#it’s a cost of living crisis and we just wasted I don’t even want to think about how much

[fellowshipofthenoodles]

oh :))) cool :))) our freezer is broken and all of our snake food has defrosted :))))))) isn’t that great isn’t that swell

[luthienne]

what do you do for a living? (/job?) I am currently in a crisis and need some guidance. I look up to you a lot, I love your blog, we have the same passions for poetry and writing and music, even daredevil! My crisis is that I dont know what to do. In university I take classes but I dont know what I want to be. My art and writing feel pointless sometimes. All the jobs i want to do I know im not skilled enough to achieve or itd be very hard to get by. If you dont mind giving out advice... please help! ❤

hi anon <3 i think that figuring out what we're supposed to do for a living often gets tied to the idea that we're supposed to find that one niche in the world where we fit, where we're meant to be and where we're meant to contribute; where we're meant to shine, and find deep meaning in our own lives. and maybe that does happen for some people. but in reality i think we're all capable of doing many different things, and finding purpose in many different things. and in working toward many different skillsets we acquire different skillsets that apply to many other types of work.

and i don't think anything is ever set in stone. i got my undergrad & grad degrees in music, and then i found that i didn't have it in me to be a part of that world anymore. and i felt that i had no meaning in my life without it. i was No One without music, i had no identity outside of my voice—despite the deep sense of purpose and fate, even, that i felt for my life up until that moment in music, in singing, in acting. up until that moment i knew in my bones my purpose in life. and then the ground was swept out from under me. it didn't matter that i had known with certainty what my life was supposed to be because it wasn't that any longer. and i realized that i could never again tie my identity to my art, to my music, to my writing, to my job. my voice has a purpose not because it must be enough to sustain me financially or because enough people have validated my talent but because it brings me joy. i came back to music because singing brought me joy again; i thought i would never feel that again.

something i have learned through this is 1) music, like most other art forms, is not a meritocracy; there is no such thing as "you are an excellent [artist/singer/writer] and therefore you will have the career owed to you" because so much more than merit and hard work go into careers like this. it takes not only talent and work ethic but circumstance and luck and wealth. lessons cost money, coachings costs money, auditions cost money, applications cost money, travel costs money, wardrobe costs money. 2) the process is not the career. i love to practice, i love to learn music, i love to get into character, and to engage with my colleagues in rehearsal rooms and onstage. i don't love the abuse thrown at singers from directors and teachers and coaches, i don't love auditions, i don’t love the unpredictability of gig work and contract work, i don't love the expendable lens through which singers are viewed by the industry. i've come back to music but my goals have shifted.

all that to say, i don't think we have to know what we want to be. we don't have to want to be anything. our lives have deep meaning whether we have "successful" careers or careers that just pay the bills while we continue to pursue our creative loves. i wouldn't place too much importance on needing to find what you are supposed to be because you will become who you are supposed to be regardless. it is never a waste to pursue something we love, and we will acquire and internalize new skills in any field that we can apply to other fields. and maybe your interests will dramatically shift, or maybe not. i think it's very natural to have vocational shifts throughout our lives, and it's not indicative of failure. art that is made personally or professionally doesn't have more or less value based on its financial profit. the money i make from singing isn't enough to sustain me—i have to do other self-employment gigs to make up the difference. most artists do. but i don't regret the time and the heart i have invested in music, and i am sustained through the work i put into it, and sustained by the relationships and friendships that i have developed through it.

i send you my whole heart. i know how it feels to look at the future and not know what you're supposed to do with your one, precious life. sometimes we have to live in the uncertainty and know that it won't be like that forever. on the flip side, the moments of certainty won't last forever either. and in-between there is all the living we do. i promise you're not alone in this <3

[prep4tomoro]

The Dollar Store is My Friend - Emergency Preps on a Budget:

Money is tight for most of us. We're living paycheck to paycheck, trying to make ends meet. We have very little in the way of extra funds we can put toward preps. Sure, we'd all love to be able to drop a few thousand dollars on dehydrated food every other month but that just isn't going to happen for most of us. So, here are some ways we can stretch our dollars to get the most bang for our bucks. Even my favorite Dollar Store (Dollar Tree) has been inflated to $1.25 but consumables still go right down the drain or in the trash. Why spend top dollar? With my shift to a Conserver Lifestyle and "Needs vs. Wants" approach to buying, I have a new-found friend; the Dollar Store. These types of stores have different names, depending on where you live, but each item in the store is about $1.25 (as of this posting date - Feb 2023). These stores buy discontinued, B-rated or near-expired goods in mass quantities. Because of this, they get them cheap and can sell them cheap; even paper products. Supplies don't need to be expensive. Dollar Stores, Pawn Shops, Surplus Stores and Yard Sales are some local options. Search for free stuff web sites. If you're adventurous, take a Dumpster Diving excursion. Don't just get stuff because it's free unless you can barter (trade) it for stuff you actually need/want before, or during, a crisis when stores will run out of inventory and people will run out of their supplies. Store, organize and prioritize supplies in easy-to-move containers for quick access and relocation if evacuation is necessary. Electric and fuel may be unavailable for power tools; get hand tools for repairs. Brainstorm about ways to stretch dollars to get the most bang for the buck. Now, it's doubtful that you will find your "favorite brand" and, if you do, it may be near its expiration, but part of being a Conserver is being a good shopper. Now and then I have found cheaper items in my regular grocery store or Walmart but, generally, this is my go-to place for cheap stuff that will go down the drain, toilet or in the trash anyway like shave cream, after shave, razor blades, toothpaste, cleaners, laundry detergent; you get the picture. And, chances are, the next time I visit, the brands that were there before, won't be there again. I don't recommend buying ingestibles (things you will eat, swallow or drink) unless, (1) they are not expired and, (2) you intend to use them before the expiration date. Unless you have money-to-burn or need that expensive perfume or cologne, I highly recommend these types of stores to save money. Other Ideas for Inexpensive or Free Preps: Yard Sales Military Surplus Stores Pawn Shops Flea Markets Thrift Stores Consignment Shops Dumpster Diving freecycle.org/ Do It Yourself (self-reliance) It's been mentioned, throughout this web site, to start slow and small with Emergency Preparations otherwise it's easy to become overwhelmed and go crazy buying stuff you don't need and over-spending. Like anything we want to purchase, we should make our shopping list, budget for it and stay within that spending limit. Related Resources: Dumpster Diving and Acquisition Guidelines Reduce Waste Find Low Cost Survival and Emergency Preps from Pawn Shops and Flea Markets 25 Prepper Items To Look For at Flea Markets and Thrift Stores 50 Preparedness Items for Less Than $5 Each Minimalist Living - The Conserver Lifestyle Battery-Less Devices [Author's Reference Link]

[11-Cs Basic Emergency Kit] [14-Point Emergency Preps Checklist] [Immediate Steps to Take When Disaster Strikes] [Learn to be More Self-Sufficient] [The Ultimate Preparation] [P4T Main Menu]

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[berscrk]

You once said on a post that some humans deserve to be killed for doing bad things. Well what if we invented forced re-education and made it so nobody had to die and instead could become good? We could invent brainwashing to make people not be bigots of any kind and to care about things like the poor and the environment. Ordinary people could have it too if they want their morals and conscience to be in tip top shape! I personally would. I don’t believe hurting people is right but if forced re-education were a thing I think it should be law and create total world peace! :)

That’s an interesting idea with a lot of strings leading other places. Personally, i think that if the world as a whole prioritized things like financial and spiritual freedom, sexual/gender expression and acceptance, food and housing security, abolishing racism, addressing and mending the climate crisis over time, healing our ecosystems, local communities rich in activity, support, walkable areas and public transport, land back, and everything else that would create an ideal society, then the conditions in which people grow would help them better develop mentally and emotionally and there would be much fewer “bad people”. I would never say that someone who robbed a bank, or accidentally killed someone, or is addicted to drugs etc. should be killed, nor are they bad. They’re a product of their environment and there are so many external factors that can lead people to ending up in bad situations. Bigots, on the other hand, or anyone who is genuinely a malicious and vile person, could qualify for something like that, but again, if we had actual systems in place to better protect our people as a whole, they would be silenced way more often. When i say some people deserve to die for the things they’ve done, i’m talking about r*pists, murderers, p*dophiles, etc., who are a waste of space, money and resources to keep around. Those who have no change of rehabilitation, are serving life sentences, etc. and are literally just taking up space in prisons for no reason, living better, more secure lives than the homeless population and even some housed individuals. If they were to get brainwashed and become a “good person”, what would that mean for them and their victims/the victims’ families? Would they technically be different people then, and would their crimes now be dismissible? Would they even remember who they were and what they did, and understand why it was wrong? I’m not dissing this idea or anything, i’m genuinely curious about the possible outcomes if this were ever implemented into society. It would likely cost a lot of money, so again, using tax dollars for really horrible people to get brand new starts, when a lot of regular people who’ve never done anything wrong struggle to make it through each day. And with the current systems in place, there would most definitely be favoritism and nepotism as well, based on biases of biological sex and gender identity, sexual orientation, race/ethnic background, financial status, ableism etc., so it would not ever be an acceptable practice in our current world, imo. I don’t know, it is interesting to think about. But as of right now, my answer is that there are just some genuinely despicable people that don’t deserve the privilege of being part of this existence, so they gotta go.

[unfoldingmoments]

When People let you down, Christ in Crisis

No Pain quite like people pain? What do you do when the heaviness / heartache to the people you love? How do you get over? 

The more you get to someone, the more potential increase, the deeper the disappointment.

The closer I get to you, the potential increase you can hurt me in a deeper way. 

Distant distort the truths. The further away the distance - the less I can see

The closer you get, you can discover the blemishes, the dent, etc.

The closer I get, the more I see the details.

Details matter, details create an ID, details tells a story.

We serve God who are up in the details, you are fearfully and wonderfully made.

He knows every hair In your head. No blade of grass , no soft flakes are same w another.

Everyone is unique, different thumbprint and everyone on earth leave an imprint.

Details matter but I will never discover details in the distance. The Distance doesn’t show me the details, it distorts the truth.

Quit wasting time judging people you don’t know.

You got no biz w people you’re not in proximities with, cos you don’t know, just don’t know.

Stop being overly impress with people in distant.

Not against inspired people from a distance

But the moment begin to cost you, your very own insecurities, because you compare your life with someone fake life in a distance, it is not worth it.

Distance distort the truth.

The expression: Never meet your heroes, it’s because times its true, if you get close enough, they’re as broken as you are. I thought you had it all together, I saw it on IG, that’s call a distance. That’s why you’re wasting your time by looking at people on IG.

If you only want to take a moment, maybe your heart will be broken, some people we think they got all together, you only know the whore what they’ve been going through, to offer you up the projection of their reality. Your heart will break. in relationship pain, proximity plays a massive part.

Sin done in the distance doesn’t feel the same with the sin that done in near to me.

ie. Someone Affair

It will be difficult if that person is your own husband.

Critics

It will be difficult if the critics is your own father.

The abandonment of your very own mother.

The integrity of a pastor that you’ve been following their teaching in the past 10 years, they themselves couldn’t live up to the words they said.

We live long enough to know

People always living, hang around, flow, leaving.

If you can’t live my life then let them leave

If they’re not walking with you today They’re not part of your future that God has design and plan/ promise for you.

Thank God for its providence, its plan, He is making a way, we live long enough, people always come and going. 

The Closer the proximity level , the deeper the heartache.

That’s why some people choose isolation.

Due to the bad relationship, So hurtful to trust again. 

The flea experiments: They take a can and put fleas inside a can, put a lid on the can. The flea bounce up and barrier of the jar- they can’t get enough/ free from the jar til they give up, til the scientist took the jar open, the flea never leave the jar because they don’t believe.

The fleas in the jar story is a great analogy for how we create paradigms in our lives and end up limiting our potential. If you don't know it already, the story goes something like this...

When fleas are placed in a jar, they try to jump out – but after the lid is placed on, the fleas stop attempting the escape – as they learn the boundaries of the new environment they’re in. Even when the lid is removed, the fleas never jump out. Their thinking has created the ‘lid’ as the boundary, so has conditioned them to limit their jumping. We're all a bit like those fleas -  our thinking conditions us. It creates imaginary boundaries and limited ways of thinking that keeps us stuck in a certain way of operating.

Conditioned the flea to leave the prison, that has been done to the pain to many of us.

Many of us live on necessary barrier, what happened to us in the past, we are conditioned to trap in our offence, bitterness, forgiveness. Never step in to what God has store in us. This is how you have relationship trap.

Examples: - if you know my dad, you’ll hardly trust any men ever again.

-If you’re married my wife, I am not sure if you ever want to get again

- if you have my kids, you’ll reconsider becoming a parent.

- if you’re my friend you’ll have difficult time to be vulnerable as well.

- if you grow up in my church, you’ll be questioning about Jc 

I learnt my lesson , Let me never have that close again

So with my Self-defence, isolation and seclusion - let me isolate because I’m trying to protect myself to being hurt. There’s another thing to be introverted, there’s another thing to be isolated. 

Being introverted is a personality type.

Case study no 1: 

Dawn Chere Wilkerson though she loves and serving people. she is an introvert - Retreat to solitude- so she may be restore and rejuvenate. Rich is an extrovert.

On the contrary, isolation is not rejuvenation.  about perseveration, because you’re trying on your own to preserved. Get away, so afraid and tired of people. I don’t trust people, I don’t want to be around people. People just don’t understand. Isolation is about suffering not refreshing. Isolation is Suffering in silence.

You don’t need to suffer in silence, because you have God in heaven, he knows your pain. Jc knows all about relationship pain. 

3 categories of love relationship pain that JC face: 1. pain with his family

Jc know all the fam drama

As we’ve read/ seen in the bible.

John 7 Even his own brothers doesn’t believe in him.

Jc must increase, I must decrease Jc was God in a flesh, 

He knows what if feels like to be criticise, how he was misinterpreted and rejected by his own fam members

Fam is an interesting thing should be our safe heaven, you can have real vulnerability. 

In fact, Our deepest trauma and worst pain occur in the very wall of your own family. lies, manipulation, abuse, betrayal, abandonment, and the list goes on.

I cut some fam members off. They handed me scissors etc. They hurt me and still in my life today.

Back to you, Jc understand fam pain.

2. pain with His friends

His disciples/ friends- when he need the most, they’re not there.

Supernatural anxiety attack. 

Jc in the garden sweating drops of blood.

The disciple is sleeping instead of praying.

Mat 26 - All his close friend and every single of them deserted him and fled

When I needed you the most.

If felt that my friend sleep through my pain.

Ive been there before- Jc.

Some people think I valued this friendship than

Judas put a price tag on the friendship= 30 pcs of silver- what does it feels like?

I lay down my heart.

Jc was sold , Jc has enemies all different walk of life, but some of his worst enemies are the pharmacies and sadducees. we too have enemies. People who aims to hurt us, tactics to destroy you, etc.

Jc was jewish

note: The Pharisees' Judaism is what we practice today, as we can't make sacrifices at the Temple and instead we worship in synagogues. The Sadducees were the wealthy upper class, who were involved with the priesthood. They completely rejected oral law, and unlike the Pharisees, their lives revolved around the Temple.

Pharisies were men of God, living a zealous life, life of discipline, restriction, know the torah backwards onwards, they live in life walk in purity, for a young boy like JC someone we admire to. But this is the very man that we plot to kill him. 

I expected to have enemies/ oppositions/ foes/ enemy against my calling. He/ God forecast that for you. The real shock is I never got the shot in the back, I thought I see it coming. I didn’t expect for others to against me etc. 

Christianity is the only movement that kills its wounded, but Jc understand that tight oppositions. What JC do w the enemies?

If you follow me ,the world will hate you.

If the world love you all the time, maybe you’re not doing it right.

His response was to remain silent- God’s fav tactics.

You can’t reason w tiger when it’s head in His mouth.

We tried to win over the enemies, opponent etc. 

Sometimes we need a wisdom from JC- let the Lord fight the battle for me.

JC & the gov, accused by leaders Do you not hear how many they against you

Not even a single charge because JC is remain silent

The gov was greatly amazed.

Real strength is HOW TO CONTROL YOURSELF.

God tell me when I should speak, when I should respond, how I should answer the critics/ accusations. I don’t want to waste time w foes, etc 

God understand how people let you down.

Q is simply what will we do w the pain/ hurt/ trials Brought by fam, friends and foes? SIMPLY SAID F YOU. I FORGIVE YOU. 

What do we do when people hurt us/ slander/ betrayed/ abused us etc?

Forgiveness is about setting the captives free, only you become a prisoner all this time. You know why it hurts? its hurts, because it mattered because u love them, because yu gave yourself to them, because you shouldn’t be treated that way. No daughter should talk to her daughter that way, no mother should leave their son in that predicament, it hurts because no husband should leave wife that way, it hurts because they should life longer but they die, it hurts because it matters.

And if you can’t feel it, you certainly can’t healed it. 

If we’re not Some glossy,  cliched, deal w surface kind of church. I forgive you by not acknowledging what happens. 

Acknowledging what happens vitals for your healing.

Offense is an event. Offended is a decision. - Steven Furtick

Forgivenes is an action.

Its the act of releasing, letting go, letting God.

Venengance is mine- God is about to bring Justice

Our job is to forgive / let go.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean the hurt never happens but it means The pain no longer controls me.

1 Peter 5-6

Therefore Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you.

Real forgiveness takes real humility.

I am going to absorb this blow, I am going to face this pain, I am going to deal w the emotional, I am going to Deal with the collateral, I am acknowledge it, I feel it, and if I can’t feel it, I will never be able to heal it. 

I am going to humble myself Underneath the hand of God in due time. Not my time, your time, in due time. 

Casting all your cares upon him for he cares for you.

I am Casting my care but I am clinging to Christ. 

Turn out God give you two hands to hold the only one thing. And you can’t cling to your care and cling to Christ at the same time. You can’t hold both. There’s something in life that these 2 hands can only hold one thing. I can’t hold mercy and avenges, I can’t hold both grace and offense, I can’t hold forgiveness and unforgiveness. I can’t hold God and bitterness. It doesn’t work that way. I can’t hold to my bitterness and Cling to the Cross. I can only hold one. 

And what I choose to let go is enable me to what I can pick up. I gotta release something in order to receive something. I gotta let go bitterness so I can pick up peace. I gotta let go of anger so I can pick up joy, I gotta let go of avenges so I can pick up reconciliation. 

Unless I can release it, I can’t receive what God has for me. 

Pick of salvation, let go and release my sin, shame, so I can receive forgiveness and 

You gotta release in order to receive. Gotta let something to go, in order to pick up something new. 

I feel down I hear you today, but you’re not out.

Down is the perfect place for God to reach and pick you up in due time.

I am due.

I am let go and I am gonna let God.

Joy and sorrow co-exist, but Joy and bitterness cannot

Forgiveness is not about just freeing your presence, but about forgene the path into the bright future, removing the invisible lid of pain that conditioned you, to a prison to a small world in in a shape of a jar, you are meant to live free. 

But I am not strong enough to forgive, I wish I can forgive but too much happen/ transpired/ I’ve been through too much and impossible to forgive. 

Boston Marathon on TV- watching a marathon just like watching Crosby

Unless you understand the difficulty of what they’re doing, you won’t appreciate their victory. Unless you have run before, you won’t appreciate 26 miles finish in 2 hours 5 mins, for 40 pace. 

Englishman Roger Banister, 1954, change the trajectory of runner after them - its impossible to run 1 miles under 4 mins. He finished in 3 min 59.4 sec. Sight of relieve even in the opponent’s Somebody broke the barrier, barrier breakers. 

Just 46 days later, on 21 June 1954, Bannister's record was broken by his rival, John Landy, in Turku, Finland, with a time of 3 minutes 57.9 seconds, which the IAAF ratified as 3 minutes 58.0 seconds due to the rounding rules then in effect.[22]

John Landy, a scholarly Australian who became the second man, after Roger Bannister of England, to run the mile in under four minutes, and who later dueled Bannister in a race that became known as the Mile of the Century, died on Thursday at his home in Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia. He was 91

1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games[edit]

On 7 August, at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in Vancouver, B.C., Bannister, running for England, competed against Landy for the first time in a race billed as "The Miracle Mile". They were the only two men in the world to have broken the 4-minute barrier, with Landy still holding the world record.

Landy led for most of the race, building a lead of 10 yards in the third lap (of four), but was overtaken on the last bend, and Bannister won in 3 min 58.8 s, with Landy 0.8 s behind in 3 min 59.6 s.[13][28] Bannister and Landy have both pointed out that the crucial moment of the race was that at the moment when Bannister decided to try to pass Landy, Landy looked over his left shoulder to gauge Bannister's position and Bannister burst past him on the right, never relinquishing the lead.

Bannister: Everest on the Track, The Roger Bannister Story is a 2016 TV documentary about his childhood and youth in WWII and postwar Britain and the breaking of the 4-minute mile barrier, with interviews of participants and witnesses to the 1954 race, and later runners inspired by Bannister and his achievement, including Phil Knight who says that Roger Bannister inspired him to start Nike.[46]

In a year, 5 different men broke the barriers, they are called the barrier brokers.

Something that feels / seems impossible is actually possible.

I didn’t know what was possible until the barrier was broken. 

I needed somebody that show me that the lead that has been conditioning my life, turns out to be invisible, turn out to be there’s no lead, rather my faith, my trust in God gives me the power to forgive. God unlocked our capacity to forgive. You choose, but God empowers you to do so. 

Forgiveness takes work and commitment. I have to choose, but If I choose I have a God’s in heaven who empowers me. Forgiveness is not all up to you. You can’t forgive with your own power/ capacity, you start telling me about the abuse etc.. don’t bother it’s impossible. Stay offended, stay bitter, get angry, boiled w that anger, gossip about that person and let everybody knows you’ve been wronged, you’re a victim you didn’t deserve that, get justice. 

But the good news is  that we don’t have to forgive on our own. There’s a barrier breaker, his name is Jesus. He who knew no sin that’s what the Hebrew said. He never let everybody down, he never betrayed anybody, never gossip/ abused, never lie/ cheat/ lust, walk in generosity - he who knew no sin. If there’s a candidate..

From the Cross, 

There they crucified Him w the criminals.

This is what the sin talking place, if u don’t receive the gospel in full weight

You earn the way to heaven

When we put the nails 

We’re the one who kill him

Its my sin 

I crucified him in the midst of my sin

Forgive them for they don’t know what they’re doing.

I have sin deeply against God but he has forgiven me.

Unforgivenes is always an indication that we overestimate people sin against us, and totally underestimate our sin against GOd. 

Choosing do not to forgive, so you trust yourself more than God to protect you in the situation. 

Unforgivenes is not a protection, it’s a pride. 

Like Roger Banister broke the barrier to show all of us, to run a mile under 4 mins.

Yes you can, because Jc has already did. He broke the barrier. 

When I walk in unforgivenes I am underestimate my sin against God, and overestimate my sin against me. And it’s pride, it won’t protect me, but it will only imprisoned me in this lid jar leaving to conditioned that I will leave like this forever. 

Relationship pain has the ability to trapped us in season

Unforgivenes change us to a moment

Bitterness puts an unnecessary boundaries and barrier in our future

You’re a living trip in 2015, it’s 2023

Someone hurt you in the past, you didn’t realise the season is changed.

The abuse, the slander, the divorce , the affair,

You live in the past. Do you know what day it is?

It is not Friday where they killed JC, it’s not even Saturday when God silent in the grave, thank God it is Sunday He resurrected from the tomb to heaven. And it’s a God who make all things new, its alive on the throne

It’s the same power that talk to death, hell on the grave, that Sunday that kind of resurrection Sunday power. The power that says something appears to be impossible, NO NO NO. I have a Sunday kinda God. What is impossible seems possible.

Praise God like you’re living in an Overflow of Sunday

I can forgive because He forgives. Ref Youtube/ Podcast Sermon: "When People let you down, Christ in Crisis" by Rich Wilkerson Jr.

[gofancyninjaworld]

OPM Manga Chapter 143 Review: How to Behave

The day after April Fools’ Day, Murata has graced us with another chapter.  A short one, but a spicy one to be sure!

Story

We start exactly where we left off.  Genos comes crashing down to earth, in a very not badass way this time.  He doesn’t look well at all with energy sparking uncontrolled from every joint.  Bang, Bomb, Fubuki and Puri Puri Prisoner approach him with concern, asking if there’s anything to be done for him.  To Puri Puri’s suggestion that Drive Knight might be able to help, Genos says that the latter has already left.

Drive Knight has never represented himself as anything as a person focussed on achieving his goals and exploiting whatever can be exploited.  So it’s no surprise that he drops Genos unceremoniously once the barrier is down and he can escape, just a bit disappointing.  It’s however more than a little disturbing that he dropped Genos into the midst of the other heroes like a primed grenade.  Not nice.  Not nice at all.

Puri Puri gets a distress call from underground. It’s coming from Child Emperor (yaaay, he lives!  We knew he would).  He dives into the ground to go retrieve the boy, both for his own sake and to try getting Genos some help.  Just how not nice Drive Knight’s little gift was comes when Genos tells the others to stop wasting time and get at least five kilometers away if they wanted to live.   Given that it was futile, he’d be taking the monsters out when his core exploded.    Pause to think about that for a moment -- that’s a radius of total destruction that’s five kilometers wide, leaving aside the more widespread destruction and blinding is totally terrifying.  He’d do a lot more than take out the monsters, but pretty much everyone we’ve seen on scene above ground.

It is in this context that Fubuki steps up to him.   Genos starts to try to run her off saying that even if she isn’t the strongest, she shouldn’t go to waste.

“Be quiet,” she says in a tone that brooks no dissent. 

And to his astonishment, Genos is quiet. 

I CLAPPED.  That was excellent indeed.  Fubuki has most emphatically taken charge of the situation.

Even more excellent, she starts to tell him off as she lays hands on him, mirroring his harsh words to himself (good!).  Despite the strain, she sees her role as a leader and as a leader, she’s determined not to abandon anyone.   Because psychics are a bit magic in this world, she’s able to cool the reactor to the point where its cooling functions are able to kick back in and put the core back under control.  She also extends her healing touch to the organic side of him, which we’ve seen her do for others already. 

Whew... crisis averted.

And then she starts to cough up blood and collapses right before the horrified gazes of the others.

Would now be a good time to mention that the cadre are still closing in?

Meta

I think I’m going to start with just one image and go outwards from there.  The sight of Genos reaching out for Fubuki as she collapses is touching, but then I thought about it a lot more and then I realised there’s more to it than the surprise, concern and regret that Genos is undoubtedly feeling.

To be around Genos is to be drafted into his guardian angel squad. This isn’t the first time someone has saved him.  But this *is* the first time that anyone has sacrificed themselves for him.  He’s the one who is always looking to take the worst of the blow, who this chapter was ready to leverage his death to get rid of the monsters and now, someone has been willing to suffer for him. Someone has literally shed their blood for him.  (and I wonder if Murata had a sneaky little look at the calendar when deciding to release this little chapter).

The astonishment in his eyes tells me that this hits deep with Genos.  We’ll have to see where it takes him, but this is opening up another paragraph or three in his character’s story.

Not that Fubuki is dead.  As they cradle her,  Bang remarks with wonder ‘she has the makings of a great leader.’   I have been following Fubuki, as I’ve been following other characters around.  Notwithstanding her strong arm techniques with Saitama, it’s been clear for a long time that she had genuine rapport with and attracted the loyalty of her group.  They bought into her vision, they cared about her and they’ve been proud to wear the trademark black blazers of the Blizzard Group.  The big thing for her was being whipped by Do-S and finding that Saitama’s words about her using her group as a front to feel good about herself... then coming back two days later with the determination to change things. 

She still sees herself as the leader of her unwitting new group, but this arc has demanded that she show decisiveness and act on behalf of them rather than using them as her shield.  She’s come far already.  I’m keen to see how much further she can go!

Let me add that I am glad ONE is continuing to build on his policy of having female characters be effective ones in their own right who continue to have their own story to develop.   Even if Murata does have a fatal attraction to boobs...

Btw, Dr Kuseno, don’t give Genos that kind of juice again. Not anytime soon. His determination to kill monsters at any cost is indication that he’s still not mature enough to handle great power.

[bitch-for-a-rainbow]

So there's a blanddcheadcanons post that says that "Kara is the mortal avatar of Rao" and I really don't like it, especially in the context of SG 3x04 (The Faithful). At best, as was pointed out to me by a friend with whom I discussed this post, the House of El is likely blessed and somewhat sponsored by Rao, which probably doesn't do much but produce Krypton's greatest heroes, given what the word "El" **means** in Kryptonian. I'm interested in your thoughts on this (pls post your answer).

    I reject the headcannon solely because if it were true it would mean Coville was right and I fucking hate that bitch.

     In all seriousness, though, this is an idea I've seen a lot and I'm not a huge fan of. I don't know much about Raoism beyond what appears in the show and that which can be inferred off of the show. One thing I would point out though is that El in Kryptonian (while obviously being intended to mean God by the original comic writers) can mean Sun or Stars, and since the Kryptonians in the show are, as far as I can tell, monotheistic, and worshipped only one particular star, the El family is not necessarily named God. It would, however, signify their enormous prestige on Krypton and contribute to the famous El pride (or rather, arrogance). I’m not sure it would necessarily have to mean anything more than that-- that the Els are a respected house who have produced a variety of successful politicians, civil servants, and scientists. And (this time reaching a little bit) that they are perhaps so old and respected that their house name was once a title. 

      There is a certain allure to the theory, for sure. Kara is a paragon character. She always, always does what she thinks is right, regardless of the cost, personal or global, and regardless of what other people might think of it. She has a very direct moral compass, and there are only a handful of times when she doesn’t follow it, all of which involve saving Lena. Ship who you want, but it is notable that Kara routinely prioritzes Lena’s life over that of others given the rarity of that happening otherwise. She never even considered breaking Rick Thompson’s father out of prison when he kidnapped Alex, and all he’d committed was bank robbery. Kara has lines she does not cross (though murder is clearly not one of them). She is a character that has seen some of the worst that sentient life is capable of, has seen more death and suffering than most people could imagine, and she came out of it with an all-encompassing desire to protect others. She lives to give people hope. Plus, the humor of having Kara-- the one person most offended by the idea of being an Avatar of Rao-- turn out to be an Avatar of Rao is great.

       But, I would also say that having Kara want to do good because she is the avatar of a benevolent god is reductive and not particularly true to her character. It is true that helping and protecting people is a large part of the core of who Kara is. But there is a difference between altruism and the self-destructive, bordering of suicidal desperation to save absolutely everyone that Kara practices. And to anyone who doubts the suicidal bit, I direct you to the season 1 finale where Kara literally goes on a goodbye tour because she thinks if she goes out to fight Non she’ll die. She still goes because she has hope, but that hope is that she can at least save Earth with her life. She doesn’t fight because she is certain in the ultimate victory of good and justice. She does it because she more afraid to lose another family than she is to die. Kara doesn’t become Supergirl and risk her own life because she believes in good, she does it because she can’t stand to listen to people suffer-- because she has suffered. To use Alex’s words in 1x13 “You fight everyday to keep people from struggling like you have.” Notably also in 1x13, Kara wakes up from the Black Mercy and her first words are “Who did this to me?” and then she goes after Non in what could arguably be described as a homicidal rage-- a rage that is fueled entirely for personal reasons, not the greater good of Earth (though that comes as an added benefit), which is.... not very befitting the avatar of a benevolent god. 

     A major part of season 1 is Kara dealing with grief and rage. She nearly breaks a guy's arm in episode 6 because he screamed at her for damaging his car, to hell with the children he'd almost hit with it. In season 3's Midvale flashbacks we see her first put both hands through a lunch table, then attack Jake when she suspects him for Kenny's death. She gets better at controlling it as the seasons progress, but during Crisis she very nearly melts Lex. Also not particularly godly of her. 

     Then there is the fact that so much of who Kara is is shaped by fear: fear of the government, fear of humanity, fear of abandonment, and fear of herself. In her civilian life, Kara is, for the most part, unnoticeable. She's polite, soft-spoken, doesn't wear a lot of bold colors or styles, and is often a pushover. As shown by her encounter with Red Kryptonite, Kara would not dress or speak the same way to people without the pressure of hiding her identity (though much of her dialogue is purely the loss of her "don't be an asshole" filter, some of it is stuff she had every right to say before and just didn't). I have always found that episode to be very interesting purely for the fact that Kara doesn't actually seem to be seeking harm on others so much as seeking their attention. Her argument with Alex is almost entirely about how much she hates having to hide and pretend to be less than she is. Kara drops Cat off the balcony and then catches her. She attacks the police when they point weapons at her but doesn't kill or even hurt them that badly, instead of destroying the car they're using as shelter. Red-K removed her inhibitions, made her angrier, yes, but if her goal was to actually hurt people, she could have done so-- would have done so, and with great ease. She goes to a public bar and uses super strength to smash bottles by flicking peanuts. Why do that at a crowded bar? Why not just flick potato chips at the windows in her own apartment?

      This is Kara at her absolute worst-- but does she seek out the DEO agents who shot her out of the sky? Does she go after Maxwell Lord or Non? No. She tries to make people pay attention to her. Her most shameful and hideous desire is for people to give her respect. (Admittedly, respect gained through fear, but still.). Kara's a nice person-- much, much nicer than average-- but a lot of that "nice" is just her avoiding conflict to avoid attention.

      Kara is a good person. Kara inspires people. But that is because Kara gets up every day and chooses to be good and to inspire. It's one of the reasons I enjoy Non as a villain so much-- he and Astra are Kara's narrative foils. They also remember Krypton and grieve its loss. They also were trapped in the Phantom Zone. But where Kara had the Danvers to convince her that some good people existed and would risk themselves just to help others, Non and Astra had Alura sentencing them to eternal suffering rather than helping them save their planet (through the means they thought necessary) and then landed on Earth and found it headed on the same path as the planet they'd just lost. Kara had people to help her grieve. Non and Astra were surrounded by misery. They lost hope. Kara discovered it.

     Kara is the Paragon of Hope because she has been hopeless. Because she has suffered so much, seen so much, and because she chooses to believe in a better future. She didn't have hope her first time in the Phantom Zone. She didn't even have hope for a while on earth. From what we can gather, Kara's choice to start actually believing in the future was a gradual shift that occurred sometime after Kenny's death and has lasted her ever since. For Kara, hope is learned. She chose to hope and she won't let it go, and to assign that incredible victory off to her being a God is an insult to her growth and to her character. 

   Now I personally thought “The Faithful” handled this concept very well. 3x04 is one of my favorite episodes of television in general, let alone in Supergirl. Season 3 is my second favorite season, and that says a lot for its good episodes when the bad of season 3 is so, so very bad (To say nothing of the episode to episode production value, we have the waste of Argo, Mon El’s return as obviously he’s grown he has a beard Mon El, and whatever the hell was going on with Kryptonian genetic engineering eclipse causing witches). To this day I don’t know why Kara had magic dreams. The show did nothing to explain it and I can’t imagine up a reason. 

     But “The Faithful” works because it highlights the whole paragon part of who Kara is. When you realize that every person in the room of Coville’s cult is a person she has personally saved-- that hits hard. Especially since only a fraction of the people she’s saved would ever set foot inside that building with the totally not-creepy, entirely wholesome way they deliver the invitations. (“Your daughter is special. She has been chosen. As have you.”) It works because it focuses on how the average human must view Kara, the ones who don’t see her argue with her sister over potstickers and crush her phone when she gets mad. It works because of how desperately hard Kara tries to be a human. It works because the writers know that we, the audience, do not see Kara as anything but a regular person with irregular abilities: a kind and remarkably devoted person, but not a god. 

[giftofshewbread]

It’s Satan

By Daymond Duck    Published on: August 1, 2021

The writer of this article was recently asked, “Why do the globalists who are supposed to be very intelligent make decisions that are so clearly wrong?”

Most don’t realize it, but Satan is behind their evil.

He has blinded them to the extent that they don’t believe the Bible is the Word of God.

They push a godless world government, world religion, same-sex marriage, tracking everyone, etc., because they are not Christians (even though some falsely claim to be good Catholics, etc.).

Many were appointed by like-minded people, not elected by voters or nations.

They wouldn’t dare have an election because they don’t believe they can get elected.

The globalists overlook what the Clintons and Bidens have done because they share similar views on the issues listed above.

Their puppets impeached Trump twice because he opposed their views.

Their prosecution of Trump supporters for what happened at the capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, while ignoring the rioting, looting, destruction of property, etc. by Antifa, Black Lives Matter, and others, should concern every conservative and Christian because when the globalists get the upper hand (and they will), they will destroy the U.S. Constitution, and persecute and destroy those that disagree with them.

When they give their Antichrist power, he will go forth conquering and to conquer (Rev. 6:1-2; 13:4-7).

The following events indicate that the latter years and latter days, globalism, global pandemics, food shortages, persecution, etc., are on the horizon.

One, concerning the Battle of Gog and Magog in the latter years and latter days: on July 20, 2021, Sen. Lindsey Graham said, “The Iranians are progressing (on their development of nuclear weapons) at a dangerous pace.”

“Israel may need to take pre-emptive military action against Iran.”

“I’ve never been more worried about Israel having to use military force to stop the program than I am right now.”

Two, also concerning the Battle of Gog and Magog: it was reported on July 21, 2021, that Israel’s military and foreign intelligence agency said Israel needs a variety of plans to sabotage, disrupt and delay Iran’s development of nuclear weapons, and they will probably be asking for the money and resources to do that.

Three, also concerning the Battle of Gog and Magog: Israeli Prime Min. Netanyahu and Russian Pres. Putin agreed that Israel would give Russia advance notice of Israeli attacks in some areas of Syria, and Russia would not intervene.

Israel jets recently fired several missiles at Iranian targets near Aleppo, Syria, and a Russian official said Syria used Russian-made anti-missile systems to shoot down all of Israel’s missiles.

On July 24, 2021, DEBKAfile, an Israeli intelligence and security news source group, reported that a Russian official confirmed that Russia has changed its policy on not intervening in Israeli attacks in some areas of Syria because Russia has received confirmation from the Biden White House that the U.S. does not condone the continuous Israeli raids.

Thus, while the Biden administration is publicly saying Israel has a right to defend itself, it is telling Russia that some of Israel’s efforts to do that are unacceptable.

The Bible clearly teaches that the merchants of Tarshish and all the young lions (perhaps includes the U.S.) will not help Israel during the Battle of Gog and Magog (Ezek. 38:13).

Corrupt world leaders, deceit, and lying are also signs of the end of the age.

Four, on July 27, 2021, i24NEWS reported that Israel has notified the Biden administration that Iran is on the verge of crossing the nuclear threshold, and it could happen at any moment.

Because Pres. Obama sent Iran a planeload of money during his administration and seems to be influencing events in the Biden administration, notifying Biden might be a waste of time.

This may help explain the belief that the U.S. will not help Israel during the Battle of Gog and Magog (Ezek. 38:13).

Five, concerning famine: it is common knowledge that the Covid-19 lockdowns disrupted the world’s food chains (farmers and farmhands were quarantined; stores ran out of toilet paper, some foods, etc.; food processors closed or cut back; some trucks stopped rolling, etc.).

On July 23, 2023, it was reported that there are still bare shelves in some food stores in the U.K., the food supply chains are “at risk of collapse,” millions of workers have been ordered to self-quarantine, the food industry is running out of workers to keep the stores supplied, and the U.K. could be just a few months away from a major crisis.

Under the guise of stopping the spread of Covid, the U.K. government may be creating “food shortages and mass famine.”

Note: It was recently reported that Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell warned that there will be another lockdown in the U.S. if American citizens “don’t wise up and get vaccinated against Covid-19.”

Note: On July 28, 2021, in an interview on “Fox & Friends,” Stuart Varney said an important business group is predicting that supply shortages will last until 2023.

Some prophecy teachers believe that Covid-19 is a created crisis (a pretext, a set-up, perhaps an engineered cluster of catastrophes) that globalists are using to prepare the world for a world government.

According to the pro-liberty group, Brighteon, on July 22, 2021, “very few people are prepared to survive a multi-layered, engineered cluster of catastrophes that are unleashed on top of each other.”

God’s Seal, Trumpet, and Bowl judgments during the Tribulation Period will be multi-layered catastrophes (pandemics, famine, economic collapse, etc.) on top of each other, and very few will survive.

Note: This writer believes we could be watching the development (early stages) of those multi-layered judgments.

Six, concerning deceit: on July 20, 2021, Sen. Rand Paul said on Sean Hannity’s T.V. program, “I will be sending a letter to the Department of Justice asking for a criminal referral (of Dr. Anthony Fauci) because he has lied to Congress” (about the involvement of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases in the research at China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology).

Note: This writer does not know how to verify it but has seen reports that Fauci owns stock in one or more of the companies that have been approved to sell the Covid-19 vaccine (If true, he is likely profiting off forcing people to be vaccinated and opposing the use of Hydroxychloroquine and Ivermectin).

Second Note: It has been reported that Fauci could spend up to 5 years in prison, but it is the opinion of this writer that the globalists (also called the Shadow Government, Deep State, super-wealthy elitists, etc.) will protect him because they are pro-vaccination. They want him to keep using his ever-changing fake science.

Seven, concerning world government and open borders: on July 21, 2021, it was reported that keeping the U.S. border with Mexico open is costing about 3 million dollars a day in suspension and termination payments to contractors to guard steel, concrete, and other materials they have in the desert.

Eight, militant Muslims say Jews should not be allowed on the Temple Mount because the entire Temple Mount is an Islamic site and none of it belongs to Israel.

For this reason, Jewish officials have allowed Jews to visit the Temple Mount at certain times, but they have not been allowed to pray on the Temple Mount.

On July 17, 2021, the eve of Tisha B’ Av (a holiday for remembering the destruction of the first 2 Jewish Temples; July 17-18 in 2021), it was reported that Jews were praying (and some were teaching Torah, a name for the Scriptures in the first 5 books of the Bible) on the Temple Mount.

On July 20, 2021, Prime Min. Bennett came out in support of freedom of worship for Jews on the Temple Mount.

This may lead to more violence, but it is worth noting that the Jews have gone from not being allowed to pray on the Temple Mount to praying and teaching on the Temple Mount, and Israel’s new Prime Min. supports it.

According to the Bible, the Jews will eventually get permission to rebuild the Temple.

Update: On July 25, 2021, it was reported that the temporary truce between Israel and the Palestinians is fragile, may be coming unraveled, and another war could be on the horizon.

Nine, concerning pestilence: on July 22, 2021, Israeli Prime Min. Bennett said as of Aug. 8, 2021, Israeli citizens will not be allowed to enter synagogues and other facilities without a vaccine certificate or proof of a negative Covid-19 test.

U.S. citizens are not having to prove that they have been vaccinated to attend places of worship, but some companies are requiring it.

Ten, concerning natural disasters: on July 26, 2021, it was reported that June in North America was “the hottest in recorded history.”

Record high temperatures were broken in several western states.

On June 28, 2021, the temperature was 117 degrees in Salem, OR; 110 in Redmond OR; 110 in Quillayute, WA; 110 in Olympia, WA etc.

The southwest U.S. is experiencing the worst drought in 122 years.

It covers almost 90% of the southwest, and much of that is classified as severe to exceptional drought.

Reservoirs and rivers are drying up, fish are dying, wildlife is suffering, farmers and ranchers are hurting, crop and cattle production is down, some ranchers and dairy farmers are going out of business, water rationing is beginning to kick in, and more than 60 million people are impacted.

Lake Mead, a 112-mile-long water reservoir, is at its lowest level since it was built 85 years ago (It is now only 35% full).

Utah’s Great Salt Lake has reached a record low.

86 wildfires are burning in 12 states, drought conditions have made them worse, two major wildfires have merged, and more than 10,000 houses are in danger.

The long-range forecast is for the high temperatures to continue through the fall.

Call it what you want; some officials are already blaming it on global warming because it fits their globalist agenda. But natural disasters will be like birth pains (increase in frequency and intensity) at the end of the age, and this record-breaking event seems to qualify.

As I close, understand that as bad as things are right now, Satan and the Antichrist are limited or partly restrained (II Thess. 2:7-9).

But the time will come (the Tribulation Period) when Satan and the Antichrist will no longer be restrained, and the events will be worse than anything that has ever happened or ever will happen (Matt. 24:22).

Finally, are you Rapture Ready?

If you want to be rapture ready and go to heaven, you must be born again (John 3:3). God loves you, and if you have not done so, sincerely admit that you are a sinner; believe that Jesus is the virgin-born, sinless Son of God who died for the sins of the world, was buried, and raised from the dead; ask Him to forgive your sins, cleanse you, come into your heart and be your Saviour; then tell someone that you have done this.

[theartoflovingthomashunt]

dx: a Ticking Clock [AU]

Masterlists: [Thomas Hunt x Alex Spencer] [Ethan Ramsey x Ellie Shepherd] [Love & Scotch Crossover]

– – – Characters: Alex, Thomas Hunt, Ethan Ramsey, Ellie Shephard (OH: MC), Naveen Banerji, Baz Mirani, Zaid + other OH characters mentioned Prompt: fear @choicesoctoberchallenge2020 Word Count: +/- 1,400

TW: character death mentioned (same warnings as would apply to OH2 CH11)

Series Background: This takes place in my Hollywood U AU. Alex and Thomas are engaged. Ethan is an old friend whom the couple reconnected with recently. Alex is the biggest shipper of Ethan and Ellie(MC), and is thrilled Ethan finally took  her advice to do something about his feelings

Chapter Background: This takes place after Two Words (Thomas and Alex come to Boston to offer assistance during the crisis and support their friends) and at the same time as Never Let Go (Ethan spends the night with Ellie in quarantine)

Catch up on Love and Scotch

☆  ☆   ☆   ☆   ☆ 

The hallway hummed with the murmur of the doctors collaborating with only one goal in mind—saving Ellie and Rafael. The diagnostic’s office had become overrun with the number of hands that offered assistance. The conversations quickly became a cacophonous ruckus rather than a productive dialogue of possible solutions. They decided to split into groups, in the hope of exploring more ideas in less time by allowing greater opportunities for everyone’s ideas to be shared and tested. Naveen headed the team that remained in Ethan’s office. Tobias led the team stationed in the conference room. Both groups worked diligently, knowing that time was of the essence and a wasted minute could be all that stood in the way of saving their friends’ lives. 

It hadn’t taken Alex long to discover Ethan’s hidden stash of coffee and his secret espresso machine. She caught a whiff of the rich, but subtle notes of the premium blend tucked in the bottom drawer of a cabinet while tidying papers on his desk.

“We don’t touch that,” Baz noted, leaning against the bookshelf behind her. “Ethan doesn’t let anyone touch it. He will tell you he is a connoisseur and no one quite grasps the delicacies needed. He’ll trust us with patients but not his espresso machine.”

A smile played on her lips, the machine buzzed to life under her skilled touch. “Ethan may think he knows coffee, but it’s kind of my thing.”

“On your head be it.” Baz breathed out a soft, skeptical laugh. “When this is over, I’d quite like to see his reaction to you informing him he is not as wise to his coffee as he believes.”

Alex worked her magic setting the machine up and readying it for her first request. “Something like ‘you know nothing, Ethan Ramsey’.”

His hearty laugh overtook the somber tone of the room, even if just for the two of them. "Except, he really would know nothing because that reference would go over his head.”

“True! Anyway, I’m sure he won’t mind. After all, it’s for Ellie—” The words slipped out of her lips in a tone she worried said too much. “What I meant is, I’m sure he’d want his team to be well cared for and fueled to assist any member of the team that could find themselves in mortal peril. For the EMT too. And anyone, not just Ellie,” she rambled trying to cover up for any slip that may have occurred.

“It’s okay, I know.”

“You know?” The last part of the word lingered as Alex dragged it out questioningly.

“I know.” He nodded, quirking a brow at her.

“You know, as in you know?” Her chocolate brown eyes narrowed on him knowingly. 

“I know,” he reasserted, grinning proudly. 

“Do they know?”

“Ellie might. Ethan doesn’t.”

“How?”

A low laugh rumbled in his chest. “How can you not notice? They haven’t exactly mastered the subtleties of being in a secret relationship.”

“By they, you mean Ethan?” Alex grinned to herself. The first round of espresso shots began to drip, filling the office with a warm, inviting scent.

“It’s like you’ve met him!” He teased, the two of them giggled in the corner like schoolgirls sharing a juicy secret.

“I like you, Baz,” Alex decided. “So if Ethan throws a tantrum about me using his coffee machine, I won’t even blame you,” she teased. “Maybe your brother though.”

“As long as I’m there when you tell him.”

“Deal. Now, what can I make you?”

Ethan’s precious supply of premium beans dwindled as the hours passed, Alex kept everyone caffeinated and alert, while Hunt brought food and water to the weary doctors. With each glance to the ticking clock, the lines of worry etched on their tired faces grew deeper. 

***

Hunt’s hand clasped on the older doctor’s shoulders, jerking him to attention and pulling him from his thoughts. “You need rest, Naveen.” 

“I will when we’ve solved this puzzle.” His weary eyes fell once more to the research and medical charts scattered on the table in front of him.

“At least take a walk to clear your head,” Hunt suggested.

He shook his head side to side in contemplation. “I can’t. Not until I have an answer. Not until they’re safe.”

“Naveen, no one will fault you for taking a break. Everyone else has.”

“I will,” he insisted. “But not yet. If something were to happen while I was gone or if we were ten minutes too late because I took a break…” His voice quivered, unable to finish the thought as dread twisted in his gut. The color drained from his face at the possibility of them being too late. 

Hunt nodded in understanding, knowing there was nothing he could do to comfort the man before him.

“Not just because Ellie saved my life last year,” he lowered his voice, keeping the next part between them. “I don’t have any children, I have Ethan. He may yet think that love is a weakness, but it’s not. Whether he’s ready to admit to it or not, he needs her. I don’t know if he could survive losing her.”

“I know what you mean.” Hunt’s gaze fell to Alex busy across the room. “There are some people we’ll go to any length to save, no matter the cost.” His hand found Naveen’s shoulder again, offering a consoling gesture. “If there’s anything I can do.”

***

Ethan’s gloved hand glossed over her tousled, sweat-coated hair, being careful not to wake her. She had finally let sleep overtake her not too long ago, though he didn’t dare join her. Fighting his own exhaustion, he kept a steady gaze on the monitors ensuring no sudden decline in her vitals. 

Alex watched for a few moments, giving him time with her. Her eyes misted over; she’d never seen him so tender before. She recognized that look on his face, if only Ellie could see him now. Luckily for him, the entirety of the hospital was too busy determining a cure that they would be oblivious to the obvious connection between the two doctors in the room before her. 

Her finger lingered on the intercom button for what felt like an eternity. She spoke softly, “Can I get you anything?”

Ethan’s blue eyes shimmered like the glassy surface of the cool ocean. “Anything yet?”

She shook her head side to side. “Sorry.”

He gently rested the plastic shield of his protective suit against the top of her head. His lips pressed against the clear surface. “Hold on just a little bit longer, Ellie.”

Alex sniffled, the pads of her fingers collecting the tears before they could fall. She needed to be brave for him. 

Ethan shifted, inching away from her. “Will you stay with her? I can’t ask you to come in even with protection, but just stay there and let me know the minute she wakes or if any of her vitals change. I know a nurse can do it, but I’d rather it be you.”

“Of course, Ethan. Whatever you need. What will you be doing?”

His fingers hovered once more over her, tracing the length of her arm. “Finding a way to save her.”

“I’m proud of you,” she whispered, as he began the procedure to leave quarantine without spreading the contaminant. 

“What for?”

“You took a chance.”

His tone was harsher, “look how that turned out.”

“This is just a chapter, I can’t believe it’s the end,” she offered, glancing back to Ellie sleeping soundly. “Take the advice you gave her. ‘Just hold on a little bit longer’, you’ll save her. I have to believe it.”

Ethan offered a curt nod, leaving in silence, pausing only for a moment to glance back to Ellie lying helplessly in the small hospital bed.

Alex focused on the steady pulse of the monitors, watching and listening for even the slightest shift in the information. Her hand rested over her phone in her pocket ready to call Ethan within seconds if needed. 

Hunt’s arms snaked around her from behind, causing her body to shake at the unexpected contact. “Hi.”

“Hi, yourself.” Alex leaned into her fiancé, letting the warmth of his embrace calm her racing mind.

“How are you holding up?” His beard tingled against her skin as he brushed a kiss on her cheek.

She spun quickly, wrapping her arms around him. She leaned up on her tiptoes to bury her face in the crook of his neck. 

“I know.” His fingers combed through her dark hair. She didn’t need to say what was on her mind, he knew the weight of what was troubling her. “Just have faith in them. He’ll find a way, I know he will.”

“How can you be so sure?” Alex sniffled into his shirt collar.

“Because he loves her.”

☆  ☆   ☆   ☆   ☆

(tags in a reblog, trying that again to see if it makes any difference in my posts staying in search/tags)

[cardboardedison]

A Chat With Phase Shift Games' Jason Miceli

This interview was sponsored by Phase Shift Games as part of its support for the 2021 Cardboard Edison Award.

Tell us about Phase Shift Games and your role in the board game industry.

Hey there! I’m Jason Miceli, “Grand Geek Admiral” of Phase Shift Games! My partner Darrin and I have been super proud and fortunate to have hit the ground running with our first release, Dungeon Drop (40k+ copies in circulation), and we are now working on our next three titles.

We consider our place in the board game industry is one of extreme innovation. Phase Shift Games focuses on games that “shift a dimension” or otherwise push a dimensional envelope, in such a way as to create truly unique gaming experiences.

Tell us about the upcoming projects you have in the works.

We could not be more excited to be working on Dungeon Drop’s spiritual successor, Drop Drive! Set in a vibrant science-fiction universe, Drop Drive shares the core “drop-style” mechanic first introduced by Dungeon Drop, but following that initial “big bang” setup, the two games diverge entirely.

Drop Drive offers a full sandbox game experience, playable in under 30 minutes. Mine asteroids, shuttle strange passengers, collect alien specimens, and battle pirates... all within an infinitely randomized solar system!

What advice would you give a designer who wants to have a game published by Phase Shift Games?

As mentioned earlier, we focus on games that shift a dimension in some way. So many board games are relatively flat: boards are flat, cards are flat, tokens are flat, etc. The most dimensionality you typically see from many board games is cubes, pawns, or miniatures that pop up from the table a bit. But what about all that empty 3D space above the table that’s relatively untapped? Dungeon Drop, and soon Drop Drive, play with that space quite a bit.

Then there’s the dimension of time (and space)… most board games are meant to be played in one sitting, while all players are in the same room. How can those dimensions be shifted? Can a game be played in two separate rooms simultaneously? Can a game be played while some people aren’t even in the same building? Can a game be played over a much longer period of time, say weeks or months (yes, legacy games ended up filling this dimensional goal, in an awesome and innovative way!)? Can a game be played asynchronously, but still bring the same (or better!) gaming experience?

What about environmental shifts? Perhaps games that are designed to be played outdoors, or while at the supermarket? What about games that are best played while sitting on your couch in a living room, rather than the dining room table, but don’t devolve into simple “party games”? Is there a viable way to better blend technology with tabletop gaming? Thus far this has been a fairly difficult space to play in, but we are keenly looking out for innovative ideas here too!

And so on. We really push to think outside the normal boundaries, to find games with super unusual hooks.

What is something that designers and publishers should be thinking about more?

I think the bar keeps raising higher and higher in terms of expectations for production quality and experience uniqueness. With the abundance of new games hitting the market every day, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle. There are so many derivative games that just feel “samey.” Designers and publishers should set their sights higher than simply repeating a popular game model or mechanic, such as deck building or area control. Of course, this is no easy task—with the magnitude of games that are out there, it’s super difficult to think up something TRULY new and different! Still, that must be the ultimate goal.

What is one thing you think we'll see more of in the games industry in the coming year?

Well, Covid hit us all pretty hard, especially smaller publishers, and that will have lasting impacts. I think there was a big shift to solo and two-player games, as well as roll & write games that can often be played over Zoom.

Then manufacturing costs and the cost of raw materials rose significantly… and then the global shipping crisis hit us. This will likely result in us seeing more or less of certain types of game components, and critically I suspect the standard size of boxes will start to change. I think we’ll see fewer game boxes with tons of wasted space inside (even though U.S. consumerism generally prefers bigger boxes on the shelves—because, of course, a bigger box means it’s worth a higher price, right? <eyeroll>).

It’s hard to predict right now, since we still have yet to see what the “new normal” will be, but one way or the other our world will continue to change in fundamental ways.

For us at Phase Shift Games, we had already established an adorable, cubical box for our current line of games, which allows us to absorb some of these shipping implications. That said, we also have dreams of putting out “big box” games too… but now is not the time for us to make that particular shift.

It also stands to reason that the landscape of gaming conventions will change significantly. While we’re all glad in-person cons are starting back up again, I suspect we’ll see fewer vendors offering hands-on demos. Mask mandates will make some game explanations harder. Distance requirements between booths and the size of walkways will mean less vendors. Capacity limitations will mean less attendees. At least for the next year or so, conventions will likely feel very different.

Regardless, Phase Shift Games, like many others, is super eager to get back out into the community and share our passion and love for gaming! If everything goes according to plan, we will be exhibiting at Essen and Pax Unplugged this year, so please do stop by our booth and check out the latest on Dungeon Drop, Tavern Tales, and Drop Drive!!!

[charmmycolour]

Answer questions about Dakavendish pls UwU

YES! I love any excuse to talk about my dorks!

1. Who kissed the other first?

Cavendish.

I know, I know, but hear me out! Let me put a short and a long answer because the long one is long.

Short answer: Cavendish kisses Dakota for the first time without realizing, because he’s simply too excited and not thinking properly. And we know how touchy he gets when he’s excited.

Long answer (you can skip): It’s a personal headcanon that in the future Cavendish alone will get a better job at PIG, and at Dakota insistence he will accept. There’s a ton more to that hc, but basically at some point Cav would be in danger and, in his usual fashion, Dakota would rush to save him. But because they are trying to blackmail PIG and Cav is now important, they kidnap Dakota.

Cavendish tries to convince PIG to send a team to save Dakota, but Bob is all “he’s just the janitor, we can’t waste resorces on a rescue mission for him. Don’t worry about it!” and Cav is FURIOUS, but can’t really do anything about it and he’s too scared to go on a rescue mission on his own. This is too dangerous and he’s clumsy and insecure.

So Cavendish is mopping alone, not knowing what to do. At some point, Milo, Melissa and Zack find him and unaware of the situation just ask where is Dakota. And Cav is like, I can’t tell them the true! They would want to help and get worried, and I can’t involve three innocent children on this. So he lies and tells them everything is fine and Dakota is doing his own thing somewhere else.

But since the topic is there, Milo mentions Dakota is a cool guy and the rest agree. Cavendish, still on his "everything is fine" act tries to act like usual pointing Dakota's flaws "you won't say that if you had to work with him, he's messy, irresponsible, impulsive, always hungry, has no sense of fashion..."

But then he starts to trail off "and he gets excited with the smallest of things, can you imagine? I guess that's quite admirable on it's own way, but... I mean, I don't hate him, Dakota can be pretty helpful sometimes. He knows how to act under pressure, can talk his way out of situations, made our job a lot less boring, and to be honest, he's quite funny, even with that odd sense of humor; and he's the most loyal person I have ever know, he's kind and  witty and selfless and..."

He ends listing all kind of virtues and the kids look at each other and Melissa goes: "Wow, someone likes-likes Dakota, uh?". And Cavendish is just "What? No! I don't... I would never... Dakota is not..." then he suddenly is hit by the realization and just stares in the void, eyes wide. And Melissa of course would tell Zack "I told ya" and he would give her five dolars, because they absolutely have a bet going about this.

The kids will leave saying "Tell Dakota we said hi!" and after a few more moments of existential crisis, Cav would change to absolute determined and will go "I will" and decide to save Dakota on his own. And he goes and is BADASS CAVENDISH rescue mission.

And THEN, when he finally gets to Dakota, and sees him, and screams his name and hugs him, he kisses Dakota out of pure joy, and then smiles at him and says “Milo and his friends said hi”.

END OF LONG ANSWER

2. What was their first fight about?

We know it was about using the training car to get burritos hehe

3. Who sleeps in the couch more often?

Once they had a proper bed? Absolutely Dakota. Cavendish gets super huffy and Dakota would rather use the couch that listen to his complains (also Dakota probably don’t have problems sleeping everywhere, not because of the place at least.)

4. Who drinks coffee and who drinks tea?

Easy one! Cavendish drinks tea, Dakota drinks coffee.

Although I will say Cav secretly puts a lot more sugar on his tea that the average person would find acceptable, and despite his sweet tooth in other deparments, Dakota likes his coffe very bitter to keep him awake.

5. Who goes grocery shopping more often?

Dakota. Cavendish had been so sheltered all his life that he’s blissfully unaware on how much money food cost, or what is truly needed in a house. If you let him go shooping, he ends getting too much, and half of it totally unnecessary.

On the other hand, years and years of poverty had made Dakota an expert of how to buy cheap. However he also buys a lot of unhealthy food, but fortunately Cav is improving that part.

6. Who brings breakfast in bed?

Dakota does so often, the thing is that his concept of “breakfast on bed” consist mostly of a cup of tea and whatever sparse pastry was around at the moment.

Cavendish only does so on rare ocassion, but when it happens, he gets flowers, the most fancy breakfast he’s able to prepare and a a sweet note, if not some small detail. He takes the gesture very seriously.

7. Who sleeps first?

Cavendish. He enjoys routine, wakes up at 6:30am every day and it’s in bed at 9:30pm. By 10 he’s sleeping.

8. Who watches the other sleeping?

Dakota has bad sleeping habits, but it’s mostly due to night terrors and nightmares. He often watches Cavendish sleep, just happy he’s there, and he’s alive.

He also enjoys watching him mumble on his dreams, except when it’s about Hildegard or any of the other previour crushes of Cavendish, which Dakota hates. Not as much because the jealousy but at the fact Cav always gets rejected and hurt on these dreams.

9. Who met the parents in law first?

Assuming they ever get to see their families again, Dakota would be the one meeting Cavendish parents for sure. In fact, I’m not even sure Dakota wants to ever introduce Cavendish to his abusive mother and probably absent father, if father at all.

10. Who does the laundry?

Sunday is laundry day (Dakota doesn’t wear much on Sundays!), and the shorter man is the one that takes care of it. Putting clothes on a washing machine it’s easy, so he jumped at claiming the task inmediatly.

Plus he can pretend there’s no clean clothes he can wear for the day...

11. Who washes the dishes?

Cavendish, altough Dakota had to teach him because he hadn’t washed a dish before in his life prior to his job at BoTT.

12. Who clean up the house?

Cavendish. Again, he needed some help, but now he knows how to keep the space clean and tidy, he WILL keep the space clean and tidy. Dakota really don’t care much for order, but Cav can’t live without it.

13. Who washes the car?

You can bet Dakota not only washes the car, but absolutely does a lewd spectacle of it. There’s always more water and soap over him that over the vehicle.

14. Who brings take outs?

Both of them take turns, as take out is one of their favorite things. Sometimes Dakota just appear with them without warning, though.

15. Who calls the other to ask if they want something from the street?

Dakota is always too loud “Hey Cav, Cav, what do you want?? I take a large or an extra large?? What’s better? Cav, Cav, CAV!”

Cavendish often wants to sink on the ground out of embarrassment.

16. Who’s more likely to make plans?

Count on Dakota making plans on the spot and making most of the day. Cavendish has problems with changes, but still obliges because, well, it’s Dakota.

17. Who dreams about a big wedding?

Cavendish always had imagined his wedding as the most big, fancy, white party in the world.

Dakota was unexpected on that plan, of course. Wearing white around him can’t end well, Cavendish knows it. But somehow... he doesn’t care as much about the wedding anymore.

Dakota didn’t even want to get married, but now the idea looks a lot more appealing, if only to have the change to carry Cav around on his arms.

18. Who breaks the cups?

Cavendish, actually, all the time. Too clumsy for this world.

19. Who holds the umbrella?

When raining starts, Dakota usually silently puts the umbrella over Cavendish, which more often than not doesn’t even realize it’s raining and what Dakota is doing for several minutes. Dakota ends wet a lot, but he don’t care. When Cav finally realizes, though, he makes sure to put both of them under it and hold the umbrella, since he’s a lot taller. Dakota is thankful because his arm was starting to hurt.

20. Who takes the other to the dance floor?

Cavendish is a good dancer, but he absolutely never dances on his own volition. Dakota drags him to dance every time, and every time, Cavendish ends enjoying it.

21. Who does the big romantic gestures?

I think sacrificing yourself hundreds of times to save the other’s life counts as a big romantic gesture, so Dakota.

Cav tries his best, but is misfortune doesn’t help. Not that Dakota cares.

22. Who’s more likely to serenade?

Dakota. Not only has he the better singing voice, but he can make songs in the spot. Plus he likes to fluster Cavendish serenading him in public.

23. Who forgets the wet towel in bed?

You can bet Dakota does and you can bet Cavendish nags him for it.

24. Who don’t pick up things when they fell?

Dakota. What’s another thing in the floor?

25. Who keeps losing the keys?

Cavendish is CONSTANTLY missing everything. He don’t even understand why, his order is impeccable! Meanwhile Dakota, that thrives on his own messes, can locate any item in seconds.

26. Who sings the rap part?

The idea of Cavendish trying to rap anything is making me laugh too hard, so Dakota.

27. Who pretends to be sad just so the other will cheer they up?

Dakota is always cheering Cavendish up, although Cav is genuinely sad. It’s possible that he gets more pouty than necesary just to get Dakota’s attention, though.

28. Who wakes up ready for a maraton?

Cavendish does exercise every morning. Dakota hated it, until he discovered Cav wears a really ridiculous and tight 80 workout aerobic outfit for it. Since then, he wakes up early too only to watch Cavendish doing exercise in front of the TV.

29. Who buys them tickets for shows?

Cavendish. He insist they need to do more cultural things. Half of the time they end leaving at the middle and going to some childish activity instead, though.

30. Who choose the movie?

Oh, they are always bickering about who is choosing the movie and who has better taste. True is, both have terrible taste.

31. Who says ‘I love you’ more often?

After the first time (that took more than ten years!), Dakota finally feels free to say I love you, and will absolutely use it. Dakota reminds Cav he loves him several times a day for the tiniest of things.

Cavendish is more reserved, if only because he still gets flustered with the idea. He likes his words to hold a sense of uniqueness, and so he limits his love words to the most intimate or romantic moments.

32. Who keeps waving at people after they got engaged?

Half the city knows all the details about Dakota’s ring, because he can’t stop himself from bragging about Cavendish to everyone.

33. Who uses the most ridiculous nicknames for the other?

Cavendish is not a fan of pet names and only uses Dakota, and sometimes Vinnie or at most dear. Dakota don’t extend the courtesy to him.

Dakota calls Cavendish every pet name under the sun. Babe, handsome, amore, casanova, cutie, cupcake, muffin, sugar plum, sweetie, tesoro mio... even mister hot stuff or sexy pants.

Cavendish hates it.

He tried to make ridiculous names for Dakota, but Dakota loves every one of them. So now Cav calls him teddy bear.

34. Who’s responsible for date nights?

Date nights, as an event, is mostly Cav’s job. He organizes wonderful dates, but gets frustrated quickly if anything goes wrong, so Dakota spontaneous nature it’s a blessing.

35. Who wakes up one day and decides to stay in bed?

That’s Dakota 90% of mornings.

And 85% of the time, Cav doesn’t let him.

Sometimes, though... a few extra cuddles can’t hurt anyone.

[fluffykitty1999-blog]

Burned Chapter 16

Roy sat at the small desk with his ballot and pen, looking at the choices carefully.

"You said Susans wants to increase school funding and make the train schedule rigid. Trevors wants to restructure taxes and better waste disposal. And Xavier...?"

"Wants to slash the police budget to 'keep the cost of living down'." Ed frowned, looking unhappy at the notion. "I was actually headed towards the theater yesterday to see if I could catch the end of the debates when I found the newest victim."

"Right." Roy paused for a moment, thinking, before marking the box for Susans and standing, casting his ballot in the box and leaving, Ed quick behind him.

"So- how long until the election results come out?"

"Tomorrow morning. The voting closes at nine, and they'll be up until the wee hours of the morning counting votes. The morning papers will definitely be running the results."

"Huh. Neat." Ed stuffed both hands in his coat pockets as they kept walking along.

"Why the sudden interest in politics, anyways? You never really cared about rank." Roy admitted.

Ed shrugged. "I don't care for politics. But you do. You want to be Furher someday. And it's not a bad idea- having a basic understanding of the politics surrounding you can help you make a good decision and avoid getting stabbed in the back."

"So you've actually been paying attention to some of this stuff then?"

"That and any report I can get my hands on about this serial killer. People say things to me- people nobody listen to. The frustrated farmers, the miners in the dead end towns in the middle of nowhere- a lot of powerful people don't pay attention. But I do. I try to catalog it all away so I know the best decision to make. And who I can count on to back my interests in a crisis. Even the politicians let things slip to me, because they think I'm just a kid."

"Really, like what?"

"I... that promotion that was happening? Where Colonel Lincoln was made Brigadier General in west city?"

Roy stopped walking and his eyes hardened. He'd been more qualified for that position, but he hadn't even been considered.

"I knew you weren't going to get it." Ed said lamely.

Roy caught the boy by the shoulder to stop him walking and spun him around. "How?"

"I was at a bar in west city, chasing a lead on the stone. I ran into some drunk local- was trying to find the mineral broker's shop. But all the guy kept bragging about was how his brother was going to be brigadier general in 3 weeks. Cheated his way to the top."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Roy's features were stern, and he was pissed.

"Because... it was just going to frustrate you. There was nothing you could've done-"

"You don't know that! If you'd have told me, maybe I could've done something to out-compete him. You're my subordinate, you're supposed to report those things to me!"

"There's no way you could've beaten him-"

"And how do you know that, Ed?" Roy seethed.

Edward stepped closer to Roy, his eyes steely and voice sharp and barely above a whisper. "Because you wouldn't have let Lieutenant General Atkins fuck you. Lincoln did. I know you want to make it to the top. But I've been under your command long enough to know you wouldn't sacrifice your principles for it."

Roy's fists unclenched, and he found himself dumbfounded. "You're sure it's not a rumor? Just some drunk guy rambling?"

"No. It's not. I checked the current assignments when I got back- Lincoln and Atkins had been sent to a remote post near Drachma for reconnaissance together. Apparently they'd made an... arrangement... while they were there. Sex for rank. I wasn't sure if it was true, but when news of the promotion came about I knew it was..."

Roy sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "And why didn't you tell me this?"

"Because... you'd have gotten mad at me. Like you just did." Ed looked defensive and slightly angry as he glared at Roy, before his eyes found the ground. "Besides, it happens all the time. People try and trade... favors... for rank."

"No, Ed, they don't. Not in my office."

"I know you don't..." Ed bit his lip, kicking a stone with his boot.

Why wouldn't Ed meet his eyes? Realization hit Roy like a spark exploding into flame, and his eyes widened.

"Who? Who propositioned you, Ed?"

"You're gonna get mad again. It's nothing, can we just drop it?" there was a note of pleading in Ed's voice, and Roy frowned.

He took a deep breath and sighed. "No, Ed, we can't. Because you're a child and I got you into the military, and it's my duty to protect you."

"What are you gonna do, anyways? Anything you do will get swept under the rug, you're gonna throw away your whole career for one stupid kid?"

"I didn't say that." Roy took a breath, steadying himself. His heart pounded and he felt shaky. "More then likely, Ed, I won't be able to do anything. Right now. But I want to know because you are my subordinate, and it's my duty to protect you. And even if I can't do anything about it now, I want to know the name, so that I can put them at the top of my shit list when I have the rank to make their life hell. I'm not going to do anything stupid- but I'd like to know what happened."

Ed's eyes darted around the room. They were in a mostly empty hallway- the voting poll closed soon. "Not here." he said finally.

Alphonse was upstairs reading, out of earshot.

Ed sat morosely at the kitchen table, and Roy angrily put on the kettle, slamming it on the burner with more force than necessary.

What was most unnerving was that Ed still wouldn't meet his eyes, staring at the table like it was the most interesting thing in the room.

He opened the cupboard, pulling out their two favorite mugs, parking them on the counter and splashing a little milk into the bottom of both cups, before squeezing a generous amount of honey into the other cup- Ed's cup. Ed always seemed happier after he'd drank tea that was very sweet. He hung two teabags over the rim of each cup.

The kettle started to sing, and Roy plucked it from the stove, filling both cups before taking them both by the handle, walking over to the table and sliding the forest green mug across the table to Ed, and nursing his own yellow mug close to him as he sat down.

"Well?" Roy cocked an eyebrow.

Ed glanced up at him, before he was staring into his mug. It was rare that the Fullmetal alchemist was without words, and it settled like a block of ice in Roy's gut.

"Did they do more than talk? Ed, did they hurt you?"

"No! I... let me drink my damn tea. I'm trying to figure out how to explain it." Ed groused, frustrated, before he was taking a minuscule sip of scalding tea.

Roy waited one moment, two... The silence made him anxious. But he needed to be patient with Ed, couldn't push the boy.

"Remember when Major General Cole came up to visit from South City?" Ed said finally.

Roy frowned. "That was 8 months ago. You'd just passed the state alchemy exam." Ed had just turned 13. He remembered because Hawkeye had insisted they share a cake in the office with the boy the day before the visit. Ed had seemed surprised but please, and thanked her for the cake. He'd devoured his piece happily, and licked all the frosting from his fork. Ed really did like sweet things. Ed had been quiet for the next few days, but Roy had assumed it was because he was sad Al couldn't have a birthday like a normal kid as well...

"Yeah. Well I was in the washroom that day, and I was... using the urinal..." it was hard for Ed to keep the blush from his cheeks. "And this guy walked in. And he went behind me into a stall, and I thought, no big deal, he's gotta go too."

"And when I was washing my hands, I felt a hand on my shoulder. And I turned around and this guy is staring at me. And I saw the bars on his chest- I didn't even know what rank he was, just that he was higher than you- and I tried to salute him because I was nervous, but my hands were all soap, and it was just a mess. I got soap in my eyes."

Roy suppressed the urge to smile. While the mental image was funny, if he'd laughed Ed would've thought he was laughing at him, and been more embarrassed. And there was nothing funny about this situation.

"He told me to relax. Said he was Major General Cole from South city and he wanted to know if I was the Fullmetal Alchemist. So I said yeah, and he said he'd heard I was a prodigy. He said that with how far I'd moved up the ranks already- I was a major- he said if I transferred to under his command, he'd make me a Lieutenant Colonel in 3 months. If I worked for it. And I thought that was really cool, to be the same rank as Hughes, but then I noticed he was getting closer to me and so I stepped back."

"He reached up and touched my braid. Said I'd have to put in work to make it happen though. Spend late nights at the office with him so he could show me what I needed to know. That was when I started feeling kinda weird... Then he told me I looked like a girl. And that a face like mine would be appreciated in his office.

"I told him I wasn't interested. He asked whose command I was under and I said Mustang, and I lied and told him you'd be mad because I was supposed to be back with an urgent report. I know I lied but I was scared and I didn't like him and so I turned and left. I knew he might try something if I was alone, but he thought you were expecting me, so he didn't."

"And you didn't tell me any of this." Roy was disappointed- both that Ed was too scared to tell him, and that he'd been put in that position in the first place.

"I didn't want to make waves. I'd only just got my state alchemist watch, and I figured it wasn't important. I didn't want enemies."

"You didn't trust me and my team to protect you?"

"No, I did, I just... It wasn't important at the time, alright? I had bigger things on my mind. I mean, yeah, it was weird, but I had to start looking for the stone with Al, so I put it aside because I had work to do. Even now, I just try to stay clear of officers from South City."

Roy sighed. "I wished you'd told me sooner."

"Yeah, I should have... What are you gonna do to him? Major General Cole, I mean?"

"I'm not going to do anything. I'm going to mention it to Hawkeye. And she's going to watch his every move until he files a report late or misses some paperwork or drops the ball. And then an anonymous report will get put in and he'll get in trouble. He's gotta drop the ball sometime. And if he doesn't- well, when I'm fuhrer, he'll clean latrines for the rest of his damn life."

"Right. That's good." Ed sipped his tea, looking slightly relieved. It was almost 10, now, and Ed looked at the clock, acutely aware of the time. "Any news from Hughes on the investigation?"

"No." Mustang sat up a little straighter, acutely aware. "And you're not sneaking out to try and catch the killer tonight either, understand?"

"Hey I was just asking." Ed put both hands up, defensive. He took a long pull of warm tea and yawned. "I'm tired, anyways. Hughes can handle it. I was just gonna do some reading and go to bed. Oh..." Ed paused, looking up at Roy hesitantly.

"Yes?"

"Can... can we get a newspaper tomorrow morning? I want to know who won the election." Ed was almost shy about asking, and Roy smiled.

"Yeah. Yeah, we can get a newspaper tomorrow."

"Cool. I hope Susans wins. I hate waiting for trains." Ed punctuated the statement with a yawn, taking his half-full mug and standing, heading upstairs.

"'Night."

"Goodnight, Edward.".

If Roy knew Edward well enough, the boy would be asleep soon after he finished his tea. That was one of the little things about Edward he hadn't known until the boy had moved in with him. That the boy was much more relaxed and easy to send to bed after he'd had warm tea with a considerable amount of honey in it.

Edward climbed the stairs and was about to head to his room when he noticed a candle burning in the study. He paused, mug in hand, before he was ducking inside. There, on the desk, was a worn journal opened to a page. There was an alchemic array he hadn't seen before sketched in the middle of the page, and for a moment, his fatigue was forgotten, replaced by curiosity.

The handwriting was old and spidery, hard to read and definitely not Roy's. But the array looked familiar. It looked- it almost looked like the array on Roy's gloves.

Ed paused, looking down at the book in awe. It was a manual on flame alchemy- something rare and hard to understand. Something he'd been able to think about, but never perform.

He wasn't sure he should be looking at it. But now that it was in front of him, it was hard to tear his eyes away... There was no such thing as forbidden, was there? Not when he'd already committed the ultimate taboo of human transmutation. Besides, if flame alchemy could help him reach his goal...

Ed swallowed down his racing heart. Since when was he afraid? He'd never been afraid to break rules before. He picked up the book, pocketing it, blowing out the candle and ducking into his own room, lighting his own candle and starting to pour over the book.

When he heard mustang start to climb the stairs, he quickly blew out his candle and ducked beneath the covers, hiding the book beneath the sheets and feigning sleep. He heard Mustang pause at his door, checking he was asleep, before he continued on down the hall, to his own room. Once Ed was sure he was gone, he struck another match, re-lit his candle, and continued reading, pulling a notebook from the nightstand and starting to take notes.

Flame alchemy was the most complicated thing he'd read of, let alone attempted, since human transmutation.

What’s this? A button to donate currency to the caffinated liquid fund? O.o https://ko-fi.com/fluffykitty12

[carrottuan93]

Haven't met you yet | Mark

Masterlist (2/4) | part1 - part3 - part4

Starring: MK x You

Tags: Mark Tuan, Fluff, Destiny, Waiting, Christmas, Bookworm, Nerd, Love, Fate

Total WC: 1420

You felt an agonizing level of pain hitting your head the moment you open your eyes to the sound of some lowkey hip-hop playlist in the background that you know nothing about. You don’t remember setting up your spotify on loop for the rest of the night but still you find the music suit for your taste despite hearing it for the first time. You shuffled on your bed, uneasy with the throbbing sensation of your cranium being drilled in the process. You sat down on your spot and were greeted by a glass of water and aspirin purposely located on a nearby table to tend on your painful hangover. Your eyebrows creased in confusion as you roam your eyes around the unfamiliar black and white interior of the room. Eyes squinting, you placed the partially emptied glass on the table after drinking the medicine and still you’re in no better means of explaining as to why you’re feeling weird today. You give your head a slight massage and a few taps on your cheek as you gather your composure. You noticed that you slept on your black above the knee dress and must have forgotten to switch into your pajamas last night, which explains you still have your coat intact when you went home but it is missing already by the time you woke up. Where could it be? You shuffled at the edge of the bed and slumped on the ground looking for your stilettos when you came across the sight of a shoe cabinet filled with converse sneakers aligned in pairs as well as an open dresser filled with different varieties of hoodies and men clothing that are too foreign to be included in your own cabinet.

 “Shit!" reality hit you like a thunderbolt in a desert void of air, cutting all possible passageways for blood to flow freely on your circulation as if you became anemic at one point in your life. The lucid interval took effect when sobriety woke your being upon hearing the sound of someone using the shower and the smell of fresh shave accumulating on the slightly opened bathroom door. You gulped as you start to look for your sanity being thrown away on the windowsill and you're mentally preparing to jump outside as well because you still have no clue on how you ended up in a different room. What have you done for Good lord's sake?

 ----

 You glanced on your phone whilst taking your 3rd cup of coffee for the day. 10 minutes before 5pm, you read as it flashed on your screen. You haven't eaten any decent meal ever since you left the stranger's room in a hurry this morning. Fearing that you'll be seen by the guy in the shower, you escaped in the flash of a lightning. To make your day even worse, you cannot find your stilettos underneath his bed and you even grabbed the wrong coat on your way out. Worry haunted you like a madman after discovering that you accidentally went to room 1207 across your unit 1212. You're mentally skinning yourself alive by breaking into the lion's den without even knowing whom did you spend the night with. Your best friend sent you tons of messages asking for specific details because you’ve been sending her cryptic texts about your situation. You weren’t thinking straight and the bile in your stomach is rising up like it’s about to explode any minute now. But you can’t escape your work with your current dilemma that’s why you need to stay sane until you meet with Eunhee tonight.

 "Ms. Y/n, thank you for submitting the report on time even on a holiday. I know it must be troublesome for you to go here while you're in the middle of your Christmas spirit but we’d like to fully adhere to our schedule on time before new year. Mr. Raymond is an important client, so we need to make sure that we're being transparent at all costs.” After a meaty discussion with your senior, you gladly took a breather when your meeting adjourned. You’re an accountant and being part of an accounting firm surely entails hours and hours of long work leaving you with no time at all for yourself. It’s a busy season as usual but you won’t miss out the holidays for your busy roll. You’d like to check your schedule on your planner but to no avail, you misplaced it last night. Since you’re carrying it wherever you go, you’re 101% sure that you left it on the unit across your place along with your other stuff. You haven’t had the opportunity to claim your things this morning due to the embarrassment crisis that is weighing down on your shoulder. Your current work engagement with this particular client is a big deal for you, so you chose to save your ass from being reprimanded by your boss and being late to work. Maybe your best friend can think clearly than your wasted self. ‘Just kill me already’ is all you can tell your poor being. You heard your phone rang all of a sudden and Eunhee’s name flashed on the screen.

 “Girl, where the hell are you?” You must be zoning out. You reached the brink of your anxiety when the clock’s hand struck to eight, wondering how come 3 hrs has already passed with you just sitting on your cubicle.

 “Eunhee, I’ve been through a tough day and I don’t know how to explain my current situation but I’ll be there in a second I promise.” And the Amazing Race Christmas edition has begun. Dressed on your black turtleneck blouse tucked in your skinny jeans, you complete your party outfit with a stylish beanie to match with your caramel trench coat so as not to look underprepared for the occasion. You then rushed through the nearest macaron store to grab your order and have decided that you just finish doing your makeup inside the uber to maximize your time. Geez, it’s freezing cold outside and the streets are filled with lovebirds which only made your stomach turn into a sour milk. You’re famished by the time you arrived at the address Eunhee sent you and you were welcomed with her bright smile and her expression demanding for an explanation.

 “I know that look on your eyes Eunhee but feed me first before I prepare for my death bed.” You hugged her so tight like your world depended on her. She dragged you inside the house which you believe to be Jackson’s place. You didn’t think of Jackson as some kind of a party jock but sure this guy knows how to throw a proper party for a group. His house is warm and inviting, you gotta commend his taste for classical music filling the air but he’s nowhere to be found. You’re slowly getting into the holiday mood, with a few acquaintances that you meet along the hallways and a feast filled with nothing but sweet treats, you began to think if you went to a gingerbread house instead of an adult’s party.

 “Before everything else, where are the drinks?” You need a booze so you can open up easily to Eunhee but she ordered you to pick a paper inside the bowl in return.

“Calm down, Jackson’s little cousins from the US are coming as well so you won’t be expecting to see liquor at this early hour. We serve the kiddie treats first and we move on to a full-grown up party in the midnight but you gotta choose your secret Santa first.” You gave her an inquisitive look and wonder what secret Santa is she talking about? You picked a random green paper.

 “Wait, what’s with the secret Santa thing?”

“Everyone is required to bring a gift for someone else”

“I wasn’t informed? You didn’t tell me!” Maybe today’s series of panic attacks aren’t enough for your breakdown but here’s the cherry to the cake.

 “Oh my god, Y/n.” Eunhee gasped in shock just in time when Jackson entered the living room in his bright holiday spirit.

“Hey Y/n. Looking good tonight, huh? You like my place?” He went over to Eunhee and gave her a quick kiss on her cheek.

“My first time going to your place feels like home, Jackson.” You smiled at him and you could tell he came with a company.

“That’s nice to hear. But girls, I want you to meet my cousin from LA, Mark.”

[ganymedesclock]

[spoilers for basically every part of Dead Cells that can be spoiled]

It seems like both the main Dead Cells wiki and the tvtropes page fairly openly talk about the idea that Prisoner is the King, just with amnesia, but I feel like there’s enough ambiguity in the wording that I don’t buy that was their relationship (he calls the king his “original host” not “original body”- ‘host’ suggests they’re separate people)- and to me, there’s a lot more evidence they ain’t.

Basically everything the king cultivated or endorsed, very few of it nets a positive reaction from Prisoner. Early on, he wonders how the king saw anything with “that hat” on. Descriptions for the Dilapidated Arboretum* have Prisoner refer very disparagingly to the court in general. A description for High Peak Castle remarks that the king kept the royal guard inside the castle during the malaise breakout- while odd that Prisoner would know that, his phrasing also suggests this was a horribly selfish decision- keeping the guard there prevented them from helping people.

Conversely he’s very enthusiastic about people saying they want to kick the king’s ass (unless it is, as in the case with the Giant, actually a statement of intent to kick Prisoner’s ass)

Despite that he ostensibly looks like something malaise or related experimentation could’ve done to the king (so, the king but a headless zombie) the Hand Of The King is not just willing to kick his ass but laughs at him most cycles. if you have the king’s body he calls you an impostor. His conviction in this does not waver even slightly.

The Giant, when defeated at four stem cells, even remarks that unlike the King’s execution, this was a fair fight. So even people who think Prisoner is the king are noting down that he’s acting differently.

They don’t talk the same way- we never see the king manifest much of a sense of humor in his missives or accounts of him, and conversely, he is very quick to anger, so much so that almost all of his letters are angry all the time. He takes issue with relatively petty qualities.

On the other hand, Prisoner’s actually fairly slow to anger and suppresses a lot of his discomfort to subdued reactions with the noticeable exception of feeling like he was used by someone (his visibly agitated flipping the bird at the teleportation rune guy) and defaults overwhelmingly to a cheerful disposition. We rarely see him snappy, and we never see the king seeming upbeat or brightly flippant the way Prisoner is.

One way the King is more dismissive than Prisoner though is when it comes to the human cost of “finding a cure to the malaise” or the inquisition that was launched in reaction to it. Quite a few lore interactions with prisoners’ bodies has Prisoner be some degree of cautious to distressed, even if he loots them for materials. One of the descriptions on the Ramparts has him talking about how upsetting it is to hear the guards about to throw a condemned prisoner off the edge. The only issue we ever hear the king having taken with his guards is Castaing posting orders that were supposed to be private on the walls, and threatening to hang people who defy him.

Prisoner was dumped in the same cell the Giant was, next to a chopping block. The dialogue by the unseen prisoner that comments “they really didn’t mess around huh” suggests that Prisoner arrived at the prison with a head, and was decapitated at the executioner’s block in the cell with him** (even he notes it “looks like I had a bad time with it”- rather than say, “this body” had a bad time with it)... which doesn’t seem like a thing the zombies would do, so this presumably was done to him by the prison guards. who would still be acting under the king’s orders. Which. again. ties in with that Hand of the King is not particularly moved to listen to Prisoner at any point.

He also pretty firmly exclusively identifies his body as “his” and similarly dressed bodies as “like me”. Also, every time you restart, the body waiting for you in the cell is wearing the clothes you were wearing last time- so the game also has a sense that this is ‘you’ not just ‘whatever body you’re taking over’. Prisoner can take over the King’s body, but that becomes... an unlockable outfit. And again, he also calls the King “my former host” while he calls the prisoners’ quarters body “me.”

Regarding the ‘former host’ thing? Prisoner is stated to be a homunculus. The homunculus, mythologically, was considered one of the paragon achievements of alchemy alongside turning lead into gold. One of the ingredients named for it had to be harvested from a human body. The essential point is that it’s an artificial life-form, often depicted as living in a jar. In Dead Cells, the titular Cells- that are in fact tissue samples as implied by things like the Liposuction upgrade- are taken from formerly human bodies. They’re used by Collector/Alchemist to try and create the Panacea. To me, I feel like there’s a fairly good case here that Prisoner might know some things about High Peak Castle- and his body resembles the king’s- because he was synthesized out of the king’s Cells. 

*I’m taking the level flavor text as comments from Prisoner- as he’s the only person he has access to as consistently as said flavor texts are available; it also lines up with his speaking style and sense of humor. **His default starting equipment, the Prisoner’s Collar, is also totally meaningless as a restraining device if he can, as he presumably does, just pop it off either over his squishy blob head, or pull it out in the gap between his head and his neck. I find it hard to believe a prison would waste metal on that during a crisis.

[accumulus]

I’m really fucking sick of the anti-Elon Musk rhetoric that is just running rampant on this site. Yes for sure there is a lot of valid criticism of him, and he should be scrutinised because he is wealthy and has a lot of influence and may just be the most influential person alive when it comes to the future of humanity (with great power comes great responsibility and all). But like the death threats and imagery are getting beyond hyperbole and it’s frankly really gross.

I just commented on a post that said that every autistic person hates him, and I don’t (not to the level of wanting him totally removed from society through death). And frankly a lot of criticism levelled at him in the past has made fun of his autistic traits (probably unknowingly), such as being robotic, speaking with a monotone, having a one-track mind, missing social cues, moving strangely, having unusual interests, and appearing to be insensitive (apart from valid criticism of him being actually insensitive. So for example him saying people will die getting to Mars wasn’t him saying that he’s going to throw bodies at the problem, it was him setting expectations about how hard the problem is—it will be one of the most difficult things humanity will do. Contrast this with him making gross, dumb offhand comments about Covid, which he later backtracked.)

Anyway. There’s a risk in all this that you are blinding yourselves with anger to the point that you can’t make valid criticism of his actions, and that you will risk excluding yourselves from a very important discussion that needs to happen in the next few decades.

I’ve been a space enthusiast for as long as I can remember and I understand the history that got us to where we are now. Most of what Musk is doing with SpaceX has completely obliterated old modes of thinking when it comes to rocket development. The fact that there are actually people working on colonisation plans and not just some anemic manned mission to plant a flag is more than anything I could have dreamed of when I was a kid (especially when I saw Challenger explode live and it felt like everything was going to grind to a halt and never go anywhere).

The most frequent criticism I see is that space exploration should be halted to focus on solving Earth based problems. This belies a near total ignorance of what is involved and how much it actually costs (and Musk has dramatically lowered the cost to LEO by several orders of magnitude, so it’s even more ignorant now than a decade ago). Developing technology for space exploration helps solve Earth based problems (things like recycling water and filtering carbon have direct application in the climate crisis). If Sputnik hadn’t launched when it did we might not even be fully aware of the climate crisis because we probably wouldn’t be where we are now with weather satellites (and the first space race came in for the same criticism as now). Personally I wish people would waste less resources on buying crap they don’t need but no one ever seems to complain that that money should instead go into solving global poverty or the climate crisis (except Greta Thunberg, another autistic person who gets a lot of shit heaped on her).

It’s fine if you have no interest in space exploration but don’t shit on those of us who are. Don’t lump your disinterest into some lame excuse about solving ‘real’ problems.

I do wish you would all take an interest though because what we are going through now is transformative. I firmly believe we are at the beginning of human history, we are just now about to leave the cradle. What we value and prioritise will have a huge impact on the course of human history. You get to have a say, but you need to bring some real thoughts to the table not just blind rage for one man. You can have influence so that the libertarians are tempered by socialist ideas. Or that direct democracy prevails over corporate hegemony. Your voice and your compassion is needed. Do not fuck it up because you couldn’t see the stars in front of you because you had so much hate focused on one man.

And for gods sake, read Pale Blue Dot by Carl Sagan (another problematic man with an outsize ego but that book really gets to the meat of why space exploration is important). You will understand where Musk is coming from (with space exploration. He’s a douchecanoe for hyping cryptocurrency.)

I dunno, just can people not just step back and think with kindness? Why does everything have to be so fucking stark? I’m not asking you to worship him (worshiping anyone is bad), but just like try to be a bit more objective and do your research.

[iamtheblondestblonde]

Slides and Serendipity

Part 7 (4.2k)

Masterlist

Warnings: Broken heart for Bennguin shippers, (slightly, I’m talking veeeery slightly implied sexual content like it’s nothing explicit?) and also language

My hangover thankfully wasn’t as bad as I’d anticipated, probably because I stayed clear of wine this time. I even woke up earlier than I’d anticipated but that was only due to Yogi jumping on my bed. How I’d managed to carry him up the stairs without falling while also half asleep would forever remain a mystery unsolved.

I checked my phone to go look at the pictures from last night but then I saw a text from Tyler, asking if I was ready for breakfast yet. In my sleep deprived state I’d completely forgotten about his invitation from last night. I told him I’d be over in a few and then hopped under the shower, something I’d skipped last night because I’d been afraid that I’d fall asleep while standing up.

Whenever I went out I usually only drank until I had a good buzz going but last night I guess I hadn’t stopped early enough so the alcohol had practically knocked me out as soon as I was outside. 

After changing the bed sheets to get rid of the smell of clubbing I finally made my way over, Yogi excitedly bouncing ahead. Tyler’s dogs were howling as soon as I rung his doorbell which of course made Yogi even more excited. I was a bit anxious to see if he would tried to bring up my not so subtle move from last night. While having him strip me down to my underwear had sounded like a great idea last night, I had probably taken it a bit too far in hindsight.

“Hey, no skates today?”, Tyler greeted me and I reached up to hug him while Yogi was running around him, effectively tying him up. He was wearing a hoodie with grey shorts that made it really hard to look anywhere else and I was really tempted to make fun of the way he’d pulled up his socks too high.

“Nope and I already regret it, he has way too much energy right now.” I tried my best to untangle the leash from Tyler’s legs but now his labs were there too demanding attention and it was just one big chaotic mess. Four dogs was a bit much at times like this but I eventually managed to get everything back under control, Tyler hadn’t made an attempt to help me at all and had instead only laughed at my struggle. Yogi and Gerry disappeared together into the backyard and Cash hopped up on the couch while Marshall stayed by my side.

“Are you hoping I’ll make you some breakfast Marsh?”

“He’s not the only one you know.” Tyler’s pout was cute, an adjective that I never thought would fit a guy like him. He was probably the only guy in the world that managed to look adorable and sexy at the same time and it was really distracting.

“What if I only came over so you could make me grilled cheese tho?”

“Then I’ll gladly oblige your wish, ma’am.”

I threw Yogi’s collar at him for calling me ma’am but of course he caught it before it hit his face like it was supposed to. Stupid fast reflexes.

“One more ma’am and I’ll never make food for you again”, I threatened with my finger pointed at him and I could see that it cost him his last bit of self-control to not respond with a ‘yes ma’am’. The salute he gave me in turn wasn’t any better.

“I was actually planning on making something else but I need to check if you have all the stuff for it first because your grocery shopping is anything but top notch.”

He complained to Marshall about me only ever insulting him but Marshall followed me to the step as I walked into the kitchen, not caring about the little crisis his dad was having at all.

For being a pro athlete his fridge and pantry were terribly stocked and it reminded me of the time I spent in the college dorms. The amount of beer in his fridge was equivalent to a frat house and the only thing missing to complete the college student life were the instant ramen cups.

“You should be glad that the nutritionists an trainers don’t visit your house”, I scolded him. He had some fresh produce around but not nearly as much as I’d liked. As I kept pulling out stuff the pile on his kitchen island kept growing after I finally decided on omelette with some avocado toast. The avocadoes were at the tipping point of being too ripe and I didn’t want them to go to waste.

“Well I’m sorry that my kitchen doesn’t look like a Whole Foods ad the way yours does. As soon as the season starts up again I’ll either be gone or eat the majority of my meals at the rink like most of the guys so I don’t see why I should stock up.”

He did have a point but to me a homecooked meal beat everything, even if cooking for just one person was always a bit of a hassle that always resulted in leftovers. Since my move I had been living on my own for the very first time ever and I had to admit that I missed cooking for other people as well.

“Well I’m teaching you how to make the perfect omelette today anyway. You really need to learn to take better care of you and your body.” I made him help me chop stuff to put in the omelette and instantly felt reminded of all the times I’d tried to teach Lisa to cook. She’d been hopeless as well but as soon as we moved off campus during our sophomore year I’d took her under my wing, making a decent cook out of her by the time we moved to Denver. I was convinced I could do the same with Tyler.

He knew how to handle a knife at least and while he mixed everything together I took care of the avocadoes and tomatoes. I tested what he remembered from my spice lesson, letting him make suggestions as to what could go well with our food and he did better than expected, only messing up once.

“No no no you need to turn down the heat or you’ll burn it before the eggs are done”, I said and quickly reached around him so I could reach the stove and save our breakfast. He looked so determined with the spatula in his hand, I knew that he really wanted to do well and was trying his best.

He had put on a snapback a while ago so his hair wouldn’t fall in his face and I already missed his messy bedhead. Without produce his hair looked so soft and all over the place and I really wanted to run my hands through it as much as I could. He really was a walking temptation and every time we spent time together I could feel my resolve weaken.

After everything was done I tried to tell Tyler that the presentation of the food was important as well but he took a bite out of his toast before I was even done putting the tomatoes on it. Sighing I grabbed my plate and walked outside so we could enjoy our breakfast in the sun. I still managed to sneak a picture of our plates before Tyler proceeded to eat his food at a speed that shouldn’t be possible.

I was nervous to meet this Jason guy because I really really hoped that our dynamic would work out. I had looked up some more people that I could meet over the next few days but I really wanted to trust Mia’s judgement.

I even had the cleaning lady come over yesterday so every surface in my house was shining and I’d done some last-minute decorating in the office. My degrees were now on the wall, the online Master of Software Engineering not as pretty as the undergrad degree in computer science from MIT but I still didn’t regret taking online classes instead of real ones. My success during college had given me lots of opportunities that I would forever be grateful for, one of them being the job offer to Denver straight out of college. The experience I had gathered over the last three years working was better than anything I could be taught in stuffy classrooms.

Mia arrived a bit before Jason and this way she’d be there to introduce us properly. It was good to have some one-on-one time with her while we waited, something we’d never really had. Since we didn’t study together Lisa and I would usually only see her when going out or meeting up in groups but it was nice to actually have normal conversations with her.

I didn’t want to create a stiff office atmosphere which is why I was now dressed in jeans and a nice top. Mia was wearing a summer dress and Jason had put on a button up but still managed to look casual. Yogi was sniffing him curiously before plopping down on his bed in the living room again, deciding that this was beneath his attention.

We shook hands and I led them to the office while starting some casual conversation. My desk was already set up and Mia had already told me her hardware preferences so there was some stuff waiting for her which she inspected while I talked to Jason. The conference table really came in handy at this part.

He was funny and gave off a pretty chill vibe but I still had to see some references because unlike with Mia I had no idea if he was any good at what he did.

He was good, better than expected and a while later I was sold on him. He seemed happy with what I was willing to pay and character wise he was a perfect fit for the team. I told them both about the requests I had already lined up and they both seemed super excited to start.

“So you think you can start next Monday?”, I asked after I’d finally satisfied my curiosity and his face lit up as if he thought I wouldn’t offer him the job.

The three of us moved towards the kitchen to get something to drink because all of this talking had made us thirsty. Mia was just telling me that she’d come over tomorrow with Elias after picking him up from daycare when I heard my front door open.

“Hey sorry I kept texting you but you didn’t respond and it’s already half past two so I thought I’d check up on you.” It took a few seconds before Tyler’s words registered with me. I hadn’t even realized that it had gotten this late and that I was supposed to meet up with him half an hour ago to go roller skating with him and Yogi. He walked into the living room and then did a double take when he saw all of us lingering by the kitchen island.

“Oh shit you have company.. I’m sorry but uh hey everyone I’m Tyler”, he introduced himself and waved at Mia and Jason with one hand, a pair of skates in the other. Only now did Yogi wake up from his nap and as soon as he realized what was happening he ran over to Tyler who was now crouching down so he could pet him.

“Holy shit you’re Tyler Seguin! This day just keeps getting better and better”, Jason exclaimed, almost spitting out the sip of water he’d just taken.

“Tyler who?”, Mia asked then and I had to laugh. She had never been interested in watching sports and it was nice to see that nothing had changed in that department at least.

Tyler was still awkwardly standing in the living room and I walked over to give him a hug before turning around to explain to Mia that he was a hockey player for the Dallas Stars and also my friend. At least she’d heard of the team name before. I introduced Mia and Jason as my new team to Tyler and Jason shook his hand excitedly before congratulating him on his amazing last season.

“I know you’ll do even better this year”, Jason said and I was pretty sure that I was the only one that had caught Tyler wincing at the statement. He’d told me how much the expectations of the fans and the rest of the team really weighed on him even if people only meant well.

After Mia and Jason had left Tyler tried to apologize for interrupting again but I wouldn’t let him. It was my fault that I’d forgotten to check my messages for well over three hours so really it was my turn to apologize.

I ate a quick snack before grabbing my roller skates and Yogi and then we were out the door. Even if Yogi was still too small to pull Tyler, he’d told me that he still wanted him to come with us when we had talked about going skating.

We skated around the neighborhood, Yogi’s leash loose in my hand while we made some casual conversation.

It turned out that pulling Tyler was harder than it looked, not because of his weight but because grabbing his hand didn’t leave much space between us to gain the momentum or speed that was needed.

“Your arms are so short. The next time we do this I’m putting a leash on you as well”, Tyler joked and I tried to hit him but of course he simply swerved until he was out of my reach. He was surprisingly graceful for a guy his size.

Sometimes he’d take Yogi’s leash to try and outrun him on the skates but despite his impressive speed he was no match for my husky mix. After I’d taken way too many videos and they managed to tire each other out we made our way back to my house.

“Hey so you know I’m leaving for camp Thursday afternoon but I’m having an end of summer party on Wednesday over at my place and you should come too”, he said as we were skating up my driveway. I could tell that he was really excited, both for camp and the party.

“Of course I’ll come. Do you want me to bring anything?”

“No you don’t need anything I’ve got it covered. Most of the guys from the team are going to be there and some close friends so you’ll have the girls to keep you company as well.”

Tyler wasn’t lying when he said that his place would be packed. The weather wasn’t too spectacular today so nobody was in the pool, making the house and backyard seeming even more crowded. He’d told me to bring Yogi as well, seeing as there wouldn’t be any super loud music tonight and as soon as I had him off the leash he was walking around the room, basking in the attention.

The girls spotted me before I could even look for Tyler and pushed a drink at me before we caught each other up on the last few days. They were really interested in what had happened with Tyler after he had picked me up from the club and it took me several tries until I had finally convinced them that there wasn’t really any tea to spill. I was introduced to even more wives and girlfriends and I was happy to get to know everyone, having always been a social butterfly.

I finally spotted him across the living room and excused myself to go say hello.

“No bikini today?”

“No it’s too cold to go swimming today.”

“That’s too bad because I really like what happened last time in the pool.”

Before I could even respond to his flirty remark I was being dragged away from him and towards the beer pong table that was set up on the outdoor patio. I was glad I’d brought a sweater with me this time. The dogs were chasing each other around the pool but even they didn’t feel like going into the water today.

“I need a rematch to make up for last time”, Roope said after finally letting go of me, settling on the other side of the table with Rads.

“Two on one? That hardly seems fair”, I pouted and tried to get Dobby to join my team as he was closest but he just laughed at me and refused, sitting back on a chair to watch instead.

“Let me help her drink at least”, Tyler insisted from behind me and I hadn’t even noticed that he stood so close to me until he spoke up

“No need to play hero Segs, you know the girl can drink”, Rads said and gave Tyler a stern look until he backed off with his hands raised in surrender. I had to smile at the compliment, a Russian being impressed by your drinking skills was serious business. I sighed as I realized that there was no getting out of this and cracked my knuckles to get ready. I needed to make this a quick win because I noticed that they’d filled my cups a bit more than usual and I really didn’t want to drink this much beer before dinner.

We had gathered quite the crowd over the course of the game that was now witness to me absolutely destroying the two of them. They had only managed to hit two cups of mine while I was on my second try to make the last shot so I would win after some double scores. The girls were cheering on me while their boyfriends were supporting their teammates. With each point that I’d made the chirping had increased and now neither of us three could make a move without there being screaming from all sides. I only knew a few words in Russian and had no clue about Finnish but even I could tell that whatever was coming out of my opponents’ mouths was anything but pretty.

“You got this Liv, show ‘em how it’s done!”, Katie yelled and I blew her a kiss.

“You better miss”, Jamie said, which earned him a light punch to his shoulder from his girlfriend. I closed my eyes for a second to concentrate and then made my shot.

Groans and high pitched screams rose as the ball tipped into the cup, making me the winner. I was hugged from multiple people at once and Tyler lifted me to spin me around. He was the only one from the team that had been on my side.

“How are you so good at this?”, Roope asked, his accent stronger because of the frustration. Tyler was smirking down at me, probably thinking of the time he’d asked me the same question.

“I take in the wind and the distance to calculate the perfect throwing angle.”

“Really?”, Rads now asked, his eyes big.

“No, you guys just suck.”

Tyler had asked some people to man the grill and we didn’t have to wait long until the delicious smell of steaks was wafting around the property, which I was thankful for because I had been looking forward to this part all day. I grabbed some food and sat with the girls, resuming our discussion on which potato form was the best. Wedges, obviously.

After dinner some people left and everyone else proceeded to get even more drunk. I could tell that this was the last time that the guys would be able to really relax because they had all kinds of stupid ideas. At some point Tyler had taken off his shirt and while I certainly wasn’t complaining about the view I still had to laugh at him taking whatever chance he got to strip. Perhaps a trade to the Golden Knights would allow him to flourish in this side business. Jamie was the most fun to watch because with every drink he got less and less shy until Tyler and him were running around the house laughing their asses off and jumping on each other.

“Bennguin is real, get used to it”, Katie commented with a sigh and her exasperated expression had me laughing so hard that I had to put my drink down so I wouldn’t spill it all over the couch we were currently on. I could only imagine the amount of shit she’d had to put up with because of these two acting like children.

“I want to play a gameeee”, Tyler whined and I already knew that nothing good come out of the look he was giving his friends. With all the alcohol going around everyone had loosened up and it didn’t take long until I was dragged into a round of ‘never have I ever’ on the floor of Tyler’s living room.

“You guys didn’t go to college and it really shows”, Katie commented and I had to agree with her. We’d made it our personal mission tonight to make as much fun of Tyler and Jamie as possible. I’d played the stupid game so many times, usually at frat parties so they could expose the virgins but I also couldn’t wait to see what I could learn about these big dumb idiots.

The first few questions were timid and I could tell that everyone was still trying to figure out how far everyone was willing to go to expose their secrets, especially with some of the partners present, but every new statement pushed further.

“Never have I ever had a threesome.”

I didn’t even pay attention to who had said it, going around the circle having long been abandoned in favor of someone randomly throwing in questions.

Even though I had been absolutely plastered that night, I still remembered this particular event, one of the very few one night stands that I’d ever had. We’d started day drinking even before breakfast on a boat off the shore of Ibiza and while I wasn’t even into girls, lots of shots and pitchers filled with sangria had led to me tangled in the bed sheets with some hot guy that I didn’t even remember the name of and Lisa. The guy didn’t really know what to do with the both of us at the same time, so we had to get creative and I’d vowed to myself that I would stick to guys after, scarred for life.

As I raised my cup to my lips I noticed that Tyler was about to do the same so I raised my cup towards him in a toast. I only hoped his experience had been better than mine.

“You two are perfect for each other”, Rads said with an eyeroll but I only laughed.

“You had a threesome and this is the first I’m hearing of this?”, Katie yelled from beside me and I turned just in time to see Jamie lowering his cup across the room after having taken a sip.

“Holy shit! Was it with Tyler?”, I asked, knowing full well what was said about them on Tumblr because of Mara. The way both of them visibly recoiled at my words should have been preserved for eternity. Sadly that didn’t happen.

“No! What the fuck Liv?” Tyler’s disturbed exclamation had me leaning on Katie, who was now also shaking with laughter, the news of her boyfriend’s sexual adventures momentarily forgotten.

“Do you hear the sound of millions of Bennguin hearts breaking?”, she asked in between shaky breaths and now we were lying back on the floor, tears threatening to run down my cheeks from laughing so hard.

“I just want to make it clear that I only took a sip because I was thirsty. I wasn’t paying attention and besides you know I would’ve told you babe”, Jamie spoke up after Katie and I had finally calmed down again. The alcohol had made everything ten times funnier than it probably actually was but Katie and I were still clutched together and she only waved at Jamie in dismissal. I would’ve had to reevaluate my people reading skills if he actually had taken part in a threesome because there was no way I could’ve seen that coming.

Our loud cackling must have woken up the dogs from their nap because now Yogi was trying to snuggle up against me while Gerry curiously looked around, probably trying to figure out why there were so many people stretched out on the floor. As soon as Yogi had made himself comfortable with his head on my lap Gerry came over as well, lying down on my legs. There was close to a hundred pounds of dog on top of me but I couldn’t be happier, gently petting them while completely forgetting that we were playing a game at the moment.

Alcohol mixed with cuddly puppies, the greatest thing since long before sliced bread.

Tyler insisted on taking a picture of the three of us all snuggled up and then proceeded to beg until I finally let him post it to his story. Me giving in didn’t come as a surprise, I was this close to doing almost anything he wanted me to after all. I wouldn’t let him tag me though, desperately trying to hold on to the last shred of anonymity , and dignity, that I still had left. 

Part Eight here