#lord grant me courage to shut the hell up

[fitscientist]

Why did we have to make food a whole scientific discipline - hasn’t food just been food for the history of mankind?

It's so you can have food that is safe, nutritious, and available at the grocery store. Check out this link for more info: https://www.ift.org/career-development/learn-about-food-science

[upper-moon-4askblog]

Akuma paused a moment before chuckling  before tilting his head in a questioning matter

“Oh But didnt you know it is respectful to do that to your higher ups? If Not Then you know now!”

Akuma clasp his hands together his tired eyes lit up while he speaks clearly enjoying the little memories he had when he was a Human

“Also since when i was a human child so many years ago My parents taught me to respect people who are more well off and powerful than myself”

Akuma looks at sekido as well while still speaking to urgoi 

“Thank you urgoi!”

Akuma turns his head back to urgoi and  flashes  a smile before returning to his normal tired face

“But i believe im Not that funny im just stating the facts” 

Akumas turns his attention to sekido and tapps on his scales that are around his face in a thinking motion before speaking

“Sekideo, why do You think I have been chosen to be a demon? “

Akumas crosses his arms before tilting his head and raising his eyebrow

“It’s because of how confident im am,”

Akuma chest puffed up in pride before smirking  at sekido 

“ i admit i am  cocky But isn't that a nice feature to have?” 

Akuma walks towards sekido before stopping in front of him and surprisingly change his whole tired vibe into  a smug vibe

“And  sekido I'm Not cocky about my strength Im just cocky and confident about my self in general”

Akuma makes hand movement towards himself before smirking 

“And i'm well aware it’s disrespectful But if You going treat me like dirt than You be treated the same”

Akumas paused before sighing and Pinching the bridge of their nose As he trys to think how he can provoke him even more  akuma decide to try his luck by keeping up his rantiing 

“I'm well aware of that sekido! But reminder you Have the clones to complet against  to show off your strength and lets Not forget the other uppermoons!”

As  akuma felt prideful about his snarky remark  he jab a finger at sekido chest muitplue times 

“And I believe you, you can kill me in a second Hell might even half a second! But by all means Do it, I dare you. But the lord wont be happy as Im Not even challenging you for your rank!, Hell I believe i been very friendly considering im a cocky demon!”

Akuma quickly froze after speaking as he realize what he justs did Akuma didnt even bother to bat a eye at urogi clearly focusing on sekido also ignoring karkua as It’s Not akumas concern at the moment  as akuma  had a staring eye contest  with sekido akuma nervously Sway slightly as he stand and not a moment later  a shiver went up his spine as the air was getting colder Finally the eye contact was broken by akuma as he looked down refusing to look at sekido but feeling stubborn and Not willing to back down he went into  sekido personal space clearly still trying assort some sort of dominance  But it seems that akuma was starting to believe this was not a great idea as he force a smirk  he was too deep Now so he broke the silences by snarklying replying 

“Or what? Whatcha going do Huh?”

Akumas clearly was still nervous as he picked at his scale on his hands before continuing on while he spoke it sounded like his usual cocky voice but if listen carefully it had a nervous tone to it

“Are you going to kill me? If so You're more pathetic  than i thought killing a weaker demon because of your frail ego”

Akuma sightly squirm under sekidos anger filled eyes but he isnt willing to back down as he stood there in sekidos personal space his fins are flared up waiting for sekido responds

(Thank you! I love making ocs! And also this is to prove even tho akuma is a cocky son of a gun he also has a brain to know he messed up but he is stubborn to back down)

Sekido scoffs as he gazes down at you from his tall stature.

— "Oh, you've got a lot of guts, little demon! I'll grant you that. If only you had this courage in battle."

He says with a bit of a cruel laugh.

— "If you value your life, you'll shut your mouth and keep your arrogant words to yourself, you hear me?!"

He shouts, his voice booming. His deep red eyes glare at you intensely, burning with anger.

[leah-halliwell92]

You Were Lucky...Good for You

Summary: Sirius sticks his foot in his mouth...again.

Scene for something in the future…maybe.

Trigger warning! MENTIONS OF RAPE AND CHILD ABUSE. Don’t like don’t read.

It was a quiet spring morning at headquarters, the house was quiet and settled the portrait of Old Walburga was quiet without the need of spells for once, the birds were chirping and a breeze and sunlight were making its way through the kitchen via an opened window. It was early enough for the house to still be asleep, considering that it is the last leg of the summer holidays, so you took this as a chance to bask in the calm before the storm that is the pre-term school supply shopping madness.

Amelia had just finished brewing a pot of tea and was sitting at the large table just basking in the silence and morning peace before the house’s resident potion’s master made his way.

“Good morning,” she says with a small grin.

He nodded in return looking calmer than she’d ever seen him while at Grimmauld’s.

Amelia was glad he felt at ease around her, knowing the patience it took to be living in your childhood bully’s home for part of the summer under Albus’ request.

The peace shattered when Sirius and Remus entered the room. Remus nodded a greeting at the two of them and took a seat to read the day’s newspaper. Sirius on the other hand, sat down quietly at first which was good.

Amelia noticed a glint in his eye when she spotted him not so subtly sparing glances in your direction. It didn’t take long for him to start...

“She could do better you know Moony,” he began a smirk on his lips.

Remus to his credit did not react, this spurred Sirius on however. 

The animagi went on and on about how not only could she do better in general, but a hell of a lot better than ‘Snivellous’ and “his obvious leanings towards the dark arts and the ties he has to the death eaters”.

“Shut up!” Amelia yelled having had enough of Sirius’ bullying and Remus’ complacency.

“I’m right ab­–“

“Stop,” she said forcefully, “What are you so peeved about? That Severus realized his mistake and is and has atoned for them? Or that your dear friend Peter sold out the Potters without remorse?”

She cast a wandless ‘silencio’ on him not wanting him to interrupt. The air thickened with magic as Amelia tried to contain from letting her emotions drive her magic to lash out at him.

“Just because the dark arts as a topic intrigued him didn’t make him a bad man, just because he experimented and looked into some of those theories doesn’t make him a dark wizard and just because he is a slytherin doesn’t make him any less of a human being than you are,” she stopped and took a deep breath before looking at him coldly as she occluded enough to get her point across, “You grew up in a dark home and ran away to get away from all that which is understandable. But you have no idea what it’s like to grow up in a muggle home where your life is threatened from the moment you’re born.”

Sirius continued to glare at her from his seat while Remus looked at her quietly clueless…what he usually looks like when he doesn’t want to be a part of something.

“Do you have any idea what it’s like to grow up in an abusive home with no such opportunity as that? Do you have any idea what it’s like to go home summer after summer from what should be a safe place back into your own personal hell?” She stared at Sirius who seemed to be coming to the same conclusion she was making, “And do you have any idea what it’s like to feel unsafe in the very place that promises to protect you?”

Remus paled at the image she was painting for them.

“You have no idea what you’re talking about. You have no idea…no idea what it’s like to feel like you’re in danger day in and day out not only at Hogwarts but out of her as well. You have no idea what’s it’s like to feel like you’re being hunted every day for being different,” she said before leaning back in her seat and casually asked, “Do you know what its like to come home from school and be greeted by your father who takes you to the farthest room from the door and lock you in with nothing but a door flap for food and water? Do you know what its like for said father to bring ‘friends’ over to ‘play with’? To have bruises on your wrists and ankles from the binds that tied you to a dirty mattress?”

Remus blanched at this and from her peripheral vision she saw an already pale Severus go even paler. But Amelia’s gaze was connected to Sirius’ who paled at the implication she made as he shook his head.

“I didn’t think so. You ran away from your own hell and despite having your face blasted off your family tree, you inherited vault after vault holding your family’s fortune. Meaning, just because you managed to run away from your hell and landed on top, that doesn’t mean the rest of us with our own will be granted the same opportunity,” she said calmly before downing her now cold tea, “And the next time you even DARE call him a coward, think about all the lions that hide behind false bravado to do things their way.”

“What about your mother?” Remus asked gently.

“She passed away when I was three, cancer I think,” she said with a sigh.

Amelia lifted the silencio from Sirius and went to get up when the mutt couldn’t just leave well enough alone.

“Why are you defending him so much? We’ve always known that Snivellous will always follow his lord,” Sirius said childishly, “Only a coward would stoop so low.”

“Sirius stop,” Remus said his heightened senses telling him that trouble is here and ever present in the light that lit I her eyes and the electric feeling of wild magic dancing around them.

Severus stared at Amelia in awe as she retook herr seat and practically nailed down a now fearful Sirius with a look

“No, only a coward would stoop so low to bully someone smaller than them,” she said voice hard, “A coward is someone easily intimidated by someone else’s achievements over your own prompting said bullying episodes, on top of beating on a classmate from another house because of not being a lion.”

“He called Lily a mudblood!” Sirius yelled.

“Sirius stop!” Remus yelled as the temperature in the room fell.

“Oh now you stop him,” she said coldly before Severus could jump in.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Remus asked affronted.

“Because a coward is being the spectator of an attack three to one and does nothing to stop it,” she said looking at Remus in the eye, “Being brave and courageous is standing up for others when they are clearly in need of help. Not to mention Evans took the use of a word too far. It is a hurtful word, but she saw this as an opportunity to dump him and took it when she noticed that he didn’t fit her image anymore.”

“They knew I was werewolf,” Remus said his eyes going yellow showing the wolf in him.

Amelia lifted a brow at him clearly unimpressed with the show of dominance and said, “So what? Were you too much of a bitch that you not only couldn’t come to the aid of another student but confront a group of bullies because you were scared of being ousted as a wolf? Now I know you’re a Gryffindor, but you must have some sense of self preservation. If that had been the case then you could have ousted them for having the marauder’s map.”

The pair’s eyes widened and she smirked.

“I have a feeling that that would’ve been call for expulsion for all of you for that map alone,” she said looking at your clean and nicely manicured nails, “Because not only is it an invasion of people’s privacy but it is very nice tool for stalkers and creeps. Any of our classman could have worked a way around your little password and used it to not only stalk people but cause irreparable damage to them…like rape and murder. But you’d know all about the second one…”

Remus looked at a now very pale Sirius and asked, “What does she mean by that?”

“He hasn’t told you then?” Severus asked sardonically, “I thought you love birds told each other everything.”

“What does she mean Severus?” Remus asked patience clearly wearing thin.

“It means wolf that he deliberately lured me into the shrieking shack on one of your full moons,” Severus said and walked out having had enough of them for one day.

“You did what!?” Remus yelled at Sirius.

“He was snooping around!” Sirius said hands up as he shrugged, “Had to teach him to keep his large nose from where it didn’t belong. It doesn’t matter anyway Prongs was there and nothing happened.”

“So not only are you inconsiderate of another student’s life but your own friend’s as well?” Amelia asked him even more unimpressed with Sirius than she was before, “Did it ever occur to you that should have Severus been bitten or killed it would have been an automatic death sentence for Remus?”

Sirius paled at this but didn’t respond.

“And you’d have gone to prison for a crime that you are actually guilty for,” she said crossing her arms, “Thinking of it now, you aren’t guilty for the deaths of Lily and James Potter. But you have done your time for the attempted murder of a student and endangerment of another.”

With her piece said, Amelia stood leaving the men to behind to bicker as she went in search for Severus.

//00//00//00//

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[creator-savannah]

The Spark That Lights The Fire

Summary -

Never in your life have you ever thought that you would be transported to Hell.

But here you are standing in Hell, why not cause as many problems as you can? I mean you're already here.

I mean being Isekai'd to another realm without your permission sucks. Maybe you should've taken notes on how to survive an Isekai situation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In which chaotic good MC goes to devildom.

Part of the Chaos At It’s Finest Series

Cross Posted on - AO3 Wattpad

Chapter Two - RAD is Pretty Rad

You fucked up.

No, seriously, you fucked up.

You just insulted the future king of Hell and cut him off multiple times.

"Wait, isn't Lucifer—or was it Satan—the king of Hell?" You say, you know, why stop now? Well, if you don't stop now you might find yourself killed or eradicated if you say one more word from the look on Lucifer's face. It's funny, you would think that would sound like a compliment, but, he looks like he's been insulted.

You look at Satan, and it looks like he's enjoying the look on Lucifer's face. He really does hate him for whatever reason.

You were willing to bet it was identity issues or daddy issues.

You laughed, and looked at Lucifer straight in the eye and said,

"Lord Diavolo, I'm sure this human does not mean it."

Lucifer said, he looked really panicked. He looked in your direction and you could swear that it was trying to obliterate your soul.

"Bold of you to assume I didn't mean it."

Yep… You're so dead.

You could see it, your grave, and written on your grave was;

You didn't think you'd die this early, but, at least you'd die a death no one you know would.

"Here lies, _____ _____.

Reason of death;

Killed because they were too much of an idiot to know when to stop talking.

Their final words were,

'Bold of you to assume I didn't mean it.' "

As you were internally monologuing your probably final moment alive, someone was laughing their ass off. Getting annoyed by the constant laughter—your final moments were supposed to be sad and dramatic goddamnit—you, being the dumbass protagonist that you are, yell,

"HEY! SHUT THE FUCK UP WHILE I'M INTERNALLY MONOLOGUEING MY FINAL MOMENTS!"

Did you even know who you were yelling at? No.

Did you care? Of course not, you were going to die either way.

But, after yelling what you said, you only realize now that the person who was laughing their ass off was no other than, you guessed it, Mr. I'm the demon prince, himself.

Why? Before you die, you wanted to know, why? Why do you keep interrupting him? Even if it's unintentional, you just keep on interrupting him.

"Someone kill me." You say. No point in begging for mercy.

The last thing you expected would happen was laughter. No, not the evil kind, but the kind of laughter you'd get when you get entertained, or when you find something really funny. Or when–

"Ahem, may I?"

First of all, rude. Second of all, is this what Mr. I'm the demon prince, feels like whenever you interrupt him? And who said that? There's no indicator on who said that.

You looked at the man in front of you and saw Lucifer's black and red eyes glint murderously.

"No, no, Lucifer, no need to murder the human." Mr. I'm the demon prince said, wiping off tears from his the side of his eyes.

Are you sure this man wasn't a saint? Like, dude, did you just save me? The person that keeps on interrupting you and being an idiot?

You were confused, there's no way that this man just stopped Lucifer from killing you. Did he want to kill you himself? Because you'd be fine with that. At least you were going to die by the hands of a Full course meal of a man.

Oops- Did you forget to mention that Diavolo was hot as fuck? Like he's hot as Hell. He's a UR+ Man™. The kind of guy in otome games that are always undateable.

Ack! You're rambling, you slap your cheeks and look at the man in front of you.

"(____) are you alright?"

"Yep, I'm fine, totally, super fine, now can we get back to the topic of why I'm here, Mr. I'm the demon prince?" You say, feeling awkward, now that you've just realized how hot Diavolo was.

Wait, did you hear that right? Did you just call him by the nickname you gave him internally?

You were sure that if they didn't kill you, this embarrassment will.

"Mr. I'm the demon prince?" Diavolo said before bursting into laughter again.

First of all, thank you for saying you were perfect, Diavolo, it really boosted your ego. Second of all,

"You human, no, (____), you're really interesting, you know? You're perfect for this exchange program."

He said.

"Exchange program?"

"Ah yes, the exchange program is the reason you are here in Devildom at this very moment."

"But, I didn't apply for any exchange programs?" You asked, confused. You were sure you didn't apply for any exchange programs, they were too expensive for your tastes, and you weren't a genius to even get a scholarship to apply for one.

"Lucifer here will tell you the details, but, before that, how about I formally introduce you to Lucifer? I'm sure you would want to have your question from earlier answered."

Oh, yeah, that question from the beginning, welp, no take-backs now. No matter how idiotic and life-threatening that question was, you still wanted the question answered.

He did that thing you do when you're introducing someone to someone you know and said,

"This is Lucifer, The Avatar of Pride."

You looked to Lucifer, now that Diavolo mentioned it, he had an aura of smugness and self-importance, looking at him felt like you're looking at someone who was way out of your league, or maybe it was something more like what you feel when meeting your superior for the first time.

Even with all of those feelings your feeling right now, nothing could compare to the feeling of wanting to annoy him till he begs for you to stop.

Was that even possible? Probably not, you were sure that if you tried, you might die in the process.

Would that stop you from trying? No, after all, what's life if you don't take risks? Granted, that this idea of yours might kill you, you wanted to see Lucifer throw away his pride at least once.

Before you could plan how you could get Lucifer to beg, Diavolo starts talking.

"He's also the vice-president of the student council and my right-hand man… And not just in title, I assure you."

What was that supposed to mean? Are they gay and in a throuple? If that's the case, then where's the other one? Is Satan the other one? Or, are they secretly gay for each other but Diavolo is engaged to someone so they can't be together, just like in 'I'm Very Gay For My Best Friend But I'm In An Arranged Engagement, And Now I Don't Know What to Do!'

He chuckled, oops, did you miss something? Or, does he have mind-reading powers and currently reading your thoughts?

"Beyond that, he's also my most trusted friend."

That doesn't help! Diavolo, If you could read minds, then are you and Lucifer in a relationship? Diavolo, answer my question, please! You can't just leave me hanging like that!

While you were asking Diavolo in your mind, you suddenly hear Lucifer's voice.

"Flattery will get you no where, Diavolo."

Oof, may we get F in the chat for Diavolo? That's rough buddy, getting your compliments be labeled as flattery, that has never happened totally never happened to you—

Oh wait, it did.

Moving on, you decided to listen to Lucifer explain why the fuck were you here.

"On the behalf of the student body at this great and storied school of ours.."

Wait? Did you miss the whole fucking explanation?

"I offer you the most heartfelt welcome, (____)."

"Wait! Hold on! Why am I here again?" You asked,

"Were you not listening?" He replied, clearly annoyed that his whole explanation was ignored.

"Yeah, yeah, I wasn't listening. Now answer my damn question." You retort, maybe, not listening to the Avatar of Pride A.K.A Mr. I'm the demon prince's right-hand man is something an idiot would do but you knew that you were an idiot, but at least your an idiot with courage.

"Interesting," He says, you wonder if interesting is a word demons often used because you were sure that you've been hearing that word a whole lot ever since you came here, which is maybe an hour or two.

"This one is quite different from Solomon." He said, while wearing something in between a curious smirk and a smug one.

Well, thank you, it probably wasn't every day that Lucifer all-mighty compliments someone but, what can you say, you were different from other humans after all.

Also, who's Solomon? Was He–assuming they're a He, if not you were going to find them and apologize immediately—another human that got kidnapped? Maybe you two could be buddies, the 'We got kidnapped against our will Buddies'.

"And to recap the explanation you, oh so gracefully ignored—he's definitely mad about the ignoring thing, must've wounded his pride—Diavolo believes that we should start strengthening our relationship with both the human world and the Celestial Realm."

Uniting—or strengthening relations of—the three realms? Is that really what the future demon king should be thinking about? That's… Oddly peaceful, you would think he would want to destroy your world—or realm—not uniting the three realms, but, who were you to judge, you weren't a ruler, and maybe, not every demon wasn't all 'I want to corrupt you mwuhahaha.'

"As a first step towards this goal, we've instituted an exchange program, two of our students are in the human world, and two are in the Celestial Realm."

'Uh huh, aight, got it, continue' you think to yourself, imagining yourself taking notes.

"And we're welcoming four students to our school: two from your world and two from the Celestial Realm. Got it?"

You nod your head, thinking about who else got dragged into this. Two humans, that would be you and the Solomon guy, and two angels, huh, two angels.. Maybe they could tell you what sins you've committed to get dragged into this weird exchange program.

"So, basically, I've been chosen to participate in this weird exchange program of his?" You signal to Diavolo, who was smiling and being cheery and stuff, not the kind of things you'd expect from a demon prince.

"Yes, you are our newest exchange student. Your period of stay will be one year, you will do everything expected of an exchange student, such as tasks you will receive at RAD. After the one year is over, you will write a 20'000 word paper on your stay here in Devildom." He said, as if all the things he had listed were extremely easy to accomplish.

"I have many things to ask and say but first, what the fuck is RAD?" You say, just wanting to go back home and pretend this never happened.

"RAD is the shortened name for Royal Academy of Diavolo, and on the topic of RAD, we are currently in the very heart of it. This is the assembly hall, this us where we officers of the student council hold our meetings and conduct our business."

Never mind where you were in this RAD school, you wanted to know who the fuck thought it was a good idea to shorten the name to RAD. You suspected that Diavolo changed the academy's name to include his name to shorten it into that.

"Ok, thank you for your explanation, now, I don't want to participate in this exchange program." You say, you wanted to be as direct as possible, you did not want to be here.

"Why?" Diavolo raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, I don't know?! Maybe because I have a life? Maybe because this stupid exchange program isn't going to help me get a job? They would probably laugh at my face if I showed them that I attended this exchange program? It won't help me to feed myself after I go back!" You snap, you were tired of this bullshit, you might've joked around a lot, but, it doesn't change the fact that this exchange program doesn't help you in any way.

"Ah, I see... Then, how about I make sure you could secure a stable life in the human world after this exchange program is over?" He offers, he didn't look cheery anymore, he looked calculative, as if he actually thinking about this seriously.

"How?" You say, skeptical of his offer.

"I have my ways." He says, vaguely, very mysterious.

"Then, how about food, shelter, clothes, and other necessary stuff?"

"I've already planned where you will be staying for the exchange program, that is, if you decide to join this exchange program." He said, you know.. This Diavolo that you're seeing was different from the cheery one you were interrupting and calling names, this Diavolo was calculative, and serious. Maybe, you underestimated him due to his cheery attitude from before.

"…Then, how about my safety?" You ask, you weren't really all that excited to go to a school with human-eating demons, you needed some kind of reassurance that someone is going to be looking after you, after all, you can't even take care of yourself without stressing yourself.

"What do you take me for, a fool? Of course, you will be safe during this exchange program, no harm shall be placed upon you, if someone decides to harm you, we of the student council will take care of it.

"I will even give you a monthly allowance, how about that? Will you join the exchange program?"

"What's the catch?" You say, this offer that he was making was way too sketchy for your tastes. You did not want to be in debt to him, after all, he could simply say that the price for this exchange program was your soul, and you were pretty attached to your soul and, don't want to give it up, yet.

"Nothing, I just want you to join this exchange program." He says, alright, just to be sure,

"Pinky promise?" You held up your pinky for him to hook his own on, he looked confused. Has this man never heard of pinky promises?

"Pinky promise? Is that something you humans do?" He asked, nevertheless, he still hooked his pinky in yours.

"What a weird tradition." He said, after that he laughed. You've just noticed that his laugh was like a dad's after making a dad joke.

"Ok, now that we've pinky promised, you better keep the promise! Or else I'll cut off your pinky myself!" You jokingly threaten, you never expected to ever do a pinky promise with a demon prince, but, here you were.

"Of course." He smiled, a smile that could warm your cold heart in a second. And it did, you felt a warm feeling envelop you, sending warmth to every part of your body.

It was a nice feeling, it was like you're body was back home, but, it wasn't.

After Diavolo promised to secure your life in the future while making sure you live comfortably here in Devildom for a year, you ask for a pen and a few papers.

Lucifer was hesitant to give you his pen and opted to give you some papers, while Satan gave you a pen that was obviously Lucifer's.

You wrote down a contract—while also making sure there aren't any loopholes that could lead you to giving up your soul—and also wrote down the deed to your soul, for future purposes.

You signed your name and gave it to Diavolo, he scanned the paper and signed his name on it. Now that, that's over with, you decide to do something that might've sounded like a funny idea but be quite dangerous.

"Hey, Lord Diavolo," You say, making sure you added the 'lord' part, you didn't want to die after managing to secure a stable future.

"Yes? Is there anything you need, (____)?" He answered, unaware of what you were going to do.

"Make sure it's quick, you've already wasted Lord Diavolo's time for too long." Lucifer said, geez, sure, you were going to make it quick.

"I have something to give you."

"Well, I don't see anything in this contract that you were supposed to give something to me."

You give a piece of paper to Diavolo, he looked confused.

"Well, what is it?"

"The deed to my soul." You say, smiling as if the deed to your soul meant nothing.

"Well, I didn't expect that but I'll gladly accept it."

"Lord Diavolo, nO—"

~Author’s Note~

Hello everyone! I hope you all are having a nice day or night. Sorry for not updating for like 2 weeks, I had to catch up on my modules and stuff. I hope you guys enjoyed this long chapter, sorry if it wasn't all that funny, I don't really have a good sense of humor when it comes to making things funny. The final joke is inspired by a comic I read but I can't find it, so if anyone knows please tell me so I can credit them.

Also thank you to @yaboyistired-obeyme for posting some dialogues from the game and thank you to @meanduck for threatening to steal my kneecaps, that helped me a lot since it gave me a reason to actually write this chapter.

Sorry for this long author's note, and have a good day or night.

[Next Chapter} [Last Chapter]

P.S if I receive 5 comments or asks I'll update in a week. (not this week or the next, I have to prepare for a test)

Again, please tell me if there are any grammar mistakes.

[knybits]

A Murder of One

Chapter: 

15

Summary: 

A literal train wreck. Miyuki confesses, and Akiko’s eyes are blessed again. 

Previous Chapter | Origin | Next Chapter

Okay.

So pause scene.

Imagine this. 

A buff old man (we’ll say he’s old because he has white hair) suddenly snatches up you and your friends for an unexplainable reason. 

But your other friends that didn’t get snatched are being the absolute angels that they are and run down the old wack job to try and avenge you. 

And then your fiance since birth (different story) walks into the scene, and he doesn’t know what the fuck is going on. 

Okay. 

Resume scene. 

“He’s kidnapping us!!” Akiko yells out, her face red with either anger or embarrassment she can’t tell. 

Tanjirou acts instantly, launching himself at Uzui with full intent on headbutting the hell out of him. But Uzui is too fast, and Akiko tries her best to kick the hems of her dress down to make sure she isn’t flashing anything. She kicks her feet wildly when she finds that the three of them are on the roof of the estate. 

“UZUI TENGEN YOU BETTER COVER MY ASS RIGHT NOW!!” 

“I am the ‘former shinobi’ Uzui Tengen-sama-” 

“DON’T IGNORE ME! AND DON’T ADD -SAMA TO YOUR NAME YOU CREEP!!” 

“Dear lord SHUT UP! Here, you brat, jeez!” Uzui brushes her skirt over, pauses, then gives Akiko’s butt a slap before laughing, claiming it to be rather flamboyant. 

Akiko nearly goes mental at the harassment, and Tanjirou looks like he’s about to shoot himself up to the roof and give Uzui more than just a headbutt. 

“You’re a pervert!” Kiyo yells from the ground. 

“Who do you think you’re mouthing off here!! I have superiority! I’m a pillar you jackasses!” 

“I don’t accept you as a pillar! Hmph!!” 

“DON’T YOU ‘HMPPH’ MEEE!! DO YOU MEAN YOU DON’T ACCEPT ME?! YOU LOWLY BRAT!! IS YOUR BRAIN COMPLETELY DEAD!? I NEED A GIRL MEMBER ON THE MISSION, SO I’M BRINGING THEM ALONG!! I DON’T NEED KOCHOU’S PERMISSION IF THEY AREN’T TSUGUKO!” 

“Akiko-san can’t fight! She’s a member but she doesn’t have a uniform! She’s a doctor!” 

“Don’t need her then.” 

Akiko screams as she’s flung off the roof and she roughly lands in Tanjirou’s arms. Any other person would flush, but Akiko’s far too mad to even think about her cute situation. 

She shoves herself out of Tanjirou’s arms, jumping up and down and yelling at Uzui to come down from the roof so that she can deck him in the face. Kanon stares in bewilderment, wondering why Akiko is so prone to abandoning ‘Do no harm.’ 

Even Tanjirou doesn’t know what to do, staring at his fiance with wide eyes as she unleashes another side of her that he’s never seen before. Sure, she’s had her small temper tantrums when they were kids, but this is much more justified. 

“Shut up you nerd! I’m taking this one on my mission. She’s a hunter regardless.” 

Akiko can see the look of panic and fear on Aoi’s face, so she takes a few deep breaths to calm herself and approach the situation differently. She has no time to yell at Uzui, and despite the fact that he’s an adult, he acts like a child. 

“People have their own circumstances, Uzui. Let the girl go.” 

Uzui blinks owlishly at her sudden change in behavior, her eyes slanted up at him with long lashes barely brushing her cheeks. Mouth a fine line and her hair disheveled, but it makes Akiko look all the more dangerous. 

Tanjirou can smell the withheld fury from Akiko, and the fact that she’s harnessed enough control to reign her emotions back in frightens him. This anger is much more dangerous than her lashed out one, and everyone feels as if they’re seeing Akiko reach a new peak of anger. 

“We’ll go in Aoi’s stead!” Tanjirou interjects, just as Zenitsu and Inosuke hop onto the gates. 

They aren’t in any way injured, and she sees that Zenitsu killed three demons and Inosuke five. She can’t help but tilt her head in confusion at the new piece of information her mind is filled with, but Akiko can’t take that time to care as she watches Aoi rush into Kanao’s arms. 

Akiko quietly asks Kanon to make some lunch for the girls to calm everyone’s nerves, and Kanon nods her head in understanding before hurrying off. She then sighs, walking over to her dropped umbrella before picking it up, when she sees Tanjirou out of the corner of her eyes. 

“Are you okay Akiko? He dropped you rather harshly…” 

Akiko looks at Uzui, who waits impatiently outside the gates, before rolling her eyes at him. 

“I’ll live. It’s no big deal. I’m just afraid that the girls are mentally scarred or something along the lines… What? What’s wrong?” Tanjirou is staring at her, and Akiko can’t help but wonder why. 

He wakes up from his spaced out state, blushing a bit and kicking some rocks on the ground as he looks away. 

“Sorry it’s just.... You look really nice today!” 

Akiko can’t help but flush, immediately opening her parasol in front of herself to hide her face. Kiyo, Sumi and Naho giggle nearby, and Akiko nearly turns around to glare at them but she’s far too busy hiding herself. 

And as if some higher being grants Tanjirou with all the courage in the world, he pulls the umbrella down a bit to see her red face, smiling softly before saying, “It’d be a shame if I didn’t get to see my fiance’s face before I left.” 

Now Akiko can hear Kiyo, Sumi and Naho squeal with delight as her eyes widen and she’s nearly brought to tears with embarrassment. Tanjirou starts to laugh, finding that her red face compliments her amber eyes nicely, and he cups Akiko’s face into his hands before placing a soft kiss on her forehead. 

“I’ll be off!” He gives her one last smile, waving at Akiko and running out of the front gates. 

Akiko’s holding her forehead, staring off into space as her brain slowly but surely processes everything that’s just happened. And once everything loads in, her heart ascends. 

Akiko smiles.

---

“Himi Miyuki is on her way! Deep laceration on her lower left quadrant!” 

Akiko’s eyes snap open, her back aching from accidentally passing out on the wooden engawa. She quickly tries to rub the sleep from her eyes, stumbling to her room to change out of the light green dress she still dons. 

It’s only been a couple hours since Tanjirou’s departure, and she’s back to work. But what else is there to do? 

So Akiko yanks on another poet’s shirt, ties her hakama around her waist, and allows for Kiyo to help her with her robe and gloves. Sumi and Naho rush to gather towels upon seeing how severe the wound is. 

Shinobu stands by the entrance, waiting to welcome the house’s newest patient. Everyone is surprised to see Sanemi helping the injured girl up, and Shinobu decides to poke a little fun. 

Embarrassed, Sanemi leaves Miyuki in the hands of a more than capable lady to help fix her up, and she orders the girls to help drag Miyuki’s pale body to the table. 

Akiko’s eyes do a quick once over, and information she’s never picked up before flood her senses. 

Miyuki has just killed four demons before one caught her by surprise. She’s lost about 1200mL of blood, and Akiko orders the girls to elevate her legs once she’s on the table. Miyuki’s blood pressure is 90/70, and her breathing is so shallow it’s worrisome. Her heart beat per minute is 60, and her skin looks ashy and waxen. 

Akiko knows that Miyuki’s body temperature is naturally low, but that doesn’t mean she likes how Miyuki’s body is at a solid 90 degrees. 

So the girls are instructed to place a blanket over her feet and arms too, and Akiko cuts away the cloth surrounding the large gash. Aoi ties a mask around Akiko’s face, unrolls the sleeve of scalpels lined up in the bamboo sheet, and Akiko gets to work. 

Miyuki stays silent, dazed by the anesthesia, but still conscious. 

Akiko works diligently as always, hands moving swiftly to stop the bleed and making sure there isn’t any debris left in the wound. It’s a simple procedure, though trickier thanks to Miyuki’s naturally cold body. 

But once she’s done, Miyuki is able to form phrases and sentences, the anesthesia wearing off. 

“I wonder if Sanemi has ever been in love?” 

Not even a thank you… 

Miyuki flinches slightly under the glare Akiko casts her way, the scalpel glinting menacingly under the bright light, but Akiko throws her a bone, asking what she means. 

Their conversations dips into the topic of love in general, albeit Akiko is in no way an expert, but she entertains the idea with Miyuki. Shinobu, ever so quiet in the corner of the room, even steps in to offer her two piece on the subject. 

Aoi cleans the blood on the floor while Shinobu checks the IV of blood and medicine she finished making in her corner, and Miyuki finally throws her hands up into the air. 

“Well then fine! Maybe I do love Sanemi! Fuck whatever my step monster has to say!” 

Shinobu laughs, “What a surprise!” 

Akiko can see the lie. 

At any rate, she sighs, glancing at the clock in the room to take note of the time. She blinks owlishly at it as the date comes to mind. 

If she’s right, Genya should be coming in today. 

Akiko peels her gloves off her hands, removing her mask as well while the girls untie the robe off her from behind before she says, “Well, congrats on the realization, but I gotta go have my monthly appointment with-” 

Genya. 

He’s standing by the doorway. 

Sumi and Kiyo are right behind him, some newly washed rags in their hands before they step into the room again to keep cleaning the blood, and realization dawns on Akiko. 

“Uh, gotta go!” Akiko shoves a startled Genya out of the room and down the hall, quickly bombarding him with questions to try and make him forget about Miyuki’s feelings for his older brother. 

Genya is shoved into her office and she scrambles to find his documents. It’s an organized mess, and she knows that she should clean it up, but between 20 minute naps every hour or so and working for a whole 12 “shift” sometimes, it’s nearly impossible for her. 

Akiko sits Genya down on a chair, eyes brisking over his figure as statistics fill her mind. It’s overwhelming for her, and she shuts her eyes for a few seconds to clear her head. It continues to race with the adrenaline, and she starts to count her breathing to reign it back in. 

“What was that before? And are you- Are you okay?” Genya asks, blushing when she offers him a polite smile. Her usual business smile in the face of patients. 

“It was nothing important. No need to worry about me, either. You have a gash on your left arm so I see you haven’t been eating too many demons. Two in the last month?” Akiko flutters her eyes to clear it again, her mouth spewing words faster than she can properly think. 

Genya stares at her wide eyed, astonished. 

“Y- Yeah… How do you know?” 

She pays him no mind, scribbling the information down with creased brows. Genya isn’t all too used to this version of Akiko. Sure, she’s serious, but not with him. She makes no move to tease him, quickly jotting down information and asking Genya to confirm the information. 

Every time, she hits the nail on the coffin. It’s like she’s unraveling his life in the past month, and Genya is almost frightened of her. 

“Himejima hasn’t let up easily on you. Your biceps are 42 centimeters wide now… He still has you pushing that big rock, hm? Please tell him that misogi is not the proper way for you to rest your body,” Akiko sighs, rubbing at the bridge of her nose. 

She’s done with her checkup within a few minutes, taking no time to prod at his body and instead glancing at his limbs then writing numbers down. She then quickly stands to a small cabinet on her desk, pulling out a small roll of bandages and some alcohol and cotton balls. 

Akiko frowns at the little bit left in the jar, and the fact that she barely has any bandages left. It’s just enough to help patch Genya up with, but she’ll have to go out and buy some more in the local village after she’s done. 

“At any rate, I’m just going to wrap up your wound and then send you on your way. Sorry I was late for the appointment this month,” she’s about to unbutton Genya’s uniform for him, but he quickly stops her with raised hand and a mad blush. 

Akiko pauses, quickly apologizing for being so forward, and allows him to remove as much of his uniform as he is comfortable with so that she can clean his cut. 

Genya looks everywhere but Akiko. She knows that he's an embarrassed mess around any female, so she’s quick to finish up her work and allows him to shrug his uniform back on. 

“Do you want me to walk you to the entrance?” Akiko asks Genya, who shakes his head. She shrugs in compliance, apologizing for making him travel all the way to the Butterfly Estate for such a short checkup, and waves as he walk down the hall and out of the estate. 

Once he turns the corner, Akiko makes her way to the kitchen to find Kanon. The pinkette is looking through the pantry with a troubled look on her face. 

Akiko’s eyes are given a rest when she looks at Kanon, and it’s most likely because Kanon doesn’t kill demons for a living and lives a peaceful (or, as peaceful as it can get) life at the estate. 

“Are we out of food?” Akiko asks, and Kanon jumps at the sudden presence of the ginko eyed girl. 

Kanon nods her head and Akiko frowns, but the timing couldn’t be more perfect. 

“Alright, let’s go shopping together.” 

Of course, Shinobu feels against this idea considering the town is an hour walk away, and if they aren’t quick enough, it’ll be dark. 

“Perhaps someone else should go with you?” She says, and Akiko sighs. 

“I think we’ll be more than fine. If it make you feel any better, I’ll bring my tools. If Kanon trips over a rock, I’ll save her from bacteria.” 

Akiko can see the irritation radiate of Shinobu, so she quickly hikes up her bag, shoves a good amount of money in, and meets Kanon at the front door. 

Akiko doesn’t like the way Miruna circles above their heads. 

things are gonna get so spicy after this,,, fuck guys im so excited

expect akiko to grow!! we love character development :,,) also yeah she has other emotions besides ‘bitch’ and ‘smart ass’ :)) 

big thank you to @kny-writings and her oc himi miyuki!! 

[peachyteabuck]

loving him was red

summary: you’ve never had sex on your period, but when you find yourself heated during aunt flow’s visit while at an event with steve, the perfect opportunity arises for you to try it out.

pairing: steve rogers x reader

words:  2381

trigger warnings: menstruation mention, some graphic descriptions of blood, smut (oral, fingering, vaginal sex), lots of swearing, the lords name in vain a few times

notes/other: HI PLS READ THIS ESP IF YOU NORMALLY DO NOT i based this p heavily on my own experiences with menstruation + other accounts i’ve heard. it is very important to remember that there is never one singular way to experience a period NOR is there a WRONG way!! all ppl who have periods are individuals with intersecting health/economic/work statuses. this has been ur daily menstrual health psa from lukis peachyteabuck.tumblr.com

ask box / masterlist / faq / ko-fi

Pro: you currently look fine as fuck, and are on a date to some Very Important Thing with Captain freaking America.

Con: He’s horny (because you look so hot) and won’t leave you alone about it.

Pro: He’s horny (because you look so hot), and you’re horny (because he looks so hot).

Con: You’re currently on your period. Not only that, but the heaviest day of it is today, meaning your current tampon is acting as a floodgate to the Red Sea. Aunt Flow. Blood Moon. Red Scare. Hellstorm. Bitch in Red. Crimson Tide. Shark Week.

You get the picture.

When he thinks no one’s looking, Steve slides his hands down to your ass. You tense and squeeze your eyes shut.

“Babe, stop,” you hiss through your teeth, but you don’t sound very convincing. A waiter comes by with glasses of champagne and you grab two. You’re gonna need them to get through the next few hours, both because the...whatever you’re at is boring as hell and because all you want to do is jump your boyfriend’s bones.

“Why?” Steve says lowly into your ear. You take another sip of champagne, trying to quell the desire in your stomach. “You look so hot, your tits and ass look so good. Can’t wait to get home and give you all the bruises you want. Can’t wait to make you cum under me. Just wanna fuck you until you can’t remember you own name, until you’re begging me to stop.”

You grab the table in front of you and moan, other patrons be damned.

“Babe,” you whimper. “Stop, seriously.”

He laughs a little. “What? Can’t take the heat, should’ve expected this. In that dress? You know, I can’t tell what’s hotter, you in or you wi-”

You take a large drink from one of the glasses and turn to face him. You use your babysitting voice, the one you use with Peter when he pulls some dumb shit and no one has the courage to shame him. Damn Tony, doesn’t want to grow a spine and discipline Peter for fear of making him hate the man. “Steven Grant Rogers, I am on my period, and unless you want to beat your meat on the couch tonight, I’d recommend you cut it out.”

He’s stunned, a little. You snapping at him is extremely uncommon, you’re normally a total sweetheart with him (Who wouldn’t be?). Steve’s mouth hangs open a little as you turn back to face the crowd.

You engage with the rest of the Avengers who came - Sam, Tony, Pepper, and a few other people who you’d been wanting to talk to. A designer, some singers, a movie producer. You have lively conversations and Steve’s hand stays safely above your waist the whole time.

This time, it feels awkward. Not...sexual, like usual.

Now it’s just supportive, a way to tell you know he’s there. That’s it.

You feel bad, so bad. He was just telling you how attracted he was to you and you literally snapped at him like he was a petulant child! God, what’s wrong with you? Why were you so angry out of nowhere!

Oh, you’re in your period.

Right.

Once you’re too tired to stand in your heels, Steve moves you into the limo that’ll take you back to Stark tower. He holds your hand the entire way back, even carries your heels for you once you make it through the entrance.

He’s so amazing. And sweet. And kind. You want him to rearrange your guts.

You’ve been together long enough that he knows the minute you get into your shared apartment you want your dress unzipped so you can hunch over a take a deep breath. He guesses (correctly) that you need it undone even more so now that you’re bloated. When comes behind you to grab at it, you sigh.

“I’m so sorry for losing my self control earlier this evening...it’s just…”

You turn around, facing him. He looks so sad and you feel like you’ve kicked a puppy. Or stepped on a flower. Or thrown a fire blanket over the sun. Or slammed a baby’s hand in a car door.

In short, you’re a horrible person and all you want to do right now is cry dramatically surrounded by roses and candles. Or maybe while you stress eat banana bread.

“I’m so fucking horny when I’m on my period, and I’ve always just...I know guys find it so gross and frankly, I guess I unders-”

Steve tilts your chin up with his knuckles. It’s a sweet gesture, grounding. You stop talking, enchanted by his beautiful eyes. “I don’t find it gross at all.”

You gulp, remaining silent as he spoke. What?

“Let me fuck you, please. I find you so beautiful, and a natural and healthy body function isn’t going to change that.” The dress slips down your body and he first kisses down your chest, then your stomach, then lands on his knees right in front of your pussy. The dress, with its deep, wide neckline didn’t allow for a bra, so he skips right down to your panties. Menstruating had made your lips extra sensitive, so you told your stylist specifically to give you a simply black cotton panty.

Steve, someone who has seen you in much fancier, much more expensive, and/or much sexier lingerie, doesn’t seem to mind. He still pulls them down with his teeth, and massages your inner thighs. You want to look away so badly, so worried about what he’ll say when he finds the string of your tampon, or if he sees your more pronounced belly due to bloating.

When the panties hit the floor, you want to scream. Why is he doing this? Why does he find you sexy?

“Okay,” you finally get out. You immediately regret your response. Okay!? What was he asking you, what he was getting for dinner? You could at least say please!

You try to breathe, to calm down. But you can’t. You absolutely cannot calm the fuck down.

“Open your legs a little for me, babe,” he whispers. It’s low, calm. The kind of voice you’d use if you’re trying to pet a stray cat on the street. He’s trying to get your heart to stop racing, for your palms stop sweating.

You follow his orders, opening your knees a little bit, attempting to relax your muscles in the process. He coaxes the tampon string down from where you tucked it in, pulling it out slowly.

When he pulls it away, it’s a deep, ugly brown. Not earthy, or some deep coffee-like brown, or a beautiful oak in a desk at Ikea.

It’s gross. Just plain gross.

You wince a little at the sight, and he tosses it into the trash can under your desk.

“Now that we have that out of the way,” he inches his strong hands back up your legs, digging a little into the sore muscles.

Right before they can ghost your clit, you sigh.

“Wait,” you say. Steve hands stop and you close your eyes.

You can’t look at him, you’re so embarrassed.

But you want to do this, and you want to feel good while it happens. “Lean me against a wall, it feels better on my lower back if I have something to lean against...also I’m really sensitive right now, so going slow would be appreciated.”

Steve nods, standing up and pressing you into the closest wall. “Anything else, darling?”

He’s eye-level with you now, and fuck you love him so much.

You shake your head. “No...just, thank you...for this.”

He descends again and smiles. “Anything for you, my love.”

First he circles a thumb around your clit, inserting some of his middle finger into you. It feels so good, especially since you haven’t gotten off at all this week.

You blame it on being too busy, but you know why.

It’s never something you could understand, why you were always so ashamed of being on your period. Maybe it was societal influence, maybe it was because once a kid pulled a tampon out of your purse in high school and called you a she-demon, maybe it was because once your period started while having sex with your most recent ex-boyfriend and he called you a nasty bitch and then broke up with you...while you were both still naked.

Whatever it was, you knew three things:

One, you have the best boyfriend in the world.

Nope, scratch that, the universe.

Two, your boyfriend cares for you a lot and wants you to be happy.

Three, whatever he’s doing is incredibly erotic and you love it.

It’s absolute ecstasy, the way he pumps his fingers in and out of you in rhythm with circles around your clit. You knead your breasts and moan lewdly, and it only drives Steve to work harder.

When you cum, you cum hard. He fucks you through it with his fingers, smiling at the amount of pleasure coursing through your veins.

“Fuck,” you mumble. “That was so good.”

He chuckles. “Glad I could be of service.”

You laugh a little, running your hands through his hair. It’s thick, golden, warm. He’s like the sun.

You bite your lip, preparing to speak.

But he does so before you can. “Want to go to the bed?”

It’s sounds like such an innocent question, but you know better.

You nod, letting out a deep exhale. “Just be warned, changing my center of gravity is gonna...it’s gonna be weird...”

Steve laughs a little again. “Babe, I know what I’m getting into.”

He then picks you up and carries you to the bed. The second he lays you down, you start to feel that familiar feeling you can only describe as a stomach ache, but if it was also a waterfall.

The second you start to look how you feel, Steve becomes concerned.

“You okay?” he asks, eyeing you up and down to look for injury.

You squeeze your eyes together. “Yeah...just feeling weird.”

Steve laughs a little. His hands were stained with your blood, and since he had picked you up, smudged handprints riddled your body. You thought you might be disgusted, or he might be disgusted.

But it was beautiful, art. A painting made with you, by Steve, on you.

A masterpiece.

Steve seems to have the same thought. “Should draw this and sell it to that damned museum we were just at...hang it up for all the world to see just how beautiful you are…”

You think Steve is about to just fuck you, and you’re totally okay with that.

Not expecting to get fucked and then getting fucked is a wonderful surprise, one you welcome.

But then he kisses down your navel again, and lightly licks and nips at your clit.

The minitrations illicit loud and broken moans out of you. Your fingers fly to the back of his head, pulling him impossibly closer to you. His blood-stained hands hold you hips up, keeping them from bucking. It’s good, it’s so good.

He removes one, and begins to fuck his fingers in and out you. It’s good, your clit in his mouth, his fingers in your cunt.

You cum with a cry. If the first time made you see stars, this time you’re able to identify the Big Dipper. Before the orgasm was surprising, almost juvenile. It reminded you of getting fingered on the bleachers, or in a bathroom.

This one makes you feel like an adult. An actual, real life adult woman with actual, real life adult woman desires.

“Fuck,” is all you can muster.

Steve crawls up to you, resting part of his body on your chest, which is still heaving. He places a hand on your hip, his thumb rubbing supportively.

“Was hoping you’d say that,” he says, smiling. God, you want to hit him.

Not in a sexual way, though. Not right now, at least.

You groan a little at his gloating. He looks like a cheshire cat. “Shut up and fuck me, you insolent bastard.”

“Yes ma’am,” he says before positioning himself at your entrance.

Despite his sarcastic nature, he watches you for any sign of discomfort while he slowly enters you. It’s sweet, and sickeningly slow.

You moan, wrapping your legs around his waist to give him a better angle. This is exactly what you needed to make you feel less shitty, some good ole fuckin’ with your exceptionally attractive boyfriend.

By the end, you two are a moaning mess. You finish again, your hand on your clit and Steve kissing your neck. This time, the crystal clear pleasure is gone, and you feel like a giant fuzzy cloud of “holy fucking Jesus H Christ that was amazing.”

While your pussy pulses around him, Steve cums inside you. When he pulls out and collapses next to you, you’re finally clear-headed enough to take in the scene around you.

It looks like you should section off the bed with caution tape. Steve’s dick, hands, and face are absolutely covered in blood, as is the bed.

That’s when it hits you. White sheets. Deep red and brown clumps of your uterine lining. An absolutely perfect but sometimes forgetful boyfriend.

“Steve, babe?” you question, attempting to pry him away from the edge of sleep.

“Mmmrf,” is all he says, face down, head resting between your breasts.

“Did you forget to pull a towel down before we fucked?”

He lifts his head, smile sated. “Maybe.”

You sigh, and let his head fall back down. Finding a way to non-suspiciously change your blood sheets is a problem for tomorrow-you. Right-now-you just wants to run your fingers through Steve’s hair, his light snores filling your room and giving you something to fall asleep to.

“You know I’m gonna make you do this next time, too, right?” You ask, suddenly just as tired as Steve looks.

He nods a little, then turns his head so you can hear him. He kisses your breast before he speaks. “Of course, baby. Would do anything for you, especially when it comes you makin’ love to ya.”

You smile. “Good. Because after that, there’s no way I’m ever letting you go.”

Steve chuckles. “Ditto, babe.”

[dfroza]

Today’s reading from the ancient book of Proverbs and book of Psalms

for july 18 of 2021 with Proverbs 18 and Psalm 18, accompanied by Psalm 29 for the 29th day of Summer and Psalm 49 for day 199 of the year (now with the consummate book of 150 Psalms in its 2nd revolution this year)

[Proverbs 18]

[Wisdom Gives Life]

An unfriendly person isolates himself

and seems to care only about his own issues.

For his contempt of sound judgment makes him a recluse.

Senseless people find no pleasure in acquiring true wisdom,

for all they want to do is impress you with what they know.

An ungodly man is always cloaked with disgrace,

as dishonor and shame are his companions.

Words of wisdom are like a fresh, flowing brook—

like deep waters that spring forth from within,

bubbling up inside the one with understanding.

It is atrocious when judges show favor to the guilty

and deprive the innocent of justice.

A senseless man jumps headfirst into an argument;

he’s just asking for a beating for his reckless words.

A fool has a big mouth that only gets him into trouble,

and he’ll pay the price for what he says.

The words of a gossip merely reveal the wounds of his own soul,

and his slander penetrates into the innermost being.

The one who is too lazy to look for work

is the same one who wastes his life away.

The character of God is a tower of strength,

for the lovers of God delight to run into his heart

and be exalted on high.

The rich, in their conceit, imagine that their wealth

is enough to protect them.

It becomes their confidence in a day of trouble.

A man’s heart is the proudest when his downfall is nearest,

for he won’t see glory until the Lord sees humility.

Listen before you speak,

for to speak before you’ve heard the facts will bring humiliation.

The will to live sustains you when you’re sick,

but depression crushes courage and leaves you unable to cope.

The spiritually hungry are always ready to learn more,

for their hearts are eager to discover new truths.

Would you like to meet a very important person?

Take a generous gift.

It will do wonders to gain entrance into his presence.

There are two sides to every story.

The first one to speak sounds true until you hear the other side

and they set the record straight.

A coin toss resolves a dispute

and can put an argument to rest

between formidable opponents.

It is easier to conquer a strong city

than to win back a friend whom you’ve offended.

Their walls go up, making it nearly impossible to win them back.

Sharing words of wisdom is satisfying to your inner being.

It encourages you to know

that you’ve changed someone else’s life.

Your words are so powerful

that they will kill or give life,

and the talkative person will reap the consequences.

When a man finds a wife,

he has found a treasure!

For she is the gift of God to bring him joy and pleasure.

But the one who divorces a good woman

loses what is good from his house.

To choose an adulteress is both stupid and ungodly.

The poor plead for help from the rich,

but all they get in return is a harsh response.

Some friendships don’t last for long,

but there is one loving friend who is joined to your heart

closer than any other!

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 18 (The Passion Translation)

[Psalm 18]

A song to the Pure and Shining One by King David, his servant, composed when the Lord rescued David from all his many enemies, including from the brutality of Saul. He said:

I love you, God—

you make me strong.

God is bedrock under my feet,

the castle in which I live,

my rescuing knight.

My God—the high crag

where I run for dear life,

hiding behind the boulders,

safe in the granite hideout.

I sing to God, the Praise-Lofty,

and find myself safe and saved.

The hangman’s noose was tight at my throat;

devil waters rushed over me.

Hell’s ropes cinched me tight;

death traps barred every exit.

A hostile world! I call to God,

I cry to God to help me.

From his palace he hears my call;

my cry brings me right into his presence—

a private audience!

Earth wobbles and lurches;

huge mountains shake like leaves,

Quake like aspen leaves

because of his rage.

His nostrils flare, bellowing smoke;

his mouth spits fire.

Tongues of fire dart in and out;

he lowers the sky.

He steps down;

under his feet an abyss opens up.

He’s riding a winged creature,

swift on wind-wings.

Now he’s wrapped himself

in a trenchcoat of black-cloud darkness.

But his cloud-brightness bursts through,

spraying hailstones and fireballs.

Then God thundered out of heaven;

the High God gave a great shout,

spraying hailstones and fireballs.

God shoots his arrows—pandemonium!

He hurls his lightnings—a rout!

The secret sources of ocean are exposed,

the hidden depths of earth lie uncovered

The moment you roar in protest,

let loose your hurricane anger.

But me he caught—reached all the way

from sky to sea; he pulled me out

Of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos,

the void in which I was drowning.

They hit me when I was down,

but God stuck by me.

He stood me up on a wide-open field;

I stood there saved—surprised to be loved!

God made my life complete

when I placed all the pieces before him.

When I got my act together,

he gave me a fresh start.

Now I’m alert to God’s ways;

I don’t take God for granted.

Every day I review the ways he works;

I try not to miss a trick.

I feel put back together,

and I’m watching my step.

God rewrote the text of my life

when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.

The good people taste your goodness,

The whole people taste your health,

The true people taste your truth,

The bad ones can’t figure you out.

You take the side of the down-and-out,

But the stuck-up you take down a notch.

Suddenly, God, you floodlight my life;

I’m blazing with glory, God’s glory!

I smash the bands of marauders,

I vault the highest fences.

What a God! His road

stretches straight and smooth.

Every God-direction is road-tested.

Everyone who runs toward him

Makes it.

Is there any god like God?

Are we not at bedrock?

Is not this the God who armed me,

then aimed me in the right direction?

Now I run like a deer;

I’m king of the mountain.

He shows me how to fight;

I can bend a bronze bow!

You protect me with salvation-armor;

you hold me up with a firm hand,

caress me with your gentle ways.

You cleared the ground under me

so my footing was firm.

When I chased my enemies I caught them;

I didn’t let go till they were dead men.

I nailed them; they were down for good;

then I walked all over them.

You armed me well for this fight,

you smashed the upstarts.

You made my enemies turn tail,

and I wiped out the haters.

They cried “uncle”

but Uncle didn’t come;

They yelled for God

and got no for an answer.

I ground them to dust; they gusted in the wind.

I threw them out, like garbage in the gutter.

You rescued me from a squabbling people;

you made me a leader of nations.

People I’d never heard of served me;

the moment they got wind of me they listened.

The foreign devils gave up; they came

on their bellies, crawling from their hideouts.

Live, God! Blessings from my Rock,

my free and freeing God, towering!

This God set things right for me

and shut up the people who talked back.

He rescued me from enemy anger,

he pulled me from the grip of upstarts,

He saved me from the bullies.

That’s why I’m thanking you, God,

all over the world.

That’s why I’m singing songs

that rhyme your name.

God’s king takes the trophy;

God’s chosen is beloved.

I mean David and all his children—

always.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 18 (The Message)

[Psalm 29]

A song of David.

Give all credit to the Eternal, O heavenly creatures;

give praise to Him for His glory and power.

Give to the Eternal the glory due His name;

worship Him with lavish displays of sacred splendor.

The voice of the Eternal echoes over the great waters;

God’s magnificence roars like thunder.

The Eternal’s presence hovers over all the waters.

His voice explodes in great power over the earth.

His voice is both regal and grand.

The Eternal’s voice shatters the cedars;

His power splinters the great cedars of Lebanon.

He speaks, and Lebanon leaps like a young calf;

Sirion jumps like a wild, youthful ox.

The voice of the Eternal cuts through with flames of fire.

The voice of the Eternal rumbles through the wilderness

with great quakes;

He causes Kadesh to tremble.

The Eternal’s voice brings life from the doe’s womb;

His voice strips the forest bare,

and all the people in the temple declare, “Glory!”

The Eternal is enthroned over the great flood;

His reign is unending.

We ask You, Eternal One, to give strength to Your people;

Eternal One, bless them with the gift of peace.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 29 (The Voice)

[imaginexmeintheuniverse]

Butter

Anonymous requested: 12. & 37 please ♡

(with Peter Parker)

12. “I can’t stop blushing… You’re not helping!” + 37. “Wait… is this a date?”

Pairing: Peter Parker x Reader

Warnings: None

Word Count: 547

Tags: @coltcas

Masterlist

A/N: two drabbles in one day I'm on a roll~ (and heavily procrastinating in doing my calculus assignment) also, I know I recently used this gif but it fits perfect.

"Wait... is this a date?" You ask the boy in front of you with wide eyes. He totally freezes at the question, and the awkward silence that settles over the pair of you is deafening. That is until you both try to break that silence at the same time, resulting in incomprehensible staggered sentences.

"Well, uh- If- You know- Maybe-"

"Oh my god it's not- I mean not that I-" The interaction between you and your long time friend, Peter Parker, can only be described as a sputtering mess. He goes quiet to let you speak first, which makes you even more nervous, which makes you ramble even more. "I can't believe I actually thought you would ever ask me out in a million years! I-I just thought since you insisted on paying for the movie tickets, maybe you- Ugh, you must think I'm the biggest idiot on the planet!" Your hands fly up to either sides of your face as though you could cover up the flaming red shade of your cheeks.

Well, you just shot one of your closest friendships to hell.

"It's okay, Y/N," Peter chuckles calmly.

What's so funny? Oh lord your face is burning up, and having your friend whom you've had the biggest crush on for longest time definitely makes it worse. "I can't stop blushing... You're not helping!"

"Y/N," Peter says in a soothing tone. He gently grasps your arms, guiding your hands away from your face. He's nervous as hell and now realizes that asking if you wanted to go to the movies with him wasn't a very clear indicator that he was asking you on a date, considering you two always go to watch movies together. Granted Ned and Michelle were usually there and he had planned something after to make it more of an actual date, he sees that your confusion is well founded. In fact, he was in the process of mustering up the courage to hold your hand when this whole mess started. Despite being nervous himself, he does feel a big rush of relief that you feel the same way he does."I-It's okay- This is- I mean I'm sorry; I should have asked you out properly."

"Was it Ned or Michelle who told you about my crush on you?" You ask with an eyebrow raised and slight revenge plan brewing in your mind.

"N-No one told me."

"Well shit-" You blurt out. You you're so caught up in psyching yourself out that Peter admitting he also felt something for you just totally flew by your head. Knowing you so well, he could feel another nervous ramble coming up. He did the only thing came to mind to shut you up; something he's been wanting to do for so long, but was to afraid to do.

He kisses you right then and there. In the queue for your popcorn. You melt into it as soon as your brain has processed that the boy you've been wanting to kiss for so long is, in fact, kissing you. You and Peter bounce back from each other, cheeks blazing with embarrassment after being interrupted and brought back to reality.

"So, uh- I hate to interrupt this moment for you guys, but do you want butter on your popcorn?"

[overdrivels]

Dragons - Japanese Trailer Translation

I finally managed to work up the courage to translate the entire thing, this time with the Narrator’s speech. Again, my Japanese is only subpar so if you find any mistakes, feel free to let me know. 

I’ve also made some adjustments to my previous translations because I’m wavering on how to properly convey certain things. As always, there’ll be over-analysis of unnecessary things. 

Note: The original English is on top, the translated English will be blockquoted, and any of my interjections will be in parentheses. 

Allow me to impart a tale of two dragon brothers passed through the generations of my family. The elder brother is the Dragon of the Southern Wind. The younger brother is the Dragon of the Northern Wind. They combined their powers to serve as Guardians to the Heavens.

But the two brothers argued over who could better rule their land. Their quarrel turned to rage and their violent struggle darkened the skies until the Dragon of the South Wind struck down his brother, and fell to earth, shattering the land.

However, one faithful day, the relationship of these two were torn asunder. In order to determine who was superior, the petty sibling rivalry eventually summoned a storm, and the Southern Dragon struck his younger brother down to the earth, claiming victory. 

(The NARRATOR himself acknowledges that this fight was stupid! He specifically says: 「些細な」(sasaina) which is an adjective for trivial. He’s basically like: why are you guys dumb?)

The Dragon of the South Wind had triumphed, but as time passed, and he realized his solitude, the sweetness of victory turned to ash.

But alas, the joy of victory was fleeting. With his younger brother gone, the Dragon of the Southern Wind is alone without family.

(Here, the narrator says: “天涯孤独” (Tengaikodoku) is a very specific phrase in Japanese that basically means alone in the world beyond Heaven’s borders. So, 天涯孤独の身 (Tengaikodoku no mi) is a body (person) who is devoid of family outside of Heaven (implying all their family is dead/within Heaven’s borders, but you’re outside of it–it’s self-explanatory.))

For years, the bereft Dragon’s grief threw the world into discord, and he knew only bitterness and sorrow. 

For many, many years, the agony and sorrow from the Dragon’s breath blanketed the world in chaos. 

(「龍の息から」 “Ryuu no iki kara" is literally “from the dragon’s breath” or it could also be translated as a “sigh”. Implying that the fucking Dragons are responsible for all the chaos that happened many, many, many years ago. They’re the first REAL omnic (not really) crisis.)

Narrator: One day a stranger called up to the Dragon and asked, “Oh, Dragon Lord, why are you so distraught?" 

One day, an unknown man beseeched the dragon: "Oh, Great Dragon. What saddens you so?”

The dragon told him, “Seeking power, I killed my brother, but without him, I am lost." 

The dragon replied: "In seeking power, I have killed my younger brother. But without my brother, I am nothing.”

The stranger replied, “You have inflicted wounds upon yourself, but now you must heal. Walk the earth on two feet as I do. Find value in humility, then you will find peace.”

The man said thusly: “This wounds you have are self-inflicted. However, all wounds can heal.” Reflect upon the lands with two legs like myself. If you walk the earth, I’m sure that one day you’ll be able to obtain peace. 

(Shit, translating the “Reflect…with two legs like myself” gets harder and harder every time I do it. Literally, it goes: Like me, with two legs on the earth, reflect–except it’s a lot smoother in Japanese, I just can’t find a good way to say it in English.)

Hanzo: You are not the first assassin sent to kill me and you will not be the last.

To send an amateur who can’t even hide their presence, I must be being underestimated.

Genji: You are bold to come to Shimada castle, the den of your enemies.

To trespass into Shimada Castle like this, I must admit that you have some balls.

(You can fight me about my choice of words for this, but I won’t retract it. Genji says 「度胸だけは認めよう」 (Dokyou dake wa mitomeyou) which can be translated as “I will at least acknowledge your bravery/guts” or “At the very least, I acknowledge your courage.” Something like that.)

Hanzo: This was once my home. Did your masters not tell you who I was?!

This was once my home, did you not know even that?

Genji: I know who you are, Hanzo.

Of course I know, Hanzo.

(THIS PART. I’ve said it before, but in Japanese, you don’t ever say a person’s first name unless you’re very close to them, like family or seriously good friends. To have this stranger (Genji) be so familiar with him is seriously scary and almost an insult, a mockery. Like, who does this guy think he is, saying my name like that–like he knows me.)

Genji: I know you come here every year on the same day. You risk so much to honor someone you murdered!

I also know that you go out of your way here every year on the same day to mourn someone you killed. 

(In Japanese, this sentence is split up into two parts as well, but I want to talk a little about it. The first part is literally: [I know] also, you come here on the same day every year. The second part is a little trickier because the translation for 「わざわざ」 (wazawaza) is not very concise in English. It basically means to go through a lot of trouble or going out of your normal way (saying the person took special care out of their normal routine even though they didn’t have to). So, second part is: [You come] all for the person you’ve killed, basically implying that Hanzo had every opportunity to NOT do this, but he does it anyway. The feeling is a little different from the English version.)

Hanzo: You know nothing of what happened!

What would you know?

(He’s very accusatory here. The tone doesn’t translate well into English, but it’s Hanzo basically very suspicious and very skeptical, like: “What would you even know? What do you THINK you even know? You weren’t even there!” sort of tone.)

Genji: I know you tell yourself that your brother disobeyed the clan and that you have to kill him to maintain order. That it was your duty.

Oh, I know. Your brother was an embarrassment to the clan. There was no choice but to kill him, or so you were told.

(You will never get me to shut up about this single part. 「弟は一族の恥」(Otouto wa ichizoku no haji/“Your brother was the clan’s shame/an embarrassment to the clan”). I’ve translated “恥” as “shame” before, but I’m wavering between the two. The word can literally mean “shame” or “embarrassment”. Either of them works, but in English, I think an embarrassment of a person has a slightly different connotation than ‘shame’. But that’s a personal thing.)

Hanzo: It was my duty and my burden. 

That’s right. It was a duty that I had to see through…to the end. 

(I changed this part a little from my previous translation to match the spoken dialogue. If you watch it at this part when he shoots the arrow at Genji, he pauses, and that makes this a lot more dramatic.)

Hanzo: That does not mean I do not honor him!

But that does not mean that I have forgotten my brother!

Genji: You think you honor your brother, Genji, with incense offerings? Honor resides in one’s actions.

Do you think that your (younger) brother, Genji, would be happy with incense and offerings? Sincerity should be shown through one’s actions!

(These sentences are also weird in many ways. I’ve tried translating this in more natural English, but in the end, it’s almost a literal translation of his words.)

Hanzo: You dare to lecture me about honor? You are not worthy to say his name!

Insolent fool! What are you playing at? Don’t speak my brother’s name so frivolously.

(I used “What are you playing at?” but really, it should be more like: “What is your game?” or “What the hell do you think you’re trying to do?”. 

I also realized I never explained this, but the part where he says「軽々にしく弟の名を口にするな」 ( Karugarushiku otouto no na wo kuchi ni suru na/“Don’t speak my brother’s name…”)  translated literally means, “Don’t put my brother’s name in your mouth so carelessly" or just don’t make light of his name, it should be honored, etc. 

I don’t know if this means he really cares about his brother or if his brother’s name brings up THAT much guilt that he’ll fucking fight anyone who says it just so he doesn’t have to think about what a terrible thing he’s done.)

Hanzo: Ryū ga waga teki wo kurau!

RYUU GA WAGA TEKI (ry

Genji: Ryūjin no ken wo kurae!

RYUUJIN NO KEN (ry

Hanzo: Only a Shimada can control the Dragons. Who are you?

Controlling the dragons is my clan’s power. What is the meaning of this?

Hanzo: Do it, then. Kill me.

Why do you hesitate? Kill me.

Genji: No. I will not grant you the death you wish for. You still have a purpose in this life, brother.

No. There is no meaning in granting death to someone who seeks it. You must find your purpose for living, brother. 

(The “granting death” part is me taking liberties. The word he uses is 「屠って（屠る）」which is to slay or slaughter. So, Genji’s choice of word here is extremely deliberate. If he said “kill” 「殺す」like Hanzo said in the previous sentence, it would vaguely imply that Hanzo had a chance at fighting back. But to slaughter? That implies Hanzo is helpless like cattle. It’s very interesting.

In addition, he says 「兄者」(anijya) for “brother”. It’s really, really NOT common to say something like this–case in point: when typing in Japanese, usually, the keyboard program can auto-converts your hiragana (basic Japanese writing system) to the appropriate Kanji (the Chinese characters used in Japanese writing) to convey the proper meaning. When typing this, it would convert the first part, 兄(Ani), but wouldn’t do the second part 者(Jya/Sha/Mono/etc).

So, “anijya” literally isn’t something that is commonly used in the Japanese language, highlighted exactly how old-fashioned the Shimadas were.)

Hanzo: No…how…? My brother is dead.

Impossible…you should have died.

(Alternatively: “You should have been dead” or “You should be dead”. Either works. He also says「貴様」(kisama) when referring to Genji (“you”). It’s hard to say if he uses it as an insult/rude way of referring to Genji, or if he’s using it normally because way back when, the word 'kisama’ wasn’t used to refer rudely to people. It was just a word someone would use to say 'you’. But then times changed and now it’s being used as a sort of insult (not really an insult, but…eh, it’s difficult to explain.))

Hanzo: Genji!

Genji!

(Here, I realized something. This is probably the first time in however many years since the incident that he’s said Genji’s name. It’s only mildly implied a few lines up where he says the bit about Genji speaking his brother’s name carelessly. I’ll let you think up of the implications, but yeah. That incident WRECKED Hanzo.)

Narrator: The Dragon knelt upon the ground. For the first time he was able to clearly see the world around him and he became human. The stranger revealed himself as his fallen brother. Reunited, the two set out to rebuild what they had once destroyed.

The Dragon descended to the earth onto his feet. The dragon, having landed onto the earth for the first time, changed his form to that of a human, and realized that the man before him was his (younger) brother. And so, the reunited brothers set off together in step.

(The last sentence is actually a bit deeper than how I translated it, but if you translate it quite literally in English, it would actually be somewhat repetitive.  再会を果たした兄弟は (Sakai wo hatashita kyoudai wa): the reunited brothers… 足並みを揃えて (ashinami wo soroete): in the same steps (stepping at the same time), 共に歩き出したとさ (tomoni arukidashita to sa): they walked off with each other/together, it was said. (The とさ part is kind of like the ending of a story like: or so it’s told.) It’s really fucking weird to translate–I’d be happy to change this if someone could help with this. This dialogue is REALLY fucking different from the original English version.)

Hanzo: What have you become?

That form…just what…?

Genji: I have accepted what I am and I have forgiven you. Now you must forgive yourself. The world is changing once again, Hanzo, and it’s time to pick a side.

As I took on this new self, I forgave you, brother. All that’s left is for you to forgive yourself. The world is once again in times of turmoil. The question now is which side will you take.

Hanzo: Real life is not like the stories our father told us. You are a fool for believing it so!

Reality is nothing like our father’s fairytales. Enough, cast away your fantasies!

(Here, he doesn’t say 「いい加減に」(Iikagen ni) which would’ve made all the difference, but he just leaves it at 「いい加減」(Iikagen), which kind of translates as a sort of sharp scolding. Mm, it’s a difficult sentence to get the right feel for.)

Genji: Perhaps I am a fool to think that there is still hope for you, but I do. Think on that, brother.

Even if my fantasies are mocked, I will still believe. Let us meet again, brother.

[berry-cat7]

Pants Are Optional

Ao no Exorcist

G Rating

No pairings

Fluff and Humour

1,876 words

Summary: It’s a hot day, so Rin comes to cram school without pants. And before you know it, it’s the new fad. (Or, Rin can’t be bothered with heteronormative bullshit and friends are supportive)

AO3 or Fanfic.net

It was hot today. Not just hot, but humid and that was the worst type of weather to be cooped up in a room with no air-conditioning while wearing layers of the school uniform. Even Yukio, ever the stickler for protocol had left his black exorcist coat draped over the back of his chair, revealing his crisp white button-up shirt that was usually hidden underneath and rolled up its sleeves. “It’s so hoooot!” Groaned Shima as he slumped further over the back of his chair, putting his neck at an uncomfortable angle but he didn’t seem to have the energy to fix it.

Konekomaru dropped his head to his desk as he grumbled “Shut up Shima, we know.”

Suguro was straightening this things on his desk when he noticed someone was missing. “Where’s that blue monkey? There’s only two minutes until class starts.”

“Man, it must be great being bald right now Koneko.” Said Shima as he tried to fan himself.

Konekomaru sat himself upright as he said “I have a hair clipper back at the dorm if you’re so jealous, I’ll do a good job. Bon can vouch for me.” Shima covered his head as if he had the clippers at hand. “I’m joking, I love my hair!”

While this was happening, Shiemi glanced at the classroom door worriedly. “Rin better hurry, class is about to start…I hope he’s not in trouble.”

Even Yukio was watching the clock, getting ready to shut the door the moment the bell started chiming. Honestly, in their opinion he almost seemed looking forward to forcing his brother to grovel in order to be granted entrance and getting to hand out an extra assignment as punishment.

Izumo scoffed at her concern, “I’m sure he’s just-“ Izumo paused and tilted her head thought. “Can you hear that?”

Shima perked up, “Yeah, it’s the sound of my heart beating for y-ack!“ He started before Bon smacked him upside the head.

“Shut up Shima, I’m trying to listen.” He grumbled as he concentrated. At first all they could hear were rapid footsteps that were increasing in volume, suggesting the person was drawing nearer. Then, this person started a rapid chant of ‘waitwaitwait!’ with a voice that could only belong to Rin.

The exwires struggled to contain their laughter as Rin drew closer in a frantic scramble, and then slid right past the door right as the bell rang. It gave them a glance of him speeding by, arms wind milling hazardously as he tried not to fall on his back from the sudden stop. He then grabbed the door frame with enough inhuman strength enough to leave an imprint of his hand as he pulled himself together. He poked his head through the doorway and hardly had enough breath to say “I…I’m on…time! I…I have a note! Stupid…teacher was…f-…fighting with me! Oh dear lord, it hurts!” He wheezed. Yet after sucking in a deep breath he drew himself upright and walked into the classroom.

“What the hell Okumura?!” Bon shouted.

“What? Is there something on my face?” Rin asked as he rubbed around his mouth.

“No you dumbass, you’re wearing a skirt! What happened to your pants!?”

“Oh,” Rin said with surprise and looked down at himself, as if he hadn’t even noticed the pink article of clothing. “It’s hot out.” He said with such an honest look on his face that Bon had to look away and cover his red face with one hand.

“Nice legs Okumura!” Teased Konekomaru as Rin walked to his desk.

“Mm, I’m jealous.” Shiemi added with a giggle.

Yet Rin took all the heckling in stride and sent them a wink and a thumbs up.

“You still didn’t explain why you’re in a skirt. Is that even allowed?” Asked Bon once he’d calmed down.

Rin twisted around in his seat. “Ah, I said it’s hot didn’t I?” he repeated in confusion.

“What’s that supposed to mean you stupid monkey!?”

“Pants are stuffy and constricting, skirts have much more circulation!” Rin shouted right back.

Yukio really should’ve reigned them in a while ago but it was a Friday and it was hot, so no one felt like working. Class could start a bit late just this once.

“Don’t you have any shame!?”

“What’s shameful about wearing a skirt, you stupid rooster!”

“My hair is just black and I have an undercut now, you dumbass candle!”

“Stupid coconut!”

“Haaaah?!”

“Will you idiots take it down a notch, there’s nothing wrong with wearing a skirt.” Interrupted Izumo.

“I think Rin looks cute.” Agreed shiemi.

In response, he made a pathetic sounding little squeal and put his head on his desk. Yet it was futile when they could see how red his pointed ears were and see the heat rising off of his head, just shy of igniting.

“You said you had a note?” Asked Yukio as he extended an open hand towards his brother.

“Well two actually. One from Mephisto and the other from my Lit. teacher who kept me after the bell.” Said Rin as he handed over two neatly folded pieces of paper. Though it was easy to tell which was from Mephisto when one of them was pink with an ornate lacy pattern when the other was plain lined paper.

“Mephisto? Why do you have a note from him?” Asked Suguro with a well-earned amount of suspicion. Now everyone’s caution was raised as they started at the note under a new light, as if the sheet would turn into Mephisto himself in a poof of smoke.

They’d seen him do more impossible things.

“Don’t worry guys, it’s not explosive or something. It’s just backing me up on my rights to wear the skirt, since I knew I’d get some trouble from some teachers. Though I did have to promise to cosplay as Sailor Mercury in order to get it…he even made me say the catch phrase…” He grumbled that last bit but they heard it anyways.

“Wh-what, ’In the name of the moon I punish you’?” Shima snickered.

“That’s Sailor Moon stupid, Sailor Mercury says ‘Protected by Mercury, the planet of water, Guardian of Wisdom, Sailor Mercury! Douse yourself in water, and repent!’” Recited Izumo flawlessly, causing everyone to gape at her. “E-Er, P-Paku really loved Sailor Moon so she made me watch it too!” She defended with a blush.

“Yeah, that. If nothing else, he loves his irony.” Continued Rin. “And the other one just explains that I was held back and not just untimely.”

Konekomaru tilted his head curiously as a thought came to him. “Not to be rude, but were you made fun of today?” He asked.

“Not to my face. Everyone’s too scared to do something like that because they think I’m some kind of delinquent. They were definitely staring and gossiping, but it’s nothing I’m not used to.” He said casually, and it put a bit of a damper on everyone’s mood to remember that Rin used to being ostracized and they were the exception.

“Hmpf, well a majority of the student body are just bigoted rich idiots so it’s not like their opinions matter.” Scoffed Izumo, causing Rin to positively beam in her direction.

“Aw shucks, thanks Izumo!”

“Alright, we’ve messed around enough.” Said Yukio, effectively drawing their conversation to a close. “It’s time for class, we’ll just be doing review today.”

Monday’s weather conditions were just as miserable as last weeks, sweltering heat and dense air. Just like Friday, Rin strolled in with a skirt but this time he was five minutes early. In fact he noted he arrived before the Kyoto Trio.

“Huh, it’s not like Coconut Baldy to be late.” Rin mused as he took his seat. Yukio already had the lesson plan written on the board in his neat print, and he was sitting at his desk presumably going over his notes for today’s class.

“I’m sure he’s busy keeping Shima out of trouble, or waiting for Konekomaru to leave a cat he found.” Reasoned Shiemi.

“Yo!” Their attention was pulled to the doorway by Shima’s greeting, where he seemed to be posing for them.

Said teen was then shoved into the classroom by Suguro, who was standing behind him with Konekomaru. “Hurry up, before we’re late.”

Rin asked with a scowl when he noticed something very different about their school attire. “Haaa? You guys making fun of me?”

“Pfft, not everything’s about you Okumura.” Grumbled Bon as they took their seats.

“Yeah, it’s hot out and you just reminded us that we still had those skirts from when we investigated that haunted bathroom.” Added Konekomaru.

Shima giggled, “I feel half naked.” Which pulled an uncomfortable expression from everyone.

“Yeeeah…ignore him. We didn’t have half as much courage as you, so we just changed into these in one of the abandoned classrooms down the hall and came in.” Explained Konekomaru.

“These stupid socks keep slipping.” Muttered Suguro as he tugged them back up.

Rin chuckled, but then drew his face into an uncharacteristically serious expression, “But really, I know skirts aren’t your style. So why?”

To Rin’s surprise, Bon’s face turned pink as he said “It was Shima’s idea.”

Shima sheepishly scratched the back of his head. “I felt kinda bummed when you said you were used to people badmouthing you, and generally getting a hard time so I though…”

“We just wanted to show our support…unless we’ve offended you?” Finished Konekomaru hesitantly.

“Oh.” Was all Rin could say for a moment. “No! I’m really touched guys! I’ve…you really didn’t need to.” He said softly.

“What are friends for?” Suguro said with a grin.

(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧BONUS*:･ﾟ✧

Shima watch the fabric twirl around his thighs as he shook his hips to and fro. “Damn these are great.” He said with a grin.

“I know right?” Rin himself did a twirl to emphasize. Shiemi bubbled with laughter as she watched them dance around. “I still like kimonos but skirts are a lot of fun.”

“You guys are being ridiculous.” Yet Izumo’s tone lacked any malice, which gave Shiemi the idea to grab her by the hands and spin around with her. “St-Stop!”

As Rin looked around, he noticed one person wasn’t a part of the group. “Oi, Yukio get up! You’ve been at your desk all class, I don’t have a skirt here for you but-“

“No need. Konekomaru emailed me about their idea.” He said as he stood up and walked out from behind his desk.

“Yuki!?” Shiemi cried out in shock, even letting go of Izumo who almost fell from the abrupt stop. Yukio was matching the group with his Mephisto Pink skirt but had chosen to wear black tights rather than knee socks.

“Lookin’ good Sensei.” Said Shima with a wink.

“Ni-san…I know I haven’t been that supportive lately and I want that to change. I’m here for you.” He said solemnly.

“Spotty Four Eyes…” Rin was tearing up at the proclamation. “Come ‘ere!” He yelled before scooping him up and a hug, physically lifting him and spinning around.

“N-Ni-san! Put me down!”

“Never shitty four eyes!”

Suguro growled as he pulled up his socks again. “Damn, I should’ve got tights.”

[kajal666]

RYAN WILLIAMS

“ghosts…!!hunh…!! these only live in your mind and nothing else” said Alina. “noo..these are real…please believe me and you just wait for two minutes i’ll bring my Ouija board” replied Lucy in very confident tone. and after 5 minutes their room was completely dark with only 2 candles lightening up their faces and then Lucy whispered“hii…i am Lucy Lawrence…i want to know is there any ghost around us…please show yourself…we want to meet you……make us feel your presence” meanwhile Alina laughed loudly making fun of Lucy…and suddenly there was a slat…turning off the only light in room. Lucy cried out loud “leave us…it was just for fun…please leave us” Lucy and Alina tried to run away but the door shut off quickly making Lucy shout out loud in terror. then suddenly door opened and as Lucy stepped out…it again closed slamming with a thunder. Alina cried “please leave me…”. ghost replied calmly “hii Alina”. Alina shouted loudly “who are you?? i dont know you…and how do you know my name??” ghost added “yeah Alina…i know you from the very moment i saw you today…i wanted to know more about you…can you sit and talk to me??” Alina screamed “ Lucy…!! save me…!! this ghost is insane…please open the door…otherwise i am going to die…” Alina started crying loudly… and then suddenly like a magic…everything was normal again like it was 10 minutes before…no wind…no darkness…door got opened automatically and no signs of ghost left…and the two girls were left with silent calm surrounding outside but inside a storm of terror had seized both of them… 1 MONTH LATER everything was getting normal day by day…both the girls were trying to recover from the ghost incident… one day suddenly in the mid of session a new boy came to their class… handsome hunk…with green eyes and tall hieght. every girl in the school was attracted to this guy including Lucy Lawrence but except one ALINA… she was still not recovered to the point that she’ll be able to move on…she used to sit alone and quiet…fighting with demons inside her mind…(she even didnt notice this new boy) “hii…can i sit here?” the boy asked Alina she didn’t respond at all. but he briskly sat down. “hey..!! myself Ryan Williams and u?” SILENCE “heya…!! i am Ryan and miss what’s your name?” “heyy..“ she said in low voice “myself Alina…Alina Johnson” “ohhkk…soo Alina…why are you sitting alone in the class while your all other classmates are in auditorium?” “its none of your business…stay away” she grunted. “ohh…angry little lady…i am sorry if i offended you…but i am new in this class and dont know anybody here…i saw you sitting alone and thought of making you my new friend” “its okk…i just over reacted…its all my fault…I AM SORRY” “fine…if you want me to accept your apology then you must show me the school” “okk fine...come lets go” she muttered as Alina was showing Ryan his new school…Ryan was busy looking at her. he found her quiet beautiful…the way she spoke…how she explains everything…her gestures…and all. he was caught in her eyes…soo pure was this feeling to Ryan but Alina was unaware of his feeling…it was like love…one sided love and Ryan loved that feeling. next day Ryan sat behind Alina…and was trying to touch and play with her long black hairs…but she caught him and unexpectedly BLUSHED. Ryan’s heart throbbed…he was unable to handle such a cute look on Alina’s face. as the time passed both of these started coming close to each other…both used to spend their whole day almost together talking about books…coffee…football. Ryan just loved the way she blushed when he used to touch her hand or look into her beautiful brown eyes… while Alina loved the part when they used to laugh together not caring about anyone else making her feel more happier about her life. as time passed…one day…Ryan confessed his love for her…and as expected Alina too said yes to him. weeks and weeks went…both of them were coming more closer and closer…this made Lucy soo jealoused of Alina that she started doing pranks with her…and often throwed tantrums on her in public. one day she crossed the limit and brought the Ouija board to school…just to scare Alina… Alina who just started being comfortable with herself and Ryan…again was terror struck. tears started rolling down her cheeks she ran to Ryan…hugged him and passionately kissed him making him cry. next Ryan was pushing her away…and wanted to run away but Alina was not letting him go…she continued kissing him. and what she saw drifted her whole world. shit!!! Ryan soon started disappearing… Alina stepped back and with her mouth open was looking at Ryan with mixed kind of feelings… and soon Ryan just disappeared…with his no sign left. after 1 week Alina just stopped going to school…she was not able to digest and understand what she just saw at the school…and was missing Ryan too much…she actually got used to him and now he was gone… and then on her mirror with her red lipstick was written “USE THE OUIJA BOARD NOW” she was frightened…she immediately called Lucy and told her everything… Lucy apologised for her behaviour…and came to Alina’s house… she brought her ouija board too. again there was the same set up… darkness…candles…and these two girls… and again the same voice echoed… “Alina dont scare i am Ryan…your Ryan…please dont panic and listen to me.” “Ryan had disappeared…tell me the truth who are you??” “please believe me Alina…i am Ryan…please try to remember how you showed me the whole school…and how we used to talk about books and coffee” “Ryan…ohhh Ryan…where were you…where you got disappered…i was looking for you everywhere…and most important…why the hell you are not visible to us…??” “Alina…may be you won’t believe me now…or you won’t believe the time we spent together…but these both are real…” “i am not able to understand anything…tell everything clear” “ ohkk…Alina do you remeber…that a nearly month ago you and Lucy used the Ouija board” “how can we forget that…i hate that moment but…how do you know about it…i never discussed about it with you or with anybody else…” “yeah you never but if i say i was the only one..that scared you that day…then could you forgive me?“he gulped “what..!! Ryan…you are a ghost…but you were my friend…how is this possible"she trembled. “listen Alina…I AM A GHOST…that day when i saw you first time…when i saw how courageous you were…and how BEAUTIFUL you looked…i just can’t stop myself…it was love at first sight for me…but you won’t believe me…i am ghost…and ghost are dead…they dont have any feelings…and most important ghost are always bad…they can never be good…this is why i had hide my real identity from you my dear” he continued,“i followed you for a month and finally came up as a new admission in your class just to know you better…everything was going good…i loved you and you loved me…we were soo perfect together…” “i loved a ghost…ohh god…please save me” “no…no listen…our love was real but i was not real human…just simple as that” she added,“then why did you disappered…why dont you kept this drama continue with me..??we were soo happy…i was soo happy” “i know…Alina but you remember when i came here…first time…you started crying suddenly…it was the time i was supposed to leave …” “soo what if i was crying..ghost make people cry” “noo…i love you…and when i saw you crying i couldn’t stop myself from crying…soo in order to not to cry i ran away that day but when in school you came crying and hugged me…i cried and was unable to escape…you didn’t let me escape…” “please explain"Lucy said "ohhk…i am bound to this earth due a magical spell…according to which if i’ll cry i’ll be free from this spell and god will absorb me in him…and that day you made me cry…and ultimately i had to leave you…and my real face came in front of you…that i am ghost…” “but…er…err.."trembled Alina "no just listen to me…i am granted only 5 more minutes… that too on request by that lord in the name of love"Ryan added then suddenly wind started blowing in its full power..and ryan was again visible to alina… "Alina Johnson…listen I LOVE YOU…AND WILL ALWAYS DO…"he stated as he moved towards her… he then gripped her waist and pulled her closer…more closer…and very gently placed his lips on hers… this intense passion between both of them was irresistible… and after 5 minutes…it was his time to leave…HE LOOKED AT HER THE WAY EVERY GIRL WANTS TO BE LOOKED and then he softly spoke "good bye…Alina Johnson…and remember…i will always love you” and everything fade away…Ryan and his love… Alina was changed girl after this…she was happy go lucky girl…because Ryan taught him that happy girls are the prettiest… 1 MONTH AGO a new admission named Ryan Williams…came to her class…

#writerscreedchallenge

[reptilerach]

“Rejection”; Chapter Two

NOTE: The acronym “Y/N” in this and following chapters will stand for “Your Name”. I plan on having Papyrus calling you by a nickname, so... yeah. Enjoy!

______________________________________________________________

There stood Sans, yawning and slamming the door closed. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and stepped inside the living room. Opening his eye sockets lazily, he noticed how you had made yourself quite comfortable on his couch; and had your soul out in front of you. He snapped his eyes open wide, and non-existent eyebrows raised. Spinning around hastily, he covered his eyes and threw his hood over his face.

“jesus, kid, put that away! what the hell are ya doing?!” You remembered how it was some sort of big deal of having your soul out in front of people, and caught the bottom of it in your palm. You helped guide it back slowly into your chest, and breathed a big sigh. Peering out from under his shield, a blue glow seemed to shine extremely faintly on his cheekbones. But, like always, it was probably just your imagination.

He brushed a small skeletal hand over his bald skull, and took a seat across from you on the opposite end of the couch. You wipe away any remaining tears, and try to act natural. Instead, you make yourself seem suspicious. You glance over at the short skeleton, observing his stature. Sans was only 5 feet tall, which made you and Papyrus look like giants next to him. Paps, being 6’2”, was a bit taller than you, but it was fine. For your age, you were an Amazon back in the real world. You could never meet a guy that was your height. Except for...him…

You didn't notice it at first, but Sans had apparently brought home a ketchup bottle with him from Grillby’s. It disgusted you slightly by his choice of drink, but who were you to judge? “so… ‘whatcha been doing? i kinda find it hard to believe you just had your soul out for no reason.” Sans smirked slightly, bringing the bottle up to his face.  Your face burned faintly from his question, but your gaze on the floor below you. His eyes were observing your every movement, and it was very unnerving.

Your voice choked on your words, and with every passing second you felt stupider and stupider. Without thinking, you wound up biting your lip hard enough to draw blood. This caused you to remain silent. Sans seemed to pick up on your unease, and changed topics. “uh...anyways, i never got your name. last thing i remember is you hugging me and playing along to paps’ puzzles. this is the first time you've been awake since.”

You snapped out of your stupor and gained the courage to speak. Your soul glowed a pulse of orange through your shirt, and for a fleeting moment you saw Sans look downwards. His permanent grin dropped, and frown slightly at the change in color. The first time he saw it shine through your clothing was when you first met him and it glowed a beautiful pink-red. Perhaps he saw it change into another variety of colors as you went along your journey through the woods of Snowdin.

“O-oh, right. Sorry. My name is, well, it's (Y/N). But my friends call me “Nickname’.” You smiled as big as you could manage in your depressed state, but stopped when you felt like you were being too “desperate” again. Sans lift his grin, and cocked his head to the side. “(Y/N), huh? i've never heard that name before. it's different.” He closed his eyes, and took another swig of his drink happily as if he were remembering something pleasant.

“My name is different? Heh, your name is different. I've never met a guy, or skeleton in that matter, who's named Sans!” You chuckled, and shook your head. Sans was silent, and awoke from his daze. He scowled curiously at you, and leaned backwards. “how...how do you know my name?” You peered over your shoulder curiously, and raised a brow in confusion. “You told me in the forest when I first ran into you, remember? You had the whoopee cushion and-” “no i didn't. i never introduced myself, and yesterday i didn't bring my joke bag with me to my sentry station.”

You gulped, and mentally gave yourself a smack across the face. Dammit (Y/N), that's what happened for Frisk! Not you! Why did you have to open your big mouth? You began to sweat nervously until the Lord granted you a perfect excuse. “Um, well, I heard your brother Papyrus mention it quite a few times while you were cracking jokes along the way in the forest.” You smiled genuinely, proud that you came up with an acceptable answer for once in your life.

“huh? oh, yeah. right. for a second there i thought you were some kinda human who already knew that, in a weird and creepy way. guess not. right?” He chuckled lightly, but his whole demeanor was terrifyingly serious and suspicious. He knows. He knows that I'm not from around here. I'm so screwed- Cutting yourself off from panicking too much, you laughed along and went back to staring at the floor rather than looking into his demanding and knowing eye sockets.

Silence passed, and to keep yourself from running out of the room, you tapped your foot. Sans flicked his pupils to rapidly moving appendage, then back to you. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw him shift a half inch closer and glare at the clock. You did the same, and sighed. Why couldn't Papyrus be home now? He could relieve all this tension with his loud, booming voice and take Sans’ attention off of me- “look, pal...i'm going to just skip to the point.”

You froze, and went stiff. The color drained from your face as images of Sans in the Judgement Hall flashed before your eyes. You could tell that he knew how stressed out you were. He decided to take advantage of it in order to get his point across. “i know you aren't from around here. or the ruins. or anywhere in the underground. i'm uncertain if you're from the surface; if that were the case, frisk would've notified me by now that you were a friend. but since she didn't…”

He blinked, and stopped speaking. You opened your dry mouth, in an attempt to say something, but he held up his hand hastily. He can't trust me. I knew it was too good to be true; that Sans would automatically see me as a friend when I ran into his arms. “i think you're getting the picture, based on that expression you're wearing.” You forced yourself to look at him, and it turned out that he was resting his head on his hand. His arm was propped up by the couch’s armrest, and a sly smirk was plastered upon his face. A non-existent eyebrow raised in triumph, and gazed upon you lazily.

You nodded, and tried to scoot away from him. He didn't make any sudden gestures that would show the action made him unhappy, so you did. Yawning, he stretched his arm with the ketchup bottle and set it onto the table. “that being said… when i first bumped into you, i knew you were a good person. after all, you've got no LOVE on you whatsoever.” He smiled, and shut his eyes. “i don't know much about you… but let me tell ya something. i’m not your ordinary monster, as you've probably figured out, but that doesn't mean i’m one who likes to be left out on important info.”

Bringing your focus back onto him, you flinched when you saw that the whites in his eyes went completely black. “so talk.”

FIRST

PREVIOUS (That’s the First one, pal.)

NEXT

Chapter Ten (Where all the chapters before that are.)

Chapter Twenty (Links for Chapters 11 --> 19)

Chapter Thirty (Links for Chapters 21 --> 29)

[dfroza]

the closing of a Letter

as well as a simple “hello” is seen by Paul with Today’s reading of First Corinthians:

The churches here in western Asia send greetings.

Aquila, Priscilla, and the church that meets in their house say hello.

All the friends here say hello.

Pass the greetings around with holy embraces!

And I, Paul—in my own handwriting!—send you my regards.

The Letter of 1st Corinthians, Chapter 16:19-21 (The Message)

and the whole chapter in The Voice:

Now I call you, just as I did the churches gathering in Galatia, to collect funds to support God’s people in Jerusalem. On Sunday, the first day of the week, I want each of you to set aside an amount, as God has blessed you, so the funds will be collected by the time I come. When I get there, I will send those you recommend by your own letters to carry your generous and gracious donation to Jerusalem. If you think it seems appropriate for me to travel with them, then we’ll go together.

Get ready. I will come your way after traveling through Macedonia. For I’m just passing through Macedonia and will probably stay with you through the winter so that you may provide for my next journey (wherever that may be). I want to reconnect with you, not just pass through; if the Lord is willing, I hope to stay awhile. But until Pentecost, I plan to stay in Ephesus because, not only has God opened a significant door here for me to serve, but also there is a lot of opposition against me.

If Timothy comes, see that he is comfortable and untroubled; his work is the Lord’s, as is mine. No one should treat him badly. Send him on to meet me in peace because the brothers and sisters here and I are looking for him. You shouldn’t expect to see our brother Apollos, although I tried to persuade him to come to you with the rest of the brothers and sisters, because now is not the best time for him to come. When it’s his time, he will come.

Listen, stay alert, stand tall in the faith, be courageous, and be strong. Let love prevail in your life, words, and actions.

Finally, brothers and sisters, I call on you to follow your leaders. People like those in the house of Stephanas—you know they were among the first believers in Achaia, and they have devoted their lives to serving God’s people—I urge you to submit to the authority of such leaders, to every coworker, and to those who offer their backs and shoulders for the work. I celebrate the arrival of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, as they have supplied me with what you could not. They have been a breath of fresh air for me as I know they are for you, so respect and honor those like them.

The churches in Asia salute you. Aquila and Prisca send a heartfelt greeting in the Lord along with those who gather at their house. The entire family in faith here sends their greetings. Be sure you greet one another by a holy kiss.

This closing greeting is written by my own hand—Paul’s: May those who have no love for the Lord be cursed. Maranatha, “Our Lord, come!” May the grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. My love to you all in the name of the Anointed One, Jesus. [Amen.]

The Letter of 1st Corinthians, Chapter 16 (The Voice)

Today’s paired chapter of the Testaments is chapter 22 of 2nd Samuel that contains the words of a song (and prayer) by King David:

David prayed to God the words of this song after God saved him from all his enemies and from Saul.

God is bedrock under my feet,

the castle in which I live,

my rescuing knight.

My God—the high crag

where I run for dear life,

hiding behind the boulders,

safe in the granite hideout;

My mountaintop refuge,

he saves me from ruthless men.

I sing to God the Praise-Lofty,

and find myself safe and saved.

The waves of death crashed over me,

devil waters rushed over me.

Hell’s ropes cinched me tight;

death traps barred every exit.

A hostile world! I called to God,

to my God I cried out.

From his palace he heard me call;

my cry brought me right into his presence—

a private audience!

Earth wobbled and lurched;

the very heavens shook like leaves,

Quaked like aspen leaves

because of his rage.

His nostrils flared, billowing smoke;

his mouth spit fire.

Tongues of fire darted in and out;

he lowered the sky.

He stepped down;

under his feet an abyss opened up.

He rode a winged creature,

swift on wind-wings.

He wrapped himself

in a trenchcoat of black rain-cloud darkness.

But his cloud-brightness burst through,

a grand comet of fireworks.

Then God thundered out of heaven;

the High God gave a great shout.

God shot his arrows—pandemonium!

He hurled his lightnings—a rout!

The secret sources of ocean were exposed,

the hidden depths of earth lay uncovered

The moment God roared in protest,

let loose his hurricane anger.

But me he caught—reached all the way

from sky to sea; he pulled me out

Of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos,

the void in which I was drowning.

They hit me when I was down,

but God stuck by me.

He stood me up on a wide-open field;

I stood there saved—surprised to be loved!

God made my life complete

when I placed all the pieces before him.

When I cleaned up my act,

he gave me a fresh start.

Indeed, I’ve kept alert to God’s ways;

I haven’t taken God for granted.

Every day I review the ways he works,

I try not to miss a trick.

I feel put back together,

and I’m watching my step.

God rewrote the text of my life

when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.

You stick by people who stick with you,

you’re straight with people who’re straight with you,

You’re good to good people,

you shrewdly work around the bad ones.

You take the side of the down-and-out,

but the stuck-up you take down a peg.

Suddenly, God, your light floods my path,

God drives out the darkness.

I smash the bands of marauders,

I vault the high fences.

What a God! His road

stretches straight and smooth.

Every God-direction is road-tested.

Everyone who runs toward him

Makes it.

Is there any god like God?

Are we not at bedrock?

Is not this the God who armed me well,

then aimed me in the right direction?

Now I run like a deer;

I’m king of the mountain.

He shows me how to fight;

I can bend a bronze bow!

You protect me with salvation-armor;

you touch me and I feel ten feet tall.

You cleared the ground under me

so my footing was firm.

When I chased my enemies I caught them;

I didn’t let go till they were dead men.

I nailed them; they were down for good;

then I walked all over them.

You armed me well for this fight;

you smashed the upstarts.

You made my enemies turn tail,

and I wiped out the haters.

They cried “uncle”

but Uncle didn’t come;

They yelled for God

and got no for an answer.

I ground them to dust; they gusted in the wind.

I threw them out, like garbage in the gutter.

You rescued me from a squabbling people;

you made me a leader of nations.

People I’d never heard of served me;

the moment they got wind of me they submitted.

They gave up; they came trembling from their hideouts.

Live, God! Blessing to my Rock,

my towering Salvation-God!

This God set things right for me

and shut up the people who talked back.

He rescued me from enemy anger.

You pulled me from the grip of upstarts,

You saved me from the bullies.

That’s why I’m thanking you, God,

all over the world.

That’s why I’m singing songs

that rhyme your name.

God’s king takes the trophy;

God’s chosen is beloved.

I mean David and all his children—

always.

The Book of 2nd Samuel, Chapter 22 (The Message)

my personal reading of the Scriptures for Wednesday, november 11 of 2020 with a paired chapter from each Testament along with Today’s Psalms and Proverbs

A post by John Parsons about our time in this world and the hope we need to cling to:

It is written in our Scriptures: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit (i.e., ruach nishbarah: רוח נשברה); a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise" (Psalm 51:17). We are "in" but not "of" the world, so that means that we share in the common hardships and sorrows of this world. However, the difference is this: We do not suffer alone, for God's love surrounds us with comfort. For those who know Yeshua, suffering does not demand an intellectual answer to "why" we suffer as much as it evokes the heart's cry for God's presence... In the midst of our troubles the Spirit groans within us: "My soul clings to you and your right hand upholds me" (Psalm 63:8). We come to God in our brokenness, holding fast to his promise of comfort, and God upholds us with his hand. "This is my comfort in my affliction, that your word gives me life" (Psalm 119:50).

God is not indifferent to our plight, chaverim, and indeed, that is the basic message of the cross... Indeed how can we believe in God's love apart from the cross? How can we know the truth of his heart? God knows those who are broken and contrite (Isa. 57:15). The LORD is full of comfort; he loves the afflicted, he has grace for the humble, he forgives the fallen, and he revives the heart. Compassion is his nature - as the cross of Yeshua reveals - and therefore we can come to him in our need, in our affliction, as those who are "poor in spirit" (Matt. 5:3). God loves us even when we feel forsaken, all alone in our private struggles. The Spirit impels us to cry out for deliverance and experience consolation in our distress. This is a common experience in God's people: in our sorrows we seek him, and then we rediscover his mercies and great compassion. Great is his faithfulness (Lam. 3:23). [Hebrew for Christians]

https://hebrew4christians.com

11.10.20 • Facebook

Today’s message from the Institute for Creation Research:

November 11, 2020

The Good Fight

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” (2 Timothy 4:7)

The beautiful National World War II Memorial in the nation’s capital was dedicated in 2004, honoring the more than 400,000 who gave their lives in that conflict (including the writer’s younger brother). This particular holiday, of course, originally known as Armistice Day, had been established many years before to commemorate the end of World War I and to honor the veterans of that war.

There have been many other wars in our nation’s history and many who have served and many who have died. They all “have fought a good fight” and “kept the faith” of our nation’s commitment to establish “liberty and justice for all” and to maintain this ideal in every generation. They fully merit our honor and heartfelt gratitude.

There is another good fight going on, of course, every day in the life of each believing Christian. The apostle Paul never served as a soldier in any human army, but he was often called on to “endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ” (2 Timothy 2:3). As a matter of fact, each of us must remember that “unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake” (Philippians 1:29).

That suffering may be actual persecution, or even injury or death on a battlefield, but it could also be poverty or sickness or some other “messenger of Satan” (2 Corinthians 12:7) sent to test us and alienate us from the Lord. But then we can hear the Lord say, as with Paul: “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Whatever comes, may God help us to be able to say in that day: “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” HMM

[dfroza]

Today’s reading from the ancient book of Proverbs and book of Psalms

for may 18 of 2021 with Proverbs 18 and Psalm 18, accompanied by Psalm 60 for the 60th day of Spring and Psalm 138 for day 138 of the year

[Proverbs 18]

[Wisdom Gives Life]

An unfriendly person isolates himself

and seems to care only about his own issues.

For his contempt of sound judgment makes him a recluse.

Senseless people find no pleasure in acquiring true wisdom,

for all they want to do is impress you with what they know.

An ungodly man is always cloaked with disgrace,

as dishonor and shame are his companions.

Words of wisdom are like a fresh, flowing brook—

like deep waters that spring forth from within,

bubbling up inside the one with understanding.

It is atrocious when judges show favor to the guilty

and deprive the innocent of justice.

A senseless man jumps headfirst into an argument;

he’s just asking for a beating for his reckless words.

A fool has a big mouth that only gets him into trouble,

and he’ll pay the price for what he says.

The words of a gossip merely reveal the wounds of his own soul,

and his slander penetrates into the innermost being.

The one who is too lazy to look for work

is the same one who wastes his life away.

The character of God is a tower of strength,

for the lovers of God delight to run into his heart

and be exalted on high.

The rich, in their conceit, imagine that their wealth

is enough to protect them.

It becomes their confidence in a day of trouble.

A man’s heart is the proudest when his downfall is nearest,

for he won’t see glory until the Lord sees humility.

Listen before you speak,

for to speak before you’ve heard the facts will bring humiliation.

The will to live sustains you when you’re sick,

but depression crushes courage and leaves you unable to cope.

The spiritually hungry are always ready to learn more,

for their hearts are eager to discover new truths.

Would you like to meet a very important person?

Take a generous gift.

It will do wonders to gain entrance into his presence.

There are two sides to every story.

The first one to speak sounds true until you hear the other side

and they set the record straight.

A coin toss[i] resolves a dispute

and can put an argument to rest

between formidable opponents.

It is easier to conquer a strong city

than to win back a friend whom you’ve offended.

Their walls go up, making it nearly impossible to win them back.

Sharing words of wisdom is satisfying to your inner being.

It encourages you to know

that you’ve changed someone else’s life.

Your words are so powerful

that they will kill or give life,

and the talkative person will reap the consequences.

When a man finds a wife,

he has found a treasure!

For she is the gift of God to bring him joy and pleasure.

But the one who divorces a good woman

loses what is good from his house.

To choose an adulteress is both stupid and ungodly.

The poor plead for help from the rich,

but all they get in return is a harsh response.

Some friendships don’t last for long,

but there is one loving friend who is joined to your heart

closer than any other!

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 18 (The Passion Translation)

[Psalm 18]

I love you, God—

you make me strong.

God is bedrock under my feet,

the castle in which I live,

my rescuing knight.

My God—the high crag

where I run for dear life,

hiding behind the boulders,

safe in the granite hideout.

I sing to God, the Praise-Lofty,

and find myself safe and saved.

The hangman’s noose was tight at my throat;

devil waters rushed over me.

Hell’s ropes cinched me tight;

death traps barred every exit.

A hostile world! I call to God,

I cry to God to help me.

From his palace he hears my call;

my cry brings me right into his presence—

a private audience!

Earth wobbles and lurches;

huge mountains shake like leaves,

Quake like aspen leaves

because of his rage.

His nostrils flare, bellowing smoke;

his mouth spits fire.

Tongues of fire dart in and out;

he lowers the sky.

He steps down;

under his feet an abyss opens up.

He’s riding a winged creature,

swift on wind-wings.

Now he’s wrapped himself

in a trenchcoat of black-cloud darkness.

But his cloud-brightness bursts through,

spraying hailstones and fireballs.

Then God thundered out of heaven;

the High God gave a great shout,

spraying hailstones and fireballs.

God shoots his arrows—pandemonium!

He hurls his lightnings—a rout!

The secret sources of ocean are exposed,

the hidden depths of earth lie uncovered

The moment you roar in protest,

let loose your hurricane anger.

But me he caught—reached all the way

from sky to sea; he pulled me out

Of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos,

the void in which I was drowning.

They hit me when I was down,

but God stuck by me.

He stood me up on a wide-open field;

I stood there saved—surprised to be loved!

God made my life complete

when I placed all the pieces before him.

When I got my act together,

he gave me a fresh start.

Now I’m alert to God’s ways;

I don’t take God for granted.

Every day I review the ways he works;

I try not to miss a trick.

I feel put back together,

and I’m watching my step.

God rewrote the text of my life

when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.

The good people taste your goodness,

The whole people taste your health,

The true people taste your truth,

The bad ones can’t figure you out.

You take the side of the down-and-out,

But the stuck-up you take down a notch.

Suddenly, God, you floodlight my life;

I’m blazing with glory, God’s glory!

I smash the bands of marauders,

I vault the highest fences.

What a God! His road

stretches straight and smooth.

Every God-direction is road-tested.

Everyone who runs toward him

Makes it.

Is there any god like God?

Are we not at bedrock?

Is not this the God who armed me,

then aimed me in the right direction?

Now I run like a deer;

I’m king of the mountain.

He shows me how to fight;

I can bend a bronze bow!

You protect me with salvation-armor;

you hold me up with a firm hand,

caress me with your gentle ways.

You cleared the ground under me

so my footing was firm.

When I chased my enemies I caught them;

I didn’t let go till they were dead men.

I nailed them; they were down for good;

then I walked all over them.

You armed me well for this fight,

you smashed the upstarts.

You made my enemies turn tail,

and I wiped out the haters.

They cried “uncle”

but Uncle didn’t come;

They yelled for God

and got no for an answer.

I ground them to dust; they gusted in the wind.

I threw them out, like garbage in the gutter.

You rescued me from a squabbling people;

you made me a leader of nations.

People I’d never heard of served me;

the moment they got wind of me they listened.

The foreign devils gave up; they came

on their bellies, crawling from their hideouts.

Live, God! Blessings from my Rock,

my free and freeing God, towering!

This God set things right for me

and shut up the people who talked back.

He rescued me from enemy anger,

he pulled me from the grip of upstarts,

He saved me from the bullies.

That’s why I’m thanking you, God,

all over the world.

That’s why I’m singing songs

that rhyme your name.

God’s king takes the trophy;

God’s chosen is beloved.

I mean David and all his children—

always.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 18 (The Message)

[Psalm 60]

Has God Forgotten Us?

To the Pure and Shining One

King David’s poem for instruction composed when he fought against the Syrians with the outcome still uncertain and Joab turned back to kill twelve thousand descendants of Esau in the Valley of Salt

To the tune of “Lily of the Covenant”

God, it seems like you walked off and left us!

Why have you turned against us?

You have been angry with us.

O Lord, we plead, come back and help us as a father.

The earth quivers and quakes before you,

splitting open and breaking apart.

Now come and heal it, for it is shaken to its depths.

You have taught us hard lessons

and made us drink the wine of bewilderment.

You have given miraculous signs to those who love you.

As we follow you, we fly the flag of truth,

and all who love the truth will rally to it.

Pause in his presence

Come to your beloved ones and gently draw us out.

For Lord, you save those whom you love.

Come with your might and strength!

Then I heard the Lord speak in his holy splendor.

From his sanctuary I heard the Lord promise:

“In my triumph I will be the one to measure out

the portion of my inheritance to my people,

and I will secure the land as I promised you.

Shechem, Succoth, Gilead, Manasseh,

they are all still mine!” he says.

“Judah will continue to produce kings and lawgivers,

and Ephraim will produce great warriors.

Moab will become my lowly servant.

Edom will likewise serve my purposes.

I will lift up a shout of victory over the land of Philistia!

But who will bring my triumph into the strong city?

Who will lead me into Edom’s fortresses?”

Have you really rejected us, refusing to fight our battles?

Give us a father’s help when we face our enemies.

For to trust in any man is an empty hope.

With God’s help we will fight like heroes,

and he will trample down our every foe!

The Book of Psalms, Poem 60 (The Passion Translation)

[dfroza]

Today’s reading from the ancient books of Proverbs and Psalms

for Sunday, April 18 of 2021 with Proverbs 18 and Psalm 18, accompanied by Psalm 30 for the 30th day of Spring and Psalm 108 for day 108 of the year

[Proverbs 18]

[Wisdom Gives Life]

An unfriendly person isolates himself

and seems to care only about his own issues.

For his contempt of sound judgment makes him a recluse.

Senseless people find no pleasure in acquiring true wisdom,

for all they want to do is impress you with what they know.

An ungodly man is always cloaked with disgrace,

as dishonor and shame are his companions.

Words of wisdom are like a fresh, flowing brook—

like deep waters that spring forth from within,

bubbling up inside the one with understanding.

It is atrocious when judges show favor to the guilty

and deprive the innocent of justice.

A senseless man jumps headfirst into an argument;

he’s just asking for a beating for his reckless words.

A fool has a big mouth that only gets him into trouble,

and he’ll pay the price for what he says.

The words of a gossip merely reveal the wounds of his own soul,

and his slander penetrates into the innermost being.

The one who is too lazy to look for work

is the same one who wastes his life away.

The character of God is a tower of strength,

for the lovers of God delight to run into his heart

and be exalted on high.

The rich, in their conceit, imagine that their wealth

is enough to protect them.

It becomes their confidence in a day of trouble.

A man’s heart is the proudest when his downfall is nearest,

for he won’t see glory until the Lord sees humility.

Listen before you speak,

for to speak before you’ve heard the facts will bring humiliation.

The will to live sustains you when you’re sick,

but depression crushes courage and leaves you unable to cope.

The spiritually hungry are always ready to learn more,

for their hearts are eager to discover new truths.

Would you like to meet a very important person?

Take a generous gift.

It will do wonders to gain entrance into his presence.

There are two sides to every story.

The first one to speak sounds true until you hear the other side

and they set the record straight.

A coin toss resolves a dispute

and can put an argument to rest

between formidable opponents.

It is easier to conquer a strong city

than to win back a friend whom you’ve offended.

Their walls go up, making it nearly impossible to win them back.

Sharing words of wisdom is satisfying to your inner being.

It encourages you to know

that you’ve changed someone else’s life.

Your words are so powerful

that they will kill or give life,

and the talkative person will reap the consequences.

When a man finds a wife,

he has found a treasure!

For she is the gift of God to bring him joy and pleasure.

But the one who divorces a good woman

loses what is good from his house.

To choose an adulteress is both stupid and ungodly.

The poor plead for help from the rich,

but all they get in return is a harsh response.

Some friendships don’t last for long,

but there is one loving friend who is joined to your heart

closer than any other!

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 18 (The Passion Translation)

[Psalm 18]

I love you, God—

you make me strong.

God is bedrock under my feet,

the castle in which I live,

my rescuing knight.

My God—the high crag

where I run for dear life,

hiding behind the boulders,

safe in the granite hideout.

I sing to God, the Praise-Lofty,

and find myself safe and saved.

The hangman’s noose was tight at my throat;

devil waters rushed over me.

Hell’s ropes cinched me tight;

death traps barred every exit.

A hostile world! I call to God,

I cry to God to help me.

From his palace he hears my call;

my cry brings me right into his presence—

a private audience!

Earth wobbles and lurches;

huge mountains shake like leaves,

Quake like aspen leaves

because of his rage.

His nostrils flare, bellowing smoke;

his mouth spits fire.

Tongues of fire dart in and out;

he lowers the sky.

He steps down;

under his feet an abyss opens up.

He’s riding a winged creature,

swift on wind-wings.

Now he’s wrapped himself

in a trenchcoat of black-cloud darkness.

But his cloud-brightness bursts through,

spraying hailstones and fireballs.

Then God thundered out of heaven;

the High God gave a great shout,

spraying hailstones and fireballs.

God shoots his arrows—pandemonium!

He hurls his lightnings—a rout!

The secret sources of ocean are exposed,

the hidden depths of earth lie uncovered

The moment you roar in protest,

let loose your hurricane anger.

But me he caught—reached all the way

from sky to sea; he pulled me out

Of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos,

the void in which I was drowning.

They hit me when I was down,

but God stuck by me.

He stood me up on a wide-open field;

I stood there saved—surprised to be loved!

God made my life complete

when I placed all the pieces before him.

When I got my act together,

he gave me a fresh start.

Now I’m alert to God’s ways;

I don’t take God for granted.

Every day I review the ways he works;

I try not to miss a trick.

I feel put back together,

and I’m watching my step.

God rewrote the text of my life

when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.

The good people taste your goodness,

The whole people taste your health,

The true people taste your truth,

The bad ones can’t figure you out.

You take the side of the down-and-out,

But the stuck-up you take down a notch.

Suddenly, God, you floodlight my life;

I’m blazing with glory, God’s glory!

I smash the bands of marauders,

I vault the highest fences.

What a God! His road

stretches straight and smooth.

Every God-direction is road-tested.

Everyone who runs toward him

Makes it.

Is there any god like God?

Are we not at bedrock?

Is not this the God who armed me,

then aimed me in the right direction?

Now I run like a deer;

I’m king of the mountain.

He shows me how to fight;

I can bend a bronze bow!

You protect me with salvation-armor;

you hold me up with a firm hand,

caress me with your gentle ways.

You cleared the ground under me

so my footing was firm.

When I chased my enemies I caught them;

I didn’t let go till they were dead men.

I nailed them; they were down for good;

then I walked all over them.

You armed me well for this fight,

you smashed the upstarts.

You made my enemies turn tail,

and I wiped out the haters.

They cried “uncle”

but Uncle didn’t come;

They yelled for God

and got no for an answer.

I ground them to dust; they gusted in the wind.

I threw them out, like garbage in the gutter.

You rescued me from a squabbling people;

you made me a leader of nations.

People I’d never heard of served me;

the moment they got wind of me they listened.

The foreign devils gave up; they came

on their bellies, crawling from their hideouts.

Live, God! Blessings from my Rock,

my free and freeing God, towering!

This God set things right for me

and shut up the people who talked back.

He rescued me from enemy anger,

he pulled me from the grip of upstarts,

He saved me from the bullies.

That’s why I’m thanking you, God,

all over the world.

That’s why I’m singing songs

that rhyme your name.

God’s king takes the trophy;

God’s chosen is beloved.

I mean David and all his children—

always.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 18 (The Message)

[Psalm 30]

A song of David. For the dedication of the temple.

I praise You, Eternal One. You lifted me out of that deep, dark pit

and denied my opponents the pleasure of rubbing in their success.

Eternal One, my True God, I cried out to You for help;

You mended the shattered pieces of my life.

You lifted me from the grave with a mighty hand,

gave me another chance,

and saved me from joining those in that dreadful pit.

Sing, all you who remain faithful!

Pour out your hearts to the Eternal with praise and melodies;

let grateful music fill the air and bless His name.

His wrath, you see, is fleeting,

but His grace lasts a lifetime.

The deepest pains may linger through the night,

but joy greets the soul with the smile of morning.

When things were quiet and life was easy, I said in arrogance,

“Nothing can shake me.”

By Your grace, Eternal,

I thought I was as strong as a mountain;

But when You left my side and hid away,

I crumbled in fear.

O Eternal One, I called out to You;

I pleaded for Your compassion and forgiveness:

“I’m no good to You dead! What benefits come from my rotting corpse?

My body in the grave will not praise You.

No songs will rise up from the dust of my bones.

From dust comes no proclamation of Your faithfulness.

Hear me, Eternal Lord—please help me,

Eternal One—be merciful!”

You did it: You turned my deepest pains into joyful dancing;

You stripped off my dark clothing

and covered me with joyful light.

You have restored my honor. My heart is ready to explode, erupt in new songs!

It’s impossible to keep quiet!

Eternal One, my God, my Life-Giver, I will thank You forever.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 30 (The Voice)

[dfroza]

Today’s reading from the ancient books of Proverbs and Psalms

for monday, january 18 of 2021 with Proverbs 18 and Psalm 18, accompanied by Psalm 29 for the 29th day of Winter

[Psalm 18]

I love you, God—

you make me strong.

God is bedrock under my feet,

the castle in which I live,

my rescuing knight.

My God—the high crag

where I run for dear life,

hiding behind the boulders,

safe in the granite hideout.

I sing to God, the Praise-Lofty,

and find myself safe and saved.

The hangman’s noose was tight at my throat;

devil waters rushed over me.

Hell’s ropes cinched me tight;

death traps barred every exit.

A hostile world! I call to God,

I cry to God to help me.

From his palace he hears my call;

my cry brings me right into his presence—

a private audience!

Earth wobbles and lurches;

huge mountains shake like leaves,

Quake like aspen leaves

because of his rage.

His nostrils flare, bellowing smoke;

his mouth spits fire.

Tongues of fire dart in and out;

he lowers the sky.

He steps down;

under his feet an abyss opens up.

He’s riding a winged creature,

swift on wind-wings.

Now he’s wrapped himself

in a trenchcoat of black-cloud darkness.

But his cloud-brightness bursts through,

spraying hailstones and fireballs.

Then God thundered out of heaven;

the High God gave a great shout,

spraying hailstones and fireballs.

God shoots his arrows—pandemonium!

He hurls his lightnings—a rout!

The secret sources of ocean are exposed,

the hidden depths of earth lie uncovered

The moment you roar in protest,

let loose your hurricane anger.

But me he caught—reached all the way

from sky to sea; he pulled me out

Of that ocean of hate, that enemy chaos,

the void in which I was drowning.

They hit me when I was down,

but God stuck by me.

He stood me up on a wide-open field;

I stood there saved—surprised to be loved!

God made my life complete

when I placed all the pieces before him.

When I got my act together,

he gave me a fresh start.

Now I’m alert to God’s ways;

I don’t take God for granted.

Every day I review the ways he works;

I try not to miss a trick.

I feel put back together,

and I’m watching my step.

God rewrote the text of my life

when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.

The good people taste your goodness,

The whole people taste your health,

The true people taste your truth,

The bad ones can’t figure you out.

You take the side of the down-and-out,

But the stuck-up you take down a notch.

Suddenly, God, you floodlight my life;

I’m blazing with glory, God’s glory!

I smash the bands of marauders,

I vault the highest fences.

What a God! His road

stretches straight and smooth.

Every God-direction is road-tested.

Everyone who runs toward him

Makes it.

Is there any god like God?

Are we not at bedrock?

Is not this the God who armed me,

then aimed me in the right direction?

Now I run like a deer;

I’m king of the mountain.

He shows me how to fight;

I can bend a bronze bow!

You protect me with salvation-armor;

you hold me up with a firm hand,

caress me with your gentle ways.

You cleared the ground under me

so my footing was firm.

When I chased my enemies I caught them;

I didn’t let go till they were dead men.

I nailed them; they were down for good;

then I walked all over them.

You armed me well for this fight,

you smashed the upstarts.

You made my enemies turn tail,

and I wiped out the haters.

They cried “uncle”

but Uncle didn’t come;

They yelled for God

and got no for an answer.

I ground them to dust; they gusted in the wind.

I threw them out, like garbage in the gutter.

You rescued me from a squabbling people;

you made me a leader of nations.

People I’d never heard of served me;

the moment they got wind of me they listened.

The foreign devils gave up; they came

on their bellies, crawling from their hideouts.

Live, God! Blessings from my Rock,

my free and freeing God, towering!

This God set things right for me

and shut up the people who talked back.

He rescued me from enemy anger,

he pulled me from the grip of upstarts,

He saved me from the bullies.

That’s why I’m thanking you, God,

all over the world.

That’s why I’m singing songs

that rhyme your name.

God’s king takes the trophy;

God’s chosen is beloved.

I mean David and all his children—

always.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 18 (The Message)

[Psalm 29]

Bravo, God, bravo!

Gods and all angels shout, “Encore!”

In awe before the glory,

in awe before God’s visible power.

Stand at attention!

Dress your best to honor him!

God thunders across the waters,

Brilliant, his voice and his face, streaming brightness—

God, across the flood waters.

God’s thunder tympanic,

God’s thunder symphonic.

God’s thunder smashes cedars,

God topples the northern cedars.

The mountain ranges skip like spring colts,

The high ridges jump like wild kid goats.

God’s thunder spits fire.

God thunders, the wilderness quakes;

He makes the desert of Kadesh shake.

God’s thunder sets the oak trees dancing

A wild dance, whirling; the pelting rain strips their branches.

We fall to our knees—we call out, “Glory!”

Above the floodwaters is God’s throne

from which his power flows,

from which he rules the world.

God makes his people strong.

God gives his people peace.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 29 (The Message)

[Proverbs 18]

An unfriendly person isolates himself

and seems to care only about his own issues.

For his contempt of sound judgment makes him a recluse.

Senseless people find no pleasure in acquiring true wisdom,

for all they want to do is impress you with what they know.

An ungodly man is always cloaked with disgrace,

as dishonor and shame are his companions.

Words of wisdom are like a fresh, flowing brook—

like deep waters that spring forth from within,

bubbling up inside the one with understanding.

It is atrocious when judges show favor to the guilty

and deprive the innocent of justice.

A senseless man jumps headfirst into an argument;

he’s just asking for a beating for his reckless words.

A fool has a big mouth that only gets him into trouble,

and he’ll pay the price for what he says.

The words of a gossip merely reveal the wounds of his own soul,

and his slander penetrates into the innermost being.

The one who is too lazy to look for work

is the same one who wastes his life away.

The character of God is a tower of strength,

for the lovers of God delight to run into his heart

and be exalted on high.

The rich, in their conceit, imagine that their wealth

is enough to protect them.

It becomes their confidence in a day of trouble.

A man’s heart is the proudest when his downfall is nearest,

for he won’t see glory until the Lord sees humility.

Listen before you speak,

for to speak before you’ve heard the facts will bring humiliation.

The will to live sustains you when you’re sick,

but depression crushes courage and leaves you unable to cope.

The spiritually hungry are always ready to learn more,

for their hearts are eager to discover new truths.

Would you like to meet a very important person?

Take a generous gift.

It will do wonders to gain entrance into his presence.

There are two sides to every story.

The first one to speak sounds true until you hear the other side

and they set the record straight.

A coin toss resolves a dispute

and can put an argument to rest

between formidable opponents.

It is easier to conquer a strong city

than to win back a friend whom you’ve offended.

Their walls go up, making it nearly impossible to win them back.

Sharing words of wisdom is satisfying to your inner being.

It encourages you to know

that you’ve changed someone else’s life.

Your words are so powerful

that they will kill or give life,

and the talkative person will reap the consequences.

When a man finds a wife,

he has found a treasure!

For she is the gift of God to bring him joy and pleasure.

But the one who divorces a good woman

loses what is good from his house.

To choose an adulteress is both stupid and ungodly.

The poor plead for help from the rich,

but all they get in return is a harsh response.

Some friendships don’t last for long,

but there is one loving friend who is joined to your heart

closer than any other!

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 18 (The Passion Translation)