#one roadblock and two detours

[chasedbyatlantic]

best friend, joel miller

masterlist summary: IN WHICH — joel miller, the person you care most for, ventures outside of the walls with you for your birthday gift, and has the best surprise waiting for you at the nicest spot in boston.

warnings: post outbreak!joel, boston qz era!joel, loverboy!joel, female!reader, fluff fluff and more fluff, joel being an absolute sweetheart as per usual, very brief mentions of death (like twice), swearing. lmk if i missed anything!

wordcount: 2.3k

a/n: guys i started playing tlou and im obsessed. its acc bad like my obsession keeps growing and growing. make sure to like, comment, reblog and follow for more! make sure to send requests in. xoxo

—

It was a week since your birthday. Being a year older than before didn't really change how you felt or acted, or hadn't brought new responsibilities to your daily life (not yet, at least). The one thing it did, though, was remind you how far into the apocalypse you were. Twenty years, god it felt like eternities. This apocalypse had only brought one good thing to your life (well, two if we consider the amount of free time you had gained), and that was Joel Miller.

Joel was like your unspoken best friend, you two met years ago and had just clicked instantly. Though, at the start, it was more of a 'i despise you with everything' type of clicking, but you two had a little enemies-to-friends dynamic in the long run. You were a couple years younger than Joel, so maybe he felt the need to keep you safe- you weren't really sure, you just knew he had an almost soft spot for you.

As your birthday gift this year, he had promised to sneak you out of the walls and you two would enjoy a couple days roaming the god-awful city of Boston (Joel's words, not yours). You were excited, more than excited, it had been months since the two of you were outside the walls together.

Joel went frequently with some girl named Tess, you had met her a handful of times but she wasn't really a big fan of you. Joel and her had ran some sort of underground black market for weapons, or so you've heard.

Anyway, the two of you (you and Joel) had snuck out late last night to avoid any alert guards. You had remembered the way to get out of the Boston QZ through the sewers, but Joel didn't think you were capable of it. He had lead the two of you out, with many roadblocks and detours which took hours to leave. The two of you were just leaving the tight corridors.

"Joel," You had began, moving through years of fermented water, "I will actually die from the smell if we don't get out soon. You will be liable for my de-" He had cut you off as he turned the corner, "Stop worryin', princess. We're almost out'ta' here." Princess, you hated to admit it, but you loved the nickname. You couldn't even remember when or why it started, but you definitely weren't complaining.

You could finally see the daylight, and with no time you were jumping down from the disgusting sewers, and onto a nice spot of concrete. "Oh- my god!" You breathed in the fresh (well, sort of) air, air you haven't smelled in months. "This is great! Best birthday gift ever." You spun around with your arms out, like you were in some sort of cliché coming-of-age movie.

While you were too caught up in the moment, and had a few too many spins, you found yourself growing dizzy and tripping over your own feet. Thankfully, Joel was there to catch you. As he caught you, you had locked eyes with him for a little too long. He set you back on your feet with his hand lingering for an extra moment as you thanked him. Maybe if you weren't too focused on this, you wouldn't have noticed it.

The two of you had been walking for a few hours now, the sun threatening to spill from the horizon. Joel had made it clear to you that he had scoped out the perfect spot, and made sure it was safe for the two of you, even though you had argued that thrill was brought when checking out new places, to Joel's dismay.

"Okay," Joel had said in a gruffy-life tone, his voice was hoarse from all the chatting, "Pancakes or waffles?" You had almost acted taken aback from his question. You found it almost ridiculous that Joel didn't know, "Are you kidding, cowboy? How long have ya' known me?" The two of you had a synced laugh, both faces being engulfed with a large smile, "Y'ur right, y'ur right." Joel had admitted defeat, "Pancakes, I know."

The two of you shared so many more laughs and questions within the next while, just before the two of you had arrived at Joel's perfect spot. He had walked into the building first, to make sure everything had remained how he left it - clickerless. It was, and he gave you the cue to enter inside with him. You had looked around, after all the hype, it was sort of- ugly.

"This is where you're taking me?" You had questioned the man in front of you with your right brow raised, and he could only chuckle in response. "'Course not, princess. Ya' know I wouldn't take the birthday girl to some sort'ta bar. I'm a classy gentleman." Joel had folded his arm, signalling you to hook yours onto his. You took this opportunity and brought your arm through his. You had held onto his bicep as he led you two up the stairs, letting go once you both reached the top.

He had opened the door for the two of you, and let you enter first. He had cleaned up some sort of rooftop terrace that overlooked downtown Boston, the QZ in the far distance. "Jesus Christ, cowboy. You really outdid yourself, huh?" You turned to eye the man beside you, an idea sparking in your head.

Right as Joel went to reply to you with some sort of snarky remark (you just knew he would), you jumped into his arms, and wrapped yours around his neck. You had muttered about a thousand 'thank you's into his ear, just loud enough for him to hear. Joel was the one you cared about in this world, the only one you've been caring about for as long as you can remember. And by the looks (and feels) of it, he cared about you too.

A little bit of time had gone by since the sweet interaction between you and Joel had happened, the both of you had decided it would be fun to explore the building a little more, more in depth rather than anything. It was a great way to scavenge for things to take back home with you, anything from a nice frame to overly expired medicines that could maybe help you in the slightest way.

You and Joel lived together, back in the QZ. When the two of you had arrived, the head of living regulations people had housed you guys together since that's how you guys arrived. There wasn't any complaining, though, from both sides. You two were living with each other outside the walls, so why have it any different inside the walls?

You were in a few rooms down from Joel, searching through a few cabinets. Your hands fell upon a little glass jar with a lid, before pulling it down and popping the lid off. The immediate scent of warm vanilla and sandalwood flooded through your nose, and filled the room. "Joel!" You had called out in a frantic tone, when in reality you were just so excited. Finally, you thought to yourself, it wouldn't smell like death in your apartment anymore.

Joel had came bursting in, "You okay? What happened?" He looked panicked, his revolver out of the holster and in his right hand. You could only have a puzzled look on your face, before you realized why he was acting a bit strange. "Sorry, everythin's fine. But- smell this!" You had shoved the glass jar in his face, confusing him even more.

Once Joel had finally processed what was going on with you, he took a whiff of the candle. "No." He flat out said, "I'ain smellin' that any longer than I got to." He holstered the revolver before stepping back, and out of the room. "Please!" You begged. A firm 'no' was heard from down the hallway by your favourite person, which had only resulted in a loud groan from you.

“Sit.” Joel had tossed his bag on the red and white checkered blanket, it was laying right beside the edge of the terrace.  Not the edge-edge, but right before where the building had started to dip off.  You and Joel had done some more exploring, and more playing around (a serious pillow fight, where Joel had somehow won against you), before the two of you grew tired and made your way back up top.  

Joel had set up a nice, lamp-lit, picnic area for the dinner he had claimed he prepared for tonight.  You knew he was not any five star chef by any means, the best thing he could make was reheating canned ravioli (that he nine out of the ten times burnt horribly), so you were interested to see how this was going to go.  

You had dropped your backpack on top of Joel’s and (carefully) collapsed onto the barely cushioned cloth.  “Feels nice to get off my feet after the ungodly amount of walking we did earlier.” You complained, like you weren’t jumping with joy earlier to be able to get out of the walls after this long, “What did we walk, a thousand miles?” Joel could only shake his head as he cautiously, and slowly, sat down. “Quit complainin’, ‘nd pass me the bag.” You complied and tossed it to him.

“What gourmet meal have you prepared tonight?  Let me guess-” You were cut off by Joel slapping your shoulder, basically telling you to shut the fuck up. He had unzipped his backpack and took out a plastic bag, filled with- “Sandwiches!  You’ve really outdone yourself, cowboy!”  He tried his best to hold back his laughs, but managed to let one or two slip through his stern look. “Peanut butter’n banana.” Joel had told you, reaching in the bag and handing the one without crust to you.

You didn’t realize that Joel paid attention to you when you talked about anything and everything that came to your mind.  One night, when Joel had came back from his painfully long duties of halling and burning bodies at the QZ, you couldn’t stop talking his ear off.  He was probably annoyed as fuck at you, and just wanted to sleep, but you told him about everything.  Two of the many things you had told Joel was that your favourite sandwich ever was peanut butter and banana, and that you would only eat sandwiches if they had zero crust on them.  And he remembered, after all this time.

“Joel, you big fuckin’ softie.” You took a bite into the uncrusted sandwich, savouring everything about it.  You could kiss him right now, you really could.  “I cannot believe you remembered!” You had said with a mouthful.  He had already bit into his portion of dinner, raising his brow. Joel had swallowed the piece of sandwich in his mouth, “What did I tell ya’ ‘bout talkin’ with y’ur mouth full, hm?” You had shot Joel a look, only causing a laugh to escape his lips.  

The two of you talked (yes, talking and eating at the same time) for the next while.  The hours had gone by so fast, the sun now threatened to fall back under the horizon.  Earlier you had been sitting across from Joel, now you were laying on his chest with his arm wrapped around your shoulder.  The two of you were laying in comfortable silence for the last little bit, bellies full.  You had shifted around a little bit, under Joel’s arm- this caused him to break the comfortable silence.  “You enjoy today?” You could only nod your head, “More than enjoying it.  It’s been the best day in god knows how long.”

Before he said anything else, Joel had gently placed you to the side as he sat up and reached to the side, for his bag.  You groaned, previously in a comfortable position.  “Joel- come on, man!  I was this close on fallin’ asleep.” Joel ignored you as he pulled out a little box from the main pocket in his bag. He tossed it over and in your lap.

You raised your brow as you read the label, ‘Happy Birthday Princess, From Joel’.  You couldn’t believe it, this was the nicest Joel had been to you, ever.  “A birthday present?” You questioned as you looked at him, waiting for a response.  “Open it.” Was all he said.  You tore your gaze off of the man beside you, and to the box in your lap.  You carefully ripped the brown paper (makeshift wrapping paper) off of the box, to reveal what was underneath.

“No fucking way, Joel!” Your face lit up, it was a polaroid camera. This was another one of your late night rants to him, how you loved to take pictures and wish you had something to capture moments.  This man was a godsend, you thought to yourself.  You had immediately opened the box, (carefully) ripping the camera out.  “C’mere.” 

Joel had started to move over, going to sit beside you.  Within a blink of an eye, the flash went off and a picture was taken.  A grin rose to your face as Joel was temporarily blinded, muttering a line of curse words under his breath.  “What a cutie!” You had shoved the picture in his face, too close for him to see.  “This is my new favourite thing ever, I swear!  Thank you.” Not bothering to curse you out for blinding him, Joel had smiled.  “Thought I was your favourite thing?” He questioned, his brow cocked back.  “Eh,” You said, “You’re a close second.”

You two stayed the night at the rooftop terrace, you were sleeping like a rock while Joel pretty much kept watch, a force of habit from when the two of you were out on your own before.  He was relieved when the day was over, at peace knowing you had a great time.  When morning were to come, you would shower Joel in your thanks once again, for helping you have the best birthday in these twenty years of the apocalypse.  Joel was your best friend, and that’s what best friends do for each other, even in the midst of an apocalypse.

—

best friend, laufey

[edenvinity]

ranking the f1 driver pairings as amazing race teams

me and my family have been watching amazing race for years so you KNOW i had to combine my interests !!!

amazing race is basically a show where teams of two race all around the world and preform a series of challenges rhat can range from physical to more mental, and the team that reaches the “pit stop” last is eliminated. plane flights + transportation around the country is also often up to the teams, having to buy their own plane tickets + hailing their own taxis + driving themselves around a country which works against one team dominance

KEY:

detour - teams can choose to complete one of two challenges

roadblock - one person in the team completes a challenge (one person cannot do every roadblock)

express pass - by doing an extra challenge, one team can get this pass that allows them to skip any one challenge

teams are ranked based on how far i think they would make it in a fictional all-f1 season of amazing race :)

10. pierre & esteban

sorry you KNOW they would be a dumpster fire. like the couples who go on and are like “i love my partner so much :))” and then immediately implode the second aomething goes wrong. would start off polite enough before the first detour where one of them is like mildly slow and the bickering starts. they would start rushing in an attempt to catch up and leave an important item behind (passports, clue, etc) and thats just the nail in the coffin for them

9. lance & fernando

tbh i could see them making it maybe 1 or 2 legs more depending on the challenge but. nothing against lance but hes a rich kid. the challenge would be like “find all the items on this shopping list at a wet market” and hes LOST. fernando gets 3/4 of the list AND has to find lance who is desperately looking for duck eggs (it was at the first stall) and then they get back and lance bought regular eggs anyways for a massively jacked up price. sorry but as entertaining as it would be they are doomed to flop

8. alex & logan

SORRY WILLIAMS BESTIES they would be such a silly team and fan favorites but respectfully i dont see them being very good 🥲 i think they would have a very good dynamic but other then that based on the pumpkin carving/drawing challenges,,,, they would not go far 😭 they would get a challenge to deliver something to several different locations (without map) and eventually get lost and be so far behind that when they get to the mat its like. nighttime. but they would be very cheesed and happy still !!

7. yuki & daniel

THE FUNNIEST PAIR EVER can you IMAGINE the dynamic when trying to navigate or drive a stick shift car. one of the friendlier pairs, willing to help point other teams in the right direction at challenges. also between the two of them they have a pretty decent skill set so i think theyd do pretty well at the challenges, plus be able to get around the city well enough. theyd eventually go out on a leg w more physical challenges just by virtue of the remaining teams being better but they have SO MUCH FUN and SO MUCH banter

6. kevin & nico

solid guys overall !! could see them maybe making it another leg further over the next team. definitely one of the most chill teams, sightseeing/enjoying the travels more (not to say that they arent competitive tho) and overall having a great time !! i think their experience with raising children would also factor in well (patience/calmness) and thus would keep them from making little mistakes and stay consistent. would eventually go out in a leg where they start from a lower spot and cant manage to find any earlier trains/flights and thus cant make up any ground and end up going out

5. lando & oscar

they are the most unstable team LMAO they (lando) always take big gambles with challenges to try and get ahead and as such always end up gaining/dropping tons of places in each leg. impeccable dynamic tho !! oscar is def the grounding force and keeps them on track, navigator to landos driver, while landos creative strategies often help them gain places where they might otherwise be stagnant. would eventually go out on a leg where lando insists on trying to catch an earlier train but ends up missing the connector to their destination (setting them back) and they cant catch up, eventually resulting in their elimination

4. valterri & zhou

i actually cant really explain this one guys its just a gut feeling. like i know that valterri is reasonably fit from biking a lot and zhou could help them get around more reliably in asian countries but other then that i dont have an explanation. theyre chill and like just kind of cruising/enjoying themselves. theres a roadblock where they have to name several different types of beer by taste and valterri crushes it. theres a challenge where its watching this person dancing and having to recreate the entire outfit that zhou kills. they go out right before the final because theyre beaten in a footrace to the mat

3. lewis & george

these guys are EFFICIENT. lewis somehow manages to get them on the earliest flights possible. george reads the map once and immediately find the fastest routes from place to place. they are reasonably good at most challenges. their downfall is challenges requiring them to work together closely, which happens in the final where they are required to learn a traditional wedding dance and preform it and they just cant sync up, costing them major time, and the entire experience just leaves them irritable which eventually leads to them claiming third

2. max & checo

similarly to lando & oscar, max is the competitive force with checo grounding their team. highly competitive (though not to say they dont enjoy themselves), always going for express passes and valuing efficiency. their strategy works for the most part, with them racking up the most leg wins. their downfall ultimately came during the final challenge, where they had to match moments from previous legs with their locations, and neither of them really remember LMAO. just barely misses out on first which goes to…

1. charles & carlos

impeccable dynamic. gets one express pass and uses it strategically. very supportive of each other during challenges. they are just a generally overall solid team but not outstanding, never really winning and just beats out valterri/zhou for the third spot in the final. but in the final leg they are just incredibly in sync which allows them to complete the challenges efficiently, and at the end challenge they have memories tied to each place and are able to figure it out faster then max/checo and beat them to the mat to take the win !!!

okay thanks for listening to my rambles ☺️ maybe a part two of this later ranking old driver pairs OR an f1/survivor ranking

[maxbegone]

a late-to-the-game wip wednesday! still trudging away here. this thing is gonna be...woof. long, to say the least. hopefully it's enjoyable, though ♥️

Everyone had their experiences when the end came — for Alex, it was a lot of survival mode and getting to where they needed to go before it was too late. June doesn’t love talking about it; she spent most of her nights in the beginning wide awake and stressed to the point that Alex swore she was going to make herself seriously sick. Nora was similar, but not as extreme.

No one rested, no one functioned properly. It was terrifying.

“It’s a miracle we even made it here in the first place,” Alex starts. “It’s not like we had go-bags or a plan or anything, but what started as a whisper at the top of the food chain soon became an avalanche, and my mom was calling my dad and telling him to get us and get the fuck out of New York.”

“Your parents seem civil,” Henry says pointedly, and Alex could laugh.

“They haven’t always been. Believe me, when you live with two politicians growing up, it’s like real life Face The Nation.”

“I don’t know what that is.”

“A political talkshow, don’t worry about it.” Alex focuses on the gentleness of Henry’s fingers and continues. “He called me and June up, told us to pack as much as we could and that he would be by us within the hour. We shoved the important things in suitcases, sentimental shit, whatever felt right. And Nora had actually just moved into a new place so she was pretty much ready to go from the jump. My dad grabbed us, and all he had was what he packed for his trip.

“My mom spent so much time in DC throughout the year, that she and Leo actually got a place there, so they were able to get what they needed. Then we got a hold of Raf and told him to meet us in Hudson Valley because this was Leo’s family’s place. Same thing with Zahra and Shaan, but they took a while to get here.”

“All of them?”

“Zee and Shaan were in DC, too, because she was my mom’s right hand, but they got caught in a major detour that took them into a weird part of Pennsylvania until they were able to turn around. And Raf was in a safe haven.”

At this point, Henry’s hand has gone still on Alex’s chest, his palm flat against his sternum. Alex offers him a smile. “It took the four of us three days to get here with all of the roadblocks, Mom and Leo arrived two days after. And then we figured things out as they came; the towns nearby evacuated, people went north or to the midwest, tried to get as far away from the congested areas as they could.”

“Why not just stay here?” Henry asks him. “It’s rural enough, no?”

“Couldn’t tell you,” Alex replies. “Maybe people just wanted to get to their families, if they could.”

“How did you handle all of it? Genuinely?”

“About as well as you could expect,” he admits. “No one knew what was going on.”

“No, I know that, but—you.”

Alex takes a deep breath. Okay. They’re going there. Something he hasn’t really done since he sat with June out in a pasture and watched the sunrise. “I really didn’t think we were going to make it past the year,” he admits aloud for the first time ever. He notably doesn’t look at Henry. “I thought it would all happen again and we’d be taken out.”

Henry sits up. “Alex…”

“It’s okay,” he tells him, smile falling tight. “I’m okay.”

“You’re okay,” Henry repeats.

[shooter-nobunagun]

Soundless Bell of Death

//Ah yes, I get stuck on a single scene for months and then as soon as the roadblock clears I write the rest of the chapter (read: the remaining 75%) in like a few days

Only flashes of silver and the ring of clashing steel were noticeable as the fight churned before her eyes. Sio desperately tried to follow along, looking for an opening to help Adam, but it was near futile; even with her sharp vision she could barely keep the two men within her sight. Adam moved with a speed she'd never seen before as the assassin melted and re-appeared from the shadows with each blink of her eyes.

"Adam...! Damn it!" Growling, Sio transformed Rakuyo and prepared to rush in, consequences be damned—but that was before another shadow of the assassin materialized right in front of her. "What th—"

"Stay back, Ogura!" The doppelgänger disappeared with a puff of smoke as Tell's arrows landed a barrage of hits. "That bell he rang...I'm sure he's also using it to continue summoning those mimics of his!"

Sio swore under her breath, but Tell was right; even now she could see in the corners of her eyes, more shadowy figures appearing out of thin air—Hunter was now engaged with one on the far left, while Tell rushed to back him up. Before the huntress could run over as well, a familiar bloodied spike shot past her cheek. In one step she pivoted on her back foot and turned, bringing Rakuyo up just in time to block another blow from the Bloodletter. As in the previous fight, it didn't say a word, even as she brought the dagger half of Rakuyo across its throat and a spray of crimson drenched her face. As soon as one eerie grin disappeared, another took its place; forcing her further and further from the real Mirza.

He was doing this on purpose, keeping all of them separately at bay while Adam went toe-to-toe with the real one. No matter how fast she fought, it was never enough. Panting, Sio had no choice but to slow down, otherwise he'd wear her down—and then she'd be in real trouble.

'Adam...please don't die!' --------- In the domed cavern right ahead of the foggy exit, the silver-haired hunter was parrying each of the morning star's blow with a well-timed swing of his Stakedriver. Though he knew Mirza had been holding back his skills as part of his guise, even Adam had to admit they'd probably underestimated him back when Mahesh first showed his true hand. Back then...why hadn't he ignored Sio's pleas and just ended it right there? Now instead of ending the night, they were stuck on an unnecessary detour that was even more dangerous than the usual hunts.

Because how could you say no to her, even then? His consciousness sneered, and Adam narrowly avoided a full-on swing to the face as he forced the distraction from his mind. No; in truth, Adam had a feeling that his actions wouldn't have mattered, either then or now. For a while now, he'd gotten a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that someone, or some thing, was pulling them along this invisible path.

The hunts. These beasts. His 'chance' encounter with the young huntress, and everything that led from that point on...

Was it related to those Amygdalas, and the eldritch kin that Vidocq always rambled on about? About how there were beings above their plane of existence, that looked down upon them the way humans towered over insects in their world. And always, that strange, uneasy feeling about the Hunter's Dream; how everything seemed to be just out of focus if he thought about it for too long, or the inexplicable way the lamps and headstones transported them—because if you really thought about it, how was it all supposed to work?

"Oh, White Knight, you really think you stand a chance, do you?" The sneering laugh rang right next to his ear, and in one painful strike Adam found himself nearly impaled on a stalagmite, nevermind the holes already formed by the Bloodletter. Grunting, he coughed up a mouthful of blood before fumbling with a blood vial, injecting it just in time as another blow knocked into his flank—but at least it was partially blocked by his own weapon.

Adam ignored the assassin's continued jabs and remarks. His main focus was to take him out, permanently. Elsewhere he could hear the dim echoes of the doppelgängers keeping his companions at bay, but for the moment they seemed to be holding their own. Despite the fact that Mirza was able to go toe-to-toe with him, deep down the hunter was glad the huntress was not involved in this particular fight. Even if it would probably be easier with backup, there was no way he'd risk Sio's life. Another clash of his Stakedriver against the Bloodletter shook his bones and the gnashing of steel-on-steel screeched in his ears, but Adam didn't let it shake him. Mirza didn't outwardly show any other weakness, but Adam knew from the way the assassin's swing was slowing, and slight mistakes in footing, he must be doing something. Still it was unnerving how he never seemed to be fazed, and continued to fight with complete disregard for his own life. Perhaps all Church Assassins were like that, or maybe just Mirza. Adam had a feeling Mahesh had long ago discarded the original tenants of the Church, and now only lived for the thrill of hunt—the more twisted, the better.

Another narrow miss as the Stakedriver countered the Bloodletter, Mirza stumbling ever so slightly at the force of Adam's parry. Before the assassin could move back Adam was already closing the distance, his charged stake firing a clean shot through the other's left shoulder. Suddenly Mirza's mask dropped and his face twisted into an ugly scowl, eyes full of hatred and rage.

"You! How dare you, to think you can best me?! Do not presume that just because you are still sane, that you are above all those others who are drunk on blood!" He shrieked, as a swing of the morning star came Adam's way. "The only reason you've even made it this far, come so close to the secret, is because I let you!"

"Shut. Up!" Adam ignored his ranting and raving and got a solid hit in, using his raw strength to break the Bloodletter's guard. The assassin screamed again as blood poured from the wounds and splashed all over the hunter's own garb. Mirza was definitely weakening, but now he was at his most dangerous. Ironic that all this time the assassin gloated about hunting someone like Sio, who was on the verge of turning, yet it was he who was now more feral and beastly than any of them. The bloody hide he wore like a cape over his shoulders seemed to become his own furred hide, and instead of standing upright, he was hunched over as if he were going down on all fours. "Who's really the beast here, eh?" he asked sarcastically, as Mirza swiped at him with his own two hands. "You might as well be howling at the moon, next..."

"No!!" The scream from the assassin's lips sounded more like a roar, but that didn't change Adam's resolve. The tip of a claw grazed his cheek and left a red line just as the Stakedriver slammed into Mirza's head. The beast howled and clutched the bleeding wound, as Adam backed away slightly. Funny how the Bloodletter was nowhere to be seen now, as the assassin continued to moan and grunt. No hunter ever escaped their fate; of becoming the very monster they swore to hunt. And as with all beasts, Adam knew they were at their most dangerous in this state: wounded and cornered, with nothing left to lose. He held the Stakedriver in front in a guarding stance, as Mirza seemed to slowly recover his footing.

"No, no...! How dare you...I won't let you!" The assassin's hands—no, they were claws now—pointed a gnarled, curved talon at him. "You did this to me! If it wasn't for that wench, I wouldn't be in such a state...!"

Adam snorted. "Me? No Mirza, you're the one who chose this path—and this is the inevitable outcome." He fended off a wild swing with the backend of the his weapon. "I have to say, I'm enjoying the irony..."

There was only a feral cry, of either rage or despair before the man-beast charged at him, nearly running on all fours now. Adam didn't know what was going on at this point—perhaps Mirza was blaming anything but himself for his misfortune, or determined to prove him wrong. There might even be nothing left of his human mind, and only that of a wild beast remained, driven by instinct. Adam grit his teeth against the pain as the claws lacerated a new hole in his left side, but it also gave him an opening to stab Mirza right in the gut. The assassin seemed to be in shock, his eyes wide open with black pupils as large as the rest of the socket. Bloody foam bubbled up through his lips as his head turned to lock eyes directly with Adam, a crimson grin stretched far beyond that of a normal human's.

"Ah...nothing ever changes, does it? Such...is the nature of man..." His breath came in wheezing cackles, as Mirza laughed until the very end. The rest of his body slackened and Adam let him slide to the ground, the assassin's wounds drawing a crimson trail across his coat on his way down.

"Just remember...unending death awaits those who pry into the unknown..." One final, drawn-out chuckle, until Adam cut off his head with a single stroke. The bloody sphere rolled and splattered until it hit a rock, where it finally fell silent.

"I said I'd take your head, you bloody bastard...and I always make good on my promises."

Adam didn't even realize the extent of his own wounds until felt a warm trickle run down his thigh; gingerly he traced the liquid to several holes near his ribcage, courtesy of both the beast claws and the morning star. As he felt through the extent of the damage, his limbs grew heavy and spots began appearing across his vision. Well, that's not good... Numbly he thought it was probably exhaustion, combined with blood loss, but his brain weren't working very well; he stared at the blood vial that he didn't remember taking out, fingers struggling to use it. The more he tried to concentrate the harder it seemed, and without warning everything hit at once: the pain, physical exhaustion, and the mental drain from such a fight. His wounds throbbed in time with his pounding heart, each beat spilling blood he could no longer spare. "Fuck..." It was getting hard to see anything now; even as Adam blinked rapidly, the black spots did not go away, and everything looked much dimmer than it was just a few minutes ago. Where was it...he had to rely on his sense of touch to feel for the vial now, as his eyes were fast growing useless.

Was this a dream? It felt like a dream, and maybe it would become a dream if he could just lie on his side and close his eyes...

"Adam!" Someone caught him just before he fell into the water; his eyes weren't working anymore but there the faint scent of flowers mixed with gunpowder, and the warm touch of delicate hands against his face. Adam tried to open his eyes but he could no longer discern if his eyelids were closed or if his vision simply turned to black.

"Can't...see..." He could feel the vibrations of his voice but not hear; the only thing he could try and do was to breathe, to let his body do what it was supposed to do—or at least he hoped, because it was this moment where his brain chose to shut everything off. ------- "Oh god, Adam! Adam, hang in there!" Sio struggled to hold Adam upright, but the man's full weight nearly caused her to fall over herself. Luckily the weight lessened just before she slipped, as Hunter and Tell lifted the unconscious hunter off her.

"Hunter! Tell!"

"Aye, let's calm down now, ye?" Tell helped Sio lay Adam in a semi-setting position, his silvery hair splayed against her chest while she held him. "Blimey...he's hurt bad..." The surgeon shook his head as he swiftly cut away the torn coat and shirt. "Tell, get the blood vials and fresh bandages out of my bag. Sio, ye hold 'im steady, a'ight? He may be out like a light, but just in case..."

The girl bobbed her head, even as her arms trembled. Adam was unconscious, his breath rattling in a strange pattern as sweat dotted his forehead. Even with Hunter's swift actions, she couldn't help the spikes of fear each time she saw her clothes getting stained with a little more blood. There was a gaping hole in his left side, as if Mirza had simply taken a bite out of him. Hunter muttered something about sheer, dumb luck that Adam's organs weren't spilling out all over the place, and Sio felt her stomach churn.

"A'ight, I'm gonna need to push his ribs back in place, else they'll heal crooked and th' last thing we need is a punctured lung. Tell, Sio, you two hold him tight; not gonna lie, he willnae like this..." Hunter instructed the other two. Sio gulped and nodded, her arms closing around Adam's broad shoulders while Tell held him around the waist.

Even the surgeon hesitated a bit, before muttering "ah fuck it" and snapped the bones back in one, swift movement. The reaction was immediate—Adam's eyes flew open and his whole body convulsed, though thankfully still held in place by Sio and Tell.

"Fuck—!"

"Ah, welcome back t' th' land 'o th' livin,' ey?" Hunter ignored the string of curses rattled off by the other man as he continued to suture the wounds shut. "I'd hold still if I were ye, unless ye wanna go through that again..."

"Nng—!" Although Adam was very much relieved that he was quite alive, at this specific moment he would have welcomed a bludgeon to the head from one of Hunter's blades. At least when he was out there was no pain, and now he was very aware of each and every broken and battered part that was waiting to be fixed or sewn up. Hunter's sharp needle pierced his bruised skin with each stitch, and the agony of his broken ribcage made it impossible to take a deep breath—until he could no longer hold it back and his body forced him to heave, which set the pain off all over again. "Agh—shit, what th' fuck..." The best he could do was pant in shallow breaths, even as his body screamed for more oxygen.

"Oy oy, watch it Adam," cautioned Hunter, as he and Sio tried to get him to relax. "I ken it hurts like hell, but yur ribs are still broken—dinnae be so hasty in movin' 'round like that."

"E-Easy for you to say—" Adam grimaced as the hurt shot up his spine, until his whole left side burned with a searing streak. "It feels like my insides are on fire...!"

Hunter clucked his tongue and gave him a pitying look, before opening his bag at last and withdrawing a familiar little vial of bright blue. "...Fine, here's sumthin' that'll help wit' that...but just a touch. Cannae give ye too much in this state, else yeh might stop breathin' all together..." Once more the blue elixir disappeared through the needle and into his veins, and almost immediately Adam felt his awareness grow hazy and his eyelids heavy.

His head lolled backwards and the familiar scent of flowers and sharp gunpowder swirled around his head. The amount of elixir Hunter gave him wasn't quite enough to knock him out, but it did help to slow his breathing down. Even so, it took a while before he felt her smaller hand close around his fingers, gently stroking his hand. "...Sio...?"

"Shh, it's okay Adam...I'm right here." The huntress gently brushed his damp bangs away, her hands temporarily soothing his suffering. "Just rest; it'll be alright, you know we won't let anything happen to you." Her presence was hypnotic, almost; gradually his pulse slowed and his breathing eased up, the pain numbed to merely a dull ache. "That's right Adam, just relax...there's nothing to worry about right now."

The surgeon worked as quickly as he could, while Sio did her best to keep Adam in this tranquil state. The damp cloth she was using to wipe away his sweat and cool his forehead was getting pink from the remaining cuts and scratches that hadn't quite closed up yet. Even with Hunter's skill and the medicine dampening his nerves, still his brows furrowed with pain and his body twitched whenever Hunter touched a particularly sensitive part. As Hunter pulled the sutures shut on one side Adam couldn't help but spasm, a moan escaping his mouth despite Sio's best efforts.

"There there Adam...we're almost done...aren't we?" She cast a desperate glance at the surgeon, who could only grimace in return. There was just one more laceration to close up now, but it was the largest and given its proximity to his lungs, the trickiest. Sweat beaded Hunter's forehead as he squinted in concentration. They'd given him a fair number of blood vials already, but unless the wound was properly tended to, a full recovery was impossible. As the needle slowly worked its way through the ragged flesh, Adam jerked and trembled with each stitch.

"Hnng! N-No, it hurts..." Adam unconsciously tried to pull away, with Tell and Sio doing their best to gently but firmly hold him in place. "Please, stop...I need a break..."

"I ken mate, believe me I'm workin' as fast as I dare, but this is one serious hole." Hunter said, his voice filled with remorse. "Jus' hang on fer a bit more, ye? I promise it willnae take much longer, but ye've got ta keep as still as ye can."

Sio tried to maintain her composure as she did her best to ease Adam's suffering. If she broke down now, who knew how that would affect Adam, with him already in such a state. Thankfully Tell returned with a freshly wet cloth, which she swapped for the sweat-and-blood soaked one on his forehead. She had to take a deep breath to stop her own hands from shaking. 'Just stay calm Sio, he'll be fine.' Hunter's skills were next to none, and it was he who'd gotten her through the entire blood transfusion as well. If Adam could have pulled himself together to save her life, then she could be strong for him. Once more she let him grip her hand, Adam's fingers digging into her palm in an attempt to distract himself from the pain and she let him; the girl stayed silent even as it felt like her fingers were being crushed. With her other hand she continued to wipe his face, hoping the cool cloth provided at least some small comfort in his feverish state. Still, seeing Adam in such distress was a kind of torture she never knew was possible; her own heart was so heavy it felt like a stone that could sink straight to the ground. As Adam let out another cry she squeezed her eyes shut, and for a second Sio wished she didn't have to keep witnessing his suffering.

"Hunter...! Please, isn't there anything else you can do?" She gave him a desperate glance. "Can't you give him just a little bit more elixir?"

Hunter's expression looked just as tortured as she felt. "Ach, Sio lass...believe me, I dinnae like this any more than you. But I've already given him as much as I dare—hell, anymore and the drug's tranquilizing effects may well cause him to stop breathin' entirely. It has a depressing effect on one's nervous system; too much, and it'll cause yer respiratory system to slow down beyond what's necessary." Even as he said all this, the surgeon's hands never once stopped. "I'm already more than halfway through; the hardest part's already past, I just need you two to stick it out 'til I make the final closures; can ye do that?"

Sio bit her lips, and forced herself to accept. "...Alright. I...sorry, you're right Hunter..." Gingerly, she rubbed small circles against the palm of Adam's hand, hoping it helped distract from the pain, even if only a little.

"Don't...worry 'bout me, squirt," a faint wheeze came from the silver-hair hunter whose head she was currently cradling, "I ain't that fragile." Despite everything he gave her just the slightest of smirks. Sio tried to return it, but her lips trembled and before she knew it, tears flowed unchecked.

"O-Oh...oh Adam..." Stifling her sobs, she could only continue to hold him, stroking his silvery locks as tears fell silently across his face. Meanwhile Hunter moved like a man possessed, the needle flashing as he pulled the remaining sutures in place. At last there was final snip of the scissors, before the surgeon fell backwards in relief.

"In the name of all that is good an' holy...shite, I didnae think there was anythin' harder than that blood transfusion...but I gotta say this came pretty close. So uh, maybe ye wanna stop it wit' all this mano a mano shite from now on? Would save us all a load of grief..."

Adam let out a small chuckle, before the stitches reigned in his breath. "Heh—yeh, I'll try an' keep that in mind...but still, thank you, Hunter. I knew it was the right choice, to stop by the clinic that day..."

The surgeon thumbed his nose, his cheeks turning a rare shade of magenta for once. "Och, Muirhead...w-well, I'd nae have stuck 'round all this time if I didnae mean it..."

As Adam fell back into a half-sleep, Sio continued to sit and let him rest his head in her lap. The reversal of their positions was not lost on her; back then, when she'd been ill and at the mercy of Mirza's twisted little game, it was he who'd comforted and protected her. Now, with the end of this Nightmare so close, she was glad she could finally begin to return the countless favors. The blood vials would help speed up recovery, but this time Hunter was firm: Adam needed to rest for a while, and any further battles were out of the question. If only they could go back to the Hunter's Dream, Sio had no doubt it would make things easier, but the last lamp they'd discovered was quite a ways back, at the village's entrance. Adam was in no condition to travel, and even the three of them would be hard pressed to transport him back without injuring him any further. And that was assuming they didn't encounter any other threats along the way.

If only there was a closer lamp... A glimmer of silver caught her vision and she turned towards the faint glow. Just beyond the assassin's headless corpse, the shimmering fog beckoned. Sio sensed that was their way out, and also where the dreamer of this nightmare was waiting. She knew they had to give Adam time to recover, and certainly the huntress never wanted him to push himself so far again; but the gnawing feeling of having to just sit and wait, when she knew the lamp was just beyond that veil, made her restless.

"I can tell...somethin's on yer mind, squirt." Adam stirred in her arms. "Might as well let it out..."

"Ah, Adam...I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you..."

The man grunted as Sio helped him into a slightly more upright position, his head now resting against her chest. "Nah, yer good...'sides, I know you well enough at this point to know when there's somethin' botherin' ya...so spill."

"I...it's just..." Sio bit her lips in indecision. She didn't want to lie to him—not that it would work—but she also knew Adam would feel immensely guilty for not being able to support her in the inevitable, upcoming battle.

"Let me take a wild guess: it's beyond that fog, isn't it?" Once again, Adam proved to her that he knew her better than she'd ever imagine anyone else would. Asao-san was probably the only other person who could even come close; even then, despite them being childhood friends, Sio couldn't think of a time when Asao so boldly challenged her friend's stubbornness. Her continued silence only prompted another weak chuckle, which was quickly interrupted by a pained grunt. "An' knowing what we do about this place...it's bound to be one hell of a fight."

"...Yeah. Whatever's dreaming this nightmare, and our way back to the Hunter's Dream...we've got to get through that, first." The huntress recalled Mirza's threats and taunts, about the monstrous nightmare she had to slay. 'And in my dream...the orphan on the shore, abandoned by Kos...' A sudden chill ran down her spine. 'It can't be...'

She felt Adam's labored breathing against her arms as she took a moment to change a fresh towel across his forehead. "...We both know you're right, and the only way out is through there. But given the condition you're in—!" Sio couldn't finish the sentence; instead she shook her head silently as tears threatened to fall once more. "I-I can't let you put yourself in danger for my sake again...!"

Weak arms reached up, trembling but still Adam managed to wipe a few tears. "Hey now, I'm tougher'n that. An' just so you know, I'd do it all over again, if it meant you were safe," he said, Sio's only response being a steady stream of droplets.

"A, Adam...! I'm sorry...I'm sorry!" There were so many things that shouldn't have happened, mistakes she made out of fear and stupidity—yet he was still here, vow unwavering, despite everything. How could she ever compare, or make it up to him... All those fears about a surrogate pregnancy seemed so trivial by comparison, now; Sio was ashamed at herself for being driven by her anxieties.

"I'm not gonna lie, though; that fight took a lot out of me." Adam paused to catch his breath, his chest laboring with each inhale. "More than I was expectin', let's be honest..." For the first time in a long time, Adam had to concede he was basically at his limit; exhaustion washed over him in waves, and his strength simply wasn't there. Right now, just sitting upright and remaining conscious took everything he had. "Mahesh Mirza...I'll admit, I underestimated him; not just during that battle, but this whole time. I shouldn't have let him come with us; shouldn't have gotten complacent, and tried to convince myself that he wasn't really all that bad..." Adam snorted at his own response. "So much for bein' a veteran hunter."

"Adam...listen, I...I'm sorry, too. Not only for letting Mirza live for so long...but, for always putting you in these...situations," her chest twisted, as Sio burned with shame while recalling her more wanton moments. "A-And this probably isn't the best time to be having this conversation, but I...I want you to know, that night in the research hall...I don't regret it one bit. In fact, it's probably one of my most precious memories..."

That confession probably did more to ease his suffering than all of Hunter's drugs combined. Adam swore his wounds stopped throbbing so much, and the small tremors ceased. "...You're right in that this isn't the time nor place to have this conversation. But," and he made an effort to look straight at her, "know that I feel the same way. No matter what you may think...my feelings for you haven't changed since that night."

She couldn't help it; the tears flowed down her cheek once more, but at last the guilt that had been gnawing away since they set foot in this village was starting to fade. "A-Adam...I..." Her heart was pounding so hard she could barely hear her own voice. The only thing she could do was nod furiously and wipe her tears once more.

"Listen Sio, I trust you. An' I believe in your strength; you can more than hold your own now. If you really feel so strongly...then go for it. Don't let me hold you back." Adam took a deep breath, then slowly pushed himself off the girl—but not before she helped steady his footing.

"Adam, I swear I'll get us out of here. I promise, your efforts in helping me obtain Rakuyo—and everything since we first met—won't be in vain."

"And you won't be alone, either." Both hunters turned around as Tell came back from standing watch, with Hunter in tow. "I give my solemn vow, as one of Ludwig's original Church Hunters, to see to it that no permanent harm befalls Miss Ogura. She will return to you yet, Adam Muirhead."

Adam blushed slightly at Tell's rather formal yet sincere speech. "I'll hold you to that, Tell. And, thank you; this whole time, there hasn't been a real reason for you to keep stickin' around...but you're still here."

"We all have our reasons, Muirhead. But rest assured, my actions are true, regardless of my goals," said Tell, "for I believe at the end, they are one and the same."

"An' I, am going to damn well make sure this stubborn-ass bastart's stayin' right here, an' not runnin' off like a bampot wit' a death wish." The surgeon reappeared at this moment, with a glare so fierce nobody wanted to contradict him. "Dinnae ye be thinkin' o' sneakin' off an' joinin' in; ye'll just be puttin' yurself an' everyone else in danger..."

Sio couldn't help laughing just a bit at Hunter's stalwart declaration. "Thanks, Hunter; you've always got our back, and I can only hope I'll be able to repay your kindness eventually." Turning back towards Adam, she gently took his hands into her own. "Don't worry about me, Adam. I promise, we'll make it back."

He didn't say much, only gave her a fingers a light squeeze, before giving his nod of approval. "I know. I know you will, Sio...and I'll be waiting for you." Despite the presence of the other two men, Adam pulled her into the slightest of hugs. "Now go and kick its ass, so we can get the hell out of here." Despite his worries, he knew she had to do this—and he had to let her.

The archer didn't say much, but merely tipped his hat towards the two staying behind and pulled his balaclava up as he followed the huntress towards the fog. Adam and Hunter watched until the two figures were swallowed up by the mist, before Adam collapsed heavily against the surgeon.

"Oy oy, take it easy, mate...should've ken ye were makin' an effort fur th' lass," the surgeon muttered.

"Sio...please, come back to me..."

"Aye, ye ken th' lass is more than capable at this point. An' we both ken there's more t' Tell than meets th' eye—but he's proven himself trustworthy, I'd think." Hunter did his best to reassure Adam. "Now let's get ye settled down; take a kip, ye need it. I'll keep an eye out."

A woolen cloak was tucked around his body, and Adam felt his body grow heavy with fatigue. Hunter was right; after all, Sio had trusted him and Tell to handle the fight at the Orphanage, while he insisted she remain behind. How their roles were constantly reversing, one way and then the other...even without trying, it seemed they were destined to be bound together.

Adam fingered the small rabbit charm Sio had given to him for safekeeping, just before she headed off. They would find a way out of all this at the end, together.

[claraclette]

𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗮𝘄𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘂𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘀 | Simon Riley x Reader

𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝟳 | 𝖳𝗂𝗆𝖾 𝖿𝗅𝗂𝖾𝗌

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆 ↬ 𝖥𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝖺 𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗋𝗈𝗋𝗂𝗌𝗍 𝖺𝗍𝗍𝖺𝖼𝗄 𝗂𝗇 𝖫𝗈𝗇𝖽𝗈𝗇 𝗍𝗈 𝗌𝗎𝗋𝗏𝗂𝗏𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗂𝗇 𝖺 𝖼𝗂𝗍𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝗐𝖺𝗇𝗍𝗌 𝗁𝖾𝗋 𝖽𝖾𝖺𝖽 𝗂𝗇 𝖴𝗋𝗓𝗂𝗄𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗇, 𝗈𝗋 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝖺 𝗁𝗈𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗀𝖾 𝗌𝗂𝗍𝗎𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗂𝗇 𝖺 𝗐𝖺𝗋 𝗓𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝖾𝗌𝖼𝖺𝗉𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝖿𝗋𝗈𝗆 𝖺𝗇 𝖾𝗅𝗂𝗍𝖾 𝗌𝖾𝖼𝗋𝖾𝗍 𝗆𝗂𝗅𝗂𝗍𝖺𝗋𝗒 𝗎𝗇𝗂𝗍 𝖺𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗍 𝗈𝖿 𝖺 𝗐𝖺𝗋 𝖼𝗋���𝗆𝖾 𝗂𝗇 𝖬𝖾𝗑𝗂𝖼𝗈, (𝗒/𝗇) (𝗒/𝗅/𝗇)'𝗌 𝗅𝗂𝖿𝖾 𝖼𝖺𝗇 𝖻𝖾 𝗌𝗎𝗆𝗆𝖾𝖽 𝗎𝗉 𝗂𝗇 𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝗉𝗁𝗋𝖺𝗌𝖾: 𝖨𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗐𝗋𝗈𝗇𝗀 𝗉𝗅𝖺𝖼𝖾 𝖺𝗍 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗐𝗋𝗈𝗇𝗀 𝗍𝗂𝗆𝖾. 𝖳𝗁𝖾 𝗈𝗇𝗅𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗂𝗇 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗆𝗈𝗇 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗌𝖾 𝗎𝗇𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗍𝗎𝗇𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝗌𝗂𝗍𝗎𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌? 𝖲𝗂𝗆𝗈𝗇 "𝖦𝗁𝗈𝗌𝗍" 𝖱𝗂𝗅𝖾𝗒.

𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 ↬ 𝖠𝗍𝗍𝖾𝗆𝗉𝗍 𝖺𝗍 𝖧𝗎𝗆𝗈𝗋 | | 𝖦𝗋𝖺𝗉𝗁𝗂𝖼 𝖣𝖾𝗌𝖼𝗋𝗂𝗉𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 | 𝖯𝖳𝖲𝖣 | 𝖢𝗁𝗂𝗅𝖽𝗁𝗈𝗈𝖽 𝖳𝗋𝖺𝗎𝗆𝖺 | 𝖥𝗅𝗎𝖿𝖿 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖠𝗇𝗀𝗌𝗍 | 𝖠𝖼𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝖠𝖽𝗏𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗎𝗋𝖾 | 𝖤𝗏𝖾𝗇𝗍𝗎𝖺𝗅 𝖲𝗆𝗎𝗍 | 𝖲𝗅𝗈𝗐 𝖡𝗎𝗋𝗇 | 𝖥𝗋𝗂𝖾𝗇𝖽𝗌 𝗍𝗈 𝖫𝗈𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗌 |

𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀 ↬ 𝖨'𝗆 𝗌𝗈𝗋𝗋𝗒 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝖽𝖾𝗅𝖺𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝗍𝗈𝗈𝗄. 𝖳𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋, 𝗅𝗂𝗄𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝗋𝖾𝗏𝗂𝗈𝗎𝗌 𝗈𝗇𝖾𝗌, 𝖼𝗈𝗇𝗍𝖺𝗂𝗇𝗌 𝗏𝗂𝗈𝗅𝖾𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗌𝗐𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗂𝗇𝗀. 𝖨'𝗆 𝖺𝗅𝗌𝗈 𝗌𝗈𝗋𝗋𝗒 𝗂𝗇 𝖺𝖽𝗏𝖺𝗇𝖼𝖾 𝖿𝗈𝗋 𝗌𝗉𝖾𝗅𝗅𝗂𝗇𝗀 𝗆𝗂𝗌𝗍𝖺𝗄𝖾𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗌𝗍𝗋𝖺𝗇𝗀𝖾 𝗍𝗎𝗋𝗇𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝗉𝗁𝗋𝖺𝗌𝖾. 𝖨 𝖽𝖾𝖼𝗂𝖽𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗈 𝗉𝗎𝗍 𝖺𝗅𝗅 𝗆𝗒 𝗁𝗂𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗋𝗒 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗉𝖺𝗌𝗍 𝗍𝖾𝗇𝗌𝖾, 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝖨 𝗌𝗍𝗂𝗅𝗅 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝗍𝗋𝗈𝗎𝖻𝗅𝖾 𝗐𝗂𝗍𝗁 it, 𝗌𝗈 𝗉𝗅𝖾𝖺𝗌𝖾 𝖽𝗈 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗁𝖾𝗌𝗂𝗍𝖺𝗍𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝖼𝗈𝗋𝗋𝖾𝖼𝗍 𝗆𝖾!

𝗢𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝘀 ↬ 𝖠𝖮𝟥 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 | 𝖶𝖺𝗍𝗍𝗉𝖺𝖽 𝗏𝖾𝗋𝗌𝗂𝗈𝗇 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 | 𝖯𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗅𝖾𝗌 𝗅𝖾𝖼𝗍𝖾𝗎𝗋𝗌 𝖿𝗋𝖺𝗇𝖼̧𝖺𝗂𝗌, 𝗏𝗈𝗎𝗌 𝗉𝗈𝗎𝗏𝖾𝗓 𝗋𝖾𝗍𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗏𝖾𝗋 𝗅'𝗁��𝗌𝗍𝗈𝗂𝗋𝖾 𝖾𝗇 𝖿𝗋𝖺𝗇𝖼̧𝖺𝗂𝗌 𝗌𝗎𝗋 𝖠𝖮𝟥 𝗈𝗎 𝖶𝖺𝗍𝗍𝗉𝖺𝖽

𝖬𝖺𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗋𝗅𝗂𝗌𝗍 | 𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝟣 | 𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝟤 | 𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝟥 | 𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗂𝗍𝗋𝖾 𝟦 | 𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝟧 | 𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝟨 | 𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝟩 | ... |  

───────────────────────────────────

An hour? Maybe two? Time flew in a ruined city where we groped our way through its almost deserted streets. Luckily, we had come across an abandoned shop in a ruined covered market. There wasn't much left, but enough so that Ghost and I could blend in with the population.. We had exchanged our uniforms and gowns for more casual civilian clothes. Ghost kept the bare essentials of his equipment, like his pistol, his knives and finally his bulletproof vest, all carefully camouflaged by a drab shirt and a coat. He gave up his mask in favour of a bistre turban, revealing only his eyes. I did the same, hiding my identity with a dark tan niqab and avoiding attracting attention by putting on a large frock of the same colour. To my surprise, he had entrusted me with his first aid kit and a torch he found on the fly. But although we were now attracting far less attention, we remained unfailingly vigilant.

I followed Ghost, wordlessly, as we stared at every corner, every rooftop, window and balcony, terrified of being targeted yet again in this hostile city where we inevitably stood out. A foreign humanitarian and a British soldier were not the most common things in Urzikstan despite our new accoutrements, and that's why Ghost focused on carefully avoiding the main avenues and populated streets. We stole enough confused and vindictive looks from the few inhabitants we met. The only problem was that this action plan slowed us down considerably. Most of the alleys were regularly blocked by building debris, abandoned cars, or old roadblocks if not dead ends. These setbacks forced us to take detours through buildings that were often empty of souls.

We rarely interacted. I understood most of his intentions and orders through his gestures. We kept as quiet as possible and tried to stay away from the main insurgent camps. Our secondary objective was still unknown to me, but in view of our rare stops to allow Ghost to consult the map, we were on the right track.

To enable me to reach an adjacent street, he helped me through the remains of a collapsed wall of a bombed-out building. But just like the previous street that had led us through the edifice, this one was also blocked. As soon as Ghost saw the bus gobbled up in the front of a hotel, he grumbled in his beard, and motioned for me to follow him. We skirted the walls of the old shopping street towards the bus and, after making sure there were no insurgents, he gave me a leg up, for the hundredth time that day. After checking the solidity of the panes I offered my hand to help Ghost, but as usual he declined my offer. He started to descend the other side, but immediately halted, staring at the horizon, and fumed.

I frowned, and turned to see the reason for his blasphemy, discovering an endless cavity, creating an impassable gap between us and the rest of the road. It was one of those cavities that bombing often dug in a karst city prone to titanic sinkholes that took whole buildings with them. An impassable chasm in its present state, bringing us back to a standstill.

"What are we doing?" I inquired.

He looked at me, ready to turn around.

"We're exposed, go back and fix the situati... Get down!"

I barely had time to grasp his command before he seized me and pushed me to the ground. Bullets whistled over my head and Ghost returned fire without delay. Some insurgents had spotted us further down the street from where we came. I took advantage of his cover to quickly find an exit, and my gaze fell on the open window of the huge hotel on our right. The bus led us directly there, and I crawled for my life, praying that no bullet would reach us. It would be a lie to claim that the case of a few rounds of AK-47s had become a habit, but when the first shots rang out, it was no longer fear that guided my instincts, but adrenaline. I acted much faster to escape the ankylosis of death.

I managed to get into the hotel as best I could, and swiftly turned to find with some relief that Ghost managed to follow me. He headed off and we made our way into the building's large, luxurious reception area, which had obviously been abandoned for quite some time. We didn't wish to check if we were being pursued and moved blindly towards the first floors, hoping to lose our potential pursuers. Thankfully, the hotel corridors were labyrinthine. And if we were unfortunate enough to run into an insurgent, then we could sneak around him. Or we could neutralise him concerning Ghost…

After ensuring the efficiency of our retreat in this seemingly soulless hotel, we were able to take a short break, during which Ghost took stock. His plan was soon in place. From now on, our objective was to reach the street at the hotel's rear, then join the northwestern residential areas which were only a few kilometres away. It was certainly easy at first sight, but the adversity that awaited us would prove inexorably fatal. Without voicing my doubts aloud, Ghost, on the lookout for my impressions, pushed me forward like a cowardly child  who was taught to despise danger: It is nothing, what frightens you, it is only a shadow, only a risible nightmare, an irrational fear of a city that wants to stone you. How fucking ironic. But in the end, the hand that told me to move on, reassured my mind and my worries, better to overshadow this despair gripping my mind. In the end I approved of this plan. It was feasible, and would only take us a few hours.

He was a man of many resources. It killed me to admit that I was comforted by being at his side in such a situation. To obey him forcibly, but mostly to obey him reluctantly, without saying a word, had saved me more than once. He listened, taking in every sparse sound, he probed, closing and reopening his eyelids to sharpen his sight, he scented the air in jerks, looking for the slightest hint of an unwanted presence. A beast, whose movements reflected years of experience surviving in hostile environments.

"This way," Ghost warned me as we made our way up the stairs to the third floor.

In this dusty heap of ruins with the luxuries of bygone eras, we sought to find an exit that would allow us to leave the building from the back. However, the maze of corridors did not help our strained orientation and led us to take unconventional paths.

“It's like The Shining," I mumbled, stalking Ghost.

"Never seen that flick," he replied, to my astonishment.

“But it's a classic and a great one. It's probably one of my favourites.”

“I've never liked horror films.”

“So you hate scary things? It must be excruciating for you to look in the mirror then. Every morning... seeing that face... Horrible.”

“And you're not allergic to humour," he growled, far from being amused by my mockery. “Now shut up and follow me. We'll use the lift to reach the top floor. The stairs are blocked.”

Ghost forced open one of the doors to the two lifts, allowing me to climb inside. An escape ladder was installed and I managed to reach the service hatch. Luckily, the neighbouring lift, which was blocked between the third and second floors, allowed us to access the fourth landing, whose doors were open. But it was still necessary to squeeze through the small concrete ledge that joins the two lifts separated by a grid.

"It's tight but it'll do..." I muttered sliding down the wall.

I then dropped down as I stood over the second lift, praying that it wouldn't give way under our weight. Our exit was high enough that I couldn't climb out on my own, and I waited for Ghost to join me before moving forward.

"You're not giving me a leg up?” I asked seeing him analysing the doors. 

“No," he said, motioning me to the wall. “Your turn. I'll go up first and clear the floor.” 

“But we're alone in the hotel. Besides, I'll never be able to lift you, no offense.” 

“Now you care about offending me? Just do what I say. Obey, dammit."

I moaned while positioning myself as best I could to pull him up. Nonsense. I was a twig compared to him, he was likely to dislocate my shoulder at the very least. Nevertheless, tall as a mountain, I only had to lift him a few inches to get him to the edge of the door. But reality reminded me how much my lucky star hated me. So I offered Ghost my last bit of strength to urge him on, the lift jerked with a deafening squeak. 

It was an imminent fall. A few seconds perceived like minutes, which my regrets took advantage of to gnaw at me. The vivid thought of death was still forming, my gaze on the fleeing point of light above me became vague. But the important thing was not the fall, but the landing.

Breathless, a sharp pain crushed my shoulder and that was all I could feel in the suffocating darkness of the basement before the water came over me. Shaken by torpor, I finally managed to get to the surface. From there I could hear Ghost's worried calls, which I immediately silenced.

"I'm fine!"

I looked up at him and saw that I had fallen four floors. The water had saved me despite my landing against the lift now at the bottom of the murky water. I removed my niqab to ease my breathing.

"And you, you're okay? " I asked, seeing his head sticking out of the two portals. 

At least he had reached the fourth floor. 

"Thought I'd lost you. Stay put, I'm coming to you.”

“No!" I said immediately. “You stay up there, I'll get to you.”

I was trudging through the water, and was pleased to find that the lift door to the basement was open. Second surprise, the water level was certainly lower, and only reached me at the level of the pelvis. So here I was, alone, moving forward in the lower levels of the hotel.

I was gripped by the darkness. So thick and dense was it that I walked blindly, slowly, lest I should run into a wall. I had to use my torch, now. My soaked clothes, far from shining for their practicality, hindered my progress in this flooded basement with the strong putrid smell of mould and stagnant water. The ceiling tiles had collapsed in places, and some of the exits, obviously the easiest, were blocked by rubble. However, I managed to squeeze through the gap in one wall.

The silence was overwhelming. A terrifying heaviness interrupted by the agonising slap of water dripping from the pipes on the ceiling. Of course, I was leaving without information, without landmarks, completely at random. Trying, despite the obstacles, to find the few signs that led me to the laundry room and other hotel-related premises. And the further I went, the less the water held me back. Its level was dropping and that was a good sign.

Finally, at the end of an interminable corridor which stopped my exhausting wading, I entered what seemed to me to be the technical room, plunged in the half-light but fortunately emerged. Nevertheless, a sudden but no less frightening realisation struck me. The room was occupied. Weapons were stored here and there, crates full of ammunition stored alongside trunks whose contents I did not wish to know, all of Russian origin. Where had I landed?

I redoubled my vigilance, and continued to fumble through the maze of rooms. I managed to arrive at what appeared to be the laundry room, only to be interrupted by voices from the parallel corridor. I froze, horrified that they had heard me, and hurriedly turned off my torch and hid in a corner. I counted two men, insurgents, and thank God they avoided me, continuing on their way to the place I had just passed. I didn't know if there were any left and how long I could lurk here, but one thing was certain, I had to find the courage and perseverance to continue my journey. I had to find Ghost and tell him of my discovery.

I stayed down, as quiet as possible, and continued on my way, praying that it would be deserted. From the laundry room, I took the corridor criss-crossed by the two men. This led me to the restaurant's kitchens on the first floor. But on my route, another room caught my eye. It was dimly lit, and seemed to be a former meeting room, converted into an operations room by Al-Qatala.

I glanced down the rest of the corridor, but with a resigned sigh, I entered the currently empty room. Surely there must have been some crucial documents that will hopefully be of use to the forces fighting this organisation. In my work as a humanitarian, impartiality was indivisible, inalienable. But at the moment, I was no longer Dr (y/l/n), but (y/n), a woman found in spite of herself, in a city that wanted her dead. I put my impartiality in this conflict aside, and in spite of the risks involved, I collected all the relevant documents. Files, flash drives, which I accumulated in my pockets, or in my trousers. I would sort it out later, with Ghost. I didn't have the time.

After a few minutes of swiping at all the useful information, the thud of a metallic crash made me gasp with surprise. A little further down the corridor towards the technical room, the familiar voices of men resurfaced in the basement silence. My time was up. I rushed out of the room and hurried to the end of the corridor. The door was unlocked and I was able to enter a stairwell. Without thinking twice, I climbed the stairs two by two, before stopping abruptly. An elderly man was standing in front of me, completely caught off guard. And I don't know why, but my first instinct was to put my niqab back on. 

"I... Please don't kill me... " I begged as I stepped back.

But my stomach dropped in terror as the basement door opened in turn. I was now cornered and probably doo...

"Come with me, " the old man suddenly urged.

His voice was reassuring. Far from being authoritarian, aggressive and gruff. No, it was warm and reassuring, which made me follow him. To offer him my trust in this situation with a drastic choice. We went upstairs and he used a key card to get us out. Another corridor opened up but the man went to the fourth door leading to the kitchen. He let me in first and closed the door behind us.

“I can't follow you, " he began. “But I can hold them off. If you wish to leave the hotel, go to the reception room. ”

“Why help me? ”

“You saved my little girl. I owe you a life. "

So it was a debt. Inexplicably, my heart filled with gratitude at this strangely comforting reality. Overwhelmed by the look of thankfulness in his eyes, I could only nod briefly before leaving him, holding back so badly the flood of emotion that came to my eyes.

I concentrated my mind on his valuable information, but I still had to find the way. I was lost. I couldn't find a map or directions to this damn room. And more worryingly, there was no sign of Ghost. Was he still waiting for me on the fourth floor? Before reaching him, I wanted to make sure of the information from this debonair Caucasian grandpa, whom I didn't know the causes of his involvement in such a perfidious organisation as Al-Qatala, but who had given me more than anyone else so far.

I didn't want one of my plans to go wrong again. Mercifully, this famous reception room appeared at the end of a corridor, with two large doors that left no doubt. I entered it and without thinking hurried to the other exit. This one was blocked. I swore, and withdrew to the centre to examine the room better, hoping to find a way to reach the upper floor. 

In my investigation, probing this huge hall, open on two levels, I noticed the balustrades of the upper floor, which framed the room. These led to another exit, probably the bar. But I still had to be able to reach it. As I backed up without paying attention, I accidentally hit one of the champagne bucket holders which shattered with a bang. I cursed with a scream and winced, hoping I hadn't alerted anyone. Constantly on the lookout, the slightest tumult aroused in me an uncontrollable surprise mixed with fear. 

"(y/n)?"

It was a faint call from the second floor. A faraway call, unexpected, but one that I grabbed without delay, praying that it wasn't my imagination. 

"Ghost? I'm here!"

He appeared in the doorway, checking every corner of the room as he always did.

"You're well? Wait here, I'll find a way to get you upstairs."

I nodded and he disappeared again. I wasted no time in starting my first idea, which was to move the tables to the stage. Stacking them, if they were not too heavy, would make an impromptu ladder. The sooner we left this hotel, the sooner we would leave Basat. Ghost was there too, taking a weight off my shoulders. And in the end, my plan to convert the tables into a ladder wasn't so bad. I had a hell of a time moving them onto the platform and stacking them, but I managed to climb them and lift myself onto the catwalk. 

"Ghost?” I called as I walked towards the north door.

The overwhelming silence greeted me. I walked through the door, worried. He had been gone a long time. Much too long. And yet my mindless worries were confirmed by the crack of a gun followed by the clatter of a struggle. I rushed to the room where the commotion was coming from. I opened the door, and came upon two stocky men, enemies assaulting Ghost, who had been thrown into a pool of water. A wave of panic threw me onto a rifle lying in the blood puddle of an inert insurgent. The assailants had not noticed me, and without reasoning, my gun was aimed at the man trying to drown Simon who was struggling.

Trembling with emotion, I struggled to reason my mind racing at a thousand miles an hour. My voice was tense as I ordered the man to let him go. I didn't want it to come to this. God, I didn't want it to come to this... But the insurgent didn't listen to me. He scoffed, and put even more of his weight on Simon, whose agitation to get out of his grip was getting weaker... Much too weak. I summoned him one last time, out of sheer desperation, but deaf to my agitated pleadings, he pushed me into my last entrenchments. I was startled by the blast, and the recoil of the weapon sent me reeling.

Completely dazed, I didn't know if my shot hit its target. But one thing was certain, the second assailant was able to move, and I hardly had time to aim at him before he threw himself at me. Two furious wrists seized me and a frightful struggle began. We were rolling around, knocking over furniture, hitting the walls. I was struggling like a poor fool, preventing him from getting my only weapon. It was a fight to the death in which our breaths became short and noisy, we covered ourselves with blood and sweat... Only, the difference in strength was a fatal reality, and despite my grip on the assault weapon, I saw its barrel coming dangerously close to my face. The trigger readied to be pulled.

There was no way I was going to die here. To die by the hands of these people whom I could hardly consider as human as their visceral hatred made them monstrous. Without any lucidity, just the instinct of survival, I pushed him away one last time, putting my last strength into it, in the hope of a miracle. Then I felt him slip under my weight. A scream and then the deafening bang of the gun tore through the bar. 

My ears were whistling. I was lost in my bewildered, disoriented senses, my vision blurred red. I backed away, again driven by instinct, trying to get away from that abominable bloody carcass. My excruciatingly painful leg gave way. 

"Simon?"

My feeble voice called him back another time, without response. My distraught gaze went to the miserable puddle. He lay there, inert. 

No, no, no.

I rushed to get him out. Mechanically I checked his pulse, it was... It was there. Abnormal but there. I had a chance to reanimate him.

"S’il te plait ne me laisse pas… " I lamented, stripping him down to begin a heart massage.

Muttering useless implorations with each compression, nothing helped. Oh God please... He couldn't die now. He was an elite soldier. He had to survive any adversity. If I hadn't been such a fool... He... he…

I then rushed to give him the kiss of life, but was quickly caught off guard when a sudden cough took hold of Simon. I felt an immense relief, and helped him up slowly, trying hard not to embrace him.

"Bloody hell... You see yourself?” he slurred as his eyes fell on me. 

“I... Shit," I said, trying to wipe the blood from my face, realising the horror of it all. “I didn't miss them.”

Ghost let his gaze wander around the room, before pulling himself together. He picked up his weapon and adjusted his scarf. 

"Why didn't you stay and wait like I told you?” He reproached, brutally.

“Hey, you're happy, no? If I hadn't, you'd be dead," I retorted, trying to stand up despite the pain shooting through my crash-wounded leg.

"I'm mostly glad you didn't shoot me," he spat. 

"You're such an asshole!" I shouted. "Fuck, I-I... you know what? I have no strength left... Just get out of this place."

I let him go ahead, and followed him towards our salvation, my body and heart in pieces.

───────────────────────────────────

𝗡𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀 ↬ 𝖠𝗇𝖽 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝖾 𝗂𝗌 𝖼𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝟩, 𝗁𝗈𝗉𝖾 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝖾𝗇𝗃𝗈𝗒𝖾𝖽 𝗂𝗍! 𝖦𝗁𝗈𝗌𝗍 𝗂𝗌 𝖺 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝗅 𝖺𝗋𝗌𝖾𝗁𝗈𝗅𝖾 𝖻𝗎𝗍 𝖨 𝗀𝗎𝖾𝗌𝗌 𝗁𝖾'𝗌 𝗃𝗎𝗌𝗍 𝖺𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝗑𝗂𝗈𝗎𝗌 𝖺𝗇𝖽 𝗍𝗂𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝖺𝗌 𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝗁𝖾𝗋𝗈𝗂𝗇𝖾 𝗂𝗌. 𝖳𝗁𝖾𝗂𝗋 𝗋𝖾𝗅𝖺𝗍𝗂𝗈𝗇𝗌𝗁𝗂𝗉 𝗂𝗌 𝗇𝗈𝗍 𝗂𝗆𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗏𝗂𝗇𝗀. 𝖮𝗇𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗉 𝖿𝗈𝗋𝗐𝖺𝗋𝖽, 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝗋𝖾𝖾 𝗌𝗍𝖾𝗉𝗌 𝖻𝖺𝖼𝗄. 𝖡𝗎𝗍 𝗐𝗁𝗈 𝗄𝗇𝗈𝗐𝗌, 𝗆𝖺𝗒𝖻𝖾 𝗍𝗁𝖾𝗒'𝗅𝗅 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝗍𝗈 𝗌𝗈𝗆𝖾 𝖼𝗈𝗆𝗆𝗈𝗇 𝗀𝗋𝗈𝗎𝗇𝖽. 𝖥𝗈𝗋 𝗍𝗁𝗈𝗌𝖾 𝗐𝗁𝗈 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗀𝖺𝗆𝖾, 𝗒𝗈𝗎 𝗆𝖺𝗒 𝗁𝖺𝗏𝖾 𝗇𝗈𝗍𝗂𝖼𝖾𝖽 𝗍𝗁𝖺𝗍 𝖨 𝗐𝖺𝗌 𝗅𝖺𝗋𝗀𝖾𝗅𝗒 𝗂𝗇𝗌𝗉𝗂𝗋𝖾𝖽 𝖻𝗒 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗅𝖾𝗏𝖾𝗅 𝗈𝖿 𝖳𝖫𝖮𝖴 𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗍 𝖨, 𝗂𝗇 𝖯𝗂𝗍𝗍𝗌𝖻𝗎𝗋𝗀𝗁, 𝗂𝗇 𝗍𝗁𝖾 𝗁𝗈𝗍𝖾𝗅. 𝖳𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝗂𝗌 𝗈𝗇𝖾 𝗈𝖿 𝗆𝗒 𝖿𝖺𝗏𝗈𝗋𝗂𝗍𝖾 𝗉𝖺𝗋𝗍𝗌 𝗈𝖿 𝗍𝗁𝗂𝗌 𝖾𝗑𝖼𝖾𝗅𝗅𝖾𝗇𝗍 𝗀𝖺𝗆𝖾 :)

[agerewithliam]

ep 1 / part 3

The first flight was landing, and Eva and Axel rushed out, leaving everyone behind as they followed, and they went in the tip box outside the airport. Eva: "Make your way to Museo Nacional De Bellas Artes and find your next clue. Come on Ax!" Eva says, as they get into a cab. Axel: "por favor!" Then followed by everyone else. Alejandro and Heather in confessionals: Alejandro: "I was raised in a spanish family, the language is on the back of my palm. Communicating with the locals was extremely easy because of my experiences." Heather: "So we should have this leg set and ready to go." Using his language to tell the driver to speed up, the easily get there first. "Ok, come on amor..." Alejandro says, and he reads the clue. "Detour... Search or Store?" Chris voices over to explain the challenges. Chris: "A detour is a task where there is two options, but you only have to complete one. In search, teams must go into this refined art museum and search for a famous artwork symbolizing Argentina, called "Nocturnal." Teams could finish fast, but they could quickly get lost due to the size. In store, teams must place 5 pieces of artwork in a certain section in a museum. It could be easy, because of the small space, but they could mess up on placement. "Want to do Store?" "Sure." They went to store, and the other teams quickly came in. Bowie and Raj and Duncan and Scott pick Search, and Eva and Axel pick store. With Bowie and Raj: "Ok babe... so all we need to do is find this painting... so you look over here." "Ok Bows!" He said, going that way. "Let's hope he doesn't get distracted..." With Axel and Eva: "Axel, I can't get the stupid painting in the way the guy wants it..." Eva said, her temper rising. "It's alright, Eva, just try and see what your doing wrong." "Alright..." She says. "Your doing good with not getting too mad." "Oh.. thanks." Eva responded, with a slight smile. She sighed. "Is this good?" She asked the judge. The judge nodded and gave two thumbs up. "Very good." The judge gave Eva the clue. "LETS GO AXEL!" Ava said. She wasnt mad though, she just wanted to make sure she was listening. Eva + Axel - In 1st place. "Route info. Make your way to Tango Porteno and search for your next clue." "Lets go." They got in the taxi. Alejandro: "Come on amor, they're already gone." "I'm trying Alejandro..." Confessional: Heather: "It was hard. The judge wanted it at a precise angle." About 20 minutes later... "Very good." The judge hands Heather the clue. "Make your way to Tango Porteno... ok come on!" They got in the taxi and left. Meanwhile, the second flight had just landed, and everyone was going for the museum. "Katie look, the museum is so pretty!" "I know, right Sadie?" Confessional with Dawn and Ella: Dawn: "We were very grateful to be there. To see other people's cultures and ways of life we're amazing." Ella: "I know, it was amazing!" Crimson and Gwen got to the clue box after those two. "Wanna do search?" Gwen asks. Crimson: "Why not?" Dawn was particularly good at search. "Check, please!" Dawn said. The judge came up. "Very good." The judge handed Dawn the clue. "Thank you." That launched the two into 3rd place, due to Bowie and Raj and Scott and Duncan struggling. Not too long after, they both got it and went to the next place. Meanwhile with Eva and Axel... "It's a roadblock... "Who's ready to dance like everybody's watching?" "I'll do it." Axel says. Chris: "In this Roadblock, the chosen contestant must dance the Argentine Tango in front of a 5,000 person audience." Meanwhile back with the other teams... "Katie, it's supposed to be placed like that." "Ohhh, ok!" Katie says with realization, and places it the way Sadie said to. "Correct." The judge says, handing them the clue. "Eeeeek!" They screamed in happiness. Meanwhile, Jen and Lindsay had some issues. "I can't find the dumb museum, Lindsay." Jen said with a pissed tone. "It's right there!" Lindsay shouts. "Oh, good eye!" She says, grabbing the clue... "Wanna do store?" "Sure!" Lindsay says.

[benefits1986]

unbalanced equation

Chemistry is one subject that I love and hate.

Powering through an incoming bad case of flu since the start of this week has been very curious. You know, forda greater good. EMS. LUL. Glad to have my ex-geriatric nurse soul sis on deck. LOL. She gave me "permission" to take my self-curated anti-flu "cocktails" which reminded me of our then days in no less than the chem lab. Ohhhh, child! While I love balancing chem equations, seeing them come to life is a totally different experience.

So, the wiwi and the laway had to be prioritized with your chosen chem partners. LUH. Hahahahahaha. Huy. Syempre, I don't like spitting and sadly I don't pee standing up so our shooting range sa tiny test tube is not giving, kaya ang chosen chem partner ang gumawa ng mga ayaw kong gawain. Ganern. No choice ang chosen partner or else, maghanap na lang ibang willing tribute. LUH.

Ahhh, nursing school. That one year is still one forda books because of so many zany things. I was super grade-conscious back then, honestly. KADIRE. However, my goal was to be a scholar because the tuition fees, lab fees, and even the uniforms were not joking. Chem labs are actually labs where relational dialectics may take place. Why so? Bodily fluids tested under controlled fires in the lab allow you to profile your chosen partner better. The smell and optics of the wiwi and the laway are variables you can zoom out and zoom in on effortlessly. HUY. Co-ed life is waving so early in the morning!

I remember working my thicccc ass off in non-organic chem class and lab because I firmly believe that organic chem is way better and easier to maneuver. Getting A- is generally a breeze with deep focus and dasal because the smart people in class who came from science high schools I shall not name are slaying it. Anyhow, we powered through. I powered through even when I have to friggin' study and apply the theories as a tamad and innately bored ferson in life.

So, what? Find a chem lab partner who is willing to go with your crazy shit and crazier plot twists. It ain't easy peasy, but it's worthwhile... to a fault. Hahahahahahaha. Also, be the chem lab partner who has something to offer that's unique and authentic. Opak. Boogsh. However, to balance the unbalanced equation with one too many variables like among kinain before mag-experiment, consistency is the key. It's one thing to have chemistry, and it's a whole new world when you and your chosen chem lab partner hit roadblocks and detours. Sample include:

-Breaking test tubes -Breaking Erlenmeyer flasks -Breaking Florence flasks -Too cold or too hot flame -Not having enough space in your test tube rack -Tampering the infamous microscope slides -Not being able to focus the antiquated microscope under X minutes, especially during crunch time -Providing specimen like wiwi and laway that are considered BAD SAMPLES (Hahaahahahahahaaha)

HUY.

Bakit ba na naman napunta tayo sa ganitong usapan? Ang aga-aga. Or baka dulot 'to ng bagyong bumababayo na naman sa patuloy nating pinipiling Pilipinas kaya naman, sakay na.

I just wish that this incoming bad case of flu passes. UGH. While I can definitely take things a bit more easily, my adrenaline is kinda back. Naubos e. Hahahaha. Mejj nasaid. Kaya naman, mag-nursing na ba ako ulit with feelings? CHOZ. Ambobo ng realization natin noh? Actually, what hits me hard is nursing school is more manageable compared with marketing. LUH. Or baka kasi sobrang oks ng nursing circle ko na mga purple people with cuties pang XY and XX? LELS. Joke lungs.

Kidding aside, balancing chem equation makes more sense to me than balancing sheets. Shet. I barely passed my accounting classes because juskolorde. I even had this deja vu (lucid dream) wherein I was failing a "balance this sheet" exam even before I exited from Kalaw. Iyak-tawa talaga ako when I woke up. However, looking back, these two balancing acts make more sense now. Though, may AI naman na to create complex financial statements, so, we good. Thank u. Next. PS1: Andami na namang wrong grammar ditey, atey. Pero, let them be. Para magtanda ang noona n'yong dsyelxic levels 1000000000x to the point na pati dyslexic 'di ko sure anong spelling rn. Toodles! PS2: Gumalaw at gumagalaw pa unti-unti ang sliding door with SFX pa rn. Nanay kong dragon ba 'to? Mabait na ako ma. Promise. You have trained your baby dragon well. PS3: Naka-move on na ba ako sa "awesome" chosen chem lab partner ko noon? Kahit pa isa 'to sa manok ng nanay kong magaling... magkampihan sila. Hahahahaha. Solid, liquid, and gas YASUSSS JEZZZAZZZ. Matagal na matagal because TMI na naman. Good fellow, however, 'di kami forda long run. The sprints were really great, but I'm all out for an ultramarathon e. Periodddddtzzz.

[jaggedwolf]

....jaggedwolf's favored TAR team updates but with some edits because she did not enjoy the alliances alliancing! ugh!

ricky and cesar, second place! Maybe it's spatial coordination that is their one weakness, out of all their strengths? They take a bit longer at the gauchos throwing roadblock, ricky takes a few attempts at the car roadblock, cesar succeeds at the bubble soccer roadblock by deliberately knocking people over (i loved this btw, he's like "i'm just going to clear the field for myself"). but they are adaptable and steady and I still hope they win <3

yvonne and melissa, they got a bit frustrated here. I've finally figured out what mel is constantly addressing yvonne as- it's "yvo", a shortening of her name. cute. melissa got the roadblock on her second attempt (on her own, thanks). yvonne struggled with soccer but got it. they had some ups-and-downs navigating, where they got to the first clue and first detour really fast, but somehow only got to the first roadblock after six teams? gonna need them to tighten up on navigation

sunny and bizzy, firefighter moms who are bffs. they finally get to join my group of favored teams! look I love them, I enjoy whenever that wisconsin accent pops out, they say things in the strangest ways sometimes, and whoever did it got that roadblock on her second attempt (on her own)! very fun contrast to mel who seemed super focused in the car, sunny/bizzy was so damn psyched to be in a racecar!

perhaps this is hypocritical of me, but I did not mind yvonne-melissa teaming up with sunny-bizzy for the detour, because it was clearly for just one task, and they were responding to the three person alliance.

meanwhile, I hated seeing amber basically solve the fucking puzzle for angie and leticia. those two should have had to struggle it out! in the skateboarding detour, derek was allowed to tell karishma how to use the tools, but none of the roadblock participants were allowed to touch each other's stuff, and that felt fair. meanwhile, a nine-by-nine puzzle where someone who solved it can stand right in front of it with you gives too much of an advantage to alliances! fuck that, no one else should be allowed to stand right in front of it with them.

combined with the three station limit at the detour.....just ugh. it should've been a permanent station claim if you're going to do limits.

like, i would've loved to see if derek and shelissa could've reached the roadblock while angie and leticia were still there and if that would've changed things any.

anyway, I hope the next three to go out are the alliance. the only one of them I still enjoy watching is rod, because that guy crushed the bike and soccer challenges, he was having the time of his life.

[j-graysonlibrary]

The Xiang Chronicles: Book Two Chapter 15

Title: The Xiang Chronicles: Book Two

Author: Jay Grayson

Word Count: 98k

Genres: Fantasy, adventure, drama, LGBT+

Available on: my website

Synopsis: With another Xiang in the mix, for the first time in history, Pangu decides to reevaluate his methods and his place in the world. Along with taking his little sister Heidi as his last disciple, he also chooses to take the more political path in his efforts to end the discord throughout the land—particularly within Terra. (And gaining favor from the handsome Lord of Ultimos does not hurt.)

Heidi butts heads with everyone in the group, save Raine, and tensions are higher than ever. There are failed love confessions, in-group fighting, and demons from Kira’s past but that all comes to a head when they meet a servant of Shakti who is more than what she seems.

Could it be that the Mistresses of Shadow are more nuanced than previously believed? Or that the strict dichotomy between light and dark are, perhaps, a touch exaggerated? That and more begin to plague Pangu’s mind and his faith wavers…

Full chapter 15 under the cut

Chapter XV:

Returning to Castelle was like taking a breath of fresh air. It was still clear of miasma and the familiar sights and sounds brought a lot of comfort to Pangu but especially to Raine. The urge to spend all afternoon at the market stalls to relax and take their minds off of things was tempting but there were other matters to attend to.

However, they had arrived a little ahead of schedule due to the days of hasty travel through Terra so Raine began to wonder.

“Guys,” he got their attention on a less crowded street. Though, as they stopped, people still hurried around them, huffing at the slight roadblock they created. With so many of them, it really could not be helped so he aimed to get to the point. “Would any of you mind if we stopped by my home before seeing the King?”

“Waiting an extra day won’t kill him,” Kira easily agreed.

“As much as I would like to get to the bottom of that letter,” Pangu began, “I cannot deny that I would love to see where you grew up. You went without me and Kira last time.”

“You have not mentioned much about your family,” Heidi said, very curious herself.

“Because he is an orphan,” Baiya told her.

Her confusion was palpable. “Wait…so are we visiting an orphanage…?”

“That is right.” Raine smiled. “I could have sworn I mentioned it to you before.” Perhaps he only thought that he had or, perhaps he had but so much happened between now and then that she forgot. Both were just as likely.

“Oh…well, even if it is an orphanage, you still seem fond of it.” Heidi plastered a smile on her face, hoping to make up for any possible upset she might have caused with her words. “I would love to go.”

“Alright.” Raine grinned from ear to ear and led the way.

Every soldier and guard out on patrol straightened their posture and stopped breathing when Raine passed by. Some even forgot to salute him and then started to bow frantically as they asked his forgiveness.

“You do not need to show me so much respect,” Raine told one young man in particular. He was probably no older than seventeen by the looks of him. “All I ask is that, if word gets around that I am in town, to let our King know that I am taking a slight detour before meeting with him.”

The kid nodded with his mouth agape but said nothing.

Baiya thought Raine’s charm with soldiers despite what country they served was already a strange talent the man had but seeing how he was treated in his home country was really something else. It was as if he, himself, was a lord in his own right. After the first few interactions, the rest just became funny.

“Wow, Raine,” Heidi chuckled as they walked away from the awestruck teenager, “You are very popular.”

“Every man in the military is a little in love with him,” Kira commented with a smirk.

Raine shook his head and fought the blush that tried to make its way onto his cheeks. “That is ridiculous. Do not listen to Kira.”

“Way ahead of you,” Heidi muttered.

Kira rolled his eyes and kicked up a small incline in their path to trip her. She turned back to glare at the road and not him, making him snicker to himself.

The orphanage was a two story, wide, stone building with moss and ivy growing up the left side giving it the appearance of being quite old. A stone wall closed in the yard with an iron gate being the only entrance. Raine pinched the lock on the gate and pulled it up, opening it with ease. It creaked as he pushed it back and a smile came to his face as if the sound itself spurred nostalgia in him.

A lot of bushes and shrubs lined both the inside of the stone wall and the sides of the building itself. Some were a little more overgrown than others, letting the group know that there had been some neglect in recent years.

Still, Raine marched up to the front door with a jovial expression. He used the iron knocker to clank against the wood three times and then stepped back.

A few moments passed but the door did open eventually by a crack. A thin strip of an old woman’s face showed and she seemed anxious at first but, of course, the second she realized it was Raine in front of her, her eyes widened and she threw the door back all the way.

It happened in a flash and if Pangu had blinked he might have missed it. The old woman shrieked, threw her arms up in excitement, and then wrapped them around Raine’s middle. “You are back!”

“I am.” Raine patted her on top of her snow white hair. There was not much of it but what she had was pulled back into a bun on the back of her head. “Everyone, this is Song Ranmu Sei. She was like my mother when I grew up here.”

“Was?” Ranmu recoiled from her hug and slapped his arm though, with all of his armor, it was doubtful he felt it at all. “I am still your mother, Raine.”

“Ah, well…yes.” He stumbled over his words and scratched the back of his head, embarrassed.

Baiya resisted the urge to snicker. After all, he knew what Raine was feeling. Even if he was not blood related to the woman, there was no denying she was his mother. He had received the same look from his own mother that Ranmu was giving Raine.

“So,” the old woman glanced between them, “This must be the full Xiang group.”

Pangu bowed first. “I am Shu Pangu Min, the Xiang.”

“Oh, please, do not bow to me.” Ranmu held her hands out in front of her, shaking them back and forth. “I am not worthy of such respect, great Xiang.”

“Sure you are. You raised Raine, right?” Pangu grinned. “He has helped me more than I can say so of course you deserve my respect.”

She blushed and partly covered her face but was still attentive to the rest of the introductions. “I am Pangu’s sister and his Enlil disciple, Shu Heidi Min.”

“I am the Agni disciple—Kin Baiya Yang Chi.”

Kira waved. “And I’m Kira.”

“May we come in, ma?” Raine asked as he rested his hand on her back.

“Of course!” Ranmu jumped a little. “It is a bit dirty so you will have to mind the mess. We have some real rambunctious scamps here right now.”

Past the first narrow hall, the house opened up into two large communal spaces with a staircase in the middle and a kitchen in the back. Most of the rooms were visible through wide archways connecting them. Toys and books were scattered about the floor and the sound of kids talking and shouting bounced off of the walls.

But there was also a much older, calmer voice that rose above the others. “Su, what did I tell you about reading that? That is from Ranmu’s personal collection, you may not take it.”

At that, Ranmu turned as pale as a sheet and ran off, muttering only a short, “Excuse me,” before leaving. Then her voice, despite her clearly trying to keep it down, echoed back to the group, “You took THAT volume? Su, you are far too young for this, my goodness.”

Kira started to snicker and Raine did not try to hold back his smile either. Not much had changed on the inside.

After a moment, Ranmu returned but she was not alone. At her side was a young woman, probably around Pangu and Kira’s age or perhaps even a little older. She was short with heavy hips and dusty brown hair that she pulled back into a little ponytail. Her eyes were dark and shaped like half moons and her lightly tanned skin was dotted with freckles.

“Ami,” Raine greeted, “What luck to come while you are here.”

“I am here most days, Raine,” Ami replied with a smile, “It was just exceptional bad luck when you visited last and I was away.”

The two hugged though not as intensely as he and Ranmu had. Ami appeared rather reserved or, maybe, she was shy with so many eyes on her.

Ranmu took the liberty of introducing everyone to her, getting everyone’s names correct except for Baiya when she switched the Yang and Chi in his name. He let it slide but Pangu gently corrected her.

“Well, seeing as it is just past midday, it is about time for the kids to go out while I start preparing dinner,” Ranmu said with a sigh. “Raine, if you are staying, would you mind keeping the kids company in the yard?”

“Of course.” He smiled. “Do you not need help in the kitchen though?”

“I have Ami for that.” The old woman pulled Ami in by the waist.

Pangu felt a tug at his robe and looked down to see a small child grinning up at him with some missing teeth. “Hello,” he greeted and waved down at them.

They started to breathe heavy and shake with laughter which Pangu did not especially understand but he still gave them his undivided attention. “Will you play with me?”

“Sure?” Pangu cocked his head to the side. If Raine was going outside with the kids anyway, he wanted to go with him.

“Have you played with small children before?” Baiya asked, leaning close.

“Well, no, not especially. Why?” Pangu knew his Agni disciple had more experience with children due to all of his younger siblings but he felt there was something of an accusation laced in his words.

He chuckled. “Well, in Phaos, you did toss a girl up into the air.”

“I asked her if it was okay first.”

“And when we were with my family, you asked Feiman what fields of study he fancied. And when he said jumping, you responded that physics was a surprisingly difficult field for an eight year old.”

“I was being cheeky—I know what he meant by it,” Pangu defended himself before picking up the child who had started to tug at his robe again. “You think I am bad with kids, don’t you?”

Baiya snickered and followed him and Raine out toward the back. “No, no, of course not.”

Kira initially was not interested in staying where the children were since he cared little for them but he had a feeling he would want to see the result of this. Plus, he had some questions for Raine.

Heidi, however, stayed behind. “I can help with dinner as well.” Normally she would be opposed to helping in the kitchen while all the men went off to literally play but, in this instance, she was going to let it slide.

Ami shot her a smile and nodded before they all walked to the kitchen. As Ranmu began to pull out all the pots and ingredients, Ami placed a hand on her back.

“Ma, why don’t you go take a nap?”

“I need to prepare dinner…”

Ami shook her head. “Heidi and I will do everything. It is not often you have this much help, you should take advantage of it.”

It did not take much more coaxing and Ranmu was nodding in appreciation. “You girls just call for me if you need help.”

“Alright ma.” Ami smiled and watched her go. Once the sound of the stairs creaking under Ranmu’s weight could be heard, letting her know she was on the way upstairs, she turned to Heidi. “Alright, now we can talk.”

Heidi almost asked how she knew that she wanted to talk but then she promptly realized she had things backwards. Ami had done all of that so she could say something.

“How long have you liked Raine?” she opened with.

A terrible blush came over Heidi’s face and she took a step back. “W-what? What do you mean?”

Ami rolled her eyes. “You think I cannot tell when a girl longs for that boy? I practically invented the look.” She then mimicked the pining expression but also craned her neck up to the ceiling. Her head snapped back and she reiterated. “I know.”

“So…you like Raine too?” Heidi gathered.

“Liked,” she clarified. “He was my first love and I even confessed to him when we were teens.”

While she could guess how that went, Heidi still asked, “What did he say?”

“He said he saw me as a sister. It was the answer I was afraid of but I guess it is better than him making a scene and calling me ugly or something.” Ami crossed her arms. “That would have been out of his character though.”

“Has he always been like he is now?”

“Not exactly.” Ami started to walk and released her arms on the way. She picked up where Ranmu left off and continued to set everything out for dinner. “He was polite and sweet but he was a little more rebellious. Our lives here were nice and all but he always wanted to run away and see the world.”

“Is that why he became a soldier?” Heidi guessed.

Ami grinned. “Yep. And now he is a disciple to the Xiang and has been all over the world—not just Kyrie. All of his greatest wishes have come true.”

Heidi started to take some of the work, helping to shuck corn and chop vegetables. “Did Raine have any other dreams?”

“What? You mean like marrying or starting a family?” Ami shot her a sideways smile. “No. He never talked about stuff like that.”

“Maybe because he was a boy?” she suggested.

But Ami laughed at the prospect. “All the other boys talked about their future wives so that was not it at all. He was just…always focused on his goals of seeing the world and meeting the Xiang one day.”

The image of little Raine being as serious as he was now was enough to make Heidi laugh. “He really did make all of his dreams come true then.”

“He did.” Ami took the vegetables and washed them again before dumping them into a huge pot. “So, you did not answer my first question. How long have you liked him?”

She had really been hoping she had forgotten that. Heidi sighed. “Around the first time I met him. He is very handsome and all. But, the more time I spent with him, the more I liked him. He’s very considerate and understanding. Plus, he isn’t intimidated by me like most men back home.”

Ami chuckled under her breath. “He has a way of charming people without meaning to. It would be tragic if it was not so funny.”

Heidi laughed too. “Yeah…” her voice trailed off and she focused on some of the other prep work as directed by Ami. But a rogue thought made its way to the forefront of her mind. She looked at the shorter woman and asked, “What about your dreams?”

“Huh?” Ami just barely caught her eye before returning to washing the pot of rice.

“Your dreams,” Heidi restated. “Raine made all of his dreams come true but did you ever have big dreams?”

“Oh umm…” Ami struggled with her words and stopped spinning the rice about to think. “I suppose my biggest dream when I was little was to be with Raine, as ridiculous as that sounds. I also always thought about opening a jewelry stand in the market square or—oh! I forgot all about this!”

Heidi smirked at the sudden excitement in the woman’s voice. “What?”

Ami turned around, flicking the water from her hands. “I wanted to be a puppeteer for the puppet shows that play in town. I heard some of them travel from town to town so, when Raine would always talk about travel, I would imagine I had a job that let me follow him. Plus, the puppet shows were always funny when I was a kid.”

“Why not try to be one now?” Heidi shrugged.

But the other woman shook her head. “I need to stay here to help Ranmu and I will probably take over once she passes.”

Heidi frowned. “Why not do both?”

Ami opened and closed her mouth a couple of times before laughing. “You are the optimistic sort aren’t you?”

Instinctively, she wanted to argue that point. Pangu was the optimist—she was more of a realist.

There was no time for a rebuttal, however, when Ami kept talking, “I think you could be good for Raine, actually. But you have to be direct with him. He will never get it otherwise.”

That irritating blush returned and Heidi wished she could slap it away. She also wished her face would not betray her by smiling so much. Though she could not deny how happy Ami’s words did make her.

The idea that Raine could like her, if only she told him plainly…it made her heart flutter.

[thejourneyofthedreamer]

Overcoming Setbacks: Turning Failures into Stepping Stones

Introduction: Hello, seekers of resilience and growth! With over two decades of high-performance life coaching experience, I've come to recognize that setbacks are not roadblocks, but rather opportunities for transformation. Today, let's explore how "The Journey of the Dreamer" can guide you in overcoming setbacks and transforming failures into stepping stones toward success.

The Resilience Advantage: In the grand tapestry of life, setbacks are threads that add texture and depth to our journey. "The Journey of the Dreamer" is more than just a book; it's a roadmap that equips you with the tools needed to bounce back from setbacks with unwavering resilience. Discover how to turn adversity into a springboard for growth.

Failure as a Stepping Stone: Failure is not the end; it's a stepping stone to higher ground. Through the stories and insights shared within the book, you'll gain a new perspective on failure – one that views it as a powerful learning opportunity. Learn how to extract lessons from setbacks and leverage them to your advantage.

Perseverance Rewarded: Perseverance is the force that propels us forward even in the face of failure. Explore how "The Journey of the Dreamer" empowers you to persevere with renewed determination. Discover the strategies that successful individuals use to stay focused on their goals and maintain forward momentum, regardless of challenges.

Achieving Success Through Setbacks: Success is not a destination; it's a journey marked by determination and growth. The book's insights shed light on how to use setbacks as fuel to propel you closer to your aspirations. You'll learn how to channel setbacks into opportunities that catalyze your personal and professional achievements.

Your Call to Action: Ready to transform setbacks into stepping stones? "The Journey of the Dreamer" provides you with a roadmap to navigate challenges and emerge stronger on the other side.

Engagement Invitation: Share your journey of triumph over setbacks! In the comments below, tell us about a setback you've overcome and the valuable lesson it taught you. Your story could inspire others to view setbacks in a new light and leverage them as stepping stones to success.

Remember, setbacks are not the end of the road; they're detours that lead to unexpected treasures. Dive into "The Journey of the Dreamer" and uncover the strategies to turn failures into stepping stones on your path to success and growth.

[icinch]

Don't be a Quitter – Be a Failure Instead

New Post has been published on https://www.cinchhomebiz.com/dont-be-a-quitter-be-a-failure-instead/

Don't be a Quitter – Be a Failure Instead

We’re taught from early on that success is everything. Win the game or ace the test and you get the grown-up’s approval. Then we get older and succeeding becomes even more important. You got into a hot shot college? Congrats! You won the contract? Great! You built a multi-million dollar business? Super!

But here’s what nobody tells you – before you can win you’ve almost always got to lose, and lose big, and lose often. You’ve heard the expression, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” right? Well, when you venture you don’t always gain. Many times you lose, and you lose big.

And when that happens, your confidence takes a nosedive. The next time out you hedge your bets, you pull your punches and you don’t try as hard. Why? Because that way if you fail again, you can tell yourself that you didn’t lose as big. It’s funny, but it’s also human nature.

People fail a time or two and then what do they do? Sadly, many quit. They just give up. Failure hurts too much. It’s humiliating and embarrassing and they’d rather play it “safe.” Which actually means they don’t want to play at all, they just want to sit in their cozy cotton lined box and never venture outside into the cruel world again.

Here’s what those people don’t know: The ONLY way to truly, absolutely, permanently fail is to quit. Everything else is simply a step on the way to success.

Did you know…

– The average millionaire goes bankrupt 3.5 times.

– There is a new millionaire created every 58 hours.

– The average millionaire doesn’t realize their dream until age 45 and becomes a millionaire at 54.

– The average millionaire dabbles in 17 different businesses, concepts, schemes and enterprises but doesn’t hit it big until the 18th try.

Entrepreneurship is the quickest way to become a millionaire. 74% of all millionaires in America became millionaires through entrepreneurship.

The average millionaire goes bankrupt and what does s/he do? Dusts themselves off and tries again. And again. And again. Failure is a temporary detour, not a roadblock. I absolutely promise you, if you’re still breathing then you can still succeed and succeed BIG, regardless of how many times you’ve failed in the past.

Remember those Chicken Soup for the Soul guys, Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen? Their manuscript got rejected 140 times by 140 different publishers. Most people would have quit after the 10th or 20th rejection, but they just kept sending out that manuscript until the 141st publisher took a chance. Result? Both of them are millionaires many times over.

Winston Churchill failed the sixth grade and he was defeated in every public office role he ran for. Then he became the British Prime Minister at the age of 62 and led his country to victory in WWII.

Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. – Winston Churchill

R. H. Macy had a long and undistinguished history of failing businesses, including the first Macy’s in NYC. No one would have bet on him, but he went on to create the biggest department store in the world.

Marilyn Monroe’s first contract with Columbia Pictures expired because they decided she wasn’t pretty or talented enough to be an actress. But Monroe kept plugging away, and even today’s audiences know and love her decades after her untimely death.

Toyota passed over Soichiro Honda for an engineering job. He could have quit on his dreams. Instead, he went on to make motorcycles and cars and became a billionaire in the process.

Thomas Edison’s teachers told him he was “too stupid to learn anything.” Imagine how that could impact a child, hearing from the ‘experts’ that you’re too stupid to learn. Most kids would stop trying. Not Edison.

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. – Thomas Edison

Vera Wang failed to make the U.S. Olympic figure-skating team. Then she got passed over for the editor-in-chief position at Vogue. Time to realize she was a failure, right? Wrong. At age 40 she began designing wedding gowns and today she’s one of the hottest designers in the business and a self-made billionaire.

You’ve probably heard that Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” But did you know that he had several failed businesses before the premiere of Snow White?

The difference in winning and losing is most often…not quitting. – Walt Disney

Albert Einstein’s teachers labeled him “slow” and “mentally handicapped.” What if Einstein had actually believed the people who made these proclamations? For one thing he never would have won the Nobel prize in physics.

Henry Ford’s first auto company went out of business. He abandoned a second because of a fight and lost a third to declining sales. Yet he went on to become one of the greatest American entrepreneurs ever.

If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right. – Henry Ford

J. K. Rowling was unemployed and living on social security while writing her first Harry Potter novel. It was rejected by 12 different publishers and finally picked up with a paltry advance of just 1,500 pounds, but now she became the first person to become a billionaire through writing.

For every failure to success example I’ve given here, there are literally hundreds of thousands of others out there. And the only thing stopping you from becoming the next failure to success story is you. So what are you waiting for?

Hurry up and get your failures out of the way so you can go on to create big success for yourself too. And maybe someday your story will be featured right along with Einstein’s, Ford’s, Disney’s and all the other great people who refused to let a little thing like failure get in their way.

[grabyourluck-blog]

Don't be a Quitter – Be a Failure Instead

New Post has been published on https://www.referral-master.com/dont-be-a-quitter-be-a-failure-instead/

Don't be a Quitter – Be a Failure Instead

We’re taught from early on that success is everything. Win the game or ace the test and you get the grown-up’s approval. Then we get older and succeeding becomes even more important. You got into a hot shot college? Congrats! You won the contract? Great! You built a multi-million dollar business? Super!

But here’s what nobody tells you – before you can win you’ve almost always got to lose, and lose big, and lose often. You’ve heard the expression, “Nothing ventured, nothing gained,” right? Well, when you venture you don’t always gain. Many times you lose, and you lose big.

And when that happens, your confidence takes a nosedive. The next time out you hedge your bets, you pull your punches and you don’t try as hard. Why? Because that way if you fail again, you can tell yourself that you didn’t lose as big. It’s funny, but it’s also human nature.

People fail a time or two and then what do they do? Sadly, many quit. They just give up. Failure hurts too much. It’s humiliating and embarrassing and they’d rather play it “safe.” Which actually means they don’t want to play at all, they just want to sit in their cozy cotton lined box and never venture outside into the cruel world again.

Here’s what those people don’t know: The ONLY way to truly, absolutely, permanently fail is to quit. Everything else is simply a step on the way to success.

Did you know…

– The average millionaire goes bankrupt 3.5 times.

– There is a new millionaire created every 58 hours.

– The average millionaire doesn’t realize their dream until age 45 and becomes a millionaire at 54.

– The average millionaire dabbles in 17 different businesses, concepts, schemes and enterprises but doesn’t hit it big until the 18th try.

Entrepreneurship is the quickest way to become a millionaire. 74% of all millionaires in America became millionaires through entrepreneurship.

The average millionaire goes bankrupt and what does s/he do? Dusts themselves off and tries again. And again. And again. Failure is a temporary detour, not a roadblock. I absolutely promise you, if you’re still breathing then you can still succeed and succeed BIG, regardless of how many times you’ve failed in the past.

Remember those Chicken Soup for the Soul guys, Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen? Their manuscript got rejected 140 times by 140 different publishers. Most people would have quit after the 10th or 20th rejection, but they just kept sending out that manuscript until the 141st publisher took a chance. Result? Both of them are millionaires many times over.

Winston Churchill failed the sixth grade and he was defeated in every public office role he ran for. Then he became the British Prime Minister at the age of 62 and led his country to victory in WWII.

Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm. – Winston Churchill

R. H. Macy had a long and undistinguished history of failing businesses, including the first Macy’s in NYC. No one would have bet on him, but he went on to create the biggest department store in the world.

Marilyn Monroe’s first contract with Columbia Pictures expired because they decided she wasn’t pretty or talented enough to be an actress. But Monroe kept plugging away, and even today’s audiences know and love her decades after her untimely death.

Toyota passed over Soichiro Honda for an engineering job. He could have quit on his dreams. Instead, he went on to make motorcycles and cars and became a billionaire in the process.

Thomas Edison’s teachers told him he was “too stupid to learn anything.” Imagine how that could impact a child, hearing from the ‘experts’ that you’re too stupid to learn. Most kids would stop trying. Not Edison.

Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time. – Thomas Edison

Vera Wang failed to make the U.S. Olympic figure-skating team. Then she got passed over for the editor-in-chief position at Vogue. Time to realize she was a failure, right? Wrong. At age 40 she began designing wedding gowns and today she’s one of the hottest designers in the business and a self-made billionaire.

You’ve probably heard that Walt Disney was fired by a newspaper editor because he “lacked imagination and had no good ideas.” But did you know that he had several failed businesses before the premiere of Snow White?

The difference in winning and losing is most often…not quitting. – Walt Disney

Albert Einstein’s teachers labeled him “slow” and “mentally handicapped.” What if Einstein had actually believed the people who made these proclamations? For one thing he never would have won the Nobel prize in physics.

Henry Ford’s first auto company went out of business. He abandoned a second because of a fight and lost a third to declining sales. Yet he went on to become one of the greatest American entrepreneurs ever.

If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right. – Henry Ford

J. K. Rowling was unemployed and living on social security while writing her first Harry Potter novel. It was rejected by 12 different publishers and finally picked up with a paltry advance of just 1,500 pounds, but now she became the first person to become a billionaire through writing.

For every failure to success example I’ve given here, there are literally hundreds of thousands of others out there. And the only thing stopping you from becoming the next failure to success story is you. So what are you waiting for?

Hurry up and get your failures out of the way so you can go on to create big success for yourself too. And maybe someday your story will be featured right along with Einstein’s, Ford’s, Disney’s and all the other great people who refused to let a little thing like failure get in their way.

[manchasama]

Let’s do another one then.

So I definitely have a habit of daydreaming where a fanfic might be going, or where I wished it would have gone instead.  That happened recently I think in combination of reading We Will Always Have Each Other and Detours so...yeah.

So many fics have someone "talk sense" into Emmet instead of letting him rush to his brother's side.  And sure sometimes they do let him rush over, but it's usually somehow more local, not across continents or anything.  So I guess what I'm saying is I'm going to steal that idea of a local Sinnoh broadcast of "do you know this man"

And boy howdy, did they not expect what happened next.

See, people have been looking for a hint of Ingo since the disappearance.  You have the important, high up friends, reaching out to other important, high up friends.  The search didn't go too far out of Nimbasa and the Unova region, but there were some people who were aware of what happened.  But more importantly, trainers, adventurers, travelers.  They most assuredly know, and travel the globe.

It starts slow.  A friend calls a friend in Unova, passing on a link to the news segment.  Word spreads quickly among the people as excitement builds.  Could it be?  Some gym leader pings the local gym leader, asking if this wasn't the brother they'd asked them to look out for so long ago?  After that word travels to Emmet immediately.

And there's no pause.  There's no stopping.  No one needs to be told, no one needs to ask questions.  Emmet just starts running out of the Subway, coat flapping behind him.  In the streets people are starting to gather, starting to make their way to transports, excitedly talking in groups, passing the word on faster and further.  

As Emmet burst out of the subway, there's cheers, cries, encouragement.  People running along side him, clearing the path in front of him, all wanting to help, to be there for one of their beloved Subway Masters.  And the Pokemon trainers rally, those with flying pokemon swooping in and calling out.  Not even pausing to land, just reaching out a beseeching hand.  And Emmet leaps, is lifted, up into their arms and into the sky, a small procession heading for the other continent.

(Behind them, people pour onto trains, onto travel pokemon, any means possibly and begin heading for Sinnoh.  They need to greet one of their own, welcome him back from where he'd been.)

The flight is long, and tiring for a pokemon carrying two.  Others offer to take over, Emmet letting himself fall from one and onto another.  Such a danger they'd normally never allow, but they can't stop.  Not when everyone had been waiting for this moment for so long.

They land at the hospital, and there's no need to ask who Emmet is.  It's wildly obvious.  He's let through, police waved away so as not to interfere, and he finally can reunite with his brother.

There's some roadblocks.  Ingo doesn't remember it all, after all.  How can he slot back into a space and a world that has moved on without him?  But he's there, and that means more than anything at this point.  

Emmet just laughs, incredulous.  What does Ingo mean?  No one has forgotten him.  And outside, people begin arriving, anxious to see Ingo alive and well.  Sinnoh is invaded by Unovians who have waited years for their beloved Subway Master to return.

Have you seen this man?  Yes, says Unova, we have.  And we welcome him home.

[cryptid-killjoy]

In his own way, she was spot on, precisely where Koda's thoughts were rounding. He tried to stay in the moment as life had a way of little allowance for future planning try as he might once roadblocks would detour his life path each and every time he thought he knew where he was going, or even where he was. The big question for Koda soon would be, what next? As his dear friend Bastien might say feet were meant for stepping. One just had to decide which way to move unless your step was to take a stand.

She was also right that Koda was giving her an out. At this point he still wasn't assuming anything about her time, wants, or feelings. He considered the favor he asked of her complete. Anything more felt beyond it. It would feel more like their time from the moment she agreed. It was such a heavy reason for coming with the burial that it took till that moment to ease into the idea he wasn't putting something too much on someone else and settled more into the idea of simply enjoying the visit.

Elsa did not hesitate with her answer. Just that alone loosened his reserved cheeks into relaxed smiles as he spoke. Reading Elsa wasn't like other people. What other people kept calling icy, stern, blunt, or prim, Koda saw as far more easy to understand. People were so complicated, hiding emotions, talking in what felt like riddles all the time. He never knew what he could trust. Someone else might say they wouldn't mind staying, but not actually mean it, only being polite. He was coming to realize he believed Elsa always said exactly what she meant.

"Thank you." Just saying thanks made him chuckle somewhat. "I feel like I say that to you a lot. Maybe it's just the current situation, or maybe you've been doing a lot for me lately, or maybe I'm worried my mothers are watching now." He teased with a barely-there nudge at the arm like he had to watch his P&Q's. "When did that get turned around on us?" He teased a little more since it all started with him doing her favors helping her when she needed aid. It all came full circle and Elsa had more than evened that one out. "I guess we're even now." Not that he was keeping score. He grinned at her as he swept up the side of her hair to give her a thank you kiss on the side of the temple at the top edge of her cheek.

"So that's the last thank you you get. This polite stuff is getting on my nerves." He blew out a breath. "Just kidding. Just kidding."

But was he?

He took the last sip of his own glass. He stood, tossed his dish in the sink, and came back around, grabbed his truck keys to head out, and popped another kiss on the opposite cheek.

"That means the rest of those aren't owed. From now on if I do that, I just really want to." Then he popped another little double peck, a quick one, and one that held for emphasis in the same spot. "A lot." And in came back one of those faces Koda might have worn back in the days he was trying to flirt with her and she never caught on. "Because I like you... a lot."

"You know, just so you know. In case you were in question." Then he put up two hands between them, pointing his index fingers, and kept motioning back and forth between them both, him and her, him and her. Maybe it was a him thing, but since Elsa seemed to be helping break down the communication code that humans guise under for him with her directness, he thought he'd slip in his own translation, just in case.

Then he'd jingle his keys. "I'm going to go clean out the truck to start the day. I'll be out there when you're ready." He knew there was still fast food wrappers from their road trip there still in the floor. He was going to reset so they could start this part of their visit.

Elsa was up for going on a ride if Koda offered. She might be a little awkward as first, and wear the gloves since horses could move quite unexpectedly - even well-trained, they’re still animals - but she’s been trying all sorts of things as of late. This could be another thing to add onto to the list. Even cold-hearted Elsa could be warmed up by romantic thoughts of horseback riding somewhere, like on a beach. She might even be talked into a cowboy hat.

That wouldn’t be what filled her dreams that night, although that would have been welcome.

Hers were about flying. Not in an airplane, or through the sky, not even as a human. She didn’t know what she was. She was in the winter tundra, and she could feel the cold in a way that she couldn’t always. But it was still comfortable for her. Like it couldn’t affect her. She just acknowledged that it was present.

Wings - she definitely had wings. She could hear them as they flapped through the air. It was more like a gliding motion than actually flying, she wasn’t going up, she was desceding slowly. Despite all of the snow, there were still little rivulets of streams and rivers, and as she fluttered close to one, she could see her own reflection. A white colored head, body banded with black, large yellow eyes. A Snowy Owl.

There was nothing to the dream other than this feeling of flying, of freedom, of stretching her wings. Of being able to go anywhere that she wanted, turning her body to soar over the trees, to use her talons to catch a jumping fish out of the waters. Almost like she had a totem of her own? She hadn’t even realized her subconscious had been focusing on that idea through the day, through the funeral.

She woke up in a good mood, or as good as an Elsa mood could be, the corners of her mouth turned upward more than down.

The lack of fresh food didn’t bother her too much. She wasn’t much of a cook so she preferred things that were in boxes or came pre-cooked anyhow. She certainly wasn’t the whole eggs, bacon, pancakes, fresh coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice kind of breakfast gal so the cereal was just fine with her. So far, she had no complaints, not even any that she was keeping to herself.

Even when they went out, Elsa dressing in casual jeans and comfortable blouses, the usually prim and proper woman not minding when the cuffs of her pants got dirty and dusty from the roads, or when the more friendly of the rez dogs would come sniffing and leave a little slobber on her hands, and would give polite nods back when the residents would call out ‘los from their porches. It was like seeing another way of living. That’s how she’d been experiencing her own life. By watching others live theirs, and hardly ever settling into her own.

Which is apparently what Koda had been thinking about also, in his own way. Did she want to continue to stay here and watch - or did she want to go back to what she was setting up for herself after relocating yet again?

She was sipping on a glass of water, the glass itself being icy cold underneath her touch, just the way that she liked it. She was sitting across him, just enjoying the silence of the house. It was a tomb to be sure, but it was also one of the nicer tombs that she had ever seen. Everything had a purpose. She liked that. It wasn’t maximal, an idea that she found dizzying.

She set down the glass and set her blue gaze upon Koda. She realized that he was giving her an out if she so desired. One that she could take freely, be dropped back off at an airport or something, fly back to her small apartment which Dale was probably making the most of during this time, something she didn’t mind at all. At least it was getting some use out of it.

“I’ll stay,” She said, without a second’s hesitation. Without really having to think about it. “It will be interesting to see the places you went to while growing up.”

[bangtansmauyeondan]

MIDNIGHT’S MINUET | Part 25 — Finale (1 of 2): City Lights

Pairing: Yoongi x Fem Reader

Genre: Strangers to Enemies to Friends to ???, social media au, chef au, musician au, slow burn, fluff, implied smut, angst, slight crack, and drama.

Summary: While gallivanting around the world pursuing his love for music and architecture, Yoongi was forced to come back home when Seokjin, his older brother, asked him for help to run the family business. Having been born with a silver spoon, Yoongi longed for a bit of normalcy and independence; hence, agreeing with Seokjin’s request didn’t come without any of his own conditions— first, he’s going to oversee the hotel’s kitchen; second, he’s gonna let him live a normal life— no luxury cars, no high-rise building apartment, no special treatment. Yoongi was pleased that everything seemed to be going well with his return… until he met you, the roadblock to everything his brother has agreed to.

SERIES TAGLIST: @sugakookies0613 @pinkseokchim @superrmins @belladaises @potatoandfries @cherrybubblesandvodka @sope-and-shine @juju-227592

PERMANENT TAGLIST: @highly-functioning-mitochondria @persphonesorchid @thatbangtanjagiya @taestefully-in-luv @btsstan12 @bts-reveries @blog-name-idk @madbutgloriouspond @pamzn @wrmnssoul @ygbubs @halesandy @jayhope88

A/N - So sorry it took so long! These two have a lot to sort out so I didn’t wanna cram everything in one chapter. Let me know what you think! Enjoy!

•••••••••••••

Jimin hops up and sits down on the ledge that separates him from a potential twelve-storey fall. “You promised me you’re telling me everything?” he pouts at you, his voice muffled against the cold wind on the rooftop and the sound of the cars and the traffic wheezing by below.

“Maybe I lied,” you bite your lower lip, pulling your cardigan tighter around you. “Maybe I just wanted to see my brother.”

“Now THAT is a lie,” Jimin scoffs. “I was genuinely worried about you earlier, I thought you’re gonna cry.”

“What would you have done if I cried?”

“I’m gonna end the person who made you cry,” he pulls the sleeves of his pullover up to his elbows. “Nobody messes with the Parks!”

You can’t help the small smile that graced your lips as you look fondly at your brother. He’s no longer the little boy who used to follow you around everywhere and interrogated the hell out of all the boys that would show even the smallest of interest. In fact he’s grown quite taller than you and built like that, he could no doubt knock the living daylights out of anyone that would try to cross you. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that he’s your little brother– there’s absolutely nothing little about him anymore, except maybe his pinky fingers, but you’re not gonna tell him that.

“You know you can trust me, right?” Jimin hops off the ledge and leans closer to you. “Right?” He squints inches away from your face. You burst into a giggle and push his face away gently with your palm. “Okay, stay here. I’m gonna get us some drinks and when I return, you’re gonna tell me everything, right?”

“Okay, Jimin… Whatever you say…”

Jimin sprints down the concrete stairs from the rooftop and heads back into his apartment to retrieve two bottles of beer from the fridge. He pops them open and wedges a slice of lemon through each bottle neck before heading back out. He checks his phone one more time to see the confirmation message that he’s been waiting for. A simple “I’m here…’ prompts him to make a detour and instead of going straight back up to the rooftop, he rings his doorman’s intercom, signaling them to let Yoongi in.

—

One hour ago…

Yoongi shakes off the excess water from his hair with a fluffy towel as he steps out of his bathroom, coming face to face with Namjoon who’s already tucking into something that smells like warm orange and cinnamon. “Are you eating Christmas?” he jokes as he picks up the box emblazoned with the words ‘Silver Spoon’ across the top from the floor, making his eyebrows furrow.

“This is so good, I didn’t know they had this,” Namjoon says mid-chew, crumbs of the citrus galette crust gracing the corner of his lips. “Did you order this via Uber Eats

“I didn’t order any dessert…” his gaze momentarily flies to Jelena, “Didn’t you bring this?”

“No, it was delivered by your friend. She said you ordered it.”

An unpleasant feeling starts to settle on Yoongi’s stomach. “Friend who?” He can feel his hair sticking to the back of his neck, and he’s not sure if it’s because of the water post-shower or he’s legitimately breaking into a sweat, praying that Jelena is not talking about who he thinks ‘she’ is.

“You know,” Jelena blinks back at him like he has lost his memory. “Your friend, the lady chef you introduced me to at the hotel.” She turns to Namjoon, “What’s her name again, Joon?”

“Chef Park…” Namjoon answers nonchalantly while stabbing a piece of sticky grapefruit. “Jiminie’s sister.”

“Shit,” Yoongi’s heart dropped to his stomach. “Yn was here?”

“Yeah…” Jelena nods.

“Like… just now? And she… Did she see you?”

“I opened the door, yes.” Jelena now looks over at Namjoon and back at Yoongi, clearly confused. Namjoon shrugs back at her equally as confused. “What’s wrong? Are you guys…?”

“Yes, Jelena. We are,” he answers firmly as he storms out of his apartment to go over to yours. Yoongi rings the bell and knocks on the door a few times. “Yn? Are you home?” No answer. By the time he turns around, Namjoon and Jelena are already out in the hall too, trying to make sense of what’s happening.

“Man, what’s going on? Why are you panicking?” Namjoon asks worriedly.

Yoongi runs his fingers through his hair, taking a deep breath, keeping his emotions at bay. “This could be a huge misunderstanding, I already know it,” he starts. “She and I have something, okay? I can’t put a finger on what exactly it is, but I just… I like her, okay? So much,” he glances at Jelena. “She knew you used to like me.” Jelena winced. “We spent the weekend at my parents’ beach house, and today has been so busy that we didn’t get a chance to interact at work at all. Then all of a sudden, she’s turning up at my doorstep, seeing you and I just–”

“Hey. it’s okay…” Jelena tries to soothe him. “Is there anything I can do to help? Should I call her?”

As if on cue, Yoongi’s phone starts ringing and he marches past the couple as he enters his apartment again to retrieve the phone on the coffee table. It’s Jimin calling, and Yoongi is not wasting another minute.

“Hey… is your sister with you?” He greets Jimin.

“Hyung…” Jimin sighs on the other end of the line. “She’s on her way to my apartment right now, and I wanna give you the benefit of the doubt. Tell me everything, then come down here and get her.”

——

Jimin’s apartment building has a spacious rooftop, with a well-maintained green house that the staff takes care of, and a few garden benches scattered around. It’s a shame that since most of the tenants are at the peak of their careers, it’s very rare that you find people up there just doing nothing. You sit back and relax on one of the benches, the backrest comfortable enough that you find yourself leaning all the way back, resting your head too as you look up at the bluish gray sky. No stars peeking out tonight and it doesn’t take an expert to tell that it might rain throughout the night. You take a deep breath, mind drifting back in the last 48 hours and wondering where you stand.

Getting to know Yoongi led you to discover something about yourself too. Now in your late 20s, you would think you pretty much have it together already. You’re independent, established, and content with what you currently have— relationships included. You were never looking for anything. Sure, you were attracted to Jungkook at one point, you couldn’t help it, you have eyes and the man is an eye-candy. But would you really have given up the friendship you both have nurtured over the years and taken a risk on a potential relationship? No. But with Yoongi, it’s like stepping into a different but familiar territory. It’s exciting, it makes your heart race, it’s almost like high school all over again when you had your first kiss. Ah, first kiss. You unconsciously touch your lips where Yoongi’s had been 48 hours ago. You take a deep breath, trying to keep your emotions from bubbling up again. Your mind drifts to that beautiful face that you came face to face with earlier at his apartment, wanting to kick yourself for being stupid. Why did you let Yoongi break down your wall? Why did you let Yoongi kiss you? Why did you let him touch you? You straighten yourself up on the bench when you hear the faint footsteps getting closer. Right, you promised to tell your brother everything.

Yoongi’s palms are damp, and he doesn’t know if it’s because of the two bottles of ice cold beer that Jimin handed him before he made his way to the rooftop, or if it’s because of his nerves suddenly going haywire as he approaches you. You look a bit shaken when he sits down next to you before handing you the beer, but you quickly pull yourself together and stare out into the city lights again. You both sit there in silence for a good minute until Yoongi clears his throat. “You met Jelena…” He started, gaze roaming all over your face, anticipating your reaction.

“I did…” you don’t look back at him.

“Yn, it’s not what you think…” he says, voice wavering a little bit.

“What do I think, Yoongi?” You turn to him, eyes glistening with fresh tears that are about to fall. Yoongi’s heart clenched in his chest. You look beautiful, the city lights reflecting in your eyes. He wants nothing more than to reach out and run his thumb across your cheek. He wants to kiss you again, over and over.

“Jelena and I— there’s nothing going on between us.”

[To be continued...]

•••

[theesteemedladydebourgh]

Coming December 1...

Rating: E

Lily Evans and James Potter fell in love, broke apart and graduated Hogwarts. Ten years later, one failed engagement (her), a prestigious career as an Auror (him), and a diverted flight that lands them both in the middle of Muggle Ireland right before Christmas might be the thing to bring them back together.

An unreliable car is procured, emotional baggage is tossed in the boot, snow is forecast and it’s jingle all the—oh look, a detour.

Barring major roadblocks and/or construction, this should be updated daily between the 1st and the 24th. Now I scurry back to my writing cave and this (so far) 30k ridiculousness that’s barely half done to make sure that happens!

Happy pre-holidays everyone (and good luck anyone who has to make hundreds of latkes this week lol rip me)

A little James snippet below the cut. 😉

Naturally, the car breaks down twenty minutes in.

Up until that metal screeching (then real screeching) disaster, they’re the longest twenty minutes of his entire life.

Whatever insulates this shitty metal box clearly isn’t doing its job because James can easily imagine a rudimentary heating charm would improve their situation dramatically, but Lily had glared at him the second he suggested it.

“We’re driving on an icy road,” she’d snapped. “If you want to wave that thing around shooting off mad charms and bring us to an early grave, be my guest.”

“It’s a fucking heating charm. A first year could do it.”

A snort. “Forgive me if I don’t have all that much faith in the Auror Department’s ability to train your reckless idiocy out of you. Or your penchant for setting things on fire. Or your aim.”

“Chaser. I was a star chaser for five years and I was the bloody Captain—“

“And it did your ego great help, but not much else. Now shut up.”

I can think of a few things it helped you with, James had thought, but resisted the impulse to say it aloud. One, because she’d stop the car right in the middle of the road and hex him, and two, because then he’d be thinking about her naked.

So James had clenched his jaw and decided, freezing and irate, that they just weren’t going to talk for the duration of the trip.

A merry tune starts playing suddenly, at the same time that a strong buzzing emanates from that sleek black device she was carrying earlier—

James glances down to the phone sitting face up between the two car seats. The name Roger Kennedy is blinking above a picture of a smiling bloke in a winter coat. His blonde hair is swept to the side and he’s laughing at whoever is taking the picture.

James’s stomach clenches.

Lily scowls at her device though, one hand still on the wheel, and presses a red button.

Roger’s smiling face disappears and the tune cuts out. His face is replaced by the time and date (17 December, 2018) and a picture of Lily herself with someone James recognizes after a second as Dorcas Meadowes. They’re wearing matching purple Healer robes, Lily’s arms thrown round Dorcas’s shoulder as they laugh. They’re both making silly faces.

Without obviously turning his head to study it, James tries to make out where they are—maybe her flat? There’s a wall with pictures behind them—but then the phone suddenly goes black.

Lily exhales.

James doesn’t have to look over to know that the sound is full of tension, but he does anyway. Her fingers are gripping the steering wheel tightly, eyes fixed on the grey, winding road ahead. Her death-grip doesn’t feel so out of place considering his uncle’s car is occasionally making a sharp, groaning noise, as if silently protesting its two passengers.

Same, James thinks, then feels a burst of ridiculousness. He’s empathizing with a fucking car.

“Silence is too bloody loud,” he mutters, deciding a change in atmosphere is needed and reaches forward to fiddle with the stereo. This he knows how to do, from a few weeks when Sirius was obsessed with figuring out how to add one to his motorbike. (Remus had eventually squashed that particularly unsafe dream).

Lily sighs, but doesn’t respond beyond that and James’s irritation hitches higher.

That’s another thing he’d forgotten about her. Those bloody sighs.

The radio crackles, hissing and popping with white noise. James twists the dial further, more static. A sharp tug to the left.

Sigh.

James yanks and the station finally bursts to life, midway through a peppy Christmas jingle.

“—dashing through the snow—“

James twists to another station. “—ain’t nothin’ but a heartache, tell me why…”

His hand drops to his lap, the melodic crooning of late nineties boy band pop filling the freezing car. Sirius would’ve been thrilled.

Lily reaches out and turns the dial back. Christmas music declares itself with annoying bells in the background.

James stares at the radio, then twists to look at Lily.

She’s determinedly not looking at him. Maybe—just maybe—she’s still mad about the fact that she’s stuck driving her ex-boyfriend across Ireland. Maybe she’s…miffed.

There are two options, James decides. He can be petty and continue on a wordless radio war that will make the rest of the car ride a miserable hell the likes of which he hasn’t faced since the vicious days of fifth year, or he can be the bigger person and listen to this absurdly upbeat music for the next Merlin knows how many hours.

Simple decision, really.

James twists the dial back to the tail end of the boy band’s heartbreak song.

Lily’s lips tighten and she reaches out to yank the knob again.

“—what fun it is to ride and sing, a sleighing song tonight, ohhhh—“

James resists the urge to growl, glaring steadfastly out the window. Within second, his gaze catches back on her, though.

The grey-green-white scenery passes outside her window, cold pressing onto the glass. She cuts through the view like a red, angry blur.

Her bun is falling down, strands of red hair curling around her neck. One is touching her skin, right next to a small freckle that he—suddenly vividly remembering—used to trace with his tongue. 

His face heats and he yanks his gaze back to the confusing, knobby dashboard of the car. The word AUX blurs in his vision as he focuses determinedly on it.

Lily sighs again, but this time it’s a softer sound. One hand stays resting on the wheel, the other comes up to slowly massage the back of her neck. Her thumb presses into the skin below her hairline, absently drawing tight circles. She exhales again.

“Try not to drive off the road,” James says, because he’s a prick and he absolutely can’t handle a second more of this.

It has the desired effect, as she was perfectly in the center and she knows it, and the look Lily directs at him is nothing short of poisonous.

Merry bloody Christmas.