#instead of 13-14 hours of driving away

[treesah]

Trying to find a decent place to live within a reasonable commute of Pentagon City and absolutely SCRUTINIZING every aspect of each potential elementary school’s GreatSchools.org profile. It’s really helped me eliminate a lot of areas outright. Like, I’m willing to be open-minded about schools. I never went to any school with a lower rating than 7/10 but given the right mix of not-completely-terrible test scores, improvement over time, and positive parent reviews, I’m entertaining possibly living in areas with schools that have 3/10 ratings.

But like. There are so many schools where the rich white and Asian kids are testing AT LEAST an entire standard deviation BELOW the state average and a modest townhouse is still renting for $4000/month. What the fuck is happening at these schools?? How are they not absolutely slamdunking the stereotypical “set it and forget it” successful student demographics??? Why the fuck does this mediocre townhouse with shitty schools cost $4000/month???? The rental market is out of control!

And don’t get me started on buying, which I’m not going to do. $650,000 minimum for any place that has a garage AND a yard, plus the current 7% interest rate… no thank you.

All these places are so isolated too. Like I walk five minutes away from my current house and there are three playgrounds, two parks, a forest preserve, and I can also go to the pharmacy, get three kinds of takeout, have a meal at the diner, buy groceries, and get my car tuned up. Meanwhile all these townhouses are like “We have SIDEWALKS and we’re NEAR a COUNTRY CLUB!!” because you can’t get anywhere worth going without driving at least 15 minutes to get there.

Anyway I used to think “I’d be happy living anywhere! Home is a mindset and what you make of it! People are basically the same anywhere you go since we’re all so atomized and mobile now!” but the more elementary school reviews and GreatSchools profiles I read and the more obviously-flipped townhouses I see, the more I wonder if I have actually become one of those Chicago people.

[snowysosturn]

Speeding Car - Matt Sturniolo Part 16

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15 Part 16 Part 17 Part 18 Part 19 Part 20 Part 21 Part 22 Part 23 Part 24 Part 25 Part 26 Part 27 Part 28 Part 29

Pairing : y/n x Matt Sturniolo

Summary : After six years with your boyfriend Alex, you start to mentally check out. At a UCLA party, Alex reconnects with his childhood friend Emily, who proposes a double date with her boyfriend Matt. Your attraction to Matt grows as he pays you the first real attention you've had in years, sparking a complicated emotional journey.

Warnings : MDNI, angst, fluffffffffffffffff (half proof read bc i hate proof reading)

The knock at the door startled me, pulling me from the endless loop of thoughts that had been swirling in my mind since I left work. I was expecting Jess to be here so when I opened the door and saw Matt standing there instead, my heart skipped a beat.

“Hey” he said, his voice soft but a little uncertain. “Sorry for just appearing... Are you free for the night?”

I blinked, taking in the sight of him. He looked good, too good, standing there with his hands shoved into the pockets of his jacket, a sheepish smile playing on his lips. I opened my mouth to reply, my mind racing. I debated whether or not to tell him Jess was coming over but something in Matt’s eyes made me hesitate. I felt the pull, the same pull that had been drawing me toward him more and more lately.

Before I could find the words, Matt spoke again, cutting through my indecision. “I have a bit of a surprise for you.”

A surprise? My curiosity piqued, I stood there in the doorway, torn between two decisions that suddenly felt monumental. Jess had been there for me, always a reliable friend, and I did want to talk to her about everything that had happened. But Matt.. he was becoming something more than just a friend, even if neither of us had admitted it yet.

Finally, I nodded, the decision made before I even realized it. “Yeah, I’m free.”

His smile widened, relief washing over his features. “Great. Grab your jacket, we’re going out.”

I did as he asked, grabbing my jacket and slipping it on. My nerves buzzed with anticipation as I followed him out of my apartment. I shot Jess a quick text to reschedule our hangout, telling her that something had come up.

The air between us crackled with an unspoken tension, a mixture of excitement and the unknown. Whatever this surprise was, it was clear that tonight was going to be different. Special, even.

As we walked to his car, I couldn’t help but glance at him out of the corner of my eye. He seemed more relaxed, almost like he was in his element. It made me wonder what he had planned, and why it was important enough for him to show up at my door unannounced.

Once we were in the car, Matt turned to me, his eyes sparkling with a hint of mischief. “I hope you’re ready for this.”

I laughed softly, feeling my earlier tension ease a bit. “You’re being really mysterious, you know that?”

He shrugged, grinning. “What can I say? I like keeping you on your toes.”

As he started the car and pulled away from my apartment, I realized that, for the first time in days, I wasn’t thinking about Alex, or Emily, or any of the drama that had been weighing me down. I was looking forward to whatever was coming next. I knew that as long as Matt was by my side, it was going to be something good.

"Can you tell me where you’re taking me?" I asked, curiosity getting the better of me as Matt navigated through the streets. I tried to catch a hint in his expression, but he just smirked, his eyes fixed on the road.

“Nope” he replied, his tone light and teasing. “My lips are sealed. You’ll just have to wait it out.”

I sighed dramatically. “Come on, at least give me a clue.”

Matt glanced over at me, his smile widening. “All I’ll say is we’ve got about an hour’s drive ahead of us.”

“An hour?!” I exclaimed, half surprised, half amused. “You’re seriously not going to tell me anything for an entire hour?”

He laughed, a deep, genuine sound that made my heart flutter. “I promise, it’ll be worth the wait. How about you jump on aux? It'll make the time pass quicker.”

I rolled my eyes playfully but reached for my phone, connecting it to his car’s Bluetooth. “Alright, but you better have good taste in music.”

Matt raised an eyebrow. “You’ll just have to find out.”

I scrolled through my playlists, trying to decide on the first song. “What about this one?” I asked, selecting Nightcrawler by Travis Scott. 

Matt nodded approvingly, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel. “This is a banger. I love this song.”

I grinned, feeling a bit of pride that he liked my pick. “Okay, your turn. What should I play next?”

“Ivy by Frank Ocean” he suggested, glancing over at me with a smile. “Such a beautiful song.”

“Oh my god I can't put into words how much I love Frank Ocean, the Blond album is an absolute masterpiece.” I say with enthusiasm. 

As Ivy started playing through the speakers. I leaned back in my seat, the melody wrapping around us as the city lights faded into the distance. “This is nice” I said softly, more to myself than to Matt.

“Yeah, it is.” he agreed, his voice equally soft. There was a comfortable silence between us for a moment, the kind that didn’t need to be filled with words.

After a few minutes, I decided to keep the vibe going and queued up The Spins by Mac Miller. As the familiar intro began to play, Matt shot me a glance. “You really do have good taste in music.”

“Right back at you.” I replied, feeling a little more at ease with each passing song. “This one’s a favorite of mine.”

We continued like that for the rest of the drive, going back and forth between our favorite songs. I played Somebody Else by The 1975, fully feeling all the emotions that come with it. There was silence as the song slowly faded out and Double CC’s by City Girls began to play.

“Woah, talk about a switch up.” Matt laughed.

“It’s called emotional whiplash, you keep me on my toes, I keep you on yours.” I laughed as I queued Unavailable by Davido to switch up the vibe yet again.

We fell into another comfortable silence as the song played, the car filled with the soft hum of the engine and the music weaving through the air.

“Do you ever share your playlists with anyone?” Matt asked, breaking the silence as the song faded out.

“Not really” I admitted. “I guess it feels a bit personal, you know? Like, these are the songs that make up my life’s soundtrack. I’ve a different playlist for every mood so I just like to keep them to myself.”

Matt nodded thoughtfully. “I get that. Music’s always been personal to me too. But I’m glad you’re sharing it with me.”

There was something in the way he said it, something that made my heart skip a beat. I glanced over at him, catching his eye for just a moment before looking away, my cheeks flushing slightly.

“Well, it’s only fair since you’re sharing yours too” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.

“True” he agreed, a small smile playing on his lips. “It’s nice though, it’s like a different way of getting to know someone.”

I nodded, unable to wipe the smile off my face. The rest of the drive continued in that easy rhythm - the music and our voices blending together as the miles passed by. I still had no idea where we were going, but with Matt beside me and the music flowing, it didn’t really matter. It felt like we could drive forever and I’d be content. 

An hour of bonding and laughter passed in what felt like mere minutes, the conversation being so effortless made me barely notice that the car was beginning to slow down. We pulled into an all too familiar parking lot, my heart skipped a beat when I saw the sign painted on the building infront of us.

LA Kings Valley Ice Centre.

"We're going skating?" I asked, my voice filled with a mix of surprise and excitement.

Matt turned to me with a proud smile, clearly pleased with himself. "I was serious when I said I wanted to learn how to spin."

A rush of nostalgia hit me, memories flooding back as I stared at the building. "This is where I used to go to skate school" I said, my voice soft with emotion. I couldn't believe Matt had brought me here, to a place that held so much meaning for me. "I can’t thank you enough for this."

Matt’s grin widened. "I really hope it’s not busy, we have loads of time though they usually close at 10" I added, glancing at the time of 7pm.

Matt’s confident reply caught me off guard. "We don’t have to worry about people being in here right now."

I shot him a confused look. "What makes you so sure?" I asked, genuinely curious.

He leaned in slightly, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "I've rented the place for the evening. It'll be just the two of us."

For a moment, I was speechless. The idea of having the entire rink to ourselves was more than I could have ever imagined. Knowing he’d gone out of his way to do this for me. My excitement bubbled over, and I threw my arms around him in a spontaneous hug. "Matt, this is incredible. Thank you so much."

He hugged me back, his arms warm and strong around me. "You’ve been through a lot lately, I just want to see you happy." he said softly, and I pulled back just enough to see the sincerity in his eyes.

We got out of the car and made our way to the entrance. The familiar scent of the ice rink hit me as soon as we stepped inside, bringing back memories of early morning practices and late night sessions where I’d lose myself in the rhythm of my skates. The rink was empty, just as Matt had promised, the ice pristine and waiting for us.

"I can't believe you did this" I said again, still in awe as I looked around the empty rink.

We laced our skates and stepped onto the rink, I fully expected Matt to be like Bambi on ice, wobbly and unsure, maybe even grabbing onto the railing for dear life. But to my surprise, he glided effortlessly beside me, his movements smooth and controlled.

“Wait, you can skate?” I asked, unable to hide the astonishment in my voice.

He smirked, the corners of his lips curving upward in a way that made my heart skip a beat. “I played hockey for years” he said, shrugging as if it were no big deal.

I blinked at him, processing this new piece of information. “Of course you did” I said with a laugh, shaking my head. “I should’ve known you’d be good at this.”

He shrugged, that smirk never leaving his face. “I didn’t want to intimidate you. But yeah, I can handle myself on the ice.”

I rolled my eyes playfully. “Is that so? Let’s see just how good you are then. First one to the other end of the rink wins.”

His eyes lit up with the challenge, a competitive edge flashing in them. “You’re on.” he said, bending his knees slightly, ready to push off.

We lined up at the bottom of the rink, side by side. I glanced over at him, and I couldn’t help but notice how effortlessly he looked on the ice. The way he held himself, confident but relaxed, was so attractive.

“Ready?” I asked, my voice tinged with excitement.

“Always” he shot back, and before I could count down, he took off.

“Ah that’s cheating!” I laughed, quickly following after him.

We raced down the rink, the cold air whipping past our faces. I pushed myself faster, my skates cutting smoothly across the ice. Matt was fast, but I was faster. Years of figure skating training kicking in as I caught up to him. Still, he wasn’t far behind, and the sound of his skates slicing through the ice kept me pushing.

We reached the end almost at the same time, but I managed to pull ahead by just a fraction of a second, touching the wall first. “You thouggght!” I declared, turning around to face him, slightly out of breath but grinning from ear to ear.

Matt skated up next to me, shaking his head with a laugh. “I let you win, you know.”

“Oh, sure you did” I teased, poking him playfully in the side. “Admit it, you didn’t think I’d be that fast.”

He chuckled, the sound deep and warm. “Okay, I’ll admit, you surprised me. But don’t get too cocky, I’m just getting started.”

We stood there, both of us catching our breath, the energy between us electric. It felt like we were the only two people in the world, the quiet buzz of the ice rink amplifying the moment. With that, we started skating side by side, our movements in sync as we circled the rink. It felt surreal to be out here with him, just the two of us on the empty ice, like a scene out of a movie. The cold air brushed against our cheeks, but the warmth between us made it feel like the coziest place in the world.

"Alright, show me that spin" Matt said after a while, a challenge in his voice.

"Okay, but don’t laugh if I fall" I teased, though my heart was already pounding with anticipation.

He nodded, listening intently, and I could see the determination in his eyes. He was focused, but there was also a softness there, an unspoken understanding between us that made my heart flutter. I stepped back a little to give myself space. Taking a deep breath, I pushed off and started to spin. At first, it felt like no time had passed since I last did this. My body remembered the movements, and soon, I was twirling gracefully across the ice. The feeling of spinning, the world blurring around me as I found my center, was exhilarating. When I finally slowed to a stop, I was breathless, not from lack of stamina but from the sheer joy of it.

I turned to Matt, expecting him to be watching with a mixture of amusement and curiosity. But the look on his face took me by surprise. He was staring at me with something that looked almost like awe, his eyes wide and his lips slightly parted.

"That was incredible" he said, his voice soft but full of admiration.

I felt my cheeks flush under his gaze, a warm glow spreading through me. "Thanks" I said, trying to sound casual but failing miserably.

Matt stepped closer, his hands still holding mine. "Show me again" he said, his voice low and earnest.

"Alright, let’s break it down" I said, skating back over to Matt after my little spin demonstration. He was still standing in the same spot, watching me with a mix of concentration and curiosity. “The key to a two foot spin is balance and control. It’s easier than it looks, I promise.”

He nodded, his expression serious now, fully focused on what I was about to teach him.

“First, we’re going to get into position” I explained, moving beside him. “Bend your knees slightly, and keep your feet shoulder width apart. You want to feel stable on the ice before you start spinning.”

Matt followed my instructions, adjusting his stance until he mirrored mine. I couldn’t help but notice how quickly he caught on, his natural athleticism evident even in something as delicate as figure skating.

“Good” I said, skating around to face him. “Now, when you’re ready, we’ll start by pushing off with one foot and then bringing the other one around. Keep your arms out for balance, and then slowly bring them in as you start to spin. It helps you pick up speed.”

I demonstrated the move again, this time more slowly so he could see each part in action. As I started to spin, I felt the familiar rush of the ice beneath my blades, the force pulling me slightly as I brought my arms in tighter. When I stopped, I looked up to see Matt watching me with an intense focus, like he was trying to memorize every move.

“Got it?” I asked, a little out of breath.

He nodded, taking a deep breath. “I think so. Let me try.”

I skated back a bit to give him space, watching as he took his position. He pushed off with one foot, a little hesitant at first, but then he brought the other foot around, and slowly, he started to spin.

At first, he wobbled slightly, his arms flailing out for balance. I couldn’t help but smile, remembering the countless times I’d done the same thing when I was first learning. But then, he found his center, his movements becoming more fluid. He brought his arms in, just as I had shown him, and he actually managed to complete a couple of full rotations before coming to a stop.

“Hey, not bad!” I cheered, skating over to him. “You’re a natural.”

Matt laughed, looking a little surprised at himself. “I wouldn’t go that far, but it’s not as hard as I thought. It actually feels kind of..freeing.”

“Exactly” I said, smiling at him. “Once you get the hang of it, it’s like you’re floating. The ice becomes an extension of you, and the rest just falls into place.”

He looked at me then, and I could see the admiration in his eyes. “You make it look so easy” he said softly. “It’s like you were born to do this.”

His words sent a warm flush through me. “Thanks” I replied, my voice a little quieter. “I guess it’s just something that’s always felt right to me.”

We stood there for a moment, the air between us charged with something unspoken. The way he was looking at me, like I was the only person in the world, made my heart race. It was like we were in our own little bubble, just the two of us on this vast sheet of ice.

“Wanna try again?” I asked, breaking the silence but not the connection between us.

“Yeah” he said, his voice low and steady. “Let’s do it.”

And so we did, spending the next hour going over the spin, perfecting it together. With each attempt, Matt improved, and with each laugh or smile we shared, I felt us growing closer. The rink, the ice, the entire world outside, it all faded away, leaving just the two of us, spinning together in our own little universe.

After a few more rounds of spins and playfulness, Matt skated over to where I was catching my breath. His expression was curious, almost challenging, as he asked, "So, what's the hardest skating move you've ever done?"

I paused, thinking back to my competitive days when I pushed myself to the limit. There were a few moves that had taken me months to perfect, but one stood out above the rest - the triple Axel.

"Probably the triple Axel." I replied, a bit of nostalgia creeping into my voice. "It’s one of the most difficult jumps in figure skating, where you take off from one foot, do three and a half rotations in the air, and then land on the opposite foot."

Matt’s eyes widened a bit, clearly impressed. “Three and a half rotations? That sounds intense.”

I nodded, feeling a little flutter in my stomach. I hadn’t attempted a triple Axel in a long time. It was a move that required speed, precision, and an immense amount of control. I wasn’t sure if I could still do it, but a part of me was itching to try, especially with Matt watching.

"Do you think you could still pull it off?" he asked, his tone playful but genuinely curious.

A smile tugged at the corners of my lips. “There’s only one way to find out.”

I skated a bit further down the rink, getting into position. My heart was pounding, not just from the physical demand, but from the challenge I was about to set for myself. I took a deep breath, focusing on the feel of the ice beneath my blades, the cold air against my skin, and the memory of how it felt to soar through the air.

Matt watched intently from a few feet away, his presence both comforting and encouraging. I bent my knees slightly, gathering speed as I glided across the ice. My mind cleared, and all I could think about was the move, the jump, the landing.

As I approached the take off point, I sprang into the air, my body twisting in a haze of motion. The rotations came naturally, muscle memory taking over as I completed the three and a half spins. The ice rushed up to meet me, and for a brief, heart stopping moment, I wondered if I’d land it.

And then, I felt it - my blade slicing into the ice as I landed, a little unsteady but upright, the move complete.

I came to a stop, breathless and exhilarated, a huge grin spreading across my face. I did it. It wasn’t perfect, but I’d somehow managed to land the triple Axel after all this time.

Matt skated over, his expression a mix of awe and excitement. “That was amazing!” he exclaimed, his eyes bright. “You just. Wow.”

I laughed, still buzzing from the adrenaline. “I can’t believe I actually did it. It’s been so long.”

He shook his head, clearly impressed. “You’re incredible, you know that? Watching you on the ice, it’s like you’re in your element. You make it look so easy.”

His words sent a warm flush through me, and I felt a connection between us deepen even further. I hadn’t felt this alive in so long, and sharing this moment with Matt made it all the more special.

"Thanks, Matt," I said softly, meeting his gaze. "It feels good to be back on the ice, and to have someone to share it with."

He smiled, that genuine, heart warming smile that made me melt. Anytime" he replied.

We stood there for a moment, just enjoying the quiet intimacy of the moment, the ice our only witness.

a/n: eeeeeee theyre so cute... just wait until next chapter is all im going to say

taglist : @muwapsturniolo @anitahunt @sturnfannn @jayde510 @chrissfavhoe @babyalliah-777 @v33angel @urmom69lol @willowrites @ribread03 @2muchofaslvt @sturnsaver @sleepysturniolo @jcsturniolo11 @jessie-essie @hoeforchrizz @mynbbys @sturniolopanini @mattsturnxoxo @delicatechrry @t77te @sturnsyaper69 @hotdismylife @maggot3647 @ivysturnss @noplaceissafeanymore @mattssgf @yourfavsturniologirl @maethem0nth @sillyponygrl @mattyblover07 @imjusthereforthesturniolosmut @dominicfikeenthusiast @mattsfavbigtitties @ncm9696 @chrisstvrns @schlutt4matty @chrissolos @ilusa @amelia-sturniolo3 @wonnieeluvvr

[ysmtttty]

Red Ferrari

Chapter 14

Summary: Azris AU, where Azriel is a mechanic and has his own service station. One day, Eris comes there because something is wrong with his car

AO3 link Chapter 13 Chapter 15

"Az, we’re going to the bar," Cassian declared firmly as Azriel was changing after his shift. "And before you say that you and your lawyer have plans tonight, I’ve already called him and told him you’re busy."

Azriel stopped and looked at him as if he were an idiot. "You did what?"

Cassian, who never once thought he’d done anything wrong, just shrugged, as if to say he thought it was the most logical thing and had no intention of apologizing. And yes, now Azriel had no excuse to get out of it.

"I need a group chat with him and Feyre," he joked. "You and Rhys never cross paths."

"Eris would block you and the chat in a second," Azriel said, certain that this wasn’t an exaggeration. He was surprised that Eris even picked up Cassian’s call in the first place. Sometimes, he forgot those two even had each other’s numbers.

"I’m sure he likes me," Cassian waved it off, and Azriel just scoffed. "I’m your best friend, how could he not like me?"

Azriel almost said that Eris doesn’t like people in general but decided not to shatter his friend’s delusions. Instead, he finished changing, buttoning up the last buttons on his shirt, and tried to convince himself that one night at the bar wouldn’t kill him.

"Is Rhys going?" he asked, wanting to confirm his suspicion. Cassian just nodded with a clear "yep," not seeing any problem. Well, this would be an interesting evening.

Realizing he truly had no excuse this time—Cassian had genuinely surprised him by calling Eris—Azriel resigned himself to his fate. Ten minutes later, they were speeding down the road toward the bar, with Rhysand supposedly waiting for them there.

"Where are we even going?" Azriel asked, noticing that the route didn’t lead to their usual spots. The area was more like the kind where Eris would drink with business partners, clients, or other big shots.

"No idea," Cassian shrugged. "Rhys picked the place. He just sent me the address, so I’m driving there. But yeah, I’m a bit shocked too."

"Do you think the bill for drinks will be deducted from our bonus?" Azriel quipped

"If that’s his plan, I’m quitting," Cassian laughed, turning right.

While Cassian drove, Azriel managed to text Eris.

"Traitor." Short and to the point, and well-deserved.

Eris read the message immediately. Three dots appeared, indicating he was typing, and Azriel could already imagine what his bastard would say.

"Haven’t heard you being out with friends in a while," Eris wrote instead of his expected sarcastic comment. "Besides, I’m swamped with this case. I’m staying at the office anyway."

Azriel frowned at the message. "That bad?"

He could picture Eris sighing and rubbing his eyes. "Luckily, the hearing is tomorrow, and it’ll all be over," Eris replied.

After finishing their exchange by telling Eris to call anytime if he needed, to which Eris responded that Azriel would likely be too drunk to talk coherently within the next hour, Azriel put his phone away.

Cassian, meanwhile, was shifting his gaze between the phone’s GPS and the road, trying not to accidentally crash into one of the many expensive cars around them. And there were plenty of those here.

After five minutes of missed turns and another five minutes of fighting for a parking spot—Cassian had almost parked when some jerk in a Porsche beat him to it, prompting him to get out and start a pointless argument, which Azriel managed to talk him out of—they finally arrived at their destination.

The bar turned out to be some kind of upscale place. It could be already told by the cars in the parking lot what kind of crowd was inside, and clearly, they didn’t quite fit in with this atmosphere. Azriel was the first to figure out where to go, and soon they found Rhysand, who greeted them with a smile.

"If this is our version of a work party, I’ll take my share in cash," Azriel joked.

"It’s not a work party," Rhysand shook his head, leading them to their table. "Just decided to try a new place."

Cassian whistled, looking at the menu, but Rhysand reassured them that tonight’s outing was on him and no, he wouldn’t deduct anything from their paychecks or bonuses. Besides, if it were a work event, they’d have to bring Amren along. Despite her age, she would definitely mess with the accounting if they didn’t invite her, just to spite Rhysand.

"But what’s the occasion for this unexpected generosity?" Cassian asked as they ordered the first round of shots.

Rhysand shrugged again. "Just in a good mood."

"The occasion is either Feyre agreed to marry you, or you finally sealed that deal with the parts company," Azriel snorted, glancing toward the bar where the waitress was preparing their order.

"Proposing is still at least six months away," Rhysand rolled his eyes, "and no, those Chinese bastards still aren’t agreeing to our prices. But, maybe you’ll like this news—the shitshow with Mor is finally over."

While Cassian didn’t fully grasp the magnitude of what Rhysand had just said, Azriel stared at him, trying to understand what exactly he meant by those words. Because according to Eris, their divorce wasn’t final until next week, so either something else had happened today that he didn’t know about, or Rhysand had suddenly taken up celebrating prematurely, which was never his habit.

"What do you mean?" Azriel asked, trying not to frown.

Rhysand, either now realizing the seriousness of the topic or just out of tact, adopted a more solemn expression. "Her father was arrested. Mor’s leaving for Europe next week. A win if you ask me."

"And what does her father have to do with this?" Azriel raised an eyebrow. He didn’t want this to be a test, but it was. As much as he wanted to trust Rhysand, he needed to compare his version with what he already knew, just to be sure.

"Keir’s a piece of trash, that’s what," Rhysand muttered with a hint of irritation. Cassian, who had been trying to follow the conversation but had given up, was now fully immersed in texting someone—most likely someone named Nesta Archeron—but Azriel didn’t blame him. The situation with Mor was a tangled mess. And both of them still weren’t too thrilled with her company.

"That’s not an answer to my question," Azriel pointed out as the waitress arrived with a tray of six shots, setting them down on the table. After clinking glasses with the others and downing his drink, Azriel glanced at Rhysand, who seemed to be quickly thinking of an excuse.

"Let’s talk about it later," Rhysand suggested instead.

Cassian distracted them both by insisting on another round of shots, and Azriel allowed himself to get sidetracked.

As they drank and laughed, the tension between him and Rhysand seemed to ease with each shot. Maybe it was the alcohol. Cassian, on the other hand, was enthusiastically recounting how he and Nesta were planning to take a short trip and that he needed some time off.

Rhysand told him that if Amren approved his vacation request, he could go wherever he wanted. Azriel laughed, knowing how hard it was to get time off from Amren. He was lucky that when he took his vacation, he didn’t care if he got fired or not. Cassian didn’t seem too intimidated by the condition, apparently thinking that he’d just ask Nesta to come with him to the workshop. With all due respect to the elderly, Nesta Archeron could win any battle of wills, even against the stubborn Amren.

"So, everything’s good with you two?" Azriel smiled, listening to another of Cassian’s stories about how he and Nesta had signed up for dance lessons together.

"Better than ever," Cassian grinned widely. "By the way, the Valkyries have a concert next weekend. You guys should come."

Seeing that Rhysand was reluctantly eyeing them, clearly about to come up with some excuse not to go, Cassian added, "Feyre’s going, by the way."

"Well, who am I to not support her favorite band," Rhysand forced a smile, and Azriel and Cassian laughed at him.

Cassian’s car keys suddenly jingled, indicating that the alarm had been triggered.

"Great," Cassian grumbled, getting up from his seat.

"Sit down, Rhys and I will check it out," Azriel stopped him with a gesture, taking the car fob from his hands. "You’re three shots ahead and can’t control your temper. We’ll deal with it if some rich jerk hit your car."

Cassian grumbled something after them as Azriel and Rhysand left. On their way out, Azriel bumped into someone coming toward him, but the person didn’t say anything in response to his apology and just walked on. Some people were just jerks.

They made it to the parking lot and looked around. Sure enough, some young guy was standing there, assessing a dent. The damage to Cassian’s car was minor, just a bit of paint would cover it up. Of course, that’s not what two experienced mechanics told the rich kid.

After getting enough compensation from him and giving him a business card to help fix his own car, Azriel and Rhysand shared a quiet laugh as they walked away.

"Poor guy,” Azriel chuckled. "Of course," Rhysand snorted, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and lighting one up.

"What about Keir?" Azriel asked, deciding that the “later” in “we’ll talk later” had finally arrived.

Rhysand took a long drag, exhaled the smoke, and looked at him with visible weariness and regret. "I can tell you’re not thrilled with me. Helping Mor, of all people."

"I never said that."

"You didn’t need to," Rhysand smiled sadly. "I know I messed things up. I honestly hoped it would all blow over easily, but then you started seeing Vanserra. And as much as I dislike that bastard, I saw that you were happy with him. Hell, Az, you were finally thinking about how to plan a date. When was the last time Cass and I saw you like that?"

Azriel snorted, refusing to answer. Maybe things with Eris were more serious from the start than he had thought.

"And that's why you didn’t tell me about him and Mor, I’ve heard this already," he said, trying to speak without his previous irritation over the situation.

"I couldn’t abandon Mor, and I didn’t want to ruin your life because of my wretched family," Rhysand sighed, taking another drag.

"Why Mor?" Azriel asked bluntly. "Is the family bond really that strong?"

"Her father is a dangerous man, you probably know that yourself. Keir… found ways to persuade me to help his daughter. Initially, the goal was to prevent them from divorcing at all, but later, he just wanted to extract as much money as possible. Mor would have received only a small part, while her father would have paid off his debts."

"Mor doesn’t know about this, I assume?"

Rhysand shook his head. "I didn’t know what to do, Az."

"You could’ve told us, Rhys," Azriel raised his gaze, meeting Rhysand's genuinely confused eyes. "You have me, Cassian. We would’ve figured something out. You don’t always have to play the martyr."

"It was supposed to stay a family matter, something I didn’t want to drag you or Cassian into," Rhysand paused, stubbed out his cigarette on the wall, and tossed it into a nearby trash bin. "But now it’s over, Keir’s been arrested, and from what I hear, he’s facing a long sentence. Even his connections probably won’t help."

Azriel didn’t mention who was handling Keir's case. "And you and Mor aren’t dependent on him anymore," he said instead.

Rhysand finally smiled, relaxing as he nodded. "The old bastard’s getting what he deserves. Mor will get her money and leave, and I doubt she’ll ever decide to return. I’m sure Vanserra’s happy to know that too."

Azriel remained silent, unsure of what to say, but nodded. "Let’s go inside. Cass is probably freaking out about what happened to his car by now."

***

Eris visited the detention center once again, intending to make this his last trip. Not in some sinister, murderous way, but because he was tired and wouldn’t return before the trial.

With each visit, Keir looked worse. Perhaps Eris should’ve felt a little sympathy, but... nothing. No sympathy for this man, only the genuine amusement of seeing a once-powerful businessman getting used to life behind bars.

"Let’s try this again," Eris said, clasping his hands together. "Your alibi?"

Keir glared at him, ready to say for the third time that he couldn’t discuss his alibi. Whatever it was, it was likely either illegal, something he didn’t want to trust Eris with, or personal, but equally incriminating.

"Holding back information from your lawyer isn’t the best idea," Eris remarked dryly, looking at Keir with indifference. Just a few more days, and it would all be over, at least with him. Morrigan was about to divorce him, and Beron was supposed to return to his hometown. Everything seemed both too simple and desirable.

"An alibi won’t help," Keir said darkly instead of giving a real answer. So, illegal activity.

Rather than pushing further, Eris switched to another topic, flipping through the papers provided by the police. The file was now filled with various documents, from autopsy results to details about the jurors who would be present in court.

"Why am I getting information that you were at the victim’s house the day before the murder?" Eris raised an eyebrow.

"Me and Liam had something to discuss," Keir replied evasively. Better than nothing, but still not enough.

"And you were supposed to continue the conversation the next day," Eris finished for him. "His assistant mentioned that Liam had a meeting scheduled with you."

"It was a personal meeting."

"Personal enough for you to kill him?"

"We signed a contract that you would help me," Keir nearly growled. "So stop accusing me of something I didn’t do."

Eris, knowing that Keir was innocent, was just doing it to be petty. The poor guy had nowhere to go anyway, but until Eris’s tech team confirmed that all compromising material had been truly destroyed, Keir was still his problem. What better way to take revenge on his dear father-in-law for all the crap he had pulled over the years, especially in the last few months?

"We did, but that doesn’t mean I fully believe you," Eris smirked, pushing him even further, enjoying the pulsing vein on Keir’s forehead from frustration and helplessness. "Nevertheless, I’m doing everything to help you. All we need to do is convince the judge and jury that the police evidence isn’t strong enough to make any accusations."

"Or give them another scapegoat," Keir muttered thoughtfully. Eris didn’t bother telling him that, in this case, he was the scapegoat, letting Keir believe he had come up with a brilliant idea.

"You want to frame someone?" Eris asked dryly.

"I could find a suitable bum quickly if they let me make a call," the gears in Keir’s mind were visibly turning. Eris watched with amusement. "But they won’t allow me, so you’ll have to make the call."

Eris wasn’t surprised by the commanding tone, though a simple "please" would’ve been appropriate. Not that he particularly wanted to hear it, but still.

"Don’t act like you still need convincing," Keir grumbled, seeing Eris's reluctance to follow his plan. "Failure in this case will hurt your career, boy, you know that yourself. And with our contract, you can’t escape far, so let’s not pretend that pulling a few strings is beneath your principles."

"In this case, I have no principles," Eris smirked.

***

"You can’t just bail him out!" That painfully familiar, nasty female voice greeted him the moment Eris walked into his office. Mor was pacing in circles, glaring at him with a gaze as sharp as a knife.

"And good evening to you," he smirked crookedly, taking off his coat and hanging it on a hook. Mor was still pacing, clearly about to wear a hole in the carpet. "I thought you left the city."

"I did!" she confirmed indignantly and finally stopped, looking at him. Eris suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. "And I came back to finish the last bit of business. Besides, our divorce is coming soon, and I need my money."

"Which I’ll give you after I see that you’re officially no longer connected to me."

"And that’s why you can’t release my father," she said.

Eris quietly snorted at her certainty that her opinion mattered at all to him. He calmly walked to his safe, storing away the necessary files before locking it up, just in case Mor got the bright idea to break in and steal documents. Knowing her, he suspected such a dumb idea might cross her mind.

Mor crossed her arms and watched his every move. She looked anxious. Beneath her irritating, commanding nature, there was desperation, which Eris could see all too clearly. In terms of terrible fathers, they understood each other well enough, if that understanding could mean anything.

He understood how important it was for Mor that Keir remained behind bars and couldn’t interfere with her semi-romantic escape to Paris or wherever else she planned to go. But helping her now with empty promises wasn’t something he could do, nor should he have to.

"Postpone the hearing, at least for a week," she almost pleaded. Eris sighed, sitting down in his chair and looking at her. "We’re divorcing, I’m taking my money and leaving. You’ll never see me again, and I’ll never ruin your life."

"It’s funny you think you could’ve ruined my life," Eris smiled sardonically, crossing his legs. "You’re too late, Morrigan. The hearing is tomorrow, and it can’t be postponed," he held up a hand before she could protest, "I’m not pulling any strings for you. You don’t evoke any sympathy from me; quite the opposite, I have every reason to ignore your needs entirely and leave you without any money if I choose. Don’t think that what you’re getting comes from any sympathy for your situation, it’s simple human decency. And as much as I don’t believe it myself, you are human."

He paused, letting his words sink into Mor’s mind. He could see it in her darting eyes, actively trying to come up with something to say or do, calculating a new plan on how to act.

"My father could have killed that man," she said quietly. "Even if it wasn’t him, how many others died because of him?"

"If this is an appeal to my conscience, I’ve defended people worse than your father."

"Then to hatred, you don’t love him any more than I do."

"Your desperation is understandable, but I don’t care," Eris cut her off, watching as she pressed her lips into a thin line and clenched her jaw. Her long nails dug into her palms as she balled her hands into fists, and he simply nodded towards the door, indicating that their meeting was over. Otherwise, he’d have to call security, but either Morrigan found her reason or it was her pride because she left the room, leaving him alone.

Soon after came a message from Azriel calling him a traitor, and Eris smiled. He truly smiled, because in this endless day of madness, something normal had finally appeared. Someone worth enduring another day for.

As he had written to Azriel, Eris stayed the night at the office. He hadn’t spent money on a good fold-out bed for nothing, even though he didn’t use it often. In the morning, he stopped by his penthouse for another suit and took a shower before heading straight to court.

Keir was waiting there, handcuffed but surprisingly neat in appearance. Eris gestured for the officer to leave them alone for a while. After the officer left, Eris glanced at Keir.

"You have half an hour to hold up your end of the deal," he reminded him.

Keir only grimaced and nodded. "I instructed my people to delete all the files."

"And I’m supposed to take your word for it?" Eris scoffed.

"How do you suggest I prove I have nothing left?" Keir snapped indignantly.

Eris was about to reply when a message from the tech team came through, confirming that they had checked and all materials were successfully deleted, including from several backup servers and storage units.

"Luckily for you, there’s no need to prove anything," he said. "I think it’s time to introduce you to your lawyer."

Keir’s expression was indescribable. A man entered the room, and Eris handed him a briefcase full of papers. Keir’s face turned pale, and Eris could bet his blood froze in his veins.

"You–!"

"Before we start throwing around accusations about who screwed whom over," Eris smirked, "it’s worth asking: did you really think we could legally certify a contract on illegal activity? And even if so, I did my part. We never specified the duration of my work or my exact role. As a lawyer? I failed. But as an administrative assistant to Adrian, I helped as much as I could."

Patting Adrian��or maybe Andrew, Eris didn’t remember—on the shoulder, he walked out, leaving Keir shouting after him, calling him a bastard and all other sorts of names and threats.

Everything went just as he had promised Keir—without principles or morals, he just didn’t specify for whom those morals would be lacking.

After leaving the courthouse, Eris dialed his father’s number, informing him that he had dealt with Keir. Eris didn’t intend to go into details about what should happen next, but knowing his father, he understood that Beron wouldn’t stop at just what Eris had done.

And he was right because, three days later, Keir was killed in a "prison brawl." But that was no longer his problem.

***

Eris thought divorce would feel different. Maybe a sense of lightness, the absence of chains. But here they were, he and Morrigan, leaving the court after their long-awaited divorce, and he felt nothing. Except for the realization that he was about to lose a few more million dollars.

Despite his dislike for Morrigan’s company, Eris opened the car door for her to get in and then took the driver’s seat himself.

"Remind me why you couldn’t just bring the case with the money with you?" Morrigan asked sarcastically.

Eris adjusted the rearview mirror, turned the key in the ignition, and started the engine, glancing at her with a crooked smile.

"Probably because I don’t usually walk around the city with that kind of money," he replied just as sarcastically. "Or maybe I’m just scamming you."

Morrigan pressed her lips into a thin line, and Eris was glad for the ensuing silence in which they drove to his penthouse. He had no intention of cheating her out of the money. As it turned out, her bastard father left her almost nothing—except for debts from casinos, which quickly drove Morrigan’s family out of the city, leaving her alone.

With a family like that, who needs enemies, Eris thought. Out of safety concerns, he paid off a few of the more dangerous debts, knowing that Morrigan’s cousin would be at the top of their hit list. And despite his disdain for that smug idiot, Eris didn’t want Azriel attending funerals because of it.

Once they reached his penthouse and took the elevator up, Eris unlocked the door and let Morrigan inside. She settled on the couch while he opened the safe and pulled out the pre-prepared case.

"I assume you’re not staying for your father’s funeral?" he asked, handing her the case. Morrigan took it and scoffed, wrinkling her nose at the very thought of staying one more day.

"And make myself a target for collectors? No, thanks," she said, opening the case and counting the stacks of money. "You lied to me back then when I was begging you not to bail him out, didn’t you?"

Eris crossed his arms, watching as Morrigan methodically counted her money.

"I couldn’t take the risk of you knowing what my plan was," he said dryly. "Have you picked your destination?"

"I can’t risk telling you, but yes," she smiled, snapping the case shut. "I’m sure Emerie will like it."

"Don’t blow this money," he said sarcastically.

Morrigan rolled her eyes. "I solemnly swear not to blow Eris Vanserra’s money on drugs. Besides, with the move and job search, I doubt Em and I will have time for that."

Eris couldn’t help but notice that even through her disdain for him, there was joy in Morrigan’s voice. And damn him for the fact that, for the first time in a long time, it reminded him of the Morrigan who two years ago could share drinks with him in the evenings, and they were something like friends. The Morrigan who had once been a frightened girl in a messed-up world. Not the woman who tried to take his apartment, his car, and threatened to turn Azriel over to Beron.

"Then goodbye," he said simply.

Morrigan looked up at him, her gaze full of everything—from disdain and old anger to a certain regret. Or maybe he was just sleep-deprived and imagining things.

"Goodbye," she said, rising back onto her heels, and with the characteristic click of her shoes, she left his apartment, leaving Eris in silence.

Immediately after, his phone rang. Azriel called, just as Eris had expected, and he smiled at his name flashing on the screen.

"How does it feel to be divorced?" Azriel joked.

"I think that’s worth celebrating." Eris chuckled softly.

"Oh, how convenient that I’m already on my way to your place with food."

"And how convenient that I’ve already sent the housekeeper home and am about to find us some drinks for the evening."

"Very convenient," Azriel replied with amusement and hung up, appearing at his doorstep ten minutes later.

Greeting him with a kiss and setting the bags of Chinese food on the table, Azriel found glasses in his kitchen while Eris took out a bottle of wine from his collection. Now he felt all the benefits of divorce.

As they sat at the table and Eris diligently guarded his potstickers, which Azriel occasionally tried to steal from his plate, Azriel carelessly ate dumplings and talked about work in the workshop, mentioning which parts contracts should be renegotiated and which clients could be unbearable.

"I hope you told your... friend to skip the invitation to the funerals," Eris said, pausing before the word "friend," still not fully wanting to believe that jerk was Azriel’s best friend. Even if Azriel seemed much happier since Rhysand had finally explained things and now they were more open to reconnecting.

"Rhys isn’t an idiot," Azriel replied.

"Sure," Eris responded skeptically, earning a kick under the table. "I’m just worried about your boss. Who knows whose hands your little business will fall into if he kicks the bucket."

"Let’s not talk about the hypothetical death of my best friend on a night we’re supposed to be celebrating."

"Yes, less talk about the pleasant hypothetical things," Eris nodded, receiving another softer kick.

Azriel stole one of his potstickers, taking advantage of the moment, and Eris only rolled his eyes and placed two more on his plate. "Idiot, we could have just ordered more."

"It was more fun that way," Azriel responded with a glint in his eyes and a smirk, and Eris just kissed him, unable to resist the desire and not even pretending to be irritated.

That same week, Eris found himself driving up to the bar where he and Azriel had their second date. Not that he really liked the place. The date? It had gone great. The place itself? They could have picked better.

"Remind me why I agreed to this?" he huffed while Azriel drove his car, trying to find a parking spot.

"Because you're a good boyfriend?" Azriel teased. Eris rolled his eyes. "Or maybe because I'm persuasive."

"More like you convince me when I'm most vulnerable."

"I didn’t ask during sex."

"Of course, sex is your first thought."

"Try moving your hand off my thigh, and maybe I could think about something else."

They grumbled at each other for a few more minutes while Azriel parked the car, but eventually, they headed toward the bar. Eris tried not to wrinkle his nose at everything. The first time they had come here, he just wanted them to become a thing, but now, he didn’t need to worry about that anymore. So, his snobbish nature wasn’t going to stay hidden.

"It’s not that bad," Azriel smirked, nudging him in the ribs.

"I’ll pretend I’m fine with it and just take you to a charity gala next time," Eris grinned sarcastically, knowing that social events weren’t something Azriel found appealing.

They walked to their table, where Cassian and Rhysand were already seated. Nesta was standing over the table, chatting with Cassian, and her sharp features didn’t seem as harsh. Eris suspected it was because of that brainless mechanic, who for some reason, seemed charming to Nesta, the sister he thought was the most rational out of the Archeron siblings.

If you asked Eris, nothing was charming about Cassian, but the softness in Nesta's eyes was undeniable. He wondered if the same was happening to him, and how noticeable it was to others.

"Hey, buddy," Cassian greeted him warmly, catching him in a bear hug before Eris could dodge it.

"Hey," he replied, noticing out of the corner of his eye that Azriel was barely holding back his laughter.

Nesta greeted him as well, and he exchanged dry nods with Rhysand, though no one paid much attention to the tension. Azriel went off to fetch Gwyn, who had been eager to meet Eris in person, and Nesta and Cassian excused themselves too, claiming they were going to check the microphone on stage—which Eris seriously doubted was their true intention.

So, he was left sitting at the table with the smug jerk. Wonderful.

"You’re welcome, by the way," Eris said, pulling his phone from his jacket pocket, pretending to be indifferent.

"For what?" Rhysand asked.

"For fixing your problem with Keir."

"Then you know I have nothing personal against you."

Eris narrowed his eyes, studying Rhysand’s slippery nature. "I’ll need more proof of that. But for now, I’ll tolerate you. Only for Azriel’s sake."

"To Azriel, then," Rhysand smirked dryly, raising his glass. Eris didn’t argue and drank as well.

After that, both of them sat on their phones, not even bothering to pretend they enjoyed each other’s company. Thankfully, Azriel soon returned with Gwyn, who first looked Eris over and then smiled.

"Cool suit," she said.

"Cool guitar," he replied, nodding at the instrument slung over her shoulder.

"I like him," Gwyn said to Azriel with a grin, patting him on the shoulder. "I have to run, but we’ll chat later, pretty boys!"

She dashed toward the stage, and Azriel wished her good luck before sitting back down next to Eris. Rhysand finally put down his phone when Cassian returned, and the tension between him and Eris became almost unnoticeable.

A little later, Feyre joined them, with Rhysand going to greet her. Eris might have been surprised that the Archeron sisters hadn’t brought Elain along, but he knew Lucien had planned some weekend trip for the two of them. Judging by the amount of money Eris had lent him, they were definitely not at a cheap bar right now.

"Nice to meet you, Eris," Feyre smiled after introducing herself. Eris had only seen the youngest Archeron sister once in passing, but apparently, they hadn’t officially met.

"Likewise," he smiled back, deliberately holding her hand in the handshake a little longer, just to annoy Rhysand, who was glaring at him the entire time his precious girlfriend spoke to Eris.

Azriel chuckled softly at that, throwing an arm over Eris’s shoulder as he sat back down beside him. The five of them sat for a while, just talking. Mostly it was Feyre and Cassian keeping the conversation going, trying to engage everyone. It was a bit awkward at times, but the rest appreciated their efforts.

Eris wanted to ask if Nesta and Gwyn had found a new drummer, but he didn’t get the chance because the Valkyries took the stage in their full, unchanged lineup. He noticed that both Azriel and Rhysand were looking at the stage in surprise—there, behind the drum set, was Emerie.

"Do you think…?" Azriel leaned in to whisper in his ear, but Eris shook his head.

"She’s gone," he said. He had his people make sure of it, and Mor had indeed left the city last night. It was highly unlikely that Emerie had stayed another day just for the concert.

Azriel only nodded, squeezing his hand. Eris, however, tried to control his mind, reminding himself who Morrigan was and how much damage she had caused in his life. Yet, a foolishly sentimental part of him still felt a pang of sympathy.

Those thoughts quickly faded, though, as Cassian cheered for his girlfriend, loudly singing along as if he had the microphone, not Nesta.

"Is he always like this?" Eris grimaced, whispering to Azriel, who just laughed.

"You’d sing along for me too," he smiled.

"Would I? Please, I’d never embarrass myself like that," Eris scoffed.

Azriel only stole a kiss from his lips. "Maybe not as loudly, but we both know I’m right."

tag list: @sizzlingstarlightsky @isnotwhatyourethinking @molcat07 @chairofchaos @lilah-asteria @acourtofbatboydreams

[celestiaonlyknows]

Kinktober Day 14: Alhaitham- Orgasm Denial

R18+ Minors Do Not Interact

Read on Ao3. <- Day 13 Day 15 ->

It’s been a week at this point since Alhaithem had let you come and it was actually starting to drive you insane. You would be the first to admit that making yourself come without him was probably one of your more bratty moments, but you didn’t think he was going to do this! It was just cruel. 

“I’ll let you come again when I finish the book I borrowed, since you had been so impatient last time maybe an end goal will keep your mind more focused on where it should be,” he had said coldly the first time he pulled his fingers from you–leaving you just on the edge of complete bliss. You were panting and a complete mess in your shared bed, but you hadn’t thought much of it at the time. After all, Alhaitham can finish a book in a few hours. You could wait that long. 

You should have known better than to assume there wouldn’t be some sort of catch with him. 

After his words, Alhaitham had started only reading one chapter a day of the book. It was beginning to drive you insane. He would come home and pull you to bed, skillfully and efficiently bringing you just to the brink with his fingers or his tongue before pulling back and walking away again. Always with the same response of “You’ll get to come when I finish the book I borrowed.” Then he would go and read a chapter before putting the book down and reading something else instead. 

It was infuriating. Worse, one day you had thought he actually finished the book as he fucked you properly, only for him to pull out and finish himself–leaving you denied once again. Hot and flushed with both your previous activity as well as embarrassment he dressed to walk away. 

“That’s so not fair,” you pouted childishly as you pulled the sheets around you–tears threatening to overflow from anticipation as well as heightened emotions from this abnormally long scene. “How much longer are you going to punish me? Please I promise I won't make myself come without permission again. Just please, I don't know how much longer I can take this!” 

“Are you using your safeword?” Alhaitham checked in then and you shook your head. You were frustrated sure, but you didn’t feel like it was out of control or that you couldn’t handle it. He simply smirks then and raises an eyebrow. “Then this will continue until I finish the book I borrowed.” 

You sit in the bedroom in silent protest for a moment while you let yourself cool down. A small part of you debated finishing the job yourself before deciding against it. If he pulled this stunt from just one random moment of pleasure, you could only imagine how much worse it would be if you broke your punishment now. 

An hour later, you hear the book snap closed. You don’t think anything of it, after all, he was just likely putting the book down to start a different book. It isn’t until he comes back in with a casual look on his face and the book completely closed that you sit up in excitement. 

“Now, let's see if you really learned your lesson,” he says before taking off his shirt to pick up where the two of you left off.

[amiserableseriesofevents]

Wherever you find love (it feels like Christmas)

24 Clegan Christmas drabbles for 24 days!

Prompt from here (but randomized)

[Day 1] [Day 2] [Day 3] [Day 4] [Day 5] [Day 6] [Day 7] [Day 8] [Day 9] [Day 10] [Day 11] [Day 12] [Day 13] [Day 14]

[Read on AO3]

Day 15: Snowman

Post-war AU, wc 1149

It’s been snowing for days, a thick white layer covering the streets and making it absolutely impossible to drive no matter how often the plowers tried to clean, so Gale’s been forced to do his work from home instead of the University.

It’s not something he’s mad about, to be honest: he can wake up a little later and enjoy his breakfast in total relaxation, reading the newspaper and eating something more than just toasted bread. He can forgo his usual business clothes and just wear wool pants and warm sweaters, possibly John’s so the sleeves cover his hands for an extra dose of coziness, and sit in his little office all day without having to face the icy slaps of wind or the wetness of the snow. It’s perfectly peaceful — most of the time.

Until it isn’t.

“Buck! Buck!”

Gale barely has the time to sigh in defeat before John bursts running in the room with an excited smile on his face. “It stopped snowing!” He exclaims pointing out the window; Gale didn’t notice, but the flurry of soft flakes has indeed stopped.

“Let’s go out! Take a walk, make some snow angels, let’s do something!” John continues, pleading with what Gale could only describe as his best puppy eyes. He knows it’s been hard for John to stay inside for days, he doesn’t fare well in captivity as they’ve discovered during the war; this time they were safe, together without the fear of being discovered and killed, and they spent most of their time just existing in the same room, Gale studying and John reading, or cuddling, or dozing off in their bed after some good old “lovemaking to warm up” as John calls it, but he should have known John’s itchiness to go out would come back the exact moment the weather got better.

“I have to finish this,” Gale says apologetic. “Can you wait like an hour?”

“But what if it picks up again? It’s not done yet, the sky’s still snow colored,” John protests. “C’mon Buck, just a little walk, a few miles down the road!” He adds stepping closer until he’s crowding Gale against the backrest of his chair. “And then if you get really, really cold I can warm you up again,” he says with a knowing grin.

Usually this would be enough for Gale to cave, he does love being warmed up by John’s body that seemingly never runs out of heat not even when he’s been walking in the snow. But he really, really has to finish this project today or things will start to pile up and he’ll have to spend Christmas Day buried in his office. So he reluctantly moves his chair back to put some distance between John and himself. “I’m sorry, I have to finish this. I promise you it won’t take me more than one hour and if when I’m done it’s snowing again, I’ll make it up to you the way you like,” he says, softly squeezing John’s arms — the sweater he’s wearing is particularly soft, Gale makes a mental note to steal it from him as soon as possible.

“But what am I supposed to do in the meantime?” John insists, his large hand coming to cover Gale’s on his arm. “I’m bored, Buck! So bored!” He says leaning closer again, until the tip of his nose can almost touch Gale’s. He’s using all his ammunition and it really breaks Gale’s heart that he has to say no, but after a small moment of hesitation he pulls back again.

“Clean our driveway?” He tries: it’s fresh air and physical labor, something John likes. A bit useless, if it starts snowing again as he’s forecasting, but Gale thinks it’s a good compromise.

John huffs in disappointment, pulling back. “Fine, I’ll clean the driveway. But if the sky stays clear, in one hour I’m gonna barge back in here and carry you outside by force. Deal?”

“Don't count on it,” Gale answers with a smile, then sends John away with a flick of his hand. The other huffs and stomps away, leaving the door to Gale’s door ajar just to mess with him.

Focusing back on his work Gale hears him walk around the house for a while, probably putting on his winter gear, then the front door closes and he can feel peace returning to the house for a while. John gets back inside a few times but he never goes to bother Gale, which he’s grateful for.

Until a sudden thud to his office’s window startles him, almost making him draw a line across the paper he’s been writing. He turns to the window and sees John on the other side, all red in the face and smiling full of childlike wonder; he gestures for Gale to come out, no matter how many times Gale shakes his head and points back to his papers.

“I have to finish here!”

“Just a minute!” John’s answer comes muffled by the glass but he doesn’t seem intent on letting go so with a sigh Gale stands up and exits the office. He retrieves his winter jacket and boots and steps out, regretting it immediately when an icy gust of wind sneaks inside the jacket from his bare neck — where is his fucking scarf when he needs it?

John is standing in the corner of their front yard, hiding something behind his tall frame. He gestures for Gale to come closer but he shakes his head.

“I’m not gonna walk into the snow with these pants, John!” He says. The yard and driveway are still completely covered in snow, which makes him wonder what John has been doing.

Not deterred by Gale’s lack of enthusiasm — not that he ever is — John steps to the side and proudly presents him his creation: a snowman, tall and lumpy, with a crooked carrot for its nose and what looks like buttons for eyes, and a mop of golden tinsel on his head Gale supposes should be its hair. “Who’s that?” He asks, even if he thinks he already knows the answer.

John’s grin widens. “Why, that’s my new best friend Buck! I told him, you know you look just like an old pal of mine from the war, one who used to be fun and now just sits in his office all the time leaving me here all alone and bored,” he says, a hand clutching his heart for he dramatics.

“Oh so that’s your normal pickup line, I guess,” Gale shoots back. “Silly me, thinking what we had was special…”

John starts laughing at that, and Gale can’t help but chuckle as well in response. Until he takes a better look at Buck the snowman and clocks what’s wrapped about his snowman neck — his wet and cold snowman neck.

He gasps in sudden outrage. “Is that my fucking scarf?!”

[thepromptswhisperer]

Bad Date Prompts

1. “I’m not even looking for great anymore. I just want someone decent.”

2. A and B go home (together)/say goodbye to one another after a bad date.

3. A and B go on a date together despite having had an awful argument just hours earlier/etc. (e.g. The tickets to a concert would have gone to waste otherwise.)

4. A is on a date when they run into their ex/crush B (who is on a date as well).

5. “I’m proud of you for putting yourself out there again. Even if—"

6. A meets up with/calls friend B after having been a bad date.

7. A and B’s date takes a turn (for the worse) when A hurts themselves/has an allergic reaction to something/etc.

8. A and B’s date went badly. Luckily, it has come to an end and they can part ways. Right? (e.g. On their way down from the restaurant, the elevator gets stuck.)

9. A and B have been busy lately, their relationship suffering because of it. A date is supposed to bring them back together, but things don’t go according to plan.

10. “This is going badly, isn’t it?”

11. A notices that something is weighing on B’s mind during their date. The latter, however, does not want to talk about it (as to not ruin the date).

12. “I want to apologize for the way my date’s behavior earlier.”

13. A and B alternate making plans for their dates. A always puts a lot of effort and thought into it, and is disappointed when they notice that B isn’t doing the same.

14. “Oh, I wouldn’t know. Never been on a bad date (before).”

15. A sets friend B up for a blind date. When it goes badly, the latter blames it on A.

16. A asks their friend B to fake an emergency so they can leave the date earlier. (The emergency turns out to be very real.)

17. “Dating is freaking exhausting.”

18. A and B are on a date when they get confronted with a topic that has led to arguments between them before/etc. (e.g. a marriage proposal at the neighboring table)

19. “How come every date I go on is plain awful?” “You just haven’t found the right person yet. (Or maybe you have, and they are currently sitting right across from you, waiting for you to finally realize it.)”

20. A date drives A and B (even further) apart/etc.

21. Friends A and B are on a double date. It is not going well. (e.g. their dates are exes)

22. A and B are on a date when they run into B’s family/ex/etc. (A is not ready to meet them (just yet).)

23. “Sorry, that was… Do you think we could have a do-over?”

24. A and B swap stories about their worst dates.

25. A and B have been getting closer. Yet, when they are on a/another date, A notices that B is pulling away from them.

26. A had a few bad dates lately. So, before going on another one, they question if it is/will be worth it (to get excited and ready. To put themselves out there).

27. When A’s date doesn’t show up, friend B, who is in the neighborhood, decides to join them instead/etc. 

28. A thinks the date is going well – until their date states that it isn’t/etc.

29. “You need to stop comparing everyone to B.”

30. A’s date is going badly, and they try to build up the courage to cut it short.

31. A and B enjoy their date – until another couple/etc. nearby starts a loud argument.

32. A and B see/run into each other again after having been on a bad date together.

33. A notices that stranger B is uncomfortable on what they’ve learned is a first date. (So, they strike up a conversation with them to make them feel better/get them out of their current situation/etc.)

34. A sets friend B up for a blind date with someone the latter has a complicated relationship with/etc.

35. “Is it me? Am I doing something wrong?”

36. A and B’s date is going badly until something happens/A makes a comment that lightens the mood instantly.

[paperanddice]

Dream Eater

Pathfinder 2e

I actually decided to shift the dream eater from a generic fiend into a daemon within Pathfinder. This necessitates some changes to the fluff for it, but not all that much in the end.

Esperodaemons are creatures that died due to despair or loss of hope. Gambling addicts and similar victims are the most common souls to become esperodaemons, and they form with a burning hatred for those who thrived due to good luck, particularly in games of chance. They find casinos, brothels, and other locations of gambling and overindulgence where they pick out victims and take everything from them. They are sometimes called dream eaters, not for literally devouring dreams the way some hags may, but because they offer all kinds of filled dreams, then take all that away by stacking odds and encouraging poor bets. With trickery and shape changing they will hound a chosen victim until they are destroyed utterly, taking pleasure in the final desperate moments before whatever death comes to their prey. They are still dangerous when confronted however, able to incapacitate through intoxicating scents and driving creatures into waking nightmares where they lash out at random, finishing off weakened enemies with their claws and teeth.

When trying to negotiate or gamble with an esperodaemon it is a 7th-level challenge.

Esperodaemon (Hope Daemon) Creature 5 Medium, Daemon, Fiend, Unholy Perception +12; (16 to Sense Motive), darkvision Languages Common, Diabolic, Draconic, Empyrean, telepathy 100 feet Skills Acrobatics +13, Deception +16, Diplomacy +16, Intimidation +16, Society +14, Gambling Lore +18 Str +2, Dex +4, Con +3, Int +3, Wis +1, Cha +5 AC 21; Fort +12, Ref +13, Will +15; +1 status to all saves vs. magic HP 68; Immunities death effects; Weaknesses holy 5 Speed 25 feet, fly 20 feet Melee jaws +13 (finesse, magical, unholy), Damage 2d8+4 piercing plus Grab Melee claw +13 (agile, finesse, magical, unholy), Damage 2d6+4 slashing Divine Innate Spells DC 22 ; 4th suggestion (×2); 1st command (at will); Agile Grappler The esperodaemon can use Acrobatics instead of Athletics when it Grapples. Change Shape [1 action] (concentrate, divine, polymorph) The esperodaemon can take on the appearance of any Small or Medium humanoid. This doesn't change their Speed or their attack and damage modifiers with their Strikes, but it might change the damage type their Strikes deal (typically to bludgeoning). Esperodaemon's Caress (mental) A creature that ends its turn grabbed by the esparodaemon takes 2d4 mental damage (DC 22 basic Will save). If the creature fails this save, it is also restrained until the grapple ends. Lotus Scent [1 action] (incapacitation, olfactory, poison) The esperodaemon secretes an oily chemical that produces an intoxicating scent. Each living creature within 30 feet must attempt a DC 20 Fortitude saving throw. The esperodaemon can't use Lotus Scent again for 1d6 rounds. Critical Success: The creature is unaffected and is temporarily immune to the Lotus Scent of all esperodaemons for 24 hours. Success The creature is sickened 1 for 1 round. Failure The creature is sickened 2. Critical Failure The creature is sickened 2 and slowed 1 as long as it is sickened. Soul Dream If an esperodaemon ingests a soul gem from a cacodaemon, they can recharge Waking Dreams instead of gaining fast healing. Waking Dreams [2 actions] (emotion, incapacitation, mental, sleep); Frequency once per day; Effect Each creature within 20 feet must attempt a DC 22 Will save, becoming confused for 1 minute on a failure. It can attempt a new save at the end of each of its turns to end the confused condition. On a critical failure, the creature doesn't make flat checks to recover from confusion for taking damage.

13th Age

In the Dragon empire, dream eaters are demons who consider physical destruction an inferior art form. True destruction is societal, and when they get out of the Abyss they sneak out to infiltrate major cities, finding back alley gambling dens and thieves guilds to join and corrupt from within. They carefully target key victims, destroying the target's life through manipulation and gambling debt, driving them to actions that benefit the demon in the long term. A noble or guild master deep in gambling debts to a dream eater is a grave danger, for they can be easily pushed to make large scale changes that the demon could never have done on its own, and it is unknown how many noble houses in cities such as Glitterhaegen and Concord are secretly in the pocket of a dream eater. Ironically, Shadowport is a hard nut for the dream eaters to crack, as gambling dens directly under the thumb of the Prince of Shadows already have their own hidden goals, and a dream eater's machinations stand out when they contrast with other manipulations.

Dream Eater 4th level spoiler [demon] Initiative: +10 Claw +9 vs. AC – 10 damage. Natural Even Hit: The dream eater can grab the target. Dream Eater’s Caress +11 vs. MD (one grabbed enemy; includes +4 grab bonus) – 10 psychic damage and the target is dazed (save ends). Natural 16+: The target is weakened instead of dazed. C: Lotus Scent +7 vs. PD (1d4 nearby enemies) – The target is hampered (save ends). Natural 16+: The target is stunned for 1 round. Limited Use: 1/battle. Recharges when the escalation die reaches 6 for the first time. C: Waking Dreams +7 vs. MD (1d3 nearby enemies) – The target is confused (save ends). Limited Use: 1/battle, when the escalation die is even. AC 21 PD 13 MD 18 HP 54

Inspired by the Tome of Beasts 1. This post came out a week ago on my Patreon. If you want to get access to all my monster conversions early, as well as access to my premade adventures and other material I’m working on, consider backing me there!

[newstfionline]

Saturday, December 21, 2024

Government funding bill clears Congress and heads to President Biden, averting a shutdown (AP) Facing a government shutdown deadline, the Senate rushed through final passage early Saturday of a bipartisan plan that would temporarily fund federal operations and disaster aid, dropping President-elect Donald Trump’s demands for a debt limit increase into the new year. The House approved Johnson’s new bill overwhelmingly, 366-34. The Senate worked into the night to pass it, 85-11, just after the deadline. At midnight, the White House said it had ceased shutdown preparations. President Joe Biden was expected to sign the measure into law Saturday.

In Utah, Jesus Models Are in Demand (WSJ) Utah is seeing a brisk business for models who have long hair and a beard who can passably pull off a Jesus look for family portraits and wedding announcements for couples that want to feature the religious figure directly in their pictures. Models charge about $100 to $200 an hour and, with the right look, can retain a reliable side hustle as the physical manifestation of Jesus in someone else’s pictures. Look-alikes find that people expect them to embody Jesus in more ways than the hair and beard. Some models said they feel like a celebrity when they don the robe—and get treated like one too. (One felt compelled to remind an onlooker he wasn’t the real Jesus.) Others said they’ve had their own semireligious experiences on the job.

More Tornadoes (NYT) In April of this year, there were over 400 tornadoes reported in the United States, the single highest count in 10 years. Through the month of November there were more than 1,762 tornadoes nationwide, the highest ever, significantly more than the 1,517 tornadoes in 2019 and vastly higher than the 886 tornadoes logged 10 years ago.

Stranded in Mexico: Trump’s Looming Crackdown Scares Migrants (Bloomberg) Outside a center for migrants in the city of Villahermosa in southern Mexico, dozens of Venezuelans, Colombians and others from all over the world were stuck with nowhere to go. Mexican authorities had apprehended them mostly in the north of the country and bused them here, far from their intended destination: the US border, a 17-hour drive away. The roundup is part of Mexico’s immigration crackdown, done partly at the behest of the US government. It’s helped drastically reduce crossings, but created significant hardship for those making the journey, who face difficulty finding a place to sleep, much less employment. With no documents allowing them to work legally in Mexico and nowhere to stay, they’re left impoverished and at risk of falling prey to criminals. Interviews in Mexico at shelters, makeshift camps and on the streets indicate many migrants plan to stay put for the time being as they seek appointments to ask for asylum, a system critics say is being abused by those seeking economic opportunity. Other migrants say that Trump’s vows to carry out the largest deportation in US history mean they no longer want to go, and are considering whether to stay in Mexico instead of returning home.

A driver rammed a German Christmas market, killing 2 (NYT) A driver plowed a vehicle into a Christmas market in the city of Magdeburg in central Germany this evening, killing at least two people and injuring more than 65 others, 14 of them severely. The driver, identified as a 50-year-old Saudi Arabian citizen, was arrested, the authorities said. They said they believe it was a deliberate attack. More than 1,000 Christmas markets pop up every year in Germany, and have been targeted by terrorists before. In 2016, an extremist rammed a truck into a crowd in Berlin, killing 13. Since then, the police have secured many of the markets with temporary barriers.

As Russia threats loom, Finland’s people are learning to shoot back (AP) Unsettled by Russia’s expansionism and emboldened by its recent accession to NATO, Finland is rallying to strengthen its national self-defense beyond its traditional military capabilities. The popularity of weapons training in the Nordic country has soared in recent months. Few places tell the story of the rise in Finnish affinity for self-defense more than shooting ranges that are riding a boom of interest. The Vantaa Reservist Association, which operates a gun range in a warehouse once used to make sex toys, in Kerava, north of Helsinki, has more than doubled its membership over the last two years and now counts over 2,100 members. “They have something in the back of their head ringing that this is the skill I have to learn now,” said association chairman Antti Kettunen, standing among bullet-riddled targets. “I think that the wind has changed, now it’s blowing from the east.”

Ukraine’s mineral wealth (Washington Post) Ukraine is not only the breadbasket of Europe; it is also a mineral superpower, with some of the largest reserves of 117 of the 120 most widely used minerals in the world. Of the 50 strategic minerals identified by the United States as critical to its economy and national security, many of which are quite rare yet key to certain high-value applications, Ukraine supplies 22. Ukraine possesses the largest reserves of uranium in Europe; the second-largest reserves of iron ore, titanium and manganese; and the third-largest reserves of shale gas—as well as large deposits of lithium, graphite and rare earth metals, according to a 2022 report by the Canadian geopolitical risk-analysis firm SecDev. These minerals are essential to the production of vital goods ranging from airplanes, cellphones and electric vehicles to steel and nuclear power. These natural resources are valued at an estimated $26 trillion, according to SecDev.

Japanese city to name and shame people who break rubbish rules (BBC) Starting in March, Fukushima plans to introduce stricter garbage disposal rules—an initiative which includes using the government website to publish the names of the individuals and businesses that violate them. Last year, the city reported over 9,000 cases of non-compliant garbage. Rubbish is taken very seriously in Japan, where since the 1990s the government has made it a national goal to shift away from landfills, reduce waste and promote recycling. Local authorities have introduced their own initiatives in line with this goal. Residents in Kamikatsu, a Japanese town with an ambitious zero-waste goal, proudly sort their rubbish into 45 categories. Kagoshima prefecture has made it mandatory for residents to write their names on their rubbish bags. And last year the city of Chiba piloted an AI assistant to help residents dispose their rubbish properly.

Syria not a threat to world, rebel leader Ahmed al-Sharaa tells BBC (BBC) The de facto leader of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, has said the country is exhausted by war and is not a threat to its neighbours or to the West. In an interview with the BBC in Damascus, he called for sanctions on Syria to be lifted. “Now, after all that has happened, sanctions must be lifted because they were targeted at the old regime. The victim and the oppressor should not be treated in the same way,” he said. He said HTS should be de-listed as a terrorist organisation. Sharaa said HTS was not a terrorist group. They did not target civilians or civilian areas, he said. In fact, they considered themselves to be victim of the crimes of the Assad regime. He denied that he wanted to turn Syria into a version of Afghanistan. Sharaa said the countries were very different, with different traditions. Afghanistan was a tribal society. In Syria, he said, there was a different mindset. He said he believed in education for women. “We’ve had universities in Idlib for more than eight years,” Sharaa said, referring to Syria’s north-western province that has been held by rebels since 2011. “I think the percentage of women in universities is more than 60%.”

For thousands of Jews, Israel still doesn’t feel safe after the Oct. 7 attacks. So they’re leaving (AP) Leaving Israel is easier, Shira Z. Carmel thinks, by saying it’s just for now. For the Israeli-born singer and an increasing number of relatively well-off Israelis, the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attack shattered any sense of safety and along with it, Israel’s founding promise: to be the world’s safe haven for Jews. Ten days later, a pregnant Carmel, her husband and their toddler boarded a flight to Australia, which was looking for people in her husband’s profession. And they spun the explanation to friends and family as something other than permanent—“relocation” is the easier-to-swallow term—acutely aware of the familial strain and the shame that have shadowed Israelis who leave for good. “We told them we’re going to get out of the line of fire for awhile,” Carmel said more than a year later from her family’s new home in Melbourne. “It wasn’t a hard decision. But it was very hard to talk to them about it. It was even hard to admit it to ourselves.” Thousands of Israelis have left the country since Oct. 7, 2023. Migration experts say it’s possible people leaving Israel will surpass the number of immigrants to Israel in 2024, according to Sergio DellaPergola, a statistician and professor emeritus of Hebrew University in Jerusalem.

‘We Just Want Mercy’: A Gaza Hospital Pleads for a Respite (NYT) The last functioning intensive care unit at a hospital in northern Gaza was severely damaged by Israeli shelling this week, according to medical staff at the facility who have been pleading for a respite from violence to bring in essential supplies. Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya, the director of the Kamal Adwan Hospital, which includes the intensive care unit, in the city of Jabaliya, said on Thursday that it had been hit by an Israeli tank shell that caused a fire and inflicted serious damage. The unit was the only intensive care facility still providing services for both children and adults in northern Gaza, he said. “We urgently need repairs related to water and oxygen supplies, but we have not received anything so far,” Dr. Abu Safiya said in a statement. “We appeal to the international community to open a humanitarian corridor and allow the entry of medical supplies, equipment and ambulances so that we can provide safe medical services.” “We have been addressing the world for over 75 days, and yet nothing is being done,” Dr. Abu Safiya said in an earlier statement, issued on Wednesday. “Yesterday was one of the darkest, most difficult and bloodiest days at Kamal Adwan Hospital,” he added. “The tank shells hit the intensive care unit, igniting a fire that forced us to evacuate the patients quickly.”

France’s military is being ousted from more African countries (AP) It’s been a tumultuous month for France and its relationship with former colonies in Africa, as its influence on the continent faces the biggest challenge in decades. Two of its closest allies struck a double blow. The government of Chad, considered France’s most stable and loyal partner in Africa, announced on its Independence Day it was ending defense cooperation to redefine its sovereignty. And in an interview published hours later by Le Monde, Senegal’s new president said it was “obvious” that soon French soldiers wouldn’t be on Senegalese soil. The decisions by Senegal and Chad “are part of the wider structural transformation in the region’s engagement with France, in which Paris political and military influence continues to diminish,” according to Mucahid Durmaz, a senior analyst at global risk consultancy Verisk Maplecroft. They follow the ousting of French forces in recent years by military-led governments in Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso, where local sentiments turned sour following years of French forces fighting alongside local ones in the face of stubborn Islamic extremist insurgencies.

Note: News coverage over the holidays may be sporadic as the editor takes time off. Wishing you a good break and relaxing, inspiring times of your own.

[running-in-the-dark]

a short list of 'fun' things my mother has done, for the next time I forget what she's really like

the one time she was supposed to pick me up from a friend's house (less than 20 minutes away), my friend and I were a little late getting back to her place because our train was late. I would've been 13 or 14, and I couldn't call my mother because neither of us had money/credit on our phones. when we arrived at my friend's house, her parents told me that my mother had been there and waited a few minutes, but then said she had a toothache so she left. we were maybe 20 minutes late. it was a Friday but we had school every second Saturday, so it was a school night.

I was supposed to go to her friend's wedding with her when I was 11 or 12. she was supposed to pick me up at my dad's place where I lived, and I was alone, so I walked our dog before she was supposed to be there. I was in a hurry, so I forgot my keys, but I thought it was fine because she was supposed to be there any minute. she showed up three hours later. it was winter, there was snow. I think I eventually broke a small part of a window at the back of the house so I could get in because I got really worried about my dog - that was right before she showed up though, so we'd been outside in the snow for hours and it was already getting dark by that point.

her, my brother and I were on the way to a dentist appointment, I think I was maybe 13. she stopped somewhere to run an errand. my brother got out of the car and kept shaking the car really hard the entire time she was gone. he didn't stop when I asked him to and eventually I got upset. when she came back, I told her what he had done and that he wouldn't stop. she told me to be quiet and stop being difficult, I was upset and said that's not fair, she slapped me in the face. my lip was bleeding. we were driving through the village where my dad and I lived, but she refused to stop the car and let me get out. I refused to go to the appointment because my lip and shirt were bloody.

didn't take me to a doctor when I fell on my head and most likely had a concussion

didn't take me to a doctor when I twisted and probably sprained my ankle falling down some stairs and couldn't walk for over a week

once pretended she left me and my brother behind in a small town because we were walking too slowly (we were maybe 3-5 years old) and actually got in the car and drove off (she came back after a few minutes but it still terrified me)

yelled at me when I didn't immediately understand how to knit when she tried to teach me (I was about 6)

made me copy 4 pages of text into the about me section of my friendship/poetry book (that you let your friends write stuff in) because what I wrote wasn't good enough

explained to me that I didn't need to be scared of airplanes because of crashes because those are rare - no, I should be scared of them being kidnapped by terrorists instead (I was 4 or 5)

immediately after that: explained what prostitution is and that it's important so that men don't rape women and children (again, I was like FIVE. the news were on the radio and I didn't know what the word meant so I asked.)

one time my art teacher told her at a parents evening that she (my mother) was just jealous of me because I was young and so different from her and that's why she treated me that way and didn't like me. she thought that was hilarious and immediately told me about it when she came home. she just found it sooo funny and ridiculous. I'm still not sure if she made it up, but tbh both options (it really happened or she made it up) would be weird as hell.

[toiletpotato]

Driving While Black: Race, Space and Mobility in America

Please consider watching this documentary, especially if you want to learn about how systemic racism works within the system of transportation, as well as its mental and physical effects on Black people in particular. You will learn something new.

You can watch the entire thing, for free, at the link above. It's about two hours long. There are English captions, though near the end the timing is a bit off.

In the second half of the documentary, they show footage of police brutality against Black Americans. The footage is interspersed between interviews and other segments, often without warning. It is distressing and that is the point.

Below are some quotes from the documentary I've collected, if you do not have the time to watch it right now:

Allyson Hobbs, historian at Stanford University: (1:13:48 – 1:14:26) “There’s a very complicated history around the interstate. The interstate for Black travelers creates a very positive benefit in that the interstate makes travel safer in many ways because instead of traveling on country roads and back roads where there was quite a bit of fear and quite a bit of uncertainty about what could happen, traveling on interstates felt more safe and more secure.”

Eric Avila, author of The Folklore of the Freeway: (1:14:31 – 1:14:59) “The interstate highway program was kind of built with this myth of consensus. That it’s what everybody wanted. It’s by popular demand. But for people of color, and for African Americans in particular, they were kind of left out of that consensus because their neighborhoods were the sacrificial lands in which to build this highway.”

Elie: (1:16:20 – 1:16:45): “The thing that people usually say is ‘these were dying communities and we needed the overpasses, we needed the highways to move people out of these ghetto environments.’ Well in fact, these were communities that were vibrant. That people were living in. That the United States government destroyed through a combination of active funding of detrimental projects, and a kind of benign neglect.”

Avila (1:17:23 – 1:18:12): “Highway construction impacted Black communities or other non-white communities, because that’s where property values were the lowest. There is a certain kind of cost effective strategy in building highways through neighborhoods with lower property values. It costs the state less. However, historically, lower property values have been tied to race and African Americans in particular. In many ways all of these federal policies and programs were interconnected. The Federal Housing Administration’s policies, urban renewal, slum clearance, highway construction, all of these processes worked in tandem with each other to create an even more racially stratified geography.”

Leah Chase, chef: (1:18:14 – 1:18:38): “And they did that so fast, I’m telling you: because Black people were not involved in anything in those days. People would do things, we didn’t even know what was going on. We were not involved. In those days we were not allowed into the process so they just came through there with that thing, took away houses; took away good businesses, good people.”

Alvin Hall, author: (1:19:38 – 1:19:52): “You see it again and again in almost every major city in America, and it was really a huge economic setback for many African American businesses because they became isolated.”

Hobbs: (1:19:54 – 1:20:15): “If you retrace it and if you go to some of these areas that were once bustling Black business districts, now often they are abandoned buildings, sometimes they are abandoned, sort of, empty fields.”

Tamara Banks, journalist: (1:20:54 – 1:21:24): “When you erase a history, you erase an identity. You erase what’s important to people and how they connect with their community and how they connect with humanity as a whole. When you lose that culture and that space, now there’s a chink in the chain of your family legacy and you start to wonder, does my legacy matter? Does my life matter?”

Craig Steven Wilder, historian at MIT: (1:25:32 – 1:26:18) “The Montgomery Bus Boycott is actually a story of transportation in many ways. It’s the bus boycott, but it’s also how it was that African American women managed to establish and to reuse a network of connections to deploy their resources to sustain this boycott over months and months and months. And it meant, in fact, accessing cars. It meant finding new ways to move people around town, new ways to actually get people to their jobs. And so Montogomery is in many ways actually a wonderful way of thinking about how Black people deployed the automobile to challenge Jim Crow.”

Sorin: (1:19:15 – 1:19:33): “When road planners put through highways, they often take the path of least resistance, and that’s one of the reasons that Black communities have been so vulnerable, because they have the least amount of power to stop it.”

Sorin: (1:33:11 – 1:33:22): “I think the automobile is the way that many people encounter the police, and I think that’s where we start to get the term ‘Driving While Black.’”

James Baldwin, author: (1:35:07 – 1:35:24): “A cop is a cop. And yeah, he may be a very nice man, but I haven’t got the time to figure that out. All I know is that he has a uniform and a gun, and I have to relate to him in that way. That’s the only way to relate to him, at all, ‘cause one of us is gonna, one of us may have to die.”

Hobbs (1:36:42 – 1:37:10): “There are still so many dangers of being on the road, and I think we’re in a time right now where African Americans are feeling a similar kind of fear as their grandparents felt in the 1930s and 40s.”

[inkribbon796]

Egotober 2023 Day 4, Date Night with the Dooms

Summary: Silver and the city might not be having a good time, but Dark is as happy as can be.

A/N: This is a carry over from Day 3

Prompt: Happy

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31

Mark got the alarm from the cops while he was on his drive to get late night groceries. Wilford and Dark had the downtown area. Dark was clearly under the influence of Wilford’s aura more than usual, making him more dangerous than normal.

So Mark found a place to randomly park, got changed inside of it, and as Silver flew off to find them.

“SAM, get me good news,” Silver said. “Where are those bastards?”

“They seem to be over by the Westen Bridge,” SAM said. “Bing also sent a message saying that they’ve been having issues with an eco-terrorist in Gainesville. He will need you on call when you’re done.”

“Damn, when it rains, it pours. That will be a while, tell Abe I’m coming his way.” Silver flew around buildings. “How many casualties?”

“Five confirmed, two cops, three civilians,” SAM said.

“Dammit,” Silver picked up speed, flying as fast as he could as the bridge slowly came into view.

It turned out that Silver didn’t need to make it all the way to the bridge because he spotted Dark emerging from one of his portals. A mad smile on his face and violence in his eyes.

His dark grey coat and black hair billowing in the night air. His blue and red chromatic copies stuttered out around him. His aura coiling around him.

And Silver shot over to him like a bullet.

He wasn’t sure if it was an illusion or if his haste made him easier to spot, but Silver seemed to go through him and Silver skidded to a stop.

“Shepherd, did you bring your child again, or have you come to fight me?” Dark said, already moving.

“He’s not mine, he’s not involved.” Silver didn't know where Wilford was but he couldn’t just let Dark get away from him. And if Ethan was here, Mark was going to lose it.

Or Dark was trying to throw him off his game.

“Well, I’d like to stay and chat, Shepherd, but I have business to attend to.” Dark then opened up a portal and Silver tried to grab part of him. Managing to snag him by the arm and throw him away from it.

“You’re not going anywhere but jail,” Silver said, relishing in the visible impact Dark made. A nice reminder that the creature who terrorized his city since before he was born was not invincible.

Before Silver could go to grab him, he paid for his hubris and was attacked when aura snagged him at the cape and throat.

Wilford drove his face into the concrete roof. “How dare you fuck up date night!”

Using as much strength as he could muster, Silver got out of Wilford’s hold.

Wilford grabbed Silver in a headlock and smiled at Dark. “Darkling, if you want to run ahead, I’ll get rid of the riff raff.”

“How you’re able to brainwash him into doing this is beyond me.” Silver was barely able to keep Wilford from choking him out.

“Pay him, no head Darkling, run along, I’ll catch up.” Wilford grinned and Silver could feel it in his aura when he did it.

Instead of insisting to do his own dirty work or making a passive aggressive comment about Wilford, Dark laughed.

An actual real laugh from the literal demon mob boss crime lord. Dark let out a mad cackle, sounding every bit like the supervillain he was.

And then he was gone, throwing himself off the rooftop, like he needed to walk anywhere.

Wilford smiled at Silver. “See? He loves date night. Look at how happy he is.”

Silver began fighting, taking way too long to try and follow Dark. He was way too buzzed on Wilford’s aura to be safe for anyone’s wellbeing.

When Silver broke away, he looked towards the direction Dark had gone. He expected Wilford to jump him. When he didn’t, a pit felt like it was dropping in his gut and Wilford was gone.

Starting a full hour long goose chase that ended outside the home of the current mayor. A man who has been under Dark’s thumb, taking bribes and threats to do whatever he wanted.

In the end after Silver had found where Dark had gone, only one other person died that night. This death seemed to be the most gruesome of the night.

The cops and three civilians had been quick deaths. Wrong place wrong time, all by Wilford’s hand, or rather his gun.

This one was Dark’s doing, and the carnage and slow death proved it.

Gatling, Bob, was outside the house with Abe. The city in its uneasy normal. The rampage seemed over.

Silver was furious and upset at how unable they’d been to do anything. And this hadn’t been the first time. They needed someone who could follow auras and they needed it desperately.

Bob looked just as uncomfortable. “Look, I know he was corrupt as fuck, and so is the entire council board, but at least he was alive.”

Just boiling in rage, Silver thought things over for a bit. “We need to call Marvin.”

“Right now? It’s like three or four in the morning for him?” Abe said.

“I don’t care, we don’t have a tracker and all of the Septics can see or feel auras. Even Schneep can. They can afford to lose one of them, I don’t care which at this point. There’s no way we’re getting J.J, so we go for either Chase or Marvin. And Chase has an actual civilian life, so Marvin is our only chance.”

Bob looked even more uncomfortable but he sighed. “Okay, we’ll try.”

Silver made the call, knowing what a long fight he was about to get himself into.

Back at the Manor, Dark and Wilford came tumbling out of a portal. Wilford a laughing mess and Dark more of a smiling one. Their hands intertwined. 

Dark’s office was still the disaster they had left it in.

“You have fun, Darkling?” Wilford kissed the back of Dark’s hand as their fingers stayed intertwined.

“You know what?” Dark said, only starting to come down off of his intoxicating high. “I did. It was a lovely evening. I got to put the city back in its place and now I don’t have to keep paying that skidmark of a creature to do what I want.”

“Simply lovely,” Wilford said. “You were amazing as always.”

The madman made a noise as Dark pulled away to look around the office.

“I was, wasn’t I?” Dark smiled to himself. “And I’ve been thinking.”

“Love it,” Wilford sat back on Dark’s desk.

“My city has gotten a bit too high and mighty, time to show the heroes and the police just really rules this town,” Dark said, his mad smile still on his face.

Then his aura turned a bit more blue.

Dark changed his form to look more human, warmer. A crisp black suit and doe-like brown eyes. An old form, an old face. “I think this city needs to be taken in a new direction.”

Wilford froze, as if his twisted mind was trying to grasp onto something, but he just smiled and cupped his hands around Dark’s face. “Simply divine, as always, my darling. I think this calls for a celebration, I’ll get Yan and the boys,”

The madman hopped off the desk and rushed out of the office to round up their adopted wards. At least all the ones that were still awake.

Dark watched him go for a bit. His blue soul echoed out from Dark, looking after Wilford with dangerous longing. Dark easily pulled the long-dead mayor back in before he could spoil his evening. Dark was in a good mood, and he refused to let that change the night.

[scotianostra]

On February 21st 1842 ­Scotland’s first inter-city railway, the Edinburgh-Glasgow mainline, opened to ­regular traffic.

The building of a railway between the two cities was authorised by an Act of Parliament in 1838 following several years of public discussion.

Construction work on the 46-mile line took almost four years. It was no easy task. To ensure a level route, numerous cuttings were dug, four viaducts were built and three tunnels were driven through hills and solid rock. Members of the public were invited to walk through the Queen Street tunnel on New Year’s Day 1842 to satisfy growing interest in the project. The line opened to regular services on 21st February that year, following a ceremonial opening of the station three days earlier, as I posted on Sunday.

The railway put an end to the slow and cumbersome stagecoaches that had linked Glasgow and Edinburgh for more than a century, and would eventually drive business away from the canal network as well.

The project’s engineers had wanted to build a bridge over the Forth and Clyde canal – but the canal’s owners refused. A tunnel under the waterway had to be constructed instead.

The Scotsman reported in February 1842 that “it rarely happens that a railway can be brought into the centre of a great city”, as it announced the opening of Queen Street station in Glasgow. But the original Edinburgh terminus at Haymarket was greeted with rather less enthusiasm. It was hoped that eventually the train line would stretch further into Edinburgh.

An extension to North Bridge was duly completed in 1846, and work on building the present Waverley station began in 1868.

The line was popular with passengers from the beginning. Initially, four services travelled in each direction from Monday to Saturday. Controversially, two services also ran on Sundays – provoking strong opposition from Sabbatarians. The number of trains throughout the week quickly increased.

Passengers could choose to alight at many more intermediate stations than today – with stops at Gogar, Ratho, Winchburgh, Linlithgow, Polmont, Falkirk, Castlecary, Croy, Kirkintilloch (later Lenzie) and Bishopbriggs. The Edinburgh & Glasgow Railway Company which built the line was absorbed by the North British Railway (NBR) in 1865. The NBR would in turn be absorbed by the London & North Eastern Railway in 1923.

There have been several high-profile train crashes on the route over the years. The most recent occurred on 30th July, 1984, when a rush hour commuter service out of Waverley struck a cow that had wandered on to the tracks near Polmont from a nearby field. The collision caused all six carriages to derail, killing 13 people and injuring 61 others.

The worst accident, in terms of loss of life, took place on 10th December, 1937, at Castlecary. During a snowstorm, the 5.30pm Waverley to Queen Street express collided with a late running local train from Dundee to Glasgow. The locomotive hit the rear of the standing local service at the now-closed Castlecary station at an estimated 70mph. Four carriages were completely destroyed by the collision, killing 35 passengers and injuring 179 more.  

The £742m Edinburgh Glasgow Improvement Programme (EGIP) is the biggest project on the route since it was built 174 years ago. It will eventually see all-electric trains operating on the line, with faster journey times and more seats for passengers. The average journey time by train between Glasgow and Edinburgh (Waverley) is now 1  hour and 14 minutes, with around 191 trains per day.

A new passenger hall at Haymarket station opened in 2014, while Queen Street was recently comprehensively rebuilt. 

[softly-potter]

Still Friends | Chapter 16: Apologize

Summary: After a chance encounter at a party, Wanda and Bucky find they have more in common than they realized.

This fic is heavily inspired by 'Friends' by my lovely friend Poppy. She is aware of this fic and I've been given permission for this marvel-version retelling! If you haven't read her dramione fic 'Friends', I HIGHLY suggest it. I fell in love with the story and couldn't help but wonder, what if it was Wanda and Bucky instead of Hermione and Draco? Thus "Still Friends" was born. Enjoy!

Pairing: Bucky X Wanda

Word Count: 33,068

Warning: smut, drug use, depression

A/N: Find the rest of the chapters here; Chapter 1: Greetings | Chapter 2: Unloading | Chapter 3: Cherries | Chapter 4: Worth the Wait | Chapter 5: Books | Chapter 6: Grief | Chapter 7: Unlikely | Chapter 8: Happy Birthday, Solider | Chapter 9: A Christmas Moment | Chapter 10: The Best Holiday | Chapter 11: Permission | Chapter 12: Revitalize | Chapter 13: Backstabber | Chapter 14: Luck of the Dead | Chapter 15: Pain Reliever | Chapter 17: Specially Gifted | Chapter 18: New Day

-

April 2nd, 2028

It's a routine now, a very simple, easy routine. He likes following it. He wakes, dresses, drives to the gym. They work out in synce, and then they fuck in said gym, or the gym bathroom, and then they shower in said gym bathroom. Sometimes Sif will blow him in the shower, sometimes she’ll bring a drink.

Asgardian liquor is the glue that keeps it all together. It happened quickly, the easy-going borderline alcoholic routine, and he found it was bliss.

“Try this one,” Sif says, pulling a bottle from her bag. It looks ancient, a thick cord wrapped around the neck. “That's some real old shit even Odin would kill for.”

“Where are you always finding these?” He laughs, uncorking it. He takes a sniff, blinks rapidly. Hesitating for just a moment, he holds it up, studies it. It probably would be too much for even him, it’ll probably cause the worst hangover. But then, he could stop hating himself. His self worth would be not gone but not an issue. He could forget about everything. About her.

And truly that's all he wants.

To forget.

To feel something other than pain.

And so he takes a gulp of the unknown liquor. It burns like fire, scorching his throat. His eyes squeeze shut as he nearly gags, staggering slightly. Sif chuckles, takes the bottle from him. “That's it, soldier.”

Bucky coughs, puts his fist to his mouth. “Don’t you fucking call me that.”

“Go home after this one. Enjoy that feeling.” Sif says, urging him to drink again. He does, stomping his foot as it blazes down.

He isn’t sure how he got home but he does. He lays on his couch, dizzy, and stays there for hours. It's the simplest he’s felt in days. The sadness is gone, or maybe it's there, but he’s too inebriated to focus on it. He puts his hands in front of his face, giggling at his wavy fingers.

Eventually the drunken state begins to wear off, and he sits up carefully, finds himself some water. He owes Sif big time, and wonders if she’ll let him buy some off her. It's definitely better than the previous stuff he’s tried.

If he didn’t have the fine-tuned senses of a killer he would’ve missed the light knock at his front door. He pauses his movements.

Swearing at the kindness of Laura, he grips the nob, flinging the door open. He wishes he’d kept it shut.

“Hey, can we…talk?” Wanda asks. She’s dressed in a cream colored sweater that hugs her torso just right, her hair loose and slightly curled, tucked behind one ear. She’s beautiful, and seeing her is like opening a wound; it fucking burns.

“No,” he says, pushing the door closed. She raises her hands quickly, red tendrils leaking from her fingertips and they push against the door. He swears, stepping away and sulking into his apartment. She pauses for a moment, then steps inside, pressing the door shut with a light click.

“Please,” Wanda sighs from behind him. “Can I just explain?” He sits down, puts his face in his hands.

“I can't do this, Wanda.”

Her footsteps are soft until they stop before him. He hears her take a breath, then feels her hand soft against his cheeks. He wants to pull away, should pull away, but it's been so long since he’s smelled her. He tips his head into her hand, inhaling deeply.

He’s dizzy with want and alcohol.

“I know I messed up,” her voice is laced with tears. “but I need you to know I fell in love with you, I really did.”

She kneels then, dropping his face and placing her hands on his knees. He’s weak, his limbs and head still foggy, and he places his hand over hers.

He wishes for once in his entire life, his brain could be wiped; but even then, it wouldn’t take away the fact that Vision is alive. It’d just take away the memory of her. Maybe that's all he needs.

Wanda lets out a shaky exhale. She cups his jaw, drags his eyes to meet hers. They’re shining, just as bright and pretty as he remembers. She swipes at his eyes with her thumb, pressing a feather-light kiss to the skin her thumb just grazed.

He missed her so much.

“Why did you do this to me?” His voice is raw, choked. He hates her for making him this weak, hates how much he loves her. “Why didn’t you just tell me?”

“I was afraid you wouldn’t stay,” she hiccups. “If you knew…there was a possibility that he’d return…that I was looking. I was selfish, I wanted you for as long as I could, and I’m so sorry.”

His chest aches as he drags her into his arms, and she slips her arms around his neck effortlessly, sobbing into his shirt. He cups the back of her neck, pressing the pads of his fingers into her skin.

They’re time together is over, they both know. It’s palpable, and it hurts like hell.

“I don’t deserve this, Wanda.” He sobs into her hair. “Especially not from you. Never from you.”

“You're right, you don’t. And I am so, so sorry.”

She’s sorry but she won’t stay. She can’t, not when the love of her life is alive and well. And Bucky can’t even blame her; he would’ve done the same.

[mrlnsfrt]

If you know these things...

Foot Washing?

Have you ever participated in a foot washing ceremony? It is also called the ordinance of humility and it is not practiced widely in Christianity today as a part of worship. There are many possible reasons for why the majority do not wish to participate in foorwashing, and I believe many of them are likely related to people simply not wanting to come into contact with someone else’s feet. Some argue that people wear shoes and drive cars and their feet are not dirty so there is no real need. To that I reply that maybe there is more to it than simply cleaning the dirt off of someone’s feet, just like participating in communion is not about being physically hungry and thirsty.

Could it be that Jesus was teaching His followers something?

Could we benefit from participating in the ordinance of humily today?

Let’s take a closer look at what Jesus did, as recorded in John 13.

Context

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

2 And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. - John 13:1-5 NKJV

The first five verses of John 13 give us the context for the footwashing. The Feast of Passover was about to take place.

[Passover is] a sacred observance in Judaism that commemorates the climactic 10th plague in the book of Exodus, when Yahweh punishes Egypt by killing all the firstborn but “passes over” (פָּסַח, pasach) the firstborn of Israel (Exod 12:12–13), resulting in the Israelites’ deliverance from slavery in Egypt (Exod 12:14–17). -Douglas Mangum, “Passover,” ed. John D. Barry et al., The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).

Jesus knew that He would die as the paschal lamb for the sins of the world. Jesus knew he was going to suffer. Jesus loved us to the end, and He knew it would not be much longer until He departed from this world to the Father.

The meal was over.

The Devil had already put into the heart of Judas to betray Jesus.

Jesus knew that the Father had given all things into His hands. Jesus also knew that he had come from God and was going to God. Knowing all this, Jesus did not become proud, Jesus did not boast, Jesus instead humbled Himself. Knowing the ultimate reality of who He was and where He was going allowed Jesus to serve those around Him.

Jesus did not put down others so that He could feel superior. Jesus was not insecure in His position as master and teacher. Jesus knew who He was, He knew where He was going, and He lived out His life out of that knowledge. From His identity as the Son of God, from His identity as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), Jesus was free to live a life of service, a life of generosity, love and kindness. Jesus was firm when He needed to be, but He never had to posture, He was not concerned with how others might think less of Him if He served those He came to lead. Jesus identity and destiny were secured in the Father and Jesus is our perfect example.

So Jesus got up from the table, removed his covering garments and instead wrapped a towel around His waist. He then poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and wipe them with the towel He had wrapped around his waist.

Witnessing Jesus behaving made the disciples uncomfortable, but only Peter had the courage to speak up.

Are you washing my feet?

6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?”

7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.”

8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!”

Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”

9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”

10 Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.” - John 13:6-11NKJV

Perhaps Peter thought it was his role to step Jesus from washing his feet, to keep Jesus from ministering to him. Jesus knew that Peter could not understand what He was doing, so He explained to Peter that unless Peter allowed Him to wash his feet he would have no part with Him. This means we must allow Jesus to serve us, to wash us, to cleanse us. It is uncomfortable, but it also helps us comprehend the heart of God. The God of the Bible, the Creator, desires to save us, is willing to cleanse us, we just have to allow Him to.

Peter realizes his pride and his mistake so now he goes overboard asking Jesus to wash his hands and head as well. Jesus once again explains that since Peter had already been bather only his feet were dirty. I understand this to mean that once we are baptized and Jesus washes away our sins, we do not need to be rebaptized every time we mess up. I see communion as a mini re-baptism. Our feet get dirty living in this sinful world. It is not that we have abandoned Christ, only that we fall short and we rebel against God. Footwashing is an opportunity to have our sins forgiven and to recommit our lives to God.

Peter was far from perfect, but Jesus did not feel the need to wash all of Peter, only his feet would be enough. Interetingly, Jesus was also willing to wash the feet of Judas who would betray Him. Jesus did not only wash the feet of those who deserved it. Jesus washed everyone’s feet, giving everyone the opportunity to repent and be cleansed. When Jesus said, “you are not all clean” (John 13:11) this meant that the footwashing did not cleanse the one who in his heart had already decided to betray Jesus. The footwashing cleansed those who humbled themselves and allowed Jesus to wash their feet. But the condition of Judas’ heart prevented him from experiencing the blessings that Jeuss was offering. Pete was cleansed, along with all the disciples. But judas remained unclean even though Jesus had also washed his feet.

Maybe you feel like Peter, and at first you want to resist the idea of having anyone wash your feet. Maybe you don’t feel comfortable, maybe you believe you don’t deserve it. It is true, we do not deserve it. But we should not let pride keep us from receiving God’s grace. Also, this serves as a warning to not be like Judas. If you participate in the footwashing, but you are treasuring sin in your heart, it will not benefit you in any meaningful way. Your feet may be cleaner but no spiritual benefits will be gained.

Do you know what Jesus did for you?

12 So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. - John 13:12-16 NKJV

Jesus did not stop being Lord and Teacher because He washed the feet of His disciples. Jesus did not lose His identity when He chose to serve. Jesus was still their teacher, He remained their Lord, Jesus was still God when He was washing the feet of those twelve men, including the feet of the one who would betray Him. If Jesus was willing to wash the feet of twelve men who were infinitely inferior to Him in every way, what is your excuse for not wanting to wash someone’s feet?

Jesus was very clear. He gave us an example, that we should do as He did to His disciples. Jesus humbled Himself, we ought to humble ourselves. Jesus washed the feet of the disciples, we should wash each others’ feet and in the process gain a better understanding of the heart of God. Foot washing is not about dirty feet, it is about humbling ourselves. Footwashing is about following Jesus’ example and experiencing in a very small way Jesus willingness to humble Himself and serve others.

Blessed are you if you do

17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. - John 13:17 NKJV

Jesus made it very clear that if we know these things, we receive a special blessing if we do them. The blessing does not come from mere intellectual ascent. It is not sufficient to merely know what Jesus did. Knowing what Jesus did is great, but the blessing comes from following His example. The blessing comes when we do, when we live out the example Jesus left us.

Don’t miss out on the blessing, don’t allow this to remain as mere head knowledge. Now that we know what Jesus did, let us follow His example and do likewise.

[survey--s]

518.

1 - When was the last time you met someone for the first time? It was probably when I met Sarah, one of Oakley’s owners. That was ages ago now though, I don’t really tend to meet new people lol.

2 - What’s the longest amount of time you’ve gone without bathing? Just over 48 hours when I’ve travelled to Australia. It was grim but unless we had a long stopover somewhere, I didn’t have any choice lol.

3 - Have you ever cooked with crab or lobster? Could you ever bring yourself to kill a live lobster/crab? No, I’m not really into cooking - I could probably do it though, I’m not particularly squeamish about where my food comes from.

4 - What’s your favourite font? What size and colour do you prefer to use when you’re doing surveys? I like Tahoma size 10 or 12, with black colour.

5 - Have your clothing choices changed since COVID hit and you started to stay at home more? Yeah, I wear leggings a lot more now - in fact I couldn’t tell you the last time I wore jeans lol. I also changed jobs just about when COVID hit and I wear leggings to work everyday too. 6 - When was the last time you went through a drive-through? Uhh, about eighteen months ago lol. We don’t have any drive-thrus anywhere near here.

7 - Which fast food restaurant do you go to the most? What do you tend to order when you go there? Just the local chip shop as we don’t have any chain restaurants nearby. I tend to get chips with cheese and gravy, plus a side order of onion rings. 

8 - Do you own any plaid/flannel shirts? Yeah, one but I haven’t worn it for a long time.

9 - If you eat it, how do you like your steak cooked? What sauces and sides do you like to get with it? If you’re vegetarian, what would you have instead of a steak dinner? Rare please, with garlic fries, mushrooms and onion rings on the side.

10 - Are there any foods and drinks you only have around Christmas? Baileys and full roast dinners.

11 - Does it bother you when dogs jump up at you? Does it bother you less if it’s a smaller dog? It depends. I work with dogs and they all jump all over me when I go and collect them lol. But I wouldn’t appreciate being jumped on by a random dog in the park as I don’t know whether they’re friendly or not. I also hate it when big dogs jump up, mainly because it’s really painful lol.

12 - What kind of animal did you touch last? Was this animal one of your pets? A cat, and yes, his name is Purrlock and he’s eight.

13 - Which colour do you prefer, red or blue? It depends on what shade we’re talking about.

14 - How would you describe your sense of humour? Have you ever offended someone when you were only joking? Dry, dark and sarcastic and yes, definitely lol.

15 - When was the last time you cried - what caused it? I can’t remember the last time I cried.

16 - What’s your favourite flavour of potato chip? Salt and vinegar or cheese.

17 - Do you have a lot of artwork around your house? What kind of art? No. We have a few paintings and a couple of prints but that’s it.

18 - When you paint your nails, what kind of colours do you tend to go for? I haven’t painted my nails in years.

19 - Do you prefer fruit or vegetable juice? What kind of flavours do you like? Fruit, for sure. I like apple, orange (no bits), grape or pineapple the most.

20 - What’s the weather doing where you are? Is that typical for this time for this time of year? It’s raining which is pretty typical for any time of year in England lol.

21 - Who was the last person you spoke to on the phone? How did you meet this person? Helen and she’s a client I met through another client, lol. I look after her cats for her while she’s away and she was just confirming this weeks’ job.

22 - Are you eating or drinking anything right now? I have a can of Pepsi Max nearby.

23 - Who was your first celebrity crush? Which celebrity do you like now? Josh Hartnett and Michael Owen. Nowadays I like Johnny Depp and Matt le Blanc.

24 - When was the last time you went to Starbucks? What did you get? Uhhh, about eighteen months ago as we don’t have one anywhere near here. I don’t remember what drink I got either, probably a flavoured latte of some kind.

25 - Do you have a credit card? How much money do you owe on there? Yes, around 2k.

26 - What colours have you dyed your hair in the past? What kind of colours would you like to dye it in the future? Various shades of red and brown, as well as pink, purple and blonde.

27 - What’s your favourite Christmas movie? When was the last time you watched it? Elf, The Grinch (the Jim Carrey one), Love Actually - I watch them all every year.

28 - What’s your favourite brand and flavour of ice-cream or frozen yoghurt? I actually really like Tesco own brand stuff lol. They do an amazing coconut and passionfruit flavour, or a coffee one too.

29 - When was the last time you visited the dentist? December.

30 - What time do you consider to be too early to go to bed and to get up in the morning? When was the last time you went to bed/got up at those times? I’m happy to go to bed anytime lol, I love being in bed even if I’m not going to sleep. I have to get up anywhere between 6am-8am for work, so anything before that is a bit painful lol. I was up at 7am on Friday and in bed by 9pm last Thursday.

[calyxmanta]

1. Assume it to be the work of some sort of impossibly powerful psychic being or advanced technology. Use it to plan ahead to prevent disaster! Get punished for that. Die.

2. Overheat. Try to cool off. Fail miserably. Remove or tolerate stressor until resolved!

3. Quietly spin around in a small closet somewhere. Tell no one unless asked.

4. Reckless use of industrial supplies!

5. Pyrrhic success.

6. Fight back and/or threaten in a very ominously polite way!

7. Uncomfortably stare. Push away, look away. Depends on context.

8. Politely reject or give an ambiguous response, then run.

9. Be sad. Depending on context, get revenge or mope when nobody is looking.

10. Get hands-on, or more accurately, hands-in! Figure out why! Or go to someone who can.

11. Leave! Leave! Leave. Leave. Leave. Do not enter this room. Do not enter this room. Do not enter this room. Leave. Do not enter this r

12. Go up to it! See what killed them! And also tell a local authority.

13. Go up to it. See what killed them. Track the killer(s)! Get revenge! Get maimed. Bleed to death in a steel tunnel. Get thrown into a trash compactor and/or repurposed.

14. Mercy! Given sparingly. A little revenge of their own once everything is said and done, but enough to where they can still walk home :)

15. Stare. Deeply stare. Hover over them. Get within a few millimeters of the other person's unconscious face! Stare for an hour or so. Go back to bed!

16. A little bit tricky here.

a) Accept, but not very enthusiastically. Double check to make sure it's not a trap. Triple check. Maybe refuse anyway!

b) Accept and leave little obvious indicator of the other person's crush status, but be direct and unwaveringly eager with it!

17. Imagine if ocs were called fcs and instead of roleplaying with them, you fr

a) Inquire as to why they did that! Make up an excuse to stay in there just a little bit longer. Maybe the oncoming horrors are still lurking, or there's still leftover energy from the crystal exploding! Anything to stay there with them as long as they practically can.

b) Show that enemy how they won a Company Approved Death Battle! Unless they've got a really really good reason, that is unacceptable!

18. Either-or, depending on circumstances!

19. Lean away and make noises of disapproval.

20. Continue dancing and ask them to please and kindly elaborate! Try to hide their concern from any onlookers.

21. Leave it be, ask for another, excuse themselves to the bathroom. Take a peek to see if there are any figures of poor moral character hiding in the kitchen!

22. Refuse. Scuttle off for a few hours. Quietly and discreetly ask for them to do that again.

23. Without hesitance! Whatever drives them to do so is definitely going to dictate their actions.. one way or another. Maybe they'll find an excuse to be a few milliseconds slower to the draw, door managing AI-style.

24. Their lover's! It is their job to serve, and they will fill that role dutifully where it needs to be filled.

25. Are we really at the end? I really enjoyed this. :(

Give it up. Suck it up.

Break down depending on the emotional value of that something. Whether this is concealed or not is up to a coin flip!

@ludicrouspajamas

what will your character do..

(reblog and brainstorm, lovelies! u can also write drabbles with theseee )

if they're met face to face with their plot, with no warning?

if they're stressed?

if they're happy? who will they want to share it with?

if they're sad? will they go to anyone for comfort? if yes, who?

if they're forced into a life of death situation?

if they're being threatened?

if they're kissed by their ex?

if they're confessed to by someone who they had no clue liked them? (given, they're single or not)

if their lover betrays them?

if they're coughing up blood out of the blue?

if there's a strange presence in the room, and it feels ominous?

if they discovered a dead body?

^ if the dead body is their best friend? (great question to start and develop a plot)

if their enemy is at their doorstep, bruised and injured?

if they had to share a bed with someone they don't particularly hate? ahem

if they had to be fed by someone they didn't like/their crush?

if their partner-to-be? enemy? pulls them into a secluded and shushes them? (their bodies pressing and all that!!)

when asked to choose between their family and their lover? (given the circumstances of ur story)

when kissed on their head by their enemy after a near death experience?

if they're dancing with a stranger, and the stranger says 'stop dancing, sweetheart and you'll hunted. do u wanna die?' ?

if they find out the food that served to them has glass dust on it? (who is it served by?)

when being pulled into a hug when they most need it by someone they least expect?

when they have to hold someone they loved at a gun point? why would it even occur?

when they have to choose between their own life and their lover's?

when they've to give up something (of great importance to the character) to save their lover?