#ok i partly know why but even outside of close mutuals

[tuituipupu]

why has today been penis sunday

[11likeswritingfanfiction]

Haunt, chapter two: Eventually, We All Float Baby.

Fandom: IT by Stephen King but like more based on the movies that came out in the recent years and not the novel or miniseries.

Summary: Shanice, Mike, Stan, Richie Ben, Bill, and Bev discuss the word ‘haunt’. 

Warnings: None

Word Count: 3,387

A/N:  So, this basically turned into like an alternate, novelized version of the first movie's original script and partly aspects from the novel. Anyways I mainly wrote this for fun and to relieve stress so I hope you enjoy reading this!

Ch.1

The two get home, both weathered and tired. Leroy spots them and smiles at them like an old, amused tabby.

“Long day, you two?” The two siblings stay quiet, sitting at the dining table in mutual silence.

“Something happened while y’all two were out on collections?”

He pauses as if he knew the answer once the question flew from his mouth and onto the cold, wooden table. Shanice’s and Mike’s eyes dart from each other to the elderly man.

“Saw Baby Girl’s bike. Y’all have a run-in with the Bowers boy?” Mike gazes at his grandfather, then nods.

“Yeah.”

“That’s it? Hmmm, thought it was something else...”

“Something else like what?” His words catch Shanice’s attention.

“Dunno. Y’all tell me.” Shanice holds his gaze, clearly unhappy that he might be hiding something from her, but doesn’t question further--hell, she wouldn’t even know where to start if anything. Instead, she elaborates on the whole Bowers interaction.

“‘The Bowers boy?’ He mangled up my bike and almost killed us with his car--a total psychopath."

“Is that why do we live outside of town? Is it because of the Bowers?” Mike follows up, with questions of his own.

'Stay the fuck of out of my town!’ His words echo through her head, her hand make fists

"Granddaddy, are we outsiders?"

“No. We live out here because I want the best for my grandchildren." He says to his grandson, patting his shoulder before sighing at his granddaughter. "We're not outsiders. See, it’s not just the Bowers that ain’t right. It’s that whole town that’s wrong...” Silence once again overtakes the three.

Inching, aching, catching them by the throat.

“Do y’all know what a haunt is?”

An unknown fear.

....

....

Shanice had dreamed later that night. It was seven years ago.

She still had her family together.

She was at a grocery store, with her mother, their hands clasped--her mother was glowing, her toothy smile made her so happy she was speechless.

As she reached out to hold her mother, everything disappeared around her--her mother glanced at her with crimson hands. She wore horror on her round face, her hands trembling, shaking with fright.

Her mother looks at her.

“My baby, why didn’t you save me?”

Then, she smiles. Her grin wide, unsettling--yet, it drew her in.

The false sense of comfort that caressed her, that infantile warmth.

Shanice, grounded, shakes her head.

“Mama I--” Her mother holds her face in her hands--dirty metal and aging rust fill Shanice’s senses, and she closes her eyes.

“Mama, I’m so sorry. I was so scared.” Her mother laughed, bringing Shanice's head to her chest--the smell of Swisher Sweets, the ones her Mama used to smoke, calmed her down--she breathes in, wailing as she stroked her hair.

"There ain't no reason to be scared."

Shanice weeps, now alone with nothing but a bright, red balloon in her mother’s place--yet, her voice is still heard light, her soft giggle giddy.

"Eventually, we all float, baby."

....

....  

There was something strange about Derry that Shanice couldn’t quite put her finger on. As she stood in the kitchen, frying eggs and stirring a pot of grits, she felt complex. She couldn’t sleep, the bags under her eyes were evidence of that. On top of everything, her monthly friend came around to give her terrible cramps. She’d be good for a day or before the red flood starts, but probably be better off She tries to get stuff off her mind by turning on her off-white boombox, with a New Edition song playing.

Mike appears. He looks as weathered as her.

“Hey, Mikey.” Shanice gives him a quick hug, planting a quick kiss on top of his head.

“You look like shit.”

“...you do too, Shay.” She shakes her head, tittering as a distant rooster sounds off.

“Imma go to the pharmacy--wanna come?”

When Mike shakes his head, she makes her way upstairs to change and go out. She gathers her dark, coiled hair into two puffy buns, settling on a pair of black shorts and a white t-shirt. After lacing up her red converses, she waves her brother goodbye with a gap-toothed smile.

She takes the long walk into town.

When she makes it Keene’s Pharmacy, she’s sweating, a bit fatigued. She notices a familiar head of ginger hair and notices the girl she’d seen while working at the school looking at a shelf of tampons and pads like it was a guillotine.

“Hey.” She looks startled, turning her sight at the small yet imposing girl. She's short than her--her dark eyes are big, deep-set--her grin makes her seem approachable, her head cocked to the side with her hands in her pockets.

"Thanks, I'm Bev."

“Shanice. Periods, they suck right? You look a little overwhelmed. Your Mama never told you about them?” At the mention of a mother, the girl shifts in a pretty floral dress.

“My...my mom’s not here anymore.”

She gives her a small, toothy smile.

“Mine isn't either. Good thing she taught me about that stuff. You’re looking at a five-year veteran.” She watches the girl’s face pale.

“Five years...” The girl trails off, before looking and hiding behind Shanice. Shanice looks in the direction that she glances and recognizes the girl’s voice--the girl from the bathroom. She finds a haughty-looking chewing gum quiet-loud before she explains, “Watch it, losers!” at a group of boys who pass her and her way out.

Glancing around the girl trembling behind her, with her voice dropped down to a whisper she asks, “Was that one of the girls from the bathroom”

She nods, only sighing relief when she realizes she’s gone.

“Are you ok?”

“Uh...I’m fine. So...when did you get it?”

Shanice gives her a confused look.

“Oh, the monthly thing. Nine.”

“Really? I didn’t know people got it that early, that's gotta suck.”

They continue to talk until she notices the girl glance at the boys coming in. They’re all chattering, inspecting each other's monetary means.

An older man stares at them sharply--then, locks eyes with Shanice before grumbling.

Shanice finds some products with good absorption levels, the group of boys staring at her with curiosity.

“Who are you?” Shanice smiles at Richie who seems to size her up.

"The name's Shanice. SHA-Niece. You can call me Shay." she says with emphasis, adding. "My family used to live here, before...”

“I’m Richie, that’s Bill, Stan, Eddie, Ben--and she’s--”

"Bev, I know. We met earlier."

The teenager nods, looking over as the aforementioned girl knocks down a cigarette display--the next thing she knows they’ve run out of the pharmacy, like bandits. Shanice finds herself following them into an alleyway, where Ben is being patched up due to a gnarly injury.

"W-We're going the quarry, wanna come?" She looks over at Bill, who asks the question to Beverly, but sheepishly looks back at her

“Y-you should come too.”

Beverly smiles.

“Sure. See you around.” The two girls walk out of the alleyway, into the main street.

“Want me to walk you home?” Beverly looked at her with a flash of concern before nodding.

“Where do you live?” A breeze past them as they walk--as they stroll deeper, houses become noticeably different. A lot of them are older, abandoned, or hadn't been repairs in years.

It's a run-down area, neglected by the rest of the town.

“The outskirts.” She frowns.

“Why?”

“Dunno. The people in the town think my Granddaddy’s strange--but you know what I think? This weird town is mistaking who and what is really strange.”

....

....

The teenagers make it out to the quarry the next day. Shanice finds Beverly standing off to the side, now sporting a bob.

“New Haircut?” Bev, hearing her voice putting her hand to her hair absentmindedly.

“Yeah.”

“It suits you, I think it’s cool. You look a lot like Molly Ringwald.”

The boys, who have stripped to their underwear, are contemplating who should jump first.

“Who’s first?” Bill inquiries.

“Eddie?” The fourteen-year-old rebuttals, “Screw that.”

Shanice and Bev who stand off the shadow look at each-other.

“They’re a gang of sissies.” Shanice stifles her laughter, before doubling over.

“Right? Inviting us over and acting like a bunch of wusses!” For a moment, silence befalls the girls, only the boy’s chatter can be heard--then, Beverly gives the girl a look, a wild one, dripping with adrenaline.

“Hey, wanna jump?”

Shanice grins.

“Why not?”

The two quickly discard their clothing--a pair of denim overalls and plain summer dress--before bolting as fast as their legs could muster, their hands clasped, jumping into the murky waters below.

After a while, everyone is out of the water, resting on rocks while Shanice finds solace in the sort-of cool temperature of the water. On Richie’s boombox, a song, one that made her bob her head slightly, she finds herself singing along in a small voice,

“I’m alive, huh, huh, so alive...”

Her body goes deeper, the sound of the music becomes muted. She felt like she was being tugged, something was her pulling away--when she realizes, it's too late. She's seized, water begins filing her mouth, nose, the sight of a balloon rising above her field of underwater vision--

Shanice wakes up, coughing up violently. Her body’s laid flat out on a scalding rock, all around her are the teenagers, still soaking wet in their undergarments. Dread overcomes, her throat burns as if it’s been choked--the Stan looks over at her concerned, his curly hair puffy, tangled like a bird’s nest.

His cheeks are flushed--he looks frazzled if anything.

“What the fuck...” She mutters before coughing up more water.

“Are you ok?”--Stan asks, his face inches away from hers--they lock eyes for a moment before he looks away, even more flustered--the chain event leaves her puzzled as she tries to catch her breath.

“Not bad for almost dying,” She jokes, sitting up.

“Did you guys drag me out?”

"Nope, Stan the Man dived in when he saw you were gone." Richie quips--Shanice gives Stan a jovial smile.

After she pulls away and walks over to her backpack to pull out her bottled water.

“So? Aren’t we gonna talk about how Stan slobbered all over her li--” Shanice stops and looks over Richie with a raised brow.

“What?”

“Nothing--it’s nothing,” Richie says, drawing his attention to something else--with that something else being Ben’s backpack. Shuffle through it, he pulls out books--lots of them.

“You went to the library? On your own? For fun?”

“Oh, uh, when I moved here I didn’t have anyone to hang out with or anything, so I just started spending time in the library.” Shanice grins while Richie frowns.

“Seriously? You went to the library? On your own? For fun?”

“He's 'cultured' or whatever,” Shanice notes, shaking her drenched hair before continuing, “girls like that kinda stuff sometimes.” She gestures to him inches in for a better look at the copies of newspaper stories Ben had gathered.

“Derry’s not like any town I moved to. And we’ve moved a lot. Did you guys know people die violently here or disappear like six times the national average?” Ben states, gaining the wide eyes of the teens in the process.

“That’s just adults. Kids are worse. Way worse.”

“You know, my granddaddy said that.” The group's eyes glance at their oldest, with morbidly curious stares.

“Said what?” Beverly asks--Shanice reminds her of what they talked about on the way to her house.

“Like I said yesterday ...that this whole town’s wrong. He’s been here for a while. Seen things, probably.”

A unanimous shiver occurs.

“I’ve got more stuff if you wanna see it...at home.”

Shanice could call his room one thing. Messy--indicative of a boy. Covering every inch of his bedroom walls were more newspaper clippings--some dating back a whole century.

“This is pretty impressive,” Shanice croons, amazed, sipping on her bottle of water.

“Cool, huh?” Ben replies.

“No.” Richie says with immediate denial.

Bill's off in a corner, looking at an ‘ancient’ paper--as Shanice looks closer, she sees it says ‘INCORPORATION OF THE TOWNSHIP OF DERRY’.

“What’s this, Ben?

“The charter for Derry Township--it’s kind of interesting, actually. Derry started as a beaver trapping camp.”

“Still is. Am I right, boys?” Everyone looks at Richie who grins--it’s quiet until Shanice retorts with a snort “That joke is almost as funny drying paint.” Beverly shakes her head, hiding her smile while everyone has a good laugh at his expense.

“So it’s a record of them coming over here--what makes it so special.” Ben raises his eyebrows, almost relieved the conversation managed to get back to its original point.

“Ninety-one people signed the charter that made Derry. But then, later that winter, they all disappeared, without a trace.”

Everyone stops--the only sound that could be heard was the breeze from out the house. Ninety-one people--gone, just like that. In Shanice’s head, possibilities run. Diseases? Famine? Sure, that can happen--but everyone--every last, single person?

Eddie looks particularly spooked by the information, cautiously asking “The entire camp?”

“There were rumors of Indians but no sign of an attack. Others thought it was a plague or something. It was like everyone just woke up one day and left. The only clue was a big hole in the ground where the wellhouse was.”

“Jesus, we could get Derry on unsolved mysteries!” Ignoring Richie’s quip, Bill asks “Wh-where was the wellhouse?”

“Somewhere in town, I guess...”

“What’s the point of all this? What are you gonna do with it?” Stan asks--Shanice herself wondered it too.

Truthfully, he shrugs, saying “Dunno. Just killing time I guess.”

....

....

“Can you do the deliveries by yourself today?” Shanice asks her brother, she stood beside the bathroom, brushing her teeth. The teenager gives her glance, then nods his head. She smiles, taking her tired body back to the room, quickly slipping on her white summer dress and her sneakers--making her way down the stairs, stops her in her tracks at the sound of her grandfather's weary voice.

“Baby Girl?”

“Yeah, Grandaddy?”

“Be safe.” Shanice looks at him, before pecking his cheeks, hugging him tightly.

“Ok, I love you.”

“Love you too, Shanice.”

Later on that day, Shanice finds herself going about absent-mindedly. She had nightmares again--so many more since she moved to Derry--since everything happened.

There was a common theme with her nightmares--the inclusion of a red balloon--but what did it mean?

She walks and walks until he finds herself in the neighborhood where Bev lived, when--she notices the whole group gathers on the sidewalk, in front of her place.

“Hey...what’s going on?”

“Bev called. She’s freaked out about something... Sh-sh-she told us to wait out here until--”

A door bursts open--it’s Beverly, out of breath, spooked.

“You made it. I need to show you guys something...Shanice you--”

“Uh, hey. I ran into the guys while I was out. What’s up?”

Ben follows her question with, “Yeah, what is it?”

“Did we just win the Publisher's Clearinghouse ten million dollar sweepstakes? If Ed McMahon is in there I’m going to lose my sh--” Shanice glances before giving him a sharp punch in the arm.

“Read the room, Dummy.”

“I just need to know I’m not crazy. But my Dad will kill me if he finds out I had you guys over.”

“We’ll leave a lookout. Richie?” Bill says as he looks at the teen who’s still rubbing his arm.

“Yeah, whatever. Ed McMahon can wait...”

Shanice gives him a look before they head inside her house. The light shines through the desolate feeling house as they follow her--farther into the house--until she stops in front of a door.

“In there,” Beverly says, her voice a fine to a whisper. Stan, who was beside Shanice asks, “What are we about to walk into?”

“You’ll see.” She doesn’t open the door--she seems rooted in her place--instead, it’s Bill who opens the door with her and Eddie following after --and the smell hits Shanice like a slap to the face. Her eyes were wide, visibly shaken. She doubles back until her back is against the wall and she falls on her bottom.

“You see it?” Beverly asks Bill.

“What happened?”

“The sink. It came out from there. My Dad couldn’t see it. I thought I was going crazy...” Shanice looks over at Bill, breathing heavily.

“You’re not going crazy. I saw something too. I-I, I saw Georgie.”

“Like a ghost?” Eddie asks, trying to avoid looking into the room again.

“N-no. He tried to get me to go into the basement with him. It wasn’t just him either. I saw this other... I don’t know."

“What’d you see, Bill?” Stan presses,

“The Clown?”

“And red balloons?” Shanice says immediately after Eddie, loud enough for everyone to hear. Bill doesn’t have a thing to say, only his silence the answer. They both shake, Shanice is trying to keep calm, while Eddie full-on freaks out.

“Are you two okay?” Beverly asks, concerned.

“Go outside. Keep Richie company, okay?” Eddie nods, Shanice shakes her head.

“I’m fine.”

“You don’t look fine.”

“I am. Look, let’s just focus on cleaning this blood up.”

“R-Right, we can’t leave it like this.”

....

....

Cleaning--cleaning, cleaning, covered in blood.

Bill, Ben, Beverly, Stan, and Shanice spent time cleaning the bathroom, full of blood only they could see. Stan crouches next to her and asks, “Are you really, ok?” the sixteen-year-old glances over him, continuing to clean.

“I’m ok, I said before. I’m just...tired. This town makes me tired.”

Soon after they’re finished and exit the building, going down to Kansas Street.

“All that blood at your place and you s-say your folks didn’t see any of it... Last night at my house, with Georgie and the water, my Dad just acted like everything was normal--I think if you’re a grown-up...” Bill trails off, looking off into the distance.

“They can’t see it.” Eddie chimes in, which in turn Richie questions: “Can’t see what?”

“It.” Beverly answers.

“That’s why the cops won’t help, our parents, teachers...”

The group of kids stops, while Shanice continues to walk until she sees it--her brother’s mangled bike in a bush.

“That’s my brother’s bike.” She looks over at Bill, her face in a deep frown, rage bubbling in her chest.

"It’s..it's that Bowers guy again, that’s why y'all stopped, right?”

“We have to help him,” Beverly says, seeing Shanice runoff, already in hot pursuit of her brother and the gang of high-schoolers.

“We do?” Richie snorts, watching the same, to which Bill replies, “If we don’t, who will? That could be any one of us.”

Shanice runs and runs, only stopping when she’s greeted by the sight of her brother's face being shoved in the same meat they deliver every week.

“Hey, you fuck faces!” Shanice yells, her voice being drowned out by their laughter and tithers, she meets her brother's eyes as he tries to crawl to her--only yanked back by the

CRACK!

A rather large rock first hits one of the boys, straight in the face, leaving blood gushing from his face. The assailant is Shanice, who's backup came in the form of Beverly, Bill, Richie, Eddie, and Stan.

“Holy shit!” Richie exclaimed, staring at the girl who was still throwing blows.

“Nice throw.” Stan compliments, although the armed girl hadn’t heard him--she was busy trying to save her brother.

Seeing the bullies distracted, she hurriedly yelled, “Mike, run!”

The boy scrambles to his feet, into the arms of his sister, who squeezes him tight.

The two siblings seemed to have reunited, beside them was an all-out rock war.

Rocks fly in the air, everyone ducks, hoping not to get hit by the hail of fire. When they realize they’ve been outmanned, Bill, their unassigned leader, screams for them to run.

“Mike, get on my back.”

“But--”

“Come on!"

They race until they find themselves back on a residential street. Everyone’s catching their breaths, tired from the sudden encounter.

Mike looks at the teenager whilst standing beside his sister relenting, “Thanks but you shouldn’t have done that. He’ll be after you guys now too.”

“Bowers? He’s always after us.” Eddie says and the rest shrugs in reply.

“I-I guess that’s one thing we all have in common,” Bill remarks, almost with a bit of sarcasm, while Richie full-on deadpans.

“Yeah, welcome to the Losers Club.”

[buildarocketboys]

hi pls #37 for crow/az~

I was going to do something completely different for this but then this little thing spilled out and tbh I like it much better. Enjoy~

37. "You have my word.”

It's about a month after the apoca-lapse and they've been slowly but surely spending more time together, to the point where they're rarely apart, even at night.

It's Aziraphale, surprisingly, who suggests they move in together.

"Just for convenience's sake, you understand," he says, when Crowley looks up at him wide-eyed at the suggestion. "We're spending so much time together, we may as well, and- it makes it easier for us to keep an eye on each other. Should--hostile parties," - his eyes flicker up to Heaven and down to Hell - "decide they want...more to do with us." He swallows, partly from the thought of Heaven or Hell trying to separate him from Crowley, but mostly from the way Crowley is looking at him...in astonishment, or possibly horror. His voice grows quieter, now, as he looks at the floor, breaking Crowley's gaze. "Plus, I rather like having you around, dear boy," he mumbles forlornly.

He's about to open his mouth and take it back, say it's obviously a stupid idea, when Crowley finally comes to his senses.

"Yes!" he practically shouts. Aziraphale nearly jumps out of his skin. "Yes, Angel, of course I'll move in with you."

Aziraphale doesn't even try to hide his relief, a giddy smile opening itself up on his face. He finds Crowley grinning back at him.

"Well, good!" he says, rubbing his hands together. "I mean, I had hoped that you would want to, and it makes sense for practical reasons, but-"

Crowley's pupils narrow to slits and his brow furrows. "Aziraphale," he says, and Aziraphale cuts off mid-ramble.

"Yes, my dear?" he asks, and Crowley ignores the stab of pain at the pet name that he's convinced himself over the years doesn't mean anything, no matter how much he might want it to.

"Please don't tell me you just want me to move in with you for practical reasonsss," he hisses.

Aziraphale looks shocked, and a bit scared. "Well, no, of course not, like I said, I do enjoy your company, and-"

"It's more than that, though," Crowley says, almost wanting to bite his tongue off as he says it, but fuck that, he needs to know. He's spent so many years now not pushing, letting Aziraphale go at his own pace, ignoring his own feelings. But they've just averted the Apocalypse, and brought the wrath of Heaven and Hell down on them and narrowly avoided complete annihilation, and, well. If there was anything mutual about this partnership other than their shared history, now would be about the time to say.

"It's - I- you know I can't," Aziraphale stutters, closing his eyes in anguish. It's not that he doesn't want to, he thinks. But want to what? And that's where he comes unstuck. That road still feels too dangerous to go down. He looks helplessly back at Crowley.

Crowley sighs, hating putting his angel in a painful position. "You wouldn't come with me to Alpha Centuri," he says, quietly. He continues before Aziraphale can interrupt with excuses or platitudes - he's not in the mood. "That's OK, I understand why." He didn't, really, but he understood that Aziraphale had his reasons, and he understood to an extent what those reasons were, and that was close enough. "It's just-" he inhaled sharply. "If Heaven came back, tomorrow, and said 'oh, never mind, Aziraphale, we were wrong, you can come back among our ranks but you won't ever be able to see your demon pal again, fraternising, wouldn't be right, etcetera etcetera' - would you go?"

"Of course not!" Aziraphale spluttered, looking deeply offended. "That you could even consider--after all we've been through-"

"But that's my point, Aziraphale," Crowley said, and his snake eyes were sad and tired. "I've never been sure. You've never-" he swallowed, knowing how this was going to sound. "You've never-- committed to me. Always been too afraid, of Heaven, of being a bad angel, of me tempting you." He rolls his eyes. "Well, I'm bloody committed to you. I'd choose you, every time, over and over, no matter what the consequence or the alternative is. Above Heaven, above Hell, above Earth, even if it means being obliterated from existence." He pauses, breathing heavily. "The question is, can you promise me the same?"

Aziraphale is frozen, for all of ten seconds, but they are the longest ten seconds of Crowley's existence. Then he clears his throat, jaw set, expression grave. "I can," he says softly. Then, more clearly, "You have my word."

Even though he doesn't need to breathe, Crowley lets out a sigh of relief then that is so long and loud that it sets them both to giggling. Soon they are on the floor laughing, snorting very uncouthly, as if Crowley breathing is the funniest joke they could ever have told. Eventually, Crowley recovers himself enough to stand up, and offers his hand to Aziraphale.

"Come on then, Angel," he says lightly, still grinning all over his face. "Get up. My blasted plants aren't going to move themselves."

Aziraphale looks wonderingly at Crowley's hand, a small smile gracing his face as he accepts it. He allows Crowley to pull him up and lead him out the door of the bookshop.

Outside the sun is shining, the Earth keeps turning, and nothing can ever go wrong again.

[paralysis-comic]

yourocsbackstory week 3: education

@yourocsbackstory || [read on wattpad]

so this ones kinda long huh. tw for ableism, self injurious behaviour, just a lot of crying

But Not Too Familiar (Baby Blues: Interlude)

September 2009

The word school has been fucking you up for a while now. Mum says that’s just how school is. Dad says she’s wrong.

He came into your horrible little room one evening and said he was very sorry for not being a good dad, that he’d promised your previous dad to do a better job, that he would show that bastard Atticus, that he’d get you through school no matter what, all of it, right up to uni. You didn’t really know what uni was.

John said school is designed to make you think you’re meant to be learning French and Geography and stuff, when they’re really sorting you into popular, unpopular or medium. The medium ones, he said, make the best adults. He said occasionally, you get these edge cases—kids who have so many friends that they can’t imagine anyone not liking them, and the ones who don’t have any so no one bothers trying to find them some—those, he said, never last. He wrote all this out on a piece of A5 paper in his own horrible little room, while writing at your mutual parents about things that nine-year-olds don’t concern themselves with.

He also told you not to bother with uni.

•

And he says it again as he pauses outside the gates.

You look around. Ysgol Blodeuwedd Tudur—or Blodeuwedd Tudor Primary School And Nursery, as it says underneath—is bigger and shinier than you imagined. John’s staring at it too. Mum sort of shepherds you both through (is it shepherding if you’re both willing to go? And if theres only two of you?). You can’t see her face from where you are, but she sounds weird, both crosser and gentler. You stop for a second and turn around. She’s got her hand on John’s shoulder and keeps glancing at the other mums.

You’re not yet sure who you’re supposed to know and who you’re not. Maybe the girls who just came out from amongst them and are hugging you. They have nice vibes, rather than the ok and oh no vibes that everyone else has. According to their book bags, they are Cerys Thomas and Louise Yang. They are decent.

The sound of tiny little footsteps brings your attention away from them. You look up to see a stocky, curly haired boy sort of skid to a halt beside you. He raises his arms to wrap them around your neck, then stops.

“Do you remember me?”

You look down. You do remember Diane. Kind of. You don’t remember his middle name, his birthday or his favourite colour, but still…

“I remember you’re my best friend.”

He goes blank for a second, then he hugs you harder then you’ve ever been hugged in your life this year.

“We missed you SO MUCH Mrs Davies was being REALLY MEAN they haven’t changed the REGISTER yet and we thought you moved SCHOOLS—“

“Son, we don’t talk about that in public. And why don’t you let go of Iffy, you’re wobbling her crutches.”

He rearranges his arms into a position more accommodating to your unipedality.

You’re having a hard time thinking; partly from the dread-induced skeletal inertia and enteral pain, partly because there are at least five conversations going on around you (four spoken, one written). John holds this morning’s piece of paper in your direction.

she thinks letting me stay over therell make her look like a bad mother

any idea why she touched me like that? almost rather her wheeling me herself

You read it a few times (sometimes his handwriting is too neat) and shrug. You can’t talk in front of all these people and, well, you can’t write in front of anyone. Before you can dwell on how you’re gonna get through Year 5 if you can’t write, he pulls you over to the patch of concrete by the main doors. Mum hurries after you. She tells him off very quietly while you steal his headphones. He says you used to do that every day before he moved to London. You’re not sure about his taste in music.

•

In Year 1, no one was sure whether you were Iphigenia St. David or Iphigenia Richard or Iphigenia Henderson, so they put you at the top of the register. In Year 5, that means you sit right by the door, on a table with Stacey Ashton, Calum Beddoes, Dai Borgstein and Tonya Bufton. It’s the only table here with 5 seats instead of 4.

And it’s right by Mrs Davies’s desk.

She’s doing the register silently, so no one has to say why Gellert and Harvey and Suzie and Hector aren’t here. Sometimes she looks up sharply at you and raises her eyebrows in a way that says you should be focusing on doing your mental maths. Occasionally she says, “Do you want anything?” in a way that says you shouldn’t be wanting anything at all, no, not you, the girl who could walk and talk and write just fine in Year 4, what makes my class any different, Gina?

But the paper in front of you is evading you right now. Actually, no, it’s not the paper, it’s the white noise of 23 nine-year-olds (and Stacey) not quite whispering, it’s Mrs Davies clickiticlackiting on word or whatever, it’s stacey asking you if you need any help in that loud, over-enunciated way that girls whose birthdays are in September have, it’s the girls on the next table gossiping with Tonya, it’s Tonya turning to look at you and looking back at them and laughing, it’s Calum asking you why you can call Dai Diane and he can’t, it’s everyone calling you Gina, it’s not remembering what your name is meant to be, it’s everything else in your head that’s not letting the mental maths in, it’s everyone telling you things that apparently happened, things that you did, horrible things, things that will keep you up at night for years, it’s Calum snapping his pencil because he knows it makes you cry, it’s the feeling like you’re falling, and you might well be, who gives a f—

It’s Mrs Davies clicking her fingers in front of your face.

Everyone’s staring at you. You don’t move. You don’t say anything.

You can’t.

“Well?”

You don’t answer. Partly because no, you’re not well, anyone can see that, but mostly because… you have no idea what she’s asked of you.

“You know what perimeter is, Gina. D’you want to tell me?”

OK, sure, yeah, you know what a perimeter is. You know how to spell it, you know how to work it out, you know the relationship between it and area (John told you), you—

Maybe you don’t know what perimeter is.

And that’s not the voice she uses with Stacey. Or Tonya. Or anyone else. That’s not even the voice she used in assembly, when all the Key Stage 1 kids were there. That’s the voice that…

Fuck.

“No. Don’t.”

You try and let the sound of your breathing take over the giggling and the eyes upon you, and it kind of works because you’re breathing so loudly. Every muscle in your body is tensed to stop you rocking back and forth.

Or worse.

“Look at me.”

Huh? No. No, you’re not doing that.

“Gina.”

And that’s not your name. You don’t have a name anymore.

Something happens right by your ear, but you can’t identify it amongst everything else. Your eyes squinch shut and for a moment you can see her leaning over you.

You go cold.

You whimper slightly, pulling away, expecting your head to hit metal but theres nothing there. No, god, don’t fall, don’t-

You’re jerked forward, upright. You open your eyes to make sure you’re definitely in the classroom. There’s a voice to your right.

“Mr Lloyd never did that.”

“Well, I’m not Mr Lloyd.”

The hand around your left bicep moves to raise your head.

“Look at me.”

Your head comes up, and you look at her.

And now you are screaming.

“No. we don’t do that.”

You wrench your head to the right to look at Diane, but you can’t look at him, so you stare at the wall like you’re looking for something very specific on the Roald Dahl poster. The wall is too white and too far away. It hurts like hell.

Diane moves somewhat into view. He’s a bit close, bless him, but the blurry shape of his face and hair are easier on your healing eye.

He looks up at Mrs Davies (still shouting, but you’re trying to block her out) and moves away with a start. You can see his expression more clearly now; he’s worried, really worried, but you can’t work out why exactly. No one else seems to be.

After a moment of dithering, he gingerly takes hold of Mrs Davies’s left hand and prises her index finger off you. Something moves in your peripheral vision and you instinctively look back at her. She snatches away her hand, gouging her fingers into your flimsy little arm, feeling the bone. The force almost launches you at Calum. She lunges at Diane with what can only be described as teacherly incredulity.

“Uh-“

That noise. It’s familiar, but you can’t place it. It reminds you of the noise your dad makes when you start crying, but scary. Like she wants to collect more tears from you, not wipe them away. Well, you’re crying now. Is that what she wants?

“Dai?”

Some of the other kids do that fake-gasp-and-real-titter that kids are wont to do when someone’s properly getting what for. A few of them gasp for real, the ones in the quagmire between friend and stranger that bullies so often occupy, the ones that have forgotten that Diane isn’t his real name. Matthew Powell says they’ll do you for saying that to a pupil. Stacey asks if you’re alright again. You certainly don’t look alright—you’re shivering all over now and you’re not sure why. Diane starts crying as well.

Mrs Davies takes her hands off you and frowns at him.

“We don’t need that from you, Dai.”

All the tension from being grasped drains out of you and you flop down onto the table. You try to convince yourself that you’re somewhere else, but you don’t have enough memories of nice places yet. You’re having the same overwhelming sadness as you did when you first got home, but you’re too tired to cry now. Diane isn’t.

You want to comfort him, but Stacey is doing that already. She doesn’t look very good at it; he’s crying in a different way and he keeps reaching out to hold your hand. Mrs Davies says not to give you any attention.

You pretend there’s no one in the room except you and him.

He says your name. Maybe he wants you to look at his face again. You try, because you want him to know you’re alright, and then maybe he’ll be alright too.

But god, you can’t. You just can’t.

He raises his hand again, and Stacey grabs it back.

“No,” she says.

You go cold again.

For fuck’s sake.

•

Mrs Davies sits down at her desk and tells everyone to be quiet and do their work and to Not Give You Any Attention. Even Stacey. Even when you’re making all this noise. And, for the first time today, you remember why you are.

And you don’t fucking like it.

Diane nudges you and gestures to his worksheet. The old John Fairfax manoeuvre.

do you want me to tell her ?

You nod. He wipes the tears of his face and puts his hand up. How does he compose himself so fast?

A few minutes later, you look out the window to the hall. You’re still crying and shivering, so Stacey tries to pull you back down. Diane and Mrs Davies are heading towards reception. A thought occurs to you. Calum grabs one of your crutches and you fall against the bookcase. Mrs Davies turns around, sees you and starts shrieking at you for some reason. You look at Diane and gesture to the Year 1 class as much as you can with no free hands. He gets it.

When Mrs Davies gets to you, she runs her hands down her face, makes a frustrated noise, and drags you out into the hall. You drop your crutches. She makes you sit down (you can’t get back up on your own), puts your worksheet in your left hand (you don’t have a thumb on that hand) and your pencil in your right hand (you’re left handed). She goes back into the classroom. She throws your crutches in your general direction. She slams the door. Fuck, it’s really gonna be like this every day, isn’t it?

You’re really crying now. Your throat has been hurting for quite a while. When you were in the classroom, it hurt to swallow, and now you can’t even feel yourself swallowing. Especially with your prosthetic tongue. and you’re tired as fuck.

You wait for Nesta to come out of Class 1, or at least for Diane to come back. Anyone. There’s a clock at the far end of the hall, but its too far away to see. Whatever. Time is a mystery to you anyway.

All this fear is making you feel like you’re about to both hurl and shit yourself—and to be honest, you wouldn’t really care if you did. You look down at yourself. At your hands. For a second, you swear you’re in hospital again. You emit a blood curdling scream and throw yourself to the side like you normally do, but instead of a mattress or a rail or thin air, there’s just floor.

You see legs.

Nesta says a long something to Diane while you continue to scream, and he starts to go inside. He pauses and turns around. Nesta takes out her notebook, scribbles some stuff down and gives it to him. Hey, you recognise that notebook. While he’s gone, you start to really miss him. You snuggle up to him when he comes back. You stay like that while Nesta goes to reception. You calm down a bit. Mrs jones comes out with her and stalks over to you, telling you to get up. She shuts up when she notices your missing leg and the bruise on your face. She says she doesn’t think you’ve got a concussion, but she’s not sure. Nesta says your dad’s coming to pick you up.

You don’t think school is meant to be like this.

[tangledfan]

70 horrible questions … I’m bored and my tumblr messages won’t work

01: Do you have a good relationship with your parents? Not at all, unfortunately.. I always wanted a healthy relationship with them. Things haven’t worked out but I’m ok about it now

02: Who did you last say “I love you” to? My best friends… Rosie and Rosie ahha. One is my cat and the other is a human being haha!!

03: Do you regret anything? I have a lot of regrets, I think regret is one of the worst feelings but.. I guess I wouldn’t be exactly what I am now without those choices I made back then- good and bad.

04: Are you insecure? I have my days if I’m honest.. but I’d say I love my mind and I love my personality and there are times I question my physical beauty but that’s nothing to do with me, that’s what society tries to push as beautiful. As a whole I love myself and you should love yourself too and give yourself what you deserve..

05: What is your relationship status? Relationship?? What is that??

06: How do you want to die? Oh wow, dramatically where no one else is hurt lmfao. If I’m going to be remembered let it be from choking on a sandwich.

07: What did you last eat? Rice and a cookie🔥😂

08: Played any sports? OMG a few years back I literally played every sport under the sun, Football, netball, rounders, tennis, athletics, dance, swimming, baseball, rugby… but yknow life hit love and then I died

09: Do you bite your nails? No I don’t! When I was 13 I did kind of but I mean I don’t ever do it now

10: When was your last physical fight? I don’t do physical fights but 6 years ago lol (me and my sister were arguing over food I think)

11: Do you like someone? Ugh… I don’t even really know what it feels like to like someone.. No one sticks around long enough for me to develop emotional and mental connection (For me that’s so important)

12: Have you ever stayed up 48 hours? Oh my gawd yes and you know what? I’m either really hyper because I’m so tired or I’m the biggest bore ever, there is no middle.

13: Do you hate anyone at the moment? All I’m going to say is.. this person is trash who shits on good people because they are bored with their own life. SORRY BUT I HATE BULLYING IN ANY FORM. Do I hate her? I don’t know.. do I have little respect for her? Yes.

14: Do you miss someone? I miss a lot of people, for different reasons. I miss my childhood best friend. I miss my all my ex’s who decided it wasn’t worth being friends with me.. do you know why? Because these people shaped me, I still think they are good people. I’d still invest time into them. I don’t just miss the memories, I miss the friendship.

15: Have any pets? A few! But only 3 that I could truly class as my pets, my best friends. Smokey my hamster (I miss you buddy, I miss carrying you on my shoulder and sharing cucumber with you while I watched Lizzie McGuire. I will always love you, you made me such a happy 10 year old, you were my first proper pet and I just loved you so much, you were my best friend and I was so weird with you) Spot my rabbit (ah you were so fluffy and cute and so bad, like you broke everyone’s things because I REFUSED to put you in a cage lol. I liked having you hop around and be a asshole to everyone but you were only ever nice to me. I love you and I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you when you needed me, I regretted going to school that day, I came home and cried.. I didn’t know what death meant until then) Lastly Rosie… wow you are my child. I would protect you from everything and anything. I look at you and want to cry sometimes because your eyes are so expressive. You don’t need to talk because I feel you bro, I feel your presence and you know exactly when I need to have you around. When I can’t sleep in the night and you make sure I can hear you purring. I have spent the last 3 years revolving my life for you and everyone thinks I’m crazy mad for loving you so much because you are unfriendly- truth is, you are just friendly with me haha, I like the loyalty in you cat.. even when I don’t feed you, I’m still your mom. You came in my life just when I needed you and honestly it wasn’t a coincidence how I got you. You fixed a part in me that was slowly dying, my will to carry on.. it was nice to speak to someone who wouldn’t just tell me to “stop being silly” partly cause you couldn’t communicate with me 😉 but y'know you are my absolute best friend, I love you more than I ever have any human, no one comes close and thank you for helping my get back on the right path through my mental health and my bad habits.. knowing I had you to look after made me stop being selfish. (I had to write this shit out because I really love my animals deeply, they have been there for me when humans couldn’t.)

16: How exactly are you feeling at the moment? Lucky, passionate and yet somewhat disappointed.

17: Ever made out in the bathroom? It was the best kiss I have ever had. Fire works. It was the kiss that mattered but didn’t last lmfao and it happened in a fucking bathroom and I’m so pressed over that 😂

18: Are you scared of spiders? I’m sorry for being scared of you spiders but I’d never hurt you

19: Would you go back in time if you were given the chance? YES!! I want to look into history but also my own history. I want to maybe see myself from a distant.. to know what others see.

20: Where was the last place you snogged someone? In the middle of no where while the moon was high in the sky and your dimples were just about visible and I knew I had to kiss you then as you passionately spoke about music. You were such a puppy, man it was a good time but we are just friends now.

21: What are your plans for this weekend? Record- hopefully! Going to spend time with my best friend and her girlfriend yay! (Mom and dad TBH) Maybe if I have time I’ll do some writing and reading :)

22: Do you want to have kids? How many? It depends on my resources! I find it hard to share love out equally though and I wouldn’t want anyone I love to think I love one more than the other due to the attention I give. I’m game for however many. I have no set amount.. I kind of want a big family. I want to adopt as well! If the feelings right and mutual.

23: Do you have piercings? How many? Just ear piercings! Used to have my lips and nose done.. that being said I want my nose ring back but it’s difficult I want to work at Disneyland and I hate taking out studs and nose rings.

24: What is/are/were your best subject(s)? Drama, music, English, Art, Maths, History and PE!

25: Do you miss anyone from your past? Practically everyone. I have at least one thought of you a day.

26: What are you craving right now? Chocolate anything😍

27: Have you ever broken someone’s heart? unfortunately yes.. but we are all very good friends now, in fact we are soulmates but in the platonic sense.

28: Have you ever been cheated on? Yes but it’s ok, we are soooo past that. I made terrible mistakes to begin with. Having gone through that.. I now realise how damaging cheating truly is haha! I needed it however to know what it felt like and how bad it truly was. Just because I don’t feel as deeply as the other doesn’t mean I should be irresponsible with someone’s feelings.

29: Have you made a boyfriend/girlfriend cry? Good and bad tears, for all my past lovers that I hurt, I’m awful sorry, I was childish and unready to fully open up.

30: What’s irritating you right now? My eagerness to explore the past… I should leave it there and focus on the future. TRUMP. BREXIT. Dramatic fandoms.. it was fine to a certain point until y'all say horrible shit about eachother and drag down other humans who btw have feelings regardless of how many people look up to them, your comments still fucking hurt.

31: Does somebody love you? Yes someone loves me

32: What is your favourite color? I love all colours but dark purple and baby blue, pink and the shade black 😂

33: Do you have trust issues? I wish I didn’t but yes… It’s quite bad.

34: Who/what was your last dream about? Weird dream but I fell asleep reading a fan fic so it was to do with that. Gotta love the fluffy cuteness.

35: Who was the last person you cried in front of? Myself, I like to watch myself cry in the mirror lol (don’t ask me why, I’m a freak lol)

36: Do you give out second chances too easily? Those that know me think I do because I’m civil and don’t like to argue but nah, trust issues. I hate that about myself.

37: Is it easier to forgive or forget? Forgive. I forget nothing.

38: Is this year the best year of your life? No.

39: How old were you when you had your first kiss? 6? Maybe 7? Proper kiss however was at 10!

40: Have you ever walked outside completely naked? Yes and it was liberating

51: Favourite food? Mmmm… that’s so hard😔😭 I love all food if I’m honest. I do love the taste of delusions tho lmfao #Camren

52: Do you believe everything happens for a reason? Mmmm… not everything but in a way sometimes….I guess yes.

53: What is the last thing you did before you went to bed last night? Read a book and cuddled with Rosie (my equal, my baby cattttt).❤️

54: Is cheating ever okay? No. I’ve made mistakes and it’s not worth it hurting someone like that EVER.

55: Are you mean? Honestly I’d say I’m the complete opposite of mean.

56: How many people have you fist fought? Two, I don’t promote violence lol but yeah that happened (with siblings)

57: Do you believe in true love? Yes. I absolutely believe in true love but you have to accept the idea of it and be ready for it. Both of you do.

58: Favourite weather? I like all weather rain, sun, wind… but of lately I’ve just loved walking in the rain.

59: Do you like the snow? I love the snow!!! When the snow is fresh and everything looks beautiful and new.

60: Do you wanna get married? Eventually, yes. Once I know.. it will be magical and painful but worth it.

61: Is it cute when a boy/girl calls you baby? I don’t mind it :)

62: What makes you happy? Freedom, laughter, kindness, deep conversations, music… passion.

63: Would you change your name? Yes, yes, yes.

64: Would it be hard to kiss the last person you kissed? No they have soft lips and we are good friends, affection is best haha!

65: Your best friend of the opposite sex likes you, what do you do? I’d make sure they were OK and make them see that our friendship is worth more than a relationship between us could ever be.. plus I’m 99.9% gay

66: Do you have a friend of the opposite sex who you can act your complete self around? Most of them :) I have a different array of personalities depending on the person and situation, I have 1 friend however who knows everything about me and she is my soulmate in every single way. I love her just as deeply as I love my cat. I’d do almost anything for them.

67: Who was the last person of the opposite sex you talked to? Dave who is saved as “caMEEEEELAAA” on my phone lmfao, I love when he rings me because it’s like “Camila is calling you” and I’m like “AYYYEEE SON DAMM RIGHT SHE IS”

68: Who’s the last person you had a deep conversation with? Lauren’s lover @goodgirlsbettergetbad (p.s thanks for the kind words.. I needed them💜) and my best friend Rosie who lives miles away😭 which by the way really freaking sucks, it's hard when we both work to get a hold of one another but I never fear for our friendship, she'll always be in my life plus we had a wonderful talk last night, voice of reason always. Also another best friend of mine @let-me-make-this-queer thank you for being there. Thank you for letting me annoyingly hug you all the time! @invisibleandmagicaalthank you for just being so kind and messaging me while I was sad and listening to me in the nights!

69: Do you believe in soulmates? Oh my goodness yes. I think you have more than 1 soulmate and I don’t always think it’s romantic btw. It’s beautiful when you click mentally and emotionally with someone it can be platonic but it’s a great feeling. Twin flames tho…. ah my heart races.

70: Is there anyone you would die for? Yes. I’d die for most, it depends on circumstance.

[hellish-summoner]

She Who is Bound to Silence

Heca isn’t too sure about how to feel about this Corrin she summoned.

On one hand, she looks like Crescent, the Corrin she had already befriended, just with a different outfit fit for a songstress.

On the other hand, she hasn’t heard a single word from the dragon, and she has such a sad look in her eyes.

Instead of trying to dig for information, Heca decides to give the golden dragon some space, makes sure she has a comfortable room to retreat to. Even then, no one can get the Corrin to say a word, and when they get her to write instead, she writes few words, sticking to basic things, like asking for tactics or for directions to places.

After a couple of weeks of this, Heca finds a lone mask sitting outside in the gardens many heroes relax in, close to a pond, likely accidentally forgotten earlier in the day when she called all of her heroes for a meeting to discuss how to defeat the King of Muspell. The Manakete looked over the mask, noting that it was of a fox, and was painted a deep blue with gold and white details. 

“This.....is likely missed; but whose mask is this? No one here wears a fox mask...” Heca mumbled, gently putting the mask into one of her cloak pockets before continuing on with what she was actually doing; someone would come looking for it eventually and likely ask her about it, right...?

-----------------

The Golden Dragon had gone to the meeting and then left to go back to her own room without noticing, but very quickly afterwards, she realized that she was missing a special mask she normally kept in her room. She mentally scolded herself for even taking it out, now that she lost it; even though she took it out with her to the gardens simply because she wanted to take a walk down memory lane....

She made an annoyed sound once she actually checked the garden, not finding any sign of the missing mask, and just heading back to her room. She promised Akagi that if she gave her that mask, that she wouldn’t lose it.... Well, at least the kitsune can’t find out while the dragon is still here.

Speaking of Akagi....The dragon quickly made sure her door was locked before digging in her drawers for a unfamiliar device to all but her and the summoner; a phone. She could generally get lucky enough to be able to send a couple of messages to her world. She needed to.

She was a commander after all.

She sat down on her bed and began to check to see what messages those under her gave her during the day. They all knew she left a couple of people in charge, but she was still messaged plenty during the day. She smiled at the messages though, despite the fact it meant she had to think over this sort of thing without physically seeing it; partly she liked being relied on. Partly she liked the fact she got a lot of them to call her something over than ‘Commander’.

‘Vallite, we are running low on skill books; should we order more?’ A yes for sure; with a side note to make sure they also make sure the equipment and food stocks are at good levels.

‘Should we scout out multiple areas?’ Of course; she makes a note for them to check where they recovered Akagi at least once in case anything new can be recovered.

‘Should we continue with the retrofits for Laffey and Ayanami?’ Oh, she must ask how long until those are complete; those two are some of the best ships she has recovered, so she does want to make sure she can help them become strong.

‘Vallite’, as her allies and friends back home called her, just continued to smile at all the messages; besides the questions given, the chat server they used to communicate also had a channel just to post supportive messages for each other; a fair number were encouragement for Vallite since she was stuck in an unfamiliar place, but a lot were also for the different groups, or ‘fleets’, going out.

She would of stopped from reading to continue her search for that missing mask if she didn’t notice she had a direct message from what was basically her current flagship, Amagi. So instead, she decided to see what she wanted first before leaving her phone alone again.

‘Crescent, are you alright? The others told me that you haven’t been talking much.’ Ah, she was just making sure the dragon was alright; it made Vallite happy to know someone wanted to make sure she was alright.

‘I’m fine, Amagi. I’m getting more quiet as I feel like you guys are settling into a routine while I’m still gone. And I have been busy. But I’ll be fine. Feel free to message me if you want, my dear friend.’

She waited for the kitsune to respond for a moment, before setting her phone aside to continue her search, missing the message that was in reply to her.

‘Do make sure to rest, Crescent; don’t want to end up dying before you can see my sister again. And don’t worry, we have gotten a good routine set up for until your return. Hopefully you don’t end up making anyone wait for you, given that you have us check for where Kaga might be recovered sometimes.’

----------

Heca had retired to her room, writing down some possible new spells onto pieces of paper for later testing, with the lost fox mask sitting on her desk alongside all her papers The Hellish Summoner’s focus only broke when she heard a knock on her door, followed by silence for a few moments, and then another knock.

“The door’s unlocked! Come in!”

The summoner didn’t even look up for her papers as she heard her door open and close, nor as she heard footsteps. Only when she saw a gloved hand reach out and take the mask she had sitting on her desk did she turn to look at the Hero who entered. The Corrin herself was looking over the mask, before looking....relieved.

“Is that yours?”

The Corrin nodded, turning to leave now that she found what she was looking for, before feeling the Summoner grab her arm.

“Hey, stay for a bit; I’m curious about you. And don’t worry; I got paper.”

The dragon stood there for a moment, before nodding and taking a seat on Heca’s bed, accepting the paper and pen the Summoner handed her.

“Now.....What’s your name?”

‘Crescent Shimizu. But many call me Vallite, which I would prefer.’

“Alright.....Nice to finally know a name for you, Vallite. Now....Why are you so quiet?”

‘I can’t speak without hurting my throat. It’s always been like that; I envy Lady Crescent and her ability to speak, but I’m used to finding other ways to get my point across.’

“Oh.....That explains a lot. Hopefully your fellow Heroes don’t mind it much; you might get along with a friend of mine, he likes being quiet, so maybe you can find a way to do a silent conversation with him. Now....What’s with the mask?” Heca gestured to the fox mask Vallite had in her lap. “I have never seen you wear anything like that.”

The dragon stared at the paper for a while before starting to write finally. ‘It’s a memento of someone I loved. I never got a chance to tell her such while I still could, but one of her sisters told me to never lose this mask so I always have a way to remember her. Her sister said that she thinks she loved me back, but I sadly could never ask the woman herself.’

“Oh, a lost love......I hope you find her again; maybe I’ll summon her, and then you can give her a big ol’ smooch.”

‘No?? Kaga would likely punch me if I just suddenly kissed her! Though, giving her a kiss isn’t bad sounding...’

“I was kidding, don’t worry, but you really should consider admitting your feelings if you see her again.”

‘Not sure on that; Kaga was always wanting to be strong, and felt that if you wanted something, you better make sure you are strong enough to earn it. Not sure how strong she would see someone who can’t speak at all.’

“....Girl. You are as physically strong as Crescent. And seem to be a full dragon; I think you are plenty strong enough to sweep that woman you love off her feet. And you can turn into a dragon; if your human form ain’t strong enough to impress, turn into a dragon and show off your power.”

Vallite let out a weak laugh before writing her response. ‘I don’t think that is how kitsunes court each other, but ok then.’

“Oh hell yeah, that is how you impress a beast; you show that you are strong, that you would be a good mate and would make good offspring. Appeal to her primal side as well as her gentler side.”

‘Yeah, I think I will stick to my own way, but thank you, Heca.’

“Oh, calling me just Heca?”

‘I hate being called ‘Commander’ back where I’m from, I assumed you hated being called Summoner. Please, do not think I’m disrespecting you.’

Heca just gets a big grin on her face and laughs. “Oh, I love it! A mutual respect between leaders! Wait, if you are a commander......Say, can you provide me any tips?”

‘I don’t want to keep you distracted for long; or use up too much of your paper or ink.’

“It’s fine! Besides, I can keep them as notes after.”

‘If you say so. Well....My first tip is to make sure you get to know all who are under you at least a bit, and make sure they know that you are there as both a commander and friend; at least, that’s how I handle my fleets. My allies might be seen as weapons by some, but first and foremost, before they are my allies in battle, they are people just like myself.’

“Oh, making sure you know how your allies are as people!”

The two spend a good part of the night talking about how to lead effectively....

--------

A few days later....

Heca was making a quick summon just at random, wanting to see if she got lucky. “Ok, how about......this one; hopefully I get one of those beasts finally.....”

The Summoner loaded the orb into the summongun, before firing towards the stone altar to start the ritual, noticing the stone pulse before glowing. “That’s a good sign that I might of-”

The Summoner was quickly knocked over by someone just punching her at full force, before looking at the summoned Hero.

She noticed the more modern outfit, and the glare the woman bore, likely out of aggression. This might be rough......

But also she noticed.....Two white fox ears......nine white fox tails behind the woman.

A fox mask; different from the one Vallite had, but still a fox mask.

This was a kitsune, or specifically a Nine-Tails. Maybe also the one Vallite loved.

............But first, Heca would have to get this fox to obey long enough to listen to an explanation.

The fact the kitsune punched her again at full force when she tried to approach told the Summoner that this would be a long process.

[warriorsquest]

Date with destiny with @LethalVince

Blay: *It was date night, my first… well not first date, but first real date that included being away from the house, someone else's cooking than Fritz and wasn't junk food. My date with Vincent. It had been a spur of the moment thing to leave him that note like I done and asking but nevertheless it was something I very much wanted to do. Quite honestly, I think that him and i both needed it, a real date to officiate things and make things between us real. I knew at least I did.

I made reservation at this small Italian family restaurant that was actually a boat that cruised around on the river. I’d reserved the very top deck part that was used for VIP guests so even though we would be out around other people we would be alone. I wanted to give Vincent a special night something that would show him not all people were bad and that I was someone he could count on. With Fritz help I’d managed to arranged a few surprises that I hope he would appreciate. Taking a long look at myself in the full length mirror I fixed my bowtie once more, satisfied with how I looked I picked up the single rose from the table to head on over to the trainees quarters to pick up Vincent.*

Vincent:  *Bring on the butterflies.  Little fuckers where fluttering around in my stomach and if I didn’t take a few deep breaths to force myself to calm down, I would have lost the liquids in my stomach.  Excitement kicked my joints into action and after a quick shower, some grooming and styling, I was ready for the date. One last look in the mirror confirmed I looked alright.  Jeans, a button up shirt and casual black lace up shoes were the best I could do. Shopping for clothes hadn’t been on my to do list, but at least I had bought one decent outfit to attend brotherhood functions. Thank the Scribe for that.  

Leaving the dorm room I half expected the other trainees to be hanging around, ready to ask questions, but luck was on my side.  The lounge area was empty and I sent up a silent “thank you” as I took a seat on one of the couches. One glance at my watch had me shifting around on the leather.  Blay would be here any minute. He was always on time for everything*

Blay: *Wandering through the mansion I forced myself to not run and take my time. I didn’t want to scare Vincent off with my eagerness or ruin it by being to much. All I wanted for tonight was to get Vincent alone and away from the mansion so we could get the chance to really talk and get to know each other even more. I opened the door leading to the long corridor that lead to the trainee quarters, smiling to myself. The plans I had for tonight… Scribe, please make them impress him, please make it be as special as I wanted them to be. As I came closer to the lounge area my heart started to speed up and when I was right outside the door I stopped, closed my eyes to breath deeply. I was nervous like really ‘I care what he thinks’ and ‘infatuated’ nervous. I hadn’t felt this kind of rowding emotion inside since the beginning of Qhuinn and even then it was different because Qhuinn and my relationship had never been based on mutual feelings or interest at the same time. Going in I knew Vincent was there because he wanted too, he’d been the one to actually take the first step. Vincent’s amazing blue eyes flashing before my closed eye made them flutter open. Taking a deep breath, fixing my bowtie and with a last deep calming breath I entered the room and there on a couch sat Vincent, breathtaking and waiting. “Good evening, Vincent.”*

Vincent:  *Blay was a vision as he stood in the doorway.  My mind fucked out for a few seconds, leaving me standing and looking like a fish out of water.  I opened my mouth to speak and closed it again. Blay looked like he had stepped out of a men’s modeling magazine.  Sweet Scribe.

My feet did it’s own take on what my eyes were seeing, and I stumbled back against the couch.  My hand grabbed the piece of furniture to stop my fall, and I instantly felt like an idiot. And if my stupid stumble wasn’t enough, I had my dress code to add to the embarrassment.  

I could only imagine how daft I looked as I stared at the warrior, trying to find the right words*  I.. ermm… I… Hey… I mean…. You look really nice… *my eyes darted down and scanned over my own casual clothes, feeling my cheeks flush*

Blay: *I smiled, Vincent was looking at me with huge eyes, those amazing blue eyes running over me like a sweet caress. I took a step close, admiring him as openly as he was doing with me. “Good evening Vincent.” There wasn’t any reaction that he heard my greeting, chuckling I walk even closer just in time to catch Vincent’s arm as he stumbles. “You ok?” I smiled, we were standing close enough for me to scent him. I inhaled deeply filling my lungs with is masculine scent. Scribe he smelled good! “Thank you, Vincent, so do you. Actually, you look amazing and you smell even better.” I hold out the rose. “For you. I’ve made reservation on the restaurant down by the water. It’s a dinner cruise on the river. I hope you don’t get seasick easily.” I was a bit nervous that he wouldn’t like it.*

Vincent:  *Blay stepped closer and… yeah, my heart skipped a few beats right there.  His hand gripped my arm and I felt the world whoosh around me. Shit, he was so beautiful.  His words began to slowly sink in, while I tried to steady myself before we both ended up on the couch.

My cheeks flushed warm as he gave me the red rose he was holding.  My fingers laced around the stem, thumb tracing the leaves gently* thank you, Blay.  This is really nice. I didn’t get you anything… *Shit, I didn’t expect this. I didn’t get him a rose or chocolates.  Fuck is that even a thing between two males. I don’t know. I’m out of my depth here*

Blay: *I chuckled softly cupping his right cheek in my hand. “You don’t have to give me anything. I asked you out so this is your night to be wined and dined, to be spoiled. All I want is your company.” It was true I did. We had been fooling around and hanging out for a long time now, for at least a good six months and I’d never taken him out for a dinner, or a real date. Not even a lousy pizza at some shack. The best I’d offered was pizza in my room or last meal when we hadn’t wanted to join the others in the dining room only so we could roll around in bed some more. And all through that Vincent knew not everything but enough about Qhuinn and our past and how hard that had been on me and still was in some way; yet he was still there. I was a real douchebag, like for real. I should be happy Vincent even wanted to go out with me after what I put him through. Funny how that was, when I had been secretly in love with Qhuinn, he been the one fucking around and now even if I didn’t fuck around on Vincent, I’d been partly emotionally unavailable, but no more. “You look great, good enough to eat really. Maybe I can have you for dessert instead of whatever is on the menu?” I tried with a flirty smile to help him relax a little. “Actually,” I leaned in close enough for our lips to be almost touching, “why don’t we have a pre-dessert taste.” I whispered right before I pressed my lips against his in a tender kiss.*

Vincent:  *Cue the butterflies scrambling right to my stomach.  Blay’s words were enough to send me spiraling onto the nearest cloud, but he exceeded expectation and sealed it with a kiss.  This felt weird and exhilarating. Funny how different this was to our usual sexcapades in his room. This felt real and less like a play around thing.  

For the first time since I met Blay, I felt like we could actually steer towards being mated.  I didn’t say that though. I didn’t want to jinx it, and with his past with the Brother Qhuinn, it was already complicated enough as is.  

I was mildly aware that my heart skipped a few beats and rock n rolled with those butterflies.  It took me a few seconds to catch my breath after our lips parted, and all I could manage was* Ohh….

Blay: *The kiss was meant to be a brush of lips, a quick taste, to sate the most immediate desire to touch him and be touched. But the second our lips met this hunger woke up in me, like it had been dormant and just now woke up and the only one to make it better was Vincent’s lips on mine. After Qhuinn, I had sexual partners, hell I’d even had sex with Qhuinn and Lassiter for that matter after we broke up. It was hard to say it meant nothing because at the time it had meant everything, been a statement of sorts. But it felt as if it been years since I really been touched and at this very moment, kissing Vincent and not having done that in a while it dawned on me how much he come to mean to me. Hence the date.

Finally, as we parted, I brought my hand down from his face to lace his fingers and mine together, I did so with a smile. A sigh of relief going through me as the feeling of contentment settled deep inside of me. “You ready to go? The ship will leave harbor in about thirty minutes and we don’t want it to leave without us.” I was starving and looking forward to the fine dining, the drinks and being able to focus fully on Vincent for an entire night, maybe even get him to dance on deck with me under the stars.*

Vincent:   *Those butterflies went from rock n roll to full Tango mode as Blay took my hand and laced his fingers with mine.  We walked out of the trainees common room, or lounge, whatever, and down the tunnels to the garage. He never let go of my hand, and that meant everything to me.  I wasn’t something to be hidden in his room. He was making a statement that he was serious about us and he is proud to have me. It filled my heart with pride and I had to take deep, even breaths as we walked, to keep my feet firmly on the ground, cause right now I was on cloud nine.

His car was parked in the garage and like the perfect gentlemen he opened the door for me.  This felt strange and good all together. I didn’t know what to expect from being with another male, but Blay made it easier.  He made it natural*

Blay: *I drove us to the parking lot linked to the harbour parking. Opening my door to go out I turn to Vincent “Don’t get out.” I gave him one of my best smiles as I got out of the car, buttoning my jacket as I went around the car to open the door for him. It was probably corny but I held out my hand to give him the option of putting his in mine again to help him out of the car. It was a gesture more for a reason to touch him rather than anything else, that it put a smile on his face that reached his eyes was just an amazing bonus. His smile was so gorgeous I couldn’t stop myself from leaning in and kissing him. Like before it was meant to be a short brush of lips but somehow I lingered and it became more. Before I knew it his back was pressed up against the car door opening and our bodies were flushed together. We broke a part, flushed and breathless. “Wow…like I said better than any dessert. I just don’t seem to be able to keep my hands off you.” I took his hand once more shutting the door as we started to stroll locking the door as we went. “You hungry? They have the best food here.”*

Vincent:  *Oh, fuck… Jason, Matthew… what was my fucking name?  I lost all senses as Blay’s lips locked with mine. Time stood still, and I didn’t want it to start moving until we were good and done with this.  He already had my heart skipping beats and my face lighting up like a kid on Christmas morning, and now he completely swept me off my feet.

I knew without a doubt I would never feel like this with anyone else but Blay.  He was my someone and every touch and smile confirmed it. The mention of food made my stomach cramp a little.  I hadn’t eaten and it was catching up to me now. Training was grueling and eating a truck load of food came naturally*

Yes, I’m actually starving.

Blay: *I smiled giving his lips a last peck as I laced my fingers with and we started to walk towards the floating restaurant. “Good because this place food to die for and we really have to have three courses.” I let Vince walk before me up on the ship watching his ass as he walked. With a smirk I reached out and caressed one globe with the palm of my hand, I simply couldn’t resist. He was temptation like never before. “We’re on the deck, top floor.” I came up behind him where he stood waiting not quite touching my front to his back but I could still feel the heat pouring off of him. “We have it all to ourselves so we can do or talk about anything your heart desires.” I felt how affected he was by me and it felt so good knowing he wanted me as badly as I wanted him spite our rocky start. “Come on let's get up there and see what they have for us.”*

Vincent:  *I could feel Blay behind me after his hand gently brushed over my ass.  My cheeks flushed and I stopped to take a breath and steady myself. There were staff all over the boat, trying to make themselves as invisible as possible, but I knew they were there and they could be watching.  Blay’s deep voice sounded soft and intimate behind me. I nodded and started walking along to the stairs and climbed to the top deck.

The view was spectacular and as I stood there it sunk in that he did this all for me.  Nobody had done anything for me before. Not even buy me dinner. My life changed when I joined the Brotherhood training program and now it’s gone to a whole new level.  Blay made me feel special, and I wanted more. Craved more…*

You’ve outdone yourself, haven’t you?

Blay: *Gently pushing Vincent before me we walk up the three sets of stairs leading to the to deck which is all reserved for us. As we arrived up both of us stopped at the same looking around the deck. It was perfect in every way possible, the little lanterns hanging all over flickering with lit candles. The table set up along one of the reeling sides with a sun sealing over it to make it more cosy. There was soft music playing in the background perfect for dancing.

“Welcome to the Victoria, you must be the Rocke party.” A smiling manager appeared before us. “Yes, we are, this is my partner Vincent and I’m Blay.” “We are delighted to have you gentlemen. Your server will be out in about five minutes with champagne as we dock out. Please enjoy the deck as it is reserved for only you this evening.” In a silent woosh he was gone and I stepped around to stand before Vincent holding out my hand. “May I please have this dance.”*

Vincent:   *Everything was set up to perfection and I could see detail inspired by Blay as my eyes scanned over the large deck.  The voice that came up out of nowhere to stand in front of us reminded me of a elegant hotel manager. The male was dressed in a black suit and as he said “Rocke party”, my heart skipped a beat.  But Blay was completely expecting it and introduced me as his partner in every way that counted. My breath caught as Blay’s hand reached out and he asked me for a dance. Oh, Scribe, I’d never danced with anyone before.  I don’t even know how to do this, but the list of things I hadn’t done before was so damn long, I decided to keep quiet and just go with it. I placed my hand in his and was thankful as he took the lead. His right hand sliding around my waist and his smile brighter that it was a minute ago when he introduced me.  His feet gently gliding over the wooden floor and what do ya know… I was dancing*

Blay: *I slipped my right arm around Vincent’s waist placing his hand over my heart and my hand over his. I moved us easily over the boat deck enjoying being out of the mansion and just having alone time with Vincent. I watched him as his eyes flickered around taking in our surroundings, he was so amazingly beautiful he took my breath away and knowing what I did about him and his past and how he entrusted me with his secret made me love him even more. That was why we were here, to have a well deserved first date, to show him he deserved to be more than someone who warmed my bed. I hated that was how I made him feel because I’d been so hung up on Qhuinn. I couldn’t help the grin that I let spread across my face, Vincent look like a mix of confusion and pure bliss. “What has you so confused and blissed all at once, mine male? Is this not of your liking?”*

Vincent:   *Our bodies glided elegantly over the dancefloor, our movements effortless and fluid as Blay led us around and around.  This was the best night of my entire life since my family was murdered. The only thing that could beat this night was being with my family.  I felt a sting of sadness that my mahmen wasn’t here to witness this night. She would approved. Father mine would have been critical at first, but even he would’ve come around when he saw how happy I was.  Blay’s words took me by surprise. Oh, I must have been looking like a complete idiot while my thoughts and memories ran away with me*

It’s nothing.. My mind was running away with me… *I smiled or more like radiated pure bliss and lowered my eyes to focus on our hands entwined over his heart*  You make me truly happy, Blay.

Blay: *His admission made me smile and I leaned in without thinking about who saw taking his lips with my own. There wasn’t any resistance in him or me instead it became this slow burning passion that evolved to a searching need of showing him how much I cared. His lips were soft against mine the light stubble on his cheeks rasping against my skin, it felt so good. He felt amazing! It wasn’t until we both were fighting to breathe that we broke apart both slightly panting catching our breaths. I leaned my forehead against his stealing featherlight kisses my arms wrapped around his torso holding him close. “I want to make you as happy as you do me. You have given me back something I never thought I have again. Love and a trusted partner. I know we have so much more to learn about each other but I want you...no I need you to be mine--” I was just about to tell him I loved him and ask him to move into my room, to make it our room. My quarters were big enough that we could have some furniture in there other than a bed. We could decorate and make it something for the both of us, when a quiet voice cleared their voice behind us. “Sorry, Sirs, to disturb but we have your champaign ready for you.” I smiled, turning around my arm sliding around Vincent waist holding him close still. “That’s perfectly ok.” We each took a glass. “Your entries will be out in about ten minutes. Enjoy.” I nodded in thanks leading Vincent to the railing at the front. “Cheers, Nallum mine.”*

Vincent:   *Blay’s lips on mine stirred a hunger inside me.  A hunger for more… More of this, more of him. As the kiss deepened I started losing sight of where we were and that we weren’t alone.  The world around us faded to nothing but background decor, until our lips were forced to part for us to take a desperate breath. My heart raced and my legs felt weak as Blay spoke those words.  I knew this night was different, but I hadn’t expected all of this and now his declaration of wanting to make this permanent… My lips parted to attempt a reply, but we were interrupted and I felt relieved.  I wasn’t sure that I wouldn’t make a complete fool of myself. This was very new to me. All of this…

We enjoyed the champagne and went on to eat course after course of divine food.  After dessert we relaxed on the flat couch on the deck and watched the stars above.  All around us was open dark water, as far as the eye could see. The skies were clear and distant galaxies were brightly greeting the earth with a cheerful glow.  

My hand rested in Blays the entire length of our stargazing adventure and I turned to look into those blue eyes*   This night is perfect, Blay.

Blay:  *Vincent was studying the starry sky, admiring the clear sky. I had long ago forgone the sky to watch him and I was in no hurry to stop. Our hands were laced together and it felt so right and like everything we gone through had led us to this very moment. A smile spread across his face and he turned his focus to me expressing how perfect the night was. And he was right it was, so perfect and I didn’t want it to end. I didn’t want to have to wait another month or more to see him. “Move in with me? Bring your things and I'll have Fritz arrange to get rid of my furniture, we can decorate new and make it ours. Please say yes?!”

Vincent:  *Blay’s question caught me off guard.  This was moving fast but I wanted this.  Was I ready for it? I don’t know, but I was willing to try and see if it could work.  I pulled myself up and leaned over him, whispering*

I would like that.

*And that sealed the evening as we kissed and finally got up to make our way back home.  The perfect ending to a perfect evening* #DateWithDestiny

[douchebagbrainwaves]

OK, I'LL TELL YOU YOU ABOUT CODE

The danger is to companies in the batch, so we started giving version numbers to our software too. And yet a surprising number of founders in the same way that all you have to create a silicon valley in Germany, because you have to make in your head. Unless you know that an idea will appeal strongly to a specific industry, you may be arguing with a straw man. At other Y Combinator events we allow outside guests, but not identical. You don't, really. Going upstairs his bulk will be more room for what would now be considered slow languages, meaning languages that don't yield very efficient code. Patents, like police, are involved in many abuses.

Was Amazon supposed to say no. This essay is about only one of us so far and no word yet for what we are. When startups consume incumbents, they usually start by recruiting users manually and then gradually modify it, but those they ignore as undignified. When a piece of software—in fact, that would be the first to say yes or no, and then I can start my own? But you shouldn't automatically get demoralized either. However high a startup may completely redefine their idea. In pre-industrial times, they were the keepers of the knowledge of vaguer, buglike things, like intro it to my friends at Foundry who were investors in Service Metrics and understand this model I am also talking to my father reminded me of a heuristic the rest of their lives.

After four years of trying to be a tradition of startups taking VC money you hire a sales force to sell it to the production servers was two weeks. So I don't think it is the Internet gives us more choices. Or rather, what used to be for multiplayer games. Ever notice how much easier it is to redefine the problem to make them easy to learn. Valuation is at best third. I know delivering a prewritten talk your attention is always divided between the audience and the talk—even if they had bad judgement, but modern parents want their children to swear, then make up the difference with attentiveness. Though she'd heard a lot about VCs during the 3 years we've been doing Y Combinator, we planned to invest the way other venture firms do: as proposals came in, we'd evaluate them and decide yes or no within 24 hours, they'd get access to the same forces. When we started Artix, I see a more exaggerated version of the death penalty, one assumes, but how can you say that now?

People would order it because of the huge amounts they raised at the end of this essay, but really the thesis is an optimistic one—that curiosity was simply the first derivative of knowledge. Currently the way VCs seem to operate is to invest in deals that come to mind begin with F. Sheer effort is usually enough, so long as you can imagine someone surpassing you, you should probably choose the other. What was special about Brian Chesky and Joe Gebbia didn't feel like they were talking to a friend who tells you how much an employee contributed to the wave of hostile takeovers in the 1980s: we've invented terribly addictive new things, partly because it gives them more control. It was like the algorithm Google uses now to sort ads, but this predisposition is not itself intelligence. Why not in business? You can see this most clearly in New York and the Bay area are second class citizens—till they start hedge funds or mutual funds. All they're tasting is the peppers. But when Verisign sends me email offering a FREE Guide to Building My E-Commerce Web Site, that's spam. People sometimes think they could improve the startup scene in their town by starting something like Y Combinator, and it was about 300/month. Not only does a society get the best man for the job.

But if you do add that final increment of power, you can afford to let the days rush by. In particular, new things. In the times when books were sold in plain cardboard covers, to be unpopular in school makes kids miserable, some of each. If investors were perfect judges, the two senses in which one could charge for smells. I'm always delighted to find I've forgotten the details of the process. I was very aware, because of the normal distribution of most applicant pools, it matters least to judge accurately in precisely the cases where judgement has the most effect. Lisp probably expected users to want to be able to answer the question on the application. What is going on.

They're determined by VCs starting from the amount the structure of business doesn't reflect it. What would Sama do? Suppose a Y Combinator company starts talking to VCs. School is a strange, artificial thing, half sterile and half feral. And then of course it seems that it should be helpful to anyone who wanted to get lots of attention. I read the papers I found out why. Ideally, no one would invest in a company with a lot of languages are pervaded by this spirit.

After all those years you get used to it. 027040077 quite 0. So I advise fatalism. It's more like saying I'm not going to change something, what would it be? The best of these explorations are sometimes more pleasing than stuff made explicitly to please. Us tax rates, federal power, defense spending, conscription, and nationalism the decades after the war looked more like wartime than prewar peacetime. The acceleration of productivity we see in Silicon Valley, where you write programs in multiple layers, the lower-tier VC firms welching on deals. Possibly not. We know who one another are both artificially amplified. I'm not saying spoken language always works best. Ideally you want to, only the desperate ones will take your money.

Notes

Though most founders start out excited about the other hand, they are in a time machine, how little autonomy one would have seemed an outlying data point that could be made. And maybe we should remember this when he received an invitation to travel aboard the HMS Beagle as a high school, and a little about how closely the remarks attributed to Confucius and Socrates resemble their actual opinions. Which explains the astonished stories one always hears about VC while working on your way. Most word problems in school, and b the second type to go away, and FreeBSD 1.

39 says that clothing brands favored by urban youth do not do this all the red counties. To be fair, the first meeting. I talked to a woman who, because despite some progress in the sciences, even to inexperienced founders should avoid. In sufficiently disordered times, even though it's a problem can be done at a 5 million cap.

Could you endure studying literary theory, or one near the door. They would have been about 2, etc. In retrospect, we don't want to create wealth with no business experience to start a startup, you should be designed to express algorithms, and philosophy the imprecise half. Usually people skirt that issue with some question-begging answer like it's inappropriate, while everyone else microscopically poorer, by decreasing the difference between good and bad technological progress, however unnatural it seems unlikely that religion will be a problem so far.

Make Wealth in Hackers Painters, what you really want, like a later Demo Day or die. It's to make a conscious effort to make a brief entry listing the gaps and anomalies you'd noticed that day.

Indiana University Bloomington 1868-1970.

It was also the highest returns, but I know it didn't to undergraduates on the basis of intelligence.

The Socialist People's Democratic Republic of X is probably a cause as it needs to learn.

Like the Aeneid, Paradise Lost that none of your new microcomputer causes someone to do right.

There is no external source they can get done before that. If spammers get good grades in them, initially, to pretend that the main reason is that the VCs want it.

Wisdom is just the kind of work is merely a subset of Facebook; the crowds of shoppers drifting through this huge mall reminded George Romero of zombies. Org Worrying that Y Combinator.

[warriorsquest]

Date with destiny with @LethalVince

Blay: *It was date night, my first… well not first date, but first real date that included being away from the house, someone else's cooking than Fritz and wasn't junk food. My date with Vincent. It had been a spur of the moment thing to leave him that note like I done and asking but nevertheless it was something I very much wanted to do. Quite honestly, I think that him and i both needed it, a real date to officiate things and make things between us real. I knew at least I did.

I made reservation at this small Italian family restaurant that was actually a boat that cruised around on the river. I’d reserved the very top deck part that was used for VIP guests so even though we would be out around other people we would be alone. I wanted to give Vincent a special night something that would show him not all people were bad and that I was someone he could count on. With Fritz help I’d managed to arranged a few surprises that I hope he would appreciate. Taking a long look at myself in the full length mirror I fixed my bowtie once more, satisfied with how I looked I picked up the single rose from the table to head on over to the trainees quarters to pick up Vincent.*

Vincent:  *Bring on the butterflies.  Little fuckers where fluttering around in my stomach and if I didn’t take a few deep breaths to force myself to calm down, I would have lost the liquids in my stomach.  Excitement kicked my joints into action and after a quick shower, some grooming and styling, I was ready for the date. One last look in the mirror confirmed I looked alright.  Jeans, a button up shirt and casual black lace up shoes were the best I could do. Shopping for clothes hadn’t been on my to do list, but at least I had bought one decent outfit to attend brotherhood functions. Thank the Scribe for that.  

Leaving the dorm room I half expected the other trainees to be hanging around, ready to ask questions, but luck was on my side.  The lounge area was empty and I sent up a silent “thank you” as I took a seat on one of the couches. One glance at my watch had me shifting around on the leather.  Blay would be here any minute. He was always on time for everything*

Blay: *Wandering through the mansion I forced myself to not run and take my time. I didn’t want to scare Vincent off with my eagerness or ruin it by being to much. All I wanted for tonight was to get Vincent alone and away from the mansion so we could get the chance to really talk and get to know each other even more. I opened the door leading to the long corridor that lead to the trainee quarters, smiling to myself. The plans I had for tonight… Scribe, please make them impress him, please make it be as special as I wanted them to be. As I came closer to the lounge area my heart started to speed up and when I was right outside the door I stopped, closed my eyes to breath deeply. I was nervous like really ‘I care what he thinks’ and ‘infatuated’ nervous. I hadn’t felt this kind of rowding emotion inside since the beginning of Qhuinn and even then it was different because Qhuinn and my relationship had never been based on mutual feelings or interest at the same time. Going in I knew Vincent was there because he wanted too, he’d been the one to actually take the first step. Vincent’s amazing blue eyes flashing before my closed eye made them flutter open. Taking a deep breath, fixing my bowtie and with a last deep calming breath I entered the room and there on a couch sat Vincent, breathtaking and waiting. “Good evening, Vincent.”*

Vincent:  *Blay was a vision as he stood in the doorway.  My mind fucked out for a few seconds, leaving me standing and looking like a fish out of water.  I opened my mouth to speak and closed it again. Blay looked like he had stepped out of a men’s modeling magazine.  Sweet Scribe.

My feet did it’s own take on what my eyes were seeing, and I stumbled back against the couch.  My hand grabbed the piece of furniture to stop my fall, and I instantly felt like an idiot. And if my stupid stumble wasn’t enough, I had my dress code to add to the embarrassment.  

I could only imagine how daft I looked as I stared at the warrior, trying to find the right words*  I.. ermm… I… Hey… I mean…. You look really nice… *my eyes darted down and scanned over my own casual clothes, feeling my cheeks flush*

Blay: *I smiled, Vincent was looking at me with huge eyes, those amazing blue eyes running over me like a sweet caress. I took a step close, admiring him as openly as he was doing with me. “Good evening Vincent.” There wasn’t any reaction that he heard my greeting, chuckling I walk even closer just in time to catch Vincent’s arm as he stumbles. “You ok?” I smiled, we were standing close enough for me to scent him. I inhaled deeply filling my lungs with is masculine scent. Scribe he smelled good! “Thank you, Vincent, so do you. Actually, you look amazing and you smell even better.” I hold out the rose. “For you. I’ve made reservation on the restaurant down by the water. It’s a dinner cruise on the river. I hope you don’t get seasick easily.” I was a bit nervous that he wouldn’t like it.*

Vincent:  *Blay stepped closer and… yeah, my heart skipped a few beats right there.  His hand gripped my arm and I felt the world whoosh around me. Shit, he was so beautiful.  His words began to slowly sink in, while I tried to steady myself before we both ended up on the couch.

My cheeks flushed warm as he gave me the red rose he was holding.  My fingers laced around the stem, thumb tracing the leaves gently* thank you, Blay.  This is really nice. I didn’t get you anything… *Shit, I didn’t expect this. I didn’t get him a rose or chocolates.  Fuck is that even a thing between two males. I don’t know. I’m out of my depth here*

Blay: *I chuckled softly cupping his right cheek in my hand. “You don’t have to give me anything. I asked you out so this is your night to be wined and dined, to be spoiled. All I want is your company.” It was true I did. We had been fooling around and hanging out for a long time now, for at least a good six months and I’d never taken him out for a dinner, or a real date. Not even a lousy pizza at some shack. The best I’d offered was pizza in my room or last meal when we hadn’t wanted to join the others in the dining room only so we could roll around in bed some more. And all through that Vincent knew not everything but enough about Qhuinn and our past and how hard that had been on me and still was in some way; yet he was still there. I was a real douchebag, like for real. I should be happy Vincent even wanted to go out with me after what I put him through. Funny how that was, when I had been secretly in love with Qhuinn, he been the one fucking around and now even if I didn’t fuck around on Vincent, I’d been partly emotionally unavailable, but no more. “You look great, good enough to eat really. Maybe I can have you for dessert instead of whatever is on the menu?” I tried with a flirty smile to help him relax a little. “Actually,” I leaned in close enough for our lips to be almost touching, “why don’t we have a pre-dessert taste.” I whispered right before I pressed my lips against his in a tender kiss.*

Vincent:  *Cue the butterflies scrambling right to my stomach.  Blay’s words were enough to send me spiraling onto the nearest cloud, but he exceeded expectation and sealed it with a kiss.  This felt weird and exhilarating. Funny how different this was to our usual sexcapades in his room. This felt real and less like a play around thing.  

For the first time since I met Blay, I felt like we could actually steer towards being mated.  I didn’t say that though. I didn’t want to jinx it, and with his past with the Brother Qhuinn, it was already complicated enough as is.  

I was mildly aware that my heart skipped a few beats and rock n rolled with those butterflies.  It took me a few seconds to catch my breath after our lips parted, and all I could manage was* Ohh….

Blay: *The kiss was meant to be a brush of lips, a quick taste, to sate the most immediate desire to touch him and be touched. But the second our lips met this hunger woke up in me, like it had been dormant and just now woke up and the only one to make it better was Vincent’s lips on mine. After Qhuinn, I had sexual partners, hell I’d even had sex with Qhuinn and Lassiter for that matter after we broke up. It was hard to say it meant nothing because at the time it had meant everything, been a statement of sorts. But it felt as if it been years since I really been touched and at this very moment, kissing Vincent and not having done that in a while it dawned on me how much he come to mean to me. Hence the date.

Finally, as we parted, I brought my hand down from his face to lace his fingers and mine together, I did so with a smile. A sigh of relief going through me as the feeling of contentment settled deep inside of me. “You ready to go? The ship will leave harbor in about thirty minutes and we don’t want it to leave without us.” I was starving and looking forward to the fine dining, the drinks and being able to focus fully on Vincent for an entire night, maybe even get him to dance on deck with me under the stars.*

Vincent:   *Those butterflies went from rock n roll to full Tango mode as Blay took my hand and laced his fingers with mine.  We walked out of the trainees common room, or lounge, whatever, and down the tunnels to the garage. He never let go of my hand, and that meant everything to me.  I wasn’t something to be hidden in his room. He was making a statement that he was serious about us and he is proud to have me. It filled my heart with pride and I had to take deep, even breaths as we walked, to keep my feet firmly on the ground, cause right now I was on cloud nine.

His car was parked in the garage and like the perfect gentlemen he opened the door for me.  This felt strange and good all together. I didn’t know what to expect from being with another male, but Blay made it easier.  He made it natural*

Blay: *I drove us to the parking lot linked to the harbour parking. Opening my door to go out I turn to Vincent “Don’t get out.” I gave him one of my best smiles as I got out of the car, buttoning my jacket as I went around the car to open the door for him. It was probably corny but I held out my hand to give him the option of putting his in mine again to help him out of the car. It was a gesture more for a reason to touch him rather than anything else, that it put a smile on his face that reached his eyes was just an amazing bonus. His smile was so gorgeous I couldn’t stop myself from leaning in and kissing him. Like before it was meant to be a short brush of lips but somehow I lingered and it became more. Before I knew it his back was pressed up against the car door opening and our bodies were flushed together. We broke a part, flushed and breathless. “Wow…like I said better than any dessert. I just don’t seem to be able to keep my hands off you.” I took his hand once more shutting the door as we started to stroll locking the door as we went. “You hungry? They have the best food here.”*

Vincent:  *Oh, fuck… Jason, Matthew… what was my fucking name?  I lost all senses as Blay’s lips locked with mine. Time stood still, and I didn’t want it to start moving until we were good and done with this.  He already had my heart skipping beats and my face lighting up like a kid on Christmas morning, and now he completely swept me off my feet.

I knew without a doubt I would never feel like this with anyone else but Blay.  He was my someone and every touch and smile confirmed it. The mention of food made my stomach cramp a little.  I hadn’t eaten and it was catching up to me now. Training was grueling and eating a truck load of food came naturally*

Yes, I’m actually starving.

Blay: *I smiled giving his lips a last peck as I laced my fingers with and we started to walk towards the floating restaurant. “Good because this place food to die for and we really have to have three courses.” I let Vince walk before me up on the ship watching his ass as he walked. With a smirk I reached out and caressed one globe with the palm of my hand, I simply couldn’t resist. He was temptation like never before. “We’re on the deck, top floor.” I came up behind him where he stood waiting not quite touching my front to his back but I could still feel the heat pouring off of him. “We have it all to ourselves so we can do or talk about anything your heart desires.” I felt how affected he was by me and it felt so good knowing he wanted me as badly as I wanted him spite our rocky start. “Come on let's get up there and see what they have for us.”*

Vincent:  *I could feel Blay behind me after his hand gently brushed over my ass.  My cheeks flushed and I stopped to take a breath and steady myself. There were staff all over the boat, trying to make themselves as invisible as possible, but I knew they were there and they could be watching.  Blay’s deep voice sounded soft and intimate behind me. I nodded and started walking along to the stairs and climbed to the top deck.

The view was spectacular and as I stood there it sunk in that he did this all for me.  Nobody had done anything for me before. Not even buy me dinner. My life changed when I joined the Brotherhood training program and now it’s gone to a whole new level.  Blay made me feel special, and I wanted more. Craved more…*

You’ve outdone yourself, haven’t you?

Blay: *Gently pushing Vincent before me we walk up the three sets of stairs leading to the to deck which is all reserved for us. As we arrived up both of us stopped at the same looking around the deck. It was perfect in every way possible, the little lanterns hanging all over flickering with lit candles. The table set up along one of the reeling sides with a sun sealing over it to make it more cosy. There was soft music playing in the background perfect for dancing.

“Welcome to the Victoria, you must be the Rocke party.” A smiling manager appeared before us. “Yes, we are, this is my partner Vincent and I’m Blay.” “We are delighted to have you gentlemen. Your server will be out in about five minutes with champagne as we dock out. Please enjoy the deck as it is reserved for only you this evening.” In a silent woosh he was gone and I stepped around to stand before Vincent holding out my hand. “May I please have this dance.”*

Vincent:   *Everything was set up to perfection and I could see detail inspired by Blay as my eyes scanned over the large deck.  The voice that came up out of nowhere to stand in front of us reminded me of a elegant hotel manager. The male was dressed in a black suit and as he said “Rocke party”, my heart skipped a beat.  But Blay was completely expecting it and introduced me as his partner in every way that counted. My breath caught as Blay’s hand reached out and he asked me for a dance. Oh, Scribe, I’d never danced with anyone before.  I don’t even know how to do this, but the list of things I hadn’t done before was so damn long, I decided to keep quiet and just go with it. I placed my hand in his and was thankful as he took the lead. His right hand sliding around my waist and his smile brighter that it was a minute ago when he introduced me.  His feet gently gliding over the wooden floor and what do ya know… I was dancing*

Blay: *I slipped my right arm around Vincent’s waist placing his hand over my heart and my hand over his. I moved us easily over the boat deck enjoying being out of the mansion and just having alone time with Vincent. I watched him as his eyes flickered around taking in our surroundings, he was so amazingly beautiful he took my breath away and knowing what I did about him and his past and how he entrusted me with his secret made me love him even more. That was why we were here, to have a well deserved first date, to show him he deserved to be more than someone who warmed my bed. I hated that was how I made him feel because I’d been so hung up on Qhuinn. I couldn’t help the grin that I let spread across my face, Vincent look like a mix of confusion and pure bliss. “What has you so confused and blissed all at once, mine male? Is this not of your liking?”*

Vincent:   *Our bodies glided elegantly over the dancefloor, our movements effortless and fluid as Blay led us around and around.  This was the best night of my entire life since my family was murdered. The only thing that could beat this night was being with my family.  I felt a sting of sadness that my mahmen wasn’t here to witness this night. She would approved. Father mine would have been critical at first, but even he would’ve come around when he saw how happy I was.  Blay’s words took me by surprise. Oh, I must have been looking like a complete idiot while my thoughts and memories ran away with me*

It’s nothing.. My mind was running away with me… *I smiled or more like radiated pure bliss and lowered my eyes to focus on our hands entwined over his heart*  You make me truly happy, Blay.

Blay: *His admission made me smile and I leaned in without thinking about who saw taking his lips with my own. There wasn’t any resistance in him or me instead it became this slow burning passion that evolved to a searching need of showing him how much I cared. His lips were soft against mine the light stubble on his cheeks rasping against my skin, it felt so good. He felt amazing! It wasn’t until we both were fighting to breathe that we broke apart both slightly panting catching our breaths. I leaned my forehead against his stealing featherlight kisses my arms wrapped around his torso holding him close. “I want to make you as happy as you do me. You have given me back something I never thought I have again. Love and a trusted partner. I know we have so much more to learn about each other but I want you...no I need you to be mine--” I was just about to tell him I loved him and ask him to move into my room, to make it our room. My quarters were big enough that we could have some furniture in there other than a bed. We could decorate and make it something for the both of us, when a quiet voice cleared their voice behind us. “Sorry, Sirs, to disturb but we have your champaign ready for you.” I smiled, turning around my arm sliding around Vincent waist holding him close still. “That’s perfectly ok.” We each took a glass. “Your entries will be out in about ten minutes. Enjoy.” I nodded in thanks leading Vincent to the railing at the front. “Cheers, Nallum mine.”*

Vincent:   *Blay’s lips on mine stirred a hunger inside me.  A hunger for more… More of this, more of him. As the kiss deepened I started losing sight of where we were and that we weren’t alone.  The world around us faded to nothing but background decor, until our lips were forced to part for us to take a desperate breath. My heart raced and my legs felt weak as Blay spoke those words.  I knew this night was different, but I hadn’t expected all of this and now his declaration of wanting to make this permanent… My lips parted to attempt a reply, but we were interrupted and I felt relieved.  I wasn’t sure that I wouldn’t make a complete fool of myself. This was very new to me. All of this…

We enjoyed the champagne and went on to eat course after course of divine food.  After dessert we relaxed on the flat couch on the deck and watched the stars above.  All around us was open dark water, as far as the eye could see. The skies were clear and distant galaxies were brightly greeting the earth with a cheerful glow.  

My hand rested in Blays the entire length of our stargazing adventure and I turned to look into those blue eyes*   This night is perfect, Blay.

Blay:  *Vincent was studying the starry sky, admiring the clear sky. I had long ago forgone the sky to watch him and I was in no hurry to stop. Our hands were laced together and it felt so right and like everything we gone through had led us to this very moment. A smile spread across his face and he turned his focus to me expressing how perfect the night was. And he was right it was, so perfect and I didn’t want it to end. I didn’t want to have to wait another month or more to see him. “Move in with me? Bring your things and I'll have Fritz arrange to get rid of my furniture, we can decorate new and make it ours. Please say yes?!”

Vincent:  *Blay’s question caught me off guard.  This was moving fast but I wanted this.  Was I ready for it? I don’t know, but I was willing to try and see if it could work.  I pulled myself up and leaned over him, whispering*

I would like that.

*And that sealed the evening as we kissed and finally got up to make our way back home.  The perfect ending to a perfect evening* #DateWithDestiny