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bqstqnbruin · 2 months ago

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Just Friends - Part 6

T-minus 1 week until we're on Christmas break and GOD it can't come soon enough

Read the previous part here!

Warnings: Asshole boyfriends, swearing, family trauma dump

WC: 3269

Enjoy!

___________________________

Jeremy stood outside the girls' door the next morning, wanting to go in to talk to Emeline. Instead, he was frozen, facing the wooden door with his hand raised for him to knock, unable to do it. He was sure that something was about to happen between them that night if Keelan hadn’t called.

But he couldn’t do that to Emeline. He couldn’t make her choose between him and Keelan. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do, but he was sure that once he saw her, he would know.

Until he could hear Fran yelling on the other side of the door, that Emeline was in love with Jeremy like he was with her.

Emeline didn’t deny it.

If she did, it wasn’t loud enough for him to hear it.

He couldn’t go in now, turning around and bursting back into his apartment, finding Johnny perched on the couch with the TV already on. “Jesus, knock much?”

“I don’t have to knock, my name is on the lease,” he counters, sitting next to Johnny and turning off the TV despite his roommates' protests. “I’m in love with Emeline.”

“Yeah, I told you that months ago.”

“And I think she’s in love with me.”

“I also told you that months ago.”

“That means she’s not in love with Keelan.”

“I really don’t want to sound like a broken record, here.” Jeremy groans, leaning back on his face while he covers his face with his hands. “You really just need to get laid.”

“We tried that already with Fran.”

“We can try again with someone who doesn’t sleep a few feet away from where the girl you really want to fuck sleeps.”

“But I don’t want to try again with someone else. Just because you’re getting fucked by someone you want to sleep with doesn’t mean I want to do it with the next female who walks through the door.” Before Johnny could counter, someone knocks at their door. “Oh that is too easy.”

Johnny laughs, getting up to answer, neither of them expecting anyone. Maddy stands on the other side, Johnny’s eyes going wide as he whips around to Jeremy. “I swear to god if you do anything.”

Jeremy holds up his hands in surrender. “I’m not going to, calm down. What’s up, Maddy.”

“I, uh,” Maddy starts, her face getting noticeably red as she tried to put as much space between herself and Johnny. “I left my bag here last night, I think.”

“Oh, I didn’t know you were over,” Jeremy starts, the realization taking too long to hit him. “Last night? Last night! Nickelback!”

“Don’t,” Johnny starts.

“You and Maddy?” Jeremy yells, Maddy shutting the door behind her before his voice carried through their entire building. “We fucking knew it.”

“You didn’t,” Maddy blushes, looking at Johnny.

“You two weren’t subtle. God, John,” Jeremy says, running his hand through his hair, “How did you get the girl next door?”

Maddy notices Jeremy’s expression fall as he thinks about what that means. Johnny got the girl he never thought to look for while Jeremy can’t get the girl he can’t stop looking at. “Jere.” Maddy didn’t know what to say, Jeremy trying to keep his cool while he stared at his hands. “I think she does love you.”

“Does it matter? She’s with Keelan.”

“Eventually, it will. It might just take her some time to realize it. You have to decide whether or not she’s worth the wait.”

Jeremy and Maddy sit there in silence, Jeremy trying to take in what she just said.

He had moved in a year ago, seeing Emeline for the first time waiting in the lobby of the building when he was going upstairs with some of his things. He immediately thought she was beautiful, figuring he would never see her again if she wasn’t in one of the apartments upstairs. He saw she was surrounded by papers, the bright green pen in her hand flying down the sheets, checking and crossing out line after line. She looked up from everything, smiled at him, and asked him if he needed any help with his stuff.

He told her he was fine, he was just moving the last of his stuff in. He asked her what she was doing, putting the box down on the table on top of the papers, when she told him she was grading quizzes she wanted to get back to her students the next day, then asked again if he was sure he didn’t need any help, that she could do her work later if it meant helping him now.

He had started to fall for her then, seeing her in passing, always doing something or offering to help someone else. Jeremy had wanted to know more about her and get to know her the entire time, laying low because he wasn’t sure what to do.

He had already been waiting for this long, what was a little longer?

__________________________

“Remind me again where we’re going?” Emeline asks, climbing in the passenger seat next to Jeremy, while Johnny, Fran, and Maddy pile in the back.

“One of the guys has a house right over state lines in Vermont. We normally go up there all together right before Thanksgiving.”

“So you guys spend every day together and regularly travel the continent together and then still go on vacations together?” Fran asks.

“Yes,” Johnny says, as if it’s obvious.

Maddy laughs, Jeremy looking in his rearview mirror as he gets settled on the highway, Johnny and Maddy’s hands finding each other in the back seat. They hadn’t officially told Emeline and Fran as far as he knew, the two of them keeping it a secret still for who knows what reason, “You guys are so weird.”

Fran, John, and Maddy fall into a conversation, leaving Emeline and Jeremy with the sound of the radio. “So, how were conferences?” Jeremy asks. The group had to wait to leave until late Monday night because Emeline was locked in her room doing parent/teacher conferences the entire day, and she had to do the same for tomorrow morning, too. He was pretty sure she mentioned it being a ��light year’ for her, having only thirty sets of parents sign up across the twelve hours they were scheduled for.

Emeline doesn’t turn from the window, staring at the trees lining the highway he knew she very rarely ventured on. “They were really good this year, actually. But the parents I needed to talk to didn’t show up, so that’ll be an email I have to send on Monday.”

“What do you mean, ‘this year’ they were good?”

Emeline lets out a short laugh. “I had one parent my first year rip me a new asshole,” she says, a smile still on her face that made Jeremy confused. “She was mad that the teacher I replaced was asked to leave and she was taking it out on me. She went on and on about how she didn’t like my teaching style and how the way I taught wasn’t how she taught in an elementary school in Beverly Hills when she was my age.”

“Yeah, because a high school in Boston is the same thing.”

“Exactly. She even said that I should be surprised if I had a contract for the next school. Anderson even agreed with her.”

“Jesus, what?”

“She couldn’t do shit. Anderson couldn’t do shit either. None of the students complained and she was the only parent who ever said anything about me. There’s a teacher shortage, and I’m the only person in the department who has a full chemistry degree along with my teaching degrees. They aren’t going to fire me unless I majorly fuck up.”

“I wish I had that kind of security.”

“Oh, come on,” Emeline says, finally turning to Jeremy. “If Boston trades you, there will be riots. You think any of your teammates will go down without a fight? Your entire team, and probably the Boston fans, would fully commit a felony for you..”

Jeremy can’t help but laugh. “You’re gonna like the guys.”

“Are they all coming?”

“Yeah, the entire team. They’re all gonna love you.” He almost slipped, adding ‘just like I do,’ catching himself before the rest of the car could mercilessly roast him for it.

“How big is this house?”

“Big enough that somehow everyone fits. Not big enough that the five of us and probably a few others are going to have to share a room.”

“Wait a second,” Fran interrupts. “No one said anything about sharing rooms.”

“Fran, the three of us have shared a room before.”

“Yeah, hotel rooms overnight when we were traveling for games. The last time we shared a room was Maryland when we finally won the championship. We haven’t done that since.”

“You can share a room with us for a few nights, Princess,” Johnny says.

“Call me, ‘Princess,’ again, see what happens to you.”

“Hey, ok,” Emeline says, her teacher-voice coming out. “Fran, you’re going to be fine. Yes, it’s been a few years, but this is a free trip where we don’t have to wake up, work out, and play for hours before we hop on a bus exhausted still having to do homework. This is better. And Johnny, I highly encourage you not to say anything else condescending because we all know that Fran is capable of killing you and making it look like it was self-defense.”

Jeremy could feel his face getting red, hating that her scolding his roommate was such a turn on to him. God, his mind wandered to some dark places, her taking charge of him if they ever got together.

“How far away are we?” Maddy asks, changing the subject.

“Um,” Jeremy says, clearing his throat and shifting in his seat, trying to keep the wheel as steady as possible. “It says we’re about twenty minutes away.”

Jeremy just had to get through Wednesday with Emeline sleeping in the same room as him. He could do that without issue, right?

He glanced quickly at her, trying not to let his vision stray from the road ahead of him for too long. She was pretty much turned around, talking and laughing with the rest of their friends. He loved her smile, how it lit up her entire face.

‘Fucking, hell,’ he thought to himself, taking the exit off the highway. He really was screwed.

By the time everyone gets settled in the house, they were in their room that was being shared with a couple of the other single guys. The rest of their teammates and their partners were spread out across the grounds, Fran, Maddy, and Johnny heading off to explore.

Emeline and Jeremy elected to hang out in what Brad had referred to as the den, despite the fact that the singular room was probably bigger than both of their apartments combined. The couch was big enough that they could both comfortably sleep on it without being in the same time zone as each other, let alone have any worry about brushing up against each other.

That was good, that was what Jeremy needed.

Emeline said that she needed a minute to grab something from their room, telling Jeremy to pick something for them to watch while he waited for her.

“I don’t know what to tell you, Keel,” he heard her angrily whisper into her phone as if there was more than just him around to hear her. “There’s a bunch of us, what’s the problem? I’m already spending Thanksgiving alone, not that you seem to care, so why does it matter that I’m going somewhere with my friends before the holiday?”

He couldn’t hear what Keelan was saying, of course, but from Emeline’s reactions, it couldn’t be anything good. “Why don’t you trust me anymore? Why is it ok for you to go away on trips for weeks on end, your friends fine to go with you, Jacklyn from Accounting being in the room right next to you in every hotel you stay in, while I can’t go away with Fran and Maddy and my neighbors without you freaking out?”

She was arguing with Keelan about Jeremy. He muted the TV, trying to hear as much as he could. He shouldn’t be listening, but he had to. He couldn’t help it.

“For fucks sake, you have been jealous and worried about Jeremy for months now,” she scolds him. “Grow the fuck up.”

She pauses, Keelan so loud on the other end that Jeremy could almost make out what he was saying. “You know what? If there was something going on with me and Jeremy, it serves you right. We haven’t been on the same page for a while, Keelan, and I know you know it, too. You wouldn’t have texted me that if you didn’t.” Emeline lets out a long sigh. “You had ‘no choice?’ If you had no choice, then I’m glad. At least I know you had the decency to wait until after my birthday before you broke up with me, even if we haven’t seen each other in two fuckign weeks. You didn’t even text me ‘happy birthday,’ until you were about to go to bed. The only kind of boyfriend that does that is a shitty ex-boyfriend.”

He was breaking up with her? Keelan actually thought he was the one who should be dumping Emeline, when it was clear to Jeremy, and probably anyone who cared, it should have been the other way around?

Emeline finally comes over to the couch, throwing her phone on the opposite end and sitting next to Jeremy despite the space. Her eyes were red, her nose running. She looked like a mess.

And Jeremy still thought she looked perfect.

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“My mom has another family.”

“I meant-” Jeremy starts, quietly, quickly cut off by Emeline.

“I found her on Facebook, right before I was going to start college. She’s never reached out, and I never reached out to her. She had me when she was 21 and I guess she just wasn’t ready to be a mom. But now, she has a husband and three boys in Connecticut. Her oldest is a freshman in college by now, if he went. And I know she loves them. I just wonder why she couldn’t love me.

“Fran and Maddy don’t even know where she is, that I know where she is. Wethersfield, Connecticut. Literally a two hour ride. Less than that if you took the T to Riverside and drove the rest of the way down. She was so close to me this entire time, literally in our backyard, and never bothered to look.

“I remember the first time I thought I was in love with Keelan,” she starts, looking down at her hands as she pulled her legs to her chest and changed the subject. “He called me every night to make sure I was ok after my grandmother died. He would bring me a change of clothes to the house and take my dirty ones back to the dorm and throw everything in with his stuff so I didn’t have to add laundry to the never ending list that came with cleaning out and getting rid of my dad and grandmother’s lives.

“He was the one who helped me arrange for the house to be professionally cleaned, staged, and sold when Maddy and Fran didn’t know what to do. He was there for me when I didn’t know how to tell Fran and Maddy what was going on and what I was feeling. He was the one I went to when I had no one else.

“We were at the house one weekend trying to get the last bits of things laying around sorted into what I wanted to keep and what I wanted to donate, and he had put on Dead Poets Society because he knew it was my favorite movie at the time. The lights were off, we were just sitting on the couch under the blanket together, and I felt overwhelmed by the fact that the house I grew up in was bare, everything of the two most important people in my life getting slowly stripped away while I knew my mother was somewhere out there probably not thinking of me at all. And, I don’t know, he wrapped his arms around me and I felt safe and calm for the first time in what felt like forever. I loved how gentle he was when he kissed the top of my head and just let me cry during the last scene, because of the movie, because of my dad, my grandmother, I think even because of my mom.

“I fell asleep at some point, and I woke up to him making me breakfast, already having more of my grandmother's stuff pulled out and sorted because he knew that I was getting overwhelmed and he wanted to try to help me. He didn’t even know that I was in the kitchen when I saw him, and, I don’t know, I just knew I was in love with him.”

“Emeline,” Jeremy says, wanting to reach out to hug her. This felt like the other night, her spilling her guts to him while all he could do is sit there and try his best. He wanted to do more for her. His best wasn’t anywhere good enough compared to what she really deserved.

He thought back to what Fran told him that night in the stairwell, how Keelan wanted to break up with her, all while Emeline was falling in love with him.

“I wasted seven years on him. I don’t think I’ve loved him for a while. I shouldn’t have loved him for this long if Fran and Maddy hated him so much. I shouldn’t have loved a guy who had the nerve to break up with me over text because I told him I was going away for a few nights with my friends. Why do I care so much about people who don’t want to care about me? Deep down, I still love my mom, even though I never knew her. Or, I guess, I love the idea of who she could have been to me. But Keelan? He was the one who was supposed to last. He was the one who filled in everything when things started to crack.”

“What can I do?” Jeremy asks.

Emeline hesitates. Jeremy wanted to just kiss her right there. Doing it now meant it wouldn’t be cheating for her. But that was the last thing he could do, with her sitting next to him, crying over her boyfriend breaking up with her just moments before. “Can we just sit here?”

He nods, unmuting the TV and turning his attention towards the screen. He feels Emeline grabbing the blanket that had been hanging over the back of the couch, nestling herself up against Jeremy as she threw it over the both of them. He put his arm around her, one of her arms resting on his leg.

Eventually, she fell asleep, the guys shuffling in and around, not noticing them or not saying anything to them.

He looked at her, her eyes closed with her head against his chest.

“I think I love you, Emeline,” he whispers, knowing it wasn’t the entire truth, not loud enough for her to hear even if she was awake.

Now he had a chance, though. He had a chance to be more than her friend.

#jswayman #jeremy swayman #jeremy swayman fic #nhl #nhl fic #nhl imagine #hockey #hockey fic #hockey imagine

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liu-anhuaming · 11 months ago

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all my mandarin dictionaries (and dictionary-adjacent books)

Through chatting with @don-dake and @cherrymintvampyyri, I've come to realize that I might own a less than normal number of Mandarin dictionaries. So, here's a post about all of them.

I do have two basic bilingual dictionaries (Mandarin/English): the Langenscheidt pocket dictionary and the DK visual dictionary. These are quite easy to buy and not that interesting imo, so I'm not gonna talk further about them.

I'm also going to include a couple books that aren't technically dictionaries, but are rather about etymology of characters, and that's close enough to count for me.

Okay, let's get on to the interesting stuff!

1. What Character is That? An Easy-Access Dictionary of 5,000 Chinese Characters by Ping-gam Go (second edition, 1995)

bilingual

This strange little dictionary was gifted to me by a nun who went to high school with my grandma and later lived in China as a missionary. It's organized alphabetically based on the English translation of each radical?

I have not used this dictionary for actual reference ever, because I flipped through it once and realized that it was absolutely whack. But it's cool to have I guess.

2. 新华字典第11版

monolingual

This little guy was gifted to me by a Chinese classmate back when I was in college. It's a 字典, so it's just focused on defining individual characters and providing some words featuring that character. Despite being a mainland dictionary, it also has 注音 next to each character for some reason.

It's got some neat stuff towards the back, like the periodic table and a chart of all the 節氣 solar terms.

3. 小学生全笔顺同义词近义词反义词组词造句成语多音多义字词典

monolingual

Whew, that's a mouthful. This is an actual 词典, so it defines full words. It also provides example sentences, synonyms, antonyms, and close equivalents. Then there's a section for idioms, and another section for 多音多义字.

There's also this nifty little insert with examples of words/phrases that follow common patterns of repetition.

4. 新现代汉语词典

monolingual

I picked up this chunky guy from a used bookstore down the street from me (the owner of the store passed last year, and the store is no longer there unfortunately). This is a fairly normal dictionary, it's just bigger than my others and has more words listed in it.

One thing I also noticed is that this chart towards the end of the dictionary apparently had a strip of paper pasted on the bottom. It doesn't seem like something I can peel up without damaging the paper under it, and when I shine a flashlight through the page I can't make out any major differences between what's on the sticker and what might be on the page under it. So my best guess is there might have been some damage to the text on the page?

5. 商务馆学汉语近义词词典 The Commercial Press Guide to Chinese Synonyms

monolingual

This book is easily the one I reference the most. As the name suggests, the book is all about synonyms. It takes sets of 2+ similar words and thoroughly explains the similarities and differences between them all. There's plenty example sentences, with notes about whether the synonyms can be used interchangeably in certain contexts.

It's a great resource, but I had a bit of trouble getting my hands on a copy. It's possible that in the years since I bought it there have been more copies made available for sale though.

these next two are books I haven't explored too much since they are old and the binding is incredibly fragile and starting to fall apart. just opening them is stressful.

6. 漢字分解 Chinese Characters Explained by F.X. Keelan (aka 康愛玲修女) (1967?)

bilingual

This book was also gifted to me by the nun who went to school with my grandma, and appears to also have been written by a nun! Based on what I've found from Google, this book was published in 1967.

Rather than a dictionary, this book is "a compilation intended as an aid in grouping and remembering [Chinese characters] with a view in acquiring a reading knowledge of Chinese"(p. iii). It aims to break down characters into radicals and giving similar/related characters. It's apparently the final installment in a 4 part Mandarin Course.

This book uses traditional characters. According to Google Books, the publisher is 光啓出版社, which is a Taiwanese organization. The book includes a very long table that has Mandarin, Cantonese, Taiwanese, Hakka, Japanese, and Korean pronunciations for (what seems to be) every character mentioned in the book. The intro mentions that this is so the course is more "accessible" for speakers of other East Asian languages.

Also, look at that printing error in the third photo! The text got cut off at the bottom of the page.

7. The Structure of Chinese Characters by John Chalmers (second edition, 1911)

bilingual

This final book is the oldest of the bunch, and was gifted to me by my boss's boss for some reason? She found it in a used bookstore apparently.

This book also uses traditional characters, because simplified characters just weren't a thing yet in 1911. This book is falling apart, and opening it stresses me out. It creaks whenever I open it.

Going by the title page, the full title of this book is An Account of the Structure of Chinese Characters Under 300 Primary Forms; After the Shwo-Wan, 100 A.D., and the Phonetic Shwoh-Wan, 1833. It was published by Kelly & Walsh, which was a Shanghai-based publisher.

Someone very kindly penciled in the years the author was alive: 1825-1899. John Chalmers was apparently a Scottish missionary (bc of course he was) who apparently popularized the term "Cantonese". This book that I own in particular was originally published in 1882.

It is, as the very long title suggests, an analysis and etymology of 300 common components

It also has a nifty fold-out of all 300 "primary forms" in seal script.

#chinese language #mandarin langblr #learn mandarin #learn chinese #books #mine #hope y'all enjoy this!

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sleepy-druid · 19 days ago

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Introduction Post !

Hi friends! I'm Keelan (they/them) but my usual handle is sleepydruid. Most of what I do tends to be short stories, but I'm looking to push myself to write longer form content in addition to my shorter stuff.

About Me

I am a queer, disabled, person just trying their best ;-;

But a bit more specifically, psychology is a huge passion for me and what I went to school for. I really enjoy writing introspective stories where I can really get into a characters head and pick them apart. What makes them tick? Why do they make the decisions they do? Everything having to do with the mind is right up my alley.

What do I like to read?

I have always gravitated towards fantasy because there's just so many fun ways to make it and I love disappearing into a story's own unique lore. Lately I've also kind of been stuck in sapphic romantasy stories (don't hesitate to send recommendations xD).

What else do I do besides write?

I also love everything relating to fiber arts. I learned to crochet first, but more recently I've picked up knitting as well. Embroidery and I currently have a bit of a feud, but I intend to return to it at some point to add it to my craft collection. Music is another passion of mine as well. I tend to gravitate towards indie folk/alternative as my usuals, but I can vibe with most things.

Feel free to reach out with questions, recommendations, or just to chat!

#intro post #introductory post #queer writers #writers #writeblr

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skyward-floored · 2 days ago

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soooo what are the knights like? how do they take Certain Events? 👀 (Lost)

- hero-of-the-wolf

@hero-of-the-wolf

I’m still working some of that out, but—

Sir Rowan is closest to age in Link, though he’s still several years older than him. He’s got red hair, keeps it fairly long, and is something of a goof. He got stuck with the nickname Buckle because of the time he got the buckles on his horse mixed up and slipped right off of her, saddle and all (in front of a lot of people).

Sir (Commander I guess?) Keelan is the First Knight, has been ever since Link’s father was forced into retirement. He’s a bit of a neat freak, but he’s got a level head, and is good at leading the others (and keeping them in line when necessary). His skill with a blade is on-par with Link’s.

Sir Trellon is the oldest of the knights, he’s sort of second in command due to his experience on the field. He’s slowing down a little bit, but he’s still fit enough to fight. He’s also got a lot of knowledge in regards to horses, and is the one to go to if their mounts are having any troubles.

Sir Aryt is something of a grouch, he rarely smiles and often comes across as being cold. He knows how to work on a team though, and despite being snippy (especially towards Rowan, that boy drives him crazy) he’s got a good heart. ...Wayyyy down under there.

Sir Garod is BIG AND TALL and he’s got a hint of Gerudo somewhere in his ancestry, just enough to give him a bit of red in his hair and a lot of height. He’s a little imposing, but he’s a really nice guy, loves kids. Really skilled with dual blades, but he usually sticks to one. He’s old friends with Link’s father, and Link has memories of getting piggyback rides from him when he was little.

And there’s Link of course, who’s the youngest of the group, but arguably the most skilled. He’s always been a prodigy with the blade, but at (barely) 18, he’s the youngest to ever be given the title of knight. He’s the quietest of them all, always had trouble making friends, and is having a little trouble slotting into the group. He’s getting there though.

And as for what the knights all think of... everything? BAD.

Link grew up around most of these men, they’ve either trained with him or known him since he was a baby, and they’re all at least friendly with his father if not good friends. Link has always been a little bad at socializing, but he also doesn’t. Realize people care about him lol.

So when he’s gone and then suddenly violently attacking them it’s noooo fun for anyone. Rowan especially, since he’s hurt and thinks everyone else is dead and has to just watch Link tear around and do stuff he knows he wouldn’t willingly do. Yeah.

And then afterwards... okay admittedly I’m still entertaining the possibility of the corrupted guys not, *ahem* making it, so to speak, so that kind of depends on whether I kill them off or not sdhdbdbhdgsb. But if they do all live it’s more support for Lost, yay XD even though they also probably need therapy. Or whatever.

And like I said I’m still editing stuff so this is subject to some changes, but these are the main vibes I’m going for? Basically. Yeah.

#answers from the floor #lovely hero of the wolf #Lost #legend of Zelda au

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thewintersoldierdisaster · 4 months ago

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Yes! Liz was the one who got me into hockey romance with Mile high. After I read that I was hooked. I finish her and Beckas books so fast 😂

they’re both such talented queens!! 🫶🏻

other hockey romances that are good (in my opinion, take it with a grain of salt) anything by teagan hunter, the icebreaker series (i love it don’t @ me), and avery keelan

queen tessa bailey has never written a bad book and the au pair affair is her first foray into hockey romance with dream girl drama coming out in february

and it’s not a typical cartoon cover hockey romance (ie they’re not going to be found on booktok) but king of cups and lancelot in november by @phoebe-woods are two of my most favorite reads in the last two years. she just has a masterful writing talent and her absolute love for the game and all the superstitions that come with it make for two magical, addictive reads 🤍

#asked and answered #anon

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ternfic · 3 months ago

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Penance

Chapter Thirteen: Hell’s Bells

“Alastar.”

“I know.”

“Alastar, I know these people.”

“I know, Cary.”

“They’re all-?”

“Dead Master Builders. Yep.”

Sirius squeezed off several warning shots into the oncoming horde, biting his lip and stepping back until he bumped into Good Cop when the shots had no effect. “Ah,” Good Cop said. “Just a moment-” He swiped the pistol out of Sirius’s hands and popped the cover off. “Sir, do you still remember how to fence?”

“Well, it’s been a few years, but I should-” He paused. “…You know, a crowbar isn’t exactly designed with fencing in mind-”

“Unfortunately it’s the best we’ve got for now. Think you and Cary can hold them off for a couple minutes?”

“Are you out of your mind- what are you even doing?”

“Making some adjustments and hoping Cary doesn’t decide to strangle me for it afterwards,” Good Cop quipped as he conjured tools made of magic to do… whatever he was doing to Bad Cop’s laser gun. Bad Cop quirked an eyebrow at his brother, but said nothing, instead taking the crowbar from Sirius.

“Hey!” the President protested, but fell silent when Bad Cop broke the hooked end off before handing it back. “…I can’t see how that little piece is going to do you much good.”

“Not like this it isn’t,” Bad Cop agreed. Sirius stared as he fashioned a pair of brass knuckles from the broken piece of iron.

“You’re sure that’ll work?”

“We’re about to find out.” Sirius sighed and rolled up his sleeves, giving the iron bar a few test swings. When he glanced back up, they were surrounded. The looks on the ghosts’ faces were unsettling, to say the least. As he looked at them he could see anger; grief; fear. He felt cold, then, like ice was running through his veins.

Master Builders, each and every one of them… And their deaths are our faults… He breathed in and out slowly to try to calm his nerves. He couldn’t blame them for wanting revenge- he would, too. Bad Cop glanced over at him as the tip of the crowbar dipped slightly, watching him warily. Would it really be so bad to just… let them? It’s no less than I deserve…

Almost as one the crowd of dead Master Builders swarmed them, separating Sirius from Bad Cop with a speed the officer couldn’t keep up with. He growled, throwing himself into the fight, but the ghosts were remarkably organized, making a concerted effort to keep him from getting to his friend. It made him wonder- was the Ringmaster controlling them, the way he was controlling Keelan? But at least it was keeping their attention off of Good Cop, allowing him to finish making his adjustments.

Good Cop glanced up as the crowbar slipped from Sirius’ grasp and hit the floor with a solid thunk, followed shortly by the President himself. “Sirius!” he shouted, but the President didn’t answer, hunching over and disappearing in the swarm. He gasped as he went unexpectedly cold, as though icy fingers had reached into his chest; it was like the whispers all over again, but inside him where he couldn’t block them out. Bad Cop faltered, apparently feeling the same thing, and Good Cop could only guess that was what had affected Sirius so badly.

He steeled himself against the despair so persistently trying to drown him, and snapped the cover of the blaster back into place. In his peripheral he could see Bad Cop go down; he’d given it his best, but his fighting style was useless against the intangible, when only the strikes enhanced with the iron would land. Good Cop took aim.

“I am not weak.”

He squeezed the trigger, smirking in satisfaction as a wave of energy tore through the spirits harassing Sirius. They vanished like smoke, and he hurried to his friend’s side. He fired again, dispelling Bad Cop’s assailants next. It would provide only a brief reprieve, but it was enough to allow Bad Cop to pull himself to his brother’s side. “Is anything broken?” Good Cop asked, checking him over.

“Not yet,” Bad Cop grunted. “Sirius?”

“Come on buddy, come back…”

“Just let ‘em finish me,” he murmured brokenly. “Can never make up for it…”

“That’s not like you to just give up,” Bad Cop growled back.

“He’s in deep,” Good Cop murmured.

“Where’s Brickowski when you need a heartfelt speech?” Good Cop huffed and swatted at his brother, and Sirius snorted, finally peeking up at them.

“There you are,” Good Cop greeted warmly, giving him a soft smile. “I told you these ghosts have a way of getting under your skin.”

“Look out!” Bad Cop snatched up the crowbar, sweeping it in a wide arc as the ghosts made a comeback, shrieking in fury as they descended upon the trio. Good Cop lifted the blaster again, but it was quickly knocked from his hands before he could use it. He didn’t waste a moment in calling forth his magic, hovering protectively over Sirius as he joined his brother in the fight.

They were too distracted to notice Keelan starting to stir.

With a screech the youngest of the triplets pounced on Sirius, shoving him to the ground. He let out a scream as claws began to slash mercilessly into him, and no amount of thrashing would dislodge Keelan.

“Sirius!” Good Cop cried out, but in his distraction was dragged further away. The ghosts returned as quickly as they were dispersed, overwhelming the two brothers. Soon, Sirius lost sight of the cops altogether under the mass of furious ghosts.

Keelan paused with his hand wrapped around Sirius’ throat, and glanced up at something approaching them. Or someone, Sirius realized as he tilted his head back just enough to see. Judging from the green haze, it wasn’t any of their friends.

“Well done,” said a familiar voice. Sirius stared. The Ringmaster wasn’t quite what he remembered. Mostly in that he wasn’t quite human anymore. His skin had been dark in life, but now it was outright black, like the cops’ uniforms. But mostly, it was his eyes. They weren’t like a human’s eyes anymore, with recognizable pupils and irises and whites. They were a solid, glowing green. And there were four of them. He grinned, revealing sharp teeth, and turned to the cops, showing off two rows of spines that reminded Sirius of lionfish fins, the bulbous ends glowing the same green. “I don’t think our guests have much fight left in them, now. All we have left to do is wait for the audience to arrive.” He glanced over to where the ghosts dropped his friends, the cops looking the worst he’d seen them in a long time. Bad Cop’s back was to him, but Good Cop sported several bruises and scratches on his face, and a split lip, the lenses of his glasses shattered, the frames mangled. Their uniforms were in much the same state as his suit, and he could only guess at the extent of the hidden damage. “Let’s start with your boss, shall we?”

“No, no you can’t do this to Keelan, please! He’s innocent!” Good Cop begged. Bad Cop struggled to get back to his feet, silent, but his expression promised there would be hell to pay.

Sirius took a deep breath and looked back up into Keelan’s empty eyes. “Come on, kiddo, I know you’re still in there,” he started, and choked when Keelan pressed harder against his throat. He struggled to get his next words out. “Listen to your brothers…” Shakily, he reached up until his hands were on the youngest triplet’s shoulders, yanking him down into a tight embrace. The hand around his throat went slack in surprise. “Fight him!” Keelan screeched, thrashing to get free, and he held on for dear life.

The Ringmaster crouched down near his head, grinning a Cheshire cat grin. “That’s sweet, that you think he can hear you. I have his mind, and he will do my bidding until I get bored and kill him.” He caught something flying toward him out of the corner of his eye, and jerked out of the way just in time for the crowbar to go crashing into the wall. He turned a furious look to where Bad Cop still held one arm out from throwing it. “So you do still have some fight in you!”

“You have no idea,” Bad Cop snarled in response. “I’ve already been through Hell, you’ve got nothing to keep me down.”

“So you figured you’d try to take me on all alone?”

“That’s just it. You’ve been so focused on keeping your hold on Keelan, you haven’t even realized…”

“…He’s not alone,” Emmet finished.

#the lego movie #gcbc #president business #benny the spaceman #metalbeard #unikitty #wyldstyle #emmet brickowski #lord business #coppernauts #emmetstyle #vitruvius

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disabled-dragoon · 1 year ago

Text

Disability Picture Books #1

[ID: A poster reading "Disability Picture Books" in black writing in the centre. A small, circular logo is in the top right corner. It is red with an open book in the middle, white leaves around the book, and the word "The Disability Archive" across the bottom. In the lower left corner, cartoonish clipart of children climbing a colourful stack of books. All of this is overlayed onto the disability pride flag. /end]

[ID: The same poster, edited. The writing has been removed and replaced by four book covers, and the images in both corners have been shrunken slightly. The book covers, from top to bottom, are: "Small Knight and the Anxiety Monster", "Ali and the Sea Stars", "Can Bears Ski?", and "I Talk Like A River". /end]

[ID: The same poster, with different book covers. The four books, from top to bottom, are: "Rescue and Jessica", "All the Way to the Top", "What Happened to You?", and "Just Ask!". /end]

[ID: The same poster, with different book covers. The four books, from top to bottom, are: "Different--A Great Thing to Be!", "Everyone Belongs", "A Friend for Henry", and "We're Different, We're the Same, and We're All Wonderful!" /end]

-----

A collection of picture books featuring disabled characters and/or discussions of disability!

Thank you to @creativiteaa for providing the list!

I'm making it two parts at least because there's a lot to get through 😅 [grinning face with sweat emoji]

Book List:

'Small Knight and the Anxiety Monster' by Manka Kasha- Anxiety

'Ali and the Sea Stars' by Ali Stroker, Illustrated by Gillian Reid- Wheelchair User

'Can Bears Ski?' by Raymond Antrobus, Illustrated by Polly Dunbar- Hard of Hearing

'I Talk Like a River' by Jordan Scott, Illustrated by Sydney Smith- Stutter

'Rescue & Jessica: A Life-Changing Friendship' by Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes, Illustrated by Scott Magoon- Service Dog User

'What Happened to You?' by James Catchpole, Illustrated by Karen George- Missing Limb

'All the Way to the Top' by Annette Bay Pimentel and Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins, Illustrated by Nabi Ali

'Just Ask!' by Sonia Sotomayor, Illustrated by Rafael López- Numerous

'Different -- A Great Thing to Be!' by Heather Alvis, Illustrated by Sarah Mensinga- Down Syndrome

'Everyone Belongs' by Heather Alvis, Illustrated by Sarah Mensinga- Numerous

'A Friend for Henry' by Jenn Bailey, Illustrated by Mika Song- Autism

'We're Different, We're the Same, and We're All Wonderful!' by Bobbi Jane Kates, Illustrated by Joe Mathieu

#disability #books #disability books #picture books #book list #disability literature #disability representation #disabled characters #resources #disability resources #images #image descriptions #image description in alt #alt text #long post #part 1 #picture books part 1

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twotangledsisters · 1 year ago

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My First Week Learning 3D

Do I ever stop picking up random skills and hobbies? Nope. It's my horde. As a dragon I must collect them forever and ever.

Last Friday I decided to learn Blender! Here's how that went:

First I did CG Fast Track's Begginer Tutorial.

There I build a minecraft scene:

Then joyfully tore it down :D

Then in the next parts of the tutorial I made a sword!

And some quick animations with said sword:

After that I needed to just, make sure I had some control over the movements, habit of changing into the right modes, habit of applying stuff, so I did 3DGreenHorns Smooth living room tutorial.

Which may or may not now have me obsessed with the idea of tiny isometric rooms...

I then did Polygon Runway's Spaceship Loop tutorial so I could practice animation.

I learnt soooo much with this one! Like... key framing in blender is AMAZING! I love it! I am obsessed with the idea of animating in this program!

After that I decided to learn to do characters... I tired to make a little Cassandra using Eve Sculpt's character modeling tutorial... But I just got really confused (my fault 100% the tutorial was really good!) and eventually gave up.

But here's some nightmare imagery for you!

This had me feeling a bit sad so I decided to do a quick and easy tutorial, and cause I loved Polygon Runway's first tutorial, I went with their little coffee shop tutorial.

This was so fun to do! It was quick, easy, and I learnt about lighting! :D

After this I allowed myself to indulge in a quick personal project and made a lantern:

Not much to say about this, it's a lantern xD don't ask about the sky, I'm learning, okay!

Then I indulged in yet another personal project as I wanted to test out physics and it's almost October soo....

Little ghost!!

I technically tried to animate it but umm.... my computer does not have that sorta power XD

Finally, having picked up my moral I knew I had to learn character modeling so I chose Keelan Jon's character modeling tutorial and this time I pulled it off!

I love how cute this little character is!

There are a few glaring mistakes but.... shush.

I learnt sooo much from this tutorial! It was sooo much fun! And I'm definitely feeling like character modeling isn't too far out of my reach now.

So yeah, that was my first week with Blender. I actually wanted to do a final personal project yesterday to complete the week, but my ex came over and I didn't get the chance. But despite the week being cut short I'd say it was still a very successful first dive into a new program!

I have a few projects planned, but I'm also aware to really get the hang of a program like blender doing a bunch of tutorials is super important, especially just getting used to the keyboard shortcuts, navigation, etc..

Anyway, that's where I've been this week xD

Also, I kinda lied... I said first week with blender but I actually downloaded blender back in February and did one singular tutorials before quitting....

Blender Guru's Donut Tutorial amazing tutorial but... I might suggest starting with something a little less comprehensive xD

#blender #blender 3d

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goingmerryied · 10 months ago

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The Pirate Who Loved Me~Chapter 3

(18+)

Masterlist

Summary: (Y/N) grew up in a noble home and island. Her family were members of high class, and were invited to lavish parties thrown by the highest members of society. Although she was raised to be a proper woman, she always longed for something more in life. At the age of 18, she is now ready to enter the social season and her father is to find her a suitable husband much to her dismay.

*3 years before Luffy sets out on his adventure*

Pairing: Trafalgar D. Law x reader

Warnings: MDNI, 18+ explicit sexual themes, Teasing, Dom Trafalgar D. Water Law, Vaginal Fingering, Penis in Vagina Sex, Unprotected Sex, (Be Safe Out There), Multiple Orgasms, Rough Sex, Creampie, Pet Names, Overstimulation, Biting, Bruises, Hair-Pulling, Aftercare

I do not own the rights to Bridgerton or One Piece

__________________________________________

The day after the ball, my family and I had a nice dinner over at Lord Andrews's estate. I learned of his first name, Keelan as he accompanied me on a tour with my parents around the property before dinner. He was very kind and respectful, not at all what I pictured. I was expecting a very misogynistic man who only saw me as his breeding tool. However, Keelan held great conversations and spoke about education which I greatly appreciated.

Keelan would be the perfect match for any lady, but there were still doubts in my mind. Doubts that included me running far from here, and wondering if Law would let me tag along with his pirate crew. Then I thought about Ace and that idea went down the toilet.

Today, I asked my parents if I could go out shopping with my lady's maid Lana to chaperone. They agreed feeling that my one day courtship with Keelan was going well and expected me not to run away. However, I didn't plan to, we walked along the market and visited a variety of shops. I was picking out different clothing and silks that I knew my mother would never approve of but I wanted to have a say in my clothing if I were to be stuck in this god-awful place. I continued to walk and passed by the board that contained the most recent wanted posters, I eyed them and saw Ace once more. His bounty had gone up and I smiled.

I began to walk away and noticed a familiar face on the board, it was him. It was Law, he did have a small bounty but he was a pirate. He did not lie about that, I knew some pirates could be awful but he was far from it, especially with that bounty.

"Madam, shall we get going," Lana states.

"Yes, do you think we shall visit the mandarin orchard to pick out fresh fruits for breakfast?"

"As you wish." We continued our short walk to the orchards and began to look. I suggested that Lana and I should split, she was hesitant at first but I ensured her that I wasn't going anywhere, and my father would not hear about it. She nodded and went the opposite way as I continued down my path. I eyed for the perfect fruit that would satisfy my palate. I soon found one and began to reach for it until someone reaches from behind me.

I turn around and face Trafalgar Law once more. He smiles and hands me the fruit.

"To what do I owe the pleasure Law?" I ask as I continue my path down the orchard.

"I wanted to check in on you, make sure you were alright after last night."

"I'll manage." I inform him, and he gazes at me with pity.

"You know you don't have to live this life. You can be free from all this?"

"Are you offering me a spot on your crew?"

"No."

"Then how can I-"

"It's too dangerous for someone of your kind to be a pirate, I know you dreamed about it but with your upbringing." He says.

"My upbringing?" I say feeling a bit upset at what he was insinuating

"Well you know, a proper lady, tea time, gowns,"

"And training with my tough brothers on how to defend myself, asshat." He looks at me surprised.

"You trained with your brothers?"

"Yes, they taught me everything I know, Law."

"Alright then, show me." He says.

"Right now? You don't think anyone would-"

"I checked to make sure the orchard was clear before speaking with you. Your lady's maid is being preoccupied by my crew."

"Alright then" I go to swing at him and he immediately dodges it. I try again and he catches my fist in his hand. I use this as an opportunity to kick my leg up. He moves to the side however, I decided to aim towards his arm. This catches him off guard and causes him to stumble back releasing my fist. I take this as an opportunity to kick once more but he is quick to grab it. He yanks me forward forcing my weight to turn us. I then lose my balance causing me to land on my back. He chuckles a bit.

He begins to walk away, but I decide to try again to take him down. I go to throw a punch but he moves to his right grabbing my wrist. He pulls my weight into him bringing his arm and mine into a chokehold. However there is no pressure to this and I'm flush against his chest. I can feel his breath on my neck as he recovers from our little sparring session.

"See, I told you weren't ready." He whispers into my ear, my eyes close as I relish in his embrace, shivering at feeling his breath on me. I look up at him and notice his lips and mine so close to each other. What am I doing? I look up to him and he shares the same uncertainty that I do.

"Not ready and being rusty are two separate things pirate Law." I finally answered.

"Captain Law, and whatever you say diamond" He says.

"I hate that you call me that." I say unraveling from his embrace.

"You've must have hated it more when the queen named you the diamond of the season?"

"Of course I did, last thing I wanted was to be an instant bride and here I am."

"An instant bride? Already?" He asks. Was that panic I heard?

"Well he has yet to propose but he has already begun courting me. My father has already given him his blessing."

"And is that what you want?"

"You already know the answer to that Law."

"Reject him."

"I cannot"

"Why?"

"It's complicated."

"Would you rather spend the rest of your life married to an oaf that only cares about wealth and status?"

"Out of all the noble men I've met, he's decent."

"So you like him?" He steps closer to me until are faces are inches apart. My breath hitches.

"As a friend, I can't see myself married to him."

"So what happens once he proposes?" He says as he begins to lean in

"Law..."

"You know the answer, just say it."

"Law I would say no and travel the world if I could, go on adventures, be the crappiest pirate there is but my hands are tied. If I were to run now, my brother that's out at sea is at risk of being captured by navy admirals!" His grey eyes gazed into mine as I confessed my true feelings to him. His stoic demeanor sent chills down my spine yet he still captured my attention in ways I could not describe.

“Don’t give up on your dream (Y/N), keep fighting for it.”

My heart raced as he stood close to me and I could feel the faint brush of his hand on mine. He slowly grabbed mine and we latched our hands together. Warmth spreads across my chest reaching up to my cheeks, I look down to his lips and slowly begin to reach my other hand up to lay on his chest. I close my eyes as we begin to slowly inch closer to one another.

"(Y/N)-" He began until we heard footsteps approaching. He stood in front of me as to shield me from anyone seeing us together unchaperoned. He remembered.

"CAPTAIN! We lost the lady's maid she can be here any minute." Penguin and Shachi scream. Law curses as his crew members failed to keep Lana distracted.

"We can continue this some other time (Y/N)."

"I look forward to it..." I say. He smirks as he and his crew take their leave.

I couldn't believe what just came out of my mouth. His concern of who I'm marrying did raise some questions. He mentioned that I could not join his crew. However, that doesn't mean I still couldn't find Ace's crew and join them. If that were the case then I would be by Ace's side if the Marine's were to come after him. That still meant putting him and his crew in danger which is what I had been trying to avoid. God if only he were here to talk to, or even Sabo. They would know what to do. Luffy would tell me to grab some meat and ponder on it.

"Madam there you are! I was getting worried, these two odd men approached me asking for directions, and then continued to ask me more about kingdom." She said as we began to walk out of the orchard.

"Maybe they took an interest in you, Lana"

"Oh no madam. Surely not." She says as her cheeks begin to tinge red.

"I'm just joking, let's get home now." I say as we begin the walk to my parent's home.

As we turned the corner, we run in to none other than Lord Andrews.

"(Y/N). Ms. Lana." He greets us nodding in our direction. "What brings you both out here?

"Lana and I were doing some shopping. Then we decided to pick some fresh oranges for breakfast tomorrow."

"Sounds lovely. Would you mind if I escorted you both back to your estate?"

"Not at all, Keelan."

"What brings you out here, sir?"

"Please just Keelan, and I was in town looking for a gift for my mother. Her birthday is approaching soon."

"Well please let her know I said Happy Birthday."

"Of course. I've actually been meaning to ask you something (Y/N)" No. No. No. not yet Keelan.

"Yes, Keelan?"

"I know that in our lives, we are to fulfill our birth right duty. Wed, have a family and carry on our families name. However, I have a feeling this is something you do not want."

"That's ridiculous-"

"So you're saying I'm wrong. I can tell when people are lying to me (Y/N)." Shit, he knows this isn't what I want but my parents would be furious to know that I called off the engagement before I was even proposed to.

"You would be correct but I do have an obligation to fill for my family. I know it may not be love but I do believe we would make an excellent partnership." I try to answer truthfully.

"As do I, however I too can't help but wonder what true love feels like."

"You and me both Keelan."

"Perhaps it is something we can explore with one another." He suggests.

"I wouldn't say no to that Keelan." I begrudgingly say but truthfully I wish I could ask him to hold off on the proposal.

"Great to know, (Y/N)." He himself seemed a bit unsure of me.

We continue our walk to my parent's estate, we bid our good nights and go our separate ways. No proposal has been set but I'm sure one is to come. I make my way back into my room.

I sat in my bed as I thought about what it would be like when Keelan decided to propose, well if he ever did. I don't think I was much help in wanting to marry me. Especially after the conversation we had today. However, I don't want to marry in the first place. I could try to write a letter to ace, but there would be no way to address him without it being intercepted by my parents. My thoughts then traveled to Law.

He was a man of mystery, I wanted to ask what it is he was looking for here.

Just as the thought appeared, the room turned a light shade of blue and a gust of wind flew through my hair. Speak of the devil. I look up and Law is standing there handsomely with a smirk on his face.

"Law, are you trying to get us caught?" I walk over to my door to lock it.

"Sorry diamond, didn't mean to upset the lady of the house."

"Please stop calling me diamond and I am not the lady of this house."

"Oh right, soon to be Lady Andrews."

"Hearing you say that out loud makes me even more nauseous. What are you doing here anyway?"

"I wanted to see you."

"There's not much to see."

"Don't do that."

"Do what, Law."

"Put yourself down."

"It's what I feel.."

"It doesn't make it true, you're an amazing and courageous woman who is still standing after being forced into something she doesn't want. If only I can talk her out of it."

"I might consider it if you let me-"

"Not a chance diamond, last thing I need is your pretty face getting hurt."

"Aren't you a doctor that could heal my pretty face." I say getting closer to him.

"I'm the surgeon of death."

"Still a doctor" I lean in closer to him, I just wanted to be as close to him as possible. His presence brought me great comfort, and I felt free while I was with him. I could speak freely, dress freely and act freely. No need to worry about manners, gestures or greeting. It was just me and him. (Y/N) and Law.

"(Y/N).."

"Law" We stare deeply into one another's eyes and the gap slowly closes in. This was wrong, this was wrong on so many levels for a proper woman. Me on the other hand felt this was right.

Just as the gap was about to close, the doorknob began to rattle. Loud knocks began to follow, Law and I pull away quickly and by the time I reach the door to turn around he was gone. I open the door to be met by mother.

"(Y/N)! Make sure you get plenty of rest, I'll have a dress picked out for you tomorrow. I just spoke with your father, Lord Andrews will be over tomorrow for brunch with his mother and father. That can only mean one thing!" She closes the door without waiting for a response and I feel the tears well in my eyes and begin to pour over. I walk back over to my bed and begin to sob into my pillow.

I feel a hand begin to rub my back.

"Don't cry (Y/N), everything will work itself out." He whispers into my ear.

"I can't do it Law, I don't want to do it, but I can't put my brother in danger." I say as the tears begin to get heavier.

"I tried to run away earlier in the year but my father caught me. He said if I tried to run, he would send marine admirals after my brother Ace. I can't let that happen, I won't put his life in danger."

"Do you think he would want you to suffer like this?"

"It doesn't matter Law if I'm here, the only danger he faces is the open seas. Not the wrath of admirals. If I'm here he gets to have his freedom.

"But you lose yours in the process."

"It's what I have to do as his sister."

"As a brother I could never allow my sister to do this to herself. If she were in your position I would tell her to let the admirals come. I would never sacrifice her happiness for my life. I'm sure Ace would do the same." Law argues but I couldn't accept that. I haven't heard from Ace in years besides seeing his wanted posters.

"Law, I wouldn't know what Ace wants because I haven't seen him in years. I can't put his life at risk."

“I’m sure your brother is much stronger now. Stronger than the last time you saw him, he wouldn’t want this for you. I know I don’t.”

“You barely know me.”

“You barely know Lord Andrews.”

“Law, please help me.”

“I’ll do what I can diamond.”

———————————

Tag List: @metonimia-de-bellota

#asl brothers #one piece #fanfic #trafalgar law x you #one piece sabo #nami #heart pirates #bepo one piece #trafalgardwaterlaw #one piece law

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reneesbooks · 2 days ago

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febuwhump day 1 -- in another life

starting off immediately with one of the alternative prompts because i couldn't think of anything for vocal chords :) canon status: alternate universe pov character: maura words: 2.4k

the raedoran cycle

Maura stretches her arms out over her head, squinting at the horizon.

“I’m bored,” Birdie complains, flopping down onto the dusty road next to her. “How much longer do we have to wait?”

“They’ll be back soon,” Maura insists, twisting the ends of her hair around her fingers a little nervously. She’d calculated the journey so precisely, looking through Levi’s books and maps by candlelight and scratching out the math in the margins. Unless something happened to them on the road, they should be arriving any minute. Technically, they should have arrived an hour ago, but she’s willing to believe that she messed up one calculation.

A cloud of dust appears on the horizon and Maura perks up, trying to discern the shape that’s slowly approaching the town.

“Finally,” Birdie says, pulling herself up off the ground. “I’m going home.”

She flounces off and Maura sticks her tongue out after her. She’s gotten so sassy for a four-year-old, something Maura fully blames Levi and his bad jokes for. She turns back to the road and the distant dust cloud. As it draws closer, she recognizes the plodding old mare and the creaky wooden cart that she’s pulling. She presses her hands to her lips, bouncing on her toes as the cart finally draws close enough for her to see the people sitting in the front seat.

“You’re always here to greet us,” Padraigh laughs, swinging down from the cart as it pulls to a stop. Maura smiles as he pulls her into a hug, smelling of wine and oak barrels. “I think I’ll know when the world has ended—when we come down this road and you are not standing at the end of it.”

“Dad,” Keys complains, throwing the reins over the mare’s head so he can lead her away from the cart. “You’re making fun of her.”

“You’re the one who made her wait so long today,” Padraigh says, releasing Maura to take the horse. “He made a wrong turn and we had to backtrack. That’s what I get for letting him drive.”

“Dad!” Keys protests, his cheeks reddening, but his father is already walking away with the horse. Keys turns to Maura with a sigh, one hand coming up to rub the back of his neck. “It’s true, though. That’s why we’re late.”

“I didn’t notice,” Maura says, and his lips twist into a smirk. “Did you bring anything interesting back from Inverga?”

He grins and turns back to the cart, rummaging around in the back before he returns, holding something behind his back. “What’s the magic word?” She punches him in the gut and he lets out a laughing wheeze, his hands coming around to the front. “Alright, alright! Here.”

He’s holding a map, the edges worn and curled with age. Maura takes it from him, skimming over the words written across it. “It’s a map of Guildi,” she says, delighted.

“Good,” Keys says, sounding pleased. “That means I bought the right one.”

She laughs, looking up at him, and feels her chest squeeze at the soft look in his bright green eyes. “You weren’t sure?”

His hand touches the back of his neck again. “I’m still not the best reader,” he says sheepishly. “Levi’s a good teacher but I’m not a very good student.”

Maura lets the comment go, grabbing his hand. “Come on. I want to take a look at this somewhere I won’t get wine on it.”

He rolls his eyes at her but lets her drag him back towards the village. Leyne is starting to wind down in preparation for the evening, villagers drifting between houses and the market stalls that are still open. A few greet Maura and Keys as they pass and Maura checks for Birdie’s silver head, spotting it rolling around in the mud with one of the other children. She smiles at the sight and pulls Keys to a stop at the fountain in the center of town, laying out the map on the stone bench next to it. The quickly-fading daylight sparkles through the water of the fountain, casting shimmering reflections across the surface of the parchment.

“My father was a soldier from Guildi,” Maura says, tracing her finger over the ridges of the Shattered Mountains down the center of the map. “My mother used to live here—” she presses her finger to Trea, right along the Raedoran border “—and she met my father when his platoon spent some time in the city.” She traces her finger along the map up to the mountains along the western coast. “He’d been stationed here, and wanted to take my mother with him when he returned. She went at first, but after a few years she realized she didn’t love him and left, returning to Raedora.”

“And your father?” Keys murmurs, leaning in close. Maura resists the urge to press herself against him, aware of the eyes of the village on them.

“He was from the other side of the Shattered Mountains originally.” Maura trails her finger across the map, to where Titrodoreos sits on the eastern coast. “He traveled a long way from home before he met my mother, and she said that when she left, he traveled the long way back.”

Keys reaches out to touch the map, running callused fingers over the faded ink. “That seems like a lonely journey.”

Maura shrugs. “His family was waiting for him. He wasn’t lonely forever.”

She rolls up the map and twists it in her hands, suddenly unable to meet Keys’s gaze. “Do you want to have dinner with us tonight?” she asks his boots, feeling her heart fluttering with nerves.

“I...okay,” Keys says, sounding nearly as flustered as she feels. “I’ll just...go tell my parents.”

Maura nods and he walks off briskly, his step bouncing just a little. She bites her lip and runs for her house.

Her mother is in the kitchen, cooking something for dinner, and Levi is just leaving when she arrives. He quickly swings his staff out of the way before Maura can run right into it, chuckling a little. “Maura, dear, you’re home. I take that to mean Keelan and his father have returned from Inverga?”

“Can he come by for dinner tonight?” Maura blurts, still catching her breath. Her mother laughs, turning to kiss Maura’s forehead.

“Of course, you know he’s always welcome,” she says, returning to her cooking. “Levi, dear, please be sure Birdie doesn’t bring in anything magical again. The stains in my good carpet are getting harder to get out.”

“I know, Rose,” Levi says, kissing her cheek on his way out. “I’ll be sure to check her before she comes inside.”

Maura paces the kitchen while her mother works, feeling golden wisps of magic curl around her fingers with her nerves. She shouldn’t be nervous; they’ve had Keys over for dinner a hundred times before. And yet ever since they got older, she’s noticed more and more how his gaze lingers on her, and she’s found her gaze lingering on him, her heart pumping and stuttering when their eyes meet.

A knock sounds at the door and Maura walks briskly to it, flinging it open to grin at Keys standing on the other side. “Hi.”

“Hi,” he says with a smile. “My parents send their best.”

“How lovely,” Maura’s mother says. “Come on in, Keelan, and make yourself at home.”

Levi returns with Birdie, who is covered in mud and giggling while he lectures her sternly about biting. He takes her to the back garden to clean her off and Keys helps her mother set the table. Birdie bounces around the kitchen barefoot once Levi releases her back into the house, singing a nonsense song of her own creation and levitating the plates off the table. Keys manages to convince her to stop by letting her sit in his lap for dinner, and she bounces there happily while he says the dinner prayer. Maura loves how gentle he is with Birdie, always letting her tug him into whatever game she’s invented or babble to him for hours about the animals she saw in the woods. He meets Maura’s eyes over the table and she has to look away, blushing.

The sky is darkening, the silver and blue moons starting to rise, when Keys leaves. Maura sees him off, making him promise to walk in the woods with her tomorrow. He does, with a smile that makes her heart stutter. She floats around the house, oblivious to the looks her mother and Levi exchange. She goes to bed still floating, hardly noticing Birdie muttering in her sleep.

She’s woken by Birdie’s little hands shaking her. She opens her eyes to see Birdie standing next to her bed, the tears on her cheeks glowing silver.

“Something bad is happening,” she whispers, and Maura’s whole body goes cold. She throws herself out of bed and runs to the door, cracking it open. She can hear footsteps in the house, the faint sound of men talking outside. She peers through the crack and sees a pale arm laying on the floor, a dark pool surrounding it.

She presses her hand to her mouth to stifle her scream and slams her eyes shut. Birdie is trembling, pressed against her, and she grips her hand.

“It’s going to be okay, duckling,” she whispers. They have to run, but where? She closes the door and scans the room. “Come on, we’re going to go out the window.”

“I’m scared,” Birdie says, more tears pouring down her cheeks.

“I know,” Maura says, pulling her towards the window. “I know, it’s going to be okay.”

There is a cold, empty feeling stealing through her chest as she works to get the window open. She hears a man’s voice shout from the other room of the house and shoves the window harder, panic and fear pumping through her veins.

The bedroom door slams open and Birdie screams. Maura whirls around to see a man standing there, blood dripping off a cruel knife the length of his forearm. His gaze moves from Birdie to Maura, his expression twisting into a snarl. “The treasure of Leyne,” he spits. He points the knife at Birdie. “Silver.” The tip of the knife moves to point at Maura. “And gold.”

“Momma?” Birdie says, staring behind the man at where Maura can see the pale arm again, belonging to her mother, laying in a pool of her own blood. Levi is collapsed against the wall next to her, his staff laying on the floor just out of his reach. Blood stains the front of his nightclothes and drips from his mouth, a knife still hilt-deep in his chest. “Papa?”

“What did you find back there?” another man’s voice calls, and Maura feels magic burning under her skin, the blood dripping off the man’s knife all she can see anymore. Birdie screams again, silver magic blasting the man back, and Maura hears a sickening crunch as he hits the far wall. Maura turns and throws magic at the window, shattering the glass and collapsing half the wall along with it. She uses another blast of magic to clear a hole for herself and Birdie, who is still standing in the same place, screaming with sobs as silver light pours from her. Maura snatches her up off the floor as another man rounds the corner, holding a sword, and throws herself through the gap in the wall. They run through the moonlit fields to the edge of the woods

“We have to hide, Birdie, you have to be quiet,” she says, as more screams start to echo from the village. Birdie slowly quiets, pressing her hands over her mouth. The silver light rolling off her dims and Maura pulls her into a tight hug, curling up at the base of a tree. She can hear more screams and buries her face in Birdie’s silver hair, sobbing as quietly as she can.

“Momma and Papa,” Birdie wails softly, and Maura tries to push away the image of her parents, empty eyes staring at each other. Her mother’s hand reaching for their bedroom. What did those men want? Why did they kill them?

She holds Birdie as tightly as she can and waits for the sunrise.

----

Keelan steps into the rubble of Maura’s house, shaking fingers gripping the blood-slick pommel of his sword with all the strength left in him.

“Maura?” he calls out, his voice thin and cracked. The fire has gone out, the walls half-collapsed. In the main room lie Rosaleen and Levi, blood pooled around their bodies. There’s a dead raider on the floor next to Levi, blood staining his mouth. Keelan looks away from the unseeing eyes, numb to it by now. “Maura? Please, Maura, say something!”

The ruins don’t answer him, nor do the bodies on the floor. He pushes past the collapsed walls to Maura and Birdie’s room, his stomach dropping as he still finds nothing. There is a hole in the collapsed wall that could be big enough for them to fit through. He climbs through it and finds himself standing at the edge of the fields, staring out towards the forest.

“Maura!” he screams. “Maura, please, Maura!”

This is why he left their house for last, why every body made him put this off longer. He’s already going to have to bury his parents and everyone else in the town, but burying Maura is what will break him.

“Maura,” he sobs, sinking to his knees in the field.

“Keys!” he faintly hears, and his head jerks up. He sees a blonde blur running towards him and sobs again with relief, finally dropping his sword. He stumbles to his feet and catches Maura when she hits him, wrapping her in his arms as tightly as he can. She sobs his name again and again, her fingers digging into his back.

“Keys,” Birdie’s little voice says, hollow. She’s suddenly standing at his side, her hand clutched in the hem of his shirt. She stares blankly at the town behind him. “We’re all that’s left,” she says, with a certainty that makes Keelan’s blood curdle.

Maura sobs against Keelan’s shoulder and he pulls Birdie close. “It’s going to be okay,” he says, even as it feels like a lie.

He and Maura sit together on the edge of the fountain in the center of town, Birdie curled into a tight ball at their feet. There are no bodies out here, at least, the raiders having dragged everyone back into their houses to burn. Maura leans against Keelan, haunted eyes staring blankly at the burned-out chapel.

“Maybe in another life,” she says in a small voice, “this didn’t happen.”

Keelan closes his eyes, pulling her close. “Maybe.”

taglist (ask to be added <3): @oh-no-another-idea @k--havok @space-writes @lyssa-ink

#febuwhump #febuwhump2025 #febuwhumpday1 #tw: violence #starting off nice and easy :)#writeblr #writeblr community #original fiction #the raedoran cycle #keelan #maura #birdie #rosaleen #levi #rb original #as i was writing this i had to remind myself that this is a whump event and as happy as i make them i have to also break them :(#and then i remembered that i like doing that :)

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luxnebula · 4 months ago

Text

Lightmore just got its 100th episode! Time to recap what has happened since February, or episode 61.

Here's the first summary post, in case you want to check that one out first.

The capsule that Grayson's group found is still weighing on Grayson's mind. He suggest that because Yuuji is too busy to look into the capsule and its disappearance, Grayson and his group could do that. Wick, Uaid Finley don't seem interested because they don't get paid for it and because the capsule was likely E-Demons property. Nova seems to agree with Grayson, though. She wants Grayson to have a solid plan on how to look into the capsule, though. Grayson says he'll think about it.

The next morning, Mala performs the Glasgow Coma test on awake Jaimal and Jaimal passes with a full score. Jaimal is officially no longer comatose. Jaimal asks how long he was asleep, but Mala dodges the question.

Meanwhile at the Bafford Mansion, Michael has breakfast alone. Just as he's about to stand up and go wake up Joel, his son himself steps in to the dining hall on his own accord and on time. He says that he has reconsidered his priorities when Michael expresses his surprise.

Meanwhile, with the Badawis, as the family is planning what to do with the day. When everyone is caught up to speed and has a task, Beatrice gets a text from Valeria saying that she had fun last night. Beatrice tells her she had fun too and that they should go out again when Beatrice is less busy. Valeria enthusiastically agrees and asks Beatrice to contact her immediately when her chaos in Beatrice's life dies down. Valeria also asks if there's anything she can do to help with it. Qianfan, having seen Beatrice texting, asks if Valeria would happen to know anything about Lieselotte's alleged husband. Valeria says she might, but she needs to call some people first to make sure it's not a false lead.

Michael and Joel arrive to Michael's office at the Power Plant. Michael invites Kahale to his office. When Kahale arrives, Michael tells him that Joel should be easier to manage now. Kahale is confused and glances at Joel, who avoids his eyes. Michael then dismisses both Kahale and Joel, but Kahale questions if it really was that easy. Joel tells him that Michael gave him a lecture that "gave him a lot to think about" and made him "see things in a different light now". This does not help with Kahale's confusion, but he lets the issue drop. With that, Kahale and Joel leave the office. On their way to Kahale's office, they come across Tsubaki, who puts on a little flirt for Joel, who just dodges it. This confuses both Tsubaki and Kahale.

At Lieselotte's office, Lieselotte's assistant tells her that Prime is here to see her. Lieselotte seems very happy about it and the two hug and exchange cheek kisses. Prime tells Lieselotte that he found the man that Lieselotte asked him to find. He also tells her that he seems to spend quite a lot of time at the Red Lights District. Lieselotte isn't happy to hear this. She says that "he can't go down there and see whores while living with her". Prime asks what she plans to do about it and Lieselotte asks if Prime has the man's address. She needs to do some calls.

At the Suri-Gul family home, Aditi is cooking breakfast and humming cheerfully. Keelan steps into the kitchen and seems to be surprised to see Aditi so cheerful. Aditi tells him that Mala invited her for dinner.

Delano wakes up to a text message from a unknown number asking for a meeting. Delano assumes that it's a new client, Delano agrees to meet him in 20 minutes at the Red Lights District.

At Beatrice's apartment, Qianfan asks how they're going to find Lieselotte's ex-personal assistant. Beatrice is trying to find her LinkedIn and her contact information. Beatrice finds the ex-pa, Ivy, and it turns out that Qianfan already kind of knows her through an acquaintance. Beatrice asks him to call his acquaintance and ask to talk to Ivy. Qianfan agrees, even if he's not that close to the acquaintance, Nana. Nana gives Ivy Qianfan's number and she calls him. Ivy seems a little salty to be talking about Lieselotte, but eager to share what she knows. She invites Beatrice and Qianfan to her apartment because she shouldn't "spill this tea over the phone".

At the Red Lights District, Delano meets up with the man who texted him. Delano is invited into a beat-up van and the man drives off with him. Delano quickly finds that there is a second man in the van, to his confusion. The second man sneaks up on Delano and pins him on the backrest. He jams a needle into Delano's neck and drugs him. Delano passes out.

Angelo arrives at the LCPD and thanks Whisper and Yuuji for taking him along again. Yuuji formally introduces himself to Angelo and the two shake hands. Then the group is off to find out what Keith was doing before he arrived to the Badawi Family home. Yuuji has gotten the location data from Keith's phone and they're using that to retrace his steps. This brings the trio to a street in front of a shop. They look for any security cameras that might have caught a glimpse of him before he headed to the family home. They find one attached to a store front and approach the store's manager to ask if they can have a look at the camera's log. The manager seems a little suspicious, but agrees to let Yuuji's group to take a look. In the camera's logs, they see Keith talk to his phone, then get pulled into a van against his will. Whisper gets the van's license plate and writes it down.

Delano wakes up in a dark, empty room, tied to a chair. The two men from the van are standing in front of him. With an apology of "it's nothing personal" and start beating him with fists and kicks, until Delano passes out.

In the Power Plant's cafeteria, Joel is sitting along, still looking haunted. Tsubaki approaches him with a cheerful greet. The two sit in awkward silence as Tsubaki watches Joel expectantly. Just as Tsubaki is about to ask if Joel is alright, Joel abruptly leaves, leaving a baffled Tsubaki behind.

Beatrice and Qianfan arrive at Ivy's apartment. Ivy seems very eager to share all the "bullshit" that Lieselotte did when she was her pa. Beatrice reminds her that they're only interested in hearing Hellenic Pharma specifically. Ivy is excited to share her intel nevertheless. Ivy tells that Lieselotte has this girlboss girl power imago going on, but she tended to treat people below her like garbage. She usually treated Ivy like air, unless she was being overly familiar with her and pretending the two were sisters.

According to Ivy, Lieselotte was careless with her computer around Ivy (leaving it unlocked and open on classified information for Ivy to see) because she seemed to think that Ivy was a useless bimbo. Which Ivy implies to not be incorrect. Nana points out that Ivy is a lawyer.

Ivy continues with her story, saying that one day she came in when Lieselotte was on the phone and she heard everything Lieselotte was saying. According to Ivy, Lieselotte was berating someone for being irresponsible and unprofessional. Ivy later managed to see who Lieselotte was talking to, who was saved in Lieselotte's phone as "Helen". Ivy says that it wasn't Helen Wyatt (the police chief's wife), because she is saved as her full name in Lieselotte's phone. Ivy later looked the number up and found that it belonged to someone who worked at Hellenic at the time.

Beatrice asks if Ivy has any concrete proof of any of this, which Ivy doesn't. Ivy then asks Beatrice why they're looking into Hellenic. Beatrice tells her that they're looking for a link between Lieselotte and Hellenic. Ivy says that there definitely is one, but she doesn't have proof of it and apologises for not being more helpful.

Qianfan says that they have to talk to Lieselotte's husband, to which Ivy responds that he doesn't exist. When questioned, Ivy elaborates that Lieselotte says she has a husband, but he doesn't exist or doesn't lie with her. Lieselotte acts like they're in love and do lots of couple stuff together, but he's never seen out of her house. Ivy says she got the feeling that Lieselotte seems to think that the "husband" needs a little convincing to marry her and that the whole situation gave her stalkery vibes. Ivy also could give Beatrice and Qianfan the husband's first name: Delano.

Ivy also brings up that Lieselotte has been teasing her husband's social debut soon, whether he exists or not. She also alleges that Lieselotte is kind of unhinged behind closed doors. Qianfan thinks they should find this Delano guy just to warn him.

Beatrice brings the conversation back to Hellenic, and Ivy offers that she could try snooping around to find solid proof of Lieselotte's connection to Hellenic. With that, Beatrice and Qianfan leave and decide to go find Delano.

Meanwhile with Yuuji's group, they have found the owner of the van who abducted Keith, Ed Johnson. Yuuji wants to run a background check before going to talk, but Angelo offers to talk to him because he's not a cop and not known as a Badawi yet. He could get the man's guard down and get him to say something. Yuuji suggests doing this at a bar when Ed is a little drunk to lower his inhibitions.

Tsubaki is meeting Kahale in his office and ranting to him about how weird Joel is acting. Kahale doesn't seem interested because it's not his business. He points out that he's made it this far by staying in his lane and he suggests that Tsubaki does the same because it gets unsafe when one gets to a certain position. This makes Tsubaki hesitate. The conversation is interrupted when Joel steps in.

At Beatrice's apartment, Beatrice catches the rest of the family up with what they found. She namedrops Delano, which catches Orlando's attention. He wants to immediately go warn Delano. Beatrice notices she has a message from Valeria. She says that she's heard that someone got kidnapped. Beatrice asks her to look into it, if she can, to which Valeria agrees.

Orlando arrives at Lucky Jack's Casino and finds Daxton. He asks Daxton about Delano, and Daxton says that Delano isn't at work today, unusually not having texted that he's not coming to work. Orlando asks if Daxton knows where he lives, but Daxton wants to know why he wants to know. Orlando tells him that he believes that Delano might be in trouble, which catches Daxton's attention. Daxton offers to take Orlando to Delano's apartment himself. While the two are on the way, Daxton tries calling Delano, but Delano doesn't pick up. The two arrive at Delano's apartment and ring the doorbell. Daxton notices how silent it is, because Fang usually starts barking when the doorbell rings. The landlord comes by and tells the two that Delano moved out earlier the same day. A moving crew came in and took his things out. The landlord doesn't know where Delano moved.

Delano has a brief dream about his mother before waking up at a hospital. Lieselotte is sitting next to his bed and greets him.

Leaving Delano's apartment building, Daxton seems hurt that Delano didn't ask him to help move. Orlando points out that if Delano didn't ask for help, it might mean that he didn't move out of his free will. Orlando says that he might know where to start looking for Delano, so he and Daxton head out.

Twenty years ago, a younger Delano heads to Lieselotte's house, looking nervous and tired. Lieselotte invites him in and the two have dinner together. Not having eaten much that day, Delano digs into his meal hungrily. Delano thanks Lieselotte for the invitation and tells her why he had contacted her. Delano starts telling Lieselotte about the difficult situation that his family was in right now. Their mother died and that their father is not taking it well. Delano is now here to ask Lieselotte for some time off from work so his father can work things out. Lieselotte seems surprised that that was all that Delano wanted and easily agrees to it. Lieselotte muses that they'd need to find a replacement for the father, but Delano says he's looking for a job. Lieselotte promises to arrange it for Delano and suggests a toast. The wine bottle on the table depletes as the dinner goes on. Eventually the two end up on Lieselotte's sofa, where Lieselotte slides her hand across Delano's chest and kisses him.

In present moment, in the hospital room, Delano sits up so fast that it hurts his injuries, worrying Lieselotte. Delano settles back onto the bed, shifting as far away from Lieselotte as possible. He coldly asks why Lieselotte is here, which seems to insult Lieselotte. She did "save" him from the men beating him up, ater all. Delano continues to act cold towards her, which makes Lieselotte muse that she should get used to it because he's going live with her from now on. Delano stares at her in horror.

Tomo gets a call from Lieselotte's assistant (on Delano's phone), telling them that Delano is injured and can't work for a few days. The pa says that she's calling on the behalf of Delano's wife, which catches Tomo's attention. Tomo asks the pa to repeat the "wife's" name and writes it down on a sticky note. When the call ends, Tomo immediately lets Jaqueline know what has happened. Jaqueline seems very pleased about these news.

Orlando and Daxton arrive at the Red Lights District. Daxton seems confused about this because he's never heard Delano talk about women. Daxton gets a call from Tomo, telling him that Delano has been found. Orlando and Daxton head back to the casino.

At the E-Demons headquarters, the leaders of the gang, Luke and Lavern, hear about Lieselotte having gotten her hands on Delano. Lavern isn't happy about it, and Luke calls them selfish for it. Maurice, a gang member and Delano's boyfriend, hears this conversation and isn't happy. He starts making his leave, but the twins notice him. Luke warns him not to fuck with Lieselotte because she's a valuable sponsor for E-Demons. He also reminds Maurice that they have "the switch". Maurice says he knows and leaves.

The Badawis have gathered to Jaqueline's office, and Jaqueline informs them about an update to their assignment. She tells them that Lieselotte has something "of hers" and she wants them to go find proof of it and retrieve Delano. Beatrice informs her that they are just about to find a link between Lieselotte and Hellenic. Jaqueline says that they are free to continue with the line of investigation, but she'll give them what she knows about Zeus if they help Delano. Orlando offers to help Delano so Beatrice and continue looking into Hellenic.

Joel is sitting in an office at the Power Plant. Tsubaki approaches him again, asking how he's doing. Joel gives an exhausted answer. Tsubaki asks if he wants to talk about it, but Joel doesn't seem eager to talk. He just brushes it up all to having to work for once in his life and not being used to it. Joel gets a message from Michael, reminding him of Lieselotte's charity gala coming up. Joel invites Tsubaki to the gala with him. Tsubaki agrees.

Maurice is at the Red Lights District, following a map app. He arrives at the place where Delano met with the man with the van. He hacks into a security camera and finds Delano meeting with the man in the archives. He takes screenshots of the man and finds out who he is. Then Maurice heads to Jaqueline's office and tells her that he found the men who took Delano. Jaqueline asks what she would do with this information. Maurice gives some violent options, which Jaqueline turns down, saying that they could just ask the man if this whole deal was his idea or if he was paid to do it. Or more specifically, if Lieselotte paid him to do it.

Daxton escorts Maurice out of the casino, letting Maurice have a quick chat with him. Maurice says that Delano has mentioned Dax a few times, but Daxton notices that he hasn't heard of Maurice. Maurice suggests that the two should have dinner together to get to know each other, to which Daxton eagerly agrees. Before Maurice leaves, Daxton asks him to contact him if there's anything he can do. Maurice agrees.

Maurice finds the man who abducted Delano and breaks into his apartment. With a little violent persuasion, Maurice hears that a "fancy bitch" hired him to abduct Delano and "scare him a little". He agrees to give her number to Maurice if he gets out of the apartment. Maurice agrees. With the phone number, Maurice finds Lieselotte's pa and the texts she sent to the man. Hacking the pa's phone, Maurice sadly can't find any mention of Delano or hiring people in the texts between the pa and Lieselotte.

While they wait to hear from Ivy, Beatrice and Qianfan head back to Hellenic HQ to see if they can find a connection to Lieselotte in the archives. They don't find it, but they find reports about successfully inducing spontaneous mutations in mice. Qianfan asks if there's any mention about inducing it in people. Beatrice connects it to the bottle that Keith swallowed before mutating. Qianfan says that they should call the coroner and ask if they've finished the analysis on the bottle. As they leave the HQ, Beatrice calls the coroner, who tells them that the tests are still cooking, but whatever was in the vial was strong, but there isn't enough left to figure what the liquid would do.

Meanwhile, Valeria is walking at a brisk pace at the Red Lights District. Jessie and Penny see her and invite her for a chat. Valeria asks them if they've heard of anyone getting abducted recently. Jessie is immediately interested and offers to help Valeria look into this mystery. Valeria learns that the person who might have gotten abducted in a van was Delano and she pales. She's suddenly in a hurry to find the van, which Jessie notes. Valeria and Jessie start to move out, but Valeria notices that Penny is staying behind. Valeria asks if she's not coming, which Penny confirms. Penny tells her that they found her father dead, so she's collecting money for the funeral. Valeria hugs her and tells her she's sorry for her loss and offers to help with the funeral.

Valeria and Jessie head out and ask around about the van, but they don't find much. Jessie asks why Valeria is so stressed out about this, and Valeria tells her that Delano is her nephew.

Yuuji, Whisper and Angelo are in a bar, keeping an eye on Ed. Angelo confesses that he doesn't have a clear idea of bar etiquette because he has never drunk alcohol. Because of this, Whisper will be the one getting Ed to drink while chatting to him while Angelo keeps an eye on Whisper's back. Whisper managed to get the man talk about his job, especially some "unofficial commissions" that he sometimes takes from a "rich woman". Ed proceeds to tell them about taking Keith to a certain place. He only later learned that Keith mutated in the place and that he feels horrible about it. He also talks about abducting someone and beating him up. He asks if he's a bad person for doing those things, to which Whisper doesn't have a polite answer to. They do tell him that he should probably stop doing those shady commissions. With that, Whisper and Angelo return to Yuuji and tell him what they found out. Yuuji asks if they found out who this rich woman is, which they didn't. Because it's late, the group decides to go home. Angelo walks Whisper to their apartment because Whisper is a little drunk. Whisper stumbles, and Angelo puts their arm around them to keep them upright. When the two get to Whisper's apartment building, Whisper thanks Angelo for walking them home and calls him cute, which they immediately call a slip of a tongue.

Maurice gets a text from Jessie, asking him for a favor to hack into a security camera to find a van. Maurice asks if it's to do with Delano's kidnapping. Maurice tells Jessie that he's also working on the case and that he knows where Delano is. Valeria wants to know which hospital, which Maurice doesn't know yet, but he promises to let Jessie know when there's something she can do. Valeria doesn't understand this. Delano is in the hospital, the situation should be over now? Maurice just tells them that the situation is deeper than that. Valeria connects the dots and wonders if this is to do with the stalker that Delano has mentioned having. Valeria asks Jessie if Lillith would know about the stalker. Jessie texts Lillith and asks. Lillith does know that the stalker exists and that it's a woman and probably rich. Jessie tells Lillith that Delano has been abducted and Lillith is Not Happy to hear it. She asks Jessie and Valeria to wait for two hours before getting back to them with more info.

Valeria asks who Lillith is. Jessie tells her that Lilliith is the founder of the Sex Workers' Union, but not much else is known about her.

At Ivy's apartment, Ivy is sitting on the sofa with her hacker friend Irantu. She's on the phone with Lieselotte's pa and tells her that she's been contacted by Hellenic about wage theft that took place five years ago. However, her client is interested in not suing if Meyer Renovations can prove that there were wages going from MR to Hellenic. Lieselotte's pa sends Ivy the logs, neatly connecting Meyer Renovations to Hellenic at the time of the illegal chemical dump scandal.

Lillith gets back to Valeria and Jessie, telling them that she couldn't find much because Delano doesn't have much of a presence online, but she recommends them to go talk to one of the guards at the casino that he seems to be close to. Valeria jumps at the chance.

Aditi goes to Mala's house for the dinner. The two fondly talk to each other about the food Mala cooked, about Jaimal and about Aditi's mother. When Aditi pulls out the gulab jamun that she brought, Mala grows quiet. She tells Aditi that she trusts her, and because she trusts her, she's going to show Aditi something. Mala brings Aditi to her secret lab and asks her to put a hairnet, shoe covers and a labcoat on. Aditi is starting to get scared, but she follows Mala and her instructions. Before Mala opens the capsule where Jaimal is sleeping in, she asks Aditi to promise that she won't tell anyone about what she sees in the lab. Aditi promises, and Mala opens the capsule, revealing Jaimal inside. Aditi stares in disbelief and asks if she can touch him. Mala explains Aditi what happened after the car crash. Aditi is in awe that Mala did all of it alone and hugs her, saying that it must have been hard. Mala hugs her back and confirms that it was hard.

While Aditi and Mala hug, Jaimal wakes up. Aditi hurries to hug him and finally starts to cry on his shoulder. Aditi calls this a miracle and thanks Mala for doing this miracle.

Mala asks Jaimal what the last thing he remembers is. Jaimal is a little confused, but he says that he remembers just having moved into their new house. Mala notes that Jaimal has forgotten a few years before the accident. After some chatting, Jaimal falls back asleep, and Mala and Aditi return upstairs. Back in the kitchen, Mala reminds Aditi how important it is that she never tells anyone about the lab. Aditi says it's going to be hard, but she promises not to tell. Aditi asks why Mala doesn't want to come to public with what she has done. She could be rich and famous if people knew that she has saved someone from dying from mutations. Mala tells her that she has a reason to suspect that someone rammed into their car on purpose and that she's not sure if it's safe for Jaimal yet.

Aditi asks what Mala is going to do next. Mala says that she has to do some tests to figure out if Jaimal has brain damage and she has to wean him back to solid food and start his physical therapy. Aditi offers to help.

Mala tells Aditi that when she's sure that it's safe, they can start telling people about Jaimal being alive.

At the casino, Valeria and Jessie find Daxton and ask if he knows anything about his stalker. Daxton says that Delano has mentioned the stalker to him only a few times, but he's said that she sometimes sends him gifts and seems to think that she was his girlfriend. He then connects the dots and speculates that maybe Delano's sudden move from his apartment is connected to the stalker. He also tells Valeria that other people are looking into the case and taking care of it, to Valeria's relief. Daxton also offers to contact Valeria if there's something she can do.

At Beatrice's apartment, Beatrice and Angelo have just finished telling the rest of the family about the reports they found at Hellenic. After a shocked silence, Isabella asks if they've found a connection between Lieselotte and Hellenic yet, which they are still waiting for from Ivy. As if on cue, Ivy calls Beatrice and tells her that she's sent the evidence to her email. Beatrice asks what she can do for Ivy in return, but Ivy agrees to leave it as an IOU for now. She also wants to see Lieselotte "eat shit".

Aditi returns home, humming cheerfully. Keelan notices it and comments on it. Aditi serves some of Mala's leftovers for her family. Keelan is relieved to hear that Mala is starting to move on from Jaimal's death, but Makali seems to be a little suspicious. She shrugs it off, when Aditi asks her if it's really that hard to believe.

Back at the hospital, Delano wakes up to Lieselotte and a nurse coming to his room. The nurse gives Delano a check up before declaring him alright to go home. Lieselotte gives Delano some clothes, which he changes into before they're ready to leave. While The nurse escorts Lieselotte and Delano out of the hospital, Lieselotte chatters happily, suggesting that they should go clothes shopping, especially because Delano now needs a suit for the charity gala coming up. Delano is confused about the gala, but seems to just roll with the announcement that it's when he's going to do his "social debut" in.

Lieselotte brings Delano to her house in her car. At the house, Lieselotte says that there is someone who's eager to see you, which Delano thinks means Fang. But when they get in the house, Lieselotte instead calls for Adriano (Asahi). Delano immediately notices that Adriano's eyes are identical to Delano's. Lieselotte tells Delano that after the dinner they had together, Lieselotte found that she was pregnant. Adriano is Lieselotte and Delano's son.

#original #in english #story: lightmore

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bqstqnbruin · 3 months ago

Text

Just Friends Part 2

Happy Friday friends! Today I put a student in time out so it's been a long day! But here we are with part 2, as promised!

Warnings: This part includes a mild panic attack, swearing, and a sex dream (nothing graphic but heavily implied)

WC: 4007

Read the previous part here

__________________________________________

When Jeremy and John had left their numbers with the three girls, they had assured them they would only use the numbers when absolutely necessary, especially after witnessing what was now called “The Keelan Incident” in their apartments.

Well, John had made and kept that promise, as far as Jeremy was concerned. He did notice his roommate on his phone a lot more often now, though. Jeremy also did, but only for Fran and Maddy. So far, he had used Emeline’s number to text her random memes that his teammates had sent him, the video of him being fed by his teammate that she still didn’t understand the context for, the various tik toks the media team makes him do, songs that he thought she would like to add to the playlist she had for her classroom, as well as the random thoughts and musings that popped into his head that he just had to tell her right that second. That is, before the two of them would end up on the other's couch, something streaming that neither of them paid attention to on the nights that Keelan didn’t go over or the nights that Jeremy didn’t have a game.

He couldn’t help it, there was just something about Emeline that made him constantly think about her.

“Jere,” Trent says, throwing one of his dirty socks at his teammate after what had felt like an unusually grueling practice at Warrior. “What’s up with you?”

“He’s got a girl,” John teases, the guys still in the locker room hollering at him.

He could feel his face turning bright red, knowing that it wasn’t going to help him when he tries to insist, “she’s not my girl.”

“Well, no, she has a boyfriend. But he wants her to be his girl.”

Jeremy lets out a sigh, his phone buzzing in his locker sending his teammates into a frenzy.

“It’s your girl, isn’t it?” Trent asks.

“Still not my girl, and what if it is?”

“You’re in treacherous waters, my friend.”

“Trent, do you even know what the word treacherous means?”

Trent blinks, shaking his head as he, Jeremy, and John head out for the day. “Whatever. If you like a girl who has a boyfriend, it’s only going to end with you either heartbroken when she won’t dump him for you, or with you two together and him wanting to kill you.”

“He won’t even eat a pizza without throwing a tantrum, I don’t think he’s capable of murder,” John points out. “But, I don’t know. They’re a weird couple.”

“What do you mean?”

“Remember a couple years ago when Patrice and Brad were talking about Sloane?” he asks, referencing their captain’s stepson. “How Brad made sense as his dad even before he and Katrina were married?” John asks Trent.

“Yeah?”

“Emeline and Keelan don’t have that. They don’t have that sense. They don’t make sense.”

“John, what are you talking about? They’ve been together for almost seven years.”

“Yeah, and Keelan still doesn’t have clothes over at their place? He has to bring an overnight bag anytime he’s staying over? That’s weird. They’re together out of convenience. Fran mentioned that he was a creature of habit. He’s with Emeline because she’s a habit to him at this point.”

Jeremy brushes him off. “You don’t just end a seven year relationship with someone on a whim.”

“I’m telling you, she’s gonna be the girl you dance with in the rain,” Johnny tells him.

“Won’t they get sick?” Trent asks.

“Not the point. Jere here made the mistake of telling me when he was drunk about how he wanted to dance in the rain with a girl that he loved,” Johnny teased him, throwing his arm around his roommate.

“I don’t think I can live with you anymore.”

“You signed a two year lease, you’re not moving.”

The three of them go their separate ways, John mentioning something about having to run some errands before heading home, leaving Jeremy alone with his thoughts. Of all the girls he could have liked, it had to be the one with a boyfriend? Fran is attractive in that scary unconventional ‘I could kill you with my thumb and make it look like an accident,’ kind of way. Maddy is covered in tattoos, but is the definition of ‘looks like she could kill you but would actually kill for you if she cares about you.’

But Emeline.

God, if Jeremy thought of his perfect girl, it was Emeline. She was who he had pictured when he was in high school when he thought of who he wanted to end up with. She was intriguing, the bright red hair and green eyes that gave her a look of sweetness that was perfect for her as a teacher, like you could tell her your darkest secrets and she would take them to the grave. He could see tattoos peeking out of her sleeves that he had to know what they were. She had the sweetness of Maddy but the fire of Fran, and Jeremy couldn’t stop thinking about uncovering every inch of her and getting to know every aspect of her.

But she had a boyfriend.

She had a fucking boyfriend who looked like a Ken doll and acted like that angry pink teddy bear from the last relevant Toy Story movie.

He couldn’t help but think about what they could possibly have in common. They met when they were freshmen since they all played lacrosse, the girls on the varsity team while Keelan played club. They didn’t come from the same area, they didn’t have the same hobbies, they didn’t even watch the same TV shows from what Emeline told him. Their jobs were completely different, which was fine, but according to Maddy and Fran, Keelan was never too thrilled that Emeline was ‘just a teacher.’ Keelan, apparently, always made a point of telling Emeline that she was ‘too smart to be a teacher,’ which didn’t make sense to Jeremy. Wouldn’t parents want a teacher for their kids who knew what they were talking about?

Jeremy didn’t even know what they could begin to talk about in their spare time. It seemed like they just sat there in silence, most of Keelan’s conversation in that apartment involving Fran verbally murdering him. He really didn’t want to think about what else they did if they weren’t talking.

He just had to sleep it off. He had the apartment to himself for a bit, the girls were all at work so there was no blasting music, and he didn’t sleep very long the night before thanks to the fun thoughts running through his brain.

Jeremy just had to lie down and let his mind wander somewhere other than into the next apartment.

Jeremy knew he was asleep and dreaming, given that everything on the edge of his vision had that blurriness he knew only when unconscious. The five of them were in the boy’s apartment, Fran and Maddy sitting on the floor, Johnny on one of the chairs they had that faced the TV. Emeline was sitting with Jeremy, her head leaning against his shoulder while his arm was around her, her hand holding his. Her other arm was resting on his leg, tracing patterns on his skin, leaving trails of goosebumps on his thigh.

“Are you two doing anything for your anniversary?” Fran asks, her voice distorted.

“Jeremy said he has something planned,” Emeline says, lifting her head and twisting to look at him. He feels her lips against his suddenly, the feeling gone too soon.

“God, I can’t believe it’s been two years already,” Maddy’s mouth moves, the voice coming out of her not hers.

Johnny winks at him, gesturing to him to follow him as he gets up off the chair. They walk into the kitchen, looking more like the girl’s kitchen next door than their own. “Remember that you have to go pick up the ring soon.”

Jeremy feels himself nod, turning and walking out the door.

He steps into a bar instead, one that looked similar to one he had gone to a few times when he was in college, but with that weird sense of it being slightly off falling over him.

He saw Emeline, her eyes lighting up like the way he hoped they would whenever he saw her. Like the way they did when she talked about her students even when she had had a long day. Like the way they probably should when Keelan got brought up in conversation.

She bounces over to him, her arms wrapping around his neck and pulling him in for a kiss, Jeremy noticing a huge diamond on her left ring finger.

This was just a dream. Real Emeline would never have wanted a ring like that.

Her fingers slowly traced their way down from his jaw line to his Adams Apple, her hand becoming like a necklace on him as he felt himself tensing up in every place imaginable.

She kisses him again, her dream hand snaking its way down to his waist and tugging him closer by his belt loops. She gets on her toes to whisper in his ear, her breath tickling his skin and sending a shiver down his spine as she tells him, “I think the bathroom’s free.”

The next thing he knows, he’s pinned against the wall, everything around him white. His pants are around his ankles and Emeline’s legs are wrapped around his waist, his hands holding on to her ass. He was not only with dream Emeline, he was inside her, his hips rocking back and forth in a steady rhythm while he heard her moan his name.

God, she sounded so good. His name coming from her lips like that was everything he could ever want to hear. Her lips meet his, just as he’s about to finish.

“Jeremy,” she gets out right before he snaps awake, his heart beating out his chest as he hears John clamoring through the apartment.

“Oh, fuck me,” he groans, covering his face with his sheets. He just had a dream about Emeline. Not only was it a dream, it was a sex dream that felt all too real for his comfort.

“You rang?” John asked, poking his head into Jeremy’s doorway. “Oh, wow, you, actually,” he stammers.

Jeremy unburies himself to see Johnny ducking out of his room right away, the interrupted dream itself having more of an effect on Jeremy than he had thought, especially with it being visible through the sheets.

He takes the time he needs before venturing out into their living room, finding Johnny already sprawled across the couch with the TV on.

“Sorry about that,” he mumbles, sitting on the other end of their couch.

“Tell me you weren’t thinking about Emeline, at least,” Johnny tells him, not taking his eyes off the screen so that he didn’t see the red creeping up on Jeremy’s face. “For fucks sake, Jere,” he scolds him when Jeremy doesn’t answer.

“It was a dream,” he tries to defend himself.

“I saw her in the elevator,” John says, flipping channels, “She asked if we were busy tonight.”

“Oh, uh,” Jeremy starts to stammer.

“I told her I was but you weren’t.”

“Why would you do that?”

John shrugs, side-eying his roommate and smirking. “I wasn’t going to lie to her. She’s a teacher. She would somehow be able to make me retroactively fail the high school chemistry class I took, like, six years ago.”

“Didn’t you get a D in that class anyway?” Jeremy tries to distract him.

“Eh,” he shrugs again, “probably. But go hang out with her. Your phone has been buzzing with her trying to reach you anyway.”

Jeremy notices his phone on the table in front of them, not even remembering leaving it there before heading to his bed. He couldn’t see Emeline right after he had that dream. He wasn’t sure he could see her ever again.

But, fuck, did he want to.

He scrolls through his notifications, seeing Emeline’s text asking him to help her bring stuff down to her car for her students. Before he could respond, the boys heard a knock at their door, Emeline inviting herself in. “Come with me,” she tells Jeremy, her keys in her hand and a pile of stuff outside their door.

“What could you possibly need this much bleach and food coloring for?” Jeremy asks, following her like a puppy and picking up a grocery bag and the Amazon box addressed to her. That feeling of anxiety about seeing her again was gone as soon as she spoke to him. God, he was in way too deep already.

“After I spike my coworker’s coffee with bleach I like to leave my mark. They call me ‘The Dyeing Death,” she deadpans.

“Really?”

“No, dumbass, it’s for a lab.”

“I wouldn’t put it past you for that first thing, though,” Jeremy teases, earning a smile from her. “Oh, I read that book you told me about,” he mentions, his heart skipping a beat when she smiles at him. The other night, he had been texting her while she was reading this book, The Glass Bead Game by Herman Hesse. She told him it was one of her favorite books from when she was in high school. He had to read it.

“Really?”

“Yeah, of course.”

“What did you think?”

“I had no fucking clue what was going on.”

Emeline laughs, the elevator door dinging to signal that it had arrived on their floor. They head in, in silence, Jeremy feeling his heart racing once the doors open and they step in. Now he knows where the ‘bathroom’ from his dream came from. It was the elevator.

He fucked Emeline in the elevator in his dream.

Jeremy starts coughing, trying to suppress his panic in any way possible.

“You good there, bud?”

“Uh, yeah,” he says, clearing his throat. He shouldn’t be around her, not like this, not after that dream, a sense of dread looming over him. “Just a tickle.”

Emeline nods, clearly not buying what he was saying. She opens her mouth to tease him when both of them are thrown off balance. The light above them flickers, the elevator coming to a halt with them stuck in it.

“Oh, you’ve gotta be kidding me. Again?” Emeline groans, putting the bags in her arms on the floor and hitting the emergency button.

“Again? This has happened to you before?” Jeremy asks, his voice breaking as the panic washes over him.

“It happened to Fran and I about a month ago. This fucking elevator is past it’s inspection date.”

The two of them sink to the floor, Jeremy feeling his heart rate go up. He had never been stuck like this before, and he wasn’t reacting well. “How long did it take last time?”

Emeline shrugs, pulling out her phone and starting to tap away on the screen, Jeremy able to see her email app pulled up. How was she able to stay calm and answer a student while Jeremy felt like the world was going to end? “Two hours maybe?”

“Oh, god,” Jeremy says, pressing his head against the wall. This had to be another dream of his. He felt like something was sitting on his chest, stopping him from being able to breathe.

Emeline was talking about something, her voice drowning out around him. He tried to focus on what she was saying, the dream flashing into his mind and turning into a nightmare. All he could hear was a ringing, the light above them too bright for him. He pulled his legs to his chest, his mind’s only solution to try to make himself as small as possible.

The feeling like he wanted to gasp for a breath to try to slow down his heart while having that same task feeling like it was impossible to do came over him, his thoughts racing a mile a minute while he tried to convince himself that breathing was something he could do. He was being crushed from the outside, while inside felt like something was fighting its way out. He put his hand on his chest, whatever this was coming on so quickly he wasn’t even sure he could process it even if he didn’t feel like he was about to die.

“Have I ever shown you this?” Emeline asks him in a calm voice. He opens his eyes to see her pulling up her pant leg to show him the tattoo on her ankle. “When I was little, the first movie I remember watching with my dad was Dumbo. Apparently I was obsessed with elephants. Every stuffed elephant we saw when we were out, I would cry until my dad bought it for me. I would be an elephant for Halloween every year until I was like ten.” Jeremy looks at the three cartoonish elephants that were walking across her ankle, the tail of the one in front connecting to the trunk of the one behind it. “They’re supposed to be my grandmother, my dad, then me.

“I have this one, too, which hurt like a bitch,” she tells him, rolling up her left sleeve and showing him her forearm, Jeremy only able to nod along while she talked. “But that’s because of the shading and all the different colors the artist had to use. It’s The Kiss by Gustav Klimt. My grandmother loves this painting, and I became fascinated with it after that movie in, like, 2015 with Helen Miren and Ryan Reynolds came out about it.

“Then I have these,” she twists around, holding her hair up to show him the ones on the back of her neck and behind her right ear. “Maddy and I actually have matching ones. We got them junior year during finals week. We were exhausted from not sleeping and decided at two in the morning while we were studying for our neuro exam that we should get matching tattoos. They really shouldn’t let sleep-deprived people get tattoos, but who am I to say?” Jeremy laughs, unable to hold it in as Emeline smiles at him when she turns back to face him. “I have guanine and dopamine, then she has cytosine and serotonin.”

“I have no idea what that means,” he says, feeling the lump that had formed in his throat start to go away.

Emeline crosses her legs back up and puts her hands in her lap, positioning her body so it was perfectly flush to him, leaning forward ever so slightly as Jeremy felt himself doing the same. He hated that he wished she would reach for his hands, pulling his legs away from his chest and copying her pose, his hands right there for her to do so. “Guanine and cytosine are DNA pairs, and since Maddy was a nursing student, we both took a lot of the same science courses, so we figured, why not? Then dopamine and serotonin are the chemicals responsible for us feeling happy. They’re a little different, but they have the same end goal, just like Maddy and I.”

“Does Fran have any tattoos?”

Emeline laughs. “God, no. She’d love to, the three of us even have matching tattoo ideas. Our favorite one was three ghosts that were wearing different hats, all holding up a middle finger, which fits us kind of perfectly when you think about it, but I’m pretty sure Anderson would figure out a way to get me fired for that if he found out I had that. He already hates that I have tattoos, but since I can cover them up, he can’t say anything about it. Fran, however, is terrified of needles and of pain. Plus, her dad would kill her. He thinks she’s going to take over as CEO of his company when he retires since her brothers are incompetent when it comes to anything in the business world, and he wants to make sure she gives no reason for the other men not to take her seriously.”

The two of them sit in silence for a second, staring at each other. “Are you better now?” she asks.

“What?”

“You were having an anxiety attack. Or a panic attack. I still don’t really know the difference between them, but, hey, I teach chemistry, not psychology.”

Jeremy realizes the panic he felt when the elevator stopped was gone. He was fine, he could breathe, he had been laughing and asking Emeline about her tattoos without issue. “Oh, yeah. Thanks.” She shrugs him off. “How did you know to do that?”

“One of my students on the lacrosse team at school had one of them before a game two years ago. She was so freaked out because it was a game against our rival school and it was for the conference title. I remembered reading that one way to stop it is to try to distract the person so they aren’t focusing on the panic but on something else. So, I started ranting about how the Mad Hatter from Alice in Wonderland is based off of mercury poisoning. She comes to my classroom whenever she’s anxious now and we just sit and try to make each other laugh instead.”

“You really care about your students,” Jeremy says, feeling his heart swell. God, she really was perfect to him.

“Of course. I teach at a school where you have to be all in for the kids. I feel like you need to be that for students no matter where, but at my school, that’s so ingrained in the culture that you don’t have any other option. And, I don’t know,” she shrugs, looking down at her lap, Jeremy noticing her cheeks turning pink. “I know what it’s like to need someone to talk to and not know who to go to. Or to feel like you can’t go to anyone. I don’t want them to feel like that. It’s one of those feelings that can send you spiraling, where you feel lost without knowing how to be found.”

Before Jeremy can ask her about that, the elevator shudders back to life, the ride down to the lobby continuing again as if it had never stopped. They take a moment before standing up, grabbing the bags and acting like nothing had happened.

The problem was, Jeremy couldn’t stop thinking about it. Nothing serious had happened, but the entire thing refused to leave his mind.

The next morning at practice, he didn’t even notice Trent coming right at him with a shot, getting it past him with ease.

“You just let Freddy score on you, what’s going on?” John skates up to him, Monty yelling something in the background to Trent about his form.

“Nothing,” Jeremy mumbles.

“No,” John says as the two skate away, Joonas taking Jeremy’s spot in net. “You’ve been moping around the apartment since you got back from whatever you were doing with Emeline. What happened?”

“I like her,” he finally admits out loud when they get back to the locker room.

“Well, duh,” John says.

“Fuck,” he groans, taking off his mitts and putting his head in his hands. “What do I do?”

He couldn’t like Emeline. She had just been a crush for so long, since he first moved into that building. Why couldn’t she have just stayed a crush? Why did Maddy and Fran have to have the music so loud? Why was she even better than the imaginary person he had created in her place in his head?

“Either get over her or get under her. The first one seems easier,” John suggests.

“You’re disgusting.”

“I’m right. You just need to find someone else to date. There are plenty of people who would date you.” Jeremy thinks on it, balling his shirt up in his hands and tossing it back and forth in silence. “Look, unless she dumps Keelan, you two are only going to be friends.”

#jswayman #jeremy swayman #jeremy swayman fic #nhl #nhl fic #hockey #hockey fic

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