#kapa sisters

[tox1c-h3art]

My fellow Kappa Sister's ☆

[selfproclaimedunicorn]

Picked a snippet of chapter 21 at random since @queen--kenobi & @emilykaldwen were so enthused about seeing one, lmao. Enjoy 💕

“It’s exciting, isn’t it, darling boy?” She smiled brightly at Griffith, earning more of his giggles before she finally released his hands, “Now, let's go find kepa. Alri-”

“Kapa!”

She scrambled up as quickly as she could, not even bothering to dust her skirts off or straighten them so that she could scoop Griffith up and hold him on her hip. He squirmed, trying to get free, but how he liked walking wasn’t entirely conducive to leaving a room. Holding both his hands, his arms high above his head, as you leaned over him so he could unsteadily toddle in front of you was very cute and was perfectly fine if you did not have a destination, but making your way from Ella’s rooms to either the council chambers or the training yard was a bit too precarious and they would both get impatient and irritable.

Ella spoke soothingly to him, trying to keep Griffith from fighting her too much as they made their way down the stairs, but keeping him off the ground was starting to become more trouble than it was worth. Sighing heavily and rolling her eyes, she set her boy feet first onto the floor and held his hands so he could happily march towards where she tried to steer him.

“Kapa!” Griffith bobbed in front of Ella as the three men came through the doors that lead out into the great hall, and Robert broke from Yorick and Ser Gerold so his wife would not have to try to fight their son’s attempt to rush forward that would ultimately see him falling and bursting into tears.

He crouched down in front of Griffith, a warm smile on his face that looked so much like his father’s and his sister’s. “Did you take all those stairs by yourself?”

“He tried to.” Ella replied for their little boy as she let go of his hands so he could fall forward into Robert. Griffith clung to his father, his brown curls spilling around his shoulders and blending in with Robert’s as he snuggled into him.

“Can you watch him? I wanted to see how Cassana is.”

“If Yorick can sit through petitions with Stannis on his knee, I can assist with the matters of the keep with Griffith,” he looked up at Yorick as he continued, “I will make sure he doesn’t throw anything important.”

“Good. I would hate for my third counselor to toss an inkpot onto something.” Yorick replied with a chuckle.

“Ugh, I should have thought to bring one of his toys.”

“Some of Stannis’s are probably there, he’ll be entertained somehow.” Yorick reassured her as Gerold held the door open, letting Griffith slowly toddle in ahead of his father, “and give Cassana my best.” His gesticulation was unsure and halting, on the verge of fidgeting with his rings or clasping his hands so he could twist them into strained and uncomfortable looking positions.

Ella gave her twin’s hand a reassuring squeeze, but her smile was as unsure as he seemed to be.“Doesn’t someone always?” Without waiting for a response, she turned and ventured further into the back tower, half retracting her steps to come to Shireen’s solar.

[mucking-faori]

Some of my favorite popular tunes used by kapa haka groups:

"Fire" by The Pointer Sisters

"How Deep Is Your Love" by the Bee Gees

"Gangsta's Paradise" by Coolio

"It's Raining Men" by The Weather Girls

The Skyrim theme

The "make it click" McDonald's driving safety video song

"Uwasa No Capoeira", the theme for a pair of dancing aliens from the Playstation game Bust A Groove

[elliot-rambles]

Back!!!

Hey guys!!! I'm off hiatus now!! Australia was great! I also saw some family members! I know I was off a bit more than I told y'all, but it was also because I was doing other school things! Updates below!

I attended my first LGBT group meeting!!

I joined kapa haka!

My parents went on an anniversary trip to Italy!

My mom gave birth and now I have a sister named Emma!!!!!!

That's all guys! Will get back to the normal rambles 2morrow!! Love y'all!

[cinnamoncarrion]

❄️ Poli’ahu: Hawaiian goddess of snow, and ice. ❄️

“ Poliʻahu is the most famous of the four deity sisters of Mauna Kea, the beautiful snow goddess who makes the summit her home. Poliʻahu, whose name means “cloaked blossom,” or “temple bosom,” is a legendary daughter of Wākea who dwells at the summit of Mauna Kea. As the snow and ice goddess, she is the antithesis of her fiery archrival, Pele. It is Poliʻahu who spreads her beautiful white kapa across the summit of Mauna Kea in the winter, and adorns the mountain with her pink and gold cloak in the summer. The summit of Mauna Loa is also that of Poliʻahuʻs, though she occasionally still has arguments with Pele regarding that. She is the eldest daughter of Kāne and, her younger sisters— Waiau, Kahoupokane, and Lilinoe— are her ladies-in-waiting. Many men have pursued her, yet she always ends up alone. ”

[nohookstobefoundhere]

Uh oh Besties! Looks like there's a Worstie hiding among us! We'll have to use everything we've learned as sisters to sus her out! Kapa Sigma Delta Go!!!!

[beardedmrbean]

A priest and two others are dead, two police officers are injured and a suspected shooter was killed by authorities after a shooting on the east coast of Florida Sunday.

The shooting occurred after a domestic disturbance at a birthday party Sunday afternoon in Palm Bay, a city roughly 75 miles southeast of Orlando.

Palm Bay Police say the suspect, Brandon Kapas, shot his grandfather to death. While responding to the scene, they also found the bodies of retired St. Joseph Catholic Community Father Robert "Bob" Hoeffner and his sister.

Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning.

Police believe Kapas was responsible for all three deaths, and he was fatally shot by police following a brief pursuit Sunday. Autopsies will be conducted on Kapas and the three other deceased as the investigation into the incident continues. Here is what we know so far:

More: Florida deputy fatally shoots 81-year-old after she lunged at him with knife: Officials

Who are the victims of the Palm Bay shooting?

William Kapas Sr., 78, grandfather of the suspected gunman

Father Robert "Bob" Hoeffner, 76, retired St. Joseph Catholic Community priest

Sally Hoeffner, 69, sister of Father Hoeffner

Two officers were also shot, one in the arm and one in the leg. At a Monday press conference, Palm Bay Police Chief Mariano Augello said that one was recovering from surgery and the other was set to be released. A Tuesday press release from the Palm Bay Police Department identified the officers as Stephen Ball and Nicholas Franze.

Who is the suspected shooter?

Brandon Kapas, 24, suspected shooter

Grandfather tried to stop dispute: Police

Palm Bay patrol officers were called about 2:07 p.m. Sunday to the Kapas family home.

Augello said officers arrived about 2:19 p.m. and immediately met with an uncle who told them Brandon Kapas, his nephew, was possibly armed and being disruptive at a family birthday party. At that moment, Brandon stepped out of the home and quickly began walking away "as Palm Bay officers attempted to talk with him,” Augello said.

An officer tased Kapas and got into a brief struggle before Kapas reached for his handgun and fired at the officers, the chief said.

The gunman's grandfather, William Kapas Sr., attempted to intervene but was shot and killed by the suspect, according to police.

“The grandfather was trying to help,” the chief said.

Brandon Kapas was killed by police, while two officers were wounded.

Police found more weapons in car, possibly part of larger planned attack

Officers said the car Brandon Kapas was driving contained several other guns and weapons inside, leading them to believe he may have had a larger attack planned.

William Kapas Jr., son of the elder Kapas who died, and uncle to the suspected shooter, told Florida Today, part of the USA TODAY Network, that Brandon was struggling after his mother's death. "Obviously, this is a very traumatic time for us," William Kapas Jr. said.

William Kapas Jr., son of the elder Kapas who died, and uncle to the suspected shooter, told Florida Today, part of the USA TODAY Network, that the family had strong ties to the St. Joseph Catholic Church, where Hoeffner was a priest.

The car Brandon Kapas was driving was owned by the priest and his sister, police said, though police were not able to identify the relationship between Kapas and the Hoeffners.

Community mourns loss of beloved priest

News of Father Hoeffner’s death spread quickly, with Bishop John Noonan, who oversees the 400,000-member Orlando Diocese that includes Brevard County, issued a statement about the homicides Monday.

“Throughout his priesthood, Father Hoeffner served the people of God with compassion and humility. We will miss his grace-filled presence. We know he and his sister are received by the Lord with mercy and love,” Bishop Noonan said in the statement. 

Hoeffner retired after serving 43 years as a priest and was celebrated by congregants, community leaders and others. He was known for his friendly demeanor, humor, the hot chili he made for the church fair, and emphasis on community, parishioners recalled. 

He also guided both police officers and firefighters through incidents of grief, officers and parishioners said.

[giannencljsn]

SINGAPORE DIARY PART 4

(Day 5 - SG) Destination: 1. Singapore Zoo 2. Cable car 3. Beach station Lightshow Okay first is Singapore Zoo, so special din ang singapore zoo kasi syempre may mga nakita akong animals na never ko pa nakita in person like otters 🦦, hippopotamus 🦛, kangaroo 🦘 and orangutan 🦧. Yung orangutan talaga nakakaaliw para talagang mga tao haha anyways distant cousins naman talaga natin kasi sila. Kasi may dalawang magcouple na orangutan dun na nakalambitin lang tas magkasama talaga sila lagi hahaha nakakatuwa lang... Tapos on the way to Cable car laughtrip moments with my sister si ate arianne lang kasi naligaw na kami HAHAHA pano banaman yung sign for Cable cars nakagantong arrow lang ⬆️ edi akyat kami ng akyat tapos hanggang sa nakaratingkami dun sa Pier boats banda 🤣 ayan nagtanong nalang kami tapos nakarating kami sa cable cars. And then sabi ni ate arianne kain na daw muna kami since gutom na kami. Then fast forward, nagcable cars kami nung first time natatakot talaga ako HAHAHA kasi iba kasi sya sa rollercoaster. Sa rollercoaster alam mo na babagsak ka eh dun parang di mo ieexpect na babagsak ka tas baka bigla lang bumagsak ba. 😂 kaya natatakot ako nung umpisa. Pero nasanay nadin katagalan... Tapos natatawa ako kay ate arianne nun kasi nung binigyan kami ng freebie pokemon head accessory/cap na kulay green na pokemon idk what the name is. Nagrequest pa talaga sya na "Can we get a pikachu head accessory?" HAHAHA tapos sabi nung boy attendant "No pikachu is sold out 😅" Nung time na yun tawa lang kami ng tawa ni ate arianne sa cable car para kaming lasing kahit na di kami nakainom haha..We find everything funny. Ayt eto ngapala din ang shocking sa SG, mahal ang bottled water sakanila 🤣 mga nasa 2sgd na. Soo nagdala kami ng tumbler pero piling lugar lang yung may mga water fillers. More on environmental conservation talaga sila dun. Tsaka walang tissue na binibigay sa mga kainan HAHAA bibili kapa talaga sarili mo 🫠 Atleast ayun yung experience ko... Nung humingi kasi ako ng tissue alongside dun sa order ko may bayad ampotek. HAHA Napabili pa nga ng tissue nakakaloka. But yeah sure its for the environment 🌍 anyways......

Tapos on the way dun sa beach station naligaw nanaman kami, tapos may dalawang lalaki na "sumusunod" daw samin according to ate arianne kasi nakita daw nya yun before sa likuran namin. I was like thats just a coincidence dont think too much about it. Unless sinundan na talaga kami sa hotel dun na talaga din ako mattakot. Ayun din ang napansin ko kay ate arianne shes a bit paranoid about stuff. Sabi nga nya baka daw pati yung stuff toys may cctv sa loob. 🫠 Anyways.. So pumunta kami sa Beach station para nga manood ng lights show, napagod din talaga ako sa araw nato kasi nga puro lakad tapos walang hintuan kasi nga by schedule yung mga pinuntahan namin tapos naligaw pa kami twice..... 🫠 And then, maganda naman yung lights show syempre naman SG paba. Tapos inaaya ako ni ate na mag bar nga daw kami dun sa tabi after kaso pagod na talaga ako nun iniisip ko baka mahilo lang ako pag nalasing eh bbyahe pakami by train.

Tapos vinideohan ko nalang yung mga nagpparty party dun mema lang ganern 😂 mahal din ang drinks dun jusko mga 12sgd isang drink kaya .... ayun uwian time. haha Eh this time kasi dun sa train from Beach station papuntang Harbourfront nagkahalo halo na ng amoy tas rush hour pa 🤢... Fast forward paguwi ng 12am I felt sick sumuka ako and nagkalagnat nga ako saglit ahahaha napagkamalan pa na nagwalwal kami nung bunsong sister namin si shandy. Edi syempre sinabi namin totoo dineny namin na hindi kami nagwalwal lmao. tapos paguwi nagyaya pa yung mga pinsan ko na magpalaundry eh yung laundry sakanila self laundry tapos ayun sobrang pagod na pagod talaga ako nun.. 3am ako nakatulog nun. Tapos kinabukasan mga umaga 6am nagising kami kasi by 8am andun na yung nirent na cars papuntang next destination which is malaysia. I felt so tired and sick at this time. 🫠

[tristinian]

Look man. No one’s turning kids gay or trans or whatever. If it was, I wouldn’t have heard so many concerned mutters from people in the crowd during my sister’s primary school graduation kapa haka performance when one boy wore a dress

[badbunnybaddies]

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⋆ ꧁Welcome to Kapa Kapa Tau꧂ ⋆

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𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐚𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞, 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭.

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ღ 𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑎 𝑛𝑎 𝑚𝑜𝑑𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑑𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑛º 𝟷

ღ 12/06/2023

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Informações básicas: ღ A voz da host será no exato tom e som e velocidade de Emma Roberts. E POR TAL, as falas serão em inglês. ღ Estilo de câmera extremamente veloz e dinâmica.

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Era por volta de sete horas. Competia com o sol todas as manhãs

"𝐺𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑛𝑒𝑙"

"𝐺𝑜𝑜𝑑 𝑚𝑜𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑆𝑙𝑢𝑡𝑠"

Exigiu que o selecionado estivesse lá o mais cedo possível.

As portas brancas eram imensas e impecáveis, com dois pilares de alguma pedra clara caríssima e uma estátua do nascimento de vênus de cada lado. Mas, nesta versão, Vênus possuía um corpão de modelo moderna.

Haviam duas linhas de ouro muito finas e discretas serpenteando por toda a extensão das portas, eram rosas.

Se abriram automaticamente, Channel jamais tocou em uma maçaneta desde o dia em que nasceu.

E lá estava ela, na entrada, os braços cruzados com tanta firmeza que parecia ser necessário um maquinário para separa-los.

— I said early.

Suspirou e relaxou daquela expressão corporal, apenas acenou para que o calouro entrasse, com um sorriso de poucos segundos que parecia estranhamente sincero.

— I made this republic what it is today, but back in 1970, It was built under the blood of all the skinny hot blonde bitches that first slept here…Literally, those stupid foremans didnt have a sense of delicated mainstays…so the girls took the hammers violently and made it themselves.

Seus passos foram muito rápidos e curtos cruzando a sala de estar até as escadarias imensas feitas do mesmo material que os pilares.

— Yeah, that was the living room, I demanded "as close to Greek as possible, as white as my skin". I haven't been in direct sunlight for more than a minute a day since I went to Brazil, saw the beach and all the colors... There were really monkeys there, just not as pets.

Suspirou

— Well, you're only welcome here because the principal is being a cunt and want me to accept the differences. So im kicking out the bitch who grew up in at that hood…"hamptons" or whatever. And now, i'll dedicate myself and tell everything you need to know, making sure you're treated as well as possible, like our sisters. * Corta para diversas cenas chutando cada Channel das escadas por descerem devagar demais*

Usava saltos com plumas rosa, assim como ao peito de sua blusa curta de alcinhas. Incorporou o estilo 1990.

Desde a infância com que seus pés fossem incapazes de se esticarem, sendo capaz apenas de tocar o chão com as pontas. Exatamente como a Barbie. - See this towels over the tub? i had them made by blind elders on the depth of an alaska's poor village... They werent actually blind, it was a consequence of so many emotional tears for the beauty in it Voltou a divagar tão odiosa quanto rápido.

- But we do have diversity! We have a brown brazilian or whatever for the wax, a Filipino for massages, two poor super fat ladies to cook, an Indian for the tea... just press the button and they will be here at anytime, i dont know where they stay, a dungeon with bunker beds probably... And now.. you! I had a zebra too... After i while i got bored and we served that thing on my birthday... it was the color... so i hired the Filipino to lay down in the living room... i would've served her for Halloween, but they canceled kanye for serving food using some bitches... my personal hero.

-And when he said that about Jews....

* corta pra ela assistindo tv suspirando abraçada na pipoca *

-I hired one to take care of my finances

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Não demorou para que estivessem andando pelo campus, ela debaixo de uma sombrinha rosa, em passos ainda mais rápidos e mais curtos.

Seu cabelo estava preso muito alto, com tanto gel que parecia ser blindado, transpassado na frente como uma faixa e escovado em um semi-cacho.

Três meninas a seguiam apressadíssimas ao outro lado do gramado, na área coberta. Eram como abelhas desorientadas perto da lata abandonada de um refrigerante.

Dois minutos e já estavam no refeitório. - Those clinging blonde parrots are Ninna and Niko. Cant remember if they're gay undercover or brother and sister making out. Same thing.

Ninguém jamais se atreveria a sentar em sua mesa, então, obviamente estava vazia. E enquanto todos se serviam no buffet (que era de qualidade, graças ao preço exorbitante da mensalidade e as doações generosas dos pais grisalhos), uma espécie de mordomo elegante lhe deixava bandejas prateadas reluzentes.

E quando puxaram a tampa, Channel nº1, Channel nº2 e Channel nº3 se sentaram em sincronia. Cada uma puxou sua lancheira rosa e revelaram algodões enfileirados. Channel nº 2 também puxou um shake. Debaixo da tampa estavam três rosas pálidas cheias de espinhos. O mordomo lhe trouxe os talheres e dois algodões. - Number two needs to lose weight, so she's taking the special shake i posted on my blog, check it out before the thousands of clicks take it off air.

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*Water *Syrup or glucose *cayenne pepper *lemon *ipeacac And sometimes, to spoil yourself, a little bit of sand

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Sem mais delongas, cortou suas rosas com agressividade e começou a comê-las sem acompanhamento, mastigando poucas vezes. - I don't know what you like yet, but i can ask for some vegan chakalaka. And alredy tossed away all those mangos and milk from the fridge so you dont get confused and have a heart atack in my kitchen. - Falou como se fosse passível de eterna gratidão.

E conforme prometeu, após o almoço, iria lhe contar tudo sobre as meninas, (quando escovasse seus dentes com carvão fervente, sal rosa do himalaia e óleos essenciais de Guapeba ilegal junto de dez minutos com raspadores periodontais).

[ketso]

Episode 54

We are all here in Maja Perre where Morafe's mother's house used to be. It's literally in ashes. Literally. We all arrived two days ago when Morafe told us what happened. We are all living at the lodge that we stayed at when we came for her wedding. Our kids are at home with nannies because it's school. I just brought Sihle with me because she can afford to miss creche. She’s forever on my back. I don’t even let her run to the gate. I don’t trust people in this community who just turn people into biltong because they are prostitutes. They'll steal my child to prove a point. I take her off my back to feed her, bath her or if we are at the lodge and in our room. There she is as free as she wants to be. She also seems fine with our arrangement. She lets no one take her off my back.

Love her!

The guys will go fetch the kids on Friday, together with Morafe's mother. She's still in hospital, but she's getting better.

We put up a huge glass tent here. Inside, we've put a carpet in and some tables and chairs. This is where we are cooking, arranging and just letting the community come and do their thing. Mmaletuka's kids, Palesa and Thato, are here as well. They are not going to school. Morafe was telling us that they'll have to change schools because who will they live here with? She hasn't yet uttered the words "they will live with me", but she's moving like it's happening. She doesn't want to live with them. You can see it. But eish.

Today is raining and it's kak cold. The guys are in overalls, drinking beer and eating anything and everything that wreaks of cholesterol nje, while working outside in the rain. Our tent is super full. And it's such a big tent.

Sihle has a raincoat on with a hoodie and everything. She's watching a show from my cellphone.

Us ladies all have raincoats on as well because there are gas stoves in here... and with people in this community turning people into biltong just nje, we keep the doors of the tent wide open.

WIDE OPEN!

The meat is being cooked outside.

Wandi and I are cooking the dumplings, rice, pap and ting in the tent. Morafe and Bassie are outside within the meat. There are some mamas here who are also peeling and cooking stuff nje around. These are Morafe's mother's sister.

"Thato. Palesa. Le jile?" Morafe asks the kids.

"Eya, mamane. Re jile. It's cold.”

“Where are your jackets?"

"In the car."

"Please fetch them tu. Ke a kopa." Morafe.

They actually don't give her a hard time. They just go.

"I don't even know what all of these people are doing here because they are the cause of all of this. Or keng? They came to verify?!" Morafe is so loud that time. Some people in the tent caught that and now the chatting has died down. Focus is on Morafe. Is she really going to do this?

"Morafe, aowa nnana. These people are here ho tlo tsidisa hle." One of the aunts.

"Ho tsidisa eng? Ho tsidisa mang? Ke bona akere that burned the house down, killed my sisters and her kids! Two children are orphans now because of them. Next thing ba tlo re tina mo! They wake up, come here and sit all day. We must feed them breakfast, lunch and supper... even serve them alcohol! After what they've done? Ba na le sibiti sa ho nyofa all day! I don't know why we don't just poison this food so they all die like flies! Just like they did to my sister and my nieces! Kapa re kwale monyako oe and set this tent alight so they all die the painful death that they made my family experience!"

"MORAFE!" The aunt.

"Hai mam'holo."

Now she faces the people staring at her.

"LE BATLANG LONA MO?! KENG?! ARE YOU LOST?! OR YOU ARE SO HUNGRY LE TLO NYOFA MO LE BOLAYILENG TENG?! SIES!" She shouts at them.

I just see Thabang next to her and I pray he's going to stop this. Our men are also in the tent now, hectically wet.

"Bona mo, wena! Ngwana wasefebe!" Some person in the crowd.

"Oh... so you do know that mme waka le ausi ke de febe! De febe that you killed. Mara le mo! To do what?! For ngwana wasefebe to feed you?!" Yoh Morafe.

These people try to cause a riot, possibly throw shit at Morafe.

Guns come out of the men we've arrived with chile! I've never seen black people duck so quickly in my life! The whoooooo that came with it!

I take Sihle off my back and hold her in my front. She's trying to focus on the real life drama, but I keep redirecting her face to the phone. She even looks at me as if she wants to ask me what's wrong with me. Wandi is now next to me with Thato and Palesa. We are also trying to keep them away from this, but shame... they also want justice for what happened.

"LISTEN HERE! ALL OF YOU PATHETIC DOGS! JUST BECAUSE SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN ARRESTED, IT DOESN'T MAKE THE REST OF YOU INNOCENT. YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE! NOR ARE YOU WELCOME TO THE FUNERAL! IF I EVEN SPOT MI-KENKE EWU YA LONA AROUND ME IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, I WILL LOOK FOR YOU... I WILL FIND YOU... AND I WILL PERSONALLY SET YOU ALIGHT ONE BY ONE... JUST LIKE YOU DID WITH MY MOTHER, MY SISTER AND MY NIECES. HA LE TLO NYOFA MO KA DI PELO TSE TSALONA TSEDIMPI, SERVED BY NNA WHO YOU'VE TAKEN FROM! WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?! KE TLO LE BOLAYA HHE NNA, AFTER I'VE MADE YOU BURY YOUR MOTHERS, CHILDREN AND FAMILIES LIKE YOU HAVE MADE ME DO. THE HURT THAT MY NIECES AND I ARE FEELING, YOU WILL FEEL IT TOO. IT WILL NOT END WITH US! NOW VOETSEK OUT OF THIS PLACE!"

These people sprint so fast, there's even a whole stampede and we hear people yelling in pain. As they try to nurse their pain, Morafe grabs Ntuthuko’s gun and shoots it in the air. Ntuthuko grabs that gun right back and holds Morafe. These people carry their injuries with them and nurse them somewhere else.

Then I just see Morafe fall apart. Yaz, even Palesa - the coldest child towards her - hugs her, saying sorry. Our friend is in pain.

It's about 7pm now. We have all this food that we have cooked. We decided that we'd call a home not too far from here that is supported by the Mothipa royal house and they can come have supper here. So we've dished up for them, they are eating and we are chilling outside in the rain so we give them space to eat. They came in their bus. The neighbours, who also currently don't have electricity because these are those places where you wake up when the sun rises and sleep when the sun sets - zero investment in electricity - these neighbours are looking over into our yard and eating with their hearts. Ngathi bangaletha net i-plate just for a scoop of something. They haven't cooked shame. But we just sitting out here under various garden umbrellas. I have a blanket over Sihle who has on a tracksuit, a beanie and her raincoat. She's still watching her show while my phone charges on a PowerBar. We have giant loadshedding lights so our yard is also quite bright. Ntuthuko tried to take Sihle from me, but she said no.

"Heh guys, did I tell you that Noria is apparently kidnapped from prison?" I actually thank Bassie from her drama. Morafe is the first one to laugh and I'm thankful. She has Thato covered with a blanket on her. She gave Palesa a blanket to keep herself warm. Palesa is sitting next to her, listening to our conversations nje. Thato is watching something on an iPad that Morafe gave to her.

"Stru!" Bassie continues with her story.

The guys are not sitting too far away from us. But they are also talking about their own nonsense.

"Here comes her mzala mos - who by the way worked for Keith!" Bassie.

"How are you not writing a book? Drama ekana? You'd sell those books like hot cakes." Wandi.

We all laugh.

"Watsiba, I should write that book. Because yoh, ke mehlolo after mehlolo."

I feel like we are traumatising Palesa. She's only twelve. And Bassie's stories are scary. Morafe even steals looks at Palesa, then our eyes connect, then we laugh.

"So moghel comes to Keith's office telling my man to help the family find Noria because they've always been good to him before I wrecked their home. I just felt nje that I'm being tested. Only to find that this mzala wa teng is makhwapheni wa one of Keith's brothers and she's a crazy and stalking makhwapeni."

"WHAAAAAAAAAAATTTTT?!" We all say.

The guys even look at us.

We all burst into laughter! Even Palesa.

Guys! I just see Thulisa when I look at this girl. Thulisa is not ready to hear such.

"Do you want to go sit there le bo papa?" Morafe asks her.

"No mamane. Ke shup mo", Palesa says, zooming into Bassie and her story.

Wandi just laughs at Morafe. I'm also chuckling. Kodwa wow.

"I wish that family could just leave us alone. Nna ke kgathetsi ke bona. Honestly." Bassie.

"Mara chommie, at least you've never left your house. Tamia la... packed her bags and got the fuck out of there because of baby-mamas", Wandi.

"Girl, vele what happened? You never told us", Morafe.

"These baby-mamas were demanding houses from my man and he was actually prepared to buy the houses for them."

All their jaws drop. Literally. Even Palesa's. Then they all look at Ntuthuko as if rehearsed.

"Yini manje?" Ntuthuko says.

Now they guys get up as if coming to sit with us.

"Hai Hai Hai! Stay there!" We all say at the same time.

They don't know what to do.

We all look at each other. Then we all laugh. We are so crazy, man.

After we've all settled down, I tell them, "I needed to make the boundaries clear. Fortunately, Ntuthuko finally heard me. So we were able to fix things. Then the mothers decided that they cannot look after these kids without our help. So they gave us the kids but wanted R10 000 in return."

"For what?!" They all say.

"Like chommie, they sold their kids to you for R10 000?" Morafe.

I take a deep breath then say, "I offered them R50 000 each to sign over all their parental rights to me. For R50 000 each, plus their transport costs to bring the kids to us, they'd no longer be recognised as their mothers before the law and therefore have no rights at all or decision making powers when it comes to these kids. They are mine. Simple."

"Chommie!" Bassie says with a stuttering voice.

"What did they say?" Morafe says, almost whispering.

"They signed the papers and took the money", I say.

They all hold their heads.

"Serious?" Palesa. Imagine!

We all look at her. She's so shocked.

We just laugh. Ja neh.

...

Saturday, 6am. The funeral.

Last night, we had a night vigil for the three bodies that arrived here to leave from here headed to their final resting place. We actually thought it would be a small funeral because Morafe banned the entire community from coming here. But Morafe and Thabang organised for the mom's entire family to come here all the way from Lesotho. Two busses arrived on Thursday. They actually set up and slept in the tent. They just closed the door and slept. Lol! Even when Morafe's mom arrived on Friday, a mattress was set up for her right here in the tent and she's been on it since.

I arranged for curtains and two more tents. This yard is huge. The curtains give the tent that home and privacy feel. The community really just walk past the gate because they are not allowed in here. Ntuthuko took Sihle back home. The nanny is there. The only kids that are here are Morafe's kids and it's understandable as to why they have to be here. Then there are all these other cousins that have come from Lesotho. It's actually quite packed. From 1am, we sent people to the lodge to go shower and get dressed. Some just got dishes and bathed right in these tents. You know what!!!

At 4am, the decor company was here to set up. Couches have been put up across the tent, accommodating 300 people. Apparently some people are friends. Even yena, Mmaletuka, had a lot of friends that have come. The kids... their school mates, school choirs and school teachers have come. The colour of the day is absolute black! And you know what, it's beautiful. I take my hat off to Morafe. Every couch is black... pure black. Every carpet is black. The pulpit and stage where the priests will be are all black. Each couch has two blankets because it's really cold. The blankets are black! Stunning!

Even the family... Morafe dressed them up so well. The mother, the chief mourner, is dressed in a black dress. It's a very stylishly designed black maxi dress with beading. Her shawl that she's wearing over her shoulders is black fur. Yerrr! Her shoe! I didn't even know her mother could rock a stiletto heel like that... a black Steve Madden Vala Court stiletto heel. Beautiful! She has on a black doek, which I like. Not those take me to the grave hats. The doek is made with a black and grey sanna marena blanket. Lalela! Muhle lo mama! The look is sealed with a stylish pair of Versace sunglasses. She has a Versace black handbag right there with her. Morafe and Meme are also wearing designer dresses. Meme's dress flares out at her hips and it looks really pretty. She's wearing black stockings because that dress is above her knee in length. She is also wearing black stiletto heels. She's also wearing a black doek... plain black. Then she has a black sanna marena blanket over her shoulders. Morafe's dress is a body hugging dress. And I don't blame her. My friend has ass for days. She has black stockings on, black Christian Louboutin stiletto heels, a black doek and a jacket made out of a black and grey sanna marena blanket. The jacket is slightly longer than her dress. Thabang is not letting her out of his sight. I wouldn't neither.

All the kids are dressed very well- in all black - and with black and grey sanna marena blankets. Little Tshenolo has a suit on and his suit jacket is in a sanna marena blanket. He's matching with his dad. It's just cute. Morafe, Palesa, Thato, Meme and Mosetsana are all wearing black Louis Vuitton sunglasses. No guys, the family is giving! It's giving.

The service starts at 7am. We are all comfortably seated, no matter where you are in the tent. The community that has been banned from the funeral is outside the gate with their umbrellas watching the funeral from there. The caskets are so beautiful. I'm proud of Morafe. Begrudgingly or not, she did a good job with this send off. It is so dignified. Her sister's coffin is black. The children's coffins are white. Their pictures are sized A3 in front of their coffins respectively.

I put my head on Ntuthuko’s shoulder. He puts his arm out then puts his arm around me, kissing my forehead.

He smells so good. Our vacant hands hold onto each other. Senzi and Wandi are sitting with us on this couch. They are sitting in the middle. We sit on their left. Bassie and Keith sit on their right. Each couch accommodates six to eight people.

By 9am, we are leaving for the cemetery.

The family leaves first. The coffins are put into three different V300 vehicles. Black. The family cars are all Mercedes Benz vehicles. It is ten V300 vehicles. The first vehicle has Morafe, her mother, her sister, the four kids and Thabang. The family fights with themselves to find themselves in the other family cars. We even laugh a bit because it's actually funny to watch. Family will embarrass you shame. Those who didn't get a car go back into the busses they came in.

Wandi, Bassie and I stay behind with catering to make sure that everything is sorted for the return of all these people. But our guys left in one car to go represent us there emathuneni. Some family members stayed with us shame.

As soon as everyone has left, decor is back, setting up for people to be able to eat. This rain is really not letting us be great. It's terrible. We wear rain boots and take off our heels. We position tables and seats.

We hear the community people ask if they could at least come for lunch. Kanti la bantu banjani laba? Yazi, ukulamba kubuhlungu!

Six dishing stations are set up inside the yard but outside of the tent. The bars are set up in the yard but outside the tent.

By the time these people are done, this place looks like a restaurant.

I really take my hat off to Morafe and Thabang. What they've done here cannot be undone.

...

Ey madoda, ngiphakathi kwama-garafu wabomagosha this very moment... ngenxa yomshado. Hai khona. Sizoli bona nje iZulu sesingcwaba oMary Magdeline nezingane zabo? Kumele nje umuntu athandaze la asho ukuthi "Bawo, you commanded us to be loving husbands. That's all I'm doing right now."

School choirs are singing as we are within putting soil in these three wholes next to each other. This is so painful. So painful. Imagine if this is your child. As a parent, I don't ever want to bury my kids. Ever! As a husband, I don't ever want to bury my wife. I feel for Morafe's mother. She was so emotional, she actually fell into this grave - Mmaletuka's one. Senzi, Keith and I had to pull her out. Now she's been sitting and crying there between Meme and Morafe. Tshenolo is sitting on top of Morafe. Palesa, Thato and Mosetsana are all sitting on the carpet in front of Morafe's, Meme's and the granny's legs. They were crying, but they are all now just chatting between the three of them. Thabang is right here working with us. Then there are men who are either brothers or cousins to Morafe's mom... and some are Morafe's cousins. We are working hard here. Yerrr! And we have to do this in suit jackets. These are so restricting. Also the rain Nkulunkulu Bawo! Sisebenza kabuhlungu la.

We finally finish closing the wholes. My arms! Angifuni nix!

We move from here because there's also going to be an unveiling of the tombstone heads.

As we move, there are hostesses offering us water, beer or coffee. Coffee? After hard labour like that?! Hai! These are jokes.

We all actually take beer.

Thabang decides that he's not sitting next to Morafe anymore, so he stands next to us. All these men do. We are in this together.

Morafe, her mother, Meme, Palesa, Thato, Mosetsana and Tshenolo all then walk to the tombstones. The funeral service people help the kids unveil the tombstone.

Wow!

These are beautiful! They are black with gold writing. Yoh, these are nice!

There is a huge shelter across each grave. The shelter is gold and it has "LETUKA" written across it in black.

Beautiful!

The plate on the left, covering one grave, is written - as Mosetsana reads it - "in loving memory of our sister, granddaughter and niece, Reabetsoe Patience."

The plate on the right, covering the other grave, is written - as Thato reads it - "in loving memory of our sister, granddaughter and niece, Patience Mmamoleko." And the middle plate reads, as Palesa reads it, "in loving memory of our mother, sister and daughter, Mmaletuka."

There is then a bottom slate connecting all three pillars. It matches the top shelter thing and its also gold with black writing. Meme reads it and says, "You've only left this world, but you have not left us. Robalang ka khotso, lona Mosia. We will take it from here and make sure that your struggles were not for nothing."

This is so sad.

...

The chaos in this street. Are people aware that it's raining?

My wife finds me in this sphithiphithi, pulls me to our car. As soon as we are inside, she gives me food. She even has a six pack of Castle Light for me. I actually kiss her.

When she sees how soaking wet I am, she takes my food and makes me take off these wet clothes. She switches on the heater in the car. She heads to the boot and gives me the extra black clothes we brought... it's as if she knew that I'd need to change.

Now we both eat. She has wine that she's eating her food with.

"Umzababa womngcwabo phela lo. Ngathi umshado", I say.

"Ja. I'm proud of Morafe. This was quite a difficult time for her. And I can just imagine how much more difficult it was for her knowing ukuthi she wasn't on good terms nodadewabo at the time of her passing. Kwa even the kids... she's struggling to accept that they are hers now."

Hai bo!

"Ube bangani nodadewabo?" I enquire.

"Eish babe... entitlement, I suppose."

Women and this 'entitlement' word. I hate that word so much!

"Entitlement?" I need her to explain.

"Yeah. UMmaletuka felt entitled to Morafe's success and had unrealistic expectations from her. When Morafe said no, Mmaletuka decided that Morafe is selfish and their relationship went south."

"What kind of expectations?" I ask.

She looks at me. She takes a bite of her meat then says, "uMorafe wahamba yena la kubo. And when she was in South Africa, ubehlupheka, but she pulled through. Ubengahluphi muntu. Ube qhubeka ngempilo yakhe in a backroom elokshini with her two kids and her very abusive baby-daddy. Umah wakhe nodadewabo knew ukuthi uMorafe ubephila njani. But they didn't help her. They were in a position to help her, but they didn't. Even when she came back home... she didn't move back into her mother's house. She simply came back and made her own plans ukuthi abe-shup. Her luck simply turned lana in Tholoana Kingdom. The minute it turned, her sister wanted her to take her kids and raise them. Morafe said no. And she had every right to. Her own kids were still adjusting after trauma from their life in South Africa. On top of that, she took on her sister to help her be in a better position than all of them. What was she going to do with Mmaletuka's four children on top of everything else she had taken responsibility for? While still finding her feet? Kodwa uMmaletuka just felt ukuthi Morafe is selfish. So inxabano yabo kwaba yileyo eyingapheli waze washona."

Ja neh... to be a black person in life nje.

I reply to her saying, "Yaz, sthandwa sami... if you pay some attention to how families are set up neh... there will always be your wealthy ones and your poor ones. The richest person in the country and the poorest person in the country can come from one family. And I don't believe that it has anything to do with who works the hardest or who is the smartest. Because you do find that the poorer you are, the harder you work. A domestic worker leaves her house and kids at 4am every morning to clean for kids and look after them all day, then only go back home at 10pm with R500 to feed herself and her children who are fast asleep by the time she gets home. So mina, as uNtuthuko Maphumulo, I don't believe that being rich has everything to do with hard work. I think God or the universe or a higher purpose puts people in positions to be able to help or uplift others then sees what they do with those blessings. It's probably a test of who you are and what you do with riches planted in your hands. Yes, poor people come across as entitled and whatever other words people use to describe their cries for help. But I don't blame them. No one wants to be poor. I've also never met a pleasant poor person. I'm angry if I can't find something I want. I can't imagine what it's like to wake up and not know if you'll go to sleep well-fed. There's no way that you'll be pleasant."

"So Morafe was wrong?"

"No, don't put words in my mouth. And don't judge what I'm saying against your friend's situation. Mina I'm speaking generally. I do believe that Morafe should not punish Thato and Palesa for whatever happened between herself and her sister. She's the best person to take over as their mother. And I think she should, without reservation. Kusazokwanda okuhle for yena. And she needs to get her mother out of this prostitution business. Usekhulile phela manje. Hai bo."

We look at each other. We burst into laughter.

The food is done.

I open a bottle of beer. She pours herself wine. This rain is still fighting. It's actually dark now. Driving at this point would be very dangerous. Further to this, there's thunder and lightning. Tamia has a weird fear for lightning. So let me distract her.

"So baby..." me.

"Yebo?"

"Your dad and I have been talking... a lot..."

"Okay. About?"

"Khaya."

"Ubani uKhaya?"

Hai bo!

"Your brother."

The look she gives me!

"Tamia -

"Ubaba ukhuluma lowo doti nawe?"

"Doti? Tamia, umfowenu lona."

"Hai Hai Hai! I have three brothers mina. Angibasweli nix obhuti mina."

Ja, the dad did say that this is not going to be easy.

"Baby -

"Ntuthuko, do you know ukuthi you'll send my mother to her grave from a heart attack if you ever even bring this up?"

"Yes, I know. And so does ubaba. That's why he reached out to me about this. I'm the one that is neutral about it."

"Neutral?"

"Yebo. All of you have turned on him. Your brothers even beat him up? Baby! Can you imagine Senzi, Akwande and I trying to beat Shaka Maphumulo up? Hai guys."

"Yaz ubaba is very devious for doing this. He slept with my mother's sister and made a baby with her. How is he a victim? Kwa yena uncane nje... she just wanted my mom's life. She thought my mom would leave my dad then she would have everything that my mom has. Uyalayeka! She deserves everything that she's going through! This didn't end in her favour."

"Okay shup, baby. I hear you. Ingane yona? Cabanga ukuthi wena ukhule njani. Yena ufunde in no-fee schools, living off feeding schemes from school and donations. He's option for health is public hospitals. Baby, yena wenzeni?"

"He's being punished for his parents' actions." She says.

"Tamia, igazi lakho leli. You have to feel something."

"Uncane naye, igazi likamah. What did she feel when she opened her legs to her sister's husband?"

Yoh!

I'm learning that when it comes to cheating, women are their most evil and non-empathetic.

"Why is ubaba having this conversation with you exactly? Kumele wenzeni wena? Bring the siblings together?" She sarcastically says. I would've never agreed to that. My wife is not stable.

"Khaya is sick. Very sick. Government hospitals do not have the facilities or equipment to help him. He can only be treated at a private hospital. But his mother cannot afford the rates."

"How does ubaba know that? It was made clear to him that he may no longer talk to uncane." That’s what she's really worried about?!

"Omalume spoke to him and told him. There was no conversation with ncane." I say.

She gives me a look that I cannot read.

I continue, "ubaba says he cannot take out the money for him because if he does, your mother will divorce him. And he doesn't want to lose her. So he asked me to look after Khaya."

"Heh!" She yells and claps once.

I don't know what this means.

"So, he doesn't want to lose his wife. But you must risk losing yours?"

"Why would I lose you? Khaya is not my son!" I'm genuinely confused.

"This is my mother that we are talking about. My mother! That might have meant nothing to my father makafeba noncane, but it will always mean everything to me. Why the hell would I agree to betraying my own mother like that?! Yini? Uncane uphelelwe amadoda anemali ukuthi abavulele amathanga for imali? Uphelelwe manje? She can't even make a plan as a mother ukusiza the consequences of amanyala wakhe?!"

You know, I'm so glad that I didn't have children behind her back while married to her. Because truly, those kids would suffer. Tamia feels nothing for her sick brother. Actually, less than nothing. But the hatred that she feels for Khaya's mother has consumed every bit of energy that she invests in this situation. Yoh yoh yoh! I'm actually blown away.

"Ngizothini mina kumama? Because I'm not doing this behind her back. She doesn't deserve this. And ubaba is a piece of shit for putting you in this position."

"Tamia, ubaba wakho lo. Please, do not disrespect him in my presence. Please. I want to help Khaya. I'm asking you to give me permission to do so. I did tell ubaba that I was never going to do this behind your back."

"Ncane is going to win... again!"

Her focus is really on the wrong person here. I'm just saying.

"Fine. Kodwa he will be treated here in the kingdom. Uncane ngimazi kahle. I'm not leaving her to have moments with her baby-daddy behind my mom's back, bonding over their brat's suffering. Khaya will come here. Alone. If uncane wants to come to the kingdom, uzozifikela and she will sort out her own accommodation. You will help her in no way!"

"Kodwa baby -

"Kodwa baby nix! I'm trying to be accommodative here. Meet me half way!"

Eh!

"I'm going to have to tell umama. She's going to be hurt. She really is."

I understand her loyalty to her mother hey.

"When Khaya is healed, he goes back home and you stop helping my dad put a bandaid of money over amanyala wakhe!"

"Ubhuti wakho, baby. Stop calling him amanyala. Hai bo."

"If you do to me what my dad did to my mom njengoba kuzoba noKhaya nje... Ntuthuko!"

Trust me, I know.

"Baby, my dick only rises for you. I don't even dream about stepping out on our marriage."

"Good! Because I'm not my mom. I'd never be as kind as my mom has been about this entire situation."

Kind?! She calls this kind?!

"Kodwa uncane yena... hmmm... usazong'thola kahle lo nonkroyi lo." She says under breath. But I heard her.

I almost feel so bad for this ncane hey.

[aquamanandfriends]

"Thank you," Sarah said in a timid manner with a small nod as she reached for the tea. She took a slow deep breath as an attempt to steady herself, not wanting to get emotional but her breath rattled. "It's complicated," like everything in the real world was. "Jane is two years younger than I am," she began, focusing on the numbers and facts. "I left when I was seventeen, I just ran and I never looked back. I went to my aunts and she helped me get my high school diploma and into some college courses," she began slowly following things through each step. "When I turned eighteen, I'd joined Kapa, was living on campus. The school was very supportive but only the extent that it helped them?" she shook her head, it wasn't important. "I had a real support system, these girls are like sisters to me and as I started to share and read more the more I got angry about everything. I decided to go get Jane myself, at least plead my case. So I went, with some back up. It worked and Jane came with us. We had a really good month and then the threats started. They were claiming I'd kidnapped her and they were going to press charges... he's smart," she swallowed hard. "It was Jane's idea to go back, wait it out till she was eighteen then leave." Sarah looked down at her knees where she rested her mug of tea, holding it with both hands and wishing it was a little stronger. "I'm band from ever going back, legally I have no foot to stand on. I haven't seen Jane in years and I've been to every possible lawyer over and over, I've been gathering my own evidence... I don't know what else to do. The whole thing broke my poor aunt, she's got no fight left. It's just me."

Instead of answering, Farah remained quiet. She trusted that Sarah would find her words; the key was to avoid rushing her. When the tea kettle whistled, Farah moved to pour them each a cup of chamomile, then sat down across from Sarah to listen. She bit on the inside of her cheek as she listened, never interrupting, never judging. "Is there anything that can be done?" she asked. She had no idea what Sarah had or hadn't tried to get her sister out of that situation.

[kiffenart]

I tried out a new colouring technique and finally finished this illustration of Ganz Allein, with Dinah and CB now as human beings. I don’t base on any specific actors/actresses’ appearances, tho CB’s curly locks instead of the quiff is inspired by Kapa Kitchen (he’s babi).

It’s a pity this scene and song got cut out, I always love to see Dinah as an older sister to that little criminal.

[jeanmicstorytell]

How will you define a mistress? Sabi nila, a slut, whore, kabet, number2, ahas, mang aagaw etc. Just wondering if all people ay galit sa mga mistresses. Kasi, di naman lahat ginusto yung ganung sitwasyon. Nagmahal ka lang naman. Eh ang kaso, yung taong minahal mo ay di na malaya. Since from the start alam mo ng may asawa, sumige kapa rin. Kaya in the end, ikaw yung nag sa suffer.

Oo sa simula, parang laro lang. Game ka sa lahat ng bagay, at game din sya. 17 yrs agwat namin sa isat isa. 20 ako, 37 sya that time. Nag simula sa Hi and Hello, hanggang naging chatmate. You found someone na mapapaglibangan since galing nga ako sa break up. At sya anti boredom since naka on board sya sa barko. Til, naka graduate ako ng college. We decided na mag meet na. Ang usapan is pupuntahan mo ko sa province ko, pero in the end nauwi sa Manila ang meet up natin. That was the first time na magkikita tayo ng personal. Although nagkakilanlan na tayo thru video call and chat, nalaman natin na iisa pala yung birth place natin kaya lalo tayo naging interested sa isa't isa.

So eto na nga. Paglapag ng eroplano sa NAIA, ikaw una nakakita sakin. Well, wala naman tayong na feel na awkwardness sa isa't isa ng oras na yon. Sumakay tayo ng taxi and we ended at Hotel kung san tayo nag spent ng gabi. Yes, we made love that time. No need to detailed kung ano ngyare. After that, sinamahan kita sa Kalaw kasi may inaayos kang papers nun. And yun din yung first time na na snatchan ako. Di ko makakalimutan yun. Dahil nga siguro sa promdi ako kaya ngyare yun so lesson learned na.

And dahil doon, sabay tayo umuwi ng province natin non. Magkaiba lang tayo ng barangay. Sumakay tayo ng van, and nag spent ng week sa atin and sabay na din tayo lumuwas pa manila non. That time dun mo ko pinatira sa tita mo some where in Taguig. Siguro umabot lang ako ng 2 weeks doon kasi sa dinami dami ng tao sa Manila, nakita tayo ng sister ng asawa mo na magkasabay habang naglalakad pauwi. So, nagka issue doon at need ko ng lumipat ng place. Well, thanks god kasi nasa manila din yung brother mo which is nkikitira din sa pinsan mo. Dun muna tayo nag stay. Nakilala ko yung pinsan mo kung saan niyaya din nya ako mag apply. Luckily natanggap kami pareho pero magkaiba kami ng company. Tuloy parin naman tayo, hanggang sa lumipat na din tayo somewhere in Pasay na near sa workplace ko. Nag rent ako ng bedspace. Ikaw umuwi kana muna ng province. Tuloy parin naman ang communication natin. Nagtatrabaho ako, ikaw nag hihintay nalang ma process ang papers mo para makasakay agad.

And yun na nga, sasakay kana kinabukasan. So lumuwas ka ng Manila at nagkita tayo. As expected we made love again. Ang alam ko hindi kayo ok ng asawa kaya di ka nila hinatid sa Airport. May work ako that day kaya di narin kita nasamahan.

Lumipas ang oras, araw at buwan. Mas lalo natin minahal ang isa't isa. Lagi tayo magka video call, lagi tayo magkachat. Hanggang sa mag lock down dahil sa pandemic. Nawalan ako ng work dahil doon. At mas lalo ako na homesick. Nakakaiyak lang dahil ang daming panahong nasayang at nakatigil lang sa bahay. Ikaw ang lagi kong inaabangan nun, nakakalungkot lang dahil minsan wala kang signal ng 4 to 5 days. Napapaiyak lang ako nun sa lungkot. Dahil doon nakilala ko si Emon. Nagkasala ako sayo nun. Pero inisip ko nalang na may asawa kang tao. Gusto ko din sana magka bf ng walang sabit although d ko din naman alam kung may asawa o wala ang taong yun dahil di rin sya magkkwento. Kaya nag dalwang isip din ako na magsabi ng totoo sayo.

Time passed by. Malapit kana bumaba. Excited na ako makita ka. Gustong gusto na kita mayakap. At yun na nga, nandito kana sa Pinas. Naka quarantine ka at hinihintay nalang ang paglabas mo. Pero since malapit lang ung hotel na pinag quarantinan sayo nakaka puslit ka papunta satin. We made love again after a long months kahit kinabukasan p dapat ang labas mo.

Nag spent ka ng week sakin. Kumuha narin tayo ng apartment para mag live in. Hanggang sa mag decide ka na kumuha ng pwesto sa palengke. Di kana umuwi nun sa bahay nyo. Pero one day, nalaman amo ang tungkol kay emon. Hanggang sa nagka chat kayo at nalaman mo ang tungkol sa amin. Nagalit ka noon. Hindi mo ko inimikan. Natakot akong iwan mo. Pero nanatili ka sakin kasi sabi mo mahal mo ko... So, Nag isip ka ng business na pagkaka abalahan while nasa lupa ka. Mejo masakit sa bulsa ang renta at d naging maganda ang kita sa pagkakarendirya dahil sa kompetisyon, location at tao. Lockdown padin that time. Nagalaw nadin ang sarili kong pera nun. Pero ok lang kasi papalitan mo naman kapag nakasakay kana ulit. So nag isip ka ulit ng another business which is palengke. Mgtitinda ng isda dun at aangkat p mismo sa province natin. Tinulungan kita sa pag bebenta ng isda sa palengke, which is d rin naman nag tagal... Malaki na rin ang nabitawan kong pera doon. Malapit nadin ako maubos. Yes, ako ang nag bibitaw ng pera since wala naman syang nauwi na pera ng bumaba sya. Nasa asawa nya lahat. Di nagtagal nag lipat tayo ng apartment na mababa sa inuupahan ntin ng una. Di rin tayo nagtagal kasi nalaman ng asawa mo kung saan tayo naroroon. Naeskandalo tayo ng husto ng panahong yun. Pero nanatili ka parin sakin. Dahil doon, nag hanap na naman tayu ng marerentahan. Nagtindahan naman tayo dun pero wala parin ngyari. Malapit na talaga tayo maubos. Pero ok lang kasama naman kita.. Sobrang mahal na natin ang isat isa para sumuko. Di narin kita kaya bitawan kahit mejo nahihirapan narin ako. Sobra sobra nadin kasi nainsulto ang pagkatao ko dahil sa asawa mo which is oo nasasaktan ako, pero may karapatan ba ako masaktan? kabit lang ako. ako nang agaw, nakapanakit din ako pero nagmahal lang din naman ako at pinaparamdam din namn nya na mahal nya ako. Lagi sila nagtatawagan pero away lang naririnig ko kaya nakampante ako na ako nga yung pinili nya. Di ko itatangging ikinatuwa ko yun.

Dahil sa wala na kami, napilitan syang humiram ng 50k kay mama. At isasauli pagkatapos ng tatlong bwan. Mejo naging maluho kami ng panahon na yun. Dahil sa gusto namin i cherish ang isat isa nag punta kami kung san san.. hanggamg sa malapit na naman maubos ang pera.. Dahil dun, nag decide kami na uuwi nalang ako sa probisya ko sa visayas kung san ako nag aral. Naka empake na lahat ng gamit ko at pinauna ko na sa cargo dahil mag pi plane nalang ako.

Pero na cancel ang flight ko. Two times yun. Hanggang sa nag decide nalang kami tumira sa isang town sa province namin. Walang isang oras na drive mula sa kanila. So kumuha kami ng motor, ako nag down at nag monthly. Yun ang ginawa nyang service mula sa kanila hanggang sa lugar kung san ako. Hinahayaan ko sya umalis para maghanap buhay sya. Minsan ako sumama sa papunta sa town namin pero nagkasalubong kami ng asawa nya. So nag habulan ng motor hanggang sa mahuli kami. Nagkasakitan kami pero d ako lumaban. Inawat naman sya para di na ako msaktan. After a week, same scenario, nagkita kami sa daan. Gagawa na naman ng scene ang asawa nya. Kaya tinanong ko nalang yung lalaki, kung uuwi kana ba? sabi nya hindi. Nagtanong ulit ako, mahal mo paba? sabi nya hindi. Sumabad ang asawa nya na wag na kami papakita dun. Buti nalang napadaan ang classmate ko nung high school at pinasakay na ako sa motor nya kaya sila naiwan dun.

After non, Late na sya umuuwi dahil gabi daw sila lumalaot. Pero ang di ko alam pumupunta punta na pala sya sa bahay nila, sa asawa nya. Para lang naman daw sa mga bata pero sakin naman umuuwi, so hinayaan ko. Kasi tiwala ako sa kanya.

Hanggang sa nalaman ko na madalas na sya umuuwi dun, na depress ako kasabay ng pag iisip ko dahil delayed ako. Nag PT ako and confirm buntis ako. Di ko alam gagawin ko. So nag post ako ng PT sa account nya at nakita yun ng anak nya. Nagalit sya sakin dahil sa ginawa ko at pumunta sya sa bahay nila para magpaliwanag dun. Di ko alam kung ano napag usapan nila. Ng gabi umuwi sya sakin at nag usap kami. Tinanong ko sya kung itutuloy namin. Wala naman ako balak ipalaglag ang baby ko, gusto ko lang malamn kung ano isasagot nya sa tanong ko which is sabi nya bat ipapalaglag eh ginawa natin yan. Dahil dun naka hinga ako ng maluwag. Tinanong ko sya ng maraming beses kung mahal p nya asawa nya. Ilang beses sya humindi. Pero ng tinanong ko sya sa pagkakataong yun kung mahal prin nya, ang sagot nya oo. Nasaktan ako ng labis nun. Eh pano ako? sagot ko. Nandito parin naman ako sayo diba? pero d ako kontento sa sagot nya. Ang sakit sakit. Halos pgbgsakan ako ng langit at lupa nun. Talagang sobra akong nasaktan. Naniwala ako noon sa mga pangako nya. Akala ko sapat na ako. Akala ko lng pala yun. Sabi ko bakit kami umabot sa ganun, bakit pinaniwala nya ako, sagot nya di ko kasi nakikita ang sitwasyon nila noon. Nalungkot ako sa mga sagot nya sakin. Nawalan na ako ng pag asa na maayos ang lahat. Umalis din sya pagtapos namin mag usap. Di ko alam kung san sya natulog. Marami ng nabago saming dalwa.

Hanggang sa dumalang na lang yung uwi nya sakin. Kaya pumunta ako malapit sa kanila kasi ang usapan namin is kada dalwang araw sya sakin at sa kanya, kaya tinawagan sya ko sya kase susunduin ko sya. Di sya makapag motor nun kasi masakit kamay nya kaya ako na ang sumundo. \Sabi ko magkita kami kung hindi ppunta mismo ako sa bahay nila. Desperada na ako ng panahong iyon. Kaya pumunta sya pero kasunod nya ang asawa nya. Sabi ko wala ako balak makipag away, gusto ko lang makipag usap. Di naiwasan ang iringan naming dalwa hanggang sa nagtanong asawa nya, ano na? pumili ka sa aming dalwa, ako o sya? ang sagot nya parehas kayong importante sakin. Kung pipilitin mo ko sumagot wala ako pipiliin, parehas ko nalang kayo susuportahan kung meron ako. Satisfied na ako sa sagot nya kasi expected ko na syempre asawa ang pipiliin nya.

Kinausap ko sya na akala ko ba sakin sya ng araw na yun.? Sabi nya may therapy padaw sya hinihintay kaya sunduin ko nalang sya ng alas 5 ng hapon. So ganun nga ginawa ko. Pero di rin naman nasunod ung schedule na yun kaya hinayaan ko na.

Naghihintay nalang ako kung kelan sya uuwi sakin. Di ko alam kung ano magiging ending namin. 2 months pregnant palang ako at marami pa pwede mangyari. Ano kaya mangyayari pag nakalabas na baby ko. Magiging mas miserable kaya buhay ko? Bakit nangyayare sakin to? of all people, bakit ak0?

Daming manghuhusga sakin. Pero pasensya na, nagmahal lang naman ako.

-obob sa pag ibig!

[starspatter]

Heroes and Thieves, Ch. 14

Title: Heroes and Thieves Fandom/Universe: BTAS, pre/post-RotJ flashback

Summary: A story about second chances, healing, and having hope.

Rating: PG-13, for references to character death, child psychological torture and trauma.

Genre: Romance/Family/Friendship/Hurt/Comfort

Word Count: 2,526 Previous Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13

Also on ff.net and AO3.

Lies, lies, lying little beast Lying little man on the corner of the street Singing "Why, I can't come out to play Can't come out and say that I'm afraid of what they'll say"

-Run River North, "Lying Beast"

————————–

Then.

Stephanie walked purposefully down the dormitory hallway towards her destination, which she had learned of through Cass after the other had shockingly announced she was now… “involved” with someone and asked point-blank for her advice.  Steph had been surprised (not to mention maybe a tad jealous) that she had been granted visitation rights before her – especially when she herself wasn’t even sure if she had reached an official “dating” stage yet with her suitor- er, tutor (although they had undergone several “study sessions” together by this point) – but nevertheless was happy for her roommate.  …Besides, her profile’s “single” status would hopefully change today.

Checking her hair and outfit, she nervously fixed and fidgeted a little in front of the doorway, before taking a deep breath and knocking on the entry.  After a moment, it slowly creaked open a crack to reveal a rather confused-looking Tim.

“Steph?  What are you doing here?”

“Hey!  I just came to ask you something quick, if you’re not too busy.”  She beamed her best and brightest.

Tim’s eyes darted anxiously aside as he swallowed.

“Uh, now’s not really a great time…”

“Who’s that, Tim?  A friend of yours?”

Stephanie blinked as a stunningly beautiful woman unexpectedly emerged from behind Tim, ravishing red locks and coquettish lips smiling cordially.

“Ah, you must be Stephanie! Tim’s told me a lot about you.”

Steph’s gaze shifted suspiciously to Tim, who looked like his world had just come crashing down around him.

“…Has he now?”

The stranger grinned widely as she extended her slender palm, revealing twin rows of perfect pearl teeth.

“I’m Barbara Gordon. Pleasure to meet you.”

Tentatively, Steph took it.

“...Nice to meet you. Wait, ‘Gordon’ – as in the new Police Commissioner?”

The woman nodded.

“Bingo, you’re looking at her.”  Her voice abruptly took on an authoritative tone.  “I’m here on official police business, conducting a top-secret investigation.  You wouldn’t happen to have seen any suspicious individuals around, would you?”

“Babs,” Tim cut in sharply as Steph started to sweat and panic.  “That’s enough.  Quit frightening her.”  (Although rather than relieve her apprehension, it only increased further at such informal address.)

…On a first-name basis?

“Kidding, kidding. I’m giving a guest lecture on Criminology over in the West Wing.  Speaking of which,” Barbara glanced at her wristwatch, “I should probably get going. Class starts in 10 minutes.  I just came by to say ‘hi’ to Tim.”

She began to gather up her things, bustling out the exit with a wink to Tim on the way, who only winced and shrank further in response.

“I’ll leave you two kids alone.  Take care, Tim.  I’ll stop by again some other time.”

Steph watched her figure’s wake until it was gone, silently envying sophisticated style and… mature body shape as it sashayed away.

“She’s awfully pretty,” she mused aloud, suddenly feeling even more self-conscious.  “What exactly is your relationship with her?”

Don’t tell me he’s actually into older women.  There’s no way I can compete with that.

Tim rolled his eyes with a sigh.

“It’s not what you think. She’s like an older sister.”

“…Seriously?”

How strangely ‘convenient’ all his supposed ‘relatives’ seem to be gorgeous supermodels.

“Trust me, there’s nothing like that between us.”

She gauged his earnest expression, before accepting assurance.

“All right, I believe you.” Her smile returned as she relaxed. “In that case…”

She fished around in her pocket, pulling out two tickets she won at the Theta-Kapa-Gamma Harvest Festival last week.

“Ta da~!  Tickets to see the monster movie marathon at the old Monarch Theater on Saturday!  You are free, aren’t you?”

Tim blinked as she practically shoved the tiny pieces of perforated paper in his face, fanning gleefully in invitation.  Temptation.

“I am, but…”

He gulped, hesitating as he seemed to desperately search for an excuse.

“I’m… not really a fan of old films…”

He mumbled lamely, appearing extremely uneasy for some reason.

Oh crap.  Don’t tell me I screwed up again.

Steph’s confidence sank in disappointment, recalling how she had once enthusiastically tried to engage Tim in a spontaneous water pistol fight going on in the campus courtyard (despite the season being somewhat ill-suited for the sport), having snuck up on him whilst the victim was reading unawares underneath the shade of a nearby tree, hitting him with a lighthearted squirt.  He had sat there, stunned, as he stared at the childish toy weapon in her hand, before wiping his soaked cheek with the back of his sleeve.  Slamming his book shut, he stated with such startlingly quiet, intense anger it took her aback:

“I don’t like guns.”

…Before standing up and stalking off in silence.

Still, she had hoped this would make up for it, that it could be something they’d both enjoy, spend some real quality time doing together (besides studying anyway, which she was starting to get sick and tired of as tests approached).  Who didn’t care for a good old-fashioned camp scare around Halloween?  …Maybe he just needed to give it a chance.

“Hey, don’t knock it ‘till you’ve tried it.  Have you ever even seen Dracula or Frankenstein?”

He shook his head.

“Whaaat, you’re missing out on some classics!  Come on, it’ll be fun.  We’ve both been working so hard, we deserve a break.  Cass has a pair of passes too, so she and Conner are going to be there as well.  We can totes double together.”  (Incidentally, it had been a little odd how her partner had been so fortunate as to receive the exact same prize at the booth’s trivia guessing game right after her, but she’d learned not to question Cassandra’s keen – if sometimes creepily uncanny – sense of intuition.)

Tim bit his lip, but acquiesced at her pleading puppy eyes, which shone with eager stars of anticipation.

“…Okay.”

“Great!  It’s a date then.”  She exclaimed excitedly as she handed him his half of the voucher.

“A… date.”

He repeated robotically, surveying the stub as if in disbelief.

“I’ll see you on Saturday then.”

She waved as she skipped off, emboldened by sweet success.  In her jubilee, she accidentally ran straight into Conner as he coincidentally came round the corner, heading back to his room as well.

“Whoa, watch it there!”

He caught her just before she fell (unlike before, this sturdy target was obviously a lot harder to knock over), and she blushed a tinge as she felt his huge, strong arms wrap around her shoulder.

Man, what is it with me and bumping into hot guys recently?  …Not that I’m complaining, mind.

She wasn’t sure whether to be overjoyed or embarrassed by this recurring situation, but settled for leaning towards the former.  Conner, on the other hand, seemed a little less thrilled upon realizing the person in his grasp.

“Oh, it’s you. …Actually, good timing.  I want to talk to you about Tim.”

He raised her up, but kept a firm grip on her collar as he drew her back round the bend.  …It was almost a little painful, the amount of pressure his paw was putting on her petite stature.  His countenance was severely solemn as he stooped forward to meet her level.

“…Look, I’m just gonna come right out and say it so you don’t get the wrong idea.  Tim’s… ‘delicate’.  I mean, really delicate.”  He frowned, icy blue irises flaring dangerously as his dense, digging fingers deepened into the folds of her blouse, contracting and contacting to the bone.  “You need to watch what you say and do around him.  I swear, if you ever do anything intentionally to hurt him, I will never forgive you.  You got that?”

She recoiled, reasoning he was likely referring to the gun stunt.

Is he… making a genuine threat?

Steph was somewhat scared now as his shadow loomed over her, backing her against the wall.  She nodded meekly.

“U- understood.”

“Good.”

He released her, and she rubbed at the sore spot on her skin, wondering if it was going to leave a bruise. She was also starting to wonder what the heck Cass saw in this big dumb brute.  He was admittedly attractive, sure, but personality-wise he was Tim’s complete opposite: loud, brash, obnoxious – not to mention arrogant – basically your stereotypical jock.  And yet…

“You really care a lot about Tim, don’t you?”

Conner sniffed.  “Of course I do.  He’s my best friend.”

…’Friend’, huh?

The way he behaved seemed to go far beyond mere “friendship” though.  He was almost acting like an overprotective guardian.  …Or a possessive one.

“Could it be that you’re… jealous?”

“Me?  Jealous? Of you?”  Conner scoffed.  “Why on earth would I be jealous?  Just because you’re the one getting him to finally open up and trust you, participate in a bunch of social activities he never normally would, even though I’ve tried so hard to motivate him to be more outgoing over these past few years? To convince him to talk to me about his problems?  To be the kind of stupid-ass cliché you huma- people find so damn popular just so no one else would dare to mess with him?”

He laughed like a bark, though it sounded slightly strained.  Pained. Stephanie softened at such a display of devotion.

…Maybe he’s not such an oaf after all.

“For what it’s worth, I think you’ve done a lot more for him than you give yourself credit for.  I’m sure he appreciates having you as a pal.”

She cautioned a comforting pat on his broad muscle.

“Don’t worry, it’s not like I’m trying to steal him away from you or anything.  Besides, you’re doing the same thing for Cass, aren’t you? Trying to help her break out of her shell?  Heck, I’ve noticed she’s been a lot more vocal ever since you two started seeing each other.”

Conner rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.

“You think?  I mean, I guess you could say that.  I dunno, it feels like I’m not really right for her…  She’s so serious and deep, and – and next to her I feel like a total doofus most of the time…”

Stephanie couldn’t help but sympathize.  They were a weird couple, to be sure, but then the same could easily be said about her and Tim.

“Hey, far be it from me to judge, but even if it doesn’t seem like you’re made for each other off the bat, I think you owe it to yourselves to try and explore those feelings at least. You never know, maybe it will work out.”

…It might’ve been her imagination, but the margins of his mouth seemed to twitch a bit at the word “made”.  He coughed as he replied contritely though.

“Thanks.  And, uh, sorry about being rough earlier.”

“It’s all right.”  She smirked.  “You were just defending your ‘delicate’ flower’s honor.”

A humiliated flush crept onto his visage.

“Oi, despite what you may have heard, it’s not like that.”

“It’s okay,” she giggled in understanding.  “I feel the same way about Cass.  …I suppose you could consider it even then?”

“Um… I suppose.”  He looked confounded by the straightforward confession, but shrugged, not wanting to think too hard about it anymore, lest things get overly complicated.  “So… We good then?”

She smiled.

“Yeah.  We’re good.”

…

When the weekend rolled around, Stephanie dragged Cassandra clothes shopping before the big day, insisting on doing her hair and makeup as well.  By the time they arrived at the cinema, the boys were already there waiting, checking their watches out in the cold.  While she sheepishly apologized on both behalves for being “fashionably late”, Steph figured it was worth it when she saw their slack jaws at how much fashion had transformed them.  The guys were dressed decently to impress as well, both sporting smart leather jackets (although Tim’s looked a size too big for him, and Conner still had on that ruddy black Superman T-shirt underneath that seemed like it came from a little kid’s closet).

She took the initiative in lining up with Tim to order snacks and soda, in the meantime telling the other two to go find four seats together.  Luckily they didn’t have to wait long, as there didn’t seem to be many customers despite it being a Saturday.  (To be fair those tickets were probably pretty cheap and undesirable to given away free at some college fest.) Although she kept chatting cheerfully to try and pass the time, her other company seemed even more uncomfortable than usual in the lightly crowded lobby, hardly able to carry a conversation – let alone the food – all the way to the viewing room.  She began to worry if this had been a mistake to bring him here, and prayed the darkness and drama onscreen would at least be able to distract him enough to loosen up a little.

Cass and Conner had saved them two seats near the edge, and she sidled in next to her girlfriend (for moral support) while Tim took the one closest to the aisle.  He kept glimpsing tensely around though, still just as jumpy as before.

“Hey, chill out a bit, will ya?  What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he muttered. “It’s just, in my experience, this is usually the part where the place catches fire, or some punks try to rob the box office, or…”

She stared at him, shaking her head.

“You fret too much.  Just try to relax and enjoy, okay?  Here, have some popcorn.”

He passed on the salted kernels though, and she pouted as she popped one in her mouth, chewing over whether she’d made the right decision after all. He looked almost claustrophobic, stressed.  In distress.

Things didn’t improve much as the motion picture started to play.  The first feature presentation in the lineup was indeed Frankenstein, and although Tim managed to remain relatively calm enough throughout the monochrome, monotone introduction, he started to stiffen at the famous “awakening” sequence.

“Quite a good scene, isn’t it? One man crazy, three very sane spectators.”

Out of the crook of her eye, Steph sensed her companion cringe every time there was a thunderclap, as lights flashed and machinery sparked with mounting electricity, while the movie madman merrily turned the wheel to “adjust the batteries”.  Together, he and his assistant unrolled the cloth covering the table to expose a humanlike form strapped to it, albeit with limbs limp and lifeless.  Tim’s claw clutched at his armrest as the stretcher was gradually lifted up through a hole in the ceiling towards the stormy sky, where pulses of galvanizing lightning presumably struck the subject repeatedly.

Stephanie divided concentration back and forth between the increasingly agitated boy beside her and the big screen in growing alarm as his breathing accelerated, gasping and wheezing audibly as he bent forward and put his hyperventilating head between his knees.  Cass and Conner were casting concerned looks as well, while other annoyed audience members revolved around and shushed to keep it down.  As her attention was arrested by the scientist maniacally screaming “It’s alive!” over and over again, she turned back one last time to ask if Tim was all right in a worried whisper – but there was no answer.

Tim was gone.

————————–

Oh Lord, whatever did I say? Whatever made me think that this was all okay? No one held me to the flame The hell if I could take the dark from my face

[azhefa-archived]

@aimstrue​ uwu

          it isn’t that he has been avoiding anyone, least of all her. but he has barely had time to process it all. the world has changed several times faster than he ever could have wanted. and if that isn’t enough, he is left without his sister. the coalition has no commander now. and every time he tries to do his damn job the searing pain in his shoulder reminds him he almost died too. he needs a fucking break. but kings do not get breaks from their duty, not really. even now when most ambassadors have retired to their quarters and the city begins to settle, he has mountains of tasks he needs to attend to. letters and petitions. 

he has much he should be doing but instead he wanders the hall. he isn’t really sure where he is going until he finds himself at echo’s post. it’s been difficult to know who he should trust. and maybe it was easier to keep everyone art arms lengths as he got his bearings. there was a war going on. and then he was king. and then the city of light. but now. he doesn’t have anyone else left and three years can’t change a life time. can it? 

he stands here now not as her king. or a warrior. but as a man who hopes they’re still family.   “  yu don os. gon hon kapa daun.  ”  maybe it isn’t a burden he asked for, but it was the smart move politically.