji a session to learn your body, Hinata probably has it mapped out in the first 10 minutes.

Ø  Definitely uses Byakugan to align your chakra, your chi, your spine, your tires, your life, Hinata is the human reset button for your body.

Ø  Definitely modest about how great she is at it, just wants you to know she’s doing it for you because she cares.

Ø  Everyone wants a massage from Hinata. Hinata only gives massages to people she’s incredibly close to, she’s too embarrassed to put her hands on someone she doesn’t know.

Ø  Hinata has a gentle touch, but be careful when you tell her to go firm because she doesn’t know how much is too much, she’ll crack your shoulder in half. But she’s an angel and it was awesome.

Receiving

Ø  She’ll be still as a statue the first few times you try to massage her, and you’ll need to go very slow. Pay attention to her comfort levels because she’s too timid to tell you otherwise. Do not pass go.

Ø  Her skin is really soft and it should go without saying that she prefers gentle over anything else. It doesn’t take a lot to get her to feel it.

Ø  Definitely appreciates menstrual massages, she gets really bad cramps. She’ll puppy-eye you for them but you know you’d be doing them anyway for her.

Ø  Look, straight up: Hinata has a big chest that weighs a lot on her back. The best areas to massage her will be her shoulder blades and her breasts (in a non-sexual manner.) Of course you can only do the latter while you’re dating, but despite how flustered she is know that it is such a relief. Be gentle with them, please. They’re breasts, not play-dough.

Ø  Breast massages don’t lead to more. Those are purely for her comfort and tbh it just never seems like the right time/mood while you’re doing it? Like you’re pretty much only doing it because she’s in serious discomfort and it seems insensitive to stop that just to hop on some hanky panky.

Ø  Massages can be very sensual with her, but that will have to be the mood before you go for it. But when you do get into it, it’s some of the best foreplay you’ve ever had.

[kiss-my-freckle]

Timeline notes

1x1 -

Ressler: Raymond “Red” Reddington attended the Naval Academy. Top of his class. Graduated by the time he was 24. He was being groomed for admiral. Then in 1990, Reddington’s coming home to see his wife and his daughter for Christmas. He never arrives. This highly respected officer up and disappears from the face of the earth until four years later when classified NOFORN documents start showing up in Maghreb, Islamabad, Beijing. These leaks were traced to Reddington. This guy’s an equal opportunity offender, a facilitator of sorts, who’s built an enterprise brokering deals for fellow criminals. He has no country. He has no political agenda. Reddington’s only allegiance is to the highest bidder. Tech: They call him something in the papers. Cooper: “The Concierge of Crime.”

2x1 -

Aram: So he’s looking for someone who lived in D.C. before 1990, has a prescription for Lipitor through Medco, downloads World War II documentaries on Netflix not Amazon and has a digital subscription to both the Wall Street Journal and CatFanatic.

Naomi: I had a life, you know? My daughter had a life with a house and a dog. And then I woke up one day. You can’t imagine what it’s like to have a man like Raymond Reddington turn your life upside down. They accused me of being a part of it? Somehow, I was a suspect. Put my life under a - a microscope every call, every charge. My assets were - I finally convinced them I was innocent. They said I had to go, give up everything. I remember it was a Wednesday afternoon. My daughter wasn’t even out of school yet. And by Thursday, we were in Philadelphia, fending for ourselves.

2x2 -

Liz: I confirmed your daughter was placed in protective custody with her mother in 1990. The Marshal service lost contact seven years ago. She is unaccounted for.

2x8 -

Berlin/Kirchhoff: It was in ’91. The Soviet union was falling apart. A small group of us. Members of the Politburo, the military, KGB, Stasi. Had a plan to push back the progressives, to stem the tide. We were meeting and discussing strategy when a bomb. Red: The Kursk Bombing. Berlin/Kirchhoff: Fifteen died. And with them, our resistance. Rumors began that the Americans were involved. One name emerged. Yours. You came after my daughter. You exposed her as a dissident. She went to jail. After that, my loyalty was questioned. I was exiled to the Gulag, where, one by one, her bones were sent to me.

Liz: You’re working with Berlin? Red: I need to talk to you about a bombing in the Soviet union Kursk, 1991.

2x10 -

Several TV news people: We are just now getting word of a story developing out of Hong Kong. Sources say authorities there have apprehended legendary criminal Raymond Reddington. He’s been on the FBI’s Most Wanted list longer than any other fugitive, but tonight, sources are confirming Reddington was arrested in Hong Kong just hours ago. Reddington was once a rising star at the Pentagon. Sources say he was being groomed for admiral when, on Christmas Eve, 1990, while on his way home to visit his wife and daughter, Reddington vanished. Reporter: Four years later, Reddington resurfaced and was charged with treason in absentia for selling top-secret American intelligence to foreign states.

3x4 -

Red: I was completely swept up in the idealism of the theatre owner - a pipe-smoking cream puff of a German named Gerta. She read “Mother Courage” to me aloud - the whole play in one sitting. A brilliant exploration of the politics of war and those who profit from it. Sadly, it was 1991, and audiences were going in droves to see “Cats.”

3x11 -

Liz. Who is this guy? He claims he’s Reddington? Samar: Yes, and we can’t disprove it with DNA because there’s nothing on file from 1990 when Reddington disappeared.

Devry: March 8, 1985, I ran point on an attack on the Beirut home of Mohammad Hussein Fadlallah. June 1989, I coordinated Operation Minesweep, which provided back office support and oversight for Naval Intelligence operations in Kuwait carried out by the 160th SOAR.

3x16 -

Red: Velov is the one who lied to you, Lizzy, not me. Katarina Rostova committed suicide in 1990.

4x13 -

Red: I first met Stratos Sarantos when he was running guns to Cypriot resistance fighters in 1987. For more than 20 years, he’s overseen my shipping concerns from the Bosphorus to the Suez Canal.

4x16 -

Cooper: Kathryn Nemec is missing? Aram: Yeah, she disappeared in 1991, just dropped off the grid.

Aram: Kathryn Nemec. But she’s been missing since 1991.

5x19 -

Red: In 1990, the KGB and the CIA had almost nothing in common except the mutual determination to hunt down one individual. Jennifer: You. Red: Being a fugitive from American law enforcement is a lot easier than being a fugitive from the two most powerful nations on Earth. And anyone close to a target of theirs becomes a target themselves. Jennifer: Family. Red: Especially family. Unless they’re abandoned on the side of a road on Christmas Eve. Jennifer: After you left, we went into Witness Protection. Red: Put where the Cabal wouldn’t find you.

6x1 -

Liz: Raymond Reddington is a fraud. An imposter who took our father’s place over 30 years ago. The FBI can trace this Reddington forward from ’95. And I know for a fact that our father died five years before that.

6x5 -

Jennifer: It’s not the data, but it turns out the file names were coded using patient-intake dates. October 3, 1991. Liz: The date Reddington was admitted?

6x9 -

Sima: As the ranking officer on that Reddington Task Force, were you familiar with an incident that occurred involving the U.S.S. Gideon in March of 1990? Ressler: I was. Yes. The U.S.S. Gideon was an Ohio-class submarine sunk by the Soviet Navy while on a secret mission in the Barents Sea. 134 men were on board. They all died.

Red: If you found his archives, I need the tape of a phone call he recorded on December 7, 1990.

Cooper: Reddington told us to look for a very specific needle in this haystack. A recording taken on December 7, 1990.

Cooper: We’ll start over. Samar: Uh, I don’t think we have to. December 7, 1990.

Samar: It can’t be a coincidence that Reddington is looking for a recording made on December 7th, and, on December 11th, an assassin injures Bailey and murders a man who appears to have been his lover. Liz: Maybe he used the tape to try and blackmail someone who didn’t take kindly to being blackmailed.

Nuss: A month before the incident, a corporate account was opened in a Cypriot bank known to work with Soviet intelligence. The only person with the power to withdraw funds was the company president. Sima: And who was that? Nuss: Raymond Reddington. Sima: I’m sure many accounts were opened in the weeks prior to the tragedy of the Gideon. What makes you think the activity in this account was connected to it? Nuss: Because a front company for the KGB wired $3 million into the account a day before the incident, and another $3 million the day after it. One week later, the entire amount was withdrawn. Sima: By Reddington? Nuss: Yes. Using fingerprints and a password.

Red: You said the withdrawal required fingerprints and a password. Nuss: It was done remotely. Red: So if someone had a copy of my fingerprints and knew the password, they could have made the withdrawal, and no one at the bank, nor yourself, would have known the difference? Nuss: I, uh - suppose that’s possible. Red: Yes. You know what else is possible? That I was framed by Katarina Rostova, which I could prove if Your Honor would grant me even the shortest - Judge Wilkins: All right, the court will stand in recess.

20, 25, 30 years

Cooper: Remember, he’s been off the grid for over 20 years. (1x2) Cooper: Reddington has brokered some of the most comprehensive international criminal activity in the past 20 years. (1x2) Red: I’ve been moving comfortably through the world for the past 20 years without a trace, and now some two-bit spy killer is gonna put my life and business in jeopardy? (1x3) Fitch: Ray. It’s been, what - 20 years? (1x10) Red: No traffic. No cars to come help. Just me and a car full of gifts. It was more than 20 years ago. (Christmas Eve, 1x14) Tom: Best I can tell, their paths have crossed at key moments in the past 20 years. Quantico, Baltimore. (1x16) Naomi: If you’re looking for him, I can’t help you. You have to listen to me. Reddington - I haven’t I haven’t seen him in 20 years. (2x1) Samar: He’s been on the run for 25 years. His arrest was bound to happen. (2x10) Liz: They put a bullet in your chest, and you have no idea how. You’re the most cautious person I know. The FBI couldn’t find you for 20 years, but they did. (2x21) Aram: Because it was listed in the Fulcrum. 25 years ago, Hanover was a low-level staffer on the Hill. (3x3) Hitchin: I know about the Fulcrum. I’ve seen the list. It’s 25 years old. (3x5) Red: Your past three months have been what my life has been like for the past 25 years. I’m often exhausted. (3x11) Cooper: He disappeared 25 years ago. Could’ve had surgery. (3x11) Dom: I could’ve spent the last 30 years just being her grandfather - you selfish prick. (3x20) Kirk: I’ve been imagining this moment for the last 25 years. (3x23) Red: I know what it’s like to be hunted. I’ve protected myself for 30 years. (4x1) Red: I’ve been disappearing for over 25 years. I don’t need your help to disappear. (4x7) Tom: From 30 years ago. Clearly, it was flawed. (Kirk's DNA test, 4x7) Cooper: But she’s been missing for 25 years. (Kate, 4x16) Liz: He stole it from me 25 years ago. That’s why we needed you to get it back. (Fire memory, 4x19) Red: Understand this was 25 years ago now. I was younger, myself. Intent on building an empire, intent on becoming the powerful criminal the world had been told I already was. (4x19) Red: Nikolaus has been on my payroll since I introduced him to you 25 years ago. (4x19) Liz: From 25 years ago? No. But then, you wouldn’t be very good at your job if I did. (4x19) Red: I’ve spent 30 years building an intelligence network of spies, informants, patriots, traitors. (4x20) Liz: Kaplan spent 30 years tending to his messes while Reddington built his criminal empire, and it took her five months to surgically dismantle it. (4x21) Kate: I’ve been his cleaner, keeper, and confessor for 30 years, and I’m prepared to tell you everything you need to know in open court. (4x21) Dom: My own granddaughter three feet away after almost 30 years, I couldn’t say a damn thing to her. (5x13) Jennifer: Perhaps you’ve heard of him. His name’s Raymond Reddington. He’s been on the FBI’s Most Wanted List for 20 years. (5x18) Garvey: Everything you believed for the last 30 years has been a lie. You’ve spent a lifetime hiding for no reason. (5x19) Sutton Ross: For 30 years, I’ve wanted to be in the same room as Raymond Reddington, the bastard who tricked me into selling the Chinese a dodo bird when they were looking for an eagle. (5x22) Liz: Why he came into my life, why he took your life, why he spent the last 30 years pretending to be Raymond Reddington. I’m gonna figure all that out, and then I’m going to destroy him. (5x22) Liz: Raymond Reddington is a fraud. An imposter who took our father’s place over 30 years ago. (6x1) Liz: We haven’t seen him in over 30 years. He became a fugitive when we were kids. (6x1) Liz: Raymond Reddington. Not the real one, the reinvented one. The one who’s been Raymond Reddington for 30 years, longer than anyone else. (6x2) Aram: 30 years on the run, and a beat cop picks him up at a pretzel cart. (6x2) Sima: You’re aware that, for almost 30 years, he’s maintained a vast criminal empire - (6x3) Red: Getting caught after 30 years? The odds were, I’d be caught after three. (6x4) Red: Officer Baldwin, I’ve been evading the police and law enforcement for almost 30 years. (6x5)

[podcastdx]

Throwback Thursday! Travis Mills Veteran/Quad Amputee

For our very first Throwback Thursday episode we celebrate the bravery of our men and women that have served in the United States Armed Services!  

In this episode we will discuss not just continuing life after a horrific injury, but excelling and living life to it's fullest, minus two arms and two legs.  On April 10, 2012, United States Army Staff Sergeant Travis Mills of the 82nd Airborne was critically injured on his third tour of duty in Afghanistan by an IED (improvised explosive device) while on patrol, losing portions of both legs and both arms.

In September 2013, Travis and his wife Kelsey founded the Travis Mills Foundation, a nonprofit organization, formed to benefit and assist post 9/11 veterans who have been injured in active duty or as a result of their service to our nation. The veteran and their families receive an all-inclusive, all-expenses paid, barrier-free vacation to Maine where they participate in adaptive activities, bond with other veteran families, and enjoy much-needed rest and relaxation in Maine’s great outdoors.

If you are in a giving mood this year, the Travis Mills Foundation is a great way to give back to injured Veterans!  (DONATE HERE)

TRANSCRIPT

PodcastDX-Quad_Amputee

  Lita T  00:10

Hello and welcome to another episode of podcast dx. The show that brings you interviews with people just like you whose lives were forever changed by a medical diagnosis. I'm Lita

  Ron  00:22

I'm Ron,

  Jean  00:23

and I'm a pina colada.

  Lita T  00:24

You're not a pina colada she's Jean Marie. Collectively we're the hosts of PodcastDX. On today's show we're speaking with Travis Mills. Travis, if you're not familiar with him by now is the quadruple amputee from an Afghanistan IED and we're going to hear more about his story in a little bit. And he also is running a foundation that provides R&R services more or less for other veterans that have been injured. Is that right Travis?

  Travis  00:55

Yeah, absolutely it for physically injured and now we're moving towards all injuries.

  Lita T  01:00

Great, great. Well, welcome to the show. Go ahead, Ron

  Ron  01:05

Travis. Hi, this is Ron. Again. Thank you for joining us today on our show. First, I would like to start off by saying thank you for your service to our country.

  Travis  01:15

Well, no, I appreciate it. Thank you so much. And I'm excited to be here. I'm looking forward to hanging out with you guys for a bit. Yeah!

  Ron  01:21

 I read a bit about your injuries and your recovery. I gotta say, I am amazed by your determination and your tenacity. It seems like you've overcome a lot of challenges since April of 2012. Could you tell our listeners a little bit about that day? didn't it just start off as a regular day for you.

  Travis  01:41

You know, it did we were on our, you know, deployment. I was supposed to be there for nine months as my third deployment. And we had a phone call come in from the village elder that there was some IEDs we had a checkout. So we put our gear on like normal. We went on patrol and try to help them out. And we went, you know, the same routes that we always would take not the same routes, the same general direction. And I had the guy in front of me with the Minesweeper and swept the ground once again, twice like we are protocol. And it just didn't alarm that there's anything under the soil. So I happened to take my backpack off and I put it on the ground. And then the bomb went off. You know it. It shocked my world to be honest with you.

  Lita T  02:19

Well that's For sure.

  Jean  02:21

Yeah. I can't even imagine what you were going what was going through your mind at that time? Probably. Yeah, shock. What were the next steps after you were evacuated from the site where you were actually injured. For instance, how soon after the attack, were you transferred back stateside? And was there an intermediate location or two for immediate surgical repair?

  Travis  02:40

Well, I mean, what they did was, like I hit, my arm right side was completely gone, my right leg was completely gone. They disintegrated and they're found those pieces of me my left leg was snapped to the bone actually. So if you imagine the left ankle bone touching the left thigh, and my left wrist was blown out pretty bad. I hit the ground and rolled over on my back and I saw the aftermath. And in my head, I kept seeing the movie, Saving Private Ryan. And I thought you know about the medic that gets shot stomachs and then he cries out for his mom and ultimately died. I had I said no way like that ever remember me to freaking out or complaining or crying or feeling awful, you know begging not to die basically. Because at the end of the day, it's not my choice and I'm always wanting to exude confidence never showed fear, I led from the front and you know, I just, you never do that as a leader. So I calmed myself down, my medic worked on one side of me my Platoon Sergeant worked on the other side of me, they got four tourniquets on and then I with my left hand that was still left on my body. I reached up and grabbed my microphone and I called my Lieutenant I said, Hey, 6 this is 4 I got guys injured. I need your medic with mine. two of my soldiers got hit. So I you know, I called them and they radio back they sent Doc Voyce over. And Doc Voyce came to work on me, we're working on you know, my other men, and then me. I had to kind of calm him down he was in, stuck on repeat, you know like an old CD we could skip start skipping, he was doing what his training taught him to do so I kept saying "You'll be fine Sgt Mills, you'll be Okay, You'll be fine Sgt Mills, you'll be Okay,  he kept working he just kept saying it. I had to look at Doc Voyce and say "Hey Doc Just do your job. It's fine." And they got me on the helicopter about 10 minutes after Doc Voyce got there so really about 12 to 15 minutes being injured I was on a helicopter and I was transported to Kandahar hospital where I didn't know this then and I'm happy that it's, you know, a known fact now but 99% of patients that make it to Kandahar hospital leave Kandahar hospital alive.

  Jean  04:36

That's amazing

  Travis  04:36

And yeah, so they started wheeling me right into surgery as 14 hours of surgery took me into and just a wonderful team of nine doctors and seven nurses working for 14 hours straight to put me back to, well not put me back together I guess. that I was laying around with prosthetics but to you know, heal up my wounds and...

  Lita T  04:56

Saved your life

  Jean  04:57

Stabilize

  Lita T  04:58

 They saved your life, yeah,

  Jean  04:59

yeah.

  Travis  05:00

Yeah, absolutely.

  Lita T  05:01

I'm guessing that those medics at the at the frontline are really the ones that saved your life. I know this wasn't something we were going to talk about, but do you stay in contact with those guys?

  Travis  05:10

Oh, I do. Yeah, actually, um, you know, I know very fast forward but my wife and I had another child fortunately. So we have two now. And my son's name is DAX. Oh, he DAX is for medics, Daniel and Alexander as those who made it possible. Somebody will like name my kid in their honor. So  that was great. My wife kind of came up with the idea of more than I was going for Travis Fieldyen Mills the second but she said no

  Lita T  05:29

That's amazing  (laughter)

  Travis  05:39

 I name everything after myself, my my business, my foundation, you know,

  Lita T  05:44

At least everybody knows where they're going.

  Jean  05:45

It worked for George Foreman, so why not?

  Travis  05:48

Exactly.

  Lita T  05:49

According to the Department of Defense, as of January 2018, more than 1500 service members have lost limbs in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, since all of this started in 2001, and an article back in 2018. In July, it pushed the number up to 1900 and 14. So 1914 Have you met any other amputees since you have been injured yourself?

  Travis  06:21

Had I, you mean previously or since?

  Lita T  06:23

no since then?

  Travis  06:25

Oh, yes. At the hospital that we had a bunch of better, everybody at the hospital was an amputee

  Lita T  06:30

Okay. Okay. So this is a very common wartime injury currently correct.

  Travis  06:37

Oh, yeah. Yeah, but it's common to the hospital. So like, I had no idea like patient things like that. I mean, you figure you lose a leg, your life's over. Like it's gonna be the worst thing ever. And, you know, I got to the hospital and when I find it, they woke me up from a medical sedation. I was kind of like questioning why that person got hate me. What would I do wrong in life, talking to your husband and father and you know, the biggest thing I wonder is, why not just die? Like, how is this better? And in truth, I didn'twant to talk to my wife, my mom and dad at all that my parents didn't want to deal with the situation. But then I got to, you know, wake up, my brother in law was in the room, he was in the Military as well,  a friend of mine, I met his sister, my wife, and my parents, my wife, and I did. And then I didn't really have a conversation with them. It's kind of like, I don't want to talk about this, I want to deal with it. But finally, I got to meet Todd Nicely. He was a quadruple amputee, I'm actually one of five, I'm the fourth one out of five of us, and he walked into my room was like, Hey, man, you're gonna be fine. You're gonna walk again, you're gonna drive again, you're going to feed yourself, you know, you do everything you need to do by yourself. And I know doesn't sound like it, but you're gonna be independent. And I'm sorry. And that was all the, you know, the motivation I needed.

  Lita T  07:48

So they kind of turn you around you think?

  Travis  07:51

You know, my wife, and I thought she should leave me. Turn me like okay, let's get better. I won't be a burden on anybody. I mean, I'm very demanding husband. Unfortunately, you know that I expect a lot of help things but I'm very lucky my wife stayed. My daughter was six months old when I got hit. So she was there more with me every day. And I actually learned how to walk with my daughter kind of cool. You know, little thing me and her have

  Lita T  08:15

That's so cool

  Travis  08:16

 so and she's eight years old. She goes, and she tells people, you know, I taught my dad how to walk.

  Lita T  08:22

So cool, I love that. Yeah, it's gonna be hard to not tear up right now.

  Jean  08:27

Yeah, especially after watching the movie with the two of you,

  Lita T  08:30

right?

  Jean  08:31

 Yeah, she was right there for your physical therapy and everything and your wife was right there too. And it's, that's amazing.

  Travis  08:36

Oh, absolutely.

  Lita T  08:38

After that. They got you back, you know, alive and somewhat functioning. Did they give you the chance to remain in the military in any status like you know, just state side desk side or do they just tell you this is it

  Travis  08:53

you know, they did actually General Odierno and the Sergeant Major of the Army at the time came in Chandler came in talking to the hospital about, Hey, you know, we'd love to have you stay in, you can go around and maybe present on behalf of the military and I teared off and I said, Look, I plan on doing 20 years, gentlemen, but not like this. And my time has come to an end. I can't be Infantry anymore. I can't, you know, be airborne anymore. And as sad as it was to come to that realization, it was just, it was time. I think I made jokes and I really don't want to get restationed anywhere. And General Odierno said, I don't think we restation Sergeant Mills. I don't think so either, sir, but I'm going to call it today. I appreciate this conversation, you know, cuz it was emotional. I planned on 20 years at whole career path lined up, but it just didn't work out for me and that's okay. Cuz like, you know, it's gonna play some curveballs and you got to keep pushing forward and do the best you can and I feel like I've taken that curveball, and that's kind of knocked out of the park with everybody that helps. 

  Lita T  09:53

That's super

  Ron  09:55

Travis, I've seen some of your videos on YouTube. Absolutely. Amazing. And I could tell you're a pretty humorous guy. How did your humor and your personality I guess, how did it help you with the recovery process? And how long after the amputations where you fitted for the prosthetic that you wear?

  Travis  10:18

Well, the humor that I have came back right to me. I met in fact, one day, I was sitting there in my hospital bed, the hallway from the nurses, and I could see them holding their like change of shift brief and I started yelling, oh, my legs, my arms and legs where did they go?  How did this happen? And I'm just joking to get their attention. And a little 10 year old walked by, and I was like, Oh, I'm just kidding. Sorry. Girls, like I'm so sorry. But, of course, you have the humor. And I think the best compliment and sometimes the worst compliment that I get is that I'm the same person that I was for the injury. So depending on who says it, you know, if you know somebody that's a friend of mine that grew up with says that's awesome, but if it's like a like a Maybe old school teacher from high school. Oh, sorry.

  Ron  11:02

Yeah.

  Travis  11:05

 But as far as my prosthetic, I was able to get fitted after five weeks time, so a relatively short period. And then seven weeks and four days, I was able to start walking again so just shy of two months. I took my very first steps at Walter Reed. I mean, it was a short, legs a very different feel from walking, but I was starting my comeback,

  Jean  11:24

right? It's amazingly fast.

  Lita T  11:27

Amazing. For sure.

  Travis  11:29

Well, I appreciate that. And then Believe it or not, I have no arms and legs like I do. I just made a video this morning. I was at the gym and I was actually running this morning at the gym. It's first time in two years. I took a hiatus because a no excuse, but back running now. So it's good.

  Jean  11:45

That's awesone, that's absolutely awesome

  Travis  11:47

Well yeah, I mean, I travel I travel the nation motivational speaker and I started every time off by saying I tell jokes disarm situation. Knee slapper if you got it, you know, don't have arms or and I also can't slap my knees. But I think it just makes people look past the injury that I sustained and more at the man that I am

  Ron  11:47

. I say I'm work. I work in the disability community. I'm involved in Disabled Sports. And I tell you, it is a very interesting community with the humor so I understand exactly where you're coming from. You know who can say what?   absolutely

  Travis  12:22

happy, you know, because I want to break down barriers and walls and people are just at Whole Foods to be honest with you and a little boy walked up, he's like, "what happened to your arms?"  His mom's like. "don't ask that"  like don't ask that to know, I probably have people asking like, then stare and like, kind of shy away from it. So I told him I, you know, had that day at work. And now I'm like Iron Man with, you know, the superheroes. He's all about it. He followed me around for a little bit. So I was like, Hey, man, I really gotta go.

  Jean  12:49

Oh, wow. So every day, you're just

  Lita T  12:52

 inspiring people,

  Jean  12:53

 inspiring people wherever you go. That's fantastic. And Travis, my mom and I both know that, you know The army is not only a community, it's kind of like a family. But apparently that's really the case for you. As you had said your brother in law is also in that in the military. And that's actually how you met your wife.

  Travis  13:12

Oh, yeah.

  Jean  13:13

 And what role has that played in your recovery?

  Travis  13:17

As far as military Brotherhood in my recovery, how's that? Okay, yeah. So at the hospital, I answered the military in general, you have a brotherhood, right? Like I didn't go on my third deployment. I was supposed to go to Fort Hood, Texas, and help build a per day up ticket timeout from the point that so much time but I had all these young guys that came from across the nation that believed in me, I said, Nope, it's not fair to them. They believe me, I'm their leader. My wife understood the calling there at her house with five kids and she knew I had to go.  There is something ingrained in you as a servicemember. So I went overseas, and I got injured, right. So you go from the platoon size brotherhood and then you have the hospital without Todd Nicely coming to talk to me. Shortly after I was injured. I've never know the possibilities that lay the head. So I work properly as motivated when you get down to the military advanced training center, where all the injured guys are at and then we tell you something is just amazing. Because that's a tight knit group, and you're all working together and living together. going through the same thing with the with your spouse will do the same thing or children and having them to lean on. Plus, the staff at Walter Reed are just top notch physical therapists, occupational therapists, you know, in the driving of cyclists, the process everybody, it's just one well oiled machine, the doctors sorry and Walter Reed is a Brotherhood and having everybody that was injured. Like me, or you know, not like me with no arms legs, but like maybe missing the leg missing the arm, spinal cord injury, whatever. It was nice having them there because, you know, you feed off them, they still got the mentality of, you know, being in the service.

  Lita T  14:54

Right. Could you please tell us a little bit about the prosthetics that you're using now. And an add on question, I guess. Do you start out like a person that has an amputation? Do they start out with one type of a prosthetic and move on to different ones as they get acclimated to the use? Are there like prosthetic training wheels of sorts?

  Travis  15:16

Yeah, absolutely There are so we'll start with the hands the first one that I got called the mile electric I still use things that Dan that I have that but he only went for one hour a day and then it got progressively more and more so without I was on I want so like I've added on 20 hours or whatever, you know, up and up that long working or doing whatever. And they just, you know, it's muscle flex base. So I certain muscles blow it up into flex, but they muscle fat that rotate and download down fast. And it's pretty awesome because I mean, I could eat a sandwich, I can open the door, I could drive my truck, do everything I need to with that one hand that I wear on the left side, the right side. I'm so high up injured. I don't wear prosthetics on it. Unless I'm doing that. activities like downhill mountain biking, or kayaking, and things of that nature. Okay, snowboarding, I do all that stuff, which is pretty awesome, then. Oh yeah. And then as far as the prosthetic legs is definitely a training wheels type session where you start on short legs, so they mold your legs start on really short prosthetics and you got to rebuild everything from 250 pounds when I got injured to 140 pounds. I lost all my muscle mass. I couldn't roll right and left for sit up myself for a while there. So I had to regain all my core muscle and strength. And he started on shorter legs. So when you get stronger on those, it's basically like if you imagine where your kneecap is, there's a foot at the end of it for me it would have been difficult to deal with Sure, yeah. It and then you grow taller and taller to the point where you have straight legs that are like still so you're standing up as high as they're going to make you okay, I was six, three, almost six foot right now. I was you know, so they Currently, Sanchez Blitz offer safety and gravity and whatnot. And then they give you the legs I'm wearing now it's called x threes. And they're the top of the line. They're waterproof. They're Bluetooth, that have like a locking remote, much better angle. They have little computers in each leg. So they're microprocessors fitter. So every time I move over here and adjustments get made to keep me as upright as possible. And then the last thing is they have hydraulic brakes built in so when I go down the ramp, I can slow myself down. I find a lot of airplanes actually good motivational speaker. So when I go down on the jetway, I don't go bowling for people.

  Ron  17:36

So yeah, that in the video too. Right, right. Yeah,

  Jean  17:39

that's, that's incredible.

  Ron  17:42

was funny. One of the other things in the video talked about your prosthetic hand and your daughter's future boyfriend. I thought that was pretty humorous.

  Lita T  17:53

Yeah, tell us about that firsthand.

  Travis  17:55

Yeah, I got it. Yeah, keeping a Crown Royal bag in my closet. It was 45 pressure, and then 35 pounds of pressure. And the reason I keep in the closet is because when she's 16 her mom lets her go on a date, I'm gonna bring the handout. I'll probably you know, crush his hand, when he's crying I'm going to tell him "no   fingerprints".  But don't mess with me, bro. Let him go

  Lita T  18:15

(laughter)

  Travis  18:15

To subdue any, you know,

  Lita T  18:17

Questions that he might have had

  Travis  18:18

Ideas he was thinking about trying?  My wife says I'm not gonna be able to do that. But, you know, we'll see.

  Lita T  18:19

 Right right That's right, that's right

  Travis  18:27

 And high school buddies like real good friends of mine are so excited because their kids get old enough they can't wait to  buy me into the same thing. I'm like, I'm coming let's throw a party. That boys to style like Bad Boys 2 with Martin Lawrence, and Will Smith the show that day.

  Lita T  18:41

Sure, sure.

  Ron  18:42

Yeah, that's too funny. You just mentioned your friends. It's actually leads me into my next question. Your friends and family, including your wife. how supportive as they put you through this little this journey.

  Travis  18:58

Oh, I mean, stop that. I I definitely gain and lose friends through this and you know having my wife at my side every day was a reason I kept fighting to get better because she's not leaving me, then I gotta do my best to not be a burden. And you know a lot of places that she goes for other nonprofits maybe they bring up like, you know, the problems that have their husbands or issues they have their husbands. You know, some of the other spouses might say like, we can't do this because of that I felt like was Travis Travis Travis takes boys to gymnastics he runs around does grocery shopping when he when he can and things so I try to be everyday average normal husband, fathers, I can't be but then having you know, my friends, bear with me. And now with the foundation. I've been able to bring up a lot of really cool families that I want to help out. So we help all physically injured, sterilization spinal cord, service families and it's all free to them and it's all about Hey, get out out there be active in community and in your society, because some people aren't as open as me. And I think having support group that I had and having that I, I had  to learn things like, like walking and stuff as I'm fortunately so successful in my everyday life.

  Lita T  20:17

Sure, sure.

  Ron  20:18

 Oh, that's fantastic. That's fantastic.

  Lita T  20:20

Definitely. Travis, what do you wish people knew about amputees? I know that you say that, you know, go ahead and ask That's for you personally. But what do you wish people would know about amputees? Like the emotional changes that a person goes to you? So like, in other words, if somebody wanted to ask a question, but they were afraid to ask, you know, pretend like you're asked, answering those questions. What What did you have to go through emotionally?

  Jean  20:47

And I would say like, what, what do you wish they knew?

  Lita T  20:50

Right?

  Jean  20:50

 Yeah.

  Travis  20:51

Well, I mean, honestly, for me, a lot of my buddies that I know rather than have the conversation than the looks, the stairs, and like the The awkward, you know, oh crap, they're looking at me I'm going to look back, or up at the ceiling or whatever and look back when they're not looking. So, really people they want to be delicate, which I appreciate I understand but, you know, everybody that I know is everyday, regular person, they just had some mishap at work but didn't change them, you know, into being this person that needs to be, you know, you know, babied around or, or ostracized I guess. So, you know, for me, why don't people know is like, have the conversation say Hey, how's it going? People ask me. It's a funny thing. Like, hey, Travis, you know, when I see someone like you, What do I say? I'm like, I usually say hi or hello

  Lita T  21:42

Exactly, exactly right, right

  Travis  21:45

And, you know, also, I'm trying to change the narrative. I say I'm recalibrate because my voice those out you want those wounded guys, it doesn't feel very good, don't have any more injuries. I have scars. So I'm trying to change the whole life. Word wounded, is that the negative to recalibrated it right?

  Lita T  22:03

Okay,

  Travis  22:03

based off a little bit. We're good to go. It's good. And then then also, I think that the term veteran in general has become kind of like, oh, you're one of the veterans Do you got that, you know, pts or what's wrong and I'm like, nothing I serve my country had a great time doing it, love my job, had a bad day at work. I gotta move on. So, you know, my foundation, we're actually expanding our program to help people get back on their feet. That may be something for PTS, things like that. Because I really truly feel that you know, you need to get help to get out of your own way to be successful,  I'm fortunate. We're going to talk about that I run I own part owner and two, and I run one with my wife. So three businesses plus nonprofit that's very successful.

  Lita T  22:47

That's great.

  Jean  22:48

Well, we weren't must be very busy.

  Lita T  22:50

Yeah, I would say so. Yeah, well, yes, for sure. I'm getting back to the physical thing that you've been through. How many surgical procedures have have you had?

  Travis  23:02

I think 13 they said they

  23:06

Yeah, 13 surgical procedures,  maybe more, but I didn't have any. I didn't have any surgeries. Kind of weeks easily get with me What's up, let's go internal. Then I had my eardrum repaired, which was the worst surgery that I can remember. But and then besides for that, nothing too crazy. I was very fortunate and lucky there no infections or anything like that.

  Lita T  23:28

Do you think they'd be in the best physical condition that you were in prior to the injuries was what helped your recovery?

  Travis  23:36

I think so. I think it did. For sure. I was a weightlifter. I picked anything up that was heavy and put it down. You know, one of those meat is kind of nice. But I also I think it was on the battlefield. The reason I didn't lose my blood out and everything. I remained calm. I didn't get my heart rate up. I didn't freak out. I kept telling myself whatever happens happens. Not my call at the end of the day. So don't freak out. And I think that might have saved my life as well because instead of yelling, I don't want to die and freaking out and panicking, I just like to stay calm and ride this one out. So very fortunate that I'm kind of stuffing it in the best way possible, which are my thing. And the most worst way. Yes. All my family members, maybe.

  Jean  24:22

Well, yeah, that's, that is truly amazing. And it says a lot about who you are as a person who you were before, and who you who you have always been, and your injuries were in 2012. Do you still have like phantom limb pain? And is there anything that they can do to help treat that part of the injury?

  Travis  24:39

You know, it's great question and I can't reiterate the documentary and I wish I could, because I say that the academy coma I don't think I would do it again, which is I only did that. You know, the documentary was five months after my injury. In truth, the phantom limb pain I would 110% not be the person I am Today if I didn't have the ketamine colon Academy coma, they're doing a case study. And what they did was reset my brain to think that my nerves and where they were blown off and finally beat. And I, I have been absolutely pain medication free since October of 2012. I quit it cold turkey, and no pain medication. No medication whatsoever, actually, which is very unfortunate, but because of my case study they did. It's more of a common use process. And I have no phantom limb pain, no pain to speak up. And I'm very, very lucky. I know that so it's, you know, that's one thing that at the time when I said it in the documentary, I didn't know the results of it and now looking back like it was probably the best thing for me because my life is obstructed by anything, I don't live, you know, any medication and just keep pushing forward with with a pretty worryfree life.

  Lita T  25:58

It's amazing.

  Jean  25:59

Yeah, that's awesome.

  Ron  26:01

Try to watch the video that showed you and your modified truck. Oh, you know you still drive? What about any of your other recreational pursuits? Do you need adaptations? Or how do you how do you do done?

  Travis  26:15

Well, you know, luckily with the remote to my truck, and I click My legs are better your angles I can drive my truck No, no no problem and therefore a lot of us like to get into get adapted. I just kind of drove it every day and made it work with a steering wheel handle so I can drive most anything but I have a van that has ankles in it, which is awesome. And that that really helps out a lot too. So it's just a lot of fun that I get to do that and be able to drive again and stuff so I i guess i have a ranger in a golf cart. But there's no adaptions on those. I just kind of drive those.

  Jean  26:48

If you're going to be running that day. Is there do you switch out your prosthetics to make running

  Travis  26:54

 You know what? Yeah, yeah, so I did I forgot to cover that. I went back and training was walking to look at my profit. But in truth, I have bicycle legs I've never used I'm going to set them up one day very excited about this. I'm running late. I have both. I have worked out a little short workout legs. And then I have different hands and attachment. I mean, it's I have a bowling arm. I think I'm going to use this weekend. My daughter's birthday party thing she's doing with all their friends and their, you know, whatever. And I have a pool table arms. I can't wait to get a pool table. I'm telling you what,

  Ron  27:26

(laughter) 

  Travis  27:27

kind of exciting but yeah, there's definitely different adaption,

  Lita T  27:30

okay,

  Travis  27:31

there are adaptations that they have. And it's kind of like it's weird, but like, just like on Amazon, you go and set the book. You're like, oh, that activity looks fun. And see if I get one of those. I have I have a like a 10 inch butcher knife. So I can carve a turkey to be honest. I haven't covered a lot of turkeys. But it's very sharp. And you got to be very careful on the walking thing because it's like running with scissors.

  Lita T  27:52

Oh, yeah.

  Travis  27:54

But yeah, we have all that stuff. And I'm so grateful that there's some geniuses and bright minds out there. That put this together to make it possible for

  Lita T  28:01

 for sure.

  Ron  28:02

 Well, Travis, if you don't already, if you don't do scuba diving or you haven't done archery and you are interested, let's talk later because I'm involved in both of those activities for people with disabilities.

  Travis  28:17

 I appreciate that. Yeah,

  Ron  28:19

for what I've seen you do a lot, but I wanted to throw that out. There is another. I don't know something else you could add to the resume.

  Lita T  28:26

Right, right.

  Travis  28:27

Yeah, so I've done archery, and I'm okay with that. You know, it's not something again, knock knock on the arrow part gets me kinda. So like, my biggest stubbornness I have. If I can't do it by myself, then it's like, I don't really want to do it. So I'm getting some, some rifle setup so I can go, I like to skeet shoot you right. It's target shoot. But also, my next goal is already been skydiving a few times I show my airplanes but since I've been injured I've been skydiving twice, my next goal and here's where being you can can collaborate. I'm gonna go you know, cage diving with a great white sharks. I just I'm so afraid of sharks. I face my fears and I cannot wait to jump in that cage with those with sharks all around the but I want the big ones off this, you know the Cape of you know, of South Africa I want

  Ron  29:14

certainly that. That's one of my bucket list items. I just say I don't want that to be the last item on my bucket list if you know what I mean

  Lita T  29:20

(laughter) okay.

  Jean  29:22

Yeah, you two have fun

  Travis  29:23

 You've got to live a little bit

  Lita T  29:25

I'll be up on the boat with the spear gun and I'll be keeping an eye out for you.

  Jean  29:30

Wow.

  Travis  29:31

Yeah, drinking the rum punch. I love it

  Lita T  29:35

Somebody getting on shotgun.

  Jean  29:36

Yep.

  Travis  29:37

Oh, I get it.

  Jean  29:39

That's you guys are hilarious. But yeah, you guys don't have to work that out with Dive. Heart. Travis, what is the future of prosthetics look like and what do you hope to see with future prosthetic devices?

  Travis  29:53

You know, the prosthetics are quite amazing. They have prosthetics that your hands that each finger moves instead of just Like the two fingers, like, you know, like he can add a little motor I'm looking for those get more durable, which is exciting, but also then hooking to like, your nerves and all that so that they can, you know, sense what your muscles would would actually be flexing to open your hand and close it. But I think also what I'm excited about a step further than prosthetics is they're doing stuff called osteo integration where they they're hollowing out your humor bone and hooking a rod to it and a rod inside your skin like your feet do. And then you connect your feet on it, and you can take them off. And then kind of lastly is the stem cell stuff, which is so intriguing to me because they're regrowing people's like one guy like regrew his thumb, so that they're saying they're probably able to regrow people's arms and legs in the near future. Like we're talking 5/10 years.

  Lita T  30:47

Wow.

  Travis  30:48

We're just I mean mind blowing, right?

  Lita T  30:50

oh yeah wow,

  Travis  30:51

yeah, I'm gonna be the first one to do it. But I'm saying it's just it's just amazing that the progression right when the first guy made a prosthetic Civil War thing or got started, because he lost his leg to a cannon, or infection or a gunshot, something to do with civil war. But now, I mean, bionic stuff is just impressive. So sky's the limit. If I was a Vietnam era veteran on the battlefield medicine or technology that we had have today, very rarely where a guy like me ever make it, very low percentage. And now, because of the wars and because of technology and the time that we live in, I live a pretty normal life. Like, I mean, you know, I, I went down and did a federal meeting today at a building that was like a day to day and I had I went to the gym and ran to the outdoors, the laces running at the gym. Pretty cool, right?

  Lita T  31:41

Absolutely.

  Jean  31:42

And very inspiring

  Travis  31:44

And I think i think i think the big thing is, you know, to stay to stay humble, because I don't want to ask for too much. It's just so fortunate and lucky to have what's out there on the market right now.

  Jean  31:55

Sure, sure. But I guess you know, as far as the future of prosthetics, the designer Definitely want to hear from the individuals who will be using them to see what is it that you guys need?

  Travis  32:05

Oh, absolutely there for dreams for sure.

  Ron  32:09

Travis older veterans day name require amputations due to medical complications, like diabetes, or something like that. Have you interacted with any of these older vets to talk with them and give them an idea of what to expect after amputation?

  Travis  32:27

Well, I mean, I get it. I get some conversations, right? A lot of like, one on one counseling like that. But if I go to the VA to do a checkup or something, when I see somebody and ask the questions I answer or someone at the grocery store that, you know, I, you know, have the conversation. So a big thing is people emailing my website, and they'll ask me like, Hey, you know, I got this going on. I was thinking, maybe I should just cut my leg off. What do you think I'm like, I'm not the guy. Like, that's not my Yeah, my expertise, but I'll tell you, that, you know, there's different prothestics out there make your life better if that ends up being the diagnosis or what happened. So, I'll try to get as much information but I want to make it sound like oh, it's Rick, hack that thing off. Let's call it a day. Right? But um, as far as people that are suffering you know, I know people use my use my website TravisMills.org for a lot of inspiration. And they go on my Facebook, which is all like tagged SSG Travis, because when they go to my Facebook page or my Instagram they'll see fun videos of me and my wife children or or meet my buddy or things like that and then they can you know, they can find out Hey, life goes on. That's what this whole podcast about some happen. Keep pushing forward. And that's kind of the message that we always we always project I'm always speak about resiliency and about, you know, overcoming life's obstacles. And it's just, it's a lot of fun for me, so I'll have the conversation, but it's not something I do what I want to accomplish.

  Lita T  33:54

Well, speaking of resiliency, you were obviously able to draw on an incredible Internal Strength just to survive that incident. Could you tell us more about your mantra of never give up? never quit? How did you come up with that? And can that work for everyone?

  Travis  34:11

Absolutely. It can work for everybody in the way that I kind of started in the hole. Never go never quit was I was working out. I looked all skinny and sickly and their staff say Do you wanna take a break? And I said, I'm never gonna give up I'm never gonna quit. And you know when I say my wife on my side, my daughter being there helped me walk again. In my driving force. My parents my in laws. My father in law, I didn't really know him that well really, right. Like, we talked about the weather, a lot sports but lived near him or was nowhere near him. When I grew up. He moved in the hospital with me, we became really close friends now. I mean, we're best friends. We travel all over the nation together. But it's just it's ingrained in my head that you just keep pushing forward. You can't just let your situation that you're living in now the outcome of your life and let me just Like the military, I always strive for more promotions and higher rank and do better and things like that and the best time of my life. So, you know, I don't want to sit stagnant. You got to keep moving. And that's kind of how I got the slogan. And now I live by it because I know that there's no not one but two children that look up to me every day. And I need to make sure they know like, hey, look, if you fall down, you got to get back up and keep going forward.

  Jean  35:24

It's once again, amazing,

  Lita T  35:27

Hooah!

  Ron  35:30

Could you tell us a little bit more about the movie a soldier's story?

  Travis  35:34

Yeah. So this documentary was created because people in Texas saw my story on I think Fox News, one of the new stations, and they thought was pretty cool. And they realized quite early in our conversations to have go room to room and meet people like me and the people that came into the hospital, and they wanted to film and we decided, you know what, let's just go ahead and do a short documentary half hour long and then it turned into an hour long documentary and became a film that that was actually that was done and about seven days, maybe nine days of filming. Yeah, there's a lot of iPhone footage of that cotton edit from Kelsey phone, which was great. But they did reenact with some of the interviews and all that just like in nine days, so.

  Lita T  36:16

Oh, yeah, I was, that was a heart wrenching. A heart wrenching movie. We watched it just before we started the interview. We wanted to make sure that we were in the right frame of mind, and I don't know if that helped. Oh,

  Jean  36:29

yeah, it was all it was us in a box of tissue. Yeah, but there were a lot of smiles.

  Lita T  36:34

Yeah, yeah, I knew how it ended so that was the only reason I said it's got a good ending.

  Jean  36:38

Yeah,

  Lita T  36:39

it's gonna be a good movie.

  Jean  36:40

It's gonna work out it's gonna be okay.

  Lita T  36:42

Yeah,

  Travis  36:43

I know it kind of sad for the first half hour.

  Lita T  36:45

 Yeah, it was a it was a it was a rough beginning.

  Travis  36:49

And then now I actually unfortunate where we have, or I guess I have a book "AS Tough As They Come" It's a New York Times bestseller. I have a book out, and it might be made into an actual motion. picture, which is exciting, but can't count your chickens before they hatch. So we're playing it day by day and see how it goes.

  Lita T  37:07

Sure, sure. Can you tell our listeners about your family now? So you've got two children and how have you adapted to life together as and does this amputee getting away? I mean, are you just a husband and a dad?

  Travis  37:26

I mean there's two answers to that I guess it didn't patient or my disability or you want to call it it does give away something like my daughter's in soccer. I'd love to be in the backyard keep the ball around and running. But I did that for the first year when she was like five cheaper soccer but now I can't keep up so I kind of watch her you know, from the side but doesn't really get in my way. I get on the trampoline with my kid but I still do a backflip we get into the floor the lake and swim around so don't really hold me up and I still do daddy daughter dances and things like that 

  Lita T  37:59

oh that's sweet

  Travis  38:00

 My wife, you know, she's unsung hero of everything. She doesn't like the limelight as much. But, you know, she's one keeps us all together the glue that holds it and she's been phenomenal. You know, she's taking my side and helped me out like today before we left, I still need help put my legs on. So she had to put my legs on, she doesn't complain about that she just, It's just normal now. So like, when I wake up, you know, my legs go on in my pants or whatever. But it doesn't hold me back from being a father or a parent. You know, I'm the one that takes your gymnastics, and my son and I wrestle around. This is a lot of fun. So I guess we have the same family dynamic that we were always going to have. You know, I'm, you know, active with the kids and my wife and I still do things as a family. It's just different because I'm not able to do as much sports stuff as I'd like to because I used to be very athletic.

  Lita T  38:55

But at least you've been there. You know the tips. You know, you know what to tell you kids how to do it. You can train them, you can coach them, you can guide them, because you've already done it. And

  Travis  39:08

absolutely, give me excuses. I'm not sure that excuses will work with me, like, really, really fully

  Ron  39:19

add here and kind of in the same boat with you a little bit too old, so I can't keep up with my kid. But I've done it before I can talk with them. I can explain to them, but I certainly can't keep up with them. They're young. You know?

  Travis  39:33

You're doing better than me, Ron I mean, I fell apart at 25 you know, I got two feet in the grave now. 32 years old. There you go. 

  Jean  39:40

I don't know if that's quite true

  Ron  39:42

I finally heard that, finally caught it. Again, I know the humor in the community can be pretty pretty intense, huh?

  Jean  39:50

Yeah, you guys. Yeah. quite quite the comedian there.

  Lita T  39:53

I gotta close my mouth now,

  Jean  39:55

yeah. Okay.

  Ron  39:56

Yeah, hopefully we'll talk afterwards. There. You

  Jean  40:01

Do you have any tips hints and helpful advice for our listeners, or someone who's recently had an amputation or waiting to have one or their family members?

  Travis  40:10

For you, I don't just sit here with amputations. I'll tell you what I tell all the audiences I speak to. I travel with you know, all over the nation. The two things I leave won't get off stage since the two left crap where because, you know, I went from this athletic six foot three lift weights every day, big, stocky, strong guy to, you know, have no arms and legs, and everything. So the first thing I tell people is don't dwell in the past. I sit in hospital bed and close my eyes and hope we pray that this never happened. And think how I go back in time, how do I change this? And you know, it took what two three weeks then when I finally realized that it does me no good living in the past is never going to change anything. So instead of dwelling on it, I remember this 25 years I have arms and like they're phenomenal and I've had seven amazing times and then I also take it step further and tell people that you can't control your situation. But you can always control your attitude. So for me, my situation is I wake up every morning with no arms, no legs, right then that's how I am. But my attitude, I'm fortunate, my daughter, Chloe to run down with no, if I'm not already awake, I jumped my wheelchair, I throw my arm on, right, we go downstairs, and we have our breakfast. And then I'm able to go ahead and go about my day. So instead of letting my situation dictate how I feel, I just realized that hey, I'm so lucky to be here and so fortunate because I have a lot of guys that make it back home to their families, that I might as well have a great attitude about every day I get to be here because you know, they're no longer with us and their sacrifices so much bear in mind. And I think if you get by those two life life lessons that I've been, you know, that I've learned and I live by pretty, pretty positive, upbeat, average, you know, great day. Hi, everybody. Sorry about the great day

  Jean  41:59

Yeah.

  Lita T  42:00

 good attitude

  Jean  42:01

 is wonderful.

  Ron  42:03

Yeah, attitude is definitely a big factor. Travis, you do have quite the following of people. You want to give a plug for your book or your podcast?

  Jean  42:13

I can't believe you also have a podcast Wow.

  Travis  42:16

You know, I do but we're just getting it off the ground. We did a little a couple, you know, test episodes and pilots, but now we're going to go ahead and and change out the format to be great. And, you know, I'm really excited about that. So, yeah, if anybody gets bored and want to check it out, check out Travis mills.org. For otter Travis Mills needs and we'll just kind of go from there. Okay, there you go. That's, that's great. That's, that's that's wonderful. And we hope our listeners do check that out. We cannot thank you enough for joining our show today. It's been a pleasure having you on Yes, definitely. Yeah, absolutely appreciate you guys having me. I hope you guys have won frustrated day and excited to be a part of this. You know, this episode. Your phenomenal podcast here.

  Lita T  43:01

Thank you Travis for joining our show. And I hope others can find strength by listening to your story because that's the goal of our podcast.

  Jean  43:10

Yeah. And it's extremely inspiring,

  Lita T  43:12

 very

  Travis  43:14

Thanks so much, much appreciated.

  Lita T  43:15

You're welcome. If our listeners have any questions or comments related to today's show, they can contact us at podcast dx@yahoo.com do our website podcast dx calm and Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or Instagram.

  Jean  43:28

And if you have a moment to spare, please give us a review wherever you get your podcast. As always, keep in mind that this podcast is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with a any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment in before undertaking a new health care regime and never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you've heard on this podcast

  Lita T  43:49

till next week.

  Check out this episode!